Zipadelli, SHR navigating 'emotional roller coaster'

Posted on August 25, 2014 by Nascar

Jeff Burton, Regan Smith lauded for fill-in roles in Tony Stewart’s absence

MORE: Complete coverage of Tony Stewart incident

Tony Stewart missed his third consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race this past weekend, and Greg Zipadelli doesn’t know when his driver, and close friend, will be back behind the wheel.

UPDATE: Stewart to return at Atlanta

In the meantime, Stewart’s No. 14 team Stewart-Haas Racing team continues to prepare for each week’s race. Maybe for the three-time Sprint Cup champion, maybe for another driver such as Jeff Burton, the driver of record for the group these past two weekends during Stewart’s absence. Regan Smith filled in for the team at Watkins Glen.

"It’s just an emotional roller coaster all week, you know what I mean?" Zipadelli said after Saturday night’s Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. "It is what it is.

"We do the best we can with what we’ve got right now. We’ll keep praying, keep our fingers crossed that we get the boss back sooner rather than later."

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Stewart has not competed in a Sprint Cup race since Aug. 3 when he finished 36th at Pocono Raceway. Less than a week later, on Aug. 9, driver Kevin Ward Jr. was killed when he was struck by Stewart’s winged sprint car during an event at Canandaigua (New York) Motorsports Park.

An investigation by the Ontario County (New York) Police Department is on-going.

Zipadelli, Stewart’s crew chief for a decade when the two were paired at Joe Gibbs Racing, is vice president of competition at SHR, and oversees the operation of the No. 14 entry as well as the No. 4 of Kevin Harvick, the No. 10 of Danica Patrick and the No. 41 of Kurt Busch.

Burton, winner of 21 Sprint Cup races and headed to NBC Sports in 2015, finished 15th at BMS after running in the top 10 for much of the second half of the race.

Damage to the front end of his car eventually negated a shrewd pit call that put him fourth in the running order. It was a better result than the previous week when a broken tail pipe was the culprit for a 37th-place finish, but a missed opportunity as well.

"They ran 10th to 15th basically all night," Zipadelli said of the team. "They’re still learning each other; got that damage and killed the grille and that got them behind a little bit there and didn’t realize it on that long, green flag run and lost a lot of spots."

Burton’s experience and his demeanor have been a big help as the team has worked its way through these past few weeks, according to Zipadelli.

"He’s been so calm and cool, and getting these guys as much good feedback as he can," he said. "You couldn’t ask for a better guy to get in the car.

"It’s big shoes to fill, you know? He did a really nice job, he’s done a really classy job the last couple of weeks and that’s what we needed.

"This team needed that, somebody that would be there for them and work through these tough times."

Stewart missed the final 15 races of the 2013 season after suffering a broken leg while competing in a sprint car race in Iowa. He returned to NASCAR competition in February.

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Posted on August 25, 2014 by

A stat-based look ahead to the Sprint Cup Series stop at Atlanta

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — With the regular season coming to an end, winless drivers are feeling a strong sense of urgency for a victory – and the spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup that goes with it. Below are the statistics of a number of those drivers at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia going into the Oral-B USA 500 on August 31 (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

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ATLANTA-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Marcos Ambrose (No. 9 STANLEY Ford)

· One top 10

· Average finish of 20.3

· Average Running Position of 20.5, 23rd-best

· Driver Rating of 68.1, 23rd-best

· 8 Fastest Laps Run, 34th-most

· 739 Green Flag Passes, 19th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.119 mph, 23rd-fastest

· 876 Laps in the Top 15 (33.4%), 22nd-most

· 208 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), 21st-most

Greg Biffle (No. Ortho Fire Ant Killer Ford)

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

· Average finish of 15.9

· Average Running Position of 13.7, 11th-best

· Driver Rating of 91.3, 11th-best

· 237 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

· 993 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.998 mph, 13th-fastest

· 3,301 Laps in the Top 15 (67.3%), sixth-most

· 518 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Clint Bowyer (No. 15 SpeedDigital.com Toyota)

· Five top 10s

· Average finish of 19.8

· Average Running Position of 15.7, 16th-best

· Driver Rating of 84.8, 15th-best

· 76 Fastest Laps Run, 15th-most

· 865 Green Flag Passes, 13th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.054 mph, 11th-fastest

· 2,444 Laps in the Top 15 (57.5%), 15th-most

· 358 Quality Passes, 17th-most

Austin Dillon (No. 3 Dow Chevrolet)

· Average finish of 19.0

· Average Running Position of 20.6, 24th-best

· Driver Rating of 67.3, 24th-best

· 1 Fastest Laps Run, 44th-most

· 86 Green Flag Passes, 45th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 169.903 mph, 26th-fastest

· 1 Laps in the Top 15 (.3%), 47th-most

· 1 Quality Passes, 43rd-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Home Depot Husky Toyota)

· Eight top fives, 14 top 10s

· Average finish of 12.7

· Average Running Position of 12.8, seventh-best

· Driver Rating of 96.5, fifth-best

· 190 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most

· 1,018 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.262 mph, sixth-fastest

· 3,415 Laps in the Top 15 (69.7%), fifth-most

· 528 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Jamie McMurray (No. 1 Cessna Chevrolet)

· Four top 10s

· Average finish of 20.0

· Average Running Position of 19.2, 22nd-best

· Driver Rating of 73.7, 22nd-best

· Series-high 1,145 Green Flag Passes

· 1,965 Laps in the Top 15 (40.1%), 18th-most

· 407 Quality Passes, 15th-most

Paul Menard (No. 27 Duracell/Menards Chevrolet)

· One top five, three top 10s

· Average finish of 20.7

· Average Running Position of 23.3, 27th-best

· Driver Rating of 63.6, 26th-best

· 899 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most

· 827 Laps in the Top 15 (21.1%), 24th-most

· 208 Quality Passes, 21st-most

Ryan Newman (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)

· Two top fives, seven top 10s; seven poles

· Average finish of 17.7

· Average Running Position of 18.6, 20th-best

· Driver Rating of 74.1, 21st-best

· 1,077 Green Flag Passes, third-most

· 1,742 Laps in the Top 15 (35.5%), 19th-most

· 346 Quality Passes, 19th-most

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

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

· Average finish of 11.7

· Average Running Position of 11.4, third-best

· Driver Rating of 100.2, third-best

· 800 Green Flag Passes, 16th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.240 mph, seventh-fastest

· 3,231 Laps in the Top 15 (70.6%), seventh-most

· 490 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Martin Truex Jr. (No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet)

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

· Average finish of 20.3

· Average Running Position of 11.7, fourth-best

· Driver Rating of 91.4, 10th-best

· 890 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.359 mph, fourth-fastest

· 3,517 Laps in the Top 15 (76.8%), fourth-most

· 559 Quality Passes, second-most

Atlanta Motor Speedway Data

Season Race #: 25 of 36 (08-31-14)

Track Size: 1.54-miles

Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 24 degrees

Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 24 degrees

Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees

Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees

Frontstretch Length: 2,332 feet

Backstretch Length: 1,800 feet

Race Length: 325 laps / 500.5 miles

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Atlanta

Jeff Gordon………………………… 105.6

Jimmie Johnson…………………… 104.8

Tony Stewart……………………….. 100.2

Carl Edwards………………………. 100.0

Matt Kenseth………………………… 96.5

Denny Hamlin……………………….. 96.2

Kurt Busch……………………………. 94.5

Kyle Busch…………………………… 94.4

Dale Earnhardt Jr…………………… 93.3

Martin Truex Jr………………………. 91.4

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2013 races (15 total) among active drivers at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data

2013 pole winner:

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford

189.688 mph, 29.227 secs. 08-30-13

2013 race winner:

Kyle Busch, Toyota

135.128 mph, (03:42:14), 08-30-13

Track qualifying record:

Geoffrey Bodine, Ford

197.478 mph, 28.074 secs. 11-15-97

Track race record:

Bobby Labonte, Pontiac

159.904 mph, (03:07:48), 11-16-97

Atlanta Motor Speedway:

History

· Originally called Atlanta International Raceway, the track was then a 1.5-mile paved speedway.

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta was on July 31, 1960, won by Fireball Roberts from the pole.

· The track was re-measured to 1.522 miles in the spring of 1970.

· It was renamed Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1990.

· The track layout was reversed and the track was re-configured to 1.54 miles between the two races in 1997.

Notebook

· There have been 106 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway since the first race there in 1960. Until 2010 there have been two races per year except 1961, which had three. This year marks the third season with only one event.

· 544 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway; 364 in more than one.

· Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Atlanta with 65. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 40 starts, followed by Joe Nemechek with 37.

· Fireball Roberts won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Atlanta in 1960 with a speed of 133.870 mph.

· 47 drivers have Coors Light poles at Atlanta, led by Buddy Baker and Ryan Newman with seven each.

· Winning consecutive Coors Light poles has happened eight times at Atlanta, among six drivers.

· Ryan Newman holds the record for most consecutive poles at Atlanta with six; spring of 2003 through 2005.

· Youngest Atlanta pole winner: Terry Labonte (03/15/1981 – 24 years, 3 months, 27 days).

· Oldest Atlanta pole winner: Harry Gant (11/14/1993 – 53 years, 10 months, 4 days).

· 43 different NSCS drivers have won at Atlanta Motor Speedway, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt with nine wins. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with five.

· 11 drivers have posted consecutive wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Marvin Panch (1965 sweep), Bobby Allison (1972 sweep), David Pearson (1973 sweep), Richard Petty (1974 fall, 1975 spring), Cale Yarborough (1980 fall, 1981 spring), Bill Elliott (1985 sweep; 1992 sweep), Dale Earnhardt (1989 fall, 1990 spring; 1995 fall, 1996 spring), Bobby Labonte (1997 fall, 1998 spring), Jeff Gordon (1998 fall, 1999 spring), Carl Edwards (2005 sweep), Jimmie Johnson (2007 sweep)

· Youngest Atlanta winner: Kyle Busch (03/09/2008 – 22 years, 10 months, 7 days).

· Oldest Atlanta winner: Morgan Shepherd (03/20/1993 – 51 years, 5 months, 8 days).

· The Wood Brothers have the most wins at Atlanta in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 12: Cale Yarborough (three), David Pearson (three), Marvin Panch (two), Neil Bonnett (two) A.J. Foyt (one) and Morgan Shepherd (one). Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports are tied for the second most wins at Atlanta with 11 each.

· Nine different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Atlanta; led by Chevrolet with 37 victories; followed by Ford with 29. Toyota has three wins at Atlanta.

· 14 of the 106 (13.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Kasey Kahne in 2006.

· The fifth starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (15) than any other starting position at Atlanta Motor Speedway; the most recent was Jeff Gordon in 2011.

· 26 of the 106 (24.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta have been won from the front row: 14 from the pole and 12 from second-place.

· 60 of the 106 (56.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Atlanta have been won from a top-five starting position.

· 84 of the 106 (79.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Atlanta have been won from a top-10 starting position.

· Seven of the 106 (6.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Atlanta is 39th, by Bobby Labonte in the fall of 2001.

· No driver has swept the weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway across all three NASCAR national series. Two drivers have won in multiple NASCAR national series in the same weekend at Atlanta: Carl Edwards (2005, NSCS/NNS); (fall 2008, NSCS/NNS) and Kyle Busch (spring 2008, NSCS/NCWTS)

· Dale Earnhardt and David Pearson lead the series in runner-up finishes at Atlanta with seven each; Jeff Gordon leads all active driverswith five.

· Dale Earnhardt leads the series in top-five finishes at Atlanta with 26; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 16.

· Richard Petty leads the series in top-10 finishes at Atlanta with 33; Jeff Gordon leads all active driverswith 25.

· Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Atlanta with a 7.571.

· Tony Stewart leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at 11.654.

· Nine of the 10 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Atlanta Motor Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Kevin Harvick won at Atlanta in his first appearance (2001). Carl Edwards won in his second appearance (2005).

· Denny Hamlin competed at Atlanta Motor Speedway 12 times before winning in the spring of 2012; the longest span of any the 10 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.

· Among the 10 active NSCS Atlanta winners Denny Hamlin (12) is the only driver to have made 10 or more attempts before his first win.

· Joe Nemechek leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Atlanta without visiting Victory Lane at 37; followed by Matt Kenseth with 25.

· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway was the March 11, 2001 race won by Kevin Harvick over Jeff Gordon with a MOV of 0.006 second.

· There have been three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): fall of 2007 (325/329); spring of 2010 (325/341) and fall of 2012 (325/327).

· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway five times; most recently the fall of 2010.

· One active driver has posted his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Terry Labonte (3/15/1981).

· Two active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Jeff Gordon (11/15/1992) and Martin Truex Jr. (10/31/2004).

· Two active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Kevin Harvick (3/11/2001) and Carl Edwards (3/20/2005).

· Cale Yarborough leads all drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Atlanta with 3,283 laps led in 47 starts. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in laps led at Atlanta with 1,297.

· Three female drivers have competed at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie, Shawna Robinson and Danica Patrick.

Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Danica Patrick	21	21	9/1/2013
Danica Patrick	23	29	9/2/2012
Janet Guthrie	19	16	11/6/1977
Janet Guthrie	23	10	3/19/1978
Janet Guthrie	34	30	3/20/1977
Shawna Robinson	31	34	3/10/2002

NASCAR in Georgia

· There have been 165 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races among12 different tracks in Georgia.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Atlanta Motor Speedway	Hampton	106
Augusta International Speedway	Augusta	12
Lakewood Speedway	Atlanta	11
Savannah Speedway	Savannah	10
Middle Georgia Raceway	Macon	9
Central City Speedway	Macon	7
Valdosta 75 Speedway	Valdosta	3
Jeffco Speedway	Jefferson	2
Oglethorpe Speedway	Savannah	2
Augusta International Raceway	Augusta	1
Columbus Speedway	Columbus	1
Hayloft Speedway	Augusta	1

· 178 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Georgia; 15 have won at least once in one of NASCAR’s national series.

· 11 of the 178 have posted at least one victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

· Bill Elliott (five wins) is the only Georgia native to have won at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
Bill Elliott	44	1	0
Tim Flock	39	0	0
Jack Smith	21	0	0
Fonty Flock	19	0	0
Bob Flock	4	0	0
Frank Mundy	3	0	0
David Ragan	2	2	0
Gober Sosebee	2	0	0
Harold Kite	1	0	0
Sam McQuagg	1	0	0
Jody Ridley	1	0	0
Reed Sorenson	0	4	0
Chase Elliott	0	3	1
Buckshot Jones	0	2	0
Ronald Cooper	0	1	0

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Posted on August 24, 2014 by Nascar

Driver of No. 1 leads race-high 148 laps but can’t get back out front

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Jamie McMurray has won some of the biggest races on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule.

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver is a former Daytona 500 winner. He has won the Brickyard 400. He’s won the Sprint All-Star Race. He’s also won the fall race at Charlotte (twice), the summer race at Daytona and has a pair of wins at Talladega.

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He has not won the night race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Saturday night, he came close.

"It’s tough because I’ve gotten to win all the big races so far and this is the one race that’s on my bucket list," McMurray said after leading 148 laps before finishing eighth.

"If I could win one more race in my career, the night race at Bristol is it."

McMurray, 38, was able to hold off the advances of Matt Kenseth (Joe Gibbs Racing) and Joey Logano (Team Penske) for much of the second half of the 500-lap event. He put four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon a lap down with less than 150 laps remaining.

"Dude, that 1 is the leader?" Gordon asked crew chief Alan Gustafson over the radio. "… He’s just flying on the bottom (of the track)."

McMurray was still leading at Lap 432 when the caution appeared for debris. Because four teams stayed out under the yellow flag, McMurray, who pitted, restarted fifth. He was unable to work his way back to the front in the closing laps.

"It really didn’t have anything to do with the pit call as much as my car just got really tight the last 100 laps and I was really hanging on for 40 of those laps just staying ahead of Matt and Joey," McMurray said. "It seemed like I could get through lapped traffic a little bit better. But as the top rubbered in the last time I just couldn’t rotate the middle like I could early in the race."

McMurray jumped three spots in the points standings, to 16th, with the finish. A win would go a long way to securing a bid in this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, which will consist of 16 teams.

"Getting to make the Chase, you just want to go run well every week," he said. "It’s pretty awesome to lead all those laps tonight and have that good of a car."

Much of the credit, he said, goes to crew chief Keith Rodden, the former engineer who took over the helm of the No. 1 team this season. Even if Rodden has a tendency to make wholesale changes the night before a race.

"We talked last night in the motorhome lot and we changed everything on our car," McMurray said. "I laughed because I’m not real sure why we practice, because on Saturday night he tends to change a lot of stuff. He does an amazing job to come up with a really nice setup.

"That was definitely the best car I’ve had all year long. It’s just about putting the race together all at the right time. And we had the best car, I felt like for the first three quarters of the race."

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Posted on August 24, 2014 by Brad Norman

Several drivers still looking for ticket to the Chase lost on late-lap gamble

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Two ends of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series spectrum were on the same strategy late in Saturday’s Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

On one side, there was two-win Carl Edwards staying out following a Lap 432 caution flag that sent nearly all of the leaders down pit road.

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The other faction consisted of winless drivers Matt Kenseth, Kyle Larson and Paul Menard, who all came to the same conclusion — that the opportunity to restart up front and have a real shot at a win was more valuable than getting fresh tires or making adjustments.

So it was those four, with Kenseth in the lead on the outside lane, that led the field to green on Lap 434 and set the stage for a dramatic conclusion on a dramatic night in which Joey Logano eventually caught Kenseth as the others slipped back.

"It was a discussion," Kenseth said of the dialogue with crew chief Jason Ratcliff about the late call. "We were still talking about it all the way to the cone. Jason told me to pit, and I decided at the last second to stay out. We were looking over some stats this morning and talking and I wasn’t sure with the way (Ratcliff) said it … I just felt like he was wanting a little input from me, so I just stayed out."

Kenseth had the backing of his crew chief as well. He radioed that he didn’t think the No. 20 team stood a chance to pick up its first win of the season by staying out.

"I’m all in, brother," Ratcliff replied.

Kenseth’s third-place finish matched his best showing of the year on a night where all three Joe Gibbs Racing cars looked strong, but only the No. 20 was running at the end.

As for the other winless drivers, Menard and Larson needed a victory for more tangible reasons. They both entered Bristol outside of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field and were — and remain — in win-or-else mode.

Coming off a 43rd-place finish at Michigan last week, Larson started at the back after wrecking in qualifying and had to drive through the field. He scraped the wall a couple of times, avoided a separate wreck and was running in the top five with a chance at the checkered flag with 50 laps to go.

"That is the hardest that I’ve ever raced," Larson said after the 500-lap event. "I made our whole team have to work really hard with wrecking in qualifying. I had a few run-ins today and … I guess I’m happy with 12th. That is probably about as good as we were."

Between Larson and Menard, the Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender is in the best position to seriously challenge for a postseason spot.

He’s 26 points behind Greg Biffle, currently the 16th seed in the Chase Grid, with two regular-season races remaining. It’s a tall order to make up, but Larson’s strategy for the final two races basically takes points out of the equation — it’s win or nothing.

That’s exactly why he stayed out late at Bristol, and it’s a mindset that will manifest itself next week at Atlanta as well.

"I think 26 behind Biffle is a long way to go for two races. Hope for some bad luck for him," Larson said. "But we need to go out there and get a win, like we tried to do tonight."

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Posted on August 23, 2014 by

All 16 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers to be featured

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR® announced today that NASCAR After The Lap sponsored by Ford, Coca-Cola, and Sprint will return to Las Vegas for its sixth-consecutive year. Since its debut in 2009, NASCAR After The Lap has earned the reputation with fans as the must-see event during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week™. This year’s show returns to the Pearl Palms Concert Theater inside the Palms Casino Hotel on Thursday, December 4 at 5 p.m. PT.

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The expanded field of challengers competing in the new format of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup means attendees will be treated to more drivers than ever before. All 16 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup contenders will be in attendance. ESPN’s Marty Smith will return as the show’s host and will again facilitate a spirited and unpredictable dialogue.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the iconic Ford Mustang, fans entering the NASCAR After The Lap sweepstakes will have the opportunity to win a 2015 Ford Mustang GT. NASCAR fans can enter for a chance to win by visiting www.NASCARafterthelap.com through November 16. Additionally, two winners will receive an all-inclusive VIP trip for two to NASCAR After The Lap, including roundtrip airfare, hotel, ground transportation and VIP event access.

"Over the last six years as event sponsor, Ford has shared some incredible moments with our NASCAR drivers," said Tim Duerr, motorsports marketing manager for Ford Racing. "The NASCAR After The Lap sweepstakes remains to be an effective way to engage NASCAR fans, giving them a chance to not only win a trip to Las Vegas but an opportunity to leave with a brand-new 2015 Ford Mustang GT."

During the last three weeks of the sweepstakes – fans entering will have an opportunity to become an instant winner. Ford, Coca-Cola, and Sprint will offer up to five pairs of race tickets to attend the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"For the sixth consecutive season, Coca-Cola is proud to partner with NASCAR on this annual celebration of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season," said Ben Reiling, director of motorsports for Coca-Cola North America Group. "The new Chase format promises to deliver an exhilarating finish to the season and we anticipate the momentum will carry over to this year’s show, producing even more unforgettable moments for our drivers and fans."

Coca-Cola would also like to invite fans to "Open Happiness" for children in need when tickets for the event go on sale September 15. Tickets are priced at $20 each and all proceeds will benefit The NASCAR Foundation™, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit that raises funds to support children’s charities and important causes throughout the nation. Fans can visit www.NASCARafterthelap.com to purchase tickets. For fans unable to attend NASCAR After The Lap, NASCAR.com will offer a live stream of the event.

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Posted on August 23, 2014 by

Collaboration launches 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR today will unveil the biggest, most engaging marketing campaign in the history of the sport to promote the all new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™. At the heart of the effort is a collaboration with ESPN that features five original television spots, an educational video, and an extensive social media push that will rally fans, teams, tracks, and partners around The Chase® like never before.

The national marketing initiative will underscore the drama and excitement of NASCAR’s premier series’ new 10-race playoff format unveiled earlier this year.

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"We made a bold decision at the beginning of the season to make our Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup all about winning," said Brent Dewar, NASCAR chief operating officer. "Now that we’re just weeks away from the start of The Chase, NASCAR, working closely with ESPN, is going to market with a creative platform that is just as innovative and reflective of how important this moment is for our sport."

The creative team tapped the star power of some of the sport’s most compelling drivers and was inspired by their respective legions of loyal fans. The most integrated marketing effort the sanctioning body has ever put forth highlights the passion, language and motifs of competition — establishing drivers, automotive manufacturers and their corresponding teams as unique "nations," with the fans as their loyal followers.

The fully integrated collaboration between NASCAR and ESPN is the first of its kind with a broadcast partner for the sanctioning body. Working with one agency, Ogilvy & Mather New York, NASCAR and ESPN achieve a singular vision and narrative that will extend from the track to the race broadcast.

"The campaign celebrates this bold and transformational moment in NASCAR’s history, taking fans along for the ride and accentuating the drama and intensity of the new elimination format as each round unfolds." said Scott Parker, vice president of marketing at ESPN.

The first creative element to be released was an online video titled "Spreading the Word," which NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch shared across social media on Aug. 18. The two-minute video educates fans about the new Chase format, introduces The Chase Grid and begins to call together the drivers’ nations.

Today, the first of five spots will be released, which follows the teams, drivers and fans from every corner of NASCAR as they gear up for The Chase. Subsequent 30-second spots will be released for each round of The Chase. The spots, which will air throughout NASCAR’s postseason on ESPN and ABC, include the voices of Marty Smith, Allen Bestwick, Nicole Briscoe, Ryen Russillo, Jamie Little, Barney Hall, Scott Van Pelt, Mike Greenberg, Brad Daugherty and Rusty Wallace. The Chase kicks off at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 14 (2 p.m. ET on ESPN).

Fans, drivers, teams and sponsors are invited to pledge their allegiance to their favorite Chase drivers by sharing content on social media using the hashtag #MyChaseNation. Lucky fan winners will be picked to have their Twitter handle featured on their favorite driver’s car at select races during The Chase.

Additionally, The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup marketing will include at-track signage as well as print and digital promotional assets that will allow tracks, team sponsors and NASCAR Official Partners to extend the campaign theme. Tying the concept together are unique flags that represent each Chase driver and their nation. The flags will be woven into the various campaign elements, including digital banners and fan memorabilia, among others, and will serve to rally fans and inspire spirited rivalry.

In January, NASCAR announced that The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will be expanded for 2014 and beyond to include 16 drivers, and divided into four rounds — the Challenger Round, Contender Round, Eliminator Round and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship. A race win in the first three rounds automatically qualifies a driver for the next round.

NASCAR will crown its 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion at the Ford Ecoboost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16 (3 p.m. ET, ESPN). The top finisher among the four remaining Chase drivers will win the championship.

To view the education video "Spreading the Word," click here

To view the first television spot "Hype," click here.

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Posted on August 23, 2014 by

Holds off Penske teammate Keselowski for first-ever win at heralded track

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Joey Logano believes he has the car, and Team Penske believes they have the team, to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

Logano took the lead from Matt Kenseth with 44 laps remaining and scooted to his third Sprint Cup victory of the season in Saturday’s IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

"We can win the championship. We’ve showed it at every kind of race track. We’ve just got to keep doing it," said Logano, 24, who held off his Penske teammate Brad Keselowski in the final laps.

"What a year we’re having. I’m having so much fun. The past six or seven races have been unbelievable."

Logano has finished no worse than sixth in any of the last five races, but took special pride in winning at the track known as "The World’s Fastest Half-Mile."

"It’s just the baddest mama jama race track ever built," said Logano, who just two years ago was struggling with a loss of confidence at Joe Gibbs Racing.

"At that point, I would never think I’d have a year like this," he said. "That’s why the mental side of this is just as important as the physical side. But I’m happy I went through all that. It’s made me what I am now and made me aware of how I have to be, mentally, to win these things."

It was a big weekend for both Penske and Ford Racing, with Keselowski winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event in a truck he owns, Ryan Blaney winning for Penske in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race and Logano and Keselowski finishing 1-2 in the main event.

"I think we’re legitimate threats to win a championship this year and I’m proud of that," said Keselowski, the 2012 Sprint Cup champion and the ‘old man’ of the group at 30. "To have all three drivers win races, I think that’s a testament to how bright the future is. I think the results speak for themselves. We’ve just got to keep rolling."

This weekend also brought the first Ford Racing sweep of a NASCAR weekend series since 2006, when Mark Martin won in Truck and Matt Kenseth won both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races at Bristol. Ford’s nine Sprint Cup victories this season are its most since 2008, when the manufacturer won 11 times.

Like Logano, Keselowski has three victories this season. The difference between the two drivers on Saturday was minimal.

"I think our two cars were really, really equal," Keselowski said. "Whoever got out front and got the clean air first was going to win the race and Joey was able to do that.

"The last lap I just dive-bombed it in there on a prayer, kind of hoping it would stick or he would slip or something would happen for me. It made it look cool but it really wasn’t that close."

Team Penske Executive Vice President Walt Czarnecki couldn’t be happier with the way things are working out with his team in its second year with Ford.

“When Joey came on board, we told him, ‘There’s no No. 1; there’s no No. 2. Everybody’s equal.’ We all contribute, we all have the same access to information, the same access to resources. I think it’s really been demonstrated in the performance of the team this year with six wins."

Saturday, Logano had fresher tires than Kenseth, who elected not to pit under caution when he took the lead from Jamie McMurray during the race’s ninth caution on Lap 433 of 500.

McMurray, who led a race-high 148 laps, said his car "got really tight" in the final 100 laps and settled for eighth place. "As the track rubbered up, it just didn’t suit our car as much as it did the other guys’," he said.

McMurray remains one of a handful of drivers who now need a victory at either Atlanta or Richmond to have any realistic chance of making the Chase.

Clint Bowyer (17th) and Greg Biffle (10th) remained on the positive side of the points bubble for non-winners. Kyle Larson (12th) trails Biffle by 26 points, and Kasey Kahne is 33 points behind Biffle for the 16th and final Chase spot.

Kahne Led 40 laps but suffered recurring issues with his right front wheel and finished 35th on Saturday. Denny Hamlin, who ended up 40th, was as upset as Kahne was disappointed.

Hamlin was leading the race when Kevin Harvick sent him spinning on Lap 162. Dale Earnhardt Jr. side-swiped Hamlin on the way by, putting both Hamlin and Earnhardt (39th) behind the wall and ending promising runs.

"It was a misjudgment. He knows better. He made a mistake," said Hamlin, who fired a piece of his HANS device off the rear end of Harvick’s car as the new leader circled the track. "He thinks he knows everything. I just wish I had some kind of car left to show him the favor back."

Harvick led the first 37 laps from the pole but finished 11th. Jeff Gordon, shooting for a third consecutive victory, finished 16th while his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson overcame a pair of early-race speeding penalties to finish fourth.

The Sprint Cup Series regular season has just two more races, including the Oral-B USA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway next Sunday (Aug. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN).

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Posted on August 23, 2014 by Staff Report

Moments that changed the course of the 24th race of the 2014 season

PENSKE 1-2 FINISH AS TEAM SWEEPS WEEKEND

Joey Logano took the lead from Matt Kenseth with 44 laps remaining and scooted to his third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory of the season in Saturday’s IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Logano had fresher tires than Kenseth, who elected not to pit under caution in taking the lead from Jamie McMurray during the race’s ninth caution which came out on Lap 433 of 500.

Logano’s Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski finished second despite a last-lap bid to pass Logano on the inside. Penske won Friday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race with Ryan Blaney, and Keselowski earned a victory in Thursday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event for a weekend sweep at Bristol.

HAMLIN SPUN OUT OF LEAD, COLLECTS DALE JR.

Denny Hamlin has no problem being wrecked for the lead on the last lap at Bristol Motor Speedway. When the race is 100 laps away from even reaching the halfway point? He has a problem.

That was the case Saturday in the Irwin Tools Night Race, when Kevin Harvick turned Hamlin on the frontstretch during Lap 161, sending Hamlin’s race-leading No. 11 Toyota spinning up high into Turn 1 in a wreck that also collected Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Hamlin went from first place to out of the race for good, the anger boiling in his mind before manifesting itself in the form of a toss of his HANS device toward Harvick’s No. 4 Chevrolet.

"I’m trying to think of when I’ve been this mad in the past. Maybe never," Hamlin said after being checked and cleared from the infield care center. "I wish I had some kind of car left so I could show him the favor back. He’s a good driver. He knows better.

"Mistakes happen in racing. Obviously, I believe Kevin made a mistake."

ALMIROLA WRECKED AFTER CHAIN REACTION
Aric Almirola, who started at the rear of the field in a backup car and improved 21 spots, got spun out on the 126th lap of the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway after being collected in a wreck.

Brian Vickers got into the back of Kyle Larson, causing a chain reaction that also did damage to the cars of Kyle Busch, Larson and Clint Bowyer.

"I’m OK, just disappointed," Almirola said. "What an amazing race car these guys brought me — two of them — and to go out like that is certainly disappointing, but that’s racing at Bristol — you get caught up in other peoples’ wrecks."

Posted on August 23, 2014 by Staff Report

Vickers starts chain reaction by getting into Larson

Aric Almirola, who started at the rear of the field in a backup car and improved 21 spots, got spun out on the 126th lap of the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway after being collected in a wreck.

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Brian Vickers got into the back of Kyle Larson, causing a chain reaction that also did damage to the cars of Kyle Busch, Larson and Clint Bowyer.

"I was surprised at how well we could pass. I know that other cars were having trouble passing, but, like I said, we drove from 42nd up into the top 20, so I thought we had a stellar race car and we were making a lot of passes compared to other people. I was happy with what we had and just disappointed in the finish."

Almirola’s car was towed off the track and the No. 43 car was listed in 41st place after the accident.

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Posted on August 23, 2014 by Staff Report

Becomes fifth driver to win three Sprint Cup Series races this season

MORE: Full race results | Updated series standings
RELATED: Full coverage of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format changes | Official news release | Changes explained | Chase Facts and FAQ

Joey Logano moved up a spot to fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase standings with Saturday’s win at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Logano became the fifth Sprint Cup Series driver to reach three wins this season, joining points leader Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson.

Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards have two wins each in 2014, and are also locked into the 16-driver playoff field provided they attempt to qualify for the next two races.

Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Aric Almirola, AJ Allmendinger and Kurt Busch have each won once, and are also in the Chase as long as they qualify for the final two regular season races at Atlanta and Richmond.

Four openings remain, and at least two drivers will participate in the Chase without winning a race in the regular season.

Twelve drivers have combined to win the first 24 points-paying races of the season, and two races remain before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field is set. After the 24th points race of NASCAR’s regular season, here is how the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings look:

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