Posted on by Staff Report

How are you watching the races at Las Vegas? Find out how to get the latest from wherever you are using the table below

WATCHING AT HOME?
GOING TO THE RACE?
GOING MOBILE?
PLAYING FANTASY?

Even if you’re not at the track, you can keep up with all the live action on TV and at NASCAR.com. (All times Eastern, unless noted.)

Watch practices and the race on TV:

SPRINT CUP SERIES:

Saturday, March 9:

Sprint Cup practice on SPEED, 12:40 p.m.

Final Sprint Cup practice on SPEED, 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 10:

Kobalt Tools 400 on FOX, 3 p.m.

NATIONWIDE SERIES:

Saturday, March 9:

Nationwide practice on SPEED 11 a.m.

Sam’s Town 300 on ESPN2, 4:15 p.m.

Get inside the garage:

GarageCam will be live streaming here on Saturday, March 9 from the Sprint Cup garages at 2 p.m. ET.

Get inside the media center:

Press Pass will have live news conferences here all weekend.

Saturday, March 9:

NASCAR Nationwide Series Post Race | 6:45 p.m.
 
Sunday, March 10:
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Post Race | 6:15 p.m.

Want more?

Get lap-by-lap updates on NASCAR.com during practice laps, qualifying and races.

Want to attend the races this weekend? Buy tickets to Kobalt Tools 400 and Sam’s Town 300.

Know the track:

Check out our Las Vegas Motor Speedway track page to take a video tour of the track and explore the best fan views.

Want to meet a driver?

Here is a list of appearances. (List subject to change, all times local.)

  

Saturday, March 9:

Sam Hornish Jr. | Shell-Penzoil merchandise trailer, 9:10 a.m.

David Ragan, David Gilliland and Josh Wise | Riviera Hotel, 7 p.m.

Re-live the race:

Watch race highlights from your favorite driver and top moments shortly after the race using Race Replay delivered by FedEx Racing.

Get packing:

The weather in Las Vegas is:

Click for Las Vegas, Nevada Forecast

The 400-mile race at Las Vegas has been run since 1998. Winners of the Kobalt Tools 400 get a championship belt instead of a trophy.

Keep all eyes on the race:

With RaceView Premium and NASCAR RaceView Mobile ’13, formerly RaceView 360, you can watch live, virtual 3-D video with in-car audio as well as national radio broadcasts, telemetry data and real-time stats.

Follow from anywhere:

NASCAR Mobile ’13: This new app is free to download with an upcoming in-app subscription for premium content including live driver audio, live advanced leaderboards, and live alternate camera angles (when available).

Buddy system:

Watch live enhanced coverage with 10 HD cameras, a live chat and live standings for this week’s Nationwide series races with RaceBuddy.

Play NASCAR FANTASY LIVE:

Don’t forget to do your research and set your lineup.

Expert tip of the week:

The similarly-configured, 1.5-mile tracks dominate the schedule and it is important to get off to a strong start at Vegas. The dominant drivers this week will belong to big organizations with huge budgets and dark horses will come from their third and fourth teams. Get more tips from Dan Beaver’s fantasy blog.

Last year’s top three finishers:

1. Tony Stewart

2. Jimmie Johnson

3. Greg Biffle

See the complete results from last year’s event here.

READ MORE:

READ: Carl Edwards
ends losing streak

READ: Phoenix a different
story for Danica

WATCH: Bowyer hits
pit crew member

WATCH: Edwards returns
to Victory Lane

___________________________________________________________________________________________

We apologize. We are having technical issues with our comment sections and fan community and it is temporarily unavailable. We are actively working on these issues and hope to have it up and running soon. We are also working on enhancements to provide a better forum for our fans. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience.

Posted on by

Sidelined following wreck, Annett could miss two months

With Michael Annett out up to two months because of a fractured and dislocated sternum, Richard Petty Motorsports has tabbed Reed Sorenson to pilot the No. 43 NASCAR Nationwide Series car until its regular driver returns.

Sorenson will be in the vehicle this week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and will remain in the seat until Annett is healed and cleared to return, RPM said Tuesday in a statement. Annett was injured in a head-on crash in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, and surgeons last week used a metal plate and screws to return his sternum to its natural position.

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

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The recovery time for such an injury is typically two months, but RPM officials are hopeful that Annett might return sooner given that he was in the hospital for less than two days. A 26-year-old Iowa native, Annett was coming off a breakthrough year that included a career-best 17 top-10 finishes and a fifth-place standing in final points.

"It’s an unfortunate situation to have to deal with," said Sammy Johns, director of operations at RPM. "We had a lot of momentum from last year, and we want to make sure we don’t lose that, and give Michael the best situation possible when he returns."

Aric Almirola wheeled the No. 43 Nationwide car last week in Phoenix, partly because RPM learned only days before the race weekend that Annett would be out, and the organization had the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver’s seat at the track. Almirola finished ninth in the event. Now the focus turns to Sorenson, who was a championship contender with Turner Scott Motorsports in 2011 before being released near the end of that season, but has made just eight Nationwide starts since the beginning of last year.

"It’s an unfortunate situation for the team and Michael," Sorenson said. "I have been to the hospital to see him, and he will be fine, but it’s going to take some time to heal. As a friend for a long time, my initial reaction was concern. I’m glad that he’s recovering now."

Sorenson’s most recent Nationwide victory came at Road America in 2011. He has started both events this season for Curtis Key’s organization, recording a top finish of 18th last weekend at Phoenix.

‘"It was very unexpected to get the opportunity to step in," Sorenson said. "The best part is that my friend, Michael, will be cheering for me and the whole 43 Pilot Flying J team. I talked to him about it, and he really wants to see me do well. This is a big deal for me, and I am going to make the most of it."

Team officials say Annett’s name will remain above the driver’s side window opening, as it did last week at Phoenix. It’s been a whirlwind week at RPM, given that Annett was at the shop the Monday before Phoenix for the organization’s regular competition meetings, and the severity of his injuries were not discovered until a follow-up visit with doctors the next day.

Annett’s injury was a crushing mental blow to a driver and a team that felt they were ready to build off 2012 and take the next step. Now, with Sorenson in the car until Annett returns, the organization is shifting its goals.

“We’re going to do the best we can to keep this race team as strong as we can for him, so when he comes back, we can pick that back up,” Johns said. “Hopefully, we can still go after an owner’s championship, and he can be a big part of that. So that’s our goal. …. The main focus is to keep this team at the level Michael’s had it at, so when he gets back we can still be contending for wins and that owner’s championship.”

“It’s not like we’re putting in a driver for the rest of the year,” crew chief Philippe Lopez added. “Michael is coming back. … We’re just going to try to minimize point damage, call not-too-conservative races because we have nothing to lose, and focus on when Michael’s coming back.”


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We apologize. We are having technical issues with our comment sections and fan community and it is temporarily unavailable. We are actively working on these issues and hope to have it up and running soon. We are also working on enhancements to provide a better forum for our fans. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience.

Posted on by Holly Cain

Move to American Ethanol ‘a seamless transition’

One bold initiative and almost four million miles later, NASCAR’s switch to American Ethanol-infused fuel for its race cars has gone so smoothly it’s difficult to imagine a time when the sport wasn’t using it.

Not only has the move to Sunoco Green E15 gasoline proven to be an environmentally beneficial decision, it’s actually boosted the performance of the race cars in all three of NASCAR’s marquee series — lowering emissions and increasing horsepower.

The ultimate endorsement came when the sport’s favorite son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., declared “a seamless transition” to Green E15 fuel upon winning the 2011 Daytona 500 pole position — the first time out with the American Ethanol blend. And just like that, any doubts or fears that fans or competitors had about such a radical change in fuel were quickly dispelled.

“Without fuel, we’re not able to race so there was a lot of pressure on making sure we got it right,’’ said NASCAR Vice President for Competition Robin Pemberton. “We were proud to be able to do that. It wasn’t that long ago we were using leaded fuel, then moved on to unleaded and that was a big change, and then the move to ethanol came just a couple short years after that.

“Because it goes under the radar when things are successful, they probably don’t receive the hype they deserve.’’

In terms of significance, this ranks right up there. When NASCAR went green five years ago, it went big.

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• View all articles
 • View all videos
 • View all photos

It now boasts the largest recycling program in sports, the largest solar-powered sports facility (Pocono Raceway) and a massive tree-planting program to off-set carbon emissions from its Sprint Cup Series races.

But fuel is fundamental in racing, and making the decision to switch to a drastically different formula was not only a matter of science but of overall vision.

“There was a significant degree of caution from the start and we had to be absolutely certain,’’ said Dr. Mike Lynch, managing director of NASCAR Green Innovation. “We had to take all the risk out through hard work, time and careful analysis. We needed performance without compromise and we’ve ended up with all the good things and no negative trade-offs.’’

The 15-percent ethanol blend has transitioned from carburetors to fuel injection engines and from the Car of Tomorrow to the 2013 debut of the Generation-6 cars, thanks to a concerted and diverse effort from NASCAR, its teams, manufacturers and a nearly three-year old partnership with the American Ethanol industry.

Hundreds of man-hours and even more manpower went into developing this project through track tests, engineering trials and engine dynos. That effort resulted in an E15 blend that produces 20 percent less emissions from the race cars, and just as importantly, a 9 to 12 horsepower increase.

“We’ve come a long way and I really give NASCAR credit for their green initiative,’’ said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, an American Ethanol advocacy group. “This wasn’t something the government made them do or they were forced to do.

“I think you have to give NASCAR a lot of credit for being bold enough to undertake the initiative. Not only has (NASCAR Chairman) Brian France talked the talk, but he’s walked the walk. They’ve put over 3 million miles on these cars in practice, qualifying and race conditions without any problems and for us, that’s a real validator of our product.

“You couldn’t ask for a tougher testing ground.’’

In May, NASCAR will have accumulated four million miles fueled by E15 among NASCAR’s three series without so much as a hiccup or disparaging word. And NASCAR fans, long known for their extreme loyalty, have taken note.

According to a study conducted in 2012, NASCAR fans are now 50 percent more likely than non-fans to support the use of ethanol blended gasoline in their own cars. The study also found they are now 100 percent more likely than non-fans to indicate their households are “very green” — all encouraging statistics that show NASCAR it is proceeding in the right direction.

"The Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, says, ‘Look, if it’s good enough for Jimmie Johnson, it’s good enough for my car,’" Buis said. "And that’s exactly the connection I think we’re making with this partnership."

“I think what’s really impressive about NASCAR is the fans are very well educated,’’ Buis continued. “They follow the sport closely, they listen to people and that was one of the reasons we were attracted to work with NASCAR. We know we have a good product, but it doesn’t matter if you have a good product if you don’t get the message out there.

“I like to tell people, there’s no sport more American than NASCAR and no fuel more American than ethanol. It’s a natural fit.’’

For more information on NASCAR Green initiatives, visit the official NASCAR Green website here.

READ MORE:

READ: Carl Edwards
ends losing streak

READ: Phoenix a different
story for Danica

WATCH: Bowyer hits
pit crew member

WATCH: Edwards returns
to Victory Lane


___________________________________________________________________________________________

We apologize. We are having technical issues with our comment sections and fan community and it is temporarily unavailable. We are actively working on these issues and hope to have it up and running soon. We are also working on enhancements to provide a better forum for our fans. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience.

Posted on by

Edwards makes the biggest jump post-Subway Fresh Fit 500

Driver                    Change            High/Low            Last race

         

1. Jimmie Johnson      

  

Outlook: With a unanimous first-place selection, a second-place finish at Phoenix and his Daytona 500 crown in hand, Five-Time isn’t going anywhere.
Standings: First, 90 points

2. Brad Keselowski    

  

Outlook: If you were expecting the defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion to stumble out of the gate, think again. Keselowski might struggle at Las Vegas, though, as it’s one of just three tracks where he has failed to record a top-10 finish at the Cup level. 
Standings: Third, 82 points

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.   

  

Outlook: If it weren’t for a late restart penalty, it’s possible we could have been looking at Junior’s second victory in the past five seasons. Regardless, he has opened the season with two top-five finishes and appears to be back on track.
Standings: Second, 82 points

Related Links:

Entry list for Kobalt Tools 400

Edwards ends 70-race skid in style

Hamlin’s boldness pays off

One week later, a different story for Danica

Post-Phoenix driver reports

Subway Fresh Fit 500 race replay

 
 
 

4. Clint Bowyer

  

Outlook: Last year’s runner-up was left out of the top 10 in the 500 but improved at Phoenix, finishing sixth behind a quintet of heavyweights. Things are looking good for the Michael Waltrip Racing driver. For the most part.
Standings: Fifth, 72 points

Driver                    Change            High/Low            Last race

5. Matt Kenseth            

  

Outlook: The preseason favorite of many, Kenseth didn’t finish the 500, then had a good showing in Phoenix. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has some catching up to do, especially with the amount of stars ahead of him.
Standings: 18th, 46 points

6. Denny Hamlin           

  

Outlook: Hamlin’s maneuvering at the end of the Subway Fresh Fit 500 was nothing short of spectacular, and rightly earned him the Mobil 1 Driver of the Race award. Don’t count on it being his only one of the season.
Standings: Fourth, 72 points

7. Jeff Gordon            

  

Outlook: Gordon spun an uninspiring 20th-place finish in the 500 but rebounded at Phoenix, despite the backstory. He might struggle to gain traction at Las Vegas, however, where he’s had average success.
Standings: Eighth, 60 points

8. Tony Stewart        

  

Outlook: Much like Gordon, Stewart rebounded at Phoenix from a poor 500 showing. But now that the cameras aren’t shining as brightly on teammate Danica Patrick, we’ll see if ‘Smoke’ can keep it up.
Standings: 23rd, 51 points

9. Carl Edwards       

  

Outlook: The backflip is back. For now, at least. Edwards has two wins at Las Vegas, but has only finished in the top 10 in half his races there.
Standings: 11th, 59 points

10. Greg Biffle          

  

Outlook: A strong 500 showing and an above-average one at Phoenix has Biffle near the top of the leaderboard in points. If he can notch his second Las Vegas pole, he’ll be in good shape to improve his standing.
Standings: Sixth, 66 points

11. Kasey Kahne         

  

Outlook: Things are going well for Hendrick Motorsports when all four drivers are in the top 11 of these Power Rankings. But with Kahne’s stock trending down after two frustrating races, that number could be down to three soon.
Standings: 31st, 33 points

12. Kevin Harvick      

  

Outlook: Another preseason favorite, Harvick’s poor 500 showing after a stellar weekend put him in a tough spot at Phoenix, but he improved to a 13th-place finish. He’s still got quite the hole to dig out of, though.
Standings: 30th, 33 points

13. Kyle Busch          

  

Outlook: Kyle Busch can clearly drive, as he dominated all weekend and took Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race. He’ll improve in the Sprint Cup Series soon, but in the meantime he has yet to break the top 20. Standings: 33rd, 31 points

14. Martin Truex Jr.

  

Outlook: Two difficult races to open the season have put Truex Jr. low in the standings. One top-10 finish in his seven starts at Las Vegas doesn’t bode well for a possible rebound.
Standings: 34th, 28 points

15. Ryan Newman      

  

Outlook: The odds were stacked against Newman following his fifth-place finish at Daytona, and he struggled Sunday. Newman couldn’t seem to stay away from the wall in Phoenix and finished 40th.
Standings: 20th, 44 points

16. Joey Logano    

  

Outlook: Logano has shown nothing yet this season that leads us to believe he’ll be more than a middle-of-the-pack driver, but for a 22-year-old learning Sprint Cup racing, that isn’t the worst thing in the world.
Standings: 21st, 44 points

17. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

  

Outlook: Wouldn’t it be interesting if by the end of the season, Stenhouse Jr. received more attention than his gal pal Danica Patrick? If he keeps posting top-15 finishes, he will. And that Sunoco Rookie of the Year award will sit on his side of the mantle.
Standings: Ninth, 60 points

18. Marcos Ambrose      

  

Outlook: Ambrose has finished 18th in both of the season’s races, so, unsurprisingly, he’s 18th here. His ceiling might not be too much higher than this. 
Standings: 12th, 52 points

19. Paul Menard             

  

Outlook: Same story as Ambrose, different chapter. Twenty-first finish in the 500 and 20th in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 for Menard. He’ll hang around spots 16-20 for most of the season. In the meantime, here’s some photos of him.
Standings: 17th, 48 points

20. Jeff Burton              

  

Outlook: Burton suffered a 30th-place finish in the 500 after his No. 31 car got to know the side of the wall very well, then rebounded in a big way with a top 10 at Phoenix. If ‘The Mayor’ can keep that up, he’ll shoot back up these rankings.
Standings: 15th, 48 points

       

In the rearview

 

Note: These rankings have been determined by a poll that included writers Kenny Bruce, Holly Cain, David Caraviello and Zack Albert, and video host Alan Cavanna. Tell us what you think about the Power Rankings. Use the hashtag #NASCARPOWER.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

We apologize. We are having technical issues with our comment sections and fan community and it is temporarily unavailable. We are actively working on these issues and hope to have it up and running soon. We are also working on enhancements to provide a better forum for our fans. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience.

Posted on by Staff Report

Suarez, Stenhouse Jr. invite military personnel to Phoenix International Raceway

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Drive for Diversity driver Daniel Suarez visited troops and their families last week at Luke Air Force Base before racing at Phoenix International Raceway.

The racers spent time with USO Arizona families, and NASCAR and PIR donated 600 tickets to the NASCAR Nationwide Series Dollar General 200 Fueled by AmeriGas and the NASCAR Toyota Series Toyota 120.

The USO first began working with NASCAR in 2011 when current Penske Racing teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano have toured Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Late last year, Logano and Stenhouse visited more than 655 military personnel in Kuwait and Germany.

Born and raised in Mississippi, Stenhouse is the two-time and reigning NASCAR Nationwide Series champion. Now, he is a Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Daniel Suarez was born in Mexico and made his official NASCAR K&N Pro Series East debut in 2011. A member of NASCAR’s "Next 9" initiative — a group of drivers identified by the industry as the next wave of young rising stars — he claimed his first NASCAR Toyota Series win last May in Mexico City and has two K&N East top-five finishes to his credit.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

We apologize. We are having technical issues with our comment sections and fan community and it is temporarily unavailable. We are actively working on these issues and hope to have it up and running soon. We are also working on enhancements to provide a better forum for our fans. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience.

Posted on by Staff Report

Special paint schemes for the Kobalt Tools 400 unveiled

Editor’s note: This story will be updated as additional paint schemes are revealed.

The stars and cars of NASCAR’s top two series head to the bright lights of Las Vegas for the third race of the year. The tradtiional hauler parade down Las Vegas Boulevard kicks off a great weekend of racing for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series. Hometown drivers like Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch and Brendan Gaughan have special incentive to get a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. 

VIDEO: Carl Edwards wins Phoenix Cup race

Below are some of the special paint schemes you’ll see at the the Sam’s Town 400 and the Kobalt Tools 400.

RELATED: Purchase die-casts of favorite driver | Classic die-casts


Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive the No. 88 AMP Energy Orange Chevrolet.


SHOP: Dale Earnhardt Jr. die-casts

Greg Biffle will drive the No. 16 American Red Cross Ford.


SHOP: Greg Biffle die-casts

Juan Pablo Montoya will drive the No. 42 AXE Apollo Chevrolet.

SHOP: Juan Pablo Montoya die-casts

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will drive the No. 17 Zest Ford.


SHOP: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. die-casts


Bobby Labonte will drive the No. 47 Kingsford Toyota.


SHOP: Bobby Labonte die-casts

Jimmie Johnson will drive the No. 48 Lowe’s / Kobalt Tools Chevrolet.


SHOP: Jimmie Johnson die-casts

Austin Dillon will drive the No. 51 TAG HEUER Chevrolet.

SHOP: Austin Dillon die-casts


Carl Edwards will drive the No. 99 Aflac Ford.


SHOP: Carl Edwards die-casts

Below are some of the special paint schemes you’ll see at the the Sam’s Town 300.

Regan Smith will drive the No. 7 Fire Alarm Services Chevrolet.


SHOP: Regan Smith die-casts

Brendan Gaughan will drive the No. 21 South Point Chevrolet.


SHOP: Brendan Gaughan die-casts

Robert Richardson Jr. will drive the No. 23 NTX Pipe-Golden Gate Casino Chevrolet.


SHOP: Robert Richardson Jr. die-casts

Nelson Piquet Jr will drive the No. 30 Worx Chevrolet.


SHOP: Nelson Piquet Jr. die-casts

Ty Dillon will drive the No. 33 WESCO Chevrolet.


SHOP: Ty Dillon die-casts

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive the No. 88 TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet.


SHOP: Dale Earnhardt Jr. die-casts

 

Kevin Harvick will drive the No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet.


SHOP: Kevin Harvick die-casts

READ MORE:

READ: Carl Edwards
ends losing streak

READ: Phoenix a different
story for Danica

WATCH: Bowyer hits
pit crew member

WATCH: Edwards returns
to Victory Lane

___________________________________________________________________________________________

We apologize. We are having technical issues with our comment sections and fan community and it is temporarily unavailable. We are actively working on these issues and hope to have it up and running soon. We are also working on enhancements to provide a better forum for our fans. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience.

Posted on by Nascar

More Generation-6 testing in store at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams will be on the track a day early this week when preparations begin for Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

A full day of testing is scheduled for Thursday to give Cup teams the opportunity to gather data on the 1.5-mile track located just a few minutes from the world-famous Las Vegas Strip.

That additional time should be tremendously beneficial as the scramble continues to understand the new Generation-6 car, said Steve Addington, crew chief for three-time Cup champion Tony Stewart.

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• View all articles
• View all videos
• View all photos

“It will help us a ton,” Addington said after his driver wrapped up an eighth-place finish last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. “It’s just learning. It’s going to take us a few races, I think. The Las Vegas test will help (but) it won’t tell us what will happen when we get 43 cars out there again.

“We need to try to get some time to run with a couple of cars and see … how it affects the car on the mile-and-a-half tracks. We’ve got teammates; we can get out there with three cars and see what it does to the cars. We’ve got to use that.”

It’s been eight races since Stewart led a Cup event, and 20 since he last rolled into Victory Lane. The combination of a 41st-place finish at Daytona International Speedway and Sunday’s eighth-place run at Phoenix has him 23rd in points.

Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Ryan Newman and Danica Patrick head to Las Vegas 20th and 22nd in points, respectively.

Stewart, 41, said while passing was possible at Phoenix, “it was harder … the further back you were (in the field.)

“I think it was just a matter of where you cycled on the pit stops as far as when everybody figured out you had to take two tires (rather) than four,” he said. “It was just a matter of figuring out where in the (pit) cycle you were and whether you could get back the track position. 

“When we got up to the top three or four there we had good speed, but when you got hemmed up in the back there it was hard to make that ground.”

With much of the focus on getting cars built and preparing for Daytona, teams had little time to test with the current rules package at different venues. Two tests at Charlotte Motor Speedway were for the benefit of NASCAR as much as to help teams, while smaller, flatter tracks such as Phoenix were almost an afterthought, leaving some, as Addington said, with a “shot in the dark” approach.

“We were just seeing if we could get some grip in the front end of the car and I think we gained grip but we hurt ourselves with aero platform a little bit,” he said. “We just missed it. We just didn’t adjust far enough (between practice and race day) for it.”

Stewart is the defending champion of this weekend’s race; he finished second in 2011 and led 290 laps out of the 534 contested in the two races.

He also has the third-best driver rating through the previous eight races at Las Vegas. Points leader Jimmie Johnson, a four-time winner there, has the best rating, with his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon second.

Overall, Addington said Stewart “seems to be pretty pleased.

“He feels like we’ve got room for improvement and we ran with those guys (at Phoenix) … so we can get better and race them for (the win),” he said.

READ MORE:

READ: Carl Edwards
ends losing streak

READ: Phoenix a different
story for Danica

WATCH: Bowyer hits
pit crew member

WATCH: Edwards returns
to Victory Lane

___________________________________________________________________________________________

We apologize. We are having technical issues with our comment sections and fan community and it is temporarily unavailable. We are actively working on these issues and hope to have it up and running soon. We are also working on enhancements to provide a better forum for our fans. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience.

Posted on by Staff Report

Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick to lead teams in second annual celebrity softball game between Dover International Speedway and Pocono Raceway

DOVER, Del. & LONG POND, Pa. – Dover International Speedway and Pocono Raceway will square off on the diamond for the second straight year as both tracks announced the return of the Second Annual Celebrity Softball Game, featuring NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick. The game will be played on Wednesday, April 24 at the home of the Harrisburg Senators in Harrisburg, Pa.

 

Access to the celebrity softball game is free with a ticket to that night’s baseball game.

Bowyer, driver of the No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota, will captain Team Dover, while Harvick, who pilots the No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet SS, will lead Team Pocono. In the inaugural game last year, Jeff Burton and the team from The Tricky Triangle narrowly defeated Carl Edwards and the Monster Mile after mounting a late comeback.

 

Access to the celebrity softball game is free with a ticket to that night’s baseball game. Tickets for the Senators game start at just $8, and all children ages 16 and younger that wear their NASCAR gear get a free Senators Hat and free passes to the Kids Play Area. For tickets, call 717-231-4444 or visit SenatorsBaseball.com.  

 

In addition to Bowyer and Harvick, the rosters from each team will be made up of members of national and local motorsports media, as well as other local media personalities, and a few other special guests.

 

As rosters are announced, they will be posted and updated at DoverSpeedway.com and PoconoRaceway.com, as well as on Facebook.com/DoverInternationalSpeedway and Facebook.com/PoconoRaceway, and on Twitter at @MonsterMile and @PoconoRaceway.

 

Gates for the game will open at 4 p.m. with the game beginning at 4:30 p.m. Following the softball game, time permitting, Bowyer and Harvick will throw out the first pitch for that evening’s 7:05 p.m. baseball game between the Harrisburg Senators and the visiting Reading Fightin’ Phils. The teams are the AA affiliates of the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies, respectively.

 

Throughout both the softball and baseball games, both tracks will be promoting and giving away tickets to their respective NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races which take place on Sunday, June 2 at Dover and Sunday, June 9 at Pocono.

 

The tracks have also teamed up to offer an all-new ticket package that includes a ticket for each of the tracks’ spring NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races — June 2 at Dover, June 9 at Pocono — as well as a hot dog, beverage and souvenir program for each race. The package costs $158 as the Monster Mile and The Tricky Triangle are only 158 miles apart.

 

NASCAR returns to Dover International Speedway May 31-June 2, 2013 for the June 2 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the June 1 “5-hour ENERGY 200” NASCAR Nationwide Series race and the May 31 “Lucas Oil 200” NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. For tickets or more information, call 800-441-RACE or visit DoverSpeedway.com.

 

A week later, NASCAR’s premier circuit visits Pocono Raceway for the June 7-9, 2013 “Fan Driven 400” race weekend, including the June 8 “Pocono 200” ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards race and the June 9 “Fan Driven 400” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. For tickets or more information, call 800-722-3929 or visit PoconoRaceway.com. 

Posted on by Staff Report

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We apologize. We are having technical issues with our comment sections and fan community and it is temporarily unavailable. We are actively working on these issues and hope to have it up and running soon. We are also working on enhancements to provide a better forum for our fans. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience.

Posted on by Staff Report

READ MORE:

READ: Carl Edwards
ends losing streak

READ: Phoenix a different
story for Danica

WATCH: Bowyer hits
pit crew member

WATCH: Edwards returns
to Victory Lane

___________________________________________________________________________________________

We apologize. We are having technical issues with our comment sections and fan community and it is temporarily unavailable. We are actively working on these issues and hope to have it up and running soon. We are also working on enhancements to provide a better forum for our fans. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience.