Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Today NASCAR, FOX Sports and NBC Sports jointly announced 2022 race start times and networks for the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series seasons.

Nineteen total NASCAR Cup Series races will air on FOX and NBC throughout the season. This marks the first time since 2009 in which more Cup Series points events will air on broadcast than cable. Ten of those will air on FOX, including the DAYTONA 500 (Sunday, Feb. 20, 2:30 p.m. ET) and eight of the next nine points events to start the season. Bristol Dirt will air in primetime (Sunday, April 17, 7 p.m. ET) on Easter, while Talladega (Sunday, April 24, 3 p.m. ET) and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Sunday, May 29, 6 p.m. ET) round out the races airing on broadcast during the FOX portion of the NASCAR Cup Series season.

“Working with the broadcast partners, tracks, teams and industry stakeholders, we will be able to deliver the best racing in the world to an even broader audience in 2022,” said Brian Herbst, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Media and Productions. “Based on data and fan feedback from the past several years, shifting afternoon start times back allows more of our fans — whether at home or at the track — to take in NASCAR racing on Sundays. In addition, airing the most Cup Series races on broadcast in more than a decade is consistent with our strategy of distributing our content to as many fans as possible during key moments in the season.”

RELATED: Buy tickets | Complete Cup schedule with times | Xfinity | Trucks

The remaining nine broadcast races will air on NBC, one more than 2021, including the kickoff of the NBC Sports portion of the season when the NASCAR Cup Series visits Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday, June 26 at 5 p.m. ET. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course (Sunday, July 31, 2:30 p.m. ET) and regular season-ending tilt at Daytona International Speedway (Saturday, Aug. 27, 7 p.m. ET) will be the other regular-season races airing on the network. Finally, the final six playoff races will air on NBC beginning with Talladega on Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. ET and culminating with the crowning of a champion at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 3 p.m. ET.

Additionally, five NASCAR Xfinity Series races will air live on broadcast in 2022. FOX will be home to the high-speed action from Talladega Superspeedway (Saturday, Apr. 23, 4 p.m. ET) while NBC will carry the Xfinity Series four times, including three playoff races: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course (Saturday, July 30, 3:30 p.m. ET), the Charlotte Roval (Saturday, Oct. 8, 3 p.m. ET), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Saturday, Oct. 15, 3 p.m. ET) and Martinsville Speedway (Saturday, Oct. 29, 3:30 p.m. ET).

As previously announced, USA Network will be the new home for 26 NBC Sports cable races in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022. NASCAR will debut on USA, which is available in approximately five million more homes than NBCSN, when the Xfinity Series hits the track at Nashville Superspeedway on Saturday, June 25 at 3:30 p.m. ET. The NASCAR Cup Series will make its USA Network debut on Sunday, July 3, at 3 p.m. ET from Road America.

All 23 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will air on FS1 in 2022, 16 of them in primetime, highlighted by the playoffs opener at new track Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis on Friday, July 29 at 9 p.m. ET and the season finale at Phoenix Raceway on Friday, Nov. 4 at 8 p.m. ET.

Complete times and network schedules for all three national series are below. All times eastern and subject to change.

2022 NASCAR Cup Series Schedule

Date Race / Track Network Start Time (ET) Radio
Sunday, February 6 Clash (L.A. Memorial Coliseum) FS1 8:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Thursday, February 17 Duel at Daytona FS1 7:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, February 20 DAYTONA 500 FOX 2:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, February 27 Auto Club FOX 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, March 6 Las Vegas FOX 3:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, March 13 Phoenix FOX 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, March 20 Atlanta FOX 3:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, March 27 COTA FOX 3:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, April 3 Richmond FOX 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, April 9 Martinsville FS1 7:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, April 17 Bristol Dirt FOX 7:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, April 24 Talladega FOX 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, May 1 Dover FS1 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, May 8 Darlington FS1 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, May 15 Kansas FS1 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, May 22 NASCAR All-Star Race (Texas) FS1 8:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, May 29 Charlotte FOX 6:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, June 5 World Wide Technology Raceway FS1 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, June 12 Sonoma FS1 4:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, June 26 Nashville Superspeedway NBC 5:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, July 3 Road America USA 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, July 10 Atlanta USA 3:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, July 17 New Hampshire USA 3:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, July 24 Pocono USA 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, July 31 Indianapolis Road Course NBC 2:30 p.m. IMS/SiriusXM
Sunday, August 7 Michigan USA 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, August 14 Richmond USA 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, August 21 Watkins Glen USA 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, August 27 Daytona NBC 7:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, September 4 Darlington USA 6:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, September 11 Kansas USA 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, September 17 Bristol USA 7:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, September 25 Texas USA 3:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, October 2 Talladega NBC 2:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, October 9 Charlotte Roval NBC 2:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, October 16 Las Vegas NBC 2:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, October 23 Homestead-Miami NBC 2:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, October 30 Martinsville NBC 2:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, November 6 Phoenix NBC 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM

 

2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Schedule

Date Race / Track Network Start Time (ET) Radio
Saturday, February 19 Daytona FS1 5:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, February 26 Auto Club FS1 5:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, March 5 Las Vegas FS1 4:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, March 12 Phoenix FS1 4:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, March 19 Atlanta FS1 5:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, March 26 COTA FS1 4:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, April 2 Richmond FS1 1:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, April 8 Martinsville FS1 7:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, April 23 Talladega FOX 4:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, April 30 Dover FS1 1:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, May 7 Darlington FS1 1:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, May 21 Texas FS1 1:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, May 28 Charlotte FS1 1:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, June 4 Portland FS1 4:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, June 25 Nashville Superspeedway USA 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, July 2 Road America USA 2:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, July 9 Atlanta USA 5:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, July 16 New Hampshire USA 2:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, July 23 Pocono USA 5:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, July 30 Indianapolis Road Course NBC 3:30 p.m. IMS/SiriusXM
Saturday, August 6 Michigan USA 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, August 20 Watkins Glen USA 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, August 26 Daytona USA 7:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, September 3 Darlington USA 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, September 10 Kansas USA 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, September 16 Bristol USA 7:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, September 24 Texas USA 3:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, October 1 Talladega USA 4:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, October 8 Charlotte Roval NBC 3:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, October 15 Las Vegas NBC 3:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, October 22 Homestead-Miami USA 4:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, October 29 Martinsville NBC 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, November 5 Phoenix USA 6:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM

 

2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Schedule

Date Race / Track Network Start Time (ET) Radio
Friday, February 18 Daytona FS1 7:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, March 4 Las Vegas FS1 9:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, March 19 Atlanta FS1 2:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, March 26 COTA FS1 1:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Thursday, April 7 Martinsville FS1 8:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, April 16 Bristol Dirt FS1 8:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, May 6 Darlington FS1 7:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, May 14 Kansas FS1 8:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, May 20 Texas FS1 8:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, May 27 Charlotte FS1 8:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, June 4 World Wide Technology Raceway FS1 1:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, June 11 Sonoma FS1 7:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, June 18 Knoxville FS1 9:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, June 24 Nashville Superspeedway FS1 8:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, July 9 Mid-Ohio FS1 1:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, July 23 Pocono FS1 Noon MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, July 29 Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis FS1 9:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, August 13 Richmond FS1 8:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, September 9 Kansas FS1 7:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Thursday, September 15 Bristol FS1 9:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, October 1 Talladega FS1 12:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, October 22 Homestead-Miami FS1 1:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, November 4 Phoenix FS1 8:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM
Posted on by PJ Walsh

The Action Network specializes in providing sports betting insights/analytics and is a content partner with NASCAR. Check out more NASCAR betting analysis here.

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season concludes on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway (3 p.m. ET on NBC/NBC Sports App/Peacock, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), with four drivers still eligible for the championship: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr.

This means that whichever of those four drivers has the best finish in Sunday’s race will be the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion.

For the record, the eventual champion doesn’t necessarily have to win the race to win the title.

The only determining factor is which of those four secures the best finish, no matter where that is in the final race results.

Let’s take a look at the array of NASCAR championship odds, including my favorite bet to win the 2021 title.

RELATED: Title odds from BetMGM | Odds for Sunday’s title race | NASCAR BetCenter

NASCAR Championship Betting Pick

Clearly, all four of these drivers are capable of winning the championship — that’s why they’ve advanced this far.

But from a NASCAR betting perspective we’re most concerned about the associated odds with each.

Interestingly, NASCAR championship odds vary wildly from sportsbook to sportsbook, which is actually a big advantage for bettors.

For example, Kyle Larson is currently +140 at BetMGM but +175 at PointsBet.

I’m going in a different direction by taking the biggest championship longshot in Truex.

At Phoenix back in March, Truex won the race while running the most fast laps and posting the third-best driver rating.

In addition, the short, flat tracks (like Phoenix) have also been Truex’s best this season. In six total races across Phoenix, Richmond, New Hampshire and Martinsville, the No. 19 team has the most wins (three), the most top-five finishes (five) and the second-best driver rating.

With a very enticing +450 (BetMGM) price tag, Truex’s speed at this category of tracks this season makes him my favorite value bet to win the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series championship.

The Bet: Truex Jr. (+450) to win championship

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of four stories examining why each driver could win the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Tuesday: Kyle Larson
Wednesday: Chase Elliott
Thursday: Martin Truex Jr.
Friday: Denny Hamlin

•••

Kyle Larson will win the 2021 championship because …

He’s Kyle Larson in 2021.

Larson’s first year in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet has been one for the record books. His nine victories this season are more than double the totals of each of the three other Championship 4 drivers of Chase Elliott (two), Denny Hamlin (two) and Martin Truex Jr. (four). He’s finished in the top 10 in 25 of the 35 races. His 2,474 laps led is now the most in a single season since NASCAR moved to a 36-race schedule in 2001, surpassing Jeff Gordon’s previous mark of 2,320 during his 2001 championship season.

The regular-season champion has won four races in the playoffs, including three of the last four starting with the Charlotte Roval. If you need any more convincing as to why Larson is the lead candidate for title glory, he’s also the odds-on favorite in the BetMGM sportsbook at 7-5.

RELATED: Betting odds for Phoenix title race

But even with all of the success backing Larson, you can throw those statistics out the window now. It all comes down to one race, one pressure-packed moment to decide who will lift up the Bill France Cup after Sunday’s season finale at Phoenix (3 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App/Peacock, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Pressure is a concept that Larson and company, led by crew chief Cliff Daniels, have proven they can handle, though. The biggest example of that occurred four weeks ago when an alternator issue at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval nearly threw a whole season’s worth of work away. But a calm-and-cool Daniels didn’t let it shake them, methodically giving his team marching orders when a lesser leader could have panicked.

And the end result? Another No. 5 car parked in Victory Lane.

Whatever this Sunday will throw at Larson and Daniels, those two can handle it. But it should not surprise anybody at this point if Larson is out front for the duration. His five straight top-10 finishes at the 1-mile oval back it up even further.

This is why Larson will win the race and the championship on Sunday. He’ll hoist season-ending hardware for the first time in his career in his first Championship 4 appearance and earn Hendrick Motorsports its 14th Cup Series title.

RELATED: Kyle Larson through the years

Posted on by Steve Luvender

Every now and then, the Internet gets one right.

Back in February—which feels like ages ago—we asked you to call your shot and predict the Championship 4. Hundreds of you sent in your guesses.

But did anyone correctly predict all four championship finalists?

So much happened in a single season, and so much changed from 2020. Kevin Harvick went from winning nine races last year to laying an egg in the wins column in 2021. Kyle Larson joined Hendrick Motorsports and won pretty much everything. Three drivers won their first races, and even part-timer AJ Allmendinger snagged a victory. 

All that to say, 2021 was a tough year to predict. 

Even the only person who predicted last year’s Championship 4 stumbled this time around.

One out of four—not so great! 

The 2021 Hall of Shame

Plenty of Twitter titans sent in their guesses, only to fail to make one single correct prediction. It’s tough out there. 

Sorry to do this, but, in the spirit of tradition, we’ve got no choice but to make fun of those lousy 0-for-4 picks. You know what you signed up for. 

https://twitter.com/Dcarterace21/status/1359695563151802368

Even NASCAR.com’s own power ranker Pat DeCola whiffed.

Better luck next year. 

One person picked correctly

If you shoot enough arrows at a target, one’s bound to hit the bullseye. 

Out of the hundreds and hundreds of failed predictions, we’ve found only one containing this year’s Championship 4 lineup of Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr.

Well done, @RadiKyleOpinion. Back on Feb. 10, you peered 263 days into the future. 

Somehow, you knew that Chase Elliott would compete to defend his 2020 title. That Denny Hamlin would give it another go. That fellow Kyle, Kyle Larson, would have an outstanding season. That Martin Truex Jr. would fight to become Martin 2x, Jr.

We’re thoroughly impressed by your skills. Or your wild, uninformed guesses; we don’t know. 

For reference, one person picked perfectly in 2020, two got ‘em right in 2019, and nobody predicted the 2018 Championship 4. You’re in elite company, @RadiKyleOpinion. 

Although, technically speaking, this one’s not wrong.

Thanks to all this year’s participants who put their pride on the line. Let’s do it again in 2022.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR officials will require Kyle Busch to take sensitivity training before the start of the 2022 season following offensive comments made after Sunday’s Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway.

The two-time series champion used a term that disparages those with intellectual disabilities when describing an on-track incident with Brad Keselowski. Both drivers were eliminated from title contention ahead of the Phoenix Raceway finale.

After the race, Busch apologized for the remarks on Twitter.

Posted on by Terrin Waack

Two teams evenly split the Championship 4 — Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, two drivers apiece — but their 2021 season stats aren’t so even.

Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott represent Hendrick Motorsports, while Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. hail from Joe Gibbs Racing. Larson (nine) and Elliott (two) alone combine for 11 of the 35 race wins this season. Hamlin (two) and Truex (four) are responsible for six together — almost half the amount.

“Usually, a lot of times, JGR might be the favorite going into a championship race,” said Wally Brown, Joe Gibbs Racing’s competition director. “I think we’re definitely the underdogs. We have to beat the guy, Kyle Larson, that has won so many races, been so dominant this year. Then you have Chase, the reigning champion at this track. We’re definitely the underdog.”

RELATED: Championship 4 set for Phoenix | Hamlin blasts winner Bowman at Martinsville

According to the latest odds from BetMGM, Larson (7-5) is the favorite to win the championship after Sunday’s finale at Phoenix Raceway (3 p.m. ET on NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Elliott (11-4) posts the next-best odds, with Hamlin (4-1) and Truex (9-2) following.

“As far as us going in with the advantage, personally I don’t see it that way,” said Jeff Andrews, Hendrick Motorsports’ general manager and executive vice president. “There may be statistically you could make that argument. From ourselves and how we’re approaching it, we’re going out there to race with Joe Gibbs Racing, one of the best teams in the history of this sport.”

Joe Gibbs Racing owns five NASCAR Cup Series championships. Hendrick Motorsports boasts 13.

Hamlin leads the title-eligible crop with two career wins (spring 2012 and fall 2019) at the 1-mile track in Arizona. Truex and Elliott have one victory each, both coming in the two most recent events held there. Truex won the spring race earlier this season; Elliott won last year’s season finale. Larson, meanwhile, has not won in the desert.

Overall this season, the four drivers lead the series in laps led. Larson (2,474), though, has nearly a 1,000-lap advantage over Hamlin (1,502). Elliott (858) doesn’t break into the thousands and has the third-best mark. Truex (793) rounds the group out.

“We just don’t have the raw speed they’ve had this year, to be honest,” Brown said. “We’re trying to figure that out. They’ve just beaten us, just faster everywhere. I think for us, we’re going to have to be able to do our best job, run a very clean race, have good pit stops, execute well. Hopefully we can run with them.”

Posted on by Staff Report

As the 2021 calendar year turns to November, the picture of the 2022 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule is becoming clearer as NASCAR today announced dates at Langley Speedway and Riverhead Raceway.

The series will return to historic Langley Speedway in Virginia for the first time since 2018, and for only the third race in series history, on April 23. The spring date will be the third race on the calendar, after the already-announced season-opening events at New Smyrna Speedway (Florida) on February 12 and Richmond Raceway on April 1.

RELATED: More Modified Tour coverage

The previous two Whelen Modified Tour events at Langley were won by Timmy Solomito (2017) and current NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece (2018).

The .397-mile track also hosted eight NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour races from 2010-2015.

“It’s great to be returning to Langley Speedway,” said Jimmy Wilson, Senior Director, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. “Virginia has a rich history in modified racing, and it means a lot that we get to put on a show for the fans of both Richmond and Langley next spring.”

The Whelen Modified Tour will also return to the storied fifth-mile Riverhead Raceway in New York, where the series has raced every year since 1985, with the exception of the COVID-impacted 2020 season.

There will be three Riverhead dates on the 2022 schedule – May 14, June 25 and September 17.

“Riverhead Raceway and the Whelen Modified Tour have been tied together for nearly four decades,” added Wilson. “It means a lot to our drivers and teams who are based in the Northeast that we can race at this celebrated track in their backyard.”

That final date will mark the 70th NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at Riverhead Raceway. Earlier this year, Doug Coby won the first two races at the track while Patrick Emerling won the penultimate race of the season.

Mike Ewanitsko has the all-time wins record at Riverhead with 11 victories, his last coming in 2000. Reigning NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Justin Bonsignore is next on the all-time list with eight wins.

NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Mike Stefanik had six wins at the track, while Donny Lia and Preece have four apiece and Ted Christopher had three, as did Timmy Solomito.

The remainder of the 2022 schedule will follow at a later date, as will race times and broadcast information for all races.

Posted on by Zack Albert

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Speed was in surplus for Chase Elliott on Sunday, and on multiple levels.

Elliott’s fleet-footed No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet led a race-high 289 laps; he clinched a Championship 4 berth early, with nearly half of the Xfinity 500 remaining; and he was exiting the Martinsville Speedway grounds, showing up to support the Atlanta Braves in that evening’s Game 5 of the World Series.

RELATED: Martinsville results | Championship 4 set for Phoenix

Despite a roundabout day that included a late-race spin in the Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 8 finale, Elliott emerged with the ultimate prize still within reach — a title shot in Sunday’s season-ending event at Phoenix Raceway (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM).

“Certainly hasn’t been pretty,” Elliott said after his 16th-place finish at the 0.526-mile track. “At the end of the day, having a shot next week is really all that matters. Frankly, I feel like you make it to Phoenix, it’s anybody’s game. Getting out there and being a part of the final four is a really big deal. It’s really hard to do. I’m really proud of my team for continuing to push through and battle some adversity. Just keep fighting.

“I’ve got a great group. I don’t want to go to battle with anybody else.”

Elliott will defend his crown in the Arizona desert next weekend, attempting to become the Cup Series’ first back-to-back champion since the postseason’s elimination era began in 2014. He’ll battle fellow Hendrick driver Kyle Larson and Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. for the championship.

Elliott won last year’s title with a sweep of the final two races, plucking victories from Martinsville then Phoenix to seal it. Sunday, he appeared close to checking off the first leg of an encore, winning the first two stages and locking up his second straight Championship 4 reservation on the basis of points.

“That changed the complexion a bit,” said No. 9 crew chief Alan Gustafson. “You just race to win then.”

Elliott indeed was, but his No. 9 Chevy was knocked from victory contention after a bump from Brad Keselowski with 45 laps remaining. Keselowski, aiming to add a high finishing note to his last season with Team Penske, charged into the hunt with a bid to make the title field on points or with a victory. Elliott caught the worst of his Turn 3 over-drive.

MORE: Chase Elliott spins after contact from Keselowski

“I mean, it’s tough. I was racing him hard on the outside. I wasn’t super surprised that he made a mistake,” Elliott said. “As hard as he hit me, I knew he just didn’t clean me out on purpose. I figure he wheel-hopped or something. I haven’t seen it. Really moving on was all that mattered.

“I had made some bad choices on adjustments, kind of got us behind. The real reason that happened was because I made a bad decision on what to do to our car. We started playing defense. When you start playing defense, you typically start crashing a lot of times, especially when guys need to win. I blame myself for leading us down the wrong path more than anything. I didn’t think it was on purpose either, so all good.”

Sunday’s shot at a second Martinsville grandfather clock trophy slipped away, but Elliott’s chance to realize a season-long goal still looms at Phoenix.

“Got as good a shot as anybody, I guess,” Gustafson said.

Posted on by Staff Report

Meet the NASCAR Fan Council Member of the Month for November 2021!

Name: Christie
Current City: St. George, Utah
Member Since: 2018

GETTING TO KNOW CHRISTIE:
​
Q. ​ How did you first become interested in NASCAR? 

“I enjoyed watching NASCAR as a teenager in the 90s; the era of Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon was always so exciting. As an adult, my family has grown, and now my teenage kids love watching races! We really enjoy attending when we can and watching every Sunday.”

Q: What is your favorite part about NASCAR?

“I love the patriotism and pride NASCAR celebrates each week. I love the competition and unpredictability!”

Q: What is your favorite NASCAR memory?

“Attending our first race as a family at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and watching my kids meet their favorite drivers. That was a great day!”

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

Current Driver: “Martin Truex Jr.”

Past Driver: “Jeff Gordon.”

Track: “Bristol Motor Speedway.”

Raceday Traditions: “Church first, then everyone changes into their favorite driver shirts.”

Sponsor: “Auto Owners Insurance because of all the support they give to the Martin Truex Jr Foundation and Sherry Strong.”

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

“I enjoy hiking and fishing and when I can’t go outside I enjoy painting and redecorating.”

FROM ALL OF US AT NASCAR, WE THANK CHRISTIE FOR HER CONTINUED SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM HER IN 2021!

Look for Christie on the Official NASCAR Fan Council page on NASCAR.COM.

Posted on by Zack Albert

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Kyle Busch just missed out on a Championship 4 slot Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, coming up three points shy of advancing from the Round of 8 group. The performance wasn’t what he had hoped for, but he still managed a determined second-place result just behind Xfinity 500 race winner Alex Bowman.

So when asked if his elimination was tough to take, his response was fairly frank.

“Oh, we ran like dog—- last week and this week. So we had a Hail Mary opportunity there at the end and we were trying to make something out of nothing,” Busch said. “Great effort. We did everything we could all day long. We never stopped working on it, but we have missed it way too much lately, so I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

RELATED: Championship 4 set | At-track photos: Martinsville

Busch started at a deficit after a pit-road speeding penalty to open the final stage, but his comeback efforts put him in position to not just register a top-five finish, but to race for the Cup Series title in next Sunday’s season finale (3 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App/Peacock, MRN, SiriusXM) at Phoenix Raceway. He wound up just .472 seconds back of Bowman at the checkered flag and joined Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano among the eliminated.

But the checkered wasn’t the end of it for Busch, whose No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota ended up turned around in Turn 1 after his hard racing with old foe Keselowski turned full-contact on the final lap.

Again, Busch’s description was blunt.

“Well, he drills my ass coming out of (Turn) 4 for no reason,” Busch said. “Where was he going? What was he going to do — spin me out? He was trying to do a Harvick is what he was trying to do. For what? Second place? To do what? He wasn’t going to transfer through with that. … So stupid. I don’t understand these guys. I should beat the (expletive) out of him right now is what I should do, but that doesn’t do me any good either.”

Asked why not, Busch said:  “I’ve already had to pay enough fines in my lifetime. I’m sure I’ll get another one.”

Keselowski offered his side, saying, “I don’t know what he was thinking. I don’t know if he’s mad at himself, mad at me. I don’t sweat that.”

But Busch suggested that any goodwill built up from their relatively clean contests for position earlier in the race had evaporated within sight of the start-finish line.

“I raced Brad fantastic all day,” Busch said. “I mean, I held him up more than any other driver out there the entire race. I was on the outside, my car was better on the outside today, and he couldn’t make it by me and he ran me relatively clean. Once he got enough alongside of me, he kind of washed out and moved me up a little bit, which is fine — I get it. Then coming to the checkered, just that dumb (expletive). That right there is going to make me race him differently, even though he had all the coins in the bucket the whole day, just emptied it out right there at the end.”