Team Penske crew chief Todd Gordon to retire at season’s end

Posted on June 28, 2021June 28, 2021 by Chase Wilhelm

Championship-winning crew chief Todd Gordon is set to retire after the conclusion of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Gordon announced his retirement Monday morning on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Gordon has served as crew chief for the No. 12 Team Penske group of Ryan Blaney since the beginning of the 2020 season.

RELATED: Cup Series standings

“It’s just one of those things that you look at any life and there’s several chapters in it,” Gordon told SiriusXM. “It’s been an awesome run here at Team Penske, and really, really happy and fortunate to have the opportunities that I’ve had here, but when you look at it going forward, this is my 23rd year down here in NASCAR and 10 years in Cup Series and just made a family decision that this’ll be my last year sitting on the pit box.”

The veteran crew chief owns 23 race victories in the Cup Series, which include two with current driver Blaney and 21 with No. 22 Team Penske driver Joey Logano. Gordon won the championship with Logano in 2018 after a three-win year that produced 13 top fives and 26 top 10s.

Gordon, who joined Team Penske in December 2010, also served as crew chief for AJ Allmendinger and Sam Hornish Jr. during the 2012 Cup Series season.

Along with his 10-year tenure at NASCAR’s highest level, Gordon spent seven years as a crew chief in the Xfinity Series, beginning in 2005 with drivers Michel Jourdain Jr. and Brent Sherman for team owner Greg Pollex. Other drivers he worked with during that span included Todd Kluever, Kenny Wallace, Jason Keller, Kyle Krisiloff, Marc Mitchell, Scott Lagasse Jr., Brad Keselowski, Parker Kligerman and Jacques Villeneuve.

Gordon’s first of seven Xfinity Series victories came during the 2011 season with Kurt Busch in the No. 22 Team Penske car at Watkins Glen International. He earned six total race wins that year, the other five coming with Keselowski. Gordon’s final Xfinity Series triumph was in 2015 with Logano at Watkins Glen.

Before his days as a crew chief, Gordon began his NASCAR tenure in 1998 for Phil Parson’s No. 10 Xfinity Series team. He later worked as a fabricator for Joe Gibbs Racing before finding homes with other teams as a crew chief in the Xfinity Series ranks. In 2010, Gordon joined Michael Waltrip Racing as an engineer for the No. 99 Toyota team in the Xfinity Series for drivers Trevor Bayne, Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Truex.

After a storied run in the sport, Gordon is looking forward the next adventure, which he said was still an unknown.

“I’m going to make the transition to something else and a new chapter of life,” Gordon said. “Not sure what that’s going to be, but looking to have a little more family time.”

Posted on June 27, 2021June 27, 2021 by Zack Albert

Sunday’s back end of Pocono Raceway’s Cup Series weekend doubleheader was 10 laps — 25 miles — longer than Saturday’s opener. William Byron and Denny Hamlin were among Sunday’s fuel-starved contenders probably wishing for a repeat of Saturday’s shorter distance.

RELATED: Official results | At-track photos

In the closing laps, those two slipped out of the top five and hit pit road for a last splash of fuel in Sunday’s Explore the Pocono Mountains 350. Hamlin was the last of those to drop off the pace, bringing his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to pit road on Lap 138, handing over the lead to teammate and eventual winner Kyle Busch on the next-to-last lap.

Hamlin kept his shrinking Cup Series standings lead by just two points over Sunday runner-up Kyle Larson, but he’s still yet to visit Victory Lane in 2021.

“Just do what I’m told. Don’t run when I’m not supposed to run, run when I’m supposed to run. The result is we pitted on the last lap for three weeks in a row,” said Hamlin, who led only Lap 138. “That’s tough. I mean, I hate seeing the white coming to pit road. It’s just so frustrating. Fuel mileage has got us the last two weeks. Lug nuts the week before. We’re running fast. We’re getting a little better. I think overall we had a little bit more speed this weekend than what we’ve had the past few weeks. Yeah, can’t see the checkered right now.”

The last leader before Hamlin was Byron, who appeared to be in prime position before his stop on Lap 137. Byron led 22 laps, opening up a slight margin before crew chief Rudy Fugle told him over the radio to put his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet into “max save” mode on fuel.

Byron’s fuel-conservation gamble wound up just short.

“I kind of thought we were closer on fuel than we were,” said Byron, who was seeking his second Cup Series win of the year. “I thought we could get up as far as we could, and a couple of guys would have to pit and we’d save and win. So that was kind of how it was looking to work out there with the No. 2 (Brad Keselowski) and then we had to go into max save. I thought for sure we’d make it because usually you’ve got a little bit of fudge factor there, but we ran out with three (laps) to go, so not even close.”

Posted on June 27, 2021June 28, 2021 by Reid Spencer

With remarkable perseverance behind the wheel of a car stuck in fourth gear, Kyle Busch saved enough fuel to win Sunday’s Explore the Pocono Mountains 350, the second leg of a weekend NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader at Pocono Raceway.

After William Byron and Denny Hamlin ran out of gas ahead of him, Busch cruised to an 8.654-second victory over Kyle Larson, who started from the rear of the field in a backup car after crashing while leading in the final corner of Saturday’s race.

Busch brought his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to pit road for the last time on Lap 95, one circuit after Hamlin and Byron — and that one lap of extra fuel made all the difference.

“Yeah, stuck in fourth gear, about out of gas, just saving, just riding, playing the strategy the best we could with what was given to us,” said Busch, who won for the second time this season, the fourth time at Pocono and 59th time in his career — most among active drivers and ninth all-time.

“Just can’t say enough about everybody on my team, everybody at Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota, TRD, all the work they’re putting in.

“Sometimes these races aren’t always won by the fastest car, but I felt we had the fastest car, even though we were in the back and behind and having to come through and persevere through being stuck in fourth gear, no clutch, all that stuff. It’s all burned out. Nothing left in this M&M’s Minis Camry.

“Really great to pull off another win here at Pocono. Feels good.”

With the victory, Busch also snapped Hendrick Motorsports’ six-race Cup Series winning streak.

RELATED: 2021 Cup Series schedule

Larson, also on a fuel-saving strategy in the closing laps, rallied for a runner-up finish after early contact with Hamlin’s car dented the nose of his No. 5 Chevrolet. On a pit stop under caution, Larson’s crew raised the hood of the car, pounded out the damage and secured it with tape.

“It’s a surprising finish for us,” Larson said. “Our HendrickCars.com Chevy was really loose for a majority of the race. Then we got a lot of nose damage there on one of the restarts. Was off on speed, I felt like after that.

“(Crew chief) Cliff (Daniels) and everybody did a really, really good job managing the race, coached me through saving fuel there at the end. Was hoping that the 18 (Busch) was going to run out. I saw the 11 (Hamlin) running out. I was, ‘OK, they’re teammates, they got to be close to running out.’

“The 18 did pit a lap after us under caution. That actually probably won them the race. But, yeah, second-place finish … I thought we would be outside of the top 20 (at) a lot of points throughout the race today. We’ll take it. Happy about the effort, for sure, all weekend.”

Brad Keselowski led a race-high 31 laps but had to pit for fuel on Lap 132 of 140. As drivers ran out of fuel over the final three laps, Keselowski held third at the finish, one spot ahead of fellow Ford driver Kevin Harvick.

“We ran a really good race but just didn’t have enough fuel to make it to the end like those other guys did,” Keselowski said. “They beat us on power and fuel mileage. We have a lot of work to do to keep up with those guys.

“I’m really proud of (crew chief) Jeremy Bullins and the team. They had the setup really well, and it put us in position and we ran a great race today and maximized our day.”

Bubba Wallace ran fifth, the first top five for the 23XI team that debuted this year under the co-ownership of Hamlin and NBA superstar Michael Jordan.

Ryan Blaney, Saturday’s winner Alex Bowman, Ryan Preece, Tyler Reddick and Joey Logano completed the top 10.

Despite finishing 14th after running out of fuel, Hamlin retained the series lead by four points over Larson. Sunday was another hard-luck story for the driver of the No. 11 Toyota.

“I mean, you’re trying to win or you’re trying to get the best finish that you can,” Hamlin said. “But ultimately, we just didn’t save enough. The 18 I think came in and got topped off because he had transmission issues. That was essentially the race.”

Note: Post-race inspection in the NASCAR Cup Series garage was all clear, validating Busch’s race win. Also, there were no lug-nut issues.

Posted on June 27, 2021June 27, 2021 by Reid Spencer

Busch brought his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to pit road for the last time on Lap 95, one circuit after Hamlin and Byron — and that one lap of extra fuel made all the difference.

“Just can’t say enough about everybody on my team, everybody at Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota, TRD, all the work they’re putting in.

“Really great to pull off another win here at Pocono. Feels good.”

With the victory, Busch also snapped Hendrick Motorsports’ six-race Cup Series winning streak.

RELATED: 2021 Cup Series schedule

“I’m really proud of (crew chief) Jeremy Bullins and the team. They had the setup really well, and it put us in position and we ran a great race today and maximized our day.”

Bubba Wallace ran fifth, the first top five for the 23XI team that debuted this year under the co-ownership of Hamlin and NBA superstar Michael Jordan.

Ryan Blaney, Saturday’s winner Alex Bowman, Ryan Preece, Tyler Reddick and Joey Logano completed the top 10.

Despite finishing 14th after running out of fuel, Hamlin retained the series lead by four points over Larson. Sunday was another hard-luck story for the driver of the No. 11 Toyota.

The Cup Series’ next event is Sunday’s Jockey Made in America 250 (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM), the circuit’s first race at Road America since 1956.

Notes: Post-race inspection in the Cup Series garage was completed without major issue or any lug-nut infractions, confirming Busch as the winner. … Xfinity Series regular Justin Allgaier was a late-hour substitute in the Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevrolet for Justin Haley, who was shaken up after heavy contact in Sunday’s Xfinity event. Allgaier finished 25th in his first Cup Series start since last July.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on June 27, 2021July 2, 2021 by Staff Report

Which channels have NASCAR programming this week? We answer that and give the weekly NASCAR television listings here in the NASCAR TV schedule.

Note: All times are ET.

MORE: How to find NBCSN | Get the NBC Sports App | How to find FS1 | Get FOX Sports App

Monday, June 28
8 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series CRC Brakleen 150 (re-air), FS2
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
7 p.m., Classic NASCAR: 1994: Coca-Cola 600 (re-air), FS1

Tuesday, June 29
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
7 p.m., Classic NASCAR: 1997 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1

Wednesday, June 30
5 p.m., IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge: Six Hours of the Glen at Watkins Glen International (tape delay), NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
7 p.m., Refuse to Lose: Jeff Gordon and the 1997 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1

Thursday, July 1
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6 p.m., IMSA Lamborghini Super Trofeo: Watkins Glen International (tape delay), NBCSN
7 p.m., Dale Jr. Download, NBCSN

Friday, July 2
4 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series Practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
5 p.m., Racing Redefined, NBCSN
5:30 p.m., Lost Speedways: Fit for a King (re-air), NBCSN
6 p.m., IMSA Auto Racing SportsCar Championship, NBCSN

Saturday, July 3
12 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying, NBCSN
12:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
1:30 p.m., Coffee with Kyle: Brad Keselowski, NBCSN
2 p.m., Countdown to Green, NBC/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN4)
2:30 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series Henry 180 at Road America, NBC/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN4)
8 p.m., IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: Watkins Glen International (re-air), NBCSN

On MRN:
1 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Practice
2 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series Henry 180

Sunday, July 4
11 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying, CNBC/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN2)
12 p.m., NASCAR Raceday, FS1
2 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN1, 4, 5)
2:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Jockey Made in America 250 presented by Kwik Trip at Road America, NBC/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN1, 4, 5)
6 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Post-Race Show, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
6:30 p.m., Coffee with Kyle (re-air), NBCSN

On MRN:
11 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Jockey Made in America 250 presented by Kwik Trip

Posted on June 27, 2021June 28, 2021 by Staff Report

Hendrick Motorsports made major news last week by outlining their plan for succession, tapping four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon to the role of vice chairman.

Gordon met the media before Sunday’s Explore the Pocono Mountains 350 (NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Pocono Raceway, his first official news conference in his new role in Hendrick’s front office. Near the end of the interview, the name that came up was Jimmie Johnson, who collected seven Cup Series titles in a 20-year run with the team.

Johnson retired after the 2020 season from full-time NASCAR competition but has kept busy with part-time driving roles in IndyCar and IMSA sports-car racing this year. If an equity stake with team owner Rick Hendrick’s group was in Johnson’s plans or aspirations, Gordon says he’d be happy to welcome his former teammate.

“Obviously Ally, one of our partners, is part of that and Rick Hendrick is a part of that,” Gordon said. “So, in some ways, yes. I don’t know. We’ll see. If he is ever wanting to step away from IndyCar; hey, listen. He’s been a tremendous asset to us over the years. We would love to have him on board in some way.”

Posted on June 27, 2021June 27, 2021 by Staff Report

After taking a hard hit in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway earlier in the day, Justin Haley will be replaced by Justin Allgaier for the NASCAR Cup Series race at the 2.5-mile track (3:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports Live, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Allgaier, driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series, will replace Haley in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. It’ll be Allgaier’s first Cup Series start since subbing for Jimmie Johnson at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2020.

Haley took the big hit on Lap 24 when he lost control of the No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet at the exit of Turn 1, making heavy contact with the inside retaining wall. Haley was hit by Ryan Vargas as he slid back up the straightaway. Following the incident, Haley exited the race car under his own power and was checked and released from the infield care center.

Posted on June 27, 2021June 27, 2021 by Reid Spencer

Austin Cindric held off a ferocious charge by part-time NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Ty Gibbs to win Sunday’s Pocono Green 225 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro & Sons.

Cindric, the reigning series champion, crossed the finish line at Pocono Raceway .331 seconds ahead of Gibbs to claim his fourth victory of the season, his first at Pocono and the 12th of his career.

“I went from a three-second lead to a half-a-second-lead,” Cindric said after climbing from his car on the frontstretch at the 2.5-mile triangular track. “We gave (Gibbs) a chance, didn’t we? We had to make it exciting, I guess. I didn’t want it, but I guess everybody else did. We’ll take it, and we’ll take the trophy for sure.

“This track was on our ‘kill’ list since last year. There’s a few more of those, so we’ll keep putting our heads down. We’ve got to keep getting better. We’ve got strong competition and a lot of racing left.”

RELATED: Race results

Cindric led a race-high 26 laps, including the final 16 after he cycled back into the top spot at the end of a long cycle of green-flag pit stops.

Gibbs was more than three seconds behind when Cindric inherited the lead, but he closed rapidly in the final laps when Cindric was slowed by lapped traffic.

“The lapped cars definitely helped me to my advantage,” said Gibbs, who led 11 laps, won the second stage and posted his seventh top-five finish in eight starts this season. “They were just in the way. Cindric got stacked up behind them.”

Accidents cost several contending cars the opportunities for strong finishes. Shortly after a restart on Lap 25, Sam Mayer stuck the nose of the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet between Justin Haley’s Camaro and the outside wall.

When Haley moved up the track, contact between the cars turned Haley into the outside wall along the Long Pond straightaway. Haley careened across the track hard into the inside barrier and bounced back into traffic where Ryan Vargas’ Chevrolet T-bone Haley’s helpless machine.

With the wind knocked out of him, Haley climbed from his wrecked car and lay on the pavement outside the driver’s door before getting to his feet.

“I’m really thankful NASCAR builds such safe race cars,” Haley said after a mandatory trip to the infield care center. “Obviously, that was one of the hardest hits I’ve ever taken.”

Nine laps later—after NASCAR red-flagged the race for cleanup from Haley’s wreck—polesitter and Stage 1 winner Harrison Burton spun underneath Justin Allgaier in Turn 1, backed into the outside wall and was eliminated from the race in the 37th position.

Burton said he thought he could clear Allgaier and slide up in front of him, but at the last second, he realized Allgaier was still to his outside.

“I’ve got to quit making mistakes, and we’ll put our car in Victory Lane before long,” Burton said.

On Lap 46, Riley Herbst spun into the Turn 2 wall and out of the race after contact with the No. 15 Chevrolet of Colby Howard.

“I thought you said ‘Clear,’” Herbst radioed to spotter Tim Fedewa after the crash.

“I did say ‘Clear,’” Fedewa replied. “He drove it back out there.”

JR Motorsports drivers Justin Allgaier ran fourth and fifth, respectively, with AJ Allmendinger completing the top five.

Cindric, the sixth different winner in six NASCAR Xfinity Series events at the “Tricky Triangle,” extended his series lead over second-place Allmendinger to 101 points.

Daniel Hemric led 18 laps and appeared to have a car capable of delivering his first NASCAR national series victory, but Hemric ruined his own chances with two pit-road speeding penalties before rallying to finish sixth.

Brandon Jones, Jeb Burton, Josh Berry and Myatt Snider finished seventh through tenth.

Note: Cindric was confirmed as the race winner following post-race inspection. Two cars — the No. 18 of Hemric and the No. 22 of Cindric — were found to have one lug nut not safe and secure.

Posted on June 27, 2021June 27, 2021 by Staff Report

Kyle Larson is among the cars dropping to the rear ahead of Sunday’s Explore the Pocono Mountains 350 (3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) for moving to a backup car. Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was slated to line up 12th but his last-lap flat tire caused enough damage to warrant the team bringing out the backup for Sunday’s 140-lapper.

In addition to Larson and as confirmed by NASCAR following Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series race, the following drivers have been approved to go to a backup car for the 140-lap race:
— Ryan Preece, No. 37 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet (was starting 23rd)
— Anthony Alfredo, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford (was starting 26th)
— Ross Chastain, No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet (was starting 33rd)
— Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet (was starting 36th)
— Ryan Newman, No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford (was starting 37th)
— Cole Custer, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford (was starting 38th)

Justin Allgaier will also go to the rear after a driver change in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. Allgaier is subbing for Justin Haley who was supposed to drive the car but is sitting out following a wreck he was involved in during the Xfinity Series race earlier on Sunday. Haley was checked and released from the infield care center. The No. 77 Chevrolet was set to start 27th.

Posted on June 27, 2021June 27, 2021 by @nascarcasm and Steve Luvender

Steve Luvender and @nascarcasm love two things – the roar of the engines at a NASCAR race, and bingo. They’re BIG bingo guys.

Well wouldn’t you know it, today is National Bingo Day. In honor of this splendid occasion, They’ve worked up a NASCAR bingo game, and you, the reader, can play along!

Create your board below, and play along by clicking the boxes on your device, or do it the old-fashioned way and just print it out. Mark the boxes as the race goes on, and if you do get a bingo, Tweet us and let us know! Winners will likely receive nothing but that’s TBD.

Anyways, that’s enough yapping – players, start your bingo boards!