NASCAR Penalty Report / Chicago; MWR Appeal denied:
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
· The #10 team has been penalized for an infraction that occurred during pre-qualifying inspection on Sept. 18. This is a P2 level penalty (Sections 12.1 and 20.4b and 20.4.2a of the NASCAR rule book). The right side quarter panel behind the rear wheel/tire was modified during pre-qualifying inspection. Crew chief Daniel Knost has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015. Car chief Pete White has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015.
· The #15 team has been penalized for an infraction that occurred on opening day inspection Sept.18. This is a P4 level penalty (Section 12.1, 20. 14.c, 20.14.2.1.k, 12.5.3.4.d, 12.5.3.4.1.d & f, 12.5.3.4.2 of the NASCAR rule book). Crew chief Billy W. Scott has been fined $75,000, suspended for the next three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship events and placed on NASCAR probation for six months following the issue of suspension. Driver Clint Bowyer has been penalized 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Driver points. Car owner Rob Kauffman has been penalized 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Owner points. NASCAR has requested to the Appeals Administrator of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel that the appeals process described in the rule book be expedited.
AND NASCAR issued the penalty -- P4 on its P1-to-P6 scale with P6 being the most severe -- for violation of the rule that forbids washers or other components that allow movement of certain track bar joints or mounting bolts. Permitting those rear-end suspension components to move would allow the car to handle better in the corners (ESPN).
NASCAR XFINITY Series
· The #18 team has been penalized for an infraction that occurred during pre-race on Sept. 19. This is a P2 level penalty (Sections 12.1 and 20.4b and 20.4.2a of the NASCAR rule book). The right side vertical extension panel (side skirt) was modified after pre-race inspection. Crew chief Eric P. Phillips has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015. Crew member John P. Egbert Jr. has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015.
· The #54 car failed heights during post-race inspection on Sept. 19. This is a P2 level penalty (Sections 12.1, 20.17.3.2.1. b & c, 20.17.3.2.2.b & c, 12.5.3.2.1.f, 12.5.3.2.2.a.b & d of the NASCAR rule book). Crew chief Christopher W. Gayle has been fined $12,500 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015. Car owner J. D. Gibbs has been penalized 10 series championship owner points.(NASCAR)
MWR Statement: Michael Waltrip Racing respectfully disagrees with today's penalties and plans to immediately appeal. MWR has made mistakes in the past, but we feel we are correct in this instance. We look forward to the opportunity to present our case to the appeals committee and have no further public comment until the process is completed.(MWR)(9-23-2015)
UPDATE: Michael Waltrip Racing officially filed an appeal Thursday of the championship-crippling penalties levied against Clint Bowyer's team. Crew chief Billy Scott's three-race suspension has been deferred through the appeal process. The appeal will be heard Wednesday. Scott will work this weekend at New Hampshire, and MWR has denied wrongdoing. The points deduction for Bowyer remains in effect through the appeals process, which means that reigning Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick moves up to 15th in the standings.(Associated Press)(9-24-2015)
UPDATE 2: The National Motorsports Appeals Panel heard and considered the appeal of a P4 penalty issued on Sept. 23 to Rob Kauffman (owner), Clint Bowyer (driver), and Billy W. Scott (crew chief) relative to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series vehicle #15 at Chicagoland Speedway. The penalty concerns the following sections in the 2015 NASCAR rule book: Sections 12.1, 20.14c, 20.14.2.1.k, 12.5.3.4.d, 12.5.3.4.1.d&f, 12.5.3.4.2. The original penalty assessed included a $75,000 fine, three-race suspension and six months' probation for Scott and loss of 25 championship car owner and 25 championship driver points to both Kauffman and Bowyer. Upon hearing the testimony, the decisions of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel are:
1. The Appellants violated the Rule or Rules set forth in the Penalty Notice.
2. That the Panel affirms and upholds the original Penalty assessed by NASCAR.
The panel consisted of the following three individuals: Mr. Paul Brooks, Mr. Bill Lester, Mr. Bill Mullis.
The Appellants have the right to appeal the decision of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel to the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer in accordance with Section 15 of the NASCAR Rule Book as the Expedited Final Appeal. The deadline for filing is 5pm/et on Sept. 30.(NASCAR)(9-30-2015)
UPDATE 2: Statement from Michael Waltrip Racing: "We are disappointed with the outcome of today's ruling and still feel out interpretation is within the guidelines. Rather than continue the appeals process, MWR is ready to focus 100 person of our company's resources on winning at Dover and trying to advance to the Contender Round of the Chase of the NASCAR Sprint Cup.(MWR)(9-30-2015)

Stewart announces retirement after 2016 season; Bowyer to replace in 2017: After 17 years competing at NASCAR's highest level, Tony Stewart has decided his 18th year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be his last. The three-time series champion will retire following the 2016 season, whereupon Clint Bowyer will take the wheel of the #14 machine beginning in 2017. Since 2009 Stewart has held the dual title of driver/owner at Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR). He co-owns the team with Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation, the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America. Stewart will join Haas as a fulltime owner in 2017, with Bowyer being Stewart's hand-picked successor to drive the No. 14 car.
"This is a moment every driver eventually comes to terms with, and I know this is the right decision for me," said Stewart, owner of 48 Sprint Cup victories, 15 of which have come with SHR. "2016 will be my last year in a Sprint Cup car, but it's not my last year in NASCAR. I love this sport and I love being a part of it, and instead of seeing me in a firesuit on Sundays, you'll see me in a pair of jeans, and maybe even a pair of khakis. I plan to make the most of my final year as a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and part of that is to ensure that when Clint Bowyer takes over the No. 14 in 2017, he has everything he needs to win races and contend for the championship. I'm very comfortable with this decision and what the future holds for me and Stewart-Haas Racing."
Bowyer is an eight-time race winner in the Sprint Cup Series and finished second in the 2012 championship standings.
"Today is an incredible opportunity and I'm proud and excited to take over the #14 in 2017," said Bowyer, the 2008 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion. "Whether it's racing him on Sunday or watching my dirt late model teams race at his famed Eldora Speedway, Tony and I share the same passion for racing. That makes this opportunity a perfect fit for me. I appreciate everything he's done for me and the sport of auto racing. These are big shoes to fill, but boy am I ever looking forward to getting behind the wheel of a champion's ride, and have Tony there with me along the way."
Haas, who formed Haas CNC Racing in 2002 before partnering with Stewart to create SHR in 2009, embraces the transition.
"Tony Stewart has been a game-changer for Stewart-Haas Racing and for motorsports," Haas said. "I always had an incredible amount of respect for what he could do with a racecar - any racecar, as he's been successful in everything he's ever driven. In getting to know Tony Stewart the businessman, I found a very smart person with excellent people skills. He's extremely valuable to our race team and a strong voice in our sport. His passion for motorsports is unmatched, and I'm proud that his future outside of the #14 Chevrolet remains with Stewart-Haas Racing."
The primary partners currently represented on the No. 14 Chevrolet include Bass Pro Shops, Mobil 1, Rush Truck Centers, Code 3 Associates, Coca-Cola, Jimmy Johns and Haas Automation. Announcements regarding the partnership lineup for the #14 team in 2016 and beyond will be made in the lead up to the 58th Daytona 500 on Feb. 21 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
"I have been blessed with fantastic partners throughout my racing career, and I take a lot of pride in the lifelong friendships formed and the great business successes we've been a part of," Stewart said. "I never would've accomplished all that I've achieved in racing if it weren't for the support of corporate America. They helped a kid from Columbus, Indiana, reach his dreams and I'll be forever grateful."(Stewart-Haas Racing), see earlier news about Stewart's retirement on the #14 team news page.(9-30-2015)
Statement from NASCAR Chairman Brian France: "When I think of Tony Stewart, unmatched passion and a pure love of the sport come to mind. He has won championships and millions of fans. But he has given back so much more, and that's what I admire most. Today's news was bittersweet for all, but we know Tony will continue to be a big part of our sport in his roles as a team and track owner. On behalf of the entire NASCAR family, I thank Tony for his many years of excellence and competitiveness, and wish him nothing but the best in his final season as a driver in the Sprint Cup Series."
Statement from Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports for Chevy: "Tony Stewart has been a key member of our racing family for nearly 20 years. The majority of his race wins and championships-regardless of series-have been with our brands. Not only is he a championship-winning driver and team owner, he is an entrepreneur and gives back to numerous charities. Through his Tony Stewart Foundation, he pours his heart into causes that support children, animals and others in need of assistance. We value our long-standing partnership with Tony and look forward to joining his fans in celebrating his final season as a full-time driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series."(Chevy PR)(9-30-2015)

Lawsuit against Stewart will remain in Utica, New York: The wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents of Kevin Ward Jr. against Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart will remain under the jurisdiction of the federal court that covers the home of the Ward family, a U.S. District Court judge ruled Tuesday. Stewart's attorney had asked for the case to be moved to Rochester, New York, which covers the area of Canandaigua Motorsports Park, where Ward's death occurred in a sprint-car race, instead of being heard in federal court in Utica, which covers the Ward family's home of Port Leyden. The Ward family did not oppose the move to the court in Rochester (about 135 miles from Utica), but Judge David Hurd wrote in his decision that there was not a strong enough reason to move the case. In the request, Stewart's side argued that key witnesses would have to travel more than 100 miles to Utica and that it was more convenient for out-of-town witnesses to travel to Rochester. Hurd wrote that the Syracuse airport is 56 miles from Utica and that the additional travel for some witnesses didn't warrant a transfer from the location initially chosen by the Ward family when it first filed suit in August in its home county (Lewis County) in state court. The judge noted that Stewart had given no indication that any of the witness from the Canandaigua area -- local law enforcement and others -- would refuse to come to Utica to testify or that a video deposition would be insufficient. He also wrote that the median time from filing a lawsuit to trial in the Western District of New York (which includes Rochester) is 66.3 months, while in the Northern District (which includes Utica) it is 40.8 months.(ESPN.com)(9-30-2015)

Danica goes pink for October: As NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams enter the month of October with Sunday's AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway, the color pink is starting to show up everywhere - including Danica Patrick's #10 GoDaddy Chevy SS for Stewart-Haas Racing. This weekend at Dover, and coming up at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, Patrick's normally green Chevy turns pink in honor of breast cancer awareness. It is part of GoDaddy's annual "Put the Brakes on Breast Cancer" campaign, which runs through the month of October. While Patrick will wear a pink firesuit to match her pink car, she will also don gloves featuring pink accents at Dover this weekend at Dover. In addition, she will utilize a special pink-accented steering wheel made by Max Papis Innovations in the #10 GoDaddy Chevy SS this weekend. At the end of October, Patrick's steering wheel will be autographed and donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation to be auctioned off. When Patrick gets behind the wheel of her pink GoDaddy Chevrolet this weekend, she'll be looking to repeat the team's success at Dover in May. In her sixth Sprint Cup start at the track, Patrick scored a 15th-place finish - her career-best result at the track. The effort came two weeks after she and the #10 team spent three days at the high-banked, concrete mile oval taking part in a Goodyear tire test and NASCAR open test session.(Stewart-Haas Racing), see an image of the car on the #10 team paint schemes page.(9-30-2015)

Different look for Earnhardt, Jr. at Dover: Nationwide is the exclusive insurance partner of Plenti, the rewards program that lets consumers earn Plenti points at one place and use them at another, all with a single rewards card. Anyone who joins Plenti is able to collect and combine points across brands, making it easier and faster to earn and use rewards points. For a limited time, Plenti members can earn 888 points for completing an eligible auto quote in participating states. The Plenti campaign will also highlight Nationwide's Race to Vegas promotion so fans can enter to win a trip to the 2016 Las Vegas race weekend, where they will attend the race and meet Earnhardt. Visit nationwide.com/NW88JR for offer and program details. The #88 Nationwide Plenti car and campaign are examples of how Nationwide is leveraging the sponsorship to promote key initiatives that are important to growing its business and delivering tangible, distinct benefits to its members. Earnhardt has one win at the "Monster Mile," which came in the 2001 fall race, when he led the final 39 laps en route to victory. He's earned four top-five finishes and eight top-10s at the concrete oval since his trip to Victory Lane in 2001, and had a notably good weekend in the fall of 2013, starting from the pole and finishing second.(Hendrick Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #88 team paint schemes page.(9-30-2015)

SlimFast & Walmart return to the #9 at Dover: Sam Hornish Jr. and the #9 Ford team welcome SlimFast and Walmart back to the #9 Ford Fusion for this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway. Hornish and the team are looking to break their streak of bad luck with a strong finish at the one-mile, concrete oval. Hornish will make his ninth Sprint Cup Series start at the Monster Mile this weekend. He earned his best finish of 13th in the series at the one-mile track in the spring of 2013. In five XFINITY Series starts, Hornish has started the race from the second position twice and earned his best finish of seventh in the spring of 2013. "We're happy to have SlimFast and Walmart with us again in Dover. They were on our car a few weeks ago in Chicago, we had a really good car, but had some bad luck and wasn't able to get a good finish for them. This weekend will give us a chance to make up for it and get a strong finish." (Richard Petty Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #9 team paint schemes page.(9-30-2015)

NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Tickets on sale Oct. 6: Tickets for the 2016 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be available to the public beginning Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 10am/et. Jerry Cook, Bobby Isaac, Terry Labonte, Bruton Smith and Curtis Turner will be honored during this year's ceremony set for Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. Ticket prices range from $45 for general seats to the Induction Ceremony to $350 for the Exclusive Driver Dinner Package. Drivers, celebrities and legends of the sport will take the stage during this premier celebration that will honor the seventh class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Prior to the ceremony, a special Induction Dinner at the Charlotte Convention Center, which is connected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, will include a special jacket presentation for the living inductees and an award presentation honoring popular FOX Sports broadcaster Steve Byrnes, the fifth recipient of the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. Fans also have the exclusive opportunity to purchase a seat for the dinner that puts them at a table with a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. After dinner, the Induction Ceremony will take place in the Crown Ballroom at the Charlotte Convention Center and will honor the five Class of 2016 inductees as well as Harold Brasington, the second recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. Following the ceremony, a special NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day will take place at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Saturday, Jan. 23. Individual ticket and ticket packages will be available beginning Oct. 6 at 10 a.m. at ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.(NASCAR)(9-30-2015)

Grosjean to drive for Haas F1 Team: When Haas F1 Team makes its debut in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship in 2016, it will do so with an experienced racer in Romain Grosjean. The 29-year-old Grosjean has competed in 78 Formula One races and scored 10 podium finishes, with the most recent being a third-place result in August at the Belgian Grand Prix. He is currently in his fifth Formula One season with Lotus F1 Team. Grosjean is highly regarded as a team leader and potential world champion. The Frenchman will get his first drive with Haas F1 Team during the preseason test March 1-4 at Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. A second test at Barcelona takes place March 15-18 before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix April 3 in Melbourne.(Haas F1 Team)(9-29-2015)
UPDATE: On Tuesday, Haas F1 Team announced Romain Grosjean will be the primary pilot when the organization makes its debut on the Formula 1 grid in 2016. On Monday, Grosjean tried out the #41 Haas Automation Chevy Sprint Cup car - while visiting the Concord, N.C. campus. While Grosjean's first goal will be getting the Haas F1 Ferrari up to speed, could NASCAR be in the Frenchman's future? "Could be, could be," Grosjean told Motorsport.com with a smile. "I sat in one of them yesterday. I was surprised there was so much room on the right-hand side. I was thinking, 'I'm not sitting in the middle of the car'. But we may give it a go. I think it would be really cool." His new boss Gene Haas agreed. Haas, who is the defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship owner, said there was nothing in Grosjean's contract that would preclude him from driving a stock car. "He wanted to see what it felt like and he got right in," Haas said. "We don't have any problem with him driving a Cup car if he wants to. Maybe we will have an opportunity where he can try him out and see how he does."(Motorsport)(9-30-2015)

Dover Goodyear Tire Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series will run the same combination of left- and right-side tires at Dover this weekend . . . this is the same tire set-up these teams ran at this track earlier this season . . . this right-side tire code (D-4440) has been run at Dover since 2012, being paired with this left-side tire code (D-4392) for the first time this June . . . in addition to Dover, this particular left-side has been run at Chicagoland, Darlington (Xfinity only), Kentucky and Texas this season . . . Dover is unique among NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, in that inner liners are required on all four tire positions . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.(Goodyear), see tire codes, pressures, set limits and more on the Dover Race Info page.

Kentucky Penalties: NASCAR members Brian Allen [#2-Brian Scott's bus driver], Whitney Scott [wife Scott] and #6-Darrell Wallace Jr. have been penalized for infractions that occurred during post race on Sept. 26. These are behavioral penalties (Sections 12.1 and 7.5 of the NASCAR rule book). Allen has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR. Both Scott and Wallace Jr. have been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015.(NASCAR)(9-30-2015)

Lilly Diabetes scheme for Buescher at Dover: Roush Fenway Racing drivers Ryan Reed and Chris Buescher will both sport Lilly Diabetes paint schemes this weekend at Dover. Reed, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2011, runs the #16 Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang weekly in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Even though Buescher does not have diabetes, he knows the importance of staying healthy and active to help him perform on the track. Living with diabetes, Reed must go through some extra steps to prepare for the race each week. To recognize how individuals living with diabetes manage their diabetes differently, the two drivers detail how managing their pre-race routines differ as well. Reed and Buescher both have wins in the NASCAR XFINITY Series this season. Buescher, who has two wins, won the May 2015 race at Dover and currently leads the championship point standings. Reed, who won the season-opener in Daytona, finished 11th in the May race at Dover.(Roush Fenway Racing), see an image of the car on the #60 team paint schemes page.(9-30-2015)

Delaware Office of Highway Safety sponsoring Yeley: J.J. Yeley and JGL Racing announce that the Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) will sponsor their #28 Toyota at Dover International Speedway this weekend. OHS will serve as Primary Sponsor on the JGL Racing machine in the running of the Hisense 200 on Saturday October 3rd at the track known as the "Monster Mile". Yeley, JGL Racing and the Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) are teaming up at Dover International Speedway to remind fans to drive safe, always plan ahead and Designate a Sober Driver before the party starts. OHS is challenging fans to make smart choices with an interactive display trackside all weekend where J.J. will make various appearances throughout the weekend. Yeley will also serve as Grand Marshal of the "Drive Sober" 125 NASCAR K&N Series race on Friday. Additionally, Yeley will make an autograph appearance at the OHS exhibit at the track as well as participating in the Delaware Sports League Corn Hole Tournament at Famous Tim's Tavern in Wilmington Thursday evening.(Integrity Sports Marketing), see an image of the car on the #28 team paint scheme page.(9-30-2015)

Cope names Dover sponsors: Derrike Cope Racing's #70 Camaro will be adorned with the Co-primary of Acredale Vending, the Speedway Café and Stakes Auto Body for the Dover Xfinity Race on Sept. 3rd. All three sponsors are returning to DCR from previous events this year. Acredale Vanding of Virginia Beach is owned by Scott Abshire and provides full service vending to the Tidewater area for over 32 years. Newly opened Speedway Café' located at the track on Dupont HWY came to Dover by way of Greece. Owner Pete Kelesis and staff will be serving up breakfast, lunch and dinner for the Dover race fans. Owned and operated by the renowned US 13 Grill and Catering located down the street from the track on S. Governors Avenue, the Speedway Café' offers some of the same fare like Greek specialties, seafood, burgers, salads, wraps and paninis. Stakes Auto Body Shop specializes in classic car restoration and is located in Norfolk.(Derrike Cope Racing)(9-30-2015)

Athenian Motorsports to focus on Truck Series UPDATE: Athenian Motorsports has elected to strengthen its efforts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for the remainder of the current season and in 2016. AMS will withdraw its #25 Chevy from this weekend's NASCAR XFINITY Series race in Dover, Delaware and focus solely on the #05 Chevrolet during Saturday night's Truck Series race at Las Vegas. A decision on entering future XFINITY Series events will be made on a race-by-race basis.(Athenian Motorsports), John Wes Townley and Dylan Lupton have split the ride in the XFINITY Series so far this season.(9-28-2015)
UPDATE: Athenian Motorsports confirmed to motorsport.com that crew chief Mike Ford is no longer with the #25 Xfinity Series team. Ford joined the team with four races remaining in the 2014 season. In 31 races, the team posted one top-10 finish with Dylan Lupton last month at Mid-Ohio. Prior to his stint with Athenian Motorsports, Ford spent 14 seasons as a Sprint Cup crew chief starting with Bill Elliott in 2000. His teams won 21 races and posted 96 top-fives and 170 top-10 finishes in 458 races. Ford led Danny Hamlin to five Chase for the Sprint Cup berths including the #11 team's second-place finish in the standings in 2010.(Motorsport)(9-30-2015)

Daytona begins installation of new, larger video display boards: As part of its ongoing commitment to improving the in-venue experience for fans, Daytona International Speedway recently began the installation of two new, larger video display boards in the infield. The new boards, each measuring 40 feet tall by 80 feet wide, will accompany the two existing infield video screens and collectively provide 8,470 square feet of viewing for fans in the new motorsports stadium. Additionally, DIS will upgrade the video board and viewing experience in the Sprint FANZONE. The boards, placed using 3D modeling technology, will ensure an optimal viewing experience for fans. To hold the video boards in place, DIS will create a special structure measuring 80 feet tall by 80 feet wide. Fans in the Sprint FANZONE will now enjoy a new screen measuring 20 feet tall by 40 feet wide. Additionally, the Alert Today Florida Main Stage will be relocated to create better views of the new board as well as improve access and flow throughout the area. Construction is scheduled to be completed by December 2015, in time for the debut of the DAYTONA Rising project in January 2016.(DIS)(9-30-2015)

NASCAR to meet with team owners on Tuesday UPDATE: NASCAR will meet with Sprint Cup team owners on Tuesday afternoon at the NASCAR Plaza in downtown Charlotte, NC. The meeting is expected to tackle a number of topics, including competition issues and what the structure of team ownership might resemble moving forward. Since the Race Team Alliance was introduced last July, there has been increased buzz regarding the possibility of franchising or revenue sharing. RTA chairman Rob Kaufmann expects to have some system in place by the end of the year. NASCAR held a competition meeting last Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with team managers, manufacturers and Goodyear to discuss the 2016 Sprint Cup rules package which is expected to be finalized later this week.(Motorsport)(9-29-2015)
UPDATE: Statement from Brett Jewkes, NASCAR Senior Vice President & Chief Communications Officer: "Earlier today NASCAR met with all Sprint Cup Series owners and presented framework concepts for future qualification to compete in NASCAR's top national series with an eye toward implementing a new model for the 2016 season. The on-going dialogue with the entire industry has been very good and today's session was another productive step in that process. NASCAR, the tracks and the team owners all have the same collective goal: making the sport as strong and competitive as it can be for decades to come. "Today's meeting was one step in the process. There is still a lot of work to be done and that will continue over the coming months. We understand there will be speculation and rumors related to the concepts outlined today, but would caution against coming to any conclusions as we work toward final decisions. When it is appropriate to do so, NASCAR will make an official announcement. In the meantime, we are excited about the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and this weekend's race at Dover."(NASCAR)(9-29-2015)

New Hampshire TV Ratings: NASCAR continues to struggle in the first year of its new television deal. NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from New Hampshire drew a 1.7 overnight rating on NBCSN Sunday, down 23% from both last year and 2013, when the race aired on ESPN (2.2). The 1.7 is tied as the second-lowest for any NASCAR race this season, matching Richmond two weeks earlier and ahead of only Kansas on Fox Sports 1 in May (1.5). So far this season, five Sprint Cup races have failed to hit a 2.0 overnight rating - compared to zero such races last year. Sunday's race was the 15th of 16 on cable this season to have a decline in overnight ratings, with the July race from Kentucky the lone exception. This year is the first of a new NASCAR TV deal that moved races to NBCSN and FS1 from the more widely available ESPN and TNT.(ShowBuzz Daily / Sports Media Watch)
See past race TV Ratings, five-year comparison chart and more on the 2015 TV Ratings page.(9-29-2015)

Grosjean to drive for Haas F1 Team: When Haas F1 Team makes its debut in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship in 2016, it will do so with an experienced racer in Romain Grosjean. The 29-year-old Grosjean has competed in 78 Formula One races and scored 10 podium finishes, with the most recent being a third-place result in August at the Belgian Grand Prix. He is currently in his fifth Formula One season with Lotus F1 Team. Grosjean is highly regarded as a team leader and potential world champion. The Frenchman will get his first drive with Haas F1 Team during the preseason test March 1-4 at Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. A second test at Barcelona takes place March 15-18 before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix April 3 in Melbourne.(Haas F1 Team)(9-29-2015)

Stewart to retire after 2016 season UPDATE3: Tony Stewart, a three-time Sprint Cup Series champion, plans to retire after the 2016 season, team and industry sources told ESPN's Marty Smith. Mired in one of the worst seasons of his career at 25th in the standings, Stewart will run one final season before handing over the driving duties of the Stewart-Haas Racing #14 Chevy to Clint Bowyer, sources said. #15-Bowyer is driving for Michael Waltrip Racing in 2015, but that team is closing operations after the season. He does not currently have a ride for 2016. Stewart won the Sprint Cup in 2002, 2005 and 2011. He missed out on the Chase for the Sprint Cup this year after posting zero wins and two top-10s leading up to the Chase. The 45-year-old Stewart is tied for 13th in career victories with 48. Stewart, who has 582 career Cup starts, missed the final 15 races of the 2013 season with a broken leg suffered in a sprint car accident. He missed three races last season after the sprint car he was racing struck and killed 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr., who had approached Stewart's car on foot at Canandaigua Motorsports Park.(ESPN.com / Motorsport.com)(9-27-2015)
UPDATE: Stewart-Haas Racing has scheduled a news conference for 1:00pm/et on Wednesday at the team's Kannapolis, N.C., headquarters, at which time driver and team co-owner Tony Stewart is expected to announce that 2016 will his last season behind the wheel. Gene Haas, Stewart's partner, will attend the news conference, the team confirmed.(FOXSports.com)(9-28-2015) UPDATE2: Tony Stewart will step away from Sprint Cup competition following the 2016 season, NASCAR.com has confirmed from multiple sources. A press conference at Stewart-Haas Racing's North Carolina shop is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to announce the plans, which will include naming Clint Bowyer to drive Stewart's #14 Chevy beginning in 2017. NASCAR.com will live stream the 1 p.m. ET announcement at NASCAR.com/presspass.(NASCAR.com)(9-28-2015)
UPDATE3 - wanted Larson? Tony Stewart desperately wanted Kyle Larson for the job [the #14 ride]. Larson is available in 2017, but the particulars of his current contract didn't fall into place with the timetable Stewart needed to execute his plan. Then Clint Bowyer became available and Stewart had his man. Bowyer will spend 2016 making laps with another team as he waits for Stewart to complete his retirement tour.(Associated Press)(9-29-2015)

NASCAR to meet with team owners on Tuesday: NASCAR will meet with Sprint Cup team owners on Tuesday afternoon at the NASCAR Plaza in downtown Charlotte, NC. The meeting is expected to tackle a number of topics, including competition issues and what the structure of team ownership might resemble moving forward. Since the Race Team Alliance was introduced last July, there has been increased buzz regarding the possibility of franchising or revenue sharing. RTA chairman Rob Kaufmann expects to have some system in place by the end of the year. NASCAR held a competition meeting last Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with team managers, manufacturers and Goodyear to discuss the 2016 Sprint Cup rules package which is expected to be finalized later this week.(Motorsport)(9-29-2015)

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Dover:
#48-Jimmie Johnson........................ 122.3
#20-Matt Kenseth............................. 107.5
#18-Kyle Busch............................... 105.0
#19-Carl Edwards.............................. 98.4
#42-Kyle Larson................................ 97.6
#16-Greg Biffle.................................. 96.2
#24-Jeff Gordon................................ 96.1
#15-Clint Bowyer............................... 92.7
#78-Martin Truex Jr............................ 91.3
#2-Brad Keselowski......................... 91.1
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (21 total) among active drivers at Dover Motor Speedway.
Formula combining the following categories: Win, Finish, Top-15 Finish, Average Running Position while on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.
See an explanation how the Driver Rating is calculated at NASCAR.com.(NASCAR)(9-29-2015)

Tire Changer Nick Odell to the #24? Ex #18 Joe Gibbs Racing tire changer Nick Odell is close to a deal with Hendrick Motorsports and the #24 team. After the news last Monday that Odell had been released by JGR, almost every team on pit road had some level of interest in talking with him. After sitting out Loudon, PitTalks sources say Odell is very close to finalizing his deal with HMS. If this deal goes down, then front tire changer Scott Brzozowski of the #24 becomes the man in question. Brzozowski came over to HMS a few years back after spending time on the #39 of Ryan Newman. HMS has four teams and Brzozowski is a top talent, seeing where he fits in will be the next piece in the puzzle. As far as when Odell starts changing tires for the #24, no idea. Supposedly the deal is almost done but we have not confirmed with HMS to verify.(PitTalks)(9-29-2015)

Kahne To Race Sprint Cars In Australia: Kasey Kahne has confirmed that he'll be returning to Australia in 2015/2016 to race an exclusive Ultimate Sprintcar schedule at Valvoline Raceway. Kahne will bring his own first class equipment, including two complete cars and spares, to race at Valvoline Raceway on Dec. 26, Dec. 28, Dec. 30, Jan. 1, Jan. 3 and Jan. 5. Kahne will bring his long time right hand at Kasey Kahne Racing, Justin Adams, and possibly another team member to facilitate the Sydney tour. "I've enjoyed the racing and the hospitality in Australia before and there's a lot to like about coming back down there for it," Kahne said. "It's a quick break from all the activity up here (USA) and I get to squeeze in six races. It's a win-win for me." Kahne will field his sprint car under the umbrella of Steve Caunt Racing - the flamboyant Albion Park Rail (NSW) car owner and driver has facilitated some of the sport's biggest names in the past, including two-time World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series champion Jason Meyers and Outlaw legend Sammy Swindell to name a few - who has purchased Kahne's equipment for the Sydney tour. "Obviously it's a great honour to have someone like Kasey involved with our racing program," said Caunt. "He'll be running his cars with support from our hauler and our operation. I know he'll be bringing everything he needs but he has all of our inventory if he needs it as well."(NSSN)(9-29-2015)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Laps Led Leaders:
(after New Hampshire, 28 of 36 races)
1. #4-Kevin Harvick, 1,676
2. #22-Joey Logano, 863
3. #41-Kurt Busch, 765 (25 races)
4. #20-Matt Kenseth, 673
5. #18-Kyle Busch, 659 (17 races)
6. #2-Brad Keselowski, 611
7. #78-Martin Truex Jr., 536
8. #11-Denny Hamlin, 521
9. #48-Jimmie Johnson, 467
10. #19-Carl Edwards, 361
(9-29-2015)

Chastain's team to have special crew member at Dover: NASCAR Xfinity team JD Motorsports with Gary Keller hopes to give Wounded Warrior Jeremy Rogers an experience he'll never forget at Saturday's Dover International Speedway Hisense 200 race, with the support of Heroes Haven in Sharptown, Md., and Natchez Shooters Supplies. Rogers has been named an honorary crew member of the #4 Heroes Haven/Natchez Shooters Supplies Chevy Camaro, driven by Ross Chastain, for the Saturday's race. Rogers served 24 years in the Marine Corps in the Gulf War, Kosovo, Somalia and Iraq, during which he received three Purple Hearts and one Bronze Star. Heroes Haven is an Eastern Shore organization that partners with Walter Reed Hospital to take soldiers on hunting trips and to NASCAR races. This is its third time teaming with JD Motorsports to help raise awareness for America's veterans. Natchez Shooters Supplies is a family-owned and operated company of outdoorsmen, sportsmen and hunters. For the last three decades, Natchez has been providing a one-stop shop for all outdoor needs.(JD Motorsports)(9-29-2015)

Cassill gets Dover sponsors: Landon Cassill's #01 Chevy Camaro will have a familiar look this weekend as Iron Source and Meding's Seafood join forces with the JD Motorsports with Gary Keller team once again for Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Dover International Speedway. They will be joined by Iron Source vendors Wacker Neuson and TIPCO Technologies. Saturday's Hisense 300 will mark the sixth consecutive Dover race for which Iron Source and Medings have been on board the Johnny Davis-owned #01.(JD Motorsports)(9-29-2015)

Kentucky TV Ratings: NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Kentucky drew a 0.6 overnight rating on NBCSN Saturday night, up a tick from last year (0.5) and even with 2013, both on ESPNEWS. The 0.6 is tied with Iowa and Richmond as the lowest of the season for an Xfinity race (27 telecasts).(Sports Media Watch)(9-29-2015)

Chicagoland Speedway will remain first Chase race in 2016: Chicagoland Speedway announced that they will once again host the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in 2016. The September 15-18 weekend will feature all three of NASCAR's premier series, with the addition of the ARCA Racing Series on Thursday night. For the sixth consecutive season, Chicagoland Speedway will kick off the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Sept. 15-18, with four consecutive days of action packed racing. As the entire "Chase Week" line up of activities in and around the Chicago area continues to grow year after year, the addition of the ARCA Racing Series on Thursday night under the lights will provide guests an even more action-packed, full week experience. The 2016 season will also mark the 15th Anniversary celebration of Chicagoland Speedway. Plans are underway to deliver an amazing lineup of event content and year-round programming for our fans to enjoy as part of this special celebration. Details will be shared throughout the coming months on events and activities tied to this milestone anniversary event. Tickets will go on-sale Monday, October 5 for the 2016 Season.(Chicagoland Speedway)(9-29-2015)

Pocono announces 2016 race dates; addition of XFINITY race: Pocono Raceway will host two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekends in 2016. The Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 race weekend from June 3-5, will feature the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the inaugural 250-mile NASCAR XFINITY Series race and the Pocono 200 ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards race. The Pennsylvania 400 race weekend from July 29 - 31, will feature the Pennsylvania 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Pocono Mountains 150 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, the Modspace 125 ARCA race. The newest addition to Pocono Raceway's 2016 NASCAR schedule is the NASCAR XFINITY Series race scheduled for Saturday, June 4. This race will be the first NASCAR XFINITY Series race held at the 2.5-mile, triangular-shaped track and the first time NASCAR's second-tier series has raced in Pennsylvania since 2004 (Nazareth Speedway). "We are thrilled to bring the NASCAR XFINITY Series to Pocono Raceway," said Brandon Igdalsky, Pocono Raceway President/CEO. "The fans have been asking for this to happen for several years and we are excited to share the good news with them today. Additionally, we look forward to working with everyone at Comcast, who are headquartered 90 miles south of us in Philadelphia, for next summer's inaugural race."
"From day one we've been focused on enhancing the way fans experience NASCAR and highlighting the competition and youth in the Xfinity Series," said Matt Lederer, director of Sports Brand Marketing for Comcast. "The addition of an event at Pocono Raceway in our home state of Pennsylvania will help carry the momentum built in the first year of our partnership into 2016."(Pocono Raceway)(9-29-2015)

Dover International Speedway prepares to honor Jeff Gordon:Through 92 victories, more than 225,000 laps completed, and four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships, Jeff Gordon has served as a shining star for more than two decades, combining raw racing talent with Madison Avenue charm. Now, as that era nears its close, Dover International Speedway plans to honor Gordon's legendary career during activities surrounding the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series "AAA 400" on Sunday, Oct. 4. Gordon, 44, a five-time Dover NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner, announced earlier this year that 2015 would be his final full-time season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He is planning to join Fox Sports as an analyst during its 2016 NASCAR broadcasts. A few special things are planned for Gordon, including a takeover of the 94-foot-tall scoring pylon, thanks to the help of Daktronics, the company that built and installed the pylon.
On Lap 24 of the "AAA 400," the entire Daktronics scoring pylon will display the #24. Gordon has driven the #24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports in all 789 of his career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts, including last September, when he earned his fifth career Dover victory. Gordon's connection with Monster Mile fans began early, as Delaware chemical giant DuPont served as the primary sponsor of his #24 car for several seasons. The iconic multi-colored paint job on both his Chevrolet and the fire suits of the #24 team's pit crew led to their designation as the "Rainbow Warriors." "We still consider him our hometown favorite due to his longtime relationship with Delaware-based DuPont," said Denis McGlynn, president and CEO of Dover Motorsports, Inc. "He was and is a great champion, and he's earned every bit of the respect he enjoys today."
Other events planned to honor Gordon during the upcoming race weekend include:
" On Friday, Oct. 2, track and elected officials will make a special presentation to Gordon during his appearance in the Infield Media Center, in recognition of his contributions to the track and sport.
" A "Thanks Jeff!" billboard will be displayed at Turn 2 of the Monster Mile.
" The souvenir program and fan guide for the "AAA 400" will prominently feature Gordon on the cover.
In addition to those weekend activities, Gordon is set to be honored in 2016 with a permanent plaque on the Miles the Monster statue behind the frontstretch grandstands in Victory Plaza and a fan event. The plaque will detail Gordon's achievements at the Monster Mile, as well as his entire NASCAR career. More information on 2016 plans will be shared during the offseason. For more race information, or to purchase tickets, visit DoverSpeedway.com or call 800-441-RACE.(Dover International Speedway)(9-29-2015)

Entry List for the AAA 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway is posted, 44 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: #26-Yeley, #30-Kvapil, #32-Wise, #33-Kennedy, #62-Hill, #98-Sorenson.
Drivers who need to be in the top-36 in speed and have no provisional available to them (lowest in owners points): #30-Kvapil (49th in owners points)
Drivers who would miss the race if qualifying is canceled (least race attempts): #30-Kvapil (13 race attempts)
See the full entry list on Jayski.com's Dover Entry List

2015 Contender Round Clinch Scenarios -- Dover: Here are the Contender Round clinch scenarios for Dover, regardless of the finish of any other driver...
#11-Denny Hamlin and #20-Matt Kenseth have already clinched a spot in the Contender Round.
#19-Carl Edwards needs 12 points. (32nd and no laps, 33rd and at least one lap, 34th and most laps led).
#22-Joey Logano needs 13 points. (31st and no laps, 32nd and at least one lap, 33rd and most laps led)
#48-Jimmie Johnson needs 19 points. (25th and no laps, 26th and at least one lap, 27th and most laps led)
#31-Ryan Newman needs 28 points. (16th and no laps, 17th and at least one lap, 18th and most laps led)
#41-Kurt Busch needs 29 points. (15th and no laps, 16th and at least one lap, 17th and most laps led)
#2-Brad Keselowski needs 30 points. (14th and no laps, 15th and at least one lap, 16th and most laps led)
#78-Martin Truex Jr. needs 31 points. (13th and no laps, 14th and at least one lap, 15th and most laps led)
#24-Jeff Gordon needs 34 points. (10th and no laps, 11th and at least one lap, 12th and most laps led)
#1-Jamie McMurray, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #18-Kyle Busch, #27-Paul Menard, #4-Kevin Harvick and #15-Clint Bowyer only control their own destinies with a victory.(NASCAR)(9-28-2015)

Stewart to retire after 2016 season UPDATE2: Tony Stewart, a three-time Sprint Cup Series champion, plans to retire after the 2016 season, team and industry sources told ESPN's Marty Smith. Mired in one of the worst seasons of his career at 25th in the standings, Stewart will run one final season before handing over the driving duties of the Stewart-Haas Racing #14 Chevy to Clint Bowyer, sources said. #15-Bowyer is driving for Michael Waltrip Racing in 2015, but that team is closing operations after the season. He does not currently have a ride for 2016. Stewart won the Sprint Cup in 2002, 2005 and 2011. He missed out on the Chase for the Sprint Cup this year after posting zero wins and two top-10s leading up to the Chase. The 45-year-old Stewart is tied for 13th in career victories with 48. Stewart, who has 582 career Cup starts, missed the final 15 races of the 2013 season with a broken leg suffered in a sprint car accident. He missed three races last season after the sprint car he was racing struck and killed 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr., who had approached Stewart's car on foot at Canandaigua Motorsports Park.(ESPN.com / Motorsport.com)(9-27-2015)
UPDATE: Stewart-Haas Racing has scheduled a news conference for 1:00pm/et on Wednesday at the team's Kannapolis, N.C., headquarters, at which time driver and team co-owner Tony Stewart is expected to announce that 2016 will his last season behind the wheel. Gene Haas, Stewart's partner, will attend the news conference, the team confirmed.(FOXSports.com)(9-28-2015) UPDATE2: Tony Stewart will step away from Sprint Cup competition following the 2016 season, NASCAR.com has confirmed from multiple sources. A press conference at Stewart-Haas Racing's North Carolina shop is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to announce the plans, which will include naming Clint Bowyer to drive Stewart's #14 Chevy beginning in 2017. NASCAR.com will live stream the 1 p.m. ET announcement at NASCAR.com/presspass.(NASCAR.com)(9-28-2015)

New Hampshire Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2015 Sylvania 300: For those NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, here is the breakdown for Sunday's race. Began recording the times at the Invocation of the race at 2:00 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 5:25 PM (all times are EST). NBCSN was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 113
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 55
Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 93
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 52
Number of 'Side-by-Side' commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 20
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 19
Number of times NBCSN utilized 'Side-by-Side' commercials during this broadcast: 6
Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 3 min. 50 sec.
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 2:00 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 5:25 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 205
Minutes of race broadcast: 161
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 44
Minutes of 'Side-by-Side' commercials (split-screen): 10
Number of missed restarts: 0
Number of 'mystery cautions' (debris not shown): 0
Total race brdcst time 161 Total comm. brdcst time 44
See full reports, sponsor links, many more details at CawsnJaws.com.(9-28-2015)

Truex Jr. re-signs with Furniture Row Racing, team to move to Toyota UPDATE2: #78 Furniture Row Racing (FRR) has re-signed Martin Truex Jr. for 2016 - and beyond. "It's not just the place, it's the people - especially this year," Truex said. "Last year almost made me want to retire. It's funny what a year and a couple of different people can bring to the table." Furniture Row Racing is expected to switch to Toyotas in 2016, forming a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing from which it will receive chassis and engines. Furniture Row Racing will become just one of two factory-backed Toyota teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next season. Furniture Row will remain a single-car team next season. Chevrolet officials confirmed FRR would not continue to field Chevrolets next season.(Motorsport), a Toyota news conference is scheduled for Sunday morning at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to announce new partner.(9-26-2015)
UPDATE: Furniture Row Racing announced at New Hampshire Motor Speedway that it has entered into a partnership with Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) to field Toyota Camrys for driver Martin Truex Jr. starting with the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. The Denver, Colorado-based team also announced that it has picked up Truex's contract option for 2016. By joining the Toyota NASCAR fleet, the single-car Furniture Row Racing team will enter into a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing and have Toyota Racing Development, U.S.A. (TRD) build engines for the #78 Furniture Row Camrys. "As we continue our quest to be a contender for this year's Sprint Cup championship, it's hard not to feel the excitement and enthusiasm of becoming an integral partner with Toyota next season," said Joe Garone, president and general manager of Furniture Row Racing. "The added resources and technical support that Toyota will provide, along with having a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, definitely increases the growth potential for our team. The track record of Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing speaks for itself. They are both proven winners with an unyielding commitment to raising the performance bar in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series."
Toyota, which joined the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2007 and partnered a year later with Joe Gibbs Racing, is thrilled about the addition of Furniture Row Racing to its roster. "Partnering with Furniture Row Racing is a great fit for Toyota and we look forward to the team fielding a Camry in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2016," said Ed Laukes, vice president of marketing, performance and guest experience for Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A. "Furniture Row Racing has proven to be a race-winning organization and we are confident the technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing will make Camrys even more competitive and improve performance on the race track. We welcome Furniture Row to the Toyota Racing family and are thrilled to have a championship-caliber driver like Martin Truex Jr. back in the Toyota lineup."
Garone, who has been with Furniture Row Racing since its inception (2005), expressed his gratitude to Chevrolet and to Richard Childress Racing (RCR). "I want to thank Chevrolet for its support the past 10 seasons and to Richard Childress Racing as our Chevrolet technical alliance partner since 2010," said Garone. "The support from Chevrolet and RCR has helped our growth pattern." Garone said that he and team owner Barney Visser were happy to pick up the contract option for Truex, a Chase qualifier, who is in his second season as the Furniture Row Racing driver. His season totals to date include one win, seven top fives, 17 top-10s and 536 laps led. "Martin has done a terrific job driving our #78 race car to a victory and into the Chase," said Garone. "He and crew chief Cole Pearn have established an outstanding chemistry. We look forward to having Martin as the Furniture Row Racing driver in 2016 and beyond."
The 35-year-old Truex said he is ready and anxious to drive the Furniture Row car in 2016 and rejoin Toyota. He drove a Toyota Camry for four seasons as a member of the Michael Waltrip Racing team from 2010 through 2013. "I am happy to continue in my role with Furniture Row Racing and feel that we've just begun a growth spurt that will take us to a new level," said Truex. "It's a great organization and Barney (Visser, team owner) gives us whatever we need to be successful. I know the folks from Toyota and I am looking forward to being part of their team again. They build fast engines and having a technical alliance with the highly-successful Joe Gibbs Racing is an added bonus to our program. While our primary focus right now is on the Chase, I am eagerly looking forward to what is in store for our Furniture Row Racing team."
Furniture Row Racing made its NASCAR debut in 2005, competing in 10 NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) races and two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) events that season. The team has qualified for the Chase in two of the last three seasons and was the first single-car team to earn a Chase berth.(Furniture Row Racing)(9-27-2015)
UPDATE2: Truex Jr. will return to Furniture Row Racing next year, but sponsorship will need to be found to help the team put together a long-term offer, team owner Barney Visser said Sunday. Truex confirmed Sunday he has a contract with Furniture Row for next season only. That coincides with the team's move from Chevrolet to Toyota in 2016. The key for the 35-year-old Truex is what kind of sponsorship Furniture Row can find for beyond 2016. Typically, a percentage of a primary sponsorship deal helps pay for a driver's salary. "We're looking for sponsorship to help us with that," Visser said of a long-term contract for Truex. "The kind of contract he deserves we're not able to do on our own right now. We're looking for sponsorship to help us pull that together. I do think he's just peaking in his career, and we don't want to lose him.''(NBC Sports)(9-28-2015)

Harvick runs out of fuel while in the lead: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 ditech Chevy for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), was the dominant car for the majority of the day at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Sunday's Sylvania 300 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. But while leading the race with three laps remaining, Harvick ran out of fuel and needed a splash-and-go to bring home a 21st-place finish. Harvick brought the #4 Chevy to pit road for fuel only under caution on lap 212. As Harvick was pulling out of his pit stall, his exit was blocked by driver Kyle Larson as he pulled his #42 into his pit box. While the cars never made contact, the incident slowed Harvick's progress off pit road, and the No. 4 restarted 12th on lap 219. Harvick had raced his way back up to fifth by the following caution on lap 239. The team opted to stay out under the caution and restart in the third position on lap 243. By lap 252, Harvick had the #4 Chevy back in the lead and was doing his best to save fuel while holding off #20-Matt Kenseth and working his way through lap traffic. With just three laps remaining, the #4 Chevy ran out of fuel and was forced to pit road for a splash of fuel to finish the race in the 21st position. "The good thing about these days is you have EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) data to go back and look at," crew chief Rodney Childers tweeted following the race. "By the data, (Harvick) saved double what we needed to make it to the end. It should have been a non-issue. Which is why we weren't worried. It looked like for some reason it must have not got full on our last stop of the race or the fuel cell bladder is coming apart. All in all my engineers do a great job for me and hardly ever make any mistakes. They work their butts off to make sure this doesn't happen. If anything showed we were taking a chance we would have pitted. On to Dover. It's not over."(SHR)(9-28-2015)

Keselowski gets penalized on restart UPDATE: NASCAR drivers have said they wanted NASCAR to take a firm stance on restarts, and #2-Brad Keselowski found out Sunday just how closely NASCAR will rule on restarts in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Keselowski was penalized for jumping the restart as the second-place driver in the restart zone -- even though he never gained a position -- on Lap 242 of the 300-lap race. Having to make a pass-through down pit road at the pit-road speed of 45 mph, Keselowski fell back to 25th before rallying for a 12th-place finish Sunday in the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "It's an entertainment sport, not a fair sport," Keselowski said. "But we had a great car. ... I got the chance to do something again for the first time -- the first person to ever be penalized for jumping a restart when I didn't pass anyone, so that's a new one. But we moved on and we made the most of a good day."
Keselowski said he felt NASCAR was making an example out of him, but NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Director Richard Buck said it was clear to NASCAR that Keselowski should be penalized. NASCAR, which started last week having a camera focused on the restart zone and having a senior official in the area to watch the drivers, viewed that Keselowski, in second, restarted in the zone prior to leader Greg Biffle. Buck said it didn't matter whether Keselowski actually completed a pass, he violated the rule that the leader has control of the race and the second-place driver can't restart by accelerating before the leader hits the gas. Buck said NASCAR used both the video and the official stationed at the restart zone to make the decision. "The leader is the control car," Buck said. "The leader has earned the right to restart the race in the restart zone. ... We're not out to get anybody, but we're the keeper of the rules and the enforcer of the rules. All anybody asks for in this garage area is to be treated fairly and we believe we did our job today." Biffle appeared unaware what Keselowski was penalized for afterward and said he felt bad for him. "I don't think that he tried to jump it at all," said Keselowski team owner Roger Penske, who believed Keselowski's crossing the end of the restart zone ahead of Biffle is what forced NASCAR's hand. "I don't think that he tried to jump it at all. ... We just have to deal with it and move on."(ESPN.com)(9-28-2015)
UPDATE Brad Keselowski won't face punishment for labeling NASCAR "an entertainment sport and not a fair sport" after being black-flagged for a restart at New Hampshire. NASCAR senior vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell said the sanctioning body would try to talk Monday with Keselowski about its call but wouldn't penalize the Team Penske driver. "That's frustration," O'Donnell said during his weekly appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR's "The Morning Drive" program. "I get that. There's a lot on the line. I don't think you'll see us do anything. I certainly disagree with the way Brad positioned it. It's a tough call. We'll talk to Brad today. I'm sure he still won't agree, but it's something we've got to do. It's open dialogue. We'll explain why we made the call from our standpoint and go on to Dover." NASCAR has fined drivers such as Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman (once secretly until changing its policy three years ago) for making disparaging comments. Echoing NASCAR chairman Brian France's repeated stance, O'Donnell said criticism was within bounds as long as it avoided denigrating the quality of the competition. "Many times, the competitors aren't going to agree with those (calls), and that's OK," O'Donnell said. "We're going to let those go. If it goes too far, it's talking about the racing in general. That's where it goes a step too far, and we have to step in. We haven't seen any of that. In fact, we've seen the opposite from drivers. Frustration on a call is expected. This is the Chase. There's a lot going on. Drivers all want to win a championship. I'd be upset if Brad wasn't."(NBC Sports)(9-28-2015)

Jimmy Means Racing #52 hauler catches fire on way back from Kentucky: From Joey Gase Racing's Facebook page, "Unfortunately our trip back home didn't go as well as the race did for us last weekend. The teams transporter caught on fire about 80 miles from the shop & is completely ruined. Everything on our pit box (computers, seats, etc) are all destroyed as well. We haven't been able to get the cars down yet (one we are hoping to use this weekend in Dover) but we are hoping for just smoke damage. Also, keep our crew member Jared in your prayers as he sustained a hand injury while trying to help the firefighters."(Joey Gase Racing)(9-28-2015)

Athenian Motorsports to focus on Truck Series: Athenian Motorsports has elected to strengthen its efforts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for the remainder of the current season and in 2016. AMS will withdraw its #25 Chevy from this weekend's NASCAR XFINITY Series race in Dover, Delaware and focus solely on the #05 Chevrolet during Saturday night's Truck Series race at Las Vegas. A decision on entering future XFINITY Series events will be made on a race-by-race basis.(Athenian Motorsports), John Wes Townley and Dylan Lupton have split the ride in the XFINITY Series so far this season.(9-28-2015)

Obaika Racing to let fans decided their driver UPDATE: VroomBrands, the primary sponsor of Obaika Racing is providing an opportunity for young talented NASCAR drivers through their fans to vie for a ride in the #97 Car in select races in the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series. The fans 'Take the Wheel' Competition criteria are:
Drivers must be qualified to race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Drivers must be under 25 years of age (Male/Female).
Drivers must have a proven track record.
Drivers must have a valid NASCAR license.
What To Do:
Like and follow VroomBrands and Obaika Racing on Facebook and Twitter.
Nominate your favorite driver on the VroomBrands Facebook page.
Nominations will commence on the 28th of August 2015.
The nominated drivers will be contacted.
Fans will be informed as to when Voting [ends].
Please refer to VroomBrands and Obaika Racing social media pages for Terms and Conditions. (Obaika Racing)(8-29-2015)
UPDATE: Obaika Racing announced on Twitter that Ryan Ellis had won the competition and will drive the #97 Chevy at Dover.(9-28-2015)

Peters pulling challenging weekend double: Timothy Peters plans on covering almost 5,000 miles and hopefully another 500 or so laps next weekend. He's attempting the Las Vegas-Martinsville double and two things are certain: it's a first and it's going to be exciting to follow. Peters is one of the top stars of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He also loves Martinsville Speedway and the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 Late Model Stock race. And that's why he's decided to be a road warrior next weekend. He has quite the itinerary next week. He flies to Vegas Friday and is on the track Saturday morning for practice and then qualifying for the Rhino Linings 350 truck series race. The green flag falls on that race 10 o'clock eastern time Saturday night. When the race is over, he will hurry to the airport for a redeye back to Statesville, NC. Optimistically he will get to Martinsville by 3 a.m., in time to get a couple hours of sleep and head to the track for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300. Getting back to Martinsville in time for Sunday's race may be the easy part. Making the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 will be a totally different story. Because he will miss practice and qualifying on Saturday, he will have to start at the rear of a heat race and hopefully drive forward enough in 20 laps to transfer to the feature. And if he doesn't qualify in his heat race, he'll have one more opportunity in a 20-lap last chance race. If there is a track where Peters could be successful after a full day of racing in Vegas and overnight travel, it's Martinsville. It's his home track, but more than that he's been very successful there with both a truck series and a late model win at the historic speedway.(Relevant Public Relations)(9-28-2015)

Academy Award-nominee Rosie Perez to be grand marshal at Dover: Rosie Perez, an Academy Award-, Golden Globe- and Emmy-nominated actress and choreographer, has been named the grand marshal for the "AAA 400" NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 4. Perez will give the command for the drivers to start their engines in what will be event No. 3 in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs. Four of the 16 drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will be eliminated following the drop of the checkered flag at the Monster Mile. In addition, Diane Remy, the executive vice president of product and service distribution for AAA Mid-Atlantic, will serve as the honorary starter for the "AAA 400" NASCAR Sprint Cup race, waving the green flag on the field.
Prior to the start of the race, Sam Harris, the lead singer of alternative rock band X Ambassadors, will sing the national anthem. X Ambassadors, whose credits include the chart-topping single "Renegades," will perform a free concert in Dover International Speedway's Victory Plaza before the race.
For tickets or more information, call 800-441-RACE or visit DoverSpeedway.com.(DIS)(9-28-2015)

Stewart to retire after 2016 season: Tony Stewart, a three-time Sprint Cup Series champion, plans to retire after the 2016 season, team and industry sources told ESPN's Marty Smith. Mired in one of the worst seasons of his career at 25th in the standings, Stewart will run one final season before handing over the driving duties of the Stewart-Haas Racing #14 Chevy to Clint Bowyer, sources said. #15-Bowyer is driving for Michael Waltrip Racing in 2015, but that team is closing operations after the season. He does not currently have a ride for 2016. Stewart won the Sprint Cup in 2002, 2005 and 2011. He missed out on the Chase for the Sprint Cup this year after posting zero wins and two top-10s leading up to the Chase. The 45-year-old Stewart is tied for 13th in career victories with 48. Stewart, who has 582 career Cup starts, missed the final 15 races of the 2013 season with a broken leg suffered in a sprint car accident. He missed three races last season after the sprint car he was racing struck and killed 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr., who had approached Stewart's car on foot at Canandaigua Motorsports Park.(ESPN.com)(9-27-2015)

Bowyer to announce plans, to the #51 in 2016: HScott Motorsports is expected to announce next weekend at Dover that Bowyer will drive the #51 Chevy in 2016. The announcement will come after Wednesday's press conference, which will detail Bowyer's eventual move to Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy in 2017. Multiple sources have confirmed that Tony Stewart will be stepping out from the behind the wheel of the #14 at the conclusion of next season. Sponsor 5-hour Energy will continue with Bowyer at HScott.(Motorsport.com)(9-27-2015)

Kenseth wins at New Hampshire: #20-Matt Kenseth won the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for his 5th win of the season, 2nd win at New Hampshire and 36th career win. Kenseth led 27 of the 300 laps.
#11-Hamlin finished 2nd followed by #22-Logano, #16-Biffle. #19-Edwards, #48-Johnson, #24-Gordon, #78-Truex Jr., #5-Kahne and #31-Newman.
With his 5th win of 2015, Kenseth now has the most wins of any driver in 2015.
#4-Harvick led 216 laps and dominated the race until running out of fuel, finishing 21st, putting Harvick 21 points out of moving to the Contender round after Dover.
#18-Busch, who came in to the race 4th in Chase standings, had a tire go down and hit the wall on lap 159. The crew made repairs and Busch was able to make up a few spots and finish 37th. Busch is now 13th in the Chase standings, a point out of the top 12 and advancing.
There was one red flag on lap 204 for a little over 6 minutes when #10-Patrick made contact with #31-Newman, the #10 spun and hit the wall then got collected by #55-Ragan, knocking both out of the race and leaving foam on the track.
There were 16 lead changes among 7 drivers. There were 9 cautions for 41 yellow flag laps.
The average speed was 106.480mph.
See unofficial race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Unofficial Race Results page (pdf) and check out the Penalty Report (pdf) and Lap Summary Report (pdf).
See OFFICIAL race results & points standings on the Official Race & Points Report (pdf).(9-27-2015)

Where did the 2015 Sprint Cup Chase Drivers finish at New Hampshire?
[by points standings before the race (start pos)]
1) #20-Matt Kenseth, finished 1st-WON (13)
2) #11-Denny Hamlin, 2nd (7)
3) #19-Carl Edwards, 4th (1)
4) #18-Kyle Busch, 37th (17)
5) #41-Kurt Busch, 19th (3)
6) #22-Joey Logano, 3rd (8)
7) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 6th (5)
8) #31-Ryan Newman, 10th (9)
9) #2-Brad Keselowski, 12th (4)
10) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 25th (11)
11) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 8th (21)
12) #24-Jeff Gordon, 7th (10)
13) #1-Jamie McMurray, 14th (23)
14) #27-Paul Menard, 15th (20)
15) #4-Kevin Harvick, 21st (2)
16) #15-Clint Bowyer, 26th (26)
(9-27-2015)

2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase Standings: Challenger Round
[after New Hampshire, race 28 of 36, Chase race 2 of 10]
1) #20-Matt Kenseth [5 wins], 2099 (Won New Hampshire*)
2) #11-Denny Hamlin [2 wins], 2093 (Won Chicago*)
3) #19-Carl Edwards [2 wins], 2089, 33 ahead of 13th
4) #22-Joey Logano [3 wins], 2089, +33
5) #48-Jimmie Johnson [4 wins], 2083, +27
6) #31-Ryan Newman, 2074, +18
7) #41-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 2073, +17
8) #2-Brad Keselowski [1 win], 2072, +16
9) #78-Martin Truex Jr. [1 win], 2071, +15
10) #24-Jeff Gordon, 2068, +12
11) #1-Jamie McMurray, 2058, +2
12) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.[2 wins], 2057, +1
Bottom 4 drivers will be eliminated from the Chase after Dover:
13) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 2056, 1 point out of 12th
14) #27-Paul Menard, 2056, -1
15) #4-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 2034, -23
16) #15-Clint Bowyer, 2018, -39 (X)
* will automatically advance to Contender round by winning a Challenger round race
(X) = appealing 25 point penalty, could get 25 points back
See the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings page (pdf) and Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf).
See OFFICIAL race results & points standings on the Official Race & Points Report (pdf).(9-27-2015)

Unofficial Top 25 in 2015 Sprint Cup Driver Points Standings (not the Chase):
[after New Hampshire, race 28 of 36]
(using current points system, but not the Chase rules, unofficial)
1) #22-Joey Logano(C4) 1028
2) #4-Kevin Harvick(C15) 1006, 22
3) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.(C12) 945, 83
4) #2-Brad Keselowski(C8) 942, 86
5) #48-Jimmie Johnson(C5) 923, 105
6) #20-Matt Kenseth(C1) 911, 117
7) #78-Martin Truex Jr.(C9) 886, 142
8) #11-Denny Hamlin(C2) 883, 145
9) #41-Kurt Busch(C7) 848, 180
10) #19-Carl Edwards(C3) 829, 199
11) #1-Jamie McMurray(C11) 815, 213
12) #31-Ryan Newman(C6) 812, 216
13) #24-Jeff Gordon(C10) 805, 223
14) #27-Paul Menard(C14) 766, 262
15) #15-Clint Bowyer(C16) 759, 269
16) #5-Kasey Kahne 732, 296
17) #43-Aric Almirola 728, 300
18) #42-Kyle Larson 683, 345
19) #16-Greg Biffle 675, 353
20) #3-Austin Dillon 626, 402
21) #13-Casey Mears 604, 424
22) #47-AJ Allmendinger 585, 443
23) #10-Danica Patrick 574, 454
24) #14-Tony Stewart 563, 465
25) #18-Kyle Busch(C13) 558, 470
(C# is chase driver and current Chase position)
(EC is chase driver that has been eliminated from the Chase)
(9-27-2015)

Race Fast Facts - New Hampshire:
#20-Matt Kenseth won the 19th Annual Sylvania 300, his 36th victory in 572 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his fifth victory and 18th top-10 finish in 2015.
This is his second victory and 17th top-10 finish in 32 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
#11-Denny Hamlin (second) posted his 12th top-10 finish in 20 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It is his 15th top-10 finish in 2015.
#22-Joey Logano (third) posted his seventh top-10 finish in 15 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
#24-Brett Moffitt (27th) was the highest finishing rookie.
#20-Matt Kenseth leads the point standings by 6 points over #11-Denny Hamlin.
(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(9-12-2015)

New Hampshire Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points:
#34-Brett Moffitt, finished 27th, 11 rookie points
#83-Matt DiBenedetto, finished 30th, 10 rookie points
#23-Jeb Burton, finished 33rd, 9 rookie points
#33-Alex Kennedy, not entered, BJ McLeod in the car
See the 2015 Rookie of the Year page for rules, standings and more.(9-27-2015)

Race Coverage of the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is scheduled for Sunday, September 27, 2015.
Television (TV): NBCSN at 2:00 pm/et; Countdown to Green Pre-Race show at 1:30pm/et; green flag approx. 2:15pm/et
Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN) and Sirius XM Satellite NASCAR Radio 90
Scheduled Race Re-Airs: Monday, September 28 at 12:00pm/et on NBCSN {NASCAR 120]
Live race updates on Jayski.com's Twitter

New Hampshire Pre-Race Schedule for Sunday, September 27th: (eastern time)
-12:00:00pm: NSCS Driver Crew Chief Meeting
-1:25:00pm: NSCS Drivers Introductions
-2:00:00pm: Intro Presentation of Colors: Combined Services
-2:00:20pm: Invocation: Curt Schilling, former Boston Red Sox pitcher
-2:01:00pm: National Anthem: Caroline Carter, Winner of the Speedway Star Competition
-2:07:30pm: Command to start engines by: Julian Dench, Senior VP / GM, OSRAM Sylvania
-2:15:00pm: Start of the Sylvania 300 (green flag)
eastern time (NASCAR.com)

Driver can clinch a spot in next round without a win: There are scenarios where a Chase driver can clinch a spot in the Contender Round without a win this weekend - though it's a long shot. A driver can clinch without a win if they have a 45-point lead (or a 44-point if they own the tie-breaker) over the 10th-highest non-winning Chase driver if a Chase driver that's not #11-Denny Hamlin wins at New Hampshire, or a 45-point lead over the 11th-highest non-winning Chase driver if a non-Chase driver or Hamlin wins at New Hampshire.(NASCAR)(9-27-2015)

Truex Jr. re-signs with Furniture Row Racing, team to move to Toyota UPDATE: #78 Furniture Row Racing (FRR) has re-signed Martin Truex Jr. for 2016 - and beyond. "It's not just the place, it's the people - especially this year," Truex said. "Last year almost made me want to retire. It's funny what a year and a couple of different people can bring to the table." Furniture Row Racing is expected to switch to Toyotas in 2016, forming a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing from which it will receive chassis and engines. Furniture Row Racing will become just one of two factory-backed Toyota teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next season. Furniture Row will remain a single-car team next season. Chevrolet officials confirmed FRR would not continue to field Chevrolets next season.(Motorsport), a Toyota news conference is scheduled for Sunday morning at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to announce new partner.(9-26-2015)
UPDATE: Furniture Row Racing announced at New Hampshire Motor Speedway that it has entered into a partnership with Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) to field Toyota Camrys for driver Martin Truex Jr. starting with the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. The Denver, Colorado-based team also announced that it has picked up Truex's contract option for 2016. By joining the Toyota NASCAR fleet, the single-car Furniture Row Racing team will enter into a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing and have Toyota Racing Development, U.S.A. (TRD) build engines for the #78 Furniture Row Camrys. "As we continue our quest to be a contender for this year's Sprint Cup championship, it's hard not to feel the excitement and enthusiasm of becoming an integral partner with Toyota next season," said Joe Garone, president and general manager of Furniture Row Racing. "The added resources and technical support that Toyota will provide, along with having a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, definitely increases the growth potential for our team. The track record of Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing speaks for itself. They are both proven winners with an unyielding commitment to raising the performance bar in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series."
Toyota, which joined the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2007 and partnered a year later with Joe Gibbs Racing, is thrilled about the addition of Furniture Row Racing to its roster. "Partnering with Furniture Row Racing is a great fit for Toyota and we look forward to the team fielding a Camry in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2016," said Ed Laukes, vice president of marketing, performance and guest experience for Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A. "Furniture Row Racing has proven to be a race-winning organization and we are confident the technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing will make Camrys even more competitive and improve performance on the race track. We welcome Furniture Row to the Toyota Racing family and are thrilled to have a championship-caliber driver like Martin Truex Jr. back in the Toyota lineup."
Garone, who has been with Furniture Row Racing since its inception (2005), expressed his gratitude to Chevrolet and to Richard Childress Racing (RCR). "I want to thank Chevrolet for its support the past 10 seasons and to Richard Childress Racing as our Chevrolet technical alliance partner since 2010," said Garone. "The support from Chevrolet and RCR has helped our growth pattern." Garone said that he and team owner Barney Visser were happy to pick up the contract option for Truex, a Chase qualifier, who is in his second season as the Furniture Row Racing driver. His season totals to date include one win, seven top fives, 17 top-10s and 536 laps led. "Martin has done a terrific job driving our #78 race car to a victory and into the Chase," said Garone. "He and crew chief Cole Pearn have established an outstanding chemistry. We look forward to having Martin as the Furniture Row Racing driver in 2016 and beyond."
The 35-year-old Truex said he is ready and anxious to drive the Furniture Row car in 2016 and rejoin Toyota. He drove a Toyota Camry for four seasons as a member of the Michael Waltrip Racing team from 2010 through 2013. "I am happy to continue in my role with Furniture Row Racing and feel that we've just begun a growth spurt that will take us to a new level," said Truex. "It's a great organization and Barney (Visser, team owner) gives us whatever we need to be successful. I know the folks from Toyota and I am looking forward to being part of their team again. They build fast engines and having a technical alliance with the highly-successful Joe Gibbs Racing is an added bonus to our program. While our primary focus right now is on the Chase, I am eagerly looking forward to what is in store for our Furniture Row Racing team."
Furniture Row Racing made its NASCAR debut in 2005, competing in 10 NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) races and two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) events that season. The team has qualified for the Chase in two of the last three seasons and was the first single-car team to earn a Chase berth.(Furniture Row Racing)(9-27-2015)

New Hampshire Race Notes & Facts - Sunday:
· There have been 41 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway; one per year from 1993 through 1996 and two per year since.
· 166 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway; 130 in more than one.
· Jeff Gordon has competed in all 41 races at New Hampshire - the only driver to accomplish the feat.
· 24 different drivers have won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, led by Jeff Burton with four.
· Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at New Hampshire in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with nine; followed by Roush Fenway Racing (seven), Joe Gibbs Racing (seven), Team Penske (six), and Richard Childress Racing (four).
· Five different manufacturers have won at New Hampshire; led by Chevrolet with 18 victories; followed by Ford (13), Toyota (five), Dodge (three) and Pontiac (two).
· Jeff Burton is the only driver to win the July race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway three consecutive years in a row (1997, '98 and '99)
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was the July 1, 2007 race won by Denny Hamlin over Jeff Gordon with a MOV of 0.068 second.
· 17 of the 34 (50%) NSCS races scored by electronic scoring at New Hampshire Motor Speedway have had a Margin of Victory less than a second.
· Four of the 41 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races have resulted with a green-white-checkered finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): 2006 (300/308), 2013 (301/302), 2014 (301/302) and the Chase race 2014 (300/303).
· Four of the 41 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was June 28, 2009 - the race was called on Lap 273, 28 circuits shy of the 301 scheduled laps.
(NASCAR)(9-27-2015)

Four drivers who won in 2014, have not won 2015: Four drivers have been shut out of winning a Sprint Cup race in 2015 after winning at least one race in 2014, after 27 or 36 races in 2015, the drivers:
#24-Jeff Gordon last won at Dover in September 2014 and has a four season win streak.
#5-Kasey Kahne last won at Atlanta in August 2014 and has a four season win streak.
#43-Aric Almirola has won one career race, last year at Daytona in July.
#47-A.J. Allmendinger has won one career race, last year at Watkins Glen in August.

Gordon Set To Become NASCAR's All-Time Consecutive Starts Leader: When #24-Jeff Gordon starts his engine in Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, he will pass Ricky Rudd as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series consecutive starts leader by beginning his 789th straight race. NASCAR's new Iron Man has not missed a start since making his NSCS debut at Atlanta on Nov. 15, 1992 - a span of 22 years, 10 months and 12 days. NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Rudd's streak began on Jan. 11, 1981 and ended on Sept. 20, 2005 (NASCAR).
See the All-Time Consecutive Starts List and Current Consecutive Starts list on Jayski.com's All-Time Starts page.(9-25/27-2015)

Current Consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Starts:
Ricky Rudd is the all time leader with 788
Jeff Gordon, 788 [tied for the longest ever, never missed a race] - started Atlanta 11/1992
Matt Kenseth, 565
Jimmie Johnson, 495
Ryan Newman, 495
Kevin Harvick, 487
Jamie McMurray, 463
Greg Biffle, 456
Kasey Kahne, 423 [since start of his career]
Carl Edwards, 392
Martin Truex Jr., 351
Clint Bowyer, 351
All-time Consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Starts:
1)  Jeff Gordon, 788*
1)  Ricky Rudd, 788 [ended Nov 2005, retired]
3)  Bobby Labonte, 704 [ended June 2013, sat out Kentucky]
4)  Rusty Wallace, 697 [ended Nov 2005, retired]
5)  Terry Labonte, 655 [ended Aug 2000 at Indy]
(9-27-2015)

XFINITY Entry List: There are 41 cars on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's Hisense 200 at Dover International Speedway. A few notes:
Josh Reaume returns to the #13;
Stanton Barrett will drive the #15;
Ryan Ellis is entered in the #17;
Ryan Blaney returns to the #22;
Ben Rhodes remains in the #88;
Dexter Bean and the #92 team are entered;
Not yet entered but expected: #97 team.(9-28-2015)
UPDATE: Ryan Ellis will drive the #97 for Obaika Racing. The #17 is now TBA.(9-28-2015)
See the complete list on the Dover entry list page.

McClure hospitalized after Kentucky wreck UPDATE: From Team McClure, "After wrecking hard into the outside wall with 20 laps remaining in tonight's xfinity race, [Eric] was transported to local hospital for evaluation. He was later admitted for further observation. Additional updates will be available once information is received."
McClure's wife Miranda posted Sunday morning, "Thank you to everyone who prayed for Eric McClure. His scans came back normal but the hospital kept him over night for observation. I will update when I speak with him again.Thanks again for all of the prayers!!"(9-27-2015)
UPDATE: [McClure] was released from the hospital and was diagnosed with concussion. He will follow NASCAR's guidelines to return to racing.(TMI)(9-27-2015)

Olympic Triathlete Sarah True to Drive Pace Car for SYLVANIA 300:Sarah True, a resident of Hanover, N.H., and one of the top-ranked Olympic Triathletes in the world, will set the pace for Sunday's SYLVANIA 300, the second race in NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. True, who will represent the United States in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil, will get behind the wheel of the Official Toyota Camry Pace Car, leading the field to the green flag for the start of the race at 2:15 pm. "While I've raced my bike around NHMS, I never dreamed that I'd be hitting the track in the pace car," said True, who finished one spot out of a medal in fourth place at the 2012 London Olympic Games. "As both a New Hampshirite and NASCAR fan, I can't imagine a more incredible honor. These drivers and their teams are finely-tuned racing machines; I can't wait to pick up some speed tips from them." True is the second-ranked female triathlete in the U.S. and third in the world. She is one of two women who have already been named U.S. Olympic Team for the 2016 Rio Games. True and her husband, Ben True, are huge fans of NASCAR, specifically six-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. Ben is also competing for a spot on the Rio Olympic Team. For more details and ticket information on events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, or to purchase tickets to the September SYLVANIA 300 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekends, please stop by our Ticket Office, visit the speedway website at www.nhms.com, or call our Ticket Hotline at (603) 783-4931.(NHMS)(9-27-2015)

Martinsville Speedway Receives Virginia Tourism Corporation Grant: Governor Terry McAuliffe announced that Martinsville Speedway received $50,000 from the Virginia Tourism Corporation Marketing Leverage Program grant fund. In total VTC awarded more than $796,000 for 45 tourism marketing projects across the state to help increase visitation and revenue for Virginia's localities through tourism. The grants are designed to help local and regional tourism entities attract more visitors by leveraging local marketing dollars, and will ultimately impact at least 173 other statewide tourism entities. The local organizations match the state grant funds by a minimum of 2:1 in order to support marketing projects. This funding cycle, the local partners will match the VTC grant dollars with more than $2.5 million, providing more than $3.3 million in new marketing to increase visitation to Virginia. "Tourism is a huge industry in Virginia," Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell said. "For Martinsville Speedway to have the support of the Virginia Tourism Corporation, with its Virginia is for Lovers brand, we will continue to play a major role in bringing tourism dollars to the Commonwealth of Virginia." Tickets to the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 on November 1, the Kroger 200 on October 31 and the Virginia Lottery Pole Day on October 30 can be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.(Martinsville-Speedway)(9-27-2015)

Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway have been made.
Pole sitter #19-Edwards chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #4-Harvick took pit stall 32, the fifth pit stall with an opening in front of it.
#41-Busch, who starts 3rd took the 29th pit stall, the 4th stall with an opening behind it.
The 43rd and final pit stall was taken by #20-Kenseth, who starts 13th.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on Jayski.com's Pit Stall Selection chart.(9-26-2015)

Happy Hour practice for the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is over, after 50 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes.
#4-Harvick 134.577 (CD)
#18-Busch 134.150 (CD)
#2-Keselowski 134.032 (CD)
#48-Johnson (CD) 133.943
#19-Edwards 133.919 (CD)
slowest: #62-Hill 126.736 & # 33-McLeod 128.667
no speed: #32-Jeffrey Earnhardt, team still making repairs to the car.
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10 consecutive lap ave on the NHMS Happy Hour Practice Speeds page (pdf).(9-26-2015)

First Saturday practice for the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is over, after 55 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes.
#19-Edwards 133.516 (CD)
#4-Harvick 133.427 (CD)
#2-Keselowski 133.399 (CD)
#22-Logano 132.845 (CD)
#41-Busch 132.803 (CD)
(CD) = Chase Driver
slowest: #62-Hill 124.089 and #33-McLeod 128.359
notes: #32-Jeffrey Earnhardt smacked the wall about 20 minutes into practice, pancaking the right side and cutting down a tire, the team plans to fix the primary car. Late in the practice, #19-Edwards clipped the wall and did slight damage to the right rear. Happy Hour practice is scheduled for 11:30am/et. Both practices will be televised on CNBC.
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10 consecutive lap ave on the NHMS Practice 2 Speeds page (pdf).(9-26-2015)

Truex Jr. re-signs with Furniture Row Racing, team to move to Toyota UPDATE: #78 Furniture Row Racing (FRR) has re-signed Martin Truex Jr. for 2016 - and beyond. "It's not just the place, it's the people - especially this year," Truex said. "Last year almost made me want to retire. It's funny what a year and a couple of different people can bring to the table." Furniture Row Racing is expected to switch to Toyotas in 2016, forming a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing from which it will receive chassis and engines. Furniture Row Racing will become just one of two factory-backed Toyota teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next season. Furniture Row will remain a single-car team next season. Chevrolet officials confirmed FRR would not continue to field Chevrolets next season.(Motorsport), a Toyota news conference is scheduled for Sunday morning at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to announce new partner.(9-26-2015)

New Hampshire Driver Notes & Facts - Saturday:
· 14 different drivers have made their first NSCS start at NHMS all-time, but only one of the 14 is an active championship contending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver: Joey Logano (9/14/08).
· Eight active drivers have multiple wins at NHMS: Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart (each have three); Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano (each have two)
· Two drivers have posted consecutive wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Jimmie Johnson (2003 sweep) and Kurt Busch (2004 sweep).
· Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at New Hampshire without visiting Victory Lane at 32; followed by Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears (25 starts each).
· Five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Ryan Newman (09/15/02), Clint Bowyer (09/16/07), Joey Logano (06/28/09), Robby Gordon (11/23/01) and Joe Nemechek (09/19/99).
· Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart are tied for the series lead in runner-up finishes at New Hampshire with five each; followed by Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Mark Martin (with three each).
· Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-five finishes at New Hampshire with 16; followed by Tony Stewart with 14 and Jimmie Johnson with 10.
· Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-10 finishes at New Hampshire with 23; followed by Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson with 18 each.
· Jimmie Johnson leads NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at New Hampshire with a 10.250.
· All 14 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winners at New Hampshire Motor Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Ryan Newman and Joey Logano won at New Hampshire in their second appearance.
· Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at New Hampshire with 1,373 laps led in 41 starts.
· Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps completed at New Hampshire with 11,967 laps completed in 41 starts.
· Danica Patrick is the only female driver that has competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
(NASCAR)(9-26-2015)

Harvick and Johnson have not talked: #4-Kevin Harvick and #48-Jimmie Johnson have not talked since Harvick jabbed Johnson in the chest Sunday following the race at Chicagoland Speedway, and if Harvick has a message for Johnson, it could require another meeting between the two. Harvick, when asked Friday if Johnson had anything to worry about as far as retaliation, responded: "We're not going to use you guys [in the media] to make threats," Harvick said. "I can do that myself." Harvick and Johnson talked to reporters following Sprint Cup qualifying Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Harvick, who had declined to comment to reporters before practice Friday morning, was required to meet with the media for finishing second in qualifying for the Sylvania 300 on Sunday. Johnson qualified fifth. "I'm just here so I don't get fined," Harvick said in the media center as the first question was asked about the Johnson altercation. "I don't have a lot to say about any of it. I'm here to race and do what I need to do the next two weeks." Harvick, the defending Sprint Cup champion, was angry at Johnson for what he felt was an unnecessary door-slam as they battled for the lead on a restart about midway through the race at Chicagoland. Johnson, who had been tapped from behind by Joey Logano, went to the apron to not get into Harvick, but then used the momentum to get beside Harvick, washing up into him before they hit the corner. Johnson said afterward he had no choice because he needed to get off the apron and Harvick left him no room. Harvick crashed about three laps later with a flat tire, the result of a tire rub from the body damage. Harvick finished 42nd and is 15th in the Sprint Cup standings, 22 points behind 12th-place Jeff Gordon after the first of the three races that will determine which 12 drivers advance to the second round of the Chase. Whether Harvick retaliates against Johnson is one of the biggest storylines heading into the race Sunday, especially if Harvick fails to advance out of the opening round. "I truthfully don't know what to expect," Johnson said. "I certainly know what I hope for. There is no telling what will end up taking place."(ESPN)(9-26-2015)

Ryan Blaney: Cup qualifying rainouts 'very frustrating': Rain has been Ryan Blaney's foe in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying. Last weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, rain washed out qualifying, which meant Blaney went home. His Wood Brothers Racing #21 Ford team has made just 11 starts this season (with four more left) and Blaney and his team have been sent home due to three qualifying rainouts. Under the NASCAR rulebook, the teams with the fewest attempts get sent home in the event of a wash out. "It's very frustrating to be honest with you," Blaney told NASCAR.com at Kentucky Speedway, where he is driving in the NASCAR XFINITY Series this weekend. "Not only for me, but for the whole team. They work so hard to get those cars to the race track. Having a fast car for all three of those races is just an extra slap in the face after you get sent home. That's really unfortunate." That frustration comes from Blaney having a fast piece at the track. He finished his lone Chicagoland practice ninth. Blaney also was ninth in final practice at Daytona, but didn't make the race as that qualifying session was rained out. Blaney also didn't make the show at Kentucky when that qualifying session was rained out. "We've been lucky to have fast cars. That's the first thing to know that you have fast race cars that you bring to the track so that's something you can be confident about and be proud of. And if everyone knows that we're there, it's a lot better than being 30th and getting rained out, then you are like 'well, we weren't that good anyway.'"(NASCAR.com)(9-26-2015)

Roush Fenway Racing Inspired and 'Driven for Elijah':Roush Fenway Racing will honor the courageous fight of 10-year old Elijah Aschenbrenner this weekend, running special "Driven for Elijah" decals on all seven of its NASCAR Fords in races at Kentucky Speedway and New Hampshire Speedway. Elijah, whose mother is a former employee at Roush Fenway Racing, has been battling Epitheliod Sarcoma cancer since May 2014 - with his heroic fight garnering an emotional outpouring from communities including NASCAR and other professional sports. Almost 40,000 people have visited Elijah's blog on Facebook with his most recent video message receiving over 350,000 views. This week alone Elijah has received calls of support from Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, and Auburn University football coach Gus Malzahn -- whose team has dedicated this week's game to the brave young man who has inspired so many. Join in supporting Elijah on social media, using the hashtag #prayersforelijah and learn more about his battle at Facebook.(RFR)(9-26-2015)

Ryan Blaney wins XFINITY race at Kentucky Speedway: #22-Ryan Blaney won the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway for his 4th XFINITY Series win. He took the lead from #3-Ty Dillon on a green-white-checker finish to grab the win. Dillon held on for second, followed by #7-Regan Smith, #9-Chase Elliott, #33-Brandon Jones, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #60-Chris Buescher, #54-Erik Jones, #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., and #20-Matt Tifft (in his first NXS race).
Polesitter, #18-Daniel Suarez, ran up front early in the race, but had late transmission issues and finished 23rd.
There were 10 cautions [ties a track record] for 55 laps and 17 lead changes among 7 leaders. The race was red-flagged for 18 minutes for track cleanup after an accident on lap 100 between #42-Brennan Poole and #0-Harrison Rhodes.
The average speed was 110.238mph.
Complete results are on the Kentucky Speedway race results page (pdf).
(9-26-2015)

Kentucky Speedway XFINITY Race Fast Facts:
Ryan Blaney won the 4th Annual VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300, his fourth victory in 41 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his second victory and eighth top-10 finish in 2015.
This is his second victory and fourth top-10 finish in five races at Kentucky Speedway.
Ty Dillon (second) posted his third top-10 finish in four races at Kentucky Speedway. It is his 20th top-10 finish in 2015.
Regan Smith (third) posted his third top-10 finish in 11 races at Kentucky Speedway.
Darrell Wallace Jr (ninth) was the highest finishing rookie.
Chris Buescher leads the point standings by 19 points over Ty Dillon.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-26-2015)

XFINITY Driver standings following Kentucky Speedway:
[6 races remaining]
1) #60-Chris Buescher, 982
2) #3-Ty Dillon, 963, -19
3) #9-Chase Elliott, 957, -25
4) #7-Regan Smith, 935, -47
5) #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., 874,-108
6) #1-Elliott Sadler, 872, -110
7) #2-Brian Scott, 857, -125
8) #18-Daniel Suarez, 852, -130
9) #62-Brendan Gaughan, 836, -146
10) #16-Ryan Reed, 735, -247
See complete owner and driver standings on the driver standings(pdf) and owner standings page (pdf).(9-26-2015)

Daniel Suarez on XFINITY pole at Kentucky Speedway: #18-Daniel Suarez won the Coors Light pole for the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway with a speed of 179.856mph. #2-Brian Scott will start second. The rest of the top 10: #7-Regan Smith, #3-Ty Dillon, #22-Ryan Blaney, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #51-Jeremy Clements, #9-Chase Elliott, #60-Chris Buescher, and #54-Drew Herring. Herring will be replaced by Erik Jones for the race. Did Not Qualify: #92-Mario Gosselin. The starting lineup is posted on the Kentucky Speedway starting lineup page (pdf).(9-25-2015)

Kentucky Speedway XFINITY Qualifying Notes:
Daniel Suarez won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 4th Annual VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 with a lap of 30.024 seconds, 179.856 mph.
This is his third pole in 29 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his third pole and 22nd top-10 start in 2015.
This is his first pole in two races at Kentucky Speedway.
Brian Scott (second) posted his 21st top-10 start of 2015 and his seventh in ten races at Kentucky Speedway.
Regan Smith (third) posted his fourth top-10 start at Kentucky Speedway. It is his 19th in 27 races this season.
Daniel Suarez (first) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-25-2015)

Smithley to debut in Homestead with Cope team: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Garrett Smithley will make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead-Miami, Fla., on Saturday, November 21, 2015, driving for 1990 Daytona 500 Champion Derrike Cope. Smithley will pilot the #70 Derrike Cope Racing Chevy Camaro in the Ford Ecoboost 300 with primary sponsorship from SegPay, an online leader in payment processing. Smithley, a Peachtree City, Ga., native, enters the Ford Ecoboost 300 with multiple starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season driving the #63 MB Motorsports Chevy Silverado with sponsorship from SegPay, Herobox, BRUH., Enlyten, Ski Soda, and Mittler Brothers Machine and Tool. Smithley made his stock car debut in the ARCA Racing Series with Derrike Cope Racing during the 2013 season. Together they raced three times. His return to Derrike Cope Racing marks another debut. This time his debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.(Phillip Daniel Group)(9-26-2015)

Austin Dillon wins Truck race at New Hampshire #33-Austin Dillon won the UNOH 175 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon. He started on the pole and led 80 laps for his 7th career win. #88-Matt Crafton finished second followed by: #98-Johnny Sauter, #17-Timothy Peters, #8-John Hunter Nemechek, #14-Daniel Hemric, #4-Erik Jones, #29-Austin Theriault, #5-Dalton Sargeant, and #54-Gray Gaulding. There were 6 caution flags for 32 laps and 6 lead changes among 5 leaders.
Complete results are on the New Hampshire race results page (pdf). (9-26-2015)

New Hampshire Race Fast Facts:
Austin Dillon(i) won the 18th running of the UNOH 175, his seventh victory in 67 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his first victory and fourth top-10 finish in 2015.
This is his first victory and third top-10 finish in four races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Matt Crafton (second) posted his eighth top-10 finish in 13 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It is his 14th top-10 finish in 2015.
Johnny Sauter (third) posted his fifth top-10 finish in five races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
John H. Nemechek (fifth) was the highest finishing rookie.
Erik Jones # leads the point standings by 7 points over Matt Crafton.
(NASCAR Statistics) (9-26-2015)

Driver standings following New Hampshire:
1) #4-Erik Jones, 666
2) #88-Matt Crafton, 659, -7
3) #19-Tyler Reddick, 647, -19
4) #98-Johnny Sauter, 617, -49
5) #14-Daniel Hemric, 558, -108
6) #17-Timothy Peters, 552, -114
7) #13-Cameron Hayley, 549, -117
8 #05-John Wes Townley, 518, -148
9) #23-Spencer Gallagher, 504, -162
10) #11-Ben Kennedy, 504, -162
See complete standings on the driver standings page (pdf).(9-26-2015)

Owner Standings following New Hampshire are posted (pdf).(9-26-2015)

Fans to Bid for Chance to Present 'Loudon the Lobster' to SYLVANIA 300 Winner: To help celebrate National Lobster Day, which was on Friday, Sept. 24, New Hampshire Motor Speedway officials are giving a fan the exclusive opportunity to present "Loudon the Lobster," the most unique trophy in motorsports, to Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 race winner. The opportunity will be available to the highest bidder, starting at $5,000, at Saturday night's Wicked Good Live Auction to benefit the New Hampshire Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities. "Loudon the Lobster" has is typically caught in the Northeast region, from Rhode Island to Nova Scotia and is delivered to the track by Greg and Jim Makris, owners of Makris Steak & Seafood restaurant in Concord, N.H. It has weighed as much as 24 pounds and has been given annually to winners since the 2008 season. The Wicked Good Live Auction will take place on Saturday night from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the Lite Lobster Lounge outside the tunnel in Turn 2. Other items up for auction include luxury suite tickets, an Arctic Cat 500 ATV, credentials and a personally guided tour of the Sprint Cup garage hosted by Dick Berggren, Charlotte Motor Speedway All-Star weekend package, including NASCAR team shop tours, a special VIP Boston Bruins package, racing gear from top drivers, New England Patriots tickets, original Sunoco Fuel Pump from NHMS, Snap-on Tool Box, plus packages from Gunstock Mountain, the NASWA Resort, an autographed O.A.R. guitar and more. All proceeds from the Wicked Good Live Auction go to the New Hampshire Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities, benefitting local kids in need. Purchase tickets to the SYLVANIA 300 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend by stopping by our ticket office, visiting the speedway website at www.nhms.com, or calling our ticket hotline at (603) 783-4931.(NHMS)(9-26-2015)

Edwards wins New Hampshire pole: #19-Carl Edwards won the Coors Light pole for the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with speed of 137.980mph for his 3rd pole of 2015, 2nd at New Hampshire and 16th of his career. Edwards has won 2 races from the pole out of 15 previous poles.
#4-Harvick is on the outside pole followed by #41-Busch, #2-Keselowski, #48-Johnson, #42-Larson, #11-Hamlin, #22-Logano, #31-Newman, #24-Gordon, #88-Earnhardt Jr. and #5-Kahne.
Missing the race was: #30-Kvapil.
See the starting lineup, round-by-round qualifying results, notes, qualifying order on Jayski.com's New Hampshire Qualifying Page.(9-25-2015)

Where the 2015 Sprint Cup Chase Drivers will start at New Hampshire:
[listed by current driver points position]
1) #20-Matt Kenseth, starts 13th
2) #11-Denny Hamlin, 7th
3) #19-Carl Edwards, 1st
4) #18-Kyle Busch, 17th
5) #41-Kurt Busch, 3rd
6) #22-Joey Logano, 8th
7) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 5th
8) #31-Ryan Newman, 9th
9) #2-Brad Keselowski, 4th
10) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 11th
11) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 21st
12) #24-Jeff Gordon, 10th
13) #1-Jamie McMurray, 23rd
14) #27-Paul Menard, 20th
15) #4-Kevin Harvick, 2nd
16) #15-Clint Bowyer, 26th
(9-25-2015)

Qualifying Fast Facts - New Hampshire:
#19-Carl Edwards won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 19th Annual Sylvania 300 with a lap of 27.604 seconds, 137.980 mph.
This is his 16th pole in 401 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his third pole and 16th top-10 start in 2015.
This is his second pole in 23 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
#4-Kevin Harvick (second) posted his 20th top-10 start of 2015 and his 12th in 30 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
#41-Kurt Busch (third) posted his 17th top-10 start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It is his 14th in 25 races this season.
#24-Brett Moffitt (31st) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Statistics)(9-25-2015)

Second Round of Qualifying for the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is over after 10 scheduled minutes.
#48-Johnson 137.800
#42-Larson 137.795
#4-Harvick 137.681
#5-Kahne 137.388
#2-Keselowski 137.333
the rest of the top 12 (advance to round 3): 24 11 41 22 31 19 88;
out of the top 12 and not advancing to round 3: 20 17 43 3 18 55 13 27 78 10 1 51
(9-25-2015)

First Round of Qualifying for the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is over, after 20 scheduled minutes.
#41-Busch 137.696
#42-Larson 137.299
#2-Keselowski 137.205
#20-Kenseth 136.869
#19-Edwards 136.810
the rest of the top 24 (advance to round 2): 4 24 5 17 43 10 55 3 48 51 31 22 27 88 78 13 1 11 18;
out of the top 24 and not advancing to round 2: 16 15 14 35 9 47 34 40 6 38 83 7 // 98 46 30 33 26 23 32 62
Drivers who will miss the race: #30-Kvapil.
(9-25-2015)

Coverage of Qualifying for the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is scheduled for Friday, September 25, 2015 at 4:45pm/et.
Television (TV): NBCSN, 4:30pm/et
Radio: Live online at Performance Racing Network (PRN)
Scheduled Qualifying Re-Air: none
Updates on practices and qualifying on this site and on Jayski.com's Twitter

Qualifying Order for the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is posted. 44 cars/drivers are listed.
The first driver to be lined up on pit road will be #18-Busch.
The final driver lined up on pit road will be #51-Allgaier.
The order is set by a random draw, how cars park on pit road before they qualify, held about an hour before the first practice.
After the first round, the cars line up by speed.
See the full qualifying order on Jayski.com's New Hampshire Qualifying Page.(9-25-2015)

Friday practice for the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is over, after 85 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes.
#19-Edwards 136.894 (CD)
#48-Johnson 136.311 (CD)
#2-Keselowski 136.155 (CD)
#42-Larson 136.058
#41-Busch 136.019 (CD)
(CD) = Chase Driver
Other Chase drivers
#88-Earnhardt Jr. is 6th fastest
#1-McMurray 7th
#24-Gordon 8th
#20-Kenseth 10th
#4-Harvick 11th
#22-Logano 13th
#18-Busch 14th
#78-Truex Jr. 15th
#11-Hamlin 16th
#31-Newman 18th
#27-Menard 22nd
#15-Bowyer 26th
Slowest: #62-Hill 127.172 and #33-McLeod 127.274
driver in position to miss the race: #30-Kvapil is 40th fastest, needs to qualify in top-36 to make the race.
Qualifying is scheduled for 4:45pm/et, will be televised on NBCSN.(9-25-2015)
See fastest speeds, laps run, the best 10 consecutive lap ave on the New Hampshire Practice 1 speeds page.(9-25-2015)

New Hampshire Pole Notes & Facts - Friday:
· Mark Martin won the inaugural Coors Light pole at New Hampshire in 1993 with a speed of 126.871 mph.
· 19 drivers have Coors Light poles at New Hampshire, led by Ryan Newman with seven.
· Four active drivers have multiple poles at New Hampshire: Ryan Newman (seven), Jeff Gordon (four), Brad Keselowski (three) and Kyle Busch (two).
· Five drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at New Hampshire: Ken Schrader (1997 sweep); Jeff Gordon (1998-1999); Rusty Wallace (1999-2000); Ryan Newman (twice - 2003-2004 and 2011 sweep); Juan Pablo Montoya (2009-2010).
· Two drivers (all-time) have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Brad Keselowski (09/19/10) and Patrick Carpentier (06/27/2008).
· Five of the 41 (12.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Ryan Newman in 2011.
· The Coors Light pole is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (five) than any other starting position at New Hampshire.
· Eight of the 41 (19.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire have been won from the front row: five from the pole and three from second-place.
· 23 of the 41 (56%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at New Hampshire have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· Ryan Newman leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at New Hampshire with a 9.333.
· Nine of the 41 (21.9%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at New Hampshire is 38th, by Jeff Burton in 1999.
· The deepest in the field that an active race winner has started at New Hampshire is 32nd, by Kurt Busch in the summer of 2003.
· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway five times: fall 2001, summer 2003, fall 2004, fall 2008 and summer 2009.
(NASCAR)(9-25-2015)

Kurt Busch's crew chief Tony Gibson has emergency appendectomy UPDATE at the track: Kurt Busch's crew chief Tony Gibson could miss a portion of the upcoming Sprint Cup Series race weekend at New Hampshire after having an emergency appendectomy Tuesday. Stewart-Haas Racing confirmed that team engineer John Klausmeier will guide the Stewart-Haas Racing #41 crew in Gibson's absence and that competition director Greg Zipadelli will have an increased presence with the team. The team said that Gibson will get to the track once he feels physically able to work, and that could be as early as Friday morning or as late as Saturday afternoon. Practice and qualifying are scheduled for Friday with additional practice scheduled for Saturday. The team would not comment on why Gibson would miss part of the weekend, but Gibson posted on Facebook that he had his appendix removed: "Thanks everyone for the prayers, calls, texts and Facebook messages. Got home from the hospital last night. Just really sore today. Who needs an appendix anyway?"(ESPN.com)(9-23-2015)
UPDATE Tony Gibson, who had an appendectomy Tuesday, arrived at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Friday in time for the opening laps of practice. Gibson tweeted a thank-you message to Busch on Friday morning for sending his plane to get him, which allowed Gibson to get some extra recovery time at home Thursday night. The Stewart-Haas Racing team, under the direction of team engineer John Klausmeier, took the Busch car through technical inspection Friday morning. Gibson arrived in time for practice, met with Busch and the crew in the team transporter and watched practice from pit road instead of his usual spot atop the transporter.(ESPN)(9-25-2015)

Furniture Row Racing Will Have Replacement Tire Changers at NHMS: The over-the-wall pit crew for Martin Truex's #78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet will have replacement tire changers for Sunday's Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Dave Collins, the regular front-tire changer, suffered an ankle injury on Wednesday during a practice session. He will be replaced by Josh Franko, who has been a backup pit-crew member for Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR). Adam Hartman will take over the rear-tire changing duties, replacing Kyle Turner. Hartman has also been a backup crew member at MWR. The Furniture Row Racing over-the-wall crew is based out of the MWR shop in Cornelius, N.C.(Furniture Row Racing PR)(9-25-2015)

Gordon Set To Become NASCAR's All-Time Consecutive Starts Leader: When #24-Jeff Gordon starts his engine in Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, he will pass Ricky Rudd as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series consecutive starts leader by beginning his 789th straight race. NASCAR's new Iron Man has not missed a start since making his NSCS debut at Atlanta on Nov. 15, 1992 - a span of 22 years, 10 months and 12 days. NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Rudd's streak began on Jan. 11, 1981 and ended on Sept. 20, 2005 (NASCAR).
See the All-Time Consecutive Starts List and Current Consecutive Starts list on Jayski.com's All-Time Starts page.(9-25-2015)

Keselowski Joins Elite Company With 10th Straight Top-10 Finish: With his eighth-place finish at Chicagoland, #2-Brad Keselowski became the fifth driver in the Chase Era (2004-present) to record 10 straight top-10 finishes - a club that only includes NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions. Others to achieve the feat include Kevin Harvick (2015), Tony Stewart (twice 2005 and 2009), Jeff Gordon (2007) and Jimmie Johnson (2005).(NASCAR)(9-25-2015)

Bowman and Toy State Visit Boston Children's Hospital: Toy State, a toy industry leader and innovator, along with their NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race team, #7-Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR), visited Boston Children's Hospital on Thursday. This is the first year the toymaker has been a primary sponsor of TBR. The race team is on their way to New Hampshire Motor Speedway to compete in this weekend's Sylvania 300 but was able to make the detour to Boston Children's, which is located close to Toy State's US headquarters in Norwood, MA. They made the special trip in order to meet with patients and families and unveil a charity-autographed helmet that will benefit The NASCAR Foundation. Alex Bowman, driver of the #7 Nikko RC/Toy State Chevy, had a special request of the children. "Drivers are the ones who always get asked to sign things, but today I asked the kids for their autographs on my race helmet so they could ride along with me in three races at the end of the season in my Sprint Cup car," he said. "We want the kids to get well and have something to look forward to," Bowman added. In exchange for their autographs, Bowman gave each child a small piece of his racecar to keep as a reminder of the big days ahead where they will be riding co-pilot with him. The kids will be 'riding' with Bowman and TBR in the Toy State-sponsored NASCAR races held in Texas, Phoenix and Homestead in November. It is expected that more than 100 children in six cities will sign the carbon fiber helmet painted by BEAM Designs. In addition to the children, Bowman, the yet unknown 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion, and Betty Jane France, founder of The NASCAR Foundation, will also sign the helmet. It will ultimately become part of an online auction following the season-ending November 22 race, with proceeds benefiting The NASCAR Foundation.(TBR)(9-25-2015)

Updated Entry List for the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is posted, 44 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: #26-Wise, #30-Kvapil, #32-Jeffrey Earnhardt, #33-B.J. McLeod, #62-Hill, #98-Ryan Preece.
Drivers who need to be in the top-36 in speed and have no provisional available to them (lowest in owners points): #30-Wise (49th in points)
Drivers who would miss the race if qualifying is canceled (least race attempts): #30-Wise (12 attempts)
See the full entry list at Jayski.com's New Hampshire Entry List

Car manufacturers reps discuss some issues: Representatives from NASCAR's three car manufacturers - Jim Campbell (Chevy), Dave Pericak (Ford) and Ed Laukes (Toyota) - recently talked about this season and how teams from their respective companies have fared. Here's a sampling of what Campbell (Chevy's U.S. vice president, performance vehicles and motorsports), Pericak (director of Ford Performance) and Laukes (Toyota Motor Sales USA's vice president of marketing, performance and guest experience) had to say:
On the 2015 season
Laukes (Toyota): "Toyota has come a long way since 2007. I can remember when we would be really struggling even to get into the show, much less have five Camrys in contention for the championship."
Campbell (Chevy): "We don't have all our eggs in one basket. They're spread all across those teams. We've been working for months to prepare for these last 10 races."
Pericak (Ford): "The Penske team has performed very well. Overall we've struggled across all of our teams this year. We're going to be making necessary changes to strengthen everybody's performance."
What kind of aerodymanic package would you like to see in 2016?
Laukes: "We had success with all the different packages (in 2015), obviously. The relationship between (NASCAR), drivers and (manufacturers) has never been better as the discussion goes, trying to make racing better. Ultimately, it's not our decision; it's (NASCAR's). We really want to lean to where the drivers are leaning to, where (NASCAR) is, also what the fans want. We want better racing so we'll adapt to whatever package they come out with."
Campbell: "We're (all) hand-in-hand with NASCAR. The testing this year has been in actual races, because there's been limited testing off of it. I think there's been some really good learnings. I think the commitment by the series to adjust the rules in kind of categories of tracks is something that's obviously under consideration. I think there's more to come."
Pericak: "We all want the same thing. We want better racing and we want to be as competitive as possible. All the right things are happening to end up in the right place in 2016."
Any hints on any potential lineup changes in your teams in 2016?
Pericak: "We've been working very close with the Roush Fenway team, making sure we make the right changes there. We've got a lot of capable drivers in that organization. We just need to get some things straightened out."
Laukes: "Stay tuned."
(Charlotte Observer)(9-25-2015)

Two Drivers making Cup debut at NHMS: 44 cars are on the entry list for the second race of the Chase at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend and two of those cars will be piloted by drivers looking to make their debut at the pinnacle of stock car racing. Ryan Preece, 24, is the 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified champion and current points leader. He will run double duty this weekend, piloting the #98 in the Cup race while also continuing his quest for a second title on the Modified side. Along with over a dozen Modified starts, two of his three Xfinity Series starts have come at NHMS, posting a career-best finish of 14th there in 2014.
B.J. McLeod, 31, will be driving the #33 Joe Falk-owned Chevy and like Preece, he will be pulling double duty. Unlike Preece, his other start this weekend will come in the Truck race, his 30th career start in the series. In 29 previous Truck appearances, McLeod has posted a best result of 15th at Bristol in 2012. This season, he also made his debut in the Xfinity Series, running seven races and placing as high as 25th, which came at this very track earlier this year. He will be the sixth different driver behind the wheel of the #33 car this year.(Motorsport)(9-25-2015)

Code 3 Associates featured on Stewarts car at NHMS: This weekend in the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, Stewart represents the efforts of Code 3 Associates. Code 3 Associates is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing professional animal disaster response and resources to communities, as well as providing professional training to individuals and agencies involved in animal-related law enforcement and emergency response. Since launching in 1985, the mission of Code 3 Associates has remained the same - to provide hands-on animal rescue and care operations during disaster events in the United States and Canada, and through certified animal welfare training seminars, which include animal cruelty investigation training for officers. The continued operation of Code 3 Associates relies totally on the generosity of donors and the bravery of its responders (SHR)
See an images of the scheme on the #14 Team Schemes page.(9-25-2015)

Updated Chicago TV Ratings: NASCAR's ratings slump has continued into the Chase For the Cup. NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Chicago, the first race in the Chase For the Cup, earned a 1.8 overnight rating on NBCSN Sunday afternoon - down 18% from last year on ESPN (2.2). The 2013 race featured multiple rain delays and moved from ESPN to ESPN2, earning a 1.6 overnight across both networks. The 1.8 overnight is the third-lowest of the season for NASCAR on any network, ahead of only Richmond the previous week (1.7) and Kansas on Fox Sports 1 in May (1.5). It is also the lowest for a Sunday NASCAR race this season. Despite the lower numbers, NASCAR on NBCSN topped competing coverage of the PGA Tour FedEx Cup on the NBC broadcast network (1.3) and was Sunday's top non-NFL sporting event in the metered markets.(Sports Media Watch)(9-22-2015)
UPDATE: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Chicago, the first race in the Chase For the Cup, earned 3.2 million viewers on NBCSN Sunday afternoon - down 13% from last year on ESPN (3.7M). The 2013 race was delayed multiple times due to rain and moved from ESPN to ESPN2, averaging 2.7 million across the two networks. Excluding rainouts, Sunday's race ranks as the least-watched Chase For the Cup telecast ever (109 telecasts dating back to 2004). The previous low was 3.5 million for New Hampshire in 2012. The 30 least-watched Chase races have each aired on cable. It also ranks as the least-watched edition of NASCAR's Chicago race (dates back to 2001). The previous low, again excluding rainouts, was last year's 3.7 million. A decade ago, the race hit the 9.0 million mark on the NBC broadcast network.(Sports Media Watch / ShowBuzz Daily)
See past race TV Ratings, five-year comparison chart and more on the 2015 TV Ratings page.(9-25-2015)

AccuDoc Solutions primary on #51 at NHMS: NHMS marks the first weekend this season that AccuDocSolutions is the primary sponsor on the #51 HScott Motorsports Chevy. AccuDoc served as co-primary at Dover earlier this year. AccuDoc Solutions is based in Morrisville, N.C. and provides billing-statement printing and processing to hospitals and hospital-based physicians. In addition to paper-based billing statements, AccuDoc Solutions enables patients to choose electronic statement delivery and make payments through secure online payment portals (HSM)
See an images of the scheme on the #51 Team Schemes page.(9-25-2015)

Drew Herring fastest in XFINITY happy hour: #54-Drew Herring, filling in for Erik Jones, was quickest during happy hour for the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 with a speed of 175.959mph. He was followed by: #22-Ryan Blaney, #18-Daniel Suarez, #33-Brandon Jones, #2-Brian Scott, #3-Ty Dillon, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #20-Matt Tifft, #60-Chris Buescher, and #1-Elliott Sadler. 39 drivers participated in the session. The session was cut short by rain at the track and only lasted about 30 minutes. See complete results on the Kentucky Speedway practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(9-25-2015)

Brandon Jones to drive full-time for RCR in 2016: Brandon Jones will return to Richard Childress Racing in 2016 as a full-time driver in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for the Welcome, N.C. organization. Jones shared seat time with Austin Dillon and Paul Menard as drivers of the #33 Chevy in the XFINITY Series in 2015. The Atlanta native has competed in four XFINITY Series races under the RCR banner in both events at Iowa Speedway as well as Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Bristol Motor Speedway. The 18-year-old driver also competed on a limited basis in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR K&N Series East and ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. So far this season, Jones has 20 starts combined between the three series, capturing eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes with 143 laps led. In June, he earned his career-best NASCAR sanctioned event finish of second place at Iowa Speedway in the Camping World Truck Series. "Brandon's performance in his limited schedule with RCR this season has been very impressive," said Richard Childress, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of RCR. "We're thrilled to provide him an opportunity in 2016 to showcase his talents over an entire XFINITY Series season." Jones' crew chief and team will be named at a later date. Currently this season, Jones has worked with RCR crew chiefs Nick Harrison and Danny Stockman.(Richard Childress Racing)(9-25-2015)

Brian Scott fastest in first XFINITY practice: #2-Brian Scott was fastest during opening practice at Kentucky Speedway with a speed of 178.159mph. #3-Ty Dillon was second, followed by: #33-Brandon Jones, #22-Ryan Blaney, #18-Daniel Suarez, #88-Ben Rhodes, #28-J.J. Yeley, #54-Drew Herring (practicing for Erik Jones), #62-Brendan Gaughan, and #1-Elliott Sadler. 40 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Kentucky Speedway practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-25-2015)

Dillon fastest in first practice: #33-Austin Dillon was fastest during opening practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a speed of 131.311mph. #4-Erik Jones was second, followed by #17-Timothy Peters, #88-Matt Crafton, #51-Kyle Busch, #5-Dalton Sargeant, #98-Johnny Sauter, #13-Cameron Hayley, #54-Gray Gaulding, and #29-Austin Theriault. 32 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the New Hampshire practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-26-2015)

Dillon fastest in final practice: #33-Austin Dillon was fastest in final practice for the UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a speed of 133.166mph. He was followed by #23-Spencer Gallagher, #13-Cameron Hayley, #88-Matt Crafton, #51-Kyle Busch, #98-Johnny Sauter, #4-Erik Jones, #17-Timothy Peters, #00-Cole Custer, and #5-Dalton Sargeant. 32 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the New Hampshire practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(9-26-2015)

Truck Series Set To Run 500th Race: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will run its 500th race this weekend - Saturday's UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The NCWTS began in 1995 and is in its 21st season of operation. Ron Hornaday Jr. has won the most NCWTS championships (4) and races (51). Mike Skinner earned the first series title driving for legendary owner Richard Childress. Throughout its existence, many NASCAR stars have matriculated in the NCWTS, including Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Challengers Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray and Brad Keselowski (NASCAR), for more info on the NCWTS, see Jayski.com's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series site.(9-25-2015)

North East Motor Sports Museum Groundbreaking: In celebration of New Hampshire Motor Speedway's 25th Anniversary of NASCAR racing in New England, the Racing History Preservation Group will have a groundbreaking ceremony the North East Motor Sports Museum during the SYLVANIA 300 race weekend. The ceremony will take place on Friday, Sept. 25 on the site of the future North East Motor Sports Museum, on speedway property near the south entrance. Former and current drivers including Pete Hamilton, Ron Bouchard, Ricky Craven and Joey Logano, all of New England's driver who have won at NASCAR's highest level of racing, are expected to be part of the celebration as well as SMI CEO Marcus Smith, Executive Chairman Bruton Smith, NHMS GM/VP Jerry Gappens and political figures from New Hampshire. The event is free for the public to attend and will take place at 2:00pm/et, leading into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying.(NHMS)(9-25-2015)

A Proper New England Sendoff for Jeff Gordon's Final Race at NHMS: Boston Duck Tours, which has paraded New England's championship teams like the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox around Boston, will make the trek north on Sept. 27 for its first-ever visit to New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The actual World War II Duck Boat, a vehicle synonymous with transporting the region's greatest champions, will give one of NASCAR's greatest champions, Jeff Gordon, one final, memorable send-off before he makes his last start in the SYLVANIA 300, the second race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. Gordon, a four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and three-time winner at the Magic Mile, has invited his family and No. 24 Drive to End Hunger crew members onto the amphibious landing vehicle for the champion's lap. The duck boat will then deliver him to his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS for his final start as a full-time driver at the 1.058-mile oval. The duck boat is styled after similar vehicles used in World War II; an enormously popular tourist attraction in Boston. "I have many fond memories of racing in New Hampshire and I am thrilled to share the pre-race moment with my team and family," said Gordon, who is the only competitor to start all 41 Cup races ever held at NHMS. "I have raced here since 1991, and it's been a heck of a ride." On top of it being Gordon's final scheduled start at NHMS, it will also be a record-setting afternoon for the 24-year veteran pilot. Shortly after disembarking the duck boat, Gordon will take the green flag for the SYLVANIA 300, giving him 789 consecutive Cup starts. That will break Ricky Rudd's record of 788. Gordon has never missed a race in his illustrious career. Drawing comparisons to Cal Ripken's streak of 2,632 straight games in Major League Baseball and Brett Favre's 297 straight games played in the National Football League, Gordon's streak is on par given the risks that come on every lap. The streak truly makes him an iron man in motorsports. To witness history and see Gordon ride a duck boat around the Magic Mile, purchase tickets to the SYLVANIA 300 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend by stopping by our ticket office, visiting the speedway website at www.nhms.com, or calling our ticket hotline at (603) 783-4931.(NHMS)(9-25-2015)

NASCAR Penalty Report / Chicago; MWR Appeal to be heard Wednesday:
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
· The #10 team has been penalized for an infraction that occurred during pre-qualifying inspection on Sept. 18. This is a P2 level penalty (Sections 12.1 and 20.4b and 20.4.2a of the NASCAR rule book). The right side quarter panel behind the rear wheel/tire was modified during pre-qualifying inspection. Crew chief Daniel Knost has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015. Car chief Pete White has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015.
· The #15 team has been penalized for an infraction that occurred on opening day inspection Sept.18. This is a P4 level penalty (Section 12.1, 20. 14.c, 20.14.2.1.k, 12.5.3.4.d, 12.5.3.4.1.d & f, 12.5.3.4.2 of the NASCAR rule book). Crew chief Billy W. Scott has been fined $75,000, suspended for the next three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship events and placed on NASCAR probation for six months following the issue of suspension. Driver Clint Bowyer has been penalized 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Driver points. Car owner Rob Kauffman has been penalized 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Owner points. NASCAR has requested to the Appeals Administrator of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel that the appeals process described in the rule book be expedited.
AND NASCAR issued the penalty -- P4 on its P1-to-P6 scale with P6 being the most severe -- for violation of the rule that forbids washers or other components that allow movement of certain track bar joints or mounting bolts. Permitting those rear-end suspension components to move would allow the car to handle better in the corners (ESPN).
NASCAR XFINITY Series
· The #18 team has been penalized for an infraction that occurred during pre-race on Sept. 19. This is a P2 level penalty (Sections 12.1 and 20.4b and 20.4.2a of the NASCAR rule book). The right side vertical extension panel (side skirt) was modified after pre-race inspection. Crew chief Eric P. Phillips has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015. Crew member John P. Egbert Jr. has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015.
· The #54 car failed heights during post-race inspection on Sept. 19. This is a P2 level penalty (Sections 12.1, 20.17.3.2.1. b & c, 20.17.3.2.2.b & c, 12.5.3.2.1.f, 12.5.3.2.2.a.b & d of the NASCAR rule book). Crew chief Christopher W. Gayle has been fined $12,500 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015. Car owner J. D. Gibbs has been penalized 10 series championship owner points.(NASCAR)
MWR Statement: Michael Waltrip Racing respectfully disagrees with today's penalties and plans to immediately appeal. MWR has made mistakes in the past, but we feel we are correct in this instance. We look forward to the opportunity to present our case to the appeals committee and have no further public comment until the process is completed.(MWR)(9-23-2015)
UPDATE: Michael Waltrip Racing officially filed an appeal Thursday of the championship-crippling penalties levied against Clint Bowyer's team. Crew chief Billy Scott's three-race suspension has been deferred through the appeal process. The appeal will be heard Wednesday. Scott will work this weekend at New Hampshire, and MWR has denied wrongdoing. The points deduction for Bowyer remains in effect through the appeals process, which means that reigning Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick moves up to 15th in the standings.(Associated Press)(9-24-2015)

New Hampshire Track Notes & History - Thursday:
· Groundbreaking for New Hampshire International Speedway, as New Hampshire Motor Speedway was originally named, was Aug. 13, 1989.
· The 1.058-mile oval is located on approximately 1,200 acres; the multi-use complex is the largest sports facility in New England.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was on July 11, 1993 - won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace.
· Speedway Motorsports, Inc. agreed to purchase New Hampshire International Speedway from Bob and Gary Bahre on January 11, 2008 and then renamed the track New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
(NASCAR)(9-24-2015)

New Hampshire Goodyear Tire Notes: Teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series will run the same tire codes at New Hampshire this weekend . . . Sprint Cup teams have run this same combination of left- and right-side tires at New Hampshire since 2012 . . . Camping World Truck Series teams first ran this tire set-up at this track last September . . . this is the only track at which either of these two tire codes will be run in 2015 . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at New Hampshire (Goodyear), see tire codes, pressures, set limits and more on the NHMS Race Info page.

FLIR Partners with McMurray and CGR in New Hampshire: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced that FLIR will be on the #1 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Chevrolet SS, driven by 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup contender, Jamie McMurray. The No. 1 FLIR Chevrolet SS will compete in the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire. FLIR is the world leader in the manufacturing of thermal cameras and imaging sensors. FLIR products are employed in a variety of capacities, including public safety, military and industrial industries. In addition to infrared imaging technologies for commercial and government applications, FLIR has extended access to those technologies to the general public with the FLIR ONE for use with hand-held devices and the FLIR FX for in-home monitoring and outdoor security. This is the first NASCAR sponsorship for FLIR and the company will be showcasing thermal images of the #1 car across its social media channels.
· Travis Merrill, Chief Marketing Officer, FLIR Systems, Inc.: "We are excited to sponsor Jamie McMurray and the #1 FLIR Chevrolet SS at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. FLIR technology has been used to enhance the performance in motorsports for several years and we look forward to sharing this technology and our brand with NASCAR fans."
· Jamie McMurray, Driver #1 FLIR Chevy: "I'm really looking forward to having FLIR join us on the No. 1 team this weekend in New Hampshire. Not only is it valuable for us to bring new partners to the sport, but FLIR brings powerful technology products that we can use to continuously enhance our performance."
FLIR Systems, Inc. is a world leader in the design, manufacture, and marketing of sensor systems that enhance perception and awareness. FLIR's advanced systems and components are used for a wide variety of thermal imaging, situational awareness, and security applications, including airborne and ground-based surveillance, condition monitoring, navigation, recreation, research and development, manufacturing process control, search and rescue, drug interdiction, transportation safety, border and maritime patrol, environmental monitoring, and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives (CBRNE) threat detection. For more information, visit FLIR's web site at www.FLIR.com.(CGRFS)
See an image of the scheme on the #1 Team Schemes page.(9-24-2015)

ditech colors on Harvick's #4 at NHMS: Stewart-Haas Racing welcomed ditech Mortgage Corporation as an associate sponsor of Kevin Harvick's #4 Chevy for the final 10 races of 2014 before the company increased its involvement with the team to include two primary races in 2015. This weekend at New Hampshire is the second of the two. Harvick started sixth, led 91 laps and finished second in the ditech's first race as a primary sponsor at Dover in June.(SHR)
See images of the scheme on the #4 Team Schemes page.(9-24-2015)

Lowe's Proservices and Hitachi team up on the #48: Jimmie Johnson will race the #48 Lowe's ProServices/Hitachi Chevy in this weekend's race at New Hampshire. Lowe's Commercial Services are designed to help customers save time and money and make their businesses run smoother. Stores across the country have a dedicated ProServices team ready to help by offering five percent off everyday purchases with a Lowe's Business Credit Account, quick-turn, customizable quotes on volume purchases, providing an order ahead option and pulling materials for pick up, giving reduced delivery rates and offering bulk discounts on supplies used the most. The Lowe's ProServices paint scheme has seen Victory Lane twice this season with wins at Texas and Dover (HMS).
See images of the scheme on the #48 Team Schemes page.(9-24-2015)

More than 600 donors have their names on #24 car: More than 600 donors are joining #24-Jeff Gordon this weekend to help leave senior hunger in the dust. For Gordon's last race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway as a full-time Sprint Cup driver, 557 people made donations of $124 or more, which qualified them to have their name on the #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevy and pit wall banner this weekend. In addition, 47 individuals made donations to have their name appear on the #24 pit wall banner.(HMS)
See images of the scheme on the #24 Team Schemes page.(9-24-2015)

Richard Petty Motorsports Gets On Board with J.B. Hunt Transport: Whether it's racing 500 miles on a Sunday afternoon or hauling freight 2,800 miles across the country, there is a common goal: to get to the end as quickly and safely as possible. This is why Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) is proud to announce their newest partner, J.B. Hunt Transport, one of the largest transportation logistics companies in North America. J.B. Hunt Transport has a long history of providing safe and reliable transportation services to a diverse group of customers throughout the continental United States, Canada and Mexico. During the next year, this partnership with RPM will introduce thousands of professional J.B. Hunt truck drivers to NASCAR Hall of Fame champion and American icon Richard Petty and drivers #43-Aric Almirola and #9-Sam Hornish, Jr. The logo of J.B. Hunt will also brand the #9 car of RPM for select races in 2015 and 2016. More importantly, RPM will host drivers and customers of J.B. Hunt during race weekends and provide a first-hand look at the logistics required by RPM to transport race vehicles coast to coast and prepare to race throughout 38 weeks of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Petty will also play a significant role in J.B. Hunt's driver recruitment activities. J.B. Hunt is the latest of new RPM partners in the past two years that include Monster Energy, R-M Automotive Finishes (a brand of BASF), Twisted Tea, BLUE-EMU, Nature Blast and more.(Richard Petty Motorsports)(9-24-2015)

Dale Jr. to serve as TV analyst for XFINITY Series in 2016 UPDATE oops: During an interview with "FOX Sports Live" co-hosts Dan O'Toole and Jay Onrait, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed he'll join the FOX NASCAR team in the booth as a driver analyst for FOX Sports' coverage of the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2016. "I had tweeted that I was interested in doing some XFINITY races, so I think I would like to try it," Earnhardt said in a video posted in "The Jay and Dan Podcast. (FOX) extended the offer to me that we can give it a shot. I want to go up there next year and watch a few races, or watch one race, and see what I'm getting myself into. It looks like a lot of fun." Sprint Cup drivers Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer and Danica Patrick have all taken turns behind the mic for FS1's XFINITY Series coverage this season. "All the drivers who did it ... looked great, sounded great, and they seemed to have a lot of fun doing it," Earnhardt said. "I don't know if it's a career path for me -- it just depends -- or whether I even have any talent in the booth."(FoxSports)
UPDATE: Clarification from FOX Sports Regarding the Possibility of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Working as a Race Analyst in the NASCAR XFINITY SERIES Booth in 2016: While FOX Sports has had informal conversations with Dale Earnhardt Jr. about joining the FOX Sports NASCAR XFINITY Series booth in the future, as several of his fellow racers did in 2015, nothing has been determined. FOX apologizes for the confusion.(FoxSports)(9-24-2015)

Hendrick Motorsports newest class of pit crew recruits announced: Wednesday afternoon on the Hendrick Motorsports campus in Concord, NC, the organization held its very first Signing Day ceremony to celebrate the newest class of pit crew recruits. "It's really neat to be a part of the first Signing Day ever for Hendrick Motorsports for the pit development program," Hendrick Motorsports President Marshall Carlson said. "It's a tradition in other sports. If you look at what we tried to do over the last few years really elevating our whole athletic department and these athletes - bring them in and trying to get out to a wider range of recruits - the investments we've made in coaching, the facilities, it's really fitting that we would start to do some of the traditional things that other sports do to celebrate the success that the coaches and the recruiting class are bringing to our company."
Director of Human Performance Andy Papathanassiou introduced the new athletes, several of whom had brought family and friends to take in the ceremony. "In this particular class, we brought in seven athletes," Papathanassiou said. "Our classes have ranged from seven to about a dozen. Year after year we start recruiting, gathering 50 names, knock that down to about 30 that we see in person, and we physically evaluate them. We bring in 20 for a two-day minicamp where we put pit crew equipment, pit stop stuff in their hands and then pick our recruiting class from there. These are the winners of a very long and arduous process." The pit crew recruits: Spencer Bishop, Tire Carrier; Ryan Cheek, Jackman; Rod Cox, Tire Changer; Matt Lehman, Fueler/Jackman; Mike McClure, Fueler/Jackman; Roman Perryman, Tire Changer; Max Thomusseit, Tire Carrier. More info and a quick glance at the newest developmental pit crew members at HMS site)(9-24-2015)

NHMS Unveils Gordon Commemorative Coin: New Hampshire Motor Speedway has unveiled a special Jeff Gordon coin to commemorate his record-breaking 789th consecutive Cup Series start, which is expected to be set during the SYLVANIA 300 on Sept. 27, 2015, at the Magic Mile. The double-sided coin features Gordon's historic number 24 and mention of his record on one side and the New Hampshire Motor Speedway 25th Anniversary logo on the other side. The coin is currently being offered as a part of the "Roar for 24" package, which includes a grandstand ticket and pre-race pit pass to the SYLVANIA 300, along with a scanner rental and a commemorative hero card of Gordon's three career wins at NHMS. Fans may also look for the coin at the NHMS Gift Shop on race weekend. Gordon's streak of starts dates back to his first career Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Nov. 15, 1992. He is the only driver to have started all 41 Cup races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a streak that is expected to end when Gordon retires from full-time racing at the end of the 2015 season. More info at NHMS.com.(9-24-2015)

NASCAR Penalty Report / Chicago; MWR Appeals:
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
· The #10 team has been penalized for an infraction that occurred during pre-qualifying inspection on Sept. 18. This is a P2 level penalty (Sections 12.1 and 20.4b and 20.4.2a of the NASCAR rule book). The right side quarter panel behind the rear wheel/tire was modified during pre-qualifying inspection. Crew chief Daniel Knost has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015. Car chief Pete White has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015.
· The #15 team has been penalized for an infraction that occurred on opening day inspection Sept.18. This is a P4 level penalty (Section 12.1, 20. 14.c, 20.14.2.1.k, 12.5.3.4.d, 12.5.3.4.1.d & f, 12.5.3.4.2 of the NASCAR rule book). Crew chief Billy W. Scott has been fined $75,000, suspended for the next three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship events and placed on NASCAR probation for six months following the issue of suspension. Driver Clint Bowyer has been penalized 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Driver points. Car owner Rob Kauffman has been penalized 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Owner points. NASCAR has requested to the Appeals Administrator of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel that the appeals process described in the rule book be expedited.
AND NASCAR issued the penalty -- P4 on its P1-to-P6 scale with P6 being the most severe -- for violation of the rule that forbids washers or other components that allow movement of certain track bar joints or mounting bolts. Permitting those rear-end suspension components to move would allow the car to handle better in the corners (ESPN).
NASCAR XFINITY Series
· The #18 team has been penalized for an infraction that occurred during pre-race on Sept. 19. This is a P2 level penalty (Sections 12.1 and 20.4b and 20.4.2a of the NASCAR rule book). The right side vertical extension panel (side skirt) was modified after pre-race inspection. Crew chief Eric P. Phillips has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015. Crew member John P. Egbert Jr. has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015.
· The #54 car failed heights during post-race inspection on Sept. 19. This is a P2 level penalty (Sections 12.1, 20.17.3.2.1. b & c, 20.17.3.2.2.b & c, 12.5.3.2.1.f, 12.5.3.2.2.a.b & d of the NASCAR rule book). Crew chief Christopher W. Gayle has been fined $12,500 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015. Car owner J. D. Gibbs has been penalized 10 series championship owner points.(NASCAR)
MWR Statement: Michael Waltrip Racing respectfully disagrees with today's penalties and plans to immediately appeal. MWR has made mistakes in the past, but we feel we are correct in this instance. We look forward to the opportunity to present our case to the appeals committee and have no further public comment until the process is completed.(MWR)(9-23-2015)

Kurt Busch's crew chief Tony Gibson has emergency appendectomy: Kurt Busch's crew chief Tony Gibson could miss a portion of the upcoming Sprint Cup Series race weekend at New Hampshire after having an emergency appendectomy Tuesday. Stewart-Haas Racing confirmed that team engineer John Klausmeier will guide the Stewart-Haas Racing #41 crew in Gibson's absence and that competition director Greg Zipadelli will have an increased presence with the team. The team said that Gibson will get to the track once he feels physically able to work, and that could be as early as Friday morning or as late as Saturday afternoon. Practice and qualifying are scheduled for Friday with additional practice scheduled for Saturday. The team would not comment on why Gibson would miss part of the weekend, but Gibson posted on Facebook that he had his appendix removed: "Thanks everyone for the prayers, calls, texts and Facebook messages. Got home from the hospital last night. Just really sore today. Who needs an appendix anyway?"(ESPN.com)(9-23-2015)

Insurance firm says Stewart's policy doesn't cover lawsuit: The insurance company that covers Tony Stewart Racing has filed court documents saying Stewart's policy does not cover the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents of Kevin Ward Jr. Axis Insurance Company filed a complaint for declaratory judgment Friday, asking the court to rule that it is not responsible to cover Stewart, saying its policy covers neither the race Stewart was participating in nor claims brought by one driver against another. Stewart's attorney had no comment to the filing. Stewart was competing in an Empire Super Sprints event Aug. 9, 2014, at Canandaigua (New York) Motorsports Park when his car struck and killed the 20-year-old Ward, who had gotten out of his car and walked out on the track while the race was under caution. Ward's parents contend in their lawsuit that Stewart could have avoided their son just as the other drivers in the race did, and they seek unspecified damages for their son's pain and suffering as well as the potential economic support he could have provided for them. Stewart, who was not criminally charged, says Ward was responsible for his own death, had attempted to make contact with Stewart's car before being struck and had used marijuana within five hours of the race. Stewart was racing for TSR, a team that he owns and competes with in sprint car races, which is separate from the NASCAR stock car team he co-owns (Stewart-Haas Racing) with Gene Haas. Axis Insurance, in its filing in a U.S. District Court in New York, states that the $4 million of coverage (a combination of three policies) for Tony Stewart Racing is specifically for 65 World of Outlaws events, 30 USAC Sprint events and 10 USAC Silver Crown events. No Empire Super Sprints events are part of the team policy, Axis says. The policy also has an exclusion clause that states "this insurance does not apply to claims or actions brought by one racing vehicle driver against another racing vehicle driver" and that "coverage is specifically excluded for the racing vehicle driver who is the object of such claim or action." Stewart has not yet filed a response to the Axis request. He has asked for the wrongful death lawsuit be dismissed based on waivers Ward and his father, as the car owner, signed prior to the event that indemnify other participants (ESPN).(9-23-2015)

Sport Clips adds two races to its sponsorship of the #19: Continuing their support of Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and growing their brand with Carl Edwards, Sport Clips has expanded their partnership with JGR and Edwards. They have added two more NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races with Edwards and the #19 team at the second New Hampshire and Kansas races. They were the primary sponsor for the earlier race in New Hampshire and have had the second Texas race projected on their schedule. "I've had a really great time working with the folks at Sport Clips and I'm excited that they will be a big part of our Chase," stated Edwards. "I will be driving the #19 Sport Clips Camry at New Hampshire and Kansas in addition to the previously scheduled Texas race. After spending a little bit of time in Las Vegas with all the Sport Clips associates this year, it will be a lot of fun to represent them at those races. Sport Clips, for me, they make something that a guy doesn't always look forward to, a haircut, they make it fun. They are a lot of fun to have at the race track as well. I had a great time hanging out with them at Darlington getting to know everybody and hopefully we can take some more victory lane photos together."(JGR)
See images of the scheme on the #19 Team Schemes page.(9-23-2015)

#42 Team Target goes Plaid for Chase Races: This fall, Target is going mad for plaid, and the #42 Target team will be joining in the fun. With hundreds of items getting a plaid makeover, including everything from home goods and must-have fashions to Diet Coke bottles, and much more, it only made sense to extend the tartan touch to the race track on the #42 Target Chevy and Kyle Larson himself. Taking plaid to a whole new level, Larson and the Team Target Chevy will be decked out in various plaid-inspired designs, which pay homage to the fan-favorite pattern, for eight of the final nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) races. The designs are fun and unique and will surely bring an extra pop of excitement for NASCAR fans as the season comes to a close. While the Target Chevy has always sported a stylish look, the plaid paint schemes take that look to a whole new level and elevates the everyday by offering NASCAR fans some unexpected new designs.
Notes of Interest:
" Racing in Style: With an increased focus on style, Target will be doubling down on wowing guests by offering plaid-inspired items throughout the store. Many of the designs seen on everything from apparel to home goods to cleaning supplies can also be seen on the #42 Target Chevy as the in-store plaid takeover extends to the throughout the fall.
" Running of the Buffalo: The in-store plaid takeover is also highlighted by the limited-edition Adam Lippes for Target collaboration, which features more than 50 items with the designer's interpretation of Buffalo plaid. Larson's #42 Chevy will carry buffalo plaid inspired paint schemes for the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte and the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire.
" Plaid to the Bone: Larson and the Target team will be styled in plaid for all of the final nine races, except for Phoenix. Plaid-inspires designs will be seen on the car, the crew and Larson. To see all the unique plaid paint schemes, visit Chip Ganassi Racing Teams Facebook.(Chip Ganassi Racing)
See images of some of the plaid schemes on the #42 Team Schemes page.(9-23-2015)

Cheerios returns to the #3: Austin Dillon continues a long-standing Richard Childress Racing tradition this weekend by carrying General Mills' Cheerios brand on the #3 Chevy. General Mills has been an active sponsor in motorsports for more than 15 years, working with drivers including Austin and Ty Dillon, Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin and Johnny Benson. Both Dillon brothers made their Daytona 500 debut with General Mills, with Austin in the Honey Nut Cheerios Chevrolet in 2013 and Ty in the Cheerios Chevrolet in 2015. Cheerios has been a family favorite of the Dillon and Childress families for years. Its wholesome goodness is perfect for toddlers to adults and everyone in between. Made from whole grain oats, and without artificial flavors or colors, they're naturally low in fat and cholesterol free. These wholesome little "o's" have only one gram of sugar.(RCR)
See images of the scheme on the #3 Team Schemes page.(9-23-2015)

Shaw's to sponsor the #9 Ford at NHMS: Shaw's will make its second appearance of the season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend with Sam Hornish Jr. and the #9 team. Earlier this year, Hornish finished 29th in the Shaw's Ford at the one-track after engine issues early in the race. Despite the 29th-place finish, Hornish was confident in the handling of the #9 Ford at Loudon and looks for a strong finish in the Shaw's Ford this weekend. Hornish will make his 10th Sprint Cup Series start at Loudon this weekend. He has scored two Top-10 finishes at the mile track and earned his best finish of eighth in the 2009 summer race. Hornish also has two starts in the XFINITY Series with one Top-Five and two Top-10 finishes for an average finish of 5.5.(RPM)
See images of the scheme on the #9 Team Schemes page.(9-23-2015)

All cars finished the race at Chicago, only 5th time since 2007
For the 5th time since NASCAR mandated the 43-car rule in 1998,
all 43 cars that started the Sprint Cup Series race at Chicago, finished the race
......the five races races:
. on September 20, 2015, all 43 cars finished at Chicago.
on March 22, 2015, all 43 cars finished at Auto Club Speedway.
on July 28, 2013, all 43 cars finished at Indianapolis.
on September 7, 2008, all 43 cars finished at Richmond.
on September 16, 2007, all 43 cars finished at New Hampshire.
(9-23-2015)

Delaware Office of Highway Safety sponsoring Clements at Dover: Jeremy Clements Racing and the Delaware Office of Highway Safety are teaming up at Dover International Speedway in the Hisense 200 Saturday, October 3rd, 2015 to remind fans to Drive Sober and Arrive Alive. OHS is challenging fans to make smart choices and plan ahead when deciding how to get home after a party or happy hour. Jeremy's #51 Chevy Camaro SS Team Clements "Drive Sober" car theme and message will be promoting alternative ways of getting home besides driving after drinking, such as taking a taxi, Uber, Lyft, calling a sober friend, or taking public transit. Jeremy has two career Top 10s in 10 career starts at the Monster Mile with the last one coming earlier this year. Race weekend at Dover Speedway the OHS will be reminding fans that driving under the influence of alcohol is not only dangerous, it's illegal. OHS will have a interactive display in the Monster Mile fan zone where race fans can pledge to either always drive sober or be a designated driver. Fans can test and compare their motor skills against Jeremy in various games such as simulated impaired cornhole and the impaired tricycle track. Jeremy Clements will also make guest appearances at the display to meet with fans and sign autographs.(Jeremy Clements Racing)(9-23-2015)

Busch's car too low after Chicago race UPDATE 2: #54-Kyle Busch's winning car in Saturday's Furious 7 300 Xfinity Series race was found to be too low in post-race inspection. A NASCAR official said the car was low in all four corners. The car was taken back to the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., for further inspection. There is the possibility there could be penalties assessed this coming week, unless further inspection finds something broke in Busch's car, the official added.(NBC Sports)(9-19-2015)
UPDATE: Kyle Busch's winning Xfinity car, found to be too low in all four corners after Saturday's race, had a broken part, according to NASCAR. Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, made the comment Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." Asked if Busch's car failing inspection could lead to penalties this week, O'Donnell said: "There was a broken part on the race car, so that's something that we'll look at as we take the car back to the R&D Center and evaluate where we go from postrace. That process is still ongoing and we'll announce something Tuesday if there's anything to it."(NBC Sports)(9-21-2015)
UPDATE 2: The #18 team has been penalized for an infraction that occurred during pre-race on Sept. 19. This is a P2 level penalty (Sections 12.1 and 20.4b and 20.4.2a of the NASCAR rule book). The right side vertical extension panel (side skirt) was modified after pre-race inspection. Crew chief Eric P. Phillips has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015. Crew member John P. Egbert Jr. has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015.
The #54 car failed heights during post-race inspection on Sept. 19. This is a P2 level penalty (Sections 12.1, 20.17.3.2.1. b & c, 20.17.3.2.2.b & c, 12.5.3.2.1.f, 12.5.3.2.2.a.b & d of the NASCAR rule book). Crew chief Christopher W. Gayle has been fined $12,500 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31, 2015. Car owner J. D. Gibbs has been penalized 10 series championship owner points.(NASCAR)(9-23-2015)

Chicago's standalone NXS race expected to move to Pocono: There is expected to be at least one significant change in the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule next season. Chicagoland Speedway, which has hosted two Xfinity races since the 2011 season, will lose its standalone event in 2016, multiple sources confirmed to Motorsport.com. Officials with Chicagoland Speedway declined to comment. The standalone event at Chicagoland has typically been held during the summer. The track's second Xfinity race is held during its Sprint Cup Series weekend each September, which kicks off the championship Chase each season. Chicagoland's loss is expected to be Pocono Raceway's gain. Pocono is expected to add an Xfinity race to its compliment of NASCAR events, sources confirmed to Motorsport.com. The track currently hosts a weekend in June which includes Cup and ARCA races. Pocono's August race weekend already includes a Truck race along Cup and ARCA events. There are at least two important benefits for Pocono hosting an Xfinity race. First, the future of the track's IndyCar Series date remains uncertain and the race would serve to add another event to its calendar. Second, new series sponsor Xfinity is owned by Comcast Corp., whose headquarters is located in Philadelphia - less than a two-hour drive from Pocono.(Motorsport)(9-23-2015)

Tifft making XFINITY debut in the #20 at Kentucky: This weekend at Kentucky Speedway, Matt Tifft will make his NASCAR XFINITY Series debut in the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry sponsored by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC). The 19-year-old Hinckley, Ohio native currently runs a part-time schedule in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for Kyle Busch Motorsports and competes in a limited amount of ARCA Series events throughout the year. Tifft has one previous start in the Bluegrass State which came from last year's ARCA event where he finished second. Along with a busy racing career, Tifft also manages being a full-time student at UNC Charlotte where he majors in Business Management.(Joe Gibbs Racing), see images of the car on the #20 team paint schemes page.(9-23-2015)

TaxSlayer renews sponsorship with JR Motorsports: TaxSlayer.com, which provides quick and affordable tax-filing solutions to its customers, announced it has extended its partnership with driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his company, JR Motorsports, and expanded it to include an affiliation with Hendrick Motorsports. TaxSlayer.com will receive primary placement on Earnhardt Jr.'s #88 Chevy SS for one Sprint Cup Series race in 2016 and associate-brand placement through the remainder of the year with his Hendrick Motorsports team. Additionally, TaxSlayer.com will begin its seventh year as a key primary for JR Motorsports, the company owned by Earnhardt Jr. that competes primarily in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. TaxSlayer.com will receive primary placement on the #7 and 88 Chevy Camaros for 10 races next season. TaxSlayer.com has been involved in NASCAR team sponsorship since 2009. It began its affiliation with JR Motorsports in 2010, becoming the cornerstone partner for the company. Since then, JR Motorsports has won multiple races with TaxSlayer.com, including Regan Smith's popular victories at Talladega and Michigan in 2013. To celebrate the extension, TaxSlayer's red and black paint scheme will receive a makeover, as Earnhardt Jr. himself spearheaded a redesign for the 2016 season that will apply to both series. The paint scheme will be revealed Oct. 5.(JR Motorsports)(9-23-2015)

Cope names Kentucky sponsors: Derrike Cope Racing #70 will feature Buddy's Home Furnishings as primary sponsor for the Kentucky Xfinity Race on Sept. 26th. Buddy Bi-Rite, known today as Buddy's Home Furnishings was founded in 1961 by Norman "Slat" Slatton, Sr. He had a dream to serve the demands of customers and their needs. Today, Buddy's is the largest independent "Rent to Own" dealer in the country with over 200 locations nationwide, including 9 in Kentucky. Xcalibur Pit School will again be on the hood of the #70 and will be showcasing their talent on pit stops during the Kentucky race with one of their best crews. Xcalibur Pit School located on Business Park Drive in Mooresville NC offers training and opportunities for anyone looking for a career in motorsports. They provide LIVE pit stop practice and professional one-on-one training. In addition, Xcalibur now offers corporate team building events in which any company staff can participate in one of the most dynamic team morale building experiences you can find.(Derrike Cope Racing)(9-23-2015)

Cope names Kentucky sponsors: Derrike Cope Racing #70 will feature Buddy's Home Furnishings as primary sponsor for the Kentucky Xfinity Race on Sept. 26th. Buddy Bi-Rite, known today as Buddy's Home Furnishings was founded in 1961 by Norman "Slat" Slatton, Sr. He had a dream to serve the demands of customers and their needs. Today, Buddy's is the largest independent "Rent to Own" dealer in the country with over 200 locations nationwide, including 9 in Kentucky. Xcalibur Pit School will again be on the hood of the #70 and will be showcasing their talent on pit stops during the Kentucky race with one of their best crews. Xcalibur Pit School located on Business Park Drive in Mooresville NC offers training and opportunities for anyone looking for a career in motorsports. They provide LIVE pit stop practice and professional one-on-one training. In addition, Xcalibur now offers corporate team building events in which any company staff can participate in one of the most dynamic team morale building experiences you can find.(Derrike Cope Racing)(9-23-2015)

Herring to practice, qualify the #54 for Jones: During Kentucky Speedway XFINITY Series practice on Friday afternoon, since Erik Jones will be competing in the Camping World Truck Series event in New Hampshire, the #54 Monster Energy seat will see Joe Gibbs Racing XFINITY Series veteran Drew Herring behind the wheel. Herring will also qualify the #54 Toyota on Saturday and remain on site for the race, in case of any travel delays for Jones. Otherwise Jones will travel to Kentucky in time for Saturday's night-race start. Herring, over his XFINITY Series career has seen 15 starts, earned one pole, one top-five and five top-10 finishes. His Kentucky track statistics include two races, one top-five finish and two top-10 finishes. In 2013 Herring drove the #54 Monster Energy Camry to a sixth-place result at Kentucky Speedway.(Joe Gibbs Racing)(9-23-2015)

500 races for the series, lone crew member: Calling Kyle Busch Motorsports #51 truck chief Chris Showalter a veteran of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race is an understatement. He has competed as a crew member in all 499 NCWTS races and will try to help field the fastest truck for a 500th time in Saturday's UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. In order to make it to every race, he has survived a couple of near misses. During the 2004 season, he had ACL surgery on Tuesday and was at the track on Thursday. In 2013, he passed a kidney stone the morning of the race at Bristol Motor Speedway and still was able to make it to the track that day.(NASCAR)(9-23-2015)

Pastrana to run Vegas: Travis Pastrana announced on Instagram that he will run the #31 Chevy for NTS Motorsports at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Pastrana has a wide history of motocross, supercross, rally car, and X Games wins to his credit. He ran the 2013 XFINITY Series schedule for Roush Fenway Racing and scored four top-10s. He has one Camping World Truck Series start at Las Vegas from 2012. He started 17th and finished 15th for ThorSport Racing.(See an image of the truck on the #31 Team Paint Schemes Page)(9-23-2015)

Sad News - Bill Terry: William R. Terry, 70, of 3463 Farrs Bridge Road, Easley, SC, died peacefully at his home with his family by his side. A native of Greenville County, son of the late Ralph H. and Lois Thompson Terry, he was the owner of Big Daddy's Lounge, Big Daddy's Motorsports and a member of Truth Missionary Baptist Church.(obituary, condolences and service info at thewoodmortuary.com.(Greenville), Terry was 2002 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Alan Kulwicki's first (and only) team/car owner, running 24 races for Terry. Kulwicki ran and drove for his own team after that.(9-23-2015)

Curt Schilling to Deliver Invocation for Sylvania 300: Curt Schilling, a World Series MVP, three-time World Series champion and six-time All-Star, will deliver the invocation before the Sylvania 300 - the second race in NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup at New Hampshire on Sept. 27. Schilling helped the Boston Red Sox erase an 86-year World Series drought with a 4-0 sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2004 World Series. "I am honored to have been asked to provide the invocation for NASCAR and its fans," said Schilling. "The people in New England are as passionate as they come. Tom Brady is free and NASCAR is coming to New Hampshire again - all is well in New England." Schilling is the second former Red Sox All-Star to give the invocation. Rico Petrocelli gave the invocation at the 5-hour ENERGY 301 in July. Schilling retired from Major League Baseball in 2009 after a career that lasted 20 seasons. Schilling, who won World Series titles with the Arizona Diamondbacks (2001) and Boston Red Sox (2004), ended his career with a record of 216 wins and 146 losses, with a 3.46 ERA and 3,116 strikeouts, which ranks 15th on the all-time list. This will be Schilling's first visit to the Magic Mile since joining Sen. John McCain for a presidential stop at the 1.058-mile facility in 2008.
To see Curt Schilling deliver the invocation for NASCAR's playoffs, and for more details and ticket information on events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, or to purchase tickets to the September Sylvania 300 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekends, please stop by our Ticket Office, visit the speedway website at www.nhms.com, or call our Ticket Hotline at (603) 783-4931.(NHMS)(DIS)(9-23-2015)

Sunoco Becomes Founding Partner of Daytona Rising Project: International Speedway Corporation and Sunoco announced a multi-year partnership that will make Sunoco the fourth Founding Partner at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) as part of its historic $400 million Daytona Rising redevelopment project. The Daytona Rising project, encompassing the Speedway's nearly one-mile long frontstretch, will be complete by January 2016. Daytona Rising will transform DIS into the world's first motorsports stadium with premium amenities and attractions. The multi-year agreement will provide Sunoco with naming rights for one of five fan injectors. The massive, new and redesigned entry statement includes over 20,000 square feet of Sunoco engagement and fan experiences that vertically span four concourse levels. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Additionally, Sunoco will have branding rights for one of the fan "neighborhoods" located near its injector. A total of 11 football field-size neighborhoods will be located throughout the new frontstretch, each featuring custom bar, retail and dining areas, as well as dozens of video screens. Through the partnership, Sunoco continues to build its heritage in motorsports. Sunoco has served as the Official Fuel of NASCAR since 2004 and is the exclusive provider of Sunoco Green E15 racing fuel for NASCAR's three national series.(DIS)(9-23-2015)

Sport Clips adds two races to its sponsorship of the #19: Continuing their support of Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and growing their brand with Carl Edwards, Sport Clips has expanded their partnership with JGR and Edwards. They have added two more NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races with Edwards and the #19 team at the second New Hampshire and Kansas races. They were the primary sponsor for the earlier race in New Hampshire and have had the second Texas race projected on their schedule. "I've had a really great time working with the folks at Sport Clips and I'm excited that they will be a big part of our Chase," stated Edwards. "I will be driving the #19 Sport Clips Camry at New Hampshire and Kansas in addition to the previously scheduled Texas race. After spending a little bit of time in Las Vegas with all the Sport Clips associates this year, it will be a lot of fun to represent them at those races. Sport Clips, for me, they make something that a guy doesn't always look forward to, a haircut, they make it fun. They are a lot of fun to have at the race track as well. I had a great time hanging out with them at Darlington getting to know everybody and hopefully we can take some more victory lane photos together."(JGR)
See images of the scheme on the #19 Team Schemes page.(9-23-2015)

Updated Entry List for the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is posted, 44 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: #26-Wise, #30-Kvapil, #32-Jeffrey Earnhardt, #33-B.J. McLeod, #62-Hill, #98-Ryan Preece.
Drivers who need to be in the top-36 in speed and have no provisional available to them (lowest in owners points): #30-Wise (49th in points)
Drivers who would miss the race if qualifying is canceled (least race attempts): #30-Wise (12 attempts)
See the full entry list at Jayski.com's New Hampshire Entry List

Jeff Gordon's final paint scheme revealed: Jeff Gordon has the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup to focus on, but the final race of his legendary Cup career looms. With 2015 marking Gordon's final full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Homestead-Miami Speedway will truly be his grand finale. And Tuesday evening on FOX Sports 1, Gordon revealed the special Axalta paint scheme that will adorn his #24 Chevy for the occasion. "It'll be a big event for me - pretty emotional as well," Gordon said. "But our sponsors wanted to do something a little special as well. So we're going to look a little different in Homestead." Gordon said he was impressed with the scheme that will close out his final full-time campaign. "You know I can't be out there on the racetrack in the Axalta car without some flames, so we've got to keep the flames," he smiled. "But I love the silver. That is a sharp-looking race car." And it wouldn't bother Gordon to go out on top driving the new scheme. "There are still nine more races left to go to try and win this championship and I'm certainly extremely encouraged based on how Chicago went - even though we didn't finish well, we ran extremely good," he said. But no matter what, Homestead will be a celebration for the driver of the #24 Chevy. "During that race and after that race it is only going to be a celebration," he said. "It has been an amazing career. I just never dreamed in a million years that it would have gone the way that it has and while I'm just stepping out of it there will definitely be tears - they will all be tears of joy looking ahead at the future."(HMS)
See images of the scheme on the #24 Team Schemes page.(9-22-2015)

#18 JGR team makes pit crew change: The #18 Joe Gibbs Racing team and longtime front tire changer Nick O'dell have parted ways. O'dell was changing this past weekend in the Chase opener at Chicagoland in a race in which Kyle Busch finished ninth. This is an unusual development considering the timing and that the #18 pit crew has been intact for eight years and is a tightly knit group. This has been regarded as one of the best pit crews for years, and O'dell is a great talent. John Leslie will replace O'dell as the front changer this weekend in the second race of the Challenger Round at New Hampshire (NASCAR.com/PitTalks)(9-22-2015)

Preece to attempt New Hampshire Cup race with Baldwin UPDATE2: Ryan Preece hopes to make his Sprint Cup debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with Tommy Baldwin Racing on September 27. Preece has three XFINITY Series starts with TBR including two at NHMS. The 24-year-old Kensington, Conn.-native posted a career-high 14th at Loudon in his second start. Preece, who won the title in NASCAR's Whelen Modified Tour in 2013, is the current points leader of the series. He's scored three wins this season - including last night at Stafford Speedway - five top fives and nine top-10 finishes in 117 starts. Preece has also campaigned on the Whelen Southern Modified this season where in four starts he's earned three poles - including at South Boston Speedway where he went on to win in April. The former NASCAR Next driver will have TBR teammate #7-Alex Bowman to lean on at Loudon next month.(Motorsport)
AND "I was talking to Tommy on Friday morning and I told him 'You've got to put me in a Cup car at New Hampshire if I win at Stafford.'" Preece told RaceDayCT. "This morning I got a text message that he made a deal to make it happen." Preece said Baldwin purchased the #98 points spot from team owner Jay Robinson, which will give him a guaranteed starting spot in the event.(RaceDayCT)(8-9-2015)
UPDATE: Northeast standout Ryan Preece will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut this week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Preece will drive the #98 Chevy with support from Mohawk Northeast, East West Marine, NAPA Auto Parts: Canton Auto Supply, Mizzy Construction, Logan Steel and Dunleavy Truck and Trailer Repair. Preece's car was designed to honor his grandfather, legendary car owner Bob Judkins, who sported the familiar red and white 2x Modified. "It's very special to have a car that looks like my grandfather's car," Preece said. "I was lucky enough to drive for him a few times and win with him." Preece, who won the championship in NASCAR's Whelen Modified Tour in 2013, is the current points leader of the series. He has scored four wins this season and has accumulated six top-fives and 12 top-10 finishes in 12 races.(Tommy Baldwin Racing), see an image of the car on the #98 team paint schemes page.(9-21-2015)
UPDATE2: In the interest of clarity, the #98 Sprint Cup Series Chevy driven this weekend by Ryan Preece at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is being fielded by Premium Motorsports - as noted on the official NASCAR entry list. Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) is offering technical and strategical support to the team. "We're happy to be part of Ryan's debut," said Baldwin, "he represents our modified roots in the sport and we wanted to help Jay (Robinson, team owner) execute a successful effort."(TBR)(9-22-2015)

Chicago TV Ratings: NASCAR's ratings slump has continued into the Chase For the Cup. NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Chicago, the first race in the Chase For the Cup, earned a 1.8 overnight rating on NBCSN Sunday afternoon - down 18% from last year on ESPN (2.2). The 2013 race featured multiple rain delays and moved from ESPN to ESPN2, earning a 1.6 overnight across both networks. The 1.8 overnight is the third-lowest of the season for NASCAR on any network, ahead of only Richmond the previous week (1.7) and Kansas on Fox Sports 1 in May (1.5). It is also the lowest for a Sunday NASCAR race this season. Despite the lower numbers, NASCAR on NBCSN topped competing coverage of the PGA Tour FedEx Cup on the NBC broadcast network (1.3) and was Sunday's top non-NFL sporting event in the metered markets.(Sports Media Watch)
See past race TV Ratings, five-year comparison chart and more on the 2015 TV Ratings page.(9-22-2015)

Lowes Foods sponsoring Hornish at Charlotte: Lowes Foods, a Carolinas-based grocer with locations in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, will serve as the primary sponsor for Sam Hornish Jr. and the #9 Ford team at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October. Lowes Foods will make its debut as a primary sponsor in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Richard Petty Motorsports at its home track. Charlotte Motor Speedway, located in Concord, N.C., is just an hour away from the company's headquarters in Winston-Salem, N.C. Founded in 1954, Lowes Foods employs nearly 9,000 people and operates 95 full-service supermarkets in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Locally owned and operated, Lowes Foods is truly a homegrown company committed to bringing community back to the table by providing exceptional attention to their guests.(Richard Petty Motorsports), see images of the car on the #9 team paint schemes page.(9-22-2015)

Top 10 Driver Ratings at New Hampshire:
#24-Jeff Gordon....................106.7
#14-Tony Stewart....................104.7
#11-Denny Hamlin....................102.4
#48-Jimmie Johnson....................100.9
#2-Brad Keselowski....................98.7
#88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr....................97.5
#18-Kyle Busch....................96.7
#4-Kevin Harvick....................94.6
#15-Clint Bowyer....................92.6
#31-Ryan Newman....................91.5
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (21 total) among active drivers at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Formula combining the following categories: Win, Finish, Top-15 Finish, Average Running Position while on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.
See an explanation how the Driver Rating is calculated at NASCAR.com.(NASCAR)(9-22-2015)

Martinsville Speedway Ticket Office open on Saturdays: In an effort to give fans even more flexibility when it comes purchasing tickets for the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500, the Martinsville Speedway ticket office is open on weekends. With race day just six weeks away, the Martinsville Speedway ticket office is open on Saturdays to give fans the opportunity to drop by the track and pick out their seats for the November 1 race. The speedway ticket office is open from 9:00am-3:00pm on Saturdays and will also be open on Sunday, October 25, from 12:00-4:00pm. Fans can also stop by the track Monday through Friday between 9:00am-5:00pm. Fans have many great deals to choose from for the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500. Ticket prices increase the week of the race. In addition to buying tickets at the track, tickets to the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 on November 1, the Kroger 200 on October 31 and the Virginia Lottery Pole Day on October 30 can be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX or purchased online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.(Martinsville Speedway)(9-22-2015)

Kentucky expects same date on next year's schedule: If there are major shakeups to next year's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, a shift in date for the Kentucky Speedway won't likely be among them. Officials at the Sparta, Ky., track anticipate the Quaker State 400 again running in 2016 on the second Saturday night in July, one week after NASCAR's stop at Daytona. "We are expecting to be on the same weekend next year," Kentucky Speedway's general manager, Mark Simendinger, said Monday. "I'd be very surprised if we aren't. Nothing's official until it's official, but that's what we're all planning on." NASCAR has taken longer this year to release the upcoming slate. By the end of August 2014, the 2015 schedule was out.(Louisville Courier-Journal)(9-22-2015)

Preece to attempt New Hampshire Cup race with Baldwin UPDATE: Ryan Preece hopes to make his Sprint Cup debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with Tommy Baldwin Racing on September 27. Preece has three XFINITY Series starts with TBR including two at NHMS. The 24-year-old Kensington, Conn.-native posted a career-high 14th at Loudon in his second start. Preece, who won the title in NASCAR's Whelen Modified Tour in 2013, is the current points leader of the series. He's scored three wins this season - including last night at Stafford Speedway - five top fives and nine top-10 finishes in 117 starts. Preece has also campaigned on the Whelen Southern Modified this season where in four starts he's earned three poles - including at South Boston Speedway where he went on to win in April. The former NASCAR Next driver will have TBR teammate #7-Alex Bowman to lean on at Loudon next month.(Motorsport)
AND "I was talking to Tommy on Friday morning and I told him 'You've got to put me in a Cup car at New Hampshire if I win at Stafford.'" Preece told RaceDayCT. "This morning I got a text message that he made a deal to make it happen." Preece said Baldwin purchased the #98 points spot from team owner Jay Robinson, which will give him a guaranteed starting spot in the event.(RaceDayCT)(8-9-2015)
UPDATE: Northeast standout Ryan Preece will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut this week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Preece will drive the #98 Chevy with support from Mohawk Northeast, East West Marine, NAPA Auto Parts: Canton Auto Supply, Mizzy Construction, Logan Steel and Dunleavy Truck and Trailer Repair. Preece's car was designed to honor his grandfather, legendary car owner Bob Judkins, who sported the familiar red and white 2x Modified. "It's very special to have a car that looks like my grandfather's car," Preece said. "I was lucky enough to drive for him a few times and win with him." Preece, who won the championship in NASCAR's Whelen Modified Tour in 2013, is the current points leader of the series. He has scored four wins this season and has accumulated six top-fives and 12 top-10 finishes in 12 races.(Tommy Baldwin Racing), see an image of the car on the #98 team paint schemes page.(9-21-2015)

Entry List for the Sylvania 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is posted, 44 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: #30-Wise, #32-Jeffrey Earnhardt, #33-TBA, #62-Hill, #98-Ryan Preece.
Drivers who need to be in the top-36 in speed and have no provisional available to them (lowest in owners points): #30-Wise (49th in points)
Drivers who would miss the race if qualifying is canceled (least race attempts): #30-Wise (12 attempts)
See the full entry list at Jayski.com's New Hampshire Entry List

Harvick shoves Johnson after race UPDATE: The intensity from NASCAR's elimination-style Chase for the Sprint Cup playoffs ramped up earlier than ever this year. Defending series champion #4-Kevin Harvick shoved six-time champion #48-Jimmie Johnson to express his frustration about a midrace clash during the MyAFibRisk.com 400, the first race of the 2015 Chase. Harvick cut a tire and crashed into the Turn 3 wall at Chicagoland Speedway a few laps later on the way to a 42nd-place finish. Johnson went to Harvick's motorhome to discuss the incident after the race. He was standing outside with Josh Jones, the business development director of Harvick's company, when the driver of the #4 driver emerged from his bus. Within a few seconds, Harvick shoved Johnson in the chest with a closed fist and, separated by Jones, began jawing at his rival. Jones restrained Harvick until Harvick's wife DeLana intervened and the two of them coaxed him into a waiting Chevy Suburban.
The come-together in question happened just after a restart on the 135th lap of of the 267-lap race. Joey Logano's Team Penske Ford bumped Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet as they were getting up to speed, sending the #48 car low on the the apron of the track. Johnson's #48 pulled alongside Harvick and the two Chevys made side-to-side contact when Johnson attempted to move back onto the racing surface. Harvick's car developed a left-rear tire rub, and four laps later, the tire let go and the #4 car backed heavily into the Turn 3 wall. After extensive repairs by Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick rejoined the race 57 laps down, warning over his radio: "Let me know when that 48's near me on the track." Logano steered clear of the controversy after finishing in sixth place. "I ain't getting in the middle of it," he said with a smile. "I don't want no part of that!"(ESPN.com)(9-21-2015)
UPDATE: A NASCAR official said Monday on "The Morning Drive" that "there won't be any penalties " to Kevin Harvick for striking Jimmie Johnson in the motorhome lot after Sunday's race at Chicagoland Speedway. Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, made the comment on his weekly SiriusXM NASCAR Radio visit. "That is emotion coming out when the stakes are really high in the Chase," O'Donnell said. "We've got a reigning champion who finds himself in a tough spot ... really needing to win (to advance), so you understand the frustration. You don't like to see what happened, but from our standpoint that's just pure emotion when the stakes are high and knowing how important it is to go out and win a championship."(NBC Sports)(9-21-2015)

NASCAR says Gordon's restart was "close" but legal: NASCAR admits that Jeff Gordon's restart on Lap 144 was "close" to being illegal, but officials ruled that his pass of leader Kyle Busch was good. "It was close and all of our resources, especially our new resources ... that helped us make our decision," said Richard Buck, managing director for the Sprint Cup Series, after Sunday's race at Chicagoland Speedway. "That official is looking and listening for when they fire," Buck told reporters, referring to when the cars accelerate. "It gives us another perspective. He calls up to the tower and will give his input. We start to pull together all of the other resources from the video we have available to us. That's when we come over the radio and say, if this is the case, the restart is under review. That allows us to pull the information in and make the decision." Series officials reviewed Gordon's restart and a decision came about 10 laps later. Asked about the timeframe for announcing the decision, Buck said: "The most important thing for us is to get it right and be consistent. We'll take whatever measures necessary to make sure we get it right."(NBC Sports)(9-21-2015)

Chevy will continue to run the SS: Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports for Chevy, was asked Sunday about the future of the Chevy SS in Sprint Cup competition with the company's Australian manufacturing facilities shutting down the next couple years.
Campbell: The specifics on that, in our industry, anything on the forward product portfolio, we don't talk about in too much detail until it's the right time. Right now the SS is play in the showroom and on the racetrack obviously. We're fuel injected, V8, rear wheel drive in the showroom. Same here at the track. We love that relevance, that connection. We really think it's genuine, authentic. It's kind of how it used to be, if you will. . . For Chevy, our SS will be our play here for the near future. If we make a change in the showroom that necessitates a change for the track, we'll certainly go through that process again with NASCAR and our counterparts.(NASCAR)(9-21-2015)

Chicago Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2015 Federated Auto Parts: For those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, here is the breakdown for Saturday's race. Began recording the times at the Invocation of the race at 3:00 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 6:10 PM (all times are EDT). Did not keep records for the pre- and post-race coverage. NBCSN was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 110
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 60
Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 84
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 52
Number of 'Side-by-Side' commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 26
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 24
Number of times NBCSN utilized 'Side-by-Side' commercials during this broadcast: 4
Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 4 min. 15 sec.
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 1:00 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 6:10 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 190
Minutes of race broadcast: 148
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 42
Minutes of 'Side-by-Side' commercials (split-screen): 9
Number of missed restarts: 0
Number of 'mystery cautions' (debris not shown): 1
Total race brdcst time 148 Total comm. brdcst time 42
See full reports, sponsor links, many more details at CawsnJaws.com.(9-21-2015)

2015 Top-5's, Top-10's:
#4-Harvick leads all drivers in 2015 with 18 top-fives followed by #22-Logano with 16.
#4-Harvick leads all drivers in 2015 with 22 top-Ten finishes. #22-Logano is next with 21.
Four drivers have ran all the races in 2015 and do not have a top-10 finish: #38-Gilliland, #35-Whitt, #46-Annett, #40-Cassill.(9-21-2015)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Laps Led Leaders:
(after Chicago, 27 of 36 races)
1. #4-Kevin Harvick, 1,460
2. #22-Joey Logano, 863
3. #41-Kurt Busch, 765 (24 races)
4. #18-Kyle Busch, 659 (16 races)
5. #20-Matt Kenseth, 646
6. #2-Brad Keselowski, 607
7. #78-Martin Truex Jr., 536
8. #11-Denny Hamlin, 500
9. #48-Jimmie Johnson, 467
10. #19-Carl Edwards, 342
7,606 total laps run.(9-21-2015)

Busch's car too low after Chicago race UPDATE: #54-Kyle Busch's winning car in Saturday's Furious 7 300 Xfinity Series race was found to be too low in post-race inspection. A NASCAR official said the car was low in all four corners. The car was taken back to the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., for further inspection. There is the possibility there could be penalties assessed this coming week, unless further inspection finds something broke in Busch's car, the official added.(NBC Sports)(9-19-2015)
UPDATE: Kyle Busch's winning Xfinity car, found to be too low in all four corners after Saturday's race, had a broken part, according to NASCAR. Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, made the comment Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's "The Morning Drive." Asked if Busch's car failing inspection could lead to penalties this week, O'Donnell said: "There was a broken part on the race car, so that's something that we'll look at as we take the car back to the R&D Center and evaluate where we go from postrace. That process is still ongoing and we'll announce something Tuesday if there's anything to it."(NBC Sports)(9-21-2015)

XFINITY Entry List: There are 41 cars on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway. A few notes:
Michael Self is in the #01 for JD Motorsports;
The #15 is TBA;
Matt Tifft will drive the #20 for Joe Gibbs Racing;
Ryan Blaney remains in the Penske #22;
Dylan Lupton returns to the #25;
TJ Bell will be in the #26;
Brandon Jones returns to the RCR #33;
Erik Jones will drive the #54 for JGR;
Ben Rhodes is in the #88 for JR Motorsports;
Ryan Truex will make his second start in the #98.(9-21-2015)
See the complete list on the Kentucky Speedway entry list page.

Entry list: There are 31 trucks on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. A few notes:
Dalton Sargeant in the #5;
Austin Dillon in the #33;
Josh Reaume in the #44;
Kyle Busch in the #51;
Gray Gaulding in the #54;
Akinori Ogata in the #63;
Brandon Brown in the #86;
TJ Bell in the #94;
(9-21-2015)
See the complete list on the New Hampshire Motor Speedway entry list page.

Hemric to run throwback scheme to honor Carelli: In conjunction with NTS Motorsports, California Clean Power is pleased to announce that the #14 Chevy Silverado driven by Daniel Hemric will sport a special throwback paint scheme for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series' 500th race on September 26th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. As a tribute to all those who contributed to the success of the NCWTS over the past twenty years and Rick Carelli, his spotter and NTS Motorsports General Manager, Hemric's #14 will carry the design and colors of the iconic Chevy Silverado that Carelli drove in the inaugural truck race at Phoenix International Raceway on February 4, 1995. Carelli, a time-honored fixture in the NASCAR garage known as "The High Plains Drifter," has been an integral part of the Truck Series since its inception, when it was called the NASCAR Super Truck Series. Long time fans of the sport and the Truck Series will instantly recognize the red, blue, white and orange colors of Carelli's Chevy. He was a regular in the Truck Series from 1995 until 2002, competing in 134 races, scoring four wins and 22 top fives.(See an image of the truck on the #14 Team Paint Schemes Page)(NTS Motorsports)(9-21-2015)

Hamlin wins at Chicago: #11-Denny Hamlin won the myAFibRisk.com 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway for his 2nd win of the season, 1st win at Chicago and 26th career win. After starting 29th, the lowest of any Chase competitor, Hamlin spun on lap 2, and lost a lap, and restarted the race in 43rd. He eventually got his lap back and worked his way through the field. The team stayed on track during the final caution and he took the lead with 4 laps to go. He led just 9 of the 267 laps.
With the win, Hamlin automatically advances to the next round of the Chase.
#19-Edwards finished 2nd followed by #41-Busch, #31-Newman, #20-Kenseth, #22-Logano, #42-Larson, #2-Keselowski, #18-Busch, and #43-Almirola.
Polesitter #4-Harvick finished 42nd. He cut a tire down and spun into the wall after contact with #48 Johnson on a restart midway though the race. He had to go to the garage for repairs for more than 50 laps.
#20-Kenseth now leads the Chase points standings, 2 points over Hamlin.
There were 17 lead changes among 10 drivers. There were 6 cautions for 28 yellow flag laps.
The average speed was 140.117mph.
See unofficial race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Unofficial Race Results page (pdf) and check out the Penalty Report (pdf) and Lap Summary Report (pdf).
See OFFICIAL race results & points standings on the Official Race & Points Report (pdf).(9-20-2015)

Where did the 2015 Sprint Cup Chase Drivers finish at Chicago?
[by points standings before the race (start pos)]
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 11th (11)
2) #18-Kyle Busch, 9th (7)
3) #20-Matt Kenseth, 5th (12)
4) #22-Joey Logano, 6th (2)
5) #4-Kevin Harvick, 42nd (1)
6) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 12th (19)
7) #41-Kurt Busch, 3rd (9)
8) #19-Carl Edwards, 2nd (14)
9) #2-Brad Keselowski, 8th (3)
10) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 13th (4)
11) #11-Denny Hamlin, WON (29)
12) #1-Jamie McMurray, 16th (13)
13) #24-Jeff Gordon, 14th (10)
14) #31-Ryan Newman, 4th (6)
15) #27-Paul Menard, 17th (27)
16) #15-Clint Bowyer, 19th (26)
(9-20-2015)

Race Fast Facts - Chicago:
Denny Hamlin won the 15th Annual myAFibRisk.com 400, his 26th victory in 353 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
With the victory, Hamlin advances to the Contender Round.
With the win, Hamlin ties NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen for 27th on the all-time series wins list.
This is his second victory and 14th top-10 finish in 2015.
This is his first victory and fourth top-10 finish in ten races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Carl Edwards (second) posted his fourth top-10 finish in 11 races at Chicagoland Speedway. It is his 10th top-10 finish in 2015.
Kurt Busch (third) posted his ninth top-10 finish in 15 races at Chicagoland Speedway.
(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(9-20-2015)

2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase Standings:
[after Chicago, race 27 of 36]
1) #20-Matt Kenseth[4 wins], 2052, +24 ahead of 13th
2) #11-Denny Hamlin[2 wins], 2050, +22 Will advance to Contender round
3) #19-Carl Edwards[2 wins], 2049, +21
4) #18-Kyle Busch[4 wins], 2049, +21
5) #41-Kurt Busch[2 wins], 2048, +20
6) #22-Joey Logano [3 wins], 2048, +20
7) #48-Jimmie Johnson[4 wins], 2045, +17
8) #31-Ryan Newman, 2040, +12
9) #2-Brad Keselowski[1 win], 2039, +11
10) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.[2 wins], 2038,X +10
11) #78-Martin Truex Jr.[1 win], 2035, +7
12) #24-Jeff Gordon, 2031, +3 ahead of 13th
Bottom 4 drivers will be eliminated from the Chase after Dover:
13) #1-Jamie McMurray, 2028, 3 points out of 12th
14) #27-Paul Menard, 2027, -4
15) #15-Clint Bowyer, 2025, -6
16) #4-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 2009, -22
See UNOFFICIAL drivers championship points standings on the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings (pdf).
See the UNOFFICIAL owner points standings on the Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf).
See OFFICIAL race results & points standings on the Official Race & Points Report (pdf).(9-20-2014)

2015 Sprint Cup Driver Points Standings (not the Chase):
[after Chicago, race 27 of 36]
1) #22-Joey Logano (X), 987
2) #4-Kevin Harvick (X), 981, -6
3) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. (X), 926, -61
4) #2-Brad Keselowski (X), 909, -78
5) #48-Jimmie Johnson (X), 886, -101
6) #20-Matt Kenseth (X), 864, -123
7) #78-Martin Truex Jr. (X), 850, -137
8) #11-Denny Hamlin (X), 840, -147
9) #41-Kurt Busch (X), 823, -164
10) #19-Carl Edwards (X), 789, -198
(X) = in the Chase.
See UNOFFICIAL drivers championship points standings on the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings (pdf).
See the UNOFFICIAL owner points standings on the Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf).
See OFFICIAL race results & points standings on the Official Race & Points Report (pdf).(9-20-2014)

Chicago Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points:
#34-Brett Moffitt, finished 31st, 11 rookie points
#23-Jeb Burton, finished 38th, 10 rookie points
#83-Matt DiBenedetto, finished 39th, 9 rookie points
#33-Alex Kennedy, not entered, Brian Scott in the car
See the 2015 Rookie of the Year page for rules, standings and more.(9-20-2015)

NASCAR to meet with teams at New Hampshire about 2016 rules package: NASCAR will hold a meeting with drivers, crew chiefs, manufacturers and Goodyear next Friday in New Hampshire to help chart the course for the 2016 Sprint Cup rules package. "I think (the rules will) be finalized," Goodyear general manager of worldwide racing Stu Grant told NASCAR Talk in a Saturday interview at Chicagoland Speedway. "It should be a good session to say here's where we are going to make sure we're on the same page." After receiving rave reviews at Kentucky Speedway and Darlington Raceway, it's expected the low-downforce package assuredly will be implemented next season at 1.5-mile superspeedways (which comprise the bulk of the schedule with 13 of 36 races). Grant expects much of Friday's discussion to focus on whether the low-downforce package also would be used at short tracks (Richmond International Raceway, Martinsville Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway) and the bigger ovals (Michigan International Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway). The low downforce package is intended to reduce the emphasis on aerodynamics, theoretically enhancing drivers' ability to pass because their cars aren't as glued to the asphalt. Aerodynamics typically play less of a role on short tracks, but there was chatter last Saturday after a mostly lackluster regular season finale at Richmond International Raceway that low downforce would work on the 0.75-mile oval.
Grant said Goodyear is a "big fan" of using low downforce more frequently. "It brings tires into play and takes aero away," he said. "We were really happy with the results we had (at Kansas). We're big fans of taking the air away. The stress on the tire and loads run for years has been tough at these fast tracks. Take some of the load off the tire, and it gives us more freedom to design. I like that." Goodyear will begin production on its NASCAR tires by the end of October for next season's Daytona 500 (though that race wouldn't feature low downforce). It has scheduled further 2016 testing within the next month at Phoenix International Raceway and Atlanta Motor Speedway and also will test at Homestead-Miami Speedway in December and Las Vegas Motor Speedway in January.(NBC Sports)(9-20-2015)

Drivers still want NASCAR to enforce restarts UPDATES: On Thursday, at least nine of 16 playoff drivers asked about restarts during Chase media day in downtown Chicago expressed no satisfaction with the current situation.
--"I'm not comfortable one bit with how they're officiating it," Kyle Busch said. "I think they need to step in. I think it's gone too long."
--"You've got to call it," Jeff Gordon said. "If somebody deliberately jumps, you've got to call it. And it's got to be a black and white decision."
--"... All you've got to do is call somebody on 'em once and that'll fix the problem," Clint Bowyer said.
--"Most of the time when someone jumps a start, Ray Charles can see it," Logano said. "It is usually blatant."
The suggestions Thursday went beyond enforcing the existing rule. Gordon and Hamlin said the restart zone was too small at every track. Some drivers said NASCAR should use technology to help with officiating the restarts - as the sanctioning body does with pit road penalties and its inspection process. Others said consistency either way was all that would be needed. Any of those would be better than the status quo, in which drivers aren't exactly sure where the line is and NASCAR prefers the competitors figure it out. "It's very grey," defending champion Kevin Harvick said. "I don't think any of us really know for sure how far you can push it, but you have to push it because you can. How far is too far? I don't think anybody really knows."
It could become a game of inches if NASCAR starts calling penalties for starting before the zone begins. So in the place of a crackdown, officials have continuously warned drivers to restart properly - or else. But the "or else" part never comes. In a statement to USA TODAY Sports on Thursday, NASCAR executive vice president Steve O'Donnell reiterated officials would "like to continue to let it play out on the track." "With that said, we understand that the stakes are very high and drivers are looking for any possible advantage they can find," he said. "We will continue to monitor every restart using the technology available to us to ensure competitive and fair racing. Simply put, we are prepared to make a call if we need to."(USA Today)(9-18-2015)
UPDATE: The debate regarding restarts rages on and NASCAR plans to address the issue prior to Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland. NASCAR officials will take some time during Sunday's pre-race drivers meeting at Chicagoland Speedway to reinforce their position on how race restarts are officiated, particularly as the Chase for the Sprint Cup gets underway. "We probably have to reemphasize our position on restarts and the fact that we've left that up to the drivers," NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio in an interview Thursday from ChaseFest in downtown Chicago. "In the meantime, there is a right and wrong way to do it and it's hard sometimes for us to figure out that line. It's a subjective part of the sport that's still left - highly visible, highly debated." Helton said NASCAR officials at their research and development center in Concord, N.C., are trying to figure out how to incorporate technology and take more of the subjectivity of the call out of the decisions. "Until we get there though with something the industry will all buy in on as the step to take, it's up to us. We've got to be quick in our decisions and we've got to make them," he said. "More often than not, I stand behind the calls we make. I think we try to do our best. Restarts is something that comes with a lot of debate particularly if you have one like we did at Richmond."(Motorsport)(9-19-2015)
UPDATE 2: Responding to numerous recent controversies over the policing of restarts, NASCAR on Saturday decided to marshal a dedicated camera and official to monitor the crucial area where cars resume green-flag racing. The change is effective immediately and applies to all three of NASCAR's national touring series. A late restart at the final regular-season Sprint Cup race at Richmond International Raceway - in which several, including team owner Roger Penske, decried Matt Kenseth allegedly leaving early - heightened concerns over sequences that have become significant when passing is increasingly difficult. According to NASCAR, a new camera feed will be centered on the entire restart zone, allowing a designated official to police not only when leaders accelerate but if cars deeper in the field lag back to gain an advantage. Possible penalties would be determined real-time and assessed before the conclusion of the race. The changes were described simply as a reallocation of resources by Xfinity Series director Wayne Auton. The new camera will come from a repositioning of a camera previously used to monitor pit road.(USA Today)(9-20-2015)

After review of accident, Daytona will not change fencing: There have been no changes to the fencing at Daytona International Speedway following the last-lap crash in July that sent Austin Dillon's car into the barrier. Five fans were injured from debris from the accident, and it marked the third crash in three years in which spectators were hurt after last-lap airborne crashes. Daytona track president Joie Chitwood said Saturday the section of fencing ripped away in Dillon's crash has been repaired, but an analysis of the accident showed the fence did its job. "It did what it's supposed to, so we went quickly to repairing it so that we're ready for racing," Chitwood said at Chicagoland Speedway, where he announced Can-Am will sponsor the Daytona 500 qualifying races in February. Daytona rebuilt its catchfences in 2009. Two years ago, after a crash in which Kyle Larson's car sailed into the fence and debris injured more than two dozen fans, the designs of the crossover gates were altered. Since then, fans have been moved back roughly 15 feet as part of Daytona's ongoing $400 million redesign. The project included the removal of the first few rows of grandstands and the construction of a fence that prevents spectators from walking along the "rim road" that circles the track.(Associated Press)(9-20-2015)

Gordon says teams learn by spying on one another: Is subterfuge the secret to catching the Joe Gibbs Racing juggernaut during the Chase for the Sprint Cup? Jeff Gordon said Hendrick Motorsports has kept a close eye on the competition to set the benchmark for improving in the 10-race playoffs. "We know what we're lacking," he said Thursday during Chase Media Day. "You know what you've got to do to make your car better. How you do it is another challenge, and you learn from your competitors. We have spies everywhere. We constantly are looking at our competitors. "We feel like, right now, we're bringing the absolute best car we've had all year to (Chicago), and we'll do that for nine more weeks after that."
Teammate Jimmie Johnson joked, "I didn't know we had spies. I hope they found something cool!" when asked whether Hendrick had conducted successful reconnaissance on the competition, but he conceded the tight confines of the garage help in confirming the benchmark. "When we park next to each other, everyone is looking at each other's cars, and you can see things," Johnson said. "The photos we receive during practice, you can see the attitude of the car, and how low it is, and speculate on springs and stuff going on, but it takes so many small details to separate yourself and find an advantage. "I know our guys are digging deep, and I'm not sure if it's been the spying aspect, but I know our engine shop is bringing more and more every week. They're highly motivated. Our engineering staff is all hands on deck. (Team owner) Rick (Hendrick) has made it clear we're going to get better and finish the Chase stronger than we started. Hopefully it's with a championship."(NBC Sports)(9-20-2015)

Chicagoland Speedway Race Notes & Facts - Sunday:
· There have been 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicagoland Speedway, one race per season since the first event in 2001.
· Joe Gibbs Racing has the most wins at Chicago in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with four: Tony Stewart (two), Kyle Busch (one) and Matt Kenseth (one). Team Penske has the second most wins with three; followed by Richard Childress Racing and Hendrick Motorsports with two each.
· Three different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Chicago. Chevrolet leads the series in wins at Chicago with eight victories; followed by Toyota with three, Dodge with two and Ford has one.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Chicagoland Speedway was the July 12, 2008 race won by Kevin Harvick over Jimmie Johnson with a MOV of 0.159 second.
· Nine out of the 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicagoland Speedway have had a Margin of Victory less than a second.
· Only one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race has resulted with a green-white-checkered finish at Chicagoland Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): 7/9/2006 (267/270).
· None of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicagoland Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions.
(NASCAR)(9-20-2015)

Pick the president and get 50 percent off 2017 tickets at Las Vegas: Every election season, political prognosticators pour over a plethora of polls to pick the president. Now it's the fans' turn. And they've got until Nov. 8 this year to take advantage of their perfect predictions. Fans who participate in Las Vegas Motor Speedway's "Presidential Premonition Promotion" stand to save 50 percent off the price of 2017 NASCAR Weekend tickets at LVMS. Here's how it works: Any race fan who purchases 2016 NASCAR Weekend tickets by Nov. 8 simply lets the speedway know which candidate he or she believes will win the United States presidency in November, 2016. Any fan who correctly picks the winner will be eligible to purchase 2017 Weekend Packages at 50 percent of the 2017 list price. There is a limit of four tickets per winning account. This promotion applies to anyone who (a) already has purchased 2016 NASCAR Weekend Packages, or (b) anyone who purchases Weekend Packages between now and Nov. 8, 2015 - one year prior to the presidential election. In all cases, fans need simply to have purchased their tickets and to email LVMS with their prediction of the name of the next president. The special email address for the promotion is presidentialpromotion@lvms.com. Fans must include their LVMS ticket-account number when sending the email and can enter only once.(LVMS)(9-20-2015)

Final practice for the myAFibRisk.com 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway is over after 50 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#78-Truex, Jr. 184.849
#2-Keselowski 183.986
#20-Kenseth 183.949
#19-Edwards 193.799
#42-Larson 183.723
slowest: #35-Whitt 175.896 & #98-Sorenson 173.572.
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10 consecutive lap Ave on the Chicago Practice 3 Speeds (pdf).(9-19-2015)

First Saturday practice for the myAFibRisk.com 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway is over after 55 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#78-Truex, Jr. 183.312
#11-Hamlin 182.389
#24-Gordon 181.830
#3-Dillon 181.616
#2-Keselowski 181.580
slowest: #98-Sorenson 174.295 & #62-Hill 174.210.
Notes: Final practice is scheduled for 4:30pm/et this afternoon and will be on NBCSN.
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10 consecutive lap Ave on the Chicago Practice 2 Speeds (pdf).(9-19-2015)

Jeffrey Earnhardt, Bobby Labonte in #32 next season with sponsorship from Can-Am: Can-Am, a member of the BRP family and the leader in ATV & Side By Side Vehicles will join Go FAS Racing and Jeffrey Earnhardt in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with the 2016 season. The 26-year-old Mooresville, NC native signed a multi-year deal with GFR and will be competing for the coveted NSCS Sunoco Rookie Of The Year award. The new multi year relationship between GFR and Earnhardt will feature Can-Am, which is headquartered in Valcourt, Canada, as a primary sponsor of the #32 Ford Fusion for eleven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events and as an associate-level partner in all other 2016 events. "I'm really excited to join GFR," said Jeffrey Earnhardt. "I'm thrilled to have Can-Am on board as our partner for 2016. I'm an avid outdoorsman and their products are the gold standard for outdoor sports, so it's a perfect fit. With Can-Am supporting our team we're certain to increase our competitiveness throughout the 2016 season." With Can-Am ATVs, side-by-side vehicles and Spyder roadsters, BRP is carrying on a long tradition of conquests. More than 30 years ago, the world discovered the Can-Am brand through revolutionary motocross bikes and its legend and winning spirit live on - with passion and exhilaration. "We are all really excited about this new partnership with Can-Am and Jeffrey Earnhardt for 2016", said GFR owner Archie St.Hilaire. "This deal will improve our program and make us much more competitive in the upcoming season while giving Jeffrey all the tools he needs to succeed at this level. 2016 can't come soon enough for myself and everyone at GFR." Starting at the 2016 NASCAR Speedweeks at Daytona international Speedway, Go Green Racing will start competing under the GoFAS banner with the #32 Ford Fusion.(GoFAS Racing)
AND Bobby Labonte, the 2000 NASCAR Cup champion, will pilot the car in the four restrictor plate tracks including the season opening Daytona 500, the Coke Zero 400 and the two Talladega Superspeedway races. Can-Am will be an associate sponsor of the #32 Ford Fusion two of these events. In addition to supporting the Sprint Cup effort, the Can-Am livery will run on Alex Labbe's car for the full 2016 season in the Canadian Tire Series. The partnership also includes four clothing collections from Kappa - one featuring the GoFAS Racing Team Collection - along with the CGX2 camera by Cyclops Gear which will share in the sponsorship and be distributed through BRP's North American dealer network.(Motorsport)(9-19-2015)

Furniture Row Racing close to deal with Toyota: Furniture Row Racing is nearing a deal that would see the single-car Sprint Cup team sign a multi-year deal to run Toyotas beginning in 2016. Final details are still being negotiated, but officials with both Furniture Row and Toyota say the deal is close to completion. Furniture Row switching from Chevy to Toyota would include the formation of a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing to replace Furniture Row's existing alliance with Richard Childress, which supplies the team with cars and chassis. "There are a lot of components to such a move and it's not finished, but we're trying to work through it and make a relationship with Toyota happen," Furniture Row general manager Joe Garone told SB Nation Friday at Chicagoland Speedway. "Everyone wants to make it happen and we're getting close."
"I've made no secret of the fact that I've been talking with (Furniture Row) and have great respect for everyone associated with that team," Toyota Racing Development president David Wilson told SB Nation. "I would love to have them in the Toyota camp. But it's not a done deal and we're working on it. Hopefully we'll have something to announce in the next couple of weeks." Toyota is looking to add depth to a roster that will lose Michael Waltrip Racing, its only other supported team, when the two-car organization folds at the conclusion of the season. By shifting to Toyota, Furniture Row would become the carmaker's #2 outfit. At Chevy, the Denver-based team slotted behind Hendrick Motorsports, Stewart-Haas Racing and RCR.(SB Nation)(9-19-2015)

Drivers still want NASCAR to enforce restarts UPDATE: On Thursday, at least nine of 16 playoff drivers asked about restarts during Chase media day in downtown Chicago expressed no satisfaction with the current situation.
--"I'm not comfortable one bit with how they're officiating it," Kyle Busch said. "I think they need to step in. I think it's gone too long."
--"You've got to call it," Jeff Gordon said. "If somebody deliberately jumps, you've got to call it. And it's got to be a black and white decision."
--"... All you've got to do is call somebody on 'em once and that'll fix the problem," Clint Bowyer said.
--"Most of the time when someone jumps a start, Ray Charles can see it," Logano said. "It is usually blatant."
The suggestions Thursday went beyond enforcing the existing rule. Gordon and Hamlin said the restart zone was too small at every track. Some drivers said NASCAR should use technology to help with officiating the restarts - as the sanctioning body does with pit road penalties and its inspection process. Others said consistency either way was all that would be needed. Any of those would be better than the status quo, in which drivers aren't exactly sure where the line is and NASCAR prefers the competitors figure it out. "It's very grey," defending champion Kevin Harvick said. "I don't think any of us really know for sure how far you can push it, but you have to push it because you can. How far is too far? I don't think anybody really knows."
It could become a game of inches if NASCAR starts calling penalties for starting before the zone begins. So in the place of a crackdown, officials have continuously warned drivers to restart properly - or else. But the "or else" part never comes. In a statement to USA TODAY Sports on Thursday, NASCAR executive vice president Steve O'Donnell reiterated officials would "like to continue to let it play out on the track." "With that said, we understand that the stakes are very high and drivers are looking for any possible advantage they can find," he said. "We will continue to monitor every restart using the technology available to us to ensure competitive and fair racing. Simply put, we are prepared to make a call if we need to."(USA Today)(9-18-2015)
UPDATE: The debate regarding restarts rages on and NASCAR plans to address the issue prior to Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland. NASCAR officials will take some time during Sunday's pre-race drivers meeting at Chicagoland Speedway to reinforce their position on how race restarts are officiated, particularly as the Chase for the Sprint Cup gets underway. "We probably have to reemphasize our position on restarts and the fact that we've left that up to the drivers," NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio in an interview Thursday from ChaseFest in downtown Chicago. "In the meantime, there is a right and wrong way to do it and it's hard sometimes for us to figure out that line. It's a subjective part of the sport that's still left - highly visible, highly debated." Helton said NASCAR officials at their research and development center in Concord, N.C., are trying to figure out how to incorporate technology and take more of the subjectivity of the call out of the decisions. "Until we get there though with something the industry will all buy in on as the step to take, it's up to us. We've got to be quick in our decisions and we've got to make them," he said. "More often than not, I stand behind the calls we make. I think we try to do our best. Restarts is something that comes with a lot of debate particularly if you have one like we did at Richmond."(Motorsport)(9-19-2015)

Kevin Ward, Jr.'s parents disput toxicology report: In response to an allegation that Kevin Ward Jr. was responsible for his own death when he was struck and killed by a car driven by Tony Stewart, Ward's parents insisted in a court filing Friday that the three-time Sprint Cup champion was to blame. In the filing Friday, the Ward family cited Stewart's history of aggression on the racetrack to support their claim that Stewart drove in a reckless manner while the other drivers in the race were able to avoid their son. "[Ward] was killed as a result of the malicious, reckless, intentional, and grossly negligent conduct of Defendant Stewart, who has a well-documented and rampant history of engaging in uncontrolled, vindictive and temperamental behavior on the race track, including, but not limited to, purposely and vengefully crashing into other race cars," the Ward parents' filing states. The Wards also responded to the allegation that their son had used marijuana within five hours of the race. "[The Wards] admit that a toxicology report exists that allegedly found Kevin A. Ward Jr. to have smoked marijuana within at least five hours of participating in the August 9, 2014 race," the filing states. "However, [the Wards] deny the validity, accuracy, and admissibility of said report." There is no trial date set in the case, currently in federal court in Utica, New York, which covers the Ward family's hometown of Port Leyden. Stewart has requested, and the family will not contest, that the case be moved to federal court in Rochester, New York, but a judge still must approve the move. In addition to denying any responsibility for Ward's death, Stewart seeks to have the lawsuit dismissed based on waivers Ward and his father, as car owner, signed indemnifying other participants of responsibility for injury. Ward's parents, in the filing Friday, contend that those waivers do not cover responsibility for malicious, intentional, reckless and grossly negligent acts.(ESPN.com)(9-19-2015)

Pit crew change for Keselowski: The #2 Team Penske squad recruited Kyle Power for the rear changer position for former Cup champion Brad Keselowski. The Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canadian replaced Dwayne Ogles on Tuesday and has practiced with the team "all week". Power's sports background began as "technical snow skier". He started in racing as a volunteer. The self-taught mechanic worked his way into a rear tire changer spot with Joe Gibbs Racing. After three years at JGR, Power joined Roush Fenway Racing where he worked on Greg Biffle's pit crew for four seasons. He joined Greg Erwin (who has subsequently moved to Team Penske) at Richard Petty Motorsports and crewed with both teams inevitably joining #43-Aric Almirola's squad last year in the Chase. Colin Fambrough will move into Power's position on the #43 RPM squad. Fambrough was originally with the #9 RPM team. Chris Schuman is Sam Hornish Jr.'s new rear changer.(Motorsport)(9-19-2015)

Martin Truex Jr. Foundation announces new mission: Responding to a yearlong journey that has sharpened their perspective on the devastating impact of ovarian and childhood cancers, NASCAR Driver Martin Truex Jr. and longtime girlfriend Sherry Pollex announced the foundation's new mission to raise awareness of and funding for childhood and ovarian cancer initiatives. September is the national awareness month for both childhood and ovarian cancers. The foundation today also unveiled its logo symbolizing the combined focus and a goal to raise $500,000 to support research of childhood and ovarian cancers during this important month and continuing through The Chase. Already, a donor has pledged to match the first $100,000 in donations. Truex Jr. launched his foundation in 2007 to help children. Over the years, Truex Jr. and Pollex have become more passionate about helping children with cancer. Then Pollex was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer in August 2014. The next year catapulted Truex Jr. and Pollex into the trenches with others fighting for their lives, spurring them to adopt a "Never Give Up" attitude and a renewed focus to fight for the critically underfunded cancers specific to childhood and ovarian cancers. The MTJ Foundation urges donors to visit online, knowing that as part of that first $100,000, each donation is matched 100 percent. To symbolize the foundation's new mission, Switch, based in St. Louis, Missouri, created a logo that ties together both the teal color representing ovarian cancer with the gold representing childhood cancer in a ribbon reminiscent of a racetrack, as a nod to Truex Jr.'s racing roots.(MTJF)(9-18-2015)

Chicagoland Speedway Driver Notes & Facts - Saturday:
· 114 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway; 86 in more than one.
· Six drivers have competed in all 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Chicagoland Speedway; five of which are Chase Contenders: Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick and Joe Nemechek.
· Two active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career start at Chicagoland Speedway: Justin Allgaier (09/15/2013) and Josh Wise (9/19/2011).
· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Chicago with a 7.615.
· Kyle Busch swept the weekend at Chicagoland Speedway winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2008.
· Seven of the eight active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Chicagoland Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Kevin Harvick won at Chicago in his first two appearances (2001, 2002). Ryan Newman won in his second appearance (2003).
· Kurt Busch leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Chicago without visiting Victory Lane at 14.
· Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon lead the series in runner-up finishes at Chicago with three each; followed by Matt Kenseth with two.
· Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick lead the series in top-five finishes at Chicago with eight each; followed by Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon with seven each.
· Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart lead the series in top-10 finishes at Chicago with 10 each; followed by Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick with nine each.
· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at 9.154.
· Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Chicago with 577 laps led in 13 starts.
· Danica Patrick is the only female driver that has competed at Chicagoland Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series; Shawna Robinson attempted to qualify in 2001 but failed to qualify for the event.
(NASCAR)(9-19-2015)

Busch's car too low after Chicago race: #54-Kyle Busch's winning car in Saturday's Furious 7 300 Xfinity Series race was found to be too low in post-race inspection. A NASCAR official said the car was low in all four corners. The car was taken back to the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., for further inspection. There is the possibility there could be penalties assessed this coming week, unless further inspection finds something broke in Busch's car, the official added.(NBC Sports

Kyle Busch wins XFINITY race at Chicagoland Speedway: #54-Kyle Busch won the Furious 7 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. #20-Matt Kenseth finished second, followed by #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., #33-Paul Menard, #3-Ty Dillon, #18-Daniel Suarez, #60-Chris Buescher, #1-Elliott Sadler, #7-Regan Smith, and #62-Brendan Gaughan.
There were 5 cautions for 22 laps and 15 lead changes among 7 leaders. Complete results are on the Chicagoland Speedway race results page (pdf).
(9-19-2015)

Chicagoland Speedway XFINITY Race Fast Facts:
Kyle Busch won the 15th Annual Furious 7 300, his series record extending 74th victory in 305 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his fourth victory and eighth top-10 finish in 2015.
This is his fourth victory and eighth top-10 finish in 12 races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Busch completed a Chicagoland Speedway NASCAR XFINITY-NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend sweep in 2008.
Matt Kenseth (second) posted his sixth top-10 finish in nine races at Chicagoland Speedway. It is his fourth top-10 finish in 2015.
Darrell Wallace Jr. (third) posted a career-best finish and his second top-10 finish in two races at Chicagoland Speedway. His previous best finish was fifth (twice).
Chris Buescher leads the point standings by 25 points over Ty Dillon.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-19-2015)

XFINITY Driver standings following Chicagoland Speedway:
[7 races remaining]
1) #60-Chris Buescher, 945
2) #3-Ty Dillon, 920, -25
3) #9-Chase Elliott, 917, -28
4) #7-Regan Smith, 894, -51
5) #1-Elliott Sadler, 839, -106
6) #6-Darrell Wallace Jr., 838, -107
7) #18-Daniel Suarez, 830, -115
8) #2-Brian Scott, 825, -120
9) #62-Brendan Gaughan, 798, -147
10) #16-Ryan Reed, 716, -229
See complete owner and driver standings on the driver standings(pdf) and owner standings page (pdf).(9-19-2015)

Kyle Busch on XFINITY pole at Chicagoland Speedway: #54-Kyle Busch won the Coors Light pole for the Furious 7 300 at Chicagoland Speedway with a speed of 180.959mph. #20-Matt Kenseth will start second. The rest of the top 10: #18-Daniel Suarez, #3-Ty Dillon, #22-Ryan Blaney, #42-Kyle Larson, #33-Paul Menard, #60-Chris Buescher, #7-Regan Smith, and #16-Ryan Reed.. Did Not Qualify: #89-Morgan Shepherd. The starting lineup is posted on the Chicagoland Speedway starting lineup page (pdf).(9-18-2015)

Chicagoland Speedway XFINITY Qualifying Notes:
Kyle Busch won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 15th Annual Furious 7 300 with a lap of 29.841 seconds, 180.959 mph.
This is his 46th pole in 305 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his third pole and sixth top-10 start in 2015.
This is his second pole in 12 races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Matt Kenseth (second) posted his fourth top-10 start of 2015 and his sixth in nine races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Daniel Suarez (third) posted his second top-10 start at Chicagoland Speedway. It is his 21st in 26 races this season.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-18-2015)

Qualifying Results (pdf)

Nemechek wins Chicagoland #8-John Hunter Nemechek won his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in the rain delayed American Ethanol 225 at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday. Nemechek took the lead with one lap to go after #00-Kyle Larson ran out of fuel. #19-Tyler Reddick finished second followed by: #17-Timothy Peters, #51-Daniel Suarez, #98-Johnny Sauter, #4-Erik Jones, #00-Kyle Larson, #23-Spencer Gallagher, #54-Matt Tifft, and #05-John Wes Townley.
There were 3 caution flags for 23 laps and 11 lead changes among 7 leaders.
#00-Larson started the race from the pole after rain knocked out qualifying, a precursor to the postponement of the race from Friday night to Saturday.
Complete results are on the Chicagoland race results page (pdf). (9-19-2015)

Chicagoland Race Fast Facts:
John Hunter Nemechek won the 7th Annual American Ethanol e15 225, his first victory in 23 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his first victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2015.
Nemechek is a current member of the NASCAR Next class, a program designed to spotlight up-and-coming drivers.
At 18 years, 3 months and 8 days, Nemechek is the fourth youngest winner in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history. Only Cole Custer, Erik Jones and Chase Elliott were younger when they won.
Tyler Reddick (second) posted his second top-10 finish in two races at Chicagoland Speedway. It is his 13th top-10 finish in 2015.
Timothy Peters (third) posted his third top-10 finish in seven races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Erik Jones # leads the point standings by 10 points over Tyler Reddick.
(NASCAR Statistics) (9-19-2015)

Driver standings following Chicagoland:
1) #4-Erik Jones, 628
2) #19-Tyler Reddick, 618, - 10
3) #88-Matt Crafton, 617, -11
4) #98-Johnny Sauter, 576, -52
5) #14-Daniel Hemric #, 519, -109
6) #13-Cameron Hayley, 517, -111
7) #17-Timothy Peters, 512, -116
8) #05-John Wes Townley, 500, -128
9) #23-Spencer Gallagher #, 488, -140
10) #11-Ben Kennedy, 483, 145
See complete standings on the driver standings page (pdf).(9-19-2015)

Owner Standings following Chicagoland are posted (pdf).(9-19-2015)

Can-Am to sponsor Duel races at Daytona: BRP, the manufacturer of world renowned motorized recreational vehicles and engines, will serve as the title sponsor for the 150-mile qualifying races for the DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway, part of Speedweeks 2016. The races will be known as the Can-Am Duel At Daytona. The Can-Am Duel At Daytona, scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 18, are a pair of 150-mile qualifying races that finalize the starting lineup for the 58th annual DAYTONA 500, the prestigious NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season-opening event on Sunday, Feb. 21. The Can-Am Duel At Daytona will feature every DAYTONA 500 entrant battling for a coveted starting spot in "The Great American Race."
"We're excited about developing this new partnership with BRP, the world leader in recreational vehicles," Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. "With two thrilling and unpredictable 150-mile qualifying races, the Can-Am Duel At Daytona will provide a great platform for BRP to promote their Can-Am products at the 'World Center of Racing.' "
"BRP and its Can-Am products are synonymous with innovation and performance in the powersports industry," said Anne Bélec, senior vice-president, Global Brands and Strategy. "We feel that there's a natural fit with NASCAR racers and their fans. Thanks to our association with Kappa, Cyclops Gear and the GOFAS race team, we are now a sponsor in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the title sponsor of the Can-Am Duel, the ultimate test before the Daytona 500," she concluded.
The events during Speedweeks 2016 will be the first to be held at Daytona International Speedway following the completion of the $400 million DAYTONA Rising frontstretch redevelopment project. Race fans will experience new amenities such as wider and more comfortable seats, spacious concourses, escalators and elevators, twice as many restrooms and three times as many concessions and merchandise stands.(DIS)(9-19-2015)

Repaving at Watkins Glen on schedule: With few delays, the massive repaving project at Watkins Glen International is moving along at or ahead of schedule. Top coat layers from general contractor Ajax Paving Industries Inc., were being put down on some areas of the 3.4-mile circuit this week, while a base coat was still being laid down in other areas. The work is expected to be completed by Nov. 1. The $12 million project is one of the most ambitious endeavors in the 59-year history of the historic track. The entire 3.4-mile configuration, including the 2.45-mile section used by NASCAR, will be repaved in time for the 2016 season. The pit lane is also being repaved. According to a WGI statement, the project is the equivalent of paving a 22-mile, two-lane highway at a thickness of 1.5 inches. It is the first repave of the track since 1989. The pavement from that project began to break up during its first pro race weekend, which led to concrete patches being added that remained through the 2015 season. While the entire track will now be asphalt, the pit lane boxes will remain concrete. The original pit boxes were broken up and new ones were being poured for the first time Wednesday.(Elmira Star-Gazette)(9-19-2015)

Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the myAFibRisk.com 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway have been made.
Pole sitter #4-Harvick chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #22-Logano took pit stall 8, with an opening in front of it.
#2-Keselowski, who starts 3rd took the 18th pit stall, also with an opening in front of it.
The 43rd and final pit stall was taken by #41-Busch, who starts 9th.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on Jayski.com's Pit Stall Selection chart.(9-18-2015)

Qualifying: for the myAFibRisk.com 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway was canceled due to weather/rain. The starting lineup was set by the rule book: Top 36 in owners points. 37-43 by race attempts. Teams with the least number of attempts miss the race. The 43 cars are then set by practice speeds from practice Friday.
#4-Harvick will start first [not credited with a pole award] followed by #22-Logano, #2-Keselowski, #78-Truex, Jr., #3-Dillon, #31-Newman, #18-Busch, #5-Kahne, #41-Busch, #24-Gordon.
Missing the race were: #30-Kvapil (11 race attempts); #21-Blaney (13); #95-McDowell (15).
See the starting lineup, pole progression, round-by-round results and more on Jayski.com's Chicago Starting Lineup / Qualifying Page.(9-18-2015)

Where the 2015 Sprint Cup Chase Drivers will start at Chicago:
[listed by driver points position]
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 11th
2) #18-Kyle Busch, 7th
3) #20-Matt Kenseth, 12th
4) #22-Joey Logano, 2nd
5) #4-Kevin Harvick, 1st
6) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 19th
7) #41-Kurt Busch, 9th
8) #19-Carl Edwards, 14th
9) #2-Brad Keselowski, 3rd
10) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 4th
11) #11-Denny Hamlin, 29th
12) #1-Jamie McMurray, 13th
13) #24-Jeff Gordon, 10th
14) #31-Ryan Newman, 6th
15) #27-Paul Menard, 27th
16) #15-Clint Bowyer, 26th
(9-18-2015)

Friday practice for the myAFibRisk.com 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway is over after 85 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#4-Harvick 188.317
#22-Logano 187.911
#2-Keselowski 187.826
#78-Truex, Jr. 187.800
#3-Dillon 187.761
slowest: #30-Kvapil 178.672 & #98-Hill 175.513.
Qualifying is scheduled for this evening at 6:45pm/et, televised on NBCSN. However, rain could be an issue as the day goes on. If qualifying is rained out, this practice sets the order for the starting lineup. Drivers that will not qualify for the race if qualifying is rained out (lowest in owner points): #30-Kvapil, #21-Blaney, & #95-McDowell.
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10 consecutive lap Ave on the Chicagod Practice 1 Speeds (pdf).(9-18-2015)

Qualifying Order for the myAFibRisk.com 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway is posted. 46 cars/drivers are listed.
The first driver to be lined up on pit road will be #43-Almirola.
The final driver lined up on pit road will be #6-Bayne.
The order is set by a random draw, how cars park on pit road before they qualify, held about an hour before the first practice.
After the fist practice, the cars line up by speed.
See the full qualifying order on Jayski.com's Chicago Qualifying Page.(9-18-2015)

Aspen Dental to sponsor Patrick in 4 races in 2016: Aspen Dental Management, Inc. has extended its partnership with Danica Patrick and Stewart Haas Racing, doubling the number of races in which Aspen Dental serves as primary sponsor. The deal means that Patrick will be behind the wheel of the blue-and-white #10 Aspen Dental Chevy for four races annually beginning with the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, with associate sponsorship status for Patrick in all other Sprint Cup races. Aspen Dental practices are one of the largest and fastest-growing networks of independent dental care providers in the United States, with more than 500 locations across 32 states. In the past two years, Patrick has served as an ambassador for Aspen Dental practices across a multitude of channels, from launching Aspen Dental's Healthy Mouth Movement, a community-giving initiative to deliver free dental care and oral health education to people in need, to appearing in A Taste of the Future, a hidden camera video designed to raise awareness about the long-term consequences of delaying dental care. Patrick's No. 10 Chevrolet will feature Aspen Dental branding this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. The design of her Aspen Dental Chevrolet carries special significance, as it is augmented by the names of more than 2,200 veterans being honored by their family and friends via a social media campaign earlier this year. Throughout 2015, Aspen Dental practices have been helping veterans get their smiles back on track through the Healthy Mouth Movement, providing more than $2 million in free dental care to thousands of veterans. In total, the Healthy Mouth Movement has delivered more than $3 million in free dental care since it was launched in 2014.(Stewart-Haas Racing)(9-18-2015)

Drivers still want NASCAR to enforce restarts: On Thursday, at least nine of 16 playoff drivers asked about restarts during Chase media day in downtown Chicago expressed no satisfaction with the current situation.
--"I'm not comfortable one bit with how they're officiating it," Kyle Busch said. "I think they need to step in. I think it's gone too long."
--"You've got to call it," Jeff Gordon said. "If somebody deliberately jumps, you've got to call it. And it's got to be a black and white decision."
--"... All you've got to do is call somebody on 'em once and that'll fix the problem," Clint Bowyer said.
--"Most of the time when someone jumps a start, Ray Charles can see it," Logano said. "It is usually blatant."
The suggestions Thursday went beyond enforcing the existing rule. Gordon and Hamlin said the restart zone was too small at every track. Some drivers said NASCAR should use technology to help with officiating the restarts - as the sanctioning body does with pit road penalties and its inspection process. Others said consistency either way was all that would be needed. Any of those would be better than the status quo, in which drivers aren't exactly sure where the line is and NASCAR prefers the competitors figure it out. "It's very grey," defending champion Kevin Harvick said. "I don't think any of us really know for sure how far you can push it, but you have to push it because you can. How far is too far? I don't think anybody really knows."
It could become a game of inches if NASCAR starts calling penalties for starting before the zone begins. So in the place of a crackdown, officials have continuously warned drivers to restart properly - or else. But the "or else" part never comes. In a statement to USA TODAY Sports on Thursday, NASCAR executive vice president Steve O'Donnell reiterated officials would "like to continue to let it play out on the track." "With that said, we understand that the stakes are very high and drivers are looking for any possible advantage they can find," he said. "We will continue to monitor every restart using the technology available to us to ensure competitive and fair racing. Simply put, we are prepared to make a call if we need to."(USA Today)(9-18-2015)

Hamlin has begun physical therapy on torn ACL: His pace is slightly slower, while his gait is noticeably stiffer. But make no mistake about it, #11-Denny Hamlin is not going to let a torn ACL in his right knee keep him from winning the Chase for the Sprint Cup. At Thursday's Chase Media Day, Hamlin brought reporters up to speed on his condition, nine days after tearing the ACL while playing basketball. "It's good," Hamlin said when asked how his knee is feeling. "I'm walking a little bit more normal now, so everything's good and everything should be good in the car as well." Hamlin, who hopes to be able to walk without a knee brace by Sunday's MyAFibRisk.com 400 Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway, has begun physical therapy, which could potentially play a big part of his getting to the final round of the Chase. Hamlin hopes the knee-strengthening therapy will get him through the next 10 weeks before he has off-season surgery to repair the ACL. Hamlin said he's ready for nine of the 10 Chase races but admits to hesitancy about racing at Talladega. "Talladega will be the biggest challenge," he said. "It's not the heavy braking race tracks, it's the one where you're holding the throttle wide open the longest. But I've driven many, many laps at Talladega anyway with my left foot hung over there pushing the gas down because you're leg falls asleep there anyway holding the gas down so much."(NBC Sports)(9-18-2015)

Special Aaron's scheme for Ragan at Chicago: David Ragan will drive a special #55 Aaron's Dream Machine this weekend at Chicagoland honoring Aaron's Partners of the Year-Beautyrest, Whirlpool, Samsung and HP. Ragan will join executives from those partners at a Chicago Fire soccer match Saturday night and they'll be his guests Sunday at the track (MWR), see image of the scheme on the #55 Team Schemes page.(9-18-2015)

Go Green Racing partners with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society: Go Green Racing and driver Josh Wise will be joining the MS movement to provide awareness about multiple sclerosis and support for the work of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in this weekend's MYAFIBRISK.Com 400 at the Chicagoland speedway. Fans will see on the lower quarter panels of the #32 Ford Fusion the addition of the Society's specially designed logo to welcome volunteers who are committed to helping create a world free of MS. The MS Society mobilizes people and resources so that everyone affected by MS can live their best lives. To fulfill this mission, the Society funds cutting-edge research, drives change through advocacy, facilitates professional education, collaborates with MS organizations around the world, and provides programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move their lives forward.(Go Green Racing)(9-18-2015)

Clorox Disinfecting Wipes scheme for Larson: #42-Kyle Larson will be running the Clorox Disinfecting Wipes Chevy SS this weekend at Chicago. Clorox was featured twice last season with Larson, once with Clorox on the NSCS car for the first race at Phoenix International Raceway and once with Glad on the truck that Larson raced at Eldora Speedway. Larson will start his weekend in Chicago off by touring a Glad research and development facility, and meeting with Clorox team members. The Clorox Company features a wide variety of brands, from the familiar bleach to Pine-Sol, Tilex, Glad, Kingsford, Hidden Valley , Soy Vay and Burt's Bees to name a few.(Chip Ganassi Racing), see image of the scheme on the #42 Team Schemes page.(9-18-2015)

Food 4 Less featured on the #47 at Chicago: Food 4 Less and SCOTT Products will be featured on the #47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevy in the MyAfibStory.com 400 at Chicago. "The season may be winding down, but our sponsors are always ramping up and selling cases," Driver AJ Allmendinger said. "We have one of Kroger's banners, Food 4 Less, on our car this weekend along with SCOTT Products. We're very forunate to have their support along with all of our brands. Our sponsors and fans are the reason we get to do what we love to do. We're very grateful for their support."(), see image of the scheme on the #47 Team Schemes page.(9-18-2015)

Chicagoland Speedway Pole Notes & Facts - Friday:
· Todd Bodine won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Chicago in 2001 with a speed of 183.717 mph.
· 11 drivers have posted Coors Light poles at Chicago, led by Jimmie Johnson with two.
· 10 different NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have won at Chicagoland Speedway, led by Tony Stewart with three (2004, 2007, 2011); followed by Kevin Harvick with two (first two series events at speedway; 2001, 2002) and Brad Keselowski (2012, 2014).
· Seven Chase Contenders are former winners at Chicagoland Speedway: Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
· Kevin Harvick (2001, 2002) is the only driver to post consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins at Chicagoland Speedway.
· Only one of the 14 (7.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicago have been won from the Coors Light pole - Kyle Busch in 2008.
· Only two of the 14 (14.2%) races have won from the front row starting positions - Coors Light Pole (1) and second-place (1).
· Five of the 14 (35.7%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Chicago have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· Four of the 14 (28.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicago have been won from a starting position outside the top 20 - most recent was Brad Keselowski (25th) last season.
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Chicago is 32nd, by Kevin Harvick in 2002.
· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Chicagoland Speedway twice - the 2008 event and last season.
(NASCAR)(9-18-2015)

Daniel Suarez fastest in XFINITY practice: #18-Daniel Suarez was fastest during the only XFINITY practice at Chicagoland Speedway with a speed of 177.713mph. #28-J.J. Yeley was second, followed by: #54-Kyle Busch, #20-Matt Kenseth, #33-Paul Menard, #3-Ty Dillon, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #88-Kasey Kahne, #43-Dakoda Armstrong, and #2-Brian Scott. All 41 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Chicagoland Speedway practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-18-2015)

American Ethanol 225 postponed: Friday night's Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway has been postponed due to heavy rain. It will take place on Saturday at 10:30 am eastern. The race will be shown on Fox Sports 2.(9-18-2015)

Larson on pole at Chicagoland: #00-Kyle Larson will start from the pole for the American Ethanol 225 at Chicagoland Speedway after rain forced the field to be lined up based on the 2015 rulebook. #88-Matt Crafton will start second. #98-Johnny Sauter, #19-Tyler Reddick, #17-Timothy Peters, #51-Daniel Suarez, #13-Cameron Hayley, #4-Erik Jones, #11-Ben Kennedy, and #33-Brandon Jones. #16-Chad Boat and #18-Ross Chastain failed to make the field. See complete lineup on the Starting lineup (pdf) page.(9-18-2015)

Larson fastest in first practice: #00-Kyle Larson was fastest during opening practice at Chicagoland Speedway with a speed of 175.052mph. #88-Matt Crafton was second, followed by #98-Johnny Sauter, #19-Tyler Reddick, #17-Timothy Peters, #51-Daniel Suarez, #13-Cameron Hayley, #4-Erik Jones, #11-Ben Kennedy, #33-Brandon Jones. 34 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Chicagoland practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-18-2015)

Tifft named as game ambassador: Dusenberry Martin Racing (DMR) has signed a multi-year agreement with 19-year-old Matt Tifft (@Matt_Tifft) to serve as a Game Ambassador. Tifft, a Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) and Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) development driver, will join other DMR Game Ambassador drivers, including 2015 Daytona 500 Champion Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Darrell Wallace Jr. Tifft's initial interest in becoming a NASCAR driver came from playing the original NASCAR Heat video game, which was published by Hasbro in 2000, while DMR founders Tom Dusenberry and Ed Martin were part of the Hasbro team. Tifft will use his expertise and experience as a driver to assist DMR, a NASCAR Team Properties licensee, in the development of certain NASCAR-branded video games. Tifft will take to the track Friday (Sept. 18) at Chicagoland Speedway in the KBM #54 NASCAR '15 Victory Edition Toyota Tundra. The American Ethanol E15 225 marks the first of several this season in which DMR will partner with Tifft in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series" competition.(Dusenberry Martin Racing)(9-18-2015)

Sargeant to make second series start in New Hampshire: Dalton Sargeant will make his second start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Saturday, September 26 in the UNOH 175. Sargeant, the 17-year-old NASCAR Next driver and full-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series East participant will be piloting the Wauters Motorsports #5 GALT Toyota Tundra. Sargeant impressed with his debut in the NCWTS just last month when he finished 10th at Bristol Motor Speedway after qualifying in the 18th position.(Wauters Motorsports)(9-18-2015)

Ogata joins MB for 3 races: Kanagawa, Japan's Akinori Ogata will compete in three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this fall for MB Motorsports. ENEOS, a brand of JX Nippon Oil & Energy, will be the primary partner on Ogata's #63 Chevy Silverado in races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 26 and Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, Oct. 24. Ogata is also slated to compete on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. ENEOS, Japan's largest oil company, first partnered with Ogata in 2012 in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. Ogata, who has one prior Truck Series start (at Phoenix International Raceway in 2014), began his racing career in Japanese Motocross at age 14. After a decade of riding that included around 30 feature victories, he shifted to Dirt Midget Car racing, becoming a winning driver at Twin Ring Motegi.Ogata's assimilation to American racing began in 2003, driving Late Model Stock Cars at North Carolina's Hickory Motor Speedway. He continued in Late Models after moving to the United States in 2010, and later graduated to the NASCAR's K&N Pro Series East, where he competed in 12 races over three years, scoring five top-20 finishes. MB Motorsports, owned by Mike Mittler, has participated in every NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season since the series' inception in 1995 and has fielded entries for drivers Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards and Jamie McMurray, among others. Ogata will be the second international driver for MB this year, following England's Daniel Brown, who drove the #63 earlier this month at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.(Rising Star Management Group)(9-18-2015)

Martinsville offers Jimmie Johnson ticket package: The similarities between racecars and rockets provide a unique opportunity to engage children in the science, technology, engineering and math used by both NASCAR and NASA. Now, children participating in the Jimmie Johnson Martinsville Ticket Package can experience firsthand the NASA Rockets 2 Racecars activities, prior to the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 on November 1. The STEM-based program features a question-and-answer session with six-time NASCAR Champion and eight-time Martinsville Speedway winner Jimmie Johnson, hands-on instruction applying STEM principles, like wedge, downforce and velocity, that are used in both rockets and racecars and a 12-page four-color booklet featuring NASA Rockets 2 Racecars curriculum and Jimmie Johnson as "Flat Jimmie". The Jimmie Johnson Martinsville Ticket Package is $48 for adults and $24 for youth and includes a ticket in the Bill France Tower to see the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500. Fans who have already purchased a race ticket can add on the Jimmie Johnson Martinsville Ticket package for just $10. The question-and-answer session and NASA Rockets 2 Racecars activities will be held in the Martinsville Speedway hospitality area.(Martinsville Speedway)(9-18-2015)

Truex, Kurt Busch, Bowyer comment on contracts: #78-Martin Truex Jr. and #41-Kurt Busch expect to stay with their current teams, indicating Thursday that their deals are imminent and just announcements await. Neither Truex nor Busch was expected to go anywhere. Furniture Row general manager Joe Garone has said it's been the team's intent to re-sign Truex. Stewart-Haas Racing officials have said they have a handshake deal done with Busch. But it still is a rare scenario: Three Chase-qualified drivers (Truex, Busch and Clint Bowyer) enter the opener this weekend without deals announced for next year. "I'm very fortunate I have a great race team," said Truex, who rebounded from 24th in the standings in his first year at Furniture Row to win a race and be 10th entering the Chase this year. "At the end of the day, this sport is all about timing, it's all about being at the right place at the right time. ... There were times last year where I thought, 'Am I ever going to get back to where I once was.' Now suddenly I feel like I'm better than I ever was, and it's kind of an awesome thing. You'll hear an announcement [of an extension] pretty soon. This sport, every year, it gets later and later and later [to get deals done]."
Busch said talks continue with potential sponsors in addition to Haas, whose Haas Automation is the primary sponsor for Busch. "Everything is pretty close," Busch said. "We'll have the announcement soon. It's great to know that the team and myself and everybody is on the same page. ... Everybody is going through the talks and checking the different positions and the temperatures of certain situations. We'll have some things to announce here soon."
The one Chase-qualified driver who appears unsure of what he's doing is Bowyer, who began looking for a 2016 ride last month after Michael Waltrip Racing announced it would cease operations after this season. Bowyer declined to say which teams he still is negotiating with. "We're digging, honestly," Bowyer said. "I'm working on that. I think we're getting close. I'm excited. Holy cow, who would have ever thought in a million years that would happen eight months into a three-year contract? When you sign three-year contracts, that means you put the contract in the desk and you forget about it and you're secure and you're happy and you're good for three years, right? No, that's not right. I've learned that is not correct." (ESPN.com)(9-17-2015)

Aaron's will not sponsor a team in 2016: Aaron's, which has been a long-time team sponsor of Michael Waltrip Racing, will not sponsor a NASCAR team next year, the company confirmed to THE DAILY. The Atlanta-based rent-to-own retailer's contract with MWR was up for renewal, but MWR is set to close shop following the '15 Sprint Cup Series season. Aaron's had been in talks in recent months with other teams about a possible new deal, according to sources, but the company wrote in a statement, "We have decided to take some time off from a team sponsorship for the 2016 season. The NASCAR fan base is an important audience for us and we have built substantial equity over the past 15 years. We are exploring creative ways to continue to participate in the sport in 2016 including media, brand relationships and track activation."(Sports Business Journal)(9-17-2015)

Testing at Kansas UPDATE: #48-Jimmie Johnson, #78-Martin Truex Jr., #43-Aric Almirola and #23-J.J. Yeley are scheduled to take part in a Goodyear tire test beginning today at Kansas Speedway. The session concludes Tuesday. There is an open test for NASCAR Sprint Cup organizations Wednesday. Only one tire test remains this season after the Kansas test. Stewart-Haas Racing, Team Penske, JTG Daugherty and Joe Gibbs Racing will take part in a tire test Oct. 12-13 at Phoenix International Raceway. Each Cup organization is allowed to have one team at Wednesday's open test. Scheduled to test that day are Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle, Alex Bowman, Ryan Blaney, Johnson, Truex, Almirola, Yeley.(NBC Sports)(9-14-2015)
UPDATE: In anticipation of a new aerodynamic package for 2016, Goodyear is conducting a two-day tire test at Kansas Speedway starting on Monday. "We're actually going to be doing a lot of work on low downforce," Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of race tire sales told motorsport.com. "Obviously, we had two good races with that setup and we just want to get a leg up on that package at that race track, make sure our race setup (for 2015) is still good. "But the main focus is 2016 and low downforce and looking at the variations with the current package as well as going softer. We're just going to shake it down. We think we're fine with the current package, but the majority of the test will be low downforce." During last year's Chase for the Sprint Cup, NASCAR was insistent about not allowing Chase participants to test tracks in the final 10 races. But Stucker says with open testing and the end of the tire test it makes the process "equitable for everybody".
Goodyear's next test will be at Phoenix International Raceway on Oct. 12-13 and with an open date on the 14th. Teams currently scheduled to participate include the Nos. 41, 2, 47 and one of the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas. "Phoenix is an early race in 2016," Stucker said. "We're not sure which way we'll go, but if you look at the Kentucky and Darlington races - and the discussions that we've had - we want to be prepared to go in (a low downforce) direction if that's what NASCAR wants to do."
One thing Stucker cautioned about was the level of tire fall off. Although Goodyear selected a softer compound for Darlington, the track has gained character since it was repaved in 2007. He believes the overall goal will not be simply choosing a softer tire but trying "to optimize the package for individual racetracks."
"A lot of people talked a lot about tire fall off," Stucker said. "I know a lot of people say that's one of things we're trying to accomplish but Darlington is starting to be the Darlington of old. There's a lot of fall off on that surface. We saw a lot of fall off in the Xfinity race the night before and they were running the package we intended to run on the standard 2015 (Sprint Cup) package.
After last month's tire test at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Goodyear will bring the same tire package to the season finale as it will run this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway and at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 8. Goodyear is also looking at scheduling additional tire tests for Atlanta Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway depending on the direction NASCAR takes with the aero package.(Motorsport)(9-15-2015)
UPDATE2: Part of what Goodyear officials, along with four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams, did here at Kansas Speedway Monday and Tuesday was verify the tire combination to be used in next month's Chase for the Sprint Cup race at the 1.5-mile track. On Wednesday, 12 teams did a little verifying of their own, taking part in an open team test before heading to Chicago for this weekend's opening race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. "It seems like at this point in the year with the (rules) package and program that we're under with the car, you're kind of just verifying things," Michael Waltrip Racing driver #15-Clint Bowyer said during a break in testing. "There are a very specific, few items that we're making sure that we have verified to when we go to Chicago starting the Chase this weekend that we know that's going to be the right way to go." In addition to Bowyer, other Chase drivers testing Wednesday were #48-Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports), #2-Brad Keselowski (Team Penske), #1-Jamie McMurray (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates), #4-Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas Racing), #18-Kyle Busch (Joe Gibbs Racing) and #27-Paul Menard (Richard Childress Racing). Also testing but not in the Chase were #43-Aric Almirola (Richard Petty Motorsports), #16-Greg Biffle (Roush Fenway Racing), #7-Alex Bowman (Tommy Baldwin Racing), #26-J.J. Yeley (BK Racing) and #21-Ryan Blaney (Wood Brothers Racing). Johnson was one of four drivers taking part in the 2-day Goodyear test, and the six-time series champion said he was ready for a change of scenery. "I've run almost two races now," he said during a break. Much time during the Goodyear test, he said was working with the potential 2016 rules package, a platform that features less downforce and was used twice this year -- at Kentucky and Darlington. "I found myself behind a few cars and felt like the car drove really well in traffic," he said. "I think we found and identified a few sets of tires worked really well, started off fast and had a lot of falloff. So I feel like the last two days of the tire test were very productive. Today ... we worked through a busy morning trying some things off our list. We've got a long list of stuff to try; we don't test all that often. Really just working through this systematically, seeing what might be faster and just collecting data."(NASCAR.com)(9-17-2015)

Johnson says this contract won't be his last: #48-Jimmie Johnson said his two-year contract extension with Hendrick Motorsport announced this week won't be his last. "Not that I'm aware of, not unless Rick (Hendrick) wants me to do something else," Johnson said with a laugh while meeting with media during an open test at Kansas Speedway. Unless you count car dealerships, Johnson says there weren't any complicated layers to arriving at the extension, which was announced along with crew chief's Chad Knaus' three-year extension and the two-year agreement with sponsor Lowe's Home Improvement. Johnson now holds a stake in Hendrick's auto dealer empire. "The contract had changed a little bit between Rick and I," Johnson said. "With the automotive side, it just took awhile to get everything in place for that. They got Chad's done and out of the way then we finally got mine done." That's a deal Hendrick has entered into with other drivers that have raced for him, including Terry Labonte, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon.(NBC Sports)(9-17-2015)

Allstate Peterbilt Group returns to the #46: Allstate Peterbilt Group, the upper Midwest's largest truck dealer group and a longtime partner of Michael Annett dating back to his time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, will adorn the #46 Chevy SS this weekend. It was last featured on Annett's car this past spring at Kansas Speedway. In eight career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, Annett has scored three top-10 finishes, including a fifth-place result in 2012.(HScott Motorsports)
see an image of the car on the #46 team paint schemes page.(9-17-2015)

Chicagoland Speedway Notes & History - Thursday:
· Construction of the Chicagoland Speedway began in August 1999.
· The first NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Chicago was July 14, 2001.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was held on July 15, 2001 - won by Kevin Harvick.
· This weekend marks the fourth year Chicagoland Speedway has been included in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup - Sept. 18, 2011.
(NASCAR)(9-17-2015)

Sad News - Don Burgoon: Don Burgoon, founder and CEO of Performance Friction Corporation in Clover, SC, passed away on September 12, 2015. Don worked tirelessly to build PFC into a dynamic force in this industry, and the management is unified in its commitment to fulfill and continue Don's vision for PFC. Since the mid 1980¡¦s to the present, thousands of race wins and team and driver championships that Don's company has supplied the hot end components for has been unparalleled. PFC manufactures Disc Brake Calipers, Disc Rotors and Pads for Motorcycles, Passenger Cars, Race Cars, Commercial Vehicles and Off Highway applications. Sales and Distribution Centers in USA, UK & Europe, Australia & New Zealand and Japan. The commitment to constant, innovative solutions to the market was one of Don's many passions. PFC has been restructured in accordance to continue onward and upward with Don's vision and plan.(PFC PR)(9-17-2015)

Self returns to the #0 at Chicago: Michael Self will make his fifth run for the JD Motorsports with Gary Keller team in Saturday's Furious 7 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. Self will drive the Auto Remote Warehouse #0 Chevy. Self also has raced for the JD Motorsports team at Iowa, Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio and Road America. He has a top finish of 11th - at Road America last month.(JD Motorsports)(9-17-2015)

Richmond TV Ratings: NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Richmond drew 933,000 viewers on NBCSN Friday night, down 29% from last year on ESPN2 (1.3M) and down 49% from 2013 on ESPN (1.8M). The race ranks as the least-watched of the season on any network, falling below the previous mark of 993,000 for racing from Elkhart Lake (WI) in late August.(Sports Media Watch via Sports TV Ratings)(9-17-2015)

ISC declines to make proposal on managing Laguna Seca: The International Speedway Corporation has declined to make a proposal on managing Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca according to Monterey County Supervisor Dave Potter. The county, which owns Laguna Seca, had been in a 90-day due diligence phase with the Daytona Beach-based ISC, a precursor to any potential management agreement. The Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula has managed the track since it's inception in 1957. But the nonprofit organization has struggled financially in recent years, losing its MotoGP motorcycle race. County officials said SCRAMP had been managing the raceway on a monthly renewal basis since early last year while the county considered the facility's long-term future. Potter says he supports suggestion that a request for proposals be issued for the Laguna Seca raceway management/concession contract.(Monterey Herald)(9-17-2015)

Jon Seda to serve as honorary pace car driver at Chicago: Chicagoland Speedway announced NBC's Chicago P.D. star, Jon Seda, as the Honorary Pace Car Driver for the myAFibRisk.com 400, first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, on Sunday, Sept. 20. A brief pre-race appearance before stepping into a 2015 Toyota Camry, Official Pace Car of Chicagoland Speedway, will highlight Seda's most recent "role" as Honorary Pace Car Driver for the myAFibRisk.com 400. In this position, Seda will precede the field of drivers during their warm-up lap leading to the start of the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Seda is best known for his roles as Detective Paul Falsone in NBC's Homicide: Life on the Streets and legendary Marine John Basilone in Steven Spielberg's follow up to Band of Brothers, The Pacific. In 2012, Seda began starring as Detective Antonio Dawson in yet another NBC hit drama, Chicago Fire. That role helped to launch the spin-off Chicago P.D. where Seda continues to portray Detective Dawson. Joining Seda at the myAFibRisk.com 400 on Sunday will be his Chicago P.D. co-stars Marina Squerciati (Kim Burgess), Patrick Flueger (Adam Ruzek) and LaRoyce Hawkins (Kevin Atwater). Squerciati, Flueger and Hawkins will assist with pre-race ceremonies and will accompany Jon Seda at the start line.(Chicagoland Speedway)(9-17-2015)

Richmond TV Ratings UPDATE: Another Saturday night race, another poor overnight for NASCAR on cable. NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Richmond earned a 1.7 overnight rating on NBCSN Saturday night, down 37% from last year (2.7) and down 41% from 2013 (2.9), both of which aired on ABC. The 1.7 is the second-lowest of the season for a Sprint Cup race, ahead of only rain-delayed coverage from Kansas on Fox Sports 1 in May (1.5). Four of the five lowest Sprint Cup overnights this season have been for Saturday night races on cable - with Bristol in August (1.9) and Kentucky in July (2.0) joining the Richmond and Kansas races. The only Sunday race to rank in the bottom five was Michigan in June, which was delayed due to rain (2.0). Thirteen of the 14 Sprint Cup races on cable this season have had a decline in overnights, with the previously mentioned Kentucky race the lone exception. It should be noted that Richmond was the first race of the season to face head-to-head football competition, airing opposite ABC's Saturday Night Football (5.0). Each week for the remainder of the season, NASCAR will air opposite either college football or the NFL.(ShowBuzz Daily / Sports Media Watch)(9-15-2015)
UPDATE: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Richmond drew a 1.8 final rating and 3.1 million viewers on NBCSN Saturday night, down 38% in ratings and 45% in viewership from last year (3.0, 4.9M) and down 45% and 41%, respectively, from 2013 (3.3, 5.2M), both of which aired on broadcast network ABC. Even including rainouts, Matt Kenseth's win ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched edition of the fall Richmond race since at least 2001. The previous lows were a 2.5 and 4.0 million in 2008, when the race was postponed to Sunday afternoon and aired on ESPN. As recently as 2007, the race had a 4.2 and 6.8 million on ABC.(Sports Media Watch)(9-16-2015)

NASCAR Chase Across North America gets underway: NASCAR's Chase Across North America program got underway on Tuesday with Chase drivers embarking on a multi-city media tour, crisscrossing the nation to make special appearances and build excitement for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup - a 10-race culmination to the season that crowns a battle-tested champion. Some events:
ESPN: With 17 national series victories, no one has dominated at Bristol Motor Speedway like #18-Kyle Busch. But on Tuesday, he dominated the other Bristol - Bristol, Connecticut, home to the headquarters of ESPN. While at ESPN, Busch participated in a number of ESPN property interviews, including live appearances on SportsCenter in front of his #18 M&Ms Crispy Toyota Camry - which was parked on the ESPN campus all day.
Charlotte: #20-Matt Kenseth hit three cities (Charlotte, North Carolina; Greenville, South Carolina; Greensboro, N.C.) to promote Charlotte Motor Speedway's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race, the lone night race in the postseason. During each stop, Kenseth met with fans and dignitaries, including Greenville Mayor Pro-Tem David Suddeth and Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan. While in Charlotte, Kenseth and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Marcus Smith honored military members in attendance with free race tickets.
Chicago: #2-Brad Keselowski had no idea what would be in store for him during his visit to the Second City. To his delight, a few lucky fans were selected to accompany Keselowski at three distinct and iconic Chicago hot dog locations. He not only visited locations famous for their Chicago-style hot dogs, he provided moral support to the fans as they taste-tested what Chicagoans declare the mecca of all things sausage - the Chicago Style hot dog. First up on the list of quintessential locations was the small in size but not so small in flavor, Wiener's Circle in the heart of Lincoln Park. Known for its Maxwell Street Char-dogs, cheese fries and mutual verbal abuse between employees and customers, Brad was in for a culture shock of Chicago skyscraper proportions. Next up in Brad's eventful day was new to the Chicago hot dog scene, Franks N' Dawgs. Slightly fancier than your average wiener shack, Franks N' Dawgs offers hand-crafted artisan sausages, placed gingerly atop lauded New England-style lobster roll buns, topped with seasonal, high quality ingredients and a precise attention to detail. Last, but certainly not least, Keselowski and crew visited Villa Park's original "Dog House," Portillo's. Keselowski did enjoy a fair share of the delicious chocolate cake Portillo's connoisseurs know oh-so-well. Decadent desserts, scenic décor and one-on-one media opportunities at this final stop wrapped up the Chase Across North America day.
Dover: #31-Ryan Newman spent Tuesday discussing his championship goals, getting wrapped up in crepe paper and advising children to take their education seriously. Newman met with media members at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino before visiting Fred Fifer III Middle School in Camden, Del. At Fifer Middle School, Newman spoke to approximately 1,000 students during two pep rallies, took questions from the students, signed autographs and participated in two relay races where he and Fifer teachers and administrators were wrapped in crepe paper by four students each, before racing across a mat to the finish line. Newman, who is used to running up front in NASCAR Sprint Cup fields based on his 51 career poles, won both races. SiriusXM radio host and Delaware native Mike Bagley served as the emcee for the pep rallies, and drew loud cheers when he announced that students would be receiving tickets to the "Hisense 200" NASCAR XFINITY Series race, set for Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Monster Mile.
Homestead: #11-Denny Hamlin teamed up with Homestead-Miami Speedway and the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Discovery and Science to host students from Broward County High School, where Hamlin and the students participated in a variety of activities and exhibits at the museum. During the trip, Hamlin might have done some recruiting for future engineers for Joe Gibbs Racing. He drove an incredible solar-powered car built by Western High School students from Davie, Florida.
Kansas: #48-Jimmie Johnson visited the University of Kansas Hospital Tuesday night to brighten the spirits of children in the Pediatric Wing. During his visit, Johnson delivered Lowe's Build & Grow kits and hosted an ice cream social with Blue Bunny for the children.
Martinsville: Like Jamie McMurray, #27-Paul Menard makes his first Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup appearance after a consistent regular season. Menard, who headed to Martinsville to help promote its Nov. 1 Chase race, received the key to the city of Martinsville and participated in a celebratory parade in the city's downtown.
New Hampshire: #22-Joey Logano made a series of campaign-style stops in the Granite State as he met with students, fans and media to bolster support for his upcoming playoff race at the Sept. 27 SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Logano visited "The Pit" at Manchester Community College, where he offered his "I'm In It to Win It" campaign theme. He also dropped by historic Robie's Country Store in Hooksett and finished at the State House in Concord.
Talladega: Though winless, #1-Jamie McMurray quietly had one of the better regular seasons of 2015. McMurray enters the Chase as a first-time Challenger - and could be a wild-card championship threat. So it makes sense that he stopped off at Talladega Superspeedway on Tuesday - the ultimate wild-card track. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver has a win at Dega, where he participated in media Q&As, co-hosted an hour-long live radio show with local station WJOX and painted a car in Talladega's Victory Lane with local elementary school students.
Texas: #15-Clint Bowyer got a taste of what it's like to be behind the camera - as opposed to his ubiquitous role as the on-camera funny man of the NASCAR garage. During his stop to generate excitement for the Texas Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race on Nov. 8, Bowyer pretended to be a camera man interviewing Texas Motor Speedway season ticket holders. 'Camera Man Bowyer' told one fan to be more positive when she said she didn't think Bowyer would do well in the Chase.
On Wednesday, Sept. 16, #24-Jeff Gordon, #41-Kurt Busch and #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. will take part in their respective market visits for Chase Across North America. Gordon will visit New York City, where he'll go on a multi-stop media tour highlighted by an appearance on Good Morning America and a visit to the SiriusXM Studios. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will hop on a cross-country flight to Los Angeles to participate in a day of media at FOX Sports, E! News' The Soup and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Busch will participate in the second annual "Breakfast With Champions" event with Phoenix International Raceway and The Heard Museum. Emceed by veteran motorsports reporter Ralph Sheheen, Busch will break down his picks in the Chase Grid for Phoenix-area media. The final three stops of Chase Across North America will take place during the week of Sept. 28, with driver visits to NBC's headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut (Martin Truex Jr.) and repeat trips to New York City (Kevin Harvick) and Los Angeles (Carl Edwards).(From NASCAR and Track PRs)(9-16-2015)

Teams penalized practice time at Chicago: The BK Racing team with driver #23-Jeb Burton will be docked 30 minutes of practice time Friday at Chicagoland Speedway for being late to qualifying and race inspection last weekend at Richmond International Raceway, NASCAR confirmed Tuesday night. NASCAR typically docks a team 15 minutes of practice time for being late to inspection. That penalty was doubled for BK Racing because the #23 team was late to two inspections. Three other teams - the #7 of Alex Bowman, the #26 of J.J. Yeley and the #95 of Michael McDowell - will be docked 15 minutes of practice time Friday for being late to qualifying inspection at Richmond.(NBC Sports)(9-16-2015)

Brian Scott returns to the #33: Brian Scott is scheduled to pilot the #33 in Sunday's MYAFIBRISK.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. This Chevrolet SS is a new chassis to the #33 fleet and will make its debut during Friday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice. Scott will be making his first Sprint Cup Series start at Chicagoland Speedway this weekend and 15th Series start. In 10 NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at the 1.5-mile paved speedway, Scott has an average starting position of 11.8 and an average finish of 9.2. Scott has earned three pole positions, including back-to-back poles in both visits to the track last season. Featured on the car will be Jewel-Osco and Kraft Velveeta. Albertsons is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with both a strong local presence and national scale. The retailer operates stores across 33 states and the District of Columbia under 18 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market and Carrs.(Circle Sport Racing)(9-16-2015)

Walmart joins the #9 team in Chicago: Richard Petty Motorsports announced that Walmart along with consumer brands, Blue-Emu, SlimFast and Natrol, LLC have aligned to serve as sponsors of the #9 Ford Fusion driven by Sam Hornish Jr. in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series race at the Chicagoland Speedway. Blue-Emu and Walmart were partners with RPM earlier this year which led to an expanded partnership with Walmart for the Chicagoland Speedway event. Walmart is a well known retailer to the NASCAR fan base as millions visit its retail locations on a weekly basis. And, while in the Chicagoland area for the race, NASCAR fans will be stopping in at the local Walmart to stock up on the requisite weekend supplies. SlimFast and Natrol, LLC are new partners in the NASCAR platform with RPM. Walmart has over 5,000 stores nationwide and reaches the millions of NASCAR fans who are among the most loyal of any sports fans.(Richard Petty Motorsports)
See an image of the scheme on the #9 Team Schemes page.(9-16-2015)

Pit crew changes to the #88 team: The #88 Hendrick Motorsports team has made a couple of recent changes to its pit crew. David Mayo is back as the team's front tire changer after being replaced earlier in the season by Kevin Novak. Mayo is a longtime changer replacing Novak, who spent time at Roush Fenway Racing and then the #38 car this year before getting a shot with the #88 team at Darlington and Richmond. To go along with the change made on the front, there was a change made in the rear. In late summer, Devin DelRicco replaced rear changer Joe Slingerland. DelRicco will continue in that position heading into the Chase.(PitTalks / NASCAR.com)(9-16-2015)

John Force to honor Gordon with special scheme at NHRA Carolina Nationals: John Force's memories of Jeff Gordon go back to the early 1990s, when the two drivers were just getting started on their impressive championship runs. As Gordon wraps up a legendary career at the end of this season, Force wanted to say thank you to Gordon in a way that only the 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion could, with a fully flamed Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car. Force will run the Funny Car for one race, the NHRA Carolina Nationals, starting Sept. 18. "I got the idea for the flames from Jeff telling me years ago he was a fan because I was always on fire. He was right; when I got started, we were on fire from here to Australia. I always enjoyed seeing Jeff at races and award banquets. The guy was just so polite and professional, but you knew he had the eye of the tiger, too. You don't win all those championships on your good looks. This special Funny Car is just a way for me, my family, my team, my sponsors, NHRA, and the fans to say thank you for being a great champion and being such a great driver in NASCAR. I put as many flames as my designer Brandon [Baker] could fit on my hot rod in Jeff's honor," said Force, who will unveil the Funny Car on Friday at the NHRA Carolina Nationals. In addition to recognizing Gordon's racing success, Force wanted to say thank you for the many times the pair of Chevrolet drivers shared a stage or autograph line throughout the years.(NHRA)(9-16-2015)

Lawsuit agains Stewart expected to move to federal court: The wrongful death lawsuit against Tony Stewart will be transferred to the Western District of New York court in Rochester, N.Y. The case was to have been heard in the Northern District of New York court in Utica, N.Y. The motion was made because Stewart's attorney stated that the federal court in Rochester, N.Y., is closer to Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park - where Kevin Ward Jr. died after he was struck by Stewart's sprint car - and more convenient for non-party witnesses expected to provide testimony. Paperwork filed by Stewart's attorney Tuesday stated that the plaintiffs, Ward's family, agreed to the move. A stipulated order was submitted and awaiting the judge's signature to make the move official.(NBC Sports)(9-16-2015)

Chicago Goodyear Tire Notes: Teams in all three NASCAR series will run the same tire set-up this week . . . this left-side tire code (D-4392) has been run by all NASCAR teams at Chicagoland since 2011 . . . this right-side tire code (D-4618) was run at Chicagoland by Sprint Cup teams only last September . . . Xfinity teams switched to this right-side tire at this track earlier this season, while this is the first Chicagoland race with this right-side for Camping World Truck teams . . . this right-side tire employs Goodyear's multi-zone tread technology, which combines two distinct tread compounds on the same tire -- one on the inboard two inches of the tread for endurance and heat resistance, and one on the outboard 10 inches of the tread for traction . . . all these teams ran this same combination of left- and right-side tires at Texas earlier this season . . . they are scheduled to run it again at both Texas and Homestead at the end of the season . . . this tire combination was confirmed for Chicagoland in a tire test at the track on July 13-14 . . . drivers participating in that test were Dale Earnhardt Jr., Sam Hornish, Martin Truex Jr. and J.J. Yeley . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Chicagoland . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire. (Goodyear), see tire codes, pressures, set limits and more on the Chicago Race Info page.(9-16-2015)

McMurray in the TV booth for Chicago NXS race: NBCSN welcomes Sprint Cup Chase driver Jamie McMurray to the broadcasting booth this weekend. McMurray will join announcer Rick Allen and Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte as an analyst during Saturday night's XFINITY race. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity to work with the NBC Sports Network team for the NASCAR XFINITY Series race in Chicago," said McMurray. "It will be interesting for me to see a race from that vantage point. I hope that I can add an interesting perspective to the race and have some fun."(NBC Sports)(9-16-2015)

Gase picks up Chicago sponsor: #52-Joey Gase and Jimmy Means Racing announce they have picked up JT Concrete, Inc. as a primary sponsor for the Furious 7 300 at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday afternoon. JT Concrete, Inc. is a full service concrete company based in Chicago. This will be the first weekend JT Concrete, Inc. has paired up with the team as a primary sponsor.(Joey Gase Racing)(9-16-2015)

Potter's House featured on the #89 at Chicago: Shepherd Racing Ventures and Morgan Shepherd will carry the "Potter's House" decal at Chicagoland Speedway hoping to raise awareness for the organization which fights poverty in Guatemala. Potter's House Association-International is a Christ-centered U.S. organization involved in ministry to the thousands of people who work and live in at-risk communities.(Shepherd Racing Ventures)(9-16-2015)

Kahne in the #88 at Chicago: This weekend marks Kasey Kahne's first NXS race of 2015 with Great Clips featured on JRM's #88 Chevy Camaro. A JRM partner since 2013, Great Clips will be on board in Kahne's remaining races at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Oct. 9) and Phoenix International Raceway (Nov. 14). Kahne finished fourth (Chicagoland 2014) in his last NXS outing in the Great Clips Chevy. This year, Kahne has three top-five and three-top 10 efforts in four starts with JRM, with a best finish of third at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (JR Motorsports)(9-16-2015)

Motor Honey and O'Reilly Auto Parts partners with Benny Gordon: For NASCAR Xfinity Series' Furious 7 300 at Chicagoland Speedway, Performance Energy Group and Benny Gordon welcome Motor Honey and their retail partner O'Reilly Auto Parts to the #66 Toyota Camry. Motor Honey products, produced by The Casite Company, can be bought at O'Reilly Auto Parts and other national retailers. For race fans, Motor Honey is offering a buy one get one half off mail in rebate offer at all O'Reilly stores. The Casite Company is an automotive chemical company that specializes in the aftermarket. Products sold by Casite include Quality Fuel Additives, Professional Maintenance Liquids and Professional Maintenance Aerosols.(Performance Energy Group)(9-16-2015)

MAKE gets sponsor for 100th team start: MAKE Motorsports will make their 100th start this Friday night under the lights at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois. The #1 of Travis Kvapil and The #50 of Ryan Ellis will also be sporting a new look with new sponsor Landworks Solutions. As Travis Kvapil and Ryan Ellis take the green Friday at the 1.5 mile track, MAKE will enter the 100th start club. The small family team began in 2010 part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. They also spent time racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. MAKE completed their first full season last year in the NCWTS. This year the team expanded to a two truck team operation. Landworks Solutions provides leveraged marketing, I.T. Consulting, manufacturing, merchandising, and management solutions for various business sectors including Professional sports leagues such as the National Football League (NFL) and NASCAR.(MAKE Motorsports)(9-16-2015)

Loudon will mark the 500th truck race: At New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 26, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will run its 500th race. The NCWTS began in 1995 and is in its 21st season of operation. Ron Hornaday Jr. has won the most NCWTS championships (4) and races (51). Mike Skinner earned the first series title driving for legendary owner Richard Childress. Over the years, many of NASCAR's stars have matriculated in the NCWTS, including Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Challengers: Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray and Brad Keselowski.(NASCAR)(9-16-2015)

Peters set for 200th start: Competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for the 11th consecutive season, Timothy Peters will make his 200th start in Friday's American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway. For his career, Peters owns eight wins, 42 top fives, 94 top 10s and six Keystone Light Pole Awards. His high championship finish was a runner-up showing in 2012. This season, the 35-year-old Toyota driver ranks seventh in the NCWTS with two top fives and eight top 10s. In six starts at Chicagoland, he claims two top 10s with a high finish of third (2012). Peters made his first career start at his home track - Martinsville Speedway - on April 9, 2005. Coincidentally, he won his first career race at Martinsville on Oct. 24, 2009, defeating two-time NCWTS champion Todd Bodine by 1.815 seconds.(NASCAR)(9-16-2015)

KBM adds four races to Bell's schedule: Kyle Busch Motorsports announced today Christopher Bell will run an additional four races in the #54 JBL Tundra this season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The 20-year-old has already made three Truck Series starts for KBM in 2015 resulting in one win (Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio) and two top-five finishes. With partnership from JBL, Bell will pilot the #54 JBL Tundra at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway on Oct. 3, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on Oct. 24, Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth on Nov. 6 and the season finale at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway on Nov.20. The open-wheel dirt standout, who was crowned the 2013 United States Auto Club (USAC) National Midget Champion, began his pavement-racing career last September driving for KBM's Late Model team. Since then he has scored six wins and 12 top-five finishes in 18 Late Model starts. The talented youngster picked up his first marquee Late Model victory in March when he led 203 of 250 laps of the prestigious Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway in Kinston, dominating a field which included reigning NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott. Bell made his NCWTS debut in June with KBM at Iowa Speedway in Newton, where he finished fifth. Then in only his third start, he led 106 of 154 laps at Eldora to bring home the trophy. The Eldora win made Bell the seventh different driver to win in the Truck Series for KBM since its inception in 2010. In addition to his pavement schedule for KBM in 2015, Bell continues to tour dirt tracks across the country racing Midgets and Winged Sprint Cars. Bell has collected six POWRi Midget wins, one USAC National Midget win and also collected his second-career World of Outlaws Sprint Car triumph in the Spring Classic Winged Sprint Car race at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo., in April.(See an image of the truck on the #54 Team Paint Schemes Page)(Kyle Busch Motorsports)(9-16-2015)

Protect The Harvest partners with Little for Chicago: Protect The Harvest, an organization started by Lucas Oil founder, Forrest Lucas, will partner with ThorSport Racing and NASCAR Next driver, Jesse Little, for Friday night's American Ethanol 225 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. Little, who made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Dover (Del.) International Speedway earlier this year, will make his second start in the series at the 1.5-mile D-shaped oval, piloting the #97 Toyota Tundra. The animal rights movement in America, led by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), has evolved into a wealthy and successful attack group determined to end the consumption of meat, threaten consumer access to affordable food, eliminate hunting, outlaw rodeos and circuses, and even ban animal ownership. Protect The Harvest, which was created to fight back and defend American families, farmers, sportsmen and animal owners from the growing threat posed by the radical animal rights movement, will continue to work with ThorSport Racing and its fleet of drivers to spread awareness throughout the 2015 NCWTS season. Protect The Harvest has three objectives: INFORM America's consumers, businesses and decision-makers about the threats posed by animal rights groups and anti-farming extremists; PROTECT our freedoms and way of life by creating lasting legal safeguards for farmers, ranchers, hunters, anglers, and animal owners; RESPOND to the activities of radical groups by opposing their efforts to pass laws or enact regulations that would restrict our rights, limit our freedoms, and hinder our access to safe, affordable food. In addition to making his second NCWTS start of the season at Chicagoland Speedway, Little is scheduled to compete in the series at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth (November 6), and the season finale at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway (November 20).(ThorSport Racing)(9-15-2015)
UPDATE See an image of the truck on the #97 Team Paint Schemes Page)(ThorSport Racing)(9-16-2015)

BRANT sponsoring Chicagoland backstretch: Chicagoland Speedway announced BRANDT, a leading agriculture retailer and manufacturer of agricultural specialty products, as naming rights sponsor of Chicagoland Speedway's backstretch. The BRANDT Backstretch will see its share of racing action during the upcoming Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend, Sept. 18-20, as NASCAR's three premier series visit Chicagoland Speedway. The Springfield, Ill. based agricultural company, which also sponsors Riverton, Ill. native Justin Allgaier in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, is committed to bringing success to farmers around the world. For over 60 years, BRANDT has delivered a common theme: control. Today BRANDT offers growers around the world unlimited opportunity by supplying new technologies and innovative processes that help bring greater control against the uncertainties of nature. Through three complementary businesses focused on the global agriculture market, BRANDT strives every day to make growers more profitable and the world's food supply more secure.(Chicagoland Speedway)(9-16-2015)

Testing underway at Kansas UPDATE: #48-Jimmie Johnson, #78-Martin Truex Jr., #43-Aric Almirola and #23-J.J. Yeley are scheduled to take part in a Goodyear tire test beginning today at Kansas Speedway. The session concludes Tuesday. There is an open test for NASCAR Sprint Cup organizations Wednesday. Only one tire test remains this season after the Kansas test. Stewart-Haas Racing, Team Penske, JTG Daugherty and Joe Gibbs Racing will take part in a tire test Oct. 12-13 at Phoenix International Raceway. Each Cup organization is allowed to have one team at Wednesday's open test. Scheduled to test that day are Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle, Alex Bowman, Ryan Blaney, Johnson, Truex, Almirola, Yeley.(NBC Sports)(9-14-2015)
UPDATE: In anticipation of a new aerodynamic package for 2016, Goodyear is conducting a two-day tire test at Kansas Speedway starting on Monday. "We're actually going to be doing a lot of work on low downforce," Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of race tire sales told motorsport.com. "Obviously, we had two good races with that setup and we just want to get a leg up on that package at that race track, make sure our race setup (for 2015) is still good. "But the main focus is 2016 and low downforce and looking at the variations with the current package as well as going softer. We're just going to shake it down. We think we're fine with the current package, but the majority of the test will be low downforce." During last year's Chase for the Sprint Cup, NASCAR was insistent about not allowing Chase participants to test tracks in the final 10 races. But Stucker says with open testing and the end of the tire test it makes the process "equitable for everybody".
Goodyear's next test will be at Phoenix International Raceway on Oct. 12-13 and with an open date on the 14th. Teams currently scheduled to participate include the Nos. 41, 2, 47 and one of the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas. "Phoenix is an early race in 2016," Stucker said. "We're not sure which way we'll go, but if you look at the Kentucky and Darlington races - and the discussions that we've had - we want to be prepared to go in (a low downforce) direction if that's what NASCAR wants to do."
One thing Stucker cautioned about was the level of tire fall off. Although Goodyear selected a softer compound for Darlington, the track has gained character since it was repaved in 2007. He believes the overall goal will not be simply choosing a softer tire but trying "to optimize the package for individual racetracks."
"A lot of people talked a lot about tire fall off," Stucker said. "I know a lot of people say that's one of things we're trying to accomplish but Darlington is starting to be the Darlington of old. There's a lot of fall off on that surface. We saw a lot of fall off in the Xfinity race the night before and they were running the package we intended to run on the standard 2015 (Sprint Cup) package.
After last month's tire test at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Goodyear will bring the same tire package to the season finale as it will run this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway and at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 8. Goodyear is also looking at scheduling additional tire tests for Atlanta Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway depending on the direction NASCAR takes with the aero package.(Motorsport)(9-15-2015)

Penske questioned NASCAR for not penalizing Kenseth on final restart UPDATE: Car owner Roger Penske questioned NASCAR not penalizing winner Matt Kenseth on the final restart of Saturday night's race at Richmond International Raceway, saying "you just can't have that kind of officiating.'' Restarts have been an issue in recent weeks. Drivers and a car owner raised questions about restarts in the pre-race meeting at Bristol last month. Dale Earnhardt Jr. said NASCAR needed to do a better job policing restarts after that race. Kenseth led the field to green with 18 laps to go and accelerated quickly. Logano, who was second and started on the outside of Kenseth, did not mount a challenge as Kenseth pulled away. Logano finished third. "I think the last restart, the guy must have closed the window and pulled the blind down,'' Penske said. "That's how bad it was.'' Penske wants a clearer definition of the restart rule. "I think they've got to come up with some way to say what's right or what's wrong,'' Penske said. "To me, this is a perfect example of inconsistencies. When you're racing for as tight as we are and everything that is on the line, you just can't have that kind of officiating.''
Kenseth said he was focused on getting a quick restart. "I knew for sure I wasn't going to go late,'' he said. "Joey and Brad and are just so good on restarts. They just launch so good. I don't know what they do. I wish we did. They just launch so fast. All the restarts I had tonight, Joey would typically beat me. When we got that debris caution ... I knew that I had to have a good pit stop, and I had to have a good restart and get some distance and hold on because our short run wasn't the strongest part of our car tonight. I knew it was going to be important to make sure we were clear when we got to Turn 1.''(NBC Sports)(9-13-2015)
UPDATE NASCAR defended its decision Monday not to penalize Matt Kenseth on the final restart of Saturday night's Sprint Cup race at Richmond International Raceway. Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, addressed the restart in his weekly appearance on "The Morning Drive" on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Asked if NASCAR was content on making the calls on restarts, O'Donnell said: "I think for now we're still content. It is ... a ball-and-strike call. We've got the ability to go back and look at video, which we do, and in this case made the call and moved on from it. It's still one that we want to leave in the drivers' hands. If we have to get involved and make those calls with more video, I think we'll do that, but we'd still like to see it play out the way it does through the final 10."(NBC Sports)(9-15-2015)

Richmond TV Ratings: Another Saturday night race, another poor overnight for NASCAR on cable. NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Richmond earned a 1.7 overnight rating on NBCSN Saturday night, down 37% from last year (2.7) and down 41% from 2013 (2.9), both of which aired on ABC. The 1.7 is the second-lowest of the season for a Sprint Cup race, ahead of only rain-delayed coverage from Kansas on Fox Sports 1 in May (1.5). Four of the five lowest Sprint Cup overnights this season have been for Saturday night races on cable - with Bristol in August (1.9) and Kentucky in July (2.0) joining the Richmond and Kansas races. The only Sunday race to rank in the bottom five was Michigan in June, which was delayed due to rain (2.0). Thirteen of the 14 Sprint Cup races on cable this season have had a decline in overnights, with the previously mentioned Kentucky race the lone exception. It should be noted that Richmond was the first race of the season to face head-to-head football competition, airing opposite ABC's Saturday Night Football (5.0). Each week for the remainder of the season, NASCAR will air opposite either college football or the NFL.(ShowBuzz Daily / Sports Media Watch)
See past race TV Ratings, five-year comparison chart and more on the 2015 TV Ratings page.(9-15-2015)

Gilliland, Love's Travel Stops to Host 7-Year-Old Miracle Child at Chicago: A Chicago-area miracle child will get a taste of life as a NASCAR driver on Sept. 20 at Chicagoland Speedway, when David Gilliland and Love's Travel Stops host the seven-year-old boy who overcame a rare, fatal liver disease. Jack Benjamin will sport a replica Love's driver's suit and accompany Gilliland throughout his race day schedule. The youngster also created artwork that will be featured on the hood of the #38 Love's Travel Stops Ford and on Gilliland's helmet. At just two months old, Jack was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare liver disease for which there was no cure. Two days after the diagnosis, the Evanston, Ill., boy had his first surgery at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Three months later, he underwent a liver transplant - the beginning of his "miracle" road to recovery. Today, Jack is an active little boy who likes to dance, ride his bike and swim, thanks to the treatment received at Lurie Children's. The miniature "driver for a day" celebration will top off Love's Travel Stops' and Gilliland's week of promoting Love's annual fundraising campaign for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, a non-profit organization that raises funds for 170 children's hospitals across North America. Gilliland will also visit Lurie Children's on Sept. 17 for a meet-and-greet with patients and a tour of the facility. The month of September marks the 17th year that Love's Travel Stops has run a fundraising effort for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Cashiers at more than 350 Love's locations nationwide are asking customers to buy paper balloons for $1, $5 or $20 to benefit local CMN Hospitals.(Front Row Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #38 team paint schemes page.(9-15-2015)

Bowman picks up Chicago sponsor: Tommy Baldwin Racing welcomes Jewel-Osco to the team as primary sponsor of Alex Bowman's #7 Chevy SS during the MyAFibRisk.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway Sunday afternoon. A leading Midwest food and drug retailer, Jewel-Osco has been serving the community for more than 100 years. The company operates 184 stores in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa. With a commitment to customer service, the freshest meat and produce and the value customers deserve - each store is tailored to the neighborhood it serves. Bowman looks forward to carrying Jewel-Osco on his Chevrolet in race number 27 of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.(Tommy Baldwin Racing), see an image of the car on the #7 team paint schemes page.(9-15-2015)

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Chicago:
#48-Jimmie Johnson.........115.5
#42-Kyle Larson.........110.1
#14-Tony Stewart.........105.0
#20-Matt Kenseth.........104.8
#18-Kyle Busch.........103.6
#24-Jeff Gordon.........100.1
#4-Kevin Harvick.........99.5
#2-Brad Keselowski.........98.5
#55-Brian Vickers.........91.4
#15-Clint Bowyer.........89.4
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (10 total) among active drivers at Chicagoland Speedway.
Formula combining the following categories: Win, Finish, Top-15 Finish, Average Running Position while on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.
See an explanation how the Driver Rating is calculated at NASCAR.com.(NASCAR)(9-15-2015)

Fifth Third Bank sponsoring Buescher: The #60 Ford Mustang carries the Fifth Third Bank colors this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. Fifth Third Bank is a U.S. regional banking corporation with headquarters located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the principal subsidiary of holding company Fifth Third Bancorp.(Roush Fenway)(9-15-2015)

Mingus to make XFINITY debut at Chicago: Twenty-year-old Mason Mingus will make his NASCAR XFINITY Series debut Saturday at Chicagoland Speedway, driving the #97 VroomBrands Chevrolet Camaro for Obaika Racing. The Nashville, Tenn., native is in his second full-time season competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and will also drive the #15 "Call 811 Before You Dig" Chevrolet Silverado for Billy Boat Motorsports in Friday's truck race at Chicagoland. Obaika Racing is in its first season competing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Based in Mooresville, N.C., and led by crew chief John Monsam, the team has fielded multiple drivers in its #97 entry in 2015.(Mingus PR)(9-15-2015)

Cope names Chicago sponsors: Derrike Cope Racing has secured a primary and an associate sponsor for Chicagoland Xfinity race on Sept.19, 2015. Delta-Therm is a local company that manufactures heat trace cables that are used to freeze protect or maintain temperatures on pipes. Additionally, they provide cables that go on roofs to melt snow and prevent ice dams, as well as under concrete, sidewalks and pavers to melt snow. Started in 1968 by two electrical engineers, they were the first snow melting products to become UL listed.
The Champagne Lodge and Luxury Suites located in Willowbrook, Il. and a short drive to the Chicagoland Speedway is a luxurious resort with full amenities in each room including a Jacuzzi tub and steam shower. Derrike Cope Racing guests and crew will be fed by Bella Cucina Catering. Michelle Jankowski and family serve "Gourmet food with an upscale twist".(Derrike Cope Racing)(9-15-2015)

Charlotte wants dirt race: Charlotte Motor Speedway officials are interested in hosting a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at its neighboring Dirt Track at Charlotte. Speedway Motorsports Inc. CEO and CMS president Marcus Smith confirmed to Motorsport.com on Tuesday he has talked to NASCAR about hosting a Truck race at the 4/10th-mile dirt oval. The event would not take place before 2017. NASCAR is finalizing its 2016 schedules for Sprint Cup, Xfinity and Trucks and they are expected to be released in two to three weeks.(Motorsport.com)(9-15-2015)

Boat enters second race of 2015: Billy Boat Motorsports announced today that it will field a second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) entry with driver Chad Boat at Chicagoland Speedway. Boat, who made his NCWTS debut at Eldora Speedway earlier this season, will pilot the #16 CorvetteParts.net Chevy Silverado to join teammate Mason Mingus, driver of the #15 Call 811 Before You Dig Chevy Silverado, in the America Ethanol E15 225 on Friday, September 18. Boat, who grew up racing midgets and sprint cars, has 17 NASCAR XFINTY Series (NXS) starts and will add a second NCWTS event to his resume at Chicagoland Speedway. The 23-year-old and BBM have partnered with CorvetteParts.net, the leader in Corvette parts and accessories, and will have support from Pristine Auction, a consignment based auction house specializing in autographed memorabilia, sports cards, and collectibles that ensure 100% authenticity.(Billy Boat Motorsports)(9-15-2015)

Protect The Harvest partners with Little for Chicago: Protect The Harvest, an organization started by Lucas Oil founder, Forrest Lucas, will partner with ThorSport Racing and NASCAR Next driver, Jesse Little, for Friday night's American Ethanol 225 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. Little, who made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Dover (Del.) International Speedway earlier this year, will make his second start in the series at the 1.5-mile D-shaped oval, piloting the #97 Toyota Tundra. The animal rights movement in America, led by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), has evolved into a wealthy and successful attack group determined to end the consumption of meat, threaten consumer access to affordable food, eliminate hunting, outlaw rodeos and circuses, and even ban animal ownership. Protect The Harvest, which was created to fight back and defend American families, farmers, sportsmen and animal owners from the growing threat posed by the radical animal rights movement, will continue to work with ThorSport Racing and its fleet of drivers to spread awareness throughout the 2015 NCWTS season. Protect The Harvest has three objectives: INFORM America's consumers, businesses and decision-makers about the threats posed by animal rights groups and anti-farming extremists; PROTECT our freedoms and way of life by creating lasting legal safeguards for farmers, ranchers, hunters, anglers, and animal owners; RESPOND to the activities of radical groups by opposing their efforts to pass laws or enact regulations that would restrict our rights, limit our freedoms, and hinder our access to safe, affordable food. In addition to making his second NCWTS start of the season at Chicagoland Speedway, Little is scheduled to compete in the series at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth (November 6), and the season finale at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway (November 20).(ThorSport Racing)(9-15-2015)

Johnson working on contract extension UPDATE3 - DONE: Just weeks before NASCAR's "silly season" of accelerated contract negotiation and frenzied driver movement speculation, six-time Sprint Cup champion #48-Jimmie Johnson remains without an extension to remain at Hendrick Motorsports. But that sounds like just a formality. Before the 5-hour Energy 301 on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Johnson told USA TODAY Sports that while there was "nothing new" in completing negotiations, he doesn't foresee a move from the team with which he has raced his entire 15-year Sprint Cup career. "(Team owner) Rick (Hendrick) likes to get things signed up and done well in advance, so there definitely have been conversations," Johnson said. "We're kind of going down the road to get that all buttoned up and put together. But I'm home. I'm not going anywhere."(USA Today)(7-20-2015)
UPDATE: Johnson met with members of the media at Indianapolis and discussed his contract extension, the transcript in part:
Q) WHAT IS THE LATEST ON YOUR CONTRACT EXTENSION AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT CHAD (KNAUS, CREW CHIEF) TO BE BACK NEXT YEAR?
Johnson: "We still have, is it next year on our contract? I don't even know. We are obviously not concerned. We have been getting things buttoned up with Lowe's, with Hendrick, with Chad and myself, all of that. Like I said, I think last week, I'm home it's just a formality at this point to get everything kind of finished up and done."(Team Chevy)(7-29-2015)
UPDATE2: Rick Hendrick confirmed Tuesday that an announcement is likely next week in regards to Jimmie Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus and sponsor Lowe's. All three are in the final year of their contracts with Hendrick Motorsports. "You might not have to wait a week," Hendrick said with a smile. "It's just a matter of rolling it out, probably next week." Johnson last signed a five-year contract extension that carried through this season. Lowe's signed a two-year extension in Feb. 2013, putting its deal in line with Johnson's and Knaus'.(NBC Sports)(9-8-2015)
UPDATE 3: Lowe's Companies Inc. has extended its longtime relationship with Hendrick Motorsports after signing a two-year agreement that will continue its full-season primary sponsorship of the #48 NASCAR Sprint Cup team and six-time series champion Jimmie Johnson in 2016 and 2017. In addition, Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports have agreed to a two-year contract extension that will keep the driver behind the wheel of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet SS through 2017. The agreements build upon a partnership launched in 2001 when Johnson was selected to drive for the new #48 Hendrick Motorsports team. Now in its 14th full season, the sponsor-driver-team relationship has become one of the most successful in NASCAR history. Lowe's, whose NASCAR involvement dates back to its first car sponsorship in 1960, has been Johnson's primary sponsor for each of his 497 career Sprint Cup starts. Since his first full-time Sprint Cup season in 2002, Johnson has earned 74 victories -- the most in the series during that span -- and averaged a third-place (3.07) championship points finish. Led by crew chief Chad Knaus, whose contract with Hendrick Motorsports runs through 2018, the #48 Lowe's team has scored at least three Sprint Cup wins in each of its 14 full seasons (2002-15). Johnson's six championships trail only first-ballot NASCAR Hall of Fame drivers Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty, who each posted seven.(Hendrick Motorsports)(9-14-2015)

Testing underway at Kansas: #48-Jimmie Johnson, #78-Martin Truex Jr., #43-Aric Almirola and #23-J.J. Yeley are scheduled to take part in a Goodyear tire test beginning today at Kansas Speedway. The session concludes Tuesday. There is an open test for NASCAR Sprint Cup organizations Wednesday. Only one tire test remains this season after the Kansas test. Stewart-Haas Racing, Team Penske, JTG Daugherty and Joe Gibbs Racing will take part in a tire test Oct. 12-13 at Phoenix International Raceway. Each Cup organization is allowed to have one team at Wednesday's open test. Scheduled to test that day are Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle, Alex Bowman, Ryan Blaney, Johnson, Truex, Almirola, Yeley.(NBC Sports)(9-14-2015)

Entry List for the myAFibRisk.com 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway is posted, 46 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: #21-Blaney, #30-Kvapil, #32-Wise, #33-Scott, #62-Sorenson, #95-McDowell, #98-Hill.
Drivers who need to be in the top-36 in speed and have no provisional available to them (lowest in owners points): #30-Kvapil (49th in owners pts); #62-Sorenson (46th); #26-Yeley (44th)
Drivers who would miss the race if qualifying is canceled (least race attempts): #30-Kvapil (11 race attempts); #21-Blaney (13); #95-McDowell (15)
Since only 43 cars are entered, all drivers will make the race.
See the full entry list on Jayski.com's Chicago Entry List

Richmond Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2015 Federated Auto Parts: For those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, here is the breakdown for Saturday's race. Began recording the times at the Invocation of the race at 7:30 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 10:56 PM (all times are EST). Did not keep records for the pre- and post-race coverage. NBCSN was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 120
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 67
Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 95
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 61
Number of 'Side-by-Side' commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 25
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 20
Number of times NBCSN utilized 'Side-by-Side' commercials during this broadcast: 4
Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 4 min. 55 sec.
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 7:30 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 10:56 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 206
Minutes of race broadcast: 165
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 41
Minutes of 'Side-by-Side' commercials (split-screen): 12
Number of missed restarts: 0
Number of 'mystery cautions' (debris not shown): 0
Total race brdcst time 165 Total comm. brdcst time 41
See full reports, sponsor links, many more details at CawsnJaws.com.(9-14-2015)

How the Chase for the Sprint Cup works:
Challenger round: The 16 eligible drivers will compete in races at Chicago, New Hampshire and Dover for 12 spots available in the next round. A win at any of the three races advances the winning driver into the next round. The rest of the field of 12 will be determined by order of total points scored after the three races. Each advancing driver will be reset to 3,000 points, no bonus points for wins.
Contender round: The 12 drivers who advance from the Challenger round will compete at Charlotte, Kansas and Talladega for eight spots available in the next round, with the same rules for advancing as in the Challenger round. Each advancing driver will be reset to 4,000 points, no bonus points for wins.
Eliminator round: Eight drivers advance to races at Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix and compete for four spots in the final round. The same rules will be used for advancing as in previous rounds. Points for the four drivers going for the championship are reset to 5,000, no bonus points for wins.
Championship round: The Chase championship will be decided by the driver with the best finish among the top four at Homestead.
See news and rules about the Chase on the 2015 Chase News page.

Brian Scott unsure of 2016 plans: Despite racing in the XFINITY Series for seven seasons now, Brian Scott has yet to make his inaugural trip to victory lane. Even though he has yet to visit victory lane, he has come close on several occasions, leading the most laps at Richmond in 2013 before being called on jumping a late race restart. This season, Scott has run up front throughout the season, putting himself in a position to win an XFINITY Series race. He has finished in the top-three on four different occasions - Talladega, Iowa, Elkhart Lake and Richmond - but has come up short each event. With his plans up in the air for next year, and possibly this being his last full XFINITY Series season, a win would be huge right now for Scott. "I don't have plans yet," he stated on Thursday. "We're focused really hard in moving into the Sprint Cup and finding a competitive ride, but really, the options are slim up there, and they are tough to find. But really, we're focused on making that step up and putting together the pieces that we need to for a competitive ride, and trying to not be in the XFINITY Series on a full-time points basis." Scott added that he has explored every option that has been out there thus far in his search. He has discussed with RCR about possibly running a fourth car for their organization, as well as possibly racing for a team that has a technical alliance with RCR. He added, though, that he's willing to break ties with RCR if that need be. "We're not closing any doors; we're open to all opportunities, and nothing is off the table right now," he commented. "We're exploring everything and be very thorough in this process."(Popular Speed), Scott has run 14 Sprint Cup Series races the past three years, including 7 in 2015. Scott's best Cup finish is a 13th at Las Vegas this season in the #33 Circle Sport Chevy. Scott is scheduled to run the #33 Chevy at Chicago this weekend.(9-14-2015)

Elliott Captures Second Alabama 200 Win: Just 48 hours and 700 miles after snapping his winless streak in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Chase Elliott left Montgomery Motor Speedway (AL) with his third career Southern Super Series presented by Sunoco win, and second Alabama 200 triumph. Elliott set second fast-time Saturday evening but after a re-draw started second for the start of the 200 lap affair Sunday afternoon. Kyle Grissom raced inside the top three for the entire race and hung on for the runner-up finish. Behind the top two, Ross Kenseth worked his up from a 10th starting spot to round out the podium.(51 Sports)(9-14-2015)

2015 Top-5's, Top-10's:
#4-Harvick leads all drivers in 2015 with 18 top-fives followed by #22-Logano with 16.
#4-Harvick leads all drivers in 2015 with 22 top-Ten finishes. #22-Logano is next with 20.
Four drivers have ran all the races in 2015 and do not have a top-10 finish: #38-Gilliland, #35-Whitt, #46-Annett, #40-Cassill.(9-14-2015)

No idea when the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Schedule will be announced. Any rumors or news about the schedule will be posted. There have been reports it would come out in mid-to-late September. Also see the 2016 Schedule News and Rumors page. As a reference, in 2014 the 2015 schedule was announced on 8/26/2014; the 2014 schedule wasn't announced until 10/15/2013; and the 2013 schedule was announced on 9/25/2012.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Laps Led Leaders:
(after Richmond, 26 of 36 races)
1. #4-Kevin Harvick, 1,450
2. #22-Joey Logano, 862
3. #41-Kurt Busch, 728 (23 races)
4. #20-Matt Kenseth, 645
5. #2-Brad Keselowski, 607
6. #18-Kyle Busch, 538 (15 races)
7. #78-Martin Truex Jr., 497
8. #11-Denny Hamlin, 491
9. #48-Jimmie Johnson, 467
10. #19-Carl Edwards, 336
7,249 total laps run.(9-14-2015)

XFINITY Entry List: There are 41 cars on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's Furious 7 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. A few notes:
Jimmy Weller is listed in the #15 for Rick Ware;
Ryan Ellis returns to the #17;
Ryan Blaney will drive the #22 for Penske;
TJ Bell is in the #26 for JGL;
Benny Gordon and the #66 team make another attempt;
Kasey Kahne will be in the #88 for JR Motorsports;
Martin Roy is entered in the #90;
The #97 of Obaika Racing is TBA.(9-14-2015)
See the complete list on the Chicagoland Speedway entry list page.

Green sets record for last place finishes: Jeff Green picked up the 76th last-place finish of his NASCAR XFINITY Series career in Friday's Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at the Richmond International Raceway when his #19 Premier Barter Exchange Toyota fell out with a vibration after he completed 2 of the race's 250 laps. The finish was Green's 16th of the season and his first since Road America, two races ago. With eight races to go, Green has already broken his 2013 record of 15 last-place finishes in a single season. Green was one of 41 entrants at Richmond, and was the slowest in Thursday's opening practice with a single lap of only 77.548 mph - 12.590 seconds slower than Austin Dillon's fastest lap of 121.474 mph. He improved dramatically with a lap of 119.011 mph in qualifying, good enough for 31st on the grid. Missing the show was Morgan Shepherd, whose #89 Chevrolet was edged by J.J. Yeley's #28 Toyota by two-tenths of a second.(LastCar)(9-14-2015)

Entry list: There are 34 trucks on the preliminary entry list for Friday's American Ethanol 225 at Chicagoland Speedway. A few notes:
Kyle Larson in the #00;
Chad Boat in the #16;
Ross Chastain in the #18;
Austin Theriault in the #29;
Chad Finley in the #30;
Daniel Suarez in the #51;
Mike Harmon in the #66;
Jesse Little in the #97;
(9-14-2015)
See the complete list on the Chicagoland entry list page.

Larson to drive for JRM in Chicago: Kyle Larson has been tabbed to drive the #00 Haas Automation Chevy Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 18, JR Motorsports announced today. A three-time winner across NASCAR XFINITY Series and NCWTS competition, the event marks Larson's first series start since earning a runner-up finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2014. In nine career NCWTS starts, Larson has notched one victory (Rockingham Speedway in 2013), four top-five and six top-10 finishes with two poles. Larson is currently racing full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Chip Ganassi Racing. His resume includes Rookie of the Year honors in both NSCS and NXS competition. Larson joins Alex Bowman, Cole Custer, Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne as drivers of the No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet. In 2015, the team has scored two victories, one with Kahne at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the second with Custer at Gateway Motorsports Park. In 10 starts this season, the #00 has earned three top-five and five top-10 finishes. Custer, the team's primary driver, will resume driving duties next weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and finish out the year at Martinsville Speedway (Oct. 31) and Phoenix International Raceway (Nov. 13).(JR Motorsports).(9-14-2015)

Chastain, Hattori team up for Chicagoland: Ross Chastain posted on his Twitter on Monday that he would be driving the #18 Toyota for Hattori Racing in the Camping World Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway. Chastain ran three truck races in 2014, with his last appearance falling in the season finale at Homestead. He started third and finished 11th. (9-14-2015)

Mingus planning string of late model events: Brentwood native Mason Mingus, 20, will be back at the historic Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville Saturday for the Tennessee State Fair Race in the Pro Late Model division. The last time Mingus ran at the track was in the 2013 All American 400 when he crashed and finished 21st. So why would he come back? Mason, who wrestled and played football at Franklin Road Academy, said it's because he credits the Fairgrounds track for helping him launch his career.He has fond memories from the track no matter how challenging it was, and he learned valuable lessons there that are paying off today. Mingus currently is competing for Billy Boat Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He is 16th in the points standings after finishing 11th in the truck series championship last year. Mingus has had two top-10 finishes and seven top-15s over the past two seasons. Saturday's race will serve as a precursor, Mingus said, for the Winchester (Ind.) 400 in October and then the Snowball Derby in Pensacola, Fla., in December. "We're going to shake the car down and work all of the bugs out of it (Saturday)," Mingus said. "And then get ready for Winchester and the Snowball Derby." Mingus isn't ruling out returning to the Fairgrounds on Oct. 4 for the 31st annual All American 400. (The Tennessean).(9-14-2015)

CMS Honors Jeff Gordon's Career With Rare Collection of Automobiles at AutoFair: For more than two decades, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Jeff Gordon has been one of the most famous and successful drivers in all forms of racing. The 2015 season marks the final full-time run for the pilot of the famous #24. To commemorate his stellar career, vehicles from his personal collection as well as racing machines from the most iconic moments in his career will grace the AutoFair Nationwide Showcase Pavilion at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sept. 24-27. CMS holds a lot of memories for Gordon, the most notable being his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory in the 1994 Coca-Cola 600. Back then, he was driving the Dupont Rainbow Warrior paint scheme, which was seemingly retired in 2000. Last month, the Rainbow Warrior made its return to NASCAR. The special scheme, with Axalta on the hood, was driven by Gordon as a throwback at Bristol. Fans will have the chance to see that same Chevrolet SS on display during AutoFair. Another vehicle set to grace the Nationwide Showcase Pavilion is the famous Chassis No. 2429, raced in the 1997 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. Many know this car as "T Rex" as it was sponsored by the movie "Jurassic Park." That night, Gordon and T-Rex dominated the race on the way to scoring the victory. The vehicles' on-track performance was so incredible that NASCAR officials rewrote the rule books to ensure it never raced again at a NASCAR-sanctioned event. In addition to these iconic vehicles, fans can catch a glimpse at some of Gordon's racing memorabilia, including his DuPont Rainbow uniform used in 1996 and his 1989 fire suit from his Sprint Car days on dirt. Gordon's 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z51, 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and 1933 Ford Street Rod are three cars from his vast collection adding a personal touch to the exhibit. The AutoFair features more than 50 car club displays and more than 7,000 vendor spaces offering an array of automotive parts and memorabilia. More than 1,500 collectible vehicles of all makes and models will be available for sale in the car corral that rings the 1.5-mile superspeedway. For more details, to purchase single-day tickets or four day-passes, fans should call the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or visit the website.(CMS)(9-14-2015)

Richmond spring could be moved to Sunday UPDATE2: International Speedway Corp., is exploring the possibility of moving the start of the spring Richmond race from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon, an ISC official told NBC Sports. "I'm not going to say seriously, but we are exploring it,'' said Clay Campbell, president of Martinsville Speedway, who also oversees Richmond International Raceway and Darlington Raceway for International Speedway Corp. "We're always entertaining whatever can make our events better for the broadcasters, for the fans and for the competitors and that's part of it.'' There are other considerations. ISC, as part of its typical post-event critique, is examining how far Richmond's ticket holders travel to attend that race. "If we run Saturday night, there are so many fans that are not staying there or not staying on property or not staying in the region and they drive back home in the middle of the night,'' Campbell said. "How many that is versus if we did it Sunday and they could leave right after the race and drive home - that's things we need to look at and do some questioning with our fanbase.''(NBC Sports)(5-4-2015)
UPDATE: Although NASCAR is still likely weeks away from announcing the entire 2016 Cup series schedule, sources familiar with the scheduling process said the spring race at Richmond International Raceway will take place on a Sunday afternoon next season instead of Saturday night. RIR president Dennis Bickmeier confirmed on Friday that the track had put in a request to NASCAR to change its spring race date to a day event. "Now, we're just going through their process," Bickmeier said. "We'll see what comes out on the other end." The change in date will also return the Richmond spring race weekend to a more traditional three-day event, which also opens up the possibility for more extensive off-track experiences for fans on property.(Motorsport)(9-12-2015)
UPDATE2: Richmond International Raceway has asked NASCAR to move the track's spring race from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon. Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell, who also oversees RIR and Darlington Speedway in the chain of command for the International Speedway Corp., confirmed Saturday that RIR has asked for the move to day racing for its first of two races each season. Campbell said RIR President Dennis Bickmeier recently asked for the change after getting feedback from fans and discussing the possibility with Campbell. Campbell said NASCAR has not responded to the request. He said the change may be an easy decision for NASCAR, but "there are a lot of moving parts. Right now, the 2016 schedule isn't out. We have to see that, too." RIR has scheduled two Saturday night races - the only track with a pair of prime-time events - since 1998. Campbell said moving RIR's first race to Sunday daytime "helps differentiate the two races from each other." The annual September event has its own cachet as the final race before NASCAR's postseason Chase for the Sprint Cup begins. "This is a big event on its own," Campbell said. "Putting the spring race in the daytime would help it stand out as something special on its own."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(9-14-2015)

Qualified for the 2015 Chase for the Sprint Cup(12 years/chases)
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 12th time in Chase, 4 wins
2) #18-Kyle Busch, 8th time, 4 wins
3) #20-Matt Kenseth, 11th time, 4 wins
4) #22-Joey Logano, 3rd time, 2 wins
5) #4-Kevin Harvick, 9th time, 2 wins
6) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 8th time, 2 wins
7) #41-Kurt Busch, 9th time, 2 wins
8) #19-Carl Edwards, 8th time, 2 wins
9) #2-Brad Keselowski, 4th time, 1 win
10) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 3rd time, 1 win
11) #11-Denny Hamlin, 9th times, 1 win
12) #1-Jamie McMurray, 1st time, 0 wins
13) #31-Ryan Newman, 7th time, 0 wins
14) #24-Jeff Gordon, 11th time, 0 wins
15) #15-Clint Bowyer, 6th time, 0 wins
16) #27-Paul Menard, 1st time, 0 wins
(ties are broken by wins, 2nds, 3rds, etc)

Drivers who made the 2014 Chase, failed to qualify for Chase in 2015
#43-Aric Almirola, 16th in 2015 drivers standings
#5-Kasey Kahne, 17th
#47-A.J. Allmendinger, 21st
#16-Greg Biffle, 19th
There are no Roush Fenway Racing drivers in the Chase for the first time since it started in 2004.
There are four former Roush Cup drivers in the Chase: Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Edwards, McMurray.(9-13-2015)

Penske questioned NASCAR for not penalizing Kenseth on final restart: Car owner Roger Penske questioned NASCAR not penalizing winner Matt Kenseth on the final restart of Saturday night's race at Richmond International Raceway, saying "you just can't have that kind of officiating.'' Restarts have been an issue in recent weeks. Drivers and a car owner raised questions about restarts in the pre-race meeting at Bristol last month. Dale Earnhardt Jr. said NASCAR needed to do a better job policing restarts after that race. Kenseth led the field to green with 18 laps to go and accelerated quickly. Logano, who was second and started on the outside of Kenseth, did not mount a challenge as Kenseth pulled away. Logano finished third. "I think the last restart, the guy must have closed the window and pulled the blind down,'' Penske said. "That's how bad it was.'' Penske wants a clearer definition of the restart rule. "I think they've got to come up with some way to say what's right or what's wrong,'' Penske said. "To me, this is a perfect example of inconsistencies. When you're racing for as tight as we are and everything that is on the line, you just can't have that kind of officiating.''
Kenseth said he was focused on getting a quick restart. "I knew for sure I wasn't going to go late,'' he said. "Joey and Brad and are just so good on restarts. They just launch so good. I don't know what they do. I wish we did. They just launch so fast. All the restarts I had tonight, Joey would typically beat me. When we got that debris caution ... I knew that I had to have a good pit stop, and I had to have a good restart and get some distance and hold on because our short run wasn't the strongest part of our car tonight. I knew it was going to be important to make sure we were clear when we got to Turn 1.''(NBC Sports)(9-13-2015)

McDowell hits safety truck, all are OK: #95-Michael McDowell clipped a safety truck on the high side of the track on Lap 291. He was a lapped-down car, and as the leaders dove down pit road, McDowell didn't know that the safety truck was on the track. The safety crew reported to NASCAR race control that they were not injured. "I jumped on the brakes and started to slide, and then [the cars in front of me] all pulled down, and it was just too late for me," McDowell said. "I had no idea the safety truck was there. I think a lot of guys were trying to pull up to get to pit road, and a lot of lapped guys jumped on the brakes. It was just my mistake, obviously. I'm driving it. I take full responsibility for it. But it definitely caught me off guard. ... I'm thankful nobody got hurt. I'm embarrassed for my team."(ESPN), McDowell's car was damaged badly, with the right rear quarter panel and back bumper cover torn from the car. McDowell didn't finish the race, being scored 41st. McDowell, chis crew chief and spotter were called to the NASCAR hauler after the incident.(9-13-2015)

Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown Proceeds Top $200,000: With Thursday's $50,000 check presentation by Mary Lou Hamlin to Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR), the Denny Hamlin Foundation reached $200,000 in donations to fight cystic fibrosis through proceeds from the annual Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown. The eighth installment of the late model race was held last April at South Boston (Va.) Speedway. The donations help fund the Denny Hamlin Cystic Fibrosis Research Lab at CHoR and support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation-accredited Therapeutics Development Center at VCU. Former South Boston track champion and current NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Timothy Peters won the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown on April 23, beating a celebrity line-up that included Hamlin, NASCAR drivers Chase Elliott and David Ragan, plus Virginia natives Jeb Burton, Gray Gaulding, Hermie Sadler and Peters.
"The Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown continues to be a big success in raising awareness and funding to support Cystic Fibrosis research," said Hamlin. "South Boston has been a perfect venue for us the last couple of years by providing great track and fan support." Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a fatal genetic disease that affects about 30,000 children and adults in the United States. CF causes chronic infections in the lungs and inadequate digestion of nutrients. There is no cure for CF, but medical advances have doubled the life expectancy of children in the last 30 years and increased the overall median age of survival to 40.
CHoR has a large research staff focused on finding a cure for CF and in developing new therapies for CF. As the only CF Foundation-accredited center in the greater Richmond area, CF patients cared for at CHoR have access to the latest therapies and can participate in groundbreaking clinical studies.
"Thanks to the generosity of the Denny Hamlin Foundation, we have been able to accelerate the discovery of new therapies for cystic fibrosis," said Bruce Rubin, M.D., professor and chair of the VCU Department of Pediatrics and physician-in-chief of CHoR. "We have been able to enhance research collaboration to increase our understanding of the nature of CF lung disease, and we are excited that a new medication discovered at VCU, is now undergoing testing. Just as important, the Denny Hamlin Foundation funds are supporting a scientist in training to become a CF research scientist. It is through the generosity of the Denny Hamlin Foundation and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation that we hope that "CF" will come to mean "Cure Found."
The Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown began in 2008 at Southside Speedway, a local short track near Hamlin's hometown of Chesterfield, Va., outside of Richmond, before moving to Richmond International Raceway in 2011 to pair up as a doubleheader with the NASCAR K&N Series. For its seventh year in 2014, the race moved just over 100 miles southeast to South Boston Speedway, another Virginia short track with a long history in stock car racing. For 2016, the event will move to Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va. as the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown continues its tour of local Virginia-based speedways.
The success of this event was also made possible by the support of sponsors FedEx, Sun Trust, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing, Sprint, Danville Toyota, Sport Clips, Denny's Restaurants, NAPA Auto Parts, Stock Car Steel, Mattioli Foundation, Racing for a Reason, and the NASCAR Foundation. The Short Track Showdown is one of two major fundraising events hosted by the Denny Hamlin Foundation this year. The other is Denny & Mark's ProAm Jam concert and golf event, held Oct. 19-20 at Daniel Island Club in Charleston, SC to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation-accredited Center at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) among other beneficiaries.(Denny Hamlin Foundation)(9-13-2015)

Chase Fest Set for Chicago: As The Chase rapidly approaches, so too does the fan celebration that will help kick it off in Chicago - Chase Fest sponsored by Toyota. The free outdoor fan fest will feature all 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Challengers and culminate with a live concert by Grammy-nominated band, 3 Doors Down. NASCAR Chase Fest will take place on Weed Street between Fremont and Kingsbury streets from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. CDT on September 17 and will feature appearances and autograph sessions from all 16 drivers competing in the Challenger Round, as well as a number of recognizable NASCAR personalities. Fans in attendance will be treated to food from renowned Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, beverages from Coors Light (with proper ID), attractions such as the Toyota Ferris Wheel and NASCAR on NBC Sports Bumper Cars, activations from event sponsor Sprint including an appearance by Miss Sprint Cup and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Trophy, and another live musical performance by a Chicago favorite, country cover band the Suburban Cowboys.(NASCAR News Service)(9-13-2015)

Hialeah Speedway Reunion in November: Hialeah Speedway closed its doors for the final time in August of 2005. Since then there has been two reunions, the first being in 2010 with over 500+ in attendance. The second in 2012 with the numbers down a tiny bit to just shy of 400. The next reunion marks 10 years since the closing of the famed 1/3 mile flat oval, while the track is gone the memories live on. In 2010 some of the tracks greatest names were inducted in the Hall of Fame. Amongst the drivers were several car owners and a track employee. The names were all iconic and well deserved. Gary Balough, Bobby Brack, Herb Tillman(Won first ever race at speedway), Larry Rogero, Bobby Coyle, Robert Hamke, Buddy Griffin, Billy Barnwell, Dick Anderson, Bill Flingos, Marty Handshaw(Car Owner) and the late Marty Little (Track announcer and track historian). The recognition list was continued at the 2012 reunion and consisted of more of Hialeah Speedways greatest legends. L.N. Dodd, H.C. Wilcox, Hank Pollard, Marion Edwards Sr, Pee Wee Griffin, Pete Willoughby, Randy Tissot, Ernie Reeves Jr., Mike McCrary, Tommy Mottle, Bobby Henry, Teddy Barnwell, Danny Maddox, Joe Winchell and Track Scorer Janet Little.
Mark the date of November 28th, 2015 for the Hialeah Speedway Reunion; the reunion is going back to where it all began. The 2015 Hialeah Speedway Reunion will be held in Hialeah, Florida at the Five Star Milander Center located at 4800 Palm Avenue. Owners, drivers, fans and sponsors are encouraged to plan to attend this huge event. A discounted rate for lodging at the Grand Palms Resort in Pembroke Pines, FL.(PR)(9-13-2015)

Kenseth wins at Richmond: #20-Matt Kenseth won the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway for his 4th win of the season, 2nd win at Richmond and 35th career win. Kenseth led 352 of the 400 laps.
#18-Busch finished 2nd followed by #22-Logano, #43-Almirola, #88-Earnhardt Jr., #11-Hamlin, #24-Gordon, #2-Keselowski, #48-Johnson and #15-Bowyer.
With his 4th win of 2015, Kenseth ties Johnson and Kyle Busch for most wins, will each start the Chase with 2012 points.
#4-Harvick led the points for the regular season with 978 points, 30 more tahn #22-Logano.
#1-McMurray clinched a spot in the Chase just by starting. Four other drivers got in the Chase via points: #31-Newman, #24-Gordon, #15-Bowyer and #27-Menard. McMurray and Menard make the Chase for the first time. #43-Almirola make a great effort to make the Chase and finished 4th but fell 17 points short of Menard.
One odd incident happened on lap 290 when #95-McDowell hit the safety truck, tearing much of the rear of the car off. It was the end of the race for McDowell, who escaped injury as did the safety workers.
There were 13 lead changes among 4 drivers. There were 6 cautions for 47 yellow flag laps.
The average speed was 100.353mph.
See unofficial race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Unofficial Race Results page (pdf) and check out the Penalty Report (pdf) and Lap Summary Report (pdf).
(9-12-2015)

2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup CHASE Standings:
[after Richmond, race 26 of 36]
(by wins, then by points standings)
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 2012
2) #18-Kyle Busch, 2012
3) #20-Matt Kenseth, 2012
4) #22-Joey Logano, 2009
5) #4-Kevin Harvick, 2006
6) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 2006
7) #41-Kurt Busch, 2006
8) #19-Carl Edwards, 2006
9) #2-Brad Keselowski, 2003
10) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 2003
11) #11-Denny Hamlin, 2003
[made the Chase via points standings]
12) #1-Jamie McMurray, 2000
13) #31-Ryan Newman, 2000
14) #24-Jeff Gordon, 2000
15) #15-Clint Bowyer, 2000
16) #27-Paul Menard, 2000
See the seeded Chase points on the Chase Points Standings page (pdf).(9-12-2015)

Top-10 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Drivers Points Standings:
[after Richmond, race 26 of 36]
1) #4-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 978
2) #22-Joey Logano [3 wins], 948, -30
3) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [2 wins], 894, -84
4) #2-Brad Keselowski [1 win], 873, -105
5) #48-Jimmie Johnson [4 wins], 852, -126
6) #20-Matt Kenseth [4 wins], 824, -154
7) #78-Martin Truex Jr. [1 win], 818, -160
8) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 793, -185
9) #41-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 781, -197
10) #1-Jamie McMurray, 757, -221
(ties are broken by wins, 2nds, 3rds, etc)
See the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings page (pdf) and Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf).
(9-12-2015)

Race Fast Facts - Richmond:
#20-Matt Kenseth won the 58th Annual Federated Auto Parts 400 , his 35th victory in 570 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his fourth victory and 16th top-10 finish in 2015.
This is his second victory and 15th top-10 finish in 32 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Kenseth's 352 laps led were the second-highest total of his career (415, Bristol-2 in 2005).
#18-Kyle Busch (second) posted his 15th top-10 finish in 21 races at Richmond International Raceway. It is his ninth top-10 finish in 2015.
#22-Joey Logano (third) posted his sixth top-10 finish in 14 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Kevin Harvick leads the regular season point standings by 30 points over Joey Logano.
(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(9-12-2015)

Almirola comments about just missing the Chase: #43-Aric Almirola comments about missing the Chase for the Sprint Cup by 17 points:
Q) ARIC, YOU CAME UP JUST SHORT OF BOTH A RACE WIN AND MAKING THE CHASE. TALK ABOUT THE EMOTIONS OF THAT
Almirola: "It is tough. This is what we race for. We race to win races. We race to run for a championship. This race team, we got to do it last year and we had an engine failure at Chicago and feel like we had a lot more to show in the Chase last year. We wanted another shot at it really bad. We have a really, really good race team and am disappointed we didn't get Smithfield and Ford into the Chase again. I am disappointed for sure. We have a really great race team at Richard Petty Motorsports and great sponsors. We had Waffle House on the car tonight and I told all the guys if we won we would go get free waffles but we just came up short. I am really proud of all my guys. We worked our guts out all year long and tonight was no different. I feel we have overachieved this year and really maximized our results week in and week out. I am disappointed to come up a few spots short but we gave it all we had and that is all we can do. We will go race these last 10 races and try to get a victory. Winning is good no matter when it is, regardless of the Chase or not, we will try to go stink up the show and get some wins in the last 10 races."(Ford Racing)(9-12-2015)

Race Coverage of the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is scheduled for Saturday, September 11, 2015.
Television (TV): NBCSN at 7:30 pm/et; Countdown to Green Pre-Race show at 7:00pm/et; green flag approx. 7:44pm/et
Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius XM Satellite NASCAR Radio 90
Scheduled Race Re-Airs:
Monday, September 14 at 12:00pm/et on NBCSN [NASCAR 120]

Richmond Pre-Race Schedule for Saturday, September 12th: (eastern time)
-5:30:00 p.m.: NSCS Driver/Crew Chief Meeting
-5:45:00 p.m.: Concert: Tim Dugger
-7:00:00 p.m.: NSCS Drivers Introductions
-7:26:50 p.m.: Intro Pledge of Allegiance
-7:27:45 p.m.: Pledge of Allegiance: 43 Kids from the Jeff Gordon Foundation
-7:28:30 p.m.: God Bless America: Sophia Nadder
-7:30:00 p.m.: Intro Presentation of Colors by: Ft. Lee Color Guard
-7:30:15 p.m.: Invocation by: Michael McDowell
-7:31:00 p.m.: National Anthem: 29th Division Band from Ft. Lee
-7:32:30 p.m.: Flyby: 6 planes from the Bandit Flight Team
-7:37:30 p.m.: "Driver's, Start Your Engines" by: Christopher McKinney
-7:44:00 p.m.: Green Flag - Federated Auto Parts 400
eastern time (NASCAR.com)

Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway have been made.
Pole sitter #22-Logano chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #20-Kenseth took pit stall 5.
#2-Keselowski, who starts 3rd took the 17th pit stall, the 2nd stall with an opening in front of it.
The 43rd and final pit stall was taken by #48-Johnson, who starts 9th.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on Jayski.com's Pit Stall Selection chart.(9-12-2015)

Richmond Race Notes & Facts - Saturday:
· There have been 118 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway, one NSCS event from 1953 - 1958 and two races per year since 1959.
· 484 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond; 313 in more than one.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Richmond with 63. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 45 starts.
· 50 different drivers have won at Richmond International Raceway, led by Richard Petty with 13. Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in wins at RIR with four.
· Petty Enterprises has the most wins at Richmond in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 15; followed by Hendrick Motorsports with 10, Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing each have nine.
· Nine different manufacturers have won at Richmond. Chevrolet leads the series in wins at Richmond with 37 victories; followed by Ford with 31 and Toyota with seven.
· There have been two NSCS races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Richmond International Raceway: spring of 2008 (400/410) and spring of 2013 (400/406).
· Only four of the 118 races at Richmond International Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions: spring of 1962, spring of 1977, spring of 1982 and spring of 2003.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Richmond International Raceway was the (09/12/1998) race won by Jeff Burton with a MOV of 0.051 second.
(NASCAR)(9-12-2015)

Jeffrey Earnhardt to make Cup debut: After part-time rides, a spell competing in mixed martial arts and a return to racing, Jeffrey Earnhardt - grandson of Dale Earnhardt, and nephew of Dale Earnhardt Jr. - makes his Sprint Cup debut tonight at Richmond. Jeffrey Earnhardt will start 42nd in the #32 BeerFrost.com / Corvetteparts.net Ford. "I'm just thankful to have this opportunity,'' said Earnhardt. "I've got a long, long way to go to learn these cars.'' Earnhardt's goal is simple. He wants to run all the laps and finish in the top 30. If not, he'll have another chance to reach those goals. He's scheduled to drive the car again in two weeks at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.(NBC Sports)(9-12-2015)

BK Racing co-owner offering to sell his stake in team: Anthony Marlowe has For Sale 10% equity (his full interest) in BK Racing, a three car [#23, #26, #83) NASCAR Sprint Cup team and Race Team Alliance member. Interested parties, see Anthony Marlow's Twitter for contact info. Along with 10% interest in all of BK Racing, Marlow's stake comes with being the listed owner of the #26 NSCS car as long as BK Racing runs three or more cars.(9-12-2015)

Richmond spring could be moved to Sunday UPDATE: International Speedway Corp., is exploring the possibility of moving the start of the spring Richmond race from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon, an ISC official told NBC Sports. "I'm not going to say seriously, but we are exploring it,'' said Clay Campbell, president of Martinsville Speedway, who also oversees Richmond International Raceway and Darlington Raceway for International Speedway Corp. "We're always entertaining whatever can make our events better for the broadcasters, for the fans and for the competitors and that's part of it.'' There are other considerations. ISC, as part of its typical post-event critique, is examining how far Richmond's ticket holders travel to attend that race. "If we run Saturday night, there are so many fans that are not staying there or not staying on property or not staying in the region and they drive back home in the middle of the night,'' Campbell said. "How many that is versus if we did it Sunday and they could leave right after the race and drive home - that's things we need to look at and do some questioning with our fanbase.''(NBC Sports)(5-4-2015)
UPDATE: Although NASCAR is still likely weeks away from announcing the entire 2016 Cup series schedule, sources familiar with the scheduling process said the spring race at Richmond International Raceway will take place on a Sunday afternoon next season instead of Saturday night. RIR president Dennis Bickmeier confirmed on Friday that the track had put in a request to NASCAR to change its spring race date to a day event. "Now, we're just going through their process," Bickmeier said. "We'll see what comes out on the other end." The change in date will also return the Richmond spring race weekend to a more traditional three-day event, which also opens up the possibility for more extensive off-track experiences for fans on property.(Motorsport)(9-12-2015)

Allgaier on Sprint Cup future: 'I'm worried about it': Justin Allgaier is well aware of the rumors. With HScott Motorsports' #51 Chevy the most-mentioned landing place for Clint Bowyer next season and no contract for Allgaier beyond this season, the 29-year-old's 2016 plans are unclear. "Being in a contract year in general is a challenge, let alone with the rumors," Allgaier told USA TODAY Sports on Friday. "Yeah, I'm worried about it. But at the same time, everybody is trying to get everything put together so we're not sitting there in November saying, 'Oh, we don't know what the future looks like.' Everybody is working diligently so that every thought goes into this and that it makes sense for everybody involved. I'll let them sort out the details on the off-track side of it and keep working on the on-track side." So has Allgaier been informed of what the team might be thinking? "I listen to you guys (in the media), honestly," he said. "At the end of the day, Harry (Scott) and I have been pretty solid through a lot of different things throughout the course of my career. He's genuine in the fact that he says he's working with us and trying to put a deal together. I don't think the other deal by any means is done, if it's going to happen. He's working just as hard to put our deal back together as he is on that. I've not been told any specifics, but at the same time, that's not my place." But if Bowyer joins the team, Allgaier might have to continue his career with a different organization. "If something does happen and I don't end up in the 51 again next year, the way the timeframe is right now, at least it's early," he said. "I would like to see something happen sooner than later either way. That would definitely be good. If you're in the same ride, you spend the last six-to-10 races really focusing on next year. And if you're not, you're trying to figure yourself out and what your future looks like. So the sooner we can all come together on something would definitely be better."(USA Today)(9-12-2015)

Eckrich and Richard Petty Motorsports Honors Military Family: On a day of remembrance, Eckrich, the makers of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory deli meats, paid tribute to a local military family. The Brown family, stationed at the Ft. Lee (Va.) United States Army Post, were surprised by Eckrich and the Richard Petty Motorsports race [#9, #43] team, who presented them with free groceries for one year and the opportunity to be guests of the team and Eckrich at the race in Richmond on Saturday night. Army Specialist Daquana Brown and her two children were greeted at Ft. Lee by Eckrich and a Richard Petty Motorsports team representative who presented the family with official race crew shirts, hats and tickets to Saturday night's race. But, the surprise was not complete until a gift of one year of free groceries at the Ft. Lee Commissary was presented to Brown, all courtesy of Eckrich.(RPM)(9-12-2015)

Hamlin talks about knee injury, plans to wait for surgery: Joe Gibbs Racing driver #11-Denny Hamlin was made available to the media at Richmond International Raceway, some of the Q&A's:
Q) What happened when you were playing basketball to get injured and what is the pain like inside the car?
Hamlin: "In the car I'm as comfortable as any place that I am. Obviously the swelling is the biggest issue. It hurts mobility and it kind of shuts down my quad so there's challenges there. But, in the car we ran 15 or 20 consecutive laps which isn't a whole lot but it was fine then. And, what I was doing I was just playing. I play in a league every week and it was just the exact same scenario as it was the first time. I had actually felt that I jarred it earlier in the game and unfortunately I tied the game up with five seconds to go and so it went to overtime and I hurt it in overtime."
What are you allowed to do and not allowed to do as a driver outside the track and what is the toughest part of the injury?
Hamlin: "I can do anything I want, just don't break the law. There's really no provisions or anything like that. I think Joe (Gibbs) does a good job of letting us be whoever we want to be outside the race car. My activities really aren't that dangerous that I do. It just seems like I have had some freak accidents over the last few years that's gotten us, but I don't think there's been anything that's kept us from being competitive on the race track. The one time I missed the Chase was from an injury that happened on the race track so I don't think that these side injuries have hurt our performance at all. So, I mean, I'm just going to continue to do whatever it is I want to do outside the car and obviously just try to better prepare yourself and get physically stronger to typically prevent injuries in the future. Other than that, won't change much."
Q) Are you risking damaging your knee more the next 11 weeks by not having the surgery immediately?
Hamlin: "I think with that off-week (last time) we had a buffer there of time to recover. I had moments outside the race car where I had buckling moments where my knee would give out and I felt like I was doing more extensive damage to it. So, we had the off-week to play with earlier in the year so we decided to do it then. We don't have that luxury this time around especially with the Chase coming up next week so I think that the best thing to do is just hold off and make sure we're 100 percent in the car and if I'm what I feel like is 100 percent now in the car just three days after then the next 10 weeks I've just got to be real careful outside the car making sure I pay attention to every step so I don't have those moments again. But, it looked like from what the MRI showed it was really I've damaged the same things that I damaged on the left. There was obviously the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) - the ACL gets all of the hype but there's more to it that gets knocked around in there."
Q) Could you have had the surgery this week and sought an exemption to take Richmond off before for the Chase?
Hamlin: "Well, I thought about it but I think that we were pretty confident that doing the surgery or not doing the surgery either way I would be the same inside the car. So, why skip a week if I'm going to end up being the same anyway. It's really just to improve life outside the car. Obviously I'm going to go through the next 10 weeks and can't do any running or can't do anything active for the next 10 to 11 weeks so that part of it sucks but other than that there just isn't a benefit to do it right now especially you don't know how you're going to react recovery-wise. I thought I was pretty lucky the last time around. I was back playing basketball really within seven months or so which is pretty fast for an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). And you just don't know how your body will react to the second one so I think it was safer for us to just let it go. There are people that live without ACL's all of the time and walk around and you never know the difference. It's more the other activities that it hampers you with. I thought the smarter thing would be to just fix it when we're done with the season."
Do you have any limitations with your knee and what was the shot that you hit in the basketball game to tie the game?
Hamlin: "I don't have any limitations other than I can't fully walk on my own. I think I'm probably about a day or maybe two away from maybe ditching the extra crutch to walk around, so I think I'll get rid of that tomorrow. But other that I've got to start rehabbing as quick as possible to make sure that I can get my leg working properly so I can walk without having those buckling moments like I had in 2010. I'll work on that. What shot was it - just drove into the lane and made a layup."
If you got eliminated from the Chase would you have the surgery earlier?
Hamlin: "Good idea, I'll take your advice and use it as motivation to not get it done. Actually had not even thought about being eliminated, that's how confident I am right now that we're not going to. If we do, I don't know. You want to finish the year strong and I think the way the points all work out you still can move up to fifth or something like that. I think either way, off-season is going to be the best option as long as I can make it that long."(Toyota Racing)(9-12-2015)

Earnhardt, Jr would like to find sponsorship to run Berry next year: Was Friday night the start of something special? Or will it be a night that Josh Berry will look upon years later with pride but also a nagging sense of what could have been? Dale Earnhardt Jr. called putting Berry - a 24-year-old who competes for JR Motorsports' Late Model team - a "Hail Mary,"' a chance to put him in a good car and hope Berry could use his short-track skills at Richmond International Raceway to record a good finish and attract sponsor attention. Berry, a two-time track champion at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway, impressed with a seventh-place in what is scheduled to be his only Xfinity start of the season. His run included a pass for position of Kyle Busch - Berry admits he thought at the time "Holy cow, I just passed Kyle Busch" - and a surge through the field that had he not been blocked in his pit stall on his final stop, he might have challenged for the lead. But it's what comes next that could define Berry's career and if he's to run more races in the Xfinity Series or if he remains at the Late Model level. "I'm ready to race Josh every week," Earnhardt said. "We've just got to find a partner." Earnhardt says they want to run three teams next year and could run four but that's all dependent on sponsorship. The quest for sponsorship is a reason why Elliott Sadler reportedly will join the organization next year, bringing along his sponsor. It's why there's been no announcement if Regan Smith will return even though Earnhardt says he'd like Smith back. JR Motorsports also would like to run Ben Rhodes, a promising 18-year-old who won the K&N Pro Series East title a year ago, in more races.(NBC Sports)(9-12-2015)

Elliott's win is Chevy's 400th: With his win of the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway, Chase Elliott in his #9 Napa Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro captured the 400th all-time victory for Chevrolet in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition. This unprecedented win secured yet another historical landmark for Chevrolet as the most successful manufacturer in NASCAR history. In addition to reaching this unequaled 400th race win triumph for the brand; Elliott brought his Camaro to Victory Lane for the 27th time in the nameplate's history. This win was the defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion's fourth career series victory. Chevrolet's rich heritage in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition began when Tommy Houston took the checkered at Hickory Motor Speedway on August 1, 2015 in his Chevy Malibu. Thirty-three years later the 'Bowtie Brand' has continued to set the mark.
1st WIN: 8/01/82 - Tommy Houston - Hickory Motor Speedway, Hickory, NC
100th WIN: 3/09/96 - Terry Labonte - Atlanta Motor Speedway, Atlanta, GA
200th WIN: 8/25/00 - Kevin Harvick - Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, TN
300th WIN: 6/03/06 - Jeff Burton - Dover International Speedway, Dover, DE
400th WIN: 9/11/15 - Chase Elliott - Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, VA
Chevrolet's accolades in NASCAR racing are vast. To date, the manufacturer has earned 18 Driver's titles and 16 Manufacturer's championships as a result of its 400 victories in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. No manufacturer has powered more drivers and teams to victory lane or championships in NASCAR's Xfinity Series than Chevrolet.(Chevy Racing)(9-12-2015)

Logano wins Richmond pole: #22-Joey Logano won the Coors Light pole for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway with speed of 126.470mph for his 5th pole of 2015, 2nd at Richmond, sweeping both poles there in 2015 and 13th of his career. Logano has won 2 races from the pole out of 12 previous poles.
#20-Kenseth is on the outside pole followed by #2-Keselowski, #18-Busch, #55-Ragan, #4-Harvick, #19-Edwards, #41-Busch, #48-Johnson, #14-Stewart, #42-Larson and #3-Dillon.
Missing the race were: #30-JOsh Wise and #62-Timmy Hill.
See the starting lineup, round-by-round qualifying results, qualifying order on Jayski.com's Richmond Starting Lineup / Qualifying Page.(9-11-2015)

Qualifying Fast Facts - Richmond:
#22-Joey Logano won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 58th Annual Federated Auto Parts 400 with a lap of 126.470 mph.
This is his 13th pole in 245 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his fifth pole and 19th top-10 start in 2015.
This is his second pole in 14 races at Richmond International Raceway. He also won the pole for the first Richmond race of 2015.
#20-Matt Kenseth (second) posted his 14th top-10 start of 2015 and his seventh in 32 races at Richmond International Raceway.
#2-Brad Keselowski (third) posted his 10th top-10 start at Richmond International Raceway. It is his 16th in 26 races this season.
(NASCAR Statistics)(9-11-2015)

Second Round of Qualifying for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is over after 10 scheduled minutes.
#20-Kenseth 127.714
#22-Logano 127.539
#48-Johnson 126.975
#3-Dillon 126.856
#18-Busch 126.850
the rest of the top 12: 4 55 19 41 42 14 2;
out of the top 12 and not advancing to round 3: 31 10 13 78 33 51 17 5 47 27 24 43
(9-11-2015)

First Round of Qualifying for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is over, after 20 scheduled minutes.
#20-Kenseth 129.292
#31-Newman 128.248
#48-Johnson 128.229
#41-Busch 128.199
#18-Busch 128.102
the rest of the top 24: 2 10 4 17 47 51 22 24 55 13 3 19 5 14 42 43 78 33 27;
out of the top 24 and not advancing to round 2: 11 15 46 6 88 38 1 9 83 35 40 7 // 30 34 16 95 98 23 32 26 62
Drivers who will miss the race: #30-Wise; #62-Hill.
(9-11-2015)

Coverage of Qualifying for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is scheduled for Friday, September 11, 2015 at 5:45pm/et.
Television (TV): NBCSN, 5:30pm/et
Radio: Live online at Motor Racing Network (MRN)
Scheduled Qualifying Re-Air: none

Qualifying Order for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is posted. 45 cars/drivers are listed.
The first driver to be lined up on pit road: #11-Hamlin.
The final driver lined up on pit road: #30-Wise.
The order is set by a random draw, how cars park on pit road before they qualify, held about an hour before the first practice.
After the fist practice, the cars line up by speed.
See the full qualifying order on Jayski.com's Richmond Qualifying Page.(9-11-2015)

Happy Hour practice for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is over, after 85 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#4-Harvick 125.430
#18-Busch 125.348
#48-Johnson 125.273
#5-Kahne 125.226
#41-Busch 124.942
slowest: #98-Sorenson 119.691 and #23-Burton 120.417
No incidents reported. Qualifying is scheduled for 5:45pm/et, will be televised on NBCSN.
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10 consecutive lap Ave on the Richmond Happy Hour Practice Speeds (pdf).(9-11-2015)

First Friday practice for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is over, after 115 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#42-Larson 125.535
#13-Mears 125.412
#2-Keselowski 125.058
#4-Harvick 124.815
#18-Busch 124.694
slowest: #98-Sorenson 117.228 and #62-Hill 120.155
Happy Hour practice is scheduled for 1:00pm/et and qualifying is scheduled for 5:45pm/et, both will be televised on NBCSN.
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10 consecutive lap Ave on the Richmond Practice 1 Speeds (pdf).(9-11-2015)

MWR Points for sale; RCR? Penske?: Before the fire sale begins at Michael Waltrip Racing, team owner Rob Kauffman has isolated a few assets that could bring a handsome price prior to the dissolution of the company at season's end. Among the coveted commodities remaining in the MWR inventory are the points from the #15 and #55 Toyotas. Two organizations that could be interested in obtaining those points are Richard Childress Racing for Ty Dillon and the Wood Brothers for Team Penske protege Ryan Blaney. Team owner Richard Childress said that the organization is still working on Dillon's schedule for next season but acknowledged,"Yeah, we're talking to some people about points in case we run him full-time next year. As of now, we're still in the making. We're still trying to find out the way to go."
Similarly, owner Roger Penske is contemplating Blaney's future. "We definitely want to work something out where we can run Blaney the whole season," Penske said. "Hopefully, a combination with the Woods or something here. We'll just have to see how the whole thing works out."(Motorsport)(9-11-2015)

Bowyer comments on 2016: #15-Clint Bowyer met with the media at Richmond and one question was about his 2016 plans.
Q) How much progress have you made toward where you will race in 2016?
Bowyer: "I think first of all it's very humbling, the phone calls. As soon as the news comes out that you're not going to have a future at your present employment, obviously you're nervous and you're worried about what that means for yourself or your people and with everything. It's humbling the people that have reached out and been interested in me, but truth be told man, look what we're in the middle of. Timing is good that it's ahead and not the end of the year that you're finding this out, but nonetheless it's pretty crunching times right here and it's like I told them, 'I don't want to use the word back burner, but let's just take a timeout right here for a couple weeks and take care of business.' That's kind of what we did this week. I stayed at the farm, Lorra (Bowyer) went to New York City with her girlfriends for a couple days and me and little man chilled out. I used a little help. Grandma showed up quite a bit, I ain't going to lie to you. She made sure I was under control and then she would go."(Toyota Racing)(9-11-2015)

Richmond Pole Notes & Facts - Friday:
· Buck Baker won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Richmond in 1953 with a speed of 48.465 mph.
· 54 drivers have Coors Light poles at Richmond, led by Richard Petty and Bobby Allison with eight each. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with six.
· Seven drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Richmond. Bobby Allison holds the record for most consecutive Coors Light poles at Richmond with five (1972 - 1974).
· 23 of the 118 (19.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway have been won from the Coors Light pole. Only four active drivers have been able to accomplish the feat: Kasey Kahne (2005), Jimmie Johnson (2007), Kyle Busch (2010) and Brad Keselowski (2014).
· The pole starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners than any other starting position at Richmond (23).
· 36 of the 118 (30.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond have been won from the front row: 23 from the pole and 13 from second-place.
· 92 of the 118 (77.9%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Richmond International Raceway have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· 13 of the 118 (11.0%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Richmond International Raceway with a 7.978.
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Richmond International Raceway is 31st, by Clint Bowyer in the spring of 2008.
· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Richmond International Raceway seven times; most recently the fall of 2014.
(NASCAR)(9-11-2015)

Ned Jarrett cancer-free after treatment for melanoma: Ned Jarrett, a two-time champion in NASCAR's premier series, said Thursday that he is cancer-free after surgery and four weeks of recent treatment for melanoma, a form of skin cancer. Jarrett, 82, said he was diagnosed with the disease this winter but that his health prognosis was encouraging. The NASCAR Hall of Famer said he was able to participate in last weekend's festivities at Darlington Raceway without restriction, joining the NBC Sports booth to broadcast a portion of Sunday's Bojangles' Southern 500. "It is very positive and I feel good," Jarrett told NASCAR.com. "In fact, I feel the best I've felt in a couple of years at least. Getting my immune system built up and getting toxins out of my body and the cancer, I'm really feeling good and feeling good about the whole situation. I know now how to better take care of my body, so hopefully, it won't come back." Jarrett said that a biopsy was performed in January after dermatologists discovered a spot on his left arm during a check-up. After the diagnosis, he had successful surgery Feb. 20 to remove the cancerous areas. After further consultation and tests at the Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research in Cornelius, North Carolina, Dr. Rashid Buttar discovered additional melanoma and prescribed a four-week course of treatment in July. Jarrett was declared cancer-free after completion of the program. "There are no limitations," Jarrett said. "I'll be a little bit more careful about what I eat and the sun exposure that I get, although I'm not going to stop playing golf or going to the races or wherever I need to go. I'll just be a little bit more careful about exposure for my skin to the sun." Jarrett said that skin cancer wasn't even an afterthought growing up in the rural North Carolina foothills, but that cancer was part of his genealogy. He lost seven family members, including his father, to the disease during a six-month stretch in 1983. Jarrett said the purpose of making his story public was to raise awareness for cancer treatment, but the revelation is part of a much longer-running mission. Jarrett has helped raise more than $1 million for the American Cancer Society as host of a charity golf tournament in his home state for more than 25 years. Jarrett was voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011, the second group of five chosen for enshrinement.(NASCAR.com)(9-11-2015)

Make a Plan to Make it Home featured on #4 at RIR: Kevin Harvick's #4 Chevy will remind fans attending the race, at the post-race party or watching the race somewhere other than home to Make a Plan to Make it Home. Whether you call a cab, call a friend or arrange for a designated driver, make a plan to make it home every time you go out. Do whatever it takes to get home safely. The responsibility-themed paint scheme will promote Budweiser's Make a Plan to Make it Home campaign, which encourages customers to plan ahead to get home safely as part of Anheuser-Busch InBev's Global Be(er) Responsible Day on Friday, Sept. 18 - a day dedicated to promoting alcohol responsibility. On Sept. 18, Anheuser-Busch InBev thousands of employees and distributors will visit retailers and consumers to remind them of the importance of making a plan to make it home. In the past three decades, Anheuser-Busch and its wholesalers have invested more than $1 billion in national advertising campaigns and local programs to promote responsible drinking and prevent underage drinking and drunk driving. Harvick and the #4 team are hoping to aid in promoting the Make a Plan to Make it Home message Saturday night as they clinch their bid to defend their 2014 Sprint Cup title.(SHR), see images of the car/scheme on the #4 Team Schemes page.(9-11-2015)

Menard's sponsorship returns in 2016 on #27: Paul Menard and Richard Childress Racing have both confirmed that the Menard's sponsorship will continue on the #27 Chevy along with the driver in 2016. "It's always good to have them back," Childress told Motorsport.com. "We kind of work a year-to-year deal. We got a three-year deal with options so it's good to have them back. Paul's a good race car driver. They're good people to work with and we like promoting their business."(Motorsport)(9-11-2015)

JMU themed NASCAR visits campus: This Wednesday as James Madison University students passed through the commons in front of D-hall they probably noticed something a little out of the ordinary - several students actually did a double-take upon walking by. Soon enough, a crowd gathered around to see what all the fuss was about. The fuss was really no fuss at all but actually a Toyota Camry parked smack in the middle of the commons. But this was no ordinary Camry - this Camry was decked out in full JMU purple and gold with a gigantic Duke Dog and JMU logo on the hood. The owner of the car is JMU Class of 1978 alumnus Ron Devine. Devine sat on the JMU Board of Visitors for eight years and is currently a part of the JMU Foundation. The idea for the car came when Devine was looking for ways to enhance JMU's exposure on the national scale. "[On the Board] we talked about ways to elevate JMU nationally, in all of our programs both academically and athletically," Devine, the co-owner of BK Racing located in North Carolina, said. "I said, 'Listen, I have a car, I have space in Richmond, it's close to home, if you want to, we can put a JMU car together and race it.'' The car is set to race in the Federated Auto Parts 400 at the Richmond International Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 12. JMU boasts over 10,000 alumni in the Richmond metropolitan area, providing an opportunity for many alumni to see their alma mater colors zoom by. The #83 Toyota Camry is adorned in JMU purple and gold with JMU athletics logos scattered across it. The car will also feature the name of slain journalist and JMU alumna Alison Parker on the side and a memorial picture on the rear. Devine hopes that the car helps in his effort to raise money for the Alison B. Parker Memorial Scholarship. "We're trying to make die-cast models of the car that we can sell in the bookstore," Devine said. Parker's family will be in attendance at the race. Financing the sponsorship of a stock car to race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is no cheap endeavor. "I took care of it all," Devine said. "JMU didn't have to pay a thing." The driver of the #23 Camry is 24-year-old rookie Matt DiBenedetto. DiBenedetto is a candidate for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award. "He is a really great driver and we're excited to have him drive for us," Devine said of DiBenedetto.(The Breeze), see an image of the scheme on the #83 Team Schemes page.(9-11-2015)

Joe Garone Elected to Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame: Joe Garone, a native of Denver and president and general manager of #78 Furniture Row Racing on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit, has been elected for enshrinement to the Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place Wednesday, Oct. 14, 6:00-9:00pm/mt at The Vehicle Vault in Parker, Colo. The Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame is committed to honoring and preserving the achievements of individuals and organizations that have left an indelible mark on motorsports in Colorado and beyond. The new inductees come from all facets of motorsports - drivers, builders, mechanics, owners, facility operators and non-profit organizations. "This is a humbling honor to be recognized by your home state," said Garone. "I never expected to reach this pinnacle while growing up and competing on the Colorado short tracks. For me, it has always been working hard and pushing myself to do my best. My Dad told me as a child the key to happiness was to treat others like you would want to be treated, work hard and work smart. Everything else in life would follow. My parents gave me the foundation to pursue a successful career whether it be in motorsports or another profession. I wish they were still here to be with me for this prestigious event. But they'll be just as proud of their son watching the ceremony from a different location." Garone and his wife Leann reside in Denver. They have three daughters - Ashlie, Jordan and Carey and one granddaughter Claire.(Furniture Row Racing)(9-11-2015)

Richmond Goodyear Tire Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series will run the same tire set-up at Richmond this weekend . . . while these teams have run this left-side tire code at Richmond since last September, this is the first time they have run this right-side code . . . at this track in the spring, teams ran a multi-zone tread tire on the right-side, with distinct tread compounds on both the inboard two inches (endurance zone) and outboard 10 inches (traction zone) of the tire . . . this right-side is a single compound tire, featuring the same compound as the outboard from the spring race, which will give teams a grip increase . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Richmond (Goodyear)

Chase Elliott wins XFINITY race at Richmond: #9-Chase Elliott won the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway for his first win of 2015. #54-Kyle Busch finished second, followed by #2-Brian Scott, #22-Joey Logano, #20-Erik Jones, #7-Regan Smith, #88-Josh Berry, #3-Ty Dillon, #33-Austin Dillon, and #60-Chris Buescher.
Buescher now leads Elliott by 21 points in the standings.
There were 6 cautions for 48 laps and 6 lead changes among 8 leaders. Complete results are on the Richmond International Raceway race results page (pdf).
(9-11-2015)

Richmond XFINITY Race Fast Facts:
Chase Elliott won the 35th Annual Virginia 529 College Savings 250, his fourth victory in 58 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his first victory and 20th top-10 finish in 2015. He broke a 39-race winless drought with the victory.
This is his first victory and fourth top-10 finish in four races at Richmond International Raceway.
Kyle Busch (second) posted his 17th top-10 finish in 20 races at Richmond International Raceway. It is his seventh top-10 finish in 2015.
Brian Scott (third) posted his fifth top-10 finish in 13 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Daniel Suarez (12th) was the highest finishing rookie.
Chris Buescher leads the point standings by 21 points over Chase Elliott.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-11-2015)

XFINITY Driver standings following Richmond:
[8 races remaining]
1) #60-Chris Buescher, 908
2) #9-Chase Elliott, 887, -21
3) #3-Ty Dillon, 881, -27
4) #7-Regan Smith, 859, -49
5) #1-Elliott Sadler, 803, -105
6) #2-Brian Scott, 797, -111
7) #6-Darrell Wallace Jr., 796, -112
8) #18-Daniel Suarez, 791, -117
9) #62-Brendan Gaughan, 764, -144
10) #16-Ryan Reed, 683, -225
See complete owner and driver standings on the driver standings(pdf) and owner standings page (pdf).(9-11-2015)

Kyle Busch on XFINITY pole at Richmond: #54-Kyle Busch won the Coors Light pole for the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway with a speed of 122.073mph. #22-Joey Logano will start second. The rest of the top 10: #2-Brian Scott, #7-Regan Smith, #88-Josh Berry, #9-Chase Elliott, #20-Erik Jones, #33-Austin Dillon, #3-Ty Dillon, and #18-Daniel Suarez. Did Not Qualify: #89-Morgan Shepherd. The starting lineup is posted on the Richmond International Raceway starting lineup page (pdf).(9-11-2015)

Richmond XFINITY Qualifying Notes:
Kyle Busch won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 35th Annual Virginia529 College Savings 250 with a lap of 22.118 seconds, 122.073 mph.
This is his 45th pole in 304 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his second pole and fifth top-10 start in 2015.
This is his fifth pole in 20 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Joey Logano (second) posted his ninth top-10 start of 2015 and his fifth in six races at Richmond International Raceway.
Brian Scott (third) posted his ninth top-10 start at Richmond International Raceway. It is his 20th in 25 races this season
. Daniel Suarez (10th) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-11-2015)

RIR Goes Gold to Honor Jeff Gordon and Support Childhood Cancer Awareness: September is national Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and patients, families, researchers and charities, including the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation and Richmond International Raceway are rallying to bring awareness and raise funds for childhood cancer research, treatment, patient support and survivorship issues. Every day, 43 children in the United States are diagnosed with cancer. The average age at diagnosis is 6 years old and approximately one in five children diagnosed will not survive. Forty-three - the same number of kids that fit on a school bus and the same number of drivers in this weekend's Last Race to Make The Chase, Federated Auto Parts 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway. RIR is "Going Gold" this weekend to honor NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, Jeff Gordon, who is dedicated to the fight to end pediatric cancer. And we're inviting our fans to do the same, as a visual reminder that every child battling cancer deserves a future full of limitless potential and the chance to achieve a lifetime of dreams. Throughout the facility this weekend, fans will see gold reminders - the Childhood Cancer Awareness ribbon and Jeff's No. 24 on the track walls, the iconic "Richmond" painted gold on the start/finish line, gate workers and RIR staff in gold event shirts, and a Childhood Cancer Awareness ribbon on the Official Pace Car. Forty-three childhood cancer WARRIORS from Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU and UVA Children's Hospital, wearing gold t-shirts, will arrive on a school bus at pre-race Saturday to lead fans in the Pledge of Allegiance. In addition, the Richmond Children's Hospital Foundation will be on the Midway selling gold shoelaces for $5. Four dollars from each sale will be used to support research and treatment efforts in the Richmond area. Fans may purchase shoelaces while here this weekend or you may purchase laces and other Go4theGoal gold gear online at go4thegoal.org. Be sure to include "Richmond" in the team name box under the shoe laces to ensure the sale is credited to the Richmond Children's Hospital Foundation. Tickets for Saturday night's Last Race to Make The Chase, Federated Auto Parts 400 are still available. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.(RIR)(9-11-2015)

Sad News - "JD" Housby: Jack Dan "JD" Housby was born in Des Moines, Iowa on January 10, 1935 and he passed away on September 10, 2015 at 80. Jack was highly active in motorsports. He was a car owner/sponsor in both the NASCAR [1972-1980, best finish of 5th] and INDYCAR Series as well as supporting racing throughout the State of Iowa. Jack was on the NASCAR National Motorsports Appeal Panel and was on the board of directors and past president of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum Foundation. Memorial contributions in Jack's name can be made to Youth Homes of Mid America (7805 NW Beaver Drive, Johnston, Iowa 50131); or to the Knoxville Hall of Fame Museum (1 Sprint Capital Place, Knoxville, Iowa 50138).(service info and full obituary at Iles Funeral Homes site), see article at the NSSN site.(9-11-2015)

Test at Auto Club cancelled: NASCAR has cancelled a Goodyear tire test and open team test scheduled for Oct. 27-29 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA. Goodyear determined it wasn't necessary to return to the 2-mile track based on tire wear results from this past season's race. And with Goodyear canceling the two-day portion of the test, teams opted not to make the cross-country trek a day before having to be in Martinsville, Virginia, for the opening race of the Eliminator Round in this year's Chase. Only two open tests remain on this year's National Series Unified Testing schedule -- next week (Sept. 14-16) at Kansas Speedway and Oct. 12-14 at Phoenix International Raceway.(NASCAR.com)(9-10-2015)

Richmond Driver Notes & Facts - Thursday
· Five drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Richmond: Kasey Kahne (2005), Tony Stewart (1999), Kyle Petty (1986), Neil Bonnett (1977) and James Hylton (1970).
· Eight drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have posted consecutive wins at Richmond International Raceway. Richard Petty leads the series in consecutive wins at Richmond after posting seven consecutive wins from the fall of 1970 - 1973. Jimmie Johnson (2007 sweep) is the only active driver with consecutive wins at Richmond.
· All of the active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Richmond International Raceway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart won at Richmond in their second appearance.
· Joe Nemechek competed at Richmond International Raceway 18 times before winning in 1994; the longest span of any the active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.
· Greg Biffle leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Richmond without visiting Victory Lane at 26.
· Bobby Allison and Richard Petty are tied for the lead in runner-up finishes at Richmond with nine each. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with eight.
· Richard Petty leads the series in top-five finishes at Richmond with 34; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 18.
· Richard Petty leads the series in top-10 finishes at Richmond with 41. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 29.
· Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Richmond International Raceway with a 7.350.
(NASCAR)(9-10-2015)

Richmond Goodyear Tire Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series will run the same tire set-up at Richmond this weekend . . . while these teams have run this left-side tire code at Richmond since last September, this is the first time they have run this right-side code . . . at this track in the spring, teams ran a multi-zone tread tire on the right-side, with distinct tread compounds on both the inboard two inches (endurance zone) and outboard 10 inches (traction zone) of the tire . . . this right-side is a single compound tire, featuring the same compound as the outboard from the spring race, which will give teams a grip increase . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Richmond (Goodyear)(9-10-2015)

Earnhardt Jr. will 'step up' throwback game next year: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. said during Tuesday's edition of the "Dale Jr. Download" podcast on Dirty Mo Radio there's plenty of work still to do when it comes to keeping pace in embracing Darlington Raceway's throwback theme. Earnhardt enjoyed not only the fruits of a grueling weekend at the historic track, but all of the vintage touches from an industry-wide retro event. His Hendrick Motorsports #88 crew joined in the fun with a paint scheme paying tribute to Cale Yarborough in his Valvoline years, but Junior said more can be done to prepare for the next Bojangles' Southern 500. "I hope that the throwback idea at Darlington is going to stick," Earnhardt said. "I'm pretty sure it will after this weekend. There was a lot of teams that went the extra mile -- Larson and his guys, the 3 group, the Petty group did an awesome job, the Wood Brothers, they looked great. Think we're going to see this every year. At least I hope that the teams come back harder next year. I know we've got to step our game up to compete with some of these guys on the throwback schemes, so it's going to be a lot of fun. Hopefully this is something that is a bit more of a tradition over the years for Darlington."(NASCAR.com)(9-10-2015)

Hendrick Ride Along program continues at Richmond: Sister companies Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group have partnered for a two-race sponsorship built around the Hendrick Ride Along Sweepstakes. The program started at Darlington Sept. 4-6 and will continue through Richmond International Raceway's event Sept. 12. The Hendrick Ride Along Sweepstakes adorns the hood of Kasey Kahne's #5 Chevy again at Richmond and is a part of Hendrick Automotive Group's promotion to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ride in a stock car with Kahne. Kahne debuted the program at Darlington Raceway (HMS), see images of the car/scheme on the #5 Team Schemes page.(9-10-2015)

#17 Cargill Beef Ford to feature Sam's Club for two races: The #17 Cargill Beef Ford Fusion will feature a special Sam's Club paint scheme this weekend at Richmond. Cargill Beef first featured a Sam's Club scheme in 2011 during Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s first championship season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. In 2012, Stenhouse drove the Cargill Beef/Sam's Club Ford to victory lane in Kansas for his sixth win en route to his second XFINITY Series title. The Sam's Club scheme will also run on the #17 Cargill Beef Ford at Phoenix in November. "We love running the Sam's Club paint scheme for Cargill Beef because it's such a recognizable logo and we've had a great history with both partners on our cars," said Stenhouse. "This year the car has a little different look than we've run in the past with a little more white on it so I think the fans will definitely notice the #17 in Richmond and Phoenix." Cargill Beef has a longstanding history of supplying quality beef to Sam's Club members across the country.(RFR), see images of the car/scheme on the #17 Team Schemes page.(9-10-2015)

FanVision Entertainment acquires Racing Electronics: FanVision Entertainment announced that it has acquired Racing Electronics (RE). FanVision and RE combined will reach race teams, drivers, sponsors, and fans with cutting edge communication products and services across all major North American motorsports series. Over the past 28 years, RE has built the most trusted brand in race communications. With operations in NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA, ARCA, and other racing series, RE will provide access to new markets for FanVision's NASCAR-focused product line of digital audio, video, and stats devices. "Motorsports is very important to FanVision, and RE is an integral part of that ecosystem. We love their technology, their know-how, and their approach to the business," said Andrew Daines, CEO of FanVision Entertainment. "We are thrilled to be joining the FanVision Entertainment family," said Bruce Silver, Founder of Racing Electronics and now President of Motorsports for FanVision. "Our combined products and expertise make this a very exciting company." Fans should expect no changes or interruptions in service for FanVision and Racing Electronics products, websites, and trackside locations as a result of the deal.(PR)(9-10-2015)

NASCAR Warnings after Darlington: NASCAR issued a warning to #11-Denny Hamlin's team for failing pre-race inspection four times last weekend at Darlington Raceway. It marks the second consecutive race the Joe Gibbs Racing team has received a warning. The team received a warning for being late to the inspection line at Bristol. The only other Sprint Cup team to receive a warning at Darlington was the team of Timmy Hill. The #62 team failed pre-qualifying inspection twice. NASCAR recently streamlined its warning structure. NASCAR's Rule Book states that for every fourth warning a team receives in a season it will result in the loss of pit selection. Warnings can not be appealed. The new system began last month.(NBC Sports)(9-10-2015)

Axalta breaks ground on Concord facility; who will they sponsor?: Axalta Coating Systems started construction Tuesday on a new training facility on the campus of Hendrick Motorsports in Concord, NC. Philadelphia-based Axalta, a 23-year Hendrick Motorsports sponsor (used to be DuPont), manufactures liquid and powder coatings for light and commercial vehicles. Axalta's new 45,000-square-foot "customer experience center" is slated to open in late 2016, the company said in a statement this week. The center will be the training spot for refinish technicians in the mid-Atlantic region, and will house two paint booths, classrooms, interactive displays and a conference center. The facility also will have the technology to conduct distance learning for customers learning remotely from his or her own plant or body shop. "We offer a hands-on, process-oriented approach. Our instructors, designers, and staff are committed to continuing the education and the development of our partner organizations," Charlie Shaver, Axalta's chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement.(Charlotte Observer)
AND: For most of Jeff Gordon's career, DuPont Performance Coatings was one of the many DuPont divisions that supported the #24. Axalta acquired that DuPont subsidiary in February 2013, after which Axalta replaced DuPont as one of Gordon's primary sponsors. Axalta will be one of the Hendrick Motorsports sponsors for next year, although Hendrick and Shaver each declined to comment about which driver or drivers Axalta will support in 2016.(FoxSports)(9-10-2015)

NASCAR Productions new documentary short film series entitled Beyond the Wheel: FS1 with NASCAR Productions will present, as a part of FS1's NASCAR RACE HUB, a new documentary short film series entitled Beyond the Wheel to offer an inside look at the sport's most interesting stories and traditions. The documentaries further NASCAR RACE HUB's expansion into dynamic storytelling, taking a new approach to explore pivotal moments and provide never-before-seen insights on influential NASCAR legends and fascinating historical characters. Premiering Wednesday evenings during NASCAR RACE HUB, the first film will launch Sept. 23 on FS1 at 6:00pm/et. The four-part documentary short film series is comprised of the following themes: Chasing Davey; The Kiss; The Last American Hero; and White Knight. The subsequent three films in the Beyond the Wheel series air on Sept. 30, Oct. 7 and Oct. 21, respectively. Each documentary will also be available via FOX Sports GO.(NASCAR)(9-10-2015)

Chicago grand marshals named: Chicagoland Speedway announced 39-time Grand Slam tennis champion, Billie Jean King, and 14-time basketball All-Star, Jerry "Mr. Clutch' West, will serve as Grand Marshals for the MyAFibRisk.com 400 on Sunday, September 20. As part of AFib Awareness Month this September, Janssen, the official cardiovascular partner of NASCAR, has teamed up with these two sports icons-Billie Jean King and Jerry West-to talk about a heart condition they share in common with millions of Americans. Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is an irregular heartbeat that puts them at a one in three chance of having a stroke. Since diagnosis, NBA legend Jerry West and sports icon Billie Jean King have been working with their doctors to start and stay on a treatment plan to help prevent a stroke due to AFib. Now they have teamed up to encourage people with AFib to understand their risk for stroke, which can change over time. Everyone living with AFib can quickly and easily calculate their personal stroke risk at www.MyAFibRisk.com. For every stroke risk calculated, Janssen will make a contribution to Mended Hearts, a nonprofit peer-to-peer support network that inspires hope and helps to improve the quality of life for heart patients and their families. West and King will be joined by AFib patient/stroke survivor, Teri Ackerson, who will serve as the Honorary Starter for the MyAFibRisk.com 400. The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will return to Chicagoland Speedway for the fifth consecutive year in 2015, Sept. 18-20, with a triple-header weekend of action. Tickets start at just $25 with kids tickets (12 and under) $25 OFF, and parking is always free at Chicagoland Speedway.(Chicagoland Speedway)(9-10-2015)

Former SCC Director General Sadler Dies: Major General Thomas Sadler, who served as the executive director of Speedway Children's Charities for two decades, died early Monday morning. Sadler has served as executive director of Speedway Children's Charities for two decades beginning in 1990. Under his leadership, the organization raised funds for more than 400 children's organizations nationwide each year, impacting more than 300,000 needy children annually. Before his work with SCC, Sadler served his country for more than 37 years in the U.S. Air Force. Sadler retired from the Air Force in 1983 as commander of the 21st Air Force at McGuire Air Force Base, commanding some 37,000 people in 70 locations in 15 countries on five continents. At the time of his retirement, he was the only general on active duty who had flown in combat in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, flying more than 400 combat missions.(NSSN)(9-8-2015)
Funeral Services for Maj. Gen. Thomas Sadler: Services for Maj. Gen. Thomas Sadler, the longtime executive director of Speedway Children's Charities, will be held at Calvary Church, 5801 Pineville-Mathews Road, Charlotte, North Carolina, on Monday, Sept. 14. Visitation is scheduled from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., with the funeral service to follow at 4 p.m.(CMS)(9-10-2015)

Cassill picks up Richmond sponsors: Landon Cassill brings the iconic colors of Valvoline to the track at Richmond International Raceway this weekend with the help of MileOne Automotive. JD Motorsports with Gary Keller announced that MileOne Automotive and Valvoline will sponsor Cassill and the #01 Chevy in Friday night's Virginia529 College Savings 250. Valvoline provides products and services in more than 100 countries across the globe. Since its founding, Valvoline and its scientists have been innovating, creating and reinventing formulas for racing, high-mileage, synthetic and recycled motor oils. Valvoline has been onboard with JD Motorsports as a product sponsor since the beginning of the 2015 season.(JD Motorsports)(9-10-2015)

Darlington schemes Added 30 schemes from the Darlington XFINITY race to the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Paint Schemes pages.(9-9-2015)

Gase to Honors those touched by donation and transplantation: It's NASCAR race weekend in Richmond, VA and NASCAR driver Joey Gase is racing to save lives, raise awareness, and honor those touched by organ, eye, and tissue donation and transplantation. Joey Gase's mother, Mary Jo, died suddenly of a brain aneurysm in April 2011. Just 18 at the time, Joey made the courageous decision to donate her organs. Mary Jo's organs were able to provide new life to a number of individuals in desperate need of a transplant. The experience sparked a fire in Joey to spread the word far and wide about the importance of organ, eye, and tissue donation. Joey's car regularly honors donors and donor families from the state where Joey is racing, making Joey's car one of the most unique cars in all of NASCAR.This weekend at the Richmond International Raceway, Joey has invited a donor family and transplant recipient to join him in the inner track on Friday afternoon and for the Xfinity Series Race Friday night.
" Joey will honor Victoria Williams and her family on his car #52 this weekend
" Victoria Williams, a 7-year-old girl, was killed in a car accident June 6, 2012; her mother, Dejon, and 5-year-old sister, Faith were also killed in the same accident
" Victoria was declared brain dead and her grandparents, Winsome and Terry Sears, made the decision for her to be a donor shortly after being told that both their daughter and granddaughter were also dead
" Winsome and Terry Sears, grandparents, are retired military and Winsome was a former Virginia State Legislator
" Katia & Janel, Victoria's aunts, and Winsome & Terry, have met Victoria's liver recipient, Gina Guevara, who is an active Donate Life Ambassador
" Gina will be joining the donor family at the race track this Friday
" Earlier this year Joey held a Donate Life design contest for his car; a quote from the design contest winner, Rachael Whiteford, about the design of Joey's car that will be seen on Friday:
Utilizing the colors of 'Donate Life' I created a piece of artwork I call 'Jigsaw' to me, it represents individuality and unity in one... That we, are all individuals, but at the same time, we are all part of a greater being, and in the tragic cases of organ failure, we are all important to each other. Every person can be a piece... and every piece can save a life. Together we are stronger.
To sign up as an organ, eye, and tissue donor or for more information about how to get involved, visit www.donatelifevirginia.org or call 1-866-VADonor.(Joey Gase Racing PR), see an image of the car on the #52 team paint schemes page.(9-10-2015)

Denny Hamlin Suffers Torn ACL in Right Knee: Joe Gibbs Racing announced that driver #11-Denny Hamlin suffered a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee while playing basketball Tuesday night. Hamlin had a MRI this morning to confirm the diagnosis and has been evaluated by the medical team at OrthoCarolina. He has received the medical clearance necessary to continue racing activities and is expected to race the remainder of the season and through the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship. Hamlin will require surgery to repair the ACL damage following the season.(JGR)(9-9-2015)

Darlington TV Ratings UPDATE: The Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway pulled in the sport's highest Labor Day weekend overnight in eight years. NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Darlington drew a 3.4 overnight rating on NBC Sunday night (and 8.82 million viewers), up 13% from the comparable Atlanta races last year and in 2013 (3.0 both years). Those telecasts aired on ESPN. According to NBC, the 3.4 is the highest for NASCAR on Labor Day weekend since 2007. Compared to previous Darlington races, the 3.4 increased 6% from last year (3.2) but dropped a tick from 2013 (3.5), both on FOX. It ranks as the second-lowest overnight for NASCAR from Darlington since at least 2000, ahead of only last year. The race took place on a Saturday night in spring from 2005-14. The last time it took place on Labor Day weekend, 2003, it drew a 5.5 on NBC (Sports Media Watch / tvseriesfinale.com)(9-7-2015)
UPDATE: Sunday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race from Darlington on NBC featured several "throwback" production elements that celebrated the sport's rich history and the tradition of Darlington's Labor Day weekend presentation of the Southern 500. In the end, the broadcast made some history of its own, as the most-watched Labor Day weekend race since 2007 with a peak household rating of 3.85 and peak viewership of nearly 6.3 million viewers.
Additional ratings and viewership highlights include:
Sunday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race from Darlington delivered the most-watched race of the 2015 season since the Coca-Cola 600 in May (6.4 million).
The race powered NBC to win the night in Primetime (7:00-11:00 p.m. ET), ranking as the most watched network on TV among average viewers, P18-49 and P25-54.
The race averaged a 3.65 household rating, registering a +16% increase over ESPN's comparable Labor Day weekend race last year from Atlanta (3.15).
Versus ABC's 2014 Sprint Cup average (5.02 million), Sunday's Darlington race on NBC was up +18% among average viewers.
Sunday's NASCAR race on NBC finished second only to ABC's presentation of Alabama-Wisconsin college football game (4.32 HH) among weekend sports programming.(NBC PR)
See past race TV Ratings, five-year comparison chart and more on the 2015 TV Ratings page.(9-9-2015)

McDowell returns to RIR, with new crew chief: "Kevin Walter will be the interim crew chief for the #95 team while we actively seek a replacement. We're thankful to have additional engineering support from Team Penske during this time as we make changes to improve overall performance and prepare for the 2016 season." --- Bob Leavine, #95 team owner. Michael McDowell has nine Sprint Cup Series starts at Richmond International Raceway with a best start of 19th and a best finish of 20th. McDowell says, "We didn't race at Richmond last year with Leavine Family Racing team, so I'm excited to get back to this track. With the personnel changes, we'll have additional support from Penske on the competition side and I'm certainly looking forward to having back-to-back race weeks and securing solid finishes for our team." LFR team sponsor Thrivent Financial has announced an interactive online game where race fans can be part of a $95,000 donation from Thrivent Financial to Habitat for Humanity. The next race for the #95 team will be at Chicago.(LFR)(9-9-2015)

Switch Hitch back on the #46 at RIR: Michael Annett's #46 HScott Motorsports Chevy will be adorned by Switch Hitch at Richmond. Invented by Terry Brinkley after he experienced problems with traditional hitch balls, Switch Hitch is a tri-ball hitch system designed to quickly switch from one ball to another through a patented switching and locking mechanism (HSM), see images of the car/scheme on the #46 Team Schemes page.(9-9-2015)

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Richmond:
#4-Kevin Harvick............................ 110.9
#18-Kyle Busch............................... 109.8
#11-Denny Hamlin............................ 108.5
#15-Clint Bowyer............................... 99.5
#24-Jeff Gordon................................ 99.4
#41-Kurt Busch.................................. 94.2
#14-Tony Stewart............................... 92.8
#2-Brad Keselowski......................... 92.8
#31-Ryan Newman............................. 92.1
#48-Jimmie Johnson.......................... 89.5
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (21 total) among active drivers at Richmond International Raceway.
Formula combining the following categories: Win, Finish, Top-15 Finish, Average Running Position while on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.
See an explanation how the Driver Rating is calculated at NASCAR.com.(NASCAR)(9-9-2015)

Richmond Track Notes & History - Wednesday:
· Originally known as the Atlantic Rural Exposition Fairgrounds, Richmond International Raceway held its first race in 1946 as a half-mile dirt track.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was April 19, 1953 won by Lee Petty.
· The spring 1964 race was run on a Tuesday night under temporary lighting.
· The track name changed to Virginia State Fairgrounds in 1967.
· The track surface was changed from dirt to asphalt between races in 1968.
· The track name changed to Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway in 1969.
· The track was re-measured to .542-mile for 1970.
· The track was rebuilt as a three-quarters-mile D-shaped oval following the Feb. 21, 1988 race.
· The first race under permanent lights was Sept. 7, 1991.
· The first season with both races as night races was 1999.
(NASCAR)(9-9-2015)

GoBowling.com/Draft Kings featured on the #9 at RIR: Sam Hornish Jr. and the Richard Petty Motorsports #9 team will have support from two RPM partners; GoBowling.com and DraftKings will adorn the #9 Ford and serve as primary partners at Richmond. The two companies know that Saturday's night race will be watched by millions across the country. "There is so much energy and attention on this race, it's a night that you want to be a part of," said Tom Martino, President of the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America. "We can connect with so many race fans and drive them to GoBowling.com and into our 3,500 bowling centers across this great country. Partnering with Richard Petty Motorsports and Sam Hornish Jr. allows us to be a part of a great day and hopefully we end the night with a win."
"Richmond is a premier race night on the NASCAR schedule, and we are beyond excited to play a significant role in the race with Richard Petty Motorsports, Sam Hornish Jr. and the #9 team," said Jeremy Elbaum, Vice President of Business Development for DraftKings. "It's the last race of the regular season, and teams will be vying for the last spot in The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. It will be an amazing night for the sport and exactly why DraftKings wants to be involved." GoBowling.com is the portal to all things bowling. The website provides information on bowling centers, events and more for every type of bowler, novice or expert. As one of the leaders in the online fantasy gaming space, DraftKings, "The Official Daily Fantasy Game of NASCAR," has partnered with RPM for the 2015 season in various sponsorship capacities.(RPM)
AND Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) and Strike Ten Entertainment, the bowling industry's marketing arm and sponsorship division, announced a new, one-race partnership that will feature GoBowling.com as the primary sponsor of the #9 Ford driven by Sam Hornish Jr. The #9 GoBowling.com Ford will make its on-track debut at the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond. This isn't GoBowling.com's first race - the website partnered with Richard Petty Motorsports at the 2014 GoBowling.com 400 at Pocono Raceway.(PRN Newswire), see images of the scheme on the #9 Team Schemes page.(9-9-2015)

Brian Scott returns to the #33 ride: Brian Scott is scheduled to pilot the #33 Shore Lodge Chevy in Saturday Night's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond. Scott is also set to make his 200th NASCAR XFINITY Series start this weekend at Richmond. Scott will be making his first Sprint Cup Series start at Richmond, 7th of 2015 and 14th Series start. In his sixth Sprint Cup Series start in the #33 Shore Lodge Chevy this season, Scott finished 36th at Indianapolis in July.(Circle Sport), see images of the #33 Shore Lodge car and other #33 images on the #33 Team Schemes page.(9-9-2015)

One Last Shot for Almirola and #43 Team to make the Chase: With just one race left before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Aric Almirola is 29 points outside of a transfer spot. Although the team has a shot at getting in on points, the #43 Smithfield/Waffle House team knows a win will lock them into the playoffs and are focused on having a good shot to compete for a win this weekend. Richmond is a good track for the team. Last fall, they scored a Top-10 finish, and Almirola scored their best finish of eighth in the spring race in 2013. A home track for sponsor Smithfield Foods, the team has extra incentive to perform well this weekend. Almirola and Richard Petty will join Smithfield, Martin's Food Markets and RIR to donate 25,000 pounds of protein to FeedMore Central Virginia Food Bank as part of Smithfield's Helping Hungry Homes initiative. Waffle House will be featured on the hood of the #43 at RIR.(RPM), see an image of the scheme on the #43 Team Schemes page.(9-9-2015)

Hendrick says Race Team Alliance, NASCAR deal could be near: Hendrick Motorsports founder and owner Rick Hendrick said Tuesday he's optimistic a deal can be put in place as early as late this season between NASCAR and the Race Team Alliance to create some sort of permanent value for the teams. Hendrick did not proffer any specifics about what an arrangement between NASCAR and the RTA, a group that represents the interests of individual NASCAR team owners, would look like. But he did confirm that talks are ongoing. "I hope it takes place before the end of this year," said Hendrick. Asked if he thought his timetable was realistic, Hendrick said, "I hope so. I want to applaud (NASCAR chairman and CEO) Brian France and NASCAR and (RTA president and Michael Waltrip Racing co-owner) Rob Kauffman and all of the teams, all of the guys that have worked together. Because I'll tell you, one of the most important parts of this deal is when the team owners got together, and our CFOs started looking at how much we were spending, what we were spending, how could we do it cheaper? Whether it's insurance, airplanes." Kauffman declined comment on what Hendrick said and at press time, two NASCAR officials had not yet responded to e-mails about Hendrick's remarks.(FoxSports)(9-9-2015)

No rules changes for the Chase: The success of the low downforce package at Darlington Raceway last weekend has not changed NASCAR's thinking regarding the rules package for the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Tuesday. "Prior to going into Darlington we all met as an industry and talked about what was the most fair package to put together and what did we think would produce some good racing in the Chase. And ultimately wanted to stick with 2015. We felt like teams had put a ton of time into testing those cars. Goodyear's tires to match up that package for our final 10 races. We all felt that was the best way to go. We can take the proper time to evaluate all the things we've looked at for '16 and really dial that in for the '16 package, knowing that a lot of things have been done for '15 and teams are really prepared for the Chase." Last month, NASCAR announced that the 10 Chase races would use the 2015 rules package and not the low-downforce package (used at Kentucky and Darlington) or the high-drag package (used at Indianapolis and Michigan). According to O'Donnell, who outlined that NASCAR will be sitting down with everybody over the next two weeks with the 2016 rules package a topic of discussion. "Obviously, the low downforce matched up with the tires got a lot of momentum and we've seen some really good things that I think you will see at a number of races this next year. There are some outliers we want to look at. Some of the bigger tracks, Michigan, California, but as closely as we can kind of stick to two packages, maybe a low-downforce and something different, that's what we'd like to do. One of the things we want to make sure we dial in and specifically for each race is really the tires. A lot of people go in and just say 'it's the 2015 rules package' but its really not. There's a lot of variables that go into that with gear ratios, the tires that are selected, so you will see a lot more emphasis on that for '16 depending on the different surfaces we race on and fully expect it to be a incredible competitive season." Will the high-drag package be a factor in 2016? O'Donnell wouldn't say either way but some tweaks would be needed. "Some modifications we could look at (on the high-drag package). Not necessarily anything we've got dialed in right now. Obviously. both those races (Indianapolis and Michigan) produced some challenges for us and we're aware of that and don't want to go out and repeat those ever again. There's some things we obviously learned from both those events. ... We want to go and have those discussions with the teams, we'll see what maybe the best thing for those events, especially Michigan."(NASCAR.com, interview audio at SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)(9-9-2015)

Darlington Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2015 Bojangles' Southern 500: For those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, here is the breakdown for Sunday's race. Began recording the times at the Invocation of the race at 7:02 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 11:53 PM (all times are EST). I did not keep records for the pre- and post-race coverage. NBC was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 171
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 72
Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 147
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 71
Number of 'Side-by-Side' commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 24
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 20
Number of times NBC utilized 'Side-by-Side' commercials during this broadcast: 4
Total number of brief promos of products/services during the race broadcast (including company logos 'floating' in corners of the screen): 94
Total number of companies or entities advertised in brief promos or crawlers: 25
Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 5 min. 35 sec.
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 7:02 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 11:53 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 291
Minutes of race broadcast: 222
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 69
Minutes of 'Side-by-Side' commercials (split-screen): 11
Number of missed restarts: 0
Number of 'mystery cautions' (debris not shown): 0
Total race brdcst time 222 Total comm. brdcst time 69
See full reports, sponsor links, many more details at CawsnJaws.com.(9-9-2015)

Earnhardt Sr.'s granddaughter to host NASCAR Hammer Down: Season 2 of "NASCAR Hammer Down" is back with the addition of Karsyn Elledge as the show's new host. Elledge, granddaughter of Dale Earnhardt and daughter of Kelley Earnhardt Miller, will undoubtedly bring her expertise and extensive knowledge as a racer herself and member of one of racing's most storied families. "NASCAR Hammer Down" is a part of the Nick Sports fall lineup on NickToons. Nick Sports broadcasts sports-specific content for kids who are interested in athletics. Along with its new, 14-year-old host, the show is changing up its format. "NASCAR Hammer Down" is being promoted as a magazine show for its sophmore season. The NASCAR-themed show is set to air alongside NFL RUSH, in a two-hour programming block. During Elledge's turn to play host in the two-hour Nick Sports TV block, she will take viewers to the track and back to the studio with interviews, pranks, celebrity guests and lots of fun facts. Each episode will also include a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) NASCAR-based curriculum. NFL RUSH is set for a September 9th premiere date while "NASCAR Hammer Down" is slated to start on Sept. 30, both collectively airing from 9:00 - 11:00pm/et.(NASCAR.com)(9-9-2015)

added an image of the #18 M&M's Crispy / American Heritage Chocolate scheme that will run at Richmond.

Teams issued warnings after Darlington: In the XFINITY Series, the #60 Roush Fenway Racing team of points leader Chris Buescher will be forced to sit out 15 minutes of practice this weekend at Richmond for being late to inspection at Darlington. The #17 Rick Ware-owned XFINITY team will miss 15 minutes of practice at its next race after arriving late to inspection last weekend with driver Ryan Ellis.(Fox Sports)(9-9-2015)

JR Motorsports to support Childhood Cancer Awareness: All three JR Motorsports Chevys (#7-Regan Smith, #9-Chase Elliott, and #88-Josh Berry) will be spreading awareness for Childhood Cancer in a big way at Richmond International Raceway Friday night. Each car will be running with a gold ribbon to support Childhood Cancer Awareness.(JR Motorsports), see images of the ribbon on the #7 team and #88 team paint schemes page.(9-9-2015)

XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series awards to be held at The Diplomat Resort and Spa: NASCAR announced that the annual NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will take place Monday, Nov. 23 at the Diplomat Resort and Spa in Hollywood, Florida. The Diplomat Resort and Spa also will host the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Championship 4 Media Day on Thursday, Nov. 19. At the event, the four remaining eligible drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship will take center stage to preview the series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This is the first year the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will be held at the venue, one of South Florida's premier beachfront resorts. In its inaugural year, the NASCAR XFINITY Series has proven that it is indeed the series "Where Names Are Made." The current leaderboard is crowded at the top with Chris Buescher, Ty Dillon and Chase Elliott leading the points standings, and a pair of NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduates in Darrell Wallace Jr. and Daniel Suarez engaged in a close battle for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. The rough-and-tumble racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series promises to produce a battle-tested champion. Contenders include two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton and 19-year-old future stars Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick. If Crafton clinches the 2015 title, he would become only the third driver in NASCAR national series history to win a championship in three consecutive seasons. The NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will air on NBCSN at 7:00pm/et Sunday, Nov. 29.(NASCAR)(9-9-2015)

200th start for Brian Scott: #2-Brian Scott is set to make his 200th XFINITY Series start this weekend at Richmond. In six full-time seasons, Scott has accumulated 18 top-five, 74 top-10 finishes and five pole awards combined with 544 laps led, with an average start of 11.3 and an average finish of 15.4.(Richard Childress Racing)(9-9-2015)

Theriault takes over at BKR: Austin Theriault will take the reins of the #29 Brad Keselowski Racing Ford for the final eight races of the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. The 21-year-old Maine native has piloted the #29 five times already this year, earning two top-five and three top-10 finishes. Theriault's best result was a fourth-place finish in the season opener at Daytona. The #29 has visited Victory Lane twice this year (Joey Logano at Martinsville and Ryan Blaney at Bristol). It ranks sixth in the owner points standings.(NASCAR)(9-9-2015)

New location for awards banquet: NASCAR announced today that the annual NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will take place Monday, Nov. 23 at the Diplomat Resort and Spa in Hollywood, Florida. The Diplomat Resort and Spa also will host the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Championship 4 Media Day on Thursday, Nov. 19. At the event, the four remaining eligible drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship will take center stage to preview the series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This is the first year the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will be held at the venue, one of South Florida's premier beachfront resorts. In its inaugural year, the NASCAR XFINITY Series has proven that it is indeed the series "Where Names Are Made." The current leaderboard is crowded at the top with Chris Buescher, Ty Dillon and Chase Elliott leading the points standings, and a pair of NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduates in Darrell Wallace Jr. and Daniel Suarez engaged in a close battle for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. The rough-and-tumble racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series promises to produce a battle-tested champion. Contenders include two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton and 19-year-old future stars Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick. If Crafton clinches the 2015 title, he would become only the third driver in NASCAR national series history to win a championship in three consecutive seasons. The NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards will air on NBCSN at 7 p.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 29.(NASCAR)(9-9-2015)

New sponsor for Nemechek in Chicagoland: NEMCO Motorsports announced today that it has partnered with Riley's Brewing Company, Inc. as a multi-year associate sponsor with drivers Joe Nemechek and John Hunter Nemechek. Joe Nemechek will pilot the Riley's Brewing Co. Hard Hand Crafted Root Beer Chevy with NEMCO Motorsports, and Riley's Brewing Co. Hand Crafted Root Beer will adorn the side of the #8 Chevy driven by John Hunter Nemechek, debuting at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at the Chicagoland Speedway on Friday, September 18. Launched into full production this year, Riley's Brewing Co. Hard Hand Crafted Root Beer is a product of Madera, California. Riley passed down his family's beer making tradition by working tirelessly from his garage to craft beers. At 5% ABV, the sweet, and smooth finish is created by Riley's grandfather's original root beer recipe. Riley's Brewing Co. non-alcohol root beer logo will be display as an associate sponsor on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series #8 Chevy of John Hunter Nemechek.(NEMCO Motorsports)(9-9-2015)

LVMS to sell single-day tickets for 2016 NASCAR Weekend: Las Vegas Motor Speedway is offering single-day tickets to the three days of NASCAR events culminating in the Kobalt 400 race in 2016. Tickets each day of the NASCAR Weekend go on sale Monday, Sept. 14. The scheduled includes Stratosphere Pole Day on March 4, Boyd Gaming 300 on March 5, and the NASCAR Sprint Cup race, Kobalt 400, on March 6, 2016. Tickets for RV parking, the Neon Garage, Lucky 7 preferred parking, driver introductions and bus passes are available at lvms.com or by calling 1-800-644-4444. Tickets are also available at Ticketmaster. LVMS noted the track saw a strong ticket-renewal season for all of the events of Las Vegas' NASCAR Weekend.(KVVU)(9-9-2015)

Wallenda to Perform Death-Defying Aerial Acrobatics at Bank of America 500: It's been said that behind every great man is a great woman - and that certainly holds true in the Wallenda household. While Nik Wallenda is known for his daring feats of balance and bravery, at the Bank of America 500 on Saturday, Oct. 10, Nik's wife Erendira (pronounced "E-Den-D-Duh") will take center stage as she performs a first-of-its-kind aerial thrill show before the green flag falls. Never one to stand idly by, Erendira, is an eighth generation acrobat who has performed with her family since she was 5 years old. She is, in all ways, Nik's equal when it comes to daredevil acrobatics. Before NASCAR's best take to the track for the Bank of America 500, Erendira will leave fans on the edge of their seats, suspended over the infield on an aerial ring hanging by a cable under a helicopter high above the infield. The 10-minute show, which Erendira will perform without any safety equipment to tether her to the ring or the helicopter, will feature artistic stunts and tricks, building to a dramatic finale as she hangs from the ring by only her toes. In addition to the Wallenda stunt, country music megastar Hunter Hayes will get the crowd revved up for a night of intense racing with a free pre-race concert. During the pivotal Chase race, speedway officials and fans will also pay tribute to NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon with a variety of special tributes honoring the future NASCAR Hall of Famer's final race at the iconic superspeedway. For more information on the pre-race festivities or the speedway's #JeffsLastRide campaign, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com. Fans can catch all the action surrounding the only Saturday night race in the Chase, including Bojangles' Pole Night on Oct. 8, the NASCAR XFINITY Series Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina on Oct. 9 and the Bank of America 500 on Oct. 10 with weekend packages starting at just $99.(CMS)(9-9-2015)

Talladega Premium Box Seating Packages Available: Fans looking to take their Talladega Superspeedway adventure to new heights can do so with an incredible hospitality option - Exclusive Premium Box Seating - that includes pre-race pit access for the much-anticipated Alabama 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race and the fred's 250 Powered by Coca-Cola NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) event upcoming Oct. 23-25. Whether it's for corporate entertainment or for extended family fun, the added-value options are a way for fans to treat themselves to southern hospitality at its best while enjoying what has become one of the most important weekends on the entire NASCAR schedule each year. The Alabama 500 is the third and final event in the Contender Round of the ultra-exciting Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in which the field of eligible drivers for the championship title will be trimmed from 12 to eight at the checkered flag.
The exquisite open-air Premium Boxes - which will give guests spectacular views of the legendary three- and four-wide battles on the 33-degree banks of Talladega Superspeedway as drivers make their last-ditch effort to advance in the Chase - are privately fenced for small groups that want a big-time race day experience. Guests will also receive pre-race access to Saturday's Driver Introductions for the fred's 250 Powered by Coca-Cola event and Sunday morning Pit Road access before the Alabama 500, as well as a Sunday souvenir program for each Sunday guest to have as a keepsake for an incredible race weekend experience. For more information on purchasing Premium seating, contact 855-518-RACE (7223) or visit our website talladegasuperspeedway.com.(TSS)(9-9-2015)

2015 Richmond Chase Clinch Scenarios:
Regardless of who wins at Richmond...
#1-Jamie McMurray clinches by starting the race.
#31-Ryan Newman clinches by finishing 31st or better; 32nd with at least one lap led; or 33rd with the most laps led.
#24-Jeff Gordon clinches by finishing 17th or better; 18th with at least one lap led; or 19th with the most laps led.
#27-Paul Menard clinches by finishing ninth or better; 10th with at least one lap led; or 11th with the most laps led.
If there is a repeat winner...
#1-Jamie McMurray, #31-Ryan Newman and #24-Jeff Gordon will clinch regardless of finish.
#27-Paul Menard clinches by finishing 38th or better; 39th with at least one lap led; or 40th with the most laps led.
#15-Clint Bowyer clinches by finishing 28th or better; 29th with at least one lap led; or 30th with the most laps led.
In summary...
Four drivers control their Chase destiny without a win: Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Paul Menard).
Three drivers can clinch without a win, but need help in the form of poor finishes from winless drivers ahead of them in points and/or a repeat winner: Bowyer, #43-Aric Almirola and #5-Kasey Kahne.
Twelve drivers need to win to clinch a Chase spot: #16-Greg Biffle, #42-Kyle Larson, #3-Austin Dillon, #47-AJ Allmendinger, #13-Casey Mears, #10-Danica Patrick, #14-Tony Stewart, #55-David Ragan, #9-Sam Hornish Jr., #6-Trevor Bayne, #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and #51-Justin Allgaier.
Two other drivers need to win and get help to clinch a spot: #35-Cole Whitt and #38-David Gilliland.
All other drivers have been eliminated from Chase contention.(NASCAR)(9-8-2015)

Ganassi injured in bicycle accident: Car owner [#1, #42] Chip Ganassi suffered a broken clavicle when he wrecked riding his bicycle Saturday in the Pittsburgh area, the team confirmed Tuesday. Ganassi had surgery Sunday and expects to be at Richmond International Raceway for Saturday night's Sprint Cup race, the team confirmed.(NBC Sports)(9-8-2015)

Johnson working on contract extension UPDATE2: Just weeks before NASCAR's "silly season" of accelerated contract negotiation and frenzied driver movement speculation, six-time Sprint Cup champion #48-Jimmie Johnson remains without an extension to remain at Hendrick Motorsports. But that sounds like just a formality. Before the 5-hour Energy 301 on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Johnson told USA TODAY Sports that while there was "nothing new" in completing negotiations, he doesn't foresee a move from the team with which he has raced his entire 15-year Sprint Cup career. "(Team owner) Rick (Hendrick) likes to get things signed up and done well in advance, so there definitely have been conversations," Johnson said. "We're kind of going down the road to get that all buttoned up and put together. But I'm home. I'm not going anywhere."(USA Today)(7-20-2015)
UPDATE: Johnson met with members of the media at Indianapolis and discussed his contract extension, the transcript in part:
Q) WHAT IS THE LATEST ON YOUR CONTRACT EXTENSION AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT CHAD (KNAUS, CREW CHIEF) TO BE BACK NEXT YEAR?
Johnson: "We still have, is it next year on our contract? I don't even know. We are obviously not concerned. We have been getting things buttoned up with Lowe's, with Hendrick, with Chad and myself, all of that. Like I said, I think last week, I'm home it's just a formality at this point to get everything kind of finished up and done."(Team Chevy)(7-29-2015)
UPDATE2: Rick Hendrick confirmed Tuesday that an announcement is likely next week in regards to Jimmie Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus and sponsor Lowe's. All three are in the final year of their contracts with Hendrick Motorsports. "You might not have to wait a week," Hendrick said with a smile. "It's just a matter of rolling it out, probably next week." Johnson last signed a five-year contract extension that carried through this season. Lowe's signed a two-year extension in Feb. 2013, putting its deal in line with Johnson's and Knaus'.(NBC Sports)(9-8-2015)

NASCAR, USA TODAY Sports Launch NASCAR Fan Index: NASCAR and USA TODAY Sports launched the first-ever NASCAR Fan Index, a digital index that combines social media activity and online fan voting to determine which Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup" driver has the greatest "fan nation" in this year's "Battle of Nations." Beginning this week and running through the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 22, the NASCAR Fan Index will rank the top driver fan bases based on aggregated social chatter and weekly online voting. The index is measured based on the social activity of each Chase driver's nation, including sharing photos and videos, as well as the voting results across fan-friendly themes such as best driver nickname and best paint scheme. NASCAR fans can vote an unlimited number of times for their favorite drivers in the weekly polls at nascarfanindex.usatoday.com. Additional themes will include best helmet design, best warm-up song, best race win burnout and best driver tweet of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.(NASCAR)(9-8-2015)

Beer Frost returns to the #32 at Richmond: Beer Frost announced that they will be co-sponsoring the #32 Go Green Racing Ford and driver Jeffrey Earnhardt along with CorvetteParts.net in the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond (Beer Frost Facebook). Beer Frost was scheduled to be the co-sponsor at Darlington with Josh Wise as the driver, but Wise failed to qualify for the race. Beer Frost was then featured on the #98 Premium Motorsports Chevy of TJ Bell at Darlington.(9-8-2015)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Laps Led Leaders:
(after Darlington, 25 of 36 races)
1. #4-Kevin Harvick, 1,450
2. #22-Joey Logano, 837
3. #41-Kurt Busch, 728 (22 races)
4. #2-Brad Keselowski, 607
5. #18-Kyle Busch, 529 (14 races)
6. #78-Martin Truex Jr., 497
7. #11-Denny Hamlin, 477
8. #48-Jimmie Johnson, 467
9. #19-Carl Edwards, 336
10. #20-Matt Kenseth, 293
6,849 total laps run.(9-8-2015)

added an image of the #18 M&M's Crispy / American Heritage Chocolate scheme that will run at Richmond.(9-8-2015)

The Battle Of Nations Returns To Rally Fans: NASCAR announced an open call for fans to rally behind their favorite driver "nations" as part of a massive, integrated marketing campaign to promote the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. New television spots, interactive digital experiences, fan parties and a robust social media push will celebrate The Chase launch and encourage fans to join the Battle of Nations. Introduced last year to promote NASCAR's revamped Chase format, the Battle of Nations (NASCAR.com/Chase) returns to capture the drama and excitement of The Chase while giving fans even more ways to engage with the sport's unpredictable, 10-race playoffs. The campaign theme was inspired by drivers' loyal fan followings and aligns the 16 Chase drivers, their race teams, automotive manufacturers and partners as unique nations - each looking to grow their fan bases and stand above the rest in a quest for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. The sport's largest-ever social media campaign will invite fans, teams and sponsors to show support for their favorite Chase drivers and share content using the hashtag #TheChase. USA TODAY Sports will introduce the first-ever NASCAR Fan Index to aggregate social chatter and host weekly, online fan votes to help determine which Chase driver has the greatest nation. Fans wanting in on the action themselves can engage digitally with the Battle of Nations by making weekly predictions in The Chase Grid" Battle Powered by Bing. In addition, fans can register at NBCSports.com/GridChallenge to play the Quicken Loans $16 Million Perfect Grid Challenge for a chance to win $16 million, and the Weekly Playoff Grid Challenge for a chance to win prizes including a year's worth of free mortgage payments. NASCAR soon will launch the first-ever Join the Battle app, offering interactive content to enhance fans' experience during the Chase on mobile devices. The interactive app will be available for download on Sept. 13 at NASCAR.com/Chase.(NASCAR)(9-8-2015)

Former SCC Director General Sadler Dies: Major General Thomas Sadler, who served as the executive director of Speedway Children's Charities for two decades, died early Monday morning. Sadler has served as executive director of Speedway Children's Charities for two decades beginning in 1990. Under his leadership, the organization raised funds for more than 400 children's organizations nationwide each year, impacting more than 300,000 needy children annually. Before his work with SCC, Sadler served his country for more than 37 years in the U.S. Air Force. Sadler retired from the Air Force in 1983 as commander of the 21st Air Force at McGuire Air Force Base, commanding some 37,000 people in 70 locations in 15 countries on five continents. At the time of his retirement, he was the only general on active duty who had flown in combat in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, flying more than 400 combat missions.(NSSN)(9-8-2015)

Matt Waltz to make NXS debut at Richmond UPDATE: Matt Waltz didn't wait for the stock car racing world to come knocking at his door. Anxious to move closer to the big-time, he networked and because of that he'll make his Xfinity Series debut on Sept. 11 in the Va529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway. Waltz said he landed the ride with Derrike Cope Racing by introducing himself to one of the team's marketing personnel during the NASCAR race weekend in April at RIR. He offered his help to the team and followed up on the offer by hauling Cope's car to Iowa recently for that Xfinity race. Waltz, the winningest driver in the Langley Speedway Late Model Division a year ago with 12 victories, said the team offered him a ride. He said that Brett Bodine of NASCAR approved him to race on the three-quarter-mile-oval at RIR because he had driven on it in the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown, a charity race that includes Sprint Cup Series drivers and regional drivers like Waltz. Waltz will become the second former Langley Speedway Late Model regular to make his Xfinity debut this season. Brandon Gdovic has raced in the series three times in 2015, with a best of 13th at Watkins Glen.(Daily Press)(8-28-2015)
UPDATE: Matt Waltz makes his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut driving for Derrike Cope Racing in the #70 Camaro at Richmond International Speedway under the lights on Friday September 11th. From Newport News VA, Waltz has been racing in the Whelen All American Series for over 6 years boasting a combined total of 76 top tens, 46 top fives, and 16 wins. He is also the "winningest driver" at Langley Speedway and top 15 in the nation. Waltz won the pole and finished second in the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown last year. Co-primary sponsor of the #70 will be Radley Automotive Group in Fredericksburg. Radley has new and used inventory of Chevrolet, Acura, Cadillac and Volkswagen with full service and parts departments as well as two collision shops in Fredericksburg and Stafford. Also on board as co-primary is Acredale Vending serving Tidewater for 32 years, providing full service vending and sales. Acredale has been an associate sponsor for various NASCAR teams for 20 years and has had a long term relationship with Langley Speedway with 5 track championships. Baker's Crust Artisan Kitchen is a local restaurant chain with six locations in the Richmond area serving all meals and a full bar.(Derrike Cope Racing)(9-8-2015)

Nemechek plans to venture from family team for advancement: If John Hunter Nemechek is to eventually become a star at the highest levels of NASCAR, he knows the path will eventually take him away from the familiar confines of NEMCO Motorsports. His father, Sprint Cup Series veteran Joe Nemechek, spent the past decade building up his family organization to prepare for the debut of John Hunter. A year and a half into his Truck Series career, the younger Nemechek has made good on that investment - posting 10 top-10s in 22 career starts. And while he would like to win races and perhaps win a championship next season for his team and family, the younger Nemechek admitted on Popular Speed TearDown Radio that he is looking to eventually join a larger team sooner rather than later. "Dad and I have definitely talked about our long term goal and that's to move out of NEMCO Motorsports so we can run XFINITY and make it to the Sprint Cup Series," Nemechek said. "That's where I want to be - at the top of the sport. "In order to get there, you're going to have to branch out and spend some time with a bigger team. I feel like we might have some opportunities coming up so hopefully we can run better in the second half and get some good finishes."Like everything in racing, any talks of Nemechek graduating to the XFINITY Series or another team must start with funding and sponsorship and that's something he is working hard to acquire prior to next season. "That would be neat so hopefully we can get some talks started about moving up," Nemechek said. "Everyone says this but we're taking this day-by-day and week-by-week so everything is about sponsorship. We're trying to find that funding needed to keep moving up the ranks and find a bigger team for sure." Even if Nemechek left NEMCO, the Truck Series team would continue on as the older Nemechek still wants to continue driving at some point while also fielding a truck for development driver Dominique Van Wieringen.(Popular Speed).(9-8-2015)

Labor Day: How it Came About; What it Means: Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. More at dol.gov

Entry List for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is posted, 45 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including: #30-Wise, #32-Jeffrey Earnhardt, #33-Brian Scott, #62-Sorenson, #95-McDowell, #98-Hill.
Drivers who need to be in the top-36 in speed and have no provisional available to them (lowest in owners points): #62-Sorenson (46th owners pts); #30-Wise (49th)
Drivers who would miss the race if qualifying is canceled (least race attempts): #30-Wise (10 attempts), #95-McDowell (14)
See the full entry list on Jayski.com's Richmond Entry List

Darlington TV Ratings: The Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway pulled in the sport's highest Labor Day weekend overnight in eight years. NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Darlington drew a 3.4 overnight rating on NBC Sunday night (and 8.82 million viewers), up 13% from the comparable Atlanta races last year and in 2013 (3.0 both years). Those telecasts aired on ESPN. According to NBC, the 3.4 is the highest for NASCAR on Labor Day weekend since 2007. Compared to previous Darlington races, the 3.4 increased 6% from last year (3.2) but dropped a tick from 2013 (3.5), both on FOX. It ranks as the second-lowest overnight for NASCAR from Darlington since at least 2000, ahead of only last year. The race took place on a Saturday night in spring from 2005-14. The last time it took place on Labor Day weekend, 2003, it drew a 5.5 on NBC (Sports Media Watch / tvseriesfinale.com)
See past race TV Ratings, five-year comparison chart and more on the 2015 TV Ratings page.(9-7-2015)

Only the fifth win ever for car #19: Carl Edwards win at Darlington on September 6, 2015 was the 2nd win for Edwards in the car #19. Edwards won the Coca-Cola 600 in May at Charlotte for the #19's 4th overall win. The #19 had only three other race wins in the history of the Sprint Cup Series (1949). In 1960 when John Rostek won at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix. And twice with Jeremy Mayfield in 2004 at Richmond and 2005 in Michigan. For more stats and notes about car number wins, see Jayski.com's Wins by Car Number page.(9-7-2015)

2015 Top-5's, Top-10's:
#4-Harvick leads all drivers in 2015 with 18 top-fives followed by #22-Logano with 15.
#4-Harvick leads all drivers in 2015 with 22 top-Ten finishes. #22-Logano is next with 19.
Four drivers have ran all the races in 2015 and do not have a top-10 finish: #38-Gilliland, #35-Whitt, #46-Annett, #40-Cassill.(9-7-2015)

Low downforce package again well-received: If there is such a thing as a consensus in NASCAR, the low-downforce aerodynamics package debuted at Kentucky earlier this season may be as close as the sport gets to it. The package, preferred by many of the Sprint Cup Series' top drivers, was paired with a tire package to match for Sunday night's Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway and again received rave reviews. Even in a grueling race that lasted nearly 4½ hours, as the race wound to its conclusion the win was still up for grabs with three drivers - Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick - still in the hunt for the victory. Sunday's race is the last this season in which the package will be used, a fact reiterated by NASCAR's executive vice president and chief racing development officer, Steve O'Donnell, after the race. NASCAR's initial reaction after the race was very positive and O'Donnell said he expected a decision in a few weeks on whether the package will be used and how often in the 2016 season. "We'll spend the proper time with the industry - the race teams, the drivers - and have a decision toward the end of the month," he said. "We're really pleased with how the race track came together with the "Throwback" idea and I think what you saw was it culminated with a terrific race on the track as well."(Motorsport)(9-7-2015)

Kyle Busch clinches Chase spot: Now, the debate can begin: Is a driver who misses nearly a third of the season worthy of being a champion? #18-Kyle Busch will get the chance to accomplish that after clinching a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup after Sunday night's Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. That he did is remarkable after missing the first 11 races of the season because of a broken right leg and fractured left foot in the season-opening Xfinity race at Daytona International Speedway. Busch admits he wondered about his chances of making the Chase even with NASCAR granting an exemption that a driver must qualify for every race to be Chase eligible. "We weren't looking so good after Michigan," Busch said of the 43rd-place finish in the June race, which marked his second finish of 36th or worse in his first four races back. "It was really doom and gloom. I was bumming. I just wasn't sure what to do. I wasn't sure what was going on. It took a little bit of that time to get the rust knocked off, I guess. It's probably the longest I've been out of the race car in my life. That was a tough lick." He responded by winning the following week at Sonoma Raceway, starting a stretch where he won four of the next five races to make it realistic that he would climb into the top 30 in points - another requirement to be in the Chase.(NBC Sports)(9-7-2015)

Truex, Jr. sets team record for top 10s: Plagued with rear-side damage to his #78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevy, Martin Truex Jr. held on to post a ninth-place finish in Sunday night's Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. The result was Truex's 17th top-10 finish in the first 25 races, which set a team record for most top-10s in a season. The previous team record of 16 top 10s in a season was set by Kurt Busch in 2013. Truex ran as high as second in the 367 lapper that saw a track record 18 cautions. With 60 laps remaining he was solidly running in fourth place but when he made his final pit stop following a lap 355 caution, he was positioned in 10th place. "We were in a survival mode at that stage of the race and managed to get one position back," noted Truex, whose teal-accented car raised awareness for ovarian cancer. "There are times when you're ok with a top-10, but not tonight." Truex remains sixth in driver points with one race remaining before the start of the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.(Furniture Row Racing)(9-7-2015)

Carl Edwards wins at Darlington: #19-Carl Edwards won the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway for his 2nd win of the season, 1st win at Darlington and 25th career win. Edwards led just 15 of the 367 laps, but took the lead on the final pit stop of the night and held off the rest of the field. Early in the race he stayed out under caution and, on old tires, fell back through the field and lost a lap. He got his lap back on the 11th caution and worked his way back through the field.
#2-Keselowski finished 2nd followed by #11-Hamlin, #22-Logano, #4-Harvick, #41-Busch, #18-Busch, #88-Earnhardt, Jr., #78-Truex, Jr., and #42-Larson.
Pole sitter, #2-Keselowski, led the most laps - 196, but could not get around Edwards at the end.
By finishing 7th, #18-Busch moves to 27th in the points standings. He is now 83 points ahead of 31st and has locked himself into the Chase.
#4-Harvick continues to be the points leader, now 42 points over #22-Logano.
There were 24 lead changes among 11 drivers. There were a record 18 cautions for 89 yellow flag laps.
The average speed was 111.993 mph.
See unofficial race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Unofficial Race Results page (pdf) and check out the Penalty Report (pdf) and Lap Summary Report (pdf).
See OFFICIAL race results & points standings on the Official Race & Points Report (pdf).(9-6-2015)

Race Fast Facts - Darlington:
Carl Edwards won the 66th Annual Bojangles' Southern 500, his 25th victory in 398 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his second victory and ninth top-10 finish in 2015.
This is his first victory and eighth top-10 finish in 12 races at Darlington Raceway.
Brad Keselowski (second) posted his third top-10 finish in seven races at Darlington Raceway. It is his 17th top-10 finish in 2015.
Denny Hamlin (third) posted his eighth top-10 finish in ten races at Darlington Raceway.
Matt DiBenedetto (25th) was the highest finishing rookie.
Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 42 points over Joey Logano.
(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(9-6-2015)

2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup CHASE Standings:
[after Darlington, race 25 of 36]
(by wins, then by points standings)
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson [4 wins](5th in driver points)
2) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins] (27th)
3) #22-Joey Logano [3 wins] (2nd)
4) #20-Matt Kenseth [3 wins] (7th)
5) #4-Kevin Harvick [2 wins] (1st)
6) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [2 wins] (3rd)
7) #41-Kurt Busch [2 wins] (9th)
8) #19-Carl Edwards [2 win](12th)
9) #2-Brad Keselowski [1 win] (4th)
10) #78-Martin Truex Jr. [1 win] (6th)
11) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win](8th)
(above drivers have clinched a berth in the Chase)
[would be in the Chase via points standings]
12) #1-Jamie McMurray, +73 ahead of 17th in driver points
13) #31-Ryan Newman, +61
14) #24-Jeff Gordon, +47
15) #27-Paul Menard, +39
16) #15-Clint Bowyer, +29
[currently out of the Chase]
17) #43-Aric Almirola, -29
18) #5-Kasey Kahne, -31
19) #16-Biffle, -84
20) #42-Larson, -96
(ties are broken by wins, 2nds, 3rds, etc)
See the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings page (pdf) and Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf).
See OFFICIAL race results & points standings on the Official Race & Points Report (pdf).(9-6-2015)

Top-10 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Drivers Points Standings:
[after Darlington, race 25 of 36]
1) #4-Kevin Harvick [2 wins], 948
2) #22-Joey Logano [3 wins], 906, -42
3) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [2 wins], 855, -93
4) #2-Brad Keselowski [1 win], 837, -111
5) #48-Jimmie Johnson [4 wins], 817, -131
6) #78-Martin Truex Jr. [1 win], 806, -142
7) #20-Matt Kenseth [3 wins], 776, -172
8) #11-Denny Hamlin [1 win], 754, -194
9) #41-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 752, -196
10) #1-Jamie McMurray, 726, -222
(ties are broken by wins, 2nds, 3rds, etc)
See the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings page (pdf) and Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf).
See OFFICIAL race results & points standings on the Official Race & Points Report (pdf).(9-6-2015)

Darlington Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points:
#83-Matt DiBenedetto, finished 25th, 11 rookie points
#23-Jeb Burton, finished 34th, 10 rookie points
#34-Brett Moffitt, finished 36th, 9 rookie points
#33-Alex Kennedy, not entered, Mike Bliss in the car
See the 2015 Rookie of the Year page for rules, standings and more.(9-6-2015)

Bowyer to Stewart-Haas? in 2017? or to HScott Motorsports? UPDATES: the biggest question is Clint Bowyer, 36, who controls his future today as much as he did when he left Richard Childress Racing to join MWR. With no apparent openings at major teams for next season, Bowyer might need a placeholder ride for a year - much like Kasey Kahne when he drove for Red Bull Racing before joining Hendrick's four-car juggernaut. After that, Bowyer would have more options. The garage has been buzzing for a few months about the possibility of Bowyer joining Stewart-Haas Racing, but to replace who? Reigning Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick is locked in. Danica Patrick just signed a multi-year contract extension. And co-owner Tony Stewart said Tuesday that Kurt Busch's extension will be done "soon." That could leave Stewart, who is struggling to be competitive and has his best years behind him at 44. Could Bowyer drive at SHR in 2017? SHR spokesman Mike Arning told USA TODAY Sports the team wasn't commenting "out of respect for the situation involving Michael Waltrip Racing and its personnel." In the meantime, it doesn't sound like hooking up with Ganassi for one year is an option for Bowyer if Kauffman buys into the team, as the owner stated he planned to. Kauffman said he and Bowyer "agreed we would go our separate ways at the end of the season and I wish him well in whatever direction he pursues."(USA Today)
AND Perhaps the dissolution of MWR was the ticket Bowyer needed to move on. Despite entering the first year of a three-year renewal to drive the No. 15 Toyota, a dissolution of MWR would certainly enable Bowyer to pursue others options. In fact, he and Kaufmann have already agreed to go separate ways. If the rumor mill is right, Bowyer is headed to HScott Motorsports. Richard Petty Motorsports made Bowyer an offer several years ago and is interested in him again. But this is why HMS makes sense: Despite Harry Scott Jr. playing coy at Watkins Glen, following a salmon fishing trip with Bowyer in British Columbia, multiple sources say HScott Motorports could offer Bowyer a ride until a premiere seat opens up. Bowyer has been mentioned as the heir apparent for the #14 Chevy once Tony Stewart retires.
Initially, the assumption was that Bowyer would join Kauffman in his move to Chip Ganassi Racing. However, the current plan for CGR in 2016 is to run just two teams. Bowyer's statement on Wednesday offered no indication of his future plans, other than it would not include Kauffman or MWR.(Motorsport)(8-20-2015)
UPDATE: Claire B. Lang reported on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Friday evening that Clint Bowyer would move to HScott Motorsports in 2016 and then on to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2017 to replace Tony Stewart.
UPDATE 2: Nate Ryan reported on NASCAR America Saturday afternoon that HScott Motorsports says they will remain a two car team next season and #46-Michael Annett will return. The team said they are still working on Justin Allgiaer's deal for 2016.(9-5-2015)
UPDATE 3: Amid reports that Clint Bowyer might join its organization next season, HScott Motorsports says it won't be adding a third Sprint Cup car in 2016. The team expanded to a second full-time Chevy this season with Michael Annett joining for Justin Allgaier, who has driven for Harry Scott since 2013. Citing an unnamed source, SiriusXM Satellite Radio host Claire B. Lang reported Friday night that Bowyer would race for HScott Motorsports in '16 and move to Tony Stewart's #14 Chevy in 2017. Bowyer's future is in flux with the impending closure of Michael Waltrip Racing.Asked for comment, HScott Motorsports released this statement:
"Harry continues to work with Justin Allgaier and BRANDT Professional Agriculture on their contracts for next year and beyond. As far as a car count for next year, HScott Motorsports will be a two-car operation. Michael Annett will continue to drive for the team next year."
While it remains possible that Allgaier and Brandt might not return, which would open a potential spot for Bowyer, it seems there also are signs that HScott Motorsports might not have room for a new driver next year.(NBC Sports)(9-6-2015)

Ragan racing with stitches this weekend: #55-David Ragan has a good excuse for leaving his left glove on this weekend - and no, it has nothing to do with emulating Michael Jackson. Ragan slashed his hand with a box cutter on Tuesday while trying to install a dryer vent at his house. "I left the glove on during practice yesterday because every time I took it off, the bandage came with it and irritated the cut," Ragan told motorsport.com on Saturday. "And it's not like we're sweating here or anything. As great as it is to have Darlington return to its original weekend date, I was fine with April." All kidding aside, Ragan required seven stitches to close the cut and added he was "glad my tetanus shots are up to date."(Motorsport)(9-6-2015)

Ragan not worrying about 2016: Like every race-car driver, David Ragan is working hard to place himself with a competitive team for next season. The problem is that the 29-year-old thought he had already done that when he decided to leave Ford and Front Row Motorsports after the Daytona 500 to substitute for the injured Kyle Busch at Joe Gibbs Racing -- and later replacing the ailing Brian Vickers at Michael Waltrip Racing. But yet again, Ragan isn't sure what he will be doing next season with the announcement that Waltrip will be closing his doors by the end of the season. "I think it makes my day a little busier," Ragan said of his job search. "But I don't think it adds stress and that's just how I am. I joke all the time that I wouldn't feel any stress at all if the world was coming to an end and I didn't have any balance left in my bank account. So yeah man, I'm focused on this year and I want to end it on a good note for Aaron's and (crew chief) Brian Pattie as well as Michael Waltrip and Rob Kaufmann. I'd love to win a race or sit on the pole and lead some laps -- end the season on a good note. But I'm also going to have to keep my ears open on what's available for next year." Ragan explained that he is in a bit of a holding pattern when it comes to making a decision just because he needs some other teams to announce their plans before seeing how it ultimately affects his options. "We've got to play out a few scenarios first because obviously the big teams are full and it takes a lot of resources in this garage to have a competitive car," Ragan said. "But that's my goal -- to be with a good program moving forward in any of the top three series so we can have fun and go for wins.(Autoweek)(9-6-2015)

Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown to be held at Langley Speedway in 2016: When Buck Reuss was asked why the Denny Hamlin Foundation is finally bringing the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown to Langley Speedway on April 21, 2016, he got right to the point. "It's Langley's turn," said Reuss, Langley Speedway's pit road race announcer and the race coordinator of Hamlin's annual charity race. "I've been saying for years that the race should come to Langley. Langley is where Denny Hamlin won the 1997 Mini-Stock championship and raced Grand Stocks in 1998. This gives the fans in Hampton Roads a chance to see it and businesses all the way to Virginia Beach a chance to contribute to charities supported by the Denny Hamlin Foundation." The Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown is held each spring in conjunction with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stop at Richmond International Raceway. It annually draws many of the top Cup drivers in a race against some of the best Late Model drivers in the Mid-Atlantic region." The race - held previously at Southside Speedway, RIR and South Boston Speedway - benefits a number of charities supported by Hamlin: the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Kyle Petty Victory Junction Gang Camp, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the VCU Children's Hospital. Reuss says the race raises from $30,000-$100,000 annually for Hamlin's foundation.(Daily Press)(9-6-2015)

Darlington Raceway Race Notes & Facts - Sunday:
· There have been 111 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Darlington Raceway. The 1.366-mile track has hosted the fifth most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points paying races.
· Hendrick Motorsports has the most wins at Darlington in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 14.
· 11 different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Darlington; led by Chevrolet with 41 victories; followed by Ford with 28 and Toyota has three.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Darlington Raceway is the (03/16/2003) race won by Ricky Craven with a MOV of 0.002 second over Kurt Busch. The MOV is tied with the 2011 Talladega race as the closest finish in the NSCS since the inception using electronic timing and scoring.
· There have been four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting in a green-white-checkered finish at Darlington Raceway: 2005 (367/370), 2011 (367/370), 2012 (367/368) and 2014 (367/374).
· Eight of the 111 races at Darlington Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the fall race of 2000.
(NASCAR)(9-6-2015)

LVMS Express to provide bus service from Strip, downtown to Las Vegas Motor Speedway: All aboard the LVMS Express. Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in conjunction with JusTours, has launched the LVMS Express, which will provide bus service to the speedway for race fans staying in both the Strip corridor and downtown during NASCAR and NHRA event weekends. Race fans can begin reserving their seats on the LVMS Express on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Tickets for the Oct. 30-Nov. 1 NHRA Toyota Nationals will be $99 for the three-day weekend or $60 for a one-day pass. NASCAR passes also will be $99 for the three-day weekend and $75 for a one-day pass. All tickets will be sold through the LVMS ticket office and the speedway's website at lvms.com. For NASCAR Weekend, the LVMS Express also will offer an upgraded VIP experience that will include priority boarding and expedited departures from both the Strip and downtown pickup locations as well as the speedway. The LVMS Express will have at least five pickup and drop-off stops along the Strip and downtown during the NASCAR Weekend. Most of the buses will be equipped with restrooms, and all buses will have dedicated routes to and from the speedway. NASCAR fans also will find a new bus depot located much closer to the seating areas when they arrive at the speedway on the LVMS Express.(LVMS)(9-6-2015)

Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway have been made.
Pole sitter #2-Keselowski chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #41-Busch took pit stall 7, with an opening behind it.
#4-Harvick, who starts 3rd took the 8th pit stall, with an opening in front of it.
The 43rd and final pit stall was taken by #48-Johnson, who starts 19th.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on Jayski.com's Pit Stall Selection chart.(9-5-2015)

Keselowski wins Darlington pole: #2-Brad Keselowski won the Coors Light pole for the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway with speed of 178.874mph for his 1st pole of 2015, 1st at Darlington and 9th of his career. Keselowski has won 2 races from the pole out of 8 previous poles.
#41-Busch is on the outside pole followed by #4-Harvick, #22-Logano, #24-Gordon, #11-Hamlin, #78-Truex, Jr., #17-Stenhouse, Jr., #21-Blaney, #18-Busch, #43-Almirola, and #27-Menard.
Missing the race were: #32-Wise, #30-Kvapil, #62-Hill.
See the starting lineup, pole progression, round-by-round results and more on Jayski.com's Darlington Starting Lineup / Qualifying Page.(9-5-2015)

Qualifying Fast Facts - Darlington:
Brad Keselowski won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 66th Annual Bojangles' Southern 500 with a lap of 27.492 seconds, 178.874 mph.
This is his ninth pole in 222 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first pole and 15th top-10 start in 2015.
This is his first pole in seven races at Darlington Raceway.
Kurt Busch (second) posted his 11th top-10 start of 2015 and his ninth in 19 races at Darlington Raceway.
Kevin Harvick (third) posted his sixth top-10 start at Darlington Raceway. It is his 17th in 25 races this season.
Matt DiBenedetto (25th) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Statistics)(9-5-2015)

Second Round of Qualifying for the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway is over after 10 scheduled minutes.
#2-Keselowski 179.200
#4-Harvick 178.562
#22-Logano 178.556
#41-Busch 178.238
#24-Gordon 178.129
the rest of the top 12: 11 43 27 17 18 78 21;
out of the top 12 and not advancing to round 3: 19 20 5 42 14 6 48 1 55 25 31 16
(9-5-2015)

First Round of Qualifying for the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway is over, after 20 scheduled minutes.
#41-Busch 179.501
#17-Stenhouse, Jr. 179.389
#22-Logano 179.363
#24-Gordon 179.245
#5-Kahne 179.095
the rest of the top 24: 18 2 55 19 20 4 1 42 31 11 43 78 14 16 27 6 25 21 48;
out of the top 24 and not advancing to round 2: 83 88 51 15 3 10 40 13 9 47 7 26 35 32 38 46 62 30 34 23 32 98
Drivers who will miss the race: #32-Wise, #30-Kvapil, #62-Hill.
(9-5-2015)

Bowyer to Stewart-Haas? in 2017? or to HScott Motorsports? UPDATE: the biggest question is Clint Bowyer, 36, who controls his future today as much as he did when he left Richard Childress Racing to join MWR. With no apparent openings at major teams for next season, Bowyer might need a placeholder ride for a year - much like Kasey Kahne when he drove for Red Bull Racing before joining Hendrick's four-car juggernaut. After that, Bowyer would have more options. The garage has been buzzing for a few months about the possibility of Bowyer joining Stewart-Haas Racing, but to replace who? Reigning Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick is locked in. Danica Patrick just signed a multi-year contract extension. And co-owner Tony Stewart said Tuesday that Kurt Busch's extension will be done "soon." That could leave Stewart, who is struggling to be competitive and has his best years behind him at 44. Could Bowyer drive at SHR in 2017? SHR spokesman Mike Arning told USA TODAY Sports the team wasn't commenting "out of respect for the situation involving Michael Waltrip Racing and its personnel." In the meantime, it doesn't sound like hooking up with Ganassi for one year is an option for Bowyer if Kauffman buys into the team, as the owner stated he planned to. Kauffman said he and Bowyer "agreed we would go our separate ways at the end of the season and I wish him well in whatever direction he pursues."(USA Today)
AND Perhaps the dissolution of MWR was the ticket Bowyer needed to move on. Despite entering the first year of a three-year renewal to drive the No. 15 Toyota, a dissolution of MWR would certainly enable Bowyer to pursue others options. In fact, he and Kaufmann have already agreed to go separate ways. If the rumor mill is right, Bowyer is headed to HScott Motorsports. Richard Petty Motorsports made Bowyer an offer several years ago and is interested in him again. But this is why HMS makes sense: Despite Harry Scott Jr. playing coy at Watkins Glen, following a salmon fishing trip with Bowyer in British Columbia, multiple sources say HScott Motorports could offer Bowyer a ride until a premiere seat opens up. Bowyer has been mentioned as the heir apparent for the #14 Chevy once Tony Stewart retires.
Initially, the assumption was that Bowyer would join Kauffman in his move to Chip Ganassi Racing. However, the current plan for CGR in 2016 is to run just two teams. Bowyer's statement on Wednesday offered no indication of his future plans, other than it would not include Kauffman or MWR.(Motorsport)(8-20-2015)
UPDATE: Claire B. Lang reported on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Friday evening that Clint Bowyer would move to HScott Motorsports in 2016 and then on to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2017 to replace Tony Stewart.
UPDATE 2: Nate Ryan reported on NASCAR America Saturday afternoon that HScott Motorsports says they will remain a two car team next season and #46-Michael Annett will return. The team said they are still working on Justin Allgiaer's deal for 2016.(9-5-2015)

NMPA Sprint Most Popular Driver Award Voting Opens September 6: The National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) and Sprint announced that voting for the 2015 NMPA Sprint Most Popular Driver award will open Sunday, September 6, 2015. The NMPA Sprint Most Popular Driver award is the only major NASCAR award determined solely by fan vote. The voting period will open at 12:01am/et Sunday, September 6, 2015 and run through 11:59pm/et on Sunday, November 22, 2015. Fans can visit www.mostpopulardriver.com to cast their vote for this year's award. Votes will also be received via the NASCAR Mobile application. Voting is limited to one vote per person per email address per day. Fans are encouraged to share their votes on Facebook and Twitter. The official Twitter hashtag for the NMPA Sprint Most Popular Driver Award is #SprintMPD. Eligible drivers for the award are those who have declared to compete for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship (drivers running for Sprint Cup Series points). The winner of this year's award will be announced during NBCSN broadcast of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards on Dec. 4 in Las Vegas. A $10,000 donation will be made to the winning driver's charity of choice.(NASCAR), see info on the award and past links on Jayski.com's Most Popular Driver award page.(9-5-2015)

Kurt Busch using digital dashboard at Darlington: #41-Kurt Busch has a little bit of the new amid his car decked out with a retro paint scheme this weekend at Darlington Raceway. Busch is experimenting with the digital dashboard that NASCAR will require teams to have in 2016. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver and team, comfortably in the Chase for the Sprint Cup figured Darlington would be the best place to test the digital dash. Their car at Darlington is an older car that they're not planning to use in the Chase, so they won't have to worry about rewiring or reconverting the dashboard. The dashboard weighs a pound, and the team has worked to try to get weight out of other parts of the dashboard to compensate for it, including an entirely new steering column, according to crew chief Tony Gibson. Teams are allowed to customize what information the dash provides and how, as well as the colors and size of the displays. The digital dash is expected to be more accurate than traditional gauges. Busch was the only driver working with the digital dash at Darlington. No teams have used it in the first three races since NASCAR approved its use in early August. Busch tested with the digital dash in June at Darlington. The team thought it best to test the new display before the Chase, deciding they didn't want to fiddle with experimental equipment with the championship on the line, Gibson said. NASCAR hopes that fans eventually will be able to see the exact data each driver has on the digital dash through NASCAR's website or apps. Gibson said if tire pressures are among the data teams can access, it would improve safety as well as help drivers know whether they should pit or if they have debris on the tires that is only making them feel as if a wheel is loose.(NASCAR)(9-5-2015)

NASCAR testing restart zone at Darlington: NASCAR is testing a new design of its "restart zone" in this weekend's Xfinity and Sprint Cup series races at Darlington Raceway. Currently the restart zone, which begins at the end of Turn 4 and marks the area where the race leader restarts the race, is marked with double red hash marks and concludes with a single red hash mark. To highlight the area for fans, drivers and NASCAR officials, the area between the hash marks is highlighted with green colors from sponsor American Ethanol and the words "Go Zone." In recent weeks, several drivers have complained about what they perceive is inconsistent calls on restarts from NASCAR. The new design is currently only planned for this weekend's races.(Motorsport)(9-5-2014)

Stewart's attorney submits potential witness list in wrongful death suit: Paperwork filed by Tony Stewart's attorney Friday lists a number of possible witnesses who could testify in the wrongful death lawsuit Stewart faces and what information they could provide. The information is a part of request by Stewart's side to transfer the case from U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York to the federal court overseeing the Western District of New York. In the filing, Stewart's attorney lists individuals expected to be key witnesses in the case. They are:
John Abraham, an investigator for Ontario County (N.Y.), who took Stewart's statement shortly after the accident.
Brad Falkey, a detective with the Ontario County Sheriff's office who interviewed Stewart regarding the incident.
Kevin Henderson, Ontario County coroner who performed the autopsy on Ward.
Deputy William Martin of Ontario County Sheriff's office and is stated as being the lead investigator in the criminal investigation of Ward's death.
Michael Rago of the Ontario County Sheriff's office, the first law enforcement official to speak with Stewart regarding the Aug. 9, 2014 incident.
The motion also lists eyewitnesses and other non-party witnesses whose testimony may be pertinent in the matter.(NBC Sports)(9-5-2015)

Darlington Raceway Pole Notes & Facts - Saturday:
· Curtis Turner won the inaugural Coors Light Pole Award at Darlington in 1950 in an Oldsmobile with a speed of 82.034 mph.
· 48 drivers have Coors Light poles at Darlington, led by David Pearson with 12. Kasey Kahne leads all active drivers with four.
· Nine drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Darlington. Kasey Kahne is the only active driver with consecutive Coors Light poles (2005-2006).
· David Pearson holds the record for most consecutive poles at Darlington with five (1975 - 1977).
· Eight drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup pole at Darlington Raceway: Cotton Owens (1957), Fred Lorenzen (1961), Bill Elliott (1981), Ken Schrader (1987), John Andretti (1995), Kurt Busch (2001), Elliott Sadler (2003) and Clint Bowyer (2007).
· 20 of the 111 (18.02%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Darlington have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Kevin Harvick in last season's event.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson has won from the pole four times at Darlington - the series' most.
· The Coors Light pole starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (20) than any other starting position at Darlington. The outside front row (second-place) has produced the second-most wins (17).
· 37 of the 111 (33.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Darlington have been won from the front row: 20 from first-place and 17 from second-place.
· 96 of the 111 (86.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Darlington have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· Six of the 111 (5.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Darlington have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Darlington is 43rd by Johnny Mantz in 1950 - the inaugural NSCS event.
· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Darlington Raceway five times; most recently was the fall race of 2004.
(NASCAR)(9-5-2015)

Sad News - Gail Sommer Germain: After a long, courageous and inspiring fight with breast cancer, the wife of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner Bob Germain Jr. has passed away at the age of 45. Gail Sommer Germain bravely and openly shared her struggles, victories and experiences as she fought through the disease. Mrs. Germain made it her mission, her legacy, to help other women who are also struggling with the emotional and physical strains of fighting against cancer. Mrs. Germain made her battle with cancer very public in an effort to inspire other women to keep their grace and dignity throughout the challenges of cancer. Gifts to The Gracie Foundation Inc., named after her nickname, "Gracie," are used fully to fund comfort gift bags for women undergoing cancer treatments. The Gracie Foundation is formed so that 100-percent of donations are used for creating thoughtful "gifts that boost positive energy in women undergoing chemo or radiation treatments." In honor of Mrs. Germain and her gracious battle, the #13 GEICO Chevrolet SS race car has long featured a pink ribbon on the C-post and a nod to Gracie on the B-post. This tradition, along with a special message on the decklid of the #13 GEICO Chevy SS will be continued at Darlington Raceway for Sunday's "Bojangles Southern 500." Germain Racing crew members will also wear pink arm bands in honor of Mrs. Germain. The family will hold a private memorial for Mrs. Germain.(Germain Racing)(9-5-2015)

Denny Hamlin wins XFINITY race at Darlington Raceway: #20-Denny Hamlin won the VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway. Hamlin started from the pole. #54-Kyle Busch finished second, followed by #18-Daniel Suarez, #88-Kevin Harvick, #60-Chris Buescher, #22-Joey Logano, #42-Kyle Larson, #01-Landon Cassill, #7-Regan Smith, and #4-Ross Chastain.
Suarez stayed out late to try to save gas to the end. He made it, but was passed by Hamlin with 3 laps to go. Hamlin pitted earlier for fuel and fresh tires.
There were 2 cautions for 8 laps and 7 lead changes among 3 leaders.
The average speed was 141.336mph, which is a record for the Darlington race.
Complete results are on the Darlington Raceway race results page (pdf).
(9-5-2015)

Darlington Raceway XFINITY Race Fast Facts:
Denny Hamlin(i) won the 33rd Annual VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200, his 14th victory in 152 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his third victory and eighth top-10 finish in 2015.
This is his fourth victory and eighth top-10 finish in eight races at Darlington Raceway.
Kyle Busch(i) (second) posted his seventh top-10 finish in 11 races at Darlington Raceway. It is his sixth top-10 finish in 2015.
Daniel Suarez (third) was the highest finishing rookie.
Chris Buescher leads the point standings by 29 points over Ty Dillon.
Hamlin's win was a Darlington race record 141.336 mph.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-5-2015)

XFINITY Driver standings following Darlington Raceway:
1) #60-Chris Buescher, 874
2) #3-Ty Dillon, 845, -29
3) #9-Chase Elliott, 839, -35
4) #7-Regan Smith, 820, -54
5) #1-Elliott Sadler, 783, -91
6) #6-Darrell Wallace Jr., 766, -108
7) #18-Daniel Suarez, 759, -115
8) #2-Brian Scott, 755, -119
9) #62-Brendan Gaughan, 736, -138
10) #16-Ryan Reed, 652, -222
See complete owner and driver standings on the driver standings(pdf) and owner standings page (pdf).(9-5-2015)

Hamlin on XFINITY pole at Darlington Raceway: >#20-Denny Hamlin won the Coors Light pole for the VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway with a speed of 171.704mph. #18-Daniel Suarez will start second. The rest of the top 10: #42-Kyle Larson, #22-Joey Logano, #33-Paul Menard, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #9-Chase Elliott, #7-Regan Smith, #88-Kevin Harvick, #60-Chris Buescher.
#33-Menard was fastest during the first two rounds.
Did Not Qualify: none. The starting lineup is posted on the Darlington Raceway starting lineup page (pdf).(9-5-2015)

Darlington Raceway XFINITY Qualifying Notes:
Denny Hamlin(i) won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 33rd Annual VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 with a lap of 28.640 seconds, 171.704 mph.
This is his 20th pole in 152 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his fourth pole and seventh top-10 start in 2015.
This is his fourth pole in eight races at Darlington Raceway.
Daniel Suarez (second) posted his 19th top-10 start of 2015.
Kyle Larson(i) (third) posted his second top-10 start at Darlington Raceway. It is his seventh in nine races this season.
Suarez (second) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-5-2015)

Special scheme for Harmon: #74-Mike Harmon Racing will have a throwback Davey Allison scheme this weekend at Darlington and will be sponsored again by WCI Parts.(Mike Harmon Racing), see an image of the car on the #74 team paint schemes page.(9-5-2015)

Darlington adds SAFER wals along straightaways: Darlington Raceway has added 4,600 feet of the SAFER barrier in time for this weekend's action, which culminates with the Southern 500 on Sunday night on NBC. The energy-absorbing barrier has been added to the outside walls along the frontstretch and backstretch. The track added the SAFER barrier in the corners in 2004. The track now is ringed by SAFER barrier along the outside walls. SAFER barrier previously was added to the inside walls along the frontstretch and backstretch.(NBC Sports)(9-5-2015)

Garage tours available at Chicago: Chicagoland Speedway is now offering even more opportunities for race fans to enjoy the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend. On Saturday, September 19, fans with a Fan Zone Pit Pass, and accompanying grandstand or infield camping admission, will have the exclusive opportunity to experience the NASCAR XFINITY Series garages, providing a unique and educational experience. From 10:15am to 1:15pm, official Chicagoland Speedway tour guides will escort groups for a behind-the-scenes encounter through designated areas within the XFINITY Series garages. Registration for tours will begin at 10:00am on Saturday and will continue until all available passes are filled. Multiple tours will occur simultaneously with each tour accommodating 15 people and lasting for approximately 15 minutes. In addition to the garage experience, Fan Zone Pit Pass Holders have access to view the drivers' red carpet walk, participate in NASCAR personality question-and-answer sessions and spend pre-race in Gatorade Victory Lane. Following the myAFibRisk.com 400 checkered flag on Sunday, September 20, fans 21-years or older can visit the Miller Lite Pit Stop for a "Race Recap with Rusty." This special appearance by NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace will highlight Rusty's valuable insight regarding the world of motorsports, his evaluation of the race and its outcome and how the myAFibRisk.com 400 will impact the rest of the Chase.(Chicagoland Speedway)(9-5-2015)

Final practice for the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway is over after 115 scheduled minutes, the top-five fastest, slowest and notes:
#2-Keselowski 175.880
#16-Biffle 175.729
#41-Busch 175.723
#27-Menard 175.484
#3-Dillon 175.453
slowest: #26-Yeley 168.307 & #33-Bliss 163.468.
Notes: #18-Busch got into the wall and will go to a backup car. He does not have to start at the rear for the race. NASCAR is not holding technical inspection until tomorrow, because of the low-downforce package testing.
Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday at 1:45pm/et and will be televised on NBCSN.
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10-lap consecutive laps run on the Darlington Practice 2 Speeds page (pdf).(9-4-2015)

Qualifying Order for the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway is posted. 46 cars/drivers are listed.
The first of the drivers scheduled to go out is #5-Kahne.
The final driver scheduled to go out is #1-McMurray.
Qualifying order is set by a random draw, held about an hour before the first practice.
See the full qualifying order on Jayski.com's Darlington Qualifying Page.(9-5-2015)

1st practice for the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway is over after 115 scheduled minutes, the top-five fastest, slowest and notes:
#16-Biffle 176.201
#41-Busch 175.842
#14-Stewart 175.710
#4-Harvick 175.654
#19-Edwards 175.647
slowest: #33-Bliss 165.292 & #98-Bell 164.976.
Notes: #3-Dillon hit the wall coming off turn 2 for the first Darlington stripe of the weekend. The team will repair the car.
Happy Hour practice is scheduled for 4:30pm/et on NBCSN. Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday at 1:45pm/et and will be televised on NBCSN.
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10-lap consecutive laps run on the Darlington Practice 1 Speeds page (pdf).(9-4-2015)

Wally Rogers out as McDowell's crew chief Ownership of Leavine Family Racing has made a personnel change and crew chief, Wally Rogers, is no longer with the organization. "We appreciate everything Wally has done for this organization," said team owner Bob Leavine. "I'm committed to growing this race team and improving our on-track performance. Looking ahead to 2016, we are putting the pieces in place to improve the overall performance of this race team." The team will race at Richmond International Raceway as scheduled with Michael McDowell piloting the #95 Ford entry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.(Leavine Family Racing)(9-4-2015)

Kvapil expects to run more Cup races this season: The racing season started strange for Janesville native Travis Kvapil. Back in March, his NASCAR Sprint Cup car and the trailer that contained it were stolen from a hotel parking lot near the Atlanta Motor Speedway the night before the team was due to qualify. Since then, Kvapil has been running for a few different teams in the Cup Series while running full-time in the Camping World Truck Series. The number of remaining Sprint Cup races that Kvapil will run is still week-to-week. "I would guess I'll run about half (of the Sprint Cup races remaining). I might also be in the #33 (Circle Sport Chevy), but for the most part I'll be driving the truck for the remainder of the truck schedule. Whatever Cup races come up, we'll see," he said. Kvapil's truck series team, MAKE Motorports, is also a newer, smaller team. With only eight races left on the truck series schedule, Kvapil thinks he'll be staying with MAKE Motorsports in the truck series next season. "It's all up in the air right now, but the team is in talks with sponsors, and we have some things looking good," Kvapil said. "It's too early to tell if it will pan out, but I plan on running trucks with them next year. Whatever Cup chances come up, I'll pursue them, but I won't do it for free and I'm not going to freak out if it doesn't happen. I've been around a long time, but I feel like I can still compete and win races at the Cup level," he said.(GazetteXtra)(9-4-2015)

Allmendinger to honor Justin Wilson for remainder of season: A.J. Allmendinger tweeted that he will drive the rest of the 2015 Sprint Cup season with the name of Justin Wilson above the door of his #47 Chevy. Wilson was injured in an accident during the IndyCar race at Pocono on August 23 and passed away the next day. Allmendinger and Wilson raced together several times, including five Rolex 24's.(9-4-2015)

Final 2015 start for Chase Elliott: Defending NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott will compete in his fifth and final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season Sunday. The 19-year-old Chevy driver is running a partial NSCS schedule this year as he prepares to take over for Jeff Gordon in the #24 car next year. Elliott's results in his first four NSCS races: Martinsville (38th), Charlotte (18th), Richmond (16th), Indianapolis (18th). Last season, Elliott won the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Darlington in his first-ever appearance at the track.(NASCAR)(9-4-2015)

Darlington Raceway Driver Notes & Facts - Friday:
· 709 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway; 428 in more than one.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Darlington with 65. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 34 starts; followed by Tony Stewart with 22.
· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Darlington with a 6.824.
· Jeff Gordon (6.8), Ryan Newman (8.6) and Kasey Kahne (9.1) are the only active three drivers with an average starting position in the top 10.
· 125 different drivers have made NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career debut at Darlington Raceway.
· 47 different drivers have won at Darlington Raceway, led by David Pearson with 10. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with seven wins; followed by his HMS teammate Jimmie Johnson with three.
· Six drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Darlington Raceway: Johnny Mantz (1950), Nelson Stacy (1961), Larry Frank (1962), Terry Labonte (1980), Lake Speed (1988) and Regan Smith (2011).
· 13 drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have posted consecutive wins at Darlington; Dale Earnhardt (1989-1990) and Jeff Gordon (1995-1996) are tied for the series-most in consecutive wins at Darlington with three each.
· All seven active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Darlington Raceway participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Among active drivers, Kyle Busch won at Darlington in the fewest previous appearances (three).
· Matt Kenseth competed at Darlington Raceway 19 times before winning last season; the longest span of any the six active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.
· Tony Stewart leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Darlington without visiting Victory Lane at 22.
· Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty are tied for the series most runner-up finishes at Darlington with eight each. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in second-place finishes at Darlington with four.
· Richard Petty leads the series in top-five finishes at Darlington with 25. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 19; followed by Jimmie Johnson with nine.
· Bill Elliott leads the series in top-10 finishes at Darlington with 35. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 23; followed by Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart with 12 each.
· Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Darlington with a 6.889.
· Three active NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers have an average finish in the top 10 at Darlington: Denny Hamlin (6.8), Kyle Larson (8.0) and Jimmie Johnson (8.4).
· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Darlington with 1,744 laps led in 34 starts.
· Three female drivers have competed at Darlington Raceway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Danica Patrick, Janet Guthrie, Shawna Robinson
(NASCAR)(9-4-2015)

Sad News - Dick Guldstrand: Corvette racer and Southern California hot-rod icon Dick Guldstrand passed away Sept. 2 at age 87. Guldstrand was one of the few remaining hot-rodders-turned-racers, whose exploits took him as far away as Le Mans and Indianapolis and as near as his first Guldstrand Motorsport shop in SoCal's Thunder Alley. By the early '60s Guldstrand was running Corvettes at Daytona, Sebring and Le Mans. He went to Indianapolis in 1966 for the 500 but failed to qualify. For a while he drove a Grand Sport for Roger Penske. He drove Corvettes to victory all over the West Coast as well as at Daytona and in Trans-Am. He was in the movies, too. A friendship with "Grand Prix" cast members James Garner and Bob Bondurant lead to the creation of Garner's race team "American International Racing," after the movie wrapped. AIR fielded L88 Corvettes and Lola T70s at Daytona and Sebring, with leading sports car drivers of the day Scooter Patrick, Davey Jordan, Lothar Mothschenbacher and Guldstrand. The team also fielded a John Surtees Formula A/F5000 car in late 1969 that was featured in the documentary "The Racing Scene" starring James Garner as himself. When his racing days were over, he switched to tuning Corvettes, with a shop right in the middle of the old Thunder Alley in Culver City, with neighbors like Ed Iskenderian, Stuart Hilborn, and Troutman and Barnes. He moved the shop to Burbank in 2000 (AutoWeek). Guldstrand raced in seven Sprint Cup Series races from 1965-1972, six at Riverside and one at Ontario. His best Cup finish was a 5th at Riverside in 1970.(9-4-2015)

Joey Logano fastest in XFINITY happy hour: #22-Joey Logano was quickest during happy hour for the VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 with a speed of 166.676mph. He was followed by: #54-Kyle Busch, #3-Ty Dillon, #42-Kyle Larson, #18-Daniel Suarez, #33-Paul Menard, #20-Denny Hamlin, #1-Elliott Sadler, #9-Chase Elliott, and #88-Kevin Harvick. 37 drivers participated in the session. See complete results on the Darlington Raceway practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(9-4-2015)

Kyle Busch fastest in XFINITY first practice: #54-Kyle Busch was fastest during opening practice at Darlington Raceway with a speed of 167.379mph. #20-Denny Hamlin was second, followed by: #33-Paul Menard, #22-Joey Logano, #3-Ty Dillon, #88-Kevin Harvick, #28-J.J. Yeley, #7-Regan Smith, #1-Elliott Sadler, and #2-Brian Scott. 35 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Darlington Raceway practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-4-2015)

Congrats: to long time spotter Chicago Pakiecz who was married to Ana Keogan in Huntersville, NC on Tuesday. Chicago is a part time spotter for the #07 Truck Series team and and spotter on the #13/#40 XFINITY Series teams.(9-4-2015)

Tim Duggar in concert prior to Richmond race: Want to get your Saturday night started on the right note? Come see rising country music singer Tim Dugger perform on the pre-race stage prior to the Federated Auto Parts 400 on Saturday, September 12th. With songs like "Way Past My Beer Time" and "You Know Who We Are," it's sure to be a good time. Making his first appearance at RIR, the Alabama native is no stranger to the sport. A lifelong NASCAR fan, Dugger has performed at several tracks across the NASCAR circuit ever since a chance meeting with Richard Childress at an Alabama nightclub got his foot in the door. From his debut single "(I Called Her) Tennessee" to his latest hit "Beer on a Boat," Dugger's music has been charming NASCAR and country music fans across the country. The unique twang in his voice reminds fans of country music stars such as George Jones, Merle Haggard, or Waylon Jennings, and fans can hear even more of it with a new EP dropping on iTunes later this month. And remember, fans are invited back out on the track for the Second Annual Post-Race Party presented by Outback. Join host Rutledge Wood for the party on the pavement, and celebrate into the night with the 16 drivers who've raced their way into The Chase.(RIR)(9-4-2015)

Texas announces new race weekend sponsors: Texas Motor Speedway announced the addition of Service King Collision Repair Centers and Charlie 1 Horse to its family of sponsors with both signing entitlement deals for the AAA Texas 500 NASCAR tripleheader weekend scheduled for Nov. 5-8. Service King Collision Repair Centers, the Richardson, Texas-based company that operates 253 locations across 23 states, will serve as the event's qualifying day sponsor for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series. Service King Qualifying Days will feature Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series qualifying Friday, Nov. 6, and XFINITY Series qualifying Saturday, Nov. 7. Charlie 1 Horse, the Garland, Texas-based manufacturer of the iconic cowboy hat awarded to the winning driver at Texas Motor Speedway, will culminate the race weekend excitement with the Charlie 1 Horse Running Rouge Post-Race Show featuring Roger Creager. The concert, free to all AAA Texas 500 ticketholders, will take place on the frontstretch infield approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of the race. Creager, a native of Corpus Christi, has been playing some of Texas country music fans favorite songs since bursting onto the scene in 1998. The Charlie 1 Horse Running Rouge Post-Race Show featuring Roger Creager will be the second of two free concerts for fans attending the AAA Texas 500. Sammy Hagar and The Circle featuring Michael Anthony, Jason Bonham and Vic Johnson will perform during the Loud and Proud Pre-Race Show fueled by American Ethanol.(TMS)(9-4-2015)

MWR begins process of ceasing operations: More than 200 people will lose their jobs in Cornelius as Michael Waltrip Racing Management Co. winds down its operations. According to a letter sent to the N.C. Commerce Department, 217 employees will be laid off in stages between Nov. 1 and April 15. The company said it is liquidating its assets, which is expected to be completed by mid-April. Michael Waltrip Racing is ceasing operations at its facilities at 20310 Chartwell Center Drive and 19340 Liverpool Parkway, both in Cornelius, according to the letter. Companies that employ at least 100 workers are required to file a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) to the state's Commerce Department when they plan to lay off between 50-499 employees, if those workers make up at least one-third of their workforce. Charlotte businessman and race team owner Rob Kauffman said in August he was cutting his investment in Michael Waltrip Racing and closing the company amid poor results, both financially and on the racetrack. The organization hasn't won a race in more than two years. Heather Shaw, the company's director of human resources, could not be reached for comment after multiple attempts Wednesday.(Charlotte Observer)(9-3-2015)

Success of Darlington aero package could help set 2016 rules package: Don't be fooled by the throwback paint schemes that harken to a bygone era when the Southern 500 was an unbroken tradition at the Lady in Black. This Southern 500 is about NASCAR's future - not its past. With the return of the low downforce aerodynamic package and a more suitable tire from Goodyear, Sunday's Bojangles Southern 500 could offer fans a preview of the 2016 Sprint Cup rules packages. "There's a lot on the line for that race," said NASCAR executive vice president Steve O'Donnell on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. "We'll sit down with all our OEM partners, the race teams, talk through all the data we saw from all the races that we've run - including the 2015 package - and take a look at what's the best path forward, not necessarily one package for the entire year, but look at what works on specific racetracks and then go quickly to work and announce something here in the short term." Before the first throwback design debuted to celebrate a late summer Southern 500, the focus for Darlington switched to a low downforce aero package. A sampling of the configuration at Kentucky earned rave reviews particularly from the competitors. Still, pundits cautioned not to embrace the package just yet. Some noted that Kentucky's worn out asphalt typically encourages solid racing for an intermediate track. Others pointed to the potential of a Brad Keselowski blowout before miscues thwarted his early dominant performance (where he led half of the first 124 circuits). Yet as O'Donnell said, there is a lot riding on Sunday's race. NASCAR, race teams and Goodyear have worked overtime to develop a competitive product for the race track. However, unlike the hype surrounding the high drag aero configuration entering Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Michigan International Speedway, the early Darlington buzz has shifted from competition to throwback themes - including cars, hats and t-shirts - which is curious, considering the industry-wide preparation for this event. Goodyear had not one but two tire tests at Darlington prior to this weekend. The genesis for this weekend's tire combination dates back to a Charlotte test with the low downforce last December - and a subsequent test at CMS in March. At the first Darlington test in early June, only the #48 Hendrick Motorsports team played with the low downforce package. Goodyear returned on June 30 for the confirmation test with three Cup champions - Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski - running the low downforce configuration. Along with Goodyear, both teams and the sanctioning body have data from running this package (sans tires developed specifically for the configuration) at Kentucky to transfer this weekend's event.(Motorsport)(9-3-2015)

NASCAR increases penalties for wheels & ballast falling off: Citing safety, NASCAR announced Wednesday that crew chiefs and other key team members will receive a mandatory four-race suspension for a lost wheel or ballast falling off the car in each of the three national series. NASCAR stated that a minimum four-race suspension would be given to a crew chief, tire changer and tire carrier for a lost wheel due to improper installation. A crew chief, car chief and head engineer will receive a minimum four-race suspension for ballast falling off the car. NASCAR stated in its update to the rule book: "NASCAR has categorized certain serious safety infractions that create a significant risk of injury or damage (e.g. separation of ballast weight or wheel(s) from the vehicle) under the P3 category. NASCAR considers such infractions to be very serious in nature and has therefore included pre-determined minimum Penalties to address the severity of such violations. NASCAR further reserves the right to escalate such safety related Penalties to higher Penalty levels when the infraction is considered to be more egregious in nature or displays a higher degree of negligent behavior." NASCAR has penalized a Sprint Cup and two Xfinity teams this season for weight falling off a car.(NBC Sports)(9-3-2015)

Team Penske partners with LASIK Vision Institute: Team Penske and The LASIK Vision Institute announced a new partnership that will see the company serve as the Official Eye Care Provider of Team Penske. The LASIK Vision Institute will have its logo proudly displayed on the Team Penske #2 Ford Fusion in Richmond on Sept. 12 and the company will activate on-site at several NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events through the remainder of the 2015 season beginning this weekend at Darlington Raceway. The LASIK Vision Institute plans to utilize its Team Penske relationship off the track as well by incorporating an extensive business-to-business program that will feature a customized corporate plan for other Penske partners. The company will also schedule appearances with 2015 Daytona 500 champion Joey Logano and 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski to help grow and maximize its presence at the racetrack this season. With a growing network of state-of-the-art facilities all across the country, The LASIK Vision Institute is the top national provider of laser vision correction. The LASIK Vision Institute utilizes proven, FDA approved LASIK technology for optimized results, and its highly skilled LASIK surgeons have performed more than one million procedures.(Team Penske)(9-3-2015)

Darlington Raceway Notes & History - Thursday:
· Darlington Raceway was built as a 1.25-mile paved superspeedway in 1949-1950.
· Darlington Raceway hosted the first 500-mile race in NASCAR history and the first on asphalt on Sept. 4, 1950 - 75 cars competed in the event - Curtis Turner won the pole at 82.034 mph, and the race was won by Johnny Mantz (Plymouth, 75.250 mph, 6:38:40).
· The track was re-measured to 1.375 miles in 1953.
· The track was re-configured to 1.366 miles following the spring race in 1970.
· The track was repaved in 1995.
· The 2005 race was the first Saturday night race at Darlington.
· The track was repaved again prior to the 2008 season.
(NASCAR)(9-3-2015)

Gdovic to race in Italy: Precision Performance Motorsports driver Brandon Gdovic will make his NASCAR Whelen Euro Series debut in Italy next week. The 23-year-old driver from Yorktown, Va. will pilot the #46 Fronius Chevy Camaro in races on September 12th and September 13th at the Autodromo dell' Umbria in the central Italian city of Magione. Gdovic has 48 NASCAR K&N Pro Series starts, three NASCAR XFINITY Series starts and two ARCA starts. Although the Virginian has not turned laps at the 11-turn, 1.558-mile Italian road course, he's certainly no stranger to turning left and right. Gdovic is currently piloting the #46 Lamborghini Gallardo for Mitchum Motorsports in the Super Trofeo North America Series, where he has four victories in five starts this season.The trip to Italy marks the first time Gdovic has raced outside the United States. With Fronius on board his #46 Chevrolet Camaro, Gdovic will compete in both the Elite 1 and Elite 2 categories of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.(Precision Performance Motorsports)(9-3-2015)

Joey McColm to make XFINITY debut at Richmond: Joey McColm will realize a dream when he straps into a NASCAR Xfinity Series race car at Richmond International Raceway later this month. The Ajax racer who competes full-time in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series recently announced he will drive Rick Ware Racing's #15 Chevy Camaro in the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 on September 11. McColm is the General Manager and one of the drivers for Canada's Best Racing Team (CBRT). When team owner Bud Morris decided to build CBRT he hand-picked McColm to help mould his creation. They formed the team from the ground up, and in less than two years the group has competed in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series as well as the Trans-Am Series in the United States. The opportunity for McColm to compete on such a big stage is a huge accomplishment for the young racer and for CBRT as a whole. He expects it will launch the entire CBRT organization to new heights.(CBRT PR)(9-3-2015)

Dover launches Kids Club website: Dover International Speedway announced the launch of a new microsite, MonsterMileYouthNation.com, dedicated to its kids club Monster Mile Youth Nation, which was introduced earlier this year. Featuring interactive games, infographics and links to detailed information about racing at the Monster Mile, the new site aims to enhance the young fan's experience and educate the next generation on the sport of NASCAR. For a limited time, fans that visit MonsterMileYouthNation.com can also learn about an exclusive race weekend opportunity for the first 100 fans. Hint: Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and David Ragan are involved. Along with games and links, users will find details and updates on special member events, Monster Mile Youth Nation announcements and blog posts on the new site. Content will be updated regularly. Annual membership for Monster Mile Youth Nation costs $20.(Dover International Speedway)(9-3-2015)

DAYTONA Rising September Project Update: Construction activities for the $400 million DAYTONA Rising redevelopment project continue to heat up during the summer months. The curtain wall, the outer covering for the new suite tower, is now complete as the construction team prepares for the next phases of development. "We're happy to see these major pieces falling into place," said Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. "The suite tower is one of the key aspects of this project and we look forward to seeing it take shape in the months ahead." During the next several weeks, the construction team will finish the Suite Tower façade, including the exterior metal paneling and glass installation.(DIS)(9-3-2015)

Tommy Baldwin Racing Pays Tribute to "Tiger" Tom Baldwin: Tommy Baldwin Racing announced that the #7 Chevy will be a throwback to Baldwin's racing roots and honor the memory of his dad, the late "Tiger" Tom Baldwin. The car design, with driver Alex Bowman behind the wheel, replicates the NASCAR Modified #7NY that Tom raced successfully throughout the Northeast. "I'm grateful to Darlington Raceway and NASCAR for creating the 'throwback' theme," said Tommy Baldwin. "My dad had a great influence on my career, where I started working in his shop and later became his crew chief. That ultimately led to where I am today. Having the opportunity to pay tribute to him and say 'thank you' means a lot to me and my family."(Tommy Baldwin Racing), see an image of the car on the #7 team paint scheme page or see all the Bojangles' Southern 500 throwback schemes on the Darlington throwback schemes page.(9-2-2015)

Congrats Reed Sorenson: Congratulations to Reed Sorenson and wife Laura on the birth of their daughter, Ella, on Tuesday. Reed tweeted the news and some photos Wednesday morning.(9-2-2015)

Kahne's #5 to honor Hendrick Motorsports history at Darlington: This weekend's Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway is all about tradition. Kasey Kahne's ride will take that theme to the very start of Hendrick Motorsports. He will drive the #5 HendrickRideAlong.com Chevy SS, which harkens back to the organization's inaugural year -- 1984. The throwback paint scheme is based on the original All-Star Racing car driven by Geoff Bodine in 1984, the year Rick Hendrick founded what is now Hendrick Motorsports. That season, All-Star Racing fielded a one-car NASCAR Sprint Cup Series effort with five full-time employees and 5,000 square feet of leased work space. Bodine drove the entire 30-race campaign in the #5 Chevy, winning three times. The team was renamed Hendrick Motorsports in 1985. The #5 Chevy's retro design features key elements from the #5 All-Star Racing Chevrolet, including the iconic red star with four stripes running down the quarter panel. Other highlights include thick red racing stripes running from the headlights to the spoiler with a red border along the. The car number will even revert to the same font style used in 1984.(Hendrick Motorsports), see images of the car on the #5 team paint scheme page or see all the Bojangles' Southern 500 throwback schemes on the Darlington throwback schemes page.(9-2-2015)

NBC releases details of Darlington coverage: Retro paint schemes are only part of the throwback celebration with the Southern 500's return to Labor Day weekend for the first time since 2003. NBC, which will broadcast Saturday's Xfinity race and Sunday night's Sprint Cup race from Darlington Raceway, also will add to the nostalgia. Among the nods to years past in Sunday's broadcast:
" Ken Squier, Ned Jarrett and Dale Jarrett will call the race at some point, taking over briefly for NBC's crew of Rick Allen, Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte.
" Features during the Countdown to Green show include Squier's essay on Darlington Raceway, Kyle Petty talking with Bill Elliott and Chase Elliott on the 30th anniversary of Bill Elliott's Southern 500 win that also earned him the Winston Million bonus, and Jeff Burton going around the track in the NBC Sports Toyota Camry On Track Car while Petty is on track as well in the Wood Brothers' #21 car from 1971.
" Booth and studio talent will appear in 1970s-era clothing.
" Also featured throughout the weekend will be retro highlights, graphics and music.
"To bring it back on Labor Day, I think this is perhaps one of the best moves that NASCAR had made in a decade," Squier said in a conference call with reporters Tuesday about the Southern 500's return to this date.(NBC Sports)(9-2-2015)

Beds for Kids featured on the #26 at Darlington: BK Racing has partnered with NASCAR artist Sam Bass and Beds for Kids, a local Charlotte non-profit for the upcoming race weekend at Darlington Raceway. Beds for Kids is furnishing futures one family at a time. Founded in 2011, Beds for Kids is a 501(c)3 non-profit whose mission is to provide a bed and other essential furniture to every child and family in need. Careful research has been done and strategic partnerships have been established in order to create the best business practices to effectively develop new levels of self-sustainability for the clients Beds for Kids serves. Since 2011, Beds for Kids has directly impacted 3,933 individuals, delivered 3,179 beds and 24,686 total bed and furniture units to children and families in need. Beds for Kids continues to serve hundreds of families each year in an effective, long lasting and dignifying way. Sam Bass, an established figure in the NASCAR industry, is well known for his fine art paintings and illustrations. Sam has worked with several notable organizations including The NASCAR Foundation, Speedway Children's Charities and The Jeff Gordon Foundation over the years. Being the First Officially Licensed Artist of NASCAR, it's an honor to have Sam join both Bed for Kids and BK Racing.(BK Racing), see an image of the car on the #26 team paint schemes page.(9-2-2015)

MOOG decals on cars at Darlington will be throwbacks: Millions of racing fans following the Bojangles' Southern 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina will see some motorsports history on the front fender of each car on the track. Federal-Mogul Motorparts' original MOOG Steering and Suspension brand's racing decal - first displayed by Cup competitors in 1966 - will be used by teams as part of a celebration of the return of the Southern 500 to Labor Day Weekend. MOOG, in its 50th year of Cup competition, is the official steering and suspension part supplier for NASCAR. The company said David Pearson, who in 1966 won the first of his three NASCAR championships and began the MOOG brand's 49-year streak of Cup titles, was among the first drivers to display the blue-and-yellow "MOOG High Performance Chassis Parts" decal. Mr. Pearson won 14 of 49 events that season running with MOOG parts. Aftermarket brands sold and distributed by Federal-Mogul Motorparts include ANCO wiper blades; Champion spark plugs, wipers and filters; AE, Fel-Pro, FP Diesel, Goetze, Glyco, Nüral, Payen and Sealed Power engine products; MOOG steering and suspension parts; and Ferodo, Jurid and Wagner brake products.(Tire Business)(9-2-2015)

Dave Moody to join NASCAR Race Hub each Monday: SiriusXM NASCAR Radio host Dave Moody, one of NASCAR's most popular and opinionated on-air personalities, will join NASCAR RACE HUB, the most-watched daily NASCAR show on television, every Monday beginning Monday, Sept. 7. Moody will host his live listener call-in show, SiriusXM Speedway, from the FOX Sports 1 studios in Charlotte, N.C., each Monday through the conclusion of the 2015 NASCAR season. While in-studio, Moody will join NASCAR RACE HUB live for a segment titled "The Pulse with Dave Moody" that will be simulcast on FOX Sports 1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. This segment offers NASCAR RACE HUB viewers the opportunity to hear both Moody and SiriusXM Speedway listeners as they discuss the previous weekend's race. The concept is the product of a relationship that began after Moody, also lead turn announcer for Motor Racing Network's NASCAR race coverage, sat down with NASCAR RACE HUB co-host Danielle Trotta on July 16 following her visit to his studio during a live show broadcast. FOX Sports 1 took viewers behind-the-scenes of Moody's program, offering a first-hand look at what goes into a live listener-participation radio show.(Fox Sports)(9-2-2015)

Darlington Goodyear Tire Notes: Teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series will run completely different tire set-ups at Darlington this weekend . . . in Sprint Cup, this set-up features the left-side tire code (D-4650) run at Indianapolis and the right-side tire code (D-4646) run at Kentucky earlier this summer . . . compared to what was run at Darlington last year - and in response to NASCAR's lower downforce package - this left-side features construction and mold shape changes, while this right-side features a compound change for more grip . . . this tire set-up came out of a Goodyear test at Darlington on June 30, after the new rules package was announced . . . drivers participating in that test were Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Darlington . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire. (Goodyear), see tire codes, pressures, set limits and more on the Darlington Race Info page.(9-2-2015)

Special scheme for Reed at Darlington: As part of Darlington Raceway's 'Tradition Returns' program, Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed will run a retro version of the #16 Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang in Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series race. The car will feature retro Lilly Diabetes and American Diabetes Association logos in addition to stylizations and a color scheme reminiscent of cars in NASCAR competition in the 1970's. The scheme highlights the sport's history as well as the history of a disease that affects Reed's everyday life. The Lilly Diabetes logo, which is featured on the car's quarter panels and hood, dates back to 1923. At this time, Lilly collaborated with researchers at the University of Toronto, who discovered insulin, to mass produce insulin. Lilly was the first company to make insulin available on a large scale to treat people with diabetes. Before insulin, diabetes was a debilitating and fatal disease with no effective treatment. Making insulin available to everyone who needed it put Lilly on the map. Today, Lilly offers a wide variety of diabetes medicines and support programs to help millions of people around the world, including Reed. The American Diabetes Association logo, featured on the car's deck lid, is from 1940 - the year of the organization's founding. On April 2, 1940 a group of 12 physicians gathered in Cleveland, Ohio to establish the American Diabetes Association. The original logo consists of an inverted triangle with a lamp, symbolizing research; a scale, symbolizing balance in diet; a caduceus, a symbol of the medical profession; and a circle surrounding the triangle, symbolizing unity and continuity. This logo was used until 1974.(Roush Fenway Racing), see an image of the car on the #16 team paint schemes page.(9-2-2015)

Throwback scheme for Todd Bodine at Darlington: Todd Bodine will drive the #90 for King Motorsports this weekend at Darlington. He will run a special throwback scheme, remembering the Herzog/Jackson Motorsports Monte Carlo that he won with at Darlington in the NASCAR Busch Series race in 2003.(King Motorports), see an image of the car on the #90 team paint schemes page.(9-2-2015)

Yeley honoring Buddy Baker with "Gray Ghost" scheme at Darlington: In what has become a very popular "Throwback Paint Scheme" weekend at Darlington Raceway, J.J. Yeley and his JGL Racing team announce their participation and honoring of NASCAR legendary driver Buddy Baker. Yeley will pilot the #28 "Gray Ghost" Toyota on Saturday September 5th in the running of the VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 at "The Track Too Tough to Tame". Baker piloted the infamous Gray Ghost in the running of the 1980 Daytona 500. When Buddy Baker unloaded his #28 NAPA/Regal Ride Oldsmobile, it was bad fast from the first test lap. What's more, its flat silver, gray and black paint job was so close in color to the Daytona asphalt that it spooked his competitors when his car seemed to appear out of nowhere in their rear view mirrors. Baker's rivals went to NASCAR requesting that they make him do something about his scary paint scheme and as a result he was forced to trim the car in day-glo pink on the front end so drivers could see him coming. In the end it didn't matter as Baker led 143 of 200 laps to win the fastest Daytona 500 of all time. And thus the nickname "Gray Ghost" was born. Yeley's version of the Gray Ghost will be chassis #235 out of the JGL Racing stable. This car was last raced by J.J. at Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he brought it home with an 18th-place finish.(Integrity Sports Marketing), see an image of the car on the #28 team paint schemes page.(9-2-2015)

Hermie Sadler returning to the #26 at Richmond: JGL Racing announced that veteran NASCAR driver and TV personality Hermie Sadler will join the team for the second time this season at Richmond International Raceway. Sadler will pilot the #26 Virginia Lottery Toyota on Friday September 11th in the running of the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at "America's Premier Short Track." Sadler, also a pit reporter for FOX Sports 1, will be making his second NASCAR XFINITY Series start of the season and the 263rd of his storied career. Virginia Lottery, a longtime sponsor of Sadler's, will use this sponsorship to promote its second-chance drawings for a VIP Weekend at the season ending races in Homestead, FL. and a second VIP Weekend in Las Vegas from December 2 - 4, 2015. Sadler is also partnering with McGeorge Toyota of Richmond for race week at RIR. The #26 Toyota will feature the McGeorge Toyota logo on the TV Panel.Also joining Sadler as an Associate Sponsor at Richmond is the Mid Atlantic Dirt Series. This is one of the premier touring dirt kart series on the East Coast covering six states and attracting thousands of karting fans.(Integrity Sports Marketing)(9-2-2015)

Dash4Cash wraps up at Darlington: Largely considered a success amongst the competitors, the fourth and final round of the NASCAR XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash program will be held this Saturday, Sept. 5 at Darlington Raceway in the VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200. The four drivers competing for the final $100,000 cash bonus in the Dash 4 Cash finale are Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate and Joe Gibbs Racing driver #18-Daniel Suarez, Richard Childress Racing teammates #2-Brian Scott and #3-Ty Dillon, and JR Motorsports driver and 2014 series champion #9-Chase Elliott.(NASCAR)(9-2-2015)

Agri Supply joins Gase at Darlington Joey Gase and Jimmy Means Racing announce Agri Supply will be the hood sponsor on the #52 car for the VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway on September 5th. Agri Supply started over 50 years ago providing tractor parts and accessories and quickly expanded to farm machinery replacement parts. They have added cookware and cooking supplies as a part of a huge outdoor cooking department along with a large stock of hunting gear. Agri Supply also sells over quarter of a million lawnmower blades and mower parts as part of the core lawn and garden department. Visit one of their eight stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia.(Joey Gase Racing)(9-2-2015)

Chastain gets Darlington sponsor: JD Motorsports with Gary Keller announced Wednesday that the South Carolina Education Lottery will sponsor the #4 Chevy driven by Ross Chastain in Saturday's VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway, where vintage race car numbers representing our state's rich racing history will compete to highlight and support veterans. It's a fitting partnership, because the Lottery provides scholarships for South Carolinians, including members of the S.C. National Guard, many of whom are veterans of foreign conflicts. In all, more than 1.4 million lottery-funded scholarships have been awarded to South Carolina's students since the games began here in 2002. And more than $3.4 billion has supported higher education programs, K-12 education programs and county libraries.(JD Motorsports)(9-2-2015)

Ryan Truex in the #98 for 3 races: Ryan Truex will make his return to the NASCAR XFINITY Series for three races this season with Richard Petty Motorsports and will pilot the #98 Ford Mustang for Biagi DenBeste Racing. Truex will hit the track at Richmond International Raceway for his first XFINITY start of the 2015 season. The Mayetta, N.J. native will also compete at Kentucky Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway. Truex has a combined 65 starts in NASCAR's top national touring series. He has 35 XFINITY SERIES starts with one pole, two Top-Five and nine Top-10 finishes with a best effort of second at Dover in 2012. Truex has made four XFINITY Series starts at Richmond, resulting in one Top-Five and two Top-10 finishes. This is not the first partnership for Richard Petty Motorsports and Biagi DenBeste Racing. The two teams paired for 11 races this season with drivers Aric Almirola and Sam Hornish Jr. In those 11 races, the No. 98 team scored three Top-10 and eight Top-15 finishes.(Richard Petty Motorsports)(9-2-2015)

Charlotte making changes to grass area on frontstretch: Charlotte Motor Speedway is working with turf specialists and track engineers to create a transition border between the pavement and the grass along the frontstretch as track officials prepare for October's Bank of America 500. Crews have graded down the grass and soil edging to create a 6-foot border that is the same level as the asphalt near the start/finish line. The six-foot transition border will include a new sand/soil mix with newly planted rye grass. Crews are installing 140 tons of the new sand/soil mixture. By the time the October 8-10 race weekend rolls around, the grass will be smoother and lower than the regular infield grass where the traditional grass-painting is located. The project is designed to create a smoother, safer surface for drivers, and cause less potential damage on the splitter and front end of the cars.(Fox Sports)(9-2-2015)

Laps for Charity returns to Kentucky Speedway: The Kentucky Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities will host its Fourth Annual Laps for Charity from 9:00am-12:00pm on Saturday, September 19 at Kentucky Speedway. Weather permitting, this fundraiser will be held one week prior to the track's September race weekend, which includes the ARCA Racing Series Crosley 150 and NASCAR XFINITY Series VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300. This family-friendly event allows fans the opportunity to drive five laps around the track in their street-legal personal vehicles and have their photo taken in Victory Lane. The cost for this opportunity is $40 per vehicle. Drivers may purchase additional rides of five laps for $30 apiece. Each five-lap ride is an entry for the driver to win the door prize, a 1:24 Dale Earnhardt Jr. diecast. All funds raised from this event are put directly back into the tri-state community through SCC's annual grant distribution program, where funding is provided to non-profit children's organizations who care for children in educational, financial, social and medical need.(Kentucky Speedway)(9-2-2015)

Truex Jr.'s Darlington Car to Promote National Ovarian Cancer Awareness: With September designated as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Martin Truex Jr.'s Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevy will showcase a teal appearance for Sunday night's Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. The teal look, which is the official ribbon color for ovarian cancer awareness, will be displayed on the hood, roof, quarter panels and rear bumper (TV panel) of Truex's #78 race car. Truex's steering wheel and gloves will also have a teal appearance. Thanks to the spirited volunteer work of Truex's girlfriend Sherry Pollex, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer more than a year ago, a number of Sprint Cup Series drivers will also be involved in the fundraising effort to help raise awareness, advocacy and research for ovarian cancer during the Darlington race weekend. Danica Patrick will have a teal-accented steering wheel in her #10 GoDaddy Chevy. She will also wear the teal-accented race gloves as will #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #31-Ryan Newman and #5-Kasey Kahne. With support from the NASCAR Foundation, Truex's and Patrick's teal-inspired steering wheels and the teal gloves worn by Truex, Patrick, Kahne and Newman will be autographed and auctioned off at nascarfoundation.org/go-teal. Earnhardt's gloves will be auctioned off as part of his Driven To Give campaign to benefit Teal Diva, an ovarian cancer awareness charity out of Charlotte. He will be wearing the teal gloves at all the September Sprint Cup races. NASCAR has also approved the teal ribbon to be placed on the Sprint Cup Series race cars.(Furniture Row Racing), see an image of the car on the #78 team paint schemes page.(9-1-2015)

Darlington officials say response to throwback schemes "incredible": The idea was to start slow and build on this year's initial effort. But based on the reaction from teams, drivers, sponsors and others in the industry, Darlington Raceway officials might want to raise their goals going forward. This week's Bojangles' Southern 500 NASCAR weekend is the kickoff of a five-year plan to celebrate the history and heritage of the legendary race track. As part of the celebration, race teams will feature throwback paint schemes on their cars. Concessions will include items that haven't been on the menu in decades -- fried green tomatoes, sausage perlo and pimento cheese sandwiches. The annual Southern 500 parade, idled since the early '90s, returns. Even ticket prices (for renewal customers) were given the throwback treatment -- $18 seats in the Colvin Grandstands, which is located on the original frontstretch of the 1.336-mile track. But it's the paint schemes that have everyone buzzing. More than 30 of the 43 entries lining up are expected to carry the special one-race look. "Our goal," Darlington Raceway President Chip Wile told NASCAR.com, "was eight to 10. This is a five-year platform; this isn't a one-year deal. We felt like if we could get eight or 10 teams on board to really showcase what we're trying to accomplish, we felt like in 2016 we could get more, in 2017 we would get more and so on. But the response that we've gotten from everyone in the industry has been incredible." The era the track is celebrating this year runs from 1970 through '74, Wile said, but "for the teams we just wanted them to celebrate something in the past. It could be from five years ago or it could be something from 50 years ago. The pre-race concert will feature Grand Funk Railroad, which earned its first No. 1 single on the Billboard chart in '73. Country music's Tanya Tucker will sing the national anthem. "Two very iconic early '70s artists that are going to be a part of our weekend and really tie it all together," Wile said.(NASCAR.com), images of all the schemes can be seen on Jayski.com's Darlington Throwback paint schemes page.(9-1-2015)

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Darlington:
#24-Jeff Gordon .......... 112.7
#11-Denny Hamlin .......... 107.1
#48-Jimmie Johnson .......... 106.8
#18-Kyle Busch .......... 106.1
#16-Greg Biffle .......... 105.7
#5-Kasey Kahne .......... 97.9
#31-Ryan Newman .......... 95.8
#88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr .......... 94.3
#20-Matt Kenseth .......... 93.2
#4-Kevin Harvick .......... 93.1
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (10 total) among active drivers at Darlington Raceway. Formula combining the following categories: Win, Finish, Top-15 Finish, Average Running Position while on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.
See an explanation how the Driver Rating is calculated at NASCAR.com.(NASCAR)(9-1-2015)

'Real Racing 3' app gets NASCAR addition: Electronic Arts' wildly popular Real Racing 3 app has been downloaded more than 180 million times on phones and tablets worldwide. The game, so established that it's included in the "Essentials" section of the App Store, is a worldwide hit featuring a variety of different forms of racing. But users have never been able to experience NASCAR as part of Real Racing 3 - until now. On Monday, EA unveiled a NASCAR-themed update to the app, which has a variety of star drivers' stock cars for users to unlock over a six-week period. The update centers around the Sept. 12 Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway, which serves as NASCAR's final regular season race. The game, a free download, starts with players putting themselves in the seat of an up-and-coming driver trying to break into the Sprint Cup Series. After graduating from the NASCAR Academy (a tutorial), players must complete a series of levels before gaining access to the Richmond race, where they can compete in a full 43-car field. Though the NASCAR update will live for only a short time, any cars unlocked by users in the six-week period can be used for the rest of the game. That's big exposure for NASCAR, which will suddenly be spotlighted for players from Europe to Asia and everywhere in between. In addition, it should provide the sport a boost in its ongoing efforts to connect with the millennial audience.(USA Today)(9-1-2015)

Throwback scheme for McClure: The inspiration behind Eric McClure's #24 throwback Reynolds Wrap scheme came from their packaging in the 1960's. McClure will be the only TriStar Motorsports driver sporting a throwback scheme this weekend.(TriStar Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #24 team paint schemes page.(9-1-2015)

JD Motorsports to run retro numbers at Darlington: History will come alive this weekend at Darlington Raceway. JD Motorsports with Gary Keller announced Tuesday that, in the spirit of Darlington's "throwback" weekend, all three team cars will have retro car numbers representing South Carolina racing history in the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200. Landon Cassill's #01 Flex Seal Chevy will be paying homage to South Carolina native Butch Lindley. A native of Greenville, Lindley made a name for himself in what is now the NASCAR Xfinity Series in the early 1980s. Out of 41 career starts, Lindley had 22 top tens, 19 top fives, and six wins. Five of those wins were in a #01 car. Lindley is a member of the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame.
Ross Chastain's #4, with sponsorship from the South Carolina Education Lottery, will be celebrating JD Motorsport's team history by running the same numbers the Johnny Davis-owned #4 ran in the team's first races in the early 1980s with Joe Henry Thurman as the driver.
JD Motorsport's third car, the #0 with Harrison Rhodes, will be a tribute to one of Gaffney, S.C.'s hometown heroes, Charlie Blanton. Blanton raced a wide variety of local and national races in the 1970s, and the car that sticks out the most in Davis's memory is Blanton's #0 car. "My family is closely connected to the Blanton family, so Charlie was who we always rooted for. His racing beginnings are a lot like mine. I remember him building his racecars in a barn just down the road from here," said Davis. "He was one of my heroes growing up and a big reason why I'm doing what I am today."(JD Motorsports)(9-1-2015)

Accudoc Solutions sponsoring Larson at Darlington: HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi announced that AccuDoc Solutions will serve as the primary sponsor on the #42 Chevy Camaro for the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Darlington Raceway. The #42 AccuDoc Solutions Chevy Camaro will be driven by 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson. Long-time HScott Motorsports partner, AccuDoc Solutions (ADS) is based in Morrisville, N.C. and provides billing-statement printing and processing to hospitals and hospital-based physicians. In addition to paper-based billing statements, ADS enables patients to choose electronic statement delivery and make payments through secure online payment portals. Larson has nine XFINITY Series starts in 2015, scoring two top-five and six top-10 finishes. He has two career XFINITY Series starts at Darlington, with two consecutive sixth-place finishes.(HScott Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #42 team paint schemes page.(9-1-2015)

Josh Berry driving JRM's #88 at Richmond: Josh Berry, a two-time late model champion for JR Motorsports, has been selected to drive the #88 Speedco Chevy Camaro in the upcoming NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Richmond International Raceway on Sept. 11. A 24-year-old native of Hendersonville, Tenn., Berry will make his first NXS start since running two races for JRM in 2014 (Homestead-Miami Speedway and Iowa Speedway). The event also marks Speedco's second primary sponsorship in NXS competition. Speedco is the only national network to specialize in quick lubes and tire services for the trucking industry, and has been a JRM partner since 2012. Berry has racked up nine wins in JRM's #88 Speedco late model this season and stands as JRM's only multi-time champion, notching two NASCAR Whelen All-America Series track championships (Motor Mile Speedway in 2012 and Hickory Motor Speedway in 2014). All totaled, he owns 24 victories for JRM during his late model career.(JR Motorsports)(9-1-2015)

Road America TV Ratings: NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Elkhart Lake (WI) drew 992,000 viewers on NBCSN Saturday afternoon, the least-watched race of the season on any network (excluding rainouts). The previous low was 1.02 million for the Mid-Ohio race two weeks earlier. Four of the five least-watched Xfinity Series races this season have been on NBCSN.(Sports Media Watch)(9-1-2015)

Another last place finish for Green: Jeff Green picked up the 75th last-place finish of his NASCAR XFINITY Series career in Saturday's Road America 180 at Road America when his unsponsored #19 TriStar Motorsports Toyota fell out with transmission issues after he completed 2 of the race's 45 laps. The finish was Green's 15th of the season, equaling his single-season record set in 2013. It's also his 8th last-place run in a row, once again breaking his own record of 7 he set just last week at Bristol. Green is entered in the #19 again for this Saturday's VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 at Darlington, where he can break both records with another 40th. Qualifying was rained-out for Saturday's race, so Green fell back on his 30th-fastest time in the opening practice session. He did not participate in Happy Hour.(LastCar)(9-1-2015)

Cobb could be penalized for having cell phone UPDATE: Camping World Truck Series driver Jennifer Jo Cobb may face a penalty for having a cell phone in her Truck during final practice Saturday at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. After crashing into a tire barrier and exiting her Truck, Cobb could be clearly seen on the Fox Sports 1 broadcast reaching back into her Truck and grabbing her cell phone while track workers assisted her to a waiting ambulance. NASCAR officials said Saturday they would review the incident as part of their normal post-race review early next week. In 2012, NASCAR banned drivers from having cell phones or any other computer-like devices in their vehicles. The ban was prompted after Sprint Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski tweeted pictures from his phone during a red flag in the 2012 Daytona 500. Later that same season, Keselowski was fined $25,000 for again tweeting photos from his phone during a red-flag stoppage in action in a race at Phoenix. "Smart devices and smartphones and other devices can have an effect on manipulating the technology that is now going to be in the cars, and we have to be careful with that," NASCAR Chairman Brian France said at the time. "And so that's why our policy is that you're simply not going to be able to take a device into the car with you." There was no immediate response for a request for comment from Cobb or her representatives.(Motorsport.com).(8-29-2015)
UPDATE: The #10 team has been assessed a P3 level penalty for having a non-engine electronic component in the truck during the event on August 30 (Section 20.18.13.b). Driver Jennifer Jo Cobb has been fined $5,000, plus an additional $2,500 for an infraction occurring while on probation (Section 12.5.2 - Recurrence Multipliers).(NASCAR)(9-1-2015)

Hemric unsure of racing future: It took a few months but Daniel Hemric has figured out the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and has suddenly taken on the appearance of a driver that could compete for wins and a championship if given the opportunity next season. As it stands, Hemric doesn't have anything lined up for 2016 even though he has begun talks with NTS Motorsports about a sophomore effort in the #14 Chevrolet Silverado. "That's what we're trying to figure out right now," Hemric said on Monday night during the Popular Speed TearDown Radio show. "I can't thank enough everyone at California Clean Power and Chevrolet for letting me do this. "As far as the future goes, I don't have anything planned for right now in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. I don't want to say the cliché that we're taking it week-to-week but I'm just going to do my job. If we do that, I have faith that it will all turn out the way it's supposed to."(Popular Speed).(9-1-2015)

When the Smoke Clears at Richmond, the Party Begins: From Top Gear, to NBC and now to the RIR stage; entertaining and engaging NASCAR reporter Rutledge Wood will join Richmond International Raceway on September 12th as host of the Second Annual Post-Race Party, presented by Outback Steakhouse. After the "Last Race to Make The Chase" sets the field for the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, fans are invited down on the track to celebrate with the 16 elite drivers who's championship dreams are still alive. Be there as Wood brings the sports stars out one by one to the party on the pavement. With new presenting sponsor, Outback Steakhouse, on board, RIR plans to ignite the night with all of the things that create the best party in NASCAR. It's hype. It's loud. It's NASCAR America meets Miami nightclub. It's the first time fans will see all 16 drivers who get onto the Chase Grid. And it's going to be bigger than last year. Who will race their way into one of those final spots in the Chase, and who will be left on the outside looking in? Be there to make your allegiance known as they cross the Post-Race Party stage following the Federated Auto Parts 400 on Saturday September 12.(RIR)(9-1-2015)