NASCAR To Honor Victims Of Orlando Tragedy: Following the recent attack in the Orlando community, NASCAR has shared plans to remember the victims of this tragedy during the race weekend at Daytona International Speedway. The #ORLANDOUNITED decal shown below will be placed on the A-Post of all cars in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

The Sprint Cup Drivers Council meets Thursday night: The Sprint Cup Drivers Council will meet Thursday night with large packs and safety on the agenda. That might seem appropriate at Daytona International Speedway, but this discussion with NASCAR officials won't center on the tight clusters of cars clogging the banking of the 2.5-mile track. The topic, instead, will be the large throngs of people mingling in the pits before Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 in the wake of a prerace pit atmosphere at Sonoma Raceway that seemed less than orderly for some. "I thought that the security on pit road (at Sonoma) was pretty bad during prerace, and we'll talk about that some," council member Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Thursday afternoon before practice. "Some of the drivers were concerned with how messy that's getting, considering what's going on and when we're trying to get in the cars. It was pretty crazy down there. It's great to see that much energy, but some tracks seem to be able to corral it and control it better and give the crews their space to work around the cars and so forth. So that's something I think some of the drivers are real concerned with; nothing too out of the ordinary that is going to change the sport too much."
Fellow Drivers Council member Denny Hamlin also said that Sonoma "was a mess to say the least. It was hard to even just walk to your car, and it's a very small pit road. There's some things that definitely could get done. I think really each team should have a 10-foot square space around their car that is designated for just driver and team. I think we definitely could work on that. I think a lot of tracks are working on that." Hamlin raised the possibility that a fan could put a car out of compliance in a manner that NASCAR might suspect a team intentionally had done.
Earnhardt said there weren't any "big-ticket" items to be hashed out at the meeting, which was the first since April 29 at Talladega Superspeedway. Also on the docket are the future of the Sprint Unlimited (the preseason exhibition event at Daytona will have a new name at a minimum in 2017 because of a new title sponsor) and the Sprint All-Star Race format (which was met with mixed reviews last month).(NBC Sports)(6-30-2016)

DEWALT Announces Expanded Partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing: DEWALT Tools announced an expanded partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). DEWALT has added four races to their 2016 primary sponsorship aboard the #20 Toyota Camry driven by Matt Kenseth for the upcoming races at Chicago, Dover, Kansas, and Homestead. DEWALT also announces that it will provide primary sponsorship for a total of six races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for 2016 with drivers Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez. Beginning with the 2017 season, DEWALT will take over the primary sponsorship for the (15) majority of races on the #20 Toyota Camry in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series. Along with the expanded schedule of primary paint schemes, DEWALT also has associate branding on the #20 Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series whenever they are not already serving as the primary sponsor. This partnership comes at a perfect time as DEWALT recently launched their breakthrough DEWALT FLEXVOLT system, which includes a radical new battery technology that will transform the power tools space. The proprietary battery technology platform provides users with multiple voltage outputs from a single DEWALT battery pack - 20V MAX, 60V MAX, and 120V MAX when two 60V MAX batteries are combined - thus giving users the power of corded with the freedom of cordless. Learn more about the DEWALT FLEXVOLT system and DEWALT's continual breakthrough innovation at DEWALT.com. DEWALT will have primary sponsorship with two cars this weekend at Daytona International Speedway to promote this launch. A special DEWALT FLEXVOLT paint scheme will appear on the #20 Toyota of Matt Kenseth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as well as the #20 Toyota of Erik Jones in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.(JGR PR), see images of the scheme on the #20 Team Schemes page.(6-30-2016)

Daytona Driver Notes & Facts:
· Richard Petty leads the series in July race starts at Daytona with 32. Tony Stewart leads all active drivers with 17 starts - this weekend will be Stewart's final start at Daytona.
· A total 176 drivers have made their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Daytona; only 19 have made their first start during the July race.
· Five active series drivers have made their first career start at Daytona International Speedway, though none were during the July race: Tony Stewart (2/14/99), Casey Mears (2/16/03), Kasey Kahne (2/15/04), Danica Patrick (2/27/12) and Michael Annett (2/23/14).
· 59 different drivers have posted at least one series win at Daytona, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty with 10.
· Of the 59 drivers, 35 of them have won the July race at Daytona International Speedway, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson with five wins. Tony Stewart leads all active drivers with four.
· Five drivers have posted consecutive wins in the July race at Daytona International Speedway, including three consecutive by David Pearson (1972 - 1974).
· Tony Stewart (2005-'06) is the only active driver to win consecutive July races at Daytona.
· Kurt Busch leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Daytona without visiting Victory Lane at 30.
· Four active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at Daytona International Speedway; two were during the July race: Trevor Bayne (2/20/11), Greg Biffle (7/5/03), David Ragan (7/2/11) and Michael Waltrip (2/18/01).
· Buddy Baker leads the series in runner-up finishes in the July race at Daytona with five; followed by Richard Petty and Sterling Marlin with four. Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with three.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson leads the series in top-five finishes in the July race at Daytona with 13; followed by Richard Petty with 12. Kurt Busch leads all active drivers with seven.
· David Pearson leads the series in top-10 finishes in the July race at Daytona with 19; followed by Dale Earnhardt with 18. Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads all active drivers with nine.
· Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Daytona with 1,286 laps led in 46 starts.
· Tony Stewart leads all active series drivers in laps led at Daytona with 668 in 34 starts. · NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough leads the series in laps led in the July races at Daytona with 644 laps led in 22 starts.
· Tony Stewart leads the series among active drivers in laps led in the July race at Daytona with 369; followed Dale Earnhardt Jr. with 339.
· Fewest laps led by a July race winner at Daytona is one lap led by Jimmy Spencer in 1994.
· The fewest laps led by an active July race winner at Daytona are three laps led by Jamie McMurray in 2007.
· A total of six female drivers have competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Daytona. Danica Patrick, Janet Guthrie, Christine Beckers, Lella Lombardi, Patty Moise and Shawna Robinson. All six have competed in the July race.
· Janet Guthrie was the first female competitor to race at Daytona International Speedway in 1976. She started 33rd and raced her way up to a 15th-place finish.
(NASCAR)

Florida Lottery debuts on the #31 at Daytona: Richard Childress Racing welcomes Florida Lottery on board the #31 Chevy of Ryan Newman as the primary partner for Saturday's Coke Zero 400 race at Daytona International Speedway. Over the past 28 years, the Florida Lottery's mission is to maximize revenues for the enhancement of public education in Florida. Since its inception, contributions to education are more than $29 billion. Funds have helped with the construction and renovation of 800 statewide school projects and over 725,000 students have attended college thanks to Bright Future scholarships. The Florida Lottery offers seven Terminal games and approximately 67 Scratch-Off games at any given time at more than 13,000 retailers statewide. Its games have made more than 1,800 people millionaires and equated to more than $48.5 billion in prize payouts since the first ticket was sold. The Florida Lottery ranks second in sales among all U.S. Lotteries (RCR), see images of the scheme on the #31 Team Schemes page (6-30-2016)

Golden Corral returns to the #7 at Daytona: Golden Corral returns for their third race of the 2016 season with Tommy Baldwin Racing and driver Regan Smith. Featuring a new car design that debuted at Talladega, the #7 Chevy features a new bold color scheme and the logos of two charitable organizations - Camp Corral and DAV (Disabled American Veterans). Golden Corral supports both of these organizations as a way to honor our nation's men and women in uniform. Founded by Golden Corral, Camp Corral is a free, one-of-a-kind summer camp for children of wounded, disabled or fallen military service members. Over 10,000 children have attended Camp Corral and the program has expanded to 22 camp sessions. Smith: "I look forward to going back to Daytona, where we finished in the top-10 in the season-opening Daytona 500. I enjoy the challenges that Daytona International Speedway presents for a driver, spotter and team. After finishing 8th last race at Daytona, we celebrated with a Top-10 Kids Eat Free Monday at Golden Corral. We'd love to do that again this week!"(TBR), see an image of the scheme on the #7 Team Schemes page.(6-30-2016)

NASCAR Updates Sprint Cup Series Race Eligibility UPDATE: NASCAR announced updated procedures for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race eligibility and new provisional starting guidelines for races during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Starting with Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, current year owner points will replace practice speeds for determining race eligibility and starting position in the event adverse conditions prevent qualifying from taking place. Starting in 2017, for the second and third events of the season, practice speeds for Open teams will remain the criteria used to determine race eligibility.
NASCAR also announced that Open teams that earn a berth in the Chase will be awarded a provisional starting position for every Chase race, guaranteeing those teams an opportunity to compete for the championship in NASCAR's playoffs.
"These changes provide a more even competition field for both Charter and Open teams, rewarding strong performances over the course of a season," said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president, racing operations. "Earning a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is extremely difficult and requires consistent elite performance. Those teams should be guaranteed an opportunity to race for the title, and this ensures that will be the case."
The creation of provisional starting positions for Open teams that earn a berth in the Chase has been discussed extensively with industry stakeholders.
The adverse conditions qualifying procedures remain unchanged for the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.(NASCAR)(6-28-2016)
UPDATE: If qualifying canceled at Daytona, practice speeds will be used to determine lineup, the new rules will start at Kentucky (ESPN)(6-30-2016)

Memo From David Higdon, V.P., NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications: "As many of you now know, Kerry Tharp, NASCAR Senior Director, Racing Communications has been named President of Darlington Raceway. All of us here at NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications take tremendous pride in the fact that ISC chose a member of our team to lead efforts for one of the sport's most iconic facilities. The selection also is a testament to Kerry's acumen and the work that he has done cultivating strong relationships with so many of you in the media. He will be a great asset to Darlington and ISC, and will remain an essential advocate for NASCAR in his new role. We're fortunate that the NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications team is filled with great talent, so I'm equally thrilled to announce the following:
Matt Ciesluk has been promoted to Senior Director. He's been an invaluable member of the IMC team for several years, and he'll take on additional responsibilities in media relations moving forward. I know many of you had the chance to connect with Matt when he was in Sonoma this past week.
Mike Forde has been promoted to Director, Racing Communications. I hope you all agree that Mike's ability to work effectively with the media on a number of levels will allow him to excel in this new role.
Stephanie Harris will be promoted to Senior Manager, Content Communications. Stephanie has developed into a strong leader in our Daytona office, and she now will help lead our efforts in Content."(NASCAR)(6-30-2016)

Sonoma warnings announced: NASCAR has announced penalties and warnings following the Toyota / SaveMart 350 Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway on June 26th.
#20-Matt Kenseth's Toyota received written warnings for failing pre-race laser inspection twice (which added up to 4, so the team lost its pit selection choice at Sonoma).
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. was given a written warning for failing pre-qualifying template inspection twice.
See the Dover Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf) for more.(6-30-2016)

Brian France not speaking/attending Republican National Convention: Contrary to a report Monday by Bloomberg, NASCAR CEO and Chairman Brian France does not plan to attend the Republican National Convention in Cleveland next month. "Brian does not plan to speak at nor attend the convention," NASCAR spokesman David Higdon said in a statement. The report comes four months after France and drivers Chase Elliott, Ryan Newman and David Ragan appeared at a campaign rally for presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump and endorsed him.(NBC Sports)(6-30-2016)

Some Pit Crew Changes: Over the last few weeks there has been plenty of moving around by pit crew members. Teams are continually searching for the perfect combination of chemistry and talent. Here is an update on some of the more recent changes to pit road. Longtime tire changer Kyle Turner moves over from the #83 of Matt DiBenedetto to change on the Roush Fenway Racing #6 of Trevor Bayne. Team Penske back-up Ryan Flores moves up from the #22 Xfinity team to change on the front of the #21 Wood Brothers of Ryan Blaney. Supposedly, jackman Stan Doolittle has been marked as the new jackman for the #4 SHR crew of Kevin Harvick while longtime jackman Mike Casto heads to the #38 Ford of Front Row Motorsports and driver Landon Cassill. Ira Joe Hussey who was on the #4 at the beginning of the year is now changing tires on the #13 Chevy of Casey Mears.(Pit Talks)(6-30-2016)

Motorsports Dignitaries Joining Tribute to Roger Penske tonight: Dignitaries from the motorsports industry will join in tribute to Roger Penske on June 30 when he receives the Cameron R. Argetsinger Award for Outstanding Contributions to Motorsports. Penske will receive the award from the International Motor Racing Research Center at a dinner presented by NASCAR, International Speedway Corp., Watkins Glen International and IMSA and supported by Sahlen's. The dinner will be at the world-renowned Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, N.Y. The award memorializes Cameron R. Argetsinger, founder and organizer of the first races at Watkins Glen. Multi-team owner and former driver Chip Ganassi was the first recipient of the Argetsinger Award in 2014. NASCAR icon Richard Petty was the 2015 honoree. The award will be presented by members of the Argetsinger family.
Penske, a champion driver before launching a 50-year career as a team owner, is being honored for having advanced and improved the sport. The award recognizes Penske for bringing prestige to motorsports and demonstrating commitment to the future of racing. Longtime race reporter Dr. Jerry Punch will be the master of ceremonies for a program that includes remarks from Joe Sahlen, president of Sahlen's, a key dinner supporter which also is sponsoring the Six Hours of The Glen IMSA race weekend at Watkins Glen International June 30-July 3. Bobby Rahal, who serves as chairman of the Racing Research Center's Governing Council, also will speak. Rahal is a three-time CART champion and one of only three to win the Indianapolis 500 as a driver and an owner. Other speakers will be Scott Atherton, president and COO of IMSA, International Motor Sports Association; Michael Printup, president of Watkins Glen International; and Jay Frye, President of INDYCAR Competition and Operations. Lisa Noble, president of SCCA, Sports Car Club of America, and Walt Czarnecki, executive vice president of Penske Corp. and vice chairman of Team Penske, also are slated to be speakers. Other highlights of the evening will include the live auction of a commissioned painting by motorsports artist Randy Owens depicting significant cars from Penske's career. A silent auction will feature photographs of memorable Team Penske moments. Author Gordon Kirby and former Penske Racing mechanic Karl Kainhofer will be there with Kirby's new book "Penske's Maestro: Karl Kainhofer and the History of Penske Racing," for sale and signing. Three cars from Team Penske's history will be on display, including the Sunoco Eagle driven by the legendary Mark Donohue, who was Penske's winningest driver. For more information about the Racing Research Center's work and its programs, visit www.racingarchives.org or call 607-535-9044.(IMRRC)(6-30-2016)

The end of NASCAR Illustrated: American City Business Journals, the Charlotte-based parent of more than 40 print and online newspapers, has decided to stop publishing its NASCAR Illustrated publication. In an email to the staff, CEO Whitney Shaw writes: "I wanted to let you know that we are closing NASCAR Illustrated. Obviously, we don't make decisions like this lightly nor do we ever forget that peoples' lives are affected. Unfortunately, I simply did not see a pathway to profitability in an environment that is becoming increasingly digital and where the economics of newsstand sales have changed so dramatically. The final issue of Illustrated is currently at the printer." It's the second NASCAR publication that ACBJ has ended. In early 2010, NASCAR Scene, a publication that started in 1977, was closed and merged into the monthly NASCAR Illustrated. NASCAR Illustrated has a circulation of 85,000, according to ACBJ's website.(Talking Biz News), see the latest issue at nascar-illustrated.com(6-30-2016)

Another Truex Rising Through The Ranks: If things go according to plan for Tyler Truex, his cousin Martin's victory in the May 29 Coca-Cola 600 won't be the only time a Truex wins this summer at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The younger Truex has proven in only three Bojangles' Summer Shootout races he's a legitimate contender in the AAA Carolinas Legend Car Semi-Pro division. Truex's white #69 car with bright neon yellow numbers stands out under the lights because of its bright design, but it's also been a staple at the front of the field. The 20-year-old New Jersey native appeared to have his first victory of the season in hand on Tuesday when he gained a 12 car-length lead on his competition with less than 10 laps to go, but his bid to win ended when he encountered throttle issues. That came only a night after Truex was in contention for a win, was involved in an accident and rallied to finish second. Truex flies into Charlotte on Monday, races on Tuesday, flies back home to New Jersey on Wednesday and works at Seawatch on Thursday and Friday. Travel doesn't bother Truex. His uncertain future as a racer is more of a concern. "I'm just open, trying to find sponsorship to maybe move onto late models down here, or really anything," Truex said. "I'd like to just go racing more. If we can find the money to keep running this Legend Car, I'd like to do that. I love being at the race track. I want to be at the race track as much as I can."(National Speed Sport News)(6-30-2016)

XFINITY Series happy hour canceled: Due to rain and lightning at the track, NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice at Daytona has been canceled.(6-30-2016)

Erik Jones fastest in first XFINITY practice: #20-Erik Jones was fastest during opening practice at Daytona International Speedway with a speed of 193.353mph. #18-David Ragan was second, followed by: #3-Ty Dillon, #33-Brandon Jones, #42-Justin Marks, #48-Brennan Poole, #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., #22-Joey Logano, #7-Justin Allgaier and #98-Aric Almirola. Just 29 drivers were able to complete a lap during the session, which was cut short by lightning near the track.
See complete results on the Daytona practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(6-30-2016)

Chevy unveils 2017 Camaro for XFINITY Series: As the Camaro marks the 50th anniversary of its introduction this year, Chevrolet announced the sixth-generation Camaro SS will serve as the model for Chevrolet race cars in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, starting next season. The updated Camaro race car was shown at Daytona International Speedway ahead of the Subway Firecracker 250 Presented by Coca-Cola. The official racing debut comes next February at the 2017 season's NASCAR XFINITY Series kickoff race at Daytona. "For the past 50 years, Camaro has played a key role in Chevrolet's racing success in winning races and championships," said Mark Kent, director, Chevrolet Racing. "We look forward to further success with the new Camaro SS in the NASCAR XFINITY Series." Computational fluid dynamics analysis, as well as traditional full- and reduced-scale wind-tunnel development, was used to refine the shapes of the unique upper nose and hood of the new 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series Camaro SS. The fifth-generation Camaro was introduced into the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2013.(Chevy PR), see images of the car on the 2017 Chevy Camaro page.(6-30-2016)

DEWALT to sponsor Erik Jones and Suarez: DEWALT Tools have the speed, strength, and toughness for the world's hardest jobs. That's why we are proud to announce an expanded partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing. DEWALT has added four races to their 2016 primary sponsorship aboard the #20 Toyota Camry driven by Matt Kenseth for the upcoming races at Chicago, Dover, Kansas, and Homestead. DEWALT also announces that it will provide primary sponsorship for a total of six races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for 2016 with drivers Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez. DEWALT will have primary sponsorship with two cars this weekend at Daytona International Speedway to promote this launch. A special DEWALT FLEXVOLT paint scheme will appear on the #20 Toyota of Matt Kenseth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as well as the #20 Toyota of Erik Jones in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.(Joe Gibbs Racing)(6-30-2016)

New Hampshire names XFINITY race sponsor: Speed and efficiency, it's the quickest way around the track for a victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It's also two of the key features behind AutoLotto, a mobile app that allows people to buy and redeem lottery tickets from the convenience of their smartphones. Speedway officials announced that the mobile lottery company will sponsor the NASCAR XFINITY Series AutoLotto 200 at 4:00pm on Saturday, July 16. San Francisco-based AutoLotto launched this month in New Hampshire and allows users to purchase Powerball tickets from a mobile device. AutoLotto's "Tap. Tap. Ticket." approach to the lottery allows users to instantly order tickets without fees and record the ticket information on the mobile device, eliminating store lines, lost tickets and the need to track down results. AutoLotto checks the tickets for winning numbers and can even remember the user's favorite numbers, or automatically purchase tickets when the Powerball reaches a certain amount. The AutoLotto 200 will be the 30th running of a NASCAR XFINITY Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the longest running NASCAR event at the speedway. Since NASCAR's debut at the Magic Mile in 1990, the 200-lap Saturday feature has seen 25 different drivers go to Sunoco Victory Lane. Darrell Wallace Jr., who currently sits ninth in the NASCAR XFINITY Series standings and is looking for his first career win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, will have AutoLotto as his primary car sponsor for the race on July 16.(NHMS)(6-30-2016)

Homestead Miami Speedway asks court to reverse city approval of residential development: Homestead Miami Speedway is noisy, holds events at night and draws traffic. Its operators are worried that if homes are built nearby, new residents will complain so much that the track could be shut down. So they have petitioned the court to stop a housing development that the Homestead City Commission recently approved. The Speedway, which sits less than a mile from the planned subdivision and hosts a number of auto races, including a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, appealed the council's vote by filing a petition this month with the appellate division of the circuit court. "We are very similar to an airport. If residents move too close to us, they'll start complaining about noise and traffic, and that will have an adverse effect on our business," said the Speedway's vice president, Al Garcia. The area doesn't have any homes right now. Its tenants include the Speedway, Homestead Air Reserve Base and a beer warehouse, ringed by the Park of Commerce and commercial, mixed-use and other zoning that provide a buffer between the speedway and homes. The issue is a development that the City Council approved in May. Developer Wayne Rosen proposed building single family homes in and next to the industrially zoned Park of Commerce. He also asked the city to change the definition of mixed-use so that he wouldn't have to build a combination of commercial, multi-family and single-family homes, but instead could build any of those categories without building all of them.(Miami Herald)(6-30-2016)

Special scheme for Kahne at Daytona: Kasey Kahne will pilot the #5 Great Clips Strong Against Cancer Chevy this weekend at Daytona. It's a one-of-a-kind paint scheme designed by 8-year-old Noelia Gutierrez of White Center, Washington. Gutierrez, who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in March 2015, is a patient at Seattle Children's Hospital in its Strong Against Cancer program, which uses immunotherapy to fight cancer. Great Clips tasked the children to use their creative minds to design Kahne's Daytona paint scheme. After receiving approximately 40 submissions from the children, Kahne narrowed the entries down to his favorite four, and the fans voted Noelia the winner (HMS), see images of the scheme on the #5 Team Schemes page (6-29-2016)

Indy building Dirt Track as a 'present' for Stewart: #14-Tony Stewart, who is retiring from NASCAR at season's end, will receive a going-away gift from Indianapolis Motor Speedway next week that will encourage him to return. IMS is giving Stewart a dirt track inside Turn 3. The plan, IMS president Doug Boles said Tuesday, is to install a 3/16th-mile oval for Stewart's media appearance July 5. Several teams that own dirt midgets have been invited for what amounts to an exhibition. It stands to reason Stewart will take anyone's offer to take a spin around the new oval, and he might even be the first to do so. Stewart was told of the plan last weekend, Boles said. Assuming things come together as expected, IMS will modify the track so it's large enough to host sprint cars, too. "Tony doesn't want gifts, per se, but we thought this was a great way to marry his love for dirt-track racing with his love for racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway," said Boles. Boles said IMS won't get in the business of hosting frequent dirt-track events, but it could have an assortment of "special" events, such as a spot in Indiana Sprint Week or a sprint/midget event during Brickyard 400 weekend.(Indianapolis Star)(6-29-2016)

SunEnergy1 debuts as sponsor for Elliott: For the first time in the 2016 season, SunEnergy1 will be the primary partner on board Rookie of the Year contender Chase Elliott's #24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy this weekend at Daytona International Speedway. SunEnergy1 will also sponsor Elliott at Watkins Glen in August, Kansas in October and Phoenix in November (HMS), see images of the scheme on the #24 Team Schemes page (6-29-2016)

Lowe's Patriotic scheme returns: Jimmie Johnson's #48 Chevy will feature a patriotic theme. Longtime sponsor Lowe's has a lengthy history of supporting the military. Currently, Lowe's has more than 14,000 veterans, active military and Guard/Reserve employees. The #48 Lowe's Patriotic Chevy will carry a special decal this weekend in memory of Antonio Brown, the human resources manager at the Fern Park, Florida, Lowe's store. Brown, a former U.S. Army captain who served in Kuwait during the Iraq War, was tragically killed in the Orlando night club shooting on June 12 (HMS), see images of the scheme on the #48 Team Schemes page (6-29-2016)

NRA Museum featured on the #3 at Daytona: Bass Pro Shops, the primary sponsor of Richard Childress Racing's #3 Chevy driven by Austin Dillon in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, will pay tribute to the National Rifle Association's members and the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum with a special paint scheme for the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona. The NRA National Sporting Arms Museum houses an important collection of more than a thousand firearms and other artifacts and dioramas that trace the evolution of hunting, conservation and freedom from the 1600s to modern day. The museum, which is located at Bass Pro Shops' flagship store in Springfield, Missouri, is open daily and admission is free (RCR), see an image of the scheme on the #3 Team Schemes page (6-29-2016)

MSHFA Induction Ceremony Makes Daytona Beach Debut: A monumental week for the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) is on tap, highlighted by Wednesday (June 29th) night's 28th Annual MSHFA Induction Ceremony Presented by Bridgestone at The Shores Resort & Spa. Wednesday will mark the first induction ceremony in Daytona Beach for the MSHFA, which has relocated to Daytona International Speedway (DIS) from Novi, Michigan. The new hall facility, located in the speedway's expansive Ticket and Tours Building, will host the annual "Heroes of Horsepower Reception" on Tuesday night; this year's seven new inductees will be honored with the unveiling of their respective bronze busts to be displayed perpetually in the hall. Also on Wednesday, the Inductee Lunch Hosted By Toyota will be held in the Toyota Injector area in the speedway's new motorsports stadium design resulting from the $400 million "DAYTONA Rising" renovation project completed prior to this racing season. All three events have been sold out. On Sunday, the MSHFA will open to the public for the first time, with hall visits included as part of all Daytona International Speedway fan tours. The events are all part of the annual Independence Day weekend celebration in the community and at the speedway that includes Saturday night's Coke Zero 400. The 230-person MSHFA inductee role honors all forms of motorsports: motorcycles, stock cars, sports cars, open-wheel, drag racing, land speed records, powerboating, off-road and aviation racing. This year's class reflects that philosophy.
The lineup:
Everett Brashear - One of the top AMA dirt-track motorcycle racers of all-time.
Richard Childress - Childress' remarkable career evolved from being a struggling stock car racer to becoming one of the premier owners in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, winning six championships with 2002 MSHFA inductee Dale Earnhardt (1986, '87, '90, '91, '93, '94). ... Has 14 championships in NASCAR national series competition, second-best all time. ... His drivers have won the DAYTONA 500 twice and the Brickyard 400 three times.
Gary Gabelich - Gabelich chased speed records on both land and water during a brief but mercurial competitive career for the former Apollo test astronaut.
Chip Ganassi - Ganassi is the only car owner to have won the DAYTONA 500, the Indianapolis 500, the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Brickyard 400. Between February 2010 and January 2011, his drivers swept those four events, giving him an unprecedented "Grand Slam" in America's major auto races. ... Overall, his teams have won 18 championships and more than 170 races. His open-wheel teams have amassed 11 championships and more than 100 victories - including five in the Indianapolis 500. His NASCAR teams have 17 victories including a DAYTONA 500 victory, and have twice qualified for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. His sports car teams have a record six Rolex 24 At Daytona victories to complement their seven Rolex Sports Car Series championships. ... Earlier this month, he added a LMGTE Pro class championship at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. ... Before becoming one of the most successful team owners in American racing history, Ganassi raced himself, competing in the Indianapolis 500 five times with a best finish of eighth in 1983.
Dave McClelland - Known as "The Voice of the NHRA", McClelland is one of the most legendary voices in all of motorsports and certainly the most legendary in the history of drag racing.
Sam Posey - Posey has excelled both on the race track and in the broadcast booth, in the process becoming one of this country's most recognizable and respected motorsports personalities.
Bob Sweikert - Los Angeles native Sweikert had a season for the ages in 1955, winning the Indianapolis 500, the AAA "Big Car" National Championship and the Midwest Sprint Car Championship, becoming the first driver to sweep all three honors in a single season.(MSHFA)(6-29-2016)

Program Showcases BK Racing: Driven: BK Racing - Slaying the Giant debuts Wednesday, June 29, at 10:30pm/et on FOX Sports Southeast. This latest episode of the Emmy Award-winning original programming series Driven will also be available on FOX Sports GO (FOXSportsGo.com must sign in with provider), a free app that provides live streaming video of content televised on FOX Sports Southeast through select programming distributors.(6-29-2016)

Jeff Green driving for Ware at Daytona: Jeff Green has rejoined Rick Ware Racing for Friday night's Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona. Green, the Owensboro, Kentucky native drove for the longtime XFINITY Series team in the season-opening PowerShares QQQ 300 and while competitively running inside the top-15 fell victim to a mechanical failure and was forced to retire from the event. Less than five months later, Green and his RWR team return to Daytona in the #17 CarportEmpire.com / Dashhub Toyota Camry. The 52-year-old Green will look to make his 23rd career NXS start at the "World Center of Racing" with hopes of capturing his fourth top-10 finish at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. In his previous 22 efforts, Green delivered a track best of second in the 1999 season-opener driving for ppc Racing. Carport Empire is one of the largest distributors of quality carports, metal carports, steel carports, metal garages, steel garages, storage buildings and more in the United States. Dashub was founded by a group of car enthusiasts who set out to revolutionize the car buying experience. As an online used car auction company, their mission is to create an easier, more affordable way to purchase a car by giving our clients exclusive access to insurance and salvage auto auctions.(Rick Ware Racing)(6-29-2016)

Gase picks up Daytona sponsor: Joey Gase and Jimmy Means Racing announce their sponsors for the Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway this Friday, July 1st. Highway Equipment Company will be on the hood of Gase's #52 Chevy. They are a leading manufacturer of Hi-Way deicing spreaders, road maintenance equipment, and New Leader crop nutrient applicators. The partnership between Gase and Highway Equipment Company began a few weeks ago when they teamed up as a primary sponsor on Gase's late model for Iowa Donor Network night at his home town short track of Hawkeye Downs, where they won the main event. To join Highway Equipment Company, Donate Life Florida will return as an associate sponsor to help raise awareness for organ, eye, and tissue donation, a cause very close to Gase's heart.(Joey Gase Racing)(6-29-2016)

ThorSport fire ruled accidental: The June 13 fire at ThorSport Racing was accidental, starting in mulch underneath stairs of a patio and causing an estimated $10 million in damages, according to a report released Wednesday by the Ohio State Fire Marshal. ThorSport fields four entries in the Camping World Truck Series and, thanks to the help of firemen, was able to salvage 15 of 18 trucks from the early-morning fire. However, the team will be forced to rebuild approximately 40 percent of its 100,000-square-foot shop in Sandusky, Ohio. The report, by assistant state fire marshal Jeff Koehn, stated that investigators could not rule out smoking materials as the heat source for the fire, but the interviews investigators conducted offered no proof that anyone was smoking in that area that day, and the water used to fight the fire washed away a large portion of the mulch from the building. The automatic sprinkler system and fire alarms did not activate because the fire spread from the exterior into the roofline and the walls -- above and beyond the reach of the sensors and sprinkler heads, according to the report. The fire, reported at 12:51 a.m., was discovered by the lone shop employee working in the building, who had gone to the suspension room to get a phone charger and could see and smell the smoke coming from the basement. He went to the basement, where he could see the fire through holes in the block basement wall, and then he traveled approximately 500 yards to find a security guard to report the fire. The team has relocated to various buildings in the Sandusky area as the current shop is being rebuilt. The suspension and fabrication shops were destroyed in the fire.(ESPN)(6-29-2016)

Townley, Gallagher have altercation following crash UPDATE 3: John Wes Townley and Spencer Gallagher wrecked, then wrestled and finally threw a number of punches in Saturday night's Drivin for Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park.Townley was the aggressor, coming down the track after he and Gallagher exited their respective wrecked trucks on Lap 154, grabbing Gallagher in a headlock and threw him to the ground. They clinched and tossed each other around several times, falling to the pavement again, and then Townley appeared to land at least five punches to Gallagher's head, while Gallagher appeared to land just one punch in retaliation. None of the safety workers interceded, prompting a lengthy delay before a NASCAR official arrived on scene and broke up the pair. The race was red flagged for a third time so that the track could be cleaned up. Both drivers were taken to the infield care center to be examined for injuries - in separate ambulances.(NBC Sports)(6-26-2016)
UPDATE: Spencer Gallagher issued a statement regarding his role in the incident: "I would like to take time to address my actions at Gateway Motorsports Park this past weekend. First, I would like to apologize to John Wes Townley. Additionally, to his team and fans, I am sorry. The incident earlier in the race was not intentional and certainly was not meant to cause bigger problems later in the event. My crew, who have worked so hard to get me to where I am this season, did not deserve to have their night ended in that way. My teammates and all of the guys back at the shop deserve more respect than was shown Saturday night. I would also like to apologize to my team owner, who wholeheartedly believes in this organization and expects all of us to perform at our best at all times, no matter the situation. And finally, I would like to extend a sincere apology to the NASCAR community - representatives and fans. I love this sport just as much as all of you and I am ashamed that I was part of an incident that has allowed so many to view what we do in a negative light."(GMS Racing)(6-27-2016)
UPDATE 2: A NASCAR executive stated Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that "there will be repercussions" for the incident between John Wes Townley and Spencer Gallagher during Saturday night's Camping World Truck Series race at Gateway Motorsports Park. Townley and Gallagher had contact during the race that caused Townley's truck to hit the wall. They both wrecked in the final laps. After exiting their vehicles, they soon began scuffling, tumbling to the track and throwing a few punches.
"We'll look at the all the video feeds we have, we certainly talked to both drivers postrace," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "We'll have our discussions. We'll kind of have an evaluation and talk to everyone about where we stand from that. Certainly not our best moment, for sure, two passionate drivers. That's part of things sometimes when emotions run high, but certainly don't like to see that to occur when they're especially on the racetrack."
"We certainly like to see drivers who are going to express their emotions be outside of a race car, that's where we really, really jump in and react when it's drivers using their race cars beyond what is normal for a race," O'Donnell said. "We're going to react heavily when we have to. There will still be repercussions for sure. We want to make sure drivers, if they're going to do anything, are outside of their car but certainly don't encourage what happened at Gateway." (NBC Sports)(6-27-2016)
UPDATE 3: John Wes Townley and Spencer Gallagher have been fined and penalized following their physical altercation at Gateway last Saturday. Driver (John Wes Townley) has been fined $15,000 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. Driver (Spencer Gallagher) has been fined $12,500 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31.(NASCAR)(6-29-2016)

Kerry Tharp named president of Darlington: Darlington Raceway announced that it has named Kerry Tharp as President of the track Too Tough To Tame, effective July 18. Tharp accepts the role from his most recent position as Senior Director of Racing Communications for NASCAR. Tharp replaces current Darlington Raceway President Chip Wile, who accepted the position of President of Daytona International Speedway back in April.
"These are exciting times for Darlington Raceway and Kerry Tharp is the perfect person to lead one of the most historic tracks on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit," International Speedway Corp. Executive Vice President and COO Joie Chitwood said. "His appreciation of our sport, knowledge of the industry and passion for South Carolina are unmatched. Kerry will do a great job leading the Darlington Raceway team and continuing to build upon their celebrated throwback marketing campaign."
Tharp, a Louisville, Ky. native, joined NASCAR in April of 2005 after a successful 20-year career as Associate Athletic Director for Media Relations for the University of South Carolina (1985-2005) in Columbia. He worked for 26 total years in intercollegiate athletics prior to joining NASCAR. He also served two years at the University of Tennessee and four years at the University of Oklahoma, prior to the University of South Carolina. Since 2005, Tharp has played an integral role in the communications efforts for NASCAR, having forged strong relationships for the sanctioning body with the drivers, race teams and tracks.
"I am deeply humbled and honored to have this opportunity," Tharp said. "I love the state of South Carolina and its people. I know how special Darlington Raceway is to this state and to the sport of NASCAR. The track's rich tradition, history, and popularity resonate with the competitors, partners, media and most importantly the fans. I look forward to working with our team to help keep Darlington as one of our sport's crown jewels."
Tharp holds a Bachelor's Degree in public relations from Western Kentucky University and a Master's Degree in communications from the University of Tennessee. He has been a resident of South Carolina for over 31 years. He has been married to his wife, Debbie, for 33 years and they have two children (J.B. and Will) and two grandsons.(Darlington Raceway)(6-29-2016)

NASCAR Updates Sprint Cup Series Race Eligibility: NASCAR announced updated procedures for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race eligibility and new provisional starting guidelines for races during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Starting with Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, current year owner points will replace practice speeds for determining race eligibility and starting position in the event adverse conditions prevent qualifying from taking place. Starting in 2017, for the second and third events of the season, practice speeds for Open teams will remain the criteria used to determine race eligibility.
NASCAR also announced that Open teams that earn a berth in the Chase will be awarded a provisional starting position for every Chase race, guaranteeing those teams an opportunity to compete for the championship in NASCAR's playoffs.
"These changes provide a more even competition field for both Charter and Open teams, rewarding strong performances over the course of a season," said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president, racing operations. "Earning a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is extremely difficult and requires consistent elite performance. Those teams should be guaranteed an opportunity to race for the title, and this ensures that will be the case."
The creation of provisional starting positions for Open teams that earn a berth in the Chase has been discussed extensively with industry stakeholders.
The adverse conditions qualifying procedures remain unchanged for the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.(NASCAR)(6-28-2016)

added images of the #3 Bass Pro Shops / NRA Museum, #31 Florida Lottery, #23 Shriners Hospitals for Children that will run at Daytona in July

BK Racing and Shriners Hospitals for Children Unveil Daytona Paint Scheme: With a little help from a special friend, BK Racing, David Ragan and Shriners Hospitals for Children unveiled their paint scheme for this weekend's Coke Zero 400 at the Daytona International Speedway. Hailey Randall, 16, is a patient at Shriners Hospitals for Children - Twin Cities in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and assisted in the unveiling of the #23 BK Racing Toyota Camry that she designed as part of the Healing Power of Love design contest. The contest was open to patients at all 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children locations. Randall, as well as representatives from BK Racing and Shriners Hospitals for Children, was on-hand at the NASCAR Hall of Fame with Ragan to unveil the car in front of family, media and others from Shriners International and the NASCAR community.
The paint scheme features metallic-silver paint that will reflect brightly under the lights at the Daytona International Speedway this Saturday night. Hailey's design incorporates the Healing Power of Love theme with a red ribbon that wraps around the entire car, as well as an abundance of hearts which, reflects the love that patients feel at Shriners Hospitals. The Shriners Hospitals for Children logo, a "Good Luck!" message from the hospitals' mascot, Fezzy, and motifs unique to the 22 hospital system are prominently featured in the design. The car design expands upon the relationship that Ragan has with the hospital system, serving as an official Love to the rescue® ambassador. Ragan is also a member of Shriners International.
"David has been a loyal friend of Shriners Hospitals for many years. This design contest gave a unique opportunity for our patients to illustrate what Shriners Hospitals for Children and Love to the rescue mean to them," said Jerry Gantt, chairman of the Board of Directors for Shriners Hospitals for Children. "We are so proud of our relationship with David and are excited to see Hailey's design on the track in Daytona." With the help of supporters like Ragan and BK Racing, Shriners Hospitals for Children has provided life-changing care to more than 1.3 million children for nearly 95 years. Shriners Hospitals provides all aspects of treatment, including surgery, rehabilitation, and psychological support to children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate, regardless of the families' ability to pay.
Randall has been a patient of Shriners Hospitals for Children since she was a small child, and has been treated for clubfoot, bilateral hip dysplasia and leg length discrepancy. Randall will join the BK Racing team this weekend in Daytona. "I designed the car that I would want to drive so it is a dream come true to see it in real life and on the race track" said Hailey. "I am so happy that my design was selected to represent how Shriners Hospitals sends Love to the rescue every day to kids just like me."
Ragan was excited to see Randall's ideas come to life and is honored to have her design featured on his car during the race this weekend. "I think Hailey and all the patients at Shriners Hospitals for Children are an inspiration," said Ragan. "Hailey did an amazing job capturing the spirit and strength of the patients, employees and everyone associated with Shriners Hospitals in this paint scheme. I am grateful to be able to drive a car featuring Hailey's design and represent Shriners Hospitals for Children this weekend."(BK Racing / 140Buzz), see images of the car/scheme on the #23 Team Schemes page (6-28-2016)

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Daytona:
#18-Kyle Busch(1 win)............................... 95.4
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.(4)....................... 95.3
#11-Denny Hamlin (1)............................. 91.5
Kurt Busch.................................. 90.5
Matt Kenseth (2).............................. 90.1
Jimmie Johnson (3).......................... 88.7
Joey Logano (1)............................... 86.1
Tony Stewart (4).............................. 85.4
Kevin Harvick (2).............................. 83.4
Kasey Kahne.............................. 82.7
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2016 races (23 total) among active drivers at Daytona International 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)

Race before Coke Zero 400 not an indicator of Daytona success: Just because #14-Tony Stewart won Sunday's Toyota Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway does not guarantee success in this Saturday's Coke Zero 400. Over the last 20 years, the driver winning the race just prior to Daytona's summer NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race has rarely won on the high-banked tri-oval. It has not happened in 10 years. Jeff Gordon, who is now retired, won those races back-to-back in 2004 and then Stewart, who will retire at season's end, did it the next season on the way to his second Cup Series championship. Since 2006 the races prior to the Coke Zero 400 have been staged at Sonoma Raceway, Kentucky Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Like this year, NASCAR competitors raced at Sonoma last year with Kyle Busch emerging as the surprise winner. When Busch got to Daytona for the summer run, he finished 17th. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won last year's race. For example, in 2014 Brad Keselowski captured the race at Kentucky but finished 18th at Daytona. In 2013 Kenseth won Kentucky and wound up 33rd after being swept into a crash at DIS. The two-race matchup was particularly cruel to both Gordon and Denny Hamlin in the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Gordon won Sonoma in 2006 and finished 40th in the Coke Zero 400. The following year Hamlin won at New Hampshire and in his very next start at Daytona finished dead last in a 43-car field.
a look at the last 10 years of races.:
2015, Sonoma: Kyle Busch, Daytona; Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Busch 17th)
2014, Kentucky: Brad Keselowski; Daytona: Aric Almirola (Keselowski, 18th)
2013, Kentucky: Matt Kenseth; Daytona: Jimmie Johnson (Kenseth, 33rd)
2012, Kentucky: Brad Keselowski; Daytona: Tony Stewart (Keselowski, 8th)
2011, Sonoma: Kurt Busch; Daytona: David Ragan (Busch, 14th)
2010, New Hampshire: Jimmie Johnson; Daytona: Kevin Harvick (Johnson, 31st)
2009, New Hampshire: Joey Logano; Daytona: Tony Stewart (Logano, 19th)
2008, New Hampshire: Kurt Busch; Daytona: Kyle Busch (Kurt Busch, 4th)
2007, New Hampshire: Denny Hamlin; Daytona: Jamie McMurray (Hamlin, 43rd)
2006, Sonoma: Jeff Gordon; Daytona: Tony Stewart (Gordon 40th)
(Daytona Beach News Journal)(6-28-2016)

RoyalTeakCollection.com to sponsor Sorenson on the #55 at Daytona: RoyalTeakCollection.com through its' Royal Teak Racing Entity will be joining the #55 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car as primary sponsor for The Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. "Claus and Julia Villebro through their company Royal Teak Collection.com has been a partner of our race team since 2012. The team has enjoyed many great runs with Royal Teak Collection.com and expects to continue with great results in Daytona," says Jay Robinson. Reed Sorenson commented: "I am always excited to go to Daytona, it provides our team with a great opportunity to run competitive the entire race and come away with a great finish."
Reed Sorenson is a skilled driver, and could come up with a big surprise finish in the Daytona 400 if things work out to our advantage" says Claus Villebro. "It is always hard to predict what will happen on a super speedway track, but as a team we have had great performances in the past. Reed will have the capability to compete with the elite of drivers in Daytona, and we look forward to a strong finish." RoyalTeakCollection.com is one of the largest manufacturers of premium patio/casual furniture in the world, offering a wide range of Solid Teak and All-Weather Wicker collections. The headquarters is based just outside Hilton Head, SC (Premium Motorsports PR), see an image of the scheme on the #55 Team Schemes page (6-28-2016)

The 42nd Cup win for car #14: Tony Stewart's win in the Toyota / Save Mart 350 Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway is the 42nd overall Sprint Cup Series win for a car number 42, which has run in 1108 races. Stewart has won 16 races running the car #14. Stewart's other 33 wins came in the car #20. Fonty Flock was the first driver to win a Cup race running the #14 at Hillsborough, NC (Occoneechee Speedway) in April 1951. Flock won 14 of his 19 career race wins in the #14. Three other drivers have scored wins in the #14: Hershel McGriff, Jim Paschal and Bobby Allison. For more info on car number wins and some history, see Jayski.com's Wins by Car Number page.(6-28-2016)

#10 pit crew gets van broken into at Sonoma: For the second year in a row, the #10 crew has their team van broken into in California. Talking with crewmen on the team, they say the burglary happened while they were at an event for their sponsor Natures Bakery. The crew were guests at a pro Volleyball event and they parked on a main road next to plenty of people. When they returned to their vehicle after the event, a window was busted and bags were taken. Most of the guys had their cell phones and wallets on them but plenty of valuables were gone. One crew member said, "They got everything they could grab without opening the doors. Its seemed to be a smash and grab type of robbery." We did ask about hard cards and were told only one hard card was stolen during the ordeal.(Pit Talks)(6-28-2016)

Skinner races to win in NASCAR class at Goodwood Festival of Speed: Mike Skinner drove his #5 Cessna Toyota Tundra to Victory Lane in the NASCAR class at the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, United Kingdom on Sunday afternoon. The 1995 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion finished third overall in the competition with a 50.44-second effort up the 1.16-mile course. "I'm always honored to compete at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and race up Lord March's famous hill climb course," said Skinner. "We have such wonderful support from our partners like Cessna, Toyota, Caymus Vineyards, as well as our financial partners--SunTrust, Sentinel Real Estate, FocusPoint, Warrington and Florence Capital." The 2016 event was marred with weather, as rain showers threatened the forecast throughout the entire three days. After running fifth and eighth in Friday's two batch runs among the field of 53 cars, all three trucks sat out during their batch run on Saturday morning due to a wet course. On Saturday afternoon, Skinner returned to the track for a qualifying run, which placed him 13th in the heavy rain. By Sunday's finals, Skinner picked up nearly three seconds from his fastest attempt to record the 50.44-second hill climb run, despite the constantly changing track conditions. Hosted by Lord March at the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, United Kingdom, the Goodwood Festival of Speed features every kind of car imaginable from the 1800s through today while also attracting some of the most accomplished drivers in motorsports.(PR)(6-28-2016)

Lap Leaders after 16 races:
Driver, Laps Led
1) #78-Martin Truex Jr, 819
2) #4-Kevin Harvick, 700
3) #18-Kyle Busch, 684
4) #19-Carl Edwards, 677
5) #20-Matt Kenseth, 429
6) #22-Joey Logano, 269
7) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 228
8) #41-Kurt Busch, 221
9) #11-Denny Hamlin, 161
10) #2-Brad Keselowski, 139
29 drivers have led at least one lap
Through June 26

Tifft will return at Daytona UPDATE: Matt Tifft had a successful procedure to alleviate a lower back problem and is on schedule to return to action in next month's Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway. Tifft, who turns 20 this Sunday, sat out this past weekend's Truck and Xfinity series races at Iowa Speedway on advice of his doctor. He was scheduled to run the Truck race for Red Horse Racing and the Xfinity race for Joe Gibbs Racing. Sam Hornish Jr., filling in for Tifft, won Sunday's Xfinity race in his first series start of the season. "He's had a lower back issue, I think a bulging disc. What Matt wanted to do was run (at Iowa) and go in next week for the procedure and be ready for Daytona, but his doctor thought that might be pushing it," said Steve deSouza, JGR's executive vice president of Xfinity Series and development. "He called me Thursday after the procedure this week and said he'd be good to go (for Daytona)."(Motorsport)(6-20-2016)
UPDATE: Joe Gibbs Racing announced a medical update on driver Matt Tifft, who will undergo surgery for removal of a low-grade glioma in the brain. The slow-growing tumor was found during treatment and evaluation for a recent disc condition in his back. Tifft is expected to undergo surgery and rehabilitation soon and once cleared by physicians is expected to return to racing. The JGR rookie is anxious to return to the race track as soon as possible. David Ragan has been enlisted to drive the #18 Surface Sunscreen/Rugged Maniac Toyota Camry XFINITY series entry for Joe Gibbs Racing on Friday at Daytona International Speedway.(Joe Gibbs Racing)(6-28-2016)

Cope announces Daytona Sponsors: Joining Derrike Cope Racing as primary sponsor for the Daytona race is Buddy's Home Furnishings. Celebrating 55 years in 2016, Buddy's is the third largest rent to own retailer in the U.S., consisting of nearly 300 stores nationwide. Their "rent to own" program allows you to pay on your own budget. Continuing their support for DCR at Daytona is E-hydrate. E-hydrate offers great-tasting, natural protein, hydration and endurance products, targeting health and fitness-conscious, on-the-go families. Joining as well for the Daytona race is Carefree Catering. Offering superior eats, DCR always turns to Carefree Catering when racing in Florida. Lastly, Circle Track Warehouse will be joining too. Circle Track Warehouse sells premium used racing products from full chassis to pit equipment.(Derrike Cope Racing)
AND: Ice-Frost - formerly known as Ice-Aid - the revolutionary, all-natural, ice-enhancement product that turns your cooler into a freezer, announced its ongoing partnership with Derrike Cope Racing as an Associate sponsor along with E-hydrate for the Subway Firecracker 250 Powered by Coca-Cola Daytona Race. Ice-Frost has been present with the DCR team for the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series season in various capacities - as a sponsor and as a product that Derrike and his team not only endorse but use for each race.(Ice-Frost)(6-28-2016)

XFINITY teams saluting Armed Forces at Daytona: In a show of appreciation for the United States Armed Forces, NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers will bear the names of active military units and installations on their race car windshields during Friday's Subway Firecracker 250 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona. The 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Marine Raider Battalion and the USS New York (LPD-21) are among the military units and installations from all five branches that will replace the "XFINITY" header on NASCAR XFINITY Series cars. NASCAR: An American Salute is the industry's collective expression of reverence, respect and gratitude for those who have served and continue to defend the United States today. Last month, NASCAR together with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race teams honored 40 fallen service members with 600 Miles of Remembrance, a similar tribute during Memorial Day Weekend. Several NASCAR XFINITY Series teams have personal or direct connections to the units displayed on their race cars. Driver Brendan Gaughan's windshield will read "23RD STS," representing the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron (U.S. Air Force) from Hurlburt Field in Fort Walton, Fla. Gaughan is one of a handful of civilians recognized as an Honorary Member of the Combat Control Association. Elliott Sadler's windshield will be adorned with Fort Campbell to honor JR Motorsports employee Lee Langley, who served for six years at the Army base as an infantry team leader in the 101st Airborne Division. Ty Dillon and Brandon Jones both work with Hope 4 Warriors and will honor 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines and 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, respectively, from Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C. Justin Allgaier will honor the U.S. Air Force 469th Flight Training Squadron through a personal connection, as Allgaier is friends with Major Robert Harms, one of the pilots serving in that specific unit. The squadron operates out of Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. The special windshield tribute is one of several military activities planned for the Independence Day weekend races at Daytona International Speedway.(DIS)(6-28-2016)

Tifft sidelined with injury UPDATE 2: Matt Tifft's scheduled double-duty weekend at Iowa Speedway has been derailed by injury. Tifft was scheduled to drive the #11 Toyota Tundra for Red Horse Racing in Saturday night's Speediatrics 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Iowa, and the #18 Toyota-backed Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in Sunday's Xfinity Series American Ethanol E15 250. Multiple sources say Tifft is battling a disc problem in his back, and will not compete in either of this weekend's events. He will be replaced in Sunday's Xfinity race by veteran Sam Hornish, Jr., making in his first NASCAR start of the 2016 campaign. No replacement has been confirmed for Saturday night's Truck race. Tifft, a native of Hinckley, Ohio, has run six of 13 races this season on the Xfinity Series, with back-to-back eighth-place finishes in his last two starts at Talladega and Dover. He has also made three Truck Series starts in 2016, with a best showing of fifth at Charlotte Motor Speedway.(Godfather Motorsports)(6-14-2016)
UPDATE: Driver German Quiroga will return to Red Horse Racing again at Iowa Speedway and Gateway Motorsports Park. Quiroga will sub for Matt Tifft at Iowa and pilot the #11 Toyota Tundra as scheduled at Gateway. In addition to finishing in eighth place at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this season, Quiroga piloted the #77 Toyota Tundra for Red Horse Racing in 2013 and 2014, recording five top-five finishes, 16 top-10s and one pole position.(Red Horse Racing)(6-15-2016)
UPDATE 2: Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity Series driver Matt Tifft is out indefinitely after doctors found a brain tumor while treating him for a disk condition in his back. Tifft, 20, will have surgery for what the team described as a slow-growing, low-grade glioma in the brain. He will need to spend time in rehabilitation before being cleared to race. Tifft has competed in six Xfinity races this year, including three in the JGR #18 car. He sat on the pole in April at Talladega, where he finished a career-best eighth. He also finished eighth two weeks later at Dover. In addition to his part-time Xfinity schedule, Tifft was driving a part-time Camping World Truck Series schedule in the Red Horse Racing #11 truck. He finished a career-best fifth in his most recent outing in May at Charlotte. He has seven top-10 finishes in 18 career truck starts.(ESPN)(6-28-2016)

Entry List for the Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway is posted, 41 teams/drivers [for 40 spots] are listed, including: #21-Blaney*, #30-Wise*, #32-Bobby Labonte, #35-Gilliland*, #55-Sorenson*, #95-McDowell, #98-Whitt*.
Drivers who are not a Charter team, an Open Team, and must get in via speed: #21-Blaney, #30-Wise, #35-Gilliland, #55-Sorenson, #98-Whitt
Driver who would miss the race if qualifying is canceled (least race attempts, then owners pts): #35-Gilliland
* Open Team (no Charter)
See the full entry list on Jayski.com's Daytona Entry List

Kennedy & Patrick named in ADWEEK'S '30 Most Powerful Women in Sports': Lesa France Kennedy, CEO of International Speedway Corporation and Vice Chairperson of NASCAR, was named one of ADWEEK'S '30 Most Powerful Women in Sports' in their July issue, on newsstands June 27. The inaugural '30 Most Powerful Women in Sports' list is presented in ADWEEK'S annual Sports Issue. Kennedy is featured along with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Driver #10-Danica Patrick, and other elite athletes, league executives, sports media personalities and sports marketing executives. The winners will be celebrated during the Clio Sports gala in New York on July 7th.(ISC and ADWEEK)(6-27-2016)

Sonoma Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2016 Toyota/Save Mart 350: 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 3:00 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 6:04 PM (all times are EDT). FS1 was the broadcast team for this event. This was the last Fox Sports produced Cup race for this season.
Total number of commercials: 102
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 52
Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 82
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 47
Number of 'Side-by-Side' commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 20
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 12
Number of times FS1 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): 103
Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 2 min. 50 sec.
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 3:00 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 6:04 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 184
Minutes of race broadcast: 153
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 31
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 153 Total comm. brdcst time 31
Total race brdcst time 159 Total comm. brdcst time 38
See past races, more info on the commercials with links at CawsnJaws.com.(6-27-2016)

Brian France talks about weekday races, new Cup sponsor, road course in Chase and more: NASCAR Chairman Brian France appeared on Fox Sports 1's "Race Day" before Sunday's race at Sonoma, some of the Q&A's: Cup Series Title Sposnor hunt:
Q. The title sponsor, Sprint, has been for Cup a tremendous ally, and it runs out this year. Who's the next title sponsor for the Sprint Cup Series?
BRIAN FRANCE: Several companies here as a matter of fact this weekend, a number of companies taking a very hard look. It's a very special asset in sports. It's the only thing you can own outright. So we have a lot of interest, and we just want to make a good decision as we go down the stretch and choose our next partner.
Q. Is there a possibility of two major sponsors?
BRIAN FRANCE: Possible, but I think we have a lot of interest and I would be surprised, but I've been surprised before.
Q. Is there a deadline for you on this? Obviously you have to get it -- the sooner the better.
BRIAN FRANCE: Well, we're right on schedule. We always thought it would be somewhere coming up into the fall, and that's exactly what's happened, so we're right on schedule.
Q. A road course in the Chase in the future?
BRIAN FRANCE: We would be for it. The reality is it's very hard to get the schedule to match up.
Q. More weeknight races maybe, changing on the schedule?
BRIAN FRANCE: Don't see that.
Q. Not even in the summer when people are out of --
BRIAN FRANCE: Don't see that. Moving All-Star race:
Q. All-Star Race location maybe on a rotational basis, maybe a new sponsor says, hey, maybe in Charlotte this year, but it might be at another track next year?
BRIAN FRANCE: Maybe, and there's a lot of interest in that very interesting event, and Charlotte has been good to us for a lot of reasons, but we'll always keep that open.(NASCAR)(6-27-2016)

Hamlin talks about the last lap at Sonoma: #11-Denny Hamlin (second) was the top-finishing Toyota in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway to claim his career-best finish at the 11-turn road course, Hamlin talked to the media after the race, part of the transcript:
Q) What was the last lap like from your vantage point?
Hamlin: "Tony (Stewart) was doing a good job maintaining his tires, a good job of running consistent laps there. Really he gave me an opportunity to get close. On the second to last lap he wheel hopped into (turn) seven, allowed us to get close and I just did a poor job of getting through 11. I was expecting to really drive in deep and I really thought that was going to happen and he did, but I also left the bottom open and that was a bad mistake on my part. Still a great race. I was proud of the FedEx Cares Toyota team for giving me a car that could win. We'll take this and go with it."
What happened on the last lap of the race?
Hamlin: "I was looking rearview more than looking out front. I still got in there with a wheel hop, I was just a little bit in the middle and needed to get a good run. Once he (Tony Stewart) had the inside position, we weren't going to drag race it out. I knew he was going to put me into the wall. He was doing what he had to do and we did what we had to do in turn. All is fair in love and war."
Q) What was your plan to try to beat Tony Stewart for the race win?
Hamlin: "I didn't even think I'd have an opportunity, honestly. He made one mistake in turn seven and allowed us to get closer to him. Overall we had a great FedEx Cares Camry. I don't know how to replay that last lap differently. He made mistakes that allowed me to get there and get position. I made a mistake at the end to get the lead and get position and I made a mistake to give up the lead on the last corner. Just one of those deals. You'd like to be on the winning end of this, but unfortunately we were not on that end."
Q) What would you do differently to win the race?
Hamlin: "Just run slower through turn 11 would be about the only thing I could do differently. Just run slower through there and force him to go on the high side. I just had a feeling he was going to drive in there and turn us around anyway, so I was trying to do all I could."(Toyota Racing)(6-27-2016)

Fox Bestows 'The Byrnsie Awards' to spotter Chris Osborne: FOX NASCAR presented Chris Osborne, Matt Kenseth's spotter, with the second-annual "The Byrnsie Award" during Sunday's NASCAR RACEDAY telecast from Sonoma Raceway on FS1. Osborne, a veteran in the NASCAR garage, was sidelined the first part of the 2016 season after sustaining serious injuries in an accident with a drunk driver during the holidays. In honor of late FOX NASCAR broadcaster Steve Byrnes, whose nickname was 'Byrnsie,' the award was established in 2015 to celebrate an individual in the NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES who embodies principles Byrnes demonstrated daily in his personal and professional life -- preparation, teamwork and family within the garage area. Osbourne was voted the recipient by Byrnes' colleagues on the FOX NASCAR broadcast team, of which he was a member since the first race broadcast in February 2001. Byrnes passed away in April 2015 following a courageous battle with cancer. Bryson Byrnes, Steve's son, introduced the award on-camera from the NASCAR RACE HUB studios in Charlotte, N.C., while FOX NASCAR play-by-play announcer Mike Joy presented the trophy to Osborne on the spotters' stand at Sonoma Raceway.
"The winner of this year's FOX Byrnsie Award is spotter Chris Osborne, who like my dad, displaced tremendous amounts of strength, courage and determination this year in the garage," Bryson said on NASCAR RACEDAY. "Congratulations to Chris. I know that my dad would be very proud." Osborne, affectionately known as "Crazy" in the NASCAR community, suffered severe right leg and foot injuries. His wife, Melissa, sustained major pelvis, hip, shoulder, arm and elbow injuries, while Osborne's son, Austin, sustained a concussion, cracked sternum, partially collapsed lung and broken nose. The NASCAR community rallied around Osborne, one of its most beloved spotters, in the weeks following the accident and throughout the ensuing recovery process. Osborne returned to the spotters' stand at Martinsville Speedway in late March. "It's a privilege to be the recipient of the second Byrnsie Award," Osborne told Joy. "I know Byrnes' love for everything that he had done in this sport ... the determination he had to do his job, and first and foremost, how much he cared for and loved his family, and he put that number one. I feel like our family has been through a lot, and I've tried to do the same. It's a great honor that the FOX group has voted me the second recipient of The Byrnsie Award. I certainly do appreciate it."(FoxSports PR)(6-27-2016)

Eight different winners in last eight races: The last eight Cup points races each have had a different winner: #19-Carl Edwards (Richmond), #2-Brad Keselowski (Talladega), #18-Kyle Busch (Kansas), #20-Matt Kenseth (Dover), #78-Martin Truex Jr. (Charlotte), #41-Kurt Busch (Pocono), #22-Joey Logano (Michigan) and #14-Tony Stewart (Sonoma). It's the longest streak of different winners since there were eight from the 2013 season finale to the first seven races of the 2014 season.(6-27-2016)

XFINITY Entry List: There are 45 cars on the preliminary entry list for Friday's Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway. A few notes:
John Wes Townley is entered in the #05;
Mark Thompson returns to the #13;
Benn Gordon will drive the #14 for TriStar;
Ryan Ellis is in the #15 for Rick Ware;
Matt Tifft returns to the JGR #18;
Corey LaJoie is back in the #24 for JGL;
Scott Lagasse will drive the #25 for Rick Ware;
The Obaika Racing #77 & #97 are TBA;
Bobby Gerhard is entered in his #85;
Joe Nemechek is entered in his #87;
David Starr will drive the #93 for RSS Racing.(6-27-2015)
See the complete list on the Daytona entry list page.

TradeMark Nitrogen sponsoring Allgaier at Daytona: JR Motorsports and TradeMark Nitrogen, a manufacturer and distributor of bulk commodities for the agriculture and industrial markets, have collaborated to create a distinctive "stars and stripes" paint scheme. TradeMark will serve as primary sponsor of the JR Motorsports #7 Chevrolet at Daytona. BRANDT Professional Agriculture will be an associate sponsor. The car will feature the vibrant BRANDT red that fans are familiar with, as well as white and blue to complete the patriotic look. Allgaier's Chevy is similar to July schemes he's run in the past, but comes with some added creative guidance from JR Motorsports owner Dale Earnhardt Jr.(JR Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #7 team paint schemes page.(6-27-2016)

Sieg names Daytona sponsor: RSS Racing welcomes Tri County Landscapes as a primary sponsor for the NASCAR XFINITY race at Daytona International Speedway. Tri County Landscapes has been serving central Florida for the last 20 years for both commercial and residential landscape needs. Additionally, Kingdom Tire & Lube will join the team as an associate sponsor for Daytona.RSS Racing has made significant changes in 2016 in an attempt to grow the organization. The team moved into a brand new shop in Sugar Hill, Georgia earlier in the season. Additionally, veteran crew chief Mike Ford is now overseeing the #39 car driven by Ryan Sieg. Last week it was announced the team will race a second car for the remainder of the 2016 season with David Starr driving and sponsorship from Massimo Motor. Kevin "Cowboy" Starland will call the shots for the #93 driven by Starr.(RSS Racing), see an image of the car on the #39 team paint schemes page.(6-27-2016)

Townley, Gallagher have altercation following crash UPDATE 2: John Wes Townley and Spencer Gallagher wrecked, then wrestled and finally threw a number of punches in Saturday night's Drivin for Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park.Townley was the aggressor, coming down the track after he and Gallagher exited their respective wrecked trucks on Lap 154, grabbing Gallagher in a headlock and threw him to the ground. They clinched and tossed each other around several times, falling to the pavement again, and then Townley appeared to land at least five punches to Gallagher's head, while Gallagher appeared to land just one punch in retaliation. None of the safety workers interceded, prompting a lengthy delay before a NASCAR official arrived on scene and broke up the pair. The race was red flagged for a third time so that the track could be cleaned up. Both drivers were taken to the infield care center to be examined for injuries - in separate ambulances.(NBC Sports)(6-26-2016)
UPDATE: Spencer Gallagher issued a statement regarding his role in the incident: "I would like to take time to address my actions at Gateway Motorsports Park this past weekend. First, I would like to apologize to John Wes Townley. Additionally, to his team and fans, I am sorry. The incident earlier in the race was not intentional and certainly was not meant to cause bigger problems later in the event. My crew, who have worked so hard to get me to where I am this season, did not deserve to have their night ended in that way. My teammates and all of the guys back at the shop deserve more respect than was shown Saturday night. I would also like to apologize to my team owner, who wholeheartedly believes in this organization and expects all of us to perform at our best at all times, no matter the situation. And finally, I would like to extend a sincere apology to the NASCAR community - representatives and fans. I love this sport just as much as all of you and I am ashamed that I was part of an incident that has allowed so many to view what we do in a negative light."(GMS Racing)(6-27-2016)
UPDATE 2: A NASCAR executive stated Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that "there will be repercussions" for the incident between John Wes Townley and Spencer Gallagher during Saturday night's Camping World Truck Series race at Gateway Motorsports Park. Townley and Gallagher had contact during the race that caused Townley's truck to hit the wall. They both wrecked in the final laps. After exiting their vehicles, they soon began scuffling, tumbling to the track and throwing a few punches.
"We'll look at the all the video feeds we have, we certainly talked to both drivers postrace," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "We'll have our discussions. We'll kind of have an evaluation and talk to everyone about where we stand from that. Certainly not our best moment, for sure, two passionate drivers. That's part of things sometimes when emotions run high, but certainly don't like to see that to occur when they're especially on the racetrack."
"We certainly like to see drivers who are going to express their emotions be outside of a race car, that's where we really, really jump in and react when it's drivers using their race cars beyond what is normal for a race," O'Donnell said. "We're going to react heavily when we have to. There will still be repercussions for sure. We want to make sure drivers, if they're going to do anything, are outside of their car but certainly don't encourage what happened at Gateway." (NBC Sports)(6-27-2016)

Tony Stewart wins at Sonoma: #14-Tony Stewart won the Toyota / Save Mart 350 Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway for his 1st win of the season, 3rd win at Sonoma, 8th road course win and 49th career win. It had been 111 races and 84 races run by Stewart since his last win, at Dover in June 2013. With the win and being 9 points out of the top-30 of drivers points, Stewart has a good shot of getting in the Chase. It was the first career win for crew chief Mike Bugarewicz.
#11-Hamlin took the lead on the final lap, went wide on the last turn, Stewart passed the #11 beat and banged with Hamlin who tagged the wall with Stewart racing to the win. Hamlin led the most laps, 33 of 110. Race favorite #47-Allmendinger finished 12th after having a late race penalty for an uncontrolled tire during a pit stop and having to restart in the rear of the field.
#11-Hamlin finished 2nd followed by #22-Logano, #19-Edwards (pole winner), #78-Truex Jr., #4-Harvick, #18-Busch, #31-Newman, #5-Kahne and #41-Busch.
There were 12 lead changes among 8 drivers and 4 cautions for 10 yellow flag laps.
The average speed was 80.966 mph.
Scheduled Race Re-Airs:
Monday, June 27 at 8:30am/et on FS1;
Tuesday, June 28 at 4:00am/et on FS1

Race Fast Facts - Sonoma Raceway:
#14-Tony Stewart won the 28th Annual Toyota/Save Mart 350, his 49th victory in 598 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first victory and third top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his third victory and 10th top-10 finish in 18 races at Sonoma Raceway.
Stewart's last win was at Dover on June 2, 2013. There have been 110 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races since then; Stewart has started 84 of those races.
Stewart is now 32nd in the point standings, nine points out of 30th place and a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
#11-Denny Hamlin (second) posted his third top-10 finish in 11 races at Sonoma Raceway. It is his seventh top-10 finish in 2016.
#22-Joey Logano (third) posted his fourth top-10 finish in eight races at Sonoma Raceway.
#24-Chase Elliott (21st) was the highest finishing rookie.
#4-Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 35 points over #41-Kurt Busch.(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(6-26-2016)

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup CHASE Standings:
[after Sonoma, race 16 of 36, 16 drivers for the Chase]
Set by most wins, then by points standing
1) #18-Busch [3 wins], 9th in driver points
2) #19-Edwards [2 wins], 3rd
3) #2-Keselowski [2 wins], 4th
4) #48-Johnson [2 wins], 7th
5) #4-Harvick [1 win], 1st
6) #41-Busch [1 win], 2nd
7) #22-Logano [1 win], 5th
8) #78-Truex, Jr. [1 win], 8th
9) #20-Kenseth [1 win], 10th
10) #11-Hamlin [1 win], 11th
no wins, in by drivers points standings
11) #24-Elliott, 6th in drivers points
12) #88-Earnhardt Jr., 12th
13) #31-Newman, 13th
14) #3-Dillon, 14th
15) #1-McMurray, 15th
16) #5-Kahne, 16th
has a win, needs to get into the top-30 of drivers points
#14-Stewart [1 win], 32nd, 9 points out of top-30
(6-26-2016)

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Driver Points (not CHASE) Standings:
[after Sonoma, race 16 of 36]
1) #4-Harvick [1 win], 562
2) #41-Busch [1 win], 527, -35
3) #19-Edwards [2 wins], 510, -52
4) #2-Keselowski [2 wins], 506, -56
5) #22-Logano [1 win], 493, -69
6) #24-Elliott, 473, -89
7) #48-Johnson [2 wins], 469, -93
8) #78-Truex Jr. [1 win], 469, -93
9) #18-Busch, [3 wins], 452, -110
10) #20-Kenseth [1 win], 430, -132
See the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings page (pdf) and
Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf)

Stewart comments on his win: #14-Tony Stewart won the Toyota / Save Mart 350 Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway, and few Q&A's:
Q) IS THE IMPACT OF THIS WIN EVEN MORE MEANINGFUL BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF IT?
Stewart: "They're all good; it doesn't matter where you get them. But, we ran close to those guys all day. We just got stuck back in traffic. It's pretty ironic the last one we got was in a Code 3 car and I'm proud to do it again. I'm proud of Mobil 1 and Bass Pro and everybody. It's just an awesome job."
Q) WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR LEGENDARY CAREER AND YOUR EIGHTH ROAD COURSE WIN AND YOUR FINAL YEAR, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO CHALK-UP ANOTHER ONE ON YOUR RACING RESUME?
Stewart: "Especially at a place you're going to for the last time, it means a bunch. It's special, trust me."
Q) I REMEMBER YOUR DAD, WHEN YOU WON THE BRICKYARD FOR THE FIRST TIME. HE KEPT WAVING YOU ON. THAT'S WHAT HE WAS DOING TODAY. WALK US THROUGH THAT EXCITING LAST LAP, AND THEN DENNY HAMLIN'S COMMENTS THROUGH THE CAR WINDOW TO YOU
Stewart: "I made mistakes the last two laps. I had just a little bit too much rear brake for Turn 7, and wheel-hopped it two laps in a row. But, I felt a nudge when I got down there and he knew where it was and he did the right thing doing it there; but if I could get to him, he knew what was coming. He told me he was proud of me. He knows what it means. We were teammates for a long time and we respect each other a lot."(Team Chevy)(6-26-2016)

Sonoma Rookie of the Year Race Results & Points:
#24-Chase Elliott, finished 21st, 11 rookie points
#21-Ryan Blaney, finished 23rd, 10 rookie points
#34-Chris Buescher, finished 30th, 9 rookie points
#44-Brian Scott, finished 33rd, 8 rookie points
#32-Jeffrey Earnhardt, was not entered, Patrick Carpentier in the car
See Jayski.com's 2016 Rookie of the Year page for rules, standings and more.(6-26-2016)

Road Course Wins: All-Time(3 or more wins)
Driver, Wins
Jeff Gordon, 9
Tony Stewart, 8* (with Sonoma win)
Rusty Wallace, 6
Bobby Allison, 6
Richard Petty, 6
Ricky Rudd, 6
Darrell Waltrip, 5
Tim Richmond, 5
Dan Gurney, 5
David Pearson, 4
Mark Martin, 4
Kyle Busch, 4*
Ernie Irvan, 3
Geoff Bodine, 3
Tim Flock, 3
Cale Yarborough, 3
* active

added images of the #3 Dow / Utility, #7 ToyState / Road Rippers Shark, #16 Performance Plus Motor Oil schemes that will run at Sonoma.(6-25-2016)

Toyota Signs Multi-Year Extension with Sonoma Raceway: Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A. and the Northern California Toyota Dealers have signed a multi-year agreement to continue as co-title sponsor of the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway. Toyota, which celebrates its 10th year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2016, has served as co-title sponsor of the Toyota/Save Mart 350, as well as the raceway's official vehicle, since 2007. The three-year extension will mark 13 years of sponsorship with Sonoma Raceway, making Toyota one of the facility's longest-running sponsors. Toyota also signed on as title sponsor of the raceway's NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing event, the Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals (July 29-31), this year. "Sonoma Raceway is one of the premier motorsports venues in the nation and our partnership enables us to showcase the freshest line up of cars, trucks and SUVs in the industry," said Steve Cornelius, president of the Northern California Toyota Dealer Advertising Association.
"Our partnership with Sonoma Raceway is a great opportunity for us to collaborate with the local Toyota dealers to reach and engage with NASCAR fans," said Keith Dahl, general manager, motorsports & marketing asset management, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. "Over the past 10 years we have enjoyed the opportunity to showcase the Toyota brand, experienced great racing in the beautiful Sonoma valley and celebrated four Toyota wins, including Kyle Busch's triumphant return to the winners circle after his injuries last year. We look forward to continuing this rewarding relationship in both NASCAR and NHRA for years to come."
The agreement also includes hospitality, extensive signage, promotional rights and other assets during major event weekends in Sonoma, including comprehensive, interactive displays for race fans during the June NASCAR event. "We could not be more proud of our association with the Toyota brand, their terrific lineup of cars and trucks and the outstanding group of dealers in our region," said Steve Page, Sonoma Raceway president and general manager. "We are grateful for their support of the raceway and our NASCAR and NHRA events, and look forward to working together for many years to come."(Sonoma Raceway)(6-26-2016)

Sonoma Pre-Race Schedule for Sunday, June 26: (eastern time)
1:00:00pm: NSCS Driver/Crew Chief Meeting
2:25:00pm: NSCS Drivers Introductions
2:58:30pm: God Bless America by: Toree McGee
3:00:00pm: Presentation of Colors
3:00:20pm: Invocation by Tim Bove, Track Minister, Sonoma Raceway
3:01:00pm: National Anthem by Q Smith, Transcendence Theatre's Broadway Under the Stars in Sonoma Valley
3:03:00pm: Fly-By: two F-15C's, 114th Fighter Squadron, Kingsley Field, Oregon
3:08:00pm: Command to Start Engines: Ruben Arminana, Sonoma State University President
3:20:00pm: Start of the Toyota/Save Mart 350
eastern time (NASCAR.com)

Sonoma Race Notes & Facts:
· There have been 27 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Sonoma Raceway since the first race there in 1989 - one race per season.
· Hendrick Motorsports has the most wins at Sonoma in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with six: Jeff Gordon (five) and Jimmie Johnson (one).
· Six different manufacturers have won in the series at Sonoma; led by Chevrolet with 10 victories; followed by Ford with seven, Toyota (four), Dodge (three), Pontiac (two) and Buick (one).
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway was the June 27, 1999 race won by Jeff Gordon over Mark Martin with a MOV of 0.197 second.
· Four of the last 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Sonoma have ended with a margin of victory of less than a second.
· There have been three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Sonoma Raceway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): 2008 (110/112); 2009 (110/113) and 2012 (110/112).
· None of the 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Sonoma Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions.
(NASCAR)

Toyota/Save Mart 350 Pit Notes: The following are some points of interest regarding previous NASCAR Cup races in Sonoma, as well as Sonoma Raceway track facts, in advance of this weekend's Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.
" Tony Stewart and Ernie Irvan will become the newest members of the raceway's Wall of Fame, joining fellow NASCAR stars Rusty Wallace (2005), Mark Martin (2005), Jeff Gordon (2006), Ricky Rudd (2007) and Rick Hendrick (2010). Their induction ceremony will be held on Friday at 2:10 p.m. in Sunoco Victory Lane.
" Eighteen drivers have tasted victory in Sonoma: Ricky Rudd ('89, '02), Rusty Wallace ('90, '96), Davey Allison ('91), Ernie Irvan ('92, '94), Geoffrey Bodine ('93), Dale Earnhardt ('95), Mark Martin ('97), Jeff Gordon ('98-'00, '04, '06), Tony Stewart ('01, '05), Robby Gordon ('03), Juan Pablo Montoya ('07), Kyle Busch ('08,'15), Kasey Kahne ('09), Jimmie Johnson ('10), Kurt Busch ('11), Clint Bowyer ('12), Martin Truex Jr. ('13) and Carl Edwards ('14).
" Jeff Gordon is the only driver to win five NASCAR races in Sonoma (1998 - 2000, '04, '06). There are four two-time winners: Ernie Irvan, ('92, '94), Ricky Rudd ('89, '02), Tony Stewart ('01, '05) and Rusty Wallace ('90, '96).
" Brothers Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch finished 1-2, respectively, at Sonoma Raceway in 2015; it marked the first time the brothers ever finished 1-2 in Sprint Cup Series competition.
" Elk Grove native Kyle Larson set the raceway's qualifying record last year at 96.568 mph (74.186). Clint Bowyer holds the record for fastest race winner with an average speed of 83.624 mph (2012).
" Jeff Gordon holds the record for the most races led at 12. Gordon has led 22 times for a total of 440 laps, the most of any driver. He also holds the record for most laps completed in Sonoma, completing 2,227 of 2,551 laps.
" Jeff Gordon holds the record for the most poles with five ('98, '99, '01, '04, '05).
" The track record for the most lead changes was set in 2011, as nine drivers exchanged the lead 12 times.
" Dale Earnhardt won his only NASCAR road-course race in Sonoma in 1995.
" Juan Pablo Montoya holds the track record for the greatest winning improvement when he started 32nd and went on to win in 2007.
" Juan Pablo Montoya was the first rookie ever to win a NASCAR Cup event in Sonoma.
" The closest margin of victory occurred in 1999 when Jeff Gordon held off Mark Martin by .197 seconds.
Terry Labonte and Michael Waltrip share the track record for the biggest improvement from qualifying to finish at 36 positions. In 2002, Labonte started 39th and finished third. Waltrip started 40th and finished fourth in 2004.
" Ernie Irvan (1994), Mark Martin (1997) and Jeff Gordon (1998, '99 and 2004) are the only drivers to win a race starting from the pole.
Track Facts
" In 2016, Sonoma Raceway installed more than 5,000 square feet of high-resolution, full LED Panasonic screens. An 85-foot tall, four-sided LED scoring tower has replaced the outdated lap/leader board above Turn 1 of the road course, and an 84- x 12-foot Panasonic LED screen has been added to the front of the three-story Drag Tower building.
" The Sonoma Raceway road course features more than 160 feet of elevation change from its highest point (Turn 3a, 174 feet) to its lowest point (Turn 10, 14 feet).
" The berms on the turns of the road course are painted blue and gold at the suggestion of raceway President and General Manager Steve Page, who attended UC Berkeley.
" The property on which the raceway was built was a working farm called Sears Point Farm in the early 1900s.
" In 2011, in a partnership with Panasonic Corporation of North America, the raceway completed a solar installation of nearly 1,700 solar panels, which offsets approximately 41% of the raceway's energy usage.
" Drivers who complete the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup race will make 1,100 turns around the road course. The race spans 110 laps.
" Nearly 3,000 sheep, housed at the raceway and provided by Rocky Mountain Wooly Weeders, provide natural land care, helping to maintain the facility's grasses and fire lanes.
" Winners in Sonoma celebrate with a sip from the Champion's Goblet in the Sunoco Victory Lane. The goblet, which is handcrafted by a local glass blower from Oakland, was introduced in 2006 and incorporates the raceway's rich wine country heritage.
" The raceway has collected more than 540 tons of materials (1,078,170 pounds) since the inception of its recycling program in 2004.
(Sonoma Raceway)(6-26-2016)

Keselowski considering Indy 500 run: #2-Brad Keselowski's recent IndyCar run at Road America was more than a play day for NASCAR's 2012 champion, Team Penske's president confirmed Saturday. Keselowski has interest in running in an Indianapolis 500, perhaps as soon as next year, and it could happen, Tim Cindric told IndyStar. "I'd say 20% (chance)," Cindric said. "Never say never." Keselowski ran the car June 15, getting in Simon Pagenaud's #22 after Pagenaud ran a few laps to provide a baseline setup. Keselowski covered more than 40 laps around the 14-turn, 4.048-mile permanent road course, Cindric said, which equates to about 170 miles. The team allowed Keselowski to use three sets of Firestone tires. Only about half of the IndyCar Series field participated in the session, and it's believed Keselowski was 3-4 seconds off the pace of the slowest car. But Cindric said getting Keselowski experience was more important than him posting a hot lap. Moments after the session, IndyCar reported Keselowski saying, "I've got to let it soak in here (and) think about it." Keselowski later tweeted: "One of the best days of my life."(Indianapolis Star)(6-26-2016)

Kurt Busch plans to compete in Gulf 12 Hours: #41-Kurt Busch's next challenge could come this December in the Gulf 12 Hours - possibly alongside MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo in a GT car. Busch, who has dabbled in IndyCar and dragsters, now has his eyes set on sports cars - but more importantly the Yas Marina Circuit, site of the Formula 1 finale. Following his trip to Baku for the European Grand Prix, Busch jetted to Abu Dhabi where he tested a F3000 car at the Yas Marina on Tuesday. Last year's podium in the Gulf 12 Hours featured a Ferrari 458, Mercedes SLS and an Aston Martin Vantage. But Busch's objective was to simply get a feel for the circuit. "It would be like a Pirelli World Challenge Series-type car," Busch said. "They've been doing the 12 Hours the last few years. I got turned onto it by Monster Energy about the possibility of going and racing alongside Jorge Lorenzo from MotoGP and perhaps another Monster Energy athlete. "So to help with the transition, if I was to go run that race, to have track laps so I somewhat know the circuit and don't go in there as blind as I would if I just raced the race in December...It was a blast to run the big circuit and get some laps in case I run the 12-hour race."(Motorsport)(6-26-2016)

Elliott wins NASCAR West Series race in Sonoma: Chase Elliott landed himself in Victory Lane on Saturday at Sonoma Raceway. The Hendrick Motorsports rookie competed in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race, logging valuable road-course laps before Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race. After qualifying 16th for Sunday's Cup race, Elliott strapped into his No. 24 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevy and took the green flag from the pole position.(HMS)(6-26-2016)

Stewart and Irvan Inducted Into Sonoma Raceway Wall of Fame: Steve Page Sonoma Raceway's president and general manager introduced 2016 Wall of Fame Honorees Ernie Irvan and Tony Stewart before a crowd of vocal and enthusiastic fans and media. Page said, the Wall of Fame was started "a decade ago as a way to honor the legacy and thank those" who have contributed to the history of the circuit. Both drivers are two-time winners here. Page called the 1992 race, in which Irvan from the back of the grid "one of the most remarkable races" he'd ever seen. When asked about his part in the fast growth of NASCAR in the 1990s, Irvan said, "I'm just one part of it. Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough and others " set the stage for the explosive growth the sport experienced. Stewart thanked Page with mixed emotions, "I've always looked forward to coming here," noting he marked the date in his calendar. And now looking ahead to last race, at the Sprint Cup level, he felt a bit sentimental. That said, Stewart who will retire from his ride at the team he co-owns with Gene Haas stressed that this was his last year in driving in Sprint Cup but not as a driver in other series, "I can't wait to start the second part of my career."(Sonoma Raceway)(6-26-2016)

Live With Kelly and... Jeff Gordon? UPDATE: Retired racing legend Jeff Gordon has zoomed to the top of ABC's short list to succeed Michael Strahan as Kelly Ripa's new Live co-host, TVLine has learned. Gordon has experience sitting alongside Ripa. During the Live With Regis and Kelly era, he served as Ripa's sidekick nine times. (He even did a stint opposite Reege in 2001 before Ripa came on board). He most recently appeared on the show in June 2015, but just as a guest. Since retiring from professional stock car racing in 2015, the 44-year-old Gordon has transitioned into broadcasting (he currently serves as a Fox NASCAR analyst). Should he snag the Live gig, his career path would closely mirror that of the man he'd be replacing; Strahan, who exited Live last month for a full-time gig at Good Morning America, also segued into broadcasting after retiring from the NFL. Live is expected to continue pairing Ripa with a parade of guest co-hosts until a final decision is made later this summer. Other names in the permanent co-host mix include former Grinder star Rob Lowe and Ripa's BFF Anderson Cooper. Gordon's spokesperson, declined TVLine's request for comment.(TVLine)(6-18-2016)
UPDATE: Jeff Gordon talks about possible talk show gig: On Saturday morning at Sonoma Raceway, Jeff Gordon affirmed his commitment to his position as an analyst in the FOX Sports television booth. But that doesn't mean Gordon is ruling out moonlighting as co-host for "Live with Kelly." Prevalent rumors have Gordon on the short list to fill the role of departed Michael Strahan as Kelly Ripa's sidekick on the show. "Well, I'm flattered that my name has been associated with that," said Gordon, who has filled in as an occasional co-host of the show. "You know, I've always maintained a great friendship with the show and some of the producers and folks within the show. I had a great time co-hosting on that show, and I mean, I certainly would welcome it. My priority is FOX and FOX Sports and NASCAR, so I will definitely be back in the booth next year. If there was something that would fit into and around that-great. I don't know if that's a reality, but it's been really interesting kind of seeing that unfold. I really don't have anything that I can say about it."(NASCAR Wire Service and see an Q&A at the Charlotte Observer)(6-26-2016)

Dylan Lupton to make Sprint Cup Series debut at Sonoma: Wilton, California native Dylan Lupton will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in the Toyota / Save Mart 350 after successfully qualifying Saturday afternoon at Sonoma Raceway. Lupton in a third BK Racing (#93 Bell Bros / Elk Grove Toyota) entry went out early during Round 1 of Sprint Cup Series qualifying and laid down the 38th quickest lap overall and third quickest among the five drivers that had to qualify on-time to earn a starting berth into the sixteenth race of the season. By earning the third of four "open" spots, the 22-year-old Lupton will make a lifelong dream come true tomorrow, being one of the 40 starters in NASCAR's elite division. Lupton is attempting his third NASCAR race of the season after competing in back-to-back NASCAR XFINITY Series events earlier this season at Phoenix and Auto Club Speedway respectively. For his Cup debut, Lupton, a native of Wilton, California has paired with his XFINITY Series crew chief Mike Ford who led Lupton to a ninth place finish at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course last year. The finish was a career-best for Lupton and his Athenian Motorsports team in XFINITY Series competition. The recent UNC Charlotte graduate has two NASCAR K&N Pro Series West (NKSW) races at the 1.99-mile 10-turn venue driving for Bob Bruncati, Lupton has a best finish of third, while also producing a respectable eighth place finish after a late race charge from the back of the field in his track debut in 2013. "This is such a blessing to make my Sprint Cup Series debut tomorrow at Sonoma. I was hoping we would be a little faster than we were today, but we made more gains and that's a good feeling heading into the race tomorrow", said Lupton. "I've learned so much about these cars, myself and the track this weekend, it's really been an experience I'll never forget. I can't thank Bell Bros., Elk Grove Toyota, BK Racing, my family and friends for all their support this weekend. I can't begin to tell you what this debut means to me, I'm just excited to take the green flag tomorrow!"(Dylan Lupton PR)(6-26-2016)

Toyota Signs Multi-Year Extension with Sonoma Raceway: Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A. and the Northern California Toyota Dealers have signed a multi-year agreement to continue as co-title sponsor of the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway. Toyota, which celebrates its 10th year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2016, has served as co-title sponsor of the Toyota/Save Mart 350, as well as the raceway's official vehicle, since 2007. The three-year extension will mark 13 years of sponsorship with Sonoma Raceway, making Toyota one of the facility's longest-running sponsors. Toyota also signed on as title sponsor of the raceway's NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing event, the Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals (July 29-31), this year. "Sonoma Raceway is one of the premier motorsports venues in the nation and our partnership enables us to showcase the freshest line up of cars, trucks and SUVs in the industry," said Steve Cornelius, president of the Northern California Toyota Dealer Advertising Association.
"Our partnership with Sonoma Raceway is a great opportunity for us to collaborate with the local Toyota dealers to reach and engage with NASCAR fans," said Keith Dahl, general manager, motorsports & marketing asset management, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. "Over the past 10 years we have enjoyed the opportunity to showcase the Toyota brand, experienced great racing in the beautiful Sonoma valley and celebrated four Toyota wins, including Kyle Busch's triumphant return to the winners circle after his injuries last year. We look forward to continuing this rewarding relationship in both NASCAR and NHRA for years to come."
The agreement also includes hospitality, extensive signage, promotional rights and other assets during major event weekends in Sonoma, including comprehensive, interactive displays for race fans during the June NASCAR event. "We could not be more proud of our association with the Toyota brand, their terrific lineup of cars and trucks and the outstanding group of dealers in our region," said Steve Page, Sonoma Raceway president and general manager. "We are grateful for their support of the raceway and our NASCAR and NHRA events, and look forward to working together for many years to come."(Sonoma Raceway)(6-26-2016)

ISC focused on Phoenix, Richmond enhancements: With the Daytona Rising project's transition to gleaming motorsports stadium reaching completion this year, International Speedway Corporation's next initiative aims to bring similar enhancements to other tracks in its portfolio. Lesa France Kennedy, CEO of ISC, revealed during NASCAR's preseason media tour that two tracks in particular -- Phoenix International Raceway and Richmond International Raceway -- were targeted for comparable improvements. Speaking Thursday after her induction into the Cynopsis Sports Hall of Fame in New York, Kennedy provided updates on the two tracks, which both host two annual events for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. "We're continuing to look at both Phoenix and Richmond," Kennedy told NASCAR.com. "They're terrific markets, first of all, and also facilities that I think would really benefit to take it to the next level with some of the features that we saw at Daytona Rising that worked well and that our fans enjoyed. We're continuing to work on the plans. As you know, sometimes it takes several years to develop the plans and then to go through the construction process, but we're deep in the middle of it with both of those. We'll look forward to those plans rolling out." Daytona International Speedway's transformation spanned approximately two and a half years from the Rising project's groundbreaking in July 2013 to its full-fledged debut at Speedweeks in January and February. Kennedy said no specific timetable was in place for plans at Phoenix or Richmond. "We're very active right now," Kennedy said. "We've been looking at both of those tracks, but also all of our tracks. Those are the two that we're laser-focused on right now."(NASCAR.com)(6-26-2016)

Race Coverage of the Toyota / Save Mart 350 Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway is scheduled for Sunday, June 26, 2016.
Television (TV): FS1 at 3:00 pm/et; Pre-Race show at 1:30 pm/et; green flag approx. 3:20pm/et
Live posts via Twitter at JAYSKI.com's Twitter
Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN) and Sirius XM Satellite NASCAR Radio 90
Scheduled Race Re-Airs:
Monday, June 27 at 8:30am/et on FS1;
Tuesday, June 28 at 4:00am/et on FS1

Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Toyota / Save Mart 350 Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway have been made.
Pole sitter #19-Edwards chose pit stall 11, which is just before the start-finish line.
Outside pole sitter #47-Allmendinger took pit stall 2, which is the first pit stall with an opening in front of it.
#78-Truex Jr., who starts 3rd took the 27th pit stall, with an opening behind it.
The final pit stall was taken by #14-Stewart, who starts 10th.
Three pit stalls have been eliminated: 1, 22, 31; are not in play, do not count towards driving through more than three pit boxes
#20-Kenseth's team failed a 4th inspection and lost it's choice to choose a pit stall and will be in stall 6.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on Jayski.com's Pit Stall Selection chart.

Kenseth loses pit stall selection after car fails inspection: The #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of Matt Kenseth received its fourth inspection warning of the year Saturday at Sonoma. Per the NASCAR rulebook, as a result the team will lose its pit-stall selection for the Sunday's Save Mart/Toyota 350 and will get whatever pit stall is left after the other 39 teams chose their respective spots. Kenseth's car got the warning for a pre-qualifying inspection issue, NASCAR officials said. During time trials at Sonoma, Kenseth qualified 23rd (FoxSports), the team was left with pit stall 6. To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on Jayski.com's Pit Stall Selection chart.(6-25-2016)

Edwards wins Sonoma pole: #19-Carl Edwards won the Coors Light pole for the Toyota / Save Mart 350(k) Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway with speed of 95.777mph for his 3rd pole of 2016, 1st at Sonoma, 2nd road course pole and 19th of his career. Edwards has won three races from the pole in his career.
#47-Allmendinger will start 2nd, followed by #78-Truex, Jr., #41-Busch, #42-Larson, #11-Hamlin, #22-Logano, #18-Busch, #27-Menard, #14-Stewart, #10-Patrick and #2-Keselowski.
#19-Edwards was fastest in the first round at 96.301mph. He starts on the pole(1st).
Drivers who will miss the race: #55-Cody Ware, was 41st fastest
See round-by-round qualifying results on the Sonoma qualifying results page (pdf) and the complete starting lineup on the Sonoma Starting Lineup page (pdf).(6-25-2016)

Sonoma Raceway - Qualifying Fast Facts:
#19-Carl Edwards won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 28th Annual Toyota/Save Mart 350 with a lap of 74.799 seconds, 95.777 mph.
This is his 19th pole in 425 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his third pole and 12th top-10 start in 2016.
This is his first pole in 12 races at Sonoma Raceway.
#47-AJ Allmendinger (second) posted his fourth top-10 start of 2016 and his fourth in eight races at Sonoma Raceway.
#78-Martin Truex Jr (third) posted his fourth top-10 start at Sonoma Raceway. It is his 10th in 16 races this season.
#24-Chase Elliott (16th) was the fastest qualifying rookie.(NASCAR Statistics)(6-25-2016)

First Round of Qualifying for the Toyota / Save Mart 350(k) Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway is over, after 25 scheduled minutes.
#19-Edwards 96.301
#78-Truex Jr. 95.823
#18-Busch 95.806
#22-Logano 95.765
#14-Stewart 95.621
the rest of the top 12: 27 2 47 41 10 11 42;
out of the top 12 and not advancing to round 2: 88 13 48 24 31 15 5 95 1 44 20 3 4 21 17 6 43 23 7 16 83 32 98 34 38 93 30 46 55
Drivers who will miss the race: #55-Cody Ware, was 41st fastest
(6-25-2016)

Qualifying Order for the Toyota / Save Mart 350(k) Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway is posted. 41 cars/drivers are listed.
The first driver to be lined up on pit road will be #20-Kenseth.
The final driver lined up on pit road will be #43-Almirola.
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 Qualifying Order Page (pdf).

Stewart wants to race what makes him happy..not a Sprint Cup car: #14-Tony Stewart, met with members of the media at Sonoma Raceway following getting inducted into the Sonoma Wall of Fame. The transcript in part:
Q) ON BEING INDUCTED INTO THE SONOMA WALL OF FAME:
Stewart: "Anytime you get inducted into anything it's a huge honor. This has always been one of my favorite race tracks. To be on their wall of fame that means something to me."
Q) WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO MISS THE MOST ABOUT DRIVING IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES?
Stewart: "I don't know, after practice this morning not much. I had Jamie McMurray screw us up on a lap. He was trying to do a qualifying lap. Some of the things some of these guys do nowadays doesn't make sense. When we had Dale (Earnhardt) Sr. and Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett and those guys they were able to get their arms around these guys and get them to listen and make sense. There is really nobody here that can do that anymore. Everybody is out of control out there."
Q) YOU ARE YOU STILL COMPETITIVE WHY ARE YOU STEPPING BACK?
Stewart: "Because I'm ready to go run stuff that makes me happy and driving a Sprint Cup car does not make me happy right now. Like I said, a lot of things have changed. The atmosphere has changed. There is so much stuff in the garage area that has changed that it was time for me to make a change with it. I've dedicated 18 years of my life to this series and it's done great by me. I've made a great living doing it, but at the same time there are other things in life I want to do other than be at a NASCAR track three days a week for 38 weekends out of 52 weeks a year. There are just other things I want to do now. I never dreamed there was going to be a time that I was going to think about something like this. It wasn't overnight. There were weeks that you would think about 'man I really want to go to Monaco and see the Monaco Grand Prix or I really want to go to Knoxville, Iowa and be out there for the A-main of the Knoxville Nationals or the Kings Royal at Eldora.' There are things I want to do that because of our schedule you don't have time to do it. There is just not enough time to do everything you want to do. It's time for me to do this."
Q) YOU TALKED EARLIER ABOUT BEING NOSTALGIC THAT THIS IS YOUR LAST NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RACE AT SONOMA TALK ABOUT THAT AND NEXT WEEK IS GOING TO BE YOUR LAST RACE AT DAYTONA:
Stewart: "Definitely next week there is nothing I'm going to miss about that. But this has always been a cool place. This track is one where you race the race track. It's you against the track every week. The restarts create the carnage here and guys doing stupid stuff, but when you get into a run and you get a long green flag run like that that is when it's fun here because you are racing the race track and what you've got to do to make yourself fast. It's not that same feeling of wheel to wheel competition that you get other places, but this track is more challenging than the competition is. If you can beat the track, you can win the race too."(Team Chevy)(6-25-2016)

No Aero Changes for Daytona: NASCAR will return to Daytona International Speedway next week with the same basic aerodynamic package that it used for the Daytona 500 and Talladega earlier this year. After three cars got airborne at Talladega, NASCAR vowed to take a look too see if it should make any changes to the cars. Six days before cars are scheduled for practice at Daytona, NASCAR opted not to make any changes, executive vice president Steve O'Donnell said. "The one car that got in the air on its own was the 20 car [of Matt Kenseth] and we looked at that. ... Based on what we saw for the initial Daytona race, we're satisfied with the race package we have," O'Donnell said Friday at Sonoma Raceway. Drivers obviously don't want their cars to get airborne, but they also don't agree on the fix needed. NASCAR has some new rules as far as the bolting on the deck lid for Daytona, but that has more to do with teams working in that area to get a speed advantage. NASCAR slightly decreased the amount of horsepower generated by Sprint Cup cars at restrictor-plate tracks for the 2016 season.(ESPN)(6-25-2016)

Microsoft and NASCAR team up, new system debut's at Sonoma: Microsoft and NASCAR have worked in concert to develop a race management system that will consolidate six different aspects of race-day data into a single-screen interface, providing one platform for data management using Windows 10 and Microsoft Azure. The system, which is being rolled out this weekend at Sonoma Raceway, will revolutionize the way NASCAR runs races, both in terms of the inspection process and data analytics. "NASCAR has really put an emphasis, especially over the last 18 months, on new technology," NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell said Friday morning during a press briefing at Sonoma. (It involves) how we can bring things more quickly to the fans, really put them inside the driver's seat, but equally as important, how we can work together to be more efficient from a governing standpoint, especially when it comes to race control. We're really proud to have partnered with Microsoft, obviously a global leader in technology. What they've been able to do for us in a really short 18-month time span is incredible." From the single-screen interface, officials can follow the positions of every car in the field using a layout of the track, or they can isolate individual cars or groups of cars by category (top 10 or lead lap, for example). Data for the individual cars also is available, as are video captures of pit stops and potential pit road penalties. The partnership with Microsoft will even help inform NASCAR with respect to new rules decisions.(NASCAR Wire Service)(6-25-2016)

Shark scheme for Reagn Smith at Sonoma: #7-Regan Smith will be driving a shark themed Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevy this weekend at Sonoma Raceway as sponsors Nikko RC, Toy State and Road Rippers prepare for Shark Week. Smith and the TBR team are excited to bring a shark themed car to the track as it is a replica of the Road Rippers Mini Monster Rides - Hammer Head Shark you can find in stores across the nation. There are five Mini Monster Rides and each one is kid-powered with monstrous tires and cool sounds Smith on Sonoma: "I'm looking forward to heading to Sonoma for our first road course race of the season. The #7 Nikko RC/Road Rippers Monster Shark Chevrolet is looking pretty fierce and we are hoping for a great finish."(TBR) see an image of the scheme on the #7 Team Schemes page (6-25-2016)

Go Fas Racing to endorse OneOrlando Fund in Daytona: Go Fas Racing (GFR) announced that they will be working alongside their sponsors and local organizations to garner support for the OneOrlando fund next weekend at Daytona International Speedway. The OneOrlando fund was created by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to help aid the victims of the June 12th terrorist attack at the Pulse Nightclub. During next weekend's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway the #32 Ford driven by Bobby Labonte will be displaying the website's links and more information to urge all NASCAR fans and sponsors to donate directly to the cause in the name of our great sport. For GFR owner Archie St.Hilaire who is a native of Maine he understands firsthand the tragic impact of these types of events after witnessing the terrorist attack that took place during the Boston Marathon on April 15th, 2013. St. Hilaire is trusting that the efforts of his team will show that all NASCAR fans stand behind Orlando. For more informing on how you can join the effort, please visit www.OneOrlando.org, and spread the word on your favorite social media platform by using #OrlandoUnited. Donations can also be made on your mobile device by texting ORLANDO to 501501 to make a $10 donation.(Go Fas Racing Facebook)(6-25-2016)

Lesa France Kennedy inducted into Cynopsis Hall of Fame: International Speedway Corporation CEO Lesa France Kennedy was inducted Thursday into the Cynopsis Sports Hall of Fame at the New York Athletic Club. Kennedy was feted at the organization's fifth annual Sports Business Summit in New York. She joined ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen (left in the above photograph) and Major League Baseball executive Billy Bean as inductees recognized for their roles in transforming the sports world and its influence on popular culture. Mark Lazarus, the chairman of NBC Sports Group, presented Kennedy for enshrinement. A large component of Kennedy's plan for enhancements debuted this season at Daytona International Speedway's Speedweeks, when the Daytona Rising vision came to life. The $400 million project, which broke ground in July 2013, reshaped ISC's flagship facility with state-of-the-art amenities.(NASCAR.com)
ESPN Founder Bill Rasmussen, the legendary entrepreneur who single-handedly changed the way the world watches sports and television, as well as Kennedy and Sports Illustrated's Peter King and Major League Baseball's Vice President of Social Responsibility & Inclusion, Billy Bean.(New York Sports Day)(6-25-2016)

Bell wins Truck Series Race at Gateway: #4-Christopher Bell won a memorable Drivin' For Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park on Saturday night, holding off #41-Ben Rhodes following a restart two laps from the finish. The win was the 50th team win for Kyle Busch Motorsports. #19-Daniel Hemric, #21-Johnny Sauter, #51-Erik Jones, #8-John Hunter Nemechek, #11-German Quiroga, #24-Kaz Grala, #33-Ben Kennedy, and #17-Timothy Peters followed in the top-10.
Rhodes started from the pole after rain forced NASCAR to set the field based on the 2016 rulebook. He led 4 laps throughout the night.
There were 9 cautions for 44 laps and 8 lead changes among 6 leaders. There were also three red flag periods for extended cleanup following on-track incidents. The final red flag occurred with just over 5 laps remaining when #05-John Wes Townley and #23-Spencer Gallagher wrecked. The two exited their vehicles, and Townley confronted Gallagher. Safety workers failed to intervene as they exchanged their displeasure with one another, displaying potentially penalty-worthy behavior.
After all of the yellow flags slowed the event, the average speed was 89.021mph.
Complete results are on the Gateway race results page (pdf).(6-25-2016)

Gateway Race Fast Facts:
Christopher Bell won the 3rd Annual Drivin' for Linemen 200, his second victory in 16 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his first victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2016. It is also Bell's first victory on asphalt. His first career win came at the Eldora Speedway dirt track, last year.
With the victory, Kyle Busch Motorsports ties Roush Fenway Racing for the all-time series wins lead, with 50 victories.
Ben Rhodes (second) scored his career-best finish. It is his fourth top-10 finish in 2016.
Daniel Hemric (third) posted his second top-10 finish in two races at Gateway Motorsports Park.
William Byron # leads the point standings by 1 points over Matt Crafton.
(NASCAR Statistics)(6-25-2016)

Driver standings following Gateway:
1) #9-William Byron #, 226
2) #88-Matt Crafton, 225, -1
3) #17-Timothy Peters, 221, -5
4) #19-Daniel Hemric, 216, -10
5) #21-Johnny Sauter, 204, -22
6) #8-John Hunter Nemechek, 192, -34
7) #33-Ben Kennedy, 192 -34
8) #29-Tyler Reddick, 191, -35
9) #4-Christopher Bell #, 185, -41
10) #41-Ben Rhodes, #, 181, -45
See complete standings on the driver standings page (pdf).(6-25-2016)

Owner Standings following Gateway are posted (pdf).(6-25-2016)

Lucky Dogs - Who got a lap back on each caution at Gateway: (and their finish)
Caution 1: #1-Cobb, 29th
Caution 2: #71-Contreras, 30th
Caution 3: #49-Boyd, 19th
Caution 4: #51- Jones,5th
Caution 5: #50-Tvapil, 25th
Caution 6: #71-Contreras, 30th
Caution 7: #71-Contreras, 30th
Caution 8: #71-Contreras, 30th
Caution 9: none
(6-25-2016)

Rhodes on pole at Gateway: #41-Ben Rhodes will start from the pole for the Drivin' For Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park after rain knocked out qualifying. The field was set based on combined practice speeds. Rhodes paced both sessions. He will be followed by: #21-Johnny Sauter, #9-William Byron, #8-John Hunter Nemechek, #11-German Quiroga, #81-Ryan Truex, #29-Tyler Reddick, #00-Cole Custer, #4-Christopher Bell, and #13-Cameron Hayley.
All entered trucks made the event. See complete lineup on the Starting lineup (pdf) page.(6-25-2016)

Rhodes fastest in final Truck practice: #41-Ben Rhodes was fastest in final practice for the Drivin' For Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park with a speed of 135.755mph. He was followed by #21-Johnny Sauter, #8-John Hunter Nemechek, #11-German Quiroga, #81-Ryan Truex, #29-Tyler Reddick, #4-Christopher Bell, #00-Cole Custer, #13-Cameron Hayley, and #23-Spencer Gallagher. 31 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Gateway practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(6-25-2016)

Rhodes fastest in first Truck practice: #41-Ben Rhodes was fastest during opening practice at Gateway Motorsports Park with a speed of 135.738mph. #9-William Byron was second, followed by #00-Cole Custer, #81-Ryan Truex, #21-Johnny Sauter, #51-Erik Jones, #19-Daniel Hemric, #23-Spencer Gallagher, #32-Justin Haley, #8-John Hunter Nemechek. 30 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Gateway practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(6-25-2016)

Truck Series Entry List: There are 34 trucks on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's Drivin' For Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park. A few notes:
Jennifer Jo Cobb is in the #1;
Tyler Young is back in the #02;
The #10 is TBA;
Austin Hill is in the #20;
Justin Haley is in the #32;
Cody Coughlin is in the #51;
Ryan Truex is back in the #81;
The #92 is not entered;
(6-22-2016)
UPDATE: Erik Jones is in for Cody Coughlin in the #51;
(6-22-2016)
UPDATE 2:Caleb Roark is in the #10;Enrique Contreras is in the #71; the #6-Benning and #20-Hill withdrew.
(6-25-2016)
See the complete list on the Gateway entry list page.

Coverage of Qualifying for the Toyota / Save Mart 350 Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway is scheduled for Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 2:15pm/et.
Television (TV): FS1, 2:00pm/et
Radio: Live online at Performance Racing Network (PRN)
Scheduled Qualifying Re-Air: Sunday, June 26 at 8:30am/et on FS1

Road Course Qualifying Format: Qualifying will consist of two elimination rounds to determine the starting grid. The first elimination round will last 25 minutes and include all cars. The 12 cars that post the fastest single lap will advance to the final round. The remaining cars will be sorted based on their times posted in the first round of qualifying in descending order. The final qualifying round will last 10 minutes and the fastest single lap time will determine positions 1 through 12 in descending order. The fastest driver in the final round will earn the pole position for the race.

Happy Hour practice for the Toyota / Save Mart 350(k) Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway is over, after 85 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#88-Earnhardt Jr. 95.298
#13-Mears 95.255
#11-Hamlin 95.243
#19-Edwards 95.157
#18-Busch 95.144
slowest: #46-Annett 90.490 & #55-Ware 91.700
best 10 consecutive lap ave: #78-Truex Jr. 92.982
most laps run: #16-Biffle 31; #34-Buescher 29
Notes: The five drivers who will race for four starting spots in qualifying on Saturday: #98-Whitt was 23rd fastest, #21-Blaney was 35th, #30-Wise was 36th, #93-Lupton was 37th and #55-Ware was 40th.
After running one lap, #18-Busch hit a rabbit on the track which did some damage to the car with the team having to replace the brake duct in the nose of the car. Busch made it back out on the track and ran 16 more laps.
Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday, June, 25 at 2:15pm/et, TV=FS1.
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10 consecutive lap ave on the Sonoma Happy Hour Practice speeds page (pdf) (6-24-2016)

First Friday practice for the Toyota / Save Mart 350(k) Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway is over, after 115 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#42-Larson 95.141
#1-McMurray 94.544
#78-Truex Jr. 94.498
#88-Earnhardt Jr. 94.430
#19-Edwards 94.319
slowest: #55-Ware 88.472 & #46-Annett 89.158
Notes: just as the first practice started, #7-Smith's car left oil on the track, causing about a 20 minute red flag. No damage to the engine, but took some time for the track workers to clean the track.
Happy Hour (final) practice is scheduled for 6:30 to 7:55pm/et TV=FS1.
Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday, June, 25 at 2:15pm/et, TV=FS1
See fastest speeds, laps run, best 10 consecutive lap ave on the Sonoma Practice 1 speeds page (pdf) (6-24-2016)

#32 Ford to feature special Dale Earnhardt throwback scheme at Darlington: The #32 Ford will pay tribute to driver Jeffrey Earnhardt's grandfather, the late Dale Earnhardt, with a design that combines the #3 and #2 driven by Dale Earnhardt in 1981, on his way to earning 17 top-ten finishes and nine top five, including a sixth place finish in the Southern 500 at Darlington. "I'm pretty excited to have the famous yellow and blue paint scheme in honor of my Grandfather for this year's Southern 500," said Jeffrey Earnhardt. "My grandfather ran this paint scheme in 1981, when he started the season as the No.2 car driving for Rod Osterlund. When Richard Childress purchased the team halfway through the season it became the famous #3 car, so you have that 32 connection, so it's pretty cool to have the chance to bring it back this year. I know we'll have a lot of fun with it, and hope the all the great fans enjoy it as well."(CorvetteParts.net Facebook page)
AND Go Fas Racing (GFR) is pleased to unveil the throwback paint scheme that the #32 CorvetteParts.Net Ford Fusion will carry this September in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Darlington Raceway. The #32 Ford Fusion will pay tribute to Jeffrey Earnhardt's grandfather Dale Earnhardt with a design that combines the #3 and #2 driven by Dale Earnhardt in 1981, on his way to earning 17 top-ten finishes and nine top five, including a sixth place finish in the Southern 500 at Darlington.
"Sometimes things just fall together at the right time," said Go Fas Racing owner Archie St.Hilaire. "When we were going through the process of which paint scheme to run for this year's race at Darlington the idea of a tribute to Dale Earnhardt's 1981 season stood out to all of us above the rest. Throw in the fact that we get to have Jeffrey showcase his family's heritage and pay tribute to his grandfather as well, that's just icing on the cake." In a NSCS career that spanned 27 years, Earnhardt collected seven NSCS championships along with 76 victories, 22 poles, 281 top-five finishes, and 25,684 laps led. Additionally, Earnhardt won four IROC championships and scored 21 victories in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. For Earnhardt's success he was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010 (GFR), see an image of the scheme on the #32 Team Schemes page (6-24-2016)

Sonoma Driver Notes & Facts:
· 201 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway; 144 in more than one.
· 42 drivers made their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Sonoma Raceway.
· Jeff Gordon leads the series in starts at Sonoma with 23; Tony Stewart leads all active drivers with 17 starts.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace leads the series in average starting position at Sonoma with a 6.941. Kurt Busch leads all active drivers in average starting position with a 9.200.
· Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch have the most wins among active drivers at Sonoma with two each.
· Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in all-time road course wins with nine (Sonoma, five; Watkins Glen, four); Tony Stewart has the second most road course wins all-time with seven (Watkins Glen, five; Sonoma, two).
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison holds the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series record for the most wins at a single road course track with six at Riverside International Raceway.
· Jeff Gordon is the only driver to post consecutive wins (three total) at Sonoma Raceway (1998 and 1999 each from the pole and 2000 from the fifth starting position).
· Five of the 27 (18.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Sonoma have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Jeff Gordon in 2004. Gordon is the only NSCS driver to win from the pole at Sonoma more than once (1998, 1999 and 2004).
· The Coors Light pole position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more wins (five) than any other starting position at Sonoma Raceway.
· Eight of the 27 (29.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Sonoma have been won from the front row: five from the pole and three from second-place.
· 19 of the 27 (70.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Sonoma have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· Carl Edwards competed at Sonoma Raceway 10 times before visiting Victory Lane; the longest span of any the nine active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.
· Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. lead the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Sonoma without visiting Victory Lane at 16 each.
· Juan Pablo Montoya is the only driver in series history to post his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Sonoma Raceway (6/24/2007).
· Jeff Gordon leads the series in runner-up finishes at Sonoma with five. Tony Stewart leads all active drivers with three.
· Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-five finishes at Sonoma with 14; followed by Ricky Rudd with 10. Kurt Busch leads all active drivers with seven.
· Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-10 finishes at Sonoma with 18; followed by Mark Martin with 13. Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart lead all active drivers with nine each.
· Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Sonoma with an 8.304. Clint Bowyer leads all active series drivers with an 8.600.
· Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Sonoma with 457 laps led in 23 starts. Kurt Busch leads all active drivers in laps led at Sonoma with 197 in 15 starts.
· Danica Patrick is the only female driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to compete at Sonoma Raceway.
(NASCAR)

New sponsor for the #95 at Sonoma after Malware attack: Circle-Sport Leavine Family Racing (CSLFR) was rear-ended by a ransomware attack in April forcing the team to fork over about $600 to regain access to essential team records. Leavine, which races the #95 Chevy in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, was hit on April 5 with TeslaCrypt which locked up all the files on crew chief Dave Winston's laptop. The data held hostage included car set ups, car part lists, and custom high-profile simulation packages valued at $2 million. The team estimated that to recreate this data, it would have taken the team nearly 1,500 man-hours. Winston said that he had a moment of "pure panic" when he realized something had gone wrong with his computer. The attack took a few hours to unfold with Winston watching as file after file, none of which were backed up, was encrypted. In the end he attempted to open a file and was presented with the ransomware note. "Then we spent 24 hours trying to figure out what happened," Winston said, adding the team's IT person was consulted and they called local computer repair shops. "But we discovered there was nothing we could do." Leavine decided to pay the ransom because the cost and time involved replacing the information would have damaged the team's chances in its upcoming race. The general rule of thumb in the security industry, and one now endorsed by the FBI, is to never pay a ransom because giving in to the criminal's demands does not guarantee the data will be released and the victim could simply be targeted again. This was the greatest fear running through Winston's mind, that even after paying the files would not be released, but in this case almost all were recovered. However, without the data in hand the team would have been at a distinct disadvantage during that week's race.
A team spokesperson said they were unaware Teslacrypt had been rendered useless at that time and that decryptor keys were available. CSLFR is now working with Malwarebytes to promote ransomware awareness. The team's car will sport a Malwarebytes' logo as an associate sponsor for the next few weeks and then the company will come on board as a full-time sponsor at a few races in 2016, including New Hampshire in July (SCMagazine.com and see more at NASCAR.com, Forbes.com and BusinessWire.(6-24-2016)

Furniture Row Racing to Recognize California National Guard: Furniture Row Racing's #78 Camry, driven by Martin Truex Jr., will carry the logo of the California National Guard during this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series road race - the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. The military recognition will continue throughout the 2016 season by the Denver-based Furniture Row Racing team, which includes nine military veterans. "The longer I live and the more things I experience the more I appreciate the sacrifice and dedication that our military men and women have made, and will continue to make to preserve our freedom," said Furniture Row Racing team owner Barney Visser, a Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade in the late 1960s. "We are proud to showcase the California National Guard, which not only responds and takes action in state emergencies but also in combat deployment throughout the world."(FRR)(6-23-2016)

Direction Matters when mounting tires for Sonoma is Concerned: Sonoma Raceway poses several challenges for NASCAR Sprint Cup teams, and at least one of those challenges has been taken up by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. At Sonoma, Goodyear uses one of its "softest" tread compounds to give the cars as much grip as possible. Add to that - as with the series' other road course at Watkins Glen International - Sonoma puts an increased stress on the front tires with heavy braking into the turns and an increased stress on the rear tires with harsh acceleration off the corners. Those factors combine to put undue stress on a part of the tread that is most susceptible - the tread splice, or the area that is joined together in the manufacturing process. Because of all that, Goodyear will mount its D-4678 tires (same on all four corners of the car) for Sonoma in a directional manner, helping to insure that the tread splice is "closed" under both braking and acceleration. "The tread compound used at Sonoma is one of the most tractive used for all Sprint Cup Series events," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of racing. "As such, we utilize some special techniques to prep the tires for the race. This includes the orientation in which tires are mounted. At most events, tires are mounted as either a left side tire or a right-side tire. Teams can freely interchange fronts and rears on the same side of the car. For Sonoma, we will employ directional mounting, where the left-front and right-rear are mounted the same, and the right-front and left-rear are mounted the same. This directional mounting helps to protect the beveled splice of the tread component, insuring the splice is closed under the force of braking on both front tires, and closed under the force of acceleration on both rears."
While helping the competition on the track, this mounting procedure will provide a slightly different look for team tire specialists as they arrange their five sets of practice/qualifying tires and five sets of race tires throughout the weekend. "The right-front tire and the left-rear tire will be mounted with the 'non-serial' side facing outwards," explained Stucker. "The molded information for press position and date code on these tires will be on the inside of the assembly rather than the outside. During mounting, the tires will be marked with the positions in which they are allowed to be run - right-front/left-rear or left-front/right-rear. This will allow both tires on the front axle to have tread splices that close under braking and both tires on the rear axle to have tread splices that close under acceleration."
To go along with all that, Goodyear's distinctive yellow lettering will be applied to both sidewalls of each tire. That way, no matter which side of the car a particular tire is mounted, the "Goodyear" and "Eagle" branding will be visible. Stucker also points out that although this mounting orientation is unique to Sonoma for the Sprint Cup Series, it is a technique that's used extensively by Goodyear in other forms of road racing. Road course racing is somewhat out of the "norm" for NASCAR teams. Drivers are asked to turn both left and right, there are more turns with varying degrees of radii, there are more radical elevation changes than on an oval, etc. Sometimes special problems require special solutions.(Goodyear Racing)(6-24-2016)

Kansas to perform at Darlington before Bojangles' Southern 500: Fitting into its throwback weekend plans of celebrating the 1975-84 era of the sport, Darlington Raceway will have classic rock legends KANSAS perform the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles' Southern 500 pre-race concert presented by GEICO on Sunday, Sept. 4. KANSAS, known for its hits Carry On Wayward Son and Dust in the Wind, is one of the top-selling bands of the late 1970's and early 1980's. The band has produced eight gold albums, three sextuple-Platinum albums (Leftoverture, Point of Know Return, Best of KANSAS), one platinum live album (Two for the Show) and two one million-selling gold singles (Carry on Wayward Son and Dust in the Wind). Fans of KANSAS have the exclusive opportunity to watch the concert from the front of the pre-race stage. In addition to the purchase of a Bojangles' Southern 500 grandstand ticket, a pre-race access pass may be purchased for an additional $45. This pass will not only give fans stage front access for the concert, but will also include an up close view of the Sprint Cup Series stars as they are introduced to the crowd. Supplies are limited. Coinciding with the celebration of their 40th anniversary in 2013, KANSAS was inducted into both the Kansas Hall of Fame and Georgia Music Hall of Fame as recognition for their achievements from both their native state and adopted home state.(Darlington Raceway)(6-24-2016)

Sad News - Mario Fiore: Former NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship team owner and New England Racing Hall of Fame member Mario Fiore passed away Thursday of an undisclosed illness. Fiore was 65 years old. Fiore was widely known across the Modified racing scene for the immense success of his #44 teams in the 1970's, 80's and 90's. Fiore was inducted into the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2012. Fiore, a Springfield, Mass. native, got involved in race team ownership for the first time in 1969. He won track championships at the former Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, Mass., Stafford Speedway, New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway and Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H. He won his first and only NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship in 2000 with driver Jerry Marquis.(RaceDayCT)(6-24-2016)

Sonoma Track Notes & History:
· The track opened as a 2.52-mile road course and drag strip in 1968.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on June 11, 1989 - won by Ricky Rudd at a speed of 76.088 mph.
· The first nine races were 300 kilometers and switched to a 350k format in 1998.
· The track was reconfigured to 1.949 miles in 1998 with the installation of an 890-foot chute between the original Turns 4 and 7.
· The track was reconfigured to 2.0 miles in 2001 and re-measured at 1.99 miles in 2002.
(NASCAR)

Sonoma Goodyear Tire Notes: Teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will run the same Goodyear tire code on all four tire positions at Sonoma . . . this is the first time teams will be running this code . . . compared to what was run at Sonoma last year, this tire features a decrease in tread gage (thickness) . . . as on all NASCAR road courses, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Sonoma. Goodyear will bring its wet weather radials for use at Sonoma, should NASCAR decide that conditions warrant . . . teams are allowed up to three sets of "wets" for practice/qualifying and up to three sets for the race . . . this tire code was last run by NASCAR Xfinity Series teams at Road America in 2014 (Goodyear), see trie codes, pressures, set limits and more on the Sonoma Race Info page

FedEx Cares scheme for Hamlin at Sonoma UPDATE: In May, FedEx asked NASCAR fans to help choose Denny Hamlin's special #11 FedEx Cares paint scheme for the Toyota/Save Mart 350. The winning design, which garnered the most votes on social media and triggered $55,000 in donations to five charitable organizations on behalf of FedEx through FedEx Cares, will be revealed via 360-degree virtual reality experience during the Sonoma Raceway media luncheon on Thursday, June 23 at McCormick & Keluto's in historic Ghirardelli Square in downtown San Francisco. Through the FedEx Cares global giving initiative, FedEx is investing $200 million in 200 communities around the world by 2020. How important is it for you to participate in initiatives such as FedEx Cares? Hamlin: "Obviously for me, being part of such a great company that does so much for communities around the world is very important to me. I've had the chance to volunteer and give back to people and places all over the country, and this weekend in Sonoma will be no different. We helped raise $55,000 for very deserving organizations through our social voting campaign in May, and I'm excited for the #11 FedEx Cares Toyota design to hit the track at Sonoma."(FedEx Racing)
UPDATE: Revealed! Denny Hamlin is at Fort Point in San Francisco and unveiled the special #FedExCares paint scheme for Sonoma Raceway. - with Safe Kids Worldwide, JA Worldwide, USO, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The National Urban League.(FedEx Facebook page), see an image of the winning scheme as well as the images of the three choices fans voted for on the #11 team paint schemes page.(6-23-2016)

Jeff Burton and Rick Mast Visit Lexington: South Boston's own NASCAR veteran Jeff Burton and fellow former driver Rick Mast were in Lexington this morning for the opening of Ollie's bargain outlet. Burton is about to get back to work for NBC as they take over NASCAR coverage at Daytona over the 4th of July weekend. "It's great- love it I do. We have a great team, we have a lot of fun and really that's what it is. We are not curing world hunger- we're having fun. We're talking about racing and it's already been a great year this year there's been a lot of things going on and that's going to continue as the Chase gets closer and the pressure gets built up for the teams. I think the racing is even going to get better so we start at Daytona which is always an event filled race and I'm excited about it," says Jeff Burton.(WSLS)(6-23-2016)

Shark Week scheme returns at Sonoma: For the fourth year in a row, Kasey Kahne will pilot a #5 Great Clips / Shark Week paint scheme. Not only is Kahne racing his competitors on the track, he's also racing a shark in Discovery's #GreatSharkRace. In preparation for Discovery's Shark Week, which kicks off on Sunday, June 26, at 8:00pm/et on Discovery Channel, Kahne went shark tagging off of the coast of Miami with the University of Miami and Oceana. Check out behind-the-scenes photos from the adventure here. The miles the shark swims will be matched up against the miles Kahne has driven on the track through this Sunday.(HMS), see images of the car on the #5 team paint schemes page.(6-23-2016)

Napa Valley's Caymus Vineyards featured on the #13 if Casey Mears: It's that time of year, when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads toward Sonoma Raceway for the Toyota/Save Mart 350. This stop is a particular highlight for California native and Germain Racing driver Casey Mears. He'll pilot the #13 GEICO Chevy at Sonoma with Napa Valley's Caymus Vineyards and Wagner Family of Wine on board the race car as a major associate sponsor for the fourth consecutive season. "Our relationship with Caymus is a real treat. The Wagner family has been great to us and it's always fun to spend time with them when we are out that way," said Mears, who will be making his 13th Sprint Cup start at Sonoma. "Sonoma is a lot of fun! The road courses are a great way to break up the season. I would like to have more of them. We seem to have a great running GEICO Chevrolet whenever we get to Sonoma so that always makes it more enjoyable." Caymus Vineyards is located in Rutherford, Napa Valley, a short drive from Sonoma Raceway. "There was no question we wanted to continue our sponsorship of Germain Racing again this year," said Chuck Wagner, Owner/Winemaker of Caymus Vineyards. "Not only is the race at Sonoma Raceway exciting and different each year, but we enjoy seeing the team and Casey Mears evolve over time. Just like winemaking, racing is a combination of skill, art and inspiration, and the drive to get better and better never ends."(Germain Racing)(6-23-2016)

Safeway/Blue-Emu to sponsor #44 and Scott at Sonoma: Brian Scott adds a new look to the #44 Ford Fusion in the team's first road course race of the season. Blue-Emu, an over-the-counter muscle and joint cream, will be a co-primary partner with Safeway on the #44 Ford Fusion at Sonoma Raceway this weekend. While Scott will be making his debut at Sonoma Raceway, this will not be Blue-Emu's debut as a primary partner with Richard Petty Motorsports. Blue-Emu has been an associate partner with the organization since 2014 and was featured as a primary partner last season at the Bristol night race. "The relationship we have built with the Blue-Emu brand over the past year is something we are very proud of," said Mike Hargrave, Chief Marketing Officer and EVP of Richard Petty Motorsports. "We're excited to continue our support of Blue-Emu to the millions of NASCAR fans." Blue-Emu is a product of Nutrition & Fitness, Inc. (dba / NFI Consumer Products), an innovative consumer products company that manufactures, markets and distributes the Blue-Emu line of products for muscle, joint and skin conditions as well as their recent launch, the first over the counter lidocaine pain patch: Lidocare. "Our product line was recently added by Safeway and by partnering with Richard Petty Motorsports at Sonoma, this provided us an unique way of announcing it. Given Safeway's strength on the West Coast and Blue-Emu's commitment to consumer focused retailer brand partnerships, this was an opportunity that could not be missed," said Benjamin Blessing, EVP of NFI Consumer Products. Scott will be competing in his first race of his NASCAR career at Sonoma Raceway this weekend.(RPM), see images of the car on the #44 team paint schemes page.(6-23-2016)

Petty's Garage Announces 2017 King Edition Ford Mustang Builds: Petty's Garage announced their continued partnership with the Ford Motor Company to exclusively build 500 "King Edition" Ford Mustang GT models. Included in the 2017 lineup is a limited run of 43 builds that include a silver scheme to celebrate "The King" Richard Petty and his 80th birthday in July, 2017. This is the third year that Petty's Garage and Ford Motor Company have joined forces to build the King Edition Ford Mustangs. Since the popularity of the vehicles continues to grow each year, the 2017 builds will be the largest to date. Petty's Garage will be the exclusive builder of four, one-of-a-kind, Mustangs. The high-performance shop will build a naturally-aspirated, non-supercharged model with all the looks and feel of the Petty's Garage Mustang that customers and fans have become accustom to, but at a lower introduction price. Petty's Garage will also introduce a new King EcoBoost model in 2017. This model, with the addition of the race spoiler and signature center exhaust system, mirrors the look of all other Petty's Garage Mustangs, but doesn't sacrifice on power. It is the most radical EcoBoost available to purchase from your local Ford dealer. More info at richardpettymotorsports.com (6-23-2016)

NHTSA Returns as Title Sponsor of NASCAR Pole Day in Sonoma: Sonoma Raceway and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will highlight the importance of tire safety during the wine country facility's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend, June 24-26. NHTSA, which was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970, returns for the second consecutive year as title sponsor of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying for "Drive for Safety Pole Day" on Saturday, June 25. NHTSA is dedicated to achieving the highest standards of excellence in motor vehicle and highway safety and works daily to help prevent crashes and their attendant costs, both human and financial. Sonoma Raceway joins NASCAR and NHTSA in their Drive for Safety, a partnership focused on promoting life-saving highway safety and vehicle safety messages. The program will highlight topics including distracted driving, seat belts, tire safety and five-star crash ratings throughout the 2016 NASCAR season. The agreement also includes digital and social media programming to raise awareness for the Drive for Safety campaign, signage, promotional rights and other assets during the NASCAR event weekend in Sonoma.(Sonoma Raceway)(6-23-2016)

Harvick to be sponsored by Mobil 1 at Sonoma: Kevin Harvick will drive the #4 Mobil 1 Chevy for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) for the first time this year as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the first of two road-course races on the 2016 Sprint Cup schedule - Sunday's Save Mart 350k at Sonoma Raceway. Mobil 1 is the "Official Motor Oil of NASCAR" and the Mobil brand of lubricant products are the "Official Lubricants of NASCAR." Mobil 1 engine oils have long been the lubricant of choice for race teams competing in the most demanding and popular motorsports series across the globe. This weekend will be the first of two races with Mobil 1 as the primary partner on the #4 Chevy in 2016. Mobil 1 will next appear as the primary partner of the #4 Chevy at Pocono in July.(SHR), see an image of the car on the #4 team paint schemes page.(6-22-2016)

Kurt Busch tests F1 car in Abu Dhabi: Before heading back home to the United States for Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway, #41-Kurt Busch got the chance to test a Formula One car on the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The course plays host to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix -- F1's final race of the season. Busch also toured Lithuania and attended the Formula One Europe Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series off-weekend.(FoxSports)(6-22-2016)

Advance Auto Parts and Quaker State to sponsor #7 TBR team at Kentucky: Tommy Baldwin Racing's Regan Smith will team with Advance Auto Parts and Quaker State for the upcoming Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts race on July 9th at Kentucky Speedway. "We are proud to have Advance Auto Parts and Quaker State back onboard for Kentucky," said team owner Tommy Baldwin. "It's a big race weekend for them as sponsors and we are proud to have them on the #7 car for the weekend."
"I'm looking forward to heading to Kentucky and having Advance and Quaker State on board for such an exciting race," said Smith. Advance Auto Parts President George Sherman, who will start the race as the Grand Marshal, said "We're looking forward to another great Quaker State 400 race and seeing Regan Smith and the #7 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet carrying the Advance Auto Parts colors."(TBR), see an image of the car on the #7 team paint schemes page.(6-22-2016)

FRR needs more sponsorship for a Truex contract extension: While there has been speculation that Martin Truex Jr. could be the odd man out at Furniture Row Racing (#78) when Erik Jones is promoted to Sprint Cup, that's simply not the case. For now, the only obstacle between sealing the Truex deal appears to be sponsorship. "We're working on it as hard as we can," Furniture Row Racing team owner Barney Visser said. "It's a matter of finding some sponsorship help right now. That's what he needs. That's what we need." Toyota Racing Development boss David Wilson said he hopes to have his 2017 lineup shored up by mid-July. Wilson jokes often that having an abundance of talented up-and-coming-drivers and not enough seats is a good problem to have. Truex has expressed his desire to stay the course with crew chief Cole Pearn and continue building a championship caliber club. Visser is open to operating two Cup teams. However, in order to afford multiple teams, Visser would need a second charter for a new squad as well as additional funding. "Yes, again, it's sponsorships," Visser added. "Toyota is doing everything they can to help us. They've been terrific to work with. They're doing everything they can. Joe Gibbs is doing everything he can to help us get this thing done."(Motorsport)(6-22-2016)

Patrick Carpentier returns to the Cup Series: Heading into this weekend's event at Sonoma Raceway, the #32 Can-Am/Kappa team will head westward to the "Golden State" with Patrick Carpentier behind the wheel for the first of two road course events in 2016. Sunday's event will mark Carpentier's first NSCS start since Kansas in 2011. Previously, the 44-year-old Quebec native was a five-time winner in Champ Car competition has 40 career NSCS starts, and two starts at Sonoma where he scored a career-best NSCS finish of 11th after starting 38th. Carpentier also won the Coors Light Pole Award in June 2008 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Carpentier: "I'm very excited to go back to Sonoma! I have not yet tried the new car generation and I'm really looking forward to it. Last week I spent a lot of time in the Sim at the Ford Tech Center, and it really helped. I believe it took a day off me getting acquainted to these cars again. It is amazing how far the technology has come lately. The Ford simulator is by far the most advanced sim I have tried and even the gearing was the same as what will be in the car. My goal going into Sonoma is to focus on the task I need to do, and do my part of it to the best of my capabilities. I have prepared for this event and I'm very appreciative and thankful that Archie St.Hilaire and everyone at Go Fas Racing along with Can-Am|BRP, and Kappa has given me the chance to drive the #32 Ford Fusion".(GFR)(6-22-2016)

Chase Elliott to run K&N Pro Series West race at Sonoma UPDATE: Chase Elliott has limited road course experience. The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is at the Sonoma Raceway next weekend. What to do? Put the rookie driver in a lower-series stock-car race to give him a feel for the track. The folks at Sonoma Raceway sent out this release about the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race scheduled on June 25, which is a day before the Cup race. The release (in part): The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West returns to Sonoma Raceway for its 36th consecutive visit at the Chevys Fresh Mex 200 on Saturday, June 25, with a full field of up-and-coming stars, as well as NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular Chase Elliott. Elliott will put some extra track time under his belt before Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series main event. This will mark Elliott's first NASCAR West Series start of the season, as well as his first Cup series road-course race. In addition, several Northern California drivers will compete in Saturday's race including Jim Inglebright (Fairfield), Scott Ivie (San Ramon), Rodd Kneeland (Sonoma), Alex Schutte (Redding), Jack Sellers (Sacramento), Tim Spurgeon (Danville) and Carlos Viera (Atwater). The NASCAR West Series continues to be the place where future stars are made. The influx of young talent over the past few years has been significant and continues to filter its way through NASCAR's three national series with the likes of Kyle Larson, Daniel Suarez and Elliott. The 2016 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West season is no different with rising talents Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson, Riley Herbst, Julia Landauer, Gracin Raz and Cole Rouse.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(6-22-2016)
UPDATE: Elliott will make his Sprint Cup road course debut this weekend at Sonoma Raceway, but before the road course rookie gets behind the wheel on Sunday he will have a race in the books at the Sonoma track. He is entered to compete in Saturday's NASCAR West Series race, marking his first start of the season in NASCAR's western home track series. The 20-year-old driver has competed in six road course races in NASCAR's XFINITY Series, earning four top-five finishes. He has also competed in one Camping World Truck Series road course event and three ARCA Racing road course races, earning one victory and three top-five finishes, respectively. While most drivers spent last weekend with their dads, Elliott and his father Bill Elliott will get plenty of time together this weekend as the elder Elliott takes on the role of second spotter for his son. A NASCAR Hall of Famer and 1998 NASCAR premier series championship driver, Bill Elliott owns one victory and 10 top-five finishes on road courses in his career and is looking to help his son excel at the 10-turn track this weekend.(HMS)(6-22-2016)

Six Spots Remain In Chase After Logano Becomes 10th Different Winner In 2016: Only sixth berths in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup remain with 11 races left until the playoffs. Thirteen of the currently winless drivers have captured checkered flags on at least one of the 10 tracks leading up to the playoff opener at Chicagoland Speedway: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #14-Tony Stewart, #6-Trevor Bayne, #31-Ryan Newman, #47-AJ Allmendinger, #16-Greg Biffle, #27-Paul Menard, #5-Kasey Kahne, #7-Regan Smith, #23-David Ragan, #1-Jamie McMurray, #15-Clint Bowyer and #43-Aric Almirola. Furthermore, #24-Chase Elliott, #42-Kyle Larson and #3-Austin Dillon have shown the ability to run up front and could pop up in Victory Lane for the first time at any moment. Earnhardt is the only race winner from last season who hasn't captured a checkered flag in 2016. With just six open Chase berths and 11 races remaining until NASCAR's playoffs, drivers with a "0" in the wins column have to play the risky game of selling out for victory or maintaining a strong points position. If a driver goes for the win and wrecks or runs out of fuel, he/she could fall out of the Chase points positions. In contrast, a driver could go for the safe points finish and get jumped by a new winner outside the Chase Grid.
The winless drivers who would make the Chase on points today are Chase Elliott (100 points above the cutoff), Dale Earnhardt Jr (+30), Austin Dillon (+28), Jamie McMurray (+21), Ryan Newman (+16) and Ryan Blaney (+11). Elliott and Blaney would become the second and third Sunoco Rookies to ever make NASCAR's playoffs. Denny Hamlin earned a Chase berth in his first full-time season (2006). Third-year competitor Austin Dillon would also take the wheel for his first Chase.
The first driver on the outside of the Chase bubble looking in is Kasey Kahne, who lurks 11 points behind Ryan Blaney. Kahne is followed by Trevor Bayne (18th on the Chase Grid, 19 points below Blaney), AJ Allmendinger (19th, -27) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (20th, -27).(NASCAR)(6-22-2016)

John Bickford to be Inducted into West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame: A Forbes magazine article described 2016 West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame inductee John Bickford as "unusually optimistic, diligent, observant and conscientious about details." Bickford employed all of those qualities - and a stepfather's love - for molding a young Jeff Gordon into one of the brightest stars of NASCAR's modern era. Bickford, from Vallejo, Calif. didn't begin the process with an advanced degree in marketing and public relations; rather he melded common-sense instinct for success with Gordon's innate abilities. By the age of 13, Gordon was driving sprint cars and the family had moved from California to Indiana. Soon, the family hoped, Gordon would reach the Indianapolis 500. Ultimately, Bickford didn't have the millions of dollars required to get his stepson an Indy car test. On advice of Ken Schrader, Gordon attended the Buck Baker's stock car racing school. His racing took a 180-degree turn with Bickford ultimately working behind the scenes to assure the best possible outcome. Jack Roush was interested but Bickford believed Gordon should have greater control of his future. He approached Rick Hendrick and got Gordon what at the time was unprecedented: Bickford got to pick the crew chief - Ray Evernham. The rest is history as Gordon won four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships and 93 races with Hendrick Motorsports before his retirement following the 2015 season.
Timing favored Gordon's ascension. Cable television had just discovered NASCAR and Gordon - thanks to Bickford - was the perfect candidate for superstardom and off the track income. During Gordon's sprint car racing years, the pair would sit in front of the television and play a game of "what did that driver do wrong" outside the car. The Jeff Gordon seen today as a FOX Sports analyst is further proof of Bickford's diligence and lessons learned. Bickford joins Mike Duncan, Johnny Key, Al Pombo and Jim Thirkettle in the 2016 WCSCHOF class of inductees. A limited number of tickets for the 2016 Induction Ceremony can be purchased by calling 661-342-2983.(WCSCHOF / PIR)(6-22-2016)

Mike Wallace attacked after concert UPDATE3: Three people have been arrested in connection with an assault on former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Mike Wallace and his daughter following a Rascal Flatts concert Friday night in Charlotte, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Wallace posted a note on Facebook about the assault, which he said sent him and his adult daughter, Lindsey Wallace Van Wingerden, to the hospital. The 57-year-old Wallace said he suffered a concussion. A CMPD spokesman confirmed that three men were arrested in the Wallace assault.(ESPN.com)
AND: Kenny [Wallace] said Mike, 57, was kicked repeatedly in the head while unconscious. His daughter tried to jump on top of him to shield Wallace and was kicked in the ribs multiple times. Mike's Facebook page shows a gruesome photo of his bloodied face and two more of his daughter strapped onto a stretcher. Kenny said his brother received 12 stitches inside his mouth for his injuries. He has been released from the hospital.(Fox Sports)(6-19-2016)
UPDATE: Wallace was on his way to a dentist to have three dislodged teeth repaired on Monday afternoon when he telephoned Daytona Beach News-Journal Motorsports Editor Godwin Kelly and gave his account of the assault and what has happened since the incident. See the Q&A here.
UPDATE2: An Indian Trail company says it's being unfairly maligned on social media since one of its more than 70 employees was accused of participating in an assault on NASCAR driver Mike Wallace and his daughter Lindsey. Lucas Lawn and Landscaping said in a news release that it's been the subject of online "verbal attacks" since the postings by Mike Wallace and others. Some have called on the company's clients to pull their business. Others urged anyone considering using the company to find another firm. See full article at the Charlotte Observer (6-21-2016)
UPDATE3: PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte has ended its service contract with a landscaping company whose owner's son was charged in connection with the assault of NASCAR driver Mike Wallace and his daughter. Wallace, his daughter and a third victim were assaulted in the pavilion's parking lot after a Rascal Flatts concert. "We were saddened by the regrettable events that took place on Friday, June 17," PNC Music Pavilion said in a statement. "Upon learning that the offensive actions were taken by patrons who also happened to be employed by Lucas Landscaping, one of our service providers, we took swift and immediate action to terminate services provided by Lucas Landscaping at PNC Music Pavilion."(Charlotte Observer)(6-22-2016)

Iowa Post-race penalties: NASCAR has announced the following warnings and penalties following the E15 250 XFINITY Series race at Iowa Speedway on June 19th.
#1-Elliott Sadler, #20_Erik Jones, #22-Brad Keselowski were given P2 penalties for violation of Sections 12-1; 20.4 b; 20.4.2 a [Right side body panel was modified after race inspection]. Crew chiefs (Kevin Meendering, #1; Chris Gabehart, #20; Brian Wilson, #22) have been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31
#7-Justin Allgaier, #18-Sam Hornish, Jr., #88-Alex Bowman were given P2 penalties for violation of Sections 12-1; 20.4 b; 20.4.2 a [Right side body panel was modified after race inspection]. Crew chiefs (Jason Burdett, #7; Chris Gayle, #18; David Elenz, #88) have been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31
#16-Reed (2) - Failed Failed Laser Inspection Station three times in pre-race inspection. Issued a written warning and loses of 15 min. practice time
#1-Elliott Sadler (2), #13-Harrison Rhodes (1), #19-Daniel Suarez(1) - Failed Laser Inspection Station twice in pre-race inspection. Issued written warnings
See the Iowa Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf) for more.(6-22-2016)

Ellis driving for Ware at Daytona: The art of Science and Logic will fuse together next week at Daytona International Speedway, as officials from Rick Ware Racing announced that ScienceLogic will sponsor the team's #15 Chevrolet Camaro in next Friday's Subway Firecracker 250 on July 1. And it's only logical that their spokesperson Ryan Ellis will drive for the team in ScienceLogic's XFINITY Series debut as the series kicks off their second half of the schedule under the lights at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. Ellis and ScienceLogic continue a growing relationship that expanded from a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Phoenix International Raceway last year to several Cup races this season with BK Racing. ScienceLogic is the global leader in hybrid IT monitoring for the network of everything. Over 25,000 global service providers, enterprises, and government organizations rely on ScienceLogic to significantly enhance IT efficiency, optimize operations, and ensure business continuity. Ellis, 26, has 35 XFINITY Series starts to his credit, but none at Daytona. The Ashburn, Virginia native does, however, have two competitive NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at the "World Center of Racing" with a best finish of 16th last February. In addition to ScienceLogic, Carport Empire, Kappa Sigma Fraternity, Keen Buildings and Lilly Trucking will serve as associate marketing partners for the 15th race of 2016.(Rick Ware Racing), see an image of the car on the #15 team paint schemes page.(6-22-2016)

Truck Series Entry List: There are 34 trucks on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's Drivin' For Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park. A few notes:
Jennifer Jo Cobb is in the #1;
Tyler Young is back in the #02;
The #10 is TBA;
Austin Hill is in the #20;
Justin Haley is in the #32;
Cody Coughlin is in the #51;
Ryan Truex is back in the #81;
The #92 is not entered;
(6-22-2016)
UPDATE: Erik Jones is in for Cody Coughlin in the #51;
(6-22-2016)
See the complete list on the Gateway entry list page.

Jones in for Coughlin at Gateway: After much success in Late Model racing in the recent month, Cody Coughlin was left with a tough decision. With a race at his home track conflicting with his regularly scheduled NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill., the young driver was forced to decide between continuing his quest to become the only driver in history to win championships in both the CRA Super Series (Super Late Model) and CRA/JEGS All-Star Tour (Pro Late Model) in the same year or make his fourth of 11-scheduled starts this season for Kyle Busch Motorsports. After discussing the weekend itinerary, Kyle Busch Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Coughlin agreed that the 20-year-old driver will concentrate on his quest for a pair of Late Models championships and not compete in the NCWTS event at Gateway. Pinch hitting for Coughlin this weekend behind the wheel of the #51 JEGS/Auburn Gear Tundra will be 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Erik Jones .Last season, Jones became the first driver in Truck Series history to capture the Rookie of the Year award and a championship in the same season and in the process delivered Kyle Busch Motorsports its first-ever Driver's Championship and the organization's record-breaking fourth overall and third consecutive Owner's Championship.Over the course of the Truck Series' 23-race season, Jones collected three wins (Iowa Speedway, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and Texas Motor Speedway), five poles, 925 laps led, 11 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes.(Kyle Busch Motorsports)(6-22-2016)

NEMCO team fails post race in Iowa UPDATE: After finishing 12th, John Hunter Nemechek failed post-race inspection with his #8 NEMCO Chevy found to be too low in the right rear. Any penalties will be announced next week.(Motorsport)(6-19-2016)
UPDATE: The #8 team crew chief Gere Kennon has been fined $6,000 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31; team has been assessed with loss of 10 championship owner and 10 championship driver points. Caleb Holman, driver of the #75 has been fined $5,000 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. for exiting the Truck and approached the racing surface or apron before being attended to by track safety team.(NASCAR)
See the Iowa Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf)(6-22-2016)

Boyd to drive for Premium in Gateway UPDATE: Premium Motorsports and NASCAR rookie Spencer Boyd of St. Louis, MO are excited to announce that they have teamed up to race the Driving for Linemen 200 Brought To You By Altec on June 25 at Gateway Motorsports Park. This marks Spencer's first race in his hometown since moving to Charlotte.(Premium Motorsports)(6-16-2016)
UPDATE: Wilkerson Automation, Complete Auto Body & Truck Repair, Atlantic Wraps, and Go-Parts.com have all signed on to support NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Driver, Spencer Boyd, in his homecoming race at Gateway Motorsports Park this Saturday. Adorning the hood of the #49 will be a St. Louis company, Complete Auto Body & Truck Repair as well as another longtime supporter back in Charlotte, Atlantic Wraps. Rounding out the sponsor line-up is Go-Parts.com. The online auto parts retailer joined Spencer for his NASCAR debut at Martinsville earlier this year and didn't want to miss being a part of his return home.(Premium Motorsports)(6-22-2016)

Chicagoland Speedway signs deal with Papa John's: Chicagoland Speedway announced a three-year contract with the region's Papa John's franchisees that makes the brand the official pizza partner and the only pizza served at the Joliet (IL) venue. The agreement marks a new sponsorship category for the speedway, one of 13 racetracks owned by International Speedway Corp. The track has previously served Chicago-based chains Giordano's Pizza at its concession stands and Connie's Pizza in its suites. But Papa John's has signed the track's first official marketing deal with a pizza chain, according to Chicagoland Speedway President Scott Paddock, who touts the value of a major brand helping to promote the track to its customers. "It's a national brand that sees the value of our platform," Paddock said. "Any time you can partner with consumer packaged goods companies or retail outlets that are going to extend our reach to consumers, that's huge." Chicagoland Speedway's week of NASCAR Sprint Cup events this year is Sept. 15-18, culminating with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400, which kicks off Nascar's Chase for the Sprint Cup.(Crain's Chicago Business)(6-22-2016)

SportsPro lists the world's 50 most marketable athletes: For the seventh time, SportsPro has produced its annual list of the world's 50 most marketable athletes. Once again, the rankings point to a period of change in the three years ahead. One NASCAR driver is listed: #24-Chase Elliott is listed at the 50th most marketable athlete. The post about Elliott: (2015 ranking: 32), After a blistering start to his NASCAR career, winning what was then the Nationwide Series in 2014 at the age of 19, Chase Elliott made the step up to the big time in 2015 with his debut in the elite Sprint Cup for Hendrick Motorsports. He also placed second in the second-tier 2015 Xfinity Series, driving the number nine Chevrolet SS for JR Motorsports, and claimed the Snowball Derby. As of 2016, Elliott's graduation is complete: he drives full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup, driving the #24 for Hendrick Motorsports, and part-time in the Xfinity Series. In February, he took pole at the Daytona 500. On top of that, he remains as well liked as ever. In November 2015, Elliott was voted the Xfinity Series' most popular driver for the second year in a row, and with strong commercial assistance from Fuel Sports Management he looks set to continue to prosper. Still only 20, he has healthy crossover appeal, appearing multiple times on the cover of a number of Nascar publications, and he looks set to be the poster boy of stock car racing for years to come. His father, Bill Elliott, is something of a NASCAR legend, winning the major title once, the Daytona 500 twice, and the most popular driver award a record 16 times. If Chase continues on his upward trajectory, he might even eclipse his father's achievements.(see full list at SportsPro)(6-21-2016)

Dave Blaney Ready To Return From Injury: former NASCAR driver Dave Blaney is looking forward to getting back into the cockpit of the Motter Equipment Mohawk Northeast Beltline Body Shop #71M sprint car Tuesday, to join the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions at Sharon Speedway. "We're excited to get back into night five of Ohio Sprint Speedweek competition," said Blaney. "I drove a modified at Brewerton Speedway (N.Y.) Friday and I felt really good. We started the feature in the 24th and last position since the field was set based on points. We raced to 11th place. Sharon is a track where we have raced a lot through the years and we are ready to tackle the competition." Blaney was injured at Eldora May 6 in a qualifying accident during World of Outlaws competition. He made an appearance at Weedsport Speedway May 22, but didn't feel comfortable behind the wheel of the #71M.(National Speed Sport News)(6-21-2016)

NASCAR has no plans for Cup to run at Iowa: NASCAR declared the first Camping World-Xfinity series doubleheader at Iowa Speedway as a resounding success, but the short track still isn't necessarily in line for a Sprint Cup race. "We're happy with the status right now at Iowa," NASCAR chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell said Monday during his weekly interview on SiriusXM Satellite Radio. "We've signed multiple-year sanctions with the tracks. Could (a Sprint Cup race at Iowa) happen via the realignment process? Perhaps. But I see our schedule pretty tied up in terms of the Sprint Cup Series and for the foreseeable future." The 0.875-mile track had played host to 12 previous Xfinity races and nine prior truck events, but they all had been held separately prior to last weekend. With NASCAR trending away from standalone Xfinity-truck doubleheader events - there are only five standalone Xfinity races this season, and Iowa has the only Xfinity-Truck weekend - O'Donnell said the oval in Newton, Iowa, occupies an important and unique place on the schedule.(NBC Sports)(6-21-2016)

Top 10 driver ratings at Sonoma:
#41-Kurt Busch 109.3
#48-Jimmie Johnson 101.0
#14-Tony Stewart 98.1
#15-Clint Bowyer 96.7
#31-Ryan Newman 88.5
#18-Kyle Busch 88.3
#19-Carl Edwards 88.3
#1-Jamie McMurray 87.1
#4-Kevin Harvick 86.9
#5-Kasey Kahne 86.7
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (16 total) among active drivers at Sonoma 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)

Mike Wallace attacked after concert UPDATE2: Three people have been arrested in connection with an assault on former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Mike Wallace and his daughter following a Rascal Flatts concert Friday night in Charlotte, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Wallace posted a note on Facebook about the assault, which he said sent him and his adult daughter, Lindsey Wallace Van Wingerden, to the hospital. The 57-year-old Wallace said he suffered a concussion. A CMPD spokesman confirmed that three men were arrested in the Wallace assault.(ESPN.com)
AND: Kenny [Wallace] said Mike, 57, was kicked repeatedly in the head while unconscious. His daughter tried to jump on top of him to shield Wallace and was kicked in the ribs multiple times. Mike's Facebook page shows a gruesome photo of his bloodied face and two more of his daughter strapped onto a stretcher. Kenny said his brother received 12 stitches inside his mouth for his injuries. He has been released from the hospital.(Fox Sports)(6-19-2016)
UPDATE: Wallace was on his way to a dentist to have three dislodged teeth repaired on Monday afternoon when he telephoned Daytona Beach News-Journal Motorsports Editor Godwin Kelly and gave his account of the assault and what has happened since the incident. See the Q&A here.
UPDATE2: An Indian Trail company says it's being unfairly maligned on social media since one of its more than 70 employees was accused of participating in an assault on NASCAR driver Mike Wallace and his daughter Lindsey. Lucas Lawn and Landscaping said in a news release that it's been the subject of online "verbal attacks" since the postings by Mike Wallace and others. Some have called on the company's clients to pull their business. Others urged anyone considering using the company to find another firm. See full article at the Charlotte Observer (6-21-2016)

Mark Thompson returning to the #13 at Daytona: According to the Carl Long Motorsports Facebook page, "Mark Thompson will be returning to the #13 Phoenix Air Toyota at Daytona. We will have George Church as crew chief...with the normal MBM crew. Still working on the #40 Dodge with several drivers trying to secure sponsorship."(6-21-2016)

New food items debuting at Sonoma: Sonoma Raceway and Levy Restaurants will introduce a number of new concession items worthy of the facility's gourmet location at this weekend's Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event, June 24-26. The raceway's must-try item of the weekend is sure to be the new Crab Cake Corn Dog, featuring real crab dipped in a honey batter, fried to perfection and served on a stick. This new item will be available at the Sears Point Grill at the north end of the Main Grandstand for $16. In addition, Levy Restaurants will take the wraps off its new Waffle-Wich Stand offering freshly prepared waffle sandwiches piled with delicious fillings, including Philly Cheese Steak, Char Sui Pork, vegetarian options and a breakfast sandwich. This stand is located just beneath the Main Grandstand and sandwiches will cost $12. New for 2016, Sonoma Raceway's dining options will be also enhanced to include multiple Chevys Fresh Mex concession stands. The outposts, located beneath the Main Grandstand, in the main paddock and above Turn 2, will serve fresh Mexican food favorites, including mesquite grilled chicken and steak fajita burritos, nachos with picadillo beef and pickled jalapeños, as well as specialty corn on the cob. These additions help complete the raceway's usual slate offerings, including half-pound hamburgers, freshly-made meatballs, calamari poppers and much more.(Sonoma Raceway)(6-21-2016)

Montgomery Gentry To Perform Pre-Race Concert at Coke Zero 400: Montgomery Gentry, the multi-platinum country music duo comprised of Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry, will perform a 60-minute pre-race concert on Saturday, July 2 prior to the 58th annual Coke Zero 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway. A limited quantity of VIP ticket packages are available for race fans to receive special access to the pre-race concert that will be staged along pit road. Fans that have already purchased a Coke Zero 400 race ticket can upgrade their experience to the VIP Pit package for $75. Tickets for the June 30-July 2 Coke Zero 400 Weekend can be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.(DIS)(6-21-2016)

Entry List for the Toyota / Save Mart 350 Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway is posted, 41 teams/drivers [for 40 spots] are listed, including: #21-Blaney*, #30-Wise*, #32-Patrick Carpentier, #55-Cody Ware*, #93-Dylan Lupton*, #95-McDowell, #98-Whitt*.
Drivers who are not a Charter team, an Open Team, and must get in via speed: #21-Blaney, #30-Wise, #55-Sorenson, #98-Whitt
Drivers who would miss the race if qualifying is canceled (least race attempts, then owners pts): #93-Lupton
* Open Team (no Charter)
See the full entry list on Jayski.com's Sonoma Entry List

Johnson nominated for Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports Award: While he's on the hunt for his next win and championship trophy, #48-Jimmie Johnson has been nominated for another award: a 2016 Kids' Choice Sports Award. The six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion is competing in the Need for Speed category. He's up against other professional athletes including Usain Bolt (Jamaican track and field Olympian), Billy Hamilton (MLB center-fielder for the Cincinnati Reds), Candace Hill (American track and field athlete), Chloe Kim (American professional snowboarder) and Ted Ligety (American alpine ski Olympian). The awards show will air Sunday, July 17, at 8:00pm/et.(Hendrick Motorsports)(6-20-2016)

Reed's Darlington throwback to honor Bobby Allison: Ryan Reed and Roush Fenway Racing unveiled the throwback paint scheme that the #16 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang will carry this September in the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Darlington Raceway. The #16 Ford Mustang will feature a design similar to the #16 driven by Bobby Allison in 1975, on his way to three victories, including one at Darlington Raceway. "Bobby Allison is a true icon in this sport," said team co-owner Jack Roush. "I'm beyond honored to have one of our cars carry a paint scheme that Bobby ran. I look forward to making him proud at Darlington Raceway later this season." In NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) career that spanned 25 years, Allison, the 1983 NSCS champion, earned 84 victories, 58 poles and 335 top-five finishes. In addition, Allison led more than 27,000 laps in NSCS competition. For his success, Allison was nominated to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011. Reed and Allison were at Roush Fenway on Monday to make the announcement, along with Sam Bass, who helped create the throwback adaptation of Allison's 1975 scheme. Like Reed, Bass lives with type 1 diabetes and has been a part of the Drive to Stop Diabetes program since its inception in 2013.(Roush Fenway Racing), see an image of the car on the #16 team paint schemes page.(6-20-2016)

Tifft will return at Daytona: Matt Tifft had a successful procedure to alleviate a lower back problem and is on schedule to return to action in next month's Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway. Tifft, who turns 20 this Sunday, sat out this past weekend's Truck and Xfinity series races at Iowa Speedway on advice of his doctor. He was scheduled to run the Truck race for Red Horse Racing and the Xfinity race for Joe Gibbs Racing. Sam Hornish Jr., filling in for Tifft, won Sunday's Xfinity race in his first series start of the season. "He's had a lower back issue, I think a bulging disc. What Matt wanted to do was run (at Iowa) and go in next week for the procedure and be ready for Daytona, but his doctor thought that might be pushing it," said Steve deSouza, JGR's executive vice president of Xfinity Series and development. "He called me Thursday after the procedure this week and said he'd be good to go (for Daytona)."(Motorsport)(6-20-2016)

Eric Paslay concert to kick off New Hampshire Cup Race: Eric Paslay, a 2016 Grammy Award nominee, will headline the New Hampshire Motor Speedway frontstretch stage before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, July 17. Paslay, who will take the stage at 10:45am, is part of a jam-packed weekend of racing and entertainment at the speedway. Speedway officials have created a special Eric Paslay ticket package giving fans the opportunity to win an exclusive meet and greet with the country singer prior to his 45 minute concert. EMI Records Nashville breakout country artist, Paslay is as a renowned, platinum-selling, hit songwriter and dynamic performer. The Texas-native earned his first Grammy nomination as an artist in 2016 for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "The Driver" - a collaboration with friends Charles Kelley and Dierks Bentley. The Eric Paslay ticket package is now available and will include a Pre-Race Pit Pass and a general admission Laconia Grandstand ticket to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race for $120. A random drawing on July 8 will award two lucky winners and one guest with a private meet and greet with the country music singer on race morning.(NHMS)(6-20-2016)

Mike Wallace attacked after concert: Three people have been arrested in connection with an assault on former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Mike Wallace and his daughter following a Rascal Flatts concert Friday night in Charlotte, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Wallace posted a note on Facebook about the assault, which he said sent him and his adult daughter, Lindsey Wallace Van Wingerden, to the hospital. The 57-year-old Wallace said he suffered a concussion. A CMPD spokesman confirmed that three men were arrested in the Wallace assault. According to their arrest records, Nathan Lucas and Mangum were charged with misdemeanor simple assault, while Paul Lucas was charged with misdemeanor assault on a female. All were released after posting bond ($1,500 for Paul Lucas, $1,000 apiece for Nathan Lucas and Mangum).(ESPN.com)
AND: Kenny [Wallace] said Mike, 57, was kicked repeatedly in the head while unconscious. His daughter tried to jump on top of him to shield Wallace and was kicked in the ribs multiple times. Mike's Facebook page shows a gruesome photo of his bloodied face and two more of his daughter strapped onto a stretcher. Kenny said his brother received 12 stitches inside his mouth for his injuries. He has been released from the hospital.(Fox Sports)(6-19-2016)

Dustless Blasting sponsoring DiBenedetto at Sonoma: BK Racing announced that Dustless Blasting will sponsor #83-Matt DiBenedetto for the upcoming Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. In their third season of sponsorship with BK Racing, Dustless Blasting owner Benny LeCompte is excited for their first road course race with DiBenedetto. Dustless Blasting has revolutionized the surface preparation industry. With the ability to strip all paint, primer, rust and body filler from the average car in only two hours without warping, Dustless Blasting is quickly becoming the new gold standard in surface preparation. Dustless Blasting's anti-spark, anti-dust, and anti-static properties have also made it extremely useful in the refinery, oilfield, mining and other industries.(BK Racing)(6-19-2016)

Moffitt looking for another opportunity: NASCAR's Rookie of the Year trophy sits next to the television atop the mantle inside Brett Moffitt's North Carolina home. It's right there in sight each time the 23-year-old Grimes native watches Sprint Cup races and sees stock car racing's biggest stars through his picture screen rather than a windshield. In Moffitt's case, a career that seemed to be gaining speed last summer has stalled since his crowning achievement last fall. He hasn't been behind the wheel of a racecar since his November rookie coronation at Homestead Speedway. "Just watching the races right now kills me," he said. "Hopefully we get back there." Circumstances beyond his control are partially to blame for Moffitt's place on the Sprint Cup sidelines. He signed a contract two years ago with Michael Waltrip Racing after driving an under-funded car to a 22nd-place finish in his debut on NASCAR's top level. The deal was supposed to keep him in an MWR ride through the 2017 season. Then the organization folded last year. "I thought I had a future going," he said. "That was a big shock to me." Admittedly, though, Moffitt is in this position somewhat by his own volition. "There's been offers on the table, it's just not in the equipment we want to be in, so we're waiting for the right opportunity," he said. Agonizing as it is to sit on the couch and watch Cup races each Sunday, Moffitt also sees reason for optimism on the television. He sees young drivers thriving, like Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney, guys he raced alongside - and often beat - during their developmental years on the K&N circuit. It gives him hope that his career can still take off, too, if he can land the right ride.(Des Moines Register)(6-19-2016)

Hornish, Jr. wins XFINITY race at Iowa: #18-Sam Hornish, Jr won the American Ethanol E15 250 at Iowa Speedway. It is his 4th XFINITY Series win, 1st of the year,and 1st since June of 2014 at Iowa Speedway. #3-Ty Dillon finished second, followed by #22-Brad Keselowski, #19-Daniel Suarez, #88-Alex Bowman, #1-Elliott Sadler, #7-Justin Allgaier, #48-Brennan Poole, #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., and #2-Ben Kennedy (making his XFINITY debut).
Hornish lead 183 of the 250 laps. He was not originally scheduled to run the race. Joe Gibbs Racing selected him early in the week after back issues sidelined Matt Tifft.
Pole sitter #20-Erik Jones had a fuel pickup problem early and had to go behind the wall to replace the fuel cell. He finished 27th.
There were 6 cautions for 33 laps and 10 lead changes among 4 leaders.
The average speed was 102.659mph.
Complete results are on the Iowa race results page (pdf).
(6-19-2016)

Iowa XFINITY Race Fast Facts:
Sam Hornish Jr. won the 6th Annual American Ethanol E15 250 Presented by Enogen, his fourth victory in 111 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his second victory and sixth top-10 finish in eight races at Iowa Speedway.
Ty Dillon (second) posted his fourth top-10 finish in five races at Iowa Speedway. It is his ninth top-10 finish in 2016.
Brad Keselowski(i) (third) posted his sixth top-10 finish in six races at Iowa Speedway.
Brennan Poole (eighth) was the highest finishing rookie.
Daniel Suarez leads the point standings by 21 points over Elliott Sadler.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(6-19-2016)

XFINITY Driver standings following Iowa:
1) #19-Daniel Suarez [1 win], 490
2) #1-Elliott Sadler [1 win], 469, -21
3) #3-Ty Dillon, 455, -35
4) #7-Justin Allgaier, 422, -68
5) #33-Brandon Jones, 417, -73
6) #62-Brendan Gaughan, 412, -78
7) #20-Erik Jones [2 wins], 411, -79
8) #48-Brennan Poole, 407, -83
9) #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., 373, -117
10) #16-Ryan Reed, 331, -159
11) #11-Blake Koch, 322, -168
12) #39-Ryan Sieg, 312, -178
See complete owner and driver standings on the driver standings(pdf) and owner standings page (pdf).(6-19-2016)

NASCAR Hauler Parade rolls through Sacramento on June 23: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series haulers will rumble through the streets of Sacramento at the 6th annual NASCAR Hauler Parade on Thursday, June 23. The NASCAR haulers, which will be en route to Sonoma Raceway for the Toyota/Save Mart 350, June 24-26, will make their way over the Tower Bridge and around the State Capitol on the way to greet Northern California NASCAR fans ready for the big race in Sonoma. You can expect to see haulers from Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and many other drivers on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit. This marks the sixth consecutive hauler parade in Northern California and raceway officials are thrilled to bring it to Sacramento, home to some of our most avid race fans. The parade will begin promptly at noon on Thursday, June 23, as the haulers depart their staging area and cross the Tower Bridge, heading for the State Capitol. The haulers will arrive at the raceway at approximately 2:00pm. Race fans can catch the haulers all along the parade route, but are encouraged to head to the corner of 11th and L streets for the best view. Sonoma Raceway will have a display there, as well as the popular Raceway Girls, giveaways and race tickets.(Sonoma Raceway)(6-19-2016)

Live With Kelly and... Jeff Gordon? Retired racing legend Jeff Gordon has zoomed to the top of ABC's short list to succeed Michael Strahan as Kelly Ripa's new Live co-host, TVLine has learned. Gordon has experience sitting alongside Ripa. During the Live With Regis and Kelly era, he served as Ripa's sidekick nine times. (He even did a stint opposite Reege in 2001 before Ripa came on board). He most recently appeared on the show in June 2015, but just as a guest. Since retiring from professional stock car racing in 2015, the 44-year-old Gordon has transitioned into broadcasting (he currently serves as a Fox NASCAR analyst). Should he snag the Live gig, his career path would closely mirror that of the man he'd be replacing; Strahan, who exited Live last month for a full-time gig at Good Morning America, also segued into broadcasting after retiring from the NFL. Live is expected to continue pairing Ripa with a parade of guest co-hosts until a final decision is made later this summer. Other names in the permanent co-host mix include former Grinder star Rob Lowe and Ripa's BFF Anderson Cooper. Gordon's spokesperson, declined TVLine's request for comment.(TVLine)(6-18-2016)

Lupton driving for BK Racing at Sonoma; Image: Dylan Lupton Racing and BK Racing announce that NASCAR Next alumnus Dylan Lupton will attempt to make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Sonoma Raceway for next Sunday's Toyota / Save Mart 350. Lupton will drive the #93 Bell Brothers / Elk Grove Toyota Camry for the sixteenth race of the Sprint Cup season. Both are joining Lupton in their first foray in Sprint Cup as part of a three-car effort for BK Racing joining teammates #83-Matt DiBenedetto and #23-David Ragan. Bell Brothers Plumbing Heating and Air was founded in 1991 in Elk Grove, Calif by brothers Jerry and Kenny Bell. After 25 years in the business, Bell Brothers has expanded to not only specialize in heating and air services, but windows, plumbing, ductwork, insulation and solar. Elk Grove Toyota is one of the top new Toyota sales leaders in the U.S.A. They are the only dealership in California to ever be awarded "The Official Sponsor of Savings" title. Elk Grove Toyota offers customers "Proof Pricing" on every vehicle, their lowest price - Simple. Clear. True. The dealership has also been awarded Toyota's highest honor, "The President's Award", for superior performance in sales, leasing, service, parts and customer satisfaction. The Wilton, Calif. native will reunite with crew Mike Ford for the Jun. 26 event. A longtime industry veteran, Ford led the 22-year-old to several impressive NASCAR XFINITY Series outings last season in the #25 Athenian Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, including a ninth place finish on the road course at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. In over 450 starts as crew chief in Sprint Cup, Ford won 21 races, most recently in 2011 with driver Denny Hamlin. After finishing second in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship in 2014, Lupton advanced to the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2015 in a partial schedule with Athenian Motorsports. Additionally, Lupton has been elected twice to the NASCAR Next program.(Lupton PR)(6-16-2016)
IMAGE: see an image of the car on the #93 team paint schemes page.(6-18-2016)

Erik Jones on XFINITY pole at Iowa: #20-Erik Jones won the pole for the American Ethanol E15 250 at Iowa Speedway with a speed of 135.752mph. It is his 6th pole of the season. #19-Daniel Suarez will start second. The rest of the top 10: #18-Sam Hornish, Jr., #7-Justin Allgaier, #1-Elliott Sadler, #2-Ben Kennedy, #22-Brad Keselowski, #3-Ty Dillon, #88-Alex Bowman, and #33-Brandon Jones.
Did Not Qualify: #77-Claire Decker.
The starting lineup is posted on the Iowa starting lineup page (pdf).(6-18-2016)

Iowa Qualifying Notes:
Erik Jones won the 21 Means 21 Pole Award for the 6th Annual American Ethanol E15 250 Presented by Enogen with a lap of 23.204 seconds, 135.752 mph.
This is his ninth pole in 40 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his sixth pole and 14th top-10 start in 2016.
This is his first pole in three races at Iowa Speedway.
Daniel Suarez (second) posted his 14th top-10 start of 2016 and his third in three races at Iowa Speedway.
Sam Hornish Jr. (third) posted his seventh top-10 start at Iowa Speedway. It is his first in one races this season.
Erik Jones (first) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(6-18-2016)

NEMCO team fails post race in Iowa: After finishing 12th, John Hunter Nemechek failed post-race inspection with his #8 NEMCO Chevy found to be too low in the right rear. Any penalties will be announced next week.(Motorsport)(6-19-2016)

Byron wins Truck Series Race at Iowa: #9-William Byron won his second consecutive race, his third of the season, on Saturday night in the Speediatrics 200 at Iowa Speedway. #00-Cole Custer finished second, with #13-Cameron Hayley, #41-Ben Rhodes, #29-Tyler Reddick, #51-Daniel Suarez, #33-Ben Kennedy, #88-Matt Crafton, #4-Christopher Bell, and #21-Johnny Sauter closing out the top-10.
Pole sitter #8-John Hunter Nemechek led 53 laps and finished 12th.
There were 5 cautions for 39 laps and 4 lead changes among 4 leaders.
The average speed was 92.702mph.
Complete results are on the Iowa race results page (pdf).(6-18-2016)

Iowa Race Fast Facts:
William Byron won the 8th Annual Speediatrics 200, his third victory in nine NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his third victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in one races at Iowa Speedway.
Cole Custer (second) posted his third top-10 finish in three races at Iowa Speedway. It is his third top-10 finish in 2016.
Cameron Hayley (third) posted his first top-10 finish in two races at Iowa Speedway.
William Byron (first) was the highest finishing rookie.
Matt Crafton leads the point standings by 11 points over William Byron #.
(NASCAR Statistics)(6-18-2016)

Driver standings following Iowa:
1) #88-Matt Crafton, 219
2) #9-William Byron #, 208, -11
#17-Timothy Peters, 198, -21
4) #19-Daniel Hemric, 186, -33
5) #8-John Hunter Nemechek, 175, -44
6) #29-Tyler Reddick, 182, -37
7) #21-Johnny Sauter, 174, -45
8) #33-Ben Kennedy, 168, -51
9) #23-Spencer Gallagher, 165, -54
10) #13-Cameron Hayley, 158, -61
See complete standings on the driver standings page (pdf).(6-18-2016)

Owner Standings following Iowa are posted (pdf).(6-18-2016)

Nemechek on pole at Iowa: #8-John Hunter Nemechek won the pole for the Speediatrics 200 at Iowa Speedway with a speed of 136.087mph. #13-Cameron Hayley will start second, followed by #33-Ben Kennedy, #24-Kaz Grala, #9-William Byron, #71-Brandon Jones, #21-Johnny Sauter, #49-Nick Drake, #88-Matt Crafton, and #41-Ben Rhodes.
#33-Ben Kennedy was fastest in the second round with a speed of 136.665mph.
#9-William Byron was fastest in the first round at 137.399mph.
Did Not Qualify: #74- Donnie Levister.
See complete lineup on the Starting lineup (pdf) page.(6-18-2016)

Iowa Qualifying Notes:
John Hunter Nemechek won the 21 Means 21 Pole Award for the 8th Annual Speediatrics 200 with a lap of 23.147 seconds, 136.087 mph.
This is his first pole in 38 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his first pole and third top-10 start in 2016.
This is his first pole in three races at Iowa Speedway.
Cameron Hayley (second) posted his fourth top-10 start of 2016 and his second in two races at Iowa Speedway.
Ben Kennedy (third) posted his second top-10 start at Iowa Speedway. It is his third in eight races this season.
William Byron (fifth) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(6-18-2016)

Penalties following Texas UPDATE: Following post-race inspection at Texas Motor Speedway, the #11 truck was found to have "lug nut(s) not properly installed," leading to crew chief Scott Zipadelli being fined $5,000, suspended from all NASCAR Series Championship Points Events through June 22, and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. The #23 truck received a warning following qualifying inspection due to truck trailing arm U-bolts and U-bolt mounting saddles that did not conform to specified rule book drawings.(NASCAR))
UPDATE: Butch Hylton is serving as crew chief on the #11 in Iowa. (6-18-2016)

Save Mart Celebrates 25 Years of Sponsorship in Sonoma: In 1992, Ernie Irvan overcame an early-race penalty to pass 41 cars en route to his first victory at then-Sears Point Raceway. That same year, Save Mart Supermarkets took the green flag on what would become the raceway's most enduring commercial sponsorship. At the upcoming Toyota/Save Mart 350, June 24-26, Save Mart Supermarkets and Sonoma Raceway will celebrate 25 years of sponsorship at the annual wine country NASCAR event. Save Mart Supermarkets' status as either the event title or co-title sponsor in Sonoma is one of the longest running in all of NASCAR Cup racing. Save Mart served as title sponsor of the NASCAR Cup event from 1992-1997. It has combined with partners as co-title sponsor of the event since 1998. The event has been known as the Toyota/Save Mart 350 since 2007. Based in the heart of the Central Valley, Save Mart Supermarkets is committed to sourcing a wide variety of local products ensuring that 'fresh comes first' for neighborhoods throughout California and Northern Nevada. The company employs nearly 16,000 team members and operates 205 traditional and price impact stores under the banners of Save Mart, Lucky, FoodMaxx, S-Mart Foods, and MaxxValue Foods.(Sonoma Raceway)(6-18-2016)

Ware driving for Premium Motorsports at Sonoma: Premium Motorsports announced that third generation racer Cody Ware will attempt to make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut next weekend at Sonoma Raceway. Ware will pilot the #55 Carport Empire Chevrolet SS as a teammate to Cole Whitt in the #98 Premium Motorsports Chevrolet. Carport Empire is one of the largest distributors of quality carports, metal carports, steel carports, metal garages, steel garages, storage buildings and more in the United States. Ware, son of XFINITY Series owner Rick Ware will look to make his sixth start of the season across NASCAR's top three national series. Should Ware qualify for next Sunday's Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sonoma, Ware will add the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series platform to his racing resume in addition to starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series respectively. In addition to Carport Empire, Lilly Trucking, a longtime supporter of Ware will join Premium Motorsports for the sixteenth Sprint Cup race of the season.(Premium Motorsports)(6-17-2016)

BK Racing names associate sponsor for Sonoma: BK Racing announced the signing of Frontline International as an associate sponsor on David Ragan's #23 Dr Pepper Toyota Camry and Matt DiBenedetto's #83 Dustless Blasting Toyota Camry in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. Founded in 2000 and with more than 26,000 installations worldwide, Frontline International designs and manufactures superior commercial foodservice equipment for the hands-free dispensing of fresh cooking oil to fryers as well as the automatic collection and storage of waste cooking oil. The company's products promote cleaner, safer, and more profitable restaurants.(BK Racing)(6-17-2016)

Harvick gets new front tire changer: This past weekend at Michigan International Speedway, Kevin Harvick's #4 pit crew had a new front tire changer, Tim Sheets. Sheets' move to the #4 came late in the week and it's uncertain if his position is a long-term fix. Stewart-Haas Racing's #4 crew has always been a top pit crew, but has struggled a bit this year. Sheets was once the front changer for the #31 of Ryan Newman and after he split from Richard Childress Racing joined Casey Mears' #13 team before taking the role on the #4 team.(PitTalks)(6-17-2016)

Kennedy fastest in XFINITY happy hour: #2-Ben Kennedy was also quickest during happy hour for the American Ethanol E15 250 with a speed of 133.809mph. He was followed by: #62-Brendan Gaughan, #18-Sam Hornish, Jr., #20-Erik Jones, #88-Alex Bowman, #19-Daniel Suarez, #1-Elliott Sadler, #22-Brad Keselowski, #3-Ty Dillon, and #51-Jeremy Clements. 38 drivers participated in the session.
See complete results on the Iowa practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(6-17-2016)

Kennedy fastest in first XFINITY practice: #2-Ben Kennedy was fastest during opening practice at Iowa Speedway with a speed of 132.448mph. #18-Sam Hornish, Jr. was second, followed by: #20-Erik Jones, #1-Elliott Sadler, #19-Daniel Suarez, #22-Brad Keselowski, #88-Alex Bowman, #33-Brandon Jones, #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., and #48-Brennan Poole. 39 drivers practiced during the session.
See complete results on the Iowa practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(6-17-2016)

JD Motorsports announces sponsors for all 3 cars at Iowa: The three cars entered by JD Motorsports with Gary Keller in Sunday's American Ethanol E15 250 at Iowa Speedway fly into the weekend with solid sponsorship. Flex Seal has placed its colors on the #4 Chevrolet driven by Ross Chastain, and Flex Shot will sponsor the #01 of Ryan Preece. Corvetteparts.net has signed on to sponsor Garrett Smithley and the #0 Chevy. Flex Seal also will be an associate sponsor on that car.(JD Motorsports)(6-17-2016)

DAYTONA 500 Tickets On Sale Monday: Tickets for the prestigious 59th annual DAYTONA 500 NASCAR Cup Series season-opening race will officially go on sale Monday, June 20 at 9:00am/et. Race fans will have the opportunity to experience the 2017 DAYTONA 500, scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 26, in the world's only motorsports stadium, experiencing unprecedented amenities that include 101,500 new, wider seats, thousands of premium club seats, 40 escalators and 17 elevators, 60 luxury suites, social "neighborhoods" and three concourse levels that span the nearly mile-long frontstretch. The 2016 DAYTONA 500 was a sellout and produced the closest finish in the event's storied 58-year history with Denny Hamlin nipping Martin Truex Jr. by .010 seconds at the start/finish line. In addition to tickets for the DAYTONA 500, fans can also purchase tickets and multi-day ticket packages for the remaining events during Speedweeks which kicks off with the 55th Rolex 24 At Daytona IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on Jan. 28-29. Also on sale will be tickets for the year's first official event at Daytona International Speedway, the Roar Before The Rolex 24 and Scout Days on Jan. 6-8, the critical three-day test session for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge teams.(DIS)(6-17-2016)

Lupton driving for BK Racing at Sonoma; Image: Dylan Lupton Racing and BK Racing announce that NASCAR Next alumnus Dylan Lupton will attempt to make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Sonoma Raceway for next Sunday's Toyota / Save Mart 350. Lupton will drive the #93 Bell Brothers / Elk Grove Toyota Camry for the sixteenth race of the Sprint Cup season. Both are joining Lupton in their first foray in Sprint Cup as part of a three-car effort for BK Racing joining teammates #83-Matt DiBenedetto and #23-David Ragan. Bell Brothers Plumbing Heating and Air was founded in 1991 in Elk Grove, Calif by brothers Jerry and Kenny Bell. After 25 years in the business, Bell Brothers has expanded to not only specialize in heating and air services, but windows, plumbing, ductwork, insulation and solar. Elk Grove Toyota is one of the top new Toyota sales leaders in the U.S.A. They are the only dealership in California to ever be awarded "The Official Sponsor of Savings" title. Elk Grove Toyota offers customers "Proof Pricing" on every vehicle, their lowest price - Simple. Clear. True. The dealership has also been awarded Toyota's highest honor, "The President's Award", for superior performance in sales, leasing, service, parts and customer satisfaction. The Wilton, Calif. native will reunite with crew Mike Ford for the Jun. 26 event. A longtime industry veteran, Ford led the 22-year-old to several impressive NASCAR XFINITY Series outings last season in the #25 Athenian Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, including a ninth place finish on the road course at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. In over 450 starts as crew chief in Sprint Cup, Ford won 21 races, most recently in 2011 with driver Denny Hamlin. After finishing second in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship in 2014, Lupton advanced to the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2015 in a partial schedule with Athenian Motorsports. Additionally, Lupton has been elected twice to the NASCAR Next program.(Lupton PR)(6-18-2016)

Keselowski tests an IndyCa: #2-Brad Keselowski doesn't plan to unseat any of the Team Penske IndyCar drivers from their rides, but when the team offered the 2012 Sprint Cup champion a chance to take some laps in an IndyCar, he couldn't refuse. Keselowski jumped in the car prepared by the team of series points leader Simon Pagenaud during a test Wednesday afternoon at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. There are no immediate plans for the NASCAR star to compete in an IndyCar event. The only IndyCar race that doesn't conflict with a NASCAR event this year is in August at Pocono Raceway, and Keselowski probably would need significant time in the car testing on a high-speed oval before even considering racing Pocono. While the car was new for Keselowski, the 4.048-mile course wasn't. Keselowski finished fourth in the Xfinity Series race at Road America. "The opportunity came up to dip my toes in the water and kind of expand my knowledge base and put it in the back of my mind -- for wherever it goes, I don't know," Keselowski said. "But it was a heck of an opportunity, and I'm glad to have a chance." The braking was one of the biggest things Keselowski had to adjust to during his runs. Team Penske tweeted that he took 10 seconds off his initial lap time and he had a top speed of 187 mph.(ESPN.com)(6-16-2016)

Michigan TV Ratings UPDATE: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Michigan earned a 2.0 overnight rating on Fox Sports 1 Sunday afternoon, the same as last year, but down 23% from coverage on TNT in 2014 (2.6). Going out to the hundredth, it had a 2.04 overnight - up 4% from last year's 1.97. It was just the second Sprint Cup race of the season to avoid a decline in the overnights, joining Kansas on FS1 in May (+10%). That does not include races that were rained out last year. Both this year and last, the race faced mitigating circumstances. Last year's race was repeatedly delayed by rain and halted after 138 of 200 laps. This year's race, on a far more serious note, aired on a day of major national news that overshadowed all other events.(ShowBuzz Daily / Sports Media Watch)(6-14-2016)
UPDATE: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Michigan earned 3.5 million viewers on FS1 Sunday afternoon, down 2% from last year (3.5M) and down 19% from 2014 on TNT (4.3M). Ratings were not immediately available. Joey Logano's win ranks as the least-watched edition of the race since at least 2000, falling below the previous mark set last year. Viewership has declined for four consecutive years after reaching 5.3 million in 2012. It should be noted that Sunday's race aired on a day of wall-to-wall breaking news coverage on broadcast and cable. Sunday's race marked the first time this season that viewership has declined for a NASCAR points race on Fox Sports 1 (four telecasts).(Sports Media Watch)(6-16-2016)

Travis Kvapil in the #25 at Iowa: After sitting out the last few NASCAR XFINITY Series races, veteran driver Travis Kvapil returns to the series for Sunday afternoon's running the American Ethanol E15 250 at Iowa Speedway. Kvapil who will pull double duty for the second time this season will pilot the #25 CorvetteParts.net / Keen Parts Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing. The Janesville, Wisconsin native will make his fourth start of the season and look to improve on a season-best 25th place run, matched twice at Richmond and Talladega.(Rick Ware Racing)(6-16-2016)

Sieg names Iowa sponsors: Cell phone accessories provider Smartcell joins Ryan Sieg and RSS Racing this week in Iowa for the American Ethanol E15 250. Known for their wide assortment of mobile accessories for Androids and iPhones, Smartcell products can be found at select locations of retailers, convenience stores, and specialty shops throughout the country. Additionally, W.J. PLEMONS INVESTMENTS, INC. has joined the team as a primary sponsor. Sieg, who has never finished outside the top 20 in the XFINITY Series at Iowa is just nine points out of the 10th spot in points.(RSS Racing)(6-16-2016)

Boyd to drive for Premium in Gateway: Premium Motorsports and NASCAR rookie Spencer Boyd of St. Louis, MO are excited to announce that they have teamed up to race the Driving for Linemen 200 Brought To You By Altec on June 25 at Gateway Motorsports Park. This marks Spencer's first race in his hometown since moving to Charlotte.(Premium Motorsports)(6-16-2016)

Michigan saw decline in attendance: While NASCAR no longer releases attendance numbers, MIS President Roger Curtis said there was a slight decrease in ticket sales for the June 10-12 FireKeepers Casino 400 race weekend. The numbers were what MIS expected, Curtis said, given the rain last June and the lack of action in the August race. Meanwhile, local business owners said they saw no decrease in sales, with some saying sales were slightly higher than during the 2015 June race weekend. This includes JR's Hometown Grill and Pub and Buddy's gas station and convenience store, both in Brooklyn. Curtis said opening the infield early was a big success, with an estimated 40 to 45 percent of the infield full by the time it's normally opened Thursday. The suites were sold out and camping numbers were strong, he added. "A lot of our June guests, even if they weren't there (in August), were reluctant to purchase a ticket until they saw a good race," Curtis said. "We've already had a lot of folks call or email about tickets for August. I'm confident that next year's FireKeepers Casino 400 will be ahead of where it was this year."(MLive)(6-16-2016)

Luke Wilson to drive Pace Car at Sonoma: Actor Luke Wilson will drive a 2016 Toyota Camry pace car to kick off the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday, June 26. Wilson is a film actor best known for his comedic roles in films including Old School, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Legally Blonde, Idiocracy, Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums. The Texas native currently stars in Showtime's new series Roadies, which premieres on June 26. The show follows the lives of a tight-knit group of rock-n roll-roadies working on the tour for a famous rock band. This will mark the first time Wilson has served as an Official Pace Car Driver at a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event. He will also be recognized during pre-race ceremonies and greet each NASCAR driver on stage during driver introductions.(Sonoma Raceway)(6-16-2016)

Congrats: to #15-Clint Bowyer and wife Lorra. Clint announced on twitter Wednesday afternoon, "Cash & I found out today we're soon to lose our grasp on male dominance w/in the Bowyer household. @LorraBowyer having baby girl."(6-15-2016)

Michigan Post-race penalties and warnings: NASCAR has announced penalties and warnings following the FireKeepers Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway on June 12th.
#42-Kyle Larson was given a P3 penalty for violations of Sections 12-1; 20.17.3.1.2 (Failed the post-race Laser Inspection Station measurements). Interim Crew chief (Philip Surgen) has been fined $25,000; team has been assessed with the loss of 15 championship owner and 15 championship driver points
The following warnings were issued:
#15-Bowyer (1), Failed LIS twice in, pre-race, Written warning
#2-Keselowski (2), #16-Biffle (1), #23-Ragan (2), #46-Annett (2), Failed LIS three times, pre-qualifying, Written warning/loss of 15 min. practice time
#32-Earnhardt (2), #44-Scott (3), #78-Truex, Jr. (1), #88-Earnhardt, Jr. (1), Failed LIS twice, pre-qualifying, Written warning
#14-Stewart (2), #17-Stenhouse, Jr. (2), #24-Elliott (2), #34-Buescher (1), #41-Busch (1), #47-Allmendinger (2), #55-Whitt (1), #78-Truex, Jr., Failed template inspection twice, prequalifying, Written warning
()--Total current warnings
See the Michigan Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf) for more.(6-15-2016)

Teams finish up testing at Kentucky: There was a bit more of a racing groove here at Kentucky Speedway for the second and final day of an organizational test for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams, thanks in part to yesterday's on-track activity as well as high temperatures. "It's changed a lot, really changed in a good direction," Kasey Kahne, driver of the #5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, said Tuesday. "Yesterday there was really no grip at all and it just took time. By the end of the day it was starting to get pretty good. Today there's even more rubber on the track. I think a good thing about this is it's hot and the rubber is laying down. When we come back, hopefully it's hot. I think if it's hot it will create a much better race and let us kind of move around and lay more rubber on the race track." Fourteen teams were on hand Monday, with only the #78 Toyota of Furniture Row Racing with driver Martin Truex Jr., not returning for the final day.
Kevin Harvick, quickest on Monday, continued to post the top unofficial lap times Tuesday, with lap times quickly dipping into the 28-second bracket during the morning session. Kyle Busch, AJ Allmendinger, Joey Logano and Kahne also posted sub-29 second laps. "It's getting there," Logano, driver of the Team Penske #2 Ford and the series' most recent race winner, said of the track surface. "It's taken awhile, but it definitely is starting to grip up, which is good.
Tuesday's practice was slowed only twice by on-track incidents. Logano's Ford dropped fluid on the track near the end of the session for the first stoppage while Greg Biffle sustained damage to the rear of the #16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford in a separate incident.
This week's test is the first of five organizational tests for Sprint Cup Series teams this season. Only one team per organization is allowed to participate. Future tests this year are scheduled for Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 12-13), Watkins Glen International (July 26-27), Chicagoland Speedway (Aug. 23-24) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (Oct. 18-19).(NASCAR.com)(6-15-2016)

Earnhardt Jr.'s #88 to run Michigan scheme in August: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series just finished up its first trip to Michigan International Speedway of the season last weekend. And when the series returns MIS in August, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will have a special scheme on the #88 Chevy. Monday (6/13) afternoon, Axalta unveiled the joint paint scheme it will share with the University of Michigan. The unveil came at an event at Axalta's Mt. Clemens manufacturing plant in honor of the organization receiving the General Motors Supplier of the Year award for the second consecutive year. In addition, Axalta and the University of Michigan recently partnered to support engineering and businesses students in addition to coatings research and other projects. The #88 Axalta-University of Michigan Chevrolet SS will hit the track for the Aug. 28 race at Michigan.(HMS), see images of the scheme on the #88 Team Schemes page (6-15-2016)

Michigan Post-race penalties: NASCAR has announced a penalty following the Menards 250 XFINITY Series race at Michigan International Speedway on June 11th.
#22-Logano was given a P2 penalty for violation of Sections 12-1; 20.17.3.1.2 (Failed the post-race Laser Inspection Station measurements). Crew chief (Brian Wilson) has been fined $7,500 and the team has been assessed with the loss of 10 championship owner points
See the Michigan Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf) for more.(6-15-2016)

Cope names Iowa sponsors: Derrike Cope Racing has two sponsors on the car this weekend at Iowa Speedway: Adventureland is the Midwest's Largest Family Resort providing family entertainment for over 40 years, encompassing an amusement park, water park, hotel with 185 smoke-free guest rooms, including poolside rooms & suites and seasonal campground with full service. Adventureland Amusement Park contains over 100 rides, including roller coasters and thrill rides. Moo's BBQ is a family owned business providing great quality smoked meats at a reasonable price. Moo's BBQ is nestled in Newton, Iowa with 2 locations at "On the Square" and their "NEW" location at Exit 164, Hwy 14 & 180 where they serve the finest smoked meats that Jasper County has to offer.(Derrike Cope Racing)(6-15-2016)
AND: E-hydrate announced that Hy-Vee, one of the premier midwest grocers, will be co-sponsored on the hood of Derrike Cope's #70 car for the NASCAR Xfinifty Series race this weekend at Iowa Speedway. This partnership comes at a perfect time, as E-hydrate products are now available at Hy-Vee locations throughout the midwest. Hy-Vee will highlight the convenient E-hydrate Protein On-the-Go product lines and support the launch with strong in-store presence and demos.(Derrike Cope Racing)(6-15-2016)

Freightliner on the #20 at Iowa: This week the #20 Toyota Camry will carry the colors of Freightliner for American Ethanol E15 250 at Iowa Speedway. A long-time partner of JGR, this will be the first time this season that Freightliner will be the primary sponsor on the #20 Camry in the XFINITY Series with Erik Jones.(Joe Gibbs Racing)(6-15-2016)

Cleanup begins at ThorSport, as they plan to stay in Ohio: David Pepper tries to laugh, tries to make sense of the fire that damaged about a third of ThorSport Racing's shop on Monday, decimated its fab department and destroyed three of its Camping World Series trucks. The basement is under about 5 feet of water, and the shop floor is under about a foot of water. Nineteen fire units from four Ohio communities converged on the Sandusky shop Monday. The last crew didn't leave until more than 16 hours after the initial call. No one was injured. Pepper admits the four-truck team faces many challenges in the coming days and months, but they will be at Iowa Speedway this weekend planning to win with either two-time series champ and current points leader Matt Crafton, Cameron Hayley, Rico Abreu or Ben Rhodes. When they arrive at Iowa, they'll be greeted by fellow competitors offering assistance. Pepper said about five teams will bring equipment to help the team get through the weekend and beyond.
"Multiple different race teams, not only our Toyota partners, have reached out offering trucks and transporters and shop space and pull-down (rig) time,'' Pepper said. "The outpouring of concern for us as competitors, it is nothing less than overwhelming. I want to tell everyone thank you.''
The team cannot work in the building because of the damage. "We are a race team without a home,'' Pepper said. Their home Tuesday was the parking lot of a nearby Kroger grocery store. All four teams were there with their haulers and the trucks they'll race this weekend. Pepper said local restaurants have helped, bringing the team food and drinks. He noted one woman no one knew brought the team cookies.For all that was lost, some items were rescued. Firefighters helped save the four haulers by allowing the team to drive those out. Three of those haulers had a truck in it. Firefighters also pushed 12 trucks out of the shop to ThorSport Racing employees. The employees then pushed the trucks into the grass near the shop, leading Pepper to joke the scene looked like a "ThorSport yard sale.'' Those trucks will not return to the shop anytime soon.
Pepper said the team is looking for a place to work. The plan is to stay in Sandusky. Although teams in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area offered space in their shop for the team to work, Pepper said team officials didn't want to uproot their employees from their homes. One option for the team is to relocate to the old Kroger location the grocery store recently left for its current spot near the shop. Pepper said he hopes that in six months they can be working in about half the race shop but there's much that must be done. Smoke damage, along with the water and fire damage will take time to repair. Some walls buckled after an excavator ripped a side of the building down so firefighters could combat the blaze, which had gone through the wall to the roof. Yet, as they do that, Pepper and the rest of the organization can't escape the realty of their situation.
"I was just over with the restoration company looking at the offices ... it looks like a bomb went off,'' Pepper said. "It's devastating. We got all of our trophies out front that have to be cleaned. Some of the stuff, like victory lane flags. I don't know if we can ever save those. You can never replace them.''(NBC Sports)(6-15-2016)

MB lands new sponsor for multiple races: Dirty Hand Tools, which sells a complete line of log splitters, chain saws, pumps, tillers, snow blowers, mowers and agricultural implements, has partnered with MB Motorsports for multiple races during the remainder of the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Dirty Hand Tools will sponsor the #63 MB Motorsports Chevy Silverado at the upcoming races at Iowa Speedway, Gateway Motorsports Park, Eldora Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway. Dirty Hand Tools. DHT products are available at Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards, Bomgaars, Big R and many other fine retailers nationwide.(MB Motorsports)(6-15-2016)

Scott ready for debut: After a month of preparation, Derek Scott Jr. will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) debut Saturday night in the Speediatrics 200 at Iowa Speedway. Scott, 16 has partnered with Mooresville, North Carolina's Young's Motorsports to drive the #02 West Strong / Crossroads Concrete Chevy Silverado at the 0.875-mile short track in the eighth race of the season. Andrew Abbott will continue to serve as crew chief. Scott, 16, hails from Franklin, Texas and began his racing career by achieving numerous go-kart wins and titles. What's even more cool about Scott's anticipated debut is the people he'll be surrounded by. Not only will Young be there to support the teenager in his first truck race of the season, but retired NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver and five-time winner Rick Crawford will serve as a mentor and coach this weekend.(Young's Motorsports)(6-15-2016)

Tifft sidelined with injury UPDATE: Matt Tifft's scheduled double-duty weekend at Iowa Speedway has been derailed by injury. Tifft was scheduled to drive the #11 Toyota Tundra for Red Horse Racing in Saturday night's Speediatrics 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Iowa, and the #18 Toyota-backed Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in Sunday's Xfinity Series American Ethanol E15 250. Multiple sources say Tifft is battling a disc problem in his back, and will not compete in either of this weekend's events. He will be replaced in Sunday's Xfinity race by veteran Sam Hornish, Jr., making in his first NASCAR start of the 2016 campaign. No replacement has been confirmed for Saturday night's Truck race. Tifft, a native of Hinckley, Ohio, has run six of 13 races this season on the Xfinity Series, with back-to-back eighth-place finishes in his last two starts at Talladega and Dover. He has also made three Truck Series starts in 2016, with a best showing of fifth at Charlotte Motor Speedway.(Godfather Motorsports)(6-14-2016)
UPDATE: Driver German Quiroga will return to Red Horse Racing again at Iowa Speedway and Gateway Motorsports Park. Quiroga will sub for Matt Tifft at Iowa and pilot the #11 Toyota Tundra as scheduled at Gateway. In addition to finishing in eighth place at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this season, Quiroga piloted the No. 77 Toyota Tundra for Red Horse Racing in 2013 and 2014, recording five top-five finishes, 16 top-10s and one pole position.(Red Horse Racing)(6-15-2016)

Faith Motorsports, Harmon team up for Iowa race: According to the Faith Motorsports Facebook page, the team will partner with Mike Harmon Racing for the race at Iowa Speedway. "Our Iowa truck is getting ready and will be hitting the road next week for the long trip. We will be working with Mike Harmon Racing at Iowa Speedway. Mike has given us endless knowledge for the Iowa race and we hope to be able to take that and turn it into a solid finish." The team entered the race at Martinsville Speedway in April.(6-9-2016)
UPDATE: Shawn Magee Design (SMD), a design firm specializing in branding, print, web and motorsports design, will serve as the primary sponsor for Donnie Levister and the #74 Chevy team at Iowa Speedway on Saturday, June 18th. Faith Motorsports is teaming up with NASCAR veteran, Mike Harmon for the race in Iowa. Founded in 2005, Shawn Magee Design offers creative solutions for large and small businesses.(See an image of the truck on the #74 Team Paint Schemes page)(Shawn Magee Design)(6-15-2016)

Iowa Speedway debuting signature foods: Iowa Speedway along with concession partner Spectra by Comcast Spectacor, will continue to showcase the Track's evolving palate with brand new signature food items for 2016. These tasty, if not always tasteful, expressions of Iowa Speedway are the latest offerings in a series of signature food options that debuted in 2014. This year's editions include:
" The Commitment Cone - A waffle cone filled to the brim with eggs, potatoes and bacon, skewered by a pancake-battered sausage-on-a-stick. This is a meal for those who demand attention and have no problem standing out in a crowd
" Scoring Pile-On - Layer after layer of food, piled high in a mason jar, modeled to look like a sundae... This "Iowa Speedway-ification" of a hot-beef-sundae includes pulled pork, mashed potatoes and corn, topped with a cherry tomato and cheese
" Engine Block - A sweet and savory sandwich that features a pork tenderloin and slice of cheddar cheese between two apple fritter "buns." A marriage made in heaven... aka Iowa
Also debuting this weekend, Iowa Speedway will unveil an infield beer garden inside Turn 4 and accessible to fans with Casey's General Stores Fan Walk wristbands. In addition to ice cold beer on tap and seating in a relaxed atmosphere, the area will feature tailgate games and laser-tag inside a giant inflatable course. (Iowa Speedway)(6-15-2016)

Michigan TV Ratings: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Michigan earned a 2.0 overnight rating on Fox Sports 1 Sunday afternoon, the same as last year, but down 23% from coverage on TNT in 2014 (2.6). Going out to the hundredth, it had a 2.04 overnight - up 4% from last year's 1.97. It was just the second Sprint Cup race of the season to avoid a decline in the overnights, joining Kansas on FS1 in May (+10%). That does not include races that were rained out last year. Both this year and last, the race faced mitigating circumstances. Last year's race was repeatedly delayed by rain and halted after 138 of 200 laps. This year's race, on a far more serious note, aired on a day of major national news that overshadowed all other events.(ShowBuzz Daily / Sports Media Watch)(6-14-2016)

Testing underway at Kentucky: Fourteen NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams kicked off a two-day organizational test Monday at the repaved and reconfigured Kentucky Speedway. The 1.5-mile track will host all three NASCAR national series -- Sprint Cup, XFINITY and Camping World Truck -- next month (July 7-9). In addition to the repaving, the track has also undergone a change in Turns 1 and 2, where the banking has been increased from 14 to 17 degrees. The width of the pit road exit lane has also more than doubled, from 14 feet to 30 feet. As a result, the racing surface in those turns is now narrower, shrinking from 74 to 56 feet. The banking and width of the racing surface in Turns 3 and 4 remains unchanged. The increased banking will likely mean that cars will be carrying more speed coming onto the backstretch and as they rush into the third turn. That change, combined with the current aerodynamic package used this past weekend at Michigan International Speedway and slated for use here next month, could make for some dicey moments.
"It's definitely going to make Turn 3 more challenging," Kevin Harvick, the 2014 Sprint Cup champion, said. "I think that's already one trend that we've developed with this particular package -- this car is looser getting into the corner, which it should be with the spoiler cut off the back of it. Monday morning's lap times started off in the 31- to 32-second range on the new asphalt before beginning to creep down. A handful of drivers had slipped into the 29-second range prior to the lunch break.(NASCAR.com)(6-14-2016)

Seven winners in seven races: The last seven Cup points races each have had a different winner: #19-Carl Edwards (Richmond), #2-Brad Keselowski (Talladega), #18-Kyle Busch (Kansas), #20-Matt Kenseth (Dover), #78-Martin Truex Jr. (Charlotte), #41-Kurt Busch (Pocono) and #22-Joey Logano (Michigan). It's the longest streak of different winners since there were eight from the 2013 season finale to the first seven races of the 2014 season.(NBC Sports)(6-14-2016)

Tifft sidelined with injury UPDATE: Matt Tifft's scheduled double-duty weekend at Iowa Speedway has been derailed by injury. Tifft was scheduled to drive the #11 Toyota Tundra for Red Horse Racing in Saturday night's Speediatrics 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Iowa, and the #18 Toyota-backed Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in Sunday's Xfinity Series American Ethanol E15 250. Multiple sources say Tifft is battling a disc problem in his back, and will not compete in either of this weekend's events. He will be replaced in Sunday's Xfinity race by veteran Sam Hornish, Jr., making in his first NASCAR start of the 2016 campaign. No replacement has been confirmed for Saturday night's Truck race. Tifft, a native of Hinckley, Ohio, has run six of 13 races this season on the Xfinity Series, with back-to-back eighth-place finishes in his last two starts at Talladega and Dover. He has also made three Truck Series starts in 2016, with a best showing of fifth at Charlotte Motor Speedway..(Godfather Motorsports)(6-14-2016)
UPDATE: Joe Gibbs Racing announced a driver change for this Sunday's NASCAR XFINITY Series event at Iowa Speedway in Newton. Under recommendation from his doctor, for treatment of a disc condition in his back, Matt Tifft will not be competing this week. Sam Hornish Jr. has been enlisted to drive the #18 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing on Sunday.(Joe Gibbs Racing)(6-14-2016)

Special E15 scheme for Dillon at Iowa: This weekend, the #3 Chevrolet will have new colors on-board. American Ethanol, a renewable source of cleaner burning energy from the bounty of America's farmers, helps create new green jobs and a renewed sense of pride for the American worker, while helping to achieve greater energy security for our country. Launched by Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association, along with the support of other partners, American Ethanol is a breakthrough brand that seeks to expand consumer awareness of the benefits of ethanol and E15, and takes the NASCAR Green initiative to the next level. Kum & Go, the fifth largest privately help convenience store chain in the United States is the largest E85 retailer in the state of Iowa. Its chain stretches across 11 Midwestern states with more than 430 convenience stores.(Richard Chilress Racing), see an image of the car on the #3 team paint schemes page.(6-14-2016)

Decker sisters driving for Obaika Racing at Iowa: It's not the holidays yet, but Obaika Racing is having quite a treat with new drivers as we prepare for the upcoming Xfinity race. Making their Xfinity series debut, the Decker sisters, Paige and Claire, will be heating up the Iowa Speedway come Sunday, June 19. Wisconsin bred Paige (age 23) and Claire (age 21), have been racing competitively for over 2 years. In 2015, Paige made her NASCAR debut in the Camping Truck series at Martinsville where she finished 30th. The following year she and sister Claire, both raced in the Truck series at Martinsville and both finished within the top 30 with Paige at 25th and Claire at 27th. This Sunday, the sisters will be racing for Obaika Racing, with Paige behind the wheel #97 and Claire taking on the new car #77 Chevrolet Camaro. Vroom Brands will be sponsoring both cars.(Obaika Racing)(6-14-2016)

Celsius Energy Drink sponsoring Koch at Daytona: Celsius Holdings, Inc., the creator and marketer of Celsius, the world's first negative calorie drink backed by clinical science, will join forces with Kaulig Racing for the NASCAR XFINITY Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway. Blake Koch will pilot the #11 Celsius' Thermogenic Energy Chevrolet Camaro under the lights on July 1st. Celsius is named for its correlating ability to raise heat production in the body, a process known as thermogenesis. Koch has been a brand ambassador for Celsius since 2014. Blake Koch has eight starts at the 2.5-mile oval. With track-best starting and finishing position of ninth coming earlier this year, Koch is ready to get back on track at Daytona International Speedway. The last time Koch piloted the Celsius Healthy Energy car was in Daytona last year where he finished 18th.(Kauling Racing)(6-14-2016)

Nothing lined up for Conley this season: Since competing in 30 NASCAR XFINITY Series races in 2015, Cale Conley's 2016 season is on hold, as he is yet to compete in any of the 13 XFINITY Series races so far. Conley currently doesn't have a ride lined up in the XFINITY Series, but the West Virginia native says he has been keeping busy with dirt late model racing and sponsorship searching. "Right now, I'm searching for sponsorship," Conley said to The Racing Experts. "It's been tough, especially being around the racecars and being around the track, watching, seeing what I dream about doing but I'm not able to do it right now, just because of lack of sponsorship.It's not on my timetable to make it happen, it's going to play out when it's supposed to play out. That's out of my hands, that's in the Man upstairs' hands. Conley last raced in the XFINITY Series at Kansas Speedway in October of 2015. After finishing 30th at Kansas, Conley was released by TriStar Motorsports with three races left in the 2015 season, citing "lack of funding." Conley says his goal is to run in at least ten XFINITY Series races this season.(Racing Experts)(6-14-2016)

ThorSport shop catches fire UPDATE 6: Fire gutted the Ohio home of a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team early this morning. It happened overnight at ThorSport Racing on Campbell Street in Sandusky, OH. Video shows flames shooting from the roof of the team's 100,000 square foot facility. According to the Sandusky Register, multiple fire departments are on the scene. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear.(NBC4i)(6-13-2016)
UPDATE: A fire broke out early Monday morning at the ThorSport Racing shop in Sandusky, Ohio. The Sandusky Register reported that multiple fire departments were called to the 100,000-square foot race shop. A team official confirmed to NBC Sports that no employees were injured. The team official said fire crews still were working to extinguish the fire at 7 a.m. ET. The four-truck team - the longest tenured in the Camping World Truck Series - raced last Friday at Texas Motor Speedway with two-time series champion and current points leader Matt Crafton, Rico Abreu, Ben Rhodes and Cameron Hayley. The series races this weekend at Iowa Speedway. A team official said the organization plans to compete this weekend.(NBC Sports)(6-13-2016)
UPDATE 2: Shortly after midnight on Monday morning, a fire broke out in the basement of the ThorSport Racing shop, located in Sandusky, Ohio. At this time, we can confirm that no one was injured. We are currently working with the fire department and local officials to contain the blaze, and assess the damage. We do not expect this to impact the team's competition schedule. Our next race is at Iowa Speedway in Newton on Saturday, June 18. Further details will be forthcoming.(ThorSport Racing)(6-13-2016)
UPDATE 3: Photos of the fire damage can be found on Sandusky Register photographer, Jilly Burns' Twitter page, as well as photos and videos on the Sandusky Scanner Live Facebook page.(6-13-2016)
UPDATE 4: Hotspots are still burning at ThorSport Racing after a fire gutted a large portion of the building overnight. Perkins fire Chief Keith Wohlever said the fire was well under control at about 12:30 p.m. on Monday - but a small amount of smoke was still rising from the structure, and some pockets were still burning. The Ohio State Fire Marshal has been on scene since about 9 a.m. this morning, and crews were already working to salvage items from the building. A large excavator could be seen removing debris from the area, including toolboxes and car lifts.
"It doesn't appear to be suspicious (in origin), but with this kind of dollar loss, we want to be diligent in (our investigation)," Wohlever said.
According to ThorSport Racing Team Manager David Pepper, the portion of the building destroyed by the fire housed the company's car fabrication shop.
Bystander Simon Stout said he spotted personnel removing two partially-constructed racing vehicles from the rubble on Monday morning. Even so, the team doesn't suspect the fire will impact any of their upcoming races. Said Pepper: "We're going to get the fire put out and assess where we're at. In four days, we're going to go to Iowa and race like we always do."
While he was unable to comment on how or if the fire would affect ThorSport's future plans or current location, he did thank first responders, and the community for their support. "There has been an outpouring of support already this morning. I can't thank the people in the community enough," Pepper said.
Details on the fire's cause and the total monetary loss will be provided by the Ohio State Fire Marshal in the coming days.(Sandusky Register)(6-13-2016)
UPDATE 5: As some crews battled a fire in one portion of ThorSport Racing's shop early Monday morning, other firefighters went inside the building and saved the team's Camping World Trucks and other equipment. Capt. Jim Johnson of the Perkins Township Fire Department in Sandusky, Ohio, provided new information about how 12 Trucks or chassis were saved in an exclusive interview with NBC Sports. Three more Trucks were saved when the haulers they were in were evacuated. A team spokesperson said three Trucks were destroyed in the fire and one was under water in the basement - where the fire originated. He told NBC Sports that while some units battled the fire, he sent crews into a portion of the building not threatened to push the team's Trucks out of the shop. Johnson said this took place around 3 a.m., about three hours after the first units arrived. "I had the manpower, so I was able to get about six guys at a time sent in and they would push the Trucks to the door and then the ThorSport employees would grab it where there was no smoke and push it down the ramp and to the grass," Johnson told NBC Sports. A spokesperson for Kyle Busch Motorsports, a fellow Toyota team, stated that they had reached out to ThorSport Racing officials and offered whatever assistance is needed from parts and pieces to a place to work. A Toyota spokesperson told NBC Sports that many teams, including those from competing manufacturers, were offering their assistance to ThorSport Racing.(NBC Sports)(6-13-2016)
UPDATE 6: ThorSport Racing crewmen spent Tuesday working in various parking lots on the street that once housed a glistening, 100,000-square-foot shop of a championship-winning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team based in Sandusky, Ohio. The shop is unusable, with about 40 percent destroyed from fire and the rest with smoke and water damage, according to team general manager David Pepper. A couple of crewmen doing wiring on one of the team's race trucks smelled smoke in the building shortly after midnight Monday and found the fire, which would eventually take more than 16 hours to put out with 14 fire trucks and four ladder trucks responding. Firemen also helped push race trucks out, allowing the team to salvage 15 of the 18 race trucks in its fleet, Pepper said. The fabrication shop and the suspension shop were destroyed, and the paint shop and the machine shop, where they would make parts and pieces for the trucks, are all unusable. Offices and areas where the teams would work on mostly completed trucks to set up for races were not a total loss. Any piece for the race trucks that would be considered potentially compromised cannot be used to race, Pepper said. Pepper said he hopes the team can return to some areas of the shop in four to six weeks, but it will take possibly 18 months to rebuild. The team is looking for a temporary home, and it has gotten an incredible response from the Sandusky community and the racing community, who have offered help, including shop space, Pepper said. Some teams will bring parts and pieces the team needs for this weekend but the teams are ready to race, Pepper said. The cause of the fire and an estimate of damages will be determined by the Ohio Fire Marshal, which will conduct an investigation. The shop, completed in 2011, is part of a complex owned by team owners Duke and Rhonda Thorson family, which operate coatings company ThorWorks Industries.(ESPN)(6-14-2016)

Tifft sidelined with injury: Matt Tifft's scheduled double-duty weekend at Iowa Speedway has been derailed by injury. Tifft was scheduled to drive the #11 Toyota Tundra for Red Horse Racing in Saturday night's Speediatrics 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Iowa, and the #18 Toyota-backed Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in Sunday's Xfinity Series American Ethanol E15 250. Multiple sources say Tifft is battling a disc problem in his back, and will not compete in either of this weekend's events. He will be replaced in Sunday's Xfinity race by veteran Sam Hornish, Jr., making in his first NASCAR start of the 2016 campaign. No replacement has been confirmed for Saturday night's Truck race. Tifft, a native of Hinckley, Ohio, has run six of 13 races this season on the Xfinity Series, with back-to-back eighth-place finishes in his last two starts at Talladega and Dover. He has also made three Truck Series starts in 2016, with a best showing of fifth at Charlotte Motor Speedway.(Godfather Motorsports)(6-14-2016)

New sponsor for Kennedy: Ben Kennedy and GMS Racing are pleased to welcome Wheelwell to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS). Wheelwell joins JACOB Companies and Weber Grills as a primary sponsor of Kennedy and the #33 ChevySilverado for the 2016 season. The 24-year-old driver will pilot the Wheelwell Chevrolet in the Speediatrics 200 on June 18 at Iowa Speedway. Wheelwell is a platform that brings together automotive enthusiasts, service professionals and brands in a uniquely visual way that enables consumers to find the very best products for their cars. From users building their dream track machine to average car owners simply looking to improve the performance of their ride, the Wheelwell community is there to guide the way. The San Francisco-based company has users from over 162 countries and is one of the fastest growing automotive communities in the world.(GMS Racing)(6-14-2016)

Richmond joins JRM, Custer: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) veteran Marcus Richmond will take over crew chief duties for the #00 Haas Automation Chevy Silverado and driver Cole Custer for the remainder of the 2016 season, JR Motorsports announced today. Richmond replaces Joe Shear Jr., who resigned earlier in the month. Richmond has 205 starts as a crew chief in NCWTS competition, with nine victories, and led Ty Dillon to a runner-up finish in the 2013 championship standings. He comes to JRM from previous stints at Richard Childress Racing, Red Horse Racing, and most recently, GMS Racing, where he wrenched Johnny Sauter to a victory at Daytona International Speedway earlier this season. In addition to the nine victories, Richmond's trucks have recorded 48 top-five and 94 top-10 finishes as well as nine poles. Custer, the 18-year-old Californian, currently sits 14th in points after seven races, with one top five and a pair of top 10s. Custer owns two NCWTS victories in 26 starts, including his first in 2014 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in which he became the youngest driver to win a NCWTS race. Richmond will begin his duties on the pit box this weekend at Iowa Speedway.(JR Motorsports)(6-14-2016)
AND: Shear joined Johnny Sauter, replacing Richmond as crew chief, on the #21 Chevy at GMS Racing.(6-14-2016)

Jaguars Linebacker named Honorary Pace Car Driver at Daytona: Jacksonville Jaguars outside linebacker Telvin Smith will serve as Honorary Pace Car Driver for the 58th annual Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, July 2. Smith, who played collegiately at Florida State University before being chosen by the Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft, will lead the field around the 2.5-mile tri-oval in a Toyota Camry Pace Car prior to the start of the 160-lap, 400-mile race. Smith will also participate in a question-and-answer session in Sprint FANZONE, pre-race ceremonies and attend the drivers' meeting. In 2015, Smith started all 14 games he played in, totaling 128 tackles (99 solo), as well as registering his first NFL touchdown on a 26-yard interception return against the Buffalo Bills in the Jaguars' win in London. Smith also owns the NFL's longest active streak of 16 straight games with six-plus tackles.(DIS)(6-14-2016)

NASCAR satisfied with downforce package at Michigan: The new lower-downforce aerodynamic package under evaluation for 2017 got its first test in a points race at Michigan, and NASCAR officials liked what they saw in the 400-miler. "It was definitely different than we've seen here before, a lot of action on the restarts, a lot of movement there," said Scott Miller, NASCAR's senior vice president of competition. "Obviously, we all watched it get strung out a little bit, which we weren't hoping for longer into the runs. I think we saw a lot of things that we liked, some other things that may need a little bit of reevaluating, but I think overall, for such a big move in downforce, that it was a really pretty successful day and something that we can build on." If the new configuration, or a variation thereof, is adopted for next year, Goodyear will have time to build a tire designed for the new package and the track. "I think we probably need to come back to a bit more work on the tires, which these tires have not been tuned to this package, so we'll work with our Goodyear folks," said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR senior vice president, innovation and racing development. "Probably a bit handicapped by the entry speeds being pretty high (reaching roughly 218 mph), so still that creates some aero effects, so that's something we'll look at. "But again, this has been planned as a two to three step process. We're off to Kentucky (for an organizational test on Monday and Tuesday), and then we'll be on the track at Kentucky (July 9)-shorter track, lower speeds and all that, so we'll see how that all comes together."(NASCAR Wire Service)(6-13-2016)

Youngest top 3 finishers in NASCAR history: #22-Joey Logano plopped into a seat, getting a much-needed break, when the 26-year-old driver found out he was just a part of history. Logano pulled away from the pack to win the FireKeepers Casino 400 and was followed by 20-year-old #24-Chase Elliott and 23-year-old #42-Kyle Larson, the youngest top three in NASCAR Sprint Cup history. The trio's average age of 23 was younger than the 24.7 of the top three finishers at a race in 1951 and two races the previous year. "The future of NASCAR is present," Logano said. "It's going to be big. It's amazing to see."(Associated Press)(6-13-2016)

Larson's car fails post-race inspection: After the race, there was drama for #42-Kyle Larson and his team, as his car failed post-race tech on NASCAR Laser Inspection Station. At MIS, Larson raced without crew chief Chad Johnston, who was serving a one-race suspension for lug nut issues last week and is on probation until the end of the year. Expect NASCAR to issue a penalty on Wednesday, but what that penalty is remains to be seen.(Fox Sports)(6-12-2016)

Roush Yates Engines captures 100th win: Sunday's win by Joey Logano is the 100th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points win for Roush Yates Engines. Roush Yates Engines was formed after the 2003 season when Jack Roush and Robert Yates decided to merge their engine operations. In its first season, the new organization swept the front row in qualifying for the 2004 Daytona 500 and won the series championship later that year with driver Kurt Busch. A total of 14 different drivers have won at least one series race since RYE opened for business.(Ford Racing)(6-13-2016)

Race and Commercial Breakdown of the FireKeepers Casino 400: 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 at 1:00 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 4:17 PM (all times are EDT). Did not keep records for the pre- and post-race coverage. FS1 was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 112
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 60
Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 88
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 45
Number of 'Side-by-Side' commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 24
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 18
Number of times Fox utilized 'Side-by-Side' commercials during this broadcast: 5
Total number of brief promos of products/services during the race broadcast: 92
Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 3 min. 20 sec.
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 1:00 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 4:17 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 197
Minutes of race broadcast: 159
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 38
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 159 Total comm. brdcst time 38
See past races, more info on the commercials with links at CawsnJaws.com.(6-13-2016)

ThorSport shop catches fire UPDATE 5: Fire gutted the Ohio home of a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team early this morning. It happened overnight at ThorSport Racing on Campbell Street in Sandusky, OH. Video shows flames shooting from the roof of the team's 100,000 square foot facility. According to the Sandusky Register, multiple fire departments are on the scene. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear.(NBC4i)(6-13-2016)
UPDATE: A fire broke out early Monday morning at the ThorSport Racing shop in Sandusky, Ohio. The Sandusky Register reported that multiple fire departments were called to the 100,000-square foot race shop. A team official confirmed to NBC Sports that no employees were injured. The team official said fire crews still were working to extinguish the fire at 7 a.m. ET. The four-truck team - the longest tenured in the Camping World Truck Series - raced last Friday at Texas Motor Speedway with two-time series champion and current points leader Matt Crafton, Rico Abreu, Ben Rhodes and Cameron Hayley. The series races this weekend at Iowa Speedway. A team official said the organization plans to compete this weekend.(NBC Sports)(6-13-2016)
UPDATE 2: Shortly after midnight on Monday morning, a fire broke out in the basement of the ThorSport Racing shop, located in Sandusky, Ohio. At this time, we can confirm that no one was injured. We are currently working with the fire department and local officials to contain the blaze, and assess the damage. We do not expect this to impact the team's competition schedule. Our next race is at Iowa Speedway in Newton on Saturday, June 18. Further details will be forthcoming.(ThorSport Racing)(6-13-2016)
UPDATE 3: Photos of the fire damage can be found on Sandusky Register photographer, Jilly Burns' Twitter page, as well as photos and videos on the Sandusky Scanner Live Facebook page.(6-13-2016)
UPDATE 4: Hotspots are still burning at ThorSport Racing after a fire gutted a large portion of the building overnight. Perkins fire Chief Keith Wohlever said the fire was well under control at about 12:30 p.m. on Monday - but a small amount of smoke was still rising from the structure, and some pockets were still burning. The Ohio State Fire Marshal has been on scene since about 9 a.m. this morning, and crews were already working to salvage items from the building. A large excavator could be seen removing debris from the area, including toolboxes and car lifts.
"It doesn't appear to be suspicious (in origin), but with this kind of dollar loss, we want to be diligent in (our investigation)," Wohlever said.
According to ThorSport Racing Team Manager David Pepper, the portion of the building destroyed by the fire housed the company's car fabrication shop.
Bystander Simon Stout said he spotted personnel removing two partially-constructed racing vehicles from the rubble on Monday morning. Even so, the team doesn't suspect the fire will impact any of their upcoming races. Said Pepper: "We're going to get the fire put out and assess where we're at. In four days, we're going to go to Iowa and race like we always do."
While he was unable to comment on how or if the fire would affect ThorSport's future plans or current location, he did thank first responders, and the community for their support. "There has been an outpouring of support already this morning. I can't thank the people in the community enough," Pepper said.
Details on the fire's cause and the total monetary loss will be provided by the Ohio State Fire Marshal in the coming days.(Sandusky Register)(6-13-2016)
UPDATE 5: As some crews battled a fire in one portion of ThorSport Racing's shop early Monday morning, other firefighters went inside the building and saved the team's Camping World Trucks and other equipment. Capt. Jim Johnson of the Perkins Township Fire Department in Sandusky, Ohio, provided new information about how 12 Trucks or chassis were saved in an exclusive interview with NBC Sports. Three more Trucks were saved when the haulers they were in were evacuated. A team spokesperson said three Trucks were destroyed in the fire and one was under water in the basement - where the fire originated. He told NBC Sports that while some units battled the fire, he sent crews into a portion of the building not threatened to push the team's Trucks out of the shop. Johnson said this took place around 3 a.m., about three hours after the first units arrived. "I had the manpower, so I was able to get about six guys at a time sent in and they would push the Trucks to the door and then the ThorSport employees would grab it where there was no smoke and push it down the ramp and to the grass," Johnson told NBC Sports. A spokesperson for Kyle Busch Motorsports, a fellow Toyota team, stated that they had reached out to ThorSport Racing officials and offered whatever assistance is needed from parts and pieces to a place to work. A Toyota spokesperson told NBC Sports that many teams, including those from competing manufacturers, were offering their assistance to ThorSport Racing.(NBC Sports)(6-13-2016)

Logano wins at Michigan: #22-Joey Logano won the FireKeepers Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway for his 1st win of the season, 2nd win at Michigan and 15th career win. Logano led 139 of the 200 laps and won for the 3rd time when starting from the pole.
#24-Chase Elliott finished 2nd (his career best finish) followed by #42-Larson, #2-Keselowski, #4-Harvick, #19-Edwards, #14-Stewart, #3-Dillon, #1-McMurray, and #41-Busch.
There were 14 lead changes among 8 drivers and 9 cautions for 46 yellow flag laps.
The average speed was 134.241 mph.
See unofficial race results, awards, laps led, cautions and more [NOTE: money/winnings are no longer reported] at:
Unofficial Race Results page (pdf)
Lap Summary Report (pdf)
Penalty Report (pdf)
Pit Stop Times (pdf)
(6-12-2016)

Race Fast Facts - Michigan International Speedway:
Joey Logano won the 48th Annual FireKeepers Casino 400, his 15th victory in 271 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first victory and ninth top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his second victory and 10th top-10 finish in 16 races at Michigan International Speedway.
Chase Elliott (second) posted his first top-10 finish in two races at Michigan International Speedway. It is his 11th top-10 finish in 2016.
Kyle Larson (third) posted his second top-10 finish in six races at Michigan International Speedway.
Chase Elliott (second) was the highest finishing rookie.
Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 30 points over Kurt Busch.
Logano's win today is the 100th for Roush-Yates Engines in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(6-12-2016)

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup CHASE Standings:
[after Michigan, race 15 of 36, 16 drivers for the Chase]
Set by most wins, then by points standing
1) #18-Busch [3 wins], 9th in driver points
4) #2-Keselowski [2 wins], 3rd
3) #19-Edwards [2 wins], 4th
2) #48-Johnson [2 wins], 7th
5) #4-Harvick [1 win], 1st
6) #41-Busch [1 win], 2nd
7) #22-Logano [1 win], 410, 5th
8) #78-Truex, Jr. [1 win], 8th
9) #20-Kenseth [1 win], 10th
10) #11-Hamlin [1 win], 13th
no wins, in by drivers points standings
11) #24-Elliott, 413, 6th
12) #88-Earnhardt Jr., 381, 11th
13) #3-Dillon, 348, 12th
14) #1-McMurray, 342, 14th
15) #31-Newman, 338, 15th
16) #21-Blaney, 340, 16th
(6-12-2016)

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Driver Points (not CHASE) Standings:
[after Michigan, race 15 of 36]
1) #4-Harvick [1 win], 526
2) #41-Busch [1 win], 496, -30
3) #2-Keselowski [2 wins], 480, -46
4) #19-Edwards [2 wins], 472, -54
5) #22-Logano [1 win], 455, -71
6) #24-Elliott, 453, -73
7) #48-Johnson [2 wins], 441, -85
8) #78-Truex Jr. [1 win], 433, -93
9) #18-Busch, [3 wins], 417, -109
10) #20-Kenseth [1 win], 409, -117
See the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings page (pdf) and
Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf)

Drivers hopeful new rules mean better racing at Michigan: Optimism remains high for the lower downforce rules package in place for Sunday's FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. "Well, I think that we made a pretty good step forward with the move we made from the 2015 to the 2016 package," said Scott Miller, NASCAR vice president of competition. "For aerodynamics in making more competitive racing and closer competition, more passes for the lead. In most cases all the metrics we looked at have been better in those areas. So this is just another step toward, again, creating closer competition and great racing that the fans and the media and everybody wants to see. We want to see that really bad, and I think this direction has been something that's been embraced by the drivers, and actually we've worked together with them to land here and try this for this year as a potential way to move forward with closer competition."
Friday's practice and qualifying sessions saw higher speeds through both the corners and down the straightaways with average speeds topping 200 mph. However, while reaction has been mostly favorable, there is still much to be observed before gauging whether the rules are successfully reaching goals.
"And as far as today, I think it's difficult to visually see the difference, but when you look at the data from the cars, the speed trace is significantly different, the mid corner speeds are down a lot, the entry speeds are up a little," Miller explained. "And from some of the driver comments, having to use the brakes pretty hard and maybe even thinking about needing brake cooling and everything at a big track like this is a departure from where we've been before, and we're really hoping that those things actually produce a really, really good race on Sunday."
But as of now, it's still very much a guessing game. "What I'm anticipating is hopefully a lot of slipping and sliding; a loss of momentum, and the ability to stack up some guys and to get a big run from third, fourth, fifth on back," Kurt Busch said. "That's what we hope we see and that we don't have a leader that just gets out there and then we're not able to chase him down. And then the restarts are going to be that much more exciting because of the lack of downforce and how stable will the cars be side-by-side? Nobody knows that yet."(Motor Racing Network)
AND NASCAR Sprint Cup owner Jack Roush was not happy with the series' decision to use new rules to the aerodynamic package to further reduce downforce and sideforce for this weekend's FireKeepers Casino 400 race at Michigan International Speedway. "It's different from what it was, no doubt," said the 74-year-old Roush of the new rules package. "Nobody had been on the race track with this package before. Everybody is struggling to find out where the sensitive adjustments are. The car has not been as loose as we expected. We thought that the problem would be flying out from underneath of you, loose on exit and entry. The entry has been a little bit of a problem, but the exit and center has not been a bigger problem than normal." Roush's three-car team of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (12th), Trevor Bayne (13th) and Greg Biffle (18th) all qualified outside the top-10 Friday.(Detroit News)(6-12-2016)

added some special paint schemes from Michigan in June:
#1 McDonald's, #3 Dow Salutes Veterans, #4 Outback Steakhouse, #7 Nikko / Toy State, #14 Rush Truck Centers / Mobil 1, #16 Ford EcoBoost, #17 Fifth Third Bank, #18 Patriotic M&M's, #19 Subway, #23 Weaver Media, #30 TMG, #31 Grainger (white), #32 Can-AM, #44 Alberstons, #47 Kroger / Hungry Jack / Crisco, #48 Kobalt Tools, #55 Premium Motorsports, #88 Axalta, #95 Nexteer and #98 Premium Motorsports

Michigan Race Notes & Facts:
· There have been 93 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Michigan International Speedway since the first race there in 1969. Other than 1973, which had just one race, there have been two races each season since 1969.
· Eight different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Michigan; led by Ford with 34 victories; followed by Chevrolet with 23, Mercury (12), Dodge (nine), Toyota (five), Buick (four) Pontiac (four) and Oldsmobile (two).
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Michigan International Speedway was the June 10, 2001 race won by Jeff Gordon over Ricky Rudd with a MOV of 0.085 second.
· There have been two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Michigan International Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): fall of 2011 (200/203); and fall of 2012 (200/201).
· Five of the 93 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Michigan International Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the event on 6/14/2015.
(NASCAR)

Texas fall race tickets on sale Monday: Texas Motor Speedway announced that individual tickets for November's AAA Texas 500 race weekend will go on sale this Monday beginning at 9:00am/ct. The AAA Texas 500 weekend features all three NASCAR national series - Sprint Cup, XFINITY, Camping World Truck Series - and will mark the debut of the Chase playoff format for all three series. Race fans can take advantage of the lowest-priced ticket for the AAA Texas 500 with the NASCAR "Sights & Sounds 2-Pack" featuring two frontstretch tickets, a scanner and two earbuds starting at $88. The package provides the biggest savings for fans to catch the excitement of the eighth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and the second of three races in the pivotal Eliminator 8 Round. Tickets to Texas Motor Speedway's popular RaceDay University presented by Coca-Cola also will be available for $199. The package treats fans to exclusive Q&A sessions with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers and celebrities; hospitality food and Coca-Cola beverages; stage-side access for the pre-race concert and driver introductions; and a frontstretch ticket for the AAA Texas 500. Individual tickets for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Longhorn 350 - which also includes Sprint Cup Series qualifying - on Friday, Nov. 4, and the XFINITY Series O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge on Saturday, Nov. 5, also will be on sale with prices beginning at $25. To purchase your tickets for all four events during the NASCAR tripleheader weekend, call the Texas Motor Speedway ticket office at (817) 215-8500 or visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com.(TMS)(6-12-2016)

Sad News - Dave Jones: Erik Jones announced on Twitter Saturday afternoon that his father Dave passed away Tuesday. He had recently been battling cancer. No additional details are available at this time.(6-11-2016)

Final practice for the FireKeepers Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway is over after 55 scheduled minutes. The top-five, slowest and notes:
#3-Dillon 194.301
#2-Keselowski 194.013
#48-Johnson 193.851
#6-Bayne 193.778
#41-Busch 193.741
slowest: #23-Ragan 186.969 & #46-Annett 186.331
most laps run: #24-Elliott, 47 laps. #11-Hamlin, 45 laps.
See fastest speeds, laps run on the Michigan Final Practice speeds page (pdf).(6-11-2016)

First Saturday practice for the FireKeepers Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway is over after 55 scheduled minutes. The top-five, slowest and notes:
#19-Edwards 197.770
#18-Busch 197.737
#22-Logano 197.444
#21-Blaney 197.406
#2-Keselowski 197.395
slowest: #98-Sorenson 189.329 & #46-Annett 188.645
most laps run: #14-Stewart, 42 laps. #11-Hamlin, 36 laps.
See fastest speeds, laps run on the Michigan Practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(6-11-2016)

Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the FireKeepers Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway have been made.
Pole sitter #22-Logano chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #78-Truex, Jr. is in pit stall 13. The team lost their pit stall selection after receiving their 4th written warning on Friday.
#14-Stewart, who starts 3rd took the 2nd pit stall.
The 40th and final pit stall was taken by #21-Blaney, who starts 5th.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on Jayski.com's Pit Stall Selection chart.

Inspection problems delay Sprint Cup qualifying at Michigan: The #78 Furniture Row Racing crew members were in a bit of a frenzy during Friday's Coors Light Pole Qualifying at Michigan International Speedway: Crew chief Cole Pearn sprinted through the garage, as other crew members worked quickly on the #78 Toyota of Martin Truex Jr., trying to get it on track in time for qualifying's opening round. The #78 wasn't alone -- Multiple trips through inspection for several Sprint Cup teams caused a backup in the queue that caused NASCAR to push knockout qualifying from 4:15 to 4:30pm/et. According to FS1, 12 cars had yet to clear inspection by the original start time. Scott Miller, NASCAR's Senior Vice President of Competition, told FS1 that he believed teams were having trouble with new aerodynamic rules that eliminate rear-axle offset or "skew." That tweak (along with other aero changes) were used in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race; they will also be in effect for this weekend's race and next month's 400-miler at Kentucky Speedway. Brad Keselowski, whose car was one of the 12 held up in the line, said "no one (could) pass laser" inspection, which caused the blockage.(NASCAR.com)(6-10-2016)

Penalties for loose and missing lug nuts will continue: NASCAR has no plans to change its penalty structure for missing or non-secure lug nuts it sees postrace. NASCAR has issued one-week suspensions to four crew chiefs since instituting its new rules five weeks ago. But NASCAR Senior VP Scott Miller said the sanctioning body continues to work in hopes of using technology to be able to determine if the lug nuts are tight when the car leaves pit road.(ESPN.com)(6-11-2016)

NASCAR, RISE unveil campaign to promote sports equality: NASCAR and the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) announced a new campaign to promote diversity, inclusion and equality within and outside of sports. A public service announcement (PSA) featuring several NASCAR drivers will encourage fans to take the pledge to end racism at RISEtoWin.org. The PSA features six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, 2015 Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano, 2014 Coke Zero 400 winner Aric Almirola and NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduates Kyle Larson and Darrell Wallace Jr. The PSA will air during NASCAR national series races this weekend on FS1. NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France is a founding member of the RISE Board of Directors and has helped steer the growing initiative, which was founded by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross. Last fall, NASCAR joined several major sports leagues in partnering with the new alliance of top leagues, associations, media networks and educators. In the PSA, NASCAR drivers invite sports fans to take the pledge to treat everyone with respect and dignity, and to speak up whenever they know discrimination is happening.(NASCAR)(6-11-2016)

Keselowski say Gordon is biased in broadcast booth UPDATE: #2-Brad Keselowski's car took a shot in the pits and then he took aim at Jeff Gordon. Keselowski, the pole sitter for Monday's race at Pocono Raceway, ran into early trouble when he was called back to the pits because of unapproved body modifications on his #2 Ford. One of his pit crew members threw a shoulder block into a side panel, which caused a dent that potentially could give the car more sideforce and an aerodynamic edge on the track. Crew members argued with pit officials, to no avail. Keselowski rallied to finish third, though his Ford was quickly surrounded by NASCAR officials. The car did not fail postrace inspection. Keselowski was angered when told that the FS1 broadcast aired footage of his crew doing something similar during a pit stop earlier this year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Keselowski was not penalized and won the race. Gordon, the retired four-time NASCAR champion and an analyst for the FS1 broadcast team, explained on the broadcast how Keselowski might have an edge. As he spoke, the network showed a replay of the Las Vegas pit stop.
After the Pocono race, Keselowski was upset that Gordon is broadcasting while he still owns a stake in Hendrick Motorsports. "They need to get some people in the booth who aren't inbred to the sport and own teams and have internal knowledge, because that's pretty crappy," Keselowski said. "But it is what it is."
"It's not that I don't like Jeff Gordon in the booth," Keselowski said. "It's that you need to have people who don't own teams or have commercial interests in the sport, because they say things that are very biased."
Gordon later tweeted an apology. "My mistake comparing @keselowski @LVMotorSpeedway incident today @poconoraceway but @NASCAR called car down pit road to fix issue not me," he wrote. "My mistake was that @keselowski didn't get a penalty for the 'body modifications' during @LVMotorSpeedway race."(Associated Press)(6-7-2016)
UPDATE: Keselowski and Gordon spoke at Michigan. Keselowski was asked about that Friday during his media availability:
Q:Did you talk [to Gordon] more about what you said and did he say anything to you?
Keselowski: "Yeah, we talked at length. I think there are certainly some different opinions. I don't necessarily know if that is going to change but it is nice to be able to have those conversations in a one-on-one format. Of course there was a camera there so I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Probably a little bit of both. I feel like it is good and hopefully we can move on. My big thing is that I don't want somebody that is invested in another team talking about my race car in a derogatory form or a perceived derogatory form. I don't think that is right and I am going to defend my team in those situations no matter who it is. It doesn't have to be one particular person. Beyond that, I think he has a position that requires his insight but there are some limitations to what insight I think is fair play for that position when you are still invested in the sport. I feel like that was over the line. Not just that particular example but other examples on other broadcasts. I just want to make sure that if anyone wants to criticize me and how I drive the race car that is one thing, but not my team and not things that could be perceived as self-serving."(Ford Racing)(6-11-2016)

Michigan Driver Notes & Facts:
· 377 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway; 279 in more than one.
· Bill Elliott leads the series in starts at Michigan with 61. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth lead all active drivers with 33 starts.
· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Michigan with a 9.500.
· Two active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career start at Michigan International Speedway: Carl Edwards (8/22/2004) and Landon Cassill (6/13/2010).
· 36 different NSCS drivers have won at Michigan International Speedway, led by David Pearson with nine wins; Greg Biffle leads all active drivers with four.
· Eight drivers have posted consecutive wins at Michigan International Speedway, including four consecutive by Bill Elliott (1985 sweep and 1986 sweep).
· Roush Fenway Racing has the most wins at Michigan in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 13: Mark Martin (four), Greg Biffle (four), Carl Edwards (two), Matt Kenseth (two) and Kurt Busch (one).
· All active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Michigan International Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Tony Stewart won at Michigan in his third appearance, the fewest previous starts among the active NSCS winners.
· Kevin Harvick competed at Michigan International Speedway 19 times before winning in the fall of 2010; the longest span of any the active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.
· Among the active NSCS Michigan winners Kevin Harvick (19), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (17) Kyle Busch (13) and Joey Logano (10) all made 10 or more attempts before their first win.
· Jeff Gordon leads the series in runner-up finishes at Michigan with eight; followed by Darrell Waltrip with seven and Kevin Harvick with six.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough leads the series in top-five finishes at Michigan with 21; Matt Kenseth leads all active drivers with 14.
· Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Michigan with 31. Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart lead all active drivers with 20 each.
· Carl Edwards leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Michigan with a 9.652.
· Jamie McMurray leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Michigan without visiting Victory Lane at 26; followed by Casey Mears at 25.
· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Michigan with 646 laps led in 28 starts.
· Four female drivers have competed at Michigan International Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie, Robin McCall, Shawna Robinson and Danica Patrick. Of the four female drivers to compete at Michigan, Guthrie has the best finish (10th).
(NASCAR)

Suárez Becomes First Mexican Driver To Win NASCAR National Series Race: Daniel Suárez earned his first career NASCAR XFINITY Series win on Saturday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, becoming the first Mexican-born driver to capture a NASCAR national series victory. With the victory, Suárez clinches a spot in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase. Suárez, a graduate of both the NASCAR Drive for Diversity and NASCAR Next programs, has a accomplished a long list of accolades since joining NASCAR in 2011. Last season, he became the first Mexican driver to win the NASCAR XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award, finishing fifth in the championship standings. This season, Suárez became the first foreign-born driver to lead the points in any of the three NASCAR national Series, topping the NASCAR XFINITY Series standings for six consecutive weeks. He is the current points leader in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, the series where "Names Are Made." Suárez, 24, has quickly climbed the NASCAR ladder system throughout his career, with full-time stops in the NASCAR Mexico Series and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East before joining the NASCAR XFINITY Series with Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2015 season. During his four years (2011-14) in the NASCAR Mexico Series, Suárez won 10 races and finished in the top 10 in championship points in all four of his seasons, including a runner-up championship finish in 2013. In two full-time seasons in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, Suárez won three races and finished third in the final standings in 2013. Suárez had scored six runner-up finishes in the national series prior to his win on Saturday. With the victory, Suárez becomes only the fifth Latino driver to win a NASCAR national series race, joining Frank Mundy, Juan Pablo Montoya, Aric Almirola and Nelson Piquet Jr.(NASCAR)(6-11-2016)

Daniel Suarez wins XFINITY race at Michigan: #19-Daniel Suarez won the Menards 250 at Michigan International Speedway. It is his 1st XFINITY Series win and locks him into this year's XFINITY Series Chase. He took the lead from #18-Kyle Busch at the white flag and held on for the win. Busch finished second, followed by #2-Paul Menard, #20-Erik Jones, #1-Elliott Sadler, #22-Joey Logano, polesitter #88-Alex Bowman, #7-Justin Allgaier, #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., and #33-Brandon Jones.
There were 3 cautions for 14 laps and 11 lead changes among 7 leaders.
The average speed was 155.952mph.
Complete results are on the Michigan race results page (pdf).
(6-11-2016)

Michigan XFINITY Race Fast Facts:
Daniel Suarez won the 25th Annual Menards 250 presented by Valvoline, his first victory in 48 NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
This is his first victory and 11th top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in two races at Michigan International Speedway.
Kyle Busch(i) (second) posted his eighth top-10 finish in nine races at Michigan International Speedway. It is his eighth top-10 finish in 2016.
Paul Menard(i) (third) posted his ninth top-10 finish in 11 races at Michigan International Speedway.
Erik Jones (fourth) was the highest finishing rookie.
Daniel Suarez leads the point standings by 18 points over Elliott Sadler.
Daniel Suarez (Monterrey, Mexico) becomes the first Mexican driver to win a NASCAR national series race.
Suarez is the sixth foreign born driver to win in the NASCAR XFINITY Series joining Larry Polllard (Canada), Ron Fellows (Canada), Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia), Marcos Ambrose (Australia) and Nelson Piquet Jr. (Brazil).
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(6-11-2016)

XFINITY Driver standings following Michigan:
1) #19-Daniel Suarez [1 win], 452
2) #1-Elliott Sadler [1 win], 434, -18
3) #3-Ty Dillon, 416, -36
4) #20-Erik Jones [2 wins], 397, -55
5) #7-Justin Allgaier, 388, -64
6) #33-Brandon Jones, 388, -64
7) #62-Brendan Gaughan, 386, -66
8) #48-Brennan Poole, 373, -79
9) #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., 340, -112
10) #16-Ryan Reed, 301, -151
See complete owner and driver standings on the driver standings(pdf) and owner standings page (pdf).(6-11-2016)

Alex Bowman on XFINITY pole at Michigan: #88-Alex Bowman won the Coors Light pole for the Menards 250 at Michigan International Speedway with a speed of 191.586mph. #20-Erik Jones will start second. The rest of the top 10: #1-Elliott Sadler, #7-Justin Allgaier, #18-Kyle Busch, #19-Daniel Suarez, #11-Blake Koch, #48-Brennan Poole, #22-Joey Logano, and #39-Ryan Sieg.
Did Not Qualify: None.
The starting lineup is posted on the Michigan starting lineup page (pdf).(6-11-2016)

Michigan Qualifying Notes:
Alex Bowman won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 25th Annual Menards 250 presented by Valvoline with a lap of 37.581 seconds, 191.586 mph.
This is his third pole in 44 NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
This is his first pole and third top-10 start in 2016.
This is his first pole in three races at Michigan International Speedway.
Erik Jones (second) posted his 13th top-10 start of 2016 and his first at Michigan International Speedway.
Elliott Sadler (third) posted his fourth top-10 start at Michigan International Speedway. It is his eighth in 13 races this season.
Erik Jones (second) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(6-11-2016)

Sonoma Raceway announces pre-race show: The Toyota/Save Mart 350 is sure to feature its usual high-intensity action on Sunday, June 26, and Sonoma Raceway has teamed up with Friedman's Home Improvement to assemble an unforgettable pre-race show featuring everything from jets to aeronautical aerobatics to live musical entertainment. There will be plenty of on-track action throughout the day, so fans should be sure to arrive early, as pre-race entertainment gets underway at 8:30am on Sunday, June 26. For even more access, the Pre-Race Pit & Track Pass includes a pre-race Cold Pit Pass and access to the track for the Friedman's Pre-Race Show and driver introductions. New for 2016, youth 18 and under are allowed on-track access with the Pre-Race Pit & Track Pass. Here is some of what to expect during the Pre-Race Show Powered by Friedman's Home Improvement:
Pre-Race Concert by Jackson Michelson; NASCAR Drivers' Meeting Concert by Toree McGee; Aerial Stunt Performance by Brad Wursten; Patriots Jet Team Air Show; 25 Years of Save Mart Supermarkets video to highlight the top 10 on-track moments; Save Mart Giant Shopping Cart; Team Fastrax Professional Skydiving; National Anthem performed by Q. Smith; and Anthem Flyover Provided by Oregon National Guard.(Sonoma Racewway)(6-11-2016)

Logano wins Michigan pole: #22-Joey Logano won the Coors Light pole for the FireKeepers Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway with speed of 199.557mph for his 2nd pole of 2016, 2nd at Michigan and 16th of his career. Logano has won two races from the pole in his career.
#78-Truex, Jr will start 2nd, followed by #14-Stewart, #11-Hamlin, #21-Blaney, #31-Newman, #42-Larson, #3-Dillon, #18-Busch, #24-Elliott, #19-Edwards, and #17-Stenhouse, Jr.
#22-Logano was also quickest in the second round with a speed of 199.994mph.
#11-Hamlin was fastest in the first round at 199.424mph. He starts 4th.
Since the maximum of 40 cars entered the race, everyone made the race.
The start of qualifying was delayed for 15 minutes because a number of teams had problems getting though inspection.
See round-by-round qualifying results on the Michigan qualifying results page (pdf) and the complete starting lineup on the Michigan Starting Lineup page (pdf).(6-10-2016)

Michigan International Speedway - Qualifying Fast Facts:
Joey Logano won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 48th Annual FireKeepers Casino 400 with a lap of 36.080 seconds, 199.557 mph.
This is his 16th pole in 270 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his second pole and 11th top-10 start in 2016.
This is his second pole in 15 races at Michigan International Speedway.
Martin Truex Jr (second) posted his ninth top-10 start of 2016 and his sixth in 21 races at Michigan International Speedway.
Tony Stewart (third) posted his 10th top-10 start at Michigan International Speedway. It is his second in seven races this season.
Ryan Blaney (fifth) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Statistics)(6-10-2016)

Second Round of Qualifying for the FireKeepers Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway is over, after 10 scheduled minutes.
#22-Logano 199.994
#19-Edwards 199.181
#11-Hamlin 199.115
#18-Busch 198.692
#3-Dillon 198.539
the rest of the top 12: 17 24 14 42 21 78 31;
out of the top 12 and not advancing to round 3: 6 1 2 48 41 16 20 47 95 34 5 13
(6-10-2016)

First Round of Qualifying for the FireKeepers Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway is over, after 20 scheduled minutes.
#11-Hamlin 199.424
#22-Logano 198.999
#19-Edwards 198.944
#21-Blaney 198.648
#14-Stewart 197.911
the rest of the top 24: 16 78 18 31 3 95 24 5 6 1 20 34 41 42 13 17 2 48 47;
out of the top 24 and not advancing to round 2: 10 44 88 38 4 43 83 27 7 15 23 55 30 32 46 98
Drivers who will miss the race: none, as 40 cars were entered for 40 spots
(6-10-2016)

Joey Logano fastest in XFINITY happy hour: #22-Joey Logano was quickest during happy hour for the Menards 250 with a speed of 191.826mph. He was followed by: #11-Blake Koch, #16-Ryan Reed, #20-Erik Jones, #7-Justin Allgaier, #2-Paul Menard, #3-Ty Dillon, #33-Brandon Jones, #19-Daniel Suarez and #62-Brendan Gaughan. 36 drivers participated in the session.
See complete results on the Michigan practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(6-10-2016)

Surgen serving as Larson's crew chief at Michigan: Chip Ganassi Racing announced on Twitter Friday morning that team enginer Phil Surgen will serve as crew chief #42-Kyle Larson this weekend at Michigan. Larson's crew chief Chad Johnston was given a one race suspension for loose lug nuts following the Pocono race.(6-10-2016)

Friday practice for the FireKeepers Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway is over after 85 scheduled minutes. The top-five, slowest and notes:
#24-Elliott 201.630
#78-Truex, Jr 201.314
#19-Edwards 201.2018
#88-Earnhardt, Jr. 201.213
#4-Harvick 200.904
slowest: #46-Annett 190.375 & #98-Sorenson 184.153.
most laps run: #18-Busch, 26 laps. #13-Mears & #44-Scott, 24 laps.
notes: Qualifying is scheduled for this afternoon at 4:15pm/et. It will be shown on FS1.
See fastest speeds, laps run on the Michigan Practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(6-10-2016)

Qualifying Order for the FireKeepers Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway is posted. 40 cars/drivers are listed.
The first driver to be lined up on pit road will be #98-Sorenson.
The final driver lined up on pit road will be #19-Edwards.
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 Michigan Qualifying Order Page (pdf).

Ford working with Roush to improve: Ford Performance boss Dave Pericak is convinced Roush Fenway Racing will soon return to victory lane. The legendary Ford NASCAR team has not won a race since [Sonoma in 2014]. Team owner Jack Roush and his current Cup drivers Biffle, Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are as dedicated as ever to turning things around, said Pericak, who took over as global director of Ford Performance from Jamie Allison last year. "I've been in the job for over a year and I've said we've been going to fix Roush," said Pericak, chief engineer of the Ford Mustang from 2008-2015. "The cars this year have speed in them but the team has had trouble executing on pit road. I think they've definitely ... shown a trend of improvement."
"As it is today, Jack Roush is not happy about the situation," said Pericak, who will leave Tuesday for France to oversee the Ford GT40's return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car classic. "But he's 100% committed to improving the team and his spirits are high."
Pericak will be at MIS [Friday] to observe NASCAR's new lower down force package for the track. "It will be a wait and see thing," said Pericak of the aerodynamic package which NASCAR believes will promote closer and better racing with more passing. "I think we are headed in the right direction and we're hoping for better racing. At the end of the day, I think it allows drivers to drive the car." Ford drivers have been using a state-of-the-art simulator in Charlotte, N.C., running the lower down force package for MIS.(Detroit Free Press)(6-10-2016)

Ganassi says lug nut issue is 'silly': Car owner Chip Ganassi called crew chief suspensions in NASCAR "complete silliness" and said the "whole lug nut thing is a silly thing" during an interview Wednesday night on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Ganassi's comments on "Dialed In" came on the same day NASCAR suspended one of his crew chiefs, Chad Johnston, for not having all the lug nuts properly secured on Kyle Larson's car Monday at Pocono Raceway. Johnston will miss this weekend's race at Michigan International Speedway. Ganassi told host Claire B. Lang on Wednesday that the new policy has steered the conversation of the sport in a direction he doesn't think it needs to go. "I just think the whole lug nut thing is a silly thing," Ganassi said. "We're in a major sport that on any given weekend we have over 100,000 people that show up and watch and it's the most-watched sport on television sometimes on the weekend and we're sitting here talking about lug nuts. Are you kidding me? Please. They need to move the conversation. I'm saying NASCAR needs to move the conversation to something a little more relevant than lug nuts." So if not lug nuts, what should be the topic of conversation be in NASCAR, Lang asked Ganassi. "I think all sports are challenged with how to grow their sport," he said. "We're on the backend of the baby-boom generation. All these sports were built on the baby-boom generation and there just aren't the fans following any sport as much as they used to. There just aren't the people behind the baby-boom generation that are watching television or watching sports. There seems to be this trend toward participation sports, not viewing sports.(NBC Sports)(6-10-2016)

NASCAR race for Grosjean looking less likely this season: Haas Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean concedes his hopes of competing in a NASCAR Sprint Cup event will have to be put on hold until next year. Last month Grosjean declared serious intent of making a guest appearance in the series with the Haas F1 team's sister outfit Stewart-Haas racing. Grosjean recognises, however, his chances of a drive this year are now limited, with the race at Watkins Glen on August 7, during the F1 summer break, his only realistic possibility. But with six grands prix over the next eight weekends before the break begins, Grosjean now feels his best opportunity to prepare properly is to wait until next year. "I'm going to two races - Kansas [October 16] and Homestead [November 20] - as a spectator," said Grosjean. "In terms of racing the only choice we have now is Watkins Glen in the August break, but it's a bit tricky during that. If it's not this year then I will practice over the winter, and next year we will definitely put it on the calendar. Yes, I want to do it, but it doesn't fit very well with the schedule, so its either Watkins Glen or next year. But I want to get in some days of testing. It's pointless being there to be last."(Autosport)(6-10-2016)

Michigan Pole Notes & Facts:
· Donnie Allison won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Michigan in 1969 with a speed of 160.135 mph.
· 47 drivers have Coors Light poles at Michigan, led by David Pearson with 10. Kasey Kahne leads all active drivers with three.
· Six drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Michigan. David Pearson holds the record for most consecutive poles at Michigan with five; fall 1976 through 1978.
· 19 of the 93 (20.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Michigan have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Matt Kenseth last fall.
· The Coors Light pole position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (19) than any other starting position at Michigan International Speedway.
· 27 of the 93 (29%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Michigan have been won from the front row: 19 from the pole and eight from second-place.
· 55 of the 93 (59.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Michigan have been won from a top-five starting position.
· 70 of the 93 (75.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Michigan have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· Seven of the 93 (7.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Michigan have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Michigan is 32nd, by Mark Martin in the spring of 2009.
· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Michigan International Speedway four times; most recently the spring of 2008 race.
(NASCAR)

Erik Jones fastest in first XFINITY practice: #20-Erik Jones was fastest during opening practice at Michigan International Speedway with a speed of 192.092mph. #3-Ty Dillon was second, followed by: #22-Joey Logano, #2-Paul Menard, #18-Kyle Busch, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #88-Alex Bowman, #19-Daniel Suarez, #1-Elliott Sadler, and #7-Justin Allgaier. 36 drivers practiced during the session. The practice was red flagged for about 10 minutes when a groundhog ran out onto the track and had to be captured.
See complete results on the Michigan practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(6-10-2016)

Byron wins Truck Series Race at Texas: #9-William Byron won the Rattlesnake 400 at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday after passing #88-Matt Crafton with less than five laps remaining. The win was Byron's second win of the season. Crafton led 133 laps, and finished second. #21-Johnny Sauter, started from the pole, and finished third. #33-Ben Kennedy, #29, Tyler Reddick, #17-Timothy Peters, #8-John Hunter Nemechek, #11-German Quiroga, #98-Rico Abreu, and #19-Daniel Hemric.
There were 4 cautions for 22 laps and 11 lead changes among 4 leaders.
The average speed was 134.919mph.
Complete results are on the Texas race results page (pdf).(6-10-2016)

Texas Race Fast Facts:
William Byron won the 20th Annual Rattlesnake 400, his second victory in eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his second victory and fourth top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in one races at Texas Motor Speedway.
Matt Crafton (second) posted his 20th top-10 finish in 31 races at Texas Motor Speedway. It is his sixth top-10 finish in 2016.
Johnny Sauter (third) posted his 12th top-10 finish in 16 races at Texas Motor Speedway.
William Byron (first) was the highest finishing rookie.
Matt Crafton leads the point standings by 18 points over Timothy Peters.
(NASCAR Statistics)(6-10-2016)

Driver standings following Texas:
1) #88-Matt Crafton, 194
2) #17-Timothy Peters, 176, -18
3) #9-William Byron #, 171, -23
4) #19-Daniel Hemric, 168, -26
5) #8-John Hunter Nemechek, 153, -41
6) #29-Tyler Reddick, 153, -41
7) #21-Johnny Sauter, 151, -43
8) #23-Spencer Gallagher, 145, -49
9) #33-Ben Kennedy, 142, -52
10) #81-Ryan Truex, 129, -65
See complete standings on the driver standings page (pdf).(6-10-2016)

Owner Standings following Texas are posted (pdf).(6-10-2016)

Sauter on pole at Texas: #21-Johnny Sauter won the pole for the Rattlesnake 400 at Texas Motor Speedway with a speed of 180.024mph. #11-German Quiroga will start second, followed by #19-Daniel Hemric, #88-Matt Crafton, #29-Tyler Reddick, #9-William Byron, #05-John Wes Townley, #17-Timothy Peters, #4-Christopher Bell, and #23-Spencer Gallagher.
#88-Crafton was fastest in the first round at 180.590mph.
Did Not Qualify: #6-Norm Benning, #10-Jennifer Jo Cobb.
See complete lineup on the Starting lineup (pdf) page.(6-10-2016)

Texas Qualifying Notes:
Johnny Sauter won the Keystone Light Pole Award for the 20th Annual Rattlesnake 400 with a lap of 29.996 seconds, 180.024 mph.
This is his sixth pole in 182 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his first pole and fourth top-10 start in 2016.
This is his third pole in 16 races at Texas Motor Speedway.
German Quiroga (second) posted his first top-10 start of 2016 and his second in six races at Texas Motor Speedway.
Daniel Hemric (third) posted his third top-10 start at Texas Motor Speedway. It is his fifth in seven races this season.
William Byron (sixth) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(6-10-2016)

No Drivers Council in trucks despite Crafton's hope: A year ago at Texas Motor Speedway, two-time Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton stated he believed all three of NASCAR's national touring series should have a Drivers' Council. Crafton's statement came a month after the Sprint Cup Series' first council formed. "(NASCAR's) constantly making rule changes and trying to make the sport better and sometimes we as drivers feel things whenever they make a rule change, and I think they need to hear it sometimes," said Crafton at the time. "Not in a bad way or good way, but we need to be able to talk to them for sure." Crafton, in his 16th full-time season in the Truck series, now says he hasn't heard any rumblings about the formation of similar Drivers Councils for the lower-tier series. "I haven't had any talks about it," Crafton told NBC Sports in his team's hauler Thursday.
"I wish they would; they would talk to us. There's not a whole lot of drivers in this series that they're probably going to listen to, because they haven't been here long enough to listen to them."
The Sprint Cup Drivers Council currently is comprised of nine drivers, including five past champions and defending series champion Kyle Busch. In the Truck series, Crafton is the only champion from the last 10 seasons actively driving in the series. Last year's champion, Erik Jones, is driving full time in the Xfinity Series. Crafton said a hypothetical Drivers Council for the truck series would be comprised of series veterans.Veterans of Crafton's caliber are sparse among the 20 drivers who have run all six races in 2016. Of those 20, Crafton is one of five drivers who have competed in every race over the past two seasons (22 races in 2014, 23 races in 2015). That includes, Johnny Sauter, Timothy Peters, Ben Kennedy and Tyler Young. John Wes Townley, who won his first Truck race last year, has missed only four races since 2012. Drivers such as John Hunter Nemechek and Cole Custer, both multiple race winners, likely would have attempted full-time seasons if not for NASCAR's age limits for tracks larger than 1.25-miles.
If he officially were able to convene with his fellow veterans and a couple of younger drivers with NASCAR, Crafton knows at least one topic he'd like to discuss."Differences in how (the trucks) drove in traffic five years ago and how they drive in traffic now," Crafton said "I'd like to talk about some of that stuff with them and see if we can make the racing even better than what it is already."(NBC Sports)(6-10-2016)

Tony Stewart, Ernie Irvan to be Inducted into Sonoma Raceway Wall of Fame: Sonoma Raceway will add two NASCAR legends to its Wall of Fame during the upcoming Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event weekend, June 24-26. Tony Stewart and Ernie Irvan will become the newest members of the raceway's Wall of Fame, joining fellow NASCAR stars Rusty Wallace (2005), Mark Martin (2005), Jeff Gordon (2006), Ricky Rudd (2007) and Rick Hendrick (2010). In more than 15 years of competition on the Sonoma Raceway road course, Stewart has become known as one of the most talented drivers on the challenging circuit. In recognition of his accomplishments, and to honor his final year as a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Stewart will be inducted into the Sonoma Raceway Wall of Fame. Irvan made his mark in Sonoma with two victories, including one of the road course's most memorable. In 1992, Irvan claimed his first Sonoma win in the Save Mart Supermarkets 300 after being black-flagged at the start for crossing the starting line ahead of pole winner Ricky Rudd. He came back to pass 41 cars to take the checkered flag. Just two years later, Irvan became the first two-time winner of a NASCAR Cup event in Sonoma, winning by the largest margin of victory in raceway history (9.56 seconds) over Geoffrey Bodine. The Sonoma Raceway Wall of Fame is designed to honor those who have excelled not only in their form of motor racing, but more importantly, in Sonoma. Each inductee is recognized during a ceremony with a marble plaque engraved with his/her likeness. The engraving is also added to the Wall of Fame, which is located behind the main grandstand.(Sonoma Raceway)(6-10-2016)

Daytona to again honor Congression Medal of Honor Recipients: During the upcoming Coke Zero 400 Weekend Powered By Coca-Cola June 30-July 2, Daytona International Speedway will continue the renewed tradition of honoring Congressional Medal of Honor recipients. Being recognized this year are Captain Florent Groberg, U.S. Army (Afghanistan); Staff Sergeant Ty Carter, U.S. Army (Afghanistan) and Command Sergeant Major Gary Littrell, U.S. Army (Vietnam). Over the course of the Fourth of July weekend these three recipients will also be honored at a luncheon, attend the drivers' meetings, participate in pre-race ceremonies for both Friday night's Subway Firecracker 250 Powered By Coca-Cola NASCAR XFINITY Series race and Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. In addition, they will participate in an autograph session in Sprint FANZONE prior to Saturday night's race. This will be the eighth straight year that DIS has recognized Congressional Medal of Honor recipients during the Coke Zero 400 Weekend Powered By Coca-Cola, a practice that was originally started by Bill France Sr. in the 1970s. The Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration given by the United States Government, is bestowed upon a member of the United States Armed Forces who distinguishes himself or herself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life, above and beyond the call of duty, while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States.(DIS)(6-10-2016)

NASCAR plane has trouble on way to Texas: According to a NASCAR spokesperson, travel delays resulting from mechanical issues on a plane carrying "industry representatives" pushed back the opening of the Camping World Truck Series garage at Texas Motor Speedway and forced the cancellation of the first of three practice sessions. The plane, traveling from Concord, North Carolina, to Texas for this weekend's race, had to turn around shortly after takeoff but did not have to make an emergency landing. Jesse Little, who is racing the #81 Toyota this weekend at Texas, was on the flight. Little told NBC Sports that the plane, which was about "80 percent full," wasn't pressurizing properly during its ascent. According to FlightAware.com, flight BSK8801 showed as being diverted back to Concord Regional Airport 27 minutes after a 7:57 a.m. ET departure. Little said the NASCAR contingent later boarded a different plane. The second flight took off from Concord at 12:35 p.m. ET and landed at Fort Worth Alliance Airport at 1:44 p.m. CT. Little described what he saw on the plane during the first departure from Concord. Little said he was asleep when popping in his ears woke him up. "About that time, a guy that works on our team, Matt, he was next to me, said 'S-t, I have the worst headache,' " Little told NBC Sports. "One guy was walking down the aisle and using the chairs (to balance himself) and saying 'Man, I'm about to pass out.' He was all out of balance and stuff."(NBC Sports)(6-9-2016)

Pocono TV Ratings: Postponed a day due to rain, NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Pocono had 1.4 million viewers on Fox Sports 1 Monday afternoon. It was the first Monday Sprint Cup race since Texas in 2014, which aired on the FOX broadcast network. Viewership for that telecast was not immediately available. Rainout coverage the previous day had a slightly smaller audience (1.39M to 1.38M).(Sports Media Watch.(6-9-2016)

New Rules Package Additions Debut at Michigan: NASCAR will debut rules updates for this Sunday's race at Michigan International Speedway and use them again in the July 9 contest at Kentucky Speedway. The rules package developments are part of an industry-wide collaboration to further enhance the racing. Recently, welded truck trailing arms and new brake cooling rules were put into place. The following updates to the rules package will be added at Michigan and Kentucky to further reduce downforce and sideforce:
• Reduce skew generated sideforce by setting rear toe to zero (same rule used in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race)
• Aero package tweaks to reduce aero-generated downforce and sideforce
   • Spoiler shortened from 3.5 inches to 2.5 inches
   • Splitter reduced to 2 inches
   • Resize of deck fin to match spoiler
The current rules package has generated some of the closest racing in years through the first 14 races of 2016. Highlights include three races setting track records for green flag passes for the lead, as well as two races featuring the seventh-closest margin of victory in NSCS history (since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993).(NASCAR)(6-9-2016)

Michigan Goodyear Tire Notes: While teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series will run the same right-side tire at Michigan this weekend, they will run distinct left-side tires . . . in Sprint Cup, this is the first time teams have run either of these two tire codes . . . this tire set-up was confirmed at a Goodyear test at Michigan on May 17 . . . drivers participating in that test were Aric Almirola, Austin Dillon, Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr. . . . compared to what was run at Michigan last year, both this left-side tire code (D-4702) and right-side tire code (D-4704) feature construction changes to bring them into line with what is run at other speedways and compound changes to give the cars more grip . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Michigan . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.(Goodyear), see trie codes, pressures, set limits and more on the Michigan Race Info page

Michigan Track Notes & History:
· Michigan International Speedway sits on more than 1,400 acres in the "Irish Hills" of Southeastern Michigan. Ground-breaking took place on Sept. 28, 1967.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan was held June 15, 1969 - won by Cale Yarborough at a speed of 139.254 mph.
· The track was known as Michigan Speedway during the time Roger Penske was the primary owner (1996-99).
· The first race was 500 miles in length; the second was scheduled for 600. The track was re-measured to 2.04 miles for the last race in 1970 and both races in 1971 - with the race distance being 402 miles. All other races have been scheduled for 400 miles.
· The 2-mile speedway underwent a repave in 2012.
(NASCAR)

Smithley gets Michigan sponsor: Garrett Smithley hopes to rebound with a strong finish in Saturday's Menards 250 at Michigan International Speedway after rain cost him a good run last week at Pocono Raceway. Saturday's race at MIS will be Smithley's second at the two-mile track. He ran a Camping World Truck Series event there. Smithley will race at MIS with support from Michigan Operating Engineers 324. Operating Engineers 324 has played a central role in building, operating and maintaining Michigan's industrial infrastructure. Its members began working on internal combustion engines, electric motors, hydraulic machinery, refrigeration systems and the operation of nuclear power plants. Today, more than 100 years from its founding, they are the highest trained, certified and experienced experts in the industry.(JD Motorsports)(6-9-2016)

Clements names Michigan sponsors: When the NASCAR XFINITY Series returns to Michigan International Speedway, you can count on Jeremy Clements hitting the track with Diamond Pistons and RepairableVehicles.com on the #51 Chevy Camaro SS for the Menards 250. "Diamond Pistons and RepairableVehicles.com have been with us at Michigan for three years in a row now," says Clements. Diamond Pistons began their association with JCR in 2009. Since 1968, Diamond Racing has been producing the highest quality racing parts around. From the early 70's Diamond has been concentrating on manufacturing forged pistons for the racing industry. In the 70's, 80's and early 90's Diamond Racing was known for its championship winning engines and its custom forged racing pistons. From the late 90's to current day Diamond has solely dedicated itself to manufacturing forged pistons. RepairableVehicles.com is back as JCR's primary sponsor at MIS, as well. A division of Interstate Auto Center, Inc., RepairableVehicles.com is one of the leading resellers of repairable vehicles in North America.(Jeremy Clements Racing)(6-9-2016)

Townley fastest in final Truck practice: #05-John Wes Townley was fastest in final practice for the Rattlesnake 400 at Texas Motor Speedway with a speed of 179.420mph. He was followed by #9-William Byron, #23-Spencer Gallagher, #41-Ben Rhodes, #88-Matt Crafton, #21-Johnny Sauter, #33-Ben Kennedy, #4-Christopher Bell, #13-Cameron Hayley, and #92-Parker Kligerman. 34 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Texas practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(6-9-2016)

Crafton fastest in first Truck practice: #88-Matt Crafton was fastest during opening practice at Texas Motor Speedway with a speed of 178.950mph. #17-Timothy Peters was second, followed by: #05-John Wes Townley, #19-Daniel Hemric, #9-William Byron, #23-Spencer Gallagher, #41-Ben Rhodes, #21-Johnny Sauter, #98-Rico Abreu, and #29-Tyler Reddick. 25 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Texas practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(6-9-2016)

Flight problems to alter Texas track schedule: A plane carrying NASCAR Truck Series officials and others to Texas Motor Speedway on Thursday morning was forced to land shortly after takeoff at Concord Regional Airport due to mechanical issues. The resulting delay of officials at Texas prevented the Truck garage from opening at the scheduled time and teams will miss some of the allotted practice time for the weekend. NASCAR officials are in the process of completing a revamped schedule for Thursday's track activity, which is part of a doubleheader weekend with the IndyCar Series.(Motorsport)(6-9-2016)
AND: According to NASCAR, travels delays resulting from mechanical issues on a plane carrying "industry representatives" has pushed back the opening of the Camping World Truck Series garage at Texas Motor Speedway and forced the cancellation of the first of three practice sessions. Originally scheduled to open at 12:30 p.m. ET, the Truck garage will not open until 3:30 p.m. ET. That was when the first practice session was set to begin. Now the Truck series will practice twice, from 6 - 6:45 p.m. ET and 7:30 - 9 p.m. ET. Neither session is on TV.(NBC Sports)(6-9-2016)

Faith Motorsports, Harmon team up for Iowa race: According to the Faith Motorsports Facebook page, the team will partner with Mike Harmon Racing for the race at Iowa Speedway. "Our Iowa truck is getting ready and will be hitting the road next week for the long trip. We will be working with Mike Harmon Racing at Iowa Speedway. Mike has given us endless knowledge for the Iowa race and we hope to be able to take that and turn it into a solid finish." The team entered the race at Martinsville Speedway in April.(6-9-2016)

Despite strong start, Truex forced to the sidelines: Not since winning back-to-back championships in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2009 and 2010 has Ryan Truex had the opportunity to compete fulltime in a NASCAR national series ride. It looked like that would change this season when a last-minute deal came together for Truex to compete in the Truck Series with Hattori Racing Enterprises. Despite a second-place finish in the series opener at Daytona and his sixth-place rank in the series standings, Truex will miss the next two Truck races as HRE is partnering with Rette Jones Racing to put Jesse Little behind the wheel of the #81 Toyota. "It's disappointing knowing I'm in the top-eight right now, which would get me in the Chase. This is probably the best team I've had in my career on the national level, really the only time I've had the chance to run the first quarter of a season and show what I can do." Although Truex, the 24-year-old younger brother of Sprint Cup Series star Martin Truex Jr., is expecting to sit out this weekend at Texas and next week at Iowa, he will remain with the Hattori organization. The plan now is for Truex to return to the No. 81 for the June 25 race at Gateway International Raceway and tentatively run the majority of the remainder of the season. Truex said he gave some thought to at least getting in a start-and-park Truck ride this week just to maintain his eligibility for the Chase, but nothing materialized that he was able to put together at the last minute.(Motorsport)(6-9-2016)

Kid Rock in concert during Brickyard weekend: Multi-platinum award-winning rock 'n' roll icon Kid Rock will be in concert on July 23 during the Crown Royal Presents the "Your Hero's Name Here" 400 at the Brickyard weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His high-octane Saturday night performance will take place in the IMS infield following the XFINITY Series Lilly Diabetes 250 race. The Michigan native played at IMS in 2007 on Miller Lite Carb Day during the Indianapolis 500, and is now returning for one of the crown jewel weekends on the NASCAR calendar. Acclaimed country rockers Parmalee will be the opening act for this can't miss event. General admission tickets for Saturday's race and the Kid Rock Concert at The Brickyard are $30 through July 8. After July 9, the price increases to $40. Current ticketholders to any IMS event can purchase a GA Saturday ticket and front-stage pit access for $85 through a pre-sale which runs until June 15. Kid Rock, whose musical styles range from hip-hop and rock to heavy metal and country, has sold more than 26 million albums around the world.(IMS)(6-9-2016)

Michigan adds more SAFER barrier: [Michigan International Speedway] added about 8,500 linear square feet of Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) Barrier for this weekend's racing. With adding the g-force reducing barrier to the outside front stretch and back stretch walls, MIS now has SAFER Barriers around the entire exterior of the racetrack. MIS also added SAFER Barrier on the inside wall going into Turn 1, on the inside wall exiting Turn 4 and on the inside wall of the front stretch on the other side of pit road facing the grass. "That certainly was a priority," Curtis said. "It pushed down a few other of our capital investment projects, but that's OK. Anything to do with safety for fans or competitors is going to be our No. 1 priority."(MLive)(6-9-2016)

Sonoma State President Ruben Armiñana named Grand Marshal at Sonoma: Sonoma State University president Ruben Armiñana, who will retire as the longest-tenured president of the California State University system on June 30, has been named Grand Marshal of the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Sonoma Raceway. Armiñana will be honored on Friday, June 24, at the Children's Champions Grand Marshal's Banquet at beautiful Cline Cellars in Sonoma. The gala is a fundraiser for the Sonoma Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities. He will also take part in pre-race activities on Sunday, June 26, and participate in the official command of, "Drivers, Start Your Engines." Armiñana, who left Communist Cuba as a child, became the sixth president of Sonoma State University in 1992. During his tenure, he has been successful in furthering the academic and co-curricular programs of the University, making Sonoma State University one of the most popular campuses in the California State University system. In his 24 years at Sonoma State, Armiñana has helped transform the campus from a part-time commuter college on the brink of closure to a residential campus bustling with activity.(Sonoma Raceway)(6-9-2016)

Almirola to honor the King with Darlington Throwback scheme: The SONY Walkman hit the shelves at an astounding cost of $200. "Saturday Night Fever" by the Bee Gees was the album of the year. ESPN became the first all-sports television network. McDonald's introduced the Happy Meal. Richard Petty won the Daytona 500 in front of an estimated 16 million viewers watching NASCAR's first ever flag-to-flag televised race. STP and Richard Petty Motorsports with driver Aric Almirola are honoring The King's 1979 NASCAR season, the season that many claim catapulted NASCAR into a household sport, at the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, September 4 with the throwback paint scheme mirroring Petty's 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass. The aforementioned televised Daytona 500 is often viewed as the turning point in NASCAR's modern era as the broadcast had 16 million viewers and brought national attention to the sport. Although ½ lap down at the white flag, a now-famous accident between the leaders saw Petty take the lead down the backstretch and go on to win his sixth of seven Daytona 500 races and break a 45-race winless streak. Petty went on to win four more events that season at Martinsville Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Dover International Speedway and North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, N.C. Petty took the point lead for the first time that season with just two races to go. He fell to second going into the season finale, but finished fifth in the season finale at Ontario (Calif.) Motor Speedway to win his seventh - and final - NASCAR Cup championship by 11 points over Darrell Waltrip. Rising star Dale Earnhardt was named the Rookie of the Year. The throwback paint scheme will feature one significant difference from the original in 1979. A dollar amount signifying the amount of money raised by STP customers for Victory Junction will be featured on the rear quarter panel of the #43 STP Ford. STP launched the "Giving Kids an Ultra Summer" program on June 1 and will donate $.43 for every bottle of STP Ultra 5-in-1 Fuel System Cleaner sold through August 31. STP has been a longtime partner Victory Junction which was built to honor Richard Petty's late grandson Adam Petty. Prior to the launch of this year's "Giving Kids an Ultra Summer" program, STP has donated more than sixty-five thousand dollars to the camp that provides life-changing camp experiences for children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses. STP honored its first season with Petty by running a 1972 throwback paint scheme in the inaugural throwback Bojangles' Southern 500 in 2015.(Richard Petty Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #43 team paint schemes page.(6-7-2016)

Pocono Post-race penalties and warnings: NASCAR has announced penalties and warnings following the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway on June 6th.
#42-Kyle Larson was given a P3 penalty for violations of Sections 12-1; 10.11.3.4 a; 12.5.3.4.1 p [Lug nut(s) not properly installed]. Crew chief (Chad Johnston) has been fined $20,000, suspended from all NASCAR Series Championship Points Events through June 15 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. The violation was found during post-race inspection.
The following warnings were issued:
#7-Regan Smith (4), & #83-DiBenedetto (2) failed laser inspection twice in pre-race inspection. The teams were given written warnings
#1-McMurray (1) Failed template inspection twice in pre-race inspection. The team was given a written warning.
#43-Almirola (1) failed laser inspection twice in pre-qualifying inspection. The team was given a written warning.
#10-Patrick (1) & #95-Dillon (2) failed template inspection twice in pre-qualifying inspection. The teams were given written warnings.
()--Total current warnings
See the Pocono Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf) for more.(6-8-2016)

Austin Dillon saluting veterans at Michigan: This weekend at Michigan International Speedway the #3 team will honor those from The Dow Chemical Company who have served in the U.S. military with 350 Dow employee names on the patriotic-themed #3 Dow Salutes Veterans Chevrolet. Every day, Dow is committed to building a vibrant, diverse and talented employee base. Veteran employees bring skills and virtues beyond their military job titles. The different perspectives of Dow employees including those of our veterans reflect the rich depth of experience and backgrounds that make Dow a world leader in science and technology. The Firekeepers Casino 400 on Sunday will mark Austin Dillon's 100th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start.(Richard Childress Racing), see an image of the car on the #3 team paint schemes page.(6-8-2016)

Ten Top 10s for Chase Elliott this season: #24-Chase Elliott is on a top-10 tear, earning one in each of the past five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. Only two drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have more top-10 finishes than Elliott's 10 (Kevin Harvick with 11 and Kurt Busch with 12 -- both Sprint Cup champions). Additionally, in the non-points-paying NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, Elliott raced his way to a sixth-place finish.(Hendrick Motorsports)(6-8-2016)

Sad News - Kat Teasdale: Kathryn (Kat) Pennington Teasdale, aged 51, born December 25, 1964, died unexpectedly on Thursday, June 2, 2016 after a long struggle with physical and mental health issues. Daughter of Margaret (Penny) Teasdale of Houston, Texas and Worden Teasdale of Toronto. Sister to Brittney Teasdale and Karen McLellan (Allan), aunt to Sarah. Niece to Stan and Judy Teasdale. Cousin to Chris Teasdale, Jeff Teasdale and Erin Balding Mowat. Kathryn was an accomplished and groundbreaking race car driver in Canada and the United States, NASCAR, Busch Series, Formula Atlantic, Indy Lights. She was passionate in her work with children's charities. Kathryn had a successful event-planning business. In recent years, Kathryn was well recognized internationally as a breeder of Wirehaired Pointing Griffons (hunting dogs). She was extremely loving and dedicated to her dogs. See full obit on the Sad News page. Teasdale attempted 1 NASCAR Busch Series (now XFINITY Series) race in 1997 and 2 in 1998. She qualified for the Milwaukee Race in 1998 and finished 31st. (6-8-2016)

RCR XFINITY sponsors set up to Cup with Ty Dillon at Michigan: Ty Dillon will pilot chassis #491 for this weekend's Firekeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. This Chevrolet SS was prepared by Richard Childress Racing and has been previously raced by the #27 and #31 teams, including a top-10 finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April 2015. Dillon made his Sprint Cup Series career debut at MIS last season driving the #33 Nexium 24HR Chevrolet SS to a 14th-place finish. Dillon has made several starts in NASCAR's two other premier series, including one top-10 finish in two starts in the XFINITY Series and one top-five and two top-10 finishes in the Camping World Truck Series. Sponsors at Michigan will be Nexteer Automotive and Red Kap. Dillon counts on Nexteer Automotive's steering technology to deliver precise, high-performance under intense conditions. Mere seconds can mean the difference between winning and losing, so Richard Childress Racing chooses Nexteer - renowned for exceptional handling, performance and safety. Nexteer provides electric and hydraulic power steering systems, steering columns, driveline systems, advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) and autonomous technologies to global manufactures. Red Kap, the official work wear provider for RCR and ECR Engines employees, has been in business since 1923.(Circle Sport - Leavine Family Racing), see an image of the car on the #95 team paint schemes page.(6-8-2016)

Schedule changes for two XFINITY Races: NASCAR, in collaboration with broadcast partner NBC Sports Group, Kansas Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway, announced adjustments to start times and network coverage for NASCAR XFINITY Series races at both tracks this fall. The Kansas Lottery 300 from Kansas Speedway on Oct. 15 will air on NBC at 3:00pm/et, while the penultimate race in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase from Phoenix International Raceway on Nov. 12 will air on NBCSN in primetime, beginning at 7:30 pm/et. Radio coverage will be provided by the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90. "These updates were made with the goal of benefitting NASCAR fans, with Kansas now airing on NBC and Phoenix airing in primetime," said Steve Herbst, senior vice president, broadcasting and production at NASCAR. "Our ability to adjust the start times for these two critically important races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase is a testament to the collaboration between NASCAR, our broadcast partners, teams and tracks to deliver the best product possible to our fans." Both Kansas and Phoenix races are part of the inaugural NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase.(NASCAR)(6-8-2016)

Quiroga returns to action:German Quiroga returns to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for his first race in 19 months - Friday's Rattlesnake 400 at Texas Motor Speedway. The 36-year-old Mexican made his last NCWTS start in the 2014 season finale at Homestead for RHR (11/14/14). That season, he finished sixth in the series standings on the strength of three top fives and 10 top 10s in 22 starts. For his career, Quiroga has five top fives - including two runner-up finishes - and 17 top 10s in 50 starts. He won the NASCAR Mexico Series championship as a 31-year-old in 2011 when he recorded three wins, 11 top fives and 12 top 10s in 14 starts.(NASCAR)(6-8-2016)

Bliiss, Ren join MB for Texas: When the #63 Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool Chevy Silverado hits the track at Texas Motor Speedway, 2002 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion Mike Bliss will be behind the wheel and two-time Championship Winning Crew Chief Rick Ren will be calling the shots from atop the pit box.Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool has been "Shaping The World Since 1980" and produces high quality metal working & fabrication equipment that is proudly built in the USA. The company also designs, builds and installs complete automation systems, offering turn key design build of special machinery, CNC machining, Solid Works 3D design, robotic integration, PLC programming, certified welding & fabrication, hydraulic design & build, electronic control design & build and high definition plasma cutting. It's Tanner Racing Products By MB are a staple of race shops around the world. Joining Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool on the #63 MB Motorsports Chevy Silverado are Kipor Power Equipment, Champion Brands, MARADYNE® High Performance Fans, Reikken, Excel Bottling / Ski Soda, MechanixWear and WIX Filters.(MB Motorsports)(6-8-2016)

Active Pest Control to sponsor 2017 Atlanta truck race: McDonough, Georgia-based Active Pest Control will sponsor the March 4 Active Pest Control 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race during Atlanta Motor Speedway's 2017 NASCAR weekend. The race will be the tail end of an XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series same-day doubleheader unique to Atlanta. Active Pest Control is one of Henry County's largest employers and was recently named to the National Pest Management Association Top 100 pest control companies nationwide. Family-owned since its inception in 1985, Active Pest Control is a full-service pest control, termite, wildfire removal and exclusion, attic insulation and crawlspace encapsulation company serving more than 40,000 customers daily in both Georgia and Houston, Texas.The Active Pest Control 200 will be the second of three NASCAR national touring series races during the weekend. Active Pest Control sponsored the Friday qualifying day at Atlanta's 2016 NASCAR Weekend and steps up in 2017 as a first-time race sponsor.(Atlanta Motor Speedway)(6-8-2016)

Graduation, new crew chief await Custer in Texas: With June 9 marking Cole Custer's graduation from California's Tesoro High School, TMS President Eddie Gossage will present Custer with his diploma during NCWTS driver introductions on Friday. Dave McCarty, JRM's NCWTS shop foreman, will serve as interim crew chief for the #00 this weekend. McCarty, has nearly 200 races under his belt as a crew chief among NASCAR's three national series.(JRM)(6-8-2016)

Michigan not interested in hosting night races: While NASCAR tracks like Bristol and Daytona run night races, Michigan International Speedway president Roger Curtis says the track's future is still days. With this weekend's FireKeepers Casino 400 Sprint Cup race kicking off MIS' summer NASCAR doubleheader (the second race is in August), Curtis has ruled out any change soon to the traditional daytime format. As well as the huge expense of installing floodlights around the giant Irish Hills oval, Curtis believes Michigan fans prefer their racing during the day. Night racing, Curtis said, would create its own outbound traffic concerns. "We are not even remotely talking lights," Curtis said [Tuesday]. "There are so many other things we continue to build on out here like garages, restrooms and the Wi-Fi service. For example, erecting lights for a night race would cost around $17 million for the track and tram routes. We'd have to light two lanes out. Going east on U.S.-12 is curvy between here and Clinton. I don't see MDOT and the police making it happen." Instead, Curtis is throwing his time and money behind improving the fan experience.(Detroit Free Press)(6-8-2016)

Texas to debut new Hawg Heaven concession item: Texas Motor Speedway and Levy Restaurants are giving race fans an American favorite a new Tex-Mex twist - the Hawg Heaven Ranchero Dawg - at the Firestone 600 INDYCAR/NASCAR doubleheader. The Hawg Heaven Ranchero Dawg is the next generation of the highly successful, bacon-infused Hawg Heaven line and is sure to entice all race fans to check out the latest creation by Levy Restaurants Executive Chef Lincoln Engstrom. This oversized sandwich features: Quarter-pound Kobe beef dog on a poppy seed bun topped with 'Charro' beans studded with bacon and chorizo; A crisp, thick slice of bacon; Smoked cheddar cheese; Avocado; Bacon crema. The Hawg Heaven Ranchero Dawg ($10) makes its debut at next weekend's NASCAR/INDYCAR doubleheader that features the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rattlesnake 400 on Friday, June 10, and the Verizon IndyCar Series Firestone 600 on Saturday, June 11. The specialty concession item only will be available at the concession stand on the concourse inside the Gate 4 main grandstand entrance. The Hawg Heaven concession line began in 2013 with Hawg Heaven Bacon Cotton Candy and has featured the Shake 'n Bacon Brew bacon-infused beer milkshake, Bacon Nachos, Queso Wings, Double Barrel Dawg, the Final Rocky Road-eo ice cream sundae honoring Jeff Gordon's final season in 2015 and the BBQ Melt at April's NASCAR race.(Texas Motor Speedway)(6-8-2016)

Keselowski could be penalized for team's body modification to car UPDATE: #2-Brad Keselowski overcame an early-race NASCAR penalty and run-in on the track to contend for a win in Monday's Axalta 400 but NASCAR may not be done with his team just yet. Despite the penalty and catching the piece of an accident involving Jimmie Johnson on the track, Keselowski finished third. However, after exiting his car and conducting a TV interview, NASCAR officials surrounded the car preventing the team from any further work. A NASCAR spokesman said the sanctioning body wanted to take a closer look at the area of concern before anything else was done to the car. "I don't know what they saw so it is not really fair for me to say anything about that," Keselowski said after the race. "I can tell you that every car I saw had some body modifications on it after pit stops out there today. I don't know if ours was more egregious or even if we had one. That is for the team guys to really answer."(Motorsport)(6-7-2016)
UPDATE: A NASCAR official said the penalty to Brad Keselowski's team during Monday's race at Pocono was "an in-race infraction" and that "we'll move on." Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, made the comments Tuesday on "The Morning Drive" on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.(NBC Sports)(6-7-2016)

Keselowski say Gordon is biased in broadcast booth: #2-Brad Keselowski's car took a shot in the pits and then he took aim at Jeff Gordon. Keselowski, the pole sitter for Monday's race at Pocono Raceway, ran into early trouble when he was called back to the pits because of unapproved body modifications on his #2 Ford. One of his pit crew members threw a shoulder block into a side panel, which caused a dent that potentially could give the car more sideforce and an aerodynamic edge on the track. Crew members argued with pit officials, to no avail. Keselowski rallied to finish third, though his Ford was quickly surrounded by NASCAR officials. The car did not fail postrace inspection. Keselowski was angered when told that the FS1 broadcast aired footage of his crew doing something similar during a pit stop earlier this year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Keselowski was not penalized and won the race. Gordon, the retired four-time NASCAR champion and an analyst for the FS1 broadcast team, explained on the broadcast how Keselowski might have an edge. As he spoke, the network showed a replay of the Las Vegas pit stop.
After the Pocono race, Keselowski was upset that Gordon is broadcasting while he still owns a stake in Hendrick Motorsports. "They need to get some people in the booth who aren't inbred to the sport and own teams and have internal knowledge, because that's pretty crappy," Keselowski said. "But it is what it is."
"It's not that I don't like Jeff Gordon in the booth," Keselowski said. "It's that you need to have people who don't own teams or have commercial interests in the sport, because they say things that are very biased."
Gordon later tweeted an apology. "My mistake comparing @keselowski @LVMotorSpeedway incident today @poconoraceway but @NASCAR called car down pit road to fix issue not me," he wrote. "My mistake was that @keselowski didn't get a penalty for the 'body modifications' during @LVMotorSpeedway race."(Associated Press)(6-7-2016)

Testing scheduled for Kentucky UPDATE: Speedway Motorsports Inc., the owner of the Kentucky Speedway, is putting the finishing touches on a repaving project that, while keeping the 1.5-mile tri-oval shape, has increased the banking in Turns 1 and 2 from 14 degrees to 17 degrees. The project is also adding protective SAFER barrier across the entire outside wall of the track as well as the backstretch and the inside walls that NASCAR requires, plus addresses water drainage issues. The first testing is set to begin on June 13, said general manager Mark Simendinger at the Kentucky Speedway Sprint Cup Series Victory Tour press conference Tuesday at the Horseshoe Casino downtown. Sprint Cup driver #2-Brad Keselowski, who has had few issues anytime he comes to Kentucky, was the main focus of the event. "I think the track is really rough. It's hard to get a hold of and that's just a challenge we've embraced," said Keselowski. "It's interesting that the decision was made to make the two ends much different during the repave. That will certainly develop into this track's own character." Mayor John Cranley proclaimed Wednesday as Brad Keselowski Day in Cincinnati. Keselowski received a handful of gifts as part of the honor, including a signed Reds batting helmet from second baseman Brandon Phillips, and a chunk of the old race track with a plaque honoring his accomplishments there. Keselowski said it's premature to have any thoughts on just how the new configuration and pavement will play out. #22-Joey Lagano, Keselowski's teammate at Penske Racing, will handle the testing at Kentucky for all of the Penske cars. From that testing, the teams will take the data collected and simulate how they think their cars will react when race night comes.(Cincinnati Enquirer)(6-1-2016)
UPDATE: At least thirteen NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams are scheduled to participate in an organizational test on June 13 and 14, 2016. Teams include: #1-McMurray (Chevy), #4-Kevin Harvick (Chevy), #5-Kasey Kahne (Chevy), #1-Biffle (Ford), #18-Busch (Toyota), #21-Blaney (Ford), #22-Logano (Ford), #27-Menard (Chevy), #34-Buescher (Ford), #43-Almirola (Ford), #46-Annett (Chevy), #47-Allmendinger (Chevy), #78-Truex Jr. (Toyota).
Kentucky Speedway Gate 15 will be open for fans to enjoy the on-track activities. This is a free event, and while concession stands will not be open, patrons will have access to restroom facilities. Fans can bring one 14"x14"x14" cooler into Kentucky Speedway. Testing is scheduled to begin at 9:00am and conclude at approximately 5:00pm. Fans that plan to attend are asked to Check-In at the Kentucky Speedway Administrative Office upon arrival.(Kentucky Speedway)(6-7-2016)

Earnhardt, Jr. says drivers want more practice time: #88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finished 2nd Monday at Pocono Raceway. After teh race he talked about the team's need for more practice time:
Earnhardt, Jr. "[I] Don't really know exactly how much better we got it compared to the competition, but we certainly made it more competitive. We just didn't get any practice. The drivers have been asking NASCAR to take away the morning practice and add a little bit to the second one to make that Saturday practice an hour and a half, and we didn't - it was just an hour. It takes you a minute to run around this track. You can't get but 13 damned laps in practice. I don't know how you're supposed to figure out what your cars are doing. So we came into this race with no idea. We made a lot of changes last night. We basically put in an old setup that worked in the past, and it started off missing the mark pretty bad, but we worked on it and got it better, and we'll take the points. We've had a rough month, so this is a decent finish for us.(Chevy PR)(6-7-2016)

Pocono Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2016 Axalta "We Paint Winners" 500: For those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, here is the breakdown for Monday's race. Began recording the times at the Invocation of the race at at 12:00 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 3:24 PM (all times are EDT). Did not keep records for the pre- and post-race coverage. FS1 was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 99
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 53
Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 78
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 47
Number of 'Side-by-Side' commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 21
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 11
Number of times Fox utilized 'Side-by-Side' commercials during this broadcast: 4
Total number of brief promos of products/services during the race broadcast: 87
Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 2 min. 35 sec.
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 12:00 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 3:24 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 204
Minutes of race broadcast: 168
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 36
Minutes of 'Side-by-Side' commercials (split-screen): 11
Number of missed restarts: 0
Number of 'mystery cautions' (debris not shown): 1
Total race brdcst time 168 Total comm. brdcst time 36
See past races, more info on the commercials with links at CawsnJaws.com.(6-7-2016)

Top 10 driver ratings at Michigan:
#20-Matt Kenseth 104.2
#16-Greg Biffle 101.8
#19-Carl Edwards 101.4
#48-Jimmie Johnson 99.8
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr 98.6
#22-Joey Logano 93.0
#14-Tony Stewart 92.9
#4-Kevin Harvick 92.8
#2-Brad Keselowski 91.2
#41-Kurt Busch 90.9
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (22 total) among active drivers at Michigan International 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)

Business buys sponsorship on Cope's car at Michigan and donates it UPDATE: Jackson Coffee Co. and Jackson Candy & Fudge Factory bought a full NASCAR sponsorship and donated it to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Jackson County. The local companies, owned by Brian Surgener, bought the sponsorship of Derrike Cope's #70 car for the Saturday, June 11 XFINITY Series race at Michigan International Speedway. "We love giving to the organizations in Jackson," Surgener wrote in an email. "We never say 'no.' Now all I have to do is go out and sell a lot of coffee and fudge to pay for this." Jackson Coffee sponsored the veteran driver's car in last year's XFINITY race at MIS, as well. "We are thrilled to make this purchase and to donate it to such a great cause," Surgener said in a press release. "While we could have kept the advertising on the car for our own companies, we wanted to bring awareness to a group of people who do so much to mentor the youth in our community." In addition, Michigan International Speedway has agreed to donate 500 tickets to each Big Brother and Big Sister in Jackson County, according to a press release.(MLive)(5-18-2016)
UPDATE: Jackson Coffee Company, in conjunction with Jackson Candy and Fudge Factory, has generously donated primary sponsorship of the #70 Camaro driven by Derrike Cope to the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Jackson County (BBBS). Cope will be doing a meet and greet for the BBBS before the weekend events and will also be partaking in an apperance in the grandstands at MIS on race day for 500 "Littles." TV, radio, and social media events are planned all week in an effort to gain more volunteers for BBBS. MIS has donated 500 tickets for the cause, which is the biggest donation in MIS history. The Mission of BBBS is to provide children facing adversity with strong, enduring and professionally supported relationships that help these children to have higher aspirations, greater confidence, better relationships, and avoid risky behaviors for better success at school. Jackson County BBBS supports 250 matches and has 100 youth on the waiting list, and has been serving the county for almost 50 years. All it takes is a minimum of 4 hours a month. Sign up to be a Big Brother or Big Sister at www.bbbs.org and like them on facebook at www.facebook.com/BBBSJACKSONMI. Also on board the #70 this weekend will be Grady's Custom Catering. Jerry and Nancy Pollard started their business in 2010 after planning their own wedding and realizing they could offer better and more affordable catering options. They now serve more than 50 weddings a year. Ehydrate, a nutritional product line featuring numerous products for people of any age, will also be featured on the #70 car. Summer is just beginning, and hydration is a key element not only in the racecar, but for doing any daily activity.(Derrike Cope Racing)(6-7-2016)

Gase to raise awareness of brain aneurysms at New Hampshire: The Lisa Colagrossi Foundation (TLCF), a registered 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to creating awareness and education for the signs, symptoms and risk factors for brain aneurysms, announced its partnership with Joey Gase's #52 Chevrolet for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Lakes Region 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Supporters of the cause who donate $50, $75 or $100 to TLCF leading up to the July 16 race will have the opportunity for a name, photo or both, respectively, to be featured on Gase's Camaro on race day. Todd Crawford, TLCF founder, and Gase share a deep personal connection to the cause. Crawford founded TLCF in September 2015 in honor of his wife Lisa Colagrossi, a television journalist for ABC News whose passing from a ruptured brain aneurysm made world news headlines in March of the same year. Decorated NASCAR driver Joey Gase lost his mother Mary Jo to a brain aneurysm in April 2011 and has since become a strong advocate for organ donation, appearing at more than 100 events throughout the country. At this year's Lakes Region 200, together they hope to help save lives by creating awareness for the cause and raising funds for enhanced research in the race to prevent aneurysms. To have a name ($50), photo ($75) or both ($100) included on the No. 52 car during NASCAR Xfinity Series Lakes Region 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, donations must be made to the Lisa Colagrossi Foundation by June 30. All proceeds will go toward the fight against brain aneurysms, including providing enhanced awareness, early diagnosis, prevention and treatment. To donate, please visit: tlcfound.org and email tlcf.nascar@tlcfound.org the name, JPEG photo or both to be featured on Gase's car.(Joey Gase Racing)(6-7-2016)

iDashboard joins Sieg at Michigan: RSS Racing welcomes iDashboards as a primary sponsor for the NASCAR XFINITY Series race Saturday at Michigan International Raceway. iDashboards has provided clients with an easy-to-implement dashboard solution that offers dynamic chart and table options. While most competitors focus on numbers, iDashboards believe that the big picture should be attractive as well. Additionally, ASC will join the team as an associate sponsor for Michigan. ASC is known worldwide in the Design and Automotive community as one of America's most experienced independent transportation design firms. Driver Ryan Sieg currently holds the 12th and final spot in the XFINITY Chase heading into the race Saturday at MIS.(RSS Racing)(6-7-2016)

Pocono XFINITY TV Ratings: Rainout coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono earned a 0.8 overnight rating on Fox Sports 1 Sunday afternoon. The previous day, the first ever Xfinity Series race at Pocono had a 1.0 on the FOX broadcast network - the series' lowest on broadcast television since the current TV deal began last year (12 telecasts). Keep in mind the race was shortened due to rain.(Sports Media Watch)(6-7-2016)

Speediatrics to sponsor Iowa race: Iowa Speedway and The NASCAR Foundation announced a race entitlement sponsorship to honor the Foundation's 10 Years of Giving and to help children coping with illness or injury in Iowa and across the country.The June 18 Camping World Truck Series Race in Iowa will be named The Speediatrics 200. This marks the first-ever entitlement sponsorship for Speediatrics, The NASCAR Foundation's program that provides support to hospitals, specialty clinics, camps and other organizations offering children's medical and health care services. At the Speediatrics 200 race, fans will be encouraged to visit www.NASCARFoundation.org and for every $25 donated, the NASCAR Foundation will deliver a Speedy Bear stuffed animal to sick children at Mercy Children's Hospital and Clinics in Iowa, as well as other hospitals and organizations across the country. Since 2006, The NASCAR Foundation has committed more than $25 million to initiatives that inspire children around the country. Speediatrics began with the humble goal of importing the color, excitement, and fun of NASCAR into children's hospital rooms, wings, and waiting areas. Today, The NASCAR Foundation provides medical treatments for 50,000 children each year and continues to extend its reach beyond the hospital walls by supporting other causes related to helping children live a healthy life.(Iowa Speedway)(6-7-2016)

Texas Motor Speedway's 'Big Hoss' getting bigger: "Big Hoss," the world's largest TV and Guinness World Record holder that towers over the backstretch of Texas Motor Speedway, is about to get even bigger. Texas Motor Speedway will expand the Panasonic-built "Big Hoss" with an additional 2,071 square feet on the lower portion of the behemoth to construct a ribbon-style, high-definition scoreboard for fans to follow the lap count, running order and more for its NASCAR and INDYCAR events. The scoreboard, which has 16 mm pixel resolution as a surface-mounted diode compared to Big Hoss' 20 mm as a discrete LED, also will have the ability to be utilized for advertising opportunities, graphics, race statistics, video, advertising and even social media. The scoreboard, which will be 9½ feet high and 218 feet in length, will increase the total viewing experience of "Big Hoss" to 22,704.64 square feet or nearly a half acre. Comparably, the video board at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Speedway Motorsports, Inc. sister track to TMS, measures 16,000 square feet and the one at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys in nearby Arlington, is at 11,520 sf. The scoreboard is being built as a technological advancement to the traditional electronic scoring pylons used at speedways, including at Texas Motor Speedway where the 110-foot tall scoring pylons situated in Turns 1 and 4 will be removed.(Texas Motor Speedway)(6-7-2016)

Entry List for the FireKeepers Casino 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway is posted, 40 teams/drivers [for 40 spots] are listed, including: #21-Blaney*, #30-Wise*, #32-Jeffrey Earnhardt, #55-Sorenson*, #95-McDowell, #98-Whitt*.
Drivers who are not a Charter team, an Open Team, and must get in via speed: #21-Blaney, #30-Wise, #55-Sorenson, #98-Whitt
Since only 40 cars are entered, all drivers will make the race, 40 is the maximum.
* Open Team (no Charter)
See the full entry list on Jayski.com's Michigan Entry List

Kurt Busch wins at Pocono: #41-Kurt Busch won the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway on Monday for his 1st win of the season, 3rd win at Pocono and 28th career win. Busch led 32 of the 160 laps. The race was run Monday after being postponed by rain on Sunday. It's the first time a race was postponed from Sunday to Monday since Texas in April 2014.
#88-Earnhardt, Jr. finished 2nd followed by polesitter #2-Keselowski, #24-Elliott, #22-Logano, #5-Kahne, #20-Kenseth, #19-Edwards, #4-Harvick, and #21-Blaney.
There were 14 lead changes among 10 drivers and 10 cautions for 40 yellow flag laps.
The average speed was 125.490 mph.
See unofficial race results, awards, laps led, cautions and more [NOTE: money/winnings are no longer reported] at:
Unofficial Race Results page (pdf)
Lap Summary Report (pdf)
Penalty Report (pdf)
Pit Stop Times (pdf)
See OFFICIAL race results & points standings on the Official Pocono Race & Points Report (pdf).(6-6-2016)

Race Fast Facts - Pocono Raceway:
Kurt Busch won the 35th Annual Axalta We Paint Winners 400, his 28th victory in 554 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
With the win, Busch moves into a tie for 25th on the all-time series wins list with NASCAR Hall of Famer Rex White.
This is his first victory and 12th top-10 finish in 2016. Busch's last win came at Michigan on June 14, 2015, 34 races ago.
This is his third victory and 17th top-10 finish in 30 races at Pocono Raceway.
Dale Earnhardt Jr (second) posted his 15th top-10 finish in 33 races at Pocono Raceway. It is his sixth top-10 finish in 2016.
Brad Keselowski (third) posted his sixth top-10 finish in 13 races at Pocono Raceway.
Chase Elliott (fourth) was the highest finishing rookie.
Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 25 points over Kurt Busch.
(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(6-6-2016)

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup CHASE Standings:
[after Pocono, race 14 of 36, 16 drivers for the Chase]
Set by most wins, then by points standing
1) #18-Busch [3 wins], 5th in driver points
2) #48-Johnson [2 wins], 6th
3) #19-Edwards [2 wins], 4th
4) #2-Keselowski [2 wins], 3rd
5) #4-Harvick [1 win], 1st
6) #78-Truex, Jr. [1 win], 9th
7) #20-Kenseth [1 win], 10th
8) #11-Hamlin [1 win], 12th
9) #41-Busch [1 win], 2nd
no wins, in by drivers points standings
10) #24-Elliott, 413, 7th
11) #22-Logano, 410, 8th
12) #88-Earnhardt Jr., 381, 11th
13) #3-Dillon, 348, 13th
14) #1-McMurray, 342, 14th
15) #21-Blaney, 340, 15th
16) #31-Newman, 338, 16th
(6-6-2016)

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Driver Points (not CHASE) Standings:
[after Pocono, race 14 of 36]
1) #4-Harvick [1 win], 490
2) #41-Busch [1 win], 465, -25
3) #2-Keselowski [2 wins], 442, -48
4) #19-Edwards [2 wins], 437, -53
5) #18-Busch, [3 wins], 416, -74
6) #48-Johnson [2 wins], 415, -75
7) #24-Elliott, 413, -77
8) #22-Logano, 410, -80
9) #78-Truex Jr. [1 win], 403, -87
10) #20-Kenseth [1 win], 382, -108
See the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings page (pdf) and
Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf)
See OFFICIAL race results & points standings on the Official Pocono Race & Points Report (pdf).

Rain expected at Pocono Sunday: The current forecast for Pocono Raceway calls for a good chance of rain at the track on Sunday. The XFINITY race at Pocono was shortened by rain on Saturday afternoon.
As of 1:00am/et Sunday:
Sunday - Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 4pm, then showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Some storms could be severe, with damaging winds, frequent lightning, and heavy rain. High near 80. Southeast wind around 7 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible
Sunday Night - Showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8pm. Some storms could be severe, with damaging winds and heavy rain. Low around 64. Southwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming light west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
AND Follow NASCAR_WXMAN">on Twitter for regular weather updates. He's currently calling for a 10-20% chance of getting the race in.
See weather links on the Pocono Race Info page.(6-5-2016)

Keselowski believes updated aero package a good step: As NASCAR continues to tweak the aero package for Sprint Cup teams, 2012 NSCS champion Brad Keselowski believes that they are moving in a very positive direction. So let's call it the newer version of the new low-downforce aero package. Ahead of the All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, NASCAR set out to remove even more downforce from the cars. Although the format for the annual exhibition race was heavily criticized, the racing itself was praised. "I am 100-percent of the belief that the All-Star rules package, as it pertains to some of the really technical items that control the skew on the car, should immediately be implemented everywhere," said Keselowski. As for the kind of 400 mile event we'll see at [Michigan], the Team Penske driver expects it to be "really interesting." Last year's race went the opposite direction with a high-drag package. It wasn't a show to remembered, to put it politely. "I heard the top speeds were really, really fast but the corner speeds were down which I think should provide a really good platform for side-by-side racing and opening opportunities to pass. I think we are all really encouraged by that. It is a huge variable for our teams that they we all work through. I think it has a tremendous potential to be the future direction for our sport," he added. "That is really interesting and exciting to me personally. As far as how it is going to play out, you don't know. It is really unknown. That always seems to make for our best racing when we don't know what will happen. I think it will be a really good race. The interesting thing is last year we went the opposite way with the rules there and most of the garage felt it was one of the worst races of the year. On the other side, we feel like this will be one of the best races of the year."(Motorsport)(6-5-2015)

Pocono Race Notes & Facts:
· There have been 76 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono Raceway, one race from 1974 through 1981, and two per year since.
· Hendrick Motorsports has the most wins at Pocono in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 17: Jeff Gordon (six), Tim Richmond (three), Jimmie Johnson (three), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (two), Kasey Kahne (one), Geoff Bodine (one) and Terry Labonte (one).
· Eight different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Pocono; led by Chevrolet with 31 victories; followed by Ford with 21, Dodge (seven), Pontiac (six), Buick (four) Toyota (four), Mercury (two) and Oldsmobile (one)
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Pocono is 29th, by Carl Edwards in the spring of 2005.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Pocono Raceway is the race on July 23, 2000 that was won by Rusty Wallace over Jeff Burton with a MOV of 0.126 second.
· There have been three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Pocono Raceway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): spring of 2005 (200/201); fall of 2005 (200/203); spring of 2010 (200/204).
· Six of the 76 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the event on 8/5/2012.
(NASCAR)

XFINITY Entry List: There are 39 cars on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's Menards 250 at Michigan International Speedway. A few notes:
Paul Menard remains in the RCR #2;
John Jackson is entered in the #13;
Todd Peck is entered in the RWR #15;
Kyle Busch remains in the Gibbs' #18;
Corey LaJoie returns to the #24 for JGL;
Chris Cockrum is entered in the RWR #25;
Justin Marks returns to the Ganassi #42;
Alex Bowman makes another start in the the #88 for JR Motorsports;
The #97 for Obiaka is TBA again and their second car, #77, is entered.(6-4-2015)
UPDATE: The #24 JGL entry has withdrawn and #74 with Mike Harmon added.(6-5-2016)
See the complete list on the Michigan entry list page.

Final practice for the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway is over after 55 scheduled minutes. The top-five, slowest and notes:
#18-Busch 176.901
#41-Busch 176.800
#48-Johnson 176.710
#78-Truex, Jr. 176.291
#4-Harvick 176.125
slowest: #32-Burton 167.439 & #98-Sorenson 166.750.
most laps run: #41-Busch 30 laps,#1-McMurray 28 laps
See fastest speeds, laps run on the Pocono Final Practice speeds page (pdf).(6-4-2016)

Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway have been made.
Pole sitter #2-Keselowski chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #22-Logano took pit stall 3.
#20-Kenseth, who starts 3rd took the 40th, and final, pit stall.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on Jayski.com's Pit Stall Selection chart.

Earnhardt, Jr. comments on his contract:
Q: As you get older in your career, you see guys like Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, your contemporaries calling it quits. Do you see yourself racing past your current contract with Hendrick Motorsports once it expires after 2017?
Earnhardt: Well, I think that I have some interest to do that. It's something that we haven't started to sit down and talk about. We will see what Rick wants to do with his direction, what his future is for the team. We will see if that lines up with what I want to do. I don't think I will race as long as my dad did, but I have been having a lot of fun over the past couple of years. I would hate to walk away from such a good opportunity prematurely, but when it comes down to it, Rick is the boss and what his future and direction of the team is important to me. I'm sure we will get talking about what we want to do past this contract in the next six months.
Q: I know before you've mentioned that you would like to race XFINITY and Trucks once you walk away from Cup. Do you still want to do that?
Earnhardt: I want to run in the XFINITY Series for JR Motorsports as long as it helps the company. I think it would be racing a late model race here and there with the late model program. That's reasonably affordable and would probably enjoy doing that on and off into my 50s and 60s if that's what you wish. I think if I had an itch to scratch, that would be a good way to do it. (Frontstretch)(6-4-2016)

Rain still possible at Pocono Sunday: The current forecast for Pocono Raceway calls for a good chance of rain at the track on Sunday.
As of Friday night:
Saturday - A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Light southwest wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Saturday Night - A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 8pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Sunday - Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm, then showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. High near 80. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Sunday Night - Showers and thunderstorms before 2am, then a chance of showers. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Low around 64. Southwest wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
See weather links on the Pocono Race Info page.(6-3-2016)

Jeb Burton unsure of future plans: In the wake of sponsorship issues that have curtailed his NASCAR XFINITY Series appearances for Richard Petty Motorsports, Jeb Burton is happy for a one-race opportunity to help establish a baseline for the #32 GoFas Racing Ford, which has been driven this year by Jeffrey Earnhardt. Beyond this weekend at Pocono, however, future rides for Burton are uncertain. "Getting back over here on the Cup side will be fun," Burton said on Friday at Pocono. "I thank GoFas Racing for giving me the opportunity to come out here and try to improve their program a little bit. Right now, this is all I'm going to do. I'll run here, and I'm not sure what the rest of the season holds for me."(NASCAR Wire Service)(6-4-2016)

Pocono Driver Notes & Facts:
· 327 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway; 233 in more than one.
· Ricky Rudd leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in starts at Pocono with 55.
· Tony Stewart leads all active drivers with 34 starts (20th most all-time) at Pocono; followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth with 32 starts each.
· Denny Hamlin (20 starts) leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Pocono with a 6.850.
· 34 different drivers have won at Pocono Raceway, led by Jeff Gordon with six wins.
· Seven active drivers have multiple wins at Pocono: Denny Hamlin (4), Jimmie Johnson (3), Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart (each have 2).
· Seven drivers have posted consecutive wins at Pocono Raceway all-time, including three consecutive by Bobby Allison (1982 sweep and spring 1983) and Tim Richmond (1986 sweep and spring 1987).
· Three of the seven drivers to win consecutive races at Pocono are active: Jimmie Johnson (2004 sweep); Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep and 2009 fall and 2010 spring races) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2014 sweep).
· One active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver has posted his first career win at Pocono Raceway: Denny Hamlin (06/11/06).
· Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards are the only two active drivers to win at Pocono in their first appearances.
· Kevin Harvick leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Pocono without visiting Victory Lane at 30.
· Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Pocono with seven; Kurt Busch leads all active drivers with five.
· Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon lead the series in top-five finishes at Pocono with 20 each; Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart lead all active drivers with 12 each.
· Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Pocono with 34; Tony Stewart leads all active drivers with 23.
· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Pocono with a 9.500.
· Two female drivers have competed at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.
· Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Pocono with 1,040 laps led in 46 starts. Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in laps led at Pocono with 738 in 28 starts.
(NASCAR)

Kyle Larson wins rain-shortened XFINITY race at Pocono: #42-Kyle Larson won the inaugural Pocono Green 250 at Pocono Raceway. It is his 4th career XFINITY Series win and 1st of the year. Polesitter #20-Erik Jones finished second, followed by #3-Ty Dillon, #18-Kyle Busch, #22-Joey Logano, #1-Elliott Sadler, #2-Paul Menard, #33-Brandon Jones, #19-Daniel Suarez, and #88-Alex Bowman.
The race was called more than 90 minutes after going under a red flag with 53 of 100 laps completed.
There were 5 cautions for 14 laps and 6 lead changes among 5 leaders.
The average speed was 118.421mph.
Complete results are on the Pocono race results page (pdf).
(6-4-2016)

Pocono XFINITY Race Fast Facts:
Kyle Larson won the Inaugural Pocono Green 250, his fourth victory in 82 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his first victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2016. His last win came at Homestead in the 2015 season finale.
Erik Jones (second) posted his first top-10 finish in one races at Pocono Raceway. It is his seventh top-10 finish in 2016.
Ty Dillon (third) posted his first top-10 finish in one races at Pocono Raceway.
Daniel Suarez leads the point standings by 11 points over Elliott Sadler.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(6-4-2016)

XFINITY Driver standings following Pocono:
1) #19-Daniel Suarez, 408
2) #1-Elliott Sadler [1 win], 397, -11
3) #3-Ty Dillon, 390, -18
4) #62-Brendan Gaughan, 363, -45
5) #20-Erik Jones [2 wins], 359, -49
6) #33-Brandon Jones, 357, -51
7) #7-Justin Allgaier, 355, -53
8) #48-Brennan Poole, 343, -65
9) #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., 308, -100
10) #16-Ryan Reed, 274, -134
See complete owner and driver standings on the driver standings(pdf) and owner standings page (pdf).(6-4-2016)

Sieg not happy with Reed after Pocono accident: Intensity hit an all-time high during the Pocono Green 250 at Pocono Raceway after a post-race confrontation involved #39-Ryan Sieg, #16-Ryan Reed and members of their XFINITY Series crews. Punches were thrown before the mess was broken up, emotions boiling over after an in-race incident between both drivers. It all started with contact between Sieg and Reed coming out of Turn 1 early in the event. Sieg was racing on the outside of Reed before the #16 Ford ran high and forced the #39 machine into the outside wall. "Went into Turn 1 and Ryan Reed - I should've been a little smarter than I was," a furious Sieg said. "You can't race around the kid. He's got a lot of money and he's got a Roush car but he can't drive it. Just an idiot. Everywhere he goes, it seems like he's always in a wreck. Money can't buy skill, obviously, with him. We had a really good car but it just sucks you get torn up here in the garage and have nothing to show for it from somebody that obviously can't see or he's brain-dead, can't drive... probably all three." Following the accident, a heated conversation turned physical in the garage area where punches were thrown. The crew of both teams got involved before the fight was broken up. "There's no talking to him," Sieg continued. "He thinks he does nothing wrong. He hasn't figured it out yet. Still young, I guess. He kept jabbing off at his mouth and I figured I'd shut it up for him. And then all the crew guys jumped in on me. I couldn't get a hold of him." Reed, who later spun down the racetrack before getting pounded by Jeremy Clements in a lap 38 incident, called the Sieg contact a racing deal and claimed emotions simply ran high. "It's racing, so I look forward to talking about it in a calm, collected manner," Reed said. "We both race every week. It's not going to do us any good to get out there and have a battle royale."(Frontstretch)(6-4-2016)

Earnhardt, Jr in the TV booth for Michigan XFINITY race: Dale Earnhardt Jr. is scheduled to join the FOX NASCAR television booth as a guest driver analyst for FS1's live coverage of the NASCAR XFINITY SERIES race from Michigan International Speedway on Saturday, June 11. Earnhardt Jr. will team with FOX NASCAR play-by-play announcer Adam Alexander and analyst Michael Waltrip to offer analysis for the entire race. Earnhardt will be the eighth NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES driver to serve as a guest driver analyst in the FOX NASCAR booth in 2016, following Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer and Danica Patrick.(Fox Sports)(6-4-2016)

Erik Jones on XFINITY pole at Pocono: #20-Erik Jones won the pole for the Pocono Green 250 at Pocono Raceway with a speed of 175.926mph. #18-Kyle Busch will start second. The rest of the top 10: #19-Daniel Suarez, #42-Kyle Larson, #22-Joey Logano, #1-Elliott Sadler, #2-Paul Menard, #3-Ty Dillon, #7-Justin Allgaier, and #88-Alex Bowman.
Did Not Qualify: None.
The starting lineup is posted on the Pocono starting lineup page (pdf).(6-4-2016)

Pocono Qualifying Notes:
Erik Jones won the Coors Light 21 Means 21 Pole Award for the Inaugural Pocono Green 250 with a lap of 51.158 seconds, 175.926 mph.
This is his eighth pole in 38 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his fifth pole and 12th top-10 start in 2016.
Kyle Busch (second) posted his seventh top-10 start of 2016 and his first in one races at Pocono Raceway.
Daniel Suarez (third) posted his first top-10 start at Pocono Raceway. It is his 12th in 12 races this season.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(6-4-2016)

Jimmie Johnson family ticket package available at Chicagoland: Chicagoland Speedway announced that fans can purchase the exclusive Jimmie Johnson Family Ticket Package for this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 race on September 18. This year's event at Chicagoland Speedway will be the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, and Johnson has teamed up with NASA to provide an educational experience for kids with the NASA Rockets 2 Racecars STEM Education program. On race day, kids will learn the inherent similarities between rockets and racecars through STEM activities led by local teachers trained by NASA in the Rockets 2 Racecars curriculum. In addition to these activities, kids will also receive a 12 page activity booklet to explore throughout the remainder of race day. Finally, the ticket package will culminate with a Q&A session with Johnson who is no stranger to the science of speed lesson that is built into the program. The Jimmie Johnson Family Ticket Package is $48 for adults and $23 for children and is located in Section "L" at Chicagoland Speedway. Offer valid only on NASCAR Sprint Cup race day.(Chicagoland Speedway)(6-4-2016)

Keselowski wins Pocono pole: #2-Brad Keselowski won the Coors Light pole for the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway with speed of 181.726mph for his 1st pole of 2016, 1st at Pocono and 12th of his career. Keselowski has won two races from the pole in his career.
#22-Logano will start 2nd, followed by #20-Kenseth, #4-Harvick, #19-Edwards, #14-Stewart, #48-Johnson, #88-Earnhardt, Jr., #41-Busch, #11-Hamlin, #5-Kahne, and #18-Busch.
#22-Logano was fastest in the first and second rounds and will start 2nd.
Since the maximum of 40 cars entered the race, everyone made the race.
See round-by-round qualifying results on the Pocono qualifying results page (pdf) and the complete starting lineup on the Pocono Starting Lineup page (pdf).(6-3-2016)

Pocono Raceway - Qualifying Fast Facts:
Brad Keselowski won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 35th Annual Axalta We Paint Winners 400 with a lap of 49.525 seconds, 181.726 mph.
This is his 12th pole in 247 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first pole and seventh top-10 start in 2016. His previous best start this season was fourth at Las Vegas.
This is his first pole in 13 races at Pocono Raceway. His previous best start at Pocono was third (twice), most recently in August of 2014.
Joey Logano (second) posted his 10th top-10 start of 2016 and his seventh in 15 races at Pocono Raceway.
Matt Kenseth (third) posted his ninth top-10 start at Pocono Raceway. It is his 10th in 14 races this season.
Chase Elliott (13th) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Statistics)(6-3-2016)

Second Round of Qualifying for the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway is over, after 10 scheduled minutes.
#22-Logano 181.079
#41-Busch 180.839
#2-Keselowski 180.810
#18-Busch 180.618
#48-Johnson 180.538
the rest of the top 12: 4 14 20 19 88 11 5;
out of the top 12 and not advancing to round 3: 24 21 16 43 78 34 3 27 42 31 15 6
(6-3-2016)

First Round of Qualifying for the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway is over, after 20 scheduled minutes.
#22-Logano 180.281
#19-Edwards 179.899
#2-Keselowski 179.738
#5-Kahne 179.716
#4-Harvick 179.712
the rest of the top 24: 88 21 16 78 48 41 18 6 11 31 27 20 42 15 14 24 43 34 3;
out of the top 24 and not advancing to round 2: 17 1 83 95 13 44 38 47 10 23 7 46 55 30 32 98
Drivers who will miss the race: none, as 40 cars were entered for 40 spots
(6-3-2016)

Friday practice for the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway is over after being shortened by rain. The top-five, slowest and notes:
#19-Edwards 179.802
#4-Harvick 178.827
#41-Busch 178.649
#27-Menard 178.250
#18-Busch 178.193
slowest: #46-Annett 171.354 & #44-Scott 170.963. 28 drivers completed a lap.
notes: The start of practice was delayed by about 20 minutes due to fog at the track. There is a chance of rain throughout the day. Qualifying is scheduled for 4:15pm/et on FS1.
See fastest speeds, laps run on the Pocono Practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(6-3-2016)

Qualifying Order for the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway is posted. 40 cars/drivers are listed.
The first driver to be lined up on pit road will be #22-Logano.
The final driver lined up on pit road will be #48-Johnson.
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 Pocono Qualifying Order Page (pdf).

Weather could be an issue at Pocono: The current forecast for Pocono Raceway calls for a good chance of rain on Friday and Sunday at the track.
As of Thursday night:
Friday - A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 8am and 9am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 9am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Cloudy, with a high near 78. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Saturday - Partly sunny, with a high near 83. Light and variable wind.
Sunday - Showers and thunderstorms likely. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Cloudy, with a high near 79. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
See weather links on the Pocono Race Info page.(6-3-2016)

Fill in crew chiefs for Pocono UPDATE: Following the suspension of three Sprint Cup crew chiefs following the Charlotte race, two of the teams have named their replacements:
Ernie Cope will fill in for Randall Burnett as crew chief for the #47 team of A.J. Allmendinger. Burnett is serving a one race suspension.
Stewart-Haas Racing engineer John Klausmeier will serve as crew chief for #41-Kurt Busch while Tony Gibson serves his one race suspension.
However: A Roush Fenway Racing spokesman said Thursday afternoon that the team still was evaluating whether to appeal the two-race suspension of crew chief Brian Pattie after Greg Biffle's #16 Ford failed postrace inspection from the Coke 600.(NBC Sports)(6-3-2016)
UPDATE: Robbie Reiser will serve as crew chief for Biffle at Pocono.(6-3-2016)

Weaver Media sponsoring Ragan at Michigan: BK Racing announced the signing of sponsor Weaver Media as a primary sponsor on David Ragan's #23 Weaver Media Toyota Camry in the Firekeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. The race will be Weaver Media's first race with BK Racing and their first primary sponsorship in NASCAR. Weaver Media is a full-service marketing company specializing in creating attention-grabbing display advertising and new media opportunities. Weaver Media accomplishes this with unique applications of banners, adhesives and sign materials to catch consumers' eyes and their attention. Weaver Media revs up racing - they have worked with many tracks across the country meeting their signage needs in a wide variety of ways. Their full-time NASCAR tracks include Martinsville Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway, Kansas Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Watkins Glen International, Darlington Raceway and Chicagoland Speedway.(BK Racing), see an image of the car on the #23 team paint schemes page.(6-3-2016)

Charlotte Overnight TV Ratings UPDATE: The Sunday before Memorial Day was predictably quiet in the broadcast ratings. FOX's coverage of the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 was the night's ratings leader, averaging a 1.3/6 in adults 18-49, 3.16 total overnight rating (versus 3.59 rating last year) with 5.57 million viewers, pending updates.(TVbytheNumbers / Nielsen Company / showbuzzdaily.com)
AND The 2016 Indianapolis 500 earned a 4.12 overnight rating on ABC Sunday afternoon, down 5% from last year (4.27) and even with 2014. The 4.1 is tied as the third-lowest for the race since it began airing live in 1986 (Sports Media Watch), see race-by-race TV Ratings for 2016 and a comparison chart on the 2016 TV Ratings page.(5-31-2016)
UPDATE: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Charlotte earned a 3.4 final rating and 5.7 million viewers on FOX Sunday afternoon, down 11% in ratings and viewership from last year (3.8, 6.4M) and down 17% and 18%, respectively, from 2014 (4.1, 7.0M). Martin Truex Jr.'s win, in which he led for a NASCAR-record 588 of the 600 miles, tied the lowest rating for the Coca-Cola 600 since at least 1996 - matching the 2000 race on TBS. It also earned the smallest audience for the race since at least 2000. Keep in mind that excludes the 2009 race, which was postponed due to rain and earned a 3.3 and 5.3 million on Memorial Day.(Sports Media Watch)(6-3-2016)

New jackman for Johnson: Last week at Charlotte the #48 crew of HMS had a new look. Jackman Kyle Tudor has taken over the jacking duties as of Charlotte and for the foreseeable future. Tudor was part of the [Hendrick Motorsports] developmental team and had been pitting the #98 Cup car so far in 16. No word as to why the change was made but as we can expect, most changes are made for chemistry or performance.(Pit Talks)(6-3-2016)

Pocono Pole Notes & Facts:
· 40 drivers have posted Coors Light poles at Pocono, led by Bill Elliott and Ken Schrader with five each; Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin lead all active drivers with three each.
· Buddy Baker won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Pocono in 1974 with a speed of 144.122 mph.
· Five drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Pocono. Bill Elliott holds the record for most consecutive poles at Pocono with three; fall 1984 and both races in 1985.
· Two active drivers have posted consecutive Coors Light poles at Pocono: Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep) and Joey Logano (fall 2011 and spring 2012).
· Three drivers have posted their first-career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Pocono Raceway: Harry Gant (1979), Casey Mears (2004) and Kyle Larson (2014).
· 13 of the 76 (17.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Joey Logano (June, 2012).
· 15 of the 76 (19.7%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the first starting position; the most recent was Jimmie Johnson (June, 2013).
· The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (15) than any other starting position at Pocono Raceway.
· 24 of the 76 (31.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the front row: 15 from the first starting position and nine from second-place.
· 54 of the 76 (71.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· Five of the 76 (6.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Pocono Raceway five times; most recently the spring of 2013.
(NASCAR)

Friday practice canceled: Both Friday NASCAR XFINITY Series practices at Pocono Raceway have been canceled because of rain at the track.(6-3-2016)

Keer named to National Sprint Car Hall of Fame: TriStar Motorsports' Crew Chief Frankie Kerr has selected as an inductee into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. The 27th Annual Induction Ceremonies Banquet will be held Friday and Saturday, June 3-4, 2016 in Knoxville, Iowa. Kerr, an established and skilled driver, earned four Sprint Car Series Championships (1991, 1993, 1994, 1997). Following his Sprint Car career, Kerr retired as a driver and transitioned NASCAR. He began his NASCAR career as a Car Chief and advanced to Crew Chief where he has held that title for nine years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and four years in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Kerr is currently the Crew Chief for the #44 Zachry Toyota. With Kerr attending the Induction Ceremony, he will not be in attendance for the Pocono Green 250 with the #44 team. Bryan Smith, Car Chief and Jeff Kirkendall, Engineer, will serve as Kerr's replacements for this event.(TriStar Motorsports)(6-3-2016)

Charlotte XFINITY TV Ratings: NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Charlotte had 1.4 million viewers on Fox Sports 1 Saturday afternoon, down 27% from last year, when coverage aired on the FOX broadcast network (1.9M). It was the second straight Xfinity Series race to decline, after four of the previous five increased. (Sports TV Ratings / Sports Media Watch)(6-3-2016)

Phoenix race tickets on sale: Phoenix International Raceway announced that tickets for the semifinal race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, the Can-Am 500, go on-sale Friday, June 3. Tickets start at just $25 and can be purchased by visiting PhoenixRaceway.com or by calling 866-408-RACE (7223). The popular fall race at PIR historically sells out in advance and features a full weekend of NASCAR action, including racing from the top-three series in NASCAR. The Can-Am 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race takes place on Sunday, Nov. 13. The event weekend also features the NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Saturday, Nov. 12 following the Lucas Oil 150 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday night, Nov. 11. Both the NASCAR XFINITY and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will battle in the Chase format for the first time, with PIR being home to all the Series' elimination races. Fans who buy early will be automatically entered to win special PIR racing swag. Simply purchase Can-Am 500 tickets by Saturday, June 11, at 11:59pm/pt, and fans will be entered to win exciting prizes.(PIR)(6-3-2016)

State of South Carolina declares "Darlington Raceway Week": The week of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles' Southern 500, August 29-September 4, 2016, has been named "Darlington Raceway Week, a Week Too Tough To Tame" after the South Carolina Senate and House of Representatives passed a concurrent Resolution. The famed track's 67-year history is a major reason the South Carolina Senate and House of Representatives passed the concurrent Resolution, led by state Senator Gerald Malloy, D-Hartsville. The Resolution outlines the historical significance of Darlington Raceway's award-winning throwback weekend and addresses the role the track plays in building the foundation of what has become one of the largest spectator sports in the country. The 2016 Bojangles' Southern 500 will mark the second year of the track's popular throwback campaign, which celebrates the history and heritage of the sport. The 2015 edition of the marketing platform brought a renewed level of excitement to the track on its traditional Labor Day weekend date.(Darlington Raceway)(6-3-2016)

Goodyear test completed at New Hampshire: Four drivers participated in a Goodyear Tire Test at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Tuesday and Wednesday: #11-Hamlin, #17-Stenhouse Jr., #43-Almirola and #88-Earnhardt Jr.
Earnhardt Jr.: "There are two agendas. You obviously want to learn what you can and help Goodyear understand what kind of tire they need to bring back. That's really the number one priority at the tire test. But the car's felt good in the little window we've had to learn anything and we're getting some good information."
Stenhouse, Jr: "Any time you can get on the track and it's not a race weekend is good for us because we can really throw a lot of things in our car that we couldn't do on a normal race weekend. We try to get some data on it ... so when we get back to the shop we know what we need for the next time that we come here."
(NHMS)(6-2-2016)

Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing raising awareness for special needs at Pocono: A young businessman from Sanger, Texas will have his snow cone business alongside Fortune 500 companies in the upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway, as the #95 Chevrolet of Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing will showcase two small businesses with causes close to their hearts this weekend. Blake Pyron became the youngest business owner in Sanger, Texas when he opened Blake's Snow Shack in early May of this year. Blake, who has Down Syndrome, made national headlines and has been featured on ABC News, Huffington Post and USA Today. The story reached the desk of Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing team owner Bob Leavine, who calls Tyler, Texas home, along with his wife, Sharon and daughter, Melynda both of whom hold roles with the race team. The Leavine family connected with the story not only due to their Texas roots, but also on a much more personal level. "There is a place in Tyler, Texas - Breckenridge Village of Tyler - that our family has supported for a long time because of the work they do and the people there," said Leavine. "We never thought about Tanner going there - but they have taken that young man and helped him grow and contribute. Tanner has learned skills from cooking to making candles and selling them. And now he's on the waiting list to live there." Blake's story and Tanner's involvement at Breckenridge Village put the Leavine family into action. Within just a few days, they had created a new paint scheme for the #95 Chevrolet at Pocono that will promote these two companies and elevate the stories behind them. Blake and his father will attend the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in Pocono on Sunday, June 5. The #95 crew will wear purple Blake's Snow Shack t-shirts during the race weekend - the same t-shirts that Blake wears for his business.(Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing), see an image of the car on the #95 team paint schemes page.(6-2-2016)

Medallion Bank making first appearance of 2016 on the #44: In addition to adding a new partner on the hood of the #44 Ford Fusion this weekend, Pocono Raceway will be a weekend of firsts for Brian Scott. Scott, who previously spent the past seven seasons competing full-time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and on a partial schedule in the Camping World Truck Series, has only ever competed at Pocono Raceway in one ARCA race in 2008. In that start at the 2.5-mile "Tricky Triangle", Scott started eighth and finished 20th. Scott will look to have his first Sprint Cup Series start and his first start with partner Medallion Bank with a unique yellow taxi paint scheme on the #44 Ford Fusion. Medallion Bank is a Utah-based industrial bank specializing in non-prime recreation loans and prime-credit home improvement loans. Medallion Bank also originated taxi medallion and asset based loans on behalf of the parent company, Medallion Financial.(Richard Petty Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #44 team paint schemes page.(6-2-2016)

JTG Daugherty lauches "47 Wishes": JTG Daugherty Racing always looks for ways to give back to the community. In recent months, team owners Jodi & Tad Geschickter and their racing organization launched 47 Wishes, which empowers the #47 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race team to bring forth ideas to assist individuals or families in the community. 47 Wishes can range from something small to something big.
"47 Wishes is a wonderful way for us to give back," JTG Daugherty Racing operations manager Mark Kelso said. "We granted our first wish to one of our team members by helping a family he heard about that needed help." On September 15, 2015, members of the JTG Daugherty Racing family learned of a one-year-old little girl named Emily Hinton from north Charlotte. Emily had been severely burned when a gas can exploded at her family home while she was playing in the backyard. The incident was so serious that Emily was placed in a medically induced coma and was on life support. Little Emily suffered third-degree burns over nearly 60 percent of her body. Eight months later, her road to recovery has been long and she has fought through difficult surgeries and months-long hospital stays. Emily still has a challenging road ahead of her and medical bills are mounting. The team was able to provide some small relief, but it's tiny in comparison to what the community and churches have done to help. Little Emily still has a long road ahead of her that includes additional surgeries.(JTG Daugherty Racing)(6-2-2016)

Drivers ranked on ESPN World Fame 100: It started off with a simple question: Who's the most famous athlete in the world? Ben Alamar, ESPN's director of sports analytics, devised a formula that combines salary and endorsements with social media following and Google search popularity to create the ESPN World Fame 100 rankings. The names might be familiar, but where the planet's biggest stars land on the list could surprise you. The #1 athlete is soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo. Motorsports drivers on the list include:
57. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (NASCAR)
58. Jimmie Johnson (NASCAR)
59. Lewis Hamilton (Formula 1)
63. Danica Patrick (NASCAR)
75. Fernando Alonso (Formula 1)
77. Tony Stewart (NASCAR)
94. Kyle Busch (NASCAR)
97. Kimi Raikkonen (Formula 1)
(ESPN.com)(6-2-2016)

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Pocono:
#11-Denny Hamlin 107.2
#48-Jimmie Johnson 106.9
#41-Kurt Busch 105.7
#14-Tony Stewart 95.7
#42-Kyle Larson 95.1
#19-Carl Edwards 94.8
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 93.2
#31-Ryan Newman 92.9
#4-Kevin Harvick 91.8
#2-Brad Keselowski 91.7
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (22 total) among active drivers at Pocono 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)

Pocono Track Notes & History:
· Opened in 1968 as a three-quarter-mile track, Pocono Raceway held the first race on the 2.5-mile track in 1971.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was in 1974 - won by Richard Petty, Dodge, 115.593 mph, 08/04/1974.
· The 2.5-mile track was repaved during the fall of 2011.
· 2012 marked the first season the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono were scheduled for 400 miles. Prior to 2012 all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races were 500 miles at Pocono Raceway.
(NASCAR)

Erik Jones fastest in second XFINITY practice: #20-Erik Jones was quickest during Thursday's second practice for the Pocono Green 250 with a speed of 172.914mph. He was followed by: #33-Brandon Jones, #18-Kyle Busch, #3-Ty Dillon, #19-Daniel Suarez, #2-Paul Menard, #22-Joey Logano, #42-Kyle Larson, #7-Justin Allgaier, and #88-Alex Bowman. 36 drivers participated in the session.
See complete results on the Pocono practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(6-2-2016)

Kyle Busch fastest in first XFINITY practice: #18-Kyle Busch was fastest during opening practice at Pocono Raceway with a speed of 170.171mph. #20-Erik Jones was second, followed by: #2-Paul Menard, #7-Justin Allgaier, #3-Ty Dillon, #19-Daniel Suarez, #88-Alex Bowman, #48-Brennan Poole, #1-Elliott Sadler, and #42-Kyle Larson. 31 drivers practiced during the session.
See complete results on the Pocono practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(6-2-2016)

Cope announces Pocono sponsors: Derrike Cope Racing with JP Motorsports has some very interesting entrepreneurs on board this weekend at the Inaugural Xfinity Race at Pocono. Glenn Brown, of Meansville GA, bought his first truck right out of high school in 1983, hauling asphalt and rock. Now Glenn Brown Trucking runs 15 trucks hauling everything from propane gas to heavy equipment. E-hydrate comes on again as a primary sponsor for #70. With the first of it's kind electrolyte drink sticks for kids and adults, as well as Protien-on-the-Go drink pouches, E-hydrate continues to expand it's retail channels, available in Target, Ingles, other regional grocery stores and now select GNC stores. Associate sponsor Fox Motorsports 3 is owned by Darlene Fox who also owns Fox Realty Group in Pocono. Carriage House Country Club at Pocono Manor is on board for this event. Book your room where the team stays in the beautiful Pocono Mountains. Ice-Aid continues to support Team #70 as an associate sponsor. Ice-Aid delivers a frosty cold beverage from the first sip to the last drop by turning your cooler of ice into a freezer.(Derrike Cope Racing)(6-2-2016)

Pocono race officials announced: Charlie Shaver, Chairman & CEO of Axalta Coating Systems, will serve as Grand Marshal for the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono Raceway Sunday, June 5. Shaver, his daughter Caroline and Axalta Coating Systems Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Joe McDougall, as well as his daughter Julia, will give the "start your engines" command. The Air Force Rock Band will perform the National Anthem prior to Sunday's race. The green flag for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is scheduled for 1:00pm/et. Alyssa Golden will sing the National Anthem for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Pocono Green 250, with Crystal Day handling the responsibility for the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards #AnywhereIsPossible 200. Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Mike Stack will serve as the Grand Marshal and give the command for the Pocono Green 250 while Josh Torres will handle both of those on Friday.(Pocono Raceway)(6-2-2016)

Patrick debuts new Daytona menu item; July ticket package: Danica Patrick visited Daytona International Speedway on Wednesday to participate in Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola Media Day. Instead of turning laps around the historic 2.5-mile tri-oval in her #10 Nature's Bakery Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing, Patrick shared one of her other interests - cooking. Patrick held court just outside the Chevrolet Injector in the FPL Solar Pavilion where she gave media members a special preview of a signature dish that will be available for race fans during the Coke Zero 400 Weekend: her Coke & Lime Cilantro Shrimp Wrap. The wrap is a perfect fit for Patrick's health-conscious personal cookbook; it's made with a garlic herb tortilla, Coke-marinated grilled and chilled white shrimp, shaved romaine hearts, cilantro and cabbage slaw and mango papaya relish. In addition, Patrick and International Speedway Corporation Chief Operating Officer Joie Chitwood III announced "Danica's Coke Zero 400 Family Pack". The package includes the following: A Coke Zero 400 adult reserved stadium seat and one kids reserved stadium seat (ages 12 and under); Admission to a question-and-answer session with Patrick in a Midway suite prior to the race; $10 in "DAYTONA Dollars" for Danica's Coke & Lime Cilantro Shrimp Wrap & a Coca-Cola product (Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite or Aquafina).(DIS)(6-2-2016)

Charlotte Post-race penalties and warnings: NASCAR has announced penalties and warnings following the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 29th.
#16-Greg Biffle was given a P3 penalty for violations of Sections 12-1; 20.4.1; 20.4.2 a,b,c; 12.5.3.4.1 c. [failed postrace chassis measurements] Crew chief Brian Pattie has been fined $50,000, suspended from all NASCAR Series Championship Points Events through June 15, and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31; the team has been assessed with the loss of 15 championship owner and 15 championship driver points. The violation was found during post-race inspection.
#47-A.J. Allmendinger was given a P3 penalty for violations of Sections 12-1; 10.11.3.4 a; 12.5.3.4.1 p [lugnut missing] Crew chief Randall Burnett has been fined $20,000, suspended from all NASCAR Series Championship points events through June 8 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. The violation occurred during the race.
#41-Kurt Busch was given a P3 penalty for violations of Sections 12-1; 10.11.3.4 a [lugnuts not all secure] Crew chief Tony Gibson has been fined $20,000, suspended from all NASCAR Series Championship points events through June 8 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. The violation occurred during the race.
#14-Tony Stewart was given a P2 penalty for violations Sections 20.4 b; 20.4.2 a; 12.1; 12.5.3.3.2 d [illegal body modifications] Crew chief Mike Bugarewicz has been placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. The violation was found during prerace inspection.
The following warnings were issued:
#27-Menard (2) Failed template inspection three times, prequalifying inspection and was given a written warning and penalized a loss of 15 min. of practice time.
#20-Kenseth (3), #43-Almirola Failed laser inspection twice in pre-qualifying inspection and were given written warnings.
#43-Almirola, #48-Johnson, #88-Earnhardt, Jr Failed template inspection twice in prequalifying inspection and were given written warnings.
See the Charlotte Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf) for more.(6-1-2016)

Logano's Darlington throwback scheme released: Some say heritage is everything and that can ring very true to a brand that has a tremendous lineage in motorsports. Shell is excited to unveil a commemorative paint scheme to run in the 2016 Bojangle's Southern 500 that celebrates its first NASCAR primary livery. Shell participated in the 2015 festivities with a paint scheme on the #22 Team Penske Ford driven by Joey Logano that mimicked a LeMans-winning Porsche piloted by Mario Andretti in the 1980s. The car also carried Shell branding from the 1950s era to coincide with the founding of Darlington Raceway. Shell, a player in motorsport technology around the world for over 80 years, was relatively new to NASCAR when the company first became a primary sponsor in the mid-1990s. The company is bringing back its first NASCAR paint scheme to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its first win with 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion, Bobby Labonte, who piloted the #44 Shell Monte Carlo to its first NASCAR victory in 1996 at Nashville Speedway in what is now the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Labonte owned the car himself before bringing the Shell sponsorship to Joe Gibbs Racing where he competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the then Busch Series. Ironically, Labonte drove the same paint scheme to victory lane at the "Track Too Tough To Tame" in his final win for Shell in 1998. The Darlington scheme that Logano will carry on his #22 Shell-Pennzoil Fusion ran a number of races in the old Busch Series through the mid to late 1990s. The Darlington "throwback" Shell paint scheme is actually one of three commemorative paint schemes that Shell and Pennzoil will debut in 2016 to celebrate their U.S. motorsports legacy.(Shell Pennzoil), see an image of the car on the #22 team paint schemes page.(6-1-2016)

Jeb Burton in the #32 at Pocono; Petty suspends operations of #43 NXS team: Richard Petty Motorsports announced that the team suspended operations of the #43 XFINITY team due to financial issues with the team's primary sponsor, J. Streicher. Due to missed payments, Richard Petty Motorsports is forced to cut back the originally-planned full-time schedule for the NASCAR XFINTY Series #43 Ford Mustang driven by Jeb Burton. J. Streicher joined Richard Petty Motorsports late in the off-season for their first sponsorship in NASCAR supporting Burton's first full-time season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Burton and the team got to work, and just days after signing the agreement with J. Streicher, the team competed in the season opener at Daytona. The team tallied one Top-10 and four Top-15 finishes in the first 10 races of the season and currently is in position to compete for the Chase in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. "This is an unfortunate situation," said Richard Petty Motorsports CEO Brian Moffitt. "We make commitments to both our employees and vendors that are based on sponsor commitments, and we take those commitments seriously. We will pursue every avenue to ensure the contractual obligations between RPM and our sponsor are met. We'll take each week as it comes and do our best to get the #43 Ford Mustang on track as much as possible this season." Richard Petty Motorsports and Burton will continue their relationship and work to get Burton on track as much as possible this year. This weekend at Pocono Raceway, Burton will compete in the #32 Ford for GO FAS Racing in the Sprint Cup Series.(Richard Petty Motorsports)(6-1-2016)

Testing scheduled for Kentucky: Speedway Motorsports Inc., the owner of the Kentucky Speedway, is putting the finishing touches on a repaving project that, while keeping the 1.5-mile tri-oval shape, has increased the banking in Turns 1 and 2 from 14 degrees to 17 degrees. The project is also adding protective SAFER barrier across the entire outside wall of the track as well as the backstretch and the inside walls that NASCAR requires, plus addresses water drainage issues. The first testing is set to begin on June 13, said general manager Mark Simendinger at the Kentucky Speedway Sprint Cup Series Victory Tour press conference Tuesday at the Horseshoe Casino downtown. Sprint Cup driver #2-Brad Keselowski, who has had few issues anytime he comes to Kentucky, was the main focus of the event. "I think the track is really rough. It's hard to get a hold of and that's just a challenge we've embraced," said Keselowski. "It's interesting that the decision was made to make the two ends much different during the repave. That will certainly develop into this track's own character." Mayor John Cranley proclaimed Wednesday as Brad Keselowski Day in Cincinnati. Keselowski received a handful of gifts as part of the honor, including a signed Reds batting helmet from second baseman Brandon Phillips, and a chunk of the old race track with a plaque honoring his accomplishments there. Keselowski said it's premature to have any thoughts on just how the new configuration and pavement will play out. #22-Joey Lagano, Keselowski's teammate at Penske Racing, will handle the testing at Kentucky for all of the Penske cars. From that testing, the teams will take the data collected and simulate how they think their cars will react when race night comes.(Cincinnati Enquirer)(6-1-2016)

Pocono Goodyear Tire Notes: NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series teams will be on completely different tire set-ups at Pocono this weekend . . . for Sprint Cup teams, these are two brand new tire codes . . . this combination of left- and right-side tires came out of a Goodyear test at Pocono on April 19-20 . . . drivers participating in that test were Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr. . . . compared to what was run at Pocono last year, this left-side tire code features an updated construction to bring it into line with what is run at other speedways and a compound change to give the cars more grip . . . this right-side tire code features an increase in tread gage (thickness) compared to 2015 . . . this right-side will also be run at Indianapolis later this season . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners on all four tire positions at Pocono . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.(Goodyear), see trie codes, pressures, set limits and more on the Pocono Race Info page

SunnyD back on the #17 at Pocono: SunnyD is back on the #17 Ford this weekend in Pocono. With that, driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is launching a campaign to have his fans "Share a SunnyD" with a friend. By tagging a friend on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #ShareASunnyD, fans will enter themselves and a friend to win special SunnyD prize packs. The SunnyD six days of giveaways begin Tuesday afternoon and will culminate in the Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono Raceway. Prizes include SunnyD beverages, hats, koozies and lanyards to name a few. "I'm excited to head to Pocono with SunnyD on our car for the second time this season," said Stenhouse. "They're a really fun brand to be aligned with and everything they're doing this week with the fans is really cool." Roush Fenway Racing has added a NASCAR twist to a 90's commercial classic, remaking the iconic 'purple stuff' SunnyD TV commercial with a unique NASCAR flavor. The remake stars NASCAR champions Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Chris Buescher, along with FOX NASCAR personalities Andrew Doud and Kaitlyn Vincie. Vincie plays the part of 'Misses V' - an unforgettably cheerful lady with a great smile and seemingly endless supply of Sunny D - while Doud delivers the unforgettable classic line "Mega gnarly Misses V."(RFR), see images of the scheme on the #17 Team Schemes page (6-1-2016)

ARRIS SURFboard scheme returns for Pocono: Carl Edwards and the #19 ARRIS team will be running the ARRIS SURFboard paint scheme again this weekend at Pocono Raceway. In 22 Sprint Cup Series starts at Pocono, Edwards has completed 3,766 of 3,932 laps (95.8%) and has led for a total of 237 laps. Edwards has earned two wins, five top-five and nine top-10 finishes there. His average start is 16.1 and his average finish is 15.2 (JGR), see images of the scheme on the #19 Team Schemes page (6-1-2016)

Patrick to be CMS Music Award presenter: On Wednesday, June 8, #10-Danica Patrick will join the likes of actors Vince Vaughn and Rob Riggle, and country music artists Cole Swindell and Kellie Pickler, as a presenter for the "2016 CMT Music Awards." The event is scheduled to air live on CMT at 8:00pm/et.(SHR)(6-1-2016)

Raceline names first youth reporter: Summer is almost here, and kids across the country are looking forward to a break from school. One young racer from the Richmond, VA area is adding a summer job to his already impressive resume. Garrett Manes will become Raceline's first ever summer youth reporter for eight weeks beginning mid June. Just weeks away from celebrating his fifteenth birthday, Manes already has three Arena Racing USA Championships under his belt, as well as awards for the most poles and most wins in Arena Racing. Like most young racers, Manes has his sights set on NASCAR. He hopes to share unique perspective on the sport with Raceline's viewers. "We look forward to working with Garrett this summer," says Joe Moore, Executive Producer and host of Raceline. "Motorsports as a whole is always trying to attract more young fans, and Garrett's contributions will be a great addition to the show." Raceline is currently seen in 85 million homes and is available nationwide on MAVTV.(Raceline Facebook)(6-1-2016)

Solutions Events Services To Assist In Parking, Traffic at Pocono Raceway: In an effort to ensure a safe and timely entrance and exit for all fans, drivers and race teams members, Pocono Raceway has partnered with Solutions Event Services for parking assistance during its race weekends. Solutions Events Services, a national industry leader, specializes in large events, including air shows, golf tournaments and sporting events. "We are always looking to safely improve our fans experience at Pocono Raceway," said Pocono Raceway President & CEO Brandon Igdalsky. "This is another way we can do that. We know that no one wants to sit in traffic and we are doing all we can to speed up the exit process." Solutions Events Services will utilize multiple lanes to enter and exit the racetrack and cone off lanes to limit when fans are forced to merge. In addition, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is finalizing plans on a widening project of Route 115 that they hope will begin later this year or early next, a several-year project between Long Pond Road and Route 903 in Tunkhannock Township. "The Pennsylvania State Police do a tremendous job when our fans reach Route 115," said Igdalsky. "With the expertise of Solutions, we are confident we can speed up the exit process." In 2015, the Pennsylvania Turnpike opened Exit 87, an E-Z Pass Only Interchange connecting the Northeastern Extension (I-476) to State Route 903 in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County which alleviated some traffic problems.
The Pennsylvania State Police also announced that traffic patterns will be altered on Sunday, June 5, see more at poconoraceway.com. Tickets for all races are now on sale at poconoraceway.com or by calling 1-800-RACEWAY.(6-1-2016)

UFC Champion Miesha Tate to be grand marshal for the FireKeepers Casino 400: UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate will serve as the grand marshal for the FireKeepers Casino 400 on June 12 at Michigan International Speedway. Tate will give the command of "Start your engines!" when the FireKeepers Casino 400 gets underway. Tate is the Ultimate Fighting Championship Women's Bantamweight Champion. She claimed the title in stunning fashion on March 5, defeating then-champ Holly Holm with a rear naked choke in the fifth round of UFC 196 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Tate, a fan favorite in the mixed martial arts world, will defend her title July 9 in Las Vegas against No. 4-ranked Amanda Nunes at UFC 200. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series roars into Michigan International Speedway twice in 2016, ticket info at mispeedway.com or call 800-354-1010.(MIS)(6-1-2016)