Qualifying canceled; Keselowski on Dover pole: #2-Brad Keselowski will start from the pole for the Citizen Soldier 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway after qualifying was canceled due to wet track conditions. The field was set according to the rule book.
#78-Truex, Jr. will start 2nd, followed by #18-Busch, #20-Kenseth, #22-Logano, #4-Harvick, #11-Hamlin, #48-Johnson, #24-Elliott, and #19-Edwards.
Since the maximum of 40 cars entered the race, everyone made the race.
See the complete starting lineup on the Dover Starting Lineup page (pdf).(9-30-2016)

Where the 2016 Sprint Cup Chase Drivers will start at Dover:
[listed by driver points position]
1) #2-Brad Keselowski, 1st
2) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 2nd
3) #18-Kyle Busch, 3rd
4) #20-Matt Kenseth, 4th
5) #22-Joey Logano, 5th
6) #4-Kevin Harvick, 6th
7) #11-Denny Hamlin, 7th
8) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 8th
9) #24-Chase Elliott, 9th
10) #19-Carl Edwards, 10th
11) #41-Kurt Busch, 11th
12) #42-Kyle Larson, 12th
13) #1-Jamie McMurray, 13th
14) #3-Austin Dillon, 14th
15) #14-Tony Stewart, 15th
16) #34-Chris Buescher, 16th
(9-30-2016)

Friday practice for the Citizen Soldier 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway is over after 70 minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#42-Larson 165.578
#19-Edwards 165.122
#20-Kenseth 164.775
#31-Newman 164.511
#48-Johnson 164.301
Best 10 consecutive lap ave (of 4 drivers): #18-Busch 159.336
slowest: #30-Wise 151.873 & #98-Hill 150.804
most laps run: #18-Busch 60, #34-Buescher 29.
Notes: Practice started about 15 minutes late. NASCAR had to finish drying the track after morning rains. Qualifying is scheduled for at 3:40pm/et today. TV: NBCSN.
See fastest speeds, laps run and best 10 consecutive lap ave on the Dover Practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-30-2016)

Qualifying Order for the Citizen Soldier 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway is posted. 40 cars/drivers are listed.
The first driver to be lined up on pit road will be #41-Busch.
The final driver lined up on pit road will be #23-Ragan.
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 Dover Qualifying Order Page (pdf).

Weather could be an issue at Dover:The National Weather Service calls for rain to be likely on Friday and Saturday, but clearing on Sunday.
Friday - Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. High near 68. Breezy, with a northeast wind 13 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Friday Night - Rain likely before 9pm, then showers likely, mainly after 3am. Cloudy, with a low around 64. East wind 10 to 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Saturday - Showers likely, mainly before 9am. Cloudy, with a high near 78. East wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Saturday Night - A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southeast wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Sunday - A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Dover does not have lights. Qualifying was rained out at the track last fall and again this past spring. For more weather links, check out the Dover Race page - weather section.(9-30-2016)

NASCAR expands penalties that can lead to "encumbered finish": Despite all three championship Chases already underway in its three national series NASCAR on Thursday increased the number of penalties that it will trigger an "encumbered finish" going forward. Until Thursday, only post-race penalties involving failure of the Laser Inspection Station and improperly attached lug nuts could trigger an encumbered finish, which prevents the driver involved from using the finish from qualifying for or advancing in the Chase, or using the finish for eligibility in non-points races. Three more violations were added on Thursday, all of which will be in effect for Friday's Truck race at Las Vegas and Saturday and Sunday's Xfinity and Cup races at Dover International Speedway. They are: Post-race incorrect ground clearance violations; Post-race incorrect body height violations; and Failure to meet minimum weight. Truck series Chase participant John Hunter Nemechek, who's No. 8 Chevrolet failed postrace body height measurements this past weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, would have been the first victim of the new policy, but NASCAR elected not to apply the new rules retroactively.(Motorsport)(9-30-2016)

Who's Hot and Who's Not - Dover Edition:
HOT
" Kevin Harvick: defending race winner; led 786 laps in last 4 Dover races (608 more than any other driver)
" Jimmie Johnson: 10 career NSCS wins at Dover; most an active driver has won at any track
" Kyle Larson: has never finished worse than 11th in 5 career Dover starts (2nd earlier this year)
" Chase Elliott: finished 3rd in only NSCS start at Dover
" Martin Truex Jr.: finished 11th or better in last 5 Dover starts; 1st career NSCS win came at Dover in 2007
NOT
" Kyle Busch: wrecked out of 3 of last 5 Dover races
" Kurt Busch: 1 top-10 finish (5th earlier this year) in 9 races at Dover since 2012
" Carl Edwards: 0 top-10 finishes in last 7 Dover races (11 top 10's in previous 13 Dover races)
" Austin Dillon: has never finished better than 20th in 6 career Dover races (26.7 Avg finish is his 2nd-worst at any track)
" Joey Logano: 14.3 Avg finish at Dover from 2015-16 (5.5 from 2013-14)
(ESPN Stats & Info)(9-30-2016)

New look for Stewart's #14 at Dover: Tony Stewart's #14 car will have a different look this weekend on the Delaware concrete high banks. It will carry the all-brown, Nature's Bakery Double Chocolate Brownies paint scheme for the first time this season.(Stewart-Haas Racing), see an image of the car on the #14 team paint schemes page.(9-30-2016)

Dover Pole Notes & Facts:
· 390 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway; 283 in more than one.
· Ricky Rudd leads the series in starts at Dover with 56. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 46 starts; followed by Matt Kenseth with 35.
· 64 drivers have made their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career start at Dover International Speedway.
· Three NSCS active drivers have made their first career start at Dover International Speedway: Matt Kenseth (9/20/98), Kurt Busch (9/24/00) and David Ragan (9/24/06).
· Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Dover with a 9.724
· David Pearson won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Dover in 1969 with a speed of 130.430 mph.
· 39 drivers have Coors Light poles at Dover, led by David Pearson with six. Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon lead all active drivers in poles with four each.
· Nine drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Dover. David Pearson holds the record for most consecutive poles at Dover with three; from 1973 to the spring race of 1974.
· Two active drivers have posted consecutive Coors Light poles at Dover: Ryan Newman (fall 2005 and spring 2006), and Denny Hamlin (fall 2012 and spring 2013).
· Five drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Dover International Speedway; only two active drivers have accomplished the feat: Matt Kenseth (06/02/02) and Michael Waltrip (06/03/1991).
· 13 of the 93 (13.9%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Dover have been won from the Coors Light pole; the two most recent were Jimmie Johnson in 2009 and 2010.
· The second-place starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (15) than any other starting position at Dover International Speedway.
· 28 of the 93 (30.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Dover have been won from the front row: 13 from the pole and 15 from second-place.
· 72 of the 93 (77.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Dover have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· 88 of the 93 (94.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Dover have been won from a top-20 starting position.
· Five of the 93 (5.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Dover have been won from a starting position outside the top 20 - most recently: Tony Stewart, spring 2013 (22nd-place starting position)
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Dover is 37th, by Kyle Petty in the spring of 1995.
· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Dover International Speedway seven times: fall of 1984, spring of 2001, fall of 2003, spring of 2005, spring of 2011, fall of 2015 and the spring of 2016.
(NASCAR)

Multicultural and Female Drivers to Compete in Drive for Diversity Combine: Seventeen drivers from across the country will compete for spots in the top driver development program in motorsports, NASCAR Drive for Diversity, during a national tryout at Florida's New Smyrna Speedway from Oct. 10-12. The 13th annual NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine invites promising ethnically diverse and female drivers from across North and South America to test their skills over a three-day period as NASCAR evaluates talent for the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Class of 2017. In partnership with Rev Racing, NASCAR Drive for Diversity offers racing opportunities in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series for one full season, providing drivers with equipment, mentoring, and competition experience. This year, there are 13 female drivers competing for spots with Rev Racing. Returning this fall is Macy Causey, who at 14 years old was the youngest combine participant in NASCAR Drive for Diversity history in 2015. Also participating are Hailie Deegan, daughter of Brian Deegan, the most decorated athlete in freestyle motocross history, and Hope Hornish, the niece of 2006 Indianapolis 500 winner and current NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Sam Hornish Jr. Drivers under consideration to return to the team in 2017, but who will not compete at the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine, include current NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series drivers: Jairo Avila, Enrique Baca, Collin Cabre, Madeline Crane, Ruben Garcia Jr, and Ali Kern. Collin's brother, Chase Cabre, is also among the drivers selected to compete in this year's combine. Driver combine participants will be evaluated on their driving skills, take part in a physical fitness assessment and receive additional training at Bethune-Cookman University.(NASCAR)(9-30-2016)

Alex Bowman paces final XFINITY practice: #88-Alex Bowman was quickest in final practice at Dover International Speedway with a speed of 152.304mph. #18-Kyle Busch was second, followed by: #22-Joey Logano, #1-Elliott Sadler, #7-Justin Allgaier, #20-Erik Jones, #2-Austin Dillon, #24-Corey LaJoie, #39-Ryan Sieg, and #19-Daniel Suarez. 38 drivers practiced during the session, which was cut short because of rain.
See complete results on the Dover practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(9-30-2016)

Clements names Dover sponsors: Jeremy Clements returns to Dover International Speedway for the Drive Sober 200 with new marketing partner, Federal Mogul Motorparts. Rapid Tire Service is back on the #51 JCR Chevy Camaroi SS for their second race of the season and logtime sponsor RepairableVehicles.com makes their 19th appearance of the season. Based in Montgomery, NY, Rapid Tire Service handles all of your tire needs, from lawn mowers to loaders and everything in between. RTS is a three-generation, family-owned and operated tire sales and service company. Since 1981, they have provided all major brands with a great price, as well. Making their debut on the #51 JCR Chevy is Federal Mogul Motorparts. Federal-Mogul Motorparts sells and distributes a broad portfolio of products in the global vehicle aftermarket, while also serving original equipment (OE/OES) manufacturers with vehicle products including brake friction, chassis, wipers and other components. The Federal Mogul family of brands includes Abex, Anco, Champion, Fel-Pro, Ferodo, FP Diesel, Moog, National Oil Seals & Bearings, Sealed Power, Speed Pro, Wagner Brake and Wagner Lighting. RepairableVehicles.com, a division of Interstate Auto Center, Inc., is one of the leading resellers of repairable vehicles in North America.(Jeremy Clements Racing)(9-30-2016)

Texas Motor Speedway would like to host football game: Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage has envisioned his track hosting a major college football game for years. Bristol Motor Speedway pulled it off earlier this month with Tennessee and Virginia Tech squaring off, and TMS sent out a news release the week of the game to remind folks of Gossage's idea for years. TMS and Bristol are both Speedway Motorsports Inc. tracks, and Gossage would like to think Texas could be the next race track to do it. But Gossage knows to make it work the game has to be "special" such as his idea in 2002 of hosting the Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma. Gossage still believes that game would be a success at the track, or something such as Texas-Texas A&M. But don't get too far ahead of yourselves - Gossage hasn't reached out to Texas or A&M about them renewing their football rivalry at TMS. Nothing is on the horizon. "The substance is that Bristol did it earlier in the month and did it successfully," Gossage said. "And the game has to be special. Texas-OU is special. Texas-Texas A&M is special. That would fit the bill of special. It just has to be a special game. A national championship game, you know, or whatever." TMS could add as many temporary seats as needed for a possible college football game. TMS proudly boasts that it could hold more than five AT&T Stadiums in its 84-acre infield. AT&T Stadium is 15.17 acres. The issue would come down to getting marquee schools to agree to playing at the track. Gossage said Bristol had to pay Tennessee and Virginia Tech about $4 million each to play the game. Outside of luring the schools with a significant amount of money, TMS would also have to pay to construct the field and each temporary seat costs the track roughly $20, Gossage said. "But we know how to do it because it's been done once now," Gossage said. "We can just call up our friends at Bristol. They did a great job. Great job up there."(Ft. Worth Star-Telegram)(9-30-2016)

New Hampshire warnings announced: NASCAR has announced penalties and warnings following the Bad Boy Off Road 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 25, 2016.
#7-Smith (3) Failed LIS twice in pre-race inspection, written warning.
#4-Harvick (3), #5-Kahne (3), #7-Smith (3), #16-Biffle (3), #83-DiBenedetto (1) Failed LIS twice in pre-qualifying inspection, written warning #11-Hamlin (2) Failed template inspection twice in pre-qualifying inspection, written warning.
() -- total current warnings.
See the New Hampshire Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf) for more.(9-29-2016)

Stewart's frustration part of the reason for retirement: Tony Stewart admits he faces "a very steep, uphill battle" to avoid elimination Sunday from the Chase for the Sprint Cup at Dover International Speedway. But he also readily admits that there's only so much he can do, and the frustration that the driver plays only so much -- or so little -- of a role in a sport that has become increasingly reliant on engineering is one of the reasons he will retire from Cup racing after this season. "When we come off the truck [on Friday], we fight the same thing for three days and there's nothing I can do to fix it," Stewart told reporters Wednesday during a NASCAR-mandated media tour as part of his Chase obligations. "That's what's so frustrating for me as a driver. That is part of why I'm ready to do something different is because I can't make a difference anymore. I can't do different things with my feet and different things with my hands and run a different line and fix the problem. I used to be able to do that. I can't do that anymore. You just get so frustrated you can't see straight." The three-time Cup champion joked about trying to not get suspended for his final eight races if he said too much, acknowledging he is exhausted from trying to play a role of outspoken veteran in a sport where he believes the drivers are often afraid to share their feelings. "You can only beat the drum for so long and it can only fall on deaf ears for so long before you finally say, 'The people that need to make it better can't make it better,'" the 45-year-old Stewart said. Stewart said "I've had my fill of fighting the fight" as the driver to draw attention to issues of the way the sport operates." While Stewart plans to retire from Cup racing, he said he has told his sprint-car team management to be ready for him to run 40-50 races next season. He will have to wait until February to race because he will have the screws taken out of his back in December. He said his first race next year will be on pavement and will be in someone else's equipment but he wouldn't reveal more than that.(ESPN.com)(9-29-2016)

New pit crew coach at Roush Fenway: Roush Fenway Racing has decided to reassign longtime pit crew coach Andy Ward, replacing him with Scott Bowen, a current RFR employee and an ex-pit crew member. Ward has been at RFR for many years and has produced some very good pit crews. Roush Fenway Racing released the following statement regarding the move: "We continuously evaluate our race team operations at Roush Fenway, and as part of a mid-season restructuring we have implemented a change in the department structure with our pit crew teams. We have placed Scott Bowen, who previously was our head of purchasing, in charge of our pit crew operations. Scott is a longtime employee of Roush Fenway, and worked as an over-the-wall pit crew member for several years. We believe this change will prove beneficial in our continued effort to improve on-track performance."(PitTalks/NASCAR.com)(9-29-2016)

Pink scheme for DiBenedetto at Charlotte: #83-Matt DiBenedetto will drive a special #83 Cosmo Motors pink paint scheme in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October. Charlotte Motor Speedway tweeted the image Wednesday. See the car on the #83 team paint schemes page.(9-29-2016)

100th start for Reed: This Saturday's NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Dover International Speedway marks a milestone for Roush Fenway Racing's Ryan Reed. Reed, driver of the #16 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang, will make his 100th start in the NXS. Reed made his XFINITY debut with Roush Fenway in 2013 at Richmond International Raceway. The young driver would earn a 16th-place finish in his first start. Driving the #16 Ford Mustang, Reed would go on to make five additional starts in 2013, with his best finish of ninth coming in the fall at RIR. The following year, Reed competed in his first fulltime NXS season in the #16 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association Ford. The rookie led a total of 29 laps that season, earning his best finish of fourth at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) in July. Reed finished ninth in the NXS driver point standings in his rookie campaign. 2015 started with a bang, as Reed led 14 laps in the season-opening event at DIS to earn his first career NXS victory.(Roush Fenway Racing)(9-29-2016)

Kentucky warnings announced: NASCAR has announced penalties and warnings following the XFINITY Series race at Kentucky Speedway on September 24, 2016.
#18-Matt Tifft (1), #51-Jeremy Clements (2) Failed LIS twice in pre-race inspection, written Warning
() -- total current warnings.
See the New Hampshire Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf) for more.(9-29-2016)

Sieg picks up Dover sponsor: RSS Racing welcomes multiple sponsors for the XFINITY chase race at Dover Speedway this Saturday. Midstate Basement Authorities, who sponsored the #39 at Watkins Glen, will again sponsor Sieg again at Dover. "We had nothing lined up for Dover as of Wednesday and Midstate Basement called us up and asked what they could do to help. I can't thank them enough for stepping up. Also, a lot of folks in the NASCAR community helped spread the word on social media about us not having a sponsor and that means the world to me," commented Sieg. Additionally, American High Performance and Patterson Brothers Paving have joined the team as major associate sponsors at Dover. Sieg and the RSS Racing team head to the Monster Mile 10th on the chase grid after a 16th place finish last weekend in Kentucky.(RSS Racing)(9-29-2016)

New Hampshire penalties / warnings announced: NASCAR has announced penalties and warnings following the UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 24, 2016.
#8-John Hunter Nemechek was issued a P2 penalty for violation of Sections 12.1; 20.17.3.3.2 (Top Spitter Shelf Height). Post-race height measurements were outside NASCAR allowed tolerances. Crew chief (Gere Kennon) has been fined $6,000 and NASCAR probation continues through Dec. 31, 2016; team owner and driver assessed with the loss of 10 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship points.
#50-Travis Kvapil (1) Failed template inspection four times in pre-race inspection, written warning and loss of 15 minutes practice time.
() -- total current warnings.
See the New Hampshire Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf) for more.(9-29-2016)

NASCAR Champion's Week Fanfest event cancelled: When NASCAR gets around to announcing the schedule for its annual Champion's Week in Las Vegas in early December, the popular Fanfest on Fremont Street won't be on it. Las Vegas Motor Speedway officials have confirmed the unofficial kickoff to Champion's Week will not be held this year because of conflicts in scheduling and logistics. Other Champion's Week events, such as the "Victory Lap" on the Las Vegas Strip, and the "After the Lap" interactive (and usually bawdy) question-and-answer session with Chase drivers at the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms, are expected to go on as scheduled. This year's Champion Award's Banquet is set for Friday, Dec. 2.(Las Vegas Review-Journal)(9-28-2016)

Kurt Busch Joins Martinsville's Green Flag Experience: Two-time Martinsville winner and the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion is the latest driver added to the Green Flag Experience lineup, prior to the Goody's Fast Relief 500 on October 30 at Martinsville Speedway. Busch, who won at Martinsville most recently in 2014, joins Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne and his brother, 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Kyle Busch, as drivers scheduled to participate in the moderated question-and-answer sessions on race morning. Additional drivers participating in the Green Flag Experience will be announced in the coming weeks. In addition to the moderated question-and-answer sessions, the Green Flag Experience also gives fans the chance to watch driver introductions from the track, along with a morning full of fun and excitement on the track and under the large tent in The Plaza, located on the hill behind the souvenir display area. Fans have the opportunity to walk the frontstretch on race morning, sign the start/finish line, a photo opportunity in mock Victory Lane, enjoy music, games and prizes along with doughnuts, Danishes, coffee and juice. The cost of the Green Flag Experience is $60. Admission to the Green Flag Experience does not include a ticket for Goody's Fast Relief 500. Advance ticket prices for the Goody's Fast Relief 500 begin at just $45.(Martinsville Speedway)(9-29-2016)

Johnson, Hamm paint the walls pink at Charlotte: NASCAR superstar Jimmie Johnson and soccer legend Mia Hamm joined forces with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and hundreds of the world's bravest and strongest women who have battled breast cancer to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month early by painting pit wall pink on Wednesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The ceremonial event saluted those whose lives have been impacted by breast cancer and provided a fun morning for hundreds of survivors, who met Johnson and Hamm in the winner's circle, used 40 gallons of paint to turn the pit wall pink and unveiled a pink Toyota Camry pace car that will lead the NASCAR XFINITY Series field in the Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina on Oct. 7 at Charlotte's iconic 1.5-mile superspeedway. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina brought its expansive "Live Fearless" display to the speedway to promote the urgent need for preventative healthcare, early detection and finding a cure for breast cancer. In addition to Sprint Cup Series driver Matt DiBenedetto and NASCAR broadcaster Hermie Sadler - who emceed the event - NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers Elliott Sadler, Bubba Wallace, Brandon Jones, Ryan Reed, Blake Koch and Jeb Burton took part and previewed next Thursday's Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, the final race in the first round of the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase.(Charlotte Motor Speedway)(9-29-2016)

Ryan Reed to attempt Sprint Cup debut at Talladega: Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed will attempt to make his Sprint Cup debut at Talladega Superspeedway in the Alabama 500 on Oct. 23, behind the wheel of the #99 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association Ford Fusion. In 2011 - having been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes - the young driver was told he would never get behind the wheel of a race car again. Five years later, Reed - having already won at the famed Daytona International Speedway and qualified for the inaugural Chase for the XFINITY Championship - is looking to make history as the only driver actively managing his diabetes to race at the Sprint Cup level. Reed manages his diabetes through a strict diet and exercise program, the use of a wireless glucose monitoring device to provide in-race, real-time data, and consistent communication with his medical team in California. Reed is currently fourth in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase grid. In each of his three NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at the 2.66-mile track, Reed has qualified his Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association Ford in the top-10 and has led a total of 37 laps. Reed will look to become the 19th driver to start a Sprint Cup race for Roush Fenway and legendary owner Jack Roush. The #99 was a mainstay at Roush Fenway from 1996 through 2014, being driven predominately by Jeff Burton and Carl Edwards. During that span, the car visited Victory Lane on 40 occasions and led more than 9,500 laps in Sprint Cup action.(Roush Fenway Racing), see an image of the car on the #99 team paint schemes page.(9-28-2016)

Kyle Busch to be honored at the White House UPDATE: On Wednesday, September 28, President Obama will welcome #18-Kyle Busch and his team members to the White House to honor his 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. This visit will continue the tradition begun by President Obama of honoring athletes and sports teams for their efforts to give back to their communities.(NASCAR)(9-23-2016)
UPDATE: President Barack Obama is celebrating NASCAR's winning team - and eyeing the team's wheels. Obama says soon he'll finally be able to drive a car without alarming the Secret Service. In fact, he said gleefully, "in a few months, I can actually do anything I want!" Obama joked about his post-presidency plans as he welcomed NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and his team to the White House. The team took home the 2015 Sprint Cup Series championship. Obama praised Busch for his quick recovery from injury and for his charity work off the track. He also noted that some people expected to see a Bush in the White House in 2016, but "they didn't know it was going to be Kyle."(Associated Press)(9-28-2016)

Chase Round of 12 Clinch Scenarios: What each remaining driver needs to do to move to the round of 12. #78-Truex, Jr and #4-Harvick have already clinched a spot. Any other driver can clinch with a win.
#2-Brad Keselowski - Would clinch on points with 12 Points and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with 7 Points.
#18-Kyle Busch - Would clinch on points with 14 Points and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with 9 Points.
#20-Matt Kenseth - Would clinch on points with 20 Points and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with 15 Points.
#22-Joey Logano - Would clinch on points with 26 Points and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with 21 Points.
#11-Denny Hamlin - Would clinch on points with 28 Points and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with 23 Points.
#48-Jimmie Johnson - Would clinch on points with 29 Points and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with 24 Points.
#24-Chase Elliott - Would clinch on points with 31 Points and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with 26 Points.
#19-Carl Edwards - Would clinch on points with 31 Points and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with 26 Points.
#41-Kurt Busch - Would clinch on points with 32 Points and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with 27 Points.
#42-Kyle Larson - If there is a repeat winner, he would clinch on points with 37 Points. Could clinch on points with a new winner and help.
For the following, the only guaranteed clinch would be with a win. Each could clinch without a win, but would need varying levels of help: #1-Jamie McMurray, #3-Austin Dillon, #14-Tony Stewart, #34-Chris Buescher.
See more details on each driver's situation on the Dover Race Info page.(NASCAR)(9-28-2016)

Founder of Team Jack Foundation wins Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award: Andy Hoffman, founder of the Nebraska-based Team Jack Foundation dedicated to funding pediatric brain cancer research, was the recipient of The NASCAR Foundation's sixth annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award presented by Nationwide on Tuesday night, during The Foundation's inaugural Honors Gala at the Marriott Marquis. This year's award presentation is the highlight of the "10 Years of Giving" celebration for The NASCAR Foundation, which has donated approximately $25 million to impact the lives of children since its inception in 2006. The Honors Gala raised more than $1.6 million to benefit hospitalized children across the country through the recently established Speediatrics Children's Fund. The award is presented to a NASCAR fan who has done outstanding work on behalf of children in need in their community. The award honors the philanthropic ideals of the late Betty Jane France, who started The NASCAR Foundation in 2006. The NASCAR Foundation will donate $100,000 to "Team Jack," which was founded by Hoffman and his wife Brianna in 2013, two years after their son was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Team Jack works to raise research funds and create national awareness of pediatric brain cancer. There were three other finalists for the award; each will receive $25,000 from The NASCAR Foundation for the charity they represent. Those finalists: Jim Giaccone of Bayville, New York, representing the New York-based Tuesday's Children organization; Logan Houptley of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a founding member of the Mikayla's Voice organization in Nazareth, Pennsylvania; and Parker White of Greensboro, North Carolina, founder of BackPack Beginnings.(NASCAR Wire Service)(9-28-2016)

New Hampshire TV Ratings: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from New Hampshire, the second race in the Chase For the Cup, had 2.5 million viewers on NBCSN Sunday afternoon -down 14% from last year, down 34% from 2014 on ESPN (3.9M), and the smallest audience in the history of the Chase (dates back to 2004). The previous low was set just one week earlier by the Chicago race (2.7M). Ratings dropped 12% from last year (1.77 to 1.55) and also ranked as the lowest in the history of the Chase. The previous mark was nearly a full point higher, a 1.64 for Chicago last week. Kevin Harvick's win ranks as the lowest rated fall New Hampshire race since at least 2000 and the least-watched since at least 2001, falling below the previous marks set last year.(Sports Media Watch), see race-by-race TV Ratings for 2016 and a comparison chart on the 2016 TV Ratings page.(9-28-2016)

Panasonic Toughbook returns to the #5: Kasey Kahne will pilot the #5 Panasonic Toughbook Chevrolet SS for the final time in 2016 this weekend at Dover International Speedway. He also drove the blue and black Panasonic Toughbook Chevrolet earlier this season at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In Kahne's 25 career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Dover, he has led 90 laps over four races, which ranks him 18th among active drivers. While the Enumclaw, Washington, native is still searching for his first pole award at the "Monster Mile," he's earned the outside pole position three times in his career, most recently in May 2010. In his last 10 starts at the one-mile track, he has earned five top-10 finishes, including a fourth-place result in this year's spring race.(Hendrick Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #5 team paint schemes page.(9-28-2016)

Dover Goodyear Tire Notes: While teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series will run the same right-side tire code at Dover this weekend, they will run distinct left-side codes . . . teams in both series will run the same combination of left- and right-side tires they each ran at Dover in May . . . Sprint Cup teams also ran their left-side tire code (D-4684) at Texas in April and Chicagoland two weeks ago . . . Cup teams also ran this right-side tire code (D-4696) at Darlington in September . . . Dover is (Goodyear), for tire codes, pressures, set limites and more, see the Dover Race Info page

Leidos making first appearance on #6: This weekend's NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Dover International Speedway marks the first of four Leidos sponsored events for Bubba Wallace, driver of the #6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Mustang. Earlier this year, Roush Fenway announced the multi-race partnership with Leidos, a global science and technology solutions company. Leidos will serve as the primary sponsor for Wallace in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase races at Dover (Oct. 1), Charlotte Motor Speedway (Oct. 7), Kansas Speedway (Oct. 15) and Texas Motor Speedway (Nov. 5), as the team looks to make a deep run into the inaugural Chase and race for the championship in Homestead.(Roush Fenway Racing), see an image of the car on the #6 team paint schemes page.(9-28-2016)

Interstate Batteries returns to the #19 at Dover: For the second time in 2016, Suarez will pilot the colors of Interstate Batteries when cars hit the track this weekend for the Drive Sober 200 XFINITY Series race at Dover International Speedway. As the founding partner and "Official Battery of JGR," Interstate Batteries has been powering the team for 25 years. Since 1992, JGR's first full season in NASCAR, Interstate Batteries has played an integral role in the organization's development from start-up race team to championship powerhouse. The exclusive list of drivers who have sported the colors of Interstate Batteries for JGR features three who went on to win NASCAR championships - Dale Jarrett in 1999, Bobby Labonte in 2000 and Kyle Busch in 2015, each winning titles in the elite Sprint Cup Series. Should Suarez run the table in the XFINITY Series version of the Chase and capture the 2016 championship, he would be the fourth of the Interstate Batteries band of brothers to win a NASCAR title.(Joe Gibbs Racing), see an image of the car on the #19 team paint schemes page.(9-28-2016)

Iron Source and Meding's Seafood sponsoring Preece: For the eighth consecutive event at Dover International Speedway, two local businesses have stepped up to sponsor a NASCAR Xfinity Series team. The JD Motorsports #01 Chevrolet driven by Berlin, Conn., driver Ryan Preece will carry marketing support from a pair of area enterprises. Teaming up to back the #01 in the Saturday, Oct. 1 Drive Sober 200 Xfinity event on the Dover high banks are For the eighth consecutive event at Dover International Speedway, two local businesses have stepped up to sponsor a NASCAR Xfinity Series team. The JD Motorsports #01 Chevrolet driven by Berlin, Conn., driver Ryan Preece will carry marketing support from a pair of area enterprises. Teaming up to back the #01 in the Saturday, Oct. 1 Drive Sober 200 Xfinity event on the Dover high banks are Iron Source, with locations in Smyrna and Georgetown, and Meding's Seafood in Milford.(JD M0torsports)(9-28-2016)

Sponsors returning to Cope at Dover: DCR with JP Motorsports has two longstanding partners return for the Monster Mile. On the #70 Camaro will be Acredale Vending, owned by Scott Abshire, providing full service vending and sales to the Tidewater area for 32 years. Acredale Vending also sells used vending equipment. E-hydrate offers the highest quality drink mixes and Protien-on-the-Go pouches infused with electrolytes. Stakes Autobody of Norfolk VA returns as an associate sponsor of the #70 for the 4th time this year. Fat Daddy's BBQ and Grille out of Georgetown DE will be serving the guests of Team DCR with mouth watering beef, wings, and ribs all weekend Ice-Frost, the revolutionary mineral based ice additive that turns your cooler into a freezer will be a continuing associate and handing out free samples at the DCR hauler.(Derrike Cope Racing)(9-28-2016)

Kentucky XFINITY TV Ratings: NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Kentucky earned a 0.6 final rating and 846,000 viewers on NBCSN Saturday night, flat in ratings but down 9% in viewership from last year (0.6, 933K) and up a tick and 32%, respectively, from coverage on ESPNEWS in 2014 (0.5, 708K). It was the highest rated and most-watched edition of the race since its inaugural edition in 2011, the only time coverage aired on ESPN (1.0, 1.4M).(Sports Media Watch)(9-28-2016)

Jesse Metcalfe named Grand Marshal at Kansas: Actor, model, fitness and sports enthusiast Jesse Metcalfe has been named has been named Grand Marshal for the Hollywood Casino 400 taking place on Sunday, October 16, 2016. Jesse Metcalfe, best known for his award winning performance on ABC's iconic hit "Desperate Housewives," is currently starring in Hallmark's new hit "Chesapeake Shores." The family drama is currently ranking first in its timeslot each week. Metcalfe portrays 'Trace Riley,' a former country singer with a sordid past who returns to his hometown and rekindles his love with an old flame. Adding to his credits, Metcalfe has written and performed original music for the hit series.(Kansas Speedway)(9-28-2016)

NASCAR considering smaller pit crews next year: There are ongoing discussions between team owners and NASCAR of further reducing the number of pit crew members going over the wall from six to five, Motorsport.com has learned. The cost-cutting initiative could go into effect as early as 2017. It would be up to each team's discretion how to choreograph the pit stops. However, under a full fuel stop, the most likely scenario would feature the elimination of one tire carrier. In the evolution of NASCAR pit stops, most team incorporated two tire carriers in the mid-90s. The current proposal to limit crew personnel over the wall is twofold: As a cost-cutting measure for mid-level operations. Second, as a safety initiative to eliminate additional bodies on pit road.(Motorsport(9-27-2016)

Earnhardt, Jr says he's improving; will be at Dover: Dale Earnhardt Jr. won't be back in the car this weekend, but he'll return to the track to cheer on his NASCAR teams at Dover International Speedway. Earnhardt, who is out for the season after being sidelined since mid-July with a concussion, said on his Dale Jr. Download podcast Monday that he will be watching the Xfinity and Sprint Cup races from the pit box Saturday and Sunday. "It's going to be different and tough and maybe not a ton of fun," he said. "It's a bit weird to not be in the car but at the track. When you're a driver, you don't know what to do with yourself. I'll try to support the guys and learn a thing or two. Excited to see how Jeff [Gordon] does, he usually runs great at Dover. It's going to be different. We'll see how it goes." During the podcast, the Hendrick Motorsports driver also provided an update on his health, which he said is improving. Earnhardt suffered from vision and balance problems since sustaining a concussion in a June crash at Michigan International Speedway. He said the vision issues mostly had subsided, and his rehabilitation exercises no longer are provoking symptoms that they are designed to cause.(NBC Sports)(9-27-2016)

Life With Cancer to be promoted on Ragan's #23 at Dover: BK Racing announced that Inova Health System's Life With Cancer program will be promoted on David Ragan's #23 Life With Cancer Toyota Camry at Dover International Speedway on October 2. Life With Cancer provides those living with cancer and their loved ones with education, information and support - all free of charge no matter where they live or receive treatment. Services include counseling and education; children and teen programs; information and resources; mind-body and wellness programs; and referrals. Life with Cancer is funded primarily by community contributions. "We are very excited to partner with BK Racing at the Citizen Soldier 400," said Sage Bolte, Ph.D., Executive Director of Inova Life with Cancer. "The face of cancer is changing. The rate of cancer diagnoses among young adults is growing, people are living longer, and cancer is evolving from a terminal disease to a chronic disease. Now, more than ever, it is critical to have resources to cope with the impacts of cancer close to home. NASCAR is an excellent platform to raise awareness of Life with Cancer's unique approach to cancer education and support."(BK Racing), see an image of the car on the #23 team paint schemes page.(9-27-2016)

Spectator drops lawsuit against Daytona and NASCAR: A spectator claiming to be injured by debris from the Austin Dillon wreck in July 2015 at Daytona International Speedway has dropped his lawsuit against the track and NASCAR.The attorney for spectator William Fulton filed the paperwork Thursday to voluntarily dismiss Fulton's lawsuit. The dismissal of the lawsuit would indicate a settlement in the case, although there is no reason for the dismissal specified in the filing in Florida state court in Volusia County, Fla. In the lawsuit, Fulton claimed that he was sitting in Row 6 when the crash happened at the finish of the Coke Zero 400, where Dillon's car got airborne and flew into the catch fence. Fulton claimed that as he shielded his wife, he was hit in the head and shoulder by debris. Beyond stating in the complaint that he has not fully recovered from the injuries, Fulton did not list specific injuries in his complaint nor a specific amount being sought in damages.(ESPN.com)(9-27-2016)

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Dover:
#48-Jimmie Johnson ..... 118.1
#20-Matt Kenseth ..... 108.5
#18-Kyle Busch ..... 104.5
#42-Kyle Larson ..... 99.3
#19-Carl Edwards ..... 99.1
#24-Chase Elliott ..... 96.7
#88-Jeff Gordon ..... 96.0
#16-Greg Biffle ..... 94.3
#78-Martin Truex Jr ..... 92.4
#4-Kevin Harvick ..... 92.3
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (23 total) among active drivers at Dover 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)

Heroes Haven featured on the #0 at Dover: Heroes Haven will be featured this weekend at Dover International Speedway in NASCAR Xfinity Series action. Partnering with JD Motorsports, the #0 Chevrolet driven by Garrett Smithley of Peachtree, Ga., will carry the Heroes Haven colors for the Drive Sober 200 on the Dover high banks Saturday. Heroes Haven works with American military members to honor and support those who have sacrificed so much for their country. At Dover, military member Steven Prince will be the team's special guest and will be designated as an honorary crew member, sitting on the team's pit box and sharing the race day in a special way. The partnership was made possible by Ken and Tracy Adams of Georgetown, Del.(JD Motorsports)(9-27-2016)

Entry List for the Citizen Soldier 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway is posted, 40 teams/drivers [for 40 spots] are listed, including: #21-Blaney*, #30-Wise*, #32-Jeffrey Earnhardt, #55-Sorenson*, #88-Gordon, #95-Dillon, #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 Dover Entry List

All Chase drivers pass post-race inspection: Only #4-Kevin Harvick emerged victorious Sunday afternoon at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but his other 15 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoff foes salvaged some shred of consolation alongside him. All 16 championship-eligible cars won the race after the race Sunday, clearing without issue through the Laser Inspection Station (LIS) platform after the Bad Boy Off Road 300. Those cleared included the winning Stewart-Haas Racing #4 Chevrolet driven by Harvick, who damaged his car's left-rear fender with a smoky, tire-ripping burnout after his third victory of the season. Only the Joe Gibbs Racing #18 Toyota of third-place finisher Kyle Busch went through the inspection bay a second time, and that was due to the car failing to meet the weight limit by a nominal amount. After topping off fluids as permitted in the rules, the #18 also was cleared. Following stern warnings in the pre-race drivers' and crew chiefs' meeting against circumventing the LIS platform, the new post-race check was largely a breeze. All 16 cars received a thumbs up from competition officials in a tidy span of roughly 45 minutes. As is customary, race officials announced that they would take a handful of cars back to the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, North Carolina, for further inspection. Those are: #4-Harvick, #18-Busch, and #2-Keselowski.(NASCAR.com)(9-26-2016)

Fewest laps led by a race winner in 2016: #4-Kevin Harvick led just 8 laps at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, the fewest laps any race winner has led this season:
#4-Harvick - New Hampshire - 8 laps led
#11-Hamlin - Watkins Glen - 10 laps
#34-Buescher - Pocono - 12 laps
#14-Stewart - Sonoma - 22 laps
(ESPN Stats & Info)(9-26-2016)

2016 laps lead: Following Kevin Harvick's win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sunday, he has led 1,219 laps on the season. With Martin Truex, Jr. leading a race high 141 laps, Truex, Kyle Busch, and Harvick have combined to lead 49% of the total laps run this season.
1) #78-Martin Truex Jr. - 1,407
2) #18-Kyle Busch - 1,268
3) #4-Kevin Harvick - 1,219
4) #19-Carl Edwards - 773
5) #20-Matt Kenseth - 595
6) #2-Brad Keselowski - 451
7) #11-Denny Hamlin - 406
8) #22-Joey Logano - 390
9) #48-Jimmie Johnson - 384
10) #42-Kyle Larson - 241
Total laps run - 7,945 (9-26-2016)

New Hampshire Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2016 Bad Boy Off Road 300: 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 1:59 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 5:11 PM (all times are EDT). NBCSN was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 115
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 57
Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 98
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 54
Number of 'Side-by-Side' commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 17
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 16
Number of times NBCSN utilized 'Side-by-Side' commercials during this broadcast: 4
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 1:59 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 5:11 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 192
Minutes of race broadcast: 146
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 46
Minutes of 'Side-by-Side' commercials (split-screen): 8
Number of missed restarts: 0
Number of 'mystery cautions' (debris not shown): 1
Total race brdcst time 146 Total comm. brdcst time 46
See past races, more info on the commercials with links at CawsnJaws.com.(9-26-2016)

XFINITY Entry List: There are 41 cars on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's Drive Sober 200 at Dover International Speedway. A few notes:
Austin Dillon is in the #2;
Travis Kvapil is in the #15;
Kyle Busch is in the #18;
Joey Logano is in the #22;
Corey LaJoie is in the #24;
The #77 and #97 are TBA;
(9-26-2015)
See the complete list on the Dover entry list page.

Shepherd planning 400th Series start at Dover: Morgan Shepherd, NASCAR XFINITY Series driver of the #89, will be making his 400th Series start this weekend at the Monster Mile in Dover, DE in the Drive Sober 200. In 2017, Morgan Shepherd will also celebrate the milestone anniversary of his 50th consecutive year of competition in NASCAR. This will be a historic event and will most likely never be repeated in NASCAR's history. Morgan has competed in all 3 Series of NASCAR in his career. 2017 will be a year to celebrate in NASCAR and for Morgan.(Shepherd PR)(9-26-2016)

Truck Series Entry List: There are 32 trucks on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's DC Solar 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. A few notes:
The #07 is TBA;
Matt Tifft is in the #11;
Stewart Friesen is in the #16;
Wayne Edwards is in the #49;
Norm Benning is in the #63;
Carlos Contreras is in the #71;
Parker Kligerman is in the #92;
(9-26-2016) See the complete list on the Las Vegas entry list page.

Harvick wins at New Hampshire: #4-Kevin Harvick won the Bad Boy Off Road 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for his 3rd win of the season, 2nd win at New Hampshire and 34th career win. Harvick took the lead from Kenseth with 5 laps to go and led a total of just 8 of the 300 laps.
Harvick joins Martin Truex, Jr in automatically earning a spot in the Chase Round of 12 that begins at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
#20-Kenseth finished 2nd followed by #18-Busch, #2-Keselowski, #41-Busch, pole sitter #19-Edwards, #78-Truex, Jr., #48-Johnson, #5-Kahne, and #42-Larson.
There were 14 lead changes among 8 drivers and 6 cautions for 31 yellow flag laps.
The average speed was 109.291mph.
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)
(9-25-2016)

Where did the 2016 Sprint Cup Chase Drivers finish at New Hampshire?
[by points standings before the race (start pos)]
1) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 7th (2)
2) #2-Brad Keselowski, 4th (11)
3) #18-Kyle Busch, 3rd (12)
4) #11-Denny Hamlin, 15th (5)
5) #22-Joey Logano, 11th (15)
6) #24-Chase Elliott, 13th (10)
7) #20-Matt Kenseth, 2nd (8)
8) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 8th (4)
9) #19-Carl Edwards, 6thth (1)
10) #41-Kurt Busch, 5th (13)
11) #1-Jamie McMurray, 19thth (7)
12) #14-Tony Stewart, 23rd (22)
13) #3-Austin Dillon, 16th (29)
14) #4-Kevin Harvick, WON (19)
15) #42-Kyle Larson, 10th (6)
16) #34-Chris Buescher, 30th (28)
(9-25-2016)

Race Fast Facts - New Hampshire Motor Speedway:
Kevin Harvick won the 20th Annual Bad Boy Off Road 300, his 34th victory in 566 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his third victory and 22nd top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his second victory and 17th top-10 finish in 32 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Matt Kenseth (second) posted his 19th top-10 finish in 34 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It is his 13th top-10 finish in 2016.
Kyle Busch (third) posted his 13th top-10 finish in 24 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Ryan Blaney (12th) was the highest finishing rookie.
Brad Keselowski leads the point standings by 1 points over Martin Truex Jr.
(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(9-25-2016)

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase Standings:
[after New Hampshire, race 28 of 36]
1) #78-Martin Truex Jr.*, [3 wins], 1 win in the Round of 16
2) #4-Kevin Harvick*, [3 wins], 1 win in the Round of 16
3) #2-Brad Keselowski, [4 wins], 2087, +35
4) #18-Kyle Busch, [4 wins], 2085, +33
5) #20-Matt Kenseth, [2 wins], 2078, +26
6) #22-Joey Logano, [1 win], 2073, +21
7) #11-Denny Hamlin, [3 wins], 2071, +19
8) #48-Jimmie Johnson, [2 wins], 2070, +18
9) #24-Chase Elliott, 2068, +16
10) #19-Carl Edwards, [2 wins], 2068, +16
11) #41-Kurt Busch, [1 win], 2067, +15
12) #42-Kyle Larson, [1 win], 2057, +5
Bottom 4 drivers will be eliminated from the Chase after Dover:
13) #1-Jamie McMurray, 2052, 5 points out of 12th
14) #3-Austin Dillon, 2052, -5
15) #14-Tony Stewart, [1 win], 2046, -11
16) #34-Chris Buescher, 2027, -30
* will advance to the Round of 12 by winning a Round of 16 race
See UNOFFICIAL drivers championship points standings on the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings (pdf).
See the UNOFFICIAL owner points standings on the Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf).
(9-25-2016)

NASCAR warns teams not to push limits in post-race inspection: NASCAR warned Sprint Cup competitors not to "circumvent what happens for postrace inspection" during the drivers meeting Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. NASCAR later confirmed the warning also meant that teams should not be swerving after the race as they do to ensure that their car meets postrace requirements. Steve O'Donnell, executive vice president and chief racing development officer, addressed competitors at the beginning of Sunday's meeting. "We appreciate everybody being here today," O'Donnell said after introducing VIPs. "I know they've come here to see a race. With that in mind, there has been a lot of dialogue in what takes place after the checkered flag with postrace inspection. I want to make clear to everybody here that in NASCAR's judgment any measures that are taken to circumvent what happens for postrace inspection we're going to react. We know that's subjective but ask all of you not to put it in our hands because we will react if we have to. I think everybody knows what that means. NASCAR stated earlier this week that every Chase car eligible for the championship will go through inspection after the race. All 16 cars remain eligible at New Hampshire. When the field is cut to 12 after Dover, then all those cars will go through inspection. Same as when the Chase field is cut to eight teams and then to four.(NBC Sports)(9-25-2016)

Matt Kenseth going for 3rd straight win at New Hampshire: #20-Matt Kenseth was the winner of the last 2 New Hampshire races and now he'll try to do something that nobody has ever done, win 3 straight at the track. In fact, Kenseth's never won 3 straight at any track. Only 3 different drivers have won 3 straight at a track over the last 10 seasons, with #48-Jimmie Johnson doing it twice.
Won 3 Straight Races at a Track - Last 10 NSCS Seasons
2014-15 - #48-Jimmie Johnson - Texas
2013-15 - #4-Kevin Harvick - Phoenix (4 straight)
2009-10 - #11-Denny Hamlin - Martinsville
2007-08 - #48-Jimmie Johnson - Phoenix
Kenseth only has 2 wins this year, he had 5 last season, including 4 entering the Chase, but he certainly drives for the right manufacturer. Toyotas have won 14 of the 27 Sprint Cup races this season, with all 14 wins coming from Joe Gibbs Racing-powered cars (either Gibbs or Furniture Row Racing, a JGR satellite team).(ESPN Stats & Info)(9-25-2016)

New Hampshire Race Notes & Facts:
· There have been 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway; one per year from 1993 through 1996 and two per year since.
· Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing lead the series in wins at New Hampshire in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with nine each; followed by Roush Fenway Racing (seven), Team Penske (six), and Richard Childress Racing (four).
· Five different manufacturers have won at New Hampshire; led by Chevrolet with 18 victories; followed by Ford (13), Toyota (seven), Dodge (three) and Pontiac (two).
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was the July 1, 2007 race won by Denny Hamlin over Jeff Gordon with a MOV of 0.068 second.
· 17 of the 36 (47.2%) NSCS races scored by electronic scoring at New Hampshire Motor Speedway have had a Margin of Victory less than a second.
· Four of the 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races have resulted with a green-white-checkered finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): 2006 (300/308), 2013 (301/302), 2014 (301/302) and the Chase race 2014 (300/303).
· Four of the 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was June 28, 2009 - the race was called on Lap 273, 28 circuits shy of the 301 scheduled laps.
(NASCAR)

Sad News - Bob Margolis: Robert "Bob" Henry Margolis, 65, of Macungie, PA, passed away Wednesday, September 21, 2016 surrounded by his family in Lehigh Valley Cedar Crest Hospice. Bob was born in Allentown, PA to Joseph Louis and Shirley (Jacoby) Margolis. He fought a battle with cancer for 10 years, having both Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and Head & Neck cancer. Bob was married to Becky Overcash. His youngest, Alana Margolis, is currently enrolled at University of Colorado at Denver, pursuing her dream of being a singer/songwriter, following in Bob's footsteps. Bob was a musician for over 50 years, working as a producer and record executive at RCA and Geffen Records with bands like Aerosmith, Guns N Roses, and Whitesnake. Bob also worked in the motor sports industry, starting as a sports journalist and continuing as a media consultant. Bob flourished in every job he had, and had copious amounts of friends in each field of business. Bob's passions were his children, music, motor sports and cooking. If you were to look up the definition of a Renaissance Man, you would see a picture of Bob and all of his accomplishments in life. Survivors: Include brother Donald Margolis of Orefield, PA, wife Becky Overcash, his children Brian Margolis of Gainesville, FL, Janelle Margolis of Allentown, PA, Natasha Margolis of Macungie, PA and Alana Margolis of Denver, CO; his granddaughter Brianna Margolis of Gainesville, FL and great-grandson Legend Mathes. His two labs, Maggie and Lola, will miss him as well. He is predeceased by both of his parents, his older sister Sandi Lynn and younger sister Jayne Margolis. Services: A Celebration of Life ceremony will be announced at a later date. Arrangements by Robert C. Weir Funeral Home. Contributions: In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated because Bob's biggest desire was for Alana to attend college and achieve her dreams.(9-25-2016)

Jerrod Niemann featured at Talladega's Saturday Night Infield Concert: Nashville country star Jerrod Niemann will perform as the headliner for the traditional Saturday Night Infield Concert, Oct. 22, as part of the much anticipated Chase double elimination weekend. Niemann is set to take the stage at NASCAR's "Party Capital" just hours after the conclusion of the fred's 250 Powered by Coca-Cola NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race where the field of title contenders will be cut from eight to six, and the night before the Alabama 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event where only eight of 12 drivers will advance in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Admission to the concert is free with the purchase of a Sunday race ticket for the Alabama 500. Niemann is currently on tour, and working on his new album. The recently released first single, titled "A Little More Love," is a duet with friend and label mate Lee Brice. His most recent album, High Noon, featured the Platinum-certified hit "Drink to That All Night," a two-week No. 1 smash. High Noon was a follow-up to his Free the Music album, which included the emotional "Only God Could Love You More" and "Shinin' on Me."(TSS)(9-25-2016)

Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Bad Boy Off Road 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway have been made.
With the field downsized to 40 cars, three pit stalls (26,42,43) have been eliminated, are not in play and don't count towards driving through more than three pit boxes.
Pole sitter #19-Edwards chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #78-Truex, Jr. took pit stall 32, with an opening in front of it.
#31-Newman, who starts 3rd took the 29th pit stall, also with an opening in front of it.
The final pit stall was taken by #48-Johnson, who starts 4th.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on Jayski.com's Pit Stall Selection chart.

Final Saturday practice for the Bad Boy Off Road 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is complete after 50 minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#42-Larson, 132.577
#11-Hamlin, 132.549
#5-Kahne, 132.489
#19-Edwards, 132.420
#48-Johnson, 132.255
Best 10 consecutive lap ave (of 39 drivers): #19-Edwards, 131.663mph
slowest: #32-J. Earnhardt, 127.121

most laps run: #18-KyBusch, 57; #1-McMurray, 56.
See fastest speeds, laps run and best 10 consecutive lap ave on the New Hampshire Final Practice speeds page (pdf).(9-24-2016)

First Saturday practice for the Bad Boy Off Road 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is over after 55 minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#42-Larson, 132.186
#78-Truex, 132.186
#20-Kenseth, 132.085
#11-Hamlin, 132.030
#24-Elliott, 131.980
Best 10 consecutive lap ave (of 40 drivers): #78-Truex,131.139mph
slowest: #32-J. Earnhardt, 126.040
most laps run: #48-Johnson, 57; #88-Bowman, 48.
Notes: #17-Stenhouse spun early in the session but continued on. Final practice will be televised at 11:30 on CNBC.
See fastest speeds, laps run and best 10 consecutive lap ave on the New Hampshire Practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(9-24-2016)

Truex and Harvick ok after Chicago contact: #78-Martin Truex Jr. said he and #4-Kevin Harvick have cleared the air following contact during last week's race at Chicagoland Speedway. At one point in the opener for the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Harvick door-slammed Truex and caused a tire rub on the #78 car. But Truex went on to win the race, so it ultimately didn't have an impact. At the time, Truex said he was certain Harvick initiated the contact on purpose and was trying to damage Truex's fast car. But on Friday, Truex said the drivers spoke this week and no longer have any problems. "We're fine; we're good to go," Truex said. "We just talked about what our perspectives were on it and agreed it's over, it's done with, we'll move on and race like we always have. We've raced very hard but always clean. So we agreed it was a racing deal and we'll move forward." Truex said he was angry with Harvick at the time and didn't realize Harvick also was mad. What did Harvick have to be upset about? "I guess he thought I ran into him," Truex said.(USA Today)(9-24-2016)

Austin Dillon using first backup car of his career: #3-Austin Dillon met with members of the media at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and discussed his accident in the first practice session
ON FIRST PRACTICE:
Dillon: "It didn't go as planned. Just trying to find some extra speed and drove a little too hard I guess or I don't know what really happened. We just didn't have it together as good as we wanted to in that first practice. We've got a good back-up car and we will go try and qualify on the pole with it."
ON GOING TO A BACK-UP CAR:
Dillon: "This is my first back-up in three years in the Cup Series, so I really don't know how to answer that question. I've never had to go to a back-up. In Darlington I flat sided the car in practice, but we used that car. That is the only place I've really had damage and had to run a car with damage going into a race. Yeah, I've never had a back-up car that I've had to run in three years, so we will see how it goes right here. I will have a better answer afterwards."
(Team Chevy)(9-24-2016)

New Hampshire Driver Notes & Facts:
· 173 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway; 135 in more than one.
· 16 different drivers have made their first NSCS start at NHMS all-time, but only one of the 16 is an active championship contending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver: Joey Logano (9/14/08).
· Ryan Newman leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at New Hampshire with a 9.862.
· 24 different drivers have won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, led by Jeff Burton with four.
· Eight active drivers have multiple wins at NHMS: Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart (each have three); Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano (each have two)
· Three drivers have posted consecutive wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Jimmie Johnson (2003 sweep), Kurt Busch (2004 sweep) and Matt Kenseth (2015 fall, 2016 spring).
· Jeff Burton is the only driver to win the July race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway three consecutive years in a row (1997, '98 and '99)
· Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears lead the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at New Hampshire without visiting Victory Lane at 27 each.
· Five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Ryan Newman (09/15/02), Clint Bowyer (09/16/07), Joey Logano (06/28/09), Robby Gordon (11/23/01) and Joe Nemechek (09/19/99).
· Tony Stewart leads the series in runner-up finishes at New Hampshire with six; followed by Jeff Gordon (five), Denny Hamlin (four), Kyle Busch and Mark Martin (with three each).
· Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-five finishes at New Hampshire with 16; followed by Tony Stewart with 15 and Jimmie Johnson with 10.
· Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-10 finishes at New Hampshire with 24; followed by Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson with 19 each.
· Jimmie Johnson leads NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at New Hampshire with a 10.190.
· All 14 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winners at New Hampshire Motor Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Ryan Newman and Joey Logano won at New Hampshire in their second appearance.
· Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at New Hampshire with 1,373 laps led in 42 starts.
· Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps completed at New Hampshire with 12,267 laps completed in 42 starts.
· Danica Patrick is the only female driver that has competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. She posted her best finish at NHMS earlier this season (14th).
(NASCAR)

Elliott Sadler wins XFINITY race at Kentucky: #1-Elliott Sadler won the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway. It is his 13th XFINITY Series win and 3rd of the year. #19-Daniel Suarez finished second, followed by #22-Ryan Blaney, #2-Sam Hornish, Jr., #18-Matt Tifft, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #16-Ryan Reed, #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., #7-Justin Allgaier, and #48-Brennan Poole.
Sadler's win guarantees he will advance to the round of 8 in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase, which starts at Kansas.
Pole sitter #20-Erik Jones led 100 laps and was running near the front with 13 laps to go when he got loose and slid up into #3-Ty Dillon, causing them both to wreck. Jones finished 28th, Dillon 27th.
There were a record 12 cautions for 64 laps and 16 lead changes among 8 leaders.
The average speed was 106.751mph.
Complete results are on the Kentucky race results page (pdf).
(9-24-2016)

Kentucky Speedway XFINITY Race Fast Facts:
Elliott Sadler won the 5th Annual VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300, his 13th victory in 323 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
With the victory, he moves into a tie with Martin Truex Jr. and Darrell Waltrip for 24th on the all-time series wins list.
This is his third victory and 24th top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his first victory and eighth top-10 finish in 11 races at Kentucky Speedway.
Daniel Suarez (second) posted his third top-10 finish in four races at Kentucky Speedway. It is his 21st top-10 finish in 2016.
Ryan Blaney (third) posted his first top-10 finish in one races at Kentucky Speedway.
Elliott Sadler leads the point standings by 8 points over Daniel Suarez.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-24-2016)

XFINITY Driver standings following Kentucky:
1) #1-Elliott Sadler* [3 wins], 2050
2) #19-Daniel Suarez [1 win], 2042, +15 points ahead of 9th
3) #62-Brendan Gaughan, 2036, +9
4) #16-Ryan Reed, 2034, +7
5) #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., 2034, +7
6) #7-Justin Allgaier, 2032, +5
7) #48-Brennan Poole, 2031, +4
8) #11-Blake Koch, 2030, +3 ahead of 9th
Bottom 4 drivers are eliminated after Charlotte:
9) #20-Erik Jones [4 wins], 2027, -3 points out of 8th
20) #39-Ryan Sieg, 2025, -5
11) #33-Brandon Jones, 2015, -15
23) #3-Ty Dillon, 2015, -15
* will advance to the Round of 12 by winning a Round of 16 race
See complete owner and driver standings on the driver standings(pdf) and owner standings page (pdf).(9-24-2016)

Erik Jones on XFINITY pole at Kentucky: #20-Erik Jones won the Coors Light pole for the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway with a speed of 187.207mph. #19-Daniel Suarez will start second. The rest of the top 10: #1-Elliott Sadler, #3-Ty Dillon, #2-Sam Hornish, Jr., #18-Matt Tifft, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #22-Ryan Blaney, #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., and #7-Justin Allgaier.
Did Not Qualify: #72-Timmy Hill.
The starting lineup is posted on the Kentucky starting lineup page (pdf).(9-24-2016)

Kentucky XFINITY Qualifying Notes:
Erik Jones won the 21 means 21 Pole Award for the 5th Annual VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 with a lap of 28.845 seconds, 187.207 mph.
This is his 11th pole in 53 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his eighth pole and 26th top-10 start in 2016.
This is his first pole in four races at Kentucky Speedway.
Daniel Suarez (second) posted his 27th top-10 start of 2016 and his fourth in four races at Kentucky Speedway.
Elliott Sadler (third) posted his seventh top-10 start at Kentucky Speedway. It is his 20th in 27 races this season.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-24-2016)

Byron on pole at New Hampshire: #9-William Byron won the pole for the UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a speed of 132.864mph. #17-Timothy Peters will start second, followed by #4-Christopher Bell, #29-Tyler Reddick, #41-Ben Rhodes, #11-Brett Moffitt, #88-Matt Crafton, #13-Cameron Hayley, #24-Kaz Grala, and #21-Johnny Sauter.
#29-Reddick was fastest in the second round with a speed of 132.076mph.
#21-Sauter was fastest in the first round at 131.961mph.
Did Not Qualify: none.
See complete lineup on the Starting lineup (pdf) page.(9-24-2016)

Loudon Qualifying Notes:
William Byron won the Keystone Light 21 Means 21 Pole Award for the 19th Running UNOH 175 with a lap of 28.667 seconds, 132.864 mph.
This is his first pole in 18 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his first pole and 14th top-10 start in 2016.
This is his first pole in one race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Timothy Peters (second) posted his seventh top-10 start of 2016 and his fifth in seven races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Christopher Bell (third) posted his first top-10 start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It is his 12th in 17 races this season.
William Byron (first) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-24-2016)

Joe Walsh named grand marshal for "Citizen Soldier 400" at Dover: Legendary musician Joe Walsh will serve as the grand marshal for the "Citizen Soldier 400" NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 2. The Grammy Award-winning 1998 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee has a career spanning four decades as a successful solo artist and a member of the Eagles, Barnstorm and James Gang. Walsh wrote "No Man's Land," an original song for the film "Citizen Soldier." Joining Walsh as dignitaries for the "Citizen Soldier 400" are: Honorary Pace Car Driver: Retired Maj. Gen Gus Hargett, the chief executive officer of the National Guard Association of the United States; Honorary Starter: Retired Staff Sgt. Colt Floyd of the Oklahoma National Guard. Floyd was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011; Welcoming Remarks: Bert Bedrosian, "Citizen Soldier" producer and partner at Strong Eagle Media. In addition, country music star Easton Corbin will sing the national anthem prior to the race and the traditional military flyover will be conducted by two F-16s from the 149th Fighter Wing of the Texas Air National Guard.(Dover Speedway)(9-24-2016)

Stewart honored with granite stone at New Hampshire: Dale Earnhardt has his rock and now Tony Stewart has his granite stone at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. A winner of five races in three different motorsports series at NHMS during his legendary career, Tony Stewart will now forever be honored for his achievements on the 1.058-mile oval. Speedway officials unveiled the 7,400-pound engraved granite block for this weekend's Bad Boy Off Road 300. Fans will be able to the see the granite stone, as it is positioned under the Main Grandstands in a manicured flowerbed next to the suite elevators parallel to the Granite Stripe start/finish line. The granite features Stewart's #14 in the top-left corner with his name underneath. The middle of the engraving is a likeness of Stewart's car the last time he won here in 2011. The bottom-right of the stone features the New Hampshire Motor Speedway logo with the year of each of his wins at NHMS - 1998 (IndyCar), 2000 (Cup Series), 2005 (Cup Series), 2008 (XFINITY Series) and 2011 (Cup Series).(NHMS)(9-24-2016)

Edwards wins New Hampshire pole: #19-Carl Edwards won the Coors Light pole for the Bad Boy Off Road 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with speed of 135.453mph for his 6th pole of 2016, 3rd at New Hampshire and 22nd of his career. Edwards has won 3 races from the pole in his career in 21 tries.
#78-Truex, Jr. will start 2nd, followed by #31-Nemwan, #48-Johnson, #11-Hamlin, #42-Larson, #1-McMurray, #20-Kenseth, #5-Kahne, #24-Elliott, #2-Keselowski, and #18-Busch.
#78-Truex, Jr. was fastest in the 2nd round with a speed of 135.236mph and will start 2nd.
#19-Edwards was fastest in the first round at 135.665mph. He starts on the ple.
Since the maximum of 40 cars entered the race, everyone made the race.
See round-by-round qualifying results on the New Hampshire qualifying results page (pdf) and the complete starting lineup on the New Hampshire Starting Lineup page (pdf).(9-23-2016)

Where the 2016 Sprint Cup Chase Drivers will start at New Hampshire:
[listed by driver points position]
1) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 2nd
2) #2-Brad Keselowski, 11th
3) #18-Kyle Busch, 12th
4) #11-Denny Hamlin, 5th
5) #22-Joey Logano, 15th
6) #24-Chase Elliott, 10th
7) #20-Matt Kenseth, 8th
8) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 4th
9) #19-Carl Edwards, POLE
10) #41-Kurt Busch, 13th
11) #1-Jamie McMurray, 7th
12) #14-Tony Stewart, 22nd
13) #3-Austin Dillon, 29th
14) #4-Kevin Harvick, 19th
15) #42-Kyle Larson, 6th
16) #34-Chris Buescher, 28th
(9-23-2016)

New Hampshire Motor Speedway - Qualifying Fast Facts:
Carl Edwards won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 20th Annual Bad Boy Off Road 300 with a lap of 28.119 seconds, 135.453 mph.
This is his 22nd pole in 437 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his sixth pole and 22nd top-10 start in 2016.
This is his third pole in 25 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Martin Truex Jr (second) posted his 19th top-10 start of 2016 and his 12th in 22 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Ryan Newman (third) posted his 19th top-10 start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It is his 11th in 28 races this season.
Chase Elliott (10th) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Statistics)(9-23-2016)

Second Round of Qualifying for the Bad Boy Off Road 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is over, after 10 scheduled minutes.
#78-Truex, Jr. 135.236
#20-Kenseth 135.203
#42-Larson 135.193
#11-Hamlin 135.188
#48-Johnson 135.131
the rest of the top 12: 19 24 1 5 18 2 31;
out of the top 12 and not advancing to round 3: 41 27 22 21 47 88 4 95 17 23 14 10
(9-23-2016)

First Round of Qualifying for the Bad Boy Off Road 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is over, after 20 scheduled minutes.
#19-Edwards 135.665
#42-Larson 135.337
#24-Elliott 135.265
#18-Busch 135.136
#11-Hamlin 135.102
the rest of the top 24: 48 4 78 22 31 5 27 1 20 2 47 14 23 41 21 95 88 10 17;
out of the top 24 and not advancing to round 2: 44 43 6 34 3 7 13 16 83 38 46 98 15 55 30 32
Drivers who will miss the race: None. 40 teams entered.
(9-23-2016)

Friday practice for the Bad Boy Off Road 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is over after 85 minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#42-Larson 135.941
#24-Elliott 135.893
#4-Harvick 135.757
#19-Edwards 135.738
#78-Truex, Jr. 135.709
Best 10 consecutive lap ave (of only 2 drivers): #5-Kahne 131.273
slowest: #98-Whitt 187.454 & #32-Earnhardt 128.070
most laps run: #88-Bowman, 34; #22-Logano & #95-McDowell, 27.
Notes: #3-Dillon got into the wall late in practice and will have to go to a backup car.
Qualifying is at 4:45pm/et today. TV: NBCSN.
See fastest speeds, laps run and best 10 consecutive lap ave on the New Hampshire Practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-23-2016)

Qualifying Order for the Bad Boy Off Road 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is posted. 40 cars/drivers are listed.
The first driver to be lined up on pit road will be #27-Menard.
The final driver lined up on pit road will be #24-Elliott.
The order is set by a random draw, how cars park on pit road before they qualify, held about an hour before the first practice.
After the first round, the cars line up by speed.
See the full qualifying order on Jayski.com's New Hampshire Qualifying Order Page (pdf).

Driscoll charged with stealing from charity UPDATE: The former girlfriend of NASCAR driver #41-Kurt Busch has been charged with stealing from a military charity she led. Court documents don't say how much prosecutors believe Patricia Driscoll took from the District of Columbia-based Armed Forces Foundation, whose mission is to support service members, veterans and their families. But a 2014 tax return for the non-profit says that the "foundation has become aware of suspected misappropriations" by Driscoll totaling more than $599,000 for the years 2006 to 2014. It says she misused money for meals, travel, parking tickets, makeup and gifts. Driscoll was indicted on two counts each of wire fraud, mail fraud, and tax evasion, and one count of attempts to interfere with administration of Internal Revenue laws.(Associated Press/ESPN.com)(9-20-2016)
UPDATE: Patricia Pauline Driscoll, 38, walked into the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse, which sits in the shadows of the nation's Capitol, early Wednesday morning to turn herself over to U.S. Marshals after being indicted on two counts of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, two counts of tax evasion, one count of interference with the administrations of IRS laws and one count of 1st degree fraud and she was kept in a holding cell until her arraignment at 1:45pm that afternoon. Standing before U.S. Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey, Driscoll was dressed in a khaki suit with her hair in a bun and sporting dark-rimmed spectacles, she stood mostly silent, except to answer the Judge and converse with her attorney. She acknowledged she understood the charges against her and that she also understood her right to remain silent. Speaking on her behalf, her attorney Barry Pollock, said his client pleads, "not guilty on all counts." Driscoll was released on her own recognizance but must report weekly to the federal Pre-Trial Services Division and surrender her passport. She was also ordered to stay within 50-miles of Washington D.C. unless she get permission from pre-trial services and is forbidden to leave the country without an order form the court. (Kickin the Tires)(9-23-2016)

E.J. Wade Construction returns to back DiBenedetto at Dover: BK Racing has announced that E.J. Wade Construction will return as primary sponsor on Matt DiBenedetto's #83 E.J. Wade Construction Camry at Dover International Speedway. The Citizen Soldier 400 will be E.J. Wade Construction's fifth race as sponsor of DiBenedetto's car. E.J. Wade Construction is a Class A Contractor and a VDOT Prequalified Contractor that has highly trained professionals who have their tradesman licenses in electrical, plumbing, HVAC and gas fitting tradesman licenses. E.J. Wade Construction is a company that believes in quality, reliability, friendliness, and putting the concerns of the client first.(BK Racing), see an image of the car on the #83 team paint schemes page.(9-23-2016)

Kyle Busch to be honored at the White House: On Wednesday, September 28, President Obama will welcome #18-Kyle Busch and his team members to the White House to honor his 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. This visit will continue the tradition begun by President Obama of honoring athletes and sports teams for their efforts to give back to their communities.(NASCAR)(9-23-2016)

Who's Hot and Who's Not - New Hampshire
HOT
- Matt Kenseth: won last 2 New Hampshire races (no driver has ever won 3 straight at track)
- Kyle Busch: led 463 laps at New Hampshire since start of 2012 (most of any driver)
- Kevin Harvick: finished 4th or better in 3 of last 4 New Hampshire races (379 laps led)
- Brad Keselowski: 6.5 Avg finish in last 10 New Hampshire races (best among all drivers)
- Jimmie Johnson: finished 6th or better in last 4 Chase races at New Hampshire
NOT
- Martin Truex Jr.: no top-5 finishes in last 16 New Hampshire races
- Kurt Busch: 12 straight finishes of 10th or worse at New Hampshire (top-6 finish in each of previous 5 at track)
- Kyle Larson: finished 17th or worse in 3 New Hampshire races in 2014-15 (2nd and 3rd in 1st 2 starts at track)
- Chase Elliott: finished 34th in only NSCS start at New Hampshire
(ESPN Stats & Info)(9-23-2016)

New Hampshire Pole Notes & Facts:
· Mark Martin won the inaugural Coors Light pole at New Hampshire in 1993 with a speed of 126.871 mph. · 20 drivers have Coors Light poles at New Hampshire, led by Ryan Newman with seven. · Four active drivers have multiple poles at New Hampshire: Ryan Newman (seven), Jeff Gordon (four), Brad Keselowski (three) and Kyle Busch (two). · Five drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at New Hampshire: Ken Schrader (1997 sweep); Jeff Gordon (1998-1999); Rusty Wallace (1999-2000); Ryan Newman (twice - 2003-2004 and 2011 sweep); Juan Pablo Montoya (2009-2010). · Two drivers (all-time) have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Brad Keselowski (09/19/10) and Patrick Carpentier (06/27/2008). · Five of the 43 (11.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Ryan Newman in 2011. · The Coors Light pole is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (five) than any other starting position at New Hampshire. · Eight of the 43 (18.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire have been won from the front row: five from the pole and three from second-place. · 23 of the 43 (53.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at New Hampshire have been won from a top-10 starting position. · Nine of the 43 (20.9%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire have been won from a starting position outside the top 20. · The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at New Hampshire is 38th, by Jeff Burton in 1999. · The deepest in the field that an active race winner has started at New Hampshire is 32nd, by Kurt Busch in the summer of 2003. · Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway five times: fall 2001, summer 2003, fall 2004, fall 2008 and summer 2009. (NASCAR)

NASCAR Foundation donating $1 Million to NYU Langone Medical Center: The NASCAR Foundation will donate $1 million to NYU Langone Medical Center, as part of a multi-year partnership to benefit hospitalized children. Through this partnership, The NASCAR Foundation will enhance the Child Life Program at the Hassenfeld Children's Hospital of New York at NYU Langone. The partnership will be commemorated at the first-ever NASCAR Foundation Honors Gala taking place at The Marriott Marquis in New York on Sept. 27. This is The NASCAR Foundation's first multi-year partnership with a New York area hospital and marks its commitment to reach more kids nationally. NASCAR's charitable arm has donated $25 million and impacted more than one million children since its inception in 2006. Through this partnership, the Child Life Program will ease the anxiety of children and their families during their hospital stay, which is essential to recovery. The NASCAR Foundation will support an enhanced child and family experience, fund two Child Life specialists, and provide resources, equipment and supplies to complement the wide-range of supportive and therapeutic activities currently offered at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at no charge to patients. This marks an expansion of The NASCAR Foundation's commitment to supporting children with Child Life programming as part of its signature Speediatrics program, which has provided more than 500,000 children with state-of-the-art medical care.(NASCAR)(9-23-2016)

Chicago XFINITY TV Ratings: NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Chicagoland scored a 1.1 final rating and 1.7 million viewers on NBC Saturday afternoon, up 57% in ratings and 50% in viewership from last year on NBCSN (0.7, 1.1M) and up 38% and 35%, respectively, from 2014 on ESPN2 (0.8, 1.2M). It was the most-watched edition of the race since 2010 (1.8M) and the most-watched Xfinity Series race at Chicagoland since a now-discontinued summer race in 2011 (2.0M).(Sports Media Watch)(9-23-2016)

Erik Jones paces final XFINITY practice: #20-Erik Jones was quickest in final practice at Kentucky Speedway with a speed of 188.022mph. #18-Matt Tifft was second, followed by: #2-Sam Hornish, Jr, #22-Austin Cindric (practicing for Ryan Blaney), #19-Daniel Suarez, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #33-Brandon Jones, #3-Ty Dillon, #7-Justin Allgaier, and #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr. All 41 drivers practiced during the session.
See complete results on the Kentucky Speedway practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(9-23-2016)

Erik Jones fastest in first XFINITY practice: #20-Erik Jones was fastest during opening practice at Kentucky Speedway with a speed of 181.647mph. #19-Daniel Suarez was second, followed by: #2-Sam Hornish, Jr., #3-Ty Dillon, #48-Brennan Poole, #18-Matt Tifft, #1-Elliott Sadler, #7-Justin Allgaier, #88-Josh Berry, and #33-Brandon Jones. 34 drivers practiced during the session.
See complete results on the Kentucky Speedway practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-23-2016)

Crafton fastest in final Truck practice: #88-Matt Crafton was fastest in final practice for the UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a speed of 132.882mph. He was followed by #41-Ben Rhodes, #9-William Byron, #13-Cameron Hayley, #33-Ben Kennedy, #4-Christopher Bell, #17-Timothy Peters, #11-Brett Moffitt, #29-Tyler Reddick, and #21-Johnny Sauter. 30 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Loudon practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(9-23-2016)

Rhodes fastest in first Truck practice: #41-Ben Rhodes was fastest during opening practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a speed of 132.076mph. #9-William Byron, #4-Christopher Bell, #21-Johnny Sauter, #33-Ben Kennedy, #88-Matt Crafton, #05-Matt DiBenedetto, #00-Cole Custer, #24-Kaz Grala, and #8-John Hunter Nemechek were the top-10. 30 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Loudon practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-23-2016)

NFL player Matt Light to drive pace car at New Hampshire: One of the greatest offensive linemen in New England Patriots history and a vital cog in helping the Pats to three Super Bowls, Matt Light will serve as the Official NASCAR Pace Car Driver for the Bad Boy Off Road 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday at 2:00pm. Light made the announcement alongside speedway officials and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at Thursday night's Patriots game at Gillette Stadium against the Houston Texans. Light, who retired in 2012, will lead the field to green in the second of three Round of 16 races in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship. Light, 38, was a second-round pick of the New England Patriots in the 2001 NFL Draft. A left tackle on the offensive line - one of the most important positions on the field for right-handed quarterbacks - Light was instrumental in keeping Tom Brady's blindside protected for much of his career. In 2001, Light founded The Light Foundation, a non-profit organization that gives at-risk kids a better chance at leading healthy lives by using the great outdoors to learn and grow. Following his stellar career with the Pats, Light enjoyed a short stint as an analyst at ESPN. He now spends time working to grow the Light Foundation as well as running his various business ventures, including the launch of KEEL Vodka, a brand of light vodka that's taken off.(NHMS)(9-23-2016)

Citizen Soldier Film sponsoring Smith at Dover: "Citizen Soldier," a feature film using real footage that follows an Oklahoma National Guard unit during its deployment to Afghanistan will be the primary sponsor for Regan Smith's #7 Chevrolet at Dover International Speedway on Sunday, October 2. Produced by Strong Eagle Media and distributed by Gravitas Ventures and Broad Green Pictures, "Citizen Soldier" is a modern day "Band of Brothers" and documents the Oklahoma Army National Guard's 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team's (nicknamed the "Thunderbirds") 2011 deployment. Set in one of the most dangerous parts of Afghanistan at the height of the surge, it is a heart-pounding, heartfelt grunt's-eye view of the war. The film tells the true story of an exceptional group of young soldiers and their life-changing tour of duty in Afghanistan, offering an excruciatingly personal look into modern warfare, brotherhood and patriotism. For Baldwin, this film hit home due to a relationship with United States Marine Corps Sgt. Derek Stevenin. Through Baldwin's friendship with Derek, Tommy understood the trials he faced with serving five deployments in just eight years. This past Memorial Day, TBR honored Derek and 17 of his fallen brothers on the #7 car at Charlotte Motor Speedway.(Tommy Baldwin Racing), see an image of the car on the #7 team paint schemes page.(9-22-2016)

NASCAR Hall of Fame hit during protests: The NASCAR Hall of Fame was among the sites hit by vandals, when peaceful protests turned into violent late Wednesday in Charlotte. On Thursday morning, a street sign hung like a spear from the front window of the hall's news center, after vandals tried prying out one of the front windows. Windows in the lobby of the adjacent NASCAR Tower were busted out, as were windows at nearby restaurants and two hotels. The looters apparently failed to get into the Hall of Fame and its exhibits, though there are reports of confrontations with a half a dozen looters inside the Buffalo Wild Wing restaurant at one corner of the hall building. An official with the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority said they were working early Thursday to assess damage to the NASCAR Hall of Fame building and adjacent convention center, and would release a statement soon.(Charlotte Observer)(9-22-2016)

Congrats to #31 crew chief Luke Lambert and his wife Jamie on the birth of their daugther, RubyLynn, Thursday morning. She is the couple's third child. Lambert tweeted the news Thursday.(9-22-2016)

Why Chase round no longer have names: Two years ago, NASCAR moved toward streamlining its playoffs through a format more traditionally in line with other professional sports. In the third season of the revamped Chase for the Sprint Cup, the branding of the 10-race championship also has moved in a conventional direction with the dispensing of nicknames for its four rounds in favor of traditional labels. Jill Gregory, who was named NASCAR's chief marketing officer last month, said it's about simplicity. "At the end of the day, we need to make the sport accessible and easy to consume, and sports fans, whether motorsports, NASCAR, stick and ball, they're familiar with a certain vernacular, and we wanted to keep it simple," Gregory, the guest on this week's NASCAR on NBC podcast, said in the Wednesday episode. "Sometimes, you can out-clever yourself." When the Chase for the Sprint Cup was reintroduced with elimination rounds and an expanded field in the 2014 season, the first three rounds were known as "Challenger," "Contender" and "Eliminator." After using the branded rounds again last season, they were dropped this year. The number of title contenders in each segment is the determinant for the name (i.e., Round of 16, Round of 12, Round of 8 and Championship 4). "It's very easy to understand Round of 16, Round of 8, so we wanted to make it as easy as possible for fans to engage with it," Gregory said.(NBC Sports)(9-22-2016)

Special Scheme for McDowell at New Hampshire: NASCAR Driver Michael McDowell and Circle Sport - Leavine Family Racing are looking forward to returning to New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a new set-up package and data after a mechanical issue during the New Hampshire 301 in July turned the race into a test session for the growing team. The team is also excited to unveil the #95 Patina Rat Rod Chevrolet SS for this weekend's Bad Boy Off Road 300. The car will feature a Patina style, rustic paint scheme with a custom logo on the hood inspired by classic Chevrolet hot rods famous to the New England area. "We felt that running a tribute to Rat Rods at the 'Magic Mile' would be a fun way to pay tribute to the New England area, a hotbed for modifieds," said Jeremy Lange, VP at CSLFR. McDowell is looking forward to running this week's paint scheme, as the Rat Rod style cars are an interest of his. "I've been wanting to build a Rat Rod for years, so this paint scheme is something I'm really excited about," said McDowell. "We wanted to create something as a tribute to our fan base, and I really think this is something a lot of our fans can identify with and get excited about as we head back to Loudon."(Circle Sport - Leavine Family Racing), see images of the car on the #95 team paint schemes page.*=(9-22-2016)

Chicago TV Ratings UPDATE: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Chicagoland earned a 1.5 overnight rating on NBCSN Sunday afternoon, down 15% from last year (1.8) and down 32% from 2014 on ESPN (2.7). Overnights even dropped from 2013, when the race was delayed multiple times and moved from ESPN to ESPN2 (1.6). Excluding rainouts, the 1.5 overnight is tied as the lowest of the season for a Sprint Cup race, matching Richmond the previous week. Only one race all of last season had as low an overnight, coverage from Kansas that did not finish until after 1 AM ET due to rain.(Sports Media Watch), see race-by-race TV Ratings for 2016 and a comparison chart on the 2016 TV Ratings page.(9-20-2016)
UPDATE: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Chicagoland, the first race in the Chase For the Cup, posted a 1.6 final rating and 2.7 million viewers on NBCSN Sunday afternoon - down 16% in ratings and 17% in viewership from last year (1.9, 3.2M) and down 30% and 27%, respectively, from 2014 on ESPN (2.3, 3.7M). Excluding rainouts, the race ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched Chase For the Cup telecast ever (118 races dating back to 2004). Sunday's race also delivered the lowest rating and viewership ever for the Sprint Cup at Chicagoland (dates back to 2001). In addition to those low marks, the 1.6 rating is tied as the lowest for any Sprint Cup race in at least eight years.(Sports Media Watch)(9-22-2016)

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

Sieg announces Kentucky sponsors: RSS Racing is excited to welcome several sponsors for the opening XFINITY chase race at Kentucky Speedway this Saturday. Premier Crop Insurance will adorn the quarter panels of the #39 driven by Ryan Sieg. Premier Crop Insurance offers Multi-Peril Crop Insurance and Private Products for all your crops. Their sister company, AG Project 1, will also join the company as an associate sponsor. Additionally, Pohl Transportation, will join the team as a primary sponsor. Pohl Transportation is a trucking company offering safe, high quality, reliable transportation service. Lastly, Tri County Landscape will once again join the team as a primary sponsor. Driver Ryan Sieg put together four straight top 15 finishes to secure a spot in the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase.(RSS Racing)(9-22-2016)

The Band Perry performing prior to Homestead race: Hot off the release of their new single "Comeback Kid," Grammy Award-winning superstar sibling trio - The Band Perry - will make a special live performance prior to this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship race. The Band Perry will be featured in Homestead-Miami Speedway's pre-race show, which airs on Countdown to Green on NBC that Sunday. The Band Perry, which consists of siblings Kimberly Perry, Neil Perry and Reid Perry, are an unstoppable presence in music. The trio has released two studio albums, The Band Perry (2010) and Pioneer (2013). Their first album went certified platinum and included the sextuple-platinum chart-topper, "If I Die Young," the platinum-selling "You Lie" and "All Your Life (a #1 single). Their second album Pioneer was certified gold and also featured two No. 1 singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. They are currently putting the finishing touches on their third studio album.(Homestead-Miami Speedway)(9-22-2016)

No penalties for Truex, Johnson; NASCAR to increase tolerances in post-race inspection: NASCAR has decided to increase the tolerances for postrace measurements, eliminating all lower-tier penalties and only issuing a penalty if it reaches the point where suspensions would be issued and a win would not be allowed to count toward advancement in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. The decision is retroactive to the race last weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, meaning that race winner Martin Truex Jr. and 12th-place finisher Jimmie Johnson will not be penalized for being outside the rear alignment tolerances by a minimal amount. Without a penalty, Johnson remains eighth in points. With the 10-point penalty he would have received, Johnson would have fallen into a tie for 12th in the standings. NASCAR Executive Vice President Steve O'Donnell said the decision was made so that all penalties are equitable. Under the previous structure, Truex virtually would have no penalty because he won the race to automatically qualify for the next round of the Chase while Johnson would have had a major 10-point penalty that could have put his ability to advance to the next round in jeopardy. "We recognized if we were to apply those penalties as we listed them out for the event, those penalties would not have the same impact on the competitors based on the Chase format and the increased emphasis on win bonuses [to advance]," O'Donnell said. "If you look back as to why we created the deterrent system we put in place to insure that we had a level playing field for all 40 cars that were competing in the event and in this case, if we applied those penalties, the postrace penalty would not really treat each competitor fairly." O'Donnell said he feels the industry believes the Truex and Johnson infractions were minor in nature. All of the cars passed inspection prerace, and teams design the cars to bend and adjust at race speed and loads in the turns. O'Donnell also announced that every Chase car would go through the postrace measurement inspection station. Previously, it was the top-five and select others. If a car does fail postrace measurements at the standard NASCAR set last week as its most egregious violation, it would be a 35-point penalty, a three-race suspension for the crew chief and a $65,000 fine for the crew chief. If the car had won, the driver would not be allowed to use the win to advance to the next round of the Chase. A win is worth 44 or 45 points, depending on whether a driver leads the most laps.(ESPN.com(9-21-2016)

Chicago penalties/warnings announced: NASCAR has announced penalties and warnings following the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway on September 18, 2016.
#43-Almirola failed post-race inspection and was issued a P3 penalty for violation of Sections 12-1; 10.11.3.4 - Lug nut(s) not properly installed. Crew chief Drew Blickensderfer has been fined $10,000.
#16-Biffle failed post-race inspection and was issued a P3 penalty for violation of Sections 12-1; 10.11.3.4 - Lug nut(s) not properly installed. Crew chief Brian Pattie has been fined $10,000.
#14-Stewart (1) Warning Failed template inspection three times, pre-race inspection and was issued a written warning and loss of 15 minutes practice time.
#10-Patrick (3), #41-Busch (3) - Failed LIS twice, pre-race inspection and were issued written warnings.
Chicagoland #2-Keselowski 2 (1), #24-Elliott (4), #48-Johnson (1), #88-Bowman (3) - Failed template inspection twice in pre-race inspection and were issued written warnings.
() -- total current warnings.
See the Chicago Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf) for more.(9-21-2016)

Pumpkin Spice Cheerios on the #3: Made from real pumpkin puree and a delicious blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, Pumpkin Spice Cheerios has taken over store shelves and is now on Richard Childress Racing's #3 Chevrolet as well, as Austin Dillon will race the #3 Pumpkin Spice Cheerios Chevrolet this weekend in New Hampshire. Pumpkin Spice Cheerios is the latest General Mills Cereal free from artificial flavors and colors from artificial sources. This limited edition Cheerios flavor is also gluten free. In five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Dillon's best finish is eighth in July 2015.(Richard Childress Racing), see an image of the car on the #3 team paint schemes page.(9-21-2016)

Chase Fast Facts: New Hampshire:
· This is the sixth year in a row the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup second race has been held at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (2011 - 2016). New Hampshire was the first race of the Chase from 2004 - 2010.
· 10 different drivers have won the New Hampshire Chase races, but only two have multiple wins - Clint Bowyer (two) and Matt Kenseth (two).
· When New Hampshire was the opening race of the Chase (2004 - 2010) only once the race winner went on to win the title (2004).
· In 2004 (inaugural Chase), Kurt Busch started seventh and won the opening race of the Chase at New Hampshire, and went on to win the title.
· Since New Hampshire moved to the second race in the Chase (2011 - 2015) only one driver that has won the event went on to win the title - Tony Stewart (2011). Stewart won five races in the 2011 Chase (series-record) including the first two (Chicago, New Hampshire).
· The worst finish in a Chase race at New Hampshire by a driver that went on to win the title was by Jimmie Johnson in 2006 when he finished 39th. Last season's champion Kyle Busch finished 37th in New Hampshire's Chase race - the second worst finish by a driver at NHMS that went on to win the title.
· No non-Chase driver has ever won the Chase race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
· Eight drivers have won the pole for New Hampshire's Chase races - Brad Keselowski (two), Ryan Newman (two), Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Gordon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart (each have one).
(NASCAR)

New Hampshire Goodyear Tire Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series will run the same tire set-up at New Hampshire this weekend . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires that Sprint Cup and Xfinity teams ran at this track in July . . . these teams have run this left-side tire (D-4564) at New Hampshire since 2012 . . . for Camping World Truck teams, this is the first time they have run this right-side tire (D-4706) . . . for them, compared to what was run at New Hampshire last year, this right-side features a construction change to bring it into line with what is run by NASCAR teams at Phoenix and Richmond, and a compound change to give the trucks more grip and introduce more wear over the course of a run . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at New Hampshire.(Goodyear), for tire codes, pressures, set limites and more, see the New Hampshire Race Info page

Chicago XFINITY warning announced: NASCAR has announced a warning following the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Chicagoland Speedway on September 17, 2016.
#2-Menard (1), Failed template inspection three times in pre-race inspection and was given a written warning.
() -- total current warnings.
See the Chicago Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf) for more.(9-21-2016)

Grip Clean joins Clements for rest of season: Grip Clean, the world's first all natural, industrial strength hand soap, infused with the cleaning power of DIRT, has partnered with Jeremy Clements Racing for the rest of the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series season. Featured on ABC's Shark Tank and created by three-time XGames medalist and professional motocross athlete Bryce Hudson, Grip Clean is a must have for anyone who gets their hands dirty. Race fans may recall seeing Hudson on a television commercial for KFC, back flipping his dirt bike eating some chicken strips, competing on Americas Got Talent, or even on Team Hot Wheels racing against other top drivers.(Jeremy Clements Racing)(9-21-2016)

Jeb Burton returning to the #98 at Charlotte: Biagi-DenBeste Racing announced a continuation of their partnership with Jeb Burton for the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October. Burton will add a new partner in The Z Real Estate Group and Keller Williams Burlington on the #98 Ford Mustang. Burton recently piloted the #98 Ford in the XFINITY Series race in Indianapolis, finishing 12th, and at Richmond in September, finishing 19th. Prior to his two races with Biagi-DenBeste Racing in the 2016 season, Burton competed in 11 NASCAR XFINITY Series races with Richard Petty Motorsports where he scored one Top-10 and four Top-15 finishes. Burton competed in the spring race at Charlotte in the XFINITY Series, finishing 11th in May. He's also earned a pole in the Camping World Truck Series at Charlotte in 2013. Keller Williams is the largest real estate franchise by agent count in the world with more than 800 offices and 146,000 associates across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. In 2015, Training Magazine named Keller Williams the No. 1 training organization across all industries in the world. Burton's partnership extends to The Z Real Estate Group, KW Burlington based out of Burlington, North Carolina. In addition, Puryear Tank Lines will be an associate partner on the #98 Ford at Charlotte. Puryear Tank Lines is a third generation family operated business headquartered in North Carolina specializing in bulk tank delivery of LPG, butane, liquid asphalt and bulk cement. Puryear Tank Lines will have branding on the rear quarter panels of the Ford Mustang.(Biagi-DenBeste Racing)(9-21-2016)

Cope gets new sponsor for Kentucky: Derrike Cope Racing announces a new sponsor as well as some consistent ones for the Kentucky Xfinity Event. Herb Kinman Chevrolet of Carrollton, KY will be on the #70 as a new associate. The Carrollton Chevrolet dealership, near Lousiville, carries the full line of new Chevrolet cars and trucks including the all-new 2017 Chevrolet 50th Anniversary Camaro as well as the exciting Corvette. BUDDY'S Home Furnishings will be featured as co-primary for DCR for the third time. E-hydrate, returns as co-primary offering the first-ever protein shake in it's own disposable pouch, and the revolutionary Kids Protien-on-the-Go. Snappy TomatoPizza will be providing premium pizza, wings, and Italian fare all weekend for the team. As always, Ice-Frost, the mineral based ice additive that turns your soda or beer cooler into a freezer will be featured as well.(Derrike Cope Racing)(9-21-2016)

Winning Chicagoland truck fails post race UPDATE: NASCAR says Kyle Busch's winning truck in Friday night's race has failed inspection for being too low in the rear. Any penalties for the #18 Toyota will be announced in the coming week.Busch won his 46th Truck Series race when he pulled away on an overtime restart at Chicagoland Speedway, ending the hopes for many full-time series drivers needing a win to quality for the Chase for the championship playoff. NASCAR didn't announce any technical issues after the race but confirmed the failed inspection Saturday morning.(FOX Sports)(9-18-2016)
UPDATE: Crew chief Wes Ward has been fined $6,000 and placed on NASCAR Probation through December 31, 2016; team has been assessed with the loss of 10 championship owner points for post-race height measurements outside NASCAR allowed tolerances.
See the Chicagoland Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf)(9-21-2016)

Sad News - Huguette Drouin: Huguette Drouin passed away suddenly on Monday, at the age of 81. She was a dearly loved wife, mother and grandmother, as well as, the loving step-mother to Mario Gosselin. "We head to Kentucky with heavy hearts and deep sorrow. We lost the most loving, caring human being on the planet on Monday morning. She will be planting flowers in Heaven," said Gosselin. "She said she wanted us to go on like usual, but that request is impossible." While we mourn the loss of a remarkable woman, we celebrate her life and cherish all the memories we shared. We can all only hope to live a life where we hold a place in as many people's hearts as she did. At Drouin's request, no religious ceremonies or services will be held. Instead, she will be cremated and her ashes brought to sea at a later date.(9-21-2016)

Atlanta celebrating Petty's last race with special ticket offer: Atlanta Motor Speedway will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 1992 Hooters 500 Cup Series race, known as one of the greatest NASCAR races of all time, in which racing legend and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty made his final career start, with a special ticket offer and exclusive race-day experience for the first 500 fans who take advantage. With the purchase of a $69 Upper Petty Grandstand ticket for Sunday's race, fans can add a $10 upgrade which includes a replica ticket from the 1992 Hooters 500, a commemorative Richard Petty hero card, access to an exclusive Q&A session with Richard Petty on race day and a chance to win one of 43 replica 1992 Hooters 500 tickets signed by "The King" himself. One dollar from each upgrade purchase will go towards the Petty Family Foundation and Victory Junction. The package is also available as an upgrade for any fan who has previously purchased a Sunday ticket valued at $69 or more and member of Atlanta Motor Speedway's Insiders Club, regardless of seat location.(Atlanta Motor Speedway)(9-21-2016)

Driscoll charged with stealing from charity: The former girlfriend of NASCAR driver #41-Kurt Busch has been charged with stealing from a military charity she led. Court documents don't say how much prosecutors believe Patricia Driscoll took from the District of Columbia-based Armed Forces Foundation, whose mission is to support service members, veterans and their families. But a 2014 tax return for the non-profit says that the "foundation has become aware of suspected misappropriations" by Driscoll totaling more than $599,000 for the years 2006 to 2014. It says she misused money for meals, travel, parking tickets, makeup and gifts. Driscoll was indicted on two counts each of wire fraud, mail fraud, and tax evasion, and one count of attempts to interfere with administration of Internal Revenue laws.(Associated Press/ESPN.com)(9-20-2016)

Great Clips renews sponsorship with Hendrick: Great Clips Inc. will continue its sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports and the #5 Chevrolet SS team of driver Kasey Kahne in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with a contract extension through 2018. The two-year agreement covers the 2017 and 2018 seasons and secures primary sponsorship of the #5 Chevrolet SS for 10 events annually. Great Clips, which joined Hendrick Motorsports as a partner in 2012, also will be a major associate sponsor of the No. 5 team each year. The world's largest salon brand, Great Clips became a first-time Sprint Cup primary sponsor with three races in 2013. The program grew to 10 primary races annually in 2014. Since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2012, Kahne, 36, has earned three Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berths and five race wins with the #5 team. The Enumclaw, Washington, native has 17 career victories, 27 pole positions and 165 top-10 finishes in NASCAR's top division.(Hendrick Motorsports)(9-20-2016)

Why are cars swerving after the races are over? Don't stop watching NASCAR's drivers after the checkered flag falls - there are some strange goings on occurring after that. On Sunday following the Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway, multiple drivers - not only the winner - made serpentine moves on the backstretch on the cool down lap that would have been more natural through the esses of a road course - not a straightaway on a 1.5-mile oval. On Sunday at Chicagoland, crew chief Cole Pearn reminded Martin Truex Jr. repeatedly before his burnouts: "Remember to swerve." So what did that mean exactly? The bottom line is that competitors are spinning and swerving to make sure the rear toe returns to legal parameters before the cars are measure on the laser inspection station post-race. NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Office Steve O'Donnell finally addressed the issue on Monday. When O'Donnell was a guest on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, he said NASCAR is looking into the practice. "That's why we put the rules in place that we did prior to the Chase," O'Donnell said. "We don't want to have to react to this. We want to see the best racing possible. We want the cars to come in and race straight up. Unfortunately, it's part of racing, too, is to push the limits. So we have to find that balance. What we want to be talking about is the racing on the track - not post-race, not what occurs on the cool down laps. We've got a job to do to with the team owners to talk about exactly the questions I'm being asked today - which is very fair - but that's where we're headed." On Sept. 7, NASCAR made a change to the rules making welded track bar mounts mandatory - rather than a moveable mount that had the potential to increase side force on the car by promoting right rear yaw. Some team managers contend the rule did not go far enough to discourage the practice.(Motorsport)(9-20-2016)

Truex took less money to stay with Furniture Row: It's been the best season of Martin Truex Jr.'s career, as his victory in Sunday's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway was his third win of 2016. Without question, Truex knows that his move to Furniture Row Racing in 2014 was a great decision. And team owner Barney Visser said Sunday evening that Truex was such a team player that he actually took less money to stay with Furniture Row. "He drove for a little bit less this year than I think a lot of the drivers in his class have, and he did it because he wanted to be here," said Visser, the founder and owner of the Denver-based team. "I can't thank him enough for all that." Truex confirmed that he had taken less money to stay with Furniture Row, which Visser has largely funded on his own since starting the team in 2005. "Barney has put a lot into his race team over the years, obviously," said Truex. "Seeing Furniture Row on that race car each and every year, that's Barney's race car and Barney is the one funding it. He had to change some things in the way he was running his race team." And that led to a discussion between the driver and the owner. "He (Visser) asked me if I would kind of not take the hit, but be the one that took a little bit of a hit for the team to make sure we could keep the competition up and make sure we could continue to get the things we needed to be competitive and win races and hopefully go after a championship," said Truex.(Fox Sports)(9-20-2016)

Chicago Overnight TV Ratings: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Chicagoland earned a 1.5 overnight rating on NBCSN Sunday afternoon, down 15% from last year (1.8) and down 32% from 2014 on ESPN (2.7). Overnights even dropped from 2013, when the race was delayed multiple times and moved from ESPN to ESPN2 (1.6). Excluding rainouts, the 1.5 overnight is tied as the lowest of the season for a Sprint Cup race, matching Richmond the previous week. Only one race all of last season had as low an overnight, coverage from Kansas that did not finish until after 1 AM ET due to rain.(Sports Media Watch), see race-by-race TV Ratings for 2016 and a comparison chart on the 2016 TV Ratings page.(9-20-2016)

2016 laps lead: Following Martin Truex, Jr's. win at Chicagoland Speedway Sunday, he has now lead the most laps this season. In addition, Truex, Kyle Busch, and Harvick have combined to lead 49% of the total laps run this season.
1) #78-Martin Truex Jr. - 1,266
2) #18-Kyle Busch - 1,265
3) #4-Kevin Harvick - 1,211
4) #19-Carl Edwards - 742
5) #20-Matt Kenseth - 490
6) #2-Brad Keselowski - 449
7) #11-Denny Hamlin - 406
8) #22-Joey Logano - 390
9) #48-Jimmie Johnson - 384
10) #42-Kyle Larson - 241
Total laps run - 7,645 (9-20-2016)

Top 10 Driver Ratings at New Hampshire:
#88-Jeff Gordon ..... 106.1
#11-Denny Hamlin ..... 103.3
#14-Tony Stewart ..... 103.0
#48-Jimmie Johnson ..... 100.8
#2-Brad Keselowski ..... 99.8
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr ..... 97.4
#18-Kyle Busch ..... 97.2
#4-Kevin Harvick ..... 96.7
#31-Ryan Newman ..... 90.5
#5-Kasey Kahne ..... 90.4
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (23 total) among active drivers at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Formula combining the following categories: Win, Finish, Top-15 Finish, Average Running Position while on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.
See an explanation how the Driver Rating is calculated at NASCAR.com.(NASCAR)

NASCAR sued for discrimination; will counter sue for defamation: A Georgia man has filed a $500 million race discrimination lawsuit against NASCAR and its race teams, claiming his attempts to make NASCAR more racially diverse were rebuffed by the sanctioning body. Terrance Cox III, who operated Diversity Motorsports Racing and who founded a group to protest what it views as injustices of NASCAR by sponsors and team owners toward the minority community, filed the lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court in New York. Cox claims that NASCAR, racetrack operator International Speedway Corp. and its race teams have not made any efforts to have corporate sponsors support an African-American team. In a statement, NASCAR defended its Drive for Diversity program -- which has been in place since 2004 -- and said it will fight the lawsuit. "NASCAR embraces all individuals interested and involved in our sport, whether as partners, fans, competitors or employees, and there is no merit to this lawsuit," the statement said. "NASCAR has a long-standing history of investing in diversity efforts including the NASCAR Drive for Diversity, NASCAR Diversity Internship and NASCAR Diversity Pit Crew Development programs. ... We stand behind our actions, and will not let a publicity-seeking legal action deter us from our mission. NASCAR not only will defend our organization against these meritless allegations, but we will be asserting our own claims against Mr. Cox for his defamatory actions."(ESPN.com)(9-20-2016)

Gaughan will return to RCR next season: Not that Gaughan's career is about to be over. The driver of the #62 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet said he'll be back for another season next year, and the Chase format is a strong reason he'll continue to compete. "What made me want to keep racing was this Chase format, this excitement around this," Gaughan said. "Now, instead of battling for fifth place, and we're 89 points out of this championship-and we can get to maybe second or third if a guy has a bad race and we have a good ones, and you're just watching points and going 'Oh, man, let's see how far we can get'-we're racing for the championship."(NASCAR.com)(9-20-2016)

Batteries Plus Bulbs returns to B.J. McLeod Motorsports at Kentucky: B.J. McLeod Motorsports announced that Batteries Plus Bulbs will return as the primary marketing partner for driver B.J. McLeod in Saturday night's VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway. Batteries Plus Bulbs returns to the team after backing the Mooresville, North Carolina-based team in the first three NASCAR XFINITY Series races of the season at Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway respectively. McLeod opened the partnership up with a respectable 24th place finish in the season-opening PowerShares QQQ 300 at Daytona. Batteries Plus Bulbs is the nation's largest and fastest-growing battery, light bulb and smartphone/ tablet repair source with a nationwide network of stores. With access to nearly 60,000 batteries, light bulbs and accessories, Batteries Plus Bulbs has the widest selection of products available and offers unmatched services to retail and business consumers.(B.J. McLeod Motorsports)(9-20-2016)

Brandon Jones returning to RCR next season: Brandon Jones, 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase contender and Rookie of the Year candidate, has signed an agreement to remain with Richard Childress Racing as the driver of the #33 Chevrolet Camaro in the XFINITY Series for the 2017 season. "Brandon has shown he has the talent behind the wheel to run up front and compete for championships in the XFINITY Series, and we are pleased he will continue to do so in an RCR Chevrolet," said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of RCR. "We are proud of everything he has accomplished this season, including leading laps, making the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase and contending for the Rookie of the Year title. Brandon has also been an excellent spokesman for our sponsors and does an exceptional job representing our brand. We can't wait to see what Brandon can do in his second full XFINITY Series season." In his first full year with RCR, Jones has recorded 11 top-10 finishes through the first 26 races and earned a spot in the XFINITY Series Chase. The 19-year-old driver scored an impressive sixth-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and also led 36 laps at Talladega Superspeedway in April.(Richard Childress Racing)(9-20-2016)

Bad Boy Off Road sponsoring New Hampshire race: Bold and ambitious. Those are the qualities needed for a driver to win a race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. So, it's fitting that a company with similar attributes will serve as the entitlement sponsor for one of the most demanding races of the season. Speedway officials announced that the second race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship on Sunday, Sept. 25 has been named the Bad Boy Off Road 300. The Bad Boy Off Road 300 will cap off a jam-packed weekend of NASCAR: New England Style racing and entertainment. Tripleheader Saturday will feature the Camping World Truck Series, Whelen Modified Tour and American-Canadian Tour, while Cheap Trick, a 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, will provide the Sunday pre-race show before the green flag drops on the Bad Boy Off Road 300 at 2:00pm. Bad Boy Off Road, a Textron Specialized Vehicles brand, is no stranger to NASCAR with its longtime partnerships in the industry, including being the primary sponsor for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase contender Kevin Harvick. Harvick won the September Chase race at NHMS in 2006 and will return a favorite for Sunday's race. Bad Boy Off Road caters to hunters, recreational riders, farmers and ranchers who typically see Bad Boy vehicles as a badge of honor for those that understand the power of the outdoor experience.(NHMS)(9-20-2016)

NASCAR Heat Evolution on the #83 at New Hampshire: BK Racing announced that Dusenberry Martin Racing's NASCAR Heat Evolution video game will adorn Matt DiBenedetto's #83 NASCAR Heat Evolution Toyota Camry at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend. NASCAR Heat Evolution connects fans more than ever before. A new online competitive multiplayer feature supports a full field of up to 40 racers, a NASCAR console game first. Gamers can race as and against the top drivers and teams of today. Users can enter their rookie season and race for a spot in The Chase, relive classic NASCAR moments, or make new ones. NASCAR Heat Evolution is now available in North American stores for $59.99 as a retail and digital release on the PlayStation®4 system, Xbox One and Windows PC. This title is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB.(BK Racing), see an image of the car on the #83 team paint schemes page.(9-19-2016)

Truex, Johnson fail post-race inspection UPDATES: The race-winning car of #78-Martin Truex Jr. and the 12th-place car of #48-Jimmie Johnson failed postrace measurements. They were at the lowest levels so Truex will be able to use the win to advance to the second round of the Chase.(ESPN.com)(9-18-2016)
UPDATE: NASCAR announced that the cars' rear-alignment measurement failures were at minimal levels, meaning that Truex will be able to use his victory Sunday to advance to the quarterfinal round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup. NASCAR reviews any extenuating circumstances and will announce any penalties this week, likely Wednesday. Johnson faces a potential 10-point penalty, which could drop him from eighth in the standings to a three-way tie for 12th with Austin Dillon and Kevin Harvick. The Chase field of 16 gets cut to 12 after two more races, with the winners automatically advancing and the four worst drivers in points eliminated. Johnson crew chief Chad Knaus also faces a potential $15,000 fine. Truex could face a 15-point penalty, with crew chief Cole Pearn being fined $22,500 because this is their second such violation in two weeks, which increases the penalties by 50 percent.(ESPN.com)
AND: Kickin' the Tires was in the garage when the Truex's car went through post-race inspection and spoke with Pearn about the forthcoming penalty. "The right rear was way safe, we were conservative, you know, just trying not to cause any trouble but I don't know, the left rear was the one showing in for whatever reason, showing too much," Pearn said. "Yeah, it's a bummer. It's like .01 (degrees) over - barely nothing but it's still over. It's sure stressful passing that thing right now, I know that. We got nailed in the left rear, I mean, the left rear is all crinkled in and it's the one showing in but that doesn't matter, that's the rules. If it's over it's over. It's a bummer, it will be a P2 or whatever, especially since we got one last week, so it's not really a good deal." A NASCAR official was seen looking at and taking photos of Truex's tires in the garage as the car was going through inspection and it was obvious one of them had worn so much that the cords were showing. Pearn said he believed that was caused by Truex getting hit by another car during the race, which may have played a factor in the car being out of spec.(Kickin The Tires)
AND: #16-Greg Biffle and #43-Aric Almirola's cars were missing a single lug nut on each car. Almirola's missing lug nut was because of a broken right front stud. Their crew chiefs face a potential fine of $10,000. Crew chiefs are only suspended now if there are more than 3 lug nuts missing.(9-19-2016)
UPDATE 2: Statement from Furniture Row Racing: "The right rear of our car was well within the tolerance margin, which showed that we were trying to be conservative. However, the left rear wheel alignment was off by approximately ten- thousandths of an inch, which in high probability was due to damage in that area as a result of being hit by the No. 4 car. We believe the laser inspection numbers were correct and accept NASCAR's decision that was made following Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway."(Furniture Row Racing)(9-19-2016)

Regan Smith returns to NC for birth of child; Ty Dillon subbing UPDATES: Ty Dillon will drive the Tommy Baldwin Racing #7 car in Sprint Cup practice Friday and Saturday as driver Regan Smith is returning to North Carolina to be with his wife, who has gone into labor. Smith possibly could return for the race Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway.(ESPN.com)(9-16-2016)
UPDATE: Ty Dillon will drive the #7 at Chicagoland Speedway Sunday, as Regan Smith remains in North Carolina.(9-18-2016)
UPDATE2: Just after the conclusion of the Sprint Cup Series race Sunday evening, Regan Smith tweeted a photo, "The two most beautiful girls I've ever laid my eyes on. We welcomed Eliza Grace Smith to the world this afternoon."(9-19-2015)

Chicago Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2016 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 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 on Lap 9 of the race at 2:56 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 5:37 PM (all times are EDT). NBCSN was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 96
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 48
Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 77
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 45
Number of 'Side-by-Side' commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 19
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 17
Number of times NBCSN utilized 'Side-by-Side' commercials during this broadcast: 5
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 2:54 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 5:37 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 161
Minutes of race broadcast: 127
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 34
Minutes of 'Side-by-Side' commercials (split-screen): 9
Number of missed restarts: 0
Number of 'mystery cautions' (debris not shown): 0
Total race brdcst time 127 Total comm. brdcst time 34
See past races, more info on the commercials with links at CawsnJaws.com.(9-19-2016)

Blake Jones to make XFINITY debut at Kentucky: B.J. McLeod Motorsports announced that former ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards winner Blake Jones will make his NASCAR XFINITY Series debut in the #15 Global Building Contractors Ford Mustang in Saturday night's VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway. Global Building Contractors is a nationally established General Contractor with offices in Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. Jones has had experience at Kentucky Speedway; however, that experience came up on the Legends and Bandolero track, not the big track he'll embrace this weekend. With the guidance of XFINITY Series driver and team owner B.J. McLeod, Jones is looking forward to making his debut at the 1.5-mile track that has meant a lot to him throughout his racing career. Racing has been in the Tennessee native's blood since the young age of eight years old when he began his racing career at Dumplin Valley Raceway in Kodak, Tennessee.(B.J. McLeod Motorsports)(9-19-2016)

Entry List for the New England 300 Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is posted, 40 teams/drivers [for 40 spots] are listed, including: #21-Blaney*, #30-Wise*, #32-Jeffrey Earnhardt, #55-Sorenson*, #88-Bowman, #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 New Hampshire Entry List

Truex, Johnson fail post-race inspection: The race-winning car of #78-Martin Truex Jr. and the 12th-place car of #48-Jimmie Johnson failed postrace measurements. They were at the lowest levels so Truex will be able to use the win to advance to the second round of the Chase.(ESPN.com)(9-18-2016)

Truex, Jr. wins at Chicago: #78-Martin Truex, Jr. won the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway for his 3rd win of the season, 1st win at Chicago and 6th career win. Truex, Jr. led 32 of the 270 laps. He lead early in the race, but had to pit under green for a tire going down. He spent much of the race a lap down before getting the free pass under the second caution. A late race caution brought most of the leaders down pit road where he got out of the pits ahead of #24-Chase Elliott, who had been leading the race.
Truex, Jr. now earns a spot in the Chase Round of 12 that begins at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
#22-Logano finished 2nd followed by #24-Elliott, #21-Blaney, #2-Keselowski, #11-Hamlin, #5-Kahne, pole sitter #18-Busch, #20-Kenseth, and #88-Bowman.
#48-Johnson led the most laps on the day - 118 - but was caught speeding on pit road under green flag pit stops. He finished 12th.
There were 17 lead changes among 9 drivers and 4 cautions for 22 yellow flag laps.
The average speed was 145.161mph.
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)
(9-18-2016)

Where did the 2016 Sprint Cup Chase Drivers finish at Chicago?
[by points standings before the race (start pos)]
1) #18-Kyle Busch, 8th (1)
2) #2-Brad Keselowski, 5th (2)
3) #11-Denny Hamlin, 6th (3)
4) #4-Kevin Harvick, 20th (4)
5) #19-Carl Edwards, 15th (5)
6) #78-Martin Truex Jr., WON (6)
7) #20-Matt Kenseth, 9th (7)
8) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 12th (8)
9) #22-Joey Logano, 2nd (9)
10) #42-Kyle Larson, 18th (10)
11) #14-Tony Stewart, 16th (11)
12) #41-Kurt Busch, 13th (12)
13) #34-Chris Buescher, 28th (13)
14) #24-Chase Elliott, 24th (14)
15) #3-Austin Dillon, 14th (15)
16) #1-Jamie McMurray, 11th (16)
(9-18-2016)

Race Fast Facts - Chiagoland Speedway:
Martin Truex Jr won the 16th Annual Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400, his sixth victory in 396 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his third victory and 13th top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his first victory and third top-10 finish in 11 races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Joey Logano (second) posted his fourth top-10 finish in eight races at Chicagoland Speedway. It is his 19th top-10 finish in 2016.
Chase Elliott (third) posted his first top-10 finish in one races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Chase Elliott (third) was the highest finishing rookie.
Martin Truex Jr leads the point standings by 1 points over Brad Keselowski.
(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(9-18-2016)

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase Standings:
[after Chicago, race 27 of 36]
1) #78-Martin Truex Jr.*, [3 wins], 2050, +23 ahead of 13th.
2) #2-Brad Keselowski, [4 wins], 2049, +22
3) #18-Kyle Busch, [4 wins], 2046, +19
4) #11-Denny Hamlin, [3 wins], 2045, +18
5) #22-Joey Logano, [1 win], 2043, +16
6) #24-Chase Elliott, 2039, +12
7) #20-Matt Kenseth, [2 wins], 2038, +11
8) #48-Jimmie Johnson, [2 wins], 2037, +10
9) #19-Carl Edwards, [2 wins], 2032, +5
10) #41-Kurt Busch, [1 win], 2031, +4
11) #1-Jamie McMurray, 2030, -3
12) #14-Tony Stewart, [1 win], 2028, +1 ahead of 13th
Bottom 4 drivers will be eliminated from the Chase after Dover:
13) #3-Austin Dillon, 2027, -1 point out of 12th
14) #4-Kevin Harvick, [2 wins], 2027, -1
15) #42-Kyle Larson, [1 win], 2026, -2
16) #34-Chris Buescher, 2016, -12
* will advance to the Round of 12 by winning a Round of 16 race
See UNOFFICIAL drivers championship points standings on the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings (pdf).
See the UNOFFICIAL owner points standings on the Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf).
(9-18-2016)

Regan Smith returns to NC for birth of child; Ty Dillon subbing UPDATE: Ty Dillon will drive the Tommy Baldwin Racing #7 car in Sprint Cup practice Friday and Saturday as driver Regan Smith is returning to North Carolina to be with his wife, who has gone into labor. Smith possibly could return for the race Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway.(ESPN.com)(9-16-2016)
UPDATE: Ty Dillon will drive the #7 at Chicagoland Speedway Sunday, as Regan Smith remains in North Carolina.(9-18-2016)

Menard "pretty close" to announcing new deal with RCR UPDATE: Paul Menard is in his sixth season campaigning in the #27 Menard's Chevy. His sole Cup win with the organization came in the 2011 Brickyard 400. When asked about the status of his contract with RCR after finishing second in Saturday's Zippo 200 at the Glen, he said that they are "pretty close" to an extension. "We'll get to that in the next few weeks and make sure we let you guys know," he added.(Motorsport)(8-7-2016)
UPDATE: Roger Penske has sponsorship locked down for three of his IndyCar teams next season, with Menards signing on for 10 races with Simon Pagenaud to drive the bright yellow colors of the home improvement store. The announcement Saturday returns John Menard to a high-profile role in IndyCar after a long absence. The billionaire was a team owner and sponsor in the series but walked away after the 2004 season to back his son, Paul, in NASCAR. Menard made a slow return to Indy this year as a sponsor for Pagenaud in the 100th Indianapolis 500, and that deal grew to cover five races. Menard says he and Paul Menard are signed with Richard Childress Racing in NASCAR through 2017, so moving his son to Penske's organization is not currently being discussed.(Associated Press/ESPN.com)(9-18-2016)

Who's Hot and Who's Not - Chicago Edition:
HOT
" #2-Brad Keselowski: finished 8th or better in his last 5 Chicago races including two wins (2012 and 2014)
" #18-Kyle Busch: finished 9th or better in last 4 Chicago races; led a race-high 121 laps last year to begin his Championship run
" #11-Denny Hamlin: won race last year; 8 straight finishes of 9th or better overall, including 2 wins
" #41-Kurt Busch: finished 6th or better in 4 of the last 5 Chicago races
" #42-Kyle Larson: finished 7th or better in two career Sprint Cup races at Chicago
NOT
" #1-Jamie McMurray: finished 16th or worse in 4 of the 5 Chase races at Chicago; 1 top-5 in 13 career races at Chicago
" #78-Martin Truex Jr.: no top-5 finishes in 10 career races at Chicago (best finish was 9th, which he did in both 2008, 2012)
" #10-Danica Patrick: finished 19th or worse in 4 career races at Chicago
" #16-Greg Biffle: finished 21st or worse in 5 of the last 7 Chicago races; no top 10's in that span
(ESPN Stats & Info)(9-18-2016)

Chicago Race Notes & Facts:
· There have been 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicagoland Speedway, one race per season since the first event in 2001.
· Joe Gibbs Racing has the most wins at Chicago in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with five: Tony Stewart (two), Kyle Busch (one), Matt Kenseth (one) and Denny Hamlin (one).
· Team Penske has the second most wins with three; followed by Richard Childress Racing and Hendrick Motorsports with two each at Chicago in the NSCS.
· Four different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Chicago. Chevrolet leads the series in wins at Chicago with eight victories; followed by Toyota with four, Dodge has two and Ford has one.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Chicagoland Speedway was the July 12, 2008 race won by Kevin Harvick over Jimmie Johnson with a MOV of 0.159 second.
· 10 out of the 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicagoland Speedway have had a Margin of Victory less than a second.
· Only one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race has resulted with a green-white-checkered finish at Chicagoland Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): 7/9/2006 (267/270).
· None of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicagoland Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions.
(NASCAR)

Final practice for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway is over after 55 minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#42-Larson 183.299
#24-Elliott 182.883
#18-Busch 182.828
#19-Edwards 182.624
#41-Busch 182.482
Best 10 consecutive lap ave (of 30 drivers): #48-Johnson 179.687mph
slowest: #30-Wise 172.911 & #32-Gase 172.883.
most laps run: #41-Busch, 57; #24-Elliott, 56.
See fastest speeds, laps run and best 10 consecutive lap ave on the Chicago Final Practice speeds page (pdf).(9-17-2016)

First Saturday practice for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway is over after 55 minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#42-Larson 185.995
#41-Busch 185.778
#22-Logano 185.211
#19-Edwards 185.198
#78-Truex, Jr 185.103
Best 10 consecutive lap ave (of 18 drivers): #4-Harvick 182.520mph
slowest: #30-Wise 173.667 & #55-Sorenson 171.135.
most laps run: #31-Newman, 47; #24-Elliott, 46.
See fastest speeds, laps run and best 10 consecutive lap ave on the Chicago Practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(9-17-2016)

NASCAR will talk to Stewart, Newman before Chicago race: NASCAR plans to talk with Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman before each driver gets on track Friday at Chicagoland Speedway to discuss their incident and comments at Richmond, Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Monday. "Certainly too late for us to do anything in terms of a reaction at track," O'Donnell said Monday."After you hear the comments from both drivers, disappointing in terms of how that played out and what was said on the air. We're going to take a look at that now that we've got some time and certainly talk to both drivers before heading into Chicago and go from there. We're still looking through everything to review the data and then have conversations with the drivers." O'Donnell explained on"The Morning Drive" how they might talk to the drivers. "Any incident like that, we'll sit each driver down prior to going on the racetrack and make sure, probably individually, that they've talked," he said. "If they haven't talked, we'll make sure they're together before any of the cars go out on the track prior to that first practice."(NBC Sports)(9-12-2016)
UPDATE: Neither Tony Stewart nor Ryan Newman felt the need to apologize for their actions Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway, but they reiterated they have put the incident behind them after spending more than 30 minutes with NASCAR officials Friday. Stewart and Newman, longtime friends, stood side-by-side for a few minutes afterward, answering reporters' questions and joking with each other in the Chicagoland Speedway garage. "We don't have to apologize to each other," Newman said. Stewart chimed right in: "You've got to remember, we've been teammates. We've known each other since long before either one of us ever got an opportunity to come to NASCAR." Newman interrupted: "I'll text you an apology later." Newman, who drove for Stewart-Haas Racing from 2009 through 2013, said he didn't regret what he said. "They're just words, right?" Newman said. "More often than not, we're men of our actions. It's just all about going out there and doing our job. We all know it can be frustrating at times, whether it's intentional or not. ... I don't have any regrets about what I said. I am frustrated by the situations and the actions that came about in respect to all of it."(ESPN.com), for comments from Stewart and Newman after Richmond, see the #31 team news page.(9-17-2016)

Jordan Anderson could run some Cup races in 2017: When Jordan Anderson straps into his Famously Hot Columbia SC #66 Chevy Friday night at the Chicagoland Speedway, it will mark a special anniversary. It was in 2015 at the Joliet, Illinois facility where the Famously Hot colors made their NASCAR debut with Anderson. Since then, that paint scheme has become a familiar one as Anderson, who is running a full-time Camping World Truck Series schedule, has Columbia, SC onboard as his primary sponsor for most of the races. Anderson is currently 19th in the truck series standings entering this weekend which was also find Jordan running in the XFinity Series event at Chicagoland. However, 2017 could be the year when Jordan's career hits another gear as he could make his debut in the Sprint Cup Series. Anderson says he has talked to a couple of teams about running a race or two in NASCAR's top series. A lot has to happen for Jordan to make that jump but the fact that preliminary talks have started is a good sign that Anderson's name is starting to carry more and more weight in all three NASCAR garages.(WLTX)(9-17-2016)

Chicago Driver Notes & Facts:
· 118 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway; 91 in more than one.
· Five drivers have competed in all 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Chicagoland Speedway; five of which are Chase Contenders: Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, and Kevin Harvick.
· Seven drivers all-time have posted their first NSCS start at Chicago; including active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Josh Wise (9/19/2011).
· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Chicago with a 7.857.
· 11 different NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have won at Chicagoland Speedway.
· Only three of the 11 Chicago NSCS winners have multiple wins; led by Tony Stewart with three (2004, 2007, 2011); followed by Kevin Harvick with two (first two series events at the speedway; 2001 and 2002) and Brad Keselowski with two (2012 and 2014).
· Kevin Harvick (2001, 2002) is the only driver to post consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins at Chicagoland Speedway.
· Kyle Busch swept the weekend at Chicagoland Speedway winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR XFINITY Series races in 2008 - the only time the feat has been accomplished at Chicago.
· Seven of the eight active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Chicagoland Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Kevin Harvick won at Chicago in his first two appearances (2001, 2002). Ryan Newman won in his second appearance (2003).
· Kurt Busch leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Chicago without visiting Victory Lane at 15.
· Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon lead the series in runner-up finishes at Chicago with three each; followed by Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards with two each.
· Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick lead the series in top-five finishes at Chicago with eight each; followed by Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon with seven each.
· Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart lead the series in top-10 finishes at Chicago with 10 each; followed by Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick with nine each.
· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at 9.286.
· Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Chicago with 577 laps led in 14 starts.
· Danica Patrick is the only female driver that has competed at Chicagoland Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series; Shawna Robinson attempted to qualify in 2001 but failed to qualify for the event.
(NASCAR)

XFINITY Entry List: There are 39 cars on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway. A few notes:
Sam Hornish will drive the RCR #2;
Mike Bliss will be in the #10;
Jeff Green in the #14;
Blake Jones is listed in the RWR #15;
Matt Tifft returns to the #18 for JGR;
Ryan Blaney will drive the #22;
The #72 is entered with a driver TBA;
Josh Berry will drive the JR Motorsports #88;
Not listed, but expected to be added: #77 & #97 Obaika Racing.(9-16-2015)
See the complete list on the Kentucky Speedway entry list page.

Erik Jones wins XFINITY race at Chicago: #20-Erik Jones won the Drive for Safety 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. It is his 6th XFINITY Series win and 4th of the year. #42-Kyle Larson finished second, followed by #1-Elliott Sadler, #19-Danel Suarez, #7-Justin Allgaier, #88-Clint Bowyer, #22-Joey Logano, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #2-Paul Menard, and #33-Brandon Jones.
Pole sitter #18-Kyle Busch lead 154 of the 200 laps, but cut a tire down while leading with 18 laps to go. He finished 12th.
There were 8 cautions for 38 laps and 22 lead changes among 11 leaders.
The average speed was 120.576mph.
Complete results are on the Chicago race results page (pdf).
(9-17-2016)

Chicago XFINITY Race Fast Facts:
Erik Jones won the 16th Annual The Drive for Safety 300, his sixth victory in 52 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his fourth victory and 16th top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his second victory and third top-10 finish in three races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Kyle Larson(i) (second) posted his third top-10 finish in six races at Chicagoland Speedway. It is his 10th top-10 finish in 2016.
Elliott Sadler (third) posted his eighth top-10 finish in 14 races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Erik Jones (first) was the highest finishing rookie.
Erik Jones will be seeded first in the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-17-2016)

XFINITY Driver standings following Chicago:
(following points reset)
1) #20-Erik Jones [4 wins], 2012
2) #1-Elliott Sadler [2 wins], 2006
3) #19-Daniel Suarez [1 win], 2003
4) #7-Justin Allgaier, 2000
5) #3-Ty Dillon, 2000
6) #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., 2000
7) #62-Brendan Gaughan, 2000
8) #48-Brennan Poole, 2000
9) #39-Ryan Sieg, 2000
10) #16-Ryan Reed, 2000
11) #33-Brandon Jones, 2000
12) #11-Blake Koch, 2000
See driver standings before Chase reseeding(pdf)
and owner standings page (pdf).(9-17-2016)

Kyle Busch on XFINITY pole at Chicago: #18-Kyle Busch won the Coors Light pole for the Drive for Safety 300 at Chicagoland Speedway with a speed of 180.735mph. #19-Daniel Suarez will start second. The rest of the top 10: #7-Justin Allgaier, #1-Elliott Sadler, #20-Erik Jones, #2-Paul Menard, #88-Clint Bowyer, #42-Kyle Larson, #22-Joey Logano, and #3-Ty Dillon.
Did Not Qualify: None.
The starting lineup is posted on the Chicago starting lineup page (pdf).(9-17-2016)

Chicago Qualifying Notes:
Kyle Busch(i) won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 16th Annual The Drive for Safety 300 with a lap of 29.878 seconds, 180.735 mph.
This is his 55th pole in 326 NASCAR XFINITY Series races - series most.
This is his seventh pole and 15th top-10 start in 2016.
This is his third pole in 13 races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Daniel Suarez (second) posted his 26th top-10 start of 2016 and his third in four races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Justin Allgaier (third) posted his third top-10 start at Chicagoland Speedway. It is his 17th in 26 races this season.
Erik Jones (fifth) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-17-2016)

Hemric to Childress in 2017: Richard Childress Racing has signed Daniel Hemric to a multi-year agreement to become a full-time driver in the NASCAR XFINITY Series beginning with the 2017 season. Hemric, now in his second full season of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition, is currently second in the championship point standings and on the Chase grid. On the strength of eight top-four and 13 top-10 finishes, he holds an average starting position of 10.9, coupled with an average finishing position of 7.9 through the first 16 races. Prior to making his NASCAR debut, the Kannapolis, North Carolina, native earned multiple championships across various Legend Car and Late Model series. He was crowned the track champion at Concord Speedway, recorded back-to-back Legend Car Pro championships (2008 and 2009), two Summer Shootout Series championships (2009 and 2012), Champion Racing Association JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour championship (2012) and the Southern Super Series championship (2013). "Daniel has proven his talent with his numerous wins and championships throughout the years," said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of RCR. "He has had an impressive start to his NASCAR career in the Camping World Truck Series, and we're thrilled to add his incredible talent to our lineup for 2017. I look forward to watching him contend for championships under the RCR banner." Hemric's sponsor, crew chief and team will be named at a later date.(Richard Childress Racing)(9-17-2016)

Jimmie Johnson Family Ticket Package available at Talladega: Jimmie Johnson will host a special Kids Question & Answer Session as part of an extraordinary Jimmie Johnson Family Ticket Package at NASCAR's Most Competitive track prior to the start of the Alabama 500 on Sunday, Oct. 23. Talladega Superspeedway's Jimmie Johnson Family Ticket Package will be in the Gadsden Grandstand for the highly anticipated Alabama 500 - the elimination race in the Round of 12 in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup where the field of title contenders will be trimmed from 12 to eight at the checkered flag. The package includes: $48 ticket(s) for adults and $24 ticket(s) for children (ages 12 and under). Families will receive 10% off of merchandise purchased at the Fanatics NASCAR Trackside Superstore located in the FanZone outside the frontstretch. In addition to the Kids Q&A session, the youngsters will participate in hands-on activities during a special learning program, led by NASA trained educators. The focus will be centered on aerodynamics, grip, speed and other key racing elements used in NASCAR. The lessons will help demonstrate the relationship between NASA and motorsports. Each kid who attends the Q&A will also receive a four-color Jimmie Johnson NASA Rockets to Racecars activity book centered on STEM education.(Talladega Superspeedway)(9-17-2016)

Friday practice for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway is over after 60 minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#48-Johnson 183.780
#19-Edwards 183.299
#11-Hamlin 182.927
#2-Keselowski 182.655
#24-Elliott 182.568
Best 10 consecutive lap ave (of 10 drivers): #48-Johnson 180.909mph
slowest: #46-Annett 174.407 & #30-Wise 171.396. No speed: #55-Sorenson.
most laps run: #24-Elliott, 48; #11-Hamlin, 44.
Notes: Rain at the track early in the afternoon forced NASCAR to cancel qualifying so that teams could get additional practice time on the track. This will be the only practice today. There will be two practices tomorrow.
See fastest speeds, laps run and best 10 consecutive lap ave on the Chicago Practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-16-2016)

Regan Smith returns to NC for birth of child; Ty Dillon subbing: Ty Dillon will drive the Tommy Baldwin Racing #7 car in Sprint Cup practice Friday and Saturday as driver Regan Smith is returning to North Carolina to be with his wife, who has gone into labor. Smith possibly could return for the race Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway.(ESPN.com)(9-16-2016)

Updated schedule: Friday's revised schedule at Chicagoland Speedway is as follows:
3:15-4:25pm/et - XFINITY practice
4:45pm/et - Truck qualifying
6:45-7:45pm/et - Cup practice
8:49pm/et - Truck Race green flag
(9-16-2016)

Qualifying canceled; Kyle Busch on Chicago pole: #18-Kyle Busch will start from the pole for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway after qualifying was canceled due to rain at the track. The field was set according to the rule book.
#2-Keselowski will start 2nd, followed by #11-Hamlin, #4-Harvick, #19-Edwards, #78-Truex, Jr., #20-Kenseth, #48-Johnson, #22-Logano, and #42-Larson.
Since the maximum of 40 cars entered the race, everyone made the race.
See the complete starting lineup on the Chicago Starting Lineup page (pdf).(9-16-2016)

Where the 2016 Sprint Cup Chase Drivers will start at Chicago:
[listed by driver points position]
1) #18-Kyle Busch, 1st
2) #2-Brad Keselowski, 2nd
3) #11-Denny Hamlin, 3rd
4) #4-Kevin Harvick, 4th
5) #19-Carl Edwards, 5th
6) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 6th
7) #20-Matt Kenseth, 7th
8) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 8th
9) #22-Joey Logano, 9th
10) #42-Kyle Larson, 10th
11) #14-Tony Stewart, 11th
12) #41-Kurt Busch, 12th
13) #34-Chris Buescher, 13th
14) #24-Chase Elliott, 14th
15) #3-Austin Dillon, 15th
16) #1-Jamie McMurray, 16th
(9-16-2016)

France comments on the Chase; Cup Series sponsorship: Thursday was Chase Media Day in Chicago, with all 16 drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup available to meet with the media and talk about their prospects for winning a championship. Also on hand in the Windy City was NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France who sat down with FOXSports.com for an exclusive one-on-one interview. A few questions:
FOXSports.com: You've tweaked the Chase format numerous times; this one appears to be a winner. Will you stick with it for another few years?
France: I can't see anything that we would change. We've got everything we want, which is the ability to win and move on -- an elimination format, which people can understand pretty easily. I would be very surprised if there's an idea that changed the Chase in any significant way.
FOXSports.com: What's been the biggest pleasant surprise of the year so far?
France: The continual adaptation to the lower downforce package. I was a little surprised by that. There were different views on that. We're all for whatever makes the racing tighter, closer and better. I think the teams have largely voiced their acceptance of that's the direction that we want to go. And the racing's been arguably better.
See more at Fox Sports.
AND: France still believes the sanctioning body is on schedule to announce an entitlement sponsor for the Cup Series some time next month. "We're on schedule give a week or two here or there," France told Motorsport.com on Thursday. As for sponsors - or sponsor - France did not offer specifics other than to say it's shaping up to be just one for the entitlement. Although Kroger appeared to be one of the frontrunners mid-summer, the likelihood of other potential partners such as PayPal and Coca-Cola have been emerged as possibilities over the last month.(Motorsport)(9-16-2016)

HScott Motorsports unsure of 2017 plans: With multiple sponsors on the way out after '16 and questions swirling about the future of his organization, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team Owner Harry Scott is only ready to say that he is "considering several options" for next season, according to a statement provided to THE DAILY. The two-car HScott Motorsports outfit, which Scott purchased and renamed from Phoenix Racing in '13, will lose the primary sponsor of its #15 Chevy, 5-Hour Energy, and driver Clint Bowyer after this season as part of a pre-set move for Bowyer to replace the retiring Tony Stewart at Stewart-Haas Racing in '17. HSM, whose other primary sponsor is Pilot Flying J, also will lose less prominent sponsors Peak and Visine after this season. Pilot Flying J's future with the team is unclear; its contract with HSM is year-to-year. HSM was not allowed to pursue renewals with Peak, Visine or 5-Hour due to the terms of its contract with Bowyer, who brought the brands to HSM from the now-defunct Michael Waltrip Racing for '16 only. Because of the outgoing sponsorship, HSM would likely need to find new sponsorship, or inject private funding, to continue on in its current form. HSM, which also has a presence in NASCAR's regional K&N Series, owns one of NASCAR's 36 charters, the #15, and has for this season leased another one, the #46 from Premium Motorsports. If HSM were to sell or lease its charter, candidates for it would likely include Furniture Row Racing. FRR has publicly stated its desire to get a charter for the #77 Toyota that it will bring to the series next year as it expands to a two-car operation. [Tuckahoe Strategies President Ramsey] Poston said HSM is currently "in no formal discussions with Furniture Row" over the possible charter sale. While generally agreed upon that it is somewhere in the seven figures, the value of charters is a still-unfolding topic of high interest to industry executives, and any sales of them over the coming months will be watched closely.(Sports Business Daily)(9-16-2016)

Newman rips Stewart after accident UPDATE: #31-Ryan Newman was involved in an accident on lap 363 at Richmond Saturday night after contact with #14-Tony Stewart:
Q: Are you okay, and why did that happen?
Newman: "Oh, I'm fine. I think it was pretty obvious watching the video. I don't even have to watch it. The No. 14 (Tony Stewart) cut across my nose into Turn 1 and I got into him after that, but he'd already chopped into me and messed up my line and I clipped him a little bit coming off of (Turn) 2; but he just cut across my nose. Going down the back straightaway there, I guess he thought he was in a Sprint Car again; did not know how to control his anger. We'll keep fighting like we always do. It's just unfortunate not to end the way we wanted to. The Caterpillar Chevrolet and Grainger and Sprint and everybody else who helps put us on. But, it's just disappointing that you've got somebody old like that, that should be retired the way he drives. It's just ridiculous."
Q: You were racing him pretty aggressively for 9th place in the turns before that. Do you think he had any reason to be ticked off at you?
Newman: "I only hit him in Turn 1 when he cut across my nose. So, I don't think there was any reason other than him just being bipolar and having anger issues. Google Tony Stewart; you'll see all kinds of things he's done. Look it up. YouTube and everything else. Quite the guy."
Q: What happened from your perspective?
Newman: "Tony Stewart ran across my nose twice in one lap. The second one cost him and me. It's unfortunate. He has got issues. We all know he's got issues. He proved it again tonight. I was clearly inside of him getting into Turn 1, he cut across my nose, I was on the brakes, on the apron and I hit him coming off of Turn 2, but only because I got loose, I was on the apron. The next thing I know he is driving across my nose on the back straightaway because he's Tony Stewart and he thinks he owns everything. It's unfortunate, but shouldn't expect anything less from him."(Chevy PR)
AND: Stewart said Newman had run across his nose early in the race and then twice again before Stewart admitted he cut across Newman but obviously didn't want to wreck himself. "How many times does he get to run into you before you say, 'You've had enough?" Stewart said. As far as the harsh comments, Stewart said Newman was in a pressure-filled situation. "It's a stressful night for him," Stewart said. "He was trying to make the Chase. It's a stressful moment. He's going to say whatever he's going to say." The two drivers had been friends. "I'd say by that he probably doesn't want to be friends right now," Stewart said. "It's up to him."(ESPN.com)(9-11-2016)
UPDATE: Stewart, speaking Thursday at the Chase media day, indicated he will have a different philosophy over the final 10 races of the season than when he turned Brian Scott at Darlington two weeks ago and cut into the nose of Ryan Newman at Richmond last week. "It doesn't matter if they do or don't," Stewart, a three-time Cup champion, said about NASCAR officials possibly watching him more. "It's time for the Chase now. It's a whole different mindset and a whole different approach each week. We've got to go out and worry about what we have to do to win a championship and not worry about the other stuff."
Will he retaliate against another driver who hits him three times, as Newman did at Richmond? "Probably not," Stewart said. "Even in this first phase [of the Chase], there's half of the field that is not even a factor in what the 16 of us are trying to do. You've got to sit there and race a little different."
While [Stewart and Newman] haven't talked, Stewart said he isn't taking Newman's comments personally. "That was a deciding factor in his season, whether he was going to make the Chase or not," he said. "We've been friends a long time, and teammates, and I respect him a lot. It's a high-pressure moment. I've been in those, too, and I've said things. Whether he meant to say it or not or whether he still believes in it or not, it's up to him. That moment is a hard moment for any of us."(ESPN.com)(9-16-2016)

Twitter handles to replace driver Names on Chase driver windshields: NASCAR drivers competing in the 2016 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will display their personal Twitter handles on their respective car windshields during the first three-race round of #TheChase, NASCAR and Twitter announced. The activation is part of an aggressive push by NASCAR to use Twitter, Vine and Periscope to elevate The Chase experience for fans during the sport's most social postseason ever. Thursday @NASCAR unveiled a new, racing-themed Twitter emoji, which will help bring #TheChase tweets to life throughout the 10-week postseason. Beginning this weekend, @NASCAR will curate Twitter Moments and share Vines and live video via Periscope all capturing the spirit, excitement and behind-the-scenes of this year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The first Chase race will also feature the Twitter bird logo, @NASCAR and #TheChase displayed as giant stencils in the infield at Chicagoland Speedway. After each round of The Chase, NASCAR will tweet action-packed digital films that feature NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers reenacting the on-track highlights and storylines.(NASCAR)(9-16-2016)

Chicago Pole Notes & Facts:
· Todd Bodine won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Chicago in 2001 with a speed of 183.717 mph.
· 11 drivers have posted Coors Light poles at Chicago, led by Jimmie Johnson with two.
· Only one of the 15 (6.7%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicago have been won from the pole - Kyle Busch in 2008.
· Only two of the 15 (13.3%) races have won from the front row starting positions - First starting position (one) and second-place (one).
· Five of the 15 (33.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Chicago have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· Five of the 15 (33.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicago have been won from a starting position outside the top 20 - most recent was Denny Hamlin (29th) last season.
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Chicago is 32nd, by Kevin Harvick in 2002.
· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Chicagoland Speedway three times - the 2008 event, 2014 event and last season's event.
(NASCAR)

Sad News - Robert and Sharon Gordon UPDATE: Detectives Thursday continued to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of a 68-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman in Orange. The bodies were discovered around 5:00pm Wednesday inside of a home located in the 1400 block of North Kennymead Street, according to police. The coroner's office has identified the victims as Robert and Sharon Gordon. The cause of their deaths remain under investigation, however, detectives said it appears to have been a murder-suicide incident. CBS2's Jasmine Viel confirmed that Robert and Sharon were the [father and step-mother] of former NASCAR driver Robby Gordon.(CBS Los Angeles)(9-15-2016)
UPDATE: Former NASCAR driver Robby Gordon fought back tears and expressed disbelief Thursday about the deaths of his father, Robert "Baja Bob" Gordon, and stepmother, whose bodies were found at home on a Southern California hillside where he grew up and developed his love of racing. "I'm so sad and I can't believe it," the racing star told reporters near the gated house where police discovered the bodies Wednesday after receiving a 911 call from a neighbor making a welfare check at the request of a relative. Robert Gordon, 68, and Sharon Gordon, 57, were found at the home along with a rifle. Known as "Baja Bob," Robert Gordon was also an accomplished off-road racer. He also owned a feed business that supplied a racetrack, residents said. Robby Gordon said he would speak about the deaths in more detail once authorities conclude their investigation.(Associated Press)(9-16-2016)
AND Police say the father of former auto racing star Robby Gordon strangled his wife before fatally shooting himself in their Southern California home.(Associated Press)(9-16-2016)

Brandon Jones paces final XFINITY practice: #33-Brandon Jones was quickest in the only XFINITY practice at Chicagoland Speedway with a speed of 177.912mph. #20-Erik Jones was second, followed by: #19-Daniel Suarez, #18-Kyle Busch, #48-Brennan Poole, #7-Justin Allgaier, #3-Ty Dillon, #88-Clint Bowyer, #42-Kyle Larson, and #11-Blake Koch. 38 drivers practiced during the session. Cars got on track earlier in the day for the first practice session but it was interrupted by rain, so NASCAR had a single practce for teams.
See complete results on the Chicago XFINITY practice speeds page (pdf).(9-16-2016)

Stewart Haas to field XFINITY team in 2017 UPDATE: Stewart-Haas Racing, the championship-winning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, will expand into the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2017. The organization will field a full-time, single-car team in the XFINITY Series with a driver and sponsor lineup to be announced prior to the conclusion of the 2016 season. The XFINITY Series team will be run from SHR's headquarters in Kannapolis, North Carolina. "In order to maintain the competitiveness that has earned SHR two championships since our debut in 2009, we needed an outlet to develop drivers and team personnel for the Sprint Cup Series," said Greg Zipadelli, vice president of competition, SHR. "People make the difference between winning and losing. An XFINITY Series team gives us added depth that will allow us to promote from within whenever necessary."
"An XFINITY Series team has always been something we would consider when the time was right, and that time is now," said Stewart, who co-owns SHR with Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation. "Staying successful in this sport means staying ahead of the curve, and having an XFINITY Series team provides an in-house driver development program and a new channel for personnel to make a positive impact with our race team."
"This is a natural progression of SHR's growth and one that allows us to be more self-sufficient," Haas said. "If you look at all the teams that are successful in Sprint Cup, they have a direct connection to the XFINITY Series where drivers, engineers, mechanics and pit crew members are developed. We're an established team with a strong infrastructure that is ready for this endeavor."(Stewart Haas Racing)(7-25-2016)
UPDATE: Stewart-Haas Racing has named Cole Custer as the driver for its NASCAR XFINITY Series team that will debut in 2017. Custer, who will turn 19 prior to the start of the 2017 season, will pilot the team's #00 entry fulltime and compete for rookie of the year honors. Haas Automation, the largest machine tool manufacturer in North America, will be the primary sponsor. "Cole Custer has accomplished a lot at a very young age and is well positioned to make the next step to the NASCAR XFINITY Series," said Greg Zipadelli, vice president of competition, SHR. "Our goal with our XFINITY Series program is to develop young talent, and that includes behind the wheel. Cole has earned this opportunity and we look forward to working with him." Custer currently competes fulltime in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.(Stewart Haas Racing)(9-16-2016)

Richmond XFINITY TV Ratings: NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Richmond earned a 0.6 final rating and 970,000 viewers on NBCSN last Friday, up 4% in viewership from last year (933K) but down 25% and 26%, respectively, from 2014 on ESPN (0.8, 1.3M). The race ranks as the second-least watched of the season, ahead of only Road America in August (932K).(Sports Media Watch)(9-16-2016)

Truck Series Entry List: There are 32 trucks on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. A few notes:
David Levine is in the #1;
The #07 is TBA;
Jennifer Jo Cobb returns to the #10;
The #11 is TBA;
Stewart Friessen will drive the #16;
Kaz Grala is in the #24;
Cody Coughlin will be in the #51;
Akinori Ogata will drive the #63;
The #71 is TBA;
The #74 is TBA.(9-24-2016)
See the complete list on the Loudon entry list page.

Kyle Busch wins Truck Series Race at Chicagoland: #18-Kyle Busch won the American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway on Friday evening.
#19-Daniel Hemric finished 2nd, followed by #13-Cameron Hayley, #4-Christopher Bell, #21-Johnny Sauter, pole sitter #23-Spencer Gallagher, #24-Grant Enfinger, #17-Timothy Peters, #29-Tyler Reddick, and #00-Cole Custer.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase drivers are: #9-William Byron, #88-Matt Crafton, #8-John Hunter Nemechek, #4-Christopher Bell, #21-Johnny Sauter, #33-Ben Kennedy, #19-Daniel Hemric, #17-Timothy Peters. Hemric and Peters got in on points. The others had at least one win.
There were 9 cautions for 40 laps and 10 lead changes among 5 leaders.
There was a 14 minute red flag with 38 laps remaining after an accident did some damage to the SAFER barrier that had to be repaired.
The average speed was 108.648mph.
Complete results are on the Chicagoland race results page (pdf).
(9-16-2016)

Chicagoland Race Fast Facts:
Kyle Busch(i) won the 8th Annual American Ethanol e15 225, his 46th victory in 133 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his second victory and third top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his fifth victory and sixth top-10 finish in six races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Daniel Hemric (second) posted his first top-10 finish in two races at Chicagoland Speedway. It is his 13th top-10 finish in 2016.
Cameron Hayley (third) posted his first top-10 finish in two races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Christopher Bell (fourth) was the highest finishing rookie.
William Byron # is seeded first in the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase.
(NASCAR Statistics)(9-16-2016)

Truck Series Driver standings following Chicagoland:
1) #9-William Byron# [5 wins], 2015
2) #88-Matt Crafton [2 wins], 2006
3) #8-John Hunter Nemechek [2 wins], 2006
4) #4-Christopher Bell# [1 win], 2003
4) #21-Johnny Sauter [1 win], 2003
5) #33-Ben Kennedy [1 win], 2003
7) #19-Daniel Hemric, 2000
8) #17-Timothy Peters, 2000
See complete standings (before the Chase reset) on the driver standings page (pdf).(9-16-2016)

Truck Series Owner Standings following Chicago: are posted (pdf).(9-16-2016)

Spencer Gallagher on Truck Series pole at Bristol: #23-Spencer Gallagher won the pole for the American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway with a speed of 176.148mph. It is his first career pole. #05-John West Townley will start second, followed by #51-Daniel Suarez, #29-Tyler Reddick, #17-Timothy Peters, #33-Ben Kennedy, #41-Ben Rhodes, #18-Kyle Busch, #9-William Byron, #19-Daniel Hemric, #11-Matt Tifft, and #4-Christopher Bell.
#17-Timothy Peters was fastest in the first round at 175.376mph.
Did Not Qualify: None.
See complete lineup on the Starting lineup (pdf) page.(9-16-2016)

Chicagoland CWTS Qualifying Notes:
Spencer Gallagher won the Keystone Light Pole Award for the 8th Annual American Ethanol e15 225 with a lap of 30.656 seconds, 176.148 mph.
This is his first pole in 51 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his first pole and fifth top-10 start in 2016.
This is his first pole in two races at Chicagoland Speedway.
John Wes Townley (second) posted his sixth top-10 start of 2016 and his first in five races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Daniel Suarez(i) (third) posted his second top-10 start at Chicagoland Speedway. It is his seventh in nine races this season.
Ben Rhodes (seventh) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-16-2016)

Qualifying Results (pdf)

Kansas offering ticket package upgrades: Kansas Speedway's October race weekend is less than 40 days away and some great options are still available for fans to experience race weekend in a new way. The Finish Line, Kansas Speedway's weekend fan hospitality, offers driver Q&A sessions, food and drink, a guided tour of the pits and garage, and more for only $225 per ticket for Oct. 15-16. Fans will also get one parking pass for every two Finish Line tickets purchased. Tickets do not include grandstand admission and fans must have a grandstand ticket or a camping wristband to purchase. Or add the VIP Package on Oct. 16 that includes a reception in the President's Suite, a guided tour of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage with former NASCAR driver Glenn Jarrett, attend the drivers meeting and more. This package is limited and doesn't include a grandstand ticket, which must be purchased separately. The Jimmie Johnson Youth Package includes one adult and one youth admission to a youth Q&A session with Jimmie Johnson on October 16th, one FanVision rental for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race day and two Special Edition Jimmie Johnson credentials for just $48. The Outback Steakhouse offer brings great racing and great food together. This package includes two tickets to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 on Oct. 16 in Turn 1 (Sections 129-171, Rows 11-13) and includes a $50 Outback Steakhouse gift card for only $199.(Kansas Speedway)(9-16-2016)

Betty Jane France splitting assets among her children: Betty Jane France evenly split her property and assets among her two children, Lesa France Kennedy and Brian France, and gave them control of her two trusts, according to her will. The widow of former NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr., Betty Jane France died Aug. 29. Her will, filed in Volusia County (Florida) court last week, is dated Nov. 4, 2004 -- the same date as the will signed by her husband, who was the son of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. and died in 2007. NASCAR, a privately held company owned by the France family with Brian France serving as chairman and CEO, traditionally does not comment on its ownership structure, and a spokesman said any impact from the will on NASCAR ownership is a private matter. Documents from past lawsuits and other public filings have indicated that Lesa France Kennedy and her uncle Jim France -- who both hold posts as NASCAR vice chairmen -- have the primary control of NASCAR. According to the 2016 ISC proxy statement, Betty Jane France owned 24.7 percent of the voting stock, which included her portion of the France Family Group's shares. (ESPN.com)(9-15-2016)

Richmond TV Ratings UPDATE: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Richmond earned a 1.5 overnight rating on NBCSN Saturday night, down 12% from last year (1.7) and down 44% from 2014 on broadcast network ABC (2.7). The 1.5 is the lowest of the season for a Sprint Cup race. Keep in mind NASCAR faced unique competition from Saturday's Virginia Tech/Tennessee college football game, which took place from the Bristol Motor Speedway racetrack (3.8). (NBC Sports / Sports Media Watch), see race-by-race TV Ratings for 2016 and a comparison chart on the 2016 TV Ratings page.(9-13-2016)
UPDATE: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Richmond earned a 1.6 final rating and 2.7 million viewers on NBCSN Saturday night, down 11% in ratings and 12% in viewership from last year (1.8, 3.1M) and down 47% and 45%, respectively, from 2014 on ABC (3.0, 4.9M). Denny Hamlin's win ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched Sprint Cup race from Richmond since at least 2001, falling below the previous marks set last year. Moreover, the 1.6 rating is tied as the lowest for any Sprint Cup race in at least eight years (excluding rainouts), matching the mark set by Kansas on Fox Sports 1 last year. Saturday's race had unusual competition from the Virginia Tech/Tennessee college football game on ABC, which took place from Bristol Motor Speedway. The so-called "Battle at Bristol" more than doubled NASCAR with 5.8 million viewers.(Sports Media Watch)(9-15-2016)

Logano to run special scheme during the Chase: In 2016 Shell, Pennzoil and Team Penske looked to celebrate their on-going alliance and Penske's 50th anniversary by doing what they have always done best together - win races and perform on track. Part of the celebration included plans to run the distinctive mosaic paint scheme on Joey Logano's #22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Chase featuring photos commemorating Team Penske's first 50 years. With 439 wins over the last 50 years, Team Penske has built a racing legacy that has set the standard for performance and success, both on and off the track. For much of that time, Shell and Pennzoil have been a technical partner and a major part of that winning heritage. In May, Shell and Penske revealed the full body mosaic paint scheme on Joey Logano's Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion for the 32nd NASCAR All-Star race. On that hot Saturday night, with Shell technology under the hood, Logano and the team once again tasted victory with his teammate Keselowski in tow for a 1-2 All-Star finish. The mosaic scheme, which features over 500 individual images of Team Penske and Shell motorsports history, found victory lane in its debut race. With much fanfare, the livery also ran at the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where team owner Roger Penske has seen so much success in his 50 year career as an owner.(Team Penske), see images of the car on the #22 team paint schemes page.(9-15-2016)

Chicago Track Notes & History:
· Construction of the Chicagoland Speedway began in August 1999.
· The first NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Chicago was July 14, 2001.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was held on July 15, 2001 - won by Kevin Harvick.
· This is the sixth season Chicagoland Speedway has been the opening race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup (2011 - 2016)
(NASCAR)

Sad News - Robert and Sharon Gordon: Detectives Thursday continued to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of a 68-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman in Orange. The bodies were discovered around 5:00pm Wednesday inside of a home located in the 1400 block of North Kennymead Street, according to police. The coroner's office has identified the victims as Robert and Sharon Gordon. The cause of their deaths remain under investigation, however, detectives said it appears to have been a murder-suicide incident. CBS2's Jasmine Viel confirmed that Robert and Sharon were the parents of former NASCAR driver Robby Gordon.(CBS Los Angeles)(9-15-2016)

Gerber Collision & Glass joins Chastain at Chicago: Gerber Collision & Glass, the nation's leading autobody repair and glass repair and replacement company, is joining JD Motorsports with Gary Keller again to sponsor driver Ross Chastain in Saturday's Drive for Safety 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Chicagoland Speedway. Chastain will be driving the JD Motorsports with Gary Keller #4 Chevrolet Saturday. Chastain, having another excellent season, is 15th in Xfinity Series points as the schedule reaches its regular-season finale. Gerber Collision & Glass has been a JD Motorsports partner for seven years.(JD Motorsports)(9-15-2016)

ZAK Products joins Clements at Chicago UPDATE: ZAK Products, the #1 Professional Maintenance Fluid of NASCAR, has partnered with Jeremy Clements Racing. One of Inc. Magazine 's "fastest growing companies in America", ZAK Products offers automotive dealers, repair shops and service centers a comprehensive premium product line of professional maintenance fluids for all major components of a vehicle. Each of their core fluid maintenance product categories has product bundles that compliment dealership service menus.(Jeremy Clements Racing)(9-14-2016)
UPDATE: Jeremy Clements and the Harrison's Workwear #51 Chevy return to Chicagoland Speedway with new marketing partner ZAK Products in tow for the Drive For Safety 300. SDD, Signs & Displays Direct returns for their third race of the season. After partnering with JCR for Talladega and Indianapolis, SDD- Signs & Displays Direct, has returned for Saturday's race. Harrison's Workwear was established in 1999, first opening in Mauldin, South Carolina. Harrison's has grown from a one brand boot and shoe store into a workwear business that carries all major brands. They pride themselves in being one of Carhartt's premiere accounts and carries the largest selection of Carhartt products in the Carolina's- at affordable prices. Joining Harrison's Workwear as associate sponsors on the 51 car this week are RepairableVehicles.com, Coca Cola of Spartanburg, Fish Camp, Robert Ianuario, Cometic and Wix.(Jeremy Clements Racing)(9-15-2016)

Hemric fastest in final Truck practice: #19-Daniel Hemric was fastest in final practice for the American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway with a speed of 176.563 mph. He was followed by #23-Spencer Gallagher, #51-Daniel Suarez, #24-Grant Enfinger, #33-Ben Kennedy, #29-Tyler Reddick, #17-Timothy Peters, #41-Ben Rhodes, #00-Cole Custer, and #05-John Wes Townley.32 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Chicagoland practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(9-15-2016)

Townley fastest in first Truck practice: #05-John Wes Townley was fastest during opening practice at Chicagoland Speedway with a speed of 175.182mph. #9-William Byron was second, followed by #88-Matt Crafton, #17-Timothy Peters, #00-Cole Custer, #11-Matt Tifft, #29-Tyler Reddick, #21-Johnny Sauter, #4-Christopher Bell and #41-Ben Rhodes. 31 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Chicagoland practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-15-2016)

MAKE to honor fallen officer: Travis Kvapil and MAKE Motorsports will honor the fallen Officer, Tim Brackeen, this Friday at Chicagoland Speedway. The #50 Chevrolet Silverado will honor the Shelby (NC) Police Department (SPD) K9 Officer on both the hood and decklid. K9 Officer Tim Brackeen was shot while attempting to serve a warrant during the early morning hours of September 10th, 2016. Brackeen succumbed to his injuries the following Monday. Brackeen was a 12-year veteran of the SPD and a friend to MAKE, Cleveland County, Shelby, and the entire law enforcement community. The #50 #TeamBrackeen Chevrolet will honor Brackeen by displaying the image that is now known to represent the support of Brackeen and his family. The deck lid will display his badge number, 763. MAKE Motorsports has contributed over 4000 #TeamBrackeen decals to fundrasing efforts for Brackeen's family. These efforts were led personally by MAKE Co-Owner, Tracy Lowe. The # 50 #TeamBrackeen Chevrolet Silverado will also feature several associate sponsors such as CorvetteParts.net, Laird Plastic, 64 Audio, Beaver Bail Bonds, Wix Filters, Zak Products, and Markanda Social Strategies.(MAKE Motorsports)(9-15-2016)

Little partners with MB for Chicagoland: Third generation driver Jesse Little is set to add his name to the long list of NASCAR drivers who have honed their skills under the watchful eye of Mike Mittler and the MB Motorsports crew. Little will slide behind the wheel of the #63 Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool Chevy Silverado for the American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway. Joining Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool and Mayhew Tools on the #63 MB Motorsports Chevy Silverado are Kipor Power Equipment, Dirty Hand Tools, MARADYNE® High Performance Fans, Champion Brands, Reikken, Excel Bottling / Ski Soda, Timken, MechanixWear and WIX Filters.(MB Motorsports)(9-15-2016)

Martinsville Ticket Office to Open on Saturdays: With the Goody's Fast Relief 500 quickly approaching, Martinsville Speedway will once again open the ticket office from 9:00am-3:00pm on Saturdays, starting this weekend. The ticket office will also be open on Sunday, October 23 from noon until 4:00pm. Fans can also stop by the track Monday through Friday between 9:00am-5:00pm. Fans have many great deals to choose from for the Goody's Fast Relief 500. Adult ticket prices for the Goody's Fast Relief 500 start at $45. Seats in the Bill France Tower are only $50. Ticket prices increase the week of the race.(Martinsville Speedway)(9-15-2016)

NASCAR looking to clarify penalties issued in Chase UPDATE: NASCAR officials are considering a plan on how they will address potential race winners and others competing in the Chase who are caught for rules violations. This season, NASCAR has unveiled several new rules - new lug nut penalties and the use of the laser inspection station in pre- and post-race inspections are among them - that could possibly come into play in racing for a championship. NASCAR officials say they want clarity for teams and fans on how these rules will be addressed when it comes to finishes in the Chase, which largely determine which of the 16 drivers advance through the three rounds and into the championship race at Homestead, Fla. The goal of the plan, which they hope will be completed this week but is not yet set in stone, will be to strike a balance between egregious issues and ensuring a team doesn't receive something akin to a "death penalty" for a small issue with no realistic impact on the finishing order. If the plan is adapted, it would be put into effect prior to the start of next weekend's Chase in the Cup series at Chicagoland Speedway but would apply to all three national series.(Motorsport)(9-11-2016)
UPDATE: NASCAR introduced rules changes for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs on Wednesday, giving competition officials the power to issue more stringent rulings on technical infractions involving post-race laser inspections and lug nuts. The developments were announced just days before the series visits Chicagoland Speedway for Sunday's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400, the opening event in the 10-race Chase playoffs. Similar changes, where applicable, will also be in place for the inaugural Chase events in NASCAR's XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series, which get underway in two weeks, at Kentucky and New Hampshire, respectively.
The changes allow NASCAR officials to strip race-winning teams of the benefits associated with a Chase victory, which include the automatic advancement into the next elimination round and any tiebreaker implications, should those teams fail the post-race lug-nut check or the post-race Laser Inspection Station (LIS) platform. Previously, lug-nut infractions have resulted in a one-race suspension and a fine for the crew chief while LIS failures have carried a point deduction in the drivers' and owners' championship points in addition to the crew chief fine.
Going into the Chase, post-race failure of the LIS platform will now be deemed a P4 level penalty if a vehicle's rear toe measurements exceed the allowed measurements on both sides. In the Sprint Cup Series, the first violation would result in an encumbered finishing position, the loss of 35 championship driver and owner points, as well as a three-race suspension and $65,000 fine for the crew chief.
In the XFINITY Series, the penalties would be the same, but the crew chief fine would be $20,000. The LIS platform is not a part of the NCWTS inspection process.
The penalties will be the same as those for an LIS infraction if a vehicle is found to have 17 or fewer lug nuts in place following the completion of the event (in Sprint Cup, XFINITY or Camping World Truck). (NASCAR.com)(9-14-2016)
UPDATE 2: Included in NASCAR's new "encumbered" finish rules that go into effect this weekend was news that crew chiefs will no longer be suspended for one race if one lug nut is missing on a wheel in post-race inspection. Scott Miller, NASCAR's senior vice president of competition, said in a teleconference that it had determined that one missing lug nut did not give a team a "serious competitive advantage." In the Sprint Cup Series, the first offense for one missing lug nut would be a P2 penalty with a $10,000 fine. The second offense would be a $20,000 fine. Now it will take two or more missing lug nuts for a crew chief to be suspended one race. If there are only 18 properly secured lug nuts, the P3 penalty will result in a one race crew chief suspension, the loss of 15 championship owner and driver points and a $20,000 fine.(NBC Sports)(9-14-2016)

Richmond penalties/warnings announced: NASCAR has announced penalties and warnings following the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway on September 10, 2016.
#78-Truex, Jr was issued a P2 penalty for violation of Sections 12.1; 20.17.3.1.2 (Failed the post-race Laser Inspection Station (LIS) measurements.) Crew chief Cole Pearn has been fined $15,000; team has been assessed with the loss of 10 championship owner and 10 championship driver points (pre-Chase points reset)
#7-Smith (1) Failed LIS three times in pre-qualifying inspection. Given a written Warning and loss of 15 minutes practice time.
#16-Biffle (2), #18-Busch (1), #22-Logano (0; penalty served in Richmond), #78-Truex, Jr. (0; penalty served in Richmond) Failed LIS twice in pre-qualifying inspection. Given written warnings.
() -- total current warnings.
See the Richmond Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf) for more.(9-14-2016)

Ragan and Gase added to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles lineup: Nickelodeon announced the final three drivers to its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles lineup in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Series races at Chicagoland Speedway. #23-David Ragan and #32-Joey Gase will join Danica Patrick, Regan Smith, Michael McDowell and Landon Cassill for an epic Turtle battle in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 on Sunday, Sept. 18, while John Hunter Nemechek will pilot a special TMNT paint scheme during the American Ethanol 225 on Friday, Sept. 16 to kick off the weekend of racing. The track will feature a weekend of action, activities and fun for the entire family with Nickelodeon and the iconic Heroes in a Half Shell. David Ragan will represent #TeamTurtle when he pilots the #23 Jewel-Osco/TMNT Leonardo Toyota Camry for BK Racing. Leonardo, "Leo", is one of the four famous Turtles adopted, raised and trained by Master Splinter and is an excellent swordsman. He adorns the hood of Ragan's car in his blue bandana while carrying his signature katana. Joey Gase, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa native, will drive the #32 TMNT Rocksteady Ford for Go FAS Racing. A part of villain Shredder's Foot Clan, Rocksteady is a mutant white Rhinoceros. The 23-year-old Gase joins #TeamFoot and becomes the final piece of the battle between good vs. evil in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400.(Nickelodeon PR), see images of the cars on the #23 team paint schemes page and #32 team paint schemes page.(9-14-2016)

Gase returns to the #32 at Chicago UPDATE: Joey Gase tweeted Monday afternoon that he will drive the #32 Ford in this weekend's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway. Sponsorship will be provided by JT Concrete. See an image of the car on the #32 team paint schemes page.(9-13-2016)
UPDATE: When Joey Gase and the #32 JT Concrete/TMNT Rocksteady team hit the track this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway they will be part of an epic battle in #TeamTurtle vs. #TeamFoot. A part of villain Shredder's Foot Clan, Rocksteady is a mutant white Rhinoceros. Gase joins #TeamFoot and becomes the final piece of the battle between good vs. evil over the course of the Teenage Mutant Turtles weekend. Joining Gase and Rocksteady this weekend on the #32 Ford Fusion will be JT Concrete, Carolina Cooker, Highway Equipment Company, Clubfoot Solutions, along with paying tribute to a young die hard Turtles fan, Preston. Preston was an amazing little boy growing up and a serious Ninja Turtles fan. He had the swords, sticks, nun chucks, masks, and even a turtle shell. He was always fighting crime. Preston also battled seizures and spent a lot of time in children's hospitals trying to get his medications right to help control the seizures. He never let the seizures slow him down. Finally, Preston and his doctors were able to get the seizures under control, and he was doing great. But on June 24th, 2016 that all changed. Preston was playing outside with some friends and was standing next to a kiddie pool. Preston suffered a serious seizure and fell face first into the pool, causing him to start drowning before anyone realized what was happening. CPR was started immediately, and Preston was taken to a hospital in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and then airlifted to a Children's Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi. After being sedated and on ventilator's doctors pronounced Preston brain dead. Preston became an organ donor that day and was a true super hero that we all should admire.(Go Fas Racing)(9-14-2016)

Dillon gets crew members from Newman as Chase begins: Richard Childress Racing made changes to the #3 pit crew for Austin Dillon this week. Jackman Adam Lewis and Rear Tire Carrier Brad Robison have transferred from the #31 team effective immediately. Lewis, originally from East New Market, Md., joined RCR at the end of 2011. Robison, a Groton, N.Y.-native, played football at SUNY Cortland as a defensive lineman prior to his career in NASCAR. Robison and Lewis join 15-year veteran Jason Pulver (Front Tire Changer), Front Tire Carrier Josh Shipplett, Rear Tire Changer Brian Bottlemy, and Fueler Tyler Rader on the #3 team which is led by crew chief Slugger Labbe.(Motorsport)(9-14-2016)

Patrick not ready to retire, but looking to the future: She's not giving up on racing any time soon but NASCAR driver #10-Danica Patrick is already eying her next move. "At this point and time it's racing but while I'm in racing, it's fun to develop relationships and plant the seed about all the other things that I love to do that will go beyond racing," Patrick tells FOXBusiness.com. The 34-year-old stock car driver says her social media accounts helped her realize her second passion-health and wellness. "You are what you eat," the avid cook added. Her Instagram is full of food pictures, ranging from the things she makes herself to promoting healthy on-the-go treats from her official sponsor, Nature's Bakery. "I don't think they [Nature's Bakery] just came about and they just worked. I think they came about because that is what I'm putting out there. That's what I'm showing that I'm interested in. Authentic is harder and harder to come by in this world and I feel very fortunate that I have partners that are very authentic too," she says. Nature's Bakery, a privately held snack and food brand, is happy about the partnership as well. Founder Dave Marson told NASCAR.com that overall sales had grown more than 50% since they entered into a partnership with Patrick and the Stewart-Haas racing team. "I was always confident that it was on an upward trajectory but I hope it exceeded their expectations," says Patrick. And she's not stopping there. Patrick is also developing a new clothing line called "Warrior," that is set to launch in January 2017, and has aspirations for a TV career. As for what's next in her racing career, Patrick says she won't quit until she wins in NASCAR.(Fox Business)(9-14-2016)

Chase Fast Facts: Chicago:
· This is the sixth year in a row the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup has opened at Chicagoland Speedway (2011 - 2016). New Hampshire was the first race of the Chase from 2004 - 2010.
· Of the 10 tracks on the Chase schedule in 2016, Chicagoland has the fewest Chase races with five.
· Four different drivers have won the Chicago Chase races - Denny Hamlin (2015), Brad Keselowski (2014, 2012), Matt Kenseth (2013) and Tony Stewart (2011).
· Three times the winner of the opening race went on to win the title - 2012, 2011, and 2004 -
o In 2004 (inaugural Chase), Kurt Busch won the opening race of the Chase at New Hampshire, and went on to win the title.
o In 2012, Brad Keselowski won the Chase race at Chicago, and went on to win the title.
o In 2011 (Race was delayed until Monday due to rain), Tony Stewart won his first race of the season at Chicago to open the Chase and then went on to set the record for wins in the Chase with five and win the title.
· The worst finish in the opening race for a driver that went on to win the title was by Jimmie Johnson in 2006 when he finished 39th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
· The worst finish in the opening Chase race at Chicago for a driver that went on to win the title was by Kyle Busch when he finished ninth last season. Eventual champions and their finish at Chicago: 2014 Kevin Harvick - fifth; 2013 Jimmie Johnson - fifth; 2012 Brad Keselowski - first; 2011 Tony Stewart - first.
· No non-Chase driver has ever won the opening race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
· Three drivers have won the pole at Chicagoland Speedway as the opening race to the Chase - Matt Kenseth (2011), Jimmie Johnson (2012) and Joey Logano (2013). The last two seasons the qualifying session have been cancelled due to weather; Kyle Busch started first in 2014 and Kevin Harvick started first in 2015.
(NASCAR)

Great Clips partners with Levi's for special scheme on #5: Next week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Kasey Kahne's ride is changing outfits. Great Clips has teamed up with Levi's to design the #5 Chevrolet SS for the Sept. 25 race. Along with the fresh paint scheme, a giveaway has been announced with a chance to win free jeans, free haircuts and a VIP race experience to meet Kahne. Fans can enter once per day at GreatJeansGreatHaircuts.comA> through Nov. 1.(Hendrick Motorsports) see images of the car on the #5 team paint schemes page.(9-14-2016)

Chicago Goodyear Tire Notes: Teams in all three NASCAR series in action at Chicagoland this week will run the same Goodyear tire set-up . . . these are two different tire codes than these teams ran at Chicagoland last year, though they have run them at other tracks this year . . . in Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck, this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires teams ran at Texas in April and June, respectively . . . Cup teams also ran this left-side tire at Dover in May . . . in Xfinity, teams ran this left-side tire earlier this season at Texas, though this is the first time they have run this right-side tire . . . like last year at Chicagoland, this right-side tire code (D-4686) employs Goodyear's multi-zone tread technology, which combines two distinct tread compounds on the same tire -- the outboard 10 inches of the tread (Traction Zone) features a compound that is designed for grip, while the inboard two inches of the tread (Endurance Zone) is toughened to enhance durability on the part of the tire sees the most heat and takes the most abuse . . . compared to what was run at Chicagoland last season, this right-side tire features a construction change, and a compound change on the outboard 10 inches to give the cars more grip . . . this left-side tire code (D-4684) features an updated construction and mold shape change, as well as a compound change for 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 Chicagoland . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.(Goodyear), for tire codes, pressures, set limites and more, see the Chicago Race Info page

LeafFilter renews with Kaulig, Koch: While the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series season is still underway, Kaulig Racing announced that LeafFilter Gutter Protection will return as the primary sponsor for Blake Koch's #11 Chevrolet Camaro in 2017, for all 33 NXS races. Currently Koch is having a career best season with Kaulig Racing in the NXS, scoring three top-10 and 14 top-15 finishes, as well as, fighting to maintain a spot in the inaugural NXS Chase. While this is the first season for the West Palm Beach, Fla. native at newly formed Kaulig Racing, the relationship between himself and LeafFilter Gutter Protection has grown over the years, and he credits their support for the opportunities he has today. With a relationship that started in 2014, the 2017 NXS season will mark the fourth year that LeafFilter will adorn Koch's ride. Transitioning from the sponsorship role to team owner in 2016, Matt Kaulig, President and owner of LeafFilter Gutter Protection, couldn't be more pleased with the success he has seen in Koch, Kaulig Racing and it's partnership with LeafFilter Gutter Protection. Looking to repeat the same success next year, Koch will once again be led by General Manager and veteran Crew Chief, Chris Rice, in the 2017 NXS season.(Kauling Racing)(9-14-2016)

Let's Talk Food sponsoring Armstrong & Allgaier: Dakoda Armstrong will sport a special paint scheme on his #28 Toyota this weekend in Chicagoland. Through a partnership with his sponsor WinField and Justin Allgaier's sponsor Brandt - both Dakoda and Justin will sport identical LetsTalkFood.com schemes. WinField and Brandt have teamed up to celebrate American agriculture and to start important conversations between our nation's food producers and consumers.(Integrity Sports Marketing), see images of the cars on the #7 team paint schemes page and #28 team paint schemes page(9-14-2016)

ZAK Products joins Clements at Chicago: ZAK Products, the #1 Professional Maintenance Fluid of NASCAR, has partnered with Jeremy Clements Racing. One of Inc. Magazine 's "fastest growing companies in America", ZAK Products offers automotive dealers, repair shops and service centers a comprehensive premium product line of professional maintenance fluids for all major components of a vehicle. Each of their core fluid maintenance product categories has product bundles that compliment dealership service menus.(Jeremy Clements Racing)(9-14-2016)

Cope announces Chicago sponsors: DCR with JP Motorsports heads to Chicagoland with many new and returning partners to the team. As a co-primary, #DCRTeam70 will have E-hydrate on the car once again. E-hydrate has the world's most advanced line of nutritional products, featuring Hydration + Energy, Protein-On-The-Go, and BCAA + Energy Gels. BSB Development are also on the car as a co-primary sponsor. An Excavation Contractor founded in 2005 serving the entire Chicagoland area, they are a great choice for any of your excavating needs. As a first time sponsor of the #70, we have Heritage Dental on the car. Heritage Dental treat both adults and children in a comfortable, caring atmosphere with the most up-to-date technology available. We are also joined by the Champagne Lodge, as we were last year in Chicago. Also on the car as a returning partner is Bella Cucina Catering. Also as a first time partner is Orchard Medical Center, S.C. As an associate, Ice-Frost is on the car.(Derrike Cope Racing)(9-14-2016)

Sieg gets Chicago sponsor: RSS Racing welcomes BaseballRacks.com and Smart Cell as primary sponsors for Ryan Sieg at Chicagoland Speedway. Additionally, Glen Bard Auto Body will be a major associate for the team. Heading into the last regular season XFINITY race of the season, Sieg holds the final spot in the XFINITY Chase standings by just 20 points. (RSS Racing)(9-14-2016)

TechLine Manufacturing joins AM for remainder of 2016, 2017 season: AM Racing is teaming up with TechLine Manufacturing, an industrial support manufacturer for the 2016 and 2017 NASCAR Season . Joining other Industrial and Construction partners such as AM Technical Solution, JB Henderson and B&D Electric, TechLine Mfg is the latest company to take advantage of the 'Commercial Representation' business model offered by AM Racing. TechLine Mfg, a company based out of Spanish Fort, Alabama, is one of the nation's leading manufacturers of tubing and instrument support systems. With over 30 years in industry, TechLine Mfg has prided themselves on Professionalism, Quality, Customer Service and Integrity. Through the remainder of the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, TechLine Mfg will be an associate partner on the #22 AM Racing Toyota Tundra. In addition, TechLine Mfg is committed to as an associate partner for the entire 2017 NCWTS season.(AM Racing)(9-14-2016)

Nemechek to run Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles paint scheme in Chicago: Nickelodeon announced the final three drivers to its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) lineup in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Series races at Chicagoland Speedway. David Ragan and Joey Gase will join Danica Patrick, Regan Smith, Michael McDowell and Landon Cassill for an epic Turtle battle in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 on Sunday, Sept. 18, while John Hunter Nemechek will pilot a special TMNT paint scheme during the American Ethanol 225 on Friday, Sept. 16 to kick off the weekend of racing. The track will feature a weekend of action, activities and fun for the entire family with Nickelodeon and the iconic Heroes in a Half Shell. So is he #TeamTurtle or #TeamFoot? Nemechek will pilot the #8 #TeamTurtle/#TeamFoot Chevrolet at Chicagoland Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. Earlier this season, Nemechek was victorious at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway, and at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, securing the 19-year-old a spot in this year's inaugural Truck Series Chase. The NEMCO Motorsports truck will feature #TeamTurtle on the driver side with the four Turtles and their sensei Master Splinter, and #TeamFoot on the passenger side with the Turtles' archenemy Shredder and his Foot Clan. This Sept. 15-18 marks the sixth consecutive year that Chicagoland Speedway will kick off the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The Nickelodeon partnership will include sponsorship of the 2017 kick off race, as well.(See an image of the truck on the #8Team Paint Schemes page)(Nickelodeon)(9-14-2016)

Black to return to truck competition in Chicago: This weekend will be a busy one for NASCAR driver Ray Black Jr., as he will be doubling the amount of racing for himself and SS Green Light Racing at Chicagoland Speedway while they compete in both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) and XFINITY Series (NXS) races. The 25-year-old driver will pilot the #07 RTFT All Star Racing League Chevrolet Silverado in the American Ethanol E15 225 Friday night before jumping into his #07 ScubaLife.com Chevrolet Camaro for the Drive for Safety 300 on Saturday. Black competed full-time in the NCWTS during the 2015 season. He recorded 11 Top-15 finishes, including a career-best fifth place result at Daytona International Speedway before finishing 11th in the championship points. During last year's NCWTS event at Chicagoland Speedway, Black finished 11th after gambling on a fuel mileage strategy.(Zerolight Communications)(9-14-2016)

Jim Cornelison to sing National Anthem at Chicago: NASCAR fans traveling to Chicagoland Speedway for the upcoming weekend will experience an abundance of amenities in addition to four days of action-packed racing. Fans of all ages will receive a fully-engaging NASCAR experience marked by the kick off for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup as the green flag flies on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400. For the fourth consecutive year, national anthem singer Jim Cornelison, who is better known as the "Gold Standard," will perform the "The Star Spangled Banner" to kick off the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Rounding out the pre-race pageantry will be a flyover from the 122nd Fighter Wing Unit for the Air National Guard which is fitting as Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016 is the 69th Anniversary of the U.S. Air Force.
Country music singer and songwriter Chase Rice will perform the pre-race concert for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400. Rice worked on a NASCAR pit crew before moving to Nashville to pursue his career in music. Rice has a special passion for NASCAR, developed first through years of attending races while following his father's racing career and through his own career experience within the sport.
Champions Park is a family-friendly area open to all race fans, which includes live entertainment, the Kids Zone featuring appearances by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a social hub providing games and prizes as well as monuments dedicated to past winners. The park is recognized as one of the most impressive fan-interactive display areas on the motorsports circuit as it provides a park-like setting right next to the grandstands where all fans can enjoy entertainment and engaging activities in a party atmosphere before and after the race.
For $75, fans can purchase a grandstand ticket and entrance to the Let's Talk Food Fan Zone. Fan Zone Pit Pass holders are able to spend pre-race in the infield meaning that they are placed in close proximity to the pre-race concert and driver introductions. They are provided access to view the drivers' red carpet walk, participate in NASCAR personality question-and-answer sessions and visit Gatorade Victory Lane prior to the races.
National Highway Traffic Safety Association administrator Dr. Mark R. Rosekind will serve as Grand Marshal of the Drive for Safety 300 on Saturday, Sept. 17. Then, on Sunday, Sept. 20, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles voice actor, Greg Cipes, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles themselves and the kids of NASCAR will serve as Grand Marshals for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400.(Chicagoland Speedway)(9-14-2016)

Sad News - Ben Byrd: Ben Byrd, a legendary, influential, and highly respected figure in the history of Knoxville sports journalism died Monday morning at the Ben Atchley Tennessee State Veteran's Home in Knoxville after an extended illness. Byrd was father of Emmett Byrd, who serves as Business Manager for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Brian Scott, Belmont NCAA men's basketball coach Rick Byrd and Kathy Byrd who is the Dean of English at Pellissippi State Community College. Mr. Byrd was surrounded by his immediate family, according to his son, Emmett. He was 91. Mr. Byrd returned home from service in World War II in 1947 to begin work as a sportswriter for the Knoxville Journal. During his career, he covered Tennessee and SEC football and basketball, the Kentucky Derby, the Masters, the U. S. Open golf tournament, the 1976 Montreal Olympics, and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He was a co-host of the "Ray Mears Show," with John Ward and Mears. He was with the Journal until the newspaper ceased operations in 1991. Mr. Byrd was also a trailblazer, one of the first sportswriters to cross over media formats by appearing regularly on television and radio. He was one of the first mainstream sportswriters in the United States to provide equal coverage of women's college basketball. Over the years, he had developed a lifelong friendship with longtime Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt.The National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association named Mr. Byrd "Tennessee Sportswriter of the Year" five times. The Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame honored him with its "Thanks for the Memories" award in July. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Joan, three children and four grandchildren. Visitation will be Wednesday at Berry Funeral Home, 3704 Chapman Highway, from 2-4 p.m., with services to follow at 4 p.m. Burial will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday at Woodlawn Cemetery, 4500 Woodlawn Pike. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Boys and Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley, 967 Irwin Street, Knoxville, 37917.(Knoxville News-Sentinel)(9-13-2016)

Blickensderfer replaces Owens as Almirola's crew chief: Richard Petty Motorsports announced more competition changes in a continued effort to improve their on-track performance. Effectively immediately, Drew Blickensderfer will take over the Crew Chief responsibilities for the #43 Ford Fusion previously held by Trent Owens. Owens will be reassigned a position within the company. Late last month, RPM leadership started an aggressive strategy to improve speed, performance and future growth of RPM. The goal is to improve on-track results from 2016 and to capitalize on the progress made in previous seasons. Blickensderfer, who most recently served as Director of Research and Development with RPM, has a proven history of winning and been a valued employee at RPM for the last four years. Blickensderfer, who brings nine years of Crew Chief experience in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, made his Crew Chief debut in 2009 at Roush Fenway Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Since that time, he worked with 13 different drivers in both series and tallied 15 wins, including a Daytona 500 win in 2009, 16 Top-Five finishes and 104 Top-10 finishes.(Richard Petty Motorsports)(9-13-2016)

Gase returns to the #32 at Chicago: Joey Gase tweeted Monday afternoon that he will drive the #32 Ford in this weekend's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway. Sponsorship will be provided by JT Concrete. See an image of the car on the #32 team paint schemes page.(9-13-2016)

Richmond TV Ratings: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Richmond earned a 1.5 overnight rating on NBCSN Saturday night, down 12% from last year (1.7) and down 44% from 2014 on broadcast network ABC (2.7). The 1.5 is the lowest of the season for a Sprint Cup race. Keep in mind NASCAR faced unique competition from Saturday's Virginia Tech/Tennessee college football game, which took place from the Bristol Motor Speedway racetrack (3.8). (NBC Sports / Sports Media Watch), see race-by-race TV Ratings for 2016 and a comparison chart on the 2016 TV Ratings page.(9-13-2016)

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Chicago:
#48 Jimmie Johnson ..... 114.1
#18 Kyle Busch ..... 106.1
#20 Matt Kenseth ..... 103.4
#14 Tony Stewart ..... 101.2
Jeff Gordon ..... 101.0
#42 Kyle Larson ..... 100.4
#4 Kevin Harvick ..... 98.7
#2 Brad Keselowski ..... 97.3
Brian Vickers ..... 91.4
#41 Kurt Busch ..... 90.1
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (16 total) among active drivers at Chicagoland Speedway.
Formula combining the following categories: Win, Finish, Top-15 Finish, Average Running Position while on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.
See an explanation how the Driver Rating is calculated at NASCAR.com.(NASCAR)

XFINITY Chase Clinch Scenarios: An 11th-place finish at Richmond allowed Roush Fenway Racing's Ryan Reed to clinch at Chase spot, leaving two spots available for clinching this weekend at Chicagoland. Erik Jones, Elliott Sadler, Daniel Suarez, Justin Allgaier, Ty Dillon, Brendan Gaughan, Brennan Poole, Brandon Jones and Darrell Wallace Jr. have also clinched Chase spots.
All of the following drivers could also automatically clinch with a win. Possible to Clinch:
" Blake Koch (0 Wins, 570 Points, 449 Points Ahead of 31st): Koch could earn a Chase berth by tallying 39 points -- achieved by finishing 2nd with no laps led, third with at least one lap led or fourth with the most laps led -- and a new winner at Chicagoland. He could also earn a berth with a repeat winner and 19 points, achieved by finishing 22nd with no laps led, 23rd with at least one lap led and 24th with the most laps led.
" Ryan Sieg (0 Wins, 567 Points, 446 Points Ahead of 31st): Sieg could clinch on points at Chicagoland with a repeat winner/Blake Koch win and 22 points, achieved by finishing 19th with no laps led, 20th with at least one lap led or 21st with most laps led. He would need some help to clinch with a new winner at Chicagoland.
" Dakoda Armstrong (0 Wins, 547 Points, 426 Points Ahead of 31st): Armstrong needs help to clinch on points.
" Jeremy Clements (0 Wins, 538 Points, 417 Points Ahead of 31st): Clements needs help to clinch on points.
The following need a win to clinch a Chase spot: Ross Chastain, Ryan Preece, Ray Black Jr., BJ McLeod, Joey Gase.(NASCAR.com)(9-13-2016)

Ellis picks up Chicago sponsor: Belly Up Beer Company of Western Springs, Illinois will join as a primary sponsor of the #25 Chevrolet of Rick Ware Racing when it competes at Chicagoland Speedway this Saturday on the NBC Network. This will be driver Ryan Ellis' 6th time this year racing with the Rick Ware team and 12th overall Xfinity race of the season. Belly Up Beer Company, based out of Western Springs, Illinois is committed to being a genuine company, simply making beer that they like to drink. A new and growing brand, Belly Up starting in a basement of a house with no "fancy brewing system", and no money has grown into a local force in brewing in the Chicagoland area. Belly Up has two signature beers that they sell locally in the Chicago area, Howling Hank and Two Toed Orange Wheat. Howling Hank is a dry hopped American IPA with dominant citrus/grapefruit aromas with a subtle hint of fresh pine. Two Toed is lightly hopped to provide balance, but the real star is the light flavor and smooth taste of the wheat malt. Additional sponsors for this weekend will include Lilly Trucking, Carport Empire, Dashub, SupportMilitary.org, Superlite Cars, Pet Paradise of Lake Norman, and the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.(Ryan Ellis Motorsports)(9-13-2016)

Entry List for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway is posted, 40 teams/drivers [for 40 spots] are listed, including: #21-Blaney*, #30-Wise*, #32-Gase, #55-Sorenson*, #88-Bowmam, #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 Chicago Entry List

NASCAR will talk to Stewart, Newman before Chicago race: NASCAR plans to talk with Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman before each driver gets on track Friday at Chicagoland Speedway to discuss their incident and comments at Richmond, Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Monday. "Certainly too late for us to do anything in terms of a reaction at track," O'Donnell said Monday."After you hear the comments from both drivers, disappointing in terms of how that played out and what was said on the air. We're going to take a look at that now that we've got some time and certainly talk to both drivers before heading into Chicago and go from there. We're still looking through everything to review the data and then have conversations with the drivers." O'Donnell explained on"The Morning Drive" how they might talk to the drivers. "Any incident like that, we'll sit each driver down prior to going on the racetrack and make sure, probably individually, that they've talked," he said. "If they haven't talked, we'll make sure they're together before any of the cars go out on the track prior to that first practice."(NBC Sports)(9-12-2016)

Ganassi's two teams in the Chase "the biggest thing ever": Chip Ganassi has accomplished many great feats in his career as owner of a myriad of teams in NASCAR, IndyCars and other top-tier racing series. But until last Saturday night, Ganassi had never before been able to claim that he put his entire two-car Sprint Cup Series stable in position to claim his first championship in NASCAR. Perhaps Ganassi himself was overstating it just a bit when he told a television reporter prior to Saturday's Federated Auto Parts 400 that getting both Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray qualified into the 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup would be "the biggest thing ever" for him. But perhaps not. After McMurray had finished seventh in Saturday's race to secure the 16th and final seed in the Chase field, the winner of Ganassi's only Daytona 500 back in 2010 explained why it means so much.
"Well, when you look at Chip's organization, he's been so successful in IndyCars, the sports cars," McMurray said. "We've won some big races in NASCAR, but the NASCAR side is really hard to keep on top, and it's that way for everybody. When you get down, it's really hard to climb your way back up. We made some changes earlier in the year as far as personnel. He moved some people around. The crew chiefs, everybody is working really well together, and they've been able to build some great cars, and he's proud of that because when you make those changes, there's no guarantee that it's going to show up on the racetrack. But it has."
Ganassi said the formula for the improvement that has come about for his two Sprint Cup teams is simple. "We have been really lucky to have some great people and that is what it's all about these days," Ganassi said. "You know everybody has all the stuff. It's on to your people. It's pit stops, it's the guys that work Monday through Friday (at the shop). It's the guys that bust their ass on the weekends here (at the track). "It's the wives of all the guys and the girlfriends and the significant others that put up with everything and get us in this spot. It's people on a team making the team bigger than themselves. That is when you have success like this. It's individuals making the team more important than themselves."(Fox Sports)(9-12-2016)

Richmond Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2016 Federated Auto Parts 400: For those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, here is the breakdown for Saturday's race. Began recording the times at the Invocation of the race at 7:30 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 11:41 PM (all times are EDT). NBCSN was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 107
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 56
Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 89
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 54
Number of 'Side-by-Side' commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 18
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 17
Number of times NBCSN utilized 'Side-by-Side' commercials during this broadcast: 4
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 7:30 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 11:41 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 251
Minutes of race broadcast: 211
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 40
Minutes of 'Side-by-Side' commercials (split-screen): 7
Number of missed restarts: 0
Number of 'mystery cautions' (debris not shown): 0
Total race brdcst time 211 Total comm. brdcst time 40
See past races, more info on the commercials with links at CawsnJaws.com.(9-12-2016)

XFINITY Entry List: There are 40 cars on the preliminary entry list for Saturday's Drive for Safety 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. A few notes:
Timmy Hill will drive the #13;
Todd Peck will be in the #15;
Kyle Busch stays in the JGR #18;
Ryan Ellis will drive the #25;
The Obaika #77 & #97 are TBA;
Clint Bowyer will drive the #88 for JR Motorsports.(9-12-2015)
See the complete list on the Chicagoland Speedway entry list page.

Tifft cleared to return to racing UPDATE: Matt Tifft, who had brain surgery just over two months ago, has been medically cleared to return to competition, NASCAR officials confirmed to Motorsport.com on Monday. Tifft, a 20-year-old student at UNC Charlotte, underwent brain surgery on July 1 to have a low-grade, benign brain tumor removed, and has been sidelined from the race track since. The tumor was discovered in a scan that Tifft had done while he was undergoing treatment for a back issue. In recent weeks, Tifft has been taking part in various on-track testing with Late Models and in simulators hoping to expedite his return. Tifft could return to action as soon as this weekend in the Camping World Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway, sources said. Tifft was originally scheduled to compete in Friday night's race with Red Horse Racing in the #11 Toyota. A final decision was expected sometime Monday. Tifft also has four races remaining this season on his original 13-race schedule in the Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing. The next scheduled race is the Sept. 24 standalone event at Kentucky Speedway.(Motorsport)
AND The Hinckley, Ohio native has been undergoing private Late Model tests, including this afternoon (Monday) at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway and in simulators to re-acclimate himself to the fundamentals of racing. Results of Monday's test could determine whether or not Tifft makes his return at Chicagoland.(Catchfence)(9-12-2016)
UPDATE: Matt Tifft, who underwent surgery for removal of a low-grade glioma in the brain in June, will return to NASCAR competition in the #11 BrainGear/Surface Sunscreen Toyota Tundra at Chicagoland Speedway. Tifft has three starts in the #11 Tundra this year, with his best finish of fifth coming at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May. BrainGear Performance Formula will be the primary sponsor on the #11 Toyota Tundra at Chicagoland Speedway. The 20-year-old rookie has one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Chicagoland Speedway in 2015, finishing in the ninth position.(Red Horse Racing)(9-12-2016)

Truck Series Entry List: There are 32 trucks on the preliminary entry list for Friday's American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway. A few notes:
Norm Benning is in the #6;
The #11 is TBA;
Kyle Busch is in the #18;
Grant Enfinger is in the #24;
Reed Sorenson is in the #49;
Jesse Little is in the #63;
Josh Berry is in the #71;
(9-12-2016)
UPDATE: Matt Tifft returns to the #11;
(9-12-2016) See the complete list on the Chicagoland entry list page.

Tifft back behind the wheel UPDATE 2: Joe Gibbs Racing product and NASCAR Next driver Matt Tifft appears to be progressing in his recovery from brain surgery to remove a tumor, posting a photo on his Twitter account Monday showing him in full gear and in the cockpit of a race car -- with the all-important thumbs-up. After jumping in a go-kart on Sunday, Tifft tested a late model at Hickory Motor Speedway. He originally had planned to test last month, but confirmed to NASCAR.com that Monday's test was his first action. The team announced in June that the 20-year-old would undergo surgery for a low-grade glioma in the brain, which he did in early July. Tifft tweeted an upbeat video following the surgery and updated his condition last month, addressing the media at Bristol Motor Speedway.(NASCAR)
AND: The 20-year-old was scheduled to run 13 NASCAR Xfinity Series races for Joe Gibbs Racing this season. Before being sidelined, he had run six of those races with a best result of eighth and a pole at Talladega. He was also running several races for Red Horse Racing in the Truck Series. In his absence, Brett Moffitt was able drive the #11 truck to his maiden CWTS victory at Michigan.(Motorsport.com)(9-6-2016)
UPDATE: Matt Tifft, who had brain surgery just over two months ago, has been medically cleared to return to competition, NASCAR officials confirmed to Motorsport.com on Monday.Tifft, a 20-year-old student at UNC Charlotte, underwent brain surgery on July 1 to have a low-grade, benign brain tumor removed, and has been sidelined from the race track since. The tumor was discovered in a scan that Tifft had done while he was undergoing treatment for a back issue. In recent weeks, Tifft has been taking part in various on-track testing with Late Models and in simulators hoping to expedite his return. Tifft could return to action as soon as this weekend in the Camping World Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway, sources said. Tifft was originally scheduled to compete in Friday night's race with Red Horse Racing in the #11 Toyota. A final decision was expected sometime Monday. Tifft also has four races remaining this season on his original 13-race schedule in the Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing. The next scheduled race is the Sept. 24 standalone event at Kentucky Speedway. Besides Chicagoland, Tifft was also originally scheduled to run Truck races for Red Horse this season at Las Vegas, Talladaega, Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix and Homestead.(Motorsport.com)(9-12-2016)
UPDATE 2: Matt Tifft, who underwent surgery for removal of a low-grade glioma in the brain in June, will return to NASCAR competition in the #11 BrainGear/Surface Sunscreen Toyota Tundra at Chicagoland Speedway. Tifft has three starts in the #11 Tundra this year, with his best finish of fifth coming at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May. BrainGear Performance Formula will be the primary sponsor on the #11 Toyota Tundra at Chicagoland Speedway. The 20-year-old rookie has one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Chicagoland Speedway in 2015, finishing in the ninth position.(Red Horse Racing)(9-12-2016)

Berry joins Contreras team for Chicagoland: Contreras Motorsports, the first Mexican-owned NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) team, is proud to announce that Josh Berry will make his series debut behind the wheel of its #71 American Club Chevrolet Silverado in the series' next race at Chicagoland Speedway.Berry, who currently competes for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) and CARS Late Model Tour, will make his first NCWTS start on the 1.5-mile Chicagoland oval. Berry is the all-time victory leader in the CARS Late Model Tour, and has a pair of top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, including a ninth-place run at Iowa Speedway earlier this season.(Contreras Motorsports)(9-12-2016)

NASCAR looking to clarify penalties issued in Chase: NASCAR officials are considering a plan on how they will address potential race winners and others competing in the Chase who are caught for rules violations. This season, NASCAR has unveiled several new rules - new lug nut penalties and the use of the laser inspection station in pre- and post-race inspections are among them - that could possibly come into play in racing for a championship. NASCAR officials say they want clarity for teams and fans on how these rules will be addressed when it comes to finishes in the Chase, which largely determine which of the 16 drivers advance through the three rounds and into the championship race at Homestead, Fla. The goal of the plan, which they hope will be completed this week but is not yet set in stone, will be to strike a balance between egregious issues and ensuring a team doesn't receive something akin to a "death penalty" for a small issue with no realistic impact on the finishing order. If the plan is adapted, it would be put into effect prior to the start of next weekend's Chase in the Cup series at Chicagoland Speedway but would apply to all three national series.(Motorsport)(9-11-2016)

Newman rips Stewart after accident: #31-Ryan Newman was involved in an accident on lap 363 at Richmond Saturday night after contact with #14-Tony Stewart:
Q: Are you okay, and why did that happen?
Newman: "Oh, I'm fine. I think it was pretty obvious watching the video. I don't even have to watch it. The No. 14 (Tony Stewart) cut across my nose into Turn 1 and I got into him after that, but he'd already chopped into me and messed up my line and I clipped him a little bit coming off of (Turn) 2; but he just cut across my nose. Going down the back straightaway there, I guess he thought he was in a Sprint Car again; did not know how to control his anger. We'll keep fighting like we always do. It's just unfortunate not to end the way we wanted to. The Caterpillar Chevrolet and Grainger and Sprint and everybody else who helps put us on. But, it's just disappointing that you've got somebody old like that, that should be retired the way he drives. It's just ridiculous."
Q: You were racing him pretty aggressively for 9th place in the turns before that. Do you think he had any reason to be ticked off at you?
Newman: "I only hit him in Turn 1 when he cut across my nose. So, I don't think there was any reason other than him just being bipolar and having anger issues. Google Tony Stewart; you'll see all kinds of things he's done. Look it up. YouTube and everything else. Quite the guy."
Q: What happened from your perspective?
Newman: "Tony Stewart ran across my nose twice in one lap. The second one cost him and me. It's unfortunate. He has got issues. We all know he's got issues. He proved it again tonight. I was clearly inside of him getting into Turn 1, he cut across my nose, I was on the brakes, on the apron and I hit him coming off of Turn 2, but only because I got loose, I was on the apron. The next thing I know he is driving across my nose on the back straightaway because he's Tony Stewart and he thinks he owns everything. It's unfortunate, but shouldn't expect anything less from him."(Chevy PR)
AND: Stewart said Newman had run across his nose early in the race and then twice again before Stewart admitted he cut across Newman but obviously didn't want to wreck himself. "How many times does he get to run into you before you say, 'You've had enough?" Stewart said. As far as the harsh comments, Stewart said Newman was in a pressure-filled situation. "It's a stressful night for him," Stewart said. "He was trying to make the Chase. It's a stressful moment. He's going to say whatever he's going to say." The two drivers had been friends. "I'd say by that he probably doesn't want to be friends right now," Stewart said. "It's up to him."(ESPN.com)(9-11-2016)

Truex, Jr. fails post-race inspection: NASCAR announced that #78-Martin Truex Jr.'s third-place car failed the Laser Inspection Station after Saturday night's race at Richmond International Raceway. Any penalty to Truex would not impact his points entering the Chase since it is considered to occur before the points are reset. NASCAR announced after Saturday's race that the cars of winner Denny Hamlin, Larson, Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle will go back to the R&D Center for regular post-race inspection there.(NBC Sports)(9-11-2016)

Qualified for the 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup(13 years/chases)
1) #18-Kyle Busch, 9th time, 4 wins
2) #2-Brad Keselowski, 5th time in Chase, 4 wins
3) #11-Denny Hamlin, 10th time, 3 wins
4) #4-Kevin Harvick, 10th time, 2 wins
5) #19-Carl Edwards, 9th time, 2 wins
6) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 4th time, 2 wins
7) #20-Matt Kenseth, 12th time, 2 wins
8) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 13th time, 2 wins
9) #22-Joey Logano, 4th time, 1 win
10) #42-Kyle Larson, 1st time, 1 win
11) #14-Stewart, 8th time, 1 win
12) #41-Kurt Busch, 10th time, 1 win
13) #34-Buescher, 1st time, 1 win
14) #24-Elliott, 1st time, 0 wins
15) #3-Dillon, 1st time, 0 wins
16) #1-Jamie McMurray, 2nd time, 0 wins
(9-11-2016)

Drivers who made the 2015 Chase, but failed to qualify in 2016:
#88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr., sitting out remainder of season
Jeff Gordon, retired last year. Not full-time this season.
#31-Ryan Newman - 16th in 2016 driver standings
#27-Paul Menard - 23rd in 2016 driver standings
#15-Clint Bowyer - 26th in 2016 driver standings
(9-11-2016)

Hamlin wins at Richmond: #11-Denny Hamlin won the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway for his 3rd win of the season, 3rd win at Richmond and 29th career win. Hamlin started from the pole and led 189 of the 407 laps. The race ended with Overtime after a late race caution.
#42-Larson finished 2nd followed by #78-Truex, Jr., #2-Keselowski, #4-Harvick, #5-Kahne, #1-McMurray, #41-Busch, #18-Busch, and #22-Logano.
The field for the 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup is now set. Drivers that made it on race wins are: #18-Busch, #2-Keselowski, #11-Hamlin, #4-Harvick, #19-Edwards, #78-Truex, Jr., #20-Kenseth, #48-Johnson, #22-Logano, #42-Larson, #14-Stewart, #41-Busch, and #34-Buescher.
Three drivers that made the Chase on points: #24-Elliott, #3-Dillon, and #1-McMurray.
There were 21 lead changes among 7 drivers and a record 16 cautions for 89 yellow flag laps. There was a red flag that lasted just over 20 minutes after a large wreck with 37 laps remaining.
The average speed was 85.778 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)
(9-10-2016)

Race Fast Facts - Richmond International Raceway:
Denny Hamlin won the 59th Annual Federated Auto Parts 400, his 29th victory in 388 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. With the victory he now holds sole possession of 25th on the all-time series wins list.
This is his third victory and 15th top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his third victory and 12th top-10 finish in 21 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Kyle Larson (second) posted his first top-10 finish in six races at Richmond International Raceway. It is his 10th top-10 finish in 2016.
Martin Truex Jr. (third) posted his seventh top-10 finish in 22 races at Richmond International Raceway. Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders Chris Buescher and Chase Elliott each earned a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, each becoming the first rookie to make the Chase since Denny Hamlin in 2006.
(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(9-10-2016)

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup CHASE Standings:
[after Richmond, race 26 of 36, 16 drivers for the Chase]
1) #18-Busch, 2012
2) #2-Keselowski, 2012
3) #11-Hamlin, 2009
4) #4-Harvick, 2006
5) #19-Edwards, 2006
6) #78-Truex, Jr., 2006
7) #20-Kenseth, 2006
8) #48-Johnson, 2006
9) #22-Logano, 2003
10) #42-Larson, 2003
11) #14-Stewart, 2003
12) #41-Busch, 2003
13) #34-Buescher, 2003
14) #24-Elliott, 2000
15) #3-Dillon, 2000
16) #1-McMurray, 2000
Drivers get 2000 plus 3 points for each win
ties broken by most 2nd, 3rd, etc
See the seeded Chase points on the Chase Points Standings page (pdf).(9-10-2016)

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Driver Points (not CHASE) Standings:
[after Richmond, race 26 of 36]
1) #4-Harvick [2 wins], 876
2) #2-Keselowski [4], 834, -42
3) #22-Logano [1], 783, -93
4) #11-Hamlin [3], 773, -103
5) #41-Busch [1], 762, -114
6) #18-Busch [4], 759, -117
7) #19-Edwards [2], 755, -121
8) #78-Truex Jr. [2], 736, -140
9) #48-Johnson [2], 686, -190
10) #24-Elliott, 681, -195
See the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings page (pdf) and
Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf)

Earnhardt Jr continues to feel better: An animated and upbeat Dale Earnhardt Jr. spoke with NASCAR on NBC analyst Steve Letarte, his friend and former crew chief, about his concussion and recovery in a candid, in-depth interview. The full version of the interview will air during Saturday's NASCAR America. The show airs at 5:00pm/et on NBCSN. "I feel better," Earnhardt told Letarte. "I've made some huge gains over the last five weeks. We've worked really, really hard to get there, and there's still a lot of work to do. I still don't feel like a regular person. The race car driver is even much further, the things that I need to tune and improve and fix are far beyond just getting where I can feel normal every day." Earnhardt also told the story about his improvement. "For a while I had the issue with my gaze stability, which means while I'm walking, riding in a car, anytime my head is moving, objects off in the distance are going to shake and bounce," he said. "For weeks and weeks it didn't improve, but we were fixing my balance. My balance was getting better and better and better. I'm calling the doctor every other day, I'm like 'Doc, my balance is getting better but my freaking eyes, man, give me some stuff to work these eyes.' He's like just be patient." Earnhardt also shares an element of his treatment that is important to his recovery.(NBC Sports)(9-10-2016)

Kenseth has new tire changer: #20-Matt Kenseth will have a new member on his pit crew for the next several weeks as longtime front tire changer John Royer is out with an injury. Royer injured his hand last week in practice and was replaced by veteran changer David Mayo at Darlington. Moving forward, Mayo seems to be the logical choice to continue changing -- and he's on the team's roster for Richmond, according to a Joe Gibbs Racing pre-race advance. Mayo spent time at Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports before coming to JGR. His previous full-time role was with the #88 team of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Royer is expected to return to the team sometime during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, according to the team.(PitTalks)(9-10-2016)

Richmond Race Notes & Facts:
· There have been 120 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway, one NSCS event from 1953 - 1958 and two races per year since 1959.
· Petty Enterprises has the most wins at Richmond in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 15; followed by Joe Gibbs Racing with 11, Hendrick Motorsports, with 10 and Richard Childress Racing with nine.
· Nine different manufacturers have won at Richmond. Chevrolet leads the series in wins at Richmond with 37 victories; followed by Ford with 31 and Toyota with nine.
· There have been two NSCS races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Richmond International Raceway: spring of 2008 (400/410) and spring of 2013 (400/406).
· Only four of the 120 races at Richmond International Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions: spring of 1962, spring of 1977, spring of 1982 and spring of 2003.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Richmond International Raceway was the (09/12/1998) race won by Jeff Burton with a MOV of 0.051 second.
(NASCAR)

Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway have been made.
With the field downsized to 40 cars, three pit stalls (4,27,43) have been eliminated, are not in play and don't count towards driving through more than three pit boxes.
Pole sitter #11-Hamlin chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #42-Larson took pit stall 5, with an opening in front of it.
#20-Kenseth, who starts 3rd took the 17th pit stall, also with an opening behind it.
The final pit stall was taken by #48-Johnson, who starts 10th.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on Jayski.com's Pit Stall Selection chart.

Hamlin wins Richmond pole: #11-Denny Hamlin won the Coors Light pole for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway with speed of 122.344mph for his 1st pole of 2016, 3rd at Richmond and 24th of his career. Hamlin has won 3 races from the pole in his career in 23 tries.
#42-Larson will start 2nd, followed by #20-Kenseth, #1-McMurray, #41-Busch, #78-Truex, Jr., #5-Kahne, #3-Dillon, #18-Busch, #48-Johnson, #88-Gordon and #22-Logano.
#41-Busch was fastest in the first round at 123.808mph and the second round at 123.338mph. He starts 5th.
41 cars were entered. The only driver to not make the race was #98-Whitt.
See round-by-round qualifying results on the Richmond qualifying results page (pdf) and the complete starting lineup on the Richmond Starting Lineup page (pdf).(9-9-2016)

Richmond International Raceway - Qualifying Fast Facts:
Denny Hamlin won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 59th Annual Federated Auto Parts 400 with a lap of 22.069 seconds, 122.344 mph.
This is his 24th pole in 388 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first pole and 24th top-10 start in 2016. Hamlin has started in the top 10 in 24 consecutive races.
This is his third pole in 21 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Kyle Larson (second) posted his sixth top-10 start of 2016 and his third in six races at Richmond International Raceway.
Matt Kenseth (third) posted his eighth top-10 start at Richmond International Raceway. It is his 16th in 26 races this season.
(NASCAR Statistics)(9-9-2016)

Second Round of Qualifying for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is over, after 10 scheduled minutes.
#41-Busch 123.338
#78-Truex, Jr. 122.962
#11-Hamlin 122.895
#42-Larson 122.845
#18-Busch 122.750
the rest of the top 12: 1 88 20 5 48 3 22;
out of the top 12 and not advancing to round 3: 19 14 31 47 2 6 4 21 23 17 43 7
(9-9-2016)

First Round of Qualifying for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is over, after 20 scheduled minutes.
#41-Busch 123.808
#5-Kahne 123.762
#18-Busch 123.604
#42-Larson 123.598
#3-Dillon 123.592
the rest of the top 24: 21 2 1 78 11 20 19 88 31 22 14 48 6 23 7 4 47 17 43;
out of the top 24 and not advancing to round 2: 93 13 95 16 10 27 34 38 15 24 44 30 46 55 83 32 98
Driver who will miss the race: #98-Whitt
(9-9-2016)

Qualifying Order for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is posted. 41 cars/drivers are listed.
The first driver to be lined up on pit road will be #32-Earnhardt.
The final driver lined up on pit road will be #44-Scott.
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 Richmond Qualifying Order Page (pdf).

Final practice for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is over after 85 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#13-Mears 120.557
#42-Larson 120.096
#78-Truex, Jr. 119.808
#1-McMurray 119.665
#14-Stewart 119.612
Best 10 consecutive lap ave (of 35 drivers): #19-Edwards 116.652mph
slowest: #15-Bowyer 115.553 & #32-Earnhardt 114.291.
most laps run: #14-Stewart, 76; #44-Scott, 73.
Notes: Qualifying is at 5:45pm/et today. Both will be on NBCSN.
See fastest speeds, laps run and best 10 consecutive lap ave on the Richmond Final Practice speeds page (pdf).(9-9-2016)

First Friday practice for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is over after 55 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#18-Busch 120.979
#78-Truex, Jr. 120.649
#11-Hamlin 120.552
#5-Kahne 120.439
#20-Kenseth 120.208
Best 10 consecutive lap ave (of 23 drivers): #18-Busch 119.781mph
slowest: #32-Earnhardt 113.746 & #98-Whitt 113.265.
most laps run: #11-Hamlin, 54; #44-Scott, 52.
Notes: Final practice is today at 12:00pm/et. Qualifying is at 5:45pm/et today. Both will be on NBCSN.
See fastest speeds, laps run and best 10 consecutive lap ave on the Richmond Practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-9-2016)

SKF debuting on the #21 at Richmond: The #21 Wood Brothers Ford Fusion, with Ryan Blaney at the wheel, will hit the track at Richmond International Speedway this weekend with a new look representing technical partner SKF, the leading global supplier of friction-reducing solutions for industrial and transportation applications. Saturday's race at Richmond marks the first of two appearances of the SKF Ford Fusion this season, the second coming at Phoenix International Raceway in November. At Richmond, the iconic #21 also will carry the colors of Motion Industries, a key distributor partner for SKF. The Motion Industries logo will adorn the hood of the SKF Fusion. Last year, SKF partnered with Blaney and the Wood Brothers in three events. In 2014, Blaney and Bullins made their first-ever Sprint Cup starts at Kansas Speedway, where Blaney finished 27th in a race that also was Bullins' first race as a Cup crew chief. SKF returned later that season to Blaney's #12 Ford Fusion at Talladega where he started fourth, led 15 laps and finished 22nd. SKF, like the Wood Brothers, has a rich racing heritage, with sponsorships at all levels of motorsports. For more than 18 years, SKF has partnered with NASCAR as both a sponsor and technical partner.(Wood Brothers Racing), see an image of the car on the #21 team paint schemes page)(9-9-2016)

Earnhardt, Jr on College GameDay Saturday: Who better than Dale Earnhardt Jr. to pick the winner of the inaugural Battle at Bristol college football game at Bristol Motor Speedway? Earnhardt Jr. will join ESPN's College GameDay broadcast live this weekend from the .533-mile Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., where he will be the celebrity guest picker for games this weekend. The last game he'll pick will be Battle at Bristol, where the 17th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers will take on the Virginia Tech Hokies on a specially constructed playing surface in the middle of the famed venue. Earnhardt Jr., recovering from a concussion sustained earlier this summer, will join GameDay host Rece Davis, former college coach Lee Corso, former players Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and David Pollack and contributor Samantha Ponder on the set. It's a place he's very familiar with, having started 33 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races there. In those starts, Earnhardt Jr. has a victory in the fall of 2004, eight top-five and 16 top-10 finishes, and finished second in the spring race there earlier this season. The 8:00pm/et game on ABC between border-state rivals should reset the record for attendance at a single college football game, too. BMS has a seating capacity of more than 150,000, far greater than the current record of 115,109 set in 2013 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich., when the Wolverines played Notre Dame. Earnhardt Jr. is the first NASCAR driver to appear as a guest picker on the long-running show, but some of the previous guests have ties to the sport. Roger Staubach, the 1963 Heisman Trophy winner out of Navy and Dallas Cowboy legend, was a co-owner of Hall of Fame Racing with former Cowboy quarterback Troy Aikman. Willie Robertson and his brother Jase, of the Duck Dynasty clan, have both appeared as guest pickers, prior to their company, Duck Commander, sponsoring NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Texas Motor Speedway, and Will Ferrell was the star of the NASCAR-themed movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.(DaleJr.com)(9-9-2016)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles featured on three more cars at Chicago: Nickelodeon announced it has added three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Drivers to its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lineup at Chicagoland Speedway. #7-Regan Smith, #95-Michael McDowell and #38-Landon Cassill will join Danica Patrick with special paint schemes of the famous Turtles and their nemeses the Foot Clan. Nickelodeon is the entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Sept. 18, dubbed the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. The track will feature a weekend of action, activities and fun for the entire family with the iconic Heroes in a Half Shell.
" Smith will be driving the #7 Nikko RC/TMNT Raphael Chevrolet for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Raphael, one of the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles raised and trained by their sensei Master Splinter, is known as the rebel of the group and wears a signature red mask.
" McDowell will also be #TeamTurtle when he hits the track in the #95 Thrivent Financial/TMNT Donatello Chevrolet. Donatello, aka Donnie, is the brains of the Turtles and will adorn the hood and right rear quarter panel of McDowell's Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing car.
" Cassill will pilot the #38 TMNT Bebop Ford for Front Row Motorsports. Bepop, a mutant Warthog, is one of the henchmen of the Turtles' archenemy Shredder and part of the criminal organization the Foot Clan - #TeamFoot.
" NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Danica Patrick has already been announced to drive the #10 April O'Neil/Nature's Bakery Chevrolet SS in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400.
Currently in its fourth season, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is seen in over 170 countries and territories and translated in 50+ languages. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles follows four mutant turtles-Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo-trained in the art of ninjutsu by their mutant rat sensei, Master Splinter, who teaches the turtles to battle evil from the New York City sewers.(Nickelodeon PR), see images of the cars on the #7 team paint schemes page, #38 team paint schemes page, and #95 team paint schemes page.(9-9-2016)

Darlington TV Ratings UPDATE: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Darlington earned a 2.6 overnight rating on NBC Sunday night, down 24% from last year (3.4) and down 19% from 2014, when the race took place on a Saturday night in May and aired on FOX (3.2). The 2.6 is the lowest for the Sprint Cup at Darlington, including the defunct 400 mile race that ended in 2004, since at least 2002. The 2.6 is also tied as the fourth-lowest for any Sprint Cup race on broadcast since at least 2004. Head-to-head, NASCAR on NBC was more-than-doubled by the competing Notre Dame/Texas college football game on ABC (7.0). Last year's race faced no such competition.(Sports Media Watch), see race-by-race TV Ratings for 2016 and a comparison chart on the 2016 TV Ratings page.(9-7-2016)
UPDATE: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Darlington earned a 2.8 final rating and 4.6 million viewers on NBC Sunday night, down 24% in ratings and 22% in viewership from last year (3.7, 5.9M) and down 22% and 23%, respectively, from 2014 - when the race took place on a Saturday night in May and aired on FOX (3.6, 6.0M). The 2.8 is also the lowest for NASCAR on Labor Day weekend since the same 2000 Southern 500.(Sports Media Watch)(9-9-2016)

Richmond Pole Notes & Facts:
· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Richmond International Raceway eight times; most recently the spring of 2016.
· Buck Baker won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Richmond in 1953 with a speed of 48.465 mph.
· 54 drivers have Coors Light poles at Richmond, led by Richard Petty and Bobby Allison with eight each. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with six.
· Eight drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Richmond. Bobby Allison holds the record for most consecutive Coors Light poles at Richmond with five (1972 - 1974).
· 23 of the 120 (19.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway have been won from the Coors Light pole. Only four active drivers have been able to accomplish the feat: Kasey Kahne (2005), Jimmie Johnson (2007), Kyle Busch (2010) and Brad Keselowski (2014).
· The pole starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners than any other starting position at Richmond (23).
· 37 of the 120 (30.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond have been won from the front row: 23 from the pole and 14 from second-place.
· 94 of the 120 (78.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Richmond International Raceway have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· 13 of the 120 (10.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Richmond International Raceway is 31st, by Clint Bowyer in the spring of 2008.
(NASCAR)

Kyle Busch wins XFINITY race at Richmond: #18-Kyle Busch won the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway. It is his 84th XFINITY Series win and 8th of the year. Busch lead 197 of the 250 laps and had a margin of victory of more than 6 seconds. #20-Erik Jones finished second, followed by #22-Brad Keselowski, #1-Elliott Sadler, #7-Justin Allgaier, #3-Ty Dillon, pole sitter #2-Austin Dillon, #19-Daniel Suarez, #88-Alex Bowman, and #48-Brennan Poole.
There were just 2 cautions for 14 laps and 3 lead changes among 3 leaders.
The average speed was 103.687mph.
Complete results are on the Richmond race results page (pdf).
(9-9-2016)

Richmond XFINITY Race Fast Facts:
Kyle Busch(i) won the 36th Annual Virginia529 College Savings 250, his 84th victory in 325 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his eighth victory and 12th top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his sixth victory and 18th top-10 finish in 21 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Erik Jones (second) posted his third top-10 finish in four races at Richmond International Raceway. It is his 15th top-10 finish in 2016.
Brad Keselowski (third) posted his ninth top-10 finish in 16 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Elliott Sadler leads the point standings by 58 points over Daniel Suarez.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-9-2016)

XFINITY Driver standings following Richmond:
[12 drivers qualify for the XFINITY Series Chase. 1 race remaining until the Chase cutoff.]
1) #1-Elliott Sadler [2 wins], 852
2) #19-Daniel Suarez [1 win], 794, -58
3) #7-Justin Allgaier, 786, -66
4) #3-Ty Dillon, 777, -75
5) #62-Brendan Gaughan, 755, -97
6) #20-Erik Jones [3 wins], 753, -99
7) #48-Brennan Poole, 736, -116
8) #33-Brandon Jones, 702, -150
9) #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., 659, -193
10) #16-Ryan Reed, 626, -226
Drivers above have clinched a Chase spot
11) #11-Blake Koch, 570, -282, +23 ahead of 13th
12) #39-Ryan Sieg, 5567, -285, +20
Currently outside the Chase:
13) #28-Dakoda Armstrong, 547, -305, -20 pts out of 12th
14) #51-Jeremy Clements, 538, -314, -29
See complete owner and driver standings on the driver standings(pdf) and owner standings page (pdf).(9-9-2016)

Austin Dillon on XFINITY pole at Richmond: #2-Austin Dillon won the Coors Light pole for the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway with a speed of 119.665mph. #88-Alex Bowman will start second. The rest of the top 10: #7-Justin Allgaier, #20-Erik Jones, #11-Blake Koch, #22-Brad Keselowski, #18-Kyle Busch, #1-Elliott Sadler, #28-Dakoda Armstrong and #19-Daniel Suarez.
Did Not Qualify: #89-Morgan Shepherd & #77 Austin Theriault.
The starting lineup is posted on the Richmond starting lineup page (pdf).(9-9-2016)

Richmond XFINITY Qualifying Notes:
Austin Dillon won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 36th Annual Virginia529 College Savings 250 with a lap of 22.563 seconds, 119.665 mph.
This is his 17th pole in 112 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his first pole and 13th top-10 start in 2016.
This is his first pole in nine races at Richmond International Raceway.
Alex Bowman (second) posted his sixth top-10 start of 2016 and his second in three races at Richmond International Raceway.
Justin Allgaier (third) posted his fifth top-10 start at Richmond International Raceway. It is his 16th in 25 races this season.
Erik Jones (fourth) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-9-2016)

Darlington XFINITY TV Ratings: NASCAR Xfinity Series racing from Darlington had a 1.0 final rating and 1.5 million viewers on NBC last Saturday, down 17% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (1.2, 1.7M) and flat and up 7%, respectively, from 2014 - when the race aired on a Friday night in April on ESPN (1.0, 1.4M). For posterity, the previous week's race from Road America had a 0.6 (-14%) and 932,000 (-6%) on NBCSN, the least-watched race of the season. Nine of the past ten Xfinity Series races have declined.(Sports Media Watch)(9-9-2016)

Harrison's Workwear sponsoring Clements: It's been almost 10 years since Harrison's Workwear sponsored Jeremy Clements, but the South Carolina retailer has returned to make their NASCAR XFINITY Series debut in the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway. Harrison's Workwear was established in 1999, first opening in Mauldin, South Carolina. Harrison's has grown from a one brand boot and shoe store into a workwear business that carries all major brands. They pride themselves in being one of Carhartt's premiere accounts and carries the largest selection of Carhartt products in the Carolina's- at affordable prices. Harrison's Workwear joins RepairableVehicles.com in support of the team this weekend. The #51 JCR Camaro will also carry a decal honoring Charlie Koon, co-founder with his son Chuck, of long time JCR supporter, All South Electric.(Jeremy Clements Racing)(9-9-2016)

Dillon paces final XFINITY practice: #3-Ty Dillon was quickest in final practice practice at Richmond International Raceway with a speed of 122.144mph. #19-Daniel Suarez was second, followed by: #11-Blake Koch, #44-JJ Yeley, #16-Ryan Reed, #33-Brandon Jones, #51-Jeremy Clements, #22-Brad Keselowski, #62-Brendan Gaughan, and #88-Alex Bowman. 42 drivers practiced during the session.
See complete results on the Richmond practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-9-2016)

Gayle to serve as Jones' crew chief: With the recent announcement of expanding to a second NASCAR Cup team in 2017, Furniture Row Racing announced that it has hired Chris Gayle as the crew chief for the team's new entry - the #77 5-hour ENERGY Toyota to be driven by Erik Jones. Gayle, a 17-time winning crew chief to date in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, joins Furniture Row Racing after a 14-year career as an engineer and crew chief with Joe Gibbs Racing. He was promoted from engineer to crew chief at JGR in 2013. Gayle's first two XFINITY seasons as crew chief were with driver Elliott Sadler. In 2015 he served as the crew chief for the #54 Toyota, working with a number of drivers after Kyle Busch was injured in the season opener at Daytona. He also has worked with multiple drivers this season on the #18 JGR Toyota. Nine of Gayle's 17 wins in the XFINITY Series have come this season - seven by Kyle Busch and one each by Denny Hamlin and Sam Hornish Jr. Gayle also served as the crew chief when Jones won the 2015 XFINITY race at Chicagoland Speedway. Gayle and his family - wife Brandi and 19-month-old daughter Cora -- will move to Denver where he will start working out of the Furniture Row Racing shop following the 2016 campaign. A native of Little Rock, Ark., Gayle attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville for two years before transferring to the University of North Carolina Charlotte, where he graduated in 2002 with a mechanical engineering degree.(Furniture Row Racing)(9-8-2016)

Harvick not happy with pit crew at Darlington UPDATE: Kevin Harvick finished 2nd Sunday night at Darlington Raceway after dominated much of the race.
On his night:
Harvick: "Our team in the garage did a great job. They brought the fastest race car to the track once again and we just didn't do a good job on pit road and gave it away."
How much did the race change and how did your car react throughout the night?
Harvick: "We started 12th and eighth and sixth and we had a great race car all night just got to thank everybody in the shop and in the garage for putting the race cars under us. We can't just continuously shoot ourselves in the foot every few pit stops."
How much in the forefront of you rmind were the pit stops on pit road tonight?
Harvick: :Oh, it's just the same old thing. You get in position where you bring a dominant car. The guys in the shop and the guys in the garage are doing a great job, and the guys on pit road are doing a terrible job. You get in a position to win races, and they continually step on their toes and don't make it happen. You're not going to win races like that. I'm really proud of the car that we brought tonight and the things that we've done on the race track, but you can only make so many excuses for pit road."
How do you get it cleaned up before the Chase starts?
Harvick: "That's a good question for (crew chief) Rodney (Childers)."
How do you balance trying to be a cheerleader?
Harvick: "I'm over being a cheerleader. Those guys get paid a lot of money to perform on pit road, and cheerleading hasn't really been working. You've got to get after it on pit road and do your job."
(Team Chevy PR)(9-5-2016)
UPDATE: Kevin Harvick will get Danica Patrick's front tire changer Eric Maycroft and front tire carrier Matt Holzbaur starting this weekend at Richmond. Harvick's former front tire changer Tim Sheets and front tire carrier Todd Drakulich will move to Patrick's pit crew.(ESPN.com)(9-8-2016)

Tire tests scheduled for Martinsville and Kansas: NASCAR has added a Goodyear tire test for both Martinsville Speedway and Kansas Speedway next month. Richard Childress Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, and Furniture Row Racing each will have a team participate in the Martinsville test Oct. 4-5. The Sprint Cup Series will then return for their second trip to the 0.526-mile short track this season Oct. 30. The Kansas test will take place Oct. 17, the Monday following the Hollywood Casino 400 there, with a team each from Stewart-Haas Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penske, and Furniture Row Racing. A rain date is scheduled for Oct. 18. Also in the bulletin, a NASCAR test will be held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in October for Xfinity Series teams. It is scheduled for Oct. 10 with the rain date Oct. 11.(NBC Sports)(9-8-2016)

Biffle & McMurray to make 500th Career Sprint Cup Starts: #16-Greg Biffle will make his 500th career Sprint Cup start this Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway. Biffle made his Sprint Cup debut in 2002 at California driving for Jack Roush. Over his 15 years in the series he has earned 19 wins, 92 top-five and 175 top 10 finishes. Biffle will celebrate this milestone with his friend, and former teammate, Jamie McMurray. The last time two drivers hit their 500th start at the same time was in 1995 with Dale Earnhardt and Terry Labonte at Watkins Glen. Only 37 drivers have hit the 500 start mark in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and on Saturday night that number will move up to 39 with the addition of Biffle and McMurray. In all three NASCAR Series Biffle has a total of 824 starts. Saturday evening at Richmond will be his 825th start and will tie him with Sterling Marlin for 21st on the all-tire NASCAR National Series combined start list. Biffle will become only the second driver to make his 500th Sprint Cup start at Roush Fenway Racing, joining Mark Martin who made his 500th start in March of 2002. All but six of Biffle's 499 starts have been in a Roush Fenway Ford.(Roush Fenway Racing)(9-8-2016)

Richmond Driver Notes & Facts:
· 489 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond; 320 in more than one.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Richmond with 63. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 46 starts; followed by Tony Stewart with 34.
· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Richmond International Raceway with an 8.304.
· 50 different drivers have won at Richmond International Raceway, led by Richard Petty with 13. Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in wins at RIR with four; all of which were spring races.
· Eight drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have posted consecutive wins at Richmond International Raceway. Richard Petty leads the series in consecutive wins at Richmond after posting seven consecutive wins from the fall of 1970 - 1973. Jimmie Johnson (2007 sweep) is the only active driver with consecutive wins at Richmond.
· All of the active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Richmond International Raceway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart won at Richmond in their second appearance.
· Greg Biffle leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Richmond without visiting Victory Lane at 28.
· Bobby Allison and Richard Petty are tied for the lead in runner-up finishes at Richmond with nine each. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with eight.
· Richard Petty leads the series in top-five finishes at Richmond with 34; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 18.
· Richard Petty leads the series in top-10 finishes at Richmond with 41. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 30.
· Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Richmond International Raceway with a 6.864.
· Two female drivers have competed at Richmond in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Danica Patrick and Janet Guthrie.
(NASCAR)

Brenner named President at Michigan: International Speedway Corporation announced that it has named Rick Brenner as President of Michigan International Speedway effective Monday, September 19 . Brenner accepts the role, making a move from Minor League Baseball (MiLB) to motorsports. Brenner most recently served as President of DSF Sports and Entertainment for over 10 years, the company that owns the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. In that role, Brenner managed all facets of the multi-unit business as well as leading the design and construction of the Bowling Green Ballpark. Prior to DSF, Brenner spent six of his 11 years with the Trenton Thunder as Chief Operating Officer and General Manager. Brenner earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Plymouth State University in Plymouth, New Hampshire.(MIS)(9-8-2016)

Texas to give away Tony Stewart bobbleheads: While bobblehead giveaways of star athletes may be commonplace at other professional sports facilities, the promotion is a rarity at motorsports venues. So it is fitting that in honor of three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart's final season, Texas Motor Speedway will distribute a limited-edition bobblehead of the racing star to the first 30,000 fans attending the AAA Texas 500 on Sunday, Nov. 6. The bobblehead, presented by State Waterheaters and created by Colleyville's TAT Company, features Stewart's likeness with his trademark facial scruff and familiar Mobil 1 firesuit as he hoists a checkered flag inside Texas Motor Speedway. The bobblehead is part of "Tony Stewart's Last Ride at Texas Motor Speedway" weekend, where the speedway and Stewart fans will salute him as he makes his final NASCAR Sprint Cup start at Texas Motor Speedway. The bobbleheads will be distributed in Texas Motor Speedway's Fan Zone beginning at 8:00am/ct on race day. Fans must show their individual AAA Texas 500 race ticket in order to receive a bobblehead. The promotion will limit one bobblehead per individual.(Texas Motor Speedway)(9-8-2016)

Childress will not appeal penalty: Statement from Richard Childress Racing Regarding NASCAR Penalty Issued to the #31 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Team:
"We do not plan to appeal the penalty issued today to the #31 team. Our rear toe settings were well within specs during pre-race inspection. The car made contact with the outside wall during the race and there was clear damage to the right rear fender and tire. NASCAR has told us that the LIS standard is clear and the car must pass post-race inspection even if damage has been sustained."(Richard Childress Racing)(9-7-2016)

Darlington penalties/warnings announced: NASCAR has announced penalties and warnings following the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 4, 2016.
#31-Newman failed post-race inspection. He was issued a P3 penalty for violation of sections 12.1; 20.17.3.1.2 - Failed the post-race Laser Inspection Station measurements. Crew chief Luke Lambert has been fined $25,000; team has been assessed with the loss of 15 championship owner and 15 championship driver points.
#42-Larson failed post-race inspection. He was issued a P2 penalty for violation of Sections 12.1; 20.17.3.1.2; 12.5.3.3.3 - Failed the post-race Laser Inspection Station measurements. Crew chief Chad Johnston has been fined $22,500; team has been assessed with the loss of 15 championship owner and 15 championship driver points.
#21-Ryan Blaney was given a P1 penalty for violation of Sections 12.1; 12.5.3.2.1; 20.2.1.1 - Improper driver protective clothing/equipment. Blaney has been fined $1,000.
#2-Keselowski (4), #19-Edwards (2). Failed LIS three times in pre-race inspection. Given a written warning and loss of 15 minutes of practice time.
#22-Logano (3), #32-Earnhardt (3). Failed LIS twice in pre-race inspection. Given a written warning.
#14-Stewart (4), Failed template inspection twice in pre-race inspection. Given a written Warning.
() -- total current warnings.
See the Darlington Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf) for more.(9-7-2016)

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

Death Wish Coffee sponsoring Ty Dillon at Dover: Death Wish Coffee, "The World's Strongest Coffee," will serve as primary sponsor of Ty Dillon for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway on Oct. 2, 2016. Death Wish Coffee, a privately-owned coffee manufacturer and distributor based in Albany, New York, will be featured on the #95 Chevrolet SS Circle Sport/Leavine Family Racing entry. The partnership marks Death Wish Coffee's first NASCAR sponsorship. Founded by Mike Brown in 2012, Death Wish Coffee was engineered in Brown's small coffee shop in Saratoga Springs, New York, after customers asked for a stronger, bolder brewed coffee. Death Wish's sales took off earlier this year when they won Intuit Quickbooks' Small Business Big Game Competition, beating out 15,000 small businesses to win a fully-funded 30-second commercial spot in the 2016 Super Bowl broadcast.(Richard Childress Racing), see an image of the car on the #95 team paint schemes page.(9-7-2016)

Red Cross featured on the #24 at Richmond: #24-Chase Elliott will pilot an American Red Cross-themed paint scheme for this weekend's event at Richmond International Raceway in an effort to encourage race fans to roll up their sleeves and give blood. The American Red Cross and 3M are entering their ninth year of the "Red Cross Racing" partnership. The goal is to increase visibility and promote the ongoing need for blood and platelet donations coming off of the critical summer months - a historically difficult time for donations. The design features vintage elements of the Red Cross brand to remind fans and donors of the long history of the Red Cross Blood Services program. Just one blood donation could help save up to three lives. To donate, visit redcrossblood.orgA> or download the Red Cross Blood Donor app. (Hendrick MotorsportsA>), see images of the car on the #24 team paint schemes page.(9-7-2016)

Darlington TV Ratings: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Darlington earned a 2.6 overnight rating on NBC Sunday night, down 24% from last year (3.4) and down 19% from 2014, when the race took place on a Saturday night in May and aired on FOX (3.2). The 2.6 is the lowest for the Sprint Cup at Darlington, including the defunct 400 mile race that ended in 2004, since at least 2002. The 2.6 is also tied as the fourth-lowest for any Sprint Cup race on broadcast since at least 2004. Head-to-head, NASCAR on NBC was more-than-doubled by the competing Notre Dame/Texas college football game on ABC (7.0). Last year's race faced no such competition.(Sports Media Watch), see race-by-race TV Ratings for 2016 and a comparison chart on the 2016 TV Ratings page.(9-7-2016)

Mars renews as Official Chocolate of NASCAR: In the midst of a year-long celebration of the 75th anniversary of the iconic M&M'S Brand, NASCAR, and Mars Chocolate North America announced a renewed agreement that will extend their Official Partnership through 2019. As part of the renewed relationship, Mars Chocolate will continue its designation as the Official Chocolate of NASCAR, ensuring its various brands remain a race day staple for millions of fans. Since entering NASCAR as a team sponsor more than 25 years ago, Mars Chocolate has steadily increased its level of participation in the sport. In 2000, the company expanded its sponsorship by becoming the "Official Chocolate of NASCAR," emphasizing to fans its dedication to the sport. In the spirit of thanking its loyal NASCAR fans, M&M'S will celebrate race fans during Richmond International Raceway's inaugural Fan Appreciation Weekend. To help honor its 75th Anniversary, the brand will roll out the red carpet and give fans a VIP welcome at the Front Stretch Gate on Saturday. As the Official Chocolate of NASCAR, Mars Chocolate encourages fans to "Celebrate Race Day with M." The campaign reminds fans to include irresistible and colorful chocolate in their race day rituals. Many of Mars' most iconic brands belong to the category, including M&M'S, and SNICKERS. Additionally, Mars/Wrigley and Petcare iconic brands are also included, such as SKITTLES and PEDIGREE.(NASCAR)(9-7-2016)

Larson explains loyalty to Ganassi: The NASCAR courtship of Kyle Larson mostly came down to cash. Because the driver didn't have any to offer, choosing a team was an easy decision. "I got to come down to Charlotte and meet with a lot of team owners and stuff, and every single one of them was like, 'Oh yeah, we'd love to do something with you, but we need a half-million dollars,' " Larson said on this week's NASCAR on NBC podcast. "I earned all my rides. I didn't bring money to any ride." During the new podcast episode, which will be released early Wednesday morning, Larson explains the yearlong process that led to signing with Chip Ganassi Racing after meeting with several teams in the Sprint Cup Series during the 2011 season in which he became a breakout star in USAC. Aside from Ganassi, virtually every team either asked Larson to bring sponsorship or couldn't guarantee him a long-term plan to reach Cup.
"If anyone knows Chip, all of his conversations, at least with me and most people, are really short," said Larson, who also offers a brief impersonation of his team owner during the podcast. "Within the first minute probably of talking to him, he was 'Oh yeah, how do we sign you up?' So I was like, 'Well, this is awesome. He's the only guy who didn't mention a thing about any money.'
"I definitely have to be loyal to him for giving me a shot and taking a big chance on me. It was a huge gamble for this team and Target on a 19-year-old kid from California."NBC Sports)(9-7-2016)

Richmond Goodyear Tire Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series will run the same Goodyear tire codes at Richmond this week . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires these teams ran at Richmond in April . . . this is the only track at which teams in these two series will run these tire codes (Camping World Truck Teams ran this same tire set-up at Gateway in June) . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, teams will not run liners in their tires at Richmond.(Goodyear), for tire codes, pressures, set limites and more, see the Richmond Race Info page

Sad News - Garth Finley: Garth Alan Finley, age 46, was born in Albuquerque, NM on August 5, 1970 and died unexpectedly Wednesday, August 10, 2016. He graduated from Manzano H. S. in 1988, then attended Texas Tech University where he graduated with honors in Mechanical Engineering in 1992. He furthered his education at University of Wyoming where he received his Master's degree in Composite Materials Engineering in 1995. He pursued a career in racing and started his dream job in NASCAR. He worked 10 years for several teams as track side engineer/crew chief and was currently working as a WEB designer. Garth loved all forms of racing and grew up driving go carts, BMX bikes, and radio control cars. He was an outstanding pistol marksman, setting two Junior International records. He also had a love for fishing, skiing and was a loyal Pittsburg Steelers fan. The family has requested in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to Albuquerque Christian Children's Home, 5700 Winter Haven Rd NW, 87120.(Albuquerque Journal)(9-7-2016)

Three XFINITY Chase spots still open: With nine drivers locked into the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase [Erik Jones, Elliott Sadler, Daniel Suárez, Justin Allgaier, Ty Dillon, Brendan Gaughan, Brennan Poole, Brendan Jones and Darrell Wallace Jr.], three spots remain up for grabs. Ryan Reed, Blake Koch and Ryan Sieg are currently inside the Chase bubble, but anything can happen these next two races.
Of the three drivers inside the top 12 still looking to lock up a Chase spot, Roush Fenway Racing's Ryan Reed has the largest cushion of points (+74) ahead of the Chase cutoff. Without any big mistakes, all indications are pointing to Reed making the Chase. Reed has seven starts at Richmond where he's posted an average finish of 14.0, including an 11th-place showing at RIR earlier this season.
Kaulig Racing's Blake Koch is currently on the Chase Grid, sitting 22 points ahead of 13th-place Dakoda Armstrong heading into Richmond. Koch has made 10 starts at Richmond, posting an average finish of 26.5. Koch registered one his best finishes of the season at RIR back in April when he finished in the top 10 (eighth).
The driver in the hottest water these next two weeks is RSS Racing driver Ryan Sieg. Sieg is currently 18 points ahead of 13th-place Dakoda Armstrong. Sieg has made five starts at Richmond, posting an average finish of 23.6.(NASCAR)(9-7-2016)

Darlington warning announced: NASCAR has announced penalties and warnings following the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway on September 3, 2016.
#01-Preece (2). Failed Laser inspection twice in pre-race and was given a written Warning.
() -- total current warnings.
See the Darlington Post-Event Penalty & Warning Report (pdf) for more.(9-7-2016)

Derrike Cope announces Richmond sponsors: DCR with JP Motorsports is joined by many new and returning sponsors for the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Richmond International Raceway. Acredale Vending will be aboard the #70 for this weekend's race. Owned by Scott Abshire, Acredale Vending has been providing full service vending and sales for over 32 years. #DCRTeam70 welcomes our newest partner, The C and K Brokerage Company. They are a fresh pork meat supplier in Windsor, VA, in close proximity to the Richmond International Raceway. Supplying the finest pork products in the area. Returning to DCR will be E-hydrate. E-hydrate is the world's first line of all natural nutritional products that cater to all ages. Also joining the team for this weekend's event is Aloha Cafe & Catering. Richmond's only authentic luau style Hawaiian Restaurant, you can find them at 219-D East Clay Street, Richmond, VA. Stakes Body Shop, of Norfolk VA, will return to Richmond as an associate sponsor for DCR. Father and son operated, Stakes specializes in classic automobile restoration. Joining the team as an associate will be Ice-Frost.(Derrike Cope Racing)(9-7-2016)

Entry List for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is posted, 41 teams/drivers [for 40 spots] are listed, including: #21-Blaney*, #30-Wise*, #32-Earnhardt, #55-Sorenson*, #83-Lupton, #88-Gordon, #93-Dibenedetto, #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, #93-Dibenedetto, #98-Whitt
Driver who would miss the race if qualifying is canceled (least race attempts, then owners pts): #93-DiBenedetto.
* Open Team (no Charter)
See the full entry list on Jayski.com's Richmond Entry List

Chase Clinch Scenarios for Richmond: Possible to Clinch [updated after Newman penalty]:
#34-Chris Buescher (1 Win, 358 Points, +11 Points Ahead of 31st) - Would Clinch a Top 30 spot on his own with 34 Points (7th and no laps led, 8th and led at least one lap, 9th and led most laps), which would clinch him a spot in the Chase.
#24-Chase Elliott (0 Wins, 659 Points, +312 Points Ahead of 31st) - Would clinch on points with 24 Points (17th and no laps led, 18th and led at least one lap, 19th and led most laps), if there is a new winner. If there is a repeat winner (or a new winner and Chris Buescher falls out of the Top 30) and 2 Points (39th and no laps led, 40th and led at least one lap). If there is a repeat winner and Chris Buescher falls out of the Top 30, he clinches on points, regardless of finish. With a win, he would clinch a Chase spot on wins.
#3-Austin Dillon (0 Wins, 651 Points, +304 Points Ahead of 31st) - Would clinch on Points with 33 Points (8th and no laps led, 9th and led at least one lap, 10th and led most laps) and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner (or win by Chase Elliott or a new winner and Chris Buescher falls out of the Top 30) and Dillon would clinch with 11 Points (30th and no laps led, 31st and led at least one lap, 32nd and led most laps). If there is a repeat winner and Chris Buescher falls out of the Top 30, he would clinch on points regardless of finish. With a win, they would clinch a Chase spot on wins.
#1-Jamie McMurray (0 Wins, 642 Points, +295 Points Ahead of 31st) - Would clinch on points with a repeat winner (or win by Chase Elliott or Austin Dillon or a new winner and Chris Buescher falls out of the Top 30) and 20 points (21st and no laps led, 22nd and led at least one lap, 23rd and led most laps). If there is a repeat winner and Chris Buescher falls out of the Top 30, McMurray would clinch on points, regardless of finish. With a win, he would clinch a Chase spot on wins. Could clinch on points with a new winner and help (cannot lose more than six points to Newman as Newman would hold the tie-breaker).
#31-Ryan Newman (0 Wins, 620 Points, +273 Points Ahead of 31st) - With a win, he would clinch a Chase spot on wins. Could clinch on Points with help (would need to outpoint two of the following if there is a new winner, or one of the following if there is a repeat winner (or win by one of these drivers), McMurray by 22 or more points, Dillon by 32 or more points, Elliott by 40 or more points). If there is a repeat winner (or win by Elliott, Dillon, McMurray) and Chris Buescher falls out of the Top 30, he would need 20 points (21st and no laps led, 22nd and led at least one lap, 23rd and led most laps) to clinch on points.
#5-Kasey Kahne (0 Wins, 598 Points, +251 Points Ahead of 31st) - With a win, Kahne would clinch a Chase spot on wins. Could clinch on points with a repeat winner (or win by Elliott, Dillon or McMurray) and Chris Buescher falling outside of the Top 30 and help (would need to outpoint Newman by 22 or 23 points, depending on tie-breaker).
The following need a win to clinch a Chase spot on wins: #21-Ryan Blaney, #47-AJ Allmendinger, #6-Trevor Bayne, #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr., #27-Paul Menard, #16-Greg Biffle, #10-Danica Patrick, #43-Aric Almirola, #15-Clint Bowyer, #13-Casey Mears, #38-Landon Cassill.
#34-David Ragan and #7-Regan Smith need a win and help (to get inside the Top 30) in order to make the Chase.(NASCAR)(9-6/7-2016)

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Richmond:
#18-Kyle Busch ..... 111.1
#4-Kevin Harvick ..... 110.6
#11-Denny Hamlin ..... 108.5
#88-Jeff Gordon ..... 99.3
#15-Clint Bowyer ..... 95.7
#41-Kurt Busch ..... 94.7
#2-Brad Keselowski ..... 93.8
#48-Jimmie Johnson ..... 91.3
#19-Carl Edwards ..... 90.7
#31-Ryan Newman ..... 90.5
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2016 races (23 total) among active drivers at Richmond International Raceway.
Formula combining the following categories: Win, Finish, Top-15 Finish, Average Running Position while on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.
See an explanation how the Driver Rating is calculated at NASCAR.com.(NASCAR)

Lap Leaders after 25 races:
1) #18-Kyle Busch 1,244
2) #4-Kevin Harvick 1,211
3) #78-Martin Truex Jr. 1,041
4) #19-Carl Edwards 742
5) #20-Matt Kenseth 487
6) #2-Brad Keselowski 442
7) #22-Joey Logano 389
8) #48-Jimmie Johnson 266
9) #41-Kurt Busch 234
10) #42-Kyle Larson 226
35 drivers have led a lap.
6,968 laps raced this season through September 4.

Clint King making XFINITY debut at Richmond: MHI (Material Handling Institute) 2016 "Face of Supply Chain" top-three national finalist Clint King takes his marketing platform and trademark mission "Speed -Precision - Supply Chain" to the NASCAR XFINITY Series where he'll make his national series debut in Friday night's Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway. Through the backing of J&L Wire, King will drive the #15 B.J. McLeod Motorsports Ford Mustang in the 25th race of the season. With the backing, King will have the opportunity to use NASCAR as a recruiting avenue for the Supply Chain & Logistics Industry. "There is no other stage larger than NASCAR that provides us with an opportunity to promote our awareness platform," says King. King is currently working with a leading trade association in an effort to get more companies involved with this national campaign and plans to use Friday night's NASCAR XFINITY Series race, as well as potentially other races as the catalyst for this message.(McLeod Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #15 team paint schemes page.(9-6-2016)

Brandon Hightower to pilot the #13 at Richmond: Brandon Hightower will be behind the wheel of the #13 Dodge Friday night under the lights at Richmond International Raceway driving in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Carl Long Motorsports. No stranger to racing, the Natchitoches, Louisiana native has been behind the wheel since age 14 running IMCA Southern Sport Mods, Super Dirt Late Models, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and now adding NASCAR Xfinity Series to the list. 18 year old Brandon states, "It's a dream come true to race in my first NASCAR Xfinity race at Richmond International Raceway. I wouldn't be here without the support of David Starr and I can't thank Carl Long enough for giving me the opportunity and believing in me."(David Starr PR)(9-6-2016)

XFINITY Entry List: There are 43 cars on the preliminary entry list for Friday's Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway. A few notes:
Hermie Sadler returns to the TriStar #14;
Brandon Hightower will make his series debut in the MBM #13;
Clint King will drive the RWR #15;
Kyle Busch is back in the #18;
Chris Cockrum will drive the #25;
Gray Gaulding makes his second start in the Roush #60;
ALex Bowman will drive the #88 for JR Motorsports;
The Obaika #77 & #97 are TBA;
Jeb Burton returns to the #98.(9-6-2015)
See the complete list on the Richmond International Raceway entry list page.

Ticket Galaxy sponsoring Phoenix XFINITY race: Phoenix International Raceway announced Ticket Galaxy as the title sponsor of the track's upcoming November NASCAR XFINITY Series race and as PIR's official secondary market ticket provider. The Ticket Galaxy 200 will serve as the semifinal race in the Chase for NASCAR XFINITY Series title and air on NBC Sports Network in primetime on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 5:30 p.m. local time). Through a multi-year agreement, Ticket Galaxy will also become the official secondary market ticket partner of Phoenix International Raceway, as well as Auto Club Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway and Michigan International Speedway. The Connecticut-based company established in 1988 adds motorsports to their sports sponsorship profile that includes some of the top teams and venues in the country. With the fall race weekend at PIR traditionally in high demand, fans will now have the added opportunity of purchasing their race tickets through a trusted resource and an official secondary market partner that offers superior customer service and instantly downloadable tickets.(PIR)(9-6-2016)

Illinois Treasurer's I-Cash program sponsoring Chicago pole day: Chicagoland Speedway announced that the Illinois Treasurer's I-Cash program will return as the sponsor for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole qualifying on Friday, Sept. 16. I-Cash Pole Qualifying features a series of three knockout rounds of qualifying with Sprint Cup drivers battling to start on the front row in the first race for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Four days of racing action at Chicagoland Speedway will start on Thursday, Sept. 15 with I-Cash Pole Qualifying taking place on Friday followed by the American Ethanol e15 225 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series under the lights. In Illinois, the state treasurer is the custodian of unclaimed property, such as life insurance benefits, old bank accounts and unused rebate cards. The Treasurer's Office is currently safeguarding 2.5 billion dollars of unclaimed money, 28 million shares of stock, and the contents of thousands of safe deposit boxes. Frerichs' office never charges money to search the database or return unclaimed property.(Chicagoland Speedway)(9-6-2016)

Newman, Larson fail postrace inspection: #31-Ryan Newman, who sits seven points behind #1-Jamie McMurray for the final provisional spot in the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup, could find himself more points down when the regular-season finale goes green Saturday night at Richmond. The eighth-place car of Newman and the third-place car of #42-Kyle Larson both failed postrace measurements following the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. NASCAR has typically penalized teams 10 to 15 points for failing the inspection station that measures tire camber, axle housing, alignment, rocker panels and the main frame rail. NASCAR won't specify where exactly they failed until they announce penalties. Penalties are typically announced Wednesday, but with this being the final week of the regular season, it could announce a penalty Tuesday to give more opportunity for any possible appeals. The Richard Childress Racing team of Newman was penalized 10 points earlier this year for illegal brackets. NASCAR could escalate the penalty from Darlington because of the previous infraction.(ESPN.com)(9-5-2016)

Stewart called to hauler after race: #14-Tony Stewart seemed a little perplexed on why NASCAR would want to speak to him after a wreck Sunday with #44-Brian Scott during the Southern 500. Stewart turned Scott, and it looked close enough to intentional contact that NASCAR officials wanted to talk to the three-time Cup champion after the event at Darlington Raceway. Typically in these situations, there is no penalty -- if NASCAR felt it was egregious, it would have held Stewart one or more laps for rough driving.
"We were on old tires and sliding around," Stewart said. "I got underneath him in [Turn] 2 and for some reason, he ran us through there [beside us] and I got really loose and I was still getting it gathered up and got him in the left rear and wrecked him."
The wreck occurred on Lap 204 of the 367-lap race and ended the day for Scott, who was a lapped car. Stewart was on the lead lap but had run between 10th and 20th most of the day.
"I made it this far into the year without having to try to make anybody mad, why would we do it tonight for a spot that didn't really matter?" said Stewart, who ended up falling out of the race with 50 laps remaining because of a blown engine.
Scott, who said he has not had a problem with Stewart, said it felt intentional and he would talk with Stewart. "I am not sure what he thought was going on there," Scott said. "I am not sure if he thought I was trying to hold him up there, I wasn't. I was trying to let him go. I even pointed him to the inside. Maybe he thought I was giving him the finger or something."(ESPN.com)
AND: "We did meet with Tony Stewart at the conclusion of the race. It was fine and ultimately it was an opportunity to hear from his perspective what had happened with the #44 car in that incident," said NASCAR spokesman Kurt Colbert. Colbert said he did not expect any further NASCAR action in regards to the incident.(Motorsports)(9-5-2016)

Harvick not happy with pit crew at Darlington: Kevin Harvick finished 2nd Sunday night at Darlington Raceway after dominated much of the race.
On his night:
Harvick: "Our team in the garage did a great job. They brought the fastest race car to the track once again and we just didn't do a good job on pit road and gave it away."
How much did the race change and how did your car react throughout the night?
Harvick: "We started 12th and eighth and sixth and we had a great race car all night just got to thank everybody in the shop and in the garage for putting the race cars under us. We can't just continuously shoot ourselves in the foot every few pit stops."
How much in the forefront of you rmind were the pit stops on pit road tonight?
Harvick: :Oh, it's just the same old thing. You get in position where you bring a dominant car. The guys in the shop and the guys in the garage are doing a great job, and the guys on pit road are doing a terrible job. You get in a position to win races, and they continually step on their toes and don't make it happen. You're not going to win races like that. I'm really proud of the car that we brought tonight and the things that we've done on the race track, but you can only make so many excuses for pit road."
How do you get it cleaned up before the Chase starts?
Harvick: "That's a good question for (crew chief) Rodney (Childers)."
How do you balance trying to be a cheerleader?
Harvick: "I'm over being a cheerleader. Those guys get paid a lot of money to perform on pit road, and cheerleading hasn't really been working. You've got to get after it on pit road and do your job."
(Team Chevy PR)(9-5-2016)

Darlington Race and Commercial Breakdown: 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 6:05 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 10:24 PM (all times are EDT). NBC was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 162
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 75
Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 138
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 72
Number of 'Side-by-Side' commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 24
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 22
Number of times NBCSN utilized 'Side-by-Side' commercials during this broadcast: 4
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 6:05 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 10:24 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 259
Minutes of race broadcast: 198
Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 61
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 198 Total comm. brdcst time 61
See past races, more info on the commercials with links at CawsnJaws.com.(9-5-2016)

Tifft back in a race car: Joe Gibbs Racing product and NASCAR Next driver Matt Tifft appears to be progressing in his recovery from brain surgery to remove a tumor, posting a photo on his Twitter account on Monday showing him in full gear and in the cockpit of a race car -- with the all-important thumbs up. After jumping in a go-kart on Sunday, Tifft tested a late model at Hickory Motor Speedway. He had originally planned to test last month, but confirmed to NASCAR.com that Monday's test was his first action.(NASCAR.com)(9-5-2016)

Truex, Jr. wins at Darlington: #78-Martin Truex, Jr. won the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway for his 2nd win of the season, 1st win at Darlington and 5th career win. Truex led 28 of the 367 laps.
Pole sitter #4-Harvick finished 2nd followed by #42-Larson, #11-Hamlin, #22-Logano, #20-Kenseth, #5-Kahne, #31-Newman, #2-Keselowski, and #24-Elliott.
Harvick dominated much of the race, leading 214 laps on the night, but an airgun broke on a late pit stop and dropped him to 12th place. He was never able to regain the lead.
#34-Chris Buescher remains 30th in points, 11 points ahead of 31st. He must be 30th in points after next week's race to secure a spot in the Chase.
#24-Elliott, #3-Dillon, and #1-McMurray remain in position to get into the Chase on points. #31-Newman is the first driver out, 7 points behind McMurray.
There were 14 lead changes among 8 drivers and 10 cautions for 52 yellow flag laps.
The average speed was 126.437 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)
(9-4-2016)

Race Fast Facts - Darlington Raceway:
Martin Truex, Jr. won the 67th Annual Bojangles' Southern 500, his fifth victory in 394 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his second victory and 11th top-10 finish in 2016.
This is the first multi-win season of Truex's career.
This is his first victory and fifth top-10 finish in 11 races at Darlington Raceway.
This is the second time Furniture Row Racing has won the Bojangles' Southern 500 (Regan Smith, 2011).
Truex is 11th different winner in the last 11 races at Darlington.
Kevin Harvick (second) posted his ninth top-10 finish in 20 races at Darlington Raceway. It is his 20th top-10 finish in 2016.
Kyle Larson (third) posted his third top-10 finish in three races at Darlington Raceway.
Chase Elliott (10th) was the highest finishing rookie.
Kevin Harvick leads the point standings by 43 points over Brad Keselowski.
(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(9-4-2016)

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup CHASE Standings:
[after Darlington, race 25 of 36, 16 drivers for the Chase]
Set by most wins, then by points standing
1) #2-Keselowski [4 wins], 2nd in points
2) #18-Busch [4], 7th
3) #4-Harvick [2], 1st
4) #19-Edwards [2], 4th
5) #11-Hamlin [2], 5th
6) #78-Truex, Jr. [2], 8th
7) #20-Kenseth [2], 9th
8) #48-Johnson [2], 11th
9) #22-Logano [1], 3rd
10) #41-Busch [1], 6th
11) #42-Larson [1], 15th
12) #14-Stewart [1], 27th
13) #34-Buescher [1], 30th
no wins, in by points standings
14) #24-Elliott, 10th in points, 24 pts ahead of 17th
15) #3-Dillon, 12th, +16
16) #1-McMurray, 13th, +7
no wins, not in the Chase
17) #31-Newman, 14th, -7 out of 16th
18) #5-Kahne, 16th, -44
(9-4-2016)

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Driver Points (not CHASE) Standings:
[after Darlington, race 25 of 36]
1) #4-Harvick [2 wins], 840
2) #2-Keselowski [4], 797, -43
3) #22-Logano [1], 752, -88
4) #19-Edwards [2], 746, -94
5) #11-Hamlin [2], 729, -111
6) #41-Busch [1], 728, -112
7) #18-Busch [4], 727, -1103
8) #78-Truex Jr. [2], 696, -144
9) #20-Kenseth [2], 669, -171
10) #24-Elliott, 659, -181
See the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings page (pdf) and
Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf)

Throwback schemes: Added 37 images from Darlington: #1 McDonald's Mac Tonight Bill Elliott throwback, #2 Miller Lite 1972 throwback, #3 American Ethanol Ricky Rudd throwback, #4 Busch Beer 1979 Cale Yarborough throwback, #5 LiftMaster 1982 Terry Labonte throwback, #6 AdvoCare Valvoline throwback, #7Nikko RC Turbo Panther Alan Kulwicki throwback, #10 Nature's Bakery Retro, #11 Sport Cuts 1980's Darrell Waltrip's throwback, #13 GEICO Smokey Yunick tribute, #14 Coca-Cola Bobby Allison tribute, #15 5-hour Energy Benny Parsons Tribute, #16 Hooters Alan Kulwicki 1992 throwback, #17 Fastenal 1975 Darrell Waltrip throwback, #18 Interstate Batteries 1993 Dale Jarrett throwback, #19 ARRIS 1999 Tony Stewart throwback, #20 Tide Pods throwback, #21 Motorcraft David Pearson 1976 Mercury Montego tribute, #22 Shell 1996 Bobby Labonte throwback, #23 I'm a Pepper throwback, #24 NAPA Auto Parts 1963 throwback, #27 Valvoline 1993 Al Unser Jr. throwback, #30 Incredible Bank throwback, #31 Caterpillar Ricky Rudd throwback, #32 Otter Pops / Corevetteparts.net / Dale Earnhardt throwback, #34 Love's Travel Stops 1981 throwback, #38 Rumple Furniture / Bailey Excavating / J.D. McDuffie Tribute, #41 Haas Automation VF-1 1988 throwback, #42 Target 1990 Indycar throwback, #43 STP 1979 throwback, #46 Pilot Flying J 1970's Era, #47 Kroger Kingsford 1977 Bruce Hill throwback, #48 Lowe's Pro Services 1979 David Pearson throwback, #78 Auto-Owners Insurance 100th Anniversary, #83 Orange Crush throwback, #88 National Guard Buddy Baker Gray Ghost throwback, #95 Thrivent Financial 1973 Richard Childress throwback and added the images to the 2016 Darlington Throwback Paint Schemes page.(9-4-2016)

Earnhardt, Jr. gives medical update: #88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. met with members of the media Sunday afternoon at Darlington Raceway. He was joined by team owner Rick Hendrick and Dr. Mikey Collins. Some notes:
Earnhardt, Jr.:
Recovery is going good and he's noticing improvements.
His balance is miles better than it was.
He's looking forward to getting well and definitely on the right track.
He expected a shorter recovery time, but says he still doesn't belong in a racecar by any stretch of the imagination.
There's no reason to risk getting back in the car and getting into a situation where all the hard work is reversed.
He is doing all sponsor commitments. The only thing he can't do is race.
"I haven't really put a lot of thought into the future until I get well. My heart wants me to continue. I'm only 41. I have some good years left. I'm as good as I've ever been, inside the car."
Dr. Collins:
Concussion research has come a long way. When he first saw Earnhardt, Jr. he "was pretty sick", but he has been a model patient.
Earnhardt, Jr. is feeling better and having fewer symptoms, but is not back to normal.
Taking him out of the car the rest of the year will reduce stress. "Stress and concussion don't get along well.
They are starting to see a lot of progress since the decision was made to sit out the remainder of the season.
He says, "I am positive we will get Dale back to being a race car driver."
Hendrick:
"We're excited about Dale Earnhardt being in the car at Daytona," and the team is looking forward to long future with him.
There's a lot of time between now and Daytona, when it comes to figuring out the future of the #88.
Sponsors have been good to work with. They care about Earnhardt, Jr. personally and want to see him get better.
Transcript see a full record of the press conference on the Dale Earnhardt, Jr. press conference transcript page.(9-4-2016)

Blaney could be fined for not wearing gloves: #21-Ryan Blaney might have gone just a little bit too far in getting into the throwback spirit of the Darlington Raceway weekend. Now NASCAR has to decide whether to slap him on the wrist. His bare wrist. Blaney, driving a car that carries a paint scheme reminiscent of the 1976 paint scheme David Pearson drove for the Wood Brothers, went out for practice Saturday morning with no gloves. NASCAR noticed it after his second run and ordered the 2016 Wood Brothers driver to come back to the garage for gloves. If NASCAR follows its rule book to the letter of the law, Blaney faces a fine "of up to $1,000" for a P1 safety infraction.
The 22-year-old Blaney had no clue he could get fined for going out on the track without gloves. "I wanted to go out there with no gloves," Blaney said. "They didn't have gloves in the '70s, you know? They didn't wear them. ... I've never done it before. I've never gone out with no gloves before. I thought it was appropriate to go do it just for the weekend."
Prior to practice, Blaney also had a pair of old-style loafers. He did change to driving shoes, not because it was a rule but out of necessity. "I knew I couldn't make a lap in them things -- they'd slide off my feet," Blaney said. "They said Pearson used to drive in those. I don't know how he did that."(ESPN.com)(9-4-2016)

Most Popular Driver voting now underway: Voting for the National Motorsports Press Association Sprint Most Popular Driver Award officially opened Sunday, Sept. 4. The award, sponsored by Sprint and administered by the NMPA, is the only major NASCAR award determined solely by fan vote. It has been presented annually since 1953. The 2016 voting period opened at 12:00am/et Sunday and will close at 11:59pm/et on Sunday, Nov. 20. To vote for this year's award, fans can visit www.mostpopulardriver.com through either desktop or the NASCAR MOBILE app. Voting is limited to one vote per person per email address per day. Fans are encouraged to share their votes through social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Eligible drivers for this year's award are those who have declared for the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. The winner of this year's award will be announced during the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards program on Friday, Dec. 2 in Las Vegas.(NMPA)(9-4-2016)

Gordon explains #88 driver schedule for rest of year: Sunday's race will mark the fifth for Jeff Gordon in place of Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is out for the rest of the season while recovering from a concussion. Hendrick Motorsports announced Friday the #88 Chevrolet will be split for the final 12 races between Alex Bowman and Gordon. The four-time series champion will race Earnhardt's car in the next two races at Darlington and Richmond before turning the car over to Bowman for 10 of the last 12 races. Gordon will race again at Dover and Martinsville - tracks where he has combined for 14 victories. Though the schedule lines up well with his strengths, Gordon said it wasn't solely set by his preference. Bowman will race New Hampshire Motor Speedway because he already filled in for Earnhardt there in July. Because of schedule conflicts, Gordon can't race at some 1.5-mile tracks, so it made more sense to keep Bowman at all of them.
"It'd be best for the team for him to be in all of those," Gordon said. "We know he's a talented driver, too, and want to see what he's capable of doing. He does a lot of work in the simulator for us. Matching up actual race data and conditions to the simulator helps us develop the simulator, too." Making the schedule was a collaborative effort involving The input from multiple sources. "It's a combination of what's best for the team, what's best for the sponsors and sort of Junior's wishes as well," Gordon said. "He's big on Alex Bowman, and the team has really enjoyed having him in the car. We want to make sure our sponsors are getting everything out of it as well. They do a lot for us.(NBC Sports)(9-4-2016)

E.J. Wade Construction sponsoring DiBenedetto & Lupton at Richmond UPDATE: BK Racing announced that E.J. Wade Construction will return as primary sponsorship on two entries for the upcoming Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Dylan Lupton returns to drive a third BK Racing entry and will be behind the wheel of the #83 E.J. Wade Construction Camry. Matt DiBenedetto will drive the #93 E.J. Wade Construction Camry. E.J. Wade Construction is a Class A Contractor and a VDOT Prequalified Contractor that has highly trained professionals who have their tradesman licenses in electrical, plumbing, HVAC and gas fitting tradesman licenses. "We're proud to welcome back E.J. Wade Construction and to have them on two cars for Richmond International Raceway," said Doug Fritz, CMO of BK Racing. "They have continued to grow their marketing platform through their NASCAR sponsorship and we're excited to have them as part of our team at their home track of RIR."(BK Racing)(9-2-2016)
UPDATE: BK Racing announced that Union Bank & Trust will serve as co-primary sponsor on both Dylan Lupton's #83 Camry as well as Matt DiBenedetto's #93 Camry. Union Bank & Trust, commonly referred to as Union, is part of Union Bank shares Corporation, the largest community bank headquartered in Virginia. Offering more than 100 years of community banking history and strong customer relationships, Union strives to provide a more innovative style of banking along with the qualities and philosophy of community banking that our customers have come to know and trust.(BK Racing), see images of the cars on the #83 team paint schemes and #93 team paint schemes pages.(9-4-2016)

Petty Family kicks off 10-Month celebration of "The King's" 80th birthday: The Petty family and its brand of companies announced a 10-month long campaign to celebrate NASCAR Hall of Fame driver and owner, "The King" Richard Petty turning 80. Petty may not be celebrating his 80th birthday until July 2, 2017, but the Petty brand of companies including, Richard Petty Motorsports, Petty's Garage, Petty Family Foundation, Petty Museum and Victory Junction, plan to celebrate for the next 10 months. The Petty family, who are well known for giving back to local communities and race fans, is now turning the table, allowing fans to give their thanks of 80 years with "The King". The Petty family introduced a celebration calendar this week, www.KINGs80th.com, where fans can follow the various activities planned leading to the Petty's birthday celebration in Daytona Beach, Fla.in 2017. To kick off the activities, Petty's children, Kyle, Lisa, Rebecca and Sharon, Petty's Garage and Ford Motor Company partnered to surprise the American Icon with the 43rd and last build of the 2017 Petty's Garage "King Edition" Ford Mustang GT. The car is colored silver and is one of now only 26 left available to the public through your local Ford dealer. In addition to the car giveaway, the Petty Museum announced its newest offering to fans. The Petty Museum is now offering shirts that replicate the first racing tee Petty wore. The shirt features the 1964 Plymouth that Petty raced. The shirt will be available at the Petty Museum and on their website until July 2017. All of the Petty brands will get in on the action. Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) will engage fans with special promotions, including special packages from its sponsors. Petty's Garage will continue their celebration during their mobile tour stops throughout the country. The Petty Museum will soon announce special apparel along with additional merchandise throughout the celebration. Petty Museum will culminate their celebration with the opening of the Petty-Toomes Homestead historical landmark in Level Cross, N.C., the birthplace for Petty. Petty Family Foundation, Victory Junction and the Kyle Petty Charity Ride will also join the celebration during various events throughout the year, including special donations to the charities throughout the year.(Richard Petty Motorsports)(9-4-2016)

Darlington Race Notes & Facts:
· There have been 112 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Darlington Raceway. The 1.366-mile track has hosted the fifth-most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points paying races.
· Hendrick Motorsports has the most wins at Darlington in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 14.
· 11 different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Darlington; led by Chevrolet with 41 victories; followed by Ford with 28 and Toyota has four.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Darlington Raceway is the (03/16/2003) race won by Ricky Craven with a MOV of 0.002 second over Kurt Busch - the MOV is tied with the 2011 Talladega race as the closest finishes in the NSCS using electronic scoring.
· There have been four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Darlington Raceway: 2005 (367/370), 2011 (367/370), 2012 (367/368) and 2014 (367/374).
· Eight of the 112 races at Darlington Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the fall race of 2000.
(NASCAR)

Nemechek wins Truck Series Race at Canada: #8-John Hunter Nemechek won the Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park on Sunday in dramatic fashion. Nemechek made contact with pole-sitter and leader #00-Cole Custer heading toward the checkered flag. The two ended the race door-to-door off track in the grass. NASCAR took several minutes to declare the winner.
#00-Custer finished second, followed by: #19-Daniel Hemric, #88-Matt Crafton, #4-Christopher Bell, #29-Tyler Reddick, #21-Johnny Sauter, #33-Ben Kennedy, #13-Cameron Hayley, and #9-William Byron. There were six cautions for 18 laps and six lead changes among five leaders.
The average speed was 77.273mph.
Complete results are on the Canada race results page (pdf).
(9-4-2016)

Canada Race Fast Facts:
John H Nemechek won the 4th Annual Chevrolet Silverado 250, his third victory in 45 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his second victory and eighth top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his first victory and second top-10 finish in three races at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Cole Custer (second) posted his third top-10 finish in three races at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. It is his seventh top-10 finish in 2016.
Daniel Hemric (third) posted his second top-10 finish in two races at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Cole Custer (second) was the highest finishing rookie.
William Byron # leads the point standings by 28 points over Daniel Hemric.
(NASCAR Statistics)(9-4-2016)

Driver standings following Canada:
[8 drivers qualify for the Camping World Truck Series Chase. 1 more race until the Chase cutoff.]
1) #9-William Byron # [5 wins], 402
2) #19-Daniel Hemric, 374, -28
3) #21-Johnny Sauter [1 win], 356, -46
4) #88-Matt Crafton [2 wins], 352, -50
5) #17-Timothy Peters, 350, -52
6) #33-Ben Kennedy[1 win], 334, -68
7) #4-Christopher Bell #[1 win], 333, -69
8) #8-John Hunter Nemechek [2 wins], 324, -78
9) #00-Cole Custer, 318, -84
10) #13-Cameron Hayley, 312, -90
See complete standings on the driver standings page (pdf).(9-4-2016)

Owner Standings following Canada are posted (pdf).(9-4-2016)

Lucky Dogs - Who got a lap back on each caution at Canada: (and their finish)
Caution 1: none
Caution 2: 66-Anderson, 13th
Caution 3: 44-Martins, 19th
Caution 4: 1-Cobb, 24th
Caution 5: 81-Truex, 21st
Caution 6: 81-Truex, 21st
(9-4-2016)

Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway have been made.
With the field downsized to 40 cars, three pit stalls (14,28,43) have been eliminated, are not in play and don't count towards driving through more than three pit boxes.
Pole sitter #4-Harvick chose pit stall 1 [as do most pole sitters].
Outside pole sitter #2-Keselowski took pit stall 8, with an opening in front of it.
#19-Edwards, who starts 3rd took the 21th pit stall, also with an opening in front of it.
The final pit stall was taken by #25-Gordon, who starts 15th.
To see where the drivers/teams pit stall is, see the pit selection chart on Jayski.com's Pit Stall Selection chart.

Final practice for the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway is over after 80 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#2-Keselowski 174.649
#41-Busch 174.031
#48-Johnson 174.019
#5-Kahne 173.656
#27-Menard 173.454
Best 10 consecutive lap ave (of 33 drivers) #16-Biffle 170.536
slowest: #30-Wise 162.120 & #55-Sorenson 161.286.
most laps run: #48-Johnson, 74; #14-Stewart, 66.
See fastest speeds, laps run and best 10 consecutive lap ave on the Darlington Final Practice speeds page (pdf).(9-3-2016)

First Saturday practice for the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway is over after 85 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#48-Johnson 176.025
#11-Hamlin 175.060
#21-Blaney 174.711
#42-Larson 174.544
#31-Newman 174.519
Best 10 consecutive lap ave (of 29 drivers) #48-Johnson 173.389
slowest: #98-Whitt 164.101 & #32-Earnhardt 162.975. No speed: #55-Sorenson.
most laps run: #88-Gordon, 69; #41-Busch, 64.
Notes: #2-Keselowski and #18-Busch were among the drivers to get up into the outer wall and get a "Darlington Stripe".
Final practice is scheduled for 1:30-2:50pm/et and will be showing on NBCSN.
See fastest speeds, laps run and best 10 consecutive lap ave on the Darlington Practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-3-2016)

Darlington Chase clinch scenarios: With two races remaining in the regular season, 12 drivers have clinched a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, assuming each driver starts the remaining races. Everyone who has a win this season is locked in -- except for Chris Buescher, who has yet to clinch a top-30 spot. A number of drivers who currently have no wins can clinch this weekend, but only if they win the Bojangles' Southern 500.
Possible to Clinch: #34-Chris Buescher (1 Win, 334 Points, +7 Points Ahead of 31st): Could clinch a top-30 spot with help; which would allow him to clinch a Chase spot on wins.
The following drivers could clinch with a win or points:
#24-Chase Elliott (0 Wins, 628 Points, +301 Points Ahead of 31st)
#3-Austin Dillon (0 Wins, 622 Points, +295 Points Ahead of 31st)
The following drivers could clinch with a win: #1-Jamie McMurray, #31-Ryan Newman, #5-Kasey Kahne, #6-Trevor Bayne, #21-Ryan Blaney, #47-AJ Allmendinger, #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr, #16-Greg Biffle, #27-Paul Menard, #10-Danica Patrick, #43-Aric Almirola, #15-Clint Bowyer, #13-Casey Mears.
#38-Landon Cassill could clinch a Chase spot on wins if he gets help with clinching a top-30 spot.(NASCAR.com)(9-2-2016)

Darlington Driver Notes & Facts:
· 715 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway; 434 in more than one.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Darlington with 65. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 35 starts; followed by Tony Stewart with 23.
· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Darlington with a 6.771.
· Jeff Gordon (6.8), Ryan Blaney (9.0), Ryan Newman (9.5), Kasey Kahne (9.6) and Denny Hamlin (9.7) all have an average starting position inside the top 10.
· 124 different drivers have made their NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career debut at Darlington Raceway.
· 48 different drivers have won at Darlington Raceway, led by David Pearson with 10. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with seven wins; followed by his teammate Jimmie Johnson with three.
· Six drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Darlington Raceway: Johnny Mantz (1950), Nelson Stacy (1961), Larry Frank (1962), Terry Labonte (1980), Lake Speed (1988) and Regan Smith (2011).
· 13 drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have posted consecutive wins at Darlington; Dale Earnhardt (1989-1990) and Jeff Gordon (1995-1996) are tied for the series-most in consecutive wins at Darlington with three each.
· All nine active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Darlington Raceway participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Among active drivers, Kyle Busch won at Darlington in the fewest previous appearances (three).
· Matt Kenseth competed at Darlington Raceway 19 times before winning in 2013; the longest span of any the nine active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.
· Tony Stewart leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Darlington without visiting Victory Lane at 23.
· Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty are tied for the series most runner-up finishes at Darlington with eight each. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in second-place finishes at Darlington with four.
· Richard Petty leads the series in top-five finishes at Darlington with 25. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 19; followed by Jimmie Johnson with nine.
· Bill Elliott leads the series in top-10 finishes at Darlington with 35. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 23; followed by Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart with 12 each.
· Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Darlington with a 6.500.
· Three active NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers have an average finish in the top 10 at Darlington: Denny Hamlin (6.5), Kyle Larson (9.0) and Jimmie Johnson (9.1).
· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Darlington with 1,744 laps led in 35 starts.
· Three female drivers have competed at Darlington Raceway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Danica Patrick, Janet Guthrie, Shawna Robinson.
(NASCAR)

NASCAR Heat Evolution will have Darlington paint schemes available: While the focus of the Southern 500 is on throwbacks for the second consecutive season, Darlington Raceway's themed weekend also will have a cutting edge twist. The new NASCAR Heat Evolution video game, which will be released Sept. 13 on PlayStation4 and XBox One, will feature the Darlington throwback schemes through a downloadable content feature, publisher Dusenberry Martin Racing announced Thursday. The game will have the 2016 Daytona 500 schemes, but a Darlington pack can be purchased online that will brand the cars in throwback schemes for the race. Paint schemes used at other tracks also will be available in future downloadable packs. The Southern 500 car branding will be available in a suite of downloadable content that also will feature variable spotter audio (including current NASCAR spotters, drivers and announcers) and a series of "challenges" that will put players in historic real-world scenarios. More than 1,000 photos were taken over a full day at Darlington Raceway to help build the layout of the 1.366-mile track for the game. The process starts with a computerized scan of the track surface to determine the correct turning radius, banking and straightaway lengths. Developers from Monster Games then use reference points from the photos (also relying on satellite imagery; drones are being considered for usage in future photos) to build the SAFER barriers, walls, fencing, grandstands, pits and garages.(NBC Sports)(9-3-2016)

Elliott Sadler wins XFINITY race at Darlington: #1-Elliott Sadler won the VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway. It is his 12th XFINITY Series win and 2nd of the year. #18-Denny Hamlin finished second, followed by #19-Daniel Suarez, #42-Kyle Larson, #48-Brennan Poole, #20-Erik Jones, #22-Ryna Blaney, #51-Jeremy Clements, #33-Brandon Jones, and #01-Ryan Preece (his career best finish).
Pole sitter #2-Paul Menard ran up front most of the race, but had a flat tire late and had to pit under green. He finished 20th.
There were 3 cautions for 17 laps and 8 lead changes among 6 leaders.
The average speed was 128.719mph.
Complete results are on the Darlington race results page (pdf).
(9-3-2016)

Darlington XFINITY Race Fast Facts:
Elliott Sadler won the 34th Annual VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200, his 12th victory in 320 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
This is his second victory and 21st top-10 finish in 2016.
This is his first victory and sixth top-10 finish in 13 races at Darlington Raceway.
Denny Hamlin (second) posted his ninth top-10 finish in nine races at Darlington Raceway. It is his second top-10 finish in 2016.
Daniel Suarez (third) posted his second top-10 finish in two races at Darlington Raceway.
Brennan Poole (fifth) was the highest finishing rookie.
Elliott Sadler leads the point standings by 54 points over Daniel Suarez.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-3-2016)

XFINITY Driver standings following Darlington:
[12 drivers qualify for the XFINITY Series Chase. 2 more races until the Chase cutoff.]
1) #1-Elliott Sadler [2 wins], 815
2) #19-Daniel Suarez [1 win], 761, -54
3) #7-Justin Allgaier, 750, -65
4) #3-Ty Dillon, 742, -73
5) #62-Brendan Gaughan, 732, -83
6) #20-Erik Jones [3 wins], 713, -102
7) #48-Brennan Poole, 705, -110
8) #33-Brandon Jones, 684, -131
9) #6-Darrell Wallace, Jr., 630, -185
10) #16-Ryan Reed, 596, -219
11) #11-Blake Koch, 544, -271
12) #39-Ryan Sieg, 540, -275
Currently outside the Chase:
13) #28-Dakoda Armstrong, 522, -293, -18 pts out of 12th
14) #51-Jeremy Clements, 514, -301, -26
15) #4-Ross Chastain, 492, -323, -48
See complete owner and driver standings on the driver standings(pdf) and owner standings page (pdf).(9-3-2016)

Denny Hamlin fastest in XFINITY practice: #18-Denny Hamlin was fastest during the only practice at Darlington Raceway with a speed of 172.644mph. #42-Kyle Larson was second, followed by: #1-Elliott Sadler, #20-Erik Jones, #3-Ty Dillon, #19-Daniel Suarez, #22-Ryan Blaney, #16-Ryan Reed, #7-Justin Allgaier, and #44-J.J. Yeley. All 40 drivers practiced during the session.
See complete results on the Darlington Raceway practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-2-2016)

Custer on pole at Canada: #00-Cole Custer won the pole for the Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park with a speed of 111.808mph. #2-Austin Cindric will start second, followed by #19-Daniel Hemric, #24-Kaz Grala, #9-William Byron, #11-Brett Moffitt, #13-Cameron Hayley, #29-Tyler Reddick, #23-Spencer Gallagher, and #41-Ben Rhodes.
Custer was fastest in the first round at 111.526mph.
Did Not Qualify: none
See complete lineup on the Starting lineup (pdf) page.(9-3-2016)

Canada Qualifying Notes:
Cole Custer won the Keystone Light 21 Means 21 Pole Award for the 4th Annual Chevrolet Silverado 250 with a lap of 79.175 seconds, 111.808 mph.
This is his fourth pole in 34 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his first pole and seventh top-10 start in 2016.
This is his first pole in three races at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Austin Cindric (second) posted his first top-10 start of 2016 and his first in one races at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Daniel Hemric (third) posted his first top-10 start at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. It is his seventh in 15 races this season.
Custer (first) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(9-3-2016)

Custer fastest in final Truck practice: #00-Cole Custer was fastest in final practice for the Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park with a speed of 111.948mph. He was followed by #8-John Hunter Nemechek, #11-Brett Moffitt, #2-Austin Cindric, #19-Daniel Hemric, #24-Kaz Grala, #21-Johnny Sauter, #9-William Byron, #23-Spencer Gallagher, and #88-Matt Crafton. 32 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Canada practice 2 speeds page (pdf).(9-3-2016)

Hemric fastest in first Truck practice: #19-Daniel Hemric was fastest during opening practice at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park with a speed of 110.931mph. #24-Kaz Grala, #00-Cole Custer, #2-Austin Cindric, #8-John Hunter Nemechek, #29-Tyler Reddick, #17-Timothy Peters, #23-Spencer Gallagher, #21-Johnny Sauter, #13-Cameron Hayley. 27 drivers practiced during the session. See complete results on the Canada practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(9-3-2016)

Earnhardt, Jr. to miss remainder of the season: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Chevrolet SS for Hendrick Motorsports, has not been medically cleared to compete for the remainder of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season as he continues to recover from a concussion. Earnhardt has missed the last six Sprint Cup races while undergoing treatment. He has been regularly evaluated at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program under the direction of Dr. Micky Collins and with Charlotte neurosurgeon Dr. Jerry Petty.
"I wish I could return to the #88 team this season," Earnhardt said. "To say I'm disappointed doesn't begin to describe how I feel, but I know this is the right thing for my long-term health and career. I'm 100 percent focused on my recovery, and I will continue to follow everything the doctors tell me. They're seeing good progress in my test results, and I'm feeling that progress physically. I plan to be healthy and ready to compete at Daytona in February. I'm working toward that.
"The support from both inside and outside the race team has been overwhelming. Everyone has been so encouraging and positive, from my teammates and sponsors to my family, friends and fans. It's motivating and humbling at the same time."
Jeff Gordon and Alex Bowman will drive for the #88 team in the season's 12 remaining races. In Earnhardt's absence, four-time Cup Series champion Gordon, 45, filled in at Indianapolis, Pocono, Watkins Glen and Bristol. Bowman, 23, drove at New Hampshire and Michigan.
"I know how hard Dale has worked and how frustrating this is for him," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "He wants to be back, and we want him back, but we want it to be for the long haul. We've had incredible support from everyone involved with the team, including all of our sponsors. They've put Dale's health first every step of the way."
"Jeff and Alex will give us a great opportunity over the rest of the season. Jeff is one of the best of all time and knows our system. He brings things to the table that no one else can. Alex is a young driver with a lot of talent, and he will give us a fresh perspective. We know they're not only capable of running up front and giving us a chance to win, but they'll help us get better."(Hendrick Motorsports)(9-2-2016)

Premium Motorsports adds sponsor, throwback scheme with Whitt: Carolina Skiff will return to the #98 Premium Motorsports team and driver Cole Whitt for the 3rd time this season in the running of the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. The team will run a white car with red numbering and a black hood. The scheme honors LeeRoy Yarbrough's 1969 Daytona 500 and Southern 500 winning car. See an image of the car on the #98 team paint schemes page.(9-2-2016)

E.J. Wade Construction sponsoring DiBenedetto & Lupton at Richmond: BK Racing announced that E.J. Wade Construction will return as primary sponsorship on two entries for the upcoming Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Dylan Lupton returns to drive a third BK Racing entry and will be behind the wheel of the #83 E.J. Wade Construction Camry. Matt DiBenedetto will drive the #93 E.J. Wade Construction Camry. E.J. Wade Construction is a Class A Contractor and a VDOT Prequalified Contractor that has highly trained professionals who have their tradesman licenses in electrical, plumbing, HVAC and gas fitting tradesman licenses. "We're proud to welcome back E.J. Wade Construction and to have them on two cars for Richmond International Raceway," said Doug Fritz, CMO of BK Racing. "They have continued to grow their marketing platform through their NASCAR sponsorship and we're excited to have them as part of our team at their home track of RIR."(BK Racing)(9-2-2016)

Moffitt picks up weekend sponsor: The Pinty's Grand Slam of Curling is switching gears this weekend from the rink to the racetrack. The series will be the main sponsor for Red Horse Racing's #11 Toyota Tundra during the Cheverolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ont. Not only is the Pinty's Grand Slam of Curling logo featured on the hood of the truck, but images of curling stones will also be displayed on the rear quarter panels.(See an image of the truck on the #11 Team Paint Schemes page)(Pinty's Grand Slam of Curling)(9-2-2016)

GMS supporting domestic violence awareness: During the month of October, the GMS Racing drivers and teams will show their support for domestic violence awareness in various ways.Spencer Gallagher will pilot the #23 Shade Tree / Noah's Animal House Chevrolet Silverado for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) DC Solar 350 on October 1 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Gallagher's teammates, Johnny Sauter, Ben Kennedy and Grant Enfinger, will all run a purple ribbon decal and all crew members will wear purple ribbons in support of the cause. The Shade Tree and Noah's Animal House are two local non-profits that serve families and their pets that are victims of domestic violence in Southern Nevada. September 6 through the 16, NASCAR fans can bid on unique experiences around race week, including opportunities at-track. All bidding items are listed on The Shade Tree eBay store with all proceeds benefiting The Shade Tree and Noah's Animal House.(GMS Racing)(9-2-2016)

GMS extends driver development opportunities: GMS Racing officials announced the creation of the GMS Racing Driver Development program, aimed at providing opportunities for drivers to progress from local to national level racing. GMS Racing fields four entries in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, a part-time NASCAR XFINITY Series entry and also partners with Mitchell Coble Racing to field dirt late model and modified entries at local tracks throughout the year.
"This is a great opportunity not only for GMS Racing to grow our program, but for young drivers to get an chance to experience racing at different levels," said Mike Beam, GMS Racing Director of Competition. "We want to allow more drivers to test their talent and to give them a way to show how far they could take a team if they were given a chance to move up. Hickory is a great place to get the word out. It's always been home to me. I grew up watching races and had a chance to win a few as a crew chief there. I won my last race there 30 years ago so it will be cool to get back there with Kyle and GMS Racing."
On Saturday, September 3, Washington, N.J., native Kyle Mansch will pilot the #23 GMS Racing Driver Development Chevrolet Limited Late Model entry at Hickory Motor Speedway in the 40th Annual Bobby Isaac Memorial. At 30 years old, Mansch has accumulated 20 wins in the Limited Late Model Series throughout a 12-year career. Many of his wins, including his most recent in 2015, came at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway.
More information on the GMS Racing Driver Development program and potential opportunities for the 2017 season will be available at a later date.(GMS Racing)(9-2-2016)

Buc-ee's partners with Self for road course: Austin Wayne Self and the AM Racing NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team have partnered with Texas' iconic Buc-ee's Ltd. convenience store chain for this weekend's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chevrolet Silverado 250 road course event at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park on Sunday, September 4. Buc-ee's, Ltd., which will be featured on the #22 "Go Texan" Toyota Tundra driven by fellow Texan, Austin Wayne Self, is a chain of 32 Texas based retail outlets specializing in convenience retail with a wide variety of gifts, food, beverages and fuel. Founded by Arch "Beaver" Aplin III and Don Wasek in 1982, Buc-ee's corporate headquarters are located in Lake Jackson, Texas.Known throughout Texas as the premier travel center, Buc-ee's has reached rock-star status among tens of millions of visitors each year. Buc-ee's offers products found at most convenience stores such as fuel, cigarettes, tobacco, chips, drinks, and soft drinks at their smaller neighborhood stores. Travel centers include a deli, coffee shop, Texas-themed specialty gifts and food, and products catering to hunters and river rafters. All Buc-ee's are open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Buc-ee's offers private labeled beef jerky, novelty candy, trail mixes, granola, pralines, jarred vegetables, preserves, and salsa. Their #1 branded product is caramel and butter-glazed corn puffs known as 'Beaver Nuggets.'(Austin Wayne Self Racing)(9-2-2016)

On track activity for Friday postponed; Qualifying canceled: With inclement weather expected at Darlington Raceway, NASCAR postponed all at-track activity for Friday. The weather forecast for the remainder of the weekend looks good.
Due to the schedule change, qualifying for Sprint Cup and NASCAR XFINITY teams has been cancelled. The starting lineups will be set by the rule book. #4-Kevin Harvick will start on the pole for the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race.
Sprint Cup teams will now have two practices on Saturday: 11:00-12:25 & 1:30-2:50pm/et.(9-1-2016)

Harvick on pole at Darlington: #4-Kevin Harvick will start from the pole for the Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway after qualifying was canceled and the lineup was set according to the rule book. #2-Keselowski will start 2nd, followed by #19-Edwards, #41-Busch, #22-Logano, #18-Busch, #11-Hamlin, #78-Truex Jr., #48-Johnson, and #20-Kenseth.
Since the maximum of 40 cars entered the race, everyone made the race.
See the complete starting lineup on the Darlington Starting Lineup page (pdf).(9-1-2016)

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

NBC to add throwback coverage to Darlington Sprint Cup race: NBC Sports gears up for a throwback weekend of racing from Darlington highlighted by the NASCAR Sprint Cup series Bojangles' Southern 500 Sunday at 6:00pm/et on NBC. NBC Sports joins Darlington Raceway in celebrating the sights and sounds of the 1975-1984 era with throwback themes integrated into this weekend's coverage. In addition to traditional graphics and historic logos, NASCAR on NBC's on-air team will dress in their best time period apparel. Throughout the weekend NASCAR on NBC's pre-race set will be flanked by a series of old school cars from the decade. Music and footage from the era will also bring viewers in and out of commercial breaks. Race day coverage kicks off with a revamped version of Blake Shelton's NASCAR on NBC "Bringing Back the Sunshine" Open, full of racing moments spanning the track's incredible history. Legendary NASCAR broadcasters Ken Squier and Ned Jarrett return to the booth, alongside Dale Jarrett, to call a portion of the race. Squier adds his voice to a special pre-race feature on the storied Raceway. Pre-race coverage also includes a special three car on-track preview of Darlington Raceway. In addition to Jeff Burton in the Toyota Camry on-track car, Kyle Petty will drive his father's famed 1979 "43 Championship race car alongside Dale Jarrett in fellow Hall of Famer Benny Parsons' #72 car.(NBC)(9-1-2016)

TMG, Wise get sponsor for Darlington, Chicago: The Motorsports Group announced on Twitter Wednesday, that they have secured a sponsor for this weekend's Sprint Cup race at Darlington as well as the race at Chicagoland Speedway: "We are excited to announce our throwback paint scheme for the Southern 500! Thanks to our new partnership with Incredible Bank we are running Dale Earnhardt's #30 ARMY car. Not only have we teamed up with Incredible Bank for the Southern 500 but they will also be on the car for Chicago." See an image of the car on the #30 team paint schemes page.(9-1-2016)

sweetFrog returning to sponsor Ragan at Richmond: BK Racing announced that sweetFrog premium frozen yogurt has returned to sponsor David Ragan and the #23 sweetFrog Toyota Camry for the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Earlier this season sweetFrog made their NASCAR debut with BK Racing and Ragan at Richmond. sweetFrog is a chain of self-serve premium frozen yogurt retail stores where you select the flavors and toppings of your choice. The frozen yogurt chain was started in Richmond, Virginia in 2009. sweetFrog currently has over 340 stores in 25 states, and international locations in the United Kingdom and the Dominican Republic.(BK Racing), see an image of the car on the #23 team paint schemes page.(9-1-2016)

Michigan TV Ratings UPDATE: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Michigan earned a 1.9 overnight rating on NBCSN Sunday afternoon, down 20% from last year (2.4) and down 37% from 2014 (3.0). Excluding rainouts, the 1.9 is the third-lowest for a Sprint Cup race this season - ahead of only Kentucky in July and Kansas in May (1.8 for each).(NBC Sports/Sports Media Watch), see race-by-race TV Ratings for 2016 and a comparison chart on the 2016 TV Ratings page.(8-31-2016)
UPDATE: Free from rain and the Olympics for the first time in more than a month, NASCAR still hit a multi-year low at Michigan over the weekend. NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Michigan earned a 2.1 final rating and 3.4 million viewers on NBCSN Sunday afternoon, down 19% in ratings and 21% in viewership from last year (2.6, 4.3M) and down 34% in both measures from 2014 on ESPN (3.2, 5.2M). While Sunday's race did not face the Olympics, it did air somewhat formidable competition from the NFL preseason. The competing Chargers/Vikings game posted a 3.3 rating and 5.3 million viewers, easily topping NASCAR.(ShowBuzz Daily / Sports Media Watch)(9-1-2016)

Darlington Goodyear Tire Notes: Teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series will run completely different tire set-ups at Darlington this weekend . . . in Sprint Cup, this is the same left-side tire code (D-4650) they ran at Darlington last year . . . this right-side tire code (D-4696) was run for the first time earlier this season at Dover . . . compared to what was run at Darlington last year, this right-side features a slight increase in tread gage (thickness) to line it up with Dover . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Darlington . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.
In support of Darlington's throwback initiative, the tires run at this weekend's races will feature different sidewall markings . . . replacing the yellow Goodyear Eagle lettering that became standard in 1992 is a white, stencil-look design that harkens back to the 1980s.(Goodyear), for tire codes, pressures, set limites and more, see the Darlington Race Info page

Ware, Pelecoin join SS for Canada: This weekend in Canada Cody Ware will be behind the #07 Chevrolet Silverado for Bobby Dotter and his team. This will be his first start on a road course in the Camping World Truck Series coming after two solid runs in the Xfinity Series at Mid Ohio and Watkins Glen. On board the truck will be Pelecoin, a new cryptocurrency looking to make the market simple and easy to use, even for inexperienced users. Also on board is long time sponsor and supporter of Cody's Lilly Trucking.(SS Green Light Racing)(9-1-2016)