By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service BRISTOL, Tenn.—Just nine points out of the Chase lead, Kyle Larson will start from the pole position in Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race, after a lightning delay forced cancelation of Friday’s qualifying session at Bristol Motor Speedway. Having finished fifth in the Chase opener at Darlington Raceway before winning last Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway, Larson brings considerable momentum to the third race of the NASCAR Cup Series postseason (7:30 p.m. ET Saturday on USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). “Always coming into here I feel confident,” said Larson, driver of the No.…
Author: racedaysaeditor
By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service Spring Bristol winner Ty Gibbs honors Kyle Busch with M&M’s paint scheme BRISTOL, Tenn.—Kyle Busch is no longer with us, but his presence at Bristol Motor Speedway will be more than just spiritual on Saturday. On Ty Gibbs’ No. 54 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing unveiled a paint scheme that harkens to Busch’s heyday in the NASCAR Cup Series. Honoring Busch, who passed away suddenly in May, Gibbs will run the throwback M&M’s Camry in Saturday’s Bass Prop Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).…
Courtesy of Tony Stewart Racing BROWNSBURG, Ind. — Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) announced today that eight-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion and 88-time NHRA national event winner Tony Schumacher has signed a multi-year agreement to drive for the organization beginning with the 2027 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. Schumacher will assume the driving duties of the TSR Top Fuel Dragster following the departure of Leah Pruett, who is stepping away from full-time competition to focus on growing her family with husband and team owner Tony Stewart. “I made the decision to step out of the seat to put…
By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service BRISTOL, Tenn.—For Jake Garcia, it was a case of stealing thunder. For the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Chase drivers, it was blunder after blunder. Driving the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford, Garcia took control in the third stage of Thursday night’s UNOH 250 Presented by Ohio Logistics at Bristol Motor Speedway and went on to win for the first time in his 94th start. In the Chase opener for the series, Garcia led three times for 104 laps. On Lap 230 of 250, he wrested the lead from Stewart Friesen with an inside pass and…
By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin take Chase battle to Bristol’s high banks Kyle Larson acknowledged he was looking ahead to Bristol Motor Speedway, but the end of his 51-race drought came a week earlier than he expected. Fresh from his NASCAR Cup Series victory at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway — and just nine points behind Chase leader Denny Hamlin — Larson brings renewed confidence to Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race (7:30 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). “I did not think that I would break the streak here,” Larson…
By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service MADISON, Ill.—In a cauldron of chaos, with Chase drivers wrecking and brake rotors exploding through the bodies of NASCAR Cup Series cars, Kyle Larson’s 51-race winless streak ended Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Holding off pole winner Joey Logano and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman on a succession of late restarts, Larson won the Enjoy Illinois 300 in two overtimes to affirm his status as a contender for a third series championship. With top seed Denny Hamlin running ninth after a problematic pit stop on Lap 199 of 247, Larson,…
By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service MADISON, Ill.—In a race that kindled the rivalry between Corey Day and William Sawalich to full flame, Jesse Love showed the form that made him a NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion last year. Wresting the lead from Carson Kvapil with a gentle rub on Lap 165 of 180, Love held the top spot the rest of the way in winning Saturday night’s Nu Way 225 Powered by Bobcat Sauced by Blue Hog at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Love crossed the finish line 0.896 seconds ahead of last week’s Darlington winner,…
By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service MADISON, Ill.—With a spectacular lap late in Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session, Joey Logano won the Busch Light Pole Award for Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway by a wide margin. The only competitor in 36-driver field to crack the 33-second barrier, Logano covered the 1.25-mile distance in 32.817 seconds (137.124 mph) to claim the top starting spot for the second race in the Cup Series Chase (3 p.m. ET Sunday on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The Busch Light Pole Award was the second of the…
By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service Hendrick Motorsports underscores commitment to driver Corey Day MADISON, Ill.— Hendrick Motorsports doesn’t have a driver development program per se. As team president Jeff Andrews put it, Hendrick is committed to the “Corey Day Development Program,” as evidenced by the long-term contract awarded the driver earlier this week. “I think, for us, guys like this don’t come along very often, so when a talent like Corey Day presents itself…,” Andrews said. “We knew the (learning) curve was going to be steep, but we’ve been really proud of his progress and the things he’s accomplished…
By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service Tighter at the top, NASCAR Cup Chase heads to WWT Raceway In racing circles, the term “compression” most commonly refers to the engines that supply power to race cars. As the NASCAR Cup Series prepares for Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway (3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), “compression” also is an apt descriptor for the Chase standings. Where top-seeded Denny Hamlin entered last Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 with a 25-point edge over second place Ryan Blaney, now four drivers arrive in Greater St.…