Next Race: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race

The Place: Charlotte Motor Speedway

The Date: Saturday, May 16

The Time: 7 p.m. (ET)

TV: FOX Sports 1, 7 p.m. (ET)

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM Ch. 90

Distance: 25 laps / 25 laps / 25 laps / 25 laps / 10 laps

Mega Star: Johnson Tries To Increase All-Star Wins Record

Jimmie Johnson does something in NASCAR’s all-star event that athlete’s in most other sports don’t.

He shows up.

In 13 Sprint All-Star race starts, Johnson owns a record four wins. He also ranks first among active drivers in average finish (6.2), average running position (6.9), number of fastest laps led (219).

Johnson now has nine bonus points for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Challenger 16 Round (three per victory). In his last five races, he has finished first, second, third, second and first, respectively – good for an average finish of 1.8.

The six-time series champion now occupies the third spot in the driver standings – 48 points behind Harvick – and claims Harvick is still the driver to beat.

“I still think he’s the car to beat right now,” Johnson said. “I mean, he qualifies better than we do. We’re finding ways to win races, but I just think that they have a bit more control of their own destiny right now.”

No Slowing Down: Harvick Continues Torrid Run, Ties NASCAR Hall Of Famer For Top-Two Mark

Eleven races into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Kevin Harvick already has eight top-two finishes.

No driver has had more top twos through the first 11 races of a season. The only other driver to record eight top-twos through the first 11 races was NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough in 1977.

Harvick has built up a 46-point lead over Martin Truex Jr. in the point standings. The defending Sprint Cup champion claims two wins and leads the series in average finish (6.2), average running position (5.7) and driver rating (126.7). His 574 fastest laps run are more than double than the total of the next-best competitor (Jimmie Johnson, 201).

Sprint Showdown Segment Winners & Top Fan Vote Winner Qualify for the Sprint All-Star Race

On Friday, May 15th, two Sprint Cup drivers raced their way into Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star race by winning their Sprint Showdown segment – Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer.

NASCAR also announced the driver earning the most fan votes to qualify for a spot in the Sprint All-Star race on Saturday night – Danica Patrick.

The question now becomes, which driver makes the most of their chance to compete on Saturday night?

He’s Back: Rowdy Returns For Sprint All-Star Race

“I’m back. #Rowdy Returns,”

Kyle Busch tweeted Tuesday morning, confirming he would take part in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race after missing the first 11 races of the season due to injuries suffered from a crash in the Daytona NASCAR XFINITY Series race.

The No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing driver also posted a video of himself – strapping into his firesuit and exiting a hauler – with the closing message…

“#RowdyReturns May 16.”

Of the drivers now eligible for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, Busch has the most starts in the event without a win (nine). Despite never winning the all-star race, Busch’s 212 laps led in the contest are second-most among active drivers, only trailing Jimmie Johnson’s 219.  In fact, Busch leads active drivers with a 108.1 driver rating in the all-star race. His top finish in the event was a runner-up showing in 2011.

In Busch’s absence, Matt Crafton (one start), David Ragan (nine) and Erik Jones (one) have piloted his Toyota Camry. The Joe Gibbs Racing car ranks 23rd in the Sprint Cup owner standings.

Jeff Gordon Making Final Sprint All-Star Race Start

“Star light, star bright,” Jeff Gordon hopes to win Saturday night when he makes the last NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race start of his career. The No. 24 Chevrolet driver owns three all-star race victories, tied with Dale Earnhardt for the second-most in history. Jimmie Johnson claims the all-time mark with four victories.

A four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Gordon has captured the title in the three seasons he’s won the All-Star race (1995, 1997, 2001).

 

McMurray Attempts To Become All-Star Race’s Seventh Multi-Time Winner

As one would imagine, the list of multi-time Sprint All-Star race winners has some of the greatest drivers to ever wheel a car around an oval: Jimmie Johnson (4), Dale Earnhardt (3), Jeff Gordon (3), Davey Allison (2), Terry Labonte (2) and Mark Martin (2).

Jamie McMurray will attempt to etch his name on that list in Saturday’s Sprint All-Star Race as the defending event winner. He led 31 laps and has out dueled Carl Edwards to take the $1 million-prize in last year’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. The other drivers in the field who have won at least one all-star race are Gordon, Johnson, Edwards, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch. Johnson (2012-13) and Allison (1991-92) are the only drivers to win consecutive all-star races.