Daily Archives: October 18, 2016

Alex Bowman Recovers from Troubles for Career Best Sprint Cup Finish at Kansas Speedway

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Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, sits in his car prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 16, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo - Jason Hanna/Getty Images

Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, sits in his car prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 16, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo – Jason Hanna/Getty Images

Alex Bowman had a topsy-turvy day at Kansas Speedway, but when the checkered flag flew in Sunday’s afternoon Hollywood Casino 400, the Hendrick Motorsports driver earned a career-best seventh place finish.

But what made the accomplishment that much more incredible was that the 23-year-old battled the highs and lows while battling a severe stomach bug.

The Tucson, Arizona native qualified inside the top-five for the second consecutive weekend and despite falling through the field with an ill-handling race car in the early stages, Bowman had a resilient attitude. Continue reading →

Logano Atones for Charlotte Catastrophe

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Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, signs autographs for fans prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 16, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo - Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, signs autographs for fans prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 16, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo – Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Joey Logano got the absolute most from his No. 22 Team Penske Ford on Sunday, and, as was the case with Austin Dillon, a strong run at Kansas put Logano in position to advance in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with a solid performance next Sunday at Talladega.

Logano didn’t have a car to compete for the win on Sunday, but he ran third behind Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards to ameliorate the effects of a 36th-place finish at Charlotte a week earlier. Logano goes to Talladega tied for the last transfer spot with the Chase field to be cut there from 12 drivers to eight. Continue reading →

This time, a Two-Tire Call Pays Off for Austin Dillon

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Austin Dillon, driver of the #2 Ruud Chevrolet, walks through the garage area during practice for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo - Jeff Curry/Getty Images

Austin Dillon, driver of the #2 Ruud Chevrolet, walks through the garage area during practice for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo – Jeff Curry/Getty Images

On Sunday at Kansas Speedway, Austin Dillon disproved the colloquial definition of insanity—trying the same thing and expecting different results.

Last week at Charlotte, Dillon took two tires on a late pit stop and wrecked when Martin Truex Jr.’s attempt to push him on a restart went awry.

But late in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas, there was Dillon again, taking two tires and taking the lead for a restart on lap 226. Continue reading →

Problems at Kansas Put Elliott in Precarious Position Heading to Talladega

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Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 SunEnergy1 Chevrolet, talks with a crew member in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo - Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 SunEnergy1 Chevrolet, talks with a crew member in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo – Chris Trotman/Getty Images

In the first race of the Round of 12 last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Chase Elliott led 103 laps before a wreck on lap 258 ended his day and put the rookie driver three points behind the final transfer spot to the Round of 8 heading to Kansas Speedway.

Elliott qualified 13th for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 and was one of just three Chase drivers that started outside the top-12. Elliott cracked the top-three at lap 121 and passed Kevin Harvick for the lead on lap 169 of the 267-lap race before a left-rear tire issue resulted in an unscheduled pit stop. Elliott would lose a lap and return to the track one lap down in the 24th position.

The Dawsonville, Georgia native would get back on the lead lap under the seventh caution of the race at lap 222 but a second tire issue with 23 laps remaining forced the team to come to pit road for the second unscheduled stop of the afternoon. Continue reading →