Stroke of Luck Propels Kyle Busch to Truck Series Win at Kansas

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Kyle Busch didn’t do a celebratory burnout when he won Friday night’s Toyota Tundra 250 at Kansas Speedway.

He didn’t do his customary bow after notching his 47th victory in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Heartbreak for Ben Rhodes, who was leading by more than a second when his engine expired with eight laps left, provided the stroke of serendipity that launched Busch into Victory Lane.

And Busch knew it. Continue reading

Ryan Blaney Wins First Career Pole by a Whisker

Ryan Blaney, driver of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford, signs a backdrop during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling 400 at Kansas Speedway on May 12, 2017 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo – Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Improving in each round of knockout qualifying in relation to other cars, Ryan Blaney won the pole for Saturday night’s Go Bowling 400 at Kansas Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on FS1), claiming his first career pole by a mere 0.009 seconds over Joey Logano.

During a Friday qualifying session in which 11 cars failed to make it to the grid because of inspection issues, Blaney toured the 1.5-mile speedway in 28.481 seconds (189.600 mph) in the final round to earn the first Coors Light Pole Award for the No. 21 Woods Brothers Ford since Ricky Rudd earned the top starting spot at Talladega in April 2004. Continue reading

Kansas would be Perfect Spot for a Clint Bowyer Breakthrough

Clint Bowyer, driver of the #14 Mobil 1 Annual Protection Ford, looks on during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling 400 at Kansas Speedway on May 12, 2017 in Kansas City, Kansas Photo – Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Clint Bowyer would love to get a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory at Kansas Speedway, the home track for the Emporia native and site of Saturday night’s Go Bowling 400 (7:30 p.m. ET on FS1).

Then again, Bowyer would love to get a victory anywhere. Continue reading

Kansas Speedway Proves Challenging with 2017 Package

Photo – Getty Images

The combination of a maturing Kansas Speedway and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ lower-downforce aerodynamic package made negotiating the 1.5-mile intermediate track a formidable challenge—even in practice.

Incidents affected both Friday practice sessions. Dale Earnhardt Jr. barely kept his No. 88 Chevrolet off the turn four wall in opening practice, with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson fighting for control behind him. Continue reading

NASCAR’s Longest Race is on Earnhardt’s Bucket List

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Mountain Dew DEW-S-A Chevrolet, looks on during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling 400 at Kansas Speedway on May 12, 2017 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo – Sean Gardner/Getty Images

In Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s case, familiarity breeds desire.

Asked which race he’d most like to win in his final season of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing, Earnhardt immediately thought of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the track closest to his Mooresville, NC, home. Continue reading