Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service

1223 posts

Late Pass Gives Logano XFINITY Win, as Chase Field Cut to Eight

If stealing a race were against the law, there would be an arrest warrant out for Joey Logano on Sunday night.

Grabbing the lead from Kyle Larson after a restart on lap 183 of 200, Logano held off a charging Elliott Sadler by 0.462 seconds to win the Drive for the Cure 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the event that trimmed the inaugural NASCAR XFINITY Chase field from 12 drivers to eight.

Larson, who led 165 laps and at one point had the lead lap to himself, closed on Logano with three circuits left but brushed the turn two wall on lap 197 and fell to fourth at the finish behind Sadler and Daniel Suarez. Continue reading

Jimmie Johnson Triumphs at Charlotte as Five Chase Drivers Fall on Hard Times

After Sunday’s victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Jimmie Johnson can proclaim justifiably ‘The Boys are Back in Town.’

But for five other Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers, all of whom finished 30th or worse in the rain-delayed Bank of America 500, the race ended in a medley of dire straits.

Taking the lead from Matt Kenseth after a restart on lap 317 of 334, Johnson pulled away to win by 1.474 seconds over the driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Johnson put his No. 48 Chevrolet in Victory Lane for the third time this season, the eighth time at Charlotte – the third since the repaving of the track in March 2006 – and the 78th time in his career. Continue reading

Rain Forces Postponement of Charlotte Chase Races to Sunday

Photo - Getty Images
Photo – Getty Images

Persistent rain, a far-reaching effect of Hurricane Matthew, and a deteriorating forecast have forced postponement of the Bank of America 500 from Saturday night to Sunday at noon.

NBC will broadcast the first race in the Round of 12 of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series Drive for the Cure 300, originally scheduled for Friday night, will run after the conclusion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and will be televised on NBCSN. Continue reading

Penske Teammates aren’t Worried about Lack of Practice Time at Charlotte

Photo - Getty Images
Photo – Getty Images

With all track activity canceled because of rain on Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway – a far-reaching effect of Hurricane Matthew – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers won’t have an opportunity to practice between Thursday evening’s knockout qualifying session and Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 (7 p.m. ET on NBC).

No problem, according to Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, both exuding confidence entering the first race of the Round of 12 in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. After all, both drivers spent the vast majority of Thursday’s opening practice in race trim, anticipating the rain. Continue reading