Join host Sharon Burton and co-host Jay Husmann every Thursday night at 8:30 pm ET as our Fan4Racing crew revs up race fans for the upcoming weekend of racing onFan4Racing NASCAR Weekend Preview, then stick around for Hot Topics Sound Off at 10 pm ET with co-host Andy Laskey and our Fan4Racing crew!
Our preview this week centers around racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, Gander Outdoors Truck Series, along with the ARCA Menards Series West season opener at the Las Vegas Bullring. We’ll include updates from the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and sometimes more.
Check out our new Chat Room feature so fans can chat with us throughout our LIVE broadcast.
Editors Note: Here’s another new weekly feature ‘Winners and Losers’ at Fan4Racing Blog and Radio from our newest writer, Owen Stewart.
The 62nd installment of the Daytona 500 was, well, unique. First, there was the rain delay and subsequent postponement after just 20 laps. Then, there was the 19-car crash with 17 laps to go that knocked out some of the race’s top contenders. Finally, there was the second-closest finish in race history, with Denny Hamlin edging Ryan Blaney by just 0.014 seconds to pick up his second straight 500 win and third in his last five years. Unfortunately, Ryan Newman’s horrifying crash at the finish line that nearly caused NASCAR’s first driver fatality in 19 years overshadows all the rest. The race, particularly the last few hundred feet, brought about some talk and debates that the sport hasn’t had to deal with in nearly two decades. Here is the first edition of winners and losers from the week’s race.
Power Ranking for the NASCAR Cup Series is now available after each race by our newest Fan4Racing crew member, Owen Stewart.
NASCAR season is upon us again. And so, the Power Ranking begins.
With the completion of the Daytona 500, one of thirty-six races has been run in the quest for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. Denny Hamlin got the season-opening victory, holding off a late run from both Ryan Blaney and Ryan Newman to take his third 500 victory since 2016. Since the season is underway, it’s only right that we get the power rankings off and running as well. Daytona is a race that can prompt big swings in the rankings, and this year follows that trend.
Editor’s Note: Fan4Racing writer Andy Laskey is the co-host for NASCAR Hot Topics Sound Off on Fan4Racing Radio every Monday and Thursday night at 10 pm ET. He’ll now offer a weekly blog of NASCAR Hot Topics to elaborate on subjects that – due to time constraints – we miss or short-change on the radio show. Please share your perspective of these hot topics in the comments section below.
Hot Topics 1 – Daniel Suarez Fails to Make Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 09: Daniel Suarez, driver of the #96 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series 62nd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 09, 2020, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Arguably one of the biggest disappointments to start the 2020 NASCAR season has to be Daniel Saurez missing the season-opening Daytona 500. The driver of the Gaunt Brothers Racing No. 96 Toyota was involved in a crash in the Duel 1 race that sent him to an early exit from the race and subsequent DNQ from the 500.
This is incredibly disappointing for a team trying to gain traction and establish themselves in the NASCAR Cup Series. The deal between Saurez and Gaunt Brothers Racing came together fairly late in the off-season, which put the team in a position of hiring personnel and building cars barely in time for Daytona Speedweeks. Making the Daytona 500 would have helped this up and coming team in a major way, especially in terms of financial benefits by starting the event, with a good performance and showing the potential to win.
What ‘could have been’ was the chance to gain exposure and sponsorship for the team. Missing the biggest race of the season automatically puts this team in a deficit and it will be interesting to see how they can overcome this set-back in the coming weeks.
Hot Topics 2 – No Sophomore Slump for Gragson
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 15: Noah Gragson, driver of the #9 Bass Pro Shops/BRCC Chevrolet, celebrates with the checkered flag after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series NASCAR Racing Experience 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2020, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
A feel-good story to start the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season has to be Daytona winner Noah Gragson. Entering his sophomore season in the Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports, Gragson finds himself in a situation of opportunity to step up and establish himself as a title favorite and help secure his long term future in the sport.
There’s no better way to do that than start the season off by winning the biggest race of the year. Granted, winning a superspeedway race doesn’t guarantee success for the whole season but it certainly gives this team a lot of confidence moving forward. To start the weekend, Gragson exhibited a lot of confidence and optimism for the 2020 season, as do all teams this time of year. But you just get the feeling that this has the potential to be a big year for Gragson and certainly his win at Daytona helps establish himself as one of the favorites.
With last year’s Big Three drivers in Cole Custer, Christopher Bell, and Tyler Reddick moving to the Cup Series, it remains to be seen exactly who will fill that void, however, this weekend Noah Gragson certainly made his case that he’ll be a season-long contender.
We’re pumped up for the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 15th at 2:30 pm ET.
Join our Fan4Racing crew for our Race Day Chat and share your thoughts of the Xfinity Series race while the action unfolds at Daytona. Buckle up, tighten those seat belts, and ride along with us!
