NASCAR NASCAR Wire Service

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Rain Cancels Vegas Qualifying; Inspection Issue Sends Kyle Busch from Pole to Rear

NASCAR NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR Wire Service Track News
LAS VEGAS, NV – FEBRUARY 22: The crew of NASCAR Cup Series driver Erik Jones (20) Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Toyota Camry wait in the rain to get their race car through tech inspection Saturday, February 22, 2020, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV. Photo by Will Lester/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

LAS VEGAS – A persistent drizzle at Las Vegas Motor Speedway forced the cancellation of Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session for Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Accordingly, the starting field has been set according to the rule book, with the cars set to line up according to the final 2019 owner points. That puts Kyle Busch on the pole, with Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. on the outside of the front row.

Because of inspection issues, however, Busch will drop to the rear for the start of the race. Racing to the front could be a huge issue for the reigning series champion, given handling issues that plagued the No. 18 Toyota during Friday’s practice sessions.

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Kyle Busch Dominates in Seventh Straight NASCAR Truck Series Win

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NASCAR NASCAR Gander RV Outdoors Truck Series, NASCAR Wire Service Track News
Kyle Busch celebrates in victory lane after dominating the NASCAR Truck Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 21: Kyle Busch, driver of the #51 Cessna Toyota, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Strat 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 21, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo – Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

LAS VEGAS – It’s easy to spot a trend where Kyle Busch is concerned.

Put Busch in one of his own Kyle Busch Motorsports trucks, and he’s all but certain to win. That’s been the case for seven straight starts in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, counting Friday night’s victory in the Strat 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, his home track.

Busch led seven times for 108 of the 134 laps in the 200-mile race. About the only difficulty he had was clearing Sheldon Creed on consecutive restarts in the final stage of the race. But five laps into a run, Busch was gone.

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Denny Hamlin Wins Second Straight Daytona 500

NASCAR NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR Wire Service Track News
Denny Hamlin and his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Team celebrate his second Daytona 500 win in victory lane at Daytona International Speedway.
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 17: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series 62nd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 17, 2020, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Denny Hamlin Makes a Late Run to Victory

A victory for Denny Hamlin is a sure indication that the NASCAR Cup Series season has officially returned with the 62nd running of the Daytona 500. It was an incredible prerace show that included President Donald Trump being the Grand Marshall and WWE Superstar Seamus being the honorary pace car drivers. Dale Earnhardt Jr. also waved the green flag to kick off the race. The race track was buzzing with excitement with these important figures making an appearance.

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Jimmie Johnson’s Final Daytona 500 Ends Early

NASCAR NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR Wire Service Track News
Jimmie Johnson at Driver Introductions for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 16: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, is introduced prior to the NASCAR Cup Series 62nd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2020,in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – In the hours before his final Daytona 500 start, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson was riding bikes with his wife and two young daughters in the infield, enjoying the sunny Florida day and the good vibes before NASCAR’s highest-profile green flag flew.

On the grid before the race, Johnson’s daughters took turns sitting in the driver’s seat of their dad’s famed No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. And then moments later, their father rolled off and into the last Daytona 500 he’s scheduled to run before retiring at the end of the season.

For most of the day, Johnson kept the car upfront and looked absolutely ready to contend for his third Daytona 500 trophy… only to be collected in a late-race wreck while running in the top five. Johnson was caught in a 19-car accident with 16 laps remaining in the 200-lap race – a race won for the second consecutive time by Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin.

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