NASCAR NASCAR Wire Service

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NASCAR XFINITY Chase Media Day Notebook

NASCAR NASCAR Wire Service Track News Xfinity Series
Photo - Getty Images
Photo – Getty Images

CHASE FORMAT HAS ADDED AGGRESSION TO ERIK JONES’ RACING STYLE

Top-seeded Erik Jones didn’t wait for the seven-race XFINITY Series playoff to alter his racing style to suit the new elimination format.

By his own admission, Jones raced conservatively last year in winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship. But the win-and-you’re-in structure of the XFINITY Chase has given the driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota more freedom to race for victories at any cost. Continue reading →

Sunday Chicagoland Notebook

NASCAR NASCAR Wire Service Sprint Cup Series Track News

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Pit road penalty thwarts strong run by Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson had mixed feelings about his 12th-place run in Sunday’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

On the positive side, Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet showed excellent speed in the opening race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

The six-time Sprint Cup champion led a race-high 118 laps, but he drew a pit road speeding penalty during a green-flag stop on lap 234 of 270, and that infraction cost Johnson a shot at victory. After serving a pass-through penalty, he fell to 18th in the running order but rallied to finish 12th. Continue reading →

Truex Triumphs in Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Opener at Chicagoland

NASCAR NASCAR Wire Service Sprint Cup Series Track News

You could see it coming from a mile-and-a-half away.

On new tires, Martin Truex Jr. rocketed around the outside lane after a restart in overtime at Chicagoland Speedway and pulled away to win Sunday’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400, the opening race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

With the victory—his first at the 1.5-mile track, his third of the season and the sixth of his career—Truex also rocketed into the Chase’s Round of 12. But Truex wasn’t satisfied with a ticket into the next round and the prospect of racing stress-free at New Hampshire and Dover, the final two Round of 16 events. Continue reading →

Erik Jones Wins at Chicagoland, Enters NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase as Top Seed

NASCAR NASCAR Wire Service Track News Xfinity Series

Kyle Busch opened the door, and that was all the invitation Erik Jones needed.

When Busch, the polesitter for Saturday’s The Drive for Safety 300 at Chicagoland Speedway, spun with a tire down while leading on Lap 182 of 200, Jones took full advantage of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate’s misfortune.

The driver of the No. 20 JGR Toyota restarted sixth on Lap 187 after Busch brought out the eighth caution of the afternoon and quickly closed the gap on Elliott Sadler, who restarted second and grabbed the lead from JR Motorsports teammate Clint Bowyer, who had stayed out on old tires. Continue reading →