NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Clash

11 posts

Déjà vu Would be Just Fine with Denny Hamlin

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR NASCAR Wire Service
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 17: A detail of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, driven by Denny Hamlin during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash on February 17, 2017 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Photo – Getty Images

Denny Hamlin wouldn’t mind at all if history repeated itself during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway.

Hamlin won the Advance Auto Parts Clash, and eight days later, the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota followed up with his first Daytona 500 victory, a breathtaking affair that saw Hamlin beat fellow Camry driver Martin Truex Jr. to the finish line by 0.010 seconds, a margin of roughly six inches.

Hamlin is well aware that winning The Great American Race back-to-back is one of the toughest feats in motorsports, so tough that only three drivers have accomplished the feat: Richard Petty (1973-1974), Cale Yarborough (1983-1984) and Sterling Marlin (1994-1995). Continue reading →

Alex Bowman Happy to be Aligned with Hendrick

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR NASCAR Wire Service Track News Xfinity Series
Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, stands in the garage during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash on February 17, 2017 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Photo – Jerry Markland/Getty Images

After a stellar performance as a substitute driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr. last year, Alex Bowman got several offers of NASCAR rides – but none that could induce him to leave Hendrick Motorsports, where he spends most of his time driving a simulator. Continue reading →

Chase Elliott Starting to Feel Comfortable with No. 24 Legacy

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR NASCAR Wire Service
Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 NAPA Chevrolet, stands in the garage during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash on February 17, 2017 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Photo – Jerry Markland/Getty Images

Chase Elliott can’t make fans forget the legacy of the No. 24 car, but by all indications, he’s ready to make his own distinctive mark in that vaunted ride.

The history of the No. 24 car is monumental, and Elliott inherited that ride last year from the driver who made it famous.

The No. 24 has won 93 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races in 1,414 starts since the number debuted in 1950. All 93 victories belong to Jeff Gordon, who retired from full-time racing at NASCAR’s highest level at the end of the 2015 season. Continue reading →