Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover Preview

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2-For-2: Penske Proves It’s Contender Round Material

How quickly the tide can turn.

All summer it looked like a Hendrick Motorsports driver would take the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but now a new team has seized the title of favorite.

With victories in four of the past five races, including the last three in a row, Team Penske drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano have asserted the racing outfit as the organization to beat moving forward in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Keselowski (5) and Logano (4) lead the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in wins and have each locked themselves into the Contender Round with victories in the first two Chase races. On top of their hefty win totals, the duo also tops the series with 12 top-five finishes apiece. Continue reading

Logano Wins at New Hampshire as Chaotic Race Scrambles Chase Standings

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Out of the maelström that was New Hampshire Motor Speedway sped Joey Logano, who took control of Sunday’s Sylvania 300 on a restart with 27 laps left and held on to win the second race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

 

But the crux of Sunday’s race wasn’t about Logano’s fourth victory of the season and the second straight for Team Penske in the Chase. It wasn’t about Logano winning for the seventh time in his career and punching his ticket into the second elimination round under NASCAR’s new playoff format. Continue reading

AJ Allmendinger Grabs a Chase Spot with Thrilling Win at Watkins Glen

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Capturing his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Victory, AJ Allmendinger held off a hard charging Marcos Ambrose during the closing laps of the Cheez-It™ 355 at The Glen. 

The last road course of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season at The Glen gave AJ Allmendinger and Marcos Ambrose their best chance to qualify for the Chase. They both knew the stakes were high and gave their best effort to secure a win. They bumped each other door-to-door, racing side-by-side through the esses, and amazingly did it without wrecking. To the thrill of fans they ran a clean, hard race before Allmendinger made his last pass in turn six with just over one lap left to run. From there he went on to the checkered flag and his first series’ career win. Continue reading

The Chase Countdown Challenge Continues for Sprint Cup Drivers

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Five races on five very different tracks give NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers a challenge as they countdown to the Chase. 

That’s what faces the Sprint Cup Series and the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. For 11 drivers, it’s all or nothing time. For those 11 drivers with wins – and a likely Chase spot – a victory means three more bonus points tacked on their total to start the Chase.

But, really, these next five races are all about those with no wins. There are some big names out there battling for their playoff hopes – Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle. If the Chase started today, only Biffle would make it among the three perennial Chasers.

So while this is not yet panic time, there’s a definite sense of urgency – with a big opportunity awaiting drivers on Sunday afternoon.  Continue reading

Sprint Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Preview

Photo - Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Photo – Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the wine country of California to race at Sonoma Raceway this weekend.  It will be the first of two road-course stops for Cup this season, with the other being at Watkins Glen International in upstate New York. Continue reading