Austin Dillon, driver of the #33 Rheem Chevrolet, poses with the Coors Light Pole Award after qualifying for pole position NASCAR XFINITY Series Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 9, 2015 Photo – Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Austin Dillon, driver of the #33 Rheem Chevrolet, leads the field past the green flag to start the NASCAR XFINITY Series Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 9, 2015 Photo – Sarah Crabill/Getty Images
Austin Dillon, driver of the #33 Rheem Chevrolet, leads the field on the first lap of the NASCAR XFINITY Series Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 9, 2015 Photo – Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
Austin Dillon, driver of the #33 Rheem Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR XFINITY Series Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 9, 2015 Photo – Sarah Crabill/Getty Images
Austin Dillon, driver of the #33 Rheem Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR XFINITY Series Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 9, 2015 Photo – Sarah Crabill/Getty Images
Austin Dillon, driver of the #33 Rheem Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR XFINITY Series Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 9, 2015 Photo – Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
When NASCAR comes to Charlotte Motor Speedway, Austin Dillon doesn’t mind being a creäture of habit.
After experienced veterans Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne knocked themselves out of contention 151 laps into Friday night’s Drive for the Cure 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race at the 1.5-mile track, Dillon streaked away from Erik Jones to win by 2.809 seconds over the Joe Gibbs Racing driver.
With the victory, Dillon completed a season sweep at Charlotte, both wins coming from the pole position. The triumph was Dillon’s third of the season in the XFINITY Series and the sixth of his career.
Dillon’s closest call came not on the track, but during the pre-race ceremony. A fireball from one of the skyrockets used to liven up the proceedings dropped out of the evening sky and singed Dillon’s firesuit. Continue reading →
Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, leads Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Dollar General Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 Photo – Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images
Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 Photo – Ranier Ehrhardt/Getty Images
Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 Photo – Jeff Curry/Getty Images
Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, races during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 Photo – Jerry Markland/Getty Images
Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 Photo – Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout in front of his crew after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 Photo – Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on October 4, 2015 Photo – Ranier Ehrhardt/Getty Images
By Jove, he’s done it again!
Forced to win at Dover International Speedway to keep his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship hopes alive Sunday, Kevin Harvick did just that, dominating Sunday’s AAA 400 to stave off elimination from the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
In a virtual carbon copy of last year’s Chase race at Phoenix, where the 2014 premier series champion had to win to advance to the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Harvick led 355 of 400 laps – a career best at any track – in winning for the third time this year and the 31st time in his career.
“I think we’re better than we were last year, just because of the experiences and things that we’ve had,” Harvick said after the race. “I think when we look at everything that’s gone on over the last couple of years, it’s just been a lot of fun.
“So, it’s just that never-quit attitude. That’s what (team co-owner) Tony Stewart said when we went to Homestead last year. He said, ‘Whatever you do, do not quit until they throw that checkered flag.’”
Defending champion Kevin Harvick has two options heading into Sunday’s AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway – the first cutoff race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup – win or go home.
The No. 4 Chevrolet driver ranks 15th out of 16 drivers on the Chase Grid and sits 23 points below 12th-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the cutoff line. He mathematically can still make the Contender Round on points, but it would be a tough task, requiring him to jump three drivers.
Basically, if Harvick doesn’t visit Victory Lane, he is out of NASCAR’s playoffs as one of the four winless drivers lowest in points. Continue reading →
Gordon Set to Become NASCAR’s All-Time Consecutive Starts Leader
When Jeff Gordon starts his engine in Sunday’s Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, he will pass Ricky Rudd as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series consecutive starts leader by beginning his 789th straight race.
NASCAR’s new Iron Man has not missed a start since making his series debut at Atlanta on Nov. 15, 1992 – a span of 22 years, 10 months and 12 days. Continue reading →
