Runner-Up Finish Important for Many Reasons for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at Bristol

Photo - Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Photo – Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. earned his season-best finish at his best track on the Sprint Cup Series circuit with a runner-up performance in Sunday’s postponed Bass Pro Shops NRA Race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

Stenhouse’s second place finish after 500 laps in Thunder Valley was the best finish for Roush Fenway Racing as an organization since teammate Trevor Bayne wheeled to a fifth place run at Bristol in April. Continue reading

Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Kyle Larson Honor Late Friend at Bristol Motor Speedway

Photo -  Blaine Ohigashi/Getty Images

Photo – Blaine Ohigashi/Getty Images

The outpouring of support for Bryan Clauson continued at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday, with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Larson honoring the memory of their close friend with special helmets and paint schemes.

Clauson died at age 27 from injuries suffered during an Aug. 6 accident in the Belleville (Kansas) Midget Nationals.

Like Stenhouse, Clauson got his start in NASCAR racing as a development driver for Roush Fenway Racing, but after 26 starts in the XFINITY series, with a best finish of fifth at Kentucky, he returned to open wheels and established himself as one of the all-time best in USAC competition. Continue reading

Kevin Harvick Wins Action-Filled NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Bristol

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For most of the final 200 laps of Sunday’s rain-interrupted Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kevin Harvick was where he needed to be – out front and in control of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

Behind Harvick, who took the checkered flag 1.933 seconds ahead of runner-up Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the race was often out of control, as the essence of traditional Bristol made an emphatic appearance at the 0.533-mile concrete short track. Continue reading