LOUDON, NEW HAMPSHIRE – AUGUST 02: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #43 Cash App Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on August 02, 2020, in Loudon, New Hampshire. Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Wallace, mid-week racing, Daytona road course are at the top of this week’s Hot Topics Sound Off with Fan4Racing writer Andy Laskey. Share your thoughts by commenting below.
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA – JUNE 22: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #43 Victory Junction Chevrolet, takes a selfie with NASCAR drivers that pushed him to the front of the grid as a sign of solidarity with the driver prior to the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on June 22, 2020, in Talladega, Alabama. A noose was found in the garage stall of NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace at Talladega Superspeedway a week after the organization banned the Confederate flag at its facilities. Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
NASCAR Investigation Confirms Noose in the No. 43 garage of Richard Petty Motorsports driver Bubba Wallace was not a hoax before the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
During an update Thursday on NASCAR’s investigation into a noose found in Bubba Wallace’s garage stall on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR president Steve Phelps quickly dispelled any insinuation that the incident was a hoax.
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA – JUNE 22: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Sylvania Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on June 22, 2020, in Talladega, Alabama. Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
Ryan Blaney wins by 0.007 of an inch in the NASCAR Cup Series, GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Monday, June 22nd.
An event that began with a massive show of support for Bubba Wallace ended with one of Wallace’s best friends, Ryan Blaney, celebrating in Victory Lane for the second straight race at Talladega Superspeedway.
HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA – JUNE 14: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Toyota, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on June 14, 2020 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
NASCAR Cup Series Expectations Check: One-third of the way into the 2020 season is time to do a check on the drivers and whether they’re meeting expectations to this point of a unique year.
As crazy as the 2020 season has been, normalcy is gradually returning to NASCAR. Eight races have been run since the ten-week-long hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, bringing the season to its one-third completion mark. Drivers needed an adjustment period to the post-pandemic era of the sport; no practice, no qualifying, no fans, two races in one weekend, the list goes on and on. As the races continue to roll on by, these adjustments have allowed some drivers to surprise, and caused others to disappoint. With the season at a bit of a junction heading into Talladega, here’s a quick look at which drivers are exceeding expectations, and which drivers are flopping.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – SEPTEMBER 08: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Mobil 1 Ford, shakes hands with Bubba Wallace, driver of the #43 World Wide Technology Chevrolet, after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 08, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images
SPEEDWAY, Ind. – It was the kind of day Bubba Wallace had likely pictured as a kid – a triumphant performance on one of racing’s brightest stages. His third-place finish in Sunday’s Big Machine Records 400 at the Brickyard was his best showing since a runner-up finish in the 2018 season-opening Daytona 500.
