Hamlin Wins at Richmond, as Two Rookies Advance to the Chase

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Denny Hamlin won a wild race at his home track, and the top-four Chase hopefuls entering Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400 all held serve at Richmond International Raceway in an event that ended in overtime after a record 16 cautions.

Jamie McMurray locked up a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with a seventh-place finish, and Austin Dillon did likewise with a 13th-place run.

Sunoco rookies Chase Elliott and Chris Buescher both weathered some tense moments to qualify for NASCAR’s ten-race playoff, the first time two rookies have ever been included in the Chase field—and the first time any rookie has made the Chase since Hamlin accomplished the feat in 2006. Continue reading

Popular Kyle Larson Win Allows Focus Toward First Sprint Cup Title

Photo - Robert Laberge/Getty Images

Photo – Robert Laberge/Getty Images

Kyle Larson celebrated his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory in Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway with a celebratory burn out from the asphalt through the grass and directly into Victory Lane.

And while the victory was sugar sweet for the Elk Grove, California native ending a 99-race winless streak for Chip Ganassi Racing, Larson now doesn’t have to worry about points or where he finishes the next two weeks at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway or Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, although knowing Larson’s ethic winning next week is just as important as winning Sunday in the Irish Hills. Continue reading

Diversity Graduate Kyle Larson Scores First NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Victory

Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 28, 2016 in Brooklyn, Michigan. Photo - Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 28, 2016 in Brooklyn, Michigan.
Photo – Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Californian Becomes First D4D, NASCAR Next Grad To Win In Sport’s Premier Series

Kyle Larson won Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway to become the first graduate of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity and the NASCAR Next programs to win at the sanctioning body’s top level.

Larson, the 24-year-old Elk Grove, California, native of Japanese-American heritage, has already won in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. His first win came in 2013 at Rockingham Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He has since won another NASCAR Camping World Truck race, as well as four NASCAR XFINITY Series races. Continue reading

Kyle Larson Captures Emotional First Victory at Michigan

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In the last few laps of Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway, tears began to well up in Kyle Larson’s eyes.

When Larson subsequently took the checkered flag to win the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of his career, the emotion was all but overwhelming—and for good reason.

The victory came in Larson’s 99th start in the series, long after most observers expected Larson to record his first win. It also broke a 99-race drought for Chip Ganassi Racing, dating to Jamie McMurray’s victory at Talladega in October 2013. Continue reading

McDowell Gets First NASCAR Win at Road America

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Michael McDowell’s Twitter handle is @Mc_Driver.

After Saturday, he may want to consider changing it — to something like @Mc_Winner. 

McDowell led 24 of the final 25 laps of the NASCAR XFINITY Series Road America 180 Fired Up by Johnsonville for his first victory in 94 series races.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular finished .534 seconds ahead of his Richard Childress Racing teammate Brendan Gaughan after two late restarts, including a green-while-checkered that pushed the race to 48 laps from its scheduled 45.
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