Kyle Busch Wins at Phoenix, as Championship 4 XFINITY Field is Set

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It was just another routine Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway for Kyle Busch.

But nothing else in the Ticket Galaxy 200 was at all ordinary.

All the drama unfolded behind Busch, as eight drivers scrambled for four positions in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase’s Championship 4 Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Busch led 190 of 200 laps on the way to his tenth NASCAR XFINITY Series victory of the season, his tenth at the one-mile track and the 86th of his career, extending his own series record.

Busch beat runner-up Austin Dillon to the finish line by 6.115 seconds. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ran third in his first XFINITY Series start since 2013. Continue reading

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, AAA Texas 500 at Texas Preview

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NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams are racing 334 laps over 501 miles in the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, November 6th at 2 pm ET. Television coverage is on NBC with radio coverage available on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.

 

What to Watch For: Jimmie Johnson goes for his fifth straight fall win at Texas as he attempts to tie NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty with a record seventh NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

Drivers try to move into the top-four of a Chase Grid led by Johnson (clinched berth in Championship 4 with win at Martinsville), followed by Denny Hamlin (six points above Joey Logano on the cutoff line), Matt Kenseth (+6), Kyle Busch (+4), Joey Logano (-4), Kevin Harvick (-16), Kurt Busch (-18) and Carl Edwards (-32). Continue reading

Michael Annett and Pilot Flying J to Join JR Motorsports in 2017

Michael Annett, driver of the #46 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 5, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. Photo - Jerry Markland/Getty Images

Michael Annett, driver of the #46 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 5, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. Photo – Jerry Markland/Getty Images


JRM Expanding Lineup to Four Full-Time Teams in NXS Competition

JR Motorsports will expand its NASCAR XFINITY Series program to four full-time teams in 2017, as the Dale Earnhardt Jr.-owned company has signed a multi-year agreement with driver Michael Annett and Pilot Flying J, the largest operator of travel centers and travel plazas in North America.  Annett will compete full-time for an NXS championship with JRM’s No. 5 Pilot Flying J entry next year.
A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Annett will join a 2017 JRM roster that already includes full-season drivers Elliott Sadler, Justin Allgaier, and rookie William Byron.  JR Motorsports will run a fifth car, the No. 88 entry, in select races with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne.

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Gordon Enjoys – Perhaps – his Last Run at Martinsville

Photo - Robert Laberge/Getty Images

Photo – Robert Laberge/Getty Images

Jeff Gordon doesn’t plan to race again in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car – unless team owner Rick Hendrick twists his arm.

But Gordon hopes circumstances won’t force him into another substitute role. Competing in place of ailing Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the last time this season, Gordon finished sixth on Sunday in his Martinsville swan song.

“Well, I had a lot of fun out there,” Gordon said after the race. “It’s great to be here in front of all these awesome short track and Martinsville NASCAR fans. It’s just a special place to me, and I had a lot of fun and had a great car. This No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet was really good. I knew we didn’t have the short-run speed for some of those Gibbs cars…

“I would rather have won. I felt like we had a fourth-or-fifth-place car the run before that (last run), so I always wanted to get the most out of it. I was a little disappointed it didn’t take off there at the last yellow, but very proud of this team proud of my performance. Best finish I’ve had in this car (subbing for Earnhardt). Good way to finish my run this year in the No. 88 Chevy.”

Notice Gordon said “my run this year” and not “my career.”

NBCSN Presents First Race in NASCAR Sprint Cup Playoff Round of 8

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NASCAR SPRINT CUP PLAYOFF ROUND OF 8 SUNDAY AT 12:30 P.M. ET

NBC Sports kicks off its second consecutive standalone Sprint Cup coverage Friday with Sprint Cup practice at 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN, followed by qualifying at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. An on-site edition of NASCAR America from Martinsville Speedway wraps up the day at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Saturday’s coverage includes practice at 9 a.m. ET on CNBC, followed by final practice at noon ET on NBCSN. Race Day coverage begins on NBCSN with NASCAR America at 12 p.m. ET followed by Countdown to Green at 12:30 p.m. ET. Race coverage of the first playoff race in the Round of 8 begins at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The checkered flag is immediately followed by an on-site post-race show, as well as a trackside edition of Victory Lap beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Race announcer Rick Allen calls this weekend’s action alongside analysts Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton. Pre- and post-race coverage is handled by host Krista Voda, and analysts Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett. Marty Snider, Mike Massaro, Dave Burns and Kelli Stavast report from pit road. Rutledge Wood contributes to NBCSN’s coverage Friday and Sunday.

One More Time!

Dale Earnhardt Jr Returns to NBCSN Broadcast Booth for Martinsville

After  last week’s successful visit as a guest analyst in the NBCSN broadcast booth in Talladega, Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns this Sunday to lend his knowledge as an analyst during NBCSN’s coverage from Martinsville Speedway. Earnhardt will again work alongside his former crew chief Steve Letarte, race announcer Rick Allen and fellow analyst Jeff Burton.

NBC Sports Network