Ben Rhodes Gaining Valuable Experience and Knowledge at JR Motorsports

Ben Rhodes, driver of the #88 Alpha EnergySolutions Chevrolet, checks his tablet before practice for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Owens Corning AttiCat 300 at Chicagoland Speedway on June 19, 2015 Photo - Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Ben Rhodes, driver of the #88 Alpha EnergySolutions Chevrolet, checks his tablet before practice for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Owens Corning AttiCat 300 at Chicagoland Speedway on June 19, 2015 Photo – Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

The 2015 season for JR Motorsports driver Ben Rhodes, is fair to say, ‘different’ from most young drivers entering this sport. Especially, considering that Rhodes is coming from a championship season in the NASCAR K&N East Series in 2014. This season has been a big learning experience in his young career, directing him toward more of an observation role, in contrast to many of his peers. Rhodes is only scheduled to run ten NASCAR XFINITY Series races at JR Motorsports this year, but he has also been at the track every race week to take in information that will help him later. Continue reading

Big Name Drivers Influence NASCAR Rules Package Change for Kentucky

Photo - Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Photo – Tom Pennington/Getty Images

It’s no secret that up to this point of the season, NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers have been unhappy with the current rules package for their cars. The new aerodynamics package for the 2015 has produced sub par racing for several drivers and they have no fear in expressing to NASCAR their desire for change.

The first evidence of the unhappiness from the drivers began when we learned of the newly formed, ‘Driver’s Council’ as reported in early June. Drivers include but are not limited to, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin.

The new package NASCAR announced this week, will début at Kentucky Speedway, and it’s a reasonable to surmise, that new packaged stemmed from concerns expressed by the ‘Driver’s Council.’ Continue reading

Kurt Busch Wins at Michigan when Rain Halts NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race

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Starting 24th in a backup car, Kurt Busch fought his way to the front of the field through intermittent rain showers and won Sunday’s Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway when a deluge halted the race after 138 of a scheduled 200 laps.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was second when NASCAR red-flagged the event for the fourth time. Martin Truex Jr.was third, followed by Matt Kenseth and Penske teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. Continue reading

Sprint Cup Series Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan Preview

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NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Next Race: Quicken Loans 400

The Place: Michigan International Speedway

The Date: Sunday, June 14

The Time: 1 p.m. (ET)

TV: FOX Sports 1, 11:30 a.m. (ET)

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM Ch. 90

Distance: 400 miles (200 laps)

Truex Triumphs At Pocono, Carries Momentum To Michigan

Martin Truex Jr. finally closed the deal.

The No. 78 Furniture Row Racing driver led the most laps for the fourth consecutive race in last weekend’s Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400 at Pocono Raceway and fended off defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick for his first win of the season. Continue reading

Martin Truex Jr Finally Gets Popular Sprint Cup Series Win at Pocono Raceway

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Martin Truex Jr. knew that his third career victory would come – eventually.

Enjoying easily the finest season of his NASCAR career, Truex raced to a convincing win in Sunday’s Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400, leading 97 of 160 laps, including the last 27 at Pocono Raceway.

His victory marked the third consecutive Sprint Cup race in which Truex led the most laps. He’d led 131 laps at both Charlotte and Dover, only to come home fifth and sixth in the last two weeks. Continue reading