Absence of Cup Veterans Doesn’t Hurt Dash 4 Cash Competition

Justin Allgaier, driver of the #7 Cheney Brothers/Southern Foods Chevrolet, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 22, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. Photo – Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

A difference in format and a ban on five-year Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series veterans may have changed the tenor of the Dash 4 Cash races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, but it hasn’t diminished the quality of competition in the eyes of the drivers.

This year, eligibility for the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonuses is determined during the first two stages of a race, rather than through separate heat races. And though Cup drivers with five-year full-time tenures aren’t allowed to compete, there are plenty of talented drivers with less than five years of Cup experience eager to fill the top-quality rides. Continue reading

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas Preview

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Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams are in Texas Motor Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 on Sunday, April 9th. Television and radio coverage begins 1:30 pm ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Drivers will race 501 miles over 334 laps with Stage 1 ending on lap 85 and Stage 2 ending on lap 170. Continue reading

NASCAR XFINITY Series’ My Bariatric Solutions 300 at Texas Preview

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NASCAR XFINITY Series teams are at Texas Motor Speedway for the My Bariatric Solutions 300 on Saturday, April 8th. Television and radio coverage begins at 1 pm ET on FOX, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio with a green flag start at 1:30 pm ET.

Drivers will race 300 miles over 200 laps with Stage 1 ending on lap 45, Stage 2 ends on lap 90. Continue reading

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ STP 500 at Martinsville Preview

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Catch the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway in the STP 500 on Sunday, April 2nd at 2 pm ET.  Television and radio coverage begins at 12:30 pm ET on FOX Sports 1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Drivers will race 500 laps covering 263 miles with Stage 1 ending on lap 130 and Stage 2 ending on lap 260.   Continue reading

Erik Jones Scores First Top-Ten in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

Erik Jones, driver of the #77 5-hour Energy Extra Strength Toyota, stands in the garage during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Camping World 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 18, 2017 in Avondale, Arizona. Photo – Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Erik Jones’ No. 77 Furniture Row Racing team did everything right in Sunday’s Camping World 500 at Phoenix International Raceway—except for predicting how many cars would take two tires versus four on the final pit stop before overtime.

Jones was running fifth when a melted bead caused Joey Logano’s right front tire to explode and sent the No. 22 Ford of the polesitter into the turn one wall on lap 307 of a scheduled 312. Jones took four tires under the ensuing caution and restarted 14th. Continue reading