Catch Up with 2016 Changes in NASCAR XFINITY Series

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Photo - Jerry Markland/Getty Images

Photo – Jerry Markland/Getty Images

2016 Season Brings Some Change and Lots of Excitement

to NASCAR XFINITY Series

With a new season brings tons of excitement and some great new ideas to the table for the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Much like the successful NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase, the XFINITY Series has now adopted a new version of NASCAR’s playoff system. Also the fan and driver adorned Dash 4 Cash program returns for 2016, but this time with a tweak to the process. Below are details to the biggest changes the NASCAR XFINITY Series will see in 2016. Continue reading

NASCAR Announces Innovations for XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash, Camping World Truck Series Caution Clock

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NASCAR

NASCAR Announces Innovations For

NASCAR XFINITY Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

 

XFINITY Dash 4 Cash Races To Include Two Heats & Main;

Caution Clock Introduced For NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 

NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell announced today several racing-related innovations to the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, beginning with the 2016 season, designed to ignite and energize the growth of each series.

In the NASCAR XFINITY Series, where “Names Are Made,” each event in the popular Dash 4 Cash program now will be comprised of Two Heats and a Main. Drivers who win two of the four Dash 4 Cash bonuses available also are all but guaranteed a spot in the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase.

In addition, the rugged NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races now will feature a Caution Clock, which will be triggered at the start of each green-flag run. When the green flag is displayed, 20 minutes will be placed on the clock. If/when the clock expires, a caution will be thrown.

“These innovations contain the elements of racing that our fans want the most,” said O’Donnell. “The enhancements put a premium on in-race strategy, and will create an unprecedented level of excitement as teams make tactical decisions that could impact their spot in the Chase.”

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES DASH 4 CASH

The NASCAR XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash will be comprised of Two Heats and a Main at four tracks: Bristol Motor Speedway (April 16), Richmond International Raceway (April 23), Dover International Speedway (May 14) and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 23).

Qualifying for each Dash 4 Cash event will set the 40-car field and the starting positions for the Two Heats with the fastest qualifier awarded the Coors Light Pole Award. Odd-numbered qualifiers (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) will start in the first Heat in respective order, while even-numbered qualifiers (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc.) will start the second Heat in respective order.

The Two Heats will set the starting positions for the Main with the top two NASCAR XFINITY Series regulars in each Heat becoming eligible for the Dash 4 Cash bonus. The highest finishing driver among the four Dash 4 Cash eligible drivers will be awarded a $100,000 bonus. If any driver wins two of the four Dash 4 Cash bonuses available, he/she is all but guaranteed a spot in the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase. In short, two Dash 4 Cash bonuses are equivalent to one race win in the new NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase format.

Drivers must have declared to earn NASCAR XFINITY Series points in order to be eligible for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash bonus.

Click HERE for details

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES CAUTION CLOCK

A Caution Clock will be utilized in each NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event (except for Eldora Speedway). The clock will be set to 20 minutes and triggered at the start of each green-flag run during race events. When the clock counts down to zero, a caution flag then will be displayed and no beneficiary will be awarded. A caution occurring before time expires resets the clock when the subsequent green flag is displayed and the first truck a lap down will be the beneficiary.

The caution clock will be turned off with 20 laps to go at all events in the series, with the exception of Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Pocono Raceway, where the clock will be turned off with 10 laps remaining.

Click HERE for details

The 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular season will kick off with the 58th running of the Daytona 500® on Sunday, Feb. 21 at Daytona International Speedway®. The Great American Race® will be broadcast live on FOX, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.

NASCAR IMC

NASCAR XFINITY Series Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond Preview

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NASCAR XFINITY Series

Next Race: Virginia529 College Savings 250

The Place: Richmond International Raceway

The Date: Friday, Sept. 11

The Time: 7:30 p.m. (ET)

TV: NBCSN, 7 p.m. (ET)

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM Ch. 90

Distance: 187.5 miles (250 laps)

Buescher Commands Championship Lead with Nine Races Remaining

After watching his point lead dwindle for three consecutive weeks in August, Roush Fenway Racing’s Chris Buescher needed to turn up the heat at Darlington.

And he succeeded.

Buescher placed fifth for his 11th top-five this season, while his closest championship contender – Ty Dillon – finished 15th. He now leads second-place Dillon by 29 points and third-place Chase Elliott by 35 points.

On Friday, the 22-year-old Texan returns to the site of his worst finish of the 2015 season – Richmond International Raceway where he finished 20th in April – for the Virginia529 College Savings 250. In four career starts at Richmond, Buescher has two top-ten finishes with a best result of seventh last spring. 

Meet Virginia: Sadler, McClure Right at Home at RIR

Local fans will likely cheer for two drivers entered in the Virginia529 College Savings 250 who have their home state recorded as Virginia – Elliott Sadler and Eric McClure.

Sadler, currently fifth in the XFINITY Series standings, hails just down the road from Richmond International Raceway in Emporia, Virginia. He is searching for his first win this season, but has four top-five and 12 top-ten finishes in 24 starts. Sadler has never won a national series race in his home state. In 24 XFINITY Series starts at Richmond, he claims two top-five and ten top-ten finishes.
McClure calls Chilhowie, Virginia home. He has competed in all 24 XFINITY Series races this season with a highest finish of 17th at Daytona. Continue reading

Denny Hamlin Gets Dominating-But-Serendipitous Win At Darlington

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You could call polesitter Denny Hamlin’s victory in Saturday’s VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway ‘dominating,’ but the NASCAR XFINITY Series event wasn’t without its share of drama—courtesy of a fuel shortage and Hamlin’s own Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Daniel Suarez.

Hamlin Led 117 of 147 laps at the 1.366-mile speedway, but he didn’t make the winning pass until lap 145, when he surged past Suarez, who was stretching fuel after foregoing a final pit stop in hopes of stealing the victory. Continue reading

Winless in 2015, Chase Elliott Remains in Hunt for Second Consecutive XFINITY Series Title

Photo - Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Photo – Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Chase Elliott took the NASCAR XFINITY (then Nationwide) Series by storm in 2014, winning three races en route to capturing the championship in his rookie campaign.

Elliott won his first race at Texas Motor Speedway and followed that up the following week with a victory at Darlington. After winning the standalone race at Chicagoland, the 18th event of the 2014 campaign, Elliott re-took the championship lead and never looked back on his way to winning the title.

Fast forward to 2015, and the story has been a bit different for the 19-year-old driver. Elliott has yet to visit victory lane in the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, nor has he led the championship standings after 23 of 33 races. Continue reading