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

Ryan Newman Breaks Drought with Late-Race Strategy at Phoenix

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When the winner of Sunday’s Camping World 500 was announced, officials might have thought for a moment that they got the wrong envelope, à la Warren Beatty at the Oscars.

But, no, there was no mistake. Ryan Newman was the unexpected winner of the fourth Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season after a late caution gave his No. 31 Richard Childress Racing team the chance to break a drought dating to 2013. Continue reading

NASCAR XFINITY Series DC Solar 200 at Phoenix Preview

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NASCAR XFINITY Series’ teams will race the DC Solar 200 at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday, March 18th at 4 pm ET. FOX is providing television coverage with MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio also providing radio coverage.

The DC Solar 200 is 200 miles over 200 laps with Stage 1 ending on lap 60 and Stage 2 ending on lap 120. Continue reading

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News and Notes

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Kazaam! Grala Looks to Join Elite Company

GMS Racing driver and Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Kaz Grala has already locked himself into the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs thanks to his win in the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

Grala joins 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookies William Byron and Christopher Bell as the only rookies to win and make the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs since the inception of the playoff system in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series last season. Continue reading

Kyle Busch Explains Toyota’s Early Reversal of Fortune

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, practices for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 11, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Photo – Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

Early in the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, Fords have dominated the headlines.

Kurt Busch won the season Daytona 500 in a Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. Brad Keselowski won the following week at Atlanta. Kevin Harvick has won three of the four preliminary stages contested under NASCAR’s enhanced three-stage race format. Continue reading