Drivers Sound Off on Format Enhancements

January 24 2017: during the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.
Photo – HHP/Jim Fluharty

Tuesday morning’s portion of the 35th Annual NASCAR Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway saw four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers discuss the three-stage race format enhancements announced on Monday.

Seven-time and defending series champion Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott believe the three-stage format will make each race more dramatic for drivers, teams and fans. Continue reading

XFINITY Champion Suarez Promoted to Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

HUNTERSVILLE, NC – JANUARY 11: NASCAR driver Daniel Suarez talks about his future driving at NASCAR’s highest level during a press conference at Joe Gibbs Racing on January 11, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Photo by Bob Leverone/ Getty Images

The phone call interrupted Daniel Suarez’s lunch. He didn’t mind.

Team owner Joe Gibbs was calling with the surprising news that Suarez, winner of the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship last season, would be promoted to drive the team’s No. 19 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota in 2017 as a replacement for Carl Edwards.

Edwards had told Gibbs about his decision to leave racing during the Christmas holidays. Continue reading

Mexico’s Daniel Suarez Wins NASCAR XFINITY Series Championship with Victory at Homestead

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Daniel Suarez streaked away from Elliott Sadler after the final restart in Saturday’s Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and three laps later, NASCAR had its first foreign-born national touring series champion.

Ultimately, the 24-year-old driver from Monterrey, Mexico beat Ty Dillon to the finish line by 0.968 seconds. Sadler, who had taken two tires and gained the second position on a lap 193 pit stop, came home third and finished second in the inaugural NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase. Continue reading

Inaugural NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase Culminates in Miami

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For the first time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series’ 34-year existence, the title will be decided at the culmination of the inaugural NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase, a four round elimination-style playoff that will name the series’ 27th different champion in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The first of the Championship 4 drivers to cross the finish line at Homestead will become the 2016 series driver champion. Elliott Sadler, Daniel Suárez, Erik Jones and Justin Allgaier are the Championship 4 and have competed all season for the chance at the title in the Ford EcoBoost 300 on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 2 pm ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.   Continue reading

Championship 4 Weekend Kicks Off With Camping World Truck Series Showdown

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The inaugural NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship 4 race kicks off what promises to be a thrilling weekend in Miami, NASCAR’s title town. Friday night’s race wraps up a four round elimination-style playoff that will crown one of four drivers as the champion in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The first of the Championship 4 drivers to cross the finish line at Homestead will become the 2016 series driver champion. Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton, Christopher Bell and Timothy Peters are the Championship 4 and have competed all season for the chance at the title in the Ford EcoBoost 200 Friday, Nov. 18 at 8 pm. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.  Continue reading