NASCAR Erik Jones

365 posts

Ryan Reed Gets Second NASCAR XFINITY Win where he Got the First–Daytona

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For Ryan Reed, there’s magic in the air at the Birthplace of Speed.

Reed went to Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway in February 2015 and hadn’t won since—until Saturday night, when he held off Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series veteran Kasey Kahne in overtime to claim victory in the Powershares QQQ 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series season opener.

With the race going four laps past its scheduled distance of 120 laps, and with the series running NASCAR’s new three-stage event format for the first time, Reed blocked Kahne in turn two on the first of two overtime laps and stalled his momentum. Continue reading →

Toyota has a New Camry, but Teams Plan Similar Strategy in Daytona 500

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Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, leads Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER BOATS Toyota, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Can-Am Duel 1 at Daytona International Speedway on February 23, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images

A new, sleek Camry race car isn’t likely to change the Toyota teams’ approach to the Daytona 500.

Neither is the success Fords had in breaking up the Toyota monopoly in last Saturday’s Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona.

Last year, Camry drivers dominated the Great American Race, with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin edging Furniture Row’s Martin Truex Jr. for the win by 0.010 seconds, roughly six inches. Toyotas swept all three podium positions and put four cars in the top-five. Continue reading →

NASCAR XFINITY Series PowerShares 300 at Daytona Preview

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR Track News Xfinity Series

NASCAR XFINITY Series teams will race 300 miles over 120 laps in the PowerShares QQQ 300 at Daytona International Speedway Saturday, February 25, 2017. FOX Sports 1 coverage begins at 3 pm ET with the green flag around 3:30 pm ET. Radio coverage is on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Joe Gibbs Racing Goes for Six – After capturing its fifth NASCAR XFINITY Series owner title last season (2008, ’09, ’10, ’12 and ’16) the JGR organization immediately turned its attention to number six. This season Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, Matt Tifft and Daniel Suarez will contribute to the owner title winning cause. Jones, Tifft and Suarez will be competing this weekend at Daytona. Gibbs has four NASCAR XFINITY Series Daytona wins, but only once in the season opener (Tony Stewart, 2008). Continue reading →

Chevrolet Owners Contemplate a Surfeit of Young Talent in NASCAR Racing

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(L-R) Chevrolet executive Jim Campbell and Chevrolet team owners Richard Childress, Chip Ganassi, and Rick Hendrick preview the Daytona 500 during a press conference at Daytona International Speedway on February 24, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Photo – Scott Hunter/Getty Images

Roughly 30 minutes after Chevrolet unveiled the Camaro ZL 1 that will pace Sunday’s Daytona 500 and announced four-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon as its driver, Chevy brass and team owners gathered in the Daytona International Speedway media center to field questions from reporters.

Owners Richard Childress, Chip Ganassi and Rick Hendrick joined Jim Campbell, Chevy’s U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports, at the press session. One of the first topics to arise was the prospect of Jimmie Johnson winning a record-breaking eighth championship at NASCAR’s highest level.

Johnson won his seventh title last year to tie Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt for most championships in the history of the series. Continue reading →