Tag Archives: Hollywood Casino 400

Brad Keselowski has Good Reason for Optimism

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Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, and crew chief Paul Wolfe talk in the garage during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 15, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas Photo - Ranier Ehrhardt/Getty Images

Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, and crew chief Paul Wolfe talk in the garage during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 15, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas Photo – Ranier Ehrhardt/Getty Images

Like Truex, Brad Keselowski has a formidable history at Kansas Speedway.

It’s the track that gave the driver of the No. 2 Ford his first victory in a Team Penske car, the year before his 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship season.

Keselowski will start eighth in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400, his worst qualifying position in the last seven races here. In his last six events at Kansas, Keselowski has led laps, averaging 24 per race. Continue reading →

Stewart Haas Cars have Issues in Final Practice

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Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevrolet, stands by his car after an on-track incident during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 15, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo - Jeff Curry/Getty Images

Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevrolet, stands by his car after an on-track incident during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 15, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo – Jeff Curry/Getty Images

Kevin Harvick, who needs a strong finish on Sunday to climb out of the Chase cellar, brushed the outside wall ever so slightly in Saturday’s final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice at Kansas Speedway. But the No. 4 car sustained some appreciable damage after recording the fastest ten-lap average in the session at 183.740 mph.

Kurt Busch, Harvick’s Stewart-Haas Racing teammate, wasn’t as fortunate. After posting the third fastest single lap in happy Hour (185.797 mph), Busch blew his right front tire on the final lap of his closing run and dug the front of his No. 41 Chevrolet into the infield grass. Busch had to go to a backup car and will start Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 with no practice laps in the backup.

Pole winner Matt Kenseth was fastest in final practice at 186.361, an indication his car is equally stout in race trim.

Matt Kenseth Edges Teammate Kyle Busch for Kansas Pole

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KANSAS CITY, KS - OCTOBER 14: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 DEWALT FLEXVOLT Toyota, poses with the Coors Light Pole Award after qualifying in the pole position for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

KANSAS CITY, KS – OCTOBER 14: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 DEWALT FLEXVOLT Toyota, poses with the Coors Light Pole Award after qualifying in the pole position for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

To learn how to master the track that continued to jinx him, Kyle Busch paid close attention to the way Matt Kenseth drove Kansas Speedway.

Though Kenseth was helpful, he apparently kept a thousandth of a second in his pocket. That was the margin by which Kenseth edged Busch in Friday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series knockout qualifying session at the 1.5-mile track.

Touring Kansas in 28.112 seconds (192.089 mph) to Busch’s 28.113 seconds (192.082 mph), Kenseth earned the top starting spot for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 (at 2:15 p.m. ET on NBC), the fifth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and the second race in the Chase’s Round of 12. Continue reading →

NASCAR Continues Trend Toward Lower Downforce with 2017 Rules

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Carl Edwards, driver of the #19 Xfinity Toyota, holds a press conference after practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas Photo - Josh Hedges/Getty Images

Carl Edwards, driver of the #19 Xfinity Toyota, holds a press conference after practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas Photo – Josh Hedges/Getty Images

With the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in full swing, driver Carl Edwards hasn’t had time to review or digest the 2017 rules package released to Sprint Cup teams this week.

But Edwards did applaud the continued direction NASCAR is taking with measures that will remove downforce from the cars that race in the sanctioning body’s premier series. Continue reading →

Chase Elliott Reflects on Rookie Sprint Cup Season before Crucial Mid-Way Point in The Chase

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Photo - Sarah Crabill/Getty Images

Photo – Sarah Crabill/Getty Images

All eyes were on rookie NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, Chase Elliott, before he ever gripped the wheel of the famed No. 24 Chevrolet this season. As the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott and the successor of four-time champion Jeff Gordon at Hendrick Motorsports in the 24, the shadows of past racing legends and fan expectations loomed for the young talent even during his reign as the 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion.

The younger Elliott grew up racing go-karts and late models while watching his father compete in NASCAR-sanctioned events long after his 1988 championship. But for the 20-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, native, the realization that the baton had officially been passed didn’t set in until he headed to Daytona International Speedway in early 2016. Continue reading →