Top Drivers Differ on Length of Learning Curve at Martinsville

Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, sits in his car during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 31, 2017 in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo – Sarah Crabill/Getty Images

When it comes to negotiating Martinsville Speedway successfully, Jimmie Johnson thinks of the learning process as a light bulb suddenly illuminating.

Denny Hamlin, on the other hand, thinks the use of data in analyzing the fastest way around the track has made it much easier to flip the switch than it used to be. Continue reading

After String of Seconds, Kyle Larson Captures Victory in Fontana

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What a difference one position makes.

After three straight second-place finishes in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, polesitter Kyle Larson finally found Victory Lane, pulling away after an overtime restart to win Sunday’s Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway.

Larson took the checkered flag at the end of the second extra lap as team owner Chip Ganassi celebrated from his perch atop the pit box. Continue reading

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ Camping World 500 at Phoenix Preview

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Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams will race the Camping World 500 at Phoenix Raceway this Sunday, March 19th. FOX is providing television coverage at 3:30 pm ET with radio coverage also available on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Drivers will race 312 miles over 312 laps with Stage 1 ending on lap 75 and Stage 2 ending on lap 150. Continue reading

Kyle Busch Hits Points Pressure Limit at Las Vegas

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, is escorted away by a NASCAR official after an incident on pit road with Joey Logano (not pictured), driver of the #22 Pennzoil Ford, after the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 12, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Busch and Logano made contact on the track during the last lap of the race leading to the incident on pit road
Photo – Chris Graythen/Getty Images

With so much discussion about the scuffle this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway between Kyle Busch and Joey Logano one point that comes clearly into focus is that Busch hit his points pressure limit with the on track mishap between the two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers.

The pressure point actually started at the end of last season, if you recall the last four drivers competing for the championship title were eventual 2016 champion Jimmie Johnson from Hendrick Motorsports, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards from Joe Gibbs Racing and Joey Logano from Team Penske.  In the point standings after Homestead, Logano who finished fourth came in second in the point standings. Kyle Busch finished the race in sixth-place making him third in the point standings while his teammate Carl Edwards finished 34th at Homestead after an accident on the track.  Continue reading

Drivers Bid Farewell to Old Asphalt at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Photo – AMS

If it were up to the world’s best stock car drivers, race tracks would never be resurfaced.

In fact, faced with the final race on old pavement at Atlanta Motor Speedway — Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 — Dale Earnhardt Jr. facetiously suggested on Twitter that he and his compatriots hold some sort of memorial for the soon-to-be-jackhammered old asphalt. Continue reading