NASCAR Joe Gibbs Racing

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Jimmie Johnson Triumphs at Charlotte as Five Chase Drivers Fall on Hard Times

NASCAR NASCAR Wire Service Sprint Cup Series Track News

After Sunday’s victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Jimmie Johnson can proclaim justifiably ‘The Boys are Back in Town.’

But for five other Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers, all of whom finished 30th or worse in the rain-delayed Bank of America 500, the race ended in a medley of dire straits.

Taking the lead from Matt Kenseth after a restart on lap 317 of 334, Johnson pulled away to win by 1.474 seconds over the driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Johnson put his No. 48 Chevrolet in Victory Lane for the third time this season, the eighth time at Charlotte – the third since the repaving of the track in March 2006 – and the 78th time in his career. Continue reading →

NASCAR XFINITY Series, Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte Preview

NASCAR Track News Xfinity Series

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NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers will race 300 miles over 200 laps in the Drive for the Cure 300 on Sunday, October 9th. NBC Sports Network coverage begins at 4 pm ET (or immediately after the Sprint Cup race – whichever comes first) with radio coverage on PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.

What to Watch For: Daniel Suarez (6.6) and Elliott Sadler (8.9) – both of whom have advanced to the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase Round of 8 via victories – lead all championship contenders in average finish at 1.5-mile tracks this year.

The Chase bubble is packed with ten drivers within 17 points of elimination. Here’s where the drivers who haven’t clinched berths in the Round of 8 stand: Justin Allgaier (17 points ahead of Ty Dillon on the cutoff line), Brendan Gaughan (+14), Ryan Reed (+11), Darrell Wallace Jr. (+10), Blake Koch (+4), Brennan Poole (+3), Dillon (-3 points below Brennan Poole on the cutoff line), Erik Jones (-4), Ryan Sieg (-10) and Brandon Jones (-18). Continue reading →

Kyle Busch Optimistic about his Chances at Charlotte

Camping World Truck Series K&N Pro Series NASCAR NASCAR Wire Service Sprint Cup Series Track News
Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Interstate Batteries/ABC Toyota, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 6, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo - Sarah Crabill/Getty Images
Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Interstate Batteries/ABC Toyota, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 6, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo – Sarah Crabill/Getty Images

Kyle Busch has won a points race at every active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series track with only two exceptions: Pocono and Charlotte.

But that could change on Saturday night – at Charlotte, at least – If Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota lives up to the expectations of the defending series champion. Even though Busch has never won in 25 starts at Charlotte, he’s always been quick under the lights at the 1.5-mile track. Continue reading →

Carl Edwards Expects JGR Cars to Close the Gap on Martin Truex Jr.

NASCAR NASCAR Wire Service Sprint Cup Series Track News
Photo - Jerry Markland/Getty Images
Photo – Jerry Markland/Getty Images

Carl Edwards and his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates have high expectations in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup – if only they can catch a certain “rabbit.”

The hare in question is Martin Truex Jr., who drives the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota, which maintains a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, and like JGR, gets its engines from Toyota Racing Development (TRD).

Truex won two of the three races in the Chase’s Round of 16 and, appropriately, has earned the designation as favorite for this year’s championship. Even though Truex finished 7.527 seconds ahead of JGR’s Kyle Busch last Sunday at Dover, Edwards says the JGR cars aren’t far behind. Continue reading →