Gordon Set to Become NASCAR’s All-Time Consecutive Starts Leader
When Jeff Gordon starts his engine in Sunday’s Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, he will pass Ricky Rudd as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series consecutive starts leader by beginning his 789th straight race.
NASCAR’s new Iron Man has not missed a start since making his series debut at Atlanta on Nov. 15, 1992 – a span of 22 years, 10 months and 12 days. Continue reading →
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will run its 500th race this weekend – Saturday’s UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Camping World Truck Series began in 1995 and is in its 21st season of operation. Ron Hornaday Jr. has won the most Camping World Truck Series championships with four and 51 races. Mike Skinner earned the first series titles driving for legendary owner Richard Childress. Throughout its existence, many NASCAR stars have started their careers in the Camping World Truck Series, including Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Challengers Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray and Brad Keselowski. Continue reading →
All photos in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup are from Getty Images
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway is in the books and the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field is now set.
On the subject of the Sprint Cup Chase field at Richmond, there were no surprises and no drama as the field looks the same after the Federated Auto Parts 400 as it did before the race began.
Matt Kenseth securely put his team in the top-three Chase contenders with his fourth win of the season at Richmond on Saturday night. Also at the top of the field with four wins are first-place seeded Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch in second-place.
The only driver with three wins is Joey Logano, who is also the only non-Joe Gibbs Racing driver with a victory over the last ten races and he sits fourth in the Chase standings.
Four drivers with two victories include Kevin Harvick in fifth-place, Dale Earnhardt Jr in sixth-place, Kurt Busch in seventh-place and Carl Edwards in eighth-place.
Three drivers with one win for the season are Brad Keselowski in ninth, Martin Truex Jr in tenth and Denny Hamlin is 11th in the Chase point standings.
The five drivers without a win this season – Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer and Paul Menard take the last five spots – are all now part of the 16-driver field chasing a championship title over the next ten races.
This is where all the serious speculation begins as fans complete their Chase Grid and name their choice for the Sprint Cup Series champion at Homestead Miami Speedway in November.
The drivers will race the next ten tracks to decide the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champ and it all begins at Chicagoland Speedway on September 20th.
Jamie McMurray will lock up his first career Chase berth simply by starting the race on Saturday night. For three others, it’s a little tougher – but certainly doable. Ryan Newman clinches by finishing 31st or better; Jeff Gordon by finishing 17th or better; and Paul Menard by finishing ninth or better – and that’s all regardless of who wins the race. If there’s a repeat winner, the scenarios become less daunting. For winless drivers beyond Menard, there will be some frayed nerves. If there’s a repeat winner, Clint Bowyer is in good shape, needing only a finish of 28th or better. For those winless drivers lower in points than Bowyer, a Richmond win is realistically the only path to the Chase.
Here’s a full look at the Chase clinch scenarios for Saturday night’s race:
Regardless of Who Wins at Richmond…
Jamie McMurray clinches by starting the race.
Ryan Newman clinches by finishing 31st or better; 32nd with at least one lap led; or 33rd with the most laps led.
Jeff Gordon clinches by finishing 17th or better; 18th with at least one lap led; or 19th with the most laps led.
Paul Menard clinches by finishing ninth or better; tenth with at least one lap led; or 11th with the most laps led. Continue reading →
