NASCAR Playoffs Intensify after Wild Opener at Las Vegas

Chase drivers Aric Almirola (10) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Fusion, Joey Logano (22) Team Penske Pennzoil Ford Fusion, William Byron (24) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Joey Logano (22) Team Penske Pennzoil Ford Fusion, Denny Hamlin (11) Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Toyota Camry, Chase Elliott (9) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Brad Keselowski (2) Team Penske Ford Fusion, Martin Truex Jr. (78) Barney Visser Furniture Row Racing Toyota Camry, Kevin Harvick (4) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Fusion, Clint Bowyer (14) Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Fusion, Jimmie Johnson (48) Lowes Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Kyle Busch (18) Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Toyota Camry, Austin Dillon (3) Richard Childress Racing (RCR) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Kurt Busch (41) Monster Energy Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Fusion, Kyle Larson (42) Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, and Erik Jones (20) Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Toyota Camry, stand on stage during the NASCAR Burnout Boulevard Fueled by Sunoco on September 13, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo – Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – All but a couple of the 16 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff contenders had to rally from “issues” in Sunday’s Playoff opener. There were spins, flat tires, pit road penalties, collisions, and wall contact. Continue reading

Tough-Luck Truex Laments Loss after Dominant Day

Martin Truex Jr., the driver of the #78 5-hour ENERGY Toyota, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series SouthPoint 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on September 16, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo – Chris Graythen/Getty Images

LAS VEGAS – Martin Truex Jr. took the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship lead Sunday afternoon with a third-place finish in the Playoff opening South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Continue reading

Late Cautions Foil Kyle Larson’s Winning Chances at Las Vegas

Kyle Larson, the driver of the #42 DC Solar Vegas Strong Chevrolet, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series SouthPoint 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on September 16, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo – Chris Grayten/Getty Images

LAS VEGAS – The late caution flags in Sunday’s South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway were just what Brad Keselowski needed. Continue reading

Brad Keselowski Wins a Vegas Race that Trips Up Most Playoff Contenders

Brad Keselowski, the driver of the #2 Discount Tire Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series SouthPoint 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on September 16, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo – Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

LAS VEGAS – In a war of attrition that caused a multitude of problems for the majority of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff contenders, Brad Keselowski emerged unscathed with his third straight victory in the series and the 500th triumph for Team Penske in all forms of racing combined. Continue reading

Quirky Results at Indy Could Endanger Hendrick Teammates’ Playoff Hopes

Alex Bowman, the driver of the #88 LLumar Chevrolet, leads Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Throwback Chevrolet, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 2, 2018, in Darlington, South Carolina. Photo – Sarah Crabill/Getty Images

It won’t take a miracle for Jimmie Johnson to miss the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs for the first time in his career. Continue reading