Truex Tries to Dig into Points Gap at Kentucky

Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Toyota, talks with a crew member during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts at Kentucky Speedway on July 7, 2017 in Sparta, Kentucky. Photo – Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

A 1.5-mile track is coming at the perfect time for Martin Truex Jr.

After reeling off five consecutive top-six finishes, Truex has produced showings of 37th and 34th in his last two races. Still, he ranks second in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings, only 18 points behind Kyle Larson. Continue reading

Passion to Race Drives Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Return to the Track

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, stands on the grid during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 59th Annual DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 19, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Photo – Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Dale Earnhardt Jr. felt “wobbly” and didn’t know why.

In his motor coach last July at Kentucky Speedway, Earnhardt felt the first hint of the concussion symptoms that would keep him out of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for the last half of the 2016 season.

He voiced his concerns to fiancée Amy Reimann. Continue reading

Keselowski Saves Fuel, Wins Wild Race at Repaved Kentucky Speedway

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Brad Keselowski had his mojo working in Saturday night’s Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.

Saving just enough fuel to get to the finish line, Keselowski eked out a heart-thumping victory over Carl Edwards to win his second consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and his third at Kentucky Speedway.

But this was not the same bumpy, abrasive Kentucky Speedway where Keselowski went to Victory Lane in 2012 and 2014. This was a repaved, reconfigured 1.5-mile intermediate track fraught with treachery, especially when combined with the lower-downforce aerodynamic package in use for the race. Continue reading

Kyle Busch Back on Track, Headed to Kentucky

Photo - Robert Laberge/Getty Images

Photo – Robert Laberge/Getty Images

For the first time in a long time, Kyle Busch looked mortal.

Riding a streak of 14 top-five finishes in 17 races dating back to last year – a stretch that included four wins – the defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion delved into a four-race tailspin in which he placed no better than 30th beginning at Dover (30th) and capped off with a 40th at Michigan.

Despite the setback, Busch seems back to his old ways following performances of seventh and second at Sonoma and Daytona, respectively. Continue reading

Roush Fenway Racing Shows Improvement at Kentucky Speedway

RFR-KS-2015

Photo – RFR Twitter page

It’s safe to say, the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season has been a bit of a disappointment for Roush-Fenway Racing. Going into the Quicker State 400 at Kentucky on Saturday night, Roush Fenway driver point standings stood at 19th (Greg Biffle), 27th (Trevor Bayne), and 28th (Ricky Stenhouse Jr.).  Up to this point, the three drivers together were at two top-fives and five top-tens. Not the usual, 17 races into the season for a team that has taken home Sprint Cup Series championships in the past.

The team started to show some life Saturday night. Continue reading