Dillon’s Run Validates Progress at RCR

Aric Almirola, driver of the #43 STP Ford, races Erik Jones, driver of the #77 5-hour ENERGY Extra Strength Toyota, and Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Okuma Chevrolet, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on April 2, 2017 in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images

Ryan Newman’s victory at Phoenix Raceway, made possible by staying out on old tires, seemingly came out of nowhere. After all, no Richard Childress Racing driver had won an event in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series since 2013 before Newman took the checkered flag at Phoenix.

But the speed in the RCR cars has improved, as both Austin Dillon and Newman proved in Sunday’s STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Dillon came home fifth, his first top-five since running fourth at Bristol last August. Continue reading

Kyle Busch: Parity in NASCAR Racing is a Good Thing

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, stands in the garage during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on April 1, 2017 in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images

Joe Gibbs Racing, which dominated the first half of the 2016 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, is winless in five races to start the current season.

So is Hendrick Motorsports, the juggernaut that carried Jimmie Johnson to his record-tying seventh championship last year. Continue reading

Ryan Newman Breaks Drought with Late-Race Strategy at Phoenix

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When the winner of Sunday’s Camping World 500 was announced, officials might have thought for a moment that they got the wrong envelope, à la Warren Beatty at the Oscars.

But, no, there was no mistake. Ryan Newman was the unexpected winner of the fourth Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season after a late caution gave his No. 31 Richard Childress Racing team the chance to break a drought dating to 2013. Continue reading

NASCAR XFINITY Series DC Solar 200 at Phoenix Preview

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NASCAR XFINITY Series’ teams will race the DC Solar 200 at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday, March 18th at 4 pm ET. FOX is providing television coverage with MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio also providing radio coverage.

The DC Solar 200 is 200 miles over 200 laps with Stage 1 ending on lap 60 and Stage 2 ending on lap 120. Continue reading

Mr. Menard Meet Mr. Borland

Photo – Getty Images

In a late-season move in early November, Richard Childress Racing hired veteran Matt Borland as crew chief of the No. 27 Chevrolet driven by Paul Menard.

Though Borland had worked extensively with Menard’s teammate, Ryan Newman, dating to Newman’s days at Team Penske, Menard and Borland didn’t know each other, but that’s a situation both driver and crew chief have been working hard to correct. Continue reading