Pressure Builds as Playoff Round of 16 Concludes Sunday at Dover

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As the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series travels to the Dover International Speedway for Sunday’s running of the Apache Warrior 400, several teams are feeling intense pressure to advance into the next round of the playoffs. Following the first two playoff races at Chicagoland and New Hampshire, only 12 drivers will advance to the next round following playoff race number three at Dover this Sunday, meaning four teams are in jeopardy of eliminationĀ from playoff contention. Continue reading

Dodge a Part of NASCAR Silly Season Questions

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Prior to the beginning of last year’s season, Stewart-Haas Racing knocked the NASCAR industry on its rear end when they announced their switch from Chevrolet to Ford for the 2017 season. With the ongoing and never-ending discussions of whether and perhaps when Dodge will return to the sport – the real question becomes where would they fit in?

The answer could be a ‘mic drop’ type bombshell when and if it happens.
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Dillon’s Tiebreaker Loss of Chase Spot is also a Heartbreaker

TALLADEGA, AL - OCTOBER 23: Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 American Ethanol Chevrolet, races Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hellmann's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 23, 2016 in Talladega, Alabama. Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

TALLADEGA, AL – OCTOBER 23: Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 American Ethanol Chevrolet, races Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hellmann’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 23, 2016 in Talladega, Alabama. Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Facing an overtime restart with two laps left in the Hellmanā€™s 500 on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, crew chief Slugger Labbe reminded driver Austin Dillon of the relevant numbers.

Dillon had to finish no more than five positions behind Denny Hamlin to secure a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cupā€™s Round of 8ā€”as long as Hamlin didnā€™t win the race.

Dillon had done everything right to that point. He had earned a bonus point by staying out for an extra circuit and leading lap 117 under the second caution of the afternoon. He gained three spots after a restart on lap 186 and was 11th when the green flag waved for the final time on lap 191. Continue reading

Austin Dillon Advances in Chase with Peak Performance at Dover

Photo - Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

Photo – Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

A catastrophe at New Hampshire could have knocked Austin Dillon out of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cupā€”if the driver of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing had let it.

But Dillon and crew chief Slugger Labbe came to the elimination race at Dover International Speedway with a fast car and the perseverance to score Dillonā€™s first finish of better than 20th at The Monster Mile.

In fact, Dillon ran eighth in the Citizen Soldier 400 at Dover, the second car one lap down in a race that ended with a 202-lap green-flag run and Martin Truex Jr. with a 7.527 winning margin. But for Dillon, who had to resort to a backup car a week earlier after a wreck in practice at New Hampshire, eighth was more than good enough. Continue reading

No. 33 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Team Penalized For Rules Violations At Auto Club Speedway

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No. 33 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Team Penalized

For Rules Violations At Auto Club Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 25, 2015) ā€” The No. 33 team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has been penalized for a rules infraction discovered during opening day inspection March 20 at Auto Club Speedway.

This infraction is a P4 level penalty and violates the following Sections in the 2015 NASCAR rule book:Ā  Continue reading