Tag Archives: Sprint Cup Series

Elliott has his Marching Orders for Talladega

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Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 SunEnergy1 Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo - Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 SunEnergy1 Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo – Chris Trotman/Getty Images

After disastrous results in the first two races of the Chase’s Round of 12, Chase Elliott will be on a win-or-bust mission next Sunday at Talladega.

It’s not that Elliott has run poorly. At Charlotte, he led 103 laps before being swept up in a late wreck not of his making.

In Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway, he passed eventual race winner Kevin Harvick for the lead on lap 169, only to see his winning chances disintegrate six laps later when he returned to pit road for an unscheduled stop after a tire rub flattened his left rear. Continue reading →

2016 Sprint Cup Series Round of 8 Clinch Scenarios — Talladega

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Clinching for Talladega

Note: Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick have already clinched a spot in the Round of 8. With only one race remaining in this round, a new winner would be a win by Joey Logano, Austin Dillon, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski or Chase Elliott. A win by any other driver would be considered a repeat winner for the clinching requirements (so, Johnson/Harvick, or a non-Chase driver, or a driver ahead of Logano in points).

Matt Kenseth (0 Wins, 3074 Points) – Would clinch on points with 13 Points (28th and no laps led, 29th and led at least one lap, 30th and led most laps) and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner,  would clinch on points with 11 Points (30th and no laps led, 31st and led at least one lap, 32nd and led most laps). With a win,  would clinch a next round spot on wins. Continue reading →

Alex Bowman Recovers from Troubles for Career Best Sprint Cup Finish at Kansas Speedway

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Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, sits in his car prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 16, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo - Jason Hanna/Getty Images

Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, sits in his car prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 16, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo – Jason Hanna/Getty Images

Alex Bowman had a topsy-turvy day at Kansas Speedway, but when the checkered flag flew in Sunday’s afternoon Hollywood Casino 400, the Hendrick Motorsports driver earned a career-best seventh place finish.

But what made the accomplishment that much more incredible was that the 23-year-old battled the highs and lows while battling a severe stomach bug.

The Tucson, Arizona native qualified inside the top-five for the second consecutive weekend and despite falling through the field with an ill-handling race car in the early stages, Bowman had a resilient attitude. Continue reading →

Logano Atones for Charlotte Catastrophe

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Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, signs autographs for fans prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 16, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo - Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, signs autographs for fans prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 16, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo – Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Joey Logano got the absolute most from his No. 22 Team Penske Ford on Sunday, and, as was the case with Austin Dillon, a strong run at Kansas put Logano in position to advance in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with a solid performance next Sunday at Talladega.

Logano didn’t have a car to compete for the win on Sunday, but he ran third behind Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards to ameliorate the effects of a 36th-place finish at Charlotte a week earlier. Logano goes to Talladega tied for the last transfer spot with the Chase field to be cut there from 12 drivers to eight. Continue reading →

This time, a Two-Tire Call Pays Off for Austin Dillon

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Austin Dillon, driver of the #2 Ruud Chevrolet, walks through the garage area during practice for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo - Jeff Curry/Getty Images

Austin Dillon, driver of the #2 Ruud Chevrolet, walks through the garage area during practice for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway on October 14, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo – Jeff Curry/Getty Images

On Sunday at Kansas Speedway, Austin Dillon disproved the colloquial definition of insanity—trying the same thing and expecting different results.

Last week at Charlotte, Dillon took two tires on a late pit stop and wrecked when Martin Truex Jr.’s attempt to push him on a restart went awry.

But late in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas, there was Dillon again, taking two tires and taking the lead for a restart on lap 226. Continue reading →