Photo – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images
Clint Bowyer enters Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway (on NBCSN at 3 p.m. ET) 17th in points, 28 behind Matt Kenseth for the final playoff spot in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points race. To qualify for the postseason, he must either pass Kenseth and hope nobody below him wins, or win himself. Continue reading
Kurt Busch, the driver of the #41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford, talks with a crew member during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series I Love NY 355 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 5, 2017, in Watkins Glen, New York. Photo – Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images
At the stroke of midnight on Tuesday, Aug. 1, Kurt Busch became a free agent when Stewart-Haas Racing declined to pick up the option on the 2017 Daytona 500 winner.
That doesn’t mean, necessarily, that Busch won’t be back in the No. 41 SHR Ford next year. In fact, the organization announced in a tweet that the expectation is that Busch will be back. Continue reading
NASCAR XFINITY Series teams are taking to the road course this week for the Zippo 200 at The Glen on Saturday, August 5th at 2 pm ET. Coverage begins at 1:30 pm ET on NBCSN, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Drivers will race 200.9 miles over 82 laps with Stage 1 ending on lap 20, Stage 2 on lap 40, and the last Stage ends on the last lap 82. Continue reading
Clint Bowyer, the driver of the #14 Nature’s Bakery/Feeding America Ford, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Overton’s 400 at Pocono Raceway on July 30, 2017, in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
Photo – Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
When every car running ahead of Clint Bowyer came to pit road on lap 96 – in a group that included race winner Kyle Busch, runner-up Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Chase Elliott, Bowyer inherited the lead.
Four laps later, Bowyer collected his first stage win and first playoff point of the season.
But that wasn’t the highlight of Bowyer’s day. Forced to pit under caution at the end of the stage, Bowyer restarted 11th and never advanced higher than fifth during the final 60 laps of the race. He finished sixth after Brad Keselowski passed him for the fifth position in the closing laps.
Bowyer, who is fighting for a spot in NASCAR’s playoff, was pleased with the speed in his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.
“It was a big pit strategy day, for sure, and you know that going into a race like this,” Bowyer said. “Our car was good all weekend. We unloaded a fast car. This is the best car that we’ve unloaded in quite some time.
“A little bit different build. Hopefully, this is what we’re looking for, what I’m looking for and (we can) build on this.”
NASCAR XFINITY Series is preparing to race the Overton’s 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, on Saturday, July 15th at 4 pm ET. Coverage begins at 3:30 pm ET on NBC Sports Network PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Drivers are racing 211.6 miles over 200 laps with Stage 1 ending on lap 45, Stage 2 on lap 90 and the last stage ending on the last lap 200.