Fords are Fast in Saturday Morning’s First Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Practice

Ryan Blaney, driver of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford, practices for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo – Sarah Crabill/Getty Images

Ryan Blaney topped the speed chart in Saturday morning’s first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a best lap at 188.055 mph, but Blaney’s No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford wasn’t the only fast Fusion in the session.

The Fords from the much-improved Roush Fenway Racing stable appear poised to mount a challenge in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR’s longest race. Trevor Bayne (186.239 mph) was fifth fastest on Saturday morning, with teammate and recent Talladega winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. close behind at 186.207 mph.

“We unloaded pretty good today, but we know that off-the-truck speed isn’t what matters,” Bayne said. “It’s being able to go on the long runs as the day gets hotter and the track slicks up. I actually felt like we held on to our speed pretty well at the end of practice, so I think both of us have made huge gains.

“I need to give a big shout out to these guys for working their butts off this last week after (last Saturday’s) All-Star Race, when we didn’t have the performance that we wanted. They’ve dialed our cars in a lot.”

Last-lap Pass Lifts Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to Victory at Talladega

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There’s no longer a goose egg in the win column next to Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s name.

With a last-lap pass in Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, Stenhouse collected his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory in his 158th start and delivered the first win for Roush Fenway Racing since Carl Edwards triumphed at Sonoma in June 2014. Continue reading

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, GEICO 500 at Talladega Preview

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Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is at Talladega Superspeedway for the GEICO 500 on Sunday, May 7th. Television coverage is on FOX starting at 1:30 pm with the race starting around 2 pm ET.  Radio coverage is on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Teams will race 500.8 miles over 188 laps with Stage 1 ending on lap 55 and Stage 2 ending on lap 110. The final stage ends on the last lap 188.  Continue reading

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Knocks Dale Earnhardt Jr. Off Talladega Pole

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the #17 Fifth Third Bank Ford, poses with the Coors Light Pole Award decal after qualifying for the pole position for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 6, 2017 in Talladega, Alabama. Photo – Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

Qualifying for Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway was shaping up to be a sentimental story—until Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said “No.”

The last driver to make a run in Saturday’s final round of knockout qualifying, Stenhouse knocked Dale Earnhardt Jr. off the provisional pole for Earnhardt’s last spring race at the 2.66-mile superspeedway. Continue reading

Polls are Open for Monster Energy All-Star Race Fan Voting

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If your favorite driver isn’t currently eligible for the May 20 Monster Energy All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, you can lend a helping hand.

Simply go to NASCAR.com/fanvote on the web and cast a ballot. The polls are open, and the driver with the most votes at the cutoff (11:59 p.m. on May 19) will earn the final spot in the exhibition race that will make an instant millionaire of the winner. Continue reading