NASCAR Cup Series

After dealing with inclement weather, qualifying cancellation due to rain, weepers on the track and a new aero package, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the Quaker State 400 Presented by Advance Auto Parts at Kentucky Speedway.

Seven races, two wins. Instead of sitting fifth in the standings, tucked in behind fellow two-race winners Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his brother, the Kentucky winner is left sitting 35th in the standings. Interestingly enough, he also sits just 87 points out of 30th and a place in the Chase, with eight events to go.

“I’ve really enjoyed New Hampshire Motor Speedway over the years,” Allmendinger said. “It is definitely a track position kind of track. It’s a tough place because you really have to get the thing to roll the center, but forward drive off is really critical there.

he NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway has received an entitlement boost from the makers of 5-hour ENERGY shots before it drops the green flag next weekend. Speedway officials announced on Monday that the energy shot will be the title sponsor for the 5-hour ENERGY 301 on July 19.

Count David Ragan as a fan of NASCAR’s new aerodynamic package that debuted Saturday night in the Sprint Cup race at Kentucky Speedway. The driver of the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine drove from his 25th starting spot to third before late race handling issues dropped him to 18th.

Paul Menard finished 15th and was the highest finishing Richard Childress Racing driver in the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway. Ryan Newman finished 20th, and Austin Dillon 25th.

After their best finish to date, Dakoda Armstrong and the No. 43 WinField Ford team looked to build a streak of Top-10s. Battling handling issues throughout the night, the team fought back and made a charge at the end of the race, picking up several positions in the final 10 laps. Armstrong finished in the 17th position and maintains the 12th spot in the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship run.

After getting into an accident on lap 143, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. overcame adversity to lead the Roush Fenway Racing trio with his 11th- place finish in Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Kentucky Speedway.

Trevor Bayne, driver of the No. 6 AdvoCare Ford Fusion, received the free pass back onto the lead lap on Lap 98 and drove his way into the top 10 before ultimately earning a 13th-place finish on Saturday evening in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) event at Kentucky Speedway.

The Sprint Cup Series headed to Kentucky Speedway with a new rules package. Rain shortened testing and practice time for the teams, but a relief came from the weather in time to trade in qualifying for a 90 minute final practice. Biffle started 27th based on the first practice session and in the early stages of the race had a fast Ortho Ford, but as the track rubbered up his handling faded. Multiple changes kept Biffle on the lead lap the entire 267 laps, coming home 16th.