NASCAR Cup Series

Rookie Respect: Although Kyle Larson won’t be making a run for the NASCAR Sprint Cup over the next 10 races, he will be continuing to race for rookie of the year honors at season’s end. Currently, the Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate has a 52-point lead in the rookie point standings and has been the top-finishing rookie driver in 18 of 26 races, finishing inside the top-10 on 11 occasions.

Justin Allgaier will make his second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) start in the No. 51 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevy at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday. Chicagoland was the site of the Riverton, Ill. native's NSCS debut last year in the No. 51 BRANDT Chevy.

Jimmie Johnson’s team found a problem with his helmet’s cooling system that led to his dehydration following the race at Richmond International Raceway Saturday night. After an eighth place finish, as Johnson exited his car, he began experiencing leg cramps and dizziness. He was assisted to the infield care center where he received five liters of intravenous fluids.

After 26 races in the regular NASCAR Sprint Cup season, the field of 16 contenders has been set, and eight Chevrolet SS teams and drivers are ready to begin the long-awaited 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

FIRST TO FOUR: After a dominant performance at Richmond last Saturday night, Keselowski became the first and only four-time winner in 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition. The win represented Keselowski’s 14th career victory and it marked the 400th all-time race win for Team Penske.

Although Marcos Ambrose and the No. 9 STANLEY Racing team will not compete for the championship, they will not change their approach to the final 10 races. The goal will be to win and celebrate an oval win for Ambrose in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Their next opportunity comes this weekend at the mile-and-a-half track, Chicagoland Speedway.

Aric Almirola will kick off the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with double duty, running the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races at Chicagoland Speedway. Saturday, Almirola will make his first start in the Nationwide Series since 2013 with a goal of getting race practice before Sunday's Sprint Cup race.

“We’re not in the Chase and that’s disappointing,” said Truex. “But that doesn’t mean we’re throwing away the next 10 races. We have our own Chase and that’s to improve and get our Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet running better and having it be a contender week in and week out.

“Our focus is to run well and get a win. We had a good night in Richmond but just came up a little bit short. It’s the way our season has been. We have a strong run like last weekend but before that we had what happened in Atlanta, where our shifter broke. It just put us too far back, points wise, with only one race left. I know we are capable of winning.

No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine driver Brian Vickers has a lot to race for in the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season’s final 10 races. Although, the Michael Waltrip Racing team won’t be in the Chase, the No. 55 crew has its sights set on a return trip to victory lane and preparation for its second season together in 2015. The No. 55 will carry a special paint scheme this weekend honoring Samsung as Aaron’s vendor partner of the year. In addition to the paint scheme, Aaron’s will host Samsung executives at-track in appreciation of their long standing partnership.