NASCAR Cup Series

Detroit-based Quicken Loans, the nation's largest online home lender and country's third largest mortgage originator, today announced it will join Richard Childress Racing (RCR) for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and serve as the primary sponsor of Ryan Newman's No. 31 Chevrolet SS for 12 races and associate sponsor for all remaining races. The move continues a strong partnership between Quicken Loans and Newman, whom they first sponsored in 2012.

Dover Preview: Hamlin is making his 16th career Cup Series start at Dover (Del.) International Speedway on Sunday. He has qualified on the pole in each of the last two races at the ‘Monster Mile,’ including the Chase race at the track one year ago. In that event, Hamlin led 39 laps en route to an eighth-place finish. Earlier this year in the FedEx 400 at Dover, Hamlin started first and led 41 laps, but a blown right-front tire with less than 25 laps remaining ended the team’s day in 34th.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. visited the NASCAR Hall of Fame Tuesday afternoon for a question and answer session with fans and the media. The topics covered everything from the Chase, to team meetings, to pets, to girls, to girl fights and an unexpected remembrance of his late father.

One of the most recognizable structures in all of motorsports today received a new addition, as the Monster Monument in Victory Plaza at Dover International Speedway now features a “Gen 6” Toyota Camry in the Monster’s hand, just in time for the Sept. 27-29, 2013 NASCAR race weekend.

Ever wonder about all those tires that make the race cars go round? This week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes takes a look at just that, with an exclusive interview with Justin Fantozzi, Marketing Manager for Global Race Tires for Goodyear.

In 18 starts at the one-mile track, Edwards has one win, eight top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Edwards scored his only Cup win there in Sept. ’07. He has an average start of 15.2 and an average finish of 8.6.

Wonder bread will be the primary sponsor of Kurt Busch’s No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet during the Oct. 18-20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

Kenseth took the lead for good with 93 laps left and held of Kyle Busch to win the Sylvania 300, his second consecutive win. He leads Busch by 14 in the Sprint Cup point standings.

This grading system is pretty basic. Top 10’s, with extra consideration given for wins and Top 5’s, can help you earn an A+. Keep it in the Top 20 each race and that is worth a B. Just by finishing 30th each time out and that would still get you a C-. Less than that is a failure; a failure to compete, a failure to get noticed.

Following the opening Cup practice of the weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, I spoke with ROTY contender and 2-time Nationwide champion Ricky Stenhouse...