NASCAR Cup Series

Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion, comes into this weekend’s Coke Zero 400 having posted six straight finishes of 11th or better and has moved from 19th to 10th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings. Logano, along with crew chief Todd Gordon, spoke about what has been the key to the team’s recent success and what it’s going to take to qualify for the Chase.

Jeff Burton not only has a new sponsor this year in Kwikset, a major manufacturer and supplier of residential locks, but he is also all atwitter over their sweepstakes “I Heart the Mayor.”

With a surprising Sunday afternoon race thanks to Mother Nature on Saturday night, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the 3rd Annual Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts at Kentucky Speedway.

Kenseth’s gamble to take no tires during pits stops on the final caution paid off handsomely, as he collected his fourth win of the year with a win at Kentucky. He is now fifth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 82 behind Jimmie Johnson.

The story of NASCAR dates back to over 60 years. Sixty plus years of history, miracles, and magical moments. There were some elements of NASCAR that were lost as it grew. Elements of its beginning and the people, places, and things that built this sport.

This past weekend at Kentucky, crew chief Jason Ratcliff made the call to take two tires which put Matt Kenseth out front for a late race restart. Their call put Jimmie Johnson who had dominated the race up to that point in a vulnerable position starting on the inside which ended with him spinning out and losing all of his track position.

The 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion also scored two pole awards in 1998 along with capturing his best finish of second-place in both February and October events at the track that year.

If the 2001 & 2003 Daytona 500 champion can be considered a dark horse pick to win Saturday night’s 400-mile NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Daytona International Speedway then Michael Waltrip might be a good bet to take home another trophy.

Biffle has 21 starts at Daytona, earning one win, three top-five and six top-10 finishes.

Stenhouse has six Nationwide career starts, earning two top-five and three top-10 finishes.