NASCAR Cup Series

With Kansas Speedway’s track reconfiguration project this summer, NASCAR has added extra practice time to the schedule for teams and Kansas Speedway will open its gates to fans free of charge on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18, but is requesting a donation of $5 to March of Dimes' Bikers for Babies campaign. Volunteers will be at the gates to collect donations.

Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) announced today it has made changes to its crew lineup in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Mike Ford will now lead Marcos Ambrose and the No. 9 Ford while Todd Parrott has been assigned as the crew chief for Aric Almirola and the No. 43 Ford. In addition, team members from both teams will also make the switch with their respective crew chief. Several pit crew members were also recently changed. The move is made to strengthen the entire RPM organization and improve the performance level now and into the future. The change is effective immediately.

Martinsville Speedway’s ticket office will be open on weekends beginning this Saturday, Sept. 15 through the TUMS Fast Relief 500 on Oct. 28.

The 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup field is set. It needed all 400 laps in Richmond, along with some rain and a platter of pit strategy, but the field is set and the playoffs can begin.

The 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup begins next weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. Here is a look at one of the deepest chase fields in history.

All attention was on Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon, the two drivers who would finish 12th (yes, I said 12th) in the standings that lead to NASCAR’s playoff, The Chase. It was an amazing turn of events and Gordon deserves most of the credit, but there were 41 other drivers out there and one (Bowyer) was making a statement for Michael Waltrip Racing that was just as amazing.

Richard Childress Racing teammates finished sixth (Jeff Burton), 10th (Kevin Harvick) and 23rd (Paul Menard). Harvick enters the 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup seeded ninth, trailing point leader Denny Hamlin by 12 points. Menard ranks 17th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship standings, while Burton ranks 19th. Burton gained five positions over the final 40 laps, ranking him fourth in the NASCAR Loop Data statistic category of Closers.

The four-time champion is gearing up for another run at the championship. His fight for the championship this year will be very difficult. Gordon made the Chase as a wild card. Wild card drivers don’t get to use their victories as bonus points coming into the Chase.

Jeff Gordon drove the No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet to a second place finish on Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway and placed himself into the chase for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.