NASCAR Cup Series

Edwards avoided danger for the duration of the Good Sam Club 500 at Talladega, hanging back for most of the race before capturing an 11th-place finish. His finish was better than all but three Chase rivals, and left him with a 14-point lead in the Sprint Cup point standings.

Jeff Gordon rolls into Martinsville Speedway this weekend pretty much out of this year's Chase for the Sprint Cup, but it doesn't mean the four-time champion won't have a huge impact on the weekend.

Monday morning I was at home doing the usual housework when all of a sudden it hit me. Why am I in the house on such a beautiful day when I could be at ‘The Rock’? So I ditched the chores, hopped in my car and drove out to Rockingham Speedway.

To say the least the NASCAR weekend at the Talladega Super Speedway was interesting. There was a surprise two car tandem who crossed under the checkers, there were Chase contenders who wondered if their championship run was over and there were a pair of truck drivers who reminded us that sometimes old guys rule.

The following statement is in response to the penalties handed down today by NASCAR to Michael Waltrip Racing following the race weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.

JTG Daugherty Racing Statement in Response to Penalties Assessed by NASCAR to the No. 47 team as a result of rule infractions discovered during opening day inspection Oct. 21 at Talladega Superspeedway:

NASCAR has issued penalties to the No. 00, No. 47 and No. 56 teams that compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a result of rule infractions discovered during opening day inspection Oct. 21 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Carl Edwards on racing at Martinsville Speedway: “I am a little nervous about Martinsville. I think if we can pick up just a tiny bit of speed there we will be good. Otherwise, that will be one of the tracks we go to and just fight and claw for a top 10 and that is how it usually is for me there."

TEAM CHEVY AT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY: PAT SUHY, NASCAR GROUP MANAGER, GM RACING: "Congratulations to Clint Bowyer on his victory last weekend at Talladega and to Richard Childress on collecting his 100th Sprint Cup Owner win!"

No. 56 Toyota driverMartin Truex Jr. and the NAPA Racing team left Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday pleased they battled for lead in the final laps before earning a 10th-place finish.