NASCAR Cup Series

The Playoffs for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series begin this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway with five Ford drivers in the field of 16.  Ryan Blaney, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. represent four different organizations in the Ford camp – Wood Brothers Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, Team Penske and Stewart-Haas Racing.  Ford is trying to win its first series championship since 2004 when Busch won the inaugural Playoff crown.

What do spark plugs, brake cleaner and go karts have in common when it comes to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Talladega Superspeedway? They’re what occupied the majority of his time when he visited the enormous 2.66-mile track as a kid, years prior to winning six races, including a record four straight.

Leading eight laps and finishing fourth at Chicagoland Speedway last season gives Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team confidence this weekend as the NASCAR Playoffs begin at the Tales of the Turtles 400.

By Kenny Bruce | NASCAR.com Smithfield Foods, the primary team sponsor for the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Ford with driver Aric Almirola, will not return to the...

With a list of movie and TV credits to his name, actor Jay Hernandez is adding one more credit to the list – Grand Marshal of the Hollywood Casino 400.  On Oct. 22, he will be saying the most famous words in motorsports “Drivers, start your engines” for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race.

Who won? -- That was the one and only question the 60th annual summer event at Richmond had to answer. Who would win it? Three drivers entered had won it twice before, one already had the hat trick. All 13 with multiple wins there during their career are in or will be in conversations regarding the Hall of Fame.

1. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex won Stage 2 at Richmond was on his way to his fifth win of the year before a late caution flipped his fate. Kyle Larson beat Truex out of the pits and pulled away on the restart, while Truex tangled with Denny Hamlin and crashed. Truex finished 20th.

The Wood Brothers will be making their NASCAR Playoff debut this weekend when Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion hits the track at Chicagoland Speedway.  Co-owners Eddie and Len Wood, along with crew chief Jeremy Bullins, participated in a conference call today to talk about the final 10 weeks of the season and their hopes of winning a championship.

RICHMOND, Va. -- An ambulance that came to a stop at the entrance of pit road during the fifth caution of the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway ended the night of Matt Kenseth.

With a mediocre 18th-place finish at Richmond Raceway in the rear-view mirror, Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team head to Chicagoland Speedway ninth in the standings as the 10-race Monster Energy Cup playoffs begin.