NASCAR Cup Series

Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing and Wood Brothers Racing are honoring the team’s 1987 Coca-Cola 600-winning Ford Thunderbird at this year’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. The throwback paint scheme was revealed during today’s episode of “NASCAR America” on NBCSN.

Roush Fenway Racing heads into the season’s longest race of the year on a decided upswing from last season. With 11 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points races in the books, the team carries an average finish of 14.8, up four positons from the team’s average finish in 2016. In addition, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s victory two weeks ago at Talladega Superspeedway all but assures that Roush Fenway will return to the playoffs in 2017.

The stars would come out at Charlotte on Saturday night. Well, some of them. Twenty drivers would make up the field, but we knew that the Top 20 on the season would be missing at least a couple of performers.

2nd Lt. John C. Yates, whose name will grace the windshield of Martin Truex Jr.’s race car during Sunday night’s Memorial Day weekend classic – the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway – was an exemplary Marine who portrayed courage, unselfishness, leadership and patriotism while serving three tours of duty during the Vietnam War.

The MISCAMPING.com Infield Campground at Michigan International Speedway will host 40 special guests moments before the green flag waves for the FireKeepers Casino 400 on June 18. For the first time in NASCAR history, the driver parade lap will make its way through the MISCAMPING.com Infield Campground as part of pre-race festivities.

Warmer weather and time off from school can mean an increase in serious accidents for children, but Shriners Hospitals for Children® is trying to change that with the help of Front Row Motorsports (FRM) and David Ragan. A nationwide program encourages kids to be Superheroes of Summer Safety and to #EarnYourCape by following tips to reduce the risk of injuries during the summer months.

Team Remission10 has partnered with ROUSH Performance and the Wheelhouse Foundation andare selling raffle tickets at $100 per ticket. A maximum cap of 5,010 tickets will be sold, but with the short time frame to sell tickets the chances of winning will be closer to 1 in 2,500 or Better! Buy your tickets TODAY at www.Remission10.com before the deadline on May 31st and support this great cause!!!

Ricky Rudd - Rudd is probably the best overall driver on the ballot. Bobby Labonte comes pretty close, being one of only two drivers to win XFINITY Series and Cup Series championships, but Rudd had more seasons as a competitive driver. Davey Allison also makes a strong argument, but it becomes an argument of being good for twenty years versus being great for five years. I’ll always take being good for twenty years.

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- One term I've heard used by those attending the Short Track Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway this past weekend has been "Corporate NASCAR," meaning NASCAR's desires to grow the sport has made it lose touch with the interests and desires of its core fans. After watching yet another lackluster All-Star Race that was overhyped by both NASCAR and Charlotte Motor Speedway, I believe there's truth to that "Corporate NASCAR" label.

It took a determined drive in Stage Two of the preliminary Monster Energy Open at Charlotte Motor Speedway to do it, but by winning that segment Ryan Blaney put his No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team back in NASCAR’s All-Star race for the first time since 2012.