NASCAR Cup Series

For the first time, the NASCAR Silver Bullet Bash presented by Coors Light will take center stage in Charlotte on Thursday, May 18. Celebrating the first half of the NASCAR season, the Silver Bullet Bash will lead off the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star weekend festivities with live music, special guests and unique experiences.

Following the first eight races in the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, Chevrolet leads the manufacturer standings by eight markers over the competition. Chevrolet has 39 total MENCS Manufacturer championship titles and is looking for an unprecedented number 40 this season.

I've had three days to process the events of Thunder Valley this past Monday and I must ask if the race was honestly as great as everyone is saying.

Richmond International Raceway, where Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team will race this weekend, is one of those tracks, although the team’s record at Richmond isn’t exactly a power house stat.

Toyota Spotlight: For a fifth year, Toyota has partnered with Richmond International Raceway to sponsor the NASCAR race weekend featuring the NASCAR XFINITY Series ToyotaCare 250 and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400.

Richmond Preview: The Series moves to Denny’s home track, Richmond International Raceway (RIR), for Sunday’s 400-lap Toyota Owners 400 event. Hamlin has proven to be successful at the Virginia short track, recording a career-high 1,594 laps led and three wins in 21 starts at RIR. Hamlin scored his most recent Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory at the .75-mile oval in September 2016, crossing the finish line with a margin of victory of .609 seconds ahead of competitor Kyle Larson.

Ford Motor Company, Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing and JDRF are the proud sponsors of a t-shirt design contest aiming to harness the creativity and engagement of families, JDRF fundraising teams and race fans alike to benefit JDRF’s shared vision of a world without type 1 diabetes (T1D)). This fundraising design contest entitled T1D, Motorcraft & Me presents Customize for a Cause offers participants a chance to win a VIP Motorcraft Racing Experience of a Lifetime and much more.

Richard Childress Racing's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series history at Richmond International Raceway ... Richard Childress has nine Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victories as a car owner at Richmond International Raceway - five with Dale Earnhardt, three with Kevin Harvick and one with Clint Bowyer. Additionally, in 160 starts at the Richmond, Va.-based track, RCR drivers have claimed 36 top-five and 67 top-10 finishes. Childress, a former driver on NASCAR's senior circuit, contributed three of those top-10 finishes from 1976-1978.

The pre-race ceremony is the memorable time just before the roar of the engines that sets the tone for the race. The moment when the flyover matches perfectly with the ending of the National Anthem can take any fan’s breath away.

"We're here today to confirm the news you received this morning that I've decided to make this season my last as a NASCAR Cup driver. The response just in the last six hours from teammates, colleagues and friends and fans has been incredibly overwhelming."