NASCAR Cup Series

JAMIE McMURRAY, NO. 1 MCDONALD’S CHEVROLET, met with members of the media at Chase Media Day and discussed how this year’s Chase will be different than last year, the impact of having two Chip Ganassi Racing cars in the playoffs and many other topics.

“We are going one round at a time right now," Buescher said. "We are trying to look ahead to the next three races. We have been so focused on getting into the Chase that now that we are here we haven’t thought too much past that. I feel like we are prepared to go into this next couple."

Chris Buescher, driver of the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Fusion, made the rounds at Chase Media Day in Chicago Thursday afternoon. The rookie, one of two in the 2016 Chase, spoke about a myriad of topics.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of NASCAR’s most popular drivers, will make a personal appearance aboard the very first NASCAR: The Cruise, joining an all-star lineup that includes Hall of Famers Richard Petty, Rusty Wallace, Bobby Allison and Petty’s famed Crew Chief Dale Inman.

On the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit, Carl Edwards is known as an aggressive and very successful driver. He’s also an accomplished pilot, flying his own plane to and from races.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup, XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series will all compete at Chicagoland Speedway this weekend. Please check below for the complete schedule of events.

As NASCAR swings into Chicago and begins the Chase, I can not help but notice that Denny Hamlin, and now Danica Patrick, have made mention that the season is too long. Reduce some races in length, reduce some altogether, run some mid-week are among their suggestions.

"It’s a tough place for sure," Allmendinger said. "I think our mile-and-a-half program’s gotten better. I’m encouraged to go to Chicago and keep trying to improve. I think we can go there, get our car right and have a solid run. It’s definitely a tough place and we look forward to getting better there.”

Michael Annett and his No. 46 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet team make their only stop of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season at Chicagoland Speedway, in Joliet, Ill., this Sunday. Annett scored three top-10 finishes, including a fifth-place finish in 2012, in eight career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 1.5-mile facility.

NASCAR introduced rules updates for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs on Wednesday, giving competition officials the power to issue more stringent rulings on technical infractions involving post-race laser inspections and lug nuts.