The cliché holds true this week as “it all comes down to this”. Six guys have already claimed their top-10 spots when The Chase begins next week at Chicago – Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, and Matt Kenseth…that’s 2 Chevy’s, a Ford, and 3 Toyotas in case you're keeping score.
Richard Childress Racing driver, Brian Scott, had only led 38 laps in his Nationwide Series career before the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway.
Michael Waltrip remembers a time when his company, Michael Waltrip Racing, was only brought in conversation because of how awful things were going.
Back when...
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is in what is arguably his best season in several years. Currently seventh in points and is all but locked in to the Chase. He has 14 top-10’s and five top-5’s. The question is -Is it good enough?
This past week the NASCAR silly season still had a full head of steam. The major announcement this week was from Richard Childress Racing. RCR announced that Jeff Burton would not return as the driver of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet. Burton cited the fact that, “…. There was a lot of funding that wasn’t in place.” Later that same day, the team announced that Caterpillar would return for the 2014 season, though the number of races for the sponsor was not announced.
In 1982, NASCAR changed the Late Model Sportsman series to the Busch Grand National Series, now known as the Nationwide Series, becoming the number two NASCAR touring series behind the premier Cup Series. The first race for the new series was the Goody’s 300 at Daytona.
Since the first season of NASCAR’s Chase format, the last race of the “regular season” has been and at the three-quarter mile short track at Richmond International Raceway. Richmond has provided several fantastic finishes that made some drivers’ seasons a success and left others licking their wounds as they came to the realization that they were not eligible for a series championship.
This past weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Goodyear, the official tire of NASCAR, debuted a new tire technology utilizing multi-zone tread technology.
After picking up his first Camping World Truck Series win at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, Chase Elliott heads to Iowa Speedway this weekend looking to find that winning touch once again. Elliott raced at Iowa Speedway earlier this year, picking up a fifth place finish. He also has had past success at Iowa, winning the K&N Pro East Series race there.
It is a good thing for many that the Chase is decided over the first 26 races of the season, not just what they have done lately. Not so good if you are Kurt Busch or Jeff Gordon.
Bobby Gossett (No. 44 BSI Racing) who raced to the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin Race 1 win on Thursday. His Road Atlanta victory helped to grow his lead in the championship fight.
Funny Car standout Ron Capps likely couldn’t have picked a better destination than World Wide Technology Raceway, the site of this weekend’s 15th annual NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals.
