Bank of America ROVAL 400 Tag

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Editor’s note: Motorsports Tribune will be previewing the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season for the full-time drivers in the series leading into February’s 61st annual running of the Daytona 500. Age: 43 Years in Cup: 17 Career Wins: 83 Championships: 7 Things come in threes, that’s the best way to describe Jimmie Johnson’s underwhelming 2018 campaign. Now entering his 18th full season, Johnson won’t have three things that’s been synonymous with the sport’s juggernaut — his 16-year winning streak, Chad Knaus as crew chief and Lowe’s as his primaryRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor Now that the 2018 NASCAR season is complete and the year is drawing to a close, we’ll take this opportunity to take a look back at the year that was. On the docket today is Part One of the 10 most memorable moments of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. 20 Years Later: Austin Dillon Returns No. 3 to Daytona 500 Victory Lane In 1998, Dale Earnhardt finally broke through with his first win in the Daytona 500 after coming so close for so manyRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor One is the loneliest number for Joe Gibbs Racing after Sunday’s running of the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The powerhouse organization entered the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with three legitimate shots at a title run with Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Erik Jones, but as the first round of the playoffs reached its conclusion this past weekend, both Jones and Hamlin met an early end to their postseason. With subpar runs in the first two races of the roundRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Let’s face the obvious, the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course known as “The Roval” delivered. It fit their bill as being one of the most chaotic weekends in NASCAR history. It didn’t matter how experienced a driver was on road racing because the Roval was a game of survival. Some flat out struggled like Austin Dillon and Bubba Wallace, who appeared to have wrecked every car they’ve competed, which has to be annoying for both young competitors, but they’re not alone. Even the best road racersRead More

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer Running inside the top-10 normally wouldn’t mean that Chase Elliott flew under the radar, however, the dramatic last lap meant that his run was quietly forgotten. While teammate Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex, Jr. spun in the final corner, and Ryan Blaney won, Elliott quietly finished the race in sixth. Elliott finished inside the Top-10 after a strong qualifying effort put his No. 9 SunEnergy1 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 fourth on the grid. In the chaotic finish to the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte MotorRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor CONCORD, N.C. – Survive and advance. For Kyle Larson, never were those three words more meaningful than Sunday afternoon at Charlotte Motor Speedway when a late race crash seemed to doom his chances to move on in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, but he wound up advancing on by the skin of his teeth when all was said and done. Larson entered the day with a healthy 17-point lead over the cut-off line having finished second and seventh in the first two races ofRead More

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer CONCORD, N.C. – A rare mistake by seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson resulted in his elimination from the 2018 Playoffs. The Hendrick Motorsports driver gave it his all trying to win the Bank of America ROVAL 400, instead of looking at the big picture. After avoiding a multi-car melee, Johnson restarted second in a two-lap shootout. His No. 48 Lowe’s for Pros Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 closed the gap on race leader Martin Truex, Jr. in every corner. Johnson loosened the defendingRead More

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer CONCORD, N.C. – Chip Ganassi Racing’s Jamie McMurray ended up one position shy of becoming a Playoff spoiler. The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series veteran shined in the Bank of America ROVAL 400, battling with the Playoff Grid drivers throughout the race. On the final restart, McMurray was the only non-Playoff driver inside the top-five. He battled primarily with Ryan Blaney and Clint Bowyer as the two race leaders, Martin Truex, Jr. and Jimmie Johnson drove away. However, contact from Johnson sent the two leadersRead More

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer CONCORD, N.C. – A late-race pit call by crew chief Greg Ives followed by a strong drive from Alex Bowman kept the Hendrick Motorsports driver in the Playoffs. In the chaotic run to the finish to the Bank of America ROVAL 400, Bowman bounced in and out of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff bubble until the checkered flag. After avoiding a multi-car pile-up on lap 103, Bowman found himself in fifth. On the restart, his No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was boxedRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service CONCORD, N.C. – In a race that was as wild as advertised in the closing laps, Ryan Blaney sped past crashing Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. in the final corner to win Sunday’s inaugural Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course. With his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season and the second of his career, Blaney advanced to Round of 12 in the Playoffs. Johnson wasn’t as lucky. The seven-time series champion was pressuring TruexRead More