Chase for the Sprint Cup Tag

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor Over the last several weeks of the “regular season” many teams were busted for failing post-race inspection in the LIS (Laser Inspection Station). Going forward over the next 10 races, if those teams have the same infraction it will come at a much higher cost. Wednesday, NASCAR announced changes to the severity of penalties in the Chase for teams who fail LIS inspection and have loose or missing lug nuts after the race. Now NASCAR officials have the power to strip race winners of theRead More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor Jamie McMurray is a veteran driver who has been in NASCAR long enough to see every Chase for the Sprint Cup take place in every varied format that it has had over the years. But up until last season, McMurray — winner of seven Cup Series races in his career — had never made it into NASCAR’s championship playoff series. Now a year later, McMurray is experiencing the fruits of making it into the Chase in consecutive seasons. McMurray was fast all week long atRead More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor Just one race — the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond — remains for drivers who aren’t currently locked into the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase to change their fortunes. Currently 12 drivers have already clinched their place in the championship battle by way of winning at least one race, and being far enough ahead of the 31st-place driver in the standings that they can’t fall out of the top-30. The drivers who are locked in regardless of what happens in Richmond are: Kevin Harvick,Read More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor Tony Stewart’s final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season may go in the books as his most memorable. After a hellacious start to the season that saw the three-time series champion sidelined for the first eight races with a severe back injury after an offseason incident in a sand dune in California, Stewart has come back to win his first race since 2013 in dramatic fashion at Sonoma. Now after months of consistent racing, Stewart has officially secured himself a berth in the 2016 Chase for the SprintRead More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor Three races remain until the 2016 NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup begins, and already 12 drivers have locked up a spot in the Chase Grid by way of winning a race. With Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, Tony Stewart and Chris Buescher finding victory lane already, that leaves four spots left up for grabs over the next three weeks. Here are the drivers that are left battling forRead More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor Lately, Kyle Larson has been surging towards his first-ever Chase berth. After qualifying second for this weekend’s Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen, and staying inside the top-10 all day long in Sunday’s race, it looked like Larson would further cement himself in the Chase standings at day’s end. However in the final turn of the final lap, Larson’s championship aspirations took a huge hit while running fifth. Larson made a move to avoid a spinning Martin Truex Jr. in front of him, and when Larson barely moved toRead More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor Chris Buescher won last weekend at Pocono Raceway, which means that if he can race his way inside the top-30 of the championship standings that he will race for a championship when the Chase begins in a few weeks. Buescher began that quest Sunday at Watkins Glen, as he entered the day six points behind David Ragan for the 30th-place spot in points. Buescher started the Cheez-It 355 from the 25th position, but lacked overall speed all race long. Buescher and crew chief Bob Osborne struggled withRead More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor He may not be locked into his first Chase Berth just yet, but Kyle Larson took a huge step toward securing his first chance at battling for a championship in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Larson started the day 19th in the championship standings, and kept himself in a position for a top-10 finish all day long. He rolled off from the grid in the 10th position, and at a track where it’s hard to pass, that helped Larson stay in theRead More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor For the past three years, Tony Stewart seemed to be a punchline of many jokes in the NASCAR circle. However, after how Stewart has performed over the last month, not many competitors who are vying to hoist this season’s Sprint Cup trophy are laughing anymore. Stewart looks focused, determined and the 45-year old driver showed his competitive spirit again in the New Hampshire 301 on Sunday. Stewart started the day from the 12th position, and he held serve by the time the competition caution came out on lap 35. UnderRead More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor The competitiveness of AJ Allmendinger and the small JTG/Daugherty Racing team has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. After a 13th-place finish last week at Daytona, Allmendinger found himself 19th in the championship standings, just 16 points from the Chase cutoff. However, Allmendinger’s championship aspirations took a huge beating in Saturday night’s Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway. The night, which eventually spiraled out of control, started with optimism, as Allmendinger lined up from the 19th starting spot. But afterRead More