Denny Hamlin Tag

By David Morgan, Associate Editor HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Joe Gibbs Racing comes into this weekend’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship battle with a 3-to-1 shot at taking home the title and if Saturday’s final practice is any indication, the championship will have to go through them. In a makeshift practice session that took the place of qualifying after rain washed almost everything out on Friday, Kyle Busch led the way at 31.959 seconds, 168.966 mph, with teammates Martin Truex, Jr. and Denny Hamlin in tow. The fourth of theRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer AVONDALE, Arizona — In a year that Roger Penske has dominated the world of motorsports, there won’t be a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship this season for “The Captain.” That’s because Joey Logano finished ninth in Sunday’s Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway. Not good enough of making the Championship 4 despite running extraordinarily well during the first half of the race, highlighted with a Stage 2 win. Then everything fell apart for the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang as his pace was lost andRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service AVONDALE, Ariz. – Out, demon! Denny Hamlin’s exorcism is complete. At ISM Raceway, the site of one of his biggest disappointments, Hamlin barged back into the Championship 4 with a dominating victory in Sunday’s Bluegreen Vacations 500. Hamlin joins Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch, Sunday’s runner-up, in the Nov. 17 race for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The three JGR drivers will battle Kevin Harvick of Stewart-Haas Racing for the trophy. After losing controlRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer AVONDALE, Arizona — Chase Elliott’s heinous Round of 8 ends in a Lap 167 crash in Sunday’s Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway. “It’s just a continuation of our first two weeks, unfortunately,” Elliott on his elimination. “I hate it for our NAPA group.” Needing a win to make the Championship 4 for the first time in his career, Elliott had a competitive No. 9 NAPA AutoCare Center Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 where he had collected 17 stage points. Elliott’s main battle was against Denny Hamlin, whoRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer AVONDALE, Arizona — Hours removed from NASCAR penalizing Bubba Wallace 50 driver points and fined $50,000 for admitting that he deliberately spun out in last Sunday’s AAA Texas 500, several Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers were asked about their take of his penalty. Among those vocal from the very beginning was Kyle Larson, who felt it was clear as day that it was on purpose. After qualifying fifth for tomorrow’s Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway, Larson hopes the message will be sent to everyRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service AVONDALE, Ariz. – In a Saturday qualifying session that provided validation that the cream rises to the top, Kyle Busch earned his first pole position of the season, as seven Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers claimed the top seven positions on the grid. Navigating one-mile ISM Raceway in a blistering 25.693 seconds 140.116 mph, Busch edged Joey Logano (139.752 mph) by .067 seconds for Sunday’s Bluegreen Vacations 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the race that willRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor It’s a showdown in the Arizona desert this weekend as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rolls into ISM Raceway in Phoenix for the Bluegreen Vacations 500. Just two spots are still up for grabs in the Championship 4, with six drivers still in the hunt. Martin Truex, Jr. and Kevin Harvick have already locked up their place in the season finale at Homestead, with Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, and Chase Elliott still looking to race their way in.Read More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor FORT WORTH, Texas – Denny Hamlin came into Texas Motor Speedway with a double-digit point cushion over the cut-off line in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, but things didn’t exactly go according to plan on Sunday and he’ll have his work cut out for him going forward. As the top driver not yet locked into the championship race at Homestead, Hamlin started the day 24 points ahead of fifth-place with a third-place qualifying effort. Despite starting at the front of the field, thingsRead More