Jimmie Johnson Tag

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 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 The penultimate round of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs rolls on to Texas Motor Speedway after a drama-filled race at Martinsville a week ago. On Sunday, the stock car racing elite will take on the 1.5-mile track with a pair of six-shooters, a cowboy hat and a berth in the Championship 4 on the line should any of the remaining playoff drivers find themselves in victory lane when the checkered flag falls on the AAA Texas 500. First joining the circuit in 1997,Read More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor The Round of 8 is on. Following a barn burner of a finish at Kansas last weekend, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Martinsville Speedway for Sunday’s running of the First Data 500. A win by any of the eight drivers still in contention for the title and they punch their ticket to the championship race at Homestead. A mainstay on the schedule since 1949, the historic half-mile, which is also the smallest on the circuit, will test both man and machine overRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service KANSAS CITY, Kan. – As Denny Hamlin was finishing off a dominating day in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway, Chase Elliott stole perhaps an even bigger prize—a spot in the Round of 8 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Hamlin, who led 153 of 277 laps, crossed the finish line .128 seconds ahead of Elliott in a second overtime to secure his fifth victory of the season, his second at Kansas Speedway and the 36th of his career. But theRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor Alex Bowman found himself on an island as he was the lone Chevrolet in the lead with an onslaught of Fords behind him heading down the backstretch on lap 106. With Joey Logano leading the Blue Oval brigade and closing in on the Hendrick Motorsports entry in a hurry, Bowman moved down the track to try and halt the momentum of Logano and the others, but the closing rate was too much to overcome. As soon as Logano made contact with Bowman’s rear bumper, itRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service TALLADEGA, Ala. – In a helter-skelter finish at the end of Lap 55, William Byron held the lead to win Stage 1 of Sunday’s 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway to advance his cause in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The winner of Stage 2 and the race, however, won’t be decided until Monday. Rain arrived during the first stage break and sent fans in the frontstretch grandstands scurrying for cover. A subsequent break in the rain wasn’t long enough to dry theRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service TALLADEGA, Ala. – Led by pole winner Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports reasserted its domination of superspeedway qualifying on Saturday at Talladega. The winner at Talladega in April, Elliott toured the 2.66-mile track in 46.692 seconds (192.707 mph) to win his second Busch Pole Award at Talladega, his fourth of the season and the eighth of his career. Hendrick Motorsports swept the top four starting spots for Sunday’s 1000Bulbs.com 500 (2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Alex Bowman qualified second atRead More