Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Tag

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service Bowman focused on top performance at Dover Last weekend Alex Bowman earned headlines for his determined work behind the wheel of his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – rallying to a dramatic runner-up finish at the Charlotte ROVAL to earn a spot in the second round of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, which begins with Sunday’s Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). But he’s also getting plenty of attention for an incident on pitRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor CONCORD, N.C. – For Alex Bowman, Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway was a war on many fronts. Not only did the Hendrick Motorsports driver have the points battle and advancing on in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs to worry about, but as the race progressed, he also had to contend with fellow drivers out on track and his own health issues to be able to make it out of the first round of the postseason with his championshipRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service CONCORD, N.C. – Defending race winner Ryan Blaney didn’t have a smooth afternoon in Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, but he salvaged an eighth-place finish-with the help of two timely cautions—and advanced to the second round of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Blaney made hard contact with the wall on Lap 58, and crew chief Jeremy Bullins contemplated bringing the No. 12 Team Penske Ford to pit road immediately, but opted against that courseRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service CONCORD, N.C. – Clint Bowyer had to restrain himself from his typically aggressive approach to driving in the monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, and it paid off on Sunday with a berth in the Round of 12 of the series Playoffs. After a disappointing 25th-place finish—from the pole, no less—in the opening Playoff race at Las Vegas two weeks ago, Bowyer came to the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course four points below the cut line for advancementRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service CONCORD, N.C. – Moments after taking the checkered flag in Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, race winner Chase Elliott revisited the site of his biggest mistake. Elliott drove his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 up to the tire barrier in Turn 1 of the 2.32-mile, 17-turn course and began a burnout that bordered on the sarcastic. Early in the final stage of the 109-lap event, after a restart on Lap 65, Elliott locked upRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor CONCORD, N.C. – Sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug. Weeks after winning the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington to punch his ticket into the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and solidifying his place at Joe Gibbs Racing for 2020, Erik Jones has been on a downward spiral ever since and things didn’t get much better in the first elimination race of the postseason. Since his Darlington win, Jones hadn’t scored a finish better than 36th in the races since, putting him inRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor CONCORD, N.C. – Ahead of the second running of the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competitors took to the track for two practice sessions on Saturday as they looked to get their cars dialed in for the first elimination race of the Playoffs. Ryan Blaney, who was victorious in this race one year ago, topped the board in the morning session with a lap of 1 minute, 21.977 seconds (101.882 mph). Ryan PreeceRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor CONCORD, N.C. – Heading into the Bank of America Roval 400 weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Ryan Blaney holds the title as the only man to ever win on the 2.32-mile, 18-turn road course. As he looks to defend that title and return to Victory Lane for the first time since winning here last year, the driver of the No. 12 Ford won’t have to go far when the green flag drops after qualifying ninth Friday afternoon. “Coming back here, it’s nice coming back toRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor CONCORD, N.C. – A year after coming agonizingly close to winning at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, Jimmie Johnson got the Bank of America Roval 400 weekend started on the right foot Friday by posting the fastest time in first practice with a lap of 1 minute, 20.968 seconds. Kyle Larson was second on the leaderboard, followed by William Byron, Clint Bowyer, Matt DiBenedetto, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez, Ryan Preece, and defending race winner Ryan Blaney. Outside of the top-10, Playoff drivers finishedRead More

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The scenario for Sunday’s much-anticipated Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course provides exactly the intensity NASCAR fans want, but for the Playoff drivers competing to advance to the Round of 12 – the recently added road course also presents high anxiety. Coming into Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) the four Playoff drivers currently ranked outside the top 12 in the driverRead More