Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Tag

By David Morgan, Associate Editor BRISTOL, Tenn. – Matt DiBenedetto was 12 laps away from a lifelong dream being realized as he held the lead in Saturday night’s Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Unfortunately for the driver of the No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Toyota, that dream would not come true as Denny Hamlin passed him on lap 489, leaving DiBenedetto to watch Hamlin’s car pull away through his windshield en route to the victory. A dejected DiBenedetto fought back tears on pit road afterRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent BRISTOL, Tenn. – The Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway changed the landscape of the playoff bubble. Continued woes for both Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson saw the duo slip further down the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points standings with just two races remaining in the regular season. Meanwhile Ryan Newman and Daniel Suarez capitalized on the misfortunes of their competitors. Johnson’s troubles started 80 laps into the 500-lap race. A cut tire for Austin Dillon left the No. 48Read More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent BRISTOL, Tenn. – Despite having a flat tire late in the race, Ryan Blaney rebounded to finish inside the top-10 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Contact between Blaney and Daniel Hemric cut the right front tire on the No. 12 Dent Wizard Ford Mustang. The Team Penske driver careened up the track and collected Ricky Stenhouse Jr., David Ragan, Michael McDowell, and Jimmie Johnson. The damage to Blaney’s car was minimal. “I clipped the No. 8,” Blaney explained. “I kind of got loose and I just touchedRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service BRISTOL, Tenn. – The first thing Denny Hamlin did after winning Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops NRA Night race at Bristol Motor Speedway was apologize to the man he beat to the finish line in the 24th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season. With 11 laps left in the grueling 500-lap event, Hamlin drove to the inside of Matt DiBenedetto and cleared him from the lead. Roughly three minutes later, Hamlin crossed the stripe .502 seconds ahead of the No. 95 LeavineRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent BRISTOL, Tenn. – If there was any pressure mounting on Ryan Blaney to win, the Team Penske driver hasn’t noticed. While Blaney’s teammates, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano have visited victory lane for a combined five times, he has yet to find victory lane in the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. The driver of the No. 12 Dent Wizard Ford Mustang last won at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval last season. Blaney is the only driver in the top-10 in the championship pointsRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent BRISTOL, Tenn. – Once again, Richard Petty Motorsports driver Bubba Wallace joined the NASCAR photography corps during the Bristol Motor Speedway race weekend. The driver of the No. 43 Victory Junction Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 previously explained that he shoots photography when the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule allows. That schedule allowed Wallace to shoot during Thursday night’s NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series UNOH 200 and NASCAR Xfinity Series Food City 300. Wallace still considers photography a hobby and admits he’s learning as he goes.Read More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor BRISTOL, Tenn. – Earlier this week, Matt DiBenedetto finally got the news he had been dreading. Despite being in the midst of a career year, he would not be returning to the driver’s seat of the No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Toyota next season. The Grass Valley, California native classified the news as “devastating” when it was released, but after some time to process what had happened, the always optimistic DiBenedetto did his best to keep a smile on his face despite the uncertainty thatRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor BRISTOL, Tenn. – Clint Bowyer heads into Saturday night’s Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway clinging onto the last place in the Playoffs for dear life with just three races left in the regular season. After finishes of 20th or worse in three of the last four events, any misstep by the driver of the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford could spell doom for his hopes of making it into the postseason with a chance to contend for the championship. “SnakebitRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service BRISTOL, Tenn. – Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson played a late game of King of the Mountain in Friday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series time trials at Bristol Motor Speedway. After 38 drivers made qualifying runs, it was Hamlin who was left at the top of the peak. Larson was the 34th driver to take to the track, and his impressive lap at 129.004 mph (14.874 seconds) put him on the provisional pole for Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race (7:30 p.m. ETRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent BRISTOL, Tenn. – Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kurt Busch has gifted military veterans with opportunities of a lifetime. Since the Daytona 500 earlier this year, the 2004 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion has partnered with the Veteran Tickets Foundation (Vet Tix) to send both active and retired military veterans, 100 veterans total, to NASCAR races throughout the season. 2,500 veterans minimum have attended races so far. Busch praised the program and its’ success. “It’s been fabulous. It’s a gift that keeps on giving with vettix.org helping manageRead More