Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Tag

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – As is the case at the inevitably unpredictable Talladega Superspeedway, Sunday’s 1000Bulbs.com 500-miler provided a surprise ending and for several season-long championship contenders – an uncertain Playoff situation. The last few laps changed the fortunes of teams generally expected to blaze through at least the opening rounds of Playoff competition. Yet when Talladega’s checkered flag flew, some of the sport’s biggest names were left teetering on the brink of championship elimination as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to KansasRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor When Jimmie Johnson’s Chevrolet turned sideways and spun in the tri-oval on lap 63, it looked like it was going to be another one of those days for the seven-time champion. Not so fast. Though his car looked like it had visited a short track rather than a superspeedway where aerodynamics is key, Johnson was able to salvage a top-10 finish for himself and the No. 48 team. Returning to the track for the first time since Hendrick Motorsports announced that he and crew chief ChadRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor TALLADEGA, Ala. – “It’s a good day to be in a Ford,” Clint Bowyer said with a laugh after Sunday’s 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega. “We finally got all four cars to the cream of the crop. Oh my gosh, was it awesome.  To be able to work together like that, we could hold on.  They get runs on you and everything else, but as long as you stayed your ground, stayed in line, we’d prevail.” A good day indeed, as Stewart-Haas Racing Fords finished first andRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer It was the Ford show Sunday at Talladega, leading 185 of 193 laps. However, it didn’t stop Denny Hamlin from spoiling the Ford party as he was not only the highest non-Ford finisher, but also dashed their bid of a top-five sweep, finishing fourth in the 1000Bulbs.com 500. Still winless this season, Hamlin gave it all he got to get his No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry going and stop the Stewart-Haas Racing and Team Penske parade, but it would take a late caution and aRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service TALLADEGA, Ala. – Aric Almirola has been tantalizingly close to winning this season, only to come up empty. On Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, he finally got to light the victory cigar. When the No. 41 Ford of Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kurt Busch lost fuel pressure on the final lap of the 1000Bulbs.com 500, Almirola was there to collect his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory since 2014 and clinch a spot in the Round of 8 in the series Playoffs. Almirola’s second careerRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Public enemy No. 1 after the last restrictor plate race at Daytona in July, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. was able to avoid instigating trouble and finished a salvageable third in Sunday’s 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, the highest non-Stewart-Haas Racing finisher. Although it was a clean race, Stenhouse felt his No. 17 Sunny D Ford Fusion wasn’t as competitive as his car has been in previous restrictor plate races. “We definitely had to fight hard today,” Stenhouse said. “We weren’t near as good as we normally areRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service TALLADEGA, Ala. – All four Stewart-Haas Racing cars were amply endowed with speed for Saturday’s knockout qualifying session at Talladega Superspeedway. Kurt Busch was just glad he got the pick of the litter. “Four Stewart-Haas Fords—I’m really happy that I got the fast one,” Busch quipped after winning the pole for Sunday’s 1000Bulbs.com 500 (2 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) and lead an SHR sweep of the top four starting spots for the second race in the Monster Energy NASCARRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor TALLADEGA, Ala. – The past week has shown a full range of emotions for Aric Almirola following his near miss at Dover last Sunday. Despite the frustration that came with how that race ended, the driver of the No. 10 Ford is looking to Talladega as an opportunity to bounce back. Almirola sits 10 points below the cut-off line heading into Sunday’s 1000Bulbs.com 500 and explained that while the finish at Dover stung, he was able to put it behind him in a day or twoRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor TALLADEGA, Ala. – Leaving the last restrictor plate race at Daytona, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. was Public Enemy No. 1 for many drivers after his involvement in some of the multi-car crashes that took place that night. Despite the criticism that he received following that race, Stenhouse isn’t fazed one bit. “I don’t really care about the criticism,” said Stenhouse. “We’re all in this business and you get criticized for something all the time. I feel like a lot of fans criticize you. They’re the ones watchingRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor TALLADEGA, Ala. – Talladega may not be the Round of 12 elimination race any longer, but the mammoth 2.66-mile superspeedway is still a huge wild card and will go a long way toward determining which drivers will be in position to move on to the next round of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Racing at Talladega has always been crazy from the time the track opened back in 1969. From the driver boycott of the first race that led to unknown driver Richard BrickhouseRead More