Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Tag

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Hoping to reverse the outcome of this year’s spring race at Martinsville Speedway, Kyle Busch took the first step on Saturday afternoon, winning the pole position for Sunday’s First Data 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the first race in the Round of 8 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Driving the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Busch navigated the .526-mile short track in 19.673 seconds (96.254 seconds) in the final round of knockoutRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor After a trip out to America’s Heartland, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads back east this weekend and straight to the final short track race of the season, with Sunday’s running of the First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway. 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 over 500 grueling laps. Sunday’s race will mark the start of the three-race playoff semi-finals that will trim the eight-driver playoff fieldRead More

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer For just the second time in his NASCAR career, Jeb Burton will be pulling double duty. The Virginia-native will drive the No. 51 JACOB Companies Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Rick Ware Racing at Martinsville Speedway. Earlier this week, it was announced that he would compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race for On Point Motorsports. The First Data 500 will mark the first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start for Burton since Pocono in 2016. The 26-year-old has 30 starts in NASCAR’s PremierRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor Since 1949, NASCAR has raced at Martinsville and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads back to the shortest track on the circuit this Sunday for the First Data 500. Before focusing on the present day and the opening race of the Round of Eight in the MENCS Playoffs, we’ll revisit the 2001 Old Dominion 500 – a race that gave NASCAR on ESPN analyst Ricky Craven his first career Cup Series win. As rain set in on the scheduled Sunday race date, the race wasRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor Entering the 2018 version of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, Chevrolet had four drivers in the postseason with a shot to make a run to the championship race at Homestead. With two rounds complete, the Bowtie Brigade has seen all but one of their Camaros eliminated from the Playoffs. Jimmie Johnson met his fate at the Charlotte Roval, while Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman exited stage left after Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway. Standing alone as the only Chevrolet left in the postseason isRead More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Sunday afternoon’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway was the elimination race for the Round of 12, leaving four drivers out of playoff contention upon the completion of 267 laps at the 1.5-mile oval. Despite the playoff drama, the race was fairly uneventful and featured just three caution flags, with the only non-stage break yellow for an expired engine on the No. 24 Chevrolet of William Byron. Chase Elliott earned his third victory in the last 11 races, beating Kyle Busch toRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service KANSAS CITY, Kan. – It took 99 races for Chase Elliott to get his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory. Ten events later, the scion of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott has three wins, the latest coming at Kansas Speedway in the Sunday’s Round of 12 elimination race in the series Playoffs. Elliott took charge in the Hollywood Casino 400 when Kevin Harvick was hit with a pit road speeding penalty on his last green-flag pit stop on Lap 214 of 267. AfterRead More

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer Although Kevin Harvick had the dominant car in the Hollywood Casino 400, a mistake on pit road cost him the chance at victory. The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver won the second stage and was leading until he was busted for speeding on pit road. Harvick had a comfortable lead in his No. 4 Busch Light Ford Fusion over eventual winner Chase Elliott. On lap 213, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver and Elliott both elected to duck onto Kansas Speedway’s pit road. After returning toRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Shades of Talladega. Only this time Team Penske—driver Joey Logano in particular—joined the Ford domination party. Saving the fastest lap of the day for the final round of Friday’s knockout qualifying session, Logano navigated 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway in 28.177 seconds (191.646 mph) to claim the pole position for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 (2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Logano enters the elimination race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 12 with a 39-pointRead More

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer The string of bad luck continues for Kyle Larson after wrecking his primary car in practice at Kansas Speedway. The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Grid driver is on the receiving end of a L1 Penalty that currently leaves him without his car chief, David Bryant, and 10 crucial points. Larson’s No. 42 McDonald’s Trick. Treat. Win! Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was damaged in a single car incident in the opening practice for the Hollywood Casino 400 after his car broke loose in Turns 1Read More