Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Tag

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor The start of the 2001 season started off with a dark cloud hanging over the sport following the death of Dale Earnhardt in the Daytona 500, but as the series rolled into Atlanta, little did they know that the healing would start just 500 miles later. Kevin Harvick, who had taken over the seat left vacant by Earnhardt at Richard Childress Racing following his passing, was making his third start of his Cup Series career in the renumbered white No. 29 car and it did notRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor For the first time in 18 years, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. didn’t have a race to run when the Daytona 500 went green last Sunday and for the 15-time Most Popular Driver, that was fine by him. While in Daytona to support his Xfinity Series teams and serve as the Grand Marshal, Earnhardt was asked how he felt not having to worry about being behind the wheel for the Great American Race and he noted how refreshing it was to not have the pressure of raceRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Restrictor plate racing is a strategic game, requiring critical thinking to make the right moves. A few days removed from Sunday’s Daytona 500 and it has dawned on me how frustrating this current era of racing has become. What happened to the word patience? The days of strategizing your move without causing a junkyard is gone. Part of this has to do with three things — stage racing, the demand of winning the Great American Race at an all-time high, or just a generational problem.Read More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – When it comes to iconic names in the Daytona 500, Richard Petty is second to none, and on Sunday, his car brought home a second-place finish in the Great American Race with heralded rookie Darrell Wallace, Jr. behind the wheel. After an offseason of turmoil that saw changes in manufacturers, drivers, shop locations, and more, Richard Petty Motorsports has come out swinging in 2018 with Wallace as their driver, showcasing their new alliance with Richard Childress Racing and Chevrolet on theRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat was the storybook ending in Sunday’s 60th running of the Daytona 500. For Aric Almirola, he drew the short straw, losing the lead on the last lap after being turned by Austin Dillon, who won the Great American Race for the first time in his career. “It was the last lap and we’re all trying to win the Daytona 500.  It’s the biggest race of the year and it’s a career-changing race, so we were justRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The first part of the “Danica Double” didn’t quite go to plan in Sunday’s Daytona 500. Making her final NASCAR start, Danica Patrick gave herself a fighting chance to try and win the Great American Race, but the roulette wheel that is restrictor plate racing, just didn’t fall her way as she got caught up in a crash on lap 101. After starting 28th, Patrick was biding her time as she worked her way forward in the pack, but when thingsRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – For Jimmie Johnson, the third time was not the charm. After losing two cars already in Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway, Johnson was down to his third car of the week for the Daytona 500 and things didn’t get any better for the seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion. Johnson started from the rear of the field and was working his way forward when disaster struck on the final lap of Stage 1. When Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. made a miraculous saveRead More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer While the Daytona 500 looms large, Brad Keselowski has already practiced showering in Gatorade and Miller Lite in victory lane since the calendar turned to 2018. The Roster Hills, Michigan native won last weekend in the Advance Auto Parts Clash, the exhibition race to start the 2018 season at Daytona International Speedway. Returning teammate Joey Logano was second and Team Penske newcomer Ryan Blaney was fourth as Fords swept the top four positions. Keselowski enters his ninth full-time season driving for one of the topRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Ahead of the 60th running of the Daytona 500, two members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame – Richard Petty and Ray Evernham – looked back at their memories of the Great American Race and expressed just how much this track and race means to them and the sport as a whole. Richard Petty, one of the members of the inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2010, is on the Mount Rushmore of NASCAR, both in terms of championships and DaytonaRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — In the final practice session ahead of Sunday’s 60th running of the Daytona 500, Darrell Wallace, Jr. took his No. 43 Chevrolet to the top of the board, posting the fastest time in the final hour of preparation before the Great American Race. Wallace turned in a time of 45.696 seconds, 196.954 mph, followed by Daniel Suarez, who was fastest in the two practice sessions on Friday, in second. With Richard Petty Motorsports’ new alliance with Richard Childress Racing and ChevroletRead More