Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Tag

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — After the field for the Daytona 500 was set with Thursday night’s Can-Am Duels, the 40 cars that will contest the Great American Race took to the track for two practice sessions on Friday, with Daniel Suarez laying down the fastest times in both sessions. Suarez led a Toyota trio at the top of the board in the first practice session, with a lap of 45.036 seconds, 199.840 mph, ahead of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, and 2017 seriesRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — After a season that saw Chevrolet miss out on the top-four in the final championship standings in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for the first time in recent memory, a new car model for the 2018 season has the Bowtie Brigade energized for the season to come. Late last year, Chevrolet unveiled the Camaro ZL1 model that would be replacing the outgoing SS, marking the first redesign for the manufacturer since the Gen 6 was rolled out in 2013. RightRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor Have the Can-Am Duels at Daytona outlived their usefulness? The evidence certainly seems to point that way. Since the outset of the Daytona 500, qualifying for the biggest race of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season has been a mix of single car qualifying for the front row and qualifying races to set the remainder of the field. In seasons past, with more cars entered than the field allowed, the two qualifying races held the Thursday before the 500 have been full of dramaRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Restrictor plate racing requires teamwork. Whether it’s a driver’s teammate or partnering with a driver who runs the same manufacturer. For Joe Gibbs Racing driver Daniel Suarez, not only he was the lone Gibbs driver, he ran the first Can-Am Duel without another Toyota driver in the field. Despite an alliance disadvantage, Suarez overcame a Lap 9 spin to finish eighth Thursday. Suarez scored three championship points and will start 17th for Sunday’s 60th Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. “It was okay. We haveRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor As we head into the 60th running of the Daytona 500 this coming Sunday, we pause to take a look back on this “Throwback Thursday” at one of the most memorable Daytona 500’s in history, the 1998 Daytona 500. For 20 years, Dale Earnhardt had come to Daytona International Speedway to capture glory in the “Great American Race” only to suffer defeat in every way possible. Earnhardt had won nearly every other event held at the famous 2.5 mile superspeedway, but the Daytona 500 stillRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer BK Racing arrived at Daytona International Speedway last Saturday morning, unloading a white unsponsored No. 23 Toyota. Gray Gaulding also arrived as a spectator without a secured ride in Sunday’s 60th Daytona 500. Rumors ran like wildfire on who’s driving the car but hours later, the 20-year-old Colonial Heights, Virginia native was confirmed as the driver. Now entering Thursday’s Can-Am Duels, Gaulding, with Earthwater as his primary sponsor, will enter the weekend with a positive attitude despite the ongoing off-track drama involving his race team. TheRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor For Jimmie Johnson, having to sit at the championship banquet last year and watch another driver being celebrated up on the championship stage after having been there the year before only served to further fuel his desire to make it back up there for a record eighth time. In one of his worst seasons of his storied Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career, Johnson won three races and made the playoffs, but found himself eliminated in the third round at Phoenix, dropping to a finalRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor The start of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is officially here and with it comes the biggest race of the season, the Daytona 500. For 60 years, drivers have been making the pilgrimage to the Daytona high banks to win the sport’s most prestigious race and write themselves into the record book as Daytona 500 champion. Many have attempted it, but only a select few have been able to hoist the Harley J. Earl trophy in victory lane at the end of theRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer NAPA Auto Parts announced on Tuesday that it will extend its sponsorship deal with Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott from 24 to 26 races this season and continue sponsoring the No. 9 Chevrolet through 2020. NAPA will also be the exclusive primary sponsor for Elliott in the Daytona 500 each year and will be Elliott’s associate sponsor in all non-primary events. “The relationship with NAPA has been a major part of my career starting in 2014,” Elliott said. “Their support has been huge for me,Read More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer Editor’s note: Motorsports Tribune will be previewing the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season for the top-30 drivers in the series leading into this weekend’s 60th running of the Daytona 500. Age: 24 Years in Cup: 2 Career Wins: 1 With the retirement of NASCAR’s most popular driver, many fans that cheered for the No. 88 and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be seeking a new favorite to root for in 2018. Ryan Blaney could very well be the answer, as the 24-year-old goes above and beyondRead More