Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Tag

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent CONCORD, N.C. – Perseverance was key as Jimmie Johnson overcame multiple mistakes to earn a top-10 in the Bank of America ROVAL 400. The seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver missed the backstretch chicane on lap 72. After Johnson stopped in the restart zone on the frontstretch of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, his No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 dropped from second to ninth. “There are opportunities to pass because everybody makes mistakes,” Johnson explained. “Unfortunately, I made two big mistakes that requiredRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service CONCORD, N.C. – Moments after taking the checkered flag in Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, race winner Chase Elliott revisited the site of his biggest mistake. Elliott drove his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 up to the tire barrier in Turn 1 of the 2.32-mile, 17-turn course and began a burnout that bordered on the sarcastic. Early in the final stage of the 109-lap event, after a restart on Lap 65, Elliott locked upRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent CONCORD, N.C. – Bank of America ROVAL 400 polesitter William Byron advanced to the Round of 12 despite a wild Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race. The Hendrick Motorsports driver restarted just inside the top-10 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. Byron found his No. 24 UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 battling Martin Truex, Jr. and Brad Keselowski. With under 10-points to spare, every position counted. Byron fought his car on the treacherous 2.28-mile road course to maintain position. With passing difficult, he passed Truex, however,Read More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor CONCORD, N.C. – Sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug. Weeks after winning the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington to punch his ticket into the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and solidifying his place at Joe Gibbs Racing for 2020, Erik Jones has been on a downward spiral ever since and things didn’t get much better in the first elimination race of the postseason. Since his Darlington win, Jones hadn’t scored a finish better than 36th in the races since, putting him inRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor CONCORD, N.C. – Ahead of the second running of the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competitors took to the track for two practice sessions on Saturday as they looked to get their cars dialed in for the first elimination race of the Playoffs. Ryan Blaney, who was victorious in this race one year ago, topped the board in the morning session with a lap of 1 minute, 21.977 seconds (101.882 mph). Ryan PreeceRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor CONCORD, N.C. – When the news came down earlier this week that Roush-Fenway Racing would be making a driver change for its No. 17 entry in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for 2020, current driver Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. was just as shocked as the rest of the garage area that he would be out of a ride when this season comes to a close. “Yeah, pretty blindsided,” Stenhouse said of hearing the news. The Olive Branch, Mississippi native added that last Wednesday was businessRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent  CONCORD, N.C. – Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Aric Almirola and Clint Bowyer have one more chance to advance to the Round of 12 at the treacherous Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. Both drivers enter the Bank of America ROVAL 400 on the edge of advancing to the next round. Almirola and his No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang sit 11th on the playoff grid with a three-point cushion. Bowyer’s No. 14 Rush / Cummins Ford Mustang is 14th, four points behind the cutoff. There have been 11 instances betweenRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor CONCORD, N.C. – Heading into the Bank of America Roval 400 weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Ryan Blaney holds the title as the only man to ever win on the 2.32-mile, 18-turn road course. As he looks to defend that title and return to Victory Lane for the first time since winning here last year, the driver of the No. 12 Ford won’t have to go far when the green flag drops after qualifying ninth Friday afternoon. “Coming back here, it’s nice coming back toRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent CONCORD, N.C. – After qualifying for the Bank of America Roval 400 finished, William Byron became the first driver to sweep the pole on both Charlotte Motor Speedway configurations. Byron won the pole for the Coca-Cola 600 earlier this season on the oval configuration. Today, the No. 24 UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 topped the speed charts once again on the road course. His 103.198 MPH, 1:20.983 second lap narrowly edged out his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman. “I feel like if I would describe it,Read More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor CONCORD, N.C. – A year after coming agonizingly close to winning at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, Jimmie Johnson got the Bank of America Roval 400 weekend started on the right foot Friday by posting the fastest time in first practice with a lap of 1 minute, 20.968 seconds. Kyle Larson was second on the leaderboard, followed by William Byron, Clint Bowyer, Matt DiBenedetto, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez, Ryan Preece, and defending race winner Ryan Blaney. Outside of the top-10, Playoff drivers finishedRead More