NASCAR Cup Series Tag

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The tragic and untimely passing of Kobe Bryant and eight other people (Gianna Bryant, John, Keri and Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah and Payton Chester, Christina Mauser and Ara Zobayan) last month were among the subjects brought up in Wednesday’s Daytona 500 Media Day. Topics ranged from how the five-time NBA champion impacted their lives to their viewpoint on aviation. The most notable of the drivers was Ryan Blaney, who met and spoke to Bryant back in 2018. Blaney said that “The Black Mamba”Read More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Jimmie Johnson may be stepping away from full-time racing in the Cup Series at the end of the 2020 season, but one thing is for sure, the impact that the seven-time champion has had on the sport will live on long after he has taken his final checkered flag. As drivers circulated through Daytona 500 Media Day on Wednesday, many were asked about their favorite Jimmie Johnson memory and by the time all was said and done, it was clear that JohnsonRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Heading into tomorrow’s Bluegreen Vacations Duels at Daytona International Speedway, we already know that Justin Haley and Brendan Gaughan are locked in for the 62nd Daytona 500 after being the fastest open cars in last Sunday’s time trials. However, the biggest angle are those five guys on the outside looking in as only two spots are left. The immense pressure of racing among themselves to be the top guy in their respective Duel races is there but each their own story. InRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Days removed from the indescribable Busch Clash last Sunday, there were three drivers who were in the center of attention during Daytona 500 Media Day Wednesday and it happened to be three of the most polarizing drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series. What started the overall madness for the 88-lap crash fest occurred on Lap 66 when a little block by Joey Logano to defend his race lead went haywire as Kyle Busch made a slight tap on Logano in Turn 3.Read More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Heading into the 2020 season, change is in the air throughout the NASCAR Cup Series garage. Team Penske in particular underwent a major shift over the offseason, with the organization moving crew chiefs around among its three teams. Ryan Blaney, the newest member of the Team Penske trio, inherits Todd Gordon as his crew chief for 2020 as both he and the No. 12 team look to take a leap forward. Since earning his first Cup Series win in 2017, the 26-yearRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – What felt like the Royal Rumble, the 42nd Busch Clash will go down as the ultimate attrition fest as only six out of the 18 drivers survived the mayhem at Daytona International Speedway. It seemed fitting that the race winning car was a total wrecked machine as Erik Jones got the assist of a lifetime from his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin (who was a lap down) to win the crash fest that saw three overtimes, resulting the total laps goingRead More

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It was a relatively calm but unmistakably race-y start to Sunday’s Busch Clash at Daytona International Speedway, but by the last of three overtimes were complete, the garage area was littered with bent-and-dent race cars and some equally banged-up feelings. Joe Gibbs Racing driver Erik Jones led only the last lap to claim his first Busch Clash win in a finish that echoed his first NASCAR Cup Series victory – also at Daytona when he led only the last lapRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Denny Hamlin couldn’t win the Busch Clash at Daytona for himself, but he made sure his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate did. For nearly the entire final lap in the third attempt at overtime, Hamlin pushed the mangled Toyota of Erik Jones all the way to finish line in a race that saw only six of 18 cars running at the finish. With the nose of his car caved in and held together with tape, Jones led only the final lap—theRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The youngest and the oldest driver on the grid have made “The Great American Race.” Both Justin Haley (age 20) and Brendan Gaughan (age 44) were not only the first two cars out to qualify, but they were fastest among the open cars during Sunday’s Daytona 500 qualifying and to each story is their own. For Haley, he was 31st fastest at 190.018 mph and the most recent NASCAR Cup Series winner at Daytona. Not only that, Haley making the field willRead More