NASCAR Playoffs Tag

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer The Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval has brought positive memories for Chase Briscoe in his NASCAR career. Back in 2018, Briscoe scored his maiden Xfinity Series win at the circuit. Fast forward to 2022, the Roval became the site of his playoff hopes staying alive. During Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400, Briscoe was among four drivers who were below the cutoff line. He was ninth in points, trailing eight-place Daniel Suarez by 12 points. Due to the Roval’s wild characteristics, survival was paramount for the Stewart-HaasRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer It was quadruple championship weekend at Phoenix Raceway where the three NASCAR national touring divisions and ARCA West crowned its season champion. Needless to say, all four title-deciding races ended up being unforgettable. Here’s my latest “Race in Pictures” gallery featuring all four races as Kyle Larson (Cup), Daniel Hemric (Xfinity), Ben Rhodes (Trucks) and Jesse Love (ARCA West) left Arizona as champions.Read More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer AVONDALE, Ariz. – Martin Truex, Jr. was again denied a second NASCAR Cup Series championship. Instead of hoisting the Bill France Cup, Truex had to settle for second in Sunday’s Cup Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. When the laps were winding down, Truex appeared to have the title in the bag. That’s when debris from David Starr changed the outcome of the race, bringing out the caution flag on Lap 282. Erasing Truex’s lead, the caution flag would bring the field down pit road for theRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer AVONDALE, Ariz. – As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series campaign ran into the sunset, John Hunter Nemechek’s dream season turned into a nightmare. Friday’s Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway went clean to the surprise of many people with only four cautions. Half of them being for stage breaks. Nemechek didn’t get that luxury of having a clean race as Stage 1 went horrendously wrong. Nemechek was losing spots entering Turn 2 when Kris Wright came from out of nowhere and door slammed him. The seasonRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer PHOENIX – Kyle Larson has been the driver everyone’s been trying to beat in the NASCAR Cup Series all season. After 35 hard fought and demanding races, it’ll come down to the 312-lap finale at Phoenix Raceway where Larson will look to cap off a dream year with a championship. Not only is Larson determined to give it his all to win the title, he’ll also look to become the first man since Jimmie Johnson in 2007 to win 10 races in a season. The Californian willRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer PHOENIX – “Usually a lot of times JGR might be the favorite going into a championship race. I think we’re definitely the underdogs,” said Joe Gibbs Racing Team Executive Wally Brown said on Monday. “We have to beat the guy, Kyle Larson, that has won so many races, been so dominant this year. Then you have Chase (Elliott), the reigning champion at this track. We’re definitely the underdog.” Don’t consider Martin Truex, Jr. as a dark horse nor an underdog for Sunday’s championship deciding race at PhoenixRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service Ty Gibbs continued his phenomenal NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie season on Saturday with his fourth victory of the year in the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. Gibbs passed reigning series champion Austin Cindric on Lap 190 and 200 and beat the driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford to the finish line by .759 seconds to earn his ninth top-five finish in his 16th start. “He got a little bit free and kind of slowed down in (Turns) 3 and 4, andRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Brad Keselowski entered the Round of 8 on the outside looking in. He’ll still leave Texas Motor Speedway outside the top-four standings despite finishing fourth in Sunday’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500. In fact, he cut the gap from 16 to 15 going into next Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway. It might’ve been just a point, but Keselowski’s No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang showed good pace. This was the case during long runs when Keselowski had one of the better showings outside the Hendrick Motorsports duoRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer William Byron entered Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race 18 points below the cutoff line to make the Round of 12. 500 wild and grueling laps later, Byron advanced into next round with a third-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway. With Kurt Busch struggling all night and Aric Almirola fading towards the end, Byron made most out of their pitfalls by being up front. That’s thanks in large part of an all around team effort from the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports crew to put himRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer William Byron was among the many NASCAR Cup Series playoff drivers who were tamed by “The Lady in Black.” Not once, but twice in Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500, becoming the third competitor crashing out at Darlington Raceway. Following a late-race crash in last Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400, Byron hoped Darlington would be a turnaround weekend. Especially, that it’s the playoff opener and having a career season. However, it wasn’t in the cards the from the very beginning. On Lap 15, Byron couldn’t avoidRead More