Ricky Stenhouse Jr Tag

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor While short tracks have been the order of much of the month of April, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series now turns its attention to the biggest and baddest track on the circuit, the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway and Sunday’s running of the GEICO 500. Racing at Talladega has always been crazy from the time the track opened back in 1969. From the driver boycott of the first race that led to unknown driver Richard Brickhouse scoring his one and only win in the Cup SeriesRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer The hot rumor that got NASCAR fans talking became a reality Wednesday as Roush Fenway Raceway announced that 2003 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth will share duties with Trevor Bayne in the No. 6 Advocare Ford Fusion, beginning at Kansas Speedway May 12th. At 46-years-old, Kenseth’s return sparked an encouraging thought about drivers past 45 being successful after what looked like his forced sabbatical diminished that possibility last season. When the announcement was made that Erik Jones was replacing Kenseth in theRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service BRISTOL, Tenn. – Everyone knows Kyle Busch as “Rowdy,” but you could also call him “The Postman,” given that neither rain, snow, sleet nor hail could keep him from completing his appointed rounds at Bristol Motor Speedway. Executing a textbook bump-and-run against runner-up Kyle Larson on Lap 495 of 500, Kyle Busch pulled away to win Monday’s weather-delayed Food City 500, claiming his second straight victory of 2018 and his seventh win at Thunder Valley, most among active drivers. In a race delayed by rainRead More

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer BRISTOL, Tenn. – Few if any Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers had a more eventful weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway than Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Although the Food City 500 was interrupted by the weather on four separate occasions, three resulting in red flags, it went the entire 500-lap distance. Stenhouse looked to be a threat to win late before finishing inside the top five. During the longest green flag run of the day, Stenhouse’s No. 17 SunnyD Ford Fusion was the fastest car onRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor While the Blue Oval Brigade ruled on Friday at Texas Motor Speedway, Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing made their presence known in the second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice session of the weekend on Saturday morning. The JGR duo of Daniel Suarez and Denny Hamlin would come out on top during the frigid 55-minute practice, as Suarez turned in the fastest speed of the weekend at 27.136 seconds, 198.998 mph. Hendrick Motorsports also turned some heads in practice as William Byron and Jimmie JohnsonRead More

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer  A wreck in final practice has left Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.’s team scrambling during the first enhanced weekend of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. With just two practice sessions before the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race and qualifying after, Stenhouse will be limited to just the laps he turns in qualifying at Martinsville Speedway. Regardless of where he qualifies, he will start from the rear of the field due to the back-up car. Stenhouse’s No. 17 Fastenal Ford Fusion spun, wheel-hopping asRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Several Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series teams were issued penalties by NASCAR Wednesday, notably impacting Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports team. Elliott’s team received an L1-level penalty for a rear suspension violation following Sunday’s TicketGuardian 500 at ISM Raceway, where he finished a season-high third. The team was found to have violated Section 20.14.2, which deals with rear suspension and trailing arm angles/pinion angle shims. Elliott’s car didn’t meet the requirements as the Rule Book states it must be in completeRead More

By NASCAR Wire Service LAS VEGAS, Nev. – With a respite from strong gusts in the final round of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series knockout qualifying on Friday at windswept Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Ryan Blaney posted the fastest lap of the day to earn the pole position for the third race of the season. After covering the 1.5-mile distance in 28.200 seconds (191.489 mph)-the fastest lap of the day-Blaney will lead the field to the green flag in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford in Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 (3:30Read More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service HAMPTON, Ga. – Ryan Newman was within seconds of breaking a pole drought that dates to 2013 – until Kyle Busch made his final-round qualifying run at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Covering the 1.54-mile distance in 30.024 seconds (184.652 mph) in the money round of Friday’s knockout qualifying session, Busch edged Newman by .038 seconds to win his first pole of the young Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, his first at Atlanta and the 28th of his career. Starting up front is certainly a benefitRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Editor It’s that time of the year again, folks. After a long offseason, NASCAR is back in action for the 2018 season with the running of the Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona, an annual exhibition race that kicks off two weekends of racing activity at the World Center of Racing. The Advance Auto Parts Clash, which is scheduled for a 3:00 pm ET start on Sunday afternoon immediately after Daytona 500 qualifying, has held various names over the years, from starting as the Busch ClashRead More