Ticket Guardian 500 Tag

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer In a span of 12 races, only four times Kevin Harvick has failed to lead a single lap at ISM Raceway, a track that’s been his playground for over half a decade. Sunday’s Ticket Guardian 500 was one of those four instances after a ninth-place result marked his worst result since March 2013 where he ended up 13th, his last non-top-10 finish. After a relatively uncharacteristic 10th place run in Stage 1, Harvick’s best stint took place in Stage 2, when he ran inside the top-fiveRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Correspondent After being a non-factor the last two weeks, tire strategy earns Jimmie Johnson a top-10 finish in the Ticket Guardian 500. The seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion ran inside the top-10 throughout much of the race at ISM Raceway. Johnson and his No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team led by crew chief Kevin Meendering elected to take two tires under caution with 91 laps to go. On not one, but two ensuing restarts, he held his own in the melee at theRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor The newly formed Spire Motorsports team, which took over the charter formerly held by Furniture Row Racing, is hitting the ground running in 2019, signing 21-year old Quin Houff to take the reins of its No. 77 entry starting with the fourth race of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season at ISM Raceway. Though Jamie McMurray will race for the team in the Daytona 500, Houff is scheduled for “roughly half” of the 36-race schedule, according to a team release. The exact races in whichRead More

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer Late-race gambles are never a guarantee, and for Ryan Newman, a late-race strategy left him 11th when the checkered flag waved in the Ticket Guardian 500. Newman and his crew chief Luke Lambert elected to stay on track, waiting for a caution that never came. For over 30 laps, Newman stayed on the racetrack while many of his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competitors hit pit road at ISM Raceway. He assumed the lead when Brad Keselowski hit pit road, leading for a total ofRead More

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer After finishing 24th in the Daytona 500, D.J. Kennington and Gaunt Brothers Racing will return to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at ISM Raceway. Kennington will drive the No. 96 Northern Provincial Pipelines Toyota Camry in the Ticket Guardian 500. The race marks the first non-restrictor plate entry for Gaunt Brothers Racing. The team has made the Daytona 500 in both 2017 and 2018. The race on Sunday, March 11, will mark the team’s third start in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. “It’sRead More