ROSS CHASTAIN

William Byron took the lead for the first time after the final restart with six laps left to win in Texas.

Denny Hamlin is doubling down on his declaration that this is his year to win the NASCAR championship.

Kyle Larson led the final 55 laps to start his latest NASCAR playoff run with a win at the Southern 500, his first career victory at Darlington Raceway.

Only 36 points separate the 16 drivers as NASCAR’s playoffs begin this Sunday at Darlington Raceway in what might be one of the closest fields in the history of this format.

Martin Truex Jr. knows he has to make a decision soon on his race future.

Anheuser-Busch and Trackhouse Racing announced a multiyear agreement Tuesday that will make Busch Light the primary sponsor for Ross Chastain in the NASCAR Cup Series.

There are seven 90-degree turns.

Ross Chastain held off Martin Truex Jr. and won the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway.

Martin Truex Jr. mastered the Monster Mile on a Monday for the third time in his career and the former NASCAR champion snapped a 54-race winless streak overall in the Cup Series at Dover Motor Speedway.

Christopher Bell has plenty of positives coming into the Martinsville Spring race.

The upcoming NASCAR race at Circuit of the Americas in Texas will feature two former Formula One world champions, an IndyCar driver and a sports car star who has a win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans on his resume.

Joey Logano dominated early and then passed Brad Keselowski on the final lap to win NASCAR’s race at Atlanta and end the early season domination of Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports.

William Byron has back-to-back wins.

NASCAR has levied the largest combined fine on one team in series history.

Chastain was on hand Tuesday to remove part of the wall that will forever be etched in history.

Kyle Busch sent Fontana off in style.

NASCAR has banned the “Hail Melon” move Ross Chastain used last year at Martinsville to earn a spot in the championship race.

Joey Logano won his second NASCAR championship to give Roger Penske two titles in the same season with a victory in Sunday’s winner-take-all finale at Phoenix Raceway.

The long and unpredictable NASCAR season comes to an end Sunday with a championship race fitting for a year that saw unprecedented parity and never a clear title favorite.

Ross Chastain skyrocketed to motorsports infamy for wall-riding his way into NASCAR’s championship race with a video-game style move that has overshadowed the finale and his fellow title contenders.

Jimmie Johnson’s NASCAR retirement and IndyCar experiment lasted all of two seasons.

Ross Chastain’s video game-inspired ride along the wall at Martinsville carried him across the finish line, into the NASCAR championship finale and around the world.

Ross Chastain has been criticized all season by his rivals for being too aggressive on the track.

Christopher Bell worked his way into NASCAR’s championship round the only way he could, winning at Martinsville Speedway to claim a spot in the finale.

Ryan Blaney will get his crew chief back for the most important weekend of his NASCAR season after an untimely suspension.

Kyle Larson found his way into NASCAR’s headlines for a second consecutive week.

Bubba Wallace is missing Sunday’s NASCAR race, and that’s evidently not his only sanction after losing his cool in Las Vegas last weekend.

Joey Logano became the first driver to qualify for NASCAR’s championship finale by using fresh tires to chase down Ross Chastain and win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Christopher Bell saved his title chances with an overtime win Sunday on the road course at Charlotte Motor Speedway in a stunning finish that knocked reigning NASCAR champion Kyle Larson from the playoffs.

Trackhouse Racing will make its 100th start on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway with drivers Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez still in the championship competition.

Chase Elliott raced his way into the next round of the playoffs with a victory Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway in the first clean race yet of this year’s postseason.

Tyler Reddick opened the round of 12 in NASCAR’s playoff with a victory at Texas.

Ross Chastain heads into the first elimination race of NASCAR’s playoffs in a pretty comfortable position above the cutline.

Bubba Wallace won his second career NASCAR Cup Series race and denied the playoff field of an automatic spot in the next round for the second straight week when he held off championship contenders Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell to win at Kansas Speedway.

Austin Dillon avoided a massive wreck in the rain to win at Daytona International Speedway and snag a playoff spot in the Cup Series’ regular-season finale.

NASCAR has a record seven different countries represented in Sunday's race at Watkins Glen International, and the headliner is 2007 Formula One champion Kimi Raikkonen.

Kimi Raikkonen will take a break from his retirement to return to racing this weekend in the NASCAR race at Watkins Glen International in upstate New York.

Tyler Reddick closed the best month of his NASCAR career with a victory in overtime on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

AJ Allmendinger continued his dominance of NASCAR road course racing and set himself up for a sweep at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a Saturday win in the Xfinity Series.

Chase Elliott got by Corey LaJoie with just under two laps to go and crossed the finish line under yellow after a block sent LaJoie crashing into the wall.

Tyler Reddick raced to his first NASCAR Cup Series victory Sunday, continuing the season-long trend of first-time winners on road courses.

Bubba Wallace says the pointed criticism he made toward members of his crew last weekend were a result of his passion to win and shouldn’t harm his relationship with them.

Chase Elliott won the pole at Road America and will lead the field to green Sunday in his title defense on the Wisconsin road course.

Denny Hamlin was awarded the pole at Nashville Superspeedway when a surprise rain shower washed out the second round of qualifying.

The NASCAR Cup Series drivers are facing challenges a whole lot tougher than a right turn Sunday in their final race before the brief midseason break.

Denny Hamlin has warned Ross Chastain that there's still some retribution due after the eighth-generation watermelon farmer wrecked him in Sunday's race at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Joey Logano jockeyed for the lead with Kyle Busch in overtime, got around him for good just before the white flag flew and cruised to the victory Sunday in the NASCAR Cup Series debut at World Wide Technology Raceway.

NASCAR is bringing its top series to World Wide Technology Raceway for the first time, and that means for many drivers a first look at the egg-shaped oval east of downtown St. Louis.

Denny Hamlin held off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch in overtime to win the longest — and perhaps wildest — Coca-Cola 600 in history.

NASCAR is still alive and well in Charlotte.

Ryan Blaney had to go two extra laps after thinking he had already won NASCAR's All-Star race and $1 million.

The All-Stars during qualifying Saturday night were the pit crew members for Kyle Busch.

Kurt Busch pinched his way past Kyle Larson for the lead with eight laps to go, then drove his gaudy Jordan Brand-styled car away from the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion to win Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway.

Chase Elliott snapped a 26-race winless streak when the 2020 NASCAR champion pulled away down the stretch to win the rain-delayed Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway.

Ross Chastain surged into the lead as he closed in on the checkered flag Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway to steal his second career Cup Series win.

Cole Custer won the first pole of his career Saturday through a formula designed for qualifying via heat races at dirt-covered Bristol Motor Speedway.

William Byron took the lead on pit road after Stage 2 pit stops and held it pretty much the rest of the way at Martinsville Speedway to become the first repeat winner this season in NASCAR’s Cup Series.

NASCAR's top drivers expect some beating and banging to be on the menu when they race at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday night.

Ross Chastain bumped and banged his way around the final overtime lap at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday for first career Cup win and upstart NASCAR team Trackhouse Racing’s first trip to victory lane.

William Byron has managed to hold off the freight train behind him, taking the checkered flag for his third NASCAR Cup victory at Atlnta Motor Speedway.

Chase Briscoe raced to his first NASCAR Cup Series victory, executing two great restarts over the final 20 laps to pull away from Ross Chastain and Tyler Reddick on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.

Alex Bowman beat NASCAR champion Kyle Larson in a door-to-door overtime battle at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that sent Hendrick Motorsports to victory lane for the second consecutive week.

Denny Hamlin crashed out of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, ending his bid for a fourth victory in NASCAR’s premier event.

Matt Kaulig used the success of his LeafFilter company to branch into sports team ownership, a fitting natural progression for the former Akron quarterback.

Denny Hamlin held off Kyle Larson after their cars hit nose to tail racing to the finish line Sunday night in the Southern 500 to open the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

Kurt Busch will drive next season for 23XI Racing, the NASCAR team owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan.

One week after Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe tangled on the track in NASCAR's Cup Series, they'll be back in action Sunday at Michigan.

Bubba Wallace has struggled to find success driving for Michael Jordan.

Kurt Busch passed brother Kyle with 24 laps left and won the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday to complete a sibling weekend sweep at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Kurt Busch has welcomed the uncertainty of this season as he chases a playoff berth while pondering his future in NASCAR.

Justin Marks is a former race car driver who just bought a seat at the table with NASCAR's biggest powerbrokers.

Chip Ganassi is pulling out of NASCAR at the end of the season and has sold his entire organization to Trackhouse Racing.

Kyle Larson went to victory lane for the fourth consecutive week after a dominating run in the first Cup race at Nashville Superspeedway.

William Byron, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott paced the first ever Cup Series practice at Nashville Superspeedway in yet another display of how dominant Hendrick Motorsports is right now.

Kyle Larson was back in the NASCAR All-Star race, and won another $1 million by winning it again.

Kyle Busch celebrated his 36th birthday by winning a two-lap sprint to the finish at Kansas Speedway.

Racers crash during the last lap in the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Latest on the Daytona 500 (all times local):12:35 a.m.Brad Keselowski has no regrets about the way he handled the final lap of the Daytona 500. ___12:15 a.m.Michael McDowell won the Daytona 500 after Penske Racing teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski wrecked on the final lap. ___3:25 p.m.Derrike Cope was knocked out after only three laps, an ignominious end for the 62-year-old driver who won the 1990 Daytona 500. ___2 p.m.Bubba Wallace’s car failed inspection twice for the Daytona 500 and will have to start at the back of the field. AdWallace drives a new entry owned by NBA great Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin.

“I think we proved as an industry last year that track time was a little overrated," said David Wilson, head of Toyota Racing Development. Heavy rain soaked the track early, though, prompting officials to shift gears before the Xfinity Series opener later Saturday. An ARCA series race also was scheduled for the middle of the day. “I'm fine without it,” said 2017 Daytona 500 winner Kurt Busch. ..."Obviously, we didn’t want to go to a backup car, but I think we’re still in a really good place for the 500.

Alex Bowman and William Byron were slated to lead the Daytona 500 field to green but that's in danger following Thursday night's qualifying races. Byron was collected in a crash in the second Duel and it ruined his Chevrolet. AdAustin Cindric and Kaz Grala both earned their first berths into the Daytona 500 by claiming the two available transfer positions in the Duels. He was the leader on the final lap of the second Duel until Dillon crossed to Wallace’s inside and inched ahead. “We’ve got an incredible race car and I can’t wait for the Daytona 500.”

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Harrison Burton played the spoiler for a second consecutive week by winning Saturday at Martinsville Speedway to disrupt the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs. Burton’s back-to-back wins prevented Noah Gragson and Ross Chastain from advancing to next week’s Xfinity Series championship race at Phoenix. The Xfinity Series is crowning its first new champion in three years; Tyler Reddick was promoted to Cup after winning the last two crowns. It put Gragson in a must-win situation Saturday at Martinsville, where the Xfinity Series raced for the first time since 2006. He’s a two-time Xfinity Series winner at Phoenix, which he believes puts him at an advantage.

"Racing in the Cup Series with a serious contender has always been my goal, and I’m looking forward to joining what is a very strong team. Chase Briscoe began the year chasing eight victories, the number he believes will earn him a Cup ride, and he won his seventh race last weekend. Carpoff in November 2018 named Chastain the driver of a full Xfinity Series ride at Ganassi that would be sponsored by DC Solar. The sponsorship money evaporated, Ganassi shuttered the Xfinity Series team and Chastain was out of a job about six weeks before the 2019 season opener. He ran 35 Cup races, made 19 starts in the Xfinity Series and raced for the Truck Series championship for Niece Motorsports.

SPARTA, Ky. Austin Cindric dominated Friday night to sweep the NASCAR Xfinity Series doubleheader at Kentucky Speedway. A night after racing to his first career oval victory in an overtime finish, the Team Penske driver was even stronger in the No. Cindric was third in the first stage, won the second and stretched it out in the final segment. The 21-year-old Cindric, son of Team Penske president Tim Cindric, won twice last year on road courses at Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio. Gragson again showed early strength in taking the 45-lap first stage, his third segment win in two nights on the 1.5-mile oval.

SPARTA, Ky. Austin Cindric won the first of two NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Kentucky Speedway, charging past Chase Briscoe on an overtime restart Thursday night for his first victory of the season and first on an oval. Cindric spent most of the first two stages chasing Noah Gragson, the pole-sitter who seemed poised to dominate all three segments. The 21-year-old Cindric had eight top-10s on ovals before breaking through on the 1.5-mile Kentucky layout. His only other series victories came last year on road courses at Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio. Briscoe entered the race red hot with consecutive victories at Pocono and Indianapolis and three in his past four starts.

Chase Briscoe smokes his tires in celebration after winning a NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race at Pocono Raceway, Sunday, June 28, 2020, in Long Pond, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)LONG POND, Pa. Chase Briscoe held off Ross Chastain in overtime to win the crash-filled Xfinity Series at Pocono Raceway, the second of three NASCAR races at the track on Sunday. Pocono became the first track to hold a Truck, Xfinity and Cup race on the same day. 98 Ford and won his fourth race of the season, and second in three races. Hes always one of the hardest guys to race against.Chastain hit the jackpot with his runner-up finish. Pocono turned in a wreck-fest for the second straight race, the track-record tying nine cautions in Trucks was given a run for the money early in Xfinity.

Busch won the NASCAR Trucks Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday night, his 58th career win on the circuit and his eighth victory in his last 10 trucks starts. Busch hadnt gone winless in three consecutive trucks starts since 2017. Brett Moffitt won the trucks race at Homestead in 2018 but didnt even get through 20 laps Saturday night, after he was part of a crash that also ended Zane Smiths race early. Elliott pitted, got four new tires to replace those ruined in the skid, and was part of the race within the race the battle for second behind Busch at the end. Ray Ciccarelli was in the race after a week where he made plenty of news for perhaps less-than-ideal reasons.

HOMESTEAD, Fla. Chase Briscoe lost much of his team and got a win for them. Its just a testament to our team, Briscoe said. With 15 laps to go, it was basically down to a two-car race: Gragson was leading, about 2 1/2 seconds ahead of Briscoe. Gragson never had control of the race again, and Briscoe wound up in victory lane. That was a team win, for sure, Briscoe said.

Kyle Busch (54) and Ross Chastain (10) battle during a NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway Monday, May 25, 2020, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)CONCORD, N.C. Kyle Busch normally celebrates his victories by climbing on top of his race car and bowing to the crowd. But with no fans in attendance at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Monday night due to the coronavirus pandemic, Busch passed on the tradition after driving past Austin Cindric on the final lap of overtime to claim his 97th career Xfinity Series win. "I guess I could have bowed to the camera.After a crash involving several cars sent the race into overtime, Cindric had a great restart in overtime and overtook Busch for the lead starting from the inside lane. But Busch battled back, driving by Cindric on the backstretch of the final lap and holding on to win 18th overall race at CMS. I wanted to win so bad.Busch has won 210 races overall across NASCAR's top three series, the most of any driver.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ryan Newman said he will be ready to race when NASCAR resumes competition, which could be as early as May 17. Newman suffered a head injury in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway. 6 Ford in place of Newman for three races before the NASCAR season was suspended March 13 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking before NASCAR's iRacing event Sunday, Newman said on Fox Sports that he will be ready to race when NASCAR calls drivers back to the track. NASCAR said in a statement that Newman has not yet been cleared by the series to return.

FILE - In this Feb. 14, 2020, file photo, Kyle Larson gets ready to climb into his car to practice for the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Kyle Larson used a racial slur on a live stream Sunday. The decision came hours after NASCAR and Chip Ganassi Racing suspended Larson indefinitely, his team doing so without pay. Larson was parked during the race Wallace quit a week earlier by iRacing officials for intentionally wrecking another driver. Larson, in his seventh full season racing at NASCAR's top Cup level, is in the final year of his contract with Chip Ganassi Racing. Larson used the slur during a race for fun against drivers from various series.

(AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)AVONDALE, Ariz. – Ryan Newman was back at the track Friday, sipping on a Coke and casually strolling through the infield of Phoenix Raceway. It was hard to believe he was in a terrifying wreck at the Daytona 500 less than three weeks ago. “If you look at my car, it’s a miracle.”The harrowing crash on the last lap at Daytona had many fearing the worst. Blaney was the driver who tried to push Newman to the win at Daytona and instead hooked Newman's car that resulted in it going airborne. Newman's presence in Arizona became known Thursday night when LaJoie posted to social media a picture of Newman, Blaney and himself at Arizona State's football stadium.

Ryan Newman (6) goes airborne after crashing into Corey LaJoie (32) during the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Newman did not suffer life-threatening injuries in the incident. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Ryan Newman said he suffered a head injury in his crash on the last lap of the Daytona 500 but did not disclose details in a statement from the driver read before Sunday's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. I did sustain a head injury for which I’m currently being treated," Newman wrote in a statement. Newman walked out of the Daytona Beach hospital roughly 42 hours later appearing unscathed and holding hands with his two young daughters. 6 car will be waiting and ready for my return," Newman concluded in his statement.

(AP Photo/John Raoux)LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A paramedic was treating Ryan Newman inside his car 35 seconds after the ruined and flaming vehicle came to rest after a crash on the last lap of the Daytona 500. This is what we do, and you’ve got the 40 drivers in the garage area who expect us to do this every day.”NASCAR said the first fire responder arrived 19 seconds after Newman's car stopped. A trauma doctor was at the car 33 seconds later and a paramedic entered 2 seconds after that. The 42-year-old driver was removed from the car 15 minutes, 40 seconds after it halted. "During this entire time, doctors and paramedics were attending to Ryan, except for during the car rollover,” O’Donnell said.

(AP Photo/David Graham)CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ryan Newman was released from a Florida hospital Wednesday, about 42 hours after his frightening crash on the final lap of the Daytona 500. Roush Fenway Racing released a photo of Newman leaving a Daytona Beach hospital holding the hands of his two young daughters. The team released a third photo of Newman and his daughters with the staff that treated him following his crash. Chastain has won three times in the Truck Series and twice in the Xfinity Series, including a win at Las Vegas in 2018. “No one could ever take the place of Ryan Newman on the track, and I can’t wait to have him back,” Chastain tweeted.