Hiccup for Hendrick Motorsports ahead of Daytona 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 Wallaceโs inside and inched ahead. โWeโve got an incredible race car and I canโt wait for the Daytona 500.โ
Bowman, Byron give Hendrick sweep of Daytona 500 front row
Alex Bowman and William Byron swept the front row Wednesday night in qualifying for the Daytona 500, giving Hendrick its 14th pole and sixth in the last seven years. It's a testament to these guys and everybody back at the shop at Hendrick Motorsports,โ Bowman said. Only the front row was set Wednesday, the first time Daytona 500 qualifying has been held at night under a condensed Speedweeks schedule. The 40-car field is determined through both time trials and a pair of Thursday night qualifying races. Byron bumped him first, then Bowman topped Byron.
Hamlin holds off Keselowski for fifth Cup victory of season
KANSAS CITY, Kan. Denny Hamlin raced to his his series-leading fifth NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season Thursday night, passing Kevin Harvick in the closing laps and holding off Brad Keselowski to make it back-to-back victories at Kansas Speedway. Joey Logano led early before his night went sideways and took some playoff contenders with him. His problems began when a tire got loose on pit road during the first stage, sending him to the back. He was working his way forward early in the final stage when his left front tire went down, sending Logano into the outside wall. Weve had some really bad weeks, Stenhouse said.
Late scratch: Harvick knocks off Pocono from winless list
Thats great to finally check Pocono off the list, Harvick said. The race was scheduled as the second Saturday, but rain washed out the Truck Series race. It's the first time three NASCAR National Series races will race on the same day at the same track. Staff members hand wrote each name on the start/finish line ahead of race weekend. Pocono even sold on its website a race weekend T-shirt with Quarantined stamped over the logo.
Hamlin scores 2nd win of season at rain-shortened Darlington
A furious Elliott waited for Busch on the apron of the track and flipped Busch the middle finger as he passed. As NASCAR cleaned the track, it started to rain and the cars were called to pit road under red-flag. Hamlin has won three times at Darlington and has two wins this season. Its a drivers race track, he said. Fox Sports again broadcast the race primarily from a studio in Charlotte, North Carolina, with just one pit reporter at Darlington.
Kevin Harvick looks to sweep NASCARs return at Darlington
DARLINGTON, S.C. The win by Kevin Harvick in NASCAR's return to racing over the weekend was a bit predictable considering the enormous task teams are facing in a flurry of rescheduled events. Harvick, a former series champion and former winner at Darlington Raceway, was also the points leader through the first four events. He will try for the sweep when NASCAR returns to Darlington for its first Cup race on a Wednesday since 1984, when Richard Petty scored his 200th and final victory. This anticipated midweek race is just 300 miles 100 fewer than Sunday's return race, and the same distance as next week's junior series Xfinity Series race at Charlotte but still will start a test of stamina. The Cup Series will race for a third time in a week this Sunday in the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race on the schedule.
Martinsville Speedway holds testing ahead of modified racingโs return in spring
RIDGEWAY, Va. โ Weโre still a few months away from racing at Martinsville Speedway, but excitement is already building. For the first time in 10 years, the Whelen Modified Tour will return to the paperclip. Weโd run them for years and years and guys would come down here from the North,โ said Martinsville Speedway track president Clay Campbell. He raced a Cup Series car full-time in 2019 and is the 2008 Whelen Series Martinsville winner. The MAXPRO Window Films 200 will kick off the weekend of full of activities on May 8th under the lights, with the Cup Series to follow on Saturday night, May 9.