Three races at three very different types of race tracks remain in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season. Sunday's trip to Richmond International Raceway marks...
Bubba Wallace, Michael Jordan's 23XI Racing Agree to Multiyear Contract Extension
Aug 12, 2022
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 19: Bubba Wallace poses for a photo on Columbus Drive in promotion of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race announcement on July 19, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace and 23XI Racing announced Friday that they agreed to a multiyear contract extension.
According to Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press, Wallace said the following about re-upping with the team co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winning driver Denny Hamlin:
"It feels great to get this renewal done and to know I have a home at 23XI Racing. Thanks to M.J. and Denny for continuing to believe in me. We've come a long way together in less than two years and we've checked off some major goals along the way. We know we still have work to do, both on and off the race track, but I feel good about our team and the direction we’re heading."
Stock car racing has long been a sport predominantly made up of white males, but Wallace and 23XI looked to break the mold with a Black driver in Wallace and a Black owner in Jordan.
Wallace and the team have made significant strides since the partnership was first announced in 2020 and have helped open NASCAR to new demographics.
Last season, Wallace won his first career Cup Series race late in the year at Talladega, and while he hasn't won yet this season, he has seemingly been on the verge of a breakthrough.
Wallace finished second in the Daytona 500 to start the year and finished second in the most recent race at Michigan last week. He has finished eighth or better in each of the past four races with three top-five finishes as well.
With three races remaining before the playoffs begin, Wallace is 19th in points and 20th in the standings overall.
A race win essentially guarantees a driver a spot in the playoffs, and since 15 different drivers have won a race this season and four non-winning drivers have more points than him, Wallace needs to win one of the next three races to reach the playoffs for the first time.
Even if Wallace falls short of the playoffs, he is in position to have the best points finish of his career, bettering his 21st-place result from last season.
NASCAR at Michigan 2022 Results: Kevin Harvick Wins; Bubba Wallace Finishes 2nd
Aug 7, 2022
BROOKLYN, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 07: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Busch Light Apple #BuschelOfBusch Ford, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 07, 2022 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Kevin Harvick is on the board.
The veteran NASCAR Cup driver earned his first win of the 2022 season, having his checkered-flag moment at the Michigan International Speedway's FireKeepers Casino 400.
Bubba Wallace finished as the runner-up, with Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney rounding out the top five.
Harvick had gone 65 straight races without a win. And did he need it, as he entered Sunday 17th in the playoff standings but moved into the 16-car postseason bracket with three races remaining.
"Good timing, for sure," Harvick said of getting a clutch win Sunday in his post-race interview on USA. "You know, we've had several good runs the last few weeks ... where the car ran good, and we just didn't have everything work out."
"Everybody who doubted us doesn't know us," he continued. "They obviously know that we thrive in these types of situations. A lot of things went our way today, which we haven't had all year long."
That leaves the race for the final playoff spot between Blaney and Martin Truex Jr., barring a new top-30 winner down the stretch. Blaney, who came into the day with 696 points and finished fifth, will remain ahead of Truex, who came into the day with 671 points and finished sixth. Neither has a victory that would automatically qualify for the playoffs.
As always, a number of crashes impacted the race, as JJ Yeley, Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric and Aric Almirola found themselves at the center of a nine-car wreck in Lap 25.
The NASCAR Cup Series' recent history at Michigan International Speedway gives us some confusing trends to unpack. Ford cars have been to Victory Lane in each...
NASCAR's Kyle Busch, Family Safely Escape Shooting at Mall of America in Minnesota
Aug 5, 2022
NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 25: Kyle Busch (#18 Joe Gibbs Racing Pedigree Toyota) watches the action during qualfying for the 2nd annual Ally 400 on June 25, 2022 at Nashville SuperSpeedway in Nashville, TN. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and his family escaped the Mall of America after shots were fired inside the shopping center on Thursday.
Samantha Busch, Kyle's wife, posted a series of videos on her Instagram story showing the couple's son and Kyle riding roller coasters inside the Mall. She later posted an update about the family's status after the shooting.
"If you are seeing the news about the @mallofamerica we got out and are safe," she wrote in one post. "Praying others inside are too."
According to the Associated Press, Busch was also shown on social media leaving the mall.
The Bloomington Police Department in Minnesota tweeted at 5:51 p.m. ET on Thursday that it was "working on an active incident inside Mall of America on the northwest side."
Less than an hour later, the BPD provided an update to confirm that shots were fired inside the building and they had secured the scene.
We have secured the scene at the Mall of America and can confirm that shots were fired. This is an isolated incident. The suspect fled the MOA on foot and officers are in the process of interviewing witnesses. At this time we have not located a victim.
Bloomington Police Department Chief Booker Hodges told reporters at a press conference the shots were fired near the Nike store.
"After looking at video, we see two groups getting into some type of altercation at the cash register of the Nike store," Hodges said. "One of the groups left but instead of walking away, they decided to display a complete lack of respect for human life—they decided to fire multiple rounds into a store with people."
After police secured the scene, Mall of America announced at 6:28 p.m. local time it was lifting the lockdown but the mall would remain closed for the rest of the evening.
Busch is scheduled to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series event at Michigan International Speedway this weekend. The 37-year-old has been competing full-time on the main circuit since 2004. He also competes part-time on the Camping World Truck Series.
NASCAR at Indianapolis 2022 Results: Tyler Reddick Wins in OT; 2nd Victory in 5 Races
Jul 31, 2022
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JULY 31: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #8 3CHI Chevrolet, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Verizon 200 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 31, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
It took multiple nervy restarts and overtime, but Tyler Reddick earned a victory and the chance to kiss the famous bricks in Sunday's Verizon 200 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Reddick appeared to be well on his way to victory during the stretch run, but he was tested by two late restarts with the checkered flag on the line. He responded in each of them, holding off the rest of the field.
Welp, Tyler Reddick was cruising toward what appeared to be an easy win. Now this caution for Bell is going to make for a crazy restart. Reddick is going to have to drive in deep enough to not get punted and also watch Elliott on his outside at the same time.
Sunday's race was important as the season enters the stretch run ahead of the Cup Series playoffs. There were just two postseason berths for winless drivers available at the start of competition with 14 different drivers capturing checkered flags this year.
Outside of the shrinking bubble, one of the biggest pre-race storylines was whether AJ Allmendinger would continue his road-race dominance.
The 40-year-old was the defending champion at this event and had the opportunity for a weekend sweep after winning Saturday's Xfinity Series race. The Associated Press (h/t ESPN) noted he won six of his last 11 road-course races ahead of Sunday's competition.
Yet an action-filled Stage 1 that ultimately belonged to Chase Briscoe featured multiple spin-outs and a fire on pit road that knocked Chris Buescher two laps back.
Tough break for @Chris_Buescher He really felt confident entering today's race. Gained a lot of information during a Watkins Glen test last month. Still adds, "I can't see." Asking for towels @RFKracing@IMS#NASCAR
Bad deal for Chris Buescher with his car catching on fire. He had a legit shot to win Sonoma after RFK made big gains at Watkins Glen test. But then couldn't back it up at Road America and now today's hopes appear gone already.
Briscoe elected to stay out to chase a playoff point and was rewarded during the shortest stage of the race.
While Briscoe got off to an ideal start, the middle of the race was one to forget for many of the sport's biggest names. Chase Elliott went for a spin but avoided damage, Kevin Harvick lost multiple laps in pit road because of a flat tire and Aric Almirola saw his day come to an early end.
Harvick's day eventually came to an early end as well.
Elsewhere, Allmendinger got a flat tire when he went off into the gravel, which was a tough break since he was running in the top five at the time.
Trouble for Kevin Harvick!
The Stewart-Haas Racing driver, who needs a win to make the playoffs, spins. #NASCAR
To Christopher Bell's credit, he managed to avoid the chaos and win Stage 2.
It appeared as if the third stage would be relatively straightforward when Reddick took the lead and Ryan Blaney received only fuel during his pit stop. It seemed to set up a race for the finish between Reddick, Blaney and Bell, although that took a temporary back seat when a brake issue for Kyle Larson led to a massive wreck with Ty Dillon.
Wow!
Big impact from the No. 5 car on the No. 42 car. Both drivers are able to exit their cars. pic.twitter.com/4j9pzQmxE8
That was just the start of the drama, as damage to the front of Bell's car led to a pressure-packed restart for the final few laps after Reddick built a solid lead.
Elliott played his way back into the picture ahead of the restart and figured to be a threat for the leader, but he was one of a number of cars that spun out during the restart, forcing another.
This Sunday,the NASCAR Cup Series will make its way to the2.439-mile road course inside theIndianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana for theVerizon...
LeBron James Family Foundation to be Featured on Chris Buescher's Car in Michigan
Jul 29, 2022
LONG POND, PA - JULY 23: Chris Buescher (#17 RFK Racing Wyndham Rewards Ford) drives during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series M&MS Fan Appreciation 400 on July 23, 2022 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LeBron James is taking his talents to NASCAR...sort of.
The LeBron James Family Foundation and the I Promise school and program will be featured on the paint scheme of Chris Buescher's No. 17 Ford Mustang as part of a partnership with Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing. Per Molly Walsh of the Akron Beacon Journal, the car will debut at the Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 7.
Pretty cool to have the @LJFamFoundation on my ride for Michigan.
"To see our foundation represented alongside one of the most iconic racing teams in NASCAR shows our kids from Akron that anything is possible and nothing is out of reach for them," said Michele Campbell, who is executive director of the LeBron James Family Foundation.
According to Walsh, the I Promise program "serves more than 1,600 Akron students and their families with fundamental resources, wraparound supports and family programming with the goal of encouraging success in academics and beyond."
In addition to the "I Promise" phrase, the paint scheme will also include "est. Akron" as a nod to James' hometown and the foundation's guiding philosophy "We Are Family" on the rear of the car.
NASCAR at Pocono 2022 Results: Chase Elliott Wins After Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch DQ'd
Jul 24, 2022
LONG POND, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 23: Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, drives during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series M&M's Fan Appreciation 400 at Pocono Raceway on July 23, 2022 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
In a stunning turn of events, Chase Elliott has been declared the winner of Sunday's M&M's Fan Appreciation 400 after Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch were disqualified following failed post-race inspections.
According to my friends at racing insights, the last Cup DQ was April 17, 1960 at Wilson Speedway when Emanual Zervakes won but was DQ'd for an oversized gas tank and Joe Weathery was awarded the victory.
It marks Elliott's fourth win of the season, including third in his past five races. With the latest result, he has not finished below second in any of the past five races.
After the disqualifications, Tyler Reddick was elevated into second place, while Daniel Suarez was moved up to third.
NASCAR managing director Brad Moran explained the reasoning for disqualifying Hamlin and Busch, saying it came down to the same equipment violation for both cars.
NASCAR’s Brad Moran describes the issue that DQ’d the Hamlin and Kyle Busch cars at Pocono. pic.twitter.com/76KncxfBql
The race track at Pocono was not kind to the drivers. The caution flag came out early and often as multiple cars had trouble handling the sleek track and tight turns.
Austin Cindric, Aric Almirola and Hamlin each had some early adversity.
They don't call it the Tricky Triangle for nothing.
After Kyle Larson won Stage 1 under caution, Busch asserted his Pocono dominance and took the win in Stage 2.
The final stage opened with Busch trying to hold off a hard-charging Ross Chastain for the front of the pack. Ryan Blaney's hopes for clinching a playoff spot this week came to an end when he blew a back left tire.
Hamlin then passed Busch for second place, but he was heard on his radio indicating he did not get enough fuel during his pitstop. However, he was able to get some time back when a caution was brought out with 23 laps to go after Blaney spun out on Turn 3 and took a huge hit into the wall.
The green flag was waved with 18 laps to go, and Hamlin and Chastain immediately went at each other for the lead. Hamlin took the inside position and refused to give Chastain any room, which led to the No. 1 car running into the wall on the first turn and brought out another caution.
Denny Hamlin runs Ross Chastain up the racetrack and into the wall! #NASCAR
So...here's my take. I don't think that was an intentional takeout. That to me looked like Hamlin was going to race the shit out of Chastain and not give any room. Chastain wasn't going to back down. But I don't think that was Hamlin going "here's my payback."
After the restart, Hamlin emerged as the leader with Busch on his tail. Elliott and Tyler Reddick battled for third place. The cautions allowed Hamlin to put his fuel concerns out of his mind and focus on the finish.
Denny Hamlin told he's "good by two" and just needs to focus on winning this race.
Hamlin managed to pull away and hold off Busch for the unofficial victory. But in the end, it was Elliott who walked away with the win.
Hamlin officially finished 35th, with Busch following one spot behind at 36th.
The 2022 season has been one of the best runs of Elliott's career. With the playoffs on the horizon, the 2020 Cup Series champion looks to be the favorite to earn his second title.
There are still two playoff spots remaining as the drivers shift their attention to next Sunday's Verizon 200 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will begin at 2:30 p.m. ET.
The pressure is mounting on Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr. and other drivers without a win on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit. Christopher Bell's win at New...
