NASCAR

NASCAR's Jimmie Johnson will not race at this weekend's event in Chicago after his wife's parents and 11-year-old nephew died in an apparent murder-suicide.

The Johnson family released a statement asking for privacy, saying it would not comment further on the matter.

The Muskogee (Oklahoma) Police Department released a statement Tuesday saying Terry Janway and Jack Janaway, Johnson's parents-in-law, were found dead at their home along with their 11-year-old grandson, Dalton.

Sean Neumann of People confirmed with police sources that the incident is being investigated as a murder-suicide. It's believed Terry Janaway shot and killed her husband and Dalton on Monday night.

Further details have not been released, and police say the matter remains under investigation.

"It was traumatizing to find out that a long-standing family who had made so many contributions to our community were involved in this type of incident. It was even more bone-chilling to find out there was a child involved," Muskogee Mayor Marlon Coleman told Fox23. "I knew Dr. Janway. Dr Janway has worked on me, we've been acquaintances for a very, very long time since I've been in Muskogee. Just knowing that it was him and his family took a different toll on me."

Johnson, 47, is a seven-time NASCAR Cup champion. He retired as a full-time driver after the 2020 season but returned on a part-time basis after buying an ownership stake in Legacy Motor Club, formerly known as Petty GMS Motorsports.

Johnson and his wife, Chandra, have been married since 2004.

NASCAR has suspended Chase Elliott for one race after deeming that he intentionally crashed into Denny Hamlin during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Monday.

A big hit for Denny Hamlin. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/Ss1FEqGYiJ

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 29, 2023

"We take this very seriously," Elton Sawyer, NASCAR's senior vice president of competition, said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (h/t NASCAR.com staff report).

"The incident that happened off Turn 4, after looking at all the available resources ... it was an intentional act by Chase, in our opinion, after reviewing all the available resources there.

"In the heat of the battle, things happen, but drivers needs to understand you have to handle that in a completely different way than hooking someone in the right rear and putting them in harm's way."

Hendrick Motorsports released a statement noting that Elliott will not appeal the decision, meaning that he will miss the Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, on Sunday. Corey LaJoie will drive the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Elliott's place.

Both drivers spoke after the incident, with Hamlin calling for Elliott's suspension due to a right-rear hook and saying that there was "retaliation" on his end.

"It's a tantrum and [Chase Elliott] shouldn't be racing next week."- Denny Hamlin pic.twitter.com/y8xARpdU5O

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 29, 2023

Both drivers spoke after the incident, with Hamlin calling for Elliott's suspension due to a right-rear hook and saying that there was "retaliation" on his end.

"It's a tantrum and [Chase Elliott] shouldn't be racing next week."- Denny Hamlin pic.twitter.com/y8xARpdU5O

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 29, 2023

Hamlin also provided more insight on Twitter.

Absolute left hook. Cranked the wheel 4X harder left than he did making any corner through the whole day. Bullsh*t move. pic.twitter.com/6DylWjKyVu

— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) May 29, 2023

Both cars sustained serious damage, but the drivers thankfully escaped without injuries.

A closer look at the damage for Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott. #HotPass https://t.co/8pn34Lnunz pic.twitter.com/D6xomPgCNG

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 29, 2023

Ultimately, NASCAR sided with Hamlin's side of the story, and now the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series winner will sit next Sunday, compounding an already difficult season that has seen him land 29th in the standings after Charlotte.

NASCAR is investigating how a person was able to hack into the radio signal of Bubba Wallace during the 2023 All-Star race last weekend.

An undisclosed person told Wallace to "go back to where you came from" and called him a derogatory name over the radio channel. Wallace was unable to hear the message, but it was heard by members of his team.

"We certainly take that seriously, no doubt about that," NASCAR spokesperson Mike Forde said Thursday. "But we can't have fans interfering with team radio and potential competition implications."

Wallace, NASCAR's only Black driver, previously spearheaded the charge for the sport to ban Confederate flags at events in 2020. That, along with Wallace's involvement in social justice causes, has made him a polarizing figure among NASCAR's fanbase.

Michael Jordan's 23XI Racing signed Wallace ahead of the 2021 season, and he's won a race in each of his first two years with the organization.

Denny Hamlin won Sunday's Nascar Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway, but he may not have been the biggest story.

A post-race conversation between drivers Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson went sour as the two got into a fight before being broken up by bystanders.

The racers both provided some context to the scuffle.

"I'm sick and tired of it," Gragson said of Chastain's driving style. "The guy runs into everyone. When you have guys like Chase Elliott and other guys telling you to beat his ass, everyone is just sick of him."

Chastain seemingly accepted some blame for the situation after the race, citing that the competitive juices of the drivers can make a situation like this possible.

"I got tight off four for sure," Chastain said. "Noah and I have a very similar attitude on the race track. We train together, we prepare together, we know every little bit about each other. I definitely crowded him out of four."

Chastain finished in fifth in the race, while Gragson finished in 29th. Chastain is also the current leader in the Cup Series standings, while Gragson is 32nd.

The next Cup Series race is the Goodyear 400, scheduled for May 14th at Darlington Raceway.

NASCAR has announced that Cup Series driver Cody Ware received an indefinite suspension on Monday after he was arrested on a felony assault charge.

According to the announcement, Ware was listed in the jail records of the Iredell County (N.C.) Sheriff's Office with a bond set at $3,000. He was being held on charges of "assault by strangulation—inflict serious injury" and "assault on a female."

A Cup Series driver since 2017, Ware has made 97 career starts and his best finish was sixth place last August at Daytona International Speedway.

The 27-year-old did not participate in this past weekend's event at Bristol Motor Speedway's dirt track, as his father's Rick Ware Racing team released a statement Saturday morning saying he had stepped away "to focus on a personal matter." In Ware's place, Craftsman Truck Series driver Matt Crafton raced in the No. 51 Ford and placed 34th because of an engine failure.

Prior to joining the Cup Series, Ware competed in the Xfinity Series as well as the Truck Series since 2014. He's made 28 Xfinity starts and seven Truck starts in his career.

NASCAR driver Chase Elliott injured his leg during a snowboarding accident Friday and will miss this weekend's race in Las Vegas, according to the Associated Press. He is scheduled to have surgery Friday evening.

No other updates have been given on his current condition.

Josh Berry will replace Elliott in the No. 9 Chevrolet on Sunday.

"Chase's health is our primary concern," owner of the Hendrick Motorsports team, Rick Hendrick said. "He's spoken with several members of our team and is understandably disappointed to miss time in the car. Of course, he has our full support and we'll provide any resources he needs."

Hendrick hopes that he will be able to give an update on Elliott's condition at some point during the weekend.

Elliott, 27, is one of the elite drivers in all of NASCAR, winning the cup title in 2020. He has 18 career Cup victories and has made it to the championship finale for the past three seasons.

Although his NASCAR debut came in 2015, he signed a developmental deal with Hendrick when he was just 14 years old. He most recently raced in the Pala Casino 400 on Feb.23, where he finished in second place behind Kyle Busch.

He currently sits 14th in the cup series with 49 points.

NASCAR has always been in Elliott's blood as a second-generation driver. He is the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, who was voted one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers in 1998.

It took two overtimes, multiple major late crashes and some serious drama, but Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is the 2023 Daytona 500 winner.

Even the winning moment was cast into doubt after a late crash:

RT to congratulate Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on his #DAYTONA500 win! pic.twitter.com/OstRwcdmFi

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 19, 2023

Not long before the wild finish, another crash delayed the proceedings:

It's @StenhouseJr to the lead, but trouble strikes behind him! #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/fZAS4O0c0p

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 19, 2023

Oh my. #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/QuYIVJjjtC

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 19, 2023

When the literal smoke cleared and 12 overtime laps had been run, Stenhouse had his win, Joey Logano had finished second, Christopher Bell third, and Chris Buescher and Alex Bowman rounded out the top five.

It was Stenhouse's third career NASCAR Cup Series victory. He last won at the Daytona International Speedway in 2017.

With his win at the 65th Annual Daytona 500, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. snaps a 199-race winless streak, the 4th-longest span between wins in Cup Series History.

Stenhouse Jr.'s last win came at Daytona in 2017, in the summer race. pic.twitter.com/niYIG282pl

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 20, 2023

"This whole offseason, Mike [Kelley, his new crew chief] preached how much we all believed in each other," Stenhouse told Jamie Little of Fox Sports after the race. "They left me a note on the car that said they believe in me and to go get the job done tonight. I made a few mistakes, but we were able to battle back."

Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. talks with @JamieLittleTV. pic.twitter.com/hk56hTy7eH

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 20, 2023

Daytona 500 Champions!! 🏆 #StenhouseJr #Daytona500 pic.twitter.com/GCunfH0oux

— Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (@StenhouseJr) February 20, 2023

Stenhouse was pretty relieved the race finished when it did.

"Man, we were out front when the caution came out," he said of the late drama. "We were out of fuel, so the fuel light was going crazy. I hope y'all had fun; that was a heck of a race."

In Stenhouse’s radio: “go ahead and do your burnout”

Stenhouse: “I ain’t got no fuel”

— Rubbin is Racing (@rubbinisracing) February 19, 2023

The first stage was mostly clean, with Brad Keselowski emerging as the winner. The second stage also stayed almost drama-free until the late moments, when a Tyler Reddick slip ultimately impacted nine cars. Ross Chastain claimed Stage 2.

The Cup Series now heads to the Auto Club Speedway for the Pala Casino 500 on Feb. 26 at 3:30 p.m. ET on Fox.

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano stayed hot on Thursday as he won the first of two Bluegrass Vacation Duels leading into Sunday's Daytona 500.

RT to congratulate Joey Logano on his Duel 1 win at Daytona! Zane Smith races his way into the #DAYTONA500! pic.twitter.com/jhVwuVu5MM

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 17, 2023

Aric Almirola won the second duel to cap the evening from Daytona International Speedway.

RT to congratulate Aric Almirola on his Duel 2 win! Conor Daly makes the #DAYTONA500! pic.twitter.com/NH9QU4QzI0

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 17, 2023

Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson grabbed the front-row starting positions after single-car qualifying on Wednesday.

The finishing order of Duel No. 1 makes up the inside row for the Daytona 500 behind Bowman, while the results of Duel No. 2 line the outside row behind Larson.

Therefore, Logano and Almirola will now make up the second row on Sunday.

Here's the results of both duels.

Duel 1

1. Joey Logano

2. Christopher Bell

3. Ryan Blaney

4. Chris Buescher

5. Michael Mcdowell

6. Kevin Harvick

7. Bubba Wallace

8. Zane Smith

9. Harrison Burton

10. William Byron

11. Ross Chastain

12. Erik Jones

13. Austin Dillon

14. Jimmie Johnson

15. AJ Allmendinger

16. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

17. Alex Bowman

18. Chandler Smith

19. Ty Gibbs

20. Cody Ware

21. Ty Dillon

Duel 2

1. Aric Almirola

2. Austin Cindric

3. Chase Elliott

4. Brad Keselowski

5. Corey Lajoie

6. Kyle Larson

7. Todd Gilliland

8. Martin Truex Jr.

9. Denny Hamlin

10. Ryan Preece

11. Noah Gragson

12. Danuel Suarez

13. Tyler Reddick

14. Justin Haley

15. Chase Briscoe

16. BJ McLeod

17. Conor Daly

18. Austin Hill

19. Kyle Busch

20. Riley Herbst

21. Travis Pastrana

Notes

Logano was clearly happy post-race in his interview with Fox Sports' Jamie Little and credited his Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney for getting him to the finish line:

We did not have to wait long for a winner interview with the defending Cup Series champion. Talking with @joeylogano after his Duel 1 win at Daytona:#NASCARonFS1 | @Team_Penske pic.twitter.com/a8xfYciUVF

— Jamie Little (@JamieLittleTV) February 17, 2023

The second duel was rather eventful, including a flying window and Daniel Suarez sending Kyle Busch into the wall:

Justin Haley's window goes flying. pic.twitter.com/FuPBEfbhrV

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 17, 2023

Leader Kyle Busch goes around and into the wall after a push from Daniel Suárez in Duel 2 at Daytona. pic.twitter.com/0MSdU2AG5q

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 17, 2023

Naturally, Busch was not happy post-race:

Kyle Busch talks with Jamie Little after his wreck in Duel 2. pic.twitter.com/yNnX9biwkl

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 17, 2023

Suarez gave his take on the matter:

Daniel Suarez describes what happened with Kyle Busch. pic.twitter.com/hwow9Lvdoj

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 17, 2023

Both drivers will still make the Daytona 500 field.

This year's race will take place on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET.