Get ready for a battle between the 8 Chase drivers to make the final 4 in the Chase

Get ready for a battle between the 8 Chase drivers to make the final 4 in the Chase
2014 Nov 9 nscs_phoenix_quickenloans500


NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500
Phoenix International Raceway Distance: 500 kilometres (312 laps)
Sunday, Nov. 9 3 p.m. (ET) TV: ESPN, 2 p.m. (ET) Radio: MRN, Sirius XM Ch. 90

NASCAR Nationwide Series: DAV 200 – Honoring America’s Veterans
Phoenix International Raceway Distance: 200 miles (200 laps)
Saturday, Nov. 8 3:30 p.m. (ET) TV: ESPN, 4 p.m. (ET) Radio: MRN, Sirius XM Ch. 90

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: Lucas Oil 150
Phoenix International Raceway Distance: 150 miles (150 laps)
Friday, Nov. 7 8:30 p.m. (ET) TV: FOX Sports 1, 8 p.m. (ET) Radio: MRN, Sirius XM Ch. 90

The pressure is on, as only 4 drivers will move on to the final round of Chase at Homestead-Miami.

Eliminator 8 drivers:
Car 22 Joey Logano AAA Insurance Ford
Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Office Toyota
Car 31 Ryan Newman Caterpillar Chevrolet
Car 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
Car 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota
Car 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford
Car 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford
Car 4 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet

My picks for the final round are:
Car 22 Joey Logano AAA Insurance Ford
Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Office Toyota
Car 31 Ryan Newman Caterpillar Chevrolet
Car 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet

Car 4 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet is in “win-or-go-home” situation and is favoured to win the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. The Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 is the best chance for Kevin Harvick with a series-best five wins at the one-mile tri-oval and has taken the checkered flag in three of the last four races there, including the past two.

2014 has been the best year for Car 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet since his last Championship. It looked like a shoe-in to win last weekend at Texas for Jeff Gordon until contact from Car 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford cut his rear-left tire, dropping him from first all the way to 29th. Gordon now ranks in 4th place in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings, just one point ahead of Car 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota & Car 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford. If not for the cut tire, he likely would be in 1st place with a nice lead. To advance to the Championship race at Homestead, Gordon must either win or, finish in the Top 3 in points at the conclusion of the race, or finish fourth in points and have no Chase-contending driver currently behind him in the standings visit Victory Lane at Phoenix International Raceway.

Car 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford following a 31st place finish at Martinsville, it looked like series wins leader Brad Keselowski had to visit Victory Lane at Texas or Phoenix to advance to the series championship. After a 3rd place at Texas finish, Keselowski now ranks seventh in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings, just five points behind Jeff Gordon for the final spot to be among the Championship 4. He also is in a “win-or-go-home” situation & won last time he was in this position at Talladega. The other problem he has is that he has made a lot of enemies so far in the Chase for the Championship. At Charlotte there was post-race antics involving him, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin & Tony Stewart. On a late restart at Texas, Keselowski attempted to shoot the gap between Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, he failed to make it through, cutting Gordon’s left-rear tire. After the race, Gordon took exception to Keselowski’s move and the two drivers brawled along with their pit crews. “That’s just uncalled for,” Gordon said. “You’re racing for a win and a championship. You don’t go slam someone and cut their left-rear tire. If that’s what it takes, then no problem. We can do the same thing to him.” Brad Keselowski will do whatever it takes to win, but will someone decide to get some pay back to stop him.

Car 22 Joey Logano AAA Insurance Ford, Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Office Toyota & Car 31 Ryan Newman Caterpillar Chevrolet are the only drivers who can clinch Championship berths at Homestead in Sunday’s Quicken Loans Race For Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway regardless of how others finish. Logano and Hamlin can both advance to Homestead with finishes of 11th or better, 12th with one lap led, or 13th with the most laps led. Newman can qualify for Homestead by finishing ninth or better, 10th with one lap led, or 11th with the most laps led.

Long Shots Car 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota & Car 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford will also be fighting to make it in the Top 4 by either winning or placing well for the last spot for the final round.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Notes:

Milestone Watch: With an eighth-place finish at Texas, Kurt Busch reached 200 career Top 10 finishes.

NASCAR Statement from Brett Jewkes, NASCAR Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, Regarding Dover Police Department Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 7, 2014) – “NASCAR is aware of the investigation involving driver Kurt Busch. We recognize the seriousness of this matter and are actively gathering information from all parties, including law enforcement authorities and Stewart-Haas Racing. It would be inappropriate for NASCAR to comment further on this matter until we have more information.”

Nationwide Series

Chase Elliott is set to make a Record Setting Championship. He could become the 1st driver in national series history to win the series championship and Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in the same season. Chase Elliott, is 48 points ahead of his JR Motorsports team-mate Regan Smith in 2nd place. If he maintains that lead & leaves Phoenix with a 48 point lead over 2nd he’ll officially clinch the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship. Elliott will also become the youngest champion in national series history (Homestead: 18 years, 11 months, 18 days). Brian Vickers currently boasts that record, at 20 years, 0 months, 2 days

Elliott would also give one of the series’ most deserving organizations, JR Motorsports and owners Kelley Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. their first series championship since opening the organization’s doors in 2006.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

The Final Countdown with just two races left, defending champion Matt Crafton leads Ryan Blaney by 23 points heading into the Lucas Oil 150. Both have performed well at the one-mile tri-oval located in the Sonoran Desert. Blaney boasts 2 Top 10 finishes in as many starts, while Crafton claims 4 Top 5 & 9 Top at Phoenix.

http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series.html

Photos & Graphics Courtesy of NASCAR

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