NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600
Charlotte Motor Speedway Distance: 600 miles (400 laps)
Sunday, May 24 The Time: 6 p.m. (ET) TV: FOX, 5:30 p.m. (ET)
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM Ch. 90
NASCAR XFINITY Series Hisense 300
Charlotte Motor Speedway Distance: 300 miles (200 laps)
Saturday, May 23 2:30 p.m. (ET) TV: FOX, 2 p.m. (ET)
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM Ch. 90
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 200
Dover International Speedway Distance: 200 miles (200 laps)
Friday, May 29 5:30 p.m. (ET) TV: FOX Sports 1, 5 p.m. (ET)
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM Ch. 90
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota
The No. 11 Toyota driver led the final 10 laps of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race after beating the field off pit road for the Segment 5 restart to give Joe Gibbs Racing its first victory in the event since entering the NSCS in 1992.
Hamlin’s triumph was JGR’s first on a 1.5-mile track since he won the 2013 season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
If Hamlin can parlay his weekend success into a win in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, he will become the eighth driver to sweep the Charlotte May races, joining Darrell Waltrip (1985), Davey Allison (1991), Dale Earnhardt (1993), Jeff Gordon (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2003), Kasey Kahne (2008) and Kurt Busch (2010).
Car 24 Jeff Gordon Axalta Chevrolet
May 29, 1994. Then 23 years old, Gordon was battling future NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace for the lead in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. On the final pit stop, Gordon took two tires, while Wallace took four. The gamble paid off as Gordon won the first race of his illustrious career.
Fast forward 21 years, 91 more wins and four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships later.
Gordon is now in his final full-time season, competing in what may be his last Coca-Cola 600 ever this Sunday. He has won the race three times, including his 1994 triumph, but not since 1998. Every time Gordon has visited Victory Lane in the Coca-Cola 600, he has done it from the pole.
Eleven starts into the NSCS season, Gordon ranks ninth in the series standings on the strength of seven top-10 finishes and two top-five showings.
‘NASCAR Race Hub’ breaks the news that starting in 2016 Jeff Gordon will be in the Fox broadcast booth for Sprint Cup races.
As announced Thursday evening on FOX Sports 1’s “NASCAR Race Hub”, Jeff Gordon, the four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion credited with helping take the sport mainstream, joins FOX NASCAR full-time in 2016 as race analyst for its 16th year of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series coverage, teaming with three-time champion Darrell Waltrip to offer seven championships’ worth of expertise.
Gordon, currently competing in his 23rd and final full-time Sprint Cup Series season, served as race analyst for FOX Sports’ coverage of three NASCAR XFINITY SERIES races this year (for video of Gordon calling the Talladega NASCAR XFINITY SERIES race, click here). He has agreed to a multi-year contract that begins this season with in-race reporting from the No. 24 Chevrolet during select Cup Series races, and segues to an analyst role that commences with Daytona Speedweeks in February 2016.
“NASCAR has provided me so many incredible memories, experiences and opportunities throughout my 23 years as a driver, and I can’t wait to start a new chapter in racing with this new relationship with FOX and to be in the booth with Mike (Joy) and Darrell,” Gordon said. “I feel so lucky to be a part of a sport that I’m very passionate about, and now I get the opportunity to share that passion to millions of race fans from a whole new perspective.”
Gordon will call all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, practice and qualifying sessions for FOX Sports alongside play-by-play announcer Mike Joy and NASCAR Hall of Famer and analyst Darrell Waltrip. Chris Myers hosts the network’s coverage alongside analysts Larry McReynolds and Michael Waltrip.
Car 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Patriotic Chevrolet
There are not many places Jimmie Johnson would rather race than Charlotte Motor Speedway. The No. 48 Chevrolet driver boasts a track-record seven wins there and claims more victories at only two other places – Martinsville (eight) and Dover (nine). Johnson – the defending spring race-winner – will attempt to visit Victory Lane this Sunday at the 1.5-mile track. He won at Charlotte from the pole last May, seizing sole possession of the track record from NASCAR Hall of Famers Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison
At 600 miles in distance, the Coca-Cola 600 held every Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway is the longest race on NASCAR’s schedule. Add the late-May heat and the race becomes even more gruelling.
It should come as no surprise that drivers who compete in endurance athletics off the track have seen success in the Coca-Cola 600, particularly Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne. The pair has combined to win seven of the last 12 spring Charlotte races (Johnson, 4; Kahne, 3).
NASCAR: An American Salute Launches with 600 Miles of Remembrance
When drivers start their engines for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, fans will see familiar names like “Harvick,” “Kenseth” and “Almirola” replaced on car windshields with “SGT Mracek,” “HM3 Layton” and “CPT Argel” – United States Armed Forces members who have fallen in service to their country.
All 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers will participate in “600 Miles of Remembrance” on Memorial Day Weekend to honor military service members and their families, and commemorate the launch of NASCAR: An American Salute, the industry’s collective expression of reverence, respect and gratitude for those who have served and continue to defend our nation today.
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
With Big Win Buescher Takes Series Standings Lead From Dillon
Chris Buescher posted the 93rd victory – series’ most – for the No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing Ford team this past weekend at Iowa Speedway and in the process took the NASCAR XFINITY Series standings lead from Richard Childress Racing’s Ty Dillon. Buescher now sits eight points ahead of Dillon as the series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Hisense 300 on May 23 (on FOX Sports 1 at 2:30 p.m. ET).
His win last weekend was the second of his career in the NXS. He leads the series in average finish with a 7.8 and is tied with Chase Elliott for the most top-five finishes (five each) this season. His season-to-date loop data has him ranked fourth in driver rating (101.1) and second in Average Running Position (8.831).
Buescher has three starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway posting two top 10s and an average finish of 17.7. He finished ninth in this event last season.
Long Road Ahead In the Points For Third-Place Elliott
Chase Elliott has a long road ahead of him in the NASCAR XFINITY Series points standings to catch series standings leader Chris Buescher (-31) and second-place Ty Dillon with how well they are running this season.
Last weekend at Iowa, Elliott led the most laps but lost the lead on the final restart and ultimately finished second to Buescher.
Elliott is still looking for his first victory in 2015; this time last year he had already banked two (Texas and Darlington) wins and had a firm hold on the series points lead. Success this season hasn’t come quite as quickly, but consistency has been the key for the 19-year-old driver posting five top fives, and a series leading eight top 10s this season.
Charlotte has brought mixed success for Elliott in his brief career. In this race last season he finished 37th but then returned to Charlotte in the fall and posted an eighth-place finish.
Dash 4 Cash kicks off at Charlotte Motor Speedway
A $1 million prize is on the line again for the NASCAR XFINITY Series. In its seventh consecutive year, the “Dash 4 Cash” program is back and new tracks highlight its schedule.
For the first time, Charlotte Motor Speedway will host the “Dash 4 Cash” qualifier, which will determine the four eligible drivers that will compete for one of four $100,000 payouts throughout the season. Following Saturday’s Hisense 300, the four Dash 4 Cash events will include: Dover (May 30), Indianapolis (July 25), Bristol (August 21) and Darlington (September 5). At Charlotte, the top four finishers who are eligible to receive NASCAR XFINITY Series driver points will qualify for the first Dash 4 Cash race at Dover.
Sunoco Rookie Update: Wallace Opens Up Rookie Points Lead Over Suarez
Darrell Wallace Jr. tied his series career-best finish (sixth) last weekend at Iowa Speedway and extended his lead in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings over second-place Daniel Suarez by seven points.
Wallace has posted three top 10s and an average finish of 11.3 this season.
Not only does he lead the rookie standings but he is also ranked fourth in the series driver standings just 37 points behind series points leader Chris Buescher and six points back from third-place Chase Elliott.
This weekend will be Wallace’s series debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway – though he is familiar with the 1,5-mile speedway, making two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start there with a best finish of 26th in 2014.
Sunoco Rookie Points following Iowa: Darrell Wallace Jr. (119), Daniel Suarez (112), Ross Chastain (87), Cale Conley (82), Harrison Rhodes (66), Peyton Sellers (31) and Josh Reaume (18).
Loaded Entry List Has The Hisense 300 Looking Star-Studded
This weekend’s Hisense 300 entry lists features a healthy mix of NASCAR XFINITY Series championship contenders and big named NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers – like 2015 Sprint All-Star Race winner Denny Hamlin, the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick, Austin Dillon, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Larson and Aric Almirola.
Denny Hamlin pocketed a cool million last weekend after he won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and this weekend he will strap into the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Hamlin’s last series start a few weeks back at Richmond was a dominating performance where he won from the pole. Hamlin has made five starts this season posting one win, two top fives and three top 10s. Hamlin has nine series starts at Charlotte, but has yet to win, his average finish is 15.0.
Kevin Harvick returns to the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet this weekend at Charlotte. Harvick has made five starts this season for JR Motorsports, posting two wins, three top fives and four top 10s. Harvick has made 25 series starts at Charlotte posting seven top fives, 16 top 10s and average finish of 10.7.
Austin Dillon will be making his ninth start of the season this weekend at Charlotte in the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Dillon has one win, five top fives, six top 10s and three poles this season. In four series starts at CMS he has posted three top five and an average finish of 4.0.
Kasey Kahne won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Charlotte last weekend, a race that tied for the second closest victory in series history (.005 seconds). This weekend Kahne hopes to carry his momentum to the No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team for the Hisense 300. Kahne has made 20 series starts at Charlotte posting one win (2007), five top 10s and an average finish of 19.8.
Kyle Larson returns to the No. 42 Chevrolet this weekend for his fourth start of the season. In his previous three starts in 2015 he posted three top 10s. He has made four series starts at Charlotte posting one win (2014), three top fives and an average finish of 5.8.
Aric Almirola will be back in Fred Biagi’s No. 98 Ford this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Almirola has made seven series starts at Charlotte posting one top five and three top 10s.
Busch Is The NXS King Of The 1.5-Mile Tracks, But Harvick Is A Close Second
When it comes to dominating the 1.5-mile tracks on the NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule, Kyle Busch is king. Busch leads series in wins on 1.5-mile tracks with 23 victories. Busch is not entered this weekend in the Hisense 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but the driver with the second most NXS wins (18) on 1.5-mile tracks is – Kevin Harvick.
Harvick has made 25 starts at Charlotte posting seven top fives, 16 top 10s and an average finish of 10.7. He also ranks in the top 10 in the following key categories: Driver Rating (101.4); Average Running Position (10.753); Laps In The Top 15 (2,482 laps, 73.5%); Laps Led (207).
Harvick’s 18 wins at 1.5-mile tracks: Texas (5), Atlanta (4), Chicago (3), Kentucky (2), Las Vegas (2), Homestead-Miami (1) and Kansas (1).
Blaney Making Most Of Every Series Start In Penske’s No. 22
Team Penske’s No. 22 Ford team has been lights out in this season’s first 10 races, posting three wins, seven top-two finishes, nine top fives, and 10 top 10s. The team’s worst finish this season … eighth. As a result, Team Penske’s No. 22 team is head, neck and shoulders above their competition in the NASCAR XFINITY Series owner point standings – second-place Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 60 Ford team is 64 points back from the No. 22 Ford team after 10 races.
While most of the success can be attributed to the crew chief Greg Irwin, much of it comes from the stellar driver lineup of Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney. For the second week in a row Blaney will be behind the wheel of the No. 22 Ford after posting a fifth-place finish last weekend at Iowa. Blaney has two series career starts at Charlotte posting one top five and an average finish of 9.0.
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
NASCAR Next Member Jesse Little To Make National Series Debut With ThorSport Racing
Jesse Little will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Dover International Speedway in the Lucas Oil 200 on Friday, May 29 (5:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1), becoming the 26th NASCAR Next driver to make a national series start. He will pilot a ThorSport Racing Toyota Tundra alongside teammates defending series champion Matt Crafton, NASCAR Next alumni Cameron Hayley and Johnny Sauter.
Jesse Little is also in his fourth season racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East where he won its Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in 2013. The 18-year-old Sherrills Ford, North Carolina native won last year’s NKNPSE race at New Hampshire. In two NKNPSE starts this season, he claims one pole (Bristol) and a high finish of third in the NKNPSE/NASCAR K&N Pro Series West joint race at Iowa.
The NCWTS continues to act as a proving ground for young drivers to test their skills. The Lucas Oil 200 at Dover International Speedway (Friday, May 29) marks the second race of the season that drivers between the ages of 16 and 18 can compete. Wheelmen from that age group can only race on road courses or tracks 1.25 miles or less in length. Seventeen year olds Cole Custer, Gray Gaulding and John Hunter Nemechek will all make their return to their trucks. Although the youngest, they are not the only youthful drivers in the series. Erik Jones, Cameron Hayley, Brandon Jones, Jesse Little and Matt Tifft, all 18 years of age, are also entered at Dover.
Not So Fast: Defending Champion Matt Crafton Challenged By Rising Stars
Defending champion Matt Crafton has a long road ahead of him on his quest for a three-peat. After becoming the first driver to win consecutive titles in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ 20-year history, Crafton faces a spirited battle with NASCAR’s rising stars. Sunoco Rookie of the Year frontrunner Erik Jones and 19-year-old Tyler Reddick are hot on his heels and ready for the challenge.
Crafton brings experience to Dover International Speedway (the site of the next NCWTS race on Friday, May, 29) with 14 career starts at The Monster Mile including a series-best eight top-10 finishes. Reddick has only one previous start (eighth) at Dover while Jones will make his track debut.
The No. 88 ThorSport driver will join elite company if he can capture his third consecutive series title. Notable three-peats across sports include: Jimmie Johnson (2006-10), Los Angeles Lakers (2000-02), New York Yankees (1998-00), Chicago Bulls (1996-98, 1991-93), UCLA Basketball (1967-73), Green Bay Packers (1965-67).
New Year, New Faces
On tap for Friday’s Lucas Oil 200 at Dover is a guaranteed new winner in Victory Lane. With four-time winner Kyle Busch handing the reins over to his Kyle Busch Motorsports drivers – Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez and Justin Boston – no active driver has won at The Monster Mile.
Don’t be surprised to find Kyle Busch Motorsports in victory lane though, as the team has a series-best four wins at Dover and is well-represented. Although Jones, Suarez and Boston have no prior starts at the track, each has found success this season, earning a combined 11 top-10 finishes through 14 combined races.
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