Kyle Larson, the driver of the #42 DC Solar Chevrolet, poses with the trophy in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway on July 6, 2018, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo – Sean Gardner/Getty Images
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Friday night’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race ended with a sweep, and overtime and two broken hearts. Continue reading
Kyle Busch, the driver of the #18 Skittles Red White & Blue Toyota, and his son, Brexton, pose with the winner’s sticker after the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Overton’s 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 1, 2018, in Joliet, Illinois. Photo – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images
JOLIET, Ill. – Like two boxers in the final round of a closely contested slugfest, Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson traded hard shots on the last lap of Sunday’s Overton’s 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. Continue reading
Denny Hamlin, the driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, signs autographs for fans during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 22, 2018, in Sonoma, California. Photo – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images
Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota hasn’t had the speed this season to match the Stewart-Haas Racing Fords, but Hamlin expects that to change as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup season winds toward the Playoffs.
It’s not that Hamlin hasn’t been consistently fast this year. After all, he has six top-five finishes in 15 races and currently is eighth in the series standings. But Hamlin hasn’t had the race-winning speed to match the Stewart-Haas cars – or teammate Kyle Busch, for that matter.
“I think, at worst any weekend, we’ve been an eighth-place car and at best, we’ve been a second-or-third-place car,” said Hamlin, who was second fastest to Stewart-Haas driver Kurt Busch in Friday’s final practice at Sonoma Raceway. “Certainly, the results I don’t think show the speed we actually do have.
“I’m pretty confident the second half of the year we’re going to be pretty strong. I feel like we’ve really made gains over the last month or so. I’d like to get inside the top-five in points before the end of the regular season and win a couple races – that’s a goal that we have that is achievable in the next ten weeks or so.”
Clint Bowyer, the driver of the #14 Haas 30 Years of the VF1 Ford, celebrates with the trophy after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 10, 2018, in Brooklyn, Michigan. Photo – Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images
BROOKLYN, Mich. – Clint Bowyer gambled.
Then he made sure he cashed the winning ticket with a determined charge on two new tires as rain threatened Michigan International Speedway. Continue reading
Kyle Busch, the driver of the #18 Comcast Salute to Service/Juniper Toyota, poses for a photo with the trophy in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pocono Green 250 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro & Sons at Pocono Raceway on June 2, 2018, in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Photo – Chris Trotman/Getty Images
LONG POND, Pa. – A new high-downforce, restrictor-plate competition package at Pocono Raceway brought a familiar result on Saturday—at least where the NASCAR Xfinity Series is concerned. Continue reading