Tag Archives: Joe Gibbs Racing

Jimmie Johnson’s Win at Martinsville Brings Talk of Seventh Title to Forefront

Posted on by

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Mr. Martinsville is back – and with him, a realistic shot at a record-tying NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

Winless at the 0.526-mile short track since the spring race of 2013, Jimmie Johnson ended his “drought” on Sunday with a victory in the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 and earned a berth in the Championship 4 race, set for Nov. 20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

In winning for the ninth time at Martinsville, the fourth time this season and the 79th time in his career, Johnson didn’t take the lead until he passed Denny Hamlin for the top spot on lap 409 of 500. Continue reading →

Logano Advances with Win in Wild Talladega Race; Chase Field Cut to Eight

Posted on by

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

If Joey Logano’s victory in Sunday’s Hellman’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway was decisive—in relative terms—the race between Denny Hamlin and Austin Dillon for the final pot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup’s Round of 8 was anything but.

In an overtime race that went four laps past its scheduled distance, Logano surged ahead after a restart on lap 191 at the 2.66-mile track and beat runner-up Brian Scott to the finish line by 0.124 seconds.

Hamlin’s margin over Dillon for the eighth spot in the Round of 8 was much smaller. At the end of 510.72 miles, Hamlin outraced Kurt Busch for third place by 0.006 seconds—roughly two feet—to score the exact number of points he needed to eliminate Dillon from the Chase on a tiebreaker. Continue reading →

Kevin Harvick Unhappy with Stewart-Haas Racing Teammate Kurt Busch Following Talladega Race

Posted on by
2016 NSCS Stewart-Haas Racing Drivers, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch Photo - Christian Petersen/Getty Images

2016 NSCS Stewart-Haas Racing Drivers, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch Photo – Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Despite both Stewart-Haas Racing drivers Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick earning top-ten finishes in Sunday’s Hellman’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, there was apparent tension between the two drivers post-race.

2015 Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick was upset with teammate Kurt Busch following Sunday’s 192-lap race after he claimed Busch hit his car after the checkered flag flew. Continue reading →

‘Secret’ Allies Help Hamlin Hold Chase Berth

Posted on by
Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota, walks on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hellmann's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 22, 2016 in Talladega, Alabama. Photo - Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota, walks on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hellmann’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 22, 2016 in Talladega, Alabama. Photo – Patrick Smith/Getty Images

With his three Joe Gibbs Racing teammates running at the back of the field throughout Sunday’s race to protect Round of 8 spots, Denny Hamlin had no obvious friends at the front of the field to help him join his teammates in the next round of the Chase.

But Hamlin revealed after finishing third behind Joey Logano and Brian Scott that he had received help from unexpected quarters in doing just enough to beat Austin Dillon for the final berth on a tiebreaker. Continue reading →

Brian Scott Earns Career-Best Sprint Cup finish at Talladega Superspeedway

Posted on by
Brian Scott, driver of the #44 Goody's Ford, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hellmann's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 22, 2016 in Talladega, Alabama. Photo - Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

Brian Scott, driver of the #44 Goody’s Ford, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Hellmann’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 22, 2016 in Talladega, Alabama. Photo – Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

Richard Petty Motorsports’ Brian Scott nearly pulled off an upset Sunday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway.

After hovering in the top-five for the latter stages of Sunday’s Hellmann’s 500, a caution sending the race into NASCAR overtime found Scott second for the restart, next to leader Joey Logano and ahead of friend Denny Hamlin.

That friendship with Hamlin paid off with drafting help from the Joe Gibbs Racing driver that sealed a career-best second place finish for Scott in his rookie Sprint Cup season. Continue reading →