Truex and Kenseth Stage Intense Late-Race Battle – But in Vain

LOUDON, NH - SEPTEMBER 25:  Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Dollar General Toyota, leads Martin Truex Jr, driver of the #78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Toyota, and Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bad Boy Off Road 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 25, 2016 in Loudon, New Hampshire.   Photo by Rainier Ehrhardt/NASCAR via Getty Images

LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 25: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Dollar General Toyota, leads Martin Truex Jr, driver of the #78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Toyota, and Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bad Boy Off Road 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 25, 2016 in Loudon, New Hampshire.
Photo by Rainier Ehrhardt/NASCAR via Getty Images

For all appearances, Matt Kenseth and Martin Truex Jr. were going to settle Sunday’s Bad Boy Off Road 300 between them.

Truex led a race-high 141-of-300 laps at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Kenseth led 105.

From a restart on lap 249 until the fifth caution of the race on lap 285, the Toyota drivers ran 1-2, with Kenseth playing defense from the lead and Truex trying every trick he knew to get past Kenseth’s No. 20 Camry. Continue reading

Erik Jones Wins at Chicagoland, Enters NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase as Top Seed

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Kyle Busch opened the door, and that was all the invitation Erik Jones needed.

When Busch, the polesitter for Saturday’s The Drive for Safety 300 at Chicagoland Speedway, spun with a tire down while leading on Lap 182 of 200, Jones took full advantage of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate’s misfortune.

The driver of the No. 20 JGR Toyota restarted sixth on Lap 187 after Busch brought out the eighth caution of the afternoon and quickly closed the gap on Elliott Sadler, who restarted second and grabbed the lead from JR Motorsports teammate Clint Bowyer, who had stayed out on old tires. Continue reading

Hamlin Wins at Richmond, as Two Rookies Advance to the Chase

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Denny Hamlin won a wild race at his home track, and the top-four Chase hopefuls entering Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400 all held serve at Richmond International Raceway in an event that ended in overtime after a record 16 cautions.

Jamie McMurray locked up a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with a seventh-place finish, and Austin Dillon did likewise with a 13th-place run.

Sunoco rookies Chase Elliott and Chris Buescher both weathered some tense moments to qualify for NASCAR’s ten-race playoff, the first time two rookies have ever been included in the Chase field—and the first time any rookie has made the Chase since Hamlin accomplished the feat in 2006. Continue reading

Sadler Holds Off Hamlin for Emotional XFINITY Win at Darlington

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Elliott Sadler had a passenger for Saturday’s VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway—in spirit at least.

After a breathtaking battle against Denny Hamlin over the closing laps, Sadler crossed the finish-line 0.454 seconds ahead of Hamlin to win for the first time at the Lady in Black—and immediately dedicated the victory to JR Motorsports team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., who announced on Friday he would sit out the remainder of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup season because of a concussion. Continue reading

Austin Dillon Gets Improbable Win in Wild NASCAR XFINITY Race at Bristol

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

A remarkable chain of circumstances gave Austin Dillon the chance to win Friday night’s Food City 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Dillon took full advantage, completing two harrowing overtime laps to edge surprise runner-up Justin Allgaier in a race that went eight laps beyond the scheduled distance at the ultra-fast 0.533-mile concrete short track. Continue reading