Who’s hot, who’s not, heading into Michigan

By Jerry BonkowskiAug 8, 2017, 6:28 PM EDT

Just four races remain for drivers to make – or miss – the upcoming NASCAR Cup playoffs.

This weekend, the series returns to Michigan International Speedway, which is the fastest track on the circuit. It’s a place where 200 mph-plus is the norm, not the exception.

This will be the 97th NASCAR Cup race to be held at the two-mile oval.

Kyle Larson has won the last two races there: last August and this June.

Drivers like Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch are among the hottest drivers going right now.

But other drivers are in big trouble, particularly Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr. If they hope to make the playoffs, they’ll have to do so with a win only.

So without further adieu, here’s the hottest of the hot and, well, the not so hot:

WHO IS HOT?

Martin Truex Jr.

Won at Watkins Glen, his series leading fourth of 2017

Finished in the top-10 15 times this season, the most

Won 14 stages this season, the most

34 Playoff Points this season, 18 more than anyone else

Wins at Las Vegas, Kansas, Kentucky and WG

Led a series high 1315 laps in 2017, led the most laps in seven races

Best Michigan finish is second, twice

Finished sixth in June at Michigan after leading 62 laps, victim of the outside line on restarts

Clint Bowyer

Finished 5th at Watkins Glen, top 10 in five of the last seven races this season

Finished runner up three times in 2017

10 top-10s in 2017, had only three in all of 2016

Only one top five finish at Michigan in 23 starts

Best finish at Michigan in the last four races is 23rd, finished top 10 in his nine previous races there

Kyle Busch

Finished 7th at Watkins Glen after multiple issues

Won from the pole at Pocono, first win of 2017 and at Pocono

Had four wins at this point in 2016

Won the pole for the last three races

One Michigan win, this race in 2011 (last on the old pavement), only two top 10s there since (six finishes of 31st or worse)

Denny Hamlin

4th at Watkins Glen, top 4 finishes in six of the last eight races including a win at NH

Two-time winner at Michigan but last came in 2011

Finished top 10 in three of the last four Michigan races including fourth in June

Kevin Harvick

Finished 17th at WG, heavy damage on pit road

Finished top-10 in 12 of the last 16 races of 2017

One Michigan win, this race in 2010

Finished top 5, including five runner ups, in seven of the last nine races at Michigan

Kyle Larson

23rd at WG, third straight finish of 23rd or worse

Finished second in seven races this year

Two wins this season, ACS and Michigan

Won the last three races on 2.0 mile tracks including the last two races at Michigan

Daniel Suarez

Finished third at WG, best career finish

Top 10 finishes in the last four races

Won the Open at Charlotte

First career NXS win came at Michigan last year

Finished 24th at Michigan in June, only Cup start there

WHO IS NOT?

Joey Logano

24th at WG, ninth finish outside the top 20 in the last 13 races

Won at Richmond but was encumbered

Now 95 points outside the bubble, he must win to make the playoffs

Top 10 finishes in the last nine races at Michigan including two wins

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

37th at WG, ninth finish of 30th or worse this season

Only two top-10s in the last 10 races

Two-time Michigan winner

Top 10 finishes in five of his last six starts at Michigan including ninth in June

Kasey Kahne

Finished 16th at WG, his three best finishes in the last 11 races have come in the last three races

Won at Indianapolis ending a 102 race winless streak, took a super lucky timed caution and turned it into a win

One Michigan win, 2006

Finished 13th or worse in the last six races at Michigan

Will not return to Hendrick Motorsports next season, likely to be replaced by William Byron.

Jimmie Johnson

29th at WG, ran out of fuel late

DNF accident in three of his last five races in 2017

One top-10 in his last seven races (10th at New Hampshire)

Three top 5 finishes this season, all wins

One Michigan win, June 2014

Only one top-five at Michigan in the last 10 races, his win in 2014

Kurt Busch

Sixth at Watkins Glen, his best finish in the last eight races

Three DNFs in the last six races of 2017

Just 10 top 10 finishes this season, had 16 after 22 races in 2016

Has not had back-to-back top 10 finishes since Richmond and Talladega

Three wins at Michigan, all came with different manufacturers

Finished 12th at Michigan in June

Austin Dillon

26th at WG, only one top 15 finish in the last eight races

Won on fuel mileage at Charlotte

Only two top 10 finishes this season, had nine at this point last year

Only two top 10 finishes in 10 Michigan starts but they both came in the last four races there

AJ Allmendinger

Five top-10s in 2017 three were in the last six races (ninth at Watkins Glen)

Best Michigan finish is 11th, twice

Follow @JerryBonkowski

Charlotte Cup race postponed to Monday by weather

By Mike HembreeMay 28, 2023, 6:21 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — All-day rain Sunday forced the postponement of the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Cup Series race to Monday.

The postponement means that Charlotte Motor Speedway is scheduled to host 900 miles of stock car racing Monday. A 300-mile Xfinity Series race, originally scheduled Saturday and first postponed to noon Monday, has been rescheduled for 11 a.m. ET Monday (FS1, Performance Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The Cup race is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. (Fox, Performance Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Sunday’s Cup race was scheduled to start at 6:21 p.m. ET, but light rain was still falling at that time in the speedway area near Charlotte. Rain intensified a few minutes later and, despite an evening forecast that showed slight improvement, officials decided at 6:30 p.m. to postpone the race.

Monday’s forecast calls for a 34% chance of rain at the start of the Xfinity race and a 30% chance at the start of the Cup race.

William Byron will start the race from the pole after qualifying was washed out Saturday night.

RFK Racing gains sponsorship from submarine recruiting group

By Mike HembreeMay 28, 2023, 3:30 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — NASCAR racing and submarines? Yes.

RFK Racing announced Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway that it has entered a partnership with BlueForge Alliance, which is involved in securing workers for the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base (SIB) program. BuildSubmarines.com will be a primary sponsor for RFK drivers Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher in 10 Cup Series races this year and in 18 races per season beginning in 2024.

The sponsorship will showcase the careers related to the submarine-building program across the nation.

MORE: Jimmie Johnson on his NASCAR team and his approach to Le Mans

MORE: Alex Bowman confident as he returns from injury

“I’m proud to support a cause of such vital significance to our country with this new partnership,” Keselowski said. “The synergies between a NASCAR team and our military’s needs to stay on track fast are countless. We hope to inspire the workforce of the next generation across the country when they see RFK race and hear our message.”

The sponsorship will support the mission to recruit, hire, train, develop and retain the SIB workforce that will build the Navy’s next generation of submarines, the team said.

“We are excited and grateful to be teaming with RFK Racing to drive awareness of the thousands of steady, well-paying manufacturing jobs available across the nation. Innovation, working with purpose and service to others are hallmarks of both of our organizations,” said Kiley Wren, BlueForge chief executive. “Together, we aim to inspire NASCAR fans and all Americans to pursue career opportunities that will support our national defense.”

Kyle Larson visits Indianapolis Motor Speedway to survey the scene

By Mike HembreeMay 28, 2023, 3:02 PM EDT

Former NASCAR champion Kyle Larson, who is scheduled to run the Indianapolis 500 in 2024 as part of an Indy-Charlotte “double,” visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway garage area Sunday on Indianapolis 500 race day.

Larson said he wanted to familiarize himself with the Indy race-day landscape before he becomes immersed in the process next year.

MORE: Jimmie Johnson is building a team and pointing to Le Mans

Larson later returned to Charlotte, where was scheduled to drive in the Coca-Cola 600 Sunday night. Next year, he’s scheduled to run both races.

“I love racing,” Larson told NBC Sports. “I love competing in the biggest races. In my opinion, this is the biggest race in the world. I wanted to be a part of it for a long time, and I finally feel like the timing is right. It’s pretty cool to have a dream come true.

“I wanted to come here and kind of experience it again and get to experience how crazy it is again before I’m in the middle of it next year. I kind of want as little surprise as possible next year.”

In the 2024 500, Larson will be one of four drivers with the Arrow McLaren team.

Earlier this month, Larson and Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon attended an Indy 500 practice day.

Larson said Sunday he hasn’t tested an Indy car.

“I don’t know exactly when I’ll get in the car,” he said. “I’ve had no sim (simulator) time yet. I’ve kind of stayed back. I didn’t want to ask too many questions and take any focus on what they have going on for these couple of weeks. I’m sure that will pick up after today.

“I look forward to the challenge. No matter how this experience goes, I’m going to come out of it a better race car driver.”

Jimmie Johnson: Building a team and pointing toward Le Mans

By Mike HembreeMay 28, 2023, 10:25 AM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — These are busy days in the life of former NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson.

Johnson is a co-owner of Legacy Motor Club, the Cup Series team that has struggled through a difficult first half of the season while it also is preparing for a switch from Chevrolet to Toyota next year.

Johnson is driving a very limited schedule for Legacy as he seeks to not only satisfy his passion for racing but also to gain knowledge as he tries to lift Legacy to another level. As part of that endeavor, he’ll race in the Coca-Cola 600 in Legacy’s No. 84 car, making his third appearance of the season.

MORE: Alex Bowman confident as he returns to track

MORE: Dr. Diandra: 600 tests man more than machine

And, perhaps the biggest immediate to-do item on Johnson’s list: He’ll race June 10-11 in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s biggest endurance race and another of the bucket list races the 47-year-old Johnson will check off his list.

“I’m excited, invigorated, exhausted — all of it,” Johnson said. “It has been a really exciting adventure that I’ve embarked on here — to learn from (Legacy co-owner) Maury Gallagher, to be a part of this great team and learn from everyone that I’m surrounded by. I’m in a whole new element here and it’s very exciting to be in a new element.

“At the same time, there are some foundational pieces coming together, decisions that we’re making, that will really help the team grow in the future. And then we have our job at hand – the situation and environment that we have at hand to deal with in the 2023 season. Depends on the hat that I’m wearing, in some respects. There’s been a lot of work, but a lot of excitement and a lot of fun. I truly feel like I’m a part of something that’s really going to be a force in the future of NASCAR.”

Johnson is scheduled to fly to Paris Monday or Tuesday to continue preparations for the Le Mans race. He, Jenson Button and Mike Rockenfeller will be driving a Hendrick Motorsports-prepared Chevrolet as part of Le Mans’ Garage 56 program, which is designed to offer a Le Mans starting spot for a team testing new technologies.

“For me, it’s really been about identifying marquee races around the world and trying to figure out how to run in them,” Johnson said. “Le Mans is a great example of that. Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600 — these are the marquee events.”

He said his biggest concerns approaching the 24-hour race are being overtaken by faster prototypes in corners and racing at night while dealing with the very bright lights of cars approaching in his rear view mirrors.

At Legacy, Johnson has work to do. Erik Jones has a top finish of sixth (and one other top 10) this season, and Noah Gragson is still looking for his first top-10 run. He has a best finish of 12^th – at Atlanta.

“I think Erik (Jones) continues to show me just how good he is,” Johnson said. “He’s been in some challenging circumstances this year and keeps his head on — focuses, executes and gets the job done. I’ve really been impressed with his ability to stay calm and execute and just how good he is.

“With Noah, from watching him before, I wasn’t sure how serious he took his job in the sport. I knew that he was fast, and I knew that he liked to have fun. I can say in the short time that I’ve really worked with him closely, he still has those two elements, but his desire to be as good as he can in this sport has really impressed me. So I guess ultimately, his commitment to his craft is what’s impressed me the most.”

Read more about NASCAR

MORE: Jimmie Johnson on his NASCAR team and his approach to Le Mans

MORE: Alex Bowman confident as he returns from injury

Read more about NASCAR

MORE: Jimmie Johnson is building a team and pointing to Le Mans

Read more about NASCAR

MORE: Alex Bowman confident as he returns to track

MORE: Dr. Diandra: 600 tests man more than machine

Read more about NASCAR