Daytona 500: Denny Hamlin out, Harrison Burton upside down in Stage 1 wreck

By Chris EstradaFeb 20, 2022, 4:28 PM EST

A multi-car crash in Stage 1 of the Daytona 500 sent NASCAR Cup Series rookie Harrison Burton on his roof and sent three-time 500 winner Denny Hamlin out of the race.

With three laps to go in the stage (Lap 63 of 65), Burton was leading the outside lane and getting a push from behind by Brad Keselowski.

But coming off Turn 2, Keselowski’s push sent Burton skidding into William Byron and Kyle Busch.

As Byron and Busch went spinning to the inside of the backstretch (with Byron hitting the inside SAFER Barrier), additional impacts from Hamlin and Christopher Bell sent Burton’s No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford over on its roof momentarily before it came back up on all four wheels.

‘@HBurtonRacing’s first #Daytona500 ends early.

He gets airborne in a multi-car crash taking out a few contenders. Burton has been checked and released. (Via @NASCAR) pic.twitter.com/ALcdRzEluh

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) February 20, 2022

Burton, Hamlin, Byron and Ross Chastain were eliminated in the incident. Bell went to the garage for repairs to his car’s suspension and later returned to the race.

“It’s hard for me to tell what happened,” Burton said to Fox Sports after he was released from the infield care center at Daytona International Speedway.

“I felt like I just maybe got a push in a bad spot on the bumper and got shot to the inside. Before I could save it, I was already in, I think it was William, on my inside.

“Frustrating deal, obviously. Just wanted to get stage points there, try to be smart about it, and just got turned around there.”

Once Hamlin was released from the care center, he put the blame squarely on Keselowski.

“It looked like the two cars on top – the 6 (Keselowski) was pushing the 21 (Burton) and you could see the 21 was kind of getting out of control there,” he told Fox Sports. “So, your mindset is that you’ve gotta back off. But the 6 was just insistent on pushing him at all costs and eventually turned the 21 around.

“(It’s) tough, considering it’s just for the stage. But we were kind of boxed in there when I noticed it. Something was gonna happen, but I was boxed in. I was behind a teammate, I wanted to try to help, but again, just too aggressive pushing right there when they weren’t lined up and in control.”

Stage 1 would end under caution with Martin Truex Jr. in first place.

Monday Charlotte Xfinity race: Start time, TV info, weather

By Mike HembreeMay 29, 2023, 10:02 AM EDT

Charlotte Motor Speedway’s rescheduled NASCAR Xfinity Series race is set for an 11 a.m. start Monday.

The race originally was scheduled Saturday, but was postponed by weather to noon Monday. After Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 Cup Series race also was postponed to Monday, the Xfinity Series race was moved to an 11 a.m. start.

A look at the Monday Xfinity schedule:

Details for Monday’s Xfinity race at Charlotte Motor Speedway

(All times Eastern)

START: The command to start engines will be given at 11:01 a.m. by representatives of race sponsor Alsco Uniforms … The green flag is scheduled to be waved at 11:12 a.m.

PRERACE: Xfinity garage opened at 8 a.m.

DISTANCE: The race is 200 laps (300 miles) on the 1.5-mile track.

STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 45. Stage 2 ends at Lap 90.

STARTING LINEUP: Charlotte Xfinity starting lineup (Justin Haley will replace Kyle Busch in the No. 10 Kaulig Racing car).

TV/RADIO: FS1 will broadcast the race at 11 a.m. … Performance Racing Network coverage begins at 11 a.m. and can be heard on goprn.com. … SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the PRN broadcast.

STREAMING: Foxsports.com

FORECAST: Weather Underground — The forecast calls for overcast skies with a high of 71. There is a 15% chance of rain at the start of the race.

LAST TIME: Josh Berry won last May’s Xfinity race. Ty Gibbs was second and Sam Mayer third.

Justin Haley replaces Kyle Busch in Kaulig car for Xfinity race

By Mike HembreeMay 29, 2023, 7:54 AM EDT

Justin Haley will drive Kaulig Racing’s No. 10 car in Monday morning’s scheduled NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Haley replaces Cup Series regular Kyle Busch, who was scheduled to drive for Kaulig in the 300-miler. The race was postponed from Saturday to Monday because of weather, giving NASCAR a 900-mile doubleheader at the track.

Busch decided to concentrate on the Coca-Cola 600 Cup race, scheduled for a 3 p.m. start.

Haley also will race in the 600.

Ty Gibbs is scheduled to run in both races.

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.

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“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.”

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