NASCAR changes superspeedway qualifying format

NASCAR announced early Monday morning that changes are coming to knockout qualifying at the superspeedways of Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International Speedway for both the Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series.

Starting with the May race at Talladega, the qualifying format will consist of two rounds, with the top-12 posted lap times advancing to the final round.

In an effort to stop the gamesmanship that had been taking place during qualifying at the superspeedways, the cars will now be released in a "predetermined timed interval determined by NASCAR" and will take one timed lap in each round of qualifying.

The qualifying order for the first round will be determined by a random draw, while the order for the second round will be set by the slowest speed to the fastest speed from Round 1.

There will be a 10-minute break between the sessions. NASCAR will impound the cars after each qualifying lap, and only those advancing to the final round will be allowed to adjust tape and use a cool-down unit during the break between sessions.

While the Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series will use this new format starting at Talladega Superspeedway May 1-3, the Camping World Truck Series will use this format for the first time at Talladega in October.

The qualifying format for the 2016 Daytona 500 will be announced at a later date.(FOX Sports)

NSCS Recap: Denny Hamlin holds of Brad Keselowski for Martinsville Sprint Cup win

MARTINSVILLE, Va.—With Brad Keselowski beating a tattoo into his rear bumper, and with his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota sliding sideways as it approached the checkered flag, Denny Hamlin held on to his car and held off Keselowski to win Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

In winning his first race of the season, his fifth at the .526-mile short track and the 25th of his career, Hamlin took the lead for good on Lap 473 of 500, passing teammate Matt Kenseth for the top spot. Two laps later, Keselowski surged past Kenseth and tracked down Hamlin, setting up a breathtaking battle in the closing laps.

Keselowski could have won his second straight Sprint Cup race by wrecking Hamlin, but the 2012 premier series champion opted not to win the race with his bumper.

"Hats off to Brad--he had an option, and he took the latter (not to wreck the No. 11)," said Hamlin, who broke a 31-race Toyota winless streak dating back to his victory at Talladega last May. "So thank him for that…

"We had some good short-track racing those last few laps."

Keselowski tried everything in the closing laps short of knocking Hamlin’s car into the fence.

"I did everything I could, other than wreck him," said Keselowski, last week’s winner at Auto Club Speedway in California. "I hit him pretty good a couple of times. I don’t know what else I could have done other than drive through him."

Keselowski took his last shot off the final corner, bumping Hamlin’s car and turning it sideways. But Hamlin righted the car and drove to the finish line .186 seconds ahead of the race runner-up.

Hamlin, who recovered from a penalty for a runaway tire on Lap 166 and a resulting trip to the rear of the field, said the victory followed the longest competition meeting he’s experienced at Joe Gibbs Racing, one in which team owner Joe Gibbs pointedly addressed his teams.

"Joe doesn’t raise his voice very often, but he did this time," Hamlin said. "He told us to get off our tails and get to work."

Obviously, the effort paid off on Sunday.(NASCAR Media)

Demolition of Sprint Cup Tower at Daytona begins

The iconic Sprint Cup Tower that has hovered above Daytona International Speedway for almost three decades has begun its white-flag lap. A 490-foot crane - nicknamed "Big Red" - started picking off pieces of the signature structure Wednesday as the Speedway's Daytona Rising project continued to pick up the pace after a brief layoff. For 27 years, the tower housed corporate gatherings, the media and NASCAR officials on race weekends. It provided a bird's-eye view for some of the track's greatest moments, including Dale Earnhardt's lone Daytona 500 victory in 1998. The crane's first pull was a utility shed on top of the roof. It later came back and grabbed a large support beam. The crane will lift at least 2.24 million pounds of steel - the equivalent of 684 Toyota Camry race cars - and make at least 130 pulls as part of a 30-day demolition project, superintendent Ken Stiles said. Once complete, the tower - built in 1988 as the Winston Tower - and the middle section of the frontstretch grandstands will be completely removed.(Daytona Beach News-Journal)

STP 500 at Martinsville Weekend Schedule

Friday, March 27
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, NCWTS Kroger 250 Practice #1, FS1
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM, NSCS STP 500 Practice, FS1
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM, NCWTS Kroger 250 Practice #2, FS1
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub - Weekend Edition, FS1
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM, NCWTS Kroger 250 Final Practice, FS1
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM, NSCS STP 500 Qualifying, FS1

Saturday, March 28
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM, NSCS STP 500 Practice #2, FS1
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM, NCWTS Kroger 250 Qualifying, FS1
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub - Weekend Edition, FS1
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM, NSCS STP 500 Final Practice, FS2
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM, NCWTS Kroger 250 SetUp, FS1
2:30 PM - 5:00 PM, NCWTS Kroger 250 Race, FS1

Sunday, March 29
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM, NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM, NSCS STP 500 Race, FS1

Indianapolis Motor Speedway adding SAFER barriers

Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials plan to install 1,560 additional feet of SAFER barriers at the 2.5-mile facility before on-track activities commence in May for the Indianapolis 500. IMS, which was the first to install the Steel and Foam Energy Reduction system in 2002, will add protection, track president Doug Boles said, around sections of a curved wall that serves as an emergency vehicle entrance point on the backstretch and in the short chute, to the drivers' left, between Turns 3 and 4. The upgrades, Boles said, had been planned before but expedited in the wake of Kyle Busch sustaining a compound fracture of the right leg and breaking left foot while slamming into an uncushioned concrete wall at Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series season opener in February. Construction is underway on the additions at IMS, Boles said. The facility currently utilizes around 9,000 feet of SAFER barriers, he said.(USA Today)

NSCS Recap: Four-tire call propels Brad Keselowski to surprise victory at Fontana

FONTANA, Calif.—After Sunday’s Auto Club 400, there may be a warrant issued for Brad Keselowski.

After all, the driver of the No. 2 Team Penske Ford committed his own version of "Grand Theft Auto" at Auto Club Speedway—he stole an entire race.

Benefitting from a four-tire call on the last lap of regulation and two opportune cautions that extended the event nine laps beyond its scheduled distance, Keselowski passed polesitter Kurt Busch on the final lap (209) and pulled away to win his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season.

Trying to make one last desperation run at Keselowski, Busch scraped the wall in the final corner at the two-mile track, allowing Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick to pass him for the runner-up spot.

Keselowski arrived at the finish line .711 seconds ahead of Harvick, simultaneously taking the checkered flag and leading his first lap of the day. The 2012 champion, who led the series with six victories last year, recorded his first victory at Fontana—and his first finish higher than 18th—and the 17th of his career.

"At the end, we caught some breaks, made the most of the breaks we caught," Keselowski said. "That was kind of the story of our race. It looked like we were probably going to finish sixth or seventh. That yellow came out (on Lap 185 for debris). We came in and pitted and drove up a little bit, then caught another yellow. Now what do we do?

"So (crew chief) Paul (Wolfe) made the call to come down pit road and put four tires on. When he said that, I said, ‘This can either go really good or really bad.’ Didn't know which one it was going to be. Some guys stayed out, some guys took two tires, all different types of strategies on the restart.

"We were able to find our way through the lanes and get to the front there, somehow end up in Victory Lane leading the last lap. Kind of a race car driver's dream. This is one we're going to sit back and go 'Wow!' for a while."

Keselowski can call it a break, but it was theft, pure and simple. Aside from a stretch before the halfway point where Denny Hamlin got out front in clean air and led 56 laps, the cars of Busch and Harvick dominated the race, leading 65 and 43 laps, respectively.

But Keselowski’s Wolfe made what turned out to be the winning call on Lap 200, after NASCAR called the sixth caution of the race because of debris in Turn 4. Opting for four new tires, where the vast majority of the field took right sides only for track position, Keselowski restarted 18th on the first attempt at a green-white-checkered-flag finish on Lap 203.

The No. 2 Fusion quickly moved forward. When Kyle Larson lost his bumper cover during a melee on the restart, NASCAR threw caution No. 7, and by then, Keselowski was already up to seventh place.

Using the new tires to full advantage, Keselowski shot into second place like a lightning bolt after a green-white-checkered restart on Lap 208. As Greg Biffle crashed on the frontstretch on the white-flag lap, Keselowski rocketed past Busch off Turn 2 and pulled away for the win.

Busch came home third, followed by Richard Childress Racing teammates Paul Menard and Ryan Newman. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon completed the top 10.( Ried Spencer, NASCAR WireService)

Moffitt replacing Vickers in the #55 at Auto Club Speedway

Brett Moffitt will drive Michael Waltrip Racing's #55 Toyota in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. The team's regular driver Brian Vickers informed MWR he has experienced a reoccurrence of blood clots, which will require the 31-year-old driver to begin taking blood-thinning medication and he is not able to race while on the medicine. "First and foremost our thoughts are with Brian and his family," said MWR founder and co-owner Michael Waltrip. "He isn't just our race car driver, he is our friend and we know the NASCAR community will continue to rally around Brian. We are fortunate to have Brett Moffitt in our system and marveled at his great drive in Atlanta three weeks ago, so we know he can get the job done in the #55 this weekend. As this news is very fresh and the situation is very fluid, we can only plan for this weekend at this point." Vickers missed the season's first two races recovering from December heart surgery. He finished 15th at Las Vegas and 41st at Phoenix. "Thankfully, because I recognized the signs and symptoms, the doctors caught this early and I'm going to be ok. I had finished my treatment for the clot I had in my leg back in 2013 and I haven't needed to be on a blood thinner for a clot in my leg or lung since," said Vickers. "Now I won't be able to race because I'll need to be back on a blood thinner. I'm going to follow doctor's orders and do everything I need to do to get well." "Believe it or not, it's Blood Clot Awareness Month and I was supposed to be at the track this weekend doing some work with my partners at Janssen focused on getting the word out. I'm disappointed I can't be there but if there is a silver lining in all of this, hopefully what's happened to me will help to raise awareness on this important health issue," said Vickers.(MWR)

Sprint Fan Vote returns for All-Star race

A favorite isn't always the winner - as the Sprint Fan Vote's history suggests. In the last 10 seasons, fans have voted 10 different drivers into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, including names like Danica Patrick, Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr. You never know who will win. That's what makes voting so important. Polls are open for the 2015 Sprint Fan Vote - and unpredictability will take center stage until the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday, May 16. Fans can vote their favorite Sprint Fan Vote-eligible driver into the All-Star Race by casting ballots daily. Voting closes at 7:00pm/et on Friday, May 15, one day before the green flag. For the first time in program history, votes shared via Facebook and/or Twitter will count as double towards a driver's total. Fans can vote daily with a maximum of one vote per day per unique email address by downloading the NASCAR MOBILE application or visiting NASCAR.com/SprintFanVote. Eligible voters can also enter into the Sprint Fan Vote sweepstakes, in which one lucky Sprint Fan Vote participant will win a trip for two to any 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race. The winner of the Sprint Fan Vote will be announced in Victory Lane following the conclusion of the Sprint Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, May 15. To date, 32 drivers are eligible for the 2015 Sprint Fan Vote. Eligibility for participation is restricted to those drivers who have been approved by NASCAR for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition and have met all other eligibility requirements. Amongst those eligibility requirements, drivers must have attempted to qualify for the 2015 Daytona 500 and race in the Sprint Showdown. Any eligible Sprint Fan Vote candidate who wins a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race during the 2015 season will automatically earn a spot in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the driver's name will be removed from the Sprint Fan Vote ballot with their existing votes voided.(NASCAR)

McKnight to perform National Anthem prior to Auto Club XFINITY race

Award-winning R&B artist, Brian McKnight, will sing the National Anthem prior to the start of the NASCAR Xfinity Drive4Clots.com 300race at Auto Club Speedway, on Saturday, March 21. The race is scheduled to be televised on Fox Sports 1 at 1 p.m. PT.

As an Honorary Race Official, McKnight will be on the main stage for pre-race ceremony activities including Xfinity driver introductions and special NASCAR awards.

McKnight has been honored with multiple awards including Billboard Songwriter of the Year, American Music Awards, Soul Train Awards, and 16 Grammy nominations.

To date, McKnight has released 15 albums and has sold over 20 million albums which include top hits “Back at One,” “Anytime,” and “Only One For Me.”

The male vocalist also plays nine instruments including piano, guitar, bass, drums, percussions, trombone, tuba, flugelhorn and trumpet. He has collaborated with performers across every genre including: Quincy Jones, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, Diddy, Christina Aguilera, Rascal Flatts, Nelly, Vanessa Williams, Willie Nelson and Kenny G.

Jamie Dick Diagnosed with Diabetes

Jamie Dick, an owner-driver in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, has been diagnosed with new onset diabetes.

Immediately after finishing 28th in Saturday’s Axalta 200 at Phoenix International Raceway, Dick was taken to the trackside care center after complaining of dizziness and fatigue. He was admitted to West Valley Hospital for further tests, which led to the diagnosis.

Dick was released Sunday, and has returned to the Charlotte (N.C.) area where evaluation and treatment will continue.

"I would like to thank everyone for their support during this difficult time," Dick said. "It was quite a surprise to hear the diagnosis, but the response from the NASCAR and PIR medical staffs was outstanding. The support from the racing community, my Viva Motorsports team and the fans has been overwhelming. Now, I need to learn about this disease and do whatever it takes to get back behind the wheel as soon as possible."

Jeffrey Earnhardt will drive the No. 55 Chevrolet in this weekend’s race at Auto Club Speedway(MRN)

Kurt Busch – Suspension to Redemption

On Friday November 7, 2014 Kurt Busch was accused by ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll of domestic violence for an incident that took place on September 26, 2014 in Busch’s motor-home at Dover International Speedway. After a very long and drawn out court preceding the Dover Delaware judge gave Kurt Busch a no contact order on February 16, 2015. Four days later Busch was placed on indefinite suspension by NASCAR and had his NASCAR License and hard card temporarily revoked. On March 5th the Delaware Attorney General’s office announced that there was not enough evidence to press charges against Busch. Following this announcement a lot of discussion took place as to when NASCAR would reinstate Busch and how this would affect his career. Six days later NASCAR announced his suspension was lifted and he would be eligible to compete at the CampingWorld.com 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. NASCAR also grated Busch a waiver giving him eligibility for the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, as long as he wins a race before the cutoff race at Richmond in the fall. Shortly after the NASCAR announcement we heard from Stewart-HAAS Racing as well as Chevrolet, who both welcomed Busch back to competition. Busch competed in the March 15th race at Phoenix finishing 5th. He qualified 8th and was near the top of the charts for each of the three practice sessions that weekend. This put a major story-line to rest as Busch instantly was back to competitive form and was performing better than teammates Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick. Busch was strong late in the season last year and I look to see him continue the strong run he had this past week at Phoenix. Looking forward I would be extremely surprised if he did not get a victory or two this season, which will grant him a spot in the Chase. This past weekend while walking through the garage Busch received a warm welcome from his team, fellow drivers, NASCAR officials and members of other crews. It was much quicker than most people expected but the past month has been Kurt Busch’s journey from suspension to redemption. (Tim Woodward, Around The Track)

Auto Club 400 Weekend Schedule

Friday, March 20
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM, NSCS Auto Club 400 Practice, FS1
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM, NXS Drive4Clots.com 300 Practice, FS1
5:30 PM - 6:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub - Weekend Edition, FS1
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM, NXS Drive4Clots.com 300 Final Practice, FS1
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM, NSCS Auto Club 400 Qualifying, FS1

Saturday, March 21
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM, NSCS Auto Club 400 Practice, FS2
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM, NXS Drive4Clots.com 300 qualifying, FS1
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM, NASCAR Race Hub - Weekend Edition, FS1
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM, NSCS Auto Club 400 Final Practice, FS1
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM, NASCAR RaceDay, NXS Drive4Clots.com 300, FS1
4:00 PM - 6:30 PM, NXS Drive4Clots.com 300 Race, FS1
6:30 PM - 7:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub - Weekend Edition, FS1

Sunday, March 22
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM, NASCAR Auto Club 400 RaceDay, FS1
3:00 PM - 7:00 PM, NSCS Auto Club 400 Race, FOX
10:00 PM - 10:30 PM, NASCAR Victory Lane, FS1

Ambrose to temporarily step out of V8 Supercars

DJR Team Penske announced that Marcos Ambrose has requested to be temporarily relieved as driver of the #17 DJR Team Penske Ford, beginning with the Tasmania race. Experienced driver Scott Pye will take over the driving duties for the #17 Ford Falcon FG X. "I appreciate the effort that Marcos and DJR Team Penske have provided over the first two events of the season", said Roger Penske. "Following the Australian Grand Prix, Marcos came to the team, requesting to be replaced from his upcoming driving responsibilities, while he continues the transition back into V8 Supercars competition. Entering the season, Marcos understood that the competition in this series is at a very high level and now realizes that more time is required for this transition. This was a difficult decision for Marcos but I appreciate him thinking about the greater good of the team. Marcos will continue to support the team and our partners including competing in the Endurance Series Races."
"I want to thank DJR Team Penske for the opportunity and support through the process of transitioning back into V8 Supercars. I would like to make it clear that I am fully committed to this team, " said Ambrose, who won 28 races over five seasons and captured back-to-back V8 Supercars titles in 2003 and 2004. "Although this is a decision which has been hard to make, it has become clear to me over the first two events of the season that I need more experience in these cars to do what is required of the lead driver and to be competitive for the team and our partners. Scott is a great driver, has already worked with the team and has more experience in these cars, which will give the team the best chance to be successful right now. This decision to step aside from the lead driver role at DJR Team Penske is completely my decision. Although this decision may disappoint fans of whom I apologize to, I will continue be a great teammate and will be at the track to support the team in Tasmania. I look forward to getting back on the track later this season and will be ready to do my best for DJR Team Penske."(DJR Team Penske)

Kurt Busch talks domestic violence with Fox

Kurt Busch, returing to the seat of the #41 Chevy Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway for the first time since his indefinite suspension by NASCAR, sat down with FOX NASCAR Sunday host Chris Myers Sunday to share his thoughts on his suspension, whether he has anger-management issues and other topics. Below is a transcript of the interview that aired on FOX:

Myers: There are still people out there who might say, 'Well, he must have done something.'
Busch: "Well, my reply to that would be yes, domestic violence is a serious issue. The next step is the worst problem with that is when you're falsely accused of it. It hurts the real victims. That's what I have to say to that."
Myers: There's a real difference between a personal disagreement versus domestic violence, in your eyes?
Busch: "In somebody who has had moments of anger issues, that is one thing when you're frustrated about a bad finish. But going to a step to actually hurt a woman or to hurt somebody, that's not in my realm. That's way beyond my reach."
Myers: Do you feel you have anger-management issues?
Busch: "I feel like I haven't handled a lot of the situations in my past to the best of my ability. As I move forward and as I put things in place, yes, I want to do a better job of coming through this with class and dignity."
Myers: (after reading a statement released by Busch's ex-girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, following NASCAR's reinstatement of Busch). Your reaction?
Busch: "There's a road to recovery. I'm following those steps. I've worked with NASCAR through this whole process. I was led to believe the criminal side would have been where there was a decision made, which is the most important side. Beyond what the commissioner had to say, the next step is, yes, all these allegations are false."
Myers: Were there some mistakes, if any, you made along the way in this?
Busch: One of them is not changing the code to my motorhome door, I mean. And frankly, choosing the wrong woman to date. This is a situation that everybody around me and my family has learned from, has been a part of and it's been not just a tough five months but a tough three-and-a-half years."
Myers: Were you worried about your image, your reputation?
Busch: "It's already taken so many hits and done so many things over the years, that the biggest thing I want moving forward is I want this to be me in that car and not anything else. Look at the present. Look at the future. My signature is above the door. That's who I am as a racer."
Myers: You have a fast car here at Phoenix. It's a place you have had success before. Will you be able to focus as much as you always have once you get behind the wheel and race for the win?
Busch: "I'll tell you, I was a little nervous getting in the car Friday and after my first few laps, we were on top of the board and I was like, 'What do you mean we're on top of the board? I had no idea I'd be able to get back in the car and go that fast. I have to do my job now to focus and to be that professional athlete."(FOX Sports)

NSCS Recap: Kevin Harvick rides dominant No. 4 Chevrolet to fourth straight Phoenix win

AVONDALE, Ariz.—Yes, the best car won Sunday’s CampingWorld.com 500 at Phoenix International Raceway — but one-man juggernaut Kevin Harvick had to hold off charging Jamie McMurray on the final restart with 12 laps left to notch his fourth straight victory at the one-mile track.

The box score will show that the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champ led 224 of 312 laps, but McMurray took his best shot on the Lap 301 restart, driving hard to the inside of the race winner and, for the briefest of moments, clearing Harvick’s No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet off Turn 2.

But the driver who has become an all-but-irresistible force in NASCAR’s premier series fought back to the outside, cleared McMurray’s No. 1 Chevrolet and cruised to the finish line 1.153 seconds ahead of the race runner-up.

The victory was Harvick’s second straight this season, his fourth straight at Phoenix and the 30th of his career. Harvick has won five of the last six races at the one-mile track in the Sonoran Desert — seven overall — and his string of seven straight top-two finishes in the Sprint Cup series, dating to last season, is the longest since Richard Petty rattled off 11 consecutive top-results in 1975.

"When you said the Richard Petty part, that just gives me chills," Harvick said after the race.

The last driver to win four straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at the same track was Jimmie Johnson at Charlotte in 2004-05.

With restarts as crucial as they were on Sunday, Harvick was glad he had raced in the XFINITY Series event on Saturday afternoon.

"The restarts were just really slippery, and I learned that in the race yesterday," said Harvick, who finished third in Saturday’s race. "You had to really maintain your entrance speed and really slide the thing through the center of the corner to try to help keep it pointed up off (the corner)."

Harvick did that to perfection on the last four restarts, holding off Stewart-Haas teammate and fifth-place finisher Kurt Busch when action resumed on Laps 234 and 242 and outdueling McMurray (after Busch pitted for tires under the ninth of 10 cautions) on Laps 296 and 301.

Ryan Newman ran third, followed by Kasey Kahne and Busch. Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Larson completed the top 10. Truex posted his fourth consecutive top-10 finish, the first time a Furniture Row Racing driver has accomplished that feat.(Ried Spencer, NASCAR Media)

Teams can be penalized for failing qualifying inspection

NASCAR Sprint Cup teams will now be subject to 15-minute fines should their cars fail to make it through qualifying inspection after two attempts, according to the sanctioning body. Officials distributed a memo to teams informing them of the move, which will be in effect starting with this weekend's Campingworld.com 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Should a team require more than two trips through inspection, the 15-minute penalty would come during the next scheduled practice. It would not be imposed as part of a qualifying session. The pre-qualifying inspection process has been a source of concern this year as teams adapted to the 2015 rules package. Teams have 50 minutes to present their cars for pre-qualifying inspection following the conclusion of practice. If a team's car does not pass on an attempt, the team must wait until all cars have made at least one pass through the station before they may go through again.(NASCAR)

Kurt Busch’s ex-girlfriend ‘deeply concerned’ about message NASCAR is sending

Patricia Driscoll, the ex-girlfriend of Kurt Busch who accused Busch of slamming her head against a wall in his motorhome in September, issued a statement Wednesday following NASCAR’s announcement that it has reinstated Busch.

“Even though Kurt remains on indefinite probation under this decision, I’m deeply concerned about the message NASCAR is sending by letting him compete for the championship after he was found by a judge to have committed an act of domestic violence,” Driscoll said in a statement. “But I am gratified, at least, that NASCAR’s decision comes with the mandatory condition that he follow through on the treatment he so clearly needs.

“My work with the Armed Forces Foundation on veteran treatment courts has made me a strong believer in the rehabilitation process. But it has also taught me that rehabilitation takes time and can only come after you’ve taken full responsibility for your actions.

“Though this continues to be a difficult time for me, I remain committed to standing up for my integrity and seeking full justice.”(NBC Sports)

NASCAR Lifts Kurt Busch Suspension, Outlines On-Going Requirements

NASCAR announced today that, effectively immediately, the indefinite suspension of Kurt Busch has been lifted. He is eligible to return to NASCAR racing under indefinite probation subject to additional mandatory requirements that include but are not limited to participation in a treatment program and full compliance with any judicial requirements placed upon him.

On Feb. 20, Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 car, was found to be in violation of:
· Section 12.1.a: Actions detrimental to stock car racing
· Section 12.8: Behavioral Penalty

The decision to lift the suspension was made by NASCAR after Kurt Busch:
· Complied with all requirements in its reinstatement program;
· Completed the mandatory behavioral assessment sessions; and
· The behavioral health care expert who conducted the sessions recommended to NASCAR that Kurt Busch be allowed to return to competition.

Kurt Busch now will undergo additional steps to address the behavior for which he was penalized.

The requirement that a driver must compete in all Championship Events of the current season to be eligible for The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup has been waived for the period of Kurt Busch’s suspension. Assuming he returns to NASCAR Sprint Cup competition, Kurt Busch would have zero Championship points to date after missing the Daytona 500 and the two most recent NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"As we stated last week, the elimination of the possibility of criminal charges removed a significant impediment to Kurt Busch’s return to full status as a NASCAR member," said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer. "We therefore have decided to move him to indefinite probation and waive the Chase requirement. He has fully complied with our reinstatement program during his suspension and the health care expert who conducted his evaluation recommended his immediate return.

"We have made it very clear to Kurt Busch our expectations for him moving forward, which includes participation in a treatment program and full compliance with all judicial requirements as a result of his off-track behavior."(NASCAR Media)

CampingWorld.com 500 Race Weekend Schedule

Friday, March 13
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM, NSCS CampingWorld.com 500 Practice, FS1
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM, NXS Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 Practice, FS1
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM, NXS Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 Final Practice, FS2
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM, NSCS CampingWorld.com 500 Qualifying, FS2

Saturday, March 14
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM, NSCS CampingWorld.com 500 Practice 2, FS1
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM, NXS Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 Qualifying, FS1
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM, NASCAR Race Hub Weekend Edition, FS1
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM, NSCS CampingWorld.com 500 Final Practice, FS1
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM, NASCAR NXS RaceDay, FOX
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM, NXS Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 Race, FOX

Sunday, March 15
12:00 PM - 1:30PM, NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
3:00 PM - 7:00 PM, NSCS CampingWorld.com 500 Race, FOX
11:00 PM - 11:30PM, NASCAR Victory Lane, FS1

PIR considering SAFER upgrade to safety tire wall

NASCAR drivers apparently won't know until after Sunday's CampingWorld.com 500 if the tires stacked inside Phoenix International Raceway's Turn 4, near pit entrance, will be replaced with a permanent SAFER barrier to soften impact against the concrete wall. Safety - specifically, increased use of so-called "soft" wall technology - has been a major issue since Kyle Busch suffered leg and foot fractures last month at Daytona International Speedway. He's sidelined indefinitely. Jeff Gordon avoided injury after a hard hit two weeks ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Both struck walls not protected with SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barriers, first used at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2002, which reduces G-force impact kinetic energy by over 50%. A NASCAR official last week recommended the 160-foot long tire wall - four high and two deep - after a track inspection. "The way we're going to approach this is work closely with NASCAR and ISC (International Speedway Corp., PIR's parent) on a thorough and updated review," said PIR President Bryan Sperber. "We'll be thoughtful about it. It will be a constant evolution." SAFER costs about $500 a foot. Race cars have sometimes bounced off tire walls and back into oncoming traffic. "If that was a concern, it wasn't mentioned to me," Sperber said.(Arizona Republic)

Kevin Harvick dominates NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, Nev.—Kevin Harvick must have been tired of finishing second, because on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion did something about it.

Once Harvick got to the front of the field from his 18th-place starting spot in the Kobalt 400, he was untouchable.

Even with a disquieting vibration on the final green-flag run—and a left-rear tire that shredded during his celebratory burnout—Harvick had enough of a working margin to hold off runner-up Martin Truex Jr. by 1.640 seconds.

Harvick, who ran second in the season-opening Daytona 500 and in last week’s 500-miler at Atlanta, led a race-high 142 laps in winning for the first time in Las Vegas and for the 29th time in his career. In his last six races, dating to last year’s championship season, Harvick has three victories and three second-place finishes.

Ryan Newman came home third, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin and AJ Allmendinger. Brad Keselowski, last year’s Las Vegas race winner, rallied from a pass-through penalty for a runaway tire on pit road to finish seventh. Kyle Larson, Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano completed the top 10.

Harvick will try to extend his string of top-two finishes next weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, where the driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet has won four of the last five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.

"It’s so cool to win here in Las Vegas, and to start this West Coast swing off this way is pretty awesome," Harvick said in Victory Lane. "Just to be in front of all these fans I’ve raced in front of since about the mid-‘90s… it’s pretty special to win here."

The only issue in doubt for the last half of the race was whether Harvick’s car would hold together in the closing laps.

"That wasn’t a comfortable last run there," Harvick radioed to his crew after he crossed the finish line.

A few minutes later, after climbing from his car, he elaborated.

"It wasn’t right,’" Harvick said. "Luckily we were able to hang-on to it and had a good enough lead to where we could pace ourselves and be able to keep the lead, I guess.

"It got to be a handful there at the end. For whatever reason we got really, really loose the last run. Tires started vibrating and we were just kind of hanging on. Glad the race is over at that particular point for our own good."

The victory vaulted Harvick into the lead in the series standings by nine points over Earnhardt, who has finished third, third and fourth in the first three races of the season.(Ried Spencer, NASCAR WireService)

SHR and Chevy comment on the Kurt Busch situation

SHR co-owner Gene Haas, whose machinery company (Haas Automation) has logos plastered across Busch's firesuit and car, has been a staunch supporter of Busch but has not commented since the suspension. "We appreciate the thoroughness of the Dover Police Department's investigation into the allegations made against Kurt Busch and respect the time the attorney general put into his decision," SHR executive vice president Joe Custer said in a statement. "They are the experts in these matters and the decision not to pursue charges is an important one. We're currently working with NASCAR to understand how this impacts Kurt's reinstatement process."
Chevrolet Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports Jim Campbell said the company has not reinstated its personal services agreement with Busch. "Our relationship with Kurt Busch remains unchanged," Campbell said in a statement. "He remains suspended, and we will continue to monitor all aspects of this situation."
Regan Smith has filled in for the first two races of the season and will drive the #41 Haas Automation Chevy this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.(NBC Sports)

Tracks report big profits, even with attendance down

Ticket sales are down but profits are up for the racetracks that have NASCAR events. The tracks cleared more than $100 million in 2014. It sounds as if, even though they are spending money tearing down seats at many places and putting up seats at a couple of others, they have money they can spend on other projects.

There are two main track operators with NASCAR national races: International Speedway Corp., which has a majority of its stock owned by the NASCAR-owning France family, has 21 Cup events (including the Sprint Unlimited and Daytona 500 qualifying races); and Speedway Motorsports Inc., which has a majority of its stock owned by Bruton Smith, has 13 Cup events (including the All-Star Race). Dover Motorsports Inc., also a publicly traded company, has two. Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway are owned privately and aren't required to release their earnings.
ISC and Dover released their 2014 results in late January, and SMI released its results Wednesday. The three companies combined for $101.64 million in profits in 2014. Although the companies do have other events besides NASCAR (some NHRA races, some IndyCar races), NASCAR makes up 86% of ISC's revenues and, as of 2013, about 82% of SMI revenues.

Ever wonder why television gets to dictate so much? The tracks report that ticket sales were down 2.5% over the past year as they took in over $239 million in ticket sales. Meanwhile, they took in approximately $388 million in television revenues in 2014. That's right. They make much more money from the television contracts than they do from tickets sold. It wasn't that way 10 years ago, when the tracks took in approximately $450 million in ticket sales. Overall revenues were up 0.8% thanks to television revenue being up about 3.6-4.2% depending on the company.(ESPN)

Kurt Busch Will Not Be Charged By Delaware AG

The Delaware Attorney General's office said Thursday that it will not bring criminal charges against NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, citing insufficient evidence.

The statement from the attorney general read, in part, that the evidence gathered from the investigation into the alleged incident of domestic violence against former girlfriend Patricia Driscoll last September at Dover International Speedway "would likely be insufficient to meet the burden of establishing beyond a reasonable doubt that Busch committed a crime."

The Dover Police Department completed its investigation of the alleged altercation on Jan. 6, handing the case over to the county's attorney general's office. The case was separate from Driscoll's request for a no-contact order, which was granted Feb. 16 by a Delaware family court.

NASCAR suspended Busch on Feb. 20 after a Delaware family court commissioner released its findings, saying that a "preponderance of the evidence" indicated that Busch "committed an act of domestic violence." The commissioner's ruling also stated that Busch's "version of the events is implausible, does not make sense and is unlikely to be true given the totality of the other evidence admitted at trial."

Busch has missed the first two events in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, with interim driver Regan Smith filling in for the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 Chevrolet team. Busch applied for reinstatement of his competition license last Friday, agreeing to the terms and conditions set forth by NASCAR.(NASCAR)

Kobalt Tools 400 Race Weekend Schedule

Friday, March 6
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM, NSCS Kobalt Tools 400 Practice 1, FS1
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM, NXS Boyd Gaming 300 Practice 1, FS1
5:30 PM - 6:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub - Weekend Edition, FS1
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM, NXS Boyd Gaming 300 Final Practice, FS1
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM, NSCS Kobalt Tools 400 Qualifying, FS1

Saturday, March 7
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM, NSCS Kobalt Tools 400 Practice 2, FS2
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM, NXS Boyd Gaming 300 Qualifying, FS2
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM, NSCS Kobalt Tools 400 Final Practice, FS1
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM, NASCAR RaceDay, NXS Boyd Gaming 300, FS1
4:00 PM -6:30 PM, NXS Boyd Gaming 300 Race, FS1

Sunday, March 8
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM, NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
2:00 PM - 6:00 PM, NSCS Kobalt Tools 400 Race, FOX
11:30 PM - 12:00 AM, NASCAR Victory Lane, FS1

Brian Vickers returns to the seat of the 55

Excuse Brian Vickers if taking the green flag to start Sunday's Las Vegas race seems as rewarding as a trip to victory lane. Vickers missed the 2015 season's first two races as he recovered from Dec. 13 heart surgery. Three months later, he'll strap himself into the #55 Aaron's Dream Machine and prepare for battle at 200 mph. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver has no doubts about his health. "The doctors say I will be as strong if not better than before," said the 31-year-old Thomasville, N.C. native. "The surgery was a lot higher risk, but they feel really good about how everything has progressed. My sternum is stronger than before. It's wired together making loops like a coat hanger." Vickers latest health battle began on Dec. 11 after he arrived in Charlotte and prepared to drive to Mooresville, N.C. to an Aaron's photo shoot. He knew something was wrong. "At the hospital they discovered my body was rejecting an artificial patch that was inserted in 2010 to fix a hole in my heart. The procedure was painful but it went great and they feel better about my heart than before." He wouldn't be human if he didn't have his doubts in December. "Your first question is 'Am I going to live,'" he recalled. "Once I knew that then I had to decide about racing. Maybe, if I had already won a championship and done everything I wanted to do in racing I would have given serious thought to walking away, but I really want to win races and a championship. There's more to do and I didn't want to someday look back and regret not coming back. And, I'm not going to lie, I enjoy going 200 mph. Overcoming problems like this is just what you have to do in life. There's a lot of people battling things tougher than what I have battled." Inserting the original heart patch in 2010 and blood clots in 2013 forced Vickers to miss races. Add in the December surgery and few people have a better appreciation of life than Vickers. "You just have this notion that tomorrow is going to be there and when you go through something that jeopardizes all that, you understand how important living for today is."(MWR)

Jimmie Johnson starts from the back and dominates late in Atlanta win

HAMPTON, Ga.—Coors Light Polesitter Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick dominated the early and middle stages of Sunday's Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway—before Jimmie Johnson decided to crash the party.

Johnson didn't take the lead in the second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season until Lap 198 of 325, but from then on, his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was the class of the field, leading six times for 92 laps in winning for the fourth time at Atlanta and for the 71st time in his career.

For the second straight event in NASCAR’s premier series, Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second and third, respectively. Logano ran fourth, followed by Matt Kenseth, who capitalized on a late track-position play by staying out on old tires.

Johnson surged into the lead after a restart on Lap 305, starting fourth and charging past three drivers—Kenseth, Clint Bowyer and Brett Moffitt—who had stayed out under caution for Cole Whitt’s blown engine.

After Johnson took the top spot, a massive nine-car wreck in Turn 3 on the restart lap slowed the field for the 10th time. NASCAR red-flagged the race for 9 minutes, 1 second, after which Johnson led the field to a restart on Lap 312, with Kenseth beside him in the outside lane.

Johnson parried a bid for the lead from Earnhardt and quickly pulled away, ultimately crossing the finish line 1.802 seconds ahead of Harvick, who passed Earnhardt for the runner-up spot on Lap 319.

Martin Truex Jr., AJ Allmendinger, Moffitt, Brad Keselowski and Ryan Newman completed the top 10. Moffitt was driving the No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota in lieu of Brian Vickers, who is recovering from offseason heart surgery. Vickers is scheduled to return to action next weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Before he could get to the front of the field, Johnson had obstacles to overcome. Along with 12 other cars, the No. 48 Chevrolet didn’t get through pre-qualifying inspection on Friday in time to post a speed in time trials. Consequently, the six-time premier series champion started 37th on Sunday.

The starting position toward the back of the grid also meant an awkward pit stall selection in front of Carl Edwards and behind Joe Nemechek. Johnson lost positions on pit road until Nemechek fell off the lead lap and the No. 48 Chevrolet got past Edwards’ No. 19 Toyota on the race track.

"We had a great race car, and unfortunately the way qualifying went (Friday), we didn't have a good pit stall pick, and it took us a long time to get in front of the No. 19 (Edwards)," Johnson said. "Once we did that, we were able to utilize our awesome pit crew; get the stops done and race for the win and get the job done today.

"Just very, very thankful. They (the team) surprised me today. We weren't that good (Saturday in practice), and they really dug deep and figured out what I needed in this race car and gave me an awesome Lowe's Chevrolet."

With the victory, Johnson is all but assured of remaining the only driver to have qualified for every Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup since the inception of the playoff format in 2004.(NASCAR Media)