Protection order against Kurt Busch upheld

A Kent County Family Court Judge has upheld a previous decision granting a protection order against NASCAR driver Kurt Busch. In March, Busch's legal team asked for a Family Court Judge to review Commissioner David Jones's February decision to grant the protection order earlier this year. Judge William Walls' decision was issued Thursday morning as NASCAR gears up for race weekend at Dover International Speedway and affirms Jones' decision to grant the protection order. The incident prompting the protection order filed against Busch occurred during the last time NASCAR was in Dover, a September race weekend. Busch was not charged by the Delaware Attorney General's Office.(Delaware News-Journal)

NASCAR penalizes Jimmie Johnson’s team and two others

NASCAR announced penalties to three Sprint Cup teams, including Jimmie Johnson‘s team Wednesday.

Also penalized were the teams of Jamie McMurray and Justin Allgaier.

NASCAR cited Jimmie Johnson’s team with a written warning for the second consecutive race weekend – making it a P1 penalty. Johnson’s team will have among the last two picks for pit stalls this weekend at Dover International Speedway regardless of how they qualify.

NASCAR issued the team a written warning after the May 16 Sprint All-Star Race for modifying a side skirt. NASCAR issued the team a written warning Wednesday for needing too many times to pass pre-qualifying inspection before last weekend’s Coca-Cola 600. NASCAR’s rule book states that if a team receives two warnings during two consecutive events, they may receive one or more P1 penalties at NASCAR’s discretion. Having last choice of pit stalls is among those P1 penalties.

NASCAR sent a memo to teams last month about penalties for needing multiple attempts to get through inspection.

Allgaier’s team received a written warning All-Star weekend and was issued a written warning for pre-race inspection at the Coca-Cola 600. The two warnings equal a P1 penalty, which will be to have among the last two choices – along with Johnson’s team – in pit stall selection for this weekend’s race at Dover.

NASCAR also announced that Matt McCall, crew chief for McMurray’s team has been placed on probation through Dec. 31 after a P2 penalty. NASCAR cited McMurray’s team modifying the right rear quarter panel wheel opening after qualifying inspection.

NASCAR also stated Wednesday that the cars of Coca-Cola 600 winner Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman all passed inspection at the R&D Center.(Dustin Long, NBC Sports)

FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks Weekend Schedule

Friday, May 29
10:00 AM, NXS Practice, FS1
11:00 AM, NSCS Practice, FS1
12:30 PM, NCWTS Qualifying, FS1
2:00 PM, NXS Final Practice, FS1
3:30 PM, NSCS Qualifying, FS1
5:30 PM, NCWTS Race, FS1

Saturday, May 30
10:00 AM, NSCS Practice, FS1
11:00 AM, NXS Qualifying, FS1
1:00 PM, NSCS Final Practice, FS1
2:30 PM, NXS Race, FOX

Sunday, May 31
1:00 PM, NSCS Race, FS1

NSCS Recap: Fuel strategy gives Carl Edwards first win at Charlotte

CONCORD, N.C. – Will the mystery winner of Sunday night’s Coca-Cola 600 enter and sign in please?

Hint: It’s the guy who does back flips every time he takes the checkered flag.

But for the first 370 of 400 laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway, no one would have picked Carl Edwards or his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota as the likely winner of the season’s 12th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin had spent the lion’s share of time at the head of the field, but none of that mattered when Edwards got 62 laps out of his last tank of fuel and took the checkered flag 4.785 seconds ahead of Greg Biffle, who also was on a fuel-saving strategy.

In fact, the top four finishers all stretched their gas mileage after pit stops under caution on Lap 337. Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran third, followed by polesitter Matt Kenseth and Truex, who led a race-high 131 laps.

Ryan Newman, Brad Keselowski, Hamlin (53 laps led), Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch (118 laps led) completed the top 10. Kyle Busch came home 11th in his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points race of the season, after missing the first 11 races of the season because of injuries sustained Feb. 21 at Daytona.

The victory was Edwards first of the season, his first for Joe Gibbs Racing, his first at Charlotte and the 24th of his career.

"It’s so cool to get this win—we’ve had such bad luck," said Edwards, who joined Joe Gibbs Racing as the organization’s fourth Sprint Cup driver after the 2014 season. "And we were the slowest of the (JGR cars) tonight, but we had (crew chief) Darian (Grubb) on the box. He made the right call, he put us in a position to win, and it worked. ...

"This is truly a gift. I took advantage of it to win, and we’ll get better."

In all likelihood, the victory will propel Edwards into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. It was also Toyota’s 300th national series victory in the manufacturer’s 300th Sprint Cup start.(Ried Spencer, NASCAR Media)

Jeff Gordon joins the NASCAR Sprint Cup Broadcast booth in 2016

Jeff Gordon joins FOX NASCAR fulltime in 2016 as race analyst for its 16th year of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series coverage, teaming with three-time champion Darrell Waltrip to offer seven championships' worth of expertise. Gordon, currently competing in his 23rd and final fulltime Sprint Cup Series season, served as race analyst for FOX Sports' coverage of three NASCAR XFINITY Series races this year. He has agreed to a multi-year contract that begins this season with in-race reporting from the #24 Chevy during select Cup Series races, and segues to an analyst role that commences with Daytona Speedweeks in February 2016. "NASCAR has provided me so many incredible memories, experiences and opportunities throughout my 23 years as a driver, and I can't wait to start a new chapter in racing with this new relationship with FOX and to be in the booth with Mike (Joy) and Darrell," said Gordon. "I feel so lucky to be a part of a sport that I'm very passionate about, and now I get the opportunity to share that passion to millions of race fans from a whole new perspective."
Gordon will call all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, practice and qualifying sessions for FOX Sports alongside play-by-play announcer Mike Joy and NASCAR Hall of Famer and analyst Darrell Waltrip. Chris Myers hosts the network's coverage alongside analysts Larry McReynolds and Michael Waltrip.
"Jeff is not only a champion but an icon of a racing generation," said Eric Shanks, FOX Sports President, COO & Executive Producer. "We are thrilled he has chosen to become a part of the FOX Sports family and pair his experience with Darrell. Each is credited with helping elevate NASCAR to the popularity it attained in his respective era, and alongside Mike Joy, this duo will treat fans to unmatched insights each and every week."(FOX Sports)