NASCAR - News and Highlights

NASCAR

Elliott salvages most popular driver award in worst season of his NASCAR career

Chase Elliott overcame the worst season of his career to maintain his hold on the NASCAR most popular driver award for the sixth consecutive year.

NASCAR

Blaney helps Penske celebrate first back-to-back NASCAR championships in storied career

Ryan Blaney collected his first Cup trophy Thursday night at the Music City Center in NASCAR's annual season ending ceremony.

Auto Racing

Wallace hit by depression following best friend Blaney's NASCAR championship

It was 3:42 a.m. in North Carolina as Bubba Wallace's best friend celebrated winning his first NASCAR championship across the country in Arizona. Wallace could have stuck around and partied with Ryan Blaney, but he instead flew directly home to sit alone in the dark. Wallace was wallowing in disappointment despite having just finished his own career-best season.

Auto Racing

Blaney earns first career NASCAR championship

Ryan Blaney raced to his first career NASCAR championship on Sunday by banging his way past contender Kyle Larson in the closing laps at Phoenix Raceway to give Team Penske back-to-back Cup titles.

NASCAR

NASCAR suffers embarrassing track design mistake during Truck Series championship

Just hours after defending NASCAR's officiating this season, the series was embarrassed by an error on the Phoenix Raceway surface that painted the restart zone in the wrong place for the Truck Series championship.

NASCAR

Blaney wins Martinsville, will race for first Cup title in NASCAR championship

Ryan Blaney will race for his first Cup championship after qualifying for NASCAR's title-deciding finale with a Sunday win at Martinsville Speedway.

Xfinity

RCR teammates fume after both denied spots in Xfinity Series championship

NASCAR

Truex again facing championship elimination in NASCAR playoffs as title field set at Martinsville

For the third time in this year's playoffs, NASCAR regular season champion Martin Truex Jr. is facing elimination and wondering how his title chances have exploded spectacularly.

NASCAR

Almirola won't return to NASCAR'S Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024

Aric Almirola will not return to Stewart-Haas Racing next season, he announced Saturday, a year after he postponed his planned 2023 retirement because sponsor Smithfield elected to remain in NASCAR.

NASCAR

Bell punches ticket to NASCAR championship race; wins rollercoaster race at Homestead

Christopher Bell took his first lead with 15 laps to go and held off Ryan Blaney for a win at Homestead-Miami Speedway that locked him into next month's NASCAR Championship finale on Sunday.

Auto Racing

Mayer becomes first driver into Xfinity series championship

Sam Mayer became the first driver to claim a spot in the NASCAR Xfinity series championship with a victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday.

NASCAR

Larson earns spot in NASCAR's championship race with victory at Las Vegas

Kyle Larson edged Christopher Bell at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway finish line to become the first driver locked into NASCAR's championship race.

Auto Racing

Las Vegas native Herbst scores first career NASCAR victory on home track

Riley Herbst scored the first NASCAR national series win of his career in dominating fashion at his home track. Herbst led 103 of 201 laps Saturday to win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the home track for the third-generation racer.

NASCAR

Byron opens NASCAR's next round of playoffs as championship favorite

William Byron returns to Las Vegas Motor Speedway as the betting favorite to win the Cup title as the round of eight of NASCAR’s playoffs opens.

NASCAR

Larson looks like a natural by quickly passing rookie test for next year's Indianapolis 500

The 31-year-old Californian took a brief respite from his playoff chase Thursday with a neatly timed stopover in Indianapolis so he could pass his Indianapolis 500 rookie test, posting a fast lap of 217.898 mph on a 72-lap practice before jetting off to Las Vegas.

NASCAR

Allmendinger wins again in NASCAR playoffs spoiler

AJ Allmendinger spoiled NASCAR's playoffs by winning Sunday's elimination race on The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Allmendinger is fantastic and wasn't going to move over just because he's not part of the championship field.

Xfinity

Mayer saves NASCAR season with Xfinity Series playoff win at Charlotte

Sam Mayer rallied from the verge of elimination into the next round of the Xfinity Series playoffs with a season-defining win Saturday on The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Auto Racing

Blaney beats Harvick in drag race at Talladega to advance in NASCAR playoffs

Ryan Blaney beat Kevin Harvick to the Talladega Superspeedway finish line by 0.012 seconds Sunday to advance into the round of eight of NASCAR's playoffs and keep Harvick winless in his final season before retirement.

NASCAR

Busch sells NASCAR team to Spire Motorsports as two-time Cup champion ends ownership role

Kyle Busch has sold his Truck Series team, manufacturing business and all the Kyle Busch Motorsports assets to Spire Motorsports in a deal announced Wednesday.

NASCAR

Wallace on pole at Texas after making second round of NASCAR playoffs

Bubba Wallace will start from the pole at Texas, the first race after he just made the cut to get into the second round of NASCAR's playoffs.

NASCAR

Lapcevich Caps Off Dominant 2023 Championship Season with Win at Delaware

To finish off a fairytale season, Treyten Lapcevich captured his seventh win this year, as well as the 2023 NASCAR Pinty's Series championship, in dominating fashion at Delaware Speedway.

Xfinity

Nemechek advances to Xfinity playoffs round of eight with win at Texas

John Hunter Nemechek moved into the round of eight of the Xfinity Series playoffs with a win at Texas, where he took the final lead after front-running Justin Allgaier got moved up the track on the 195th of 200 laps on Saturday.

NASCAR

Hamlin doubles down in declaration that this is his year to finally win NASCAR championship

Denny Hamlin didn't chill Sunday with his bravado that this is indeed the year he will finally win a NASCAR championship. The day after his win at Bristol Motor Speedway hurdled Hamlin and his No. 11 team into the second round of NASCAR's playoffs, Hamlin was still pumping his chest.

Xfinity

Allgaier wins Xfinity Series playoff opener at Bristol to advance to next round

Justin Allgaier earned a spot in the second round of the Xfinity Series playoffs with a win Friday night in the opening race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

NASCAR

Hemric to return to NASCAR Cup Series in 2024 with Kaulig Racing promotion

Daniel Hemric will return to the NASCAR Cup Series next year in a promotion with Kaulig Racing. Hemric is in his second full season racing in the Xfinity Series for Kaulig and third consecutive season overall.

Auto Racing

Reddick advances in NASCAR playoffs with win at Kansas

Tyler Reddick took advantage of a late caution and fresh tires to rocket past six others in a two-lap sprint to the finish Sunday, and he punched his ticket to the next round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with his win at Kansas Speedway.

Auto Racing

Nemechek dominates Xfinity race at Kansas as Kligerman clinches final playoff spot

John Hunter Nemechek dominated the Xfinity Series race at Kansas Speedway on Saturday, denying second-place finisher Brandon Jones the win that would have gotten him into the playoffs and allowing Parker Kligerman to slide into the final spot.

NASCAR

Bell qualifies on the pole for NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway

Christopher Bell won the pole for the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, putting himself in good position to wiggle off the playoff bubble and make next week's cut-off a little less stressful.

NASCAR

Hamlin signs multiyear contract extension to stay with Joe Gibbs Racing

Denny Hamlin is staying with Joe Gibbs Racing. The organization announced Monday that Hamlin signed a multiyear extension to keep driving the No. 11 Toyota Camry TRD in the NASCAR Cup Series.

NASCAR

Larson claims NASCAR's opening playoff race and gets first career win at Darlington

Kyle Larson led the final 55 laps to start his latest NASCAR playoff run with his first career win at the Southern 500 on Sunday night.

NASCAR Cup Series News

Larson lands extension, full sponsorship through 2023 with Hendrick Motorsports

Rick Hendrick gave Kyle Larson a second chance in NASCAR because Hendrick Motorsports had wanted him in its lineup for years. Now that Hendrick has his man, he has secured Larson's services for two more seasons with full sponsorship.

In the clutch: Busch ends Hendrick win streak at Pocono

Kyle Busch came through in the clutch. Even when he raced without one.

Bowman zips past Larson after late flat and wins at Pocono

Alex Bowman made it six straight wins for Hendrick Motorsports, when teammate Kyle Larson’s Chevrolet blew a tire on the final lap, and he took the checkered flag Saturday at Pocono Raceway for his third Cup win of the season.

NASCAR's Cassill to be paid in cryptocurrency

Landon Cassill will be the first NASCAR driver paid entirely in cryptocurrency in a sponsorship deal with Voyager that begins at Nashville Superspeedway this weekend.

NASCAR Xfinity Cup News

Custer wins first NASCAR Xfinity Series championship

Cole Custer pulled away from Justin Allgaier during a two-lap overtime shootout to win his first NASCAR Xfinity Series championship Saturday night at Phoenix Raceway.

RCR teammates fume after both denied spots in Xfinity Series championship

Mayer saves NASCAR season with Xfinity Series playoff win at Charlotte

Sam Mayer rallied from the verge of elimination into the next round of the Xfinity Series playoffs with a season-defining win Saturday on The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Nemechek advances to Xfinity playoffs round of eight with win at Texas

Allgaier wins Xfinity Series playoff opener at Bristol to advance to next round

Justin Allgaier earned a spot in the second round of the Xfinity Series playoffs with a win Friday night in the opening race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

CRAFTSMAN Truck Series News

Crafton avoids suspension for Talladega post-race fight with Sanchez

NASCAR on Tuesday fined Matt Crafton $25,000 for punching fellow driver Nick Sanchez following the Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Anderson airlifted from Talladega with burns from crash in Trucks race

NASCAR driver Jordan Anderson was airlifted out of Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday with second-degree burns from a crash in the Truck Series race.

Smith dominates in Truck Series win at Richmond

Chandler Smith is feeling great in the NASCAR Truck Series playoffs. Just over a week after he and his wife welcomed a baby, Chandler Smith Jr., the driver took the lead on pit road after the first stage and dominated the rest of the way to win at Richmond Raceway on Saturday night.

Rhodes wins Truck Series title for ThorSport Racing

Ben Rhodes opened the NASCAR season with back-to-back wins and closed it Friday night by winning the Truck Series championship.