For the first time since its inception in 2004, the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field will feature two rookies. Jimmie Johnson has the team’s only two wins, the last of which came in March.
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Busch won his 46th Truck Series race when he pulled away on an overtime restart at Chicagoland Speedway, ending the hopes for many full-time series drivers needing a win to quality for the Chase for the championship playoff. I don’t have any regrets about what I said. I think that hot streak continues and he kicks off the Chase with a victory. “My approach to how I dealt with those things changed and I think made me a better driver”. His three victories at Chicagoland are a track record. Truex is expected to receive a point penalty this week. But now that he knows he’s in the quarterfinal round of the Chase, he can go to New Hampshire and Dover the next two weeks without a care in the world.
But Joe Gibbs Racing’s four drivers – Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards – undeniably are formidable contenders. Clint Bowyer had the lead on the re-start with 14 laps left before Sadler passed him.
Peters qualified for the Chase by finishing eighth despite hitting the wall and having a right-front tire go down on the 67th lap. His 2016 season started with near miss at the Daytona 500 and a Coca-Cola 600 win, while Sherry Pollex has battled ovarian cancer.
Truex would have felt the same way after the race if he had not won in the sense that he knew he has fast cars. “That’s what we did today”.
“Nothing is yours until it’s over”, Elliott said. “That’s part of life, man”.
Busch, the top-seed in the Sprint Cup Chase this year, won the Truck Series race Friday night before failing a post-race inspection. Truex’s crew chief, Cole Pearn, received a $15,000 fine and the team was docked 10 points for last weekend’s violation. “I guess (Goodyear) saw a couple other tires and came down and told us a certain sequence number had an issue”.
Stewart-Haas Racing, which has three drivers in the Chase, gets its engines from Hendrick and it has fueled a rivalry between Johnson and Kevin Harvick. It rolled across pit road and drew a caution, leaving Harvick a lap down while Jimmie Johnson just barely got to the start-finish line to stay on the lead lap.
At Sonoma, California, Simon Pagenaud gave Roger Penske an IndyCar championship to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the one of the most storied organization in motorsports. He did it in dominating fashion by winning the season finale Sunday at Sonoma Raceway, where he needed only a smooth finish to put a wrap on this breakthrough season. Combined, they’ve won almost half the races this season and have led a majority of the laps.
It was a moot point, though: Power had mechanical issues 38 laps into the race that sealed the outcome.
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg took pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix with a stunning lap time at the Marina Bay street circuit.
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There are four spots available in the Championship Race at Homestead Miami Speedway and it’s a safe bet that TRD should place at least two cars in that showdown.
