Following the conclusion of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway, a total of 12 drivers have advanced, and now prepare for the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway this Sunday, September 25 at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – the first race of the Round of 12.
Under the lights, at the ‘World’s Fastest Half-Mile,’ the greatest stock car drivers on the planet will battle it out in the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, this Saturday, Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. With this weekend’s event serving as the elimination race for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 16 a lot is on the line.
Switching gears and mashing the gas has this season’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs off to a feverish start and for the first-time in series history not one of the 16 Playoff drivers are locked into the Round of 12 following the postseason opener. That’s because Petty GMS and driver Erik Jones, a non-Playoff competitor this season, snatched the victory at Darlington Raceway last weekend, leaving the Playoff standings shaken-up like never before.
Hate to say I told you so, but I told you so.
Last week I said that Erik Jones was my sleeper driver to turn the tables on the playoffs and he did it in rare form.
The 2022 season marks the third year the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs has opened at Darlington Raceway (2020-2022) and the competitors vying for this season’s title are ready for the challenge the Cook Out Southern 500 on September 4 (6 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) is going to bring.
The week started with the announcement that Kurt Busch was not going to make the start of the Cup playoffs and that his waiver request had been withdrawn, effectively giving up any hope of a return for the former champion. That announcement left the window open for Martin Truex, Jr. and Ryan Blaney to make the playoffs on points if neither won at Daytona. That is, unless no one NEW won at Daytona. (more…)
It all comes down to this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, this Saturday, August 27 at 7 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, and if history is any indicator of what to expect this weekend, everybody has a shot at the win.
Kyle Larson pulled off a rare sweep of the weekend races at Watkins Glen. In the Xfinity race, he was the beneficiary of contact between the leaders that sent them both spinning and allowing Larson through to hold off AJ Allmendinger.
Fast forward to the rain delayed Sunday race and it was Larson once again holding off AJ for the win. But the win wasn’t without some controversy.
Tensions are high and anticipation is running rampant amongst competitors as the NASCAR Cup Series prepares for the penultimate race of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series regular season, the Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International, this Sunday, August 21 at 3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
For the second time this season, the NASCAR Cup Series will head to Richmond Raceway for some Sunday afternoon side-by-side short track action in the Federated Auto Parts 400 on August 14 at 3 p.m. ET (USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Only three races remain in the 2022 regular season (Richmond, Watkins Glen and Daytona) to decide the 16-driver Playoff field and for the first-time in the elimination-style format of Playoffs (2014-2022), the series has produced 15 different winners leaving just one spot still open on points. (more…)
