NASCAR

One-time Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope says the NASCAR Cup regulars will “know I am there” in his final competition appearance on Sunday, 10 years after his last Daytona start. The 62-year-old, who famously won the Daytona 500 in 1990 after a puncture on the last lap denied Dale Earnhardt a maiden victory in the

Kyle Larson “did 10 times” what was expected of him during his suspension from NASCAR after using a racial slur in an i-Racing event, according to new boss Rick Hendrick. Larson was competing in an online race in April last year with fellow drivers from the American stock car scene when he uttered the n-word,

Toyota Racing’s NASCAR chief David Wilson has revealed he’s in talks with two potential new team owners that are not currently involved in America’s premier stock car racing series. Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Cup Series-opening Daytona 500, Wilson said the potential new team owners “come from the business world” and that they are both

Aric Almirola and Austin Dillon claimed victories in the two 150-mile Duel races that set the grid for Sunday’s Daytona 500, which formally begins the NASCAR Cup season. Stewart-Haas Ford driver Almirola held off a fast-approaching Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) to secure third on the grid in the first race, while 2018 Daytona

Alex Bowman claimed a second Daytona 500 pole position in qualifying for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup season-opener, with team-mate William Byron securing a second Hendrick Motorsports front-row in three years. In a change from the traditional multi-segment format to qualifying for the traditional curtain-raiser, each car on the 44-strong entry list was permitted to run a

Kyle Busch scored an unlikely victory in the exhibition NASCAR Clash race on the Daytona road course, after last lap contact between leaders Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott. Heading onto the final tour of the 35-lap Speedweeks curtain-raiser building up to the Daytona 500, Blaney had snatched the lead away from Hendrick Motorsports’ Elliott in

Kyle Larson feels “extremely grateful” to be able to return to NASCAR, admitting he “never really thought I’d get another chance” following his suspension for using a racial slur. Larson was fired from his Chip Ganassi Racing team in April of last year for using a racial slur during the broadcast of an iRacing event

Reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Austin Cindric says he has “compartmentalised” his Daytona 500 programme for Penske, describing his Cup debut as a “separate programme”. Cindric will dovetail a select schedule at Cup level with defending his Xfinity crown in 2021 will drive the #33 Ford Mustang alongside team regulars Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, and

Kurt Busch has pinpointed the exhaust system of the Next Gen NASCAR car currently undergoing testing as an area that needs development through its “venting and cooling”. Busch, the 2004 Cup champion, has been one of a number of drivers to test the generation seven car that was slated for introduction into competition this year,

Denny Hamlin has shed light on how he’ll split his workload between racing for Joe Gibbs and be co-owner at the new 23XI Racing squad in the NASCAR Cup Series. Hamlin, a triple Daytona 500 winner who is also seeking a third consecutive win the Cup Series’ showpiece event later this month, will combine driving

Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Pitbull sees his new NASCAR team ownership role as a “higher calling” and an opportunity to “bring people together”. Armando Christian Perez, better known as the international star Pitbull, is co-owner along with Justin Marks of the new Trackhouse Racing team, which will field a full-time entry in the Cup

Ryan Newman says he has no fear on his return to the Daytona 500 because he has no memory of his massive last-lap crash in last year’s race. The vicious accident which forced Newman to be extricated from his car and sidelined for three races with a closed head injury has been viewed by millions

NASCAR’s 2021 season will begin with many of the same COVID-19 protocols in place as last year with no clear sign when they will change. Aside from some small modifications, NASCAR officials confirmed on Monday during a preview of the 2021 season that many of the same virus protocols remain in place from 2020. Much

Brad Keselowski says his frustration level at not being able to win the Daytona 500 is “pretty extreme” after being involved in a spectacular series of wrecks in NASCAR’s biggest race. Keselowski is renowned as one of the sport’s most successful superspeedway racers, having won six points races at Daytona and Talledega since 2005, but

Three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin will continue his involvement with the Joe Gibbs Racing team and sponsor FedEx after agreeing a new multi-year deal. Hamlin has spent the entirety of his NASCAR Cup Series career with JGR, dating back to when he made his debut in 2005 and his relationship with FedEx going even

Former NASCAR driver now team co-owner Justin Marks believes delaying NASCAR’s next-generation Cup car until 2022 is a “blessing in disguise” for his new Trackhouse Racing squad. Set to make its Cup Series debut at next month’s Daytona 500 with 2016 Xfinity series champion Daniel Suarez at the wheel, Trackhouse will run the #99 Chevrolet

NASCAR Cup champion Joey Logano is looking forward to the series’ first dirt race since 1970 at Bristol, but is trying to keep his season preparation balanced. Among the many changes to the Cup schedule for 2021 are the addition of several more road course events, along with the first dirt track race in more

Bristol Motor Speedway is well on its way to bringing dirt track racing back to NASCAR’s Cup Series for the first time in more than 50 years. It’s not the first time the owners of the half-mile, highly-banked concrete oval have covered their track in dirt, but it will likely be the most anticipated. In

AJ Allmendinger plans to make his first NASCAR Cup Series start since 2018 next month on the Daytona road course with regular Xfinity Series outfit Kaulig Racing. The 39-year-old, who has been without a Cup ride since his five-year spell with JTG Daugherty Racing concluded at the end of the 2018 season, has scored three

NASCAR Xfinity champion Austin Cindric will aim to make his Cup series debut next month at the Daytona 500. Team Penske has announced Cindric will attempt to make the season-opener in the #33 Ford, with Miles Stanley, a race engineer for Penske’s #12 and #22 Cup teams, serving as crew chief. 22-year-old Cindric is planning

Jamie McMurray will make a return to NASCAR Cup competition, and will race in February’s Daytona 500 for the Spire Motorsports team. McMurray, who stopped competing on a full-time basis in the NASCAR Cup following the 2018 season, will drive the #77 Chevrolet run by Spire Motorsports in partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing. The effort

Grammy award-winning music artist Pitbull has secured an ownership stake in the Trackhouse Racing NASCAR Cup Series team. Trackhouse Racing, founded by Justin Marks, is making its Cup Series debut in February’s Daytona 500. With Monterrey native Daniel Suarez at the wheel of the No. 99 Chevrolet, the team intends to run the entire Cup

Kyle Larson has lost his new spotter Chris Monez at Hendrick Motorsports just days after being announced due to controversial social media posts. Larson is gearing up for his return to the NASCAR Cup Series this year after being sacked by Chip Ganassi Racing and suspended by NASCAR last April for using a racial slur

NASCAR has completed a two-day test at Daytona International Speedway with its Next Gen car earlier this week, focusing on hitting speed targets. Only one car – with Ford driver Chris Buescher – took part in the test and spent much of the two days making single-car runs around the 2.5-mile oval. “Daytona was an

NASCAR will use the 3.41-mile grand prix track layout when the series visits Circuit of the Americas for the first time in 2021. NASCAR is set to make its first appearance at the Circuit of the Americas next year as part of a major calendar shakeup featuring increased road racing, including six races on road

NASCAR’s 2021 Cup Series schedule has already undergone minor changes due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, which will include the return to the Daytona road course. The 27-28 February race weekend planned for Auto Club Speedway in Fontana has been cancelled, and instead NASCAR will host Truck, Xfinity and Cup series races the weekend after

NASCAR will begin its 2021 season the way it ended 2020, with limited fans in attendance for the opener at the Daytona 500. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Daytona International Speedway announced on Wednesday the track will host a limited number of fans for the 63rd Daytona 500, the season-opener of the NASCAR Cup

NASCAR’s 2022 Next Gen car received better reviews from its drivers on the Charlotte road layout than on the oval course, says senior vice president of racing innovation John Probst. Two former Cup Series champions – Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr – took part in this week’s two-day test at Charlotte, with Busch driving

Martin Truex Jr says NASCAR Cup’s Next Gen car “does everything a little bit better”, having tested it along with Kurt Busch at Charlotte’s ‘roval’ circuit. Busch and Truex spent much of Monday testing the new-design Cup car at Charlotte, the first involving more than one car. Busch drove a car prepared by Richard Childress

Jimmie Johnson said it “still stings” that his full-time NASCAR Cup career ended with a “bittersweet” final year, but was pleased to bow out with a fifth place at Phoenix. The seven-time series champion will switch to IndyCar next season with a street and road course-only programme with Chip Ganassi Racing, ending a run of