The Race: Apache Warrior 400 Presented by Lucas Oil The Place: Dover International Speedway The Date: Sunday, Oct. 1 The Time: 2 p.m. ET TV: NBCSN, 1:30 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 400 miles (400 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 120), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 240), Final Stage (Ends on lap 400) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Heads To Dover For Playoff Cutoff Race The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series travels to Dover International Speedway Sunday for the Round of 16 Playoffs cutoff race – the Apache Warrior 400 presented by Lucas Oil (2 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The lowest four drivers in points without a win in the Round of 16 will be eliminated following the race. Four drivers have clinched a spot in the Round of 12: Martin Truex Jr. (clinched with Chicagoland win), Kyle Larson (clinched on points at New Hampshire), Kyle Busch (clinched with win at New Hampshire, and Brad Keselowski (clinched with points at New Hampshire). Truex is the defending race winner at Dover, while Jimmie Johnson won the June race at the Monster Mile. No non-Playoff driver has ever won a postseason race at Dover. Jimmie Johnson Attempts To Add To Dover Track Record With 12th Win Jimmie Johnson will attempt to defend his June Dover victory and add to his track victories record with a 12th checkered flag on Sunday. But more importantly, a win will advance Johnson to the Round of 12 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs as he chases another record – eight championships. If Johnson wins this weekend, he will join NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip as the only three Monster Energy Series drivers to win 12 or more races at a single track. Petty did it three times (Martinsville – 15 wins, North Wilkesboro – 15 and Richmond – 13), while Waltrip did it once (Bristol – 12 wins). In 31 starts at Dover, Johnson boasts 11 wins, 16 top fives, 22 top 10s and a 9.3 average finish. His 7.7 average running position and 118.3 driver rating rank at the top of the Monster Mile statistical lists among active drivers. The No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet driver sits seventh on the Playoff Grid, 32 points ahead of Austin Dillon on the cutoff line for a spot in the Monster Energy NASCAR Playoffs Round of 12. Johnson finished 14th at New Hampshire last weekend. Martin Truex Jr. Tries To Defend Playoff Victory At Home Track Martin Truex Jr. has already clinched a spot in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12 via his win at Chicagoland. Still, he’d like to defend his Dover Playoff victory from last season. Truex, from nearby Mayetta, New Jersey, would like to win again in front of his hometown fans and add five more playoff points to his series-leading total of 59. The No. 78 Furniture Row Racing driver won his first career race at Dover in 2007. In 23 career starts at the Monster Mile, he has two wins, three top fives, 12 top 10s and a 13.7 average finish. He placed third at the one-mile track in June after leading 102 laps. Truex leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in wins (5), top 10s (19), stage wins (19), playoff points (59), average finish (10.5), average running position (7.7), fastest laps (1,169, 17.3%), laps led (2,068, 25.4%) and driver rating (112.4). Austin Dillon vs. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. vs. Ryan Newman With the lowest four winless drivers in points falling out of the playoffs following Sunday’s Apache Warrior 400, one of the biggest parts of the event will be the races within the race. Right now, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. owns the final transfer spot. He’s tied with Austin Dillon in points, but holds the tiebreaker right now with a better high Round of 16 finish – 15th at New Hampshire compared to Dillon’s 16th at Chicagoland. Ryan Newman trails Stenhouse and Dillon by a mere one point. We’ve seen what Newman can do when it comes to tight points racing. In 2014, he bumped Kyle Larson on the final lap at Phoenix to gain an extra point to make the Championship 4. Newman finished second in the final championship standings that season without winning a race. Both Dillon and Stenhouse have career-high finishes of eighth at Dover. Otherwise, neither driver has a top 10 there. Newman might be in the best position of the three drivers. In 31 starts at Dover, he owns three wins, seven top fives, 14 top 10s and a 13.6 average finish. He placed fourth at the Monster Mile in June. With points at a premium, plan on all three drivers to push the envelope during every stage instead of sitting back to try to get a strong final finish. Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne Could Use A Win At Dover Kurt Busch and Kasey Kahne, 17 and 21 points below the cutoff line, respectively, for advancement to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 16, can still advance on points, but likely need a win at Dover to advance in the postseason. Busch won at Dover in 2011, but has only one top-10 finish at the Monster Mile since then. Kahne has never won at Dover, but has three top fives and eight top 10s in 27 starts there. He has finished sixth or better in three of his last five races at the one-mile track. The Race: Use Your Melon. Drive Sober 200 The Place: Dover International Speedway The Date: Saturday, Sept. 30 The Time: 2:45 p.m. ET TV: NBCSN, 2:30 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 200 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 60), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 120), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200) Chip Ganassi Racing Scores 1-2 Finish In Memorable Race At Kentucky It was a stellar night for Chip Ganassi Racing as part-time NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Tyler Reddick won the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway, while 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs contender Brennan Poole finished second. Reddick was running in his 15th career NASCAR XFINITY Series race this season and led 66 laps on his way to his first career NASCAR XFINITY Series win. Reddick pointed towards his team’s execution when asked how he won the race; “It was all about execution and having a smart race. This is the goal we have all been working towards. We had plenty of opportunities to throw this race away, and we had a very sizeable lead. We played it smart and it got us a win.” For Poole, his second-place finish was the top finish out of the 12 drivers in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs. He currently sits sixth in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs standings as the series heads to Dover this week for the Use Your Melon. Drive Sober 200 on Saturday, Sept. 30 (2:45 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Custer Musters Strong Opening Playoffs Performance 2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender and Stewart-Haas Racing driver Cole Custer opened his 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs campaign with a statement-like start at Kentucky Speedway. Custer started the race from the third position, but won Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 – his first two stages wins of the 2017 season. He would go on to finish the race in fifth place, but set himself up well for the remaining races in the Round of 12. Custer sits second in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs standings heading to Dover International Speedway this weekend. He finished fourth at Dover, after starting the race 14th, in his first career NASCAR XFINITY Series start there earlier this year. Custer has run well as of late and is poised to make a strong run at the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series championship. He’s finished in the top 14 or better in six consecutive races, which includes five top-10 finishes. Byron Looking For Bounce Back At Dover JR Motorsports driver and 2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender William Byron will be looking for a bounce back performance when the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs head to Dover this weekend. Byron – who entered the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs at Kentucky as the top seed – made an unscheduled pit stop early in the final stage of the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 to address a loose wheel and fell down a lap. He rejoined the race in 27th, but worked his way back up to an 18th-place finish. Heading into Dover, Byron currently sits fifth in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs standings, but has some experience on his side at the one-mile track. Byron finished sixth there earlier this season after starting the race eighth. He is having a terrific Sunoco Rookie of the Year campaign with three wins, eight top fives, 17 top 10s and 160 laps led in 27 starts this season for JR Motorsports. He leads Cole Custer in the Sunoco Rookie standings by 40 points, 278-238. Another Mile Closer To A Championship Miles has greeted six different race winners in Victory Lane at Dover International Speedway in the past six races (Kyle Larson – spring, 2017; Daniel Suarez – fall, 2016; Erik Jones – spring, 2016; Regan Smith – fall, 2015; Chris Buescher – spring, 2015; and Kyle Busch – fall, 2014). Of those drivers, just Suarez and Jones are entered in Saturday’s Use Your Melon. Drive Sober 200 (Sept, 30, 2:45 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). But the most important note for drivers in this year’s NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs may be that the last two series champions won at the Monster Mile on the way to the title. Buescher’s spring 2015 win was one of this two victories during his championship run, while Suarez used a fall Dover victory to secure a spot in the Round of 8 en route to the 2016 crown. None of the 2017 Playoff contenders have visited Victory Lane at Dover International Speedway – in any series. So a win to advance would be a very special one, indeed. The Race: Las Vegas 350 The Place: Las Vegas Motor Speedway The Date: Saturday, Sept. 30 The Time: 8 p.m. ET TV: FS1, 7:30 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 219 miles (146 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 35), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 70), Final Stage (Ends on lap 146) Bell Rings In First Playoffs Win At New Hampshire 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs top seed Christopher Bell made his presence felt at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and set the tone for the Playoffs by winning the UNOH 175 Saturday in dominating fashion. Bell captured Stages 1 and 2 in the race, as well as the checkered flag, to collect seven more playoff points and catapult his No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports team into the Round of 6. Bell was excited for his first Playoffs win this season and knows how important it was for his chances at a championship. “This win was big for us. To be able to win the first Playoffs race allows us to be aggressive going forward to Vegas and Talladega, and try to win those races as opposed to last year. This is a credit to Rudy and the rest of the No. 4 team.” With the win at New Hampshire, it gives Bell five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series wins in 2017. He’s led 666 laps with 11 top fives and 15 top 10s in 17 races this season. Rear Gear Failure Sidelines Nemechek – Falls To Eighth In Playoffs Standings NEMCO Motorsports and 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs driver John Hunter Nemechek couldn’t overcome mechanical issues in his first Playoffs race this season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. After starting 14th at New Hampshire, Nemechek headed to the garage by Lap 46 and learned he had a broken rear gear. It took his team 36 laps to fix the issue. He returned the race in 23rd and was able to salvage a 20th-place finish. Nemechek fell to eighth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs standings and will look to get back on track at Las Vegas and Talladega. Playoffs Finishers At New Hampshire Kyle Busch Motorsports driver Christopher Bell captured the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs Round of 8’s opening race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Below is how the rest of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs field fared in the race: 6th – Matt Crafton 7th – Ben Rhodes 8th – Austin Cindric 9th – Johnny Sauter 10th – Kaz Grala 11th – Chase Briscoe 20th – John Hunter Nemechek Bet The Over For A Different Winner At Vegas In 20 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, there have been 18 different race winners. There has never been a back-to-back race winner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway since the series began running there in 1996. Jack Sprague, who won at Las Vegas in 1996 and 1998, and Mike Skinner, who won there in 2006 and 2008, are the only two drivers to have won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway more than once. Tyler Reddick (2016), John West Townley (2015), Erik Jones (2014), Timothy Peters (2013) and Nelson Piquet Jr. (2012) are your last five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series winners at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. First Timers At Las Vegas There are six Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders making their track debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Saturday’s Las Vegas 350 (8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). They include: Chase Briscoe, Wendell Chavous, Austin Cindric, Noah Gragson Kaz Grala and Justin Haley. Cody Coughlin, Stewart Friesen and Grant Enfinger are the three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie contenders who have made previous career starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In 20 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Johnny Sauter (09/26/2009), David Starr (10/13/2002) and John Wes Townley (10/03/2015) are the only three drivers to win their first series race at Las Vegas. David Starr (10/13/2002) is the only driver to win his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pole at Las Vegas. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Etc. Todd Gilliland Scores Best Career Finish At New Hampshire: NASCAR Next driver Todd Gilliland scored his best career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series finish when he placed third in the UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Gilliland has raced in four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races and has finishes of 20th (Dover), 21st (Gateway), 11th (Canadian Tire) and third (New Hampshire). Enfinger Edging Briscoe In Sunoco Rookie Battle: Throughout the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders Chase Briscoe and Grant Enfinger have been battling for the Sunoco Rookie points lead. Following New Hampshire, Enfinger lengthened his lead over Briscoe by nine points. He leads 205-196 with six races remaining this season. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner Standings Update: Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 4 Toyota Tundra and No. 51 Toyota Tundra occupy spots No. 1 and No. 2 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner standings after 17 races this season. GMS Racing’s No. 21 Chevrolet Silverado (-40), ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 Toyota Tundra (-41), and Brad Keselowski Racing’s No. 19 Ford F-150 (-58) round out the top five. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Manufacturer Standings Update: Through 17 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this season, Toyota leads Chevrolet by 25 points in the manufacturer standings, 633-608. Ford sits in third place at 536 points. source – NASCAR communications
