ALEX BOWMAN

LEBANON, Tenn. — (AP) — Chase Elliott salvaged a crummy day for Hendrick Motorsports and interrupted a potential Toyota rout by winning the rain-drenched race at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday night. It took NASCAR's most popular driver nearly seven hours and a late four-lap shootout to get to victory lane. “So proud of our team," Elliott said. Toyota controlled almost the entire event — four of its drivers combined to lead 254 laps — but the No. The company is the entitlement sponsor for the Cup race and heavily activated at several downtown Nashville tourist spots.

Chase Elliott salvaged a crummy day for Hendrick Motorsports and interrupted a potential Toyota rout by winning the rain-drenched race at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday night.

NASCAR Nashville Preview Auto Racing FILE - Alex Bowman waits for the start of a NASCAR Cup Series auto race on June 20, 2021, in Lebanon, Tenn. The weekend opened just fine: Hendrick Motorsports announced a two-year contract extension with Bowman that locked him in the No. But Ally also had gone all-in on NASCAR's return to Music City as the title sponsor of the first Cup race in the Nashville area in 37 years. “I feel like we definitely underperformed at Nashville,” Bowman said. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte will be the analysts for both the Cup race on Sunday and the Xfinity Series race on Saturday.

Alex Bowman felt he underperformed last year when NASCAR brought the Cup Series back to the Nashville area for the first time in 37 years.

NASCAR Cup Series Dover Auto Racing Chase Elliott (9) races in the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Dover Motor Speedway, Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Dover, Del. — (AP) — Chase Elliott snapped a 26-race winless streak when the 2020 NASCAR champion pulled away down the stretch to win the Cup Series race on Monday at Dover Motor Speedway. Speedway Motorsports bought the track (Dover Motorsports) late last year. UP NEXTThe Cup Series races next Sunday at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. Toyota is set to celebrate its 1,500th NASCAR race during Darlington’s annual Throwback Weekend.

Chase Elliott snapped a 26-race winless streak when the 2020 NASCAR champion pulled away down the stretch to win the rain-delayed Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway.

Ross Chastain surged into the lead as he closed in on the checkered flag Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway to steal his second career Cup Series win.

NASCAR Bristol Auto Racing Cole Custer leads Alex Bowman (48) and Ross Chastain (1) during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Saturday, April 16, 2022, At Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne) (Wade Payne)BRISTOL, Tenn. — (AP) — Cole Custer won the first pole of his career Saturday through a formula designed for qualifying via heat races at dirt-covered Bristol Motor Speedway. Drivers accumulated points for both finishing and passing and Custer started ninth in his heat and then won it — good enough for his first pole in 84 career Cup starts. Fox a year ago asked NASCAR to add a dirt race to the 38-race Cup schedule and Speedway Motorsports volunteered its .0533-mile Bristol bullring. He also said ticket sales have proven there's a demand for dirt racing and the 2023 race at Bristol will again be on dirt. The crowd expected Sunday was on track to be the largest for Bristol's spring race in years.

Cole Custer won the first pole of his career Saturday through a formula designed for qualifying via heat races at dirt-covered Bristol Motor Speedway.

That physicality is likely to be more evident than anywhere at Martinsville Speedway, the circuit's shortest track at 0.526 miles and oldest at 75 years. Last week at Richmond, he ticked off Ryan Blaney by moving him up the track. “I feel like it’s going to be a little bit more physical tomorrow night, not only because it’s 100 laps shorter. “That’s what Martinsville is all about, and I think you get a car that can take it, you’re gonna see more of it. ... Just like last week at Richmond, Martin Truex Jr. arrives having won three of the last five races here.

NASCAR's top drivers expect some beating and banging to be on the menu when they race at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday night.

NASCAR Austin Auto Racing Ross Chastain celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Circuit of the Americas, Sunday, March 27, 2022, in Austin, Texas. Trackhouse is owned by former NASCAR driver Justin Marks and entertainer Pitbull and is in its second season of competition. Chastain and Allmendinger restarted second and third, while sitting back in fourth was Alex Bowman. Bowman also jumped past Reddick and closed the gap on Chastain and Allmendinger as the two friends jostled and bashed for the lead. That spun Allmendinger, winner of the Xfinity Series race on Saturday, into Bowman and Allmendinger went from second to 33rd.

Ross Chastain bumped and banged his way around the final overtime lap at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday for first career Cup win and upstart NASCAR team Trackhouse Racing’s first trip to victory lane.

Ryan Blaney recovered from a spin in practice to win the pole for Sunday’s race at Circuit of the Americas.

It was quite the weekend in motorsports, which is typically the bit player on the massive stick-and-ball sporting landscape so eager for its own time in the spotlight.

The only issue is Reddick can't seem to get comfortable in his Chevrolet's seat, leading to numbness in his legs. If Reddick can find a way to fix his leg issues, he might just find a spot in victory lane for the first time in his NASCAR career. Reddick said it's been hard to diagnose his leg problems because it's difficult to recreate racing conditions in the garage. “I'm not sure anybody's gone down there with the Next Gen car yet, just because of how rigid the car is and how things happen when the car hits the ground." But the 46-year-old hasn't won at the track since 2018 and the Next Gen car provides another wrinkle for the veteran driver to navigate.

Tyler Reddick is enjoying his status among NASCAR’s fastest drivers through the season’s first three races.

Tyler Reddick is enjoying his status among NASCAR's fastest drivers through the season's first three races, adapting quickly to the sport's Next Gen car that has provided solid racing and a new degree of difficulty for many drivers. The only issue is Reddick can't seem to get comfortable in his Chevrolet's seat, leading to numbness in his legs. “You know, I just think I was in a really good place in that old car for such a long time and didn’t realize how easy or how bad you could end up missing it, the comfort side of things,” Reddick said.

LAS VEGAS — (AP) — Alex Bowman beat NASCAR champion Kyle Larson in a door-to-door overtime battle at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that sent Hendrick Motorsports to victory lane for the second consecutive week. Las Vegas native Kyle Busch and teammate Martin Truex Jr. were in a lap-by-lap chess match for the win until the 12th caution ended the stirring duel. The Hendrick trio of Bowman, Larson and William Byron all changed just two tires to get off pit road first through third. Larson, the defending Las Vegas winner and winner last week in California, chose the outside line for the restart with Bowman on his inside. Hendrick snuffed out any drama, evidenced by the clean overtime racing for the win between Bowman and Larson.

Alex Bowman beat NASCAR champion Kyle Larson in a door-to-door overtime battle at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that sent Hendrick Motorsports to victory lane for the second consecutive week.

Denny Hamlin crashed out of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, ending his bid for a fourth victory in NASCAR’s premier event.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The green flag is set to drop on the Daytona 500 on Sunday. WATCH: Sold out Daytona 500 set to bring an economic overdrive to Daytona Beach businessesForty drivers are looking to score the trophy for the 500-mile race. More than 100,000 people will be at this year’s sold-out Daytona 500. Photos: More than 100K race fans pack into sold out Daytona 500Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 15 More then 100K race fans pack into sold out Daytona 500Daytona International Speedway president Frank Kelleher said the race sold out a month early for the first time in 14 years. READ: NASCAR revs up at Daytona with new car, new teams, new lookDenny Hamlin is one of the favorites to win Sunday’s race.

Chase Elliott skipped the free agency process and agreed to a five-year contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports announced mere hours before the season-opening Daytona 500.

NASCAR revs up at Daytona with new car, new teams, new lookDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — (AP) — Brad Keselowski knew his father was losing his battle with cancer when he promised him he’d win last year’s Daytona 500. I said, ‘Dad, we’re going to win the Daytona 500,’” Keselowski said. After a Hendrick Motorsports rout in the Daytona 500 time trials, the Ford fleet has shown to be race ready. — Jacques Villeneuve, the former Formula One champion and Indianapolis 500 winner, will make his first Daytona 500 start for European startup Team Hezeberg. FanDuel lists both three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and reigning NASCAR champion Kyle Larson as the 19-2 race favorites.

I said, ‘Dad, we’re going to win the Daytona 500,’” Keselowski said. And, after a Hendrick Motorsports rout in Daytona 500 time trials, the Ford fleet has shown to be race ready. — Jacques Villeneuve, the former Formula One champion and Indianapolis 500 winner, will make his first Daytona 500 start for European startup Team Hezeberg. And, on Sunday, Jusan Hamilton will become the first Black race director to call the Daytona 500 in its 64th running. FanDuel lists both three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and reigning NASCAR champion Kyle Larson as the 19-2 race favorites.

The NASCAR season opens with the Daytona 500 on Sunday, where more than 120,000 spectators are expected to watch reigning Cup champion Kyle Larson lead the field to green.

Brad Keselowski has won his first race as owner of his team.

Jacques Villeneuve has qualified for the Daytona 500.

Phoenix Raceway will finally get to host championship weekend in front of a packed house.

Alex Bowman spun Denny Hamlin from the lead with six laps remaining at Martinsville Speedway and then went on to win his fourth race of the season.

Bowman infuriated championship contender Denny Hamlin with six laps remaining Sunday at Martinsville Speedway when he spun Hamlin out of the lead. It sent the race into overtime, which Bowman won for his fourth victory of the season. Bowman has insisted the contact that spun Hamlin from the lead was accidental, but Hamlin still attacked Bowman's talent level. “Look, he’s won four races this year. Reigning Cup champion Chase Elliott and title favorite Kyle Larson in a pair of Chevrolets will square off against Toyotas driven by teammates Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. of Joe Gibbs Racing.

The NASCAR championship will pit Rick Hendrick against Joe Gibbs as both team owners put a pair of drivers in the final four.

It sent the race into overtime and Bowman held off Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski to win. The well-filled grandstands erupted in cheers when Bowman spun Hamlin, and loudly booed him when he was interviewed over the public address system. Both he and Larson, the heavy favorite and a nine-race winner, have never won a NASCAR championship. UP NEXT: The championship finale Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, where Elliott won the race last year to claim his first Cup championship. Truex won in March.

Alex Bowman spun Denny Hamlin out of the lead at Martinsville Speedway and then won in overtime as the field for NASCAR's championship race was set Sunday.

Rick Hendrick wants NASCAR to intervene in the ongoing feud between reigning Cup champion Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick after another on-track incident between the two.

Kyle Larson rallied from early electrical issues Sunday to win for the seventh time this season and storm into the third round of NASCAR’s playoffs.

Kevin Harvick has never been knocked out of the playoffs in the second round since NASCAR introduced the format in 2014.

NASCAR Talladega Auto Racing Team members walk through pit row in the rain before a NASCAR Cup series auto race Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, in Talladega, Ala. (AP Photo/John Amis) (John Amis)TALLADEGA, Ala. — (AP) — The start of Sunday's playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway has been delayed by rain and NBC has a tight television window for the important NASCAR race because of the evening airing of Tom Brady's return to New England. Drivers have been on edge headed into Sunday's race because of the unpredictability of the 2.66-mile superspeedway and the risks of pack racing. Both the Truck Series race and Xfinity Series race doubleheader on Saturday were crash-marred and won by non-playoff drivers. “I'm going into a superspeedway race below the cutoff line, so it's definitely a stressful weekend,” Alex Bowman, ranked 11th out of 12 drivers, said before Sunday's race. ___More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

TALLADEGA, Ala. — (AP) — Denny Hamlin is already through to the third round of NASCAR's playoffs with nothing to worry about at Talladega Superspeedway. ODDS AND ENDSDenny Hamlin is the 9/5 favorite to win Talladega, according to FanDuel. Since the start of the playoffs in 2004 the winner of the Talladega playoff race has never gone on to win the Cup title. The Talladega winner did finish second in the final standings, twice. ... A non-playoff driver has won Talladega five times in 17 races.

NASCAR's playoffs shift to Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday for the middle race of the second round.

Kyle Larson returns to Las Vegas Motor Speedway looking for yet another victory.

Kyle Larson denied Kevin Harvick his first win of the season with a masterful pass at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Alex Bowman and William Byron both start Saturday night's race at Bristol Motor Speedway below the cutline, and reigning series champion Chase Elliott isn’t breathing any easier than his Hendrick teammates. He was sixth at Bristol in the spring, but that race was run on dirt and delayed a day by dangerous rain and flooding. He likes Bristol, but in 21 career starts has an average finish of 30th. Nutrien AG is in its third season of sponsorship and funds 19 Xfinity Series races for Jeb Burton. If he's not retained in the Xfinity Series, he could have a shot at driving the second Cup car that Kaulig will field as a “trophy hunter” driven by specialists.

Hendrick Motorsports is in a precarious position heading into first playoff elimination round.

Denny Hamlin held off Kyle Larson after their cars hit nose to tail racing to the finish line Sunday night in the Southern 500 to open the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

NASCAR has penalized the Hendrick Motorsports teams of reigning Cup champion Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman for engine allocation infractions at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Elliott's No. 9 team and Bowman's No. 48 were found in violation of a rule that covers engine assembly. A statement from Hendrick Motorsports released Thursday said the violations were the result of an administrative error that resulted in a sealed engine assigned to Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet being unintentionally allocated to the No. 48.

Kyle Larson has received a contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports through 2023 and full sponsorship through the length of the deal.

Kurt Busch passed brother Kyle with 24 laps left and won the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday to complete a sibling weekend sweep at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott are looking for redemption at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Kurt Busch has welcomed the uncertainty of this season as he chases a playoff berth while pondering his future in NASCAR.

Kyle Busch won the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday at Pocono Raceway.

Jeff Gordon is ready to assume a daily role at Hendrick Motorsports as vice chairman.

Larson had won three straight Cup races and was in prime position to take this one at Pocono when he passed Bowman with three laps left in the race. Bowman was in the right spot to take advantage and win for the third time in his last 10 races. “I don’t know what to say.”For team owner Rick Hendrick, the wins keep coming. The Xfinity Series races Sunday followed by the second Cup race. Bowman is in his sixth full season of Cup racing and his fourth with Hendrick.

Alex Bowman made it six straight wins for Hendrick Motorsports when he took the checkered flag at Pocono Raceway.

Jeff Gordon will leave the Fox Sports booth for a daily role at Hendrick Motorsports as vice chairman.

Kyle Larson went to victory lane for the fourth consecutive week after a dominating run in the first Cup race at Nashville Superspeedway.

Kyle Larson beat teammate Chase Elliott in overtime at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday to win his second consecutive race.

NASCAR makes its first visit to California in nearly two years with Sunday's stop at the Sonoma Raceway road course.

Hendrick Motorsports’ quest to pass Petty Enterprises as the all-time winningest NASCAR Cup Series race team got off to a good start when Kyle Larson captured the pole for the Coca-Cola 600.

NASCAR is set to race the Circuit of the Americas for the first time and all eyes are on Chase Elliott and a wet weather forecast that could make the inaugural Texas Grand Prix a wild one.

48 Chevrolet in its familiar spot in victory lane at Dover International Speedway, leading a dominant outing for Hendrick Motorsports on Sunday. Bowman won his second race of the season and passed 1,000 laps led in his career. Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR champion now in IndyCar, won a track-record 11 times at Dover in the 48. The 1.33-mile concrete track was built in 2001 by Dover Motorsports and hosted NASCAR and IndyCar events until 2011. Dover hosted one race weekend in 1969 and 1970 and then held two races every season from 1971 to 2020.

Alex Bowman won the the NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway to led Hendrick Motorsports to a 1-2-3-4 finish.

Alex Bowman passed Denny Hamlin on a restart with 10 laps to go and drove away at Richmond Raceway for his third career victory in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Martin Truex Jr. won a stirring, laps-long duel for the lead with teammate Denny Hamlin in the delayed NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday night.

Racers crash during the last lap in the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Latest on the Daytona 500 (all times local):12:35 a.m.Brad Keselowski has no regrets about the way he handled the final lap of the Daytona 500. ___12:15 a.m.Michael McDowell won the Daytona 500 after Penske Racing teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski wrecked on the final lap. ___3:25 p.m.Derrike Cope was knocked out after only three laps, an ignominious end for the 62-year-old driver who won the 1990 Daytona 500. ___2 p.m.Bubba Wallace’s car failed inspection twice for the Daytona 500 and will have to start at the back of the field. AdWallace drives a new entry owned by NBA great Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin.

Heavy rain soaked the track early, though, prompting officials to shift gears before the Xfinity Series opener later Saturday. An ARCA series race also was scheduled for the middle of the day. “I'm fine without it,” said 2017 Daytona 500 winner Kurt Busch. Ad“I’m still confident in the backup car the guys brought us," said Byron, adding that it's the car he drove to victory lane at Daytona last August to slip into the playoffs. ..."Obviously, we didn’t want to go to a backup car, but I think we’re still in a really good place for the 500.

“I think we proved as an industry last year that track time was a little overrated," said David Wilson, head of Toyota Racing Development. Heavy rain soaked the track early, though, prompting officials to shift gears before the Xfinity Series opener later Saturday. An ARCA series race also was scheduled for the middle of the day. “I'm fine without it,” said 2017 Daytona 500 winner Kurt Busch. ..."Obviously, we didn’t want to go to a backup car, but I think we’re still in a really good place for the 500.

Austin Dillon (3) takes the checkered flag to win the second NASCAR Daytona 500 duel qualifying auto race Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The 40 drivers competing in the 2021 Daytona 500, in order of starting position:___No. This is his 20th Daytona 500; he was hired days after Earnhardt's death. Son of two-time Daytona 500 champion and Hall of Fame driver Bill Elliott. Finished a career-best seventh in the 2017 Daytona 500, but has been 27th, 28th and 19th since. McLeodBORN: Nov. 17, 1983AdHOMETOWN: Wauchula, FloridaCREW CHIEF: Frank KerrSPONSOR: NASCAR HeatsTWITTER: @bjmcleod78NOTEWORTHY: Owner-driver racing in his third Daytona 500.

48 team will ideally use Saturday's final two practice sessions to determine if the engine can make it 500 miles on Sunday. “We think the engine is OK, but we're undecided just yet,” said Knaus, who won the NASCAR title seven times as a crew chief. AdHendrick Motorsports suffered another blow when William Byron was involved in a crash in his qualifying race that destroyed his Chevrolet. Hendrick will now have only one car at the front of the Daytona 500 field — maybe none if Bowman's engine is deemed too risky not to change. The pole-sitter has not closed out a Daytona 500 victory since Dale Jarrett in 2000.

Alex Bowman and William Byron were slated to lead the Daytona 500 field to green but that's in danger following Thursday night's qualifying races. Byron was collected in a crash in the second Duel and it ruined his Chevrolet. AdAustin Cindric and Kaz Grala both earned their first berths into the Daytona 500 by claiming the two available transfer positions in the Duels. He was the leader on the final lap of the second Duel until Dillon crossed to Wallace’s inside and inched ahead. “We’ve got an incredible race car and I can’t wait for the Daytona 500.”

Chase Elliott does a burnout after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)CONCORD, N.C. NASCAR's grueling return to racing finally ended with a Cup victory for Chase Elliott. The event, postponed Wednesday night, was the fourth Cup race since the series resumed racing May 17. Man this is a tough week, we've had some tough losses," Elliott said from the frontstretch. Elliott reeled in Kevin Harvick with 27 laps remaining and closed out the victory. Elliott's victory was the first for a Chevrolet driver in NASCAR's return to Cup racing.

A man walks through the infield as rain falls before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway Wednesday, May 27, 2020, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)CONCORD, N.C. Rain washed out the Cup Series race Wednesday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway a slight break for NASCAR teams taxed by a grueling return to racing. The race was rescheduled for Thursday night at 7 p.m., which in turn forced NASCAR to move the Xfinity Series race scheduled for Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Xfinity Series race will instead be run Monday night, a day after the Cup Series. The second consecutive Wednesday night race would have been the fourth for the elite Cup Series since May 17. The starting order for the second Cup race at Charlotte this week was set based on the finishing order of the Coca-Cola 600 but with an inversion.

Then a caution with two laps remaining at Charlotte Motor Speedway cluttered Elliott's clear path to the win and gave Keselowski an opening. Now Keselowski returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway for a Wednesday night race and a shot at consecutive victories. That was the situation we were put in.Both Keselowski and Busch could empathize with Elliott's heartbreak at Charlotte. Keselowski spoke with Elliott as the two switched spots in front of a laptop during the post-race Zoom media availability. But Elliott's team has been the most consistent late in races and Wednesday brings another chance for the driver to finally get his first win of the season.

I just want to thank everybody from NASCAR and all the teams for letting us do what we do, Harvick said. Gray smoke billowed during a caution, which isn't that odd a sight at a NASCAR race. It was the 50th career victory for Harvick, in a Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing. A previous winner at Darlington, Harvick led 159 of the 293 laps. Harvick tied Hall of Famers Junior Johnson and Ned Jarrett for 12th on NASCAR's all-time wins list.

FILE - In this May 11, 2012, file photo, drivers take the green flag for the start of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. NASCAR will re-fire the engines moments after mask-clad drivers climb into their cars at Darlington Raceway. (Tyler Barrick/Pool Photo via AP, File)DARLINGTON, S.C. NASCAR will not be as you remember it when racing returns at old egg-shaped Darlington Raceway. He tested at Darlington shortly before the season was suspended and determined then he was fit to race again. Busch and Hill are adding Xfinity Series races at Darlington and Charlotte, and a Truck Series race at Charlotte to their calendar. His only victory so far this season was the Truck Series race at home track Las Vegas.