MADISON, Ill. (AP) — As he’s trying to race his way into the NASCAR Cup series playoffs, Chase Briscoe now faces a fresh challenge with the potential for his Stewart-Haas Racing team to deteriorate around him. Owners Tony Stewart and Gene Haas announced this week that the four-team garage would cease operations at the end of the season, leaving the future up in the air for Briscoe and teammates Josh Berry, Noah Gragson and Ryan Preece. “It might really be hard for us just to even get cars to the
MADISON, Ill. (AP) — Michael McDowell completed a lap at 138.598 mph mph Saturday to earn the pole for the NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway. It’s the third pole for McDowell’s No. 34 Ford in 15 races this year, but the first since he announced he will leave Front Row Motorsports at the end of the season and join Spire Motorsports. “I am as motivated as I’ve ever been to make sure that we win and make the playoffs, and for so many reasons, right? But more than ever, because
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has never been this close to playing for a Stanley Cup since the Edmonton Oilers took him with the first overall draft pick in 2011. It's been even longer for the franchise that has won the Cup five times. Edmonton was right in the middle of a span of 10 consecutive seasons without even making the playoffs when Nugent-Hopkins was drafted. And while the Oilers went into this season considered a Cup contender, they were 5-12-1 in November and already had made a coaching change.