Completely, based entirely totally on most modern history, Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas Motor Speedway (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) seems to characteristic the preferrred of the 2020 top NASCAR Cup Sequence championship contenders.
Sequence standings leader Kevin Harvick obtained the Fall Playoff flee at Texas final season and has three wins within the final 5 races on the 1.5-mile display screen. Denny Hamlin, one amongst Harvick’s chief 2020 rivals is the defending winner of this weekend’s flee and moreover has three profession victories at Texas – including a 2010 season sweep.
Five drivers entered this weekend rep a couple of Texas wins, including the display screen’s most productive, Jimmie Johnson who has seven wins – more than double that of any completely different filled with life driver – and who final obtained there in Spring of 2017. Kyle Busch, but one more three-flee Texas winner, final obtained in Spring of 2018 and reveals up in Castle Price after an impressive runner-up attain in Wednesday night’s All-Famous person Creep at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Statistically talking, Matt Kenseth (who obtained at Texas in 2002 and 2011) boasts the preferrred driver rating (103.8). Johnson (102.6), Busch (102.1) and Harvick (97.2) are proper at the support of.
Whereas indubitably the Texas weekend could perchance tumble in conserving with the opening 17 races and be a accurate fight with Harvick, the completely different four-flee winner Hamlin and Crew Penske drivers Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney, there might be motive to imagine a first-time season winner is moreover a cheap expectation.
Kenseth, who came out of retirement following the COVID-19 atomize to steer the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, earned his most productive attain of the year – runner-up – at Indianapolis two weeks ago. The seven-time NASCAR Cup Sequence champion Johnson, who is retiring from fulltime rivals at the cease of the season, hasn’t obtained a chain flee since June, 2017 at Dover, Del. However each and each are perennial favorites at Texas the save they lead many statistical classes.
Busch, the reigning NASCAR Cup Sequence champion, is in a similar intention looking out to snap a winless trot. His final victory came within the November season finale at Homestead, Fla. earning him the 2019 title. He’s rallied from a dull initiate this season to 11th within the driving force standings now with 9 top-10 finishes within the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota; including three runner-up finishes (at California, Darlington and Atlanta). And his file 9 wins at Texas within the Xfinity Sequence indubitably present a healthy dose of optimism this weekend.
“Unfortunately, I don’t rep a keep but [in the NASCAR Cup Series],” Busch acknowledged following his 2nd-situation attain in Wednesday’s All-Famous person flee.
“We’ve been cease a couple times,” he added. “We got to fight more difficult, enact better. That’s all there might be to it.”
Johnson, driver of the renowned No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet is ranked 15th within the championship standings with six top-10 finishes this season. His final top-10, on the opposite hand became at Martinsville in June – the final of a three-flee string of top-10s. His final victory at Texas came in 2017 and he has preferrred one top-10 attain within the 5 races since, a fifth situation in this flee final year.
Crew Penske drivers Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney are indubitably conserving Harvick beautiful this season, but neither has a NASCAR Cup Sequence keep at Texas. Teammate Joey Logano, who obtained two races sooner than the atomize this year, obtained at the Texas display screen in 2014. And all three Penske drivers are ranked among the High-12 in driver rankings at Texas.
Keselowski tops his teammates in laps led at the display screen (639), however the driving force of the No. 2 Crew Penske Ford is 0-for-23 with preferrred a pair of top-10 finishes within the final eight races. His most productive work became runner-up in 2012 and 2015. He does rep a pair of Xfinity Sequence wins, basically the most most modern in 2015.
As smartly as to Logano’s 2014 keep, he performed 2nd or third in three straight races within the 2016-17 seasons. He’s earned top-10 finishes in eight of the final 10 races at Texas.
The 26-year outdated Blaney has led 233 laps in 10 Texas starts with a most productive single flee exhibiting within the 2018 Playoff flee when he obtained the pole save and performed runner-up. He led a flee most productive 148 laps and performed 12th in 2017. He’s moreover a previous Xfinity Sequence winner (2018) at the display screen.
Hamlin indubitably is alive to to famously don that winner’s cowboy hat in Victory Lane another time. He dominated the self-discipline in his Texas keep final Fall, main 119 of 335 laps. However he’s had preferrred two finishes of 20th or better within the final six races – his keep final year and a third situation within the 2017 Playoff flee. He had a string of four top-5 finishes (including a pair of wins) snapped at Indianapolis two weeks ago. He led 19 laps and crashed whereas main preferrred seven laps from the scheduled attain. He became 12th at Kentucky final week.
XFINITY SERIES
Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Sequence’ My Bariatric Solutions 300 (2 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) could perchance smartly characteristic a first-time fulltime sequence victory. That is that if the self-discipline can beat the flee’s all-time winningest driver Kyle Busch, who has a file 9 wins in this flee – including 5 consecutively between 2008-2010.
Busch is the preferrred old winner of the final 5 Xfinity Sequence races at the display screen entered this weekend which opens the door to Victory Lane for any of a dozen of the sequence championship contenders in what has been an seriously aggressive season.
Though starting up positions are picked based entirely totally on blueprint in these unparalleled 2020 racing conditions, it is value noting that preferrred one time within the previous 23 races has a winner started worse than sixth on the grid. And that became quiet a cheap 10th-situation initiate, when Trevor Bayne obtained in Fall, 2011.
Final year’s Texas races featured two very completely different circumstantial outcomes with Busch beating eventual season champion Tyler Reddick within the first flee by a mere .861-seconds. Christopher Bell obtained the 2nd flee of 2019 utilizing a ways from the self-discipline with a 5.561-2nd profit over runner-up Ross Chastain.
Statistically talking, championship leader Go Briscoe – who has already surpassed his profession most productive single season complete with 5 victories during the opening 15 races – has a most productive exhibiting at Texas of fourth situation within the 2019 Spring flee. He became 22nd within the Fall. His fresh season effort, on the opposite hand, would display rationalization for optimism.
The motive force of the No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford has top-10 finishes in 9 of the final 10 races which involves three wins and a runner-up attain. He has been seriously accurate on the 1.5-mile tracks savor Texas, earning half of (six) of his top-10 finishes on those tracks and successful at Las Vegas and Homestead, Fla.
With the wins, Briscoe is assured a situation within the Xfinity Sequence Playoffs and that will mean a return to Texas in some unspecified time in the future of the Playoff hump within the Fall. With a save already assured within the championship mix, Briscoe says this week’s Texas cease will consist of a runt bit homework for the title journey later within the year.
“Obviously this week is quiet an crucial,” Briscoe acknowledged. “We repeatedly are looking out to enact smartly when we display as much as the display screen. We’ve been in save to keep every week, so there’s no motive to support off of that. However, tall describe, the Playoff races are crucial so we can are trying a aggregate of what we know works at Texas to boot to trying stuff for the future.”
Briscoe’s predominant championship threats proper now are Noah Gragson and Austin Cindric – the sequence preferrred completely different a couple of flee winners – each and each with two trophies. Gragson trails Briscoe by 19 factors within the championship standings and savor Briscoe, the No. 9 JR Motorsports driver has skilled vastly completely different outcomes in his Texas starts – 13th in Texas-1 final Spring and then 30th after crashing out within the autumn return.
Gragson, who smartly-known his 22nd birthday on Thursday, has 11 top-10 finishes in 15 races this season and his 468 laps led is most within the sequence. He’s had preferrred one top-5 attain (third at Indianapolis) within the final 5 races. On the opposite hand, that’s indubitably no longer to a lack of effort. Gragson has been a tall-time contender in deciding the final two races – main a mixed 124 laps in final week’s Kentucky Speedway doubleheader, even although he didn’t celebrate in Victory Lane.
Austin Cindric, who is third within the championship standings – 33 factors at the support of Briscoe – has a solid Texas resume. He’s performed 11th or better in all four starts including a most productive of third-situation twice – within the Fall, 2018 and Fall, 2019 races. His 441 laps out entrance this season is 2nd preferrred to Gragson and he’s coming off a immense self belief boost sweeping each and each Kentucky races final weekend, the avenue direction ace’s first sequence wins on an oval. Cindric (38 laps) and extinct Justin Allgaier (37 laps) lead the fresh Xfinity Sequence championship contenders in profession laps led at Texas.
Allgaier, driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, has 9 top-10 finishes at Texas, most among the fulltime Xfinity Sequence drivers. His most productive exhibiting is fifth in 2018 and two of his 11 sequence wins rep attain on 1.5-milers savor Texas. He has four top-10 and two top-5 finishes within the seven 1.5-mile races in 2020.
All four of the JR Motorsports drivers entered this week – Gragson, Allgaier, Michael Annett and Jeb Burton rep had success at Texas. Annett, driver of the No. 1 JRM Chevrolet is coming off his profession most productive exhibiting at Texas – sixth final summer season and he’s carried out 99 p.c of the laps in his 15 profession starts there. He has one top-5 and 5 top-10 finishes in 2020 on 1.5-mile tracks and is averaging an 8.9 attain. Burton, who will steer the No. 8 JRM Chevrolet this week has two top-10 finishes in four Texas starts including a profession-most productive of fifth situation in Castle Price final season.
“Coming off an unlimited weekend in Kentucky, I’m looking out ahead to conserving the momentum rolling this week at Texas,” Annett acknowledged. “We had fleet Chevrolets at Kentucky and had an opportunity to double up on top-fives and that proper reveals the strength of this No. 1 crew. Over the our final four races, we now rep got an moderate attain of 6.8 and we’re looking out to keep that going this weekend at Texas.”
GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES
If ever there became a venue the save a couple of of the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Sequence veterans feel willing to intention a hump up the championship standings, Texas Motor Speedway is doubtless the location.
Faded sequence champion Johnny Sauter boasts basically the most wins (5) among filled with life drivers at Texas. Twice he’s obtained support-to-support – sweeping the 2012 season and successful three out of four races between 2016-18.
Sauter’s ThorSport Racing teammate and reigning sequence champion Matt Crafton has a pair of victories (2014 and 2015) and is currently riding an unequaled trot of 17 consecutive top-10 finishes, including four runner-up finishes to boot to to the pair of wins.
Final season’s winner Kyle Busch is entered this weekend and can scrutinize to defend his keep in Saturday’s Vankor 350 (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Busch has made 9 starts at Texas within the Gander Truck posting four wins, 9 top fives and moderate attain of 10.2.
Sequence standings leader Austin Hill takes a solid 46-point profit over final week’s Kentucky flee winner Sheldon Creed into the Texas flee. Hill has held the head location within the sequence driver standings – main the factors for the final six weeks – however the driving force of the No. 16 Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota is quiet shopping for his first victory of the year. He’s performed runner-up twice (at Atlanta and Pocono) and became fifth in final week’s rain-shortened Kentucky flee. He has a pair of top-10s in seven Texas starts with a most productive ever exhibiting of fifth-situation in 2018.
“We’ve been proper there every week and rep effect ourselves in a accurate save within the purpose standings,” Hill acknowledged. “Every person on our United Leases crew has effect a ton of effort into our trucks. The fellows effect collectively a tag-fresh half for this week, so I’m able to’t wait to catch in and perceive what we now rep got.
“I feel savor we’ll deserve to rep obtained the summer season flee at Texas final year and we rep been in fact fleet within the spring flee but had an overheating self-discipline, so I’m looking out ahead to going support this weekend. It’s positively a situation that we’ve had accurate bustle and the mile-and-a-halfs rep been one amongst our solid suits this year.”
Ben Rhodes, who is third within the Gander Trucks driver standings, 57 factors at the support of Hill, is moreover shopping for his first 2020 victory. The 23-year outdated has 5 top-10 finishes within the seven races. His most productive attain at Texas is runner-up in 2018, but he has preferrred three top-10 showings within the final eight starts there.
The 19-year outdated Californian Tyler Ankrum, who is ranked 10th within the championship, is a preferrred 2-for-2 via top-10 finishes at Texas. And but one more 2019 Championship Four driver, Stewart Friesen, would lift to scrutinize Texas revitalize his season. He has two previous runner-up finishes in Castle Price (2018 and 2019) and currently is ranked 14th within the championship. His most productive 2020 attain is eighth situation at Pocono, Pa. two races ago.
NASCAR Cup Sequence
Subsequent Creep: O’Reilly Auto Parts 500
The Command: Texas Motor Speedway
The Date: Sunday, July 19
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 2: 30 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 500.5 miles (334 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 85),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 170), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 334)
2019 Creep Winner: Denny Hamlin
What To Gaze For: Texas Motor Speedway has hosted 38 NASCAR Cup Sequence races dating support to the inaugural event on April 6, 1997 – the event became obtained by former driver modified into NBCSN sports activities analyst Jeff Burton by more than 4-seconds over NASCAR Corridor of Famer Dale Jarrett in 2nd. … The 38 sequence races at Texas Motor Speedway rep garnered 25 completely different pole winners and 19 completely different flee winners. Two of the 19 completely different Texas winners got their first sequence profession keep at Texas Motor Speedway – Jeff Burton (1997) and NASCAR Corridor of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000). … Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kurt Busch leads the sequence in poles at Texas with three (2015, 2017, 2018), and 7-time NASCAR Cup Sequence champion Jimmie Johnson leads the sequence in Texas victories with seven wins (2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 sweep and 2017). … Final season’s March Texas flee became obtained by Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin; it became the crew’s eighth victory at Texas (third-most). In complete 9 completely different organizations rep obtained at Texas Motor Speedway within the NASCAR Cup Sequence, led by Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing with 9 wins every. … One other thing value noting is this weekend at Texas might be the seventh time this season the sequence has competed on a 1.5-mile display screen. The six old 1.5-mile tracks this year rep effect up six completely different winners: Joey Logano (Las Vegas), Brad Keselowski (Charlotte-1), Go Elliott (Charlotte-2), Kevin Harvick (Atlanta), Denny Hamlin (Homestead-Miami) and Cole Custer (Kentucky).
NASCAR Xfinity Sequence
Subsequent Creep: My Bariatric Solutions 300
The Command: Texas Motor Speedway
The Date: Saturday, July 18
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 2: 30 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 300 miles (200 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)
2019 Creep Winner: Kyle Busch
What To Gaze For: Texas Motor Speedway has hosted 38 NASCAR Xfinity Sequence races dating support to the inaugural event on April 5, 1997 – the flee became obtained by NASCAR Corridor of Famer Imprint Martin utilizing the illustrious Roush Fenway Racing No. 60 Ford. … The 38 sequence races at Texas Motor Speedway rep produced 24 completely different poles winners and 19 completely different flee winners. Joe Gibbs Racing enormous name, Kyle Busch, leads the sequence in fair about every critical stat at Texas – poles (four), wins (9), top fives (16), top 10s (17 – tied with Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth) and laps led (1,686). … This weekend might be the 39th running of a NASCAR Xfinity Sequence flee at Texas Motor Speedway. Interestingly, the final 5 sequence races at the display screen rep had 5 completely different winners – Erik Jones (2017), Ryan Blaney (2018), Cole Custer (2018), Kyle Busch (2019) and Christopher Bell (2019). This weekend Kyle Busch is the preferrred old NASCAR Xfinity Sequence Texas winner entered in Saturday’s event.
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Sequence
Subsequent Creep: Vankor 350
The Command: Texas Motor Speedway
The Date: Saturday, July 18
The Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 7: 30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 250.5 miles (167 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 40),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 80), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 167)
2019 Creep Winner: Kyle Busch
What To Gaze For: Texas Motor Speedway has hosted the Gander Trucks 44 times, dating support to the inaugural event on June 6, 1997 – the flee became obtained by Kenny Irwin Jr. utilizing a Ford for owner Jim Herrick. … The 44 sequence races at Texas rep produced 29 completely different pole winners and 23 completely different flee winners. Mike Skinner leads the sequence in poles (5), and Todd Bodine leads the sequence wins (six) at Texas. … Final season this flee at Texas became obtained by Kyle Busch Motorsport’s Kyle Busch. He started fourth and led a dominating 97 of 147 laps and obtained. It became his fourth Gander Trucks profession victory at the display screen (2009, 2010, 2014, 2019). His KBM teammate, Greg Biffle, then obtained the June Gander Trucks flee at Texas, sweeping the sequence’ occasions at the 1.5-mile facility final season for the crew and bringing their Texas wins complete to a chain main seven victories. … Four former Gander Trucks Texas winners are entered within the Vankor 250 this weekend – Johnny Sauter (5 wins), Kyle Busch (four wins), Matt Crafton (two wins) and Justin Haley (one keep).
— NASCAR Wire Carrier —
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