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Chase Elliott suffers engine failure in Martinsville practice

It did not take long for one of the contenders in the NASCAR Playoffs to suffer a significant issue during preparation for the First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Chase Elliott just slipped into the ‘Round of 8’ with a late rally last weekend at the Kansas Speedway which ultimately placed the popular driver in the sixth spot in the current Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings. But after just five laps of practice on Saturday morning smoke and flames came belching from underneath the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet which caused the car to slow to a stop on…

Mike Marlar set to make Xfinity Series debut in Richmond

For the second time in 2019 driver Mike Marlar will be making a NASCAR debut. On Friday night at the Richmond Raceway the Winfield, Tenn. native will try something he has not previously done before in his extensive racing career as he plans to make his debut with the NASCAR Xfinity Series in the Go Bowling 250. The entry list for this weekend’s event in the capital city of Virginia shows that the 41-year-old Marlar is listed as the driver of a car which is prepared out of the Motorsports Business Management team shops. George Church is listed as the…

Oh so close, Hamlin spoils upset bid for Bristol win

The unthinkable nearly happened at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday night. A driver, who was informed he was losing his ride, almost picked up his first career win in the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race. Instead, Denny Hamlin spoiled the party to pick up the win. Matt DiBenedetto was informed earlier in the week he would no longer be the driver of the #95 Levine Family Racing Toyota for the 2020 season. Since the team has an affiliation with Joe Gibbs Racing, rumors persisted for weeks that DiBenedetto was in danger of losing his ride to either Christopher Bell or…

Mike Marlar Set to Drive NASCAR Truck at Eldora

The entry list posted on the NASCAR-themed Jayski.com website for the upcoming 7th annual Eldora Dirt Derby event for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Trucks Series shows that veteran Dirt Late Model competitor Mike Marlar is listed as the driver for the No. 33 Reaume Brothers Racing Toyota Tundra. It had been previously announced that the Winfield, Tenn. native will also wheel a Big-Block Modified in the SuperDIRTcar Series race at the famed track located in Rossburg, OH on Wednesday evening. Marlar is a two-time winner of the prestigious Knoxville Late Model Nationals held annually at the Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville,…

Kyle Strickler to race DGR-Crosley truck at Eldora

Kyle Strickler has impressed numerous observers in the dirt racing world after recently moving into the Dirt Late Model ranks. The longtime star in Dirt Modifieds, who has won some of the biggest events that form of racing has to offer, has been driving a Longhorn Chassis for David and Eric Wells throughout much of 2019. The 35-year-old Pennsylvania native rose to prominence earlier this season when he led much of the first half of the prestigious Dirt Late Model Dream at Eldora Speedway back in June. Strickler has taken to Late Model racing quickly as evidenced by that Eldora…

Kyle Busch rallies from early accident to win Food City 500

Kyle Busch is typically the favorite to win at Bristol. Heading into Sunday’s Food City 500, Busch had won 7 times at the half-mile in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. An eighth victory looked to be in doubt when Busch was tagged from behind on a lap 2 incident. Chase Elliott dominated the early stages of the race. The pole sitter was comfortably in charge until a lapped car made contact with Elliott that resulted in a flat tire and a spin. Elliott was so far ahead he was in 5th place when the caution waved. But Elliott would…

Dolly Parton, Dollywood to sponsor Tyler Reddick at Bristol

An east Tennessee legend will be represented on one of the cars competing for the win on Saturday afternoon in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race when that series rolls into the Bristol Motor Speedway for the Alsco 300. Country music superstar and Sevier County native Dolly Parton will have her likeness on the hood of Tyler Reddick’s Chevrolet while Dollywood, a theme park located in the resort town of Pigeon Forge, will have its name placed on the side of the No. 2 ride prepared by Richard Childress Racing. The RCR Twitter account posted a photo of the car on…

Team Penske taking the early lead in 2019

Last season it was Stewart-Haas Racing who got the early jump on the rest of the field on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series as Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer earned multiple wins during the first half of the 2018 season. However, it was Team Penske that scored the ultimate triumph when Joey Logano won the final race of the year to secure the season-long championship. And it looks as if Roger Penske’s organization has carried that momentum into this season. The season opening Daytona 500 went reasonably well for Team Penske as Joey Logano finished a solid, but somewhat…

Kyle Busch cites relationships as his reason for staying with JGR

An announcement came on Thursday morning that Joe Gibbs Racing and driver Kyle Busch had agreed to a multi-year contract extension that will keep the 2015 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion in one of that company’s Toyota race cars for the foreseeable future. Busch has won 47 races in the sport’s top division for JGR since joining that organization in 2008. It was also announced that Mars, Inc. would continue to serve as a primary sponsor for the No. 18 team with its M&M’s brand candies as well as other products. Prior to the first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup…

Knoxville’s Chad Finchum set to race for MBM Motorsports in 2019

Chad Finchum will be back in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2019 with MBM Motorsports. The 24-year-old driver recently confirmed the news with an announcement on Twitter. It will be the Knoxville, Tenn. racer’s second season with the Carl Long-owned operation. Finchum made 32 starts in NASCAR’s second series in 2018 completing just over 4,000 laps. The team’s efforts resulted in a 30th place finish in the final Xfinity Series standings. They recorded eight finishes in the top-25 with a season-high 14th place coming in the July race at Daytona International Speedway. “Hey everyone, 2019 is here,” Finchum declared in…