By John Schutt
NASCAR Cup Series, Ally 400, Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tenn., Sunday, June 30.
Denny Hamlin won the pole position, but it appeared as if it was Christopher Bell’s race to win. Bell won stages one and two, but with the chaos at the end Joe Logano won his first NASCAR Cup Series race of the year! Following in second place was Zane Smith, Tyler Reddick in third, Ryan Preese in fourth, Kyle Busch in fifth.
Bell won the first stage ahead of Hamlin.
Ty Gibbs spun out in the middle of stage 2. Then a rain delay of more than an hour began.
After the restart, Cory Lajoy ran into Riley Herbst and his car ran into the wall. Then Brad Keselowski slid into the wall and got a DNF (did not finish).
Ross Chastain was in the lead in the third stage until three laps to go when Hamlin passed him.
Hamlin was still leading after first green/white checker. During the second green/white checker, Kyle Larson ran out of fuel and leader Hamlin had to go in for fuel putting him into middle of field.
Zane Smith was in the lead at another green/white checker, however, was hit into the wall by Kyle Busch.
Logano got ahead and held the lead for the victory.
Denny Hamlin led many times during the race, but ended up 12th because of a very late Pit stop!
NASCAR Cup Series, USA Today 301, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H., Sunday, June 23.
Pole, stage 1, and the race was won by Bell. Following in second place was Chase Briscoe, Josh Berry in third, Kyle Larson in fourth, and Chris Buescher in fifth.
Near end of stage two, Alex Bowman’s car had a mechanical failure.
Kyle Busch and Noah Gragson spun together into the wall. Stage two was won by Hamlin ahead of teammate, Martin Truex, Jr.
At the half-way mark of the race, a long rain delay started. NASCAR required all cars to be on wet-rain tires. Some drivers pitted and put on new rain tires. However NASCAR reversed its decision and all cars needed to put on used tires.
Despite worn tires Bell took the victory.
NASCAR Cup Series, Iowa Corn 350, Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa, Sunday, June 16.
Ryan Blaney led more than 175 laps, which led him to win the race. Following in second was William Byron, Chase Elliott was in third, Bell in fourth, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in fifth.
Pole was won by Kyle Larson over Denny Hamlin.
Cory Lajoy spun in third lap for first caution.
Stage one was won by Blaney who was ahead of William Byron.
Blaney led most of stage two, but Larson got ahead to win stage two.
In stage three, Daniel Suarez collided into the back of Larson spinning out, and involved Hamlin and Bell.
Blaney and Logano were in the lead with 85 laps to go.
Blaney got ahead for the victory.
NASCAR Cup Series, Toyota / Save Mart 350, Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, Calif., Sunday, June 9.
Larson won the road course race. Following in second was Michael Mcdowell, Buescher was in third, Elliott in fourth, and Ross Chastain in fifth.
Pole was won by Logano.
Denny Hamlin blew out an engine on the third lap of the race!
At lap 10, Chase Bristol, Harrison Burton, and Logano, all spun and went to the back of the pack.
Tyler Reddick won stage one.
In stage two, Buescher won, ahead of Ryan Preese.
Late in stage three, Larson took the lead. Austin Cendric spun with three laps to go and Ross Chastain and Kyle Busch collided on the last lap, to give the win to Larson.
Truex, Jr., running in second, ran out of gas on the last lap.
NASCAR Cup Series, Enjoy Illinois 300, World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill., Sunday, June 2.
Bell’s engine was in the lead until it gave out and Ryan Blaney took the lead. However he ran out of gas and Austin Cendric won the race! Following in third was Keselowski, Reddick in fourth, and Logano in fifth.
Mike McDowell won the poll ahead of Austin Cendric.
Three laps in, John Hunter Nemecheck spun out.
Bell won stage one.
In stage two, Josh Berry lost a tire and hit the wall.
The two Kyles, Busch and Larson, on last lap of stage two, swiped each other and spun out.
Bell won stage two.
Bell led most of stage three and his car expired and Cendric took the lead for the win.