By John Schutt
NASCAR Cup Series, Hollywood Casino 400, Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Sept. 28.
Denny Hamlin dominated most of the race, but due to a bad pitstop he came in second to winner Chase Elliott. Following in third was Chris Bell, Chase Briscoe in fourth, and Bubba Wallace in fifth.
Pole position was set by Briscoe in a Toyota.
In Stage 1, Cody Ware hit the wall with 25 laps to go in the stage.
Hamlin won Stage 1 and Stage 2.
Elliott passed Hamlin early in Stage 3. Later in final stage was a major wreck in the middle of the pack involving Joe Logano, Ryley Herbst, Austin Cendrick, and approximately eight other cars. A red flag delay was issued.
After the cleanup and restart, Hamlin, Bell, and Wallace were up in the front.
Kyle Busch and Lyle Larson each brushed the wall in two separate instances.
Then came Hamlin’s long pit stop, which put him in sixth place for the restart.
With Bell in the lead, Carson Hocevar spun out and Zane Smith had all four tires up on the wall and ended with him flipping upside down, and rolling the car. Smith was okay, but he was now out of the race.
On the restart, with few laps to go, Elliott got ahead of Bell. By the end of the race Hamlin was able to get back up to second place, behind.
NASCAR Cup Series, Mobile 1 301, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H., Sunday, Sept. 21.
The pole positions were all Penski, with Logano on the inside and Ryan Blaney on the outside.
Blaney shined and won Stage 1 and the overall race. Following in second Josh Berry, William Byron in third, Logano in fourth, and Elliott in fifth.
During Stage 1 Shane Van Gisbergen spun out after contact from Busch.
State 2 was won by Logano.
In Stage 3 Ty Gibbs’ car spun out after contact from teammate Hamlin.
During most of final stage, Josh Berry was chasing Ryan Blaney for the lead, but had to settle for second place when Blaney won the race.
NASCAR Cup Series, Bass Pro Shops Night Race, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 13.
Pole position was won by Briscoe, but Bell won the race. Following in second was Brad Keselowski, Smith in third, Blaney in fourth, and Logano in fifth.
Blaney took over the lead over from teammate Logano, just 20 laps in.
Bell won Stage 1 ahead of Keselowski.
Stage 2 was won by Briscoe.
Hamlin received a two-lap penalty for hitting AJ Allmendinger, who almost hit into the wall, in Stage 3.
Elliott was tapped in the rear and spun out into the wall.
This was the fourth win for Bell this year.
NASCAR Cup Series, Enjoy Illinois 300, World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill., Sunday, Sept. 7.
Hamlin started in the pole position and was the overall race winner. Following in second was Briscoe, Elliot in third, Blaney in fourth, and Logano in fifth.
Briscoe, Kyle Larson, and Hamlin were the early race leaders. Briscoe was in the lead during Stage 1 when Elliot helped Josh Berry crash, with 10 lap to go in the stage.
Briscoe won Stage 1 ahead of Larson.
On lap 97 in Stage 2, Blaney spun out after contact from Larson.
Due to bad pit stop action, Alex Bowman’s car was sent without a tire attached.
Wallace won Stage 2 ahead of Keselowski.
Van Gisbergen spun out, Wallace got stuck in gear, and Logano took the lead.
On lap 208 Ty Dillon hit the wall.
Hamlin led most of second half and did get in front of Logano for the win.