By John Schutt
NASCAR Monster Energy series, Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard Powered By Florida Georgia Line, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis, Ind. Sunday, Sept. 8.
Kevin Harvick raced side by side with Joe Logano in the final laps and pulled away to win this year’s race by three seconds! Following Harvick and Logano were Bubba Wallace in third place, William Byron in fourth, Clint Bowyer in fifth and Denny Hamlin in sixth.
Harvick led from the pole and led for the first part of the first stage. Landon Cassel had the first wreck when he slammed the wall early. Brad Keselowski and Eric Jones had a high-speed wreck with two laps to go in stage one. Keselowski teammate, Logano, won the first stage.
The first half of the second stage was led by Harvick and Ryan Blaney.
Kyle Busch had an engine blowout with 13 laps remaining in the second stage.
Debris on the track caused the final caution in stage two and it ended under caution with Harvick the victor over Kyle Larson.
Jimmie Johnson led four laps in stage two with a chance to make the upcoming Monster playoffs, however, by the second lap of stage three a wreck involving Johnson, Kurt Busch, Alex Bowman, and others, took Johnson out of the playoff picture.
A caution caused a shoot-out between Logano and Harvick, with Harvick pulling away for the victory! It was Harvick’s third victory this year. He dominated and led 118 laps.
NASCAR Monster Energy series, Bojangles’ Southern 500, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, S.C., Sunday, Sept. 1.
Way after midnight and a four-hour rain delay, Joe Gibbs driver Eric Jones was awarded his first Nascar Cup victory! Teammate Kyle Busch was in the lead in the final segment with four laps to go when he brushed the wall and cut a tire. Eric Jones and Kyle Larson got past Kyle Busch while he nursed his car home in third place. In fourth place was Harvick and in fifth was Keselowski.
Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch’s brother, won the first stage.
The second stage ended with Kyle Busch’s passing both brother Kurt and Clint Bowyer in a 30-lap shoot-out among the three.
A wreck on lap 275 took out favorites Kurt Busch, Johnson, and Hamlin.
The third stage was led by Kyle Busch until at the end a tire blowout took him out of contention.
• Hamlin won the Xfinity race Saturday at Darlington only to have it taken away later when his race car did not pass post race inspection because his car’s ride height was too low. Cole Custer became the new winner and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. came out of retirement for this race and finished in fifth place.
NASCAR Xfinity Series, Road America, Elkart Lake, Wis., Saturday, Aug. 24.
Ideal weather gave help to a full race day with Trans Am races, Formula 3, Xfinity, and Robbie Gordon’s Jumping Stadium Trucks made for a full show! Every year this track improves for the fans with more things to see and do. Cole Custer won the exciting Xfinity race in a Mustang.