NASCAR: 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup/XFINITY/Camping World Truck Series season thread:

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REMINDER:

All Fast Friday and up to the XFINITY Race @ MIS (NOT sure about Gateway, yet, but never know with the US Open) will shift to FS2, then return to FS1

 

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Friday schedule for MIS/Gateway:

11 am: MENSC: Firekeeper Casino 400 practice FS2;

12:30: XFINITY: Irish Hills 250 practice FS2;

3 pm: XFINITY: Irish Hills 250 final practice FS2;

4 pm: MENSC: Firekeeper Casino 400 Qualifying FS2;

News:

Johnson/team 48/Hendrick and Lowe's extend contract; Johnson 3 year extension until 2020 (so the next 3 Indy 500s are out) and Lowe's retains full season sponsorship through the end of 2018;

Alon Day returns to NASCAR for select events in all 3 National Series; will debut in MENSC at Sonoma in the BK Racing 83, and select Road courses in XFINITY/Trucks;

Sam Hornish, Jr. rejoining Team Penske's 22 XFINITY team for both Iowa events and Mid-Ohio;

Brad Doty Tribute and Sam Ard Tribute schematics released for Darlington XFINITY Throwbacks for 00-Custer and 5-Annett;

also, Kahne tribute to Hendrick's initial schematic for the 5 (Levi Garrett) before being known as HMS (All Star Racing) set for Darlington;

only 37 Cup entries, as the 55 DID NOT ENTER, the 15 will be driven by DJ Kennington, and Rick Ware Racing scaling back the 51 a bit due to Cody Ware's back issues

 

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MENSC: Firekeepers Casino 400 pole @ MIS

42-Larson

 

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Saturday from MIS/Gateway:

TV:

09 am: MENSC: Firekeepers Casino 400 2nd practice FS2;
10 am: XFINITY: Irish Hills 250 Qualifying FS2;
Noon: MENSC: Firekeepers Casino 400 "Happy Hour"FS2;
1:30: XFINITY: Irish Hills 250 FS1;
7:00: CWTS: Drivin' for Linemen 200 Qualifying FS1;
8:30: CWTS: Drivin' for Linemen 200 FS1

 

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XFINITY: Irish Hills 250

Pole: 18-Kyle Busch (spun lap 1);

Stage 1 30: 22-Keselowski;

Stage 2 30: 1-Sadler;

Stage 3/Win 65: 20-Hamlin

 

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CWTS: Drivin' for Linemen 200:

Pole:29-Briscoe;

Stage 1: 8-JH Nemechek;

Stage 2: 29-Briscoe;

Stage 3/Win: 8-JH Nemechek

 

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MENSC: Firekeepers Casino 400

Stage 1: 60 78-Truex, Jr.

Stage 2: 60; 78-Truex, Jr.

Stage 3/Win 80: 42-LARSON

 

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BREAKING------

XFINITY @ MIS result encumbered, 20 car fails inspection

 

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Fast Friday news from Sonoma/Iowa:

Reminder, folks, this is the last week for Fox covering the Monster Energy Cup/XFINITY series, they still hold the rights to the Trucks;

TV:

10 am: CWTS: Iowa 200 practice FS1;
Noon: CWTS: Iowa 200 final practice FS1;
2 pm: XFINITY: American Ethanol E 15 250 practice FS1;
3 pm: MENSC: Toyota/Save Mart 350k practice FS1;
5 pm: XFINITY: American Ethanol E 15 "Happy Hour" (tape) FS1;
6:30: MENSC: Toyota/Save Mart 350k "Happy Hour" FS1;
8:30: CWTS: Iowa 200 FS1

 

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Saturday from Iowa/Sonoma:

CWTS: M & M's/Iowa 200;

Pole: 18-Gragson;

Stage 1 60: 4-Bell;

Stage 2 60: 21-Sauter;

Stage 3 80: 8-JH Nemechek;

TV:

2:30: MENSC: Toyota/Save Mart 350k Qualifying FS1;
7:00: XFINITY: American Ethanol E15 250 Qualifying FS1;
8:30: XFINITY: American Ethanol E15 250 FS1

 

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XFINITY: American Ethanol E 15 from Iowa

Pole:20-Bell

Stage 1:60-20 Bell;

Stage 2:60-20-Bell;

Stage 3:130-9-Byron****1st career win

 

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MENSC: Toyota Save Mart 350K from Sonoma

Pole: 42-Larson

 

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MENSC: Toyota/Save Mart 350

Stage 1: 25-78-Truex, Jr.;

Stage 2: 25-48-Johnson;

Stage 3: 60-4-Harvick

 

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Daytona and here we goooooooooooooooo...

Blake Shelton returns to headline NASCAR on NBC....We're Bringing back the Sunshine from Saturday at Daytona to Championship at Homestead; teleconference/media at 2 pm:

Daytona schedule:

Thursday:

2 pm: XFINITY: Coca Cola Firecracker 250 practice NBCSN;
3 pm: MENSC: Coca Cola 400 practice NBCSN;
4 pm: XFINITY: Coca Cola Firecracker 250 "happy Hour"/practice NBCSN;
5 pm: MENSC: Coca Cola 400 practice 2 NBCSN;
7 pm: MENSC: NASCAR Throwback: 2004 Daytona 500 NBCSN;

News:

Hendrick Motorsports extends the 24 team and Chase Elliott through 2022 (had been set to expire after 2018)

 

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Thursday pre-Daytona updates;

18 team looking foe 3rd interim crew chief, as Ben Beshore gets 1 race suspension for lug nut violation;

43/RPM/Update: Almirola is cleared to test within 2 weeks, targeting NHMS 7/16 AS POTENTIAL RETURN Date

 

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XFINITY: Coca Cola Firecracker 250

Pole: 48- Poole*** 1st career Pole;

Stage 1 30:11-Koch

Stage 2 30:1-Sadler;

Stage 3 43: 9-Byron

Race coverage: 12 Noon CNBC, resumes on lap 12 due to weather; weather has again intervened with Stage 2 and Daytona has been cleared due to lightning with 27 laps left in 2nd Stage; all they have to do is get to the end of the 2nd Stage aka lap 60, to make it official;

STILL IN DELAY AS OF 3PM.... beginning to wonder if XFINITY GOES TO DAY 3, and a decision soon as to will the Coke Zero 400 go off at 7pm; Race resumed at 3:45 finished at 5:15

 

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MENSC: Coca Cola 400

Pole: 88-Earnhardt, Jr.

Stage 1 40: 2- Keselowski;

Stage 2 40: 20-Kenseth;

Stage 3 83:17-Stenhouse, Jr.

Race Coverage: 7 pm NBC

 

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Ricky Stenhouse Jr. does it again!

 

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Kentucky weekend:

CWTS: Build Your Truck 225

Practices: 3 AND 5 today; (change due to travel)

Qualifying: tomorrow 5pm;

Race 7:30 tomorrow on FS1

 

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Kentucky rumblings on Thursday:

TV:

5 pm: CWTS: Build Ford Tough 225 Qualifying FS1; Qualifying canceled (weather) start by points
6 pm: XFINITY: Alsco 300 "Happy Hour" NBCSN;
7:30: CWTS: Build Ford Tough 225 FS1;

NOTES: 1st two XFINITY Alsco 300 practices are on NBC Sports App;

News:

77 UPDATE: Erik Jones status past 2017 TBD; Jones has an option to stay with the 77, DEPENDING on what the 20 team does and whether Kenseth remains there;

dual Wrangler schematics for Darlington as both the 3 of Austin Dillon and 31-Newman to honor Dale Earnhardt;

Roush Fenway: 6 and 17 TEAMS will return in 2018; as will the 16 XFINITY entry of Ryan Reed; NO status update of the 16 Charter Cup ENTRY currently loaned to JTG Daugherty (37-Buescher), nor status of the 6/60 XFINITY entries past Iowa's 2nd race;

SHR: expected all 4 teams will be running in 2018, drivers/Sponsorship TBD FOR 10/41 (Patrick/Kurt Busch deals expire);

Front Row: Donnie Wingo from 34 team to Competition Director; Seth Barbour hired from RFR's 6 XFINITY team to crew chief the 34-Cassill;

XFINITY:

Ryan Preece signed to 2 race deal with JGR's 20 entry; Iowa/New Hampshire; abruptly pulled out from the 01 Johnny Davis Motorsports entry with Gary Keller;

Brian Scott returns from retirement for Iowa and Kentucky's September race in the 3 RCR XFINITY entry;

CWTS Update:

29-Briscoe to backup truck after practice incident at the end of session 2

 

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CWTS: Click it or Ticket it 225 @ Kentucky

Pole: 21-Sauter (points);

Stage 1 35:27-Rhodes

Stage 2 35: 18-Gragson

Stage 3 80: 4-Bell

Race delayed by weather until 10:25 (currently on FS1)

 

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"Fast Friday" at Kentucky

TV:

10 am: MENSC: Quaker State 400 practice on NBC Sports App;
1 pm: MENSC: Quaker State 400 "Happy Hour" practice NBCSN;
4:30 pm: XFINITY: Alsco 300 Qualifying NBCSN;
6 pm: MENSC: Quaker State 400 Qualifying NBCSN;
8 pm: XFINITY: Alsco 300 NBCSN

News:

could there be a swap between the 77 and 20? Kenseth not expecting a return to the 20

 

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XFINITY: Alsco 300 @ Kentucky:

Pole: 18-Busch

Stage 1 45: 20-Jones

Stage 2 45: 12-Blaney

Stage 3 110: 18-Busch

Mother Nature interrupts XFINITY series for 2nd week will run tomorrow at NOON ON NBCSN; IN MIDDLE OF STAGE 2

 

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MENSC: Quaker Sgtate 400 @ Kentucky

Pole: 18-Busch;

Stage 1 80:78-Truex, Jr.

Stage 2 80:78-Truex, Jr;

Stage 3: 110: 78-Truex, Jr;

Qualifying shortened to 2 rounds (weather)

 

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Future of 77 car still undecided