“Summer’s Five Things” is a daily column by Summer Bedgood for NASCAR fans to catch up on the most recent, relevant, and need-to-know news and information in the sport! While mostly focused on NASCAR, this column may also feature other interesting and exciting moments from the world of motorsports. Enjoy!
- Brad Keselowski benefits from late-race skirmish between Chastain, Harvick
No doubt the biggest story of Saturday’s XFINITY Series race was the dust-up between Ross Chastain and Kevin Harvick, but we’ll delve more into that in a minute.
Brad Keselowski wound up in victory lane in Darlington Raceway for the NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Saturday, benefitting from the Chastain v. Harvick on-track dispute. Keselowski, who has now won a national series race at every track on the schedule except for Sonoma Raceway, admitted as much post-race, saying that his car wasn’t fast enough to pass and hold off Chastain on the racetrack.
“…I could keep up with Ross, but I couldn’t pass him,” said Keselowski. “I tried to make the move to get by him and I just brushed the wall and him and Kevin got back by me and then they had their issue off of two and were just so strong that we pounced on it and took advantage of the opportunity. That’s a testament to this team. I drove five races this year and we’ve won three of them. That’s pretty darn good and I’m really proud of that.”
Keselowski led 35 of the 147 laps, second to Chastain’s 90.
Keselowski and Harvick were two of nine drivers running double duty this weekend in Darlington. Denny Hamlin (finished fourth), Chase Elliott (sixth), Ty Dillon (ninth), Landon Cassill (14th), Joey Gase (21st), BJ McLeod (23rd), Harvick (29th), JJ Yeley (30th), Chastain (33rd), and Timmy Hill (35th) will all race with Keselowski in Sunday’s Bojangles’ Southern 500.
NASCAR XFINITY Series Unofficial Race Results
NASCAR XFINITY Series Unofficial Driver Points
- Kevin Harvick holds nothing back after being wrecked by Ross Chastain
Ross Chastain was having the race of his life.
Then it all turned sour.
Chastain came into the weekend knowing he was getting the opportunity of a lifetime — he would be driving for Chip Ganassi Racing in three XFINITY Series this season, starting this weekend at Darlington Raceway. Despite 129 starts in the XFINITY Series, this would arguably be the 25-year-old driver’s best opportunity to compete in winning equipment.
And he absolutely made a case for himself to continue to do so.
Chastain led a race-high 90 of the 147 laps and won the first two stages of the race, even with Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regulars Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski firmly in his rearview mirror.
However, on lap 111, his chances for a win went out the window.
While racing for the lead with Harvick, Harvick got into the left side of Chastain’s car coming off of turn two, causing Chastain to hit the wall. As the two appeared to straighten themselves out on the backstretch, Chastain’s car veered left and hooked the right rear of Harvick’s car.
Harvick was very frustrated with Chastain, and stopped in Chastain’s pit box to show his irritation and gave a post-race interview that laid into the driver of the No. 42 even further.
Chastain, for his part, stated that the secondary contact was unintentional and that he would review the replay to see if the crash was, in fact, of his doing.
Chastain and Harvick will race together in Sunday’s Bojangles’ Southern 500. Chastain will start 33rd while Harvick will start 22nd.
Chastain will compete again for CGR on September 15th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and September 21st at Richmond Raceway.
Next week will be the final regular season race for the XFINITY Series Race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The top 12 will advance to the Playoffs based on wins, then points. Chastain currently holds a 54-point cushion over 13th-place Michael Annett.
- Austin Cindric emotional after lap two crash at Darlington Raceway
It was hard not to feel for Austin Cindric as he gave an interview outside of the infield care center at Darlington Raceway, fighting back tears of frustration after what has been a brutal season.
Cindric, who turns 20 on Sunday, was spun by Ryan Truex after just one lap in the XFINITY Series race, and just like that he was done for the day.
The 40th-place result was Cindric’s fifth DNF this season and his last race in 2018 with Roush Fenway Racing. Though running the full XFINITY Series season, Cindric is splitting his time between RFR and Team Penske.
For what it’s worth, Cindric is currently in the XFINITY Series Playoffs on points with one race left in the regular season, holding a 60-point cushion over 13th-place Michael Annett.
The season hasn’t been all bad for Cindric, either. He earned the pole position at Iowa Speedway and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, led over 50 laps in both of those races, and has earned three top-five finishes including a best result of second at Mid-Ohio.
- Denny Hamlin wins pole at Darlington Raceway on one-year anniversary of last win
Darlington Raceway is known as the track “Too Tough To Tame”, but apparently someone forgot to tell Denny Hamlin. With two victories at the track in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and five in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, the 1.366-mile oval is one of Hamlin’s best racetracks.
On Saturday at the historic speedway, Hamlin earned the pole position for Sunday’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 with a time of 28.332 seconds at 173.571 mph. He will start the race on the front row alongside Chip Ganassi Racing driver Kyle Larson.
‘Hamlin’s last career Cup Series victory was at this track on September 3rd of last season. He earned the pole position on Saturday in a paint scheme that is a replica of the first mini stock car Hamlin drove in 1997.
Martin Truex Jr. and Alex Bowman will start behind Hamlin and Larson in Sunday’s race. Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch rounded out the top five in qualifying.
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Starting Lineup By Row
- Race day schedule for Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway
While the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series typically races on Sunday afternoons, the Southern 500 will be run on Sunday evening as part of the Labor Day weekend.
Here is your schedule for today’s race:
- Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Driver & Crew Chief Meeting (MENCS garage): 4:00PM ET
- Driver introductions with Busch Pole Award (NASCAR Special Awards earlier in pre-race): 5:25PM ET
- Intro Presentation of Colors (South Carolina Air National Guard Color Guard): 6:00PM ET
- Moment of Silence: 6:00:10 PM ET
- Intro & Invocation (Dr. Bill Curtis, Cornerstone Baptist Church of Darlington, South Carolina): 6:00:30 PM ET
- National Anthem (Hanson): 6:01:25 PM ET
- Flyover TOT (Bandit Flight Team – Turn 4 to Turn 1): 6:03PM ET
- Command to start engines (Randy Poindexter, Senior VP of Marketing for Bojangles’ with 2019 NASCAR HOF Inductee Jack Roush and other members of the NASCAR HOF): 6:07:45 PM ET
- Green Flag: 6:15:45 PM ET
The race will be 367 laps. The television broadcast will be on NBCSN, while the radio broadcast can be heard on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90).
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If you would like to receive “Five Things” in your inbox, or just connect with me, you may send me an e-mail at [email protected].
You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram.
Summer’s Five Things: What You Need To Know For September 2nd, 2018
“Summer’s Five Things” is a daily column by Summer Bedgood for NASCAR fans to catch up on the most recent, relevant, and need-to-know news and information in the sport! While mostly focused on NASCAR, this column may also feature other interesting and exciting moments from the world of motorsports. Enjoy!
No doubt the biggest story of Saturday’s XFINITY Series race was the dust-up between Ross Chastain and Kevin Harvick, but we’ll delve more into that in a minute.
Brad Keselowski wound up in victory lane in Darlington Raceway for the NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Saturday, benefitting from the Chastain v. Harvick on-track dispute. Keselowski, who has now won a national series race at every track on the schedule except for Sonoma Raceway, admitted as much post-race, saying that his car wasn’t fast enough to pass and hold off Chastain on the racetrack.
“…I could keep up with Ross, but I couldn’t pass him,” said Keselowski. “I tried to make the move to get by him and I just brushed the wall and him and Kevin got back by me and then they had their issue off of two and were just so strong that we pounced on it and took advantage of the opportunity. That’s a testament to this team. I drove five races this year and we’ve won three of them. That’s pretty darn good and I’m really proud of that.”
Keselowski led 35 of the 147 laps, second to Chastain’s 90.
Keselowski and Harvick were two of nine drivers running double duty this weekend in Darlington. Denny Hamlin (finished fourth), Chase Elliott (sixth), Ty Dillon (ninth), Landon Cassill (14th), Joey Gase (21st), BJ McLeod (23rd), Harvick (29th), JJ Yeley (30th), Chastain (33rd), and Timmy Hill (35th) will all race with Keselowski in Sunday’s Bojangles’ Southern 500.
NASCAR XFINITY Series Unofficial Race Results
NASCAR XFINITY Series Unofficial Driver Points
Ross Chastain was having the race of his life.
Then it all turned sour.
Chastain came into the weekend knowing he was getting the opportunity of a lifetime — he would be driving for Chip Ganassi Racing in three XFINITY Series this season, starting this weekend at Darlington Raceway. Despite 129 starts in the XFINITY Series, this would arguably be the 25-year-old driver’s best opportunity to compete in winning equipment.
And he absolutely made a case for himself to continue to do so.
Chastain led a race-high 90 of the 147 laps and won the first two stages of the race, even with Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regulars Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski firmly in his rearview mirror.
However, on lap 111, his chances for a win went out the window.
While racing for the lead with Harvick, Harvick got into the left side of Chastain’s car coming off of turn two, causing Chastain to hit the wall. As the two appeared to straighten themselves out on the backstretch, Chastain’s car veered left and hooked the right rear of Harvick’s car.
Harvick was very frustrated with Chastain, and stopped in Chastain’s pit box to show his irritation and gave a post-race interview that laid into the driver of the No. 42 even further.
Chastain, for his part, stated that the secondary contact was unintentional and that he would review the replay to see if the crash was, in fact, of his doing.
Chastain and Harvick will race together in Sunday’s Bojangles’ Southern 500. Chastain will start 33rd while Harvick will start 22nd.
Chastain will compete again for CGR on September 15th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and September 21st at Richmond Raceway.
Next week will be the final regular season race for the XFINITY Series Race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The top 12 will advance to the Playoffs based on wins, then points. Chastain currently holds a 54-point cushion over 13th-place Michael Annett.
It was hard not to feel for Austin Cindric as he gave an interview outside of the infield care center at Darlington Raceway, fighting back tears of frustration after what has been a brutal season.
Cindric, who turns 20 on Sunday, was spun by Ryan Truex after just one lap in the XFINITY Series race, and just like that he was done for the day.
The 40th-place result was Cindric’s fifth DNF this season and his last race in 2018 with Roush Fenway Racing. Though running the full XFINITY Series season, Cindric is splitting his time between RFR and Team Penske.
For what it’s worth, Cindric is currently in the XFINITY Series Playoffs on points with one race left in the regular season, holding a 60-point cushion over 13th-place Michael Annett.
The season hasn’t been all bad for Cindric, either. He earned the pole position at Iowa Speedway and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, led over 50 laps in both of those races, and has earned three top-five finishes including a best result of second at Mid-Ohio.
Darlington Raceway is known as the track “Too Tough To Tame”, but apparently someone forgot to tell Denny Hamlin. With two victories at the track in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and five in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, the 1.366-mile oval is one of Hamlin’s best racetracks.
On Saturday at the historic speedway, Hamlin earned the pole position for Sunday’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 with a time of 28.332 seconds at 173.571 mph. He will start the race on the front row alongside Chip Ganassi Racing driver Kyle Larson.
‘Hamlin’s last career Cup Series victory was at this track on September 3rd of last season. He earned the pole position on Saturday in a paint scheme that is a replica of the first mini stock car Hamlin drove in 1997.
Martin Truex Jr. and Alex Bowman will start behind Hamlin and Larson in Sunday’s race. Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch rounded out the top five in qualifying.
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Starting Lineup By Row
While the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series typically races on Sunday afternoons, the Southern 500 will be run on Sunday evening as part of the Labor Day weekend.
Here is your schedule for today’s race:
The race will be 367 laps. The television broadcast will be on NBCSN, while the radio broadcast can be heard on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90).
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If you would like to receive “Five Things” in your inbox, or just connect with me, you may send me an e-mail at [email protected].
You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram.