KURT BUSCH – 2017 Kansas II Race Report

Event:               Hollywood Casino 400 (Round 32 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1.5-mile oval)
Format:             267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish:       15th/2nd (Running, completed 267 of 267 laps)
Point Standing: 13th with 2,124 points 

Race Winner:    Martin Truex Jr. of Furniture Row Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

  • Kurt Busch started 15th and finished 19th.
  • On lap 18, Busch made slight contact with the outside wall and had to make an unschedueled pit stop for two tires and fuel. He returned to the race in the 38th position, one lap down.
  • Busch pitted under caution on lap 33 for four tires and fuel. The team also made a tire pressure adjustment while he was in 34th place, one lap down.
  • On lap 51, Busch was 31st when the caution came out. That gave Busch the “Lucky Dog” to get his lap back. Busch also pitted for four tires, fuel and a tire pressure adjustment.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):

  • Busch started 19th and finished 15th.
  • On lap 83, Busch pitted for four tires and fuel and a tire pressure adjustment.
  • Busch pitted on lap 139 for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment.
  • On lap 157, Busch pitted for four tires and fuel as he ran in 19th.

Stage 3 Recap (Laps 161-267):

  • Busch started 15th and finished second.
  • On lap 175, Busch pitted for four tires and fuel.
  • On lap 199, Busch pitted for four tires and fuel while in the ninth position.
  • The final pit stop for Busch was for four tires and fuel, and the crew got him out in second place.
  • Busch finished just 2.284 seconds behind winner Martin Truex Jr.

Notes:

  • There were 10 caution periods for a total of 49 laps.
  • Twenty-two of the 40 drivers in the Hollywood Casino 400 finished on the lead lap.
  • Busch now has six top-five finishes in 2017 and 131 in his career. It was his third top-five at Kansas Speedway.
  • Truex won the Hollywood Casino 400 to score his 14th career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory, his seventh of the season and his second at Kansas.
  • Truex leads the championship standings with 4,069 points and holds a 27-point advantage over his nearest pursuer, Kyle Busch.

Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“I just feel like I’m on razorblades here. I really wanted that one bad. At the end, I had the sticker tires. As I’m warming them up, they weren’t grabbing in the back. I knew that I wasn’t going to get the jump that I needed. I tried to play middle of the ground. Early in the race with scuffs from qualifying I brushed the fence. Kansas – I don’t know what it is about this place. Kyle (Busch) struggles here, too. I feel like I’m on pins and needles most of the day. (Crew chief Tony) Gibson always throws nice adjustments at it, and the race comes to us, and we’re right there. We had a shot at winning. I just feel like I’m pushing too hard early on. I saw (Jimmie) Johnson spin. We saw the 77 spin. All the drivers asked for less downforce and yet never got the softer tire that we hoped for. But we’re right there. When we get it right, we’re right there. It just feels like I have to overdrive. When you’re overdriving you’re not going to make it work.”

Next Up:

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the First Data 500 on Sunday, Oct. 29 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. It is the seventh race of the 10-race playoffs and starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN beginning at 1 p.m.

KEVIN HARVICK – 2017 Kansas II Race Report

Event:               Hollywood Casino 400 (Round 32 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1.5-mile oval)
Format:             267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish:      2nd/8th (Running, completed 267 of 267 laps)
Point Standing:             4th with 4,017 points, 52 out of first; Advances to Round of 8 

Race Winner:    Martin Truex Jr. of Furniture Row Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

  • Kevin Harvick started second, finished second and earned nine bonus points.
  • The Jimmy John’s Ford Fusion ran in the second position for the majority of Stage 1.
  • The No. 4 Ford pitted for four tires, fuel and chassis adjustments during a lap-46 caution to correct tight-handling conditions.
  • Harvick restarted from eighth and quickly piloted the “freaky fast” Ford back to second, where he ran for the remainder of the stage.
  • The No. 4 team pitted at the end of the stage for four fresh tires, fuel and air pressure and chassis adjustments. 

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):

  • Started second, finished second and earned nine more bonus points.
  • Harvick continued his run in the second position for the majority of the stage.
  • The Jimmy John’s Ford took four tires, fuel and chassis adjustments on lap 127 under green-flag conditions.
  • After green-flag pit stops cycled through, Harvick reported a loose wheel, but he continued to run in second place.
  • The No. 4 team pitted for four tires and fuel during a lap-156 caution. Harvick restarted the one-lap shootout in the sixth position and powered his way to second place before the conclusion of the stage.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 161-267):

  • Started first, finished eighth.
  • Harvick led the field for the first 35 laps of the stage.
  • On lap 197, a multicar accident brought out red-flag conditions. Harvick opted not to pit and restarted from second.
  • The No. 4 Ford’s handling became too tight on lap 209, and Harvick fell back to sixth.
  • The team pitted for four tires, fuel and adjustments to run a lap down. After a lap-236 caution, the Jimmy John’s Ford stayed out of the pits to rejoin the lead lap.
  • Harvick battled back into the top-10 on the final restart from the 21st position.

Notes:

  • Harvick scored his 19th top-10 finish of 2017.
  • This was Harvick’s 13th top-10 in 24 career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas.
  • Harvick finished second in Stage 1 to collect nine bonus points and second in Stage 2 for an additional nine points.
  • Harvick led three times for 37 laps to bring his laps-led total at Kansas to 596.
  • There were 10 caution periods for a total of 49 laps.
  • Twenty-two of the 40 drivers in the Hollywood Casino 400 finished on the lead lap.

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“As you look at the result of the day, you want to have a chance to win. We had a car capable of winning. Just got stuck in a box, and the box kept on getting smaller and smaller. The caution came out with 47 laps to go, and that put us in a bad spot.”

Playoff Standings (at the conclusion of the Round of 12):

  1. Martin Truex Jr. (4,069 points)
  2. Kyle Busch (4,042 points, -27)
  3. Brad Keselowski (4,026 points, -43)
  4. Kevin Harvick (4,017 points, -52)
  5. Jimmie Johnson (4,017 points, -52)
  6. Denny Hamlin (4,014 points, -55)
  7. Ryan Blaney (4,009 points, -60)
  8. Chase Elliott (4,006 points, -63)

Failed to Advance to Round of 8:

Kyle Larson (2,236 points)

Matt Kenseth (2,184 points)

Jamie McMurray (2,138 points)

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2,119 points)                                               

Next Up: 

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the First Data 500 on Sunday, Oct. 29 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. It is the seventh race of the 10-race playoffs and starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN beginning at 1 p.m. MRN Radio and SiriusXM Channel 90 will be on the radio call.

CLINT BOWYER – 2017 Kansas II Race Report

Event:               Hollywood Casino 400 (Round 32 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1.5-mile oval)
Format:             267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish:       9th/19th (completed 267 of 267 laps)

Point Standing: 18th with 793 points
Race Winner:    Martin Truex Jr. of Furniture Row Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

  • Clint Bowyer started ninth and finished 14th.
  • Raced as high as fifth by lap 44.
  • Dropped to 14th after pit stop when his team elected to take four tires instead of two tires.
  • Bowyer reported his rear grip seemed to go away in the later part of the stage.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):

  • Started 12th and finished 11th.
  • Bowyer moved to ninth at the lap-100 mark.
  • Crew told Bowyer his lap times were one of the four best on the track.
  • Made routine, green-flag pit stop on lap 123.
  • Late caution created a one-lap shootout, and Bowyer missed a top-10 stage finish by inches.

Stage 3 Recap (Laps 161-267):

  • Started 18th and finished 19th.
  • Bowyer pitted before the start of the stage and dropped to 18th.
  • Stayed on the track during the caution at lap 177 and moved to fifth.
  • Despite running at the front of the field, Bowyer’s chances for victory ended on lap 197 in a multicar crash coming off turn two.
  • The No. 14 suffered significant damage, but the crew made repairs, after NASCAR lifted the red flag, to return Bowyer to the track.
  • Bowyer’s wounded car maintained a respectable speed and finished the race.
  • Sunday marked the third consecutive week Bowyer’s race has been ruined by another car’s accident.

Notes:

  • There were 10 caution periods for a total of 49 laps.
  • Twenty-two of the 40 drivers in the Hollywood 400 finished on the lead lap.
  • Martin Truex Jr. won the Hollywood 400 to score his 14th career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory, his seventh of the season and his second at Kansas.
  • Truex leads the championship standings with 4,069 points and holds a 27-point advantage over his nearest pursuer, Kyle Busch.

Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 14 Haas Automation Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“We had a pretty good Ford today and deserved a top-five finish, but there just wasn’t anywhere to go in the wreck. My guys did a good job fixing us up so we could finish the race. I really wanted a good finish here in Kansas. We haven’t had a thing go right in three weeks, but there is a lot of racing left in the season. We’ve shown speed.”

Next Up:

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the First Data 500 on Sunday, Oct. 29 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. It is the seventh race of the 10-race playoffs and starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN.

DANICA PATRICK – 2017 Kansas II Race Report

Event:               Hollywood Casino 400 (Round 32 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1.5-mile oval)
Format:             267 laps, broken into three segments (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish:      22nd/38th (Accident, completed 197 of 267 laps)
Point Standings: 28th (458 points)

Race Winner:    Martin Truex of Furniture Row Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

  • Danica Patrick started 22nd and finished 25th.
  • The No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford Fusion team pitted during the competition yellow on lap 30 while running 28th. Crew chief Billy Scott called for four tires and fuel. A slight air pressure change in the right rear was the only adjustment. Patrick reported the car was working better during the next stretch between laps 30 and 46, when the caution waved for the second time. Following another stop on lap 46, Patrick exchanged 25th position with Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  • Patrick continued working her way up to the top of the track and reported the car was a little tight coming off at full throttle. Late in the stage she reported the back of the car was also out of the track and was running a little bit on the warm side. 

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):

  • Started 25th and finished 26th.
  • Patrick was running 25th on lap 125 when green-flag pit stops began. She remained out and made a 58-lap run, climbing as high as third. She pitted on lap 140, and Scott increased air pressure in the right-front tire.
  • A late caution in the stage on lap 155 provided a number of teams the chance to pit late and alter the No. 10 team’s strategy. Patrick remained out and finished the stage 26th, the first car one lap down. 

Final Stage Recap (Laps 161-267):

  • Started 26th and finished 38th.
  • Patrick earned a free pass and restarted the race as the final car on the lead lap. She pitted for tires and fuel, and the team made a wedge adjustment to begin the final stage.
  • Patrick was running 20th when the No. 10 Code 3 Associates was collected in a multicar accident on lap 198. The team was unable to make repairs, thus ending Patrick’s day at Kansas. 

Notes:              

  • This was Patrick’s 11th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City and her 186th career NASCAR Cup Series start.
  • Patrick earned one point in Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway, which puts her at 458 total points for the season thus far. She is ranked 28th in the driver point standings.
  • There were 10 caution periods for a total of 49 laps.
  • Twenty-two of the 40 drivers in the Hollywood 400 finished on the lead lap.
  • Martin Truex Jr. won the Hollywood Casino 400 to score his 14th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his series-leading seventh of the season and his second at Kansas. His margin of victory over second-place Kurt Busch was 2.284 seconds.
  • Truex leads the championship standings with 4,069 points and holds a 27-point margin over his nearest pursuer, Kyle Busch. 

Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing: 

“That is some bad luck. The Code 3 Associates Ford Fusion was just starting to get better, just starting to get hooked up, actually. I felt like I was catching the right lanes and right movements on the track and having good restarts. It would have been nice to finish one off. We haven’t done that in a while. You never know which way (the cars) are going to bounce. It was mayhem. From the cockpit, I was just trying to slow down and miss the 77, but you can’t see every car around you. I want to thank (crew chief) Billy (Scott) and all the guys for their hard work today. The plan was coming together, and unfortunately, we didn’t get to see it through.”

Next Up:                                                                        

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the First Data 500 on Sunday, Oct. 29 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The event starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN.

COLE CUSTER – 2017 Kansas NXS Race Report

Cole Custer Finishes 19th at Kansas

Cut Tire Five Laps Short of Finish Dampens Haas Automation/Code 3 Associates Driver’s Day

 Date: Oct. 21, 2017
Event: Kansas Lottery 300 (Round 30 of 33)
Series: NASCAR XFINITY Series
Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1.5-mile oval)
Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (45 laps/45 laps/110 laps)
Start/Finish: 7th/19th (Running, completed 198 of 200 laps)
Playoff Point Standings: 8th (3,030 points, 36 points out of first)

 Race Winner: Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Erik Jones of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Erik Jones of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-45):

  • Cole Custer started seventh, finished 10th. Earned one bonus point.
  • Custer piloted his Haas Automation/Code 3 Associates Ford Mustang to ninth place before noting loose handling conditions.
  • Handling became tighter as the stage wore on, but Custer was able to stay inside the top-10 before the stage ended.
  • At the conclusion of the stage, Custer pitted for four tires, fuel and chassis adjustments.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 46-90):                

  • Started 12th, finished seventh. Earned four bonus points.
  • During a lap-77 caution, Custer pitted for four tires, fuel, air pressure and chassis adjustments
  • Restarted in the 16th position and powered his Haas Automation/Code 3 Associates Ford Mustang to another top-10 stage finish.
  • Crew chief Jeff Meendering radioed Custer to the pits at the conclusion of the stage for two fresh tires and fuel.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 91-200):     

  • Started fourth, finished 19th.
  • Custer ran as high as second on the initial restart, but fell to eighth as those with fresher tires proved quicker.
  • Pitted under caution on lap 137 for four fresh tires, fuel and chassis adjustments. Restarted in seventh.
  • Custer ran inside the top-10 until lap 195 when he was forced to the pits due to a cut tire.
  • The Haas Automation/Code 3 Associates crew changed four tires under green and sent Custer back out to finish the race.

Notes:                       

  • Custer has earned the most points at 1.5-mile tracks among NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers this season with 326 points.
  • Custer earned a total of five combined stage points.
  • The Kansas Lottery 300 was the first race of the second round of the playoffs. Two more races remain before the season finale Nov. 18 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
  • This was Custer’s 35th XFINITY Series start and his third at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.
  • Four cautions slowed the race for 20 laps.
  • Christopher Bell won the Kansas Lottery 300 to score his first career XFINITY Series victory. His margin of victory over second-place Tyler Reddick was 2.670 seconds.

Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation/Code 3 Associates Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:                 

“We had a solid Haas Automation Ford Mustang. We fought hard to keep it in the top-10 and earned good stage points. There was nothing we could do at the end of the race because we ran over something late that crippled the right front. It’s just how it goes. There was a big cut in the tire and we had to pit. We ran well at Texas, so I still think we have a good shot at making it into the final four.”

COLE CUSTER – 2017 Kansas II Race Advance

Event:               Kansas Lottery 300 (Round 30 of 33)
Date:                 Oct. 21, 2017
Location:          Kansas Speedway in Kansas City
Layout:             1.5-mile oval

Cole Custer Notes of Interest 

  • The Kansas Lottery 300 is the fourth of seven races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs and the first race in the second playoff round. Four drivers will be eliminated at the conclusion of the three-race round, narrowing the field to four drivers who will compete for a winner-take-all championship battle in the season finale Nov. 18 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. 
  • Cole Custer is fifth in the XFINITY Series Playoffs with 3,007 points, 19 points behind series leader William Byron. Custer starts the second round of the playoffs with two bonus points, earned by his two stage wins in the Sept. 23 race at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.
  • Kansas Speedway is the ninth of 11 1.5-mile tracks on the 2017 XFINITY Series schedule. Custer leads the 2017 XFINITY Series regular season drivers in points at 1.5-mile tracks with 303, he leads the series with a 7.8 average finish at 1.5-mile tracks, and he has led the most laps at 1.5-mile tracks this season with 90.
  • Custer is competing for his fifth consecutive top-10 finish. He has earned 10 top-10s in the last 13 races and three top-10s in the first three playoff races. 
  • In 12 XFINITY Series starts and nine NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at 1.5-mile ovals, Custer has four top-five finishes and 12 top-10s. Custer has earned two top-fives this season at 1.5-mile tracks – Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth on April 8 (fifth) and Kentucky Speedway in Sparta on Sept. 23 (fifth) – and finished in the top-10 at three other venues – Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 4 (10th), Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway on May 27 (seventh) and Oct. 7 (sixth), and Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois on Sept. 16 (seventh).
  • Custer’s best finish in the 29 XFINITY Series races run this season is fourth, earned in the 11th race of the year June 3 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. The result equaled Custer’s best career XFINITY Series finish, which he earned in his series debut at Charlotte in May 2016.
  • Custer has six top-fives and 18 top-10s in 34 career XFINITY Series starts.
  • At 19 years and 8 months old, Custer is the youngest driver in the playoffs.
  • Custer’s best qualifying effort in the 29 XFINITY Series races run this season is third, earned three times – April 22 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, June 10 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway and Sept. 23 at Kentucky. Custer has 21 top-10 starts and nine top-five starts this season.
  • Custer is third in the XFINITY Series Rookie of the Year standings, 51 points behind leader William Byron and 15 points behind second-place Daniel Hemric. Custer has earned eight Rookie of the Race awards this season, three having come at 1.5-mile tracks (fifth at Texas, 11th Las Vegas Motor Speedway and sixth at Charlotte). Rookie of the Race awards are given to the highest-finishing rookie.
  • The Kansas Lottery 300 will mark Custer’s 35th career XFINITY Series start and his third XFINITY Series start at Kansas.

 

Cole Custer, Driver Q&A

 

You lead the XFINITY Series at 1.5-mile tracks and there are still three more of them to visit in the playoffs. Are you confident that you will perform well at the remainder of the intermediate tracks, and does this give you an advantage on the others?

“Mile-and-a-half tracks are what our Haas Automation/Code 3 Associates team looks forward to the most, and there’s no reason why we can’t go out and compete for wins at all of them. It’s going to be a tough round, so having some mile-and-a-half tracks will help us a lot.”

Not only are you in the playoffs for the first time, but you have advanced to the second round. How does a 19-year-old rookie feel after starting the season at Stewart-Haas Racing?

“It’s been pretty crazy to see how hard everyone has worked throughout the season to get us to where we are now. It would mean the world to our whole team to get to the final round in Homestead.”

Is it tough being a single-car team with minimal help in the majority of the races this season?

“Being a single-car team makes it a little bit harder on us. You don’t have a lot of teammates to rely on. Kevin (Harvick) runs the XFINITY car from time to time, so that helps a lot and we’ve learned a ton from it. I rely on Kevin the most. I ask him for advice going into pretty much every weekend about the track and what to expect going into it, especially these playoff races. I’ve never been in the playoffs before, so I asked him about what to expect. These guys have definitely helped me a ton and I don’t know if we would be as good without them.”

 

Jeff Meendering, Crew Chief Q&A

 

What are your expectations heading to another intermediate track where the team has run so well?

“We are bringing the car we ran really well with at Chicago, Chassis No. 1044. We feel that we have a good shot at winning this race. Cole has a lot of confidence in himself and that particular racecar. This round of the playoffs is tough. We know that we have to run up front in the next three races if we want to have a shot at a championship.”

KEVIN HARVICK – 2017 Kansas II Race Advance

Plus 22 Heading To Kansas

 

Kevin Harvick is heading to Kansas Speedway in Kansas City for the Hollywood Casino 400, the third and final race in the Round of 12 of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, with a 22-point cushion over the ninth-place driver.

The driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) scored two stage wins and a third-place finish to open the Round of 12 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway and a 20th-place finish last weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway to open up his points advantage.

Martin Truex Jr. of Furniture Row Racing won two weeks ago at Charlotte and Brad Keselowski of Team Penske followed suit last weekend at Talladega to secure their spots in the Round of 8. Now, 10 drivers are in contention for the final six positions with the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway as the stage for the final showdown. Kyle Larson of Chip Ganassi Racing holds a 29-point advantage over ninth place as the only non-secured driver ahead of Harvick. Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Rickey Stenhouse Jr. and Jamie McMurray all sit below the cutoff line heading into the weekend.

Harvick has reason for optimism heading into Kansas.

The 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion won at Kansas Speedway in October 2016, when he started 11th, led 74 laps and beat runner-up Carl Edwards to the finish line by 1.183 seconds and it came in a must-win situation during that year’s NASCAR playoffs. After Harvick suffered a mechanical failure the week before in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte that resulted in a 38th-place finish, he was 12th in the standings. He trailed Denny Hamlin by eight points for the final transfer position into the Round of 8 with Talladega looming the following week.

It was the second Cup Series win for Harvick. He also won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas in October 2013, when he started from the pole position, led 138 of 267 laps and beat current SHR teammate Kurt Busch to the finish line by 1.140 seconds to score his first Cup Series victory at the 1.5-mile oval.

The Bakersfield, California native also owns the Cup Series qualifying record at Kansas, which he set May 9, 2014 with a lap of 27.799 seconds at 194.658 in the second round of qualifying. It was Harvick’s second of three consecutive Cup Series poles at Kansas from October 2013 through October 2014.

He also has three runner-up finishes in six Cup Series starts at Kansas since joining SHR in February 2014.

Harvick knows that the best way to finish up front is to start up front, which he has done four times so far in 2017. He has scored four Cup Series pole awards – three coming on 1.5-mile racetracks. He scored his first of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway with a lap of 29.118 seconds at 190.398 mph. His second of the season came at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, when he made a lap at 27.217 seconds at 198.405 mph. His third came at Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600 with a lap of 27.918 seconds at 193.424 mph. The most recent came at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, where he posted a lap of 27.669 seconds at 177.730 mph.

Harvick also has four poles at Kansas, which are tied with Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne for most all-time at the 1.5-mile track. Harvick and Johnson are the only two drivers to win consecutive poles at Kansas Speedway. Johnson completed the task in 2007 and 2008, while Harvick scored three in a row starting in the fall of 2013 followed by a sweep of 2014.

While Harvick has raced up front and scored five stage wins this year, he is still in search of his first Cup Series race win at a 1.5-mile track this season. However, he has scored the second-most points of any driver over the last 10 races on a 1.5-mile track by knocking down five top-five finishes, nine top-10s and four poles.

This weekend, Harvick and the No. 4 Jimmy John’s team hope to repeat their performance from last October and return to victory lane in pursuit of a second NASCAR Cup Series championship.

KEVIN HARVICK, Driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

 

You’ve performed much stronger at Kansas the last couple of years. Is that because of the repave, or did you find something you were missing previously?

“The repave is definitely what changed and turned things around for us at Kansas. Really, I liked the racetrack the way it was before with the asphalt really worn out and cars sliding all over. But, once the repave happened, we were able to really hit on some things and, for whatever reason, it kind of fits my driving style and we have gotten some good results out of it. It has been a really good-performing racetrack for us and one that we look forward to going to and hopefully continue to get good results out of it because it’s been so good for us in the past.”

Take us on a lap around Kansas.

“It’s definitely a little bit different just for the fact the (corner) entries are a little different than at most places. Turns three and four remind me of turns three and four at Chicagoland Speedway, but there’s a lot more grip and fresher asphalt than what Chicagoland has nowadays. It’s a very high-speed racetrack. You run the middle to the bottom of the racetrack. But I’m sure, as time goes on, that the groove will move back up. But, for right now, it’s very fast and very sensitive to your line and, with all the speed and how tricky the entrance is into turn one, you can miss your line easily. So, you have to be very specific about where you put your car and pay attention to what you’re doing.”

KURT BUSCH – 2017 Kansas II Race Advance

Hank Stram always liked Kansas City. The Gary Lew Wallace High School and Purdue University graduate was head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs from 1963 to 1974.

Stram led the Chiefs to two Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl IV 23-7 over the Minnesota Vikings. He was made famous by wearing a microphone for NFL Films during the winning Super Bowl and telling the offense, “Just keep matriculating the ball down the field, boys.”

And, with the Chiefs on the goal line, calling for his favorite play, “65 toss power trap.”

So what does all this have to do with Kurt Busch? Nothing.

But Busch would like to matriculate his No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) all the way to victory lane Sunday at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. It’s one of only eight tracks on the schedule where he has not seen victory lane in his great career.

He’s won 29 career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races and his first came at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Driving the No. 97 Ford, he found his way to the winner’s circle in just his third start at the .533-mile oval. It took 32 attempts at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway to find his way to victory lane, but he was finally able to do so in the 2017 season-opening Daytona 500.

At the eight mile-and-a-half venues where the NASCAR Cup Series competes, Busch has earned a total of six victories. They’ve come at four tracks – three at Atlanta Motor Speedway and one apiece at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth and Homestead-Miami Speedway. Busch is still searching for victory lane at four – Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Kansas.

Busch has been running at the end of all but two of the races in which he’s competed at the 1.5-mile oval, the first non-finish coming prematurely with an engine failure in 2003, the other due to an accident in October 2014. And in addition to a pair of top-five finishes and seven top-10s in 23 starts there, Busch owns one pole at Kansas, having scored the top starting spot in June 2011. The Kansas pole was the first of three consecutive poles Busch scored that month.

So while “65 toss power trap” won’t do much for Busch at Kansas, he’s hoping he can formulate a big play to find victory lane.

 

KURT BUSCH, Driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

 

Kansas hasn’t always been a strong racetrack for you but, as of late, that seems to be changing. Do you agree? 

“Kansas has been a good track and a tough track. It’s fun to go race there and, with the way the tires change and the downforce has changed, I haven’t quite found that perfect combination to win. But, as of late, we consider it one of our strong tracks.”

What has been the key to your three top-10 finishes in three of your five most recent starts at Kansas? 

“I think it’s a matter of being on the right pit strategy and understanding when to pit for the final time. Track position becomes so important at these fast mile-and-a-half tracks that, if you are stuck around 10th or 12th, there is no way to crack that top-five. You’ve got to be there before the final sequences start. But, honestly, a big part of it has been having this great car setup by Tony Gibson and everyone on the Haas Automation/Monster Energy team.” 

What is one part of the racetrack or your driving style that you’ve had to work on at Kansas over the years?  

“It always seems like turn four is the toughest part about Kansas, whether it’s the wind angle or the sharper corner exit with the SAFER Barrier jumping out at the cars. You either lose a lot of time or gain a lot of time in turn four at Kansas.”

 

DANICA PATRICK – 2017 Kansas II Race Advance

Danica Patrick and the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford Fusion team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) return to Kansas Speedway in Kansas City for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race ready to rebound after back-to-back DNFs at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

Two weeks ago, Patrick’s race was cut short with less than 75 laps to go as her No. 10 Ford was collected by another car as it spun down the track. Her car sustained significant damage and she was relegated to a 38th-place finish when the team was unable to make repairs. Last week at Talladega, Patrick ran inside the top-10 and was scored just outside the top-20 when a multicar accident on lap 172 caused significant damage to both the right front and the right rear of the No. 10 Ford. The team pitted multiple times for repairs but was unable to properly address the issues within the five-minute time limit imposed by NASCAR officials, thus ending Patrick’s day and relegating the team to a 21st-place finish.

After two weeks of disappointment, returning to Kansas couldn’t have come at a better time for Patrick and the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford team. Kansas Speedway is the site of Patrick’s first NASCAR Cup Series top-10 finish on a 1.5-mile track. She earned that result in May 2014, when she took the checkered flag seventh. It was one of seven top-10 finishes Patrick has scored thus far in her NASCAR Cup Series career.

All told, Patrick has competed in 10 NASCAR Cup Series races at Kansas. In that time, she has scored one top-10 and four top-20 finishes. In addition, in two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, she finished a career-best 10th in October 2012 and took home a 15th-place result in October 2011.

Patrick has also made six IndyCar Series starts at Kansas. In 2005, she qualified on the pole for the IndyCar race at the track. Her best finish was a fifth-place effort in 2009 and she scored a total of three top-10 finishes at the track in that series. Aside from a 19th-place finish due to a mechanical failure in 2008, Patrick didn’t finish outside the top-11 in IndyCar Series competition at Kansas.

After the races at Charlotte and Talladega, the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford team hopes a return to Kansas Speedway, where Patrick has run well in three major professional racing series, will result in on-track success in the form of a solid run in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400.

DANICA PATRICK, Driver of the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

 

What is the most difficult part of the track to figure out at Kansas?

“It’s a fast track. I think it’s the same problem we face at most tracks we go to – you have to get through the center well enough to be comfortable enough to be very aggressive with the throttle at the same time. I think, for sheer speed, you can’t be too loose but, in the race, you can’t be too tight or you’ll fall back. These cars are finicky. It’s about focusing on the small things and getting the most out of the car itself instead of trying to throw the kitchen sink at it if you’re a little off. It’s all in the little details. I think that’s the most important thing.”

On Saturday, you’re going to speak to a large contingent of Girl Scouts from the Kansas City area. What would be your advice to them?

“I would say: ‘Stay true to yourself and what you believe in.’ I think that’s how I’ve gotten to this point in my career and my life in general. I decided when I was 10 years old that I wanted to be a racecar driver. I dreamed big, believed in myself, worked really hard, took chances and made the most of every opportunity I was given.”

CLINT BOWYER – 2017 Kansas II Race Advance

Ask Clint Bowyer about the impact his hometown of Emporia, Kansas has had on his racing career and you’ll get a rare moment of silence from the 38-year-old Monster Energy NASCAR Cup driver.

Then he’ll look you in the eye and respond with a short and powerful answer.

“People are what make you,” said Bowyer who, returns to race in Kansas Sunday in the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. “As you grow up in a community, it’s the people within that community who you learn from and everything else.”

The lessons taught by the 25,000 citizens of Emporia haven’t faded.

“When I first started car racing, it was in a ’78 Camaro, it was junkyard parts so you had to go to Junkyard John and, if you blew something up or needed a brake caliper or an A-frame or just anything – a spindle – you had to go to see Junkyard John. My dad owned his own towing service in Emporia, so they always did business together and stuff. Impounded cars always went to the junkyard, and he always let me go over and rummage through the stuff and work on my stuff.”

If it wasn’t Junkyard John, then it was Muffler Don, who welded the roll cage with muffler tubing for Bowyer’s pony stock he rolled over about 12 times. Those two, along with a host of others, were responsible for helping Bowyer go from the Kansas dirt tracks to race in places like Daytona, Darlington and Indianapolis and build a NASCAR career that includes a 2008 Xfinity Series title, and eight Cup Series victories among his 429 starts in the sport’s highest division.

“Life’s all about timing, it’s all about chances that you get in life, and opportunities, and then you’ve got to be able to, I guess, have enough experience to prepare yourself for that opportunity and be able to capitalize on that opportunity,” Bowyer said. “It seems like my career within a five- or six-year span went very fast, but we always kept moving. We never stayed in one class or anything, always kept moving up and forward progression, and that always enabled me to get in the next ride, the next opportunity, and capitalize on it really well.”

Bowyer hasn’t turned his back on Kansas, especially Emporia. He returns often to deer hunt, visit friends or just be part of the community. In March 2013, he bought the Clint Bowyer Autoplex car dealership on U.S. Highway 50, where he once worked as a lot attendant, dent specialist and detailer.

Across the street sits the Clint Bowyer Community Building, constructed in 2012 thanks to a $1.5 million donation from his foundation. Inside are 25 new computers at the public library. There is a scoreboard at the aquatic center, a video camera at the auditorium, shoes for the Big Brothers-Big Sisters program, backpacks for kids, Christmas trees for needy families. And, in nearby towns, playground equipment and the reconstruction of a tornado-ravaged community center – all of it and more paid for by Bowyer’s foundation, or out of the driver’s own pocket.

Emporia appreciates its native son, having renamed the street on which the family towing business resides as “Hon. Clint Bowyer Boulevard.” But, the days of Junkyard John and Muffler Don are long gone and replaced by Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), Ford Performance and Roush-Yates Racing who have combined to field Bowyer’s No. 14 Haas Automation Ford Fusion this season. But the desire that began in Emporia will be the same Sunday in Kansas City.

Bowyer’s list of racing accomplishments includes a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory at Kansas in 2011, but it’s a Cup Series trophy from the track that he hopes will take center stage in his trophy case. Over the years, Bowyer has enjoyed some success at Kansas Speedway, posting two top-five finishes and six top-10s with 48 laps led in 18 starts, including a ninth-place finish in May.

“Kansas is obviously at the top of the list, right up there with a Daytona 500, of places I’d really like to get a victory,” he said. “I won’t complain no matter where we win our next race, but winning at Kansas would be extra special for a lot of people in the Bowyer family.”

Bowyer enters the weekend after an accident left him with a 35th-place finish Sunday at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The incident ruined a race that saw Bowyer finish sixth in Stage 1 and third in Stage 2.

While he’s racing for 17th in the driver point standings after falling just short of making NASCAR’s 16-driver playoffs, Bowyer’s first year replacing three-time champion Tony Stewart in the No. 14 has been a success. The Mike Bugarewicz-led team has posted three second- and two third-place finishes. The No. 14 team’s average finish of 15.3 is the 12th best of the full-time teams in 2017.

After Talladega’s disappointment, Bowyer could use some good luck, and there’s no better place than Kansas.

Just ask him.

 

CLINT BOWYER, Driver of the No. 14 Haas Automation Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

 

What is it like to go back and race in Kansas?

“It’s difficult to go home because of getting pulled in all the different directions – all the while trying to focus on getting a good run, because that’s really what’s important to you the most there. It’s important to me to run well in front of all my fans, friends and family.”