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Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(September 6, 2011)

HAMPTON, Ga. — Jeff Gordon dominated much of the rain-delayed AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Tuesday and then won a duel with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson for his third Sprint Cup Series win of the season.

Gordon held about a 2-second lead with 20 laps remaining, but Johnson, who rallied from early struggles, closed on Gordon’s bumper with 11 laps remaining. He then dogged Gordon over the final 10 laps, trying repeatedly to get by his teammate.

Continue reading “Tuesday Race Recap: Gordon Holds Off Johnson for 85th Career Cup Win in Atlanta”

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Kyle Busch Wins Record-Breaking 50th NASCAR Nationwide Series Race
2009 Series Champion Now In Sole Possession of All-Time Series Wins Lead

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 26, 2011) – After winning the Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway Friday night, Kyle Busch became the all-time NASCAR Nationwide Series wins leader, breaking a tie with Mark Martin.

The victory was Busch’s fourth at Bristol and 50th overall since his series debut in 2003.

On May 14, 2004 at Richmond International Raceway, Busch drove the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to his first NASCAR Nationwide Series victory. It was the 18th career series start for Busch, then 19, who led 236 of the 250 laps in that event.

Continue reading “Kyle Busch Wins Record-Breaking 50th NASCAR Nationwide Series Race”

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By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(August 21, 2011)

BROOKLYN, Mich.—Michigan finally unrolled the welcome mat for Kyle Busch, the first official member of the 2011 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Busch got his first Sprint Cup Series victory at Michigan International Speedway in his 14th start at the 2.0-mile track, holding off Jimmie Johnson in a green-white-checkered-flag finish to win Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400.

Busch beat Johnson to the finish line by .568 seconds to claim his series-best fourth victory of the season and the 23rd of his career. Busch kept Johnson winless at Michigan, one of five active tracks on the Cup circuit where the five-time champion hasn’t been to victory lane.

Brad Keselowski continued his recent surge with a third-place run, followed by Mark Martin and Ryan Newman. Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth completed the top 10.

Continue reading “Michigan Race Recap – Kyle Busch Wins, Clinches Chase Spot”

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Guest Column By Cathy Elliott

When police captain Louis Renault sent his subordinates to “round up the usual suspects” after a shooting in the film “Casablanca,” they didn’t hesitate. They knew exactly who to look for.

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup has been a little like that. With few exceptions, the drivers we have seen vying for the title since the Chase was implemented in 2004 have been the same ones we expect to see in Victory Lane each week, including Carl Edwards, Kurt and Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and of course, Jimmie Johnson.

In seasons past, the Chase field has been determined strictly by points. If you weren’t in the Top 12 following the August race at Richmond, you were out. This occasionally created a situation where winless drivers during the regular season were contending for the championship, while race winners could hope for no better than a 13th-place finish for the year.

Continue reading “Chase Gone Wild: Title Up For Grabs With New Win-And-You’re-In Playoff Format”