Xfinity and Truck Series warning and penalty report

NASCAR has fined Camping World Truck Series driver Spencer Gallagher $5,000 following the series’ race at Michigan International Speedway for approaching the track surface after exiting his wrecked car.

Gallagher left his No. 23 truck after a Lap 76 incident with Christopher Bell, whose truck he approached. Gallagher said he was concerned for Bell’s safety.

NASCAR also issued a written warning to the No. 18 Xfinity series team of Joe Gibbs Racing during the race weekend at Road America.

The No. 18, which was driven by Owen Kelly, failed pre-race laser inspection twice and received its fourth warning. A team loses pit selection after a fourth warning. There was only one inspection period prior to qualifying before cars were impounded.

NASCAR issues warnings to 10 Sprint Cup teams for Michigan inspection issues

Ten NASCAR Sprint Cup teams received warnings for inspection issues last weekend at Michigan International Speedway.

Those that received warnings were:

Josh Wise’s team failed the Laser Inspection Station three times before qualifying for its first warning. The team also will be docked 15 minutes of practice time this weekend at Darlington Raceway.

Michael McDowell’s team failed the Laser Inspection Station three times before qualifying for its fourth warning and lost its pit stall pick for that race. The team also will lose 15 minutes of practice time at Darlington. McDowell’s team also failed the Laser Inspection Station twice before the race. That marks the team’s first warning toward the new set of four that determines when a team loses its pit stall pick.

Regan Smith’s team received its third warning after failing the template inspection before qualifying at Michigan. The team received its fourth warning after failing the Laser Inspection Station twice before the Michigan race. Smith’s team will lose its pick of pit stalls for this weekend’s Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Brad Keselowski’s team received its third warning for failing the Laser Inspection Station twice before last weekend’s race at Michigan.

Ryan Newman’s team received its third warning for failing the Laser Inspection Station twice before last weekend’s race at Michigan.

Chase Elliott’s team received its third warning after failing the Laser Inspection Station twice before qualifying.

Michael Annett’s team received its third warning after failing the Laser Inspection Station twice before qualifying.

Kasey Kahne’s team received its second warning after failing the Laser Inspection Station twice before qualifying at Michigan.

Trevor Bayne’s team received its fourth warning after failing template inspection twice before qualifying at Michigan. The team lost its pit stall pick at Michigan.

Kyle Larson’s team received its second warning after failing template inspection twice before qualifying at Michigan.

How Sprint Cup stars fared in their first 100 starts

Probably the only person more relieved than Kyle Larson after his win Sunday at Michigan was team owner Chip Ganassi.

“I remember when I got into this business, James Finch told me it took a hundred races before these guys could figure it out,” Ganassi said. “Thank God we beat the triple digit by one.”

Larson, who earned his first Sprint Cup win, was seven days away from making his 100th career start in NASCAR’s premier series.

The 24-year-old driver made his first foray into the series on Oct. 12, 2013 in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Driving the No. 51 for HScott Motorsports, Larson finished 37th after engine failure on Lap 247.

Larson has 15 top fives, 35 tops 10s, 350 laps led and one pole (Pocono, Aug. 2014). He also has 13 DNFs. Larson’s win gives him an average finish of 16.5 heading into his 100th start, Sunday’s Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

“We’ve been close a few times throughout my Sprint Cup career,” said Larson, who finished second four times before his triumph. “To finally put it all together and get a win, it’s awesome. Glad to get it before my hundredth start next week.”

Here’s a look at how some of Larson’s young peers and a few NASCAR legends fared in their first 100 starts.

Austin Dillon

Career starts: 109

First start: 2011 Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway (Finished 26th, two laps down)

100th start: 2016 FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway (Started and finished eighth)

Stats in first 100 starts: two poles, five top fives, 16 tops 10s, 52 laps led and five DNFs

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Career starts: 136

First start: 2011 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Finished 11th)

100th start: 2015 Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway (Finished 21st, four laps down)

Stats in first 100 starts: one pole, three top fives, nine top 10s, 36 laps led and six DNFs

Kyle Busch made his 100th Sprint Cup start in 2007 at Watkins Glen International. Busch still drove for Hendrick Motorsports. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Kyle Busch

Career starts: 414

First start: 2004 UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Finished 40th, crash)

100th start: 2007 Centurion Boats at Watkins Glen International (Finished seventh)

Stats in first 100 starts: Four wins, two poles, 24 tops fives, 43 top 10s,  1,107 laps led and 15 DNFs

Brad Keselowski

Career starts: 257

First start: 2008 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway (Finished 19th, two laps down)

100th start: 2012 Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway (Started and finished 15th)

Stats in first 100 starts: Six wins, two poles, 14 top fives, 25 tops 10s, 598 laps led and eight DNFs

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Career starts: 595

First start: 1999 Coca-Cola 600 (Finished 16th, three laps down)

100th start: 20o2 Mountain Dew 500 (Finished 16th)

Stats in first 100 starts: Six wins, five poles, 18 top fives, 30 top 10s, 1,919 laps led and 15 DNFs

Jimmie Johnson made his 100th Sprint Cup Series start on Sept. 4, 2004 at Auto Club Speedway (Photo by Gavin Lawrence/Getty Images).
Jimmie Johnson

Career start: 531

First start: 2001 UAW-GM Quality 500 at Charlotte (Finished 39th, crash)

100th start: 2004 Pop Secret at Auto Club Speedway (Finished 14th)

Stats in first 100 starts: 10 wins, seven poles, 35 top 10s, 57 top 10s,  2, 481 laps led and 12 DNFs

Tony Stewart

Career starts: 606

First start: 1999 Daytona 500 (Finished 28th, 19 laps down)

100th start: 2001 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 at North Carolina Speedway (Finished seventh)

Stats in first 100 starts: 12 wins, four poles, 38 top fives, 64 top 10s,  2, 795 laps led and 10 DNFs

CHRIS BUESCHER REVEALS DARLINGTON THROWBACK LOOK

Chris Buescher is the latest driver to reveal his throwback paint scheme for Darlington's Bojangles' Southern 500 on Sept. 4 (6 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM).

The Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate's No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford matches the fuel canopies from sponsor Love's Travel Stops first travel stop in 1981. Check out the scheme in Buescher's tweet below.

My @LovesTravelStop scheme for @TooToughToTame! Matches the fuel canopies from Love’s first travel stop in 1981. pic.twitter.com/40D7cndQ4J
— Chris Buescher (@Chris_Buescher) August 24, 2016

"The Darlington throwback weekend has become a pretty big deal, and it's cool to have Love's Travel Stops bring some of their history into the race weekend with their old colors," Buescher said in a team release. "Darlington is my favorite track, and I can't wait to get there and turn some laps in this special Love's Ford Fusion."

This year's Darlington race will mark Buescher's first event there in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition. The 2015 XFINITY Series champion notched one top 10 in four career XFINITY Series starts at Darlington.

Buescher's teammate Landon Cassill unveiled his throwback on Tuesday, which you can see here.

NASCAR America: Scan All: Kyle Larson’s Michigan win

In the latest installment of Scan All, get an all-access look at the thrills and crashes from NASCAR’s Michigan race which saw Kyle Larson finish on top for the first time in his Sprint Cup career.

Watch NASCAR America at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN: Remembering Betty Jane France

Today’s episode of NASCAR America will memorialize the life of Betty Jane France, NASCAR’s former “First Lady” who died Monday after making many contributions (such as the NASCAR Foundation) to stock-car racing.

Mike Helton, the vice chairman of NASCAR and longtime confidant of the France family, will make a special guest appearance to share his thoughts about Betty Jane France.

Dave Briggs hosts with Dale Jarrett in Stamford, Connecticut. They are joined by Steve Letarte and Bobby Labonte from NBC Sports Charlotte.

Also on today’s show:

With Darlington and Richmond left in the regular season, drivers on the playoff bubble face their last shots to win and make the Chase for the Sprint Cup. We’ll break down their chances of breaking through in crunch time.
Labonte, the 2000 Sprint Cup Series champion, recalls his success at Darlington on the eve of the second annual throwback weekend at the track “Too Tough To Tame.”
In our weekly Scan All! feature, hear all the drivers’ real-time reactions during Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway.
And in My Home Track, we’ll head for California and a track where a young Kyle Larson reached an important milestone early in his career.
If you’re not near a TV, you can watch online or on the NBC Sports app at the NASCAR stream on NBC Sports. If you plan to stream the show on your laptop or portable device, be sure to have your username and password from your cable/satellite/telco provider handy so your subscription can be verified.

Once you enter that information, you’ll have access to the stream.

Click here at 6 p.m. ET to watch live via the stream.

NASCAR America: Bobby Labonte on what it takes to win at Darlington

Bobby Labonte joins the NASCAR America crew to talk about how difficult the Darlington Raceway track is ahead of the Southern 500. Labonte, the 2000 Sprint Cup champion, won at Darlington once in both the Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series.

NASCAR does not view Kyle Larson’s celebration as excessive

A NASCAR executive says the sanctioning body has no issues with the burnout Kyle Larson performed Sunday after scoring his first career Sprint Cup victory.

Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, said Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that the celebration was not viewed as excessive.

O’Donnell said earlier this month on “The Morning Drive’’ that series officials were seeing a jķ,  we don’t like to see” with victory celebrations that damage the winning car. He said at the time that “you’ll probably see us sooner than later put something in place that covers us for that as you kind of head into the last quarter of the season.’’

But O’Donnell didn’t have an issue with Larson’s burnout after Sunday’s race at Michigan International Speedway.

“I think it’s something that we’re continuing to look at, but, in this case, it was the guy’s first win, it’s been three years, he was ecstatic,’’ O’Donnell said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “I think we were part of the fan group in terms of looking down and saying that was awesome to see and an awesome moment. I chalk this one up as more of that. The car passed post-race inspection. It will certainly go to the R&D Center, but I look at this one as it was a first race win and someone really out there celebrating as they should".

SMI announces $10 children’s tickets for 2017 Sprint Cup races

Families attending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Speedway Motorsports Inc. facilities next season will spend less for children’s tickets for the 13 Cup races at the company’s eight racetracks.

SMI officials announced Monday a “Fans First” initiative: For every adult ticket purchased, up to two children’s (ages 12 and under) tickets will cost $10 each in select sections.

The move follows NASCAR’s announcement last week that children 12 and under will be able to attend Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series races starting next season for free with a paying adult.

“Coming to the races should be about fun, not finances,” SMI President/CEO Marcus Smith said in a statement. “Now a parent can get his or her child through the gates for an entire weekend of NASCAR events – including pole night, a Camping World Truck or Xfinity Series race and a Cup Series race – for just $10. This is one of the best, if not THE best, family values in all professional sports.

“NASCAR fans have passed down their passion for motorsports from generation to generation for decades, and through this new Fans First initiative, we’ll continue that legacy by introducing young fans to the sport and engaging them for years to come.”

Here’s a list of the 13 Sprint Cup races that will be held at SMI’s tracks. Tickets for some races have already gone on sale:

March 5, 2017 — Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, Atlanta Motor Speedway
March 12, 2017 — Cobalt 400, Las Vegas Motor Speedway
April 9, 2017 — O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, Texas Motor Speedway
April 23, 2017 — Food City 500, Bristol Motor Speedway
May 20, 2017 — NASCAR All-Star Race, Charlotte Motor Speedway
May 28, 2017 — Coca-Cola 600, Charlotte Motor Speedway
June 25, 2017 — Toyota/Save Mart 350, Sonoma Raceway
July 8, 2017 — Quaker State 400, Kentucky Speedway
July 16, 2017 — New Hampshire 301, New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Aug. 19, 2017 — Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race, Bristol Motor Speedway
Sept. 24, 2017 — New England 300, New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Oct. 7, 2017 — Bank of America 500, Charlotte Motor Speedway
Nov. 5, 2017 — AAA Texas 500, Texas Motor Speedway

As for International Speedway Corporation’s pricing for children’s tickets, a company spokesman told NBC Sports: “ISC tracks have offered affordable youth pricing (on an individual facility basis) for years, and while we will continue to evaluate the marketplace and make adjustments as necessary, we are very comfortable our existing offers are competitive, attractive and deliver a fantastic event experience for families and kids alike.”

Preliminary Sprint Cup entry list for Darlington

Forty cars are entered for this weekend’s Bojangles Southern 500 Sprint Cup race at Darlington Raceway.

This will be Darlington’s second consecutive “Throwback Weekend,” where numerous Sprint Cup cars will carry paint themes primarily from the 1975-84 era.

With Dale Earnhardt Jr. still sidelined for a sixth consecutive race due to a concussion, Jeff Gordon will return for the fourth race to drive the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Gordon was unable to race this past Sunday at Michigan due to previous commitments.

Alex Bowman filled in at MIS for the second time for Earnhardt during his absence, having previously raced at New Hampshire.

This will be the 113th time the Sprint Cup Series has raced at the unique, egg-shaped oval in South Carolina. Carl Edwards is the defending race winner from last year’s event.

Here’s the preliminary entry list:

DIVERSITY GRADUATE KYLE LARSON SCORES FIRST SPRINT CUP WIN

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 28, 2016) – Kyle Larson won Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway to become the first graduate of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity and the NASCAR Next programs to win at the sanctioning body’s top level.

Larson, the 24-year-old Elk Grove, California, native of Japanese-American heritage, has already won in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. His first win came in 2013 at Rockingham Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He has since won another NASCAR Camping World Truck race, as well as four NASCAR XFINITY Series races.

The win at Michigan was the latest in a long line of 'firsts' accomplished by Larson in his young career. Among the highlights:

In 2014, Larson became the first NASCAR D4D and NASCAR Next product to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole (Pocono Raceway), as well as the first to win the Sunoco Rookie of the Year.

In 2013, he became the first NASCAR D4D graduate to win the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

Larson previously became the first NASCAR D4D competitor to win a NASCAR Touring Series championship. Driving for Rev Racing, Larson won the 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East title and the Sunoco Rookie of the Year.

On Sunday, the Chip Ganassi Racing driver won the Pure Michigan 400, driving the No. 42 Chevrolet, leading a race-high 41 laps in his 99th career start.

With the win, Larson clinches a spot in NASCAR’s playoffs – the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

NASCAR Next is an industry-wide initiative designed to spotlight to best and brightest rising young stars in racing. NASCAR Drive for Diversity, operated by Rev Racing, is an academy-style development program for female and multicultural drivers and crew members who have the potential and determination to succeed at the highest levels of NASCAR. Larson raced under both banners in 2012.

LAST-LAP PASS LEADS MOFFITT TO VICTORY AT MICHIGAN

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- In five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, Brett Moffitt had never led a lap.

But in Saturday's Careers for Veterans 200 at Michigan International Speedway, Moffitt picked the perfect time to take the point for the first time.

Powering around Red Horse Racing teammate Timothy Peters and five-time series winner William Byron off the second corner of the final lap at the two-mile track, Moffitt held off Peters by .098 seconds to win a NASCAR national series race for the first time.

Moffitt's victory, however, left Shane Huffman, Peters' crew chief, slapping his seat on the pit box in frustration. Peters, who led a race-high 42 laps, could have locked himself into the inaugural Camping World Truck Series Chase with a victory. Running a limited schedule this season, Moffitt is ineligible for the championship this year.

But Moffitt made no apologies for taking advantage of the opportunity that presented itself when Byron pushed Peters into Turn 3 on the white-flag lap, cut to the inside and slowed both trucks down. Moffitt cruised around the outside off Turn 2 on the final lap and kept Peters behind him.

"I'm here to win," Moffitt said. "I said it earlier and I'll say it again. I'm not going to wreck him (Peters) for it. I'm going to race him clean because I know he needs to get in the Chase, but this team needs to win and these guys deserve to win.

"That's what we come to do, and our partners at Toyota want to do the same, and we got it."

Daniel Hemric passed Byron on the last lap to come home third, with Byron following in fourth and Cameron Hayley in fifth.

The good news for both Peters and Hemric was the wide margin both drivers opened over their closest pursuers in the race to make the Chase. Though winless this year, Hemric and Peters lead Cameron Hayley by 55 and 47 points, respectively, in the battle for the last two Chase spots.

If no new winner surfaces in the final two regular-season races, both Hemric and Peters are highly likely to qualify on points.

"It's a good day for Red Horse Racing," Peters said. "Congrats to Brett Moffitt. One-two finish. I wish we were 'one,' but all in all, the company brings the trophy back. The 9 (Byron) locked onto our bumper there in Turn 2 and pushed us really hard down into Turn 3.

"We had to do all we had to do to stay in front. ... Tough to swallow right there, but it felt good to run the way we did all day."

Both Cole Custer and Tyler Reddick entered the race needing to win to make the Chase. Reddick's Ford bounced off the side of Johhny Sauter's Chevrolet on Lap 70 and sustained heavy damage during contact with the Turn 3 wall.

Custer, however, had the lead for a restart on Lap 84, only to lose control and spin into the Turn 4 wall, grazing the left rear of Moffitt's No. 11 Toyota in the process.

"We didn't have the raw speed of the guys up front, but it drove pretty well, and it was hard to keep those guys off of me," Custer said. "The 11 (Moffitt) stopped pushing me -- which it's his right to do that.

"We were kind of losing the 17 (Peters) there. He (Moffitt) went to the outside and I started getting tight. Once he got on my door, I got loose and over-corrected it. I just hate it for my guys that brought a great truck."

Like Hayley, Custer and Reddick will have two more chances to force their way into the Chase by winning one of the final two regular-season races.

BIFFLE HONORS KULWICKI WITH DARLINGTON SCHEME

CONCORD, N.C. – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Greg Biffle and his No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing team will honor 1992 premier series champion Alan Kulwicki during next month's Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Biffle, along with U.S. Congressman Richard Hudson and Andrew Collier, unveiled a Hooters paint scheme similar to the orange and white scheme featured on Kulwicki's Ford Thunderbird entries from 1991 through the first five races of the '93 season.

"The sport was built on guys like that," Biffle said Tuesday. "He ran his own deal and wanted to do stuff his way. He had five career wins and a championship in 92 -- that's a really, really neat story. It's unfortunate that I never got the chance to meet him."

The popular restaurant chain began its' sponsorship of the No. 7 team at the fifth race of the '91 season at Darlington. Kulwicki was both owner and driver for the single-team organization.

The 1.366-mile track was also the site of Kulwicki's final start – he placed sixth in '93 TranSouth 500.

Kulwicki, the series' 1986 Rookie of the Year, was killed in a plane crash in Blountville, Tenn., on April 1, 1993.

To possibly win with Hooters on the No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford? "How cool would that be?" Biffle asked. "Then to do an Alan Kulwicki victory lap … would be a storybook ending."

Biffle will be making his 16th career start at Darlington, where he has two victories (2005, '06) and a pair of poles. His average starting position at the track is 11.1, best for the 46-year-old among the 22 venues hosting Sprint Cup Series races, while his average finish of 13.6 there is fourth overall.

He has led more laps at Darlington (718) than any track other than Texas Motor Speedway, where he has led 733.

This is the second season the legendary track has hosted a throwback-themed race weekend, with teams sporting paint schemes similar to those seen in the past. The Bojangles' Southern 500 is scheduled 6 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 4 (NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR).

Hooters isn't just on the car as part of the throwback scheme, the restaurant chain is also taking an active role with the team, helping to promote National First Responders Day.

Collier, a machinist in the Hendrick Motorsports engine shop, has been a driving force in trying to establish a national day of recognition for first responders. His brother, Sean, was a police officer with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2013 when he was killed by one of two Boston Marathon bombers.

"Sean was planning on going and hanging out with some friends that night," Andrew Collier said. "He had no idea … that happens to a lot of first responders every year. It's time we honor them; they are our front line here at home. You have an accident … a fire, anything, none of us ever want to see it but if it does happen to us, the first thing we do is count on them.

"It's time to honor them and make this day a reality."

For more information about the effort to establish a national day of recognition, visit www.firstrespondersday.org.

TOP 10 CONSECUTIVE LAP AVERAGES AT MICHIGAN

Average speeds for drivers running 10 or more consecutive laps in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice at Michigan International Speedway:

Practice 1
Pos
CarDriverFrom LapTo LapAvg Speed
142   
Kyle Larson110194.178
214    
Tony Stewart110193.710

Practice 2
PosCarDriverFrom LapTo LapAvg Speed
118Kyle Busch211199.713
248Jimmie Johnson110199.578
388Alex Bowman(i)211199.403
45Kasey Kahne110198.817
51Jamie McMurray1019198.165
619Carl Edwards1019198.115
724Chase Elliott #211197.939
84Kevin Harvick1019197.802
92Brad Keselowski1423197.462
1015Clint Bowyer110197.177
1183Matt DiBenedetto110192.298

Practice 3
PosCarDriverFrom LapTo LapAvg Speed
142Kyle Larson110196.346
224Chase Elliott110196.015
348Jimmie Johnson110195.995
45Kasey Kahne110195.789
547AJ Allmendinger110195.703
61Jamie McMurray110195.514
741Kurt Busch110195.442
831Ryan Newman110195.322
920Matt Kenseth110194.883
*Required to qualify on time, (i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, #Rookie

KAHNE SEEKS WIN WHILE IN FAMILIAR CHASE BUBBLE SPOT

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- It's an unfortunate yet familiar position for Kasey Kahne, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.

Unfortunate because with only three races remaining before the 16-team field is set for this year's NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup, Kahne finds himself winless on the season and 17th in points.

Familiar because the 36-year-old has been here before.

Kahne slid into the Chase field in 2014, the inaugural season of the format awarding positions to full-time competitors that managed at least one victory through the season's first 26 races, with a late victory at Atlanta, just one stop from the cutoff event.

Three races remain before this year's field is set, beginning with Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 here at Michigan International Speedway (2 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Then it's on to Darlington and Richmond to determine the remainder of this year's Chase field before the playoff opener at Chicagoland Speedway.

Two years ago, the final three-race run consisted of stops at Bristol, Atlanta and Richmond.

"I don't think that was anything like this year; I think this is a lot different," Kahne said Saturday at Michigan. "That was a great night for us and we were right there all night, got in the right position on restarts … we were fast all night. I think restarts were big for us. I could run really fast for 15 laps. It's been a while since we've been like that."

Indeed. The Atlanta win was Kahne's 17th but it was also his last. He enters Sunday's race shadowed by a 70-race winless streak. In the meantime, Kahne's Hendrick teammates have won 14 times since his Atlanta victory.

"For us, I think it's been so many areas, so many little things that add up to being four-tenths (of a second) off per lap often," he said. "I don't think it's from a lack of effort because the effort is there. But it's maybe working in the right areas or trying to understand things that will make it easier for me to drive for my driving style. That's been a huge part of the last couple of years.

"It doesn't matter what other guys are doing, (it's) 'what will help Kasey? What will help him with his car because he drives a little different?' I feel like this weekend we've kind of done our thing and it seems to be working pretty well so car."

Ten Sprint Cup drivers have one or more wins this season and sit inside the top 16, virtually assuring themselves of a slot in the Chase. Tony Stewart and Chris Buescher also have one win each, and while further back in points, their status likely leaves only four Chase positions up for grabs.

Seventeen others are still mathematically alive, should they earn a win in one of the next three races. If no different winners emerge, points will be used to determine the remaining spots.

Kahne trails the holder of the last spot in the Chase Grid, Ryan Newman by 39 points, with Trevor Bayne and Kyle Larson sandwiched between the two and chasing one of the final playoff spots as well. Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott and Jamie McMurray and Newman are just on the right side of the Chase bubble as of now.

Hendrick drivers qualified second (Johnson), fifth (Elliott), sixth (Alex Bowman driving in place of Dale Earnhardt Jr.) and 11th (Kahne) at Michigan. It is the seventh time this season Kahne will start from the No. 11 spot on the 40-car grid.

"We run 13th to 18th every week; we qualify there and we race there," Kahne said. "That's just the speed we have. And then we do the same thing the next week. It's nice to do something a little different this week and to have speed to show it's helping."

Kahne, 10th in Saturday's morning practice and fourth in the weather-shortened final session, has qualified for the Chase five times, the last coming in '14.

FUN WITH FITNESS: CASSILL CIRCLES MICHIGAN ON FOOT

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Swapping his Front Row Motorsports fire suit for a Snap Fitness T-shirt, a pair of athletic shorts and sneakers, Landon Cassill stood at Michigan International Speedway's start/finish line ready to take his daily workout to the 2-mile track and turn some laps Friday morning -- on foot.

Donning sunglasses and handling his 1-year-old son Beckham via stroller, the No. 38 wheelman wore his signature smile, eager for some cardio before driver duties called.

"I feel like I get out more than most of the other race car drivers," Cassill told NASCAR.com, admitting that he even tries to get in a "bike ride Saturday afternoons."

All of this is to help the 27-year-old train for his various competitions, which include triathlons and other races. Cassill recently spent a rare off weekend in Ireland to compete in a half Ironman (a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile run) on Aug. 14.

His answer was simple when asked why he traveled to Europe for the 70.3-mile race instead of enjoying some hard-earned downtime.

"It's just my hobby. I really look forward to it. … (We) made a vacation of it."

His "hobby" correlates nicely with his primary sponsor, Snap Fitness, and helps the six-year NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver as he balances his racing career on top of his off-track interests.

"Snap really supports what I do," he furthered while jogging toward Turn 1. "They give me the resources to train on the road because their fitness centers are open 24 hours."

When Cassill isn't racing by foot and bike or behind the wheel, he is connecting with his fans on social media, making sure his personality comes across on his time line -- from his token "38, nice" slogan to adorable shots of his young family.

And with no upcoming Ironman races planned, Cassill can now focus solely on his driving responsibilities as he gears up for Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 (2 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Race day, however, presumably will commence with a workout before he gets behind the wheel.

Joey Logano earns Sprint Cup Series pole at Michigan

Joey Logano won the pole by posting the fastest time in the third round of Sprint Cup Series qualifying on Friday at Michigan International Speedway with a lap of 201.698 mph. It was Logano’s third pole at Michigan and his third of the season, which ties him for the second in the series this season.

The Team Penske driver enters the Pure Michigan 400 as the most recent winner at Michigan, having won from the pole in June. He will lead the field to the green flag alongside Jimmie Johnson, who posted a lap of 201.523 mph.

“I hope so, track position is a big deal here,” Logano told NBCSN of following up his June performance. “That pit stall number one is a big deal as well, so being able to give our pit crew the advantage of trying to keep the track position throughout the race is going to be key. Obviously, this race turns into a strategy fest but awesome for our Shell/Pennzoil team to get another pole here.”

The top five were Logano, Johnson, Denny Hamlin (201.416 mph), Kevin Harvick (201.382 mph), and Chase Elliott (201.303 mph).

With his third-place qualifying effort, Hamlin will have started in the top 10 in the last 22 races. That is the longest streak by a driver since Mark Martin went 22 straight between 1988-1989.

With Johnson second, Elliott fifth, Alex Bowman (in for Dale Earnhardt Jr.) sixth and Kasey Kahne 11th, it marks only the second time this season that all four Hendrick Motorsports cars have started in the top 12. The only other time that happened was at Talladega in May.

Here is how qualifying played out:

Sprint Cup starting lineup at Michigan International Speedway

Joey Logano will attempt to complete the season sweep of Michigan International Speedway on Sunday. Just as he did in June, Logano will start on the pole in the Pure Michigan 400. The No. 22 was the only Ford to qualifying in the top five.

Kevin Harvick, seeking his second consecutive win, will start fourth. Alex Bowman, driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 88, starts sixth.

The 200-lap race can be seen on NBCSN, beginning with Countdown to Green at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Alex Tagliani wins Xfinity Series pole at Road America

Alex Tagliani will start from the pole at Road America after a lap of 109.866 mph in Xfinity Series qualifying on Friday night. It was Tagliani’s fourth career pole in his eighth start.

Tagliani enters the Road America 180 looking for his first career NASCAR win. He will lead the field to the green flag alongside Michael McDowell, who qualified second at 109.591 mph. McDowell is driving the No. 2 for Richard Childress Racing.

Tagliani credited crew chief Greg Erwin with helping him achieve the pole lap.

“Greg did some fine-tuning changes just to make the car a little bit less tight, it was the right call,” Tagliani told NBCSN. “It’s a good day for the No. 22 Discount Tire team and a good day for the No. 22 as Joey (Logano) is on the pole in Michigan. It’s a good day for Team Penske.”

The top five were Tagliani, McDowell, Justin Marks (109.196 mph), Owen Kelly (109.129 mph), and Daniel Suarez (108.644 mph). Marks is the most recent road course winner, having captured his first career win two weeks ago at Mid-Ohio.

There were two incidents during qualifying, both in the first round, which brought out red flags.

Alon Day, making his second Xfinity Series start, went off track and was stuck in the gravel in Turn 12. Day did not complete a lap and will start 40th on Saturday afternoon.

The second red flag was for rookie Josh Bilicki. He spun and crashed into the tire barriers in Turn 1, resulting in heavy damage to the right side of the No. 77. Bilicki had clocked in 23rd fastest at 107.092 mph at the time of the accident.

Here is how qualifying played out:

LOGANO LEAPS TO COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD AT MICHIGAN

Joey Logano drove to the Coors Light Pole Award in Friday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying at Michigan International Speedway.

Logano powered the Team Penske No. 22 Ford to a best lap of 201.698 mph around the 2-mile track, securing the first starting position for Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 (2 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM).

Logano's third pole of the season is the 17th of his Sprint Cup career. He also won from the pole position in the series' most recent trip to Michigan in June.

Jimmie Johnson will start second after posting a lap of 201.523 mph in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet. Denny Hamlin (201.416 mph) was third-fastest in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota.

Kevin Harvick, last week's winner at Bristol Motor Speedway, grabbed the fourth starting spot at 201.382 mph in the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 Chevy. Rookie Chase Elliott (201.303 mph) completed the top five in the Hendrick No. 24 Chevrolet.

Alex Bowman, making his second substitute start for the sidelined Dale Earnhardt Jr., landed the sixth starting spot in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet.

Defending race winner Matt Kenseth just missed the cutline for the final 12-driver round, running Round 2's 13th-fastest lap (200.390 mph) in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota. Defending Sprint Cup champ Kyle Busch qualified 16th in JGR's No. 18 Toyota.

The three-round session was a prelude to Sunday's 400-miler, which is expected to be the last live-race deployment this season of a reduced downforce aerodynamic package. The rules setup, which also decreases the stabilizing effect of sideforce, is likely the fore-runner to the base rules that will be used in NASCAR's premier series next season.

Two practice sessions are scheduled Saturday ahead of the 24th of 36 points-paying Sprint Cup races this year.

DALE JR. SIDELINED FOR NEXT TWO SPRINT CUP RACES

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not be behind the wheel of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for the next two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, including this weekend's event at Michigan International Speedway, according to a Wednesday news release from Hendrick Motorsports.

Earnhardt did not receive medical clearance to return to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition, according to the team. He will be replaced this weekend in the No. 88 driver's seat by Alex Bowman, who drives part time for the Earnhardt-owned JR Motorsports team in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, and next weekend at Darlington Raceway by four-time series champ Jeff Gordon.

"We know how hard Dale is working to get back," team owner Rick Hendrick said in a press release. "He's following what the doctors are saying, to the letter, and doing exactly what he needs to do. Everyone wants to see him in a race car, but his health is first and foremost. We're behind him."

Earnhardt has been sidelined by concussion-related symptoms for the last five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. The two-time Daytona 500 winner has been keeping fans updated on his progress in recent weeks via social media and "The Dale Jr. Download" on Dirty Mo Radio.

The Sprint Cup Series makes its second visit of the season to Michigan International Speedway this weekend, which culminates with Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 (2 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Earnhardt said that the effects of a crash June 12 in the most recent Michigan race played a factor in his current concussion-related ailment.

Gordon, interim driver of the No. 88 for the last four races, indicated last weekend that should an Earnhardt replacement be needed this weekend, a previous engagement would keep him out of the driver's seat. Bowman, 23, subbed in at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last month for the first race of Earnhardt's absence, finishing 26th after a late-race crash knocked him from the fringes of the top 10.

Gordon is a seven-time winner at Darlington and will pilot the retro No. 88 Chevrolet, which honors the "Gray Ghost" paint scheme of Buddy Baker.

Dakoda Armstrong to drive Davey Allison rookie paint scheme at Darlington

The No. 28 of Dakoda Armstrong will look like the first No. 28 that Davey Allison drove for the Sept. 3 Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway.

JGL Racing announced Wednesday its No. 28 WinField Toyota would have a paint scheme based on the one Allison drove in his rookie Sprint Cup season of 1987, which ended with the son of Bobby Allison winning Rookie of the Year honors.

Davey allison

Source: Talladega Superspeedway
That year Allison five won poles – including for the Southern 500 – and won two races, the first coming at his home track of Talladega Superspeedway.

“It is with great pleasure that we pay tribute to one of the legends of our sport,” said James Whitener, owner of JGL Racing in a press release. “We had so much success with our throwback scheme last year and we are looking for this year’s to be even better. I am a fan of this sport as well as a team owner and being able to run the 1987 Rookie of the Year paint scheme of Davey Allison is super special for all of us at JGL Racing. We look forward to representing Davey and his legacy in a first class and professional manner.”

Allison would win 19 Sprint Cup races in his career before dying from injuries sustained in a helicopter accident at Talladega on July 13, 1993. He finished third in the Sprint Cup standings in 1991 and 1992.

“Robbie, Krista and I are honored that Davey’s 1987 Rookie Paint Scheme will be a part of such a special weekend of throwbacks at Darlington,” stated Liz Allison, Davey Allison’s widow in a press release. “Having the No. 28 on the track in the Xfinity Series with JGL Racing and Dakoda behind the wheel means so much to our family. This paint scheme is what fans remember most of all of Davey’s cars. We are truly grateful to have Davey remembered in this way.”

The VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 will air on Sept. 3 on NBC.

Kasey Kahne takes after Terry Labonte for Southern 500 paint scheme

Kasey Kahne‘s Southern 500 paint scheme will be based on a car driven by former Hendrick Motorsports driver Terry Labonte early in his Hall of Fame career.

Kahne’s No. 5 LiftMaster Chevrolet will be patterned after the No. 44 car Labonte drove in 1982 when he drove for Billy Hagan and was one of five cars sponsored by J.D. Stacy. Labonte helped Kahne unveil the paint scheme at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Kahne’s sponsor, LiftMaster, was founded in 1982.

Labonte won twice at Darlington in his Sprint Cup career, claiming both is first (1980) and last career wins (2003) at the “Track Too Tough To Tame.” Kahne has started from the pole four times and earned three top fives in his 13 Darlington starts.

“Darlington’s throwback weekend is one of the coolest programs any track does all year,” said Kahne in a press release. “I’m glad that LiftMaster is participating in the program to celebrate their start of the garage door opener business. I appreciate the opportunity to honor Terry Labonte with our throwback paint scheme at one of my favorite tracks.”

Kahne is the last Hendrick Motorsports driver to have their Southern 500 paint scheme announced following Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s, Chase Elliott’s and Jimmie Johnson’s.

The rest of the Southern 500 paint schemes will be on track on Sept. 4 on NBC.

Front Row Motorsports takes Chris Buescher back to 1981 for Southern 500

When Chris Buescher hits the track at Darlington Raceway – his favorite track – for the Sept. 4 Southern 500, his No. 34 Ford will pay tribute to his sponsor’s origins.

Buescher’s Love’s Travel Stops car will have a paint scheme inspired by the very first Love’s location, which opened in Amarillo, Texas, in 1981.

The No. 34 color scheme will be patterned after the fuel canopies and building facade of the location.

“The Darlington throwback weekend has become a pretty big deal, and it’s cool to have Love’s Travel Stops bring some of their history into the race weekend with their old colors,” said Buescher in a press release. “Darlington is my favorite track, and I can’t wait to get there and turn some laps in this special Love’s Ford Fusion.”

Buescher’s car announcement comes the day after the one for his teammate, Landon Cassill.

The rest of the throwback paint schemes for the Southern 500 can be seen on Sept. 4 on NBC.

Jeff Gordon will not drive No. 88 car for Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Michigan

Jeff Gordon says he will not drive the No. 88 car for Dale Earnhardt Jr. next weekend at Michigan International Speedway because of a prior commitment.

“I didn’t know I was going to be doing all of this,” Gordon said.

Gordon would not say what the commitment was but said he would only be at Michigan on race day. Hendrick Motorsports confirmed that Alex Bowman will drive the No. 88 car at Michigan if Earnhardt is unable to race. Bowman drove for Earnhardt last month at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and finished 26th.

Earnhardt has not said what his status for Michigan is. Thursday, Earnhardt posted a series of pictures and videos on his Instagram account showing some of the physical and mental exercises he is doing to aid his recovery.

Gordon said it’s simple why he’s not driving at Michigan.

“I can’t be there all weekend,” he said.

Asked if he could drive on race day only at Michigan, Gordon said: “It doesn’t make sense. I’ve not driven that (reduced downforce) package. I think it’s only fair, and I’m pretty sure that Alex Bowman would be in the car, it wouldn’t be fair to him, it wouldn’t be fair to this team. I’m not so sure I’m even the best choice for that package at that race anyway to get the most points for the car owner (standings). That’s my primary goal.”

The Sprint Cup Series will use the reduced downforce package at Michigan that was run there earlier this year and at Kentucky. That package is expected to be set for next season.

Gordon qualified 11th for Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. This will be his fourth race filling in for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has been out because of a concussion suffered in June at Michigan. The symptoms, though, did not show up until weeks later. Bristol will be the fifth race Earnhardt has missed. Gordon drove for him at Indianapolis (finished 13th), Pocono (27th), Watkins Glen (14th) and Bristol.

Watkins Glen marked Gordon’s 800th career Sprint Cup start.

Gordon said he would be available to run in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway if Earnhardt was still unable to be back in the car by the Sept. 4 race.

Preliminary Sprint Cup entry list for Michigan

Forty cars are entered for this weekend’s Pure Michigan 400 Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway.

No driver is listed for the No. 88 car. Hendrick Motorsports tweeted Monday that an announcement on who will drive the car is not expected before Wednesday afternoon. The team has stated that if Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not cleared by doctors to race, Alex Bowman will drive the car this weekend.

Michael Annett is listed in the No. 46 car after missing last weekend’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway for what the team called flu-like symptoms. Justin Allgaier drove for Annett at Bristol.

Preliminary Xfinity entry list for Road America

Forty-one cars are entered for Saturday’s Road America 180 Fired Up by Johnsonville Xfinity race at Road America.

Michael McDowell is the only Sprint Cup driver doing double-duty between Michigan and Road America this weekend. Justin Marks, who won in the rain at Mid-Ohio two weeks ago, is entered. Team Penske will have Alex Tagliani in the No. 22 car.

TOP FIVE GIVES BRISTOL BOOST TO BUESCHER'S CHASE HOPES

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Chris Buescher took another important step toward earning a berth in this year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, garnering a hard-fought fifth-place finish in Sunday's rain-delayed Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

It was the second top-five finish of the season for the 23-year old driver of the No. 34 Ford for Front Row Motorsports, and came just three weeks after his first career win in the series.

That win, which came at Pocono Raceway, opened the door for a Chase berth but only if the 2015 XFINITY Series champion could make his way into the top 30 in points.

The finish at Bristol did just that, vaulting him past David Ragan and into 30th place. Teammate Landon Cassill sits 29th, 27 points ahead.

RELATED: How the Chase bubble looks post-Bristol

"I don't know exactly where we're at quite yet, but I know we had to get there," Buescher said on pit road after his top-five finish. "That's Chase eligibility in one race out of the four we had to do it. Now we have to hold onto it."

Sunday's event, the continuation of a race that started Saturday night but was interrupted after just 48 laps due to rain, was also impacted by weather, starting more than three hours late. Kevin Harvick, the 2014 series champion, won, with Ricky Stenhouse (Roush Fenway Racing), Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing), Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) and Buescher completing the top five.

The overnight delay didn't seem to impact the performance of Buescher and his team. After running inside the top 20 for most of the race, Buescher finally cracked the top 10 with 125 laps of the 500-lap race remaining. From there, he steadily worked his way into the top five.

"I'm really proud of this team," he said. "... We knew Bristol would be a good one for us. It took us a day later to do it, but we got ourselves a top-five and had a blast out here. That was an awesome run."

Buescher has only a brief history at Bristol in Sprint Cup competition, finishing 25th here in last year's spring race and 21st earlier this season. In the XFINITY Series, he posted three top 10s in five starts.

"I love Bristol. I absolutely love this race track."

With five laps to go, Buescher had closed on Dillon when his team told him, "You've got room; try him if you can." Another position would mean another point earned. Buescher said the risk of losing spots should he make a run at the RCR driver wasn't a concern.

"I wasn't planning on messing up if I got next to him," he said. "It was one of those things where we could catch him and then mess up a corner and get a little bit of gap, and then we got back to him there.

"I think the 19 (of Carl Edwards) and someone else was behind us, and they were within a couple car-lengths, so I didn't want to go to the bottom and give those two cars a chance to pass us and lose two points that easily."

With a precarious points position and three races remaining to determine the full 16-team Chase field, Buescher says the team's plan of attack won't be altered by what could go wrong in those races, either. It's what should go right that matters.

"We came to Bristol knowing that we had speed, that we love this race track, and it was a good chance for us to go out and have an awesome run," he said, "and that's exactly what we were able to do.

"Points will fall however they will. You can't focus on them too much because you lose sight of what the main goal is, and that's to go out and win races."

Preliminary Camping World Truck Series entry list for Michigan

Thirty-one trucks are on the entry list for Saturday’s Career for Veterans 200 Presented by The Cooper Standard Foundation & Brad Keselowski‘s Checkered Flag Foundation Camping World Truck Series race at Michigan International Speedway.

Reed Sorenson, who is entered in the Sprint Cup race at Michigan, is entered in this event also. Ben Kennedy enters this event after his first career series victory last week at Bristol Motor Speedway.