NASCAR America: Dale Jr: Alex Bowman battled through adversity

Alex Bowman was sick last weekend yet still managed to finish in the top 10 at Kansas for a career-best finish. Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared what he thought about Bowman’s gutsy performance in his podcast. Jeff Burton, Kyle Petty and Parker Kligerman discuss Bowman’s career trajectory and what he can expect passed 2016.

NASCAR America: Should Sprint Cup drivers be allowed in Xfinity races?

After a weekend that saw Sprint Cup regular Kyle Busch win the Xfinity race at Kansas Speedway and Cup driver Kyle Larson hinder Xfinity title contender Erik Jones‘ chances of a win or strong finish, talk has again surfaced on if Cup drivers should be competing in the Xfinity Series.

Earlier this week, NASCAR executiveSteve O’Donnell told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that fans should “stay tuned” for an announcement “fairly soon” on the issue.

With all of that brewing, NBC Sports analysts Jeff Burton and Parker Kligerman debated the issue.

“It’s a very difficult solution,” Burton said on NASCAR America. “The reason I became a Cup driver is because of the opportunity to run in the Xfinity Series and race against Harry Gant, Mark Martinand Dale Earnhardt. Every now and then I could run with them. If none of them were there, I could win. But that propelled me, that gave me the opportunity to get to the Cup Series. A Cup owner, Billy Stavola and Mickey Stavola, they watched me run in the Xfinity Series, they said, ‘Hey that guy every now and then can run with Mark Martin, maybe he can be a Cup driver.’ Without that opportunity I don’t think I’m ever a Cup driver.

“I will say this, when I raced against Mark Martin, he didn’t drive (in the Xfinity Series) for Jack Roush. When I raced (against) Harry Gant, he did not drive for his Cup team. When I raced Dale Earnhardt, he ran his Xfinity team out of a small shop on his property. I wasn’t racing against Richard Childress Racing. I was racing against smaller race teams. As the Xfinity Series has evolved, they’re not miniature Cup teams.”

Burton also said that permitting Cup drivers to race in the series allows Xfinity drivers to stand out to show that they can compete in the Cup level.

Kligerman said: “I’m going to play some devil’s advocate with you and say, ‘OK, if tomorrow Kyle Busch and all the other Sprint Cup regulars could not run the Xfinity Series, then we would not evaluate drivers, young drivers coming up by saying ‘If they can beat Kyle Busch or beat Brad Keselowski.’ ”

Burton noted that “the way we’ve always done things doesn’t mean that is the right way to do it. Racing is always an evolution … and we need to be looking at better ways to do things.”

Watch LIVE:NASCAR America at 6 p.m. ET: Dover recap, look back at Tony Stewart’s final season

A 90-minute episode of NASCAR America begins at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN and recaps the first elimination race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Mike Massaro hosts with Dale Jarrett and Parker Kligerman in Stamford, Connecticut. Jeff Burton joins them from Burton’s Garage.
In today’s show:
• The Round of 16 is complete as four drivers have been eliminated from the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Gone are Kyle Larson, Jamie McMurray, Chris Buescher and Tony Stewart. The second round is set and the 12 drivers in it are led by Martin Truex Jr., after winning two of the first three Chase races. Jarrett, Kligerman and Burton weigh in on the advances and the surprises, comparing how they their Chase Grids compared to the actual after results of the opening round.
• NASCAR America takes a look back at Tony Stewart’s storied career. He has been eliminated from the playoffs after finishing 13th at Dover. Our analysts reveal how they will remember Tony Stewart’s final season.
• We’ll also feature Sunday morning’s Xfinity Series race where Daniel Suarez joined Elliott Sadler in the second round of the Xfinity Chase. We’ll also get reaction from top-seeded Erik Jones, who now faces elimination this week at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
If you can’t catch the show on TV, you also can watch it via the online stream at http://nascarstream.nbcsports.com
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 plug-in that information, you’ll have access to the stream.
Click here at 6 pm ET to watch live via the stream.

Watch LIVE: NASCAR America at 6 p.m. ET: Previewing the Coke Zero 400

Today’s episode of NASCAR America, which airs from 6 – 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN, gives you one last preview of this weekend’s action at Daytona International Speedway.

Dave Briggs hosts with Parker Kligerman from Stamford, Connecticut.

Included in today’s show:

Hear from our crew at Daytona International Speedway, including Krista Voda, Kyle Petty, Dale Jarrett, Rick Allen, Steve Letarte and birthday boy Jeff Burton.
On Saturday, Tony Stewart makes his final start at Daytona as a full-time Sprint Cup driver. Stewart has never won the Daytona 500, but can tie David Pearson’s record of five July Daytona wins this weekend. We’ll look back on his summertime success.
Marty Snider is down in Daytona with the rest of the crew and he spoke with Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon and Ryan Newman as they get ready for Saturday night’s race.
The art of side-drafting has become critical to success everywhere – especially at Daytona. Parker Kligerman jumps in the simulator to break down how drivers use side-drafting to their advantage.
If you’re not near a TV, you can watch online or on the NBC Sports app via 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 racing returns to NBC this weekend with the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona. Coverage begins July 2 at 7:45 p.m. ET on NBC.

Watch LIVE: NASCAR America at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Today’s episode of NASCAR America airs from 6 – 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Mike Massaro hosts with Parker Kligerman in Stamford, Connecticut. They are joined by Steve Letarte and Kyle Petty from Burton’s Garage.

Today’s episode gives you a final preview of the race weekend at Sonoma Raceway, one of two road courses the Sprint Cup Series visits.

We also bring you a look at Denny Hamlin‘s ride through San Francisco.

Also included:

• Four drivers with road-course victories will be seeking their first win of 2016 and a potential playoff spot at Sonoma.  Tune in for the breakdown by Parker, Kyle and Steve on which drivers will overcome the 12 twists and turns of the Sonoma road course.

• Parker Kligerman jumps into the simulator to show us the kind of challenges a driver faces at Sonoma, including various passing techniques.

• How would you compare a Modified to a Sprint Cup car?  Some may say they sound unlike any other car you’ve heard; the smell, unique in itself; and the feel you get as they fly by is indescribable.

• Before the Cup series heads to Daytona this year, it makes a stop at Sonoma Raceway in California.  The Golden State has been making an impact on NASCAR for well over 60 years. Eli Gold takes us through the racing history of the nation’s 31^st state.

If you’re not near a TV, you can watch online or on the NBC Sports app via 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.

Watch LIVE: NASCAR America at 6 p.m. ET: Darrell Wallace Jr., season recap and more

Today’s episode of NASCAR America airs from 6 – 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN and feature Xfinity Series driver Darrell Wallace, who will help preview this weekend’s race at Iowa Speedway.

Carolyn Manno hosts with Parker Kligermanfrom Stamford, Connecticut. They are joined by Dale Jarrett, Steve Letarte and Bubba Wallace from NBC Charlotte.

On today’s show:

• Rapid fire with Dale Jarrett and Steve Letarte as we reflect on the season so far.  Find out which driver has stood out most through the first 15 Sprint Cup races and the driver who is outside the top 16 with the best chance to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

• Darrell Wallace Jr., driver of the No. 6 Ford Ecoboost Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing in the Xfinity Series joins the show. We’ll look back on some of Bubba’s most memorable moments on social media. Jarrett will critique Wallace’s golf swing and Kligerman will reveal Bubba’s best bromance.

• Kligerman jumps into the NBCSN iRacing simulator with Wallace playing “crew chief” with a preview of what to expect in Sunday’s Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway.

• David Ragan calls into NASCAR America and shares his family’s racing history in today’s edition of My Home Track.

If you’re not near a TV, you can watch online or on the NBC Sports app via 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, Parker Kligerman, Dale Jarrett recall Talladega wins

Parker Kligerman, Dale Jarrett and Bobby Labonte reemember their wins at Talladega Superspeedway ahead of the Sprint Cup weekend. Labonte also breaks down the difference between winning at the speedway in the 90s and today.