CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP TIMELINE: 2016

With the Sprint Cup Series postseason in full swing, stay on top of all news concerning the 2016 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Stewart, Newman meet with NASCAR

After harsh words were exchanged at Richmond, Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman met with NASCAR officials at Chicagoland Speedway, and both say they are ready to move on from their altercation. | Read more

Harvick: 'Expect the unexpected' in the Chase

Drivers talked about racing hard and the intensity of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup during Ready. Set. Chase. launch activities at Chicago. Kevin Harvick talks about the wide-open nature of the competition and Brad Keselowski thinks fans can expect some bumps, saying, "That's just how racing is going to be. We don't have to play drama queen for everything."

NASCAR updates rules for Chase

Rules updates announced the Wednesday before the first race of the 2016 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Chicagoland give competition officials the power to issue more stringent rulings on technical infractions involving post-race laser inspections and lug nuts.

Five to Watch: Potential Chase rivalries

NASCAR.com's George Winkler talks the biggest feuds that could explode come playoff time.

Dissecting the chippiness

Tensions were high at different points of the regular-season finale at Richmond. Will that carry over to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup? Tony Stewart, Brad Keselowski and others offer their thoughts.

Contrasting circumstances

While the sun is setting on Tony Stewart's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career as a driver, Chase Elliott's is just getting started. The three-time champion and the Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender share a unique relationship.

Grabbing the bull

Kevin Harvick explains his infamous tweet of a bull going wild and what it means for his competitors in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Getting social

Chase drivers will have their Twitter handles on on the windshield of their NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rides during the Round of 16 in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. | Read more | Track the social buzz | @nascarcasm: What should Twitterless Edwards do?

Heads up: Chicagoland weekend

Want weather updates, staff picks, top story lines for the Chicagoland weekend? NASCAR.com has got you covered. | Read more | Fantasy outlooks for top drivers at Chicagoland

Cain: Don't forget Larson in most wide-open Chase in history

NASCAR.com's Holly Cain discusses Kyle Larson as a title contender and recognizes 2016 as the year with the most interesting Chase field.

Meet the 16 crew chiefs in the 2016 Chase

No one plays a greater role in a driver's success than the crew chief. They're the ones standing atop the pit box, making the calls on when to pit and talking their drivers through strategy.

Predicting who will advance to the Round of 12

NASCAR.com's George Winkler talks Chase predictions and has the stats and numbers to back it up.

Drivers talk Chase Across America

The 16-driver Chase field heads to various places across America before the playoffs officially begin at Chicagoland.

Chase by the numbers: Chicagoland

Here are some useful facts before the Chase begins at Chicagoland Speedway.

Veterans, rookies soak in Chase berth

Kenny Bruce discusses Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon and Chris Buescher as they enter their first Chase. And 2014 Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick offers some profound insight from someone who has been in playoff mode many times.

NASCAR.com Power Rankings

Following his Richmond win, Denny Hamlin moves up to first in the pre-Chicago Power Rankings. See how the rest of the Chase field fared.

Pit crew power rankings for the Chase

This year's Chase Grid is loaded with talented pit crews. Take a look and see how PitTalks.com ranks the top 16.

Chase 101: Everything You Need to Know

Need a refresher on how the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup works? You're covered.

Bruce: Toyota the Chase favorites? Absolutely

NASCAR.com's Kenny Bruce discusses the pre-playoff favorites: The Joe Gibbs Racing quartet as well as Furniture Row Racing's team.

First-time Chasers eager for opportunity

First time Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Austin Dillon, Chris Buescher, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson talk about trying to capitalize on their championship opportunity.

Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers

See every driver in the Chase field with a quick season recap, Chase history, best Chase track and worst Chase track stats.

Chase for the Sprint Cup Series grid

Before the Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway, see where each wheelman in the 16-driver field stacks up.

TY DILLON SUBS FOR REGAN SMITH AT CHICAGOLAND

With Regan Smith still in North Carolina due to the impending birth of his second child, Ty Dillon will pilot the No. 7 Chevrolet for Tommy Baldwin Racing in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the team announced Sunday morning.

Dillon has practiced all weekend in the No. 7 as Smith flew back to North Carolina to be with wife Megan.

Smith has made all 26 starts in the No. 7 so far this year with two top-10 finishes. Dillon has made eight starts this season in the Sprint Cup Series and served as a relief driver for Tony Stewart at Talladega in the spring.

Dillon is currently a regular in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and will participate in that series' seven-race XFINITY Series Chase, which begins next weekend at Kentucky Speedway.

Smith has taken to Twitter the past few days to keep fans updated on his status. Here are his latest posts.

ERIK JONES HOLDS OFF LARSON TO WIN AT CHICAGOLAND

Holding off a fast-charging Kyle Larson in the closing laps of Saturday's XFINTY Series' Drive for Safety 300, Erik Jones took his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to Victory Lane in the regular season finale at Chicagoland Speedway. Jones took the lead for good from JR Motorsports' Elliott Sadler with less than 10 laps remaining in the 200-lap event to post his fourth XFINITY Series win of the season.

Larson crossed the start-finish line second in his No. 42 Chevrolet, while Sadler came up third in the No. 1 Chevrolet. Joe Gibbs Racing's Daniel Suarez and JR Motorsports' Justin Allgaier completed the top 10.

Saturday's race at Chicagoland marked the final race before the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase playoffs, officially setting the 12-car field. Jones came out on top of the Chase Grid, followed by Sadler, Suarez, Allgaier, Ty Dillon, Brendan Gauaghan, Brennan Poole, Brandon Jones, Darrell Wallace Jr., Ryan Reed, Blake Koch and Ryan Sieg.

Friday night's Camping World Truck Series winner Kyle Busch nearly made it two-for-two at Chicagoland, dominating with a race-high 154 laps led. But a blown tire at Lap 182 sent Busch's No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota spinning and left him with little time to rebound, resulting in a 13th-place finish.

Reed brought out the fifth caution of the afternoon when his No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford made contact with the wall after getting close to Larson's No. 42 Chevrolet. Having sustained right-front damage, the team elected to bring the car to the garage for repairs and Reed was ultimately scored 32nd.

The XFINITY Series returns to the track Sept. 24 at Kentucky Speedway (8 p.m. ET, NBCSN/PRN/SiriusXM) for the first race in the Chase.

This story will be updated.

Preview Show: Chicago

Marty Snider and Chris Rice preview the upcoming weekend at Chicagoland Speedway as drivers prepare to kickoff the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

TWITTER HANDLES TO REPLACE DRIVER NAMES ON WINDSHIELDS DURING CHASE

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 15, 2016) -- NASCAR drivers competing in the 2016 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ will display their personal Twitter handles on their respective car windshields during the first three-race round of #TheChase, NASCAR and Twitter announced today.

Beginning with Sunday's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), Twitter handles including @KyleBusch, @keselowski and @austindillon3 will adorn the windshield headers normally reserved for driver last names.  

The activation is part of an aggressive push by NASCAR to use Twitter, Vine and Periscope to elevate The Chase experience for fans during the sport's most social postseason ever. Earlier today, @NASCAR unveiled a new, racing-themed Twitter emoji, which will help bring #TheChase tweets to life throughout the 10-week postseason.

"Twitter brings the passion and excitement of NASCAR to millions of our fans every single day in very unique and innovative ways,” said NASCAR Managing Director, Social Media, Scott Warfield. “As we embark on The Chase, the platform is helping us make the overall social experience that much richer and more memorable for our fans and followers."

Beginning this weekend, @NASCAR will curate Twitter Moments and share Vines and live video via Periscope all capturing the spirit, excitement and behind-the-scenes action of this year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

The first Chase race will also feature the Twitter bird logo, @NASCAR and #TheChase displayed as giant stencils in the infield atChicagoland Speedway.

"NASCAR truly embraces Twitter as a bridge between fans and the drivers they love," said Andrew Barge, Sports Partnerships, Twitter. "During this year's Chase, with Twitter handles on windshields and hashtags on the infield grass, NASCAR demonstrates just how much it genuinely values and encourages that fan engagement."

After each round of #TheChase, NASCAR will tweet action-packed digital films that feature NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers reenacting the on-track highlights and storylines. Part of the sport's Ready. Set. Chase marketing campaign, the first video in the five-part series can be viewed on NASCAR.com/TheChase.

Twitter handles displayed on Chase driver cars for the Round of 16 include the following:

Chase Driver               Car                                 Twitter
Kyle Busch                  No. 18 Toyota Camry     @KyleBusch
Brad Keselowski         No. 2 Ford Fusion         @keselowski
Denny Hamlin              No. 11 Toyota Camry    @dennyhamlin
Kevin Harvick              No. 4 Chevrolet SS       @KevinHarvick
Carl Edwards               No. 19 Toyota Camry    #CarlEdwards
Martin Truex Jr.           No. 78 Toyota Camry    @MartinTruex_Jr
Matt Kenseth               No. 20 Toyota Camry    @mattkenseth
Jimmie Johnson          No. 48 Chevrolet SS     @JimmieJohnson      
Joey Logano                No. 22 Ford Fusion       @joeylogano
Kyle Larson                 No. 42 Chevrolet SS     @KyleLarsonRacin
Tony Stewart               No. 14 Chevrolet SS     @TonyStewart
Kurt Busch                  No. 41 Chevrolet SS     @KurtBusch
Chris Buescher           No. 34 Ford Fusion       @Chris_Buescher
Chase Elliott               No. 24 Chevrolet SS      @chaseelliott
Austin Dillon               No. 3 Chevrolet SS       @austindillon3
Jamie McMurray         No. 1 Chevrolet SS        @jamiemcmurray

The best and fastest way to join the NASCAR conversation and connect directly with the teams, drivers and fans during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is to Tweet with, and search for, #TheChase.

Gordon's Parents Dead In Apparent Murder-Suicide

The father and stepmother of former NASCAR driver Robby Gordon died yesterday in an apparent murder-suicide

Police responded to an Orange, California home owned by Gordon on the 1400 block of North Kennymead Street at approximately 5 p.m. Wednesday, after a family friend requested a welfare check. Inside, they discovered the bodies of 68-year old Robert Gordon and his wife Sharon, 57. A weapon was discovered inside the home and authorities say the deaths appear to be a murder-suicide.

Gordon is a three-time winner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, most recently winning a pair of road course events at Sonoma and Watkins Glen in 2003, while driving for Richard Childress Racing. In recent seasons, he has raced on the SPEED Energy Formula Off-Road Series, which he also owns.

Pondering the Chase: Five questions about the playoffs

Trust us, NBC Sports’ Nate Ryan and Dustin Long get along even though they don’t always see eye-to-eye about the upcoming Chase for the Sprint Cup.

With the playoffs set to begin Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway on NBCSN, Ryan and Long tackle some of the key issues and project what they think will happen.

Here’s how they see the Chase unfolding:

Which driver are you going to watch closely in this Chase?

NATE: Jimmie Johnson. Last season, the six-time series champion entered as the top seed. This year, some are picking him to exit in the first round for the second consecutive season. Johnson hasn’t seemed comfortable in the first two years of the revamped elimination playoffs, but reaching the championship round for the first time would signify more than just a sense of acclimation. It also might quell the speculation of whether he and crew chief Chad Knaus still can build a championship-caliber team as effortlessly as it annually seemed for the No. 48 from 2006-13.

DUSTIN: Kurt Busch. He started the season strong, scoring 14 top-10 finishes in the first 16 races. In the last 10 races, though, he’s had only three top-10 finishes. So which Busch will we see in the Chase? Will it be the one who was consistent and strong early in the season, or will it be the one that has struggled lately?

First driver confrontation among Chase competitors will be between …

NATE: Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth. If Kenseth is several laps down, the odds are nil that he will wreck another Team Penske driver from the lead. But battles for position are fair game, and Kenseth has the bitter memory of the bump by Joey Logano at Kansas Speedway last year. Keselowski antagonized Kenseth at Richmond, the latest skirmish in a long-running feud that seems primed to flare again at Chicagoland, New Hampshire or Dover – all tracks where both drivers have wins.

DUSTIN: Nobody had Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson last year at Chicagoland Speedway. Who would have guessed in 2014 that Matt Kenseth would have gone after Brad Keselowski at Charlotte? The point is friction develops between drivers running near the front or battling for the lead.

Harvick and Carl Edwards rank third and fourth respectively in laps led. They have a history (recall that shoving incident in 2008 at Charlotte). They’ve both gone to at least the third round in each of the past two Chases. Harvick made it to the championship round each time; Edwards did not. I’d watch these two because they’ll likely be around each other throughout the Chase.

Can Kevin Harvick win with his pit crew?

NATE: Yes. The Richmond race was a small sample size, yet there was marked improvement. This team has been off its game at some inopportune times this season, but Harvick has been the best driver on the circuit in more than two seasons at Stewart-Haas Racing. If crew chief Rodney Childers continues to prepare top-notch cars, Harvick can overcome any pit crew woes through sheer force of will at least once per round.

DUSTIN: Yes. Jimmie Johnson won the 2010 title after crew chief Chad Knaus changed the entire pit crew in the middle of a race. The pressure will be on Harvick’s crew, just as it has in the past. The challenge is keeping up with the Joe Gibbs Racing crews, who have been fast all season and not had many mistakes. This pit crew needs to focus on consistency. If it can do that, Harvick should have a fast enough car to stay near the front and that’s what one needs to advance in this format.

Who wins the championship?

NATE: Denny Hamlin. No other driver is more acutely aware of the many ways in which a championship can be lost. Hamlin, who has raced for a title in Miami three times since his rookie season a decade ago, is over the sting of 2010’s collapse. The lessons still remain fresh, though, and it’s been evident in his calm this season. He has been locked into the playoffs since his Daytona 500 victory, but there were many chances to panic when the No. 11 team got off to a slow start under new crew chief Mike Wheeler. Hamlin stayed steady as Wheeler found his footing, and that composure is indicative of why a battle-tested veteran finally will become a champion in his 11th season.

DUSTIN: Kevin Harvick. Even with questions about his pit crew, this team has consistently been the only one to challenge the Toyotas all season. Harvick also has been through the battles of the Chase — from needing to win at Dover to advance last year to fighting through to win the 2014 crown. Experience can’t keep a car part from breaking but it can help a driver in tough situations. Experience will lead Harvick to the final round for the third consecutive year.

Who is your dark horse to win the title?

NATE: Kyle Larson. After getting over the hump with the victory at Michigan, he motored through Darlington (third) and Richmond (second) with renewed vigor and a swagger that was striking for the Chip Ganassi Racing driver. Larson relishes his team being the underdog, but it won’t be if he reaches the title round. Homestead-Miami Speedway is his favorite track for good reason, and a championship would be a real possibility if he can scrape through the first three rounds.

DUSTIN: Tony Stewart. Look, no one figured Stewart had a chance to win the 2011 title and he did. Certainly, this is a different time and the five years since have aged Stewart, but he’s wise enough and shrewd enough not to give a darn about any of that. In his final 10 races, he’ll just go race. This team will have to pick up its performance, but what a ride it could be for Stewart.