LARSON LOVES MIAMI, JOINS TEAMS TESTING AT HOMESTEAD

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Kyle Larson is hopeful his fast performance in Tuesday's rain-interrupted NASCAR Sprint Cup Series test at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be a harbinger of good things to come when the series returns to the track for the Nov. 20 season finale.

The 24-year-old, who was eliminated after the opening round of this year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs, would have preferred that his test session work contribute to deciding the Sprint Cupchampionship later at Homestead. But he will gladly go for the track trophy instead this year.

"Homestead is probably my favorite track for racing the trucks and XFINITY series and for Cup, it's my second favorite to Bristol," said Larson, who has a win here in the XFINITY Series.

"I always enjoy coming here and running really close to the wall. It's a real race track where I feel like driver can make up a lot. You always have to have a good car but I feel like the driver can have an impact here."

Larson's No. 42 Target Chevrolet paced the field in the morning session at the 1.5-mile track, just ahead of fellow Chevy driverChase Elliott, who sits 25 points back from the cutoff as the series heads to the Talladega eliminator this weekend. Ryan Blaney was third fastest in the opening session.

Elliott led Larson in the afternoon session, which was extended two hours because of the rainy weather, lasting till 7 p.m. Larson,Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards and Austin Dillon rounded out the top five on the speed charts in the afternoon session.

Many of the teams here were specifically non-specific in their goals for the two-day test, guarding their objectives and the pursuit of them.

Ford driver Brad Keselowski was less circumspect and certainly less technical in explaining his team's intent this week.

"It's always a little complicated to explain," he said smiling. "We're always working on them, always making them better and we've come up with a couple things and we try to validate them on track.

"We put them through all these engineering tests with all these fancy computer simulations telling us if it's going to work or not work. And we get pretty confident it's going to work, but like to backstop check it. We're going through a lot of things we've been doing with the proper implementation of all these gizmos to check things you're allowed to use in testing. Just validating the parts and pieces."

Veteran Carl Edwards said he just likes to get laps here in advance of the series crowning its champion and that his Joe Gibbs Racing Team welcomed the opportunity to try new things.

"We're just working on a bunch of different things," Edwards said. "This sport is evolving so quickly and all of the teams are pushing. I talked to (crew chief) Dave (Rogers) this morning and all the Chase contenders are up there and fast. We're working on a bunch of different things."

Some teams, most notably, Martin Truex Jr.'s Furniture Row Racing team opted not to use the Homestead test -- something Edwards said he understood as well.

RELATED: Truex, No. 78 team to pass on Homestead test

"One of the things that can happen is you can come test and be too confident in what you find out," Edwards said. "We're just kind of going through some things and really having fun.. …Even if we don't gain anything huge for the car, we're having a good time."

The series is set to conduct another full-day test at Homestead on Wednesday.

TALLADEGA CHASE RACE TO BE CALLED HELLMANN'S 500

RELATED: Buy tickets for Talladega

TALLADEGA, AL – Hellmann's mayonnaise, which has been a staple in American kitchens for generations, and NASCAR's Most Competitive Track – Talladega Superspeedway - announced today that Sunday’s (Oct. 23) much anticipated elimination race in the 2016 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will now be known as the Hellmann's 500.

Hellmann's, a brand of Unilever, has been involved in the sport of NASCAR since 2004 and has a reputation for delivering fans with quality, delicious products. In addition to the newTalladega Superspeedwayy (TSS) partnership, the Hellmann’s brand has a long-time relationship with six-time TSS winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports. NASCAR fans have embraced many of the attributes that resonate with the Hellmann's family of products – plain and simple, they are the real deal. Hellmann's flagship product, Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise, is the best-selling mayonnaise in the United States.

"In honor of our long-standing partnership with NASCAR, Hellmann's is thrilled to show our dedication to the race car community by becoming the exclusive, title sponsor of the Talladega race," said Hellmann's Marketing Director Russel Lilly. "We've been a staple on the speedway for years, getting to know Dale Jr. and establishing his No. 88 Hellmann’s Chevrolet as the car to beat. Whether on the track or cheering from the stands, Hellmann's is a life-time fan of the sport of racing and we’re honored to be a part of such an iconic race."

"Hellmann's is an incredible nationally known product that fits in perfectly with our facility and the fans who attend the events here," said Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch. "We have an incredible fan base who are here all week and love to cook up a variety of tasty dishes to eat while they are enjoying the best racing in the world. Take a walk on our property and you will see campers and tailgaters using a host of Hellmann’s spreads. We are glad to welcome them to our Talladega family with the Hellmann's 500."

Sunday’s Hellmann's 500 at the mammoth 2.66-mile, 33-degree banked layout, will be the pivotal third and final race in the Round of 12 in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. When the checkered flag falls in the pressure-packed event, the field of title contenders will be reduced from 12 drivers to eight.

While he won’t be competing in the Hellmann's 500, Earnhardt Jr. will be at Talladega and will be interacting with fans as part of the Fan Question & Answer session at the start-finish line as part of the track’s "Pre-Race Pit Pass Upgrade."

Weekend preparations for the Hellmann's 500 get underway Friday (Oct. 21) with two different practice sessions (1:00-1:55 p.m. CDT & 3:30-4:25 p.m. CDT). Foodland/Food Giant Qualifying, which will determine the starting lineup for the Hellmann's 500NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, is set for Saturday (Oct. 22) at 3:00 p.m. CDT. A ticket to the Hellmann's 500 also gets fans into the traditional Saturday Night Infield Concert, which will feature country star Jerrod Niemann, Tim Dugger and DJ Michaelis. The Hellmann's 500 is set for a 1:00 p.m. (CDT) start Sunday (Oct. 23).

Hellmann’s sponsoring Sprint Cup race at Talladega

Just a few days before Talladega Superspeedway hosts its second NASCAR weekend of the season, the track has announced a title sponsor for Sunday’s Sprint Cup race.

Originally called the Alabama 500, the 188-lap race is now labelled the Hellmann’s 500.

Hellmann’s, a long-time sponsor of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports, produces Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise.

The Hellmann’s 500 is the second elimination race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup and whittle the Chase field from 12 to eight drivers.

The race can be seen at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

NASCAR announces continuation of Mexico Series with new series sponsor

NASCAR announced Tuesday night the continuation of its Mexico Series and that Peak will be the series sponsor.

The NASCAR Peak Mexico Series will make its return with an exhibition event Dec. 3-4 in Mexico City. The series will officially get underway in 2017 with a full schedule to be announced later.Ruben Garcia Jr. won the 2015 series title, the most recent season the series completed.

“The NASCAR Peak Mexico Series is a place where young drivers are honing their skills and competing for a championship against the toughest competition in Latin America,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, in a statement. “The series drives interest in stock car racing in Mexico, while cultivating talented drivers and pit crew members aspiring to compete at the NASCAR national series level.”

Xfinity Series driver Daniel Suarez, who competed in the Peak Mexico Series previously, is excited to see the series continue.

“I am extremely proud to be a Mexican driver competing against the best young drivers making a name for themselves in the NASCAR Xfinity Series,” he said in a statement. “I am lucky to have had the support of NASCAR’s developmental programs along the way – including the NASCAR Mexico Series. I am excited to see that other talented Latin American drivers will continue to have similar opportunities for many years to come.”

NASCAR on NBC podcast, Ep. 47: Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer

Two Sprint Cup drivers who are in the midst of their most disappointing seasons joined the NASCAR on NBC podcast to analyze adversity and what lies ahead.

Clint Bowyer, who is 26^th in the points standings, and Greg Biffle, ranked 24^th, were the guests in separate conversations at Kansas Speedway last week.

Biffle, who is four races away from his 500^th consecutive start in the Sprint Cup Series, has taken a leadership role at Roush Fenway Racing, his home since 1998. But while he has been able to help with pit stops, Biffle said there are limits to how much he can help the team improve.

“There are a lot of things I want to change and do different, but it’s tough for the driver to go in and change a bunch of things inside a company and people and realign this and that,” he said. “I’ve been able to make some influences, but I haven’t been able to do all the things I wish I could. I’m not up there on the (management) list and not the competition director. I can only kick and scream so much and push and make an influence where I can.”

Biffle, who missed the Chase for the Sprint Cup for the second consecutive season, said it’s difficult to watch longtime teammates Carl Edwards andMatt Kenseth excel after joining Joe Gibbs Racing over the last three seasons but said, “I’m the type of person who wants to work hard and bring the whole organization with me to be able to compete at the level you need to (perform.)

“There’s nothing more frustrating than knowing you have the ability but don’t have the equipment,” Biffle said. “That’s been tough the last two to three years. You’ll see guys who moved on and won races and championships that I was doing better than when they were racing with me.”

Though Bowyer’s performance marginally has improved with new crew chief Jay Guy in his one-year stint at HScott Motorsports – his 26^th at Kansas snapped a six-race streak of top-25 finishes – he is looking forward to taking over the No. 14 from Tony Stewart at Stewart-Haas Racing next season.

“There’s a lot of things, talk and excitement, for next year,” said Bowyer, who recently began receiving merchandise approvals for 2017. “You’re already starting to think about those things. You have to; everybody in the garage area is. Whether I was going somewhere else or staying where I’m at, you’re already working toward next year.

“That always gets your wheels cranked up again because you’re thinking, ‘All right, man, we did this wrong. We can do that better next year.’ There’s always those things in the back of your mind, so I can’t wait.”

You can listen to the podcast by clicking on the AudioBoom embed below or download and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes by clicking here. The free subscription will provide automatic downloads of new episodes to your smartphone. It also is available on Stitcher by clicking here and also can be found on Google Play, Spotify and a host of other smartphone apps.

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.

Kurt Busch hopes to be the first and last ‘Sprint’ Cup champion

There are only five races left in the ‘Sprint’ era of NASCAR.

The cell phone company departs as the title sponsor of the Cup Series following the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 20. Clinching this particular title would have a little more meaning for Kurt Busch.

Busch, at 25 and in his fourth year in the series, kicked off Sprint’s 12-year relationship with NASCAR in 2004 when he won the inaugural title, then the Nextel Cup. A corporate merger made it the Sprint Cup in 2008.

Kurt Busch in New York City in December 2004 prior to the Nextel Cup Awards.

“That would be fun to be able to bookend the championship run with Sprint sponsorship of our series,” Busch said Tuesday during a test at Homestead-Miami Speedway  “It’s been an amazing run for them, a brand builder for both NASCAR and a cell phone company. When you’re the first champion with a new sponsor it came with some fun responsibilities and good promotions.”

Busch won the 2004 title, the first of the “Chase” era, while driving for Roush Fenway Racing.

“It’s neat to see what (Sprint) benefited from and here we are now, it’s at the end,” Busch said. “2004 was a long time ago. It’s time to upgrade the championship trophy to a 2016 one.”

If Busch can survive in the standings until the finale, he’ll have the chance to score the third Cup title for Stewart-Haas Racing – where he has been since 2014. Heading into the Alabama 500 at Talladega, Busch is sixth on the Chase grid, 17 points up on the bubble.

“Last year we came out of Kansas with a top-(six) finish and had 13 points as our cushion,” Busch said. “This year we have a 17-point cushion after we finished 13th (at Kansas). It’s a numbers game, and we feel comfortable where we sit.”

But the fates of Busch and nine other drivers hinge on their result at Talladega, the 2.66-mile track notorious for wrecks that threaten to eliminate half the field.

“All we have to do at Talladega is finish 16th or better, no matter what anybody else does,” said Busch of his best possible clinch scenario outside a win. “It’s the same as having sixth or better or 36th or better because you never know when you’ll get caught up in the big wreck and end up 36th or worse.”

In his 17 years competing in the Sprint Cup Series, Busch has never won a points paying restrictor-plate race. He’s finished third five times at Talladega but hasn’t earned a top five there since 2007.

His average finish at Talladega through 31 starts? Just on target at 16.3.

“It’s nice to have points in our pockets,” said Busch. “That’s the best feeling.”