NASCAR

6:57 PM ET Associated Press The nerves hit Jimmie Johnson as he stood on the starting grid before the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The seven-time NASCAR champion is beginning a new chapter of his career — at 45 years old — in unfamiliar race cars. He was tabbed to start the most prestigious sports car

2:55 PM ET Associated Press Atlanta Motor Speedway will allow a limited number of fans to camp on the infield during its NASCAR weekend March 20-21. The speedway in suburban Hampton plans to utilize the Flock Brothers campground, located inside turns 1 and 2 of the 1.54-mile oval. The plan calls for campers to be

5:47 PM ET Associated Press Action Express Racing put one of its two Cadillacs — the one featuring NASCAR champion Chase Elliott — on the pole for the Rolex 24 at Daytona in a first-of-its-kind qualifying race for the crown jewel endurance event. The No. 31 Cadillac DPi will be driven next week in the

11:43 AM ET Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ty Dillon landed a Daytona 500 ride with Gaunt Brothers Racing, a pairing of a driver and team both trying to rebuild in 2021. Dillon spent four seasons driving for Germain Racing but lost his ride when lack of sponsorship led the team to close. Gaunt Brothers

10:46 AM ET Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. — – NASCAR will attempt some normalcy at the season-opening Daytona 500 with a live pre-race concert – the first big performance at a track during the pandemic – featuring country music star Luke Combs. Combs, who performed virtually for NASCAR’s season finale in November, has not done

2:17 PM ET Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. — New NASCAR team Trackhouse Racing has brought entertainer Pitbull on as an ownership partner for an organization making its debut next month at the Daytona 500. Trackhouse made the Friday announcement with a video on Twitter in which the Grammy winner is featured dancing to an “I

8:00 AM ET THERE WAS A specific moment during this most extraordinary of years that Bubba Wallace believes changed him forever. It wasn’t June 10, when NASCAR finally banned the Confederate flag from its racetracks. It wasn’t June 22, when every person from the NASCAR Cup Series garage pushed and cheered Wallace’s No. 43 Chevy

1:20 PM ET Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. — 23XI Racing announced a full slate of sponsorship Monday to back the new NASCAR team owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin. DoorDash, McDonald’s, Columbia Sportswear, Dr Pepper and Root Insurance were all named “founding partners” for the No. 23 Toyota Camry that Bubba Wallace will drive

1:11 PM ET Associated Press DARLINGTON, S.C. — NASCAR’s popular throwback weekend celebration at Darlington Raceway is moving from Labor Day weekend to Mother’s Day. Track officials announced the change Friday for the yearly honoring of NASCAR’s past. Darlington is holding two races next season, including its Southern 500 on Labor Day in September that

5:02 PM ET Associated Press NASCAR already has started adjusting the 2021 calendar. The first three races of the season, which begins Feb. 14 with the Daytona 500, all will be held in Florida now. NASCAR shifted the February race scheduled for Fontana, California, to the road course at Daytona International Speedway. It swapped the

6:38 PM ET Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jimmie Johnson will open his first year of semi-retirement by racing the Rolex 24 at Daytona as part of an Action Express Racing lineup revealed Friday that should be among the best in the field. The seven-time NASCAR champion will be teamed with Simon Pagenaud, Kamui Kobayashi

4:06 PM ET Associated Press The Daytona 500 will have limited spectators for NASCAR’s season-opening race on Feb. 14. Daytona International Speedway did not specify Wednesday how many spectators will be admitted into “The Great American Race.” Daytona said it will work to accommodate guests who have already purchased tickets to the race. To ensure

2:36 PM ET Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR will have another new team in 2021 — bringing the total to three new ownership groups in the Cup Series — with the formation of Live Fast Motorsports. The team formally announced Friday is owned by drivers Matt Tifft and B.J. McLeod. McLeod will drive the

8:49 PM ET Just call it manifold destiny. Sunday evening at Phoenix Raceway, the coronation of Chase Elliott became official. The promise that became the potential finally resulted in the payoff. The kid is still a couple of weeks shy of his 25th birthday, but to longtime NASCAR fans he feels so much older than

6:38 PM ET ESPN News Services AVONDALE, Ariz. — NASCAR’s most popular driver is now a Cup champion, too. Chase Elliott took the torch from teammate Jimmie Johnson by winning his first Cup title Sunday, driving from the back of the field to Victory Lane at Phoenix Raceway. The win for Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet

8:58 PM ET Associated Press Jimmie Johnson strode into the final news conference of his NASCAR career wearing a black hat with “One Final Shot” on the front. Told he was the first driver in the room after Sunday’s NASCAR race at Phoenix Raceway, the seven-time Cup champion had a quick response. “I won something

3:47 PM ET Associated Press AVONDALE, Ariz. — Chase Elliott had an early setback in his pursuit of NASCAR’s championship when his car failed prerace inspection Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. Elliott was supposed to start on the pole but instead had to drop to the back of the field at the start of the race.

8:05 PM ET Associated Press AVONDALE, Ariz. — Austin Cindric charged on fresh tires to his first NASCAR championship with a gutsy overtime drive Saturday to win the Xfinity Series finale at Phoenix Raceway. Cindric was already headed toward the win when title-favorite Chase Briscoe spun with six laps remaining. It brought out a caution