Cardiac Kid

He did it in Talladega. He did it in Phoenix. Can he do it again in Homestead? Joey Logano won his second straight elimination race with an overtime victory in the Can-Am 500, outracing Kyle Busch to the line and securing his berth among the Championship 4.  "This feels so good, I've never felt this good about a win before," Logano said. "There was so much on the line and everyone brings their A-game when it comes to winning championships and this team did it."

Busch's second place finish was strong enough to punch his ticket to Miami as well, where he and Logano join Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson as Championship hopefuls. But with Top-10's in five straight (and in all but two Chase races), Logano might be the hottest driver heading to South Florida. "We're racing for a championship now. We did exactly what we had to do. We've got to go to Homestead and do the same thing."

The Field is Set

The inaugural XFINITY Series Championship 4 is set, with Daniel Suarez, Erik Jones, Justin Allgaier, and Virginia's own Elliott Sadler chasing the top prize. It all comes down to the two teams of Joe Gibbs Racing (Jones, Suarez) and JR Motorsports (Sadler, Allgaier) battling it out at Homestead-Miami on Saturday afternoon. Surprisingly, none of these drivers have claimed a Championship title yet - including Sadler, who has been thiiiiis close a number of times since running full time in the XFINITY Series since 2011. Personally, we'll be cheering on our hometown guy, but history will be made in any case.

Ready. Set. Chase. 

Only one race remains in the 2016 NASCAR season - the four-way battle for a Championship in Homestead-Miami Speedway. Can Carl Edwards, who's finished runner up to the likes of Johnson (2008) and Tony Stewart (2011), finally seal the deal and win his first title? Will Jimmie Johnson add to his historic resume with a seventh Championship? Can Joey Logano, the youngest driver to compete in the Championship round, make Penske's 50th anniversary celebration extra special? Or will Kyle Busch become the first repeat champ in five years? You'll have to tune in this Sunday to find out. 

Carl Edwards Chase for the Sprint Cup Jimmie Johnson Joey Logano Kyle Busch NASCAR Phoenix Richmond International Raceway RIR Victory Lap

11:44 AM

Just a couple days before the Daytona 500 kicked off the season, the RIR staff submitted their picks for the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion. 13,531 laps, 35 races, 13 race winners and one Chase Grid later, we're down to just four drivers with a shot at the Championship.

We won't be able to throw Denny Hamlin that hometown Championship celebration like so many of us had hoped, and even Martin Truex Jr's Philly fandom couldn't carry him to a title shot - but here's a quick look back at what we were saying nine months ago.

This is Kyle Busch's second Championship 4 berth.

4 WINS  |  17 TOP-5's  |  24 TOP-10's
Alright we goofed on this one. Not a single person on our staff thought the reigning champ would repeat as NASCAR's top dog, but an impressive 2016 campaign has the No. 18 thinking back-to-back.

This is Carl Edwards's first Championship 4 berth.

3 WINS  |  9 TOP-5's  |  18 TOP-10's
 Year two with the JGR powerhouse has Carl Edwards humming into his second shot at a NASCAR Championship.

This is Jimmie Johnson's first Championship 4 berth.

4 WINS  |  10 TOP-5's  |  15 TOP-10's
While it wasn't the kind of dominating season we saw from Johnson during his six other Championship runs, he's definitely had his mojo of late. Half of his wins this season have come in the Chase.

This is Joey Logano's first Championship 4 berth.

3 WINS  |  15 TOP-5's  |  25 TOP-10's
The "youngster" in the group - Logano has been on a mission to overcome his early exit from the 2015 Chase. With wins in the past two elimination races, can he look to make it three in a row in Homestead?

Check out the original RIR Rank list below, ranked from least to greatest number of votes received: 

Carl Edwards Chase for the Sprint Cup Jimmie Johnson Joey Logano Kyle Busch NASCAR Richmond International Raceway RIR

3:02 PM

No Rules, Just Right

Lock it in Kevin Harvick. The 2014 Champion will join Jimmie Johnson in the Round of 8 after a win in Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. The No. 4 jumped in front of then-leader Carl Edwards on a late race restart, and held on through the final 30 laps for his fourth win on the year. "These races are hard to win and these guys are so good at the details," said Harvick, "When you put their backs against the wall they're even better. I'm so proud of them." Harvick has never been eliminated under the current Chase format, racing for a Championship at Homestead each of the past two seasons.

A Little Sibling Rivalry

Carl Edwards will just have to wait a little longer for a win at his home track, after losing the lead to Kevin Harvick on a late race restart. "That last restart Kevin and Jimmie (Johnson) just lined up on the bottom and they got far enough ahead to where I couldn't hang on the outside," said Edwards after his second place finish on Sunday. "And I ended up having to race Kyle (Busch) really hard there for a few laps and it let Kevin get out ahead." Rather than try and chase down the No. 4, Edwards spent the rest of the afternoon fending off Busch for the final 30 laps. "That's racing I guess," said Busch of the back and forth. This isn't the first time we've seen the JGR teammates race one another hard. Edwards famously bumped the No. 18 on the final lap of the TOYOTA OWNERS 400 at Richmond International Raceway to secure his second win of the season.

Timing is Everything

It'd been nearly two years since the No. 2 hadn't finished a NASCAR Sprint Cup event, but for the first time since the 2015 Daytona 500 Brad Keselowski suffered a DNF in Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400. Heading into the cutoff race in Talladega, the 2012 Champion is sitting 11th and eight points behind Joey Logano in the 8th position. On the plus side, Keselowski took home the May race at 'Dega, and is the only repeat winner in the last 11 races at the track. After a strong season racing on superspeedways (two wins in three races), he's got as strong a chance as any to race his way into the Round of 8.

The Home Stretch

Five races down, five to go. We've reached the midway point in the Chase and there's plenty of intrigue as the postseason makes the turn down the backstretch. The Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas, who were so dominant in the regular season, have been consistent but unremarkable through the Chase's first half. The only exception would be Martin Truex Jr, who is one of three Chase race winners we've seen along with former champions Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson. Two of the Chase newbies are gone, and the two remaining are in danger of missing the cut come Sunday. The cutoff race in Talladega looms large as we move one step closer to crowning the NASCAR's 2016 Cup Champion.

Brad Keselowski Carl Edwards Chase for the Sprint Cup Kansas Speedwar Kevin Harvick Kyle Busch NASCAR Richmond International Raceway RIR Talladega Victory Lap

5:13 PM

Hometown Hamlin

With his victory in the Cheez-It 355 on Sunday, Hamlin picked up his second trip to Gatorade Victory Lane this season and the first road course win of his 12-year career. Sitting P1 after the race was red-flagged with five laps remaining, the Joe Gibbs driver managed to stave off a run for Martin Truex Jr to earn the checkered flag despite driving through the some of the worst pain he'd ever felt. “We worked on (my back) all day to try to make it better. We really didn’t make it much better,” said Hamlin. “If it was Friday or Saturday, no question I wouldn’t have turned one lap today. This was by far the worst pain‑wise I’ve had to go through.” Yikes, and this is coming from the guy who's raced through ACL tears, previous back problems and knee surgeries.

And That Makes 10

With Hamlin's win at the Glen, Joe Gibbs Racing has won 10 of the 22 races in 2016. Just how dominant has that been? That win total is the same as the number of wins earned by Penske (five), Stewart-Haas (three) and Hendrick (two) combined. Here's a look back at what has undoubtedly been the summer of JGR.

Busch's Tour de Fans

Kyle Busch is back at it again. After his early exit from the Zippo 200 on Saturday, Busch and his wife Samantha toured the Watkins Glen campgrounds and left a surprise for a couple of his fans. The defending Sprint Cup Champion signed a No. 18 decal a couple of campers had on the side of their RV. "They're not home right now, but they'll have quite a surprise when they come back," Samantha says of the RV owners in the video post. Earlier this year Busch surprised a fan while in traffic leaving Martinsville Speedway, and in the spirit of Fan Appreciation we can definitely get on board with this.

Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Kyle Busch NASCAR Richmond International Raceway RIR Victory Lap Watkins Glen International

11:20 AM

We're taking look at a pair of teammates who clinched in mid-July after the New Hampshire 301, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards. There's been some impressive racing by these two members of the Joe Gibbs Racing family, who also had a little sibling rivalry back at Richmond's TOYOTA OWNERS 400. Congrats on the job guys, and we'll look forward to seeing you at Gridside Live! in September.

2016 Rearview

Kyle Busch wasted little time proving his 2015 Sprint Cup Championship was no fluke. Through the season's first 21 races, the reigning champ has four wins, a top-5 finish in over half of his races while leading laps in all but six. How's that for an encore?

2015 Chase

The 2016 Chase didn't exactly start smooth for Busch (37th place finish at Loudon, 20th at Charlotte within first four races). But the ending couldn't have been any sweeter. Four straight top-5's to finish out the Chase, punctuated by taking the checkered flag in Homestead for his first Sprint Cup Championship.

Cup Career at Richmond

Four Wins  |  16 Top-10's  |  6.9 Avg. Finish (best track with min. 10 races)

2016 Rearview

There's something to be said for consistency, and Carl's performance in 2016 is on par with what he's done almost his entire career. In fact, he's already matched his 2015 numbers in wins (two), top-5 finishes (seven) and poles (three) with still 15 races left on the schedule. A good deal of Edward's success can be attributed to the remarkable job he's done in qualifying, posting an average starting position of 7.3 (the best of his career).

2015 Chase

Though he was close on several occasions, Edwards could quite break into the winner's circle during the 2015 Chase. Six top-10 finishes were enough to keep him in contention through Phoenix, but was left on the outside looking in at the Championship Four for the Championship.

Cup Career at Richmond

Two Wins (Including 2015 TOYOTA OWNERS 400)  | 12 Top-10's  |  12.8 Avg. Finish

Carl Edwards Kyle Busch NASCAR Richmond International Raceway RIR Road to Richmond

4:15 PM

Magic Mile Master

Boom, called it. In last week's Victory Lap, we named Matt Kenseth as the one to watch in New Hampshire, and he sure delivered. The Joe Gibbs driver picked up his second win of the season while also adding to his aquarium with his second straight Loudon the Lobster. “You’re always pleased to be in Victory Lane,” Kenseth said. “The farther down the road you get, the better they feel for sure. Thanks to everybody at Joe Gibbs Racing – I’ve said it a million times, but I’m blessed with this opportunity to be over here with the guys I get to work with and my great sponsors.”

An Experience (Almost) Second to None

 The Richmond Times Dispatch's Chris Wilbers made the trek up to Loudon, N.H. for Sunday's race, and color him impressed. The folks hosting the New Hampshire 301 treated Richmond's own to some first-rate, New England hospitality, but while he notes "you can’t go wrong with a road trip to Loudon in late September," he also mentioned there's still a certain short track that gives you a bit more bang for your buck. Click the link above to find out.

Locked In

Sunday's action saw quite a bit of movement inside the Chase Grid, including JGR teammates Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards locking in their spot in the field of 16. "With NASCAR, it's our playoff. That's what it's all about," said Coach Joe Gibbs. "It's a thrill for us to be in there. I think the key is, as you continue to work during the year, try and keep your performance up and try and point towards the playoffs." So far 11 drivers have wins on the season, leaving just five playoff spots available on points. Tony Stewart, one of those with a 2016 win, continued his rapid climb in the standings with a second-place finish. It was the future Hall of Famer's fourth top-10 in last five races.

Heeeeeee's Bacccckkkkkk?

Late last week Hendrick Motorsports announced that should Dale Earnhardt Jr. be forced to miss this weekend's race in Indianapolis, the recently retired Jeff Gordon would suit up behind the wheel of the No. 88 in his stead. "I think a lot of us on the team have worked for Jeff throughout his illustrious career at Hendrick Motorsports," said crew chief Greg Ives. "To be able to be part of that one more time would be pretty cool for those who have worked with him in the past, but also for those who've never worked with him." It'd definitely be a new look for the NASCAR legend, who spent his career tied with the now-iconic 24. But if you saw him in the booth at all this season, you know he can sport a "new suit" pretty well. 

Carl Edwards Dale Earnhardt Junior Jeff Gordon Kyle Busch Loudon Matt Kenseth NASCAR Richmond International Raceway RIR Victory Lap

2:47 PM

The Mileage Master

With 33 laps to go, substitute crew chief John Klausemeier told Kurt Busch was told that he'd be two laps short on fuel in Monday's rain-delayed Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono Raceway. Turns out he had enough to pick up his first win of 2016 and even throw in a burnout to celebrate. "We just had to balance everything," said Busch, who got to the stripe 1.126 seconds ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr. "We had a fast car, a (suspended) crew chief, and the way the fuel mileage played out, I didn't know if we would have enough fuel. It's a wonderful win for us. We have been so close all year. It was just a matter of putting it all together." It was the 2004 Cup Champion's first win since the 2015 TOYOTA OWNERS 400 at Richmond International Raceway, and the third of his career at the Tricky Triangle.

Dang, Chase...Back At It Again

Chase Elliott's phenomenal rookie season continued yesterday, scoring his fifth consecutive top-10 finish with a fourth-place showing (including a race-high 51 laps led) at Pocono Raceway. "We certainly had, I feel like, one of our best days of the year personally," Elliott said. "I thought for us to be able to contend and lead laps all day and have a car that could fight for the lead the majority of the day... I thought was great." It certainly was, and the finish put him in the company of NASCAR royalty. It was the rookie's fifth top-5 of the year, which ties Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s 1979 rookie mark through the first 14 races in a season.

A Different Kind of Streak

We're used to seeing borderline historic stretches of success out of Kyle Busch and the No. 18 car. Remember last Spring when he went on a tear that saw him win four races in a five week stretch? Or when he turned it on during last year's Eliminator Round, scoring three consecutive top-5 finishes before claiming the 2015 Sprint Cup Championship? Or how about earlier this season when we saw him finish either first or second in five of six races - starting with a win at the STP 500 in Martinsville? Well Monday's race saw the continuation of a not-so familiar streak for the defending Series Champ. After smacking the wall with 51 laps to go, Busch was forced to the garage and sent to his third consecutive finish of 30th or worse. With three wins on the year, his Chase dreams are secure - but no doubt he'd like to see some luck come his way sooner than later.

Where Downforce Meets Speed

Drivers have already raved about the success of NASCAR's new aerodynamics package at the likes of Auto Club, Richmond, Charlotte, and more. But now we'll see how it performs at one of NASCAR's fastest tracks - Michigan International Speedway. "The collaboration between NASCAR and the other stakeholders to improve the racing has produced tremendous results this season. I look forward to a continuation of that when we get to Michigan," said Brad Keselowski. "The racing is more in the hands of the drivers than it has been in quite some time and I think we are just scratching the surface as to what this package can become." And the Michigan-native isn't the only driver who's anxious to see how the package will perform this weekend. "I expect the racing to be really good," said Kyle Larson. "I think with you lifting the groove will move up some. It’s just going to be really exciting racing."

Chase Elliott Kurt Busch Kyle Busch Michigan International Speedway NASCAR Pocono Raceway Richmond International Raceway RIR Victory Lap

2:55 PM

Kyle Busch Pocono Raceway Richmond International Raceway RIR

10:39 AM

 

Crack at History

At just 31 years old, Kyle Busch is close to accomplishing something nobody has ever done in the history of NASCAR. After his Kansas win on Saturday night, there are just two tracks on the Sprint Cup Series circuit at which the defending Champion hasn't won. Both of those tracks - Charlotte Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway - are both fast approaching on the NASCAR calendar. "There's been a lot of rough days (at Kansas)," said Busch following the win. "I certainly found the boundaries that you need to have here being able to feel the race car and I’m so used to just attacking all these race tracks that sometimes I over-attack and that may be what has bit me here in the past, but tonight I really felt this race car all night long."

Streaking Rookies

Thanks to a fifth-place finish by Ryan Blaney on Saturday, a rookie has finished in the top-5 in four of the last five races (Richmond being the only exception). It was Blaney's first top-5 finish to go along with four top-10's for the Wood Brothers this season, while fellow rookie Chase Elliott has more top-10 finishes (seven) than any other Hendrick driver, in addition to three top-5's.

The Final Five

Daytona's new motorsports stadium will get a "fresh coat of paint" with Axalta Coating Systems coming in as the fifth and final founding partner. "Axalta has been a long-standing and strong sponsor of our sport for many years and we’re thrilled to welcome them as a partner at Daytona International Speedway,” said ISC Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy. “Their activation will enable us to further enhance the fan and spectator experience which is a main focus of our new stadium.” Their activation includes naming and branding rights within the center injector at the facility and is a part of Axalta's 150th anniversary celebration.

Stewart Rising

When Tony Stewart made his season debut in Richmond he was 112 points out of the 30th place, the cutoff mark for drivers with a win to qualify for the Chase. Just three starts later, he's almost cut that margin in half to a mere 59 points. Thanks to a sixth-place finish by the No. 14 at Talladega and Stewart's 12th-place showing on Saturday, he is poised to continue his season surge this weekend at Dover where he has three career wins.

Chase Elliott Inside Daytona Kyle Busch NASCAR Richmond International Raceway RIR Ryan Blaney Tony Stewart

11:43 AM

Get Your Brooms Out

Two weeks. Four races. Four wins. With his victory in the Duck Commander 500 on Saturday, Kyle Busch became the first driver since Harry Grant (1991) to sweep back-to-back NASCAR weekends. “Everybody back at the shop has been building great race cars, they’ve been doing a great job for us. The crew chiefs here have been really working together, gelling together and putting everything together. It’s just fun, right now it’s all clicking and going together.” Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott rounded out the top-5. The fifth place finish is the best of Elliott's young career.

Who's Next In Line?

Despite recent history, Kyle Busch can't win EVERY week. Last year, 12 different drivers brought home some hardware before the season's end. With five drivers having taken home a checkered flag thus far in 2016, FOX Sport's Tom Jensen takes a look at eight other drivers who are strong bets to find their way into Victory Lane this season.

Fuel for Drivers

Peanut butter and jelly? Classic. Peanut butter and banana? You'd make Elvis proud. But banana and mayonnaise? Well Junior says don't knock it til you try it. NASCAR's Most Popular Driver took to Twitter last week share his favorite lunchtime treat, and while we don't all have to share in his tastes we can all appreciate the buzz it's generating. "We've created a website -- DaleJrSandwich.com. It's nothing fancy -- it's just a place to donate for the Dale Jr. Foundation. We're going to let you guys donate for two weeks until April 23 – that's the day that I race the Hellman's car at Richmond -- and I'm going to match whatever you guys donate up to $50,000."

Short Track Swingin

After a quick breather in Texas, Bristol will mark the second of three short tracks in a four week stretch, and look for Matt Kenseth to use it as an opportunity to get his 2016 campaign on track.  Kenseth has just one top-10 on the season, despite running in contention every week (he's led in six of seven races), and was threatening late in Martinsville before dropping to a 15th-place finish. He's got more victories at Bristol than at any other track, and brought home two short track wins last season.

Carl Edwards Dale Earnhardt Junior Kyle Busch Matt Kenseth NASCAR Richmond International Raceway RIR Texas Motor Speedway Victory Lap

11:48 AM

 

Kyle Busch Surprises Fan

With a couple trophies and a pair of Grandfather Clocks in tow, reigning NASCAR Champ Kyle Busch managed to make a fan's day/week/month/life after his weekend sweep in Martinsville. Busch and his wife Samantha were seemingly stuck in traffic, when the couple noticed a Rowdy fan trucking alongside them. Click the link above to check out her priceless reaction.

Ding Ding Ding

Sunday's STP 500 saw several drivers turn in career performances. Kyle Larson took home a third place finish (his best in five races at the half-mile track), Danica Patrick posted her best finish of the season and spent a good portion of the race threatening in and around the top-10 and Austin Dillon raced his way to a fourth-place finish (tying his career best). But it was the late-race heroics of AJ Allmendinger that caught a lot of people's attention. The 'Dinger fought his way to the second spot late in the race, and turned in an impressive runner-up finish in Martinsville. "Well, I was hoping for one more spot for a culmination,” Allmendinger joked. “But, I passed Jimmie Johnson like five times at Martinsville; that’s pretty cool!"

Short Track Success

Four weeks after the circus left for the West Coast, NASCAR was back in the Commonwealth with it's first short track race of the 2016 season. With Bristol and Richmond on the horizon, fans and drivers alike have short track racing on the brain, and most couldn't be happier. Drivers working to find an opening, lead changes during a long green flag run, working to protect track position through a crowded pack. Some of the best racing in the country happens on short tracks, so it's no wonder drivers love it so much.

Guns A'Blazin

But before NASCAR continues on it's short track swing, it takes a pit stop at Texas Motor Speedway where Jimmie Johnson has won three consecutive races and five of the last seven. With the downforce package leading to phenomenal on-track action so far this season, it'll be interesting to see if another driver can rival JJ's dominance or if the six-time champion can make it four in a row at the 1.5 miler.

AJ Allmendinger Jimmie Johnson Kyle Busch NASCAR Richmond International Raceway RIR Victory Lap

10:14 AM

There's Racin in Richmond

NASCAR might have taken the Easter Weekend off, but Richmond fans managed to their racing fix early as Goodyear held a testing session at America's Premier Short Track earlier today. Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Danica Patrick and Greg Biffle all took part in the opportunity to tune up before the TOYOTA OWNERS 400 on Sunday, April 24. "This is drivers' favorite race track," said Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. "If you polled all of us drivers about which tracks we like to race the most, Richmond's always going to be in the top of the list. There's always some great racing and with the (switch) from day to night there's going to be a lot of changes the fans are going to see."

Downforce to  Down Time

From oceanfront to court-side and everywhere in between, drivers took the Easter weekend to get away from the track before NASCAR comes to Martinsville, Virginia for the STP 500 on Sunday. Check out how drivers spent their early season break.

Wood Brothers Homecoming

Wood Brothers racing hasn't competed in Martinsville since 2011, when then-Daytona 500 champ Trevor Bayne raced the No. 21 Ford to a 35th-place finish at Glen and Leonard Wood's hometown track. Before that it was 2008 and "Wild Bill from Dawsonville" behind the wheel. This year, they return to the track with Sunoco Rookie of the Year hopeful Ryan Blaney, who has five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races under his belt there. “It’s really a home race for those guys," said Blaney. "It’s really neat to go back and bring the Wood Brothers back there and have them in their hometown and home state. Hopefully, we’ll see a bunch of Wood Brothers fans out there. I think we will.” 

 

Who'll Win Martinsville?

Only six of the 40 drivers entered into this weekend's STP 500 have taken home a storied Martinsville grandfather clock, so there's a chance Sunday's race winner will be a newbie, and FOX Sport's Tom Jensen focuses in on three who have as good a chance as any to race their way to an MVS win. One is Kyle Busch, who has nine top-5's and 487 laps led at Martinsville for his career and it's the only short track at which the defending champion doesn't have a win. The other two are Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth, who had a run-in last October that broke a three-race winning streak and essentially ended Logano's Chase dreams. Expect plenty of eyes to be on this trio on Sunday.

Denny Hamlin Joey Logano Kyle Busch Leonard Wood Matt Kenseth NASCAR Richmond International Raceway RIR Ryan Blaney Victory Lap

3:02 PM

King of the Desert

Just another day in the desert for Kevin Harvick, who has now won five of the last six contests at Phoenix International Raceway. The 2014 Champion edged out Carl Edwards by a mere .010 seconds, the same margin of Denny Hamlin's victory or Martin Truex Jr. in the Daytona 500. ""I knew I needed to get a good run off the (final) corner and that I was going to have to get into his door. And it worked out, just barely," said Harvick. It was Harvick's eighth win at the track- extending his own record in NASCAR's top series.

Lookin' Good Kids

When we were in Daytona for Speedweeks at the season's start- there was a lot of chatter surrounding the exciting 2016 rookie class. Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney proved why on Sunday by each finishing inside the top-10 in the Good Sam 500. "My guys have been bringing such fast race cars to the racetrack every week since Daytona, and I haven't been doing a very good job of getting the finishes that they deserve," said Elliott. It was the first time since October 2014 that two rookies finished inside the top 10. The race was Blaney's second consecutive top 10.

The Champ Wants More

He's led in every race this season. He's finished inside the top-5 in every race this season. But the defending NASCAR champion hasn't come away with a win in any race this season- and he's not having it. “You could be happy with top-five and you could be happy with running up front and doing those things," said Kyle Busch “Those are the things you're supposed to do, but ultimately we've got to get to Victory Lane." Busch is currently tied with Sunday's race winner, Kevin Harvick, atop the NASCAR points standings, but for someone who earned five victories in 25 starts during last season's championship run, he's ready for the wins to start flowing in.

California Downforce Dreamin

Asphalt baking under the California sun has led to some excellent on-track action in Fontana, and NASCAR's low downforce package should only make things even more exciting. As the race goes on and the track gets slick, fans can expect to see quite a show on Sunday. Kyle Busch, who's excelled racing with the new package at each stop this season, could be due for his third Fontana win in four years on Sunday.

Chase Elliott Kevin Harvick Kyle Busch NASCAR NASCAR Goes West Richmond International Raceway RIR Ryan Blaney Sprint Cup Series Victory Lap

12:16 PM

2015 Rearview: After an XFINITY Series crash left Kyle Busch with broken right leg and left foot, sidelining him for the first 11 Sprint Cup races of 2015, it felt like a run at his first Cup title would have to wait another year. Four weeks after his return Busch went on a Petty-like run, winning four out of five races in June and July - including three straight wins at Kentucky, Loudon and Indianapolis. He followed up the string of victories with some of the most point-savvy driving the Chase era, with 10 Top-10 finishes through 15 races and Top-5 showings in each of the Eliminator Round races. All four JGR drivers raced their way into the original Chase field, but it's Busch, playing with house money and maybe driving better than he has at any point in his career, who's the last one standing.

His Career: Busch has just one Chase race win to his name over the course of his career, coming 10 years ago (his rookie season) at the 2005 Checker Auto Parts 500 in Phoenix when he wasn't even Chase eligible. Yet he isn't without some measure of success, with two top-five Championship finishes, including fourth in 2013. With what he's overcome this season, 2015 might already go down as a career-defining year for the No. 18 driver. A Sprint Cup Championship would cement that.

History at Homestead: Of the Championship Four, Busch has the hardest time figuring out the South Florida track. An average finish of 23.1 (19th or worse showing in 10 career Cup starts at Homestead) and just one Top-5 finish to his name, he'll need to re-write his tumultuous Homestead history. But after the season he's had, would you really be surprised if he kept the magic going?

Chase for the Sprint Cup Kyle Busch NASCAR Richmond International Raceway RIR

1:57 PM

Chase for the Sprint Cup Jeff Gordon Kevin Harvick Kyle Busch Martin Truex Jr Richmond International Raceway RIR

12:47 PM

Last Week: It took 33 races, but the Jeff Gordon swan song hit its highest note yet with a dramatic win in Martinsville. Leading 35 laps en route to his ninth grandfather clock, the future Hall of Famer described the victory “unlike anything he'd ever experienced.” But if we know Gordon, he's already turned his focus to the Great American Speedway. His lone Texas win came back in 2009, but he's nabbed two top-10's in his last three races at the Fort Worth track, so the odds of him building on his Chase momentum are strong.

Earlier This Year: Stop me if you've heard this before, but Kevin Harvick was certainly one to watch at the Duck Commander 500 earlier this year. While the No. 4 driver does have three wins on the year, it feels like he could have had a dozen. One of his twenty top-5 showings came back in April at Texas with a second place finish. While he has yet to find a win at there, his average finish is stronger than any other driver remaining in the Chase. This weekend is a good opportunity for the defending champ to secure a spot in the Championship Four and defend his title.

Who To Watch: There was a time earlier this season when it felt like Kyle Busch could run the table on the 2015 NASCAR Season. Momentum has slowed down a bit since the Joe Gibbs driver won four in a five race stretch back in June/July, but this weekend could be one where he kicks the tires and lights those Chase fires. With a win, eight top-5 finishes and a fourth place showing in last year's AAA Texas 500, he has a better Texas resume than any remaining Chase driver.

Chase for the Sprint Cup Jeff Gordon Kevin Harvick Kyle Busch NASCAR Richmond International Raceway RIR

12:08 PM

Last Week: Bum knee? No problem! An ACL injury wasn't enough to cool Denny Hamlin last week in Chicago and the Joe Gibbs Racing machine continued it's 2015 dominance (a current three race win streak, and 12 collective wins on the season).  With Hamlin's ticket to the Contender round already punched, odds of JGR sending multiple drivers onward into the Chase are high because...

Earlier This Year: Hamlin's teammate Kyle Busch took home the checkered flag in Loudon back in July, the second of three straight wins during that stretch. Kyle's comeback this season has been one for the ages, and with how well the No. 18 driver has performed this season (four wins, four straight Top-10 finishes including a second place showing in Richmond's Last Race to Make the Chase), there's a strong chance there's more magic to come.

Who To Watch: While he hasn't racked up the wins like he did last year, Harvick has still had arguably his best season yet. He’s on the top of his game in terms of average starting position and Top-5 finishes, and only in 2010 was his average finish better (9th). But after contact with Jimmie Johnson cut down the defending champ’s tire last week in Chicago, Harvick finds himself in need of a strong showing to keep his name in the Chase Championship discussion.

Chase for the Sprint Cup Denny Hamlin Kevin Harvick Kyle Busch Richmond International Raceway RIR

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