From the Associated Press BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Kyle Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup series champion, and his family safely escaped the Mall of America in suburban Minneapolis after someone fired shots. Bloomington police, which said no one appeared to be injured, was still searching for a suspect after securing the scene shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday. The police said two groups at the mall got into an altercation at a store and one group left, but someone in that group fired three rounds. A video posted on Twitter shows Busch walking away from…
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Kurt Busch to drive for 23XI racing, owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin in 2022
From the Associated Press: CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kurt Busch will drive next season for 23XI Racing, the NASCAR team owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan, in a long-expected expansion move for the first-year organization. Hamlin, the three-time Daytona 500 winner, partnered with Jordan this year to start a team centered around Bubba Wallace. It was an easy startup because Wallace brings millions of dollars in sponsorship for the seat. The young team all year has said it would like to expand to two cars next year, a move made easier because Busch also has…
Read MoreMichael McDowell wins rain-delayed Daytona 500
From the AP: DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Michael McDowell won the rain-delayed Daytona 500 early Monday morning after Penske Racing teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski wrecked on the final lap. It was McDowell’s first victory in 358 Cup Series starts, a stunning upset in NASCAR’s signature event. McDowell lead just one lap — the only that mattered. McDowell was running third when Keselowski got a huge run on Logano. Keselowski tried to pass Logano on the low side, but Logano tried to block him and ended up crashing both of them. Chase Elliott was second, followed…
Read MoreErik Jones joins Richard Petty Motorsports, will drive the no. 43 next season
from nascar.com: Richard Petty Motorsports hired Erik Jones on Wednesday to replace Bubba Wallace in the No. 43 Chevrolet for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season. Jones, who signed a multiyear deal with RPM, makes the move from Joe Gibbs Racing, which informed him Aug. 6 he would not return to the No. 20 Toyota next season. The move brings Jones in line with the Chevrolet camp after a long tenure with Toyota, which first brought him to the NASCAR national series level in 2013. “It is an incredible honor…
Read MoreKyle Larson reinstated by NASCAR, can resume racing in 2021
from nascar.com: NASCAR officials reinstated Kyle Larson on Monday, more than six months after his suspension for his use of a racial slur during an iRacing event. Chip Ganassi Racing fired Larson on April 14, one day after NASCAR barred him indefinitely as part of a behavioral penalty. Larson was mandated to complete sensitivity training at NASCAR’s direction as a condition for reinstatement, but will also have continued requirements to fulfill in order to keep his NASCAR membership current. “NASCAR continues to prioritize diversity and inclusion across our sport,” the…
Read MoreRyan Newman releases from hospital after frightening Daytona crash
From ESPN News Service: Ryan Newman has been released from Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Florida, two days after his frightening crash on the final lap of the Daytona 500. Roush Fenway Racing said Wednesday that the 42-year-old driver had been released, hours after tweeting that Newman “continues to show great improvement” and saying “true to his jovial nature, he has also been joking around with staff, friends and family while playing with his two daughters.” The team included a photo of Newman exiting the hospital, holding hands with his…
Read MoreRyan Newman walking around and alert after Daytona crash
From ESPN News Services NASCAR driver Ryan Newman was fully alert and walking around Wednesday, two days after his horrific last-lap crash at the Daytona 500. Roush Fenway Racing released a statement Wednesday that said Newman “continues to show great improvement” and is “fully alert and walking around Halifax Medical Center.” The racing team also posted a photo of Newman and his two daughters on its Twitter account. “True to his jovial nature, he has also been joking around with staff, friends and family while spending time playing with his two daughters,”…
Read MoreRyan Newman suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries in Daytona crash
From ESPN News Services: DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Ryan Newman was involved in a scary crash on the final lap of the Daytona 500 on Monday and was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. NASCAR delivered the news nearly two hours after Newman was extricated from his car and said he is in serious condition at Halifax Medical Center. The wait for the update was excruciating for fellow NASCAR drivers and fans across auto racing who spent the time wondering how seriously Newman was hurt. Safety crews rushed to Newman’s No. 6…
Read MoreRyan Newman taken to hospital after last lap crash
From ESPN News Services: Ryan Newman was taken directly to a local hospital after a fiery crash on the final lap of Monday’s Daytona 500. Newman had surged into the lead on the final lap when runner-up Ryan Blaney‘s bumper caught the back of his Ford and sent Newman hard right into the wall. His car flipped, rolled, was hit on the driver’s side by another car, and finally skidded across the finish line engulfed in flames. It took several minutes for his car to be rolled back onto its wheels. Newman,…
Read MoreJimmie Johnson announces 2020 will be last full-time season
Wednesday seven-time (Winston) Cup champ Jimmie Johnson announced that the upcoming 2020 season will be his final full-time in NASCAR’s top series. In a video he posted to Twitter, Johnson said “I know what this team is capable of and I hope that 2020 is the best yet.” Some of his fellow competitors paid their respects to Johnson: Though he has not been to Victory Lane since Dover in June 2017, Johnson has 83 career (Winston) Cup wins, tied with Cale Yarborough for sixth all time. He is a two-time…
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