Michael McDowell
Driver Austin Dillon greets fans before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Randy Holt)
NASCAR Cup Series at Texas

Oct. 17, 2021 02:01 PM EDT

Actor and honorary starter Daniel Craig poses in Victory Lane prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte

Oct. 10, 2021 01:21 PM EDT

Team members walk through pit row in the rain before a NASCAR Cup series auto race Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, in Talladega, Ala. (AP Photo/John Amis)
NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega

Oct. 03, 2021 01:21 PM EDT

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain collides with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands during the Italian Formula One Grand Prix, at Monza racetrack, in Monza, Italy, Sunday, Sept.12, 2021. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
AUTO RACING: NASCAR heads to Las Vegas as IndyCar wraps

By The Associated Press Sep. 22, 2021 08:10 AM EDT

Kyle Larson examines the sword presented to him after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Larson wins at Bristol while Harvick and Elliott feud

Sep. 18, 2021 11:19 PM EDT

Fans watch a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol

Sep. 18, 2021 08:51 PM EDT

Kyle Larson (5), Matt DiBenedetto (21) and Chase Elliott (9) lead the field to start the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021, in Brooklyn, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Hendrick stars dodging playoff elimination at Bristol

By Jenna Fryer Sep. 17, 2021 12:03 PM EDT

William Byron (24) and Kyle Busch (18) race into turn one during the NASCAR Cup series auto race in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Truex leads 1-2-3 finish for Joe Gibbs Racing at Richmond

By Hank Kurz Jr. Sep. 11, 2021 11:28 PM EDT

Dale Earnhardt Jr., holds his daughter Isla, 3, during driver introductions before the NASCAR Xfinity auto race in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond

Sep. 11, 2021 04:03 PM EDT

Crew members work the pit as Alex Bowman comes in during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021, in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/John Amis)
Headaches galore: Contenders struggle in NASCAR playoffs

By Pete Iacobelli Sep. 06, 2021 10:22 AM EDT

Ryan Blaney celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Blaney wins at Daytona, Reddick earns final playoff berth

By Mark Long Aug. 28, 2021 11:14 PM EDT

Michael Annett (1) and Sam Mayer (8) crash during the early laps of the restart of the NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/David Graham)
NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona

Aug. 28, 2021 01:09 PM EDT

Tyler Reddick (8) leaves the pit area with heavy damage after being involved in an incident on the track during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Teammates Reddick, Dillon eye final playoff spot at Daytona

By Mark Long Aug. 27, 2021 10:59 AM EDT

Pit crews unload Quin Houff's car before a NASCAR Cup series auto race in Watkins Glen, N.Y., on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)
NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen

Aug. 08, 2021 09:53 AM EDT

Bubba Wallace, right, smiles while watching New England Patriots wide receiver Gunner Olszewski catch a football thrown by a fan during a rain delay at the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Jordan's first year in NASCAR a missed layup with Wallace

By Dan Gelston Jul. 22, 2021 11:26 AM EDT

New England Patriots wide receiver Gunner Olszewski drives the pace car prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
NASCAR Cup Series at New Hampshire

Jul. 18, 2021 04:25 PM EDT

Kyle Larson driver of car 5 in the NASCAR Cup Series, speaks at a news conference before the scheduled races at Pocono Raceway, Sunday, June 27, 2021, in Long Pond, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Larson, Elliott eye Atlanta redemption for hot Hendrick team

By Charles Odum Jul. 10, 2021 01:59 PM EDT

FILE - Drivers race through a turn in the Bucyrus 200 Nascar Nationwide series race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wi., in this Saturday, June, 19, 2010, file photo. Road America owns a reputation as one of the nation’s foremost road courses, but it hasn’t hosted a NASCAR Cup Series event since the 1950s. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps, File)
Kurt Busch chases NASCAR playoffs with future uncertain

By Steve Megargee Jul. 03, 2021 04:13 PM EDT

FILE - Fans watch the Bucyrus 200 NASCAR Nationwide series race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wi., in this Saturday, June, 19, 2010, file photo. For all its history, Road America only hosted NASCAR’s premier series once before, when Tim Flock won a rainy Grand National event back in 1956. That changes Sunday on the Fourth of July -- a coup for a facility that bills itself as “America’s national park for speed” but until this year couldn’t land a Cup date. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps, File)
Road America eagerly awaits first Cup Series race since 1956

By Steve Megargee Jun. 30, 2021 03:30 PM EDT

Martin Truex Jr. (19) slides through Turn 12 after a crash as Chris Buescher (17) and Garrett Smithley (53) drive around during the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, Sunday, May 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Chase Elliott wins rain-shortened NASCAR Cup debut in Austin

By Jim Vertuno May. 23, 2021 12:10 PM EDT