Fuel & Tires: NASCAR's Chase cut-off at Richmond; local race results
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In what was a caution-filled Sunday night shootout for NASCAR's Sprint Cup, Carl Edwards came from two laps down Sunday night to win the Bojangles Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. It was Edwards' second win of the season and his Gibbs Racing team's seventh win in the last ten races.
This Saturday's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway will be the last race before the ten-race Chase for the Sprint Cup begins next Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway.
Drivers still looking to lock in a place in the Chase include Jamie McMurray (currently tenth in points), Ryan Newman (currently eleventh), Jeff Gordon (currently 13th) and Paul Menard (currently 14th). They are the only drivers who can clinch a Chase spot without a win. For a complete list of the Chase clinch scenarios, visit Jayski.com.
HAMILTON WINS F1 RACE IN ITALY
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton ran away from the field after starting on pole at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Sunday and beat Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel by 25 seconds. Vettel's teammate Kimi Raikkonen started the race in second, but a miscue on the start had the Finn in last place before the first turn. Raikkonen then put in a spirited drive to finish the race fifth.
Hamilton extended his points lead over teammate Nico Rosberg after Rosberg blew his engine with only three laps to go. Hamilton now holds a 53-point lead in the points with seven races to go.
The series will next head to Marina Bay for the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, Sept. 20.
LOCAL RACE RESULTS AND EVENTS
—With the racing season nearly over for Madison International Speedway, champions were crowned last Friday night. Brooklyn's Zack Riddle won his first-ever NASCAR Whelen All-American Late Model track championship while Edgerton's Ryan Goldade took the Sportsman title and Stoughton's Dan Snyder won the Bandits title. As for feature winners, Madison's John Beale and Riddle won the Late Model features, Beloit's Robert Hansberry Jr. won the Sportsman feature and Cudahy's David Schmidt and Stoughton's Brandon DeLacy took victories in the Bandits features. Friday marks the final night of racing at the track this season, with Monster Trucks, fireworks and a school bus jump as well as a demolition derby, steel wall crash, drifting, one-on-one drag races and motorcycle stunts. Gates open at 6 p.m. with activities starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 adults, $16 seniors, $9 students ages 12-17 and $5 kids ages 6-11. Tickets are available here.
—Winners at Rockford Speedway last Saturday included Machesney Park's Deanna Chandler in the Sportsman division; Machesney Park's Kelly Evink in the Short Trackers; South Beloit's Michael Bilderback in the Late Models; and Roscoe's Rich Schinderling Jr. in the Road Runners. Saturday's racing action will include Late Models, Sportsman, Short Tracker and Road Runners. Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing at 7:07 p.m. Tickets are $12 adults, $8 students ages 12-17 and $5 kids ages 6-11. Tickets are available here.
—Winners at Jefferson Speedway last Saturday included Lake Mills' Kyle Smith in the Late Model feature; Fort Atkinson's Mark Deporter won the Sportsman feature; Beaver Dam's Seth Reamer took the International feature; Whitewater's Lucas Buckingham won the Hobby Stock feature; Jefferson's Chris Gottschalk won the Road Warrior feature; Madison's Jamie Kohn won the Bandits feature; and Whitewater's Chad Olds won the Double O Feature. Saturday will see the season championship races at 7 p.m. with gates opening at 2 p.m. and time trials at 5 p.m. Tickets are $12 adults, $8 seniors age 65 and older and students ages 12-15 and $4 kids ages 8-11.
Dave von Falkenstein is a digital content coordinator for The Gazette and an auto racing fan. Follow him on Twitter at @achtungvon or email him at [email protected].