Starting Lineup | Pit Stall Assignments
There are plenty of stories to follow over the course of Sunday’s Can-Am 500 at ISM Raceway, which can be heard live on the Motor Racing Network starting at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Setting the Championship 4
Only Joey Logano is locked into next week’s title race at Homestead-Miami Speedway thanks to his win at Martinsville to open the Round of 8 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Kevin Harvick’s L1 penalty this week after his Texas win for an illegal spoiler took away his automatic berth and he is now just three points ahead of the cutline. Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. are ahead while Kurt Busch, Chase Elliott, Clint Bowyer and Aric Almirola are behind.
Playoff Standings | ISM Race Winners
All Eyes on Harvick
The Stewart-Haas Racing driver qualified on the pole and made a statement on being the driver to beat in his mind. He has won nine times at ISM Raceway in his career and Harvick has been on the chip all week in the aftermath of the penalty and controversy that followed. He plans on letting his driving do his talking on Sunday.
Final Practice Speeds | Second Practice Speeds
Start/Finish Line
The ISM Raceway renovation project included flip-flopping the track layout with the start/finish line now on the other side just in front of the infamous dogleg. So far this weekend the re-positioning has created some wide three and four wide racing in that area of the track with drivers now afforded many lane opportunities heading to the checkered flag.
Can-Am 500 Fantasy Racing Preview
Truex Jr. Still Fighting
Furniture Row Racing only has two more races before ceasing operations and Truex Jr. remains in contention for a second straight championship. But the team experienced inspection issues again this week and lost car chief Blake Harris for the weekend. He’ll keep his 13th-place starting spot on Sunday as he looks to advance to the Championship 4.
Playoff Standings | Can-Am 500 Paint Schemes
Stewart-Haas Racing on the Ropes
SHR driers earned half the field in the Round of 8. But with only one race remaining to decide the Championship 4 there is a real possibility none of the organization’s drivers will make it to the title race. Harvick’s advantage is just three over fellow SHR teammate Kurt Busch. Bowyer and Almirola are below the cutline 35 and 51 points, respectively, and both realistically need to win Sunday to move on.
See Also: Kurt Busch: ‘I Feel Pretty Good’
Winless Streaks Remain Alive
It’s been a reoccurring story to watch in recent weeks but several high profile drivers are still looking for their first victories of 2018. Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson are the most prominent on the list. Johnson and Hamlin are former ISM Raceway winners, but Johnson’s four wins came prior to the track being reconfigured and repaved in 2011.
