Nascar Sprint Cup Series

Fastenal announced today that it has signed a multiyear agreement with Roush Fenway Racing to become a primary sponsor of Carl Edwards' No. 99 Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Fastenal will be the primary on Edwards' No. 99 for 17 Cup Series races in 2012, starting at Daytona International Speedway. The company will also sponsor two additional Roush Fenway entries in a yet to be determined 2012 Cup Series race, putting three Fastenal-branded Fords on the track during a single event.

Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren announced Kansas Speedway's 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule today. “We look forward to hosting two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekends again in 2013 and also returning to our traditional fall race weekend, and hosting the fourth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup,” said Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren. Kansas Speedway's first race weekend will be April 19-21 and includes the SFP 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race (April 20)

Kansas Speedway and International Speedway Corporation (ISC) announced today that NASCAR has approved ISC’s request for realignment and beginning in 2011, Kansas Speedway will host two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekends. The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend will be held June 4-5 and the second event weekend will be the fourth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Oct. 8-9. 2010 Kansas Speedway ticketholders will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets for the new June race.

NASCAR has reinstated Jack Smith, a driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Gary Frost, a crew member in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Smith's reinstatement comes following his Sept. 7, 2010 suspension for actions detrimental to stock car racing. Smith remains under NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Frost has successfully completed NASCAR's Road to Recovery Program following his May 24, 2011 suspension for violating the sanctioning body's substance abuse policy. Troy Hartman and Denise Harmon-Mixon, both crew members in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, have been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating NASCAR's substance abuse policy.

Teams representing 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars turned upwards of 400 miles Monday during a test of Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Both NASCAR officials and drivers were optimistic about the continued development of the system. Plans call for the full implementation of EFI in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with the 2012 season. “The entire NASCAR community has worked very closely together in developing the EFI system,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president for competition.

DVR Alert Clint Bowyer fans. The Emporia native will be one of two NASCAR drivers making a cameo on "The Price is Right" on Monday, November 15. Bowyer will be joined by Camping World Truck Series driver Austin Dillon, who just also happens to be Richard Childress' grandson. Bowyer and Dillion will give away a pair of NASCAR-themed showcases, featuring a trip North Carolina to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, a trip to Miami to see the season-ending races in all three National Series at the end of November and a Chevy Impala LS.  Bowyer has two wins this year and is currently 10th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings as the drivers head to Phoenix this weekend.

After failing a post-race inspection of his Kansas Speedway engine, winner Matt Kenseth has been hit with a massive penalty. Kenseth loses 50 drivers points, his pole will not count toward entry into next season's Sprint Unlimited, nor with the win count toward chase bonus points or a Wild Card spot in the chase. But it's gets worse for his crew chief and owner. Crew Chief Jason Ratliff has been fined $200,000, suspended for six weeks and put on probation until December 31. Owner JD Gibbs also loses 50 owners points and is suspended for six weeks.

How close was Clint Bowyer to winning last weekend at Talladega? At .002 seconds it tied that great finish at Darlington in 2003 for the closest in NASCAR history. "It was a good finish for us," said Bowyer who ended up as the runner up at the 2.66 mile track. "I'm just very frustrated that we didn't get the win. Man, I tell you- I hope the fans enjoyed that finish. That's what Talladega is all about and that's why these people come out by the hundred thousands to this place. " Bowyer had one of the best cars all day long at Talladega, and finished second for the second weekend in a row. The worst part is, he's says he saw eventually winner Jimmie Johnson coming, and there was little he could do to stop it. "We did everything we could do and the BB&T Chevrolet did everything she could do," said Bowyer.

NASCAR announced Wednesday that it has added a wild card element to setting the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field and it has simplified its points system for 2011, making it easier for fans, competitors and the industry to understand. While the 12-driver Chase field remains intact, the final two spots will be determined by the number of wins during the first 26 races. The top 10 in points following Race No. 26 – the “cutoff” race – continue to earn Chase berths.

After failing a post-race inspection of his Kansas Speedway engine, winner Matt Kenseth has been hit with a massive penalty. Kenseth loses 50 drivers points, his pole will not count toward entry into next season's Sprint Unlimited, nor with the win count toward chase bonus points or a Wild Card spot in the chase. But it's gets worse for his crew chief and owner. Crew Chief Jason Ratliff has been fined $200,000, suspended for six weeks and put on probation until December 31. Owner JD Gibbs also loses 50 owners points and is suspended for six weeks.

Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren announced Kansas Speedway's 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule today. “We look forward to hosting two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekends again in 2013 and also returning to our traditional fall race weekend, and hosting the fourth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup,” said Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren. Kansas Speedway's first race weekend will be April 19-21 and includes the SFP 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race (April 20)

NASCAR has suspended former cup champion Kurt Busch from all NASCAR events through June 13th. The suspension comes when, after Saturday's Nationwide race, Busch went to a tirade aimed at a member of the NASCAR media corps as a television camera rolled. Busch was already on probation at the time of the incident, and that has been extended until the end of the season. The suspension means he can not compete in this weekend's Sprint Cup series race at Pocono, nor the truck race at Texas.

Teams representing 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars turned upwards of 400 miles Monday during a test of Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Both NASCAR officials and drivers were optimistic about the continued development of the system. Plans call for the full implementation of EFI in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with the 2012 season. “The entire NASCAR community has worked very closely together in developing the EFI system,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president for competition.

NASCAR and the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company today jointly announced they have signed an extended agreement for Goodyear to continue as the exclusive tire used in NASCAR's top three racing series for the next five years.   The agreement, which extends through the 2017 season, renews Goodyear as the “Exclusive Tire Supplier” of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Goodyear has had an uninterrupted commitment to NASCAR since becoming a race tire supplier in the 1950s, making it one of the longest-running supply programs in any sport.

Fastenal announced today that it has signed a multiyear agreement with Roush Fenway Racing to become a primary sponsor of Carl Edwards' No. 99 Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Fastenal will be the primary on Edwards' No. 99 for 17 Cup Series races in 2012, starting at Daytona International Speedway. The company will also sponsor two additional Roush Fenway entries in a yet to be determined 2012 Cup Series race, putting three Fastenal-branded Fords on the track during a single event.

Lisa's Country Kitchen in Jefferson City, Tenn. is giving 300 lucky fans the opportunity to have lunch with Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet, on August 24, 2011. The two-hour event, scheduled to kickoff at 11 a.m. local time, will feature an autograph session with the four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner and allows fans to be photographed with the No. 33 Chevrolet that he pilots each weekend. Fans can also participate in interactive games and win fun prizes from Bowyer's primary sponsor General Mills.

NASCAR has reinstated Jack Smith, a driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Gary Frost, a crew member in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Smith's reinstatement comes following his Sept. 7, 2010 suspension for actions detrimental to stock car racing. Smith remains under NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Frost has successfully completed NASCAR's Road to Recovery Program following his May 24, 2011 suspension for violating the sanctioning body's substance abuse policy. Troy Hartman and Denise Harmon-Mixon, both crew members in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, have been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating NASCAR's substance abuse policy.

How close was Clint Bowyer to winning last weekend at Talladega? At .002 seconds it tied that great finish at Darlington in 2003 for the closest in NASCAR history. "It was a good finish for us," said Bowyer who ended up as the runner up at the 2.66 mile track. "I'm just very frustrated that we didn't get the win. Man, I tell you- I hope the fans enjoyed that finish. That's what Talladega is all about and that's why these people come out by the hundred thousands to this place. " Bowyer had one of the best cars all day long at Talladega, and finished second for the second weekend in a row. The worst part is, he's says he saw eventually winner Jimmie Johnson coming, and there was little he could do to stop it. "We did everything we could do and the BB&T Chevrolet did everything she could do," said Bowyer.