Roger Penske closes nearly perfect motorsports season with 3rd consecutive NASCAR championship

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — There is no such a thing as a perfect season. At least that is what Roger Penske told The Associated Press hours after winning his third consecutive NASCAR championship. Maybe not. But Team Penske sure came close. It started...

Joey Logano wins Phoenix finale for 3rd NASCAR Cup championship in 1-2 finish for Team Penske

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Eliminated from the playoffs at the end of the second round, Joey Logano received a second chance when another competitor was disqualified. He pounced on the opportunity. Logano was added to the round of eight following Alex Bowman's...

Joey Logano wins his third NASCAR Cup Series title, holding off Penske teammate Ryan Blaney in the season finale

Truex wins pole for final NASCAR full-time race as Logano highest qualifying title contender

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Martin Truex Jr., who is retiring from full-time NASCAR competition after Sunday's season finale, won the pole for the championship-deciding race at Phoenix Raceway. Truex turned a lap at 134.741 mph Saturday to earn the top starting spot. He plans to run a...

Michael Jordan instills winning attitude at 23XI Racing as Reddick races for 1st NASCAR Cup title

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Tyler Reddick needs no pep talk or motivation when it comes to winning his first Cup Series title. He drives for Michael Jordan, after all, and the NBA Hall of Famer collected six championships in his unwavering desire for excellence at all times. Now in his...

Defending NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney paces 1st practice of title-deciding weekend at Phoenix

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Reigning NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney paced the first practice session at Phoenix Raceway, where he is among four drivers who will race for the title Sunday. Blaney in a Ford for Team Penske topped the leaderboard in Friday's 50-minute practice session. He is...

NASCAR defends drivers in Cup Series title race, officiating and playoffs as final weekend arrives

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — NASCAR President Steve Phelps defended the four drivers racing for the Cup Series championship this weekend — even though others had better statistics than the finalists — as well as the playoff system itself in Friday’s annual State of the Sport address. ...

NASCAR's championship weekend shrouded in off-track drama from lawsuit to alleged race manipulation

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — NASCAR heads into its championship weekend locked into a federal antitrust lawsuit with NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. Its officiating has been under months-long scrutiny, and this week it issued a wave of hefty fines for alleged race manipulation in the final playoff...

NASCAR's championship field heads to Phoenix with no clear favorite to win Cup title

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Roger Penske already won two sports car championships this season and heads to Phoenix Raceway with two chances to win a third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series title with both Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney in the winner-take-all season finale. The two Penske...

Blaney gets shot at back-to-back NASCAR titles after controversial finish at Martinsville Speedway

Ryan Blaney celebrated his victory at Martinsville Speedway, a win that launched NASCAR's defending champion into the title-deciding season finale. Meanwhile, Christopher Bell and William Byron waited awkwardly alongside their parked cars for a ruling from NASCAR on who would be the...