Chase Elliott gets 2nd most popular NASCAR driver award

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Chase Elliott's run as NASCAR's most popular driver hit two consecutive years when he was voted as the sport's top star. Elliott won the award last season, the first since Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired to end his streak of 15 consecutive years as winner. Earnhardt Jr. fell one year...

South Carolina fan wins Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Joe Vaughn, a longtime volunteer and leader with the South Carolina-based Project HOPE Foundation that serves the autism community, won the ninth annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award on Thursday night. Vaughn received the award and $100,000 donation to the Project Hope...

Joe Gibbs honored with NASCAR's award of excellence

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Joe Gibbs was honored with the Bill France Award of Excellence, capping a year in which he was elected to NASCAR's Hall of Fame, won his fifth Cup championship as a car owner and thoroughly dominated the competition. Gibbs was surprised with the honor, given at the start of...

NASCAR goes back to its roots with a huge Nashville blowout

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Kyle Busch toted his championship trophy all over Nashville for photo opportunities. He opened his celebratory week with an appearance on WWE's “Raw," then joined industry heavyweights for a NASCAR-themed night at the Grand Ole Opry. There are burnouts on Broadway and a...

Darius Rucker to perform pre-race concert before Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Three-time Grammy Award winner Darius Rucker will perform a pre-race concert before the Daytona 500 in February. It will be Rucker’s fourth appearance at Daytona International Speedway and first at the “Great American Race,” which will again serve as...

NASCAR punishes 4 teams for tampering with season finale

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — NASCAR has fined three car owners $50,000 each and penalized their teams for manipulating the season-ending Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in an alleged scheme to collect a higher bonus payout. Jay Robinson (Premium Motorsports), Rick Ware (Rick Ware Racing) and TJ...

Johnson ready to end NASCAR grind and move on with life

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Jimmie Johnson handed out mini bottles of Patron at his retirement announcement — so perfectly on brand for the cool Californian who stormed to a record-tying seven NASCAR championships yet somehow bored fans who found him too vanilla for their liking. Nothing about Johnson was...

7-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson to retire after 2020

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Jimmie Johnson sat down next to Jeff Gordon at a 2001 driver meeting and asked the champion if he had time to offer any career advice. Gordon was so impressed with the fellow California native that he encouraged Rick Hendrick to start a team built specifically for the 25-year-old...

Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson to retire from full-time racing after next season

Column: NASCAR bullish on future after promising rebound

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) — The freefall is over, rock bottom hit more than a year ago, the restart button officially activated. Just how cool is NASCAR these days? Michael Jordan said before Sunday’s championship race he sets his clock to watch every week. NASCAR needs more fans to want to be like Mike,...