NASCAR: Top Stories of the Week Heading into Daytona

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Jun 18, 2017; Brooklyn, MI, USA;NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (24) before the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /

This week, NASCAR heads to Daytona for the Coke Zero 400. There have been plenty of headline stories leading up to one of the summer’s biggest races.

It’s Daytona week in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The week has been full of news stories. A young driver signed a significant contract extension. One former champion lost his second crew chief due to suspension. An injured driver looks ahead to his potential return. And a star makes his final start at Daytona behind the wheel of his iconic car. Let’s dive a little deeper into each story.

Chase Elliott signs extension with Hendrick Motorsports

Hendrick Motorsports announced this week that they signed Chase Elliott to a contract extension. Elliott’s contract was set to expire after the 2018 season. The extension is for four years, locking Elliott in the No. 24 through the 2022 season.

Rick Hendrick is a very smart man. He signed Elliott at age 15. When Jeff Gordon retired, it was an easy decision to put Elliott behind the wheel of the iconic No. 24. Now, at 21 years of age, Elliott is quickly becoming a fan-favorite.

Still in search of his first career win, Elliott does not have to worry about a contract for quite some time. He can keep all of his attention locked in on becoming the best race car driver he can be. He already has an XFINITY Series championship and the Cup Series Rookie of the Year award under his belt. Currently, Elliott is 6th in the standings. A win would lock him into the playoffs. Without a win, Elliott would still be in a decent position to earn a spot in the postseason.

Jun 9, 2017; Long Pond, PA, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch stands in the garage during practice for the Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports /

Kyle Busch loses another crew chief due to suspension

NASCAR dealt out yet another penalty to Kyle Busch‘s No. 18 team this week. The team was hit for lugs nuts not being properly installed during last week’s race at Sonoma. Interim crew chief Ben Beshore has been fined $20,000 and will have to serve a one-race suspension.

Beshore was filling in for Adam Stevens, who is currently serving a suspension of his own. Stevens was suspended four races following the Dover race for a safety violation. During a stop, Busch’s crew failed to secure lug nuts, causing a tire to come off of the car upon exiting the pits. Two crew members were also suspended.

Daytona is the last race Stevens will be forced to sit out. With Beshore now also serving his suspension during the Daytona race, Joe Gibbs racing will call on Jacob Canter to call the shots for the No. 18 team. Canter is currently the team’s engineer.

Busch is still looking for his first win of 2017. In the last three races with Beshore on top of the box, Busch has posted three straight top 10 finishes. Rowdy hopes to keep that streak alive after finishing 38th in the Daytona 500 earlier this year.

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