Keselowski wins NNS at Richmond - MotorSportsTalk

Kyle Busch’s recent assault on the NASCAR Nationwide Series was halted tonight at Richmond International Raceway, as Brad Keselowski took the lead from him with nine laps to go and held on to win the ToyotaCare 250 at “The Action Track.”

Busch was aiming for his fourth consecutive NNS victory and fifth of the season, but was unable to hold back Keselowski and Kevin Harvick, who attempted to muster a final charge against Keselowski before settling for the runner-up position. Behind the third-place Busch was Brian Vickers in fourth and Regan Smith in fifth.

Keselowski, Busch and Harvick dueled heavily for the win in the final stages of the race, with Harvick pulling ahead of Keselowski briefly after a restart on Lap 221. A few laps later, Busch managed to pass them both but couldn’t stop Keselowski from taking the point for good at Lap 241.

After the race, short-track tempers flared on pit road between Brian Scott and Nelson Piquet, Jr., which culminated in a personal confrontation that saw Piquet appear to kick Scott below the belt. Both drivers were called to the Nationwide hauler for the incident, which drew plenty of comments along the Twittersphere.

Among the more humorous tweets was one from Sprint Cup driver Clint Bowyer, who chimed in: “A guy might need to think about using a “cup” while driving in the @NASCAR_NNS series from here out. #hieeyah“ Fellow Cup star Denny Hamlin also had a good one: “I can just picture Brian walking up and Nelson is in a full on crane stance just waiting to drop the hammer”

The IndyCar Series has re-signed NTT as its title sponsor in a multiyear agreement starting in 2024.

NTT, a global information technology and communications company based in Japan, became the series’ title sponsor before the 2019 season after starting as a sponsor of the No. 10 Dallara-Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.

NTT Data (a subsidiary of parent company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.) will remain the official technology partner of IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Brickyard weekend.

With the extension, an IndyCar spokesman said NTT would become the second-longest title sponsor in series history. The longest title sponsor was PPG from 1980-97 (under the CART sanction of the Champ Car Series).

NTT replaced Verizon, which was IndyCar’s title sponsor from 2014-18 after IZOD from 2010-13.

“NTT is an excellent partner across our enterprise with strong expertise and a deep commitment to our sport,” Penske Corp. chairman and IndyCar owner Roger Penske said in a release. “From Smart Venue technology at the Racing Capital of the World to the reimagined Series mobile application, NTT is transforming the fan experience in new and innovative ways. We look forward to a bright future together.”

NTT has used artificial intelligence-enabled optical detection technology at IMS to provide information to the track’s operations and security teams, helping improve fan traffic flow and safety, the track said.

“IndyCar is a great partner for NTT Data because of our shared commitment to driving innovation, increasing sustainability and delivering amazing experiences,” NTT Data CEO Kaz Nishihata said in a release. “We also appreciate how IndyCar is so diverse, with drivers from 15 different countries, and races that range from short ovals and superspeedways to road and street courses. It’s both an incredible sport and a wonderful example for our world.”

NTT also has been instrumental in helping redesign the IndyCar app and providing more race and driver data for use in NBC Sports’ broadcasts by utilizing 140 data points from every car in the field.

“NTT is fully invested in the development and growth of our sport and has already established a terrific track record in our industry with problem-solving capabilities and access to top talent and tools,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said.

Said NTT Data Services CEO Bob Pryor: “We’re thrilled to continue our collaborations that enhance and expand the fan experience for motorsports and serve as proof points for data analytics, AI, and other innovative digital technologies. For more than a century, this racing series has pioneered innovations making driving safer for everyone, and by continuing this relationship, we will accelerate the pace of innovations and new technologies, particularly related to sustainability that ultimately can benefit organizations, communities and individuals around the world.”

Starting as a Japanese telephone company, NTT grew into a $100 billion-plus tech services giant with U.S. operations based in Plano, Texas.