NASCAR releases 2014 Nationwide Series schedule - MotorSportsTalk

In 2014, NASCAR’s No. 2 national series, the Nationwide Series, will take on a 33-race schedule for the third consecutive season.

The 2014 docket will feature six stand-alone weekends (two at Iowa Speedway, Chicagoland, Kentucky, Road America and Mid-Ohio) as well as three road course weekends (Road America, Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio). Three date shifts will take place from this year’s schedule:

Darlington will host its NNS race a month earlier (April 11) as part of its new NASCAR weekend in April 2014.
Iowa’s first stand-alone event, which had been in June, has been moved to mid-May (May 18).
Texas’ NNS race has been moved one week earlier to April 4, 2014.
Additionally, the Chicagoland stand-alone on July 19 will go back to a nighttime format for the first time since 2011.

Also, the series’ “Dash 4 Cash” bonus program for drivers and fans will also return for a sixth consecutive season. More details on the Dash 4 Cash will be revealed at a later date.

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2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series Schedule

Date               Site
2/22                Daytona International Speedway
3/1                  Phoenix International Raceway
3/8                  Las Vegas Motor Speedway
3/15                Bristol Motor Speedway
3/22                Auto Club Speedway
4/4                  Texas Motor Speedway
4/11                Darlington Raceway
4/25                Richmond International Raceway
5/3                  Talladega Superspeedway
5/18                Iowa Speedway
5/24                Charlotte Motor Speedway
5/31                Dover International Speedway
6/14                Michigan International Speedway
6/21                Road America
6/27                Kentucky Speedway
7/4                  Daytona International Speedway
7/12                 New Hampshire Motor Speedway
7/19                 Chicagoland Speedway
7/26                 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
8/2                  Iowa Speedway
8/9                  Watkins Glen International
8/16                Mid-Ohio
8/22                Bristol Motor Speedway
8/30                Atlanta Motor Speedway
9/5                  Richmond International Raceway
9/13                Chicagoland Speedway
9/20                Kentucky Speedway
9/27                Dover International Speedway
10/4                Kansas Speedway
10/10              Charlotte Motor Speedway
11/1                Texas Motor Speedway
11/8                Phoenix International Raceway
11/15               Homestead-Miami Speedway

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Miguel Oliveira mastered mixed conditions on the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand to win the MotoGP Thai Grand Prix. Oliveira showed the adaptability as he navigated a race that began in wet conditions and turned dry over the course of the race. Oliveira won the Indonesian GP in similar conditions.

“It was a long race, but I can’t complain,” Oliveira said on CNBC. “Every time we get to ride in the wet, I’m always super-fast. When it started raining, I had flashbacks of Indonesia. I tried to keep my feet on the ground, make a good start and not make mistakes and carry the bike to the end.”

All eyes were on the championship, however. Francesco Bagnaia got a great start to slot into second in Turn 1.

Meanwhile Fabio Quartararo had a disastrous first lap. He lost five positions in the first couple of turns and then rode over the rumble strips and fell back to 17th. At the end of the first lap, Bagnaia had the points’ lead by two. A win would have added to the gain and for a moment, it appeared Bagnaia might assume the lead.

Early leader Marco Bezzecchi was penalized for exceeding track limits, but before that happened, Jack Miller got around Bagnaia and pushed him back to third. Oliveira was not far behind.

After throwing away ninth-place and seven points on the last lap of the Japanese GP last week, Bagnaia did not allow the competition to press him into a mistake. He fell back as far as fourth before retaking the final position on the podium.

“It’s like a win for me, this podium,” Bagnaia. “My first podium in the wet and then there was a mix of conditions, so I’m very happy. I want to thank Jack Miller. Before the race, he gave me a motivational chat.”

Two points split the top two
20 points split the top three
40 points split the top five

Three races to go… see you in Australia 🇦🇺#MotoGP pic.twitter.com/n0WOuHPx9P

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 2, 2022

Miller led the first half of the Thai Grand Prix before giving up the top spot to Oliveira and then held on to finish second. Coupled with his Japanese GP win, Miller is now fully in the MotoGP championship battle with a 40-point deficit, but he will need a string of results like Bagnaia has put together in recent weeks – and he needs Bagnaia to lose momentum.

Miller’s home Grand Prix in Australia is next up on the calendar in two weeks.

Bagnaia entered the race 18 points behind Quartararo after he failed to score any in Japan. The balance of power has rapidly shifted, however, with Quartararo now failing to earn points in two of the last three rounds. Bagnaia won four consecutive races and finished second in the five races leading up to Japan. His third-place finish in Thailand is now his sixth MotoGP podium in the last seven rounds.

Aleix Espargaro entered the race third in the standings with a 25-point deficit to Quartararo, but was able to close the gap by only five after getting hit with a long-lap penalty for aggressive riding when he pushed Darryn Binder off course during a pass for position. Espargaro finished 11th.

Rain mixed up the Moto2 running order in the MotoGP Thai Grand Prix as well. Starting on a wet track, Somkiat Chantra led the opening lap in his home Grand Prix. He could not hold onto it and crashed one circuit later, but still gave his countrymen a moment of pride by winning the pole.

Half points were awarded as the race went only eight laps before Tony Arbolino crossed under the checkers first with Filip Salac and Aron Canet rounding out the podium.

American Joe Roberts earned another top-10 in eighth with Sean Dylan Kelly finishing just outside the top 10 in 11th.

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