We kick off this week’s editions of NASCAR America at 7 pm ET for a full hour on Monday with a full recap on Sunday’s opening race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Dave Briggs and Frank Stoddard man the anchor desk in our Charlotte studios, with Jeff Burton coming from “Burton’s Garage.”
Here’s what’s on Monday’s show:
* Brad Keselowski’s win at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday clinched his spot into the next round of the Chase. It marked the first time in Keselowski’s career that he has won back-to-back races, having also won the final Chase qualifying event at Richmond two weeks ago. Based on this recent form, is he the clear favorite to win this year’s Championship?
* Highlights, results and analysis from Sunday’s Chase opener at Chicago. Dave, Frank and Jeff break down the performances of each team in this year’s Chase and discuss who can improve the most and how.
* Of all the Chase teams, Team Penske had the best overall day with Keselowski’s win and Joey Logano’s fourth-place finish. Our Kelli Stavast traveled to the Penske Racing shop in Mooresville, N.C., to report on the team’s strong performance and goals for the remaining two races of the Challenger round.
* It was a tough weekend for Richard Petty Motorsports as Chase driver Aric Almirola suffered a blown engine while running sixth with just 36 laps remaining. Unfortunately, Almirola finished a devastating 41st. Also, Marcos Ambrose announced that he will not return to RPM next season, leaving the team without a driver for the No. 9 Sprint Cup car for next season. How does RPM replace Ambrose, and with who?
* While neither of the Chip Ganassi Sprint Cup drivers made this year’s Chase, both Kyle Larson (3rd) and Jamie McMurray (9th) had strong runs at Chicago. Marty Snider spent time Monday at the Ganassi race shop in Concord, N.C., to discuss what is motivating the team to strong finishes for the rest of the season.
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