Three-time defending NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson's whirlwind day came to a close when four Knicks City Dancers presented him with a cake to celebrate his 34th birthday.

Hamlin wins at home but Busch falls short of Chase

2010-04-16T10:21:52Z

Denny Hamlin finally grabs Richmond win but teammate Kyle Busch misses NASCAR's playoff Chase

Denny Hamlin suffered his fair share of heartbreak at Richmond International Raceway

Martin wins pole in last race for the Chase

2010-04-16T10:22:42Z

Mark Martin gains top starting spot in final race to set Chase field

Mark Martin's final push for a spot in NASCAR's Chase for the championship will start from the best spot in the field on Saturday night.

Martin turned a lap of 126.808 mph in qualifying Friday night at Richm...

Speed reads

2010-10-22T11:27:42Z

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Martin wins pole at Bristol in critical race

2010-06-12T02:22:47Z

Mark Martin wins 5th pole of season while clinging to Chase chances

Alan Gustafson gambled at Michigan and it cost driver Mark Martin dearly in his chances to make the Chase for the championship.

There was no chance, though, they'd change their strategy at Brian Vickers' contract, Sprint Cup win overshadowed by lingering feud with Kyle Busch

Brian Vickers expected to discuss his recent Sprint Cup victory, a contract extension with Red Bull Racing and his chances at mak...

Vickers gets contract extension from Red Bull

2010-06-12T02:22:53Z

Brian Vickers rewarded for Michigan victory with long-awaited Red Bull contract extension

Brian Vickers was rewarded Tuesday for his win at Michigan with a multiyear contact extension from Red Bull Racing.

Talks about a new contract had...

Busch and Vickers mouth off at Carfax 250

2010-10-22T07:59:09Z

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Vickers outlasts Johnson in fuel duel at Michigan

2010-04-16T10:47:57Z

Brian Vickers outlasts Jimmie Johnson in fuel mileage duel, wins Sprint Cup race at Michigan

After winning three straight championships, Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team have proved themselves masters of many things in NASCAR

Keselowski wins Nationwide race at Michigan

2010-04-16T10:49:00Z

Keselowski swipes lead from Busch, Vickers to win Nationwide series race at Michigan

Brian Vickers didn't see it coming. Brad Keselowski sure did.

With Vickers and Kyle Busch fighting it out on the final lap, K...

Vickers puts Toyota on pole in Big 3's backyard

2010-10-22T10:39:01Z

Brian Vickers puts Toyota on pole in Big 3's backyard, wonders if automakers now D.C.-based

Thanks to Brian Vickers' fast lap in qualifying Friday, a Toyota will be in pole position for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Brian Vickers wins third straight pole at Michigan, hopes to jump-start chase chances

Brian Vickers is fast, especially at Michigan International Speedway.

Now he's hoping to turn his raw speed into a race victory, along with some momentum to help him springboar...

SPEED read

2010-10-22T11:11:19Z

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Earnhardt's Indy backup plan falls through

2010-06-12T02:23:05Z

Ill Earnhardt hoping he can stomach Indy race without backup plan

Dale Earnhardt Jr. had no trouble qualifying Saturday at Indianapolis.

Finishing 400 miles in Sunday's race may be a different matter.

Earnhardt fought off a stomach virus that sapped his energy and forced him to take intravenous fluids...

Vickers still searching for 1st win

2010-06-12T02:23:08Z

NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Vickers can't turn pole into trip to Victory Lane at Chicagoland

Brian Vickers took the pole, he just couldn't take the checkered flag. Again.

Vickers finished seventh Saturday night at Chicagoland Speedway, coming up empty aga...

Logano wins at Chicagoland

2010-04-16T11:24:05Z

Logano wins 3rd Nationwide Series race of the season, takes checkered flag at Chicagoland

Joey Logano's only wrong move of the night came after the Nationwide Series race.

He walked past the press conference setup and down the wrong aisle until he was turned around and pointed the right way.

"I've never been here before,...

Vickers takes pole at Chicagoland

2010-04-16T11:25:08Z

Vickers wins 5th pole of the season with top lap at Chicagoland Speedway

Brian Vickers won yet another pole, his fifth one this season coming at Chicagoland Speedway.

Now the Red Bull Racing driver wants one of those starts to help get him to Victory Lane.

Vickers...

Vickers wins another pole with big run at Sonoma

2010-04-16T11:43:16Z

Vickers grabs Sonoma pole, but teammate Speed fails to qualify on road course

There was little celebrating at Red Bull Racing after Brian Vickers won his second consecutive pole.

Instead, team management was busy securing a deal to get rookie Scott...

Vickers wins Michigan pole for 3rd of season

2010-04-16T11:50:14Z

Brian Vickers beats Kyle Busch in Michigan qualifying to win his 3rd pole of the season

Brian Vickers would love to turn the eighth pole of his NASCAR Sprint Cup career into his first win with Jeff Burton's team wins NASCAR's Pit Crew Challenge in record time

Jeff Burton's wife was behind the wheel. The rear tire changer joined the team only a day earlier and wasn't sure of his coach's name.

Then makeshift, unique lineup turned out to be perfect, producing an error-free, record performance in the final round to give owner

Vickers wins Sprint Cup pole at Richmond

2010-04-16T12:34:29Z

Something about Richmond? Vickers wins pole for second time at Richmond

Brian Vickers turned a lap at 127.131 mph to win the pole position for Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at R...

Junior shakes off rare criticism

2010-06-12T02:24:11Z

"Good Guy" Earnhardt taken to task for Daytona crash

Dale Earnhardt Jr. found himself in the rare position this week of being the object of a chorus of criticism from fellow drivers, the media and even fans who normally support him unconditionally.

"I did get ripped up quite a bit,"

Vickers wins then loses pole to engine change

2010-04-16T14:12:56Z

Daytona mess behind him; Vickers wins then loses California pole

Brian Vickers thought he finally had some good news to override the controversy of the past week.

The 25-year-old Red Bull Racing driver won the pole for Sunday's Auto Clu...

Lucky Dog: NASCAR Coddles Junior Again

2010-06-12T02:24:16Z

DAYTONA BEACH — Once there was Ironhead.

Sunday there was his boy: Bonehead.

It was The Not So Great American Race, soggy and sullen. Mr. Excitement, Matt Kenseth, won the first Daytona 380 as rain hit the high banks. Yellow flag, red flag, checkered flag. It was a...

A Soap Opera at Daytona

2010-04-16T14:24:19Z

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Soap operas end all the time, but they never really end.

That's a problem for folks who prefer tidy climaxes. It's no problem for NASCAR, which sells soap, speed and interpersonal conflict in several ticket packages.

Sunday night, in deference to prospects for a depressingly long rain delay, NASCAR sol...

Earnhardt Jr. has all kinds of problems at Daytona

2010-06-12T02:24:16Z

Dale Earnhardt Jr. endures pit problems, starts wreck, finishes 27th in Daytona 500

Dale Earnhardt Jr. climbed out of his race car, started walking toward his pit and was accosted by Jeff Burton.

Earnhardt was lucky a few more drivers weren't waiting for him.

Earnhardt triggers 9-car accident in Daytona 500

2010-04-16T14:25:20Z

Johnson, Busch brothers knocked out of Daytona 500 by Earnhardt accident

Dale Earnhardt Jr. triggered a nine-car accident in the Daytona 500 that knocked rival Kyle Busch out NASCAR's biggest event of the year.

Busch had led a race-high 88 laps...

Red Bull Racing fires employee involved in cheating

2010-04-16T12:44:17Z

HAMPTON, Ga. - Red Bull Racing fired the employee responsible for rules violation on Brian Vickers' car that resulted in a fine, points penalties and crew member suspensions from NASCAR.

In inspections following Vickers' 11th-place finish Sunday in th...

NASCAR penalizes Vickers, Red Bull

2010-06-12T02:25:00Z

NASCAR docked driver Brian Vickers 150 driver points yesterday because an inspection after Sunday's race in Martinsville revealed that his crew had dipped his car's sheet metal in acid to make it lighter than required.

Vickers' crew chief, Kevin Hamlin, was fined ...

Vickers docked points, Hamlin fined $100,000

2010-06-12T02:23:36Z

NASCAR penalizes Vickers, team and fines Hamlin $100,000 for failed inspection at Martinsville

Brian Vickers was docked 150 driver points and crew chief Kevin Hamlin was fined $100,000 by NASCAR on Wednesday, because the Earnhardt blows engine, tire at rough practice at Talladega

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had better days at Talladega.

Earnhardt's No. 88 Chevrolet blew an engine in the first practice Friday and blew a tire in the second and it cost him any shot of starting in the front of the field.

When the right tire exploded i...

Race or ride

2010-06-12T02:23:48Z

Points leader Johnson has tried both at Talladega

TALLADEGA, Ala. - Right now, Jimmie Johnson is sailing along as he pursues a third straight Sprint Cup title.

He began the Chase still holding t...

Consistency puts Team Red Bull on rise

2010-09-09T03:14:15Z

Team Red Bull Separates Itself From Others in Toyota by Consistently Qualifying for Races

A.J. Allmendinger does everything he can to avoid watching a Nextel Cup race on television after he's failed to make the field. It's a bit easier for

NASCAR All Star Auto Racing

2010-05-21T12:00:53Z

Brian Vickers speaks about his medical issues during a news conference during practice for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star auto race in Charlotte, N.C., Friday, May 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Copyright 2010 Brian Vickers, right, talks about his medical issues as Dr. Steven A. Limentani, left, looks on during a news conference during practice for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star auto race in Charlotte, N.C., Friday, May 21, 2010. Vickers says he will miss the...

NASCAR Vickers Hospitalized Auto Racing

2010-05-14T06:45:57Z

FILE - This Feb. 5, 2010, file photo shows NASCAR driver Brian Vickers in his car during practice at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Vickers was being treated Thursday, May 13, 2010, for an undisclosed medical condition t...

NASCAR All Star Viral Vote Auto Racing

2010-05-13T10:48:33Z

Nascar Sprint Cup driver Brian Vickers signs an autograph during a Twitter gathering to raise money for flood victims in Tennessee at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, Kurt Busch (2) spins out in turn two as Brian Vickers (83) avoid contact during the NASCAR Subway Fresh Fit 600 auto race Saturday, April 10, 2010 at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale,