NASCAR BLOG

The first race of the 2011 Chase For the Sprint Cup will be held just outside Chicago, IL at the Chicagoland Speedway. The announcement could be a sign that NASCAR is looking to tap into the massive Chicago market by awarding the city one of the 10 Sprint Cup races. Chicagoland Speedway  played host to the LifeLock.com 400 last month that saw underdog favorite win his second Sprint Cup Series race. The 1.5 mile track has also hosted the Dollar General 300 on the Nationwide Series since 2001. Kyle Busch claimed the $81,570 prize last year finishing in 1st place. Located in Joliet, IL, the Chicagoland Speedway has been in operation for nine years. The $130 million stadium seats 75,000 spectators on race day. The Chase For the Sprint Cup opening race in Joliet will be followed by a race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Motorsports fans are going to need to find a good NASCAR ticket broker for all of the great upcoming races. The Sprint Cup Series will return to Daytona Motorspeedway this weekend for the Coke Zero 400 on Saturday. Kevin Harvick is right now is the only man keeping Jimmie Johnson from his fifth consecutive Sprint Cup title. The #48 car has already won 5 times already this year and doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. The next race is The LifeLock.com 400 in Chicago where Mark Martin will try to defend his title. Then NASCAR head to Indianapolis for the Brickyard 400 where an expected crowd of 250,000 will watch the world’s best stock car drivers compete. Jimmie Johnson has won the race the two previous years, but former winner Tony Stewart could prove a stiff test. This truly is turning out to be an exciting summer for NASCAR maniacs!

After coming off last year where Jamie McMurray won the Sprint Cup Series’ 2009 Amp Energy 500, the 34-year-old driver has moved back to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and is preparing for the 2010 season. The driver of the #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevorolet Impala SS has been quite busy this off season testing race cars, competeing in go-karting, and getting to know his new team mate Juan Pablo Montoya. The two will compete in the Rolex 24 at Daytona as part of four man EGR team. McMurray is happy to back with the racing team that he left four years ago for Rousch Fenway Racing. McMurray says its nice to working with people he knows and with race cars that have a high level of craftmanship. With McMurray and Montoya driving in the Sprint Cup Series, 2010 should be a very intersting year for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.