Added on July 10, 2015  The News Wheel   , , , , ,
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NASCAR Looking To Keep Tires On Pavement This Weekend At Kentucky

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Hopefully all tires and the racecars attached to them stay on the pavement this weekend at Kentucky.

NASCAR has put in place new rules this weekend to increase safety
Photo: Erik Eckel

Only six days after the brutal wreck that could have cost him his life, Austin Dillon is getting back in the driver’s seat of the No. 3 Chevrolet SS this weekend at Kentucky Motor Speedway and will be begin the race from the 11th starting position.

“For me, I try and put it in the back of my head, forget about it and move on,” Dillon said about the wreck to NASCAR.com. “You have to be able to move on and trust the safety equipment.”

NASCAR added new rule changes this week to decrease the amount of downforce inflicted on its racecars by altering the rear spoiler and front splitter, but drivers had limited time to test these rule changes after Wednesday’s practice session was rained out, as was Friday’s Coors Light Pole Qualifying.

Kyle Larson and his Chevy will start this Saturday’s Quaker State 400 from the pole, as a result of having the best lap time in Friday’s practice. Two-time Kentucky winner Brad Keselowski will start the race second and Jeff Gordon will follow him in third. The retiring Gordon has 92 career Sprint Cup Series wins and Kentucky is the only track he hasn’t won at.

The Sprint Cup Series added Kentucky to its 36-race schedule in 2015. Besides Keselowski, the only other drivers that have picked up victories at the 1.5 mile oval have been Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth.

The driver of the No. 19 Toyota Camry, Carl Edwards, also made headlines this week for speaking out in support of fellow Subway sponsored personality Jared Fogle, amid the weight loss legend’s ongoing controversy. Edwards won’t be sporting the Subway logo on his racecar this week though, after getting a very special new paint scheme.

Driver Kyle Busch will be looking to pick up his second win of the season as he continues his push to make the Sprint Cup playoffs after breaking his right leg and left foot at Daytona in February.

The Quaker State 400 will be taking place this Saturday, July 11th at 7:30 pm and will be televised by the NBC Sports Network.