Denny Hamlin easily broke the track qualifying record at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Thursday night to earn the pole for Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 -- the longest race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.
He was medically cleared for the 300-mile race at Charlotte following his MRI on Monday.
Scheduled to start in the late afternoon and conclude at nighttime, the 600- mile race at Charlotte is physically and mentally challenging for drivers.
Indianapolis 500 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Indianapolis, Ind.
Former Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Jarrett and legendary engine builder Maurice Petty were among those selected in the 2014 class of inductees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
To no one's surprise, Danica Patrick won the fan vote to earn the 22nd and final starting position in Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Jamie McMurray and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. gained eligibility for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race after finishing 1-2 in Saturday night's Sprint Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Carl Edwards will start on the pole for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race after posting the quickest time in Friday's qualifying at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Richard "Dick" Trickle, a retired NASCAR driver and short-track racing legend in the Midwest, was found dead on Thursday in North Carolina from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 71.
"I need to get back to racing, so I can get some rest," Crafton jokingly said. "I'm always excited to go to the racetrack. But usually you go to the racetrack and you don't get much sleep, because you're worried about everything the night before the race. You think about everything. This week, I'm excited to get to the racetrack, so I can get some sleep."
