NASCAR Sprint Showdown 2015: Start Time, Entry List, TV Schedule and More
The NASCAR Sprint Showdown takes place Friday at 7:15 p.m. ET at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. The top two finishers in the Sprint Showdown will earn spots in Saturday's Sprint All-Star Race. Here's a look at the full entry list for the Sprint Showdown, per NASCAR.com:
- Austin Dillon
- Trevor Bayne
- Alex Bowman
- Sam Hornish Jr.
- Danica Patrick
- Casey Mears
- Clint Bowyer
- Greg Biffle
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- JJ Yeley
- Chase Elliott
- Jeb Burton
- Paul Menard
- Jeff Green
- Mike Bliss
- Alex Kennedy
- Cole Whitt
- David Gilliland
- Travis Kvapil
- Landon Cassill
- Kyle Larson
- Michael Annett
- Justin Allgaier
- David Ragan
- Brendan Gaughan
- Tanner Berryhill
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Matt DiBenedetto
- Michael McDowell
- Josh Wise
Viewing Information
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Date and Time: Friday at 7:15 p.m. ET
TV: Fox Sports 1
Drivers to Watch
Martin Truex Jr.
Throughout his career, Martin Truex Jr. has done well in the Sprint Showdown. In eight starts, he has captured two checkered flags and finished in the top five two other times and in the top 10 a total of six times. With a track record like that, he has to be one of the favorites.
Truex Jr. needs to win one of the Sprint Showdown sessions to earn a spot in the All-Star Race, but per a media release (h/t Jerry Bonkowski of NASCAR Talk), Truex Jr. seems confident.
“The bad news heading into the weekend is that we’re not qualified for the big show,” said Truex. “The good news is that we'll be at a 1.5-mile track which has been one of our strong suits this season.”
He just might need to be at his best to pull off a win.
Danica Patrick
Amid fresh rumors that Danica Patrick might take to the Formula One circuit, this is a prime time for her to make a significant mark in a high-profile NASCAR event. Per Alan Baldwin of Reuters, those pesky Danica-to-F1 rumors just won't go away since she nearly made the move in 2008.
Nevertheless, with Patrick seemingly as hungry as ever for accomplishment, the short track might be ideal for her if she can get off to a fast start. We'll see how her qualifying times look on Friday. If her car is fast, look for her to go all out to earn a spot in the All-Star Race.
Austin Dillon
After mustering back-to-back top-10 finishes on the Xfinity series, it would be a major boon for Austin Dillon to produce a win in one of the Sprint Showdown races.
Landing a spot in the weekend's main event would be a major accomplishment in the 25-year-old's racing career. He's had a tough time on the Sprint Cup series this year, and that continued last week with his 22nd-place finish in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400.
Could this be the race in which his success from the Xfinity Series carries over for Dillon? We'll find out Friday.
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