NASCAR at Texas 2015: Race Schedule, Live Stream Info and Drivers to Watch
Texas is a chance for continued success for some and brings optimism for a turnaround after a frustrating start to the season.
Coming off the holiday break, five different drivers have already essentially clinched a berth into the Chase. By virtue of their wins, former champions like Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski are all in the hunt.
Meanwhile, other past titleholders Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart still have some work to do. Gordon sits just inside the Chase Grid, but Stewart is not even in the top 30. If Stewart won a race right now, he still might not be guaranteed a spot in the postseason.
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That's been the NASCAR season thus far. What lies ahead is anyone's guess. With the final 20 races of the regular season to start in Texas, here's a look at the full schedule and drivers to watch.
Race Information
Where: Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas
When: Saturday, April 11
Start Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
Radio: Performance Racing Network
Drivers to Watch
Kurt Busch
Since his return from a suspension, few drivers have shown the speed of Kurt Busch. The No. 41 car will be starting at the front for the second time in four races this season, which might lead to his first checkered flag.
In his 15th full-time season at the Sprint Cup level, Busch has only grabbed two pole awards in the same year five times. Nick DeGroot of Motorsport.com points out just how many times he's taken the pole:
During his career, Busch has compiled 13 top-10 finishes in 24 races with one win. Pairing his recent speed with the results in Texas, Busch should be seen as a favorite on Saturday.
Even if he doesn't finish the day with a burnout, Busch can continue his climb back into Chase contention by reaching the top 20 in points. Keep an eye on the Stewart-Haas Racing team as a whole, but Busch will be aiming to keep blazing his comeback trail in Texas.
Joey Logano
Joey Logano heads to Texas after a masterful start but has a tough task ahead in Texas. After winning in the Spring, no driver has ever repeated that success at the track, via NASCAR Stats:
The No. 22 driver has fired off the six-shooters in Victory Lane once, but he had two top-five finishes in 2013 at the track as well. On an intermediate course like Texas, finding a familiar groove can lead to similar results for a great driver.
There's no pressure on him to make the Chase, so look for Logano to take risks and try to get the historic repeat on Saturday night. Having a Daytona win and sitting second place in the points, Logano will race hard in Texas and attempt to take home his second checkered flag of the season.
Jimmie Johnson
Over the course of his career, Johnson has won at Texas a record four times. Ironically enough, he's never once finished in Victory Lane during the Spring.
Johnson will look to change that on Saturday as he starts from the fifth position. Coming off a victory in November—his third straight in the fall—JJ will look to carry that momentum into Victory Lane again this weekend.
Always a bridesmaid with four second-place finishes in April, Johnson will be looking to walk down the aisle in Texas. Already a winner this season, Johnson has a great chance to finally do so.
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