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Two weeks removed from a rainy Daytona 500, NASCAR’s best drivers headed to the desert for one of the most anticipated races of the year – The Kobalt 400 at the ‘Diamond in the Desert,’ Las Vegas Motor Speedway. With no chance of rain whatsoever, this year’s running of the Kobalt and the Boyd Gaming 300 for the Nationwide boys, afforded drivers and their crews with no excuses (aside from that side of the equation that dictates ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’).

Our Trackside Program was also in South Carolina for the weekend’s Pro All Start Series’ South Carolina Clash 150. Here’s a breakdown of each race:

Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
When: Sunday, March 9
Where: Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Las Vegas, NV
CV Trackside: Access was restricted to drivers, crewmembers and anyone with a Pit Pass

What you need to know: Forty-eight drivers from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series turned laps at Las Vegas Motor Speedway late last week to further build upon the 2014 intermediate-track rules package that was formalized late last year. Serving as the first official NASCAR test with the new 2014 rules package in place, the four-hour session allowed teams to prepare for Sunday’s Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – the series’ first visit to a 1.5-mile track in 2014 – and beyond. Fresh off his win at Phoenix International Raceway last Sunday, Kevin Harvick was at the top of the speed charts at the conclusion of the test session (the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet logged a total of 42 laps with a top speed of 190.148 mph). But the winner was Brad Keselowski, who passed a gassed-out Dale Earnhardt, Jr. on the final lap of the race.

Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Series: NASCAR Nationwide Series
When: Saturday, March 8
Where: Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Las Vegas, NV
CV Trackside: Access was restricted to drivers, crewmembers and anyone with a Pit Pass

What you need to know: The last two NASCAR Nationwide Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway had seen series regulars celebrate in Victory Lane: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2012) and Sam Hornish Jr. (2013). Saturday’s Boyd Gaming 300 could have continued that streak with a handful of drivers as the most likely to pull the trifecta off. A quick scan of Loop Data from the past nine series races at Las Vegas have a combination of Trevor Bayne, Ty Dillon, Brendan Gaughan, Elliott Sadler and Brian Scott appearing in the top five in several categories: average driver rating, quality passes, green-flag speed, fastest laps run, fastest on restarts, laps led, laps in top 15 and average running position. In four starts at the “Diamond in the Desert,” Bayne has never finished lower than sixth. He led 21 laps in last year’s race before finishing fourth for the second consecutive season. His best finish at the 1.5-mile speedway is ninth (2012) in three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts. All of that said, Brad Keselowski, who led 144 of the race’s 400 laps, took the checkered flag.

South Carolina Clash 150 at Dillon Motor Speedway

Series: Pro All Stars Series
When: Saturday, March 8
Where: Dillon Motor Speedway – Dillon, South Carolina
Note: CV’s Trackside trailer was in the pit area (pit passes were required for access)

What you need to know: After a strong start to the 2014 season at Greenville-Pickens Speedway, the short track stars of the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) focused their attention on last Saturday night’s 9th Annual South Carolina Clash 150 at Dillon Motor Speedway. The PASS South Super Late Models and PASS Pro Late Models tackled Dillon’s tough egg-shaped lay out along with the Allison Legacy Cars, Legends, and Mini Stock Mayhem 2. The PASS South Super Late Models competed in two thrilling events at Dillon in 2013. Austin Theriault edged out Preston Peltier by .120 seconds for the closest finish in PASS South history in last year’s South Carolina Clash. And, in an October return trip for the series, Daniel Hemric charged to the front in the final 50 laps to win the Wildcat 150. Little wonder then that Hemric went to Victory Lane again this time around!

Things may have come to a standstill in our nation’s capital, but just down the road in Martinsville, Virginia – at Martinsville Speedway – you’ll find nothing but high-octane velocity. The same goes for race tracks in Alton, Virginia; Kansas City, Kansas; and, Dillon, South Carolina. And as you might expect, CV Products’ Trackside Program will once again be “there when you need us.”

Here’s where to find CV Trackside this weekend:

Kansas Lottery 98.9

With eight ARCA Racing Series race winners entered in today’s Kansas Lottery 98.9 at Kansas Speedway, the competition figures to be fierce not only for victory lane, but for the contingency awards that remain up for grabs, including the tight battle between Justin Boston and Mason Mingus for the SCOTT Rookie Challenge.

Series: ARCA Racing
When: Friday, Oct. 4
Racetrack: Kansas Speedway – Kansas City, KS
Live Timing & Scoring: Available on www.ARCARacing.com
Note: Visit CV Trackside crew in the pits (pit pass required for entry)

Kansas Lottery 300

With only four points separating NASCAR Nationwide Series points leader Sam Hornish Jr. and Austin Dillon, a solid showing in Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway could propel the 23-year-old into the lead for the first time since the Watkins Glen race in early August. If Dillon is able to improve upon his finishing position in his only series start at the 1.5-mile track, which came last season, the North Carolina native should find his way into Victory Lane for the first time in 2013 and back atop the standings.

Series: NASCAR Nationwide Series
When: Saturday, Oct. 5
Racetrack: Kansas Speedway – Kansas City, KS
Watch it live from your couch: 3:30 PM (ET) on ESPN2
Note: Our Trackside crew will be in the pits (pit pass required for entry)

Oak Tree Classic at VIR

The second to last event of the final American Le Mans Series season takes the green flag Saturday at historic Virginia International Raceway (VIR) – a 17-turn, 3.27-mile road course. The Oak Tree Grand Prix marks the second visit of the American Le Mans Series to VIR where a year ago Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr captured the P1 and overall victory. Graf and Luhr are enjoying a dream season that includes seven consecutive victories.

Series: American Le Mans Series
When: Oct. 3-5
Racetrack: Virginia International Raceway – Alton, VA
Live timing & scoring online: http://scoring.alms.com
Television schedule: Sunday, Oct. 6 at 5:30 PM (ET) on ESPN2
Note: The Trackside vehicle will be in the pits (pit pass required for entry)

Wildcat 150

Saturday night’s Wildcat 150, an event name harkening back to races held in the 1970s at Dillon Motor Speedway when the track was dirt, marks a series of firsts for the PASS South brigade. It will be the first time PASS South has ever raced at Dillon during the fall. And it will also be the first time PASS has ever staged more than one Super Late Model race in the same year at the facility. Back in March, Austin Theriault took advantage of slower traffic to edge out veteran Preston Peltier for the win in the closest finish in PASS South history.

Series: Pro All Stars Series South
When: Saturday, Oct. 5
Racetrack: Dillon Motor Speedway – Dillon, SC
Note: Find the CV Trackside setup in the pits (pit pass required for entry)

Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300

Sunday, October 6: it’s a date NASCAR Late Model Stock drivers from across the country have had circled on their calendars for months, the date of the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 at Martinsville Speedway. It is the race that drivers refer to as their Daytona 500 or their Super Bowl. It’s the richest NASCAR Late Model Stock race in the country, $25,000 to the winner, with bonuses that could take it to $35,000. And of course there is the iconic grandfather clock trophy to the winner and the prestige of winning on a track where the history of racing runs so deep. The field is truly a who’s who of NASCAR Late Model racing. Two-time defending NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion Lee Pulliam is entered, as is four-time national champion Philip Morris. Morris is the defending Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 winner; Pulliam won the event two years ago. Morris is the only driver with three Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 wins to his credit.

Series: Whelen All-American Series
When: Oct. 4-6
Racetrack: Martinsville Speedway – Martinsville, VA
Note: We’ll be in the pits with our Trackside offerings (pit pass required for entry)

Hollywood Casino 400 Green Flag

For Matt Kenseth, the third time was not the charm. The 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion failed last Sunday to fashion a record, third consecutive victory to start the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ but finished seventh to maintain his championship lead. Kenseth, who heads five-time champion Jimmie Johnson by eight points and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch by 12 markers gets a second shot at a “triple” in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway (2 p.m. ET, ESPN, Motor Racing Network Radio, SiriusXM Satellite Radio).

Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
When: Sunday, Oct. 6
Racetrack: Kansas Speedway – Kansas City, KS
Watch the rice live on television: 2 PM (ET) on ESPN
Note: Visit CV Trackside crew in the pits (pit pass required for entry)

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