{"id":40950,"date":"2017-06-19T07:34:29","date_gmt":"2017-06-19T14:34:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/?p=40950"},"modified":"2017-06-19T07:34:29","modified_gmt":"2017-06-19T14:34:29","slug":"celebrating-fathers-day-nascar-style","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/celebrating-fathers-day-nascar-style\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating Father\u2019s Day NASCAR Style"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Celebrating
Photo Credit: NASCAR Via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Father\u2019s Day weekend was a special one for the stars of NASCAR this weekend. While those hard-working dads of both the XFINITY and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series would do their best to pick up a win at Michigan International Speedway, a future star would salute his legendary father with his first Camping World Truck Series win at St. Louis famous Gateway Motorsports Park.<\/p>\n

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NASCAR\u00a0<\/strong>XFINITY<\/strong>\u00a0Series Irish Hills 250
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\"Celebrating
Denny Hamlin celebrates in Victory Lane.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The weekend began with racing action from the XFINITY Series. Like a father teaching his son how things are done, the seasoned veterans of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series led the way Saturday afternoon. Kyle Busch kicked things off by taking the pole for Saturday\u2019s race, but his lesson to the newbies of the sport was short-lived, as the No. 18 of Busch would collide with the No. 22 of Brad Keselowski on lap one of this race, leaving Busch sailing off the track towards pit road.<\/p>\n

After taking the lead, Keselowski took home the win in Stage 1 of this race. Despite his dominance, another NASCAR veteran pulled into the lead midway through this race to give Keselowski a little lesson of his own. Current XFINITY Series points leader Elliott Sadler would be all the talk after winning the second 30-lap stage on Stage 2 of this race. Despite an attempt at a Father\u2019s Day win, Sadler would fall back in the field behind Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender William Byron and race winner Denny Hamlin.<\/p>\n

An alumnus of the NASCAR Next program, Byron pulled ahead of the No. 20 of Hamlin after the restart on Lap 124. The two drivers battled for two laps before the more experienced driver took the lead to win through the final two corners and win the race.<\/p>\n

The margin was the closest XFINITY Series finish at Michigan since the advent of electronic timing and scoring more than two decades ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe did a great job, and I knew he had a really good car,\u201d said Hamlin of Byron. \u201cThat last long run that we had, Byron was about to pass me, so he\u2019s done a great job. Obviously, he\u2019s one of NASCAR\u2019s next future superstars, and I wanted to race him clean and am glad that I had the opportunity to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of his veteran mentor, Byron said that Hamlin schooled the younger pupil. \u201cDenny just schooled me there at the end,\u201d said Byron. \u201cI thought I could side-draft him back to the line, but I needed a few more feet.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Sadler is 21 points ahead of Justin Allgaier, the potential replacement for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at the end of the season, XFINITY Series rookie and runner-up Byron, sits third and is fast approaching a potential takeover.<\/p>\n

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NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Drivin\u2019 for Linemen 200
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\"Celebrating
John Hunter Nemechek celebrates with his team after winning.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While a rookie might not have been able to pull off the win in the XFINITY Series, a NASCAR Young Gun with a famed last name gave a well-known NASCAR veteran the ultimate Father\u2019s Day gift on the final lap of Saturday night\u2019s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Drivin\u2019 for Lineman 200.<\/p>\n

Despite pole winner and second-place finisher Chase Briscoe picking-up the win in Stage 2 of this race, the No. 8 of John Hunter Nemechek, who also led all 35 laps of the first stage of the race and 46 overall, took home the win with his illustrious father there for the celebration.<\/p>\n

\u201cIncredible,\u201d was all Nemechek could muster in response after watching his son pass Matt Crafton late in the race to win the Drivin\u2019 for Linemen 200. \u201cI just kept telling him to be smart and I guess you can say that he listened.\u201d<\/p>\n