O’Reilly Auto Parts 500
Texas Motor Speedway
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race #7 of 36
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Scheduled Green Flag (approx): 3:16pm/et
Laps/Stages: 334 laps total. Stages end on laps: 85/170/334
TELEVISION / RADIO / STREAMING
Television Coverage: Time 3:00pm/et, Fox and FOX Sports GO streaming (available with participating TV provider login)
Radio Coverage (over the air and streaming): Performance Racing Network (PRN) / SiriusXM Satellite NASCAR (available with subscription)
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
On track schedule
Practices:
Friday, March 29, 3:05-3:55pm/et, TV-FS1;
Saturday, March 30, 9:05-9:55am/et, TV-FS1;
Saturday, March 30, 11:30am-12:20pm/et, TV-FS1;
Qualifying: Friday, March 29 at 7:40pm/et, TV-FS1.
Complete Event Schedule (times local to the track)
Thursday, March 28
6:00 PM 8:00 PM MENCS HAULERS ENTER (EQUIPMENT UNLOAD)
Friday, March 29
11:00 AM-8:00 PM MENCS GARAGE OPEN
1:00 PM MENCS ROOKIE MEETING, SPOTTER MEETING, & RANDOM DRAWING
2:05 PM-2:55 PM MENCS 1ST PRACTICE
6:40 PM (7:40 PM/ET) MENCS QUALIFYING (MULTI-VEHICLE / THREE ROUNDS)
Saturday, March 30
6:30 AM-2:00 PM MENCS GARAGE OPEN
8:05 AM-8:55 AM MENCS 2ND PRACTICE
10:30 AM-11:20 AM MENCS FINAL PRACTICE
11:30 AM NXS DRIVER INTRODUCTIONS
Sunday, March 31
8:30 AM MENCS GARAGE OPENS
12:00 PM MENCS DRIVER / CREW CHIEF MEETING
1:20 PM MENCS DRIVER INTRODUCTIONS
2:00 PM (3:00 PM) MENCS RACE (STAGES 85/170/334 LAPS = 501 MILES)
MENCS = Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Links to race, practice, qualifying results (in pdf): (will be added as available)
Race Results
Drivers Points
Owners Points
Cumlative Race Report
Penalty Report
Pitstalls
Practice 3 Speeds
Practice 2 Speeds
Starting Lineup
Qualifying Results
Qualifying Order
Practice 1 Speeds
Crew Rosters
Latest / Final Entry List
Preliminary Entry List
Denny Hamlin secures second win of the season at Texas Motor Speedway: A fast car can cure a lot of mistakes. Just ask Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin. The reigning Daytona 500 winner overcame a slew of penalties—some self-inflicted—to win the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Although the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry got down, he was never out of contention. Hamlin led three times for 45 laps en route to his third win at Texas, his second win of the season and the fourth Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory for Joe Gibbs Racing in the first seven races of 2019.[More](3-31-2019)
#11-Denny Hamlin won the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. The win is his 2nd win of 2019, 3rd win at Texas and 33rd career win.
#14-Bowyer finished 2nd followed by #41-Suarez, #20-Jones, pole sitter #48-Johnson, #24-Byron, #10-Almirola, #4-Harvick, #1-Busch and #18-Busch..
Stage 1 was won by #22-Logano.
Stage 2 was won by #11-Hamlin.
There were 26 lead changes among 13 drivers and 5 cautions for 29 yellow flag laps.
The average speed of the race was: 153.224mph.
See race details at:
Race Results (pdf)
Drivers Points Standings
Owners Points Standings
Cumulative Report
Penalty Report
Race Fast Facts – Texas
Denny Hamlin won the 23rd Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, his 33rd victory in 477 Monster Energy Cup Series races.
This is his second victory and sixth top-10 finish in 2019.
This is his third victory and 13th top-10 finish in 27 races at Texas Motor Speedway.
Clint Bowyer (second) posted his 12th top-10 finish in 27 races at Texas Motor Speedway. It is his third top-10 finish in 2019.
Daniel Suarez (third) posted his first top-10 finish in five races at Texas Motor Speedway.
Ryan Preece (22nd) was the highest finishing rookie.
Kyle Busch leads the point standings by 8 points over Denny Hamlin.
(NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(3-31-2019)
2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Standings after Texas:
#18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 310 pts
#11-Denny Hamlin [2 wins]
#2-Brad Keselowski [2 wins]
#22-Joey Logano [1 win]
#4-Kevin Harvick, 277, -33
#10-Aric Almirola, 245, -65
#19-Martin Truex Jr., 232, -78
#12-Ryan Blaney, 219, -91
#9-Chase Elliott, 218, -92
#1-Kurt Busch, 213, -97
#14-Clint Bowyer, 192, -118
#42-Kyle Larson, 185, -125
#17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 183, -127
#41-Daniel Suarez, 180, -130
#48-Jimmie Johnson, 176, -134
#20-Erik Jones, 173, -137
See the Drivers Points Standings and Owners Points Standings.
To the rear: #88-Bowman (backup car), #6-Newman (failed pre-race inspection twice).
Pit Stall Selections: The selections of pit stalls for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway have been made.
Pole winner #48-Johnson chose pit stall 1.
Outside pole sitter #24-Byron took the 6t stall, with an opening in front of it.
#9-Elliott, starts 3rd and chose the 42nd and final stall.
See all pit choices on Pit Stall chart.(3-30-2019)
QUALIFYING INFO, PRACTICE SPEED and ENTRIES
Happy Hour (final) practice for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway is over, after 50 scheduled minutes, the top five, slowest and notes:
#11-Hamlin 186.987
#18-Busch 186.342
#12-Blaney 186.278
#1-Busch 186.091
#48-Johnson 186.047
Slowest: #77-Smithley 176.036 & #66-Hill 174.036mph.
Most laps run: #22-Logano, 39 laps.
Best 10 consecutive lap avg (of 32 drivers): #48-Johnson 184.366mph.
See the fastest speeds, best 10 consecutive lap average, laps run on the Happy Hour Practice speeds page (pdf).(3-30-2019)
First Saturday practice for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway was cancelled due to moisture on the track.(3-30-2019)
Jimmie Johnson wins the 36th-career pole at Texas: Jimmie Johnson is back in the saddle again. After leading first practice at Texas Motor Speedway and the first two rounds of qualifying, the seven-time champion bumped his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott from the top spot with seconds remaining in the final round with a lap at 188.890 mph to win the pole for Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500.[More](3-29-2019)
#48-Jimmie Johnson won the Busch pole for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway with speed of 188.890mph for his 1st pole of 2019, 2nd at Texas and 36th of his career.
#24-Byron will start 2nd followed by #9-Elliott, #41-Suarez, #3-Dillon, #11-Hamlin, #8-Hemric, #22-Logano, #13-Dillon, and #43-Wallace.
Johnson was also fastest in the first and second rounds.
Driver(s) who will miss the race: none as 39 were entered for 40 spots
See round-by-round qualifying results on the Qualifying results page (pdf) and the complete starting lineup on the Starting Lineup page (pdf).(3-29-2019)
Texas Motor Speedway – Qualifying Fast Facts:
Jimmie Johnson won the Pole Award for the 23rd Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 with a lap of 28.588 seconds, 188.890 mph.
This is his 36th pole in 622 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series races.
This is his first pole and second top-10 start in 2019.
This is his second pole in 32 races at Texas Motor Speedway.
William Byron (second) posted his third top-10 start of 2019 and his second in three races at Texas Motor Speedway.
Chase Elliott (third) posted his second top-10 start at Texas Motor Speedway. It is his fourth in seven races this season.
Daniel Hemric (seventh) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR Statistics)(3-29-2019)
First practice for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway is over, after 50 scheduled minutes, the top-five, slowest and notes:
#48-Johnson 189.747
#88-Bowman #188.363
#22-Logano 188.180
#24-Byron 188.180
#34-McDowell 188.147
Slowest: #77-Smithley 178.165 & #66-Hill 173.516
Most laps run: #34-McDowell, #43-Wallace, #00-Cassill, 11 laps.
No driver ran 10 consecutive laps
See the fastest speeds, best 10 consecutive lap average, laps run on the First Practice speeds (pdf).(3-29-2019)
Entry List for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway is posted, 39 teams/drivers [for 40 spots] are listed.
Some of the drivers entered include: #27-Sorenson, #51-Ware, #52-Currey, #66-Hill, #77-Sorenson, #96-Kligerman, #97-TBA.
Since only 39 cars are entered, all drivers will make the race.
UPDATE: The #97 team has withdrawn.(3-28-2019)
See the full entry list on the Entry List (pdf).
April 2018: see the Texas Race Info page
November 2018: see the Texas Race Info page
Race Festivities/Officials:
Grand Marshal: TBA
Command to start engines: Rusty Wallace
Honorary Starter/Wave Green Flag: TBA
Honorary Pace Car Driver: TBA
Color Guard: TBA
Invocation: Bret Shisle, Texas Alliance Raceway Ministries
National Anthem: 1st Cavalry Division Army Band
Flyover: TBA
Sunday Texas Notebook: All four Stewart-Haas cars finished strong; Trouble for Team Penske; Not bad for a rookie chief.(More)(3-31-2019)
Saturday Texas Notebook: Daniel Suarez has become a mentor for up-and-coming Mexican drivers; Jimmie Johnson is going the distance; Final practice highlights.(More)(3-30-2019)
Friday Texas Notebook: Texan Chris Buescher is looking for a spark at his home track; Kaz Grala is only focusing on racing.(More)(3-29-2019)
Weekend Preview: Texas Motor Speedway Fast start for Penske and Gibbs; Dash 4 Cash is back in the XFINITY Series; Time for some Texas Truckin’.[More](2-28-2019)
NASCAR National Series News & Notes — Texas Motor Speedway
Weather Channel
Accuweather
National Weather Service
Race Weather
Race Day Forecast
Weather Bug
Weather Underground
Brian Neudorff @NASCAR_WXMAN
Aaron Studwell @RaceWeather
Tire: Goodyear Eagle Speedway Radials
Set limits:
Cup: 3 sets for practice, 1 set for qualifying and 9 sets for race;
Xfinity: 7 sets for the event;
Truck: 5 sets for the event
Tire Codes:
Left-side — D-4798;
Right-side — D-4796
Tire Circumference:
Left-side — 2,227 mm (87.68 in.);
Right-side – 2,251 mm (88.62 in.)
Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front — 22 psi; Left Rear — 22 psi;
Right Front — 52 psi; Right Rear — 50 psi
Storyline – It’s “smooth” sailing at Texas: Track repaves, like the one Texas went through before the 2017 season, create a racing environment that poses several challenges – (1) fresh asphalt has a lot of grip, which generates a lot of speed and heat in the tires, (2) because the new surface is very smooth it doesn’t allow the opportunity for the tires to shed rubber, which could also cause heat problems, and (3) because little rubber gets worked into the track it is harder to create multiple racing grooves. Goodyear held two tire tests at this track during 2018 – January and August – which resulted in a new tire set-up for last fall’s race at this track, including a right-side tire that is designed to wear more and run cooler.
“The smooth track surface at Texas dictates that we bring a tire set-up that runs as cool as possible because tire wear will be at a minimum,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “We tested extensively there last year and learned a lot about that new surface. This being only the fifth race for the Cup cars on this repave, the track has not had a chance to weather in like it will over the next few seasons. While it’s important for us to bring the right tire, it also becomes quite a team effort between Goodyear, NASCAR and the track to make sure that the asphalt is prepared even before teams arrive for race weekend. We provide the speedway with tires for them to run on their “tire monster” and rubber-in the surface. Doing that goes a long way to creating a second groove, and that has a positive impact on the racing.”
Notes – New left-side tire debuts at Texas: Teams in all three NASCAR series in action at Texas this week will run the same tire set-up . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires that Cup and Xfinity teams ran at this track last November, but it is the first time Gander Outdoors Truck teams have run this set-up at Texas . . . for the Trucks, compared to what was run at Texas last year, both this left-side and right-side feature construction and compound changes, which will add grip for those teams . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run liners in all four tire positions at Texas . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.