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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The playoff beard had been shaved off well before fresh-faced Ryan Blaney arrived in Nashville to celebrate his first NASCAR championship. That's a bit fitting, though, as Blaney this year also contributed to two new marks on Penske's impressive motorsports resume. Then you've got to gel with a team.”The breakthrough came in 2017 at Pocono when Blaney beat Kevin Harvick for his first Cup win for Penske. “He won the race at Pocono, it's ironic, racing Harvick and Harvick is retiring now and Blaney is now champion,” Penske said. He spoke with JR Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, but already had an in of sorts at Penske, where Brad Keselowski that year won Team Penske its first Cup championship.

Persons: Ryan Blaney, Roger Penske, Josef Newgarden, ”, Blaney, Joey Logano, he's, Logano, he’s, ” Blaney, Roger, don’t, Dave Blaney, “, you've, Kevin Harvick, Joe Gibbs, Brad Keselowski, it’s Organizations: NASCAR, Team Penske, IndyCar, Music City Center, Penske, Indianapolis, Indy, ” Penske, Richmond Raceway, Pocono, “, Harvick, JR Motorsports, Keselowski Locations: Tenn, Nashville, NASCAR's

As Harvick readied to return to Phoenix Raceway — a track where he was once practically unbeatable — it finally hit him that he's done as a NASCAR Cup Series driver. Political Cartoons View All 1234 ImagesHarvick isn't going very far and can't really fathom a life away from the racetrack. Now he's 47 and a former Cup champion with 60 career victories, good for 10th on NASCAR's all-time wins list. "And then you have kids and you look around and you realize, ‘Man, this is really what my life is all about. I love racing.’ That really came from watching Keelan race and watching him grow to love this sport and watching the other parents and the other kids.

Persons: Kevin Harvick's, Harvick, He'll, ” Harvick, “, isn’t, ”, Stewart, Dad, Piper, Dale Earnhardt's, Richard Childress, Earnhardt, he'll, Keelan, “ I’m, “ We’ll, ‘, I’m, he's, He's, ‘ Don’t, It’s, you’ve Organizations: Phoenix, NASCAR, Fox Sports, Harvick, Haas Racing, Ford, Richard Childress Racing Locations: AVONDALE, Ariz

The drivers have acknowledged Sunday's showdown at Phoenix Raceway lacks the hype of years past, but NASCAR pushed back as the weekend arrived. “We have a playoff system that I believe is the toughest in sports,” NASCAR President Steve Phelps said. With that will come personality. With that will come some storytelling.”He acknowledged NASCAR could do more for its young stars and said industry leaders are actively discussing increased engagement and storytelling. “I think we have a big opportunity as a sport because we have a crop of young drivers for fans to come in and embrace,” he said.

Persons: Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, William Byron —, Larson, Bell, Byron, Blaney's, Steve Phelps, ” Phelps, We’ve, Blaney unprompted, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace, Martin Truex Jr, Denny Hamlin, Blaney, Steve O'Donnell, ” O'Donnell, “ We’re, ”, “ We’ve Organizations: NASCAR, Phoenix, “, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Netflix Locations: AVONDALE, Ariz, We’re, North America

Denny Hamlin didn't chill Sunday with his bravado that this is indeed the year he will finally win a NASCAR championship. The day after his win at Bristol Motor Speedway hurdled Hamlin and his No. 11 team into the second round of NASCAR's playoffs, Hamlin was still pumping his chest. Hamlin shared a back-and-forth with the crowd, and that's when he first declared that this is, finally, his year. Hamlin only got the win in Bristol but was strong enough to sweep the opening two races, won by Larson and Reddick.

Persons: Denny Hamlin, hurdled Hamlin, Hamlin, ” Hamlin, Bubba Wallace, Joe Gibbs, Gibbs, He's, Hamlin didn't, Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Hamlin gnawed, I've, I’m, I’ve, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson, “, ”, Martin Truex Jr, Christopher Bell, Truex, Logano, ” Truex, William Byron, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress, Chastain, Ford, Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Chris Buescher, Reddick, doesn't, Chris Gabehart Organizations: NASCAR, Bristol Motor, 23XI Racing, Darlington, Bristol, of Fame, JGR, ” Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports, Trackhouse, Team Penske, RFK Racing, Larson Locations: Tennessee, Phoenix, Kansas, Bristol

He is third behind William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports and Gibbs teammate Martin Truex Jr. with the points reset for NASCAR's second round. Logano became the first reigning champion eliminated in the first round when he crashed early in the third stage and finished 34th. Harvick, who is retiring at the end of the season, also was eliminated after finishing five laps down in 29th. Wallace gave Hamlin both of Hamlin's 23XI Racing cars spots in the next round by running a clean race. UP NEXTNASCAR opens the second round of the playoffs next Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, which has only one Cup race this year for the first time since 2004.

Persons: Denny Hamlin, “, we've, ” Hamlin, Joe Gibbs, William Byron, Hendrick, Gibbs, Martin Truex Jr, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Logano, Hamlin, Harvick, We’ve, “ I’ve, that’s, ”, Ricky Stenhouse, Michael McDowell, Stenhouse, ” McDowell, Bubba Wallace, Hamlin's, Wallace, Tyler Reddick, Coco Gauff, Michael Jordan, “ I’m, ” Wallace, ” Logano, Ford, Corey LaJoie, LaJoie, ” NASCAR's, SMITH, Daniel Hemric, Trackhouse, Zane Smith, Smith, He'll, Ty Dillon, Richard Childress Organizations: NASCAR, Bristol Motor, Daytona, Hendrick Motorsports, Ford, ”, Toyota, 23XI Racing, Bristol, Women's, Kaulig Racing, Spire Motorsports, Texas Motor, Richard Childress Racing Locations: Bristol, Kansas

There's co-owner Denny Hamlin, who has won at the track four times, more than anyone else. Political Cartoons View All 1148 ImagesHamlin got a poor jump on the last restart, couldn't chase Reddick down and finished second. Then the bottom lane opened up there and it was crazy.”Even crazier: It was the third win for the No. 45 car of 23XI in the last four races at Kansas , and all with different drivers after Busch and Wallace won last year. Its owner, meanwhile, nearly pulled off the sweep after Hamlin won in the spring.

Persons: Tyler Reddick, There's, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Bubba Wallace, Reddick's, Billy Scott, ”, Reddick, Hamlin, couldn't, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, “, ” Reddick, Wallace, Joe Gibbs, It's, ” Hamlin, Chris Buescher, — Reddick, Martin Truex, Larson, Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Elliott, Buescher, Logano, WHO’S, Truex, Kevin Harvick, Christopher Bell Organizations: KANSAS CITY, Kan, 23XI, Kansas Speedway, Kansas, NASCAR, Darlington, Busch, Bristol, Keselowski, Team Penske, RFK Racing, Daytona, Truex Locations: KANSAS, Denny, Kansas, Bristol, Talladega

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