NASCAR: Breaking Stories and all the Latest from NBC Sports

Goat named Lil’ Dale to be immortalized at Texas Motor Speedway
The goat, born in 2002, had a spot shaped like the No. 3 of Dale Earnhardt, Sr.

Carl Edwards wins pole at Texas Motor Speedway
Edwards earns his first pole of the Sprint Cup season.

Joe Gibbs Racing dominance continues in Xfinity qualifying
Kyle Busch leads 1-2-3 JGR effort by winning the pole.

Could downforce package bring return of mid-2000’s duels at Texas?
Texas Motor Speedway hosts the first night race of the season with the low-downforce package.

Today’s Xfinity race at Texas: Start time, weather, radio and TV info
All the pertinent information for tonight’s NASCAR Xfinity race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Today’s schedule at Texas Motor Speedway
NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying takes place today and the Xfinity Series races at night.

Report: Tony Stewart says he’s feeling better but no timetable yet on return
Tony Stewart tells ESPN.com that he’s “anxious” for scans that will be taken later this month to check his back’s recovery.

Danica Patrick ‘fought the good fight’ and lost on Fontana fine
Danica Patrick says she understands NASCAR’s position on the rule violation that cost her $20,000.

Martin Truex Jr. leads Sprint Cup practice at Texas
Team Penske teammates are second and third on speed chart after Truex.

Erik Jones leads way in final Xfinity practice at Texas
Kyle Busch was second quick, giving Joe Gibbs Racing the top two spots in practice.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. launches campaign to combat child hunger after sandwich tweet
Response to tweet about his favorite sandwich has Dale Earnhardt Jr. looking to help those who go hungry.

Kevin Harvick says ‘there is nothing’ to speculation he won’t be at Stewart-Haas next year
Harvick said that as far he knows there’s two years left on his contract with Stewart-Haas Racing.

Gray Gaulding signs with Roush; to make Xfinity debut at Bristol in August
Gray Gaulding is scheduled to drive in two Xfinity races for Roush Fenway Racing later this season.

Erik Jones paces first Xfinity practice at Texas Motor Speedway
Joe Gibbs Racing driver fastest in Xfinity practice.

Kurt Busch at Texas without crew chief Tony Gibson
Tony Gibson is expected to be with the team for Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race.

NASCAR America: Top five moments at Texas at Texas Motor Speedway
Recalling the most memorable chapters in the past 19 seasons at the 1.5-mile oval.

JR Motorsports announces extension with sponsor
Dale’s Pale Ale will sponsor three Xfinity Series races in 2016-17 and make its season debut Aug. 19 at Bristol with Regan Smith.

Study shows Kevin Harvick has had most TV mentions this season
Study shows that Harvick’s name has been mentioned more than 1,000 times in first five Sprint Cup broadcasts this season.

Weekend schedule for Texas Motor Speedway
NASCAR returns to the Lone Star State for the first weekend of night racing this season.

NASCAR America: A lap around Texas in the simulator
Parker Kligerman, Jeff Burton and Kyle Petty discuss the nuances of driving the 1.5-mile oval.

Time Lapse: Bristol’s ‘Colossus’ video board is completed
The Colossus video board weighs 700 tons.

NASCAR America: Can Jimmie Johnson continue dominance at Texas?
Jimmie Johnson has won five of the last seven races at Texas Motor Speedway

NASCAR America: Jeff Burton reflects on 1997 win at Texas
Jeff Burton’s first Sprint Cup win came in the first race at Texas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR issues warning to Kyle Busch’s winning team at Martinsville Speedway
Before Kyle Busch dominated in his first Sprint Cup victory at Martinsville, his No. 18 Toyota failed the Laser Inspection System twice.

Watch LIVE: NASCAR America at 5 p.m. ET: Simulator, Stewart-Haas Racing report and more
Marty Snider has a report from Stewart-Haas Racing.

Circular logic: Texas might look similar but isn’t the same as other 1.5-mile ovals
The track in Fort Worth offers some unique characteristics separating it from seemingly sister tracks such as Atlanta and Charlotte.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. backed by Goody’s Powder for Xfinity race at Texas
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is scheduled to run in two Xfinity Series races in 2016.

Peyton Manning named honorary official for April 17 race at Bristol
The retired NFL quarterback and former Tennessee Volunteer will be a guest of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

NASCAR on NBC podcast, Episode IX: Jeff Burton, Eddie Gossage
Our guests are the NBC Sports analyst with 21 Sprint Cup victories and the president of Texas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR America: Why is Kyle Busch such a polarizing star?
Kyle Busch took the Internet by storm Sunday night after posting a video of himself surprising a fan with an autograph.

NASCAR America: Scan All at Martinsville
Scan All recaps the STP 500 from Martinsville Speedway.

NASCAR America: Richard Childress Racing continuing to make great strides
All three Richard Childress Racing cars finished in the top 10 at Martinsville.

Kevin Harvick wants to ‘give grief’ to Eddie Gossage with first Texas win
Texas Motor Speedway is one of four active tracks Kevin Harvick has not won at in the Sprint Cup Series.

Matt Kenseth presents Bryson Byrnes with special gift
One-year anniversary approaches for the Bristol race named in Steve Byrnes’ honor and his passing.

NASCAR America: Adam Stevens: Winning at Martinsville wasn’t expected
Adam Stevens helped lead Kyle Busch to his first Sprint Cup win at Martinsville Speedway.

Fire Alarm Services to sponsor Regan Smith in two Sprint Cup races
Regan Smith continues his relationship with a sponsor that began in the Xfinity Series.

Watch LIVE: NASCAR America at 5 p.m. ET: Scan All, interviews with Ryan Newman, Paul Menard and more
Marty Snider talks with Adam Stevens, crew chief for Kyle Busch.

Matt Kenseth says he has no issues with Kyle Busch about late restart at Martinsville
Kenseth says that despite finishes not matching how well his car has often run this year, ‘I don’t feel like we need a group intervention.’