Round 18 - Coke Zero 400, Daytona, Florida

On the 23rd May 2015 the series visited Daytona for the second time this season to contend the Coke Zero 400.

I ended up fastest after practice with a best time of 49.987 seconds.

Qualifying for this series (and all other NASCAR championships) is in a 2 lap dash format. The track is empty at this point.

I qualified in 1st. My time was 50.336.

I managed to stay up front until lap 27 when I stopped for fuel.

I spent the remainder of the race working my way through the pack. I was helped when everyone else stopped for gas under green flag conditions.

My fastest lap of the race was 49.445 my fastest lap of the weekend.

I led 29 of the 48 laps.

Round 17 - New Hampshire, Lennox Industrial Tools 301

The Nascar Sprint Cup series rolled into New Hampshire on May 23rd 2015.

This one mile flat oval would prove quite a challenge or so I thought. Practise went well as I set the fastest time of 31.959.

In the qualifying session I qualified on pole with a time of 31.317.

I took the lead early on in the race to get the 5 bonus points for leading a lap.  I led the race from flag to flag. The only time I wasn't in front was when I stopped for fuel on lap 45.

My fastest lap of the race was a 31.718.

I was 1st in the standings, 257 ahead, 3 races in hand to make the chase.

Round 16 - Toyota/Save Mart 350 - Infineon, Sonoma Raceway

The Nascar Sprint Cup series rolled into Infineon raceway in Sonoma, California on May 23rd 2015.

This was the first of two road courses that Nascar visits during the season.

This track would prove quite a challenge or so I thought. Practise went very well as I set the fastest time of 1.23.938.

In the qualifying session I qualified second with a time of 1.24.460.

I took the lead early on in the race to get the 5 bonus points for leading a lap and held it almost to the end. The race was littered with yellow flags and it was the last one that I actually brought out which lost me the lead. I ended up 2nd in a race I should have won.

My fastest lap of the race was a 1.22.096 which was faster than my practise and qualifying time.

I was 1st in the standings, 222 ahead, 2 races in hand to make the chase.

Round 15 - Michigan Lifeblock 400

Michigan Super Speedway was home to round 15 of the series.

This high banked oval which boasts speeds of 153mph in the corners is one of Nascar's fastest tracks.

The race weekend started off with the mandatory 10 lap practice session. I was 13th with a time of 41.114.

Qualifying next and the question was could I get further up the grid? The answer was no as I could only manage 36th with times of 41.269 and 41.232.

From the green flag I managed to move up into the lead before pitting for fuel on lap 24. Unfortunately I got caught speeding in the pit lane and so was dead last when I came out of the pits for the second time.

On lap 32 I pitted under yellow for more fuel and a new set of tyres.

I managed to climb through the pack to get a second place finish - after a traumatic race, a podium place was a satisfying result.

I led 6 of the 60 laps. Another second and another giant step towards the championship. I now had 2 races in hand. It was all looking good.

My best time of the race was 41.242 slightly slower than my qualifying effort.

Round 14 - Pocono 5 Hour Energy 500

The large tri-oval at Pocono played host to round 14 of the series.

As with recent rounds in practice I was fastest with a best time of 57.800.

Qualifying didn't go so well as my inexperience at the track took it's affect, I posted the 34th fastest time of 57.751 although it was quicker than my practise time.

After the green flag dropped it took me 27 laps to make my way through the field to take the lead.

I settled into 2nd until 2 laps from the end when the race was slowed due to a yellow caution period. I was in the lead for the restart but couldn't hold it falling back to 2nd by the time the chequered flag fell.

I stopped for fuel on lap 31.

My best race lap was 57.877 just a bit slower than my qualifying time.

I led 7 of the 63 laps

I was now 1st in the Championship standings 148 points ahead.

I had a race in hand to qualify for the chase.

Round 13 - Dover 400

The Monster Mile that is Dover played host to round 13 of the series.

As with recent rounds in practice I was fastest with a best time of 26.781.

Qualifying went well as I posted the fastest time and secured another pole position (26.730).

I kept the lead from pole for the majority of the early laps. On lap 35 I received a black flag for dangerous driving. The subsequent drive through penalty meant I was a lap down in last place when re-joined the race.

I was making my way through the pack when on lap 44 disaster struck, I had a crash. Not an ordinary crash but one that destroyed the car and put me out of the race.

My best race lap was 26.560 the fastest of the weekend so it wasn't a complete disaster.

I led 31 of the 120 laps.

I was now 1ST in the Championship standings 87 points ahead.

I had a rac in hand to qualify for the chase.

Round 12 - Lowes Motor Speedway, Charlotte NC - Coca Cola 600

The 12th round of the series saw the cars roll in to Lowes motor speedway (formerly Charlotte) in North Carolina for the longest race of the year, the Coke Cola 600.

Another solid practice session where again I was fastest with a time of  32.249 after the 10 laps.

Qualifying almost followed the pattern of practice as I was fastest with a time of 32.195.

I stayed at the front for the first 23 laps before revieving my first of two black flags, the first for tough driving and the second for speeding in the pit lane. These of course dropped me to the back of the field.

As I made my way back though the pack I took the oppertunity to pit twice under yelow for fuel hoping that this would give me an advantage.

Unfortunately making my way through the pack proved more difficult than I anticipated as I received my third black flag of the race on lap 69 for rough driving. I took the oppertunity to pit for more fuel on lap 70 as I was at the back anyway.

With just a few laps left I managed to take and hold on to the lead until the checkered flag fell.

I led 34 of the 124 laps.

I was 1st in the standings 166 points ahead of 2nd.

I set a fastest time of 32.159.