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Author: Andrew Kim

Richmond Raceway will not host fans during NASCAR quadruple-header weekend in September

Richmond Raceway will not have fans in attendance when NASCAR competes in Richmond, Virginia, on September 10-12 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and following further review and consideration with public health officials, medical experts and state/federal officials. The decision comes as NASCAR and Richmond elected to ensure the safety of the competitors, staff and the local community.

“This was a difficult decision, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic we believe at this time it is in the best interests of the local community to host races without fans,” said Richmond Raceway President Dennis Bickmeier. “We are grateful for the patience and support of our long-time loyal fans in this unprecedented season, but we will unite over race weekend as we tune in to the national broadcasts on NBCSN, FS1, and MRN to watch NASCAR’s best compete in four races over three days at America’s Premier Short Track.”

Prior to the 2020 season, NASCAR was slated to run four national division series races (Truck, Xfinity and Cup), with the Truck and Cup to run a doubleheader weekend on April 18-19 before the Xfinity and Cup Series competes on a doubleheader weekend on September 11-12. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, NASCAR was forced to rescheduled its racing events for March and beyond in an effort to complete the season by early November.

On August 6, when NASCAR released the final installment of its racing schedule for its three national division series, Richmond was revealed to host a quadruple-header weekend in September. It will all begin on Thursday, September 10, when the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series makes its return to Richmond since 2005. The following day on Friday, September 11, the Xfinity Series will race at Richmond, which will serve as the 24th series event of the season. The quadruple-header weekend of racing will cap off on September 12 with the Xfinity and Cup Series to compete throughout Saturday.

The Truck Series Richmond event on September 10 will serve as the final regular-season race of this season, where the 10-Truck Playoff field will be determined. The Xfinity Series doubleheader races at Richmond will serve as the penultimate regular-season events of the season prior to the Playoffs. In addition, the Xfinity event at Richmond on September 12 replaces the Xfinity race at Michigan International Speedway that was originally slated to occur in early June. Finally, the lone Cup Series event at Richmond on September 12 will serve as the second Round of 16 race during the Playoffs.

Ticketholders for the Richmond Cup Series race and the Xfinity Series races will automatically receive a credit for the full amount of their purchase, along with an additional 20% of the total amount paid, in their ticket account by Friday, August 28. The 120% event credit can be used to apply towards future race events, including, but not limited to, a 2021 Cup Series race weekend at Richmond or another 2021 NASCAR sanctioned event at any NASCAR-owned tracks, subject to availability. For additional details or other options, fans can visit richmondraceway.com/assistance.

The NASCAR Truck Series race at Richmond on September 10 will air at 8 p.m. ET on FS1 while the first Xfinity Series race at Richmond on September 11 will air at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN. On September 12, the second Xfinity race will air at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN while the Cup Playoff race will air at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. All races will also air on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and its network of nationwide affiliates, including SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

August 21, 2020
Ty Dillon to surpass 150 Cup starts at Dover

A unique milestone is in the making for Ty Dillon entering this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader races at Dover International Speedway on August 22 and 23. By the time Dillon completes both Cup races at Dover, he will reach and surpass 150 starts in NASCAR’s premier series.

A native of Lewisville, North Carolina, the grandson of championship team owner Richard Childress and the younger brother of the 2018 Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon was already a rising star in NASCAR, having won the 2011 ARCA championship, three Truck Series career races, the 2012 Truck Rookie-of-the-Year title and his first Xfinity Series career victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when he made his Cup debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway in August 2014. Driving the No. 33 Realtree/Rheem Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing and led by the late Nick Harrison, Dillon started 29th and finished 25th in his series debut. He competed in one additional Cup race at Phoenix in November, where he finished 27th, before he went on to conclude his first full-time stint in the Xfinity Series in fifth place in the final standings.

The following season, Dillon qualified for his first Daytona 500 start in February after finishing 16th in the first Duel qualifying race at Daytona and earning a final transfer spot to the main event. Starting 31st, Dillon finished 28th in his first 500 attempt. He competed in four additional Cup races throughout the 2015 season while he competed on a full-time basis in the Xfinity Series for RCR. His best result during his four-race Cup span was a 14th-place result at Michigan International Speedway in June. He went on to conclude the 2015 Xfinity Series season in a career-best third place in the final standings.

In 2016, Dillon returned as a full-time Xfinity Series for RCR and a part-time Cup Series competitor for two organizations. His first start of the season was the Daytona 500, where he finished 25th while driving the No. 95 Cheerios/Kroger Chevrolet for Leavine Family Racing. The following race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Dillon served as an interim competitor for three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, who was recovering from injuries from a dune buggy accident in January and was able to compete in the opening races of the 2016 season. Driving the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing in three races, Dillon recorded finishes of 17th, 15th and 25th at Atlanta, Phoenix and at Bristol. He also relieved for Stewart for the remainder of the Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway in May, where he finished sixth despite the points being awarded to Stewart since Stewart started the race. He also made six additional starts in Leavine Family Racing’s No. 95 Chevrolet. His best results were 20th-place at Texas in April and 21st at Pocono in June.

Following three full-time seasons in the Xfinity Series, Dillon was promoted to the Cup Series in 2017 and as driver of the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet for Germain Racing led by crew chief Robert “Bootie” Barker. In Dillon’s first full-time season in the Cup Series as a rookie candidate, he recorded eight top-15 results, 40 laps led and an average result of 20.7 as he concluded the season in 24th place in the final standings, third place in the rookie standings behind Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez. His best results throughout the season were a pair of 11th-place results at Talladega in October and at Phoenix in November.

In 2018, Dillon remained with Germain Racing and was paired with veteran crew chief Matt Borland. In July at Daytona International Speedway, Dillon achieved his first top-10 career result in the Cup Series after finishing in sixth place. Throughout his sophomore season in the Cup circuit, Dillon recorded four additional top-15 results. When the season concluded, his average result was 24.1 and he concluded the season in 27th place in the final standings.

Dillon started the 2019 Cup season by finishing in sixth place in the Daytona 500 in February. After finishing no higher than 15th over the next six races, he finished 15th at Bristol in April after winning the first stage in a photo finish over Clint Bowyer. Two races later, at Talladega in April 2019, Dillon made his 100th Cup career start. During the main event, he won the first stage and finished in 17th place. In July at Daytona International Speedway, he achieved his first top-five career finish (fourth place) in a rain-shortened event. For the remainder of the season, Dillon achieved one additional top-10 result and four additional top-15 results before he concluded the season in 24th place in the final standings. He earned an average result of 20.6 and led 14 laps throughout his junior season in the Cup Series.

This season, through the first 23 Cup races, Dillon has achieved one top-10 result, five top-15 results and an average result of 22.3. He is in 27th place in the regular-season standings and is 235 points below the top-16 cutline to make this year’s Cup Playoffs with three regular-season races remaining.

Catch Dillon’s milestone start at Dover International Speedway on August 22 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

August 20, 2020
Early assessment of the 2020 Formula One season

The 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship season is currently in its second one-week break from racing amid a bizarre start to the sport’s 70th anniversary of F1 racing.

In a season that was scheduled to start in March but was delayed until July amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the final schedule itself remains incomplete, with many races across multiple nations being cancelled until next season or being postponed to an unknown date. Amid the adjustments towards the sporting, technical and regulatory aspects prior to and during a race weekend, the competitiveness amongst the 20 drivers (10 teams) have not changed through the first six races of this season with all pursuing the same goal: win the championship in F1’s 70th season.

For nearly the entire early portion of this year’s Formula One season, it has been dominated by Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic and the delay of this year’s racing season, the dynamic pairing of Hamilton, Bottas and Mercedes continue to be unstoppable on the track, thus leaving other competitors and teams to grind their gears.

It all started during the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring on July 5, where Bottas won and achieved his eighth career victory. Afterwards, Hamilton, the reigning six-time champion, went on to win the next four out of five races, including last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. One of Hamilton’s heroic performances of this season was when he suffered a left-front tyre puncture on the final lap, but he had a huge advantage over the field and enough power to limp home and win the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on August 2. Following his victory last weekend in Spain, Hamilton recorded his record-breaking 156th podium result in Formula One after previously tying Michael Schumacher for the most (155). He has now won a total of 88 Formula One career races, leaving him three shy of tying Schumacher for the most (91), and has won a record 92 poles (his recent one coming last weekend in Spain).

Through the first six races of this season, Hamilton, who has finished in the podium in all but one race and who awaits his racing plans for next season, leads the drivers’ championship standings by 37 points over Dutch’s Max Verstappen while Bottas, who has finished on the podium in all but one race and is set to remain with Mercedes for next season, is ranked in third place in the standings and trails teammate Hamilton by 43 points. In addition, Mercedes leads the constructors’ standings by 86 points over Red Bull Racing and strives to achieve its unprecedented seventh consecutive constructors’ title. Despite the season being far from over, the momentum Mercedes continues to exemplify on the track could very well result with the team etching more milestones on the track and in the record books.

The competitor who emerges as a possible championship threat to Hamilton and Mercedes this year is Max Verstappen. Verstappen, who is currently in his sixth season driving for the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing team, is the only non-Mercedes F1 competitor to win this season after he won the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix on August 9 for his ninth career win. Verstappen’s season started off on a low note, where he finished in last place of the 20-car field due to early electrical issues. Since then, Verstappen has recorded podium results through the Spanish Grand Prix (including his win at Silverstone). One of his best performances this season was during the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he rallied from wrecking his car while making his way to the grid to record a second-place finish. Even during last weekend’s race in Spain, where he recorded his third runner-up finish of the season, Verstappen was heard over the radio venting his frustration towards his crew and in failing to keep pace with Hamilton for the win. Despite the early frustrations, he is 37 points behind Hamilton and he has split the two Mercedes competitors atop the drivers’ standings. Both factors are crucial in giving the Dutch competitor and Red Bull Racing time this season to continue to intimidate Mercedes for this year’s F1 crown and pursue more Grand Prix wins.

Verstappen’s teammate, Alexander Albon, is currently situated in a tie for fifth place in the drivers’ standings with Canadian Lance Stroll with 40 points. Albon’s first full season driving for Red Bull Racing and since transitioning to the organization late last season started off on a disappointing note in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, where he spun following late contact with Lewis Hamilton while battling for a podium result late in the race and settled in 13th place. This marked the second time since last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix where Albon and Hamilton made contact and resulted with the Thai competitor missing an opportunity in recording his first F1 podium result. For the next five races, he has recorded top-10 results with a best result of fourth place in the Styrian Grand Prix in July. Though Albon has yet to establish his racing plans for next season and beyond, he continues to put his best foot forward on the track while aiming for his first victory and podium result in F1.

With Mercedes and Red Bull Racing off to a fast start this season, BWT Racing Point F1 Team occupies third place in the constructors’ standings following a strong start. Through the first six Formula One races of this season, at least one car from Racing Point has finished in the top 10. Lance Stroll rallied from retiring during the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix to finish in the top 10 the following five races as he is tied with Albon for fifth place in the standings. Stroll’s teammate, Sergio “Checo” Perez, has also had a productive start to this season, though he missed two races after being diagnosed with COVID-19 symptoms. In his other four races, Perez achieved top-10 results with a best result of fifth place last weekend in Spain. He is situated in eighth place in the standings. During his two-race absence, Nico Hülkenberg, who was left out of a full-time ride for this season after being released by Renault, filled in with hopes of returning to the sport next season. Hülkenberg competed in both Silverstone races, where he did not make the starting grid for the British Grand Prix due to an engine failure before he rallied during the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix after qualifying an impressive fourth place and finishing in seventh place.

Despite the on-track success between its two-car lineup, Racing Point was deducted 15 points following a protest launched at them from Renault following the Styrian Grand Prix, which alleged that Racing Point copied and utilized brake ducts from the Mercedes F1 W10 car used last season. Following similar protests launched against them in Hungary and at Silverstone, FIA stewards ruled that Racing Point illegally copied the brake ducts from the former Mercedes F1 car and the team was docked 15 constructors’ points and fined €400,000. Racing Point, nonetheless, continues to be situated in third place in the constructors’ standings by a slim margin with 63 total points and a long season ahead.

Trailing right behind as the fourth best team in the competition is the McLaren F1 Team with 62 points accomplished between its youthful lineup of Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris. Having achieved 12 drivers’ championships and eight constructors’ titles, the McLaren team is coming off a productive 2019 season, but continues to strive in returning back to competitive form and reigniting its past success on the circuit this season.

Thus far, the team got off to a fast start during the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, when Norris, currently in his second full-time F1 season, notched his first podium finish and was awarded third place as a result of Hamilton given a five-second time penalty following late contact with Albon. The late turnaround made Norris the third youngest F1 competitor to stand on the podium. In addition to his podium result in Austria, Norris has recorded top-10 results in five of the first six F1 races this season and is situated in seventh place in the drivers’ standings while hungry for more. Sainz, on the other hand, is looking for momentum and a strong conclusion following an up-and-down start to his second and final season racing for McLaren before joining Scuderia Ferrari for the 2021 season alongside Charles Leclerc. Last season, it took him until the first four races of the season for him to claim his first top-10 result. This season, Sainz recorded a strong fifth-place result in the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix before he backed it up with back-to-back ninth-place results. He then struggled in both races at Silverstone, where he finished in 13th place in both races, before he rebounded with a sixth-place result at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, his home track. Currently situated in ninth place in the drivers’ standings, Sainz strives to achieve his first podium result since last season in Brazil, along with his first career win, and push for more on the track in his sixth season in F1.

Coincidentally, the Scuderia Ferrari team is situated in fifth place in the constructors’ standings with 61 points. Compared to previous seasons, this season has been a struggle for an organization that has achieved 15 drivers’ championships and 16 constructors’ titles. Thus far, Charles Leclerc, who is in second season driving for Ferrari, has achieved two podium results, including a runner-up result in the Austrian Grand Prix. Though he sustained two retirements, including last weekend in Spain, he is fourth in the drivers’ standings while trailing Hamilton by 87 points. Sebastian Vettel, on the other hand, has yet to record a podium result in his sixth and final season driving for Ferrari. The four-time F1 champion from West Germany is in 11th place in the drivers’ standings, trailing Hamilton by 116 points, and has finished no higher than sixth place, which occurred at Silverstone during the British Grand Prix. With Ferrari admitting its struggle to find pace on the track with their new car, they have a long season ahead to turn the corner around and return to challenge Mercedes and Red Bull for podium results and wins on a weekly basis.

Next is the Renault DP World F1 Team with 36 points and currently in its second season with Daniel Ricciardo and first with Esteban Ocon. For Ricciardo, this season marks his best start with Renault compared to last season. After the first six races of last season, Ricciardo achieved two top-10 results and was situated in 13th place in the drivers’ standings. This season, the Australian native has recorded three top-10 results, which includes a best result of fourth place in the British Grand Prix, and is 10th place in the standings. Ricciardo strives to achieve as much success as possible with Renault as he did in the past with Red Bull Racing before he moves to McLaren for 2021 alongside Norris. Ocon, on the other hand, is continuing to rediscover his competitive form as a full-time competitor following his one-year absence from the sport, where he was a Mercedes reserve competitor last season. This season, since joining Renault, the Évreux, France, native has achieved three top-10 results and is in 12th place in the drivers’ standings while he attempts to repeat the success he produced on the track in 2017 while racing for the Sahara Force India F1 team. Despite this season being far from over, Renault is already setting its sights for next season in returning to competitive form with two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso set to return from a two-year retirement period and reunite with the organization, where Alonso achieved his two series titles with Renault.

Situated in seventh place in the current constructors’ standings with 16 points is the newly formed Scuderia AlphaTauri team. This team made its debut this season when rebranded from Toro Rosso to promote the AlphaTauri fashion brand, but it remains as a sister organization to Red Bull Racing. Though the team was rebranded, it retained its current driver lineup, featuring Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat, and it continues to run and be supplied with Honda engines like Red Bull. Through the first six races of this season, Gasly has recorded three top-10 results and is in 13th place in the drivers’ standings with 14 points while Kvyat has recorded two top-10 results and is in 16th place in the standings with two points. Though both competitors achieved a podium result last season (Kvyat in Germany and Gasly in Brazil), consistency on a weekly basis is the key element that the competitors and the team have yet to achieve to climb their way through the standings and serve as a competitive threat towards the likes of Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari.

With two points recorded throughout the first six races of this season in total thus far, the Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen is situated in eighth place in the constructors’ standings. The team was rebranded from Alfa Romeo Racing to Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen when Robert Kubica, who raced for Williams Racing last season, joined Alfa Romeo as a reserve competitor and brought his sponsor PKN Orlen with him as a co-title sponsor for the team. Currently, the team’s best result has been a ninth-place run in the Austrian Grand Prix with Antonio Giovinazzi. Giovinazzi is ranked in 15th place in the drivers’ standings and has finished no higher than 14th place (twice) in the last five F1 races of this season. His teammate, Kimi Räikkönen, is ranked in 18th place in the standings and he has finished no higher than 11th place through the six races of his 18th season in Formula One. Räikkönen, Giovinazzi and Alfa Romeo Racing have yet to announce their racing plans and lineup for next season.

With only one point recorded throughout the early stages of this season in total thus far, this marks the lowest number of points recorded by the Haas F1 Team in the team’s fifth season in competition. Though the team’s two-car lineup emerges into competitive form prior to a Grand Prix race, from practicing to qualifying, they struggle in race trim and keeping pace with the leaders. The team’s best run this season was during the Hungarian Grand Prix in July, where both Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean were racing within the top five in the early stages of the race. In the end, however, Magnussen recorded a 10th-place result and a single point for the Haas team while Grosjean fell all the way back to 16th place. Through the first six races, Magnussen is in 17th place in the drivers’ standings with one top-10 result and three retirements while Grosjean is 21st in the standings with a best result of 13th place, one retirement and no points recorded early this season. With the slow start to this season, Haas, America’s lone F1 team, have a tall mountain to climb in order to muscle their way back into competitive form against the sport’s elite and to achieve their first podium result in F1.

Finally, the Williams Racing hold possession of the 10th and final position of the constructors’ standings with no points recorded this season thus far. For a team that achieved seven drivers’ championships and nine constructors’ titles in the late-20th century, the last three seasons, including the start of this season, have not been playing into the favors of the Williams team. The good news for the organization is that they have retained their current driver lineup, featuring Nicholas Latifi and George Russell, for next season. The bad news is that both competitors are ranked well below the drivers’ standings this season with both struggling to keep pace with the leaders. This season, the team’s best results include a 11th-place finish with Latifi in Austria and a 12th-place result with Russell at Silverstone. Latifi is currently 19th in the drivers’ standings while Russell is 20th and one of four competitors, along with his teammate, to have no points recorded early this season. Like the Haas F1 team, Williams have a tall mountain to climb in order to reignite the on-track success achieved from the past.

The 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship season will resume on August 30 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix and the seventh racing event of this season.

August 20, 2020
Harvick to move into fifth place on the Cup consecutive starts list at Dover

A significant milestone is in the making for Kevin Harvick approaching this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader races at Dover International Speedway. By the time the Cup Series completes both Dover races on August 22 and 23, Harvick will move into fifth place on the all-time consecutive starts list with 665 consecutive starts.

Harvick’s previous 663 consecutive starts spans all the way back to April 2002 at Talladega Superspeedway, where he returned from a one-race suspension following an on-track altercation with Coy Gibbs in the NASCAR Truck Series at Martinsville Speedway. From April 2002 at Talladega to November 2013 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he made 424 consecutive starts in the No. 29 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. During his consecutive streak span with RCR, Harvick achieved 21 victories, six poles, 93 top-five results, 192 top-10 results and over 4,000 laps led. His best points result during his time with RCR was third place, which he achieved in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

From February 2014 at Daytona International Speedway through August 2020 at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course, Harvick’s streak of consecutive starts continued when he made the move to Stewart-Haas Racing to drive the No. 4 car. Through 239 consecutive starts with SHR, Harvick achieved 32 victories, 26 poles, 121 top-five results, 172 top-10 results and over 10,000 laps led. In 2014, Harvick captured his first NASCAR Cup Series championship in his first season with SHR after winning the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November.

Following the first 23 Cup races of this season, where Harvick has won six races and is the current regular-season points leader, he is tied with seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson with 663 consecutive starts. In addition to surpassing Johnson and moving into the top five in the all-time Cup consecutive starts list, Harvick is the leading active Cup competitor with the most consecutive starts among the current Cup field. Johnson’s streak came to an end in July when he tested positive for COVID-19 symptoms and was unable to compete at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a race that was ironically won by Harvick.

With Harvick set to achieve 665 consecutive starts following this weekend, he continues to trail Jeff Gordon (797), Ricky Rudd (788), Bobby Labonte (704) and Rusty Wallace (697) for the most consecutive starts as a Cup Series competitor.

Catch Harvick’s milestone starts at Dover International Speedway on August 22 and 23, with both races to air at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

August 19, 2020
Adam Stevens to reach 200 Cup starts as crew chief at Dover

A significant milestone is in the making for Adam Stevens, crew chief for Kyle Busch and the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry team in the NASCAR Cup Series. By the time the Cup Series completes its upcoming doubleheader races at Dover International Speedway on August 22 and 23, Stevens will reach 200 starts as a Cup crew chief.

A native of Portsmouth, Ohio, who raced in late models throughout high school and college, and whose father raced dune buggies and dirt late model cars, Stevens’ career in working with racing cars started off as a designer for Petty Enterprises after graduating from Ohio University with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. After working for Petty Enterprises for three seasons, he joined Joe Gibbs Racing and worked as a race engineer for Tony Stewart, crew chief Greg Zipadelli and the No. 20 Home Depot team. Stevens worked with Stewart from 2005 to 2008, winning the 2005 Cup title with Stewart, and continued working with JGR’s No. 20 Toyota team as a team engineer from 2009 and 2010 with Joey Logano.

In 2011, Joe Gibbs Racing fielded three cars for the Xfinity Series season and Stevens was named crew chief for the team’s No. 20 Toyota Camry team driven by a number of competitors, including Logano, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Truex. In April, Stevens achieved his first NASCAR win as a crew chief when Hamlin won at Richmond. From 2011 to 2014, Stevens won 31 NASCAR Xfinity Series career races as a crew chief with drivers Hamlin, Logano, Kyle Busch and Sam Hornish Jr. between the Nos. 18, 20 and 54 operations. During his four-year span as an Xfinity crew chief, Adams worked with 12 competitors.

In 2015, JGR underwent major changes to its driver-crew chief pairing for its Cup and Xfinity Series program. As part of the changes, Stevens graduated to the NASCAR Cup Series and was named crew chief for Kyle Busch and the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry team. A day prior to the 2015 Daytona 500, however, Busch suffered a massive compound fracture in his lower right leg, a small fracture in his left foot and a sprained left finger after being involved in a multi-car wreck in the Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway, where he made head-on contact into a concrete barrier installed with no SAFER barriers. As a result, with Busch out of the early portions of the season due to his injuries, Stevens worked with Matt Crafton, David Ragan and Erik Jones for the first 11 races of the season. In May, Busch was medically cleared to return behind the wheel of the No. 18 Toyota and was also granted an injury waiver to make the Playoffs if he won and gained enough points to remain within the top-30 mark by Richmond in September. Following his first four Cup races with Busch, Stevens achieved his first Cup victory as a crew chief when Busch won at Sonoma Raceway the following race.

Following the win at Sonoma, Busch and Adams stormed out of the gate as they won three consecutive races over the summer (Kentucky Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway). With five additional top-10 results to go along with four regular-season victories, Busch was able to earn enough points to make the Playoffs. Throughout the Playoffs, Busch was consistent and was able to earn a spot in the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway. During the finale, Busch took the lead on a late restart and was able to claim his first NASCAR Cup Series championship after winning the finale. The championship was not only the first for Busch, but it was also the fourth for Joe Gibbs Racing, the first for Toyota and the first for Adam Stevens in his rookie season as a Cup crew chief.

For the first 11 races of the 2016 Cup season, Busch and Adams won three races (Martinsville Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway) and achieved nine top-five results. Following Busch’s victory at Kansas in May, however, the No. 18 team was issued a P3-level penalty as a result of an infraction with the No. 18 Toyota’s lug nuts discovered during post-race inspection. As a result, Stevens was fined $20,000 and suspended for one race along with front tire changer Josh Leslie while veteran Todd Berrier filled in as an interim crew chief. When Adams returned atop the pit box at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 in May, he and Busch achieved seven top-10 results and won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the second year in a row as they both qualified for the Playoffs. Throughout the Playoffs, Busch was consistent as he earned eight top-10 results and made the Championship Round at Homestead with an opportunity to defend the title from the previous season. During the finale, however, Busch and Adams concluded the season in third place in the final standings after Busch finished in sixth place, five spots behind race winner and the champion Jimmie Johnson.

In 2017, Adams was atop the No. 18 pit box for 32 of the season’s 36-race schedule. In May, Adams and Busch captured the All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway and in Busch’s 12th attempt to win NASCAR’s annual event. In June, following the 12th race of the season at Dover, Stevens was suspended for the upcoming four races due to a safety violation, where a left-rear tire came off of Busch’s car and rolled on the track as Busch was exiting his pit stall and heading back on the track under cautious pace. This was a result of Busch’s car being dropped off the jack with no lug nuts being safely secured on the left-rear tire. Engineers Ben Beshore and Jacob Canter served as interim crew chiefs before Stevens returned atop the pit box at Kentucky Speedway in July. Three races later, Stevens and Kyle Busch achieved their first victory of the season at Pocono Raceway. The combo would win four more races, make the Playoffs and make it all the way through to the Championship Round at Homestead, where they settled in the runner-up spot behind Martin Truex Jr., crew chief Cole Pearn and Furniture Row Racing. By the time the 2017 concluded, Stevens surpassed 100 races as a Cup crew chief.

From 2018 to 2019, Stevens was atop the No. 18 pit box for the entire 36-race schedule. With Kyle Busch remaining as driver of the No. 18 Toyota, the combo achieved 13 wins, five poles, 39 top-five results, 56 top-10 results and back-to-back regular-season titles. In addition, Busch and Stevens claimed their second Cup championship in 2019 after winning the finale at Homestead and capping off a dominating season for Joe Gibbs Racing, which achieved its fifth Cup career title after winning 19 races throughout the 2019 season. By then, Adams also achieved his 27th Cup career win as a crew chief.

This season, through the first 23 Cup races of this season and in his sixth season as a Cup crew chief, Adams and Busch have earned one stage win, 10 top-five results, 12 top-10 results, 211 laps led and an average result of 15.1. With Busch still pursuing his first Cup victory of the season, they are in 10th place in the regular-season standings and are 100 points above the top-16 cutline to make this year’s Playoffs with three regular-season races remaining.

Catch Adams’ milestone start in the second Dover International Speedway race of a doubleheader weekend on August 23 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

August 19, 2020
Wallace to make 100th Cup start at Dover

A major milestone is in the making for Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE and NASCAR’s current lone African-American competitor in the Cup Series. When the green flag waves on Saturday, August 22, at Dover International Speedway, Wallace will reach 100 starts in the sport’s premier series and in his third full-time season competing against NASCAR’s elite.

A native of Mobile, Alabama, Wallace was already a rising star in NASCAR entering June 2017, having won six ARCA Menards Series East races and five NASCAR Truck Series races while competing in his third season in the Xfinity Series with Roush Fenway Racing. By then, Aric Almirola was in his sixth season as driver of the No. 43 Smithfield Ford Fusion for Richard Petty Motorsports.

When Almirola was injured and diagnosed with a compression fracture of his T5 vertebrae after being involved in a vicious multi-car accident at Kansas Speedway in May, Richard Petty Motorsports named Wallace as an interim competitor of the No. 43 Smithfield Ford, beginning at Pocono Raceway in June. Wallace’s interim role at Pocono not only marked his Cup debut, but he also became the first African-American competitor to compete in the Cup Series since Bill Lester made the last accomplishment in 2006. At Pocono, Wallace qualified 16th and finished 26th in his Cup debut after being hampered with a handful of pit road speeding penalties. Following the race, where he congratulated his longtime friend, fellow competitor and first-time winner Ryan Blaney, Wallace passed out and required medical attention.

Wallace made three additional starts in 2017 in the No. 43 car at Michigan International Speedway in June, Daytona International Speedway and at Kentucky Speedway (both in July). His best results during those three races were a 15th-place result at Daytona and an 11th-place result at Kentucky. The following race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Almirola was medically cleared to return to competition and Wallace was left without a full-time ride for the remainder of the season after his Xfinity ride at Roush Fenway Racing was terminated due to sponsorship issues. He made one start in the Truck Series at Michigan in August, where he won driving for MDM Motorsports, and one additional start in the Xfinity Series at Chicagoland Speedway in September, where he finished 10th driving for Biagi-DenBeste Racing.

In mid-October, amid months of speculation, NASCAR Hall of Famer and team owner Richard Petty named Bubba Wallace as a full-time competitor of the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series season, which Wallace entered as a Rookie-of-the-Year candidate as he also became the first African-American competitor to compete on a full-time basis in the Cup Series since the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott made the last accomplishment in 1971.

Wallace made his first start in the No. 43 Chevrolet in the first of two Can-Am Duel races at Daytona International Speedway in February, where he dodged a handful of on-track incidents to finish in third place behind race winner Blaney and Joey Logano. Wallace’s third-place result in the duel event earned him the seventh-place starting spot for the 60th running of the Daytona 500 three days later. Prior to the 500, Wallace received support from a number of star athletes, including Super Bowl XLV champion Charles Woodson, Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron and Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton. During the Daytona 500, Wallace made a late charge and edged Denny Hamlin by a nose to finish in second place behind race winner Austin Dillon. Though he did not win the race, he won the hearts of fans over his strong performance and he cherished the result during his post-race press conference by sharing a tearful hug with his mother and family. Wallace also became the highest-finishing African-American competitor in the Daytona 500, eclipsing the previous record made by Scott’s 13th-place result in 1966.

Following his historic run in the Daytona 500, Wallace finished no higher than 20th place in the next five Cup races before he earned his second top-10 career finish (eighth-place) at Texas Motor Speedway. The following race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Wallace had a historic run in the making when he took the lead from Brad Keselowski on Lap 375 of 500 and led his first six laps in the Cup Series and in a blue and orange No. 43 STP Chevrolet that mirrored the scheme Richard Petty sported when he dominated stock car racing in the past. Though Wallace was primed for a strong result at Bristol, he ended his race with a disappointing 16th-place finish following handling issues. For the remainder of his rookie Cup season, Wallace earned one additional top-10 result (10th at Phoenix) and was beaten by William Byron for the Rookie-of-the-Year title. Overall, Wallace earned one top-five result, three top-10 results and an average result of 24.5 throughout the 36-race schedule before he concluded the season in 28th place in the final standings.

Wallace started off the 2019 season with lead engineer Derek Stamets as his new crew chief following Blickensderfer’s departure from RPM to Front Row Motorsports. For the first 12 Cup races of the season, Wallace finished no higher than 17th place (Martinsville in March). The following race, which was the Monster Energy Open at Charlotte Motor Speedway, was where Wallace flexed his muscles after he fended off a late charge from Daniel Suarez to win the second of three stages in the Open and transfer to his first All-Star Race of his career. Wallace’s success continued during the main event, where he finished in fifth place. His other success to the 2019 season occurred at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he dodged a series of carnages to finish in third place behind race winner Kevin Harvick and Logano. The third-place result marked his first top-five result since finishing second in the 2018 Daytona 500 and the second crown-jewel event where he earned a podium result. Wallace, however, recorded four additional top-15 results before he concluded the season in 28th place in the final standings and with an average result of 23.9.

This season, Wallace reunited with veteran crew chief Jerry Baxter, who won five Truck races with Wallace in 2013 and 2014 with Kyle Busch Motorsports. Wallace started off the season by finishing 15th in the Daytona 500. He rebounded the following race by finishing in sixth place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after opting to remain on track on old tires for a two-lap shootout to the finish. He went on to finish 27th and 19th in the next two Cup races before COVID-19 paused this year’s racing season through May. By then, Wallace was in 18th place in the regular-season standings.

Since the return of racing at Darlington Raceway in May through last weekend at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course, Wallace has earned three additional top-10 results, seven additional top-15 results and an average result of 19.8. He is currently in 21st place in the regular-season standings and is 165 points below the top-16 cutline to make this year’s Cup Playoffs. He has yet to announce his racing plans for next season and beyond.

In addition to his competitiveness on the track, Wallace, this season, has become the face of NASCAR’s involvement in the Black Lives Matter movement and speaking out on the abuse of African Americans by the police. At Martinsville Speedway, he sported a special black scheme on his No. 43 Chevrolet that featured the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter and the phrase “Compassion, Love, Understanding.” Shortly after at Talladega Superspeedway, where a noose was discovered in Wallace’s garage stall, all the competitors and crew members joined Wallace to the front of the pit road in a show of solidarity through the national anthem and prior to the race. Despite the incident being determined that Wallace was not a target of a hate crime and the backlash that followed suit towards the competitor of the iconic No. 43 car, Wallace vows to continue to maintain his stance against his doubters and race towards history both on and off the track.

Catch Wallace’s milestone start on August 22 at Dover at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

August 19, 2020
Elliott to start on pole position at Dover on Saturday

Chase Elliott will start on pole position in the first of two NASCAR Cup Series races at Dover International Speedway this upcoming weekend on Saturday, August 22.

The Dawsonville, Georgia, native, is coming off a historic win last weekend at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course, a victory which was his second of the season, eighth of his Cup career and made him the fifth multi-winner of this year’s season. In earning the pole position for Saturday’s race at Dover based on three statistical categories (owner points standings, results from a previous Cup race and fastest lap from a previous Cup race), he will lead the field to the green flag for the third time this season.

Denny Hamlin, who finished in the runner-up position behind Elliott at Daytona, will start alongside him on the front row. Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer and Joey Logano will start in the top five. Jimmie Johnson, a 10-time Dover winner who will make his final two starts at the track this weekend, will start in sixth place followed by Brad Keselowski, William Byron, Kurt Busch and regular-season leader Kevin Harvick. Alex Bowman and Chris Buescher will start 11th and 12th.

Starting in positions 13-26 are Erik Jones, Matt DiBenedetto, Michael McDowell, rookie Tyler Reddick, Aric Almirola, rookie Christopher Bell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Blaney, rookie Cole Custer, Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Bubba Wallace, Ty Dillon and Matt Kenseth.

Starting in positions 27-40 are Ryan Preece, Daniel Suarez, Corey LaJoie, rookie Brennan Poole, rookie John Hunter Nemechek, Austin Dillon, Timmy Hill, J.J. Yeley, rookie Quin Houff, Reed Sorenson, Josh Bilicki, Joey Gase, Garrett Smithley and B.J. McLeod.

Though he is scheduled to start in 32nd place on Saturday, Austin Dillon continues to await his status and medical clearance to return to racing after missing last weekend’s race at Daytona due to being diagnosed with COVID-19 symptoms a day prior to the main event.

The results from Saturday will determine the lineup for the second Cup Dover race on Sunday, August 23, where only the top-20 finishers on Saturday will be inverted for Sunday’s race.

The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover this upcoming weekend will occur on August 22 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The second Cup race at Dover will occur the following day on August 23 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and it will cap off an eventful weekend of racing in Dover, Delaware, featuring the ARCA Menards Series East, the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series (which will also compete twice on Saturday and Sunday with the Cup Series).

August 19, 2020
2020 Cup Playoff outlook after Daytona RC

Three races and two venues are all that remain in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series regular-season schedule with the Playoffs less than two weeks away from being set and commencing. With the deficit for the final spots to the Playoffs stabilizing and not decreasing, time is running low for many current and future stars to earn themselves and their team a ticket to the 2020 postseason battle for the series championship.

With a win in the inaugural running of the Go Bowling 235 at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course, Chase Elliott joins a handful of competitors that have won multiple Cup races this season, a list that includes regular-season leader Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano. All five, along with Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon and rookie Cole Custer, remain guaranteed spots in the Playoffs by virtue of winning one or more regular-season races. Though Austin Dillon did not compete at the Daytona Road Course event due to suffering COVID-19 symptoms, he is expected to be granted a waiver to qualify for the postseason.

Currently, six spots continue to remain vacant for the 2020 Cup Playoffs with three spots set to be occupied by competitors that have not win this season thus far.

The first competitor who continues to emerge as the highest winless competitor in points is Aric Almirola. Despite starting in sixth place, the Floridian struggled with maintaining and gaining track position throughout the race. A 24th-place result marked his lowest result since finishing in 33rd place at Martinsville Speedway in June. The good news for Almirola and his No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang team is the fact that he is 130 points above the top-16 cutline to qualify for this year’s Playoffs.

“We started to gain momentum there at the end and thought we could have put the Go Bowling Ford Mustang inside the top 10,” Almirola said. “Unfortunately, that caution came out and we pitted. I was caught behind some cars on the restart with nowhere to go. That’s road course racing. Not the day we wanted, but we kept the car on the track and in one piece. We’ll regroup and go to Dover where we know we can bring speed.”

For the Busch brothers, it was a tale of mixed results. For Kurt Busch, he started in eighth place and was battling for a spot in the top 10 throughout the race before he settled in 14th place when the checkered flag flew. Kyle, on the other hand, had a roller coaster run that ended up with misfortunes. It all started in the opening laps when he locked up his front tires while running inside the top five and made an unscheduled pit stop for fresh tires, a move that sent him to the rear of the field. He rallied his way back into the top 10 during the second stage, but spun in Turn 6 after locking up his front tires. While he appeared poised for a strong result despite his early struggles, his race went away under 20 laps remaining when he took his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to the garage due to brake rotor failure. Though he returned to the track, he was involved in a single-car incident with five laps remaining and was unable to complete the race. Through the first 23 races of this season, both Busch brothers remain winless, with Kurt above the cutline by 121 points and Kyle by 100 points.

“I really enjoyed the day today, the track was a fun challenge for us,” Kurt Busch said. “[Crew chief] Matt McCall did a nice job making adjustments on the Monster Energy Camaro, but we burned up the tires on the last longer run and just had to play a little defense in the end. It was a really fun track and I had some fun out there today, I just didn’t have enough in the end.”

Compared to Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer had a strong performance at Daytona. Starting 12th, Bowyer earned top-five results in both stages and collected a number of stage points towards the Playoffs. Though Bowyer could not keep pace with eventual winner Chase Elliott, he remained inside the top five in the final laps and was poised for more before he crossed the finish line in sixth place. Bowyer’s sixth-place result was his highest since finishing seventh and eighth during the Pocono Raceway doubleheader races in June and it snapped his recent seven-race stretch of finishing no higher than 11th. With his sixth top-10 result of the season, the Kansas veteran is 66 points above the top-16 cutline.

“We did what we needed to do today,” Bowyer said. “We had a great Mobil 1 Ford. I thought it was going to be even better there at the end, but we must have gotten hot. [William Byron] got me on the restart and then another car got by me. If I didn’t have anything to lose there I might have been able to get a few more back. But that was a good points day. I hope we are on a roll and we continue this at Dover.”

Right behind Bowyer in points continues to be Matt DiBenedetto, who started in ninth place and brought the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Mustang in 15th place when the race concluded. With his 15th top-15 result of the season, DiBenedetto is 44 points above the cutline and three races away from making his first postseason appearance as a championship contender.

With an eighth-place result at the Daytona Road Course event, William Byron continues to hold sole possession of the 16th and final transfer spot to the Playoffs by 25 points. Starting 13th, the Charlotte native contended inside the top 10 as he earned top-10 results in both stages and collected valuable stage points towards the Playoffs. Restarting in 34th with 26 laps remaining, Byron and his No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE charged his way back towards the front. Following a late pit stop under green and a late caution due to a single-car incident, he was scored in sixth place. During the final three laps, he lost two positions before he crossed the line in eighth place for his seventh top-10 career finish in the Cup Series and to remain in contention for a spot to the 2020 Playoffs.

“It was a good result for us today,” Byron said. “We chose to go for the stage points and had to pass our way through the field a few times because of that strategy. I think we did a nice job of that and getting a lot of those available points. Once we got towards the front top five we kind of stalled out though. Overall, I’m pretty happy with today and getting a good result. We just need to have a couple good weeks with solid races when we go on to Dover for two races and back to Daytona. I’m looking forward to Dover next week for sure though.”

The competitor who trails the top-16 cutline by 25 points is seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, who rallied from his share of on-track struggles throughout the summer to post his highest-finishing result since finishing in third place at Bristol Motor Speedway in May. With three regular-season races remaining, Johnson has three opportunities remaining in keeping his hopes for a record-setting eighth championship alive.

The next two closest competitors behind Byron and Johnson in points are Erik Jones and rookie Tyler Reddick. Starting in 20th, Jones was able to notch a sixth-place result in the first stage. The remainder of the race, however, did not go as planned for the Michigan native as he settled in 16th in the second stage before finishing 11th in the overall race. For Reddick, who started 18th, he finished outside the top 30 in both stages and he could work his way only up to 18th when the race concluded. As a result, Jones trails the cutline by 35 points while Reddick trails by 57 points.

The remaining competitors who trail the top-16 cutline by 146 points or more are rookie Christopher Bell, Bubba Wallace, Chris Buescher, Michael McDowell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Newman, rookie John Hunter Nemechek, Ty Dillon, Matt Kenseth, Corey LaJoie, Ryan Preece, Daniel Suarez, rookie Brennan Poole and rookie Quin Houff.

The battle for the final spots to the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs will continue next weekend at Dover International Speedway for a series doubleheader weekend. The first Dover race will commence on Saturday, August 22, at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN while the second will occur the following day on Sunday, August 23, at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

August 17, 2020
Johnson and Buescher record strong top-five results at Daytona RC

While Chase Elliott achieved a historic win in the inaugural Daytona International Speedway Road Course event on Sunday, August 16, teammate Jimmie Johnson and Chris Buescher achieved much-needed runs inside the top five and in their quest to contend for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series championship battle.

For Johnson, who sported a new white and purple primary scheme to his No. 48 Ally/Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, his race started in 11th place. Following the opening lap, the seven-time Cup champion made his way into the top 10. Throughout the first stage spanning 15 laps, he continued to methodically work his way towards the front and was scored in third place when the stage concluded, thus collecting a handful of stage points.

Due to a series of pit strategies made among multiple competitors, Johnson restarted in 20th place for the stage of the second stage and after he made a pit stop for four fresh tires and fuel under the first stage’s break. Throughout the second stage that also spanned 15 laps, he raced and battled within the top 15 to top 20. Despite sustaining a hole to the front nose of his car due to contact on the restart to start the second stage, Johnson was able to settle in 14th place when the second stage concluded.

Restarting in sixth place for the final stage, Johnson was running in fourth place and battling for more when the race was delayed due to weather with less than 30 laps remaining. Nearly half an hour later and when the race restarted, he continued to flex his muscles as he worked his way as high as second place, trailing teammate Chase Elliott, before he fell back to fifth.

With five laps remaining, Johnson was poised for a top-three result behind Elliott and Denny Hamlin when the caution due to a single-car incident flew with five laps remaining. During a final three-lap dash to the finish, Johnson continued to battle for a spot in the top five before he crossed the finish line in fourth place, three spots behind race winner/teammate Elliott.

Johnson’s third-place result in the inaugural Daytona Road Course event marked his best result and first top-five result since finishing third at Bristol Motor Speedway in May. It also marked his 12th career top-five result at Daytona in his penultimate run at the world center of racing. Despite his top-five run, Johnson trails teammate William Byron by 25 points for the 16th and final spot to the 2020 Playoffs with three regular-season races remaining.

“Good job to everyone on my No. 48 Ally Chevy team,” Johnson said. “I just lacked that rear grip at the end there. That was a really fun and a solid day, that’s what we needed and now we go to my favorite track – Dover. So proud of Chase, what a road racer he is.”

For Buescher, who carried a special message on his No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Mustang in celebration of a 10-year partnership between RFR and sponsor Fastenal, his race started back in 21st place. Following the first 10 laps, however, he was back in 24th place. When the first stage concluded on Lap 15, he was scored in 30th due to making a pit stop under green two laps earlier. Restarting in 14th place for the start of the second stage, Buescher spent most of the run inside the top 20 before he made a pit stop under green. When the second stage concluded, he was in 23rd.

Lining up in 13th place for the final stage, Buescher was in ninth place when the race was delayed for nearly half an hour due to weather. When the race resumed with 26 laps remaining, he continued to race inside the top 10 before he pitted under 20 laps remaining. When he returned on the track, he was back in the top 15 and was charging to get back into the top 10. By the time he moved up to ninth place, the caution flew with five laps remaining due to a single-car incident.

During a three-lap dash to the finish, Buescher wasted no time charging his way into the top 10 and for more as he made his first appearance inside the top five. When the checkered flag flew, he was able to cross the finish line in fifth place and as the highest-finishing Ford competitor.

The fifth-place result was Buescher’s sixth of his Cup career and his best since finishing in third place in the Daytona 500 in February. With his result, however, he is 174 points below the top-16 cutline and will likely need a race win to qualify for the 2020 Cup Playoffs with three regular-season races remaining.

“That was just a fun day for our Fastenal Ford Mustang team,” Buescher said. “We needed that after a couple of hard weeks. Some decent runs and some bad luck and that was fun. I was able to mix it up and steadily work our way forward. We kept learning as we went and there at the end we got beat up. All four corners of this Mustang are beat up but we got the finish out of it. That was a good one. A good day.”

Johnson and Buescher, along with their fellow Cup competitors, will return next weekend for a pair of NASCAR Cup Series races at Dover International Speedway. The first Cup Dover event will occur on Saturday, August 22, at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN while the second Dover race will occur on Sunday. August 23, at 4. p.m. ET on NBCSN.

August 17, 2020
Grala notches top-10 result in Cup debut at Daytona RC

Perhaps, there was no competitor who left the inaugural Go Bowling 235 at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course beaming more than Kaz Grala. The 21-year-old native from Boston, Massachusetts, received a lifetime opportunity on Sunday, August 16, to pilot the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for Richard Childress Racing as an interim competitor for Austin Dillon, who was absent after testing positive for COVID-19 symptoms a day earlier. Following a consistent run at Daytona, where he started at the rear of the field and was running towards the front in the closing laps, Grala ended his race with a seventh-place result and in his first run in a NASCAR Cup Series car.

The No. 3 American Ethanol/RCR Chevrolet was due to start in 10th place with Dillon behind the wheel. With Dillon absent after being diagnosed with COVID-19 symptoms, however, Grala started the race at the rear of the field due to a driver change. For the first 15 laps and throughout the first stage, he remained within the top 30 before he settled in 32nd place. Throughout the second stage, Grala continued to carve his way towards the front, but he settled in 24th following a late pit stop under green.

Following a rain delay in the early portions of the final stage and a pit stop prior to the restart, the final 26 laps was where Grala started to flex his muscles as he worked his way into the top 15. During a cycle of pit stops under green with approximately 15 laps remaining, Grala found himself as the leader of the race. Ultimately, he led his first three career laps in the Cup circuit before he made his final pit stop under green for fuel to complete the race to its scheduled distance. Following his stop, he continued to battle inside the top 15. Following a late caution and a three-lap dash to the finish, he was able to muscle his way into the top 10 and cross the finish line under the checkered flag in seventh place ahead of names like William Byron, Joey Logano, Michael McDowell, Erik Jones, Alex Bowman, Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch.

With his first run in the Cup circuit concluding with a first top-10 career result, Grala became the 19th competitor to record a top-10 result in the Cup Series while driving for Richard Childress Racing and the fifth competitor to pilot the iconic No. 3 car in NASCAR’s premier series. Ironically, the Daytona Road Course event marked the 1,000th NASCAR Cup race for the No. 3 car under the Richard Childress Racing banner.

“I can’t believe it,” Grala said on NBC. “It’s surreal to get the call from Richard [Childress] to drive the 3 [car] alone. I was really hoping for a top-30 finish. Man, seventh-place, that’s unbelievable. I couldn’t ask for anything more. My wishes are with Austin [Dillon]. I hope he’s back in the car next weekend [at Dover International Speedway], but it was an honor to get to drive this car and to finish P7, it’s just beyond my wildest dreams.”

“[Today] was tough,” Grala added. “We got up to like 25th and we were racing our butt off like we were racing for the win in any other series. Everybody’s just unbelievable. Our strategy was good. [Crew chief] Justin Alexander called a great race and put ourselves up front where we needed to be. We executed.”

The result came in his 62nd start across NASCAR’s three major national division series (Truck, Xfinity & Cup Series). He has made two starts this season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and in RCR’s No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro, where he finished 13th at Kansas in July and a career-best fourth place last weekend at Road America. His lone NASCAR victory dates back to February 2017, where he won the season opener at Daytona International Speedway while driving for GMS Racing. Since joining RCR last season as a part-time competitor, Grala continues to strive for his goal in returning as a full-time competitor for any organization within NASCAR’s top division series.

Ironically, this did not mark the only occasion where Grala drove a racing car sporting the number 3.

“I drove the 3 car in Bandoleros, Legends Cars, Late Models growing up,” Grala noted. “I never thought I’d make my first Cup start in the 3 car and I certainly never thought I’d get a top 10 [result].”

Announcements regarding Richard Childress Racing’s No. 3 Chevrolet team and Austin Dillon’s conditions for next weekend at Dover International Speedway for a series doubleheader weekend will be announced sometime this upcoming week.

August 17, 2020