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NASCAR Cup Series News

  • Trackhouse Racing announces purchase of Chip Ganassi Racing’s NASCAR team

    Trackhouse Racing announces purchase of Chip Ganassi Racing’s NASCAR team

    Trackhouse Entertainment Group and Trackhouse Racing announced Wednesday afternoon the purchase of Chip Ganassi Racing’s NASCAR operation. The acquisition will be effective at the end of the 2021 season.

    Daniel Suárez, who has three top-10 finishes this season, will continue with the team next year in the NASCAR Cup Series and a second driver will be named at a later date.

    The announcement was made by Trackhouse team president Ty Norris and Trackhouse Entertainment Group founder, Justin Marks. Co-owner, Pitbull, formally known as Armando Perez, was not present for the announcement.

    “This process took several weeks and I want to thank Chip for being so open and candid with me every step of the journey,” Marks said. “Chip has built an iconic motorsports empire and the Ganassi brand is globally recognized as a winner in the auto racing industry. It is truly an honor that we can build from that foundation.”

    Although Chip Ganassi said that his team was not for sale, the offer was appealing for a number of reasons.

    “I think this is a great day for NASCAR as it seems like there are so many people that are wanting to get into the sport as owners – Michael Jordan, Pitbull, Denny and plenty of others. They are bringing new perspective, vision and insight which is great for the sport.

    “Justin simply came to me with a great offer and an even better vision. As everyone knows, I care deeply for my employees so selling to someone like Justin, who is part of the CGR family, made the reality of selling much easier. He knows our organization and the people. That gives me comfort.”

    Ganassi will continue to be involved in racing, stating, “Everyone needs to know that I am still completely dedicated to the motorsports industry and will continue to run my other teams in INDYCAR, IMSA and Extreme E with the same enthusiasm that I always have.”

    Marks confirmed that the new team will operate out of Ganassi’s current race shop in 2022.

  • NASCAR and Texas Motor Speedway announce All-Star Race format

    NASCAR and Texas Motor Speedway announce All-Star Race format

    NASCAR and Texas Motor Speedway announced the All-Star Race format Wednesday evening. This will be the first time the event has been hosted at the 1.44-mile track. The exhibition race will be held on June 13 and will air at 8 p.m. ET on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

    This is a non-points event but the stakes are high as the race winner will earn a $900,000 prize with $100,000 going to the fastest pit crew in a mandatory pit stop.

    There will be six rounds for a total of 100 laps and the starting lineup for Round 1 will be determined by a random draw. The first four rounds will consist of 15 laps each, the fifth round will be 30 laps and the final round will be a 10-lap shootout.

    Texas Motor Speedway president and GM Eddie Gossage said, “Drivers and pit crews better pack their lunch pails because they are going to have to work extremely hard to earn the honor of celebrating in Victory Lane.” Gossage also indicated that he has planned a Wild West theme for pre-race ceremonies, saying, “This is a full metal rodeo for a big ole bag of dough.”

    The race format will also include inverted fields and only green flag laps will count.

    FORMAT:

    • Round 1 – 15 laps. After this round, the field will be inverted using a random draw and will start between the eighth and 12th positions.
    • Round 2 – 15 laps. The entire field will be inverted after this round.
    • Round 3 – 15 laps. The field will be inverted again using a random draw and starting between the eighth through 12th positions.
    • Round 4 – 15 laps.
    • Round 5 – 30 laps. The lineup for this round will be determined by the cumulative finish from the first four rounds. The driver with the best cumulative finish will start on the pole. This round also features a mandatory four-tire pit stop. The crew with the fastest pit stop will claim the $100,000 bonus.
    • Round 6 – 10 lap Shootout. The cars will line up by their finishing position in Round 5.

    The NASCAR Open will be run before the NASCAR All-Star Race at 6 p.m. ET on FS1. It will consist of three segments of 20/20/10 laps. The winner of each segment will race their way into the All-Star event. NASCAR fans will also be able to vote for a driver in the Fan Vote which will open Thursday, May 13 on NASCAR.com.

    The drivers that are eligible for the NASCAR All-Star Race have won a points race in 2020 or 2021, have previously won an All-Star Race and currently compete full-time and drivers who have won a NASCAR Cup Series Championship and currently compete full-time.

    Drivers who are currently eligible to participate in the All-Star Race:

    1. Christopher Bell
    2. Ryan Blaney
    3. Alex Bowman
    4. Kurt Busch
    5. Kyle Busch
    6. William Byron
    7. Cole Custer
    8. Austin Dillon
    9. Chase Elliott
    10. Denny Hamlin
    11. Kevin Harvick
    12. Brad Keselowski
    13. Kyle Larson
    14. Joey Logano
    15. Michael McDowell
    16. Ryan Newman
    17. Martin Truex Jr.

  • Chevy NCS at Richmond: Alex Bowman race winner quote

    Chevy NCS at Richmond: Alex Bowman race winner quote

    NASCAR Cup Series
    Richmond Raceway
    Toyota Owners 400
    Team Chevy Winner Quote
    April 18, 2021

    ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Race Winner Quote 

    LAST WEEK, ALEX BOWMAN WAS ONE OF THE FASTEST CARS AND IT ENDED IN HEARTBREAK FOR YOU GUYS. YOU COME BACK AND YOU SEAL THE DEAL TODAY, AFTER OVERCOMING A PIT ROAD PENALTY. HOW DID YOU GUYS OVERCOME THAT?

    “We just had a great race car; it’s as simple as that. Greg Ives (Crew Chief) and all the guys, they have to deal with me at short tracks and I drive these places really wrong. We kind of instead of trying to make me figure it out, we went to work on getting the race car where I needed it to be. Greg has done such an amazing job at making that happen.

    “First and foremost, got to thank Ally and Chevrolet; everyone at Hendrick Motorsports. This one is for Rowdy and his family. Miss him and Blakley every day. Just means the world to be able to win for Ally. It’s definitely emotional, obviously, with how hard the off-season was on us. Appreciative for the opportunity and we have more races to win this year.” 

    HE’S TALKING ABOUT HIS PIT CREW MEMBER THAT LOST HIS LIFE IN THE OFF-SEASON. LET’S GO BACK TO THE END OF THIS RACE. YOU’RE BATTLING TWO GUYS THAT, COMBINED, HAVE WON IT FIVE TIMES. WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND AT THAT MOMENT?

    “To be honest with you, we were terrible on short runs. We restarted third and I’m like man, if we get out of here with a solid top-five, we’ll be good. We’ve overcome a lot today. I don’t know if Greg pumped the pressures way up or what he did, but that’s more grip than I’ve ever had in a race car at Richmond and it worked out really well. Getting to race a guy like Denny (Hamlin) at a place that this is really cool. I feel like we raced each other really clean, so I’m appreciative of that. It means a lot.”
    About Chevrolet: Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 75 countries with nearly 4 million cars and trucks sold in 2019. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

  • Martinsville to host rain-tire testing for use at select short tracks

    Martinsville to host rain-tire testing for use at select short tracks

    NASCAR will hold a test session Thursday at Martinsville Speedway to look at the possibility of using rain tires on NASCAR’s shorter ovals. They are not discussing racing in the rain but being able to race on a wet track which should shorten rain delays.

    Officials for NASCAR are already at the Martinsville track testing the Next Gen car with Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota manufacturers.

    Kyle Larson will participate in the test with the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and Chris Buescher will drive the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford. The test will be conducted on a dampened track.

    Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, described the purpose of the test as a step toward determining if the use of rain-tires can decrease the length of rain delays.

    “I think the overall goal is anything we can do to speed up the drying process, regardless of the technology, to allow us to get back to racing more quickly is a benefit to the fans,” O’Donnell said. “We’re always trying to innovate, and you saw that with what we’ve done around the track-drying system and that’s worked out well. We’ve always looked at what’s the next iteration. If you’ve looked at what the teams have been able to do with more road racing coming into the fold, the idea of short tracks and could we work with Goodyear to find a tire that would allow us to get back to racing sooner under wet-weather conditions.”

    O’Donnell emphasized that the intent is not to be able to race in the rain but to be able to shorten lengthy rain delays and return to competition quicker.

    “I think at this point, we’re not talking about if it’s actually raining, “he said. “It’s more so, can we get back more quickly than the track being completely dry, which is what we require now. That’s part of the test, looking at where’s the limit, where we would feel comfortable for the drivers. We want this to be safe, so that will be part of this test — talking to the drivers, what are they comfortable with — then obviously talking to Goodyear and (director of racing) Greg Stucker and his team about how they feel and how the tire performs, what if any tweaks we could make to that tire coming out of Martinsville, so there’s a lot that we’re hoping to learn here in terms of grip levels. Each track is unique, so this is something we’ll have to look at for multiple venues.”

    There is no timetable for how quickly the use of these rain-tires could be implemented at various short tracks as the decision will not be made solely by NASCAR but will be discussed with the team owners, drivers and Goodyear.

    “Too early to tell, but I would say if this worked and we felt comfortable with it — and that would be both Goodyear and reaction from the drivers and teams — this is something we would look to implement as quickly as we could,” O’Donnell said. “We all know that if we can deliver a race on time or shorten those delays, that’s a benefit to the entire industry.”

  • Ag-Pro Expands Partnership with Talladega Superspeedway with Ag-Pro 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series Race, set for Saturday, April 24

    Ag-Pro Expands Partnership with Talladega Superspeedway with Ag-Pro 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series Race, set for Saturday, April 24

  • Myatt Snider claims his first Xfinity Series win at Homestead

    Myatt Snider claims his first Xfinity Series win at Homestead

    Myatt Snider in his No.2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet brought his car to the Checkered Flag in first place, winning it the hard way, in double overtime, in his 39th start. For two consecutive weeks, the NASCAR Xfinity Series has had first-time winners.

    Snider said, “I guess I learned my lesson on the first restart because I spun the wheels.” adding, “I saw Tyler (Reddick) spin his wheels on the next one so I kind of figured I might have a chance.” He stated, ”Shout out to all those RCR guys and these people supporting me all these years. It’s been a journey but we’re here to win and I can’t complain.”

    Tyler Reddick brought his Richard Childress Racing No. 23 Chevrolet home in second but was disqualified after failing the rear height requirement in post-race inspection, relegating him to a 40th place finish.

    Brandon Jones was originally credited with a third-place result in his No.19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota but moved up to earn a runner-up finish with Reddick’s disqualification.

    Jones stated, “I think compared to last year this is already a better start to our year. I know we’ve had our ups and downs, but our performance is really close. All in all a pretty solid day, third (his original finish) is good and we’ll take the points and push for a win here.”

    Stage 1:

    Stage 1 was relatively uneventful with only one caution.

    A.J. Allmendinger was up front for most of the stage and when it came down to it, he got a late-stage lead and went on to win Stage 1 of the race.

    Stage 2:

    Stage 2 only had one caution as well, for fluid on the track. Things didn’t go as smoothly as they had for Allmendinger in this stage but Josh Berry had a really nice run today. At the end of the stage, it would be Austin Cindric winning Stage 2.

    Stage 3:

    Stage 3 saw a little more trouble. Riley Herbst and Justin Allgaier tangled up with each other. The worst moment was when David Starr had tire problems and shot up the track right where race leader Noah Gragson was running. Gragson couldn’t react fast enough and hit him pretty hard. The last actual caution came out for the spinning car of Allmendinger. The race went into double overtime and it came down to Reddick and Snider, with Snider taking the win.

    With Reddick disqualified, Daniel Hemric, Jeb Burton and Austin Cindric would round out the top five. Justin Haley, Brett Moffitt, Ryan Sieg, Jeremy Clements and Josh Berry finished sixth through 10, respectively.

    Austin Cindric leads the Xfinity Series standings with 147 points. Myatt Snider is second with 118 points, Daniel Hemric has 117 points, Jeb Burton is in fourth with 106 points and Brandon Jones rounds out the top five with 93 points.

    The NASCAR Xfinity Series goes next to Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sat. March 6.

    Official Results:
    1. Myatt Snider
    2. Brandon Jones
    3. Daniel Hemric
    4. Jeb Burton
    5. Austin Cindric
    6. Justin Haley
    7. Brett Moffitt
    8. Ryan Sieg
    9. Jeremy Clements
    10. Josh Berry
    11. Riley Herbst
    12. JJ Yeley
    13. Michael Annett
    14. AJ Allmendinger
    15. Alex Labbe
    16. Timmy Hill
    17. Dexter Bean
    18. Tommy Joe Martins
    19. Landon Cassill
    20. Jade Buford
    21. David Starr
    22. Jeffrey Earnhardt
    23. Chad Finchum
    24. Ryan Vargas
    25. Kyle Weatherman
    26. Josh Williams
    27. Joe Graf Jr
    28. Gray Gaulding
    29. Matt Mills
    30. Santino Ferrucci
    31. Stefan Parsons
    32. Jesse Little
    33. Noah Gragson
    34. Brandon Brown
    35. Bayley Currey
    36. Colby Howard
    37. Ty Dillon
    38. Justin Allgaier
    39. Harrison Burton
    40. Tyler Reddick








  • Movers and Shakers – 2021 driver and crew chief updates

    Movers and Shakers – 2021 driver and crew chief updates

    NASCAR accomplished the improbable and what some deemed the impossible task of completing a full season of racing in 2020. Their innovation, perseverance, and adherence to safety protocols led the way in the sports world.

    We celebrated new champions and said goodbye to old friends, reminding us that change is inevitable.

    As we anticipate another exciting season in NASCAR, here is your guide to partnerships continued and new alliances formed in preparation for the 2021 season.

    This list of driver and crew chief changes will be updated as new information becomes available.

    Anthony Alfredo:

    2020 – Part-time in the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series

    2021 Status – Alfredo moves to Front Row Racing to run full-time in the Cup Series in the No. 38 Ford. He replaces John Hunter Nemechek who signed with KBM to run full-time in the Truck Series in 2021.

    Justin Allgaier:

    2020 – No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series

    2021 Status – Allgaier will return to JR Motorsports in 2021 for his sixth full-time season with the team in the Xfinity Series.

    AJ Allmendinger:

    2020 – Allmendinger competed in 11 Xfinity Series races in the No. 16 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing.

    2021 Status – Kaulig Racing announced that Allmendinger will return next season to race full-time in the Xfinity Series in the No. 16 Chevrolet with crew chief, Jason Trinchere (Haley’s lead engineer last year.) He will also compete on the Daytona road course on Feb. 21 for Kaulig Racing.

    Aric Almirola:

    2020 – No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – On Sept. 1, Almirola confirmed that he will return to drive the No. 10 Ford full-time for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2021.

    Jordan Anderson:

    2020 – No. 3 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet full-time in the Truck Series

    2021 – Anderson will compete full-time in the Xfinity Series as a rookie with his team Jordan Anderson Racing in the No. 31 Chevrolet. They will field cars acquired from Richard Childress Racing with ECR engines and Artie Haire will serve as crew chief.  The team will also continue to compete in the Truck Series with various drivers, to be announced later. Anderson will drive in the Truck Series season opener at Daytona on Feb. 12.  

    Tyler Ankrum:

    2020 – No. 26 GMS Racing Chevrolet full-time in the Truck Series

    2021 Status – In October, GMS Racing announced that Ankrum would return for a second full-time season with the team. He will be paired with Charles Denike as crew chief.

    Michael Annett:

    2020 – No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet full-time in the Xfinity Series

    2021 Status – Annett will return to drive the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevy full-time in 2021, his fifth season with the organization.

    Christopher Bell:

    2020 – No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Toyota in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – Christopher Bell is moving to Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the No. 20 car in the Cup Series in 2021. He replaces Erik Jones in the No. 20 as Jones moves on to Richard Petty Motorsports. LFR made the decision to leave NASCAR at the end of the 2020 season, selling the team and its assets. Adam Stevens will move from the No. 18 Kyle Busch team to serve as crew chief for Bell in 2021.

    Josh Berry:

    2020 – JR Motorsports Late Model Program

    2021 Status – Josh Berry will run a partial Xfinity Series schedule next year in the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, competing in approximately 12 races in the first half of the 2021 season.

    Ben Beshore:

    2020 – Crew chief for the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the Xfinity Series

    2021 Status – Beshore will move to the Cup Series as crew chief for the No. 18 JGR Toyota driven by Kyle Busch in 2021. For the past two years, he worked as an Xfinity Series crew chief for various drivers, most recently, Harrison Burton. Before moving to the Xfinity Series Beshore was an engineer for the No. 18 team.

    Josh Bilicki:

    2020 – 22 Cup Series starts last year for various teams, including Rick Ware Racing, Tommy Baldwin Racing and Spire Motorsports along with seven Xfinity Series starts and five Truck Series starts.

    2021 – Bilicki will compete full-time for Rick Ware Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021 in the No. 52 entry.

    Ryan Blaney:

    2020 – No. 12 Team Penske Ford in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – Blaney will return to Team Penske after signing a multi-year contract extension on March 6.

    Alex Bowman:

    2020 – No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – Bowman will remain with Hendrick Motorsports in 2021, moving to the No. 48 Chevrolet to replace Jimmie Johnson who retired from full-time competition at the end of the 2020 season. The 88 will not be used by HMS in 2021. After signing Kyle Larson, they announced that he will drive the No. 5 Chevrolet.

    Clint Bowyer:

    2020 – No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – On Oct. 8, Bowyer announced that he would retire from full-time competition in the Cup Series at the conclusion of the 2020 season. He will join the FOX broadcast booth in 2021.

    Spencer Boyd:

    2020 – No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet in the Truck Series

    2021 Status – On Nov. 25, Young’s Motorsports announced that Boyd’s contract has been extended through 2021 and he will continue to compete in the No. 20 Chevrolet.

    Chase Briscoe:

    2020 – No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford in the Xfinity Series

    2021 Status – Briscoe will move to the Cup Series in 2021. He will drive the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 14 Ford vacated by Clint Bowyer. Johnny Klausmeier will continue as crew chief.

    Jade Buford:

    2020 – Xfinity Series, three starts with Bobby Dotter (No. 07 Chevrolet), one with JD Motorsports (No. 6 Chevrolet)

    2021 Status – Buford will compete full time in the Xfinity Series for the new, Big Machine Racing Team, owned by Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Records company, in the No. 48 Chevrolet with crew chief Patrick Donohue. Buford, however, has not been cleared to race at the Daytona oval.

    Harrison Burton:

    2020 – No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the Xfinity Series

    2021 Status – Burton will return to drive the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the Xfinity Series with Jason Ratcliff as crew chief.

    Jeb Burton:

    2020 – Part-time in the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series

    2021 status – Burton will run a full-time Xfinity Series schedule in 2021 with Kaulig Racing and Bruce Schlicker as crew chief. He replaces Ross Chastain who is moving to the Cup Series.  

    William Byron:

    2020 – No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – Byron will continue to compete in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet after signing a contract extension through the 2022 season. As noted below, Rudy Fugle will partner with Byron as crew chief.

    Landon Cassill:

    2020- Four starts in the No. 89 for Shepherd Racing Ventures in the Xfinity Series

    2021 – Cassill will compete full-time in the Xfinity Series for JD Motorsports in the No. 4 Chevrolet.

    Ross Chastain:

    2020 – No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series

    2021 Status – Chastain will advance to the Cup Series to drive the Chip Ganassi Racing No. 42 Chevrolet full-time. He will replace Matt Kenseth who filled in for the suspended Kyle Larson in 2020.

    Austin Cindric:

    2020 – No. 22 Team Penske Ford in the Xfinity Series

    2021 Status – In October, Team Penske announced that Cindric had signed a contract extension. He will continue to drive in the Xfinity Series in 2021 and will also run some Cup races as he prepares for a move to the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Cup Series team in 2022.

    Sheldon Creed:

    2020 – No. 2 GMS Racing Chevrolet in the Truck Series

    2021 Status – Creed will return to GMS Racing for his third full-time season in the Truck Series next year. Jeff Stankiewicz will also return as crew chief for his second full-time season with Creed. 

    Bayley Currey:

    2020 – No. 74 Chevrolet for Mike Harmon Racing in the Xfinity Series

    2021 Status – Currey will return to race the No. 74 Chevrolet for Mike Harmon Racing.

    Cliff Daniels:

    2020 – Crew chief for the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the Cup Series.

    2021 Status – Following Jimmie Johnson’s retirement from full-time competition, Daniels will be paired with Kyle Larson as crew chief of the No. 5 HMS Chevrolet.

    Spencer Davis:

    2020 – No. 11 Toyota for Spencer Davis Racing in the Truck Series, part-time

    2021 – After three part-time seasons in 2018-2020, Davis will compete full-time this year in the No. 11 Toyota for Spencer Davis Racing in the Truck Series and compete for Sunoco Rookie of the Year.

    Hailie Deegan:

    2020 – No. 4 DGR-Crosley Ford in the ARCA Menards Series

    2021 Status – Deegan will move up to the Truck Series and run a full-time schedule in the No. 17 DGR-Crosley Ford. Mike Hillman Jr., (Raphael Lessard’s former crew chief at KBM) will be Deegan’s crew chief.

    Matt DiBenedetto:

    2020 – No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford in the Cup Series

    2021 Status –DiBenedetto signed a one-year contract extension to return for his second season with Wood Brothers Racing in 2021. He will be replaced by Austin Cindric in 2022.  

    Ty Dillon:

    2020 – No. 13 Germain Racing Chevrolet in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – Dillon will attempt to qualify for the Cup Series Daytona 500 with Gaunt Brothers Racing and secure one of four open spots in the event. On Jan. 27, it was announced that Dillon will drive the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 Toyota in select NASCAR Xfinity Series races. His first race will be in the season opener at Daytona on Feb. 13. His current schedule also includes races at Homestead on Feb. 27, Las Vegas (March 6) and Talladega Superspeedway (April 24).

    Drew Dollar:

    2020 – Full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, finishing fourth in the standings

    2021 – Drew Dollar will make eight starts in the Kyle Busch Motorsports Truck Series No. 51 Toyota with Mardy Lindley as crew chief. He will compete at the Daytona oval and Charlotte in May, Texas and Nashville in June, Bristol and Las Vegas in Sept., Talladega in Oct. & the season finale at Phoenix in Nov.

    Jeffrey Earnhardt:

    2020 – Earnhardt competed in 29 races last season for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller in the Xfinity Series.

    2021 Status – On Dec. 21 it was announced that Earnhardt will return to drive the No. 0 Chevrolet full-time in the Xfinity Series for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller.

    Christian Eckes:

    2020 – No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota

    2021 Status: Eckes confirmed on Dec. 7 via social media that he will not return to KBM in 2021 and has not announced his future plans.

    Ryan Ellis:

    2020 – Ellis did not compete in the Xfinity Series in 2020 but has 50 combined starts in the series from 2012-2019, including a partial schedule in 2016 of 16 races.

    2021 – Ellis will drive a part-time Xfinity Series schedule in the No. 99 Chevrolet for BJ McLeod Motorsports. His current confirmed race schedule includes Darlington, Mid-Ohio, Road America and Kansas.

    Santino Ferrucci:

    2020 – NTT IndyCar Series

    2021 – Ferrucci will drive a limited schedule for Sam Hunt Racing in the Xfinity Series competing in the No. 26 Toyota with Andrew Abbott as crew chief.

    Rudy Fugle:

    2020 – Crew chief for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Truck Series

    2021 Status – Fugle will move up to the Cup Series as crew chief for William Byron’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. He will replace Chad Knaus who will leave the pit-box after being promoted to vice president of competition at HMS.

    Joey Gase:

    2020 – Primarily in the No. 51 Ford full-time in the Cup Series with Rick Ware Racing

    2021 – On Jan. 15 it was announced that Gase will return to Rick Ware Racing in the Cup Series and will kick off his season at the Daytona 500. The number of races in which he will compete was not specified in the press release.

    Brandon Gdovic:

    2020 – Competed in two Xfinity Series races for Sam Hunt Racing

    2021 – Gdovic will return to the Xfinity Series with Sam Hunt Racing on a limited schedule, focusing primarily on oval tracks. His first race will be at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 13.

    Ty Gibbs:

    2020 – Ran a partial schedule in the No. 18 Toyota in the ARCA Menards Series and earned six wins

    2021 – Gibbs will run full-time in the ARCA Menards Series and compete for the championship in the No. 18 Toyota. He will also make his debut in the Xfinity Series in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 Toyota with his first race at the Daytona Road Course on Feb. 14. On Feb. 23, the following 14 races were confirmed for Dillon’s Xfinity schedule: March 13–Phoenix, April 9–Martinsville, May 8–Darlington, May 15–Dover. May 29–Charlotte, June 5–Mid-Ohio, June 27–Pocono, July 3–Road America, Aug. 7–Watkins Glen, Aug. 14–Indianapolis road course, Aug. 21–Michigan, Sept. 11– Richmond, Oct. 9–Charlotte Roval, Oct. 23–Kansas

    Todd Gilliland:

    2020 – No. 38 Ford full-time for Front Row Racing in the Truck Series

    2021 – Gilliland will return to drive the No. 38 Ford full time in the Truck Series for Front Row Racing.

    Noah Gragson:

    2020 – No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series

    2021 Status – On Aug. 27, it was confirmed that Gragson will return to JR Motorsports for the 2021 Xfinity Series season.

    Justin Haley:

    2020 – No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series

    2021 Status – Haley will return to drive for Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series in 2021. It is his third season with the team and will be his second year with Alex Yontz as crew chief. 

    Daniel Hemric:

    2020 – No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet part-time in the Xfinity Series

    2021 Status – Hemric will move to Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the No. 18 Toyota full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with crew chief, Dave Rogers.

    Riley Herbst:

    2020 – No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the Xfinity Series

    2021 Status – Herbst is moving to the No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford in 2021 and will compete full-time in the Xfinity Series.

    Austin Hill:

    2020 – No. 16 Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota in the Truck Series

    2021 Status – Hill will return to Hattori Racing for a third season in 2021.

    Carson Hocevar:

    2020 – Part-time in the Truck Series for Niece Motorsports

    2021 Status – Hocevar will drive full-time in the Truck Series for Niece Motorsports in 2021.

    Bret Holmes:

    2020 – No. 23 full-time in the ARCA Menards Series for Bret Holmes Racing

    2021 – Holmes will run part-time in the Truck Series No. 32 Chevrolet for Bret Holmes Racing. His Truck Series debut will be at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March with additional races to be announced. He will also compete in several ARCA Menards Series events.

    Colby Howard:

    2020 – No. 15 JD Motorsports with Gary Keller Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series, part-time

    2021 Status – Howard will run a full-time Xfinity Series schedule in the No. 15 JD Motorsports Chevrolet. Wayne Carroll will replace his former crew chief, Mark Setzer, who has teamed up with Jeremy Clements for the 2021 season.

    Joe Gibbs Racing:

    2021 Xfinity Series – JGR will field a fourth Xfinity Series car, the No. 54, that will rotate different drivers throughout the season. Chris Gayle will serve as the crew chief for the No. 54. The drivers and schedule for this car will be released at a later date.  

    Jimmie Johnson:

    2020 – No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – Johnson retired from full-time competition in the Cup Series at the end of the 2020 season. The seven-time champ has indicated that he may run select NASCAR races in the future but for now, IndyCar seems to be his main focus for 2021. 

    Brandon Jones:

    2020 – No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the Xfinity Series

    2021 Status – In October, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Jones would return to drive the No. 19 Toyota in 2021 with crew chief Jeff Meendering.

    Erik Jones:

    2020 – No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – After being notified that JGR would not renew his contract for next year, Jones signed a multi-year deal to drive in the Cup Series for Richard Petty Motorsports in the No. 43 Chevrolet. The opportunity arose after Bubba Wallace signed with 23XI Racing to drive the No. 23 next year.  

    Matt Kenseth:

    2020 – No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – Kenseth came out of retirement to take over as driver of the No. 42 after the suspension of Kyle Larson in 2020. On Sept. 21, CGR signed Ross Chastain as the driver of the No. 42 for 2021. Kenseth currently has no plans to return to full-time racing.

    Brad Keselowski:

    2020 – No. 2 Team Penske Ford in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – On Aug. 3, Team Penske renewed Keselowski’s contact and confirmed that he will return as the driver of the No. 2 Ford in 2021. The announcement did not state if the contract extended beyond next season.

    Chad Knaus:

    2020 – Crew chief for the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – Knaus will leave the pit-box after being promoted to vice president of competition at HMS.

    Derek Kraus:

    2020 – McAnally-Hilgemann Racing No. 19 Toyota Tundra in the Truck Series

    2021 Status – On Dec. 22 the team announced that Kraus will return for his second full-time season with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing in the No. 19 Toyota. Matt Noyce will join the team as crew chief (former crew chief at ThorSport Racing for Ben Rhodes in 2019, 2020).  

    Corey LaJoie:

    2020 – No. 32 Go Fas Racing Ford in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – Announced on Nov. 30 on his “Sunday Money” podcast, Lajoie has signed a multi-year agreement with Spire Motorsports to drive the No. 7 Chevrolet in the Cup Series. Ryan Sparks, former crew chief for LaJoie at Go Fas Racing, will make the move with LaJoie to serve as the crew chief for the Spire No. 7 team.

    Kyle Larson:

    2020 – Previous driver of the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet in the Cup Series. Larson was suspended in April and fired from CGR after using a racial slur during an iRacing event. He was reinstated by NASCAR in October and is eligible to return to racing on Jan. 1, 2021.

    2021 Status – Larson was signed by Hendrick Motorsports to a multi-year deal on Oct. 28. He is slated to drive the No. 5 Chevrolet in the Cup Series in 2021 with Johnson’s former crew chief, Cliff Daniels, on the pit box. Tyler Monn has been named as Larson’s spotter.

    Raphael Lessard:

    2020 – No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota in the Truck Series

    2021 Status – GMS Racing announced on Jan. 7 that Lessard will compete full time in the Truck Series in the No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado with Chad Walter as crew chief.

    Jesse Little:

    2020 – No. 4 JD Motorsports Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series

    2021 – Little will drive full-time in the Xfinity Series with BJ McLeod Motorsports in the No. 78 Chevrolet in 2021.

    Mason Massey:

    2020 – 10 Xfinity Series races with BJ McLeod Motorsports, Inc. in the No. 99 Toyota

    2021 – Massey will return to BJ McLeod Motorsports to drive the No. 99 Toyota for 12 Xfinity Series races.

    Sam Mayer:

    2020 – Part-time in the Truck Series (six races) and competed in select races in the ARCA Menards Series for GMS Racing

    2021 Status – Mayer will move to JR Motorsports and drive the second half of the Xfinity Series season in 2021. He will drive full-time in the series in 2022. He will also compete in six ARCA races and five Truck Series events for Bret Holmes Racing in 2021.

    Michael McDowell:

    2020 – No. 34 Ford Mustang full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series

    2021 Status – McDowell will return to Front Row Racing in the No. 34 Ford to compete full-time in the Cup Series.

    BJ McLeod:

    2020 – Part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series primarily as a driver/owner

    2021 Status – McLeod will drive the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Ford in the NASCAR Cup Series full-time next year. He is a co-owner of Live Fast Motorsports with Matt Tifft. The team will have a partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing.

    Matt Mills:

    2020 – Full-time in the No. 05 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series for BJ McLeod Motorsports

    2021 Status – On Dec. 16 the team announced that Mills will return to drive the No. 05 full-time in the Xfinity Series for BJ McLeod Motorsports in 2021.

    Brett Moffitt:

    2000 – No. 02 Our Motorsports Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series/No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet in the Truck Series

    2021 Status – Moffitt will drive full-time in the No. 02 Chevrolet for Our Motorsports in the Xfinity Series and will also run a full-time schedule in the Truck Series in the No. 45 Chevrolet for Niece Motorsports. He will declare for points in the Truck Series and compete for the Truck Series championship.

    John Hunter Nemechek:

    2020 – No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – Announced on Nov. 23, Nemechek will drive the Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 4 Toyota in the Truck Series. He replaces Raphael Lessard. Nemechek will also compete in select Xfinity races this year for Sam Hunt Racing in the No. 26. His first start with the team will be at Dover in May.

    Miguel Paludo:

    2020 – Paludo competed in Brazil in the Porsche GT3 Carrera Cup Series. He also has two previous Xfinity Series starts (2012) and 73 Truck Series starts (2010-2013).

    2021 – Paludo will drive the JR Motorsports No. 8 Chevrolet in three Xfinity Series road course events in 2021. His first event will be the second race of the season at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course on Feb. 20. His schedule also includes the races at Circuit of the Americas (May 22) and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on June 5.

    Chase Purdy:

    2020 – Part-time in Truck Series for GMS Racing

    2021 Status – Purdy will compete full-time with GMS Racing next year in the Truck Series with Jeff Hensley as crew chief.

    Tyler Reddick:

    2020 – No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – Reddick will return for his second season in the Richard Childress Racing No. 8 Chevrolet in the Cup Series next year.

    Mark Setzer:

    2020 – Crew Chief for JD Motorsports w/Gary Keller

    2021 Status – Setzer will serve as crew chief for the No. 51 Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet next season, replacing Andrew Abbott.

    Chandler Smith:

    2020 – No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota in the Truck Series, part-time

    2021 Status – Announced Dec. 7, Smith will compete full time in the Truck Series in the Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 18 Tundra next year, replacing Christian Eckes.

    Zane Smith:

    2020 – No. 21 GMS Racing Chevrolet in the Truck Series

    2021 Status – Smith will return to GMS Racing for a second season with Kevin “Bono” Manion as crew chief.

    Garrett Smithley:

    2020 – Cup Series with various teams, primarily with Rick Ware Racing

    2021 – Smithley will run a partial Cup Series schedule for Rick Ware Racing. The races in which he will compete will be announced at a later date.

    Adam Stevens:

    2020 – Crew chief for the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the NASCAR Cup Series.

    2021 Status – Stevens will move to the No. 20 JGR team as crew chief for Christopher Bell next season. He worked with Kyle Bush from 2015–2020, winning two championships.  

    Daniel Suarez:

    Current ride – No. 96 Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – Suarez will compete full-time in the No. 99 Chevrolet with the newly formed Cup Series team of Trackhouse Racing with owner Justin Marks and musical artist, Pitbull (Armando Perez), who announced his partnership with the team on Jan 15. Ty Norris will serve as president of race operations and Travis Mack joins the team as crew chief. Mack is the former crew chief for the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

    Ryan Truex: 2020 – No. 40 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, part-time

    2021 Status – Announced on Nov. 24, Truex will return to drive the No. 40 Niece Motorsports Chevy in the Camping World Truck Series but will upgrade to a full-time season. It will be his first full-time ride in the series since 2017.

    Ryan Vargas:

    2020 – No. 15 Chevrolet (two starts) and No. 16 Chevrolet (seven starts) with JD Motorsports w/Gary Keller

    2021 – Vargas will run a full schedule in the JD Motorsports w/Gary Keller No. 6 Chevrolet and compete for Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the Xfinity Series.

    Bubba Wallace:

    2020 – No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet in the Cup Series

    2021 Status – On Sept. 21, Wallace and Denny Hamlin announced that Wallace would drive the No. 23 car for 23XI Racing in 2021, a new team formed by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan, to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series. Freddie Kraft will transition from RPM to continue as spotter for Wallace at 23XI Racing with Mike Wheeler as crew chief.

    Cody Ware:

    2020 – Competed in one race in the Xfinity Series and one race in the Cup Series for Rick Ware Racing. He has 23 career Cup starts and 21 Xfinity starts.

    2021 Status – Ware will run a full schedule in the Cup Series for Rick Ware Racing.

    Kyle Weatherman:

    2020 – No. 47 Chevrolet for Mike Harmon Racing in the Xfinity Series

    2021 – Weatherman will return to drive the No. 47 Chevrolet for Mike Harmon Racing in the Xfinity Series full-time.

    Mike Wheeler:

    2020 – Competition director for Leavine Family Racing in the Cup Series.

    2021 Status – Wheeler will join 23XI Racing to serve as the crew chief for Bubba Wallace and the No. 23 team.

    Kris Wright:

    2020 – He competed in one race in the No. 24 Chevrolet for GMS Racing in the Truck Series at the Daytona Road Course. Wright also ran select races in the ARCA Menards Series, CARS Super Late Model Tour Series and one race in the
    Weathertech SportsCar Championship Series. In 2018, he won the IMSA Prototype Challenge LMP3 championship.

    2021 – Wright will compete in seven Xfinity Series road course events for Sam Hunt Racing. His schedule includes the Daytona Road Course, COTA, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Watkins Glen, Indianapolis Road Course and the Charlotte ROVAL.

  • Jeremy Bullins to call 200th Cup race as crew chief at Daytona road course event

    Jeremy Bullins to call 200th Cup race as crew chief at Daytona road course event

    Following a productive 2020 season with former NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski, crew chief Jeremy Bullins is set to achieve a milestone start in his sixth full-time season in NASCAR’s premier series. By calling the shots atop the pit box for this weekend’s event at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course, Bullins will call his 200th Cup race as a crew chief.

    A native of Walnut Cove, North Carolina, Bullins grew up working with his father on dirt late model cars from the race shop to the tracks. After graduating from North Carolina State University with a degree in mechanical engineering, Bullins’ career in NASCAR commenced with Wood Brothers Racing in 1999.

    He went on to work for organizations like ST Motorsports, Robert Yates Racing and Richard Childress Racing, where he was an engineer.

    Prior to the 2012 NASCAR season, Bullins departed RCR and joined Team Penske to serve as crew chief for the No. 22 Dodge team competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with names like Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Sam Hornish Jr., Parker Kligerman and Jacques Villeneuve. In his first season as a crew chief, Bullins achieved his first three Xfinity career victories with Keselowski. In addition, the No. 22 team achieved a pole, 12 top-five results, 23 top-10 results and a sixth-place result in the final owner’s standings.

    In 2013, Bullins achieved 12 Xfinity wins with Keselowski, Blaney, Joey Logano and A.J. Allmendinger, all of whom shared Penske’s No. 22 Ford Mustang throughout the season. The victories along with three poles, 20 top-five results and 25 top-10 results were enough for the No. 22 team to capture the first NASCAR Xfinity Series’ owner’s championship for team owner Roger Penske by a single point over Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 54 Toyota team.

    The following season, Bullins, who remained as a full-time Xfinity Series crew chief for Team Penske, made his NASCAR Cup Series debut as a crew chief at Kansas Speedway in May for Ryan Blaney, who was also making his debut in the sport’s premier series. Starting 21st, Blaney finished 27th. The duo returned at Talladega Superspeedway in October, where Blaney finished 22nd of the 43-car field. Bullins went on to lead Penske’s No. 22 Ford team to its second consecutive owner’s championship while also winning six races between Blaney and Keselowski. Bullins also worked with Logano, Michael McDowell and Alex Tagliani throughout the 2014 Xfinity Series season.

    In 2015, Bullins moved up to the Cup Series to serve as a crew chief for Blaney and the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford team, which competed in 16 of the 36-race schedule. Together, Bullins and Blaney achieved a season-best result of fourth place at Talladega in May along with two top-10 results.

    In 2016, Bullins embarked on his first full-time season in the Cup Series as a crew chief with Blaney and the Wood Brothers Racing. At the conclusion of the season, Blaney achieved three top-five results, nine top-10 results and a 20th-place result in the final standings.

    The following season, Bullins achieved his first career win in the Cup Series as a crew chief at Pocono Raceway in June, which also marked Blaney’s first Cup career victory following a late battle against names like Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick. Together, they recorded the 99th Cup victory for the Wood Brothers Racing. Bullins and Blaney went on to capture two poles, four top-five results and 14 top-10 results throughout the season. They also made the 2017 Cup Playoffs and all the way to the Round of 8 before finishing in ninth place in the final standings.

    In 2018, Bullins and Blaney departed the Wood Brothers Racing and moved back to Team Penske in the Cup circuit. Together, Bullins and Blaney recorded a thrilling win at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval in September during the Playoffs. They also achieved three poles, eight top-five results and 16 top-10 results. Though they qualified for the Playoffs, Bullins and Blaney were eliminated from title contention following the Round of 12 and went on to finish in 10th place in the final standings. By then, Bullins surpassed 100 career starts in the Cup Series.

    The following season, Bullins and Blaney recorded another thrilling victory at Talladega Superspeedway in October during the Playoffs. To go along with a pole, 11 top-five results, 18 top-10 results and a third consecutive appearance in the Playoffs, the duo made it all the way to the Round of 8 before being eliminated from championship contention. Nonetheless, they ended up with a seventh-place result in the final standings.

    Despite a productive 2019 season, Team Penske decided to reshuffle its entire Cup driver-crew chief pairing for the 2020 season. The move ended up with Bullins being paired with Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 Ford Mustang team while Todd Gordon took over as Blaney’s new crew chief.

    Seven races into the 2020 season and amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Bullins achieved his first Cup victory with Keselowski in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway following a late restart. Two races later, the duo won again at Bristol Motor Speedway, where Keselowski dodged a late incident involving teammate Joey Logano and Chase Elliott.

    Bullins and Keselowski went on to claim dominating victories at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in August and at Richmond Raceway in September during the Playoffs. They made it all the way to the Championship Round at Phoenix Raceway, but ended up finishing in the runner-up spot on the track and in the final standings behind Elliott and crew chief Alan Gustafson.

    This season, Bullins and Keselowski are coming off a 13th-place result in the Daytona 500 following a vicious multi-car accident on the final lap, where Keselowski was in prime position of winning his first 500 title.

    In 199 previous starts in the Cup Series, Bullins has achieved seven career victories, six poles, 40 top-five results and 83 top-10 results, all while working with Blaney and Keselowski.

    Catch Bullins’ milestone start in the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series event at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course on Sunday, February 21, at 3 p.m. ET on FOX.

  • Blaney to make 200th Cup start at Daytona road course event

    Blaney to make 200th Cup start at Daytona road course event

    With a new season of NASCAR competition underway, Ryan Blaney is set to achieve a milestone start in his sixth full-time season in the Cup Series. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s event at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course, the driver of the No. 12 Ford Mustang for Team Penske will reach 200 career starts in NASCAR’s premier series.

    A native of Hartford Township, Ohio, Blaney made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Kansas Speedway in May 2014. By then, he was campaigning in his second full-time season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with Brad Keselowski Racing and had won his first NASCAR Xfinity Series race the previous year at Kentucky Speedway for Team Penske. Driving Penske’s No. 12 Ford Fusion, Blaney started 21st and finished 27th in his Cup debut. He made his second Cup start at Talladega Superspeedway five months later, where he finished 22nd.

    The following season, Blaney competed on a part-time basis in the Cup Series for the Wood Brothers Racing. He entered in 16 of the 36-race schedule and went on to achieve a season-best fourth-place result at Talladega in May and a total of two top-10 results.

    In 2016, the Wood Brothers returned as a full-time Cup Series team with Blaney named as the team’s full-time driver of the iconic No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford and a Rookie-of-the-Year candidate. In his first full-time season, Blaney achieved four top-five results, a season-best result of fourth place (twice), nine top-10 results and a final points result of 20th. He, however, fell short in achieving the Rookie-of-the-Year title to Chase Elliott.

    Blaney kickstarted the 2017 Cup season on a strong note by finishing in second place in the Daytona 500 behind Kurt Busch. Nine races and three top-10 results later, he achieved his first pole position in the Cup circuit at Kansas Speedway in May. During the main event, he led 83 laps, won the second stage and was in position to achieve his first win until settling in fourth place following a late battle with eventual winner Martin Truex Jr.

    Three races later, Blaney overtook Kyle Busch with 10 laps remaining and held off a fast-charging Kevin Harvick to achieve his first Cup triumph at Pocono Raceway in June and in his 68th career start. By then, Blaney became the third first-time winner of the 2017 season and he recorded the 99th Cup victory for the Wood Brothers Racing. He also guaranteed himself a spot in the Playoffs by virtue of his win.

    Blaney went on to achieve four additional top-10 results before entering the Playoffs as a championship contender. He finished in 11th, ninth and 23rd during the Round of 16 of the Playoffs, which were enough for him to advance to the Round of 12. Finishing eighth, 18th and third in the following round were enough for him to advance to the Round of 8. He went on to finish eighth, sixth and 17th in the following round, but they were not enough for him to advance to the Championship Round and with an opportunity to campaign for his first Cup title. Nonetheless, he wrapped up his sophomore Cup season with a victory, two poles, four top-five results, 14 top-10 results and a final result of ninth place in the standings.

    For the 2018 season, Blaney joined Team Penske as the team’s third full-time driver in the No. 12 Ford while Paul Menard took over the Wood Brothers Racing’s No. 21 Ford. Blaney started the 2018 season on a strong note after finishing in fourth place in the Clash and winning the first duel qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway. During the season-opening Daytona 500, Blaney led a race-high 118 laps and was in position of winning his first 500 title until he was involved in a late multi-car incident. He was able to recover and finish in seventh place.

    Throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, Blaney and his No. 12 Team Penske Ford team achieved a best result of second place at Kentucky Speedway in July, five top-five results, 12 top-10 results and a pole, which were enough to qualify for the Playoffs based on points. By then, he surpassed 100 career starts in NASCAR’s premier series.

    During the first two races in the Round of 16 in the Playoffs, Blaney finished fifth and 19th. Then during in the inaugural event at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, he dodged an incident involving Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. on the final corner of the final lap to achieve his first elusive victory of the season and his second Cup career win. The victory allowed him to advance to the Round of 12.

    In the Round of 12, however, Blaney recorded results of 11th, 29th and seventh, which were not enough for him to advance to the Round of 8. When the 2018 Cup season concluded, he achieved a victory, three poles, eight top-five results, 16 top-10 results and a 10th-place result in the final standings.

    In 2019, Blaney recorded his first victory of the season at Talladega in October after edging Ryan Newman at the finish line by 0.007 seconds. He was able to race his way through to the Round of 8 in the Playoffs, but fell short in making the Championship Round. Nonetheless, his fourth season in the Cup Series produced strong results that included 11 top-five results, 18 top-10 results, a pole and a career-best seventh-place result in the standings.

    Following five productive seasons with crew chief Jeremy Bullins, Blaney was paired with veteran crew chief Todd Gordon for the 2020 Cup Series seasons. Together, the duo recorded a strong runner-up result in the season-opening Daytona 500. Blaney would lead the regular-season standings for two weeks before a 37th-place result at Phoenix Raceway in March dropped them to sixth in the standings.

    Thirteen races into the 2020 season, Blaney captured his first victory of the season at Talladega in June after edging Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at the line by 0.007 seconds.

    Throughout the 2020 regular-season stretch, Blaney and his No. 12 Team Penske Ford team achieved eight top-five results and 11 top-10 results along with the Talladega victory, as Blaney made the Playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. His Playoff run, however, came to an early end after finishing 24th, 19th and 13th in the Round of 16, which were not enough for him to advance to the Round of 12. He went on to finish in the top 10 in six of the final seven races of the season and conclude the 2020 season in ninth place in the standings.

    This season, Blaney is coming off a 13th-place result in the Busch Clash, where he spun following contact with Chase Elliott while leading entering the final corner, and a 30th-place result in the Daytona 500, where he was involved in an early multi-car accident.

    Through 199 previous starts in the Cup Series, Blaney has achieved four career victories, six poles, 38 top-five results, 76 top-10 results, over 2,000 laps led and an overall average result of 16.6.

    Catch Blaney’s 200th Cup career start at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course on Sunday, February 21, with the event to occur at 3 p.m. ET on FOX.

  • Truex to remain at Joe Gibbs Racing following new contract extension

    Truex to remain at Joe Gibbs Racing following new contract extension

    With a new season of NASCAR competition underway, Martin Truex Jr. has inked an undisclosed extended contract agreement to continue to drive the No. 19 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series.

    The 2017 Cup champion is coming off his 15th full-time season in NASCAR’s premier series, second with JGR, where he recorded a lone victory throughout the season at Martinsville Speedway in June. In addition, he achieved five stage wins, 14 top-five results, 23 top-10 results and a final points result of seventh place. It was also his first season with crew chief James Small, a former lead engineer for Truex who took over following the departure of Cole Pearn.

    “I’m happy to get this news out there so we can focus on this season and the future with Joe Gibbs Racing,” Truex said. “This is where I wanted to be and to continue building on the success we have had together the past two years. I appreciate Coach [Gibbs], my team, everyone at JGR and all of our partners like Bass Pro Shops, Auto-Owners Insurance, Reser’s Fine Foods, Stanley Black & Decker and Toyota for making this possible and I look forward to continuing those relationships as we move forward.”

    “Extending Martin’s agreement has been a big priority for us this off season,” Joe Gibbs, Owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, added. “Martin brings so much to our organization. Obviously he’s talented and shown he can win at any racetrack but his insights also helps to make all our teams better.”

    The 2021 Daytona 500 will mark Truex’s 17th attempt to win his first Harley J. Early Trophy. His best result in the 500 was a runner-up result in 2016, where he lost the battle against Denny Hamlin by a mere 0.010 seconds.

    In addition, Truex, who enters his 16th full-time season in the Cup circuit and third with JGR, will make his 550th Cup career start in this year’s Daytona 500. In his previous 549 starts, Truex has won 27 Cup races and one championship (2017). He has also achieved 19 poles, 116 top-five results and 228 top-10 results, all while competing for organizations that include Dale Earnhardt Inc., Michael Waltrip Racing, Furniture Row Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing.