Category: NASCAR Cup PR

RYAN PREECE
Martinsville Advance
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Cook Out 400 (Round 8 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 7
● Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway
● Layout: .526-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 400 laps/210.4 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 220 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Ticking like a grandfather clock, Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing, sets his sights on the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, where he won his first-career NASCAR Cup Series pole in 2023 and led a career-best 135 laps. Preece has nine Cup Series starts at Martinsville and has completed an average of 92.1 percent of the laps at the historic .526-mile paperclip-shaped oval.

● Preece sits 30th in the Cup Series driver standings entering Martinsville, a track where he’s been to victory lane twice in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, including last fall, when he dominated the feature and finished nearly a full second ahead of the night’s second-place finisher in October 2023. Preece’s other Modified Tour win at Martinsville came in 2008.

● Known for his skills on short tracks, Preece is gearing up for a second consecutive weekend in Virginia. Last weekend, he and his fellow Cup Series competitors were up the road at Richmond Raceway, where Preece made a strong move into the top-10 during damp conditions at the outset of the Richmond 400, advancing from his 16th starting position. Preece went on to skillfully navigate around a spinning Daniel Suarez with just five laps left in Stage 1, ultimately securing a 10th-place finish in the stage. Preece had to settle for a 28th-place finish, however, after he was hit with a speeding penalty and an untimely caution in Stage 2, which dropped him to the tail of the 36-car field.

● Back with Preece and the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Martinsville is HaasTooling.com, the cutting tool division of Haas Automation. HaasTooling.com allows CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. Haas Automation, founded in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers, rotaries and indexers, and automation solutions.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

You qualified within the top-10 for both Cup Series races at Martinsville last season, one of which was a pole position. Do you expect the momentum and speed to carry over from last year?

“We had a really fast car at Martinsville last season, but we had a speeding penalty that cost us quite a bit of track position. We were able to get stage points and some of those things. We really found ourselves a direction to head in for this year. Going into Martinsville, a lot of things have changed. With some of the changes that we’ve seen, it should be an interesting race, but we’re looking at carrying as much of that momentum and speed over as possible.”

What’s the key to having speed and racing competitively at Martinsville?

“When we have the right setup, the speed is there. We showed that at this event last year. Unfortunately, it also comes down to not speeding on pit road and losing track position. We are on a different tire and have a different aero package this year. There are a lot of things that are different, but it’s still the same track, so we just need to make sure that our group is continuing to make adjustments to be that much better. Looking back over the past couple of years, Stewart-Haas as a whole has definitely had speed at Martinsville, so we’re looking forward to it.”

What has the experience been like having Josh Berry as a teammate this year, given the similarity in both of your racing backgrounds. Both of you are short-track racers.

“Josh and I share a lot of common interests in terms of how we want to drive a racecar. We can have conversations about what the cars are doing and be speaking the same language, so to speak, when it comes to some of those things. He’s just easy to get along with.”

What do you think the racing will look like at Martinsville this weekend?

“It’s been really nice to see some of the capabilities that we have had at the short tracks this year. I don’t think we will have much rubber build-up at Martinsville. It’s also going to be cooler temperatures this weekend, and based on past experience racing in those conditions, there typically isn’t a whole lot of build-up. However, we also had cooler temperatures at Bristol and had a lot of tire wear there. It will probably be tough to pass at Martinsville this weekend, but the biggest thing to emphasize is the field is closer than it’s ever been, so it’s not easy to pass in general. If you have a car that is maneuverable and can go where other drivers aren’t, you can find a way to pass. Outside of that, it’s going to be about strategy and track position.”

No. 41 HaasTooling.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ryan Preece

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Crew Chief: Chad Johnston

Hometown: Cayuga, Indiana

Car Chief: Jeremy West

Hometown: Gardena, California

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen

Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Tony Raines

Hometown: LaPorte, Indiana

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Devin Lester

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Rear Tire Changer: Kevin Teaf

Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons

Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher

Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore

Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Front End Mechanic: Joe Zanolini

Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Interior Mechanic: Robert Dalby

Hometown: Anaheim, California

Tire Specialist: Matt Ridgeway

Hometown: Carrollton, Georgia

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife

Hometown: Orange County, California

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues

Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer

Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

This Week in Motorsports: April 1 – 7, 2024

• NCS/NXS/NCTS: Martinsville Speedway – April 5-7
• NHRA: Firebird Motorsports Park – April 5-7

PLANO, Texas (April 3, 2024) – NASCAR heads to Martinsville Speedway this weekend for the first of its two visits this season as all three national series are in action. NHRA goes to Firebird Motorsports Park near Phoenix for the Arizona Nationals, while also completing the Winternationals from Pomona two weeks ago.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS

Truex leads strong Camry stable … Martin Truex Jr. comes to Martinsville Speedway still atop the NASCAR Cup Series points standings after a strong run at Richmond last weekend. The Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver finished fourth Sunday night and extended his points lead to 14 over Kyle Larson. Truex’s Toyota teammates Denny Hamlin (third), Ty Gibbs (fourth), Christopher Bell (sixth), Tyler Reddick (10th) and Bubba Wallace (14th) join him inside the top 16 in the standings.

Toyota aims to continue short track prowess … With Hamlin’s victory Sunday night at Richmond, Toyota Camry XSEs have won, and dominated, all three short track races so far in 2024. Hamlin captured victory at Bristol two weeks ago, along with his Richmond triumph, and his Toyota and JGR teammate, Bell, took the checkered flag at Phoenix in early March. This weekend offers another opportunity for Camry XSE drivers to showcase their short track performance at the half-mile Martinsville Speedway.

Hamlin seeking another strong Martinsville performance … Coming into this weekend fresh off his second win of the season, Hamlin is also going for another solid performance at Martinsville Speedway. The Virginia-native has three consecutive top-five finishes at Martinsville, in which another would bolster his rise up the Cup Series points standings. Hamlin will also go for his sixth career victory at the famed short track.

Smith reclaims Xfinity points lead … After his second win of 2024, and repeat win at Richmond Raceway, Chandler Smith is back atop the Xfinity Series points standings six races into the season. The Georgia native has finished inside the top-10 each race so far this season, with top-five finishes in all but one race. He makes his third start at Martinsville this weekend, where he claimed a top-10 finish in the first of two races last year.

Toyota seeks four wins in five races at Martinsville … A victory by a Toyota GR Supra this weekend would be the fourth in five Xfinity Series races at Martinsville Speedway. John Hunter Nemechek is the most recent winner for Toyota at the Virginia track, capturing victory in the spring race last season. A triumph for Team Toyota would also be the fourth in five races in 2024 following Smith’s two victories in three races and Nemechek’s win at Las Vegas in March.

Heim, Gray lead Toyotas in the Truck Series … Back in action this weekend, Corey Heim and Taylor Gray are the lead Toyota Tundra TRD Pros in the NASCAR CRAFSTMAN Truck Series points standings. Heim comes into Martinsville fresh off his dominant victory at COTA two weeks ago, the sixth of his career, and now leads the Truck Series standings by 10 points. Gray has had a stellar start to his 2024 season with four consecutive top-10s, including tying his career-best finish of second at COTA. Both drivers will also run the Xfinity Series race, with Heim again piloting the No. 26 GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing and Gray making his second career Xfinity Series start with JGR in the No. 19 GR Supra. Both are coming off top-five finishes last weekend at Richmond.

Heim seeks Martinsville repeat … Not only would a win this weekend be Heim’s second in a row so far in 2024, it would also mark his second straight at Martinsville Speedway as the Georgia native captured victory last April. This was the first of Heim’s three wins in 2023 that propelled him to the regular season championship.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Ashley goes for Winternationals three-peat … After a rainout of the Winternationals final round at Pomona two weekends ago, Justin Ashley takes on Tony Schumacher this weekend for the event victory – which would be his third in a row at the Winternationals. The Winternationals finals take place during the final qualifying session Saturday afternoon at Firebird Motorsports Park. Ashley’s final round appearance is also the 25th consecutive final round for Toyota in either Top Fuel or Funny Car.

Ashley also seeks Arizona repeat … This weekend could be a monumental one for Ashley as he will also race for a repeat win in the Arizona Nationals. The New York native captured victory in the desert last March, which was his seventh career Top Fuel win. He enters this weekend seeking his 12th, and possibly 13th, career wins with two event victories on the table.

Langdon, Todd continue atop points … Heading into the Arizona Nationals, Toyota and Kalitta Motorsports’ Shawn Langdon and J.R. Todd hold their leads atop the Top Fuel and Funny Car points standings. Langdon leads a Toyota-dominated Top Fuel category, where Toyota dragsters make up six of the top eight in the points standings. Todd leads a competitive Funny Car field where Toyota teammate, Ron Capps, sits third and only 47 points back.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 26 electrified options.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

JOSH BERRY
Martinsville Advance
No. 4 Mobil 1 50th Anniversary Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Cook Out 400 (Round 8 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 7
● Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway
● Layout: .526-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 400 laps/210.4 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 220 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Josh Berry heads to Sunday’s Cook Out 400 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway coming off his best points day of the season at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. He started last Sunday’s 400-lap event from the 30th position, just like he did in the 2023 spring Richmond race while subbing for the fourth of five races in a row for an injured Chase Elliott, in which he charged to a runner-up finish. Last weekend, Berry once again made a hard charge through the field, finishing ninth in the first stage and second in the second stage before taking the checkered flag 11th – his best finish of 2024. His determined run moved him to 23rd in the Cup Series standings and to the top spot in the rookie standings. He leads Carson Hocevar, the next-best rookie, by nine markers.

● Berry returns to Martinsville this Sunday poised to contend for a win. While it is his first race in the Cup Series at the .526-mile paperclip-shaped oval, the 33-year-old Cup Series rookie has one NASCAR Xfinity Series win there, which came in his first Xfinity Series start at the Virginia short track in the spring 2021 race. He’s totaled six Xfinity Series starts there, which have netted three top-fives and an average finish of 12.8.

● Berry first made a name for himself on short tracks, climbing the ranks to earn his seat in the Cup Series by dominating at the grassroots level. During his days driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr., as part of the JR Motorsports Late Model program, Berry amassed an impressive 95 victories in his 262 starts with the team, with 189 top-fives and 219 top-10s. He was also the NASCAR Weekly Series champion in 2020, finishing every race but one inside the top-10 that season.

● Crew chief Rodney Childers has a deep history at Martinsville in the Cup Series. In his previous 33 starts calling the shots, Childers’ drivers have notched two top-five finishes, 12 top-10s, an average starting position of 13.9 and an average finish of 15.6.

● The Mobil 1 branding on Berry’s No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse this weekend goes more than skin deep as the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand gives Berry an added advantage. This weekend however, the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse will don the 50th anniversary gold and black colors. Mobil 1 products are used throughout his racecar, and they extend beyond just engine oil. Power steering fluid, transmission fluid, gear oil and driveline lubricants from Mobil 1 give Berry a technical advantage over his counterparts by reducing friction, heat and rolling resistance. Mobil 1 is a sponsor whose technology makes Berry’s No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang Dark Horse faster.

Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 50th Anniversary Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Coming off of your best Cup Series finish of the season at Richmond Raceway, what are your expectations this weekend at Martinsville – another short track?

“I think it should be another good opportunity for us to build on the success we’ve have had at the short tracks this year. Martinsville has been a good place for me in the past. I feel like if we can continue to carry the momentum we have had at some of the other short tracks this year, there’s no reason we can’t go contend for a win.”

Looking back at all of your racing across all series you’ve run with there, what were some of the biggest lessons you learned that led to your success at Martinsville?

“One of the things I learned really early on was just having patience. There are so many situations where you can get into trouble early in the race and just having the patience to keep the car clean and be smart because those races are just so long. This weekend will be the longest race I have run there by far, so having the patience and discipline to be smart early will help me and the No. 4 team work our way through the race and hopefully be there at the end.”

The race at Martinsville race is extremely taxing with how much you will shift, brake, and drive one-handed at some points – explain how psychical the race is.

“The short tracks are a touch harder with just how active we are behind the wheel – you honestly don’t get much time where you aren’t doing anything behind the wheel because the straightaways aren’t very long. There’s just a lot happening there over 400 laps and, add shifting a lot in the mix, the drivers stay busy. But I am prepared for it, and having a short-track background helps and I feel as prepared for this race as I can be.”

How challenging are the restarts at Martinsville, and how will your experience with the restarts at Richmond prepare you for this weekend?

“The restarts are really important there. A lot can happen and it’s easy to get in trouble there quickly and there might be varying strategies at play, so it makes it that much more chaotic at times. But I think the more races I get under my belt in the Cup Series, the better I feel about how I manage those restarts this season.”

Do you left-foot brake?

“Yeah, I have done that since the start of my racing career. It is just what feels natural. I think most guys, if not all, do it that way.”

No. 4 Mobil 1 50th Anniversary Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Josh Berry

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Rodney Childers

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Robert “Cheddar” Smith

Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin

Engineer: Dax Gerringer

Hometown: Gibsonville, North Carolina

Engineer: Billy Kuebler

Hometown: Saline, Michigan

Spotter: Eddie D’Hondt

Hometown: Levittown, New York

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Daniel Coffey

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Daniel Smith

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Mason Flynt

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Jack Man: Brandon Banks

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Evan Marchal

Hometown: Westfield, Indiana

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Tyler Trosper

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Mechanic: Chris Capaldi

Hometown: Armada, Michigan

Tire Specialist: Zac Lupien

Hometown: Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Engine Tuner: Robert Brandt

Hometown: Mobile, Alabama

Transporter Co-Driver: Jake Zierhoffer

Hometown: Billerica, Massachusetts

Transporter Co-Driver: Stephen Mitchell

Hometown: Woodville, Ohio

Race Details

Martinsville Speedway
Cook Out 400
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Sunday, April 7 at 3:00PM EDT
FS1 | MRN | SiriusXM
Team Notes

Kaulig Racing has made eight NCS starts at Martinsville Speedway.
So far in the 2024 season, the team has earned two top 10s, five top-20 finishes and has led 12 laps.
 
JOSH WILLIAMS

“Martinsville is super fun and I’m excited to be pulling double duty again this weekend between the NXS and the NCS. The racing is really tight and competitive. The only thing better than getting a Martinsville Hot Dog would be the Grandfather Clock, so it’ll be fun going Trophy Hunting to try and get our first win there as a team.” – Josh Williams on Martinsville Speedway  

No. 16 Alloy Employer Services Camaro ZL1

Josh Williams will make his fifth-career NCS start this weekend, his first at Martinsville Speedway.
This weekend will mark Williams’ second NCS start of the 2024 season after competing at Atlanta Motor Speedway earlier this year.
 
DANIEL HEMRIC

“The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Martinsville, is being ‘busy’ inside the race car. You’re making multiple up-shifts and down-shifts per lap, at least with last year’s package. I’m curious to see how that evolves. I love this racetrack, and I love what it has to offer. If we get a little bit of warm weather, the racetrack really turns into a rubbered-up style of track, which allows you to move around, so if it gets to that point, the racing can be pretty good.” – Daniel Hemric on Martinsville Speedway  

No. 31 Cirkul Camaro ZL1

Daniel Hemric has made two NCS starts at Martinsville Speedway and has earned one top-20 finish.
Hemric earned two top five and five top-10 finishes at Martinsville in the NXS.
So far in the 2024 NCS season, Hemric has earned three top-20 finishes.
 

 
 
Race Details

Martinsville Speedway
DUDE Wipes 250
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
Saturday, April 6 at 7:30PM EDT
FS1 | MRN | SiriusXM
Team Notes

Kaulig Racing has made 21 NXS starts at Martinsville Speedway.
The team has led 108 laps and earned three top five and 10 top-10 finishes at Martinsville.
So far in the 2024 season, Kaulig Racing has led 61 laps and earned one top-five and five top-10 finishes.
 
JOSH WILLIAMS

“Martinsville is super fun and I’m excited to be pulling double duty again this weekend between the NXS and the NCS. The racing is really tight and competitive. The only thing better than getting a Martinsville Hot Dog would be the Grandfather Clock, so it’ll be fun going Trophy Hunting to try to get our first win there as a team.” – Josh Williams on Martinsville Speedway  

No. 11 Call811.com Chevrolet Camaro

Josh Williams has made six starts in the NXS at Martinsville Speedway.
He finished within the top 20 five times at Martinsville, with his best finish being 11th place in 2021.
 
AJ ALLMENDINGER

“Headed to Martinsville, we’re focused on taking what we learned in Richmond to maximize our day.” – AJ Allmendinger on Martinsville Speedway  

No. 16 Action Industries Chevrolet Camaro

AJ Allmendinger has made five NXS starts at Martinsville Speedway and has led 68 laps and earned one top five and two top-10 finishes.
So far in the 2024 season, Allmendinger has led 31 laps and earned three top-10 finishes. Allmendinger is currently sixth in NXS driver points.

SHANE van GISBERGEN

“I’m looking forward to Martinsville and racing under the lights this weekend. It’s going to be another massive challenge but I’m really enjoying learning what it takes to succeed at the short tracks here in NASCAR. [Crew Chief] Bruce [Schlicker] and the guys continue to bring fast Chevrolet’s to the track each weekend and it should be another exciting event on Saturday night.” -Shane van Gisbergen on

Martinsville Speedway
No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro

• Shane van Gisbergen will once again make his first-career NXS start at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday night.
• Last weekend at Richmond Raceway, Van Gisbergen and his WeatherTech team started 12th and finished 15th in his first short-track race of the season.
• Van Gisbergen currently sits 13th in the driver standings heading into the weekend at Martinsville.

About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and added a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. In 2024, the team will once again field two, full-time entries in the NCS and continue to field three, full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Martin Truex Jr.
Martinsville Advance
No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Cook Out 400 (Round 8 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 7
● Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway
● Layout: .526-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 400 laps/210.4 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 220 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● At the Point: With another top-five finish last weekend at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, Truex continues to lead the point standings. The New Jersey native heads into Martinsville with 270 points, 14 ahead of second-place Kyle Larson. All four JGR entries are currently inside the top-10 in points heading to the eighth race of the season, with Denny Hamlin third, Ty Gibbs in fourth, and Christopher Bell sixth.

● Up Front: Truex led a race high 228 laps last weekend at Richmond and sits second in laps led in NASCAR’s top series. All four JGR Toyota Camry XSE drivers are among the top-five. Larson’s 368 laps led tops the list, followed by Truex at 352, Hamlin with 292, Gibbs with 195, and Bell with 119.

● All three of Truex’s three Martinsville wins in the NASCAR Cup Series have come in his time at JGR, now in its sixth season. He has a total of four top-five finishes with the team at the .526-mile paperclip-shaped oval.

● Truex’s three Martinsville wins are included in his career totals of 10 top-fives and 16 top-10s at the track, and he’s led a total of 1,063 laps in 36 Cup Series outings there. Truex’s average Martinsville finish is 15.9.

● Looking for 35: Truex’s win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon last July was his most recent Cup Series win, the 34th of his career, tying him with 2004 Cup Series champion Kurt Busch for 25th on the all-time Cup Series win list.

● Ahead at this Stage: Truex has accumulated 62 stage wins since the beginning of the stage era in 2017. He is the only driver with 10 or more stage sweeps, with his latest sweep coming at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn last August. Truex scored his first stage win of the season last weekend at Richmond, leading the field across the line at the end of Stage 2.

Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE

When you think about the short-track package and what you learned at Richmond, what are you expecting at Martinsville this weekend?

“Definitely high confidence going into Martinsville compared to the first year of this car. To be able to go run like we did at Richmond, it gives me a lot of confidence going forward that our Martinsville stuff should be good. I love going there, it’s been a really good track for us over the years aside from the first year of the NextGen. Hopefully we can continue that and use that going forward with our Bass Pro Shops Camry.”

How much confidence do you have when going to Martinsville?

“I think we got to a point with the old car that we had some things that really worked for me. We used to have it for a long time, and just did some fine tuning, tweaking here and there. Learning how to race and learning how to win at Martinsville, you learn a lot about the track and what it takes. Then they switched the car and that’s been a challenge for us. Two years ago, we were in trouble there, and then last spring we were kind of hit-or-miss throughout the day. I feel like we are still learning some things there about this car – what do I need here, what are things that kind of turn that switch for me here at this racetrack and do the things that I want it to. I don’t know if we are quite there yet, but you really need to be upfront and be dialed in, so hopefully we can make that happen this weekend.”

How important is qualifying at Martinsville?

“It’s very important. All of the short tracks, qualifying has been huge from starting up front and having a good pit stall. You need both of those at Martinsville to be successful and we were able to win the pole there last fall, which is a huge help for the whole race. Track position is going to be everything.”

What are the challenges of racing at Martinsville as far as navigating it lap to lap and controlling your emotions there?

“The biggest thing is just the beating and banging that happens there and getting knocked out of the way. For me, I’ve really only had one issue there, which was getting taken out of the race at the end in 2018. It gets like that at Martinsville, it’s just a tough track. When it comes down to a few laps to go, you can go down there and blow the corner and run into somebody and can get the spot. That’s where the frustration comes from there, from a lot of drivers over the years.”

In recent years, you’ve raced at Martinsville at night as well as during the day. What’s the biggest difference between night and day racing there?

“It’s really not that different. The biggest change is just when it’s either warmer or cooler. I don’t think nighttime has changed it a whole bunch, maybe just slightly. A lot of it depends on the tire and if it puts rubber down. That’s really the game-changer from our standpoint, it changes the track more than anything.”

No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Martin Truex Jr.

Hometown: Mayetta, New Jersey

Crew Chief: James Small

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Car Chief: Chris Jones

Hometown: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

Race Engineer: Jaik Halpainy

Hometown: Blockville, New York

Engineer: Jeff Curtis

Hometown: Fairfax Station, Virginia

Spotter: Drew Herring

Hometown: Benson, North Carolina

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Ryan Martin

Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Virgina

Mechanic: Todd Carmichael

Hometown: Redding, California

Interior/Tire Specialist: Tommy DiBlasi

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engine Tuner: Beau Morton

Hometown: Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Transporter Driver: Kyle Bazzell

Hometown: Fairbury, Illinois

Transporter Driver: Eddie DeGroot

Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York

Over-The-Wall Crew Members

Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Jackman: Caleb Dirks

Hometown: Riverside, California

Tire Carrier: CJ Bailey

Hometown: Outer Banks, North Carolina

Front Tire Changer: Lee Cunningham

Hometown: Leaf River, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Marquill Osborne

Hometown: Cornelius, NC

NOAH GRAGSON
Martinsville Advance
No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Cook Out 400 (Round 8 of 36)|
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 7
● Location: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway
● Layout: .526-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 400 laps/210.4 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 220 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● With a 12th-place drive last Sunday at the .75-mile Richmond (Va.) Raceway, Noah Gragson earned his fourth finish of 12th or better in the seven NASCAR Cup Series races held this season. The 25-year-old racer seeks further wealth in the Commonwealth with a second straight dose of short-track racing this Sunday at the .526-mile Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

● Short-track racing is where Gragson’s career began. The Las Vegas native owns victories in two of the United States’ most prestigious Late Model races – the 2017 Winchester 400 at the half-mile Winchester (Ind.) Speedway and the 2018 Snowball Derby at the half-mile Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida.

● Sunday’s Cook Out 400 at Martinsville will mark Gragson’s third career Cup Series start at the track, with his best result being a 25th-place drive in his Cup Series debut there in October 2022.

● Gragson’s tenure at Martinsville outside of the NASCAR Cup Series is impressive. In five career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, he only has one finish outside of the top-four, and that lone 20th-place result in April 2022 came after Gragson qualified third and led 23 laps before he was caught up in a 15-car accident on the frontstretch 10 laps short of the finish. From 2020 through 2022, Gragson’s finishes in the Xfinity Series at Martinsville were third (October 2020), second (April 2021), first (October 2021), 20th (April 2022) and fourth (October 2022).

● In his NASCAR Xfinity Series win at Martinsville in October 2021, Gragson dominated. Despite qualifying ninth, it only took him 65 laps to make his way to the front and take the lead. Gragson ended up leading six times for a race-high 153 laps, or 59.5 percent of the 257 laps available. When the checkered flag dropped, Gragson had a .064 of a second advantage over runner-up Austin Cindric in a green-white-checkered finish.

● Gragson’s Martinsville history in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is just as impressive. In four career Truck Series starts from 2017 through 2018, Gragson never finished worse than seventh. He came home fourth in his Truck Series debut at the track in April 2017, won in his next Martinsville start in October 2017, and then finished fifth and seventh, respectively, in his last two Truck Series starts in March and October 2018.

● Gragson delivered a gritty performance to earn his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win at Martinsville in October 2017. He started fifth but never took the lead until lap 191 of the 200-lap race. But those last 10 laps were the only laps that mattered as Gragson pulled out a 1.586-second margin over second-place Matt Crafton.

● Overstock.com has joined Stewart-Haas Racing and Gragson’s No. 10 team this weekend at Martinsville. The partnership coincides with the recent relaunch of Overstock.com, home of crazy good deals that offer quality and style for less. Overstock.com is for the savvy shopper who loves the thrill of the hunt, and it includes product categories customers know and love, like patio furniture, home furniture and area rugs, while reintroducing jewelry, watches and health-and-beauty products.

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

You’re very successful at Martinsville, winning in both the Xfinity Series and Truck Series, where in nine combined starts there – five in Xfinity and four in Trucks – you have two wins, seven top-fives and eight top-10s. What made you so good at Martinsville in those series?

“I think being able to be disciplined and move your line around and, depending on how the rubber’s being laid down on the racetrack, center exit of the corner, and then your proximity off the inside curb, I feel like there are four or five, maybe six different ways you can run a corner at Martinsville in Xfinity and Trucks and with the old Cup cars. You used to have to mount a run, but now you just downshift, so I’m trying to figure that out, but I used to be really good there.”

You finished fourth and first in your first two Truck starts there in 2017. Did you take to the track right away?

“It was pretty natural for me, a lot of heavy braking into the corner, and then just moving around. I watched Kyle Larson when he ran a Truck there. He was in a GMS Truck, maybe the 24 Truck in 2016, and I watched his line around there and how he moved around the racetrack. I utilized that when I first went there and developed more processes as I got around the corner as the years went on.”

Did Martinsville remind you of some of the tracks you raced on out West as you ran Late Models and then the NASCAR K&N Series West?

“Not really. There was nothing really like Martinsville that I had been to before.”

With all that prior success at Martinsville, what makes emulating those accomplishments at the Cup level so hard?

“I think everybody’s pretty locked in trying to figure out what a good car should feel like around there. I feel like the balance of the car changes. It gets really free on the entry of the corner as the run goes on. Just knowing and gaining experience on what you need your car balance to be at the beginning of the run compared to the end of the run. Obviously, the caliber of drivers is really high that you’re racing against, and it’s also pretty challenging to pass there with the downshifts.”

How physical is a race at Martinsville? You’re hard on the brakes at least 800 times, so your lower body gets a workout as much as your upper body.

“It is a physical one. You never stop there. You’re shifting the whole time, so you’re pretty much driving one-handed, and you’re constantly on one pedal or the other with the brake or the gas. So you’re pretty worn out mentally and physically. It’s a demanding racetrack to go out there and run fast.”

Are you a left-foot or right-foot braker?

“I’ve always left-foot braked in a racecar. It’s just natural to me.”

When it comes to on-track contact at Martinsville, what’s OK and what isn’t?

“I guess just don’t spin the guy out in front on you, but if you do have to move him out of the way, you better hope you get away from him so he can’t get you back.”

When do you need to just let something go and when do you need to stand up for yourself and give a shot back?

“I think you race pretty hard to fill a hole on the restarts, but unless you’re racing for the win, or if somebody’s been holding you up for countless laps, there’s really no point because it’s really hard to get to somebody in a Cup car, now. It’s almost impossible, and if you do hit him, you have to hit him going 20 miles an hour faster just because they’re so stuck to the racetrack. Bumping doesn’t do much anymore, but I guess you can knock them out of the way pretty good on entry, and if they get loose on the corner, you can kind of squirt them up out of the way on the entry to the corner.”

How heady are restarts at Martinsville?

“Restarts at Martinsville are challenging just because the inside line is so dominant that with the choose cone you can gain some rows on the outside, but if you don’t get down after a couple of laps, you might fall back and net out a three- or four-spot loss. So, it’s risk versus reward.”

No. 10 Overstock.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: James Kimbrough

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Andy Houston

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotten

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Beau Whitley

Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

Tire Specialist: Jacob Cooksey

Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Steve Casper

Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Martinsville I Event Info:
Date: Sunday, April 7
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Martinsville, Virginia
Format: 400 Laps, 210.4 miles, Stages: 80-100-220
TV: FS1
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 4:35 p.m., Practice (FS2, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 5:20 p.m., Qualifying (FS2, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3 p.m. ET, Race (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

• The NASCAR Cup Series goes short-track racing for the second week in a row as Martinsville Speedway hosts its first of two race dates this weekend.
• Jack Roush’s Fords have five top-10 qualifying efforts at Martinsville in the last two seasons alone, as Chris Buescher is coming off his career-best result at ‘The Paperclip’ last fall.
• Buescher is one of just four drivers thus far this season with five top-10s.

6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: Body Guard

17 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: BuildSubmarines.com

Keselowski at Martinsville
Starts: 28
Wins: 2
Top-10s: 17
Poles: 1 (2020)

• Keselowski, a two-time winner at Martinsville, is set for his 29th Cup start at ‘The Paperclip.’
• Martinsville stands as one of Keselowski’s best tracks statistically with an average finish of 13.2. He’s coming off a 33rd-place finish last fall after being collected in an incident, and last spring finished 24th.
• He has finished top-10 in 61 percent of his starts there. Of the 17 top-10s, 12 have been inside the top five. He earned his first Grandfather clock back in 2017 and won the same race two years later in the spring.
• He carries an average starting position of 11.4 into the weekend with 16 starts inside the top-10 and one pole (2010). He’s qualified 10th or better in seven of the last eight races at Martinsville, including P10 last fall.
• Keselowski also made four Truck Series starts from 2004-07.

Buescher at Martinsville
Starts: 17
Wins: —
Top-10s: 2
Poles: —

• Buescher is coming off his career-best finish at Martinsville, and is set for his 18th Cup start at ‘The Paperclip’ this weekend.
• Last fall he finished eighth in the final race in the Round of 8, and last spring ran 14th.
• He has four-straight top-15s in the spring event dating back to 2020 with a P13 result that spring, followed by another 13th-place finish in 2021, last season’s P15, and last season’s 14th-place result.
• Buescher has an average starting position of 21.5 at Martinsville and is coming off some of his best qualifying efforts to date. He qualified 10th last spring and fourth the spring prior (2022).

RFK Historically at Martinsville
Cup Wins: 4 (Mark Martin, 1992, 2000; Jeff Burton, 1997; Kurt Busch, 2002)

• For Whom the Bell Tolls: RFK has earned four Grandfather Clocks at Martinsville with former drivers Mark Martin (two), Jeff Burton and Kurt Busch. RFK most recently went to victory lane with Busch in Oct. 2002.
• Rock Around the Clock: RFK had its overall most-successful outing at Martinsville in the spring of 2002 when it placed all four of its cars inside the top 10 with drivers Martin, Burton, Busch and Matt Kenseth.
• Closing Time: RFK earned a one-two finish in the April 9, 2000 event at Martinsville with former drivers Martin and Burton. Martin paced the field for 64 laps en route to the victory.
• Short-Track Prowess: RFK has started a total of 708 NCS races on short tracks, recording a total of 24 wins, 127 top-five finishes, 256 top-10 finishes and 8,079 laps led.
• Tale of the Tape: RFK has started 228 NCS races at Martinsville, recording four victories, 26 top-five finishes, 70 top-10 finishes, an average finish of 17.9 and has led 1,385 laps. RFK also boasts two NASCAR Truck Series wins in 46 starts at Martinsville (fall of ’03 and ’05).

RFK Martinsville Wins

1992-1 Martin Cup
1997-2 Burton Cup
2000-1 Martin Cup
2002-2 Busch Cup
2003-2 Wood Truck
2005-2 Craven Truck

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Richmond: Both RFK cars again finished inside the top-10 at Richmond with Keselowski running eighth and Buescher ninth. It marked Buescher’s fourth-straight top-10, the longest streak of his career, and Keselowski’s third of the young season.

Points Standings (17: 12th, 6: 16th): While the points standings remain unchanged coming off of Richmond, an 11-point gap separates 13th-17th, with Buescher carrying a 18-point cushion to P13.

Toyota Owners 400
Richmond, Va. – March 31, 2024

NASCAR TRACKS – RICHMOND RACEWAY – NASCAR 101

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 DISCOUNT TIRE FORD MUSTANG

START: 9TH STAGE ONE: 27TH STAGE TWO: 23RD FINISH: 23RD POINTS: 20TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Intermittent rain at Richmond Raceway created a slick racing condition to start Sunday night’s 400-lap event with Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Discount Tire Ford rallying through a field of varying pit strategies and untimely cautions to a 23rd-place finish. Following a productive qualifying effort on Saturday, Cindric lined up ninth to get the evening started with the No. 2 donning rain tires to prepare for the ever-changing conditions of the quarter-mile track. With the racing surface still wet for the green flag, Cindric and his competitors spent the opening laps finding the preferred groove with a tight condition overtaking the No. 2 and thwarting forward momentum. A competition caution at lap 30 gave the No. 2 team a chance to reset with four slick tires and fuel, with the remainder of Stage 1 dedicated to finding the right balance to align with the new environment. The second stage was a tale of varying pit strategies, with the No. 2 team working diligently to position Cindric towards the front of the field. The first cycle of scheduled pit stops ensued, although an abrupt caution midway through the stage halted plans on the next scheduled stop and forced a change of plans for a majority of the field; Cindric and the No. 2 team included. It ultimately trapped the Discount Tire Ford a lap down with Cindric going to work to gain position in the stage’s closing lap alongside nearly half of the field that was combatting the same challenge. The finale Stage posed the same trials, although Cindric’s improving lap times and quick work by the No. 2 crew on pit road provided him a chance to propel forward and finish the event in 23rd-place.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “A bit of unfortunate timing with the caution in Stage 2. It really trapped us behind. I felt like we definitely had the performance to race within the top-15, but we continued to be trapped a lap down. A bit frustrating as it doesn’t show the speed of the weekend of our No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang. We’ve got a lot of right pieces of the puzzle though, and we’ll keep going. It was great to get a short track under our belt, too, after not being able to turn laps at Phoenix.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/DURACELL FORD MUSTANG

START: 12TH STAGE ONE: 25TH STAGE TWO: 26TH FINISH: 19TH POINTS: 5TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 Menards/Duracell team posted a 19th-place finish at Richmond Raceway Sunday night. With damp track conditions from lingering rainfall prior to the start of the 400-lap event, teams began the night on wet weather tires as Blaney worked his way into the top-10 from the 12th starting position in the opening laps before a tight-handling condition set in, shuffling him out of the top-20 by the time of the competition caution on lap 30. After getting a set of four slick tires under yellow, Blaney continued to battle through traffic as the 12-team continued to diagnose the early handling issues, resulting in a 25th-place finish in Stage 1. Crew chief Jonathan Hassler and the 12 team went with a two-stop strategy during the second stage as Blaney worked his way back into the top-20 by the time of the caution on lap 170. On the ensuing restart while fighting for the free pass position before the end of Stage 2, Blaney was shoved out of line and up into the outside wall of turn one as he worked to regain track position over the final run of the segment that ended in a 26th-place finish. The 12-team stuck with the two-stop strategy in the final stage as the overall balance of the Menards/Duracell Ford Mustang settled in, prompting four-tire stops under green on laps 297 and 350. The longest green flag run of the night came to an end with two laps to go, allowing Blaney to take the wave-around to get back on the lead lap for the overtime restart before taking the checkered flag 19th.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “Hard-fought night for our 12 team. We just couldn’t recover from losing a bunch of track position during the first run but we were able to get the balance in a good spot in the second stage. There’s only so much ground you can make up over those longer green flag runs. Not our night but we’re looking forward to getting back to Martinsville next week.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG

START: 10TH STAGE ONE: 5TH STAGE TWO: 3RD FINISH: 2ND POINTS: 19TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano came up one spot short in his bid for a third-career win at Richmond Raceway Sunday night as the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang crossed the line second in a green-white-checkered finish. The runner-up effort marked Logano’s fifth top-five finish in his last eight starts at Richmond and 14th-career top-five in 30 starts at the Virginia short track. With scattered showers in the area prior to the drop of the green flag prompting the use of wet weather tires, Logano worked his way up to seventh in the running order by the time of the competition caution on lap 30. After getting a set of slick tires and fuel, Logano continued his charge to the front as track conditions improved en route to a fifth-place finish in Stage 1. Varying pit strategies began to take shape in Stage 2 as crew chief Paul Wolfe and the 22-team opted for a two-stop strategy in the 160-lap segment. Following a scheduled, green flag stop on lap 128, Logano cycled to third on the leaderboard when the caution came out on lap 170, trapping a handful of teams a lap down that chose to split the stage in half. Logano restarted from the outside of row one with 53 laps to go in the stage and came away with a third-place finish in Stage 2. After settling into third in the running order during the opening run of the final stage, the 22-team stayed with its two-stop strategy, prompting Logano to hit pit road for a pair of four-tire stops under green on laps 287 and 336, respectively. Logano raced his way up to second with 30 laps to go as his long-run speed closed the gap to the leader to under a second with 10 laps remaining. As the margin to the leader continued to close, the caution came out with two laps to go, setting up one final round of pit stops prior to the green-white-checkered finish. Logano lined up for the restart from the inside of row two and cleared the outside lane coming to the white flag, but ultimately settled for the runner-up result.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “This is definitely the hardest start to a season we’ve had, but last week we started scratching and clawing and got a little bit of momentum through the last three races and ultimately get to here to where we were in the hunt again. It feels good. It’s Richmond. It’s a unique racetrack. It’s our best racetrack as a team, so we expect to run good here. I don’t know if this completely takes us out of the deep end, but I think, ultimately, it’s a good momentum-builder for sure.

I didn’t get a good enough restart. I really wanted to pressure them down into one and force them to work up [Martin] Truex, but I spun my tires there just trying to stay with them and that ultimately cost me to be close enough to do something. It feels good to be towards the front again. We haven’t had a run like that in a while, but it also stings to be that close and not capitalize on the win. I guess I have mixed emotions. We had a really good car, a car that was capable of winning if we were in the front, but we didn’t execute everywhere else good enough to get there.”

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Martinsville Speedway for Round 8 of the 2024 season on Sunday, April 7 for the Cook Out 400. Coverage begins at 3:00 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Keselowski Leads Way with P8 Finish in BuildSubmarines.com Ford, Buescher P9 in NEXLETOL Ford

RICHMOND, Va. (March 31, 2024) – RFK brought home a pair of top-10 finishes on Easter Sunday at Richmond as Brad Keselowski finished eighth in the BuildSubmarines.com Ford, and Chris Buescher ninth in the NEXLETOL Ford.

Sunday’s 400-mile race was initially affected by inclement weather, which for the first time in Next Gen history (outside of North Wilkesboro) forced NASCAR to employ rain tires to start a race. The weather ultimately moved on though, in what turned into a NASCAR Overtime scenario by race end.

The top-10 for Buescher marks his fourth-straight, the first time in his Cup career to record four-straight top-10s. He’s one of only four drivers this season with five top-10s. Keselowski earned his third top-10 of the young season.

6 Recap
Keselowski began his Richmond race from the 23rd position following Saturday’s qualifying session. With damp conditions on the ¾-mile track as the race began, teams began the night with rain tires as NASCAR eventually threw a caution at lap 30 to reset the field.

With slick tires on from that point on, Keselowski went on to finish 19th in the opening stage at lap 70, and after the first live pit stop of the evening, would line up 16th on the ensuing restart. The following 89 laps ran caution-free, with Keselowski pitting under green at lap 122 from the 15th spot. When the next yellow was displayed at lap 168, Keselowski was seventh and went on to finish 11th by the stage end (lap 230).

The BuildSubmarines.com Ford fired off 10th for the final stage, as Keselowski kept the No. 6 inside the top-10 from then on, with a pair of green-flag pit stops spanning the final stage. A final caution flew with just two laps remaining as Keselowski ran ninth, and he held on to the eighth spot in the final restart in NASCAR Overtime to finish eighth.

“That was respectable,” Keselowski said. “I don’t think we had the speed to win the race, but we had the speed to run in that eighth to 12th range and we kind of did that most of the night. We ended up executing at the end to get an eighth, so it was respectable. We took a little step backwards, but we’ll learn from it and be better.”

17 Recap
Buescher unloaded with one of the faster cars in the field, turning in a quick practice time Saturday morning. He went on to qualify 14th, but would quickly solidify himself in the top-10 once the green dropped Sunday night.

The No. 17 Ford was ninth by the time of the competition caution at lap 30, and from there he slipped to 13th by the end of stage one (lap 70). He restarted stage two in 11th and worked his way back inside the top-10 midway through the segment, before pitting from 10th at lap 125 under green. The only caution of the stage flew at lap 168 with Buescher in fifth. He restarted there, and ultimately was scored seventh some 50 laps later at the conclusion of stage two (lap 230), earning stage points.

Buescher fired off ninth for the final stage in what appeared to run all under green until the very end. He pitted from the eighth position under green at lap 333 in what appeared to be the final stop, until a caution flew late with two laps remaining.

As most of the field pitted, Buescher did as well, lining back up inside the top-10 for one final restart in NASCAR Overtime, where Buescher charged forward for the ninth-place finish.

“That’s certainly not what we were hoping for,” Buescher said after the race. “I was really excited coming back here. We had a good day, but nothing terrific to write home about. We’ll definitely dive into it and try to figure out what changed and see where we might be able to get better for the next go round.”

Up Next
Martinsville Speedway hosts the second-straight short track race next weekend for the eighth race of the season. Race coverage Sunday is set for 3 p.m. ET on FS1, with radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, in its 37th season in 2024, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988 and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit rfkracing.com, and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet Team Earn Top-25 Finish at Richmond Raceway

Finish: 24th
Start: 22nd
Points: 28th

“We had a really good BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 tonight at Richmond Raceway. Our Chevrolet started a little tight, but we didn’t fall off as much as everyone else during long runs. Unfortunately, when we came down pit road for a scheduled stop in the middle of the race, we misjudged the timing of the car in the stall behind us. It made for a lengthy pit stop and caused us to lose a lap. Once you go a lap down here at Richmond Raceway, it’s hard to get it back. It’s unfortunate because I feel like we had a better car than the results show, but we’ll go back to work and get ready for Martinsville Speedway next weekend.” -Austin Dillon

Kyle Busch and No. 8 Rebel Bourbon Chevrolet Team Collect Lead Lap Finish at Richmond Raceway

Finish: 20th
Start: 15th
Points: 13th

“It was a battle all night in our No. 8 Rebel Bourbon Chevrolet at Richmond Raceway. We started the race on wet weather tires and had zero grip on the initial fire off. It felt like it took forever for the tires to come in. Crew chief Randall Burnett and all the guys on the team worked hard all night making adjustments, but we were just too tight in the center and too loose on entry and exit. They took some pretty big swings at it but unfortunately couldn’t get the balance where it needed to be. We’ll regroup and bounce back next week at Martinsville Speedway.” -Kyle Busch