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Daniel Suárez wins Atlanta NASCAR Cup race in fantastic three-wide finish

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

HAMPTON, Ga. — It was a race of remarkable ebb and flow.

It was race of breathtaking four-wide action into corners not built to accommodate such derring-do.

And it was totally appropriate that Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway would end in a three-wide photo finish, with Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suárez eking out a victory over Ryan Blaney by what looked to be an inch or two at the finish line.

NASCAR timing and scoring showed Suárez ahead of Blaney by 0.003 seconds at the stripe, with Kyle Busch in third, 0.007 seconds behind the race winner.

As the three drivers sped through the final two corners, Suárez held the outside lane with Blaney on the bottom and Busch in the middle. Suárez surged forward approaching the finish line to earn his second career victory—and his first since June of 2022 at Sonoma—by the thinnest of margins.

Suárez, whose No. 99 Trackhouse Race Chevrolet suffered damage to the hood on a Lap 2 crash in Turn 1, had the lead for a restart with five laps left, after the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford of Josh Berry collided with Carson Hocevar’s No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet on Lap 249 of 260 to cause the 10th and final caution of the race.

Blaney, the defending series champion, grabbed the top spot almost immediately and held it for four laps, but Suárez and Busch mounted runs on the final lap on in the top and middle lanes, respectively. Blaney chose to make his bid for victory from the bottom lane and fell just short.

“It was so damn close, man,” said Suárez, still marveling that he was the winner. “It was so damn close. It was good racing. Ryan Blaney there, Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric also was doing a great job giving pushes. In the back straightaway he didn’t push me because he knew I was going to (screw) his teammate, but, man, what a job.

“We wrecked (on) Lap 2. The guys did an amazing job fixing this car. I can’t thank everyone enough, Trackhouse Racing, Freeway Insurance, Chevrolet, all the amazing fans here. Let’s go!”

As the final lap unfolded, Blaney was shocked at the force of the runs challenging him.

“I thought I laid back enough in (Turns) 1 and 2 to not let both lanes get that big of a run,” Blaney said. “I did that like the three laps before the end, and I was able to manage it kind of fairly well, and they just got both lanes shoving super hard. I just chose the bottom, and it was the safest place to be.

“What a cool finish. Appreciate the fans for sticking around. That’s a lot of fun. That’s always a good time when we can do that, race clean, three-wide finish to the end. Happy for Daniel. That was cool to see. Fun racing with Kyle. I can’t complain; I’ve won them by very, very little, too, so I can’t complain too much when I lose them by that much.”

To Busch, the outcome was predictable, given the positions of the cars in the final two corners.

“Yeah, typically whoever is behind getting into (Turn) 3 prevails at the start-finish line with the side draft and everything, so I was… I think I was second to the 12 (Blaney) right there, and the 99 was the furthest back, and he made the ground back up with the side draft and stuff…

“It’s good to see Daniel get a win. We were helping each other, being Chevy team partners and working together there. Shows that when you do have friends and you can make alliances that they do seem to work, and that was a good part of today.”

The start of the race was a harbinger of the wild finish.

Moments after crossing the finish line to complete the first lap of the race, Todd Gilliland checked up near the front of the field and stacked up the cars behind him. All told, 16 cars were involved, a track record for a single incident at the 1.54-mile speedway.

The machines of Alex Bowman, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, Noah Gragson all sustained heavy damage. Austin Dillon and Harrison Burton, early victims in last Monday’s DAYTONA 500, both were part of the melee.

Burton was able to continue, as was Suárez who made multiple pit stops as his crew worked to repair has car. Dillon lost two laps on pit road but regained them as the beneficiary under the third and fourth cautions.

If the Lap 2 wreck was an impediment for nearly half the field, the first attempt at green-flag pit stops in Stage 2 was equally discomfiting. Pole winner Michael McDowell locked his brakes near the pit road entrance in Turn 3 and collided with DAYTONA 500 winner William Byron, costing both drivers a lap.

Speeding penalties impeded Busch, Berry, Ross Chastain, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Bubba Wallace, with Erik Jones’ crew drawing a penalty for a runaway tire. Like McDowell and Byron, those drivers all found themselves a lap down after their respective pass-throughs under green.

Through subsequent cautions, however, they regained the lead lap, and Busch raced his way into contention for the win.

Cindric finished fourth, followed by Wallace, Stenhouse, Chastain, McDowell and Chris Buescher, all of whom made commendable recoveries to earn top-10 results.

The race featured a record 48 lead changes among 14 drivers – the fifth straight race at Atlanta with more than a dozen leaders. Gilliland led a race-high 58 laps, a team record for a single race by a Front Row Motorsports driver. Cindric was out front for 32 laps, followed by Blaney (31) and Busch (28).

Suárez led twice for nine laps.

Joey Logano, the defending race winner, received unwelcome news before the start of the race. The driver of the No. 22 Ford was deemed to have violated NASCAR rule 14.3.1.1 governing driver protective clothing and equipment.

Logano’s left driving glove featured webbing between the thumb and forefinger, an unauthorized modification of SFI-approved equipment. Under an at-track penalty, Logano dropped from the second position to the rear of the field for the start and began to serve a pit-road pass-through when the pileup in Turn 1 on Lap 2 slowed the field.

The misery of others was serendipity for Logano, who completed his pass-through without losing a lap. By the end of Stage 1 he was 12th, and after the top 10 pitted during the stage break, Logano was second when Stage 2 went green.

On Lap 99, Logano passed Gilliland for the lead as part of a pack of six Fords at the front of the field. On the final lap the stage, however, Logano’s fortunes soured once again when his No. 22 Mustang pushed up the track on the backstretch and collected Chris Buescher and Denny Hamlin.

Towed to his pit stall, Logano lost eight laps and any hope he might have had of defending his 2023 victory.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube on Sunday, March 3 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

NASCAR Cup Series Race – Ambetter Health 400

Atlanta Motor Speedway

Hampton, Georgia

Sunday, February 25, 2024

(23) Daniel Suárez, Chevrolet, 260.
(6) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 260.
(3) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 260.
(8) Austin Cindric, Ford, 260.
(18) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 260.
(27) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 260.
(21) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 260.
(1) Michael McDowell, Ford, 260.
(7) Chris Buescher, Ford, 260.
(25) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 260.
(16) Harrison Burton, Ford, 260.
(12) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 260.
(32) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 260.
(33) Kaz Grala #, Ford, 260.
(28) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 260.
(20) Ryan Preece, Ford, 260.
(11) William Byron, Chevrolet, 260.
(26) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 260.
(35) Carson Hocevar #, Chevrolet, 260.
(31) Justin Haley, Ford, 260.
(34) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 260.
(10) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 260.
(13) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 259.
(36) BJ McLeod(i), Chevrolet, 257.
(37) Erik Jones, Toyota, 256.
(4) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 256.
(17) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 255.
(2) Joey Logano, Ford, 252.
(14) Josh Berry #, Ford, Accident, 250.
(19) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 243.
(9) Chase Briscoe, Ford, Accident, 239.
(5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Accident, 222.
(24) Brad Keselowski, Ford, Accident, 218.
(22) Christopher Bell, Toyota, Accident, 148.
(29) Zane Smith #, Chevrolet, DVP, 75.
(15) Noah Gragson, Ford, Accident, 66.
(30) Josh Williams(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 2.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 115.398 mph.

Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 28 Mins, 11 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.003 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 10 for 65 laps.

Lead Changes: 48 among 14 drivers.

Lap Leaders: M. McDowell 0;K. Busch 1-10;K. Larson 11;K. Busch 12-15;K. Larson 16;K. Busch 17-20;K. Larson 21-22;R. Blaney 23;K. Larson 24;R. Blaney 25-33;K. Busch 34-40;M. McDowell 41;K. Busch 42-43;M. McDowell 44-50;R. Blaney 51;M. McDowell 52-63;T. Gilliland 64-98;J. Logano 99-102;T. Gilliland 103;J. Logano 104-112;C. Buescher 113;J. Logano 114-127;K. Larson 128-131;B. Keselowski 132;K. Larson 133-134;R. Stenhouse Jr. 135;B. Wallace 136-138;A. Cindric 139-165;T. Gilliland 166-169;B. Keselowski 170;T. Gilliland 171-182;M. Truex Jr. 183-184;T. Gilliland 185-186;M. Truex Jr. 187-188;T. Gilliland 189-192;K. Larson 193-198;M. Truex Jr. 199-201;M. McDowell 202-206;M. Truex Jr. 207;M. McDowell 208-209;M. Truex Jr. 210;A. Cindric 211-215;D. Hamlin 216-230;R. Blaney 231-232;K. Busch 233;R. Blaney 234-247;D. Suárez 248-255;R. Blaney 256-259;D. Suárez 260.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Todd Gilliland 6 times for 58 laps; Austin Cindric 2 times for 32 laps; Ryan Blaney 6 times for 31 laps; Kyle Busch 6 times for 28 laps; Michael McDowell 5 times for 27 laps; Joey Logano 3 times for 27 laps; Kyle Larson 7 times for 17 laps; Denny Hamlin 1 time for 15 laps; Martin Truex Jr. 5 times for 9 laps; Daniel Suárez 2 times for 9 laps; Bubba Wallace 1 time for 3 laps; Brad Keselowski 2 times for 2 laps; Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 1 time for 1 lap; Chris Buescher 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 34,12,1,5,8,19,47,23,24,38

Stage #2 Top Ten: 2,5,12,99,19,38,6,21,14,9

February 25, 2024
Austin Hill saves enough fuel to win second straight NASCAR Xfinity race

Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

HAMPTON, Ga. — Sunoco rookie Jesse Love led almost all the laps, but in the end, it was his Richard Childress Racing teammate, Austin Hill, who had Saturday’s RAPTOR King of Tough 250 fall into his lap.

For Hill, who won last week’s NASCAR Xfinity Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway, it was the continuation of a serendipitous start to 2024. Hill is the first driver since Tony Stewart in 2008 to win the first two events of an Xfinity season.

The victory was Hill’s third in the last four races at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the eighth of his career.

But victory for the driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet came at the expense of Love, who started from the pole, swept the first two stages and led 157 of 169 laps. Love ran out of fuel at the start of a two-lap overtime, as Hill grabbed the lead for the first time and held off eventual runner-up Chandler Smith by 0.106 seconds.

The bottom line? Running behind the leaders in a single-file line, Hill was able to save more fuel than his teammate at the front of the pack. Hill had enough in his tank to stave off Smith who had pitted for fuel under caution on Lap 164.

“I was really thinking we were down and out,” Hill said. “I was thinking the 2 (Love) was going to go get ‘em, and hey, if I can’t win, let my teammate win. We were riding there in fourth or fifth—whatever it was—I was saving fuel…”

On the overtime restart on Lap 168, Hill’s car stumbled when he shifted from third to fourth gear.

“The 81 (Smith) hit me really hard, and that woke it back up, and I had enough fuel to complete the lap. But I’ve got to take this moment to congratulate, Jesse Love, my teammate. He ran an awesome race. To be a rookie and to lead that many laps, he should be sitting in Victory Lane right now.”

The coup de grace for Love came when the Ford of Ryan Sieg ran out of fuel on Lap 161 of a scheduled 163 and stopped on the track in Turn 4. The caution extended the race by six laps and allowed a dozen cars to pit before the overtime restart.

Among those who took advantage of the fuel stop was New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen, who finished third in his second Xfinity Series start.

“It’s almost comical,” Love said. “Man, I’m just so damn proud of everybody on this Whelen car. It just wasn’t meant to be. Obviously, as a Christian, I’m not going to allow myself to question why we were under caution so long or what happened.

“I always try to take responsibility for everything, so I as a driver I should have saved more fuel. Man, I just didn’t want anybody to catch me off-guard. I thought I saved a ton. Man, that overtime or that caution just lasted forever.

“No matter what, I’m really proud of our guys. We had a great showing. Led a lot of laps man. It just wasn’t in store for us today.”

Van Gisbergen was delighted to be on the other side of the fuel equation.

“Pretty awesome,” he said. “Great job by (crew chief) Bruce (Schlicker) on the box there to pit us. I had so much fun. Just learning about it and running in the pack. Yeah, to be P3 in the second race in the WeatherTech Chevy is pretty awesome. I’m stoked.

“It’s just good to get a result and have a clean car, especially after last week (at Daytona) when I got involved in so much stuff. So, to have a clean race, not make too many mistakes, and complete every lap, we learned a lot. It was awesome.”

Riley Herbst, Love’s foremost challenger over the closing laps was among the first to run out of fuel—from the second position on Lap 160. Cole Custer hit empty almost simultaneously, then Sieg, causing the fateful caution.

The gas shortage throughout the field scrambled the finishing order, leaving Sheldon Creed fourth and Parker Retzlaff fifth. Jeremy Clements, Anthony Alfredo, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Ryan Truex and Sammy Smith completed the top 10.

Note: Love is the first driver since Christopher Bell in 2017 to lead more than 100 laps in his first two Xfinity Series starts combined. Bell led 152 of 250 laps in his second start at Iowa. Love led 34 laps in his series debut last Monday at Daytona, giving him a total of 191 for the two races.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – RAPTOR King of Tough 250
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Hampton, Georgia
Saturday, February 24, 2024

(2) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 169.
(12) Chandler Smith, Toyota, 169.
(13) Shane Van Gisbergen #, Chevrolet, 169.
(10) Sheldon Creed, Toyota, 169.
(24) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 169.
(23) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 169.
(15) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 169.
(22) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Toyota, 169.
(8) Ryan Truex, Toyota, 169.
(14) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 169.
(6) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 169.
(1) Jesse Love #, Chevrolet, 169.
(7) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 169.
(18) Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 169.
(4) Riley Herbst, Ford, 168.
(11) Cole Custer, Ford, 168.
(17) Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, 168.
(21) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, 168.
(5) Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 168.
(30) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 167.
(35) Leland Honeyman #, Chevrolet, 167.
(20) Ryan Sieg, Ford, 167.
(25) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 167.
(36) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, 167.
(34) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 167.
(31) Nick Leitz(i), Chevrolet, 167.
(19) Hailie Deegan #, Ford, 167.
(9) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 167.
(33) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 166.
(28) Blaine Perkins, Ford, 166.
(29) Dawson Cram #, Chevrolet, 166.
(3) John Hunter Nemechek(i), Toyota, 165.
(37) Patrick Emerling, Chevrolet, 165.
(32) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 165.
(27) CJ McLaughlin, Ford, 164.
(26) Kyle Sieg, Ford, 164.
(16) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 159.
(38) Jordan Anderson, Chevrolet, Steering, 98.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 135.474 mph.

Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 55 Mins, 16 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.106 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 4 for 23 laps.

Lead Changes: 11 among 5 drivers.

Lap Leaders: J. Love # 1-42;K. Sieg 43;J. Love # 44-47;P. Kligerman 48;J. Love # 49-83;A. Allmendinger 84-89;J. Love # 90;A. Allmendinger 91;J. Love # 92;A. Allmendinger 93;J. Love # 94-167;A. Hill 168-169.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Jesse Love # 6 times for 157 laps; AJ Allmendinger 3 times for 8 laps; Austin Hill 1 time for 2 laps; Kyle Sieg 1 time for 1 lap; Parker Kligerman 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 2,98,1,19,48,16,7,18,39,8

Stage #2 Top Ten: 2,7,98,19,8,81,00,21,16,18

February 24, 2024
Kyle Busch continues Truck Series mastery with win at Atlanta

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

HAMPTON, Ga. — When Kyle Busch sold his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team to Spire Motorsports, he didn’t surrender his prowess behind the wheel.

Driving the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet in his first start of 2024, Busch inherited the lead from Grant Enfinger on Lap 129 of 135 and held off Ty Majeski and Corey Heim over the final five laps to win his seventh race at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the 65th of his career, extending his own series record.

Enfinger was out front for 21 consecutive laps before one of his tires began losing pressure, forcing him to the pits after Busch, Majeski, Heim, Taylor Gray and Nick Sanchez, last week’s winner at Daytona, sped past.

Busch crossed the finish line 0.187 seconds ahead of Majeski, who edged Heim for the runner-up position by 0.009 seconds. Gray and Sanchez came home fourth and fifth, respectively.

“I actually got a run on the 9 truck (Enfinger) down the backstretch,” Busch said of the pass for the win. “He must have been going flat down the backstretch and slowing down because it gave me—it sucked me up right to him. Then he got loose in the corner. I got loose in the corner. We all checked up trying not to crash.

“Thankfully, we didn’t. I thought that was a big moment. But then we got the lead right there, and after that, it was about trying to protect it. Majeski was a bit of a wing man today. Appreciate him—and the history we’ve had together growing up racing late models with him a lot in Wisconsin and around those parts.

“That was a lot of fun. Great to get Chevrolet to Victory Lane.”

The race was the first of five events Busch will run for Spire Motorsports this year, after selling Kyle Busch Motorsports to the organization late in the 2023 season. Busch now has 230 victories across all three of NASCAR’s national series (63 NASCAR Cup, 102 Xfinity and 65 CRAFTSMAN Truck).

Coming through the final corner Busch effectively blocked Majeski’s only potential path to victory.

“I had a run, and I got to Kyle’s bumper,” Majeski said. “I knew he was going to cover the bottom. My only shot was to try and fade right, get to his quarter panel. That was the only shot that I had.

“Overall, super proud of the day. The truck was a little ill-handling in the beginning. (Crew chief) Joe Shear made some great calls, tightened me up a little bit so we could go racing.”

Tyler Ankrum led a race-high 46 laps but got shuffled back in the bottom lane after Enfinger passed him for the top spot in Lap 108. Busch, who won Stage 2, was out front for 33 laps and Enfinger 23. Ankrum finished seventh behind Kaden Honeycutt in sixth.

Christian Eckes led 20 laps and won the first stage but suffered brake issues that prevented him from stopping in his pit box during the Stage 1 break. Eckes retired after 50 laps in 33rd place.

There were 20 lead changes among seven drivers and seven cautions for 37 laps.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race – Fr8 208
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Hampton, Georgia
Saturday, February 24, 2024

(7) Kyle Busch(i), Chevrolet, 135.
(3) Ty Majeski, Ford, 135.
(19) Corey Heim, Toyota, 135.
(31) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 135.
(18) Nick Sanchez, Chevrolet, 135.
(25) Kaden Honeycutt, Chevrolet, 135.
(2) Tyler Ankrum, Chevrolet, 135.
(12) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 135.
(1) Daniel Dye, Chevrolet, 135.
(23) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 135.
(24) Bret Holmes, Chevrolet, 135.
(29) Lawless Alan, Ford, 135.
(8) Matt Crafton, Ford, 135.
(17) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 135.
(9) Chase Purdy, Chevrolet, 135.
(11) Jake Garcia, Ford, 135.
(15) Colby Howard, Toyota, 135.
(27) Timmy Hill, Toyota, 135.
(22) Tanner Gray, Toyota, 135.
(30) Mason Massey, Chevrolet, 135.
(32) Keith McGee, Ford, 134.
(33) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 134.
(16) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 133.
(26) Mason Maggio, Ford, 133.
(6) Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 133.
(28) Thad Moffitt #, Chevrolet, 132.
(21) Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 132.
(14) Ben Rhodes, Ford, 130.
(10) Conner Jones #, Ford, 129.
(20) Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, Damage, 96.
(4) Jack Wood, Chevrolet, Accident, 57.
(5) Christian Eckes, Chevrolet, Brakes, 50.
(13) Layne Riggs #, Ford, 133.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 111.425 mph.

Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 51 Mins, 57 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.187 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 7 for 37 laps.

Lead Changes: 20 among 7 drivers.

Lap Leaders: D. Dye 0;T. Majeski 1;T. Ankrum 2;K. Busch(i) 3-4;T. Ankrum 5-6;K. Busch(i) 7-10;C. Eckes 11-21;T. Majeski 22-23;C. Eckes 24-32;T. Ankrum 33-42;K. Busch(i) 43-62;M. Mills 63-68;T. Ankrum 69;G. Enfinger 70;T. Ankrum 71-99;D. Thompson 100-103;T. Ankrum 104-105;G. Enfinger 106;T. Ankrum 107;G. Enfinger 108-128;K. Busch(i) 129-135.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Tyler Ankrum 7 times for 46 laps; Kyle Busch(i) 4 times for 33 laps; Grant Enfinger 3 times for 23 laps; Christian Eckes 2 times for 20 laps; Matt Mills 1 time for 6 laps; Dean Thompson 1 time for 4 laps; Ty Majeski 2 times for 3 laps.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 19,18,9,98,99,13,7,91,43,41

Stage #2 Top Ten: 7,18,9,15,11,2,98,71,17,41

February 24, 2024
The White Zone: Lighten up about saving fuel

Kyle Busch took his seat in the deadline room, Saturday, at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Never one to mince words, gave his thoughts on the stretch of fuel-saving during the first stage of the Daytona 500.

“I believe it’s a problem,” he said.

After a multi-car wreck in the opening laps, while some drivers followed the typical green flag pit cycle pattern of restrictor plate racing, most of the field dropped their speed to save roughly 20+ laps of fuel. At one point, AJ Allmendinger (a lap down) ran faster laps by himself than the field ran, together.

“I felt disgraceful, myself, being a race car driver – wanting to go fast, lead laps and win the Daytona 500, and that was our strategy that we had to employ at the start of the race because everybody was doing it,” he said.

Now I say this with the utmost respect to Busch and the many fans who called into SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, this week, to share that sentiment.

Y’all overblew it.

Who would make it to the end of the stage on fuel? Could they make it to the end? That fuel-saving added a layer of strategy and intrigue to plate racing and demonstrated how skilled these drivers are. Rather than a wreck-fest embarrassment, like the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series displayed at Daytona, Phoenix and…well, really, most weekends now.

As a sports league, NASCAR sacrificed so much strategy and sport for entertainment value since in the last 10 years (after a decade of maintaining some semblance of both). It made the already controversial playoffs into a total game of chance and instituted arbitrary cautions that slow the pace of races and incentivize overly-chaotic restarts. What’s more, NASCAR all but made fuel-mileage races extinct.

NASCAR gave us a reprieve, last season, with no stage cautions for road courses. At Circuit of the Americas, William Byron and Tyler Reddick gave us some actual “quintessential NASCAR,” thanks to teams running varying pit strategies. In fact, the pit strategy was the only interesting thing to watch for most of the road course races.

Don’t point the finger at the artificial cautions that are nakedly meant to spice up the race (FOX and NBC don’t even hide it). Blame the terrible aero package NASCAR ran on road courses.

But enough of you complained, that NASCAR reversed course on it.

Say what you will about Formula 1 (and it gets bad), there’s still strategy at hand. With when you pit and what Pirelli tires you run. Yeah, most weeks, the same driver nails it better than the rest (welcome to Formula 1), but when it hits, IT HITS!

If you think you can’t do both strategy and entertainment, look at the NTT IndyCar Series. Tire strategy makes or breaks a driver’s day, most weeks. Scott Dixon ran a longer stint on tires to win at Gateway, last August.

Notice how neither F1 nor IndyCar (overly) sacrificed strategy and integrity for entertainment value.

That’s my view, for what it’s worth.

February 24, 2024

Michael McDowell captures first career Busch Light pole at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Michael McDowell topped the speed charts during NASCAR Cup Series qualifying on Saturday with a lap time of 30.999 seconds (178.844 mph) to claim his first career pole.

He expressed confidence and motivation moving forward.

“It’s just motivating to make the most of the opportunity we have in front of us because right now, today,” McDowell said. “We have fast cars and that’s not a guarantee six months from now and that’s not a guarantee 12 months from now. I know that because I lived the other side for a long time, so it’s making the most of the opportunity that we have right in front of us right now because right now we’re in the game and have something for them.”

Joey Logano qualified second-fastest (178.242 mph) followed by Kyle Busch (178.235 mph) Todd Gilliland (178.08 mph) and Kyle Larson (177.829 mph). Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, Austin Cindric, Chase Briscoe and Austin Dillon completed the top 10 in qualifying for Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400.

Notably, seven Fords and three Chevrolets comprised the top 10 in the qualifying session.

The Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway will be broadcast Sunday, Feb. 25 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX with radio coverage provided by PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Starting Lineup:

Starting pos.	Driver
1.	Michael McDowell
2.	Joey Logano
3.	Kyle Busch
4.	Todd Gilliland
5.	Kyle Larson
6.	Ryan Blaney
7.	Chris Buescher
8.	Austin Cindric
9.	Chase Briscoe
10.	Austin Dillon
11.	William Byron
12.	Martin Truex Jr.
13.	Denny Hamlin
14.	Josh Berry
15.	Noah Gragson
16.	Harrison Burton
17.	Alex Bowman
18.	Bubba Wallace
19.	Tyler Reddick
20.	Ryan Preece
21.	Ross Chastain
22.	Christopher Bell
23.	Daniel Suarez
24.	Brad Keselowski
25.	Ty Gibbs
26.	Daniel Hemric
27.	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
28.	Chase Elliott
29.	Zane Smith
30.	Josh Wiliams
31.	Justin Haley
32.	Corey LaJoie
33.	Kaz Grala
34.	John Hunter Nemechek
35.	Carson Hocevar
36.	BJ McLeod
37.	Erik Jones

February 24, 2024

Carson Kvapil to Make NASCAR Xfinity Series Debut at Martinsville

Kvapil will pilot the No. 88 JRM entry for first career start on April 6

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 22, 2024) – JR Motorsports announced today that two-time and defending zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car champion Carson Kvapil will make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at the famed Martinsville Speedway on April 6 behind the wheel of the team’s No. 88 Chevrolet. As a product of JRM’s vaunted Late Model organization, Kvapil becomes the fifth driver from the program to make his NXS debut for the organization, joining Richard Boswell, Josh Berry, William Byron and Sam Mayer.

“Our Late Model program at JR Motorsports has been a huge part of the success we’ve had as a company,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr. “We’re excited to be able to give Carson the opportunity to take the next step in his career. Helping young drivers with opportunities to climb the ladder is part of the foundation of JRM. Carson is part of a long list of drivers who deserve the chance to take that step forward in the sport.”

A native of Mooresville, N.C., Kvapil started his foray into NASCAR competition last season, making starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series, scoring a career best ARCA finish of second at Kansas Speedway.

“I’m really looking forward to making my NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Martinsville,” said Kvapil. “My dad(Travis Kvapil) made his NASCAR Cup Series debut there back in 2004, so it’s cool to make my first Xfinity start at the same track. I’ve run there in the Late Models for JR Motorsports and done well, and hopefully I’ll be able to use that experience to hit the ground running again with JRM in April.”

Kvapil heads into his third seasonwith JRM’s storied Late Model program fresh off of back-to-back championships, nine wins, 27 top-five finishes and 951 lapsled in his combined 34 starts in the CARS Tour. Kvapil’s two titles gave JRMtheir fourth and fifth championships for the Late Model team, which dates backto 2004. He joins Berry as the only drivers to earn multiple championships for JRMacross the Late Model and NXS competition.

Additional details regarding partners for Kvapil and the No. 88 team will be announced in the coming weeks.

ABOUT JR MOTORSPORTS:

JR Motorsports is the racing operation co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Fame member and 15-time Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kelley Earnhardt Miller and NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick. Now in its 23rd year of overall competition, JR Motorsports competes in multiple divisions, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series where it currently fields four full-time teams and earned championships in 2014, 2017 and 2018.The company also owns seven titles in regional Late Model divisions with consecutive championships in 2022-23 and a prized national title in 2020. To learn more about the organization, its drivers and its sponsorship opportunities, visit www.jrmracing.com.

February 22, 2024
Club Car Becomes Newest Partner for JRM and Sam Mayer

Mayer to drive No. 1 Club Car Chevrolet at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 21, 2024) – Club Car, an industry leader in innovation and design for golf cars, utility vehicles and personal-use transportation, will join JR Motorsports as a primary partner for Sam Mayer and the No. 1 team for the March 2 NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“I am ecstatic to have Club Car ride along with us at Las Vegas this spring,” said Sam Mayer. “I am eager to open this company up to the motorsports industry and we hope to race the No. 1 Club Car Chevrolet to Victory Lane!”

Headquartered in Augusta, Ga., Club Car boasts a 60-plus-year history as an industry leader in innovation and design, initially focused on golf cars and then expanding to commercial utility vehicles and personal-use transportation. Club Car’s relationship with its customers and approved dealers is just as valued as their desire to manufacture quality products that produce superior performance.

“We’re thrilled to be able to partner with Club Car for the Las Vegas event,” said JR Motorsports CEO Kelley Earnhardt Miller. “It’s such a strong market, and as a well-established brand, we’re looking forward to helping Club Car gain additional value and visibility.”

Mayer, a 20-year-old native of Franklin, Wis., enters 2024 on the strength of a career-best season with four wins and a third-place finish in the NXS championship.

“This partnership is about the commitment to excellence, quality and safety that JR Motorsports brings to professional racing and that aligns with our core values and mission to drive exceptional experiences for our customers,” said Jeff Tyminski, Vice President of Marketing and Product Management for Club Car. “We are especially excited to partner with a trailblazing business leader like JR Motorsports CEO, Kelley Earnhardt Miller, at the start of Women’s History Month.”

Broadcast coverage for The LiUNA! at Las Vegas Motor Speedway begins at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, Mar. 2, on FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

ABOUT CLUB CAR:
With over 60 years of experience of innovation and design in producing small-wheel vehicles, Club Car is a leading manufacturer of gas and electric golf, utility and personal transportation vehicles. Since 1958, the Club Car product portfolio has grown to include much more than golf cars, now encompassing vehicles for commercial and consumer markets, all built with an uncompromised desire for superior safety, quality, and performance. As a global leader in sustainability and electrification, the Club Car Vehicle Group includes luxury electric vehicle brand, Garia, and lightweight electric utility vehicle brand, Melex. Garia and Melex product portfolios share similar characteristics of reliability, thoughtful design, and proven performance. Club Car Vehicle Group is proud to be on the forefront of environmentally responsible Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) technologies. For more information, visit www.clubcar.com.

ABOUT JR MOTORSPORTS:

JR Motorsports is the racing operation co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Fame member and 15-time Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kelley Earnhardt Miller and NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick. Now in its 23rd year of overall competition, JR Motorsports competes in multiple divisions, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series where it currently fields four full-time teams and earned championships in 2014, 2017 and 2018. The company also owns seven titles in regional Late Model divisions with consecutive championships in 2022-23 and a prized national title in 2020. To learn more about the organization, its drivers and its sponsorship opportunities, visit www.jrmracing.com.

February 21, 2024
Allmendinger to make 100th Xfinity career start at Atlanta

In his return as a full-time competitor in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, AJ Allmendinger is set to achieve a milestone start. By competing in this weekend’s event at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the driver of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro will make his 100th career start in the Xfinity circuit.

A former Champ Car competitor from Los Gatos, California, Allmendinger made his inaugural appearance in the Xfinity circuit at Auto Club Speedway in September 2007. By then, he was also competing in his first full-time season in the Cup Series for Red Bull Racing. Driving the No. 42 Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing, Allmendinger started 18th and finished 36th in his Xfinity debut after being involved in a multi-car wreck just shy of the halfway mark. He would then compete in six of the remaining eight Xfinity events on the 2007 schedule with CGR, where he would record a season-best 13th-place finish at Phoenix Raceway in November.

After making a single Xfinity start for Gillett Evernham Motorsports at Phoenix in 2008, where he finished 12th, Allmendinger spent the years 2009 to early 2012 competing in the Cup Series between Richard Petty Motorsports and Team Penske. After being suspended by NASCAR indefinitely for failing a drug test and being released by Team Penske before eventually being reinstated by NASCAR towards the end of the 2012 season, the Californian was re-hired by Team Penske to pilot the team’s No. 22 Ford Mustang at Road America and at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2013.

At Road America in June, Allmendinger, who started on the pole position for the first time in his career, led a race-high 29 laps and muscled through two overtime restarts to score his first Xfinity career win. Two months later, he led a race-high 73 laps and outlasted an overtime shootout to claim his second consecutive Xfinity victory at Mid-Ohio and achieve both road course victories of the season for Team Penske. Allmendinger’s pair of road course victories would eventually contribute to Team Penske’s No. 22 team claiming the 2013 Xfinity owner’s championship by a single point over Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 54 team.

Following the 2013 season, Allmendinger spent the years 2014 to 2018 competing as a full-time Cup competitor for JTG-Daugherty Racing, where he would achieve both his first Cup victory at Watkins Glen International and first Playoff berth in 2014. During the five-year span, he made a single Xfinity start at Watkins Glen in August 2018, where he piloted GMS Racing’s No. 23 entry to a runner-up result.

In 2019, Allmendinger joined Kaulig Racing to compete in select events in the team’s No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro entry. His first Xfinity start of the season occurred at Daytona International Speedway in July, where he initially finished in third place as part of a 1-2-3 finish for Kaulig Racing, a team that won for the first time in NASCAR with Ross Chastain recording the victory over Justin Haley. During the post-race inspection process, however, Allmendinger was demoted to last place after his car failed the inspection process that involved the engine vacuum test. A month later, he settled in a strong runner-up result behind Austin Cindric at Watkins Glen but was relegated to last place for a second time after his car failed post-race inspection, this time for his car being too low on both rear corners. He would proceed to finish third at Mid-Ohio and 24th at Road America after being involved in a late restart incident. Then at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in October, he led 20 laps and muscled away from the field during a three-lap shootout to claim his third Xfinity career win and the second ever for Kaulig Racing.

For the 2020 season, Allmendinger returned to Kaulig Racing on a part-time Xfinity basis, but this time in the team’s No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro entry. After failing to qualify for the season opener at Daytona and finishing 10th during his first start of the season at Bristol Motor Speedway in June, he scored his fourth Xfinity career victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which would also mark his first win on an oval circuit, after leading the final 37 laps. He would then notch four top-five results and finish no lower than seventh during his next five starts before ending up with back-to-back DNFS at Daytona and Talladega, both due to last-lap accidents. Allmendinger then achieved his second Xfinity victory of the season and the fifth of his career at the Charlotte Roval in October after leading 12 laps and fending off both Noah Gragson and Daniel Hemric during an overtime shootout and amid wet conditions. The Californian would make his 11th and final Xfinity start of the season at Martinsville Speedway in late October, where he ended up 26th.

Nearly a month after the 2020 season concluded, Allmendinger was announced as a full-time competitor of Kaulig Racing’s No. 16 entry. After notching a fifth-place result at Daytona before finishing no higher than 14th during the following two events, he notched his first victory of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March after leading 44 laps and beating Hemric by nearly a second. Nine races later, he recorded his second victory of the season at Mid-Ohio in June following a two-lap restart, where he beat teammate Justin Haley by eight-tenths of a second. Another nine races later, he won for the third time in 2021 at Michigan International Speedway after leading a race-high 70 laps and beating Brandon Jones by a tenth of a second.

Then four races later, Allmendinger battled and edged Austin Cindric at the finish line during an overtime shootout to win the regular-season finale at Bristol Motor Speedway in September before both wrecked across the frontstretch. Amid the carnage, Allmendinger, who claimed his fourth Xfinity win of the season, also achieved the regular-season championship before embarking on his first series appearance in the Playoffs. After winning for a third consecutive time at the Charlotte Roval in October and transferring from the Round of 12 to 8, he then notched three consecutive top-seven results to grab a Championship 4 spot for the season-finale event at Phoenix in November. Contending for his first NASCAR Xfinity title, Allmendinger was involved in a late spin and ended up in 14th place on the track and in a career-best fourth place in the final standings. Despite falling short of winning the title, Allmendinger capped off the 2021 season with a career-high five victories, a pole, a career-high 18 top-five results, 22 top-10 results, 422 laps led and an average-finishing result of 9.2.

Remaining as a full-time Xfinity competitor for Kaulig Racing in 2022, Allmendinger commenced the season by finishing second at Daytona after being overtaken by Austin Hill on the final lap prior to a caution-ending wreck. After finishing no lower than ninth during his next four starts, Allmendinger claimed his first Xfinity win of the season at Circuit of the Americas in March after leading a race-high 27 laps. Eight races later and seven additional top-10 results later, the Californian won the series’ inaugural event at Portland International Raceway amid slick conditions. He would proceed to win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in August and record 10 additional top-10 results during the final 12 regular-season events before locking up his second consecutive regular-season title.

Despite notching back-to-back victories at Talladega Superspeedway and the Charlotte Roval, respectively, during the Playoffs and transferring from the Round of 12 to 8, he was unable to transfer to the Championship 4 round after finishing 22nd, third and 16th, respectively, throughout the Round of 8. With his championship hopes of the 2022 season evaporated, Allmendinger capped off the season in fifth place both during the finale and in the final standings. In addition, Allmendinger, who notched a career-high five victories for a second consecutive season, achieved a career-high five poles, 17 top-five results, a career-high 28 top-10 results, 348 laps led and a career-best average-finishing result of 6.6.

As Allmendinger moved up to the Cup Series on a full-time basis for Kaulig in 2023, he also competed in select Xfinity events with Kaulig, beginning at Circuit of the Americas in March. During the event, he led a race-high 28 of 46 laps from pole position and fended off William Byron to defend his race-winning title in Austin and notch his 16th career victory in the series. He would proceed to finish in the runner-up spot during the inaugural Xfinity event at Sonoma Raceway before rallying from an early spin to win at Nashville Superspeedway, both occurring in June. Allmendinger’s final two Xfinity starts of the season occurred at Road America in late July and Indianapolis in August, where he finished ninth and third, respectively.

Scaling back to the Xfinity Series for this season, Allmendinger is coming off a 10th-place run in this year’s season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway as he reignites his bid for his first series title. He is currently ranked in a tie with Chandler Smith for seventh place on the 2024 Xfinity driver’s standings.

Through 99 previous Xfinity starts, Allmendinger has notched 17 victories, 11 poles, 50 top-five results, 69 top-10 results, 1,272 laps led with an average-finishing result of 9.3.

Allmendinger is scheduled to make his 100th Xfinity Series career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the RAPTOR King of Tough 250. The event is scheduled to occur on Saturday, February 24, and air at 5 p.m. ET on FS1.

February 21, 2024

NBC Sports, INDYCAR Unveil 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Race Broadcast Start Times

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024) – NBC Sports and INDYCAR announced Feb. 20 the race broadcast start times for the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule, headlined by the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26, with coverage beginning at 11 a.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

The 2024 season kicks off on NBC and Peacock with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding at noon ET Sunday, March 10.

“I can’t wait for the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season to begin, and what a way to kick things off in St. Petersburg again on NBC,” said reigning series champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing. “We’ll be returning with our two goals in focus – winning the Indianapolis 500 and winning the championship – and I know our entire team is counting down the days until we have a chance to put all our hard work and preparation this offseason to the test.”

Highlights of NBC Sports’ 2024 INDYCAR coverage schedule include:

Indianapolis 500 qualifying coverage from IMS airing on NBC and Peacock at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, May 19 to determine the starting grid for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
The $1 Million Challenge made-for-TV exhibition race at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday, March 24 on NBC and Peacock at The Thermal Club outside of Palm Springs, California.
The return of the Milwaukee Mile at Wisconsin State Fair Park for the first time in nearly a decade (2015) with a doubleheader Aug. 31-Sept. 1. Exclusive coverage starts at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 31 on Peacock, with the second race at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1 on USA Network and Peacock.
The season finale for the first time at Nashville Superspeedway, determining the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 15 on NBC and Peacock.

Peacock once again will provide comprehensive streaming coverage of the 2024 season, including the exclusive presentation of the Streets of Toronto for the third consecutive year at 1 p.m. ET Sunday, July 21.

Throughout the season, Peacock will present over 120 hours of coverage, including nearly exclusive coverage of every qualifying and practice session in 2024. Additionally, coverage surrounding the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500, all INDY NXT by Firestone races, race day warmups and full-event race replays will be available on the platform. Click here for more details.

“The 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season is going to bring quite a bit of change to the schedule, changes that should be exciting for our fans watching the broadcasts and in-person,” said 2023 Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden of Team Penske. “New races at The Thermal Club and The Milwaukee Mile bring new venues to the schedule, and crowning a champion in my hometown, Nashville, will be must-see television. The Indianapolis 500 is always thrilling, and when you combine it all together, you get a schedule that fans will not want to miss.”

NBC Sports’ 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES coverage schedule:

Date	Race/Track	Network/Platform	Time (ET)
Sun., March 10	Streets of St. Petersburg	NBC, Peacock	Noon
Sun., March 24	The Thermal Club	NBC, Peacock	12:30 p.m.
Sun., April 21	Streets of Long Beach	USA Network, Peacock	3 p.m.
Sun., April 28	Barber Motorsports Park	NBC, Peacock	TBD
Sat., May 11	Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Road Course)	NBC, Peacock	3 p.m.
Sun., May 19	Indianapolis 500 Qualifying	NBC, Peacock	3 p.m.
Sun., May 26	108^th Indianapolis 500	NBC, Peacock	11 a.m.
Sun., June 2	Streets of Detroit	USA Network, Peacock	Noon
Sun., June 9	Road America	NBC, Peacock	3:30 p.m.
Sun., June 23	WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca	USA Network, Peacock	6 p.m.
Sun., July 7	Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course	NBC, Peacock	1:30 p.m.
Sat., July 13	Iowa Speedway – Race 1	NBC, Peacock	8 p.m.
Sun., July 14	Iowa Speedway – Race 2	NBC, Peacock	Noon
Sun., July 21	Streets of Toronto	Peacock	1 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 17	World Wide Technology Raceway	USA Network, Peacock	6 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 25	Portland International Raceway	USA Network, Peacock	3 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 31	Milwaukee Mile – Race 1	Peacock	6 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 1	Milwaukee Mile – Race 2	USA Network, Peacock	2:30 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 15	Nashville Superspeedway	NBC, Peacock	3 p.m.

Note: Dates, times and networks/platforms are subject to change

February 20, 2024

Kyle Busch To Wheel Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevy Silverado

Five-Race Schedule on Tap for Two-Time NASCAR Cup Series Champ

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 20, 2024) – Two-time NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Champion Kyle Busch will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado in five NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) races in 2024, beginning with Saturday’s FR8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

In addition to this weekend’s 130-lap tilt at the ultra-fast 1.54-mile quad oval, Busch – the NCTS all-time wins leader – will handle the team’s driving chores at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (3/1), Bristol Motor Speedway (3/16), Texas Motor Speedway (4/12) and Darlington Raceway (5/10).

Busch is the full-time driver of Richard Childress Racing’s No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NCS.

Group 1001 will serve as the No. 7 Chevy’s primary sponsor this weekend and again next Friday night at Busch’s home track in Las Vegas.

Prior to the 2024 season, Spire Motorsports purchased the assets of Kyle Busch Motorsports, including its race shop and chassis business Rowdy Manufacturing.

“Even before I was an owner, I always enjoyed racing in the Truck Series, so I’m thankful to Jeff (Dickerson), T.J. (Puchyr) and everyone at Spire Motorsports for the opportunity to compete in the five races that I’m allowed to do each season,” said Busch. “A lot of the employees from KBM transitioned over to Spire, and I’ll be working with (Brian) Pattie and the same group that I had last year, so while it’ll be a little bittersweet not having a KBM decal on the front of the truck and a 51 on the side, I know that I’ll be getting in the best equipment in the series. Once I’m behind the wheel, it’ll look and feel like home and just like always, my only goal will be to add more banners in the shop!”

Busch is one of the most accomplished drivers in NASCAR’s modern history. The Las Vegas native advanced to the Championship 4 for the NCS in five consecutive seasons from 2015-2019 and has won some of NASCAR’s most prestigious races, including the Brickyard 400 (2015 and 2016), Southern 500 (2008) and Coca-Cola 600 (2018). Busch enters the 2024 season with 63 wins in NASCAR’s premier series and is one of only two active multi-time champions.

In addition to his two NCS titles, he won the 2009 NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) championship and is the all-time wins leader in that series (102) as well as the NCTS (64). Busch also ranks first all-time among Truck Series drivers with an average finish of 6.4 and second all-time with 7,787 laps led.

Busch has made 55 starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway across all three of NASCAR’s national touring series. In 28 races in NCS competition, the 38-year-old father of two has logged two wins, nine top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. His resume includes three NXS wins in 14 starts, 10 top fives and 11 top 10s. In 13 NCTS races at the iconic Hampton., Ga., venue, Busch has compiled six wins, nine top-five and 10 top-10 showings.

“We’re very fortunate and thankful to have great partners like Group 1001 who allow us to be creative and put the best talent behind the wheel while we chase a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series owner’s championship,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “Kyle Busch is a generational talent and I’ve been fortunate enough to witness so many of his accomplishments first-hand. It means a lot to everyone at Spire Motorsports, including everyone who stayed after the sale, to have Kyle in our truck this season. And, it means a great deal to me personally, for us to make this happen.”

The FR8 208 from Atlanta Motor Speedway will be televised live on FS1 Saturday, Feb. 24, beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The second of 23 NCTS races on the 2024 schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

About Group 1001 …
Group 1001 is a collective that empowers companies to create positive growth. Our insurance and annuities are easy to understand and accessible to all. Our online investing platform gives individuals control over their savings. Our technology and innovation help companies succeed. And our strategic partnerships bring people together through education and sports.

As of September 30, 2023, Group 1001 had combined assets under management of $59.8 billion. It comprises the following brands: Delaware Life, Gainbridge®, Clear Spring Health, Clear Spring Property and Casualty Group, Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company, and RVI Group.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team will also field the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth will drive the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolets in the No. 77.

Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on May 20, 2023, when Kyle Larson took the checkered flag in the Tyson 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

February 20, 2024