Category: Featured Headline

Featured headlines from SpeedwayMedia.com

AM Racing Revving Up for Expected Expansion to Dual Xfinity Series Teams in 2024

STATESVILLE, N.C.: AM Racing announced today their hope to accelerate their presence in the NASCAR Xfinity Series by expanding to two cars next season.

The decision to take this expected step in their “Future Focused” initiative underlines their commitment to building a robust platform within one of NASCAR’s premier national series.

“With our focus on becoming a predominant championship-caliber team, adding a second car to our team’s program is a crucial step in that process,” said team owner Kevin Cywinski.

”We have made great strides in 2023, but the opportunity to add additional resources and expand our footprint for 2024 will strengthen our program for the long term.”

AM Racing, having transitioned from a full-time competitor in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series to the Xfinity Series this season, has already showcased its potential with driver Brett Moffitt.

The team’s inaugural season has seen impressive achievements, including a career-best qualifying effort of fourth at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway and an exceptional fourth-place finish at the Xfinity Series inaugural Chicago Street Course event in July.

Overall, in 27 races this season, Moffit has delivered one top-five, eight top-10s, 15 top-15s, 19 top-20s and an average finish of 16.6.

Reflecting on their accomplishments and looking ahead to their expected dual-team endeavor, Cywinski emphasized the shared vision of the team members and the strengthening infrastructure.

“Housing two competitive NASCAR Xfinity Series teams allows the opportunity to bring additional qualified team members who share the same family-oriented vision and integrity to building and producing two equally fast race cars with one goal: winning,” Cywinski added.

While the first-year Xfinity Series team came up short of making the Playoffs, the team remains focused on leaving its mark in the remaining six races this season.

“We are proud of our successes this season,” sounded AM Racing team president Wade Moore. “Brett has done an outstanding job behind the wheel to try and execute and make the most out of every race weekend. We have not been perfect, but we have worked hard to make consistent strides, and I think our recent performance at Kansas Speedway is an example of what we can produce every week.

“We will continue to work hard over the next six weeks to make sure we not only continue to bring a competitive product to the track but continue to put ourselves in a position for good finishes.”

Additional details regarding AM Racing’s expected expansion will be revealed in due course.

For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and X | Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.

The Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 (200 laps | 300 miles) is the 27th of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2023 schedule. Practice begins on Saturday, September 23, from 9:35 a.m. – 10:05 a.m. Qualifying immediately follows at 10:05 a.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 2:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. ET) with live coverage on the USA Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (CT).

About AM Racing:

AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.

Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.

The family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events in its seventh year of competition.

The team has named Brett Moffitt and Christian Rose as their primary drivers for the 2023 Xfinity and ARCA Menards Series seasons.

September 23, 2023
Champions Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Take Spotlight at Victory Lap Celebration

Rasmussen Saluted for INDY NXT by Firestone Title

INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023) – Alex Palou was honored for his second NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship during the Victory Lap Celebration on Sept. 21, the headline of an incomparable 2023 season for Chip Ganassi Racing.

Palou dominated this season to earn another title to join his 2021 championship for Chip Ganassi Racing. He won a series-high five races in the No. 10 The American Legion Honda, with a total of 10 podium finishes in 17 races. Palou finished eighth or better in all 17 races this season and became the first INDYCAR SERIES driver to clinch the championship at least one race early since Sebastien Bourdais in 2007.

Spanish driver Palou won the Astor Challenge Cup for the title by 78 points over teammate and six-time series champion Scott Dixon, earning the 15th INDYCAR SERIES championship for Chip Ganassi Racing and the organization’s third in the last four seasons.

Palou was one of six members of Chip Ganassi Racing to receive special honors at the ceremony, which took place at the Gallagher Pavilion at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Marcus Armstrong of New Zealand received the Rookie of the Year Award as the top-finishing first-year driver in the standings. Armstrong scored five top-10 finishes in just 12 starts in the No. 11 Ridgeline Lubricants Honda to surpass full-time rookie Agustin Canapino of Juncos Hollinger Racing by 34 points in the standings.

Team owner Chip Ganassi accepted the Championship Owner Award, and Palou’s chief mechanic, Ricky Davis, was presented the Pennzoil Chief Mechanic Award. Additional season honors for the Ganassi team included the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Team Manager award to Barry Wanser and Blair Julian.

The awards haul was a reward for a dominant year by Indianapolis-based Chip Ganassi Racing. The team achieved the unprecedented feat of taking the top two spots in the driver standings and winning the Rookie of the Year title in one season.

While Palou’s winning margin in the driver standings was the largest since 2016, the Manufacturers Award race came down to the final laps at the season finale Sept. 10 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Chevrolet edged Honda by just 16 points to win its second consecutive engine manufacturer title and eighth overall since it returned to the series in 2012.

Mark Stielow, General Motors director of motorsport competition engineering, accepted the award on behalf of the Chevrolet team.

A successful first season with a rebrand and Firestone sponsorship for INDYCAR’s development series also was recognized at the Victory Lap Celebration, as Christian Rasmussen of HMD Motorsports was honored as 2023 INDY NXT by Firestone champion.

Rasmussen won a series-high five of the 14 races this season in the No. 6 HMD Motorsports with DCR entry. He beat Andretti Autosport’s Hunter McElrea to the title by 65 points.

Danish driver Rasmussen’s HMD teammate, Nolan Siegel, was named INDY NXT by Firestone Rookie of the Year. Siegel, from Palo Alto, California, finished third in the series standings with two victories.

September 22, 2023
NASCAR Arcade Rush delivers a reimagined twist on the most legendary tracks
Get ready for the new NASCAR Arcade Rush, with a new twist to the popular racing game. NASCAR Arcade Rush is an arcade-style racing game that still delivers petal to the metal heart-pumping action but with a reimagined twist on NASCAR’s most legendary tracks and iconic cars.

NASCAR Arcade Rush from GameMill Entertainment was released on September 15 for the PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox X|S, and Xbox One.

You can customize your car and your driver’s suit with thousands of combinations, making yourself and your race car a reflection of your NASCAR racing spirit. Once you are all suited up and detailed, you can get ready to race NASCAR’s well-known tracks like Talladega, Daytona, Darlington, Martinsville, and Homestead-Miami Speedway, but in reimagined arcade style. Twelve tracks in total are based on the real NASCAR tracks. For NASCAR lovers and players of previous versions, such as NASCAR Heat, this game may or may not be for you. Don’t expect to recognize the reimaged tracks; enjoy playing NASCAR, arcade-style.

NASCAR Arcade Rush features unheard-of things such as twists, jumps, nitro boost pads, hair-raising turns, and other surprises at the finish line. The game also has several game modes to choose from, such as NACAR career, online, and local multiplayer.

After a pretty cool and loud game introduction, which gets annoying after restarting the game a few times since you cannot skip it, you will have the choice of playing solo or head-to-head multiplayer, two-player split screen, or online with up to 12 players and multiple difficulty options. Note that local multiplayer is not available on Nintendo Switch.

Solo players can play a quick race, Cup Series, or test their skills in a time attack. You need to play the 4-race series and gain enough XP, depending on what position you finish in, to unlock the next 12 series and other awards. The game features a lot of unlockable content. You begin at level one and will max out at level 100.

The gameplay, however, seems to be a little unbalanced. You can hit nearly every blue or yellow boost, using the boost (A) sparingly, and make the perfect lap, yet your rivals always seem right on your bumper. While it’s fun keeping your “rival” close, it’s not as gratifying as the feeling you get when you run away from the rest of the field.

NASCAR Arcade Rush offers a stable framerate, detail, quality effects, smooth controls, and decent audio effects in the game. If you plan to use the keyboard, you will be limited, and the game works best with a gamepad.

Besides the limited control options, we believe that the price on Steam at $49.99 for the base game and $64.58 for Projext-X is a bit pricey for this game. It was released on Steam on sale (until Sept 22) for $39.99 or $50.58 for the NASCAR Arcade Rush Project-X Edition.

At that price point, you must compare it to the higher-quality racing games, which may fall short for many racers. But don’t let the price point deter you from the game. The game is surprisingly an excellent, well-crafted arcade-style twist on a NASCAR racing game.

Pros:
- Very responsive and intuitive controls
- Fun suit and car customizations
- Unique track twists
- Lots to unlock
- Multiplayer
Cons:
- Lack of players
- Lack of control options
- Price
- Camera angle restrictions
You can get more details on the game at NASCARArcadeRush.com

If you want more content, you can purchase the NASCAR Arcade Rush Project-X Bundle, which includes the base game and bonus content. You get a hovercraft car model, Project-X paint scheme for the rims, wheels, and spoiler, themed driver suit and helmet, team sponsorship option, vehicle FX package, and four additional in-game emojis to showcase your style.
September 19, 2023
Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum returning in 2024

NASCAR Mexico Series race added to power-packed lineup on Sunday, Feb. 4

LOS ANGELES (Sept. 17, 2023) – NASCAR isn’t just returning to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2024. It’s adding more racing to a power-packed lineup.

NASCAR announced today that a NASCAR Mexico Series race on Sunday, Feb. 4, will precede its season-opening exhibition featuring the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series, the third-annual Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. That means fans can enjoy two great races in one day inside “The Greatest Stadium in the World.”

“This is a tremendous win for our fans and our sport,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s Senior Vice President, Racing Development and Strategy. “Not only will the fans see the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series in action, they will also bear witness to the talent and skill that is found within the NASCAR Mexico Series. I can’t think of a better way to begin our 2024 season.”

NASCAR has opened its season with the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum for the past two years. Joey Logano won the inaugural event in 2022, while Martin Truex Jr. hoisted aloft the 2023 trophy beneath the Olympic cauldron in February. Now a NASCAR Mexico Series driver will also have an opportunity to celebrate a triumph inside an international stadium that’s hosted two Super Bowls, two Olympics, a World Series and countless other major events over the past 100 years.

“This is an incredible honor for the NASCAR Mexico Series and its drivers,” said Jimmy Morales, President and General Manager of the NASCAR Mexico Series. “The competition in our series is always intense, but I know our drivers will want nothing more than to become the first Mexican driver to win inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. This is going to be a race we will not soon forget.”

The roots of the NASCAR Mexico Series were planted in 2004, and three years later, it became NASCAR’s first internationally sanctioned series. It competes on tracks throughout nine major cities in Mexico, providing racing fans with some of the most intense stock car racing on the planet. Current NASCAR Cup Series star and 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion Daniel Suárez began his stock car racing career in the NASCAR Mexico Series in 2008, and other NASCAR Mexico Series alumni like Max Gutierrez and Andres Perez de Lara are working their way up the NASCAR touring ladder.

The list of NASCAR Mexico Series drivers competing at the Coliseum on Feb. 4 will be announced at a later date, along with the full day’s schedule of racing and entertainment. NASCAR on FOX will once again broadcast the Busch Light Clash to set the stage for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season. The NASCAR Mexico Series race will be broadcast on Fox Sports 3 in Mexico, and available pan regionally on Claro Sports and the D Motors channel on DirecTV.

A single ticket purchased is good for both races, and tickets begin at $65, with kids 12-and-under at $10. Fans who want to take their race-day experience to the next level can upgrade to the NASCAR Pre-Race Party, which includes brunch, cocktails, musical entertainment, surprise guests and more! It also includes track walk access, signing the start / finish line and exclusive on-track photo opportunities. Fans are encouraged to get their tickets now while supplies last by visiting www.nascarclash.com.

College students can experience the Busch Light Clash from the Torch Party Porch for just $40. This standing-room-only general admission section, located on the Coliseum’s peristyle steps, provides college students with up-close access to all the musical entertainment, driver introductions and racing action. College students can take advantage of this exclusive offer by visiting www.nascarclash.com/student.

NASCAR Clash Experiences will serve as the Official Travel and Experience Package Provider for the 2024 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum, offering attendees specialized access to unique experiences such as driver interactions, VIP garage area tours, exclusive hospitality options, and much more to enrich the overall spectator experience. Experience Packages now available at nascarclashexperiences.com.

About NASCAR

Celebrating its 75^th Anniversary in 2023, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series (Canada), NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 12 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

About The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, a living memorial to all who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War I, has been a civic treasure for generations of Angelenos. Located in the Exposition Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA, the Coliseum is a 77,500 capacity multi-purpose stadium which opened in 1923. Home to the USC Trojans, the legendary stadium has been named as one of the nation’s 40 best stadiums to experience college football by Sporting News, and ranked USC football at the Coliseum as the nation’s No. 3 stadium experience by StadiumJourney.com. Following a recent renovation in 2019, the stadium is now home to a newly added seven-story suite and press tower which includes luxurious suites, loge boxes, club seats, a new press box, and the rooftop 1923 Club with a 360-degree view of the Los Angeles basin; along with several upgrades including new seating, updated technology and concession stands, additional food options for guests, and much more.

The legacy of events and individuals hosted in nine-plus-decades reads like no other, including the only venue to host two Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and the Track and Field Competition for the Summer Olympics (Xth Olympiad in 1932, XXIIIrd Olympiad in 1984) and soon a third (XXXIVth Olympiad in 2028); home to college football’s USC Trojans since 1923 and the UCLA Bruins (1928-1981); professional football’s Los Angeles Rams (1946-1979 and 2016-2019); appearances by U.S. Presidents Franklin D Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan; and international dignitaries such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Chavez, Pope John Paul II, the Dalai Lama, and Nelson Mandela, to name a few. Additionally, the Coliseum, designated a National Historic monument in 1984, has hosted some of the greatest acts in entertainment, including Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Prince, and many more. For more information please visit lacoliseum.com.

September 17, 2023
Denny Hamlin Advances to Round of 12 Playoffs with America’s Night Race Victory
BRISTOL, Tenn. (Sept. 16, 2023) – Denny Hamlin moved one step closer to finally claiming an elusive NASCAR Cup Series championship by winning the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, one of NASCAR’s crown jewel races, on Saturday under the lights in front of a packed house at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Hamlin, driving the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, led the race’s final 135 laps, topped 142 circuits overall and beat Kyle Larson to the start-finish line by 2.437 seconds on his way to his third win of the season and 51st of his career.

“I can’t thank this whole FedEx team enough,” said Hamlin over the cheers and jeers of the frontstretch crowd after collecting the checkered flag. “It’s amazing how good this team has been. I can’t wait to keep going.”

The 42-year-old Virginian has won just about all the top events you can in NASCAR, from three Daytona 500s to three Southern 500s and now three Bristol Night Races. But the ultimate prize of a Cup Series title has remained just out of reach, despite eight career top-5 season finishes – including four in a row.

This year, Hamlin finally sees a path to the top.

“It’s our year,” Hamlin said. “We have it all put together. There’s nothing to stop us at this point.”

Larson, who qualified last on Friday after a tire issue despite posting the fastest practice speed, was second, followed by Stage 1 and 2 winner Christopher Bell (race-high 187 laps led) in third, Chris Buescher in fourth and Cup Series rookie Ty Gibbs (102 laps led) in fifth.

“The race went a lot better than I thought it would,” Larson said. “I feel like we had the second-best car. I just didn’t have the pace of Denny. He was really fast.”

The Bass Pro Shops Night Race concluded The Last Great Colosseum’s NASCAR weekend, which marked the first time Bristol hosted playoff rounds in all three of NASCAR’s top series.

It was also the first cutoff race of this year’s NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, with the number of championship contenders dropping from 16 to 12 following Hamlin’s victory.

Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano was one of four drivers eliminated from title contention, along with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell and Kevin Harvick in his last Bristol appearance as a full-time driver.

“We’ve been hit or miss all year and tonight we missed by a mile,” Harvick said. “I didn’t have many expectations with as up-and-down as the year has been.”

Logano was caught up in the night’s biggest wreck, a six-car incident entering Turn 3 just after the start of the final stage on Lap 263 that began when Corey Lajoie (48 laps led) spun on the backstretch.

“It’s a little uncharacteristic for us right now and we just have to go to work and keep our heads down and stay faithful in each other, keep trusting each other that we can figure it out,” said Logano, who had started the race 12 points above the cutline for elimination. “It’s still the same team that won the championship last year. We’re a little lost at the moment, but we’ll keep fighting and try to figure some things out.”

While it was deflation for some drivers, others were elated to advance, particularly Cup Series regular season champion Martin Truex Jr. and Bubba Wallace, who entered the race seven and 19 points behind the playoff cutline, respectively.

“I love where we’re at with this team,” Wallace said. “This is a career year. We just have to keep it going. I’m wore out. We gave it our all. We know next week is a reset. Thank you to the ones who believe in me.”

Among other championship contenders, Brad Keselowski finished eighth, points leader William Byron was ninth and Tyler Reddick was 15th.

Hamlin completed the 500 laps around the .533-mile concrete oval in 2 hours, 48 minutes, 20 seconds with an average speed of 94.99 mph. Six caution flags took up 53 laps, with six drivers exchanging the lead 10 times and 10 drivers finishing on the lead lap.

The Round of 12 Playoffs begins next weekend, Sept. 24, with the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas.

Bass Pro Shops Night Race
NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs
Final Results
Bristol Motor Speedway
Sept. 16, 2023
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Kyle Larson
3. Christopher Bell
4. Chris Buescher
5. Ty Gibbs
6. Michael McDowell
7. Chase Elliott
8. Brad Keselowski
9. William Byron
10. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
11. Carson Hocevar
12. Ryan Preece
13. Alex Bowman
14. Bubba Wallace
15. Tyler Reddick
16. Todd Gilliland
17. Austin Dillon
18. Aric Almirola
19. Martin Truex Jr.
20. Kyle Busch
21. Daniel Suarez
22. Ryan Blaney
23. Ross Chastain
24. Erik Jones
25. Corey LaJoie
26. JJ Yeley
27. Chase Briscoe
28. Harrison Burton
29. Kevin Harvick
30. AJ Allmendinger
31. BJ McLeod
32. Austin Cindric
33. Ty Dillon
34. Joey Logano
35. Justin Haley
36. Ryan Newman
September 17, 2023

Round of 12 locked in after first elimination drawing in NASCAR Powerball Playoff™

Powerball, the Official Lottery Game of NASCAR, announces the 12 semi-finalists advancing in the race to $1 million!

JOHNSTON, Iowa (Sept. 16, 2023) – The field of semi-finalists in the race to $1 million has narrowed by four after the first elimination drawing in the NASCAR Powerball Playoff™. NASCAR® and Powerball® announced today, during the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, the 12 semi-finalists who have advanced in the playoff for a chance to win a VIP trip to NASCAR Championship Weekend™ at Phoenix Raceway and the $1 million grand prize.

The semi-finalists in the Round of 12, include:

Misty Goad – Tucson, AZ
Marcelo Jo – Boca Raton, FL
Donald Pope – Michigan City, IN
Walter Held – Independence, KY
Richelle Abbott – Gardiner, ME
Stephanie Walker – West Point, MS
Joseph Medina – Franklin, NE
Peter Schmitz – Santa Fe, NM
Robert Wilkinson – Oakland Gardens, NY
Angela Tamba – Harrisburg, PA
Ronald Sewell – Columbia, SC
Barbara Wipf – Sioux Falls, SD

The four semi-finalists eliminated from the playoff have each won a $2,500 prize for making it to the Round of 16, they include:

Clara Miller – Hammond, LA
Richard Day – Shoreview, MN
Eric Severance – Parshall, ND
Philip Lesiuk – Cumberland, RI

The next drawing in the NASCAR Powerball Playoff will be for the Round of 8. The 8 semi-finalists advancing in the playoff will be announced during the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 8. The four players eliminated from the playoff at that time will win $5,000 each. The race will air live on NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, and the NBC Sports App at 2 p.m. EST.

Drawing	AnnouncementDate	Race	Playoffs
1. Round of 16	Aug. 26	Coke Zero Sugar 400, Daytona International Speedway	16 semi-finalists advance
2. Round of 12	Sept. 16	Bass Pro Shops Night Race, Bristol Motor Speedway	12 semi-finalists advance,4 eliminated win $2,500
3. Round of 8	Oct. 8	Bank of America ROVAL™ 400, Charlotte Motor Speedway	8 semi-finalists advance,4 eliminated win $5,000
4. Championship 4	Oct. 29	Xfinity 500, Martinsville Speedway	4 finalists advance & win VIP trips, 4 eliminated win $7,500
5. $1 Million Drawing	Nov. 5	NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race, Phoenix Raceway	ONE $1 million winner,3 eliminated win $10,000

All semi-finalists entered the national promotion through one of 24 participating state lotteries. Participating lotteries held in-state contests and second-chance drawings throughout the 2023 NASCAR regular season to form a national pool of entrants. The 16 semi-finalists were randomly selected from the national pool during a preliminary drawing on August 12.

The semi-finalists will compete in a series of elimination drawings that mirror the elimination rounds of the NASCAR Playoffs. The four semi-finalists still in the playoff after the Championship 4 drawing will win a VIP trip for two to NASCAR Championship Weekend™ at Phoenix Raceway, Nov. 3-5, and advance as finalists to the $1 million drawing.

The $1 million drawing will be broadcast live from the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race™ on NBC on Sunday, Nov. 5. Cash prizes will be awarded to all sixteen semi-finalists based on their elimination position.

The VIP trip experience includes roundtrip airfare for two to Phoenix, three nights hotel accommodations – double occupancy, two Ally Curve Hospitality Club passes for both the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race on Nov. 4 and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Nov. 5, two passes for VIP experiences at Phoenix Raceway including NASCAR Cup Series™ VIP access, NASCAR team hauler tour, MRN radio booth tour, pace car rides, and Victory Lane access, welcome dinner and all meals, and ground transportation to scheduled events and activities.

Lotteries that participated in the inaugural NASCAR Powerball Playoff include Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

NASCAR® is a registered trademark of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC. Copyright ©2023 National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC. All Rights Reserved. NASCAR®, LLC is not a sponsor of this promotion.

About Powerball

Powerball^® holds the current world record for largest national lottery jackpot at $2.04 billion. Powerball celebrated its 30^th anniversary last year, and since its first drawing in 1992, the game has helped generate more than $29 billion for good causes supported by U.S. lotteries. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Powerball tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on Powerball.com.

About NASCAR

Celebrating its 75^th Anniversary in 2023, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series™, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour™), one local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series™) and three international series (NASCAR Pinty’s Series™, NASCAR Mexico Series™, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series™). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

September 16, 2023

JUSTIN ALLGAIER POWERS TO THRILLING FOOD CITY 300 VICTORYAT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY

BRISTOL, Tenn. (March 26, 2019) – – Justin Allgaier used bold strategy and fresh tires to top the field in the Food City 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Allgaier, driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, gave up the lead under caution with less than 50 laps to go to put on four fresh tires while his main rivals remained on the track. Methodically picking his way through the field, Allgaier had a thrilling side-by-side battle with Daniel Hemric before pulling away and clinching postseason advancement after taking the checkered flag in the debut race of the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs.

“I’m speechless – we won Bristol,” said Allgaier, who led a race-high 110 laps, collected his second Bristol victory, third win of the season and 22nd of his Xfinity Series career. “This team has done such an amazing job at this racetrack. The fans were unbelievable.

“The pit strategy – coming down pit road all by myself was nerve-wracking.”
Winning owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., making his first Bristol start since 2017, also had an eventful night, leading 47 laps and thrilling thousands of fans before a mechanical issue caused a fire under the hood and a hole in his firesuit.

“Somehow or another the shifter caught on fire,” said the NASCAR Hall of Famer, who finished 30th. “I smelled it and said hopefully that’s not me. My uniform was burning up. We were going to finish top 5 or top 10.

“I had a blast and Justin wins. Thanks to all the fans. We had a great crowd tonight. It makes me want to do it more.”

Hemric was 1.695 seconds behind as the runner-up, followed by fellow championship contenders John Hunter Nemechek in third, Cole Custer (109 laps led) in fourth and rookie Chandler Smith in fifth.

“Clean air was king,” Hemric said. “We had just enough race car there and once the top [groove] came in I had to live with it. [Allgaier’s] tires were just too much at the end. We came a long way from the drop of the green flag to the checkered flag.”

Hot tempers flared throughout, as is typical at Bristol. What was unusual was they stemmed from not-so-friendly-fire incidents between teammates in championship contention, with JR Motorsports drivers Josh Berry and Sam Mayer bumping on Lap 166 and Richard Childress Racing’s Sheldon Creed tapping Austin Hill along the frontstretch on Lap 216.

Hill finished 33rd while Mayer wound up 35th and Berry placed 36th.
Among other playoff contenders, Sammy Smith finished ninth, Creed placed 11th and Parker Kligerman was 31st.

Allgaier averaged 85.521 mph around the .533-mile concrete oval at The Last Great Colosseum, completing the 300 laps in 1 hour, 52 minutes and 11 seconds. Six caution periods took up 48 laps, with 14 drivers finishing on the lead lap and five drivers exchanging the lead eight times.

“The pit stops were amazing,” Allgaier said. “I don’t know if this is shots fired for the playoffs but it feels good.”

RACE SCHEDULE
The remaining NASCAR Playoff Weekend schedule includes:

Saturday, Sept. 16: Bass Pro Shops Night Race (6:30 p.m., USA Network, PRN Radio).

FAN ACTIVITIES
Off-track activities for the weekend include:
Saturday, Sept. 16: Kenny Wallace and John Roberts host Trackside Live (Food City Fan Zone Stage, 3 p.m.)
Saturday, Sept. 16: Midland concert (4:15 p.m.)
Saturday, Sept. 16: BMS tradition-rich driver intros with host Michael Buffer (5:45 p.m.)
See a full entertainment schedule on www.BristolMotorSpeedway.com.

TICKETS
To purchase tickets, visit www.BristolMotorSpeedway.com or call (866) 415-4158.

September 16, 2023
Justin Allgaier, BRANDT Set to Return to JRM for 2024

Allgaier announces renewal in Victory Lane at Bristol Motor Speedway

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 15, 2023) – Following tonight’s victory at Bristol Motor Speedway, Justin Allgaier announced that both he and cornerstone partner BRANDT Professional Agriculture are returning to JR Motorsports in 2024 for the ninth season. As the second-longest tenured-partner for JRM, BRANDT will assume the role of primary partner for Allgaier and the No. 7 Chevrolet for 20 events during the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and receive associate placement on the remaining races.

“I can’t say enough about this team, Rick Brandt and everyone at BRANDT Professional Agriculture,” Allgaier said from Victory Lane. “This seemed like the perfect time to break the news that we’ll be back in the No. 7 Chevrolet in 2024. I’m just so grateful for everyone at JR Motorsports.”

Founded in central Illinois, BRANDT is a fast-growing, family-owned company and a leader in global agriculture. Specializing in innovative products and services to help growers get maximum crop yield, BRANDT supplies customers in 49 states and more than 80 countries.

“What a year!” said Rick Brandt, president and CEO of BRANDT. “As we cause a party here in Victory Lane, we are celebrating our 70th anniversary as a company, our founder, Evelyn Brandt Thomas’ 100th birthday, and our return to JRM for 2024. Let’s add one more celebration to the list: let’s go get that NASCAR Xfinity Championship.”

BRANDT has a long-standing presence in NASCAR, having first partnered with Allgaier in 2011. The pairing joined JRM for the 2016 NXS season, and Allgaier has been a consistent title contender, advancing to the Championship 4 in five of the last seven seasons and finishing a career-best second in the final standings in 2020.

“This is the best way possible to announce that Justin and BRANDT are coming back next year,” said JRM CEO Kelley Earnhardt Miller. “I’m so proud of the relationship that we’ve built with Rick (Brandt) and to be able to extend both BRANDT and Justin is a testament to all the hard work of everyone at JR Motorsports.”

With tonight’s victory in Bristol, Allgaier becomes the first driver to advance into the Round of 8 in the NXS Playoffs, doing so for the eighth consecutive season.

ABOUT BRANDT:
A leading agricultural company, BRANDT serves growers and farmers around the globe. Founded in 1953 by Glen Brandt and his sister Evelyn Brandt Thomas to help Illinois farmers adopt new and profitable technologies, the company has experienced aggressive growth under the leadership of President and CEO Rick Brandt. BRANDT’s focus is providing the products and services that give growers the best opportunity for maximum return while building a stronger, healthier and more abundant food supply. For more information, visit BRANDT on the web at www.brandt.co.

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 22nd 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 races in Late Model competition and owns five championships in regional Late Model divisions and added a prized national title in 2020. To learn more about the organization, its drivers and its sponsorship opportunities, visit www.jrmracing.com.

September 16, 2023
Daniel Hemric Returns to NASCAR Cup Series with Kaulig Racing

Daniel Hemric to Pilot No. 31 Camaro ZL1 in 2024

LEXINGTON, N.C. (September 15, 2023) – Kaulig Racing announced today that Daniel Hemric is set to return to the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) to pilot the team’s No. 31 Camaro ZL1.

Hemric, the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) champion, is currently finishing his second, full-time NXS season with Kaulig Racing and currently competing for the 2023 championship. Hemric previously competed in the NCS full-time in 2019 with Richard Childress Racing, earning the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors that same year.

“This is a big day, and it means so much to my family and me,” said Hemric. “It’s truly special to have an opportunity to do something big with a group of people that want it just as bad as you. It takes heart, and each and every person at Kaulig Racing has it. I’m looking forward to finishing out this season strong and getting right back to work in the off season with everyone at Kaulig Racing.”

Hemric joined Kaulig Racing in 2022 to compete for back-to-back NXS titles and made select NCS starts for the team during the 2022 season. Across 47-total NCS starts, Hemric has earned one pole award, one top five, three top-10 finishes and led a total of 22 laps.

“They say that tough times don’t last, but tough people do,” said Chris Rice, president of Kaulig Racing. “That rings true with Daniel Hemric. Throughout all the ups and downs the past couple of years, Daniel continues to believe in the Kaulig Racing culture. Over the last few months, we have been asking ourselves, ‘What can make us a better race team?’ We truly believe Daniel can and will continue to make Kaulig Racing better as an organization.”

Hemric, the only previous NXS champion in the 2023 playoffs, maintains the qualities team owner, Matt Kaulig looks for in a driver both on and off the track. In 2019, Hemric and his wife, Kenzie, established the Daniel Hemric Be the Change Scholarship with the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Foundation. This scholarship is awarded to a student from Cabarrus or Rowan County that qualifies for financial aid and has chosen a field of study in motorsports, welding, or mechanical engineering. In 2022, Kaulig Giving and Matt Kaulig increased the Hemric scholarship endowment, providing the opportunity to award a second scholarship to a student in need for the first time.

“Daniel’s grit and determination both on and off track are what make him such an integral part of our Kaulig Racing family,” said team owner, Matt Kaulig. “Daniel’s competitive edge is what drives him, and his focus on giving back is what grounds him. That’s what has earned him the respect and admiration from his peers at Kaulig Racing, and we will continue to grow with him.”

Hemric will continue to compete for the 2023 NXS championship, as the round of 12 kicks off at Bristol Motor Speedway. 2024 partnership information will be announced at a later date.

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 with Justin Haley piloting the No. 31 Camaro ZL1, and an all-star lineup featured in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. Haley will continue to drive the No. 31 full-time in 2023, alongside AJ Allmendinger, who will drive the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. The team will continue to field three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by an all-star lineup, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by Chandler Smith. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

September 15, 2023
Bristol to host two NASCAR weekend events on concrete for 2024 season

For the first time since 2020, Bristol Motor Speedway will return to hosting two NASCAR weekend events on its concrete surface for the 2024 season.

The announcement means that the Bristol Dirt event, which occurred in the spring for the last three seasons, including this year, and reignited NASCAR’s return to dirt racing in over five decades, will be discontinued from further use.

As a result, the Bristol spring event will mark NASCAR’s first time competing on the 0.533-mile track’s concrete surface in the spring for the 2024 season since 1993. The event will also return to run 500 miles with Food City to remain as the event’s title sponsor.

“As the motorsports world focuses on America’s Night Race tomorrow, we are thrilled to announce Bristol Motor Speedway will host the return of the Food City 500 on the concrete high-banks of the World’s Fastest Half Mile in the spring of 2024,” Jerry Caldwell, President and General Manager of Bristol Motor Speedway, said in a statement. “We will revive a logo reminiscent of the first Food City 500s in the early ’90s and resurrect the track’s vintage trademark look and feel of the era. We’re looking forward to a great weekend of racing and what’s to come in 2024.”

During the spring Bristol’s transition from concrete to dirt in 2021, Joey Logano won the NASCAR Cup Series’ first dirt event on the 0.533-mile circuit following an overtime shootout. By then, it marked the series’ first dirt event since seven-time champion Richard Petty won at Raleigh’s North Carolina State Fairgrounds in September 1970. The Bristol Dirt event would return in 2022 with Kyle Busch winning following a last-lap overtake on both Tyler Reddick and Chase Briscoe before Christopher Bell won this year’s event after fending off a late charge from Reddick.

Photo by Chad Wells for SpeedwayMedia.com.

During the Cup Series’ three-year run at the Bristol Dirt layout, the Craftsman Truck Series also competed on the surface, with Martin Truex Jr., Ben Rhodes and Joey Logano winning from 2021 to 2023, respectively.

Announcements regarding Bristol’s two scheduled dates for next season along with the full 2024 NASCAR schedule have yet to be announced.

September 15, 2023