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  • NASCAR suspends crew chief Cliff Daniels for four Cup races for loose wheel infraction at Sonoma

    NASCAR suspends crew chief Cliff Daniels for four Cup races for loose wheel infraction at Sonoma

    NASCAR issued a major penalty to the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entry piloted by the reigning Cup Series champion Kyle Larson and led by the reigning championship-winning crew chief Cliff Daniels for a loose wheel infraction at Sonoma Raceway that occurred this past weekend on June 12.

    The incident occurred during the final 28 laps at Sonoma, where Larson had just exited pit road following a green flag pit stop and was making his way through Turns 1 and 2 when the right-front wheel came off of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Despite going off course through Turns 3 and 3A, Larson managed to limp his car back to pit road and went on to finish 15th of the 36-car field in an event where he started on pole position, leading the first 26 of 110 laps and won the first stage.

    The loose wheel penalty that occurred on the course, however, was enough for Daniels along with crew members Brandon Johnson and Donnie Tasser to be suspended for the following four Cup events, beginning at Nashville Superspeedway on June 26 followed by Road America on July 3, Atlanta Motor Speedway on July 10 and New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 17. Following the penalty report, Hendrick Motorsports has elected to not appeal the penalty and will announce Larson’s interim crew chief for the following four events at a later date.

    This marks the 10th time through the first 16 scheduled events where a Cup Series team was penalized with a four-race suspension of a crew chief and select pit crew members due to a lost wheel coming off of a car during an event. The most recent incident of a lost wheel occurred at Kansas Speedway in May when Kaulig Racing crew chief Trent Owens along with rear-tire changer Jonpatrick Kealey and Jackman Marshall McFadden were suspended for four events, including the All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway in May and this past weekend at Sonoma, due to a wheel that detached off of driver Justin Haley’s No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 that was exiting the pit stall. Currently, Haley’s team remains the only one that has been penalized twice for a lost wheel. Their first incident occurred during this year’s 64th running of the Daytona 500, where Owens, McFadden and front tire changer Jacob Nelson were all suspended for the following four events. Owens is scheduled to make his return atop the pit box at Nashville.

    Other driver-team duos that have been penalized for a loose wheel infraction include Kaz Grala for The Money Team Racing during the 64th running of the Daytona 500 in February, rookie Todd Gilliland for Front Row Motorsports at Auto Club Speedway in February, Corey LaJoie for Spire Motorsports at Phoenix Raceway in March, Bubba Wallace for 23XI Racing at Circuit of the Americas in March, BJ McLeod for Live Fast Motorsports at Talladega Superspeedway in April, Denny Hamlin for Joe Gibbs Racing at Dover Motor Speedway in May and AJ Allmendinger for Kaulig Racing that also occurred at Dover.

    Another team that was issued a penalty following last weekend’s event at Sonoma was the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang team that was piloted by Cody Ware. The team was penalized 20 Cup driver and owner points following four pre-qualifying inspection failures, which sent Ware to the rear of the field and resulted with him serving a mandatory pass-through penalty through pit road following the start of the event. The team’s engineer Steve Gray was also suspended for the duration of the Sonoma weekend. Ware went on to finish 32nd and a lap down behind the leaders.

    The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season enters a one-week break period before returning to action at Nashville Superspeedway on June 26. Coverage for the event is scheduled to commence at 5 p.m. ET on NBC.

  • Zane Smith in, Buescher out for inaugural Cup Series event at Gateway due to COVID-19

    Zane Smith in, Buescher out for inaugural Cup Series event at Gateway due to COVID-19

    Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing announced a shakeup to one of its two-driver roster for this weekend’s inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois. 

    Chris Buescher, coming off his wild rollover wreck during last weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at at Charlotte Motor Speedway, will not be competing at Gateway due to testing positive for COVID-19. With Buescher absent, Zane Smith, a full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor for Front Row Motorsports, will be piloting Buescher’s No. 17 Acronis Ford Mustang on a one-race deal for this upcoming weekend.

    Smith, a 22-year-old native from Huntington Beach, California, will be making his inaugural presence in the Cup Series, having made 11 previous starts in the Xfinity Series, 38 starts in the ARCA Menards Series and 56 starts in the Camping World Truck Series. He is currently campaigning in his third full-time season in the Truck Series, but first with Front Row Motorsports following a two-year run with GMS Racing. 

    Through the first 10 scheduled Truck events, Smith has achieved three victories (Daytona International Speedway in February, Circuit of the Americas in March and Kansas Speedway in May), five top-five results and eight top-10 results as he is ranked in third place in the regular season standings as he pursues his first NASCAR national touring series championship.

    With Smith filling in for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing at Gateway, Buescher will set his sights for his return next weekend at Sonoma Raceway scheduled for June 12.

    Zane Smith is set to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut at World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday, June 5, with the event’s coverage to occur at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • Truex primed for 600th Cup career start at Gateway

    Truex primed for 600th Cup career start at Gateway

    With the NASCAR Cup Series set to compete for the first time at Gateway’s World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, Martin Truex Jr. is also set to achieve a major milestone start of his own. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s event at Gateway, the driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota TRD Camry will make his 600th career start in NASCAR’s premier series.

    A native of Mayetta, New Jersey, Truex made his inaugural presence in the Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July 2004. By then, he was contending for the 2004 Xfinity Series championship for Chance 2 Motorsports and was serving as a standby competitor for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was recovering from injuries and burns sustained following a fiery wreck at Sonoma Raceway while practicing for the American Le Mans Series Grand Prix at Sonoma. Taking over Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet Monte Carlo under the first caution period, Truex settled in 31st place in his unofficial Cup debut.

    Three months later, Truex made his official Cup Series debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway in October, where he drove and retired the No. 1 DEI Chevrolet to a 37th-place result due to an engine issue. He returned for the 2004 finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November, where he ended up 32nd place after his right-rear tire shredded his rear quarter panel late in the event.

    Entering the 2005 NASCAR season as the reigning Xfinity Series champion with an opportunity to defend his series title, Truex also made a total of seven starts in the Cup circuit for Dale Earnhardt Inc. His first start of the season occurred in the 47th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in February, which he finished in fourth place during the second of two Gatorade Duels a few days prior and earning a transfer spot for the main event. During the 500, however, he finished 34th due to a late engine issue. Returning at Talladega Superspeedway in May, Truex was running towards the lead pack when he was involved in a late multi-car wreck and fell back to 21st place. His best on-track result during the remaining six events to his limited Cup schedule was seventh place at Charlotte Motor Speedway during the Coca-Cola 600 in May. This marked Truex’s first top-10 career result in the Cup circuit.

    After achieving his second consecutive Xfinity title in 2005, Truex took over the No. 1 DEI Chevrolet Monte Carlo as a full-time Cup Series competitor for the 2006 season. Commencing his rookie Cup season with a 16th-place result in the 48th running of the Daytona 500, he earned a total of two top-five results, five top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 20.8. His best on-track result was second place in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway behind Greg Biffle as he finished in 19th place in the final standings.

    Truex commenced the first 11 scheduled events of the 2007 Cup Series season with three top-10 results. Then at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, he earned his first non-points Cup victory in the All-Star Open after fending off Johnny Sauter to earn a transfer spot to the All-Star Race, where he went on to finish 10th. Two weeks later, the New Jersey native earned his first points-sanctioned NASCAR Cup Series career victory at Dover International Speedway after leading 216 of 400 laps and beating pole-sitter Ryan Newman. The victory occurred in his 58th start in NASCAR’s premier series and on a day where former NASCAR CEO Bill France Jr. died at age 74. Truex backed up his first victory at Dover with four top-three results and six top-10 results for the remaining 13 regular season events, including two runner-up results during both Michigan International Speedway events, as he earned a spot in the 2007 Cup Playoffs. Despite finishing in the top 10 four times during the final 10 events, however, he never contended for the 2007 title and settled in 11th place in the final standings. Nonetheless, Truex’s sophomore Cup season was a success as he earned his first win, his first pole at Texas Motor Speedway in November, seven top-five results, 14 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 16.4.

    In comparison to the 2007 season, the following two seasons (2008 and 2009) for Truex were disappointing seasons as he did not make the Playoffs. In 2008, his best on-track result was fourth at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in June as he racked up three top-five results and 11 top-10 results before finishing 15th in the final standings. By then, he surpassed 100 career starts in NASCAR’s premiers series. In 2009, where DEI merged with Chip Ganassi Racing, Truex won three poles, including one for the 51st running of the Daytona 500, but his best on-track result was fifth at Phoenix Raceway in November. Earning a total of six top-10 results throughout the season, he slipped back to 23rd place in the final standings.

    Following a four-year run with Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Truex joined Michael Waltrip Racing to pilot the No. 56 Toyota Camry. Despite commencing the season with a sixth-place result in the 52nd running of the Daytona 500, he struggled with maintaining consistency as he finished no higher than fifth place, which occurred at Martinsville Speedway in March, and achieved a total of seven top-10 results and a single pole (Dover in May) throughout the 36-race schedule. When the final checkered flag of the 2010 season flew, Truex, who did not make the Playoffs, wrapped up his first campaign with MWR in 22nd place in the final standings. 

    The 2011 Cup season saw Truex and the No. 56 MWR Toyota Camry team achieve a second pole at Dover in October, a season-best second-place result at the Bristol Night Race in August, three top-five results and 12 top-10 results, with the driver finishing in 18th place in the final standings, four spots better than in 2010. By then, he surpassed 200 Cup career starts.

    Truex, who remained at MWR for a third consecutive season, commenced the 2012 season by finishing 12th in the 54th running of the Daytona 500 despite earning a $200,000 bonus for leading the halfway lap. Not long after, he earned a pole and five top-10 results during the following six events. Then at Kansas Speedway in April, he led a race-high 173 of 267 before settling in second behind Denny Hamlin. After recording seven additional top-10 results during the following 16 events, Truex was placed in another opportunity to win, this time at Atlanta Motor Speedy in September as he was leading in the closing laps when a late caution due to Jamie McMurray blowing a right-front tire spoiled his run. After being beaten off of pit road by Hamlin and spinning his tires on the final restart, Truex settled in a disappointing fourth place. The result, nonetheless, was enough for him to make his second appearance in the Playoffs and return to the postseason for the first time since 2007. Ultimately, Truex and the No. 56 team achieved another second-place result at Kansas in October along with four additional top-10 results during the final 10 Playoff events, but finished in 11th place in the final standings. Nonetheless, his average-finishing result of 12.1 was his personal best along with 19 top-10 results throughout the 2012 season.

    Fresh off a multi-year contract extension with MWR, Truex finished in the top five three times as he also earned a total of six top-10 results during the first 15 events of the 2013 season. At Texas in April, he led 55 laps before settling behind Kyle Busch in second place. Then at Sonoma Raceway in June, Truex snapped a 218-race winless drought after claiming a dominant victory and achieving his second Cup career victory, the first since winning his first race at Dover in 2007. He went on to post three top-10 results, including two third-place results, during the following nine scheduled events as he was vying for a spot for the 2013 Cup Playoffs.

    At Richmond Raceway in September, Truex nursed his No. 56 Toyota Camry to a seventh-place result following a three-lap dash to the finish and he claimed a Wild Card spot to the Playoffs in a tie-breaker over Newman, who was leading late in the event before slipping back to third place. Controversy, however, ensued two days later when NASCAR assessed major penalties to Michael Waltrip Racing for the team’s involvement in manipulating the outcome of the event that involved teammates Clint Bowyer and Brian Vickers to ensure that Truex would make the Playoffs. Among the penalties included a $300,000 fine and a 50-point dock for each of MWR’s three-car operation. The penalties eliminated Truex from Playoff contention while Newman and Jeff Gordon, both of whom were affected by MWR’s manipulation, were added to the Playoffs. With his title hopes for 2013 diminished, Truex recorded four top-10 results for the remaining 10 scheduled events before finishing in 16th place in the final standings.

    Two weeks prior to the 2013 Cup season’s conclusion, Truex inked a deal with Furniture Row Racing to drive the No. 78 Chevrolet SS for 2014 season, replacing Kurt Busch as Busch transitioned to Stewart-Haas Racing while Truex’s former ride at MWR became a research and development team and with his primary sponsor NAPA Auto Parts opting to depart the team entering 2014. Despite qualifying on the front row for the 56th running of the Daytona 500, the New Jersey native was forced to start at the rear of the field for the main event after wrecking his primary car during his Budweiser Duel event. During the main event, he suffered an early retirement in 43rd place, dead last, due to an engine failure. Two races later, Truex made his 300th Cup career start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. His first season with Furniture Row Racing, however, was a difficult season as he claimed a season-best fourth place at Kansas in October, five top-10 results and just a single lap led throughout the entire season before finishing 24th in the final standings.

    Following a difficult 2014 season, Truex roared out of the gate with seven consecutive top-10 results during the first seven scheduled events in 2015, which marked his 10th full-time season as a NASCAR Cup Series competitor. This stretch included a runner-up result behind Kevin Harvick at Las Vegas in March. Despite finishing 29th at Bristol Motor Speedway in April, Truex reignited his top-10 streak, beginning at Richmond Raceway in April through Dover International Speedway in June. Then at Pocono Raceway in June, Truex, who had potential race-winning opportunities slip from his grasp early in the season, made a triumphant return to Victory Lane after fending off Harvick to record the first victory for Furniture Row Racing since 2011, the first for Canadian crew chief Cole Pearn and the third for the driver of the No. 78 Chevrolet SS.

    Coming off the Pocono victory, Truex recorded four additional top-10 results during the final 12 regular season events before making his third appearance in the Playoffs. Throughout the Playoffs, Truex was consistent as he earned five top-10 results in nine weeks to transfer from the Round of 16 all the way to the Championship 4 finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November and with an opportunity to claim his first title in NASCAR’s premier series over Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon. During the finale, however, Truex finished 12th on the track and settled in fourth place in the final standings. Nonetheless, the fourth-place result was the best result in the standings for both Truex and Furniture Row Racing, with the driver notching eight top-five results, 22 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 12.2.

    Entering the 2016 Cup season with momentum and a new manufacturer as Furniture Row Racing swapped from Chevrolet to Toyota, Truex settled in second place in the 58th running of the Daytona 500 after being edged by Denny Hamlin by 0.010 seconds, which marks the closest margin of victory in the Daytona 500. Truex backed up his run in the 500 by recording four additional top-10 results despite being eluded several opportunities of winning an event. Notable moments of him nearly winning occurred at Texas in April, where he led a race-high 141 of 334 laps only to fall back to sixth following a late pit stop; Kansas in May, where he led a race-high 172 of 267 only to be plagued by a loose wheel and finish 14th; and at Dover in May, where he led 47 laps and fell back to ninth after being involved in a late multi-car wreck. Nonetheless, the on-track frustrations ended at Charlotte Motor Speedway during the Coca-Cola 600 in May, where he started on pole, led 392 of 400 laps and grabbed his first victory of the season and his fourth Cup career victory. Truex’s total laps led of 392 are the most by a Cup Series winner and having led 588 miles during the 600 event, he established the all-time record for the most miles led in a NASCAR event.

    Twelve races later, Truex earned his second victory of the season in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in September after fending off Kevin Harvick through the final 16 laps. Coming off a third-place result during the regular season finale at Richmond, Truex then capitalized on a late caution and a stellar four-tire service from his pit crew to win at Chicagoland Speedway during a two-lap shootout. The Chicagoland victory along with Truex’s fourth overall victory of 2016 at Dover in October were more than enough for the New Jersey native to transfer from the Round of 16 to the Round of 12. During the Round of 12, however, his championship hopes evaporated following two consecutive results outside of the top 10 along with an engine failure and a 40th-place result at Talladega in October. Posting two top-10 results during the remaining four scheduled events, Truex capped his third full-time season with Furniture Row Racing in 11th place in the final standings. Despite finishing one spot shy of the top-10 mark in the final standings for a third time, he capped off the season with four victories, five poles, eight top-five results, 17 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 13.9. In addition, he surpassed 400 Cup career starts.

    The recent on-track momentum for Truex and Furniture Row Racing continued in the early stages of 2017 as Truex claimed his first victory of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. He would go on to win at Kansas Speedway in May, Kentucky Speedway in July and Watkins Glen International in August throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch. To go along with 17 top-10 results, Truex claimed the 2017 Cup Series regular season title. He then commenced the 2017 Playoffs by winning at Chicagoland Speedway for a second consecutive season and transferring from the Round of 16 to the Round of 12. Three races later, Truex secured a spot in the Round of 8 after winning at Charlotte and Kansas in October. After posting three consecutive top-three results in the Round of 8, he earned a spot in the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. At the finale, Truex led 78 laps and held off title rival Kyle Busch to claim his eighth victory of the season and his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. By becoming the 31st different competitor to win a title in NASCAR’s premier series, he recorded the first championship for Furniture Row Racing and became the second Toyota competitor to emerge as a Cup champion. Truex’s championship season was a dominant one, where he notched a career-high eight victories, three poles, 19 top-five results, 26 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 9.4.

    Truex’s quest to defend his title started off with an 18th-place result in the 60th running of the Daytona 500 after he was involved in a late multi-car wreck. Despite this, he earned his first victory of the season at Auto Club Speedway in March. Four months later, Truex earned victories at Pocono and Sonoma before adding a fourth victory of 2018 at Kentucky in July. Those victories along with a total of 15 top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular season stretch enabled the driver of the No. 78 FRR Toyota to qualify to make the Playoffs for the sixth time in his career. Five top-10 results throughout the Playoffs were enough for Truex to return to the Championship Round at Homestead for a second consecutive season. However, he was unable to defend his championship after being overtaken late by title rival Joey Logano, which relegated Truex to a runner-up result in the final standings. Overall, Truex achieved four victories, four poles, 20 top-five results, 21 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 10.7.

    Two months prior to the 2018 Cup season’s conclusion, Furniture Row Racing announced plans to cease operations at season’s end. With FRR closed, Truex and his championship-winning crew chief Cole Pearn moved over to Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2019 season and took over the No. 19 Toyota Camry team in place of Daniel Suarez. Despite finishing 35th in the 61st running of the Daytona 500, the 2017 Cup champion rallied by posting five consecutive top-10 results during the following seven events. Then at Richmond in April, Truex claimed his first elusive short track victory and his first with JGR after fending off Logano and Clint Bowyer in the closing laps. For the remainder of the 2019 Cup Series regular season stretch, Truex notched victories at Dover in May, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in May and Sonoma in June along with six top-10 results before making the Playoffs for the seventh time in his career. By then, he surpassed 500 Cup career starts. For the third time in four seasons, Truex then commenced the Playoffs by winning the Playoff opener at Las Vegas in September. The following weekend at Richmond, he rallied from a late spin while trying to lap Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to claim his sixth victory of 2019 at Richmond and transfer past the opening Playoff round. After posting two top-10 results and transferring to the Round of 8, Truex secured a one-way ticket into the Championship Round for a third consecutive season after winning at Martinsville Speedway for the first time in his career in October. During the finale at Homestead in November, however, he settled in second place on the track and in the final standings behind teammate Kyle Busch. Nonetheless, Truex’s seven victories in 2019 were the most he achieved in a season since winning eight times in 2017. He also recorded 15 top-five results and 24 top-10 results along with an average-finishing result of 9.8.

    The 2020 Cup Series season, which marked Truex’s 15th full-time season in NASCAR’s premier series, also marked the first time since 2015 where Truex achieved only a single victory throughout the season, where he won at Martinsville in June. Despite this, he earned a total of 14 top-five results and 23 top-10 results. Qualifying for the Playoffs for the eighth time in his career, Truex was eliminated from title contention following the Round of 8 and settled in seventh place in the final standings.

    This past season, Truex achieved three victories throughout the 26-race regular season stretch: Phoenix Raceway in March, Martinsville in April and Darlington in May. As he made the Playoffs for the ninth time in his career, he then won at Richmond in September to transfer to the Round of 12. Three top-10 results during the following six Playoff events were enough for Truex to transfer all the way to the Championship Round and campaign for his second Cup title. During the finale at Phoenix in November, he had the championship lead late until a late caution and pit stop, where he lost the lead, relegated him back to a runner-up result behind Kyle Larson. Despite finishing in second place in the final standings for the third time in four seasons, Truex capped off his 16th full-time Cup season with four victories, 13 top-five results and 20 top-10 results.

    Through 599 previous Cup starts, Truex has achieved one championship, 31 career victories, 19 poles, 131 top-five results, 254 top-10 results, 10,851 laps led and an average-finishing result of 13.8. He is currently ranked in fifth place in the 2022 driver’s standings on the strength of two top-five results and six top-10 results through the first 14 events of the 2022 regular season stretch.

    Truex is primed to make his 600th Cup Series career start at the World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday, June 5, with coverage to start at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • Rhodes to make 150th Truck career start at Texas

    Rhodes to make 150th Truck career start at Texas

    A significant milestone start is in the making for Ben Rhodes, the reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion and driver of the No. 99 ThorSport Racing Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. By competing in this weekend’s event at Texas Motor Speedway, Rhodes will make his 150th career start in the Truck circuit. 

    A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Rhodes made his inaugural presence in the Truck Series at Martinsville Speedway in March 2014. By then, he was contending for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East title for Turner Scott Motorsports. Driving the No. 32 Chevrolet Silverado for TSM, Rhodes started 12th and finished eighth in his series debut. He returned for three additional events throughout the 2014 season (Dover International Speedway in May, Bristol Motor Speedway in August, and Phoenix Raceway in November). During this span, he earned a season-best fifth-place result at Phoenix.

    After winning the 2014 K&N Pro Series title before campaigning on a part-time basis for JR Motorsports during the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, Rhodes earned a full-time ride in the Truck Series with ThorSport Racing for the 2016 season, where he campaigned for the Rookie-of-the-Year title. Piloting the No. 41 Toyota Tundra for ThorSport, he commenced his rookie Truck season with a seventh-place result at Daytona International Speedway in February followed by a sixth-place run at Atlanta Motor Speedway. After starting on pole position for the first time in his career at Martinsville Speedway in April, where he finished 16th after spinning late, Rhodes was placed in the prime position of winning his first Truck event at Kansas Speedway in May. Running in second place behind veteran Johnny Sauter on the final lap, he made a bold move beneath Sauter in Turn 3 and ended up turning Sauter’s truck as both competitors veered into the outside wall with the finish in sight. Instead of a possible trip to Victory Lane, Rhodes settled in 18th place, a lap down.

    As the 2016 Truck Series progressed, Rhodes received two more opportunities of winning his first Truck event: Iowa Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway in June. At Iowa, he settled in fourth place following a two-lap dash to the finish. At the World Wide Technology Raceway, he settled in second place behind Christopher Bell following another two-lap dash. The strong results, however, were mingled with inconsistent results throughout the summer as Rhodes failed to make the 2016 Truck Playoffs. He managed to record four top-15 results during the seven-race Playoff stretch before concluding his first NASCAR Truck season in 14th place in the final standings.

    Remaining at ThorSport Racing for the 2017 truck season while sporting the number 27 alongside his Toyota Tundra, Rhodes was battling for the victory on the final lap at Daytona in February until a bump from teammate Grant Enfinger entering the backstretch sent Rhodes sideways and triggered a multi-truck wreck that sent his other championship teammate Matt Crafton barrel-rolling in the air. Despite the accident, Rhodes limped home to a 12th-place result. He rallied during the second event of the season at Atlanta by finishing fourth, but fell back to 20th during the third event of the season at Martinsville. 

    Then at Kansas in May, Rhodes led 25 laps and was running away with the lead over Kyle Busch when his engine blew up with eight laps remaining, which forced the Kentucky native to retire his truck in the garage. He rebounded during the following four events by finishing in the top 10 before finishing outside of the top 10 during the ensuing three. After finishing in the top 10 in three of the following four events, which includes a second-place result at Pocono Raceway in July, Rhodes was still in contention to earn a spot for the 2017 Playoffs. By finishing sixth at Chicagoland Speedway in September, which marked the conclusion of the 2017 regular season stretch, he secured the eighth and final transfer spot to the Playoffs in a tie-breaker over Ryan Truex, who finished fourth despite starting on pole.

    Following a seventh-place result at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September to commence his Playoff run, Rhodes earned his first elusive Truck Series career victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after storming to the lead with eight laps remaining and fending off Bell by 0.066 seconds. The victory earned Rhodes and his No. 27 ThorSport Racing Toyota team a spot in the Playoff’s Round of 6. After finishing ninth and 18th during the first two Round of 6 events, his title hopes evaporated at Phoenix Raceway in November after he was turned by Playoff rival Austin Cindric during a restart with 22 laps remaining and wrecked along with teammate Matt Crafton. Rhodes went on to conclude the 2017 season in 19th place at Homestead-Miami Speedway after running out of fuel in the closing laps and in fifth place in the final standings. By then, he doubled his overall top-10 results to 12 compared to five in 2016.

    Rhodes returned to ThorSport Racing for a third full-time season in 2018 as he also reunited with the number 41 alongside his truck. By then, ThorSport swapped manufacturers from Toyota to Ford. Despite finishing fourth at Daytona in February, Rhodes’ crew chief, Eddie Troconis, was suspended for one event and fined $5,000 after Rhodes’ No. 41 Ford was found to be too low during the post-race inspection process, which also resulted with a 10-point dock in the driver’s and owner’s standings.

    Through the first 11 events of the 2018 Truck season, Rhodes had collected a total of four top-five results and was coming off a runner-up result at Chicagoland Speedway. Then at Kentucky Speedway in July, he claimed his second career victory after leading the final 24 laps and beating Stewart Friesen by nearly a second. The victory guaranteed Rhodes a spot in the 2018 Truck Playoffs, who capped off the regular season stretch with back-to-back top-10 results. During the Round of 8, however, he finished 14th, fourth and 16th respectively, which were enough to eliminate him from title contention early. Managing two additional top-five results during the final four scheduled events, Rhodes settled in eighth place in the final standings as he led a career-best 232 laps throughout the season and earned an average-finishing result of 9.9.

    Remaining at ThorSport Racing for a fourth full-time season in 2019 with his number changed to 99, Rhodes was battling for the win at Daytona when he got clipped by Gus Dean with two laps remaining and was collected in a multi-truck wreck, which left him with a 14th-place result in the final running order. He rebounded during the following 10 events by posting three runner-up results, five top-five results and eight top-10 results. Rhodes, however, earned only one top-10 result during the final five regular-season events and failed to return to the Playoffs. He managed to record four top-10 results during the postseason by settling in ninth place in the final standings.

    In a similar fashion to 2019, Rhodes’ 2020 season started with being involved in a late multi-truck wreck while contending for victory. At Atlanta Motor Speedway in June, he made his 100th Truck Series career start, where he went on to finish ninth. Three months later at Darlington Raceway, Rhodes persevered over an overtime battle with rookie Derek Kraus to snap a one-year winless drought and score his fourth Truck Series career victory. Returning to the Playoffs, he transferred from the Round of 10 to 8 despite posting a single top-five result at Talladega Superspeedway in October. Rhodes’ 2020 title hopes, however, came to an end after finishing 20th, 20th and second respectively in the Round of 8. He went on to cap the season in seventh place in the final standings with a career-high nine top-five results, 14 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 10.0.

    Prior to the 2021 season, ThorSport Racing returned to fielding Toyotas following a three-year partnership with Ford while Rhodes remained as the driver of the No. 99 truck. In his return to piloting a Toyota, Rhodes overtook Corey Roper on the final lap and edged Jordan Anderson by 0.036 seconds to win at Daytona. He then backed it up by winning at the Daytona Road Course event over Sheldon Creed. From there, Rhodes utilized consistency that included three additional top-five results and nine additional top-10 results before making his fourth appearance in the Truck Series Playoffs. 

    Respective finishes of third, 34th and ninth allowed the Kentucky native to transfer from the Round of 10 to 8. After finishing second, 13th and seventh respectively in the Round of 8, Rhodes emerged as one of four competitors to transfer to the Championship Round at Phoenix Raceway in November and battle for the title. During the finale, Rhodes overtook title rival Zane Smith with nine laps remaining and was able to finish in third place, but claim the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship over Smith, John Hunter Nemechek and teammate Matt Crafton. With the accomplishment, Rhodes became the 19th different competitor to win the Truck title as he delivered the fourth drivers’ championship and first owners’ title to ThorSport Racing. His championship season was one to remember as he recorded two victories, eight top-five results, a career-high 16 top-10 results and a career-best average-finishing result of 9.3.

    Through 149 previous starts, Rhodes has achieved one championship, six victories, five poles, 46 top-five results, 82 top-10 results, 1,005 laps led and an average-finishing result of 11.4. He currently leads the 2022 Truck Series regular-season standings on the strength of winning the Bristol Dirt Course in April along with achieving six top-10 results through the first eight scheduled events.

    Rhodes is set to make his 150th career start in the Camping World Truck Series at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday, May 20, at 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: All-Star Race

    Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: All-Star Race

    Texas Motor Speedway
    Sunday, May 22, 2022
    1.5-Mile Oval
    8:00 PM ET
    Location: Fort Worth, Texas
    TV: Fox
    Event: NASCAR All-Star Race (non-points)
    Radio: SiriusXM, PRN

    5 KYLE LARSON

    Age: 29 (July 31, 1992)

    Hometown: Elk Grove, California

    Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

    Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels

    Standings: 9th

    No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

    HEY NOW, YOU’RE AN ALL-STAR: Kyle Larson, who has 11 points-paying wins since the beginning of 2021, has an automatic berth into Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway. Last June at the 1.5-mile Texas facility, Larson battled Brad Keselowski and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott late before maneuvering into first and leading the final eight laps to capture the $1 million payday. It marked the second win for the driver of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the annual exhibition race where no championship points are awarded.

    GRAND OPENING: In 2019 when the event was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Larson won the NASCAR All-Star Open to gain entry into the All-Star Race, then led the final 13 laps to capture the victory in the annual exhibition. The Elk Grove, California, native has won the last two all-star events he has started.

    DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Along with his victory in the all-star event in June, Larson led 256 laps – including the final 218 – to capture the 334-lap points-paying race at Texas in October. The victory earned him a spot in the Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway, which Larson ultimately won to secure his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.

    ANIMAL STYLE: In five starts in the exhibition race, Larson owns an average finish of 5.4 – the best average of any driver that has more than two starts in the annual event. Larson is currently tied with Kevin Harvick as the only active drivers with multiple victories in the All-Star Race, each with two.

    SECOND THAT: Larson ranks second this season in top-five finishes with six, trailing only Ross Chastain who has seven. Larson has a victory at Auto Club Speedway, runner-up finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway, fourth-place finishes at Bristol Motor Speedway (dirt) and Talladega Superspeedway and a fifth-place result at Richmond Raceway.

    IT’S A HOME GAME: Larson and the No. 5 HendrickCars.com team will wear their “home” white uniforms at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. Home races occur in markets where there are Hendrick Automotive Group dealerships nearby, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area is home to two of them. Be sure to follow Hendrick Automotive Group’s social media channels and visit HendrickCars.com to view the complete home and away schedule.

    PATRIOTIC PAINT SCHEME: On Tuesday, HendrickCars.com unveiled a patriotic livery that will appear on the No. 5 entry at Charlotte Motor Speedway over Memorial Day weekend. To view the paint scheme and to learn more about Hendrick Automotive Group’s priority to hire veterans, please visit HendrickCars.com.

    9 CHASE ELLIOTT

    Age: 26 (Nov. 28, 1995)

    Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia

    Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia

    Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson

    Standings: 1st

    No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

    THE STARS ALIGNED: In 2020, Chase Elliott earned his first career NASCAR All-Star Race victory, claiming the checkered flag after dominating at Bristol Motor Speedway. Elliott won stages two and three before crossing the finish line first in the final stage to earn the $1 million prize. The event was the only All-Star Race held on a short track and on a Wednesday. The driver of the No. 9 was the third-youngest all-star winner at 24 years, 7 months, 17 days.

    ALL-STAR STATS: Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will make his seventh consecutive appearance in the All-Star Race this weekend. Elliott’s 2020 NASCAR Cup Series championship and All-Star Race win locked him into the event for the remainder of his full-time career under current rules. In his six previous All-Star Race starts, he has a 6.0 average finish – second-best of active drivers with at least two starts. The 26-year-old driver has finished in the top 10 in five of his six All-Star Race appearances and led in each of the last three races for a total of 74 laps.

    BACK IN THE LONE STAR STATE: The All-Star Race is returning to Texas Motor Speedway for the second consecutive year. In this event in 2021, Elliott ultimately drove to a third-place result in the final round after winning the race’s fifth round. In addition, the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS pit crew had a lightning-fast green-flag pit stop during the fifth round, earning the team the pit crew challenge victory and its $100,000 payout. Through 13 races this season, the No. 9 pit crew has the best average time at 11.708 seconds for four-tire pit stops in the Cup Series.

    FATHER-SON DUO: With Elliott’s 2020 victory, he and his father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, joined Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. as the only father-son combinations to win the All-Star Race. The Elliotts have won two of the three all-star events not held at Charlotte Motor Speedway – Bill Elliott won it driving his No. 9 car at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1986 when he led all but one of 83 laps.

    TEXAS STATS: Elliott has made 11 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway in points-paying events. Elliott garnered two top-five finishes, six top-10s and led a total of 44 laps in those starts. He collected his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at the 1.5-mile track in April 2014. In five Xfinity Series starts there, the 2014 Xfinity Series champion has accumulated three top-five finishes and five top-10s.

    NO. 9 IS TOPS: Halfway through the regular season, Elliott continues to hold the Cup Series points lead, now by 52 markers over Ryan Blaney. Including a tie earlier in the season, this marks the ninth consecutive week the Dawsonville, Georgia, native has been atop the standings. Through 13 races, Elliott and the No. 9 team have nine top-10 finishes – tied for most in the series – and lead the field with an average finish of 10.8.

    1.5-MILE PERFORMANCE: This season on 1.5-mile tracks, Elliott has two top-10 efforts in three starts, finishing ninth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and sixth at Atlanta. He was on his way to a third top-10 finish at Kansas Speedway last weekend when a flat left-rear tire caused him to spin, taking him out of contention. In 68 points-paying starts at mile-and-a-half facilities, Elliott has led 881 laps and earned two victories (Charlotte and Kansas), 22 top-five finishes – eight of which are runner-up results – and 37 top-10s.

    A SHOC ENERGY DAYTONA RACE EXPERIENCE: A SHOC Energy is giving fans the opportunity to win a VIP trip to the Cup Series race at Daytona on Saturday, Aug. 27. One grand prize winner and guest will get flight and hotel accommodations, tickets to the regular-season finale and a $500 Visa gift card. The sweepstakes is open now through July 15, and fans can enter by texting “ASHOCTRIP” to 97579.

    24 WILLIAM BYRON

    Age: 24 (Nov. 29, 1997)

    Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

    Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

    Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle

    Standings: 4th

    No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

    William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available in the Texas Motor Speedway media center on Friday, May 20, at 4 p.m. local time.

    HALFWAY THERE: Halfway through the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series regular season, William Byron is continuing to have a career-best year. In 13 races, Byron has scored two wins, four top-five finishes with 569 laps led across 10 of the 13 races, three stage wins and 13 playoff points accumulated. The wins, laps led, stage wins and playoff point totals are the most for the driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 through 13 races in his Cup Series career. He is currently fourth in the driver point standings and is locked into the Cup Series playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.

    1.5-MILE MOMENTUM: Byron is no stranger to success on mile-and-a-half tracks during his Cup Series career. In 2021, he picked up the win at the third race of the year at Homestead-Miami Speedway – his first on that configuration. He went on to collect seven top-10 finishes across nine races on 1.5-mile tracks throughout the season. This season, the Cup Series has raced at three 1.5-mile tracks: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway. Byron scored a win at Atlanta and a top-five finish at Las Vegas. In the most recent race of the season at Kansas, he led 25 laps before a flat tire left him with a 16th-place finish. In fact, since the start of 2021, Byron has nine top-10 finishes on tracks of that length.

    LOCKED IT IN: Sunday will mark Byron’s fourth start in the NASCAR All-Star Race but for the second time in his Cup Series career, Byron heads into the event already locked in due to his wins at Atlanta and Martinsville Speedway earlier this season as well as his Homestead-Miami win in 2021. Needing to race his way into the all-star event in the past, Byron has gotten the job done in the Open qualifier races in 2019 and 2020. Across his three All-Star Race starts, Byron has two top-10 finishes. His best showing came last year when he led the most laps (30), had the lowest cumulative finishing position across the first four rounds and scored his best finish of seventh after being shuffled from the front row for the final 10-lap dash.

    TWO-FOUR: The No. 24 has scored a win in the All-Star Race three times – tied for the second-most wins by a car number in the exhibition event, all coming with Jeff Gordon. If Byron were to end up in victory lane this Sunday night, the No. 24 would be tied for the most wins in all-star history with the No. 48 at four victories.

    TRUCKIN’ IT IN TEXAS: Byron’s success at Texas Motor Speedway started almost six years ago in his first start at the 1.5-mile oval with crew chief Rudy Fugle on the pit box. Starting from the sixth position, the then-NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie led six laps before capturing the checkered flag becoming the youngest to ever win a Truck Series race at Texas.

    TEXAS TOUGH: Texas is a track that Byron has always ran well at throughout his entire NASCAR career, even if the statistics don’t always reflect that. In seven Cup Series starts at the Lone Star State track, Byron has three top-10 results, including a track-best finish of second last fall. Byron also has four other starts at the 1.5-mile oval, with an average finish of 3.5 in two Truck Series starts and 8.0 in two NASCAR Xfinity Series races.

    FUGLE HAS ‘NO LIMITS’: While Sunday will mark crew chief Fugle’s second Cup Series all-star event, the Livonia, New York, native is no stranger to success at Texas. In last year’s race, Fugle led Byron and the No. 24 team to a seventh-place result after leading the most laps. Fugle also has one other Cup Series start at the 1.5-mile track, where the No. 24 team battled for the win in the final stage before crossing the finish line in the runner-up position last fall. The veteran crew chief has 18 other starts at Texas, with all but three of those coming in the Truck Series. He has visited victory lane at the “No Limits” track five times in the Truck Series – the most for him at any track on the circuit – most recently in 2019 where he swept both races. Of those five wins, one includes a victory with Byron in June 2016. In his 15 Truck Series starts, Fugle’s drivers have also racked up seven top-five finishes, 11 top-10s with 493 laps led.

    TEXAS TWO-STEP: Byron is pulling double duty at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. In addition to Sunday’s race, he’ll drive the No. 88 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series race on Saturday afternoon. The 24-year-old driver earned his Xfinity Series championship with JR Motorsports in 2017 and garnered four wins with the team. Byron’s primary partner in the Cup Series, Axalta, will also serve as an associate partner on his Xfinity Series car.

    LIBERTY U IS BACK: For Sunday’s All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway, Byron will climb behind the wheel of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Featuring a white base with navy flames and red accents, the Liberty University No. 24 will be sure to stand out on track. Liberty University has a long history with Byron starting back in 2014 in the late model ranks. Liberty University has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty University is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in strategic communication, Byron is now in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program. For a better look at Byron’s Liberty University paint scheme, click here.

    48 Alex Bowman

    Age: 29 (April 25, 1993)

    Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

    Resides: Concord, North Carolina

    Crew Chief: Greg Ives

    Standings: 8th

    No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

    KANSAS RECAP: Alex Bowman notched his eighth top-10 finish of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway last Sunday. The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 finished the first stage in 10th and the second stage in 15th before tallying a ninth-place result at the 1.5-mile track. In his other starts this season on that track length, Bowman won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and placed 10th at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

    THROUGH 13: Bowman continues to show his consistency in one of his best years in his Cup Series career. Through the first 13 points-paying races in 2022, Bowman has one win (Las Vegas), three top-five finishes, eight top-10s, and has the second-best average finish in the series at 11.8. After his front-running finish at Kansas, Bowman is currently scored eighth in the regular season points standings, 89 markers behind teammate and leader Chase Elliott.

    ALL-STAR SPECIAL: As a result of Bowman’s four wins in 2021 (Richmond Raceway, Dover Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Martinsville Speedway) and his one thus far in 2022 (Las Vegas), the 29-year-old driver is locked into the NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway this Sunday. In his last three appearances in the unique event, Bowman has placed inside the top-10 in all races, with his best all-star finish coming last year where he crossed the finish line in sixth.

    BOWMAN IN THE LONE STAR STATE: In his 12 points-paying starts at the Texas circuit, Bowman has garnered two top-five finishes. The most recent of which came in October 2020 with a fifth-place run in the No. 88 Chevrolet. In his two appearances in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Texas, Bowman started on the pole for both races.

    IVES AT TEXAS: Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet, has 13 starts atop the Cup Series pit box in the Lone Star State with five top-five finishes and six top-10s at the 1.5-mile venue. His best finish as the crew chief came in April 2016 with Dale Earnhardt Jr., where the duo notched a runner-up result in the No. 88 Chevrolet.

    OFF THE BEATEN PATH: Bowman returned to his racing roots once again, racing his No. 55 Ally sprint car for Alex Bowman Racing at Bridgeport Motorsports Park in Swedesboro, New Jersey, with the World of Outlaws. He will also make an appearance at Attica Raceway Park in Attica, Ohio, on Friday with the World of Outlaws. Fans can watch Bowman race live at Attica on DirtVision.com this Friday.

    BEST FRIENDS: Halfway through the 2022 Cup Series regular season, Bowman and primary sponsor Ally, have donated a combined $67,600 to Best Friends Animal Society and a network partner in each race market they have visited this year. Each week of the race season, Bowman and Ally will donate $4,800 to Best Friends and a local network partner. This weekend, Bowman and Ally will make a charitable donation to Operation Kindness, a no-kill shelter in Carrollton, Texas.

    TAKE ME TO THE LEADER: In last year’s NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports led 68 of the 100 laps run – the most its ever led in a single all-star event. All four Hendrick Motorsports drivers won a stage prior to Kyle Larson winning the race.

    TERRIFIC 10: Hendrick Motorsports has won the All-Star Race 10 times, which leads all organizations. That total is more than second and third place in all-star wins combined.

    HIGH FIVE: Five drivers have accounted for Hendrick Motorsports’ all-star victories. Jimmie Johnson leads the way with four wins (2003, 2006, 2012, 2013), which is also the most among all drivers in all-star history. Jeff Gordon is next with three wins (1995, 1997, 2001). Terry Labonte (1999), Chase Elliott (2020) and Larson (2021) each have won the event once. The Johnson, Gordon and Labonte victories all came at Charlotte Motor Speedway, while Elliott won at Bristol Motor Speedway and Larson won at Texas.

    BACK-TO-BACK TRIUMPHS: Elliott and Larson’s wins in 2020 and 2021 stand as one of two times that Hendrick Motorsports has won the all-star event two straight times and one of four times that an organization has won back-to-back in this event. Johnson accomplished it in 2012 and 2013 and is one of two drivers to win the event in consecutive years with Davey Allison being the other in 1991 and 1992. To date, no driver or organization has won three all-star events in a row.

    FROM ALL-STAR TO TITLE TOWN: The All-Star Race winner has gone on to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship 12 times in the sport’s history. Hendrick Motorsports has accomplished that seven times, including in the years of its last three all-star victories. Gordon’s wins in 1995, 1997 and 2001 came in title seasons. Johnson’s wins in 2006 and 2013 were during championship years. More recently, Elliott and Larson won this event ahead of their championship coronations.

    PIT CREWS TAKE CENTER STAGE: This weekend will showcase the pit road athletes of Hendrick Motorsports. During the elimination, head-to-head bracket portion of qualifying on Saturday night, teams will perform a four-tire pit stop adjacent to their competitor and race off pit road and around to the start/finish line with the winner to the line advancing to the next round. This format will be used to go from eight drivers to four drivers with the final pairing determining the pole position. Following stage two of the All-Star Race, teams will be required to perform a four-tire stop and the driver/team with the shortest time on pit road (pit in to pit out) without any penalties will win the pit crew competition. The winning team will restart fourth for the final stage as long as that team finishes 15th or better in stage three.

    MIDWAY MARK: At the midway point of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, Hendrick Motorsports has five wins in 2022 – the most in the series. The organization is the fastest to have its entire four-car lineup win in one season as it achieved that in the first 11 races of the season.

    QUOTABLE /

    Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the all-star format: “The format sounds exciting. It’s always interesting because it seems like the format is different each year. I’m sure (crew chief) Cliff (Daniels) and the team will study to see what strategy may work the best – but I’m sure that strategy is trying our best to win the first segment so we can start on the pole for the final one. Hopefully we can get another all-star win.”

    Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on last year’s winning strategy: “We studied on what we needed to do (to win), but our car was not what it needed to be for most of the race. At the end of every stage, we were doing huge changes to try to free it up because we were so tight in traffic. We started on the pole – I believe by random draw – and we were okay out front in the first stage but we couldn’t pass at all in the second stage. I got worried. Kyle got worried. But it all worked out okay because we were in good position (for the restart) going into the final stage – which is all you can ask for. No matter all the studying we did and could do, it didn’t change the fact we didn’t have a good car in traffic and needed to adjust on it and make it better.”

    Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on competing in the All-Star Race: “I’m glad that NASCAR has started rotating this event some. I think that’s what this event was initially designed to do. To give fans in the different regions a special event and I think that’s really cool. It’s more like what other forms of sports do. I’m hoping that next year they switch it up and head somewhere else after being back in Texas for the second year. It’s not exactly one of my best tracks, but we did put in a pretty good effort last year and the pit crew was able to get the job done. Hopefully with this year’s format, it will be entertaining for the fans and we can put on a good show for them.”

    Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on building a notebook for the playoff visit to Texas: “Last year was good, we were able to win the pit crew competition. I was really happy for all the guys and the effort they put into the pit stops. I feel like they don’t often get the recognition they deserve for how good they are. The race was good for us last year. I felt like we had a shot to win. For us this week, going back to Texas is just about this new car. Being able to try some things and it’s a race that doesn’t pay any points, so we can be a bit more aggressive in trying some different setup configurations and trying to learn some stuff.”

    William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 on how the NASCAR Xfinity Series race should help him for Sunday’s All-Star Race: “Texas (Motor Speedway) is a track I found success at early on in my career in both trucks and Xfinity but I feel like I’ve struggled just a little bit to get the same results on the Cup side of things. That’s part of why I’m excited to get back in an Xfinity car this weekend and see how it races compared to when I was in one last a few years ago. I feel like those cars relate similarly to the Next Gen car and hopefully that will give us some extra notes that we can use not only for the All-Star Race on Sunday but also for when we go back to Texas in the fall.”

    Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 on what challenges teams will face at Texas Motor Speedway: “I’m interested to see how the Next Gen car will race this weekend at Texas (Motor Speedway). In the past, we have ran high downforce packages for the All-Star Race but this year we will not only run lower downforce but the Next Gen car as well. Add in the fact that both ends of the track are so different from each other, it’s going to make it a challenge on your approach to setting the car up and changes you make throughout the weekend. With us using the same tire this weekend as we did last weekend in Kansas and at Las Vegas, I think that gives us a good starting place at least when it comes to what changes we can make with air pressure and the fine line on how the car reacts. That’s where practice is going to be the most help since the All-Star Race is broken up into mini races essentially and you don’t have a ton of chances to make big swings and recover by the end.”

    Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on how his season has gone so far: “Greg and I have spent a lot of time working together to get more consistent and we have accomplished that. We are happy with the fact that we have eight top-10s but we both feel like we should have a few more wins. Our team has worked very hard to continue to get better and we feel like we are learning more about the Next Gen car, but we are always looking for more. Greg and I are ready to go to Texas this weekend and continue to get better and try to take home the $1 million check.”

    Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his approach to the race at Texas: “Texas Motor Speedway is a tough track to get the car dialed in with both ends of the track different from each other in banking and shape. I think it’s a great place to have the All-Star Race in that respect, but it makes for a long day if you can’t get the car set up for the track. Alex (Bowman) has found success at the track, having a couple of top-fives and top-10s, so it should be a fun weekend. We are going to go out there and learn a lot at the unique track and continue to build on our success this year.”

  • NASCAR Announces NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2023, Landmark Award

    NASCAR Announces NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2023, Landmark Award

    Kenseth, Shelmerdine, McGriff Voted Into Prestigious 13th Class

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 4, 2022) – NASCAR announced today the inductees who will comprise the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2023. The three-person group – the 13th since the inception of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010 – consists of Matt Kenseth, Kirk Shelmerdine and Hershel McGriff. In addition, Mike Helton was named the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

    For the first time since 2019, members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met today in an in-person closed session at the Charlotte Convention Center to debate and vote upon the 15 nominees for the induction class of 2023 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award.

    Ten nominees appeared on the Modern Era ballot, which was selected by the traditional Nominating Committee. The same committee selected the five Landmark Award nominees. The Pioneer ballot, which included five nominees whose careers began in 1963 or earlier, was selected by the Honors Committee. Beginning with the Class of 2021, each Hall of Fame class features two inductees from the Modern Era ballot and one from the Pioneer ballot.

    The Class of 2023 was determined by votes cast by the Voting Panel, including representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks, media members, manufacturer representatives, competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), recognized industry leaders, a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com and the last two NASCAR Cup Series champions (Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson). In all, 61 votes were cast, with two additional Voting Panel members recused from voting as potential nominees for induction (Jeff Burton and Ricky Rudd). The accounting firm of EY presided over the tabulation of the votes.

    Kenseth received 69% of the Modern Era ballot votes, Shelmerdine received 52%. Harry Hyde finished third, followed by Neil Bonnett and Harry Gant. Hershel McGriff received 31% of the Pioneer ballot votes. A.J. Foyt finished second.

    Results for the NASCAR.com Fan Vote were: A.J. Foyt (Pioneer); Matt Kenseth and Harry Gant (Modern Era).

    The two inductees came from a group of 10 nominees that included: Neil Bonnett, Tim Brewer, Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards, Harry Gant, Harry Hyde, Matt Kenseth, Larry Phillips, Ricky Rudd and Kirk Shelmerdine.

    Nominees for the Pioneer Ballot included: Sam Ard, A.J. Foyt, Banjo Matthews, Hershel McGriff, Ralph Moody.

    Nominees for the Landmark Award included Janet Guthrie, Alvin Hawkins, Mike Helton, Lesa France Kennedy, Dr. Joseph Mattioli.

    The Class of 2023 Induction Ceremony is set for Friday, Jan. 20, 2023 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tickets for the Induction Ceremony will be available later this month on NASCARHall.com.

    Class of 2023 Inductees:

    Hershel McGriff

    Hershel McGriff’s first race was the 1950 Southern 500, in the NASCAR Cup Series’ sophomore season, at the age of 22. His final NASCAR race was at Tucson Speedway in the NASCAR Pro Series West – in 2018 at the age of 90. McGriff started 85 races in parts of 28 NASCAR Cup Series seasons, capturing four wins – all in 1954, when he finished sixth in championship points. But McGriff was one of the best drivers in what is now known as the ARCA Menards Series West. Competing in parts of 35 seasons, McGriff won 37 races, good for third on the all-time West Series wins list. His signature year came in 1986 when he won the series title, part of a string of 10 consecutive seasons with finishes in the top 10 of championship points. In 1998, McGriff was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers.

    Matt Kenseth

    Over 18 full-time seasons Matt Kenseth quietly filled his trophy cases, conquering every major milestone on the Cup Series schedule including two Daytona 500s, the Southern 500, Coca-Cola 600 and the All-Star Race. His 39 Cup wins tie for 21st on the all-time list and include wins at 19 of the 23 tracks at which he competed more than once. His crowning achievement was his 2003 Cup Series championship, a thoroughly impressive season in which he led the points standings for the final 32 weeks of the season. And though he ‘only’ captured that one title, Kenseth was consistently in championship contention – he made the Playoffs in 13 of 14 seasons and finished runner-up twice.

    Kirk Shelmerdine

    Not many reach the pinnacle of their professions as quickly as Kirk Shelmerdine. At age 25 in 1983, Shelmerdine guided Ricky Rudd to victory at Riverside, the first of two wins during that season. And a scant three years later, he directed Dale Earnhardt to the 1986 Cup Series championship. Shelmerdine won four total Cup Series championships with Earnhardt (1986, ’87, ’90, ’91). Over his 16-year crew chief career with Earnhardt, Rudd, James Hylton and Richard Childress, he won 46 races and posted top-10 finishes in more than half his starts. Shelmerdine retired from life as a crew chief in 1992 to pursue a career as a driver. In the cockpit, he made 41 starts across all three NASCAR national series.

    Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR:

    Mike Helton

    Mike Helton is easily one of the most familiar faces and names in the NASCAR community. The first person outside the France family to be named NASCAR President (in 2000), he started his leadership career with the sport back in 1980 and now serves as Vice Chairman of NASCAR. His nearly five-decade long career in the sport has been spent working in a wide variety of jobs. After working briefly as a radio sports director he earned his first big job in racing as the public relations director at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Five years later he was promoted to general manager of the facility and almost immediately was hired away to work at the famed Daytona International Speedway. His hard work on the competition side of the sport included a push to increase safety standards – something NASCAR took the lead on and continues to revolutionize today. His influence is also seen in the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, N.C. – the first such facility owned and operated by a racing sanctioning body.

    About NASCAR

    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 consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World 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 Peak 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’).

    About the NASCAR Hall of Fame

    Conveniently located in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and non-fans alike, opened May 11, 2010, and includes artifacts, hands-on exhibits, a 278-person state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor, Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, NASCAR Hall of Fame Gear Shop and NASCAR Productions-operated broadcast studio. The venue is open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. seven days a week and has an attached parking garage on Brevard Street. The five-acre site also includes a privately developed 19-story office tower and 102,000-square-foot expansion to the Charlotte Convention Center, highlighted by a 40,000-square-foot ballroom. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. Learn more at nascarhall.com.

  •  Josh Berry leads strong JR Motorsports performance in A-GAME 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race at Dover Motor Speedway

     Josh Berry leads strong JR Motorsports performance in A-GAME 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race at Dover Motor Speedway

     DOVER, Del. (April 30, 2022) – On a banner day for JR Motorsports, Josh Berry’s flag flew the highest at the right time.

    Grabbing the lead off pit road following a late caution, Berry led the race’s final 55 laps and held off hard-charging teammate Justin Allgaier to win the A-GAME 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race Saturday at Dover Motor Speedway.

    It was the first Xfinity Series victory of the season for the 31-year-old Hendersonville, Tenn., native, the third of his career and came one year after he finished second in his track debut in the Xfinity Series.

    “This was one place we had circled after what we did last year,” Berry said. “To do what we did today is very special.”

    Berry, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet, topped Allgaier by just over half a second, the top two drivers of JR Motorsports’ 1-2-4-5 finish.

    “We’ve had some tough moments and it’s been frustrating at times,” Berry said of his season. “Racing at this level is a lot of work. You have to learn to love the work and the preparing more than the finishes.

    “We knew if we kept bringing fast cars, we would find a win. We just have to keep moving the needle and getting better every week.”

    Noah Gragson, was the highest finishing Dash 4 Cash driver in fourth and earned the race’s $100,000 bonus. It is Gragson’s fifth career Dash 4 Cash bonus victory, tying Elliott Sadler’s record.

    “From where we were to get a top-5 finish, we’ll take it,” said Gragson, who said the bonus would be split among his pit crew. “What a day for the entire company.”

    Among other Dash 4 Cash contenders, A.J. Allmendinger finished sixth, Ryan Sieg was 10th and Landon Cassill was 12th.

    Stage 1 winner Sam Mayer led 18 laps and finished fifth, recovering from an incident where he lost his left-rear tire and was forced to make an extra pit stop. Ty Gibbs led one lap and finished third.

    Allgaier led a race-high 67 laps and entered pit road with the lead on Lap 145 but came out of the pits fifth and was not able to get closer than second from there.

    “That last run we were really good,” Allgaier said. “We came up a little short.”

    Berry completed the 200 miles in 1 hour, 55 minutes, 17 seconds for an average speed of 104.091 mph. Five caution periods, including the two stage breaks, took up 36 laps.

    Among other notable finishes, pole winner Brandon Jones led 59 laps and finished seventh and Xfinity Series rookie Sheldon Creed was eighth.

    The NASCAR tripleheader weekend race weekend schedule also includes:

    SUNDAY, MAY 1: DuraMAX Drydene 400 presented by RelaDyne NASCAR Cup Series race (3 p.m., FS1).

    The DuraMAX Drydene 400 presented by RelaDyne is the 104th NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover, one of only 10 venues in the country to host 100 or more Cup Series events.

    TICKETS:
    Kids tickets for those 12 and under start at just $10 on Sunday. For tickets to all of Dover Motor Speedway’s events, visit https://www.DoverMotorSpeedway.com or call 800-441-RACE.

    FOLLOW US:

    Keep track of all of Dover Motor Speedway’s events by following on Twitter and Instagram or become a Facebook fan. Be sure to use #DuraMAXDrydene400 in your posts.

  • XPEL 375 proves that Texas still belongs on the season schedule

    XPEL 375 proves that Texas still belongs on the season schedule

    The finish to Sunday’s NTT IndyCar XPEL 375 proved to be spectacular finish to a spectacular race, which has proven to be something of a rarity in recent memory at Texas Motor Speedway. The facility, which has hosted races in both NASCAR and IndyCar since 1997, has been through something of a slump in recent years since it’s 2017 repave.

    Naysayers were quick to say that the race was a flop due to the dominance of runner-up Scott McLaughlin, who started second and led 186 of the 248 laps before Josef Newgarden chased him down for the win. But that’s not counting the race’s 15 lead changes among 12 drivers, or the four cautions for 52 laps.

    The quality of racing could be attributed to the special practice session IndyCar and Firestone put together to lay down some rubber in the race’s second groove, as the PJ1-stained track surface could lose grip over time. As a result, with a second groove rubbered in there was plenty of racing and action throughout the race through all parts of the field.

    As a result, the racing on Sunday made a strong case to keep Texas Motor Speedway on the IndyCar schedule. That’s a big statement considering how it’s now common knowledge that the speedway is among the least popular destinations on the circuit. Online pundits even asked if the lack of promotional efforts for the XPEL 375 were because of the perceived lack of popularity.

    All said, Texas has been around long enough that it has achieved historical status in American motorsport. Where else would the racing world have gleefully watched AJ Foyt launch Arie Luyendyk into a bed of rose bushes? Where else would we have had the pleasure of watching Justin Wilson win his last race while driving for Dale Coyne? What about 2016, where the most exciting race in recent memory ended with James Hinchcliffe and Graham Rahal in a nose-to-nose photo finish with Rahal coming out on top?

    It isn’t the track’s fault racing has been lackluster; all speedways go through periods where the racing isn’t that great. Texas is a great facility with a great layout. It was a given it would take time for the racing product to come in after the repave, and on Sunday that’s exactly what happened.

  • Georgia native Corey Heim wins Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway

    Georgia native Corey Heim wins Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway

    HAMPTON, Ga. (March 19, 2022) – On a historic day at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a Peach State driver stepped into the spotlight.

    Corey Heim passed Kyle Busch Motorsports teammate Chandler Smith just after the white flag and brought home his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory in the Fr8 208 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Saturday.

    The 19-year-old from Marietta, driving the No. 51 Toyota, received some drafting help from a third Kyle Busch Motorsports driver, John Hunter Nemechek, as he passed Smith, another Georgia native, heading into Turn 1, then held off Ben Rhodes at the start-finish line.

    “That was awesome,” Heim said. “We put ourselves in the right place at the right time.

    “As long as a KBM truck won, that’s all that matters.”

    Saturday’s race was the first NASCAR event on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s revamped track, which features 28 degrees of banking in every turn of the 1.54-mile layout and the Speedway’s first new asphalt layer since 1997.

    “I’m at a lack of words a little bit,” said Heim, who led 22 laps. “I’ve watched Cup Series races here since I was two years old. It’s very surreal. To be here and win at my home track, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

    Ty Majeski finished third, with Chandler Smith slipping to fourth and Zane Smith rounding out the top five.

    Nemechek won Stage 2, but a mishap on the backstretch midway through Stage 3 cost him two laps. Getting back on the track, Nemechek powered to third in the front line behind Smith and Heim and followed Heim when he made his move on the final lap.

    “I would have liked to duke it out just me and the 51,” said Chandler Smith, a Talking Rock native who led 21 laps. “Happy for Corey on his first win.”

    Nemechek finished 24th while Stage 1 winner Stewart Friesen placed sixth and led a race-high 49 laps.

    Heim completed the 208 miles in 1 hour, 54 minutes and 14 seconds, averaging 109.182 mph. Eleven drivers exchanged the lead 10 times, with seven caution periods taking up 40 laps.

    Action at Atlanta continues later this afternoon with the Nalley Cars 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race (5 p.m. FS1). Noah Gragson will start on the pole, determined by NASCAR’s formula after qualifying was canceled following Friday’s inclement weather.

    The weekend’s centerpiece is Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR Cup Series race (3 p.m., FOX). Chase Briscoe will start on the pole position.

    For more information or to purchase tickets, visit AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com or call 877-9-AMS-TIX.

  • Atlanta Cup Series odds and statistics

    Atlanta Cup Series odds and statistics

    The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway for Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.  You can watch it live starting at 3 p.m. ET on FOX or listen to it on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.  This weekend’s schedule can be found here. Joey Logano sits atop of the series standings at 136 points and a four-point lead over Kyle Busch at 132. Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, and Chase Briscoe round out the top-5.

    Points leader Logano has an average finish of 16.688 with two top-5s, five top-10s, and one pole in 16 races.

    Kyle Busch has two wins, eight top-5s, 11 top-10s, one pole, and an average finish of 11.696 (series-best).

    Ryan Blaney won the March 21, 2021 race and is the favorite to win the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 according to OddsChecker.  Blaney has one win, three top-5s, three top-10s, and an average finish of 12.429 in seven starts.  Blaney leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Atlanta.

    Qualifying Stats:

    • Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers in NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta at 32, followed by Kurt Busch with 31 starts.
    • Larson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Atlanta with an 8.000 in 13 starts.
    • Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in Atlanta poles with two (2014, 2017).
    • Six Atlanta race winners are active this weekend.  Kurt Busch (2002, 2009, 2010, 2021) leads all active NASCAR Cup Series winners at Atlanta with four victories.  Followed by Kevin Harvick (3), Brad Keselowski (2), Kyle Busch (2), Ryan Blaney (1) and Denny Hamlin (1).
    • The youngest Cup Series Atlanta winner is Kyle Busch on 03/09/2008 (22 years, 10 months, 7 days).
    • Martin Truex Jr. leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta without visiting Victory Lane at 24 starts.

    Race Stats:

    • The most proficient starting position in the field at Atlanta is the fifth starting position 16 wins.
    • A total of 14 of the 115 NASCAR Cup Series races (12.17%) have been won from the pole or first starting position.
    • The deepest in the field that an active race winner has started at Atlanta is 19th, by Brad Keselowski in 2019.
    • Hendrick Motorsports organization has the most wins at Atlanta in the NASCAR Cup Series with 14.
    • Nine different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta.  It’s led by Chevrolet with 41, followed by Ford (34), Pontiac (11), Dodge (nine), Mercury (eight), Buick (four), Plymouth (four), Toyota (three) and Oldsmobile (one).
    • Harvick (2009, 2015), Kyle Busch (2020, 2021) and Larson (2017, 2021) lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with two runner-up finishes each at Atlanta.
    • Harvick leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in laps led at Atlanta with 1,197 in 29 starts.

    Blaney is the favorite to win the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 

    Blaney is given +1000 odds, or an implied 9.1% chance to win in Atlanta this weekend. His stiffest competition is expected to be Kyle Larson, whom oddsmakers are giving +1100 odds or an 8.1% chance to win the race.  

    Quote from OddsChecker spokesman Kyle Newman, “In the tightest race of the year, oddsmakers are choosing to back the guy who won it last year, and his biggest rival is the guy who finished second. It’s the first time this season that oddsmakers have named last year’s 1st and 2nd place finishers in a race the top-2 favorites to win a race this season. It’s only the second time this year that a driver is favored to win a race they won last season. That just goes to show how unpredictable this weekend’s race is. Oddsmakers have nothing to split these drivers other than their previous results on this track.” 

    FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500 

    Driver Odds Implied chance 
    Ryan Blaney +1000 9.1% 
    Kyle Larson +1100 8.1% 
    Joey Logano +1200 7.7% 
    Denny Hamlin +1200 7.7% 
    Chase Elliott +1300 7.1% 
    Kyle Busch +1300 7.1% 
    William Byron +1500 6.3% 
    Kevin Harvick +1500 6.3% 
    Alex Bowman +1500 6.3% 
    Tyler Reddick +1600 5.9%