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  • Chandler Smith prevails for second Xfinity victory of 2024 at Richmond

    Chandler Smith prevails for second Xfinity victory of 2024 at Richmond

    Chandler Smith’s strong start to the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season continued into Easter weekend with a late victory in the ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, March 30. 

    The 21-year-old Smith from Talking Rock, Georgia, led twice for 76 of 250-scheduled laps in an event where he started in fourth place and finished in the top 10 during both stage periods before he made his first appearance as the race leader with 87 laps remaining after he navigated his way past teammate Aric Almirola.

    Despite restarting in 15th place after pitting during the final restart period with 68 laps remaining, Smith was able to quickly carve his way back to the front and he reassumed the top spot with 60 laps remaining. From there, he maintained a reasonable gap between himself and Almirola while leading the rest of the way en route to his second Xfinity victory of the 2024 season and his second in a row at Richmond.

    With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Saturday, Parker Retzlaff notched the first pole position for himself and Jordan Anderson Racing after he posted a pole-winning lap at 120.428 mph in 22.420 seconds. Joining him on the front row was Brandon Jones, who clocked in the second-fastest qualifying lap at 119.915 mph in 22.516 seconds. 

    Prior to the event, Joey Gase dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to his entry. 

    When the green flag waved and the race started, Retzlaff rocketed ahead with the lead followed by Cole Custer, who drew alongside Retzlaff for a full lap, starting in Turn 1, and nearly took the lead from the inside lane. Retzlaff was able to use the outside lane to muscle ahead through Turns 3 and 4 as he led the first lap while the field behind jostled for early spots.  

    Through the second to fifth lap mark, the field began to fan out as Retzlaff maintained a reasonable lead over both Custer and Justin Allgaier while Brandon Jones settled in fourth ahead of Chandler Smith and Corey Heim. Retzlaff would retain the lead by the Lap 10 mark by three-tenths of a second over Allgaier as Custer fell to third ahead of Chandler Smith and Jones. 

    Just shy of the Lap 20 mark, the event’s first caution period flew after Ryan Vargas came to a stop on the frontstretch as his car went up in smoke, starting in Turn 4. During the event’s first caution period, some including Garrett Smithley, Patrick Emerling, Blaine Perkins and Joey Gase pitted while the rest led by Retzlaff remained on the track. 

    When the event restarted on Lap 27, Retzlaff fended off both Custer and Allgaier as the field fanned out entering the first two turns. Through the backstretch, however, Custer and Retzlaff made contact, which got Retzlaff loose as Allgaier made his move on the outside lane and assumed the lead. Allgaier would retain the lead by the Lap 35 mark as Corey Heim moved into the runner-up spot while Custer, Aric Almirola, Retzlaff and Brandon Jones were running in the top six.  

    By Lap 43, the event’s second caution period flew after Jones, who was running in the top six, slipped sideways entering the first two turns after his No. 9 Menards Chevrolet Camaro went up in smoke, where he then made contact with the outside wall as Ryan Sieg spun after running over Jones’ spilled fluid. The incident occurred just after Allgaier overtook Heim for the lead. During the caution period, some including AJ Allmendinger, Jeremy Clements, Shane van Gisbergen and Brennan Poole pitted while the rest led by Heim remained on the track. 

    As the event restarted under green on Lap 56, Allgaier and Heim battled for the lead through the first two turns and the backstretch as Aric Almirola trailed closely in third. Allgaier would then muscle ahead of Heim by the Lap 60 mark while Almirola moved into the runner-up spot. As the battles within the field ensued between those running on fresh tires versus those on old tires, Almirola assumed the lead over Allgaier by Lap 64.  

    When the first stage period concluded on Lap 75, Almirola captured his first Xfinity stage victory of the 2024 season. Poole settled in second ahead of Heim, Allgaier and Herbst while Mayer, Chandler Smith, Custer, Gray and Sammy Smith were scored in the top 10. 

    Under the stage break, the lead lap field led by Almirola pitted. Following the pit stops, Almirola retained the lead after he exited pit road first followed by Allgaier, Riley Herbst, Chandler Smith, Austin Hill, Sam Mayer and Brennan Poole. 

    The second stage period started on Lap 84 as Almirola and Allgaier occupied the front row. At the start, Almirola rocketed ahead with the lead from the inside lane while Allgaier, Herbst, Chandler Smith and Hill battled within the top five. Almirola would stabilize his advantage to three-tenths of a second over Herbst by the Lap 90 mark as Chandler Smith, Allgaier and Hill remained in the top five ahead of Parker Kligerman, Mayer, Cole Custer, newcomer Taylor Gray and Sam Mayer. 

    On Lap 95, the caution returned after Logan Bearden hit Garrett Smithley before he spun in Turn 4. During the caution period, some including Hailie Deegan, Dawson Cram and Ryan Sieg pitted while the rest led by Almirola remained on the track. 

    With the event restarting on Lap 101, Almirola fended off a brief challenge by teammate Chandler Smith past the frontstretch and through the first two turns while the field fanned out. As Kligerman scrapped the outside wall after making contact with Custer through the first two turns, Almirola retained the lead ahead of teammate Chandler Smith. Almirola would continue to lead by nearly a second by the Lap 110 mark as Allgaier, Chandler Smith and Herbst trailed in the top four followed by a side-by-side battle between Hill and Mayer. Amid the battles towards the front, Sheldon Creed was black-flagged for having smoke billow out of his car due to a right-rear brake issue. 

    At the halfway mark on Lap 125, Almirola was scored the leader by more than a second over teammate Chandler Smith followed by Allgaier, Herbst and Hill while Mayer, Gray, Sammy Smith, Retzlaff and Love were running in the top 10 ahead of Heim, Custer, Kyle Weatherman, Josh Williams and Allmendinger. Meanwhile, Shane van Gisbergen was in 16th while Kligerman, Bubba Pollard, DiBenedetto and Jeb Burton occupied the top 20 spots on the track. 

    Fifteen laps later, Almirola extended his advantage to more than three seconds over teammate Chandler Smith while third-place Mayer also trailed by more than three seconds. Behind, newcomer Taylor Gray trailed by more than five seconds in fourth place while Allgaier occupied fifth in front of Hill, Heim, Herbst, Retzlaff and Custer. 

    When the second stage period concluded on Lap 150, Almirola captured his second consecutive Xfinity stage victory of the 2024 season. Mayer settled in second ahead of Chandler Smith, Gray and Heim while Allgaier, Hill, Retzlaff, Custer and Logan Bearden were scored in the top 10. 

    During the stage break, the lead lap field led by Almirola returned to pit road for service. Following the pit stops, Almirola retained the lead after exiting pit road first followed by Mayer, Gray and Hill while Chandler Smith dropped and exited pit road in fifth place ahead of Allgaier and Custer. 

    With 91 laps remaining, the final stage commenced as Almirola and Mayer occupied the front row. At the start, Almirola retained the lead over Mayer, whose left-front fender was smoking due to making contact with Heim during the second stage’s break period. With Mayer remaining on the track for the following lap, he would be overtaken by Chandler Smith while Hill, Allgaier and Custer were running in the top six. Chandler Smith would then proceed to overtake teammate Almirola for the lead with 87 laps remaining. 

    With 78 laps remaining, the caution flew after Joey Gase, who was running towards the rear of the field, was punted by Dawson Cram entering the first turn, which sent Gase spinning and colliding into the outside wall, which terminated his run. Amid the incident, however, Gase expressed his displeasure to Cram by ripping out the rear bumper out of his wrecked car and tossing it at Cram during the caution period. 

    During the caution period, some led by teammates Chandler Smith and Almirola pitted while others led by Allgaier remained on the track. 

    With the event restarting under green with 67 laps remaining, Allgaier and Custer battled for the lead in front of Retzlaff and Herbst while Chandler Smith was trying to carve his way back to the front on fresh tires. Seven laps later, Smith reassumed the top spot after navigating his way past Allgaier and Custer. 

    With 45 laps remaining, Chandler Smith was leading by nearly two seconds over teammate Almirola while Jesse Love, Heim and Allgaier were racing in the top five ahead of Hill, Gray, Herbst, Kligerman and Custer. 

    Fifteen laps later, Chandler Smith retained the lead by more than a second over teammate Almirola while Heim, Love and Gray were racing in the top five. Smith would extend his advantage by more than two seconds over Almirola with 20 laps remaining. 

    Down to the final 10 laps of the event, Chandler Smith continued to lead by more than three seconds over teammate Almirola while Heim, Gray and Love were running in the top five. Meanwhile, Bubba Pollard was up to sixth place while Hill, Kligerman, Sammy Smith and Allgaier were running in the top 10 as Chandler Smith stabilized his advantage by three seconds with five laps remaining. 

    When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Chandler Smith remained as the leader by four seconds over teammate Almirola. As teammate Gray overtook Heim for third place, Smith was on cruise control for a final circuit as he cycled his No. 81 Mobil 1 Toyota Supra back to the frontstretch for a final time and to claim his second checkered flag of the 2024 Xfinity season. 

    With the victory, Chandler Smith, who has finished in the top eight through the first six events on the 2024 schedule, notched his third Xfinity Series career win in his 42nd series start and his first since winning at Phoenix Raceway in early March. He also notched his second consecutive series victory at Richmond Raceway and he joined Austin Hill as the only competitors to repeat as race winners during the 2024 Xfinity season. 

    “Never give up, never give up,” Smith said on FS1. “This car was not good, Stage 1 wasn’t good, wasn’t good in Stage 2, but we were able to do some strategy there with our Mobil 1 GR Supra and this thing was as fast as Xfinity Internet when it counted. I’m back here winning races here on a consistent basis. I think we took over the points lead again too, so I’m just blessed. I’m beyond blessed.” 

    As Chandler Smith celebrated on the frontstretch and in Victory Lane, teammate Aric Almirola, who led a race-high 95 laps compared to Smith’s 76, settled in the runner-up spot in his third Xfinity start of the 2024 season. 

    “We just got a little bit too loose,” Almirola said. “The run before that in Stage 2, when I took off my car was really, really good. At the end, it just felt a little tight and that last run for whatever reason, different set of tires or what, I let Chandler go, and when I started to just creep back to him, I didn’t have anything to go with. I was too loose in and I couldn’t get throttle down on exit. [I] Hate that to win both stages and feel like we had the dominant car and then to let it slip away there at the end, is disappointing. Still a fun week, this weekend, coming back to Richmond 18 years after making my first start for Coach [Gibbs]. I really wanted to put this [No. 20 He Gets Us Toyota Supra] into Victory Lane today, but it’s gonna have to wait.” 

    Newcomer Taylor Gray capped off a Joe Gibbs Racing 1-2-3 finish by achieving a third-place finish in his series debut while Corey Heim and Jesse Love finished in the top five. Newcomer Bubba Pollard also delivered with a sixth-place finish in his Xfinity debut while Kilgerman, Hill, Sammy Smith and Custer finished in the top 10 on the track. 

    With today’s Xfinity event at Richmond serving as a qualifying event for the first Dash 4 Cash round of the 2024 season, race winner Chandler Smith along with Aric Almirola, Jesse Love and Parker Kligerman have qualified for the first Dash 4 Cash round that will occur next Saturday at Martinsville Speedway. 

    There were 14 lead changes for seven different leaders. The race featured six cautions for 51 laps. In addition, nine of 38 starters finished on the lead lap. 

    Following the sixth event of the 2024 Xfinity Series season, Chandler Smith leads the regular-season standings by 10 points over Austin Hill, 41 over Cole Custer, 67 over Jesse Love, 71 over Riley Herbst and 80 over AJ Allmendinger. 

    Results. 

    1. Chandler Smith, 76 laps led 

    2. Aric Almirola, 95 labps led, Stage 1 & 2 winner 

    3. Taylor Gray 

    4. Corey Heim, 15 laps led 

    5. Jesse Love 

    6. Bubba Pollard 

    7. Parker Kligerman 

    8. Austin Hill 

    9. Sammy Smith 

    10. Cole Custer one lap down, seven laps led 

    11. Justin Allgaier, one lap down, 28 laps led 

    12. Josh Williams, one lap down 

    13. Riley Herbst, one lap down 

    14. AJ Allmendinger, one lap down 

    15. Shane van Gisbergen, one lap down 

    16. Parker Retzlaff, one lap down, 27 laps led 

    17. Kyle Weatherman, one lap down 

    18. Matt DiBenedetto, one lap down 

    19. Josh Bilicki, one lap down 

    20. Leland Honeyman, one lap down 

    21. Garrett Smithley, one lap down 

    22. Logan Bearden, one lap down 

    23. Kyle Sieg, one lap down 

    24. Jeremy Clements, one lap down  

    25. Dawson Cram, two laps down 

    26. Jeb Burton, two laps down 

    27. Ryan Ellis, two laps down 

    28. Brennan Poole, two laps down 

    29. Anthony Alfredo, two laps down 

    30. Sam Mayer, four laps down 

    31. Hailie Deegan, nine laps down 

    32. Ryan Sieg, 30 laps down 

    33. Blaine Perkins, 69 laps down 

    34. Joey Gase – OUT, Accident 

    35. Sheldon Creed – OUT, Brakes 

    36. Patrick Emerling – OUT, Brakes 

    37. Brandon Jones – OUT, Engine 

    38. Ryan Vargas – OUT, Engine 

    Next on the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia, for the DUDE Wipes 250. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, April 6, and air at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1. 

  • Ford Performance NASCAR: Three Ford’s Post Top 10 Xfinity Runs at Richmond 

    Ford Performance NASCAR: Three Ford’s Post Top 10 Xfinity Runs at Richmond 

    Ford Performance Notes and Quotes

    NASCAR Xfinity Series

    ToyotaCare 250

    Saturday, April 2, 2022

    Ford Finishing Results:

    5th – Riley Herbst

    9th – Ryan Sieg

    10th – Parker Retzlaff

    16th – Ryan Preece

    29th- Joe Graf Jr.

    32nd – JJ Yeley

    34th – Joey Gase

    37th – Kyle Sieg

    RILEY HERBST, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang — “That was good from qualifying dead last to finish fifth.  It’s just frustrating.  I feel like we need to fire off better on runs and then start up front and we can win races.  I feel like we’ve just been coming from behind the whole year.  It’s frustrating, but, all in all, fifth is better than a DNF.”

    DO YOU FEEL YOUR RACE STRATEGY IS GOOD, YOU JUST NEED TO FOCUS ON PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING?  “I think so.  It’s just a fight to get our balance and then once we do get our balance we’re fast.  I think qualifying if huge and we’ve got to get it.”

    WAS STAGE 3 THE BEST THE CAR HAD BEEN ALL DAY?  YOU RAN FROM 12TH TO 5TH IN THAT STAGE.  “We didn’t have any setup changes all day through the stages.  It’s just track position.  We saved a little bit better than other people, but it’s just frustrating.”

    RYAN SIEG, No. 39 A-Game Ford Mustang – “The right-front tire is corded.  We struggled all day with that with the 75-lap runs and then we had a 100-lap run, so it just fell apart at the end.  All in all, it was a good day.  We knew it was like that, but we tried to manage with air pressure.  We made it better in the middle run and then this last run we tried to adjust and we got it turning too good, but we knew that we had to get camber out of that right-front for the air-pressure, but, all in all, it was a good day for our A-Game Ford.  We were so good the first two stages that I wanted to finish it off, but that long run fell apart on us.”

    DO YOU FEEL THIS TEAM IS COMING TOGETHER?  “Yeah, definitely.  We’re getting better and better each week.  We’re gaining on it.  Each week we’re closer to the top five, which is a big gain for us.  We just have to keep at it and luckily we go to another short track, so hopefully, this will carry over and we’ll pick up where we left off at the beginning of this race.”

    PARKER RETZLAFF, No. 38 Ponsse Ford Mustang – HOW ARE YOU MAKING THIS LOOK SO EASY IN JUST YOUR SECOND START?  “I passed a lot of cars and then we got a penalty on pit road, so I had to go back to last.  I just followed Noah and Josh up through the field and it ended up just working out for me.  It was just such a good car from everyone at RSS.  I don’t know.  I’m speechless.”

    HOW DID REALITY COMPARE TO VIRTUAL AND THE IRACING WORLD?  “It’s really a lot cooler just being on TV and everything and me being able to compete this good.  Hopefully, we can take this momentum to next week.”

  • Hot 20 – Richmond’s good ole rock and roll road show, gotta go, Saturday night, Saturday night

    Hot 20 – Richmond’s good ole rock and roll road show, gotta go, Saturday night, Saturday night

    We know some things. In these times, some folks do not seem to know anything, but we do. Brad Keselowski is advancing to the next round. After Saturday night in Richmond, it should be confirmed that Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch will be joining him. I feel pretty confident about Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano about now.

    Some I am almost sure of. Some I am not. Based on how they are running and how they have run, I am pretty sure that anyone behind Aric Almirola, seven of them in total, are fighting for the final three transfer spots in the Chase.

    I am not sure nine points is enough for Austin Dillon, for example. I am not ready to bury the likes of Jimmie Johnson, Chase Elliott, or Denny Hamlin just yet. I think there is still hope for Erik Jones.

    However, they need to get it done this Saturday night in Richmond. The short track is normal. The next one is not. A week later at Charlotte, the Bermuda Triangle, the Black Hole, the darkness of Mordor possibly awaits with the inaugural running of the Roval. I mean, if Joey Gase winds up being the winner of that race of mystery I would not be the least bit surprised.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 CHALLENGER ROUND WIN (2069 Pts – 3 W)
    Is the boy trying to run the table?

    2. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2087 POINTS (4 W)
    Nothing to lose and everything to win…again.

    3. KYLE BUSCH – 2085 POINTS (6 W)
    Easily cut through the grass at Las Vegas. Imagine if he had been sponsored by Caterpillar.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 2060 POINTS (7 W)
    Damn pit crew. Damn tires. Damn Las Vegas.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 2056 POINTS (1 W)
    As long as his next Richmond win is not as encumbered as his last one was, he’ll be fine.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 2046 POINTS (1 W)
    When a car shoots up toward you at a 90-degree angle, a good day is about to go bad.

    7. RYAN BLANEY – 2042 POINTS
    A Top Five gives the lad some breathing room.

    8. KYLE LARSON – 2041 POINTS
    The Rail Rider.

    9. ARIC ALMIROLA – 2034 POINTS
    How could he scrape the wall? Scrape Blaney, sure, but the wall?

    10. AUSTIN DILLON – 2031 POINTS (1 W)
    If he gets a decent finish on Saturday night, I will start believing he will advance..but not before.

    11. CLINT BOWYER – 2029 POINTS (2 W)
    Another Top Ten at Richmond this year might be all he needs.

    12. ALEX BOWMAN – 2028 POINTS
    Three Hendrick cars in the hunt, but that could be down to one…or none…after the Roval.

    13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2022 POINTS
    Things were going so well until the final dozen or so laps.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2019 POINTS (1 W)
    McMurray was doing so well, and then he became a contender collector.

    15. ERIK JONES – 2009 POINTS (1 W)
    Mr. Harvick, I presume.

    16. DENNY HAMLIN – 2008 POINTS
    Obviously did not have the same earth moving capability as Rowdy.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 561 POINTS
    A decent run last weekend…not that it matters anymore.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 551 POINTS
    The top three guys out of the Chase recorded Top Tens last Sunday. I should care, but I do not.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 530 POINTS
    Will fate be kinder to him next season than it was to Kasey Kahne this year?

    20. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 528 POINTS
    Jamie McMurray is 26 points behind him. He damn near moved ahead until Lady Luck left town.

  • The Final Word – Atlanta was like a Happy little children’s song for Harvick

    The Final Word – Atlanta was like a Happy little children’s song for Harvick

    If you’re Happy and you know it,
    Drive your car.
    If you’re Happy and you know it,
    Drive it far.
    If you’re Happy and you know it,
    End the day doing donuts,
    If you’re Happy and you know it,
    Be as you are.

    That pretty much sums up the 500 mile race Sunday at Atlanta. Kevin “Happy” Harvick dominated the opening stage, and though an air gun mishap dropped him back, he was near the front after the second stage. The third, it was all Harvick, with a few cameos as some anticipated rain, others tried different strategies, but all to no avail. It marked his first win at the track on which he claimed his first back in 2001. This victory was his 38th and locked him into the playoff hunt.

    While Harvick led more than half the time, Brad Keselowski was second after holding point for 38 laps. Denny Hamlin was fourth with 26 up front, while Kurt Busch settled for eighth, taking the second stage and leading 52 circuits.

    Only 13 drivers managed to run the full 325 laps, including Top Five finishers Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr. Pole sitter Kyle Busch was seventh but did well enough throughout in accumulating extra notches to wind up third best in points on the day. Rounding out the Top Ten was Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott.

    Good days for some, bad days for others who one would think would have done better. A blown tire that did some serious renovations to the front fender did in Jimmie Johnson. After the Daytona disaster, it would be an understatement to say that he is off to a slow start. He already sits way down in 35th in the standings. Others with 10 points or less on Sunday included A.J. Allmendinger, Matt DiBenedetto, Bubba Wallace, and a blown engine parked Trevor Bayne in 35th.

    Next stop is Las Vegas, as the teams answer the call to go west with their young men. Just 36 entries last week marked a 22 year low, but Premium Motorsports will add the uncharted entry of Joey Gase for the trip to the Strip to push the entry tally to 37. It will be the 23rd career Cup start for the 25-year-old from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

    Truex is the defending race champion, though a second visit to the venue comes up in September, a date that once belonged to New Hampshire. Keselowski has won two of the past four in Las Vegas, sandwiching the 2015 victory of Harvick. It could be a case of the rich getting even richer next weekend. It might be early, but Johnson is not the only one who could use a little luck to come their way on their visit to The Entertainment Capital of the World. Alex Bowman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Jamie McMurray, Erik Jones, William Byron, and Daniel Suarez are just some of those who have seen craps come up enough times already. Something better than snake eyes is what they will be looking for the next time they roll ‘dem bones on Sunday.

    As for Harvick and Daytona winner Austin Dillon, they might prefer the wheels on the bus to continue going round and round. However, if the damn things fall off, there is always next week. The pressure is off.

  • NASCAR Should Consider XFINITY/Truck Series Regulars In Cup Interference Discussion

    NASCAR Should Consider XFINITY/Truck Series Regulars In Cup Interference Discussion

    The Johnsonville 180 at Road America will go down as the best XFINITY Series race of 2017, if not one of the best races of the NASCAR season, period. There was plenty of on-track action, drama, spinouts, a first-time winner, and nine of the top-15 drivers scoring their season-best finishes.

    One thing that was noticeably absent on a day that saw Jeremy Clements drive a nine-year-old chassis to Victory Lane were Monster Energy Cup drivers, a group that has won more races in the XFINITY Series in 2017 than XFINITY Series regulars. For that matter, it was a rare setting Sunday in which the field actually consisted more of XFINITY teams than Cup teams.

    NASCAR has taken steps to try to remedy this situation for the regulars by limiting the number of XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series races in which Cup drivers can compete. For the 2018 NASCAR season, that number looks to go even lower, a move which frustrated some of the Cup contingent who regularly compete in those divisions such as Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch.

    Early in August Harvick spoke on the matter on his SiriusXM NASCAR show Happy Hours.

    “Just let them race,” he said. “Who cares? Why not just let them race. I don’t understand it. That’s what we do. We race cars, we race trucks, we race late models. That’s what we did all our life, we raced. I don’t know why all of a sudden it’s become a problem.’’

    Harvick’s argument centered around the idea that up-and-coming drivers could learn a lot from the Cup drivers moonlighting in the lower divisions. This is an age-old argument used since the early days of “Buschwhacking,” when the series was the Busch Grand National Series, but it’s also an idea that some of the lower division regulars have taken issue with.

    “The way you make it to the bigs in every other sport is to consistently beat everyone else at lower levels,” explained Tommy Joe Martins, Owner/Driver of the No. 44 Martins Motorsports NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entry. “Cup drivers aren’t helping XFINITY/Truck Series drivers develop. At all. They’re hurting them. They’re taking the spotlight off of them in a sport where your ability to compete comes down to your ability to draw fans and sponsors to you.”

    XFINITY Series regular Joey Gase, driver of the No. 52 Jimmy Means Racing entry, is a little more generous regarding learning from the Cup drivers in the lower divisions.

    “We do learn from the Cup drivers when they come down and do the lower series,” Gase said, “although, the drivers that are in equal equipment will learn more from them than the drivers who are not. I think NASCAR limiting [Cup drivers] to seven races is good because that will still mean there is at least one cup driver in majority of the races.”

    However, there are drivers like Truck Series competitor John Hunter Nemechek who do believe in the education value of racing against Cup drivers in the lower divisions.

    Photo by: Simon Scoggins

    “Any time you’re able to race against the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup guys, or even the XFINITY Series guys, they can help you as a driver learning how to race, some of their techniques, what they’re doing better than you, where they’re faster,” said Nemechek. “It definitely helps you overall to be able to race against them and beat them and kind of show your talent.”

    “I definitely think that racing against them every time that you’re on the track, whether it’s practice, qualifying, or the race, you’re always learning and as a driver you want to learn as much as you can to be able to beat them one day.”

    Cup drivers racing in the lower series isn’t a new dilemma that the sport is facing, and granted, it does have its merits for Cup drivers looking for an edge on the weekend. Dale Earnhardt Sr. made 136 starts in the XFINITY Series between 1982 and 1994, winning 21 times. In that same span of years, Harry Gant made 128 starts and also earned 21 wins. Mark Martin made 25 starts in the NCWTS starts between 1996 and 2011, scoring seven wins.

    Although drivers like Busch, Harvick, and Brad Keselowski have all voiced displeasure at being limited in the lower divisions, XFINITY and Truck Series regulars do seem to be happy with the new rule.

    “The way I look at it is, of course, the Cup regulars and drivers that are already in top rides are against it because it will limit them from driving or they are already in top equipment so it doesn’t matter to them,” Gase continued. “If you ask a full-time driver in the XFINITY or Truck Series I’m sure at least 80 percent are happy for the rule. Brad [Keselowski] tweeted he thinks if a Cup driver wants to drive in XFINITY or Truck Series they should be in equipment they own and I love that idea. Brad is all about giving back to the sport and helping up and coming drivers and I think that is awesome. I do think Cup drivers should be able to race in the XFINITY and Truck Series but on a limited basis like we are starting to see now.”

    Martins took it one step further saying NASCAR’s theory that letting top tier talent play in the lower division is good for the sport, is, at it’s core, flawed.

    “[You’re] never going to hear that in any other sport,” he said. “Then be audacious enough to defend it by saying they just love to play – and then that it’s good for the whole sport for them to be down there? It’s inconceivable to me.”

    This isn’t to say that Cup drivers should be banned completely from racing in the lower tier divisions. But their dominance isn’t as beneficial to the XFINITY and NCWTS divisions as one would like to believe. In 2017 only four XFINITY regulars have gone to Victory Lane for a total of six wins in 23 events, while in the Truck Series there has been more parity; five regulars have gone to Victory Lane in 14 events and have won nine times.

    What does that tell the other teams looking to grow and earn their place in the sport? What kind of growth does that encourage? NASCAR is a performance-driven sport, where the better a driver is the more guaranteed their growth and longevity is. Yet there are several XFINITY-only and NCWTS-only teams who may have a dream-driver – accessible, charming, a draw for the fans, and extremely talented, only to be hindered by a Cup team stealing the show in a lower-division race.

    When NASCAR announced the further limitations to Cup drivers attempting to partake in racing in the lower divisions, Busch was open in his disdain for the new limitations during an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR.

    “But if we keep continuing to put the limits on it, I’m going to tell you right now, if the limits to the Truck Series go to zero, I’m done,” Keselowski stated. “So you wouldn’t see Kyle Busch Motorsports teams out on the race track. That’s just the way I’m going to make it and we’ll see how that progresses as the years go along. You know, the XFINITY Series side, I’m sure Joe’s [Gibbs] frustrated. I know I’m frustrated. We’ll just continue to race the races we’re allowed to run with the sponsorship that we have. We got great partners.”

    Another popular claim used frequently in this argument is that top-tier drivers like Busch, Harvick, Keselowski, and Larson racing in the lower divisions is that their participation brings funds, sponsorship, and attention to the divisions. However, according to regulars partaking in those divisions, that’s not entirely the case.

    “They do bring funds to the top teams that they are racing for but that is not the case for the smaller teams,” said Gase. “A few of the top drivers say if they couldn’t race in the lower series it would risk the [Cup affiliated teams] and they would have to shut down, but I think that would be okay. That would help equal out the rest of the field and would let smaller teams come into the sport and fill in the gaps.”

    Nemechek echoed Gase’s sentiments, saying, “I think when the Cup stars come down to run Trucks or XFINITY, it does bring funds and sponsorships, but to their own teams. It doesn’t necessarily help out other teams that they don’t own or drive for. I really don’t see those funds or sponsorships from where I’m in the Truck Series, maybe if I was driving for one of them or their teams you would see those funds trickling down to help out the program, help out the team, just to be able to use more resources and funding to make your equipment better.”

    Martins offered a similar, more pointed, take.

    “Funds to where?” he asked. “To their teams? That’s not helping Martins Motorsports. That’s not helping me. Their teams making more money isn’t helping the NASCAR economy. If anything it’s hurting it. They use the money to further develop the trucks and drive the price up for other teams in the series.”

    Considering that the involvement of Cup drivers in lower divisions piloting Cup-funded equipment affects the respective regulars more than NASCAR realizes, they should take them into account more than anything. If a Cup driver threatens to fold their lower division efforts, the sanctioning body should take into consideration that it won’t mean a loss to the sport.

    Instead, all they have to do is just check social media following a race at Iowa, Gateway, Road America, or even Mosport. When a XFINITY or Truck Series event has more regulars than outsiders and has regulars running at the front and winning, it’s a plus for that division. On top of that, it encourages growth in the sport. Any fan or competitor could tell you that that is a good thing.

    So the next time a rule change affects lower divisions, instead of leaning on what a Cup regular has to say, what the division regulars have to say may have more gravity in regards to competition.

  • Skinners honored with quarterly Spirit Award

    Skinners honored with quarterly Spirit Award

    DARLINGTON, S.C. – Former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Mike Skinner and his wife, Angie, have been selected as the fourth quarter recipients of the National Motorsports Press Association’s Pocono Spirit Award.

    The Skinners were chosen for their annual benefit, known as the Skinner Roundup, which raises funds in support of Hope For The Warriors, a national nonprofit dedicated to restoring a sense of self, family and hope for service members, veterans and military families.

    This year’s Roundup raised more than $220,000 to go toward the project.

    Skinner, who competed in all three of NASCAR’s national series, won the inaugural Truck Series title in 1995 and earned 28 victories in the series.

    Others receiving votes for the fourth quarter award were NASCAR drivers Joey Gase, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson and former drivers Darrell and Michael Waltrip.

    The NMPA Pocono Spirit Award recognizes character and achievement in the face of adversity, sportsmanship and contributions to motorsports.

    Each year, the membership of the NMPA selects quarterly recipients as well as an overall winner of the Spirit Award. The award is sponsored by Pocono (Pa.) Raceway and has been presented annually since 1992.

    The Skinners join NASCAR spotter Chris Osborne, artist Jeanne Barnes and journalist Al Pearce as quarterly award recipients for 2016.

    The overall winner of the 2016 NMPA Pocono Spirit Award will be announced Saturday, January 21, 2017, during the NMPA’s annual convention and awards ceremony in Concord, N.C.

  • The Final Word – Earnhardt takes Phoenix unchallenged…in the end

    The Final Word – Earnhardt takes Phoenix unchallenged…in the end

    Once Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead at Phoenix, no one was going to catch him. Not a single driver even challenged him. Yet, there was still one vehicle that even the race winner could not pass. The pace car.

    While Junior was in the pits for a green flag stop, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Joey Gase collided on the track. Earnhardt rolled out first among those who had pitted, and when the rest of the field came in for servicing, Junior eventually circulated around to the front. More than twenty laps went by under caution, and before they could return to racing, the rains that had plagued the day returned. They went to a red flag, and soon the event was in the books, shortened by 90 laps. It marked Earnhardt’s third win of the season, albeit one segment too late to keep him in contention for the title.

    That title will go to one of four drivers. Kevin Harvick dominated the event, leading 143 laps, but lost it that final pit stop to finish second, yet he advances. Jeff Gordon, who was sixth on the day, already had a free pass after his Martinsville win. Kyle Busch was fourth, sending him through to Homestead a contender. Martin Truex Jr. was back in 14th but had enough in the bank to cash in for a title run.

    Joey Logano needed to win, and he was behind Harvick much of the way. However, third place would not cut it on Sunday. Kurt Busch jumped the start, got penalized, and though he was seventh in the end, it proved to be too little. Ninth was not good enough to advance Brad Keselowski while Carl Edwards was close, but he needed to finish seven spots up on Truex and wound up just a couple ahead.

    So, we know who the main characters in next weekend’s play shall be. In the end, we will be blessed with either a five-time champion as he ends his career, a two-time defending champion, a very talented driver ending a very trying campaign with his first, or a single-car team concluding a Cinderella season. I will be satisfied no matter the outcome.

    Meanwhile, Matt Kenseth returns after his two race exile. I wonder if Logano will again think it a smart move to bump him out of the way? I guess that all depends on how smart that driver is.

    The 2015 season concludes on Sunday at the track near Miami.

  • Joey Gase’s Prior Decisions Still Impacting People Today; Excited For ‘Dega This Weekend

    Joey Gase’s Prior Decisions Still Impacting People Today; Excited For ‘Dega This Weekend

    Joey Gase finished 31st at Richmond International Raceway in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, despite lacking tires and pit crew members, just one example of how Jimmy Means’ one-car squad is persevering.

    ”Richmond was really frustrating,” Gase explained to Speedway Media on Saturday. “We were short on tires and crew members, nevertheless, still a decent finish, good points night, huge thanks to Donate For Life Virginia for teaming up with us this weekend, just glad we didn’t lose anything.”

    The Nationwide Series and Gase now hit the high and unforgiving banks of Talladega Superspeedway where they are prepared for anything and everything to occur.

    “I’m really looking forward to Talladega,” Gase further expressed about anyone being able to win at ‘Dega. “Anything can happen, allowing anyone to win, and it’s kind of a crap shoot.”

    Gase, 21, has not experienced a top-10 running, much less a victory, during a four-year tenure within the Nationwide division. However, with Talladega being recognized for its generous attitude towards underfunded organizations, Gase touched on the possibility of an unforgettable and emotional trip to victory lane this weekend.

    “If we win this weekend then I’ll be excited for months,” Gase explained with a chuckle. “A victory would really put us on the map.”

    Snapping back into expected circumstances, Gase is aiming to avoid damaging the car while producing solid runs each weekend.

    “Our goal this season is to finish top-20 in the driver standings, and top-30 in owner standings,” Gase noted about his goals in the No. 52 Jimmy Means machine this season. “Thankfully, we are currently accomplishing those standards.”

    The still-developing driver earned his career-best 19th place finish at Kansas Speedway driving for Jimmy Means during the 2012 Nationwide Series season. While his finishes aren’t there – probably due to equipment – he still manages to keep the car in one piece, making him a very respectable driver for an owner.

    Gase has always been tagged as underfunded, therefore not a good driver, however that stereotype is slowly but surely starting to be ceased as the Cedar Rapids, Iowa native continues to make headlines not only by his contribution to Donate For Life but also for his on-track capabilities.

    Many folks, especially new NASCAR fans, don’t understand the hardships that Gase faced and battled through. His life was flipped upside down three years ago when his mother, Mary Gase, passed way, unexpectedly, from an aneurysm.

    Gase, 18-years-old at the time of the tragic death, decided to donate his mother’s organs and tissues which ended up saving 60-people’s lives.

    “My mom always loved helping people. She always had a big heart,” Gase said a few years ago. “She was always helping people when she could and we knew if she could help all these people, if she could no longer continue her life, this is what she would want to do.”

    Now, the competitor, while not on-track, helps spread newly acquired information about organ and tissue donation. He also visits hospitals during the week to spend time with patients and help cheer them up during the toughest of instances.

    While many racers have different backgrounds and hair-raising stories, Gase’s journey and caring decisions are some of the most unbelievable things you’ll encounter, and again, he manages all of this while, still, going 200 MPH every weekend.