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  • Nick Sanchez scores first Truck career victory at Daytona amid dramatic overtime shootout

    Nick Sanchez scores first Truck career victory at Daytona amid dramatic overtime shootout

    From being involved in an early multi-truck wreck to escaping a final lap multi-truck wreck, Nick Sanchez capped off his roller-coaster evening mired with on-track chaos to claim his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career victory in the Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 16.

    The 22-year-old Sanchez from Miami, Florida, led three times for a race-high 26 of 101 over-scheduled laps in an event where he was involved in a multi-truck wreck on the fifth lap. Despite sustaining cosmetic damage to his No. 2 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado RST, Sanchez managed to continue as he methodically remained within distance of the front-runners through the draft. Amid more carnages ensuing, he assumed the lead for the first time with nearly 40 laps remaining and managed to remain upfront amid four additional late-race restarts amid four on-track carnages.

    Then during an overtime shootout, Sanchez, who briefly lost the lead to Rajah Caruth, reassumed the top spot with drafting help from Taylor Gray before the final lap. During the final lap, Caruth ignited a multi-truck wreck entering the backstretch that sent a multitude of competitors piling into one another and Gray flipping in the air and on top of two competitors before rolling back on all four wheels. With Sanchez managing to drive away from the field prior to the incident, he was able to cruise back to the frontstretch under a cautious pace and claim his first checkered flag in his 24th series start.

    With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Friday, Ty Majeski started on pole position after posting a pole-winning lap at 178.767 mph in 50.345 seconds. Joining him on the front row was Johnny Sauter, who clocked in the second-best qualifying lap at 178.703 mph in 50.363 seconds.

    Prior to the event, the following names that included Spencer Boyd, Ben Rhodes and Jason White dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to their respective entries.

    When the green flag waved and the 2024 Craftsman Truck Series season commenced, Majeski and Sauter battled dead even for the lead through the first two turns and the backstretch amid two tight-packed lanes. With the front-runners continuing to battle amid two tight-packed lanes through Turns 3 and 4 and through the frontstretch, Sauter managed to lead the first lap by a hair over Majeski while receiving drafting help from teammate Matt Mills.

    Through the next four laps and as the field started to fan out to three lanes amid the draft, Sauter and Majeski duked back and forth for the lead until Sauter managed to muscle his No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST ahead of the pack with both lanes in his control. In the process, Majeski settled in second ahead of Corey LaJoie, Tyler Ankrum and Daniel Dye. Meanwhile, Mills, who sustained significant front nose damage to his No. 42 J.F. Electric/Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST by drafting Sauter hard in the early laps, was the lead competitor on the outside lane until he was shoved out of the draft amid a tight three-wide battle towards the front.

    Then just past the fifth lap mark, the event’s first caution flew after Crafton, who was boxed in between Tanner Gray and Christian Eckes amid a stacked two-pack lane within the top 15, received a bump from Eckes into Gray that got Crafton’s No. 88 Menards Ford F-150 loose and bumping into the side of rookie Layne Riggs, which then carried forth into Crafton clipping Tanner Gray, who clipped Stewart Friesen, who then clipped Nick Sanchez through the backstretch. The chain reaction incident ended up triggering a multi-truck wreck that also included Ty Dillon, Thad Moffitt, Rajah Caruth, Lawless Alan, Keith McGee, Enfinger, and Jake Garcia. Amid the incident, Sauter was scored the leader ahead of Majeski, LaJoie, Ankrum and Daniel Dye while Bayley Currey, Taylor Gray, Bret Holmes, Toni Breidinger and Dean Thompson were running in the top 10.

    During the caution period, some including Jason White, LaJoie, Grant Enfinger, Timmy Hill, Ben Rhodes, Crafton, Riggs, Mills and Tanner Gray pitted while the rest led by Sauter remained on the track.

    When the race restarted under green on Lap 12, Sauter and Majeski dueled for the lead in front of two tight-packed lanes through the first two turns and the backstretch. They remained dead even for the lead through the frontstretch as Sauter tried to edge ahead before Majeski fought back on the inside lane. Amid the tight battle for the lead, Sauter had teammate Currey and Taylor Gray drafting him while Majeski had drafting help from Ankrum as he then muscled ahead with the lead through Turns 3 and 4 during the following lap. Majeski would continue to have both drafting lanes to himself with the lead and with drafting help from Ankrum by the Lap 15 mark.

    Shortly after, the caution returned after Lawless Alan, who was involved in the event’s early multi-truck wreck, spun by himself below the apron entering Turns 1 and 2 after he blew a right-rear tire and damaged his front nose after his truck dug into the infield grass before he then spun back across the track and was dodged by oncoming traffic. During the caution period, some including Dye, Stefan Parsons, Cory Roper, Sanchez, Caruth, Codie Rohrbaugh and Boyd pitted while the rest led by Sauter remained on the track.

    With a single remaining in the first stage period, the event restarted under green. At the start, Sauter and Majeski again dueled for the top spot through the first two turns until Sauter prevailed on the outside lane with drafting help from teammate Currey to assume the top spot for good through the backstretch. The field then fanned out through the backstretch as both Currey and Majeski tried to mount a late charge for the lead, but their momentum was not enough as Sauter managed to capture the first Truck stage victory of the 2024 season. Majeski and Currey duked for the runner-up spot while Ankrum, Taylor Gray, Holmes, Jack Wood, Eckes, Thompson and Heim were scored in the top 10.

    Under the stage break, some led by Sauter pitted while the rest led by Majeski remained on the track.

    The second stage period started on Lap 26 as Majeski and Ankrum occupied the front row. At the start, Majeski and Ankrum dueled for the lead until Ankrum muscled ahead with drafting help from teammate Eckes through Turns 1 and 2. With the field dispersed and the competitors trying to regather into a drafting file, Ankrum retained the lead over teammate Eckes and Rhodes while LaJoie, Crafton, Daniel Dye, Sanchez, Breidinger, Heim and Mills moved up the leaderboard as Majeski dropped out of the top 10.

    At the Lap 30 mark, Ankrum retained the lead ahead of a hard-charging Rhodes, who received drafting help from LaJoie on the outside lane to challenge Ankrum for the lead through Turns 1 and 2 while Eckes continued to draft teammate Ankrum on the inside lane. Amid the stacked two-packed field, Crafton and Sanchez battled for fifth while Heim, Dye, Majeski and Breidinger were running in the top 10 ahead of Enfinger, Mills, Caruth, Sauter, Roper and Holmes.

    A lap later and as both Ankrum and Rhodes continued to battle dead even for the lead, the caution flew due to debris in the form of a tire carcass from Stewart Friesen’s entry being spotted in Turn 3, with Friesen pitting for fresh tires. During the caution period, some including Sauter, Currey, Thompson, Tanner Gray, Breidinger, Mills and Holmes pitted while the rest led by Ankrum remained on the track.

    During the following restart on Lap 37, Ankrum received another strong push from teammate Eckes to muscle ahead with the lead on the inside lane. Crafton and Dye would follow suit while Rhodes fell back into a side-by-side battle with teammate Majeski for fifth place amid the draft and two stacked lanes. With Rhodes picking up LaJoie as a drafting partner through the frontstretch, Ankrum maintained the lead ahead of teammate Eckes, Crafton and Dye through the proceeding lap.

    The caution, however, would return on Lap 38 due to reports of mist around the superspeedway venue. With the field being directed to pit road and placed under a red flag period for more than seven minutes to await the track being dried, Ankrum was awarded the Stage 2 victory scheduled to conclude on Lap 40. Teammate Eckes settled in second while Crafton, Dye, Rhodes, Majeski, LaJoie, Enfinger, Sanchez and Heim were scored in the top 10.

    Once the red flag lifted and the field proceeded under a cautious pace for the second stage break, nearly the entire field led by Ankrum pitted while the rest led by Bret Holmes and Sauter remained on the track. During the pit stops, Ankrum nearly collided with Spencer Boyd, who was trying to enter his pit stall. In addition, Jason White drove through multiple pit stalls while Majeski was penalized due to his pit crew jumping over his pit stall too soon.

    With 56 laps remaining, the final stage commenced under green as Holmes and Sauter occupied the front row. At the start, Holmes marched ahead with the lead from Sauter, where the former moved in front of him to the inside lane before Tanner Gray gained a strong run amid the draft through the backstretch to claim the lead followed by Chase Purdy. Amid Gray’s early efforts, Holmes would maintain the lead amid the draft followed by Sauter for the next two laps before the caution returned as Keith McGee wrecked in Turn 4.

    During the caution period, select names that included Sanchez, LaJoie and Cory Roper pitted while the rest led by Holmes remained on the track.

    With the event restarting with 49 laps remaining, Sauter and Holmes engaged in another side-by-side battle for the lead and in front of two tight-packed lanes. Five laps later, however, the caution flew after Holmes slipped sideways while battling Sauter entering the frontstretch and spun towards the infield along with Currey, who spun off the front nose of Taylor Gray and made light contact with the inside wall towards the pit road entrance. This resulted in a majority of the field led by Sauter returning to pit road for service while the rest led by Enfinger pitted. Enfinger, however, would pit shortly after along with several other names during the caution period, thus handing the lead to Sanchez

    With the event restarting with 39 laps remaining, Sanchez received a strong push from Taylor Gray to muscle away with the lead. As the field fanned out to two and three tight-packed lanes amid the draft, Sanchez had both lanes to his control as he retained the lead followed by Taylor Gray. Three laps later, however, Ben Rhodes received a strong shove from Eckes to march forward into the lead, where he would lead the next five laps before he was challenged by Sauter for the top spot.

    Then with 30 laps remaining, Rhodes made an unscheduled pit stop under green due to a tire issue to his No. 99 Ranch Fuel Energy Drink Ford F-150 as a result of an earlier on-track contact with Ankrum, where Ankrum ran into the right side of Rhodes’ entry. Amid Rhodes’ issue, a three-way battle for the lead ensued between Chase Purdy, Sanchez and Eckes for the lead while LaJoie, Parsons, Taylor Gray, Ankrum and Jack Wood joined the battle amid two tight-packed lanes.

    Two laps later, Rhodes’ event went from bad to worse after he slipped sideways and spun in Turn 4 while also making contact with Tanner Gray and Breidinger due to another tire issue to his entry. The issue occurred as Rhodes was lapped by the leaders entering Turns 3 and 4. With the damage to his entry, the reigning two-time Truck Series champion concluded his event in his pit stall.

    During the proceeding restart with 23 laps remaining, Sanchez received a strong shove from Eckes to assume the lead from LaJoie as Taylor Gray followed suit in third place. Trouble, however, returned during the following lap when Eckes received a bump from LaJoie that sent his No. 19 NAPA Chevrolet Silverado RST sideways and into the side of Parsons while he also got rear-ended by Sauter, whose hood popped up as both he and Eckes spun entering the frontstretch.

    The start of the next restart with 16 laps remaining featured Sanchez muscling away from the field on the inside lane with a strong push from Taylor Gray. They would be followed by Jack Wood while the rest of the field engaged to battling in two tight-packed lanes. The following lap, the caution returned after Dean Thompson ran into the rear of Mason Massey entering Turn 4 and slipped sideways while teammate Breidinger was also involved as she ran into the rear of Thompson, slipped up the track and spun her No. 1 Celsius Toyota Tundra TRD Pro.

    During the following restart with nine laps remaining, Rajah Caruth received drafting help from teammate LaJoie to move into the lead entering the first two turns. Both Spire Motorsports competitors would muscle away from the field through the backstretch until Sanchez gained a massive draft to reassume the top spot with drafting help from Taylor Gray as they were followed by Wood, Ankrum and Purdy while Caruth and LaJoie briefly separated amid the draft.

    Two laps later and as Sanchez and Taylor Gray started to battle dead even for the lead in front of the pack, the caution flew after Ankrum slipped sideways off the front nose of Purdy, with both collecting Eckes before spinning through the backstretch’s grass. The incident was enough to send the event into overtime as Sanchez was scored the leader ahead of Caruth, Taylor Gray, Wood, LaJoie and Crafton.

    At the start of the first overtime attempt, Sanchez and Caruth battled dead even for the lead through the first two turns until Caruth assumed the lead from the outside lane as both he and LaJoie rocketed ahead from the outside lane. They then maintained the lead through the backstretch until Sanchez and Taylor Gray gained a run to the outside lane towards Turns 3 and 4, which was enough for Sanchez to reassume the lead entering the frontstretch.

    When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Sanchez was leading ahead of Taylor Gray, Wood, Caruth and Heim as the field started to fan out to three lanes through the first two turns. Then entering the backstretch, a fiery multi-truck ignited after Caruth drove up the track and turned Wood into Taylor Gray, which sent Gray spinning and wrecking against the backstretch’s outside wall before he was T-boned by Daniel Dye and sent upside-down on top of Eckes and Tanner Gray before his No. 17 JBL Toyota Tundra TRD Pro rolled back on all four wheels. With the caution flag flying to end the event as nearly the entire field wrecked in the backstretch, Sanchez, who drove away from the incident, was scored the leader and declared the winner for his first series’ career victory.

    With the victory, Sanchez, who claimed the 2023 Truck Series Rookie-of-the-Year title and just missed the Championship 4 cutline amid a winless season, became the 123rd competitor overall to achieve a victory in the Craftsman Truck Series and the seventh to do so at Daytona International Speedway. He also recorded the first victory across NASCAR’s top three national touring series for Rev Racing and the 100th points-paying victory in NASCAR at Daytona for the Chevrolet nameplate, with the Chevrolet nameplate also racking up its fourth victory at Daytona.

    Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

    “[The win]’s Pretty surreal, especially with how the race started,” Sanchez said on FS1. “A big thanks to my team, sticking with me all last year. We were winless. It hurt. We should’ve won, but we redeemed ourselves in the first race possible. [It’s] Definitely gonna be a good year.”

    Amid the carnage, Corey Heim ended uo in second place followed by Rajah Caruth, who navigated his damaged No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST to a strong top-three result while Bret Holmes and Spencer Boyd ended up in the top five. Parsons, Crafton, Timmy Hill, Bryan Dauzat and Eckes finished in the top 10.

    Taylor Gray, who ended up 19th following his final-lap upside-down wreck, emerged uninjured, though he, LaJoie, Dye, Roper, Thompson and Rohrbaugh were unable to finish.

    There were 24 lead changes for 12 different leaders. The race featured 12 cautions for 52 laps.

    Following the first event of the 2024 Truck Series season, Tyler Ankrum, who finished 11th at Daytona, leads the regular-season standings by a single point over Sanchez, four over Eckes, five over both Holmes and Crafton, seven over both Heim and Majeski and eight over Caruth.

    Results.

    1. Nick Sanchez, 26 laps led

    2. Corey Heim

    3. Rajah Caruth, one lap led

    4. Bret Holmes, 13 laps led

    5. Spencer Boyd

    6. Stefan Parsons

    7. Matt Crafton

    8. Timmy Hill

    9. Bryan Dauzat

    10. Christian Eckes, one lap led

    11. Tyler Ankrum, 16 laps led, Stage 2 winner

    12. Jason White

    13. Bayley Currey

    14. Stewart Friesen

    15. Ty Majeski, six laps led

    16. Tanner Gray, one lap led

    17. Grant Enfinger, two laps led

    18. Jack Wood

    19. Taylor Gray – OUT, Accident

    20. Corey LaJoie – OUT, Accident, five laps led

    21. Daniel Dye – OUT, Accident

    22. Cory Roper – OUT, Accident

    23. Codie Rohrbaugh – OUT, Accident

    24. Dean Thompson – OUT, Accident

    25. Mason Massey, one lap down

    26. Matt Mills, two laps down

    27. Tony Breidinger, four laps down

    28. Chase Purdy – OUT, Accident, one lap led

    29. Johnny Sauter – OUT, Accident, 24 laps led, Stage 1 winner

    30. Ben Rhodes, – OUT, Accident, five laps led

    31. Keith McGee – OUT, Accident

    32. Lawless Alan – OUT, Overheating

    33. Layne Riggs – OUT, DVP

    34. Jake Garcia – OUT, Accident

    35. Ty Dillon – OUT, Accident

    36. Thad Moffitt – OUT, Accident

    With the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season underway, the next event on the schedule is the Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, February 24, and air at 2 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • Colby Howard joins TRICON Garage for Truck Series event at Atlanta

    Colby Howard joins TRICON Garage for Truck Series event at Atlanta

    Colby Howard will be piloting the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro sponsored by Project Hope Foundation for TRICON Garage for next weekend’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

    The news comes as the 22-year-old Howard from Simpsonville, South Carolina, is coming off a full-time campaign in the Truck Series with CR7 Motorsports, where he achieved a career-best fourth-place finish at Daytona International Speedway and accumulated a total of 10 top-20 results throughout the 23-race campaign before settling in 21st place in the final driver’s standings.

    “I’m incredibly excited to be working with TRICON and the No. 1 team at Atlanta,” Howard said. “This is a massive opportunity for me at this point in my career and I’m looking forward to going out and making the most of it. Atlanta’s new configuration can be tricky, but I’m ready for the challenge and to prove I belong.”

    Howard, who grew up competing in dirt bikes before transitioning to a career in stock car racing, made his Truck Series debut during the final two events of the 2019 season with Young’s Motorsports. Two years later, he competed in three events with CR7 Motorsports before notching a full-time Truck ride with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing for the 2022 season. He would record three top-10 results and 14 top-20 results throughout the 2022 season before settling in a career-best 17th place in the standings prior to his move back to CR7 Motorsports this past season.

    Through 51 previous starts in the Truck Series, Howard has achieved one top-five result, four top-10 results, 12 laps led and an average finishing result of 21.0. He has also made 43 starts in the Xfinity Series and five in the ARCA Menards Series to date.

    This season, Howard becomes the third competitor to be announced to be piloting TRICON Garage’s No. 1 “all-star” entry. Toni Breidinger is set to compete in this weekend’s season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway while William Sawalich will pilot the entry in nine events, beginning at Bristol Motor Speedway in March.

    Additional details regarding TRICON’s No. 1 entry for additional Truck Series events and drivers throughout this season remain to be determined.

    Colby Howard’s first Craftsman Truck Series start of the 2024 season with TRICON Garage is set to occur at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the FR8 208. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, February 24, and air at 2 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • NASCAR schedule for Daytona Speedweek

    NASCAR schedule for Daytona Speedweek

    The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season officially begins Sunday, Feb. 18 with the Daytona 500. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been named as the Grand Marshal for the event which will be broadcast at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX with radio coverage provided by MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

    Leading up to the race, on Feb. 15 at 10 p.m., the FOX Sports documentary, “I am Kevin Harvick,” will premiere on FS1.

    All times are Eastern

    Wednesday, Feb. 14
    8:15 p.m. Cup Series Daytona 500 Qualifying – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM (Impound) (Single Vehicle / 1 Lap / 2 Rounds)
    Post-NCS Qualifying: Press Pass Live

    Thursday, Feb. 15
    4:05 p.m.: ARCA Menards Series Practice – No TV
    5:05 p.m.: Craftsman Truck Series Practice – FS1
    7 p.m.: Cup Series Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1, 60 laps – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
    8:45 p.m. (approx.): Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2, 60 laps – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
    Post Duels: Press Pass Live

    Friday, Feb. 16
    1:30 p.m.: ARCA Menards Series Qualifying – No TV
    3 p.m.: Truck Series Qualifying – FS1/MRN (Impound) (Single Vehicle /1 Lap /2 Rounds)
    4:35 p.m.: Xfinity Series Practice – FS1/MRN
    5:35 p.m.: Cup Series Practice – FS1/MRN
    7:30 p.m.: Truck Series Fresh from Florida 250 (Stages 20/40/100 Laps=250 Miles) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
    Post Truck Series Race: Press Pass Live 10:30 p.m.: Daytona ARCA 200 (80 Laps, 200 Miles) – Originally scheduled for Saturday, time is approximate (after the conclusion of the Truck Series race). The broadcast will start on FS2 and then move to FS1 after college basketball.

    Saturday, Feb. 17
    10:30 a.m.: Cup Series Final Practice – FS1/MRN – Canceled
    1:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying – FS1/MRN (Impound) (Single Vehicle / 1 Lap / 2 Rounds)
    1:30 p.m.: Daytona ARCA 200 – Moved to Friday night after the Truck Series race
    4 p.m.: Xfinity Series United Rentals 300 (Stages 30/60/120 Laps = 300 Miles) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM – Postponed to Monday at approximately 9 p.m.
    Post Xfinity Series Race: Press Pass Live

    Sunday, Feb. 18
    4:30 p.m.: Cup Series Daytona 500 – FOX/MRN/SiriusXM – Postponed to Monday at 4 p.m.     (Stages 65/130/200 Laps = 500 Miles)
    Post Cup Series Race: Press Pass Live

  • NASCAR 2024 Daytona Speedweeks: An Opportunity for Potential Firsts

    NASCAR 2024 Daytona Speedweeks: An Opportunity for Potential Firsts

    With this week set to mark the official commencement of the 2024 NASCAR season, the first wave of entry lists across NASCAR’s top three national touring series was revealed on Monday, February 12, as the registered teams and competitors prepare to ignite a new season of competition with a trio of season-opening events at Daytona International Speedway.

    Currently, 38 competitors are registered to contend for 36 starting spots for this year’s Craftsman Truck Series season-opening Fresh from Florida 250 which is set to occur at Daytona this Friday, February 16. In addition, 44 competitors are registered for 38 starting spots for this year’s Xfinity Series season-opening United Rentals 300 which will follow suit on Saturday, February 17. Lastly, 42 competitors will contend for 40 starting spots for this year’s 66th running of the Daytona 500 which will occur on Sunday, February 18. For the 500, the entry list includes NY Racing’s No. 44 entry that has yet to have a driver set to compete in the ride throughout Daytona Speedweeks.

    With each of the three national touring series entry lists featuring a mixture of new and familiar names, the common theme that all three lists share highlights a bevy of names who will contend for a first-time victory within their respective series either for this upcoming weekend at Daytona International Speedway or ever as the 2024 NASCAR season progresses.

    For the Truck Series opener at Daytona, 27 of 38 registered competitors (full-time and part-time) currently have no victories logged within their resumes, which is 71% of the field. In addition, all but three participants have never won a Truck event at Daytona, which is 92% of the field.

    Since the Truck Series first raced at Daytona’s 2.5-mile superspeedway venue in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 2000, 20 competitors have won at least once in the series at Daytona. The most recent was Zane Smith, the 2022 Truck Series champion who won the last two scheduled events at Daytona (2022 & 2023). With Smith set to compete in the Cup Series this season for Spire Motorsports and not registered in this year’s Truck list, the honorable mention of the most recent Daytona Truck winner for this season is Ben Rhodes, who won for the first time at Daytona in 2021 and is the reigning series champion. In addition to Rhodes, Grant Enfinger (2020) and Johnny Sauter (2013, 2016 & 2018) are the only other participants for this season who have previously won a Truck event at Daytona. Rhodes and Enfinger are full-time Truck Series competitors while Sauter is currently scheduled to compete in this weekend’s opener at Daytona as part of his part-time campaign with Niece Motorsports.

    With Rhodes and Enfinger also set to bid for spots in this year’s Truck Series Playoff field, Corey Heim, a five-time race winner in the series who currently competes for TRICON Garage, headlines a long list of full-time competitors who have yet to win at Daytona for the first time as he also strives for another championship bid after falling short during last year’s Championship 4 battle. Among other notables include Christian Eckes, Ty Majeski and Matt Crafton, all of whom made the Playoffs during the previous season.

    The Truck event at Daytona is also known to generate first-time winners, with the first occurrence dating back to 2002 when Robert Pressley won in his first series start. Since then, five other competitors (Michael Waltrip 2011, John King 2012, Tyler Reddick 2015, Kaz Grala 2017 and Austin Hill 2019) have accomplished this feat.

    For this season, Toni Breidinger and Nick Sanchez headline a long list of names who have yet to win in the Truck circuit for the first time. Breidinger, who will be pulling double-duty efforts this weekend alongside her full-time campaign in the ARCA Menards Series with Venturini Motorsports, will pilot the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for TRICON Garage as part of a part-time campaign in the series while Sanchez, the reigning Rookie-of-the-Year recipient, returns to pilot the No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado RST for Rev Racing on a full-time basis. Other notables of potential first-time winners include Chase Purdy, Jake Garcia, brothers Tanner and Taylor Gray, Rajah Caruth, Daniel Dye and Dean Thompson, all of whom ended up in the top 20 in last year’s final standings. Corey LaJoie, a full-time Cup Series competitor for Spire Motorsports, is another notable who has yet to win in the Truck Series as he will pilot the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado RST for Spire this Friday at Daytona.

    With 38 registered competitors vying for 36 starting spots, however, two will not make the field, which will be determined following the series’ qualifying session that will occur on Friday, February 16, at 3 p.m. ET on FS1.

    2024 Fresh from Florida 250 Entry List

    For the Xfinity Series’ opener at Daytona, 30 of 44 registered competitors have yet to achieve a victory in the series, which is 68% of the field. In addition, all but three participants have yet to record an Xfinity victory at Daytona, which is 93% of the field.

    Since the inception of the Xfinity Series and their first competition in 1982, 38 competitors have won at Daytona at least once. The list of competitors who have won at Daytona includes the season-opening event that spans 300 miles and the second event that occurs in late summer and currently spans 250 miles. This past season, Austin Hill notched his second consecutive Daytona opener win in February while Justin Allgaier edged Sheldon Creed by 0.005 seconds to notch his first victory at Daytona after 26 previous attempts. Hill and Allgaier are full-time competitors in the Xfinity circuit as both are set to campaign for additional bids to make the Playoffs and contend for the series’ championship.

    This year, Cole Custer, the reigning Xfinity champion for Stewart-Haas Racing, headlines a bevy of competitors who will be pursuing one of two opportunities to win at Daytona for the first time. Other notables include Sam Mayer, Sammy Smith, Chandler Smith, Jeb Burton, Riley Herbst and Brandon Jones, all of whom finished in the top 15 in the final Xfinity driver’s standings last season.

    Like the Truck Series, the pair of Xfinity events at Daytona is known to generate first-time winners, with eight competitors in total achieving the feat. Among the names include Dale Earnhardt (1982), Chad Little (1995), Tony Stewart (2005), James Buescher (2012), Ryan Reed (2015), Michael Annett (2019), Noah Gragson (2020) and Austin Hill (2022), all of whom made the accomplishment during the season-opening 300-mile event in February.

    For the 2024 season, Jesse Love, the reigning ARCA Menards Series champion, headlines a bevy of competitors seeking a first Xfinity victory anywhere as he assumes the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing for his inaugural full-time campaign in the series. Other notables include Sheldon Creed, Parker Kligerman, Parker Retzlaff, Ryan Sieg, Anthony Alfredo, Josh Williams, Kyle Sieg, Brennan Poole and Ryan Ellis, all of whom settled in the top 25 in the final driver’s standings in 2023.

    Other notables who highlight the Xfinity opener’s entry list include Daniel Suarez, Hailie Deegan, Ryan Truex, John Hunter Nemechek, Sage Karam, Jordan Anderson, Frankie Muniz, Natalie Decker and Shane van Gisbergen, all of whom will either contend for either a first Xfinity win at Daytona, in general or combined.

    With 44 competitors vying for 38 spots, six will not make the field, which will be determined following the series’ qualifying session that will occur on Saturday, February 17, at 11:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

    2024 United Rentals 300 Entry List

    Lastly for the Cup Series, 15 of 41 registered competitors have never won in NASCAR’s premier series, which is approximately 37% of the field. This excludes NY Racing’s No. 44 entry that has yet to be filled. In addition, 34 of 41 competitors have yet to win the Great American Race at least once, which is approximately 83% of the field.

    During the previous 65 years of Cup Series competition, 42 competitors achieved at least one victory in the Daytona 500. The most recent newcomer added to this prestigious list was Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who capitalized during two overtime shootouts to emerge out in front amid a final lap multi-car wreck to win while driving for JTG-Daugherty Racing.

    The competitor who headlines a long list of competitors who have yet to win the Daytona 500 is Martin Truex Jr., who will make his 20th career start in the Great American Race this season while also embarking on his 19th full-time season as a Cup competitor. To date, Truex’s best result in the 500 is second after he was edged by Denny Hamlin by 0.010 seconds in 2016, which marks the closest-recorded finish in the 500’s history. Additional notables include Kyle Busch (19th attempt in 2024), David Ragan (17th attempt), Brad Keselowski (15th attempt), Kyle Larson and AJ Allmendinger (both making 11th attempt), Ryan Blaney (10th attempt), Chris Buescher and Erik Jones (both making ninth attempt), and the trio Alex Bowman, Erik Jones and Corey LaJoie (all making eighth attempt).

    Within the list of 42 names who have won the Daytona 500 at least once, a total of nine competitors scored a first Cup career victory in the Great American Race. The most recent to accomplish this feat was Austin Cindric, who made the accomplishment in 2022 during his eighth Cup career start and would proceed to both make the 2022 Playoffs and claim the Rookie-of-the-Year title. Previously, Michael McDowell notched his first Cup career victory in the 500 and his 358th series start after dodging a final lap multi-car wreck. Other notables to claim a first Cup career victory in the Daytona 500 include Tiny Lund (1963), Mario Andretti (1967), Pete Hamilton (1970), Derrike Cope (1990), Sterling Marlin (1994), Michael Waltrip (2001 and Trevor Bayne (2011).

    This season, Josh Berry and Ty Gibbs headline a group of registered competitors who strive to strike two goals off their bucket lists including winning for the first time both in the 500 and the Cup Series. Other notables include Corey LaJoie, Noah Gragson, Riley Herbst, Harrison Burton, Daniel Hemric, Kaz Grala, Todd Gilliland, Ryan Preece, John Hunter Nemechek, Anthony Alfredo, Zane Smith, Carson Hocevar and BJ McLeod.

    Alfredo, Grala and McLeod will have to contend against David Ragan, Jimmie Johnson and NY Racing’s No. 44 competitor for four vacant spots since they are registered as open-chartered competitors, meaning that two will not make this year’s 500 starting lineup. The Daytona 500 qualifying session will occur on Wednesday, February 14, and air at 8:15 p.m. ET on FS1 followed by a pair of Bluegreen Vacations Duels that will follow suit on Thursday, February 15, and air beginning at 7 p.m. ET on FS1, which will establish the official starting lineup for the 500.

    2024 Daytona 500 Entry List

    As the countdown to the official start of the 2024 NASCAR season reaches its final days and hours before commencement, a series of new chapters and new beginnings await for many who strive to gain an early advantage and etch their name as a winner in any series’ opener at the World Center of Racing.

    The 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season is set to commence at Daytona for the Fresh from Florida 250 on Friday, February 16, at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1 while the 2024 Xfinity Series season will follow suit for the United Rentals 300 on Saturday, February 17, at 5 p.m. ET on FS1. The 2024 Cup Series season will cap off the weekend by hosting the 66th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 18, at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

  • Niece Motorsports reveals 2024 Truck Series crew chief lineup

    Niece Motorsports reveals 2024 Truck Series crew chief lineup

    Niece Motorsports took to social media to reveal the team’s crew chief lineup for the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season that is set to commence this upcoming Friday, February 16, at Daytona International Speedway.

    Veteran Mike Hillman Jr. will return to Niece for a second consecutive season as he will call the shots atop the No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado RST pit box that is set to be piloted by Bayley Currey, who will campaign in the series on a full-time basis for the first time.

    Hillman Jr., a native of Lockport, New York, enters the 2024 Truck Series season with 391 series events called as a crew chief, where he has accumulated 23 victories while working with 34 competitors during his tenure. He also achieved two Truck Series championships with Todd Bodine (2006 & 2010).

    This past season, Hillman Jr., who teamed up with Niece Motorsports for the first time, was a crew chief for the team’s No. 41 entry that served as the team’s “all-star” entry and was piloted between seven competitors: Tyler Carpenter, Ross Chastain, Bayley Currey, Conor Daly, Shane van Gisbergen and Travis Pastrana. With a total of one pole, five top-five results and seven top-10 results, the No. 41 entry ended up in 17th place in the 2023 Truck Series’ owner’s standings.

    With his latest Truck victory occurring at Talladega Superspeedway in October 2020 with Raphael Lessard and Kyle Busch Motorsports, Hillman Jr. aims to return to Victory Lane this season. In addition, his driver, Bayley Currey, also aims to win for the first time in the series after notching his first three top-five results in 11 starts in 2023.

    Next, Jon Leonard joins Niece Motorsports for the first time to serve as a full-time crew chief for Matt Mills and the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST team.

    Leonard, a native of Vinton, Iowa, who was a crew chief in the Cup Series for Leavine Family Racing for 26 races between 2017 and 2018, returns as a full-time crew chief in the Truck Series for the first time since 2022, where he navigated Stewart Friesen to a thrilling last-lap victory at Texas Motor Speedway, a total of 13 top-10 results and into the Playoffs, where they ended up in sixth place in the final standings.

    Leonard, who previously worked with Friesen and Todd Gilliland between 2019 and 2021, spent this past season serving as Friesen’s crew chief for the first two events before being replaced by Blake Bainbridge. He would return for eight additional Truck events for the remainder of the 2023 season with Hattori Racing Enterprises, where he worked with Christopher Bell, Jake Drew and Sean Hingorani.

    For the 2024 season, Leonard teams up with Matt Mills, who will campaign in the Truck Series on a full-time basis for the first time after spending this past season competing in eight events between Young’s Motorsports and Kyle Busch Motorsports. During the eight-race stint, Mills registered a career-best fifth-place run with KBM at Richmond Raceway in late July as he strives to both win and make the Playoffs for the first time in his career.

    Lastly, Phil Gould will remain as the crew chief for Niece’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST entry that will contend for this year’s Truck Series owner’s championship and will be piloted between Johnny Sauter, Ross Chastain, Kaden Honeycutt and Connor Mosack.

    Gould, a native of Lexington, North Carolina, returns to Niece for a sixth consecutive season of being a Truck Series crew chief. He is coming off a strong season with Carson Hocevar, who achieved his first four career victories in the season, a total of 13 top-10 results, qualified for the Playoffs and transferred to the Championship 4 round at Phoenix Raceway before ending up in third place in the final driver’s standings. With Hocevar graduating to the Cup Series to drive for Spire Motorsports, Gould will serve as Niece’s “all-star” crew chief for the first time since the 2021 season.

    Previously, Gould navigated Ross Chastain to three victories, one pole, a total of 18 top-10 results and a spot into the 2019 Truck Series Playoffs, where the duo transferred all the way into the Championship 4 round before settling in a career-best runner-up result in the final standings.

    Speaking of Chastain, the veteran racer from Alva, Florida, will pilot Niece’s No. 45 entry at Circuit of the Americas, Darlington Raceway, North Wilkesboro Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, respectively, this season. Sauter will pilot the No. 45 entry for this upcoming weekend’s season opener at Daytona while the racing schedules for Honeycutt and Mosack, both of whom are contending for their first series victory, remain to be determined.

    Through 114 appearances as a Truck Series crew chief, Gould has achieved seven victories, two poles and 57 top-10 results while working with eight different competitors. He also worked as a crew chief in the Xfinity Series for Roush Fenway Racing and Richard Childress Racing between 2013 to 2018, where he notched his first and only Xfinity victory to date with Ryan Reed at Daytona in February 2017.

    The 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season is set to commence this Friday, February 16, at Daytona International Speedway for the Fresh from Florida 250. The event’s opener is slated to broadcast at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • NASCAR 2024 Silly Season updates

    NASCAR 2024 Silly Season updates

    As 2023 comes to an end, the silly season begins. Check below for all of the driver and team news in anticipation of the NASCAR 2024 season. This list will be updated periodically.

    Lawless Alan, No. 33 Reaume Brothers Racing 33 Ford (NCTS)
    Reaume Racing announced on Jan. 14 that Lawless Alan has been signed to run full-time in the 2024 Craftsman Truck Series.

    Anthony Alfredo, No. 5 Our Motorsports Chevrolet (NXS) and Anthony Alfredo, No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet (Cup)
    Our Motorsports announced on Dec. 7 that beginning in 2024, Alfredo will race full-time in the No. 5 Chevrolet Xfinity Series car. It was later revealed that Josh Graham, former crew chief for Parker Retzlaff, will join the team as crew chief for Alfredo.
    Beard Motorsports announced on December 20 that Anthony Alfredo will pilot the No. 62 Chevrolet in the 2024 Daytona 500 and the GEICO 500 on April 21 at Talladega.

    Justin Allgaier, No 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet (NXS)
    Allgaier will return to JR Motorsports for the 2024 Xfinity Series season after signing an extension. Jim Pohlman will be back as his crew chief.

    AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet (NXS) (NCS)
    Allmendinger will return to drive the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2024 with crew chief Alex Yontz and will compete in select Cup Series races next season. Travis Mack will serve as his crew chief for the Cup Series races and will also assume the role of Technical Director for their Cup Series program.

    Allmendinger will also compete in select Cup Series races next season. Travis Mack will serve as his crew chief for the Cup Series races and assume the role of Technical Director for their Cup Series program. On Dec. 20 it was confirmed that Allmendinger would drive the Kaulig Racing No 16 Chevrolet in the Cup Series Daytona 500.

    Aric Almirola, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (NXS)
    Almirola will run a part-time Xfinity Series schedule in 2024 sharing driving duties in the No. 20 JGR Toyota with John Hunter Nemechek for an unspecified number of races.

    Jordan Anderson, No. 32 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet (NXS)
    On Feb. 12, it was announced on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that team owner, Jordan Anderson, will drive the No. 32 Chevrolet as a third entry for the organization in the 2024 Xfinity Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway. Anderson’s father-in-law, Larry McReynolds, will join him as crew chief for the team.

    Marco Andretti, No. 04 Cook Racing Technologies in alliance with Roper Racing Team (NCTS) and No. 17 Cook Racing Technologies Chevrolet (ARCA)
    Marco Andretti has signed with Cook Racing Technologies to drive the No. 17 Chevrolet in 14 ARCA Menards Series races beginning at Daytona in February. Andretti will also compete in seven Craftsman Truck Series races in the No. 04 Chevrolet in an alliance with Roper Racing. His first Truck start will be at Circuit of the Americas on March 23.

    Tyler Ankrum, No. 18 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet (NCTS)
    Tyler Ankrum is moving to McAnally-Hilgemann Racing for the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. He will drive the No. 18, renumbered from the No. 35 driven by Jake Garcia in 2023.

    Beard Motorsports, No.62 Chevrolet (NCS)
    On Dec. 20, Beard Motorsports announced that it will compete in the following four races in 2024 – the Daytona 500 in February, the GEICO 500 on April 21 at Talladega, the Aug. 24 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, and the Oct. 6 YellaWood 500 at Talladega. Anthony Alfredo will drive the Beard Motorsports No. 62 Chevrolet in the Cup Series 2024 Daytona 500 and the GEICO 500 on April 21 at Talladega. Their schedule for the remainder of the 2024 season and the driver lineups will be announced at a later date.

    Josh Berry, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford (NCS)
    Stewart-Haas Racing announced in June that Josh Berry would replace retired driver, Kevin Harvick, in the No. 4 Ford in 2024. On Dec. 19, Eddie D’Hondt was named as the spotter for Josh Berry in his first season with SHR.

    Josh Bilicki, No. 92 DGM Racing Chevrolet (NXS)
    On Jan. 4, DGM Racing announced that Josh Bilicki will drive the team’s No. 92 Chevrolet Camaro in select Xfinity Series races in 2024. Bilicki’s first race will occur at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 17th.

    BJ McLeod Motorsports, No. 78 Chevrolet (NXS)
    On Jan. 30, BJ McLeod Motorsports announced that Pat Tryson will return to crew chief the No. 78 Chevrolet for the 2024 Xfinity Series season. The team has not revealed whether they will compete full-time or run a partial schedule.

    Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford (NCS)
    Blaney will have a new spotter in 2024 as Tim Fedewa joins the team. Fedewa is a former racer and was Kevin Harvick’s spotter for 10 years.

    Spencer Boyd, No 76 Freedom Racing Enterprises Chevrolet (NCTS)
    It was announced on Jan. 8 that Spencer Boyd and Chris Miller have formed a new Craftsman Truck Series team, Freedom Racing Enterprises. The team will compete full-time with Boyd in the No 76 Chevrolet & Greg Ely as crew chief. Jeff Hammond will serve as General Manager.

    Harrison Burton, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford (NCS)
    Burton has confirmed that he will return in 2024 to drive the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford with crew chief, Jeremy Bullins. Jason Jarrett (former spotter for Justin Haley) will spot for Burton in 2024.

    Jeb Burton, No. 27 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet (NXS)
    Jordan Anderson Racing announced on Nov. 2 that Jeb Burton will return to compete full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2024. Shane Whitbeck will be back as Burton’s crew chief.

    Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet (NCS)
    Kyle Busch, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet (NCTS)
    In addition to competing full-time in the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet in the Cup Series this season, it was announced on Feb. 7 that Busch will also drive an unspecified number of Craftsman Truck Series races in 2024 for Spire Motorsports.

    Rajah Caruth, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet (NCTS)
    It was announced on Feb. 4 that Caruth will drive the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet full-time in the Truck Series in 2024. HendrickCars.com will be the primary sponsor for 10 races. He will be paired with crew chief Chad Walter. Caruth was formerly with GMS Racing who ceased operations at the end of the 2023 season.

    Ross Chastain/Busch Light, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet (NCS)
    Chastain has signed a multiyear contract extension with Trackhouse Racing to drive the No. 1 with Anheuser Busch as his primary sponsor in 2024. He will also compete in select Truck Series races throughout the season for Niece Motorsports.

    Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford (NCS)
    Cindric announced in October that he will return to the No. 2 Ford next season.

    Dawson Cram, No. 4 JD Motorsports Chevrolet (NXS)
    JD Motorsports announced on Dec. 6 that beginning in 2024, Cram will race full-time in the No. 4 Chevrolet.

    Sheldon Creed, No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (NXS)
    Creed joins Joe Gibbs Racing in 2024 to compete full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series after a two-year tenure with Richard Childress Racing in 2022 and 2023.

    Cole Custer, No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford (NXS)
    Stewart-Haas Racing announced on Nov. 2 that Custer is returning to the Xfinity Series in 2024. The Ford team will keep the same lineup of Custer and Riley Herbst.

    Hailie Deegan, No. 15 AM Racing Ford (NXS)
    Deegan will move to the NASCAR Xfinity Series with AM Racing in 2024 with a multiyear deal. It was announced on Dec. 19 that Joe Williams Jr. will serve as Deegan’s crew chief in her rookie season.

    Matt DiBenedetto, No. 25 Rackley W.A.R. Chevrolet (NCTS)
    DiBenedetto announced on Aug. 30 that he would not be returning to Rackley W.A.R. in 2024, adding that he has no plans for next season but is “exploring all options in all series.”

    Ty Dillon, No. 25 Rackley W.A.R. Chevrolet (NCTS)
    On Dec. 29, it was announced that Ty Dillon is returning to the NASCAR Truck Series and will compete full-time in 2024 driving the Rackley W.A.R. No. 25 Chevrolet. Shane Wilson was named as Dillon’s crew chief on January 9.

    Daniel Dye, No. 43 GMS Racing Chevrolet (NCTS) and No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet (NXS)
    Dye, formerly with GMS Racing, will join McAnally-Hilgemann Racing in 2024 as the full-time driver of the No. 43 Chevrolet in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. On Jan. 16, it was announced that Dye will also compete in 10 NASCAR Xfinity Series races for Kaulig Racing in the No. 10 Chevrolet.

    Kaulig Racing will enter the NXS No. 10 Champion Container Chevrolet in the following races:
    Feb. 17 at Daytona International Speedway
    April 6 at Martinsville Speedway
    April 27 at Dover Motor Speedway
    June 15 at Iowa Speedway
    July 13 at Pocono Raceway
    July 20 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
    Aug. 17 at Michigan International Speedway
    Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway
    Oct. 19 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
    Nov. 9 at Phoenix Raceway

    Jeffrey Earnhardt, No. 26 Sam Hunt Racing Toyota NXS)
    Sam Hunt Racing announced on January 16 that Jeffrey Earnhardt will drive the No. 26 Toyota in 2024 for multiple races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. His first race will be at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 24

    Christian Eckes, No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet (NCTS)
    Eckes will return to drive full-time in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2024. Crew Chief Charles Denike will also return.

    Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, NCS
    It was confirmed on Jan. 2, that Trey Poole will join Elliott’s team as his spotter in 2024. Poole is Elliott’s cousin and has previously worked as an additional spotter for the team as needed. His former spotter, Eddie D’Hondt, will move to Stewart-Haas Racing as the spotter for Josh Berry.

    Ryan Ellis, No. 43 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet (NXS)
    Alpha Prime Racing announced in August that Ellis will compete in his first full-time season in the Xfinity Series in 2024. On Jan. 27 the team revealed that Mike Hillman will lead the No. 43 team as crew chief.

    Patrick Emerling, No. 07 SS-Greenlight Racing Chevrolet (NXS)
    On Feb. 1, the team announced that Patrick Emerling will be the primary driver of the No. 07 Xfinity Chevrolet in 2024 when there isn’t a conflict as he attempts to also win a championship in the Whelen Modified Tour. Emerling’s first Xfinity Series race will be the United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 17. His complete Xfinity Series schedule will be announced at a later date.

    Grant Enfinger, No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet (NCTS)
    CR7 announced on Dec. 12 that it signed Grant Enfinger to a multiyear deal to race full-time for the team, beginning in 2024.

    Jake Garcia, ThorSport Racing (NCTS)
    ThorSport announced on Nov. 15 that Garcia would join the lineup beginning in 2024.

    Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford (NCS)
    Front Row Motorsports announced in August that Gilliland will return to drive the No. 38 Ford full-time in 2024.

    GMS Racing (NCTS)
    On Aug. 25, 2023, GMS officials announced that it would cease operations after the 2023 race season

    Noah Gragson, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford (NCS)
    On Aug. 13 Stewart-Haas Racing announced that they had signed a multiyear deal for Gragson to drive the No. 10 Ford. The news came following Gragson’s reinstatement by NASCAR after a suspension for violating member conduct rules.

    Kaz Grala, No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford (NCS)
    On Jan. 17 Rick Ware Racing announced that Kaz Grala has been signed to compete in 25 Cup Series races in the No. 15 Ford Mustang with crew chief Billy Plourde. His first start with the team will be in the Busch Light Clash exhibition race and his first regular season points race will be on Feb. 25 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The remainder of his schedule will be announced at a later date.

    It was announced on Jan. 23 that Grala will also attempt to qualify the Front Row Motorsports No. 36 Ford Mustang for the Daytona 500. He will participate in the qualifying session on Wednesday, Feb. 14 and he can also lock into the race during the Duel events on Thursday.

    Tanner Gray, No. 15 Tricon Garage Toyota (NCTS)
    No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (ARCA)
    Tricon Garage announced on Nov. 9 that Gray will return to the organization full-time for the 2024 Truck Series season. He will also substitute for William Sawalich in six races in the ARCA Menards Series (until Sawalich turns 18) driving the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

    Gray will also compete in six ARCA Menards Series races: Daytona International Speedway (Feb. 17), Talladega Superspeedway (April 20), Kansas Speedway (May 4 and Sept. 27), Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 24) and Michigan International Speedway (Aug. 16).

    Taylor Gray, No. 17 Tricon Garage Toyota (NCTS)
    Tricon Garage announced on Nov. 10 that Gray will race his first full Truck Series season as pilot of the No. 17 next season.

    Justin Haley, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford (NCS)
    Haley will compete full-time for Rick Ware Racing in 2024 after signing a multiyear deal. He will be paired with crew chief Chris Lawson.

    Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (NCS)
    Hamlin and Joe Gibbs Racing announced in September that he will return to drive the No. 11 Toyota in 2024 and beyond.

    Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford (NCS)
    Harvick will move to the FOX Sports broadcast booth starting with the 2024 season after retiring from NASCAR competition at the end of the 2023 season.

    Corey Heim, No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota (NCTS), No. 26 Sam Hunt Racing Toyota (NXS), Legacy Motor Club and 23XI Racing reserve driver
    In October 2023, TRICON Garage announced that Heim would return to compete full-time in the Truck Series in 2024.

    On January 10, 2024, Sam Hunt Racing revealed that Heim will drive the No. 26 Toyota for the team in the Xfinity Series for multiple races. His first start will be at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 2.

    Heim posted on social media on Jan. 25 that he has also been signed by Legacy Motor Club and 23XI Racing, saying, “I’m grateful to announce that I’ve been signed by @LEGACYMotorClub as their simulator & reserve driver for this season and will also be the reserve driver for @23XIRacing.”

    Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet (NCS)
    Hemric will return to the Cup Series in 2024 driving the No. 31 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing.

    Riley Herbst, No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford (NXS) and No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford (NCS)
    It was announced on Feb. 2 that Herbst will pilot the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford in the Daytona 500, the first of select Cup Series races for the team. Herbst currently competes full-time in the Xfinity Series for Stewart-Haas Racing.

    Austin Hill, No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet (NXS)
    Hill will remain with Richard Childress Racing and compete in the Xfinity Series in 2024.

    Timmy Hill, No. 56 Hill Motorsports Toyota (NCTS)
    Hill Motorsports announced on Dec. 8 that Timmy Hill would race a full-time Truck Series schedule in 2024

    Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet (NCS)
    Hocevar moves to the Cup Series as the driver of the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports and will be joined by veteran crew chief, Luke Lambert.

    Bret Holmes, No 32 Bret Holmes Racing Chevrolet (NCTS)
    Bret Holmes Racing announced on Jan. 19 that Brett Holmes will compete full-time this year in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the No. 32 Chevrolet. They have signed a technical alliance with Spire Motorsports for 2024 and Mike Shiplett will join the team as crew chief.

    Leland Honeyman Jr., No. 42 Chevrolet Young’s Motorsports (NXS)
    Young’s Motorsports announced on Jan. 3, 2024, that Leland Honeyman Jr. will compete full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2024 with Andrew Abbott as his crew chief.

    Joe Gibbs Racing names Xfinity Series lineup (NXS)
    JGR announced its full-time and part-time roster on Dec. 13. Sheldon Creed and Chandler Smith will race full-time, while six drivers will compete part-time between two race cars. Aric Almirola, John Hunter Nemechek, Ryan Truex, Taylor Gray, William Sawalich and Joe Graf Jr. will make up the part-time portion of the lineup.

    Jimmie Johnson, Legacy Motor Club No. 84 Toyota (NCS)
    Johnson will run a limited number of NASCAR Cup Series races in 2024. As of Jan. 16, nine races have been announced:
    Feb. 18 – Daytona (Sponsor – Carvana)
    April 14 – Texas (Sponsor – AdventHealth)
    April 28 – Dover (Sponsors – Dollar Tree and Family Dollar)
    May 5 – Kansas (Sponsor – AdventHealth)
    May 26 – Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (Sponsor – AdventHealth)
    July 21 – Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis (Sponsor – Carvana)
    Sept. 29 – Kansas (Sponsors – Dollar Tree and Family Dollar)
    Oct. 20 – Las Vegas (Sponsors – Dollar Tree and Family Dollar)
    Nov. 10 – Phoenix Season Finale (Sponsor – Carvana)

    Brandon Jones, No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet (NXS)
    Jones re-signed with JR Motorsports in September and will continue to compete in the Xfinity Series in 2024.

    JR Motorsports – Chevrolet (NXS)
    JR Motorsports announced its crew chief lineup for the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series on Dec. 18:
    Phillip Bell – Brandon Jones in the No. 9
    Mardy Lindley – Sam Mayer in the No. 1
    Jim Pohlman – Justin Allgaier in the No. 7
    Adam Wall – Sammy Smith in the No. 8

    Sage Karam, No. 26 Sam Hunt Racing Toyota (NXS)
    Sam Hunt Racing announced on Jan. 23 that Karam will compete in multiple Xfinity Series races for the team this season beginning with the race at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17.

    Kaulig Racing – Chevrolet (NXS)
    Kevin Walter will join the No. 11 Chevrolet team as a first-time crew chief and be paired with Josh Williams in 2024.
    Alex Yontz will return to the team for a fifth season and will serve as the crew chief for AJ Allmendinger in the No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro.
    Bruce Schlicker will also return for a fifth season at Kaulig as crew chief for the No. 97 Chevrolet Camaro with Shane van Gisbergen.

    Parker Kligerman, No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet (NXS)
    In August, it was confirmed that Kligerman will remain with Big Machine Racing in 2024 to compete in his second full-time season in the Xfinity Series.

    Corey LaJoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet (NCS)
    LaJoie announced in August that he had re-signed with Spire Motorsports in a multiyear extension Ryan Sparks will continue as the crew chief for Corey LaJoie and the No. 7 team.

    Legacy Motor Club (NCS)
    The team announced in May that they would leave Chevrolet and partner with Toyota in 2024. Team co-owner Jimmie Johnson will drive the No. 84 in select Cup Series races with Jason Burdett as his crew chief. In October the team also announced that Matt Kenseth would join the organization as a competition adviser.

    Legacy Motor Club released the news that Trevor Bayne would join the team on Jan. 25. “We are adding on two important members to the Club! Welcome Trevor Bayne as our Driver Optimization Leader and Corey Heim (previously announced) as our simulator & reserve driver.”

    Jesse Love, No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet (NXS)
    Love will move up to the Xfinity Series in 2024, taking over as driver of the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet on a full-time basis.

    Mason Massey, No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Ford (NCTS)
    On February 12, Young’s Motorsport confirmed that Mason Massey will drive the No. 02 Chevrolet full-time this season in the Craftsman Truck Series.

    Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford (NCS)
    Front Row Motorsports announced in August that McDowell will return to drive the No. 34 Ford full-time in 2024.

    BJ McLeod, No. 78 BJ McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet (NXS)
    On Feb. 9, it was announced that BJ McLeod will return to his Xfinity Series team as the driver of the No. 78 Chevrolet to compete in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway. It is unknown at this time if the team will run a full or part-time schedule.

    CJ McLaughlin, No. 38 RSS Racing Ford (NXS)
    McLaughlin will compete part-time in the 2024 Xfinity Series in the No. 38 Ford for RSS Racing as announced on Jan. 10. His first race will be on Feb. 17 at Daytona International Speedway. The remainder of his schedule has not been released.

    Thad Moffitt, No. 46 Faction46 Chevrolet (NCTS)
    On Dec. 8, it was announced that Thad Moffitt would race full-time in the Truck Series with the newly announced team, Faction46.

    Frankie Muniz, No. 35 Joey Gase Motorsports Ford (NXS)
    Muniz will run a limited number of Xfinity Series races this year for Joey Gase Racing. He will begin the season by attempting to qualify for the United Rentals 300 scheduled for Feb. 17 at Daytona International Speedway. On Feb. 9 the team also confirmed that the 25th-place owner points have been transferred to the No. 35 team.

    John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota (NCS) (NXS)
    Nemechek will return to the Cup Series full-time in 2024 as the driver of the No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota. In addition to driving full-time in the Cup Series for Legacy Motor Club, Nemechek will make 10 Xfinity Series starts in the JGR No. 20, sharing driving duties with Aric Almirola.

    Niece Motorsports, No. 41, No. 42 and No. 45 Chevrolet (NCTS)
    The team revealed its 2024 Craftsman Truck Series driver lineup in February for the upcoming season.
    Mike Hillman Jr. will return as crew chief for Bayley Currey and the No. 41 team as Bayley competes in his first full-time season.

    Jon Leonard will join Niece Motorsports as the crew chief for Matt Mills in the No. 42 Chevrolet as Mills also enters his first full-time season in the Truck Series.

    Ross Chastain, Kaden Honeycutt, Connor Mosack and Johnny Sauter will share driving duties in the No. 45 throughout the season with crew chief Phil Gould on the pit box. Sauter will be behind the wheel as the season begins at Daytona International Speedway.

    Stefan Parsons, No. 75 Henderson Motorsports Chevrolet (NCTS)
    On Jan. 13, Parsons announced on social media that he will drive the Henderson Motorsports No. 75 Chevrolet in the Craftsman Truck Series this season. His complete schedule has not been released but he will compete in the season-opener at Daytona International Raceway.

    Brad Perez, No. 45 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet (NXS)
    On Jan. 8 Alpha Prime Racing announced Brad Perez will drive select Xfinity Series races this season in the No. 45 Chevrolet (which will compete in a partial schedule). His first race will be at Circuit of the Americas on March 23 with the remainder of his schedule to be determined. He will also take on the role of Development Driver and assist with simulator setup and will be the team’s reserve driver.

    Blaine Perkins, No. 29 RSS Racing Ford (NXS)
    RSS Racing has signed Blaine Perkins to race full-time in the Xfinity Series for the 2024 season.

    Brennan Poole, No. 44 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet (NXS)
    Poole and Alpha Prime announced on Nov. 9 that Poole will run a full-time season in the No. 44 for the 2024 Xfinity Series season. On Jan. 27 it was announced that Poole will be paired with crew chief, Frank Kerr.

    Ryan Preece, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford (NCS)
    Preece announced on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Sept. 26 that he will return to race the SHR No. 41 in 2024.

    Chase Purdy, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet (NCTS)
    Spire Motorsports announced on Jan. 3 that Chase Purdy has been signed to drive the No. 77 Chevrolet full-time in the Truck Series. NASCAR veteran, Jason Trinchere, most recently a crew chief for Kaulig Racing’s Xfinity Series program, will be paired with Purdy to lead the team.

    Parker Retzlaff, No. 31 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet (NXS)
    Jordan Anderson Racing announced on Nov. 2 that Parker Retzlaff will return to compete full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2024 with Chad Kendrick (formerly with Matt DiBenedetto) as his crew chief.

    Layne Riggs, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford (NCTS)
    Front Row Motorsports announced on Dec. 14 that Riggs has been signed to a multi-year deal to drive the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford F-150 full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series after limited starts in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and Xfinity Series in 2022 and 2023. Dylan Cappello will move up from his position as lead engineer to work as Rigg’s crew chief. Chris Lawson will leave his position as crew chief but will serve as a consultant to the team at the beginning of the season as well as working on projects outside of NASCAR.

    RSS Racing (NXS) – Crew chief and spotter lineup:
    28 Ford: Kyle Sieg – CC: Mike Scearce, Spotter: Freddie Kraft
    29 Ford: Blaine Perkins – CC: Steve Addington, Spotter: Tony Raines
    38 Ford: CJ McLaughlin – CC: Kevin Johnson, Spotter: Doug Campbell
    39 Ford: Ryan Sieg – CC: Matt Noyce, Spotter: Tim Fedawa

    Nick Sanchez, Rev Racing No. 2 Chevrolet (NCTS)
    On Jan. 16 Rev Racing announced that Sanchez will drive the No. 2 Chevrolet in 2024 and compete full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series with Spire Motorsports as a new technical alliance partner. Sanchez will be paired with Kevin “Bono” as crew chief. Allen Hart, former crew chief for Sam Hunt Racing in the Xfinity Series, will join the team as the chief engineer.

    William Sawalich, No. 1 Tricon Garage Toyota (NCTS), No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (NXS) and No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (ARCA)
    Sawalich will return to Tricon Garage in 2024 and compete in a partial schedule of nine Craftsman Truck Series races in the No. 1 Toyota:
    Bristol – March 16, Martinsville – April 5, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park – July 19, Richmond – Aug. 10, Milwaukee – Aug. 25, Bristol – Sept. 19, Homestead – Oct. 26, Martinsville – Nov. 1, Phoenix on Nov. 8.

    In addition, he will also make three Xfinity Series starts for Joe Gibbs Racing. His schedule includes Homestead, Martinsville and Phoenix (after he turns 18 on Oct. 3), in the No. 19 JGR Toyota.

    Sawalich, the 2023 ARCA East champion, will also compete in the ARCA Menards Series in 2024 as the primary driver of the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, in all but six races. Tricon Garage Truck Series driver, Tanner Gray, will substitute for Sawalich until he turns 18.

    Kyle Sieg, No. 28 RSS Racing Ford (NXS)
    RSS Racing announced on Dec. 1 that, beginning in 2024, Sieg would race full-time with the team.

    Chandler Smith, No. 81 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (NXS)
    On Dec. 12, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Chandler Smith would drive the No. 81 Toyota in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024. Smith will join JGR after one full-time season in the series with Kaulig Racing in 2023.

    Sammy Smith, No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet (NXS)
    Smith will join JR Motorsports in 2024 with a multi-year deal to drive the No. 8 Chevrolet, previously driven by Josh Berry who will move up to the Cup Series with Stewart-Haas Racing.

    Zane Smith, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet (Cup), No. 91 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet (NCTS)
    Zane Smith has signed a multiyear contract with Trackhouse Racing and will move up to the Cup Series full-time in 2024, driving a Spire Motorsports Chevrolet in alliance with Trackhouse Racing. He will be paired with first-year crew chief, Stephen Doran. Josh Williams, former spotter for Ryan Blaney, will make the move to Spire Motorsports in 2024 and spot for Smith.

    On Feb. 9 the team announced that Smith will also drive the McAnally-Hilgemann Racing No. 91 Chevrolet in four Truck Series races. His schedule includes:
    March 1 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
    March 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway
    April 5 at Texas Motor Speedway
    May 4 at Kansas Speedway

    Garrett Smithley, JD Motorsports No. 6 Chevrolet (NXS)
    JD Motorsports announced on Feb. 13 that Smithley will return to the team this year and pilot the No. 6 Chevrolet in four Xfinity Series races, including the season-opener at Daytona, Atlanta, Las Vegas and Phoenix.

    Spire Motorsports Spotter Lineup
    TJ Bell will return as the spotter for Corey LaJoie. As mentioned above, Josh Williams (previously the spotter for Ryan Blaney) will spot for Zane Smith. Tyler Green (previously the spotter for Harrison Burton) will spot for Carson Hocevar.

    Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet (NCS)
    Matt Swiderski will replace Travis Mack as the crew chief for Suarez and the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet team for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.

    Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (NCS)
    Truex will return to race the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in 2024 for at least one more year.

    Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet (NXS) and No. 16 (NCS)
    In December it was announced that Shane van Gisbergen will race full-time in the Xfinity Series next year for Kaulig Racing with crew chief Bruce Schlicker. He will also compete in a minimum of seven Cup Series races and an unspecified number of Craftsman Truck Series races for Trackhouse Racing in 2024.

    In January 2024 it was announced that he will be doing double duty at Daytona International Speedway as he takes to the track for the season-opening race in the ARCA Menards Series in the Pinnacle Racing Groupentry before making his Xfinity Series debut.

    Cup Series races announced as of Dec. 13:
    Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin on March 24
    Talladega Superspeedway on April 21 and Oct. 6
    Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26
    Chicago Street Race on July 7
    Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International on Sept. 15
    Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 20

    Kyle Weatherman, No. 91 DGM Racing Chevrolet (NXS)
    On Nov. 14, 2023, DGM Racing announced that Kyle Weatherman will compete full-time in 2024 in the Xfinity Series after racing a part-time schedule for the team in 2023.

    Josh Williams, No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet (NXS) and No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet (NCS)
    Kaulig Racing announced on Nov. 16 that Josh Williams will pilot the No. 11 Chevrolet in 2024. He will be joined by crew chief Kevin Walter, formerly an engineer for the JR Motorsports No. 8 team.

    On Jan. 29 Kaulig Racing announced that Williams will also run the No. 16 Alloy Employer Services Camaro ZL1 in select Cup Series races during the 2024 season, beginning with the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum on Feb. 4.

    Jack Wood, No. 91 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet (NCTS)
    McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced on Dec. 6 that beginning in 2024, Jack Wood will race a 14-race schedule in the No. 91 Chevrolet.

    Connor Zilisch, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet (NXS) (NCTS)
    On Jan. 11 Trackhouse Racing announced that they have signed a multi-year agreement with Connor Zilisch. He will enter a developmental program in 2024 and 2025 that will include races in the CARS Tour, ARCA, Trans Am and IMSA series. Zilisch will also compete in select NASCAR Truck and Xfinity Series events.

  • Tales from the beat: Breaking news

    Tales from the beat: Breaking news

    Don’t you just love when something innocuous you said or did spirals out of your control? Sometimes, a person misconstrues what you said and it devolves into a shouting match that you desperately want to escape. Other times, your inexperience lands you in hot water, for reasons you don’t understand.

    One tweet at Atlanta Motor Speedway plopped me in the latter.

    March 4, 2017, I watched the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race from my seat in the media center, roughly 90 minutes after the conclusion of the XFINITY Series race. I wore a Racing Electronics headset to listen to the radio broadcast (as I do when I cover a race at the track). If you listen to an MRN broadcast at the track, you’ll hear the commercial break banter.

    During one of the breaks, Mike Bagley says that he received a text message saying that Kyle Busch’s XFINITY car failed post-race inspection. Instinctively, I tweet that breaking news and turn back to the Truck race.

    Two or three minutes later, Bob Pockrass walks over to the NASCAR IMC team to ask if what I tweeted was true. I think to myself, “Wait, did I screw something up?” Another minute or two later, Tom Bryant of NASCAR pulls me aside and asks where I got that information. I told him, he made a note and he probably said something else, but I don’t recall.

    Now in hindsight, there was nothing to fret over. After all, I had a source for it, and anybody who was at the track, that day, with headsets heard it, too. Put me in that situation again, and I probably don’t break a sweat.

    However, I was a 22-year-old guy starting his second season on the beat. I never broke a news story, prior to that. Furthermore, 2016 was a roller coaster of getting myself in trouble a little more than a few times.

    So internally, I panic.

    My hands shake and my eyes dart around the room. I couldn’t focus on the Truck race or take race notes. I asked Bryant, who sat across from me, if what I tweeted was true. He said NASCAR will reveal XFINITY post-race inspection results after the conclusion of the Truck race.

    With the laps winding down, I grab my notepad, put on my headset and walk out to pit road. I figured watching the race on pit road would clear my head, or get my mind off the panic.

    Eventually, the official announcement came. I stood by the entrance to the deadline room, packed up and jittery. No joke, if the announcement was that everyone passed, I was getting the hell outta Dodge, going back to Knoxville, Tennessee, and nobody would hear from me, again.

    “Post-race inspection for the NASCAR XFINITY Series is complete,” Matt Humphrey, IMC, said. “The 18 car failed.”

    I breathed such a sigh of relief, that I almost fell over.

    To this day, I don’t understand what I did wrong.

    I’ve told this story to several NASCAR writers, and they all told me either that I should’ve asked for confirmation on it from IMC or noted that I heard MRN say this. Yet I also told this same story to several of my sports writing professors at the University of Tennessee, and all of them told me I did nothing wrong.

    *lights cigarette*

    Eh, c’est la vie.

  • Darlington Raceway selects grassroots racing theme for Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR, May 10-12

    Darlington Raceway selects grassroots racing theme for Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR, May 10-12

    Darlington Raceway announced today that the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR will be making its return to the track Too Tough to Tame during the Goodyear 400 weekend, May 10-12. This year’s theme – Celebrate our Roots through Grassroots Racing – will honor the racing origins of drivers, owners, team members, and NASCAR as a whole.

    “We’re honored to continue the tradition of hosting NASCAR’s Official Throwback Weekend in the spring,” said Darlington Raceway President Josh Harris. “Grassroots racing is the lifeblood of our sport, and providing our industry with a chance to pay tribute to their grassroots origin story acknowledges the importance that it plays in the past, present and future of NASCAR.”

    Every driver has a story about their rise through grassroots/local track racing that led them to one of NASCAR’s national series, and they will each have the opportunity to celebrate their ascent with paint schemes that harken back to the beginning of their racing careers. Drivers will simultaneously be able to utilize Throwback Weekend to amplify their ongoing efforts to support grassroots racing and tell their story.

    NASCAR and Darlington Raceway will also showcase historic local racetracks and drivers in the region for long-time fans to appreciate and new fans to discover.  Throughout the weekend, those in attendance can expect several displays and events that highlight the history and importance of grassroots racing across the country.

    The Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR begins with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race on Friday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. Then, the action will continue into Saturday, May 11, with the NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at 1:30 p.m. Finally, the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series will pay homage to their grassroots origins in the Goodyear 400 on Sunday, May 12, at 3:00 p.m.

    NASCAR fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets via phone at 866-459-7223 or online at darlingtonraceway.com while supplies last.

    — Darlington Raceway —

  • NASCAR reveals 2024 Xfinity Dash 4 Cash, Craftsman Trucks Triple Truck Challenge schedules

    NASCAR reveals 2024 Xfinity Dash 4 Cash, Craftsman Trucks Triple Truck Challenge schedules

    As the 2024 NASCAR season nears its approach, the Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash and the Craftsman Truck Series’ Triple Truck Challenge initiatives are set to return and retain their spots in the first half of the upcoming racing season with one new and a bevy of familiar circuits also returning.

    For the Xfinity Series, the Dash 4 Cash program will launch its 16th consecutive season by hosting its qualifying event at Richmond Raceway on March 30, where the top four highest-finishing Xfinity regulars in the final running order will contend for the first round of bonus money. The first Dash 4 Cash event of the 2024 season will then occur at Martinsville Speedway on April 6 followed by the series’ lone visit of the season to Texas Motor Speedway on April 13, which is new to the initiative’s schedule, and Talladega Superspeedway on April 20 before concluding at Dover Motor Speedway on April 27.

    The highest-finishing Xfinity Dash 4 Cash contender in each event will receive the cash-winning prize of $100,000, with opportunities for the prize to increase should a competitor achieve the bonus more than once.

    This past season, where all Dash 4 Cash events occurred in April, Justin Allgaier claimed the first Dash 4 Cash bonus and the fifth of his career at Richmond Raceway despite finishing in 13th place, but by finishing ahead of his initiative rivals Sam Mayer, Sammy Smith and Daniel Hemric. John Hunter Nemechek claimed the second bonus at Martinsville in an event where he led a race-high 198 of 250 laps en route to his second Xfinity victory of the season. Cole Custer, the 2023 Xfinity Series champion, would conclude the initiative by claiming the final two bonuses at Talladega Superspeedway and at Dover Motor Speedway, where he finished fourth and seventh, respectively.

    Ironically, the trio of Allgaier, Custer and Nemechek would square off against one another along with Sam Mayer for the 2023 Xfinity Series championship at Phoenix Raceway in November for the Championship 4 round event. Allgaier and Custer are set to run another full-time Xfinity season and bid for more bonuses in 2024 with JR Motorsports and Stewart-Haas Racing, respectively, while Nemechek has moved up to the Cup Series to drive for Legacy Motor Club.

    For the Craftsman Truck Series, the Triple Truck Challenge initiative will occur in three events for a sixth consecutive season, beginning at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24, which will also serve as the series’ 700th race in history. The initiative will continue at World Wide Technology Raceway on June 1 before concluding at Nashville Superspeedway on June 28, a three-race schedule that resembles last year’s schedule.

    Each event will offer Truck Series regulars three opportunities to notch a $50,000 bonus for themselves per race victory, with opportunities for the bonus to increase to $150,000 if two Triple Truck Challenge events are won by any eligible competitor or even to $500,000 if all three events are won.

    Last season, Ben Rhodes, the 2023 Truck Series champion, claimed the first Triple Truck Challenge bonus after achieving his first victory of the season at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May. Grant Enfinger, the 2023 championship runner-up finisher, would earn the second bonus with his second victory of the season at Gateway’s World Wide Technology Raceway in early June. Carson Hocevar capped off the program by winning at Nashville Superspeedway in mid-June for his second career victory in the Truck circuit. Rhodes and Enfinger are slated to remain in the Truck Series with ThorSport Racing and CR7 Motorsports, respectively, and contend for additional opportunities while Hocevar is set to campaign in his first full-time season in the Cup Series for Spire Motorsports.

    Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

    With the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Dash 4 Cash and Craftsman Truck Series’ Triple Truck Challenge schedules set, the 2024 Truck Series season is set to commence at Daytona International Speedway for the Fresh From Florida 250 on February 16 with the event’s air coverage to occur at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1. The 2024 Xfinity Series season is scheduled to occur the following day, February 17, for the United Rentals 300 and air at 5 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • Rackley W.A.R President Willie Allen, a blue-collar executive in a white-collar world

    Rackley W.A.R President Willie Allen, a blue-collar executive in a white-collar world

    If you’ve ever wondered what the W.A.R. in Rackley W.A.R. racing stands for, I have your answer.

    I had the opportunity to speak with Rackley W.A.R. team president Willie Allen recently, and we talked about everything from the feeling of the team winning at Talladega to his expectations for Ty Dillon and the No. 25 team for 2024. But no story is complete without a green flag.

    Allen’s start in racing cycles back to where many current drivers begin – On the go-kart track. 

    “I started racing go-karts in high school,” Allen says. “My girlfriend’s dad owned a go-kart shop in Central Tennessee. I always wanted to race, but really didn’t know how to do it. So when I started dating her, I realized he had a go-kart shop there. Casey Atwood drove some for him, built motors and whatnot. I started working after school there to earn some money to build a go-kart and went and raced that. My cousins raced at the Nashville Fairgrounds in Trucks. My father-in-law, Keith, he raced a little bit too. So I got involved with them, and that’s how I got started in Nashville.”

    Allen’s driving career then took him to the bright lights of the NASCAR Truck Series in 2007. 

    “I started running the Truck Series in ‘07, started doing that and building shocks. While I was racing there in ‘08, I started doing a lot more work with shocks and suspensions. I was also doing some side work with kids, being a crew chief and engineering stuff. I started helping some kids with their driving. I felt I could help kids dial in their braking, throttle trace, steering, brake trace, stuff like that. Somebody wanted to put one of their kids in one of our cars. That idea kind of took off, and that’s how I met Curtis Sutton at Rackley Roofing at the track a few years ago. We were running a car for Brittany Zamora, and she was bringing on Rackley Roofing to sponsor her in the All-American 400, racing our Super Late Model there, and we met Curtis and talked there.”

    Both sides agreed to start a truck program while continuing their Late Model venture. 

    “It had always been a dream of mine to own a Truck Series team and continue the progression through racing. We formed the team and the rest was history. It’s a dream partnership.”

    The team got its first win at Talladega in the fall of 2022 with Matt DiBenedetto, and to say it was a special moment for Allen would be an understatement. 

    “It’s unreal. Definitely a dream come true. There’s a lot of people that get into NASCAR. I feel like most of them never win, so to be able to do that is special. It’s not something we take lightly. We put a lot of hard work and effort into the team. For it to come through like that was an exciting and special day. With everything that’s been built over the years, everything Curtis and I have sacrificed. There’s so much sacrifice in racing, as we know. It’s a traveling circus. Everyone works all the time and puts their heart and soul into it. Most of the teams out there have great equipment. It just comes down to the people and how to train and put everyone in place.”

    While he enjoyed reflecting on the past, Allen was visibly excited when I mentioned the future of the team, especially their new signing of Ty Dillon. 

    “We’re super excited about Ty. The whole deal came about really quick. We got a call from Team Dillon Management who told us about the opportunity. He’s so fired up. I definitely can see the excitement in his eyes. I can see the passion. He’s put a lot of effort in to hit the ground running. I think the Truck Series is going to be a great fit for him. It’s aggressive. He has a lot of experience racing hard. The help and support from RCR is going to be big for us.”

    Allen says the team is also getting upgrades in the people and equipment at the shop, thanks to Dillon’s family ties. 

    “We’re definitely stepping up our in-house engineering staff. Combining it with their team of engineers and simulation stuff is really exciting. I feel like we’re on an upswing and trending upwards.”

    Allen says expectations are the highest they’ve ever been for the team in their short history. 

    “I think we can take that next step. We’ve got to execute and keep working hard. The guys on the team are on fire right now trying to do everything they can to make the most of this opportunity and not leaving anything on the table. I’m really excited about the effort everyone is putting forth here at Rackley W.A.R. (Crew Chief) Shane Wilson coming on board is huge. Having his knowledge and expertise, and just knowing the processes is really cool. I’m really excited to see what he brings to the table. Danny Stockman has also been a big hit. His expertise and knowledge of the Truck Series is second to none.”

    Allen added that the long-term future of the team is just as exciting as the short-term future. 

    “We’re definitely really excited about the development side of Rackley W.A.R. We’re racing Late Models this weekend with Dawson Sutton, Gavin Boschele, and Ross Chastain. It’s really cool to see the eyes we’re attracting here at Rackley W.A.R. So much has changed in the last 10 years as far as driver development. These kids are working their butts off every day and doing every single thing they can to be the best. They’re working with Chevrolet and Lorin Ranier, who is one of the best talent scouts in the world, especially in NASCAR. He helped get Connor Zilsich here. But we have some really cool stuff happening on the Late Model side.”

    Allen’s experience on the national stage along with a love for grassroots racing makes him one of the more relatable figures in the ever-changing world of NASCAR ownership. In a world of suits and ties, Allen’s blue-collar attitude toward team ownership may have once seemed redundant but is now bearing fruit in the form of wins and Playoff appearances. 

    If you blink, you may miss them, but Rackley W.A.R. is on a collision course with the big dogs of NASCAR.