Gio Ruggiero scores first career Truck Series win at Talladega

Posted on October 17, 2025October 17, 2025 by Holly Cain

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Rookie Gio Ruggiero capped a typically dramatic afternoon of racing on the Talladega Superspeedway high banks with the 19-year-old’s first career trip to NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Victory Lane in Friday’s Love’s RV Stop 225.

Though not in the playoffs, Ruggiero held off his Tricon Garage teammate and current championship leader Corey Heim in a two-lap overtime duel to the checkered flag, his No. 17 Toyota leading the way by a mere .059 seconds. The effort rewarded an absolutely strong day for the young driver, who won pole position and led a race-best 37 of the 90 laps.

Ruggiero took the lead with two laps remaining in regulation after then-race leaders, ThorSport Racing teammates Ben Rhodes and rookie Luke Fenhaus, made contact — both Fords spinning out and allowing Ruggiero and Heim to the front. The teammates held position for the two laps of overtime to claim the win.

“Super thankful all the guys on this 17 truck, they worked their butts off today and definitely brought the best piece today,’’ the Massachusetts driver Ruggiero said. “We showed it in qualifying and throughout the race there that we had the fastest piece. Thanks to Toyota and everybody who supports me. Great to win a race with my mom and dad here.’’

Heim’s runner-up effort was the best showing by one of the eight playoff drivers with only a single race remaining in this three-race round to finalize which four will race for the championship on Oct. 31 at Phoenix Raceway.

Heim, the regular-season points leader and 10-race winner, has led laps in all 23 races this season. He is the only driver with a secure entry to the Phoenix finale thanks to a victory in this round’s opening race at the Charlotte Roval two weeks ago.

ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski — the reigning series champion — turned in an impressive rally on the afternoon to finish third after dropping to 34th in the 36-car field early with collateral damage from an early-laps accident.

Rookie Dawson Sutton was fourth, followed by playoff driver Layne Riggs, who, like Majeski, earned his top five the hard way. He started at the rear of the field after an inspection violation and was involved to varying degrees in multiple incidents during the race.

“I’m just glad to end the day in one piece,’’ said Riggs, driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford. “I know Chandler [Smith] gave me a bad push getting into the corner there, and we both wrecked. Just so glad that wasn’t a day-ender.

“Started shotgun on the field and went to the back a few times, there at the end just trying to be patient and hold that bottom and hoping the top would break up and it did. Really bummed we didn’t get any stage points. We’re not quite in the position we want to be in, but it’s a lot better than it could have been.’’

Six of the eight playoff drivers finished among the top 10, with playoff driver Tyler Ankrum in sixth, followed by former three-time series champ Matt Crafton and part-time driver Corey Lajoie, and playoff competitors Rajah Caruth and Kaden Honeycutt rounding out the top 10.

Three positions in the Championship 4 are still to be decided. The playoff standings heading to the final race of this round show Caruth heading to Martinsville 14 points above the cutline with Ankrum plus-eight and Honeycutt plus-five. Majeski is five points below the line and Riggs is six back.

Daniel Hemric, who had a tire go down late in the race during a green flag run, finished 34th and Grant Enfinger was 36th — essentially putting both veteran drivers in a must-win situation next week at Martinsville Speedway. Hemric is 32 points below the cutline and Enfinger is now 40 points back.

Enfinger, the defending Talladega race winner entering Friday’s event, was an innocent victim collected in an accident only four laps into the race, his No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Chevy among three playoff trucks suffering damage. But Enfinger’s Chevy was unable to continue, making him the first title contender with issues.

“Bounced off a guy on the inside and thought I had it saved, just one of those Talladega deals,’’ the Alabama native Enfinger said. “I love this place, but it just wasn’t meant to be today. … so our job’s pretty simple at Martinsville next week.”

MORE: Enfinger, Majeski caught up in Stage 1 crash

The series moves to the half-mile Martinsville Speedway to decide which four drivers move forward in championship contention with the Oct. 24 Slim Jim 200 (6 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Christian Eckes — now a full-time Xfinity Series driver — is the defending race winner.

Note: Inspection was completed in the Craftsman Truck Series garage with no issues, confirming Ruggiero as the winner. No trucks will be taken back to the R&D Center in Concord, North Carolina for further evaluation.

Posted on October 17, 2025October 17, 2025 by Staff Report

Norm Benning was ousted from Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway after a blown engine left his No. 6 truck in flames.

Benning was running 32nd at Lap 65 when the engine of his No. 6 Chevrolet failed entering Turn 1. A plume of white smoke bellowed from the vehicle before turning to flames, which rolled beneath and behind the vehicle before Benning came to a halt at the exit of Turn 2.

MORE: Unofficial results | At-track photos

The 73-year-old Pennsylvania native climbed from the truck under his own power before safety personnel aided him beside the truck once the fire was extinguished. He was later treated and released from the infield care center.

Benning is a longtime NASCAR competitor who made his 259th Truck Series start Friday at Talladega. Benning made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 1989, making three of his four career Cup starts that season. Additionally, Benning made three Xfinity Series starts from 2003-04.

Posted on October 17, 2025October 17, 2025 by Staff Report

CR7 Motorsports driver Grant Enfinger was caught up in a wreck on Lap 4 of Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs race at Talladega Superspeedway, putting his hopes of advancing to the Championship 4 for the second consecutive season in peril.

Enfinger, the defending winner of the Truck Series race at Talladega, received an errant push from Front Row Motorsports’ Chandler Smith exiting Turn 4, which got Enfinger loose and sent him spinning before entering the tri-oval.

Fellow playoff driver Ty Majeski also suffered left-front damage when Enfinger’s No. 9 Chevrolet slid in front of him after driving through the tri-oval grass to avoid the multitruck incident. Jake Garcia also incurred significant front-end damage but was able to continue.

Entering Talladega, Enfinger was four points below the cutline to advance from the Round of 8, with Majeski two points below. Enfinger took his No. 9 Chevrolet to the garage and could not continue. He was evaluated and released from the infield care center and will be credited with a last-place finish.

Enfinger left his home state of Alabama 40 points below the elimination line, as Majeski put together a key recovery drive by finishing third, placing the defending Truck Series champion five points out of a Phoenix transfer spot.

Layne Riggs, another playoff contender, also incurred damage in a separate crash at Lap 10 but was able to continue on for a fifth-place finish. The driver of the No. 34 Ford ended the day six points below the cutline.

Zack Albert | NASCAR Digital Media

Posted on October 17, 2025 by Dustin Albino

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Jim Pohlman can be described as an intense, highly motivated individual chasing the ultimate goal in NASCAR: winning. In 2026, he gets to chase that goal as a full-time Cup Series crew chief, taking over the reins of the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing car with future Hall of Famer and two-time Cup champion Kyle Busch.

Pohlman will return to RCR after spending the previous three seasons leading the way for Justin Allgaier in the Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports. He spent 2022 deep in the RCR bubble, playing multiple roles, including being one of the leads of the team’s research and development program.

“Working for Richard Childress, a Hall of Famer, and Kyle Busch, a future Hall of Famer, speaks paramount for the organization and what they are trying to accomplish,” Pohlman told NASCAR.com Friday at Talladega Superspeedway. “Who better to take a swing at the Cup Series at with somebody other than those two guys?”

MORE: Talladega schedule | Details on Pohlman’s new job

Accepting the inquiry to crew chief Busch, who sits ninth on the all-time Cup wins list and is the winningest NASCAR driver in history across the top three national tour series (232), was a no-brainer for Pohlman. He brought the possibility to Allgaier’s attention, and the duo hashed out their feelings.

Allgaier told Pohlman that he “would be an idiot if he didn’t take” the No. 8 gig. He knows there will be a glaring hole to fill on the No. 7 team, but wanted Pohlman to pursue his ambition.

“It’s a double-edged sword for me,” Allgaier admitted when talking to NASCAR.com. “I am sad to see him go because he has meant the world to me – and still will. His dream has been to be a full-time Cup Series crew chief, to have a shot for going for a championship. He has had forays and been able to be on the Cup side, but not in this scenario.

“I couldn’t have asked Jim to do any more for me. We came into this series and he put more effort than anyone I could ever imagine into what he was doing. The hard work and dedication that he’s given to me, I couldn’t ask for any better. As sad as I am to see that go, he accomplished everything we ever asked for. If you could write it all down on paper, you couldn’t even ask for those stats.”

The pairing has won nine races together since the beginning of 2023. The highlight was securing the 2024 Xfinity Series title at Phoenix Raceway in an emotional, feel-good fashion. Pohlman will forever be grateful to Allgaier for giving him his first foray into the full-time crew chief role and running with it.

“Justin is the guy that put me on the map,” Pohlman added. “Without JRM, this opportunity doesn’t exist. It’s very hard to leave Justin; he’s a great friend and has been a friend for a long time. We’ve won an ARCA championship, we’ve won an Xfinity championship – hopefully, we’re going to win two. To walk away from the possibility of winning three in a row was very heavy on my mind.

“The goal for me has always been to race on Sunday and make it to that level and have an opportunity to win Daytona 500s and win at the highest level. It’s a great opportunity and I’m certainly looking forward to it.”

Getty Images

While Pohlman has crossed paths with Busch on a professional level for more than two decades, he wouldn’t consider themselves to be the best of buds. Their conversations have been minimal.

Pohlman has 20 Cup starts as a crew chief on his resume, including 17 with Juan Pablo Montoya in 2011, earning a pair of top-10 finishes. He called the shots in two races for RCR in 2022, one apiece for Austin Dillon in the No. 3 Chevrolet and Austin Hill in the team’s part-time third entry. Having that previous experience is admirable, but he reiterates that without Allgaier, this opportunity wouldn’t exist.

“I would say that the opportunity to be a crew chief and move to that level all starts with Justin,” Pohlman said. “If Justin doesn’t make that phone call, we’re not standing here. With everything that we’ve accomplished with Justin, myself and this JRM team, it doesn’t come along without that.”

The motivation of winning a second consecutive championship is pegged for Pohlman. He wants to depart the No. 7 team better than he found it.

“After winning the championship last year, the goal when we came back was, ‘we’ve got to do it again and again after that,'” Pohlman said. “We turned into champions, and if you win three in a row, we wanted to turn it into a dynasty. Definitely hard to make that decision, but kudos to Justin for putting me here and giving me this opportunity.”

Allgaier wants to rejoice the final three weeks of the 2025 season with Pohlman and leave him in rarified air.

“I don’t know of any crew chiefs that have come into the series for three years and had two firsts and a second (in points),” Allgaier said. “Those are pretty good stats.”

The courting process for the next crew chief of the No. 7 car will likely be put on hold until the conclusion of the 2025 season, as Allgaier has asked JRM management for “a little time to process it and help not take away from what we’re doing on the race track.”

Posted on October 17, 2025October 17, 2025 by Zach Sturniolo

The No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford was barred from making a qualifying lap for Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs race at Talladega Superspeedway (4 p.m. ET, FOX, NRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The team was found making an unapproved adjustment to the vehicle following pre-race inspection for the middle race of the Round of 8, NASCAR announced Friday, and officials ruled the vehicle set to be driven by Layne Riggs would not be eligible to post a qualifying effort.

MORE: Talladega schedule | Truck Series Playoffs standings

Riggs is one of eight drivers remaining who are eligible for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship, with four drivers slated to advance to the Championship 4 following the Round of 8 finale at Martinsville Speedway. Riggs enters Friday’s Love’s RV Stop 225 fifth in the standings, one position and one point beneath the cutline and will start the 85-lap race from the rear.

In addition to losing the ability to qualify at Talladega, Riggs’ No. 34 team will have last choice of pit-stall selection at Martinsville, set for Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. ET on FS1, NRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Posted on October 17, 2025 by Nate Ryan

This season marks the deepest Talladega Superspeedway has been positioned in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, which also happen to feature the deepest Round of 8 ever in 2025.

Naturally, these two developments are related.

Talladega Superspeedway long has been the bugaboo of NASCAR’s championship run.

The longest oval on the circuit, nestled among the forests of eastern Alabama, is the home of portentous dread for title hopefuls. Its potentially disastrous ramifications have hung over the playoffs like the thick and acrid campfire smoke constantly wafting from the campgrounds of its mammoth infield.

Since the debut of the playoffs in 2004, Talladega’s monstrous impact on the championship has been an annual October talking point. The track is in its 22nd consecutive season of playing host to a fall playoff race, and the handwringing grew more intense with the addition of elimination rounds 11 years ago.

With points resets every third race, there has been much debate about where and how to slot the track, which always was in the Round of 12. Talladega even was tried as a cutoff race. That two-year run in 2015-16 is remembered for the confusion and controversy spawned by determining the finishing order of a 500-mile race that often ends with the frame-by-frame video reviews necessitated by a last-lap caution flag.

This year has proved the middle race in the Round of 8 is where the 2.66-mile oval always belonged, and the strength of the field underscores why the eighth of 10 races is the perfect playoff spot for Talladega.

The remaining title contenders hail exclusively from the “Big Three” of the Cup Series — Hendrick Motorsports (represented by William Byron, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson), Joe Gibbs Racing (Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe) and Team Penske (Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano). It’s a power trio of mighty multicar organizations that should be the betting favorite to lock out the Round of 8 every year. Penske and Hendrick achieved perfect playoff attendance this season, but each of their weakest links (Alex Bowman and Austin Cindric) was eliminated in the first two rounds.

In results and star power, this year’s final eight is the cream of the crop from the regular season and with nary a sleeper in the bunch. Hands down, it is the most deserving of competing for the championship.

That’s in large part because there were no early and undeserving wipeouts at Talladega, where a slight bobble of the wheel in a tightly bunched pack at 200 mph can eliminate more than half the field.

With four laps remaining in the scheduled 500-mile distance of last year’s playoff race, a massive crash erupted with a record 28 cars swept up in the chaos. Among those involved were playoff drivers Briscoe, Austin Cindric, Daniel Suárez and Alex Bowman.

A week later, they all were gone from the playoffs.

That sense of uncertainty is pervasive with Talladega, especially as it’s been followed on the schedule by the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval for the past five seasons. The randomness of having two treacherous tracks back-to-back created scenarios in which it was easy for big names to be unjustly eliminated in the second round.

Talladega’s arbitrary nature is a lot easier to swallow in the third round, where points inherently matter less and being below the cutline (as the field shrinks from eight to four) is nearly always a must-win proposition.

Since the advent of stages in 2017, only two drivers (Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. in 2021) have made the Championship 4 on points from below the cutline with two races remaining in the Round of 8.

Whether a playoff driver gets caught in one of Talladega’s infamous pileups or escapes unscathed Sunday, history tells us that the third-round finale at Martinsville Speedway still looms as a must-win either way.

That will be an oddly comforting thought for the most formidable Round of 8 field ever — as well as a reaffirmation that Talladega has found its rightful place in the playoffs.

Posted on October 17, 2025 by Press Release

PHILADELPHIA, PA. — Comcast is proud to announce the finalists for the 2025 Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award, the prestigious annual award created to recognize the extraordinary philanthropic efforts of individuals across the NASCAR industry.

These extraordinary individuals have shown unwavering dedication and selfless service, creating lasting ripples of positive change in their communities and beyond that reach far beyond the racetrack. From rallying to support their community in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, to breaking the stigma around mental health and suicide by providing education and vital resources, to ensuring students and families have access to nutritious meals when school is not in session, the 2025 finalists embody the true spirit of giving back.

The 2025 finalists are:

— Jerry Caldwell, President, Bristol Motor Speedway (Speedway Children’s Charities – Bristol Chapter)

— Daniel Dye, Driver, Kaulig Racing (Race to Stop Suicide)

— Wayne Auton, Former NASCAR Xfinity Series Director (The Corner Table)

Comcast’s Xfinity brand entered NASCAR as entitlement partner of the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2015 and is now also Premier Partner of the NASCAR Cup Series. Since the program’s inception, Comcast has donated over $1 million to 30 nonprofit organizations, amplifying the impact of the philanthropic efforts of all finalists and champions.

“We are inspired each year by the incredible stories of individuals making a lasting impact through the NASCAR community,” said Matt Lederer, Vice President of Brand Partnerships & Engagement, Comcast. “This year’s finalists embody the true spirit of the Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award through their unwavering commitment to service and making a difference in the lives of others.”

The 2025 Comcast Community Champion of the Year will be selected by a panel of esteemed Comcast and NASCAR executives, along with 2024 Comcast Community Champion Erik Jones.

2025 Comcast Community Champion of the Year finalists

Jerry Caldwell (Bristol, TN) – Jerry Caldwell, President and General Manager of Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS), has built a legacy of leadership centered on community impact and philanthropy. Under his guidance, BMS has grown into a year-round sports and entertainment powerhouse, hosting more than 500 events annually, including two major NASCAR races, an NHRA national event, and the beloved Speedway in Lights holiday festival. This signature event is the largest fundraiser for Speedway Children’s Charities – Bristol, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting children in need across 18 surrounding counties. With Caldwell’s leadership assistance, SCC-Bristol raised a record-breaking $1,028,325 last year, bringing its lifetime total to over $21 million donated directly to more than 70 child-focused organizations throughout the region.

Caldwell’s commitment to serving others goes beyond fundraising. During times of crisis, he has mobilized BMS as a vital community resource. Following the devastation of Hurricane Helene in 2024, Caldwell worked directly with Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and his team to establish a first-of-its-kind regional relief center at BMS. This hub united nonprofits, government agencies, and volunteers to deliver essential aid across Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and Western North Carolina, becoming a model now studied by FEMA for future disaster response efforts.

Continuing to elevate BMS on a national stage, Caldwell spearheaded plans for the MLB Speedway Classic — the first American and National League regular-season Major League Baseball game ever played in Tennessee — this past August between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds. That game now holds MLB’s highest attendance record for a regular-season game (91,032). In keeping with Caldwell’s mission of service, MLB announced a $50,000 donation from ticket sales to Hurricane Helene relief efforts, linking a historic sporting event to meaningful community support.

Through visionary leadership and a deep commitment to giving back, Jerry Caldwell has ensured that Bristol Motor Speedway is not only a world-class racing venue but also a beacon of hope, creating unforgettable experiences for fans while driving transformative impact across the Appalachian Highlands.

Daniel Dye (Daytona Beach, FL) – Daniel Dye is a rising NASCAR star whose journey on and off the track has been defined by purpose and a passion for saving lives. In 2018, as an eighth grader with dreams of racing at the highest level, Daniel founded Race to Stop Suicide, a nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide. Inspired by conversations with his peers and his own heartbreaking family experience, the loss of his cousin to suicide at just 23 years old, Daniel began using his racing platform to spark tough conversations and provide resources to those in need. Through speaking engagements at schools, conferences, and churches, as well as grassroots racing initiatives, Daniel and his father, Randy Dye, have grown Race to Stop Suicide into a national movement. To date, the organization has raised critical funding for mental health facilities like SMA Health and the Halifax Health Adolescent Behavior Center, offering hope and lifesaving support to countless families.

Daniel’s impact reached new heights with the creation of The March to Stop Suicide, an annual event held at Daytona International Speedway. Participants walk the track for 98 minutes and 8 seconds in honor of the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 988. The 2025 event exceeded all expectations, raising nearly $230,000 for Beyond the Brotherhood, a nonprofit supporting Navy SEALs transitioning to civilian life, and local mental health resources.

While living out his dream racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Daniel continues to carry the message of Race to Stop Suicide nationwide. During Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September 2025, Daniel showcased his support for mental health awareness by racing his No. 10 Chevrolet with Kaulig Racing featuring the impactful “Race to Stop Suicide” paint scheme at World Wide Technology Raceway. During Mental Health Awareness Month in May 2025, his No. 10 Chevrolet prominently featured the initiative, including in international competition at Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. This visibility has made Race to Stop Suicide a beacon of hope for those struggling, with families sharing stories of loved ones saved and inspired by Daniel’s message.

By combining his passion for racing with his mission to change lives, Daniel Dye is not only breaking barriers in NASCAR but also creating a legacy of compassion, awareness, and action, proving that even the fastest cars can help slow the race against time when it comes to mental health and suicide prevention.

Wayne Auton (Newton, NC) – Wayne Auton has spent more than 40 years in the NASCAR industry, leaving a lasting legacy on the sport through his leadership and dedication. After retiring from his storied career, Wayne wasted no time channeling his energy into another passion close to his heart, giving back to his community. In September 2024, he began volunteering with The Corner Table, an outreach ministry in Newton, North Carolina, dedicated to fighting hunger and supporting those facing hardship through multiple feeding programs.

Wayne quickly became an integral part of The Corner Table’s operations, dedicating two days each week throughout the year to supporting its three core programs: the Backpack Program, which provides weekend meals for children across 40+ local schools; the Community Kitchen, which serves hot meals five days a week; and the Debbie Payseur Frozen Meals Program, which distributes meals to individuals and families in need throughout the community. His role includes everything from loading and delivering food bags to schools, to managing donation pickups from retail partners like Sam’s Club and Lowes Foods, often handling entire pallets of food.

As a certified forklift operator, Wayne is also essential in unloading and organizing large food deliveries, ensuring operations run smoothly and efficiently. Always willing to go above and beyond, he steps in whenever additional help is needed, whether it’s a last-minute delivery or an emergency food run.

Wayne’s commitment, compassion, and reliability have made him a vital member of The Corner Table’s mission to combat hunger. Just as he left a meaningful mark on NASCAR, Wayne now brings that same dedication to serving his community, proving that true leadership extends far beyond the track.

Posted on October 17, 2025 by Brandon White

The 2025 season went about as perfectly as it could for Winston-Salem, North Carolina native Chase Robertson.

Not only did Robertson secure his second Bowman Gray Stadium track title in the Sportsman class, but he also earned his maiden NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division II national championship. Robertson’s title campaign saw him tally six victories and 25 top fives in 29 events.

With Bowman Gray’s season ending in August, Robertson partnered with another short-track competitor in Penn Crim to run Limited Late Models at North Carolina’s Ace Speedway and keep his national title hopes alive. The decision paid dividends for Robertson, who was elated to see a year of consistency pay off with such a milestone.

“It means a lot to get both of those championships,” Robertson said. “The Bowman Gray championship was something I knew we could get. We won it in 2023 and finished a really close second in points last year. I had a good team behind me, good parents and a good setup guy in Dylan Ward to guide me through all of it.

“It was a great year, and it seemed like everything worked out in our favor.”

Consistency for Chase Robertson across Bowman Gray Stadium and Ace Speedway earned him the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Div. II national title. (Photo: Susan Wong/NASCAR)

Robertson knows how to persevere under adverse circumstances having competed at Bowman Gray full-time since 2019 and witnessed many wild moments firsthand.

The layout and racing culture of Bowman Gray creates an unpredictable environment that requires Robertson to have a sturdy mental fortitude. One minor mistake around Bowman Gray can result in the loss of vital track position or a torn-up car, which puts heavy emphasis on starting toward the front.

All the on-track action takes place in a stadium environment with a sold-out crowd, another aspect of Bowman Gray that differentiates it from other facilities Robertson has visited during his career.

“There’s really nothing like racing at Bowman Gray,” Robertson said. “In any class you race in at the stadium, it’s unlike any other track. The fans are literally right there in front of you. They can’t touch the car, but they’re close enough that you can hear them under caution. The atmosphere, the energy and the history of the track makes it special to me.”

With many extraneous factors always prevalent at Bowman Gray, Robertson’s strategy toward pursuing another track title and his first national championship was to control his own destiny.

An accident early last year was enough to derail Robertson’s 2024 track championship hopes. Despite the unpredictable nature of Bowman Gray, Robertson in 2025 succeeded in minimizing his mistakes inside the Madhouse, as he only finished outside the top five on three occasions.

Becoming a two-time Bowman Gray track champion, let alone a national champion, still feels surreal to Robertson. Long familiar with Bowman Gray legends like Tim Brown, Burt Myers, Junior Miller, Tommy Neal and others, Robertson never imagined he would join them as a driver with multiple track titles to his name.

“If you were to tell me when I first started in 2019 that I’d have two track championships at [Bowman Gray], I’d probably laugh at you,” Robertson said. “I felt like I’ve come a long way from where I started compared to where I’m at now as a driver. It means a lot to me, and I know it means a lot to my dad [Mike] because he’s been over there all his life.”

With another Bowman Gray title and a national championship on his resume, Chase Robertson looks forward to branching out in 2026. (Photo: Susan Wong/NASCAR)

One more top five at Ace with Crim’s equipment during the final weekend to collect points provided Robertson enough of a cushion to clinch the Division II national title over Brent Kane. Robertson enjoyed building chemistry with Crim and intends to keep working with his program going forward.

As far as his 2026 plans go, Robertson has cherished his time at Bowman Gray over the past few years but does not envision pursuing another track title. He wants to venture out to other facilities in the southeast and would love to contest an entire season in Pro Late Models if the funding comes together.

Robertson believes Bowman Gray’s Sportsman class has properly battle-tested him. His efforts inside the Madhouse yielded two track championships and contributed to a national title, all while acquiring valuable insight on what is needed to obtain more accolades over the rest of his career.

“Throughout the season, when you lead the points all the way through, you have to be mindful of the things you do and how you do it,” Robertson said. “Going forward, I know how to race people in certain situations and know how to give and take.

“I’d almost call [2025] a breakout year for me. I’m still kind of riding the high right now, and I just need to carry this momentum.”

Posted on October 16, 2025 by NASCAR Official Release

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (October 16, 2025) – NASCAR and United Rentals today announced that United Rentals, the world’s largest equipment rental company, has joined the league as an official IMPACT Partner in joint support of Team Rubicon, the veteran-led humanitarian organization that serves communities before, during, and after disasters and crises. As a centerpiece of the partnership, NASCAR and United Rentals will host recruiting stations during select race weekends where fans can sign up as Team Rubicon “Greyshirt” volunteers for critical disaster relief operations.

These pop-up recruiting stations will launch this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway and will continue throughout 2026, including a season kick-off activation during the 2026 DAYTONA 500 weekend and the United Rentals 300 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race. The initiative aims to grow Team Rubicon’s volunteer base by tapping into NASCAR’s passionate fan community and inviting them to join thousands of volunteers who respond to disasters, humanitarian crises, and community needs nationwide.

“We’re thrilled to welcome United Rentals as an official NASCAR IMPACT Partner in support of this shared mission to serve communities in their greatest time of need,” said Eric Nyquist, Senior Vice President and Chief Impact Officer at NASCAR. “By connecting our passionate fanbase with Team Rubicon’s critical mission, we’re creating meaningful opportunities for NASCAR fans to make a real difference in disaster relief efforts across the country.”

Launched in 2023, NASCAR IMPACT encompasses the sport’s commitment to create positive change in communities across the country by partnering with organizations on the front line. This partnership with United Rentals represents a significant expansion of NASCAR IMPACT’s veteran engagement and community-building pillar, leveraging the sport’s platform to support disaster preparedness and relief efforts.

“We are proud to partner with NASCAR in support of Team Rubicon’s vital work,” said Mike Durand, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at United Rentals. “Our company has a long history of supporting disaster relief and community rebuilding efforts, and this partnership allows us to expand that impact alongside NASCAR’s incredible community. Together, we can mobilize more volunteers and resources to help communities recover and rebuild when they need it most.”

United Rentals, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, is the world’s largest equipment rental company with a network nearly three times the size of any other provider. The company operates more than 1,600 rental locations throughout the United States and Canada, serving construction and industrial companies, utilities, municipalities and communities.

Team Rubicon is a veteran-led humanitarian organization that serves global communities before, during, and after disasters and crises. Founded in 2010 by U.S. Marine Corps veteran Jake Wood, the organization pairs the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders, medical professionals, and technology solutions to provide rapid disaster relief. Team Rubicon’s volunteers, known as “Greyshirts” for their distinctive grey shirts, respond to disasters in all 50 states as well as international humanitarian crises. Volunteer recruitment and onboarding will be managed by Team Rubicon in accordance with its policies.

Posted on October 16, 2025 by Neil Paine

As the Cup Series Playoffs head to Talladega for the second race of the Round of 8, we have a much better idea of who will make the Championship 4 now than ever — and that’s bad news for the underdog drivers hoping to crash the party in Phoenix in three weeks.

While there was already a clear hierarchy in the playoff forecast odds this time last week, with a top tier of drivers hovering above the rest, every member of the final eight was bunched between 25 and 65 percent to advance, and all faced the pressure of big potential swings in the odds depending on what they did at Las Vegas.

Now, those swings have happened — and they illustrate the brutal numbers game that four playoff drivers already find themselves in after just one race this round.

RELATED: Cup standings | Talladega schedule

As Denny Hamlin was locking up his spot in the Championship 4 with a win, Kyle Larson’s strong runner-up finish boosted his odds to 91 percent. But while those two solidified their positions, William Byron and especially Ryan Blaney saw their chances tumble from above 50 percent to below 30 percent (well below, in Blaney’s case), and the biggest underdogs from before the round — Chase Elliott and Joey Logano — drifted further out of reach. Meanwhile, Christopher Bell climbed from 57 to 69 percent and Chase Briscoe from 39 to 57 percent, giving the Joe Gibbs Racing teammates the inside track to claim the final two spots.

As a result of all that activity, we now have a sizable gulf in the odds between the four favorites to make Phoenix with their title hopes intact, and the quartet of drivers currently below the cutline in desperate need of a comeback. How can they pull it off? Let’s dig into the factors that could ignite a turnaround for Byron, Elliott, Logano and Blaney — including who their key rivals to beat are — and what needs to happen for things to go their way over the next two weekends.

William Byron

Forecast odds to advance: 28.7%
Margin to cutline: -15
Playoff finishes: 21-11-12 | 3-9-11 | 36

Although his odds to advance dropped by 25 percentage points with last week’s disappointing 36th-place finish at Las Vegas — in a race he led 55 laps before plowing into the back of Ty Dillon to ruin his day — Byron is still within some striking distance of Briscoe, down just 15 points heading to Talladega. Byron doesn’t strictly need a win in either of the next two races in order to make the Championship 4, either, as a pair of (non-win) Top 10s give him a 73 percent chance to advance in the forecast simulations. It’s always tough to bank on a win — or even a top 10 — at Talladega, but Byron is one of the better superspeedway artists in the sport, having won at Daytona three times. And at Martinsville, he ranks eighth among active drivers in both Adjusted Points+ index and Driver Rating in his career.

But the odds do show how little margin for error Byron has as well. If he so much as finishes in the teens at Talladega, even a non-win finish in the single digits at Martinsville would give him just a 35 percent chance to drive for the title at Phoenix. So Byron will have to very much be on his game for the next two races — and he’ll need to outduel Chase Briscoe in particular. Briscoe and Byron are the two drivers under the most pressure this weekend, in terms of how sensitive their odds are to slight changes in fortune. And in the simulations, they also emerge as the Round of 8’s biggest nemeses, i.e., the pair of drivers least likely to both advance to the Championship 4 at the same time. And just for good measure, the second-biggest rivalry is Byron versus Christopher Bell. The No. 24 car’s driver is going to have his hands full for the rest of October.

Joey Logano

Forecast odds to advance: 21.1%
Margin to cutline: -24
Playoff finishes: 20-5-5 | 4-21-20 | 6

Logano’s odds were already not in a great place last week, though he was coming up on a series of tracks where he has a strong pedigree. Las Vegas provided one of those opportunities, and he did finish a strong sixth after having to battle to stay in the top 10 for most of the day. Because of this, Joey ended up not losing as much advancement probability as some others, but he nonetheless is in the exact same place where he began the round: 24 points below the cut. And in the odds table, we see that he would be living right on the edge without a win, even if he puts together two more runs like the one he had last week. It’s hardly impossible to make it without winning, but he would need a lot of help.

Joey does also have a pair of very good résumés to call upon at Talladega (where he’s won three times and is second among active drivers in career Driver Rating) and Martinsville (where he has one win and ranks fourth in Driver Rating), making him a threat to get that win. But if not, when it comes to jockeying for position, Logano’s big battle is also with Chase Briscoe, which is the third-most impactful rivalry of the next two races. There’s an interesting dynamic there as well — Logano is better than Briscoe on superspeedways but Briscoe is better on short tracks, so Logano needs to take extra advantage at Talladega to put himself in a good position entering the penultimate race of the year at the Paperclip.

Chase Elliott

Forecast odds to advance: 18.5%
Margin to cutline: -23
Playoff finishes: 17-3-38 | 5-1-8 | 18

Unsurprisingly, Elliott checks in with a very similar set of scenarios to Logano — which makes sense, as both are nearly tied on points (Chase is 23 below the cutline, Joey 24). The only reason why Logano has slightly higher overall odds to advance is just that he is projected for a slightly better Driver Rating at both superspeedways and short tracks, making him more likely to punch his Championship 4 ticket with a W. But Elliott has won races and produced strong ratings at both sites before as well, so for all intents and purposes they may as well be tied here. That works to both drivers’ detriment, though, as it provides one additional evenly matched rival to fend off while trying to scramble back up above the cutline.

Still, the playbook for the No. 9 car looks a lot like that of the No. 22. Because Elliott’s biggest statistical nemesis of the round is, you guessed it, Chase Briscoe, Elliott needs to gain as much on Briscoe as he can specifically at Talladega, the track where he has the bigger advantage — and based on the way things ran there in April, there should be a lot of Chevys up front for Elliott to work with. But he’s in the unwelcome spot of needing to finish highly at both a superspeedway and a short track in back-to-back weeks, while also hoping for Briscoe, Christopher Bell and even teammate William Byron to simultaneously have bad weeks in order to advance.

Ryan Blaney

Forecast odds to advance: 14.7%
Margin to cutline: -31
Playoff finishes: 18-4-4 | 1-24-13 | 38

Blaney is arguably the most tragic, and potentially the most dangerous, driver in our group of underdogs. Not long ago, Blaney was the 2025 title favorite according to the forecast model, with a 73 percent chance of making the Championship 4. But after cutting a tire just 70 laps into the race at Las Vegas, Blaney’s last-place finish knocked his advancement odds down by a staggering 48 percentage points in a single week. He is now staring at little more than long-shot status to find a way into the final race at Phoenix for a third consecutive season.

As we can see from the odds chart, Blaney is practically in must-win mode now. He has no margin for error at either Talladega or Martinsville; any finish outside the top 10 effectively dooms any chance to point his way into the next round. And even a pair of strong runs leaves him 70 percent likely to miss out on the title race anyway. He could get help if Chase Briscoe and Christopher Bell struggle, but neither of those rivalries rank among the Top 7 most important head-to-head comparisons the rest of this round.

So Blaney should probably treat it like he needs a win at one of the next two races. And the good news is that he can absolutely still pull that off. He’s traditionally been an excellent drafting track racer, even if his form this year (76.4 Driver Rating) is down quite a bit, and he’s been nothing less than amazing (109.4 rating) on short tracks in 2025. As one of the best active career drivers at both remaining tracks this round, Blaney will still have a say in shaping how this championship plays out — even if the odds aren’t currently in his favor to make it himself. And, hey, if he doesn’t complete the comeback, his record at Phoenix suggests his fingerprints could still be all over the title fight as a spoiler, too.