After an off week, the NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to Kansas Speedway to continue the Round of 12 with race No. 2 of the playoffs. Teams will hit the track for practice at 10:30 a.m. ET with qualifying to follow at 11:35 a.m. ET on The CW app.
The NASCAR Cup Series continues the Round of 12 this weekend with its second trip of the season to Kansas Speedway. Teams will practice beginning at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday with qualifying to follow at 2:10 p.m. ET on truTV.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — In a triumphant return to the pinnacle of grassroots racing, Jacob Goede captured his second career NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series (NAAPWS) National Championship after winning the Late Model Feature this past weekend at Elko Speedway. The Minnesota native, who last earned the title in 2019, solidified his standing as one of the Midwest’s most dominant short-track racers with a season defined by consistency, speed, and veteran savvy.
“It feels like a huge weight is off your shoulders when this battle is over,” said Goede. “Overall, very proud of the effort we put in, very proud to bring it home to the Midwest.”
Goede’s 2025 season was anchored by strong performances across three premier Midwest tracks— Dells Raceway Park (Wis.), LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway (Wis.), and Elko Speedway (Minn.). Over the course of the season, he racked up 10 wins and an impressive 25 top-five finishes, showcasing his signature blend of patience and precision behind the wheel, and a testament to the grassroots racing that the NAAPWS is all about.
“The NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series is all about recognizing and celebrating the best short track racers in the country — the drivers who keep the spirit of local racing alive week in and week out,” said Joey Dennewitz, Managing Director, NASCAR Regional. “Jacob Goede embodies that mission. To win this national championship once is impressive, but to do it again, six years later, speaks volumes about his talent, commitment, and longevity in the sport.”
This latest title adds to an already decorated racing résumé. In addition to his two national championships, Goede is a five-time NAAPWS Midwest Region champion, a 10-time Minnesota state champion, two-time Wisconsin state champion, and a 10-time track champion at Elko Speedway— a venue he’s made his proving ground over the past decade.
And his season isn’t over yet.
Goede is still chasing one more major title in 2025— the LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway track championship. After finishing second in the standings last year, he enters the final weekend of the season leading the points by a razor-thin one-point margin. With double features scheduled for both October 9 and 10, the championship is far from decided.
Jacob Goede scored wins at Dells Raceway Park, Elko Speedway and LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway en route to the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series National championship. (Photo: Forte Design LLC/Mary Schill )
“We got to perform one more time,” Goede said. “I’m looking forward to Saturday of Oktoberfest when the points racing is over and we can just go racing and not have to worry about points, but it’d really mean a lot to win a championship at LaCrosse. … I’ve won 10 championships at Elko. I haven’t won a championship anywhere else, and I feel like I need to do that.”
Goede’s journey to short track greatness began when he was just 7 years old, racing quarter midgets. He transitioned to late models at age 15, dedicating an entire summer solely to practice before ever entering a competitive race. That early discipline, instilled by his father and carried through his entire racing career, continues to pay dividends.
“It’s always the strive to be better,” said Goede. “That’s my motivation; I want to be better. I’m super competitive. I want to win when I go to the race track. It’s what keeps me going. It’s what makes me lose sleep at night. It’s everything.”
Though he spent years traveling the country racing, Goede eventually returned home to Minnesota in 2011 after getting married. With three children and a family that’s never far from the pit wall, racing close to home now offers something even more valuable than trophies— quality time with loved ones.
“I’m very thankful to my family for allowing me to put in the time that I do,” said Goede. It takes a full commitment to do this thing, so to have the work actually pay off is really special.”
While trips to victory lane never come easy for anyone, it’s become a familiar place for Goede. With each win and each championship, his confidence grows— along with the expectations. But for Goede, the pressure only fuels the fire.
“You always got to be trying to be better, and that can be hard, but like I said, it’s what keeps me going, said Goede. “It’s what I love to do. I love to compete. I’m an engineer by trade; I love to try and figure out how to make things work better.”
As the 2025 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series season comes to a close, Jacob Goede once again stands atop the landscape— a testament to years of dedication, a relentless pursuit of excellence, and a deep-rooted love for the sport.
Gratitude is the first word that comes to mind when Jason Ratcliff, crew chief for Taylor Gray in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, reflects on his career in NASCAR. For those who have worked with him at Joe Gibbs Racing, there is plenty of that, too. “I love Jason” are the first words that come to mind for Xfinity Series wins leader Kyle Busch and 13-time Cup Series victor Christopher Bell.
To say Gray has one of the best in his corner as he tries to advance to the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs might be an understatement. Ratcliff is the current wins leader among Xfinity crew chiefs with 57 as the series heads to Kansas Speedway for Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 (4 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Looking back on his career, Ratcliff began working with his father, George, buying and selling used cars and without a plan to be in NASCAR someday. He worked as a mechanic before helping a high school girlfriend’s father with his dirt sprint car. Between bouncing around Texas and Louisiana, he always enjoyed the aspect of local racing.
With family centered not far from Talladega Superspeedway, Ratcliff caught the NASCAR bug. Still, he gave little thought to making a career in the sport; instead, he worked for an electrical business after high school.
“NASCAR was always something right there in the forefront, but never anything that I thought I’d be a part of someday,” Ratcliff told NASCAR.com.
After stopping at Sadler Brothers Racing for his first NASCAR gig, Ratcliff served as crew chief for Brewco Motorsports, where he scored a pair of victories with Jamie McMurray in 2002 and three more in 2003 with David Green, placing second in the championship battle to Hendrick Motorsports’ Brian Vickers.
That success opened the eyes of Joe Gibbs Racing. In 2005, Ratcliff jumped at an opportunity to crew chief J.J. Yeley in the Xfinity Series. It wasn’t until 2008 that he scored his first victory with JGR, when he was paired with Kyle Busch. Joining Toyota that same year was a bonus.
“When Toyota came in, I felt like we were making progress as a team, but we got the extra resources we needed to revamp everything,” Ratcliff said. “We had to change bodies, manufacturers, so you have to relocate engine mounts, and it’s a big undertaking and a good time that if there were things we could do differently, now is the time to do it.”
Connecting with Busch — who joined JGR from Hendrick Motorsports — was the catalyst for Ratcliff’s career. The then-12-time Cup Series victor opted to run the full 2009 Xfinity schedule with JGR to chase the driver’s championship. Mission accomplished, with the No. 18 team winning nine races, leading a series record 2,698 laps and winning the championship.
As Ratcliff became more familiar with Busch — who returned for the bulk of the 2010 campaign — the duo set out on a mission to break Sam Ard’s record of 10 victories in a single season, which had stood since 1983. They won 13 races, setting the new benchmark.
“Before the season even started, we said, let’s tie that record,” Ratcliff said. “To get it and then surpass it was not anything we expected we could do, but it was a great time and a great accomplishment. Records are made to be broken; somebody will do it.”
“I think the thing with Jason was the mutual respect for one another,” said Busch, who looks back fondly on his days with Ratcliff. “I got to work with him at JGR and could understand why this guy is as good as he is. He is one of my favorite crew chiefs that I’ve had over the years.”
After collecting eight additional trophies with Busch in 2011 and Greg Zipadelli departing JGR for Stewart-Haas Racing, Ratcliff remained patient, receiving his first shot as a Cup Series crew chief with Joey Logano. When Matt Kenseth replaced Logano in the No. 20 car for the 2013 season, the new pairing had instant chemistry. They won their third race together at Las Vegas Motor Speedway en route to a six-win season and finished runner-up to Jimmie Johnson in the championship battle. In six years calling the shots for the No. 20 Cup car, Ratcliff compiled 15 victories.
“Until you’re there, you feel like you can do it, but until you go out and do it, there is a little bit in the back of your mind saying, ‘am I capable?'” Ratcliff said of his Cup experience. “I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the greatest drivers that this sport has seen.”
Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
With a JGR driver shuffle ahead of 2018, Ratcliff returned to the Xfinity Series to crew-chief Bell. Originally, he thought it was a confusing internal move, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, winning 15 races in two seasons together. Ratcliff returned to the Cup Series in 2020 as Bell joined Leavine Family Racing for a stopgap season.
“While I didn’t really want to do that deal — not that it had anything to do with Christopher — I felt like I belonged in Cup,” Ratcliff said, “but what a blessing in disguise for me. If you would ask me if I would go back and do something different, no way.”
Bell, who was originally bummed about being split from Ratcliff ahead of the 2021 season, believes he played an integral role in his development.
“I remember having him instill confidence in me and knowing what to expect going into the weekends and having my back and feeling like we’re on the team together,” Bell said. “He was a great leader of the group. He is in the top of crew chiefs that I have ever driven for.”
Ratcliff hopped off the road following the 2023 season and became the equivalent of JGR’s competition director, splitting time between working with drivers and crew chiefs. With a late crew chief change internally at JGR for the 2025 season, team owner Joe Gibbs called Ratcliff and asked for a favor, hoping he would call the shots for rookie Gray. Ratcliff agreed, though he knew it wasn’t a long-term position.
Ratcliff is 70% certain that he will return to the pit box in 2026, wanting to see things unfold.
“I like what we’re doing this year and feel like we’ve made a lot of progress,” Ratcliff said. “I think Taylor is poised to be a championship contender. As long as we’re making progress, it keeps me fired up and going. I’m willing to come back next year.”
Whenever Ratcliff hangs up the headset, he will be the winningest crew chief in Xfinity Series history (currently with 57). And there are no words to express the ride.
“Until I’m actually removed from the sport, I’m not sure that it will sink in as long as I’m competing,” Ratcliff said. “It’s pretty amazing, and I have a lot of people to be thankful to for not only working with me but supporting me.”
Goodyear will provide a new right-side tire for both the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series this weekend at Kansas Speedway.
The new right-side construction will pair with a left-side Goodyear Racing Eagle that’s been used at similar-sized tracks this season. Goodyear officials indicated that the tire setup for the Cup Series’ Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN Bet on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, USA Network, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) and the Xfinity Series’ Kansas Lottery 300 on Saturday (4 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will also be used at the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 11-12.
“Kansas presents a unique set of conditions for teams — known for its relatively smooth surface, multiple grooves and close finishes — but recent races have shown notable tire wear,” Justin Fantozzi, Goodyear operations manager for global race tires, said in a release provided by the tire maker. “For both series, new right-side tires are being introduced after undergoing construction changes to increase strategy options for the crew chiefs. This weekend, teams will need to balance grip with outright speed to maximize performance of these new Goodyear Racing Eagle tire setups.”
Cup Series teams will each have 10 sets of tires in their weekend allotment at Kansas — eight new sets for the 267-lap, 400-mile event, one for practice and one for qualifying that carries over to the race. Xfinity Series teams will each have six sets — four new sets for the race, one for practice and another for qualifying to transfer to the 200-lap, 300-mile race.
The Cup Series previously used the same left-side tire this season at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Darlington Raceway earlier this month. The Xfinity Series’ left-side tire for this weekend was also used at Las Vegas, Charlotte, Texas Motor Speedway and Nashville Superspeedway.
Late Model Stock veterans Ronnie Bassett Jr. and Woody Howard come from two similar but different backgrounds.
Bassett was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and diligently worked his way up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series before returning to his short track roots. Howard, a Chesapeake, Virginia, native, has spent his entire career competing on short tracks, whether that has been at the regional level or with the now-defunct USAR Pro Cup Series.
Despite their differences, the two competitors do share one thing in common heading into Saturday’s ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway (7 p.m. ET on FloRacing), they are tied for second in the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown standings with a 6.5 average finish.
Although Bassett has endured plenty of emotions at Martinsville during his career, he enters a busy weekend with plenty of optimism. Last year’s ValleyStar Credit Union 300 saw Bassett finish eighth, which is why he is confident about improving on that showing Saturday evening.
“We’ve had some really good runs [at Martinsville],” Bassett said. “We’ve gotten into some late-race incidents and have had some controversies go on between me and my brother [Dillon], but [the ValleyStar Credit Union 300] has always been a good race for us and we’re looking forward to getting back.
“Hopefully we can bring a grandfather clock back to Winston-Salem.”
A key difference for Bassett this year compared to his previous ValleyStar Credit Union 300 attempts is that he will not be bringing his family-owned car to Martinsville.
Instead, Bassett is teaming up with Shane Wilson, who has served as his Late Model Stock crew chief this year. Wilson previously worked with the Bassetts when they still had their Xfinity Series program but has also served as a crew chief for teams like Richard Childress Racing, Team Penske and ThorSport Racing, among others.
Martinsville will be Wilson’s first race with his own operation, but Bassett does not envision the two having many issues throughout the weekend. Wilson has been a vital resource for Bassett, so he wants to return the favor by delivering a strong performance in Wilson’s No. 62.
“Every time we go to the race track, I feel like we’ve got a chance to win the race,” Bassett said. “I don’t look at it no differently going to Martinsville. Shane [Wilson] has been around the Late Model [Stock] scene for a while and I have as well. With the help of a bunch of good people and his knowledge, we’ll be just fine.”
Finishes of fifth and eighth in the 2025 Virginia Late Model Triple Crown have Ronnie Bassett Jr. tied for second in the point standings. (Photo: Ted Malinowski/NASCAR)
The primary conundrum Bassett and others face with the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 is no matter how strong their car is, one wrong move in the qualifying races can end a promising weekend before it begins, especially with the quality of competition in the field.
Howard is among those Bassett will have to fight for a spot on the 40-car ValleyStar Credit Union 300 starting grid. Howard failed to qualify for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 during his most recent attempt in 2021, but he has enjoyed success at the track in the past, with his best performance being a seventh-place finish in 2009.
Originally, there was no plan for Howard to go for the Virginia Triple Crown until he was convinced by his team to head to South Boston Speedway in June for the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200. Being in contention for the championship going into Martinsville is something Howard credits to all the hard work his team has put in.
“I’m kind of surprised we’re even in the running for the Triple Crown,” Howard said. “I kind of got out of racing 10 years ago but slowly started getting back into it. Over the last couple years, we got a lot of good partners that helped us step up our program. We’re all super motivated and I’m pretty excited to have a good showing out at Martinsville.”
Howard’s ninth place run at South Boston kicked off his pursuit for the Virginia Triple Crown. He backed that performance up with another stellar outing at his home track, Langley Speedway, where he successfully managed his tires all evening to secure a fourth-place finish in the Hampton Heat.
Having five USAR Pro Cup Series wins and countless Late Model Stock appearances to his name, Howard is no stranger to performing under pressure. Despite this, Howard understands how different Martinsville is compared to other races but feels a more concerted endeavor on his behalf will work as an advantage this weekend.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been [to Martinsville],” Howard said. “The last couple times I attempted, it was more for fun. This year though, we’re putting in a lot of extra effort and are trying to look at every little detail. It’s a long race, but we’ve got to make the race and stay out of trouble.”
A local Langley Speedway competitor, Woody Howard has been pleasantly surprised by his consistent Virginia Late Model Triple Crown campaign. (Photo: Ryan M. Kelly/NASCAR)
Bassett has been equally as consistent as Howard. Although Bassett finished behind Howard at Langley in eighth, he earned a top five finish at South Boston, which was crucial towards him moving to second in the standings alongside Howard.
For as good as their respective Virginia Triple Crown campaigns have been, both Bassett and Howard still trail Connor Hall by a significant margin. Hall possesses an average finish of 1.5 following his South Boston victory and a runner-up showing at Langley.
Hall is also locked into the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 by winning at South Boston, so Howard and Bassett will need to execute in qualifying to make sure they make the race. From their own individual experiences, the two drivers know that making the field is by no means a guarantee due to circumstances within and outside of their control.
Expectations are high for Howard ahead of the ValleyStar Credit Union 300, but he is not feeling any stress before qualifying. Howard has enjoyed the journey towards this moment and intends to cherish the experience of having a competitive car for Martinsville, all while hoping he can find his way to Victory Lane.
“I’ve got a lot of big wins, but [Martinsville] would be at the top of the list for me,” Howard said. “If you had asked me earlier this year, I would have said we weren’t going to Martinsville. We’re just excited to be a part of it no matter how it turns out, but we hope we can make the race and have a good showing.”
Like Howard, Bassett has been thrilled by his consistency in the Virginia Triple Crown this year and hopes to carry that into Martinsville with Wilson’s upstart program. With so many extraneous factors at play that will include an intense qualifying race, Bassett plans to control what he can and be methodical through all 200 laps.
Bassett remembers the mechanical issues Hall had at Martinsville last year. If everything goes his way, Bassett knows he can leave Martinsville with both a grandfather clock and a Virginia Triple Crown.
“We’ve kind of struggled the past couple months, so it would be awesome to win [Martinsville] for [Wilson] in this car’s first race out,” Bassett said. “My brother chased the Triple Crown deal a long time ago, so it’s kind of neat to be in a position to have a shot at it. All we can ask for is to go to Martinsville, do the best we can and see where we end up.”
Bassett and Howard may possess many similarities and differences, but they both remain stalwart, consistent competitors in the Late Model Stock discipline. One more strong run at Martinsville on Saturday evening is all that separates them from potentially earning two of the biggest accomplishments of their respective careers.
Team Penske held all the power Sunday at the “Magic Mile,” with its championship-winning drivers dominating the 301-lapper and Ryan Blaney claiming his third checkered flag of the season. The No. 12 driver’s close friend, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott, had perhaps the drive of the race at Loudon, scraping together a top-five finish after arguably his most disappointing qualifying effort of the season. Will he keep the Round of 12 magic going in the Midwest?
NASCAR.com’s Pat DeCola ranks the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs contenders after the Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and before Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN Bet at Kansas Speedway (3 p.m. ET, USA Network, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).
Analysis: It’s hard to look much more powerful than Blaney did Sunday at Loudon, where he carried the fastest long-run speed car all weekend to his first New Hampshire victory, finally claiming “that (freaking) lobster” and punching an early ticket to the Round of 8. Blaney seems to have a rocket ship every week and gave every indication he intends to continue pressing at Kansas and the Charlotte Roval, so it’s possible this really could be the Round of “12.”
Analysis: Byron not only collected his first top 10 at Loudon in his eighth try Sunday, but he held one of the few cars that seemingly had a sniff of a chance against Team Penske and landed third on the results sheet. A runner-up at Kansas Speedway last fall, look for Byron to carry that speed into perhaps his first win there this weekend.
Analysis: The newfound Hendrick Motorsports speed at Loudon extended to Larson, who once again looks headed toward a potential Championship 4 appearance as the No. 5 team continues to dial things in when it matters. There’s a strong chance that’ll be the car to beat at Kansas as well, seeing as it’s the site of Larson’s most recent win and he’s been lights out there in Hendrick equipment (three wins since 2021).
Analysis: It’s a tough pill to swallow when a driver is one of three guys to test a track in July — a track at which he’s the unquestioned favorite — and then races at said track in September with his team riding three straight wins … and doesn’t lead a lap. Not the weekend Bell was hoping for, but he still walked out a respectable sixth on the pylon and now heads to a track at which he has eight top 10s in 11 starts. Could be worse.
Analysis: Logano was very much hoping to win Sunday and wasn’t pleased with not doing so, but he still secured three straight top fives for the first time since 2019, walking away well above the bubble with the second-most points of the race behind his race-winning teammate. The three-time Kansas winner could contend at the 1.5-mile facility this weekend, but the track has been hit-or-miss for him since his last victory there in 2020.
Analysis: Along the same lines as Bell, Hamlin expected a much better result at Loudon on Sunday, though who knows what would’ve happened if this situation had played out a little smoother. The four-time Kansas winner has also led in five straight races there, so the 2025 wins leader should, in theory, get back to his dominant ways on Sunday.
Analysis: Elliott has a pair of single-point, dismal days in the past six races, and yet, there’s no denying that we saw a championship-capable performance out of him and the No. 9 team on Sunday to rally back from a whiff in qualifying on Saturday. When they’re on, there’s arguably no more fearsome group in the garage, and they now get to finish out the Round of 12 with two quite favorable race tracks ahead.
Analysis: A lot of eyes were tracking how Briscoe would be able to attack the “Magic Mile” now in JGR’s A-tier equipment, and the returns were reasonable (10th, 19 laps led), but a bit underwhelming after landing runner-up last year for the shuttered Stewart-Haas Racing. A similar story could play out this weekend at Kansas, where he owns a 19.6 average finish but finally nabbed his first top 10 earlier this year.
Analysis: Though Chastain wasn’t able to snap Chevrolet’s long-running Loudon drought, he did halt a five-race skid outside the top 10. It’s hard to see how this train keeps rolling into the Round of 8 with just 72 laps led on the season so far, but he does have one pretty good thing going for him: He enters the Kansas weekend as the defending race winner.
Analysis: Cindric moves up because of some dippers below him, but it was not a great weekend for the No. 2 team, which sits below the bubble after struggling to find the speed his pole- and race-winning teammates deployed all weekend at will. To make matters worse, Cindric has never led a lap or finished in the top 10 at Kansas and, short of a Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval win, now needs to.
Analysis: Reddick is unfortunately proving that his Darlington runner-up was perhaps more of a fluke than what to expect from him and the No. 45 team in these playoffs, because it’s his lone top 10 in the past six races, all of which were otherwise 15th or worse. Normally, on paper, Kansas would be a potential significant rebound spot for him and 23XI, but not with the way this team is running and with the organization’s loosening grip on the Kansas City track.
Analysis: Wallace opened the playoffs looking bound for his first Championship 4 appearance, and now doesn’t even appear likely to see his first Round of 8. A win at Kansas is still absolutely possible, but everything that was just said about Reddick applies here as well, with the one saving grace being that the No. 23 car had led in five straight races before Loudon. They’re capable, but they’re running out of time.
A junction of Joe Gibbs Racing teammates during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoff event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway has left Denny Hamlin seeking assistance from his team’s leadership.
Hamlin and Christopher Bell found themselves hounding fellow JGR teammate Ty Gibbs in a fight for 11th during Stage 2 of Sunday’s Mobil 1 301, doggedly trying to work past the No. 54 Toyota with cars that seemed far faster. But after a heated contest between Bell and Gibbs resulted in contact, Hamlin was next in line to attempt a clean pass on Gibbs before that proved fruitless. The two charged into Turn 1 on Lap 110 and ultimately tangled as a nudge from Hamlin sent Gibbs spinning into the outside SAFER barrier, bringing an end to Gibbs’ day as Hamlin, Bell and Chase Briscoe all carried on to finish inside the top 12.
The crux of the dilemma is that Hamlin, Bell and Briscoe are all postseason contenders while Gibbs missed the cut for the NASCAR Playoffs and cannot chase a Cup Series Championship this season. In a Monday recording of his “Actions Detrimental” podcast on Dirty Mo Media, Hamlin said that he believes the only way forward for all parties is if members of JGR’s leadership get involved and clarify their expectations for on-track etiquette throughout the postseason.
“What I want to happen is leadership (to) step in and tell us, what do you want us to do?” Hamlin said. “If you want us all to just race each other cut-throat, no matter what your position is in the stature of the standings, we can definitely do that. Like I expect myself and the 19 (Briscoe) and the 20 (Bell) to race really, really hard because we’re all battling each other to get above this cutline or maintain our status above the cutline. If I get eliminated or the 19 gets eliminated or the 20 gets eliminated, and then we’ve established this ‘no rules — you guys just do whatever you wanna do,’ none of us are going to win.”
Hamlin said that in years past, team owner Joe Gibbs has addressed situations like this before, setting Hamlin’s expectations for how they race each other moving forward.
“He has had this conversation multiple times with everyone in the room, but I think it probably needs to be said again,” Hamlin said. “And so what I’ve heard is that if you’re a non-playoff car, any break that you can cut your teammates, please do.”
Adding to the unusual level of complexity in this scenario, though, are family ties. Joe Gibbs is the grandfather of Ty Gibbs, while Ty’s mother, Heather Gibbs, also serves as a team co-owner. But with such high stakes, Hamlin believes intervention from leaders within the company may be key to preserving JGR’s championship hopes for another six weeks.
In a post-race interview Sunday, Joe Gibbs said he believed it would be best if the drivers handled the fallout of the situation between themselves. Hamlin believes a conversation with Ty Gibbs wouldn’t solve the problem because “I don’t think we’re on the same page.”
“The challenge is that I think me and Ty are going to have different opinions,” Hamlin said. “Therefore, you need leadership to step in and say, ‘Well, this is how we want it done.’ And then we will play by those rules. Whatever those rules are, I will play by those rules. But I have been told in the past, if you’re not in it, you do everything you can to help your teammates that are in.”
Meg Oliphant | Getty Images
Hamlin reiterated he welcomes hard racing and agrees “everyone should race to win the race.” But fighting for 11th place in Stage 2 with a teammate “with nothing to gain” frustrated the veteran Hamlin.
“Me, the 20, the 19 — we’re all battling and scratching and clawing to try to get some stage points, which is going to be life or death for us,” Hamlin said. “It’s our air that we need to move on (in the playoffs). I felt as though (I was) a little bit wronged in the sense of my teammate out of the playoffs should not be the hardest car on the track to pass. I mean, for God’s sake, Ross Chastain let me by. If there’s anyone that probably — he’s on the cutline. But even in the first stage, I pressured him and pressured him, and more than likely, what he thought was ‘I’m not going to hold him up for this entire 60-lap run. I might as well just get back in line, try to keep it from someone else joining this party and passing me along with you.’
“This is the race-craft that I feel like is missing — that understanding (of) the situation. And certainly I felt as though this thing is hard enough to win anyway. But if you’re gonna have to race your teammates harder than anyone on the race track, then this will be really, really tough for any one of us to win.”
Hamlin expressed that Gibbs’ aggressive aero-blocking — blocking the air from Hamlin’s car and creating unfavorable driving conditions for Hamlin — ultimately led to their collision in Turn 1. Hamlin had no intention of spinning out his teammate, he said, but added he was looking to move Gibbs out of the lane Hamlin wanted.
“Well, it was twofold because I was pretty much there into Turn 1, and then he moved down to the middle lane to cut the nose off to make me get really (tight),” Hamlin said. “If you cut someone’s nose, especially if they’re running really close to you, it’ll make their car kind of lift up and take off. So I think he was just trying to cross my nose to make me lose air just to further aero-block me. And I was so close to him that I’m like, ‘Hell no. You’re not gonna do that.’ So yeah, I tried to shove him up to the next lane to get my position, and I unfortunately spun him out.”
Hamlin recorded Monday’s episode ahead of Joe Gibbs Racing’s afternoon competition meeting, so no further discussions had yet commenced between Hamlin and Ty Gibbs. But as of Monday morning, Hamlin “just didn’t understand where the mindset was there” from Gibbs.
“It’s just too difficult to win naturally, much less if we’re going have the ‘everyone just races for themselves and it doesn’t matter whether you’re racing for a championship or not,'” Hamlin said. “And from my standpoint, I would think that Ty would want one of us to win a championship. His name’s on the building.”
The NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs continue in America’s heartland at Kansas Speedway this Saturday for the second of three Round of 12 contests (4 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
No. 1 seed Connor Zilisch enters with an 85-point buffer over the cutline. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Taylor Gray currently holds the final provisional spot above the cutline, three markers to the good. Nick Sanchez (minus-3), Jesse Love (minus-3), Austin Hill (minus-16) and Sammy Smith (minus-24) have two races to avoid elimination.
Craftsman Truck Series star Rajah Caruth will team up with Hendrick Motorsports for the first time this year in the No. 17 entry in what will be his third Xfinity Series start of 2025. ARCA Menards Series regular Brenden “Butterbean” Queen will additionally rejoin the Kaulig Racing fold and pilot the No. 11 Chevrolet this weekend. Queen made his Xfinity debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in September, finishing 20th in the No. 11 Kaulig machine.
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the Midwest to do battle at Kansas Speedway for the second Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12 race (Sun., 3 p.m. ET, USA Network, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).
NASCAR’s premier series raced at the 1.5-mile intermediate track in May, where Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson led 221 laps en route to a dominant victory. Larson currently sits third in the playoff standings, 41 points above the cutline. Ross Chastain (minus-12), Austin Cindric (minus-19), Tyler Reddick (minus-23) and Bubba Wallace (minus-27) rank below the eight-driver cutoff.
J.J. Yeley will get behind the wheel of the No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet for the seventh time this season and the first since Watkins Glen International in August.
