Posted on by Reid Spencer

TALLADEGA, Ala. – Racing for just the fourth time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season, Timothy Peters fought off a block from Noah Gragson on the final lap of the Fr8Auctions 250 at Talladega Superspeedway to become the first three-time winner in the series at the 2.66-mile track.

Driving in the last of his three events for GMS Racing, Peters started a move to the outside of Gragson’s Toyota on the backstretch. When Gragson moved up to block, Peters stayed in the gas, and Gragson’s No. 18 Tundra spun across the nose of Peters’ Chevrolet into the outside wall.

RELATED: Full results | Talladega photos

NASCAR called a caution for the wreck, freezing the field with Peters in the lead.

For Gragson, there was the consolation of moving into the Round of 6 of the NCWTS Playoffs. Matt Crafton did likewise, despite being collected in a 10-car wreck on Lap 59 of 94 and finishing 26th. Gragson and Crafton join Round of 8 winners Justin Haley and Grant Enfinger, along with Brett Moffitt and Johnny Sauter, in the Round of 6.

RELATED: Round of 6 set

Despite a sixth-place result, Stewart Friesen was eliminated from the playoffs, as was Ben Rhodes, who ran 16th, one lap down, after his No. 41 Ford sustained damaged in the same wreck that sidelined Crafton.

But it was Peters who emerged from the last-lap chaos with the victory.

“Everybody’s wanting to win,” Peters said, who triumphed for the 11th time in his career and the first time since 2015. “Everybody’s wanting to block. I wanted to win, too, because this is my last go-around on the three-race stint. So, at the end of the day, I was going for it.

“These guys right here (the No. 25 GMS Chevrolet team) worked their butts off. It just feels so good, so good. … Man, I love this place, and it’s so cool to be a three-time winner. But this is not about me. It’s about the team. This team put together this truck back at the shop, and I was just the lucky one who got to drive it today.”

WATCH: Gilliland takes wild ride | Moffitt’s Talladega trouble

Myatt Snider finished a career-best second, followed by pole winner David Gilliland, Haley and Wendell Chavous, who scored his only top five in 50 starts.

With his playoff hopes on the line, Crafton had to sweat out the final 30 laps after exiting the race in the aftermath of the afternoon’s largest wreck. But Rhodes couldn’t recover the lap he lost because of the accident, and Friesen couldn’t challenge for the victory because his engine was down on power.

WATCH: ‘Big One’ takes out playoff contenders

“I saw some people getting turned up in front of me, and I got hooked in the right-rear,” Crafton said of the wreck that put his playoff chances in jeopardy. “The next thing I knew I was facing the fence and hit head-on. …

“That’s Talladega for you. It’s all out of your hands from when we drop the green. I mean, when you’re racing and people are side-by-side bouncing off each other like that. We did everything we could do the first two segments and let her fly from there.”

Crafton, a two-time series champion, was fourth in Stage 1 and second in Stage 2, collecting 16 points that proved crucial to his advancement into the Round of 6. Crafton finished the Round of 8 four points ahead of Rhodes and six ahead of Friesen.

Sauter also sustained heavy damage in the Lap 59 wreck, but by then the regular-season champion had collected 17 stage points, enough to lock him into the next round.

Posted on by Staff Report

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs field has been trimmed from eight drivers to six following Saturday’s Fr8Auctions 250 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Justin Haley locked up a berth in the Round of 6 in the first race of the playoffs with a win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Grant Enfinger took the checkered flag the next week at Las Vegas to advance.

Unofficially advancing on points are Johnny Sauter, Noah Gragson, Brett Moffitt and Matt Crafton.

RELATED: Peters wins in wild finish | Official Talladega results

The two eliminated drivers are Ben Rhodes and Stewart Friesen.

The point totals as we head to the Round of 6:

 Rank  Driver  Points
 1  Johnny Sauter  3042
 2  Brett Moffitt  3027
 3  Noah Gragson  3025
 4  Grant Enfinger  3018
 5  Justin Haley  3014
 6  Matt Crafton  3003

After a week off the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs will resume Oct. 27 at Martinsville Speedway (1 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The Round of 6 will play out in Texas then ISM Raceway at Phoenix before the Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

 

Posted on by Staff Report

Kevin Harvick led a handful of Fords atop the leaderboard for Saturday’s final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Talladega Superspeedway when he guided his No. 4 around the 2.66-mile track  at 204.227 mph.

RELATED: Practice results

Harvick’s Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Aric Almirola was second-fastest after his No. 10 Ford went 203.957 mph, while another teammate, Clint Bowyer, was fourth at 202.431 mph.

Joey Logano broke up the SHR contingent with the third-fastest time in his No. 22 Team Penske Ford at 202.478 mph.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounded out the top five in the 75-minute practice session when his No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford went 202.388  mph.

Practice holds for the final 15 minutes included: No. 18 Kyle Busch, No. 19 Daniel Suarez, No. 38 David Ragan (all late to pre-race inspection); No. 41 Kurt Busch, No. 78 Martin Truex Jr. (both failed pre-race inspection twice); No. 2 Brad Keselowski, No. 7 DJ Kennington and No. 99 Landon Cassill (missed mandatory spotters meeting.)

Additionally, the No. 43 of Bubba Wallace served a 30-minute practice hold for failing pre-race inspection twice.

The Monster Energy Series returns to the track at 4:35 p.m. ET for Busch Pole Qualifying (NBCSN/NBC Sports App).

Posted on by Pat DeCola

Kurt Busch will lead the field to green for Sunday’s 1000Bulbs.com 500 (2 p.m. ET on NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). There was just one practice session this weekend, giving players a bit of a puzzle to solve when it comes to setting their lineups. We’ve dissected the numbers to offer a suggested lineup worthy of your Fantasy Live consideration as you make roster decisions.

PLAY NOW: Set your lineup | How the playoff game works

Remember that the garage locks at the end of Stage 2. Also, your garage play can only be swapped for a driver of similar classification. (A playoff garage driver can only be swapped for a playoff driver in your lineup; a non-playoff garage driver can only be swapped for a non-playoff driver in your lineup.)

Cars to the rear: No. 42 — Unapproved adjustments

Pat DeCola’s Fantasy Live lineup for race-day at Talladega:
Playoff driver 1: Joey Logano
Playoff driver 2: Brad Keselowski
Non-playoff driver 1: Denny Hamlin
Non-playoff driver 2: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Garage: Chase Elliott

MORE: Fantasy analysis for Talladega | Driver stats | 10-lap averages | Lineup 

Analysis: The Fantasy Live Playoff Game is in Week 5! These five drivers made up my original lineup and I am sticking with them. The thing is — with Talladega, anything goes and you just try to play the odds. So, while Kevin Harvick was fastest in the weekend’s lone practice session, SHR dominated qualifying and it’ll be fast on Sunday, the group doesn’t have as much of a rapport drafting with each other as the Team Penske drivers. Fastest car or not, no driver or stable can be considered fantasy locks because one minor slip-up and everything changes in the blink of an eye.

I kept that in mind when setting my lineup, with the thinking that Logano and Keselowski have seen the most success most recently at the track and we know the Penske teammates work well together. Hopefully they’ll just keep it going, right?

Logano and Keselowski have won six of the past eight ‘Dega races and I feel as comfortable with them pacing my lineup as one can be when it comes to NASCAR’s biggest wild card.

Sure, stacking them might increase the risk of losing both in a tandem wreck, but it’s the playoffs and you have to take some risks. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t — right, Jimmie?

WATCH: Letarte: Don’t stack teammates | Setting your lineup at unpredictable track | Non-playoff picks

For the non-playoff plays, I expect both Hamlin and Stenhouse Jr. in many lineups (same with the playoff Penske duo above), but it’s for good reason. Both of them had their seasons end much earlier than they would have liked, both have something to prove in these final six races and both have arguably their best shots to make a statement at this particular track. Hamlin won at Talladega in 2014 after starting 34th and has led at least a lap in every single race there since that win. Needless to say, he always finds his way to the front, a trait that can reap benefits in NASCAR Fantasy Live.

Like Hamlin, Stenhouse also has a recent Talladega win on his resume (Spring 2017), and has managed to see the front of the field at the track since the very beginning of his career, something that can’t be said about most venues for him. The Roush Fenway Racing driver has led laps in all but two of his 10 starts at the Alabama track.

I threw Elliott in the garage, thinking he’s the only driver who doesn’t have to sweat on Sunday because he’s already locked into the Round of 8. It’ll allow him to be aggressive, and the Hendrick Motorsports driver has already shown an ability to lead laps at ‘Dega (and finished third in the spring.)

For the bonus picks, I’m taking the pole-winner Busch for Stage 1 and 2 with Logano for the win. The spring race’s winner has been humming along all season since his lone 2018 victory and now feels like the time he’ll strike.

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Award-winning moonshine distillery Sugarlands Distilling Company, LLC. has entered the sport by signing agreements with both the sanctioning body and one of the most iconic tracks on the circuit, Talladega Superspeedway. The new partnerships designate Sugarlands Shine as the “Official Moonshine of NASCAR” and as the title partner of the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Trucks Series fall race, the Sugarlands Shine 250.

Sugarlands Distilling Company, LLC., produces high-quality craft moonshine. Since opening its doors in 2014, Sugarlands Distilling Company has won more than 20 awards for superior taste and quality. The distillery in downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is a popular attraction with more than one million visitors each year. In its fourth year of business, Sugarlands saw a 50% annual growth in distribution sales and expanded its distribution area to 24 states. Sugarlands Distilling Company is one of America’s top-rated distillery experiences and the number one “thing to do” in Gatlinburg, according to Trip Advisor.

“Moonshine is deeply rooted in the history of racing, so partnering with NASCAR felt very natural for us,” said Edward Vickers, President of Sugarlands Distilling Company. “This partnership is our first venture into the sporting industry and we’re excited to extend our brand to NASCAR’s passionate and dedicated fan base.”

Graphic for NASCAR, Sugarlands

As a part of the five-year agreement with NASCAR, Sugarlands will gain rights to promote its moonshine at retail, on packaging and will host key customers and distributors at-track. Additionally, Sugarlands is kickstarting the partnership with a ‘Beyond the Checkered Flag’ sweepstakes. The grand prize winner will experience VIP access at a NASCAR race, entry to the Sugarlands hospitality tent, travel accommodations and more. Fans can visit www.Sugarlands.com to enter and learn more about the sweepstakes.

“Moonshine is one of the fastest growing spirit categories in the country and we are excited to help introduce Sugarlands’ award-winning product to our brand loyal and national fan base,” said Jon Tuck, Chief Revenue Officer, NASCAR. “There is an authentic connection between our two brands and we are confident our fans will embrace the historical association.”

The Sugarlands Shine 250 will be held on Oct. 12, 2019, and serve as a key playoff event during the battle for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series championship. As part of the multi-year deal, Sugarlands will offer a specially licensed moonshine for Talladega Superspeedway and be named the “Official Moonshine of Talladega Superspeedway.”

“Sugarlands is a natural fit for Talladega Superspeedway and we are thrilled to have them join our team,” said speedway Chairman Grant Lynch. “There are many old-time tales here about the good ol’ days when running moonshine in and around Talladega was happening, and our partnership with Sugarlands and the Sugarlands Shine 250, those stories will come back to life. There isn’t another venue in motorsports that has fans as loyal as ours, and I know they will love Sugarlands.”

Sugarlands recently announced a partnership with country music’s rising star and NASCAR fan, Cole Swindell. Swindell will be releasing his own Sugarlands Shine flavors starting with a Peppermint Moonshine which hit the shelves in liquor stores across the country, online and in Sugarland’s distillery this month. Swindell is currently working with Sugarlands to create a new recipe to be released in the new year.

Sugarlands Distilling Company is also a proud partner to Discovery Channel’s ‘Moonshiners,’ bringing the show’s notorious stars’ moonshine recipes straight to consumers. Sugarlands’ ‘Moonshiners Legends’ products feature recipes from Mark Rogers, Mark Ramsey & Digger Manes, Steven Tickle, Jim Tom Hedrick and Patti Bryan, all stars of the popular television series.

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

The Jimmie Johnson-Chad Knaus No. 48 team chapter of the Hendrick Motorsports book may come to a close at season’s end, but that doesn’t mean they won’t add more to the story.

Seven championships and 81 victories over the span of 17 years is an unbelievable run — a dynasty built by two masters of their craft. Johnson and Knaus will go down as two of the greatest legends this sport has ever seen — together and separately.

But now, Johnson will get the opportunity to compete for a record-breaking eighth Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship with Kevin Meendering, who has established himself as one of the greatest minds in the NASCAR garage.

And if you need proof of Meendering’s worth, just check Johnson’s text messages.

RELATED: Knaus ‘geeked up’ about achieving longtime goal 

“The amount of respect everybody here at Hendrick Motorsports has for him, from Chad to Alan Gustafson, you name the crew chief, even throughout the industry … I’ve been receiving text messages from competitors saying ‘hey he’s a sharp guy and a great choice,’ ” Johnson said. “So, his reputation and the way people hold his work ethic and his value the way they look and think of him.”

For Knaus, he gets to live a longtime dream by becoming crew chief on the iconic No. 24 car with a young William Byron at the helm — all of which is eerily similar to the days when he worked in the shop with the “Rainbow Warriors” for 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Gordon and Hall of Fame crew chief Ray Evernham.

There never is a perfect time to make a change of this capacity to a championship-winning team, but in a weird way, it’s the right time for Rick Hendrick and Co.

This shuffle is a reset for Johnson and Knaus, giving them both a fresh start toward a higher goal. The thinking is Johnson will be able to achieve success without Knaus, and vice versa. If that wasn’t the case, team owner Rick Hendrick wouldn’t have made this move.

Both are confident this has nothing but positive potential for all parties involved.

“That excitement, energy and the commitment involved, the learning, the communication that takes place to start a new opportunity there is some magic in that,” Johnson said. “When new things start up there is always some extra energy and excitement around it. So, with that in mind I think comes opportunity for both cars and both teams.”

Through all the “breaking up the band” banter, there’s one thing that should be kept in mind — all four teams are now under one roof following the restructuring of Hendrick Motorsports at the end of 2017. They are all working together, pulling the rope in the same direction for one common goal — winning.

MORE: Detailing the Hendrick Motorsports shake up for ’19

That means Johnson and Knaus will still be working together in some capacity, helping each other thrive for the good of the organization as a whole.

Knaus anticipates their relationship will even get stronger than ever before.

“Every time you leave out of battle you have an emotion a sense in you that you have to deplete before you are able to get back into that space,” Knaus said. “So, we have gone through that a lot. I talked to (Jeff) Gordon about it and he swears that he and Ray (Evernham) are better friends now than what they were when they were winning championships and winning races and I feel like we will be the same way.”

The two now have a chance to see what they can do without each other, but when it comes down to it, their legacy together lives forever.

“It’s not over and we’re lifers for this company,” Johnson said. “This is home for us. Our collaboration of working together is ending to the way that we’re all familiar with and we’re used to it, but it’s not over.”

Posted on by Team Release

WELCOME, N.C. — Liberty National Life Insurance Company has extended its partnership with Richard Childress Racing and the No. 31 team for the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. Liberty National will remain a primary sponsor for select races with Daniel Hemric and the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, and will be an associate sponsor for select races on the No. 3 Chevrolet with driver Austin Dillon.

A leading provider of life and supplemental health insurance for middle-income Americans through in-home and workplace sales, Liberty National is looking to build upon its successful LNL Racing marketing campaign by expanding its engagement opportunities with its independent sales Agents, independent agency owners, and  policyholders throughout the United States.

“Liberty National is thrilled to continue our partnership with Richard Childress Racing in 2019,” said Steve DiChiaro, president and CEO of Liberty National. “This year, we’re proud to cheer on Daniel Hemric taking the wheel with the No. 31 Liberty National Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. This partnership with RCR enables us to give Agents, business partners, and customers VIP at-track experiences, and 2019 will be even better with bigger contests and incentives for those associated with Liberty National.”      

Liberty National Life Insurance Company, founded in 1900 and based in McKinney, Texas is an official benefits provider of RCR and is excited to help launch the Cup career of Liberty National’s newest policy holder, Daniel Hemric. The 2019 race program will continue to include at-track activation at a majority of the events on the NASCAR schedule as an invaluable way to engage with its independent agents and business-to-business customers. Liberty National will also use RCR to leverage digital and social media assets to showcase its brand as a leading provider of life and supplemental health insurance, while also identifying business-to-business opportunities, and recruiting new Agents and customers.

“Last night in Texas, Steve DiChiaro and Richard (Childress) announced our 2019 plans to Liberty National agency owners at their annual meeting. It was a great opportunity to give the agency owners a chance to meet Daniel in person. This partnership is evolving, and it is our goal to continue to help Liberty National recruit new Agents and customers. We’ve also exposed the Liberty National brand and products to millions of NASCAR fans,” said Torrey Galida, president of RCR. “We look forward growing its footprint and hosting their Agents and customers at the races and at RCR next season.”

Daniel Hemric is currently third in the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship points standings and has made the Playoffs in both of his seasons with RCR, advancing to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway during his rookie season in 2017.   

Posted on by Staff Report

With one zany, wild-card race in the NASCAR Playoffs already in the books with the Charlotte road course’s debut, there’s barely time to catch your breath before the next: this weekend’s Monster Energy Series tilt at Talladega Superspeedway.

The Alabama speedplant has long been a scrambler for postseason standings, dreams and body panels. The same is expected for the series’ second Talladega visit this season for Sunday’s 1000Bulbs.com 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM).

NASCAR.com staff writers Jessica Ruffin and Zack Albert will be trackside for this weekend’s activities. Before they head to the Yellowhammer State, here are three burning questions up for debate ahead of the fifth event in the 10-race playoffs.

RELATED: Full schedule for Talladega | Top fantasy plays, sleepers for Talladega

1. Team Penske has won five of the last six Talladega races. Can the organization do it again, and if so, who’s the favorite among their three-car stable?

JR: Joey Logano has won half of the last six races at Talladega Superspeedway and has led multiple laps in every race there since 2015. Logano also ranks fourth among active drivers with total laps led at Talladega (266), a number higher than both of his Team Penske teammates. His recent success there bodes well for him, too; in the series’ last trip to Talladega, Logano led a race-high 70 laps to notch the win. With a spot in the Round of 8 on the line, he’ll look to rekindle that Talladega magic again.

ZA: Talladega still ranks at or near the top of the list for unpredictability, but Brad Keselowski has made a habit of being a pre-race favorite. His five victories in 19 career Talladega starts makes for an admirable 26.3 winning percentage, and the combination of team (Penske), car (Ford), engine (Roush Yates) and spotter (Joey Meier) has been stellar on restrictor-plate tracks. And that’s not counting the driver, who has been among the most cunning at maneuvering through — and usually leading — the pack. There are no guarantees at Talladega, but Keselowski and Team Penske are as close as it gets.

2. Who is the playoff driver currently outside the cutoff line most likely to rebound from last weekend’s race at Dover?

JR: Team Penske may rule Talladega, but Clint Bowyer may be the next best — with two victories there, the No. 14 wheelman is the only non-Penske multi-time winner in the playoff field and has earned 12 top 10s in his 25 Talladega starts. Bowyer’s position outside the cutoff line should cause him to be more aggressive to make up points and go for the win. Teamwork also is crucial at Talladega and Bowyer has a strong stable at Stewart-Haas Racing with two champions among three other fast cars to draft with his No. 14 Ford.

ZA: Leave it to the driver backed furthest into the corner to fight his way out. That’s the weekend mission for Alex Bowman, who sits last among the 12 remaining championship-eligible drivers after opening the second round with a crash-related 28th-place finish. Bowman’s best chance at advancing to the Round of 8 comes this weekend at Talladega, where his No. 88 Chevrolet has historically run strong. Mixing a fast ride with the aggressive approach he’ll likely need to adopt could bring a positive result come Sunday.

RELATED: Playoff picture | Surprise winners at Talladega

3. Talladega has yielded several surprise visitors to Victory Lane. Who’s an underdog pick outside of the postseason picture who could spoil Sunday’s party?

JR: David Ragan is sneaky consistent at a place that’s not so consistent. Looking at the past three races at Talladega, he holds the third-best average finish (8.7), which is better than any other non-playoff driver during that period. It’s also stronger than any of the Big 3 or the Team Penske drivers. Both of Ragan’s wins in the Monster Energy Series have come at restrictor-plate tracks (his most recent at Talladega in 2013), proving he knows how to navigate the delicate draft of ‘Dega.

ZA: Digging further down the list of prospective Sunday Cinderellas, Michael McDowell carries some restrictor-plate momentum that could place him in the Talladega record books. The 33-year-old driver led a career-high 20 laps in a breakout showing at Daytona in July, running among the contenders until a late-stage crash thwarted his upset bid. His Front Row Motorsports team has some history with the Alabama track, with teammate David Ragan leading a 1-2 finish for the organization’s only victory in 2013.

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

CONCORD, N.C. – Aside from the long list of accomplishments Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus have achieved together, there always has been one goal Knaus had left unchecked — until now.

Since first joining Hendrick Motorsports in 1993, Knaus has aspired to become crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet.

Following a storybook run of seven championships and 81 wins over the course of 17 years (Johnson had two wins with Darian Grubb filling in), Knaus now gets to live out another dream.

While meeting with a group of reporters Thursday afternoon at the Axalta Customer Experience Center on the Hendrick Motorsports campus a day after it was announced Knaus would move to the No. 24 team with driver William Byron in 2019, Knaus described how it invigorates him.

“You have no idea,” Knaus said. “I’m so geeked up by it I have goosebumps when I think about it.”

RELATED: Best driver-crew chief combos

From his first year with the organization through 1997, Knaus went from being a general fabricator to managing the chassis and body construction program for the No. 24 team under the leadership of then-crew chief Ray Evernham for driver Jeff Gordon. Knaus then jumped to Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 1998, followed by Melling Racing in 1999-2001 before re-joining Hendrick to become Johnson’s crew chief.

Knaus recalled telling a team of about 14 full-time employees his future aspirations when he first arrived on the Hendrick scene.

“In 1993 when I walked in the door and I started working in that little shop up on the hill … I wanted to be crew chief on the 24 car,” Knaus said. “It’s only taken me 25 years and 17 years with this guy (pointing to Johnson) to get the opportunity to be able to do that. So, I’m really proud of that. I’m excited.”

Now Knaus will link back up with longtime Hendrick partner Axalta, which was formally DuPont when Gordon drove for the team in the beginning. Gordon was also 21 years old when Knaus worked on the team, as Byron will turn 21 next year.

Knaus is looking forward to working with Byron, comparing it to how he felt with Johnson at the beginning of what turned into a dynasty.

“This kid has talent, he has a boatload of talent,” Knaus said. “So, for me to get the opportunity to work for him is just like getting the opportunity to work with Jimmie back then. That excitement level is very, very similar.”

According to Byron, the personalities of he and Knaus line up more than one might think, which the 20-year-old sees as a huge opportunity to take his skill to the next level.

“Probably attention to detail,” Byron said while explaining what he has in common with Knaus. “Type A personality. I don’t like excuses, so that will fit well.

“The results speak for themselves, but in terms of my short racing career, I’ve worked with a couple people that have similar traits as him,” Byron added. “It makes me excited. It makes me look forward to it. I feel like I do well in that environment and it’s going to push me to do better. That’s what I need and I feel like going into my second year, I’ve learned the ropes of the Cup Series and I can go out and our goal is to win.”

MORE: Chad Knaus through the years

Despite the similarities, Knaus also is aware of the challenges he and Byron face next season.

“Jimmie and I were young and in a different place,” Knaus said. “William is young and I’m old. So, it’s going to be a different dynamic. I’m not 28 years old or however old we were when we started this thing.

“It’s going to be a little bit different, but there are good lessons learned,” he added. “I will definitely lean on Jimmie to find out from his perspective what he thinks I need to do and how I need to interact with William.”

As a new opportunity lies ahead next season and beyond, Knaus was hesitant to close the book while reflecting on his time with Johnson.

“I’m sad that this chapter … it’s not over,” Knaus said. “I mean, what people think is that your era is over. You can’t erase what we’ve done. It’s not over. It’s going to live forever.”