Posted on by Neil Paine

Sunday’s Viva Mexico 250 from Mexico City, won by Shane van Gisbergen, marked a historic milestone in Cup Series history: For the first time in more than a quarter-century, the sport’s top level staged a race (of any sort) beyond U.S. borders — and for the first time since 1958, an international event actually counted in the official championship standings.

It wasn’t NASCAR’s first trip to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, as the Xfinity Series held races there in the mid-to-late 2000s. But it was certainly the most significant. Never before had we seen a full field of Cup cars going wheel-to-wheel at the same venue that hosted the 1968 Olympics, zooming past the Foro Sol baseball stadium and concert stage along the way.

All of which got us thinking: Which global track(s) might make sense for the Cup Series to try next? As the sport looks to expand its worldwide footprint, there are plenty of options to consider, from iconic Formula One tracks to interesting street circuits and ovals abroad. So here are some ideas for NASCAR’s next international foray, choosing one from each of the seven continents — well, except Antarctica (until someone figures out how to build a high-banked oval out of glacier ice).

North America: Montreal, Canada – Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

This one probably makes the most sense from a logistics standpoint. Montreal is not that far from the routine Cup Series stops scheduled in Loudon, New Hampshire, and Watkins Glen, New York — and much like the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve hosted Xfinity Series races during the late 2000s. (Winners ranged from Cup frontrunners like Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards to road-course ringers like Boris Said and Marcos Ambrose.) The track’s long straights would set up high-speed braking duels, and its many chicanes are prime places for bumping and banging. Surely the so-called “Wall of Champions” would see its share of crashed Cup cars as well.

Others to consider: Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (Bowmanville, Canada); Exhibition Place Street Circuit (Toronto, Canada)

South America: São Paulo, Brazil – Autódromo José Carlos Pace (Interlagos)

One of the most iconic tracks on the Formula One calendar would also be a dream location for NASCAR, with its sweeping high-speed curves, long straights into heavy braking zones and dramatic elevation changes. Brazil boasts some of the most passionate and knowledgeable motorsports fans in the world — and they would no doubt embrace the thunderous presence of Cup cars on the same track that once showcased the great Ayrton Senna. The run from Turn 12 up through the front straight might even remind drivers of a flatter version of the Charlotte Roval, while the Senna Esses in Turns 1 and 2 would offer plenty of chances for drivers to make passes — whether through finesse or good, old-fashioned muscle.

Others to consider: Autódromo Juan y Oscar Gálvez (Buenos Aires, Argentina); Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna (Goiânia, Brazil)

Europe: Zandvoort, Netherlands – Circuit Zandvoort

Among all the F1 tracks — well, aside from COTA, an actual NASCAR track — Zandvoort might be the most NASCAR-like. One big reason why: It contains banked corners, something of a rarity in F1; the Hugenholtz corner (Turn 3) carries 19 degrees of bank, while the Arie Luyendykbocht (Turn 14) is set at 18 degrees. It also plays host to Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) races, featuring touring cars that share some traits with the Next Gen machines in Cup. Otherwise, the cool beachside setting and big Dutch fanbase (thanks to Max Verstappen) would create an unforgettable atmosphere.

Others to consider: Hockenheimring (Hockenheim, Germany); Silverstone Circuit (Silverstone, UK); Raceway Venray (Venray, Netherlands)

Asia: Motegi City, Japan – Twin Ring Motegi

A comparatively rare IndyCar and NASCAR-style oval outside the United States, Motegi’s 1.5-mile speedway (one of its two tracks on site) would be a fascinating experiment for high-level stock cars to return to. In addition to its regular CART dates in the 1990s, Motegi hosted an exhibition Cup race at the end of the 1998 season, which was won by longtime series staple Mike Skinner. Want stock-car bona fides? The ’98 broadcast compared Motegi to Darlington for its asymmetrical layout with different banking angles depending on the turn. And it was also the site of NASCAR history — the first time Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jr. competed against each other on the big stage.

Others to consider: Suzuka Circuit (Suzuka, Japan); Yas Marina Circuit (Abu Dhabi, UAE)

NASCAR drivers sit for a portrait for the Thunder Special 100 at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka City, Japan.
Yukio Yoshimi | Allsport

Australia: Queensland, Australia – Surfers Paradise Street Circuit

There’s no shortage of great road and street courses to choose from in Australia — at most of which van Gisbergen won during his time in Supercars, an added bonus. Arguably the most photogenic of them all is this beachfront stop in the Gold Coast region of Queensland, which old-school fans of CART from the 1990s and 2000s will surely remember fondly. Surfers Paradise is as narrow as you’d expect, with long straights mixed in among some chicanes and a few big hairpins, promising to test the street-racing skills of the field. The heavier Cup cars might struggle with the technical sections, but the promise of bumping, braking duels and sheer chaos under the palm trees would be worth the challenge.

Others to consider: Albert Park Circuit (Melbourne, Australia), Sydney Motorsport Park (Eastern Creek, Australia)

Africa: Johannesburg, South Africa – Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit

The longtime home of the South African Grand Prix hasn’t hosted a Formula 1 race since 1993, though there have been recent attempts (if unsuccessful) to return Kyalami to a regular spot on the F1 calendar. For NASCAR, the track would offer a mix of just about everything you can ask of a road course — high-speed straightaways, elevation changes, technical corners — plus the added wrinkle of an altitude a bit over 5,000 feet above sea level, one of the highest ever alongside this past weekend at Mexico City. Add in South Africa’s proud racing history and the novelty of a new continent for the Cup Series to conquer, and Kyalami becomes a natural entry point for NASCAR racing in Africa.

Others to consider: Marrakech Street Circuit (Marrakech, Morocco); Phakisa Freeway – Speedway Circuit (Odendaalsrus, South Africa)

Posted on by Pat DeCola

Here’s what’s happening in NASCAR with the Viva Mexico 250 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in the rearview and The Great American Getaway 400 Presented by VISITPA.COM at Pocono Raceway up next.

RELATED: How to watch Sunday’s race on Prime Video | See Pocono entry list

1. Is Chase Elliott the sleeping giant of 2025?

Mired in a glaring winless stretch, Chase Elliott is still quietly riding a wave of steady momentum under the surface. With unmatched consistency and a playoff spot all but secured, No. 9 heads to Pocono needing just one spark to light the wick. If it comes, a beast may awaken.

Chase Elliott hasn’t won a race in more than a year, and he hasn’t come particularly close to doing it in 2025. The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion just isn’t finding the front of the field, leading in just a handful of races this year for a total of 95 laps and leaving the headline-grabbing trips to Victory Lane to names like Christopher Bell, William Byron, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson.

But make no mistake: He’s lurking. Quietly. Relentlessly.

And if he turns up the wick before the playoffs hit, the rest of the field might not know what hit them.

Elliott is doing something almost no one else in the Cup Series can claim: finishing races no matter what, no matter how. He’s the only driver to place inside the top 20 in all 16 events this season, a feat of consistency he also managed last year and then some. He’s completed all but one lap. He hasn’t had a single meltdown, misstep, or mechanical disaster take him out of contention. His average finish — 11.19 — is third best in the series and on pace to be a career high.

Elliott and his longtime crew chief Alan Gustafson are just so in sync at this point that catastrophic days simply don’t exist for the No. 9 team anymore. But here’s where it gets complicated: The wins, along with the misses, have vanished.

He’s riding a 43-race winless streak dating back to April 2024, and we’re not seeing him routinely battling for wins and settling for top fives like earlier in his career; he has just four such finishes this year, with Mexico (third) being his first in two months. For all the precision and polish, Elliott’s recent results lack that killer edge we saw in the last generation of cars. He’s remarkably and consistently good in the Next Gen — but he hasn’t been great.

Still, he’s essentially a playoff lock. Sitting 146 points above the elimination line, his spot is nearly untouchable, though anything can happen over 10 races. But making the playoffs isn’t enough — not for a 2020 champion; not for a guy who made his home in the Championship 4 for three straight years, not that long ago. Elliott’s bar is higher, and the closer we get to the postseason, the more it feels like he’s building toward something.

And now? Pocono. A place where Elliott quietly actually does dominate in the Next Gen car — top 10 in every race since the debut, and more points earned there in it than anyone.

Even if it doesn’t happen Sunday, Elliott has three road courses and his home track, EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway), left before the playoffs. If he capitalizes on even one, the narrative around the No. 9 flips from “steady but non-threatening” to “surging and dangerous.”

Just like nobody wanted to see Joey Logano sneak back into the Round of 8 last year after a penalty to the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet slotted him in, none of Elliott’s peers want to see him and the No. 9 group clicking off wins again, because everybody knows they’re capable of doing so in bunches.

Everything points to it happening, however.

The Dawsonville, Georgia native has been progressively climbing the mountain while others flame out or feast on spurts of short-term momentum from wins before fading. He doesn’t beat himself on the race track, and it feels like he’s one moment away from reminding everyone of the dominance that takes place when this team is at full strength.

If the switch flips soon, it won’t be subtle. It’ll be a wake-up call (siren?) for the whole garage — loud, sudden … and felt all the way to Phoenix.

jeff gordon talks with chase elliott at pocono
Sean Gardner | Getty Images

2. Will anyone escape playoff no-man’s land at Pocono?

The playoff bubble is bursting with pressure, and Pocono might be the release point. For winless drivers like Tyler Reddick, Chris Buescher and Bubba Wallace, this weekend isn’t about survival or points racing — it’s about breaking through before the window slams shut.

In a NASCAR season that has felt, at times, a bit top-heavy with the superstars of the sport commanding dominion over Victory Lane, the real playoff chaos — as we saw in Mexico City — is going to come from the crowded underbelly of the standings.

With 10 races left before the field gets sliced to 16, the bubble isn’t just bubbling — it’s boiling. Three somewhat surprising names (Sunday’s Mexico winner Shane van Gisbergen, Austin Cindric and Josh Berry) have already locked in with thrilling wins. The window to claim one’s spot is shrinking, the pressure is rising and the next big shakeup may come from a winless driver, one of whom many expected to be locked up by now — or at least be in the running to defend his Regular Season Championship.

The no-man’s land of the 2025 NASCAR Playoffs picture is elbow-to-elbow, and the trick to getting out of the muck and the mire might come this weekend at Pocono.

Start with Tyler Reddick, who has been much maligned for erratic finishes … but is also having the quietest elite season no one seems to be noticing. On the surface, his five top 10s in 16 races are not flashy, but he’s second only to championship favorite William Byron in average running position, arguably a much better indicator than average race finish.

He’s clearly overdue, and he’s a potential sniper for the Pocono win with four straight top 10s and two runner-ups in the last three. His average finish there since 2022? Best in the field, at a pristine 3.3. If the march to re-enter the RSC conversation is going to happen, it will start at Pocono.

Chris Buescher is in a similar boat, expected in pre-season chatter to be a more viable title contender this year than he’s looked so far, but the gears are turning there. He’ll certainly be in the mix at the remaining road courses as well, but in terms of this weekend, the former “Tricky Triangle” winner is the only driver to finish top 10 at Pocono in each of the last two years, and he’s still out-pacing his typical stats this season, with his eight 2025 top 10s being the most he’s had through 16 races to date. He’s clinging to the final playoff spot by just 19 points, but there’s obviously something special about Pocono for him. It could all come together here.

Reddick’s teammate Bubba Wallace has looked like the better of the two at times this year, but — as he’s shown over the years — brings a boom-or-bust profile. He’s currently booming, however, following up three straight finishes of 33rd or worse with three straight of 12th or better and could stretch that into Pocono, where his three top 10s have all come in the past four races. If things go sideways late — and they often do — Wallace’s top-ranked pit crew per NASCAR Insights could be the difference-maker.

We just saw Alex Bowman, a former Pocono winner, snap a miserable run of bad luck at Mexico City in quite impressive fashion, and he has four top 10s in his last six Pocono starts. He’s above the elimination line, but in absolutely no way is his position safe yet. Especially if someone like Erik Jones, with the speed Toyota is likely to have, sneaks up and shocks everybody. Outside the top 20 in points but still within striking distance of the postseason — again, no-man’s land stretches far and wide — Jones has eight top 10s and five top fives in 13 starts at Pocono. And lately, he’s trending up, with four top 15s in the last six races.

If someone shocks the playoff picture this week, Jones has the resume to do it, but don’t be surprised if any of these guys whittle out their playoff spot in Pennsylvania, because they’re at a premium.

cars race on track in mexico city
Sean Gardner | Getty Images

3. Why Stenhouse ‘had every right’ to be mad at Hocevar

Steve Letarte and the crew discuss Carson Hocevar’s incident with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez and why the No. 77 sophomore driver still has much to learn at the Cup Series level.

4. Joe Gibbs Racing the clear team to beat at Pocono

No organization has a better handle on the ‘Tricky Triangle’ than JGR’s fleet of Toyotas, and they could be in position to strike once again Sunday. The championship organization leads in all the categories below since the start of 2017. (Credit: Racing Insights)

Starts52
Poles5
Wins7
Runner-ups5
Top fives23
Top 10s35
Laps led864

5. Catch the pack — news and notes from around the garage

Paint Scheme Preview: 2025 Pocono Raceway weekend

Mexico City triumph turns SVG’s season around, shakes up playoff order

Power Rankings: Blaney aiming to double-up at the ‘Tricky Triangle’

NASCAR Insights: Ty Gibbs’ stats shine in Mexico City rundown

Inside the Race: Letarte on Gibbs: ‘Liked almost what I didn’t hear’

Inside the Race: Analyzing Shane van Gisbergen’s ‘book’ on road courses

In-Season Challenge: Seeding update after Mexico City

Inside the Race: Why Stenhouse ‘had every right’ to be mad at Hocevar

Stenhouse confronts Hocevar on pit road after Mexico City race

@nascarcasm: Fake texts to Mexico City winner SVG

 

car drives in front of what turn 4 sign at pocono
James Gilbert | Getty Images
Posted on by Press Release

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Bowman Gray Stadium is offering a little “Madhouse Education” for college students — for only $2.

This Saturday, June 21, the Market USA 100 will offer Fans’ Challenge money for the Brad’s Golf Cars Modified Series drivers, and college students can show their IDs at any ticket gate and get in to see the races for $2.

The Fans’ Challenge always adds an exciting challenge. The top-four time trial qualifiers will get a chance to take the Fans’ Challenge and win — or split — $6,000 by dropping to the rear and trying to get back into the top four when the checkered flag falls.

Two drivers who practically have doctorates in how to win at Bowman Gray Stadium are Burt Myers and Tim Brown, who come into the Market USA 100 tied atop the all-time wins list at 101 victories.

“I keep saying that it doesn’t matter if it’s 101, 102 (wins) — whatever,” Burt Myers said, “I’m just going to try and keep winning as many as I can.”

Added Brown: “I’m not really thinking about wins lists or any of that other stuff. Our team needs to get faster. Period.”

Burt Myers brother, Jason Myers, won the pole for the postponed Elite Underground Utility Twin 50s last week and was the only driver who took the Fans’ Challenge. His qualifying effort will stand for the Market USA 100, and he’ll get a chance to make his decision final or change his mind Saturday.

“My mother told me I should keep the pole, and that kind of made my decision to take the Fans’ Challenge,” Jason Myers chuckled.

Gates open at 6 p.m. ET Saturday night with racing action to start at 8 p.m. ET. Fans can get tickets online at www.bowmangrayracing.com. Tickets are $12 for adults and $2 for college students and kids ages 6 to 11.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR Hall of Famer and JR Motorsports co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make his debut as crew chief for the team’s No. 88 Chevrolet and driver Connor Zilisch in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway, JR Motorsports confirmed Wednesday on its X account.

Veteran Mardy Lindley is typically atop the pit box calling the shots for Zilisch. However, the No. 88 Chevrolet had two lug nuts left unsecured after finishing second in the May 31 race at Nashville Superspeedway, resulting in a $10,000 fine and one-race suspension for Lindley. NASCAR officials indicated that suspension was deferred one race, permitting Lindley to perform his normal duties at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City and sidelining him for Pocono.

RELATED: Pocono schedule | Xfinity standings

A two-time Xfinity Series champion and 24-time series winner behind the wheel, Earnhardt has never called a race as crew chief in any of NASCAR’s three national series and saw this weekend’s circumstances as the right opportunity to team with Zilisch. Now broadcasting for Prime Video and TNT Sports’ Cup Series television coverage, Earnhardt made at least one Xfinity Series start per year from 2001-2024. Although he has no plans to step behind the wheel this season, Earnhardt will maintain his streak of appearances in a competitive role.

Zilisch, the 18-year-old rookie, will make his first appearance at the “Tricky Triangle” on Saturday. The Mooresville, North Carolina native won at Circuit of The Americas in March to secure his spot in the 2025 Xfinity Series Playoffs, collecting one win, four top fives and six top 10s through 14 starts this season. Zilisch missed the May 3 race at Texas Motor Speedway due to a lingering back injury after a crash at Talladega Superspeedway. Kyle Larson substituted for Zilisch and scored the victory with Lindley as crew chief.

Earnhardt won two NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono, sweeping the track’s two events in 2014, totaling 11 top fives and 15 top 10s across 35 Cup starts at the 2.5-mile triangular track.

MORE: Dale Jr. through the years, highlights

Zilisch enters the weekend fifth in the regular-season standings with a three-race streak of top-five finishes intact, placing second at both Charlotte Motor Speedway and Nashville before finishing fifth in Mexico City.

Posted on by Staff Report

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Pocono Raceway for the Great American Getaway 400 presented by VisitPA.com on Sunday (2 p.m. ET, Prime Video, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Prime Video will also air Cup Series qualifying at 1:45 p.m. ET on Saturday.

QUALIFYING ORDER: Cup Series | Xfinity Series | Truck Series

The qualifying order below is determined via metric that combines the previous race finish by owner (70%) and current owner points position (30%).

Saturday’s qualifying session will be one lap and one round.

RELATED: How to watch on Prime Video | Weekend Schedule 

# denotes series rookie
(i) denotes ineligible for driver points

Pos.Car No.DriversMetric ScoreGroup
144* Brennan Poole41.6001
251Cody Ware32.5001
310Ty Dillon32.4001
438Zane Smith32.0001
58Kyle Busch31.3001
64Noah Gragson30.9001
735Riley Herbst #30.8001
877Carson Hocevar29.8001
93Austin Dillon27.7001
106Brad Keselowski27.1001
115Kyle Larson25.8001
127Justin Haley25.5001
1347Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.25.2001
1421Josh Berry23.9001
1534Todd Gilliland23.2001
1699Daniel Suarez21.7001
1743Erik Jones18.5001
1822Joey Logano17.4001
1911Denny Hamlin17.3001
202Austin Cindric16.2002
2141Cole Custer15.8002
2245Tyler Reddick15.8002
2360Ryan Preece15.0002
2454Ty Gibbs14.9002
2516AJ Allmendinger14.2002
261Ross Chastin13.6002
2712Ryan Blaney11.9002
2823Bubba Wallace11.4002
2917Chris Buescher11.2002
3042John Hunter Nemechek11.1002
3188Shane Van Gisbergen #9.7002
3271Michael McDowell8.3002
3319Chase Briscoe8.2002
3448Alex Bowman6.7002
3524William Byron6.6002
369Chase Elliott3.6002
3720Christopher Bell2.3002

 

 

Posted on by Nate Ryan

Though NASCAR has yet to confirm if the Cup Series will return to Mexico City next season, lessons from the inaugural race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez already are reverberating.

In a review of the first international Cup points race of the modern era, the latest episode of the “Hauler Talk” podcast revealed numerous takeaways, and some could be applied this season.

NASCAR managing director of racing communications Mike Forde said the tire packs installed throughout the 15-turn, 2.42-mile road course were effective in minimizing the track limits violations that have been a nuisance in recent road course races. There had been reluctance to use the tire packs because of potential race disruptions, but Forde said there was only one significant impact that moved a barrier a few feet without necessitating a caution flag.

“I think you’re going to see a lot more of it moving forward at road courses,” Forde said of the tire packs. “It seems like such a rudimentary solve, but it’s one that worked.”

The trip across the border wasn’t without issues as the arrivals of some Cup and Xfinity teams were delayed by two planes being grounded. Forde said NASCAR would consider arriving a day earlier for future international events or allowing teams autonomy in managing their travel (which was centralized for the Mexico City trip).

Forde also addressed multiple incidents involving Carson Hocevar during the weekend. NASCAR took no action after the Spire Motorsports driver was involved in an altercation with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., but Forde said there would be “extra eyes for sure in Pocono” on the two drivers who also tangled at Nashville Superspeedway. “I don’t think we plan to sit either of them down before the race (in Pocono), but we’ll be on the lookout,” Forde said.

RELATED: Spire Motorsports fines Carson Hocevar

After questions about whether Hocevar intentionally caused the final caution of the Mexico City race by stalling after a spin, Forde said NASCAR determined no foul play (noting the driver lost a lap under the yellow).

Other topics covered during the 19th episode of “Hauler Talk,” which explores competition issues in NASCAR:

— Why Zane Smith had to serve a penalty after his No. 38 Ford was repaired from crash damage.

— Kyle Larson earning a point for the race’s fastest lap despite finishing 36th after his No. 5 Chevrolet was damaged in an early wreck. Forde said there would be no changes to the rule, but NASCAR intended to be rigorous with inspections to ensure the legality of damaged cars that set the fastest lap in a race.

— The waiver policy that allowed Denny Hamlin to miss the race for his newborn son without having an impact on his playoff points. Forde said childbirth had been codified in the rulebook before the season as a medical reason for being granted a playoff waiver.

— How Alex Bowman was able to receive clearance to race despite lingering injuries from his crash at Michigan International Speedway.

— The timeline and criteria for determining if Mexico City would return to the 2026 schedule.

Click on the embed above to listen or search for “Hauler Talk” wherever you download podcasts to hear it on your phone, tablet or mobile device.

Nate Ryan has written about NASCAR since 1996 while working at the San Bernardino Sun, Richmond Times-Dispatch, USA TODAY and for the past 10 years at NBC Sports Digital. He is a contributor to the “Hauler Talk” show on the NASCAR Podcast Network. He also has covered various other motorsports, including the IndyCar and IMSA series.

Posted on by Staff Report

The NASCAR Xfinity Series hits Pocono Raceway for the Pocono Mountains 250 on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The CW App will air Xfinity Series qualifying at 11:05 a.m. ET Saturday.

QUALIFYING ORDER: Cup Series | Xfinity Series | Truck Series

The qualifying order below is determined via metric that combines the previous race finish by owner (70%) and current owner points position (30%).

Saturday’s qualifying session will be one lap and one round.

MORE: Weekend Schedule

# denotes series rookie
(i) denotes ineligible for driver points

POS.CAR NO.DRIVERSMETRIC SCOREGROUP
174Dawson Cram42.21
235Carson Ware37.91
353Logan Bearden33.91
417Chase Elliott(i)33.21
544Brennan Poole32.91
64Parker Retzlaff32.31
751Jeremy Clements31.81
871Ryan Ellis31.11
991Josh Bilicki30.31
1028Kyle Sieg28.61
1145Mason Massey28.41
1214Garrett Smithley27.31
1331Blaine Perkins27.31
1448Nick Sanchez #26.51
1570Leland Honeyman Jr.25.01
1639Ryan Sieg24.51
177Justin Allgaier24.11
185Kris Wright21.81
1942Anthony Alfredo21.61
2020Brandon Jones20.52
2111Josh Williams20.02
2299Matt DiBenedetto18.72
2307Patrick Emerling(i)18.62
2441Sam Mayer17.02
251Carson Kvapil16.02
2610Daniel Dye14.22
272Jesse Love14.12
2826Dean Thompson13.82
2919Justin Bonsignore12.22
3018William Sawalich #11.42
3125Harrison Burton9.92
3200Sheldon Creed9.82
3327Jeb Burton8.92
348Sammy Smith8.82
3516Christian Eckes #8.52
3654Taylor Gray #5.32
3788Connor Zilisch #4.72
3821Austin Hill2.72

Posted on by Staff Report

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is back in action at Pocono Raceway for the MillerTech Battery 200 on Friday (5 p.m. ET, FS1, NASCAR Racing Network Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). FS2 will air Truck Series qualifying at 1:40 p.m. ET Friday.

QUALIFYING ORDER: Cup Series | Xfinity Series | Truck Series

The qualifying order below is determined via metric that combines the previous race finish by owner (70%) and current owner points position (30%).

Friday’s qualifying session will be one lap and one round.

MORE: Weekend Schedule

# denotes series rookie
(i) denotes ineligible for driver points

Pos.Car No.DriversMetric ScoreGroup
169Tyler Tomassi58.7001
228Bryan Dauzat41.3001
36Norm Benning33.2001
402Nathan Byrd30.0001
52Cody Dennison29.6001
61Brandon Jones27.1001
771Rajah Caruth26.2001
822Clayton Green25.9001
95Toni Breidinger #23.5001
1044Conner Jones23.0001
1142Matt Mills22.7001
1219Daniel Hemric19.8001
1391Jack Wood19.7001
1481Connor Mosack #19.6001
1576Spencer Boyd19.0001
1633Frankie Muniz #18.5001
1718Tyler Ankrum18.3001
1845Kaden Honeycutt17.1002
1915Tanner Gray17.0002
2026Dawson Sutton #16.3002
2198Ty Majeski13.5002
2211Corey Heim12.9002
2317Giovanni Ruggiero #12.6002
2477Andres Perez De Lara #12.3002
257Carson Hocevar(i)9.8002
2688Matt Crafton9.6002
2766Luke Baldwin9.0002
2834Layne Riggs8.8002
2913Jake Garcia8.2002
3099Ben Rhodes6.7002
3107Patrick Emerling6.2002
3238Chandler Smith6.2002
3352Stewart Friesen4.3002
349Grant Enfinger2.6002
Posted on by Dustin Albino

After years of being a NASCAR sponsor, SciAps CEO and co-founder Don Sackett wanted to make more of an impact. His vision was Viking Motorsports, a competitive and non-affiliated NASCAR Xfinity Series team.

Sackett had a trial run in 2024, fielding the No. 38 car, which was prepared by RSS Racing in Georgia. Over the offseason, the team became its own entity and relocated to NASCAR’s Charlotte hub, leasing space from BJ McLeod.

Matt DiBenedetto, who believed in Sackett’s vision from the start, returned as the team’s driver as it switched manufacturers, crew chiefs and car numbers; the only returning pieces of the team from 2024 were DiBenedetto, Sackett and spotter Doug Campbell.

RELATED: Matt DiBenedetto driver page

“The main goal last year was to get this thing off the ground, and that situation with the Siegs helping us was great for getting Viking Motorsports off the ground,” DiBenedetto told NASCAR.com. “The main goal was for us to truly become our own self-sufficient team.”

Ultimately, Sackett wanted his fingerprints in operating a team and creating a unique culture. With an established driver in DiBenedetto, the veteran racer streamlines the process, having built various teams in the past. That was important for both parties as it also attracts employees.

“Having a driver like Matt takes a lot of the unknown out of the equation,” Jeremy Lange, general manager of Viking Motorsports and formerly with Leavine Family Racing, said. “I know we have a talented driver behind the wheel. If we can build race cars that can race, we know we have a guy that can drive them versus an unknown or a kid who has money. We wanted to build it around a driver that we know can drive.”

DiBenedetto has made a living by overdelivering for smaller race teams. But even he thinks this was a different setting, given the team’s from-the-ground-up start.

“We have erratically improved and helped grow and build teams in the past,” DiBenedetto said. “But this one was different because it was starting from absolute scratch, completely nothing. That is what is probably more rewarding about it because it feels like building a business.

“We’ve had great people put in our path and a lot of tools for success that’s grown so much from looking back a year ago to where we are today and where we’re heading for the rest of the season.”

A Viking Motorsports crew member (L) and Matt DiBenedetto (R) share a laugh.
James Gilbert | Getty Images

Constant change led to a busy offseason for the small race team. The first full-time employee was hired in November, shortly after the 2024 campaign concluded. Veteran crew chief Pat Tryson was a pivotal acquisition, and Viking now has more than a dozen full-time employees.

To prepare for 2025, employees juggled working seven days per week over the offseason. It helped that everyone pulled rope in the same direction, knowing the beast of an opening three months of the schedule with no weeks off until early May.

Entering 2025, Viking established that cracking the top 15 would be a morale boost. Even then, the No. 99 team would be battling some of the series’ Goliaths.

“Our goal was to build our notebook of what we can do from our end,” Lange said. “You also have to put your flag in the ground and say, ‘we’re here.’ But you need to put your best foot forward every weekend, so people recognize that you are wanting to improve.

“We’re not satisfied finishing 20th; we’re not satisfied finishing 10th. We want to compete for victories, but we also have to be realistic in where we are and the lifespan of our race team. We’re racing teams on a weekly basis that have been doing this for a long time and have a lot more resources than we do. Not an excuse, just a fact.”

Through the opening 15 races of the season, the No. 99 team’s highlight was finishing fifth at Talladega Superspeedway in April. DiBenedetto narrowly missed out on top 10s in each of the first two races of the season, placing 11th and 12th, respectively. He has three additional top 20 finishes, including a 16th-place outing in NASCAR’s return to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez last weekend.

DiBenedetto ranks 24th in the driver standings, and the No. 99 sits one spot lower in the owner points. The team’s next contest comes at Pocono Raceway this Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

MORE: Xfinity Series standings | Xfinity Series schedule 

“We’ve had some hurdles to start the year, but I feel like we’re caught up and in a better spot,” DiBenedetto said. “We want to prove ourselves as a team, and it’s all about growing relationships with the manufacturer and gaining the respect of everybody in the sport, knowing this Viking Motorsports team is here to stay and long for the haul. We want to build a successful Xfinity Series team.”

DiBenedetto, who has been around the top three divisions for more than 15 years, is fully committed to Viking. He hopes to be the driver who can continue being in the trenches and build a competitive organization. He recalled telling Sackett: “I’ll run the rest of my career with you guys if that’s a possibility because I believed in them 1,000% just like they believed in me.”

As the team continues to learn from each other, Lange is happy with the swift progress of the No. 99 bunch, but he won’t be satisfied until the team is competing up front.

Posted on by Seth Sharp

To celebrate 75 years worth of memories, the legendary Wood Brothers Racing team will be celebrated throughout the summer with “Wood Brothers Wednesdays” on The NASCAR Channel.

Wood Brothers Racing has been around since 1950, when Glen and Leonard Wood teamed up to pioneer a legacy that has transcended time.

Glen was behind the wheel of their car at Bowman Gray Stadium in 1960 and took the Wood Brothers Racing team to Victory Lane for the first time. The team scored its 101st NASCAR Cup Series victory in 2025, when Josh Berry took the checkered flag at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Bookending those victories were triumphs everywhere from Daytona to Darlington to Rockingham and everywhere in between. Twenty of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers have piloted a car for the team throughout their storied history, one that is well worth celebrating.

RELATED: How to watch The NASCAR Channel

This weekend will celebrate memorable Wood Brothers moments throughout the 1980s. It also highlights some of their success at Pocono Raceway, the site of this weekend’s Cup Series race (Sun., 2 p.m. ET, Prime Video, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The thrilling 1986 Miller High Life 400 at Richmond Raceway will be the first full race on tap Wednesday. The race was won by Kyle Petty, marking his first victory in the Cup Series.

Ryan Blaney’s victory at Pocono in the 2017 Axalta Presents the Pocono 400 will be on the schedule. It was the first victory of Blaney’s Cup Series career, as well as the team’s first victory at the track since Neil Bonnett was victorious at the “Tricky Triangle” in 1980.

Bonnett’s victory in July 1980, as well as the 1983 Firecracker 400 from Daytona International Speedway, finish out the day’s races. That Daytona contest was won by Buddy Baker. It was the 19th and final victory of his Hall of Fame career.

The “Memory Lane” original content series will relive both the race from Richmond in 1986, as well as Blaney’s 2017 Pocono victory.

The NASCAR Channel delivers 24/7, always-on content, featuring the latest news and information from around the sport, original programming and race replays.

It is a FAST channel (Free-Ad Supported Television) and can be watched on your TV or mobile device via one of the streaming partners, such as Tubi or Xumo Play.