Editor’s Note: NASCAR.com’s Zack Albert was among the voting members casting ballots to elect the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026. This year marked his seventh time participating in Voting Day. Here, he explains his three choices on his ballot, a handful of honorable mentions and his pick for the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
Class of 2026 selections
Kurt Busch — This case for the first playoff-era Cup Series champion comes with an acknowledgement that his sometimes fiery past probably cost him some votes. Personality aside, when stacking up his statistics, accolades and longevity, Busch stood out from the crowd with a record few others on the ballot could match. His 34 Cup Series wins — which included the 2017 Daytona 500 — and premier-series title should be more than enough.
Harry Gant — Realizing that the Hall of Fame vote is not a popularity contest, it’s hard to ignore how well-loved Gant was for such a long stretch in Cup Series racing. He always said with self-effacing jest that he was probably a better carpenter than driver, but for many years — including an untold number of wins back in the Late Model Sportsman days — he was the standard for hard-nosed racers. That legacy lasted well into his 50s, when he set age records that may never be broken.
Banjo Matthews — Another difficult Pioneer Ballot choice, but the nod goes to Matthews for the second consecutive year — primarily for his work in advancing safety and performance in car-building. He was also heralded as a driver who barnstormed short tracks as a master of the Modifieds, but later in his career, his chassis were everywhere, winning all 30 Cup Series races in 1978.
Honorable mentions: This year’s ballot was among the toughest in recent memory. Strong consideration was given on the Modern Ballot to Randy Dorton for his engine-building excellence, a legacy that lives on at Hendrick Motorsports. Jeff Burton’s on-track performance, broadcast prowess and off-track influence on making the sport better will make him worthy of further contemplation for future ballots. Short-track legend Ray Hendrick was the other Pioneer Ballot nominee who drew a long look here, and his election to this year’s class is well-deserved.
Landmark Award
H.A. Humpy Wheeler — In another crowded field of superlative nominees, Wheeler’s ingenuity ushered in a new era of stock car racing by enhancing the fan experience at every turn. A promoter’s promoter, Wheeler was a forward thinker who set the bar that other speedway owners would try to meet. Night racing at larger speedways? Unheard of until Wheeler made that dream a reality at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Though Alvin Hawkins and Lesa France Kennedy were under heavy consideration on this ballot, Wheeler’s contributions continue to resonate each time fans walk through the gates.
Kurt Busch and Harry Gant from the Modern Era Ballot and Ray Hendrick from the Pioneer Ballot were selected as members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026, it was announced Tuesday. Additionally, Humpy Wheeler has been named as the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
The announcement came after members of NASCAR’s voting panel convened Tuesday afternoon in Charlotte, North Carolina, debating and eventually determining the 16th class since 2010 to be enshrined in Hall of Fame glory.
Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion, joins the Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot. The Las Vegas native won 34 times over his 20-plus-year Cup career, which included a triumph in the 2017 Daytona 500 and 2010 Coca-Cola 600. Busch competed for numerous teams, including Roush Racing, Team Penske, Phoenix Racing, Furniture Row Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing and 23XI Racing.
Gant, the winner of 18 NASCAR premier series races, including two Southern 500 victories, makes it to the Hall in his seventh year on the ballot. The Taylorsville, North Carolina, native’s run of four consecutive victories at age 51 captivated fans in 1991. Gant also won 21 times in what is now known as the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Hendrick, nicknamed “Mr. Modified,” amassed more than 700 victories in modified and late model sportsman series between 1950-88. Despite never capturing a modified championship, he finished top 10 in the standings nine times from 1960-69. The Richmond, Virginia, native, elected in his second year on the ballot, was named to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers list and NASCAR Modified’s All-Time Top 10 Drivers.
Wheeler, known for his flair for creativity as president and general manager at Charlotte Motor Speedway, helped usher in a new era of race-track promotions. This was the Belmont, North Carolina, native’s first year on the ballot.
Every year, 10 nominees make up the Modern Era Ballot, with five additional nominees comprising the Pioneer Ballot. The Class of 2026 was determined by votes cast by the Voting Panel, including representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks, media members, manufacturer representatives, competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), recognized industry leaders, a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com and the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion (Joey Logano). In all, 49 votes were cast. The accounting firm of EY presided over the tabulation of the votes.
Busch and Gant both received 61% of the Modern Era ballot votes. Jeff Burton finished third, followed by Harry Hyde and Randy Dorton. Ray Hendrick received 31% of the Pioneer ballot votes. Bob Welborn finished second.
The newest Hall of Fame group will be inducted Jan. 23, 2026. Tickets for the induction ceremony will be available later this month on NASCARHall.com. With the additions, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will boast 70 members to its ledger. Dale Earnhardt, Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Junior Johnson and Richard Petty made up the inaugural class in 2010.
Christopher Bell reminded the NASCAR world of why he was so dominant in the early portion of the season, out-maneuvering Joey Logano in the closing laps at a historic track to claim his first All-Star Race victory and a cool $1 million. Is another driver out there about to break through in a big way in NASCAR’s marathon race this weekend, though?
NASCAR.com’s Pat DeCola ranks the top 20 Cup Series contenders after the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway and before the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (6 p.m. ET, Prime Video, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Analysis:It’s hard to fault a guy like Larson, who’s doing the double, but it wasn’t ideal to see him finish last among the cars that were still running in the All-Star Race. Still, this is a driver essentially in a class of his own who has a legitimate shot to win two major races on Sunday.
Analysis: With no All-Star finish better than 10th entering Sunday, Bell’s win may have come as a surprise to some … but have you seen what he’s been doing this year? He’s obviously no stranger to putting together back-to-back victories, and as the defending Coca-Cola 600 winner, he might be embarking on his second hot streak of the season.
Analysis: Byron pieced together 12 laps led at North Wilkesboro but ultimately fell just shy of the top five. Still, it’s his best finish since a P3 last month at Talladega, and he mentioned over the weekend that he and his team “have the Coca-Cola 600 circled.” Watch out for the No. 24 on Sunday.
Analysis: At 11.7, Elliott is on pace to match his 2020 (the year he won the title) and 2024 average finish. He’s doing so with the second-worst average start of his career (15.3), implying he actually could have plenty of juice still left to squeeze out of the season. If he’s able to find a bit more speed on Saturdays, the wins could be coming. Worth noting: He’s started sixth or higher in four of the past five Coca-Cola 600s, a race he’s found the front of the field in every running since 2018. Feels like it could be the weekend it happens.
Analysis: All-Star Weekend tends to be a rocky one for Joe Gibbs Racing at times, and — despite winning with Christopher Bell — that was the case again for Denny Hamlin, who stumbled his way to a P12. Chalk it up as just an anomalous weekend, though, as the 2022 Coca-Cola 600 winner should be back in fine form for NASCAR’s marathon race.
Analysis: Logano sparked his season with an All-Star Race victory a year ago and nearly replicated it Sunday, instead walking away from North Wilkesboro the most frustrated we’ve seen him in quite a while and several hundred thousand dollars short of where it was looking like he’d end up after leading 139 laps. Still, the No. 22 team is finally clicking in 2025, and despite just one top 10 at Charlotte this decade, it feels like he could find a way to compete for his first Coca-Cola 600 win this weekend.
Analysis: Including the All-Star exhibition, Reddick has led just a single lap since pacing the field for 42 circuits back at Darlington Raceway; a lack of the front-of-field speed that we’ve grown accustomed to seeing from No. 45. A Championship 4 driver not even a year ago, Reddick is also only on pace for 12 top 10s, which would be his worst showing since turning in nine for Richard Childress Racing during his 2020 rookie season.
Analysis: For as fast as Blaney and the No. 12 have been in 2025, it didn’t show up at North Wilkesboro, where the 2023 champ was essentially a non-factor. Somewhat unrelated but also worth noting — it seems that speed is prevalent annually, but Blaney’s average finish has dipped every year since a career-high 11.9 set in 2021, currently on pace (16.1) for what would be his worst showing since 2017 (17.3).
Analysis: Bowman and the No. 48 group have turned in wildly inconsistent results in 2025, with every finish either being inside the top nine or outside the top 25, but there are enough bright spots here that it feels like a win is certainly in the cards at some point. We’ve seen the No. 48 find streaks of dominance at Charlotte in the past, and it’s not unreasonable to think Bowman, who led 164 laps in the 2020 Coca-Cola 600, could find his way to Victory Lane at a track that has treated Hendrick quite well over the years.
Analysis: We’re starting to see this team come together, and a strong All-Star Race run — that could have resulted in a win, if Logano and Bell had continued scrapping in front of him — might be just the boost it was looking for after landing a recent Texas runner-up as well. He finally secured his first Charlotte top-10 finish last year, but it’s definitely a race he’s capable of winning; Chastain led a race-high 153 laps in 2022 before landing 15th.
Analysis: Briscoe missed the All-Star Race cut last year but did technically turn in a second straight top 10 in the event after landing P4 in the 2023 running. It does feel like this team is still finding its legs a bit, but that will only continue to improve with more time under their collective belt. With a P4 in the 2022 Coca-Cola 600, don’t be surprised if Briscoe — and the team that once led 392 laps in the 2016 running of this race — finds a way to be competitive this weekend.
Analysis: Tough weekend for Wallace and the No. 23 team, who missed the cut after leading no laps and finishing eighth in the All-Star Open. A lot of the early-season mojo seems to be petering out a bit for this group, and it’s tough to see a spark coming at a race track where he’s led a single lap and averaged a 21.6 finish across eight starts.
Analysis: One of them was an exhibition race, so take it with a grain of salt, but Cindric has been held out of the top 10 in the three races since his win — on a superspeedway, no less — and otherwise hasn’t seen a top 10 since Las Vegas Motor Speedway … in mid-March. It’s hard to rule out any Penske cars on any weekend, but this one doesn’t shape up like a strong one for Cindric, who has a 28.3 Coca-Cola 600 average finish.
Analysis: It’s not much, but an All-Star Race top 10 was a nice little boost for the No. 17 team, which had started to put some pieces together before a major penalty quashed its momentum. The Coca-Cola 600 is a decent race for him, typically, too, with top 10s in four of the past six runnings.
Analysis: Again, this was an exhibition, but Busch did still turn in his first top 10 since Darlington to stop the bleeding a bit, even finding the front for a pair of laps. Still a ways to go here, but RCR has been known to pop off a random win in the Coca-Cola 600 — a race Busch generally tends to be among the favorites.
Analysis: Berry started 11th and finished 17th in the All-Star Race, unable to string together a second straight week of solid results after a P6 at Kansas Speedway put an end to a dismal stretch since his Vegas victory. His lone Coca-Cola 600 start yielded a top-10 finish last spring, though, so he could get back on the horse this weekend.
Analysis: A bit less fireworks for Stenhouse Jr. than last spring’s All-Star Race, and a P15 in a 23-car race isn’t anything to write home about. He may never win it outright, but the Coca-Cola 600 has generally been a productive race for him, especially lately; the past Daytona 500 winner has four top 10s since 2018.
Analysis: Pro: Preece got to see a heck of a race on Sunday night, just like the rest of us. Con: It’s because he missed the cut after a mistake in the Open cost him a shot to make the main race. He looked sporty, though, and he could very well nab his first Charlotte top 10 despite a career average finish of 25.6 there.
Analysis: Nemechek continues to make a little noise in the back half of this top 20, having already matched his career high in top 10s (four) before transferring into the main event with a runner-up in the Open. He had a pair of quality runs at Charlotte in his rookie season in 2020 as well, and it’s quite possible he cracks the top 10 this weekend, too. (Especially if he gets any notes on the track from a certain boss of his.)
Analysis: If you’re looking for an up-and-comer who will really embrace the role of “All-Star” for the next decade-plus, here he is. Hocevar won the Open handily, then nearly converted on a top 10 in the main event. The arrow continues to point drastically up here, and a recent mini-slump (finished 24th or worse at Texas and Kansas) should come to an end at Charlotte.
Voting Day for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, and there will be plenty of avenues to tune in to the momentous announcement of this year’s honorees.
The live stream where the three inductees for the Class of 2026 will be revealed starts at 5 p.m. ET from the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Great Hall. The recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR will also be announced.
Fans can watch the proceedings in multiple ways, including The NASCAR Channel, YouTube, Facebook and X. Choose your streaming option and get comfortable as legends take their next step in NASCAR glory.
Voters are scheduled to meet on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. ET at the Charlotte Convention Center. Two inductees will be elected from the 10 names listed on the Modern Era Ballot, and one will be chosen from the five legends on the Pioneer Ballot. The Landmark Award winner will also be selected from a list of five names.
Kurt Busch and Randy LaJoie were revealed last month to be the newest nominees on the Modern Era Ballot. Title-winning crew chief Jake Elder returns to the Pioneer Ballot, while H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler joins the Landmark Award list.
There was plenty of drama on Monday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as teams practiced for Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 (noon ET, FOX) and major penalties were handed out to two teams.
In weather conditions (light winds and temperatures in the mid-70s) expected to be like race day, Alex Palou, in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, delivered the fastest lap (226.765 mph) of the two-hour session, followed by four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves and Takuma Sato.
NASCAR’s Kyle Larson turned in the 11th-quickest lap (225.056 mph) as he re-familiarized himself with the No. 17 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. The car came into Monday’s practice with only two four-lap qualifying runs after repairs were necessary following Larson’s crash late in Fast Friday’s final pre-qualifying practice.
The NASCAR Cup Series championship leader turned 82 laps in Monday’s session and was consistently among the fastest 10 cars. His team opted to hold pit-stop practice in the closing minutes of the session.
“I thought it was decent,” Larson said. “Just trying to get a little racy at times to learn a little bit, but it’s so different in practice, I feel like more accordion opens up passing, where in the race, it’s a little more difficult to pass. It feels a little bit different than last year.”
Larson is set to become the fifth driver to compete in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (6 p.m. ET, Sun., Prime Video, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) on the same day, securing his starting position on the 33-car Indy grid with a 21st-place qualifying effort on Saturday.
The 32-year-old Californian started fifth and finished 18thin last year’s Indy debut.
However, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion returned from a 21st-place finish in Sunday night’s NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway to find out he will actually roll off 19th in the 500. He — and the rest of the field — were moved up two positions on the starting grid Monday after a major penalty was handed to a pair of former race winners, Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden and Will Power.
Newgarden, who has won the last two Indy 500s, and Power, the 2018 Indianapolis winner, both originally advanced to Sunday’s Fast 12 qualifying session and looked to contend for pole position. Instead, officials found technical infractions — modified attenuators — on both their Chevrolets just before they went on track. The cars were pulled off the qualifying line and Monday morning the IndyCar Series announced significant penalties.
Instead of top-12 starting positions on the grid, Newgarden and Power will roll off Sunday from 32nd and 33rd place, respectively. Team Penske has been fined $100,000 for each car. Both teams’ race strategists were suspended for Sunday’s Indy 500 and the cars forfeited Indianapolis 500 qualification points.
Penske’s third car, the No. 3 driven by Scott McLaughlin, had a big crash Sunday before the top-12 pole qualifying session. IndyCar officials did not find the same altered parts on McLaughlin’s car, so he will still start 10th.
The setbacks didn’t seem to affect their pace Monday. Power was seventh-quickest, and Newgarden eighth. McLaughlin only ran eight laps to shake down his car’s repairs.
Prema Racing’s Robert Shwartzman, 25, the first rookie in 43 years to win the Indy 500 pole position, was 26th on Monday’s speed chart.
The traditional two-hour final Indianapolis 500 practice, “Carburetion Day” will take place Friday from 11-1 p.m. ET, followed by the popular “Pit Stop Challenge” at 2:30 p.m. ET.
RFK Racing announced Monday it will appeal the L1-level penalty issued to the No. 17 RFK Racing Ford following the May 11 NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.
Following further inspection at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center, officials ruled the No. 17 Ford that driver Chris Buescher drove to an eighth-place finish violated Sections 14.1.C and 14.5.4.G in the NASCAR Rule Book, regarding overall assembled vehicle rules and the front bumper cover, respectively.
As a result, Buescher and the team were respectively docked 60 driver and owner points, five playoff points and the team was fined $75,000. Additionally, crew chief Scott Graves was suspended for two events. Graves voluntarily served the first race of his suspension last weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the NASCAR All-Star Race and will continue to sit out the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway (6 p.m. ET, Prime Video, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
“After a thorough review of the penalties issued to the No. 17 Ford Mustang, RFK Racing has decided to appeal NASCAR’s decision,” RFK Racing said in a statement posted to its social media accounts Monday. “We respect NASCAR’s commitment to fair competition and appreciate the opportunity to engage in the appeals process.”
Before the penalty, Buescher was scored 14th in the provisional playoff standings, 33 points above the elimination line. After the 60-point penalty, Buescher fell to 24th in the provisional postseason picture, 27 points beneath the line to advance.
After an exciting All-Star Race Weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway, the NASCAR Cup Series resumes its regular-season push at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday (6 p.m. ET, Prime Video, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Connor Zilisch, who returns to on-track action following a lower back injury sustained at Talladega Superspeedway in the Xfinity Series on April 26, will make his second career Cup Series start this weekend, piloting the No. 87 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet. Jimmie Johnson, driving the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota, makes his second Cup start of the season; Johnson finished third in the 2025 Daytona 500 in February.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway for Memorial Day Weekend action under the Friday night lights (8:30 p.m. ET, FS1, NASCAR Racing Network Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch returns to the series, piloting the No. 7 once again for Spire Motorsports. BJ McLeod will join Busch in the Spire Motorsports stable, driving the No. 07 Chevrolet in his first Truck Series start of 2025. Ross Chastain is also slated to run Friday night in the No. 44 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet.
See the full entry list for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200:
The NASCAR Xfinity Series rolls into Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Bet MGM 300 on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, The CW, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
2013 Xfinity Series champ Austin Dillon will bring the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet back to the series, joining fellow Cup regulars William Byron and Chase Briscoe in the field. After being medically cleared to return from his back injury, Connor Zilisch will wheel the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in a double-duty weekend. Katherine Legge is also back with Jordan Anderson Racing for her fourth start with the team.
Take a look at the full entry list for Saturday’s event:
“North Wilkesboro! Best short track on the schedule!”
It’s hard to disagree with NASCAR All-Star Race winner Christopher Bell after the sport’s stars put on one of the most electrifying midseason exhibitions of the event’s 41-year history. Over the final 28 laps around the 0.625-mile short track, Bell charged from sixth to battle door-to-door with defending series and All-Star champion Joey Logano, the two slamming fenders and leaning on one another for the $1 million prize.
Ultimately, Bell got the better of Logano, working over the three-time champion by running him up the track with 10 laps to go. But the fans are the ones who got the best end of the show Sunday night at North Wilkesboro Speedway. One of the oldest tracks on NASCAR’s calendar delivered an all-time, old-school, heavyweight bout between two championship contenders in an exhibition showdown. Is a points race next?
Before we get ahead of ourselves, relishing the excitement of Sunday’s 250-lap throw-down showdown is top priority. Short tracks have a history of igniting short tempers, but that has been less common in recent years at the NASCAR Cup Series level. Exclude North Wilkesboro from that list, where in 2024 Kyle Busch and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (and teams) exchanged post-race fisticuffs. This year, there were fewer physical altercations, but perhaps equal frustrations.
“I did all I could do to hold him off, and he got under me and released the brake and gave me no option,” a frustrated Logano told FOX Sports. “Kind of just ran me up into the wall, and if I could’ve got to him, he was going around after a move like that. I just couldn’t get back to him.”
Bell, all smiles and $1 million richer, was taken aback by Logano’s vocal displeasure.
“Joey was frustrated?He was frustrated? That is interesting. I genuinely would not have guessed that,” Bell said. “I had got to him a couple times before, and he made it very difficult on me, as he should. I got my run, and I took the moment, as I should. Yeah, I don’t think that I did anything that Joey has not done, and I’ve seen Joey do much worse.”
Disagreements — on the track or off — are a signature part of short-track racing. The duo made contact numerous times without physically driving either competitor into the SAFER barrier. And the result was, in part, thanks to soft Goodyear tires that mattered on a newer-but-quickly-aging asphalt surface. After sitting dormant from NASCAR national series competition from 1997-2022, North Wilkesboro’s aging asphalt sat worn, abrasive and largely overtaken by nature. That necessitated a repave before the 2024 edition of the All-Star Race, but the new pavement seems to be wearing quickly — which often leads to good racing.
“I’d say this tire is fairly matched up with the track,” Phil Surgen, crew chief of Ross Chastain’s No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, said. “The year of age on the track, I think, is probably a bigger factor than what the tire was this year. And I’d say, another couple years and this place is going to be really racy, although it looked pretty good tonight. You’ve got a couple of lanes, three-wide at times, so it’s getting there with a little more aging.”
David Jensen | Getty Images
Indeed, there were multiple three- and even four-wide battles for position throughout the four Cup Series races this weekend — two All-Star heat races on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s All-Star Open and All-Star Race. There was full contact between competitors who fought tooth and nail for any advantage they could find. But they could also race each other with respect through a dominant top lane and a workable bottom lane that allowed for consistent side-by-side opportunities. That rapid evolution of the track surprised even Adam Stevens, winning crew chief of Bell’s No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.
“I did not see the bottom groove being as competitive as it was this time around,” Stevens said. “It seemed like it migrated middle (to) top last year, and you kind of had to be good there. But this time around, it almost seemed like middle-top of (Turns) 1 and 2 and lower in 3 and 4 could have been preferred, and then out of nowhere, Larson starts running the Homestead line almost and making time.
“This place is aging quickly and aging well and it’s got a lot of character, obviously, in more ways than one, and it races really competitive and gives you a lot of opportunities to do different things with your car and the driver to do different things behind the wheel to affect the balance.”
Couple that with an electric energy and sold-out crowd in rustic Wilkes County, and it made for a show fans and drivers loved alike — even for drivers who didn’t take home the $1 million prize.
“It looked like a great race for the win. I wish I could have been a part of it,” said fifth-place finisher Chase Elliott. “I thought the race was much better this year than last year, so that was cool to see. We had another great crowd here, great environment, for an All-Star Race, so hopefully everyone enjoyed that.”
Bell agreed, noting the atmosphere was “bumping” all weekend. But perhaps there is a place down the road for North Wilkesboro as a points race rather than an exhibition event. In its current form, North Wilkesboro weekend splits the Cup Series field into All-Stars — this year, 20 of them — and hopefuls — this year, 18 of them. A full 38-car field for 400 laps around one of the most historic tracks in stock-car racing’s arsenal could produce its own drama if given the chance.
“We need more events like this, more races like this,” Bell said. “I love that we revived this race track. And now with Rockingham getting revived and had an amazing Xfinity race, I think just continuing to go to different race tracks, that’s the key for success. You can’t just beat the same race tracks up over and over and go to them twice a year.
“So I think continuing to diversify the schedule, get to where we’re going to every venue one time a year, and you’re going to see the crowds engage and have awesome electricity throughout the races. And yeah, it really is awesome to be a part of.”
Logano, for his part, was less thrilled after Sunday’s race.
“I’m glad you had a blast,” he said. “I’m pissed off right now.”
