Christopher Bell can’t stop smiling amid his return to the Chili Bowl: ‘I’m here to have fun’

Posted on January 17, 2025January 17, 2025 by Adam Fenwick

TULSA, Okla. — For the last two weeks, Christopher Bell has had a smile on his face that would make the Cheshire cat jealous.

The reason: For the last two weeks, Bell has been living on Tulsa time.

The 30-year-old Oklahoma native is back inside the SageNet Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to compete in the Chili Bowl Nationals for the first time since 2022. This is a homecoming for Bell, who began attending races inside the SageNet Center long before he was a racer himself.

“This place is just home. I’ve spent many, many, many weeks of January and New Year’s weekends at the Tulsa Expo Center,” said Bell, a native of nearby Norman, Oklahoma. “I have pictures of me, even before I remember coming here, I have pictures of me here when I was probably 3, 4 or 5 years old.

“Me and my uncle Will would come up, and we’d sit in the frontstrech grandstands. I remember that. We’d stay at the DoubleTree off Yale. I’ve been coming here a long time.”

RESULTS: NASCAR drivers at the Chili Bowl

Bell has never shied away from talking about his love for racing inside the SageNet Center. Like many, he made his first laps around the temporary Tulsa Expo Raceway during the Tulsa Shootout as a youngster before graduating to the Chili Bowl.

His first Chili Bowl attempt came in 2011 when he was 17. He made his first Chili Bowl main event in 2014, finishing third. It took him three more years to win his first Golden Driller trophy in 2017, which he followed with two more Chili Bowl victories in 2018 and 2019.

“It’s a special place,” Bell said about the SageNet Center. “It’s always been a special place to me and will continue to be.”

After a runner-up finish in the 2022 Chili Bowl, Bell was forced to curtail his dirt racing efforts. Joe Gibbs Racing, the team for which Bell drives in the NASCAR Cup Series, instituted a ban on dirt racing.

For the next two years, Bell sat at home and watched the Chili Bowl from afar. He hoped someday he’d return to the SageNet Center as a competitor, but he wasn’t sure when — or even if — that would happen.

In late 2024, much to the surprise of Bell, Joe Gibbs lifted the dirt racing ban. He immediately started making plans to return to the Chili Bowl.

Christopher Bell sits strapped in his race car prior to his heat race on Thursday night at the Chili Bowl. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)

“I was a little bit surprised,” Bell said. “It’s refreshing. I have so much respect for Joe, and I just want to make sure I am super smart and diligent and respectful when it comes to what races I run.

“The Shootout and the Chili Bowl, they make sense. It’s still in the middle of the offseason. We still have a couple weeks before I get back in the (Cup) car. If anything, I think it’s very beneficial to be out here still getting seat time and not getting rusty.”

As a warmup for his Chili Bowl return, Bell competed in four divisions during the Tulsa Shootout from Dec. 31 to Jan. 4.

He won one of them, taking home a Golden Driller trophy after a victory in the non-wing outlaw division that featured a photo finish between Bell and his NASCAR Cup Series and dirt racing rival Kyle Larson.

“This is a unique venue where the track is only built for a month out of the year and there are only two races, the Shootout and the Chili Bowl,” Bell said. “I have always felt like the Shootout is really beneficial to come and just get up to speed with how the track reacts.

“It’s a unique place with how the infield berm is, so whenever you go and run the bottom, you have to be able to have that technique to get on the infield berm and hit your marks. Typically the top is pretty treacherous, so just getting back in the flow of it is really beneficial.”

Bell officially made his Chili Bowl return Monday by winning the annual Chili Bowl Race of Champions, an invite-only race featuring some of the top stars from across the dirt racing world.

Christopher Bell finished third in Thursday’s Chili Bowl preliminary feature, narrowly missing out on a spot in Saturday’s finale as a result. (Photo: Yem Sanlaeid/NASCAR)

It was his third victory in the prestigious event to go along with his eight Chili Bowl preliminary feature wins and three Chili Bowl main event triumphs.

He entered Thursday’s preliminary night as one of the favorites to win and, for a time, it looked like he would. Starting fourth in the 30-lap feature, Bell slipped past polesitter Tanner Thorson to take the lead on Lap 9.

He held that position until Thorson rocketed back around him on the outside with eight laps left. It looked like Bell would finish second, which still would have been good enough to lock him into Saturday’s finale.

However, a late caution and subsequent green-white-checkered restart opened the door for Ryan Bernal to slip past Bell at the finish line and drop him to third. Instead of locking into the finale, Bell now must race his way in through a B-Main Saturday night.

Still, Bell had that same smile on his face.

“How can you be mad whenever it’s a race like that?” Bell asked. “At this point in my career, if I win the Chili Bowl or if I don’t win the Chili Bowl, my life is the same. I’m here to have fun. This is not my job. I’m here to have fun, and that’s what I’m doing.

“I’ve been on the winning side of a lot of stuff in this building. Tonight, I was on the losing side of it, but it was a hell of a race. I’m stoked. I’m super happy.”

Posted on January 16, 2025 by Staff Report

NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson will attempt to qualify for the 2025 Daytona 500 (Feb. 16, 2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion announced Thursday. He’ll pilot the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota and attempt to qualify for his 22nd career Daytona 500 as part of a two-race Cup Series schedule this year.

The two-time victor of the “Great American Race” is seeking his first win in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway since 2013. Johnson captured his first Harley J. Earl Trophy in 2006, with both wins coming during the 2024 Hall of Fame inductee’s longtime tenure at Hendrick Motorsports.

Johnson, an 83-time premier series winner, also tabbed Charlotte Motor Speedway’s annual Memorial Day Weekend Coca-Cola 600 (May 25, 6 p.m. ET, Prime Video, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) as his second planned appearance of the season, which could mark 700 starts for his career. He’s a four-time winner of NASCAR’s longest race, with eight total Cup Series wins at the track.

“I’m thrilled to be returning to competition in 2025,” Johnson said in a news release from LMC. “These two races hold a special place in my heart, and I’ve always loved the energy and excitement that surrounds them. The Daytona 500 is a crown jewel of NASCAR – there’s nothing like it. Charlotte Motor Speedway is where I made my first start in the NASCAR Cup Series, and it’s always felt like home to me.”

Legacy Motor Club indicated that Carvana will provide sponsorship for both events, marking the fifth season of the Phoenix-based company’s partnership with Johnson. Ryan Keeton, Carvana co-founder and chief brand officer, said that “our team is committed to creating a special livery that measures up to his 700th start milestone.”

Johnson’s four 600 wins put him just one behind Darrell Waltrip’s record of five victories in the sport’s marquee marathon event. The 49-year-old driver, who retired from full-time competition after the 2020 season, continues to contribute to the sport both as a driver and co-owner for Legacy Motor Club.

MORE: Jimmie Johnson through the years

Johnson’s post-retirement career has included one partial schedule (2021) and one full season (2022) in IndyCar. He returned to the Cup Series with a three-race slate in 2023, and he participated in nine Cup events last year – a schedule that included the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600.

Just 20 drivers in Cup Series history have reached the 700-start plateau. Kyle Busch is the most recent to mark that milestone, competing in his 700th Cup Series race last July at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Posted on January 16, 2025 by Zack Albert

Martin Truex Jr. will aim to make the first start of his post-retirement career in NASCAR’s biggest race, partnering with Tricon Garage for an entry in next month’s Daytona 500.

The attempt will mark a debut in the Cup Series garage for the David Gilliland-owned organization, which announced Thursday that Truex will drive the No. 56 Toyota in the “Great American Race,” scheduled Sunday, Feb. 16 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Truex retired from full-time competition after the 2024 season, hinting in his June 14 announcement that he was open to another Daytona 500 attempt, along with entering other select races. The 44-year-old driver’s full-time racing career ended with 34 Cup Series victories, the 2017 Cup championship and a pair of titles (2004-05) in what’s now called the Xfinity Series.

Cole Pearn, his longtime crew chief, will also come out of retirement to be atop the pit box for the Daytona effort. Pearn helped guide Truex to 24 wins in their five seasons together, including four Championship 4 appearances and the Cup Series crown in 2017.

Primary sponsorship will be provided by longtime partner Bass Pro Shops. The Johnny Morris-founded company has had a connection to Truex since 2004, the same year that Truex made his Cup Series debut in a Bass Pro Shops-sponsored car.

“It’s going to be a really cool deal to be able to work with Cole and have the number 56 again,” Truex said in a team release. “I really appreciate everyone at Bass Pro Shops, Tricon and Toyota helping put this together to go have some fun, and I can’t think of a better time to go win the thing for Johnny Morris.”

Truex will attempt to land the unchartered entry onto the grid for his 21st Daytona 500 start. The past Cup Series champion has never won the 500-mile season opener, coming closest in 2016, when he was the runner-up to Denny Hamlin by just 0.010 seconds.

MORE: Martin Truex Jr. through the years | Making Martin: Truex’s journey, legacy

Tricon’s first Cup Series effort will include technical support from Toyota affiliate Joe Gibbs Racing. Gilliland, a former Cup Series driver, has fielded entries in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series since 2018, rebranding from David Gilliland Racing to Tricon Garage and shifting its manufacturer alliance from Ford to Toyota before the 2023 season.

“This opportunity is a testament to the dedication of our entire organization and our partners at Toyota. Having raced against Martin for many years, I can confidently say there’s no stronger competitor I’d want behind the wheel for our first Cup Series entry at the sport’s most prestigious race,” Gilliland said. “As an open entry, we know the road ahead will be challenging, but I have no doubt that Martin will put us in the best position to succeed. I’ve had the privilege of sitting on the pole at Daytona, but my next goal is to celebrate in Victory Lane.”

Tricon Garage will field five full-time Truck Series teams this year, with returning drivers Corey Heim and Tanner Gray joining newcomers Toni Briedinger and Gio Ruggiero for full-season schedules. The fifth entry will be split among four drivers – Lawless Alan, Brent Crews, Brandon Jones and William Sawalich.

The Daytona 500 bid continues Truex’s connection to Toyota, which began in 2016. That stretch includes the last six seasons with Gibbs’ No. 19 team.

Posted on January 16, 2025January 16, 2025 by Press Release

NASCAR announced today it will launch a FAST (Free Ad-Supported Television) Channel called the NASCAR Channel.

The NASCAR Channel goes live with exclusive launch partner Tubi on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Fans can watch NASCAR content 24/7 without a subscription fee or registration.

Programming and content on the NASCAR Channel will include classic races, re-airs of this season’s events, documentaries, NASCAR Studios original content and video podcasts.

Highlights for the launch of the NASCAR Channel include exclusive live coverage of the upcoming NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Feb. 7 and the Cook Out Madhouse Classic from Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on Feb. 1. NASCAR will dive into the archive to deliver the best historical races from the Daytona 500 and The Cook Out Clash, while re-airing those 2025 races on a delayed schedule. Fans can also expect timely original content like NASCAR Daily with Shannon Spake and race highlights, as well as fan favorites like Radioactive, Refuse to Lose and Hall of Fame Biographies.

“I’m excited for the fans,” said John Dahl, NASCAR SVP, Content. “They now have a free, easily accessed, 24/7 NASCAR destination that not only digs deep into our archives but provides the latest news and original storytelling. As the channel grows, we’ll be adding more and more racing content that we’re confident fans will appreciate. Many NASCAR fans already use Tubi, but we’re looking forward to exposing more of them to that great platform, too.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome NASCAR fans to Tubi where they’ll soon find the ultimate immersive experience with the first official NASCAR FAST Channel exclusively on our service,” said Samuel Harowitz, SVP of Content Acquisitions and Partnerships at Tubi. “As Tubi’s momentum continues to grow, we are doubling down on providing premium entertainment guided by viewer engagement and fandoms. NASCAR is the perfect addition to our vast content offering and we believe this channel’s programming will complement NASCAR’s live events, which kick off the 2025 season with The Clash and Daytona 500 on FOX.”

Posted on January 16, 2025January 21, 2025 by Jerry Bonkowski

Editor’s Note: Today’s RFK Racing preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2025 Cup Series season.

RFK RACING

Manufacturer: Ford
Engine: Roush Yates Engines
Driver-crew chief pairings: Brad Keselowski–Jeremy Bullins (No. 6), Chris Buescher-Scott Graves (No. 17), Ryan Preece-Derrick Finley (No. 60)

Team outlook: RFK Racing expands to three teams for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, the first time the organization has had three drivers in the series since 2016. The newest addition is Ryan Preece (via a charter acquired from Rick Ware Racing), who joins RFK Racing after spending the last two seasons with the now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing. The two holdovers, team co-owner Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher, struggled in 2024 (Keselowski 13th, Buescher 17th) after finishing seventh (Buescher) and eighth (Keselowski) in 2023. Preece, meanwhile, finished 23rd and 26th in the last two seasons with SHR.

This season will be pivotal for all three RFK drivers: Keselowski turns 41 on Feb. 12, limiting his time to stack more wins or even add another championship. Buescher needs to rebound after missing the playoffs last season, and Preece has yet to qualify for the Cup playoffs. The organization has to pick up its pace and success, particularly since rival and fellow Ford organization Team Penske has won each of the last three Cup championships — while RFK’s last championship was in 2004.

BRAD KESELOWSKI, NO. 6 FORD

Experience: 15 full seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series
2024 stats: 13th in final Cup Series standings; 1 win, 9 top fives, 14 top 10s
2025 championship odds (DraftKings): 28-1

Outlook: Keselowski finally earned his 36th career Cup win — his first since 2021. After three seasons with Matt McCall as his crew chief at RFK, Keselowski reunites this season with his former Team Penske crew chief Jeremy Bullins. The pair finished second in 2020 and sixth in 2021, which should inject new energy into the team. Although he’s made the playoffs each of the last two seasons, Keselowski needs to find a new level in 2025. He has everything he needs to advance to the final round of the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and potentially win his second career Cup championship.

CHRIS BUESCHER, NO. 17 FORD

Experience: Nine full seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series
2024 stats: 17th in final Cup Series standings; 1 win, 6 top fives, 15 top 10s
2025 championship odds (DraftKings): 40-1

Outlook: After the best Cup season of his career in 2023 (three wins, nine top fives and 17 top 10s) Buescher fell backward in 2024, earning just one win and missing the playoffs for the seventh time in his Cup career. As for 2025, Scott Graves returns for his fourth straight season as Buescher’s crew chief. But there must be a return to success this season for the No. 17 team. Last year, expectations were high for Buescher to repeat or even do better than his outstanding campaign in ’23 — only to end up with several close finishes that kept him outside the playoff field.

MORE: 2025 Cup Series championship odds

RYAN PREECE, NO. 60 FORD

Experience: Five full seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series
2024 stats: 26th in final Cup Series standings; 0 wins, 1 top five, 5 top 10s
2025 championship odds (DraftKings): 250-1

Outlook: Preece enters the sixth full season of his Cup career and is now with his third team (previously three years with JTG-Daugherty Racing before moving to SHR). In 187 Cup starts, the Berlin, Connecticut native has yet to win his first race, has just four top-five finishes, has yet to qualify for the Cup playoffs and his best season finish has only been 23rd in 2023. Perhaps a change in teams will prove beneficial to Preece’s fortunes. Earlier this week, it was announced that Preece will be paired with veteran crew chief Derrick Finley, who has been with RFK since 2022. Possessing a mechanical engineering degree from the University of New Mexico, Finley is versatile, holding several roles in his NASCAR career, including crew chief, operations director, technical director and competition director. “We’re thrilled to have Derrick lead the No. 60 team,” Keselowski said. “His experience and technical knowledge of the sport will play a crucial role in the initial development and growth of the No. 60 team.”

BOLD PREDICTION: RFK Racing is long overdue for success. Since the team’s last championship, the organization has only had four runner-up finishes, the most recent being Carl Edwards in 2011. RFK is in a prime position to be a surprise organization in 2025 and bring a championship fight to powerhouse teams. Significant improvement is on the table for both Keselowski and Buescher to make a playoff run, and Preece has the potential to have the best season yet of his Cup career.

Posted on January 15, 2025January 15, 2025 by Zack Albert

JR Motorsports will attempt to make its NASCAR Cup Series debut next month, announcing Wednesday that the organization will bid for a starting spot in the 2025 Daytona 500 with reigning Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier behind the wheel.

Allgaier will drive the No. 40 Chevrolet in his effort to qualify for the “Great American Race” on Feb. 16 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The entry is a collaboration between JRM and 10-time Grammy Award-winning musician Chris Stapleton with Traveller Whiskey serving as the sponsor for the No. 40, representing the blend utilized by Buffalo Trace Distillery to make Traveller. Greg Ives will serve as crew chief for Allgaier.

“It’s been really special,” Allgaier told NASCAR.com. “To be at an organization like this and to be able to make a team debut at the Daytona 500, that’s special. Obviously, we have to qualify our way in. We have a lot of work to do. It’s going to be difficult. But there wouldn’t be anybody that I’d rather tackle this opportunity with than [JRM co-owners] Dale [Earnhardt Jr.] and Kelley [Earnhardt Miller] and LW [Miller, JRM director] and everybody at the race shop.”

“We’ve been waiting for the right moment for JR Motorsports,” Earnhardt Jr. said in a press release. “With Justin winning the Xfinity Series Championship and Chris Stapleton’s undeniable star power, the planets aligned for this perfect opportunity to enter this year’s Daytona 500.”

See y’all in Daytona. pic.twitter.com/iCvILhtw1W

— JR Motorsports (@JRMotorsports) January 15, 2025

The Cup Series effort will be a first for JR Motorsports, which has fielded entries in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for nearly 20 years. Earnhardt Jr. — who runs the team with his sister, Kelley — said as recently as last season that a Cup Series venture had been a long-running interest, either by bringing in financial support to field a chartered team or as investors in an existing team.

“It was a conversation that Chris and Mr. [Rick] Hendrick were having,” Kelley told NASCAR.com regarding the partnership with Stapleton. “And of course, Mr. Hendrick knows what we’ve talked about over the last several years about wanting to potentially Cup race. So he passed the opportunity over to us and told us to take the reins and see what we could do with it. So we were able to land it and put it together.”

“There’s nobody like Justin who knows our organization, who knows our needs, who can meet those needs and really deliver for this partner all year long,” Kelley told NASCAR.com. “So it was just really the perfect storm. You know, you had a partner that was interested and excited and wanted to be at the Daytona 500 and you had a team in JRM with a driver like Justin who wants to be there.”

MORE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. through the years | First look at the No. 40 car

Allgaier led the organization to its fourth Xfinity Series Championship triumph under the JR Motorsports banner last year. The title was a popular and long-awaited first for the 38-year-old veteran, who finally hoisted the trophy at Phoenix Raceway in his seventh Championship 4 appearance.

Allgaier has twice competed in the Daytona 500, making appearances in 2014-15 for former team owner Harry Scott Jr. The most recent of his 82 career Cup Series starts came in last season’s Coca-Cola 600 when he drove Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 5 Chevrolet to a 13th-place finish as a substitute for Kyle Larson.

SHOP: No. 40 JR Motorsports merchandise

“To be the person that is making the debut on the Cup side, that’s a warm, fuzzy feeling, right?” Allgaier said. “It’s something that you can never go back and get your first opportunity back. You can never go back and do things over again. This is truly the first.

“Internally, it puts more pressure on myself. I want to see myself succeed. The first goal is to make the race. As an open, non-charter team, we have to go make the race. Then you switch your focus to, ‘If we make the race, how do we go win the race?’ I’m not showing up to go run 30th, right? We’re going there to try to have an opportunity to win the Daytona 500. What a story that would be if we could just go there and win. I don’t know that that’s in the cards or not, but it would be really, really special. Regardless, I’m honored to be the person that gets to drive this car.”

Contributing: Cameron Richardson | NASCAR.com

Posted on January 15, 2025January 21, 2025 by Chris Murdock

Editor’s Note: Today’s Haas Factory Team preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2025 Cup Series season.

HAAS FACTORY TEAM

Manufacturer: Ford
Engine: Roush Yates Engines
Driver-crew chief pairing: Cole Custer-Aaron Kramer (No. 41)

Team outlook: Following the announcement of Stewart-Haas Racing’s closure at the end of the 2024 season, the Haas Factory Team is set to enter 2025 with a renewed focus and a new identity. Cole Custer will make his return to the Cup Series after spending two years in the Xfinity Series. The new single-car Cup Series team will be under close watch as it aims to return to successful performances and competitive racing throughout the team’s past lineage. Rookie crew chief Aaron Kramer will lead the No. 41 Ford Mustang after spending time as a lead race engineer for RFK Racing.

COLE CUSTER, NO. 41 FORD

Experience: 3 full seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series
2024 stats: Runner-up in NASCAR Xfinity Series; 2 wins, 14 top fives, 23 top 10s, 3 poles
2025 championship odds (DraftKings): 250-1

Outlook: While yes, it is true that the 26-year-old from Ladera Ranch, California, moved from full-time Cup racing to Xfinity Series racing in 2023, that move was met with much success for the former driver of the No. 00 Ford Mustang. Custer was able to win the 2023 Xfinity Series Championship and notch a runner-up finish in the standings in 2024. “Stone Cole” will look to bring that confidence and speed back to his familiar home in the No. 41 Ford Mustang from back in the SHR days. Returning to his fourth full-time season in the Cup Series, the Haas Factory Team shop will shift its focus from what was a four-car entry to solely on Custer’s machine, which should pay focused dividends.

MORE: 2025 Cup Series schedule

BOLD PREDICTION: Custer enjoyed one victory driving the No. 41 previously in the NASCAR Cup Series, with his win at Kentucky Speedway in his rookie season in 2020 being his only appearance in the postseason festivities. For 2025, Custer and the No. 41 will find their way back to Victory Lane once again and will go as far as the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Playoffs, putting the Haas Factory Team back in contention for the Bill France Cup at the end of the season.

Posted on January 14, 2025 by Brandon White

A new season at Arizona’s Tucson Speedway begins this weekend with the facility’s most cherished event: the Chilly Willy.

The proud tradition at Tucson began back in 2014 with Dustin Ash taking home the checkered flag at the end of 100 laps. Since then, the Chilly Willy has grown into a marquee event on the West Coast, with the headlining Super Late Model feature now encompassing 150 circuits around Tucson.

Super Late Models are not the only class on the Chilly Willy schedule, as a healthy crowd of Legends competitors will make the trip to Tucson this weekend. There will be two separate 50-lap features for the Legends division; one for Pros/Masters and the other for Semi Pros/Young Lions.

The Chilly Willy presents a perfect opportunity for Super Late Model and Legends competitors to not only build some momentum ahead of a long 2025 season, but also write their own chapter into the event’s growing record books.

Below is everything you need to know for Tucson Speedway’s season-opening Chilly Willy.

The prestigious Chilly Willy at Tucson Speedway is now entering its 12th year. (Photo: Rebecca Noble/NASCAR)

What TV channel is the Chilly Willy on in 2025?

All racing action from the 2025 Chilly Willy at Tucson Speedway can be viewed live on FloRacing, the official streaming home of all NASCAR Regional properties.

The Chilly Willy will not be shown on a traditional television network.

Below is the complete broadcast schedule for Chilly Willy coverage on FloRacing.

Date	Start Time	How to Watch
Friday, Jan. 17	7:45 p.m. ET	FloRacing
Saturday, Jan. 18	3 p.m. ET	FloRacing
Sunday, Jan. 19	2:45 p.m. ET	FloRacing

2025 schedule and procedures

A busy docket of on-track action for the Chilly Willy begins Friday evening with preliminary events for both Super Late Models and Legends that will be 50 and 25 laps, respectively.

The Chilly Willy starting grid begins to get set the following afternoon, as the top two competitors in Super Late Model qualifying earn a guaranteed spot in the field. Everyone else is relegated to one of two qualifying duels, with the top 10 from each race transferring into the main event.

Sunday presents the final opportunity for Super Late Model competitors to get into the Chilly Willy with a Last Chance Qualifier, which only takes the top six finishers. The starting grid for the Chilly Willy consists of 32 or or fewer positions, including four promoters provisionals.

On Sunday, after both Legends classes run their respective 50 lap features, the Super Late Models hit the track to decide the Chilly Willy. The only scheduled stoppage is a competition caution on or around Lap 75, when drivers have a chance to change two tires and add fuel.

Below is the complete weekend schedule for the 2025 Chilly Willy at Tucson Speedway.

(All times MT)

Friday, Jan. 17

Time	Event
8 a.m.	Registration/Pit Gates Open (NASCAR Driver Memberships Required)
8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.	Tech Open
8:30 a.m.-close	Tire Barn Open
10 a.m.	Mandatory Drivers & Spotters Meeting
11 a.m.-3 p.m.	Scheduled Practice
4 p.m.	Front Gates Open/Qualifying – Super Late Models/Legends
5:55 p.m.	Opening Ceremonies
6 p.m.	50 Lap Super Late Model Feature(s)/25 Lap Legends Feature(s)

Saturday, Jan. 18

Time	Event
8 a.m.	Registration/Pit Gates Open
8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.	Tech Open
8:30 a.m.-close	Tire Barn Open
9 a.m.	Mandatory Drivers & Spotters Meeting
10 a.m.-12 p.m.	Scheduled Practice
1 p.m.	Qualifying – Super Late Models (Top 2 locked into Chilly Willy 150)
1:55 p.m.	Opening Ceremonies
2 p.m.	SLM Qualifying Duels (50 Laps) – Top 10 from each duel advance into Chilly Willy 150

Sunday, Jan. 19

Time	Event
8:30 a.m.	Registration/Pit Gates Open
9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.	Tech Open
9:30 a.m.-close	Tire Barn Open
10:30 a.m.	Mandatory Drivers & Spotters Meeting
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.	Scheduled Practice (All classes for the event)
12:55 p.m.	Opening Ceremonies
1 p.m.	Super Late Model Last Chance Qualifier (Top 6 advance to Chilly Will 150)/Legends Main Events (50 Laps)/Intermission/Super Late Model Chilly Will 150

Kole Raz enters this weekend’s Chilly Willy at Tucson Speedway as the defending winner. (Photo: Rebecca Noble/NASCAR)

Entry list

The current entry list for the 2025 Chilly Willy stands at 24 Super Late Models.

Headlining the group of Super Late Models making the trip to Tucson Speedway is defending Chilly Willy winner Kole Raz. Coming off a solid 2024 that saw him break through for his first ARCA Menards Series West triumph at Kern County Raceway Park, Raz looks to become the first back-to-back Chilly Willy since Preston Peltier from 2022-23.

Among the drivers looking to dethrone Raz as Chilly Willy champion is Beathard, Colorado native Jace Hansen. Primarily a West Coast competitor, Hansen made a strong impression in his fourth attempt at the Snowball Derby in December, when he led 17 laps and came home in the fourth position.

Kasey Kleyn is set to compete in his third Chilly Willy on Sunday. Kleyn has developed a reputation as one of the most promising young competitors from the northwestern United States and is coming off a third-place showing from last year’s Chilly Willy.

The Legends class also features plenty of talented young competitors, with some of the notable names including ARCA Menards Series West competitor Tanner Reif and Jaron Giannini, who is the defending track champion at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Below are the Chilly Willy entry lists for both the Super Late Models and Legends classes.

Super Late Models

Car No.	Driver
1	Kasey Kleyn
3c	Cassidy Hinds
5	Ryan Phipps
7	Zach Riehl
08	Jace Hansen
11	John Dillon
11j	Johvan Dillon
12	Bruce Yackey
14	Vanessa Robinson
28	David Levitt
32	Brett Yackey
34	Rudy Vanderwal
37	Ethan Hunter
42	Kyle Reid
52	Ryan Philpott
55	Haeden Plybon
57	Jen Hall
63	Rowdy Rupinski
63l	Dan Lowther
69	Bill Engle
69r	Andrew Riehl
76	Kole Raz
99	Caleb Shrader
100	Weston Marthaler

Legends

Car No.	Driver
03	Darrell Lee Stewart
-4	Wyatt Flowers
04	Cole Brown
5	Ryan Phipps
05	Robert Czub
7	Beau Phipps
8j	Jarrett Dicksen
11	Danny Arnold
12b	Bryanna Bruce
12d	Davis Jacobson
12s	Skyler Meisenbach
15	Jaron Giannini
15x	Kyle Lovell
18	Brody Glaze
19	Jayden Luce
19b	Brandon White
20	Andrew Riehl
20a	Ashton Williams
21	Madilyn Range
22	Chase Burgeson
24	Cole Dasenbrock
25	Brandon Giannini
26	Tim Neumeyer
35	Tanner Reif
40	Samantha Schwarz
42p	Pyper Alton
42	Stephen Bazen
43	Christian Bazen
50	Jerry Davis
54	Johnethan Davis
64	Zeke Hanger
70	Brent Schmich
75	Mike Doss
99	Brody Whitbeck

Past winners

Year	Winner
2014	Dustin Ash
2015	Tayler Riddle
2016	Chuck Wares
2017	Owen Riddle
2018	Chris Eggleston
2019	Michael Scott
2020	Preston Peltier
2021	Christian McGhee
2022	Preston Peltier
2023	Preston Peltier
2024	Kole Raz

Posted on January 14, 2025 by Press Release

BURBANK, CA (Jan. 14, 2025) — The CW Network announced its broadcast team for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Veteran broadcaster Adam Alexander will serve as lead play-by-play announcer and will be joined by Daytona 500 champion Jamie McMurray and NASCAR driver Parker Kligerman as race analysts. Dillon Welch and Kim Coon will serve as pit reporters, and Carla Gebhart will host the studio show “NASCAR Countdown Live” before every race.

The CW’s coverage of the 2025 Xfinity Series season begins on Saturday, Feb. 15, at Daytona International Speedway, with “NASCAR Countdown Live” (4 to 5 p.m. ET) followed by the race (5 to 8 p.m. ET). For the first time in series history, all 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races will be available on free, over-the-air broadcast television with additional content available through The CW’s digital platforms. All 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series races and ancillary content will be fully produced by the Emmy® Award-winning NASCAR Productions group, in close collaboration with The CW.

Adam Alexander is the preeminent voice for NASCAR, serving as the lead play-by-play announcer for The CW’s Xfinity Series as well Prime Video and TNT Sports’ Cup Series coverage. In addition to play-calling responsibilities, Alexander will also work with NASCAR Studios to develop content for NASCAR and CW platforms. Before joining The CW, Alexander led FOX Sports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series coverage, a position which he has held since 2015 as part of FOX’s coverage of the series. Alexander also co-hosted “NASCAR Race Hub,” FS1’s daily NASCAR news and informational program, and called select NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races, along with serving as play-by-play announcer for various FOX college football and college basketball games.

Jamie McMurray is a former professional driver whose stellar career spanned 16 full-time Cup Series seasons from 2002-2018 and included winning the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in 2010. In 2019, he joined FOX Sports as a NASCAR analyst for “NASCAR Race Hub” and “NASCAR RaceDay,” among other duties. In 2020, he became an analyst for all FOX NASCAR pre- and in-race studio coverage of the Cup Series and Xfinity Series, in addition to calling multiple Xfinity Series and Truck series races and a Cup Series race in 2023.

RELATED: 2025 Xfinity Series schedule

Parker Kligerman is a NASCAR driver and media personality with a career spanning all three of NASCAR’s premier series. With three wins, 39 top-five finishes, and 105 top-10 finishes, he recently retired from the Xfinity Series after a two-year run as the marquee driver for Big Machine Racing, earning the team their first and second playoff berths. Since 2015, Kligerman has served as an analyst and pit reporter for NBC Sports. He has also created original motorsports programming and is currently the co-host of “The Money Lap” podcast.

Dillon Welch is an auto racing announcer and Emmy® Award-winning television producer. From 2014-16, Welch traveled nationally as the public address announcer for the United States Auto Club. He joined the Motor Racing Network in 2015 as a turn announcer and pit reporter for select NASCAR national series events. Beginning in 2018, he was visible on NBC Sports telecasts as a pit reporter and booth announcer covering NASCAR, IndyCar, and IMSA.

Kim Coon has spent the last 14 years covering NASCAR most recently as part of NBC’s coverage of the Cup Series and Xfinity Series. She has covered NASCAR for Motor Racing Network, as well as roles for IndyCar and American Flat Track. Most notably, she co-hosted “Off the Grid” on NBC as well as NASCAR’s popular “Glass Case of Emotion” podcast with driver Ryan Blaney.

Carla Gebhart is an Emmy® Award-winning anchor who currently serves as the Sports Director at WJZY-TV (FOX), the Nexstar-owned television station serving Charlotte, North Carolina, and the surrounding area. She hosts a nightly sports show for WJZY-TV called “Charlotte Sports Live,” where she reports the latest news from NASCAR, the NFL, NBA, and college athletics. She also hosts other shows related to the Carolina Panthers and NASCAR, which are syndicated regionally and nationally.

Comprised primarily of NASCAR’s younger, up-and-coming drivers, the Xfinity Series features the sport’s future stars often competing side-by-side against NASCAR’s biggest names — many of whom earned their stripes and won championships in the Xfinity Series. NASCAR Xfinity Series races in some of the nation’s largest markets — from Chicago to Dallas to Miami — and at the sport’’ most iconic tracks, including Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and the series championship at Phoenix Raceway. The full race schedule for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series on The CW can be found here.

Posted on January 14, 2025January 14, 2025 by Staff Report

Anthony Alfredo will race full-time for Young’s Motorsports in 2025 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the team announced Tuesday.

Alfredo, 25, will pilot the flagship No. 42 Chevrolet in what will be his fourth full-time Xfinity Series campaign, with sponsorship from Dude Wipes and Randco Industries. The Ridgefield, Connecticut, native finished 2024 15th in the driver standings as pilot of the No. 5 Our Motorsports Chevy, tallying two top fives and seven top-10 finishes, including a ninth-place Dash 4 Cash triumph at Dover Motor Speedway in April.

“I am very excited to join the Young’s Motorsports team this season. I certainly respect what Tyler and his team are building,” Alfredo said in a press release. “It’s clear they are determined to become a serious contender in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and I look forward to being a part of that. I am grateful for the opportunity and am ready to make the most of it.”

“This is huge for us,” team principal Tyler Young said in a press release. “Anthony is a wheelman. The NXS competition is stout. He absolutely has what it takes to win in this field. I am pumped we get to keep growing our Xfinity program with him this season.”

Andrew Abbott, who was crew chief for Leland Honeyman and the No. 42 in 2024, will continue to sit atop the pit box for the team in 2025. In 130 Xfinity Series races, Abbott has accumulated four top fives and 13 top 10s.

MORE: 2025 Xfinity Series schedule

The 2025 campaign will be the second season for Young’s Motorsports in the Xfinity Series as the organization continues to grow its racing brand. The organization, which began action in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2012, collected one top five and two top 10s in its inaugural Xfinity campaign in 2024.

Alfredo will make his Young’s Motorsports debut in the Xfinity season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 15 (5 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).