DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Join Ryan Blaney and celebrity guests as the 2023 Cup Series champion wheels them around the track for adrenaline-filled conversations that unfold unlike anything possible in a conventional interview setting.
“On The Gas with Ryan Blaney” — presented by BodyArmor Sports Drink — will run the first four Wednesdays of July exclusively on NASCAR’s YouTube channel beginning July 1. The first season consists of four episodes, each approximately 20 minutes long and features celebrities Keegan-Michael Key and Chad Ochocinco, plus popular YouTube creators Westen Champlin and The Stradman.
Fresh off his starring role in the latest installment of Amazon Prime Video’s “Eli Manning Presents: The Undercovers,” Blaney gives his guests far more than a typical pace car or hot laps ride. The No. 12 Team Penske Ford driver treats them to a real NASCAR racing experience, blending the adrenaline of the sport with the spontaneity of unscripted interviews, capturing authentic and often hilarious moments as they react in real time to the intensity of the ride.
“Getting the chance to share what makes NASCAR so exciting with people from different worlds was a lot of fun,” said Blaney. “Whether it was taking Keegan, Chad, Westen or The Stradman around the track, every episode brought a different perspective and some unforgettable moments. I think fans are going to enjoy seeing these big personalities experience the speed, competition, and culture of our sport up close.”
With more than 2.7 billion active users globally, YouTube is the world’s largest streaming platform. In the United States, viewers now spend more time watching YouTube on television screens than on mobile devices, streaming more than 1 billion hours of content on TVs each day. Debuting “On The Gas with Ryan Blaney” exclusively on YouTube reinforces NASCAR’s commitment to reaching fans where they consume content and expanding its presence among digital-first audiences.
“With NASCAR Studios and Full Speed Entertainment, we’re focused on creating original content that connects with fans in fresh and unexpected ways,” said John Dahl, senior vice president, original content, NASCAR. “‘On The Gas with Ryan Blaney’ delivers exactly that by pairing one of NASCAR’s biggest stars with guests experiencing the speed and intensity of our sport firsthand. As we continue to grow our presence on YouTube, this series represents another step in bringing NASCAR’s personalities and culture to a broader audience through premium digital storytelling.”
Blaney has become one of NASCAR’s most recognizable personalities on and off the track. In addition to competing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, he’s recently been featured in Prime Video’s “NASCAR vs. The Navy” mini-movie and “Eli Manning Presents: The Undercovers — Ryan Blaney.”
The project was produced by Full Speed Entertainment, the production partnership between NASCAR Studios and Words + Pictures, which focuses on elevating the cultural footprint of NASCAR, its drivers, and teams through bold storytelling, talent-driven initiatives, premium content, and large-scale specials.
It’s another split-squad type of weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series visit the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, while the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series heads to the not-too-far-away Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. See qualifying orders for all three series below.
Ryley Music knows what it’s like to celebrate a Hampton Heat victory, just not as a driver.
When Brenden Queen took home his first of three Hampton Heat checkered flags in 2020, Music was a part of the crew that guided him to victory. Spearheading the effort was Music’s grandfather Phil Warren, a seven-time Langley Speedway track champion who was Queen’s crew chief during all three of his title runs at Langley.
Music is determined to apply his grandfather’s wisdom towards what he believes will be his best chance at a Hampton Heat crown this Saturday night (7 p.m. ET on FloRacing). Instead of carrying Warren’s No. 47 in his family-owned ride, Music will drive the No. 22 Toyota for Nelson Motorsports, which previously won the crown jewel event in 2017 with Bobby McCarty.
Nelson Motorsports has developed a reputation as one of the best Late Model Stock programs in the Southeast. That is why Music is motivated to reward owner Barry Nelson’s faith in him with a strong performance Saturday night.
“Me and Mr. Nelson have talked for a couple of years,” Music said. “We both wanted to work with each other multiple, multiple times. Finally, the situation just kind of worked out where he could have me sit in one of his pieces of equipment and I can’t thank him enough for the opportunity.”
With Music being a descendant of Langley royalty, it only made sense for him to start his own racing career there.
For the last seven years, Music has methodically worked his way through Langley’s developmental ladder just like many other local heroes before him. He started in Bandoleros before refining his craft in Langley’s Modified and Limited Late Model divisions. He debuted in the Late Model Stock class in 2022.
Racing in Langley’s premier local class has predictably been a grind for Music; he only won his first Late Model Stock race last year. Yet there is nothing Music would change about his journey so far, as he gets to lean on his grandfather for advice while simultaneously learning from the many other talented drivers at Langley.
Music considers it a privilege just to race Late Model Stocks at Langley. He hopes all the countless hours of effort will one day lead to him being mentioned in the same vein as Warren and some of the Langley legends he assisted.
“I grew up going [to Langley] watching C.E. Falk [III] when my grandfather worked for him and then Brenden Queen when my grandfather worked for him before he went to Lee [Pulliam],” Music said. “It’s one of my favorite places to go to and race at because it’s so so close to home. It just means a lot to do the Hampton Heat every year.
“Growing up, I never thought I’d have the opportunity to race a Late Model Stock. Luckily my parents have done a very good job in their life and I can’t thank them enough for being able to put me in one each and every week.”
Ryley Music has tried to abide by the principles his grandfather, seven-time Langley Speedway champion Phil Warren, followed while embarking on his own career. (Photo: Ted Malinowski/NASCAR)
Making it to the track is one thing for Music, but being competitive in Late Model Stocks has required tremendous sacrifice and discipline. The preparation aspect is where Music particularly sees his grandfather’s influence.
All the time spent around Warren made Music realize how important finances and setups were to success in motorsports. Given that his own program operates with a limited budget, those qualities are even more important for Music, which is why he has adopted a hands-on approach to racing just like Warren.
Being patient and meticulous worked for Warren during his own racing career. Music knows he can follow a similar path.
“[My granddad’s] definitely tried to instill the older racing respect into me where you don’t just fly in there and knock somebody out of the way,” Music said. “If I don’t work on that race car, it doesn’t go in the trailer. I know pretty much the ins and outs when it leaves our shop to go in the race trailer. I really knew everything about the Nelson car before it went in the trailer.
“I can almost go to the race track and handle everything by myself with my crew if he wasn’t able to make it.”
Warren is proud of how Music continues to develop behind the wheel, but he feels a key part of his grandson’s success extends beyond racing. One reason why Warren felt Queen was able to make the jump to NASCAR was his ability to build an identity that garnered him a loyal fanbase as he continued to win races.
Although Music is much different from Queen personality-wise, Warren said the composure and maturity he shows off track are going to serve him well moving forward.
“You got to have personality, be able to talk to people, do interviews and things like that,” Warren said. “[Music] has all them qualities. Sometimes driving is a small part of what [drivers] have to do today to be successful. He has that quality to talk to anybody, so he’s good for the sponsors.”
From what Warren has observed so far, he believes Music is meshing well with everyone at Nelson Motorsports. Cohesion is going to be imperative for Music and Nelson Motorsports to contend for a Hampton Heat victory Saturday, especially since teams have the option to change two tires instead of being on the same set for the full race.
There is much more that goes into the Hampton Heat than just strategy, as Music has already deliberated with Nelson on a hydration plan for the event. As demanding as the Hampton Heat can be, Music feels he has adjusted to the routine during his last two attempts.
Now that he has the resources of Nelson Motorsports to rely on, Music is confident Saturday evening will be his best outing in the Hampton Heat to date.
“I’m definitely going to revert back to what we did in 2024,” Music said. “We ran top three all race long until we blew a right front with 25 to go. It’s going to be a lot of physical preparation outside the race car. I’m going to keep doing what I do physically and stay in shape. As long as everything works out like we plan, it’ll go well.”
Although he is stepping outside of his own No. 47 for Saturday’s Hampton Heat, Ryley Music feels confident he can excel with Nelson Motorsports. (Photo: Ted Malinowski/NASCAR)
Warren manage two roles during Music’s first race with Nelson Motorsports. He’ll be a spotter first and a grandfather cheering on his grandson second. From the moment Music’s career began, Warren has seen him put in all the effort needed to earn an opportunity to drive for a team like Nelson Motorsports, a moment he believes will not go to waste.
Nothing would thrill Warren more than to see Music park the Nelson Motorsports machine in Victory Lane at the end of the Hampton Heat, but he is also keeping his expectations realistic. The race is going to be challenging on multiple fronts, so Warren wants Music to maintain his composure and put together an efficient, trouble-free race.
“I would love [for Ryley] to finish in the top five,” Warren said. “That would be a real big accomplishment, but if the opportunity to race for the win is there, that’d be great. I think a good, strong finish and not tearing the car up would be a really big day. You never know where the next opportunity is coming from.”
Music’s deal with Nelson Motorsports is just for Saturday’s Hampton Heat, but a strong finish could lead to another event with the team. Some of the best drivers in Late Model Stock history such as McCarty, Connor Hall and Timothy Peters have driven a Nelson Motorsports car, so Music understands how significant this chance is.
Warren never got to run the Hampton Heat as a driver, the event was established in 2008 just as his driving career was winding down. Music still remembers seeing the jubilation on Warren’s face up close when he won the Hampton Heat with Queen back in 2020.
Winning a Late Model Stock crown jewel as a driver is something Music has always wanted. The best opportunity to do that awaits him Saturday as he climbs aboard Nelson Motorsports’ No. 22 Toyota for his home track’s biggest race.
“I’ve been to Victory Lane in the Hampton Heat as a crew member, but it would boost my career a whole lot if we could end up in Victory Lane as a driver,” Music said. “All the praise would go to Mr. Nelson for even giving me an opportunity to go to Victory Lane.”
Warren set an impeccable benchmark for success at Langley through his accolades as a driver and crew chief. It will take time before Music even gets close to those records should he choose to remain a part of Langley’s local racing scene.
Music could very well write his own distinct verse in Langley’s history this weekend by joining the notable list of previous Hampton Heat winners.
For most of its history, the Brickyard 400 did not lack for kings.
Jeff Gordon won it five times. Jimmie Johnson won four. Kevin Harvick took three. Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch and Dale Jarrett each claimed it twice. All current or future Hall of Famers.
All champions.
Those six drivers alone account for 18 of the race’s 29 editions, turning one of NASCAR’s crown jewels into something closer to a coveted timeshare passed down from generation to generation among friends. Indianapolis Motor Speedway did not merely reward greatness among its few Victory Lane inhabitants; it repeatedly handed the same great drivers the keys with a wink and a nod and a “see you next summer.”
That hierarchy is now gone.
Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson and defending winner Bubba Wallace are the only drivers entered this weekend with Brickyard 400 victories, each owning one. No active driver has won the oval race more than once. The trophy and accompanying kiss of the bricks remain among the sport’s most coveted prizes, but there is no true established ruler waiting to defend his ground. The crown remains. The king does not.
That leaves Sunday’s Brickyard 400 (2 p.m. ET, TNT Sports, truTV, HBO Max, IMS Radio Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) in an unusual place: One of NASCAR’s most historically exclusive races is suddenly open to almost anyone capable of putting together the right afternoon.
That said, while Indy may no longer have a repeat monarch, its history still leans heavily toward the sport’s best. Eleven of the Brickyard’s 17 winners are Cup Series champions. Those 11 drivers have accounted for 23 of the 29 oval race wins — and count 30 championships among them.
Perhaps most notably, however — the race winner has gone on to claim the title in the same season nine times. That history has long made Indianapolis more than a crown jewel, also functioning as something of a championship filter. The modern version, however, makes that crystal ball a little cloudy.
The Brickyard shifted away from the oval layout after 2020 as NASCAR ran the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course for three seasons. By the time the Cup Series returned to the 2.5-mile layout in 2024, the Next Gen car had altered the competitive equation, some retirements had hit the field and the continuity that once allowed elite drivers and teams to build an Indianapolis advantage year after year was interrupted. The race itself has changed with it.
The driver who led the most laps has won only three of the last 10 Brickyard 400s. The final lead change came in the last eight laps in five of the last eight. Six of those eight races went to overtime, including the last three, and the final green-flag stretch has been nine laps or fewer in each of the last eight editions.
Indianapolis once crowned drivers who controlled the long, methodical, rhythmic afternoons. The modern Brickyard increasingly crowns the driver and team best equipped to survive the moment control disappears.
Larson’s 2024 victory offered the clearest recent example. Fuel conservation slowed portions of the field by more than two seconds per lap late in the race as drivers tried to stretch their final tanks. Larson charged through that traffic, then inherited the preferred restart position when Keselowski ran out of fuel coming to the green. Late cautions repeatedly reshaped the order before No. 5 finally secured the win.
Justin Casterline | Getty Images
Wallace’s victory last summer followed a different route, but featured the same uncertainty.
He built a lead approaching five seconds before rain stopped the race. That advantage vanished, and Wallace then had to fend off Larson through two overtime restarts while his team sweated whether the No. 23 Toyota had enough fuel to reach the checkered flag, ultimately winning by 0.222 seconds.
Neither victory was random with a wildcard winner, though. Larson and Wallace placed themselves in contention through speed, execution and smart decisions over the course of the afternoon, yes, but neither enjoyed the kind of sustained control that used to define many Brickyard wins, often through unparalleled domination.
The first 350-plus miles still seems to determine who deserves to win Indianapolis. The final few circuits increasingly filter who actually does.
Larson may be the closest thing the current Brickyard has to an emerging specialist. He won when the oval returned in 2024 and finished second to Wallace last year — on top of making a couple of other appearances at the track in the month of May — making him the only driver to place inside the top two in both Next Gen Brickyard 400s. Larson has three top fives and five top 10s in eight Indianapolis Cup starts overall.
It is the strongest modern claim anyone can make — but it’s not yet a reign.
Two races can establish a pattern, but Indianapolis kings have traditionally earned the title through repetition. Gordon did not own the Brickyard because he won once and he became the hometown hero from Pittsboro. The same theme applies for Johnson and Harvick. They kept returning and proving that whatever changed around them, the Brickyard still belonged to them.
Wallace now has the same opportunity to begin building that kind of case. His win last year did not come out of nowhere. No. 23 finished fifth in 2024 and owns the best average running position at Indianapolis in the Next Gen car at 7.3. His 11.2 average finish there is his best at any Cup track where he has made multiple starts.
And the success there could extend team-wide.
Tyler Reddick won the pole and finished second in 2024, helping 23XI Racing place two cars inside the top five while leading 66 of 167 laps. Wallace then started from the front row, led 30 laps and won a year later. Through only five organizational starts on the Indianapolis oval, 23XI has one win, one runner-up finish and three top fives. A second consecutive Wallace victory would make him the first driver to repeat at the Brickyard since Kyle Busch in 2015-16 — and the first person with a legitimate claim to owning this version of Indianapolis.
Then there is Denny Hamlin, perhaps the most compelling fit for a crown he’s still yet to don.
Hamlin arrives as the Cup Series points leader and one of the clear championship favorites. He has four wins, a series-best 863 laps led and an 8.7 average finish through 21 races, with Racing Insights giving him a 90% probability of securing the No. 1 seed for the Chase.
No. 11’s Indianapolis resume looks like it should already include a trophy. It does not.
Hamlin has six top fives and nine top 10s in 17 Brickyard starts, with four third-place finishes, with those six top fives being his most at any Cup track where he remains winless. He started from the rear last season after a qualifying crash and still drove to third.
Hamlin has spent years looking like the kind of driver Indianapolis historically crowns, without ever receiving his coronation. At 45, with one of the strongest seasons of his career underway, the two most obvious omissions from his resume remain impossible to ignore: a Brickyard 400 victory and a Cup Series championship.
A win Sunday would not answer the larger question. Hamlin knows better than anyone that no July result can settle what happens in November. It would, however, remove one long-standing crown-jewel omission while strengthening the case that this season may finally be the one the bigger box is checked, as well.
Hamlin is hardly alone in that pursuit.
Jonathan Bachman | Getty Images
Ryan Blaney has finished inside the top 10 in three of his last four Indianapolis starts, including third in 2024 and seventh last season. He enters his 400th Cup start ranked third in points, with 15 top 10s through 21 races, and will also race Todd Gilliland for the $1 million NASCAR In-Season Challenge prize.
Christopher Bell owns one of the cleanest Indianapolis records among drivers still seeking their first Brickyard win. He has never finished worse than 12th in three starts, posting an 8.0 average finish — his best at any active oval where he has competed more than once. Bell finished fourth in 2024 and eighth last year.
Reddick remains second in points despite a difficult seven-race stretch and already owns a victory on the Indianapolis road course. On the oval, he finished second in 2024 and has two top 10s in three starts.
Keselowski offers another kind of opportunity.
His 2018 victory makes him the only entered former winner capable of linking the previous Brickyard era directly to the current one. He has four top fives and seven top 10s in 13 Indianapolis starts, with all four top fives coming in his last six races there. A second victory would make him the first active multi-time oval winner in the field. That may be just the jolt needed to go on a run toward championship No. 2, too.
But it’s all up for grabs.
Indianapolis no longer guarantees that the fastest car or most dominant driver wins, but it still does an exceptional job of keeping the sport’s strongest contenders nearby when the race is finally decided.
And in this modernized era of NASCAR, that may be the freshened-up Brickyard championship test.
Not merely speed. Not merely control. Pace, planning, patience and the ability to react when an entire afternoon is suddenly reduced to one final restart. The old Brickyard created rulers through repetition. The current version has created a crowded line of qualified heirs.
Sunday will not crown NASCAR’s next Indianapolis king.
But with the throne vacant and nearly every credible title contender circling it, the Brickyard may finally tell us who deserves the strongest first claim.
Goodyear will supply NASCAR Cup Series teams with a new right-side tire for Sunday’s Brickyard 400 (2 p.m. ET, TNT Sports, truTV, HBO Max, IMS Radio Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), creating a new setup for the circuit’s annual visit to the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.
Cup Series teams will use the same left-side tire that previously was in play more recently at Chicagoland Speedway’s 400-miler July 5 and used at eight other intermediate-sized tracks earlier this season. The new tire combination was determined by Goodyear officials after a tire test at the Indianapolis track early last month, with Chevrolet’s Ross Chastain, Ford’s Ryan Preece and Toyota’s John Hunter Nemechek representing the series’ three automakers.
The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, which shares the weekend bill at Indianapolis, will use the same tire configuration that it utilized last month at Pocono Raceway — another 2.5-mile track. Both the Cup Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will have 50-minute practice sessions Friday afternoon.
“It’salwaystryingtogetfall-off,” Blaney said. “Thebigtalkis,ifyouabuseyourstuff,areyougoingtopayapenaltyforit, andthat’swhatracingisallabout,andthat’showracingshouldbe.AndIthinkGoodyear’sdoneareallygoodjobofworkingincrediblyhardonnotonlytryingtoworkontheshort-tracktire,butalsothe intermediatesandbiggerplaceslikethat,of just tryingtofindsomethingthatfallsoff,andyoucanreallypaythepenaltyforsomethingifyoukindofabuseit.SoI’mlookingforwardtoseeingwhatthatis.It’snicethatwehavethekindofextendedpracticeweekend,gettingafewsetsoftiresonFriday,beabletomakesomelongerruns,kindofseewherethatgoesandgetafeelforthat.”
“Indianapolis is clearly a unique track,” said Rick Heinrich, Goodyear NASCAR product manager. “We see teams running aggressive setups here to account for the flat corners. Our new right-side tire for the Cup Series has been developed with this in mind, and our Pocono setup for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series performed as expected on a track with similarly flat corners.”
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is also in action this weekend in the Indianapolis area, racing at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in nearby Clermont. Truck Series teams will have the same Goodyear combination for the second straight week, using the tire setup from last weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway for their Friday night show at the 0.686-mile oval.
Tire allotments for each team competing this weekend:
Cup Series: 14 total sets — 10 new sets for the race, 1 for qualifying, which transfers to the race, and 3 for practice.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: 6 total sets — 3 new sets for the race, 1 for qualifying, which transfers to the race, and 2 for practice.
Craftsman Truck Series: 5 total sets — 3 new sets for the race, 1 for qualifying, which transfers to the race, and 1 for practice; if needed, 3 wet-weather sets will also be available.
STAMFORD, Conn. & DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR and USA Sports today announced the premiere of NASCAR AMERICANA, a three-part limited documentary series inspired by America’s 250th Birthday that explores the sport’s unique place in the American story. Executive produced by Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, the docuseries will debut Sunday, Aug. 9 on USA Network at 7 p.m. ET following the NASCAR Cup Series Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway.
From its roots on Southern back roads to its rise as a national institution, NASCAR AMERICANA traces the people and traditions that have shaped stock car racing. Each episode homes in on a theme which reveals how a regional pastime evolved into an American cultural phenomenon:
Part 1 (Aug. 9) — “Rebel Roots” traces NASCAR’s origins from rebellious moonshiners to the founding of the sport in 1948, revealing how the Daytona 500 became an American tradition and how the 1979 edition transformed NASCAR into a national phenomenon. Part 1 follows third-generation NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney as he prepares for the 2026 Daytona 500.
Part 2 (Aug. 15) — From hometown dirt tracks to NASCAR’s biggest stages, “Family Bonds” explores the love of racing that has united families across generations and made it one of America’s most enduring communities. This episode features the first formal sit-down interview with Hall of Fame driver Kurt Busch since the sudden loss in May of his younger brother Kyle Busch, the all-time winningest driver across NASCAR’s three national series. It focuses on the relationships that define NASCAR as drivers, teams and fans come together to honor Busch at the 2026 Coca-Cola 600.
Part 3 (Aug. 23) — “Enduring Spirit” follows NASCAR’s transformation from a regional pastime into a national institution while celebrating the patriotism and traditions that remain at its heart, proving that progress and heritage can race side by side. Part 3 explores modern day NASCAR through the eyes of five-time 2026 Cup Series winner and Daytona 500 champion Tyler Reddick and three-time Cup Series race winner Bubba Wallace at the 2026 Anduril 250, the first-ever race at a U.S. Naval Base.
The series leans on interviews and stories spanning generations of drivers teams, and families to examine how NASCAR has reflected and shaped the culture, identity and character of a changing nation. Prominent figures featured in the series include four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers of all time, country music star and NASCAR team co-owner Darius Rucker, actor turned stock car driver Frankie Muniz and NFL legend Manning.
The limited documentary series premieres on USA Network on Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. ET, immediately following the Iowa Corn 350 post-race show. The Iowa Corn 350 is the first race of USA Sports’ NASCAR coverage in 2026, which features 10 races live on USA Network. The second and third episodes of NASCAR AMERICANA will air on USA Network following live coverage of the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, Aug. 15 (7 p.m. ET), and the Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, Aug. 23 (3 p.m. ET).
Directed by Emmy-winner Max Gershberg (“Miracle: The Boys of ’80”), NASCAR AMERICANA is produced by Full Speed Entertainment, the production partnership between NASCAR Studios and Words + Pictures, which focuses on elevating the cultural footprint of NASCAR through bold storytelling, premium content and large-scale specials. Words + Pictures is led by the creators and producers of the critically acclaimed documentary series The Last Dance and the Academy Award-winning documentary feature OJ: Made in America. NASCAR AMERICANA was also produced by Omaha Productions, Peyton Manning’s media company dedicated to creating content that unifies and uplifts audiences.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour continues its busy summer stretch this Saturday night when the series returns to New Hampshire’s Monadnock Speedway for the Duel at the Dog 200 Energized by USNE Power (8:30 p.m. ET on FloRacing), the fourth race in four weeks.
The race serves not only as the 10th event of the 2026 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season, but also as the finale of JDV Productions’ Whelen Midsummer Championship miniseries, which will pay $5,000 to the champion Saturday night.
Dating back to 1986, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour has visited Monadnock 21 times; the first winner being Ken Bouchard behind the wheel of the legendary Ole Blue No. 3. The track has proven difficult to figure out, as 16 different drivers have found Victory Lane at Monadnock. In fact, seven different drivers have won the last seven Monadnock races. Only two drivers – Justin Bonsignore and Doug Coby – have multiple wins at the track.
Tickets to Saturday’s Duel at the Dog 200 Energized by USNE Power are available here. Below is everything you need to know about Saturday’s 200-lap affair.
Last season Monadnock Speedway hosted a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour doubleheader, with Tommy Catalano and Ron Silk emerging as the race winners. (Photo: Jaiden Tripi/NASCAR)
Duel at the Dog 200 Energized by USNE Power at Monadnock Speedway
Matt Hirschman has made a habit of cashing checks from JDV Productions owner Josh Vanada.
Vanada has been promoting what is now known as the Whelen Midsummer Championship since 2022. The program, which will pay $5,000 to the champion Saturday night at Monadnock Speedway, is Vanada’s way of supporting NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour teams through the busy summer months.
Hirschman has collected the top prize from Vanada twice thus far. He claimed the inaugural crown in 2022 and captured the miniseries title again last season. Entering Saturday’s Duel at the Dog 200 Energized by USNE Power, Hirschman is in position to win the top prize for a third time thanks to finishes of first at Seekonk Speedway and second at Claremont Motorsports Park.
The champion of the Whelen Midsummer Championship is determined based on NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship points earned at Seekonk, Claremont and Monadnock. Entering Saturday’s race, Hirschman has scored 91 points in the miniseries and holds a slim two-point advantage on NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship leader Patrick Emerling.
While Hirschman holds the advantage in the Whelen Midsummer Championship, it’s Emerling who has emerged as the top threat to claim the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship. After winning the last two races on the schedule at Claremont and White Mountain Motorsports Park, Emerling leads the standings by 10 points ahead of defending series champion Austin Beers.
Beers had his best race of the season last weekend at White Mountain, where he led 80 laps and had arguably the fastest car. He is still looking for his first victory of 2026 and Monadnock is as good a place as any to collect it.
Mike Christopher Jr. is scheduled for a busy weekend as he will be competing in Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park before traveling to New Hampshire for Saturday’s event at Monadnock.
Speaking of Christopher, for the first time this season he will have a teammate. Craig Lutz returns to NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competition aboard a second Elite Racing entry as he looks to get back in the win column after parting ways with Goodie Racing earlier in the year.
Other notable entries for Saturday’s event include Jon McKennedy, Stephen Kopcik, Doug Coby, Ronnie Williams, Tommy Catalano, Eric Goodale, Trevor Catalano, Paulie Hartwig III and Andrew Molleur.
The full entry list for Saturday’s Duel at the Dog 200 Energized by USNE Power is available here.
Saturday’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race serves as the finale of the 2026 Whelen Midsummer Championship. (Photo: Jaiden Tripi/NASCAR)
SCHEDULE: Saturday, July 25: Practice from 3:20 to 4 p.m. … Final practice from 4:05 to 4:35 p.m. … American Racer Pole Award qualifying at 6:45 p.m. … Start of the Duel at the Dog 200 (200 Laps / 50 Miles) at 8:30 p.m. ET.
QUALIFYING: Two consecutive qualifying laps. Faster lap determines qualifying position. Adjustments or repairs may not be made on the vehicle after the vehicle has taken the green flag at the start/finish line. NASCAR reserves the right to have more than one vehicle engage in qualifying runs at the same time. Starting field for the 5th Annual Duel at the Dog Energized by USNE Power is limited to 28 starters including Provisional Positions.
TIRE ALLOTMENT: The maximum tire allotment available for this event is ten (10) tires per team. All tires used for qualifying and the race must be purchased at the track and scanned by NASCAR Officials, unless otherwise approved in advance by the Series Director. Four (4) tires must be used for qualifying and to begin the race. All qualifying tires must remain in impound until released by NASCAR Officials. The remaining tire allotment may be used for practice and/or change tires during the event. A maximum of two (2) tires of the allotment may be used as change tires. The tire change rule is two (2) tires per stop. This includes swapping tires from front to back.
RE-DRAW PROCEDURE: The fastest qualifier will spin the wheel to determine the number of drivers that will re-draw for their starting positions: 4, 6, 8 or 10 positions will re-draw. Once the fastest qualifier spins the wheel, NASCAR will have the various buckets ready to immediately start the re-draw procedure. Driver will re-draw in their qualifying order after qualifying has been completed (1 through 10, or however many are applicable). The pole position and/or any bonus point(s), if applicable, will be awarded to the fastest qualifier and will be the pole of record. If, due to adverse conditions, qualifying is canceled, the field will be set in accordance with the 2026 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Rule Book. The re-draw procedure will still take place regardless of how the field is set.
When Taylor Gray weighed his options for the 2027 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, familiarity was the biggest factor. Rather than pursue new opportunities, the two-time winner will return to Joe Gibbs Racing next season, the team announced on Tuesday. He’ll again pilot the No. 54 Toyota with veteran crew chief Jason Ratcliff — the winningest crew chief in series history — atop the pit box.
“I get to work with the same group of guys for three years consecutively, which I’ve never had in my career,” Gray told NASCAR.com of his decision. “I’ve never had the stability of working with the same group of guys, top to bottom, for that many years in a row. I’m excited to be able to build off what we’ve built so far and continue that relationship with Jason and continue to get better.”
Ratcliff has worked with some of the sport’s greatest drivers. He has won 74 races across the NASCAR Cup Series and O’Reilly, with names like first-ballot Hall of Famer Matt Kenseth and future Hall of Famers Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano, along with budding stars Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs.
It was only three years ago when Ratcliff, the now 59-time O’Reilly victor, “retired,” only to return a season later with Gray, as there was a late switch among crew chiefs within JGR. The team convinced Ratcliff to return for a second go-around, which Gray noted that he was easily convinced. But for 2027, it was trickier.
“A big thing for me was Jason wanting to do it again,” Gray said. “I feel like Jason and I have built something really good over the last few years, and I feel like there’s a lot of unfinished business with Jason and I with the performances we’ve had.
“We get to this year, and we get halfway through the year, and I sat down with Jason and said, ‘Where are you? What do you think?’ It was a little tougher to commit right away to do it right away because he has grandchildren. He is trying to balance that life of being a grandpa, being a husband and father, all while trying to be my dad at the same time and work with me and crew-chief me.”
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Since linking together in 2025, Gray won the penultimate race of that season at Martinsville Speedway and earlier this year at Kansas Speedway. In 2026, he ranks fourth in the series in laps led (189), but has just three top-five finishes, with his lone oval top five being the Kansas victory.
Yet JGR brass has seen growth from Gray in his two full seasons with the team. Steve deSouza, executive vice president of O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and development for JGR, pointed out that he’s a mature 21-year-old, believing there is still room for improvement.
“In regards to Taylor, when it comes to your first year here, you’re getting acclimated to everything,” deSouza said. “I think it’s a big jump from trucks to O’Reilly; there is so much more going on, and there’s so much competition and good teams. The second year, they are getting more comfortable, have been to the tracks, know the car, know the people, and the chemistry and bonds start working better. Typically, the second year, a lot of that happens, and in the third year, it’s even better.”
With each passing race, Gray is learning. The transition from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series to O’Reilly was a bigger jump than he anticipated. He knew how to go fast for the first half of a run, but he struggled to put a full stint together. He believes he has turned those once-weaknesses into strengths, now getting the No. 54 car to be good for the duration of a green-flag run.
“I feel like I’m at the top of my game that I’ve ever been in my career and am continuing to get better each week,” Gray said with confidence. “The finishes don’t reflect what we’ve built on and what we have as a group on the 54 car this year.”
The finishes have been modest. Gray has an average finish of 17.7 through the opening 21 events, nearly three positions worse than his rookie campaign (15.0). He has bled points throughout the season, recently running out of fuel on the final lap at Sonoma Raceway, seconds away from a top-five effort. In the series’ most recent event at EchoPark Speedway, he was tagged from behind by Corey Day in a stack-up incident.
With three races remaining in the regular season, Gray finds himself squarely on The Chase bubble, 17 points above Rajah Caruth and 21 points ahead of JGR teammate William Sawalich.
“I wouldn’t say I’m as stressed out as the normal person would probably be,” Gray said of Chase positioning. “I understand what we have to go do. We have so much speed and are capable of doing so much, especially with these next two races coming up at Indy and Iowa are really good race tracks, that I’m not really worried about it.”
In a perfect world, Gray would enjoy having a 60- or 70-point buffer over the cutline entering the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway next month. But being a realist, he believes somewhere between 30 and 50 points is more logical.
Despite the mixed results, Gray believes the No. 54 team has the potential to be a formidable threat in The Chase, even as one of the last seeds.
“I think if we get on a high momentum ride and start putting together races like we know how to, we should start winning a decent amount of races,” Gray added. “There have already been probably four races that we’ve given up this year, whether it’s my doing or other unfortunate circumstances. I feel like we’re very capable.”
NASCAR.com’s Pat DeCola ranks the top 20 Cup Series drivers competing for the 2026 championship after Joey Logano’s win at North Wilkesboro Speedway and before Sunday’s Brickyard 400 (2 p.m. ET, TNT Sports, truTV, HBO Max, IMS Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Analysis: Hamlin could not pry North Wilkesboro away from Logano, but second place was still another emphatic reminder that the No. 11 remains on a scorcher as the regular season winds down. He ranked first in passing and second in speed, stayed within range throughout the final 175-lap green-flag run and expanded his standings lead over Tyler Reddick from 24 points to 68. Indianapolis has been less cooperative for him but remains a white whale. In recent trips, Hamlin crashed after leading 21 laps in 2024, then charged from the rear in a backup car to finish third last summer, but has yet to kiss the bricks in his career. This weekend is as good a time as any.
Analysis: North Wilkesboro turned into exactly the kind of costly night Reddick could not afford in the race to the No. 1 Chase seed. No. 45 was caught in the Alex Bowman pit-entry incident, later added a speeding penalty and finished 30th, giving away 44 points to Hamlin in one race. Indianapolis offers a compelling counterpoint, however: Reddick led 40 laps and finished second in 2024 before crashing out of last year’s event in 29th — in a race won by his 23XI Racing teammate. He remains one of the season’s two most defining drivers, but the gap is suddenly large enough that “keeping pace” is no longer the assignment.
Analysis: Blaney’s North Wilkesboro result was a rare interruption to his summer march, though the damage came with a reasonable consolation prize. Sent to the rear before the start, he worked forward before a late pit-road speeding penalty left him 11th and two laps down — but it’s not nearly as catastrophic as it could’ve been and he still advanced to the In-Season Challenge final against Todd Gilliland. Recent Brickyard — and overall 2026 — form is strong enough to make him the clear favorite in that matchup: third in 2024, seventh last season and 14 laps led in the latter. One bad stop slowed the No. 12 for a night; it did not alter Blaney’s broader trajectory.
Analysis: Gibbs authored one of the night’s more impressive recoveries and overall continues to be a factor. He led the opening 47 laps, won Stage 1, sped on pit road during the break and still drove back through the field to finish fourth for his career-best ninth top five in a season. That performance moved him 246 points above The Chase cut and reinforced how much harder the No. 54 has become to knock off kilter. Indianapolis remains a work-in-progress after finishes of 23rd and 21st since the oval’s return, but Gibbs arrives considerably more complete than either of those results suggests.
Analysis: Briscoe launches five positions after charging from 30th to third at North Wilkesboro, giving him top-three finishes in three of the last four races. The No. 19 ranked third in speed and first in defense, and he gained another 21 points relative to The Chase cut during a stretch that has completely changed the tenor of his season. Indy has shown flashes without delivering the payoff (on the oval, at least): Briscoe finished 24th in 2024, then started from the pole, led 34 laps and wound up 18th last year. The recent version of Briscoe looks far better equipped to finish that story, and kiss the bricks after a Cup win on the traditional layout at long last.
Analysis: Elliott’s North Wilkesboro speed was better than his finishing position of 17th, but the Lap 183 caution could not have arrived at a worse time for him. He was trapped two laps down during the green-flag pit cycle, eventually finished three laps behind and lost his In-Season Challenge semifinal to Gilliland, busting many brackets. The good news is that his Chase cushion remains unchanged at 172 points, and Indianapolis has produced respectable finishes of 10th and 13th since the series returned to the oval. Sunday is less about repairing the standings than restoring the sharpness that has faded from the No. 9’s recent results.
Analysis: Larson still hasn’t quite stumbled this year, but he still remains (for now) just below the elite tier that he’s occupied for much of this decade. Contact with Connor Zilisch during an early North Wilkesboro pit stop broke a wheel, and the No. 5 never fully recovered before finishing 15th. Indianapolis, however, presents the strongest possible palate cleanser: Larson won the 2024 Brickyard 400 and finished second last year, leading in both races. He also may have taken part in a couple of other races there the past two seasons you might’ve heard about. After another month of race-winning pace without a race win, the two-time defending top-two finisher returns to the place most capable of ending the discussion.
Analysis: Hocevar rose another position despite a 13th-place finish, as the final result very much did not fully reflect how competitive he was. He ran inside the top five for much of North Wilkesboro’s opening half, ranked first on restarts and sixth in Stage 2 before the pivotal caution left him two laps down. The Brickyard has already produced a tidy young resume, too: 12th as a rookie and 10th last season. Hocevar is no longer climbing these rankings through isolated flashes; the No. 77 keeps building a season that holds together from one discipline to the next.
Analysis:Bell drops three places through little fault of his underlying pace. He started third, ran near the front early and scored Stage 1 points before pitting ahead of the Lap 183 caution, which buried him in traffic and two laps down. Later contact with Josh Berry compounded the damage, resulting in a 19th-place finish. The fifth-ranked driver in season-long speed now heads to Indianapolis, where he finished fourth in 2024 and eighth last year. Bell’s wait for victory No. 1 remains maddening, but the Brickyard background gives him another immediate route back toward the front if he continues to show this speed.
Analysis: North Wilkesboro became another afternoon of respectable early positioning washed away by timing. Buescher ran inside the top 10 before the green-flag cycle and ensuing cautions trapped the No. 17 two laps down, leaving him 20th and costing seven points relative to The Chase cut. Indianapolis has not been especially generous since the oval returned, with finishes of 22nd and 14th, though last year at least moved the arrow in the correct direction. The Chase cushion remains healthy at 123 points; the concern is that Buescher has spent too many recent weeks protecting it rather than enlarging his contender case.
Analysis: Suárez quietly stitched together one of his better complete races of the summer. The No. 7 finished ninth at North Wilkesboro, scored a Stage 2 point and spent enough time inside the top 10 to leave 96 points clear of The Chase cut. His two recent Indianapolis results could hardly be more different — eighth in 2024, 27th last season, and he’s now with a new team — making his current form the more useful guide. After several weeks in which the result obscured the speed, Sunday finally allowed both to show up together and could again this weekend.
Analysis: SVG’s fifth-place run may have been the most important oval performance of his Cup career to date. He led 49 laps, ranked fourth in speed and third on restarts, remained inside the top 10 all night and gained 23 points on The Chase cut, pushing his cushion to 54. Last year’s 19th-place Brickyard debut offers only a modest baseline, but North Wilkesboro altered the premise entering Indy. The question is no longer whether SVG can merely survive on unfamiliar ovals; it is how often the No. 97 can start becoming a genuine factor on them. And that rate is increasing.
Analysis: Byron’s 12th-place finish was an acceptable salvage job after another strategy cycle broke against him, but acceptable remains an underwhelming standard for the No. 24. There’s still some smoke here, though — Byron scored in Stage 1, carried the fourth-ranked pit crew for the race and gained two points on the cut despite not quite producing anything resembling a winning threat. Indianapolis has been equally muted for him lately: a crash and 38th-place result in 2024 followed by 16th last year. The proven winner continues to own enough raw speed to turn around any weekend; the issue is how long his 2026 prospects can keep surviving on that premise.
Analysis: Wallace arrives at Indianapolis with arguably the cleanest next-track case in the field, and after a strong run. He drove from 26th to sixth at North Wilkesboro, finished fourth in Stage 2 and gained 14 points against The Chase cut despite the race eventually shrinking to only six lead-lap cars. Now the defending Brickyard winner returns to a track where he also finished fifth and led 26 laps in 2024, with another 30 laps led in last year’s victory. Wallace has finished sixth or better in four of the last seven races, and the schedule is about to meet him halfway.
Analysis: Logano’s season did not merely turn around at North Wilkesboro; it snapped violently into place for the three-time champ. He led a career-high 323 laps, won Stage 2, ranked first in speed and pit-crew performance and ended a 45-race winless drought while vaulting from eight points below The Chase cut to 49 above it. Indianapolis is an awkward follow-up statistically — crashes have left him 34th and 32nd in the two races since the oval returned — but Sunday’s performance was too comprehensive to dismiss as a track-specific anomaly. This had been building for a few weeks, and Logano is no longer trying to sneak into The Chase. Everybody behind him now has to find a way to remove him from it.
Analysis: Cindric’s North Wilkesboro result was ordinary, but the postseason math remained intact. He finished 14th, added Stage 1 points and gained one marker on the cut, leaving the No. 2 with a 33-point cushion after Logano’s win reshaped the bubble. Indianapolis has suited him considerably better: seventh in 2024, then 40 laps led and a 15th-place finish last season at his boss’ track. With Blaney racing Gilliland for the In-Season Challenge title and Logano fresh off a dominant win, Cindric enters the Brickyard as the only Penske driver still fighting primarily for Chase security, which could add a layer of motivation for him.
Analysis: Jones did not have a catastrophic North Wilkesboro race, but the ground shifted underneath him anyway. His 21st-place finish combined with Logano’s victory moved the No. 43 from eight points above The Chase cut to 33 below it, turning bubble defense into now a five-race pursuit. Indianapolis offers little recent reassurance: 28th in 2024 and 36th after an early crash last season. Legacy Motor Club has shown enough improvement to keep this alive, but the path just became much narrower than Jones’ actual Sunday performance would suggest.
Analysis: Preece finally delivered the top 10 he needed and somehow left farther from The Chase. Tenth at North Wilkesboro marked his best result in weeks, but Logano’s win moved the cutline and dropped the No. 60 from 26 points out to 48. There is real Indianapolis hope, however: Preece finished fourth there last season after leading 12 laps, a massive improvement from 26th in 2024. He no longer needs a tidy accumulation of decent afternoons. He needs another Brickyard-level swing.
Analysis: Keselowski’s seventh-place finish ended an 11-race drought without a top 10, even if Logano’s win meant The Chase deficit still grew from 43 to 58 points. The No. 6 ranked ninth in speed and third in defense at North Wilkesboro, finally producing something tangible from the stronger form RFK Racing has periodically flashed. Indianapolis keeps the door open: the 2018 Brickyard 400 winner led 35 laps before finishing 21st in 2024, then returned to finish fifth last season. One good race does not constitute a charge, but this is the first time in a bit that the schedule and the result appear to be working together for him.
Analysis: Gilliland enters these rankings because his summer has suddenly acquired a million-dollar storyline and he appears to have a decent shot to convert. An eighth-place North Wilkesboro finish knocked Elliott out of the In-Season Challenge and sent the Front Row Motorsports driver into Sunday’s winner-take-all final against Blaney. Better yet, Indianapolis has quietly been one of Gilliland’s best tracks: sixth in both oval races since its return. He remains 111 points outside The Chase and is not suddenly a championship threat, but for one weekend at least, No. 34 has a legitimate chance to leave the Brickyard with the loudest result of anyone. And who knows what that kind of momentum could bring.
