Betting report: Ryan Blaney has company from non-contender at top of board

Posted on November 7, 2024 by Marcus DiNitto

Is it Groundhog Day for Ryan Blaney?

That’s how it seems to a top Las Vegas oddsmaker, who prices Blaney as the favorite to win Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.

Blaney claimed last year’s Cup Series title with a second-place finish at Phoenix after earning his way into the Championship 4 by taking the checkers at Martinsville, the final race in the Round of 8. He needed a win again this year at Martinsville Speedway to give himself a chance at another championship.

“It just feels like Groundhog Day because last year was the same thing. He had to win, and he won,” Ed Salmons, vice president of risk at Vegas’ Westgate SuperBook, told NASCAR.com this week. “That’s just so hard to do.”

With a stellar record on short, flat tracks in general and at Phoenix in particular, and competing for a team that has been fast all season, Blaney is poised to repeat. In fact, Team Penske has two chances to win its third-straight title as Blaney is accompanied by 2022 champ Joey Logano in the final four.

Salmons opened Blaney as the +300 favorite (3-to-1 odds) to win at Phoenix and has him at +175 to win the championship by finishing ahead of the three other contenders — Logano, William Byron and Tyler Reddick.

Christopher Bell is the outlier at the top of the oddsboard. Despite being out of contention for the title, Bell is the second betting choice at +400. Ross Chastain’s victory at Phoenix last year marked the first time in the 10-year history of the current playoff format that the final race was won by a driver not among the Championship 4.

As far as the title contenders, Byron is +500 at the SuperBook to win the race and +280 for the championship, and Logano and Reddick are priced equally at +700 for the race and +350 for the title.

Here are the odds to win Sunday’s Phoenix race from three sportsbooks (Salmons anticipates these numbers moving based on qualifying, especially if one of the four finalists earns the No. 1 pit stall — “one of the biggest pit stalls in all of NASCAR,” he says):

Driver	SuperBook	DraftKings	BetMGM
Ryan Blaney	+300	+400	+310
Christopher Bell	+400	+500	+525
William Byron	+500	+600	+475
Joey Logano	+700	+650	+600
Tyler Reddick	+700	+750	+700
Kyle Larson	+1400	+800	+900
Denny Hamlin	+1400	+1200	+1400
Ross Chastain	+1800	+1600	+1800
Chase Elliott	+1800	+2200	+1600
Brad Keselowski	+3000	+4000	+4000
Martin Truex Jr.	+3000	+2200	+2200
Chase Briscoe	+4000	+3500	+3500
Ty Gibbs	+5000	+3000	+3500
Chris Buescher	+5000	+4000	+4000
Kyle Busch	+10000	+3500	+5000

“It almost looks too simple sometimes,” Salmons said. “You can never forecast a loose wheel or when a problem will happen — obviously that’s the thing about motorsports, anything can happen at any time where it can affect your race results. But if the race plays out in a true fashion, speed-wise, you would think it’s Blaney and Byron as far as the playoffs.”

Salmons’ book faces liability on a Blaney title, and he acknowledges pricing the No. 12 Ford so short partly to discourage action.

“If this was just race, I would probably have him and Bell [priced equally],” Salmons said. “He’s definitely a little bit lower based on the championship race.”

How should bettors play Blaney?

Blaney backers may be enticed to bet him to win Sunday’s race rather than in championship futures since the potential payout is larger. After all, in nine of the 10 years of this playoff format, one of the four championship drivers won the final race, so why not shoot for the larger profit?

Quantitative NASCAR analyst Jim Sannes, however, sees value on Blaney in odds to win the championship.

“My sims have Blaney winning [the title by finishing ahead of Byron, Logano and Reddick] 35.8% of the time, well clear of his 28.6% implied odds [+250 at FanDuel],” Sannes, managing editor at FanDuel Research, said in a direct message. “He’s up there due to his great track history, the speed in Martinsville, and how good he was at both Gateway and Iowa earlier this year.

“As a result, I’d much rather back Blaney to win the championship than the race just because there’s such good value here, and it means I don’t have to deal with Bell and others.”

While bettors should always shop at multiple sportsbooks to find the best odds for their wagers, Sannes’ 35.8% projection translates to +179 odds. Theoretically, there’s value in any price better than that, so Blaney is not a recommended championship bet at +175.

Should bettors consider a non-contender at Phoenix?

A respected bettor in Las Vegas bet Bell at Salmons’ opening price of +500, prompting the move to +400 at the SuperBook.

“I was surprised at this,” Salmons said. “I know Bell won the first race here, and I thought I opened him low at five.”

Even though Chastain won last year’s Phoenix race, Salmons believes there’s a certain courtesy paid by non-contenders to the drivers trying to win the championship.

While he’s not opposed to wagering on a driver outside the Championship 4, Sannes thinks Bell is overvalued in this spot.

“I’m open to betting a non-championship driver, but I’d want more forgiving odds in order to do so,” Sannes said. “Chase Elliott at +1900, specifically, is enticing, given it would require a very specific running order for him to back off and help Byron. I haven’t bet Elliott and am unlikely to do so, but he would be the one guy who would intrigue me there.”

Marcus DiNitto manages a sports betting partnership with The Sporting News. NASCAR is one of the many sports Marcus enjoys wagering on. Follow him on Twitter; do not follow his picks.

Posted on November 7, 2024 by Zach Sturniolo

AVONDALE, Ariz. — The 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season has been one long heavyweight bout between Christian Eckes and Corey Heim.

Eckes, the driver of the No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet, and Heim, pilot of the No. 11 Tricon Garage Toyota, have dominated the first 22 races of the 23-race slate. Eckes has scored four victories for the second straight season, matching his career high. Heim is a six-time winner this year, doubling his previous best of three a year ago.

Their yearlong battle culminates in a Truck Series title-bout showdown at Phoenix Raceway Friday night (8 ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) as part of a Championship 4 that also includes two-time 2024 winner Grant Enfinger and fellow double victor Ty Majeski.

MORE: Phoenix schedule | Full Truck Series standings

“Obviously, have a ton of respect for Corey and the whole 11 team,” Eckes said at Thursday’s Champ 4 media day from the 1-mile track. “Battling all year long has been super fun. I really haven’t had that a couple years, a very fierce rival like that. So, it’s pushed us to be better. I’m sure it’s pushed him to be better, too. So, yeah, I’m looking forward to this weekend. I’m sure we’re gonna have to battle him just like the other two. It’s Phoenix, so nothing’s really guaranteed as far as what’s going to happen this weekend. You never know what’s going to happen till the last green-white-checkered.”

Heim, the 22-year-old returning to the Championship 4 for the second consecutive year, has a similar appreciation for the caliber of competition his No. 11 team and Eckes’ No. 19 program have established. Eckes, the 23-year-old making his title-fight debut, enters having scored 21 top 10s in 22 races, including a streak of 20 straight — unbroken since a 32nd-place DNF at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February.

“Yeah, it’s been fun racing with Christian this year,” Heim said. “He’s been on top of his game pretty much every week. I think he’s got, like, a pretty crazy top-10 streak or something going on right now. I’ve raced with him for a long time, ever since I started out in late models. And it’s been seven, eight years since I’ve been racing against him. And it’s cool to see us having the success we are this year.

“But like you said, there’s definitely gonna be some other trucks to worry about. I mean, it is the Championship 4, after all, so it just matters who peaks at the right time, and I guess we’ll see. I think we’ve just got to be on top of our game, and we’ll be there at the end.”

Eckes takes pride in that “crazy” top-10 streak — and the 14 top fives that have come with them. In the 109 combined starts made by a McAnally-entered truck ahead of Eckes’ 2023 debut with the organization, 30 of those ended in top 10s — and only five in the top five.

“We’ve turned it into a championship-contending organization,” Eckes said. “I remember the day — Dec. 6, 2022 — when I first came to McAnally-Hillgemann Racing, and I said, ‘My bar’s here. My bar is a championship.’ I finally have a chance to achieve that this weekend, so that’s our number one priority.”

Justin Casterline | Getty Images

And while Enfinger and Majeski may be listed as the “also” duo above, neither should be overlooked in Friday’s title race.

Both of Enfinger’s 2024 wins came within the past three races, scoring Round of 8 victories at Talladega Superspeedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway to secure his spot in the Championship 4 for the second straight season and third appearance in the past five years.

Enfinger, now driving the No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet, was also in position to earn the 2023 championship at Phoenix until a late caution erased that opportunity.

“Grant’s capable of anything, right?” Eckes said. “I mean, he won two races in the last round alone. Like I said earlier, it comes down to one race, and the 9’s been super clutch. That’s our kind of co-teammate, I guess. He’s got an alliance with MHR. So we’ve worked hard this week, both teams. So I’m confident in them to have a chance.”

Enfinger’s season began dreadfully short of his expectations. Though he led 25 laps across the opening two events, Enfinger finished 16th or worse in five of the opening nine races, mustering a best finish of ninth twice. But a runner-up effort at North Wilkesboro Speedway sparked a far better future for the No. 9 team in which Enfinger scored 10 top 10s in the past 13 starts.

“There’s been three or four races this year that we’ve had race-contending speed anyway — even if it wasn’t a dominant truck, we had a truck capable of winning a number of races,” Enfinger said. “And how I see it is us at our best, we’re able to contend and beat these guys when they’re at their best. Where we faltered some this year is our consistency. But we’ve got a really, really good pit crew. We’ve got what I feel like is the best guys on pit road. Got a really, really good spotter in Tim Fedewa. He’s racing for a championship in the Cup Series this weekend with Ryan Blaney. It’s a spot that I’ve been here before at this championship race. Jeff (Stankiewicz, crew chief) has been here. He’s been able to win a championship with Sheldon (Creed) four years ago.

“So think from personnel, from our parts and pieces, the trucks we have and our extra preparation that we’ve had to have here, I think maybe we aren’t looked at as a favorite. I don’t know. But I definitely don’t know how you automatically bet against us. Maybe if we were performing how we did at the beginning of the year and all we did was win Talladega, maybe I can buy into that. But nobody on our team feels that way.”

MORE: Ranking all 12 Championship 4 drivers

Majeski’s two wins this year have come at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park at Richmond Raceway, respectively — both of which are flat short tracks that share similarities with the 1-mile track at Phoenix.

“I think this is our type of race track,” Majeski said. “Anytime Joe (Shear Jr., crew chief) and I show up to a flat short track, I feel like we’re a threat to win. I feel like we’ve all had our parts of the season where we’ve been dominant. And I really feel like the Championship 4 that are here really are probably the four that deserve to be here the most. That doesn’t happen all the time with this format, so it’s good to see that. I think that’s good for the sport, good for everybody involved to have us four here.

“It’s going to be an interesting race, for sure. I feel like we have as good a chance as anybody. Like I said, being on a short track, I feel really good about our chances.”

His competition knows Majeski’s strengths will likely come into focus Friday night, particularly after Majeski led 48 laps in the 2023 season finale.

“It’s really just gonna come down to whoever’s leading of the four after 150 laps,” Eckes said, “because I’m not really sure how to handicap it right now.”

Posted on November 7, 2024November 8, 2024 by Staff Report

The penalty levied to Ross Chastain and the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing team was upheld after the team’s appeal was heard Thursday in front of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel; Richard Childress Racing, meanwhile, withdrew its appeal.

NASCAR issued a $100,000 fine and docked 50 driver points each from Chastain, Austin Dillon and Bubba Wallace after an investigation of the on-track data and team scanners from the final laps of Sunday’s Round of 8 elimination race at Martinsville Speedway. NASCAR also fined the owners of each team $100,000 and deducted 50 owner points.

NASCAR determined the actions violated sections 4.4.B&D: NASCAR Member Conduct of the Rule Book, which include race manipulation and actions detrimental to stock-car racing.

Crew chiefs Phil Surgen, Justin Alexander and Bootie Barker, along with their respective spotters Brandon McReynolds, Brandon Benesch and Freddie Kraft, were all suspended for the 2024 season finale at Phoenix Raceway. Darian Grubb, Joel Keller and Eric Phillips will step in as the crew chiefs for the respective teams this weekend.

Team executives Tony Lunders, Keith Rodden and Dave Rogers were also suspended for the 2024 finale at Phoenix.

The Appeals Panel, consisting of Kelly Housby, Lyn St. James and Steve York, upheld the penalties to the No. 1.

“We feel in the best interest of racing and to protect the integrity of the sport, it was appropriate to uphold and affirm NASCAR’s decision with regard to the NASCAR rule 4.4, attempting to manipulate the outcome of the race,” the panel said in a statement.

Trackhouse Racing will not appeal to the Final Appeals Officer.

On Wednesday, 23XI Racing announced they would not appeal the penalty issued to them.

The 2024 NASCAR season concludes this Sunday as a champion is crowned at Phoenix Raceway (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Peacock).

Posted on November 7, 2024November 7, 2024 by Staff Report

Stock-car racing will be brought to the forefront of Forza Motorsport as a NASCAR update went live on the popular racing video game Thursday.

Forza Motorsport is the premier racing simulation experience, designed for true car enthusiasts and gamers alike. Offering an unparalleled combination of stunning graphics, realistic physics, and a vast array of cars from around the world, Forza Motorsport allows players to immerse themselves in a meticulously crafted racing environment.

In the new update, the Chevrolet, Toyota and Ford Next Gen cars will all be playable in the largest racing game on the Xbox platform and allow motorsports fans to enjoy the thrill of stock-car racing from the comfort of their home.

RELATED: Visit Forza.net for more

Among the key features included in the NASCAR update, alongside the three vehicles, are updated branding on the Homestead-Miami Speedway track, a NASCAR driver suit and spotlight and rival events.

Along with Homestead being a playable track in the game, Daytona International Speedway and Watkins Glen International will be included in the list of venues that will coincide with an activation during NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway where fans will get a first look at the update and have opportunities to play the game.

An online activation will be held on Saturday and Sunday on Twitch and Discord. Saturday will be a game night featuring Forza content creator AR12Gaming, while Sunday’s watch party will feature NASCAR driver Ryan Vargas and the same Forza content creator.

Posted on November 7, 2024November 7, 2024 by Staff Report

Tricon Garage announced Thursday that Corey Heim will return to the Craftsman Truck Series stable for a third full-time season in 2025.

Heim, 22, has found great success in his tenure in the Truck Series and is currently among the four contenders for the crown when the series holds its championship race Friday evening at Phoenix Raceway (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Heim said that other rides were under consideration, but he placed emphasis on keeping his partnership with Toyota intact.

“There’s always options on the table, but I never had a doubt that my development with Toyota Racing has led me to where I am today, and it’ll get me through the future as well,” Heim said Thursday during NASCAR Championship Weekend Media Day. “So, it wasn’t a hard decision.”

Heim began his national series journey with Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2021 and 2022, breaking through for his first career victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway two years ago.

After KBM shut down after 2022, Heim moved to Tricon and immediately became one of the best drivers at the Truck level. In 2023, he picked up three wins with an average finish of 6.8. Heim just fell short of the championship last season as he finished third among the final four at Phoenix.

This season, Heim has doubled his win total with six victories in 22 races and made select Xfinity and Cup Series starts with Legacy Motor Club, 23XI Racing and Sam Hunt Racing. His run through this year’s Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs was also a steady one with five top-10 finishes in six races, including a victory in the Round of 10 finale at Kansas Speedway.

“From an emotional standpoint, I feel like we’re always very consistent,” Heim said. “We keep a level head going into any race weekend, and this one would be the same. Just everyone’s really dialed in, focused. They’ve worked their butts off these last seven to 10 days, getting this Phoenix truck ready and put a lot of work in over the weekend as well. So super thankful for those guys and everything they do, and certainly wouldn’t be here without them.”

Said Kevin Ray, general manager of Tricon Garage: “We’re extremely fortunate to get another year with Corey. His dedication to not only the No. 11 team but the entire organization has elevated Tricon beyond measure in our team’s short history. While we’re looking forward to 2025, our priority remains on closing out this season with a victory and our program’s first championship.”

Posted on November 6, 2024November 7, 2024 by Pat DeCola

Here’s what’s happening in the world of NASCAR with Martinsville in the rearview and Phoenix (Sun., 3 p.m. ET, NBC) up next.

THE LINEUP

1️⃣ Championship Race set to cap off highlight-reel 2024 season

2️⃣ Is this the evenest Championship 4 ever?

3️⃣ By the numbers: Championship 4 driver stats at Phoenix

4️⃣ Will Kyle Busch extend his lengthy annual win streak?

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

1. Championship Race set to cap off highlight-reel 2024 season

It all comes down to Sunday, and, based on how this season has constantly added to the history books, it’s hard to expect we’ll see anything other than an all-timer.

We sort of went on and on about this topic at length in last week’s Turning Point, but it bears repeating after another thriller at Martinsville decided this year’s Championship 4 — the 2024 season was a series of non-stop bangers, filled to the brim with tension throughout and capped with jaw-dropper after jaw-dropper.

To recap, a small contingent of wild things we saw this year:

One of the closest finishes in history … and then the actual closest finish; NASCAR’s oldest team landing its landmark 100th Cup Series win after years of waiting … with a driver they’d recently let go; a Cup race happening at Iowa Speedway, and it being one of the best of the season; arguably the most dominant playoff performance in history coming at the hands of a generational talent at Bristol … yet it all being for naught because of a rainstorm in Indianapolis in May; the Regular Season Champion struggling in the playoffs — apart from one race — and still making his way into the Championship 4; six races ended with a last-lap pass, the most-ever in a season, with 13 NASCAR Overtime races being an all-time high as well … we could go on.

ANALYSIS: What went wrong for stars who missed Championship 4

And to think, all of that could somehow be topped this weekend out west.

We saw just how competitive the Round of 8 was at Martinsville from top to bottom, and how the stakes were raised even higher. In a Phoenix race to settle it all with even more pressure, another unmistakable moment feels like a no-brainer to be added to NASCAR lore this weekend.

There’s a lot that would be notable here, no matter who wins.

Team Penske teammates Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano are the only former Cup champions in the Championship 4 — a win by the former would make him the first driver to go back-to-back since Jimmie Johnson; while a third title for “Sliced Bread” slots him in as a legend of the sport, on par with the all-timer he replaced at Joe Gibbs Racing as an 18-year-old and, at 34 years old now, plenty of time to lap him as he begins to enter the twilight years of his career. It’s possible Logano hasn’t even hit his prime yet, which is truly scary to think about.

A championship landing with either of the other two are notable as well, with Byron carrying on the legacy of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet as he firmly settles into that ride for years to come, as his trajectory from sim star to superstar progresses along marvelously. And if Reddick is to win, it’s a fitting end for a Regular Season Champion, but an important milestone for a 23XI Racing team that didn’t even exist a small handful of years ago to prove that it’s possible to come in and compete with the big boys.

It’s been quite the ride this year, and here they come — white flag in the air.

One more time around.

2. Is this the evenest Championship 4 ever?

Each of the four remaining title contenders feels like bona fide championship material, with no huge favorite among them. Is the championship truly up for grabs?

Now that we know exactly who will be racing for the 2024 championship, plenty of statistical analysis will be happening this week and I’m here to tell you — there’s no slam dunk stat out there that points to a clear, head-and-shoulders-above-the-rest driver to win it all.

If you absolutely had to pick a “favorite,” you could give a slight nod to last weekend’s winner at Martinsville, Ryan Blaney, but any of these drivers feels more than capable of representing the sport well and wouldn’t feel any bit fluky.

After all, each driver enters the weekend with the same amount of wins — three — for the first time in the history of this format, with the quartet essentially winning a third of the season’s races collectively.

Looking to become the first reigning champ to make a return to the Championship 4 and actually win, Blaney leads all drivers in laps run in the top 10 at Phoenix in the Next Gen car with 1,385 and should be in contention all day long. Remarkably, he appears to be on a near-identical path to the title as last year, coming up just short at Homestead-Miami before claiming a must-win race at Martinsville, and that path is clearly a prosperous one.

No. 12’s six-race top-five streak at Phoenix is also the third longest all-time and his longest at any track in Cup, with an average running position of 5.6 at Phoenix over the last eight races. That’s best of all Champ 4 drivers by more than five positions, per Racing Insights.

There’s a lot going for the 12 group right now and, like, I said, if you had to pick one — Blaney’s the guy.

MORE: Why each driver will win the title — and why they might not

Then again, things line up pretty great for his teammate as well, considering Logano, who won the Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas, won the championship the last two times he did that. You might’ve heard something about this, as well, but he also has made the Championship 4 every other season (the even years) in the history of this format and clearly has all the pieces in place to make title No. 3 a reality.

That said, Logano ranked 15th in points scored in the regular season — the lowest rank ever to make the Championship 4 in the stage era.

Byron might be Blaney’s equal threat when it comes to Phoenix, specifically, leading all drivers in laps run in the top five at Phoenix in the Next Gen car with 1,058, and second only to Blaney in laps in the top 10 at 1,366. He’s a constant force there as well, and is riding the hottest overall streak of anybody in the playoffs right now, with six straight top-six finishes for an overall 4.0 average that stands as his best across any six-race stretch in his career.

He’s also just the fifth driver in the stage era to make the Championship 4 without a playoff win and has the longest winless streak of any driver to make the finale in the stage area, not taking a single trip to Victory Lane since early spring. Only one driver’s first playoff win was for the championship (Kyle Busch in 2019) and there’s nothing close to a guarantee Byron will be the second.

And finally, there’s Reddick, whose 19.9 average finish in the playoffs is mesmerizingly bad for a Championship 4 driver … but he’s also the Regular Season Champion and clearly deserves to be there when considering the whole body of work. He’s also scored the fewest points in the playoffs of any Championship 4 driver in history, but at the same time … how many drivers can do what he did at Homestead?

It might be necessary once again, and he’s the guy you trust the most to do it.

3. By the numbers: Championship 4 driver stats at Phoenix

Crew chiefs Luke Lambert and Drew Blickensderfer dive into the Championship 4 drivers’ previous performances at Phoenix Raceway.

4. Will Kyle Busch extend his lengthy annual win streak?

“Rowdy” highlights a list of drivers that won in 2023 but will go winless in 2024 unless they find a way to top the Championship 4 drivers, like Ross Chastain did last year. In Busch’s case, if he doesn’t — it’ll snap a 19-year streak of winning. (Credit: Racing Insights)

Driver	2023 wins	Tracks
Kyle Busch	3	Auto Club, Talladega, Gateway
Martin Truex Jr.	3	Dover, Sonoma, New Hampshire
AJ Allmendinger	1	Charlotte Roval
Michael McDowell	1	Indy Road Course
Shane van Gisbergen	1	Chicago Street Course

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

Power Rankings: Stacking up all 12 Championship 4 contenders

Paint Scheme Preview: 2024 Phoenix championship

NASCAR betting: 2024 Phoenix championship race odds

Analysis: What went wrong for stars who fell short of Championship 4

Analysis: On the clock once again, Ryan Blaney lives up to the moment

William Byron: ‘The rule is what it is’ after Bell misses Championship 4

Kyle Petty: Ryan Blaney’s ‘phenomenal drive’ overshadowed by last-lap wall ride

Denny Hamlin: ‘Overall, I just want to win’ after coming up short of Championship 4

Ticket punched: Ryan Blaney closes out dramatic, walk-off Martinsville win

NASCAR’s Elton Sawyer explains decision to penalize Christopher Bell

Chase Elliott after missing Championship 4: ‘That’s life’

Will Blaney become first back-to-back champ in over a decade?

Byron makes Champ 4, Bell out after NASCAR issues safety penalty

2024 Cup Series Championship 4 cemented; William Byron clinches on points

@nascarcasm: Fake texts to Martinsville winner Ryan Blaney

Updated championship odds after Phoenix

Posted on November 6, 2024November 6, 2024 by Staff Report

NASCAR Cup Series team 23XI Racing has rescinded its decision to appeal penalties that the sanctioning body handed down against it on Tuesday after the race at Martinsville Speedway.

In a statement released Wednesday afternoon on social media, team officials said they have chosen instead to put their concentration on efforts behind the No. 45 team with driver Tyler Reddick trying to win a championship this weekend at Phoenix Raceway.

Reddick’s teammate Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 23 Toyota, was fined $100,000 and given a 50-point reduction as part of the penalties NASCAR handed down yesterday to three Cup Series teams for violating sections 4.4.B&D: NASCAR Member Conduct Code in the Rule Book, which include items on race manipulation and actions detrimental to stock car racing.

Trackhouse Racing and Richard Childress Racing remain on track to have their appeals heard on Thursday in Phoenix in front of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel.

Posted on November 6, 2024 by Adam Fenwick

Stars of the Late Model Stock Car world will converge on historic Hickory Motor Speedway this Saturday night for the annual running of one of the venue’s longest running events: the Fall Brawl.

Held for the first time in 1998 and won by NASCAR Cup Series championship-winning crew chief Rodney Childers, Hickory’s Fall Brawl continues to be a premier event for Southeastern Late Model competitors hoping to make a name for themselves. Other notable winners include Denny Hamlin, Dennis Setzer, Coleman Pressley, Ben Rhodes, Josh Berry, Tyler Ankrum, Anthony Alfredo, Taylor Gray, Mason Diaz and the most recent winner, Kade Brown.

The 2024 Fall Brawl will again feature 200 laps around the 0.363-mile asphalt oval with an overall purse of $17,000. The race winner will take home a $4,000.

The Fall Brawl is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 9 with on-track action scheduled to begin at 4:15 p.m. ET.

A live stream of the 2024 Fall Brawl on Saturday will be available on FloRacing, the official streaming home of NASCAR Regional events. On-track action is scheduled to begin at 4:15 p.m. ET.

Kade Brown celebrates after winning last year’s Fall Brawl. (Photo: Susan Wong/NASCAR)

Hickory Fall Brawl 2024 TV channel, live stream

As is the case for all NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series racing action at Hickory, Saturday’s action will be shown exclusively on FloRacing, the official streaming home of NASCAR Regional events.

The race will not be shown on a traditional TV network. FloRacing’s coverage is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Below is another look at how to watch on Saturday, Nov. 9.

Date	Race	Streaming start time	How to watch
Saturday, Nov. 9	Hickory Motor Speedway’s Fall Brawl	4 p.m. ET	FloRacing

Race-day schedule

A full day of racing awaits fans and competitors during the 2024 edition of the Fall Brawl at Hickory.

Pit gates for Saturday’s action will open at 8:30 a.m. ET, with early practice (paid) beginning at 9 a.m. and running through noon. Official practice begins at 1 p.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 2:30 p.m. ET and feature racing at 4:15 p.m. ET.

There will be features for the Late Model Stock Cars (200 Laps), Carolina Pro Late Models (100 Laps), Limited Late Models (100 Laps), STARS Super Stock Tour (50 Laps), Allison Legacy Series (25 Laps) andVintage Cars (20 Laps).

Below is the complete race-day schedule for Saturday at Hickory.

Saturday, Nov. 9

Time	Event
7:30 a.m.	Pit Sign In Opens
8:30 a.m.	Pit Gate Opens
12:30 p.m.	Drivers Meeting
1 – 1:10 p.m.	STARS Super Stock Tour Practice
1:10 – 1:25 p.m.	Limited Late Model Practice
1:25 – 1:45 p.m.	Late Model Stock Practice
1:45 – 1:55 p.m.	Allison Legacy Series Practice
1:55 – 2:05 p.m.	Carolina Pro Late Model Practice
2:05 – 2:10 p.m.	Vintage Practice
2:15 p.m.	Grandstands Open
2:30 p.m.	Qualifying
3:50 p.m.	Opening Ceremonies
4:15 p.m.	Vintage Feature (20 Laps)
Followed by…	Limited Late Model Feature (100 Laps)
Followed by…	STARS Super Stock Tour Feature (50 Laps)
Followed by…	Allison Legacy Series Feature (25 Laps)
Followed by…	Late Model Stock Fall Brawl Feature (200 Laps)
Followed by…	Carolina Pro Late Model Feature (100 Laps)

Cars in action during the 2023 Fall Brawl at Hickory. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)

Entry list

The entry list for the 2024 Fall Brawl at Hickory Motor Speedway will be available in the coming days.

Posted on November 6, 2024November 6, 2024 by Alex Cadavid

The drivers behind the wheel will do everything possible to cross the start/finish line first, but battles don’t solely occur on the racing surface. There can be no margin for error when it comes to changing four tires, making chassis adjustments, ripping a windshield tear-off and fueling the car all within 10-11 seconds.

Time spent servicing the car is just another finite detail that has to be executed perfectly for a driver to become a champion. A well-synchronized stop could make or break a driver’s chances of keeping good track position, and pit crews can make all the difference in cashing in on that “money stop” before a final restart.

Now that we know who will be racing for the Bill France Cup Sunday at Phoenix Raceway (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), let’s dive into the Championship 4 pit crews for William Byron (No. 24), Ryan Blaney (No. 12), Joey Logano (No. 22) and Tyler Reddick (No. 45).

CREW BREAKDOWN:

Jonathan Bachman | Getty Images

No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet roster
Front tire changer: Jeff Cordero
Rear tire changer: Orane Ossowski
Tire carrier: Ryan Patton
Jack: Spencer Bishop
Fueler: Landon Walker

Comment: The No. 24 crew has been moving and grooving all season, ranking second-best on pit road based on an average four-tire stop time of 10.802 seconds. The Richmond Raceway contest on Aug. 11 also saw the Hendrick crew deliver Byron the best stop among all other teams in that contest (9.442 seconds). Even better news? This past spring race at Phoenix, Byron’s pit crew was, on average, the best on pit road, notching an average stop time of 10.126 seconds. When you factor in how little the No. 24 has been penalized and the fact the Hendrick crew ranks as the second-best unit in the playoffs, Byron holds a clear advantage.

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

No. 12 Team Penske Ford roster
Front tire changer: Ryan Flores
Rear tire changer: Zachary Price
Tire carrier: Trevor Apsey
Jack: Jourdan Osinskie
Fueler: Chris Conklin

Comment: Blaney No. 12 ‘dawgs’ rank as the eighth-best crew this season, with an average four-tire stop time of 10.975 seconds. The No. 12 crew has logged the fastest four-tire stop two times this season, with a 9.577-second stop coming at Circuit of The Americas in March and a 9.175-second stop at Dover Motor Speedway in April — which is only 0.033 seconds off from being tied for ninth in the season’s top-10 fastest stops. The 12 crew did their job last week at Martinsville Speedway, helping Blaney win the battle off pit road several times en route to his win. In order for Blaney to defend his 2023 Cup title, his pit crew will need to be ready. Luckily for Blaney, they are up to the challenge.

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

No. 22 Team Penske Ford roster
Front tire changer: Joe Dilly
Rear tire changer: Jake Seminara
Tire carrier: Jeremy Ogles
Jack: Graham Stoddard
Fueler: Nick Hensley

Comment: Logano’s No. 22 team ranks as the 11th-best pit crew based on an average four-tire stop time of 11.185 seconds. It hasn’t gotten much better for the 22 squad as they rank as the 19th-best team so far in the playoffs. The bright side is that Logano hasn’t been hit with a lot of pit-road penalties this year, which ties his crew with Reddick’s and Blaney’s at eighth-best when it comes to full-season ranks. Another feather in their cap is Penske crews save their best performances for high-pressure moments, so the best pit-road performance for the 22 team could come this Sunday when they most need it.

Chris Graythen | Getty Images

No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota roster
Front tire changer: Houston Stamper
Rear tire changer: Devin DelRicco
Tire carrier: Wade Moore
Jack: Nathan Ricketts
Fueler: Brian Dheel

Comment: The No. 45 team statistically has not been great on pit road; their 11.207-second average stop for four tires is 18th-best among all teams. Through the last nine races, the 45 crew ranks 24th-best among pit crews. Still, the No. 45 is capable of delivering clutch stops. In May at Darlington Raceway, the crew delivered Reddick a 9.275-second stop — which was the fastest out of all crews during that contest. Reddick has proven so much throughout these playoffs that he’s willing to answer the bell when the pressure rings loudest. His pit crew may have to dig down similarly at Phoenix to help him win the championship.

Posted on November 6, 2024November 6, 2024 by Brandon White

Florida is a long way from home for Quincy, Washington native Kasey Kleyn.

For the next several weeks, Kleyn will get acclimated to the humid winter air of the Sunshine State. After racing in the Nov. 10 Florida Governor’s Cup at New Smyrna Speedway, Kleyn will turn his attention toward qualifying for his maiden Snowball Derby at Pensacola’s Five Flags Speedway in December.

Kleyn already has obtained plenty of reps against some of the nation’s best Super Late Model drivers, as he is fresh off running the All American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. With a seasoned team like FatHead Racing on his side, Kleyn is setting high expectations for himself ahead of the Governor’s Cup.

“[FatHead Racing] has had a lot of success in the Pro Late [Models at New Smyrna],” Kleyn said. “Hopefully that translates over to the Super. We were just a little off at Nashville, but now that we’ve got it figured out, I think we can get some better notes. We can have a real shot to win the Governor’s Cup if we get the car right.”

RACE INFO: All about the Governor’s Cup

The consistency Kleyn has enjoyed racing on the West Coast served as a catalyst toward his opportunity with FatHead Racing.

After earning his first Northwest Super Late Model Series victory at Stateline Speedway in 2023, Kleyn put together an efficient campaign on the tour that included five wins and a championship. Kleyn also made his ARCA Menards Series West debut this year, piloting Naake Klauer Motorsports’ No. 88 to a top 10 at Tri-City Raceway.

The triumphs were gratifying to Kleyn, but he knew his development as a driver could only progress so far on the West Coast. By stepping into the national spotlight under the FatHead Racing banner, Kleyn felt he was in an ideal position to capitalize on his momentum and refine his race craft.

“We’re just looking to get me to that next level,” Kleyn said. “[The southeast] looked like the place to do it with all the exposure, and the racing is a lot more competitive. We’ve been winning a lot here, but we got to talking with FatHead Racing and worked out a deal. Hopefully we can win some races and get some people looking.”

A stellar 2024 season for Kasey Kleyn saw him win a Super Late Model championship and make his ARCA Menards Series West debut at Tri-City Raceway. (Photo: Brian Hayes/ARCA Racing)

Logistically, committing to FatHead Racing has been an undertaking for Kleyn. Since he still lives in Washington, Kleyn regularly takes six-hour red eye flights to commute to his races in the southeast, all while finding time to make up for school work he misses.

Despite the challenges, Kleyn’s time with FatHead Racing has already proved valuable. Not only does Kleyn benefit from a seasoned veteran like Jamie Yelton as his car owner, but he also gets to learn from one of the greatest Super Late Model competitors of all time in Bubba Pollard.

Yelton brought in Pollard as a driving coach for FatHead Racing around the same time Kleyn joined the program. Being able to lean on Pollard’s years of experience in a Super Late Model has provided Kleyn a quality perspective into how he needs to compose himself, particularly for marque events.

“It’s been really good learning from [Pollard],” Kleyn said. “He knows what he’s talking about, and I’m really looking forward to having him at [Five Flags Speedway]. I’ve raced there before, and that track is super hard to figure out. He has it figured out, so it helps having him around. If I need anything, he’s more than willing to help me out.”

Kleyn also credited Yelton for his leadership throughout their first months together. As Kleyn acclimated himself to Nashville’s layout during the All American 400, Yelton reminded him there would be chances to improve the car and to keep persevering regardless of track position.

The result for Kleyn in the All American 400 was a lead-lap finish of 11^th behind race winner Jake Garcia. In a field that also featured drivers like Casey Roderick, Stephen Nasse and 2022 Snowball Derby winner Derek Thorn, Kleyn was more than satisfied to depart Nashville with a decent showing and an intact car.

With the accolades his competition possesses, Kleyn tries to maintain a level-headed mindset when it comes to competition. Being in the presence of so many elites in Super Late Models can be intimidating for any driver, which is why Kleyn does not let their status influence the way he competes in their territory.

“I try not to think of them as the best guys in the business,” Kleyn said. “We have Bubba as our driver coach, and I’ve seen what he can do even when he’s not in his own stuff. All those guys are super good, but if you treat them like they’re better than everyone else, then you kind of put yourself at a disadvantage because you get nervous around them.

“You have to treat them like everyone else and drive your own race.”

Eager to branch out from the West Coast, Kasey Kleyn looks forward to the challenge of regularly competing against the elites of Super Late Model competition. (Photo: Brian Hayes/ARCA Racing)

Kleyn intends to keep adhering to that mindset for both the Governor’s Cup and the Snowball Derby. Although the former event will not have the car count of the All American 400, Kleyn will still have to contest with notable names like Nasse, Spencer Davis and part-time ARCA Menards Series competitor Gio Ruggiero in the field.

New Smyrna is also uncharted territory for Kleyn, as he has never raced at the facility. Kleyn has no idea what to expect from the abrasive surface prior to Sunday’s green flag, but he is confident the equipment provided by Yelton and everyone at FatHead Racing will put him in a great position to contend for victory.

A strong showing Sunday would be beneficial for Kleyn before he and FatHead Racing start planning for the Snowball Derby. Precision will be key for Kleyn the entire week, as any misstep could be the difference between qualifying on speed and having to battle for a transfer spot in the last chance qualifier.

Racing in the southeast has already been far different compared to what Kleyn is accustomed to back home. There are still many aspects about the region’s tracks he is ascertaining, but Kleyn believes consistency will naturally come to him as he spends more time in the southeast with FatHead Racing.

“Showing up to these bigger tracks has been a little bit of a challenge,” Kleyn said. “Back home, we race quarter-mile tracks and don’t have half-mile stuff. It’s a little different, so you have to be more heads up with things happening faster. You have to be more perfect around the track to have fast laps and not lose time to these guys.”

The long-term plan is for Kleyn to get accustomed to his new surroundings. He is working diligently with FatHead Racing on a 2025 schedule that will be challenging while simultaneously helping him get his name out to prominent industry figures.

Kleyn’s journey might involve spending more time away from home, but the young competitor is on his way toward finding his place amidst the brightest stars in the southeast.