LANDIS, N.C. — Reaume Brothers Racing announced Tuesday that Frankie Muniz will be the full-time driver of the No. 33 Ford for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.
Muniz has made two starts with Reaume Brothers Racing this season (Nashville, Kansas), and with two races remaining, he aims to continue building chemistry with the team and developing his notebook for the upcoming year.
“I’m incredibly excited to join Reaume Brothers Racing full-time in 2025,” Muniz said. “My longstanding relationship with Ford has been a game changer, and I am thrilled to help facilitate additional support allowing us to tap into their exceptional technical and engineering resources. I’m confident that this synergy will elevate Reaume Brothers Racing and help us achieve great things together. I can’t wait to get started.”
Muniz’s last full-time effort took place in the ARCA Menards Series in 2023, where he collected one top-five and 11 top-10 finishes, culminating in a fourth-place points finish in the standings. Muniz joined Ford Performance in 2023 and has since competed in limited races in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Mustang Challenge Series.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Frankie to our team full-time and to expand our relationship with Ford Performance,” team owner Josh Reaume said. “Their support has been invaluable, and we believe that with Frankie’s passion and our collective momentum from this year, we can make significant strides in the upcoming season.”
Additionally, RBR announced that More Core Diamond Drilling Services & Nugget Trap will serve as a primary sponsor for Muniz for 10 races during the 2025 season.
Watch Muniz’s upcoming race as he returns behind the wheel of the No. 22 More Core Diamond Drilling Services Ford on Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the Baptist Health 200 (noon ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
And thanks in part to that heater, the championship scenario for Bonsignore at the half-mile paperclip in southern Virginia is simple: Finish fourth or better, and he’ll clinch his fourth Modified Tour title regardless of what his rivals do Saturday night.
If Bonsignore finishes fifth or worse Saturday, the scenarios will open for two-time champion Ron Silk to steal a third title. Even Patrick Emerling, who soared to third place in the standings with some late-season success, has a chance to swoop in for a championship.
Bonsignore took the points lead from Silk with his dominant victory at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Sunday. The former’s win combined with the latter’s 11th-place run flipped the standings in stunning fashion, as Silk entered the penultimate race of the year with a five-point lead over Bonsignore.
Both drivers have a series-high four wins this season, but Bonsignore’s recent success gives him the edge at Martinsville, a track where he’s experienced more success than Silk has over the years.
Bonsignore has finished third or better three times in four Martinsville starts; Silk in eight Martinsville starts has just one top-five finish. Neither has won at the paperclip.
Precious points will be available throughout the day Saturday, as the Modified Tour awards one bonus point to the driver who wins the Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole Award, one point to any driver who leads a lap in the race and one point to the driver who leads the most laps in the race.
Additionally, the race winner is automatically awarded three bonus points.
So with plenty left to be decided in the season finale at Martinsville, below are the championship points scenarios for all three drivers who are mathematically in the hunt for the title.
Championship points scenarios for Justin Bonsignore, Ron Silk and Patrick Emerling at Martinsville Speedway
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship points tiebreakers
(Via the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour rule book)
17-8 Ties
17-8.1 Championship points
A. In the event two or more drivers or Car Owners have the same number of points (a tie), each driver or Car Owner will be ranked according to the greatest number of 1st place finishes in 2023 Events for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour as of that time.
B. If a tie still exists, the greatest number of 2nd place finishes, 3rd place finishes, etc., will be used in the same manner, until the tie is broken.
C. If a tie still remains, the driver and/or Car Owner having the highest finishing position first during the current season in which the driver and/or Car Owner competed for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at the time will prevail.
Another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series season is in the books, and four drivers can officially call themselves Division I regional champions.
Connor Hall, David Hébert, Jacob Goede and Jeffrey Peterson secured Weekly Series regional championships after enjoying stellar seasons in their respective parts of the country.
The 2024 season marks the fourth year NASCAR has crowned regional champions since reintroducing the regional divisions for the 2021 season. Weekly Series regional titles are awarded to the drivers who score the most points in the Southeast, Northeast, Midwest and West, respectively. Each Division I regional champion earns a $15,000 bonus for his or her efforts.
Below is a closer look at the four drivers who claimed NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series regional championships, plus the complete list of regional champions for Divisions II-V.
(Photo: Bill Carnes/Langley Speedway)
Southeast Region: Connor Hall
For the second consecutive year, Connor Hall captured not just the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division I national championship, but the Southeast regional championship, as well.
Competing in 26 races at Florence Motor Speedway, Hickory Motor Speedway, Southern National Motorsports Park, South Boston Speedway and Langley Speedway, Hall scored 18 wins and never finished outside the top 10.
Hall bested Bowman Gray Stadium champion Burt Myers by 46 points to lay claim to his second regional championship. They were followed by Brandon Ward, Tim Brown and Greg Edwards.
Division II: Zack Ore
The champion of the Sportsman division at Bowman Gray Stadium, Zack Ore scored five wins in 25 races and only finished outside the top 10 once. He also captured the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division II national championship.
Division III: Chase Johnson
Splitting his time between Langley Speedway and Dominion Raceway, Chase Johnson bagged five victories in 21 starts to earn the Southeast region Division III title. He also secured the Virginia Racer track championship at Dominion.
Division IV: A.J. Sanders
A veteran competitor, A.J. Sanders captured his fifth Bowman Gray Stadium Stadium Stock championship this season while also competing at Florence Motor Speedway, Wake County Speedway and Kingsport Speedway. His eight wins in 21 starts allowed him to secure the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division IV national championship and the Southeast region Division IV championship.
Division V: Michael Frayser
No one was better in the UCAR division at Dominion Raceway this year than Michael Frayser, who won five times in 15 races and never finished outside the top 10 on his way to the track and Southeast region Division V championships.
(Photo: Daniel Mailhoot/Autodrome Granby)
Northeast Region: David Hébert
Canada’s David Hébert emerged as the kingpin of the Northeast region during the 2024 season, capturing his first NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Northeast region championship in the process.
Splitting his time between Autodrome Granby and Le RPM Speedway, Hébert won eight times in 20 starts in addition to scoring 13 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes. He also secured the 358 Modified track championship at Granby and finished the year fourth overall in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division I national standings.
Second in the Northeast region standings went to Felix Roy, followed closely by Samuel Charland, Steve Bernier and Mathieu Desjardins.
Division II: Donovan Lussier
Competing at Autodrome Granby and Le RPM Speedway in Canada, Donovan Lussier won five times in 20 starts and only finished outside the top 10 three times on his way to the Northeast region Division II championship.
Division III: Colby Lambert
A regular in the Sportsman division at Seekonk Speedway, Colby Lambert bagged two wins in 13 starts and captured the Northeast region Division III championship ahead of Autodrome Granby’s Dominik Blais.
Division IV: Rick Martin
Rick Martin captured the Sport Truck championship this season at Seekonk Speedway with four wins in 20 starts. His successful campaign also included the Northeast region Division IV championship, which he won by two points over fellow Seekonk competitor Mike Duarte.
Division V: Donald Lybarger Jr.
Jennerstown Speedway Charger division competitor Donald Lybarger Jr. came up short in his quest for a track championship this year, but he captured the Northeast region Division V championship by two points ahead of fellow Jennerstown competitor Ken Burkholder. His 14 top 10s compared to Burkholder’s 12 proved to be the difference.
(Photo: LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway)
Midwest Region: Jacob Goede
A chance of scenery didn’t change Jacob Goede’s ability to win races in 2024, and it paid off in another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Midwest region championship.
Competing at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway on a weekly basis for the first time while also dabbling at his previous home track, Elko Speedway, Goede claimed eight victories in 20 races to secure the Midwest Region crown. He also earned 18 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes.
Adams County Speedway regular Jeff Wiggins finished the year second in the Midwest standings, followed by Jake Ryan, LaCrosse track champion Skylar Holzhausen and Jesse Dennis.
Division II: Larrett Daniels
The champion of the Pure Stock division at Salina Highbanks Speedway, Larrett Daniels scored one win and only finished outside the top 10 once in 19 races to secure the Midwest region Division II championship by four points ahead of fellow Salina competitor Blake Gillean.
Division III: Bryce Allen
It was a fantastic season for Adams County Speedway’s Bryce Allen, who claimed not only the track Sport Modified championship, but also NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division III national championship and the Midwest region Division III championship.
Division IV: Nathan McNabb
Berlin Raceway’s 4 Cylinder track champion this season, Nathan McNabb found Victory Lane three times and captured the Midwest region Division IV championship thanks to a tiebreaker ahead of Adams County Speedway’s Adam Hensel, who only won twice. They both scored 390 points this year.
Division V: John Berg
Adams County Speedway Compact champion John Berg collected the Midwest region Division V championship thanks to a season that included three wins and only one finish outside the top 10 in 16 races.
(Photo: Sal Sigala Jr.)
West Region: Jeffrey Peterson
Everybody loves a good repeat performance, and Jeffrey Peterson is no exception. Peterson competed at Irwindale Speedway, Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway and The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway; he secured his second consecutive NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series West region championship this season.
Peterson scored 10 wins in 18 races at the three tracks in addition to securing the 2024 Irwindale Speedway Pro Late Model championship. He finished inside the top five 16 times and never finished outside the top 10.
Meridian Speedway’s Josh Jackson finished second in the West Region standings, 42 points behind Peterson. Trevor Huddleston, Brendon Fries and Jaron Giannini were third through fifth, respectively.
Division II: Curtis Heldenbrand
Competing at Colorado National Speedway, Curtis Heldenbrand only entered seven races. He won five of them and never finished outside the top five, which was enough to give him the West region Division II championship.
Division III: Bobby Ozman
Irwindale Speedway regular Bobby Ozman secured the track championship in the Enduro division this year thanks to eight wins in 13 starts, which also helped him capture the West region Division III championship.
Division IV: Quenton Borreson
The champion of Evergreen Speedway’s Super Stock Figure 8 class, Quenton Borreson won four times in 12 races and won the West region Division IV championship by eight points ahead of fellow Evergreen competitor Sheridan Vincent.
Division V: Zach Bristol
A dream season for Zach Bristol at Washington’s Evergreen Speedway culminated in three championships this year. He won the Hornet division championship at Evergreen in addition to the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division V national championship and the West region Division V championship.
MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Times may change, tradition rolls on which is why Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Budweiser are reuniting to bring back one of the most recognizable paint schemes in racing history. The NASCAR Hall of Famer will drive the historic No. 8 Chevrolet with the iconic Bud King of Beers paint scheme once again for a limited series of Late Model Stock Car Races in 2024 and 2025. The paint scheme will make its return to the track for the first time in 17 years on Nov. 23, 2024 when Earnhardt Jr. competes in the South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway.
In addition to the infamous red-and-black paint scheme, Earnhardt Jr. will return to his stylized No. 8, made famous during his tenure behind the wheel from 1999 through 2007.
“It is an incredible opportunity for me to be able to reunite with Budweiser, and the No. 8,” Earnhardt Jr said. “Budweiser and I had some great memories with that iconic scheme and number. We’ve always supported each other over the years. It’s going to be really special for me to be able to represent that brand on the racetrack again.”
This return for Budweiser is the latest in Anheuser-Busch’s long-standing commitment to NASCAR and the motorsports industry. With driver partnerships, key event sponsorships and media investments in the sport, Anheuser-Busch has proudly supported and elevated NASCAR through Budweiser, Busch and Busch Light for more than 40 years.
“There are names that when mentioned, draw on the significance of their place in American history. Among them, Budweiser, and Earnhardt,” said Matt Davis, vice-president of partnerships at Anheuser-Busch. “This return to the racetrack alongside Dale with the Bud King of Beers paint scheme is another chapter in Anheuser-Busch’s long and storied sports history.”
Anheuser-Busch and its brands Budweiser, Busch and Busch Light have a proud history supporting NASCAR legends and growing forces in the sport — notably as the primary sponsor of Earnhardt Jr. for nine seasons, through a 13-year partnership with Kevin Harvick, and with Busch Light as the current primary sponsorship of Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain announced in 2023.
JR Motorsports is showcasing the return of this iconic pairing with a line of Budweiser x Dale Jr. merchandise that is nostalgic of the early 2000s, available now at shopjrnation.com.
Joe Gibbs Racing announced on Monday that William Sawalich will pilot the No. 18 Toyota full-time during the 2025 Xfinity Series season.
Next year will mark the rookie campaign for the 18-year-old prospect from Minnesota, who has made 13 starts in the Craftsman Truck Series with Tricon Garage. He’s scored three top 10s and captured a pole award earlier this month at Talladega Superspeedway.
”I am honored to be driving the No. 18 full-time in the Xfinity Series next year,” Sawalich said in a team release. ”It has been really cool to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing, and I feel like I have developed so much as a driver over the past two years. I still have a lot to learn, especially with moving to a new series, so I am looking forward to taking this next step in racing.”
Sawalich has dominated in the ARCA Menards Series, winning 18 of his 39 starts across all three platforms — national, east and west. He will pair with Taylor Gray for JGR next season, who will pilot the No. 54 entry.
“We are thrilled to announce William’s promotion to the next stage of his racing career with us,” Steve de Souza, executive vice president of Xfinity Series and development at JGR, said in a team release. “His outstanding record of victories and development over the past two years shows he’s ready for the Xfinity Series. We’re confident he’ll remain a strong contender for wins as he takes on this new challenge in 2025.”
Starkey will sponsor the Toyota development driver’s No. 18, featuring their SoundGear product line.
The 2025 Xfinity Series season begins on Feb. 15 at Daytona International Speedway.
LAS VEGAS — From out of the playoffs and back in again one week in Charlotte to a backup car and Victory Lane in the span of 25 hours in Sin City, Team Penske reminded everyone Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway why the organization can never be discounted.
When the checkered flag waved Oct. 13 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, Joey Logano appeared ousted from the Round of 8, out of contention for his third championship in the NASCAR Cup Series. Another team’s disqualification later, and suddenly he’s back in the playoff picture.
Flash forward to Vegas a week later, and Logano wheels the No. 22 Ford back to Victory Lane and onto the Championship 4 with a chance to return to the title winner’s stage at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 10.
Neither Logano nor his wife, Brittany, could wrap their heads around the events of the past week.
“I talked to her in Victory Lane,” Logano said. “She’s like, ‘Do you believe one week ago at this hour …’ I come walking out of our bedroom, and I said, ‘You’re not going to believe this (expletive).’ You wouldn’t believe it! And here we are a week later. I told her (Sunday), ‘You ain’t going to believe this!'”
That roller coaster of emotions was only amplified in the Nevada desert. Every member spent the previous night thrashing to prepare a backup car for defending Cup champion Ryan Blaney, who cut a tire early in Saturday’s practice session and crashed hard into the outside retaining SAFER barrier.
“That’s how you build the foundation of what a team is — examples of hard work and perseverance and a group overcoming and ultimately triumphing,” Travis Geisler, competition director at Team Penske, told NASCAR.com. “You know, you’ve got to have the successes at the end at some point too. And to have this for this team is really special. And I think that it’s not just in our name. Team Penske is how we operate. We’re intensely loyal to each other.”
That unity shined under the bright lights of the Neon Garage Saturday night. While the NASCAR Xfinity Series race roared, members of the Nos. 2, 12, 21 and 22 teams rallied around Blaney’s backup car to best prepare the No. 12 Ford for Sunday’s 400-miler.
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media
For 88 laps, those efforts proved fruitful, with Blaney charging to 17th place by the beginning of Stage 2 after starting from the rear. But a Lap 89 incident negated that work. As fellow playoff drivers Tyler Reddick and Chase Elliott collided, Brad Keselowski (coincidentally, a former Penske driver) was involved and spun up the race track — collecting both Blaney and Austin Cindric in the process. Cindric’s day ended with a broken right-front control arm, but the No. 12 team was able to repair a broken toe link enough for Blaney to continue to a 32nd-place finish, eight laps down.
“The whole company pulled together, put a really good car out there,” Geisler said. “I think it had a lot of speed again today, and then to have him have issues and the 2 (Cindric), it’s like, man, it just didn’t feel like it was going to come together.”
After a caution for Ty Gibbs’ spin on Lap 193, No. 22 crew chief Paul Wolfe had Logano conserve just enough fuel over the final 69-lap run to surge past Daniel Suárez and hold off a dominant Christopher Bell to net the group’s third win of 2024 — and second on fuel mileage.
“We call him ‘Big Ball Paul’ now,” Logano laughed.
Wolfe and his group of engineers had that strategy call lined up in their playbook all week. Circumstances Sunday allowed them to come to fruition.
“Honestly, when the caution came out there, we didn’t really feel like it was a gamble based off of where we were,” Wolfe told NASCAR.com. “I was actually surprised. We heard guys talking about that they were maybe going to split (the run), but I didn’t realize the majority was thinking that because, like I said, we had talked through this scenario pre-race, and we stuck to what we thought and what we knew, and it worked for us.”
To venture back to Victory Lane was a collective effort — and not just for the No. 22 team. After getting lapped for the eighth time Sunday, Blaney played the role of a good teammate and settled in behind Logano as No. 22 hunted the lead and the win in the closing laps. With the No. 12 on Logano’s tail, the two were able to draft and allow Logano to save more fuel, ultimately resulting in Logano’s triumph.
“I don’t think there’s a team out there that works better together than Team Penske,” Logano said. “That is just in our DNA all the way through. That started years and years and years ago. I can’t even take credit for being part of that. From when I got there (in 2013), the openness between team to team. I remember years ago Brad telling me when I got there, ‘I’d rather you beat me and finish second’ than him beating me and finishing 21st, right? That’s the attitude that we have.
“When you have that all the way through the team, it’s just very helpful for us. Been around long enough to realize that it’s good to see your teammate win. I know you want to be the top dog, right? Obviously. The more I’m around the sport, the more I realize how that really raises the whole team. Then you build relationships with people that make you happy to see. It affects their life, right? Those bonuses are real for the teams. Anything you can do to help those people that you care about is something really special to me.”
That mindset is one Blaney embodied in the closing laps of Sunday’s contest.
“We’re just a big team effort, right? We want to do well for Roger (Penske, team owner),” Blaney said. “We want to do well for everyone who works for us and all of our partners, and we all try to work hand in hand and do the best we can to help. You want to help yourself, but you also want to help the group, right? So, yeah, it’s nice that they were able to pull one out today. Hopefully, we can join them in a couple of weeks.”
That selflessness shouldn’t be overlooked. Logano’s victory puts Blaney in a more precarious situation with two races remaining as the No. 12 team now sits 47 points beneath the provisional elimination line.
“I can’t thank Ryan Blaney enough,” Geisler said. “What that takes in the position that he’s in right there, where he knows he’s going to have to try to point his way in with something miraculous or win a race to get in, and he sees his teammate maybe in a chance to lock himself in — and knows it’s going to hurt him. There’s only four cars that can make it, and to be in that spot and recognize it and then have the talent and ability to go and actually help Joey to the win. It’s such a proud moment for everybody here at the team, and just want to thank those 12 car guys a lot.”
And just like that, the Penske Way is guiding the program back to the Championship 4 at Phoenix with a chance for The Captain and Co. to claim their third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series title, with Logano triumphing in 2022 before Blaney broke through in 2023.
In an era of parity, Penske continues to rise above. Why?
“People. It’s that simple,” Logano said. “Like I said, Roger has assembled some incredible people at Penske. I know everybody says this about their teams a lot of times; I truly believe it. Got some really solid people, right? Not just what they do at the track, but what they do at home, the way they live. Like I said, I’m really proud to be a part of a team like this.
“Roger’s way of just building people around him, the environment of what’s expected at Team Penske. He doesn’t have to say it anymore, right? When we hire somebody, it’s not like he has to come in there and tell them what he expects. It’s pretty well-known. All of us know. It’s kind of snowballed ever since. Ton of credit to Roger for hiring the correct people, but also creating a culture that’s surrounded or centered by, one, winning, but also doing it in an elite way.”
Perhaps Phoenix will produce another elite moment as Logano chases championship No. 3.
When John-Michael Shenette was 15, he wrote a letter to Team Penske requesting an autograph from an up-and-coming driver named Ryan Newman. Just 23 at the time, Newman was beginning a NASCAR career that would see him win 18 Cup Series races, including the 2008 Daytona 500 and the 2013 Brickyard 400.
Shenette had quickly become a fan of Newman as the latter ascended to NASCAR from the United States Auto Club, winning races in the ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series before beginning his full-time Cup Series career in 2002.
“When I was younger, (Ryan) was kind of the driver that I watched. I was a big Ryan Newman fan,” said Shenette, now 38. “I wrote (Penske) a letter asking for an autograph from Ryan Newman. … Ryan doesn’t know that.”
Now Shenette, who competes part-time on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour with his own Eighty-Two Autosport team, will experience a full-circle moment with Newman.
Shenette and Newman will join forces to compete in Saturday’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 at Martinsville Speedway, the 2024 season finale. Newman will pilot Shenette’s No. 8 Modified with sponsorship from Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, USNE Power, Anglers Choice and Eight-Two Services.
Saturday’s event will mark Newman’s fourth Modified Tour start of the season and first behind the wheel of Shenette’s car.
“The older you get, the more opportunities you have to see things come full circle, or at least make a half circle,” said the 47-year-old Newman. “I think this is one of those opportunities. Maybe not one of those opportunities, but one of those times I guess you could say where he is a fan of racing, he is a fan of mine. I obviously had an impact on him, even with him not knowing me.
“For us to have this opportunity on a random phone call from a recommendation of another driver to drive his car is kind of crazy, but that’s kind of how things work.”
John-Michael Shenette has competed in three Modified Tour events this year as a driver, earning a best finish of 17th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)
Before this summer, Newman and Shenette had never met or even spoken. A mutual connection, veteran Modified Tour driver Tim Connolly, is the person who gave Newman Shenette’s phone number.
Newman had been trying to work a deal to drive Connolly’s car in a non-NASCAR event at Stafford Motor Speedway, but when the plan didn’t come together, Connolly recommended Shenette.
“I had talked to Tim Connolly about running the Mystic Missile, and we were working on things, and about three or four phone calls in, things just got disconnected, and we ended up not doing it,” Newman said. “So Tim got me John-Michael’s contact, and I reached out to him, and we ended up putting a deal together.”
When Newman called, Shenette thought someone was pranking him.
“I was talking to my wife, my mother-in-law and daughter,” Shenette said. “Ryan called, and when he said, ‘This is Ryan Newman,’ I only half believed him. I didn’t know who the hell was calling. I didn’t really give him the time of day when he called.”
After establishing that it was actually Newman and that the phone call wasn’t a prank, Shenette and Newman spent some time talking and ultimately worked out a deal for Newman to race Shenette’s Modified in a handful of events through the remainder of 2024.
“I thought about for 10 or 15 seconds,” Shenette said. “I hung up with him, looked at my wife and said, ‘Ryan Newman called, and he wants to drive our car.’
“It’s just a cool deal. It means a lot to put him in the car. I have a high expectation for it. When it comes to the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard and all that, none of that really matters to me. I just value the guy that I’m starting to know better and better. He’s a damn racer.”
Ryan Newman has made 38 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts through the years, earning four wins. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
Newman had no idea Shenette grew up a fan of his until several phone calls later. That aspect made the partnership more fun for both.
“We’ve had several conversations, and he’s told me what I meant to him as a NASCAR driver and as a fan,” Newman said. “I’m sure it was kind of difficult for him to kind of separate those two things and make good decisions, but when it comes to racing, being a fan is pretty powerful.
“I think that didn’t hurt by any means to stimulate our relationship.”
The pairing made their debut at Stafford last month, and the deal was supposed to include last Sunday’s Modified Tour event at North Wilkesboro Speedway, but the postponement of the event due to Hurricane Helene pushed back their first Tour event together until Saturday at Martinsville.
“I’m confident in the car we’ve got. I’m confident in the driver we’re putting in it. I’m super confident in Scott (Morin, crew chief),” Shenette said. “I have an expectation of going there and winning the race and competing for it. (Ryan) has the pedigree to do it.”
Martinsville is a track Newman knows well. He scored a Cup Series win there in 2012, and he’s competed in the Modified Tour event there each of the last three years. His best finish in those three events was a third-place effort in 2022.
Shenette did get that autograph from Newman when he was 15. It came with a letter, which included a Roger Penske quote that Shenette still remembers today.
“’Effort equals results,’” Shenette said. “I’m using that as a motto, if you will. If you don’t put the effort in, the results aren’t going to be there.”
The crowning of state and provincial champions is a NASCAR tradition that dates back to 2007.
Competitors in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series have the ability to race for state or provincial championships in addition to national and regional championships.
This season, 27 competitors were lucky enough to win state and provincial championships. Below is a look at each, followed by a look at the 2024 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series state and provincial rookies of the year.
2024 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series state and provincial champions
Alaska – Trent Dillard
Trent Dillard scored seven victories in seven races at Alaska Raceway Park. This is his first state championship in Alaska.
Alberta – Cameron Medd
In seven events at Edmonton International Raceway, Cameron Medd won three times and never finished outside the top five. This is his first provincial championship in Alberta.
Arizona – Nick O’Neil
Nine victories in 13 starts at Tucson Speedway propelled Nick O’Neil to his second consecutive state championship in Arizona.
California – Jeffrey Peterson
A strong season of racing at Irwindale Speedway and Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway allowed Jeffrey Peterson to win his first California state title. In 14 events, Peterson won seven times. He also captured the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series West Region championship.
Colorado – Brett Yackey
The Yackey family added another NASCAR accolade this year as Brett Yackey captured his third Colorado state championship thanks largely to three victories in six races at Colorado National Speedway. It’s his fourth state championship overall after he captured the Arizona title in 2021.
Brent Crews captured the 2024 World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing championship at New Smyrna Speedway, which also helped him win the Florida state championship. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
Florida – Brent Crews
A championship during the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway also helped Brent Crews win the Florida state title. In six races at New Smyrna, Crews won twice and never finished outside the top five.
Idaho – Josh Jackson
Meridian Speedway regular Josh Jackson drove to seven wins across 19 starts this season to capture his first Idaho state championship.
Iowa – Jeff Wiggins
Four victories in 16 races and no finishes outside the top five were more than enough for Jeff Wiggins to capture his first Iowa state championship.
Massachusetts – Vincent Arrenegado Jr.
Competing at Seekonk Speedway, Vincent Arrenegado Jr. didn’t win a single race this year. However, his consistent approach, which saw him finish inside the top five in 10 of 12 races, allowed him to claim his first Massachusetts state title.
Michigan – Andrew Scheid
In 11 starts at Berlin Raceway, Andrew Scheid scored one win, seven top five and nine top 10 finishes. That was enough for him to capture his first state championship in Michigan ahead of Berlin track champion Brian Campbell.
Minnesota – Jake Ryan
For the first time since 2013, someone not named Jacob Goede is the state champion of Minnesota. That driver is Jake Ryan, who won four times at Elko Speedway in 17 starts to claim the crown.
Jaron Giannini captured a track championship at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in addition to claiming the Nevada state title. (Photo: Las Vegas Motor Speedway)
Nevada – Jaron Giannini
A fast-rising star on the West Coast, Jaron Giannini claimed his first Nevada state championship after scoring four wins in 14 starts at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this season.
New Hampshire – Tyler Leary
It came down to the last possible race, but Tyler Leary captured his first New Hampshire state championship this season. In 28 races split between Monadnock Speedway, Claremont Motorsports Park and Hudson Speedway, Leary won 10 times. He bested Nathan Wenzel by four points to claim the New Hampshire state crown.
New York – John Beatty Jr.
Riverhead Raceway regular John Beatty Jr. put together a strong season that saw him win three times in 14 starts. It was more than enough for him to capture his first New York state championship.
Newfoundland and Labrador – Wayne Walsh
For the first time since 2019, Wayne Walsh is once again the provincial champion of Newfoundland and Labrador. Competing at Eastbound International Speedway, Walsh won twice and never finished outside the top 10 to earn his fourth provincial championship.
North Carolina – Burt Myers
Bowman Gray Stadium’s Burt Myers had another one of his trademark fantastic seasons in 2024. He won six times in 23 races at Bowman Gray on his way to not just his 11th track title, but also a runner-up finish in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division I standings and his fourth North Carolina state title.
Ohio – Todd Sherman
For the fourth consecutive year and fifth time overall, Todd Sherman is once again the champion in the state of Ohio. He scored one victory at Limaland Motorsports Park in eight events and only finished outside the top 10 once.
Oklahoma – Justin Shoemaker
A strong season at Salina Highbanks Speedway allowed Justin Shoemaker to claim his first Oklahoma state championship in 2024. He won five times in 19 starts and earned 17 top five finishes.
Ontario – Johnathan Schwemler
Competing at Grand Bend Speedway, Johnathan Schwemler scored an impressive seven victories in 13 starts. He also never finished outside the top five on his way to his first Ontario provincial championship.
Oregon – Toby McIntyre
A winner of eight races in 12 starts this season at Coos Bay Speedway, Toby McIntyre locked up his second consecutive Oregon state championship with ease.
Pennsylvania – Jeff Strunk
One of the Northeast’s veteran dirt modified competitors, Jeff Strunk captured his fifth Pennsylvania state championship. He failed to win a race, but he only finished outside the top 10 once in 19 races this season.
Quebec – David Hébert
For the third consecutive season, David Hébert has captured the Quebec provincial championship. Racing at both Autodrome Granby and Le RPM Speedway, Hébert won eight times in 20 starts. He also captured the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Northeast Region championship.
Casey Kelley won the Florence Motor Speedway track title and the South Carolina state championship this season. (Photo: Joe Maylish/Florence Motor Speedway)
South Carolina – Casey Kelley
The battle for the South Carolina state crown came down to brothers Casey and Cody Kelley. Ultimately the crown went to Casey, who won five times and never finished outside the top five in 16 races at Florence Motor Speedway.
Tennessee – Keith Helton
Competing once again at Kingsport Speedway, Keith Helton captured his second consecutive Tennessee state championship. He was nearly unbeatable this year, scoring 17 wins in 27 races.
Virginia – Connor Hall
Racing just about anywhere he could, Connor Hall captured not just a second NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division I national championship, but also his second Virginia state crown. In 13 races in the state of Virginia at Langley Speedway and South Boston Speedway, Hall scored nine wins.
Washington – Wyatt Gardner
For the first time in four years, someone not named Naima Lang has captured the Washington state title. Wyatt Gardner claimed his first Washington state crown thanks to six wins in 10 races at Evergreen Speedway.
Wisconsin – Jacob Goede
Opting to switch things up this year, Jacob Goede decided to race at Wisconsin’s LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway this season. It paid off with a Wisconsin state championship, which Goede earned thanks to four wins in 12 races and no finishes outside the top 10. It’s his first Wisconsin state title to go along with 10 Minnesota state titles. He also captured the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Midwest Region championship.
2024 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series state and provincial rookies of the year
LAS VEGAS – Kyle Larson entered Sunday’s South Point 400 as the favorite to win and advance to the Championship 4 for a second straight season. After all, the No. 5 Chevrolet had dominated the previous two races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
During the opening stage, Larson seemed to have a top-five car but faded to 10th at the end of the stage while Toyota drivers Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell drove through traffic after a restart late in the stage. Early in the second stage, Larson remained a threat and reached second position before his race went haywire.
While Larson made a green-flag pit stop on Lap 125, the No. 5 team froze while changing four tires. The rear tire carrier wasn’t certain that the right-rear wheel was secure on the car and alerted crew chief Cliff Daniels. The crew went back around to the right side to tighten the wheel after starting service on the left-side tires. Through the disarray, the left-rear tire was never changed and Larson had to make an additional pit stop.
“It’s a very awkward circumstance because in that moment, I have to call out and flag that we do have an issue on the right rear; we’re halfway through our left-side operation,” Daniels said. “The changer’s second-guessing themselves in what they needed to finish for the left-side operation and clean that up. Ultimately, we had a new tire put on the left-front and we did not get a new tire put on the left-rear.
“It’s tough and now when you look at it in reverse, it’s kind of like, ‘Wow, how did we not get that right?’ I understand where there was some confusion in the moment. The guys now are smarter because we have that experience and know how to handle that moving forward.”
By not getting a new left-rear tire on the car, there was no option but to pit a second time. The additional trip down pit road put Larson nearly two laps down instead of vying to remain on the lead lap with only one costly stop.
When the field reset at the end of Stage 2, Larson battled hard with Ty Gibbs, who sped on pit road, for the free pass position. When Gibbs spun to bring out the race’s final caution on Lap 192, the No. 5 car was awarded the free pass.
Some drivers stretched their fuel mileage to the end of the race after the final restart, but Larson pitted once more and ended the race in 11th position. He sits third on the playoff grid, 35 points above the elimination line — two points more than his margin entering the Vegas event.
“Extremely hard,” Larson said of his Vegas race, which included a slight front-end blemish from debris after Austin Dillon’s crash in Stage 1. “We had a bad end of the first stage and then had to fix the damage that we had. Then, I was like, ‘OK, we’re going to have a good day here.’ I think I got to eighth before the green-flag cycle. I was much better than the guys in front of us and thought we would finish the end of the stage in third or fourth and then we had the biggest mess of a pit stop I think I’ve ever seen. That was just unfortunate.
Daniels was pleased with the poise Larson showed to drive back through the field.
“I was really proud of Kyle, really proud of the team for still coming back after what kind of a mess that was,” he said. “Everybody stuck together. Certainly, wanted better than an 11th-place finish, but that was probably one of the hardest fought 11th-place finishes we’ve had.”
In the grand scheme, Larson said he knows how solid his No. 5 team is. He indicated that this was a singular mishap that won’t happen again, with the No. 5 team having a “deep notebook” of things it practices.
“They’ve won me a lot of races, so I think that’s what helped me stay calm,” added Larson. “I make a lot more mistakes than the rest of our team does. That allows me to be calm. It was a bit of a mess, but we will assess it, learn from it and it will never happen again, I know that.”
