No. 9 crew chief Alan Gustafson set for 700th Cup Series start

Posted on August 17, 2024August 18, 2024 by Staff Report

Alan Gustafson is in his 20th season as a NASCAR Cup Series crew chief, and he’s about to mark another big, round milestone number this weekend at Michigan International Speedway.

Gustafson will call the shots in his 700th Cup Series start atop the pit box in Monday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 (11 a.m. ET, USA, NBC Sports App, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The 49-year-old Hendrick Motorsports veteran has 39 Cup Series wins to his credit, spread among two NASCAR Hall of Famers (Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin) and two drivers destined to join them there (Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott).

“It’s been a huge part of my life, obviously, and yeah, something that has transpired over a long period of time,” Gustafson said. “It’s been super memorable, gone through a lot of circumstances, different things — good, bad, it’s been good.”

Part of the good side of his resume has been his nine-year term as crew chief for Chase Elliott and the No. 9 Chevrolet team. All 19 of Elliott’s Cup wins have come with Gustafson’s guidance, and the two celebrated the Cup Series championship together in 2020.

Gustafson was tapped to work with Elliott when he went full-time as a Cup Series rookie in 2016. The 28-year-0ld driver tipped his cap to the influence that Gustafson has had on his career.

“I’m not sure there’s anybody that’s impacted it more, honestly,” Elliott said before Saturday’s practice session at Michigan. “Just has always believed in me and just has never wavered in that regard. Man, that goes a long way, especially with somebody who has seen as much as he’s seen and has lived this deal as long as he has, so I’m grateful for our relationship, I’m grateful for our friendship. We have a really good working relationship as it pertains to just week to week, knowing what we expect of each other. We’ve been doing it together for a long time, and I think that that goes a really long way.

“I’m proud to have him, and I wouldn’t trade this time that we’ve had together for anything because the amount of experience and the things I’ve learned from him is hard to put a price tag on that. Hope that we can keep trucking for years to come.”

Gustafson came up through the local and regional ranks, and he joined Hendrick Motorsports in the chassis shop before taking on roles as a shock specialist and eventually a lead engineer. His ascended to a crew chief job with Hendrick’s No. 5 team in 2005, the rookie season for both him and Busch.

MORE: At-track photos | What to Watch: Michigan

Gustafson has since worked with the Nos. 24 and 9 teams. He says now that he’d tell his rookie self to simply roll with the uncertainties that are bound to arise.

“Just to relax and focus on what you can control and don’t really worry about the rest,” Gustafson said. “I think, just starting out, there’s so much unknown, so you’re super nervous about that, and you want to do everything perfectly, which is just impossible. So I think I would just tell myself to focus on what you can control and take it as it comes.”

Posted on August 17, 2024August 18, 2024 by John Crane

BROOKLYN, Mich. — The looming NASCAR Cup Series contest at Michigan International Speedway not only acts as the third to last race before the regular season’s 2024 conclusion, it additionally marks another chapter in what has been an intense four-wide battle for the Regular Season Championship.

The current quartet — Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin — sits first through fourth, respectively, in the standings and is separated by 21 points heading into Monday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 (11 a.m. ET, USA, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App). And with 15 bonus points on the line for the regular-season victor, the battle is certainly worth investing in as a championship-contending driver.

“I feel good,” Elliott said regarding his current positioning and confidence over the regular season’s final stretch. “I think a lot of it, I mean, let’s be honest, it’s gonna be who gets through Daytona next week, and I think everybody knows that, but that’s not to say that you just write off the other two. I think it’s gonna require a really good run this weekend, it’s gonna require a really good run in Darlington. Personally wouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t take a win to get it done, so we’ll see.

“But certainly, taking it a week at a time is kind of how I’m looking at it. Try to get through Michigan, try to give ourselves a shot to win here, and we’ll see about Daytona when it comes.”

The Larson-Reddick-Elliott trio is currently separated by six points, the closest-ever margin at this point of the regular season. And while Hamlin might not possess the same single-digit honor, the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver has had a knack for winning at tracks left on the regular-season schedule in Daytona International Speedway and Darlington Raceway.

MORE: How to get notified for 2025 schedule release

Larson, Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate and the last driver to win at Michigan in a Chevrolet (2017), believes it’s anyone’s guess as to which driver can pull out all the stops and prevail over the others.

“At least two of the three tracks allow a lot of opportunity for us to be good and get some points,” Larson said, “but when you look at it, I mean, Denny’s really good at all these tracks, Tyler’s really good at all these tracks. Chase is really good at all these tracks. So I think it’s gonna come down to what team makes the least amount of mistakes over these next few races and can gain a lot of stage points, too. I think it’s really important.”

No driver, however, has gained as much ground as of late as Reddick, who has gained 59 points on first place over the last six Cup races.

To the No. 45 23XI driver, it’s all about maintaining balance between aggressiveness and gaining as many points as possible.

MORE: Michigan schedule | At-track photos

“We want to go out here and win races, but we don’t want to throw away a second or third-place finish, kind of like I did earlier in the year with racing against (Chris) Buescher,” Reddick said. ” … Just trying to keep that in mind. So I think it’s been good for me. In my past in NASCAR, I feel like when points have mattered and haven’t been buried in the standings and just only worried about wins, it’s been good for me as a driver. So it’s really cool that we’ve climbed out of the hole that we were in to start this year, and we’re now out there battling with those guys.”

And so the scene is set with the Irish Hills acting as the venue of choice. Elliott and Larson have each made double-digit starts at Michigan, with the No. 9 tallying 10 top 10s and the No. 5 driver amassing three Cup wins at the track. Reddick, meanwhile, has only raced in five Cup contests at the track and has yet to scoop up a top 10. Then, there’s the ever-steady Hamlin, who has two wins, 12 top fives and 18 top 10s in 33 Michigan starts, including six consecutive finishes inside the top five at the 2-mile oval. To say battle between contrasting track records at the track would be putting it mildly.

And a battle there certainly will be on Monday.

Posted on August 17, 2024August 18, 2024 by Staff Report

See where your favorite NASCAR Cup Series driver will pit for the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Monday (11 a.m. ET, USA, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

Posted on August 17, 2024August 18, 2024 by Cameron Richardson

FireKeepers Casino 400

(⏰ Monday, 11 a.m. ET | USA Network | NBC Sports App | MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Weekend schedule | TV schedule | Weather tracker | NASCAR 101

Location: Brooklyn, Michigan
Track length: 2 miles
Race purse: $7,902,750
Race distance: 200 laps | 400 miles
Stages: 45 | 120 | 200
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Leaderboard: Where drivers stand after 51 laps at Michigan
Pit stall assignments: See where drivers will pit
Defending winner: Chris Buescher, August 2023

Key things to watch

Saturday sessions

A start-and-stop Saturday practice only saw the Cup Series field put down a handful of laps around the 2-mile facility that was eventually canceled due to inclement weather. Currently in a tie with Chris Buescher for the final playoff spot, Ross Chastain put down the single-fastest lap in practice with a 192.303 mph circuit. Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson, William Byron and Bubba Wallace were the five fastest in the shortened session.

With qualifying also canceled, the starting lineup for Monday’s race was set by the NASCAR Rule Book and Denny Hamlin will lead the field to green for a second consecutive weekend. Tyler Reddick will join him on the front row with Christopher Bell, Larson and Wallace all taking the green flag inside the top five. | Saturday recap

Big story line

RFK, Trackhouse, 23XI Racing fighting to get second cars into postseason

Three of the newest (or rebranded) factions in the Cup garage are all holding their breath in the final month of the regular season as they fight to secure both of their chartered cars into the 2024 playoffs. Tyler Reddick, Brad Keselowski and Daniel Suárez have all secured their spot in the 16-driver field but their tandem counterparts are still needing a win or strong closes over the next three races to have a shot at the Bill France Cup.

Bubba Wallace, Chris Buescher and Ross Chastain are separated by just three points in positions 15th-17th on the playoff bubble. Wallace has gained a remarkable 54 points on the elimination line in the last four races to put himself into the top 16 while Buescher and Chastain are in a tug-of-war for 16th dead even on points (Buescher owns the tiebreaker based on highest finish this season).

A bit of mirroring their respective teammates, Michigan, Daytona and Darlington could all play into the favor of Wallace, Buescher and Chastain. This Monday is the one and only trek to the Irish Hills but was one of three wins for the No. 17 RFK Racing Driver last season that gave Buescher a push all the way into the Round of 8. Reddick won his way into the playoffs at Talladega in the spring and Wallace has always been strong at Daytona and will be one of the favorites entering next Saturday night. The same goes for Chastain, whose teammate Suárez won his way into the postseason in a thrilling three-wide finish at Atlanta way back in February. Chastain was battling for the Daytona 500 victory to begin the season before spinning down the infield grass on the final lap with Austin Cindric.

All three drivers could be in the mix as well for the grueling Southern 500 to cap the regular season. Buescher was in line to win the spring race at Darlington before contact with Reddick in the closing laps forced both to pit road and opened the door for Keselowski to snap a 100+ race winless streak to clinch a playoff berth. Wallace finished seventh, while Chastain finished 11th. Buescher, Wallace and Chastain all placed inside the top seven in last year’s Labor Day weekend showdown.

History tells us…

The eventual winner hasn’t dominated recently. If the recent events at Michigan mean anything, Monday will be all about the long game to grab a pivotal checkered flag. Last year’s race, spanning two days due to inclement weather, was full of twists and turns as three Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets crashed out and contenders Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell had their own woes that took them out of the mix. It led to a thrilling duel win for the win between Truex and Buescher, with Buescher winning while leading just 52 laps.

In 2021 and 2022, Ryan Blaney only led eight laps before his victory while one of Kevin Harvick’s final Cup Series wins came with only leading 38 laps. The polesitter has only won at Michigan once in the last 10 races.

He may not be the betting favorite to win, but watch out for…

DANIEL SUÁREZ. Michigan may not come to mind as a place where Suárez could be a contender but the driver of the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet has been in the mix in the two Next Gen events at the 2-mile oval. Suárez was in the mix in the 2022 race before a tire failure in the final laps plummeted his finish outside the top 20 but bounced back the following year to finish inside the top 10 with his teammate Ross Chastain. Both Chastain and Suárez are tied for the third most laps led at Michigan over the last two races (45) only trailing last year’s 1-2 of Buescher (53) and Martin Truex Jr. (47).

At 60-1 odds, Suárez is in the midpack on the oddsboard but as Chastain is still fighting for his playoff life, both Trackhouse Chevrolets should be strong once again Monday. | Michigan odds

Speed reads

Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.

• Dillon penalized: NASCAR rules Austin Dillon’s Richmond win ineligible for playoffs | Read article
• RCR to appeal: Richard Childress Racing will appeal penalties handed to Dillon after Richmond | Read article
• Defining the line: Officials step in after last-lap overstep at Richmond | Read article
• Stay aware: How to get notified for 2025 schedule release | Sign up!
• Back to Cup: AJ Allmendinger returning to full-time Cup Series racing with Kaulig Racing in 2025 | Read article
• Logano penalized: No. 22 Team Penske driver fined $50,000 for action on pit road after Richmond | Watch video
• No extra pressure: Chris Buescher not sweating playoff situation before final three races of regular season | Read article
• Best of the best: The 10 most-watched races so far on NASCAR Classics on one-year anniversary of launch | Read article
• Power Rankings: Could Dillon win again before postseason? | Photo gallery
• Turning Point: Does Austin Dillon still have a path to the playoffs? | Read article
• Racing Insights: Full finishing order projections for Monday’s resumption | Read article
• Field of 16: How the playoff picture shakes out with three races left in regular season | Read article
• 36 for 36: Check out this week’s survivor pool picks | Read article
• Fantasy Fastlane: Ford looks for 10th straight Michigan victory | Photo gallery
• NASCAR Classics: Head into the video vault with vintage Michigan replays | Read article
• Paint Scheme Preview: Fresh designs primed for Michigan | Pick your favorite

Fast facts ⏩

Race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights.

• Joe Gibbs Racing drivers won the last five stages at Michigan but are winless there in the last 13 races.
• Eight drivers snapped a winless streak of at least 41 races at Michigan.
• Martin Truex Jr. has finished runner-up four times at Michigan.

Posted on August 17, 2024August 18, 2024 by John Crane

BROOKLYN, Mich. — Shockwaves from Austin Dillon’s overtime victory at Richmond Raceway last weekend — and the subsequent penalty that came to the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet team — continued at Michigan International Speedway, where Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano both discussed the infraction, their opinions on the decision and the message it sends moving forward.

“I mean, every time that something happens, you’re going to go back to a previous event and say, OK, is that OK? Or is that not OK?” Joey Logano said. “There’s no doubt that lines were crossed. Right? That’s what they all came to conclusion with when they when they handed down the penalties, but that’s what you’re going to go off of for now on.”

“I am,” Denny Hamlin said when asked if he agreed with NASCAR’s decision. “In the moment, you wish — well, if you just take the win, then everything fixes itself than kind of having this split decision, but as I understand it, there is some iffy language in the rule book on if can you really go back and take a win at this point. I think in the future, you just send whoever it is to the back, and it all fixes itself. You don’t have to worry about playoff eligibility and stuff like that. Given how much time it took, it was probably the right call.”

Fireworks during last weekend’s Richmond bout were kindled by Dillon’s bumping maneuver coming out of Turn 4 on the final lap of overtime, which resulted in Hamlin finishing second and Logano 19th, respectively. The move, which subsequently sparked conversations online among fans, industry experts and drivers alike — eventually culminated with officials making the decision to let Dillon and the No. 3 camp keep the win but not have it count toward playoff eligibility. RCR has since planned to appeal the decision, and it will be heard on Wednesday at the NASCAR R&D Center.

Hamlin said he has not spoken to Dillon since the Richmond incident. However, while Richmond’s bruiser might have sparked frustration from Hamlin during the race, the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver does not hold ill will.

“I just think – I don’t have anything negative to say about this with Austin (Dillon),” Hamlin said. “I really don’t have anything negative to say about his character. I really stuck up for him quite a bit earlier in this year, when he was going through some pretty tough finishes and things like that, and talking about how I really respected his character, and I still do. He just was put in a really tough spot, where you have to make a split-second decision, and he made one that was not in the, in my opinion, best interest of the sport. People make mistakes, and I believe everyone deserves second chances.”

RELATED: Michigan schedule | At-track photos

Logano, who was additionally fined $50,000 for post-race actions when he spun the tires of his No. 22 Team Penske Ford in anger near the No. 3 team’s Richmond pit box, understood the penalty issued to him. The two-time Cup Series champion additionally made mention of how tough of a position the situation was to call.

“Yeah. I mean, like, the penalty is the penalty,” Logano said. “And, you know, is it right that the win was taken away? Absolutely, or at least the stuff that goes along with it that matters. Did it make it right for me? No, I’m still sitting here last car on the lead lap after all that, so it’s still not right in my book. But what are they going to do, right? It kind of puts them in a tough spot. The only option is to go back to the last lap, or the loop going into Turn 3. You know, if you’re going to put the leader back in the leader spot. I don’t know if that’s their intentions or not. If that’s them, I don’t really know, but that’s … I will say they probably need to make the call quicker, right?”

And while last weekend’s aftereffects won’t be forgotten less than a week later, more clarity has since been found when deeming what is acceptable.

MORE: How to get notified for 2025 schedule release

“I believe so. I believe that hard racing is still OK,” Hamlin said. “I think if two cars are battling side-by-side and one of them hits the wall because of close racing that is going to be deemed OK. I think if you come from a long way back – you were not going to win the race until you decided to wreck someone, I think that is a clear line in the sand, but sometimes balls and strikes aren’t totally clear. There is one right on the edge, and you have to call it, but it is up to us to make the decision. Do we want to put ourselves in that position where it could be called one way or the other? I think that you just have to live with the result. I think if NASCAR polices it and intentional wrecks for the win going forward, there is going to be some close calls, but you put yourself in that spot, so you are going to live with the result and the ruling on it.”

Posted on August 17, 2024August 18, 2024 by Staff Report

Austin Dillon said Saturday that he has not spoken with Denny Hamlin or Joey Logano after his last-lap run-in with them last weekend at Richmond Raceway, saying that he was optimistic about the team’s appeal of penalties that stripped his victory of an automatic spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. That appeal, NASCAR officials confirmed, will be held Wednesday.

Dillon’s No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet sits 28th after 51 laps before resumption of Monday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 (11 a.m. ET, USA, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM) after rain washed away qualifying at Michigan International Speedway. He has three more opportunities to clinch a postseason berth in the trio of regular-season races remaining. A fourth opportunity rests in the hands of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel.

RELATED: Weekend schedule | Leaderboard

“We’re going to go out there and give it all we got again,” Dillon told NBC Sports from the Cup Series garage at Michigan. “And with the current situation, we need to win. Hopefully, after our appeal, we get back in the playoffs, where we deserve to be, and just excited about what we’ve got going on at RCR.”

Dillon’s victory last weekend was marked by a chain reaction of contact in the final set of corners at Richmond Raceway, where Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet nudged as both Logano’s No. 22 Ford and Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota to get to the checkered flag first. After a thorough review, NASCAR officials issued penalties Wednesday that allowed the win to stand but did not let it count toward his playoff eligibility. Officials also suspended spotter Brandon Benesch for three races and docked Dillon and the No. 3 team 25 points in each of the corresponding standings.

MORE: At-track photos: Michigan

The Richard Childress-owned organization indicated that it would appeal the penalties, roughly an hour after the ruling was announced. Saturday, Dillon was careful not to tip the team’s hand regarding its strategy for the appeal, which will be heard at the NASCAR Research & Development Center.

“Truthfully, I think the best thing I can say right now is we’ve got an appeal process,” Dillon said. “I think this entire sport … I’ve got to be careful with what I give out right now for the appeal process because it’s going to be like a trial. It really is, and wish everybody could see it. Television would be cool to be in there. Because I haven’t really given my entire story of the game yet, and I feel like Denny did a really good job on his podcast giving his side of the story adamantly this week — couple extra podcasts than he normally does, and I also listened to his podcast when he talked about the appeal process and how tough it is. So I’m going to do my best to get RCR in the playoffs, where they need to be, where they deserve to be currently, and from there, I will give all the media and everybody else my exact feelings after that’s all said and done and over with.

“But man, I can’t say enough about NASCAR. They’ve given me everything I’ve got in this life, even my wife and kids. I met my wife at the race track, so I’m thankful for winning races. We’ve got a win this year, which feels really good, and yeah, we just keep going and seeing what comes in the next couple weeks.”

Hamlin and Logano offered their reactions to both Richmond and its aftermath earlier Saturday. Logano was included on last week’s penalty report, fined $50,000 for showing his anger on pit road, where he revved up and spun his tires in proximity to the No. 3 team and its celebration. Dillon addressed that action and Logano’s televised post-race remarks.

“I actually addressed the Denny part and some of my interviews earlier today. I didn’t get to address the Joey part, and I probably should have,” Dillon said. “For Joey, I’m sorry for the situation that he was in. It didn’t matter if it was Joey or anybody, I was going to do my best to get my team to Victory Lane. The situation on pit road after the race, a lot of things were said in the heat of the moment from him about my family and my belief in Christ even, so for me, I forgive him. For him getting frustrated, the pit-road part with the race car, was a lot. I don’t know where that … that was kind of out of line, and I think NASCAR took care of it. But I forgive him, you know, and I’m sure he’s still mad at me for what’s going on on the race track, but this is a game in the end, and you don’t hate the player, you hate the game. That was the situation that I was up against.

“I’ve learned a lot from Joey and Denny over the years. They don’t have any regrets in what they do on the race track, and I can’t either, and I don’t feel that way. I’m not going to say I regret anything because I didn’t. I went to sleep and felt really good about everything I had to do for me and my team, and I have gone to sleep some nights, staying up till three or four in the morning wondering what I could have done differently. In this situation, I don’t know what I could have done.”

Posted on August 17, 2024August 17, 2024 by Staff Report

Rain canceled NASCAR Cup Series qualifying Saturday at Michigan International Speedway, which puts Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin on the pole for Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 (2:30 p.m. ET, USA, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

However, the drivers had the opportunity to get in some valuable practice time ahead of the 400-mile race at the 2-mile oval in the Irish Hills. In a 40-minute session interrupted by rain, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain topped the leaderboard in practice at 192.303 mph.

Martin Truex Jr. (192.184 mph), Kyle Larson (192.179 mph), William Byron (192.118 mph) and Bubba Wallace (191.795 mph) rounded out the top five.

MORE: Practice results | How to get notified for 2025 schedule release

Chase Elliott (191.724 mph), Alex Bowman (191.601 mph), Carson Hocevar (191.550 mph), Chris Buescher (191.469 mph) and AJ Allmendinger (191.393 mph) completed the top 10 to conclude practice.

Posted on August 17, 2024August 17, 2024 by Team Release

BROOKLYN, Mich. (Aug. 17, 2024) — Haas Factory Team has signed drivers Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer to pilot its two NASCAR Xfinity Series entries beginning in 2025, with both racers joining the company under multiyear agreements.

Creed will drive the No. 00 Ford Mustang Dark Horse and Mayer will drive the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

Haas Factory Team has elected to use the No. 41 in the Xfinity Series in place of the No. 98 that it is inheriting from Stewart-Haas Racing to better align with its overall program. Haas Factory Team announced in July that it will use the No. 41 in the Cup Series with driver Cole Custer.

“We’ve developed a strong and consistent Xfinity Series program at Stewart-Haas that wins races and championships. In 2025, that program will operate as Haas Factory Team. The name is changing, but our commitment to winning remains the same,” said Joe Custer, president of Haas Factory Team.

“Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer have won championships on their way to the Xfinity Series and they’re both hungry to win races and compete for an Xfinity Series title. They bring significant experience and a shared desire to win. Having them a part of Haas Factory Team allows us to operate at a high level and collect trophies.”

Creed is the 2020 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion. The 26-year-old from Alpine, California, is an eight-time race winner in the Truck Series who has been competing full-time in the Xfinity Series since 2022. While still seeking his first Xfinity Series victory, Creed has earned 10 second-place finishes, the most recent of which came June 22 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. He qualified for the Xfinity Series Playoffs last year and finished seventh in the championship.

“I’ve won in every division I’ve raced in and I feel like I’ve earned my place in the Xfinity Series, but that’s not enough. I want to win in the Xfinity Series,” said Creed, who currently drives for Joe Gibbs Racing. “I watched what Cole Custer did last year on his way to the Xfinity Series championship and when I talked with him about the setup of the organization, everything he said resonated with me. I feel like Haas Factory Team is a place where I can succeed and where Sam and I can work together to win races and be championship contenders.”

MORE: Xfinity Series standings | Latest Silly Season news

The 21-year-old Mayer is a six-time Xfinity Series race winner who advanced to the Championship 4 in 2023. A native of Franklin, Wisconsin, Mayer scored back-to-back ARCA Menards Series East championships in 2019-2020 before joining the Xfinity Series in 2021 with a 17-race schedule for JR Motorsports. He has competed full-time in the Xfinity Series for JRM since 2022.

“The Xfinity Series is a really great place to learn and grow and get yourself ready for the NASCAR Cup Series,” Mayer said. “Cup is my ultimate goal, and to really push myself to become the kind of driver who can succeed in Cup, I needed to get out of my comfort zone, challenge myself, and hone my race skills so that when that Cup moment comes, I’m ready. The Haas team got Cole Custer ready for his moment and it’s a place that will help get me and Sheldon ready for our moments.”

Thirteen races remain for both Mayer and Creed in 2024, and each has their eyes set on the Xfinity Series Playoffs. Mayer is already locked into the 12-driver, seven-race title chase via his two victories this year — April 13 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth and June 15 at Iowa Speedway in Newton. Creed has a 69-point cushion over the top-12 cutoff with six regular-season races still remaining before the playoffs begin Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.

Posted on August 17, 2024 by Official NASCAR Release

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Aug. 17, 2024) – Today, NASCAR announced that it will partner with the national nonprofit We the Veterans and Military Families to support Vet the Vote, a national campaign aimed at recruiting veterans and military families to serve as nonpartisan poll workers across the country this fall.

“NASCAR is honored and humbled to count thousands of military veterans as NASCAR fans and we’re encouraging them to consider once again serving their country this election season as poll workers,” said Eric Nyquist, chief impact officer at NASCAR. “We are committed to doing our part to help address the critical shortage of poll workers in this country, so we’re proud to support Vet the Vote and its vital mission this fall.”

The Vet the Vote campaign was designed to address the historic shortage of poll workers across the country by inspiring veterans and military family members to leverage their sense of purpose and patriotism to serve as poll workers.

The 2022 elections saw more than 63,500 members of the military community raise their hands to register through the Vet the Vote program. Today, that number has more than doubled, with more than 140,000 registrations through Vet the Vote to date.

LEARN MORE: NASCAR IMPACT

“We are thrilled NASCAR is joining the Vet the Vote coalition to support recruiting veterans and military family members to be the next generation of election poll workers,” said Ellen Gustafson, Executive Director of We the Veterans and Military Families. “Vet the Vote has recruited over 140,000 veterans and military family members to serve again in their local jurisdictions since our inception in 2022. We’re proud to have a great American institution like NASCAR as a partner and look forward to collaborating with them in the future to support our elections.”

Beginning this weekend at Michigan International Speedway, the Vet the Vote campaign will engage NASCAR fans in the fan zone at select races and register veterans and military family members as poll workers leading up to the 2024 elections.

Typically, America needs approximately 900,000 poll workers to effectively run elections in all states and territories during a presidential election. In 2020, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on an aging volunteer base and upticks in threats of political violence significantly depressed volunteerism, especially among the 60+ year old traditional election volunteer cohort, leading to reduced number of polling stations, longer lines at the polls, increased stress on volunteers, and ultimately, more difficulty voting.

To address this critical issue, NASCAR will join 38 national businesses and organizations, including the NFL, Microsoft, and Walmart, in supporting the Vet the Vote program.

Through the work of NASCAR IMPACT, the league’s social responsibility platform launched in 2023, NASCAR has strengthened its support for veterans and active-duty service members through partnerships with veteran-serving organizations.

This year, NASCAR launched partnerships with American Corporate Partners, which provides one-on-one career mentorship for transitioning service members, and Sound Off – a technology-based non-profit that provides mental health support for veterans and other members of the military community.

Posted on August 16, 2024August 16, 2024 by Press Release

IRVINE, Calif. (Aug. 16, 2024) — Start your engines! Tillys, a California-native leading destination specialty retailer of casual apparel, footwear and accessories, is excited to announce the launch of their collaboration with National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) featuring designs exclusive to Tillys.

The Irvine, California, based retailer, known for their extensive assortment of iconic brands in the active and social lifestyle space, is exploring the world of auto racing with the No. 1 motorsport in America with their latest collab. Tillys, noting both the widespread interest in racing culture in the zeitgeist as well as the sartorial trends of racing jackets, sporty graphic tees and more as their inspiration for the collection, is excited to share these exclusive pieces with their customers.

Tillys believes that what you wear is how you feel and hopes to encourage their customers to discover their style so they can be themselves and truly shine. In celebration of the partnership, Tillys is hosting a sweepstakes for Tillys Rewards members to enter for a chance to win the entire Tillys x NASCAR® collection as well as a trip for two to NASCAR Racing Experience™, where race fans get behind the wheel of real NASCAR race cars for timed racing sessions. More information can be found at www.tillys.com/contests.

The limited-edition collection contains unisex styles including graphic tees, hoodies, sweatpants and a pit stop jacket with sizes ranging from S-XL as well as corresponding kid’s styles — perfect for sport and fashion fans alike.

The Tillys x NASCAR collection is now available exclusively at Tillys.com with prices ranging from $34.99 – $124.99. For more information, visit https://www.tillys.com/ or follow Tillys on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.