PIT BOX: Whelen Modified Tour gears up for second leg of Granite State Short Track Cup at Monadnock

Posted on July 16, 2024 by Brandon White

A return to Monadnock Speedway for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour this weekend means the fight for the Granite State Short Track Cup is back on.

Created by JDV Productions founder Josh Vanada, the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup encompasses the three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events at Monandnock this season. More than $20,000 in bonus money is up for grabs throughout the three-race race program, including $6,000 that will be distributed to the top-three finishers in the final standings.

The most recent NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at Monadnock on May 4 showed that the Granite State Short Track Cup is still wide open. Defending champion Ron Silk and Anthony Sesely led a combined 96 laps in the Granite State Derby, but it was Jake Johnson who emerged victorious in the famous No. 3 Ole Blue Modified.

Johnson will have to deal with the usual sturdy contingent of NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour stalwarts and Monadnock regulars in Saturday’s Duel at the Dog 250 if he wishes to maintain his chance of joining Matt Hirschman and Doug Coby as a Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup champion.

Tickets to the Duel at the Dog 250 are available here. Below is everything to know about the second leg of the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup.

Many NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour competitors still have a shot at the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup, which continues with the Duel at the Dog 250 on Saturday. (Photo: Jaiden Tripi/NASCAR)

Duel at the Dog 250 at Monadnock Speedway

Of the drivers entered in Saturday’s Duel at the Dog 250, none have been more successful at Monadnock Speedway than Justin Bonsignore.

The three-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion has visited Victory Lane at Monadnock Speedway on five different occasions during his career. During the Winchester Fair event one season ago, nobody in the field passed Bonsignore as he put together a wire-to-wire performance from the pole.

Bonsignore’s historic Monadnock efficiency made it a surprise when he failed to lead a lap in the Granite State Derby in May. Settling for an atypical, quiet sixth-place finish, Bonsignore is seeking to re-establish his dominance at Monadnock less than a month after claiming his third victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

A sixth Monadnock trophy would provide Bonsignore some crucial momentum towards usurping rival Ron Silk in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standings. Silk finds himself in the middle of another championship-caliber campaign, yet enters Saturday’s Duel at the Dog 250 having never visited Victory Lane at Monadnock.

Both Silk and Bonsignore will have to deal with the most recent NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Monadnock winner in Jake Johnson. That victory served as Johnson’s breakthrough triumph in the series, which also contributed to him building a comfortable advantage over Bonsignore and Silk in the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup.

Other notable names set to compete at Monadnock on Saturday include 2022 Granite State Short Track Cup champion Matt Hirschman, May Monadnock winner Jake Johnson, the returning Woody Pitkat, Matt Kimball, Stephen Kopcik, and Kyle Ebersole, among others.

The complete entry list for the Duel at the Dog 250 is available here.

Jake Johnson seeks to put Ole Blue back in Victory Lane at the end of Saturday’s Duel at the Dog 250 at Monadnock Speedway. (Photo: Jaiden Tripi/NASCAR)

RACE FACTS:

Race	Duel at the Dog 250
Date	Saturday, July 20, 2024
Track	Monadnock Speedway
Layout	0.25-mile asphalt oval
Location	Winchester, New Hampshire
Start time	8 p.m. ET
Laps	250
Posted awards	$85,234
Tickets	Here
How to watch	FloRacing

Schedule: Saturday, July 20 … Final practice from 3:15 to 4 p.m. ET … Qualifying at 6:15 p.m. ET … Duel at the Dog 250 at 8 p.m. ET (FloRacing).

Qualifying: Two consecutive qualifying laps. Faster lap determines qualifying position. Adjustments or repairs may not be made on the vehicle after the vehicle has taken the green flag at the start/finish line. NASCAR reserves the right to have more than one vehicle engage in qualifying runs at the same time. Starting field for the Duel at the Dog 250 is limited to 28 starters including Provisional Positions.

Re-draw procedure: The fastest qualifier will draw a pill to determine the number of drivers that will re-draw for their starting positions: 4, 6, 8 or 10 positions will re-draw. Once the fastest qualifier draws the initial pill, NASCAR will have the various buckets ready to immediately start the re-draw procedure. Drivers will re-draw in their qualifying order after qualifying has been completed (1 through 10, or however many are applicable). The pole position and/or any bonus point(s), if applicable, will be awarded to the fastest qualifier and will be the pole of record.

Tire allotment: The maximum tire allotment available for this event is nine (9) tires per team. All tires used for qualifying and the race must be purchased at the track and scanned by Hoosier, unless otherwise approved in advance by the Series Director. Four (4) tires must be used for qualifying and to begin the race. All qualifying tires must remain in impound until released by NASCAR Officials. The remaining tire allotment may be used for practice and/or change tires during the event. The tire change rule is one (1) tire per caution period.

Posted on July 16, 2024July 20, 2024 by Staff Report

Duel at the Dog 250

Monadnock Speedway

Entry list

Car No.	Driver	Team	Crew Chief	Chassis	Sponsor
01	Melissa Fifield	Pine Knoll Racing, LLC	Jake Marosz	Troyer	Farm Fueled Nutrition
1	Patrick Emerling	RGM AZ LLC	Dale Hedquist	LFR	Fleetworks, Inc
3	Jake Johnson	Boehler’s Racing Equipment	Greg Fournier	Boehler Racing	Propane Plus; Lin’s Propane Trucks
4	Tim Connolly	Connolly Racing	Cale Gale	FURY Race Cars	Connolly Companies, LLC
5	Kyle Ebersole	Bob Ebersole	Bob Ebersole	FURY Race Cars	Ebersole Excavating, Inc.
8	John-Michael Shenette	Eighty-Two Autosport	Scott Morin	LFR	Eighty-Two Services
16	Ron Silk	Haydt Yannone Racing	Phil Moran	FURY Race Cars	Blue Mountain Machine; Future Homes
18	Ken Heagy	Robert Pollifrone	Greg Gorman	FURY Race Cars	Buoy One Restaurant & Seafood
21	Stephen Kopcik	Wanick Motorsports Inc.	Nick Kopcik	Troyer	Newton Pools; Karchner Warehousing
22	Kyle Bonsignore	Kyle Bonsignore	Cam McDermott	FURY Race Cars	Chalew Performance; MTT; Munns Auto
25	Brian Robie	Robie Motorsports Inc.	Cody Rose	Troyer	TBD
43	Matt Kimball	William Kimball Jr.	William Kimball Jr.	LFR	J&M Towing and Recovery; Poodiack Wealth Management; Central Mass Tree
46	Craig Lutz	Goodie Racing	Douglas Ogiejko	FURY Race Cars	Riverhead Building Supply
51	Justin Bonsignore	Kenneth Massa Motorsports, LLC	Ryan Stone	FURY Race Cars	Phoenix Communications, Inc.
54	Tommy Catalano	Catalano Motorsports	Rick Kluth	Troyer	Catalano Motorsports
56	Trevor Catalano	Catalano Motorsports	David Catalano	Troyer	Catalano Motorsports
60	Matt Hirschman	Pee Dee Motorsports Inc.	Mike Stein	LFR	Elite
64	Austin Beers	KLM Motorsports	Ron Yuhas	Troyer	G & G Electrical Supply; Lumiere Electrical; Dell Electric; Andrew James Interiors; Hughes Motors; AP Marquadt & Sons
82	Woody Pitkat	DWR Racing Corp.	Nick Walsh	LFR	Horton Avenue Materials; Gunsmoke Stables Racing
84	Tyler Catalano	Catalano Motorsports	JJ Vece	Troyer	Catalano Motorsports
181	Nathan Wenzel	Keri-Ann Wenzel	Edward Kennedy	Troyer	1812 Auto Body

Posted on July 15, 2024 by Zack Albert

A radio transmission from Ryan Blaney after his first win of the season five weeks ago at Iowa Speedway seemed to signal that a seasonal spark was coming. His message to the Team Penske No. 12 crew hinted that their group was primed to be the team of the summer, indicating their NASCAR Cup Series championship pursuit might be blooming earlier than it did in the year before.

It might not be the Summer of Blaney just yet, but a sterling performance in Sunday’s Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway may have planted the first beach umbrella in the sand.

“I feel like the last two months we’ve been spectacular,” Blaney said post-race, and the speed in his No. 12 Ford and in Team Penske’s three-car fleet overall has underscored that feeling. But an understandable unwillingness to relive the downturn that hung on him during last season’s midpoint has also been a motivator.

Blaney won the Coca-Cola 600 last year at Charlotte Motor Speedway, then went 16 consecutive races without another top-five finish — a slump that stretched through September and into the Cup Series Playoffs. The team eventually caught momentum in the postseason’s later rounds, resulting in his first Cup Series crown, but finding that stride earlier this year has been a prime objective.

“Gosh, we’ve done our homework since Charlotte and figured out how to compete with the Hendrick boys and the Gibbs guys, 23XI. We’re right there,” Blaney said, acknowledging the teams mentioned last weekend as Pocono’s pre-race favorites. “I feel like the summer last year we struggled a little bit just trying to find some things that would work for us come playoff time. I had to sit around all summer and hear that people say that we suck. We didn’t want that this year.”

It’s been quite the turnaround already, within the Roger Penske-owned organization and with Ford in general. The automaker opened the year with a 0-for-12 winless streak for its new Dark Horse Mustang model but has now won five of the last nine Cup Series races to help even the playing field.

No. 12 crew chief Jonathan Hassler noted the progress that the organization had made, learning the handling and aerodynamic nuances related to the new Mustang’s nose design. Teammate Joey Logano’s springtime test at North Wilkesboro Speedway gave the team a lift with its short-track program; gaining speed on the intermediate and other larger ovals was the next goal.

Sunday’s strategy was the other Pocono piece. Hassler said the way that caution periods fell in Stage 2 allowed the No. 12 team to short-pit and flip the final stage for track position. Blaney did the rest by leading the final 44 laps, even if Hassler had flashbacks to last month’s event at World Wide Technology Raceway, where the No. 12 sputtered out of fuel at the white flag.

“I was definitely more nervous today,” Hassler said. “You lose one on the last lap, and you certainly get an appreciation for it’s not over till you take the checkered.”

Blaney offered his own appreciation for the team effort, saying, “it takes a village to make a race team successful” in his post-race remarks. But Blaney also recognized the bookended nature of Sunday’s victory at the site of his first Cup Series win, with the Wood Brothers in the 2017 season.

WATCH: Blaney discusses “special” Pocono victory | Hassler on No. 12’s performance | Flores on team’s championship makeup

That triumph launched the then-23-year-old driver to the next level as he fended off veterans Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch down the stretch, and it remains a fond reflection for Blaney, who turned 30 during the offseason. He also noted that his Cup Series win total now matches his car number at 12.

“I feel like every win is very special. You have to cherish them. You never know when the next one is going to come,” Blaney said. “Hard to believe it’s been seven years since I won the first time here. Time definitely flies.”

Finding a summer streak has also been a team-wide effort, with Team Penske placing all three of its cars on the provisional playoff grid in rapid succession. When Blaney’s fuel tank ran dry at Gateway, teammate Austin Cindric was there to capitalize as the first Penske driver to lock in. Blaney followed two weeks later in Iowa, and just two more weeks had passed when Logano completed the team trifecta in a five-overtime thriller in Nashville.

Blaney acknowledged that the performance swings go in waves and that the Cup Series balance of power can sway accordingly. Getting that timing right has been a Team Penske tendency of late, with Blaney (2023) and Logano (2022) claiming the title in consecutive campaigns.

“It’s just a matter of peaking at a good time. We’ve just been able to do that the last two months of getting all of us in Victory Lane,” Blaney says. “You just hope to continue that. This team does a really good job of not getting complacent. Good or bad, they’re always working towards the future. The end goal in that is (the season finale in) Phoenix. I feel like this is just fueling the fire for us. We’re running really good right now, let’s keep going, keep the hammer down, continue to run really well in these races and just be in contention to win.”

Sunday’s victory was also a capstone that culminated a busy week of appearances and exposure. Blaney crisscrossed the country to take in The Today Show, serve as a presenter and a nominee at the ESPY Awards and participate in a panel discussion for Variety & Sportico’s Sports & Entertainment Summit.

MORE: At-track photos | Cup Series standings

Those visits put Blaney in front of new audiences who might not have been as familiar with NASCAR’s reigning champ. But Sunday, he also took time to savor the moment with the Pocono faithful who jammed the grandstands on a sunny summertime afternoon.

“Yeah, been fortunate to have some cool opportunities and draw eyes,” Blaney said. “You try to appreciate the people that are new to the sport and you also try to show thanks to the people that have been around the sport for a long time. That’s why I stood in Victory Lane for 30 minutes signing autographs to appreciate the people who came out and camped all weekend and hung out and brought their families out. We can’t do it without them folks. Sold-out campground, grandstands. That’s the way this sport should be. I think it’s on a great path right now. Hopefully, we can keep it going.”

Posted on July 15, 2024July 15, 2024 by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Disney and NASCAR announced today the release of a new Disney•Pixar Cars/NASCAR co-branded playset and six newly designed die-cast racers from Mattel.

The new Disney•Pixar Cars/NASCAR Lane Change Race Playset from Mattel is a 2.5-foot track set modeled after Los Angeles Raceway — a venue from the first Cars film.

The newly designed die-cast racers from Mattel combine the worlds of Disney•Pixar Cars and NASCAR for a fun twist on these illustrious brands.

Each vehicle is designed in 1:55 scale and features a NASCAR-inspired design, metallic die-cast body and rolling wheels. Every vehicle comes with a matching pit-stop barrier for racing fun and a thrilling display.

In addition to Lightning McQueen, fans can look for die-casts inspired by real NASCAR stars.

— Ryan “Inside” Laney (Ryan Blaney, Driver of the No. 12 Ford for Team Penske)
— GoGo Logano (Joey Logano, Driver of the No. 22 Ford for Team Penske)
— William Byrev (William Byron, Driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports)
— Carstin “Ace” Dillon (Austin Dillon, Driver of the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing)
— Bubba Wheelhouse (Bubba Wallace, Driver of the No. 23 Toyota for 23XI Racing)

Fans will recognize Blaney’s and Wallace’s characters from their roles in the Cars 3 film.

“NASCAR’s continued collaboration with Disney and Pixar’s beloved Cars franchise provides incredible opportunities to engage the next generation of race fans and introduce them to real NASCAR stars in a fun, familiar way,” said Megan Malayter, managing director of licensing and consumer products at NASCAR. “It’s great to have an industry leader like Mattel bringing this line to life and knowing that fans will be treated to a quality play experience, which can be such a powerful contributor to future fandom.”

Each die-cast is sold separately, and all products are only available at Walmart.

Posted on July 15, 2024July 18, 2024 by Brandon White

The second leg of the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown is poised to be one of the most physically and mentally challenging short track races of the year.

Langley Speedway’s prestigious Hampton Heat, ongoing since 2008, is a test of stamina on multiple fronts. Not only are competitors tasked with navigating the tight, 0.397-mile flat surface, but they must do so while battling temperatures that exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit inside the cockpit.

With average finish deciding the Virginia Triple Crown champion at Martinsville Speedway, Saturday’s Hampton Heat also serves as a crucial tilt for competitors seeking to keep their title hopes alive. Everyone who placed inside the top five of last year’s Virginia Triple Crown standings finished tenth or better during the 2023 Hampton Heat.

One of the largest fields in Hampton Heat history, which features NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the first time, is only going to put more pressure on the Virginia Triple Crown contenders as they seek to maintain momentum before heading to Martinsville in a couple of months.

Below is everything to know about the 2024 Hampton Heat at Langley ahead of Saturday evening.

Saturday’s Hampton Heat at Langley Speedway will be the 16th edition of the prestigious event. (Photo: Logan Whitton Photography, Inc.)

What TV channel is the Hampton Heat at Langley Speedway on?

All the on-track action for the Hampton Heat can be viewed live on FloRacing, the official streaming home for all NASCAR Regional properties.

The event will not be shown on a television network.

Below is the complete schedule for FloRacing’s coverage of the 2024 Hampton Heat.

Date	Start time	How to watch
Saturday, July 20	4:15 p.m. ET	FloRacing

Race-day schedule

This year’s Hampton Heat will take place on Saturday, July 20.

Three support divisions encompass the evening’s schedule of events aside from the headlining Late Model Stocks. The Super Street, Super Truck and Pro Six classes open the festivities before the night concludes with the 200-lap Late Model Stock feature.

Below is the complete race-day schedule at Langley Speedway.

(All times ET)

Time	Event
10 a.m.	LMSC Gates Open
11 a.m.	Grandstand Gates Open
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.	LMSC Open Practice (3 min. break every 30 min.)
12:30-1:30 p.m.	Two Rounds of Rotating Practice for Local Divisions (2nd round will be 4 min. and set feature lineups)
1:45-2:30 p.m.	LMSC Driver, Crew Chief, Spotter Meeting (V.I.P. Pavilion/Turn 4)
4:15 p.m.	LMSC Hampton Heat Qualifying (scuff-green-white-checkered)
5:30-6 p.m.	LMSC Haulers Removed From Infield
6:15 p.m.	Invocation/National Anthem
6:30 p.m.	Local Division Features (Pro Six: 25 Laps … Super Streets: 40 Laps … Super Trucks: 25 Laps)
7:45 p.m.	LMSC Line Up on Front Stretch
8:10 p.m.	LMSC Driver Introductions
8:45 p.m.	16th Annual Hampton Heat (200 Laps)

Entry list

An eye-popping 38 cars are set to compete in Saturday’s Hampton Heat, eclipsing a record set during the 2014 edition of the event.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. headlines the talented group of drivers as he prepares to turn his first competitive laps around Langley Speedway. Although he does not have any experience at the facility, JR Motorsports has enjoyed plenty of Langley success, as Josh Berry drove one of Earnhardt’s Late Models to Victory Lane at the Hampton Heat in 2021.

Among the drivers Earnhardt will have to contend with include Brenden Queen, the most recent Hampton Heat winner. Queen, a three-time Langley track champion, is seeking to join C.E. Falk III as the only other competitor who has won the Hampton Heat three times, with his other victory occurring in 2020.

Current NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series points leader Connor Hall has all the momentum on his side following his Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 victory at South Boston Speedway. Hall’s efficiency at Langley has contributed to his commanding Weekly Series advantage, as he has won there seven times this year.

Hall’s second Hampton Heat victory would be pivotal towards staying ahead of defending Virginia Triple Crown champion Trevor Ward. The closing laps of the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 saw Ward engage in a fierce battle with his close friend, but he settled for second and remains within striking distance of the Triple Crown points lead.

Other names on the Hampton Heat entry list include Kaden Honeycutt, Bobby McCarty, Peyton Sellers, Kade Brown and Landon Pembelton, among many others.

Below is the current entry list for Saturday’s Hampton Heat.

Car No.	Driver
00	Chase Burrow
01	G.R. Waldrop
03	Brenden Queen
08	Cody Bryant
09	Michael Rogers
0	Landon Pembelton
2	Brandon Pierce
2	Matt Waltz
3	Trey Williams
3	Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5	Carter Langley
6	Bobby McCarty
8	Thomas Scott
9	Ayden Millette
15	Logan Clark
15	Christopher Samuel
17	Kaden Honeycutt
22	Connor Hall
23	Kade Brown
26	Peyton Sellers
29	Casey Wyatt
31	Cole Bruce
41	Woody Howard
42	Chris Horton Jr.
47	Ryley Music
51	Ryan Matthews
55	Gavan Boschele
55	Mark Wertz
72	Dean Shiflett
77	Trevor Ward
78	Atley Wiese
88	Jacob Derrick
88	Thomas Marks
90	Terry Carroll
91	Justin Carroll
95	Danny Harrell
95	Sam Yarbrough
99	Craig Eastep

Brenden Queen won last year’s Hampton Heat at Langley Speedway after passing Nick Smith with 53 laps remaining. (Photo: Ryan M. Kelly/NASCAR)

Hampton Heat history, winners

The proud history of the Hampton Heat started in 2008 when Nick Smith bested 24 other competitors to take home the event’s first checkered flag.

As the event continued to gain traction within the Late Model Stock community, C.E. Falk III emerged as its most dominant driver with three victories from 2010-2014. Following a brief one-year sabbatical due to Langley’s temporary closure in 2016, the Hampton Heat returned in full force with several Late Model Stock elites finding their way to Victory Lane.

Lee Pulliam and Philip Morris each took home one Hampton Heat trophy before wrapping up their respective careers. NASCAR Cup Series driver Josh Berry’s only attempt at the Hampton Heat resulted in a win, which he obtained after passing Connor Hall with 37 laps remaining in the scheduled distance.

Five past winners are on the entry list for this year’s Hampton Heat. Hall and Brenden Queen are among the favorites to tack on another Hampton Heat victory to their growing resumes, but they will face stiff competition from other past champions Bobby McCarty, Peyton Sellers and Woody Howard.

Below is the complete list of winners in the Hampton Heat.

Year	Winner
2008	Nick Smith
2009	Woody Howard
2010	C.E. Falk III
2011	C.E. Falk III
2012	Matt Bowling
2013	Peyton Sellers
2014	C.E. Falk III
2015	Lee Pulliam
2016	Not held
2017	Bobby McCarty
2018	Philip Morris
2019	Connor Hall
2020	Brenden Queen
2021	Josh Berry
2022	Jared Fryar
2023	Brenden Queen

Virginia Triple Crown standings:

Connor Hall (1.0)
Trevor Ward (2.0)
Kaden Honeycutt (3.0)
Peyton Sellers (4.0)
Kade Brown (5.0)
Carter Langley (6.0)
Brenden Queen (8.0)
Brandon Pierce (14.0)
Matt Waltz (15.0)
Landon Pembelton (19.0)

Posted on July 15, 2024 by Cameron Richardson

The big dogs ate Sunday afternoon at Pocono as the top-seven finishers were all winners throughout the 2024 season. But the “Tricky Triangle” belonged to Ryan Blaney as he led a race-high 44 laps en route to his second Cup Series victory of the year and 12th of his career.

While YRB was taken hot to go at Pocono, it was an opportunistic points day for his close friend Bubba Wallace as he finished 10th and gained double-digit points to Ross Chastain on the elimination line and has cut the deficit to just 27 marks.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

Before the Cup Series returns to the famed Brickyard oval on Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC, IMS Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), see which drivers are climbing upward or tumbling downward.

THREE UP ⬆️

1. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Started: 4th

Finished: 2nd

What happened: After going five races without a top 10, Hamlin finished runner-up, scored a stage win and led 31 laps around the 2.5-mile triangular oval to put his name back in the regular-season title conversation as he sits just 20 points below Elliott at the top of the table. It was a complete day for the No. 11 JGR team, and they gain much-needed momentum with just five races to go before the postseason.

What’s next: Just one event left before the Olympic break and that’s a return to oval racing around Indianapolis Motor Speedway. While the Next Gen car has not seen action around the oval layout yet, Hamlin has been quite good around the Brickyard with five finishes of sixth or better in the last seven oval events there.

James Gilbert | Getty Images

2. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota

Started: 29th

Finished: 10th

What happened: Entering the weekend, Wallace said the $50,000 fine handed to him after his incident with Alex Bowman post-race at Chicago was the ‘best thing to happen to me,’ and he may be spot-on with that sentiment as the No. 23 driver was able to methodically work his way to a top 10 after starting toward the rear of the field.

What’s next: Eyes should be wide open for Wallace as the closing regular-season races could all be potential landing spots for the No. 23 to break the seal and return to Victory Lane for the first time since the fall of 2022. In three oval starts at Indy, Wallace has two top 10s with third- and ninth-place in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

James Gilbert | Getty Images

3. Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota

Started: 23rd

Finished: 14th

What happened: Jones won’t be one to smile at a 14th-place result, but the late summer months seem to be when the No. 43 driver picks up in performance. With only one top 10 this season, the team should be proud of inching close to another result of such.

What’s next: It feels like destiny that the Southern 500 is the regular-season finale where Jones has won the coveted event twice, but before the circuit gets there, Indy, Michigan International Speedway and Daytona International Speedway all present viable opportunities for Jones to stun the playoff field. In four starts at the Brickyard oval, Jones has scored one top five, a runner-up result in 2018.

Jonathan Bachman | Getty Images

THREE DOWN ⬇️

1. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Started: 1st

Finished: 27th

What happened: Sunday felt like the time Gibbs would break through for his maiden Cup win and be the 13th different winner of 2024, but fortunes did not favor the sophomore driver as the 21-year-old slipped from the lead after a Stage 1 restart and couldn’t make his way back to the point. To add insult to injury, Gibbs’ engine spewed out a murky mix of oil and water, parachuting Gibbs to a 27th-place result.

What’s next: Sixty-seven points above the elimination line is still comfortable for the No. 54 team, but the pressure will be on the young driver to ensure that all four JGR Toyotas are vying for the Bill France Cup in September. However, Indy could be a tricky task for Gibbs as he’s never put down a lap around the Brickyard oval.

James Gilbert | Getty Images

2. Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford

Started: 33rd

Finished: 34th

What happened: It was a tough weekend for the “Toddfather” as Pocono snapped a nine-race top-20 streak for the third-year driver, the longest for any driver entering Sunday after Chase Elliott’s ended at 19 in Chicago. Gilliland cut a tire down the frontstretch early in the final stage, and the damage ended the day for the No. 38 team.

What’s next: Like Gibbs, Gilliland has yet to make a circuit around the Brickyard that wasn’t the road-course layout. However, maybe there is something to Front Row Motorsports having the last Cup Series victory at the facility.

Jonathan Bachman | Getty Images

3. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Started: 19th

Finished: 36th

What happened: The second full-time season for Chastain at Trackhouse has been nothing short of disappointing so far. Three consecutive finishes of 22nd or worse for Chastain now have him as the last driver into the 16-driver postseason field just 27 points to the good on Wallace after slamming the wall off Turn 3 and then hitting the wall in Turn 1 to bring an end to his day.

What’s next: While the last few weeks have not been peachy for the No. 1 team, Chastain does have four Xfinity starts on the Brickyard oval, which could provide an advantage over a handful of drivers next weekend.

Jonathan Bachman | Getty Images

Posted on July 15, 2024 by Zach Sturniolo

LONG POND, Pa. — Denny Hamlin finally got a result representative of his team’s speed. Alex Bowman, meanwhile, followed up his Chicago Street Race win with a second consecutive top five.

Neither were able to chase down Ryan Blaney for the victory Sunday at Pocono Raceway, but both saw the positives after much-needed runs for different reasons.

MORE: Race results | At-track photos

Hamlin drove the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to a second-place finish in the Great American Getaway 400, marking his first top-10 finish — let alone top-five finish — since a runner-up result at World Wide Technology Raceway on June 2.

“We were in such a terrible slump,” Hamlin told NBC Sports. “We were terrible for a month and a half or so in our finishes, not in our performance. Feels good to have at least a solid day leaving here. I only care about winning, but still, this kind of rebound is something that at least makes you feel a little better.”

His strong finish at Pocono came with some coaching over the radio from crew chief Chris Gabehart, who tried to give Hamlin everything he needed to pass Bowman with seven laps to go and give the No. 11 car a chance to chase down Blaney.

“In that instance, I think both of us knew it’s gonna be a hard hill to climb to pass the 48 (Bowman) and the 12 (Blaney) in 20 laps at Pocono,” Gabehart told NASCAR.com. “But there were a couple little technical things that I saw that I was just trying to help him with that we’ve been working on at this track. But at some point, you just got to let him go to work and finally, that’s what we did.

“And I’m really proud of him passing the 48. People don’t realize late in the going up front at Pocono how hard it is to pass. So even passing just one of them was a good feat. We just couldn’t pass two of them.”

Hamlin was in control two weeks prior at Nashville Superspeedway, leading with two laps to go in regulation before five overtime attempts ultimately thwarted what appeared to be a sure win. In the five races between his top-10 drought, Hamlin finished 38th, 24th, 24th, 12th and 30th at Sonoma, Iowa, New Hampshire, Nashville and Chicago, respectively.

To right the ship at Pocono, where Hamlin leads all-time with seven victories, was significant, particularly ahead of the July 21 return of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Sun., 2:30 p.m. ET, NBC, IMS Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

“Yeah, it’s a big deal to your point,” Gabehart said. “We’ve had a lot of struggles — and everyone does. But with results, we should have quite a few more points in the bucket than we do at this point. So to take a big chunk out of the points lead, have a solid day heading into, in the 11 car’s opinion, probably the most important race of the year — the Brickyard at Indy is a big one for us now that it’s back on the oval. To try to get that last major for Denny, carrying a lot of momentum into that race is a big deal.”

Alex Daus | NASCAR Digital Media

Bowman was in need of a strong performance for a much different reason than Hamlin, however. The No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team has shown consistent speed all season with 12 top 10s in 21 races and a 13.3 average finish, good for fourth-best in the NASCAR Cup Series standings.

But following last week’s win at Chicago with another top-five finish — this time, a third-place effort at Pocono — helps build positive momentum for the group with five races remaining in the regular season.

“Definitely good to be stringing races like this together,” Bowman said. “We’re gonna have to do that in the playoffs, so if we can continue to do that throughout the regular season, I think that’s really good for us.”

MORE: Bowman: ‘Hard to be satisfied’ with third place

The strength Bowman’s shown on the results sheet the past two weeks appears to be no fluke either, with the No. 48 car displaying speed in Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions as well.

“I think we did a good job kind of across the board,” Bowman said. “We did a good job all weekend. Got a little behind in traffic on some of those restarts, but yeah, I think our team did a really good job. We had really good pitstops, good strategy and good calls.”

Ultimately, Bowman lost a spot on that final run to the checkered flag when Hamlin completed the pass at Lap 153 — but in Bowman’s opinion, that was the result of a making higher-percentage decision.

“I could have raced the hell out of Denny, for sure,” Bowman said. “And it probably would have brought everybody behind us back to us. And I got really loose. I watched a couple people smoke the fence off (Turn) 3 today and ruin their days and I’m like — I was really, really loose over there and kind of knew that there’s maybe a 20% chance I could have held him off if I made his life super difficult. Probably a 50% chance I would’ve crashed trying to do it, and third is better than crashed.

“So just tried to make a smart call there and obviously hate to lose positions, but, you know, he raced me super clean on the restart and just tried to give him that respect back.”

Posted on July 14, 2024July 14, 2024 by Zach Sturniolo

LONG POND, Pa. — Bubba Wallace entered Pocono Raceway trying to get back to showing his fun-loving personality on Sundays.

His No. 23 Toyota challenged that goal throughout Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race, but the 23XI Racing veteran rebounded from a frustrating start to a 10th-place finish — his second top 10 in the past three weeks.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

“All in all, I was trying to have fun the first two stages,” Wallace said. “That’s what I said I was gonna do. I tried my ass off, and here we are, so good day.”

Wallace now has four straight finishes of 11th or better at Pocono — site of his Cup debut in 2017. But the Alabama native still felt like more points were left on the table.

Meanwhile, Ross Chastain — who now sits in the final position on the provisional playoff grid by 27 points over Wallace — crashed out of the race on Lap 53 and finished 36th. Additionally, Ty Gibbs qualified on pole but ultimately suffered an engine failure, relegating him to a 27th-place finish. Gibbs now sits 67 points ahead of the elimination line, with Wallace still on the outside looking in.

An ill-handling race car and strategy moves prevented the No. 23 team from collecting any stage points early in the contest, but the result was better than the start.

“We didn’t capitalize on points,” Wallace said. “But the 1 (Chastain) had a bad day. The 54 (Gibbs) had a bad day. It was a nice rebound. You know, usually we’re the opposite. We start really good and end up fading and giving up a lot of track position. Here, we were able to call a good strategy and hang on. We just didn’t have the car.

“The 6 (Brad Keselowski), drove it down in (Turn) 1, and I was gonna race the hell out of him for it, and I realized I was going to crash and he was just going to keep going. So it’s pretty eye-opening on how far we’re off. So gotta have a good debrief tomorrow.”

Knowing the No. 23 car was lacking Sunday, crew chief Bootie Barker may not have loved the overall performance but was focused on the post-race positives.

“Great team, great driver,” Barker said. “We got it in us. We capitalized. I’m happy.”

And while Wallace was trying to have fun again, that wasn’t exactly high on Barker’s list of objectives.

“Yeah, to hell with fun as far as I’m concerned,” Barker said. “I just want to run hard, and he did, so I’m proud of him for that. He did good, man.”

Posted on July 14, 2024July 14, 2024 by Holly Cain

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney returned to the site of his first career NASCAR Cup Series win and pulled away from the field in the closing laps of Sunday’s The Great American Getaway 400 at a sold-out Pocono Raceway to deliver a strong reminder to the competition that he’s primed to contend for another season trophy.

Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford held off Denny Hamlin, the track’s all-time winningest driver, in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota by 1.312 seconds to give Blaney his second victory of the season – both coming in just the last five races – and the 12th win of the 30-year-old’s career.

“Hell yeah, boys, let’s go,” an elated Blaney screamed to his team as he crossed the historic Pocono finish line.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Pocono

With the victory, Blaney moves up to fifth place in the championship standings, and thanks to his first win of the year at Iowa Speedway on June 16, he’s one of only five drivers with multiple victories on the season.

“Feel like we’ve gotten to a great pace and speed the last couple months,” Blaney said. “Honestly thought we let a couple races slip away from us I thought we should have won. It’s just so cool to win here again. Won here seven years ago for my first Cup win, so awesome to be back.’’

SHOP: Race winner gear

Although he ran among the top 10 for much of the race, Blaney ultimately took the lead on a restart with 44 laps remaining and never relinquished it despite two more restarts and a highly motivated Hamlin lining up either alongside him or directly behind him on each of those green flags.

Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman, last week’s race winner, filled Blaney’s mirrors for much of the closing laps until getting passed by Hamlin with seven laps remaining. Bowman finished third, with his Hendrick teammate William Byron and Blaney’s Team Penske teammate Joey Logano rounding out the top five.

“Track position was just such a big thing, and when that 12 [Blaney] jumped on that stage we won, that put them in front of us and certainly were going to be hard to pass,’’ said Hamlin, a seven-time Pocono race winner who won Sunday’s second stage.

“Just not enough laps of green there at the end, but hats off to them, great run. He kept up great pace at there at the front and hard for me to even get up there close enough to try to reel him in.”

23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick, RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski, JGR’s Martin Truex Jr. (the opening stage winner), Hendrick’s Chase Elliott and 23XI’s Bubba Wallace rounded out the top 10. Both Elliott’s and Wallace’s finishes, in particular, were impactful on the championship standings.

The 2020 series champion Elliott took over the championship lead from his teammate, 2021 series champ Kyle Larson, and he takes a slim three-point advantage atop the regular season standings with only five races remaining before the playoffs. The Regular Season Champion receives a valuable 15 extra playoff points to carry with him through the 10-race playoff run.

Wallace’s top-10 finish was also important in his quest to become championship-eligible for the second consecutive year. He is now ranked 17th, only 27 points behind 16th-place Ross Chastain on the provisional playoff grid. The 16 title-eligible drivers will be determined after the Sept. 1 race at Darlington Raceway.

Chastain, one of four drivers inside the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff field without a win but based on points, finished 36th Sunday. His No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet slammed the Turn 1 wall on Lap 53, and the team had to retire the car.

Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch was involved in a multi-car accident with 39 laps remaining and finished 32nd on Sunday. He’s now finished 27th or worse in four of the last five races, including DNFs in five of his last seven. Busch is ranked 19th in the playoff standings, 102 points behind Chastain. The two-time series champion is not only trying to make the playoffs but extend a career winning streak to 19 seasons.

MORE: Chastain out early at Pocono | Busch, LaJoie tangle in final stage

The Cup Series’ next race is the Brickyard 400, scheduled next Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC, IMS Radio, SiriusXM, NBC Sports App) at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Notes: Cup Series post-race technical inspection was completed without issue, confirming Blaney as the race winner. Competition officials indicated that three cars — one from each manufacturer — would be brought back to the NASCAR Research & Development Center for further inspection: the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for driver Christopher Bell, the No. 22 Team Penske Ford for driver Joey Logano, and the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for Alex Bowman. …Ty Gibbs started from the pole position and led twice for 21 laps, but his No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota expired with engine failure 28 laps from the end. He finished 27th.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on July 14, 2024July 14, 2024 by Staff Report

A jam-up on a restart with 40 laps remaining caused a major crash in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway, dealing Kyle Busch another jolt to his playoff quest.

Corey LaJoie’s No. 7 Chevrolet made contact with Busch’s No. 8 Chevy as the field fanned out and then tried to funnel into Turn 1 in the final stage of the Great American Getaway 400. The nudge sent Busch’s No. 8 sliding through the infield grass and back up into traffic, collecting the cars of AJ Allmendinger, Harrison Burton, Ryan Preece and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Pocono

Busch, mired in the longest winless skid of his Cup Series career, sank further in his quest for a berth in the Cup Series Playoffs with a 32nd-place finish. He dropped to the rear of the field for Sunday’s start after his Richard Childress Racing crew discovered an oil leak on the grid, and Busch ended up with his fifth DNF in the last seven races.

Busch took the high road by thanking sponsors when asked about the contact with LaJoie. When pressed, Busch offered: “That’s just racing these days. It’s what happens.”

LaJoie, who drove on to a 19th-place finish, said post-race that he would not have reacted differently if placed in the same situation again.

“No, you’ve got to take the run,” said LaJoie, who was hampered by a Lap 96 pit-road speeding penalty. “You know, I don’t want to … I’m not the guy that wants to wreck anybody, but I think if Kyle blocks only once, then we both go around the corner and live to fight another day. But that second block that he thought he had it covered and he didn’t was what did him in and did a couple other guys in. But man, it is really hard. It is so freakin’ hard to run 19th. I mean, it’s all I got, tongue hanging out, so you have to be perfect.”

Busch was 98 points behind the provisional playoff elimination line entering Sunday’s 400-miler. After Sunday, he sits unofficially 102 points back, with just five regular-season races remaining.

MORE: Updated Cup Series standings

LaJoie said there was nothing intentional about the contact between the two.

“I think Kyle and I have been racing around each other long enough, we’re not going to smash into each other on purpose,” LaJoie said. “We both are guys that feel like we belong, certainly him, but I mean, I’m not going to say sorry. I’m not sorry about it, because that was the thing. If the shoe was on the other foot, the exact same thing would’ve happened, and I think he would probably say that.”

Preece (30th), Burton (31st) and Stenhouse (33rd) were all sidelined.

“It’s always erratic. That’s what we do now,” Burton said after a check at the infield care center. “It’s just part of how we race. These cars are so close, and track position is so important, you just have to kind of race like an ass, which is hard. It’s hard to do and not overstep your bounds. That’s just the nature of this beast. The best guys at it are really smooth and consistent while being at that level.”