Posted on by Alex Cadavid

It’s no rare sight to spot Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota running up front on Sundays. In fact, Hamlin has led laps at every race dating back to the 2023 Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway — that’s 16 consecutive races leading at least one lap. Consistency has proven to be king in stock-car racing, and Hamlin joins a short list of the sport’s elite drivers who have amassed lengthy streaks.

RELATED: Darlington weekend schedule 

Hamlin recently tied Lee Petty for 12th on the all-time wins list and is now one off from tying Rusty Wallace. He continues to rack up consecutive races with laps led, and yet again, he finds himself in the company of legends who have left an indelible mark on the sport — Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon and Cale Yarborough.

Leading laps isn’t just about speed. It’s a mix of a driver’s skill, team strategy and plenty of knowledge on how to handle the ever-changing race conditions. Hamlin has been a force on all tracks, leaving his competitors in the rearview mirror whether it’s a short-track showdown or a high-speed battle on a superspeedway or intermediate course.

What sets Hamlin apart from the current field of drivers is his ability to consistently find his way to the front of the pack. Currently, his 606 laps led in 2024 ranks second among active drivers. Through 12 races, he’s already spent 2,680 laps running in the top 10 (first) and 1,880 laps running in the top five (second). Plus, his season average running position is up to a series-best 7.8 after Kansas. Meaning that more often than not, Hamlin has routinely found ways to maintain a strong position throughout races, willing to fend off challenges from rival drivers and overcome obstacles that come his way.

With the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on tap this Sunday (3 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio), it wouldn’t be a shock to see Hamlin extend the streak to 17. He’s a four-time winner at the track  “Too Tough to Tame” and has led laps in 17 of 23 races at Darlington, not to mention he swept the first two stages there last September in the Southern 500. As he continues to rewrite the record books one lap at a time, there’s no telling how far Hamlin can go.

DriverSteak StartStreak EndStreak Length
Bobby AllisonSept., 6 1971 at Darlington Raceway Oct. 22, 1972 at Rockingham Speedway39
Cale YarboroughFeb. 29, 1976 at Rockingham Speedway Oct. 10, 1976 at Charlotte Motor Speedway 25
Darrell WaltripJuly 11, 1981 at Nashville Fairgrounds May 16, 1982 at Dover Motor Speedway25
Cale YarboroughJune 12, 1977 at Riverside International SpeedwayMarch 19, 1978 at Atlanta Motor Speedway22
Richard PettyJune 4, 1972 at Dover Motor Speedway Feb. 25, 1973 at Richmond Raceway 22
Dale Earnhardt Aug. 17, 1986 at Michigan International Speedway May 3, 1987 at Talladega Superspeedway 20
Dale Earnhardt June 28, 1987 at Michigan International Speedway March, 20 1988 at Atlanta Motor Speedway 20
Jeff GordonMay 28, 1995 at Charlotte Motor Speedway Oct. 22, 1995 at Rockingham Speedway 19
David PearsonJune 1, 1969 at Macon Speedway Aug. 21, 1969 at South Boston Speedway 17
Geoff BodineMay 18, 1986 at Dover Motor Speedway Oct. 5, 1986 at Charlotte Motor Speedway 17
Kyle BuschJuly 8, 2017 at Kentucky Speedway Nov. 5, 2017 at Texas Motor Speedway17
Richard PettyMay 11, 1974 at Nashville Fairgrounds Sept. 22, 1974 at North Wilkesboro Speedway 16
Cale Yarborough April 9, 1978 at Darlington RacewaySept. 4, 1978 at Darlington Raceway 16
Darell WaltripJuly 4, 1980 at Daytona International Speedway Jan. 11, 1981 at Riverside International Speedway16
Denny HamlinOct. 15, 2023 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway May, 5, 2024 Kansas Speedway (still active)16
Posted on by Zack Albert

As far as throwback paint schemes go, the 23XI Racing No. 45 Toyota that Tyler Reddick will drive this weekend at Darlington Raceway feels like the deepest cut on an album full of vintage designs. Plucked from relative obscurity, the vibrant tribute to some of Tim Richmond’s earliest days in NASCAR crystalizes an era that Reddick was born about two decades too late to enjoy.

“I love the ’80s,” the 28-year-old Reddick says offhand. “I wish I was alive for them.”

Reddick will aim to deliver a more distinguished note of history to the color-splashed concept in Sunday’s Goodyear 400 (3 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at the hardscrabble 1.366-mile track. He’s been a top-three finisher in three of his last four Darlington starts, including a runner-up finish with 90 laps led in the Southern 500 last fall.

RELATED: Darlington throwback schemes | Weekend schedule

Reddick will make his next date with Darlington using the same colors that Richmond campaigned just as he was starting to reach full-time status on the Cup Series circuit. While the rest of the country was overtaken by Pac-Man Fever, Richmond had forged a partnership with a start-up team called Fast Company Limited for the 1982 season. Virginia businessmen Mike Lovern and Bob Jones, who had collaborated on a book about the sport, took the leap and took a liking to Richmond, who was appointed as both the driver and the organization’s vice president of special promotions. Veteran Harry Hyde, a NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee, built the cars and served as the team’s crew chief.

As spiffy as the team’s No. 29 Ford looked, Fast Company’s on-track success was, well … limited. Richmond failed to qualify for the team’s intended debut in the Daytona 500, but made up for the miss by winning a 75-mile consolation race for the 14 DNQs. The two ran just one points-paying race together — a 31st place a month later in Rockingham — before parting ways. Richmond won two races with team owner J.D. Stacy later that season, then landed his first full-time ride with Raymond Beadle’s No. 27 outfit the next year.

That brief window into Richmond’s stock-car origin story came to Reddick’s attention as the team tried to settle on a throwback theme for this year’s springtime Darlington date.

“For me, it’s one that hasn’t got a lot of attention, but has a unique story,” Reddick said earlier this week. “What happened in Daytona, not making the race, winning the consolation race, it’s just a part of Tim’s career path at probably a point in his career that wasn’t recognized as much as some of his other rides he was a part of. Nonetheless, it’s part of his story, of why he was who he was. So for me, I think that aspect of it made it fun. I feel like over the years of throwback, we’ve seen the legendary cars and drivers in those cars a number of times, and I just kind of liked the idea of getting off the beaten path with this one, and throwing it back to a moment in Tim’s career that was a part of it, but maybe not as recognized as others.”

This isn’t the first time that Reddick’s Darlington car has made a Tim Richmond reference. In 2018, his JR Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series adopted the Old Milwaukee colors and sponsorship from Richmond’s three years (1983-85) with Beadle’s team.

There’s no direct, obvious connection between the two, but Reddick admits to channeling at least a smidge of Richmond’s wild side as he climbed toward NASCAR’s top series. Richmond was known as much for his 13 wins and hard-driving style as he was his flamboyant lifestyle and movie-star swagger.

“I feel like back in my JRM days, I was living a little crazier, if I’m being honest,” Reddick says. “I was having a lot of fun during the week before we’d head to the race track, and it was just a different time of my life. I think the biggest thing for me when I think about Tim is, he was an individual that really enjoyed life and was really happy with himself during the week, and I think that really set him up to succeed when he would get to the race track. Unless they just were never published, I’ve not really seen many photos of Tim Richmond with a frown on his face or pissed off. He was always really, really happy to be doing what he was.

“I think that’s a very important part of racing, and it’s something that I think drivers can really lose sight of, especially in today’s age where there’s a lot of opportunities to work yourself to death during the week, and then go to the race track and feel like you get nothing out of it. So I think for me, when I think of Tim, like I said, he’s a guy that really was happy with himself, enjoyed life, loved what he was doing, and it really allowed him to find success when he would get to the race track.”

PREVIEW: Risk, reward at historic Darlington

Richmond is etched in Darlington’s record books as the 1986 winner of the Southern 500. Reddick is still seeking his first victory at Darlington, where the distinctive layout of NASCAR’s first superspeedway places a strict premium on driver skill and carrying momentum on the high line just inches from the outside retaining wall. Pushing the envelope to gain ground is possible, he says, but so is the potential to make race-altering mistakes.

The comfort level with Darlington has grown in recent years for Reddick, who confessed that he would hit a lull or rough patch during the middle portions of the longer Southern 500 in his earlier years, often forcing him to play catch-up to salvage a solid finish. Last year’s runner-up placement in the Labor Day classic, he said, should sharpen his approach to Sunday’s shorter 400-miler.

“For me, it was a huge stepping stone, because we were pretty much in the mix of that race all day long, led a good chunk of laps in that middle stretch that I talked about,” Reddick said. “That’s where I’ve had the race get away from me, so I’m excited about the progress that I’ve been able to make there. We’re looking to continue that when we go back. I don’t know, just the way that track races and drives and the risks you have to take lap to lap, for me, it’s a place that makes that really, really fun, and it’s a fun challenge.”

***

Reddick’s name has also come up this week, not in the context of his throwback tribute, but as a reference point in the buzz surrounding last Sunday’s ending at Kansas Speedway. Kyle Larson outdistanced Chris Buescher by a mere 0.001 seconds at the checkered flag in the closest finish in Cup Series history.

The winner in the closest finish in Xfinity Series history – and NASCAR’s national series record books – is Reddick, who eked out a win in the 2019 season opener over then-teammate Elliott Sadler in the fifth overtime. Reddick pushed that margin of victory an extra decimal point, with officials adjusting the official listing of 0.000 to 0.0004 seconds after a timing and scoring review.

MORE: Reddick tops Sadler by a sliver in 2019 Xfinity opener

“I mean, you truly don’t know who wins,” Reddick recalled of his experience that February day. “I think from the driver’s seat, I think it’s easy to say, ‘Oh, well, I had momentum,’ or things of that nature can make you feel like you have. But thankfully, my only time being a part of that, I was on the winning side of it. I can only imagine what it feels like when you lose. It’s got to be an odd feeling to have when you’re that close and it doesn’t pan out.”

Not yet halfway through the regular season, NASCAR has had three photo finishes this year – Daniel Suárez’s three-wide victory by 0.003 seconds at Atlanta in February, Sam Mayer’s narrow 0.002-second nail-biter win over Ryan Sieg in the Xfinity Series at Texas last month, and Sunday’s even-closer thriller in Kansas.

The competitive nature of those circuits is a common thread for how close the finishes have become, but so are – Reddick says – the doors that have been left open when the checkered flag is about to fall.

“I feel like a place like Atlanta, that was bound to happen,” Reddick says. “A number of things took place — missed blocks, things of that nature — to open up the finish like that. There’s a lot of variables. I think Kansas, I didn’t really get a chance to see the lead-up to that, but I feel like in that situation, it was a missed block in my quick little opinion of it. Kyle got the outside and was able to, even though he’s in the wall, still side-draft and pull Chris back. The cars are close, right, but I think what lends its lends itself to having close finishes is drivers are making small mistakes on the last lap, and it’s kind of opened up the door for a challenger, and we’ve seen it come really close to the finish.”

Posted on by Staff Report

The 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 19 (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) and, once again, with it comes a chance for fans to vote their favorite driver into the star-studded event.

RELATED: Vote your favorite driver into the All-Star Race 

At the approximate midway point of the Fan Vote, the top 10 vote-getters as of Wednesday are as follows, in alphabetical order: Josh Berry, Alex Bowman, Chase Briscoe, Ty Gibbs, Noah Gragson, Justin Haley, Carson Hocevar, Erik Jones, Corey LaJoie and Bubba Wallace.

Race fans will have until 5:30 p.m. ET on May 19 to cast their ballots. To vote, the rules are simple: You can vote up to five times per day, per unique email address. Fan Rewards members will earn 50 points for voting.

Ken Schrader won the first fan vote in 2004, and Noah Gragson was the most recent winner in 2023. Kyle Petty, Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer are others on the list who have achieved the feat.

Drivers are eligible for the Fan Vote if they attempted to qualify for the 2024 Daytona 500, have not won a 2024 NASCAR Cup Series race yet or have not finished inside the top two in the NASCAR Open qualifying race.

Put your voting cap on and cast your choice today!

Posted on by Staff Report

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is introducing several measures designed to improve efficiencies for teams that will go into effect beginning with the Miller Lite Salutes Wayne Anderson 200 at New York’s Riverhead Raceway on May 18.

Over the course of the remaining 12 races on the 2024 Modified Tour schedule, the overall tire allotment will be reduced, providing a financial savings for teams through the rest of the season.

In alignment with the tire reduction, at tracks that require a tire change (with the exception of New Hampshire Motor Speedway), teams will now only be permitted to change a maximum of two tires per caution period (previously, they may change all four tires during a caution period).

In addition, practice time will be reduced by approximately 15 – 30 minutes per event, excluding the Martinsville Speedway championship weekend. This will allow race-day schedules to be condensed and permit teams to arrive at tracks later in the day.

“When we announced the 2024 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season schedule, we were proud that it provided balance for our competitors and teams, who manage their jobs and families away from the track,” NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour director Jimmy Wilson said. “As we continue through the season, NASCAR is always looking for ways to improve efficiencies for our teams.

“By reducing the tire allotment at several events and reducing practice time at all tracks (with the exception of Martinsville), we know this will help teams maximize their resources and time without sacrificing the high quality of racing fans expect from the Tour.”

Posted on by Track Release

SUMTER, S.C. — Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano traded his fire suit for a flight suit as Mission 600 soared to new heights during a visit with the 77th Fighter Squadron “Gamblers” on Wednesday at Shaw Air Force Base.

Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Mission 600 campaign, which pairs drivers and regional military bases as a build up to the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend, provided the Coca-Cola Racing Family driver with an immersive day meeting aviators, soldiers and staff at the home to the 20th Fighter Wing, the U.S. Air Force’s largest combat F-16 wing.

RELATED: Cup Series schedule | Coca-Cola 600 tickets

Alongside FOX Sports analyst Shannon Spake, Logano toured the base, learned its history and completed a series of safety trainings before getting fitted for a flight suit, G-suit and helmet. The nearly 90-minute training flight launched off the tarmac at more than 600 mph before executing a series of S-curves, loops, barrel rolls and simulated ground attacks. Logano and pilot Lt. Col. Daniel “Rage” Trueblood also experienced up to nine times the force of gravity during the flight and refueled mid-air. For his efforts throughout the engagement, Logano earned the call sign “Left Turn” from members of the Gamblers.

“Today has been incredible,” Logano said. “To get to meet the men and women who fight for our freedom is always an honor, but then when you get the chance to fly in an F-16, that’s just dream-come-true territory, for sure. Everyone thinks that because you can drive a race car you can fly in one of these things. No, you can’t. It’s incredible the amount of speed, how quick it is … to feel the acceleration it takes. We took off at 600 mph and then went straight up, really, really fast. I’m just trying not to pass out. My vision is narrowing up. He (pilot Rage Trueblood) is up there talking and looking around like it’s a regular ol’ Tuesday.

“To refuel, in mid-air, that was something out of the movies to me. Just to see a huge tanker up there, it was a huge aircraft. We just pulled up to it like you’re pulling up to the gas station.”

Following the training flight, Spake marshalled the plane back into its hanger before the VIPs visited more than 150 aviators, families and staff from the base.

“There are so many examples that are similar to NASCAR in a lot of ways … the discipline, the pursuit of perfection,” Logano told the group. “The biggest difference is that if something goes wrong for us, we just don’t finish the race. If something goes wrong for you guys, it’s a completely different level.”

For leadership at Shaw Air Force Base, having someone like Logano visit is great for morale, but also for highlighting what these men and women do in service to the Air Force.

“Our goal is showcasing what the men and women at Shaw do day in and day out to support our nation,” said Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Griste, the Command Chief of the 20th Fighter Wing. “Any time that we have a chance to showcase our mission, that goes into the living rooms of Americans — and sometimes across the world with social media. Any time we get the chance to put a celebrity in the jet, it opens up a whole different world for recruitment purposes to show what we do.”

At Charlotte Motor Speedway, Memorial Day Weekend provides the opportunity to pay tribute to the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces, particularly those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. With the support of the U.S. Department of Defense, the patriotic Coca-Cola 600 pre-race show includes representation from all six major branches of the military.

“So many times as a civilian, you get wrapped up in your own little world — just thinking about race cars all day long,” Logano said. “It’s very important for us to take a step back, and zoom out, and think about why we get to think about race cars all day long. It’s because of the men and women that fight for our freedom every day. That’s part of what Mission 600 is all about … to try to showcase what these guys do every day.

“When I think about what Charlotte Motor Speedway and Coca-Cola do for the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend at the Coca-Cola 600, it’s not really about the race. It’s really about that weekend, what it stands for and highlighting what these guys do. … Not only our military members, but also their families and the sacrifices they make.

Posted on by Staff Report

In a double dose of news Wednesday, Michael McDowell announced he will leave Front Row Motorsports after the NASCAR Cup Series season to join Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 team on a multiyear deal in 2025.

McDowell, 39, makes the move after spending each of the last seven seasons driving the No. 34 Ford for the Bob Jenkins-owned team, winning the 2021 Daytona 500 and at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in 2023.

RELATED: McDowell through the years | Cup Series schedule

“This is a new chapter for my family and me, and we’re incredibly thankful for the opportunity that’s in front of us,” McDowell said in a Spire release. “It’s going to take some hard work, but I feel like everything is in place for us to be successful as a race team — to win races and contend for championships. People are the greatest asset to any organization, and with Spire’s vision, ambition, knowledge, and dedication, we will achieve great things. Failure is not an option, and that’s the mindset that it will take to achieve our goals.”

Front Row released its own statement, thanking McDowell for his time with the No. 34 FRM team.

By taking over the No. 71 Chevrolet, McDowell is set to replace rookie Zane Smith. Smith’s signing was announced last September, with his multiyear contract managed by Trackhouse Racing. No plans for Smith’s future have been announced at this time.

A native of Phoenix, Arizona, McDowell has made 477 starts in the Cup Series. Next season, McDowell is set to team up with Corey LaJoie and rookie Carson Hocevar, both of whom last year signed multiyear deals for 2024 and beyond. LaJoie has made 248 Cup starts and Hocevar 21.

“Michael McDowell is a proven winner and brings a NASCAR Playoff pedigree,” said Spire Motorsports president Doug Duchardt in a team release. “Michael has always been committed to elevate his teams. His experience and enthusiasm are a perfect fit for Spire Motorsports, and we are sure he will be a great teammate to both Carey LaJoie and Carson Hocevar. We’re thrilled to keep up the positive momentum by adding someone as accomplished as Michael to our driver lineup.

“Our 2024 plan for the No. 71 team remains unchanged. Spire Motorsports fully supports Zane Smith and (crew chief) Stephan Doran. We remain committed to the success of our collaboration with Trackhouse. That team is just beginning to realize its potential. We’re looking forward to seeing how the Rookie of the Year battle plays out between Zane and Carson.”

McDowell has competed in the Cup Series since 2008, beginning his career with Michael Waltrip Racing, driving the No. 00 Toyota on a part-time basis before other abbreviated stints with Tommy Baldwin Racing and Phil Parsons Racing.

He then joined Leavine Family Racing in 2014, driving the No. 95 car through the majority of the 2014-16 seasons before competing on a full-time basis in 2017.

In addition to his Cup experience, McDowell has one win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 2 Chevrolet to Victory Lane for Richard Childress Racing in 2016 at Road America.

McDowell finished 10th last weekend at Kansas Speedway and is 26th in the Cup Series points standings.

Posted on by Nate Ryan

Kyle Larson was sorry to have won by the narrowest margin in NASCAR history.

OK, maybe the Hendrick Motorsports superstar wasn’t apologizing after Sunday’s fender-banging battle for the ages with Chris Buescher at Kansas Speedway.

But the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion felt a little unworthy of the title being thrust upon his highlight-reel win.

Closest Finish Ever? According to a high-speed camera capturing thousands of time-stamped images per second, that was indisputable.

Best Finish Ever? According to the man who won, there was no debate.

Sunday at Kansas Speedway wasn’t it.

“That finish with (Ricky) Craven and Kurt (Busch) was, in my opinion, way cooler,” Larson said, referencing the slam-bang ending of March 16, 2003, at Darlington Raceway. “That was like a battle the last however-many laps and came down to a photo finish. But no, this was still cool and hopefully it can hang on for a long time. What was the finish before this one that was the closest?”

Well, actually Kyle … it was Craven over Busch.

The news left Larson on the verge of crestfallen.

“Oh shoot, that’s what we broke? Damn. I didn’t think this was as close as that.”

He then paused to remember the previous Best Finish Ever, which happened all of 10 races ago in this season of 1.5-mile magic.

“How is Atlanta not the closest ever?” he asked the roomful of reporters about the Daniel Suárez-Ryan Blaney-Kyle Busch showdown at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February. “There’s three cars. Like that should mathematically be better than two cars.”

The finish of Atlanta was a photo finish

If we’re now into comparisons, don’t stop there.

What about Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick driving through each other at Phoenix Raceway in March 2016? Harvick’s nail-bitingly poignant first career win over Jeff Gordon at Atlanta 15 years earlier? Gordon’s $1 million body slam on Jeff Burton to hold on for the 1997 Southern 500?

And the fantastic finishes stretch far before the dawn of electronic scoring in 1993.

Let’s go back 65 years to what once was the most famous photo finish in NASCAR history.

In late February 1959, Lee Petty sat in a Daytona Beach hotel room for three days until Bill France ruled the Petty Enterprises founder had won the first edition of “The Great American Race.”

When France called him with the good news, Petty picked up his winner’s check from the NASCAR office and let Johnny Beauchamp keep the trophy as the initially declared winner (a story that Kyle Petty delightfully told on the NASCAR on NBC Podcast seven years ago).

The point here is as simple as racing’s most basic premise: The car that crosses the finish line first wins.

And for roughly 76 years, razor-thin endings have been part and parcel to NASCAR.

Whether it takes 72 hours or roughly a minute to determine the winner, it’s always an intrinsic game of inches.

Not every season has as many memorable final chapters as 2024. Larson credited the Next Gen car for being a game-changer on bigger speedways, and that idea has some merit.

But it’s also reductive to fall too far down the rabbit hole of proclaiming that last-lap classics are related only to the equipment or the machinery. That they are predicated on the rules packages or the race tracks.

That overlooks the real continuum from seven decades of photo finishes.

These are all human interest stories.

After three-plus hours and 400 miles, cars can be separated by the width of a few smartphones because their drivers made all the right moves – and often with impeccable bravery, sublime skill and a sharp wit.

That was a constant when Petty navigated the first draft of Daytona. When David Pearson slammed his car into gear to beat Richard Petty in 1976. When Kyle Busch survived a slide job gone wrong by Larson to conquer Chicagoland in 2018.

To paraphrase LeBron James, we again got to witness greatness Sunday at Kansas. It’s a birthright of being a NASCAR fan.

So take a moment and soak in the sport’s latest Best Finish Ever.

As its winner noted, it won’t be the last.

Nate Ryan has written about NASCAR since 1996 while working at the San Bernardino Sun, Richmond Times-Dispatch, USA TODAY and for the past 10 years at NBC Sports Digital. He is the host of the NASCAR on NBC Podcast and also has covered various other motorsports, including the IndyCar and IMSA series.

Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Dominators. Multiple photo finishes. Story lines. The 2024 NASCAR season has had it all — and just through the opening 12 weeks of action.

The year is still young, with Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway marking the one-third mark of the 36-race campaign that will lead through the championship race in November at Phoenix Raceway. Already, though, the on-track action has proven to be some of the best ever seen throughout the course of one season.

RELATED: Kansas results | Best photos from Kansas

Sunday’s photo-finish nail-biter between Kyle Larson and Chris Buescher produced the closest margin of victory in Cup Series history at 0.001 seconds — besting the previous 0.002-second record set in 2003 between Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch at Darlington Raceway, then tied in 2011 with a three-wide finish at Talladega Superspeedway with Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer.

Finishes like that are typically regarded as a once-a-season occurrence — if you’re lucky — which is why that record stood for some 21 years. But we were treated to a stunner back in February at Atlanta Motor Speedway, when Daniel Suárez edged Ryan Blaney by 0.003 seconds in a three-wide finish, with Kyle Busch caught between for third place just 0.007 seconds behind the No. 99. (And, oh by the way, the Xfinity Series had a doozy of its own at Texas Motor Speedway, where Sam Mayer nabbed the win from Ryan Sieg by 0.002 seconds.)

Parity can be a beautiful thing in sports — nearly evidenced once again Sunday at Kansas by Buescher, who is now painfully dubbed the driver who came closest to winning a Cup race without actually winning it. But the counter to parity is dominance, an assertion that a driver or group of drivers will be the ones to beat on a weekly basis.

Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing have ruled the year so far, winning 10 of the 12 events, but the story lines only grow stronger. Larson and Hamlin have traded barbs in consecutive weeks, with Hamlin fending him off for the victory at Dover and Larson striking back a week later with an overtime win at Kansas. Byron is looking to bring the No. 24 Chevrolet back to championship prominence for the first time since 2001, when Jeff Gordon was lighting up the Cup Series with his fourth title in seven seasons.

MORE: Byron forges own path with No. 24 after Daytona 500 win

William Byron does a burnout at Martinsville.
James Gilbert | Getty Images

Winners build legacies. And legacies can grow superstars. And as defending Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney recently told the Kansas City Star: “It starts with success on the race track.”

Kyle Busch, winner of 231 Cup, Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series races combined, is in search of his third Cup championship. So, too, is Joey Logano, the 2018 and 2022 title winner. But first, both are looking to end winless streaks, with Logano winless since March 2023 (Atlanta) and Busch since last June (World Wide Technology Raceway). Brad Keselowski, the 2012 Cup champ and third-year co-owner of RFK Racing, is seeking his first win since taking over the No. 6 Ford and has come mighty close this season with two runner-up finishes, though neither as close as teammate Buescher’s.

The story lines are seemingly endless, with still so much ahead.

Larson’s month of May is only beginning as he pursues the rare double — competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and Charlotte’s Coca-Cola 600 in the same day on Sunday, May 26. With a Kansas win ahead of Darlington (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) and the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, Larson could be set to accomplish some unprecedented things over the next few weeks.

Still ahead are return trips to the Chicago Street Course, the Cup Series’ inaugural visit to Iowa Speedway and a stock-car return to the Indianapolis oval for the Brickyard 400.

So often, we may be blinded by what might be wrong or in need of improvement on a lap-by-lap basis. The pursuit of perfection will never end, whether in racing or life — nor should we ever stop moving forward to make the product as extraordinary as possible.

But Sunday felt just about perfect. It’s important to enjoy the beauties, thrills and pure joys of stock-car racing when these exceptionally historic — and exceptionally rare — positives are right in front of us.

Folks, these might just be the good ole days.

Posted on by Alex Cadavid

Rev Racing driver Nick Sanchez will sport a special throwback look on Friday in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Darlington Raceway.

The No. 2 Gainbridge Chevrolet will don red and black colors to celebrate the 20th anniversary of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program.

LEARN MORE: NASCAR Drive for Diversity

“It’s a really cool scheme honoring the diversity program,” Sanchez said. “Big thanks to Gainbridge for allowing us to run it and honor Rev Racing and the Drive for Diversity Program for everything they’ve done over the past 20 years. It’s a big anniversary and a big year for them, so to honor them is really awesome.”

Rev Racing has been the home for both NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity driver and pit crew development programs and has produced some of the sport’s biggest stars. Cup Series drivers such as Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace and Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suárez all got their start with Rev Racing. Other drivers and countless pit crew members were also able to jump-start their careers with help from the D4D program.

No. 2 Gainbridge racing truck
Courtesy of Rev Racing

For Sanchez, however, the connection to the D4D program goes even deeper than the backing of a full-time ride. Rev Racing team owner Max Siegel and the D4D program have been in his corner since he decided to become a professional driver as a teenager.

“I started with Rev in Legend Cars,” Sanchez said. “Through all that, I was able to climb up through each division, and in the process, Max and I decided to create a new (division entry) in the Truck Series.”

Sanchez made history for Rev Racing earlier this year when he got to Victory Lane at Daytona to kick off the organization’s second year competing in the Truck Series. Not only did Sanchez deliver Rev’s first national series win, but he also added another chapter to the program’s rich history.

“It’s really cool to be with a program from Day 1 in my journey in stock car racing, all the way to where I am now,” Sanchez said. “Last year, the first year in the Truck Series, was a huge year; this year, already a first win in the national series is an even bigger accomplishment, and getting to share that moment with a lot of people I started at Rev with was really a joy.”

As Rev Racing marks two decades of influence in the sport, the organization’s future looks bright with promising talent in the pipeline.

“I hope that in the next 20 years the (D4D) program will keep introducing drivers to the sport and give people an opportunity to drive in NASCAR,” Sanchez said.

Be sure to watch Sanchez in the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 this Friday (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on by Press Release

SEEKONK, Mass. — Seekonk Speedway is happy to announce that longtime local business, J&R Precast, located in Berkley, Massachusetts, has been signed as the title sponsor of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event on Saturday, June 1.

The June stop for NASCAR’s oldest touring series will mark their sixth race of the 2024 season, as the series heads for the halfway point of their 16-race schedule. NASCAR’s top Modified competitors will do battle for 150 laps around the Action Track of the East. A full card of local racing – including the Sportsman, Sport Trucks and Late Models – are also on the schedule for June 1. Tickets for the race are available now online at SeekonkSpeedway.com.

Grandstand gates will open prior to that at 4 p.m. The racing card will begin at 5:30 p.m. with NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour qualifying. The qualifying racing for Seekonk divisions will follow at 6 p.m., followed by Seekonk feature racing and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour J&R Precast 150 to conclude the night, estimated for 8 p.m.

J&R Precast is a family-run precast concrete business that began operations in the late 1950s. Located in Berkley, they are proud to be a fourth generation business. Over the years, J&R Precast has grown consistently through a dedication to quality and a relentless commitment to customer service. As a result of this commitment to their customers, they are Southern New England’s premier precaster.

J&R Precast provides quality precast concrete products including Redi-Rock retaining walls, gravity walls, and reinforced walls. They manufacture commercial and residential precast products for use in drainage, septic, stormwater, transportation, and other precast product applications. They even offer the opportunity to work with you on a custom project, if you give them a call.

For more information, visit jrprecast.com or call 508-822-3311.

“I’ve been part of the Seekonk Speedway local racing community for many, many years,” Bob Katon Jr., president and CEO of J&R Precast, said. “I was a car owner with Dick Houlihan and we won a lot of races, and I’ve also owned a car on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour for many years and supported many other teams in racing. Our business is proud to stand with Seekonk on such a major race like the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour J&R Precast 150 on June 1. We’re excited to have some of our employees there and enjoy a night at the Action Track of the East.”

J&R Precast will have many invited guests in the turn one Hospitality Pavilion for the night on June 1.

“Seekonk Speedway is proud to partner with J&R Precast for a major event like this,” Ed St. Germain, Director of Business Development at the track, said. “The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is NASCAR’s oldest touring series for a reason. These high-horsepower machines pound the ground and put on a great show for our dedicated race fans. We’re happy to have Bob and his team at J&R Precast joining us in a partnership to showcase the Whelen Modified Tour to our great fans on June 1.”

Seekonk Speedway’s 2024 season includes events on Friday, Saturday and even some Sunday’s. Fans can purchase tickets online at SeekonkSpeedway.com, where you can also find the full season schedule. Fans are encouraged to visit the track on social media for the latest news and information surrounding the third-mile.