NASCAR All-Star Race adds tire-strategy choices, new-look qualifying for 2024

Posted on April 23, 2024April 24, 2024 by Zack Albert

NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports officials announced Tuesday the format for this year’s NASCAR All-Star Race, introducing a new strategy element with multiple tire choices and adding a new-look qualifying procedure to the May 19 exhibition event at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

The All-Star Race returns to the historic 0.625-mile oval for the second consecutive year, again with a 200-lap main event (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) and a select field of eligible NASCAR Cup Series drivers bidding for a $1 million payday. But teams will have three types of Goodyear tires on hand — a baseline “prime” tire, a softer “option” tire, and wet-weather tires should conditions warrant.

The prime tire was developed through Goodyear testing at the repaved track last month and will have the conventional yellow lettering on the sidewalls. The option tire — which will have distinctive red sidewall lettering — uses the same rubber compound as the wet-weather tires in a slick, providing improved short-term grip but more rapid wear. Teams will be required to qualify on the prime tire and start the main event on the option tire; tire changes beyond those times will be the teams’ choice.

The use of tire alternatives comes as NASCAR competition officials explore ways to enhance the series’ short-track package and in the wake of a March 17 race at Bristol Motor Speedway where increased tire wear produced an intriguing strategy twist. At Bristol, teams and drivers were forced to manage their tires — conserving them to prolong their life, or pushing forward at the risk of blistering or failure.

The non-points event provides an opportunity for competition officials to launch a low-risk trial balloon, says NASCAR Senior Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer John Probst, who added “never say never” about the format’s potential for future races.

“I would say that we’ve often used the All-Star Race in the past to try some things,” Probst said last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. “It’s an opportunity for us without the pressure of points being paid, and certainly … with the cooperation of Goodyear and our teams, in this case, a chance to just try something. When we were at Bristol, we certainly saw a very entertaining race there when tire wear became something they had to manage, and so it’s just an opportunity for us to try it. If it does look good, we will certainly consider it.”

Eligible drivers include Cup Series points-race winners from this season and last year, previous All-Star Race winners competing full time, and past Cup champions who also race full time. The top two finishers from Sunday’s 100-lap All-Star Open preliminary qualifying race (5:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will transfer into the main event, and a final berth will be determined by the results of fan voting, which is now open.

VOTE NOW: NASCAR All-Star Race Fan Vote open through May 19

Friday’s qualifying sessions will set the starting lineups for both the Open and for a pair of 60-lap heats scheduled Saturday that will establish the All-Star Race’s lineup.

The 200-lap main event will have two breaks this year — one at the halfway point and another at Lap 150 with the following rules, allotments, and other details for the tires:

— Teams will have nine sets of tires for the weekend — five sets of primes, four sets of options. Teams will have three sets of primes and two sets of options for the preliminaries (practice, qualifying, heats, Open), and two sets each of primes and options for the main event.

— Teams must use all four tires of the same type at all times — no mismatching, for instance, of left-side primes and right-side options.

— Qualifying for both the All-Star Open and the All-Star Race will be conducted on prime tires.

— Teams may select either tire type for the start of practice, heats and the Open.

— Teams must start the All-Star Race on option tires. Teams must also make a pit stop for four tires at the midpoint break of the qualifying heats, the Open, and the All-Star Race.

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

Friday’s qualifying for eligible All-Star Race competitors will have a different structure this year, with the Pit Crew Challenge incorporated into the format. Drivers will take the green flag to start their qualifying attempt and run one lap at speed. On the second lap, the driver will bring the car to pit road at the pit-lane speed limit for a four-tire stop and mock fuel delivery, then complete the qualifying attempt by returning to the track and racing back to the checkered flag. Total elapsed time will determine the pole starter for both the All-Star Race and the first heat.

The Pit Crew Challenge will be judged from a pair of timing lines near the designated pit boxes — one pit stall before and one pit stall after. The team with the fastest penalty-free stop between the timing lines will be crowned as the Pit Crew Challenge winner, and the results will determine pit-stall selection order for the main event.

“That’s a way we thought would be a good reward beyond the monetary recognition and the bragging rights you get by winning the pit-stop competition,” Probst says, “but then also that group of guys can affect where their team pits during the All-Star Race.”

The format was developed in coordination with Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith, who helped bring the North Wilkesboro track back to life after 26 years of near dormancy. Further vetting of the format was provided by Kevin Harvick, a two-time All-Star Race winner during his driving days who will help call this year’s festivities from the FOX Sports booth.

“As we were bringing this all together, in addition to consulting Goodyear and the teams, we wanted to bounce off some more ideas, and Marcus has always been willing to innovate on the side of if it’s aero packages, or different formats, or reconfiguring of race tracks,” Probst said. “He’s always been a proponent of innovating and trying things in the All-Star Race, and this was an example of working with Goodyear and SM to come up with some solutions. We ran them by Kevin in Texas, just to get his feel on it and made some modifications based on feedback that he gave us, as far as how long we’d have those stages, if you will, for the All-Star break and what tires they should be on. So thanks to them for just providing the input as far as how we were going to do this.”

NASCAR officials provided an option-tire choice during the All-Star Race in 2017, but the experiment made only minimal difference in performance or wear. Probst said that the softer tire used seven years ago produced lap times nearly half a second faster at Charlotte Motor Speedway; at North Wilkesboro, Probst said, such a gain would be more pronounced at a track that’s more than twice as short as Charlotte’s 1.5-mile layout. Probst also indicated that tire falloff was expected to be more dramatic this year.

Even though NASCAR has used softer-compound tires in a previous All-Star events on an intermediate-sized track, Probst said the primary target for a more aggressive tack with tires remains the circuit’s short tracks — using 1.366-mile Darlington Raceway as an unofficial dividing line between those track types.

“The moment we get over into the Darlington, mile-and-a-half-type stuff, that’s a little bit different beast and arguably right now some of the best racing we have going on,” Probst says. “So I think we would tread pretty lightly when we got into say, Darlington and above, but certainly that Darlington and below are tracks right now that are squarely in our focus for development of tires. I’ve learned long ago, never say never, never say always, but if this works, we will experiment with it on the bigger tracks, but it will probably be at a test, not in any kind of points or even exhibition race to start.”

Probst applauded Goodyear’s willingness and flexibility to experiment with different tire choices, but also noted the tiremaker’s diligence in developing the All-Star weekend rubber on an accelerated timetable.

“It’s always difficult to ask your tire partner to build a tire like this, because they build great tires, and we’re asking them to actually build a tire that’s going to wear out and maybe fail ultimately if the teams drive it too hard for too long,” Probst said. “So we’re actually trying to thread the needle of making entertaining racing without the tire becoming the overwhelming story from a failure perspective, because in a way it’s what we’re asking for, but Goodyear as a company is not going to want to be seen with their tires failing even though that’s what we’re asking for. So we’ve been asking them to do things that probably make them a little uncomfortable to do from a corporation, but they have been phenomenal to work with.

“Everything we’ve asked them to do, they’re willing to consider and in this case, we’re taking advantage of a non-points race to get a little aggressive. If this works well, then we’ll continue to take steps in this direction and just keep walking down a path of trying to get the tires to really wear out and have to be managed.”

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Staff Report

Now is your opportunity to support your favorite driver for a chance to compete in the 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race, scheduled for May 19 at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The All-Star Race Fan Vote polls are officially open, and this year, Fan Rewards members will receive 50 points for their first vote.

Fans can vote up to five times per day, per unique email address. The voting period opened at 6 p.m. ET on April 23 and will conclude at 5:30 p.m. ET on May 19. The winner of the fan vote will be revealed after the NASCAR All-Star Open on May 19 and before engines fire for the main event later that night.

RELATED: Vote now! | Buy All-Star Race tickets

Notable past winners of the fan vote include Ken Schrader, who was the first to receive the honor in 2004. Other familiar names on the list of past winners include Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2011), Danica Patrick (2013, ’15) and Clint Bowyer (2020). Noah Gragson was the most recent recipient in 2023.

Kasey Kahne, who secured the fan vote victory in 2008, stands as the sole fan vote winner to have subsequently triumphed in the All-Star Race. This highlights the significant impact of fan support in shaping the event.

Stay tuned to NASCAR.com over the coming weeks for updates on the progress of the fan vote.

Posted on April 23, 2024April 23, 2024 by Staff Report

Erik Jones will not compete in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway, Legacy Motor Club announced Tuesday. Corey Heim, the organization’s reserve driver, will pilot the No. 43 Toyota in the Würth 400, scheduled for 2 p.m. ET (FS1, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Jones was involved in a nose-first wreck into the outside retaining wall in Turn 3 during Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Although he was initially evaluated and released from Talladega’s infield care center, Jones later returned and was transported to UAB University Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama, for further evaluation. Jones returned home to North Carolina on Sunday night and met with specialists in the Charlotte area, where it was determined that Jones suffered a compression fracture in a lower vertebra, Legacy M.C. said in a statement.

Although there has been no timeline set for his return behind the wheel, Jones will be in attendance in Dover to help call the race with his crew.

“Erik’s long-term health is our number one priority,” said Jimmie Johnson, co-owner of Legacy M.C. “It will be great to see him at the track Sunday and we intend to give him the time it takes to recover properly. I know Corey will do a great job behind the wheel for the Club. In the meantime, our thoughts are with Erik and his wife Holly — they have our total support.”

pic.twitter.com/IKsSKcb3ti

— Erik Jones (@Erik_Jones) April 23, 2024

Jones, 27, is currently ranked 20th in the Cup Series standings and has one top-10 finish (Daytona International Speedway) in 10 starts this season. In his career, he has three Cup wins (two at Darlington Raceway and one at Daytona), 37 top fives and 89 top-10 finishes in 265 starts. Jones has driven the No. 43 since 2021, first for Richard Petty Motorsports then for Petty GMS Motorsports and then Legacy M.C.

NASCAR officials confirmed that Jones has been granted a medical waiver for the Cup Series Playoffs. He would be allowed to qualify for the 16-driver postseason field despite being sidelined, should he meet all other requirements for eligibility.

Heim, 21, is a full-time driver for Tricon Garage, piloting the No. 11 Toyota in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Heim currently sits second in the Truck standings and has one win, five top fives and seven top-10 finishes in seven races. Heim has additionally started nine races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series spanning from 2023-24, scoring a career-best fourth-place finish in March at Richmond Raceway.

Sunday’s race at Dover will mark Heim’s Cup Series debut, with the Georgia native set to compete in Saturday’s Xfinity race for Sam Hunt Racing as well. Heim made his Xfinity debut at the Monster Mile in 2023 but was forced to the garage with an engine failure with 30 laps to go. He has just one other start at the 1-mile oval, netting a sixth-place result in ARCA Menards Series East competition in 2020.

Posted on April 22, 2024April 22, 2024 by Zach Sturniolo

TALLADEGA, Ala. — “Just wanted to get to the line. Come on!”

Michael McDowell radioed that frustration — perhaps to his team, perhaps to himself, perhaps to no one in particular — as he sat in the grass of the Talladega Superspeedway tri-oval in a destroyed, banged-up, beaten-down No. 34 Ford that was leading the GEICO 500 entering that tri-oval on the final lap on Sunday afternoon. Everything nearly went so right for the Front Row Motorsports driver. All the way until it went wrong.

MORE: Race results | At-track photos

Last-lap shoves from Ford housemates Brad Keselowski and Noah Gragson pushed McDowell out to a clear lead at the exit of Turn 4. With momentum, Keselowski darted high to make his move and was quickly blocked by McDowell. So Keselowski went low — and so did McDowell. But that final dart sent McDowell spinning sideways in front of the field as it stormed to the checkered flag, triggering the Big One — the often-inevitable multicar accident that rears its head in the midst of the Talladega draft.

McDowell, polesitter for Sunday’s race, was feet away from his third trip to Victory Lane and first of 2024. Instead, Tyler Reddick celebrated the win while McDowell finished 31st, the first car one lap down because his No. 34 Ford — its nose ripped off and hanging toward the vehicle’s passenger side — couldn’t make it across the finish line.

“Heartbroken, man,” McDowell said. “You know, I pull down a little bit sooner and we win the race, you know? But that’s racing.”

The anguish was written all over the face of the 2021 Daytona 500 champion.

“It’s super unfortunate. So disappointed,” McDowell said. “Yeah, you just want to get to the finish line there, and we had an opportunity to win the race. And I haven’t seen the replay and I’m just going off of what I felt and saw. I’ve moved up to block Brad’s run, and when I pulled back down, I just, just wasn’t clear, you know? Barely got my bumper and turned me, you know, but just unfortunate because we had a good chance of getting the Dark Horse Mustang in Victory Lane.”

Brittney Wilbur | NASCAR.com

McDowell, winner at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in 2023, has shown superspeedway superiority in qualifying this season, nabbing Busch Light Pole Awards at both Atlanta Motor Speedway and Talladega in addition to a front-row start for this year’s Daytona 500 — all resulting in a combined 69 laps led between the three events.

But Sunday’s sting nullified much of that final stretch, even after McDowell led 33 of the final 47 laps at Talladega. Across the three drafting races, McDowell has just one top 10 to show for his strength.

WATCH: Keselowski’s view of final-lap crash

“I mean, it’s encouraging that we’ve had the fastest car at all three speedways so far this year,” crew chief Travis Peterson told NASCAR.com “Obviously, fastest car up front trying to manage at the end and he couldn’t put it in a better spot. Just the way the runs play out. It was perfect when the 45 (Reddick) and 6 (Keselowski) were side-by-side, and unfortunately the 6 got clear. He started dragging (brake). We drug back to him.

“I think we had the right block. I think when he (McDowell) turned back right to not go below the line, he got a little loose at the same time the 6 hit us, and it’s just one of those speedway deals, you know? Nobody at fault. If we’re second, we’re making the same move. Just, heartbreaker man. We’ve been so close to a win about four or five times this year I feel like already, and something happens — crash, something. It just kills you. I feel like we’ve had really fast cars and now we’re gonna be about last in points. But if you keep showing up with fast cars, it will take care of itself.”

McDowell’s name is no longer a surprise to see atop the leaderboard, particularly at these mammoth speedways where the quality of a driver’s drafting abilities dictates success. The aftermath of Sunday’s race, however, left him plenty to dissect.

“I’m a student of the game, you know?” McDowell said. “I’m gonna go back and watch and study and learn and figure out what I could have done differently and better and work with my spotter (Michael Fisher) and try to figure it out. But I’m super disappointed. I hated that other people got caught up in my mess. But I’m proud of our effort and proud of our speed and I’m proud of our race team.”

Contributing: Zack Albert

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Zack Albert

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Tyler Reddick arrived from Talladega Superspeedway’s Victory Lane with his voice a gravelly mess. The hoot-and-holler celebrating — both in front of the fans in the towering grandstand in Sunday’s late-afternoon sun and with his team in the winner’s circle — had made him hoarse, and he volunteered an apology for the audio quality in his opening post-race remarks.

That’s not the reason he clammed up when pressed to reveal the tipping point that set the Toyota alliance’s final-stage strategy into effect.

“No comment,” Reddick said. “Sorry. I’m not going to talk about it.”

He didn’t, and with good reason. Why shed light on a gambit that could come in handy in the three superspeedway-style races that remain on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule this year, including two in the playoffs. It’s not as if basketball legend Michael Jordan, his 23XI Racing team co-owner and a willing on-site celebrant at Talladega, was prone to offering up vivid descriptions of what was said in the team huddle before a game-winning shot during his heyday.

Reddick powered his No. 45 Jordan-themed ride to a victory in Sunday’s GEICO 500 that broke Toyota’s 0-for-14 streak on tracks where the aerodynamic draft is king. He deftly navigated past the tussle between Ford teammates Michael McDowell and Brad Keselowski in the final stretch, a clash that left the Mustang Dark Horse 0-for-10 to start the season.

The die was cast, however, for a positive Toyota outcome before the field ever got to the white-flag lap, going all the way back to the team meetings that automakers regularly have before Talladega, where the brand alliances and teamwork run deep. After a relatively calm first two stages, Toyota got a jump on the other makes for the closing stretch when the seven remaining Camry XSEs — Christopher Bell’s No. 20 had exited in an earlier mishap — made their final pit stop for fuel in formation with 36 laps to go.

From there, the Toyota group abandoned the gas-saving tactic that was in vogue for much of the day for the main pack, planning an all-out run to the end and a cycle back to the front. The FOX Sports booth quickly picked up on the disparity in pace, noting “that pack’s in trouble” and in need of a Plan B.

No sooner had those words cleared analyst Kevin Harvick’s lips came what seemed to be Toyota’s undoing. The entangling of the cars of Bubba Wallace and Erik Jones caused a major crash just three laps later that also eliminated Toyota driver Denny Hamlin and severely damaged the Camry of John Hunter Nemechek. The boost in Toyota’s numbers this season — from six to eight with Legacy Motor Club joining the fold — had been cut by more than half.

“It looked promising there, so it would have been really interesting for it to play out and see,” said Billy Scott, Reddick’s crew chief. “We thought we were in a good spot anyway with leading our pack. We got formed up really nice. We had all of our cars together. Things were really shaping up to have that play out the way we intended. Great execution on all the Toyota drivers. So we were thinking it was going to be the same result, that we were going to cycle to the lead, but the unfortunate wreck that took so many of them out just kind of sealed it.”

Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR.com

The Toyota camp got its cycle back to the front, but with only Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs left to collaborate with 23XI’s Reddick the rest of the way. “We played the strategy in the third stage the way we wanted it to when it fell apart. We just worked it from there,” said Tyler Gibbs, Toyota Racing Development’s general manager. “We stayed out. We knew that we’d have the lead when we stayed out on the pit stops, and track position just put us in a spot to win. Again, it gets to be chaos there at the end.”

The mayhem snarled what was a stout challenge to Toyota’s ploy from Ford. McDowell’s No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Mustang had lived up to its name as a front-row starter in all three drafting-track races this year, and it had a leading view of the low lane with Keselowski and Stewart-Haas Racing Ford driver Noah Gragson behind him on the final lap, with a Reddick-Truex tandem hooked together up top.

McDowell’s attempts to block Keselowski’s advances went awry, and their crossing of paths cost both them and Ford a chance at the win when Reddick scooted through the melee.

“As the leader Ford, I wish the Ford pushed me to the win so that way Ford could’ve gotten a win, but I don’t think anybody in second doesn’t make that move, right?” No. 34 crew chief Travis Peterson told NASCAR.com. “Everybody wants to win, and it’s been a while for Brad and he needs that win, too, just like we do. So, it sucks, but we were strong. Just didn’t play out our way.”

MORE: At-track photos: Talladega | Cup Series standings

The yield from the varying strategies was a postseason-clinching victory for Reddick, who seemed surprised to now have a superspeedway win to match his three on road courses and his two on intermediate-sized tracks. Talladega might seem an unlikely point of emphasis with just two dates on the calendar and its fickle nature, but the magnitude loomed large after a hard-fought 500 miles.

“I mean, they all count, right? And so any one of these can get you into the playoffs, and any one of these can get you the bonus points that help you move on, and all of those things. So it’s important like every other race,” Gibbs said. “I think we’re finding that these are pretty exciting races as we watch the manufacturers set different strategies. Ford had an excellent strategy at Daytona and we watched that play out. It didn’t work out for them in the end. Here, we had the right strategy, and again, barring what happened in Turn 3, we put ourselves in a position in which we probably are leading both of those lines late here, and so it just it’s kind of interesting to watch. Again, it’s less team by team and it’s more what are the strategies we can work on to foil the others, and I think that makes it exciting.”

Reddick reaped the rewards. That, he could talk about.

“As a Toyota driver and the other Toyota drivers, we’re committed to each other,” Reddick said. “Whatever the strategy may look like, whatever the plan is, we’re all on board with one another. It ended up working out for some of us, but that’s just what we’re about. We’re about being on the same page and working together.”

Posted on April 21, 2024April 21, 2024 by Cameron Richardson

In another thriller of a finish at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, Tyler Reddick became the seventh different winner of the 2024 Cup Series season to provisionally lock into the playoffs. Brad Keselowski scored a second consecutive runner-up finish while Noah Gragson earned a career-best result of third.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

In front of co-owner Michael Jordan, 23XI Racing was able to nab the checkered flag while a handful of surprises appeared inside the top 10.

Here are six drivers — trending in different directions — who saw big swings Sunday at Talladega.

THREE UP ⬆️

1. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford

Sean Gardner | Getty Images

Started: 22nd

Finished: 2nd

What happened: Leading on two different occasions and finishing eighth in Stage 1, Keselowski hung up front in the final 30 laps, pushing McDowell until the two made contact, sending the No. 34 spinning in the tri-oval on the final lap. The No. 6 Ford stayed straight to the checkered flag but was passed by Reddick for the victory. It’s the second straight runner-up finish for Keselowski as he inches closer to his first win since 2021.

What’s next: Dover awaits next Sunday and could be another chance for a big points day. Last season, Keselowski finished eighth at the Monster Mile and led eight laps.

2. Noah Gragson, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

Brittney Wilbur | NASCAR.com

Started: 36th

Finished: 3rd

What happened: Noah Gragson put up his career-best result in the Cup Series with a third-place finish Sunday. The No. 10 was up front for a good chunk of the race, putting his hot rod in the lead on five different occasions.

What’s next: While once an eight-time victor during the 2022 Xfinity Series season, Gragson has had a quietly decent start to 2024, which includes top-20 results in the last four races. The second-year veteran is slowly but surely working his way back up the standings after the points penalty from Atlanta. SHR has been strong on tracks a mile or smaller, so expect another good run for Gragson next Sunday at Dover.

3. Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Meg Oliphant | Getty Images

Started: 19th

Finished: 9th

What happened: A much-needed result for Hemric and Kaulig Racing as a whole as Hemric walked away from Talladega with his first top 10 of the season. The No. 31 Chevrolet also showed race-contending speed all day long as he led three different times for eight laps before a multi-car pileup at the finish saw Hemric escape through and score the ninth-place tally.

What’s next: This has been a down year for Kaulig as the No. 16 Chevy has moved to a rotation of drivers while Hemric is stuck 29th in the Cup standings through 10 races on the year. Strong finishes are important for building momentum for later races, so while Hemric’s best shot at the playoffs will come in August at Daytona, there’s hope for high-quality results as the summer portion of the season rapidly approaches.

THREE DOWN ⬇️

1. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

James Gilbert | Getty Images

Started: 10th

Finished: 38th

What happened: Bell started toward the front of Sunday’s race and collected four points after Stage 1, but early in the final stage, a stack-up among the field ended with Justin Haley’s No. 51 Ford careening into the No. 20 Toyota. The wreck ended Bell’s day in last place among the 38-car field.

What’s next: Bell owns a win at Phoenix to provisionally lock himself into the playoffs, but consistency hasn’t been there for the No. 20 team since that victory. The team scored top 10s at Bristol, COTA and Richmond, but Bell has two finishes outside the top 30 in the last three races. Toyota was strong at Dover last year and Bell has consecutive top 10s at the Monster Mile in the Next Gen era. Next weekend would be a great time for the No. 20 crew to get back on track.

2. Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford

Sean Gardner | Getty Images

Started: 8th

Finished: 25th

What happened: Buescher led on four different occasions Sunday at Talladega, but it never felt like he was in true contention for the victory, unlike his RFK co-owner. The No. 17 lost connection with Keselowski in the final portion of the race and wasn’t able to make up ground when the checkered flag flew.

What’s next: With Chase Elliott and Daniel Suárez as new faces in the playoffs compared to 2023, Buescher is going to need another strong summer like last year to solidify his position. Currently 16th in driver points, Buescher is the first driver outside the provisional playoff field with Suárez 18th in points but in the postseason field with his Atlanta win. Both RFK cars finished in the top 10 at the Monster Mile last year, so next Sunday should be a strong day for Buescher.

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

Sean Gardner | Getty Images

Started: 15th

Finished: 22nd

What happened: Gibbs was in line for a great outing at Talladega until jumping up to the third lane going for the win in the closing laps and falling to the back. The effort to take the lead was for naught as the high line deteriorated before the bell lap. Gibbs was then involved in the multi-car pileup as the field crossed the start-finish line to take the checkered flag.

What’s next: After such a hot start to the season with five top 10s in the first six races, Gibbs hasn’t found that same success since his last of that stretch at COTA. His best finish over the last four weeks was a 13th-place showing at Texas. While eighth in Cup points, this is a pivotal moment in Gibbs’ sophomore campaign. The 20-year-old will have to mentally lock in over the next few weeks at tough tracks like Dover, Darlington and Charlotte to stay within the playoff picture.

Posted on April 21, 2024April 21, 2024 by Zach Sturniolo

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Michael Jordan’s presence at a NASCAR Cup Series is always significant. In Victory Lane? Overpowering.

Jordan was finally able to celebrate a victory with the 23XI Racing team he co-owns after Tyler Reddick held on to win Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, donning the white and black Jordan Brand colors across his No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE.

MORE: Official results | At-track photos

A six-time NBA champion, Jordan co-owns the team with Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin, who exited Sunday’s event at Lap 156 in a crash that included Bubba Wallace, 23XI’s other driver and a two-time winner. But the legendary hooper was never in attendance for any of the team’s five prior victories. The sixth time was the charm.

“Denny keeps saying I was bad luck when I come to the track, and today we proved him wrong,” Jordan joked with FOX Sports. “Actually, he did a good job by wrecking so we can get up front. That was actually pretty good. But I think Tyler did a good job. Unfortunately, Bubba couldn’t finish. But the whole team did a good job. And look, I’m very happy to be here to see it. Everybody tells me when we win, we can have a good celebration. But this is the first time I’ve been here. And to my wife and my kids and everybody: Yeah, we did it!”

Immediately after the checkered flag, Jordan was standing on pit road in the No. 45 team’s pit stall, holding Reddick’s 4-year-old son, Beau, with a smile as wide as the day is long while Jordan praised the Reddick that sat behind the wheel.

“He did a great job,” Jordan told Beau of Reddick’s drive. “We going to celebrate?”

“Yeah!” Beau responded, with Jordan erupting in laughter.

"You going to celebrate?"

"Yeah!"

😊😊😊 pic.twitter.com/1UCsrWOeGI

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 21, 2024

Jordan’s joy overflowed, relishing in the opportunity to truly celebrate the triumph in person. And with basketball’s postseason fired into full spring, those emotions of Jordan’s past came to the forefront Sunday.

“This, to me, is like an NBA playoff game,” Jordan said. “I am so ecstatic, obviously for the fans who support the sport itself. And we’ve been working hard, trying to get ourselves up to compete against all the top guys in this sport. But we’ve done a heck of a job just to be where we are. And for us to win a big race like this, I mean, it means so much to me and for the effort that the team has done.”

Reddick laughed upon learning Beau got to celebrate with MJ on pit road, especially since Jordan is no stranger to the toddler.

“He knows who Michael Jordan is,” Reddick said. “Any time I have a pair of Jordans on or he does, I always ask the question: Whose shoes are these? He says Michael Jordan’s shoes. So yeah, I think in the moment, it means a lot, right? But as he gets older and everything, too, looking back on that, that’s gonna be really, really cool.”

MORE: Tyler Reddick’s post-race reaction

Crew chief Billy Scott was in the pit box as Jordan celebrated with Beau, team president Steve Lauletta and Reddick’s fiancée, Alexa DeLeon. He was beaming with nearly as much pride as MJ, soaking in the moment.

“Honored that we got the first win with him being here today,” Scott said. “And glad he was able to be here for one and doesn’t think it’s a curse to come or something because there’s certainly been some ones that could’ve gone the other way. And just to see his excitement, it’s interesting. He is a study of the sport. I was talking to him before the race and he watches every Truck race, every Xfinity race, every Cup race, just trying to learn and understand what we’re going through and figure out how he can help from the owner side. It’s impressive. And just to see the excitement on his face, that’s what I enjoyed.”

Posted on April 21, 2024April 22, 2024 by Staff Report

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Erik Jones was evaluated and released from a local hospital late Sunday night after a crash during the NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Jones was in a group of fellow Toyota drivers when a tangle in the 2.66-mile track’s third turn sent his No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Camry nose-first into the outside retaining wall, ending his race at Lap 156 of 188 in Sunday’s GEICO 500. He finished 35th in the 38-car field.

Jones was initially evaluated and released from Talladega’s infield care center. NASCAR officials said he later returned and was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.

Shortly before midnight CT, Legacy Motor Club confirmed Jones was released from a Birmingham hospital at approximately 11:30 p.m. CT and was heading home to North Carolina. The team confirmed Jones was evaluated but no other details were made available Sunday night.

“I’m sore, it just really stretched it out a lot,” Jones said when asked about his back after his release from the infield medical center post-crash. “So it’ll be a long week just trying to get recovered and get to feeling better for next week, but all right.”

MORE: Wallace, Hamlin also collected in crash

Jones is in his fourth year driving the No. 43, which has been run under the banner of Richard Petty Motorsports, Petty GMS and now Legacy M.C. since he took the ride in 2021. The 27-year-old driver is a three-time Cup Series winner, with victories at Daytona (2018) and Darlington (2019, 2022).

NASCAR officials indicated after post-race inspection that the No. 43 Toyota would be transported back to the NASCAR Research & Development Center for further evaluation.

Posted on April 21, 2024April 21, 2024 by Holly Cain

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Tyler Reddick prevailed in a typically frantic Talladega Superspeedway run to the checkered flag Sunday in the GEICO 500 NASCAR Cup Series race, narrowly avoiding a multi-car crash in the closing 400 yards and coming from third place out of Turn 4 to earn the win by 0.208 seconds when race leader Michael McDowell crashed trying to block competitors approaching the finish line. Reddick maneuvered around in the high lane to motor through to his first victory of the year and sixth of his career.

The 28-year-old Californian climbed the grandstand fence, pumping his fist to the screaming, adoring crowd while one of his 23XI Racing team owners, NBA legend Michael Jordan celebrated on pit lane, taking Reddick’s young son Beau in his arms and grinning from ear-to-ear. This was the first time Jordan had been at track when his team won a race.

“Man, it’s incredible,’’ said Reddick, who led 13 laps on the afternoon. “Everyone on this 45 Toyota Camry worked really hard today. Didn’t really work out in that third stage for us, but we were able to fight and defend our track position.

“Was that crazy guys?’’ he yelled toward the cheering grandstands. “A lot of chaos. That’s Talladega for you.’’

“I just have to give a lot of credit to Ty Gibbs and Martin Truex [Jr.], it was just us Toyotas left and they pushed me with everything they had. Without Martin and Ty and those pushes we don’t win this race.’’

RELATED: Official results | At-track photos

The final few laps pitted a low line of Fords — the manufacturer trying to earn its first win of 2024 — and a high line led by the Toyotas. McDowell, the 2021 Daytona 500 winner, anticipated a huge run from the cars behind, but conceded later that he was just a little late making the block.

The contact when he pulled down to Roush Fenway Keselowski driver Brad Keselowski sent McDowell’s car off track. Keselowski was still able to recover and finish second — his second straight runner-up finish this season. Afterward, McDowell apologized to Keselowski for essentially costing the former series champion a win with the move.

“We did a good job keeping those Mustang Dark Horses up front,’’ said McDowell, who led a race-best 36 laps. “He [Keselowski] did everything right. He pushed me. I was able to get in front of him the first time, but when I came back down I barely wasn’t clear. I’ll have to watch the replay. I hate it. I hate it we didn’t make it to the finish line. We had such a fast Mustang today. … just came up short and took a lot of guys out and I apologize.’’

The race ending was in stark contrast to the early portion of the event. For the first time since NASCAR instituted stage racing in 2017, there were no caution periods through the opening two stages (other than the scheduled stage breaks).

McDowell won the pole position and as promised all weekend, was set to race strategically not forcing his No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford to the front all day but instead when it needed to be there. There was a lot of hope that Ford would secure its first win of the year Sunday and two of the Mustangs — driven by Austin Cindric (Stage 1) and Joey Logano (Stage 2) — swept the stage victories early in the race.

But as is so often the case, a late-race restart — with 27 laps remaining — set the tone for the finish with McDowell leading the bottom line and Fords stacked up behind him. Reddick led the high line with Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota driver Martin Truex Jr. behind him. McDowell and Reddick exchanged the lead 10 times in that final 27-lap stretch to the trophy — indicative of a day when there were 23 race leaders and 73 lead changes, including New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen’s first NASCAR Cup Series laps out front on an oval (three laps).

SHOP: Buy Tyler Reddick gear

It was an exhaustive and exhilarating afternoon depending on what side of the finishing order you came out on. All the drivers — including several collected in the multicar race-ending crash — confirmed they were OK.

“Well, [team co-owner] Denny [Hamlin] keeps saying I’m bad luck,’’ Jordan said, ”And today we proved him wrong.

“The whole team did a good job,’’ he continued. “I’m very happy to be here to see it. Everybody always tells me when we win we have a good celebration, but this is the first time I’ve been here [for a win].

“As you know this is NBA playoffs right now and to me, this is like an NBA playoff game. I am so ecstatic for the fans who support the sport itself. You know we’ve been working hard trying to get ourselves to compete against all the top guys in this sport. And we’ve done a heckuva job just to be where we are and for us to win and win a big race like this, it means so much to me and the effort the team has put in.

“I’m all-in. It replaces a lot of competitiveness I had in basketball, but this is even worse because I have no control. If I was playing basketball, I’d have total control, but I have no control and live vicariously through the drivers and crew chiefs. I’m very happy for 23 XI — 110 percent.’’

Hamlin, who finished 37th after being collected in a crash, smiled upon hearing Jordan’s elation and Beau Reddick’s celebration with the legend.

“Beau has no idea (yet) of the significance of that moment,” Hamlin said.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Noah Gragson finished a career-best third, followed by JTG Daugherty’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman.

Anthony Alfredo, who led four laps, finished a career-best sixth place for Beard Motorsports. Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron was seventh, followed by Front Row Motorsports’ Todd Gilliland, Spire Motorsports’ Justin Haley and the Wood Brothers’ Harrison Burton.

Despite a 20th-place finish Sunday, Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson leads the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings by 16 points over Truex, who was 11th Sunday.

The NASCAR Cup Series moves to Dover Motor Speedway for next Sunday’s Würth 400 (2 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Truex is the defending race winner.

NOTE: Post-race inspection was completed in the Cup Series garage without issue, confirming Tyler Reddick as the winner. The Nos. 17 and 48 will be taken back to the R&D Center for wind tunnel testing. The No. 43 will return to the R&D Center for further evaluation.

Posted on April 21, 2024April 21, 2024 by Staff Report

TALLADEGA, Ala. — A multicar crash at Talladega Superspeedway eliminated half of Toyota’s fleet from Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race.

While drafting in a seven-car pack made exclusively of Camrys, Erik Jones was sent spinning nose-first into the SAFER barrier in Turn 3 at Lap 156 after slight contact from behind by Bubba Wallace. The crash also collected Jones’ Legacy Motor Club teammate John Hunter Nemechek as well as Denny Hamlin, a Joe Gibbs Racing driver and co-owner of Wallace’s 23XI Racing Toyota.

RELATED: Race results | Talladega photos

The seven Toyotas had just pitted at Lap 151, earlier than the other manufacturers’ cars in an effort to leap-frog the Fords and Chevrolets. But errant pushes thwarted that particular plan, sending four of their vehicles to the garage instead.

“We were all pushing really hard to keep our line going,” Wallace told FOX Sports. “We had a plan and just didn’t execute it as well as we should. Hate it for our Leidos team. Look forward to running these places and then you just get trapped in somebody else’s mess, but I hate it. It doesn’t make us look good at all. But all in all, we’ll just reset and go to Dover. We’ve got a long way to go. We’re fine. Just frustrating.”

Hamlin believed the Toyotas had plenty of speed and strong enough fuel mileage to last in the final 37-lap run to the checkered flag. That proved true with Tyler Reddick’s charge to a wild victory, but ultimately without five other Toyotas. Christopher Bell, another JGR competitor, crashed out at Lap 133.

“I thought we were plenty fast enough …” Hamlin said. “As soon as everyone pitted it, we were gonna cycle to the front, is what the goal was.”

All drivers were evaluated and released from the infield care center. However, Jones later returned to the care center and was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.