Josh Berry, Rodney Childers ready to tackle 2024 Cup campaign: ‘Our team will surprise a lot of people’

Posted on February 13, 2024February 18, 2024 by Zach Sturniolo

The wait for 2024 is over for Josh Berry, Rodney Childers and the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing team.

It’s racing season again, but this year, there’s plenty of change for everyone involved in the success of the No. 4 Ford. Berry is driving full-time for a team that isn’t JR Motorsports for the first time since 2010. Childers is managing a NASCAR Cup Series team without Kevin Harvick at the wheel for the first time in a decade. Spotter Eddie D’Hondt is on the roof guiding a Cup driver who isn’t Chase Elliott for the first time since 2015.

Together, the new-look No. 4 team is ready to charge into the 2024 Cup season at full speed, starting with the 66th annual Daytona 500 on Monday (4 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

MORE: Daytona Speedweeks schedule | ICYMI: Harvick retires, joins FOX broadcast booth for 2024

Berry has been busy since the NASCAR Xfinity Series season concluded in November, ending a two-year stint as the driver of JR Motorsports’ No 8 Chevrolet, the same team he drove Late Model Stocks for in 2010. Those roots were on full display during the fall when he connected with Childers and Kevin Harvick, Inc., to get on track in the No. 62 Ford in an effort to build relationships.

“You know, it was a busy couple of weeks there for sure to go do all that,” Berry said. “But it was a lot of fun. And I think really what it did for us was just kind of expose ourselves to each other early on, and just kind of get a feel for each one of us and how we work and operate.”

Childers, on the brink of entering his 20th NASCAR Cup Series season atop the pit box as crew chief, has been chasing racing for much longer than those two decades. Hitting those short tracks all over again with Berry — Florence Motor Speedway in South Carolina and Hickory Motor Speedway and Southern National Motorsports Park in North Carolina — was just the right way to head into the NASCAR offseason.

“I think anything like that’s good. It was really more for fun than it was anything,” Childers said. “We both love Late Model Stock racing, and you know we were able to go and compete and sit on the front row every week and have a shot at winning every week. And I think just being around each other and communicating, knowing each other’s desires and how much we want to win, is a good thing.

“So it’s been easy peasy so far. You know, there’s gonna be ups and downs, of course, but our goals on the 4 team are no different than they’ve been the last 10 years. We still work as hard as we can every week and try to go win practice, win the pole, and win the race, so I don’t think that’ll ever change.”

Those goals may sound ambitious for Berry, a Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender at the top level of stock-car racing in the United States. But Berry has already impressed mightily, both in the Xfinity Series, where he became a force to be reckoned with in the last three years, and in limited Cup Series appearances across two seasons. Last year, Berry made 10 Cup starts — five with Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 9 team subbing for an injured Chase Elliott, three with HMS’ No. 48 team filling in for an injured Alex Bowman and two with the No. 42 Legacy Motor Club team for a then-suspended Noah Gragson, who joins Berry at SHR as a teammate in 2024.

Meg Oliphant | Getty Images

His best finish across those 10 substitute drives was a career-high second place at Richmond Raceway in the No. 9 Chevrolet, to go along with 10th-place runs with the same team at Phoenix Raceway and the No. 48 group at Dover Motor Speedway. Berry also won the NASCAR All-Star Open at North Wilkesboro Speedway to propel him into his first NASCAR All-Star Race.

It’s no wonder Childers believes “he can run good right off the bat.”

“I think he’s gonna surprise a lot of people,” Childers said. “I think our team will surprise a lot of people. You know, it’s all about just hitting the details, doing the details, working as hard as we can — out-working the competitors and being prepared more than everybody else. The same things that we’ve seen things that we’ve focused on for 10 years.”

Getting experience in 2023 meant seat time in the Next Gen car, a vehicle with sharp contrasts to what Berry had been used to in the Xfinity Series or even his two Cup starts in 2021 when the Gen 6 was still in use. Berry’s hesitant to say he’s confident entering 2024 with that seat time in his pocket, but he knows it doesn’t hurt, either.

“I know that this is going to be hard,” Berry said. “That’s what I learned, especially even more so last year, was how difficult Cup racing is and how good these guys are and how competitive it is. So I definitely got that experience under my belt. .. I think just having that experience and having a couple of good results out of that opportunity definitely eased my mind a little bit going into this transition.”

That transition, by the way, was hardly smooth. The 33-year-old had to navigate giving his full attention to the full-time Xfinity Series job he worked a decade to earn but also had to dovetail subbing at Hendrick Motorsports into his first half of the year. Not to mention his fast track to the Cup Series as a full-time driver was being negotiated with Stewart-Haas Racing, one of the most successful teams in the sport since 2014.

“It was definitely unique, right? I don’t know how really else to explain it,” Berry said. “I think that with everything that happened the first few months of the season, with Chase’s injury and then Alex’s injury, we were just taking it one day at a time. Overall, I felt like I handled it well. I don’t really know, thinking back on it, what I would do different necessarily.”

Patrick Vallely | For NASCAR.com

Ultimately, Berry, Childers and the whole of SHR are eager to look forward to what’s ahead rather than dwelling on their pasts — recent or long-standing. Stewart-Haas Racing has won three Cup races since the introduction of the Next Gen car in the 2022 season — two with the now-retired Harvick and one with Chase Briscoe, driver of the team’s No. 14 Ford. New this year alongside Berry is the sophomore Gragson, a former teammate of Berry’s at JR Motorsports, while Ryan Preece is back in the No. 41 Ford for a second season, his fifth full-time.

MORE: Tony Stewart on if SHR can have turnaround 2024: ‘God, I hope so’

Childers watched Berry’s 2023 Cup starts with a keen eye, hoping the Tennessean Late-Model-Stock-star-turned-NASCAR-up-and-comer would indeed be the next driver of the No. 4 Ford that Harvick helped Childers bring to NASCAR prominence. He was impressed then and is happy with the work ethic Berry has shown as the 2024 season nears.

“From working out and spending hours and hours and hours at the shop and asking questions and learning every little bit and piece, he’s been on top of it and worked really hard and been in a lot of meetings with us,” Childers said. “And last year, I was really surprised when he ran those few races that he was even able to come down pit road and stop the Next Gen car in the pit box and do all those things because all of it’s completely different than having to do it in an Xfinity car. So I told him out of what I saw last year, that’s what impressed me the most was just being able to pit the car because it took Kevin six months to figure it out after we went to the Next Gen car.”

Berry finds himself invigorated by the atmosphere that permeates the Kannapolis, North Carolina facility, one steeped in a passion for racing that stems from co-owner Tony Stewart down the chain through drivers and crewmen alike. At the shop to have his seat insert molded, Berry realized the man working on it was former ARCA Menards Series driver Chad Blount. David Hyder, winner of over 100 Late Model Stock races during his driver career, leads SHR’s test team.

“David Hyder’s a legendary Late Model Stock guy, right?” Berry said, his face beaming as he mentioned the name. “So me and him are sitting there talking about winning Martinsville. And that just makes it really cool. From the top to the bottom, that’s what it is. It’s a bunch of racers. It’s a laid-back atmosphere. And I think that it’s been a pleasure to really be around and experience that. And I think that just makes it a great fit for me.

“Obviously, to step into the opportunity with the 4 car and with Rodney — you know, look: I’m 33 years old. I have my ways of doing things as a race car driver. If I had a pick of any crew chief in the Cup garage, I’m picking Rodney. Every time. Right? Just because he’s a Late Model Stock guy like me, a short-track racer just down-to-earth type (of) person that I know that I can communicate with. And obviously, his success speaks for itself. So I think for me, it’s just been a no-brainer, really. I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity and to work into this going into the season.”

SHOP: Gear up for the Daytona 500

Posted on February 13, 2024February 13, 2024 by Brandon White

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Of the women who have racked up accomplishments in United States short-track racing over the past decade, Kody Brusso is a name often overlooked.

The Pensacola, Florida native has quietly put together an impressive career across several disciplines. Along with claiming Outlaw titles at South Alabama Speedway and Five Flags Speedway, Brusso’s accolades include a NASCAR Louisiana State Championship in 2014 driving a Pro Late Model at Revolution Raceway Park.

Brusso’s racing journey takes her to New Smyrna Speedway this week for her second attempt at the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. The schedule for Brusso in 2024 now includes a handful of Pro Late Model starts after exclusively competing in the Sportsman class the year before.

The experience Brusso has in both types of cars is one reason why she exuded confidence when her team unloaded at New Smyrna on Thursday.

“We run Outlaw cars at home in Pensacola,” Brusso said. “I race an open wheel modified, which is the same kind of car these Florida Modifieds [at New Smyrna] are. I’ll pretty much race anything that has four tires on it.

“I get in it, and I take off.”

Brusso’s decision to start running the World Series of Asphalt came down to two simple factors: the atmosphere and the notoriety.

Already a marquee event for short-track competitors from Florida since 1968, the World Series of Asphalt has only seen more prestige in recent years as drivers from the northeast, midwest and even Canada now regularly descend upon the Sunshine State every February for a shot to grab a victory.

It was through car owners and local natives Chuck and Willie Burkhalter that Brusso got her first chance to compete in the World Series of Asphalt last year. Her familiarity with the Sportsman class gave Brusso some optimism, but she was still trepidatious on how to navigate one of those cars around the half-mile oval.

Kody Brusso entered the 2024 World Series of Asphalt having only made two starts at New Smyrna Speedway. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)

New Smyrna’s old pavement produced plenty of surprises for Brusso when she turned her first laps in her black No. 7 Sportsman. Despite this, she quickly adapted to the maneuverability of the racing surface and feels emboldened ahead of her planned Pro Late Model debut.

“The track rips,” Brusso said. “It’s definitely going to be fun in a [Pro Late Model]. This is their Snowball Derby, and I’m from Pensacola, so I know what the Derby is all about. I’m liking it so far.”

Obtaining experience is a primary goal for Brusso in her sophomore World Series of Asphalt campaign. A short schedule of events for the Sportsman class only provided Brusso two opportunities to showcase her talent in front of New Smyrna’s fanbase and the broader streaming audience.

Brusso capitalized on those two nights. Both Sportsman features concluded with Brusso earning a runner-up finish to Derek Griffith and Adam Briggs, respectively.

Even though she did not obtain a victory in 2023, showcasing consistency more than validated the trip to the World Series of Asphalt for Brusso while also serving as motivation for her to return this year with more speed and knowledge at her disposal.

“The big tracks are my thing,” Brusso said. “The little bullrings have been more of an adjustment for me since I was raised on a half-mile and a 3/8 [mile]. This is right in my wheelhouse, and it takes a driver to do [the World Series of Asphalt], not a million dollars. That’s what we like about it.”

Replicating the success from Sportsman competition into Pro Late Models is a challenge Brusso is ready to embrace. Not only does the entry list for the World Series of Asphalt Pro Late Model division more than double the Sportsman class, but it also features plenty of aspiring young talent such as fellow female drivers Katie Hettinger, Isabella Robusto and Toni Breidinger.

Now that Sportsman division has wrapped up its two-day World Series of Asphalt schedule, Brusso is determined to deliver a strong performance in the No. 31 Pro Late Model prepared by Chuck Burkhalter and Darrell Hensley. Stiff competition stands in Brusso’s path, but she expects to at least compete for a top 10 when she is on track.

A victory in a World Series of Asphalt Pro Late Model event may be a daunting task for Brusso, but she is still going to depart New Smyrna with plenty to cherish and celebrate.

Kody Brusso earned her first World Series of Asphalt victory at New Smyrna on Saturday evening after overcoming a slow start. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)

During the final night of Sportsman competition on Saturday, Brusso overcame early contact to methodically carve her way through the 13-car field. She reached race leader Travis Devendorf by the hallway point and easily overtook him on a late-race restart to add a World Series of Asphalt triumph to her stellar resume.

Rubbing fenders with the established veterans to chart her own course is what has defined Brusso since the start of her career. No matter the circumstances, Brusso has persevered with the resources she has to cultivate an identity as champion driver within the racing culture of the Deep South.

With a World Series of Asphalt win under her belt, the next objective for Brusso is to keep making history by one day earning a title in the crown jewel short track event.

“I’ve won championships twice in two different cars, so I like to knock those barriers down,” Brusso said. “I’m not your typical female racer. I’ll get out here to work on this thing and not BS you around. I don’t come here to take pictures. I’m come here to win races. That’s it.”

The past two iterations of the World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna have provided race fans a glimpse into what drives Brusso. Versatile, determined and a hard-worker, Brusso continues to leave an impact as a trailblazer that will one day inspire the next generation of female drivers.

Posted on February 12, 2024February 18, 2024 by Staff Report

The official 2024 Daytona 500 entry list was released Monday, with a total of 42 entries listed for the season-opening race on Monday, Feb. 19 (4 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Qualifying for the prestigious Daytona 500 is unlike any other event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, and two of the entries on the official list won’t qualify for the “Great American Race.”

Thirty-six Charter teams have their spots locked in, leaving six Open, non-Chartered entries competing for the final four spots. Two drivers will lock in on speed via Wednesday’s single-car qualifying, and two more will race their way in during Thursday’s Blue Green Vacations Duel races.

The six entries competing for those four spots: Kaz Grala (No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford), JJ Yeley (No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet), David Ragan (No. 60 RFK Racing Ford), Anthony Alfredo (No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet), BJ McLeod (No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet) and Jimmie Johnson (No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota).

See the full entry list below, and bookmark the Race Center pages for series-specific leaderboard coverage throughout the weekend.

RACE CENTER: Cup | Xfinity | Trucks

Entry	Car No.	Driver	Team
1	1	Ross Chastain	Trackhouse Racing
2	2	Austin Cindric	Team Penske
3	3	Austin Dillon	Richard Childress Racing
4	4	Josh Berry	Stewart-Haas Racing
5	5	Kyle Larson	Hendrick Motorsports
6	6	Brad Keselowski	RFK Racing
7	7	Corey LaJoie	Spire Motorsports
8	8	Kyle Busch	Richard Childress Racing
9	9	Chase Elliott	Hendrick Motorsports
10	10	Noah Gragson	Stewart-Haas Racing
11	11	Denny Hamlin	Joe Gibbs Racing
12	12	Ryan Blaney	Team Penske
13	14	Chase Briscoe	Stewart-Haas Racing
14	15	Riley Herbst	Rick Ware Racing
15	16	AJ Allmendinger	Kaulig Racing
16	17	Chris Buescher	RFK Racing
17	19	Martin Truex Jr.	Joe Gibbs Racing
18	20	Christopher Bell	Joe Gibbs Racing
19	21	Harrison Burton	Wood Brothers Racing
20	22	Joey Logano	Team Penske
21	23	Bubba Wallace	23XI Racing
22	24	William Byron	Hendrick Motorsports
23	31	Daniel Hemric	Kaulig Racing
24	34	Michael McDowell	Front Row Motorsports
25	36	Kaz Grala	Front Row Motorsports
26	38	Todd Gilliland	Front Row Motorsports
27	41	Ryan Preece	Stewart-Haas Racing
28	42	John H. Nemechek	Legacy Motor Club
29	43	Erik Jones	Legacy Motor Club
30	44	JJ Yeley	NY Racing Team
31	45	Tyler Reddick	23XI Racing
32	47	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	JTG Daugherty Racing
33	48	Alex Bowman	Hendrick Motorsports
34	51	Justin Haley	Rick Ware Racing
35	54	Ty Gibbs	Joe Gibbs Racing
36	60	David Ragan	RFK Racing
37	62	Anthony Alfredo	Beard Motorsports
38	71	Zane Smith	Spire Motorsports
39	77	Carson Hocevar	Spire Motorsports
40	78	BJ McLeod	Live Fast Motorsports
41	84	Jimmie Johnson	Legacy Motor Club
42	99	Daniel Suárez	Trackhouse Racing

Posted on February 12, 2024February 12, 2024 by Sponsored Content

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Posted on February 12, 2024February 12, 2024 by Tadd Haislop

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — One can take a look at Geoff Bodine’s hands and know he’s spent his life in and around motorsports.

The 74-year-old on the weekend of Feb. 10 was putting those robust paws to work at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway, helping friend George Alexander set up his Sportsman car for the track’s annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. A gray “USA” hat was protecting his head from intense sun rays; blue jeans shielding his knees from abrasive asphalt. Completing Bodine’s ensemble was a black t-shirt displaying the cover of his new book.

“All of It: Daytona 500 Champion Tells the Rest of the Story“ is what Bodine considers his latest calling in an up-and-down life. He’s proud of the journey, and of the paperback product in which that journey culminates. But the 1982 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year remains humble. This book may be about him, but it’s not for him.

“What I want people to walk away with,” Bodine explained,” is that if you truly believe in God, you might get a miracle when you need one someday.”

Bodine received his miracle when he survived the infamously vicious crash he experienced at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 18, 2000. Many know about the accident in the NASCAR Truck Series race that day. They’ve seen the breathtaking photos and videos, and they’ve heard Bodine’s story about his spiritual experience. He often recalls how, while knocked out from the impact of the crash, he saw and spoke with an image of his deceased father, who in the vision told Geoff his time on earth was not yet finished.

What many don’t know about that accident, though, is the preceding series of life-changing events. Bodine’s book is filled with “the rest of the story” on the Daytona crash as well as many other trials he’s powered through on his way to his status as a racing legend.

“Whenever somebody mentions (the Daytona crash) in some form, I say, ‘Well, let me tell you the rest of the story,’ ” Bodine said about one of the many tales included in the 328-page publication. “This book, we’re proud of it. It tells my story to get to Cup, talks about NASCAR, but there’s things people don’t know about.”

Added Bodine with a laugh: “I tell about how people cheated. I don’t name any names.”

Geoffrey Bodine’s truck tumbles through an accident during the Daytona 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 18, 2000. (Photo: Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

Named one of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers, Bodine maintains the idea that he should be dead. Nobody, he believes, should have been able to survive the wreckage his body navigated almost 24 years ago.

Now he’s thankful for the accident. After all, he technically was the one who asked for it.

MORE: Order your copy now

The years and months leading up to the 2000 season were difficult for Bodine as he was forced to reckon with the mortality of his racing career. His Cup Series opportunities were dwindling as he entered his 50s.

Those professional factors combined with Bodine’s personal struggles pushed him to consider suicide on multiple occasions. When he reached his lowest points, he relied upon his Christian faith. He recalls a specific prayer in which he asked for a way he could repurpose his life to help others. He repeated that prayer for months before receiving an answer.

“I didn’t know it was going to be a crash,” he said. “But, I’d do it again if that’s what it took. … It hurt; it took me months to get back in (a car). But there’s no question in my mind that prayer works. So that’s what I want to get across to people. That’s the main reason I wrote the book.”

Geoff Bodine (bottom row, third from left) is pictured with other members of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers prior to the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on May 14, 2023. (Photo: Logan Riely/Getty Images)

Bodine said he never imagined he would write a book for others to read. In part because he as a driver loathed digesting negative feedback from motorsports media, and he’s never been much of a reader. He’s thankful his sons do indeed like to read.

Once he was moved to start the process, he connected with author Dominic Aragon and Trilogy Christian Publishing. The process took years. Bodine and Aragon met on multiple occasions over the phone and in person so the latter could help the former tell his story. The more Bodine spoke with his brothers Brett and Todd, the more Geoff felt he needed to include.

Finally, Geoff Bodine has a book he’s presenting to the public. He’s scheduled to offer sales and signings at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday and Sunday of Daytona 500 weekend; he’ll also hold a signing session during the Feb. 25 NASCAR weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Bodine hopes his book reaches others who seek spiritual guidance. Ultimately, he’s thankful for the opportunity to publish both his story and his learnings.

“I’m still here,” Bodine said. “How much better can you get? I’m proud of it. I worked for it. I wouldn’t change a thing.

“Although, I would like to be a driver now instead of then, because they get a lot of money now.”

Posted on February 12, 2024 by Adam Fenwick

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Toni Breidinger isn’t afraid to put in the work to get better.

Her schedule last season was a prime example of that. In addition to racing part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, she competed in pro late models, ran sports cars in the GR Cup Series and entered three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events.

Such a broad plan figures to help Breidinger improve her race craft as she continues to pursue her goal of racing full-time in NASCAR.

The path remains the same for 2024. Breidinger is preparing to compete in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series races at Daytona International Speedway this week by competing in the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at nearby New Smyrna Speedway.

“I ran New Smyrna last year and the ARCA race, and I’m doing the same thing again this year but adding the Truck race on top of that,” Breidinger said. “It’s definitely going to be busy. It was a little overwhelming at times last year trying to make it between Daytona and New Smyrna on the same day.

“I think the biggest thing this year is to continue improving on my race craft. I made some good gains last year, and I think running these late models and running at short tracks and doing the [NASCAR Advance Auto Parts] Weekly Series was a really big part of it.”

Toni Breidinger in action during Night 1 of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway on Feb. 9, 2024. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)

Late-model racing has been a huge part of Breidinger’s development program over the last 12 months. Working with father-son duo Lee and Michael Faulk of Lee Faulk Racing, she evolved her craft at tracks like New Smyrna, Florence Motor Speedway in South Carolina, and Hickory Motor Speedway and Tri-County Speedway in North Carolina.

The result was a clear improvement in the ARCA Menards Series; she earned four top-five finishes in 2023, including a career-best third at Kansas Speedway.

Breidinger credits the work she’s put in at places like New Smyrna, where people aren’t always watching, for helping her become a better racer.

“These are races that I didn’t really post a lot about, and they weren’t really televised, so people were like, ‘Oh, she’s improving out of nowhere,'” Breidinger said. “But I think it was all the work I put in behind the scenes at all these short tracks that really kind of helped me and kept me in the seat.”

That’s why she’s back at New Smyrna, a track where she admits she’s struggled in the past, as she prepares for another full ARCA season with Venturini Motorsports.

She wants to see that trend continue.

“I think coming back here, even though I struggled with it a good bit last year, I came here knowing I wanted that challenge and wanting to improve and prove to myself that I’ve made gains,” she said. “I almost like going to tracks that I feel like I’ve struggled with in the past.

“I love that we’re racing here every single night. I feel like, for the most part, when you go race it’s every weekend, so you have a whole week to think about, ‘Oh, I want to do this next time.’ Whereas, with these races, you can make that change the following day. It’s immediate changes and immediate improvements that you can do. I think from a driver development perspective, it was a pretty good move for me.”

But what can a short track like New Smyrna teach Breidinger to prepare her for the high banks of the World Center of Racing?

A lot, actually.

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(Photo: Adam Fenwick)

“Obviously they’re two entirely different tracks,” Breidinger said. “The actual driving aspect of it is a little bit different. A big thing [at New Smyrna] is I want to work on my restarts and being really aggressive. Working on my qualifying. I feel like being behind the wheel gives you that little extra boost of confidence, especially going into the Truck race for me.

“I know the ARCA race and the Truck race are going to be full fields. It’s going to be busy; it’s going to be aggressive. These races, I really want to gain some confidence on restarts and work on some stuff out here that I can apply to those big races.”

Breidinger thus far has already seen a performance boost compared to her New Smyrna effort a year ago. She finished inside the top 10 twice in her first three Pro Late Model races against fields of at least 25 cars. In five World Series starts last year, she never finished inside the top 10.

“The biggest thing for me is improving from last year,” Breidinger said. “I think right now we’re within top 10 in speed and just kind of progressing as the week goes. I don’t really want to hit a plateau. I want to keep improving every night.”

When Thursday arrives, Breidinger’s focus will shift to the 2.5-mile superspeedway where she’ll race in Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event followed by Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series 80-lapper.

She acknowledges the challenges of racing at Daytona, but she’s also confident that good execution, combined with a little luck, could lead to a couple strong days at the legendary track.

“I think for the ARCA race and the Truck race, Daytona is kind of crazy. You don’t really know what to expect,” Breidinger said. “I want some solid results. I really just want to put together a really complete race. I think I’ve been in a good position before at Daytona in the ARCA race, but I’ve had some mistakes that hurt us.

“I think if we put together a complete race, we’ll get some good results.”

Posted on February 12, 2024February 13, 2024 by Adam Fenwick

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — It could have been pitch black in the pit area Saturday night at New Smyrna Speedway and you still would have been able to see Trevor Catalano’s smile from a mile away.

He had just climbed from his No. 56 Catalano Motorsports Modified after a fifth-place finish during his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour debut, a result that far exceeded any expectations he had for himself.

It was the culmination of a winter’s worth of work for the Catalano family, who are taking on the colossal task of fielding three full-time entries on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2024 for Trevor and his brothers Tommy and Tyler.

“We came down here hoping to finish 20th and just have a good day and hopefully finish all 200 laps,” he said. “After the first run at the beginning I said, ‘I think we have a car that can run inside the top 10.’ I just needed to get comfortable and figure out what I needed inside the car.

“I think we found it in those last two pit stops. We got stuck a lap down on pit road, but all in all it was an awesome day, and I had a ton of fun.”

Saturday’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event marked day two of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, an annual motorsport gathering that draws drivers and teams from across the United States, Canada and occasionally other countries.

For the Catalano family, including mom Amy, the World Series of Asphalt serves not only as the start to what will be an extremely busy 2024 season, but also doubles as a vacation of sorts for the family from Ontario, New York.

It’s become an annual tradition for the Catalano family to pack their bags and head to Florida each February to race at New Smyrna Speedway, where the weather is admittedly much nicer than the conditions they leave behind in New York.

Amy Catalano during night 7 of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing event at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna, Florida on February 17, 2023. (Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)

“It’s a family tradition that my kids carried on,” Amy said. “It started with my oldest (Timmy) and we don’t want to stop the tradition until all the kids get to give it a try. We’ve been coming down here for I think it has been 14 years of us doing this.

“Each one of my boys wants a shot to beat mom. I keep plugging along but each year I threaten I’m going to retire and let the boys take over. I feel bad to take it away from each one of them to beat me.”

You would think a trip to Florida in February would be relaxing, but the Catalano family has a hard time sitting still. That’s why they brought seven cars with them from New York to Florida, including five Modifieds and two Super Late Models.

Each car will see action during the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, with Amy and Tommy each driving the Super Late Models while Tommy, Tyler and Trevor will take turns behind the wheel of the Modifieds. A family friend will also wheel one of the Modifieds one night during the week.

“We brought seven cars with us and no backups. So seven cars that we plan on racing,” Tommy said. “Our goal for the week is to try and keep it fun and that sounds entirely crazy to think because how are you going to keep it fun with seven cars? We brought a whole bunch of people with us that love racing and dedicated some time to coming and helping us.

“Hopefully that is going to play out in our favor. As I was telling somebody a little bit ago, part of keeping it fun is staying realistic.”

The addition of a Super Late Model for Amy to the roster of cars during the World Series happened less than three weeks ago. Amy, a former NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series New York State champion, started her career in Late Models before transitioning to Modifieds.

She always wanted to come back to Late Models to close out her career and saw an opportunity to do that this week at New Smyrna Speedway. She made her first Late Model start in more than two decades on Feb. 9, starting 31st and finishing 24th against a stacked Super Late Model field.

Trevor Catalano, driver of the #56 Catalano Motorsports Modified, during the New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour during night 2 of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna, Florida on February 10, 2024. (Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)

“I actually cut my teeth in Late Model racing,” Amy said. “I had 12 years in Late Model racing. I got a lot of wins and had a lot of fun. Old technology, not the new technology. I always teased that I’m going to get back in my fenders where I came from before I ended my career, so I bought one and I’m trying to be brave enough to get back in there.”

While a lot of the focus during the World Series for the Catalano family was on Amy’s Late Model return and Saturday’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event, there is still a lot for the family to look forward to.

That includes fielding Modifieds for Amy, Tommy, Tyler and Trevor on the same night later in the coming week. The working goal is to field all four cars either for Thursday’s 50-lap feature or Friday’s Richie Evans Memorial 100.

“Most people take vacations and they go and do things. We don’t. We go racing,” Tyler said. “We come to Florida and call it a vacation and we go racing for seven days. It’s a blast.

“We all kind of work on everyone’s stuff to get it all prepared and ready to rip. It’s just fun to work out in the shop with our family and come race.”

No matter how the rest of the week goes, the entire Catalano family will leave New Smyrna Speedway happy. Not only did they get to spend more than a week racing together under the Florida sun, they also got to see Trevor finish fifth in his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour debut.

Anything else would be a massive bonus.

“A top-five, that wasn’t even in the radar when we left home,” Trevor said. “We could have the worst week the rest of the week and I don’t think we’re going to lose faith in this one.”

Posted on February 12, 2024February 18, 2024 by Staff Report

Once again, the NASCAR Cup Series kicks off the new season with the sport’s premier crown-jewel event, the 66th running of the Daytona 500. The “Great American Race” qualifying format includes two rounds of single-car qualifying, while the Bluegreen Vacations Duels set the 40-car grid.

What time is Daytona 500 single-car qualifying?

A random draw on Tuesday afternoon determines the order in which the cars will roll off pit road for single-car qualifying. The qualifying session will begin Wednesday, Feb. 14 (8:15 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Each driver will run one timed lap around the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway. The top 10 fastest drivers in Round 1 will advance to Round 2 to fight for the Busch Light Pole. Then, the two fastest qualifiers will lock themselves on the front row for Monday’s Daytona 500 (4 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The rest of the lineup for the “Great American Race” will be determined by Thursday night’s Duels.

The last 11 Daytona 500 pole awards belong to Chevrolet drivers. Hendrick Motorsports has claimed the last eight of 11 poles. Alex Bowman is the most recent pole winner.

How do the Duels set the starting lineup for the Daytona 500?

The Bluegreen Vacations Duels consist of two 150-mile qualifying races that set positions third to 40th in the Daytona 500. Each duel will be 60 laps long. Lineups for each duel are set from Wednesday night’s single-car qualifying session, with drivers finishing in an odd-position on the speed chart (first, third, fifth, etc.) lining up for Duel 1, and those from an even-position (second, fourth, sixth, etc) racing in Duel 2.

The format is similar for the Daytona 500 itself. The finishing order from Duel No. 1 will make up the inside rows for the Daytona 500. Then, those participating in Duel No. 2 will complete the outside rows for the “Great American Race.” Remember, the starting front row for the Daytona 500 was previously determined via single-car qualifying.

Bluegreen Vacations Duel No. 1 is set to get underway Thursday, Feb. 15 (7 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Meanwhile, Duel No. 2 is tentatively scheduled for 8:45 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Can non-chartered teams qualify for the Daytona 500?

Yes. There are 36 guaranteed spots in the Daytona 500 for the chartered teams in the 40-car field. This means four non-chartered teams will make the race.

In single-car qualifying, the top two fastest non-chartered teams will lock themselves into the Daytona 500. These teams will not have to worry about racing their way in through the Bluegreen Vacations Duels because they can fall back on speed if needed.

The highest-finishing non-chartered team in each Duel race will secure a spot in the Daytona 500. If the highest-finishing non-chartered team already earned a spot in the field from single-car qualifying, then the next fastest non-chartered team from single-car qualifying can lock into the Daytona 500 on speed.

There are 42 entries for the 66th running of the Daytona 500, which means one non-chartered team will pack it up after Thursday night. Drivers that will have to race their way into the main event are seven-time Cup Series champion and Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson, Anthony Alfredo, BJ McLeod, Kaz Grala and David Ragan.

MORE: TV schedule for Daytona 500 week

Are points awarded in the Duels?

The top-10 finishers in each Bluegreen Vacations Duel will be rewarded points that count toward the regular season. However, no playoff points will be awarded to the winners of each Duel race.

The winning driver of each Duel race will receive 10 points. Second place will earn nine points and so on down to the 10th-place finishers, who will get one point.

SHOP: Gear up for the Daytona 500

Posted on February 12, 2024February 12, 2024 by Brandon White

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Nothing would have made Justin Bonsignore happier than to open one of the busiest weeks of his racing career with a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory at New Smyrna Speedway.

With his ARCA Menards Series debut set for next Saturday at Daytona International Speedway, Bonsignore felt extra motivation as he climbed aboard his freshly-wrapped white No. 51 Phoenix Communications Inc. Modified Saturday evening to begin his bid for a fourth NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour title.

Bonsignore ultimately ran out of laps to challenge defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ron Silk for the victory in the New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200, yet he could not help but feel a sense of euphoria knowing just how fast his car was.

“This was a good start to the year,” Bonsignore said. “With the final run being 10 laps, it was tough getting back to the lead from fifth. Ron got through traffic pretty quick and was able to build a gap on us. This was a brand new car, so thankfully we’ll get to tinker with it a little more and see what we can do better.”

The defeat carried a sense of déjà vu for Bonsignore, who also opened the previous NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour campaign with a runner-up finish to Silk at New Smyrna.

Any attempt at usurping Silk this time around required tremendous patience on Bonisngore’s behalf. A prolonged green flag run during the middle portion of the event resulted in several cars going a lap down, but Bonsignore kept himself in contention by managing his equipment while waiting for the right opportunity to pounce.

Debuting a brand new white scheme, Justin Bonsignore battled hard to finish second behind Ron Silk at New Smyrna Speedway to open the 2024 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)

Bonsignore anticipated there would be several short runs to end the night with drivers electing to put on new tires for the final stretch. His suspicion materialized into one caution after another, but fresh tires gave Bonsignore the opening he needed to chase down Silk.

The one factor Bonsignore said could have been crucial to changing the outcome was more green flag laps during the last run. He expressed some frustration about the lengthy cleanup during the final caution flag, but Bonsignore knew Silk was going to be defensive no matter how much time was at their disposal.

“Unfortunately, a lot of caution laps were used up,” Bonsignore said. “Looking back, it would have been nice to have a few of them back because we were slowly starting to catch Ron at the end. It would have been a tough pass for sure, but this was still a good start to the year and we’re happy with it.”

Ironically, Silk is one of the main reasons why Bonsignore is competing in the Daytona ARCA 200 next Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.

Originally set to take part in ARCA’s Road to Daytona program for capturing the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship in 2023, Silk was unable to make the trip down to Florida in January for the annual pre-race practice, which opened the door for Bonsignore to take part and turn his first laps at Daytona.

A successful two days in Daytona helped Bonsignore build connections with other team owners in the ARCA garage area. Within a few weeks, Bonsignore had put together a deal with Rette Jones Racing to pilot the No. 30 Nationalpolice.org/C&S Construction Services, Inc. Ford at the 2.5-mile speedway on Feb. 17.

ARCA was far from Bonsignore’s mind when he debriefed with his team following 200 grueling laps around New Smyrna Speedway. Once he unwinds by enjoying the Florida weather with his family, Bonsignore’s attention will turn to 200 intense miles around Daytona surrounded by 39 other cars.

The only aspect Daytona shares with any track Bonsignore has competed at during his career is the draft that is prevalent in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Despite this, Bonsignore intends to lean heavily on the team around him to learn as much as possible before the green flag.

“The draft at [New Hampshire] with our cars is so extreme,” Bosnignore said. “From the little bit I got at the Daytona test, [the draft] is a slow process. We’ve got an hour of practice and a really great spotter in Freddie Kraft. Hopefully the learning experience gets expedited through Freddie and Mark, but I’ll try to study as much as I can to make sure I’m up to speed.”

While Daytona International Speedway is outside of Justin Bonsignore’s comfort zone, he enters his ARCA Menards Series debut with plenty of confidence and determination. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)

Once he does find a comfort zone within the draft at Daytona, Bonsignore believes he can continue a streak of success that has followed Rette Jones Racing at Daytona in the last decade.

Co-owner Terry Jones led a race-high 25 laps at Daytona in 2017 before settling for second behind eventual ARCA Menards Series champion Austin Theriault. The 2019 edition of the event saw Grant Quinlan avoid trouble all afternoon to claim a third-place finish for Rette Jones Racing.

Even if he were to best previous performances from past Rette Jones Racing competitors, Bonsignore currently does not envision running anymore ARCA events. His commitment is to continuing his legacy in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, where he is fourth on the series’ all-time win list.

For now, Bonsignore plans to cherish this sidestep in his career while also displaying the same grit and determination at Daytona that has yielded so much success in a Modified.

“[The Modifieds] are my home and where my heart is,” Bonsignore said. “You want to win every Modified Tour race, especially when a guy like Ron Silk beats you. [Winning] Daytona would be a dream come true and it’s something people would talk about for a while.

“I’m looking forward to enjoying the experience and taking it all in.”

Posted on February 12, 2024February 12, 2024 by Alex Cadavid

Justin Allgaier has long been in pursuit of his maiden NASCAR Xfinity Series title. He has amassed 23 career wins and has routinely made deep playoff runs in the Xfinity Series. Not only has Allgaier qualified for the playoffs for a record eight consecutive seasons, but he also has the most Championship 4 appearances in the series. However, the cards never seem to fall his way come the title race.

Much like Denny Hamlin, Allgaier has been on a career-long chase for his first championship.

In ‘NASCAR: Full Speed’ Hamlin’s career title hunt shifted back into focus and will be a growing story line to keep an eye on this year after his prominent role in the Netflix series. But a spotlight should also be shined on Allgaier, whose career story mirrors Hamlin.

Last week, Allgaier talked about how he was focused more on his offseason training and acknowledged his postseason struggles.

“I’ve also done a much better job of being prepared for the year,” Allgaier said in a media teleconference. “Just physically, mentally, I feel like that’s been a big part of, you know, coming off of two years in a row now where I just feel like we’ve been kicked in the gut a little bit at the end of the year of at Phoenix and didn’t feel like it went the way that we wanted it to.”

Undoubtedly, he would like to quickly wash out the sour taste of how last year ended and respond with a hot start this year. What better place than Daytona International Speedway to start the campaign? Allgaier has notched a win and four top fives in his last five visits to Daytona. And a hot start to the season could be crucial in an Xfinity filled with talent all over the grid, where points will come at a premium all season long.

“I feel like this is the most competitive group of cars that we’ve seen in a long time,” Allgaier added. “I look down the list and I’m like, you can be first or 20th in points pretty easily. And, you know, I look at the drivers that I feel like are capable of winning races. And I’m like, man, we have 15 or 20 guys every week that I legitimately feel like have the opportunity to win races.”

MORE: Full Daytona Speedweeks schedule

More than the championship glory, Allgaier feels winning the Xfinity Series championship would be the perfect way to repay the many people who have helped him throughout his career.

“I enjoy the trophies when they’re sitting on the mantel,” Allgaier said. “But at the same time, it’s about the people and the relationships and just the experiences I’ve had in this sport.”

Chasing that first elusive title will be difficult in a crowded field, but you can never count out Allgaier among all the unpredictability. He’s remained the only constant with so much turnover in the Xfinity Series. Only time will tell if he’s ready to reach the mountaintop.

Wach Allgaier in the Xfinity Series season opener this Saturday, Feb. 17 (5 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).