Christopher Bell and Chris Buescher, two drivers from last year’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, did not qualify for Saturday night’s Busch Light Clash exhibition race at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
With a change in the format, only the 22 fastest cars in Saturday’s practice sessions qualified for the feature race, with the 23rd provisional spot being locked up by reigning Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney.
Buescher and Bell posted times of 13.574 and 13.593 seconds, respectively. Buescher was 30th out of 36 drivers in final practice in his No. 17 RFK Racing Ford, and Bell just 33rd on the speed chart in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.
“Practice was good,” said Bell, who reached the Championship 4 last season. “I felt like we were in a really good spot, and just didn’t have it in qualifying.”
Said Buescher: “Definitely made some decent improvement there for the last, third run. So yeah, I don’t understand why our group there was a lot slower than we were in practice. We needed some speed increase, and we were able to get a little bit but the cars that were really fast in our group slowed down. Ultimately just needed to turn a little better in the center.”
The Busch Light Clash was moved to Saturday night because of a severe weather forecast of torrential rain and potential flooding in the LA area for its originally scheduled Sunday evening start.
Thirteen drivers did not qualify for the 23-car field. Among them were all three Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidates: Carson Hocevar (25th in qualifying), Josh Berry (26th) and Zane Smith (36th).
Denny Hamlin won the pole position for Saturday night’s Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, topping the leaderboard in NASCAR Cup Series qualifying.
Hamlin posted a track-record lap of 68.498 mph on the temporary quarter-mile asphalt oval at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, putting his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the first starting spot for the 150-lap main event (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Joey Logano will share the front row for the feature after registering the second-fastest lap (67.925 mph) in group qualifying in the Team Penske No. 22 Ford.
The starting lineup for the 23-car field was determined by a revised time-trials format after a gloomy forecast for severe weather forced NASCAR officials to move the event from a Sunday evening start to Saturday night. The rescheduling prompted officials to shuffle Saturday’s schedule, eliminating qualifying heats and a last-chance qualifying race. Instead, 22 starting berths were decided by the fastest speeds in four-minute sessions for six groups of six cars each.
Ty Gibbs was third-fastest in qualifying with Alex Bowman fourth and Kyle Busch rounding out the top five starters. The 23rd and final starting berth went to defending Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney, who took a provisional spot as the highest-ranked driver in the 2023 standings not otherwise qualified.
Austin Cindric forced the only caution period of practice with a solo spin in his No. 2 Team Penske Ford as he exited Turn 2 in the second session. He did not make the cut for the 23-car field, and was joined on the sidelines by Christopher Bell, Chris Buescher, Erik Jones and Daniel Suárez among the 13 drivers who did not qualify. Chase Briscoe claimed the last starting spot based on speed.
Saturday night’s event marks the third consecutive year that the non-points race has been held inside the historic Los Angeles venue. The official Cup Series kickoff begins with the first points-paying race of the year, the 66th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
For the third consecutive year, the NASCAR Cup Series will race under the lights at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Saturday’s 150-lap Busch Light Clash (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
The race was moved to Saturday night due to torrential rain and possible flooding forecasted to hit the “City of Angels” on Sunday. The Mexico Series race is scheduled to follow the Busch Light Clash at 10:30 p.m. ET.
The 2024 rendition on the 0.25-mile asphalt oval will be slightly different than 2023’s event. For starters, spots for the main event will be more exclusive, with a 23-driver grid compared to a 27-strong lineup last season.
However, more spice comes in how the 23-driver lineup is cemented: The fastest 22 times in final practice (5:35 p.m. ET) will make the main event due to the heat races and Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) being canceled.
The 23rd and final position in the grid is reserved for the driver who finished highest in the 2023 season points standings and did not transfer on speed in practice.
Follow along for live updates as we’ll post the lineup for the race following practice from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at the bottom of the page updated in real time.
NASCAR officials have moved the preseason Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum exhibition to a Saturday night start, adjusting the race weekend schedule because of the threat of torrential rain and possible flooding Sunday in Los Angeles.
The non-points event for the NASCAR Cup Series was rescheduled for Saturday at 8 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), one day earlier than its original start time at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The inaugural exhibition race for the NASCAR Mexico Series, initially scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday, will be held Saturday night after The Clash at 10:30 p.m. ET.
The rest of Saturday’s schedule was shuffled to accommodate the move. Practice for the NASCAR Cup Series was rescheduled to Saturday at 5:35 p.m. ET. Four 25-lap qualifying heats and a 75-lap last-chance qualifying race were canceled, and the first 22 starting spots in the main event are to be decided based on practice speeds. A final provisional berth in the 23-car field is reserved for the top finisher in the 2023 Cup Series standings who has not otherwise qualified for the feature.
Admission to the event will remain free, with limited fan services available and general admission seating. NASCAR officials indicated that ticket holders to the Clash would be contacted “in the days ahead on next steps to accommodate for the unprecedented impact on this event.” Officials also indicated that pre-paid Sunday parking would be fully refunded.
NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Steve O’Donnell said Saturday that competition officials briefly considered moving the Sunday start time of 8 p.m. ET up two hours but that concerns about the severity of the weather outlook prompted a more significant rescheduling.
“As the weather forecast continued to worsen, public safety and a lot of the things that were going around, a lot of different events that are going on in the community as well, we started to review Saturday options late last night and this morning,” O’Donnell said. “Those obviously sped up and we really applaud The Coliseum for even making this a possibility. It’s the best of what is a really tough situation for the fans and this racing community, but felt like this was the best option to keep everybody safe and still try and get both events in.”
A sampling of drivers lauded the move, acknowledging both the extreme circumstances and the forecast for heavy rain and life-threatening flooding for the next two to three days.
“I think today is an unprecedented mark in our sport and one that I think all of us will applaud NASCAR, FOX and everybody on for giving us the chance to get a race in today,” said Kyle Busch, driver of the Richard Childress Racing No. 8 Chevrolet. “I don’t know that we would have been able to do it before Wednesday and would we have even been here on Wednesday. So this was the best chance that we had. I feel like it was definitely a very good move.”
Said Denny Hamlin, driver of Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 11 Toyota: “I feel like this is the right move. You risk not running it at all. We’ve all come out here and we are in the window now where we know there is not going to be any rain for the next 12 hours or so. It’s like a Deal or No Deal – you had to take the bank on this.”
Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Ford for Team Penske, agreed.
“I think it’s a good move because it’s pretty apparent that it’s going to rain the next two days,” Logano said. “I see where it’s tough for NASCAR to make the decision, for sure, but I think there’s a lot of good out of it. The negative is that people that had tickets, I don’t know the details of how those are going to work. I’m sure they’re going to make it right, but I mean, if the race was tomorrow, they’re just going to come here and sit in the rain. So this is better than nothing. It’s the best we got, and we’re gonna do with what we got. It’ll be a little odd, a little different. Never knew we could do this before, but if there’s one we can do it with, it’ll be the Clash, so here we are.”
NASCAR officials said in a statement at the time of the rescheduling: “Due to the threat of unprecedented severe weather on Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Mexico Series race events for the Clash have been moved to Saturday night. Thanks to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Los Angeles Public Safety for their partnership and support to make the schedule adjustment for tonight’s event to ensure a safe experience for fans, competitors, and staff. We understand weather conditions may worsen as the day progresses, so we encourage fans to make decisions in the best interest of safety. We appreciate our fans, partners, and everyone associated with this event on this unprecedented event.”
Logano (2022) and Martin Truex Jr. (2023) won the previous two editions of The Clash in Los Angeles. Before its move to The Coliseum, the event had been held on the grounds of Daytona International Speedway each year since its inception in 1979.
On the night of July 11, 2020, Amber Balcaen woke up in an ambulance positive she was paralyzed.
“I can’t feel my arms or legs,” she exclaimed to paramedics, who administered a dose of adrenaline. As the medication made its way to her extremities, Balcaen’s sense of feeling returned. But she was still suffering from a collapsed lung, a concussion and burns on her arms.
Then 28, the racer from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada had been involved in a vicious midget car accident at Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Missouri. Her car flipped multiple times before lodging itself into the dirt track’s exterior fencing.
Balcaen remembers waking up while hanging upside down in her car. She also remembers awaking a second time, in the aforementioned ambulance. She has no recollection of the fact that she actually climbed out of her race car and walked to the emergency vehicle.
Balcaen was taken to the hospital, where she was forced to evaluate her racing career and assess her priorities. “I don’t know if this is worth it,” she thought.
Three days later, when she was healed and discharged, Balcaen’s tune had flipped. She left the hospital having consulted with her doctors on how quick she could return to the driver’s seat, and what recovery process was necessary.
Balcaen credits her physical fitness as a factor that expedited her rehabilitation. She said the most challenging aspect of her comeback was sitting around doing nothing; she had to rest quietly in dark rooms as part of her concussion treatment.
Amber Balcaen prepares for a run during the ARCA Menards Series pre-race practice at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 12, 2024. (Photo: James Gilbert/NASCAR)
‘I knew I wasn’t going to be normal’
Despite the fact that Balcaen’s father, grandfather, uncle and cousins are dirt-track racers, in many ways, her career is an anomaly. There’s not exactly an abundance of female asphalt stock-car drivers from Winnipeg.
That’s why Balcaen’s mother never raced even though she had the itch to do so. Kim Balcaen instead supported her husband Mike Balcaen’s career as part of the family motorsports operation, but she was an ally for her daughter when a 10-year-old Amber decided she wanted to compete in a go-kart. Mike’s apprehension was the dedication (and cost) required to race.
“[My mom] told my dad, ‘I didn’t get to race, and you can’t do that to her. If she wants to race, you gotta let her race,’” Amber Balcaen said. ‘He was like, ‘Alright, I’ll let her race, but she’s gotta come up with the sponsorship. She has to figure out how to buy a go-kart and work on the go-kart.
“’She has to know what this all entails.’”
(Photo courtesy of Amber Balcaen)
At just 10 years old, Balcaen collected enough money to buy a go-kart. She did so by making phone calls and attending swap meets with her father, selling stickers and asking some of his sponsors for a little help. Her father taught her how to clean the chains and bearings on her kart, how to change the tires, etc.
Through the years and despite introductions of other extracurricular hobbies — volleyball, cheerleading, gymnastics, horse back riding, dance, piano — Balcaen’s passion for motorsports blossomed. On the weekends, while her friends stayed in Winnipeg, Balcaen and her father often traveled to the dirt tracks of North Dakota and Minnesota. She recalls week-day expeditions, too, when her dad would sign her out of school on a Wednesday afternoon so the duo could compete that night and return home for school and work the next day.
She was good. And the karting victories only fueled her desire to keep racing while her peers drifted to other amusements.
“I definitely always felt different,” Balcaen said. “And it’s not like my parents made me do that or anything. I wanted to do it. I loved being at the track. Even if I wasn’t racing, I loved just watching my dad, or watching my cousins and uncles. It always felt like home to me. It’s always where I wanted to be.”
Balcaen progressed from karts to mini sprints and 410 sprint cars, and her success at those levels brought her to the realization that a legitimate career in racing was possible.
For a brief time in her life, though, the sentiment was fleeting. Balcaen pursued a business degree in college under the impression that her motorsports dreams were unrealistic. That assumption might have persisted had she not spent a significant amount of time in class daydreaming about racing. Among her final school projects was the ideation of a business plan for Amber Balcaen Racing.
“I had such a fire inside me, and I couldn’t let go of it,” she said. “So I was just like, ‘You know what, I’ve just gotta do it. I have to go for it.’ I always knew I would work for myself in some capacity; I knew I wasn’t going to be normal, but I didn’t know what that would look like.
“I just took the leap of faith.”
Amber Balcaen prepares to qualify for the General Tire 150 at Phoenix Raceway on March 11, 2022. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/ARCA Racing)
Balcaen jokes about how she’s always felt like an outcast, from being bullied for her racing shirts in grade school to now pursuing a NASCAR career as a Canadian woman.
That’s never held her back. Proof lies in the fact that she abandoned her comfort zone in the spring of 2016 and moved more than 2,500 miles from Winnipeg to Charlotte with the intent of becoming the first in her family to transition from dirt to asphalt stock-car racing.
She did so on her own — no relatives, no friends, no money, no legacy and, for a while, no opportunities.
All Balcaen had to reply upon were the connections she made during her involvement in the 2014-15 NASCAR Drive for Diversity development program combines. One of those connections was Dylan “Mamba” Smith, a fellow combine participant.
Balcaen reached out to Smith with a simple-but-vital inquiry: So, how do I do this?
“At the time, Lee Pulliam had the best stuff,” Smith said of the entry level stock car ranks, referencing the legendary late model driver and team owner. “I was like, ‘If you have the money to go to the best, that’s where to go.’”
Fortunately for Balcaen, Pulliam was receptive to the idea of her racing one of his limited late models, and she was able to acquire sponsorship to run a full season at Motor Mile Speedway (now Pulaski County Motorsports Park) in Fairlawn, Virginia. The results were historic.
On Aug. 27, 2016, Balcaen took the checkered flag at Motor Mile and became the first Canadian woman to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race in the United States.
She remembers the overwhelming emotion of the evening being that of relief; she had nearly won her division’s previous two races before faltering in the closing laps.
“I should have won like three races in a row,” Balcaen said with a laugh. “It was relief, and then is was like, ‘OK, all of my hard work, it’s paid off. And I’m so happy I made this decision to take this leap for my career.’ But then it was like, ‘Hey, what’s next? How do I get to ARCA now?’ And I really thought I would just have all these sponsorships flood in.
“But that’s not the way it happened.”
Amber Balcaen prepares for a run during the ARCA Menards Series pre-race practice at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 12, 2024. (Photo: James Gilbert/NASCAR)
‘I earned my spot’
Balcaen’s entry in the 2020 midget car race that sent her to the hospital was a product of the business side of motorsports.
The COVID-19 pandemic had dried up the funding she was set to receive for a NASCAR run. With the support she maintained from a single, long-time sponsor, Balcaen that year preferred to run four times the amount of dirt races than she could have entered in asphalt stock cars with the money she had.
In many ways, Balcaen’s entire journey in motorsports has been defined by the struggle to acquire sponsorship.
“I think it’s by far the hardest part of our sport,” she said. “I don’t have mom and dad’s money, so I really have to figure out how to truly prove a return on investment. This isn’t just a hobby for them. They really expect to see a return.
“I’ve really had to learn how to be a businesswoman before a race car driver. Which has made it more difficult and has made the journey slower, but I’m also a lot more skilled because of it.”
Amber Balcaen prepares for practice ahead of the Menards 200 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 16, 2023. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
Balcaen noted the support (albeit, not financial) of her parents as a key factor in her progression as a racer. But beyond that foundation, she’s built her career on her own.
When her late model success in 2016-17 failed to produce the financial breakthrough she expected, Balcaen reverted to the grind of sponsorship acquisition reminiscent of her sprint-car racing days.
That grind lasted years. She admits she reached a level of desperation, and there was a point when she presumed exposure in the form of television appearances would jumpstart partner discussions. She appeared on CMT’s “Racing Wives,” for example. Balcaen in hindsight believes that production negatively impacted her image.
At last, ahead of the 2022 season, help arrived from ICON Direct, an RV parts manufacturer based in Winkler, Manitoba, not far from Balcaen’s family home. The deal allowed her to run the complete ARCA Menards Series schedule with Rette Jones Racing. She ranked seventh in the final series standings on the strength of six top-10 finishes.
Last year, Balcaen once again struggled to acquire sponsorship. While she wasn’t able to race a full season, in addition to a handful of short-track starts, she ran three ARCA races for Venturini Motorsports. One of those, the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway, delivered her career-high finish of sixth.
Balcaen’s effort to land her full-time ride for 2024 was yet another episode in her collection of struggles. Her deal, once again with ICON, came together late, which complicated matters.
“When I went to Billy [Venturini], he was like, ‘We’re full, Amber.’ I said, ‘I don’t want to race for any other team but yours. How can we make this work?’ He made it work for me, which is just so incredible. I think it shows their belief in me, to essentially extend to a five-car team. There wasn’t space for me, and they made space.”
After decades of difficulty, Balcaen finally finds herself in an ideal spot when it comes to her race program. The full-season funding has allowed her to turn her focus to her actual race craft as she aims to compete for a championship with the strongest organization in ARCA.
Still, she finds fulfillment in the valleys and peaks alike.
“It’s been extremely challenging and frustrating, but also extremely rewarding,” she said. “I’ve been able to grab a sense of confidence from it knowing that, when I show up to a race track, I earned my spot there. I was the one who found the money to put the deal together.
“Just knowing that I can do something that difficult off the track gives me more confidence when I’m going to the race track.”
Amber Balcaen prepares for a run during the ARCA Menards Series pre-race practice Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 12, 2024. (Photo: James Gilbert/NASCAR)
‘I just want to prove we can win’
The ARCA season opener at Daytona on Feb. 17 is an ideal scenario for Mike and Kim Balcaen. The couple still lives in Winnipeg, but they spend their winters in Florida, so it’ll be an easy trek to watch their daughter make her third start at the legendary superspeedway.
Amber Balcaen’s parents are able to attend many of her races, and their emotions extend beyond the pride they feel watching their child compete. This is a new world for a pair of life-long dirt racers, so the unknowns come with a unique excitement.
“They’re kind of like, ‘This is your life, and we’re just here to support you along the way,’” Balcaen said. “’Whatever decisions you want to make for your life are yours to make.’ Honestly, I think that’s one of the best things you can do as a parent. Just give your child the freedom to make decisions for themselves.
“We’re going to mess up and fail at certain things, but it’s how you learn and grow.”
Amber Balcaen pictured during the ARCA Menards Series pre-race practice at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 12, 2024. (Photo: James Gilbert/NASCAR)
That growth is evident for Balcaen. The desperation she once felt has been replaced by the optimism that comes with a full season with a top team. Her goal of reaching the NASCAR Cup Series is more attainable now than ever.
Balcaen still regularly receives television appearance offers. Now, though, she turns many of them down. She feels more freedom to be careful about her image and how she’s perceived by her peers and fans.
An advocate for mindfulness and self development, Balcaen occasionally serves as a motivational speaker. She feels a need to use her platform as a public figure to share what she’s learned through a trying career.
Perhaps the biggest boon to Balcaen’s current state of affairs is the fact that she finally has a manager. She said the stress relief on the business side of the sport has been a game changer.
And Balcaen never loses sight of the people she’s representing as a Canadian woman racing in NASCAR-sanctioned divisions; people, like her mother, who never imagined the possibility for themselves.
“I don’t feel any pressure from being Canadian,” she said. “I feel more pressure as a woman. I just want to prove we can win races, and we deserve to be here, and we can do it. I think the more women we have winning in our sport, the easier it’s going to be for the women behind us.”
The representation brings Balcaen gratification. So does the platform she’s granted, the pride she feels when she runs well and the relationships she’s developed.
But deep down, Balcaen is just a racer. Nothing keeps her going like the feeling of being behind the wheel.
“That’s my escape from reality,” she said. “Nothing consumes me as much as racing does.”
Baldwin was told he had cancer. It was treatable, but the ensuing process to combat the disease forced him to take a sabbatical from the sport that’s been a part of his life since his childhood, when he watched his late father Tom Baldwin Sr. compete in Modifieds.
The months following the diagnosis were filled with challenges as Baldwin adjusted to life away from the track. Now he is cancer free, and Baldwin is eager to be back with the Modified community on a regular basis while continuing to rehabilitate himself.
“Right now, I would say I’m at 85 percent,” he said. “I’m trying to get myself back into shape. It took a toll on me, but I had a good support group with a lot of people helping me. Got a clean bill of health [in the middle of January], so now we’re in the rebuilding process.”
Baldwin’s treatments involved eight rounds of chemotherapy and 35 rounds of radiation. By the time his scans showed no discernible signs of cancer, he had lost almost 60 pounds and most of his stamina.
His days gradually felt longer as more chemo and radiation weakened his body. As he continued treatment, many thoughts raced through his mind pertaining to his family and racing endeavors.
Less than a year earlier, Baldwin was celebrating the Modified Tour owner’s championship at Martinsville Speedway with driver Doug Coby. That accomplishment was the first time the iconic 7NY sat atop the standings at the end of a season.
Early in 2023, the Tommy Baldwin Racing Modified operation remained efficient while Baldwin served as the competition director for Rick Ware Racing, a role he assumed in April.
Baldwin’s leadership and experience as a Cup Series crew chief, which includes a Daytona 500 win with Ward Burton, helped RWR enjoy one of its best seasons yet. The team scored its highest finish to date, a seventh at Atlanta Motor Speedway in July with veteran J.J. Yeley behind the wheel.
Tommy Baldwin Racing celebrated its first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour owner’s title in 2022 with a driver roster consisting of Doug Coby, Jimmy Blewett and Mike Christopher Jr. (Photo: Veasey Conway/NASCAR)
Baldwin sons Luke and Jack both have started to build solid racing careers of their own. As Jack found plenty of on-track success, a breakout 2023 for Luke saw him grab a World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing title at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway in the 602 Modified division.
Luke suspected something might be wrong after his father had made a handful of doctor’s appointments in the weeks leading up to the diagnosis. Getting confirmation on his father’s health was a sad moment, but Luke did not linger on those feelings for too long.
With Tommy on the mend, Luke had to shoulder more responsibilities to both care for his father and build upon the knowledge that had been passed down.
“I knew I was going to have to pull a big weight around the shop and the house,” Luke said. “It was a huge learning experience, but all the guys helped tremendously and taught me a ton. I picked up some slack when [Tommy] wasn’t around. Everything was going to be alright, but I just had to give it time.”
The advice Luke Baldwin has taken from his father Tommy Baldwin Jr., has enabled him to find success behind the wheel. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)
Luke stayed focused and kept racing without any major interruptions, but Tommy’s recuperation from the relentless cancer treatments forced him to temporarily step away from RWR and suspend operations on his Modified program.
Coby was fourth in the Modified Tour standings when Baldwin shut it down after the 11th race of the year at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. Despite this, Baldwin said there were no objections to the suspension of the team’s season.
“Everybody understood, because my health came first,” Baldwin said. “It was something that needed to be done. When you get in a situation like that, regardless if it was me or somebody else, the decision had to be made, and nobody really had a choice. I knew the battle I was getting into, so we needed to concentrate on that.”
News of Baldwin’s cancer came as a surprise for Coby, who has developed a close relationship with the veteran car owner and crew chief since first joining his Modified program in 2022.
In Coby’s opinion, Baldwin’s fiery and competitive disposition is what creates a winning environment at the shop. Baldwin’s passion also convinced Coby that the car owner would overcome cancer and continue the success of the 7NY started by Tom Sr. several decades ago.
“I’m one of the few people on the Tour that raced against [Tommy’s] father,” Coby said. “I’ve had a lot of respect for Tom Sr. and [the 7NY], but the people who raced Modifieds from Long Island and have that rich history are a different breed of people. Tommy has made it pretty clear that he wants to carry that number’s legacy forward to honor his father and pass that fire down to Jack and Luke.”
When Tommy went public with his diagnosis, he had unwavering support not only from Coby, his family and team, but from everyone within the Modified discipline.
The first event without the 7NY on track was a race at Virginia’s Langley Speedway. Other teams acquired #BaldwinStrong stickers and placed them on their cars. Proceeds from the sticker purchases ended up going to the Matheny School, which specializes in helping children with disabilities.
Following Tommy Baldwin Jr.’s cancer diagnosis, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour teams adorned #BaldwinStrong stickers on their cars. (Photo: Ryan M. Kelly/NASCAR)
The expressions of love from so many others provided Baldwin some comfort during his initial treatments. They also reminded him of the positive impact he’s left in both NASCAR and the Modified community.
“I couldn’t believe the amount of support from everyone that reached out and checked on me all the time,” he said. “That makes you feel good, realizing that maybe you’ve done the right things throughout the years with everybody and respected enough that everybody cared, which was pretty cool.”
The ubiquitous assistance Baldwin continues to receive weeks before the start of the 2024 season has been poignant for Luke.
Luke knows he would not be close to where he as a driver today without his father’s influence and guidance. He said work ethic is the primary quality instilled by Tommy, which in turn helps Luke stay calm under pressure and enables him to acquire knowledge on his own.
Those qualities are essential as Luke navigates the adversity that impacts his family, which is why he felt a strong sense of catharsis and elation when Tommy’s improving health allowed him to be present for several events near the end of 2023.
Now that Tommy is almost back to full health, Luke feels more invigorated than ever to showcase everything he has learned over the past year.
“To see [my dad] back at the track at the end of last year at [several different races] was special,” Luke said. “Him being there was a whole different motivator. Words can’t describe how excited I am to see him back in his element doing what he loves.”
Now that he’s cancer free, it’s back to business as usual for Tommy Baldwin Jr., who is all set for a busy 2024 racing schedule. (Photo: Rob Branning/NASCAR)
A busy year awaits both Luke and Jack. The brothers will spend plenty of time competing in Modified events around the southeast in 2024, but Luke is planning a part-time schedule in the CARS Pro Late Model Tour and in 602 Modifieds, the latter of which is with Tommy Baldwin Racing.
Coby is also returning to Tommy Baldwin Racing in 2024 for a seven-race Modified Tour schedule that starts with the season-opening event at New Smyrna. The duo is using a PSR chassis for their campaign, which Coby believes will enable them to contend for a victory in each race.
The knowledge Tommy Baldwin has acquired from both Modifieds and NASCAR has been invaluable to Coby and so many others in the northeast. Coby added that Baldwin’s sustained influence only makes racing better across all disciplines. He’s honored to keep leaning on Baldwin as he pursues more NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories.
“Tommy is a throwback to the time when a kid gets involved with motorsports because his father is a racer and goes on to have success at the top level,” Coby said. “He’s someone who is a great voice for the grassroots racers because he’s seen everything. A lot of people seek him out for advice, and there aren’t a lot of people in Tommy’s position who have the experience he does.
“There’s a missing link in motorsports of people who have been at the bottom and top that can share those experiences, so Tommy is unique in that aspect.”
As Baldwin makes final preparations on his fleet of cars before setting off for New Smyrna, he finds himself grateful for the career he’s cultivated along with everyone who continues to support him through the final steps of his rehab.
The journey he’s endured is not one he wishes to make again, but it allowed him to compartmentalize his situation and fully cherish everything he already enjoyed about life before the diagnosis.
“You need to be happy and live life to the fullest,” Baldwin said. “Wake up every day and have fun. Don’t take life for granted, because things change so quickly.”
Healthy, rejuvenated and motivated, Baldwin is ready to make the most of his second chance by adding on to the storied history of the No. 7NY that is now intertwined between himself, his father and his sons.
Those who purchase vehicles from Pine Knoll Auto Sales can rest assured their cars are top-notch. In this case, the token quality assurance claim that comes with a typical dealership experience is sincere.
The promise is a given when the products are personally vetted by a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver.
Automotive wholesalers who work with Melissa Fifield say the owner and operator of the lot just outside Wakefield, New Hampshire is the pickiest dealer around. The 31-year-old Wakefield native says she’s critical of what’s placed on her lot because she knows such a high standard will sell.
“[Customers] are always like, ‘Well, if Melissa likes it, I know it’s good,'” she said. “When I drive it, I think I can find more quirks with it than the average person can.”
This is an example of how Fifield’s automotive-drenched world operates with ideal synchronicity, the result of nearly two decades of perseverance. The girl who grew up piloting snowmobiles and soaking in modified races at nearby New Hampshire Motor Speedway found a way to keep the thrill of motorsports paramount in her adult life.
“I juggle a lot,” Fifield allowed. “I may go from race team owner to working on a finance deal for a customer. [But] I certainly love what I do. I’m not a person who enjoys the quiet time.”
Fifield is preparing for her 11th NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season, another full-time campaign that will see her eclipse 150 career starts just a few races into the year. She’s already run more laps than any other woman in the nearly 40-year history of the Tour.
That she’s accomplished so much with a relative lack of resources — not to mention the mountain of challenges associated with being a female race-car driver — is remarkable.
Fifield’s career began in karts after a racing-obsessed 11-year-old convinced her parents to let her compete. A Londonderry track championship quickly followed, as did a World Karting Association ranking of No. 4 in the country. She moved on to compete in Allison Legacy cars and late models before her first venture into modified racing with the Valenti Modified Racing Series.
Everything changed when Fifield decided to make the jump to the Whelen Modified Tour in 2014. She needed a new car, complete with a new engine, new parts … new everything. She needed crew members. She needed a truck and trailer.
Fortunately, Fifield’s passion for racing is rivaled only by her drive on the business side of motorsports. When she first started racing, she established her own car detailing operation to provide funding. She later accepted jobs at car dealerships and dabbled in multiple departments, an experience she says prepared her to operate her own lot.
Now Fifield’s race shop is connected to her business. Her race cars even grace a section of the sales building; she says customers appreciate that “cool and unique” experience in the show room.
“It definitely took a few years to get everything together,” Fifield said of her Modified Tour operation. “Just getting everything started to get one car, and then get the second car. And try to build up an inventory of parts when you need something.”
(Photo: Kostas Lymperopoulos/NASCAR)
But challenges persist a decade into Fifield’s race program. She still splits races between her two cars. She needs more spare parts. And, of course, there’s the people problem.
Fifield is grateful for the help of her father Kenneth, who has been by her side since Day 1 of the racing effort. He continues to work in the race shop and keeps the operation moving when his daughter has to spend time managing the car lot. She also has former driver Jake Marosz working as crew chief and her fiancé Hunter Smith serving as spotter.
From a help standpoint on a consistent basis, that’s about it.
“I’m still looking for crew members who are able to come every week,” Fifield explained. “Some weeks I may have a full pit crew, and some weeks I may only have one or two guys. So certainly we don’t have the fastest pit stops on those weeks, and it may take a few extra laps to get things done.”
Fifield has also never benefitted from the aid of a driver coach. Her race craft is the product of trial and error — “sometimes more error,” she jokes — and the random nuggets of information she’s gained over a decade of Modified Tour racing. She utilizes a simulator to provide visual keys and potential setup parameters.
Yet the obstacles do nothing to govern the way Fifield operates as she continues to pursue her first top-10 finish in Modified Tour competition.
“I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t racing,” she said. “I think I’d be lost.”
Melissa Fifield in action at Richmond Raceway on March 31, 2023. (Photo: Rob Branning/NASCAR)
Fifield is engaged and scheduled to marry Smith in November, a strategic date since the Modified Tour season runs through October. Neither she nor Smith, who manages his own motorsports performance company, want the additional stress of wedding planning during their busy seasons.
Her engagement to a fellow racing enthusiast is ideal in the sense that Smith can understand and relate to her chaotic schedule. It’s another example of Fifield’s life continuing to revolve around motorsports.
That’s part of the reason Fifield is only partially joking when she claims she wants to race until she’s 65 or 70.
“I’m going to race as long as I can,” she said, adding that the last year and a half has delivered a wave of growth for both herself and her team. “Just more consistent runs; having some new ideas for this year on some small things that we’re hoping make a little bit of improvement.”
From the business she manages to her career as a race-car driver to her soon-to-be husband, Fifield’s life in and around cars continues to provide fulfillment.
Asked which of those aspects provides the most joy, she answered as only a racer can.
“When I actually get in the race car,” she said. “Everything else is no longer on my mind. I’m just concentrated on that, and I can go run the best that I can to my ability.
“Everything slows down. I’m in my own world. I love that moment.”
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 2, 2024) – Later today in Los Angeles, NASCAR will honor 10 trailblazers and inclusion advocates at the 16th annual NASCARDrive for Diversity Awards. Among the honorees are crew members, league partners and a public school system who are all making a real difference in the sport. And new this year, Ally Financial – the nation’s largest digital-only bank and Official Consumer Bank of NASCAR – will be the first presenting partner of the ceremony.
“Today we celebrate 10 individuals playing a key role in growing our sport and welcoming new fans by making it more inclusive,” said NASCAR President Steve Phelps. “Having the support of sponsors like Ally is crucial because we share a common goal of making racing inclusive for all. We’re elated to have them as the presenting sponsor of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards.”
Ally, widely known for its commitment to inclusivity on and off the track, entered racing in 2019 as a full-season sponsor of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Team and expanded its presence by becoming an official NASCAR partner in 2023. Ally has since initiated a series of initiatives designed to elevate the contributions of diverse members of the racing community, including:
Fueling Futures: In 2019, Ally launched its annual Fueling Futures program in collaboration with HMS. It is aimed at fostering economic mobility for young people by showcasing the various job opportunities within motorsports beyond race car drivers.
First Lap Program: Ally launched its First Lap program last year by partnering with organizations serving minority communities to give their members a VIP race day experience, continuing to demystify the sport for people unfamiliar with racing.
Inclusive Paint Schemes: Over the years, the Ally 48 has featured multiple inclusive and captivating paint schemes, including numerous LGBTQ+ Pride decals, a design featuring Static, an iconic Black superhero and more.
Ally and NASCAR ERGs: Ally and NASCAR connected their respective employee resource groups (ERGs) so they could work together and make a collective DE&I impact, including when NASCAR and Ally’s pride ERGs walked side-by-side at in the Charlotte Pride parade early last year.
“From our Fueling Futures and First Lap programs to the inclusive paint schemes on the Ally 48, our efforts in the sport have been focused on advancing diversity and inclusion within racing, which is why we are thrilled to recognize the progress as the first-ever presenting sponsor of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards,” said Bridget Sponsky, executive director of brand and sponsorship marketing at Ally Financial. “We know together we can make racing a more inclusive place for all, and we couldn’t be prouder to honor these extraordinary diversity difference makers at the awards.”
The 2024 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards recipients are as follows:
Crew Member: Mike Metcalf
Mike Metcalf previously worked as the Co-Head Pit Crew Coach and Director of Culture and Community at Trackhouse Racing. The Charlotte native and former football student-athlete graduated with honors from Appalachian State University. Metcalf first entered the world of NASCAR as a pit crew member in 2006. Mike started coaching pit crews in addition to competing in 2012. Mike is one of the few Pit Crew Coaches to be a pit crew champion as both a crew member (08’) and a coach (22’).
Developmental Series Driver: Zach Herrin
Zach Herrin races part-time in the ARCA Menards Series. He’s an out driver who has been an exemplary advocate for LGBTQ+ people in the motorsports industry, integrating inclusion into his ethos through building partnerships with organizations such as Lambda Legal and representing the sport in a positive light both on and off the race track.
Sam Belnavis Industry Ambassador: Jefferson Hodges, Team Penske
Jefferson Hodges serves as NASCAR Team Manager for Team Penske and previously worked as Rev Racing’s General Manager and Director of Competition for 10 years. Hodges was instrumental in the growth and stability of the Rev Racing organization, helping train, advance and guide over 100 developmental drivers during his stint. Currently at Team Penske, Hodges continues to keep DE&I efforts at the forefront by working with Rev Racing to identify potential pit crew recruits.
Institution: Chicago Public Schools
NASCAR and Chicago Public Schools worked together to help introduce the sport to a new generation of racing fans when 43 CPS STEM and STEAM schools and 22,000 students from across the district participated in an in-classroom design challenge focused on driver helmets in 2023. Winning teams of K-12 students were invited to the inaugural STEAM Fest to compete in an engineering-focused design challenge with help from NASCAR Cup Series driver Daniel Suárez and a team of STEM professionals from the NASCAR industry. Following the success of the 2023 program, NASCAR’s Research and Development Team has furthered its partnership with CPS to build a NASCAR-themed STEAM curriculum to be rolled out to an additional 17,000+ 8th graders across the city in 2024.
National Series Driver: Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Tyler Reddick, driver of the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota, has participated in several events to promote dialogue on social justice as an integral part of NASCAR’s diversity and inclusion work with its drivers. Reddick also leverages his partnership with Jordan Brand and his team, 23XI Racing, to engage celebrities and influencers like J. Balvin as an opportunity to expand NASCAR’s reach to diverse audiences.
Outstanding Intern: Chandler Love, University of Miami
Chandler Love joined the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program with a strong passion for Human Resources. Over the summer, Chandler supported various functions within NASCAR’s HR department, contributing significantly to processes and the overall employee experience. Chandler’s dedication and exceptional performance earned her a part-time opportunity with NASCAR as a Learning Administrator as she completes her senior year at the University of Miami.
Partner: Keurig Dr Pepper
Keurig Dr Pepper has shown commitment to NASCAR diversity, equity & inclusion goals through the Dr Pepper 23XI SPEED Institute Tuition Program, which began in 2021. Through this alliance between Dr Pepper and 23XI Racing, Dr Pepper has offered vital financial support by awarding 23 deserving students $5,000 each in tuition assistance. Additionally, several tuition recipients have had the opportunity to gain work experience in motorsports through internships at 23XI.
Team: Venturini Motorsports
Venturini Motorsports has played a pivotal role in the careers of drivers throughout the years. During the 2023 season, Venturini Motorsports earned an ARCA Menards West Championship with Sean Higorani while also competing in the ARCA Menards Series with drivers Toni Breidinger, Amber Balcaen and Taylor Reimer. In addition to developing driver talent, Venturini has continued to advance engineering talent, hiring Monon Rahman, who won his first race as a crew chief with Sean Hignorani in 2023. Venturini’s longstanding commitment to advancing careers and the sport began with The Ultra Blue Crew in 1987, which was an all-female pit crew that competed in ARCA races.
Track: Phoenix Raceway
Phoenix Raceway utilized the NASCAR Championship Ignition Luncheon benefiting Phoenix Children’s Hospital to generate excitement for the 2023 NASCAR Playoffs and NASCAR Championship Weekend while also promoting NASCAR’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. The luncheon, which featured a cross-section of NASCAR’s past, present and future that showcased the changing face of the sport to an influential audience, was built on a successful event earlier in the year highlighting STEM’s important role in NASCAR and introducing underrepresented cultures to our sport. The track has also been a sponsor of Phoenix Pride for the past two years.
Young Racer: Katie Hettinger
In 2023, Katie Hettinger was crowned CARS Tour Rookie of the Year, finishing the season second in Driver Championship Points and receiving the fan vote as Most Popular Pro Late Model driver. She also received the Wendell Scott Trailblazer Award in 2022.
For Isabella Robusto, a 16th-place finish in the Pro Late Model preliminary for the All American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway normally would be procedural, if not uneventful.
That November evening instead was one of most significant moral victories Robusto had experienced in her young career to date.
The 19-year-old from Fort Mill, South Carolina was coming off an arduous, seven-month process just to resume competing in stock car events. She was sidelined for most of the 2023 season after dealing with lingering, concussion-like symptoms following an accident at Hickory Motor Speedway in April.
While the recovery period took longer than Robusto preferred, her perseverance made those 100 laps at Nashville more cathartic.
“We tried to go back a couple times to see if I was ready to get back into a car,” Robusto said. “Concussions are a weird thing, and I’ve learned so much about them this past year. You can’t really set time on them. You can feel good one day only to experience a whole different feeling when you get in the car.
“It felt so good to get back in the car [at Nashville], and that allowed us to continue testing throughout this offseason.”
Prior to the late crash, Isabella Robusto enjoyed one of the best performances of her career, leading a race-high 48 laps at Hickory Motor Speedway. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)
Recollection of the April accident brings mixed emotions for Robusto, who was on the precipice of a breakout performance in the zMAX CARS Pro Late Model Tour.
She recalls being unhappy with the handling of her car during practice. Battling a tight condition, Robusto and her team worked to loosen up her car ahead of the 100-lap feature that evening.
The adjustments resulted in an eighth-place qualifying run, but Robusto in the race quickly found comfort with the car and established her own pace. She methodically climbed her way through the top 10 before taking the lead on Lap 49.
The only driver who stood in the way of Robusto making history as the first female CARS Tour winner was short-track veteran Mike Hopkins. Over the final 10 laps, Hopkins erased Robusto’s advantage, which led to an intense battle between the two for the victory as Hopkins used the momentum on the top groove to overtake Robusto.
A slip by Hopkins coming to the white flag gave Robusto an opening to pull alongside him. Slight contact between the two proved disastrous for Robusto, who was suddenly a passenger as her car veered full speed toward the inside wall.
(Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)
“When [Hopkins] and I got together, it broke the tie rod on my right front,” Robusto said. “It rolled my tire under and sent me straight into the wall. There wasn’t anything I could do about it, and there was no way to keep the car out of the wall.
“I was turning hard right, but with the tire rolled under, I had to go along for the ride.”
The impact was so severe, it broke the pit-wall barrier and shot Robusto’s car back into oncoming traffic. Other drivers avoided Robusto, who managed to climb out of her battered car with minimal assistance from safety officials.
For a brief time, the vicious impact was just another accident.
Once repairs were made to Hickory’s inside barrier and the Pro Late Model race concluded, Robusto was back in a driver’s seat ready to compete in the CARS Tour Late Model Stock event. She mustered a 21st-place finish, which she attributed to personal frustrations over the wreck that cost her a Pro Late Model victory.
It was not until Monday afternoon when Robusto realized something might be amiss.
“I just started to feel nauseous and super dizzy,” Robusto said. “I couldn’t really focus on things, so that’s when Toyota, the team and I decided to get everything checked out. That’s when we figured out it was a concussion, so I had to just go along with the steps for [the recovery process].”
Although Isabella Robusto could still perform day-to-day activities after her crash, focus and equilibrium issues kept her out of the car for an extended period of time. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)
Robusto after her crash closely followed the outline of the concussion protocol. Through rehab and frequent checkups with her doctor, she was optimistic she would return to full-time racing by the middle of summer.
A GT4 event at Virginia International Raceway presented the first comeback opportunity for Robusto, who said road courses helped correct her focus in the simulator better than ovals did.
The first race of the weekend went well; Robusto that Saturday scored a respectable finish as the second driver for Smooge Racing.
The next day, not long after Robusto’s second race, all the progress she had made was stymied.
“I was the starting driver and had to start mid-pack,” Robusto said. “Things just didn’t feel right. I ended up pulling in, and my co-driver got in the car on Lap 3, and he finished the race.
“After that, I knew we still weren’t there and still needed time to get everything back in balance.”
Several factors hindered Robusto each time she attempted to climb back into a car. She experienced dizziness navigating short tracks at a high speed while also dealing with focus issues, a bad equilibrium and poor hand-eye coordination.
The initial 2023 plans for Isabella Robusto included full seasons in both Pro Late Models and Late Model Stocks. (Photo: Jacob Kupferman/NASCAR)
With each minuscule step back to full health, more of Robusto’s year evaporated. Her goal in 2023 was to race full-time in both divisions of the CARS Tour, plus a debut in the ARCA Menards Series. All of that was scrapped.
Her lost season was mentally taxing, but Robusto knew following the advice of the people around her and carrying on with daily tasks would be crucial toward her return.
“It was very frustrating,” Robusto said. “I was able to do all my day-to-day stuff and even do the sim while feeling relatively normal. When we would get into the car, I knew I wasn’t there yet.
“I’ve learned throughout this concussion that you could be good doing everything, but there’s a whole different level in recovery when it comes to driving a race car. When you’re in the car, you really don’t think about how on you have to be.”
Robusto noticed enough improvement by the time October arrived. She and Donnie Wilson Motorsports began making plans to run at Nashville the following month with the goal of simply getting Robusto re-acclimated to running a Pro Late Model.
Everything went according to plan; Robusto kept her car out of trouble and obtained a solid, lead-lap finish. Although she had to re-learn much about her craft, Robusto climbed out of the car feeling invigorated knowing her prolonged recovery period was finally coming to an end.
A solidified schedule for the upcoming year brings a sense of relief for Robusto, who credits the support system of her family, friends, teams, doctors and Toyota Racing Development for standing by her and providing valuable advice while she waited to get clearance for on-track activities.
Robusto considers herself a more astute and attentive driver following the Hickory crash. She now spends more time on the simulator preparing for races and takes more precautionary measures with how her driver’s seat and seatbelts are set up in the car.
Robusto’s long road back to the track was laborious, but she is more determined than ever to resume showcasing her talent.
“I tell people who ask me if I’m 100 percent that I am,” Robusto said. “My normal is a little bit different now compared to my normal before the crash. I’m at full strength and ready to get back into a race car.”
Nashville served as Robusto’s sentimental victory after months of patience. The next milestone for Robusto is building off the efficiency she enjoyed at Hickory and start accumulating one victory after another.
