2024 season preview: JTG Daugherty Racing

Posted on January 26, 2024January 26, 2024 by Kobe Lambeth

Editor’s Note: Today’s JTG Daugherty Racing preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2024 Cup Series season.

JTG DAUGHERTY RACING

Manufacturer: Chevrolet
Engine: Hendrick Motorsports
Driver-crew chief pairing: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.-Mike Kelley

Team outlook: JTG Daugherty Racing made the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs for the second time in team history last year. Thanks to Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s season-opening victory in the Daytona 500, the organization secured a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2014 when AJ Allmendinger won at Watkins Glen. The “Great American Race” win allowed the No. 47 team to go the rest of the regular season focused on playoff preparation. A 16th–place finish in the final standings exceeded expectations and with the pairing of Stenhouse and crew chief Mike Kelley returning, they will certainly hope to make the Cup Series Playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

RELATED: Stenhouse still savoring Daytona 500 reign, targets repeat

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 CHEVROLET

Experience: 12 full-time seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series
2023 stats: 16th in final standings (made second career playoff appearance); 1 win, 2 top fives, 9 top 10s
2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 150-1

Outlook: Heading into 2024, Stenhouse will look to improve on the previous season that saw the driver of the No. 47 Chevrolet get one win, including a pair of top fives and nine top 10s. For JTG Daugherty Racing, making the Cup Series Playoffs after a nine-year postseason drought was a huge victory for this squad. Winning the Daytona 500 at the beginning of 2023 was the cherry on top. However, a first-round exit in the Round of 16 will leave them hungry for more this year. If the No. 47 team makes the playoffs in 2024 and wants to get past the first round, Stenhouse must pick up more top fives and top 10s than last year.

The 36-year-old native of Olive Branch, Mississippi has three career Cup Series wins, which all came on superspeedways at Daytona and Talladega. It would not be surprising to see Stenhouse win at those tracks again given his strong superspeedway racing record. He ended the final 10 races of the 2023 season with only two top 10s and six finishes of 20th or worse. Looking ahead, a reasonable goal for 2024 would be to build off last year and search for more consistency.

NASCAR.com 2024 team previews schedule

Jan. 15: Legacy Motor Club
Jan. 16: Spire Motorsports
Jan. 17: Kaulig Racing
Jan. 18: Wood Brothers Racing
Jan. 22: Rick Ware Racing
Jan. 23: Richard Childress Racing
Jan. 24: Stewart-Haas Racing
Jan. 25: Front Row Motorsports
Jan. 26: JTG Daugherty Racing
Jan. 29: Trackhouse Racing
Jan. 30: RFK Racing
Feb. 6: 23XI Racing
Feb. 7: Joe Gibbs Racing
Feb. 8: Hendrick Motorsports
Feb. 9: Team Penske

Posted on January 25, 2024January 29, 2024 by Brandon White

Defending NASCAR Canada Series champion Treyten Lapcevich will chase another championship in 2024, this time on American soil.

Lapcevich, who won half of the 14 races on the 2023 NASCAR Canada Series calendar, will join Chad Bryant Racing’s Late Model Stock Car program full-time in the No. 77 Evirum/Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Ford with the goal of adding a zMAX CARS Tour title to his burgeoning stock car resume.

Having seen the growth the CARS Tour has undergone under the current ownership group consisting of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Justin Marks, Lapcevich is confident he can excel in his new environment and build upon the consistency he has enjoyed while competing in Canada.

“I’m really excited,” Lapcevich said. “I’ve been watching the CARS Tour the past few years and it’s getting really big. Everyone can see that, so this is the next big step for me. I had a lot of fun racing in Canada, but it’s time to make the jump down to the States and see what we got against some new competition.”

Lapcevich enters the CARS Tour with plenty of short track experience on his side. Of his nine career victories in the NASCAR Canada Series, six of them have occurred on paved short tracks.

The deal with Bryant’s team is not Lapcevich’s first venture into the United States. He has competed in a handful of American Super Late Model events during the 2020s, with his most recent start coming during the Snowball Derby last December.

Lapcevich’s bid for a victory ended with less than 20 laps remaining after he was swept up in a restart crash. Although he did not to finish that race, the maturity and composure Lapcevich showed at the Snowball Derby all week caught the attention of many in the industry, including Bryant.

Treyten Lapcevich made a strong impression at the 2023 Snowball Derby, which saw him start inside the Top 10. (Photo: NASCAR)

The deal for Lapcevich to race full-time for Bryant came together at the last minute, but the veteran crew chief has every reason to believe the efficiency Lapcevich showed in Canada and the Snowball Derby will carry over to Late Model Stock Cars.

“Treyten is a racer,” Bryant said. “The first person I called about him was Ty Majeski, who was at the [Snowball] Derby. Ty said the kid brought his own equipment with his own people from Canada. At one point during the weekend, he thought he was going to be a contender for the win. He impressed Ty and I value Ty’s opinion with our program.”

Bryant is coming off another strong campaign in the CARS Tour that saw his drivers Connor Hall and Mason Diaz score one victory apiece. With the accomplishments Lapcevich has accumulated, Bryant expects him to pick up where Hall and Diaz left off despite being a rookie.

The one aspect of Late Model Stock racing Bryant anticipates will provide Lapcevich a learning curve is navigating tracks with more abrasive surfaces, but he believes it will only take a few races for Lapcevich to adapt to the intricacies of conserving equipment.

“Tire conservation is something I want to teach Treyten,” Bryant said. “That’s the biggest part of our races. He’s used to heavy cars with inferior brakes since the Late Model Stock brake package hasn’t evolved in 30 years. You have to manage brakes, your equipment and your tires. The biggest thing is race management.”

Along with Bryant, Lapcevich plans to lean on his older brother and fellow NASCAR Canada Series champion Cayden Lapcevich for advice on how to race in the southeast. Since winning his title in 2016, Cayden has made limited appearances in Super Late Models and Modifieds around the country.

With a strong support system that includes his brother Cayden, Treyten Lapcevich is confident he can contend for a zMAX CARS Tour title. (Photo: NASCAR)

The support Lapcevich is receiving has provided some comfort ahead of his maiden CARS Tour season, but he said Late Model Stock Car success will come down to understanding his limits and earning respect amongst the veterans and other newcomers.

“You need to feel out the other drivers and figure out the style of racing here,” Lapcevich said. “By myself, it’s going to be tougher to learn the new tracks. The test day will help out quite a bit so come race day, I think we’ll be good wherever we go.”

There is no shortage of stellar competition set to formally welcome Lapcevich to the CARS Tour platform. Among the expected title contenders are defending champion Carson Kvapil, Super Late Model veteran Stephen Nasse and reigning NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series National champion Hall.

Lapcevich knows it will be a fight each week for wins on the CARS Tour, but his confidence is unwavered as he prepares to chase a second consecutive title between two different countries.

“I feel like a title is definitely possible with the partners I have and the team I’m going to,” Lapcevich said. “Chad holds such a vast book of knowledge. We’re in the right place with the right people, so it’s up to me to try and make it happen.”

Lapcevich’s bid for a CARS Tour championship begins on March 9 when the Late Model Stock Car division opens its 10^thseason with a trip to Southern National Motorsports Park in Kenly, North Carolina. The event will be available live on FloRacing.

Posted on January 25, 2024January 25, 2024 by Jerry Bonkowski

Editor’s Note: Today’s Front Row Motorsports preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2024 Cup Series season.

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Manufacturer: Ford
Engine: Roush-Yates Engines
Driver-crew chief pairings: Michael McDowell-Travis Peterson (No. 34), Todd Gilliland-Ryan Bergenty (No. 38)

Team outlook: After making the playoffs for the second time in three seasons, 2024 should see McDowell continue his upward climb of success in the NASCAR Cup Series. But Gilliland may be in a make-or-break season, given he’s finished 28th in each of his first two seasons with Front Row Motorsports.

MICHAEL MCDOWELL, NO. 34 FORD

Experience: Enters his 17th Cup season in 2024; 465 career starts with two wins, nine top-five and 37 top-10 finishes
2023 stats: 1 win (Indianapolis Grand Prix), 2 top fives, 8 top 10s
2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 200-1

Outlook: McDowell has become somewhat of a late bloomer in his Cup career. His first-ever Cup win was in the sport’s biggest race of the year, the Daytona 500, in 2021 at the age of 36. He added a second win on the Indianapolis road course in 2023.

McDowell has become quite the prolific road course driver as well as doing well on longer superspeedways such as Daytona and Talladega. Even though he’ll be 40 in December, it will not be out of the question if the Phoenix native wins two or even more races in 2024.

BOLD PREDICTION: This has the potential to be McDowell’s best season ever in the Cup Series. Not only does he make the playoffs once again, but we can also see him reaching the Round of 8 – and maybe the Championship 4 if all the chips fall his way.

TODD GILLILAND, NO. 38 FORD

Experience: Two full-time seasons; 1 top five, 6 top 10s
2023 stats: 4 top 10s
2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 700-1

Outlook: Gilliland will be facing a bit of judgment year on if he can take a step forward in development. Gilliland will have to make a significant improvement in his performance and show results somewhat similar to his FRM counterpart if he wants to continue forward with the No. 38 team after the 2024 campaign.

What is odd about Gilliland is he dominated the ARCA Series (22 wins) and was a standout in the Truck Series (3 wins, 27 top-five and 53 top-10 finishes in 94 career starts). However, making the quick jump from Trucks to the Cup Series in the first year of the Next Gen car is a good indicator of why Gilliland has struggled to date to produce solid results.

BOLD PREDICTION: Unless Gilliland makes significant progress to turn around his performance, he may not even finish the season. Instead, team owner Bob Jenkins may decide to bring in a number of free agents or young drivers looking for a break to see if he can find a more viable candidate than Gilliland in the No. 38. But if Gilliland can indeed turn things around and starts rattling off more top-fives and top-10s, it should assure him of some job security potentially.

NASCAR.com 2024 team previews schedule

Jan. 15: Legacy Motor Club
Jan. 16: Spire Motorsports
Jan. 17: Kaulig Racing
Jan. 18: Wood Brothers Racing
Jan. 22: Rick Ware Racing
Jan. 23: Richard Childress Racing
Jan. 24: Stewart-Haas Racing
Jan. 25: Front Row Motorsports
Jan. 26: JTG Daugherty Racing
Jan. 29: Trackhouse Racing
Jan. 30: RFK Racing
Feb. 6: 23XI Racing
Feb. 7: Joe Gibbs Racing
Feb. 8: Hendrick Motorsports
Feb. 9: Team Penske

Posted on January 25, 2024 by Track Release

DARLINGTON, S.C. (Jan. 25, 2024) – Darlington Raceway announced today that the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR will be making its return to the track Too Tough to Tame during the Goodyear 400 weekend, May 10-12. This year’s theme – Celebrate our Roots through Grassroots Racing – will honor the racing origins of drivers, owners, team members, and NASCAR as a whole.

“We’re honored to continue the tradition of hosting NASCAR’s Official Throwback Weekend in the spring,” said Darlington Raceway President Josh Harris. “Grassroots racing is the lifeblood of our sport, and providing our industry with a chance to pay tribute to their grassroots origin story acknowledges the importance that it plays in the past, present and future of NASCAR.”

Every driver has a story about their rise through grassroots/local track racing that led them to one of NASCAR’s national series, and they will each have the opportunity to celebrate their ascent with paint schemes that harken back to the beginning of their racing careers. Drivers will simultaneously be able to utilize Throwback Weekend to amplify their ongoing efforts to support grassroots racing and tell their story.

NASCAR and Darlington Raceway will also showcase historic local racetracks and drivers in the region for long-time fans to appreciate and new fans to discover. Throughout the weekend, those in attendance can expect several displays and events that highlight the history and importance of grassroots racing across the country.

The Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR begins with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race on Friday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. Then, the action will continue into Saturday, May 11, with the NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at 1:30 p.m. Finally, the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series will pay homage to their grassroots origins in the Goodyear 400 on Sunday, May 12, at 3:00 p.m.

NASCAR fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets via phone at 866-459-7223 or online at darlingtonraceway.com while supplies last.

Posted on January 24, 2024January 24, 2024 by Staff Report

The 62nd running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona kicks off the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. This year, 59 entries will take the 24-hour test of endurance all fighting for the overall win at Daytona International Speedway, as well as bragging rights within their own class. Here’s a glance at this year’s Rolex 24, including the race format, schedule, tune-in information and more.

What: 62nd Rolex 24 at Daytona, the first race of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season

When: Race starts Saturday, Jan. 27, at 1:40 p.m. ET and ends Sunday, Jan. 28, at 1:40 p.m. ET

Where: Daytona International Speedway, 3.56-mile combined tri-oval and road course

How to watch: The first and final hours of the Rolex 24 will be on NBC’s main network, with USA Network and the network’s streaming platforms carrying out the broadcast from Saturday night to Sunday morning. To watch the race in its entirety, with no channel changes, sign up for Peacock here. Information for international broadcasts can be found here and radio broadcast information can be found here. A full breakdown of the broadcast schedule is listed below.

Classes: The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is divided into four classes, all competing on the track at the same time. Those four divisions include two prototype classes — Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) and Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) — and two sports-car classes — Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) and Grand Touring Daytona (GTD).

Preliminary events: The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, split into Grand Sport (GS) and Touring Car (TCR) classes, will host the four-hour BMW Endurance Challenge at Daytona on Friday, Jan. 26 (1 p.m. ET, IMSA.tv). Two races for the Mazda MX-5 Cup are also slated — Thursday at 4:10 p.m. ET and Friday at 10:10 a.m. ET.

2023 winners: The Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian GTP Acura took overall honors with drivers Tom Blomqvist, Colin Braun, Helio Castroneves and Simon Pagenaud.

Last year’s other class winners:

LMP2: Proton Competition ORECA team with drivers James Allen, Gianmaria Bruni, Fred Poordad and Francesco Pizzi
LMP3: AWA Duqueine team with drivers Nico Varrone, Thomas Merrill, Anthony Mantella and Wayne Boyd
GTD: Heart of Racing Aston Martin team with drivers Marco Sørensen, Ian James, Darren Turner and Roman De Angelis
GTD PRO: WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG team with drivers Jules Gounon, Marco Engel, Cooper MacNeil and Daniel Juncadella

SHOP: Buy Rolex 24 tickets | Gear up for the Rolex 24

Cars: A total of 12 manufacturers will participate in the series’ four classes. The number of automakers grows to 17 when adding the Michelin Pilot Challenge series. The full list: Acura, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Lamborghini, Lexus, McLaren, Mazda, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche.

NASCAR involvement: There are a few NASCAR connections making appearances this weekend; most notably, Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace and John Hunter Nemechek will team up with Xfinity Series driver Corey Heim to compete in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season opener. The three drivers will team up with Smooge Racing and co-pilot the No. 23 Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO in the BMW M Endurance Challenge on Friday, Jan 26.

***

FULL BROADCAST SCHEDULE
(All times Eastern)

Thursday, Jan. 25
4:10-5 p.m.: Race 1 of 2 Mazda MX-5 Cup (IMSA.tv)

Friday, Jan. 26
10:10-11 a.m.: Race 2 of 2 Mazda MX-5 Cup (IMSA.tv)
1:40-5:45 p.m.: IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge: BMW Endurance Challenge at Daytona (Peacock, IMSA.tv)

Saturday, Jan. 27
All 24 hours of Rolex 24 at Daytona (Peacock, IMSA.tv)
1:30-2:30 p.m.: Rolex 24 at Daytona (NBC, NBC Sports app)
2:30-8 p.m.: Rolex 24 at Daytona (USA, NBC Sports app)
10 p.m.-midnight: Rolex 24 at Daytona (USA, NBC Sports app)

Sunday, Jan. 28
All 24 hours of Rolex 24 at Daytona (Peacock, IMSA.tv)
6 a.m.-Noon: Rolex 24 at Daytona (USA, NBC Sports app)
Noon-2 p.m.: Rolex 24 at Daytona (NBC, NBC Sports app)

Posted on January 24, 2024January 24, 2024 by Brandon White

The season-opening New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is only a few weeks away, and entries are already pouring in.

Making up the early entrants for the opener at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway are the usual group of Whelen Modified Tour veterans and champions, along with a handful of rookies and part-timers looking to add their own history within NASCAR’s oldest division.

Last year’s opener saw 35 cars take the green flag, an increase from 31 that showed up for the inaugural New Smyrna running in 2022. The expected final entry list for the 2024 New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200 is expected to at least equal and likely exceed the car count from the 2023 race.

Ron Silk prevailed over Justin Bonsignore for a season-opening victory at New Smyrna Speedway in 2023. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)

Reigning NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ron Silk opened last season in thrilling fashion by holding off Justin Bonsignore in a climactic battle at New Smyrna. Back with Haydt Yannone Racing once again for 2024, Silk will seek to start his title defense with a second consecutive New Smyrna win.

The New Smyrna race last year served as a perfect encapsulation of what became the championship battle, as Bonsignore fought Silk valiantly but ended up settling for second by a narrow margin.

Bonsignore looks to reverse last year’s outcome in 2024 by winning at New Smyrna for the first time and kickstarting a campaign for his fourth series title.

Matt Hirschman’s resume at New Smyrna Speedway includes four Modified titles in the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)

One of the most successful drivers in recent New Smyrna history, Matt Hirschman has accumulated four championships in the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing’s Modified division.

Hirschman won the inaugural NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at New Smyrna back in 2022 and enters as a heavy favorite for a second victory this year.

Six-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby is back on a part-time basis with Tommy Baldwin Jr., who took a sabbatical from racing last year to undergo treatment for cancer.

Coby hopes to park the iconic No. 7NY in Victory Lane for the first time in a Tour race at New Smyrna after leading a race-high 106 laps in 2023 before fading to fifth.

The sophomore season for Austin Beers on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour was a successful one, as he amassed two victories, 10 top fives, 633 laps led and a third-place points finish. Now armed with more experience and confidence, Beers heads to New Smyrna determined to establish himself as an early title favorite.

Ryan Newman is set to race at New Smyrna Speedway for the first time on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. (Photo: Rob Branning/NASCAR)

The 2008 Daytona 500 winner in Ryan Newman is set to make his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour appearance at New Smyrna, piloting the No. 14 for Advantage Motorsports.

Newman has visited Victory Lane four times on the Tour during his career, but he has not done so since a triumph at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2011.

Other drivers who have already filed entries for New Smyrna include three Catalano brothers in Tommy, Trevor and Tyler, the latter two of whom are participating in their first full NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour seasons this year.

Joining the Catalanos in the New Smyrna field are drivers such as Eric Goodale, Craig Lutz, Tyler Rypkema, Ronnie Williams, Dave Sapienza, Ronnie Williams, Eddie McCarthy, Tim Connolly, Melissa Fifield and Chris Hatton.

A complete entry list for the 2024 New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200 will be released in the days leading up to the green flag.

Posted on January 24, 2024January 26, 2024 by Staff Report

On Wednesday, Netflix released the trailer for its newest sports docuseries, NASCAR: Full Speed, which launches on Jan. 30 and focuses on the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and the 16 drivers vying for the Cup Series title.

The docuseries delves into the heart of the action as postseason drama unfolds both on and off the track, capturing the intensity of the NASCAR Playoffs. From clutch performances on race day to the strategic calls made from atop the pit box, every aspect is laid bare. Witness the ups and downs from a team’s playoff journey to the personal stories that extend beyond the race track.

RELATED: 2024 Cup Series schedule

Headlined by drivers such as Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, William Byron and Tyler Reddick, the camera doesn’t just follow the track action from each of the 10 playoff races. It peels back the layers of drivers’ personal stories, sacrifices and winning aspirations within each episode.

With its intense focus on the NASCAR Playoffs, NASCAR: Full Speed is more than just recounting races. It’s a gripping exploration of the human spirit under extreme pressure situations, the tactical brilliance required to navigate the playoffs and the relentless pursuit of championship glory. Be sure to watch the new series coming to Netflix on Jan. 30.

Posted on January 24, 2024January 24, 2024 by Cameron Richardson

2024 marks new territory for Toyota as the manufacturer debuts the new Toyota Camry XSE for Cup Series competition.

The model replaces the Toyota Camry TRD that competed in the first two years of NASCAR’s seventh-generation stock car and is the fifth model Toyota has introduced for NASCAR’s premier series.

While introducing a new body presents questions that will need to be answered throughout the season, TRD president David Wilson has high hopes for the XSE.

“We believe that our new Camry is going to come out of the gates pretty strong,” Wilson said in a media conference Tuesday. “We all use the same tools to test and develop the bodies, and they’re all virtual. It’s CFD (computational fluid dynamics), and it’s time in the wind tunnel. From those metrics, from all that information, certainly, the numbers look good.”

In December, NASCAR held a two-day test at Phoenix Raceway to focus on what short-track racing will look like in 2024. Toyota brought a pair of cars out to the Grand Canyon State with Erik Jones and Christopher Bell, and the first impressions were positive.

“We had two cars on track with our new body. Gosh, we were, I think we were fastest every session,” Wilson said. “We did a couple little mock racing runs, and Christopher went from the back to the front. When he was in front, he gapped the field. It’s the only data point we have, and everyone felt good.

“I think this is the best body that we’ve ever taken to the race track. Obviously, experience will prove that out. I will qualify the wild card, and that is NASCAR’s change to the short-track package.”

Earlier in January, NASCAR established the rules package for short tracks and road courses in 2024.

The key new component to the package is a simplified rear diffuser with fewer vertical strakes to cut downforce. To compensate for reduced downforce, the rear spoiler will increase from two to three inches in height.

MORE: NASCAR introduces 2024 rules package for short tracks, road courses

“With the rear diffuser, they’ve taken some downforce off the car. We think we’re going to be OK,” Wilson said. “Cautiously optimistic, but I think we’re the same as everybody else holding our breath a little bit at the same time to see what we see once we get to Phoenix.”

Toyota also expanded its footprint in the Cup Series, adding Legacy Motor Club to the manufacturer to now have three organizations under the banner and eight full-time teams. It’s the first time Toyota has fielded eight Cup teams since 2011.

With that comes familiar faces as Matt Kenseth was hired in the offseason as a competition adviser for Legacy. Erik Jones returns to piloting a Toyota after spending his first few years in the Cup Series with Joe Gibbs Racing, and John Hunter Nemechek gets the call back to the Cup Series after winning seven races with JGR in the Xfinity Series in 2023.

Toyota’s debuting face is only a seven-time Cup champion and one of the latest inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

“We take a great amount of responsibility anytime a new organization signs on to Toyota, and to have someone like Jimmie Johnson, a Hall of Famer now and a seven-time champion, and someone who’s only run with one OEM their entire career, that’s a massive pressure, ” Wilson said. “It’s a massive accountability and responsibility that we take very seriously.”

Legacy suffered growing pains in 2023 as both teams finished 27th and 32nd in the owner points, respectively.

Signs are pointing to growth for Legacy, but Wilson is reserved in his outlook for the organization this upcoming season.

“We have to moderate our expectations. They have decided to go solo without any alliance, and that’s going to be a steeper hill to climb,” Wilson said. “We’re actually supportive of that because I think we believe that presents a natural competition hedge to our overall strategy, and I think that’s healthy.

“I’d like to see them running consistently in the top 20. I’d like to see them leading some laps, and certainly, when it comes to speedway races, all bets are off. There’s no reason why they can’t be running up front and challenging for wins.”

For Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing, Wilson said he’s expecting all four JGR cars and both 23XI cars to make the playoffs while adding that Ty Gibbs should reach Victory Lane in his sophomore campaign.

Toyota will debut its new organization and body Sunday, Feb. 4, at the exhibition Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (8 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

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

Editor’s Note: Today’s Stewart-Haas Racing preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2024 Cup Series season.

STEWART-HAAS RACING

Manufacturer: Ford
Engine: Roush Yates Engines
Driver-crew chief pairings: Josh Berry-Rodney Childers (No. 4), Noah Gragson-Drew Blickensderfer (No. 10), Chase Briscoe-Richard Boswell (No. 14), Ryan Preece-Chad Johnston (No. 41)

Team outlook: Mark this year’s campaign as a pivotal one for the four-driver Cup Series roster at SHR, which enters its post-Kevin Harvick era with improvement-minded aspirations after a winless 2023. Two new drivers – short-track standout Josh Berry and sophomore Noah Gragson – take on fresh opportunities by replacing future Hall of Famer Harvick and departed veteran Aric Almirola, while returning drivers Chase Briscoe and Ryan Preece aim to shake off last year’s funk. Ford teams will tackle the track with a new Mustang Dark Horse body that could provide a performance boost, but Stewart-Haas’ Cup Series group will need to capitalize on its glimpses of late-season momentum and replicate the upswing that its Xfinity Series operation had last year to re-establish its typically competitive ways.

JOSH BERRY, NO. 4 FORD

Experience: 12 starts in two partial seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series
2023 stats: 11th in final Xfinity Series standings; 0 wins, 11 top fives, 18 top 10s
2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 60-1

Outlook: Berry gets the nod for NASCAR’s big leagues this season after making the most of his recent opportunities – from his five Xfinity Series wins to capably filling in for the injured Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman after a Cup call-up last season by Hendrick Motorsports. Succeeding Harvick’s legendary tenure in the No. 4 Mustang will be a heady assignment for the 33-year-old Tennessean, who earned his big break to Xfinity in 2021. But Berry will be paired with a veteran crew chief cut from the same fabric in Rodney Childers, who was Harvick’s partner for the last 10 years with SHR. As with most Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidates, Berry’s learning curve should be steep, but his years of experience as a Late Model racer should help him find his bearing in his first full year in Cup – especially when the schedule shifts to the short tracks as springtime nears.

NOAH GRAGSON, NO. 10 FORD

Experience: 39 starts in two partial seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series
2023 stats: 33rd in final Cup Series standings; 0 wins, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s
2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 100-1

Outlook: Gragson returns to NASCAR’s top series after a behavioral suspension for his social-media actions halted what was supposed to be his first full Cup Series season. His 21 races to that midsummer point were an uneven affair, with both the Las Vegas native and the Legacy Motor Club team he drove for struggling to make any headway. Gragson takes over for Aric Almirola in the No. 10 ride, which landed a subpar 22nd in the Cup Series owner standings last year with two pole positions – both on superspeedway-style tracks. Gragson proved he can win in the Xfinity Series, notching 13 wins in his final three seasons with JR Motorsports. Finding that same success and reaching a level of personal and professional balance with SHR is a question mark in need of an answer.

Weekly Team Rosters

CHASE BRISCOE, NO. 14 FORD

Experience: Three full-time seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series
2023 stats: 30th in final Cup Series standings; 0 wins, 4 top fives, 8 top 10s
2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 70-1

Outlook: Briscoe holds some of the same credentials as car owner Tony Stewart, as a tried-and-true Hoosier native driving the team’s No. 14 Ford. But the 29-year-old driver is also suddenly SHR’s longest-tenured driver, and he’s said he’s ready to assume a more prominent leadership role with the organization as he preps for his fourth Cup Series season. Both Harvick and Almirola have said that Briscoe has the capability to take on that mantle. As for last season, Briscoe’s performance was second only to Harvick within the Stewart-Haas group, and his 30th-place result in the final Cup Series standings was partially owed to a 120-point penalty for a technical violation last May. He’s currently the only SHR driver with a Cup Series win in his career column, and his leadership push would get a significant lift by adding more.

RYAN PREECE, NO. 41 FORD

Experience: Four full-time seasons, plus two partial seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series
2023 stats: 23rd in final Cup Series standings; 0 wins, 1 top five, 2 top 10s
2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 150-1

Outlook: Ryan Preece’s toughness is unquestioned after he strapped right back in after a harrowing crash last summer at Daytona. Otherwise, the story of last season for the 33-year-old was a difficult on-track tale, with his best highlight at Martinsville, where he won his first Cup Series pole, his first Cup Series stage and led 135 laps before a pit-road speeding penalty derailed his day. Preece and the No. 41 team made modest gains during the final half of the season, his first with SHR, and the slight uptick is something to build on for 2024.

BOLD PREDICTION: Stewart-Haas Racing will return to Victory Lane in 2024, putting two cars in the Cup Series Playoffs. In past years, this expectation would be a relatively low bar to clear for a team that has fielded cars for two Cup Series champions (Stewart in 2011 and Harvick in 2014) since its inception 16 years ago. That speaks, however, to just how rocky a year last season was for the Stewart-Haas operation. Which two drivers will lead the way back to the postseason? The door is wide open for any of the four to fill the veteran void. Here’s a hunch that Briscoe fulfills his ambitions, with a toss-up for the remaining spot.

NASCAR.com 2024 team previews schedule

Jan. 15: Legacy Motor Club
Jan. 16: Spire Motorsports
Jan. 17: Kaulig Racing
Jan. 18: Wood Brothers Racing
Jan. 22: Rick Ware Racing
Jan. 23: Richard Childress Racing
Jan. 24: Stewart-Haas Racing
Jan. 25: Front Row Motorsports
Jan. 26: JTG Daugherty Racing
Jan. 29: Trackhouse Racing
Jan. 30: RFK Racing
Feb. 6: 23XI Racing
Feb. 7: Joe Gibbs Racing
Feb. 8: Hendrick Motorsports
Feb. 9: Team Penske

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

NASCAR officials released the 2024 schedule Tuesday for the Truck Series’ Triple Truck Challenge, which returns for its sixth season in May and June.

The three-race schedule was announced Tuesday afternoon during a preseason competition briefing at the NASCAR Research & Development Center. “The Trip” was created in 2019 and provides an opportunity for series regulars to compete for extra monetary incentives.

RELATED: 2024 Truck Series schedule

This season’s Triple Truck Challenge schedule:

May 24: Charlotte Motor Speedway
June 1: World Wide Technology Raceway
June 28: Nashville Superspeedway

MORE: Last season’s Triple Truck Challenge results | Every Triple Truck Challenge winner

All three venues made up the 2023 running of the initiative. The program returns to St. Louis for a fifth time in six seasons, while Charlotte and Nashville will each host its third contest.

Eligible drivers who have elected to earn Craftsman Truck Series championship points will receive a $50,000 bonus for one win. If a driver wins two out of three races, he or she will be awarded $150,000. If a driver wins all three Triple Truck Challenge races, a $500,000 prize will be awarded.