Format for 2024 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum unveiled

Posted on January 16, 2024January 31, 2024 by Staff Report

NASCAR officials unveiled the format for the 2024 Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum on Tuesday morning.

The Cup Series’ third annual trip to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum culminates in a 150-lap exhibition feature on Feb. 4 with 23 drivers set to bang fenders in the battle for preseason glory, all atop a 0.25-mile short asphalt oval located in the same arena that has hosted Super Bowls, World Series games and the Olympics.

On-track festivities for the non-points event begin with three practice sessions on Saturday, with up to 40 entrants split into three groups. Each competitor’s fastest lap time from their final practice session will determine the starting lineup for the four heat races, the first significant alteration of this event’s format after prior years featured single-round, single-car qualifying to set heat lineups.

Saturday’s four 25-lap heat races will have up to 10 drivers per heat. The fastest practice time in the final sessions earns pole position in Heat 1, second-fastest on pole for Heat 2, third-fastest on pole for Heat 3 and fourth-fastest in practice on pole for Heat 4, and so on. Only green-flag laps will count in each of the heat races, with no overtime allotment.

The top five finishers in each heat will automatically advance to Sunday night’s main event, while the drivers who finish below fifth in each heat will advance to Sunday afternoon’s 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ). Starting position for the LCQ will be determined by finishing order from the heat races. The top two finishers in the LCQ will advance to the Clash and start 21st and 22nd, respectively. Like the heat races, only green-flag laps will count with no overtime.

SHOP: Gear up for the Busch Light Clash

The 23rd and final position in the grid for the Clash is reserved for the driver who finished highest in the 2023 season points standings and did not transfer via the heat races or LCQ. Ryan Blaney, the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion, is locked into the main event.

That sets the stage for the 2024 rendition, scheduled for 150 laps under the lights in the heart of Los Angeles (8 p.m. ET, Feb. 4 on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM). Below is how the starting lineup will be set for the 23-car field, a return to the grid size for the inaugural Clash at The Coliseum:

Position	Criteria
1	Heat 1 winner
2	Heat 2 winner
3	Heat 3 winner
4	Heat 4 winner
5	Heat 1 second place
6	Heat 2 second place
7	Heat 3 second place
8	Heat 4 second place
9	Heat 1 third place
10	Heat 2 third place
11	Heat 3 third place
12	Heat 4 third place
13	Heat 1 fourth place
14	Heat 2 fourth place
15	Heat 3 fourth place
16	Heat 4 fourth place
17	Heat 1 fifth place
18	Heat 2 fifth place
19	Heat 3 fifth place
20	Heat 4 fifth place
21	LCQ winner
22	LCQ second place
23	2023 Points Provisional

Tune into the Clash at The Coliseum on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

NASCAR

Posted on January 16, 2024January 19, 2024 by Seth Sharp

From championships to race wins, any single moment in time can define a driver forever. When it comes to 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Donnie Allison, it’s a rather unique case. The defining moments most commonly tied to Allison are, oddly enough, ones that didn’t see him come out on top.

The conclusion of the 1979 Daytona 500, a race he was leading during its final moments, is usually first to the tongue of any race fan. The success of “The Alabama Gang,” including his brother Bobby and nephew Davey, is as well.

Allison wasn’t your typical driver on paper. He never raced a full-season schedule and doesn’t have high season-long points finishes because of it. Simply looking at his stats won’t ever tell anyone the full story about his career.

He was better than you think.

SHOP: Celebrate the 2024 Hall of Fame class

Allison only drove in more than half of the races on the schedule five times in his 21-year career and never started more than 70% of the schedule. That didn’t stop him from being one of the best drivers in NASCAR. From 1968 to 1980, Allison ranked ninth in wins.

In 1970, Allison tied for third in wins (3) and was fifth in laps led (697). He was surrounded on those lists by Richard Petty, Bobby Isaac, Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough and David Pearson. A true Hall of Fame group.

He had the third-best average starting position in 1971 (4.2), thanks to five pole positions. Only Petty (46 starts) and his brother Bobby (42 starts) had more poles, both with nine. Allison grabbed his five in just 13 starts.

1980 was the final season Allison drove double-digit races, mainly due to the injuries he would sustain in a crash at Charlotte in 1981.

At the conclusion of the 1980 season, he had cemented himself as one of the greatest drivers over NASCAR’s first 30-plus seasons.

MORE: NASCAR Classics races from the vault

Allison shined no matter what number was on his door. His 11 starts for Wood Brothers Racing in 1971 accounted for one win and eight top-five finishes. He was the first driver for DiGard Racing in 1973, qualifying 11th or better in 40 of his 45 starts. Four of the five times a Hoss Ellington car visited Victory Lane, it was Allison behind the wheel.

At the end of the 1988 season, Allison took off his helmet for the final time. He had 10 victories to his name, as all 10 came with a fellow NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee finishing in second.

Whenever Allison was behind the wheel of a car, he was a threat to win, and it didn’t matter who was in the field.

He won against the best of the best. It is only fitting that Allison will be enshrined as one of those legends himself in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Posted on January 16, 2024January 23, 2024 by Cameron Richardson

Editor’s Note: Today’s Spire Motorsports preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2024 Cup Series season, ranked in reverse order of best finish in last year’s owner standings.

Spire Motorsports

Manufacturer: Chevrolet
Engine: Hendrick Motorsports
Driver-crew chief pairings: Corey LaJoie-Ryan Sparks (No. 7), Zane Smith-Stephen Doran (No. 71), Carson Hocevar-Luke Lambert (No. 77)

Team outlook: Spire Motorsports leaped in performance last season as Corey LaJoie took his No. 7 Chevrolet from a 24.3 average finish in 2022 to 20.8 in 2023. With positive momentum entering 2024, Spire expands to a three-car operation after forming an alliance with Trackhouse Racing. Spire welcomes two full-time newcomers in the Cup Series as Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith are set for their respective rookie campaigns.

Stephen Doran makes his debut as a crew chief as he’ll sit atop the No. 71 team’s pit box for Smith. Before linking with Spire, Doran worked at Stewart-Haas Racing for 11 years and the No. 4 team, where he won a championship with driver Kevin Harvick in 2014. Luke Lambert moves from Legacy Motor Club to Spire, where he will crew chief Hocevar. Lambert has been atop the box for multiple teams and drivers in the Cup Series since 2011, most recently for the No. 42 car at Legacy where Hocevar drove eight races in 2023.

With Smith set to transition to Trackhouse in 2025, there will be added expectation to perform well this upcoming season and improve on the gains found in 2023.

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 CHEVROLET

Experience: Five full-time seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series
2023 stats: 25th in final standings; 0 wins, 2 top fives, 3 top 10s
2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 600-1

Outlook: Finding stability in the Cup Series after pairing with Spire in 2021 has bore improvement in each season for LaJoie. 2023 was the most consistent year for the 32-year-old as he was consistently in contention for top-20 results and saw the biggest gain in average finish between full-time seasons, going from 24.3 in ’22 to 20.8 last year. The combination of a technical alliance with Trackhouse and LaJoie now serving as the veteran leader for the organization and rookies Hocevar and Smith could culminate in a dark-horse run to one of the 16 playoff spots, whether that comes via victory or on points alone.

ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 CHEVROLET

Experience: 9 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series.
2023 stats: Seventh in final Truck Series standings; 2 wins, 10 top fives, 10 top 10s (Truck); 1 top 10 (Xfinity); 1 top 10 (Cup)
2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 400-1

Outlook: The 2022 Truck Series champion makes his awaited full-time debut in the Cup Series this year. Smith turned heads in 2022, filling in for Chris Buescher and RFK in the No. 17 at World Wide Technology Raceway with a clean day around the 1-mile oval and a 17th-place finish. Smith made eight Cup starts in 2023, highlighted by a 10th-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600. Under contract with Trackhouse Racing ahead of the 2025 campaign, the 24-year-old will have more pressure and expectations to perform than your average rookie.

CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 CHEVROLET

Experience: 9 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series.
2023 stats: Fourth in final Truck Series standings; 4 wins, 11 top fives, 13 top 10s (Truck); 2 top 10s (Xfinity)
2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 400-1

Outlook: Even competing with the likes of Josh Berry and Zane Smith for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in 2024, Carson Hocevar will likely have the most to prove among his Cup Series peers. An outstanding 2023 campaign with Niece Motorsports, highlighted by Hocevar’s first national series victories and a Championship 4 berth, sparked moments that ruffled the feathers of his fellow competitors, culminating in a dustup with Corey Heim in the final laps of the Phoenix title race that rattled the Truck Series championship picture. However, the 20-year-old’s talent shined at the Cup level in his select starts in 2023, scoring an eye-popping 11th-place finish in the Bristol Night Race to pair with four other top-20 runs. With upgraded assets and a pair of talented teammates, Hocevar should continue to impress when the Cup Series kicks off its season at Daytona.

MORE: Hocevar inks multiyear deal with Spire

BOLD PREDICTION: Make it two bold predictions: Corey LaJoie reaching the playoffs and Zane Smith taking home Rookie of the Year honors. LaJoie’s overall improvement in terms of average finish should continue in 2024, and with Daytona and Atlanta kicking off the season on a back-to-back, it offers LaJoie a golden opportunity to stun the field early and lock in one of the first spots in the Cup Series Playoffs. As for Smith, he has the capabilities to exceed already high expectations for 2024. After an underwhelming year for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2023, it’s difficult to tap Josh Berry for the award as he transitions from Xfinity to Cup full-time, and Smith should outperform his Spire counterpart in Hocevar for the majority of race weekends.

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 16, 2024January 16, 2024 by Press Release

PHOENIX, AZ — Carvana, an industry pioneer for buying and selling used cars online, today announced the continuation of its partnership with racing legend Jimmie Johnson and Legacy Motor Club in 2024. Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame class inductee, has partnered with Carvana since 2021, when he competed in the IndyCar Series for the first time after more than two decades as a leading NASCAR driver.

For the 2024 racing season, Johnson will compete in three key races this year with Carvana on the hood of his No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE: the season-opening Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400 at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with Jimmie and Legacy M.C. for a second season,” Carvana Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer Ryan Keeton said. “Jimmie is not only the true embodiment of a champion, as recognized by his Hall of Fame induction this year, he is also a leader on and off the track, and we can’t wait to see what he accomplishes this season.”

This season, Carvana’s paint schemes will honor the legacy Johnson has built across his NASCAR and IndyCar career with three unique designs. Carvana will unveil the Daytona 500 paint scheme before the start of the 2024 season in February.

“I’m so proud to represent Carvana for a second NASCAR season, and our fourth season overall as partners, at some of my favorite races,” Johnson said. “Carvana is a fun brand that captures the joy of cars and racing, and they do a great job leveraging their partnership with Legacy M.C. I’m excited to have a shot at another Daytona 500 trophy in our new Toyota Camry XSE’s, and the paint scheme is sure to be a fan favorite.”

Posted on January 15, 2024January 23, 2024 by Holly Cain

Editor’s Note: Today’s Legacy Motor Club preview starts NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2024 Cup Series season.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB

Manufacturer: Toyota
Engine: Toyota Racing Development
Driver-crew chief pairings: No. 42 John Hunter Nemechek-Ben Beshore, No. 43 Erik Jones-Dave Elenz, No. 84 Jimmie Johnson-Jason Burdett (partial schedule)

Team outlook: There is a lot of optimism for Legacy Motor Club, which will start its second year of competition with the new-look ownership group that includes a pair of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series championship drivers in Jimmie Johnson and team ambassador Richard Petty. Additionally, NASCAR Hall of Famer and former series champion Matt Kenseth has joined the team to work with Jones and Nemechek in their continued development. After completing a run with the Chevrolet banner in 2023 that resulted in seven top-10 finishes, the Legacy team moves to Toyota horsepower in 2024, taking a place alongside the manufacturer’s championship-contending teams of Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing. Both of Legacy’s full-time drivers, Jones and the new addition, Nemechek, have raced Toyotas coming up the career ranks. The 2024 season may feel a bit like a re-launch for this team, but expectations are higher than ever.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, NO. 42 TOYOTA

Experience: One full-time season in NASCAR Cup Series
2023 stats: Fourth in final Xfinity Series standings; 7 wins, 17 top fives, 24 top 10s (Xfinity)
2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 100-1

Outlook: This will unquestionably be a transitional year for the team but also for the young Nemechek, who returns to NASCAR’s premier ranks full-time for a “second-go” of sorts. He has certainly proven himself capable of both winning races and challenging for championships in the Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. This will be the year to simultaneously get acclimated with the new team and raise his game to the next level after reestablishing himself as a top prospect.

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 TOYOTA

Experience: Seven full-time seasons in NASCAR Cup Series
2023 stats: 27th in final standings; 0 wins, 1 top five, 7 top 10s
2024 championship odds (DraftKings): 100-1

Outlook: Jones won his Truck Series title driving Toyotas and a return to the manufacturer should be a promising situation for him. Last season, he ran up front often only to have late-race situations derail a better finish. Even though Jones is only 27 years old, 2024 marks his eighth full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, and after proving himself a perennial title contender in other series — as well as a Cup Series race winner — there are great expectations for Jones this year with perhaps more firepower under the hood.

He has earned double-digit top-10 finishes in five of his previous seven seasons and led at least 100 laps in three of them. With Legacy Motor Club in a more established competitive situation in 2024, and Jones starting a third year now with crew chief Elenz, the combination should be running up front more consistently as the de facto lead car on this team.

MORE: Opening championship odds | 2024 schedule

BOLD PREDICTION: Erik Jones will win a race to qualify for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. He’s been competitive against the odds and with the organization in a better position with a year under its belt and the return to Toyota – a familiar make for Jones – it’s time for Jones to show himself the title competitor he’s shown flashes of in seasons past.

NASCAR.com 2024 team previews schedule

Posted on January 15, 2024 by Zack Albert

I remember the crying, maybe most of all. The finish to the Daytona 500 in 1979 left a lasting impression on my 6-year-old self, not just because of the dramatic nature of the final lap but because Cale Yarborough was my driver.

That, gentle reader, was my agonizing introduction to how sports can break your heart. The scoffers who say, “it’s just a game” or in this case, “just a race,” may not fully comprehend just how hard the sports world can tug on those inner-most emotions, but watching Yarborough’s blue-and-white No. 11 Oldsmobile clang alongside Donnie Allison’s deep-red No. 1 Olds before crashing and sliding helplessly out of the race turned on a faucet of tears. A replay of the wreck on the 6 o’clock news the next day reopened the wound.

Nearly 45 years later, that finish still holds up, and Cale Yarborough is still my driver.

Yarborough’s death on the last day of last year brought those sorts of emotional connections back for many in the NASCAR industry. His legacy as one of stock-car racing’s most tenacious drivers was remembered with reverence, and his mark on the sport will be forever enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which will induct the Class of 2024 – including his ’79 foil in Allison — in gala ceremonies this Friday.

Becoming a Yarborough fan came easy, thanks to his enduring speed and no-prisoners driving style, but his dominance as a Cup Series champion through the mid- to late-1970s put his name in plenty of headlines as I started to read the sports pages. Yarborough’s familiar No. 11 was also a fixture in the pages of my dad’s hand-me-down Stock Car Racing and Circle Track magazines, usually up front.

But at least in part, the fandom was owed to that broadcast, Yarborough’s name, and how Ken Squier said it. Squier – a Hall of Famer himself who preceded Yarborough in death by just six weeks – had a knack for making race-car drivers seem like larger-than-life figures who wrestled heavy machines at great risk around palaces built for breakneck speed. But Squier also stretched every syllable of Yarborough’s name just so, including an emphatic “Caaaaaaallle!” whenever his car entered the picture.

Like much of the East Coast that fateful February day, the piedmont and foothills of North Carolina were blanketed by the near-record snowfall that kept a wide swath of the U.S. population indoors and around their TV sets. Our home wore a rare 10-inch coat of white, but no matter if the weather had been a sunny 75 degrees, our family would have been a captive television audience. With just four channels back then and broadcast media rights nothing like the wall-to-wall blockbuster deals of today, any televised auto racing coverage was a novelty. A 500-mile race shown live, from green to checkered flag? Unheard of.

Yarborough’s rally into contention after an earlier tangle with the Allison brothers only stoked false hopes as Squier boomed, “It’s all come down to this!” The block, the slide and the crash all meant anguish. The jubilation of the winning No. 43 team after Richard Petty had snapped his longest losing streak to date was barely a ripple from my beanbag-chair point of view.

NASCAR Classics: 1979 Daytona 500 full replay

Donnie Allison became a villain who tied fair damsels to railroad tracks. Each driver blamed the other for their final-lap collision, but my allegiance to Yarborough helped shape those opinions into facts about who was in the right. If you’d asked 6-year-old me to name the most evil thing there is, I’d have probably still ranked the devil over Donnie Allison, but I would have had to think about it.

That same last-lap slingshot tactic provided reason to cheer Yarborough’s Daytona 500 wins in 1983 and ’84, and I softened my stance on Allison after both drivers sunsetted their careers. When Yarborough stopped by our office before his Hall of Fame induction, I saw them both having a cordial conversation, with Allison promising to stop by Yarborough’s farm in the coming days. There was a handshake, smiles and a hearty pat on the back – all unimaginable for kindergarten me.

Also unthinkable was an assignment I received roughly 10 years ago for a 1-on-1 interview with Yarborough in the Hall’s Legends Room. His wife, Betty Jo, was seated beside him for the introduction and the question-and-answer session, which went well despite the nerves. At the end, I thanked him for his time and shared in some small talk before he departed.

I briefly considered telling him about my rooting interest and how much the 1979 race had cemented that. I didn’t, ultimately deciding against putting him on the spot and having a professional conversation turn into a personal one.

But Cale Yarborough is still my driver.

Albert family photo

Posted on January 14, 2024January 19, 2024 by Official NASCAR Release

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 14, 2023) – NASCAR announced today that GRAMMY-nominated and multi-platinum recording artist Machine Gun Kelly, also known as MGK, will give a show-stopping race break performance during the 2024 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum on Sunday, Feb. 4.

“Machine Gun Kelly is the true embodiment of what it means to be a modern-day rock star,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s senior vice president of racing development and strategy. “We’re thrilled to have as captivating of an artist as MGK bring in the 2024 season during the Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.”

MORE: Busch Light Clash tickets, more info

The Cleveland, Ohio, native has been on a tear since releasing his first Rock/Pop Punk album Tickets to My Downfall in 2020. It became his first No. 1 effort with songs like “bloody valentine” and “my ex’s best friend” going platinum.

In 2022, MGK continued to top the charts with Mainstream Sellout, his second album to hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album was nominated for a 2023 GRAMMY Award for “Best Rock Album” and was supported with a sold-out tour. The US leg ended back in Cleveland to a crowd of 50,000 fans, making him the first and only Ohio native to sell out FirstEnergy Stadium.

In addition to putting on a spectacular race-break performance, MGK will show off both his signature nail polish line UN/DN LAQR and his Cleveland-based 27 Club Coffee lounge with pop ups at the NASCAR Fan Fest. To learn more about UN/DN LAQR and its vibrant range of cruelty free, vegan nail polishes, visit https://undnlaqr.com/. For more information on 27 Club Coffee and its decadent coffees, delicious food and unique, themed cocktails, go to https://27clubcoffee.com/.

Witness MGK rock the world of NASCAR on Sunday, Feb. 4, as racing begins on the Coliseum’s temporary, quarter-mile asphalt track at 1:30 p.m. with the NASCAR Mexico Series’ King Taco La Batalla en El Coliseo followed by the NASCAR Cup Series’ Busch Light Clash at 5 p.m.

SHOP: Gear up for the Busch Light Clash

The third-annual Busch Light Clash is the NASCAR Cup Series’ season-opening exhibition featuring the sport’s top stars. NASCAR on FOX will once again carry the broadcast for the Busch Light Clash while the NASCAR Mexico Series Race will be on FS1, Fox Deportes, Fox Sports 3 in Mexico, and available pan regionally on Claro Sports and the D Motors channel on DirecTV.

A single ticket purchased is good for both races, and fans are encouraged to get their tickets now while supplies last by visiting www.nascarclash.com.

Posted on January 13, 2024January 14, 2024 by Brandon White

Nothing stood in the way of Logan Seavey earning his second consecutive Chili Bowl Nationals victory inside the Tulsa Expo Center on Saturday night.

After feeling under the weather all week and narrowly advancing into the Pole Shuffle through his A-feature on Friday evening, Seavey was calm and composed in Saturday’s main event. He took control early from the outside pole and led almost every lap.

Seavey was not going to let an illness deter him from winning another Chili Bowl. When it came time to race, he replicated the efficiency that earned him his first Golden Driller in 2023.

“It’s the Chili Bowl, and you have to do what you can to perform,” Seavey said. “I can’t say enough for what these guys do for me by giving me cars that can come here and win the biggest race of the year. I felt a lot better [on Saturday] after getting a little bit of sleep and was finally able to put some food down.

“I knew all I needed was to get some food in me, and I felt great all day.”

@Logan_Seavey is a two-time #ChiliBowl Champ! He sweeps the week!@cbnationals | @NosEnergyDrink

https://t.co/37DKpNQBRF pic.twitter.com/Q1DX0wLFqP

— FloRacing (@FloRacing) January 14, 2024

The only challenge Seavey faced in this year’s Chili Bowl finale came from pole-sitter Buddy Kofoid, who traded the lead with Seavey several times during the opening laps.

Just as Kofoid was about to take the lead, an early caution reverted the running order back to the last completed lap, relegating Kofoid to second behind Seavey. As the track rubbered in, Kofoid was unable to mount another charge for the lead and settled for a runner-up finish in his fifth Chili Bowl attempt.

There were several aspects about the caution that confused Kofoid, from how he was scored to a transponder issue that required repairs. Despite the frustration, Kofoid took solace in his overall performance knowing he is getting closer to his first Golden Driller.

“I guess it just wasn’t meant to be,” Kofoid said. “My car felt good having to back down to [Seavey’s] pace and being in his dirty air, if you will. Our car got through the cushion better than him, but there’s such a fine line of hitting it perfect.

“Logan is one of the best and one of my best friends. I’m happy to see this for him, but it’s still bittersweet.”

For Seavey, who has one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2018, he joins an elite list of drivers who have multiple Chili Bowl victories. That group includes current NASCAR Cup Series competitors Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell, along with three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart.

With his victory, Logan Seavey joins an elite list of drivers who have won multiple Chili Bowls. (Photo: Nick Oxford/NASCAR)

Seavey is now halfway to the Chili Bowl win total accumulated by his co-owner Kevin Swindell, who won the prestigious dirt midget car event four times from 2010-13. The camaraderie Seavey shares with Swindell was crucial toward him pushing through his illness and delivering another Chili Bowl triumph for the iconic No. 39.

“[Kevin and I] have only ran [the Chili Bowl] a couple of times and won every time we’ve been over here,” Seavey said. “That’s why he built this car, to come here and win this race. To be the one doing it for him is so much fun. He always has my back and we’re always on the same page. I could not be happier right now.

“This is the biggest race of my life, and to now win it twice is unbelievable.”

Of the NASCAR regulars that entered the 2024 Chili Bowl, the only one to advance to the A-Main was Chase Briscoe, the first time he had done so since 2017. Despite this, Briscoe was unable to keep pace with the leaders and finished 21^st.

Larson and 2023 Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. were both surprise entrants for the Chili Bowl and arrived at the Tulsa Expo Center in the middle of the week. Stenhouse’s run ended in the first C-Main on Saturday. Larson withdrew after crashing in his A-feature on Thursday.

Jesse Love, J.J. Yeley and Josh Bilicki also made attempts at the Golden Driller during the long, hectic week in Tulsa. Love made it to the second E-Main while Yeley and Bilicki were eliminated in the F-Main and N-Main, respectively.

Posted on January 12, 2024January 12, 2024 by Staff Report

Kaulig Racing announced its spotter lineup for its 2024 NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series teams on Friday.

Coleman Pressley, who won the 2022 Cup Series championship with Team Penske driver Joey Logano, will reunite with AJ Allmendinger and spot for the No. 16 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series. Pressley, who will continue his Sunday duties with Logano, has spotted for the No. 22 car since August 2021 and has visited Victory Lane five times with Logano, including after winning the Cup title race in 2022 at Phoenix. Pressley was the eyes in the sky for Allmendinger and the No. 47 Chevrolet at JTG Daugherty Racing from 2015-18. A former racer himself, Pressley moved to Team Penske in 2019 as the spotter for 2012 champion Brad Keselowski and later moved over to Logano and the No. 22 in August 2021.

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>We’ve locked in our eyes in the sky. <a href=”https://t.co/ADqvUj8D0q”>pic.twitter.com/ADqvUj8D0q</a></p>— Kaulig Racing (@KauligRacing) <a href=”https://twitter.com/KauligRacing/status/1745913543319302171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

Kaulig also named Frank Deiny Jr. to handle double duty in the team’s announcement. Deiny, who formerly spotted for Allmendinger, will spot for Xfinity Series rookie and Chicago Street Course Cup Series winner Shane van Gisbergen in the No. 97 Chevrolet, as well as Daniel Hemric’s No. 31 Chevy in the Cup Series.

Additionally, Joe White will handle spotting duties for Josh Williams as he pilots the No. 11 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series, Williams’ first season with the team. White will also be in the spotters’ stand for the No. 16 Cup Series car throughout 2024, which Allmendinger will pilot in the Daytona 500 and select other Cup races this season. White previousspotted for Chase Briscoe at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2021.

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Adam Fenwick

Kyle Larson’s return to the Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Thursday night did not go as planned.

The driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series hoped to punch his ticket to Saturday’s championship feature. Instead, he flipped twice in the No. 98 midget car fielded by Keith Kunz Motorsports, with his second flip — during Thursday’s preliminary feature — ending his hopes of qualifying for Saturday’s Chili Bowl finale.

Larson opened the night with a difficult performance in his heat race, where he started fifth. He first narrowly avoided a flipping car down the backstretch early in the race. Unfortunately, that was where Larson’s luck ended.

When the race resumed, Larson went to work trying to pass Chili Bowl rookie Christopher Townsend, but the two made contact in Turns 1-2, and they both flipped.

Larson was able to continue and finish the race fifth, but that result wasn’t good enough to secure Larson a spot in a qualifier.

(Photo: Noah Watts/FloRacing)

Instead, Larson was relegated to the front row of a C Main, which he promptly won to advance to a B Main. He then drove from 13th to second in the B Main, which earned him the 20th starting position in the 30-lap preliminary feature.

“It’s hard. When you’re in traffic you can’t really like air it out, and your car doesn’t operate right,” Larson told FloRacing after his runner-up finish in the B Main. “We’ll do what we can and try to make the most of the night.”

Progress was slow for Larson during the 30-lap feature. He was only able to move up five positions by the halfway point to 15th, and he was 13th with 10 laps left.

With six laps left, Larson had moved up to 11th and was challenging for 10th when everything fell apart. Coming out of Turn 4 Larson clipped the outside wall with his right-rear tire, which sent his car into a spin and subsequent flip down the frontstretch.

The flip that ended @KyleLarsonRacin‘s run at the 2024 @cbnationals pic.twitter.com/5dUAD1wCSG

— NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) January 12, 2024

Larson was uninjured in his second incident of the evening, but that crash and subsequent last-place finish ended any hope he had of qualifying for the 55-lap championship feature Saturday night.

With his Chili Bowl adventure now over, Larson will return to Vado, New Mexico to continue competing in the Wild West Shootout dirt super late model event Friday through Sunday at Vado Speedway Park. In three starts so far during the Wild West Shootout, Larson has finished fifth, fourth and 24th.