Regina Sirvent won the fan vote to compete in the 2024 NASCAR Mexico Series race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Only residents of Mexico were eligible to vote and decided on the 20-year-old from Mexico City. The Mexico Series will join the Cup Series during Busch Light Clash weekend on Feb. 4, 2024.
Sirvent was recently announced as a member of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program Class of 2024.
Next year, she is set to compete in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series as she tries to follow in the footsteps of diversity program graduates such as Daniel Suárez and Nick Sanchez.
The entire field, which will take on the legendary venue Feb. 4, 2024, will be set based on these parameters:
– Top 10 drivers in regular-season points standings following the race at El Dorado Speedway
– Top six drivers in the NASCAR Mexico Challenge Series following the race at El Dorado Speedway
– Two Championship Provisional drivers, awarded to the most recent NASCAR Mexico champions not eligible based on driver points
– One driver via fan vote, with eligibility coming from the rest of the field behind the cutoff in both divisions. Vote to be held for Mexico residents only
– One guest driver, who will be announced at a later date
After a week of voting for the 2023 NASCAR Fan Choice Awards Supercharged by Worldwide Express, the votes have been tallied and the results are in.
Fans were given the opportunity to vote for an array of categories including Best Race, Best Paint Scheme, Crew Chief of the Year, Most Improved and Most Dominant Performance.
The Best Race of 2023, chosen by the fans, was the inaugural Chicago Street Race. In a first for NASCAR, a Cup Series event was held on a street course. It was Cup debutant Shane van Gisbergen, who had a thrilling battle with Justin Haley in the closing laps to take the checkered flag in the race. | Relive the race
Best Paint Scheme
Best Scheme goes to Kevin Harvick’s No. 29 throwback that he rocked during the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The number was Harvick’s first when he debuted in the Cup Series in 2001 and he won his first Cup race with the scheme at Atlanta Motor Speedway in just his third start.
Crew Chief of the Year
Crew Chief of the Year goes to Jonathan Hassler, who guided Ryan Blaney to the 2023 Cup Series title. The duo won three races during the title campaign, including victories in the Coca-Cola 600, Talladega and the Martinsville playoff race, which secured Blaney’s bid to the Championship 4 race at Phoenix.
Most Improved
Most Improved goes to Chris Buescher. Buescher tallied three victories in 2023, the most in a single season during his Cup career. Nabbing a second appearance in the playoffs, Buescher made the most of it, reaching the Round of 8 before his elimination in the penultimate race of the year at Martinsville. Buescher set career bests for top fives (9), top 10s (17), laps led (255) and average finish (12.1).
Most Dominant Performance
Most Dominant Performance goes to Kyle Larson’s masterclass in the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro. The No. 5 Chevrolet led 145 of the 200 laps around the 0.625-mile short track and lapped half the field before taking the checkered flag. Larson celebrated in style with a burnout around the entire track. | Relive the race
Person of the Year
Person of the Year goes to Kevin Harvick. Competing in his final full-time Cup Series season, it was only fitting that the 23-year veteran would get the nod for the award in NASCAR’s 75th anniversary.
Best Scanner Moment
Best Scanner Moment goes to drivers reacting to Brad Keselowski driving in circles under the red flag during the Cup Series regular-season finale at Daytona. The RFK co-owner smelled a fire in his No. 6 Ford and proceeded to do what he could to put it out, causing drivers behind him to be awestruck. | Hear the best reactions
Best Rivalry
Best Rivalry goes to Kyle Larson vs. Denny Hamlin. The off-track friends had a handful of run-ins during the 2023 season. On the final lap of the Kansas spring race, Hamlin made contact with Larson down the backstretch, forcing Larson into the wall while Hamlin took the checkered flag. A few months later, Hamlin squeezed Larson into the barrier during a late restart at Pocono Raceway. Larson showed his frustration to Hamlin under caution, but the No. 11 driver was able to walk away with the win.
Best Driver on Social Media
Best Driver on Social Media goes to Corey LaJoie. The “Stacking Pennies” co-host delivered some flair across social media routinely, whether it be promoting his podcast or unveiling a paint scheme in grand fashion.
Best Celebration/Burnout
Last but not least, Best Celebration/Burnout goes to Larson’s track-long burnout at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Larson was the class of the invitational event, leading 145 of 200 laps and lapping half the field. Larson pushed his No. 5 Chevrolet to the limit after the checkered flag was waved, putting on a clockwise smoke show for the fans in NASCAR’s return to the short track after 27 years.
Every year, the Thanksgiving Classic at Southern National Motorsports Park serves as the unofficial season finale for Late Model Stock Car competition in the Southeast.
The foundation of this southern Thanksgiving tradition can be traced back to 1998, when Southern National was wrapping up its sixth year of operation. Known then as the Winston Turkey 200, five-time NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series champion Philip Morris took the checkered flag that day against a field that included Randy Renfrow and Deac McCaskill.
In the following years, the Thanksgiving Classic grew in popularity as more Late Model Stock Car competitors sought to end their respective seasons on a high note. A young Denny Hamlin earned two Thanksgiving Classic victories during the mid-2000s, with Josh Berry, Matt McCall, Lee Pulliam and Scott Riggs among other notable winners in the event.
The Thanksgiving Classic has dealt with adversity during its existence, including a three-year hiatus and the 2020 edition getting canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, the race remains a favorite amongst competitors, as dozens of drivers from several disciplines are set to take part in the weekend’s festivities.
Just more than 20 drivers make up the preliminary Late Model Stock Car entry list for Sunday’s Thanksgiving Classic. Here is what some of them had to say about the event prior to the green flag on Sunday afternoon.
Josh Berry has enjoyed numerous accomplishments at Southern National Motorsports Park during his career, including two Thanksgiving Classic wins. (Photo: Jacob Kupferman/NASCAR)
Josh Berry, No. 62 KHI Management Ford (2021, 2022 Thanksgiving Classic winner)
“It’s another prestigious race. With the NASCAR schedule opening up, there are fewer and fewer opportunities to go do this stuff. That one always fits for us, but Southern National is a fun track. For us, it’s important to support these guys and these race tracks when they put on these big races. It’s important for the sport as a whole.
“[Three in a row] would be awesome. We’d terribly love to win one of these last three races with KHI. We know it’s going to be tough, and it’ll be a process getting everything tuned like we want it. I’m excited for [Sunday] and we’ll see what we can do.”
Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen, No. 03 Best Repair Company Toyota
“I think it’s a cool atmosphere. A lot of people are off already because of the holiday, and it’s a unique race to [compete in] around that holiday time. It’s something I’ve done for a while, and it’s always a family thing. We’d spend our Thanksgiving on the road, so it’s an iconic thing I’ve always done being able to do that race. This year is my first with [Lee Pulliam Performance], but I’m looking forward to it.
“We joke and say we’re going to win the turkey even though it’s not a real turkey. This is one that I haven’t won. We’ve finished second twice in it, and I’ve actually never won at Southern National, so that’d be really cool.”
Katie Hettinger will be among the drivers looking to end the 2023 season with a Thanksgiving Classic victory on Sunday. (Photo: Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
Katie Hettinger, No. 71 Chevrolet
“I really like Southern National. I think it’s a good track, and we did pretty good in the Pro [Late Model] earlier this year, so hopefully we can have a great Late Model Stock [for the Thanksgiving Classic]. They get a lot of cars for [Southern National] and [Michael] Diaz does a great job promoting this race.
“It’d be awesome to win this race. I think [Jason Stanley and I] proved our point in a Pro, but to be able to race against such a competitive Late Model Stock field [and win] would be really awesome.”
Trent Barnes, No. 1 Barns Paving and Trucking Toyota
“Southern National is a high-banked track and doesn’t have a lot of grip. You have to save your stuff. It’s these older tracks that are really the grassroots of racing with tire management. You learn a lot of stuff doing this.
“These bigger races are the ones you want to win. Everyone comes to them and you end up getting the biggest fields. [A Thanksgiving Classic] win would mean a lot and would definitely be one of the biggest achievements for me.”
Ronnie Bassett Jr., No. 04 Jerry Hunter Supercenter Chevrolet (2013 Thanksgiving Classic winner)
“It’s just a big race in general. You’ve got [the Fall Brawl, South Carolina 400 and Thanksgiving Classic] back-to-back-to-back. It’s kind of tough, but we’ve got a pretty good car.
“We just want to win in general. We’ve been close this year, have had good race cars and have come up short a couple of times. It’s been cool to get back into Late Model [Stock] racing, but we’re itching for that first win.”
Doug Barnes Jr. will be among the drivers chasing their first Thanksgiving Classic win at Southern National Motorsports Park on Sunday. (Photo: Jaylynn Nash/NASCAR)
Doug Barnes Jr., No. 88 Barnes Paving and Trucking ‘Ferrari’
“It’s one of the crown jewels. Come November, it’s an exciting time, because we have the Fall Brawl, the [South Carolina] 400 and the Thanksgiving Classic. It’s back-to-back-to-back big races, and you really make a name for yourself by running up front. I got a lot of recognition by running up front before even winning one of these races. All eyes are on this, especially when you bring the big names, so now it’s more important to run up front than ever.
“That [Thanksgiving Classic] trophy is sick, and I want it. I’m confident in our team, so I clear a spot for the Martinsville clock, but the other trophy I’d consider clearing a spot for would be the Thanksgiving Classic trophy.”
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Today, NASCAR and Rev Racing announced the drivers participating in 2024’s class of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program. The drivers were evaluated and selected after partaking in the Advance Auto Parts Drive for Diversity Combine held in Concord, North Carolina and Florence, South Carolina.
Andrés Pérez de Lara, Lavar Scott, Nathan Lyons, Regina Sirvent, and Eloy Sebastián López Falcón will return to the program next year. Lanie Buice, TJ DeCaire, Cassidy Keitt, and LaQuan McCoy Jr. will make their debut in 2024.
“Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program and we’re celebrating this milestone by welcoming a very talented group of drivers,” said Brandon Thompson, NASCAR’s vice president of diversity and inclusion. “We’re confident that next year’s group of drivers will continue elevating the depth of our talent pool and we’re thrilled to play a role in their development.”
The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program was created in 2004 to develop and train top drivers from diverse backgrounds and experiences, both on and off the track. Rev Racing, which operates the program, brings together championship-caliber executives, competition staff and equipment in a unique academy-style environment. The team, owned by Max and Jennifer Siegel, is based in Concord, North Carolina.
“We are extremely energized by the talent we saw this past November at the Combine,” Max Siegel said. “From returning drivers to new participants in our program, we look forward to the season ahead and the development of this pipeline of NASCAR’s future stars. We’re proud of our accomplishments since the program’s inception and our expansion into the national series in 2023. We are poised for continued success with this next driver class, as we remain committed to being a championship-contending team and one of the premier development programs in NASCAR.”
Since the program’s inception, several graduates have moved on to compete at the national series level, achieving important milestones. Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suárez currently race in the NASCAR Cup Series, and all three have left their mark in the history books.
Larson is the first graduate of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program to win a NASCAR Cup Series championship. The Northern California native of Japanese descent won the 2012 K&N Pro Series (now ARCA Menards Series) Championship with Rev Racing. Currently, he’s the only Asian-American driver competing regularly in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Suárez made history in 2022, becoming the first Mexican-born driver to win a race in the NASCAR Cup Series. A trailblazer in NASCAR, Suárez also made his mark in the sport when he won the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship in 2016. In 2023, Suárez completed his third season driving for Trackhouse Racing, a team owned by Justin Marks and Pitbull.
Wallace is the first Black driver to win multiple Cup Series races. In 2023, he finished his third season contending for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with the 23XI Racing team, owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.
Nick Sanchez, who participated in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program from 2017-2022 and won the 2022 ARCA Menards Series Championship with Rev Racing, advanced to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2023. Sanchez drove the No. 2 Gainbridge Chevrolet for Rev Racing with its technical alliance partner, Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM), finished sixth in points this season and was named the 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Rookie of the Year.
Rajah Caruth also graduated from the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program and competed full-time this season in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, driving the No. 24 for GMS Racing. Caruth is a prominent iRacer who made his transition to the track in 2019.
The 2024 class features the following drivers:
Andrés Pérez de Lara – ARCA Menards Series: The Mexico City, Mexico, native, 18, returns to Rev Racing for his third season after earning five top fives in the ARCA Menards Series. He also competes in the NASCAR México Series and was named the 2023 Rookie of the Year. He is the 2022 NASCAR México Challenge Champion.
Lavar Scott – ARCA Menards Series: The 20-year-old from Carney’s Pointe, New Jersey, returns to Rev Racing after earning five top fives in the ARCA Menards Series East. He secured first place at Hickory Motor Speedway and his first career win in the Trucks México Series at Autódromo de Querétaro in Mexico in 2021.
Nathan Lyons – INEX Legend Car Series: The 14-year-old originally from Texas, moved to Concord, North Carolina, to pursue his dream to race in NASCAR. Lyons most recently finished his first season in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program with Rev Racing. Lyons secured the pole and a first-place finish in a U.S. Legend Car during the Cookout Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Lyons received the 2023 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards Youth Racer Award and a third-place finish in the 2023 Cookout Summer Shootout point standings.
Eloy Sebastián López Falcón – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: The 18-year-old concluded his first season in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program in a U.S. Legend Car. In the NASCAR Mexico Challenge Series, Falcón secured the win on three separate occasions this season. Falcón was the 2021 Rookie of the Year in the Trucks México Series and the 2022 Trucks México Series Champion.
Lanie Buice – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: From 2017 to 2020, Buice had 91 total wins in go karts, including 23 straight wins during her last season. Buice has also raced in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, earning 12 top fives and 18 top 10s the 2023 late model season.
TJ DeCaire – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: During the 2023 season, DeCaire earned three wins in Super Late Models, Pro Late Models and Truck Weekly Touring Series. He also placed in the top five across all three series 17 times throughout the season.
Regina Sirvent – NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: In the NASCAR México Challenge Series, the 20-year-old from Mexico City finished fifthat Tuxtla Gutierrez and fifth at Puebla. She received the 2019 Best Driver Award for NASCAR México and was the recipient of the 2021 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards Young Racer. Sirvent was the first female to win in the Trucks México Series and placed third in the 2020 Championship points.
Cassidy Keitt – INEX Legend Car Series: Keitt earned two top fives and five top 10s in U.S. Legend Cars at the Cookout Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway. She is the 2022 Young Lions Winter Heat Champion, winning two races throughout the season.
LaQuan McCoy Jr. – INEX Legend Car Series: McCoy collected a first-place finish and three top fives across all five Bandolero races at the 2023 Citrus County Speedway Winter Nationals. During the 2023 Cookout Summer Shootout, McCoy placed in the top five twice followed by back-to-back wins. He is the 2023 Charlotte Motor Speedway Winter Heat Champion and 2023 Winter Showdown Bandit Champion at Auburndale Speedway.
TIMMONSVILLE, S.C. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. climbed out of his No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Late Model Stock Car on Saturday night in a good mood. He had finished eighth in the South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway after qualifying 26th in a 41-car field.
But he was thirsty.
“What’s in the cooler?” Earnhardt asked a team member as FloRacing’s camera crew arrived for a post-race interview. The 49-year-old NASCAR Hall of Famer was not pleased with the answer: “Just water.” He wanted a cold one.
A few minutes later, after his interview, a track official arrived with a handful of beers. Earnhardt cracked one open, took a swig and proceeded to mingle with his team members, smiling and laughing over their beverages.
For Earnhardt, at this point in his life and career, these moments are what it’s all about. Sure, the racing superstar’s presence at the NASCAR Home Track in Florence County incites a palpable stir in the packed grandstands. But the short-track atmosphere is his element.
It’s where he’s found a sense of peace as a race-car driver.
“I know it sounds silly,” Earnhardt said, “but I spent my whole life trying to be as good as I possibly could. Being so competitive you almost make yourself miserable. Every dang time you ran a lap, you wanted to know how it measured up against the field. You do that your whole life, and when you get out of that, you’re so relieved to get out from under that pressure.
“You put pressure on yourself to live up to this expectation — especially as a Cup driver. And so to finally get out from under that pressure. … I mean, I miss racing, but I don’t have to worry about trying to measure up to where I should every week.”
Still, Earnhardt said he sometimes finds himself falling into the trap of his own competitive spirit, letting the misery of frustration infiltrate his mindset. He battled those demons Saturday.
Earnhardt admitted he was disappointed to qualify 26th, especially after a series of ho-hum practice sessions as he and his team worked to find a setup suitable for Florence’s 0.4-mile layout and abrasive asphalt.
“I tried not to let it bother me, but it’s hard not to let it bother you,” he said. “You go out there and run a lap, and you’re like, ‘Well s—, how are those guys making so much time? I’ve got basically the same car as [JR Motorsports Late Model driver] Carson [Kvapil], and he ran faster.’
“So I’m a big chunk of it. What am I doing, and what can I do different?”
Sure enough, though, Earnhardt was able to revert to the proper head space in time for Saturday night’s main event, a 250-lap marathon of a Late Model Stock race.
He methodically advanced from that 26th starting position and muscled his way to 10th by the time the race break arrived on Lap 100. With the entire field on fresh tires after that stop, Earnhardt did his best to manage his rubber for about 100 laps before the final charge with 50 or so laps to go.
He was aggressive, particularly on restarts. Fellow Late Model Stock competitor Brenden “Butterbean” Queen even made it a point to approach Earnhardt post-race and compliment the veteran on his dive bomb into Turn 1 to take a position during the closing laps.
Earnhardt admitted he “didn’t love” finishing eighth, especially in a race that saw his teammate land on the podium. Kvapil finished third behind winner Kade Brown and second-place Kaden Honeycutt.
He had that in mind when he climbed out of his car, a process that takes longer now than it did when he was routinely exiting Cup cars at a younger age. He was worn out from a race that lasted nearly four hours.
Still, the first words he fired at his team members upon exiting his Chevrolet: “That was fun. Good job.”
In that regard, Earnhardt’s second South Carolina 400 was a success. The bliss he experienced from another no-pressure race setting was evident in how he carried himself after the checkers.
He joked with team members. He conversed with friends and a handful of special guests. He signed autographs and posed for photos with fans.
This is Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s happy place — especially after that beer.
Headed home from @FlorenceMSpdwy tonight. Just like we did back in 1996 when we ran there every Friday night. “Release” by Pearl Jam is on the radio as it likely was for a few of those trips years ago. Fun night racing at my old stomping grounds. It was a talented field and we…
TIMMONSVILLE, S.C. — The 2023 season has been dominated by one high after another for Kade Brown.
In his rookie season piloting Matt Piercy Racing’s Late Model Stock, Brown added his name to the prestigious list of track champions at Hickory Motor Speedway while also claiming two of the facility’s crown jewels in the Bobby Isaac Memorial and Fall Brawl.
Brown added another noteworthy accomplishment to his growing resume on Saturday evening by winning the South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway, besting a talented field of drivers that included Kaden Honeycutt, Carson Kvapil, Josh Berry and Brenden Queen.
An ecstatic Brown said the key to defeating the top drivers in the Late Model Stock discipline came down to executing the tire conservation strategy, which ended up getting him to the front of the field.
“We knew clean air was big,” Brown said. “Berry and [Matt Cox] in the first 100 laps got out there. I thought they were in a different zip code, but I felt like we had better pace than anyone while saving. We used less tire and kept it out in front with the clean air. I was getting nervous during those restarts, but I’m happy everything worked out well.”
Brown was admittedly not confident about his prospects as he shook down his No. 23 ValAlsta Chevrolet on Saturday afternoon.
As the day progressed, Brown gradually found more speed in his car. Two solid practice sessions translated into a fifth place starting position on the South Carolina 400 grid. But that only put more emphasis on Brown finding an ideal balance between being conservative and aggressive to maintain track position.
With Berry and Cox setting a blistering pace, Brown elected to wait until after the Lap 100 race break to make his move. Berry and several others elected to be conservative with their tires while Brown charged to the front, taking control of the South Carolina 400 in the process.
Several late cautions forced Brown to hold off attacks from the likes of Kvapil and Honeycutt. Brown briefly lost the lead to Kvapil on one restart, but he successfully took it back during the following green flag run after getting a great jump on the bottom line.
Honeycutt was the last obstacle standing in the way of Victory Lane for Brown. The two exchanged dive bombs during the final restart of the evening, which ended up falling in Brown’s favor as he sprinted toward the most prestigious victory of his young career to date.
Taking a checkered flag in the South Carolina 400 carried plenty of emotions for Brown, who still has fond memories watching short track veterans engage in high-speed chess back when the event still took place at the now-defunct Myrtle Beach Speedway.
Brown absorbed many lessons about saving tires at abrasive tracks by watching Lee Pulliam, Chad McCumbee and others log laps around Myrtle Beach. Sharing the honor of being a South Carolina 400 winner with them and other Late Model Stock veterans was a humbling experience for the young prospect.
“I used to look up to [these Late Model Stock guys] when I was racing Legends cars,” Brown said. “I’d go to [Myrtle Beach Speedway] and watch [them race]. It means so much to even be out here with them, but to compete with them for wins is another level.”
Even Brown was surprised to score such a big victory with Berry in the field, who was making his second start in the No. 62 for Kevin Harvick Inc.
Among the accomplishments Berry has accumulated in a Late Model Stock include victories in crown jewel events like the South Carolina 400, Thanksgiving Classic and ValleyStar Credit Union 300. Despite not being in a JR Motorsports Late Model, Berry cemented himself as an early favorite for Saturday’s South Carolina 400 by setting the fastest time in qualifying.
The tire saving strategy did not play out in Berry’s favor during the final 150 laps. He found himself on the losing end of a heated battle for third with Kvapil, who was driving the same car Berry made famous at short tracks in the southeast during the past decade.
Brown said having Berry present for the Fall Brawl and South Carolina 400 was the perfect test to see how much progress he and Matt Piercy Racing had made together during the year. Checkered flags in those events to close out the year have only bolstered the confidence Brown has in his own driving ability.
“In both races, we had Josh Berry, who is the best to do it,” Brown said. “We have some momentum with finishing out 2023 and hopefully that carries into 2024. It’s our first year with Matt Piercy Racing, and I think we proved a lot just about everywhere we’ve gone.”
The upcoming season is primed to be more hectic for Brown. He will venture away from Hickory to tackle other diverse tracks like Florence, where he looks to keep proving himself against the premier drivers in the Late Model Stock discipline.
Hickory has long produced drivers who have excelled at the top levels of NASCAR. With a track championship and three crown jewel wins to his name in 2023 alone, Brown is on his way to following in their footsteps.
Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. is getting used to racing his Late Model Stock Car at Florence Motor Speedway. Having finished ninth in last year’s South Carolina 400 at the NASCAR Home Track, the 49-year-old during Saturday’s edition of the race will have his third chance at a Florence victory in 2023.
Earnhardt is included on the loaded entry list for this year’s South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway (Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET on FloRacing). He finished sixth in the track’s Locked In 150 a couple months ago to secure his place in the 250-lap feature. Earnhardt also ran Florence’s Icebreaker in February, when he logged a 16th-place finish.
Saturday’s South Carolina 400 figures to be another action-packed show one year after Late Model Stock star Brenden “Butterbean” Queentook the checkered flag in what was his debut race with Lee Pulliam Performance. Queen is back for 2023, as is Carson Kvapil, the JR Motorsports driver whom Queen outlasted for last year’s win.
After winning the Locked In 150 in September, South Carolina short-track racing veteran Sam Yarbrough will start the 2023 South Carolina 400 from the pole position.
That’s all we know ahead of a long day of practice and qualifying Saturday as more than 40 Late Model Stock Car competitors look to add a Florence crown jewel to their trophy cases that evening.
Below is everything to know about the 2023 South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway, including the entry list and how to watch.
South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway: TV channel, live stream
The 2023 South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway will be shown exclusively on FloRacing, the streaming home of all NASCAR Roots properties.
That means the race will not broadcast on a traditional TV channel/network.
FloRacing’s coverage of Saturday’s action is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. ET. That’s when qualifying will begin for all three divisions (Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, Late Models).
Pre-race ceremonies are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, immediately followed by feature racing. Twin Late Model heat races will begin the feature action, followed by the Street Stock and Mini Stock races. The 250-lap Late Model feature will close the night.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. pictured ahead of the 2022 South Carolina 400 (Photo: Jaylynn Nash/NASCAR)
Entry list
Dale Earnhardt Jr. headlines the entry list for Saturday’s South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway. But the NASCAR legend’s Hall of Fame credentials will do little to help him against a stacked field of Late Model Stock Car aces.
For example, Earnhardt will race against the driver who delivered JR Motorsports the 2020 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national championship. Josh Berry, who will drive the No. 4 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Cup Series next season for Stewart-Haas Racing, will pilot Kevin Harvick’s late model at Florence.
Last year’s SC 400 front-runners Brenden Queen and Carson Kvapil are back in the field for 2023. As are talented late model drivers William Sawalich, Kaden Honeycutt, Doug Barnes Jr., Katie Hettinger, Kade Brown, Carter Langley, Brandon Pierce, Ryan Glenski, Landon Huffman, Josh Williams and Stephen Nasse, to name a few.
The complete Late Model Stock Car entry list is below.
(As of Nov. 15)
51 Matt Cox
02 Justin Milliken
03 Brenden Queen
34 Matt Linker
13 Cody Kelley
16 Casey Kelley
95 Jacob Heafner
21 Lanie Buice
99 Austin Somero
23 Kade Brown
95 Sam Yarbrough
94 Jamie Weatherford
07 Averitt Lucas
1 Trent Barnes
88 Doug Barnes Jr.
71 Katie Hettinger
29 Casey Wyatt
2 Gracie Trotter
18 Anthony Adams
5 Carter Langley
2 Brandon Pierce
30 Paul Owens
55 Mark Wertz
28 Ryan Glenski
75 Coy Beard
3 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
8 Carson Kvapil
62 Josh Berry
T2 Travis Truett
20 Josh Dickens
32 Zack Miracle
5 Bryant Barnhill
18 Truett Miranda
21 Landon DeVaughn
28 Landon S. Huffman
11 Josh Williams
16 Adam McCumbee
09 Riley Gentry
75 Landon Huffman
18 David Roberts
43 William Sawalich
10 Kaden Honeycutt
04 Ronnie Bassett Jr.
51 Stephen Nasse
7 Tristan McKee
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s South Carolina 400 history at Florence Motor Speedway
(Photo: Jaylynn Nash/NASCAR)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. last year made a significant return to his roots when he competed in the South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway.
In what was the 30th edition of the race, Earnhardt drove a car sporting a throwback scheme to the Bass Pro Shops car his father Dale Earnhardt Sr. drove in the 1998 NASCAR All-Star Race.
Junior qualified 26th and methodically worked his way into contention ahead of the final 50-lap run. With 13 laps to go, Earnhardt made contact with Matt Cox down the backstretch while the two were racing for third.
The contact sent Cox into the inside wall, and event officials penalized Earnhardt by sending him to the tail of the field for causing the crash.
Earnhardt marched back through the field a second time, but an incident with Landon Pembelton with fewer than five laps left saw Earnhardt penalized a second time, resulting in a ninth-place finish.
The race was Earnhardt‘s first at Florence Motor Speedway since his formative years in the 1990s.
The 2023 edition of the South Carolina 400 will be his second start in the prestigious race; he ran 23rd in the 1996 Myrtle Beach 400, the South Carolina 400’s predecessor.
Earnhardt also raced in Florence’s Icebreaker in February; he finished 16th. He finished sixth in the track’s Locked In 150 a couple months ago.
Brenden “Butterbean'” Queen crosses the finish line to win the 2022 South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway (Photo: Jaylynn Nash/NASCAR)
Race-day schedule
Saturday at Florence Motor Speedway will mark the second full day of racing action in what makes up the Charlie Powell Memorial event.
For Street Stocks, Mini Stocks and Late Models on Saturday, there will be two practice sessions ahead of qualifying. For the Late Models, those who don’t log a top-20 time in qualifying will compete in the heat races later in the evening to try to secure their starting positions. The top six finishers of those heat races will advance to the main event.
Below is the complete race-day schedule for Saturday at Florence.
Saturday, Nov. 18
Time
Event
8:30 a.m. ET
Late Model trailer parking
9 a.m. ET
Late Model pit gates open
9:30 a.m. ET
Late Model tire area opens / Late Model tech line opens
10:30 a.m. ET
Support divisions parking / gates
11 a.m. ET
Support divisions tire area opens
Noon ET
Driver’s meeting
12:30 p.m. ET
Practice Round 1 (Street Stocks 20 minutes; Mini Stocks 20 minutes; Late Models 45 minutes)
2 p.m. ET
Practice Round 2 (Street Stocks 15 minutes; Mini Stocks 15 minutes; Late Models 30 minutes)
3 p.m. ET
Grandstands open
3:15 p.m. ET
Pre-qualifying tech: Late Models
4:30 p.m. ET
Qualifying (Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, Late Models)
6 p.m. ET
Pre-race ceremonies and features (Late Model Heat Race 1 25 laps; Late Model Heat Race 2 25 laps; Street Stocks 50 laps; Mini Stocks 50 laps; Late Models 250 laps)
South Carolina 400 race format
Below is the race format for the South Carolina 400, via Florence Motor Speedway.
ALL TEAMS WILL QUALIFY WITH THE TOP 20 LOCKING IN FROM QUALIFYING. THE POLE POSITION IS RESERVED FOR THE 95 OF SAM YARBROUGH WITH HIS WIN IN THE LOCKED IN 150.
AFTER QUALIFYING, THE TOP 20 WILL LOCK INTO THE 250 LAP FEATURE.
ALL OTHER CARS WILL BE RELEGATED TO TWO 25 LAP HEAT RACES WITH THE TOP 6 FINISHERS ADVANCING.
THE TRACK HAS THE OPTION TO ADD 3-4 PROVISIONALS IF DESIRED, TO CAP THE STARTING FIELD TO 36 CARS.
THE FEATURE WILL BE 250 LAPS WITH A 10-MIN BREAK AT LAP 125.
Brenden “Butterbean'” Queen celebrates winning the 2022 South Carolina 400 at Florence (Photo: Jaylynn Nash/NASCAR)
Results
Although the Myrtle Beach 400 no longer exists, the tradition that started back in 1993 remains alive and well in the South Carolina 400.
For 26 years, Late Model Stock competitors across the southeast had the Myrtle Beach 400 circled on their calendar. The driver who found the most success during that timeframe was Frank Deiny Jr. He tallied three consecutive Myrtle Beach 400 victories from 2003-05 before adding one more checkered flag in the prestigious race back in 2010, which he accomplished by passing Steve Grissom’s son Kyle Grissom with 20 laps remaining.
Other notable drivers who have scored a Myrtle Beach 400 victory include Josh Berry, Christian Eckes, Myatt Snider, Timothy Peters and Scott Riggs. Will Burns claimed the final Myrtle Beach 400 in 2019.
Below is the complete list of Myrtle Beach 400 and South Carolina 400 winners.
Myrtle Beach 400
Year
Winner
1993
Jody Ridley
1994
Gary St. Amant
1995
Freddie Query
1996
Jay Fogleman
1997
David Blankenship
1998
Stephen Grimes
1999
Scott Riggs
2000
Greg Edwards
2001
Robert Powell
2002
Robert Powell
2003
Timothy Peters
2004
Frank Deiny, Jr.
2005
Frank Deiny, Jr.
2006
Frank Deiny, Jr.
2007
Sam Yarbrough
2008
Jamey Caudill
2009
Lucas Ransone
2010
Frank Deiny, Jr.
2011
Garrett Campbell
2012
Anthony Anders
2013
Lee Pulliam
2014
Travis Swaim
2015
Myatt Snider
2016
Christian Eckes
2017
Josh Berry
2018
Chad McCumbee
2019
Will Burns
South Carolina 400
Year
Winner
2020
Ty Majeski
2021
Ty Majeski
2022
Brenden Queen
(Photo: Jaylynn Nash/NASCAR)
Florence Motor Speedway track profile
Even casual race fans know about South Carolina’s Darlington Raceway, one of the most iconic venues the NASCAR Cup Series visits on an annual basis.
Those same fans may or may not know about a NASCAR Home Track located just 15 miles south of Darlington known as the Diamond of the Southeast. Florence Motor Speedway, nestled in the town of Timmonsville, is indeed a gem of a short track.
Florence Motor Speedway, now a NASCAR-sanctioned venue and part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, has been hosting local short track racing since 1982. It has been operated on the watch of owner and promotor Steve Zacharias since 2020.
Zacharias is the reason Florence’s racing season begins with the IceBreaker, an event that features late-model stocks in addition to super trucks, limited late models and mini stocks. He brought the IceBreaker to Florence from nearby Myrtle Beach Speedway upon that track’s closing.
The track itself is unique in its layout. The 0.4-mile paved oval features progressive banking in the corners, a combination that’s prone to producing side-by-side racing.
Perhaps the most unique attribute of Florence Motor Speedway is that fact that, with the exception of the frontstretch in front of the grandstands, it has no outside wall.
“It’s unusual the first time you go there and experience it,” 2020 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series champion Josh Berry told NASCAR.com. “But after a while, it’s no big deal.
“It’s a really fun track.”
Watch the complete Florence Motor Speedway track profile below.
Chase Elliott posted a “little life update” to social media Friday, indicating that he underwent a procedure for a shoulder injury and that he planned to have a clean bill of health for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Elliott, driver of Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 9 Chevrolet, posted a short video to the X (formerly Twitter) platform, saying that he had “an old injury that I needed to get tended to, and obviously, the offseason is a much better time to do that than my last surgery” — a reference to the leg injury that sidelined him for six races early last season. In the video, Elliott’s right arm is supported in a sling, but he indicated that he was “all good, ready to go” for the 2024 campaign.
Hendrick Motorsports provided a statement Friday, saying that Elliott “underwent successful outpatient surgery to correct a torn labrum. The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion, who has experienced chronic shoulder pain in recent years, learned of the tear Monday following an MRI. It will not affect Elliott’s status for the 2024 NASCAR season, which begins in February.”
The 2024 season opens first with the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum exhibition in Los Angeles on Feb. 4, then with its points-paying opener on Feb. 18 — the 66th running of the Daytona 500.
Elliott ended up 17th in the Cup Series standings last season, tops among drivers who did not qualify for the postseason.
A win in the inaugural Locked In 150 at Florence in September secured the South Carolina 400 pole position for Yarbrough. This eliminated any concerns about Yarbrough potentially being relegated to a heat race and gave him a clear plan of attack in pursuit of a second victory in the event.
Despite this, Yarbrough said the pole will only benefit him for so long, adding that his No. 95 Aaron’s Sales & Lease late model needs to be perfect through all 250 laps if he wants to be up front at the end of a long, grueling night.
“You still have to go through the motions and be the best you can be,” Yarbrough said. “It’s certainly nice to know where I’m starting, but it doesn’t make the task any easier when it comes to making sure the car is good enough to win the race.”
Just putting together an efficient setup for the Locked In 150 was a trepidatious process for Yarbrough and his McCumbee Elliott Racing team.
The entire afternoon saw Yarbrough deal with frustration as he struggled to find speed against a talented field of competitors. A major swing prior to qualifying proved to be a turning point for Yarbrough, as he used the newfound speed to pull away with a Locked In 150 victory during the closing laps.
The inaugural #LockedIn150 belongs to Sam Yarbrough.
While Yarbrough was happy with what he and his team discovered in the Locked In 150, he does not expect the same game plan to be effective Saturday evening. A larger entry list and opportunities for diverging strategies will put more emphasis on Yarbrough finding perfect track position when it comes time to get aggressive.
“[The South Carolina 400] is probably going to be a little bit different,” Yarbrough said. “The final run is going to be 125 laps, so you’re going to see a lot of people jockey for position during those first two segments while others fall back. It’s going to be harder to finish this race off simply because more good cars are coming.”
Among Sam Yarbrough’s accomplishments as a driver include six titles at the now defunct Myrtle Beach Speedway. (Photo: Susan Wong/NASCAR)
Yarbrough has never known a South Carolina 400 to not be reliant on patience and strategy in his 13 previous attempts, which stem back to when the event was known as the Myrtle Beach 400 at Myrtle Beach Speedway.
Although Yarbrough earned six Myrtle Beach track championships before its closure in 2020, he only visited Victory Lane in the track’s crown jewel event once back in 2007. He accomplished that feat by maintaining solid track position and keeping his car out of trouble, which allowed him to pass the late Marty Ward for the win with 10 laps remaining.
The following years at Myrtle Beach would see Yarbrough put together several more solid performances but come up short of a second win each time. For Yarbrough, the challenge of claiming South Carolina’s Late Model Stock crown jewel comes down to consistently outsmarting other competitors lap after lap.
“Everybody brings their best,” Yarbrough said. “When it comes to these races, there’s a whole field of good cars. You really have to buckle down and stick to your game plan or you’ll do something you don’t need to do that’ll hurt you later in the run. This race asks a lot more out of the people and the car. It’s just a tough race to win.”
When the Myrtle Beach 400 was rebranded to the South Carolina 400 at Florence in 2020, Yarbrough was once again faced with many of the same obstacles that defined racing at Myrtle Beach for so many years.
The two South Carolina 400s Yarbrough has competed in so far were dominated by tire conservation just like the Myrtle Beach 400, but a slightly less abrasive surface at Florence provided more flexibility for Yarbrough to be slightly more aggressive earlier in the race.
In two starts at Florence Motor Speedway for the South Carolina 400, Sam Yarbrough has recorded finishes of 3rd and 20th. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)
Yarbrough believed he had executed his strategy perfectly in last year’s South Carolina 400. After starting on the pole, he spent most of the event pacing the field until two separate collisions with Mason Diaz took him out of contention, relegating him to 20th in the running order.
Just like in 2022, Yarbrough is set to lead a stacked group of competitors from the top spot Saturday evening. He is confident about parking his car in Florence’s frontstretch Victory Lane if he is responsible with his car and avoids trouble on the track.
“We’ll get the car as good as we can get it,” Yarbrough said. “We’ll try to dial it in on a long run and not be too concerned about the speed since we’re already starting on pole. It’s going to be about getting the car comfortable, but we’ll have to save tires. You can’t do too much, just take what the track gives you, otherwise you’ll get put in a bad hole.”
Should Yarbrough prevail in the South Carolina 400, he will become the first driver to win the prestigious event between two different tracks. The only other driver on the entry list who could pull this feat off is 2017 Myrtle Beach 400 winner Josh Berry.
Yarbrough will have a head start on making history Saturday as he looks to further cement himself as one of the best Late Model Stock competitors in South Carolina with two wins in the state’s most cherished short track event.
