Posted on by Cara Cooper

Bryan Barber started racing late models at Alaska Raceway Park in 2020. That year, he finished second in the division standings.

He finished second in the standings again in 2021 … and again in 2022.

Barber admits it took some time to get used to late models. Learning how to drive wasn’t too hard, but figuring out how to set the car up was much more difficult.

“I wasn’t worried about driving; I can figure that out pretty quickly. It’s just the setup,” Barber said. “It’s a little more sensitive on the setup. Every time I change something it’d go haywire on me. So once I learned that, that’s when the car started getting faster.”

Barber seemed to have it all figured out this season at Alaska Raceway Park, a NASCAR Home Track in Palmer, Alaska. He won four of five features on the way to a commanding win in the track’s late model division.

The No. 88 car won by 20 points over the second-place finisher.

(Photo courtesy of Bryan Barber)

“I learned a lot. I got faster every week,” Barber said. “I was more focused on being more consistent from week to week instead of, like, worried about the win. That way I wasn’t overthinking and putting too much pressure on myself. Because of me just being able to focus on my time and my consistency it allowed me to win all of my main events except for one… I was pretty happy about that.”

The championship was Barber’s fourth since he started racing when he was 15. He won three titles racing Legends cars on dirt.

Barber began racing in 2006, and he raced Legends on dirt for eight years before moving to ARP in 2017. He spent three years in the track’s Legends class until he was presented with the chance to buy a late model.

He made the switch because he was ready for a new challenge.

“Don’t get me wrong, some of the Legends cars drivers are really good, but I needed something a little more challenging, something completely new that I had never done before,” he said.

Barber does all the setup and work in the shop himself with his grandfather, Dave Petrie, serving as his crew chief. His grandmother, Linda Petrie, and his girlfriend also go to the track with him every week and provide help in the pits.

His grandparents were the people who got Barber racing from the start. The Petries have long been race supporters and fans, and Dave Petrie raced snow machines until Barber was a young kid.

Barber was also headed toward racing on snow, but said, “My grandma felt it was safer to put me in a roll cage, so they bought me my first race car, and the three of us have been doing it ever since.”

Getting to work with his grandparents each week is a big part of what keeps Barber racing.

“I’d have to say, honestly, it’s probably the adrenaline that really keeps me in it. I really enjoy that thrill of going really fast and being able to pass cars,” he said. “But, ultimately, I think the thing that keeps me in it is me and my grandparents are, like, this team. They support me as much as they do, so it keeps me motivated to want to keep pursuing it and get better.

“All my wins are for them, so that’s what I do. I just kind of focus on doing it because it’s a team effort, and I don’t want to change that. I don’t know what I’d do if we stopped racing or were without them.”

(Photo courtesy of Bryan Barber)

Barber had this year’s title basically locked up before the final race of the season. All he needed to do was start and finish the final race. That made championship night much easier than any he’d ever had before.

“I used to be really bad on always overthinking points, and when I had confidence in my abilities I stopped doing that,” he said. “The last three years… I put a lot of pressure on myself in the last race of the year trying to get enough points to win the championship. That’s when my mistakes would happen on the last few laps to where I wouldn’t get that championship.

“This year I felt confident… It doesn’t matter if I win, get second, third, fifth. As long as I finish I get the championship. That’s what made my night was just the fact that I knew I had that locked down.”

Getting to celebrate a championship made all those second-place finishes worth it.

“It absolutely does,” he said. “I put everything I had into learning the late model class, how to drive it, how to set it up. To finally pull it off, I think the day that I won it I was more calm. I didn’t believe it fully yet… Then the next day I was, like, in shock that I won, and I was just like, ‘OK, now I’ve got to get myself together and focus on next year.'”

Barber has already begun trying to get parts together to prepare his car for next season. He said he wanted to get preparations done early, and he’s a little excited to defend his title.

There’s one thing he’ll take into 2024 that he gained this summer – confidence.

“I had a lot more confidence going into this year,” Barber said. “I’m just now to the point to where I understand the car. I have confidence in my driving ability, knowing that I can compete and win races. Me being confident in myself, in my crew, I just don’t put that pressure on myself and I just go out there and do what I do best, and that’s just go out there and perform and put on a good race, and walk away with wins.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Voting for the 2023 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Most Popular Driver Award presented by Hooters opened Tuesday at noon ET and will run until Wednesday, Nov. 29.

Fans can vote for a single driver once daily at on NASCAR.com or on the mobile app.

In order to be eligible for consideration, drivers must have declared NASCAR Cup Series points and be eligible for championship contention during the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Don’t forget to also vote for Most Popular Driver of the Xfinity Series and Most Popular Driver of the Craftsman Truck Series.

RELATED: Cup Series standings | List of 2023 Cup Series drivers

The 2023 NMPA Most Popular Driver will be announced during the NASCAR Awards banquet on Thursday, Nov. 30.

Curtis Turner was the first driver honored with the award back in 1949, and the prize has been presented annually since the 1983 season. The Most Popular Driver award remains the only major NASCAR award that is determined solely by fans.

Twenty drivers have received the award since the program began. The 1988 Cup Series champion Bill Elliott holds the record for Most Popular Driver Award wins with 16 — 1984-88, 1991-2000 and 2002. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the award for 15 consecutive seasons (2003-2017).

Currently, Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports is building a winning streak being voted NASCAR’s most popular driver in each of the last five seasons (2018-22).

RELATED: Every NMPA MPD Award winner

Formed in 1965, the National Motorsports Press Association consists of qualified members of the media who report on the sport of auto racing through affiliations with print, radio, television and/or Internet news-gathering organizations. In addition to the NMPA Most Popular Driver Award, the NMPA presents an array of significant honors in auto racing, including the Richard Petty Driver of the Year Award, the Myers Brothers Award, the NMPA Pocono Spirit Award and the Wood Brothers Award of Excellence.

Additional information about the NMPA can be found at nmpaonline.com.

Posted on by Brandon White

As Ryan Blaney rounded the final turn at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday to clinch his first NASCAR Cup Series championship, nobody was cheering harder than the Deery family.

Situated on the C-Posts of Blaney’s No. 12 Menards Ford Mustang during the title race was the name of the late Jody Deery, the family matriarch who operated Illinois’ Rockford Speedway for more than five decades until she retired in 2020 at age 95.

Chuck Deery, who followed in his mother’s footsteps as a track manager himself at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway for 36 years, messaged his seven siblings before the race to discuss the significance of Jody’s name being on Blaney’s car for such a pivotal moment in his career.

There were plenty of emotions permeating from the Deery children as they all contacted each other after the race.

“My cheeks hurt because I was smiling so much,” Chuck said. “For what my mom contributed to the sport, it’s hard to put into words what [Sunday] meant, but we’re definitely on cloud nine. Having a horse in the race was also good, so it was just fun.”

Ryan Blaney
(Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Jody’s name was on Blaney’s C-Posts as part of the Home Track Heroes program spearheaded by Advance Auto Parts. Throughout the 2023 Cup Series Playoffs, Home Track Heroes, nominated by their peers for contributions made to the track and community, appeared on Blaney’s cars.

Jody more than embodied the characteristics of a Home Track Hero during her prolonged tenure overseeing the day-to-day operations at Rockford.

After assuming ownership of the facility in 1966, Jody and her late husband Hugh worked tirelessly to transform Rockford into a premier short track hub in the Midwest. Even after Hugh’s passing in 1984, Jody remained stalwart in their mission, as Rockford boasted a vibrant weekly racing culture that persisted up until the track’s final race weekend on Oct. 28-29.

Rockford’s National Short Track Championships, which were introduced the same year Jody and Hugh took over the facility, regularly attracted many of the best drivers around the country. Mark Martin, Dick Trickle, Jim Sauter and Ramo Stott were among those to emerge victorious in the prestigious event.

Away from the track, Jody was known for her generosity and desire to help others in need. As part of her will, 16 different organizations received $20,000 from Jody, which included the Catholic Women’s League of Rockford, American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.

Susan Deery, who served as Rockford’s president in the track’s final years, said her mother’s charitable work was the catalyst behind her and Chuck nominating Jody for the Home Track Heroes program. Jody was always Susan’s hero from childhood into her adult years and was thrilled when she found out Jody’s name would be on the No. 12 for Phoenix.

The notoriety Jody obtained from Blaney’s championship showed Susan just how beloved her mother was not only in Rockford, but also the broader motorsports community.

“[Jody] is a legend,” Susan said. “Sometimes when you’re in the middle of everything, you don’t realize the significance a person can have. People who don’t even watch racing were messaging me to say how excited they were. The amount of conversation she generated [on Sunday] a year and a half after she passed proves she is a hometown hero.”

Although Susan never communicated directly with Blaney during the process, she expressed her gratitude toward the Cup Series champion and Advance Auto Parts for everything they have done this year to ensure people in the short track industry like Jody get the recognition they deserve on the national level.

For Tom Deery, whose experience in motorsports includes executive roles with NASCAR and the World of Outlaws, Sunday’s Cup Series finale carried additional emotional weight outside of his mother Jody due to his previous connections with Blaney’s father Dave and his uncle Dale.

Knowing how talented the elder Blaneys were, Tom felt that Jody would be in good hands when it came time to settle the Cup Series championship.

“I’ve known Ryan for years being on the World of Outlaws side,” Tom said. “Dave, Dale and I have talked about family and their operation of Sharon Speedway, so we had a lot of things in common. Ryan comes from a great legacy that is so involved with short track racing, so for him to make this happen is frosting on the cake.”

Blaney’s triumph on Sunday capped off a year filled with mixed emotions for the entire Deery family, all of whom have had to come to terms with Rockford’s closure after a successful legacy that is older than NASCAR itself.

Despite this, Susan found some solace in how everything turned out Sunday. While Blaney fought off Kyle Larson and William Byron for the championship, she was busy overseeing the final event at Rockford, a car show and a swap meet.

The ending may have been unorthodox, but Susan considered it fitting that one of Rockford’s final moments was having its beloved long-time operator Jody be present in spirit while a key member of NASCAR’s newest generation celebrated a pivotal career milestone.

“We had this happening while NASCAR wrapped up its 75th season with Jody taking [Blaney] to his championship,” Susan said. “It was just a perfect day and a perfect evening, which is something I think everyone will remember. You couldn’t have written it any better.”

As Rockford faces imminent redevelopment, every member of the Deery family is doing their part to ensure the legacy of the track and Jody are remembered for generations to come.

Chuck said Jody was a trailblazer in many regards when it comes to building a cherished short track atmosphere as an owner and operator. As more women take on similar roles at short tracks around the country, Chuck has no concerns about what kind of impact Jody has left behind.

“A woman in the business can make it work successfully,” Chuck said. “Jody gave women in motorsports inspiration to show that it’s not just a man’s world out there. For the entire racing community, she showed how to operate a short track successfully through hard work.

“Jody led by example as a woman leader in this industry.”

Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Ryan Blaney is no stranger to screen time, with cameos across hit movies to television series.

But never has he stood on a stage as grand as he did Sunday night at Phoenix Raceway, hoisting the Bill France Cup as the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Champion.

The 29-year-old offered the best performance of his career in the Arizona desert when the moment mattered most. Vocal frustration about his competitors rang through his radio waves. Physical gestures – with both hand and car – shared the sentiment. But the climax of Sunday’s made-for-Hollywood movie was set through a phenomenal battle with Kyle Larson, one of motorsports’ best, going door-to-door and trading positions lap after lap with stock-car glory at their fingertips.

RELATED: Blaney gets hot at right time to win title | Race results

And when the checkered flag fell, no star was shining quite as brightly as Blaney.

“I think his limits are the sky, to be honest with you,” team owner Roger Penske said. “He gets in that class with (former IndyCar driver Rick) Mears. He’s a soft-spoken guy, really, but when he gets behind the wheel, like Joey (Logano), when he puts his hat on, don’t get in his way. I think he showed that today.”

“He’s only getting better and better. He’s got the confidence. He’s a leader. He’s a winner and a champion. Once you have that — it’s so hard to get there. I don’t think any of us realize him personally in the last 20 or 30 laps when he had to pass a couple of guys to get the championship; that shows his true mettle. He’s got a long way to go, a long way.”

The spotlight is not new for Blaney, who has appeared in guest roles in silver-screen hits like “Logan Lucky” and “Cars 3” in addition to television shows like “Taken,” “Magnum P.I.” and Netflix sitcom “The Crew.”

That stems from a continuation of decisions he has made previously to grow his brand while also growing NASCAR. A championship may provide more potential to do more of both.

“I’m excited to have those opportunities. I really look forward to facing them head-on,” Blaney said. “I feel like if you get the privilege to be a champion of your sport, it is part of your job to promote your sport and do the best you can to be the best champion that you can.”

“I’ll be honest with you; that’s a responsibility I really haven’t thought about yet. I think that’s going to kind of dawn on me in the following days. I think it’s part of your job to kind of, hey, embrace it, push the sport. You have this awesome platform now to where you’ve done something incredible; use that, promote the sport.”

“I’m excited to see what happens this offseason, see what comes up, to where you’re not only growing yourself, you are growing the sport of NASCAR as well. Someone asked me earlier (about) the Netflix deal that’s happening right now. I’ve worked with them a lot through the playoffs. They’ve got a lot of inside stuff. I think that’s another big thing of promoting the sport in a positive way to a certain audience or a brand-new audience.”

MORE: Blaney bumps Chastain in pursuit of lead | Blaney: ‘(Expletive) right, I hit him on purpose’

Blaney and a number of his contemporaries – Larson, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace and Chris Buescher, among others – were part of the sport’s concentrated push to bring younger faces to the forefront some five years ago, with superstars like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and other legends who retired in the span of a couple of years.

It was early in each driver’s Cup career, unproven yet at the sport’s highest levels despite varying levels of high-powered success in prior racing ventures.

“Some guys got a little hurt about that,” Blaney reflected Sunday.

Circumstances have proven those premonitions correct. Blaney, Larson and Elliott have combined to win three of the last four NASCAR Cup Series championships, dating back to Elliott’s triumph in 2020. Byron joined Blaney, Larson and 28-year-old Christopher Bell in the Championship 4. Buescher and Wallace both fought into the playoffs this season, with Buescher advancing to the Round of 8 and Wallace to the Round of 12.

In five years’ time, their potential is being realized under the brightest of lights, highlighted now by Blaney’s championship.

“It’s nice that these younger drivers, the newer guys, are succeeding in their own way and being able to have championships and wins,” Blaney said. “For a fan base to grow up with that driver in their mid- or late-20s, it’s something I think people can latch onto.”

“Obviously, now it’s easy for me to look back at that marketing campaign; they knew what they were doing (smiling). But you never know how it’s going to work.”

Turns out it’s working quite well.

The oldest of the last three champions is Logano, Blaney’s 33-year-old Team Penske teammate who claimed his second Cup title a season ago. Blaney is 29, Larson 31 and Elliott 27.

What’s next is to see whether Blaney can transcend the NASCAR space as few others before him have, like Earnhardt Jr. and Gordon. Elliott is the five-time defending Most Popular Driver, but can Blaney’s hot hand translate to more screen time? Only time can tell — but optimism is high after Championship No. 1.

Posted on by Staff Report

The all-time list of NASCAR Cup Series champions starts with Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson, all of whom have seven career championships. It is an exclusive club of just 36 total drivers who have won a championship at NASCAR’s top level.

Below is the list of all-time champions in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Last update: Following 2023 season

YearChampionManufacturerWinsMargin of Victory
2023Ryan BlaneyFord31
2022Joey Logano (2)Ford45
2021Kyle LarsonChevrolet105
2020Chase ElliottChevrolet55
2019Kyle Busch (2)Toyota55
2018Joey LoganoFord35
2017Martin Truex Jr.Toyota85
2016Jimmie Johnson (7)Chevrolet53
2015Kyle BuschToyota51
2014Kevin HarvickChevrolet51
2013Jimmie Johnson (6)Chevrolet619
2012Brad KeselowskiDodge539
2011Tony Stewart (3)Chevrolet50*
2010Jimmie Johnson (5)Chevrolet639
2009Jimmie Johnson (4)Chevrolet7141
2008Jimmie Johnson (3)Chevrolet769
2007Jimmie Johnson (2)Chevrolet1077
2006Jimmie JohnsonChevrolet556
2005Tony Stewart (2)Chevrolet535
2004Kurt BuschFord38
2003Matt KensethFord190
2002Tony StewartPontiac338
2001Jeff Gordon (4)Chevrolet6349
2000Bobby LabontePontiac4265
1999Dale JarrettFord4201
1998Jeff Gordon (3)Chevrolet13364
1997Jeff Gordon (2)Chevrolet1014
1996Terry Labonte (2)Chevrolet237
1995Jeff GordonChevrolet734
1994Dale Earnhardt (7)Chevrolet4444
1993Dale Earnhardt (6)Chevrolet680
1992Alan KulwickiFord210
1991Dale Earnhardt (5)Chevrolet4195
1990Dale Earnhardt (4)Chevrolet926
1989Rusty WallacePontiac612
1988Bill ElliottFord624
1987Dale Earnhardt (3)Chevrolet11489
1986Dale Earnhardt (2)Chevrolet5288
1985Darrell Waltrip (3)Chevrolet3101
1984Terry LabonteChevrolet265
1983Bobby AllisonBuick647
1982Darrell Waltrip (2)Buick1272
1981Darrell WaltripBuick1253
1980Dale EarnhardtChevrolet519
1979Richard Petty (7)Chevrolet511
1978Cale Yarborough (3)Oldsmobile10474
1977Cale Yarborough (2)Chevrolet9386
1976Cale YarboroughChevrolet9195
1975Richard Petty (6)Dodge13722
1974Richard Petty (5)Dodge10567.45
1973Benny ParsonsChevrolet167.15
1972Richard Petty (4)Plymouth8127.9
1971Richard Petty (3)Plymouth21364
1970Bobby IsaacDodge1151
1969David Pearson (3)Ford11357
1968David Pearson (2)Ford16126
1967Richard Petty (2)Plymouth276028
1966David PearsonDodge141950
1965Ned Jarrett (2)Ford133034
1964Richard PettyPlymouth95302
1963Joe Weatherly (2)Pontiac32228
1962Joe WeatherlyPontiac92396
1961Ned JarrettChevrolet1830
1960Rex WhiteChevrolet63936
1959Lee Petty (3)Plymouth101830
1958Lee Petty (2)Oldsmobile7644
1957Buck Baker (2)Chevrolet10760
1956Buck BakerChrysler14686
1955Tim Flock (2)Chrysler18508
1954Lee PettyChrysler7283
1953Herb Thomas (2)Hudson11646
1952Tim FlockHudson8106
1951Herb ThomasHudson7146.2
1950Bill RexfordOldsmobile1110.5
1949Red ByronOldsmobile2117.5

* Won the championship based on tiebreaker for wins – five vs. Carl Edwards’ one.

Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Hendrick Motorsports held two of the cherished Championship 4 spots with drivers Kyle Larson and William Byron heading into Sunday’s title bout at Phoenix Raceway, but walked away just short of another taste of championship glory.

Larson was runner-up to a triumphant Ryan Blaney after Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix, 2.043 seconds the difference between them when the checkered flag waved. Another 2.076 seconds back sat Byron.

RELATED: Race results | Championship Weekend photos

In the end, the respective Nos. 5 and 24 Chevrolets didn’t appear to have what they needed to fend off Team Penske’s No. 12 Ford. Blaney finished second in the race but ahead of Larson, Byron and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell, doing all he needed to do to win the title. Larson finished third and Byron fourth.

“Just got beat, plain and simple,” Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon told NASCAR.com. “I mean, even on pit road, I thought our pit crews were amazing and execution of the race was fantastic. Just couldn’t make enough adjustments to get the car to be better than Ryan Blaney, the 12 and Penske. So congrats to them. I mean, what they did through the playoffs was pretty impressive and you’ve gotta give them credit. Ryan will be a great champion.”

Larson has experienced the highest of highs in NASCAR, winning the 2021 championship at this track two years prior. He battled a lack of grip from the beginning of the race, leading crew chief Cliff Daniels to continually consider changes to their Chevrolet.

MORE: Kyle Larson on NASCAR’s newest champion: ‘I’m a huge Blaney fan’

Larson and Blaney had a fierce, enthralling battle for what would decide the championship following the final restart with 31 laps to go, trading positions, diving across each other’s lanes lap after lap and leaning on each other. Larson’s car was clearly improved, but just never as strong as Blaney’s.

“I think the 12 just had a better car,” Daniels told NASCAR.com. “You know, I hate myself a bit that’s the fact. But that’s the fact, right? And with the better car (for Blaney), I think Kyle did everything that he could do. He did a great job on the restart. He fought and battled really hard and really tough.

“Very proud of his effort, and it goes right in line with the effort for the whole team this weekend. We didn’t stop fighting and just came up a bit short.”

Zach Sturniolo | NASCAR Studios

The Phoenix fray did get off to an unusual start for the No. 5 team. In Friday’s practice session, the diffuser underneath the car fell down on the opening run, which “kind of spooked us,” Daniels said Friday, and led to some additional once-overs before sending the car back on track. That led to even further work on the car ahead of Saturday’s qualifying session, Daniels revealed Sunday.

“Our weekend started a little bit weird in practice,” Daniels said. “Had a couple of issues we kind of had to fight through and overcome and there’s so much strength in the team from the guys who kind of had to rebuild the car overnight from Friday to Saturday. And we pretty much rebuilt it.

“Our road crew, the guys that changed all the parts, changed the pieces, did everything, they had to (display) a lot of resilience there. And, you know, fighting through all that and taking your car that was probably about a 10th-place car in practice, to get it to be a top-five car and then finishing third, you know, there’s a lot of team strength in that. Of course, we’re disappointed with the outcome. But you know, all in all, a great team effort.”

To the surprise of nobody, the No. 5 crew of Blaine Anderson, Brandon Harder, Brandon Johnson, Calvin Teague and R.J. Barnette was clutch all over again.

Four of those five crewmen went over the wall in 2021 to help propel Larson to the championship lead ahead of the race’s final pit stop. That group – plus Anderson – pulled off similar magic Sunday. Officially, the stats will show a one-spot gain for Larson after stops at Lap 276, thanks to Denny Hamlin and Erik Jones’ teams electing to take two tires. In reality, it was a three-spot gain as he leaped then-leader Ross Chastain, Martin Truex Jr. and Byron.

“That was the only reason we were in the hunt was pit road (and) pit crew obviously,” Larson said. “The way we executed our pit-road lights, the engineers and everybody who maps that out and everything, I felt like, yeah, I just wanted to keep coming down pit road.”

MORE: Inside No. 5’s pit crew and why it shines under pressure

With that track position in hand and ahead of Blaney, Larson went to battle on the race’s final restart. Dicey crossovers, rubbing fenders in side-draft attempts, diving to the apron of the race track – their fight had everything. But Larson knew he was playing from behind no matter where his car was.

“When I saw him get to third as quickly as he did, I knew I was going to be in trouble,” Larson said. “I felt like I could maybe hold off William for the length of that run. Holding off Ryan was going to be tough.”

Emotions were high for their teammates on the No. 24 car following Byron’s first Championship 4 appearance. Gordon rested an arm around crew chief Rudy Fugle’s shoulders as the pair stood just beyond the Chevrolet’s left rear, watching Byron go through the motions of giving a television interview moments after defeat.

Though the focus rested on Byron, Fugle was processing what went wrong for the No. 24 team. Byron qualified on the pole position and led 95 laps Sunday – most of the Championship 4 contenders and second only to eventual race winner Chastain who led 157 circuits.

“I think we were in the hunt the whole time, so just didn’t have enough at the very end,” Fugle said. “Probably missed one adjustment somewhere midway and got behind just enough for him to beat us. They did great. All three of us that were there at the end were all good cars. It was just, they were a little bit better.”

Gordon knew not much he said would lift Fugle’s spirits, but he found it important to be there for both teams in moments after defeat, and particularly Fugle after his first title hunt didn’t pan out.

“I just know how much it means to him,” Gordon said. “I know how much he commits and dedicates his time and his efforts and working with a team to get them here. And you know how bad they wanted it.

“And so you feel for those guys because you want to say, ‘Hey, don’t worry, let’s do it next year. You had a great year all those things.’ But yeah, right now, there’s probably nothing that I can say, other than just how proud I am and feel like they just did an amazing job this year.”

Byron and Fugle enjoyed a career year in the Cup Series – a series-high six wins and 21 top 10s, 15 of which were top-five finishes too. They seemed on their way to yet another checkered flag, but instead have to settle for third in the championship rundown.

“It’s a bit of a letdown based on how we started the race,” Byron said. “As soon as we got into Stage 2, trying to figure out how do we manage what we have, maybe make it a little bit better if we can. But we just need more on the short tracks. We just struggled as a team on the short tracks. We had a great season, a lot to be proud of, a lot of really solid races, communicating well as a team. I feel like all that stuff can just go up a notch hopefully, just have a bit more speed at certain tracks that we know are important.

“Definitely down the stretch here, it was tough. We didn’t have really what we needed, but that’s OK.”

Posted on by Reid Spencer

AVONDALE, Ariz. – For the first time in 10 years of the elimination playoff format, the NASCAR Cup Series champion failed to win the title race—not that it mattered one bit to 2023 champion Ryan Blaney.

When he took the checkered flag in second place in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race, the driver of the No. 12 Ford gave Team Penske its second straight title in NASCAR’s premier series and gave Ford a sweep of Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway.

RELATED: Blaney title story | Race results

Oh, and as Blaney was pulling away from Kyle Larson and William Byron over a 31-lap green-flag run to the finish to claim his first Cup championship on Sunday, Ross Chastain secured his second victory of the season.

In a fierce battle for the title against 2021 champion Kyle Larson, Blaney edged ahead of the Hendrick Motorsports driver on Lap 292 and secured second place behind Chastain, who grabbed the top spot from Denny Hamlin after a restart on Lap 282.

Chastain crossed the finish line 1.230 seconds ahead of Blaney, whose elation wasn’t dulled one iota by the runner-up result—given the bigger prize he won by finishing second.

“Unbelievable year, unbelievable playoffs for us,” said Blaney, who won last week at Martinsville to advance to the Championship 4 with Larson, Byron and Christopher Bell. “To win back-to-back Cup titles for (team owner Roger) Penske, that’s so special. Having my family here, winning my first Cup title, I got emotional in the car. I’m not a very emotional guy.

SHOP: Winner gear

“You never want to count yourself out. I mean, I think in the summer we were struggling a little bit, but we never gave up. We just went to work. I’ve said that all week, like, this group goes to work, and they figure out problems. That’s why they’re such an amazing group to be with, with the Team Penske folks, ’cause they just put their head down and do the work, accept the challenge.”

Bell fell out of the race on Lap 108, but Blaney, Larson and Byron came home second, third and fourth. Blaney’s margin over Larson at the finish was 2.243 seconds. Though Larson beat Blaney off pit road during the final caution for Kyle Busch’s spin in Turn 3 on Lap 275, Larson couldn’t hold off Blaney’s superior car.

“Yeah, his car was really fast,” Larson acknowledged. “Really the last few months. Yeah, especially here today. Our pit crew and pit road really kept us in the game. We weren’t the greatest on the track, but I was just hoping for pit stops ’cause I knew the way our team executed… the way our pit crew can execute a fast pit stop, I knew that was going to be our only shot really to win.

“They did everything in their power to give us the winning job done there. Huge thank you to them. I needed to come out the leader on that restart. Ross got a really good start from the second row. Was hoping I could get clear of Denny and get the lead, have Ross kind of protect for me behind me. I’m not sure if it would have made a difference.”

Byron took off from the pole position and won the first 60-lap stage wire-to-wire but not without a challenge from third-place starter Kevin Harvick and a charge from Chastain, who was eighth on the grid to start the race.

Over the final three laps of the stage, Byron used the high line through the corners to hold off Harvick, who finished second. Chastain was third after 60 laps, 0.584 seconds behind the stage winner at the green-checkered flag.

First off pit road from stall one, Byron opened a lead of more than a second after the break. Larson, Blaney and Bell all improved their positions on pit road and soon were running fourth, fifth and sixth with Byron in the lead and Harvick and Chastain in front of them.

On Lap 86, Bell made a deft pass of Blaney for fifth. Lap 93 brought a dramatic change at the front of the field, as Harvick surged to the outside of Byron in Turns 1 and 2 and cleared him down the backstretch. Byron dropped another spot to Chastain and traded third with Blaney, who secured the position on Lap 107.

“Once the track rubbered in, we got really tight,” Byron said. “Especially when we lost the lead on track, we just had a big balance shift and got tight back in second through fifth, just couldn’t gain a lot of speed through (Turns) 1 and 2, just kind of having to really over-slow the car, get it to the bottom. That’s all we had there.”

On Lap 108, Bell’s race fell apart. Complaining of brake issues, he crashed hard into the outside wall in Turn 3 when his right front rotor exploded and was eliminated from the race in 36th place, leaving Blaney, Byron and Larson to battle for the championship.

“Well, I mean that was my first time I’ve ever exploded a rotor in my career,” Bell said after a mandatory trip to the infield care center. “So, yeah, I was surprised, but early on in the race I had a little bit of brake fade, and the second run it just kept getting worse and worse. I don’t know. Just obviously a disappointing way to end.

“It stings to not have a shot at the end of it, obviously. We were all four really close, and we all four showed strengths at different times.”

Bell’s accident caused the second caution and provided a welcome opportunity for pit stops and adjustments. After the subsequent restart on Lap 117, Chastain passed Harvick for the lead and stayed out front for 54 consecutive laps until Buescher passed him for the top spot on Lap 171.

Buescher pulled away to win the second stage, which ended on Lap 185. Byron finished fourth and held the edge in the championship battle over Blaney in sixth and Larson in seventh.

As the laps counted down, however, the race came to Blaney.

Chastain led a race-high 157 laps to 95 for Byron. Harvick finished seventh after leading 23 laps in his final season as a full-time driver NASCAR Cup Series driver.

“We built a team here at Stewart-Haas Racing,” Harvick said. “We built so many things from the bottom up. I think the hard work is something that people recognize. As you guys have seen through the week, I’m a pretty emotional person. I’ve just done a really good job of hiding that.”

For his part, Chastain enjoyed competing against Harvick in his final race almost as much as he enjoyed winning.

“Racing him early in the race was bucket list, little kid in me,” said Chastain who won for the first time at Phoenix and the fourth time in his career. “Racing that 2005 (NASCAR) game, I drove as the 29 GM Goodwrench car (Harvick’s first Cup car with Richard Childress Racing). Now I’m driving a Chevy for GM to Victory Lane, a Camaro.

“I am beside myself that we were able to do that. That last caution we were really tight. It saved us. (Crew chief) Phil Surgen and this group at Trackhouse, all of our GM support staff, sim staff, everybody came up with a way to make this thing turn, and we drove off into the sunset.”

NOTE: Post-race inspection was completed without issue in the Cup Series garage, confirming Chastain’s victory and Blaney’s championship

Posted on by Zack Albert

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Several aspects of Kevin Harvick’s last race in the NASCAR Cup Series were out of the ordinary – standout moments that highlighted one of the sport’s most enduring careers. Some aspects were familiar scenes, near-replays plucked from his 20-plus years as an elite driver.

The extra acknowledgment for one of the sport’s longest-running ambassadors in the pre-race driver’s meeting was one of the first in a series of touching moments, and many more were to come – before and after Sunday’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway. Drivers and owners from competing teams recognized Harvick’s achievements by stopping by his No. 4 Ford, with Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick offering their congratulations, and Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Ryan Preece and Chase Briscoe sharing in a post-race toast – pulling tall Busch Lights from a pair of handy coolers.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

His sendoff was a heartfelt one, with his children Keelan and Piper keying the No. 4 team communications during the pace laps. “Hey dad, I am so proud of you and you’ve had a great career,” said Keelan, his 11-year-old son. “Finish it off with one more.” Piper, age 5, also checked in with a message of good luck.

“That’s not normal. So, I know that they probably love that,” Harvick said post-race, his voice trailing off as he returned to the celebration.

When the commemorative pre-race extras were complete, Rodney Childers — Harvick’s longtime crew chief – brought him back to the task ahead.

“Go out there and have fun,” Childers said. “… Emotions are over. We came here to win.”

Sharp as ever in his 826th and final start, Harvick gave the Phoenix faithful one last patented performance with a seventh-place result in Sunday’s season finale. His familiar presence at the front stirred the sellout crowd at a track where nine of his 60 career Cup Series victories took place.

While the weekend played out as a setting for a spirited championship fight, it was also the backdrop for a succession of tributes to Harvick’s time in the sport. But it was clear, as Childers said, that the team came to Phoenix to compete with high expectations.

“I’d rather walk away competitive than flop around looking for a paycheck,” Harvick said post-race. “You know, that’s always been one of my goals was to walk out as competitive as possible, and we did that. So, I wouldn’t change anything. I think for me, I mean, we balanced a lot this year. So to be able to balance all that and still walk away at the last race and be competitive says a lot about the people that we have around me and the drive that we have to do good.”

Harvick led twice for 23 laps in the early going and was a fixture among the top five through the first two stages. He fought for rear grip but tracked down title contender and pole-starter William Byron in the 93rd of 312 laps to put the No. 4 atop the pylon early in his final ride. His team radio kept him apprised: “Fastest car that lap.” “Still the fastest car.” “All rhythm. Fastest car … pulling away.” Those messages were familiar, too.

Patrick Vallely | For NASCAR

When eventual champion Ryan Blaney and the remaining title hopefuls in Byron and Kyle Larson made their way forward in the final stage, Harvick slipped back to the fringes of the top five. His farewell result capped off a remarkable run at Phoenix with his 21st consecutive top-10 finish here, stretching back to 2013 and pre-dating his time with SHR.

MORE: End-of-season goodbyes for 2023

Childers, his crew chief from the day he started with the No. 4 team, had blocked out some of the emotions for the better part of Sunday afternoon’s finale. Now, he was ready for them to all rush back.

“Probably tomorrow,” Childers told NASCAR.com, smiling as he walked to the championship stage to offer his personal congratulations to Blaney and team owner Roger Penske. “I’m sure it’s not gonna be easy, but overall, it was a great weekend, and it’s been an awesome 10 years. I mean, to be able to do that was a dream come true. Nobody will get the chance to do that with somebody like Kevin Harvick. So, it’s pretty awesome, and like I said, dream come true, for sure.”

When it was over, Harvick emerged from the No. 4 Mustang, with Keelan the first to arrive at the car. He was soon surrounded by photographers, sponsors, business partners, and the rest of his family and crew. Tall, ice-cold cans emerged from the coolers, and the team made sure Harvick took photos by his car with each of them – groups and individuals.

Harvick then broke away briefly for his own family photo with his wife, DeLana, and his children, walking from pit road up to the start/finish line to pose for a double thumbs-up – reminiscent of another photo he took with Keelan after winning the 2014 title. Both of his kids signed the outside retaining wall with personal messages.

“What else do you want to see?” Harvick told his daughter. Satisfied, the four of them walked back, having seen plenty in a sentimental final start.

So did the packed house at Harvick’s best track as the sun set on one of NASCAR’s most transcendent careers.

“The fans have been great, just wishing us well to do the best that we can on the race track,” Harvick said. “You know, it’s been an up and down year, but I mean, we’ve had some good runs, and we were at least competitive. We didn’t ride around in the back. So that’s the main thing. Just doing all we can do.”

Posted on by Dustin Albino

Ryan Blaney spent the 2023 NASCAR Playoffs delivering clutch performances when it mattered most. And in the biggest race of his life, the 29-year-old gave his most memorable showing yet. Now, he is a Cup Series champion.

Blaney claimed his first career Cup Series championship on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway in his first Championship 4 appearance. He outlasted fellow title hopefuls Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson and William Byron for the most prestigious prize in NASCAR.

Blaney had the lead among Championship 4 drivers when the caution flag flew for a Kyle Busch spin with 37 laps remaining. After losing that advantage on pit road, Blaney battled back on the ensuing restart to get past Byron and Larson, getting in front of them with 20 laps to go. Blaney held that position and finished second to race-winner Ross Chastain but first among the Championship 4 competitors.

It’s the second consecutive season Team Penske took home NASCAR’s top prize, with Blaney following Joey Logano’s 2022 title conquest. It also gives Ford a sweep of championships following titles by Cole Custer and Ben Rhodes earlier this weekend.

“Just so proud of this team,” Blaney said. “Unbelievable year, unbelievable playoffs for us. To win back-to-back Cup titles for Mr. Penske, that’s so special. Having my family here, winning my first Cup title, I got emotional in the car. I’m not a very emotional guy.

“Thank you, guys, for coming. Hope it was an awesome show.”

RELATED: Race results | Ryan Blaney driver page

It took Blaney eight full seasons, but he joins Brad Keselowski and Logano as the three drivers to win Cup titles for Roger Penske.

In four previous trips to the Round of 8, Blaney came up empty-handed. This year, the No. 12 team stepped up at the right time, scoring a pair of playoff victories at Talladega and Martinsville en route to the championship.

Unlike previous seasons when Blaney made mistakes in the Round of 8, he rose to the occasion in 2023. Across the three races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway in the Round of 8, the No. 12 team posted an average finish of 3.0. He had an incredible run at Homestead by leading 53 laps and finishing second, then stamped his name into the Championship 4 in a dominant second-half performance at Martinsville, tallying his third victory of the season.

“You never want to count yourself out,” Blaney said. “I mean, I think in the summer we were struggling a little bit. But we never gave up. We just went to work. I’ve said that all week, like, this group goes to work and they figure out problems. That’s why they’re such an amazing group to be with, with the Team Penske folks, ’cause they just put their head down and do the work, accept the challenge.

“That’s what we did. It’s not happenstance we started running good through the playoffs. It was a lot of hard work by a lot of amazing men and women at the shop. I can’t thank them enough for that.”

Blaney entered the championship race with consecutive runner-up results in the desert, including to his teammate Logano last season when the driver of the No. 22 Ford won his second championship. But the No. 12 team had the fewest top fives and laps led of the four eligible drivers. He was tied with Larson for the fewest number of top 10s. Three of Blaney’s seven top fives in the opening 35 races of the season came over a five-race run in the playoffs.

All it took was one race of perfection, though, from Blaney for him to capture the crown. He is the first driver from his illustrious racing family to win a NASCAR championship.

It was also a shining moment for crew chief Jonathan Hassler, who just completed his second full season as a crew chief. Together, they went from a goose egg in the win column in their first season to sitting at the champion’s table in Nashville later this month during Champion’s Week.

Posted on by Staff Report

Nov. 5: A Mississippi Lottery player was declared the NASCAR Powerball Playoff™ Champion in an exhilarating conclusion to the national Powerball® promotion. Stephanie Walker of West Point, Mississippi, won the $1 million grand prize in a drawing broadcast live from Victory Lane at Phoenix Raceway® during pre-coverage of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race™ on NBC.

“Like the NASCAR Playoffs, the anticipation has been building for weeks leading up to this Championship drawing,” said Drew Svitko, Powerball product group chair and Pennsylvania Lottery executive director. “This has been a wild ride, and we can’t wait to offer our players another opportunity to experience the thrill of the NASCAR Powerball Playoff next year!”

Stephanie was one of four finalists who won a VIP trip for two to NASCAR Championship Weekend, Nov. 3-5, at Phoenix Raceway and entry into the $1 million drawing. The three finalists eliminated from the playoff have each won a $10,000 prize for making it to the Championship 4, they include:

  • Donald Pope – Michigan City, Ind.
  • Peter Schmitz – Santa Fe, N.M.
  • Barbara Wipf – Sioux Falls, S.D.

The VIP trip for the Championship 4 included roundtrip airfare for two to Phoenix, three nights hotel accommodations – double occupancy, two Ally Curve Hospitality Club passes for both the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race on Nov. 4 and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Nov. 5, two passes for VIP experiences at Phoenix Raceway including NASCAR Cup Series™ VIP access, NASCAR team hauler tour, MRN radio booth tour, pace car rides, and Victory Lane access, welcome dinner and all meals, and ground transportation to scheduled events and activities.

“Just like the NASCAR Playoffs, the NASCAR Powerball Playoff Championship drawing has been filled with anticipation and excitement, culminating with Stephanie Walker taking home the $1 million prize,” said Michelle Byron, NASCAR senior vice president of partnership marketing. “This promotion was a perfect way to engage our loyal fans and lottery players alike, and we can’t wait to see it come to life again next year.”

All finalists entered the national Powerball promotion through one of 24 participating state lotteries. Participating lotteries held in-state contests and second-chance drawings throughout the 2023 NASCAR regular season to form a national pool of entrants. Sixteen semi-finalists were then drawn from the national pool to compete in a series of elimination drawings that mirror the elimination rounds of the NASCAR playoffs. Cash prizes will be awarded to all 16 semi-finalists based on their elimination position.

———-

Oct. 29: The Championship 4 is set for the $1 million drawing in the inaugural NASCAR Powerball Playoff™. NASCAR® and Powerball® announced Sunday, during the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, the four finalists who have won a VIP trip for two to NASCAR Championship Weekend™ at Phoenix Raceway, Nov. 3-5, and entry into the $1 million drawing.

The four finalists in the Championship 4 include:

  • Donald Pope – Michigan City, Ind.
  • Stephanie Walker – West Point, Miss.
  • Peter Schmitz – Santa Fe, N.M.
  • Barbara Wipf – Sioux Falls, S.D.

Each finalist has a 1 in 4 chance of winning the $1 million grand prize in the next and final drawing of the NASCAR Powerball Playoff™. The drawing will be broadcast live on NBC during pre-race coverage of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Sunday, Nov. 5 starting at 2 p.m. ET.

The VIP trip for the Championship 4 includes roundtrip airfare for two to Phoenix, three nights hotel accommodations – double occupancy, two Ally Curve Hospitality Club passes for both the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race on Nov. 4 and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Nov. 5, two passes for VIP experiences at Phoenix Raceway including NASCAR Cup Series™ VIP access, NASCAR team hauler tour, MRN radio booth tour, pace car rides, and Victory Lane access, welcome dinner and all meals, and ground transportation to scheduled events and activities.

The four semi-finalists cut from the playoff in the third elimination drawing have each won a $7,500 prize for making it to the Round of 8; they include:

  • Misty Goad – Tucson, Ariz.
  • Marcelo Jo – Boca Raton, Fla.
  • Walter Held – Independence, Ky.
  • Angela Tamba – Harrisburg, Pa.

———-

Oct. 8: The field of semi-finalists in the race to $1 million has been cut in half following the second elimination drawing in the NASCAR Powerball Playoff™. NASCAR and Powerball® announced Sunday, during the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the eight semi-finalists who have advanced in the playoff for a chance to win a VIP trip to NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway and the $1 million grand prize.

The semi-finalists in the Round of 8 include:

  • Misty Goad – Tucson, Ariz.
  • Marcelo Jo – Boca Raton, Fla.
  • Donald Pope – Michigan City, Ind.
  • Walter Held – Independence, Ky.
  • Stephanie Walker – West Point, Miss.
  • Peter Schmitz – Santa Fe, N.M.
  • Angela Tamba – Harrisburg, Pa.
  • Barbara Wipf – Sioux Falls, S.D.

The four semi-finalists eliminated from the playoff have each won a $5,000 prize for making it to the Round of 12, they include:

  • Richelle Abbott – Gardiner, Maine
  • Joseph Medina – Franklin, Neb.
  • Robert Wilkinson – Oakland Gardens, N.Y.
  • Ronald Sewell – Columbia, S.C.

The next drawing in the NASCAR Powerball Playoff will be for the Championship 4. The four semi-finalists who advance from the Championship 4 drawing will win a VIP trip for two to NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway, Nov. 3-5, and advance as finalists to the $1 million drawing. The Championship 4 will be announced during the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 29 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App). The four players eliminated from the playoff at that time will win $7,500 each.

———-

Sept. 16: The NASCAR Powerball Playoff™ has narrowed down the field of semi-finalists, locking in the Round of 12 competitors in the race for a VIP trip to NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway and the $1 million grand prize after the first elimination drawing, the sanctioning body and the Official Lottery Game of the sport announced Saturday. The announcement was made before Saturday’s broadcast of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway (6:30 p.m. ET, USA), the final race of the Round of 16 in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

The semi-finalists in the Round of 12 include:

  • Misty Goad: Tucson, Ariz.
  • Marcelo Jo: Boca Raton, Fla.
  • Donald Pope: Michigan City, Ind.
  • Walter Held: Independence, Ky.
  • Richelle Abbott: Gardiner, Maine
  • Stephanie Walker: West Point, Miss.
  • Joseph Medina: Franklin, Neb.
  • Peter Schmitz: Santa Fe, N.M.
  • Robert Wilkinson: Oakland Gardens, N.Y.
  • Angela Tamba: Harrisburg, Pa.
  • Ronald Sewell: Columbia, S.C.
  • Barbara Wipf: Sioux Falls, S.D.

The four semi-finalists eliminated from the playoff have each won a $2,500 prize for making it to the Round of 16 and they include:

  • Clara Miller: Hammond, La.
  • Richard Day: Shoreview, Minn.
  • Eric Severance: Parshall, N.D.
  • Philip Lesiuk: Cumberland, R.I.

The remaining semi-finalists will compete in a series of elimination drawings that mirror the elimination rounds of the NASCAR Playoffs. The next drawing in the NASCAR Powerball Playoff will be for the Round of 8. The eight semi-finalists advancing in the playoff will be announced during the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 8 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App). The four players eliminated from the playoff at that time will win $5,000 each.

———-

Aug. 26: The field was set for the inaugural NASCAR Powerball Playoff™. During Saturday’s broadcast of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 from Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR and Powerball® revealed the 16 semi-finalists who will have a chance to win a VIP trip to NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway and the $1 million grand prize.

The semi-finalists in the Round of 16 include:

• Misty Goad: Tucson, Ariz.
• Marcelo Jo: Boca Raton, Fla.
• Donald Pope: Michigan City, Ind.
• Walter Held: Independence, Ky.
• Clara Miller: Hammond, La.
• Richelle Abbott: Gardiner, Maine
• Richard Day: Shoreview, Minn.
• Stephanie Walker: West Point, Miss.
• Eric Severance: Parshall, N.D.
• Joseph Medina: Franklin, Neb.
• Peter Schmitz: Santa Fe, N.M.
• Robert Wilkinson: Oakland Gardens, N.Y.
• Angela Tamba: Harrisburg, Pa.
• Philip Lesiuk: Cumberland, R.I.
• Ronald Sewell: Columbia, S.C.
• Barbara Wipf: Sioux Falls, S.D.

The semi-finalists will compete in a series of elimination drawings that mirror the elimination rounds of the NASCAR Playoffs. Next up is the Round of 12 drawing that will be announced during the Bass Pro Shops Night Right on Sept. 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The four players eliminated from the playoff at that time will win $2,500 each.

Other eliminations will occur on Oct. 8 during the Charlotte Motor Speedway road-course race and the Oct. 29 race at Martinsville Speedway. The four semi-finalists still in the playoff after that will win a VIP trip for two to NASCAR Championship Weekend™ at Phoenix Raceway, Nov. 3-5, and advance as finalists to the $1 million drawing.

To get to today’s drawing, all semi-finalists had to enter the national promotion through one of 24 participating state lotteries. Participating lotteries held in-state contests and second-chance drawings throughout the 2023 NASCAR regular season to form a national pool of entrants. The 16 semi-finalists were then randomly selected from the national pool during a preliminary drawing on Aug. 12.