The NASCAR Foundation announces finalists for 2023 Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award

Posted on October 26, 2023 by NASCAR Foundation Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The NASCAR Foundation recognized four NASCAR fans dedicated to volunteer support for local children’s organizations as finalists for the 13th annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. The announcement, which was made on FOX Sports NASCAR Race Hub, highlighted the volunteers’ commitment to improving the lives of children across the country.

“These four volunteers are representative of the generosity of our NASCAR fan base. Their efforts have made an important impact on improving the lives of children, an endeavor shared by Betty Jane France,” The NASCAR Foundation Chairman Mike Helton said. “Darla, Jennifer, Molly and Sandy each exemplify an unparalleled commitment to serving children in their communities and are an inspiration to us all. We encourage our fans to learn more about these finalists’ stories and vote for this year’s award winner.”

The NASCAR Foundation’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award, named in honor of the foundation’s late founder and chairwoman Betty Jane France, recognizes NASCAR fans who volunteer for children’s causes in their local communities. Each finalist receives a minimum $25,000 donation for their organization, with the overall winner receiving a $100,000 donation from The NASCAR Foundation to further their efforts.

The 13th annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award finalists include:

Darla Crown of Rapid City, S.D., a volunteer with Youth & Family Services, a non-profit organization that helps support children and their families to become capable, caring, and contributing members of the community. Through Darla’s participation with numerous organizations, she connects families in need with services provided by Youth & Family Services. Darla is also a 41-year veteran of the South Dakota National Guard.
Jennifer Gage of Phoenix, Ariz., founder of GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix, a local chapter of a national non-profit organization that serves children and adults with Down Syndrome by helping them find support, network with other families and navigate their diagnosis. Jennifer, whose daughter has Down Syndrome, saw a need for these services in her community.
Molly Moran of Walpole, Mass., a volunteer with Comfort Zone Camp, a non-profit organization that operates camps across the country that empower children experiencing grief to fully realize their capacity to heal, grow and lead more fulfilling lives. Molly has been volunteering as a camp counselor and mentor for nine years.
Sandy Stanley of Dalton, Ga, a volunteer with City of Refuge Dalton, a non-profit organization that provides opportunities for family and community advancement. Sandy has volunteered as part of the hot meal feeding program and food bank, where she packs and delivers food boxes to the area’s most vulnerable children.

The overall winner will be determined by an online vote, which is open now. Fans can visit NASCARfoundation.org/Award to watch videos about each finalist’s impact on children while voting once a day, every day through Nov. 17 at 5 p.m. E.T. for their favorite finalist.

The overall winner will be announced during the NASCAR Awards on Thursday, Nov. 30 in Nashville.

To learn more about The NASCAR Foundation’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award and the 2023 finalists, visit NASCARfoundation.org/Award.

Posted on October 26, 2023October 27, 2023 by Cameron Richardson

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season has reached its penultimate event. The Championship 4 will be decided Sunday at Martinsville Speedway (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), and the fight for the final two spots couldn’t be any more competitive as three title favorites have yet to punch their ticket to Phoenix.

Before the green flag drops, see how the Round of 8 looks ahead of Sunday, trends to watch for the race, a brief history of NASCAR’s shortest track and Goodyear tire info.

MARTINSVILLE HISTORY 🌭

The Virginia short track has been around longer than NASCAR’s existence, with the first race being held for modified stock cars in 1947. The first NASCAR-sanctioned event came a year later, followed by the first Cup Series race in 1949, which was won by Red Byron.

The first 12 races at Martinsville were run on dirt.

The introduction of the grandfather clock trophy came in 1964, first awarded to Fred Lorenzen. Richard Petty owns the most clocks with 12, followed by Darrell Waltrip (11), Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson (nine each).

Sunday’s Cup race will be the 150th at Martinsville, second to Daytona International Speedway (153).

(Via Racing Insights)

GET TO THE FRONT ASAP 💨

Unlike last year, no miracle last-lap efforts can save a playoff driver’s title hopes, so getting quality track position quickly will be of the highest importance on Sunday. Qualifying could pay off with awarding points in Stage 1, but as we saw in the spring, a mistake on pit road could find you at the back of the pack and your race-win and championship hopes dashed.

While not yet locked in, William Byron holds a comfortable 30-point cushion to the elimination line and is likeliest to join Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell in the Championship 4. Byron owns three top-five finishes in the last five Martinsville events.

Ryan Blaney has never made the Championship 4 but has a golden opportunity to make it on Sunday as he enters 10 points above the elimination line. He’s trending toward a big points day as well, with top-10 finishes in the last three Martinsville races.

MORE: Racing Insights’ projections for Sunday

📉 TRENDS TO WATCH 📈

— Six different drivers won the last six Martinsville races.

— Ford is winless in the last eight Martinsville races.

— The last two Martinsville winners started 20th (Bell) and 19th (Larson).

— The final lead change came with 30 laps or less to go in four of the last five Martinsville races.

(Via Racing Insights)

CLASSIC FALL MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY RACES 🎥

2001: Dale Jarrett and Ricky Craven battle hard for the victory | WATCH

2014: Dale Jr. wins one and only grandfather clock | WATCH

2018: Truex, Logano photo finish sends Logano to Champ 4 | WATCH

2022: Ross Chastain’s iconic “Hail Melon” move to make Champ 4 | WATCH

ON-TRACK SCHEDULE 🗓️

Saturday, Oct. 21

— 12:35 p.m. ET: Practice (USA, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

— 1:20 p.m. ET: Qualifying (USA, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Sunday, Oct. 22

— 2 p.m. ET: Xfinity 500 (NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App)

MORE: Full weekend schedule at Martinsville

RULE CHANGES/GOODYEAR TIRE NOTES 🛞

Being a short track with relatively long straightaways, very little banking and tight corners, Martinsville Speedway traditionally produces close racing, a lot of contact on the track and hot tempers. Cup teams will have a new tire set-up at Martinsville, designed with a thicker gage – or tread thickness – and tested at Richmond Raceway in August.

Teams will be allotted one set of tires for practice, one set for qualifying and an additional nine sets for Sunday’s race.

(Via Goodyear Racing)

RELATED: See rules changes for 2023

FAN REWARDS 🫵

Fans can get in on the action all season long with NASCAR Fan Rewards, a free program that rewards fans for participating in the action when they watch races and play NASCAR Fantasy.

There’s no cost to join. Fans must be 18 years or older to participate in the program.

Earn points by checking into a race from home or at the track, setting your Fantasy Live lineup, making purchases on the NASCAR.com shop, and more. Points can be redeemed for race tickets, merchandise, and VIP experiences at the track, including pace car rides and waving the green flag at qualifying.

JOIN TODAY

FOLLOW THE RACE 📲

NASCAR Mobile has now added support for fans to “Follow the Race” and access live leaderboard and race information from Live Activities in the current app release (v13.2.0), available now. Android users, we didn’t forget you — the same functionality has been custom-built for Android devices, as well.

How to access Live Activities on iPhones:

Make sure your iOS device has been updated to 16.1 or higher.
Available on the leaderboard of all NASCAR Series races.
Click on the three-dot menu near the top right of the screen.
Select “Follow the Race.”
Swipe up to access the home screen, and you will see the Live Activities at the top.
Lock the device, and you will see Live Activities on the Lock Screen.
To turn it off, simply visit the leaderboard, click the three-dot menu, and “Unfollow the Race.”

ALSO ON NASCAR.COM 💻

Get additional camera views by logging on to NASCAR Drive, where each week, a select number of in-car cameras will be available — as well as a battle cam and an overhead look.

NASCAR has partnered with LiveLike to add fan engagement to the NASCAR Mobile App. Log in to the mobile app during the race for polls, quizzes, the cheer meter, and more — and see instant results from NASCAR fans like you.

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Staff Report

Jesse Love will move up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024, teaming up with Richard Childress Racing to pilot the No. 2 Chevrolet on a full-time basis, beginning with the season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17.

The 18-year-old wheelman dominated the ARCA Menards Series circuit this season with 10 wins in 20 races en route to the series championship.

“We’ve been watching Jesse for a while now, and his breakout performance in the ARCA Menards Series was impressive this season,” Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of RCR, said in a statement. “We know that he has the talent and determination to win races and compete for championships within RCR’s NASCAR Xfinity Series program. We are looking forward to welcoming Whelen back for another year on the No. 2 program and feel confident that Jesse will be a strong ambassador for Whelen.”

Love will replace Sheldon Creed, who currently is competing in the Round of 8 of the Xfinity Series Playoffs alongside his teammate Austin Hill.

Fielding teams in the Xfinity Series since 1995, RCR has nabbed five driver’s championships, including two with Kevin Harvick (2001, 2006), one with Clint Bowyer, one with Austin Dillon, and most recently, Tyler Reddick in 2019.

“I’ve been fortunate to gain a lot of racing experience at a young age, but nothing compares to the opportunity to race for a legendary team like Richard Childress Racing,” Love said. “I have so much respect for Richard Childress and am extremely grateful to be able to race and learn with one of the most successful teams in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. I’ve dreamed of racing at the highest levels of the sport since I was a young kid, and the path to the NASCAR Cup Series seems more clear with this opportunity.”

Posted on October 25, 2023October 25, 2023 by Staff Report

NASCAR officials issued penalties to multiple teams on Wednesday after last weekend’s races at Homestead-Miami Speedway, including two in the Xfinity Series that carried with them suspensions. Also included in this week’s report were an L1-level points penalty in Craftsman Trucks and a fine to Cup Series driver Ryan Newman.

One of those penalties in the Xfinity Series affected playoff-eligible driver Austin Hill and the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet team, which was found with two unfastened lug nuts on the left-front wheel after a fourth-place finish in Saturday’s Contender Boats 300. The violation of Section 8.8.10.4a in the NASCAR Rule Book resulted in a one-race suspension and a $10,000 fine for No. 21 crew chief Andy Street. Mike Shiplett will fill in as the No. 21’s crew chief this week.

Hill, the Xfinity Series’ Regular Season Champion, will be vying for one of the three remaining spots in the Championship 4 field in Saturday’s Dead On Tools 250 (3:30 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) at Martinsville Speedway. Hill currently ranks fourth among the eight remaining title-eligible drivers, holding a three-point edge over the elimination line.

In the Cup Series, Ryan Newman, the driver of the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford, was fined $10,000 for a safety violation for removing the head sock, which comes under Sections 8.3.2 A; 14.2.1.1 A & F of the Rule Book. Newman finished 26th in Sunday’s 4Ever 400 Presented by Mobil 1.

In the Truck Series, the No. 98 ThorSport Racing team of Ty Majeski was hit with an L1-level penalty for violating Sections 14.14.1.C of the Rule Book having to do with the front suspension. That penalty resulted in a 10-point loss for the team and the driver. Majeski finished ninth in Saturday’s Baptist Health Cancer Care 200.

Competition officials also suspended crew members Taylor Collier and Dale Hollifield from the No. 74 Xfinity team of Dawson Cram for the next two events for loss of an improperly secured tire at Homestead. Cram finished 36th in the CHK Racing Chevrolet on Saturday.

And crew chief Jason Ratcliff of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team was fined $5,000 for a single unsecured lug found in Saturday’s post-race check. Joe Graf Jr. drove the Toyota to a 10th-place finish.

Also in the Truck Series, the Nos. 15 and 17 teams of Tanner Gray and Taylor Gray of Tricon Garage were each cited for one lug nut not being secure in post-race inspection. Crew chiefs Jerame Donley and Jacob Hampton were each fined $2,500. Tanner Gray finished 11th while Taylor Gray was 13th in Saturday’s Truck race.

The No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford was disqualified in post-race inspection after Saturday’s Truck Series event for an infraction involving the windshield supports, but no further sanctions were issued Wednesday. Front Row Motorsports did not appeal the penalty.

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Staff Report

Throughout the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, Advance Auto Parts is spotlighting a series of Home Track Heroes from NASCAR-sanctioned short tracks around the country. Each Home Track Hero, nominated by his or her peers as a result of contributions made to the race track, will have his or her name appear on the C-Post of Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford Mustang in a Cup Series Playoff race. Logan Clark, a driver at Dominion Raceway in Woodford, Virginia, is the Home Track Hero whose name will appear on Blaney’s car during the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Many NASCAR Home Track Heroes contribute to their facility’s efforts off the track. Logan Clark of Dominion Raceway makes his contributions both on and off the racing surface.

Clark is a 19-year-old driver who just finish his fourth year of late model racing. A former Bandolero driver, he won the INEX Virginia State Championship in 2018 and 2019, plus the 2019 Southside Speedway championship, before moving up to heavier stock cars.

Clark won a race at Dominion in 2023, but he’s a Home Track Hero as a result of his efforts outside the car.

His ability to network and connect with new fans and sponsors to grow the sport doesn’t go unnoticed. He works tirelessly to promote his home track, providing others an example of what and how they can contribute to the community and help others.

Clark, who works as a licensed realtor at The Hogan Group in Richmond, is consistently involved in charitable efforts such as Soles4Souls. The organization turns unwanted shoes and clothing into opportunities, providing relief, creating jobs and empowering people to break the cycle of poverty.

Through Clark’s efforts, thousands of dollars have been raised and hundreds of pairs of shoes have been donated to those in need.

Additionally, Clark recently announced the formation of The Logan Clark Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Richmond.

Posted on October 25, 2023October 26, 2023 by Brandon White

There is no shortage of experience and talent on the entry list for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s season-ending Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 at Martinsville Speedway on Thursday night (8 p.m. ET on FloRacing).

Mixed in with Modified veterans from both the northeast and the south are two NASCAR Cup Series legends in Bobby Labonte and Ryan Newman. The duo is once again back with Sadler-Stanley Racing for Martinsville, piloting the No. 38 and No. 39 Modifieds, respectively.

Mods at Martinsville: Entry List | Buy Tickets | How to Watch

Despite entering the Cup Series nearly a decade later than Labonte, Newman has more track time in a Modified. Since 2008, Newman has made at least one start in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour each year, with 2020 being the exception. The 2008 Daytona 500 winner has amassed four victories, 16 top fives and seven poles during that time, with his most dominant stretch being a clean sweep of the three races he entered in 2010.

Bobby Labonte will make his fourth NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start Thursday night at Martinsville. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)

Labonte has been competing in Modifieds since 2020, when he started making appearances in events around the southeast. Driving for Mike Smith, Labonte, a two-time race winner in a Modified, has applied the same efficient driving style that won him the Cup Series title in 2000.

In their first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season together under the Sadler-Stanley Racing banner, Newman and Labonte have endured mixed results.

Labonte qualified inside the top 10 for both of his Modified Tour appearances this year. He brought home a sixth-place finish at Richmond Raceway in March but was unable to replicate that showing at North Wilkesboro Speedway in May after getting swept up in a crash with fewer than 40 laps remaining.

As for Newman, who was unable to compete at Richmond after the race was pushed back a day, he put together a vintage performance at North Wilkesboro, leading six laps and finishing sixth in the 38-car field.

Thursday’s Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 at Martinsville marks one year since Newman and Labonte first raced Modifieds as teammates. Labonte’s night ended after 63 laps due to an accident, but Newman survived two late restarts to finish third behind Matt Hirschman and race-winner Corey LaJoie.

Both Newman and Labonte will look to add one more accomplishment to their respective storied resumes when the green flag waves at Martinsville.

2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ryan Preece will return to the series at Martinsville Speedway in his own equipment. (Photo: Lachlan Cunningham/ARCA Racing)

Ryan Preece racing his own Modified at Martinsville

It’s been nearly a year since Ryan Preece last participated in a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event. That will change Thursday.

The 2013 series champion is bringing his own No. 40 Mizzy Construction Modified to Martinsville for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200. He’ll look to obtain his first victory in the series since 2021.

Before embarking on a full-time career in the NASCAR Cup Series, Preece was regarded as one of the best drivers on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Along with his championship, Preece’s resume includes 25 victories, 81 top fives, 18 poles and 4,340 laps led.

Preece still makes time for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour whenever his busy schedule allows. Among the teams Preece has raced for in recent years include the iconic Ole Blue No. 3 owned by Jan Boehler and the late Eddie Partridge. Preece was driving that car at Richmond when he obtained his most recent series win.

Thursday serves as a throwback to Preece’s rookie season on the Modified Tour, when he ran the entire year with his family-owned team. A victory for Preece at Martinsville would be his first in the series with a car prepared by himself and his father Jeff.

Fresh off winning his first title at Bowman Gray Stadium, Brandon Ward is set to make his second NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start of his career at Martinsville Speedway. (Photo: Eakin Howard/NASCAR)

Bowman Gray champion Brandon Ward looks to build momentum

Veteran racer Brandon Ward achieved a career milestone earlier this year by adding his name to the prestigious list of track champions at Bowman Gray Stadium.

In the months since Bowman Gray’s finale, Ward has turned his attention to other Modified events around the southeast, which will include his second career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start on Thursday at Martinsville.

Known for his versatility, Ward has visited Victory Lane in nearly every type of car he has competed in over the past two decades. These accomplishments include wins in the now-defunct NASCAR Goody’s Dash Series and the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour.

Ward and his team New Day Motorsports elected to test their luck with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour regulars during the series’ inaugural visit to North Wilkesboro Speedway in September. He managed to work his way to the front but faded to his original starting position of 24^th by the time the checkered flag waved.

A strong run at Martinsville in the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 would give Ward plenty of confidence heading into 2024, when he plans to run an expanded schedule that includes a defense of his Bowman Gray title.

NOTES:

John-Michael Shenette will make his third NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start Thursday at Martinsville, and he’ll do so with a new partner on board his No. 28 Modified. Anglers Choice Marine, a Bass Boat Superstore with locations in Martinsville, Lexington, N.C. and Spindale N.C., is a family owned business that’s been in operation for more than 25 years. Shenette hopes to deliver a new career-high finish after logging a 12th-place run in his Modified Tour debut at Virginia’s Langley Speedway in August.
Patrick Emerling is back in his family-owned No. 07 for Martinsville after finishing in the top five with Joe Stevens at North Wilkesboro. Emerling has been focused on his NASCAR Xfinity Series program this year, with his best run being a 14^th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Burt Myers is among the southeast contingent looking to challenge the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour regulars at Martinsville. Along with being a 10-time champion at Bowman Gray Stadium, Myers won two NASCAR Southern Modified Tour titles in 2010 and 2016.
Andy Jankowiak’s successful 2023 season has seen him tally several Modified victories and two top fives in the ARCA Menards Series. On Thursday, Jankowiak will make his second NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start of the year in the No. 59 with Jody Lauzon as he looks to improve upon a 13^th with the team at Oswego Speedway.
Former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Joey Coulter is back with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Martinsville in his own No. 02. Coulter primarily competes in Modified events around the southeast, but he heads to Martinsville searching for his first top 10 on the Tour.

Posted on October 25, 2023October 25, 2023 by Staff Report

NASCAR’s Diamond Anniversary culminates with the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series returning to Nashville on Nov. 29 and 30 to close out the 75th anniversary season and honor each series champion.

The 2023 NASCAR Awards will be held on Thursday, Nov. 30, at the Music City Center to formally honor the 2023 champions from all three NASCAR national series. For the first time in Nashville, NASCAR will also recognize the champions from the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West and NASCAR International Series on Tuesday, Nov. 28.

“As we continue to commemorate our diamond anniversary, there is no other place we’d rather return for our end of the year celebration than Music City,” said Pete Jung, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer at NASCAR. “We are ecstatic to bring Champion’s Week back to Nashville for a fourth year. The energy of this city never goes unnoticed and the fans’ dedication for our sport never fails.”

On Wednesday, Nov. 29, NASCAR will initiate two new fan activations: NASCAR House and NASCAR Champion Car Parade. NASCAR House will take place in the city center on 5th and Broadway from 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. CT. The NASCAR Champion Car Parade will take to the street of Broadway from 2:30–3:30 p.m. CT. More details will be available in the coming weeks.

The formal postseason Awards is a tradition that stretches back to 1981, when the event was held in New York City. It relocated to Las Vegas in 2009 and then called Nashville its home for the first time in 2019. The engagement loosely coincided with the return of NASCAR racing to the area, with the Cup Series making an annual visit to Nashville Superspeedway every year since 2021.

More details regarding the schedule of events and tickets will become available in the coming weeks, organizers said.

Posted on October 24, 2023October 25, 2023 by Reid Spencer

The importance of what he had just done wasn’t immediately apparent to Ross Chastain.

It was Sunday, October 30, 2022, and Chastain had just stolen the final NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 Playoff berth in the Round of 8 elimination race at Martinsville Speedway.

Entering the final two corners at the venerable short track, Chastain grabbed fifth gear, pinned his No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet against the outside wall and shot around the perimeter like a roulette ball launched around the rim of the wheel.

That impossibly risky, unprecedented move netted Chastain a fourth-place finish — enough to knock an unsuspecting Denny Hamlin out of the playoffs.

But the contribution to NASCAR lore didn’t register right away.

“When we were driving home that night, we stopped in Walkertown, somewhere just south of Martinsville on the way back to Charlotte, and we ate at a Waffle House,” Chastain said before last Sunday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. “We were laughing and talking about it, but looking back, it really didn’t (register).

“It wasn’t ’till I went back up there to remove the wall. Mr. Campbell (Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell) had me up. We took a piece of Kubota equipment and lifted the center of the wall out with most of the word ‘Martinsville’ in it. He gave that to us, and that’s going to go with the ‘Hail Melon’ car that (team owner) Justin (Marks) kept.”

In his brief Cup career, Chastain already has added two verbs to the NASCAR lexicon. The first was the pejorative “Chastained,” meaning victimized by overly aggressive driving by the watermelon-farmer-turned-stock-car-star.

The second is “Hail-Melon-ed,” which Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gabehart, used to describe the move that knocked Hamlin out of the playoffs, as in his driver “got Hail-Melon-ed.”

For his part, Hamlin never saw it coming.

“Chris told me how many spots we had to get (to advance to the next round) with very few laps,” recalled Hamlin, who finished fifth. “I was trying to get as many as I could, and Chris was constantly telling me where we were.

“I just remember him saying we were two points ahead going down the back straightaway on the last lap, battling Brad (Keselowski) for one more position. At that point, I didn’t think there was a need to push the envelope anymore. But, yeah, ended up out of it, and all I remember is him (Chastain) being there beside me at the end.”

Second-place finisher Kyle Larson had a better idea than Hamlin that something unique was happening behind him.

“You look in the mirror to see kind of how close the guy is behind you, and I remember just seeing something kind of going on … like, coming off Turn 4 there was a new car in my mirror, so that’s all I really remember from that.

“And then you see the replay and all that. Yeah, that was crazy, for sure, and I’m sure we’ll see the highlight of it a million more times as we lead into Martinsville. But, yeah, that was definitely wild.”

Since its installation as the penultimate race on the NASCAR Cup schedule in 2020, Martinsville has provided high drama, and it is likely to do so once again in Sunday’s Xfinity 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

MORE: 2023 Martinsville playoff weekend schedule

Facing a must-win situation in 2020, Chase Elliott did just that and went on to claim the series title the following Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.

By the time Chastain had finished his unlikely trip around the outside wall last year, Christopher Bell had crossed the finish line for an 11th-hour victory that propelled him into the Championship 4.

Time may blur the memory of those accomplishments, but the “Hail Melon” will remain at the forefront of the sport’s history.

Though the physical evidence of the feat may be obliterated by the removal of the wall section and a fresh coat of paint, Chastain’s name will be linked inextricably with that imaginative path to the Championship 4.

“As I removed the wall, that’s where it really set in,” Chastain said, harkening back to March 7, when he was gifted with the wall section. “That was the moment it sunk in. It just kind of hit me that this always will be something that I’m remembered for.

“It made it even sweeter to go to Nashville this year and win after that — because it was like a third win in 2022 — but I don’t want that to be my lasting legacy. I want to win more races and fight for everything we can fight for.”

Posted on October 24, 2023October 24, 2023 by Zack Albert

“There is no magic in it,” Christopher Bell insists, pressed to explain his special knack for premium performance in adverse circumstances, both dire and desperate. His latest nifty bit of on-track tenacity last weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway required no sleight of hand, no presto change-o, and the smoke billowing from his No. 20 Toyota’s post-race burnout wasn’t a screen for some other sort of trickery or switcheroo.

Instead, Bell spelled out, it’s a matter of extensive seasoning, having faced chips-down scenarios at each stage of his professional driving tenure. The same clutch impulses that helped him become a star in the ultra-competitive dirt-track realm — where qualifying for a main event is sometimes a wringer unto itself — also aided him on the way to a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title in 2017, back when the elimination-style playoff format for that circuit was in its infancy.

“You improve on things every time you get into that position,” Bell says, making it a reasonable leap to say he has been preparing all his career for those type of moments. For the second straight year, those same credentials, cultivation in the clutch and tendency for diffusing pressure have him and the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team on the brink of his first Cup Series crown.

Bell converted in Sunday’s 4EVER 400, landing his second consecutive berth in the Championship 4 field for the Nov. 5 season finale at Phoenix Raceway. The Homestead victory didn’t hold exactly the same critical “walk-off” nature of the two round-ending wins that clinched his title-race spot last season, but Bell’s ability to rally from midrace hardships more than met the high-stakes criteria.

It’s a world where Bell thrives, though given a choice, he says he’d prefer an easier path.

“I would rather be the regular-season champion and be able to cruise in on points,” said Bell, who led 26 of the final 38 laps. “In Phoenix, I would rather have a five-second lead and just cruise. I don’t want to have to be put in those positions. But I do live for those moments. I love being great or trying to be great, I should say. Yeah, I love it.”

Bell faced a climb from the beginning Sunday, starting an unlucky 13th and carrying a three-point deficit relative to the provisional elimination line. He was also just a week removed from the sting of a runner-up outcome in the round opener, a narrow loss to Kyle Larson that would have propelled him to Phoenix if their finishing order was reversed.

Bell clambered up to ninth place at the end of the first stage, but went the opposite way through the event’s midsection. An adjustment by veteran crew chief Adam Stevens didn’t connect for either Bell or the No. 20, and the team sunk to 22nd place by the second stage break — their points gap cresting minus-25 as the laps ticked away.

Another set-up change at the intermission provided an opportunity, and the car set sail with Bell’s guidance. “Still wasn’t quite thinking a win yet,” Stevens said of his initial final-stage gains. “But, man, the more you pile on his shoulders, it seems like the better he does.”

When fellow contenders Larson and Denny Hamlin fell out with late-race issues, Bell was there to capitalize and complete his methodical march back to the front. Even after dropping two positions on his final pit stop, Bell responded to ensure that his return to Phoenix would include a title shot. Pursuits by Ryan Blaney and William Byron — both multiple-time winners this season — were turned back.

Last year, Bell’s crunch-time conquering came at the end of the Round of 12 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course, then again with a win three weeks later at Martinsville Speedway to cap the Round of 8. He won’t need to replicate those dramatic results in this weekend’s return to Martinsville for Sunday’s Xfinity 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM, NBC Sports App). His Homestead heroics did enough.

MORE: Weekend schedule: Martinsville

“As far as what makes Christopher great in these pressure situations, he just loves it,” said Stevens, who was crew chief for both of Kyle Busch’s Cup Series titles in 2015 and 2019. “He loves trading paint and racing for the win. The closer you can get him to the front, the better he does. That’s just the makeup of a real racer and somebody who was born to do this.”

Bell is only in his fourth season at NASCAR’s top level, but that didn’t stop the drawing of a connecting line to Kevin Harvick, whose driving days in the Cup Series will come to an end at Phoenix. Harvick tributes were everywhere at Homestead, from the pre-race ceremonies, his throwback paint scheme, to the race name itself — a nod to the theme of “4EVER” for his farewell tour.

Harvick earned the nickname “The Closer” for his propensity to finish strong in many of his 60 career Cup Series victories. Bell’s big-league win total is now just a tenth of that figure, but it’s at least a start toward inheriting some of that reputation, if not the nickname.

“I mean, Harvick is obviously one of the greatest to ever do it. I’m a far stretch from that,” Bell said. “I am proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish I guess is the right way to say it. But I don’t think that anybody will be ‘The Closer.’ That’s Kevin’s motto, that’s what he did. Hopefully, I’m Christopher Bell.”

Posted on October 24, 2023October 24, 2023 by Cara Cooper

Jake Gille has “watched a million laps, ran a million laps,” at Illinois’ Rockford Speedway.

Gille, now 34, began racing at Rockford in 2005 when he was 16. He’s won two track titles (2015 and 2022) and most recently finished third in Rockford’s Late Model division. Even though Gille called this season “extremely average,” he won a race on Aug. 13, which was even more meaningful to him because the win came in Rockford’s final season.

Officials at Rockford, a NASCAR Home Track in Loves Park, Illinois, announced this spring it will close for racing and large spectator events at the completion of the 2023 season. The track has been hosting races for more than 70 years.

Gille began watching races at Rockford when he was a kid and his dad and uncle were racing. The elder Gilles started in the sport in 1985.

“I basically grew up there at the playground and stuff. I was there every Saturday,” Gille said.

There was always something about racing that drew Gille in.

“I guess I just love being there. The sounds, smells, speed. You’ve got to work at it. There’s numbers and science and it’s a lot of different things. It scratches a lot of itches.”

Gille has raced throughout the Midwest in traveling series, and he said there’s something about Rockford that fits him as a driver.

“It’s hard to be beat the feel there,” he said. “It feels extremely fast because it’s so tight and it’s got a lot of banking. It feels a lot faster than it is sometimes, but stuff happens quick, too, and you’ve always got to keep your head up. There’s not a lot of time to relax, and I kind of like that.

“You have to be aggressive pretty much all the time, and that’s what I grew up watching, that’s what I’m used to doing.”

Gille’s dad Tom still helps him work on the car each week, along with Jeff Turnure, Ryan Smith, Mike Magnussen and Greg Walling.

His wife Amber is also there “every week, helping us out with stuff,” Gille said.

This year he’s also been able to bring his three kids into the pits on race days, which has made races a little more special.

“That’s been nice having them around,” he said of his kids. “It’s nice because me and my friends who are all parked next to us, we all have our kids with us and they’re all out in the front of the trucks playing, so it’s kind of a nice family vibe down there where we park.”

Gille’s children haven’t started racing yet, but with his youngest daughter getting ready to turn 8, he knows they’re probably going to start asking soon.

(Photo: Rockford Speedway)

Gille will continue racing next season in the Big 8 traveling late model series, and probably full time at Madison International Speedway in Wisconsin.

Gille will race one final time at Rockford on Oct. 28, the Last Lap Season Classic Finale, a day that will include Late Models, Figure 8, RoadRunners, Midgets, Vintage and Spectacular Drags.

National Short Track weekend, the championship night at Rockford, was emotional, but Gille said the real emotions will come when everyone lines up for one final green flag.

“(National) Short Track (Weekend), because it’s the end the year, it’s special,” he said. “A lot of those guys that came there, it’s the last time they’ll ever race there. But this one is going to be a little bit harder on me because it’s the last time. It’s going to be weird.

“It’s where I got started. That place is home. It’s where I spent every weekend in the summer for 35 years. … There’s a lot of familiar faces you grew up with that you’re racing against now. We always watched our dads there, and we’re racing each other now. It’s a particular feel that you don’t necessarily get at a lot of places.”

(Photo: Hotshot Photography/Rockford Speedway)

If he doesn’t get a win at the end of the month, Gille said he’s just happy he was able to get one victory in his final season. He’s done everything he hoped to do at his home track, and he’s happy to go out on a high note.

“It’s always what I wanted to do. I’m glad we got to do it as long as we did, honestly,” he said. “I’m just glad we got one. We were able to put our names on that. There were a lot of different cars there this year all trying to run the last couple nights, and a lot of really good cars running for points, too. It was pretty competitive all summer so I’m glad we got one.

“Obviously it would mean a lot, but then again I’ve kind of accomplished all the things I wanted to there, so another one would kind of just be a bonus. I do hope it’s somebody from around here that gets the last one. I hope that happens. It would mean a lot to me.

“If I could walk off a winner, that would be cool, but I really just want to be a part of it and enjoy it.”