Posted on by Kobe Lambeth

Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway road course

(⏰ Sunday, 2 p.m. ET | 📺 NBC, NBC Sports App | 📻 PRN, SiriusXM)

Everything you need to know for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte road course, the 32nd points-paying race of the 2023 Cup Series campaign.

Weekend schedule | TV schedule | Weather tracker | Charlotte playoff race 101

📍 Location: Concord, North Carolina
📐 Track length: 2.28 miles
🎟️ Buy tickets: Find weekend passes, seats for the race
💰 Cup Series race purse: $7,689,910
📏 Race distance: 109 laps | 252.88 miles
🔢 Stages: 25 | 50 | 109
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📋 Starting lineup: Reddick on pole at Charlotte Roval
🚗 Pit stall assignments: See where drivers will pit
🏆 Defending winner: Christopher Bell, fall 2022

Key things to watch 🔑

Saturday’s sessions

23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick claimed the pole for Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course. The No. 45 Toyota will lead the Cup Series field to green, entering the final race in the Round of 12 as Reddick sits two points below the elimination line. Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell made it an all-Toyota front row after missing out on another pole. Daniel Suárez, Bubba Wallace and Kyle Busch completed the top five. | Read the full practice, qualifying recap

Big story line

Can Tyler Reddick’s road-course strength help him avoid elimination?

After finishes of 25th and 16th to kick off the Round of 12, Reddick finds himself two points below the elimination line. As an impressive road-course racer in the NASCAR Cup Series, the elimination race at Charlotte may give the driver of the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota a much-needed lift at the right time. Reddick enters Charlotte with three consecutive finishes of 15th or worse after he finished in the top two in the first two playoff races. To say the least, road courses are his bread and butter.

He has an average finish of 7.33 at the Charlotte road course, which is the best of the current playoff drivers. In the last two Charlotte Roval races, Reddick has two straight finishes of eighth place or better. In the Next Gen era, we have seen a lot of parity with different winners on various types of tracks. One stat makes Reddick’s road-course racing prowess stand out. He is the only driver with multiple road-course wins in the Next Gen car, with three victories turning left and right. He won at Circuit of The Americas earlier this year in the spring. If Reddick can score valuable stage points and stay out of trouble, he will have a good chance to keep his hopes of a deep playoff run alive. | Relive Reddick’s road-course win at COTA | Watch the race on NASCAR Classics

History tells us…

Chase Elliott has a shot at getting his first win of 2023.

Despite not being a part of the playoffs this year, Elliott is putting together a list of good runs as the No. 9 team looks to close out 2023 on a strong note. Since the postseason got underway, Elliott’s average finish is 7.8, which is third best among all drivers. If he wins on Sunday, we may have to start referring to Elliott as “Mr. October” because this particular month ranks as a sweet spot for him. In the month of October, Elliott visited Victory Lane a total of four times, which is his most wins in a single month. The Hendrick Motorsports driver comes to the Charlotte road course riding a hot streak recently.

In the last six races, the No. 9 Chevrolet has five top-10 finishes. In four of five career starts at the Charlotte Roval, he has led 94 laps. He won this race back-to-back in 2019 and 2020. Since then, he has had two straight finishes of 12th or worse, after his first three Charlotte Roval starts were sixth or better. While the last couple of years at the Charlotte Roval have not produced strong results, the No. 9 team’s recent momentum suggests that group is getting closer to a major breakthrough win. | All of Chase Elliott’s NASCAR Cup Series wins

He may not be the betting favorite to win, but watch out for…

Alex Bowman. After starting the year off strong and dipping in performance since returning from injury, Bowman’s 2023 season has had its disappointing moments. In his last 21 starts, the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet has 18 finishes of 11th or worse, including three DNFs. In his last three races, Bowman has finished no better than 12th. Luckily for him, the Charlotte road course is one of his most consistent tracks. In four career starts here, he has four top-10 finishes.

Bowman is the only active Cup Series driver to never finish outside the top 10 at the Charlotte Roval. His best finish was second in 2019 but he has only led two laps in those four starts. The odds of seeing Bowman in Victory Lane at Charlotte are 35-1. Given how this season has gone, Bowman getting the win might qualify as a surprise. However, another top-10 finish is not out of the question, considering his consistency at the Charlotte Roval.

Familiar favorites ⭐️

Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles. 

• At-track photos: Sights and scenes from Charlotte | Photos
• Bubble Watch: Another walk-off win lurks at the Roval | Read more
• Fantasy Fastlane: Racing for points or the win at the Charlotte Roval? | Get the advice
• Paint Scheme Preview: See the schemes for Charlotte road course | Pick a favorite
• Power Rankings: Will Charlotte mark the spot Kyle Busch gets back into title hunt? | Latest driver rankings
• Stacking Pennies: ESPN’s Marty Smith joins Corey LaJoie to discuss his new book and old NASCAR stories. | Listen to the podcast

💎 NASCAR 75: Learn more about the history of the sport, from pioneers to current stars | Visit NASCAR 75 hub

Get in on the action 💰

Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy and Fan Rewards.

• Fantasy Live: Participate in interactive gameplay from week to week | Choose your lineup
• Fan Rewards: New in 2023, get rewarded for your participation | Learn more
• NASCAR BetCenter: Don’t miss your chance to make picks each week | Visit the BetCenter
• Going the distance: 2023 Cup Series championship odds | See them here

🔮 Advance to Victory Lane: Racing Insights projects the finishing order

Posted on by Reid Spencer

Justin Allgaier and John Hunter Nemechek already have qualified for the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs thanks to their respective victories at Bristol and Texas. Cole Custer has also secured his spot in the next round on points.

Regular-Season champion Austin Hill, and Chandler Smith enjoy relatively comfortable margins above the current cut line—44 points and 32 points, respectively.

Jeb Burton, Josh Berry and Sam Mayer likely need to win Saturday’s Drive for the Cure 250 presented by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course—the elimination race for the Round of 12 (3 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

RELATED: Full Charlotte schedule | Xfinity playoff standings

With the agendas of the above drivers well-established, the suspense shifts to the battle around the bubble involving eighth-place Daniel Hemric and ninth-place Parker Kligerman. Hemric, the 2021 series champion, holds a one-point lead over his closest pursuer.

Both drivers are accomplished road racers, but where Hemric has a pair of third-place finishes at the Charlotte Roval, Kligerman has never raced there in an Xfinity Series car. In his lone outing at the track—in a Cup Series car fielded by Gaunt Brothers—Kligerman started 40th and finished 26th.

In his last three road-course starts this season, however, Kligerman has finished second, seventh and third. Hence, there’s no lack of confidence on the part of the Big Machine Racing driver.

“I’m sure we can go score points in both stages and be in contention to win the race again,” said Kligerman, who gained ground with a second-place finish Sept. 23 at Texas. “I think we’re in a great spot—we’ve got a ton of momentum.”

Though there’s no former Charlotte Roval winner in the field for Saturday’s race, Hemric drives for the team—Kaulig Racing—that has won the last four races there with AJ Allmendinger.

As a full-time Cup driver this season, Allmendinger isn’t eligible to compete in an Xfinity playoff race, but Kaulig has enlisted sports car standout Jordan Taylor to make his second start of the season for the organization. Taylor started sixth and finished 27th at Portland earlier this year.

Posted on 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. William Brown, the volunteer track manager at North Carolina’s Wake County Speedway, is the Home Track Hero whose name will appear on Blaney’s car during the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Those at Wake County Speedway think of William Brown as the NASCAR Home Track’s hero without a cape.

His dedication to the facility began in 2019, when he heard Wake County referred to as “that dump.”

Brown’s son Zack at the time was — and still is — a racer at Wake County. But the “dump” reference lit a fire under the elder Brown, who became motivated to approach track promotor Charlie Hansen and ask about ways to make the facility a “nicer playground” for his son and other competitors.

Still a volunteer to this day, Brown was named the track manager in 2020. Ever since that meeting in 2019, Brown has dedicated 50-60 hours per week making improvements to Wake County’s grounds.

Brown is a retired builder, hence his ability to construct improvements to the track. For example, on race nights, Brown can be found overlooking his hard work from the VIP deck he built himself. He does not participate in race-day operations; he’s there supporting his son.

Beyond the work Brown has done to improve Wake County’s facilities, he also was a major factor in the track’s decision to become NASCAR-sanctioned. Hansen knew such a move would further Brown’s vision for the track.

Many at Wake County know Brown for his ability to chat. He’s never met a stranger, and when he gets going, good luck getting him to stop talking about Wake County. It’s a quality those around him adore.

The track goes as far as explaining that if Brown were a paid employee, there’s no monetary compensation that could represent what he means to Wake County and its entire operation.

He’s the definition of a Home Track Hero.

Posted on by Zack Albert

The timing felt right to gather a cross-section of stock-car racing industry figures in the sport’s shrine. As NASCAR’s 75th anniversary celebration winds down and the details surrounding a new season draw near, the floor was open for a range of topics — on where the sport has been but also the course that it charts to move forward.

The NASCAR Insiders Roundtable, a two-part video series, debuted Monday with a panel of distinguished guests offering their candid insights on a list of topics, with the goal of sharing perspectives on potential improvements for the sport. The second part airs at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday on NASCAR’s YouTube channel.

WATCH: NASCAR Insiders Roundtable, Part 1 | NASCAR Insiders Roundtable, Part 2

Steve Letarte, a race-winning crew chief turned analyst with NBC’s broadcasting team, moderated the discussion from the Hall of Honor in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Contributing guests included Cup Series Playoffs drivers Christopher Bell and William Byron, NASCAR competition officials Elton Sawyer and John Probst, and Team Penske competition director Travis Geisler.

Part 1 dives primarily into the NASCAR schedule — its current 36-race length, the variety of tracks and markets that the circuit visits, and the impact of temporary street courses. The discussion touched on what used to be a “rinse and repeat” schedule — “I mean, I knew when my kid’s birthday was based on what race we’re going to,” Geisler joked — but that has since become more vibrant with a more interesting mix of events. That topic included debate about how the postseason should look, being selective about which 10 races will settle the Cup Series championship.

“I personally like the playoffs being the Wrigley Field-type race tracks, like Darlington,” said Byron, who posted one of his six victories this year at the historic South Carolina raceway. “Watkins Glen could be one. I think those tracks, in a competition standpoint, that’s like, ‘OK, you bring your best, and this is where it shows.’ ”

The aftermath of the inaugural Chicago Street Race was also up for discussion, from the international appeal of Shane van Gisbergen’s victory to the logistical challenges the event presented. Bell mentioned drawing in new competitors to NASCAR as well as having stock-car stars explore other series would be a “win-win” situation. Geisler amplified that point, saying doubleheaders with a mix of racing series would be worth exploring.

“I think that some of those, maybe they’re street courses or somewhere, we should be able to link up with those guys and run with the IndyCar Series or run with some other series, just to have some kind of cross-pollination of fans and give people a little bit of a different taste for things,” Geisler said. “I know to go run street courses takes a tremendous amount of logistical planning and money to make all that happen, to shut the city down. Why not knock out two events?”

NASCAR's Elton Sawyer, left, and Team Penske's Travis Geisler watch as William Byron speaks from the NASCAR Hall of Fame for the NASCAR Insiders Roundtable
NASCAR Studios

Wednesday’s final part explores the future of rules packages for the Next Gen car, specifically the configuration for short tracks and where alterations — in aerodynamics and horsepower — might make a difference. Part 2 also closes on the ever-evolving topic of safety, specifically after a pair of dramatic crashes in the Cup Series’ regular-season finale at Daytona.

Probst provided detailed insights on the nature of the crash investigation, saying the information-gathering process began nearly immediately after the checkered flag. All the measurements, data and calculations from the wrecked cars and computer modeling were crunched in the NASCAR Research & Development Center, and the early findings after Ryan Preece’s dramatic flip prompted a modification to the window-net assembly.

“When you’re at the R&D Center, there are a lot of Next Gen cars sitting around that have been crashed,” says Probst, a NASCAR Senior VP and Chief Racing Development Officer. “I think that as fans, it’s easy — and even sometimes as industry guys — we get caught up in the entertainment. It really is dangerous what these guys do and the stuff they put themselves through, and we lose more sleep just worrying about their safety, but as a fan, you don’t always see that.”

Wrapping the roundtable was the topic of communication and how these issues are discussed — among teams, drivers, manufacturers and competition officials. The panel consensus was that the channels of communication are more open than ever, with regular meetings and updates scheduled among the groups.

“I think this forum is an example of that,” Geisler said. “This is really kind of a place that’s a bit unheard of, I think. We haven’t typically sat down and just had a conversation with drivers and NASCAR and teams and just said like, here’s all the challenges. Let’s try to figure out how we fix some of the fans’ problems. That’s the most important thing for all of us, right?”

Posted on by Staff Report

AM Racing announced Thursday that Hailie Deegan will join the team with a multiyear agreement in the NASCAR Xfinity Series beginning in 2024.

The deal was unveiled at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, where the team — established by Tim Self and operated by Kevin Cywinski — expressed its intent for an expanded presence in the Xfinity Series, with the assets and means to field two cars next year. Deegan will drive the No. 15 Ford next season.

RELATED: Key players in Silly Season | 2024 Xfinity Series schedule

Deegan moves to Xfinity competition after three seasons in the Craftsman Truck Series — two with David Gilliland’s operation and this year with ThorSport Racing. The 22-year-old driver also has one Xfinity Series start, driving a Bobby Dotter-owned SS GreenLight Racing entry to 13th place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last fall.

“I think the conversations with everybody in the industry selling me (on) I need to get to Xfinity — people that have experienced it, people that have been a part of it, and drivers who are part of this series — so I think that’s something that has gone a long way in reassuring me that like, ‘OK, I think this is really the right step for me and direction of my career,'” Deegan said. “You see a lot of people skip trucks and have success in Xfinity and the Cup Series, so I don’t think it’s something that you have to do, but obviously I’ve done trucks and it’s had its ups and downs. We’ve had some really good moments; we’ve had some really not-so-good moments. So I think just moving on from that and starting fresh in the Xfinity car and with this new team and building something really great from there.”

Deegan joined the Ford driver development program in December 2019. Before reaching NASCAR’s national series, she was a three-time winner in the ARCA Menards Series West.

“We are excited to see Hailie continuing to advance her career by running full-time with AM Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024,” Mark Rushbrook, global director Ford Performance Motorsports, said in a release. “Hailie works so hard on and off the track, and AM Racing will surround her with a great team to continue her development. From what we saw from Hailie in her Xfinity Series debut in Las Vegas last year, we look forward to some great results in 2024.”

AM Racing has fielded entries in Xfinity, Craftsman Trucks and ARCA Menards Series competition this season, joining the Xfinity ranks just this past year. Brett Moffitt – a winner last weekend in Truck Series competition at Talladega Superspeedway — has been the driver of the team’s full-time Xfinity entry, and AM Racing president Wade Moore said the company hopes he will return, though no decision has been announced regarding his future.

“The goal for us is to find a way to keep Brett within the program,” Moore said. “As of right now, we don’t have anything to really report on that. That is still our intentions. He’s done such a fantastic job for us — not only as a driver, but as it pertains to just a teammate and a person. He’s truly a guy that is someone that you can build around and someone you’d like to keep in your program, not just from a talent standpoint. We love his family and Stephanie and Cooper, so certainly something we’re going to keep moving down the field. We have all the necessary assets in order to run a two-car program next year, so that is the intentions as we move forward.”

In addition to Deegan’s signing, the team announced Airbox, Inc., and VIVA Tequila Seltzer will serve as primary partners through Deegan’s inaugural Xfinity season. Deegan and company dignitaries unveiled two show cars at the NASCAR Hall with those designs for the 2024 season.

Moore said that the agreement comes with a strengthening of ties and support with Ford, which added AM Racing to its list of Xfinity Series teams before this season. That also comes with an acknowledgement that Deegan’s results have included struggles during her three Truck Series campaigns with glimpses of promise (five top 10s in 67 starts) as she continues to get acclimated to the national-series stage.

“I look at it from an emotional standpoint, because that’s really what I have to go on,” Moore said. “She is, again, very committed, very passionate. She does have a lot to prove, you’re right. She hasn’t maybe lived up to even her own expectations. But with that, we still have a lot of room for growth, too. So I think that coincides very well. But from truly a performance standpoint, Ford believes in her, Ford is going to continue to stay behind her, and who am I, who are we as AM Racing to doubt whatever Mark Rushbrook or … anyone from that camp has to say when it comes to competition.

“So we’ll continue to follow their lead and work hand in hand with them. But again, we’re growing. She’s got a lot of room to grow. We’re going to do it together, and that’s why I think it’ll work.”

Posted on by Cameron Richardson

Since its inception in 2018, the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course has annually delivered postseason drama. That drama has amplified since moving to the Round of 12 elimination race in 2020.

Are back-to-back walk-off victories at the Roval on tap, or do the current top eight hold serve to set the semifinal round in the Cup Series Playoffs? Before the answer is revealed Sunday (2 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), get a look at who has the best chance to save their season, as well as trends to watch, Goodyear tire info and interactive ways to follow all the action this weekend.

RELATED: See paint schemes for Charlotte Roval | Betting favorites for Sunday’s Cup race

ROUND OF 12 UPDATE 📊

Six spots are still up for grabs ahead of Sunday’s Round of 12 finale. William Byron (Texas) and Ryan Blaney (Talladega) have already earned their spot into the next round via wins, and Denny Hamlin appears to be well on his way to the Round of 8 as he enters Charlotte 50 points above the elimination line.

Last year’s Roval winner Christopher Bell is in a much-improved spot compared to last year as he holds a 22-point advantage over the elimination line. A trio of stout road-course drivers in Chris Buescher (+19), Martin Truex Jr. (+17) and Kyle Larson (+15) sit just below Bell.

The final transfer spot is separated by a mere two points between Brad Keselowski and Tyler Reddick. As a three-time winner on road courses, Reddick owns the clear advantage over the 2012 Cup champion heading into the weekend.

Bubba Wallace (-9), Ross Chastain (-10) and Kyle Busch (-26) failed to capitalize at Talladega, and all three will have an uphill battle to climb as none of the three has proved to be formidable on the Roval. Of those three, Wallace owns the best average finish at the road course with a 20.4 mark. Qualifying will be key for the trio to try to gain points back on Sunday.

RULE CHANGES/GOODYEAR TIRE NOTES 🛞

Stage breaks return to a road course this Sunday at Charlotte after the rest of the road-course events in 2023 were run without cautions at the end of stages. The two stage cautions are scheduled for Lap 25 and Lap 50, with the checkered flag on Lap 109. 

The GEICO Restart Zone is also updated for the Charlotte Roval. It will be moved to the final chicane before the start/finish line on the 2.32-mile layout. In the previous five Roval events, the initial start and restarts fired off from a portion of the oval track that’s used as a run-off area on all other laps.

Goodyear brings the same tire used at all road-course races this season. Cup teams will be issued one set for practice, one set for qualifying and an additional seven for Sunday’s race.

NASCAR implemented safety updates to the Next Gen car.

Along the right-side door bars and extending toward the rear clip, teams are mandated to run a steel plate in addition to the chassis adjustments made for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The right-side door bar gussets and the removal of the front clip V-brace are changes that remain, in addition to the removal of other front-clip components, to create a softer and larger crush zone for frontal impacts.

Also included in the updates are front-bumper strut softening (modifications to existing parts), the requirement of an empty front ballast box and a modified cross brace. NASCAR incurs the cost of all these updates.

In the event of a lost wheel that is contained to pit road, the offending team will be subject to a pass-through penalty under green-flag conditions. If the infraction occurs during a caution period, the offending team will restart at the tail end of the field.

If the wheel breaks free outside of pit road, the new rules guidelines mandate a two-lap penalty plus a two-race suspension for two crew members. Each penalty is series-specific: Violations in one series will not impact those crew members’ eligibility to participate in other series.

📉 TRENDS TO WATCH 📈

— All five races at the Roval were won by drivers under the age of 30.

— Hendrick Motorsports drivers won three of the fives races at the Roval.

— A playoff driver has won all five Roval races.

— The driver who led the most laps won only one of the five Roval races.

(Via Racing Insights)

CLASSIC CHARLOTTE ROVAL RACES 🎥

2018: Blaney wins inaugural Roval race amid final-lap chaos | WATCH

2019: Chase Elliott wrecks, recovers to win at Roval | WATCH

2021: Larson wins; Elliott, Harvick rivalry comes to a head | WATCH

2022: Christopher Bell scores walk-off win to reach Round of 8 | WATCH

ON-TRACK SCHEDULE 🗓️

Saturday, Oct. 7

— Noon ET: Practice (Moves to USA at 12:30 p.m., PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App)

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

Sunday, Oct. 8

— 2 p.m. ET: Bank of America ROVAL 400 (NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App)

MORE: Full weekend schedule at Charlotte

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:

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

FANTASY LIVE 🏆

Want to manage a team and race your way to the top of the leaderboards? Check out NASCAR Fantasy Live, which resets for the playoffs. The free-to-play game lets you choose your drivers each week and show off your crew-chief instincts by garaging a driver by the end of Stage 2, and there is a $10,000 prize for the winner.

How to play: Fantasy Live | Set up a team today!

PLAYOFFS GRID CHALLENGE 🏆

During the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, fans have the opportunity to compete in The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge presented by Ruoff Mortgage. Fans can enter by visiting The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge page and registering for a free NASCAR.com account before filling out a bracket. From there, choose from a list of playoff-eligible drivers round by round, and you’re on your way to compete for prizes!

How to play: Playoffs Grid Challenge 

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 by Adam Fenwick

Buck·et list – noun

A number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime.

Stan Mertz has been involved in racing for more than 20 years and has achieved more than he ever could have dreamed.

He won races and championships as a driver and later did the same as a team owner. When he decided he would retire at the conclusion of the 2023 season, there was one thing he hadn’t yet crossed off his personal racing bucket list:

Be a car owner on, specifically, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

RELATED: Watch the World Series 150 from Thompson live on FloRacing

“We’ve accomplished so much more than I ever thought that I would ever accomplish in my entire racing career, except for one thing, [race with] the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour,” said Mertz, who has fielded his own No. 6 Modified in select Tour events this year for driver Woody Pitkat. “In the world of open-wheel modified racing, that’s like moving up to Cup if you’re a full-fendered guy.

“That was the only thing missing from my entire racing career.”

Mertz’s road to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and, ultimately, his retirement from racing, started as an 18-year-old when he raced at Speedway 95 in Hermon, Maine.

His time competing at Speedway 95 was brief. He raced for a year before flipping his car. Being a teenager on a limited budget, he couldn’t afford to fix it, so he moved on with his life.

Mertz graduated from school, went to work, got married and had children. Yet buried at the back of his mind was a desire, an overwhelming urge to race. It was like an itch he couldn’t scratch or a craving he couldn’t satisfy.

Twenty years passed, but that urge never vanished. He began buying tools and stashing them in his garage. One day, after purchasing a welder, his wife cornered him and asked him point blank: “You’re thinking about racing, aren’t you?”

There was no point in lying.

“I hadn’t gotten it out of my system,” Mertz said.

At 38, Mertz was back behind the wheel of a race car, first at Massachusetts’s Seekonk Speedway in a Sport Truck. In 2002, he purchased a three-quarter scale Pro 4 Modified, which he raced regionally.

He won races and championships in the Pro 4 Modified, but he craved something more. In 2012, after a conversation with car owner Norm Perry, Mertz leased a full-sized Modified to race at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.

“I really got to know how to drive these cars,” Mertz said. “It was a blast. We started out at Thompson Speedway. That’s where I learned how to really drive the open wheel Modifieds.

“I was up against guys like TC (Ted Christopher), Ryan Preece, Woody Pitkat. All the, at that time, big names.”

Fast forward to 2014, and Mertz was starting to lose his passion. He remembers one specific night at Thompson that changed the trajectory of his career.

“I was driving in a race at Thompson, and had the forethought to just say, ‘I’m just not having fun anymore as a driver,’” Mertz said. “There were three races left in the season. At the end of that race, I stepped out of the car and said, ‘I don’t want to be a driver anymore.’

“Of course, at that time I had a brand new car. Basically what I did is hire Max Zachem to finish out the season for me. He’s a great shoe. Then in the offseason, I was deciding kind of what I wanted to be.”

Woody Pitkat drives Stan Mertz’s No. 6 at North Carolina’s Concord Speedway in 2016. (Photo: Adam Fenwick)

Mertz during that offseason decided to transition from driver to owner. He hired Woody Pitkat, a familiar name to Modified fans in the Northeast, to drive his race car for the 2015 season.

The two had worked together briefly the year before, and Mertz was curious to see what Pitkat could do in his equipment, so he decided they would race full-time at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park that season.

“For the 2015 season, I said let’s go run the Sunoco Modifieds at Thompson,” Mertz said. “We went into it with no real expectations. He didn’t really know me a lot, I didn’t really know him a lot. I just knew that I wanted somebody that could really take what was essentially a new car and just a small funded team and see what he could do.”

The team went winless that season at Thompson, but the lack of victories did not equate to a lack of success. Pitkat was so consistent in Mertz’s equipment that when the checkered flag waved to conclude the season, the duo had won the track championship despite having a zero in the win column.

The championship was beyond Mertz’s wildest expectations. He’d given it so little thought that he didn’t even realize there was purse money from NASCAR for winning the track championship.

“This is how naive I was. I didn’t really know too much about the NASCAR sanctioning of Thompson and the benefits that as a car owner you get, especially if you win a NASCAR track championship,” Mertz said. “The first thing Woody said was, ‘What are you going to do with the purse?’ I said, ‘What purse?’ He said, ‘You get a purse for winning the championship.’ Oh wow, that’s great! Then he says, ‘We also get to go to Charlotte for the awards ceremony.’

“To go in and first year together win a NASCAR track championship was like winning the Cup championship at that level.”

Fast forward to the time between the 2022 and 2023 seasons, and Mertz was ready to retire. With Pitkat as his driver, Mertz had won more races and championships than he ever expected.

So when it came time to decide what to do during his final year, Mertz looked at his personal bucket list, and there was only one thing left to do.

The decision was made. For the 2023 season, he and Pitkat would race part-time with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

“I said if I’m going into my final year, let’s do it as a bucket list,” Mertz said. “There are very few things that I have left really as a small car owner for a bucket list. That bucket list included running the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. It’s the most prestigious tour.

“The level of competition is so much different than even the local series that are run all through New England.”

Mertz and Pitkat set a seven-race schedule for 2023 that began with the Duel at the Dog 200 at Monadnock Speedway in May. Utilizing the same car Mertz has owned since 2013, which he nicknamed “Princess,” Mertz and Pitkat set off to make Mertz’s Whelen Modified Tour dreams come true.

Woody Pitkat, driver of the No. 6 Koopman Lumber Modified for Stan Mertz Racing, competes at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park earlier this year. (Photo: Tom Morris/Stan Mertz Racing)

In the six races the pair has entered so far, the best came at a familiar place, Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. In August, Pitkat drove Mertz’s No. 6 Koopman Lumber-sponsored car to an 11th-place finish after starting 17th.

Now Mertz and Pitkat are returning to Thompson, the track where they have enjoyed so much success, to put a bow on Mertz’s racing career this Sunday afternoon with the World Series 150 presented by FloSports.com.

Just thinking about it makes Mertz emotional.

“We’re going to go out there and do the best we possibly can and finish what to me has been an up-and-down season,” Mertz said. “I wouldn’t have missed it in a life time to be able to do that.”

What comes next for Mertz after retirement? He plans to spend more time with his family and take his wife on a well-deserved vacation.

While he won’t be a car owner anymore, Mertz still plans to spend some time at the races. With that said, Mertz said he’ll be spending a lot of time figuring out what makes him happy away from the race track.

It’s one challenge Mertz can’t wait to tackle.

“I’m going to kind of rediscover who Stan Mertz is,” he said. “I’ve been Stan Mertz the race car driver, Stan Mertz the car owner for so many years now that it’s going to be kind of a personal thing to rediscover what is really going to make me happy going forward.”

Hap·pi·ness – noun

The state of being happy.

Posted on by Press Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 5, 2023) — NASCAR®, iRacing and Motorsport Games Inc. (NASDAQ: MSGM) (“Motorsport Games”) announced today that iRacing has acquired NASCAR Team Properties’ (NTP) exclusive simulation-style console racing games license from Motorsport Games. The sale, approved by NTP, will see the license transfer from 704Games, a wholly owned subsidiary of Motorsport Games, to iRacing, which will begin developing a NASCAR console game expected in 2025.

“When we were approached with the option to acquire the license for the simulation-style NASCAR console game, which was the console game and franchise that we were dreaming about doing, it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up,” said iRacing President Tony Gardner. “Having the ability to build a NASCAR console game is a privilege we promise to execute with the utmost care. We look forward to working diligently with NASCAR industry stakeholders to deliver a product that provides an amazing experience for the gaming community and NASCAR fans worldwide.”

iRacing NASCAR graphic

Gardner added, “With all the NASCAR game experience, console experience, resources and technology assets we already have in place, we are in a fantastic position to hit the ground running building a great NASCAR game franchise on the various platforms.”

The acquisition expands iRacing’s decade-plus presence in NASCAR. iRacing began its relationship with NASCAR in 2010 with a licensed sim-racing product and has grown into a key technical partner of the sanctioning body as its “official simulation partner.” iRacing runs dozens of NASCAR official series on iRacing with thousands of people participating daily from late models to Cup cars, including the $100,000-to-win eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series and the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, the Massachusetts-based company’s simulation and engineering abilities have helped NASCAR develop new cars and tracks, including the NextGen car, Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum and Chicago Street Race, among others. Now, iRacing can extend its expertise broadly to include NASCAR Team Properties.

Motorsport Games obtained the NASCAR simulation-style console gaming license in 2018 when it acquired majority equity in 704Games. Motorsports Games’ current NASCAR titles, including NASCAR Heat 5 and NASCAR Rivals (available here), will still be available and supported by Motorsport Games through 2024.

“The sale of the NASCAR license is the result of a thorough, strategic review of where we believe our company should be headed over the longer-term,” said Motorsport Games CEO Stephen Hood. “In our exploration of the sale, we gave due consideration to those companies we believed could develop a great NASCAR game. Both NASCAR and iRacing have been receptive to our proposed change, working with us to architect a positive transition post-sale and we thank them for their support. We will now concentrate our efforts towards delivering around other IP already in advanced development.”

In addition to simulation-style console gaming, NASCAR has worked diligently to produce quality experiences for fans who engage in virtual and gaming spaces. This year, the sanctioning body launched NASCAR Speed Hub on Roblox, released arcade-style console game NASCAR Arcade Rush, made available special team decals in Rocket League, announced the development of a mobile game with Hutch and completed another successful season of the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. Furthermore, NASCAR partnered with esports organization Gen.G to create crossover content and build a live fan experience at the Rocket League Championship Series Major in Boston, and have had Fortnite and Rocket League paint schemes featured on cars in the NASCAR Cup Series this season. The sanctioning body is also leveraging gaming as an engine for content and community building through dedicated channels on Discord and Twitch, along with a growing presence on traditional social media channels.

“NASCAR has the most passionate fans in the world and a vast community that is just as passionate about gaming,” said NASCAR Managing Director Esports and Gaming Nick Rend. “What’s more, there continues to be tremendous opportunity to connect with millions of potential new fans in the gaming space.

“iRacing has been an incredible partner and ambassador for the NASCAR industry for more than a decade. We thank Motorsport Games for its efforts over the years and are ready to work with iRacing to deliver a best-in-class simulation-style NASCAR console game that’s exciting for the gaming community and allows our fans to connect with the sport in an impactful, meaningful way.”

For more information on NASCAR’s gaming initiatives, visit eNASCAR.com.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR unveiled the 2024 schedule for the Craftsman Truck Series on Wednesday. Next season will mark the milestone 30th year for the series.

The calendar kicks off from the “World Center of Racing” on Feb. 16 at Daytona International Speedway.

Atlanta Motor Speedway moves into the second race of the year on Feb. 24 ahead of Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 1 in what will be back-to-back superspeedway events to begin 2024 for the Truck Series.

Despite the Bristol Dirt race not returning, the series will still host a spring race on March 16 at the Tennessee track that will take place under the lights. It will be one of two trips to the concrete short track as Bristol returns on Sept. 19 as the second race in the Round of 10 of the playoffs.

RELATED: Cup schedule | Xfinity schedule

Texas Motor Speedway moves to mid-April (12) and will be part of a tripleheader with the Cup and Xfinity Series.

North Wilkesboro Speedway (May 18) and the Milwaukee Mile (Aug. 25) return for their sequels in 2024, while Nashville Superspeedway (June 28) and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (July 19) hit consecutive year No. 3 on the circuit.

Richmond Raceway (Aug. 10) will once again serve as the regular-season finale before the 10-driver postseason field is set.

The Round of 10 will consist of Milwaukee, Bristol and Kansas Speedway. Talladega Superspeedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway will determine the four drivers who will compete for the championship. This is the first time Martinsville has served as the Round of 8 elimination race since 2021.

For the fifth season in a row, Phoenix Raceway will play host to the season finale where the 30th series champion will be crowned on Nov. 8.

DateRace/TrackNetworkStart time (ET)Radio
Friday, February 16Daytona International SpeedwayFS17:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, February 24Atlanta Motor SpeedwayFS12 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, March 1Las Vegas Motor SpeedwayFS19 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, March 16Bristol Motor SpeedwayFS18 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, March 23COTAFS11:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, April 5Martinsville SpeedwayFS17:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, April 12Texas Motor SpeedwayFS18:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, May 4Kansas SpeedwayFS18 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, May 10Darlington RacewayFS17:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, May 18North Wilkesboro SpeedwayFS11:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, May 24Charlotte Motor SpeedwayFS18:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, June 1World Wide Technology RacewayFOX1:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, June 28Nashville SuperspeedwayFS1TBDMRN/SiriusXM
Friday, July 12Pocono RacewayFS15:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, July 19Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway ParkFS18:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, August 10Richmond RacewayFS17:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Sunday, August 25Milwaukee Mile SpeedwayFS14 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Thursday, September 19Bristol Motor SpeedwayFS18 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, September 27Kansas SpeedwayFS18:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, October 4Talladega SuperspeedwayFS15 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, October 26Homestead-Miami SpeedwayFS1NoonMRN/SiriusXM
Friday, November 1Martinsville SpeedwayFS16 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, November 8Phoenix RacewayFS18 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Posted on by Staff Report

While the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs continue, it is never too early to look ahead to 2024. Luckily for eager race fans, they can do just that with dates in mind as the sport announced the 2024 schedule on Wednesday.

Thirty-three races will make up the 2024 calendar, with Daytona International Speedway once again beginning the season (Feb. 17).

Phoenix Raceway (Nov. 9) will host the Championship 4, conclude the 2024 campaign and crown a champion for the fifth consecutive year.

Additional schedule highlights include a third trip to Portland International Raceway (June 1) in as many years, a return to Iowa Speedway (June 15) for the first time since 2019, a second annual running of the Chicago Street Race (July 6) and rotating back to the oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 20).

RELATED: Cup schedule | Truck schedule

After the regular-season finale on Sept. 20 at Bristol Motor Speedway, the 2024 Xfinity Series Playoffs Round of 12 will consist of Kansas Speedway (Sept. 28), Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 5) and the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course (Oct. 12).

Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Oct. 19), Homestead-Miami Speedway (Oct. 26) and Martinsville Speedway (Nov. 2) will make up the Round of 8.

FS1 and FOX will broadcast the first 14 Xfinity races, spanning from the season-opener at Daytona to June 8 at Sonoma Raceway. USA and NBC will air the final 19 races of the season, beginning with Iowa on June 15.

DateRace/TrackNetworkStart time (ET)Radio
Saturday, February 17Daytona International SpeedwayFS15 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, February 24Atlanta Motor SpeedwayFS15 p.m.PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, March 2Las Vegas Motor SpeedwayFS15 p.m.PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, March 9Phoenix RacewayFS14:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, March 23COTAFS15 p.m.PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, March 30Richmond RacewayFS11:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, April 6Martinsville SpeedwayFS17:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, April 13Texas Motor SpeedwayFS11:30 p.m.PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, April 20Talladega SuperspeedwayFOX4 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, April 27Dover Motor SpeedwayFS11:30 p.m.PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, May 11Darlington RacewayFS11:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, May 25Charlotte Motor SpeedwayFOX1 p.m.PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, June 1Portland International RacewayFS14:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, June 8Sonoma RacewayFS18 p.m.PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, June 15Iowa SpeedwayUSA3:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, June 22New Hampshire Motor SpeedwayUSA3:30 p.m.PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, June 29Nashville SuperspeedwayUSA5 p.m.PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, July 6Chicago Street RaceNBC2:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, July 13Pocono RacewayUSA3 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, July 20Indianapolis Motor SpeedwayUSA3:30 p.m.IMS/SiriusXM
Saturday, August 17Michigan International SpeedwayUSA3:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, August 23Daytona International SpeedwayUSA7:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, August 31Darlington RacewayUSA3:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, September 7Atlanta Motor SpeedwayUSA3 p.m.PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, September 14Watkins Glen InternationalUSA3 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Friday, September 20Bristol Motor SpeedwayUSA7:30 p.m.PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, September 28Kansas SpeedwayUSA3:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, October 5Talladega SuperspeedwayNBC3:30 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, October 12Charlotte RovalUSA3:30 p.m.PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, October 19Las Vegas Motor SpeedwayNBC3 p.m.PRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, October 26Homestead-Miami SpeedwayNBC3 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, November 2Martinsville SpeedwayUSA3 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM
Saturday, November 9Phoenix RacewayUSA6 p.m.MRN/SiriusXM