Posted on by Staff Report

Kaulig Racing announced Friday that Daniel Hemric is set to return to the NASCAR Cup Series to pilot the team’s No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in 2024.

Hemric, the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, is currently finishing his second full-time Xfinity Series season with Kaulig Racing and in the playoffs to compete for the 2023 championship. Hemric previously competed in the Cup Series full time in 2019 with Richard Childress Racing, earning the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors that same year.

RELATED: Catch up on latest Silly Season moves

“This is a big day, and it means so much to my family and me,” Hemric said in a team release. “It’s truly special to have an opportunity to do something big with a group of people that want it just as bad as you. It takes heart, and each and every person at Kaulig Racing has it. I’m looking forward to finishing out this season strong and getting right back to work in the offseason with everyone at Kaulig Racing.”

Hemric joined Kaulig Racing in 2022 to compete for back-to-back Xfinity titles and made select Cup Series starts for the team during the 2022 season. Across 47 total Cup Series starts, Hemric has earned one Busch Light Pole Award, one top five, three top-10 finishes and led a total of 22 laps.

The Kannapolis, North Carolina, native was a full-time Cup Series driver for Richard Childress Racing in 2019, then spent the 2020 season in Xfinity competition on a part-time basis with JR Motorsports before chasing and claiming the 2021 title with Joe Gibbs Racing.

The journey has been trying, but Hemric has been unrelenting.

“I appreciate these guys,” Hemric said Friday of team owner Matt Kaulig and president Chris Rice. “You know, they went to bat for me whenever I didn’t know what I had next in 2021. I said then whenever I got to sit down and actually hear them out, hear what their vision was not only for 2024, 2025 and beyond – back well before that was on the horizon –I knew after hearing what they had to say I wanted to be a part of it.”

“They say that tough times don’t last, but tough people do,” Rice said in a statement. “That rings true with Daniel Hemric. Throughout all the ups and downs the past couple of years, Daniel continues to believe in the Kaulig Racing culture. Over the last few months, we have been asking ourselves, ‘What can make us a better race team?’ We truly believe Daniel can and will continue to make Kaulig Racing better as an organization.”

Hemric will replace Justin Haley, who announced his departure July 20 after signing a multiyear agreement with Rick Ware Racing.

Kaulig’s racing operations have grown in recent years, from a single-car Xfinity team in 2016 to a three-car outfit in that series. Kaulig made its first Cup Series appearance in 2020, and two years later went full-time with two chartered cars.

Hemric made nine Cup starts for Kaulig Racing in 2022, garnering experience not just at NASCAR’s upper-most echelon but in its newest vehicle, the Next Gen car. His best finish came at Auto Club Speedway – a ninth-place result – all after falling as many as six laps down due to a mechanical failure early in the contest.

“To come back, make those laps up and get a top-10 finish,” Hemric said, “I got out of that car right then and man for me, it was like all of 2019, the years trying to figure out how to even get back to a Cup seat, period – even though then it was only a part-time basis – felt like, ‘Yeah, you’re right. You can do this back at this level.’

“And for me, that was like ‘OK, how do we bridge this gap? How do I get back here full-time?’ ”

The answer was with belief from Kaulig and Rice, who have placed him in their No. 31 car for the full 2024 season.

Hemric will continue to compete for the 2023 NXS championship, as the Round of 12 kicks off at Bristol Motor Speedway. Team partnership information will be announced at a later date, according to Kaulig Racing.

Contributing: Zach Sturniolo from Bristol, Tenn.

Posted on by Staff Report

Bristol Motor Speedway announced Friday that after three years of hosting competitive spring dirt races on the track’s half-mile high banks, the facility will see a return to the traditional concrete, paved short track for the spring in 2024.

One of the sport’s most beloved and historic race tracks, “The Last Great Colosseum” will once again hold a pair of races on the track’s unique concrete, .533-mile short track with the same beating and banging fans have grown accustomed to over the years.

MORE: Memorable moments at Bristol | Weekend schedule

Specific race dates and times will be announced at a later date, but track president and general manager Jerry Caldwell indicated the springtime Cup Series event will return as the Food City 500. That move, Caldwell said, will include a vintage feel and logos that date back to the early 1990s.

“I think NASCAR has done a great job the past several years of trying new things,” Caldwell said in a Friday afternoon appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “I think as a sport, we’ve really embraced that. People love our sport, they love tradition, but they also love trying some new things, and they love returning to some some old ways, whether that’s North Wilkesboro, whether that’s dirt, maybe it’s the road course in Chicago, all those things are great things. You know, sometimes you do that for a little while, and then you change things up and go back to the way it was, and that’s what we’re doing here. So, thrilled to be able to do that.

“I think dirt was great. I love dirt, but I think it’s time for us to go back to the concrete in the spring and see what these these drivers can do on concrete twice a year.”

Reigning champion Joey Logano won the dirt-track race’s inaugural running in 2021, followed by two-time champ Kyle Busch claiming the victory last season before dirt maven Christopher Bell secured his own win earlier this season.

Martin Truex Jr., Ben Rhodes and Logano were winners of the three Craftsman Truck Series events held on Bristol’s dirt configuration the last three seasons.

Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

BRISTOL, Tenn. — In 2022, Zane Smith surged to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship while Ty Majeski stormed to the Championship 4 on the heels of two wins in the Round of 8.

After the opening stanza to the 2023 Round of 8 on Thursday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, both drivers sit beneath the provisional elimination line, with Smith 14 points back and Majeski out by 22 markers.

MORE: Race results | Playoff standings

Smith led 43 laps in Thursday’s UNOH 200 after a strategy call by crew chief Chris Lawson to not pit after the first stage sent the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford to the front of the field. But when Smith finally hit pit road after Stage 2 at Lap 116, his truck sat over the lines of the pit box while he received service, incurring a penalty that sent him to the rear of the field for the impending restart.

In the end, Smith finished 24th, the lowest of the eight remaining drivers in the NASCAR Playoffs and one lap off the pace.

“They said I was pitted outside my box by just a little bit,” Smith said. “I had to start at tail-end and yeah. I mean just definitely a rough, rough night but I mean, you saw it. Wherever you were gonna restart is where you were gonna run. My truck was terrible in the second stage but I had clean air, so just can’t pass. Just sucks.”

Majeski’s misfortune struck at Lap 106 as Stage 2 wound down. Running fourth, Majeski was forced to the inside lane after Corey Heim sped to his outside to battle for position. The duo quickly approached the lapped truck of Spencer Boyd entering Turn 3 and Majeski tried to run the middle lane to split Boyd and Heim. But that was the lane Heim chose on corner entry, leading to contact between Majeski’s right-front tire and Heim’s left rear.

Ty Makesi walks toward the left rear of his battered No. 98 truck after Bristol
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Studios

The contact flattened Majeski’s tire, leading the No. 98 ThorSport Ford to limp around the track for the closing circuits of the stage before the yellow flag was displayed. All things considered, Majeski and his team made the most of the situation — they fell off the lead lap before the end of the stage but remained the first truck one lap down, earning the free pass to get back on the lead lap to begin the final stage. Majeski eventually took the checkered flag in 19th place.

“Yeah, I mean, the situation could have been a lot worse,” Majeski said. “Obviously not ideal. I don’t think we’re quite in the must-win (situation) yet, but it’s close. We need to gain points at Talladega. There’s no doubt about it. So yeah, just got to have a short-term memory. Felt like we got the lucky dog and made our way back up to 19th. Had one of the fastest trucks there at the end of the race.”

Two races remain before the Truck Series’ Championship 4 is set — first at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, Sept. 30 (1 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) followed by Homestead-Miami Speedway on Oct. 21.

Smith has gone to the title round in each of the last three years, earning two runner-up finishes before last year’s championship triumph. Last year, he advanced to the Championship 4 by scoring two runner-up finishes in the Round of 8 in addition to a 17th-place finish at Talladega. Previous experience in managing these rounds would appear to be a significant benefit, but the looming uncertainty of superspeedway racing doesn’t add much comfort to the fourth-year Truck Series competitor.

“Yeah, I mean, I’ve experienced it. So I guess that’s maybe a little bit (of help),” Smith said, “but yeah, it’s still a lot of racing to go do.”

Majeski dominated the Round of 8 a season ago, winning Bristol and Homestead-Miami on the way to his first title-round appearance — besting Smith by one spot in each to do so. A 22-point deficit to Grant Enfinger for the fourth and final spot is significant, but Majeski is confident in his abilities and his team’s, especially after leading exactly half the laps at Homestead in 2022.

“I think we have to maximize the the next six stages, right?” Majeski said. “I don’t think we’re out. You know, it’s not out of the question to point our way in yet. You know, I think we’ll reassess that after Talladega. Obviously we want to go win Talladega. But if we can come out of there with stage points in all three stages and a solid top-five finish, that should put us in a good position to potentially point our way in depending on what happens into Phoenix. So we’ll just see what happens. We have really fast trucks right now. That’s one thing we can we can go back to the shop with (and) are working hard to make our race trucks better and keep our heads down and move on to Talladega.”

Majeski burst into the playoffs with significant momentum, leading 168 laps at Richmond in the regular-season finale before finishing second, then stomping the field at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park with a win after leading 179 of 200 circuits. The No. 98 team cooled in the two races leading into Bristol, however, with a seventh-place finish at the Milwaukee Mile and 18th at Kansas Speedway.

RELATED: No. 98 team issued L2-level penalties after valve-stem infraction

“We had a few off races here, know exactly why, so I feel good about where we’re at as a race team,” Majeski said. “I really do. Obviously a tough one tonight. I felt like we were plenty capable of winning. You know, we were right there with the 19 (Christian Eckes), 42 (Carson Hocevar) or the 11 (Heim) were probably the four best trucks. Didn’t end up that way but I thought we showed some good speed tonight.

“We found some issues with with the truck we had at Kansas. So you’ll have those things, right? It’s just part of racing but proud of my race team. We’re in good shape. We’re in a good spot. Just keep marching forward.”

Posted on by Brandon White

Valley Star

Car No.  Driver
01 Camden Gullie
01A G.R. Waldrop
03 Brenden Queen
04 Ronnie Bassett Jr.
06 Terry Dease
07 Chase Dixon
07A Kenny Forbes
08 Brody Duggins
09 Riley Gentry
0 Landon Pembelton
1 Trent Barnes
1A Jamie York
1B Andrew Grady
2 Brandon Pierce
2A Josh Kossek
2B Matt Waltz
4 Mike Chambers
4A Kyle Dudley
5 Dexter Canipe Jr.
5A Carter Langley
6 Bobby McCarty
7 Dylan Ward
7A Blayne Harrison
7B Karl Budzevski
8 Thomas Scott
8A Carson Kvapil
8B Chase Burrow
9 Bruce Anderson
10 Kaden Honeycutt
11 Buddy Isles Jr.
14 Jared Fryar
14A Jonathan Worley
14B James Sweeney
15 Logan Clark
15A Kres VanDyke
15B Tristen Barnes
15C Ryan Millington
16 Casey Kelley
17 Jason Myers
18 Anthony Adams
19 Jessica Cann
22 Landon Huffman
23 Kade Brown
23A Zachary Dabbs
24 Mason Diaz
24A Blaise Brinkley
24B Chase Ratliff
25 Derrick Lancaster
25A Jacob Borst
26 Peyton Sellers
26A Tony Housman
31 Chase Robertson
31A Cole Bruce
32 Zack Miracle
33 Dillon Harville
35 Steve Zacharias
38 Riley Neal
41 Davey Callihan
42 Chris Horton Jr.
43 William Sawalich
44 Conner Jones
50 Ross ‘Boo Boo’ Dalton
51 Matt Cox
51A Jamey Caudill
51M Ryan Matthews
57 Jimmy Mullins
59 Heath Causey
61 Justin Hicks
71 Katie Hettinger
75 Cory Dunn
77 Trevor Ward
77A Blake Stallings
77B Connor Hall
81 Adam Murray
87 Mike Looney
87A Tate Fogleman
88 Brad Housewright
88A Doug Barnes Jr.
88B Dustin Rumley
90 John Goin
91 Justin S. Carroll
95 Sam Yarbrough
95A Jacob Heafner
97 Daniel Silvestri
97A Michael Faulk
97W Magnum Tate
99 Austin ‘Willie’ Somero
99A Colby Higgins
Posted on by Kobe Lambeth

Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway

(⏰ Saturday, 6:30 p.m. ET | 📺 USA, NBC Sports App | 📻 PRN, SiriusXM)

Everything you need to know for Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol, the 29th points-paying race of the 2023 Cup Series campaign.

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

📍 Location: Bristol, Tennessee
📐 Track length: 0.533 miles
🎟️ Buy tickets: Find weekend passes, seats for the race
💰 Cup Series race purse: $8,805,799
📏 Race distance: 500 laps | 266.5 miles
🔢 Stages: 125 | 250 | 500
—
📋 Starting lineup: Bell wins third straight pole
🚗 Pit stall assignments: See where drivers will pit
🏆 Most recent winner: Chris Buescher, fall 2022

Key things to watch 🔑

Friday update

Christopher Bell continued a run of three straight events winning the Busch Light Pole Award, becoming the first driver to sweep the poles in the Round of 16. The good starting positions haven’t translated to a victory  thanks to in-race issues, including missteps on pit road. But if Bell and the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team can clean up those issues, one would figure he’d be in the running to finally close out a race with a checkered flag. Bell won twice in elimination races last year, so he has a recent history of rising to the occasion. Bell’s biggest competition could come from teammate Denny Hamlin, who will join Bell on the front row and has risen to race favorite in DraftKings’ updated race-day odds.

Big story line

Can Martin Truex Jr. avoid going from regular-season champion to early playoff exit? In the history of the NASCAR Playoffs era, there has never been a regular-season champion eliminated from postseason contention before the Round of 8. Truex enters Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race (7:30 p.m. ET, USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) seven points below the elimination line. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has experienced a tough start to the Round of 16 with finishes of 18th and 36th at Darlington and Kansas. Given the No. 19 Toyota’s current situation, Bristol could be an uphill battle for Truex to keep the streak alive of regular-season champions avoiding a first-round playoff exit.

While Truex has visited Victory Lane at short tracks such as Richmond and Martinsville, he has not been able to break through in Thunder Valley, with only two top fives and four top 10s at the 0.533-mile high-banked short track. In his last nine Bristol starts, Truex has eight finishes of 13th or worse, including three DNFs. Last year’s Bristol Night Race result was 36th place and the No. 19 did not finish. These are not the numbers that Truex wants to see going to a track that is far from his best. If he wants to avoid a shocking elimination in the Round of 16, Truex will likely have to put together the best Bristol drive of his Cup Series career and outperform what his history here suggests. | Truex Jr. blows a tire in Kansas playoff race

History tells us…

Expect several playoff drivers to have issues. The 2023 Cup Series Playoffs have seen multiple title contenders run into trouble in the first two Round of 16 races. At both Darlington and Kansas, 10 of 16 playoff drivers did not have a clear, straightforward race. Looking back at the 2022 Bristol Night Race, 12 of 16 title competitors experienced problems. Whether it is a mechanical issue, a mistake on pit road or contact on the track, expect Bristol to deliver drama again that could shake up the playoff picture by the end of Saturday night.

Any issue for the four drivers currently below the elimination line would be catastrophic for their hopes of advancing to the Round of 12. At the same time, issues for others above the line could play into the hands of Martin Truex Jr. (-7), Bubba Wallace (-19), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (-22) and Michael McDowell (-40) if they are lucky enough to stay out of trouble themselves. A mistake-free Bristol is a recipe for success but there is no telling what will happen in this high-pressure elimination race. | Preview Show: Inside the playoff grid’s uncertainty as Bristol looms

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

Kyle Busch. After winning three times in the first 15 races, Busch battled some inconsistency in the late summer. However, kicking off the postseason with finishes of 11th at Darlington and seventh at Kansas is a good start at building momentum during the most important time of the year. Entering the Bristol Night Race with 16-1 odds, the Richard Childress Racing driver will look to rediscover his past Bristol magic and earn his fourth win of 2023. Busch has eight career Cup Series wins on the Bristol concrete, which includes three wins in the last nine Bristol races.

His 16 short-track wins are the most among active drivers. However, his recent results on short tracks have not been spectacular. The driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet has finished outside of the top 10 in four of the last five short-track races. In the last two Bristol races, Busch did not finish higher than 21st place. Nevertheless, this guy knows how to get around Bristol, so a ninth win here cannot be ruled out. | Relive Busch’s dramatic race-ending moment in the 2022 Night Race

Familiar favorites ⭐️

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

• At-track photos: Sights and scenes from Bristol Motor Speedway | Photo gallery
• Bubble Watch: Clock ticking on Cup Series Playoffs’ elimination phase | Who’s who on the bubble
• Fantasy Fastlane: Kyle Busch, RFK drivers ripe for the picking | Advice for your lineup
• Paint Scheme Preview: See the schemes for Bristol | Pick a favorite
• Power Rankings: Defending Championship 4 drivers in Bristol bubble trouble? | Latest driver rankings
• Stacking Pennies: Corey LaJoie reacts to a close call with Chase Briscoe at Kansas | 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

BRISTOL, Tenn. – After stealing a victory last Saturday at Kansas Speedway, Christian Eckes got his pocket picked by Corey Heim on Thursday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.

On Lap 195 of 200 of the UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics, Heim forced his way beneath Eckes’ No. 19 Chevrolet — with the lapped truck of Eckes’ Tricon Garage teammate, Tanner Gray, to the outside — took the lead and claimed the victory by .218 seconds over his disappointed rival.

With his third NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory of the season, his first at Bristol and the fifth of his career, Heim, the Regular Season Champion, moved one step closer to another possible title. The win propelled him into the Championship 4 race, scheduled for Nov. 3 at Phoenix Raceway.

RELATED: Race results | Bristol schedule

“This is insane,” said Heim, who led only the last six laps. “I felt like I’ve given so many away this year, to win one like that at the end is so special … Like I said, we’ve given so many away, and we finally got one back …

“Gosh, it’s just so awesome to know we’re in Phoenix.”

Eckes seemed Phoenix-bound himself before Heim made the decisive pass. Eckes led 150 laps and swept the first two stages. The runner-up finish left him one point behind Heim in the playoff standings but without a ticket to the Championship 4.

“I just think it’s ironic that the 15 (Tanner Gray) is three laps down and waited,” said Eckes, who felt Gray held him up and allowed Heim to close in. “Whatever. Good truck. I got really tight there at the end …

“That one stinks, for sure.”

If it’s any consolation to Eckes, mistakes and ill fortune that beset other drivers created a significant spread between those above the cut line for the Championship 4 and those below it.

Defending series champion Zane Smith was penalized for pitting outside his box on Lap 116, was relegated to the rear of the field and fell a lap down to Eckes on Lap 161. He finished 24th and heads for the next race — Sept. 30 at Talladega — in fifth place, 14 points behind Grant Enfinger (third on Thursday) for the final playoff-eligible position.

Contact between Heim’s Toyota and Ty Majeski’s Ford cut Majeski’s right front tire on Lap 107, three laps before the of Stage 2. Majeski was never a factor after that and finished 19th, leaving him 22 points behind Enfinger.

Carson Hocevar ran fourth and enters the second Round of 8 race 18 points above the elimination line.

Tyler Gray, Rajah Caruth, Ben Rhodes, Chase Purdy, rookie Nick Sanchez and Matt DiBenedetto completed the top 10.

Sanchez started at the back of the field because of a broken suspension part that prevented him from making a qualifying run. Though he salvaged the ninth-place result, he trails Enfinger by 22 points with two races left in the Round of 8.

The Round of 8 continues at the high banks of Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, Sept. 30 (1 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Note: Post-race inspection was completed without issue in the Craftsman Truck Series garage, confirming Corey Heim as the winner. The Nos. 2 and 17 each had one lug nut not safe and secure.

Posted on by Cameron Richardson

It’s time to shrink the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs field from 16 to 12 drivers Saturday night as the circuit shifts to the highly anticipated Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway (6:30 ET, USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

There are some surprises in the playoff standings after Kansas Speedway once again created drama for the title hopefuls. Before an action-packed weekend on “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile,” prepare for Bristol with an outlook on the Round of 16, trends to watch and interactive ways to follow all the action.

RELATED: See paint schemes for Bristol | Betting favorites for Saturday’s Cup race

SHOCK ELIMINATIONS INCOMING? 🤯

The playoffs always deliver drama, but no one could’ve seen regular-season champion Martin Truex Jr. below the Round of 12 elimination line entering Bristol. A flat tire just four laps into last Sunday’s race puts Truex in a bind as he’ll have to outperform how he usually does at the Tennessee short track. His last top-five finish at Bristol came all the way back in the spring of 2012.

Two other past champions are anything but safe from elimination. Joey Logano (+12) and Kevin Harvick (+7) are currently the last two drivers into the Round of 12 heading to Bristol. Harvick, the first titleholder in the playoff-elimination era, has been outstanding at Bristol in the last three trips to the track with a win (2020), runner-up finish (2021) and top-10 result (2022). On the other hand, Logano hasn’t scored a top-10 finish at Bristol since 2019.

📉 TRENDS TO WATCH 📈

— Ford drivers won three of the last four at Bristol, all three from different organizations.

— The last five Bristol races were won by drivers from different organizations.

— The race winner started 19th or worse in four of the last five short-track races.

— The last seven Bristol races were won by seven different drivers.

(Via Racing Insights)

CLASSIC BRISTOL NIGHT RACES 🎥

1999: Dale Earnhardt rattles Terry Labonte’s cage | WATCH

2002: Tempers flare throughout race; Jeff Gordon pulls bump-and-run on Rusty Wallace to score win | WATCH

2012: Stewart, Kenseth wreck while racing for the lead; Stewart slings helmet | WATCH

2021: Larson wins thriller as Elliott, Harvick exchange heated words on pit road | WATCH

ON-TRACK SCHEDULE 🗓️

Friday, September 15

— 4:35 p.m. ET: Practice (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App)

— 5:20 p.m. ET: Qualifying (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App)

Saturday, September 16

— 7:30 p.m. ET: Bass Pro Shops Night Race (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App)

MORE: Full weekend schedule at Bristol

RULE CHANGES/GOODYEAR TIRE NOTES 🛞

The GEICO Restart Zone returned to its 2022 dimensions after being extended for this season’s first five races.

After a tire test at Bristol in June, Goodyear brings a new right-side tire for Saturday night’s race that is designed to wear more to promote passing throughout the field. Cup teams will be issued one set of tires for practice, one set for qualifying and an additional 10 sets for the 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.

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:

  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 Mortage. Fans can enter by visiting The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge page beginning Tuesday, Aug. 29 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 | Set your grid today!

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 Staff Report

As the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 16 comes to a close, 14 drivers who haven’t yet locked up a spot in the Round of 12 will look to do so during Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway (6:30 ET, USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

Three former Cup Series champions —  Joey Logano (2018, 2022), Kevin Harvick (2014) and Martin Truex Jr. (2017) — are in close proximity to the elimination line and all three may not advance out of the opening round.

RELATED: Cup Series Playoffs standings | Bristol weekend schedule

Logano leads the trio, sitting at 12 points above the elimination line and in the 11th position in the standings. Harvick is five points behind the No. 22 Team Penske Ford (+7) and 12th on the Playoffs grid.

Truex, meanwhile, stands on thin ice. After an 18th-place finish at Darlington Raceway and a last-place result at Kansas Speedway (due to a wreck), he is the first driver below the elimination line and seven points behind Harvick.

And so, the battleground for three past champions will be none other than the 0.533-mile short track that is Bristol, which has shown to be a tough challenge for many a driver. This challenge could become apparent on Saturday, where even the slightest hiccup could be the difference in one or more of these three past champions failing to advance.

The information below, courtesy of Racing Insights, details the trio’s overall numbers at Bristol during playoff races:

DriverPoints per raceTotal pointsAverage finish
Kevin Harvick43.31304.3
Joey Logano23.77116.3
Martin Truex Jr.15.74722.3
Posted on by Staff Report

The Round of 16 finale in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs is here, with the field slated to run in the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday (6:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

Kyle Larson and Tyler Reddick already clinched their Round of 12 bids with thrilling victories at Darlington Raceway and Kansas Speedway, respectively.

Denny Hamlin sits atop the field among playoff drivers to not yet win a race, with the No. 11 sitting 49 points clear of the elimination line.

MORE: Current Cup playoff standings | Weekend schedule: Bristol

Already clinched

The following drivers have clinched a spot in the 12-driver field of the next round: Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick.

Can clinch via points

If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the 11th winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, Chris Buescher, Christopher Bell, Joey Logano or Kevin Harvick.

— Denny Hamlin: Would clinch with 7 points
— William Byron: Would clinch with 15 points
— Brad Keselowski: Would clinch with 23 points
— Ryan Blaney: Would clinch with 31 points
— Kyle Busch: Would clinch with 32 points
— Ross Chastain: Would clinch with 38 points
— Chris Buescher: Would clinch with 43 points
— Christopher Bell: Would clinch with 43 points
— Joey Logano: Would clinch with 44 points
— Kevin Harvick: Would clinch with 49 points
— Martin Truex Jr.: Could only clinch with help
— Bubba Wallace: Could only clinch with help
— Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Could only clinch with help
— Michael McDowell: Could only clinch with help

If there is a new winner from Martin Truex Jr. or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the 10th winless driver in the standings.

— Denny Hamlin: Would clinch with 12 points
— William Byron: Would clinch with 21 points
— Brad Keselowski: Would clinch with 29 points
— Ryan Blaney: Would clinch with 37 points
— Kyle Busch: Would clinch with 38 points
— Ross Chastain: Would clinch with 44 points
— Chris Buescher: Would clinch with 49 points
— Christopher Bell: Would clinch with 49 points
— Joey Logano: Would clinch with 50 points
— Kevin Harvick: Would clinch with 55 points
— Martin Truex Jr.: Could only clinch with help
— Bubba Wallace: Could only clinch with help
— Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Could only clinch with help
— Michael McDowell: Could only clinch with help

Can clinch via win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:

— Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, Chris Buescher, Christopher Bell, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Bubba Wallace, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell

Posted on by Brandon White

The shared mindset between NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver Justin Bonsignore and car owner Ken Massa was clear after a bad crash at New York’s Oswego Speedway a couple weeks ago caused them to lose significant ground to Ron Silk in the championship standings.

“Let’s win them all,” Bonsignore jokingly told Massa during a meeting last week.

Nursing a broken thumb from the Oswego crash, Bonsignore a few days after stating that goal was stoic and composed as he put together his most efficient performance of 2023 to date. He led all 150 laps from the pole at New Hampshire’s Monadnock Speedway on Saturday to take his fifth victory at the track.

A bad night from Silk allowed Bonsignore to erase most of his lost ground from Oswego. Now within striking distance of his fourth Modified Tour title, Bonsignore finds himself further invigorated to win the last four races of 2023, starting with Saturday’s Eddie Partridge 256 at Riverhead Raceway (8 p.m. ET on FloRacing).

“We did go into Monadnock with some confidence,” Bonsingore said. “We’ve always run well there in the past, and obviously it went better than we could have expected. Fortunately for us, Ron had some bad luck. Even though you never want to see anyone have bad luck, if there was a week we needed it, that was the one.”

Modified Tour at Riverhead: Entry list | How to watch

The first two races on the calendar after Oswego, Monadnock and Riverhead, immediately inspired confidence in Bonsignore and the rest of the No. 51 Ken Massa Motorsports operation.

Although Bonsignore admittedly struggles at tracks where significant tire wear is a factor, he has always felt comfortable navigating Monadnock’s abrasive quarter-mile layout. The long-run setup put together by crew chief Ryan Stone allowed Bonsignore to cruise comfortably through slower traffic during the final 125 laps of green-flag racing.

Bonsignore hopes his car is just as perfect when he takes the green flag Saturday night at Riverhead, a track where he has 10 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victories to his name.

The third event at Riverhead of the season has quickly become one of Bonsignore’s favorites on the schedule with the race honoring late track co-owner Eddie Partridge — and its inclusion of live pit stops. Bonsignore cherishes races where his pit crew can directly help him win, adding that a stellar stop will be essential for great track position at the end of Saturday’s race.

“Riverhead is typically a race where you’re saving tires as much as you can to make sure you have enough for the end,” Bonsignore said. “With this race, you can run considerably hard knowing you’re going to pit around Lap 175. After that, it becomes a sprint race, so it opens some possibilities.”

Justin Bonsignore looks to stay in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour title fight by earning his 11th victory at Riverhead Raceway on Saturday. (Photo: Armond Feffer/NASCAR)

A victory for Bonsignore in the Eddie Partridge 256 would be crucial toward staying even with Silk as they endure three tough tracks to close out 2023.

Immediately following Riverhead is the Modified Tour’s inaugural trip to North Wilkesboro Speedway. Bonsignore has never turned a lap on the track’s old, abrasive surface, which will put extra emphasis on aggressively conserving tires to contend for the win.

Closing out the year at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park and Martinsville Speedway provides Bonsignore mixed levels of optimism. He will be going for his 14th series victory at Thompson in October but has yet to win at Martinsville despite a pair of top-three finishes.

Having won the Tour championship three times before, Bonsignore finds himself in a familiar situation. He knows he can control his own destiny by maintaining solid speed and minimizing mistakes.

“We just need to have great cars and make smart decisions,” Bonsignore said. “It’s obviously not going to be easy, because Ron has been fast everywhere this year. There are other guys that will be in contention like [Austin] Beers. More than anything, you have to know what you’re racing, but if you’re in a position to win the race, you have to take advantage of that if you can.”

Justin Bonsignore will have to battle 2011 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ron Silk in order to secure his fourth title. (Photo: NASCAR)

The margin of error for Bonsignore during the final stretch of races will be small as he attempts to overtake Silk and assume control of the point standings.

Oswego was the first race Bonsignore failed to finish in 2023, a stark contrast from the previous year in which he finished worse than 25th in two of the first three races. After grinding his way back into the title fight, two consecutive finishes outside the top 10 to end the year made Bonsignore’s heroic effort fruitless.

Consistency has put Bonsignore in a more favorable position this year, but he does not expect Silk to pull any punches. He has commended the clean battles with Silk throughout 2023 and would love to defeat him so he can further cement himself as one of the greatest drivers in the history of the series.

“Anytime you can contend for the championship is cool, because these aren’t easy championships to be in contention for,” Bonsignore said. “A fourth championship would be another step closer to the goal of getting to Doug [Coby] or [Mike] Stefanik’s record.

“Before you get to seven, you have to get to four. That’s the goal this year.”

Should he pull off the improbable feat of running the table through Martinsville, Bonsignore will be tied for second in the all-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour wins list alongside Reggie Ruggiero with 44 victories.

Bonsignore looks to keep the momentum going from Monadnock in the Eddie Partridge 256 on Saturday by earning his 11th victory at Riverhead, which would tie Mike Ewanitsko’s series record at the track.