Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

NEW YORK, NY and DAYTONA BEACH, FL — The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR®) and Sportradar (NASDAQ: SRAD) today announced a four-year extension of their long-term media data rights partnership, which now includes official betting data. This expanded agreement will result in Sportradar fueling not only NASCAR’s digital media partners with live timing and scoring data, but also driving the continued growth of betting on the sport.

As an official data partner of NASCAR, Sportradar provides the fast, accurate and reliable data the media and betting industries rely on across the sanctioning body’s three national series: the NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™ and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™, totaling 97 races annually.

NASCAR made its foray into legal sports gambling in September 2020 when it became the first league to partner with the American Gaming Association (AGA). Since then, sports betting on NASCAR has increased exponentially as betting operators saw a 51.5% increase in the total amount of money wagered on NASCAR in 2022 compared to the previous year. NASCAR’s authorized gaming operators include BetMGM, FanDuel and Penn Entertainment.

“As the sports industry’s leading technology company and a trusted partner of sportsbooks and media companies, Sportradar is uniquely positioned to support NASCAR in capturing commercial opportunities,” said Eric Conrad, EVP, Strategic Partnerships & Content, Sportradar. “Our ability to leverage these rights in the marketplace will ultimately enrich the NASCAR experience for fans.”

“Our partnership with Sportradar is foundational to our sports betting strategy from ensuring the integrity of our product to quickly providing authorized gaming operators and media partners with accurate, reliable data,” said Joe Solosky, NASCAR managing director, sports betting. “Adding official betting data to the partnership will continue to catalyze NASCAR’s rapid growth in the sports betting space and allow fans to further engage with the sport.”

As one of Sportradar’s earliest U.S. league partners, this deal builds upon a longstanding multi-faceted relationship. Since 2015, NASCAR and Sportradar have agreed to several contract extensions related to media data rights. Additionally, in April 2022, the two organizations entered into a separate multi-year integrity services agreement.

Posted on by Staff Report

Team Penske and Wood Brothers Racing announced Monday a swap of crew chiefs between their affiliated NASCAR Cup Series teams.

Jeremy Bullins will shift from Penske’s No. 2 Ford and driver Austin Cindric to work with Harrison Burton and the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 Ford. Brian Wilson will switch over from the No. 21 team to take Bullins’ place with the No. 2 operation.

RELATED: Cup Series standings | Weekend schedule: Darlington

The changes go into effect starting with this Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 (6 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), the opening event of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Darlington Raceway. The teams indicated the personnel moves would last for the remainder of this season and into the 2024 campaign.

Bullins returns to the Wood Brothers team, where he served as crew chief from 2015-17. He has nine Cup Series wins — one with the Wood Brothers and the rest with Team Penske. Bullins had been atop the pit box for the No. 2 Mustang since 2020, first with Brad Keselowski, then Cindric, whom he paired with for the team’s 2022 Daytona 500 victory.

Wilson is in his 20th year under the Team Penske umbrella and in his second year as a Cup Series crew chief, joining the Wood Brothers in 2022 for Burton’s rookie campaign. Before that, Wilson was a mainstay in Team Penske’s Xfinity Series program, collecting 23 wins and helping Cindric to the 2020 title in that circuit.

Neither Cindric nor Burton qualified for the Cup Series Playoffs this season. Cindric ranks 22nd in the Cup Series drivers’ standings with three top-10 finishes through the first 26 races. Burton sits 30th in Cup Series points with two top 10s.

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR wraps up its 75th anniversary celebration with the third and final chapter of its “Always Forward” campaign, bringing a heart-warming conclusion to the film trilogy that explores the sport’s past, present and future.

Co-created with its longtime agency partner 77 Ventures Creative, “Zuri” is the story of a young girl who is “just” a fan today but has big dreams of becoming a NASCAR superstar of tomorrow. The 30-second spot debuted on TV this past weekend during the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway. Brimming with emotion and excitement, the film captures both the magical feeling of childhood dreams and the high-octane thrill of the race track.

With a deep reverence for the sport’s history, the films in the “Always Forward” campaign have remained true to the nostalgic elements fans have come to love. Previous films in the campaign include “Anthem,” which showcases NASCAR’s past and imagines beloved footage with modern coverage as seen through historically accurate cameras of the time. In representing the present, “Roads” includes archival footage and the voiceover of one of NASCAR’s most prominent figures, Dale Earnhardt Jr., as it highlights today’s star drivers’ unique journeys and shared aspirations. In the last ad commemorating NASCAR’s diamond anniversary, “Zuri” encapsulates what fans see now, then hones in on the one fan narrating the film: a little girl imagining herself behind the wheel. The confidence young Zuri exudes in articulating her aspiration as one well within her reach underscores NASCAR’s bright future and wide welcome to anyone with a passion for racing.

The 75 car, as seen throughout the other films from “Always Forward,” takes focus in this film as well, steering through black and white or grainy scenes, finally crystallizing in higher resolution and full color when the film’s hero realizes her dreams of becoming a NASCAR racer. Her cherubic and daring voiceover is ever-present, with “Zuri” ending in, “See, today? I’m a fan just like you. But, tomorrow? Tomorrow … Well, you’ll see,” as the little girl’s future self zooms ahead on the race track.

As an extension of the campaign, the “Next Gen” 75 car that appears in all three of the “Always Forward” films has made its grand tour around the country, showing up at races, on Wall Street, and at one point being the focal point of a VR installation. At every turn, fans enjoyed the car up close, a personal touch from NASCAR and the team at 77 Ventures Creative as a tribute to the fans who have made the sport what it is today.

“When we came across this idea of the 75 car, it felt very natural for the sport,” says Doug Hanshaw, executive creative director at 77 Ventures Creative. “Numbers have always existed with these cars and are such a big part of the sport, and obviously, 75 is a very important number. So, those were the guardrails. It had to be something fairly simple that would translate well to these different territories,” he elaborates, speaking of the 75 car’s tour of the country.

“NASCAR introduced the innovative new Next Gen car in 2022 to fortify the future of the sport, leaning on decades of learnings along the way, so it was a perfect symbol to carry us through each phase of this campaign,” added Pete Jung, NASCAR senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “Having Zuri behind the wheel of that car to close it out felt like a really powerful way to cement the bridge between the past, present and future, and reinforce what NASCAR is committed to building from here.”

“Zuri” will air alongside the official NASCAR Playoffs marketing campaign throughout the duration of NASCAR’s 10-week postseason. The NASCAR Playoffs begin this weekend at Darlington Raceway, and fans can tune in to the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 on Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. ET on USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and the NBC Sports App.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

After Carson Hocevar crashed a two-driver party, pole winner Grant Enfinger rallied for victory in Sunday’s Clean Harbors 175 at the Milwaukee Mile and clinched a spot in the Round of 8 of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs.

Enfinger, who led 95 of 175 laps, passed Hocevar for the top spot on Lap 159 and pulled away to win his third race of the season by 1.553 seconds. Hocevar was gambling on older tires and led the field to green for the final restart on Lap 148.

MORE: Race results | At-track photos

The victory — the 10th of Enfinger’s career — was a point proven for the Alabama driver, whose GMS Racing truck team announced it would discontinue operations at the end of the season.

“I don’t think anybody’s going to ask if we’re going to lay down again,” Enfinger said after climbing from his No. 23 Chevrolet. “(Crew chief) Jeff Hensley’s been focused the whole year. There’s been distractions going on all year long. So, if anything, this has clarity.

“None of these guys, including me, have a job next year, but I feel like we proved we deserve one.”

Fast from the outset of the first NASCAR national series race at Milwaukee since 2009, Enfinger won the first stage wire-to-wire, leading all 55 laps. After surrendering the top spot on pit road during the stage break, he passed Corey Heim for the lead on Lap 95 and captured Stage 2 by 2.149 seconds.

WATCH: Enfinger discusses dominant Milwaukee win

But Enfinger lost three positions on pit road during the second stage break and had to overcome the loss of track position as well as varying strategy from Hocevar and six other non-playoff drivers who stayed out on older tires during caution for William Sawalich’s contact with the Turn 2 wall on Lap 135.

Restarting 14th on Lap 141, Enfinger fought his way back to the front, passing Derek Kraus for second on Lap 153 and overtaking Hocevar six laps later.

“It’s kind of a bummer to run second,” said Hocevar, who has three victories to his credit this season and holds a 56-point cushion above the cut line with one race left in the Playoffs’ Round of 10. “I haven’t done this in quite a while.

“Luckily, I’ve been fortunate enough to win three races, so it’s close.”

Christian Eckes and Heim finished third and fourth, respectively, and both clinched berths in the Round of 8 on points. Matt Crafton came home fifth and moved nine points above the elimination line for the next round.

Chase Purdy ran sixth, followed by Ty Majeski, who won the Truck Series Playoff opener at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. But Majeski raced under the specter of possible NASCAR penalties this coming week.

NASCAR confiscated the right rear tire from Majeski’s No. 98 Ford and ejected crew chief Joe Shear Jr. Majeski started from the rear of the field and served a pass-through penalty after the opening lap but rallied to finish seventh. Any further penalties the team may accrue will be announced later in the week.

RELATED: No. 98 truck penalized after pre-race inspection

Defending series champion Zane Smith finished 12th, with fellow playoff contenders Ben Rhodes coming home 16th, Nick Sanchez 24th and Matt DiBenedetto 27th, two laps down. DiBenedetto, who qualified 23rd, was sent to the rear to start Sunday’s race after missing driver introductions.

Sanchez and Heim collided in Turn 3 at Lap 141, sending Sanchez’s No. 2 Rev Racing Chevrolet sideways and driver-side into the outside SAFER barrier. Sanchez checked up to avoid a slowing Hailie Deegan on corner entry, resulting in contact from the rear from Heim that sent Sanchez spinning. The damage was minimal to Sanchez’s truck, and the rookie contender continued en route to a 24th-place finish.

The restart that began Stage 2 resulted in a multi-truck crash between Greg Van Alst and Brad Perez. An apparent mechanical issue sent Van Alst’s truck faster into the first turn and straight into Perez’s left-rear quarter panel, sending both trucks crashing into the SAFER barrier. Both drivers were evaluated and released from the infield care center.

Note: Post-race technical inspection concluded without issue, confirming Enfinger as the winner. The Nos. 11, 19 and 88 trucks will be taken back to the NASCAR R&D Center.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on by Zack Albert

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NBA legend Michael Jordan interrupted Denny Hamlin’s post-race interviews for a quick word of congratulation, reaching over reporters with his renowned wingspan to pop the bill of his friend and associate’s cap.

“Way to go, partner!” Jordan told his fellow team owner, touting their accomplishment of 23XI Racing placing both of its entries in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs for the first time in only its third year of competition. Bubba Wallace became the 16th and final qualifier for the 10-race postseason with a 12th-place finish in the Coke Zero Sugar 400. He’ll race for a title for the first time in his Cup Series career, joining teammate Tyler Reddick in the field.

RELATED: Wallace reaches postseason | Meet the 2023 playoffs field

The outcome at Daytona International Speedway ended a consequential closing stretch to the regular season for Wallace and his No. 23 Toyota team. The 29-year-old driver stayed clean during the final three races — challenging road-course events at Indianapolis and Watkins Glen, then the finale at often-fickle Daytona. Wallace eluded the trouble that thwarted his peers on the playoff bubble, qualifying on the basis of his points cushion when no new winners emerged in Saturday night’s showdown.

“He went through the toughest tests,” Hamlin said. “The toughest test is you’ve got two road courses that he’s not at the top at, and he’s got a superspeedway and he’s got to lead and he’s got to find a way to hold it, and he held serve to say the least. So really happy for that team and Bubba for accomplishing what we set out for a goal for that team at the beginning of the year, and that was to have two cars in the playoffs. That was the only goal that that race team had. Now it’s all up to them.”

Bubba Wallace is interviewed after the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway
Chris Graythen | Getty Images

Wallace was the first driver tapped to the 23XI roster when the organization launched in late 2020, just months before its debut season. It’s grown since, swelling to a two-car operation the next year and expanding again this season to include a third entry at select Cup Series events. The team is moving to a new shop, currently being built in Huntersville, North Carolina.

The team’s growth has also dovetailed with Wallace’s development behind the wheel in his sixth Cup Series season.

“I mean, he’s been a leader of this team from the beginning, right?” 23XI Racing president Steve Lauletta told NASCAR.com. “He was the only car we ran in 2021, so he’s seen and he’s got his fingerprints on everything we’ve been doing at 23XI and has continued to push us to get better, push himself to get better, and it showed tonight, for sure. Now we’ve got 10 weeks more to see what we can do.”

MORE: At-track photos: Daytona

What headway 23XI can make is one of the postseason’s burning questions. Reddick reached the playoffs the last two seasons with Richard Childress Racing, and the 2023 campaign marks a return postseason appearance in his first year with 23XI. The experience will be new for Wallace, who has scored both Cup Series wins in his career — 2021 at Talladega and last year at Kansas — during the playoffs.

Both of those tracks are back in the postseason rotation again this year, and Hamlin is optimistic about how far Wallace can advance.

“He’s gonna have fast cars, I can assure you of that,” Hamlin said. “And so, I think he’s gonna be excited and love the challenge that this is going to put in front of them. Certainly, I believe that the tracks lay out well for Bubba now, especially the first round, so I think certainly they can find themselves for a threat to go as deep as their execution. I think that’s going to be the key is, if they can execute to get some stage points, they can run pretty deep.”

Posted on by Staff Report

The No. 98 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team of Ty Majeski was penalized before Sunday’s Clean Harbors 175 at the Milwaukee Mile Speedway (4 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). NASCAR officials confiscated a right-rear tire in pre-race inspection, a tire that will not be replaced.

RELATED: Milwaukee schedule | Truck playoff standings

Crew chief Joe Shear was ejected and the team will have to start from the rear of the field and do a pass-through penalty. A NASCAR spokesperson said any additional penalties would come later in the week.

Majeski, who drives for ThorSport Racing, won the playoff opener on Aug. 11 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and is ranked first in the playoff standings.

MORE: Starting lineup for Sunday’s race

Posted on by Zack Albert

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Teammates Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman bumped fists on pit road after Saturday’s regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway. Their Chevrolets had been parked nose-to-tail at the front of the post-race queue, but neither Hendrick Motorsports car was leading that line when it counted at the checkered flag.

Elliott finished fourth and Bowman wound up sixth in Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400, each coming up just a handful of positions short of the needed victory that would have clinched the final berth in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Neither one could break through the flotilla of Ford drivers at the front of the pack down the stretch, and both drivers missed out on racing for the title for the first time in their Hendrick careers.

RELATED: Meet the Playoffs field | At-track photos

­­­Elliott, who missed seven regular-season races because of a combination of injury and suspension, at least took some solace in his No. 9 Chevrolet group qualifying for the Cup Series team owners championship. That separate title hunt will also play out during the next 10 races that close the 2023 season.

“I mean, look, it sucks, no question,” Elliott said. “But I’m glad the car got in. It’s a big deal and testament to Alan (Gustafson, his crew chief) and our team for just continuing to fight and whatnot while I was gone. You know, that there’s a lot of opportunity on that side of things, and it’s a really big deal. So we’d like to go and make some noise on that front. You know, it certainly isn’t ideal for me, but I look at these next 10 weeks as an opportunity to get better and really try to be prepared for next year.

“So I hate it. I hate the way that this worked out. I can’t change it now. We’ve been trying to fight through it, and we came up short. So that’s life sometimes. So I do think we’ll be better for this on the other end somewhere.”

Elliott and Bowman both made their final pit stops on Lap 146 of a scheduled 160, making quick work of their fuel-only service and gaining ground in the lead pack. When a caution period for Ryan Preece’s late-race flip on the back straightaway pushed the race for overtime, the two drivers chose the inside lane in line with each other — Elliott on Row 2 and Bowman behind him.

Elliott’s primary drafting partner ended up being Ford driver Kevin Harvick, a former rival in the final Daytona start of his career. But Elliott said he wasn’t able to stay locked on the bumper of Harvick’s No. 4 to use the aerodynamic draft to greater effect.

Elliott and Bowman both lamented that they were unable to work the draft as well as Ford teammates Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski, who controlled the pack up front and went 1-2 for RFK Racing.

“As far as tonight goes, we put ourselves in position and we did all the right things and we had a short last pit stop, which is what matters at speedway races and we were in contention, but then it just didn’t work out for us,” said Bowman, who also missed time during the regular season, sidelined for three points events and the All-Star Race as he recovered from injuries in a sprint-car crash. “You know, a lot of things happened this season, some way outside of my control and some that I do control myself and they all added up to missing it. The biggest thing is sitting on the couch for four weeks and that was my fault. So that’s on me, and (I’ve) got 10 more weeks to make it up to this Ally 48 team.”

MORE: Buescher wins at Daytona | Race Rewind: Daytona

Bowman had made the 16-driver field each year since landing a full-time role with Hendrick Motorsports starting in 2018. Elliott’s snapped streak was longer, ending a seven-year run that included Championship 4 appearances in three consecutive seasons and the 2020 Cup Series title.

The disruption to the No. 9 team’s plans for the season came after just two races when Elliott’s leg injury suffered in a snowboarding accident sidelined him for six events. A suspension for rough driving in the Coca-Cola 600 in May threw another hitch into the rhythm.

“I think they went through a lot this year,” said Jeff Andrews, Hendrick Motorsports team president and general manager. “If you look at what happened earlier in the year with Chase’s injury, and those kinds of things have a big effect on the team and the sync of the team. I’m proud of Alan and his guys. I mean, they fought through an awful lot this year. So we’ve got 10 races to go, and we’re gonna go try to win some races with both of those cars, the 48 and the 9.”

The evening’s outcome marked the second straight year that at least one high-profile driver missed out on the 16-driver postseason field. Last season, it was Martin Truex Jr., who made quite the turnaround in 2023 to capture the Regular-Season Championship.

Truex made sure that the defeat wasn’t an unshakeable burden, something Elliott aims to replicate next season.

“It doesn’t define me, so I think it’s a great point, and that’s reality,” Elliott said. “You know, narratives can change really fast, and that’s sports in general. The people who have the ability to change narratives really fast are the people that are better at controlling their own destiny, and that’s drivers and teams and crew members and everybody that plays a part in our race team. So yeah, look, like I said, it’s a bummer. I hate it. I would love to have a shot at a championship this year, but that’s not the way it unfolded, and that’s life. So all I can do from here is just try to be better for it down the road, and I intend to do that.”

Bowman’s succinct assessment of the team’s goals for the next 10 races included what he hopes is some foreshadowing for the 2024 season.

“We’ve just gotta execute like we’re in it, because we’re gonna be in it next year,” Bowman said. “We need to act like we are and learn all we can and try to go win races.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — With a long line of congratulatory crew members and his proud wife Amanda waiting for a high-five and kisses, respectively, Bubba Wallace climbed out of his No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota on Daytona International Speedway pit road Saturday night, turned toward his car, bowed his head and paused. Taking it all in.

After five seasons – and an assortment of previous championship-field near-misses – in NASCAR’s premier NASCAR Cup Series, the 29-year-old Alabama native claimed a 12th-place finish in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 and that effort coupled with a repeat winner – Chris Buescher’s third victory of the year – resulted in Wallace’s playoff debut. Officially, he earned the berth by 47 points over Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suárez and will join a 16-driver field eligible to compete for the season title.

RELATED: 16-driver playoff grid is set 

Wallace let out an emotional scream into the team radio on the post-race cooldown lap and joked, “I love Chris Buescher so much.”

With 15 of the 16 playoff positions already determined, Wallace went into the night holding a slim 32-point advantage over Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Ty Gibbs for the final transfer position. Wallace had multiple avenues to steer into the championship run – maintain his 16th place points position if there was no first-time season winner or win the race outright himself. There were 16 drivers who could have jumped over him in the championship standings should they score their first win of the season Saturday at Daytona.

“I don’t know if there was much strategy as much luck,” said Wallace, who has three runner-up finishes at Daytona and considers it one of his best venues.

“We executed. We had no personal mistakes, dodged a wreck or two and just survived.  … Something was off, and we didn’t have the 23-speed that we usually do when we come here. I think we tried some different things, but hey, we survived, and that’s what we wanted to do.

“We saw the 54 [Gibbs] and a lot of cars get taken out [in a 12-car accident on Lap 96] and knew what we wanted to do. We just didn’t need a new winner. With about 10 to go, I was like, ‘There’s going to be a new winner,’ then about eight to go, ‘All right, no new winner.’ Just an emotional rollercoaster those last laps.”

Things worked in Wallace’s favor, even if those closing laps were stressful. Five drivers finished better than him and were, at times, seriously challenging for that trophy and playoff bid. Outside polesitter Aric Almirola finished third. Chase Elliott was fourth, and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman sixth. Corey LaJoie finished 10th, and Ty Dillon earned an 11th-place showing. Had any of them won, they would be competing for the NASCAR Cup Series trophy instead of Wallace.

Elliott, who missed six races for a combination of a broken leg he suffered in a ski accident and a one-race suspension from NASCAR, went into the race a favorite for his past work at the track but also a longshot since he was 101 points behind Wallace at the green flag.

“It’s a bummer, for sure,” Elliott said. “Hate the season has worked out like it has. The good news is the car got in in the owner’s points. That’s a big deal. Credit to [crew chief] Alan [Gustafson] and everybody for continuing to work and scratch and claw while I was out to keep our team alive and to give ourselves a chance. That’s a big deal, probably much bigger than a lot of people realize to our team.

“Looking forward to these next 10 [races]. Try to make a little noise on that side of things and just try to get ready and prepared for next year. But I appreciate everybody’s support through this season. Hasn’t been what I would want by any means. Certainly going to be some lessons taken from it, and I think we’ll be better for it on the other end.”

As Wallace spoke to the gathered media members next to his car on pit road, he received a steady stream of hearty congratulations. His 23XI Racing teammate Tyler Reddick – also in the playoffs – came up behind Wallace and gave him a bearhug during a television interview. His team owner, Denny Hamlin, who finished 26th and just missed out on the regular-season championship, walked over for a hearty handshake and hug.

Wallace’s veteran crew chief, Bootie Barker, watched from a few feet away, smiling and proud – insisting he was always confident that Wallace and the team would advance to the title round.

“All the crew, 23XI, we got it done, and I’m proud of everybody,” Barker said, adding, “We knew you could get three green-white-checkers here, so didn’t get too excited.

“We have really good people, and I always tell my people how good they are, and now there’s proof. It makes them stronger, and they have more confidence and belief in our people, and the sky’s the limit.”

Wallace scored both his career NASCAR Cup Series wins in the playoffs — at Talladega Superspeedway and Kansas Speedway — although he wasn’t playoff eligible himself when he hoisted the trophies. That bodes well for his outlook and optimism level.

First, though, Wallace smiled and said he looked forward to sleeping through the night and changing the stress focus. Being on the “playoff bubble” has been a lot.

MORE: 2023 Cup standings | 2023 Cup schedule 

“I’m so focused on Darlington now and so relieved,” Wallace said.

“So many people told me, ‘Control what you can control.’ And we executed as we were supposed to.”

The first three-race elimination round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs begins next week with the traditional Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Sept. 3 (6 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), then continues with races at Kansas and Bristol Motor Speedway.

Posted on by Tadd Haislop

HAMPTON, Va. — Kyle Bonsignore’s trip to Victory Lane at Langley Speedway on Saturday night was a blissful execution of the routine. With a smile that could light up the entire Hampton Roads region, the 34-year-old accepted his trophy, conducted interviews and posed for photos.

The fact that this was the Bay Shore, New York native’s first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win in almost five years didn’t become evident until he was told he was about to receive a sticker.

“What sticker?” Bonsignore asked before realizing he was primed to commemorate his victory with a checkered flag decal next to the name plate on his pink and gray No. 22 Modified.

Kyle Bonsignore
(Photo: Ryan Kelly/NASCAR)

The detail was easy to forget for a driver who entered the CheckeredFlag.com 150 with a 58-race winless streak on the Modified Tour. During the time in between Bonsignore’s first victory (Stafford Motor Speedway in September of 2018) and his triumph Saturday, his cousin Justin Bonsignore won 19 races and three Modified Tour championships.

That’s why Justin Bonsignore rushed to his cousin’s car in Victory Lane and said “it’s about time” as he congratulated Kyle.

“It’s been a really long drought,” Kyle Bonsignore said. “It’s really hard to keep coming back, but you keep coming back for nights like this.”

Bonsignore noted his win Saturday at Langley was ironically similar to his victory at Stafford all those years ago. He won his first Tour race after leading the final five laps, and only the final five laps. He pulled off the same feat Saturday in dramatic fashion, stealing the lead from Austin Beers with five to go and beating his rival in a dash to the finish.

RELATED: Complete Mods results from Langley

Beers, who recorded the best lap in practice and earned the Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole Award in qualifying, led the first 145 circuits of the 150-lap race. But Bonsignore’s speed was evident, too, as he spent the entirety of the event lurking behind Beers in second.

Beers and Bonsignore both knew the latter had the faster car. After Bonsignore made the pass, Beers fought hard to take back the spot before settling for the runner-up result.

“I knew he was going to do everything he could to get back to my bumper, and I would have done the same thing to him,” Bonsignore said of Beers. “I immediately went into defensive mode. Our car was really good off the corner, and here that’s everything, so he couldn’t get a good enough run through the corner and off. So as long as I could hold him off on entry, I knew I could pull away from him enough on the straightaway to not have to worry about him as much.

“I probably was over-driving it those last few laps trying to keep him behind me. If I would have just done what I was doing, I probably would have pulled away. But there was just a few laps to go, so I did whatever I had to do.”

Kyle Bonsignore
Kyle Bonsignore (Photo: Ryan Kelly/NASCAR)

Beers confirmed he did everything he could to get back to Bonsignore, but he had no intentions of making any kind of move that might cause an accident. He said Bonsignore took the lead clean, and that he was going to race clean in return.

Bonsignore’s win at Langley is the new high point of a 2023 season that has seen the team succeed in many ways. His average finish of 10.3 thus far this year is tied for his second best average for a season in his career. He has seven top-10 finishes in 12 races, including a fourth-place effort at New York’s Riverhead Raceway in June.

Though this triumph had been elusive over the last few years, the win Bonsignore earned Saturday was not a fluke. He was second quick in practice and fourth in qualifying. He was the only driver who was able to keep pace with Beers before asserting his clear advantage in the closing laps.

Beers, who has a pair of Modified Tour wins in 2023 as he hangs on to third place in the championship points battle, notched his seventh top-five finish of the season Saturday.

Justin Bonsignore finished third ahead of Ron Silk in fourth and Kyle Ebersole in fifth.

Tyler Rypkema, Jake Johnson, Max McLaughlin, Craig Lutz and Anthony Nocella finished sixth through 10th, respectively.

A replay of the CheckeredFlag.com 150 at Langley will air on USA on Saturday, Sept. 16 starting at 2 p.m. ET.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to action next week with the Toyota Mod Classic 150 at New York’s Oswego Speedway on Sept. 2. That race is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET with live coverage on FloRacing.

Posted on by Staff Report

Ryan Preece was released from Halifax Medical Center on Sunday morning and on his way back to North Carolina, according to a press release from Stewart-Haas Racing. Preece went for a violent barrel roll in the closing laps of Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Traveling down the backstretch at Lap 156, Preece’s No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford was contacted in the rear bumper by Erik Jones. Preece’s car veered left across the nose of teammate Chase Briscoe’s car. The right side of his vehicle lifted off the ground, resulting in a series of tumbles through the grass on the back straightaway.

RELATED: At-track photos: Daytona | Cup Series schedule

After flipping at least 10 times, Preece emerged from his car under his own power and with assistance from the AMR Safety Team. The 32-year-old got on a stretcher and was transported to the infield care center.

Preece was later transported to a local medical facility for further evaluation.

In the early-morning hours of Sunday, Stewart-Haas Racing provided an update on Preece’s condition:

“NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Preece will remain overnight at Halifax Health Medical Center for continued observation,” the team said in a statement. “The driver of the No. 41 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing is awake, alert and mobile and has been communicating with family and friends. Preece will undergo another evaluation by medical personnel later this morning. An update will be provided in the afternoon.”

Preece posted on social media Saturday night, noting, “if you want to be a race car driver, you better be tough.”