Posted on by Reid Spencer

The moment has finally arrived for full-time drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, whose playoff field will be written in stone after Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway (3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

RELATED: Xfinity Series standings | Kansas schedule

Ten drivers already have clinched berths in the postseason. Eight are in on wins: series leader Austin Hill, John Hunter Nemechek, Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Sam Mayer, Chandler Smith, Sammy Smith and Jeb Burton. Two have qualified on points: Josh Berry and Sheldon Creed.

Daniel Hemric will clinch simply by scoring one point at Kansas, even if a driver below him in the standings wins the race.

That leaves Riley Herbst and Parker Kligerman to battle for the final playoff spot, with Herbst holding a one-point lead entering the decider. Herbst surged back into the final playoff-eligible position with a sixth-place finish on Saturday at Darlington, where a late-race wreck relegated Kligerman to 24th.

Herbst, still seeking his first Xfinity Series win, will be keeping a close eye on points throughout Saturday’s race.

“At the end of the day, we show up at the race track each and every weekend to contend for the win,” said Herbst, who climbed as high as second in the standings before a rash of five DNFs (did not finish) in 10 races placed him squarely on the playoff bubble. “It’s cool to be back in the playoffs at the moment, and I’m hoping we can keep ourselves in contention.

“We never wanted to be in this position with how solid we were at the beginning of the year, but I know that we can bounce back from this. My hope is that we can go out, contend for the win and lock ourselves in the playoffs with a victory, but we’re also going to be conscious of the points. We’re in the better position right now above the cut line, so it’s about finding that balance.”

At the top of the standings, the Regular Season Championship likewise won’t be decided until Saturday. Hill holds a lead of 23 points over Nemechek and 33 over Allgaier. The regular-season winner gets a bonus of 15 playoff points, with 10 going to the runner-up and eight to the third-place driver.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

Once upon a time, Kyle Busch considered Kansas Speedway a “jinx” track.

He finished 37th in his debut race at the 1.5-mile speedway in 2004. A decade later, Busch scored his first top five at the track, and it wasn’t until 2016 that he found its Victory Lane for the first time.

Busch’s win that year marked the completion of a dramatic turnaround at a speedway he couldn’t solve early in his career. It was part of a streak of five straight top fives and eight straight top 10s, transforming Kansas from a track Busch dreaded to one he relished.

Lately, though, the track has been trending back toward the “jinx” category, leaving it a matter of conjecture as to which Kansas will greet Busch when he returns for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 (3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

KANSAS: Full schedule | Projected results

After a gritty 11th-place finish in last Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, Busch enters the second playoff race of 2023 seventh in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, 20 points above the current elimination line for the Round of 12.

“Overall, it was just nice to get an 11th-place finish … for what looked like was going to be a 20th,” said Busch, who had to start the Darlington race from the rear after slapping the wall in practice, necessitating repairs to his car. “Definitely not a day that we wanted but just survived with what we could there.

“Really proud of everyone at RCR and ECR (Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines) for fighting hard all day long. The pit crew had some really good stops today and got us some spots on pit road. We had issues, some self-inflicted and some with our strategy with just the luck of the draw with how the cautions fell. …

“At least we get to live to fight another day.”

A 20-point margin is tenuous, however, considering that Busch has finished 26th and 35th in his last two starts at the Midwest track, the latter of which was his first run with his new Richard Childress Racing team.

Then again, Busch picked up his first victory in the No. 8 RCR Chevrolet at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. — like Kansas, a downforce track.

And Busch’s situation is far less perilous than those of the drivers who occupy positions 11 through 15 in the playoff standings — Joey Logano, Christopher Bell, Bubba Wallace, Kevin Harvick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., respectively.

Between Logano in 11th and Stenhouse in 15th, there’s a six-point spread, providing the opportunity for considerable movement at Kansas.

Having escaped Darlington with a 16th-place finish, Stenhouse feels the final two tracks in the first round (Kansas and Bristol) are more to his liking.

“If we do our job, I feel like we can transfer through rounds,” Stenhouse said. “We’re focused on the first round. We’ll see where we end up after Bristol Motor Speedway and figure it out from there on out.

“Darlington was probably the least of the best tracks for us. I’ve run good at Kansas before, and Bristol is my favorite track by far.”

Posted on by Brandon White

Tommy Baldwin Jr. and Doug Coby have unfinished business to address.

With the owner-driver duo still leading the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup presented by JDV Productions, they are bringing out the iconic No. 7NY for a one-off appearance in Saturday’s Winchester Fair at Monadnock Speedway with the goal of obtaining another accomplishment together.

“After winning at Monadnock in May and leading the Cup standings heading into Saturday, we really wanted to make this event happen,” Baldwin said. “The team will be ready to roll into Monadnock to chase the Cup title, but also another win for Mayhew Tools and everyone involved with Doug and our team.”

Mods at Monadnock: Entry list | Buy tickets | How to watch

Doug Coby and Tommy Baldwin Jr. (Photo: Nick Grace/NASCAR)

Baldwin was forced to step away from the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in August after he was diagnosed with cancer. He is progressing well in his treatments and is determined to be back with the series on a more regular basis once his cancer is in remission.

Despite the setback, there were plenty of incentives for Baldwin to finish out the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup with Coby. Not only can the team earn a $5,000 championship payout, but they are also eligible for $6,400 in bonuses stemming from leading the most laps and recording the best average finish across the three-race series.

Coby started the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup on the right note by earning a dominant win at Monadnock after leading 188 of 200 laps. He followed that performance with a sixth at Lee USA Speedway, giving him a narrow, three-point lead in the standings.

Confidence is on Coby’s side as he makes final preparations for Saturday’s Winchester Fair. He is thrilled to be back in the No. 7NY after a two-race hiatus and is willing to help Baldwin in any way possible as he continues his recovery.

“We had a great car last time at Monadnock,” Coby said. “This will be a little bit of a different race being at night compared to the daytime back in May.

“As far as Tommy wanting to go to the track, it’s good for him to have something different to focus on, and he feels good enough to make it happen, which is great to hear.”

Baldwin Strong stickers can be purchased at TommyBadlwinRacing.com. All proceeds will be donated to the Matheny School, a hospital for children and adults with medically complex developmental disabilities.

The Winchester Fair at Monadnock Speedway is set to take place Saturday evening at 8 p.m. ET. FloRacing will provide coverage of all the on-track action.

Austin Beers looks to continue stellar sophomore campaign by claiming a Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup title. (Photo: Dakota Moyer/NASCAR)

Austin Beers within striking distance of Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup

With Jon McKennedy and Matt Hirschman not expected to compete in the Winchester Fair, Austin Beers is the closest to overtaking Doug Coby for the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup crown.

Currently trailing Coby by just six points, Beers’ position in the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup standings is one of many highlights from what has been a successful sophomore campaign on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

Beers broke through for his first pole and victory in the second race of the 2023 season at Richmond Raceway. He has followed that win up with four more poles and another win, which he obtained at Lancaster Motorplex last month.

The speed Beers has shown throughout the 2023 season has been prevalent in the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup. He has not finished outside the top five in either event, with a third-place run at Lee USA Speedway being his best showing in the three-race series.

Beers will need to be perfect in Saturday’s Winchester Fair if he wishes to usurp Doug Coby and become the second Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup champion.

Sam Rameau is only nine points back from a potential Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup championship. (Photo: Rachel O’Driscoll/NASCAR)

Sam Rameau looks to finish Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup on a high note

Part-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver Sam Rameau also finds himself in the mix for the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup with just a nine-point deficit.

Rameau opened the three-race series with a solid sixth-place finish at Monadnock Speedway in May. His fourth-place performance at Lee USA Speedway is what has him in contention for the championship heading into Saturday’s Winchester Fair at Monadnock.

Rameau last competed full-time on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2020. Since then, he has made infrequent appearance with the series but has mixed it up with the series regulars by recording a top-five finish in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

The top five Rameau obtained at Lee USA matched his career-best finish at Monadnock the year before. Having found a comfort zone in the first two legs of the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup, Rameau enters the final leg as a legitimate contender for the crown.

Coby stands in the way of Rameau pulling off a potential upset, but the Westminster, Massachusetts native can still end the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup with a top-five points finish if he finishes strong in the Winchester Fair.

NOTES:

  • Current NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour points leader Ron Silk sits fifth in the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup standings. Silk enters the Winchester Fair at Monadnock Speedway with momentum on his side, as he is fresh off his fourth win of the year at Oswego Speedway.
  • The second leg of the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup at Lee USA Speedway saw rookie Brian Robie qualify on the outside pole before finishing 11th. Robie earned a lead-lap finish of 13th in the first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Monadnock this year and is seeking his second career top 10 on Saturday night.
  • After running five races in the No. 46 for Russell Goodale, Anthony Nocella is back in his family-owned No. 92 for Saturday’s Winchester Fair at Monadnock Speedway. Nocella is looking for a much better showing at Monadnock on Saturday after a broken rear end relegated him to 27th in May.
  • Monadnock Speedway regular Nathan Wenzel is set to make his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour debut Saturday. A four-time winner in Monadnock’s weekly division this year, Wenzel looks to carry over that efficiency into Saturday’s Winchester Fair.
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. Bruce Heggerud, the safety director at Edmonton International Raceway, is the Home Track Hero whose name will appear on Blaney’s car during the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Simply put: Edmonton International Raceway in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada could not operate as smooth as it does without the aid of the man who’s volunteered at the quarter-mile race track for more than 30 years and never missed a race event.

Bruce Heggerud was working as search and rescue officer when he joined Edmonton to aid in its safety program all those years ago. Now doubling as the safety director at the track while serving his primary job as a truck driver for Maple Leaf Foods, Heggerud remains the first employee to arrive at Edmonton on a race day and the last to leave.

Heggerud uses his own truck, covered with logo stickers and topped with Whelen safety lights, for his safety work at the race track. The staff applauds him for having constantly improved EIR’s safety program over the course of his tenure, not to mention his work away from the track. For example, the former volunteer firefighter once organized fire safety training for the Wetaskiwin City Fire Department.

Heggerud’s weekday job also allows him to aid others on occasion. While driving his rig, he never passes a stranded car on the side of the road without pulling over to make sure all people involved are OK and receiving the aid they need. He even has assisted the local police and fire departments on dispatch calls.

Heggerud’s passion for the well-being of others can only be rivaled by his love for racing at Edmonton International Raceway. Even when that dedication clashed against a new affection, when he was planning his wedding years ago, the race track had to be considered. Heggerud made sure to schedule his summer wedding on a weekend when the track was not hosting an event.

Heggerud is a Home Track Hero in more ways than one, but to Edmonton International Raceway, he’s the lifeblood that keeps the track’s safety program top-notch.

Posted on by Staff Report

Darlington Raceway is commonly coined the “Track Too Tough to Tame” for a reason, and last Sunday’s Round of 16 opener at the fabled location didn’t diminish this long-held notion a bit. After all, 10 of 16 playoff drivers had varying mishaps, further proving Darlington’s reputation as a tough postseason-opening venue.

RELATED: Playoff Pulse | Where Larson and Byron land in current Power Rankings 

But while uncertainty might have surrounded many drivers during the Cook Out Southern 500, there was nothing but certainty for Kyle Larson and William Byron, especially regarding each team’s respective pit crews.

In the case of Larson, his crew — led by front-tire changer Blaine Anderson, rear-tire changer Calvin Teague, tire carrier RJ Barnette, jackman Brandon Johnson and fueler Brandon Harder — helped vault the No. 5 firmly inside the top four among all Cup teams in average four-tire pit stop times (11.244 seconds). The No. 24 piloted by Byron, meanwhile, continued to maintain his top position — with an average four-tire pit stop time at 11.071 seconds — thanks to front-tire changer Orane Ossowski, rear-tire changer Jeff Cordero, tire carrier Ryan Patton, jackman Spencer Bishop and fueler Landon Walker.

And what fruits did this labor eventually help net for both drivers? Larson won at Darlington and clinched a Round of 12 berth, while Byron’s fourth-place result was the No. 24’s third consecutive finish inside the top 10, dating back to the team’s victory at Watkins Glen International. Should the Hendrick Motorsports duo wish to continue their positive playoff push, efficiency in the pits will be critical.

See below to analyze additional pit-road statistics through Darlington and before the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, USA Network, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

TEN FASTEST FOUR-TIRE PIT STOPS IN 2023

RankTrackDriverTime
1SonomaKyle Busch9.185 seconds
2Richmond-2Daniel Suárez9.260 seconds
3Richmond-2Ty Gibbs9.276 seconds
4NashvilleKyle Larson9.281 seconds
5SonomaAustin Cindric9.301 seconds
6Richmond-1Corey LaJoie 9.309 seconds
7NashvilleDaniel Suárez9.333 seconds
8Richmond-2Ty Gibbs9.343 seconds
9CharlotteWilliam Byron 9.383 seconds
10Richmond-2Denny Hamlin9.408 seconds

BEST AVERAGE FOUR-TIRE PIT STOP TIMES IN 2023

Posted on by Cameron Richardson

Last Sunday’s Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway was another race to remember after bedlam in the Final Stage crafted more questions than answers in the Cup Series Round of 16.

With Kansas Speedway on the horizon, the goal for playoff drivers will be a clean afternoon to either have a healthy gap heading to the elimination race at Bristol Motor Speedway or win and not have to worry about points racing on the short track. Before Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 (3 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), take a look at the top story lines entering Kansas, trends to watch at the 1.5-mile oval and interactive ways to follow all the action this weekend.

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

PROVING GROUND FOR 23XI RACING 📍

Entering the Kansas playoff race last season, Tyler Reddick held a 32-point gap above the Round of 12 elimination line. He appeared to have the dominant car early in the Sunflower State until wrecking late in Stage 1 set Reddick up to be eliminated in the Round of 16 for a second-consecutive season at Bristol.

Reddick is in similar territory entering Sunday as he’s 30 points above the elimination line after a runner-up finish at Darlington. Toyota has dominated on speed in recent Cup events at Kansas, and this weekend should be no different. Reddick’s teammate Bubba Wallace is the defending winner of the Kansas playoff race and had a great top-10 run at Darlington to pull himself just one point from the top 12.

A mistake-free day for Reddick and Wallace could mean two spots potentially secured in the next round for all 23XI Racing.

📉 TRENDS TO WATCH 📈

— Toyota has won the last three Kansas races.

— Four of the last five Kansas winners got their first win of the season.

— 37 lead changes at Kansas in the spring set a track record.

— The race winner started in the top 10 for the last seven Kansas races.

(Via Racing Insights)

CLASSIC KANSAS SPEEDWAY RACES 🎥

2001: Jeff Gordon wins inaugural Kansas race | WATCH

2004: Joe Nemechek, Ricky Rudd battle for win in closing laps | WATCH

2015: Logano spins Kenseth late to amplify playoff drama | WATCH

ON-TRACK SCHEDULE 🗓️

Saturday, September 9

— Noon ET: Practice (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App)

— 12:45 p.m. ET: Qualifying (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App)

Sunday, September 10

— 3 p.m., ET: Hollywood Casino 400 (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App)

MORE: Full weekend schedule at Kansas

RULE CHANGES/GOODYEAR TIRE NOTES 🛞

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

Cup teams will run the same tire setup that was used at Kansas in May. Goodyear will allot one set of tires to teams for practice, one for qualifying and an additional eight sets 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.

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

Legacy Motor Club announced Wednesday that John Hunter Nemechek will drive for its No. 42 team next season, bringing the 26-year-old driver back to the NASCAR Cup Series.

Nemechek is currently in his first full season with Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series, where he ranks second in the standings with one race left before the playoffs begin. The move, announced Wednesday on FOX Sports’ Race Hub news program, makes Legacy MC his third team in the last four years.

RELATED: Xfinity Series standings | Kansas schedule

“To be able to announce my plans for next season so early and officially say I will be competing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series relieves a lot of pressure,” Nemechek said in a statement. “There is so much to be done for next year, and this gives us the opportunity to get the news out there and move forward. Also, driving for Maury (Gallagher), Jimmie (Johnson) and Richard Petty is a dream come true for me.”

Co-owner Johnson and John Hunter’s father, Joe, were teammates at Hendrick Motorsports in 2002 and 2003, as the elder Nemechek drove the No. 25 entry in the Cup Series. John Hunter was just five years old at that time.

“We’re excited to have John Hunter in the Legacy Motor Club family and I can’t wait to see what he can do in the No. 42 next season,” Johnson said in a statement. “He is impressive both on and off the track and will be a great ambassador for Legacy M.C. and our partners. He will be a solid teammate to Erik (Jones) and I can’t wait to watch them both compete for wins and championships for years to come.”

Nemechek’s lone full season in the Cup Series was 2020 when he joined Front Row Motorsports’ No. 38 team. Since then, he has been in the Toyota development pipeline, driving two seasons with Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series before jumping to the Xfinity Series and JGR. The last three years have been among Nemechek’s most prolific, with 13 of his 20 national-series victories arriving during that stretch.

Nemechek will remain in the Toyota camp with the shift. Legacy Motor Club announced in May that it would switch its manufacturer partnership from Chevrolet to Toyota for 2024.

The personnel move is intended to bring stability to the No. 42 team, which began the year with rookie Noah Gragson behind the wheel. Gragson was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR on Aug. 5 for a member conduct violation, and Legacy Motor Club granted his release from the team five days later.

Since Gragson’s suspension, three drivers have taken his place in the No. 42 Chevy — Josh Berry and Mike Rockenfeller for two races each, and Truck Series regular Carson Hocevar in the series’ most recent event at Darlington Raceway. Hocevar, 20, is also scheduled to drive the No. 42 in the Cup Series’ next two races, at Kansas Speedway this Sunday and at Bristol Motor Speedway the next weekend.

The organization is in its first season under the Legacy Motor Club banner. The former Petty GMS Motorsports team transformed in the offseason with the addition of seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson to its ownership group.

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR-themed teddy bears are being delivered to children in hospitals across the United States, Mexico and Canada as The NASCAR Foundation and Kaulig Giving join together for the seventh annual Speedy Bear Brigade. This year’s efforts will bring the cumulative total to more than 11,000 Speedy Bears delivered since the program’s inception, providing comfort to children during their hospital stays.

“To have surpassed 10,000 bears delivered in just seven years is truly amazing,” said Nichole Krieger, executive director and vice president, The NASCAR Foundation. “Support from donors like Kaulig Giving, NASCAR partners and all of our wonderful NASCAR fans is so important to help us continue the vision of Betty Jane France to bring comfort to kids in the hospital.”

This year’s efforts mark the biggest to date with 100 hospitals participating in race markets across the United States, Mexico and Canada. The initiative surrounds National Teddy Bear Day on Saturday, Sept. 9, with events in Akron, Ohio, home to Kaulig Giving headquarters, as well as Charlotte, North Carolina, and Daytona Beach, Florida, home to NASCAR headquarters.

“We’re honored to team up with The NASCAR Foundation to deliver cheer, positivity and comfort to children in hospitals across the country through the Speedy Bear Brigade program,” said Matt Kaulig, team owner of Kaulig Racing and founder of Kaulig Giving. “Our partnership with The NASCAR Foundation continues to grow on and off the track and is a priority for us. All of us share the incredible goal of impacting the communities we love by helping children in need live happier, healthier lives.”

NASCAR fans are encouraged to join the Speedy Bear Brigade by making a $25 donation to The NASCAR Foundation to sponsor a Speedy Bear and send an inspirational message to a child in the hospital. As an additional incentive, Kaulig Giving will match each $25 donation made at NASCARfoundation.org/speedybear for a total gift of $25,000.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR competition officials plan to introduce a stricter inspection process in the Xfinity Series after a recent flurry of pre-race failures.

Officials indicated this week that tougher penalties will be in place starting with the Sept. 15 event at Bristol Motor Speedway, which will open the seven-race Xfinity Series Playoffs.

RELATED: Xfinity Series standings | Xfinity schedule

Starting at Bristol, officials plan to penalize teams that fail pre-race inspection two times by ejecting a crew member. Previously, the threshold for an ejection was three inspection failures.

Seven Xfinity Series teams failed pre-race inspection twice ahead of the circuit’s most recent event, Saturday’s 200-miler at Darlington Raceway. Six cars failed pre-race inspection twice before the previous race in Daytona.

Posted on by Adam Fenwick

For the first time in series history, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will visit New Hampshire’s Monadnock Speedway twice in a single season. It will happen when the Tour returns to the quarter-mile bullring Saturday for the inaugural running of the Winchester Fair (8 p.m. ET on FloRacing).

The 14th race of the 2023 Modified Tour season will double as the finale of the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup. The Cup’s originally scheduled finale at Claremont Motorsports Park was canceled due to inclement weather, setting the stage for Saturday’s showdown at Monadnock.

Saturday’s race will mark the 16th time the series has visited the Winchester, New Hampshire track dating back to 1986. Drivers to have visited Victory Lane at Monadnock include four-time winner Justin Bonsignore, two-time winner Doug Coby, Todd Szegedy, Jamie Tomaino, Jimmy Spencer, Mike Stefanik, Timmy Solomito, Reggie Ruggiero, Ryan Preece, Ted Christopher and Ken Bouchard.

Tickets to Saturday’s Winchester Fair are available here. Below is everything you need to know about the 14th race of the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.

Winchester Fair at Monadnock Speedway

What to watch for:

At least for one weekend, Tommy Baldwin Racing and Doug Coby are back.

The team owned by Tommy Baldwin Jr. on Saturday will make its return to the series after missing the last two events following Baldwin’s announcement of a cancer diagnosis.

Coby and Baldwin return with one goal in mind: Win the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup and the $5,000 car owner bonus that comes with it.

The team enters the Winchester Fair as the leader in the three-race miniseries produced by event promoter JDV Productions. Coby won the Modified Tour’s most recent race at Monadnock earlier this year, making TBR’s crew the favorites to leave with the Cup.

Several drivers will look to dethrone Coby and Baldwin, including two-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race winner Austin Beers, who sits only six points behind Coby for the Cup. NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship points leader Ron Silk is also in contention, as he finds himself just seven points behind Coby.

MORE MONADNOCK: Watch live Saturday on FloRacing

Regional contender Sam Rameau is also in the hunt for the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup, and he enters Saturday’s race nine points behind Coby. Justin Bonsignore will look to rebound from a rough race at Oswego Speedway with a strong run at Monadnock as he attempts to keep Silk within striking distance in the battle for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship.

Anthony Nocella returns to the Tour in his family-owned No. 92, as does Woody Pitkat, who will once again be in the No. 6 owned by Stan Mertz. Craig Lutz, Kyle Bonsignore, Jake Johnson and Tyler Rypkema are among the other entrants. One driver, Nathan Wenzel, will be making his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour debut Saturday night.

The complete entry list for the Winchester Fair is available here.

Ron Silk in action during the Duel at the Dog 200 at Monadnock Speedway on May 6, 2023. (Photo: Nick Grace/NASCAR)

RACE FACTS

Race Winchester Fair
Date Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023
Track Monadnock Speedway
Layout Quarter-mile paved oval
Location Winchester, New Hampshire
Start Time 8 p.m. ET
Laps 150
Posted awards $83,845
Live stream FloRacing (Live)

Schedule: Saturday, Sept. 9 … Final practice from 2:55-3:55 p.m. ET … Qualifying at 5:30 p.m. ET … Winchester Fair at 8:30 p.m. ET (FloRacing).

Qualifying: Two consecutive qualifying laps. Faster lap determines qualifying position. Adjustments or repairs may not be made on the vehicle after the vehicle has taken the green flag at the start/finish line. NASCAR reserves the right to have more than one vehicle engage in qualifying runs at the same time. Starting field for the inaugural Winchester Fair is limited to 28 starters including Provisional Positions.

Tire allotment: The maximum tire allotment available for this event is eight (8) tires per team. All tires used for qualifying and the race must be purchased at the track and scanned by Hoosier, unless otherwise approved in advance by the Series Director. Four (4) tires must be used for qualifying and to begin the race. All qualifying tires must remain in impound until released by NASCAR Officials. The remaining tire allotment may be used for practice and/or change tires during the event. The tire change rule is zero (0) tires, any position.