Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

CONCORD, N.C. — First, second and second. A Round of 12 average finish of 1.67. William Byron is acting every bit the part of a No. 1 seed entering the penultimate round of the postseason.

The Round of 8 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs is here — and so is Byron. A win at Texas Motor Speedway on Sept. 24 gave the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports driver an additional five playoff points to his total tallies, creating separation from second-seeded Martin Truex Jr. ahead of the round reset.

And while only five markers separate the two competitors, their respective swings in momentum could not be more opposite.

RELATED: Playoff Pulse: Instant Roval recap | Las Vegas schedule

Byron capitalized on being in the right place at the right time in every Round of 12 race, riding a streak of seven top 10s in his last eight races dating back to his Aug. 20 win at Watkins Glen International. A six-time winner this year — tripling his previous career-best season win total — Byron pounced on a late-race restart in Fort Worth to charge past Chase Briscoe and Bubba Wallace in the closing laps to capture victory.

At Talladega Superspeedway, a third-place finish morphed to second when Kevin Harvick’s No. 4 Ford was disqualified for an issue regarding loosened windshield fasteners. Byron was quick at his hometown track in Charlotte on Sunday, but his average running position of 7.58 didn’t indicate a runner-up finish was in store for the No. 24 team. He found a way to pick through the field toward the finish, though, and was just 0.666 seconds shy of his seventh win of 2023.

“Just proud of the whole team. We definitely improved a lot as the race went on,” Byron said. “… Just good momentum. We’ve got to keep it rolling. I’d like to finish one-two-two in the next round, too. That would be ideal, but we just have to keep performing like this, and we’ll be where we want to be.”

On the other hand, Truex is struggling mightily by his standards. The 2017 Cup champion has won three races this year but hasn’t even finished inside the top 15 during the postseason — not since a sixth-place finish at Watkins Glen. His best finish in the six playoff races thus far? A 17th-place run at Texas.

The No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team did enough to advance through the Round of 12 with finishes of 17th, 18th at Talladega and 20th at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course.

“This track has just been a thorn in our side,” Truex said after Charlotte. “Feel good about moving on and feel good about what we can do the next three races. Some good tracks for us, and hopefully, we can get something going. It’s been a pretty tough playoffs so far.”

The playoff points accrued over the course of the regular season have cushioned Truex’s buffer to the elimination line in each round of the postseason. Three wins garnered five playoff points apiece for 15 total, accompanied by an additional 15 for winning the Regular Season Championship. Throw in six stage wins for an additional six, and Truex has had 36 total playoff points to lean on as they carry over from round to round.

“I didn’t create the system. We used it to our advantage. That won’t get us through the next one,” Truex said. “The next one, you’ve got to be running up front. Two winners of the next three races are probably going to be playoff guys that are still going. Need to turn it up, and we need to figure it out quickly.

“That’s the beauty, and that’s the thing that sucks about this deal, you know what I mean? I’m sure there’s guys that are upset. They outran us enough to get in, but they didn’t have the bonus points. It is what it is. I hate that we didn’t run better today or finish better, at least. I thought the first two stages, maybe our car was pretty decent, but, man, I don’t know what happened. Need to go back and look at that. It wasn’t much fun, but we made it, so here we go. We’ll try three more.”

As it stands, Byron enters the Round of 8 with a 20-point margin over the elimination line, with the next divide set to occur after races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Oct. 15), Homestead-Miami Speedway (Oct. 22) and Martinsville Speedway (Oct. 29). Following Martinsville, four drivers will ship to Phoenix Raceway (Nov. 5) to fight for the Cup championship. The other four will see their title hopes erased.

Denny Hamlin, left, and Tyler Reddick race in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Charlotte road course
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Studios

Truex sits 15 points above that elimination line, with Denny Hamlin third (+11) and Kyle Larson fourth (+3). On the outside looking in are Chris Buescher (-3), Christopher Bell (-8), Tyler Reddick (-8) and Ryan Blaney (-10).

Hamlin led just three laps (all at Talladega) during the Round of 12 — a stark contrast from the Round of 16 in which he led 382 laps with finishes of 25th, second and first. Larson, who dominated the race at Homestead-Miami last year with 199 of 267 laps led, struggled through the Round of 12 after crashing out at Texas before midpack results at Talladega and the Charlotte road course, 15th and 13th respectively.

However, those two remain favorites to advance to the Championship 4. Results of fifth at Texas and third at Talladega propelled Hamlin forward, highlighting the speed the No. 11 Toyota has shown all year. Larson’s No. 5 team proved ever-resilient in Charlotte, where a practice crash led to a thrash two miles down the street at Hendrick Motorsports to prepare a worthy backup car. Team members worked until 3 a.m. ET Sunday morning to get the secondary vehicle ready. Their efforts paid off, and the 2021 Cup champion has a seemingly clear path to compete for title No. 2.

MORE: Larson crew chief Daniels on gritty Charlotte effort | Updated title odds

Buescher ended the 26-race regular season on a tear, winning three of the final five events (Michigan, Richmond, Daytona) to net a critical 15 Playoff Points. The speed he showed in Michigan could translate to strong runs at Las Vegas and Homestead, but his hill to climb into the Championship 4 isn’t as steep as others.

Bell is used to life beneath the elimination line but used walk-off victories a season ago, both in the Round of 12 and the Round of 8, winning at the Charlotte road course and at Martinsville to launch into the title round. His 2023 Round of 8 entry was far less dramatic, and he’ll hope to need less flair to advance to the title round for a second straight season.

Reddick impressed with a late charge at Kansas Speedway in September to score the victory at the 1.5-mile tri-oval on a late-race restart. Vegas sets up similarly to Kansas and could play in his favor — as could Homestead, another 1.5-mile oval where he’s finished inside the top five twice in three starts.

Blaney enters at the worst deficit but perhaps with the sneakiest path to the Championship 4. This year marks the third consecutive season — and fifth overall — that Blaney has qualified for the Round of 8. Last year, strong runs at Vegas and Homestead were derailed by mistakes that saw the No. 12 Team Penske Ford spin in consecutive weeks. But he has performed well at both in the past — and his 9.5 average finish at Martinsville is his best anywhere in the Cup Series. And oh, by the way — he’s also finished second in each of the last two races at Phoenix.

Posted on by Press Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 9, 2023) — NASCAR and Rev Racing announced today the names of 15 drivers participating in the Advance Auto Parts Drive for Diversity Combine taking place on Oct. 9-11 in Concord, North Carolina, and Florence, South Carolina. This marks the second year for Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider and the Official Auto Parts Retailer of NASCAR, serving as the primary sponsor of the Advance Auto Parts Drive for Diversity Combine.

Drivers from around the United States and several countries applied to the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program hoping to be selected. After going through a careful process, 15 drivers were chosen to travel to Concord and Florence to be evaluated by judges from across the NASCAR industry. Each participant will be assessed in different areas, from physical fitness and on-track performance to media and marketing skills.

“We look forward to working closely with the drivers selected this year. It’s a strong group of young talent and we’re excited by the level of competition we hope to see over the three-day combine,” NASCAR’s VP of Diversity and Inclusion Brandon Thompson said. “We are also excited to have Advance Auto Parts back with us for a second year. They share our passion for advancing inclusion and representation within the next generation of drivers; it is a partnership based on shared values.”

“We could not be more thrilled about the growth of our race team over the last several years,” Rev Racing Owner Max Siegel said. “We have a solid vision for Rev Racing moving into the future, and as an organization, we have never been more positioned for advancement and success. We are energized by the high level of participating athletes and look forward to building the best driver class for 2024.”

The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program was created in 2004 to develop and train top drivers from diverse backgrounds and experiences, both on and off the track. NASCAR Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace, Daniel Suárez and Kyle Larson are alumni of the program operated by Rev Racing in Concord.

“Our team is delighted to participate in such a meaningful program that provides valuable opportunities for the next generation of racing talent,” Advance’s Chief Marketing Officer Samantha Avivi said. “Diversity, equity and inclusion are cornerstones for the Advance brand, and we’re looking forward to working with NASCAR, Rev Racing and this year’s impressive class of drivers to help build their careers in the sport.”

The entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series (NAAPWS) and Advance My Track Challenge, Advance is dedicated to enhancing the experience for race fans, drivers and teams at NASCAR’s Home Tracks across North America. As a partner of the Advance Auto Parts Drive for Diversity Combine, the retailer continues to expand its presence in the sport.

This year’s candidates were evaluated based on applications, references and previous on-track performance by a panel comprised of NASCAR executives and industry members.

The 2023 combine features the following drivers:

AgeHometownCar Type
Lanie Buice16Jackson, GeorgiaLate Model Stock
Justin Campbell18Griffin, GeorgiaLate Model Stock
Cameron Carraway12Castro Valley, CaliforniaRestricted Late Model, Micro Sprints
TJ DeCaire16Land O' Lakes, FloridaPro/Super Late Model Stock
Eloy López Falcón18Mexico City, MexicoU.S. Legend Car/NASCAR Mexico Challenge
Arthur Gama18Porte Alegre, BrazilNASCAR Brasil Sprint Race
Caleb Johnson15Denver, ColoradoPro Late Model, U.S. Legend Car
Cassidy Keitt14Lexington, North CarolinaINEX U.S. Legend Car
Nathan Lyons14Concord, North CarolinaU.S. Legend Car
Jalen Mack18Chino Hills, CaliforniaPro Late Model
Jayda Mack14Chino Hills, CaliforniaPro Late Model
LaQuan McCoy Jr.12Fort Mill, South CarolinaINEX Bandolero
Paige Rogers20New Haven, IndianaLate Model Stock, Pro Late Model
Regina Sirvent20Mexico City, MexicoNASCAR Mexico Challenge Series, Late Model Stock
Lucas Vera16Charlotte, North CarolinaU.S. Legend Car
Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

CONCORD, N.C. — In a must-win situation to advance in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, Kyle Busch was firmly in the hunt late at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course.

The checkered flag flew with the two-time champion running third, however, ending his 2023 postseason hunt in a flash. With it, Busch’s first year at Richard Childress Racing results in a title pursuit that fell short at the midpoint of the playoffs.

“Hell of a job all day, man. Way to fight,” crew chief Randall Burnett radioed on the cool-down lap. “Sorry we came up a little short. Hell of a job, though.”

“All good, man. Thanks. Appreciate the opportunity,” Busch said. “Sorry about the last two weeks, but that rides on me.”

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

In the two weeks that preceded Sunday’s race at the Charlotte road course, Busch crashed out at Texas Motor Speedway for a 34th-place DNF and finished 25th at Talladega Superspeedway without scoring stage points in either event. Standing on pit road on Sunday in Concord, Busch placed the onus for the No. 8 team’s points deficit squarely on his shoulders.

Ultimately, Busch finished the Round of 12 at the bottom of the standings, 12th, 30 points shy of advancing to the Round of 8.

“The bigger defining factor … of today is the last two weeks and not scoring enough points,” Busch told reporters. “So, you know, that’s on me just not doing a good job at Texas when we did have a good car, and then again last week (at Talladega) being in position to score points both times at the end of the stages and losing spots, just looked like I threw out the anchor.”

Busch lined up in prime striking position twice within the final 15 laps. On the penultimate restart at Lap 98, Busch’s No. 8 Chevrolet restarted directly behind eventual race winner AJ Allmendinger in the outside lane, using an excellent launch to clear Ty Gibbs to vault into second place before another quick caution flag waved. When the race went back green, Busch was on the front row to Allmendinger’s left, but Busch spun his tires exiting the frontstretch chicane on the restart, allowing an Allmendinger advantage that ultimately sealed their respective fates.

Even without the race’s final caution period, Busch, a three-time winner in 2023, didn’t believe his car had enough speed or handling to reel in Allmendinger’s No. 16 Kaulig Racing entry for the victory.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “I would have had to move him for sure. I would have had to move him in a chicane where it would have made him … have to stop and so then he wouldn’t come back and retaliate. That’s a tool to use if you can get there and use it. I was hoping William (Byron, runner-up) was going to use it. But he’s got too many wins already so he didn’t care. Yeah, I mean, just racing.”

Allmendinger and Busch have a strong longstanding relationship, Allmendinger explained in his post-race press conference, noting hour-long phone calls they’ve had with Busch detailing advice to Allmendinger. Their respect for one another on and off the track encouraged Allmendinger to further trust Busch despite the heightened stakes for the No. 8 team.

“I knew he was gonna race hard. I knew what he was racing for,” Allmendinger said. “But, you know, I also didn’t think he’d come clean me out or anything on a restart like that. So just about trying to lead into Turn 1 and not really give an opportunity to get to my bumper. And I knew once we could get through a couple of corners, I could clear him and start driving away. So that was always my focus.”

The season has been remarkably up-and-down for Busch. Three of his last four finishes are 20th or worse, but he also owns four top-10 results in the past seven races after a dismal summer spell. Those inconsistencies were nonexistent on Sunday at the Charlotte road course.

Kyle Busch speaks to reporters after the NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte road course
Zach Sturniolo | NASCAR Studios

“Sorry we came up short. Everybody did a great job. Did what we need to do. Just a little short,” Burnett radioed.

Spotter Derek Kneeland echoed that positivity: “Yeah, 10-4 man, it was a hell of an effort. This team don’t quit. Plenty more wins coming. Just wasn’t our year.”

“The resilience of the team is by far greater than mine probably,” Busch said. “You know, I put ourselves in a lot of bad spots and they’ve just come to work on Monday and fought and battled through it and given us another good car to go to the next week with. So a lot of it rides on me just getting sloppy, not doing a very good job. And I’m not making excuses, but trying to figure this car out, you know? I just lose the balance of it. Did again today. Was able to get a third out of it, but, you know, probably would have been worse off than that if it wasn’t for the track position.”

MORE: Playoff Pulse: Inside the grid | Postseason standings

Joining Busch on the outskirts of the Round of 8 are Ross Chastain (-12), Bubba Wallace (-17) and Brad Keselowski (-23).

Chastain advanced to the Championship 4 a season ago in his inaugural year at Trackhouse Racing, but a Stage 1 crash at Talladega resulted in a 37th-place finish, undoing the benefits of a runner-up result at Texas and a 10th-place finish at Charlotte.

“We knew coming in that it was going to be tough,” Chastain said. “We put together a heck of a day for us on road courses this year in this No. 1 Worldwide Express Chevy. Lately, we’ve just been lacking speed and I can’t get over the curbs.”

Wallace, who has notoriously struggled at road courses, excelled as the fastest driver in Saturday’s practice session before qualifying fourth. He earned 13 stage points but ultimately finished 16th.

“It was a great effort from everybody,” Wallace said. “We did not take ourselves out of it. We did everything that we could. It’s childish — I’m saying that now — it’s childish to be pissed off about that, right? So just accepting that and moving on.”

Keselowski, the 2012 Cup champion, entered Sunday’s contest two points above the provisional elimination line, with Tyler Reddick next in line to attack. The driver and co-owner of the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford was already at a disadvantage after Saturday’s qualifying, with Reddick earning the pole position while Keselowski started 19th.

Keselowski is still seeking his first race victory since departing from Team Penske, but a Round of 12 appearance marked considerable improvement of the program’s overall performance.

“Just major progress from where we were last year,” Keselowski said. “Not where we want to be, but a lot closer to it and we can see it.”

Posted on by Adam Fenwick

THOMPSON, Conn. – Ron Silk needed a big day on Sunday at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park if he wanted to keep pace with Justin Bonsignore in the battle for the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship.

He got that and so much more.

Silk powered to his fifth NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory of the season during the World Series 150 pres. by FloSports.com to regain the points lead and put himself in prime position to claim his second series championship with one race left in the 2023 season.

RELATED: Complete results from the World Series 150 at Thompson

Like he has for most of the season, Silk found himself dueling with Bonsignore during the second half of the World Series 150 at the five-eighths-mile asphalt oval.

The two traded the lead multiple times in the final 50 laps, with Silk emerging as the race leader following a back-and-forth battle shortly after a Lap 101 restart.

Multiple caution flags would follow, but Silk held the lead ahead of Bonsignore during each restart. The final restart with 12 laps left would prove vital to Silk not only winning the race, but potentially winning the championship.

When the green flag waved with 12 laps left, Silk launched successfully from the outside to retain the lead, but Bonsignore’s No. 51 didn’t get going on the bottom and stacked up the entire inside line.

Bonsignore quickly fell off the pace and dropped to the tail of the field before he eventually got his car back up to speed.

Silk took full advantage of Bonsignore’s misfortune and held off Jake Johnson to claim his 22nd career victory. It was also his sixth career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour victory at Thompson.

“We struggled the first half of the race, really loose. We made some good adjustments at the (pit) stop,” said Silk. “I thought we turned a little bit better then everyone around us at the end there. They all looked to be a little bit tight. Just an awesome day. A lot of effort goes into all this. Just can’t thank everyone involved enough. Just really feels good to get back to Victory Lane.”

Bonsignore was able to gain a few positions after his late-race mishap to finish 13th. He explained after the race an error on his part during the final restart cost him a potential win and, perhaps more importantly, crucial points in the battle for the title.

“I just went to pull it into high (gear) and I don’t know if I was just nervous or choked, but I pulled it into reverse just about,” Bonsignore said. “I thought it was in and just broke and then finally through (Turns) 1 and 2 I smacked it back down and got it into high again. Just gave that away. It happens.

“We’ll just have to go win (Martinsville) and hope he (Silk) does something as dumb as I just did.”

The victory by Silk unofficially gives him a 13-point lead on Bonsignore heading into the season finale at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 26, but he’s not taking that advantage for granted.

Silk knows anything can, and probably will, happen.

“You never know what’s going to happen,” Silk said. “I’m confident that we can do it. We’ve got to have nothing silly happen and race to our potential and I think we’ll be alright.”

Defending race winner Eric Goodale finished third Sunday afternoon, followed by Kyle Bonsignore and Bobby Santos III.

Anthony Nocella, Andrew Krause, Craig Lutz, Woody Pitkat and Austin Beers completed the top-10.

A replay of the World Series 150 presented by FloSports.com is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 14 at 10 a.m. ET on CNBC.

The 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season comes to a close when the series returns to Virginia’s Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 26. The green flag for the 200-lap finale will wave at 8 p.m. ET. FloRacing will provide full coverage of the event.

Posted on by Staff Report

World Series 150 presented by FloSports.com

Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park

20141217085344 Thompson Speedway Logo

  • Race results
Pos Car No. Name Sponsor Laps Diff
1 16 Ron Silk Blue Mountain Machine & Future Homes 150  —
2 3 Jake Johnson* Propane Plus/Lin’s Propane Trucks 150 0.374
3 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing 150 2.146
4 22 Kyle Bonsignore Chalew Performance/MTT/Munns Auto 150 2.969
5 44 Bobby Santos Harshaw Paving/Olivas Market 150 3.214
6 92 Anthony Nocella Nocella Paving/K and D Associates/Airgas 150 3.944
7 24 Andrew Krause Supreme Manufacturing Co. 150 4.376
8 82 Craig Lutz Horton Avenue Materials 150 4.413
9 6 Woody Pitkat Koopman Lumbar 150 4.943
10 64 Austin Beers AP Marquadt & Sons/Lumiere Electrical/Andrew James Interiors 150 4.987
11 89 Matt Swanson Cervado Auto 150 5.358
12 21 Anthony Bello* Bello Motorsports/SKM/JB Mgmt 150 5.565
13 51 Justin Bonsignore Phoenix Communications Inc. 150 5.777
14 36 Dave Sapienza Sapienza Enterprises 150 5.917
15 19 Anthony Sesely Wanick Construction Inc. 150 6.212
16 32 Tyler Rypkema Northeast Driling/MUSCO Lighting 150 6.299
17 50 Ronnie Williams Empower Financial Advisory/RP Enterprises 150 7.091
18 26 Max Zachem Lakeland Avenue Landscape Supply 148 2 Laps
19 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One Seafood Market & Restaurant 147 3 Laps
20 34 JB Fortin A&R Materials/John’s Fuel Oil 141 9 Laps
21 06 Sam Rameau Quality Fleet Services/Dennison Lubricants 128 22 Laps
22 01 Melissa Fifield Pine Knoll Auto Sales 127 23 Laps
23 1 Eric Berndt Ferguson Motorsports 94 56 Laps
24 59 Brett Meservey* BNP Machine 62 88 Laps
25 2 J.R. Bertuccio Gershow Recycling 43 107 Laps
Posted on by Cameron Richardson

Another quartet of drivers were eliminated from title contention after the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs elimination race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course on Sunday, resetting the standings board and setting the Round of 8.

WINNER

AJ Allmendinger spoiled a handful of playoff drivers’ dreams to bid their way into the next round with a victory and took the third checkered flag of his Cup Series career.

RELATED: Race results | Full playoff grid 

ELIMINATED DRIVERS

Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing
Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing
Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing

ADVANCING TO THE ROUND OF 8

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, 4,041 points
Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing, 4,036 points
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, 4,032 points
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, 4,024 points
Chris Buescher, RFK Racing, 4,021 points
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, 4,016 points
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, 4,016 points
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske, 4,014 points

WHO’S HOT? 

William Byron. He won at Texas Motor Speedway to start the Round of 8 and then scored back-to-back runner-up finishes at Talladega and Charlotte to storm into the next round as the points leader. He heads to Las Vegas, Homestead and Martinsville next, which are all tracks where he has won before.

Tyler Reddick. Not the best of rounds for the driver of the No. 45 Toyota, but Reddick is through to the Round of 8 and has a very favorable track in the midpoint of the round at Homestead. If tough luck goes away, expect Reddick to find his way into the Championship 4.

WHO’S NOT? 

Martin Truex Jr. The Regular Season Champion continues to survive and advance despite the lack of quality results. Still not a single top-10 finish in the playoffs but Las Vegas, Homestead and Martinsville all bode well for the 2017 champion to turn it around when he’s going to need it.

Christopher Bell. Bell is going to enter the Round of 8 eight points below the Champ 4 elimination line, and Vegas and Homestead are tracks where Bell has yet to prove he can produce quality results on a consistent basis. It may take another walk-off moment similar to last year at Martinsville if he wants another shot at the title.

NEXT RACE

The Round of 8 opens at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the South Point 400 on Oct. 15 (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

Posted on by Reid Spencer

CONCORD, N.C. — Road course aficionado AJ Allmendinger stole some thunder from the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers with a convincing victory in Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course.

Driving the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, Allmendinger led twice for a race-high 46 laps, including the last 33, and beat runner-up William Byron to the finish line by 0.666 seconds to win his first Cup race of the season, his first at the Charlotte road course and the third of his Cup Series career — all on road courses.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

Kyle Busch finished third at the 2.32-mile, 17-turn circuit, two spots short of the win he needed to advance to the playoffs’ Round of 8. Joining Busch on the playoff elimination list were Ross Chastain (who finished 10th), Bubba Wallace (16th) and Brad Keselowski (18th).

Allmendinger took the lead for the final time when Ryan Blaney pitted from the top spot on Lap 77 under caution for a wreck in the frontstretch chicane involving Denny Hamlin, Ty Dillon and Mike Rockenfeller.

The 41-year-old veteran from Los Gatos, California, survived four more cautions and four more restarts before he completed what he termed “the drive of my life.”

Allmendinger was weeping during the cool-down lap and teared up in his post-race interview.

“I hate crying right now, but it’s a freaking Cup race, man,” he said. “You don’t know when it’s ever going to happen again …

“This is why you do it. This is the only reason you do it. You fight. All the blood, sweat, tears, everybody at Kaulig Racing has just been such … I’d say a down year, but up-and-down year. It’s our second year in the Cup Series.”

AJ Allmendinger's No. 16 Chevy drives under the checkered flag at the Charlotte Roval
James Gilbert | Getty Images

Byron and Ryan Blaney already had advanced to the Round of 8 in the playoffs by virtue of their respective victories at Texas and Talladega.

Joining them in the next round starting next Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway are Tyler Reddick (who ran sixth from the pole on Sunday), Denny Hamlin (37th), Christopher Bell (15th), Chris Buescher (seventh), Kyle Larson (who started from the rear in a backup car and finished 13th) and Martin Truex Jr. (20th).

MORE: Playoff Pulse: Inside the grid | Updated postseason standings

The regular-season champion, Truex, claimed the final berth in the Round of 8 by 12 points over Chastain, the first driver out.

Ill fortune that befell Chase Elliott near the end of Stage 2 facilitated Allmendinger’s victory. Just as Elliott, the race leader, was approaching pit road to “short” the stage, Josh Bilicki’s crash in Turn 4 caused the second of seven cautions and forced NASCAR to close pit road.

Elliott steered back to the racing surface and won the stage but lost critical track position after pitting during the stage break and never regained it. He finished ninth behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman.

Rookie Ty Gibbs came home fourth, followed by Joey Logano.

After a strong run from start to finish, Busch was philosophical about his exit from the playoffs.

“The guys gave me a great piece today,” he said. “The Lenovo Camaro was pretty fast, just lacked a little bit on the long run, just didn’t quite have the feel of the tire that I was really looking for to be able to turn into the corners and to be able to drive out of the corners and keep pace with the front two there at the end.

“But overall, this rides on me anyways. The first two weeks of this round were obviously not very good, and we didn’t score any points. That’s where it’s at. That’s where it lies. Texas, Talladega, just not being able to execute and do a good job when points were on the line.”

SHOP: Winner’s gear

The Cup Series’ next race is the South Point 400, scheduled next Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The event will open the three-race Round of 8, which will determine the four drivers who advance to vie for the championship in the season finale Nov. 5 at Phoenix Raceway.

Notes: Post-race inspection in the Cup Series garage was completed without issue, affirming Allmendinger’s win. … Allmendinger became the Cup Series’ 15th driver to score a victory this season. … Byron placed first, second and second in the Round of 12 races, an average finish of 1.67.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on by Staff Report

World Series 150 presented by FloSports.com

Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park

20141217085344 Thompson Speedway Logo

  • Practice results
Pos Car No. Name Sponsor Best Tm Best Speed In Lap Laps Diff
1 64 Austin Beers AP Marquadt & Sons/Lumiere Electrical/Andrew James Interiors 19.2 117.188 11 21  —
2 3 Jake Johnson* Propane Plus/Lin’s Propane Trucks 19.293 116.623 6 19 0.093
3 51 Justin Bonsignore Phoenix Communications Inc. 19.297 116.598 19 23 0.097
4 1 Eric Berndt Ferguson Motorsports 19.305 116.55 15 17 0.105
5 44 Doug Coby Harshaw Paving/Olivas Market 19.321 116.454 10 13 0.121
6 32 Tyler Rypkema Northeast Driling/MUSCO Lighting 19.338 116.351 4 19 0.138
7 16 Ron Silk Blue Mountain Machine & Future Homes 19.365 116.189 10 19 0.165
8 50 Ronnie Williams Empower Financial Advisory/RP Enterprises 19.369 116.165 12 19 0.169
9 19 Anthony Sesely Wanick Construction Inc. 19.378 116.111 5 13 0.178
10 89 Matt Swanson Cervado Auto 19.413 115.902 21 24 0.213
11 82 Craig Lutz Horton Avenue Materials 19.415 115.89 3 21 0.215
12 21 Anthony Bello* Bello Motorsports/SKM/JB Mgmt 19.428 115.812 20 21 0.228
13 06 Sam Rameau Quality Fleet Services/Dennison Lubricants 19.469 115.568 12 23 0.269
14 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing 19.504 115.361 13 23 0.304
15 92 Anthony Nocella Nocella Paving/K and D Associates/Airgas 19.505 115.355 9 19 0.305
16 2 J.R. Bertuccio Gershow Recycling 19.549 115.095 19 21 0.349
17 26 Max Zachem Lakeland Avenue Landscape Supply 19.568 114.984 11 17 0.368
18 22 Kyle Bonsignore Chalew Performance/MTT/Munns Auto 19.576 114.937 19 20 0.376
19 6 Woody Pitkat Koopman Lumbar 19.657 114.463 3 23 0.457
20 34 JB Fortin A&R Materials/John’s Fuel Oil 19.747 113.941 19 22 0.547
21 24 Andrew Krause Supreme Manufacturing Co. 19.75 113.924 18 22 0.55
22 59 Brett Meservey* BNP Machine 19.855 113.322 12 14 0.655
23 36 Dave Sapienza Sapienza Enterprises 19.876 113.202 5 21 0.676
24 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One Seafood Market & Restaurant 20.106 111.907 10 17 0.906
25 01 Melissa Fifield Pine Knoll Auto Sales 20.608 109.181 4 11 1.408
Posted on by Dustin Albino

Since winning consecutive road course races last season, Tyler Reddick has become an expert at the craft. He’s elevated 23XI Racing’s – along with Toyota’s – road course program in 2023 and is among the pre-race favorites each time the Cup Series turns left and right. 23XI Racing topped everything on Saturday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, whether it be single-lap speed (Bubba Wallace, more on him in a bit) and five- and 10-lap averages with Reddick. Entering the race two points below the elimination line, Reddick will be chasing points, but he has a fast enough car to outright win.

Dustin Albino’s race-day lineup:

Starter 1: Tyler Reddick

Starter 2: AJ Allmendinger

Starter 3: Chase Elliott

Starter 4: Ty Gibbs

Starter 5: Kyle Busch

Garage pick: Daniel Suárez

NEXT IN LINE: Michael McDowell, Bubba Wallace, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr.

RISING: After advancing to the final round of qualifying, Wallace pumped his fists and hit his steering wheel with joy. He walked over to Reddick and greeted him with excitement, satisfied by what the duo achieved. Road-course racing has been a work-in-progress for Wallace, but he continues to improve. Some of that has been from following Reddick around the track in practice, finding ways to maximize speed. This was the best the No. 23 Toyota has looked on a road course yet and Wallace will start fourth.

With how inconsistent Suárez has been in 2023, it can be hard to remember that he’s a top road course driver. His lone win at the Cup level was at Sonoma. That inconsistency has bled over to road courses in 2023, however, with just one top 10 finish (Indianapolis) in six starts. The good news for Suárez, Saturday looked a lot like Indy when he was among the best cars in the field. The only difference is, he will start from the second row and not from the pole.

FALLING: It wasn’t the start to the Round of 12 elimination weekend that Kyle Larson wanted. In the waning minutes of Group A practice, the No. 5 car slipped as Larson transitioned out of the infield section of the course back onto the oval when he pounded the wall. Larson drove straight to the garage for the Cliff Daniels-led team to assess the damage. It was deemed enough to go to a backup car. Larson enters the race with a 15-point buffer over the elimination line.

Surprisingly, McDowell is the only driver to fall from my lineup that I had earlier this week. The No. 34 Ford lacked speed relative to every other road course race this season in which McDowell accumulated the most points. Still, he wheeled his car to 13th in qualifying, which isn’t bad for the speed deficit he looked to have. Hopefully, taking him out isn’t a mistake, but there seemed to be more potential of other non-playoff cars such as Suárez, Allmendinger and Gibbs.

FEATURED MATCHUPS:  

Kyle Busch vs. Ross Chastain

Aside from Reddick, Busch might have won the day when it comes to championship contenders. The chances of Busch leaping four drivers in points, plus making up 26 points on the elimination line are extremely slim. That means he’s going after the win and crew chief Randall Burnett can play his strategy accordingly. Chastain had average speed, qualifying 12th. It’s been a rough postseason for Busch, but I’m sticking with him this weekend.

Tyler Reddick vs. Kyle Larson

Who would have thought that the Roval, a track in which Larson won at in 2021, would bite the No. 5 team two seasons in a row. Hendrick Motorsports had Larson’s primary car transported down the road to its campus to remove parts and pieces and assemble them onto the backup car. So, you’re thinking Larson, in a car he has no laps on at the Roval is going to outrun the pole winner? Not going to happen.

Bubba Wallace vs. Brad Keselowski

As noted in Fastlane this week, Wallace has my trust more on road courses. His improvement at these tracks shouldn’t go unnoticed, while Keselowski continues to have middle-of-the-road numbers. That pace won’t get Keselowski out of the Round of 12, so the 2012 champion might need to hope for chaos.

William Byron vs. Ryan Blaney

With only Elliott advancing to the final round of qualifying from Hendrick Motorsports, it was a slightly disappointing afternoon for Hendrick. The No. 24 Chevrolet laid down a better qualifying lap than Blaney, though, as Byron will start 14th to Blaney’s 17th-place starting position. Having advanced to the Round of 8, neither driver has anything to lose. And though Blaney is tied with Logano and Alex Bowman for the most top 10s in track history (four), Byron won the last race on a road course.

Posted on by Staff Report

After a sizzling start to the 2023 playoffs, Tyler Reddick has done some fizzling lately and finds himself two points beneath the elimination line as the field gets ready to shrink from 12 to eight drivers after Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course (2 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

The good news is that it is a road course staring Reddick straight between the eyes, a track type where he has not only experienced success but also success at such a high level that it makes him stand out even among his playoff-battling counterparts.

PLAYOFFS: Playoffs hub page | Playoffs Grid Challenge game

Check out some of these red-hot Reddick stats:

The driver of the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota has averaged 33.3 points per race at the Charlotte road course, good for tops among playoff drivers not locked into the Round of 8. Reddick also is the only driver with multiple road-course wins in the Next Gen car.

Reddick has three road-course wins in the Next Gen car, including one earlier this season at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. His other wins came last year while driving for Richard Childress Racing at Road America and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

If Reddick wins this weekend while coming from below the elimination line, it means somebody who is currently above the elimination line is not moving on to the next round. The fact Reddick is the first driver out probably has some people’s attention, including Brad Keselowski, who is currently the last driver in and only two points to the plus side of the equation.

PLAYOFF PICTURE

CHASE ELLIOTT: Elliott isn’t in the playoffs, of course, but he could affect the playoff picture very much this weekend by winning at a track where he has won before and on a track type where he has been one of the most dominant drivers of his time. Another scary thought? Elliott likes October, too, with his most wins coming in this month (four in his career).

CHRISTOPHER BELL: Bell got the first of two walk-off wins in the 2022 NASCAR Playoffs here at the Charlotte road course. He’s not as desperate this time around, entering this year’s race 22 points to the good, but it’s important to note he’s averaging 33.0 points at the Roval, which is just a tick or two behind Reddick’s mark of 33.3.

CHRIS BUESCHER: The “other” Christopher, as Dale Earnhardt Jr. sometimes calls him, has been lights-out on road courses recently. Behold the Buesch-man’s bushel of stats: Top 11 in the past 10 road-course races, top six in the last two Roval races and an average finish of eighth on road courses this year.

ROSS CHASTAIN: He of the video-game move faces another uphill climb as he sits 10 points beneath the elimination line with a road-course resume that includes finishes of 17th or worse in six of the last eight road-course races and a best finish of 22nd on the Roval.

BRAD KESELOWSKI: We mentioned he has Reddick bearing down on him in the rearview mirror, but like Chastain, Keselowski will also need to buck his road-course stat trends: Winless in 42 road-course starts, only two top fives in the past 27 road-course races and an average finish of 20th on road courses in the Next Gen car. Ouch.

Projections as of Sunday, Oct. 8:

RACING INSIGHTS’ PROJECTIONS FOR THE BANK OF AMERICA ROVAL 400

Racing Insights’ advanced statistical formula includes current track, current track type, recent performance, team data and pit-crew data to arrive at a projected winner and full race results.

FinishCar NumberDriver
145Tyler Reddick
29Chase Elliott
320Christopher Bell
417Chris Buescher
516AJ Allmendinger
624William Byron
75Kyle Larson
834Michael McDowell
911Denny Hamlin
1054Ty Gibbs
1119Martin Truex Jr.
1248Alex Bowman
1399Daniel Suárez
148Kyle Busch
151Ross Chastain
1622Joey Logano
1712Ryan Blaney
184Kevin Harvick
192Austin Cindric
206Brad Keselowski
2123Bubba Wallace
2214Chase Briscoe
233Austin Dillon
2431Justin Haley
2541Ryan Preece
2647Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
2743Erik Jones
287Corey LaJoie
2910Aric Almirola
3051Todd Gilliland
3142Mike Rockenfeller
3221Harrison Burton
3377Ty Dillon
3478Josh Bilicki
3538Zane Smith
3615Andy Lally
3762Austin Hill