Posted on by Holly Cain

Historically speaking the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway is anybody’s to win. In seven races at the 2.5-mile oval, there have been seven different winners. The only previous winner in Saturday’s field is Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer, who hoisted a trophy there in 2019.

A victory in Saturday’s Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 (5:30 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) represents a championship playoff ticket for someone since only seven of the 12 playoff positions have already been filled.

With his victory last week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, John Hunter Nemechek has extended his career-best single-season win total to four and he leads three-race winner Austin Hill by 33 points and one-race winner Justin Allgaier by 60 points in the standings. Nemechek has one top-10 – a seventh place in 2018 – in two series starts at Pocono. Hill also has a pair of starts at the track with a best effort of eighth place last year.

RELATED: Weekend schedule for Pocono | Xfinity Series standings

It may be Custer – who sits fourth in the championship standings – that everyone needs to keep an eye on. He has never finished worse than 10th in four starts at Pocono. Another driver with not only an impressive history at Pocono, but some extra motivation to score his first win in more than a year is Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemric. The 2021 series champion has not won a race since his title-clinching win at Phoenix in that season finale. He has four top-10 finishes in five Pocono starts.

Another driver still racing for his first win of the season – and the automatic playoff berth – is JR Motorsports’ Josh Berry. He has a pair of top-10 finishes in two Pocono starts, including a third-place run last year.

Custer’s SHR teammate Riley Herbst currently holds that all-important 12th place in the driver standings, only 18 points ahead of Parker Kligerman who will be making his Pocono debut this weekend.

NASCAR Cup Series regular and 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, Daniel Suárez will drive the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet this weekend. He’s earned top-10 finishes in both his previous Xfinity Series starts at the track.

PAINT SCHEME PREVIEW: See new schemes for Pocono

Custer will similarly be competing in two Pocono races. He’s driving the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford in the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday in addition to his Xfinity Series duties.

Cars roll off for practice on Friday at 3:35 p.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 4:05 p.m. ET – both sessions are televised on USA Network and streamed on the NBC Sports App.

Posted on by Staff Report

Rick Ware Racing announced Thursday that it has signed Justin Haley to a multi-year contract to drive in the NASCAR Cup Series beginning with the 2024 season.

Haley, currently in his third season at the sport’s top level, has spent the last two years driving for Kaulig Racing in the No. 31 entry. His lone win in the series came in 2019 at Daytona International Speedway with Spire Motorsports.

RELATED: Justin Haley’s driver page | Remaining Cup Series schedule 

“This is a great day for our team on many levels,” Rick Ware said in a team release. “Having someone with Justin’s talent and background become part of our future is a testament to our commitment to growth over the past few years. I have known Justin for a long time, respect all he has achieved in many forms of motorsports and look forward to great success together. His versatility as a driver in multiple series, the continuity we can build around Justin and the respect amongst his peers will pay great dividends for our team. He will be a great teammate for the RWR/RFK Racing alliance.”

The move to Rick Ware Racing will see Haley swap out his Chevrolet bowtie for Ford’s Blue Oval for the first time in his Cup Series career. The organization currently fields two full-time entries in the series; the No. 51 and 15.

“This is a unique opportunity that I look forward to,” Haley said. “There are many key pieces of this program I believe can help me in taking the next steps in my NASCAR career. I look forward to working with our key partners, and many additional RWR partners to be announced soon. The alliance with RFK Racing is going to be pivotal for the future of our on-track success.”

Posted on by Cameron Richardson

NASCAR heads to one of its largest tracks on the circuit as the Cup Series visits the luscious Pocono Mountains where Pocono Raceway lies within.

Not four turns. Not five turns. Just three turns make up the large speedway and none of the turns are alike as Turn 1, at 14 degrees of banking, will see drivers go three, four and sometimes even five wide into the corner. Turn 2, also known as the “Tunnel Turn” is a short, flat corner that is known to give drivers issues and Turn 3, which is also flat but a long, wide corner before flooring it down the long frontstretch.

Before Sunday’s HighPoint.com 400 (2:30 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), check out some trends to watch for the race, Goodyear tire info and interactive ways to follow all the action.

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

GEOMETRY GENIUSES 📐

Denny Hamlin (six) and Kyle Busch (four) lead all active drivers in wins at the “Tricky Triangle” and crossed the start/finish line 1-2 last season before being disqualified.

Dating back to the second Pocono race in 2016, Busch owns a ninth-place finish or better in 10 of the last 12 races on the 2.5-mile Pennsylvania circuit. While Hamlin has seen mixed results in recent visits to the track, he’s matched with Jeff Gordon for winningest driver in Pocono’s history and owned a five consecutive race streak of top-five finishes from 2019 to 2021.

It should go without saying that both Hamlin and Busch should be running up front Sunday afternoon.

MORE: Advance to VL: Busch set to rebound at Pocono

📉 TRENDS TO WATCH 📈

— The last five Pocono races were won by five different drivers.

— Joe Gibbs Racing has won six of the last 10 Pocono races.

— The driver who led the most laps won only once in the last six Pocono races.

— Eight races in 2023 had an overtime finish.

(Via Racing Insights)

NOTABLE MOMENTS 🎥

2006: Denny Hamlin sweeps Pocono for first two career wins | WATCH

2017: Ryan Blaney outduels Harvick, Kyle Busch for first Cup Series win | WATCH

2021: Final-lap shocker: Bowman wins Pocono after Larson misfortune | WATCH

2022: Hamlin doors Chastain, triggers Turn 1 wreck | WATCH

ON-TRACK SCHEDULE 🗓️

Saturday, July 22

— 2:35 p.m. ET: Practice — See results

— 3:20 p.m. ET: Qualifying — See starting lineup

Sunday, July 23

— 2:30 p.m. ET: HighPoint.com 400 (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App)

MORE: Full weekend schedule at Pocono

RULE CHANGES/GOODYEAR TIRE NOTES 🛞

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

NASCAR implemented safety updates to the Next Gen car.

Goodyear brings the left-side tires used at Fontana, Las Vegas, Kansas and Nashville. It’s the first time this tire is being used at Pocono. The right-side tire is the same used at Pocono last season. Each Cup team will get one set for practice, one for qualifying and an additional six sets for the race.

Alongside 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 is open now. 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 $25,000 prize for the winner.

How to play: Fantasy Live | Set up a team 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

Shane van Gisbergen will return to the Trackhouse Racing No. 91 Chevrolet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, the team announced.

Van Gisbergen won the inaugural Chicago Street Race in his NASCAR Cup Series debut on July 3 in Trackhouse’s Project91 entry, which sought to put motorsports’ best global talent outside the stock-car ranks in competitive equipment at NASCAR’s top level.

MORE: Cup schedule | Chicago highlights Trackhouse’s innovation

The three-time Australian V8 Supercars champion will return to the seat for his second NASCAR endeavor and a rare chance to go 2-for-2 in Cup Series starts. A native of New Zealand, van Gisbergen spoke highly of his NASCAR experience after Chicago — winning aside.

“I miss racing in the States,” van Gisbergen said. “I’ve done (the Rolex 24 at) Daytona four or five times now and just the way the American people are and how they go racing, it’s so much more enjoyable. And even doing the media stuff, which I hate, everyone here is really nice. They ask good questions and they’re respectful and it goes both ways. Everyone here has made me feel comfortable, and it’s so enjoyable the way the races are run.”

Trackhouse owner Justin Marks lauded his driver’s remarkable ability both before and after SVG became just the seventh driver to win his Cup debut and first since 1963. The third-year team owner saw the potential from van Gisbergen among other drivers from Oceanic countries like Australia and New Zealand and knew SVG could succeed in the right opportunity.

“The (Supercars) are very similar and the talent there is unbelievable,” Marks said after Chicago. “Obviously, we had Marcos Ambrose in the (Cup) Series for a number of years. Scott McLaughlin came over and won in the IndyCar series, and you look at Scott Dixon, guys from that part of the world. There’s so much talent over there, and I sort of thought of it as kind of an untapped resource. …

“Shane has had a lot of experience in cars like this. I figured if a guy like him could come over and we could put the program together like we have for Project91, that he could get to speed really, really quickly and be able to contend.”

This is set to be the third entry of 2023 for Trackhouse’s Project91 effort, which includes Kimi Räikkönen’s start at the Circuit of The Americas earlier this spring. Marks noted in Chicago he believes a three-race schedule for his No. 91 Chevrolet is about the maximum he can ask of his team.

“Beyond probably three races, it starts to be a third team,” Marks said. “It starts to really kind of drain — not drain, but take resources from the 1 and the 99 car, which is what we’re really focused on at Trackhouse, getting both of those cars in the championship, being able to make a championship run.

“The last thing I want to do is have Project91 be a drain on that or take anything away from that. So I think three is really sort of the limit for us. If we ever expand to a third full-time team, it’s good that we’re going through this exercise right now with the 91 because we’re doing sort of three teams’ worth of work in the shop as we lead into the Project91 races. But I think beyond that, it starts to become a third team deal, which is a whole ‘nother conversation for our company.”

SVG joins a group of international drivers set to hit the Indy road course. Australian and fellow Supercars star Brodie Kostecki will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, as will former Japanese Formula One driver Kamui Kobayashi, who will pilot the No. 67 Toyota for 23XI Racing. Englishman and 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button will return to the No. 15 Ford for Rick Ware Racing for his third Cup race of the season after stints at Chicago and COTA.

The Verizon 200 at the Brickyard is set for Sunday, Aug. 13 at 2:30 p.m. ET with live coverage on NBC, IMS Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and the NBC Sports App.

Posted on by Holly Cain

Pocono Raceway, in the beautiful mountain-scape of Long Pond, Pennsylvania, has long been highly regarded for not only the racing it produces but the historical moments it has hosted in one of the most unique locales that NASCAR visits. Its motto, “Back to the Good Old Days,” speaks volumes about the track’s history and the atmosphere, appreciated by fans attending the races and teams competing in the races.

The 2.5-mile track in Northeastern Pennsylvania’s foothills plays host to Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series HighPoint.com 400 (2:30 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) – the 90th NASCAR Cup Series race at the venue.

RELATED: Pocono schedule | View this weekend’s paint schemes

Pocono Raceway is still operated as a family business – a third generation of the Mattioli and Igdalsky family overseeing the facility created, cared for and loved by Dr. Joseph “Doc” and Dr. Rose Mattioli.

The facility initially offered up a well-received three-quarter mile track that opened in 1968, but the family decided to realize more potential – a booming local race scene and the benefit of having big cities, such as New York City and Philadelphia, less than a two-hour drive away.

The “Tricky Triangle” is applauded for both its one-of-a-kind track layout and the competition it annually produces. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rodger Ward designed the big track in the early 1970s to deliver a unique and competitive race product – and his success was apparent immediately in Pocono’s 1974 debut on the NASCAR schedule.

The track is the same length as Daytona International Speedway, but its layout makes it one of the most unique offerings on any series schedule. Instead of four turns as is most typical at tracks where NASCAR visits, Pocono features three turns – each entirely different and built to resemble a corner from other famous venues.

Turn 1, for example, features 14-degree banking and is built to be like Trenton Speedway, one of the Northeast’s famed racing facilities until it closed in 1980. Turn 2 is nicknamed “The Tunnel Turn” and banked eight degrees, its shape is similar to a turn at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Turn 3 is banked six degrees and was specifically built as an ode to a Midwestern classic: the Milwaukee Mile. There is even a message on the Pocono race track wall that reads, “What Turn 4?” The front straightaway – at 3,740 feet – is the longest straight of any track on the schedule.

The inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race was held in August 1974 and featured a non-surprising storyline: Richard Petty leading the field to the checkered flag and claiming that first Pocono victory by 18.8 seconds over Buddy Baker.

Through the years, racing’s best have hoisted trophies at the track. Bobby Allison (1982-83) and Tim Richmond (1986-87) each won three consecutive races there. NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough won the 1979 race that featured 56 lead changes, a track record that still holds today.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon and current Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin hold the record for most wins at Pocono Raceway, each claiming six victories. In fact, Hamlin boasts amazing history at the track. His Pocono win in 2006 marked the first of his storied NASCAR Cup Series career, and he answered it with a trophy in the season’s second race, too – earning a rare rookie sweep.

“I don’t know what it was,” Hamlin says even today of his success at the Pocono track. “I remember my first time there, just sitting out on pit road waiting for some sort of veteran to drive by me so I could follow him, and I remember it was Mark Martin. I went out there, and I was probably five-six car lengths behind him and was like, ‘OK, this is the line you take.’

“And then five or six laps later, I passed him. And I was like, all right, I think I got it. It was just an interesting scenario, and it really fit my driving style.

“I think it’s a race track where a certain driving style rewards it. I’ve always been a guy that’s been easy on the entry and hard on the exit, and with the long straightaways there, I think that really made my car fast doing that.”

MORE: 2023 Cup standings | Playoff Watch: How postseason picture currently looks

Popular driver and now perennial championship challenger, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney, celebrated his career first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Pocono in 2017, then driving for the Wood Brothers Racing team. The win was especially significant for Blaney, who remembers making his first quarter-midget race start at the track’s quarter-mile as a kid – marking the launch of his racing career.

“I never thought about it until we won there, but it’s kinda cool, that’s where I made my first quarter-midget start and got started racing,” Blaney said. “My dad’s family is from not too far away [in Ohio], so there are a couple connections.

“Every track has their fame in their own right. It might not have the same crown jewel effect like Daytona or Darlington, but Pocono has great significance to me, and it’s super cool that I won there with the Wood Brothers. They won there twice before – with Neil Bonnet and Pearson – so that was cool to add my name to the guys that won there at that track.”

Hamlin (2006) and RFK Racing driver Chris Buescher (2016) join Blaney as active drivers to score their first victory at the renowned facility.

“This is our roots, and a lot of our fans are here,” Hamlin said of the importance of the Pocono track. “When you look at the upgrades the facility has made, you definitely want to reward them for that investment and care. And I think the fans have showed up and supported it.”

Posted on by John Crane

Martin Truex Jr. brought brisk speed to New Hampshire Motor Speedway last weekend, and it was this speed that helped net the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing driver his first-ever NASCAR Cup Series win at the New England track.

However, speed wasn’t the only factor that led to the 43-year-old finding Victory Lane for the third time this season. A well-rounded performance on pit road — which varied between four- and two-tire stops — additionally aided in Truex holding off a resurgent field.

RELATED: Late spin prevents Bell from strong rebound at New Hampshire

Unfortunately for Ryan Blaney and Christopher Bell — two drivers also in contention for the win — the same pit-road success couldn’t be reached. After running second behind Truex Jr. through the race’s closing portions, Blaney was sent to the rear after running over an air hose during a pit stop, eventually finishing 22nd. Bell, meanwhile, opted for four fresh tires with 30 laps to go, while those ahead of him decided to go with a two-tire strategy. A spin in Turn 3 with 14 laps to go led to significant damage, and the No. 20 Toyota finished 29th.

Fast forward to this week’s contest at Pocono Raceway, and the field will look to capitalize as the postseason nears. And limiting pit-road errors will once again be important.

See below to analyze pit-road statistics through New Hampshire and before Sunday’s HighPoint.com 400 (2:30 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

TEN FASTEST FOUR-TIRE PIT STOPS IN 2023

RankTrackDriverTime
1SonomaKyle Busch9.185 seconds
2NashvilleKyle Larson9.281 seconds
3SonomaAustin Cindric9.301 seconds
4RichmondCorey LaJoie9.309 seconds
5NashvilleDaniel Suárez9.333 seconds
6CharlotteWilliam Byron9.383 seconds
7CharlotteTy Gibbs9.443 seconds
8NashvilleWilliam Byron9.443 seconds
9CharlotteWilliam Byron9.504 seconds
10KansasBubba Wallace9.509 seconds

BEST AVERAGE FOUR-TIRE PIT STOP TIMES IN 2023

Posted on by Brandon White

Flawless is the word that best summarizes Connor Hall’s year at his home track of Langley Speedway.

In 11 appearances at the Hampton, Virginia facility this season, Hall has visited Victory Lane every time. This includes the 10 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock events Langley has held, along with a triumph in the CARS Tour feature on June 3.

Hall’s undefeated record faces its toughest challenge Saturday in Langley’s prestigious Hampton Heat, a race in which a driver’s physical and mental stamina are pushed to the limit in the grueling Virginia summer weather.

The confidence Hall has ahead of the Hampton Heat has never been higher. He admitted to being pleasantly surprised with the efficiency shown at Langley so far this year, and he’s hoping that speed will result in his second Hampton Heat triumph.

“Every single race we show up to, we have a chance of winning,” Hall said. “Our program is very good.  I’m not going to say [winning 11 straight races] wasn’t possible, but I didn’t think it was possible, either. I always believed we were that caliber of a team, but doing all this consecutively is something I didn’t think could happen.”

LIVE STREAM: Watch Saturday’s Hampton Heat live on FloRacing

Being able to post a perfect record halfway through Langley’s 2023 season required a tremendous amount of diligence and determination from Hall.

The strategy Hall implemented when he first started competing in Langley’s Late Model Stock division was to not go a lap down and to keep his car in one piece. Hall said the plan only succeeded 50 percent of the time during his rookie year, as he either could not keep pace with the leaders or made a mistake that took him out of contention.

Hall started to find consistent results at Langley when he moved on from using a Late Model Stock previously raced by Brandon Butler and built his own car in 2019. That year saw Hall finish second in points and tally three wins, which included his only Hampton Heat win so far.

New equipment alone would not have been enough for Hall to achieve sustained success at Langley. For as much time as he spent gaining respect from track veterans like Greg Edwards and Mark Wertz, Hall also carefully studied their driving styles and how they were able to win on a regular basis.

Once Hall realized he did not need to be overly aggressive at the start of each race, everything else fell into place.

“Patience has been a big help for me,” Hall said. “When I was younger, Greg Edwards would let me pass him in the first few laps, and then I’d drive the tires off the car. With about 10 to go, Greg would just take it back and that left me wondering about what I was doing wrong. I had to understand what it took to win these races.”

Another key component in Hall’s stellar performances at Langley has been his continued relationship with Chad Bryant, for whom he races on the CARS Tour.

Former driver and current chassis builder Jay Hedgecock was the one who recommended Hall to Bryant following preseason ARCA Menards Series practice at Daytona International Speedway in 2019. After a couple of discussions, a deal was worked out in which Hall would team up with Bryant for Daytona in the season-opening Lucas Oil 200.

Connor Hall has made three appearances with Chad Bryant Racing’s ARCA Menards Series program. His best finish was 11th in his debut race at Daytona International Speedway in 2019. (Photo: NASCAR)

The duo ended up finishing 11th in a 35-car field, but Hall wanted to maintain an open line of communication with Bryant after they left Daytona. Bryant recalls Hall calling him nearly every day for advice on how to improve his program, which eventually resulted in the two teaming back up in Late Model Stocks.

Bryant’s main objective with Hall’s development was to fortify his mental awareness in a competitive situation, especially when it came to saving tires and positioning himself to utilize the talent he already possessed.

“Connor was born with an innate ability to drive race cars,” Bryant said. “The biggest thing I tried to pass along to him was the mindset it takes give yourself an opportunity to win these longer races and not eliminate yourself. He already had the groundwork there, but we wanted him to have a plan of action and how to execute it.”

In the four years that have passed since their first Daytona start, Hall and Bryant have built a strong bond on and off the track. Although there were some initial growing pains between the two, Hall considers Bryant the most significant influence on his racing career.

“[Chad] is very, very critical,” Hall said. “Admittedly, at the beginning, that was something that hurt more feelings than it helped. Once I was able to understand where he was coming from, it truly opened my eyes to how I was messing things up and how to improve on my mistakes.”

Without Bryant to guide him, Hall does not believe he would gotten close to winning 11 straight races at Langley.

Bryant added Hall being able to race alongside drivers like Bobby McCarty, Deac McCaskill, Carson Kvapil and others in a touring environment pushed him to become a better driver. This in turn helped Hall become more prepared for the competitive environment always prevalent in Langley’s weekly division.

Connor Hall is looking to parlay his win streak at Langley Speedway into his first track championship. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)

For Saturday’s Hampton Heat, Hall will be in his familiar dark blue No. 77 Towne Bank / Breeden Concrete Toyota, all while Bryant centers his efforts on helping Hall finish out the 2023 CARS Tour season strong.

“We’re just going to be [at the Hampton Heat] for moral support,” Bryant said. “If there’s anything we can help him with, we’re available any time for a phone call, but Connor has got things pretty much under control with Langley.

“Our goal with Connor is to get as many wins as possible.”

To win his second Hampton Heat on Saturday, Hall intends to manage both his equipment and his tires. He also stressed the importance of keeping his car clean through traffic with how important aerodynamics are with Late Model Stocks today.

Even if he were to get his 12th straight Langley win on Saturday, Hall stopped short of saying that milestone will solidify him as the favorite for the track title. The gap Hall has over Edwards in the standings is 31 points, which he does not consider comfortable in the slightest.

Mechanical issues and crashes have taken Hall out of contention in previous Langley championship battles, which is why he is trying to stay far ahead from any potential problems so he can finally add his name to the long list of distinguished champions at Langley.

“We go into every week thinking this is the one where the apple cart gets turned over,” Hall said. “I don’t care if you win 100 races in a row, you could show up for the 101st and [Langley] could be completely different. Something could also go wrong mechanically. I don’t count my chickens before they hatch, so we have to make sure our car is as perfect as possible.”

With more than 30 cars entered for the Hampton Heat, Hall understands there is no guarantee his win streak at Langley stays intact. Regardless of what happens on Saturday, Hall is proud of everything his team has accomplished so far and is determined to be just as flawless in the second half of 2023.

Posted on by Dustin Albino

LOUDON, N.H. — Since 2016, Martin Truex Jr. did just about everything but win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He led 100-plus laps in five of the last nine races at the “Magic Mile” entering Monday’s Crayon 301. Potential trips to Victory Lane seemed to slip away in every possible way imaginable.

Aside from the Daytona 500, winning at New Hampshire ranked near the top of Truex’s bucket list, and it was clear from the drop of the green flag this time around that the No. 19 car was going to be a factor yet again.

RELATED: Truex triumphs at Loudon | At-track photos: NHMS

Truex took the lead from Christopher Bell on the second lap of the race, and never truly looked back. The only time he didn’t lead was when other cars went off strategy. No driver ever passed the No. 19 Toyota for the lead on the race track, as Truex stomped the field by leading 254 of 301 laps and capturing seven important playoff points. He also took ownership of the regular season championship lead.

“I think it’s no secret that I’ve been after this one for a long time,” Truex said after the race. “It’s always been one that I wanted so bad, and maybe I think too bad at times.”

For years, Truex has dreamed about winning at New Hampshire. Despite his hometown of Mayetta, New Jersey, being more than six hours away, the 43-year-old has fond memories of being in the Granite State. His all-time favorite moment was watching his dad Martin Truex Sr. compete in the Busch Grand National North Series in a combination race. He said he believes the year was 1996.

On that day, Martin Sr.’s car was parked in the garage across from Dale Earnhardt’s. The younger Martin recalls seeing Earnhardt busy working on the carburetor. Back then, many of the drivers worked on their own equipment.

“Just seeing that was really cool because he was one of my favorite drivers growing up,” Truex said. “It was the first time I got around anybody of that caliber of racing, and it was a very, very special memory.”

Truex also recalls seeing his dad winning at the 1.058-mile track in 1994 on TV with Darrell Waltrip and Buddy Baker calling the race.

Preparation for this year’s New Hampshire race began after the No. 19 team won its second race of the 2023 season, last month at Sonoma Raceway. While flying back to the Charlotte area with the No. 19 team, Truex made it clear that New Hampshire was one race it needed to have this year.

“We were talking about, this is the one,” James Small, Truex’s crew chief, said. “We need to win this one. Hopefully, he doesn’t go and retire on us now that he’s got it.

“It’s important. We put the same effort in every week, but we just know that we come here and we really expect to win, and thankfully we crossed it off the list today.”

Since rejoining the Toyota family in 2016, Truex has led 1,022 laps at New Hampshire. In 30 starts at the track, his total number of laps led has rocketed to 1,170, which is third on the all-time list, only behind Jeff Gordon (1,373) and Tony Stewart (1,302). The caveat: The two other drivers have more starts (Gordon 42; Stewart 35).

Truex isn’t sure that those numbers would be possible without his father. In 2000, Martin Truex Sr. was planning on running a couple of Busch North races while his son would run the full season. After the first race of the season, which happened to be at New Hampshire, all the focus was shifted to the younger Truex.

“He’s like, you’re too good. I need to give you my cars — the best equipment I have and put everything behind you,” Truex Jr. recalled. “I’m like, why are you doing that? Doesn’t matter. We’re just going to go race. He’s like, no, because you can win here and keep going.

“It’s crazy to think that was 23 years ago, what has been between then and now, and to be right here again at this track with just a huge accomplishing day, with a great performance from my team just brings back a lot of memories of what this place means to me and to my career.”

By scoring maximum points on Monday and with William Byron relegated to a 24th-place finish, Truex has moved back in command of the regular season championship. He holds a 17-point advantage over the No. 24 team, despite having an average finish of 30.5 over the two races leading into New Hampshire at the Chicago Street Course and Atlanta Motor Speedway.

With three victories, all coming in the last 10 races, Truex’s name will be thrown around as a potential championship favorite. The No. 19 team will let the outsiders continue that chatter while it focuses on continuing to put fast race cars on the track.

MORE: Truex tops updated title odds

“It’s very up and down,” Small, who now has eight wins as a crew chief, said. “Obviously, we’re showing strong pace across a variety of tracks, and it’s just about executing it.

“You can do that all day and have things out of your control go wrong and take you out of it. Take every race one at a time, each week at a time, and try to maximize it. We’ll see if we wind up there and if we can do it, but I feel really good about it right now.”

Truex agrees that minimizing mistakes remains crucial.

“We’ve got to execute,” he said. “We’ve got to go win races. We’ve got to get points. But the regular season championship is a big deal; 15 points for that. If we can keep knocking off bonus points, that’s going to be very, very important come playoff time.

“Just keep digging and keep doing what we’re doing. The last two weeks have been tough with terrible finishes but really good race cars and really good runs. So we’re doing what we need to do, and just got to keep doing that and trying to keep gaining points.”

The Cup Series heads to another one of Truex’s so-called home tracks next weekend at Pocono Raceway, less than 20 minutes further driving distance from Dover Motor Speedway to Truex’s hometown. There, however, he already has a pair of victories.

Before that, he might be having some lobster, as that’s among the newest trophies to his collection.

“What is he, 28 pounds, something like that? 22?” Truex said aloud. “Didn’t feel too heavy to me, but I was all jacked up on adrenaline. I’d damn sure like to go throw him on the grill right now if you can help me find him. Lobster rolls for everybody.”

Posted on by Zack Albert

The NASCAR Cup Series is set to add a little more Australian Supercars flavor to the 2023 campaign as Richard Childress Racing announced Tuesday that Brodie Kostecki will make his Cup Series debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

Kostecki — a native of Perth in Western Australia — will drive the No. 33 Chevrolet in the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard on Aug. 13 (NBC, IMS Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App). Sponsorship will be provided by cellular carrier MobileX and Australian-based technology company VAILO.

“I am thrilled to be making my NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Brickyard,” Kostecki said. “It’s an honor to compete at such an iconic venue and against some of the biggest names in motorsports. I’m incredibly grateful to RCR for giving me this opportunity, and I’m determined to make the most of it.”

RELATED: Cup Series schedule | Tickets: Brickyard race day

Kostecki is a two-time winner this year on the Repco Supercars Championship circuit, where he ranks second in the series standings. The 25-year-old driver is the second ace from the Australian V8 tour to make a Cup Series appearance this year, following the dashing debut of Shane van Gisbergen, who drove the Trackhouse Racing Project 91 entry to victory in the inaugural Chicago Street Race earlier this month.

Kostecki earned the nickname “Bush” earlier in his racing career after he unbuckled from a moving car that had experienced brake failure, dismounted and slid what he estimated as nearly 500 feet into a bush. He will be teammates with RCR’s Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon with his latest stateside move.

Kostecki has experience and success racing in America. He prevailed in a UARA Late Model race at Rockingham Speedway as a 15-year-old prospect in 2013 and made 16 starts in what is now called the ARCA Menards Series East from 2013-14. Kostecki’s ARCA East tenure included two pole positions (Iowa, Watkins Glen) and a best finish of fifth place (Dover).

The announcement bolsters an already stacked international flair for the IMS road course event. Endurance-racing star Kamui Kobayashi of Japan is set for his Cup Series debut at Indy with 23XI Racing, and British Formula 1 champ Jenson Button is scheduled for the final event in a three-race slate with Rick Ware Racing.

MORE: Kobayashi set for Cup Series debut

The move brings the No. 33 to Cup Series competition for the first time this season. Austin Hill was the most recent driver to field the car number, making his Cup debut for the Richard Childress-owned team last August at Michigan International Speedway. Clint Bowyer is the last driver to win with No. 33, topping RCR teammate Jeff Burton at Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 23, 2011.

Posted on by Adam Fenwick

There are few better at Langley Speedway than Brenden Queen.

The driver affectionally called “Butterbean” by his fans and friends is a three-time track champion at the Hampton, Virginia NASCAR Home Track in the headlining Late Model Stock Car division.

His success at Langley has helped propel him to regional success, which includes a victory last year in the South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway and a CARS Tour triumph this season at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Now Queen, who is chasing the CARS Late Model Stock Tour championship with Lee Pulliam Performance this season, returns to his home track for what is billed as America’s hottest race, the Hampton Heat 200.

RELATED: Watch the Hampton Heat 200 live on FloRacing

“Racing is physically and mentally challenging,” Queen said. “But now on top of that you’re having the challenge of the heat. The cars haven’t gotten any cooler with the no ride height rule and motors making more power. They’re sealed off; they’re hot.”

The race, held each July during the hottest portion of the summer, is typically contested in scorching temperatures surpassing 100 degrees.

Even though the race takes the green flag at 8:45 p.m. ET after the sun goes down, the temperature in Hampton is still expected to at least be in the mid-80s.

Add the heat generated by the race cars, and you’ve got the makings of a sauna that could easily roast a driver who is unprepared. That’s why Queen started physically preparing a week before the race.

“You’ve got to prepare yourself,” Queen said. “I started drinking and hydrating with Pedialyte and trying to eat healthy (Sunday). I feel like to win this race it starts a week before, really.”

The heat is just one of the challenges Queen and his competition will face Saturday night. Another significant challenge will be the race track itself, which is known to chew up tires and penalize drivers who go too hard too soon.

Brenden Queen (03), Carson Kvapil (8) and Landon Pembelton (0) during the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 presented by Grand Atlantic Ocean Resort at South Boston Speedway earlier this month. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)

Teams will be expected to complete all 200 laps of Saturday’s Hampton Heat on the same four Hoosier tires on which they qualify. For comparison, Langley Speedway typically hosts twin 50-lap features for Late Model Stock Car teams for a total of 100 laps on the same set of tires.

That means Queen and the rest of the field will have to go twice as long on tires during Saturday’s race, which Queen believes will create a lot of comers and goers throughout the field as drivers attempt to save their tires for the final run to the checkered flag.

“Tires are going to be big,” Queen said. “We’ve got to run 200 laps on the same set. That’s a big deal at Langley, because we run Twin 50s on a regular night, and by the second race the tires are giving up. Now we’ve got to go another 100 laps on the same set.

“You’re going to have to be smart. Obviously with Twin 50s you’re normally going hard all race. That first 100 laps, you’re probably going to see a lot of couple seconds off the pace riding. You’re going to have comers and goers, you’re going to have guys who go, ‘They’re going too slow, I’m going to go up here and lead the race,’ and you’ll have guys who are content to ride at the back of the field on the lead lap.

“I think you’re not going to know who is bad and who is good until we get past halfway.”

RELATED: Everything you need to know about the Hampton Heat 200

In addition to being one of Late Model Stock Car racing’s crown-jewel events, Saturday’s Hampton Heat also doubles as the second round of the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown.

Queen, following a runner-up finish in the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 at South Boston Speedway that kicked off the Triple Crown, sits second in the mini-series standings.

A good run at Langley would put Queen in prime position to claim his first Virginia Late Model Triple Crown championship when the series comes to a close at Martinsville Speedway with the running of the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 on Sept. 23.

“It would be really, really big,” Queen said about winning the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown. “South Boston has been my Achilles heel. We could never come out of there with a good shot. This year being with Lee [Pulliam], we obviously came out of there almost winning the race.

“We didn’t shoot ourselves in the foot to start; now we’re in it. We have a shot. We’re going back to my track, which I feel is my best one of the three. Hopefully I can get out of there with a win or a solid finish. Then we’re going to Martinsville, where Lee Pulliam has got probably one of the best average finishes there. I’m excited to go there because I feel like I’ll have a shot to win the race.

“If we win the races, the Triple Crown will come with it.”