Although John Hunter Nemechek earned his season-best third victory last week in a dramatic overtime finish in Atlanta, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver was still only able to separate himself from fellow three-race winner, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill by 16 points atop the points standings in what has been a thrilling and tight contention for the 2023 regular-season championship.
The series arrives at the 1.058-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway for Saturday’s Ambetter Health 200 (3 p.m. ET on USA Network, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) where the competition has historically been wide open for the Xfinity Series championship regulars.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series there has featured a wide range of race winners — 27 different trophy winners in the event’s 35-race history.
Defending race winner, JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier is the only series full-timer to have hoisted the lobster after an Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire. In fact, he’s been particularly good at the track with eight top-10 finishes in 11 starts, highlighted by that victory last year. He is currently fourth in the series’ tight championship battle, 54 points behind Nemechek, but only nine points behind third-place driver Cole Custer.
The Stewart-Haas Racing driver, Custer, has a similarly positive track record at the “Magic Mile” with top-10 finishes in all three of his previous starts, and he won pole position for the 2019 race. New Hampshire is a significant place for Custer’s career. He earned his first national series win in the 2014 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race there becoming the youngest winner in series history at the age of 16 years, four months and 22 days. He’ll get two chances at the traditional lobster hoist in Loudon, as Custer will also compete in the NASCAR Cup Series race for Rick Ware Racing on Sunday.
With nine races still remaining to set the 12-driver playoff field, not only is the regular-season championship still very much up for grabs, but that playoff list remains hotly contested. There have been seven race winners to secure their postseason bid leaving five more positions still to be decided in the next two-month run.
Custer’s SHR teammate Riley Herbst is currently 12th in the standings — only six points ahead of Parker Kligerman, a Connecticut native who is making his first Xfinity Series start at New Hampshire since 2013 when he finished 20th in his debut there.
Of note, Truck Series regular Rajah Caruth will drive the No. 44 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet this weekend — his fifth start in the series.
Despite his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell capturing the pole position, Martin Truex Jr. looked most consistent during the afternoon’s practice and qualifying sessions. Truex rolled his way to P2 on both results boards, only bested by an incredible showing from Michael McDowell in the lone practice session. Nonetheless, Bell’s pole position should make him the driver to beat as the reigning track winner and already among the favorites to win this weekend. Aric Almirola, who was victorious in Loudon in 2021, will roll off P3 trailed by the Team Penske duo of Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney. Leading the charge for the Chevrolet camp is series points leader William Byron, who rolls off seventh. | Read the full practice, qualifying recap
Big story line
Which driver on the outside of the playoffs looking in will make the biggest statement? Plenty of drivers under the elimination line are searching for a massive win to lock their team into the Round of 16. But for a handful, there’s still a pretty significant points path to the postseason. Only one driver will reach Victory Lane, but others can do their best to maximize what they get out of the race. For instance, Bubba Wallace is only three points behind Daniel Suárez and Michael McDowell, leaving him slightly out of the playoff picture. AJ Allmendinger sits only 13 back from Suárez and McDowell. A big points day, or a faulty finish, from any of these drivers could swing the standings dramatically. And plenty of other drivers are in the mix, as well — including Chase Elliott, who’s surging up the standings after being sidelined for a handful of races. It’s going to be a fight to the finish, every single week. And just one win by a driver below the top 16 could change the entire outlook. | Check out the current playoff outlook
History tells us…
Christopher Bell will get back on track this weekend. Bell has been phenomenal at New Hampshire in the Next Gen era, finishing top two in both races, including a dramatic victory in 2022. Though he managed to ace the Bristol Dirt Race earlier this season, his recent results have left him sliding down the projected playoff standings. In his last eight races, Bell has six finishes outside the top 10, spotlighted by a 36th-place result at Kansas Speedway. The race could not come at a more ideal time for Bell, who has won at New Hampshire at every level of the NASCAR national series — once in Cup, three times in the Xfinity Series and once in the Craftsman Truck Series. He just knows how this place works. At a track that Joe Gibbs Racing has historically dominated, Bell will be a major focus and potentially contend for his second win of 2023.
He may not be the betting favorite to win, but watch out for…
Chris Buescher. At 70-1 opening odds, Buescher jumps off the page as a driver who presents incredible betting value this weekend. While Buescher has never finished better than 15th in his nine starts at Loudon, momentum might be on his side this time around. The No. 17 RFK Racing driver has six top-10 finishes in the last 10 races and is trending upward after a solid run at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Buescher has yet to find Victory Lane this year, though he’s proven he can win in the Next Gen era after a dominant 2022 performance at Bristol Motor Speedway. Like teammate Brad Keselowski, Buescher is currently in the projected playoffs based on points — so he should be trying to maximize his situation every single week. If you’re looking for a long shot, keep your eye on Buescher. | See complete list of DraftKings betting odds
In this week’s ‘Stacking Pennies’ episode, Corey and crew recount his on-track tangle with Erik Jones and talk about the aftermath.
Familiar favorites ⭐️
Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.
• At-track photos: Best shots from New Hampshire race weekend | Scroll through gallery
• Paint Scheme Preview: Lovely paint schemes for Loudon weekend | Pick a favorite • Power Rankings: Will Martin Truex Jr. check Loudon off bucket list? | Latest driver rankings • Fantasy Fastlane: Vibes for Christopher Bell at New Hampshire | Fantasy Live plays, lineup advice • Betting odds: See which driver is favored to win the race | Top bets, underdog picks
• Stacking Pennies: Corey LaJoie recaps Atlanta and unwraps beef with Erik Jones | Listen to the podcast
💎 NASCAR 75: Learn more about the history of the sport, from pioneers to current stars | Visit NASCAR 75 hub
Hot off the press 📰
Key stories and breaking news from the week leading up to the race.
• Playoff Watch: How the 2023 postseason picture looks after Atlanta | Check out latest update
• Hall of Fame: NASCAR reveals nominees for 2024 class | Johnson, Knaus, others
• Kyle Busch: Been eyeing regular season championship since Race 2 or 3 | Watch interview
• Testing: NASCAR officials postpone rules package test at New Hampshire | Read more
• NASCAR Foundation: Teams with Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, AdventHealth to honor cancer heroes | Read more
• Sponsor news: Trackhouse Racing, Chastain announce multi-year with Anheuser-Busch | Read more
• Kaulig Racing: Team owner Matt Kaulig set to host charity golf tournament | Read more
• Davey Allison: Remembering the star on 30th anniversary of his passing | Read more | Davey through the years
• Chase Elliott: Set to compete in Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway | Read more
• Ryan Preece: New Englander aims to build on New Hampshire memories | Read more
• Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Hall of Famer launches new podcast series, ‘Becoming Earnhardt’ | Read more
• Garage 56: NASCAR taking program to historic Goodwood Festival of Speed | Read more
Get in on the action 💰
Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy and Fan Rewards.
• Fantasy Live: Participate in interactive gameplay from week to week | Choose your lineup • Fan Rewards: New in 2023, get rewarded for your participation | Learn more • NASCAR BetCenter: Don’t miss your chance to make picks each week | Visit the BetCenter
• Going the distance: 2023 Cup Series championship odds | See them here • The Action Network: Early betting favorites for Monday’s race | Expert analysis
Landing in Loudon 🦞
From Rusty Wallace’s incredible rally to the iconic lobster celebration in Victory Lane, New Hampshire is filled with NASCAR memories.
• Winner, winner: All-time winners at New Hampshire | See the full list
• Do you remember? Most memorable moments at Loudon | Relive them here
• Loudon legacy: NASCAR racing in New England is centered around New Hampshire | Read more
• Race Rewind: Christopher Bell ignites for winning run at the ‘Magic Mile’ | Watch highlights
Take some notes 📝
Five hard-hitting, race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights.
• Chevrolet has only won one pole position at New Hampshire since 2014.
• Christopher Bell is the only driver under 30 to win at New Hampshire in the last 11 races.
• A driver led 100 laps or more in 15 of the last 17 races at New Hampshire.
• The final green-flag stretch was 83 or more laps in the last three races at New Hampshire.
• Eight races during the 2023 season have had an overtime finish.
As a native New Englander, Ryan Preece spent plenty of summers visiting New Hampshire Motor Speedway. When NASCAR had its annual July race, he and his family would camp with his grandfather outside of Turn 1.
Preece remembers roaming the merchandise lots at the “Magic Mile” on a bicycle, hoping to one day get his shot on the track that he first visited when he was 7 years old.
“That’s a place that I have a lot of memories at,” Preece, who grew up nearly three hours away in Berlin, Conn., said of NHMS. “So, when we go there throughout the year, it has that home-track feel.”
The first time Preece competed at New Hampshire was in 2007, running for his family-operated team in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. At the time, the 1.058-mile oval was the largest track he’d ever competed on, and he went on to finish 18th in the race.
Since then, Preece has made a grand total of 26 modified starts at New Hampshire, as well as six All-Star Shootout races, piling up eight top-five and 14 top-10 finishes. It took until 2021 for him to get his first points-paying win (he won the All-Star Race in 2017), when he made a slingshot move on the final lap to pass Ron Silk and Justin Bonsignore for the lead. The New England race fans erupted with cheers.
“It was always that one where I had been leading and it got away with a lap or two to go and never came to fruition,” Preece said. “That’s a game of chess. I would say New Hampshire with the modifieds is similar – as far as how you need to play the game and position yourself to win – to how I would imagine if you were winning a superspeedway race. It’s all about positioning yourself and putting yourself in the best spot for that last lap.”
Along the way, Preece had highlight runs there, making his Cup Series debut at New Hampshire in 2015. He also finished runner-up to Kyle Busch in his first Xfinity Series start for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2017. On a national level, that effort was a huge boost for the driver, who went on to win his next start with JGR at Iowa Speedway.
“When you’re doing stuff like myself or Josh Berry were doing, you’re racing, winning and trying to figure out how do I get this opportunity at a national level,” Preece said. “Ultimately, I wasn’t going to sit around and wait for a phone call. I made that phone call and asked what it would take to get me two races for an opportunity. I was confident in myself that if I had the people around me and the car around me that I could get the job done.
“That was an eye-opening experience for a lot of people. I felt like I could do it and I did it. It’s changed the way a lot of people think about racing.”
This year, however, Preece takes to his home track with the best Cup Series opportunity of his career. In four previous starts, he has a best finish of 16th in 2020. But driving for Stewart-Haas Racing is a different animal.
Preece expected to be up front at the Busch Light Clash, given it was a quarter-mile short track, just like what he’s used to in the Whelen Modified Tour. And he was. The No. 41 team put an emphasis on Martinsville Speedway, and Preece won the pole and led the opening 135 laps before dropping back after a pit-road speeding penalty.
Preparation for New Hampshire began a few weeks back for Preece. He knows that this weekend is the time to get the job done.
“I think we showed with the preparation that we put in (for Martinsville) – it’s not that we don’t prepare for every race – but we put that little bit of extra in for every place we feel we can sneak one in,” he said.
“It’s somewhere I enjoy racing at. I would say that my mindset is on kill when we go to that race. When I show up to Loudon, I feel very optimistic that it’s a race that if we execute and all do our jobs, we’re going to try to contend for the win.”
Preece is a driver who thrives on putting additional pressure on himself. He knows that if the team doesn’t run well at a track it has poured resources into, it could look silly. But he’s used to gambling on himself. Thus far, he’s been successful.
“I think some individuals, some athletes, they don’t thrive in moments like that,” Preece mentioned. “I thrive. I enjoy being disciplined and the moments where you have to perfect everything. That’s not going to be every race, but when those are key, game-time moments, I’m ready for it and am excited for those challenges.”
Through 19 races this season, the No. 41 team is still looking for its first top-10 finish of the season. Before getting tangled up with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which essentially ended the race as rain began to fall, Preece had six consecutive top-20 efforts. Those finishes ranged from 13th to 17th, and all six were on a different style of track.
Going into 2023, Preece said he knew it would take time to develop chemistry. He handpicked his crew chief, Chad Johnston, someone he worked with in the Craftsman Truck Series throughout the last two seasons. Signs of progress have been made.
“It’s been a building process,” Preece said of 2023. “We’ve had high moments; we’ve had low moments. I would say over the course of the past six weeks, we have fought. From a race perspective, stage one, stage two, stage three, we are in the ballgame or trending forward and have better speed at the end of races. Sometimes, things take a little longer than you want them to.”
For the remainder of the season, Preece’s main goal is to qualify better. Should the No. 41 team do so – it has just four starting spots better than 20th in the first nine races – the races will come more naturally, as they won’t have to play catch up.
“If we can qualify better, we’re going to be running in the top 15, top 10, top-five area,” Preece said.
First up, though, is New Hampshire. And that’s a place that Preece expects to be up front.
NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (July 13, 2023) – Race fans seeking a ground-pounding racing experience like no other will have their wishes granted on Sept. 30, with tickets now on sale for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Brushy Mountain Powersports 150 at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman and NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Labonte are among the racing royalty expected to compete against Whelen Modified Tour title contenders Ron Silk, Justin Bonsignore, Doug Coby and Austin Beers in a 150-lap race for modified supremacy.
Newman and Labonte both competed in modified races last August at North Wilkesboro Speedway during the Racetrack Revival, with Newman capturing the checkered flag in one 50-lap feature and Labonte tallying a third-place finish in another.
“I am really looking forward to the Whelen Modified Tour race at North Wilkesboro,” Labonte said. “I was able to race there at the last race in the Cup Series in 1996 and then went back last year in the Modified races there. With all the improvements that have happened there, I am really looking forward to going back.
“Getting to run with the Tour regulars is a great honor and I can’t wait to try to get to Victory Lane at North Wilkesboro. I really think our Pace-O-Matic team will be ready for it, this is going to be a big race for us.”
Brushy Mountain Powersports, Wilkesboro, North Carolina’s premiere Honda®, Kawasaki and Yamaha motorcycle, dirt bike, ATV and side-by-side dealer, will serve as the entitlement partner for the 150-lap NASCAR Whelen Modified Series event. Competition for a season championship will be revved up Sept. 30 as the Brushy Mountain Powersports 150 will be only the third race from the end of the season.
“All of Wilkes County was thrilled to see racing return to North Wilkesboro after so many years, and of course having the All-Star Race here was beyond all imagination,” said Tim Quinn, the president and general manager of Brushy Mountain Powersports. “Lynn, myself, and our team are proud to be able to present the Brushy Mountain Powersports 150 and carry on the great racing tradition at this historic track.”
GXS Street Stock Series racing will kick off the day’s on-track action. A finalized schedule will be announced at a later date.
Adult general admission tickets cost $30, with kids 12 and under getting in for $10 with paid adult admission. Group tickets and premium options, as well as on-site parking and camping, are also available. Tickets can be purchased online at www.northwilkesborospeedway.com. Adult tickets will be $40 each during event week.
Every racing series has one event that drivers look forward to every year.
For the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, it’s the Mohegan Sun 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Located in Loudon, New Hampshire, the 1.058-mile oval has produced tight racing and countless iconic finishes for the Modifieds since Bob Bahre opened the facility in 1990.
Many of the Whelen Modified Tour’s best drivers have taken home checkered flags through the series’ 30-year relationship with New Hampshire. These names include Reggie Ruggiero, Steve Park, Tony Hirschman, Mike Stefanik, Ted Christopher, Doug Coby, Bobby Santos III and many more.
Veteran Eric Goodale nearly added his name to that prestigious list in last year’s Mohegan Sun 100. Since entering the Whelen Modified Tour, the allure of New Hampshire for Goodale has been the close on-track action along with the additional notoriety stemming from being a support event for the NASCAR Cup Series.
“If you talk to fans who go [to New Hampshire], they’ll typically say [the Whelen Modified Tour] is the best race of the weekend,” Goodale said. “There’s always a lot going on and not a ton of follow the leader. It’s cool to be there on the main stage, which opens viewership to other people who wouldn’t know about us.”
New Hampshire has historically not been one of Goodale’s better tracks, but the 2022 Whelen 100 was the closest he came to winning the marquee event.
After leading 30 laps, Goodale found himself leading the pack as he charged towards the checkered flag. While this would be an optimal situation at other tracks, the prevalent draft at New Hampshire left Goodale in a vulnerable position, particularly to second-place driver Patrick Emerling.
Emerling used the draft to get alongside Goodale and pass him entering Turn 3 on the final lap. Goodale attempted to pull a crossover off Turn 4, but inadvertently turned Emerling and himself into the outside retaining wall, handing the win to Anthony Nocella.
The four laps Nocella led that day were his first ones out front at New Hampshire. He is hoping to improve upon that number in Saturday’s Mohegan Sun 100, where he will be driving his second race in the No. 46 for Goodale’s uncle Russell after going to Victory Lane in his own No. 92 last year.
“I’m really looking forward to [New Hampshire],” Nocella said. “I’m excited, especially after last year when we were able to win it after having a good car all weekend. Obviously, that was with my car, but we have equipment capable of winning up there [again], so I can’t wait to get up there and see how we do.”
Anthony Nocella picked up his lone NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win to date at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last year. (Photo: Nick Grace/NASCAR)
Underdog wins like Nocella’s are not an uncommon occurrence at New Hampshire. One of Doug Heveron’s three Whelen Modified Tour wins came at the facility in 1991, while Chase Dowling’s New Hampshire triumph in 2018 remains his lone series win to date.
Despite this, New Hampshire typically rewards the Modified veterans who can master the draft and figure out when to time their moves. Santos leads all active Whelen Modified Tour drivers with six series wins, while others like Coby and current series points leader Ron Silk have also scored multiple New Hampshire wins.
Silk’s three New Hampshire victories have been split between driving cars for Kevin Stuart and the late Eddie Partridge. He wants to add to his successful New Hampshire legacy by delivering a win for his current team, Haydt Yannone Racing, which would put him in a small group of drivers that have won at least four races at the track.
“[New Hampshire] is one of my favorite tracks that we race on,” Silk said. “I didn’t have the best weekend up there last year. Got caught up in a wreck and didn’t really show what we had. Historically, it’s been good for me and we’re looking forward to getting there.”
There will be plenty of talented drivers standing in the way of Silk’s goal to claim his fourth New Hampshire victory.
Corey LaJoie is set to make his first Whelen Modified Tour start of the season in the Mohegan Sun 100 after winning last year’s season finale at Martinsville Speedway. Other notable names on the preliminary entry list include Santos, Dowling and two-time NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion Andy Seuss.
Amongst the usual Whelen Modified Tour contingent, three-time champion Justin Bonsignore is determined to start accumulating victories at New Hampshire. His only points-paying win at the facility came in 2016 when he led 77 of the 106 laps.
Bonsignore said his recent New Hampshire performances do not reflect the speed his car has shown. He feels comfortable with the draft that is exclusive to New Hampshire for the Modifieds and is optimistic about picking up that elusive second win on Saturday evening.
No matter what happens this weekend, Bonsignore is looking forward to embracing the vibrant atmosphere that is always prevalent whenever the Whelen Modified Tour visits New Hampshire.
“We’re always excited to go to Loudon,” Bonsignore said. “We’ve been fast up there the past couple of years, but just haven’t had great results. Hopefully a lot of fans come out and support it because it’s usually the best race of the weekend. I wish we could go there more because it’s such an event for us.
“We love being a part of it.”
A strong field of 30 cars will add another chapter to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s storied history with New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday. (Photo: Nick Grace/NASCAR)
Whelen Modified Tour race weekends at New Hampshire have undergone numerous changes since Bonsignore started racing full-time in 2010. The series downsized from two races at the track to one in 2020, and briefly experimented with a 250-lap race at the end of the last decade.
Through all these adjustments, Goodale still looks forward to New Hampshire with the same excitement he possessed when he turned his first laps there in 2009. Even though Goodale has only tallied five victories since that day, earning his sixth overall on Saturday would bring immense pride for one of the Whelen Modified Tour’s most-seasoned drivers.
“If I win, I can say that I’ve won at all the NASCAR tracks we run at other than Richmond, which we just started going to,” Goodale said. “We’ve done good at Martinsville and Bristol, but Loudon is the one I have the most laps at. That race always seems to escape me, but it would be freaking awesome to finally get a checkered there.”
Another chapter in the Whelen Modified Tour’s proud history with New Hampshire will be written on Saturday evening as Goodale and 29 other drivers make final preparations to have a shot at winning the series’ most storied race.
From a blush of peaches to a pod of lobster, the NASCAR Cup Series transitions from the Southeast and heads to the Northeast and New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Seven races remain in the 2023 regular season, and before the green flag drops for Monday’s Crayon 301 (Noon ET, USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), take a look at trends to watch ahead of the race, rule changes and important tire info as well as interactive ways to follow all the action.
Over the last few seasons, New Hampshire has opened the door for drivers to secure their playoff position. Three of the last four winners at the “Magic Mile” scored their first win of the season at the track (Kevin Harvick, 2019; Aric Almirola, 2021; Christopher Bell, 2022).
Heading into the weekend, 15th-23rd in the Cup Series points standings are separated by just 60 points. The playoff bubble continues to change as the regular season winds down, and as far as trends are concerned, a first-time winner in 2023 could be in the cards for Monday.
Wet-weather equipment will be available this weekend in the event of rain at the track.
Cup teams will debut a new tire setup this weekend to give the cars more grip and introduce more wear to the tire. The setup came out of a test at New Hampshire during the spring. Each team will be allotted one set of Goodyear tires for practice, one set for qualifying and an additional seven for Monday’s 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.
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.
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:
Make sure your iOS device has been updated to 16.1 or higher.
Available on the leaderboard of all NASCAR Series races.
Click on the three-dot menu near the top right of screen.
Select “Follow the Race.”
Swipe up to access the home screen and you will see the Live Activities at the top.
Lock the device and you will see Live Activities on the Lock Screen.
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.
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.
When the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a strong field of cars always follows.
That’s no different this year as 30 drivers will look to add their names to list of winners of Whelen Modified Tour events at the 1.058-mile asphalt oval located in Loudon, New Hampshire.
Included in the field are several previous New Hampshire winners as well as Whelen Modified Tour champions, all of whom want to further pad their respective resumes with a Victory Lane celebration on Saturday after the Mohegan Sun 100.
They’re headlined by defending New Hampshire winner Anthony Nocella, who went from sixth to first in the final three laps last year and avoided a last-lap crash to earn his lone Whelen Modified Tour victory to date. He’ll be looking for his second triumph this year aboard the Goodie Racing No. 46.
Joining him on the entry list for Saturday’s race are seven other previous New Hampshire winners as well as a champion of the defunct NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour.
Among them are Bobby Santos III, a winner of a six Whelen Modified Tour events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He scored his first win at New Hampshire in 2014, which he followed with three-straight wins from 2017 to 2018 and a further two victories in 2019 and 2020.
Next is six-time Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby, who owns four New Hampshire victories. He scored his first New Hampshire win in 2012, which he followed with his second in 2013. He then added two more victories in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
The most recent winner with the Whelen Modified Tour is also a three-time New Hampshire winner. Ron Silk scored his first New Hampshire triumph in 2009 and collected his second in 2011. He had to wait eight years before scoring his third victory, which came in 2019.
LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 22: Chase Dowling, driver of the #15 15-40 Connection / S&S Paving Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Musket 250 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 22, 2018 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
Justin Bonsignore has made 24 starts at New Hampshire with the Whelen Modified Tour, but only has one victory to show for it. That came in 2016 when he held off Silk to bag one of the biggest victories of his racing career. He’s also sat on the pole of the last two Whelen Modified Tour events at New Hampshire.
Chase Dowling, who is making his return to the Whelen Modified Tour this weekend for the first time since 2021, captured his only Whelen Modified Tour triumph in a thrilling finish in 2018 that saw Justin Bonsignore and Ryan Preece crash entering the third turn on the final lap while racing for the lead.
Veteran Tim Connolly scored the first victory for Bob Garbarino’s Mystic Missile at New Hampshire in 1997. Connolly is set to make his first New Hampshire start since 2000 on Saturday evening.
After missing the 2022 event at New Hampshire, Woody Pitkat is returning in search of his second victory at the track. His first came in 2014 when he led a race-high 79 laps en route to Victory Lane.
Also joining the already stacked field will be Andy Seuss, a two-time Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion from nearby Hampstead, New Hampshire. Seuss has made 25 starts with the Whelen Modified Tour at New Hampshire, earning a best finish of fourth on two occasions. He also earned his only Whelen Modified Tour pole at New Hampshire in 2020, where he led 30 laps and ultimately finished sixth.
Martinsville winner Corey LaJoie looking to stack more pennies
The last time Corey LaJoie climbed into a Modified, he ended up in Victory Lane at Martinsville Speedway last October.
The driver of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series will be back in a Modified this Saturday when he teams up with Rob Fuller to pilot the No. 1 entry during the Mohegan Sun 100.
The race marks LaJoie’s second attempt at competing with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He made his first Whelen Modified Tour start at New Hampshire last year, starting eighth and finishing ninth.
“Those things, too, are the only race cars I’ve driven that get aero loose because they are 85, 90 percent rear downforce. They make no front downforce, so when you’re in traffic you lose all the rear downforce and you get super loose,” LaJoie said. “The Modified race, no matter what, is generally the best race of the weekend.”
LaJoie has a history of racing Modifieds early in his career and only recently returned to the discipline. He captured a NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour victory on the quarter-mile oval located on the frontstretch at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2010 when he was 18 years old.
After spending time on dirt, Max McLaughlin is back
Max McLaughlin has been keeping himself busy since his last NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start at Richmond Raceway on March 31.
The son of veteran Modified and Xfinity Series competitor Mike McLaughlin has been racing Dirt Modifieds throughout the Northeast this year and recently scored a victory at Fonda Speedway, a NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series track located in Fonda, New York.
Most of McLaughlin’s time is spent racing on dirt these days, though he still dabbles on asphalt periodically. In addition to racing occasionally with the Whelen Modified Tour, McLaughlin is scheduled to make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen International for FRS Racing. His lone ARCA Menards Series East victory came at Watkins Glen in 2019.
McLaughlin has 11 previous Whelen Modified Tour starts, including one at New Hampshire in 2021, though he was taken out in a crash on the first lap of that event and finished 30th.
It is rare when someone in sports transcends being a typical star performer. Some rare ones stand out for both their incredible talents, and also their incredible intangibles.
That was Davey Allison, whose star both on and off the track has kept his name and legacy alive 30 years after he tragically passed away on July 13, 1993, following a helicopter crash.
Here’s the thing about Davey Allison: He was the complete package of characteristics that most fans couldn’t even dream of from a favorite driver.
For starters, his talent on the track spoke for itself. He grabbed a top 10 in his first NASCAR Cup Series start while only taking 14 races to earn his first win. Then he doubled down two races later and won again.
Fans remember that Davey he won races and competed for championships, but his tragic death at the young age of 32 somewhat skews the perception of how great he really was on the track.
His 191 starts, 19 wins (44th all-time), 66 top fives and 92 top 10s don’t necessarily pop out to the naked eye. But if you take a deep dive into Allison’s stats during his full-time career, which ranged from 1987 to his untimely passing in 1993, that is where he truly stands out.
He entered the 1993 season already fifth out of all active drivers in wins. He sat only behind Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Bill Elliott and Rusty Wallace, all of whom have since been enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame — as has Allison.
At the start of his final season in 1993, he had 18 victories in just 175 starts. That was more at the time than future Hall of Famers Terry Labonte (10 wins in 419 starts), Mark Martin (seven wins in 202 starts) and Dale Jarrett (one win in 168 starts). From 1987 to 1993, Allison ranked fourth in wins, fifth in top fives and fourth in laps led.
Allison’s passing came at a time when he sat 24th all time in Cup Series victories. He was coming off back-to-back seasons of five victories and was 14 wins away from 15th all-time, all while just starting to hit his prime as a driver.
Beyond the stats, he had an incredible racing pedigree, ranging from his immediate family to his Alabama upbringing. His father, Bobby, was one of the greatest drivers of all time and his Uncle Donnie was a 10-time winner in the Cup Series. He was seemingly the leader of the next generation of the famed “Alabama Gang,” following the footsteps of Bobby, Donnie and their friends Neil Bonnett and Red Farmer.
Then there was his ability to fight through adversity and toughness, which propelled him to a superhero level as a driver. His first victory in the Cup Series was marred by a terrifying crash that saw his father’s car fly through the air and destroy the catchfence. The following season in 1988 saw the elder Allison involved in a near-fatal crash at Pocono Raceway. It left him in the hospital for 108 days, subsequently ending his driving career.
The younger Allison flew between cities over the next few months to visit his dad in the hospital, but never missed a race in the process. He won twice with his ailing father on his mind.
Later in 1992, Allison’s actions turned legendary during the toughest of times. His grandfather died in April of that year. A few days later, Davey battled rib injuries and grief to win at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
During the first All-Star Race under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, dubbed “One Hot Night,” a last-lap battle with Kyle Petty saw Allison take the checkered flag before the two cars made contact. Allison’s No. 28 car slammed into the outside wall and sent him on a helicopter ride to the hospital with a concussion and bruised body. Allison’s crew chief Larry McReynolds recalled that the first words Allison spoke after he woke up at the hospital were “Did we win?”
A few weeks later, Allison was involved in his own terrifying crash at Pocono. Contact with Darrell Waltrip sent the No. 28 car flying through the air, sending Allison back to the hospital. This time the injuries were more severe, leaving him with a concussion and broken bones. He arrived the following week at Talladega Superspeedway and started the race, his arm in a cast, utilizing Velcro to help him keep his hand on the shifter.
Less than one month later, his brother Clifford tragically passed away in a crash at Michigan International Speedway. A few weeks later Allison had a chance at winning the Winston Million, leading 69 laps before rain cut the race short just after Allison had come into the pits.
Despite this adversity, Allison entered the final race of the season leading the point standings while looking to capture his first championship. The 31-year-old driver controlled his own destiny, needing to just finish fifth or better to be crowned the champion.
His season came to a crashing halt midway through the event, as he could not avoid a crash in front of him. His day, season and dreams came crashing down but yet again, Allison proved why he was such a fan favorite.
He conducted an interview following his crash with a smile on his face, despite the crushing disappointment. Blame was never placed on any other drivers, with Allison saying simply “It just wasn’t meant to be” before pivoting to talk about all of the support he received from his fans through an incredibly trying season.
When you combine all those characteristics together — and add in his two truly iconic and distinctive paint schemes — you end up with a driver that is impossible not to love.
Most Allison fans can recall moment-for-moment where they were the day the championship slipped from his grasp in 1992, those tragic days in 1993 and many moments in between.
Allison left behind his wife Liz and two children, Robbie and Krista, a family that now includes multiple grandchildren. They have strived to keep his memory alive, sharing memories and keepsakes, highlighted by Allison’s induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2019.
Now 30 years after those dark July days in 1993, the legacy of Davey Allison might be stronger than it ever has been.
Following Saturday’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Wall Stadium Speedway, the following penalties were issued:
Driver JB Fortin of the No. 34 JB Fortin Racing team entry was fined $5,000; must attend and complete Anger Management Training as determined by NASCAR; and is indefinitely suspended from NASCAR and any NASCAR-sanctioned events until the fine is paid and successful completion of Anger Management Training has occurred. Upon reinstatement, the member will be placed under probation for one year.
The rule infraction is as follows:
12-8.1 Member Conduct Guidelines
B. 1. Disparaging the sport and/or NASCAR’s leadership; 2. Verbal abuse of a NASCAR Official, media members, fans, etc.;
C. 1. Physical confrontation with a NASCAR Official, media members, fans, etc.; 2. Member-to-Member confrontation(s) with physical violence and other violent manifestations such as significant threat(s) and/or abuse and/or endangerment;
E. 1. Actions by a NASCAR Member that NASCAR finds to be detrimental to stock car racing or NASCAR.
Team member Amber Fortin of the No. 34 JB Fortin Racing team entry was fined $2,500; must attend and complete Anger Management Training as determined by NASCAR; and is indefinitely suspended from NASCAR and any NASCAR-sanctioned events until the fine is paid and successful completion of Anger Management Training has occurred. Upon reinstatement, the member will be placed under probation for one year.
The rule infraction is as follows:
12-8.1 Member Conduct Guidelines
C. 1. Physical confrontation with a NASCAR Official, media members, fans, etc.; 2. Member-to-Member confrontation(s) with physical violence and other violent manifestations such as significant threat(s) and/or abuse and/or endangerment;
Team members Nicole Fortin and John Fortin of the No. 34 JB Fortin Racing team entry were each fined $1,000 and are indefinitely suspended from NASCAR and any NASCAR-sanctioned events until the fine is paid. Upon reinstatement, each member will be placed under probation until December 31, 2023.
The rule infraction is as follows:
12-8.1 Member Conduct Guidelines
B. 1. Disparaging the sport and/or NASCAR’s leadership; 2. Verbal abuse of a NASCAR Official, media members, fans, etc.;
Driver Max Zachem of the No. 26 Lakeland Avenue Landscape Supply team entry has been fined $1,000 for intentionally damaging the No. 34 entry while under caution on Lap 139.
The rule infraction is as follows:
12-8.1 Member Conduct Guidelines
B. 3. Intentionally damaging another vehicle under yellow or red flag conditions or on pit road with no one around.
Additionally, a post-race time/lap penalty was assessed to the No. 26 per the rule listed below, reverting his finish to Lap 139. The No. 26 was placed behind the No. 34 in the finishing order and is now scored as finishing 20th.
The rule infraction is as follows:
9-11 Lap or Time Penalties
In-Race Violations
A lap or time penalty may be imposed when the Competitor has violated a directive from a NASCAR Official, or a known pit road or Race procedure including but not limited to the following:
Matt Kaulig is one of the most hands-on owners in NASCAR. Whenever there’s practice, qualifying and, of course, a race in the NASCAR Cup or Xfinity Series, the Ohio native will be found on top of the pit box, cheering on his drivers and teams.
But after attending Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Kaulig won’t be present for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race at the 1-mile flat bullring.
You might say Kaulig will be going golfing instead.
Kaulig will be the host and master of ceremonies of one of the five biggest PGA Champions Tour events around, this weekend’s Kaulig Companies Championship at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.
The weeklong event — which is highlighted by the 72-hole, four-day tournament this Thursday through Sunday — will bring some of the biggest senior names in the golf world to try their luck for a big chunk of the $3.5 million purse.
But the 78 golfers entered are just part of the highlights of the event. A number of celebrities from the sports and entertainment worlds will also be on hand, including NBA great Steph Curry, as well as all of Kaulig’s NASCAR drivers: AJ Allmendinger, Justin Haley, Daniel Hemric and Chandler Smith.
And, of course, show cars for those drivers will be strategically placed around the course.
In what will be the first year of a four-year agreement, Kaulig has taken over primary sponsorship of the tournament, previously known for several years as the Bridgestone Invitational.
“Obviously, Firestone Country Club is a very well-known location in the country,” Kaulig told NASCAR.com. “It’s one of the premier events on the tour.”
Kaulig isn’t sponsoring the tournament for glory or personal recognition. He wanted to continue the long history the event has with Firestone Country Club, which will celebrate the 70th year of the tournament this weekend.
With all the national and international recognition the event will bring, one of the biggest reasons why Kaulig and his privately held, family-run group of companies stepped in to be primary sponsor of the tournament is to raise money for various charities and foundations, including The NASCAR Foundation.
As he does in his daily business life, Kaulig is setting the bar high in his hopes of fund-raising for the various charities that will benefit from the tournament’s generosity.
Last year, the tournament raised over $900,000 for charity. Kaulig hopes to double last year’s total and raise nearly $2 million this weekend.
If successful in that goal, Kaulig will continue a tradition where, since its inception, the tournament has raised more than $30 million to local charities in the Akron/Canton/Cleveland areas.
“At Kaulig Companies, we continuously look for ways to better our community, and it is an honor to partner with PGA TOUR Champions to sponsor one of their flagship events,” Kaulig said when it was first revealed a year ago that his group of companies will sponsor the event. “Being able to support the city of Akron, along with the tournament’s impressive track record of giving back to local charities — many of the same that we give back to through Kaulig Giving — made it an easy decision for our team to sign on as the title sponsor.
“We look forward to building upon the tournament’s success and for an exciting four years ahead.”
VP BRAND
Contributing to charities, particularly those in the Akron area, has been one of the most significant elements of Kaulig’s DNA since he formed his company in 2005. Matt and wife Lisa subsequently founded Kaulig Charitable Giving Programs, also known as Kaulig Giving, a private family foundation, in 2019, designed to promote the educational, physical and emotional well-being of children and their families.
Last year, the Kaulig Foundation gave nearly $1 million to local charities, a figure Matt hopes to double in 2023.
Kaulig’s charitable efforts are written and included as a major part of the company’s overall purpose: “Philanthropy is at the heart of everything we do at Kaulig Companies. As the title sponsor of the PGA Champions Tour event at Firestone Country Club, we will showcase some of the world’s best professional players, iconic places and organizations in Northeast Ohio, and local charities making a difference for children and families while we generate millions of dollars to benefit the region.”
To help achieve the lofty goal of $2 million to be donated to charity this year, Kaulig has brought in a number of major partners for the golf tournament to be part of the fundraising effort, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, MLB’s Cleveland Guardians, The NASCAR Foundation and other heavyweights.
“It’s more than just a golf tournament for us,” Kaulig said. “It’s just really helping out the community that we live in and that I went to school in.”
Kaulig has selected 18 charities that will benefit from this weekend’s tournament and fundraising efforts, including The NASCAR Foundation and the LeBron James I Promise School/LeBron James Family Foundation.
Of note, the LeBron James I Promise School will host a clinic for children. Kaulig Giving was the primary benefactor for construction of the state-of-the-art I Promise School media lab.
In addition to being a longtime member of the Firestone Country Club, Kaulig has attended the last 30 PGA Tour events there.
“I’m 50 years old now, so I started attending when I started college,” he said. “When the (tournament) sponsorship became available, and all the stuff that we do in Northeast Ohio, I mean, it was just a really good fit.
“I went to and played football at the University of Akron, my wife’s from Akron, she was a cheerleader at Akron, and we make our home here. With just all the things that we do with our charitable giving aspect, it just made sense.
“It’s a really great event for the community, it always has been. So even the possibility of that thing possibly moving or going away was just not something that we wanted to see. So we got involved.”
In the 18 years since he formed Kaulig Companies, the company patriarch and his wife have donated to over 250 different charities in and around the Akron and Northeast Ohio area.
“We’re really involved in helping those kids, and most of our giving is done in Northeast Ohio,” Kaulig said. “We want to make our community better. I mean, there’s so many charities and nonprofits out there that really aren’t being helped or people are just making money off of.
“So that’s one of the big things that we responsibly give, so to speak, where we really vet organizations and really try to maximize what we’re giving and really get involved. The golf tournament is a really good example of that.”
