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.”

Posted on by Tadd Haislop

LOUDON, N.H. — With 30 laps to go in Monday’s Crayon 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Adam Stevens made the call. “Superman,” the crew chief told driver Christopher Bell.

The No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team was running on the edge of the top five and looking to strategize their way to a podium finish, if not a win. They pitted and took four tires when all the other leaders took two. They had no way of knowing the call was irrelevant, with kryptonite waiting right around the corner.

Racing hard on his new tires with 14 laps to go, Bell spun in Turn 3 and backed his right rear into the wall. The damage was significant. He fell two laps down over the final stretch of the race and limped to a 29th-place finish.

“Just got loose over the bumps and spun it,” a dejected Bell said after the race.

The crash was the final chapter of a nightmare Monday for the No. 20 team. A loose wheel during a caution in the first stage forced Bell to pit a second time and restart at the back of the pack. Slow pit stops doomed the team all day.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: NHMS

For these reasons, there were no smiles to be found in the garage area as the team packed its impaired Rheem Toyota Camry into their hauler.

But Bell, who started on the Busch Light Pole at New Hampshire, displayed impressive speed throughout the Crayon 301. After that loose wheel cost Bell his track position, the 28-year-old powered through the field. He was running some of his best laps of the race during the final stage before the spin.

This was the silver lining on an otherwise green and gloomy New England day for the team.

“It feels good to have good car potential,” Bell said. “We’ve had good car potential the last couple weeks, so hopefully we keep that going.”

Added Stevens: “I think we had another good car. I don’t think we had the best car, but we didn’t get a chance to keep our track position and tune on it up front. Was able to battle back through the field, show some strength.

“And it all slipped away at the end.”

The manic nature of Bell’s Monday epitomizes the challenge of NASCAR Cup Series racing. The winner of last year’s New Hampshire race, Bell once again had one of the fastest cars at the track all weekend. Yet a couple of mistakes were the difference between another championship-level run and a junked race car.

There’s no telling how Bell’s race would have played out had he not dropped to the back so early. Asked whether Bell could have competed with the race winner, JGR teammate Martin Truex Jr., both the driver and the crew chief imagined a victory would have been possible.

“I was right there with him when we were up front,” Bell said. “That’s all I know.”

Stevens called Truex the “class of the field” at New Hampshire, but he knows not to count out Bell.

“I think [Truex] was a little better,” Stevens said. “If we would have stayed up there and been able to work on it in that cleaner air, there’s a chance.”

RACE REWIND: Best moments from Monday | Truex does massive burnout on frontstretch

There’s also a chance Stevens’ strategy would have worked had Bell not slipped on Lap 287.

Stevens figured at least a few of the cars in front of Bell would take right-side tires during the final pit stop. The crew chief calculated that Bell would restart sixth with two tires and ninth with four tires. That made for a relatively simple call.

“If we’re going to have two [tires] and be behind the guys, we’re not going to pass them,” Stevens explained. “If we’re already going to be behind them, we needed four tires. I’d much rather be ninth with four than sixth with two.”

Bell didn’t have a say in the “Superman” strategy, but he did mention the new tire setup at New Hampshire — plus the extreme July heat — made for a slicker race than he anticipated. In theory, fresh rubber was a legitimate advantage, given the circumstances.

Bell and his team will enjoy the bigger picture when they look at points post-New Hampshire. They entered the race fourth in the regular-season standings, one point back from Kyle Busch in fourth. They left the Crayon 301 third in the standings, thanks in large part to Busch’s last-place finish.

The bigger picture that is the upcoming Cup Series schedule is also a pretty one for this team. Four of Bell’s five career victories have come on road courses and short tracks. Three of the six races remaining on the regular-season schedule (Richmond Raceway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Watkins Glen International) will take place on a short track or road course.

There will be multiple chances in the coming weeks for Superman to fly.

Posted on by Holly Cain

LOUDON, N.H. – Martin Truex Jr. had led more than 900 laps at New Hampshire Motor Speedway without claiming any victory hardware in 29 previous starts at the 1.058-mile oval. However, the driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota left little doubt about securing that career-first win in Monday’s rain-delayed Crayon 301 at the track, leading a dominating 254 of the 301 laps.

The impressive work was the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion’s third victory of the season – and second this year in a rain-delayed Monday race (also Dover, Delaware). He survived three restarts in the final 24 laps and ultimately held off one of the local favorites, Connecticut driver Joey Logano, across the finish line by a slight 0.394 seconds.

RELATED: Official results | At-track photos: NHMS

For most of the day, Truex held the field at bay by more than a second in the first Monday afternoon race in the track’s 30-year history with the series. The 42-year-old New Jersey native’s work not only earned the famed live lobster trophy but also propelled him into the NASCAR Cup Series champion lead by 17 points ahead of Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron.

Asked if there was a track on the schedule where he wanted to win more than New Hampshire, Truex smiled and said, “I don’t think so.” His previous best finish was third – three times. Five times he’d led more than 100 laps, including last year when he led a race-high 172 laps, only to finish fourth.

“What we’ve been able to do here over the years was pretty remarkable, and to not win was really getting frustrating,” Truex said. “[Crew chief] James [Small] and I have talked about it many times and talked with [teammate] Christopher [Bell] before the race, and he said, ‘You’ve led more laps here than I’ve even run here in the Cup Series.

“Just really awesome job by everybody. What a race car we had here today. Just proud of the whole team. Pit stops were flawless. The car was unbelievable. We had some challenges throughout the race, and the car was a handful at times, but we put our heads down and just kept digging.”

Truex led 163 of the opening 185 laps taking both the Stage 1 and Stage 2 wins to triple his total on the season. In the opening stage, four-race winner Byron was in hot pursuit. Later in the race, Truex had to fend off Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson and eventually Logano.

“When you’re at your home race track, second hurts more than anywhere else,” said Team Penske’s Logano. “There’s no place I want to win more than here and came up one spot short. That one stings, but overall, still have to say it’s a good day. Just mad right now.’’

Hendrick Motorsports’ Larson wound up third, and Stewart-Haas Racing driver and soon-to-retire Kevin Harvick was fourth in his final start at the track. Brad Keselowski, owner-driver of the No. 6 RFK Racing team, rounded out the top five.

“We were fortunate we had fresher tires than most and were able to stay out and get most of that back,” Harvick said. “We’ve just got to be able to do what we need to do when it counts.”

23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick finished sixth, followed by Truex’s JGR teammate Denny Hamlin. 23XI’s Bubba Wallace, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon and SHR driver Chase Briscoe rounded out the top 10.

Byron, who led nine laps, finished 24th. 

His Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott, who is still trying to claim a 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff position after missing six races this season, struggled much of the day. Elliott conceded after qualifying that he was not particularly optimistic about his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet this weekend.

Still, he rallied to a 12th-place finish and remains ranked 23rd – now only 60 points out of 16th place in the standings, with the top 16 drivers transferring to the 10-race championship round that starts in September.

Kyle Busch, who was third in the championship standings entering Sunday’s race, had a short day on an overall disappointing visit to New Hampshire. He crashed in the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet during qualifying and had to start at the rear of the field after repairs. Then he made contact with the wall as the field came to the caution flag for Stage 1 on Sunday. 

The RCR team looked at the car on pit road but decided it was too damaged for repair, leaving him last in the 36-car field and dropping him to fifth place in the championship standings, 74 points behind new leader Truex.

“I’ve been lacking right-rear grip the whole time we’ve been here,’’ said Busch, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series winner at New Hampshire.  “Just couldn’t get the right-rear feel in the race track. You’re just going along, trying to keep it under you as much as you can. Hate it for our No. 8 team. Our Chevy stuff was a little off this week, at least for us, anyway. We’ll get back to it at Pocono.”

MORE: Kyle Busch out early at Loudon

Ryan Blaney ran second to Truex for a solid portion of the final stage, but his No. 12 Team Penske Ford group was penalized for running over the air hose during a pit stop on Lap 272. He placed 22nd.

Aric Almirola had one of his best performances of the year going when he crashed out while contesting for the lead in the 169th lap. An improperly fastened right-rear wheel on the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford came loose through the first and second turns, sending Almirola’s car into the outside retaining wall and ending his day.

The Cup Series’ next race is the HighPoint.com 400, scheduled Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) at Pocono Raceway.

Note: Post-race inspection in the Cup Series garage at New Hampshire concluded without issue, confirming Truex as the race winner.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on by Staff Report

Kyle Busch’s day at New Hampshire Motor Speedway ended early after a crash at the end of Stage 1 in Monday’s NASCAR Cup Series race.

Busch had started at the rear of the field after a wreck in Saturday’s qualifying session and had moved up only slightly after the green flag of the Crayon 301. As the opening stage drew to a close on Lap 70, Busch’s No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet clobbered the Turn 1 wall. Corey LaJoie’s No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevy followed suit, also scraping the outside barrier.

RELATED: Official results | At-track photos: NHMS

Busch was running in 27th place at the time of the wreck, and LaJoie was in 31st. Busch limped around to pit road and made an additional lap before the No. 8 crew determined that the damage was terminal.

“I’ve been lacking right-rear grip the whole time we’ve been here,” Busch told NBC Sports after a quick check at the infield care center. “Just couldn’t get the right-rear feel in the race track. You’re just going along, trying to keep it under you as much as you can. It was getting late in the run, and I was trying a different line, and it was just too high. I didn’t like to be that high on entry. I couldn’t give it wheel and have the right-rear stick with the lateral grip that you need.”

MORE: 2023 Cup Series standings

Busch placed last in the 36-car field, snapping a streak of seven consecutive top-10 finishes. He entered the New Hampshire race ranked third in the Cup Series standings, with three wins already this season but slipped to fifth in the rankings after the DNF.

LaJoie continued after his wall contact and met the minimum-speed requirement at the start of Stage 2 before heading to the garage. He spent extensive time off the track for further repairs but was running at the finish to place 33rd — 125 laps in arrears.