Posted on by Staff Report

Full coverage and timeline of the Garage 56 project’s path to participation in the centennial edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 10-11:

EVENT COVERAGE AT A GLANCE

PROJECT TIMELINE

March 17, 2022: Launch at Sebring — The Garage 56 initiative takes flight with an announcement at Sebring International Raceway that a modified Next Gen stock car would take on the 24 Hours of Le Mans. High-ranking representatives from NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet, Goodyear, IMSA and Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) were on hand for the project’s reveal, with the goal of competing in the “innovative car” class in the event’s 2023 centennial. | MORE: Garage 56 project sets sail | An innovative class by itself

June 11-12, 2022: Scouting mission — VP of Competition Chad Knaus and other delegates from Hendrick Motorsports take in the 2022 edition of the 24-hour race, making notes and observations for their proposed invitation the following year. | MORE: Insights from Le Mans visit | Jim France wins Spirit of Le Mans Award

August 29-30, 2022: First on-track test — A working test mule, built in collaboration with the Action Express sports-car team, hits the track for laps at Road Atlanta. German road-racing ace Mike Rockenfeller is the test driver.

November 14-15, 2022: Testing at VIR — A Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 test car that more closely resembles the proposed Garage 56 entry is put through its paces by Rockenfeller at Virginia International Raceway. The Hendrick-built car features a more robust front splitter and rear diffuser, dive planes and underwing enhancements. | MORE: ‘Huge milestone’ in two-day VIR test | Photos from VIR

November 2022: Tire testing — The specially made rubber for the Garage 56 project is put to the test at the Goodyear proving grounds.

December 7, 2022: Seven-time seat time — Jimmie Johnson gets his first turn behind the wheel of the Garage 56 test car at Carolina Motorsports Park’s 2.279-mile road course in Kershaw, S.C.

December 19-20, 2022: Sebring scene — Johnson and Rockenfeller traded driving duties during two days of test runs at Sebring International Raceway. Heavy rain shortens the session, which marks the first usage of carbon brakes on the test vehicle.

January 28, 2023: Driver announcement — With IMSA’s Rolex 24 weekend as the backdrop, the three-driver lineup of Johnson, Rockenfeller and former Formula 1 champion Jenson Button is presented at a press conference at Daytona International Speedway. IMSA standout Jordan Taylor is added as the alternate, a test driver and a consultant for the group. MORE: Driver lineup debuts

January 31-February 1, 2023: Daytona at dark — The car’s freshly installed headlights get their first nighttime trial as the newly tapped driver quartet gets to work, practicing pit stops and driver changes for the first time. Durability was the focus of Day 2, and the car clocked 1,620 miles in total for the two-day session. MORE: Garage 56 project gains miles, experience | Day 1 recap | Photos from Daytona testing

February 17, 2023: Livery, car specs revealed — A bright blue look for the Garage 56 entry is unveiled in Daytona’s Victory Lane, and the specifications of the modified Next Gen car come into focus, with a larger fuel tank, significant weight savings and a horsepower figure in the high 700s. | MORE: A fresh look at Garage 56 | Photos: Livery from all angles

February 20-21, 2023: Endurance effect — Sebring is the setting for a 23-hour run and another major swing at the twice-around-the-clock challenge that awaits in Le Mans. The car registers 2,367 miles as the team works through its tire options, changes brakes and practices pit stops and driver changes.

February 27, 2023: Invite official — The Next Gen proposal for the Garage 56 entry was accepted by Le Mans race organizers, who released the entry list for the 24-hour event. The car will compete using a number that’s special to Hendrick Motorsports, the No. 24 that Jeff Gordon carried during his run of NASCAR success. | MORE: No. 24 lands on entry list

March 7-8, 2023: Set-up prep — The project welcomed a second Garage 56 car into the mix as the team explored set-up options in two days of testing at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. The cars also received a preliminary technical inspection by race organizers at the 3.41-mile course.

April 17-18, 2023: Final tune-up — A group photo of the team and the project’s partners on Sebring’s pit lane capped the last test before the Garage 56 entry tackles Le Mans. The final distance achieved in testing nets out to 6,834 miles. MORE: Sebring send-off on Day 2 | Final mark-up for G56 cars | Photos: Final test at Sebring

May 2023: Cars, equipment arrive in France.

June 4, 2023: On-track action — A champion’s welcome greeted the Garage 56 contingent in France, as fans especially flocked to seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. On track for the first time, the entry showed serious speed. MORE: Strides made during test-day debut

June 6, 2023: Pit Stop Challenge — NASCAR’s Garage 56 crew gets a big win by placing first in the Pit Crew Challenge for the GTE class and fifth place overall, despite being the only team in the field competing with a manual jack. MORE: NASCAR Garage 56 crew wins Pit Stop Challenge

June 9, 2023: Driver parade — The Grande Parade Des Pilotes through Le Mans could not have been more appropriate or telling for the NASCAR 56 operation. MORE: Drivers parade through center city before the race

June 10-11, 2023: 24 Hours of Le Mans. MORE: Complete recap

June 11, 2023: NASCAR’s official wrap-up of the Garage 56 project. MORE: Culmination of years of work

Posted on by Staff Report

World Wide Technology Raceway will host the second annual Enjoy Illinois 300 Presented By TicketSmarter NASCAR Cup Series race, and will again fill its grandstands to capacity with a repeat sellout, the track announced Friday.

In addition to the second consecutive sellout at World Wide Technology Raceway, it marks the third consecutive sellout on the NASCAR schedule following the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

MORE: Cup entry list | Full weekend schedule

“I think the sell-out is the result of the huge effort by my team, but also, the St. Louis community,” World Wide Technology Raceway owner and CEO Curtis Francois told NASCAR.com. “And the St. Louis community is one of the strongest, if not the strongest, sports towns in the country. And as I expected, they showed up to support this event. And frankly, we’re just getting started, you know, leveraging my deep relationships within the community and all of those that are NASCAR fans, culminates in these great results, the results in this great outcome.

“We’re just absolutely thrilled to announce a Year 2 sell-out, which has great implications for our community, as well as the sport.”

At World Wide Technology Raceway this weekend, though, the entertainment goes beyond the racing.

The Confluence Music Festival also returns in 2023 with 14-time Grammy-nominated Dierks Bentley as headliner. The veteran artist, with more than 18 chart-topping singles and countless award nominations, will be joining local, regional and national acts at the music which will be held June 2-4. The performance will be Dierks’ only St. Louis stop on his upcoming Gravel and Gold tour.

“No doubt the Confluence Music Festival adds another element to an already great event by adding in a world-class music festival,” Francois continued. “Pairing that with a NASCAR race that was spectacular last year. And we suspect it will be again this year. It’s one-of-a-kind of that where you’re seeing such a diverse group of talent and crowd come together to enjoy diverse music offerings and just the greatest racing in North America.”

Bentley is one of the more than 30 musical acts set to play on race weekend, giving the event a festival-like feel.

Rissi Palmer, who in 2007 was the first Black woman since Dona Mason to chart a country song, will also play. So, too, will local star, Bailey Zimmerman, who takes the stage Sunday morning.

Flo Rida’s appearance at the Confluence Festival is a nostalgic celebration of the cross-cultural and multi-generational appeal NASCAR and the World Wide Technology Raceway continue to weave into the sport.

It’s all coming together for a unique, landmark weekend as the track continues to establish itself as a must-stop on the NASCAR national circuit.

“I’m so excited about for fans to just show up and see, again, that we have listened to them after Year 1. And we’ve added so much more to the event. The first event we got it done, and we were thrilled with the outcome. The second year I think is going to be even better, as fans show up and get to enjoy the new Gateway Garage Experience, the upgraded fan experience, the hugely improved and expanded mid-way, more than twice the concessions and so much more. I think fans are gonna see something that is special, that we believe in the NASCAR brand and are investing in the NASCAR brand. And we feel like that when they come back each year, year after year, they’re gonna continue to see this kind of growth.”

Other fan amenities this weekend include:

  • Gateway Garage Experience: An all-new 360° fan experience in the garages and enhancements to the infield, including a new driver meeting room are waiting to be unveiled for the NASCAR weekend.
  • Hundreds more nearby camping sites
  • Boosted Wi-Fi throughout the venue
  • Hundreds more concessions points of sale and unique options – from tamales to cocktails to the traditional Midway fan favorites

Last year’s inaugural Cup Series race at the 1.25-mile track had plenty of thrilling moments, from a chapter in the Denny Hamlin-Ross Chastain rivalry story to a thrilling finish that saw Joey Logano pass Kyle Busch on the final restart to win in a green-white-checkered finish.

Tickets are still available for Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Toyota 200 race. Saturday’s activities also include Cup Series qualifying and access to the on-site Confluence Music Festival.

Important notice to fans:

  • There will be no walk-up ticket options or general admission. Tickets are not available onsite. Tickets may be available on TicketSmarter, the official resale marketplace of WWTR.
  • Limited number of Saturday tickets still available. Friday is free.
Posted on by Staff Report

Full schedule for the 2023 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, celebrating its 100th anniversary year.
(All times ET, a six-hour time difference from Le Mans, France)

Friday, June 2

4 a.m.-1 p.m. — Public scrutineering (inspection), Place de la République in Le Mans town center
11:15-11:50 a.m. — Garage 56 scrutineering

Saturday, June 3

4-9 a.m. — Public scrutineering (inspection), Place de la République in Le Mans town center
9 a.m. — City Centre driver parade, Place de la République; Jimmie Johnson to drive Garage 56 entry
Noon — Race Week Launch

Sunday, June 4

1 a.m. — Official opening of the Circuit de la Sarthe
4-7 a.m. — Free practice 1
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. — Free practice 2

Tuesday, June 6

9:15-10:30 a.m. — Pit-stop challenge, Circuit de la Sarthe pit lane
1:30 p.m. — Official photo of cars on the Le Mans grid

Wednesday, June 7

8-11 a.m. — Free practice 3 (MotorTrend+)
1-2 p.m. — Qualifying practice (MotorTrend+); top eight cars in each class advance to Hyperpole qualifying
4-6 p.m. — Free practice 4 (MotorTrend+)

Thursday, June 8

9 a.m.-noon — Free practice 5 (MotorTrend+)
2-2:30 p.m. — Hyperpole qualifying (MotorTrend+)
4-5 p.m. — Final free practice (MotorTrend+)

Friday, June 9

8-10:30 a.m. — Drivers parade, Le Mans City Centre

Saturday, June 10

6-6:15 a.m. — Warm-up (MotorTrend+)
7:45-8:30 a.m. — Presentation of the cars and drivers
9 a.m. — Opening ceremony (MotorTrend+)
9:10 a.m. — Cars pushed into starting position
9:51 a.m. — Formation lap starts
10 a.m. — Start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (full coverage: MotorTrend+, MotorTrend TV, Velocity in Canada)

Sunday, June 11

10 a.m. — Finish of the 24 Hours of Le Mans; podium presentations (MotorTrend+)

Posted on by Reid Spencer

Last year, AJ Allmendinger won the inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Portland International Raceway in a deluge.

This year, the forecast calls for clear skies and warmer temperatures for Saturday’s Pacific Office Automation 147 at the 1.967-mile road course (4:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

RELATED: Weekend schedule for Portland | See new paint schemes

There’s another major difference in this year’s event. Now racing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, Allmendinger won’t be around to defend his win.

That’s good news for Myatt Snider, Austin Hill, Josh Berry and Justin Allgaier, who finished second through fifth, respectively, in the series’ debut race at the demanding 12-turn course.

“Portland is definitely a unique and challenging road course,” said Allgaier, who picked up his first victory of the season in Monday’s rain-delayed Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “We were able to come away with a top-five finish last year, and hopefully we can replicate that same success again this weekend with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet.

“We have a lot of momentum on our side right now, especially after getting the win in Charlotte, and I know that (crew chief) Jim (Pohlman) and the guys on this No. 7 team are ready to get after it again and race for the win on Saturday.”

MORE: Xfinity Series stars taking on ARCA on Friday

Posted on by Staff Report

Ryan Blaney snapped a 59-race winless streak by capturing the Coca-Cola 600 on Monday, and Racing Insights projects that the driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford will go back-to-back by being victorious in Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 near St. Louis (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCARadio).

But in order to do so, Blaney will need to buck recent statistical trends where parity has once again invaded the NASCAR Cup Series. Seven different drivers have won the last seven races this season starting with Christopher Bell at the Bristol Dirt Race and continuing with Kyle Larson (Martinsville), Kyle Busch (Talladega), Martin Truex Jr. (Dover), Denny Hamlin (Kansas), William Byron (Darlington) and Blaney (Charlotte).

FANTASY LIVE: Set your roster | See weekend schedule

There will be plenty of stiff competition in Sunday’s field with 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace being a candidate to keep the run of different winners going. Wallace is riding a career-best streak of top-five finishes with three in a row, and he and teammate Tyler Reddick both finished in the top five at Charlotte — a first for the young organization.

Adding to the intensity is the fact the gap between first place and sixth place in the regular-season point standings is just 17, the closest margin of all time after 14 races. St. Louis could be a hotbed of action on Sunday with potentially slick track conditions and temperatures expected to reach 93 degrees in Madison, Illinois, on race day.

OTHERS TO WATCH

Martin Truex Jr.: He has five top-10 finishes in the last seven races, including a win at Dover and a third-place result on Monday at Charlotte.

Joey Logano: He won last year’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway by passing Kyle Busch during a dramatic overtime restart.

William Byron: He leads in several of the major statistical categories this season, including wins (three), top-five finishes (seven) and laps led (687).

Kyle Larson: Larson is second to Byron this season in wins and laps led with two and 583, respectively.

Projections as of Sunday, June 4.

RACING INSIGHTS‘ PROJECTIONS FOR ENJOY ILLINOIS 300

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

FinishCar numberDriver
112Ryan Blaney
222Joey Logano
324William Byron
419Martin Truex Jr.
58Kyle Busch
65Kyle Larson
71Ross Chastain
84Kevin Harvick
911Denny Hamlin
1045Tyler Reddick
116Brad Keselowski
1220Christopher Bell
1314Chase Briscoe
1410Aric Almirola
1548Alex Bowman
162Austin Cindric
1743Erik Jones
1823Bubba Wallace
1916AJ Allmendinger
203Austin Dillon
2147Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
2234Michael McDowell
2317Chris Buescher
2454Ty Gibbs
2599Daniel Suárez
2631Justin Haley
2721Harrison Burton
2838Todd Gilliland
2941Ryan Preece
309Corey LaJoie
3177Ty Dillon
3242Noah Gragson
3351J.J. Yeley
3478BJ McLeod
357Carson Hocevar
3615Gray Gaulding

Posted on by Cameron Richardson

After a three-week stretch of traveling up and down the Carolinas, NASCAR hits the road to the Midwest and lands just outside St. Louis, Missouri, at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Last year, the Cup Series made its debut on the flat, 1-mile oval resulting in Joey Logano winning the inaugural event after an overtime battle with Kyle Busch — all in front of a sold-out crowd.

Will the drama from last year’s race carry over into its sophomore outing? Before we find out how Sunday’s race (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will play out, here are some important trends to watch ahead of the action, along with Goodyear tire information and interactive ways to follow along.

RELATED: See paint schemes for Gateway, Portland | Betting favorites for Sunday’s Cup race

🚨 CHASE ELLIOTT SUSPENDED; NO. 14 TEAM PENALIZED 🚨

The driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet will miss Sunday’s race as NASCAR suspended Chase Elliott for the incident with Denny Hamlin during the Coca-Cola 600.

Officials ruled Elliott intentionally crashed Denny Hamlin in Monday’s Coke 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, turning left into Hamlin’s right-rear quarter panel and sending the No. 11 Toyota head-on into the outside SAFER barrier.

Another major penalty was announced Wednesday as NASCAR issued an L3-level penalty to the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing team for counterfeiting a Next Gen part.

As a result, the No. 14 team was docked 120 points in both the owner standings and driver standings for Chase Briscoe; an additional loss of 25 playoff points should Briscoe and the team qualify for the postseason; and a $250,000 fine and suspension in the next six points races to crew chief John Klausmeier.

RELATED: NASCAR’s Sawyer explains Elliott suspension

📉 TRENDS TO WATCH 📈

— Ford has won only twice in 2023.

— A driver led 100 or more laps in nine races in 2023.

— Six races in 2023 had an overtime finish (finish last season at Gateway ended in overtime).

(Via Racing Insights)

NOTABLE MOMENTS 🎥

2022: Denny Hamlin, Ross Chastain tangle at Gateway | WATCH

2022: Joey Logano wins inaugural Cup race at Gateway | WATCH

ON-TRACK SCHEDULE 🗓️

Saturday, June 3

— 10 a.m. ET: Practice (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

— 10:45 a.m. ET: Qualifying (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Sunday, June 4

— 3:30 p.m. ET: Enjoy Illinois 300 (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

MORE: Full weekend schedule at Gateway, Portland

RULE CHANGES/GOODYEAR TIRE NOTES 🛞

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

Goodyear will run the tire setup that has already been used at Phoenix Raceway, Richmond Raceway and North Wilkesboro Speedway earlier this season. Teams will be allotted one set of tires for practice, one set for qualifying and an additional nine sets for Sunday’s race.

NASCAR implemented an update to the Next Gen NASCAR Cup Series chassis that went into effect last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

In the event of a lost wheel that is contained to pit road, the offending team will be subject to a pass-through penalty under green-flag conditions. If the infraction occurs during a caution period, the offending team will restart at the tail end of the field.

If the wheel breaks free outside of pit road, the new rules guidelines mandate a two-lap penalty plus a two-race suspension for two crew members. Each penalty is series-specific: Violations in one series will not impact those crew members’ eligibility to participate in other series.

RELATED: See rules changes for 2023

FAN REWARDS 🫵

Fans can get in on the action all season long with NASCAR Fan Rewards, a free program that rewards fans for participating in the action when they watch races and play NASCAR Fantasy.

There’s no cost to join. Fans must be 18 years or older to participate in the program.

Earn points by checking into a race from home or at the track, setting your Fantasy Live lineup, making purchases on the NASCAR.com shop and more. Points can be redeemed for race tickets, merchandise and VIP experiences at the track, including pace car rides and waving the green flag at qualifying.

JOIN TODAY

FOLLOW THE RACE 📲

NASCAR Mobile has now added support for fans to “Follow the Race” and access live leaderboard and race information from Live Activities in the current app release (v13.2.0), available now. Android users, we didn’t forget you — the same functionality has been custom-built for Android devices, as well.

How to access Live Activities on iPhones:

  1. Make sure your iOS device has been updated to 16.1 or higher.
  2. Available on the leaderboard of all NASCAR Series races.
  3. Click on the three-dot menu near the top right of screen.
  4. Select “Follow the Race.”
  5. Swipe up to access the home screen and you will see the Live Activities at the top.
  6. Lock the device and you will see Live Activities on the Lock Screen.
  7. To turn off, simply visit the leaderboard, click the three-dot menu and “Unfollow the Race.”

FANTASY LIVE 🏆

Want to manage a team and race your way to the top of the leaderboards? Check out NASCAR Fantasy Live, which is open now. The free-to-play game lets you choose your drivers each week and show off your crew-chief instincts by garaging a driver by the end of Stage 2, and there is a $25,000 prize for the winner.

How to play: Fantasy Live | Set up a team today!

ALSO ON NASCAR.COM 💻

Get additional camera views by logging on to NASCAR Drive, where each week, in-car cameras will be available.

NASCAR has partnered with LiveLike to add fan engagement to the NASCAR Mobile App. Log in to the mobile app during the race for polls, quizzes, the cheer meter and more — and see instant results from NASCAR fans like you.

Posted on by Brandon White

On March 28, 2015, the CARS Tour formally held its first race at Southern National Motorsports Park, a NASCAR Home Track in Lucama, North Carolina.

Since then, the series, now owned by NASCAR stars Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Justin Marks, has grown into a premier division for Late Model Stock competition in the southeast. Among the alumni that have developed their talents in the CARS Tour include 2020 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series champion Josh Berry, along with Corey Heim, Sam Mayer, Taylor Gray and many others.

With the CARS Tour celebrating its 100th Late Model Stock event at Langley Speedway on Saturday, many of the drivers who built the foundation in that first event have either retired, moved up the developmental ladder or remain involved with the series today.

RELATED: Full results from the inaugural CARS Tour race at Southern National

Here is a look at the top-10 finishers from Southern National eight years ago and how their careers have turned out since that day.

Myatt Snider finished third in the first CARS Tour race at Southern National Motorsports Park, but he now races part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. (Photo: ARCA Racing)
  1. Todd Gilliland: After qualifying third in the inaugural CARS Tour event, Gilliland maintained solid track position all evening before making the race-winning pass with three laps remaining. It was Gilliland’s lone CARS Tour win, but he has since built a strong career with two ARCA Menards Series West titles and three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victories. He currently drives for Front Row Motorsports and Rick Ware Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series.
  1. Deac McCaskill: Already an accomplished short-track competitor before the CARS Tour was formed, McCaskill earned the pole for Southern National and led 147 of the 150 laps before being passed by Gilliland. Now the elder statesman of the CARS Tour, McCaskill has tallied 10 victories in the series, along with a championship at the end of the 2016 season.
  1. Myatt Snider: The son of NBC Sports pit reporter Marty Snider, 2015 was Myatt’s only full-time season in the CARS Tour. He earned his only CARS Tour win at Bristol Motor Speedway during the 2017 season but has also visited Victory Lane in the ARCA Menards Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
    Myatt is currently a part-time Xfinity Series competitor and will run five more races with Joe Gibbs Racing this season.
  1. Tommy Lemons Jr.: Lemons arrived in the CARS Tour having already won the prestigious ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway twice. He ran two full-time seasons in the CARS Tour and managed to claim two victories before gradually scaling back his operation over the following years. Lemons’ last start came at Southern National in 2020.
  1. Tyler Ankrum: Ankrum contested the entire inaugural CARS Tour schedule in 2015, earning six top fives and a pole at Hickory Motor Speedway. After moving up the developmental ladder, Ankrum claimed an ARCA Menards Series East title in 2018 before settling into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series the following year. Ankrum has one win in the Truck Series to date and is a couple of weeks removed from making his 100th career start at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
  1. Brayton Haws: The eventual champion of the inaugural CARS Tour season, Haws put together an efficient year that saw him claim three victories, eight top 10s and lead 346 laps. Despite this, Haws never ran another race in the CARS Tour after 2015, and he only made occasional starts in dirt racing afterwards. He has not competed nationally since 2019. 
  1. R.D. Smith: Like McCaskill, Smith was already a seasoned Late Model Stock competitor when he elected to join the CARS Tour for the 2015 season. All three of Smith’s top-five finishes in the series came that same year, but he found more short track success in 2016 with wins in the Rodney Cook Classic at Ace Speedway and the Bobby Isaac Memorial at Hickory Motor Speedway.
  1. Stacy Compton: Compton was the only driver in the Late Model Stock field at Southern National in 2015 who had starts in all three of NASCAR’s top divisions entering the race. With accomplishments that include two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series wins, the first CARS Tour event was Compton’s last as a driver.
  1. Blake Stallings: Stallings competed in all but one race during the first CARS Tour season, earning four top 10s in the process. He sustained serious injuries in a motorcycle crash the following year but quickly returned to racing, earning a victory in the Rodney Cook Classic back in 2017.
  1. Michael Fose: Southern National was the first of two top 10s Fose earned in the CARS Tour during 2015. That season would be Fose’s only full-time CARS Tour campaign, and he only ran one more race in the series before stepping away from racing all together in 2016.
Despite struggling in his debut CARS Tour race, Christian Eckes has since embarked on a successful career, which includes an ARCA Menards Series title in 2019. (Photo: ARCA Racing)

Other notable results:

Mike Darne: Despite having past success at Southern National, Darne could only muster a 14th place run in the inaugural CARS Tour event at the track. Darne has primarily been a part-time driver, but has fielded cars for talented drivers such as Mason Diaz and Kaden Honeycutt, the latter of which has three Top 5s with Darne this year.

Christian Eckes: Driving for Sean Corr’s Empire Racing at the time, Eckes finished a lap down to Gilliland in 19th, but he hit his stride not long afterwards. Along with winning both the Snowball Derby and Myrtle Beach 400 in 2016, Eckes claimed the ARCA Menards Series three years later with Venturini Motorsports after winning four races. Eckes now races full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, where he has two wins in 2023.

RELATED: Follow the CARS Tour on FloRacing

Tyler Dippel: Dippel failed to finish his lone CARS Tour start. He ended up winning two races in the ARCA Menards Series East before moving up to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2019. Dippel has been out of NASCAR since the start of the decade but still races at dirt tracks around the country.

Ryan Wilson: Prior to the CARS Tour, Wilson ran five races in the ARCA Menards Series during the early 2010s, scoring two top 10s. He crashed out of his lone CARS Tour start at Southern National in 2015, but he still infrequently competes in the series today, having attempted four races in 2023.

Doug Barnes Jr.: Barnes had the unfortunate honor of being the first driver to finish last in a CARS Tour race, which occurred after he was involved in a crash on Lap 19. Since then, “Air Doug” has become one of the most recognizable names in Late Model Stock competition, with Barnes earning his first major win in the Icebreaker at Florence Motor Speedway earlier this year.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR issued an L3-level penalty, the most severe punishment under the sanctioning body’s deterrence system, to Stewart-Haas Racing after the discovery of a counterfeit part in the team’s No. 14 Ford.

As a result, the No. 14 team has been docked 120 points in both the owner standings and driver standings for Chase Briscoe; an additional loss of 25 playoff points should Briscoe and the team qualify for the postseason; and a $250,000 fine and suspension in the next six points races to crew chief John Klausmeier.

RELATED: Standings | Schedule

According to the penalty grid issued by NASCAR, the team violated multiple sections of the NASCAR Rule Book. That includes Section 14.1F, which prohibits counterfeiting a Next Gen single source vendor-supplied part, along with Section 14.6.A Underwing, and 14.6.3B Engine Panel Assembly.

The engine panel assembly rule specifically notes that the engine panel NACA duct must be used and must remain unobstructed.

NACA ducts are single-source supplied parts for the Next Gen car and may not be modified or counterfeited. The NASCAR Rule Book spells out the location for these ducts, on the left and right side windows, which are used to help cool the car.

Tightening the ducts, or counterfeiting/modifying the size of the ducts, can help a team create more downforce on the race car.

“In the post-race inspection at the R&D Center, we found the No. 14 car had an engine panel NACA duct not in compliance with the rule book,” NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Elton Sawyer told NASCAR.com. “It is a counterfeit part, and that is an L3 penalty. … We need to make sure we’re keeping the teams and the car in compliance. The deterrence model has to fit that, and that’s our responsibility as custodians of the sport and of the garage.

“Don’t mess with a single-source part. Working in areas we used to in the Gen-6 car, is just not going to be acceptable with this car as we move forward. It’s not going to be the culture we’re going to allow.”

An L3-level penalty is reserved for the most intense of instances, including but not limited to:

• Counterfeiting or modifying Next Gen Single Source vendor supplied parts and/or assemblies.
• Engine infractions not meeting the rules.
• Engine performance enhancements
• Altering/modifying tires and/or fuel
• Violating the Vehicle Testing Policy

All penalties at the Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 areas spell out ranges of punishment in the NASCAR Rule Book for points, playoff points, suspensions and fines.

Those meted out to the No. 14 were the minimum for an L3-level violation as stipulated in the rule book.

Stewart-Haas Racing released the following statement after Wednesday’s penalty announcement: “We had a quality control lapse and a part that never should’ve been on a car going to the race track ended up on the No. 14 car at Charlotte. We accept NASCAR’s decision and will not appeal.”

The impact of Wednesday’s penalty will shake up NASCAR’s postseason picture considerably.

Briscoe was the first driver out of the field following Monday’s Coca-Cola 600, just four points behind Alex Bowman on the bubble.

The loss in points drops Briscoe from 292 points to 172, placing him 31st in the standings and facing a postseason path that almost surely must include a win over the final 12 races in the regular season.

Joe Gibbs Racing rookie Ty Gibbs (-15) now slides up to the last spot out, followed by Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suárez (-20), Spire Motorsports’ Corey LaJoie (-38) and Team Penske’s Austin Cindric (-42).

Posted on by Seth Sharp

Life was on the upswing for Ryan Blaney as summer passed in 2021. He was coming off back-to-back victories as the NASCAR Playoffs began. That momentum wore off, though, and he finished seventh in the season standings.

The following year was a bag of mixed emotions for Blaney. He grabbed a career-best 12 top-five finishes but failed to win a race for the first time since 2016.

All of that is what made his Coca-Cola 600 victory on Monday so much sweeter. The passion and relief on the 29-year-old driver’s face as he celebrated was the culmination of everything he has been through since last visiting Victory Lane.

RELATED: Breaking down Blaney’s Coke 600 win | Cup Series standings

It would be easy to look at Blaney’s career and try to put down his eight victories over his 284 starts. The history book shows that there was another driver, one recently named one of the 75 Greatest Drivers of all time, that had the start of his career comparable to what Blaney has achieved so far.

It’s fitting that the driver is Kevin Harvick, given that it was Harvick whom Blaney held off to earn his first career victory in 2017 at Pocono Raceway. Harvick came into the Cup Series under the toughest circumstances in 2001, filling the seat of the late Dale Earnhardt. He famously found success quickly, holding off Jeff Gordon to win in just his third start at Atlanta. Growing pains soon hit as he ended his fifth season with five wins and three finishes of 14th or worse in points.

Each driver found a mix of success and struggles through their first 284 starts, but there was no question the potential was there.

Take a look.

Kevin HarvickRyan Blaney
Starts284284
Wins118
Top-five finishes5465
Top-10 finishes118121
Laps led2,9813,377
Poles59
Lead-lap finishes188194
Average points finish10.110.0

Harvick has the slight edge in the wins department, but Blaney has him beat in every other category. It’s also noteworthy to mention that at the time of their respective 284th starts, Harvick was 32 years old, and Blaney was 29. A 34-year-old Harvick had 12 wins after 339 starts before his dominance really took over.

That realistically gives Blaney almost two full seasons to grab four more victories to match Harvick, which is more than realistic for the driver who is currently one point behind the series leader Ross Chastain.

As Harvick’s legendary career slowly comes to a close, it’s just a little poetic that another young star sits at almost the exact same spot that Harvick once did. Will Blaney be able to channel his “inner Harvick” and turn those top fives into victories, moving up the all-time ranks in the process? That seems to be a given with the speed and talent he possesses on almost every type of track on the schedule.

The real question is how high Blaney will climb by the time he hangs up his helmet at the conclusion of his career.

Posted on by Staff Report

The data is conclusive: William Byron’s second-place finish in Monday’s Coca-Cola 600 would not have been possible without the work of his pit crew.

The No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team had a staggering day on pit road, perhaps the best pitting performance of the season — especially when considering this group maintained its poise and precision on a rain-delayed race that also serves as the longest event of the year.

The facts:

• Byron started on the pole position and therefore had the premium No. 1 pit stall.

• Throughout the race, Byron gained 19 positions on pit road.

• Byron took the lead off pit road six times.

• Three of the six single fastest four-tire pit stops of the season came at the hands of the No. 24 team on Monday, including a blistering 9.383-second pit on Lap 276.

“The car was great tonight, just not quite good enough,” Byron said after finishing runner-up. “Really proud of the effort. The pit crew was phenomenal on pit road. Those guys are just high energy.”

“Those guys” are changers Jeff Cordero and Orane Ossowski, carrier Ryan Patton, jackman Spencer Bishop and fueler Landon Walker.

The No. 24 team’s average four-tire stop time at Charlotte was 10.008 seconds, the fastest showing of all 14 regular-season races so far this year. The team also ranks first on the year in average time on four-tire pit stops (see full table below).

Other pit-road notes:

• The No. 23 pit crew of 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace dropped out of the top 10 ranking for best average time throughout the season. A rough day at Charlotte saw them fall from fifth place on the season to out of the top 10, although Wallace and team still rallied for a top-five finish at Charlotte.

• In addition to the excellence shown by Byron’s team at Charlotte, Ty Gibbs’ crew on the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota had the third single-fastest four-tire stop of the season at 9.443 seconds.

See below to analyze additional pit-road statistics from Racing Insights.

10 FASTEST FOUR-TIRE PIT STOPS IN 2023

RankTrackDriverTime
1RichmondCorey LaJoie9.309 seconds
2CharlotteWilliam Byron9.383 seconds
3CharlotteTy Gibbs9.443 seconds
4CharlotteWilliam Byron9.504 seconds
5KansasBubba Wallace9.509 seconds
6CharlotteWilliam Byron9.541 seconds
t-7KansasTy Dillon9.543 seconds
t-7KansasDaniel Suárez9.543 seconds
t-9DarlingtonKevin Harvick9.576 seconds
t-9KansasJosh Berry (No. 48)9.576 seconds

BEST AVERAGE FOUR-TIRE PIT STOP TIMES IN 2023

BEST PIT CREW BY RACE IN 2023

** Pit Times are in seconds

TrackFastest 4 Tire PitAverage 4 Tire Stop
DaytonaWilliam Byron 11.278Kyle Larson 12.763
Auto ClubDaniel Suárez 9.777Ross Chastain 10.896
Las VegasAlex Bowman 9.776Chase Briscoe 10.259
PhoenixTy Gibbs 9.643Corey LaJoie 10.404
AtlantaKyle Busch 10.243Kyle Busch 11.094
COTAMartin Truex Jr. 9.684Austin Dillon 10.668
RichmondCorey LaJoie 9.309Alex Bowman 10.388
Bristol DirtNANA
MartinsvilleKyle Larson 9.677Kyle Larson 10.051
TalladegaDaniel Suárez 11.011Ross Chastain 11.577
DoverBrad Keselowski 9.766Brad Keselowski 10.099
KansasBubba Wallace 9.509Bubba Wallace 10.121
DarlingtonKevin Harvick 9.576Martin Truex Jr. 10.162
CharlotteWilliam Byron 9.383William Byron 10.008
GatewayTy Gibbs 9.710Alex Bowman 9.743
SonomaKyle Busch 9.185Kyle Busch 10.089
NashvilleKyle Larson 9.281Chase Briscoe 10.081
Chicago StreetChase Elliott 11.877Kyle Larson 12.799
AtlantaAlex Bowman 10.177Daniel Suárez 11.044
New Hampshire Daniel Suárez 9.677Denny Hamlin 10.176
PoconoDenny Hamlin 9.810Ross Chastain 10.327
RichmondDaniel Suárez 9.260Ty Gibbs 9.764
MichiganDaniel Suárez 9.777Austin Dillon 10.310
Indianapolis RCTy Gibbs 11.178Ty Dillon 12.279
Watkins GlenBubba Wallace 10.942Kyle Larson 12.456
DaytonaErik Jones 10.277Erik Jones 11.578
DarlingtonChase Briscoe 9.409Austin Dillon 10.134