Posted on by Cameron Richardson

A race track, restored.

Want to feel old? The last time the NASCAR Cup Series raced at North Wilkesboro Speedway, seven active full-time drivers in NASCAR’s top flight weren’t yet born, including three-time 2023 winner William Byron.

Before the festivities begin for Sunday’s All-Star Race (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), let’s take a gander at the format for the signature event along with trends to watch, tire info and interactive ways to follow all the action this weekend.

RELATED: See paint schemes for race weekend | Favorites for All-Star Race

ALL-STAR RACE FORMAT ⭐️

A handful of events will lead into Sunday’s primetime main event.

On Friday, the Pit Crew Challenge will be held to set the starting lineups for the two heat races and the All-Star Open. The goal is simple: the quicker the stop, the higher up the driver’s starting position will be for the heat races or the Open. The 21 teams already locked into Sunday’s main event will compete in Saturday’s heat races while the rest of the field will look to make the All-Star Race through Sunday’s Open. 

To add extra incentive for teams, the race team with the fastest pit stop Friday will collect a $100,000 bonus.

The two heat races on Saturday will set the starting lineup of the 21 cars already locked into the All-Star Race. They will each consist of 60 laps with Heat No. 1 setting the inside row and Heat No. 2 setting the outside row.

An action-packed Sunday kicks off with the 100-lap All-Star Open where the 16 teams not locked into the main event will compete for two transfer spots that will go to the two highest finishers in the race. A third transfer spot will go to the Fan Vote for a driver that didn’t already lock in through the race.

Finally, the 200-lap All-Star Race will highlight the triumphant return to the historic North Carolina short track. Twenty-four drivers will vie for bragging rights and the $1 million payday. There will be one “All-Star Caution” at or around Lap 100. After that point, only one more set of new “sticker” tires can be used to the checkered flag.

MORE: See full breakdown of All-Star Race format | Vote your favorite driver into the All-Star Race

📉 TRENDS TO WATCH 📈

— The winner of the All-Star Race has won the title twice in the last three years (Chase Elliott 2020, Kyle Larson 2021).

— Kevin Harvick is making his 23rd consecutive All-Star Race appearance (the record is 24 by Mark Martin).

— Kyle Larson has won both non-dirt short-track races so far in 2023 (Richmond, Martinsville).

— Brad Keselowski has finished runner-up three times in the All-Star Race but has never won the event.

(via Racing Insights)

NOTABLE ALL-STAR RACE MOMENTS 🎥

1987: Dale Earnhardt’s ‘pass in the grass’ on Bill Elliott | WATCH

1992: ‘One Hot Night’: Davey Allison wins first All-Star Race under the lights in dramatic fashion | WATCH

2000: Dale Jr. becomes first rookie to win All-Star Race | WATCH

2019: Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer brawl on pit road after All-Star Race | WATCH

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 brings the tire setup from Phoenix and Richmond earlier this season to the All-Star Race. Teams will have two sets for practice. There will be two sets distributed for the heat races and the All-Star Open. Four sets of tires will be allocated to each team for the 200-lap All-Star Race.

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.

NOTE: Following Darlington, the No. 43 team will lose crew members Nate McBride and Adam Riley for the next two regular-season Cup Series events after the Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet driven by Erik Jones lost a wheel on track last Sunday.

RELATED: See rules changes for 2023

ON-TRACK SCHEDULE 🗓️

Friday, May 19

— 4 p.m. ET: Practice (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

— 5:30 p.m. ET: All-Star Pit Crew Challenge (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM)

Saturday, May 20

— 7:20 p.m. ET: Heat race No. 1 (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM)

— 8:15 p.m. ET: Heat race No. 2 (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM)

Sunday, May 21

— 5:30 p.m. ET: All-Star Open (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM)

— 8 p.m. ET: All-Star Race (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM)

MORE: Full weekend schedule at North Wilkesboro

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.”

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 Staff Report

NASCAR penalized four Craftsman Truck Series teams on Thursday morning, all for the same violation from the past two race weekends at Darlington Raceway and Kansas Speedway.

Each of the four teams was discovered to have violated NASCAR Rule Book Sections 14.2.3.3.1 B&C: Driver’s Window Net, a safety penalty.

A driver’s window net must meet the SFI 27.1 specification and display a valid SFI 27.1 label. This SFI specification means that the window net has been tested to meet the minimum standards for safety.

Additionally, window nets must not be used beyond two years from the date it was manufactured.

For the Darlington infractions, the Nos. 46 and 47 Toyotas of G2G Racing, driven by Brennan Poole (36th) and Dawson Cram (35th), respectively, were found to have violated the rule book. Crew chiefs Timothy Silva (No. 46) and Daniel Killius (No. 47) were each fined $5,000 and each team has been assessed with the loss of 25 points.

MORE: Eckes wins at Darlington | Full race results

For Kansas, the Nos. 12 and 20 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolets of Spencer Boyd (26th) and Nick Leitz (21st), respectively, were hit with the infraction penalties. As a result, crew chiefs Bradley Means (No. 12) and Joseph Lax (No. 20) were each fined $5,000 and both teams incurred a 25-point penalty.

MORE: Enfinger soars to Kansas win | Full race results

G2G Racing made a statement on Twitter Thursday afternoon, indicating the team intended to appeal the decision.

The series next races on Saturday at North Wilkesboro Speedway in the Tyson 250 (1:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR).

Posted on by Brandon White

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — Since the turn of the decade, Brenden “Butterbean” Queen has built an impressive reputation in Late Model Stock competition.

Three championships at his home track of Virginia’s Langley Speedway, along with victories in crown jewel races like the Hampton Heat, the South Carolina 400 and the Battle of the Stars, have established Queen as perennial threat for the win each time he straps into his familiar No. 03 Oldskool Video Games Toyota.

Yet of all the accomplishments Queen has accumulated in his career to date, he admitted winning at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway in a field consisting of NASCAR legends like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski will easily be one of his most cherished.

“As a driver, you dream of winning races like Martinsville, Hampton Heat and the Thanksgiving Classic. This race is one of those,” Queen said. “It might be bigger, honestly. They said you can make a drink in [the trophy]. Where else can you get that?”

Despite having the best car in a stacked field, Queen never once believed the Window World 125 was in his control until the final moments.

Queen remembered how a faulty hood derailed a potential top-five finish in the CARS Tour’s inaugural trip to North Wilkesboro in August. As the laps dwindled, he was mentally preparing himself for a late-race caution while simultaneously doing everything he needed to pull away from the rest of the pack.

Any doubts Queen had about his circumstances were erased when he saw the checkered flag fly in front of his windshield. The victory validated Queen’s assurance in his driving talent along with the decision to commit to the CARS Tour full-time in 2023.

Lee Pulliam, one of the southeast’s greatest Late Model Stock drivers and a four-time NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series champion, provided Queen the opportunity to branch out from Langley and test his luck against past CARS Tour champions like Carson Kvapil, Bobby McCarty and Deac McCaskill.

The venture was a daunting one for Queen, but he was more than willing to bet on himself and show his efficiency extended far beyond Hampton, Virginia.

“I’m here to showcase on a more national level,” Queen said. “The CARS Tour is the toughest competition in the country for Late Model Stocks, and to beat the best, you have to race in this series. Wins are so hard to get, and you don’t know when you’ll get another one.

“We let one get away at Florence [Motor Speedway], but I’d give up a regular race to win [North] Wilkesboro every day of the week.”

RELATED: Follow the CARS Tour all year long on FloRacing

Queen considers himself grateful he will always be able to reflect on a perfect weekend at North Wilkesboro that also saw him break the track record with a time of 19.125 seconds in qualifying. But he made sure to give Pulliam plenty of credit for how everything turned out.

Having already won a CARS Tour race at Langley driving in his family-owned equipment, Queen had every reason to believe he could repeatedly replicate that performance in cars prepared by Pulliam while also leaning on him to perfect his race craft.

The knowledge Pulliam has provided to Queen proved to be invaluable when it came to closing out a win at North Wilkesboro on Wednesday.

Brenden Queen cruises to victory at North Wilkesboro Speedway driving for Lee Pulliam, who won four NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series titles during his career. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)

“I came to Lee knowing what it took while not being the youngest cup of tea,” Queen said. “I’m still young enough to make it in this sport, but I wasn’t a 15-year-old kid coming in with no Late Model experience. That helped the learning curve, but Lee is so good at giving you cars for these types of races and giving you tips.

“No matter how many races I win, every time I strap in and run laps, I’m learning, so whenever you can learn from someone who has won more races than he remembers running is something you can’t take away.”

As Queen took the slow-but-joyous ride up a lift to North Wilkesboro’s iconic Victory Lane, he admitted to having never seen Pulliam that jubilant after a win.

Similar emotions were shared by Queen as he reflected on the efforts by Earnhardt Jr. and so many others to revitalize a track that had been mostly dormant and deteriorating since its last NASCAR race back in 1996.

With a full schedule at North Wilkesboro ahead that includes the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race on Sunday evening, Queen knew how significant a Late Model Stock victory could be toward propelling his career forward with a top-tier NASCAR organization.

Although he currently does not know if his North Wilkesboro win will yield such a chance, Queen intends to stay focused on the races in front of him so he can keep building a reputation as one of the best short-track drivers in the country.

“There’s so many eyes on this race,” Queen said. “You have to win these races to get your name in the hat, but we got the pedal down to try and make opportunities happen. I think this is a step in the right direction, because this is a race we wanted to win.

“Not many people can say they went toe-to-toe with the Cup guys and win at the Late Model level.”

The grind does not slow down for Queen after North Wilkesboro, as he departed the historic facility to shift his focus over to dirt-track racing.

Any chance for Queen to race and learn more about himself only creates more openings to bolster his growing short-track resume.

Posted on by John Crane

Downtown Chicago is beginning to bustle more and more as summer nears, and the addition of a street-circuit race will only make the allure of the “Windy City” that much more intriguing to race fans and city-goers alike. With the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series slated to participate in Chicago Street Race Weekend (July 1-2), excitement is certainly in the air as the sport races on the street for the first time in its history.

Of course, you didn’t have to tell Julie Giese that. Since being announced as track president of the new venue in August 2022, Giese, a Wisconsin native, has spearheaded all efforts for the event.

“Spring has sprung in Chicago, so the park is looking absolutely amazing right now, which is fun to see it come to life,” Giese told NASCAR.com. “Just looking ahead to race weekend, everything is coming together really well. Great planning meetings with the city of Chicago, they’ve been tremendous partners to us alongside the sport’s commission, and I think there is a lot of excitement about the very first street race for NASCAR.”

RELATED: View Chicago’s course layout

Giese’s prior experience certainly helped smooth the transition. From her recent time as track president at Phoenix Raceway, Giese helped oversee a $178 million modernization effort to the 1-mile Arizona track. The state-of-the-art transition, in turn, helped pave the way toward the track hosting its first NASCAR Championship Weekend in 2020. Phoenix has hosted the season finale since, with 2023 being the fourth consecutive year as championship host, with last year’s Cup sellout — the fourth in a row — further cementing the positive transformation.

Lessons learned while president at Phoenix have been instrumental in implementing Giese’s vision in Chicago.

“I think, for me, it’s making sure that we provide experiences for everybody, so the Chicago Street Race really is an opportunity for us to introduce NASCAR to a whole new audience, but I think what I learned down in Phoenix is making sure you find that blend,” Giese said.

“We still want our avid, longtime fans to participate and be part of it, and so as we’re creating that experience in and around the park, that we have those experiences that our avid, longtime ticket holders or race fans are used to, but also then creating new experiences that are going to drive interest for the new fans thinking about those concerts with The Chainsmokers and Miranda Lambert, Black Crowes and Charlie Crockett. Just being really thoughtful and intentional about the type of experiences we are providing.”

MORE: Chicago Street Race helps host inaugural STEAM Fest | NASCAR partners with After School Matters to create 200-foot mural

From the get-go, Griese has emphasized connecting NASCAR with the city of Chicago, whether through engagement with youth programs to supporting local businesses. Giese’s relocation to Chicago in November — and subsequent opening of a NASCAR office there in November — has only helped drive the goal of connecting with the community in as many ways as possible.

To Giese, this includes getting the younger generations involved.

“For us, being a good member of the community and a good partner to the city of Chicago is a huge priority, and that really is what drove the announcements that we’ve done, a lot of the different programs,” Giese said. “Whether it is with Chicago Public Schools, After School Matters, All Kids Bike, being a good member, giving back where we can, and for us, that’s a huge opportunity to introduce youth to NASCAR.

“You don’t always grow up racing a car or a kart. There are so many ways that everyone can be involved and find a career in NASCAR. I think that is what has been really fun about the STEM/STEAM programs with Chicago Public Schools is educating the youth on the ways that you can be involved in NASCAR. Whether it’s an engineer or mechanic, graphic artist, I’m thinking about the STEAM curriculum, so that’s been really fun, and I think it’s been eye-opening for a lot of the students.”

As the months begin to wind down to mere weeks, Giese’s main goals revolve around continuing to build interest and “over-communicating” to local residents and businesses about what to expect. And with the first-ever running on a street course fast approaching, the giddiness is well-earned.

CHICAGO STREET RACE: Buy tickets now! 

From the community imprint to the historical impact, both the racing fan and track president in Giese is more than ready to see the newfound street circuit come to life.

“This sport has been around for 75 years, and to be just a small part of something that has never been done before, it’s hard to find those things,” Giese said. “We’ve done a lot in those 75 years, to be part of the very first street race, to truly make history for our sport, is incredibly special.”

The Xfinity Series will race in The Loop 121 on July 1 (5 p.m. ET, USA, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), while the Cup circuit will race in the Grant Park 220 on July 2 (4:30 p.m. ET, NBC, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on by Staff Report

While both drivers experienced their fair share of late-race adversity, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. reaped the rewards from their quick pit crews last weekend at Darlington Raceway.

Harvick’s No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing crew dished out the single fastest four-tire pit stop of the Throwback Weekend, completing service on the SunnyD Ford in 9.576 seconds, according to Racing Insights. Their quick work kept Harvick in the hunt all day, and despite receiving damage in the penultimate crash of the afternoon, the team rallied for a season-best second-place finish, its second since Harvick’s most recent win (Richmond, August 2022).

RELATED: Darlington results

The No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team behind Truex, however, was unstoppable for most of the afternoon. The crew of front changer Lee Cunningham, carrier CJ Bailey, rear changer Danny Olszowy, jackman Caleb Dirks and fueler Matthew Tyrrell posted the best average four-tire stop of the afternoon, netting out at 10.162 seconds over the course of their afternoon.

Martin Truex Jr.'s pit crew prepares to pit the No. 19 Toyota
David Jensen | Getty Images

That speedy performance helped keep the No. 19 Toyota out front to lead a race-high 145 of 295 laps after Truex’s pole performance in Saturday’s qualifying session. Truex’s finish, however, didn’t match the incredible run. A collision with Joey Logano in Turns 1 and 2 at Lap 281 triggered a multi-car crash, ending the No. 19 team’s day and relegating it to a 31st-place finish.

Truex’s fiercest competitor of the day was none other than Ross Chastain, who he bounced off of in Turns 3 and 4 while fighting for the Stage 2 victory. Chastain was another benefactor of a fast pit crew Sunday afternoon, leading 93 laps of the Goodyear 400 thanks in part to those quick stops.

ITR: Was Martin Truex Jr. too aggressive at Darlington?

A steady Sunday at Darlington led Chastain’s No. 1 Trackhouse Racing team to vault past William Byron’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports crew for the top spot in the year-long best average four-tire pit stop standings, now holding a series-best average of 11.088 seconds.

On a downslide, however, is the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing pit crew for driver Chase Briscoe. The crew ranked second in the season average rankings following the April 16 race at 11.282 seconds. In the last month — a stretch of four races — the No. 14 team has slid to 14th at 11.577 seconds after Darlington.

It all adds up to Friday night’s NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge presented by Mechanix Wear at North Wilkesboro Speedway ahead of Sunday night’s All-Star Race (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Each team will perform a four-tire pit stop to determine the starting lineup for Saturday night’s heat races and the All-Star Open for the 16 teams not yet locked into the All-Star Race. The winning race team will additionally be awarded a $100,000 bonus for completing the fastest stop Friday night.

MORE: Get up to speed on All-Star format | Details on Pit Crew Challenge

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

10 FASTEST FOUR-TIRE PIT STOPS IN 2023

RankTrackDriverTime
1RichmondCorey LaJoie9.309 seconds
2KansasBubba Wallace9.509 seconds
t-3KansasTy Dillon9.543 seconds
t-3KansasDaniel Suárez9.543 seconds
t-5KansasJosh Berry (No. 48)9.576 seconds
t-5KansasKyle Larson9.576 seconds
7RichmondCorey LaJoie9.615 seconds
t-8PhoenixTy Gibbs9.643 seconds
t-8KansasAric Almirola9.643 seconds
10RichmondChase Briscoe9.647 seconds

BEST AVERAGE FOUR-TIRE PIT STOPS 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
Posted on by Staff Report

Buzz Chew Chevrolet Cadillac 200

Riverhead Raceway

Riverheadraceway

 

  • Entry list
Car No. Driver Organization Crew Chief Chassis Mfg Sponsor
01 Melissa Fifield Pine Knoll Racing, LLC Jake Marosz FURY Race Cars Pine Knoll Auto Sales
2 JR Bertuccio Joseph Bertuccio Michael Bologna LFR Gershow Recycling
3 Jake Johnson Boehler’s Racing Equipment Gregory Fournier Boehler Racing Propane Plus; Lin’s Propane Trucks
05 John Beatty Jr. MSM Elite Motor Sports Inc. Butvh Capuano Troyer Elite Sound Studios, Inc.
07 Patrick Emerling KPL Racing LLC Jan Leaty Troyer Bonesteel Aerospace
7 Doug Coby Tommy Baldwin Racing LLC Tommy Baldwin Troyer Mayhew Tools
16 Ron Silk Haydt Yannone Racing Philip Moran FURY Race Cars Blue Mountain Machine, Future Homes
18 Ken Heagy Robert Pollifrone Greg Gorman FURY Race Cars Buoy One Seafood
19 Anthony Sesely Wanick Construction Stephen Kopcik Troyer Wanick Construction Inc.
22 Kyle Bonsignore Kyle Bonsignore Cam McDermott FURY Race Cars Chalew Performance, MTT, Munns Auto
26 Eddie Brunnhoelzl III Lakeland Avenue Landscape Supply Chad McDonald Chevrolet Lakeland Avenue Landscape Supply
27 Gary McDonald Lakeland Avenue Landscape Supply Sean McDonald Chevrolet Lakeland Avenue Landscape Supply
32 Tyler Rypkema Dean Rypkema Zach Truesdail FURY Race Cars Northeast Drilling, Musco Lighting
34 JB Fortin John Fortin Racing Kenny Lechner FURY Race Cars A&R Material’s, John’s Fuel Oil, Rapid Recovery, Queen Concrete, CYA Screen Printing
36 David Sapienza Sapienza Enterprises Greg Kleila LFR Sapienza Enterprises/Eastport Feeds
46 Justin Brown Goodie Racing Doug Ogiejko Troyer Riverhead Building Supply
49 Chris Young Chris Young Andrew Charron LFR Sendlewski Architects
51 Justin Bonsignore Kenneth Massa Motorsports LLC Ryan Stone FURY Race Cars Phoenix Communications Inc.
58 Eric Goodale Goodie Racing Jason Shephard FURY Race Cars GAF Roofing
60 Matt Hirschman Pee Dee Motorsports LLC Mike Stein LFR Pee Dee Motorsports
64 Austin Beers KLM Motorsports Ron Yuhas Troyer Dell Electric, Lumiere Electrical, Andrew James Interiors, AP Marquadt & Sons, Hughes Motors
66 Timmy Solomito Jerry Solomito Jerry Solomito LFR Highmark; Natural Designs
79 Jonathan McKennedy Middlesex Racing LLC Dale Hedquist LFR Middlesex Interiors
81 Chris Turbush Heather Turbush TBA FURY Race Cars Mike Smith; Cromers Market
82 Craig Lutz DWR Racing Corp. Jerry Babb LFR Horton Avenue Materials
88 Roger Turbush Roger Turbush Jarrod Hayes FURY Race Cars Rheem
92 Anthony Nocella Anthony Nocella Chris Burdell Chevrolet Nocella Paving; K and D Associates; Airgas
96 Matthew Brode Peter Clark Motorsports Martin Condit Jr. Troyer Peter Clark Motorsports
145 Jack Handley Jr. Joe Densieski Raxcing LLC Jarod Zeltman Troyer Hydro-Action; Suffolk Precast
170 Dylan Slepian Rob Pelis Brian Magee Chevrolet Eastport Feeds
Posted on by Press Release

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. – Before NASCAR’s brightest stars take center stage in Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, the sport’s fastest pit crews will own the spotlight on Friday night.

Speedway officials announced a new name for the pit crew competition, now known as the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge presented by Mechanix Wear. Harkening back to NASCAR’s popular pit crew challenges of the 1980s and 1990s, the high-octane, Friday-night pit road spectacle will consist of each team performing a four-tire pit stop with no fuel.

The results of the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge presented by Mechanix Wear will determine the lineups for Saturday’s All-Star heat races, as well as the All-Star Open on Sunday. Friday night’s event at North Wilkesboro Speedway will have a dramatic impact on the NASCAR Cup Series action all weekend.

RELATED: All-Star weekend format

For more than 25 years, Mechanix Wear has provided hand and knee protection to NASCAR and NASCAR teams. These partnerships have allowed the brand to test, develop, and improve products. Many of the innovations developed in NASCAR have made their way to consumer and commercial glove applications.

“Mechanix Wear is committed to providing high-performance work gloves with unmatched protection,” said Mechanix Wear Marketing Director Shawn Douphner. “Having been born in racing, we understand the demands of motorsports and have designed products to meet those challenges head-on.

“It was an obvious fit for our brand to be a part of this event, allowing us to help spotlight and champion these athletes who work with their hands and are so critical to the success of this sport.”

The NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge presented by Mechanix Wear is preceded on Friday by the first official practice sessions of NASCAR weekend with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series scheduled on track at 3:05 p.m. and the NASCAR Cup Series scheduled for 4:05 p.m.  At 5:45 p.m., the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge takes place and will broadcast on FS1, MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. All-Star Friday presented by Raymer Oil will conclude Friday evening with concerts by country music superstars Midland and Chase Rice in the North Wilkesboro Speedway Fan Zone starting at 7 p.m.

Posted on by Sean Montgomery

It’s only midway through May, and William Byron is on pace to shatter many of his best single-season marks, including already setting a NASCAR Cup Series career high with three wins — all in just the first 13 races of the season.

Though they each have very different backgrounds and journeys to the top level of stock car racing, the 25-year-old Hendrick Motorsports driver might still be years ahead of his prime and has a nearly identical career arc with a two-time Cup Series champion, currently one of the best drivers in the sport and one of the 75 Greatest Drivers of all time — Joey Logano.

RELATED: Drivers to win three times in first 13 races

One of the most highly touted prospects in the modern era, Logano burst onto the premier series scene at 18, collecting his first full-time schedule one year later with high expectations at Joe Gibbs Racing. Byron, a sim-racing superstar, wasn’t far behind when he introduced himself at 20 years old and joined Hendrick Motorsports to take over the legendary No. 24, made famous by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.

Each had two very different paths to success, but through their first 193 starts in the Cup Series, their numbers are incredibly similar.

Take a look.

Joey LoganoWilliam Byron
Starts193193
Poles810
Wins57
Runner-up finishes25
Top-five finishes3232
Top-10 finishes6569
Laps led1,0442,201
Average finish17.6616.26

Throughout the time frame, Byron has more Busch Light Pole Awards, victories, runner-up finishes, top-10 finishes and significantly more laps led. And sure, it’s hard to compare a driver’s success in a different era under vastly different circumstances, but the numbers show that Byron is already leaving his mark at a phenomenal pace.

Since his debut in 2018, Byron has been a significant piece of the talented young stable at Hendrick Motorsports, featuring Cup Series champions Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott and seven-time Cup Series winner Alex Bowman. But by leading the series with three victories — winner at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Phoenix Raceway and Darlington Raceway — Byron is on the verge of a breakout campaign and finally has a chance to flash his talent at the forefront.

And it’s clear that his early accomplishments are putting the series on notice. Even Kyle Busch had to chime in on the rising star’s “rare talent.”

Although there is still a long way to go in the season, the win at Phoenix, specifically, bodes well for the team moving forward. After all, it is the site of the championship race. A race Byron and the No. 24 team fell just six positions short of contending in a year ago, finishing seventh at Martinsville Speedway and sixth in the final series standings.

If he could pull off the feat, unseating reigning champion Joey Logano and collecting his first Bill France Cup, it would be a remarkable, full-circle moment given how tightly both careers — at least by the numbers — have begun.

MORE: Updated Cup Series standings | It’s All-Star Race week, get info here

Both drivers have a break from regular points-paying racing Sunday at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the annual All-Star Race (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). With a hefty $1 million on the line, Byron is searching for his first All-Star Race victory and Logano his second, after winning the prize in 2016 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Statistics for the table were provided by Racing Insights.

Posted on by John Crane

Festivities at Darlington Raceway brought about the usual throwback-oriented flavors commonplace for the much-anticipated race weekend, and Kevin Harvick certainly partook. As captain of the No. 4 Sunny Delight Ford, Harvick not only wheeled out a runner-up finish but additionally helped pay homage to a scheme originally scheduled for his Cup Series debut in 2001 as a 25-year-old.

After announcing his retirement from the Cup Series after the 2023 season, honoring the past will continue to be the underlying theme for the now 47-year-old driver this weekend leading up to Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). This time around, Harvick will switch out the light blue and gray livery that usually adorns the No. 4 for the white-and-red stylized No. 29 that he flew during that same 2001 campaign.

RELATED: View Harvick’s career NASCAR stats

The number’s revival brings back long-lasting memories for not only Harvick but for the entire sport. After Dale Earnhardt’s death in the Daytona 500, Harvick moved into Earnhardt’s role, with Richard Childress Racing changing the car number from the iconic No. 3 to the No. 29. After his 14th-place finish at Rockingham Speedway in his official Cup debut on Feb. 26, 2001, Harvick went on to collect his first of two wins that season two weeks later at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the same scheme being honored this weekend.

A pair of wins, coupled with six top fives, 16 top 10s and 374 laps led, eventually netted Harvick a ninth-place finish in the standings and a Rookie of the Year Award triumph.

Even after joining Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014 – the same year he won the Cup Series championship – Harvick wished to return to his roots in some form or fashion. And so, the idea of driving the No. 29 – the number planted on his RCR machine for 13 seasons – came to fruition.

“Everything that started in my Cup career started at RCR. It wasn’t supposed to start in the 29, but it wound up being my first in the 29 after Dale’s death,” Harvick said in a release provided by the team. “And to be able to put that car back out on the race track is something that we all thought would not ever happen again. But with Stewart-Haas Racing and Richard Childress Racing working together and making my crazy idea work out and being able to see the first win paint scheme in the 29 and to have it on the race track at North Wilkesboro is something I think we’re all excited about. I know the fans are excited, but for us, it’s an honor and a privilege to drive it one last time. It will be a fun night for all of us.”

Of course, every idea starts on a drawing board somewhere. On the surface, such an idea of reviving the number sounded far-fetched. With RCR and Stewart-Haas being under the Chevrolet and Ford umbrella, respectively, the pickle certainly looked significant on paper.

When Harvick pitched his request during his retirement meeting, that notion remained.

Until it didn’t, that is.

“It was really simple. We started the retirement planning at Stewart-Haas Racing and working through things, and we got done with what I believe was the second meeting, and I said, ‘Hey, by the way, I want to drive the 29 car at the All-Star Race,’” Harvick said. “And they all kind of looked at me and were like, ‘You serious?’ Everybody kind of slept on it and talked about it in the next couple of days, and nobody said no. So we went back to the next meeting, and I said, ‘What about the 29 car? Do you guys think we can pull that off?’ They said, ‘Somebody’s going to have to call Richard.’

“I said I would call Richard, so I called Richard Childress and said, ‘Hey, we want to drive the 29 car at North Wilkesboro and run the first win paint scheme.’ And he said, ‘Kevin, you can have whatever you want. Do whatever you want. You’ve been great for RCR, and we’d love to work with you guys to figure it out.’ And they all figured it out, and here we are.”

MORE: All-Star Weekend format set to dazzle

And so, the occasion comes for one last drive at not only a historic venue but at an event Harvick has a knack for showing out in. In addition to winning the All-Star Race twice (2007, 2019), Harvick has seven top-five and 13 top-10 finishes in 22 total All-Star Races. Since his 2001 debut, Harvick has been a part of every All-Star Race and is the only active driver to say as such. His 23rd All-Star Race appearance Sunday will also mark the most among all active drivers.

“I don’t know the last time the All-Star Race was the most anticipated event of the season,” Harvick said. “Fans are going to show up in droves. North Wilkesboro is a great short track, the asphalt’s worn out and I think it’s going to be a fantastic event.”

As he prepares for his All-Star swan song, Harvick will look to do the usual – lead laps, attempt a winning move or two and potentially cement another victory to his already-abundant trophy shelf.

MORE: Full schedule for North Wilkesboro  | See No. 29 paint scheme, others

But perhaps most importantly, Harvick will look to make one more go behind the No. 29 wheel a memorable one, like so many times before.

“Well, I think it’s going to be strange just climbing into it, right? For me, there’s a huge sense of pride in being able to be a part of something like this with both organizations,” Harvick said. “Going back in time and doing everything that weekend in the 29 car is something I’m really excited about. And I think when you go out on the race track, the fans will be in the same boat. As you go by the first time, people are going to be, like, ‘I can’t believe that actually happened.’”

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.  – Just 10 days before Charlotte Motor Speedway kicks off Memorial Day Weekend with three straight days of action-packed racing, the speedway hosted Aric Almirola for its final Mission 600 visit of the season, a day with Marines from the 2D LAR (Light Armor Reconnaissance) Battalion at Camp Lejeune.

Mission 600 is a campaign that pairs NASCAR drivers with military bases, designed to educate the NASCAR community about the day-to-day lives of the men and women who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces and to build meaningful connections between the worlds of motorsports and the military.

MORE: NASCAR Salutes hub page

Almirola, along with Charlotte Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Greg Walter, flew in an MV-22 Osprey, participated in a tire-changing demonstration, learned about a variety of weapons systems and fired an M242 Bushmaster from an LAV (Light Armored Vehicle). Almirola also served lunch to dozens of Marines, courtesy of Smithfield.

“Such a humbling experience for me to come and spend time with all these men and women,” Almirola said. “They volunteer to keep our country free, and they get up every morning and go to work with one objective – to make sure that me and you walk out of our front door every morning and that we’re safe. And it is amazing to have this opportunity and come spend the day with them and to show them our appreciation.”

The LAR battalion performs combined arms reconnaissance and security missions in support of the ground combat element. Its mission is to conduct reconnaissance; security and economy of force operations; and, within its capabilities, limited offensive or defensive operations that exploit the unit’s mobility and firepower.

“What’s really cool is this the appreciation that the Marines have and understanding where they came from,” Walter said. “And then there was this appreciation of just the smiles. You have athletes like Aric out here. Everyone’s in peak condition. Everyone’s training to be their best, both with their equipment as well as personally. And to see those conversations happening is exactly what we want from Mission 600.”

Mission 600 serves as a prelude to Charlotte Motor Speedway’s patriotic pre-race salute to the troops prior to the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend. With representation from all six branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, the salute embodies the patriotism and service of the nation’s men and women in uniform.