Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — NASCAR officials met with media members Saturday morning to display and explain the specific modified part that led to the L1-level penalty issued to the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team, following the April 16 race at Martinsville Speedway.

MORE: Kansas schedule | Cup standings

Brad Moran, managing director of the NASCAR Cup Series, and Carl Goodman, who manages and oversees technical inspection for the series, brought the piece to Kansas Speedway to further explain what went wrong, leading to a 60-point penalty against the No. 3 team and its driver Austin Dillon, in addition to the $75,000 fine and two-week suspension issued to crew chief Keith Rodden.

The part is known as a splitter stay, one of six bars that connect the splitter to the frame of the body as part of the overall underwing. Each bar is supposed to feature three separate securing nuts — two jam nuts and a centered couple nut — that lock the splitter into place within one one-thousandth of an inch and is not adjustable after pre-race inspection.

However, on the specific bar utilized by the No. 3 team at Martinsville, those three nuts were bonded together, creating one singular piece instead — which disables the locking function of the nuts and permits further movement and adjustability either after pre-race inspection or during a pit stop.

The No. 3 Chevrolet was not inspected during at-track post-race inspection, selected instead to be taken to the NASCAR Research & Development Center for a full teardown. Moran explained Saturday each vehicle that is brought back to R&D gets a full, thorough strip down to the bare bones, disassembling and inspecting each panel, rod and piece with intense scrutiny. That process, he said, is meant to further ensure the model of the Next Gen vehicle, which features a plethora of single-sourced parts that teams must purchase to build their vehicles.

The modified parts that led to the penalty issued to Dillon’s No. 3 team are parts that the team is responsible for, though the rod and adjuster are supplied by single-source providers. Goodman explained that adjusting the splitter manipulates the floor of the vehicle, which is the most aerodynamically powerful section of the car. A single turn, the officials said, creates a significant adjustment.

The piece was made available for display Saturday in the NASCAR hauler for team managers and crew chiefs who chose to see it themselves. NASCAR is implementing a renewed sense of transparency and intends to make illegal parts available to media and team members on the first day of a Cup Series race weekend for further explanation, pending conclusions of any appeals.

The No. 3 team did appeal the penalty but lost its hearing on May 2. The National Motorsports Appeals Panel, which saw J. Kirk Russell, Lake Speed and Kevin Whitaker hear the case, stated: “As submitted the nuts are not a thread locking device – they are connected and part of the turnbuckle. The nuts do not lock the assembly. Therefore, the assembly has been modified.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Duel at the Dog 200

Monadnock Speedway

  • Qualifying Results
Pos No. Name Sponsor Best Tm Best Speed
1 51 Justin Bonsignore Phoenix Communications Inc. 12.703 70.849
2 16 Ron Silk Blue Mountain Machine & Future Homes 12.734 70.677
3 32 Tyler Rypkema Northeast Driling/MUSCO Lighting 12.734 70.677
4 7 Doug Coby Mayhew Tools 12.738 70.655
5 60 Matt Hirschman Elite Towing/Baker Racing 12.758 70.544
6 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing 12.765 70.505
7 3 Jake Johnson Propane Plus/Lin’s Propane Trucks 12.77 70.478
8 22 Kyle Bonsignore Chalew Performance/MTT/Munns Auto 12.781 70.417
9 64 Austin Beers Hughes Motors/AP Marquadt & Sons/Dell Electric 12.799 70.318
10 82 Craig Lutz Horton Ave Materials 12.837 70.11
11 92 Anthony Nocella Nocella Paving/K and D Associates/Airgas 12.846 70.061
12 79 Jon McKennedy Middlesex Industries 12.865 69.957
13 06 Sam Rameau Quality Fleet Services/Dennison Lubricants 12.876 69.897
14 07 Patrick Emerling Captain Pips Marina & Hideway 12.888 69.832
15 19 Anthony Sesely Wanick Construction, Inc. 12.895 69.794
16 43 Matt Kimball* J&M Touring & Recovery/Edmunds Ace Hardware 12.91 69.713
17 34 J.B. Fortin A&R Materials/CYA Screen Printing/Queens Concrete 12.919 69.665
18 6 Woody Pitkat Koopman Lumbar 12.921 69.654
19 25 Brian Roble Maurice Enterprises 12.922 69.649
20 54 Tommy Catalano FX Caprera 12.939 69.557
21 24 Andrew Krause Supreme Manufacturing Company 12.969 69.396
22 5 Kyle Ebersole Ebersole Excavating Inc. 12.986 69.305
23 47 Jacob Perry* Jack’s Competition Engine/Rick Rak 13.038 69.029
24 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One 13.114 68.629
25 46 Justin Brown* Riverhead Building Supply 13.172 68.327
26 1 Cory  Plummer* Apex Racing/Gene’s Auto Service 13.203 68.166
27 4 Tim Connolly* Connolly Companies, LLC 13.225 68.053
28 26 Gary McDonald Lakeland Ave Landscape Supply/L.I. Wood Heat 13.579 66.279
29 01 Melissa Fifield Pine Knoll Auto Sales 13.883 64.827
Posted on by Press Release

CONCORD, North Carolina – The NASCAR Cup Series has not raced at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Motor Speedway since 1996 – a long time before the Trackhouse Racing drivers Daniel Suárez and Ross Chastain began their racing careers.

To get both drivers ready for a chance to win $1 million at the May 21 NASCAR All-Star Race held for the first time at the historic North Wilkesboro track, Trackhouse Racing announced today Suárez and Chastain will enter the May 17 CARS Tour Late Model Stock race on the .625-mile oval.

The pair join a field of CARS regulars plus Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chase Briscoe and Kevin Harvick.

“I have never been to North Wilkesboro nor really spent much time driving a late model,” said Suárez who became the first Mexican driver to win a Cup Series race when he dominated at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway in June. “Every little bit helps. Plus, it is going to be a lot of fun going short track racing. Getting familiar with the track will help our program a lot.”

Suárez will drive the No. 99 Jockey Chevrolet for R and S Race Cars, a full-service race car facility, in South Boston, Virginia.

The Jockey partnership with Trackhouse began last year and was the first such team sponsorship in the 147-year history of the apparel brand. At the core of the partnership was the launch of the brand’s Made in America* Collection – an effort aimed at delivering premium quality product, support reshoring American manufacturing jobs, supporting families and farmers in local communities, and providing a more sustainable option for American consumers.

Chastain echoed Suárez’s comments about the importance of track time at North Wilkesboro.

“They are paying $1 million dollars and giving out a beautiful trophy to win that race so we are going to do everything we have to do to prepare for that night,” said Chastain who won at Circuit of the Americas in Austin Texas and at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway last year in a season that saw him finish second in the standings.

Chastain will drive the No. 28 Ambetter Health Chevrolet for the Pinnacle Racing Group of Mooresville, North Carolina.

Ambetter Health is a health insurance offering that is available on the Health Insurance Marketplace, or exchange, established by the Affordable Care Act. It is one of the healthcare programs provided by Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise. Ambetter Health is made available through local health plans and covers a wide variety of healthcare services, including preventive and wellness services, maternity and newborn care, pediatric services, mental health and substance misuse services, prescription drug coverage, and more.

The CARS Tour debuted in 2015 and features Late Model Stock Cars and Pro Late Model divisions.  At the end of the 2022 season, an ownership group consisting of Earnhardt Jr., Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Trackhouse Entertainment Group founder and owner Justin Marks purchased the series.

The CARS Tour event will be part of a full week of racing at North Wilkesboro. The ASA STARS National Tour will compete on Tuesday, May 16 in the ECMD 150. Suárez will also race in that series where he will drive the No. 99 for Rackley W.A.R. of Nashville, Tennessee.

Rackley W.A.R. competes nationally in the NASCAR Craftsman® Truck Series with driver Matt DiBenedetto as well as operating a driver development program based at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and in regional Super and Pro Late Model events.

Both Suárez and Chastain have qualified for the 200-lap NASCAR All-Star Race on May 21. FS1 will televise the All-Star Race while the subscription service Flo Racing will broadcast the late model events.

Posted on by Staff Report

The two winningest brothers in the NASCAR Cup Series record books shared a historic honor Friday as Kurt and Kyle Busch were added to the special anniversary list of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers.

Both brothers are champions at NASCAR’s highest level, with Kyle Busch claiming the Cup Series title in 2015 and 2019, and Kurt Busch becoming the first champ in the sport’s playoff era in 2004. Younger brother Kyle has 62 Cup Series wins with Kurt contributing 34 victories to the Busch family tally.

RELATED: See latest drivers added to 75 Greatest Drivers list

Kyle Busch established himself as a stock-car great with more than 200 – and counting – victories across all three NASCAR national series. The 38-year-old driver tops the all-time win list in both the Xfinity Series and the Craftsman Truck Series, and he currently ranks ninth in the Cup Series.

Kurt Busch, 44, sports crown-jewel triumphs in both the Daytona 500 (2017) and the Coca-Cola 600 (2010). Of his 22 seasons at the Cup Series level, 19 of those campaigns included at least one win.

THROUGH THE YEARS: Kyle Busch | Kurt Busch

NASCAR is unveiling the 75 Greatest Drivers list as part of its diamond-anniversary season, with 25 new names being added to the original 50 Greatest list revealed in 1998. Just four open slots remain on the elite list, and those will be revealed next week in the run-up to NASCAR’s Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway.

The Busches became just the second group of drivers to join the Greatest Driver roster. Terry and Bobby Labonte – who also have three Cup Series titles between them – were recognized 25 years apart, with Terry as one of the original 50 Greatest and younger brother Bobby joining the new group of honorees last week.

Posted on by Staff Report

RFK Racing co-owner and driver Brad Keselowski has been in the headlines in recent weeks due to a publicized pit-crew swap between the RFK No. 17 team and the No. 47 group of JTG Daugherty Racing.

There’s more to talk about with Keselowski and his crew post-Dover, but this time it’s simply about performance — and it’s a good story for the No. 6 squad.

RELATED: Full Dover results

Keselowski’s crew was on point last weekend at Dover Motor Speedway, putting in its best outing of the season as the veteran driver sprinted to an eighth-place finish.

The No. 6 crew consisting of tire changers Johnny Roberts and Steve Price, tire carrier Telvin McClurkin, fueler Brad Robison and jackman Dustin Lineback turned the 10th-fastest four-tire pit stop of the entire season on Lap 124, according to Racing Insights. The 9.776-second stop is tied with an Alex Bowman stop at Las Vegas from earlier this year in the season-long top 10 rankings (the full top 10 is below).

Additionally, the No. 6 crew was the fastest at Dover with both the best single-best pit stop and also the best average four-tire stop time at 10.099 seconds. That time of 10.099 is the second-quickest average time of a race this season, behind only Kyle Larson’s 10.051-second average from the No. 5 team at Martinsville.

Keselowski’s crew also jumped from fifth place to second place on the list of best average four-tire pit stops this year (see more below). No one else jumped that high. William Byron’s No. 24 crew, though, supplanted Chase Briscoe’s squad at the top of the rankings following Dover.

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

10 FASTEST FOUR-TIRE PIT STOPS IN 2023

RankTrackDriverTime
1RichmondCorey LaJoie9.309 seconds
2RichmondCorey LaJoie9.615 seconds
3PhoenixTy Gibbs9.643 seconds
4RichmondChase Briscoe9.647 seconds
5PhoenixChase Briscoe9.676 seconds
6MartinsvilleKyle Larson9.677 seconds
7COTAMartin Truex Jr.9.684 seconds
8PhoenixKyle Busch9.688 seconds
9RichmondTyler Reddick9.749 seconds
t-10DoverBrad Keselowski9.776 seconds
t-10Las VegasAlex Bowman9.776 seconds

BEST AVERAGE FOUR-TIRE PIT STOPS TIMES OF 2023

RankNumberDriverAverage stop
124William Byron11.293 seconds
26Brad Keselowski11.326 seconds
314Chase Briscoe11.371 seconds
41Ross Chastain11.399 seconds
55Kyle Larson11.462 seconds
623Bubba Wallace11.485 seconds
799Daniel Suárez11.487 seconds
84Kevin Harvick11.508 seconds
954Ty Gibbs11.513 seconds
108Kyle Busch11.547 seconds

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 10.405
AtlantaKyle Busch 10.243Kyle Busch 11.094
COTAMartin Truex Jr. 9.684Austin Dillon 10.668
RichmondCorey LaJoie 9.304Alex Bowman 10.388
Bristol DirtNANA
MartinsvilleKyle Larson 9.677Kyle Larson 10.051
TalladegaDaniel Suarez 11.011Ross Chastain 11.577
DoverBrad Keselowski 9.766Brad Keselowski 10.099
TestBrad Keselowski 9.766Brad Keselowski 9.766
Posted on by Staff Report

Ryan Newman, recently named one of the 75 greatest drivers in NASCAR history, is scheduled to return to the Cup Series, making select starts with Rick Ware Racing throughout the remainder of the 2023 season.

The 18-time premier series winner made his most recent start at Phoenix Raceway in 2021, bringing him to a remarkable 725 starts at the sport’s top level. In addition to his victories, Newman has 117 top-five finishes, 268 top 10s and 51 pole awards.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Rick Ware Racing and Ford,” Newman said. “I think this will be good for all of us with our combined experience and knowledge. Being part of the Throwback Weekend at one of my favorite tracks in Darlington is pretty special. After recently being named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers, it carries even some significance.”

NASCAR 75: Newman named to Greatest Drivers

Rick Ware Racing has been a mainstay in the Cup Series garage since the mid-2010s, fielding a number of drivers from David Ragan to J.J. Yeley. Newman, perhaps the most successful veteran to drive for the team, is a welcome addition.

“I remember watching ‘Thursday Night Thunder’ on ESPN and seeing Ryan compete against some stout competition in those days,” said team owner Rick Ware when commenting about Newman’s talent. “I became a fan then and when he first came to NASCAR, I knew he was going to be a great driver and win a lot of races.

“He brings great depth and insight to RWR while we continue to grow our team. Ryan’s been a great ambassador for our sport and Ford. We’re really looking forward to racing with him this season.”

RELATED: Check out Darlington throwback schemes | Buy race tickets

Newman’s first challenge will be an exciting one, returning to action for the first time in over 500 days at Darlington on Sunday, May 14 (3 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) for the Goodyear 400.

Contributions from Jayski.com

Posted on by Staff Report

The 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Sunday, May 21 (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), is inching closer and closer. If you haven’t already, it is time to vote in your favorite driver that has yet to clinch their bid in what should be an unforgettable weekend.

RELATED: Vote your favorite driver into the All-Star Race 

Midway through the Fan Vote, the top 10 vote-getters as of Friday, May 5, are as follows, in alphabetical order: AJ Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Harrison Burton, Ty Gibbs, Noah Gragson, Corey LaJoie, Michael McDowell, BJ McLeod, Ryan Preece and Chandler Smith.

Polls officially opened on April 21 at noon ET. Eager race fans will have until 9 a.m. ET on May 21 to cast their ballots. To vote, the rules are simple: You can vote once per day, per unique email address. Fan Rewards members will earn 50 points for voting.

Ken Schrader won the first fan vote in 2004, and Erik Jones was the most recent winner in 2022. Kyle Petty, Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer are others on the list who have achieved the feat.

MORE: 2023 NASCAR All-Star Fan Vote rules 

Drivers are eligible for the Fan Vote if they attempted to qualify for the 2023 Daytona 500, have not won a 2023 NASCAR Cup Series race yet or have not finished inside the top two in the NASCAR Open qualifying race.

Put your voting cap on and cast your choice today!

ALL-STAR RACE: Buy tickets now

Posted on by Sean Montgomery

AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway
(⏰ 3 p.m. ET | 📺 FS1, FOX Sports App | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)

Everything you need to know for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Kansas, the 12th regular season race of the 2023 Cup Series campaign.

Weekend schedule | TV schedule | Weather tracker | Kansas 101

📍 Location: Kansas City, Kansas
📐 Track length: 1.5 miles
🎟️ Buy tickets: Find weekend passes, seats for the race
💰 Cup Series race purse: $7,536,752
📏 Race distance: 267 laps | 400.5 miles
🔢 Stages: 80 | 165 | 267
—
🚪 Entry list: Drivers, teams heading to race
📋 Starting lineup: Where drivers will start on Sunday
🚗 Pit stall assignments: Where drivers will pit on Sunday
🏆 Most recent winner: Bubba Wallace

Key things to watch 🔑

Top story line

Toyota’s time to shine? It was the 23XI Racing show in Kansas a season ago, with Kurt Busch and Bubba Wallace each reaching Victory Lane in impressive fashion. In fact, Toyota has five wins in the last seven races at the Kansas City track, including a pair from Denny Hamlin — who is still searching for his first victory of the season. After his latest runner-up result to Wallace at Kansas in 2022, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has an astounding 5.7 average finish in the seven-race span dating back to his 2019 win. Add Martin Truex Jr.’s newfound momentum and Christopher Bell’s hot start to the season, and the Toyota group should have a handle of drivers contending for the checkered flag on Sunday.

📓 Analysis: For Denny Hamlin, Kansas presents the good — and the bad

History tells us…

Qualifying on Saturday is as important as ever. In the last seven races on 1.5-mile tracks, the eventual race winner started from sixth or better every time. While not an absolute guarantee, that trend puts an enormous weight on Saturday’s sessions. Drivers who start up front and lead laps early will have a big advantage with gathered knowledge for later in the race. And the last two winners at this track length swept both stages en route to their win.

He may not be the betting favorite to win, but watch out for…

Brad Keselowski. At 40-1, the No. 6 Ford is an interesting story line this weekend. Keselowski has been executing well lately, with his eighth-place finish at Dover Motor Speedway giving him back-to-back top 10s for the first time since joining RFK Racing. He has also been pretty solid in qualifying at a handful of difficult tracks but will start middle-of-the-pack on Saturday in 20th. No, he didn’t have strong finishes last season at Kansas, but his place on the oddsboard presents very good value for where he is capable of running. Keselowski still hasn’t won a race this season, so expect the urgency to pick up as the playoffs begin creeping closer. | ICYMI: Kes named to 75 Greatest Drivers

⚠️ Pit-road stats: Keselowski’s crew making a big jump after Dover

Saturday’s sessions

While it looked like Toyota had the upper hand, led by Denny Hamlin’s impressive form in practice, it was Hendrick Motorsports that prevailed with a front-row sweep in qualifying. William Byron blitzed the field for his 10th Busch Light Pole Award, joined by teammate Kyle Larson in P2. Ross Chastain followed in third with a handful of Toyota drivers — Martin Truex Jr. (fourth), Tyler Reddick (fifth), Ty Gibbs (seventh) and Denny Hamlin (eighth) — split by Joey Logano leading the charge for Ford. | Read full practice, qualifying recap | Nos. 45, 15 penalized after inspection

Inside the Race 🔍

NBC’s Steve Letarte and MRN’s Todd Gordon break down Kansas Speedway and say if they think Toyota and 23XI Racing come away with the win.

Familiar favorites ⭐️

Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles. 

• Fantasy Fastlane: Will 23XI make it a Kansas trifecta? | Full lineup tips
• Paint Scheme Preview: Sparkling schemes for the ‘Sunflower State’ | Pick a favorite
• Power Rankings: Reaching a turning point for 23XI Racing? | Latest driver rankings
• Betting odds: See which driver is the favorite for Sunday’s race | Top bets, underdog picks
• Stacking Pennies: Corey LaJoie reacts to on-track incident at Dover | Listen to the podcast

💎 NASCAR 75: Honoring NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers … then revealing 25 more | Check out the list

Hot off the press 📰

Key stories and breaking news from the week leading up to the race.

• Busch brothers: Kurt, Kyle join elite list of 75 Greatest Drivers | Read more
• Penalty update: Appeals panel upholds fine, suspension issued to No. 3 RCR team | Read more | Officials explain
• Tyler Reddick: Hopeful that tribulations will prepare him when playoffs arrive | Read more
• Ryan Newman: Veteran driver returning to make starts with Rick Ware | Read more
• NASCAR 75: Brad Keselowski joins Greatest Drivers list | Read more, see others
• Legacy Motor Club: Organization moving to Toyota in 2024 | Read more | Toyota drivers speak
• Larson vs. Chastain: Elton Sawyer gives his take on potential action | Watch video
• NASCAR Salutes: Honoring the military through annual initiative | Read more
• Untold Story: Tim Flock’s amazing monkey who ran races with him | Watch video
• Photo Memories: John Hunter Nemechek remembers Victory Lane with dad | Watch video
• Mission 600: Denny Hamlin visits Arlington National Cemetary | Read more
• Darlington: Teams begin unveiling throwback schemes | Check them out

Get in on the action 💰

Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy and Fan Rewards.

• Fan Rewards: New in 2023, get rewarded for your participation | Learn more
• Fantasy Live: Still time to get on the leaderboard and win big this season | Tips for 2023
• NASCAR BetCenter: Don’t miss your chance to make picks each week | Visit the BetCenter
• Going the distance: 2023 Cup Series championship odds | See them here
• The Action Network: Daniel Suárez might be poised for a bounceback | Expert analysis
• The Action Network: Expert picks for Denny Hamlin’s Bracket Challenge | Expert analysis

Kickin’ it in Kansas 👟

Lots of history is tucked into the two-decade run at this unique Kansas City venue.

• Do you remember?: Memorable moments at Kansas Speedway | Relive them
• Winner, winner: All-time wins at Kansas Speedway |  See the full list
• Race Rewind: Bubba Wallace holds off boss Denny Hamlin | Best highlights from 2022
• Scanner Sounds: Listen to key moments from the ’22 spring race | Watch the video

Take some notes 📝

Five hard-hitting, race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights.

• The last six Kansas race winners started in the top 10.
• A driver led over 100 laps in 13 of the last 15 Kansas races, including each of the last four.
• Ford has only one win in the last 14 races on 1.5-mile tracks.
• Three of the last four Kansas winners got their first win of the season.
• The last two 1.5-mile track winners swept both stages.

🔮 Predicting the winner: Using data to set a projected finishing order

Posted on by Holly Cain

After a two-week layoff, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns to competition in Saturday night’s Heart of America 200 (8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), and the two winningest drivers in the track history will both be on the grid.

Three-time series champion Matt Crafton and two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch each have three Truck Series wins at Kansas. Either is a good bet to earn the wins-record solo after this week, although Saturday’s race does feature a robust five former winners in the field – including defending race winner Zane Smith, Ross Chastain and Johnny Sauter. A win for Busch would mark a historic 100th victory for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Crafton’s last series win coincidentally came at Kansas Speedway in 2020. The veteran would love to end the winless streak he has endured since and comes into the race ranked seventh in the championship with three top-10 finishes in the opening seven races. When it comes to Kansas, not only is the driver of the No. 88 ThorSport Racing Ford tops in victories, but he leads the series in top-five (seven) and top-10 (14) finishes, as well as starts (25) and laps completed (3,889) at the track.

RELATED: Truck Series standings 

2022 reigning champion Smith has also proven to be especially strong at Kansas. He has top-10 finishes in all but one of his six starts there and, since last year, boasts six top-five finishes at 1.5-mile tracks – including a runner-up showing already this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

With victories already at Daytona and Austin, Texas, the Front Row Motorsports driver in Smith is ranked second in points, 36 points behind Ty Majeski, who is still racing for his first 2023 trophy but whose top-five (five) and top-10 (six) efforts in the opening seven races are best in the field. Majeski, driver of the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford, has finished 11th or better in three of his four Kansas starts, including a runner-up showing to Zane Smith in this race last year.

Toyota leads all manufacturers with 11 wins and has won at least one Kansas race in nine of the last 10 seasons. The fall Kansas winner, John Hunter Nemechek – one of only three drivers to earn a Kansas victory from pole position – is not entered this week. No driver has ever won back-to-back Kansas races, and there have been eight different winners in the last eight races.

MORE: Kansas weekend schedule 

Of note, ARCA standout Tony Breidinger hopes to pull double-duty this weekend and make her Truck Series debut. The 23-year-old, who also competes full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, is entered in the No. 1 Tricon Garage Toyota for the Truck Series race. Should she make the field, Breidinger would become the first Arab American woman to compete in the series.

Practice for the Heart of America 200 is set for noon ET on Saturday, with qualifying following the session on FS1.

Posted on by Track Release

ARLINGTON, Va. – Wednesday, as a prelude to its Memorial Day weekend salute to the U.S. Armed Forces, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted defending Coca-Cola 600 winner Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing President Dave Alpern and Coca-Cola executives Bea Perez and Frank Harrison for a poignant visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 servicemen and women and their families from every major United States conflict since the American Revolution.

Hamlin and Alpern joined Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith and Charlotte Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Greg Walter in laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider, continuing an annual tradition for the defending Coca-Cola 600 race winner to kick off Military Appreciation Month each May in Arlington, Virginia.

“It’s a very prestigious honor in my mind,” said Hamlin of visiting Arlington National Cemetery and laying a wreath. “For the Department of Defense, the Coca-Cola 600 is their biggest event honoring fallen soldiers. That’s a big deal. It’s certainly an honor that I don’t take lightly.

“I’ve been part of the Coca-Cola Memorial weekend for 18 years now in the Cup Series. It’s so different because you see soldiers that are living there and still serving, but I haven’t gotten to see in person where the fallen soldiers actually go. To be here at Arlington Cemetery is certainly moving and makes you really appreciate what Memorial Day weekend is all about.”

NASCAR Salutes: Learn more about it

In addition to the wreath-laying, the group enjoyed a private viewing of artifacts that paint the rich history of Arlington National Cemetery in the Memorial Amphitheater Display Room and watched a changing-of-the-guard ceremony. At the iconic tomb, which marked its centennial anniversary in 2021, members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, stand watch 24 hours a day, a tradition that began in 1948. Following the visit to Arlington National Cemetery, the dignitaries visited the Pentagon and met Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks.

“This was a very special day,” said Perez, SVP and chief communications, sustainability & strategic partnerships officer for The Coca-Cola Company. “The Coca-Cola 600 is during Memorial Day weekend, which is really about honoring our military who fight for our freedoms every single day here in our own country and around the world. For everything they do, we just want to thank them, and this was an incredible way to honor them.”

“We are just so thankful for what these men and women have done for our country and we want to honor them in any way we can,” said Harrison, Coca-Cola Consolidated’s CEO. “We’ll have about 40 of these Gold Star families; we’ll be renovating some homes and we just excited to be able to honor them at the Coca-Cola 600.”

Each Memorial Day weekend, Charlotte Motor Speedway pays tribute to those men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice during a moving Coca-Cola 600 pre-race show that includes representation from all six branches of the military. In addition to aerial and ground demonstrations, the pre-race salute features hundreds of members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

MILITARY APPRECIATION: Austin Dillon visits Fort Bragg | Honoring military at Coca-Cola 600

“Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Coca-Cola 600, Memorial Day weekend – when you think about that, you think about patriotism; you think about America, freedom and all the wonderful things that we can celebrate as Americas because of our military,” said Smith. “Coming here to Arlington to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice is something I look forward to. It never ceases to amaze me how touching it is for us to spend a few moments here to think about the courage, bravery and sacrifice that so many have made for all of us.”

In recent years, the speedway’s salute has expanded to include Mission 600, a campaign pairing 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. To date in 2023 on behalf of the Coca-Cola Racing Family of drivers, Austin Dillon visited Fort Bragg to train alongside members from the 82nd Airborne Division and Daniel Suárez virtually met members of Area Support Group – Jordan in the Middle East. Additional Mission 600 visits in the coming weeks leading up to the May 28 Coca-Cola 600 will include Coca-Cola Racing Family driver Joey Logano traveling to Naval Station Norfolk and Aric Almirola visiting Marines at Camp Lejeune.

TICKETS
Tickets are still available for the May 26-28 Coca-Cola 600 weekend, with three-day packages starting at $99. Weekend tickets for children ages 12 and under are just $10. Fans can purchase tickets online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Admission to Circle K Speed Street concerts by AC/DC tribute band Dirty Deeds (Friday) and Jake Owen (Saturday) is free with any race ticket. Sunday’s pre-race concert by The Doobie Brothers is free with purchase of a Coca-Cola 600 race ticket.