Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

NASCAR will debut a new aerodynamic rules package for the NASCAR Cup Series in March at Phoenix Raceway, aimed to enhance the racing product at short ovals and road courses, the sanctioning body announced Tuesday.

The package features slight modifications to the Next Gen car that significantly decrease the downforce created by the vehicles. This configuration will be utilized at all tracks where “wet weather equipment” will be required: Charlotte Roval, Chicago Street Course, Circuit of The Americas, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, Martinsville, New Hampshire, North Wilkesboro, Phoenix, Richmond, Sonoma and Watkins Glen.

MORE: 2023 rules updates announced | Cup Series schedule

Chief among the changes are a two-inch rear spoiler (a reduction from the current four-inch blade on the rear deck lid) in addition to several tweaks underneath the car. Those include the removal of three diffuser strakes, engine panel strakes and trimming the diffuser’s outer fencing. All changes were run together during the second day of a January test at Phoenix.

“That basically adds up to about a 30% downforce reduction,” Dr. Eric Jacuzzi told NASCAR.com. “We’re now in a downforce level we haven’t been at since pre-2000s for sure — like mid ’90s.”

The design of the Garage 56 entry for the 24 Hours of Le Mans
CoForce | NASCAR

Much of the direction of these changes was inspired by the Garage 56 program, a project NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear are working closely on to compete at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans. The first day of Phoenix testing earlier this year saw three different packages with that inspiration; but none of those combinations did enough to warrant any change from the original product.

“We put our heads together and we came up with a greatly reduced downforce package,” Jacuzzi said. “Because one of the things that drivers kept saying was that the car — there’s so much tire grip, the brakes are so good. So we said let’s really just take a big swing at this and see if we can solicit a reaction, almost, out of them.”

Teams were alerted of the new alterations the next morning and began setting up the adjustments over the next two hours. Through single-car and simulated mock race runs, a breakthrough was finally made.

“In those two races, definitely, the cars were noticeably tighter together,” Jacuzzi said. “They didn’t spread out as far and some of the drivers commented that they were really sliding around a lot, and they feel that the more kind of out of control the car is, the more real estate on the track becomes available to them to use. So that was kind of the feedback that led us to moving forward with this package.”

Jacuzzi reiterated drivers were a key part of the conversation as testing continued, affirming the changes were going in the right direction.

“I don’t want to speak for them, just anecdotally what they said at the test in our debrief meeting [was it] felt more like a race car,” Jacuzzi said. “Definitely wasn’t as planted, more able to move around and use all the track. So, a net positive. Of course, some people were a little more hesitant, but the difficulty in those tests is you’re really making big changes and you don’t have infinite practice time. So it tends to be people who aren’t maybe running well at the test don’t like it, obviously, because you don’t want to be running around the back. But I think given enough time to adapt to things and have some prep time, they will be able to respond just like any other weekend.”

However, there was another element tested at Phoenix: mufflers. Only The Clash at the LA Memorial Coliseum and the Chicago Street Course will feature mufflers this season, meaning the removal of the mufflers alters the aerodynamics a bit more.

With that in mind, NASCAR took the new rules package into the wind tunnel on Feb. 13 to confirm what was learned at the test and ensure the same desired impacts will be produced in later competitions.

MORE: Power Rankings heading to Las Vegas

Ultimately, NASCAR’s competition team saw significant improvement in parity and racing quality on intermediate tracks in 2022, the Next Gen vehicle’s debut season. But the same couldn’t be said for its short tracks or road courses.

“We’d seen such great racing at the intermediates,” Jacuzzi said, “and then the road courses and the short tracks lacked some of the action we expected. And the comments from the drivers about how good the brakes are and how much grip the tire has, it’s fantastic but we do rely on, from our side, drivers making mistakes and things like that.”

MORE: NASCAR 101 breaks down Next Gen | Celebrating NASCAR’s 75th anniversary

Ross Chastain leads a line of NASCAR Cup Series cars around a right turn at Sonoma Raceway
Chris Graythen | Getty Images

All road courses will see this package used as well as most of the short tracks on the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Excluded from this change are the 0.533-mile Bristol Motor Speedway and 1-mile Dover Motor Speedway.

“We wanted to keep it some kind of a rule like, ‘OK, let’s start with a mile and under’ and obviously Dover and Bristol would fall in that category,” Jacuzzi explained. “The one complication is this year where we have the wet-weather ovals, where we would consider running on rain tires. So part of that is they need to essentially have the car prepared like it’s a road-course car. So it’ll have the lights in it. It’s going to have the wiper and the [mud] flaps and everything.

“So a couple of teams and certainly the manufacturers asked us not to include those tracks, Dover and Bristol, because they would essentially create a fourth aero package where they wouldn’t have the flaps and wiper in that. And we said OK, we had some decent events last year. We looked at our metrics and the stats were OK, so we went with that initial conservative approach — just take the industry’s concerns into our minds and kind of wait and see.

“Certainly, I think if it’s a smash hit this year and we see a big difference, we’ll definitely have to look at it again.”

To ensure teams have adequate time to get up to speed, the Phoenix race weekend will now feature a 50-minute practice session on Friday, March 10 as part of an extended practice weekend.

The package debuts Sunday, March 12 in the United Rentals Work United 500 at Phoenix Raceway (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM).

Posted on by Cara Cooper

When Scott Gafforini is asked to describe his 2022 race season at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring, he says it “wasn’t anything special.”

“It was pretty mediocre,” Gafforini said. “It was just plugging along and just consistent finishes.”

The veteran driver didn’t win any races last season, but it didn’t matter. He was consistent enough to win a Las Vegas track championship in the venue’s Pro Late Model division. The title was his seventh at the NASCAR-sanctioned short track in Nevada, a record for any driver.

Consistency has been the key for Gafforini over the last 16 years since he won his first track championship. In that first title chase in 2006, he was down by two points going into the final race. He made up one point in qualifying and beat his competition on the last lap to come away with a title by one point.

“After the very first one year, it did get easier,” he said. “The first one always seems to be the hardest, because you’re trying so hard, and you don’t want to make mistakes, and you overthink it. Once you get the first one behind your belt, I think everybody takes a little sigh of relief, and you know what it takes to get there. I think it makes a big difference.”

From 2006-15, Gafforini won the Vegas track title six times, besting driver Phil Goodwin for the most track titles by any driver.

But after 2015, Gafforini hit a lull. He was stuck with consistent second-place finishes for seven years.

“It was always like one fast guy shows up and he’s pretty dominant, either he’s got a brand new car or a brand new team with a lot of money, and I’m just kind of a mediocre Saturday night racing guy,” he said. “I don’t have big finances. I just go out there and use old equipment that was once brand new.”

The string of seconds is what made last season’s title such a surprise to Gafforini. He said his equipment was out of date as Vegas switched from super late models to pro late models.

But, as the year started unfolding, he realized the team was at the top of the standings simply because “we showed up to every single race.”

“That counts because you’ve got to support your local race track,” he said. “We were there every single weekend duking it out, and we just supported the race track and were consistent. We had a top-five car. It wasn’t going to win, but it was still a top-five car, so we knew we could capture points that way.

“If you would have told me the first two races of last year I was going to win the championship, I would have laughed at you. … We just kept plugging along, and about halfway through the year, we were scratching our heads like, ‘Well, if nothing stupid happens, we might be able to pull this thing off.’ And we did.”

Gafforini learned his work ethic at a young age while hanging around racers and sweeping up the shop. He learned the importance of building your own car, no matter if “these guys are going out there and kicking butt or getting their butts kicked, whichever it may be.”

He started racing in 1980 when he got into a go-kart at 13 years old. He was successful in karts and eventually moved up to IMSA road racing, which he did until the short track at Vegas was built.

He started racing stock cars in 1998, but it took eight years before he would win his first title.

“I looked at myself and said, ‘I’m doing my very best, and I’m not getting the job done,’” he said. “I had to learn what it’s going to take to get that championship. Obviously, my very best isn’t enough to get a championship all these years. It’s came down to that one race, that very last race of the year, and I won it by one point… That’s when my very best just went up to a championship level.”

From there, the wins kept coming. He owns a Vegas track record 67 career wins.

“You just keep learning and learning and learning, and your very best becomes more and more and more,” he said. “And as your very best becomes more and more and more, the championships become easier and easier because your very best becomes more than what their very best is because they haven’t figured it out yet.”

Remembering those older drivers who built the sport is important to Gafforini, because, he said, without them, there wouldn’t be racing in the way it’s done now, and he would have never learned those lessons he needed to be successful, both on and off the track.

Gafforini is also hopeful young drivers learn from his legacy, as well, and keep it alive. His biggest lesson is, “It’s not that you did your best, you had to do what it took to get it done no matter what,” he said.

“You need to learn that in life anyhow. You have to show up, no matter what,” he said. “Even if you don’t think you’re going to win… you still show up and you do your very, very best. You don’t halfway do it.

“You want to do your very best, but you’ve also got to be smart enough to know if your very best isn’t going to be good enough. Don’t quit or don’t get disappointed. Figure out what it’s going to take to raise your very best up that extra notch or two… It’s important, and it pays off. It may not pay off immediately, but it will.”

Unlike the last decade when Gafforini and his team were just racing to race and see what happens, this season they are coming in looking for an eighth title. He has a new car, and he feels his updated technology and newly built equipment puts him on the same page as other successful drivers.

But, he plans to still be the same driver he’s been for the last 40 years, and hopefully young drivers take something away from watching his success.

“We’re definitely the people that rooted for the hometown, do-it-yourself racers, the grassroots racer. That’s us,” he said. “For us to go win a championship, that gives other people hope that you don’t need the big sponsorships, you don’t need the big team, you don’t need the 20-man crew. It’s just me, my dad, who is like 80-something years old, he doesn’t do quite too much anymore, and my two friends. That’s it.

“For the person who’s doing it out of their own pocket, doing it as a hobby, keep your chin up. You can still win races, you can still win championships… you can do it, and that’s what I’m for. That’s what I advocate for.”

On Feb. 18, Gafforini finished fourth in the Pro Late Model feature on The Bullring’s 2023 opening night. He did so after placing third in his heat race.

The Bullring’s season continues Saturday, March 4 with the Bash at The Bullring, a free-admission event.

Posted on by Press Release

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. – Brenden Queen has emerged as one of the most prolific stars in late model stock car racing in recent years.

The Virginia driver hoping to add to his growing list of accolades on Saturday when he competes in the Solid Rock Carriers Battle of the Stars this weekend at New River All-American Speedway.

Saturday’s $20,000-to-win NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series late model stock car race will be Queen’s first trip to the 4/10-mile track in Onslow County, and his third race with Lee Pulliam Performance.  As is the case for everyone who will unload their cars from their haulers in Jacksonville this weekend, Queen’s goal is to win.

“It would be a huge deal to win,” Queen said.  “A new track to win at and a good payday.  Tons of momentum for us but this is a time in my career where I need to win every chance I get, so I’m staying focused on that and, of course, having a good time.”

Queen, who goes by the nickname ‘Butterbean,’ is the three-time defending track champion at Larry King Law’s Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia, and also a champion at the now-defunct East Carolina Motor Speedway in Martin County, North Carolina.  In 2020, Queen picked up a victory in the Hampton Heat 200 at Langley, but his biggest accomplishment came last season when he won the South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway, racing against Dale Earnhardt Jr., among others.  That victory came in his first race driving for four-time NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division I National champion Lee Pulliam.

“Winning the Hampton Heat was very special, but winning the 400, with that being my first race with Lee Pulliam Performance, was really cool,” Queen stated.  “The attention that race was getting made it an even bigger deal.  It’s something I will be proud of forever.”

Becoming one of the more respected drivers, and one who is now considered a contender week in and week out, was what Queen hoped to become when he started out his racing career.

“It’s really special,” Queen remarked.  “Growing up, I just wanted to be one of the guys that was respected and one that was considered a threat to win.  I definitely do not take it for granted.  I feel like I’ve come so far, especially in the past few seasons, and started finishing races out.”

Teaming up with Pulliam provides Queen with the opportunity to become one of late model stock car racing’s elite competitors as he chases wins all around the region.  During his racing career, Pulliam was one of the most successful drivers in the history of the discipline with 176 wins, championships in three different states and three different tracks, and was the only driver during the span of his career to win all of late model stock car racing’s biggest events.

Since then, Pulliam has worked with up-and-coming drivers, such as Corey Heim, Brandon Pierce, Jonathan Shafer, and now Queen.

“Working with Lee is very special,” Queen explained.  “He’s a big help.  He is someone I Can lean on for advice all around.  He knows what it takes to win at every track whereas, for me, I haven’t been to most of the tracks we are going to.  I’m excited to be a part of his organization.”

Queen is not just a frequent contender on asphalt, but on dirt as well.  Along with his championship at Langley Speedway in an asphalt late model, he picked up a title at the Dixieland Speedway dirt track in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, in the track’s late model division last season.

“Dirt racing has been a huge help,” Queen commented.  “I think it’s really helped me with how I manage my gas pedal in a race, and also managing grip.”

While Saturday night will be his first start in Jacksonville, it will not be his first start at an Eastern North Carolina track.  Queen’s first late model stock car victory, and championship, came at the tight confines of the three-eighths-mile East Carolina Motor Speedway in Robersonville, North Carolina.

“Eastern Carolina definitely holds a special place to me,” Queen said.  “I loved racing in that area and spent a ton of time down in the area.”

While Queen hopes, and expects, to win on Saturday, he will have some elite company in the Solid Rock Carriers Battle of the Stars, including three-time CARS Tour champion Bobby McCarty in his debut with Marcus Richmond and R&S Race Cars, former New River All-American Speedway winner Connor Hall, and rising star Connor Jones, among many others.

Qualifying for the Solid Rock Carriers Battle of the Stars will take place on Saturday, March 4, at 4:30 p.m. ET and the feature racing program will commence at 7 p.m., with the 200-lap, $20,000-to-win late model stock car race expected to go green around 8-8:15 p.m.  Tickets are available online on MyRacePass and at the gate on race day for $25, and the event will be broadcast live on FloRacing.

The complete weekend schedule and additional information about the Solid Rock Carriers Battle of the Stars is available here.

Posted on by Staff Report

Race organizers for the 24 Hours of Le Mans released the event’s entry list Monday, officially confirming the collaborative effort from NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear as the invited Garage 56 entry.

That showcase entry for the June 10-11 endurance race will carry a car number familiar to NASCAR fans and the Rick Hendrick-owned organization – No. 24.

RELATED: Livery unveiled at Daytona | Strong IMSA presence on entry list

The modified No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will be driven by Jenson Button, Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller in a class by itself, designed by race organizer Automobile Club de l’Ouest to highlight distinctive and innovative vehicles at the 24-hour event. The “Garage 56” designation is a nod to the entry list’s former cap at 55 cars and the plus-one created by an extra participating team.

The No. 24 was made famous in NASCAR by four-time Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, who won 93 times as a driver for Hendrick Motorsports and is now its vice chairman. William Byron currently drives the No. 24 for the team, and he has added four victories to its Cup Series win tally.

The Garage 56 project was launched last March 17 at Sebring International Raceway. The group recently completed endurance testing on Feb. 20-21 at Sebring as part of the next phase in its development.

Posted on by Pat DeCola

FONTANA, Calif. — The last time JR Motorsports did not finish with one of its cars in the top five of an Xfinity Series race was at Daytona International Speedway — last August.

The most recent non-superspeedway-style race where the Dale Earnhardt Jr.-owned operation fell short? Well, you’ll have to go all the way back to the Xfinity Series Championship … in 2021.

While the checkered flag and trophy will wind up at the Joe Gibbs Racing HQ with race-winner John Hunter Nemechek outpacing JRM’s Sam Mayer on the final run to win the Production Alliance Group 300, the class of the field for (what’s usually) NASCAR’s Saturday series was once again up to its weekly ways Sunday night at Auto Club Speedway. The 300-miler was initially slated to run Saturday afternoon in Southern California before heavy rain — and at times, snow flurries the size of cotton balls — pushed the event to Sunday after the Cup Series race.

Saturday, Sunday; the day of the week matters not. If there’s an Xfinity race, you’ll find a JRM car finishing in the top five. There were three of ‘em Sunday, with Nos. 7 and 8 drivers Justin Allgaier and Josh Berry finishing third and fifth, respectively.

MORE: Full Auto Club results | Updated Xfinity Series standings

Mayer, who started 22nd after the lineup was set per the rule book with qualifying canceled, said he had a mid-pack car at the start of the race that his team cranked on throughout the evening to give him a shot at the win. Had a few things gone his way on pit road, he would’ve.

“I think we were just as good as the 20 (of Nemechek) at the end. I mean, we did not start off that way and we had a lot of work to do and our No. 1 Accelerate Camaro definitely got a lot better throughout the day when the kitchen sink was added,” Mayer said on pit road after the race. “But super proud of my guys. I mean, they did everything right there at the end … that’s a lot to be proud of, to kind of go from a 20th-place car to like a solid second-place car.”

Allgaier and Berry echoed those sentiments about their own teams, with the latter crediting JRM and Hendrick Motorsports specifically for the “tons of support” the championship Cup operation lends the closely associated JRM.

It’s evident that Earnhardt’s four-car operation, though it’s seen its share of faces come and go over the years (often to the Cup Series, if that’s any indication of how things are going for them) has had things clicking on all cylinders for years now. The cohesiveness between cars, drivers and crews across the company is a major factor.

“Our team is rock solid. You know, I say our seven team is rock solid, but really JR Motorsports as a whole,” said Allgaier, JRM’s longest-tenured driver having been there since 2016. “There’s a lot of depth. A lot of great crew chiefs. A lot of great drivers, a lot of great just information flowing through our building. What, three in the top five? And honestly, the nine (of teammate Brandon Jones, who spun and finished 33rd) doesn’t have his issues early on, I think he’s equally up there with us as well.”

Even if everyone in the shop is on the same page and working toward the same organization-wide goals — namely, its first championship since going back-to-back with William Byron and Tyler Reddick in 2017 and ’18, respectively — don’t get it twisted. These are still race car drivers competing against each other when it all boils down.

And there are bragging rights on the line.

“Yeah, I mean, that’s huge (to finish as the highest JRM car). Like, that’s goal number one going into every week is to be the top JRM car,” said Mayer. “Because if you do that, you’re gonna be top three at least. Our (car) was really good there at the end and obviously, it was the best one of the four, so that’s a big deal.”

Meanwhile, Mayer remains the lone JRM driver without a series victory in his career, but it’s coming. Clearly.

The first two weeks of the season have both ended in a degree of disappointment for the 19-year-old Wisconsin native — spending part of last week’s Daytona opener on his roof after a crash at the end of the race before coming up just short on Sunday.

“Yeah, heartbreak, because I can taste that first win there … it’s literally like 20, 30 yards ahead of me and I just can’t break that bubble,” said Mayer, who walked out of Auto Club seventh in points. “But I’m super happy. I’m super happy to be a part of that gig and obviously, the race director being proud of me is a really big deal.

“So I mean, I’m just ready for next week to come because I know we’re gonna have a lot of speed and be really good. … Vegas is another good track of mine, so I’m looking forward to going there.”

And if it’s not that elusive first win that he picks up, you can take it to the bank that it’ll be a top five.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

FONTANA, Calif. – After the sun set on Auto Club Speedway, John Hunter Nemechek drove his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to victory in Sunday’s Production Alliance Group 300 in the final race at the 2-mile track.

It wasn’t supposed to be that way. The NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers were scheduled to race on Saturday, leaving the speedway’s swan song to the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday, but rain and snow — yes, snow in Southern California’s Inland Empire — forced postponement of the race until Sunday.

RELATED: Official results | At-track photos

And after Kyle Busch won the Cup race, Nemechek, who drove for Busch in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series last year, took the checkered flag in his first full-time stint in the JGR Supra.

“Man, this whole 20 team gave me one heck of a race car,” said Nemechek, who took the lead for the last time after a restart on Lap 139 of 150. “Just a huge shout-out to all the guys who work on this 20 team.

“I think a lot of guys doubted (crew chief) Ben (Beshore) coming down from the Cup Series, and to have him on the box and to be able to establish the relationship I have with him, it’s been awesome. I’ve worked with a lot of the guys on the team the last couple of years, and the pit crew — they got it done when it counted tonight.”

Nemechek, who finished second by a matter of inches in the NASCAR Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona, led a race-high 49 laps and finished 0.761 seconds ahead of runner-up Sam Mayer.  The Xfinity Series win was the third of his career, and it came at the track where his father, Joe Nemechek, won the first Cup pole of his career and the first-ever pole at the venue.

Justin Allgaier ran third, followed by Chandler Smith. Josh Berry was fifth, joining JR Motorsports teammates Mayer and Allgaier in the top five.

Mayer chased Nemechek for the final 12 laps but couldn’t get close enough to make a move for the win.

“I’m super proud of my team,” Mayer said. “We struggled early on, that’s for sure. We had our work cut out for us, but we threw the kitchen sink at it, and we ended up second. All things considered, I’m really happy and really proud of these guys.”

Cole Custer may have had the fastest car in the race. The driver of the No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, the defending race winner, swept the first two stages and led twice for 46 laps. But after a Lap 91 restart, Custer hit the outside wall, thanks to a flat tire, and sustained further damage when the Chevrolet of Austin Dillon couldn’t avoid Custer’s wounded car.

Custer finished 27th, one lap down.

The Xfinity Series’ next race is the Alsco Uniforms 300, scheduled Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM) at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Note: Post-race inspection in the NASCAR Xfinity Series garage was completed without issue, affirming Nemechek’s victory in Sunday’s 300-miler.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on by Staff Report

Which channels have NASCAR programming this week? We answer that and give the weekly NASCAR television listings here in the NASCAR TV schedule.

Note: All times are ET.

MORE: How to find USA Network | How to find FS1 | Get FOX Sports App | Watch on USA Network | Get the NBC Sports App | Watch on Peacock | FloRacing | How to watch NASCAR International

Monday, Feb. 27
4:30 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Production Alliance Group 300 at Fontana (re-air), FS1
6:30 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Pala Casino 400 at Fontana (re-air), FS1
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Tuesday, Feb. 28
2 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FS1
3 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Pala Casino 400 at Fontana (re-air), FS1
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6 p.m., Dale Jr. Download, Peacock
8 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Pala Casino 400 at Fontana (re-air), FS2
11 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Production Alliance Group 300 at Fontana (re-air), FS2

Wednesday, March 1
3 a.m., Greatest Races: NASCAR (re-air), FS2
5 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Radioactive: Las Vegas (re-air), FS2
6 p.m. NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6 p.m., Dale Jr. Download, Peacock
8:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Radioactive: Las Vegas (re-air), FS2
9:30 p.m., Greatest Races: 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Alsco Uniforms 300 at Las Vegas (re-air), FS2

Thursday, March 2
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6 p.m., Dale Jr. Download, Peacock

Friday, March 3
Noon, NASCAR Pace Lap, MAVTV
3 p.m., NASCAR Pace Lap (re-air), MAVTV
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, FS1
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, FS1
8 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: NCTS at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, FS1
9 p.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, FS1

On MRN:
8:30 p.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Saturday, March 4
1 a.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
3 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
4:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Radioactive: Las Vegas (re-air), FS1
6 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Radioactive: Las Vegas (re-air), FS1
6:30 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
8 a.m., NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
10 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Radioactive: Las Vegas (re-air), FS1
11 a.m., NASCAR Presents: Beyond the Wheel (re-air), FS1
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, FS1
2 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, FS1
3:30 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: NXS at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, FS1
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Alsco Uniforms 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, FS1

Sunday, March 5
1 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Alsco Uniforms 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
9 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Alsco Uniforms 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
11 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
2 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: NCS at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, FS1
3 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube, FOX
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube, FOX, FOX Deportes
11:30 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Alsco Uniforms 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (re-air), FS2

Posted on by Pat DeCola

FONTANA, Calif. — NASCAR Cup Series cars took the green flag for Sunday’s Pala Casino 400 at Auto Club Speedway with no prior laps put down this weekend after both practice and qualifying were washed out from Saturday’s heavy rain. The only on-track activity for the season so far came in an exhibition race on a quarter-mile, temporary track inside a stadium that has held a range of events from the Olympics to the World Series, followed by the 65th Daytona 500 at the World Center of Racing … not exactly the kind of notebooks that translate to the 2-mile high banks in Southern California.

Despite all that, No. 1 Chevrolet driver Ross Chastain knew he had a car capable of winning coming around Turn 1 … of Lap 1.

And he almost did.

RELATED: Auto Club results | At-track photos

“Yeah, it’s incredible; we drove it in Turn 1, Lap 1 and passed like two or three cars and I was like ‘OK, this is gonna be really good,” Chastain said on pit road after finishing third in Sunday’s 400-miler. “And we just managed the race well, I thought we did a lot of things … that we did everything right. Balance-wise or any race adjustments, I don’t think we could have done any better. … Besides winning today, I couldn’t be much happier with how these two races have went. I love it. I’m not sure what it says other than we’re learning and we’re improving and we’ve got a long way to go.”

If Chastain and Trackhouse Racing have a long way to go from here, watch out. The Florida native nearly put the No. 1 in Victory Lane but was unable to reel in the No. 8 Chevrolet in the closing laps as Busch pulled away and Chase Elliott scooted by for second.

Ross Chastain reacts post-race after notching a top-five finish at Auto Club Speedway
Susan Wong | NASCAR Studios

Chastain still led a race-high 91 laps en route to his third-place finish and, oh yeah, his teammate Daniel Suárez was right behind him on the results sheet in fourth. It’s the second consecutive race to open the year that the duo has turned in dual top-10 finishes, and it kind of begs the question if Trackhouse is the — admittedly early — team to beat in 2023.

“You know, I’m very, very proud of everyone at Trackhouse; we have fast race cars no matter where we go and it’s a lot of fun,” Suárez told NASCAR.com on pit road after his fourth-place finish. “That’s thanks to all the men and women here at the track and also back at the shop. We have to continue to build because there are a few things that I felt like I could have done better. I don’t feel like we had the best car, but we had a car that if we were in the right situation was probably capable of winning the race, so we just have to continue to build. There is no perfection here. You know there is always room for improvement, so I will have to continue to be better and I’m sure that next week we’re going to have another shot.”

Trackhouse’s ascension has been remarkable to watch happen in real time, evolving from a fledgling, one-car startup operation to a two-car, championship-ready powerhouse faster than team co-owner Pitbull can say “fireball.”

For years now, it’s felt like there was a core four of teams capable of being elite for a whole season — Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske and Stewart-Haas Racing — but clearly, a fifth wheel has entered the equation, and Trackhouse appears dead set on disrupting the party. It could only be a matter of time before it’s the belle of the ball.

“I don’t think there is a limit (to our potential),” Suárez continued. “I think the limit, we’re gonna push ourselves to the limit and we shouldn’t even put up limits. You know, we have to continue to build and continue to get better, but you know, we’re already showing that we went to work in the offseason and we’re gonna continue to do that.”

With such a surge of momentum to start the season — fresh off an unexpected, sensational run to the Championship 4 last year — NASCAR.com asked Chastain what Trackhouse’s potential ceiling could be.

He took a second to think about it, then offered a wry smile before issuing quite the prognosticating mic drop.

“You’ll watch it when we do it.”

Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

Kyle Busch found his way back to Victory Lane at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday afternoon.

That should surprise nobody — but it should concern the rest of his NASCAR Cup Series competition.

RELATED: Auto Club results | At-track photos: Fontana

‘Rowdy’ was not contending for wins often last year, his final of 15 seasons driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. His last victory came 28 races ago at the dirt-covered Bristol Motor Speedway — a victory that frankly fell into his lap when leaders Tyler Reddick and Chase Briscoe tangled in Turn 4 on the final lap, allowing Busch to scoot through to the checkers. He led significant laps at Gateway, Nashville and Darlington but couldn’t close the deal.

There was no backing into his Sunday win in Fontana, his first driving for the storied Richard Childress Racing. Busch led 27 laps, including each of the final 21 circuits en route to the triumph. It was his most Busch-esque performance in recent memory, stalking oft-leader Ross Chastain for the lead late but showing patience in his attack.

An early pit-road speeding penalty mired Busch at the rear of the field for a Lap 47 restart after originally exiting the pits third. Busch powered the No. 8 Chevrolet all the way back to 11th place in the remaining 22 laps of Stage 1, an immediate warning shot to the rest of the field of how quick his machine was.

Busch capitalized on that speed and limited further mistakes, a note that became particularly pertinent on the final round of green-flag pit stops at Lap 166. Moments after nabbing the lead from Chastain, the duo darted for pit road together — but Busch was notably conservative, likely to avoid another penalty. Chastain took as much ground as he could and drew even with the No. 8, but Busch and his crew won the race off pit road anyway.

The two-time champion used that track position to his advantage and held off second-place runner Chase Elliott by 2.998 seconds as Chastain fell to third.

It’s been an incredible start to Busch’s new chapter with RCR — seemingly no need for a get-to-know-each-other period. The exhibition run at the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum produced a podium finish with a third-place result, parlayed into an impressive Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway that saw the No. 8 Chevrolet lead laps in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel and Daytona 500.

The team left Daytona without the results to show for its dominance, which included the most laps led in Duel No. 2 and heading the field at Lap 200 of the Daytona 500. No opportunity was blundered in Fontana.

His competition knows he’s back — and how dangerous a confident ‘Rowdy’ can be.

Some, though, showed their respect after the two-time Cup Series champion made his return to his winning ways after departing the JGR powerhouse.

“Congratulations to Kyle. For him to leave and then to go get the job done like that is pretty cool,” said Elliott, the 2020 series champion. “He’s always been really good to me, so happy for them and looking forward to getting to Vegas and hopefully competing for some more wins.”

Elliott’s teammate and 2021 title winner Kyle Larson offered similar praise.

One of the best to ever strap into a NASCAR stock car, undoubtedly. Busch’s victory makes history — 2023 now marks 19 straight winning seasons for the Las Vegas native, breaking Richard Petty’s long-standing record after winning in 18 consecutive years.

Busch’s domination has been dense, a career overflowing with some of the most impressive statistics the sport has ever seen. His 225 national series wins — 61 in Cup, a staggering 102 Xfinity victories and 62 Craftsman Truck Series triumphs — tower over anybody else’s tally, including The King’s 201 career wins.

Those 61 premier-series victories rank ninth-most all-time, more than Hall-of-Fame champions Rusty Wallace, Lee Petty, Tony Stewart, and Bill Elliott. Kevin Harvick, who is competing in his final full-time NASCAR Cup Series campaign in 2023, is the only active driver that joins Busch in the top-10 wins list, sitting 10th with 60 himself. Busch notched No. 61 in 644 starts; Harvick has 792 starts.

But for all his success, the rate at which he won had slowed in recent years: He won at least four races per year from 2015 through 2019, bookended by championship seasons, but won just four Cup races between 2020 and last year (once in 2020, twice in 2021 and once in 2022).

That’s why winning Sunday — so early in his tenure with Richard Childress Racing — feels like a statement that Rowdy may have returned to form.

“It ranks high, just because it ranks to the fact that I can do it,” Busch said of his Auto Club win. “I never doubted myself, but sometimes you do. You kind of get down on it. You wonder what’s going on and what’s happening. And you put yourself in a different situation, and you’re able to come out here and reward your guys.”

Anyone lulled into believing his winning ways were in the past seems to be sorely mistaken.

“Why is anyone surprised by this?” Chase Elliott said. “I mean, that’s mind-boggling to me that anyone is surprised that Kyle is fantastic, one of the best race car drivers to ever do this. That didn’t change overnight, so I’m not surprised, and anybody who is should rethink their NASCAR knowledge, in my opinion.”

Rowdy rejuvenated? That’s dangerous for everybody else.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

FONTANA, Calif. – The Kyle Busch era at Richard Childress Racing began three weeks ago at the Los Angeles Coliseum, but the coronation was reserved for Sunday’s Pala Casino 400 in the last NASCAR Cup Series race at 2-mile Auto Club Speedway.

Busch grabbed the lead from Ross Chastain on Lap 165 and regained it on Lap 180 at the end of a cycle of green-flag pit stops, as the race ran under green for the final 55 laps. He crossed the finish line on Lap 200 with a 2.998-second advantage over runner-up Chase Elliott.

RELATED: Official results | At-track photos

The victory was the 61st of Busch’s career, most among active drivers and ninth all-time. For the 19th straight season, Busch has won at least one NASCAR Cup Series race, breaking a tie with seven-time champion Richard Petty for the series record.

“Welcome to RCR, baby,” the No. 8 radio reported as Busch crossed the line. “First of many.”

Kyle and Kurt Busch now hold the record for most combined Cup victories by brothers with 95, one more than the total accumulated by Bobby and Donnie Allison.

Coincidentally, Busch claimed the first Cup win of his career at Auto Club, the bulk of whose property was recently sold — with plans to replace the 2-mile speedway with a short track.

Busch’s victory at Auto Club came in his second start in the No. 8 Chevrolet for RCR, the team he joined after 15 seasons and two series championships with Joe Gibbs Racing.

“I can’t thank Richard and Judy (Childress) enough, Austin (Dillon) for calling me and getting me talking and getting me the opportunity to come over here to RCR,” said Busch, who had to overcome a pit-road speeding penalty under caution on Lap 43.

“The guys did a great job. (Crew chief) Randall (Burnett) — everybody that worked so hard in the offseason. We did a lot of sim stuff, a lot of testing in general, just trying to get up to speed. There is nothing more rewarding than being able to go to Victory Lane. …

“You put yourself in a different situation and you’re able to reward your guys. It’s not about me always winning, but about the guys. I’ve worked with a lot of great people who’ve given me a lot of great opportunities in my career. It’s awesome to be able to reward them.”

With qualifying rained out on Saturday, Elliott started 31st according to a metric formula based on owner points and performance in the previous race (the Daytona 500). Throughout the race, Elliott’s crew made the No. 9 Chevrolet better. By race’s end, it was competitive with the fastest cars in the field.

“Yeah, just really proud of our team,” Elliott said. “We obviously didn’t run very good there toward the end of the year last year, and just everybody really went to work hard over the winter to try and get better. Obviously, I think we still have some work to do, but it was really nice to just see a lot of that hard work pay off and have the car driving like we were wanting it to do. So that’s always a good thing. …

“Congratulations to Kyle. For him to leave and then to go get the job done like that is pretty cool. He’s always been really good to me, so happy for them and looking forward to getting to Vegas and hopefully competing for some more wins.”

Chastain led a race-high 91 laps to Busch’s 27 and finished third after sweeping the first two stages, the second by 6.673 seconds. Chastain’s Trackhouse Racing teammate, Daniel Suárez ran fourth, followed by Kevin Harvick in his 750th consecutive Cup Series start. Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon and Joey Logano completed the top 10.

A multicar accident during a restart on Lap 86 eliminated pole-sitter Christopher Bell, as well as Ryan Preece, Aric Almirola and Tyler Reddick. Ryan Blaney, who ran at or near the front of the field in Stage 1, sustained heavy damage to his No. 12 Ford during the wreck and finished 26th.

MORE: Pileup mars Stage 2 restart

Note: Post-race inspection was completed in the Cup Series garage without issue, confirming Busch as the race winner.

Contributing: Staff reports