World Series of Asphalt 2023: Takeaways from Night 7 at New Smyrna

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Brandon White

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Night 7 of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway proved to be the longest and most eventful in the event so far.

Five divisions ended up sharing the track Thursday evening. Along with Modifieds, Super Late Models, Pro Late Models and Florida Modifieds, a champion ended up being crowned in the 602 Modified division.

There was no shortage of intense on-track action and a few heated battles across each respective feature, but the night ended with plenty of familiar names finding their way to Victory Lane.

Below are the key takeaways from the seventh night of racing in the World Series of Asphalt.

Katie Hettinger halted a week of frustration in the World Series of Asphalt by finally earning her first victory in a Pro Late Model, which she accomplished by making an aggressive move on pole-sitter Carson Brown with fewer than 10 laps remaining. Ryan Luza passed Brown to finish second, with Conner Jones and Brent Crews rounding out the top-five finishers.
In a stroke of luck, the qualifying redraw for the Modified feature moved Matt Hirschman from third to first on the starting grid. Despite this, it would not be an entirely smooth ride for Hirschman, who had to fend off an immense challenge from Patrick Emerling for his fourth consecutive win, with the skirmish leading to contact between the two on the last restart that sent Emerling into the outside wall.
Emerling managed to pilot his wounded car home in the second position. Teddy Hodgdon finished in third, with Jimmy Blewett and Eric Goodale completing the top five.
On a Lap 13 restart, Casey Roderick muscled his way past William Sawalich to take his second consecutive World Series of Asphalt victory in the Super Late Model division. Conner Jones finished in third behind Sawalich, where he was followed by Giovanni Ruggiero and Nicholas Naugle.
The final 602 Modified feature of the week was one dominated by numerous on-track incidents and an incredible battle between Luke Baldwin and Trevor Catalano. Baldwin ended up prevailing to claim the win and the 602 Modified title, with Lee Sharpsteen, Catalano, Evan Rygielski and Bobby Jones following him in the running order.
The longest race of the evening in length was the 75-lap Florida Modified feature. Cody Stickler took home his second checkered flag in the World Series of Asphalt over Jason Lester, Bill Burba, Tim Moore and Alan Bruns.

Only two nights remain in the World Series of Asphalt. Friday at New Smyrna will include two major events in the Hart to Heart 100 for Pro Late Models and the Richie Evans Memorial 100 for Modifieds, all while Super Stocks, Trucks, Bomber Bs and Vintage Cars run their own races.

FloRacing has the coverage starting at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Posted on February 16, 2023February 16, 2023 by Zack Albert

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Money Team Racing made another improbable run into the Daytona 500, landing a last-ditch drive that had IndyCar regular Conor Daly welling up with tears after the checkered flag of Thursday night’s second qualifying race. “Shock the world!” was the rallying cry from the joyous TMT crew as the No. 50 Chevrolet came to rest on pit road.

Daly joined reigning Craftsman Truck Series champion Zane Smith in clinching the final Daytona 500 starting spots after Thursday night’s Bluegreen Vacations Duel qualifying races. Both drivers will be making their second Cup Series starts and their first in Sunday’s prestigious season opener (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM).

Both were also aided by misfortune for each of their primary competitors for Daytona 500 berths. Chandler Smith never recovered from a mid-race pit road speeding penalty in Duel 1, and Austin Hill was caught up in the wake of a multicar stack-up in the second 150-miler. Both failed to qualify.

For Daly, the result was the culmination of a more-than-eventful couple of days in Daytona, with the No. 50 crew failing to post a qualifying lap in Wednesday’s time trials because of a faulty oil line. It was a push to get to the grid, and Daly battled a major vibration and other handling concerns even in the pace laps. He dropped a lap behind by the second Duel’s halfway point.

The tide shifted when Hill’s Beard Oil Motorsports No. 62 Chevrolet became entangled in the evening’s biggest wreck. With Hill sidelined, Daly trudged on and finished 17th — one lap down in the final car running.

“As I was accelerating, it was like literally driving a bucking bronco,” Daly said, recounting the warm-up laps before the green flag. “I didn’t know what was going on. It was shaking so much that it’s like you feel like a wheel’s falling off. But as I told Tony (Eury, crew chief), I said, ‘Well, I just, I have to go.’ And so I didn’t lift those first two laps. But as it was moving around, I was like, this is really not confidence-inspiring. And so I lost the draft but when he made that first adjustment, I could definitely tell where what was happening and thankfully, we were able to fix that and I guess we got a lot better as we went, but it was crazy.

“And we took advantage of a lucky situation. We can’t ever deny a lucky situation because I’ll take it any day.”

Hill’s hopes for his first 500 had risen with Daly’s early woes, but his good fortune ran out two-thirds of the way through Duel 2. When Kyle Busch crashed at the front of the pack, he was unable to escape the tie-up farther back with Travis Pastrana and Riley Herbst. Hill was able to limp away from the crash scene, but the crew’s efforts to repair the No. 62 Camaro were fruitless. After the damaged vehicle policy clock expired, Hill finished 18th, completing just 41 of the 60 laps.

“We didn’t need to be in the draft,” Hill said after a check at the infield care center. “The main reason we were in the draft was because it was single-file and I was just trying to get experience, see how the car drove and what the car was doing when I would get a run on a guy, that type of thing, just trying to learn for the 500. And then right down the backstretch, when I saw the wreck happen, there was a lot of dirt going across the track. So I kind of lost sight of where the other cars were that were wrecking. I kind of got to the dirt as the dirt was coming across and it just made me lose traction.

“Not sure if the 15 (Herbst) tagged me or not, I have no idea. But, we just, we started spinning and the right-front, I think it was the lower [control arm] was broke. So it ended our night. There was really no reason for us to even be up there in the pack. The 50 wasn’t in the draft. He was multiple laps down and, just, just dumb on my part. I mean there’s no way around it. I mean it was just stupid to even be up there, just trying to learn and see what we can do going into the 500 and now we’re not even in it. We could have just run by ourselves and not around anyone to stay in front of the 50 and we would be locked in. So it stings, but I have a race Saturday in the Xfinity Series and I’ll do all I can to win that race.”

Tyler Strong | NASCAR Studios

The first race was the calmer of the two, and Zane Smith used a steady eighth-place finish to outdistance Chandler Smith, no relation, to advance. And he wound up a bit starstruck by a certain returning seven-time champion, who he spent time racing with in the pack at Daytona International Speedway.

“I don’t know what life is. I had Jimmie Johnson parked behind me. I watched him all my life growing up and still is my idol,” Zane Smith said on pit road after the first 150-mile qualifier. “Just unbelievable being in the ‘Great American Race.'”

Ford drivers snared seven of the top eight spots, led by opening-race winner Joey Logano. Smith followed Front Row Motorsports teammate Michael McDowell – a former 500 winner — through into the lead pack, then stayed clear of the last-lap dicing up front that closed the caution-free race.

MORE: At-track photos: Daytona

“Yeah, my emotions are definitely weird, just how big this event is,” Smith said. “You don’t realize it just coming until you’re making an attempt at it. It’s been crazy, all the media, and just all the hype behind it. Those Duels were a little nerve-racking, but I kind of just followed my teammate through there, and he was a huge, huge help. Big shout-out to him, all the Fords really. I felt like we really all worked together well.”

Chandler Smith was hampered by a pit-road speeding penalty on the 22nd of 60 laps, getting tagged with the costly violation as he left the pit lane. The 20-year-old Kaulig Racing driver placed 18th in the 21-car field — one lap off the pace — and failed to qualify for what would have been his Cup Series debut.

“Just got greedy, man,” Chandler Smith said. “At the very end of pit road, I was like, ‘Oh, we’re in a really good spot, this is really promising,’ and squeezed a little too much right before the yellow line. So it’s just, it’s on me. But I believe everything happens for a reason. I just can’t thank (team owner) Matt Kaulig and (team president) Chris Rice enough and Quick Tie Products, everybody that was on this deal that put a full effort in to allow me to come down here.”

Johnson and Pastrana clinched their starting spots on the basis of their speed in Wednesday’s qualifying session, besting the other non-chartered teams during those time trials.

Posted on February 16, 2023February 16, 2023 by Zach Sturniolo

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Kyle Busch was the primary victim of a multi-car crash in Thursday night’s second Bluegreen Vacations Duel qualifying race, losing control after a late-race push from Daniel Suárez.

Busch’s No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet veered into the outside retaining wall while leading on the Daytona International Speedway backstretch, ending his race with 40 of 60 laps complete after an errant push from Suárez’s No. 99 Chevrolet. Busch was unhurt but expressed his frustration after being relegated to a backup car for Sunday’s 65th running of the Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM).

RELATED: Duel 2 results | Photos from Daytona

“Just a lot of pushing and shoving. I don’t know why,” Busch said at the infield care center. “I mean we were single file. There was no pressure from the outside. There was nothing happening and was just getting pushed for two straight laps and finally, it didn’t want to hang on anymore. It overloaded the left rear and spun out the wrong way on the straightaway.”

Busch’s car nosed into the outside wall as oncoming traffic dodged his vehicles. Noah Gragson, Ryan Preece and Justin Haley dove to the grass to avoid the sliding Chevrolet, but that grassy debris found its way to Austin Hill’s tires, causing the No. 62 Chevrolet to spin.

Hill collided with Travis Pastrana and Riley Herbst, ending Hill’s Daytona 500 chances. Hill was piloting the Beard Motorsports non-chartered entry and failed to qualify for the “Great American Race.”

Busch was left bewildered the aggression reached that point midway through the second of two qualifying races on Thursday night.

“The inside lane with the 99 and the five behind me, they stopped pushing and they weren’t shoving and the outside still disintegrated,” Busch said. “And a couple guys tried to make the outside come forward, never came forward. And then for the last two laps there before I wrecked, they started pushing. I don’t see the sense and it really boggles me.”

The disappointment was bolstered by the fact Busch and his No. 8 team – a fresh pairing for the 2023 season – believed they could win the Daytona 500 with their primary car. Busch is a two-time Cup Series champion but has yet to win the Daytona 500 in 17 tries.

MORE: In-car view of Suárez and Busch’s crash | New faces, new places in ’23

“Car was fine. It was good,” Busch said. “If there was any weak spot we had, it was just exit of the corners where guys could kind of bunch back up to me but that’s to be expected. That’s just the accordion.”

Pastrana, the action sports icon, is driving the No. 67 Toyota for 23XI Racing, another “open” entry, but sealed his spot in the Daytona 500 in Wednesday night’s single-car qualifying session. The 39-year-old noted Wednesday any cost for damages are coming directly out of his pocket this weekend but left the infield care center confident the damage his car suffered is fixable ahead of Sunday’s race without using a backup car.

“I didn’t hit much,” Pastrana said. “The rear was bent pretty good. So we’ll change a few parts out. Shouldn’t be too bad for the pocket and we’ll definitely be back out there but hopefully in the same car.”

Pastrana competed in the Xfinity Series in a full-time effort in 2013 but has never made a Cup Series start. More challenging is that the Next Gen vehicle hardly compares to any prior experience he gleaned in a stock car.

“We were just cruising around back just trying to avoid exactly what happened,” Pastrana said. “Thought we’re far enough back actually, and at 200 miles an hour, it’s hard to get whoa-ed up. So I learned a lot. I kept wanting to go for it and then start getting in the mix. They’re like, ‘just don’t mess up the car.’ I’m like, alright, we’ll just stay in the back. We’ll learn from those guys. See what works, see what doesn’t. …

“Good information going forward and I had a blast. It was super intense.”

Cup teams will have one 50-minute practice session on Friday at 5:35 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) and additional 50 minutes Saturday at 10:30 a.m. ET (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM) to perfect their cars ahead of Sunday’s Daytona 500.

Contributing: Staff report

Posted on February 16, 2023February 16, 2023 by Staff Report

Each year, the NASCAR Cup Series kicks off the season with its pinnacle event — the Daytona 500.

The 65th annual running is set for Sunday, Feb. 19 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Daytona International Speedway. And, like any big event, some unique quirks are part of the build-up.

The “Great American Race’s” most notable difference compared to any other on the Cup schedule is how the starting lineup is set. Forty cars will make the Daytona 500 starting grid. Thirty-six teams are guaranteed starting spots thanks to their Charters, leaving only four spots available for Open teams.

The process began with single-car qualifying on Wednesday, where the two fastest drivers secured the front-row starting positions for Sunday’s race (Hendrick Motorsports’ teammates Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson) and the fastest overall earned the Busch Light Pole (Bowman). Additionally, the two fastest Open cars clinched a spot in Sunday’s main event — those honors went to seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson and Travis Pastrana.

The remaining results from qualifying set the field for the two Bluegreen Vacations Duel races on Thursday. The duel races were 60-lap affairs, the results of which set the lineup for the Daytona 500.

Drivers who were in odd-numbered positions on the speed chart from single-car qualifying made up the starting grid of Duel No. 1, while those who qualified in even-numbered positions made up Duel No. 2. The highest-finishing Open car in each duel advanced into the Daytona 500.

The results of Duel No. 1 set the inside row for the 2023 Daytona 500, while the results of Duel No. 2 set the outside row for Sunday’s race.

MORE: See the fresh Daytona paint schemes

Bluegreen Vacations Duel No. 1 results

* denotes Open, non-Charter team

Finishing Position	Car No.	Driver
1	22	Joey Logano
2	20	Christopher Bell
3	12	Ryan Blaney
4	17	Chris Buescher
5	34	Michael McDowell
6	4	Kevin Harvick
7	23	Bubba Wallace
8	36*	Zane Smith*
9	21	Harrison Burton
10	24	William Byron
11	1	Ross Chastain
12	43	Erik Jones
13	3	Austin Dillon
14	84*	Jimmie Johnson*
15	16	AJ Allmendinger
16	47	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
17	48	Alex Bowman
18	13*	Chandler Smith*
19	54	Ty Gibbs
20	51	Cody Ware
21	77	Ty Dillon

Bluegreen Vacations Duel No. 2 results

* denotes Open, non-Charter team

Starting position	Car No.	Driver
1	10	Aric Almirola
2	2	Austin Cindric
3	9	Chase Elliott
4	6	Brad Keselowski
5	7	Corey LaJoie
6	5	Kyle Larson
7	38	Todd Gilliland
8	19	Martin Truex Jr.
9	11	Denny Hamlin
10	41	Ryan Preece
11	42	Noah Gragson
12	99	Daniel Suárez
13	45	Tyler Reddick
14	31	Justin Haley
15	14	Chase Briscoe
16	78	BJ McLeod
17	50*	Conor Daly*
18	62*	Austin Hill*
19	8	Kyle Busch
20	15	Riley Herbst
21	67*	Travis Pastrana

Projected Daytona 500 starting lineup

Position	Car No.	Driver	How Spot is Determined
1	48	Alex Bowman	Fastest in qualifying
2	5	Kyle Larson	Second fastest in qualifying
3	22	Joey Logano	Duel No. 1 winner
4	10	Aric Almirola	Duel No. 2 winner
5	20	Christopher Bell	Duel No. 1 second place
6	2	Austin Cindric	Duel No. 2 second place
7	12	Ryan Blaney	Duel No. 1 third place
8	9	Chase Elliott	Duel No. 2 third place
9	17	Chris Buescher	Duel No. 1 fourth place
10	6	Brad Keselowski	Duel No. 2 fourth place
11	34	Michael McDowell	Duel No. 1 fifth place
12	7	Corey LaJoie	Duel No. 2 fifth place
13	4	Kevin Harvick	Duel No. 1 sixth place
14	38	Todd Gilliland	Duel No. 2 sixth place
15	23	Bubba Wallace	Duel No. 1 seventh place
16	19	Martin Truex Jr.	Duel No. 2 seventh place
17	36*	Zane Smith*	Highest finishing Open car in Duel No. 1; Duel No. 1 eighth place
18	11	Denny Hamlin	Duel No. 2 eighth place
19	21	Harrison Burton	Duel No. 1 ninth place
20	41	Ryan Preece	Duel No. 2 ninth place
21	24	William Byron	Duel No. 1 10th place
22	42	Noah Gragson	Duel. No. 2 10th place
23	1	Ross Chastain	Duel No. 1 11th place
24	99	Daniel Suárez	Duel No. 2 11th place
25	43	Erik Jones	Duel No. 1 12th place
26	45	Tyler Reddick	Duel No. 2 12th place
27	3	Austin Dillon	Duel No. 1 13th place
28	31	Justin Haley	Duel No. 2 13th place
29	84*	Jimmie Johnson*	Fastest Open car in qualifying; Duel No. 1 14th place
30	14	Chase Briscoe	Duel No. 2 14th place
31	16	AJ Allmendinger	Duel No. 1 15th place
32	78	BJ McLeod	Duel No. 2 15th place
33	47	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	Duel No. 1 16th place
34	50*	Conor Daly*	Highest-finishing Open Car in Duel No. 2; Duel No. 2 16th place
35	54	Ty Gibbs	Duel No. 1 17th place
36	8	Kyle Busch	Duel No. 2 17th place
37	51	Cody Ware	Duel No. 1 18th place
38	15	Riley Herbst	Duel No. 2 18th place
39	77	Ty Dillon	Duel No. 1 19th place
40	67*	Travis Pastrana*	Second-fastest Open car in qualifying

Posted on February 16, 2023February 17, 2023 by Holly Cain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano and Florida native Aric Almirola each won their Bluegreen Vacations Duel at Daytona qualifying races on Thursday at Daytona International Speedway — the event setting the starting order for Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

It was a Ford sweep at Daytona, but the two races played out very differently.

RELATED: Duel 2 results | Daytona 500 lineup set

Logano’s No. 22 Team Penske Ford led 25 of the 60 caution-free laps in the opening race; his Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney led a race-best 30 laps, finishing third — behind Logano and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell, who crossed the finish line a mere 0.018 seconds after Logano.

In the late race, Almirola led only 17 laps but took the lead for good in the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford with two laps remaining and held off fellow Ford driver Austin Cindric and Chase Elliott by a slight 0.122 seconds in a race that featured more drama — two caution periods, including one that ultimately took out the dominant car.

Kyle Busch led the most laps (28) in the second Duel, but his No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet was hit from behind by Daniel Suárez’s No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet and wrecked from the lead with 18 laps remaining.

“Lots of pushing and shoving,” Busch said afterward, hopeful the team could repair the car and not have to go to a backup on Sunday.

“Doing everything you can to hang on and do the best you can to keep it straight,” Busch said of the incident. “Finally overloaded the left rear and hooked it to the right. Hate it for all my guys. Built a fast Chevy Camaro and was fun to drive. Had a long way to go and don’t understand [this], but it is what it is.”

That six-car accident also damaged Austin Hill’s Chevrolet so badly he had to pull it into the garage. That gave the final Daytona 500 transfer position to IndyCar Series regular Conor Daly, whose No. 50 TMT Racing Chevrolet finished the race 17th in the 21-car field, a lap down. The car had a mechanical problem Wednesday night and wasn’t able to turn a pole qualifying lap.

“Well, we were inherently unlucky for the last 36 hours, but we got lucky,” Daly said. “I wish I could have said that I drove it in on pure pace, but it was just crazy.

“This race, I’ve watched it for so many years and so much crazy stuff can happen and thankfully we were on the right side of the craziness. It’s pretty amazing.

“I’m sure none of you expected to see me here, but we changed everything but the car’s color in that race,” Daly told reporters with a smile, noting he already had 170 text messages as he did post-race interviews.

The first Duel was relatively calm — with no caution periods. Fords dominated the race. RFK Racing driver Chris Buescher and 2021 Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell rounded out the top five in their Ford Mustangs. Kevin Harvick, who is retiring at the end of the 2023 season, was sixth in the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford after riding Logano’s bumper for more than 20 laps at the race end.

DUEL 1: Race results | At-track photos

“The execution of this race is everything,” Logano said, thanking his Team Penske team. “You know most likely there won’t be a caution, so you’ve got to do a good job on pit road cycling yourself to the front. But then I’m sitting there as the leader and I’m thinking I’m a sitting duck this is not where you want to be. I was hoping they would start racing back there, which they did, and it ended up working out for me.

“When the 20 got to me, I saw Blaney was behind me and I thought, ‘That’s my buddy, I’ve got to stick with him.’ I knew the 20 would make the run to the outside and I probably wouldn’t be able to defend that and just waited for the 12 to push me through there. So good Penske effort there to get the Duel win.”

Toyota’s Bubba Wallace was sixth in the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota followed by Zane Smith in the No. 36 Front Row Motorsports car. Smith’s effort was good enough to earn the first of the two open Daytona 500 starting positions.

“Those duels are a little nerve-wracking, but I kind of just followed by teammate through there and he was a huge, huge help,” Smith said of McDowell. “That was really my game plan to just stick to what Michael does, he’s obviously very successful at superspeedways.”

Chandler Smith, driving a third Kaulig Racing Toyota, finished 18th in the opening Duel and joined Hill in not making the 2023 DAYTONA 500 field.

As for Almirola, it marked his second Duel victory, the fourth for his Stewart-Haas Racing team. The Tampa, Florida, native — who originally announced he was going to retire at the end of the 2022 season only to re-commit to the team — earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway in the 2014 summer race.

“I did have my hands full,” Almirola said, adding, “but man, this is so cool. Daytona is such a special place to me. I grew up sitting in those grandstands dreaming about racing here. I want that one on Sunday (Daytona 500), though. … I know Sunday’s the big one, we’re going to keep focused on that one. The job’s not finished.”

The 40-car field is now set for Sunday’s Daytona 500, including the “open cars” of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and Travis Pastrana, who both advanced based on qualifying speed. It will mark the NASCAR Cup Series debut for Pastrana, who was also among those collected in the second race’s six-car accident.

“Learned a lot about where the car works,” Pastrana said of his No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota. “I think we’ll still be able to run that same car, I just didn’t get it slowed down quite in time to avoid the chaos right in front me.

“We were just kind of running in the back and watching everything that was happening, seeing which lanes worked, how my car worked best. It was a lot of fun. Super intense those first couple laps. … But that was a great time.”

MORE: Bowman locks down pole for Sunday

Note: Inspection was completed in the Cup Series garage, confirming Joey Logano and Aric Almirola as the Duel 1 and 2 race winners, respectively.

Posted on February 16, 2023February 16, 2023 by Zach Sturniolo

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Ross Chastain has spent his career scratching and clawing for long-term stability at the highest level of NASCAR racing.

He found exactly that.

Trackhouse Racing announced a multiyear extension for Chastain in the Daytona International Speedway media center on Thursday, ensuring he will pilot the No. 1 Chevrolet for many seasons to come.

“We don’t discuss the terms of the agreement,” team president Ty Norris said, “but his beard will be gray.”

Chastain, runner-up in the hunt for the NASCAR Cup Series championship just three months ago, was visibly emotional as the contract extension was announced, preceded by a Trackhouse video played in the room with numerous family members who made the 200-mile trek from Alva, Florida, in attendance.

“It’s incredible to find a home here at Trackhouse,” Chastain said. “I always laugh that it’s Track-‘house’ and we’ve truly made it a home.”

The 30-year-old eighth-generation watermelon farmer capped a jaw-dropping year with his tremendous Martinsville wall ride that propelled him to a second-place finish in the final playoff standings. Consider that Trackhouse came to fruition two years ago, the brainchild of Justin Marks who then purchased the charters and buildings of Chip Ganassi Racing in mid-2021 to build and ensure a second Trackhouse Racing team.

With that came the eventual signing of Chastain, who had been driving the No. 42 Chevrolet for the suddenly-disappearing CGR.

What Chastain brought statistically was phenomenal – his first two career wins (including the first for Trackhouse), 15 top fives and 21 top 10s in a 36-race season.

But Marks is more impressed with what Chastain has brought to Trackhouse’s culture, a critical component of Marks’ vision for his team.

“His work ethic, his never-give-up attitude, the fact that he drives every lap with everything that he’s got all the passion that he’s got,” Marks said. “I mean, when you put in long hours and you work hard on a race car – and whether you’re an engine builder or a mechanic or an engineer, fabricator, whatever it is – when the one person has to get in that car, you want that person out there pushing as hard as they possibly can, honoring your work and your commitment to the company by going and trying to do something with it.

“And that resonates incredibly deeply with the company – both of our [drivers] – because anybody in our company can, whether they’re at the race track watching the two cars or they’re home watching on TV, they know that they’ve got two drivers that are pushing and everything they’ve got. What more could you want in a workplace?”

Chastain’s aggression ruffled feathers at the front of the field in 2022, most notably with veteran Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott. Don’t expect that level of determination to diminish just because Chastain now has a long-term contract – but the second-year Trackhouse racer noted he constantly evaluates his progress behind the wheel.

“My driving will never stop evolving,” he said. “I think the day that I think that I’ve internally or mentally have it all figured out will probably be the day I announce my inevitable retirement. I just can’t imagine a world where I pull on the racetrack and I know everything. I’ve never ran a perfect lap. And that’s why I continue to put myself in as many racing opportunities as I can.”

Those opportunities include making Xfinity Series starts for DGM Racing and Craftsman Truck Series starts with Niece Motorsports.

When Chastain’s career seemed to reached an abrupt halt with Chip Ganassi Racing ahead of the 2019 Xfinity Series season – courtesy of a sudden sponsorship debacle – Chastain surged to success in the Truck Series with Niece Motorsports owner Al Niece, scoring three victories and advancing to the Championship 4.

“Al is my people,” Chastain said. “We work like family and a big reason of why my career, when it went into his largest valley, came right back up the following season going and winning races and ultimately, was one of the fundamental dominoes that fell to get me back to the Cup Series. And I see so many similarities in Niece and Justin.”

Chastain now has long-term stability heading into his fifth full-time season as a NASCAR Cup Series driver.

The 65th annual Daytona 500 gets underway at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday (FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on February 16, 2023 by Team Release

CONCORD, N.C. – The Coca-Cola Company has joined 14-time NASCAR Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports as the Official Beverage Partner of driver Chase Elliott and his No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team.

Throughout the 2023 season, Atlanta-based Coca-Cola will appear as an associate sponsor of Elliott’s race cars beginning with Sunday’s 65th running of the Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX). The iconic beverage brand will also adorn the No. 9 team’s uniforms and equipment.

Coca-Cola has an extensive history in motorsports, including title sponsorship of NASCAR’s longest race, the Coca-Cola 600, since 1985. Its storied partnerships include race car drivers such as Elliott’s father, 1988 Cup Series champion Bill Elliott.

“Coca-Cola is proud to welcome Chase to its Coca-Cola Racing Family and launch its partnership with Hendrick Motorsports,” said Chris Bigda, director of sports marketing, The Coca-Cola Company, North America. “Continuing to partner with the Elliott family is an honor and thrilling legacy, as Chase joins our Coca-Cola Racing Family 25 years after his father Bill Elliott was a founding member back in 1998. We’re excited for our future together and refreshing this championship team on and off the track.”

Elliott is the third-youngest driver to win a Cup championship, a feat he accomplished in 2020. The 27-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, native has 18 points-paying wins across seven full-time seasons in NASCAR’s premier series and has been voted by fans as the sport’s Most Popular Driver for five consecutive years (2018-2022). In 2022, he captured a series-leading five victories, earned the regular-season title and made his seventh playoff appearance, advancing to the Championship 4 for the third straight year.

“I’m excited to partner with an iconic brand like Coca-Cola that has Georgia roots just like me,” Elliott said. “Coke has a deep history in the sport, and I’m proud to represent a company that has backed some of NASCAR’s greatest drivers throughout the years, including my dad. I look forward to seeing what we will accomplish together this season and hopefully for years to come.”

With 14 championships and 291 points-paying race wins, Hendrick Motorsports is the most successful team in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series. On Sunday, the organization will seek its record-tying ninth victory in the season-opening Daytona 500.

“Chase and Coca-Cola are a perfect match on so many levels,” said Jeff Gordon, vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports. “Pairing one of the world’s most recognized brands with the sport’s Most Popular Driver will present a lot of opportunities. The No. 9 team is poised for another great year, so we plan to keep plenty of Coke on ice and celebrate those big moments together.”

Posted on February 16, 2023February 22, 2023 by Staff Report

Matt Crafton and Menards will celebrate their 20-year relationship this season as a driver and primary sponsorship on the truck – the longest active driver and primary sponsorship a NASCAR national series.

Menards and Crafton began working together in 2002 and together they have made 496 consecutive starts posting three championships, 15 wins and 132 top-five finishes.

Crafton has made 22 series starts at Daytona posting two top fives and eight top 10s.

Menards, a Midwest home-improvement store chain, has a long history in racing that includes four championships with ThorSport: one in the ARCA Menards Series with driver Frank Kimmel (2013), and three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver’championships with Crafton (2013, 2014 and 2019).

“We’ve had an outstanding partnership with ThorSport through the years,” Menards President John Menard said. “The success we’ve had both off and on the track with Matt Crafton and ThorSport has proven to be legendary.”

Crafton has scored all 15 of his career Truck Series wins and three championships piloting the iconic Menards yellow color. The Tulare, California native, who owns the series’ record for consecutive starts (521) going into the 2023 season, will drive the No. 88 Menards Ford F-150 for what will be his 24th overall year with ThorSport Racing.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would still get to be doing what I love so many years after my career started,” Crafton said. “I especially could not have imagined being lucky enough to have a sponsor stand by my side through all of it. Between ThorSport and Menards I have truly found a family that I am so grateful to have been a part of. Looking forward to a strong season together.”

Posted on February 16, 2023 by Zach Sturniolo

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Jimmie Johnson and Travis Pastrana clinched two of the four non-chartered “open” spots in Daytona 500 qualifying Wednesday night, locking their respective ways into the 65th running of the “Great American Race” as the two fastest open entries.

While their elation was palpable, so too was the stress of the four drivers still vying for the other two available positions.

Zane Smith, Austin Hill, Chandler Smith and Conor Daly will have to race their way into the Daytona 500 via the Bluegreen Vacation Duel qualifying races on Thursday night (7 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Each duel will feature 21 of the 42 drivers aiming to make the Daytona 500, with three open cars in each 60-lap qualifying race.

Zane Smith, the defending NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, posted the 29th-fastest lap overall but fell four positions short of besting Pastrana for a guaranteed position.

The tension ran rampant for his No. 36 Front Row Motorsports team, which made it to the qualifying grid not long before he was scheduled to hit the track after facing holdups in pre-qualifying inspection.

“It was hectic there getting through tech and hustling to get in our Ford Mustang,” Smith told NASCAR.com. “Fortunately, I was at least able to get a lap and somewhat prepare for the (Duel races) tomorrow. Unfortunately, I think just missed those couple of spots, but we’ll fight hard [Thursday] and hopefully transfer in with our Wellcare Ford Mustang.”

Set to roll off from 15th place in Thursday night’s first Duel, Smith was pleased just to turn a lap without issue in qualifying. The same couldn’t be said for two other competitors Wednesday night.

Conor Daly and his No. 50 The Money Team Racing Chevrolet were sidelined by a mechanical issue before the car could even hit pit road.

“Basically, the oil heater, I guess, shorted out and made the oil line explode,” Daly explained. “I guess that never happens. It’s just really random, bad-luck type stuff. I don’t think we had a spare because, obviously, we don’t have a spare car. And then everyone else on the Chevy teams, they need them.

“We just couldn’t find one in time to get it on the car.”

The failure occurred “a couple hours” before qualifying began, with enough time that the team believed they could fix the issue without major delay. But without the proper part in sight, there was no quick fix available.

Daly, a full-time driver in the IndyCar Series, drove the No. 50 Chevrolet at the Charlotte Roval in October 2022 but has never turned a lap around the 2.5-mile superspeedway in a stock car. Team owner Willy Auchmoody confirmed via text to NASCAR.com the oil line was repaired before leaving the garage Wednesday night, meaning Daly should be set for his first circuits in a NASCAR Next Gen vehicle — pace laps before taking the green flag.

“Any lap is important, right?” said Daly, who’s set to start 21st in the second Duel. “So it’s just so hard to know what these cars do in general because it’s different. But yeah, it’s gonna be hard. It was already gonna be hard; now, it’s gonna be harder.

“But you know what, we’re still here. We’re not gonna give up, and we’ll give it a shot.”

Also running into a proverbial speed bump was Chandler Smith, who is attempting to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend in the No. 13 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing.

MORE: At-track photos from Daytona | “Great American Race” paint schemes

Smith, a full-time rookie in the Xfinity Series this season, was the first car due out for qualifying on Wednesday night. The car fired off the grid, but only barely before coming to a stall. The 20-year-old Georgian got the engine re-fired, but not before stalling again at the entrance of Turn 1.

The vehicle was pushed back to pit lane, where the team feverishly worked to eliminate any issues. Still, the car struggled to stay on for half a lap before Smith finally was able to turn a lap of substance. He placed 41st overall and will start 21st in the night’s opening Duel.

“It’s something electrical,” Kaulig team president Chris Rice told NASCAR.com. “When it takes off, it wants to cut off, and he ran about half speed right there. We’ve been at Daytona with cars before and missed the race. We’ve got another chance [Thursday] night to race into it, and we’ll figure it out.

“We’ve got a bunch of good guys. … Just sad because Kaulig Racing, all the guys and girls build a bunch of fast race cars. So a gremlin’s inside of it somewhere, but the Quick Tie car, it’ll put on a show [Thursday] night, I promise.”

Austin Hill, the defending winner of the Xfinity season opener at Daytona, is also attempting to make his first Daytona 500 in the No. 62 Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports. The 28-year-old made his Cup debut last year at Michigan International Speedway.

Hill was 32nd overall in Wednesday night’s qualifying session and will start 16th in the second Duel.

The highest-finishing open cars in each Duel will advance to the Daytona 500.

Finishing positions in their respective races will determine the starting lineup for Sunday’s “Great American Race” (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on February 16, 2023February 18, 2023 by Cameron Richardson

There’s no putting it lightly. The Daytona 500 is the biggest race annually on the NASCAR calendar.

What the Super Bowl is to the NFL and what the World Cup is to soccer, that’s what the “Great American Race” is to NASCAR and stock-car racing.

Outside of winning the Cup Series championship, there’s no other hardware a driver wants to win more than the Harley J. Earl Trophy when they enter Victory Lane after 500 thrilling miles. Before the green flag drops for 200 laps around the 2.5-mile superspeedway, here’s some important info, trends to follow and some history tidbits to get prepared for Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

WORLD CENTER OF RACING

From the historic Streamline Hotel where NASCAR was born to the iconic bridge that dawns the words “Welcome to Daytona Beach,” there is an array of landmarks that lets the racing community know they are somewhere special. The warm sands of the beaches where NASCAR once ran gave way to the current behemoth frontstretch grandstands that will seat more than 100,000 people for the Daytona 500, where a single pack of 40 cars will roar by at speeds topping 190 miles per hour 200 times.

The track was built in 1959 and has hosted the “Great American Race” since, creating the majestic aura that engulfs the area from the steep-banked corners to W International Speedway Blvd.

A DAYTONA-SIZED UPSET

NASCAR’s biggest names, such as Richard Petty, David Pearson, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon, have won the Daytona 500, but throughout the 65 years of the event, there have been drivers that have shocked the world with their surprise wins in stock-car racing’s biggest event. Here are some of the biggest upsets in the history of the Daytona 500.

1963 — Tiny Lund: Won Daytona 500 after replacing ’61 winner Marvin Panch on 10 days’ notice in the Wood Brothers’ No. 21

1990 — Derrike Cope: Scored his first career NASCAR national series win after Dale Earnhardt cut a tire on the final lap

2001 — Michael Waltrip: Scored his first career Cup Series win in his 463rd start, the longest wait for a first win in series history

2011 — Trevor Bayne: Won Daytona 500 in just his second-career Cup start; the youngest Daytona 500 winner ever at just 20 years and 1 day old

2021 — Michael McDowell: Scored his first career Cup Series win in his 358th start

2022 — Austin Cindric: Won Daytona 500 in his first full-time Cup season

RELATED: Daytona 500 surprise winners

TRENDS TO WATCH

— Ford has won three of the last six Daytona 500s, with Chevrolet only winning one after 2014

— Dale Jarrett was the last polesitter to win the Daytona 500 in 2000

— Since 2010, eight Daytona 500s have gone beyond the scheduled 500-mile distance

— Since 2000, the driver to lead the most laps has only won the Daytona 500 five times

— The winner of the Daytona 500 has gone on to win the Cup Series title in the same year only eight times: Lee Petty (1959), Richard Petty (1964, 1971, 1974, 1979), Cale Yarborough (1977), Jeff Gordon (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2013)

MEMORABLE DAYTONA 500 MOMENTS

1959: Inaugural Daytona 500 ends in photo finish | WATCH

1976: Pearson, Petty crash on final lap of Daytona 500 | WATCH

1979: Donnie Allison, Cale Yarborough crash, fight on final lap | WATCH

1998: Dale Earnhardt wins first Daytona 500 | WATCH

2007: Kevin Harvick wins Daytona 500 by inches over Mark Martin | WATCH

2016: Denny Hamlin beats Martin Truex Jr. in closest Daytona 500 finish ever | WATCH

ON-TRACK SCHEDULE

Thursday, Feb. 16

— Bluegreen Vacations Duel races: 7 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Friday, Feb. 17

— Daytona 500 practice: 5:30 p.m. ET (FS1)

Saturday, Feb. 18

— Daytona 500 final practice: 10:30 a.m. ET (FS1)

Sunday, Feb. 19

— 65th Daytona 500: 2:30 p.m. ET (FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

MORE: See full Speedweeks schedule

GOODYEAR TIRE NOTES/RULE CHANGES

Cup teams will run the same tire setup as last year’s races at Daytona and Talladega. Each team will have seven sets for qualifying, the Duels and the two practice sessions and will receive eight sets for the Daytona 500.

Entering the 2023 season, competition officials have revised the penalty structure for detached wheels, shifting away from the four-race crew chief suspension that had been in place since 2015.

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.

MORE: See rules changes for 2023

FAN REWARDS

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

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

Earn points by checking into a race from home or at the track, setting their 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 waiving the green flag at qualifying.

JOIN TODAY

FANTASY LIVE

Want to manage a team and race your way to the top of the leaderboards? Check out NASCAR Fantasy Live, which is open now. The free-to-play game lets you choose your drivers each week and show off your crew-chief instincts by garaging a driver by the end of Stage 3, and there is a $25,000 prize for the winner.

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

ALSO ON NASCAR.COM

Get additional camera views by logging on to NASCAR Drive, where each week, a select number of in-car cameras will be available — as well as a battle cam and an overhead look.

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.

GRIDRIVAL

GridRival is a motorsports app that has adopted a new season-long NASCAR-featured matchup game. Compete for $100,000 in cash by picking five head-to-head matchups each week. The contest begins ahead of Sunday’s Daytona 500. Space is limited, so download the app and sign up today!

DOWNLOAD GRIDRIVAL