Posted on February 18, 2023February 18, 2023 by Sean Montgomery

Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway
(⏰ 2:30 p.m. ET | 📺 FOX, FOX Sports App | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)

Everything you need to know for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona, the 65th running of the “Great American Race.”

Weekend schedule | TV schedule | Weather tracker | Daytona 101

Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Race purse: $26,934,357
Grand marshals: NASCAR legends set to give command
Race distance: 200 laps | 500 miles
Stages: 65 | 130 | 200
Starting lineup: Polesitter and more for Sunday
Pit stall assignments: Where drivers will pit on Sunday
How the order was set: Info from qualifying, Duel races
Team previews: Outlook for each team in 2023

Key things to watch 🔑

Top story line

Winning the Daytona 500 is special, no matter the case. But Sunday’s star-studded field, including seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and motorsports superstar Travis Pastrana, has this race tabbed to be one of the all-time greats. If you’re a points-paying regular, winning the opening race of the season sets the tone for a potential championship run and has you less worried about even making the playoffs; for open entrants and other part-time racers, winning this race will certainly be the highlight of their entire year. Capturing the Harley J. Earl Trophy changes how you are seen, a forever champion in the sport’s most iconic race. Being the 65th “Great American Race” winner in the sport’s 75th anniversary season is just that much sweeter.

History tells us…

Even though Chevrolet has the pole-winning speed, it is Ford and Toyota that usually rise to the occasion in the Daytona 500 — at least, in recent memory. In the last eight Daytona 500 races, Ford (four) and Toyota (three) have combined to win seven times, while Austin Dillon collected the only win for the bowties in 2018. Denny Hamlin is the only repeat winner in the last 11 races, winning the Harley J. Earl Trophy an incredible three times. Though Chevrolet has flashed the dominant speed, they have rarely put together a complete race in recent memory and will certainly be looking to buck this trend Sunday with Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson starting on the front row. (Stats courtesy of Racing Insights)

Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney are the betting co-favorites to win, but watch out for…

Austin Cindric. In his limited Cup Series experience, making his full-season debut in 2022, Team Penske’s rising star has been incredibly consistent in some of the most difficult situations stock car racing has to offer. Since finishing 15th in his first Daytona 500 (2021), Cindric hasn’t finished outside of the top three at Daytona, dating back to his Daytona 500 win and including Thursday night’s Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 where he finished runner-up. Some may call it lucky, but the No. 2 wheelman seems to have something figured out and is driving for a Team Penske organization that always shows up for superspeedway races. If Cindric can park his Mustang in Victory Lane again Sunday, he will enter the rare air of back-to-back Daytona 500 winners and one of few who have won the crown jewel more than once.

Familiar favorites ⭐️

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

• Paint Scheme Preview: Dashing colors and schemes for Daytona | Pick a favorite
• Power Rankings: Austin Dillon off to quick start in RCR’s new era | Last week’s driver rankings
• Betting odds: See the favorites, long shots for Sunday’s race | Top bets, underdog picks
• Fantasy Fastlane: After Duel win, is Joey Logano a lock for your lineup? | Fantasy tips, sleepers
• At-track photos: Capturing the best scenes from Daytona Speedweeks | Scroll through them
• Stacking Pennies: Kyle Larson talks Indy 500 ambitions, Cup season and more | Listen to the podcast
• On the Move: Changes to know before the 2023 season | Catch up on the details

💎 NASCAR 75: Check out exclusive NASCAR content throughout the anniversary season | Learn more, explore

Hot off the press 📰

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

• Bigger restart zone: New change for 2023 could increase gamesmanship | Read more
• NASCAR Exclusive: How will the choose rule affect the Daytona 500? | Watch the breakdown
• NASCAR 75: 75 greatest drivers to be named as part of anniversary celebration | Read more
• Kevin Harvick: ‘If we have scores to settle, we will settle them immediately’ | Read more
• Garage 56: Race livery for Le Mans unveiled at Daytona | Read more
• Elton Sawyer: Feature story on one of the leaders at R&D | Read more
• Ross Chastain: Trackhouse Racing, Chastain reach new contract | Read more
• More contract extensions: Alex Bowman, Ally | Daniel Suárez, Trackhouse
• New faces, new places: Kyle Busch, Tyler Reddick among changes | Read more
• Official Partner: Powerball becomes Official Partner of NASCAR | Read more

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
• Betting insight: Las Vegas sportsbook takes sharp action on Denny Hamlin | Read full analysis
• Fantasy Live: A new season of NASCAR Fantasy Live will begin with the Daytona 500 | Tips for 2023
• NASCAR BetCenter: Don’t miss your chance to make picks each week | Visit the BetCenter
• Going all the way: 2023 Cup Series championship odds | See them here

Dreaming of Daytona 💫

Relevant history, recent race winners and more from NASCAR’s most iconic track.

• Starting P1: Every pole winner in Daytona 500 history | See them all here
• Photo, please: Closest finishes in Daytona 500 history | How many can you remember?
• Back to the beach: Photos from the earliest racing days in Daytona | A lot of history here
• Winner, winner: Complete Daytona 500 winner history | Every winner, ever
• Best of the rest: Best drivers to never win the Daytona 500 | See our full list
• Memory lane: Key moments in the ‘Great American Race’ | Learn which moments stood out

EXCLUSIVE STORYTELLING

• The story behind Dale Sr.’s Daytona 500 burnout
• Twenty-five years later, Dale Earnhardt’s Daytona 500 victory still stands the test of time
• Mark Martin witnessed the most awesome thing as young fan at 1976 Daytona 500
• Present and future collide at historic 1976 Daytona 500

Take some notes 📝

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

• Alex Bowman has three Daytona 500 poles in seven starts, making him one of seven three-time pole winners in this race.
• The last time a defending Cup Series champion won the Daytona 500 was Dale Jarrett in 2000.
• Ford and Toyota have combined to win seven of the last eight Daytona 500s.
• Kyle Busch leads all drivers in laps led among drivers that are winless in the Daytona 500 with 324.
• Chase Elliott and Michael McDowell finished top-10 in the last two Daytona 500s, the longest active streak.

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

Quote of the week 🎙

A notable quote from one star of the sport heading into Sunday’s race.

• “My first race in the Next Gen car is done, and we finished 14th in the Duel. Wish that we finished a little bit better, but we got a ton of great reps for the No. 84 Carvana Chevy team. I have new over-the-wall guys, a new spotter, new crew chief, a new team – to have this behind us is really good, and I think it was a really successful day. I wish that our strategy was a bit better for the cars we were running with, but we have 500 miles on Sunday to figure that out.” — Jimmie Johnson, driver and co-owner of the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

Posted on February 18, 2023 by Staff Report

As we’ve inched closer to the start of the 2023 season, NASCAR.com has taken a tour through the garage and previewed the upcoming campaign for all the NASCAR Cup Series teams.

Find out what’s new with each organization, plus get a team outlook and analysis on each driver — as well as their championship odds, provided by BetMGM — before Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).

MORE: Daytona 101 | Full Daytona 500 odds

Team previews were rolled out and ranked in reverse order of best finish in last year’s owner standings. Here are all the team previews in one place:

Jan. 23: Non-chartered and teams outside the top 30
Jan. 24: Spire Motorsports
Jan. 25: Wood Brothers Racing
Jan. 26: JTG Daugherty Racing
Jan. 27: Front Row Motorsports
Jan. 30: Kaulig Racing
Jan. 31: RFK Racing
Feb. 1: Legacy Motor Club
Feb. 2: Richard Childress Racing
Feb. 7: 23XI Racing
Feb. 8: Stewart-Haas Racing
Feb. 9: Joe Gibbs Racing
Feb. 10: Hendrick Motorsports
Feb. 13: Trackhouse Racing
Feb. 14: Team Penske

Posted on February 18, 2023February 18, 2023 by Staff Report

Brad Keselowski topped the leaderboard in Saturday’s final NASCAR Cup Series practice at Daytona International Speedway at 191.201 mph in the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford.

The morning session was the final tune-up for Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR). Last year, Keselowski placed ninth in the “Great American Race.”

RESULTS: Final Daytona 500 practice

Right behind him was former teammate and reigning champion Joey Logano in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford at 191.196 mph.

The top six on the leaderboard were all blue ovals, with Ryan Blaney keeping the Ford contingent rolling in third, followed by Ryan Preece in the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41, Harrison Burton in the Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 and Chase Briscoe in the SHR No. 14.

Defending Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric was 14th fastest with a speed of 180.281 mph in the No. 2 Team Penske Ford.

Only 17 of the 40 cars set to line up Sunday elected to make a run during this session, with Burton’s 27 laps setting the high tally.

All that’s left now? The 65th annual running of NASCAR’s most historic race — the Daytona 500.

MORE: Projected Daytona 500 winner | Full odds for the ‘Great American Race’

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Brandon White

After a five-day sabbatical, Mother Nature made her grand return to the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway on Friday evening.

Shortly after the conclusion of the Hart to Heart 100, which served as the finale for the Pro Late Model division, rain descended upon New Smyrna, forcing track officials to cancel the rest of the evening’s activities, including the prestigious Richie Evans Memorial 100.

From the moment the green flag waved, the Hart to Heart 100 belonged to Ryan Luza, who passed polesitter Conner Jones on Lap 4 and faced no pressure as he cruised to Victory Lane. The win for Luza was his second during the World Series of Asphalt this year, having previously triumphed on Wednesday.

Despite coming up short of a win, Jones’ second place finish was enough for him to secure the Pro Late Model championship, which capped off a stellar week for him in the division that included two victories and no finishes outside the top five.

Brent Crews and Hunter Wright enjoyed an intense battle to settle the third position, with Crews ultimately prevailing in the closing laps. The rest of the top-10 finishers were Eddie MacDonald, Dawson Sutton, Carson Brown, Katie Hettinger, Gus Dean and Isabella Robusto.

Although the Richie Evans Memorial 100 is not being rescheduled, results will still be counted based off qualifying times earlier in the day. With Matt Hirschman setting a fast lap of 17.545 seconds, he clinched his fourth World Series of Asphalt Modified title while quietly becoming the first driver to sweep the entire week in the division.

The final night of racing in the World Series of Asphalt will be headlined by the Orange Blossom 100 for Super Late Models. Florida Modifieds, Trucks, Mod Minis, Super Stocks and Bomber Bs are also on the docket.

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

Posted on February 17, 2023February 18, 2023 by Reid Spencer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Rain got the better of Daytona International Speedway—and that was perfectly all right with reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Zane Smith. NASCAR called Friday night’s NextEra Energy 250 after 79 of a scheduled 100 laps, making Smith the winner when the fifth rain shower of the evening thwarted track-drying efforts.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

Smith won the season opener for the second straight year, having taken the lead for the final time on Lap 65.

The race would feature only four more green-flag laps after that, as rain continued to interrupt the proceedings.

“I tried to play that race as smart as possible,” said Smith, who will race in the Daytona 500 for the first time on Sunday. “When it was getting really aggressive, I was getting out of it. I knew these patches of rain were a thing in our Ford meeting earlier in the day. I didn’t think it would stick around for this long.

“I just wanted to be there after Stage 2 was over. You never know what can happen. A huge, huge shoutout to all the race fans. I apologize so much that we couldn’t go back racing for you all. Hopefully, we’ll give you guys a good show tomorrow (in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race), and I’ll be out there Sunday—so super excited about that.”

Despite suffering minor damage in two multicar wrecks, Tanner Gray was second when the race was stopped. Christian Eckes earned a third-place finish, with Colby Howard and Grant Enfinger completing the top five. For Howard, it was his first career top-five finish.

“Obviously, with the way our night was going, second is a good night for us,” said Gray, whose finish was a career-best in 72 starts. “Not as smooth of a race as we’d like—I got caught up in about every wreck there was.

“All in all, came out with a good finish. That’s all we can ask for.”

Racing for the newly-minted TRICON Garage team, Gray said his Toyota had suffered damage to the front splitter during the two earlier incidents.

On Lap 58 of a scheduled 100, the No. 24 GMS Racing Chevrolet of Rajah Caruth broke loose and applied the coup de grace to the Silverados of Matt DiBenedetto and Daniel Dye, whose trucks had escaped serious harm in earlier incidents.

Smith surged into the lead after a restart on Lap 65 and held the top spot when rain slowed the race for the fourth time. On Lap 74, NASCAR brought the trucks to pit road and halted 6the action. After track drying, the field ran five more laps under caution before rain struck again.

With 12 laps left in the second stage, the No. 84 Toyota of Clay Greenfield spun sideways near the entry to the tri-oval and ignited a seven-car wreck that ruined the ThorSport Racing debut of Hailie Deegan, who No. 13 Ford was severely damaged in the melee.

MORE: Multicar wreck ends Deegan’s day | Caruth involved in Final Stage pileup

The trucks of DiBenedetto, Dean Thompson, Gray, Daniel Dye and Bret Holmes also suffered varying degrees of damage in the incident.

“I saw the 84 (Greenfield) sideways, and that was pretty much that,” Deegan said after her truck was towed to the garage. “I saw him going down the track, so I went up. It was a split-second decision.

“You just go right or left, and they ended up bouncing back up off another truck, so it is what it is. We know that Daytona is one of those races where you either finish in the top 10 or you end up on the trailer home.”

Moments after NASCAR called the fourth caution of the race because of the wreck, rain interrupted the proceedings for the third time, after having caused two short earlier cautions for light sprinkles—first in Turns 1 and 2 and later in Turns 3 and 4 on the massive property.

After the action resumed, the No. 99 Ford of Ben Rhodes turned the No. 52 Toyota of Stewart Friesen into the outside wall on the final lap of Stage 2, with Friesen, who was running at the front of the outside lane, admitting he threw a late block that went awry.

The trucks of Codie Rohrbaugh, Howard, Parker Kligerman and Holmes also sustained damage, as Tyler Ankrum won the stage under caution.

Eckes won the first stage, which was twice put under caution because of the rain.

The Truck Series will take next weekend off and return to action at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday, March 3 (9 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Note: Inspection in the Truck Series garage is complete with no issues, confirming the No. 38 entry of Zane Smith as the race winner.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on February 17, 2023February 17, 2023 by Reid Spencer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Jimmie Johnson returned to a familiar position on Friday—the front of the NASCAR Cup Series field. With a lap at 194.225 mph, Johnson led a group of four Chevrolet drivers who posted the fastest speeds in opening practice for the Daytona 500.

Chase Elliott, the seven-time champion’s former teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, was second fastest at 194.195 mph, followed by JTG-Daugherty’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and pole winner Alex Bowman.

Johnson, who has no competitive experience in NASCAR’s Next Gen car, proved he’s a quick study. He returns to Cup racing as an owner/driver in the No. 84 Chevrolet at Legacy Motor Club after a two-year absence during which he raced in IndyCar.

“It’s my first weekend in this car,” said Johnson, a two-time Daytona 500 winner. “It’s (crew chief) Todd (Gordon’s) first weekend working on the Next Gen car and the first time we’ve all worked together. So we’re going through quality reps right now.

“It’s just so fun to get out there and mix it up. I was in a great draft with Chase and understanding the bump-drafting aspect of where this car is and got some quality reps there, too.”

Led by Aric Almirola, Ford drivers claimed the next eight fastest positions in practice. The quickest Toyota driver was Martin Truex Jr. in 17th.

Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion jumped to the top of the speed chart on his second lap, touring the 2.5-mile superspeedway in 46.664 seconds at 192.868 mph. That lap in the draft was more than 11 mph faster than Bowman’s pole-winning speed of 181.686 mph during single-car qualifying runs on Wednesday night.

With 34 minutes left in the 50-minute session, Ford drivers Chase Briscoe, Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano surpassed Larson’s speed, soon to be joined by Almirola, who posted the fastest speed of the session at that point at 194.107 mph (46.366 seconds).

In a backup car, thanks to a wreck while leading Thursday’s second Duel, Kyle Busch started his practice session in an interesting group that included teammate Austin Dillon and Trackhouse Racing drivers Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez, the latter of whom had sent Busch spinning out of control in the qualifying race.

MORE: See photos from the week

Busch turned 15 laps in practice, with a high speed of 190.234 mph, before taking his No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to the garage.

“It’s good,” Busch said of the backup. “It’s really hard to tell the speed, obviously, just being out there with three other cars. You want to be in a bigger pack… I’m really proud of the guys, proud that it feels good, and we’ll get ‘em on Sunday.”

With 11 minutes left, a large pack of Chevrolets led by Johnson drafted back to the top of the chart. With Chase Elliott, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Bowman close behind, Camaros claimed the top four spots and remained there through the end of the session.

Posted on February 17, 2023February 17, 2023 by Marcus DiNitto

A respected bettor in Las Vegas liked what he saw when the Westgate SuperBook offered Denny Hamlin at 14-to-1 odds (+1400) to win Sunday’s Daytona 500. By Friday, Hamlin’s price had been shortened to 10-to-1.

“One of my sharp guys bet him,” Ed Salmons, VP of risk management at the SuperBook, said in a text message to NASCAR.com, explaining the steep adjustment.

ACTION NETWORK: See this “must-best” for the Daytona 500

Hamlin has been just average during Speedweeks – he’s starting from the 18th position Sunday after posting the 26th fastest qualifying time Wednesday and finishing ninth in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 on Thursday. He’s also been mediocre in the results department over his last three runs on the Daytona oval, finishing 25th, 37th, and 13th.

Hamlin, though, has “back class” on superspeedways. Over 34 career races at Daytona, he has three wins and 11 top fives, leading 648 laps along the way. In the 12 superspeedway races since 2020 (also including Talladega), Hamlin has led 15.1% of laps — by the far tops in the NASCAR Cup Series.

“Hamlin is an elite plate racer,” Salmons added.

How much weight should bettors give to Speedweeks performance anyway?

“I don’t think the Duels are very predictive at all (look at past D500 results and the corresponding Duels and you’ll probably agree),” Blake Phillips, a sharp NASCAR bettor, said in a text.

Plus, maybe Hamlin was holding a little something back.

I LOVE my car.

— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) February 17, 2023

For bettors tempted to tail the sharp play on Hamlin, be wary: The Westgate bettor liked Hamlin at +1400 odds (which implies a 6.67% chance at winning); he probably does not like Hamlin at +1000 (9.09% probability).

How To Bet the Daytona 500

It’s hard to pick a winner in any race. The randomness that occurs at Daytona makes the task even more challenging for the “Great American Race.”

That’s why no driver is priced below 10-to-1 odds at these three sportsbooks.

MORE: Full 2023 Daytona 500 odds | Fantasy Fastlane preview

Luckily for NASCAR bettors, sportsbooks offer wagering options beyond the outright (to win) market.

One prop that caught Phillips’ eye was ‘starting position of race winner’ at FanDuel. Here are the odds:

1-10 (-170)
11-20 (+210)
21-30 (+650)
31+ (+1300)

Based on recent history, the favorite – that the winner will be one of the first 10 drivers on the starting grid – is overpriced. Odds of -170 imply a nearly 63% chance of occurrence, but over the 21 most recent Daytona 500s, 11 winners came from outside the top 10.

So is there value in the other entries in this market?

“I think the 21-30 category has gone up in value post-Duel. Not necessarily enough to bet, but I’m going to look at it more closely,” Phillips said in Friday’s text exchange.

“The randomness of the finishing position definitely gives you something to look at with that market,” Phillips said when we spoke Wednesday.

But while he saw value in +210 for 11-20 earlier in the week, he’s downgraded since the Duels.

There’s another lesson in there for recreational bettors: It’s okay to back off your early convictions as new information comes to light.

Longshot in iconic number, rock n’ roll paint scheme

While it’s difficult to find value on the betting board, this is the Daytona 500, and if you’re reading this article, you probably want to get some action down.

At the SuperBook’s 40-to-1 (+4000) price, or even at BetMGM’s +3300, Erik Jones might be worth a sprinkle.

“I don’t like any of the outright bets, really, but I think that’s the best one on the board right now,” Phillips said. “(Jones is) a really good superspeedway driver. Last year, he was definitely in contention for the win in the 500, and he did pretty well at Daytona and Talladega throughout the season. That’s a driver that I think we might see a little bit of value on. If I’m looking at any of ’em, it’s him.”

The last time the No. 43 car was in the Daytona 500 winner’s circle was 1981 when Richard Petty finished first in an STP-branded Buick for his seventh and final 500 victory. Jones, piloting the Guns N’ Roses paint-schemed Chevy, looks to bring the iconic number back to glory Sunday.

2023 futures bet on Kyle Busch

Zack White, a professional sports bettor whose portfolio always includes substantial investments in futures markets, is holding multiple tickets on Kyle Busch at 16-to-1 odds to win the 2023 Cup championship.

A scan of several sportsbooks reveals that price is no longer available (the best we’re seeing is +1400 at the Westgate).

“I’ve taken that number (+1600) out about everywhere,” White said in a text message.

Baked into that favorable number is Busch’s move from Joe Gibbs Racing to Richard Childress Racing, on the surface a step down in quality of equipment based on the teams’ respective successes over the past decade.

RCR, though, is coming off a fine first year of the Next Gen car. In the No. 8 Chevy that Busch is driving this season, Tyler Reddick won three races, led 503 laps, and compiled five top fives, 15 top 10s, and three poles.

Marcus DiNitto is Senior News Editor at Gaming Today. He’s been covering sports business for 25 years and sports betting for 12. NASCAR is among the many sports Marcus enjoys betting but often loses on. Follow him on Twitter; do not bet his picks.

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Press Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Today, Xfinity announced its plans for the 2023 NASCAR season, its fourth as a Premier Partner and ninth as an entitlement partner of the NASCAR Xfinity Series, including the launch of the next-generation Xfinity 10G Network, which provides customers with a powerful Internet connection today, while building toward a faster, more reliable tomorrow. Additionally, Xfinity announced new partnerships with 23XI Racing, Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace.

“NASCAR’s 75th Anniversary season and the Daytona 500 provide a great platform to introduce the next generation Xfinity 10G Network to fans and to our customers,” said Matt Lederer, Vice President of Brand Partnerships, Comcast. “We are also looking forward to partnering with 23XI Racing and their incredible roster of drivers to continue connecting our customers to the sport they love in new and imaginative ways.”

The new partnership between Xfinity and 23XI Racing showcases the limitless potential as they work together on opportunities both on and off the track, including Xfinity 10G network integration, the primary sponsor of Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD for the Atlanta NASCAR Cup Series race and Xfinity Rewards customer fan experiences such as Pit Box VIP access, driver meet-and-greet appearances with Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick and more.

“The chance to work with Xfinity is great for the 23XI family,” said NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace. “We look forward to opportunities where we can collaborate on initiatives that drive progress and innovation to the sport.”

“I’m excited to work with Xfinity in this new capacity as they partner with the No. 45 team and 23XI Racing,” said NASCAR driver Tyler Reddick. “The Xfinity Series has been such an integral and memorable part of my career, and I look forward to continuing to make memories throughout the Cup series and having Xfinity support my journey in NASCAR.”

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Press Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 17, 2023) – NASCAR and NBC Sports announced today broadcast coverage for the 2023 slate of grassroots races on CNBC, including events in the ARCA Menards Series East and West, and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

CNBC will air tape-delayed coverage of every race from the ARCA Menards Series East and West – except those that are combined events.

CNBC will also broadcast tape-delayed coverage of 15-of-19 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races. The four races not on CNBC can be seen live, exclusively on FloRacing.

In total, CNBC will air tape-delayed coverage of 30 NASCAR grassroots races.

All televised coverage on CNBC will stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

All races from the ARCA Menards Series East and West (when not combined with ARCA Menards Series events), and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will air live on FloRacing.

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour

The season kicked off with the New Smyrna Visitors Bureau 200 at New Smyrna Speedway on Feb. 11. CNBC begins its grassroots coverage with a tape-delayed broadcast of the event on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. ET.

ARCA Menards Series East

The 2022 campaign starts at Five Flags Speedway on Saturday, March 25 (8 p.m. ET on FloRacing). CNBC will provide tape-delayed coverage of the event on Sunday, April 2 at 9 a.m. ET.

ARCA Menards Series West

A 150-lap race at Irwindale Speedway marks the first CNBC event of the season for the ARCA Menards Series West. It will air live on FloRacing on Saturday, April 1 at 10 p.m. ET before CNBC provides tape-delayed coverage on Sunday, April 23 at 12 p.m. ET.

Complete event/air dates and times for all three series on CNBC are below. All times eastern and schedule subject to change.

2023 ARCA Menards Series East Schedule

Date	Location	FloRacing Coverage	CNBC Coverage	Time
Sat. March 25	Five Flags Speedway	Live – 8:00 PM	Sun. April 2	9:00 AM
Fri. April 28	Dover Motor Speedway	Live – 5:30 PM	Sun. May 7	12:00 PM
Sat. May 13	Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway	Live – 9:30 PM	Sun. May 21	12:30 PM
Sat. May 20	Flat Rock Speedway	Live – 7:30 PM	Sat. May 27	11:00 AM

2023 ARCA Menards Series West Schedule

Date	Location	FloRacing Coverage	CNBC Coverage	Time
Sat. April 1	Irwindale Speedway	Live – 10:00 PM	Sun. April 23	12:00 PM
Sat. April 22	Kern County Raceway Park	Live – 11:15 PM	Sun. April 30	11:00 AM
Sat. June 2	Portland International Raceway	Live – 8:00 PM	Sun. June 11	12:30 PM
Fri. June 9	Sonoma Raceway	Live – 6:30 PM	Sun. June 18	11:30 AM
Sat. July 1	Irwindale Speedway	Live – 10:00 PM	Sun. July 9	12:30 PM
Sat. Jul 29	Shasta Speedway	Live – 11:30 PM	Sat. Aug. 12	2:00 PM
Sat. Aug. 19	Evergreen Speedway	Live – 9:30 PM	Sat. Sept. 2	9:00 AM
Sat. Sept. 30	All-American Speedway	Live – 10:45 PM	Sun. Oct. 8	10:30 AM
Sat. Oct. 13	The Bullring at LVMS	Live – 11:10 PM	Sat. Oct. 28	10:00 AM
Sat. Oct. 21	Madera Speedway	Live – 11:00 PM	Sat. Oct. 28	11:00 AM
Fri. Nov. 3	Phoenix Raceway	Live – 2:30 PM	Sat. Nov. 11	2:00 PM

2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Schedule

Date	Location	FloRacing Coverage	CNBC Coverage	Time
Sat. Feb. 11	New Smyrna Speedway	Live – 7:30 PM	Sun. Feb. 19	10:00 AM
Fri. March 31	Richmond Raceway	Live – 6:30 PM	Sat. April 8	3:00 PM
Sat. May 6	Monadnock Speedway	Live – 5:00 PM	Fri. May 12	9:00 AM
Sat. May 20	Riverhead Raceway	Live – 8:00 PM	N/A	N/A
Sat. May 27	Lee USA Speedway	Live – 7:45 PM	N/A	N/A
Sat. June 10	Seekonk Speedway	Live – 8:30 PM	Sat. June 18	12:30 PM
Sat. June 24	Riverhead Raceway	Live – 8:00 PM	N/A	N/A
Sat. July 8	Wall Stadium	Live – 8:00 PM	Sat. July 15	11:00 AM
Sat. July 15	New Hampshire Motor Speedway	Live – 6:00 PM	Sat. July 22	10:00 AM
Fri. July 29	Claremont Motorsports Park	Live – 8:30 PM	Sat. Aug. 5	9:00 AM
Sat. Aug. 5	Lancaster Motorplex	Live – 8:00 PM	Sun. Aug. 20	9:00 AM
Wed. Aug. 16	Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park	Live – 8:00 PM	Sat. Aug. 26	12:00 PM
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Posted on February 17, 2023February 17, 2023 by Zack Albert

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Garage 56 officials unveiled the look of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 that’s planned for a special entry into the 100th-anniversary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The design was revealed Friday in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway, with dignitaries from all of the project’s collaborators – NASCAR, Chevrolet, Goodyear and Hendrick Motorsports – in attendance.

The livery – or “paint scheme” for the state-siders – features a dominant bright blue with contrasting gold accents and a pearlescent hood. Logos of the Garage 56 contributors are featured prominently, including branding for the NASCAR 75th anniversary and an American flag design up front.

“That’s a beautiful work of art,” said Jim France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO. “The fans will love it. I got to watch it when they were testing here a couple of weeks ago, watching it run through the chicane with the lights on and everything at night. It’s spectacular.”

The names of the three co-drivers – Jenson Button, Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller – arc across the top of the driver-door window. The trio was officially added to the Garage 56 personnel roster on Jan. 28 during IMSA’s Rolex 24 weekend at Daytona.

The project has undergone extensive development and testing since its launch last March at Sebring International Raceway. The car intends to compete at Le Mans as a designated class of one in the June 10-11 endurance event, showcasing those innovations as an invitation-only entrant.

“Everybody in our company has touched this car,” said team owner Rick Hendrick. “So it’s been a major undertaking, but I’m really proud of it, and it’s gonna be fun to watch it over there. I’m gonna be nervous; we’ve got to run 24 hours, but I’m super excited.”

Some of the car’s specifications, based on the Next Gen vehicle that races in the NASCAR Cup Series, were revealed Friday as part of the design unveil. The total weight of the Garage 56 car tips the scales at 2,960 pounds, significantly less than the 3,485 pounds of the current Cup Series racer. Chad Knaus, Hendrick VP of competition, said the target horsepower figure for the car is rated in the “high seven hundreds.”

The G56 entry also carries project-specific Goodyear Eagle racing tires and special aerodynamic devices – dive planes, plus a more robust front splitter and rear diffuser – which have been featured on the test car. That includes a taller rear spoiler – 6 inches vs. the 4-inch spoiler on the current Cup Series configuration. The fuel cell is also larger – 32 gallons for Garage 56, compared to 20 gallons for the Cup Series.

Knaus said trimming weight from the car was a cumulative effect of measures taken from top to bottom. He added that with a full fuel load, the car weighs in near the 3,250-pound range.

“Everywhere, honestly,” Knaus said. “We’ve worked with all of our partners, all of the single-source parts providers from NASCAR, whether it be BBS, AP with the brakes, you go all the way to the shocks, it’s all the way across the board. Everybody pitched in, and we got to work on this program. Everything on the car has been lightened up to the best of our ability – Dallara and us and the folks at NASCAR worked really hard on just about everything. It’s got composite disc brakes. The wheels are lighter than what the NASCAR Cup wheel is. So really front to back. Five Star stepped up, they got us lighter body panels. It’s everywhere. It’s not just one thing, it’s the whole thing.”

The next step in the testing comes a day after Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), with the Garage 56 team loading in for two days at Sebring. The test car made extended on-track stints during the Jan. 31-Feb. 1 sessions at Daytona, but next week’s plan is a first go at a 24-hour run.

“Monday, we’re going to run through first thing in the morning, all the drivers, just to get them in the car, get them comfortable really quick. And then our intention is to start what we’re going to consider a 24-hour test at about 10 o’clock in the morning or maybe 11. We’re going to have one break for lunch right straight away, and then from there on out, we’re going to go until 11 o’clock the next day, so all through the evening and all the next morning.”

Friday afternoon’s unveiling wasn’t as big of a surprise to those who have been working on the project for nearly a year now and had already seen the car wrapped. But for Knaus & Co., it provided a chance for a sneak preview of what’s planning to be a unique entry added to the Le Mans field.

“It’s not as awe-inspiring for me because I’ve had my hands on it the whole time,” Knaus said. “So you guys are seeing it for the first time, but when they flicked the lights on there and pulled the cover off of it, I was like, ‘Man, that’s a proper race car right there.’ With the way Greg (Ives, crew chief) and Ben (Wright, G56 program manager) and the whole group are working together on this project, I think the folks in Europe are really going to be impressed what the NASCAR community’s capable of putting on the race track. It’s a really clean race car.”

Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway (⏰ 2:30 p.m. ET | 📺 FOX, FOX Sports App | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)