RFK Racing co-owner and driver Brad Keselowski has been in the headlines in recent weeks due to a publicized pit-crew swap between the RFK No. 17 team and the No. 47 group of JTG Daugherty Racing.
There’s more to talk about with Keselowski and his crew post-Dover, but this time it’s simply about performance — and it’s a good story for the No. 6 squad.
Keselowski’s crew was on point last weekend at Dover Motor Speedway, putting in its best outing of the season as the veteran driver sprinted to an eighth-place finish.
The No. 6 crew consisting of tire changers Johnny Roberts and Steve Price, tire carrier Telvin McClurkin, fueler Brad Robison and jackman Dustin Lineback turned the 10th-fastest four-tire pit stop of the entire season on Lap 124, according to Racing Insights. The 9.776-second stop is tied with an Alex Bowman stop at Las Vegas from earlier this year in the season-long top 10 rankings (the full top 10 is below).
Additionally, the No. 6 crew was the fastest at Dover with both the best single-best pit stop and also the best average four-tire stop time at 10.099 seconds. That time of 10.099 is the second-quickest average time of a race this season, behind only Kyle Larson’s 10.051-second average from the No. 5 team at Martinsville.
Keselowski’s crew also jumped from fifth place to second place on the list of best average four-tire pit stops this year (see more below). No one else jumped that high. William Byron’s No. 24 crew, though, supplanted Chase Briscoe’s squad at the top of the rankings following Dover.
See below to analyze additional pit-road statistics from Racing Insights.
Ryan Newman, recently named one of the 75 greatest drivers in NASCAR history, is scheduled to return to the Cup Series, making select starts with Rick Ware Racing throughout the remainder of the 2023 season.
The 18-time premier series winner made his most recent start at Phoenix Raceway in 2021, bringing him to a remarkable 725 starts at the sport’s top level. In addition to his victories, Newman has 117 top-five finishes, 268 top 10s and 51 pole awards.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Rick Ware Racing and Ford,” Newman said. “I think this will be good for all of us with our combined experience and knowledge. Being part of the Throwback Weekend at one of my favorite tracks in Darlington is pretty special. After recently being named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers, it carries even some significance.”
Rick Ware Racing has been a mainstay in the Cup Series garage since the mid-2010s, fielding a number of drivers from David Ragan to J.J. Yeley. Newman, perhaps the most successful veteran to drive for the team, is a welcome addition.
“I remember watching ‘Thursday Night Thunder’ on ESPN and seeing Ryan compete against some stout competition in those days,” said team owner Rick Ware when commenting about Newman’s talent. “I became a fan then and when he first came to NASCAR, I knew he was going to be a great driver and win a lot of races.
“He brings great depth and insight to RWR while we continue to grow our team. Ryan’s been a great ambassador for our sport and Ford. We’re really looking forward to racing with him this season.”
Newman’s first challenge will be an exciting one, returning to action for the first time in over 500 days at Darlington on Sunday, May 14 (3 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) for the Goodyear 400.
The 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Sunday, May 21 (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), is inching closer and closer. If you haven’t already, it is time to vote in your favorite driver that has yet to clinch their bid in what should be an unforgettable weekend.
Midway through the Fan Vote, the top 10 vote-getters as of Friday, May 5, are as follows, in alphabetical order: AJ Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Harrison Burton, Ty Gibbs, Noah Gragson, Corey LaJoie, Michael McDowell, BJ McLeod, Ryan Preece and Chandler Smith.
Ken Schrader won the first fan vote in 2004, and Erik Jones was the most recent winner in 2022. Kyle Petty, Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer are others on the list who have achieved the feat.
Drivers are eligible for the Fan Vote if they attempted to qualify for the 2023 Daytona 500, have not won a 2023 NASCAR Cup Series race yet or have not finished inside the top two in the NASCAR Open qualifying race.
Put your voting cap on and cast your choice today!
Toyota’s time to shine? It was the 23XI Racing show in Kansas a season ago, with Kurt Busch and Bubba Wallace each reaching Victory Lane in impressive fashion. In fact, Toyota has five wins in the last seven races at the Kansas City track, including a pair from Denny Hamlin — who is still searching for his first victory of the season. After his latest runner-up result to Wallace at Kansas in 2022, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has an astounding 5.7 average finish in the seven-race span dating back to his 2019 win. Add Martin Truex Jr.’s newfound momentum and Christopher Bell’s hot start to the season, and the Toyota group should have a handle of drivers contending for the checkered flag on Sunday.
Qualifying on Saturday is as important as ever. In the last seven races on 1.5-mile tracks, the eventual race winner started from sixth or better every time. While not an absolute guarantee, that trend puts an enormous weight on Saturday’s sessions. Drivers who start up front and lead laps early will have a big advantage with gathered knowledge for later in the race. And the last two winners at this track length swept both stages en route to their win.
He may not be the betting favorite to win, but watch out for…
Brad Keselowski. At 40-1, the No. 6 Ford is an interesting story line this weekend. Keselowski has been executing well lately, with his eighth-place finish at Dover Motor Speedway giving him back-to-back top 10s for the first time since joining RFK Racing. He has also been pretty solid in qualifying at a handful of difficult tracks but will start middle-of-the-pack on Saturday in 20th. No, he didn’t have strong finishes last season at Kansas, but his place on the oddsboard presents very good value for where he is capable of running. Keselowski still hasn’t won a race this season, so expect the urgency to pick up as the playoffs begin creeping closer. | ICYMI:Kes named to 75 Greatest Drivers
While it looked like Toyota had the upper hand, led by Denny Hamlin’s impressive form in practice, it was Hendrick Motorsports that prevailed with a front-row sweep in qualifying. William Byron blitzed the field for his 10th Busch Light Pole Award, joined by teammate Kyle Larson in P2. Ross Chastain followed in third with a handful of Toyota drivers — Martin Truex Jr. (fourth), Tyler Reddick (fifth), Ty Gibbs (seventh) and Denny Hamlin (eighth) — split by Joey Logano leading the charge for Ford. | Read full practice, qualifying recap | Nos. 45, 15 penalized after inspection
NBC’s Steve Letarte and MRN’s Todd Gordon break down Kansas Speedway and say if they think Toyota and 23XI Racing come away with the win.
Familiar favorites ⭐️
Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.
• Fantasy Fastlane: Will 23XI make it a Kansas trifecta? | Full lineup tips
• Paint Scheme Preview: Sparkling schemes for the ‘Sunflower State’ | Pick a favorite • Power Rankings: Reaching a turning point for 23XI Racing? | Latest driver rankings • Betting odds: See which driver is the favorite for Sunday’s race | Top bets, underdog picks
• Stacking Pennies: Corey LaJoie reacts to on-track incident at Dover | Listen to the podcast
💎 NASCAR 75: Honoring NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers … then revealing 25 more | Check out the list
Hot off the press 📰
Key stories and breaking news from the week leading up to the race.
• Busch brothers: Kurt, Kyle join elite list of 75 Greatest Drivers | Read more
• Penalty update: Appeals panel upholds fine, suspension issued to No. 3 RCR team | Read more | Officials explain
• Tyler Reddick: Hopeful that tribulations will prepare him when playoffs arrive | Read more
• Ryan Newman: Veteran driver returning to make starts with Rick Ware | Read more
• NASCAR 75: Brad Keselowski joins Greatest Drivers list | Read more, see others
• Legacy Motor Club: Organization moving to Toyota in 2024 | Read more | Toyota drivers speak
• Larson vs. Chastain: Elton Sawyer gives his take on potential action | Watch video
• NASCAR Salutes: Honoring the military through annual initiative | Read more • Untold Story: Tim Flock’s amazing monkey who ran races with him | Watch video
• Photo Memories: John Hunter Nemechek remembers Victory Lane with dad | Watch video
• Mission 600: Denny Hamlin visits Arlington National Cemetary | Read more
• Darlington: Teams begin unveiling throwback schemes | Check them out
Get in on the action 💰
Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy and Fan Rewards.
• Fan Rewards: New in 2023, get rewarded for your participation | Learn more • Fantasy Live: Still time to get on the leaderboard and win big this season |Tips for 2023 • NASCAR BetCenter: Don’t miss your chance to make picks each week | Visit the BetCenter
• Going the distance: 2023 Cup Series championship odds | See them here • The Action Network: Daniel Suárez might be poised for a bounceback | Expert analysis • The Action Network: Expert picks for Denny Hamlin’s Bracket Challenge | Expert analysis
Kickin’ it in Kansas 👟
Lots of history is tucked into the two-decade run at this unique Kansas City venue.
• Do you remember?: Memorable moments at Kansas Speedway | Relive them
• Winner, winner: All-time wins at Kansas Speedway | See the full list
• Race Rewind: Bubba Wallace holds off boss Denny Hamlin | Best highlights from 2022
• Scanner Sounds: Listen to key moments from the ’22 spring race | Watch the video
Take some notes 📝
Five hard-hitting, race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights.
• The last six Kansas race winners started in the top 10. • A driver led over 100 laps in 13 of the last 15 Kansas races, including each of the last four. • Ford has only one win in the last 14 races on 1.5-mile tracks. • Three of the last four Kansas winners got their first win of the season. • The last two 1.5-mile track winners swept both stages.
After a two-week layoff, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns to competition in Saturday night’s Heart of America 200 (8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), and the two winningest drivers in the track history will both be on the grid.
Three-time series champion Matt Crafton and two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch each have three Truck Series wins at Kansas. Either is a good bet to earn the wins-record solo after this week, although Saturday’s race does feature a robust five former winners in the field – including defending race winner Zane Smith, Ross Chastain and Johnny Sauter. A win for Busch would mark a historic 100th victory for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
Crafton’s last series win coincidentally came at Kansas Speedway in 2020. The veteran would love to end the winless streak he has endured since and comes into the race ranked seventh in the championship with three top-10 finishes in the opening seven races. When it comes to Kansas, not only is the driver of the No. 88 ThorSport Racing Ford tops in victories, but he leads the series in top-five (seven) and top-10 (14) finishes, as well as starts (25) and laps completed (3,889) at the track.
2022 reigning champion Smith has also proven to be especially strong at Kansas. He has top-10 finishes in all but one of his six starts there and, since last year, boasts six top-five finishes at 1.5-mile tracks – including a runner-up showing already this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
With victories already at Daytona and Austin, Texas, the Front Row Motorsports driver in Smith is ranked second in points, 36 points behind Ty Majeski, who is still racing for his first 2023 trophy but whose top-five (five) and top-10 (six) efforts in the opening seven races are best in the field. Majeski, driver of the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford, has finished 11th or better in three of his four Kansas starts, including a runner-up showing to Zane Smith in this race last year.
Toyota leads all manufacturers with 11 wins and has won at least one Kansas race in nine of the last 10 seasons. The fall Kansas winner, John Hunter Nemechek – one of only three drivers to earn a Kansas victory from pole position – is not entered this week. No driver has ever won back-to-back Kansas races, and there have been eight different winners in the last eight races.
Of note, ARCA standout Tony Breidinger hopes to pull double-duty this weekend and make her Truck Series debut. The 23-year-old, who also competes full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, is entered in the No. 1 Tricon Garage Toyota for the Truck Series race. Should she make the field, Breidinger would become the first Arab American woman to compete in the series.
Practice for the Heart of America 200 is set for noon ET on Saturday, with qualifying following the session on FS1.
ARLINGTON, Va. – Wednesday, as a prelude to its Memorial Day weekend salute to the U.S. Armed Forces, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted defending Coca-Cola 600 winner Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing President Dave Alpern and Coca-Cola executives Bea Perez and Frank Harrison for a poignant visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 servicemen and women and their families from every major United States conflict since the American Revolution.
Hamlin and Alpern joined Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith and Charlotte Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Greg Walter in laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider, continuing an annual tradition for the defending Coca-Cola 600 race winner to kick off Military Appreciation Month each May in Arlington, Virginia.
“It’s a very prestigious honor in my mind,” said Hamlin of visiting Arlington National Cemetery and laying a wreath. “For the Department of Defense, the Coca-Cola 600 is their biggest event honoring fallen soldiers. That’s a big deal. It’s certainly an honor that I don’t take lightly.
“I’ve been part of the Coca-Cola Memorial weekend for 18 years now in the Cup Series. It’s so different because you see soldiers that are living there and still serving, but I haven’t gotten to see in person where the fallen soldiers actually go. To be here at Arlington Cemetery is certainly moving and makes you really appreciate what Memorial Day weekend is all about.”
In addition to the wreath-laying, the group enjoyed a private viewing of artifacts that paint the rich history of Arlington National Cemetery in the Memorial Amphitheater Display Room and watched a changing-of-the-guard ceremony. At the iconic tomb, which marked its centennial anniversary in 2021, members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, stand watch 24 hours a day, a tradition that began in 1948. Following the visit to Arlington National Cemetery, the dignitaries visited the Pentagon and met Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks.
“This was a very special day,” said Perez, SVP and chief communications, sustainability & strategic partnerships officer for The Coca-Cola Company. “The Coca-Cola 600 is during Memorial Day weekend, which is really about honoring our military who fight for our freedoms every single day here in our own country and around the world. For everything they do, we just want to thank them, and this was an incredible way to honor them.”
“We are just so thankful for what these men and women have done for our country and we want to honor them in any way we can,” said Harrison, Coca-Cola Consolidated’s CEO. “We’ll have about 40 of these Gold Star families; we’ll be renovating some homes and we just excited to be able to honor them at the Coca-Cola 600.”
Each Memorial Day weekend, Charlotte Motor Speedway pays tribute to those men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice during a moving Coca-Cola 600 pre-race show that includes representation from all six branches of the military. In addition to aerial and ground demonstrations, the pre-race salute features hundreds of members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
“Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Coca-Cola 600, Memorial Day weekend – when you think about that, you think about patriotism; you think about America, freedom and all the wonderful things that we can celebrate as Americas because of our military,” said Smith. “Coming here to Arlington to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice is something I look forward to. It never ceases to amaze me how touching it is for us to spend a few moments here to think about the courage, bravery and sacrifice that so many have made for all of us.”
In recent years, the speedway’s salute has expanded to include Mission 600, a campaign pairing NASCAR drivers with military bases designed to educate the NASCAR community about the day-to-day lives of the men and women who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. To date in 2023 on behalf of the Coca-Cola Racing Family of drivers, Austin Dillon visited Fort Bragg to train alongside members from the 82nd Airborne Division and Daniel Suárez virtually met members of Area Support Group – Jordan in the Middle East. Additional Mission 600 visits in the coming weeks leading up to the May 28 Coca-Cola 600 will include Coca-Cola Racing Family driver Joey Logano traveling to Naval Station Norfolk and Aric Almirola visiting Marines at Camp Lejeune.
TICKETS
Tickets are still available for the May 26-28 Coca-Cola 600 weekend, with three-day packages starting at $99. Weekend tickets for children ages 12 and under are just $10. Fans can purchase tickets online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Admission to Circle K Speed Street concerts by AC/DC tribute band Dirty Deeds (Friday) and Jake Owen (Saturday) is free with any race ticket. Sunday’s pre-race concert by The Doobie Brothers is free with purchase of a Coca-Cola 600 race ticket.
There was a lot to like about Denny Hamlin’s performance at Dover Motor Speedway last weekend. There was also a lot to dislike. Your chosen viewpoint from that race depends on one thing — what you were watching.
If your eyes were on the track watching Hamlin’s No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Camry consistently carve through the field and run up front, you would (rightfully) be impressed by a day at the track that netted a fifth-place finish, the fourth top-five of the year for the veteran.
If your eyes were watching pit road, you would (rightfully) think the No. 11 wasn’t as sharp as NASCAR fans have grown accustomed to over the past several years.
Long a hallmark of the JGR powerhouse, pit-road performance has now plagued the 42-year-old driver through the first third of the 2023 season.
“We’re a year or so behind on our choreograph by going back to the old style,” Hamlin told FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass, referencing the team abandoning its intricate pit-road choreography on the Next Gen car and reverting to a more standard approach.
“That’s not what’s causing our 20-second pit stop at Richmond when you’re leading, our 20-second stop at the end here (at Dover). All those just add up. You just can’t win races that way. You’re asking too much of me and the team to have to make that up. Unfortunately we had a really fast FedEx Camry that kept driving to the front, but every time a caution came out it was a 90 percent chance we’re going backward.”
That’s no hyperbole. In fact, at Dover at least, Hamlin was giving his pit crew the benefit of the doubt with his 90 percent comment.
According to Racing Insights, the No. 11 car pitted seven times at the 1-mile concrete oval. Three were under green-flag conditions. Four came under caution, when most cars were pitting and when the ability to gain or lose positions on pit road was at its peak.
The No. 11 car lost ground on all four of those pit stops, dropping a total of 11 positions. That includes a brutal 30-second stop on Lap 389 of the 400-lap race.
Lap
Time
+ / -
23
10.276 seconds
-2
86
12.144 seconds
-3
124
12.745 seconds
Green
191
10.309 seconds
-2
254
11.944 seconds
Green
329
10.410 seconds
Green
389
30.858 seconds
-4
The good news for the No. 11 group, though, is that the series heads to Kansas Speedway this weekend (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Few are as good there as Hamlin.
His three wins at Kansas are tied for the most all time at the track with Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano and Jeff Gordon.
Hamlin was one of seven drivers to finish in the top 10 in both Kansas races last year, and one of just two — alongside teammate Christopher Bell — to notch two top fives. His average finish of 3.0 in the Sunflower State last year was best in the series.
He enters this year’s race having run 2,262 laps (76% of all laps run) in the top 10 this year, the best rate in the series and nearly 400 more laps than second-place William Byron.
It’s evident that Hamlin will likely have the car, and certainly the mile-and-a-half driving skills, to compete for a victory Sunday.
What happens on pit road will go a long way toward putting Hamlin in position to capture his 49th career Cup Series win — or forcing him to try and drive through the field and make up ground.
CONCORD, N.C. – Rev Racing announced today Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider and the Official Auto Parts Retailer of NASCAR, will serve as the associate sponsor of the team’s late model program and youth initiative.
The Advance logo will be featured on Rev Racing’s NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series cars fielded for several members of this year’s NASCAR Drive for Diversity class, including Paige Rogers (from Fort Wayne, Ind.), Justin Campbell (Griffin, Ga.) and Jaiden Reyna (Cornelius, N.C.).
Rev Racing, which operates the competition arm of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Development Program, saw immediate alignment with Advance, their shared mission and focused initiatives within the sport and beyond. Advance, with support from NASCAR Roots, will join hands with the program immediately. Rev Racing is responsible for training female and ethnically diverse drivers along with pit crew members for future competition at NASCAR’s highest levels.
“Advance Auto Parts believes in our mission and what we are committed to everyday with the development of our drivers and Program,” says Rev Racing owner Max Siegel. “This partnership will continue to assist our late model and youth program drivers, supporting the next generation of athletes in their quest for future opportunities in the sport.”
“It’s always inspiring when we have partners, like Advance, that want to be a part of our growth and the efforts we have in motion,” Siegel says.
Advance continues to expand its presence in the sport, with a heavy focus on supporting the future NASCAR stars of tomorrow.
“Our Advance team is thrilled to support the careers of these impressive young drivers through an enhanced partnership with Rev Racing,” says Advance executive vice president of merchandising, marketing, and eCommerce Jason McDonell. “The teams at Rev Racing and NASCAR have done outstanding work to advance diverse representation in motorsports. We’re looking forward to following this year’s NASCAR Drive for Diversity class as they compete throughout the season.”
In 2020, Advance announced its partnership with NASCAR to serve as the sport’s official auto parts retailer while also becoming entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. As part of the brand’s commitment to grassroots racing, Advance announced the “Advance My Track Challenge” in 2021. This unique program invites race fans to vote for their favorite NASCAR-sanctioned short track, with the track receiving the most votes winning a $50,000 grand prize. Along with its role as presenting sponsor of the Advance Auto Parts Drive for Diversity Combine, Advance is dedicated to growing racing at a local level.
Advance and Rev Racing’s new partnership is instrumental, in the sense that youth and late model drivers will continue to have expanded opportunities to succeed in the sport as well as access to state-of-the-art resources. Rev Racing and Advance remain committed to supporting drivers at the local level and the development needed to advance these diverse and female drivers to the next level in their careers. Their shared mission will continue to shape history and create expanded opportunities for the next generation of Rev Racing drivers.
After April showers and sparks at Dover, the NASCAR Cup Series opens the first weekend of May with a trip to Kansas Speedway in the “Sunflower State.”
Last year, 23XI Racing swept the events at the 1.5-mile oval as Kurt Busch and Bubba Wallace continued the rise of the Denny Hamlin-Michael Jordan co-owned team in its sophomore campaign. Before the green flag drops for 400 miles in the heart of the Great Plains, check out the trends to watch ahead of Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 (3 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), notable moments at Kansas, tire info and interactive options to follow the race.
Eight different winners have snagged the checkered flag through 11 races this season, and with Toyota gaining momentum after Martin Truex Jr.’s win at Dover, Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace can hold down the fort for the manufacturer at a track each has found recent success at.
Both Hamlin and Wallace remain winless in 2023, but Wallace could relieve pressure by clinching his first playoff berth Sunday and defending his crown at the track. Gains have been few and far between for the No. 23 team as it has only produced one top five and two top 10s this season. Wallace currently sits 21st in the Cup Series standings, 15 points below the playoff cutline.
MORE: Cup Series standings
📉 TRENDS TO WATCH 📈
— Toyota owns five of the last seven victories at Kansas.
— Three of the last four Kansas winners marked their first win of the season at the track.
— Ryan Blaney owns a three-race top-10 finish streak entering Sunday.
— The last eight races on 1.5-mile tracks were won by different drivers.
(Via Racing Insights)
NOTABLE MOMENTS 🎥
2001: Jeff Gordon wins inaugural Kansas race | WATCH
2004: Joe Nemechek outduels Ricky Rudd to sweep Kansas weekend | WATCH
2015: Logano spins Kenseth in closing laps at Kansas | WATCH
2022: Kurt Busch scores Kansas victory in Jordan brand car | WATCH
Goodyear ran a different tire code for the Kansas playoff race last year with the Next Gen car versus the spring race, and Sunday will see a return of that tire code from last fall’s race. It’s also the same setup that was used at Auto Club and Las Vegas already this season. Each Cup team will have one set of tires for practice, one set for qualifying and an additional eight for Sunday’s race.
In the event of a lost wheel that is contained to pit road, the offending team will be subject to a pass-through penalty under green-flag conditions. If the infraction occurs during a caution period, the offending team will restart at the tail end of the field.
If the wheel breaks free outside of pit road, the new rules guidelines mandate a two-lap penalty plus a two-race suspension for two crew members. Each penalty is series-specific: Violations in one series will not impact those crew members’ eligibility to participate in other series.
Fans can get in on the action all season long with NASCAR Fan Rewards, a free program that rewards fans for participating in the action when they watch races and play NASCAR Fantasy.
There’s no cost to join. Fans must be 18 years or older to participate in the program.
Earn points by checking into a race from home or at the track, setting your Fantasy Live lineup, making purchases on the NASCAR.com shop and more. Points can be redeemed for race tickets, merchandise and VIP experiences at the track, including pace car rides and waving the green flag at qualifying.
NASCAR Mobile has now added support for fans to “Follow the Race” and access live leaderboard and race information from Live Activities in the current app release (v13.2.0), available now. Android users, we didn’t forget you — the same functionality has been custom-built for Android devices, as well.
How to access Live Activities on iPhones:
Make sure your iOS device has been updated to 16.1 or higher.
Available on the leaderboard of all NASCAR Series races.
Click on the three-dot menu near the top right of screen.
Select “Follow the Race.”
Swipe up to access the home screen and you will see the Live Activities at the top.
Lock the device and you will see Live Activities on the Lock Screen.
To turn off, simply visit the leaderboard, click the three-dot menu and “Unfollow the Race.”
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 2, and there is a $25,000 prize for the winner.
Get additional camera views by logging on to NASCAR Drive, where each week, 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.
Josh Vanada, the owner of JDV Productions, works hard to make sure NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour drivers have extra incentives to compete in the races he promotes.
This year Vanada is promoting four NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events, including the three-race Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup that begins this Saturday with the Duel at the Dog 200 at Monadnock Speedway (5 p.m. on FloRacing).
The Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup, which debuted in 2022, offers drivers and teams bonus dollars not typically available during regular NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events. The amount of potential winnings up for grabs in the bonus program for competitors totals $15,700.
Teams will accumulate points during each of the three events at Monadnock, Lee USA Speedway (May 29) and Claremont Motorsports Park (July 29). The champion car owner of the three-race series will earn $5,000, while the runner-up owner will earn $2,500 and third will collect $1,000. Between the top three points finishers, $8,500 will be distributed.
The NASCAR points system will be used to determine which driver earned the most points during the three events. Matt Hirschman and Pee Dee Motorsports captured the inaugural Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup in 2022.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to bonus money. Each additional event will also have bonus awards available at the track on each specific race day.
The Challenger Bonus, worth $200 per event, will be paid to the highest finishing driver in each of the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup races who does not normally run the Whelen Modified Tour full-time. This is open to any driver who competed in less than 50 percent of the Whelen Modified Tour races last season.
The Hard Charger Bonus, which also pays $200 per race, is provided to the driver who improves the most positions since their last Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup event. For the season-opener at Monadnock Speedway, the Claremont Motorsports Park race finish from July of 2022 will be used to determine the winner.
The Lap Leader bonus pays $750 and is awarded to the driver who leads the most laps during the three races, which will be paid out after the finale at Claremont. The Best Average Finish Bonus, awarded to the driver who scores the best average finish during the three events, is another $750 award.
Finally, if any driver can sweep all three Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup events, they will earn an additional $5,000 bonus.
Fans looking to enjoy the four NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races promoted by JDV Productions, which also includes a second event at Monadnock on Sept. 9, can purchase tickets to the JDV Experience, which provides fans with an exclusive, behind-the-scenes experience during a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event.
Woody Pitkat will return to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour this weekend aboard the No. 6 for Stan Mertz Racing. (Photo: Tom Morris/Stan Mertz Racing)
Woody Pitkat returning with debuting Stan Mertz Racing
A return and a debut are on the docket for Saturday’s Duel at the Dog 200 at Monadnock Speedway.
Woody Pitkat, who last raced with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2021, will make his return to the Tour aboard the No. 6 for Stan Mertz Racing.
For Pitkat, this will be his 182nd NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start, all while Stan Mertz Racing makes their first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour start.
“It’s been on our bucket list for many years and entering what will be my final year of racing as a car owner I’m excited to make the move to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour,” team owner Stan Mertz said. “We have to thank all of our sponsors for coming on board and our dedicated crew for making it all possible. We’re looking forward to contending for strong runs and hope to come away with the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup as part of our part-time Whelen Modified Tour efforts in 2023.”
Pitkat is hardly a stranger to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour despite not competing with the series in 2022. He’s raced full-time with the Tour seven times dating back to 2009 and has won four races, with his most recent victory coming in 2019 at New Jersey’s Wall Stadium Speedway.
The Duel at the Dog 200 is one of at least eight races Stan Mertz Racing and Pitkat plan to compete in with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. In addition to the other two Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup events at Lee USA and Claremont, the team plans to enter Seekonk Speedway (June 10), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (July 15), Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park (Aug. 16), Monadnock (Sept. 9) and North Wilkesboro Speedway (Sept. 30).
Whelen offering unique bonus during NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season
Thanks to series title sponsor Whelen, drivers competing in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events this season have the opportunity to race for a special bonus during NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season.
Available only this season, Whelen is offering a special $7,500 year-end bonus to the driver that leads at Lap 75 the most throughout the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.
The driver leading the race at Lap 75 in each NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event receives one point towards the $7,500 bonus. If multiple drivers are tied with the same amount of points at the conclusion of the season, the driver highest in the final NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver standings will receive the bonus.
Through the first two events of the season, Ron Silk and Austin Beers have each scored a point towards the $7,500 bonus. Ron Silk was the leader at Lap 75 during the opening race of the season at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway while Beers was the leader at Lap 75 during round two at Richmond Raceway.
Both drivers went on to win those respective races.
Notes:
Justin Bonsignore is the only driver who has finished in the top-five in both NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events this season. The four-time Monadnock winner was second at the opener at New Smyrna Speedway and finished fourth in the most recent event at Richmond Raceway.
Two drivers – Austin Beers and Doug Coby – have already led more than 100 laps so far this season. While Beers visited Victory Lane at Richmond, Coby’s best finish of the season was fifth at New Smyrna.
Sam Rameau is making his season debut with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Saturday during the Duel at the Dog 200. He competed in all three Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup events last year, earning a career-best finish of fourth at Monadnock.
After securing his own career-best finish last year at Monadnock with a 10th-place result, Jacob Perry is back with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour this weekend for his fourth series start.
In eight previous Tour starts at Monadnock, Ron Silk has earned five top-five and seven top-10 finishes while leading 224 laps, which ranks third among all drivers at the track. However, he’s never managed to win at the quarter-mile oval, with his best Monadnock finish being a second that came in 2020.
