Practice results: Miller Lite Salutes Mike Ewanitsko 200 at Riverhead Raceway

Posted on June 24, 2023 by Staff Report

Miller Lite Salutes Mike Ewanitsko 200

Riverhead Raceway

Practice Results

Pos	No.	Name	Sponsor	Best Tm	Best Speed	In Lap	Laps	Diff
1	51	Justin Bonsignore	Phoenix Communications Inc.	11.786	76.362	38	45	—
2	32	Tyler Rypkema	Northeast Driling/MUSCO Lighting	11.819	76.149	43	44	0.033
3	58	Eric Goodale	GAF Roofing	11.829	76.084	8	50	0.043
4	2	J.R. Bertuccio	Gershow Recycling	11.835	76.046	22	49	0.049
5	64	Austin Beers	AP Marquadt & Sons/Andrew James Interiors	11.848	75.962	23	59	0.062
6	16	Ron Silk	Blue Mountain Machine & Future Homes	11.864	75.86	59	59	0.078
7	7	Doug Coby	Mayhew Tools	11.866	75.847	43	43	0.08
8	66	Timmy Solomito	Natural Designs/USNE Power/Kennedy Realty	11.9	75.63	46	60	0.114
9	45	Jack Handley, Jr.*	Hydro-Action/Suffolk Precast	11.907	75.586	20	49	0.121
10	88	Roger Turbush	Rheem	11.911	75.56	43	54	0.125
11	22	Kyle Bonsignore	Chalew Performance/MTT/Munns Auto	11.916	75.529	26	58	0.13
12	82	Craig Lutz	Horton Ave Materials	11.917	75.522	28	28	0.131
13	5	John Beatty, Jr.	Elite Sound Studios, Inc.	11.939	75.383	43	59	0.153
14	46	Justin Brown*	Riverhead Building Supply	11.939	75.383	66	67	0.153
15	36	Dave Sapienza	Sapienza Enterprises	11.956	75.276	24	57	0.17
16	60	Matt Hirschman	Pee Dee Motorsports	11.973	75.169	9	52	0.187
17	18	Ken Heagy	Buoy One Seafood Market & Restaurant	12.01	74.938	40	48	0.224
18	34	J.B. Fortin	A&R Materials/CYA Screen Printing/Queens Concrete	12.019	74.881	24	41	0.233
19	3	Bryan Narducci*	Propane Plus/Lin’s Propane Trucks	12.023	74.857	19	49	0.237
20	26	Max Zachem	Lakeland Ave Landscape Supply/L.I. Wood Heat	12.031	74.807	32	41	0.245
21	81	Mark Stewart*	Mike Smith/Cromers Market	12.054	74.664	21	59	0.268
22	49	Chris Young*	Sendlewski Architects	12.114	74.294	12	59	0.328
23	01	Melissa Fifield	Pine Knoll Auto Sales	12.483	72.098	33	35	0.697

Posted on June 24, 2023 by Staff Report

See where your favorite driver will pit during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway (7 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

Posted on June 24, 2023June 25, 2023 by Sean Montgomery

LEBANON, Tenn. — A solid effort from Daniel Suárez in NASCAR Cup Series qualifying was quickly erased Saturday when the No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro spun and clipped the outside wall.

After limping the car back to pit road and assessing the damage, Suárez was justifiably upset.

“I knew I was loose,” Suárez said. “I was expecting it to be a little better, and I just trusted probably a little too much. I was free, and I just got into the corner a little bit faster than the previous time expecting it to stick, and it didn’t stick.”

During practice and qualifying, drivers noticed a bump in the track near Turn 4, leading to a number of spins during Saturday’s session, including Bubba Wallace as he was closing in on the Busch Light Pole.

“There is a bump, but if you are free before you get to the bump, you get to the bump, and you are already spinning out,” Suárez explained. “And I was free before the bump, and then the bump, that’s what made me spin.

“Very unfortunate,” said Suárez. “But yeah, it is what it is. We have to bounce from here.”

Suárez posted the fastest lap in Group A qualifying, preceded by a 16th-place effort in practice on Friday afternoon. The weekend was shaping up to be a solid pre-race effort for both Trackhouse Racing entries, as Ross Chastain landed the organization’s first pole.

Even after the unfortunate incident, Suárez remained optimistic about the speed shown at the team’s home track.

“Right now, the question is are we gonna be able to fix it or not?” asked Suárez rhetorically. “Hopefully, we do. If we can fix the car and the car is the same, we should be fine.”

Mid-afternoon Saturday, the No. 99 team decided to proceed with preparing a backup car for Sunday’s race. Suárez will start at the rear of the field.

Posted on June 24, 2023June 24, 2023 by Holly Cain

LEBANON, Tenn. – Ross Chastain smiled and conceded he had no idea how having the No. 1 pit box selection would be for Sunday’s Ally 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway (7 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

“I’d never had it before,’’ he said smiling.

Chastain certainly earned it with honors on Saturday, claiming the Busch Light Pole in the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet with a blazing fast 160.687 mph lap in qualifying – a full 1 mph better than the field — earning the right to lead the field to green for the first time in his NASCAR Cup Series career; the first time a Trackhouse Racing car has ever started on pole.

“Definitely qualifying as a whole has not been a strong suit in my life, so a lot of work I’ve put into it and not a lot of payoff, not a lot of reward,’’ the 30-year-old Floridian Chastain said. “Even the times I have put it together in round one, I’ve never been able to put round two together in a way that I’m proud of or I feel I did right by.’’

“And no matter how good the rest of the year goes, I will always have a memory of today,’’ Chastain added with a smile.

Tyler Reddick will start alongside Chastain in the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota. Kaulig Racing’s Justin Haley will start third – a career-best effort for the 24-year-old – alongside reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano of Team Penske.

Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. – ranked second and first in the championship standings, respectively – will start on row three. Their teammates Kyle Larson (Hendrick) and Denny Hamlin (JGR) will roll off seventh and eighth, and 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace and Chastain’s teammate Daniel Suarez were ninth and 10th in final qualifying. Both Wallace and Suárez spun out during the final session, with the No. 99 having to go to a backup car as a result of contact with the outside wall.

Defending race winner Chase Elliott just missed advancing to the final round and will start his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 14th.

“We’re in Nashville, this is where Trackhouse was formed,’’ Chastain said. “It was started here with [team owner] Justin [Marks] living here. We are Nashville’s team. … to have it happen here is amazing.’’

Posted on June 24, 2023June 24, 2023 by Sean Montgomery

LEBANON, Tenn. — As far as looking ahead to next week’s highly-anticipated Chicago Street Race, Team Penske driver Austin Cindric was straightforward in his analysis: “It’s a long time coming.”

Cindric has been a perennial force on road courses in his NASCAR career, logging five of his 13 Xfinity Series wins on left-and-right circuits and half of his top-10 finishes in the Cup Series on them. Based on his additional experience racing in IMSA and Australian Grand Prix, among other series, he has a pretty unique perspective of the event.

“As far as an event standpoint, I’ve always loved street-course racing,” Cindric said in an interview Saturday at Nashville Superspeedway. “It’s the same reason why the LA Coliseum has been such a great addition to the schedule, it’s just bringing the party to the people.

“The atmosphere around a street-course race is pretty hard to describe. Think about wherever you live, there’s now race cars driving past where you live. It’s cool that we’re doing it.”

When drivers take the green flag for next Sunday’s Cup Series Grant Park 220 (5:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), as Cindric mentioned, the competition will be the latest on a list of exciting venues that have shaken up the schedule.

The 2.2-mile, 12-turn circuit constructed in the heart of the Windy City is a daunting challenge but also an opportunity for winless drivers to capitalize on a perfect playoff opportunity.

And despite the festival-type atmosphere that will be present in Downtown Chicago throughout the weekend, Cindric says fans should expect the regular week-to-week intensity on the track.

MORE: AJ Allmendinger analyzes street circuit

“I’ve driven a lot of street courses, and I really love the kind of aggression and risk involved at those types of race tracks… There’s plenty of wide sections that we can utilize and pass and still be able to have the normal racing that NASCAR fans expect us to have.”

Posted on June 23, 2023June 25, 2023 by Sean Montgomery

LEBANON, Tenn. — It wasn’t a win, but it was a night to remember for Bayley Currey in Friday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway.

Currey, racing a part-time schedule for Niece Motorsports, put together one of the best races of his well-documented NASCAR career, finishing fifth in the No. 41 entry and contending with teammate Carson Hocevar all night who went on to win the 150-lap event.

“I knew firing off we had to execute,” Currey said. “I feel like we got a pretty good start but lost that position to Rajah (Caruth) there but we were able to maintain and really just fighting to maintain the whole night. … We’ll take it. We come home fifth there and put on those two tires hoping to maybe shake some stuff up. But huge thanks to everybody at Niece Motorsports.”

Currey’s last 16 starts in the Truck Series have come with the Al Niece-owned Chevrolet organization, known for success with now-Cup Series driver Ross Chastain and rising star Carson Hocevar, among others. And after the race, the team owner had high praise for Currey’s exceptional effort — and it’s clear the two have a strong bond.

“That’s awesome,” Currey said. “It just gives you the utmost confidence and it’s cool getting to work with Al. His water truck business is about 15 minutes from where I grew up there in Buda, Texas, so it’s cool to kinda have that relationship as well.”

At just 26 years old, the Texas native has already raced at every level of NASCAR, making 12 starts in the Cup Series, 111 in the Xfinity Series and now 37 in the Truck Series.

But his part-time schedule this season is arguably one of his best opportunities. And after a couple of strong showings in his limited starts this season, he’s eager for a chance to run a more consistent schedule and contend for a trip to Victory Lane.

“That’s the hope,” Currey said. “So, Conor Daly will be in [the No. 41 truck] at Mid-Ohio and it’s looking like I’ll be in it the rest of the year. Hopefully if I can keep having runs like this they’ll keep me in it. So I just gotta stay on it, keep the momentum rolling and hopefully we can win one of these things before the year’s over.”

It’s fitting that Currey came to Nashville with hopes of putting on a show to capitalize on his dreams. Friday night’s performance one was he will remember for a long time, even though the win eluded him.

And when asked if it was one of the best performances of his career, he didn’t hesitate to confirm the notion: “Absolutely. Without a doubt.”

Even in defeat, Currey was ecstatic and rather optimistic. He knows if he keeps his focus, his time in the sun will come.

“I’ve been over there with Niece, like I get an opportunity here and opportunity there and it’s just really come together this year with Worldwide Express and everybody over there and Chevrolet really helping us out too,” Currey said. “Being able to have all the resources we have right now, super thankful for that and hopefully we can build on this momentum.”

Posted on June 23, 2023June 24, 2023 by Holly Cain

LEBANON, Tenn. — Carson Hocevar took the lead with 40 laps remaining in Friday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway and held off every challenge necessary in the closing laps — including a frantic push from his competitors on a restart with three laps remaining — to earn his second career victory.

Hocevar held off reigning series champion, Front Row Motorsports’ Zane Smith and Friday’s polesitter Nick Sanchez by a slight 0.271-second margin in a tightly contested final push toward the finish line among the trio. The win for the 20-year-old driver of the No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet makes him the fourth multi-race winner of the season. And it’s an impressive fourth consecutive top five for Hocevar.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

Interestingly, Hocevar’s first career win came after Smith and Sanchez wrecked at the front of the field on the final lap of double overtime at Texas Motor Speedway. This time, the only drama was the Michigan native’s impressive pace out front in the closing laps.

“I’m so excited I can finally put that other to rest,” Hocevar said of the circumstances of his first win, adding, “and hopefully I can win a lot more races for them (Niece Motorsports).”

Hocevar’s effort earned him not only the one-of-a-kind Nashville winner’s guitar but also an extra $50,000 as part of the Craftsman Truck Series’ Triple Truck Challenge program. He joins Ben Rhodes and Grant Enfinger as the three recipients of the bonus money this season.

Corey Heim and Bayley Currey rounded out the top five on Friday. Heim led the most laps — 57 of the 150 on the night — and won Stage 2 in the No. 11 Tricon Garage Toyota. He also leads the championship by 16 points over Smith.

Although he missed out on his first trophy, it was still an impressive night for Sanchez, who earned his third pole position of the season.

In the opening laps, Sanchez and Rajah Caruth set the pace out front; the former ARCA teammates and NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduates ran nose-to-tail and door-to-door throughout the opening stage. Sanchez, 22, led the opening 35 laps in his No. 2 Rev Racing Chevrolet. And after multiple spirited duels between the two, the 21-year-old Caruth finally got around Sanchez on Lap 36 to lead his first career lap in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition — only to slow and have to pit his No. 24 GMS Chevrolet a lap later and relinquish the lead due to a fuel pressure issue. He returned to the race many laps down and ultimately settled for a 32nd-place finish.

MORE: Currey fights for fifth-place finish

The opening stage concluded in similar drama when Smith got by Sanchez in the closing laps to claim his second stage win of the season.

“At the end of the day, it was a good points night, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed,’’ Sanchez said.

Chase Purdy, Matt DiBenedetto, Tyler Ankrum, Ben Rhodes and Jake Garcia rounded out the top 10.

It was a tough day for veteran Stewart Friesen, who was involved in two incidents that brought out caution periods. He dropped from ninth to 11th in the standings with only three regular-season races remaining to set the 10-driver playoff field.

Sanchez’s effort at Nashville combined with Friesen’s tough-luck night moved the Miami rookie into that all-important 10th-place position with a six-point advantage on Friesen.

Ty Majeski, who entered Friday’s race at Nashville just one point behind Heim for the Truck Series points lead, also suffered a mechanical woe that put the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford numerous laps down, ultimately relegating Majeski to a 31st-place finish.

The series takes a week off and resumes with some road-course racing July 8 — the O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (1:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Note: Post-race inspection concluded at Nashville without issue. The No. 15 Toyota was found with one lug nut loose. The Nos. 2, 16 and 38 trucks will be taken back to the NASCAR R&D Center.

Posted on June 23, 2023June 24, 2023 by Sean Montgomery

LEBANON, Tenn. — The last time Kyle Larson won the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season championship, he went on to win his first Bill France Cup at Phoenix Raceway in 2021. But as the battle for the regular-season title winds down this time around, Larson finds himself 85 points behind the top spot in the standings and 65 down in one key area — stage points.

Despite a 16.5 average finish, weighed down heavily by five DNFs, Larson has a pair of victories and top-10 finishes in nearly half the races so far heading into Sunday’s contest at Nashville Superspeedway (7 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

But even with the numerous strong finishes, Larson has noticeably had trials throughout the early portions of races that leave him sitting well behind the top contenders in the stage points category — a big factor in the regular-season championship and bonus 15 playoff points. It’s part of the on-track performance that Larson knows can be a key opportunity in the final 10-race stretch before the NASCAR Playoffs.

“We’ve lost quite a bit here lately, we haven’t been able to get any stage points I feel like all season, since the beginning of the year,” Larson said. “If we can start running better in the whole race and not just being there at the end like we have been. I mean, we’ve been contending for wins but stage points and wins is an area that I feel like we’ve lacked in for whatever reason — I don’t know why. But if we can get to racking up more points then yeah, I think we can get up there.

“But the stages are really important and that’s just an area where we’ve lost out on some opportunities.”

Though Larson is tied for fifth (with Kevin Harvick) with 99 stage points through 16 races this season, he trails four drivers who have already broken the 100-point threshold: Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron (164), Ross Chastain (131), Denny Hamlin (122) and Martin Truex Jr. (105). Byron also leads the series with seven stage wins, followed by Chastain with five.

MORE: Story lines for Nashville weekend | Weekend schedule

The good news for Larson is that he won the inaugural Cup Series race at Nashville in 2021, leading a dominant 264 laps to score 59 points, and finished fourth last season. In both races combined, he scored an impressive 29 of a possible 40 stage points.

Posted on June 23, 2023June 23, 2023 by Pat DeCola

Whether it’s in North Carolina, Illinois or Tennessee, the Triple Truck Challenge in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series gives drivers a chance to win bonus money as they take the checkered flag.

The program started May 26 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, continued at World Wide Technology Raceway on June 3 and wrapped at Nashville Superspeedway on June 23.

RELATED: Truck standings | Full schedule

The prize fund is built to give race winners a $50,000 bonus per win. If a driver wins two out of three races, he or she will be awarded a total of $150,000. If a driver brings home the ultimate goal and wins all three 200-mile races, he or she will be awarded a total of $500,000.

“The Trip” was created in 2019 and presents an opportunity for series regulars to gain attention and have extra incentive for race wins. Parker Kligerman, Ryan Preece and Corey Heim were winners of the Triple Truck Challenge races last season.

2023 Triple Truck Challenge schedule/results

Race 1: North Carolina Education Lottery 200, May 26 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

🏆 Winner: Ben Rhodes, No. 99 Thorsport Ford | Full race recap, highlights | Watch the winner interview

Race 2: Toyota 200, June 3 at World Wide Technology Raceway

🏆 Winner: Grant Enfinger, No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet | Full race recap, highlights | Watch the winner interview

Race 3: Rackley Roofing 200, June 23 at Nashville Superspeedway

🏆 Winner: Carson Hocevar, No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet | Full race recap, highlights | Watch the winner interview

Posted on June 23, 2023June 24, 2023 by Staff Report

Tyler Reddick set the tone for the weekend by putting down the fastest lap in NASCAR Cup Series practice at Nashville Superspeedway Friday evening as the series returned from an off-week.

His quick lap of 162.250 mph bested Martin Truex Jr. (161.408 mph), Ross Chastain (160.370 mph), Erik Jones (160.990 mph) and William Byron (160.914 mph), who all put down top five single-lap times.

Bubba Wallace, Denny Hamlin, defending Nashville winner Chase Elliott, Chris Buescher and AJ Allmendinger completed the top 10 for fastest laps in the session.

Three-time 2023 winner Kyle Busch finished 21st in practice. During the session, the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet went for a spin as the car snapped loose and spun off Turn 4. Busch made no contact with the wall.