Gaming enthusiasts call it a heater, and Kyle Larson appears set to go on one. After a decisive victory in last weekend’s All-Star Race, the driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet is the favorite to win Monday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (3 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), according to Racing Insight’s metric formula.
Where have we seen this before? Larson won the 2021 All-Star Race, then took the Coca-Cola 600 by leading 327 of the 400 laps. And that 2021 season ended with Larson hoisting the Bill France Cup at Phoenix Raceway to cap off a 10-win season.
Could we be seeing the birth of another championship run for Larson? Maybe, but some other drivers could have something to say about it before the long night at Charlotte is over.
OTHERS TO WATCH
Chase Elliott: Elliott has three top-four finishes in the last four Coca-Cola 600s and seems to be on the brink of a breakthrough win.
William Byron: Byron has led laps in three of the last four Coca-Cola 600s and is off to a career-best start with three wins this season.
Denny Hamlin: Hamlin is the defending winner of this race and has six finishes of eighth or better in the last eight Coca-Cola 600s.
Kevin Harvick: Harvick has four straight top-10 finishes in the Coca-Cola 600 and has won twice before (2011, 2013).
Martin Truex Jr.: Truex has two straight finishes of 12th or worse in this race, but his two career wins in 2016 and 2019 are hard to forget.
Racing Insights’ advanced statistical formula includes current track, current track type, recent performance, team data and pit-crew data to arrive at a projected winner and full race results.
NASCAR has implemented an update to the Next Gen NASCAR Cup Series chassis that will go into effect beginning with this weekend’s action at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The sanctioning body distributed a memo on May 12 to Cup teams detailing the two updates. The new implementation stems from the results of its investigation of the crash involving the Nos. 5 and 41 cars of Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Ryan Preece, respectively, last month at Talladega Superspeedway.
The updates are as follows:
• Right-side door bar gussets: Six right side bar gussets may be added in the outlined locations (see photo). The gussets will be provided to teams at no charge and aim to strengthen a welded joint to limit intrusion.
• The front clip V-brace must be removed from the assembly, which will reduce the stiffness of the front clip.
In the memo, teams were also made aware that additional chassis updates are under consideration. NASCAR will conduct two days of crash testing this week on Wednesday and Thursday at a crash-test facility in Ohio. Following this test, further chassis updates may be made.
NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Elton Sawyer noted in late April on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that his crew at the NASCAR R&D Center was working with both teams — including Larson himself — to “reenact what happened” and discover any learnings from the incident that helped lead to these enhancements.
The Cup Series returns on Monday at Charlotte for the annual Memorial Day Weekend Coca-Cola 600 (3 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
NASCAR officials confirmed Wednesday that Alex Bowman has been given medical clearance to return to competition, and his Hendrick Motorsports team indicated he will make his Cup Series comeback this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Bowman has missed the last four races with a fractured vertebra, suffered in a sprint-car crash April 25. He provided an update on his recovery May 14 at Darlington Raceway, saying he had no firm timetable then for a possible return. Team owner Rick Hendrick said the same day that Charlotte was a potential target for Bowman to be back with the No. 48 Chevrolet team.
Bowman’s Hendrick Motorsports team asked for the opportunity to gauge their driver’s readiness in a special test session. NASCAR officials granted that request as part of their medical evaluation, and Bowman drove a Cup Series car on Tuesday at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway — the site of last weekend’s NASCAR All-Star Race.
Bowman said at Darlington he anticipated that the biggest source of pain with his back injuries in competition would come from tightening his seat belts, plus any jarring motions or impact — such as on-track bumps or the car dropping off the jack during pit stops. Tuesday’s test was meant to address those concerns, and the team indicated Bowman drove 170 laps without reporting pain.
NASCAR competition officials also approved the team’s request for a medical waiver for Bowman to retain his eligibility for the Cup Series Playoffs. He is 17th in the Cup Series standings, just five points outside the cutoff mark for the provisional postseason field of 16.
Bowman’s plan to start Monday’s Coca-Cola 600 (3 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM) means he will return in the Cup Series’ longest race. Xfinity Series regular Josh Berry has filled in for the No. 48 team for the last four weeks, and he would be a logical choice for a relief driver if Bowman needs one on standby. He was listed on the preliminary entry list as the No. 48 Chevy’s driver of record.
The 32-year-old Berry has been a sub for Hendrick Motorsports in two stints so far this season. He made five starts in the team’s No. 9 Chevrolet of Chase Elliott, who sat out earlier this year with leg injuries from a snowboarding mishap. The JR Motorsports driver’s four starts in the No. 48 included last weekend’s non-points All-Star event, where Berry won the All-Star Open to qualify for the main event.
“Josh is an absolute pro,” said Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports. “His talent and hard work allowed the team to continue operating at a high level while Alex recovered. We can’t say enough about the great job he did under some challenging circumstances. We’re grateful to Josh and our partners at JRM for their support.”
Bowman led the Cup Series standings for three weeks earlier this 2023 season, with top-10 finishes in six of the first seven races. He has yet to win this year, but has two pole positions (Daytona, Richmond).
“It’s a boost for all of us to have Alex return to the No. 48 car this weekend at our home track,” team owner Rick Hendrick said in the organization’s statement. “The team is still 17th in points, which says a lot about how well he performed at the start of the year. Alex has worked hard to rehab the injury and come back strong, and I look for him to continue having a championship-caliber season.”
NASCAR penalized the No. 88 Craftsman Truck Series team of ThorSport Racing for a lug nut that was not properly secured after the Tyson 250 on Saturday at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
As a result, crew chief Shane Wilson was fined $2,500.
Matt Crafton finished seventh in the race that was won by Kyle Larson, and the three-time Truck Series champ is in seventh place in the points standings.
The Truck Series is back in action on Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 (8:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Note: NASCAR also reinstated Jeffrey Shoaf and Deandre Smith, who are eligible to return to all NASCAR activity.
True, I had been to Asheville Speedway with my uncle to see Ned Setzer race on the short track, but that experience in no way prepared me for the magnitude of Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1976.
At that point, I was prep editor and general assignment sports writer for the Charlotte Observer, and the special circumstances of the 1976 World 600 thrust me into an assignment to work the pits and garage. Never before had I seen a national-level NASCAR race in person.
Always searching for innovative ways to promote their races, Charlotte Motor Speedway chairman Bruton Smith and general manager Humpy Wheeler had arranged a ride for Janet Guthrie, who had failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, also scheduled for May 30 that year.
Wheeler convinced First Union Bank executive Lynda Ferreri to participate as the owner of record of the dark red No. 68 NAPA/Regal Ride Shocks Chevrolet Laguna Guthrie would try to qualify for the race.
My assignment in the days leading up to the race? To ask every male driver in the NASCAR Cup Series garage what they thought of a female driver competing in NASCAR’s longest race.
Many of the responses I got would have blown up the sport had social media been active 47 years ago. Some were misogynistic. Some were downright vulgar. Only about a third of the responses were fit to print in a family-friendly newspaper.
But the consensus was that Guthrie would have stamina problems in a 600-mile race run on a brutally hot day in May. Remember, this was before cool suits and air conditioners existed to mitigate the intense heat inside the cockpits.
Defying the conventional wisdom, Guthrie made the field and was running at the finish. Driving primarily in the track’s bottom lane, she came home 15th, 21 laps down.
David Pearson won the race from the pole in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Purolator Mercury, leading 230 laps and conducting a clinic on saving his equipment for the end of the marathon event, which ended under the seventh caution of the afternoon.
Richard Petty started and finished second, the only other driver on the lead lap. Cale Yarborough ran third, one lap down, after leading 108 laps. Bobby Allison was fourth, three laps down, completing a contemporaneous NASCAR version of Mt. Rushmore.
Much farther down the finishing order was Dale Earnhardt, racing for owner Walter Ballard. Earnhardt fell out because of engine failure and was 31st in the second Cup start of his career.
In fact, I met Earnhardt for the first time that week, courtesy of Observer beat writer Tom Higgins, who took the time to introduce me to all the major and minor players in the garage. Tom’s stamp of approval made my first NASCAR assignment exponentially less difficult, and for that, I’m forever grateful.
In his fourth Cup start that Sunday, Bill Elliott suffered his fourth straight DNF driving for his family team, finishing 23rd after an engine failure.
From a personal perspective, my first visit to massive Charlotte Motor Speedway changed the direction of my career. I was captivated by the sights, sounds and smells of a big-time stock car race. Over the next three years, before I took a job with the American Society of Newspaper Editors, I requested assignment as a garage reporter to NASCAR races within driving distance of Charlotte.
In those days, there was no infield media center. I typically watched the start of the race from the top of a team hauler. After that—at Charlotte, for example—I sat in a small room with three chairs behind the gas pumps, listening to the radio broadcast of the race, waiting for the next wreck.
My first duty was to interview the race runner-up as soon as he parked on pit road. Other competitors showered in a cinderblock building in Turn 4 and conducted interviews at their lockers.
Visiting the “locker room” after the National 500 in 1977, I saw the words “1976 Winston Cup Champion” clearly imprinted into the skin of Cale Yarborough’s back by the embroidery on his firesuit after 334 grueling laps at Charlotte.
At the same time, I saw the burn scars on Tom Sneva’s back, a stark reminder of his spectacular crash in the 1975 Indy 500.
Those up-close looks at the hard realities of the sport, along with the camaraderie I found among writers and competitors alike, kindled the affinity and respect I have for a sport I still write about today.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America today announced it raised more than $1.7 million after completing its 27th-anniversary ride on April 29-May 5, 2023. Funds raised directly benefit Victory Junction – a camp in Randleman, North Carolina servicing children with chronic medical illnesses. The Ride’s donation supports summer camperships, building projects and maintenance programs – including upkeep of the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Water Park.
Former NASCAR driver and racing analyst Kyle Petty led more than 125 motorcycles on a seven-day trek, covering over 1,500 miles across picturesque scenes in Nevada and Utah. The Ride started and ended in Salt Lake City and made overnight stops in Ely, Tonopah, Las Vegas, Cedar City and Moab.
All along the Ride’s 2023 route, fans came from miles around to welcome the Ride, meet celebrity riders and support the cause. Highlights included visiting the Bonneville Salt Flats, venturing down the loneliest road in America (Highway 50), taking off-road Jeep tours in Tonopah, shutting down Las Vegas Boulevard with a police escort to The Mirage, lapping the track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, riding scenic Highway 12 and Highway 14, passing through Capitol Reef National Park, receiving the first-ever key to the city in Hanksville, exploring Legends Motorcycle Museum and so much more.
“We had a phenomenal Ride! But I knew all along that Nevada and Utah would not disappoint. These are two of the most beautiful states to ride motorcycles in,” said Petty. “Everywhere we stopped, we were greeted with open arms from fans near and far. And we also had a handful of Victory Junction campers come out to see us along our route. Seeing their excitement and gratitude for our riders is incredible. It really puts into perspective what and who we are riding for. All of our miles lead to all of their smiles!”
Victory Junction has served as the Ride’s primary beneficiary since its establishment by Petty and his family in 2004 in honor of his late son, Adam. Since it first began in 1995, the Ride has raised more than $21 million for Victory Junction and other children’s charities. As a result, the Ride has helped Victory Junction mobilize resources to provide over 115,000 camp experiences for children of all levels of abilities who are living with complex medical conditions at no cost to their families.
Funds were gathered from fans along the route as part of the Ride’s “Small Change. Big Impact.” program, as well as donations made by generous sponsors, organizations and the riders themselves.
“We could not do what we do each year on the Ride without the generosity of our sponsors,” said Petty. “Some of our sponsors have been a part of the Ride since the very beginning. They do so much more than just make contributions to support our cause. From providing gifts to our riders to funding meals, fuel and/or activities, they have a genuine passion for making the Ride a memorable experience for everyone involved.”
The 2023 Ride is made possible by presenting sponsor Cox Automotive, as well as Coca-Cola, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Dodge Law, Racing Electronics, WinCraft Racing, FLUIDYNE Racing Products, Petty Family Foundation, Headbands of Hope, Piedmont Moving Systems, Wiley X, Blue Emu, Goody’s and Fuel Me.
This year’s Ride also featured several celebrity riders, including NASCAR Hall of Famer and seven-time champion Richard Petty; NASCAR legends Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace; former NFL great and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker; and NBC Sports NASCAR personality Rick Allen.
For more information about the 27th anniversary Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America or to donate, please visit www.kylepettycharityride.com.
If gratitude powered race cars, then Christopher Bell has to be an odds-on favorite to hoist Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 trophy at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota will carry a very special paint scheme – representing a very impactful organization in this year’s annual Memorial Day 600-miler. Semper Fi & America’s Fund will join longtime JGR sponsor Interstate Batteries on Bell’s Camry – a nod to an organization committed to America’s military members and their families. A group that legitimately changes lives.
And the partnership is a mutual feeling of excitement and honor for Bell and for “The Fund,” as it is called.
“There are so many things that go into Memorial Day weekend and even driving for Interstate Batteries, one of the most iconic brands in the sport of NASCAR, to be able to represent them and Semper Fi and America’s Fund. Words can’t really do justice to what it means, but I know I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity,’’ Bell said.
“Racing is obviously secondary (in the big picture). If it wasn’t for (the Fund), we wouldn’t be able to do this.”
For Army Sergeant Jason Smith – a proud second-generation member of the United States military – The Fund has been a crucial, life-changing aid since his return from a tour in Afghanistan. While deployed in 2012, Smith, 38, was critically injured in an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) attack, ultimately losing both his legs.
Photo courtesy of Joe Gibbs Racing
The Fund provided Smith with not only a mobility chair but financial help to have an adaptive vehicle customized to meet his needs as well as adapting Smith’s home to better accommodate the busy father of two. It’s now a place of hope and resilience he shares with his wife Lauren and their two children, Lauren, 8, and Bear, 6.
Although he suffered that devastating physical loss, Smith said he has adopted a vastly different outlook on life since his recovery. The help provided by The Fund made such a crucial difference in that and he is eager to share – and have NASCAR draw attention to — what that impact has meant to him and can mean to others.
“For me, personally, there’s been so many things they’ve helped me with and times I had nowhere else to go,’’ Smith said. “The Fund chooses to help and treats us all like family.
“There’s a lot of things that are uncertain and I’ve found that no matter where life takes me, Semper Fi and America’s Fund is there to help me navigate. When you’re younger and you fall, someone’s there to lend a hand and help you get up, your mother or father. It’s similar. It’s just nice to have someone there that really gets you and helps you. They treat you like family and it’s been life-changing for me. I owe them a debt of gratitude for sure.”
Smith, a decorated bodybuilder since his injury, plans to open a mobile gym called “Battleborn” – an opportunity facilitated through The Fund’s “Apprenticeship Program.’’ He’s competed in the Warrior Games and would like to qualify for the internationally-acclaimed Invictus Games – a competition for wounded service members started by Britain’s Prince Harry.
So being able to celebrate The Fund on such a huge national stage as NASCAR during such an iconic holiday weekend is something this longtime race fan is particularly excited about. He even flew from his Chattanooga home to Charlotte this week to tour the JGR shop, meet Bell and get an “all-in” look at what this partnership is all about.
“It’s something I never imagined,’’ Smith said. “It’s an amazing opportunity to really get out there and spread the word and raise the awareness for such an amazing organization. I’m just really blessed and happy to help.’’
Bell, who won on the dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway in April and sits in second place in the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings, has been particularly receptive to welcoming Smith and The Fund to his team. This will be the first time he’s had a car honor a veteran in this way and he’d like to provide the ultimate salute – in Victory Lane.
“Charlotte was one of my best races last year,’’ Bell said. “I certainly think we are capable of racing for the win this weekend and it would be really cool to get these guys into Victory Lane and see all the guests we have with us and share the victory with them. That resonates strongly. If I win, not only is it a big win for me, but there’s so many people it would help and encourage.’’
“This opportunity is amazing to me on many levels,’’ said Smith, who says his love of NASCAR started as a fan of Hall of Famer drivers Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt.
“Surface level, it’s just exciting to be able to tell people about, but on a deeper note, it’s getting the word out for other veterans that really need the help and don’t really know that there’s help there. Being able to help navigate through trials and tribulations post-injury, the fund being there helps make things so much easier to navigate.’’
And that’s ultimately what he believes this partnership with NASCAR will reinforce.
“You have the opportunity to get down and just say, ‘I’m done,’” Smith explains, his voice full of emotion.
“Anybody can give up, but it really takes true grit to push through and live the life you choose to live.’’
“If I had to sum it up to one word what Semper Fi & America’s Fund means to me, it would be: hope. They make sure we aren’t forgotten and that our needs are met.’’
daBrandon Pierce has seen the CARS Tour change tremendously since running his first race with the series back in 2017.
From weathering a global pandemic and witnessing the CARS Tour travel to different venues that include the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway, Pierce has been a loyal supporter of Jack McNelly’s vision in creating a sustainable series in which Late Model Stock Car drivers can showcase their talents to the motorsports industry.
The formation of a new ownership group consisting of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Justin Marks only reinforced Pierce’s commitment to the CARS Tour. He knows their influence will only lead to more exposure for short-track drivers like himself.
“This year probably features the most drastic changes,” Pierce said. “Instead of Jack and [competition director] Keeley [Dubensky], you have four well-known and respected people of the sport headlining the ownership. I’m proud to be a small part of it, and I’m excited to see where everything goes.”
Pierce’s motivation for initially joining the CARS Tour was simple. Even back in 2018, the series provided some of the toughest competition any Late Model Stock driver could face.
Having competed against Peyton Sellers and five-time NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series champion Philip Morris at tracks like South Boston Speedway, Pierce believed he was ready for the challenges provided by the CARS Tour but understood victories were not going to come easy.
Josh Berry, Lee Pulliam, Timothy Peters, Layne Riggs and Ty Gibbs were among the names Pierce had to deal with in his first full-time season with the CARS Tour. It would take another year for Pierce to break through for his first and only win to date, which came after he passed Berry at Southern National Motorsports Park on the last lap.
The driver roster has only improved for the CARS Tour over the years. Short-track veterans like Chad McCumbee, Brenden Queen and Mason Diaz now have a home in the series, while others like Corey Heim, Taylor Gray and Kaden Honeycutt have used the platform as a steppingstone to develop their own careers.
Pierce said a key catalyst behind the CARS Tour’s success has been the transparency McNelly and Dubensky have with the drivers, which in turn has kept organizations like JR Motorsports around through highs and growing pains.
Now that Earnhardt Jr. directly oversees business decisions with the other new owners, Pierce believes this is an ideal time to bolster the loyal CARS Tour fanbase with ideas that will keep the series thriving in modern times.
“You hear quite a bit about supporting short-track racing,” Pierce said. “Even with the social media movement these days, you still need action. Dale obviously fields cars in this series and is present at the track. He’s been involved for quite some time, but it’s cool to see those other three jump on board with him. Hopefully with everyone working together, we can see this thing take off.”
Brandon Pierce has raced in the CARS Tour since the end of 2017, having earned one victory at Southern National Motorsports Park. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)
Pierce has already started to see the positive impacts of the new ownership group. Every single Late Model Stock division has feature over 28 cars, while the CARS Tour’s Pro Late Model class has averaged just over 29 cars in its first four races this year.
The allure of competitive depth is what initially convinced Connor Hall to venture away from his home track of Langley Speedway and go full time in the CARS Tour last year. Hall’s first season in the Late Model Stock division rewarded him with three victories and a second place points finish to JR Motorsports driver Carson Kvapil.
While Hall would have loved to defeat a JR Motorsports driver for a CARS Tour championship, he said Earnhardt Jr. has been a tremendous asset for not only elevating the series’ platform, but also revitalizing short-track racing through efforts that include the return of North Wilkesboro Speedway last August.
Earnhardt Jr.’s expanded involvement with the CARS Tour has only reinforced Hall’s commitment to the series, which he believes will keep growing in both noticeable and minuscule ways through the rest of the decade.
“Dale Jr. has almost turned into the godfather of short-track racing,” Hall said. “He’s always had a very big imprint on what we do, but I felt like North Wilkesboro is where all this started. We have diecast bodies now, and iRacing is scanning a new [Late Model Stock] car.
“That might seem small, but we didn’t have any of this before, so imagine what this series will look like in the future.”
One initiative Hall hopes to see from the new ownership group is an efficient method of cutting costs for teams.
Hall has seen Late Model Stock racing grow more professional in recent years with teams bringing in paid crew members as opposed to volunteer help. Although he sees the positives in that growth, Hall is worried the trend will gradually price out smaller programs that have been a cornerstone of the discipline for decades.
The growing exposure on Late Model Stocks courtesy of Earnhardt Jr. and his fellow CARS Tour owners is something Hall believes will gradually introduce cost-effective measures that bring in more cars for the series and marquee events, but he admitted to being unsure over what such actions will look like.
For now, Hall is focused on ensuring the financial investments made into his own career pay off with results in the CARS Tour. He considers himself fortunate to be with such a strong team like Chad Bryant Racing, and he hopes the opportunity to race with them allows him to build a sustainable career regardless if he moves on from Late Model Stocks or not.
“What puts the most pressure on me to perform is I have a lot of people sacrificing a lot of things for me to be here,” Hall said. “I’m talking about both my family and my sponsors. That’s what makes me go as hard as I go, because people are giving up a portion of their livelihood to see me succeed.”
Connor Hall has made starts in the ARCA Menards Series during his career, but now has a home in the CARS Tour driving for Chad Bryant Racing (Photo: ARCA Racing)
Even if Hall does not advance into the top levels of NASCAR, he feels more comfortable about his longevity in Late Model Stocks now that so many resources are being poured into the CARS Tour.
Like Hall, Pierce plans to fully take advantage of the spotlight that’s been cast upon him and his fellow CARS Tour competitors because of the new ownership. He admitted to feeling some pressure knowing who oversees the series, but said his mindset remains unchanged about how to claim a second CARS Tour win.
McNelly and Dubensky staying involved with the CARS Tour has made the transition much easier for Pierce, as he is familiar with the standards they have established for the series and knows those are always going to be prevalent as long as they have a presence at the track and behind the scenes.
“It all comes down to loyalty on both sides,” Pierce said. “Ever since joining, I’ve really liked how [the CARS Tour] runs things and what they stand for. They are fair on the rules and keep them enforced. I know I’m competing in the most prestigious and competitive Late Model Stock Car tour there is, and as a competitor, you want to know that you’re going up against the best of the best.
“I beat one of the best [for my win] and we all know where he is now.”
Now a six-year veteran, Pierce has no idea what the CARS Tour will look like six years into the future, but he’s confident the new owners are going to build upon a sturdy foundation that will further reinforce the goals McNelly laid out when he started the series nearly a decade ago.
For the seventh time in series history, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour heads to Lee USA Speedway this Saturday night for the running of the Granite State Derby.
The event, a JDV Productions race, also serves as Round 2 of the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup, a special bonus program offering participating teams more than $15,000 in bonus money.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour debuted at Lee USA Speedway in 1993, with Tour legend Reggie Ruggiero picking up the victory. Jamie Tomaino, Tim Connolly, Rick Fuller and Ed Flemke Jr. scored victories in the years that followed before a lengthy hiatus by the Tour at the 0.375-mile oval. Doug Coby triumphed in the Tour’s return to the track in 2022.
Tickets to Saturday’s Granite State Derby are available here. Below is everything you need to know about the fifth race of the 2023 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.
Granite State Derby at Lee USA Speedway
What to watch for:
Momentum is on the side of Justin Bonsignore, who enters Saturday’s Granite State Derby as the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship leader following his victory Sunday at Riverhead Raceway.
He’ll be looking to continue that positive momentum this weekend at Lee USA Speedway, one of a few tracks on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule where Bonsignore has never won.
Major competition is expected to come from Doug Coby, the defending Granite State Derby winner who was never in contention last week at Riverhead following an early penalty that trapped him two laps down.
Ron Silk enters the Granite State Derby one point behind Bonsignore in the battle for the Tour championship. Silk dominated the most recent race at Riverhead but lost the lead to Bonsignore late and was forced to settle for second. Defending Tour champion Jon McKennedy finished second at Lee USA Speedway last year and will try to do one spot better this weekend.
Matt Hirschman, who led a race-high 100 laps last year at Lee USA Speedway, returns to Tour competition after being forced to miss the most recent event at Riverhead due to a scheduling conflict. Austin Beers, who enters Saturday’s race third in the series standings, will also be in the field and should be considered a potential threat to win.
Jake Johnson, back at the wheel of the Ole Blue No. 3 for Boehler Racing Enterprises, returns to the site of his first NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour pole one year ago. He led three laps and finished fifth last year, which could be a good omen ahead of Saturday’s race.
Other notable entries include Anthony Nocella, Woody Pitkat, Tommy Catalano, Sam Rameau, Craig Lutz, Tyler Rypkema and Kyle Bonsignore.
Cars in action during the Inaugural Granite State Derby presented by USA Insulation for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, New Hampshire on May 21, 2022. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
Schedule: Saturday, May 27 … Final practice from 1:40 – 2:25 p.m. ET … Qualifying at 6:30 p.m. ET … Race at 7:45 p.m. ET
Qualifying: Two consecutive qualifying laps. Faster lap determines qualifying position. Adjustments or repairs may not be made on the vehicle after the vehicle has taken the green flag at the start/finish line. NASCAR reserves the right to have more than one vehicle engage in qualifying runs at the same time. Starting field for the Granite State Derby is limited to 28 starters including Provisional Positions.
Tire allotment:The maximum tire allotment available for this event is fourteen (14) tires per team. All tires used for qualifying and the race must be purchased at the track and scanned by Hoosier, unless otherwise approved in advance by the Series Director. Four (4) tires must be used for qualifying and to begin the race. All qualifying tires must remain in impound until released by NASCAR Officials. The remaining tire allotment may be used for practice and/or change tires during the event. The tire change rule is six (6) tires, any position.
What to watch for:
