NASCAR TV schedule: Week of Jan. 30-Feb. 5, 2023

Posted on January 29, 2023January 31, 2023 by Staff Report

Which channels have NASCAR programming this week? We answer that and give the weekly NASCAR television listings here in the NASCAR TV schedule.

Note: All times are ET.

Monday, Jan. 30
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
7 p.m., NASCAR RaceHub Special: 75 Years of Racing (re-air), FS1
8 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series 2022 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum (re-air), FS1
10 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FS1
11 p.m., Greatest Races: NASCAR Cup Series 2005 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1

Tuesday, Jan. 31
2 a.m., Greatest Races: NASCAR 2007 Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
5 a.m., NASCAR Race Classic: The 1997 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: 2022 Championship Show (re-air), FS2
8 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series 2022 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum (re-air), FS2
10 p.m., NASCAR Presents: Best of Features 2022 (re-air), FS2
11 p.m., NASCAR Presents Beyond the Wheel: The Ernie Irvan Story (re-air), FS2

Wednesday, Feb. 1
Midnight, NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Radioactive 2022 (re-air), FS2
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Thursday, Feb. 2
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Friday, Feb. 3
1:30 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series 2022 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum (re-air), FS2
3:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Season Preview (re-air), FS2
4:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: 75 Years of Racing (re-air), FS2
5:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Radioactive: All-Star (re-air), FS2
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
7 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: 2022 Championship Show (re-air), FS1
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Season Preview (re-air), FS1

Saturday, Feb. 4
6 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: 2022 Championship Show (re-air), FS1
6:30 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series 2022 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum (re-air), FS1
8:30 a.m., Greatest Races: NASCAR Cup Series 2004 Subway 400 at Rockingham Speedway (re-air), FS1
9 a.m., IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge at Daytona (re-air), CNBC
6 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum practice, FS1
8 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub Weekend Edition, FS1
8:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum qualifying, FS1

On MRN:
6 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Busch Light Clash practice and qualifying

Sunday, Feb. 5
7:30 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum practice (re-air), FS1
9:30 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum qualifying (re-air), FS1
4 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FOX
5 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum qualifying races, FOX
7 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FOX
8 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, FOX

On MRN:
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum

Posted on January 29, 2023January 31, 2023 by Holly Cain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The debut of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s newest class not only lived up to expectations, but arguably outperformed them with one of the most dramatic runs to the Rolex 24 at Daytona overall victory in recent memory. It all unfolded in front of a rapt international television audience and a record crowd at Daytona International Speedway.

Meyer Shank Racing’s Tom Blomqvist drove the pole-winning No. 60 Acura ARX-06 to a 4.190-second victory, to win the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class win in the first race with hybrid-powered prototypes. It was the second consecutive and third overall Rolex 24 victory for the Meyer Shank team, which led a race-best 365 of the 783 laps, crossing the stripe 4.190 seconds ahead of Filipe Albuquerque in the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 from Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport.

ROLEX 24: Full race results | Photos from Daytona

The Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-LMDh cars from Chip Ganassi Racing finished third (with driver Renger van der Zande in the No. 01) and fourth (Earl Bamber in the No. 02). The top four cars were separated by 11.176 seconds after 24 hours of racing on the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway road course.

“I knew we had a fantastic car, unbelievable,’’ said an excited Blomqvist, who won the 2022 Rolex 24 in his first race with Meyer Shank and went on to collect the Daytona Prototype international (DPi) class championship. “I just have to say, a massive ‘well done’ to everyone who’s been a part of this project.

“What a car we’ve built and I’m so grateful to be able to drive that and be trusted with the duty to take it to the finish. Amazing, I was a bit nervous because the (No.) 10 car was definitely the second fastest car when it came down to it. But yeah, we held it off and had to take it to another level to secure this victory.’’

Blomqvist shared the car in the race with Colin Braun, Helio Castroneves and Simon Pagenaud, the latter duo also part of last year’s Rolex 24 triumph. Today’s victory, in fact, is Castroneves’ third straight in the iconic race, tying late sports car legend Peter Gregg for most consecutive overall victories in sports car racing’s renowned season opener.

“This team is amazing. This is absolutely a dream come true,’’ Castroneves, the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner said after once again convincing his teammates and team owners Mike Shank and Jim Meyer to climb the track fence in celebration. “So happy to start the year like that and keep it going.’’

Pagenaud, Castroneves’ teammate on the Meyer Shank IndyCar team, was also all smiles, earning his second straight Rolex winner’s watch.

“I think I’m getting used to it,’’ he joked, adding, “I’ll tell you what, it was tough out there but it was fun. I’m going to savor this one.”

The MSR No. 60 Acura led the final 97 laps despite having to repair the gearbox midrace and worrying whether it would indeed make it to the end. It marks the third straight Rolex 24 overall victory for Acura, which also won with the WTRAndretti team in 2021.

Nine hybrid prototypes made the highly anticipated debut of the GTP class in the race. All but one were still running at the finish, including the top six overall finishers, an impressive outing for a car making its first competitive showing in one of the longest, most grueling events on the schedule.

The celebratory feeling went from track to pits to company brass. The first win in a totally new car elicited both relief and confidence. The finish of the race, the reliability and competitiveness a good sign for all.

“It feels unbelievable,’’ said David Salters, president of Honda Performance Development (HPD), which developed the race winner. “The real privilege is to work with those people (Acura teams) and achieve days like today. We all know it doesn’t happen all the time. Was it worth it? It’s been two years and I think it’s the best thing I’ve been involved in in my whole life.

“If that isn’t a demonstration of precision-crafted performance, I don’t know what is,’’ Salters added. “It’s a landmark moment. It’s the pinnacle of sports car racing.”

READ MORE: Complete class recaps from Daytona

Scoring the LMP2 class victory was the No. 55 Proton Competition ORECA LMP2 07 by just 0.016 seconds as James Allen bested Ben Hanley with a phenomenal last-lap dash. Fred Poordad, Francesco Pizzi and Gianmaria Bruni aided the No. 55 to victory. Rick Ware Racing’s No. 51 car, featuring 2022 Daytona 500 champion Austin Cindric, finished sixth in the class along with drivers Pietro Fittipaldi, Devlin Defrancesco and Eric Lux.

WATCH: LMP2 battle comes down to photo finish

The No. 17 AWA Duquiene D08 entrant piloted by Wayne Boyd, Anthony Mantella, Nico Varrone and Thomas Merrill took the win in LMP3 by a healthy 12-lap margin.

In GTD Pro, Maro Engel, Cooper MacNeil, Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon wheeled the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 to the class win by 3.916 seconds over the No. 3 Corvette Racing entry. Marco Sorenson, Roman De Angelis, Ian James and Darren Turner drove the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team’s Aston Martin Vintage to the class victory in GTD by 5.363 seconds over the No. 44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin Vintage.

Contributing: Staff reports.

Posted on January 28, 2023January 31, 2023 by Zack Albert

Officials with the Garage 56 project announced a driver roster Saturday for the entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, tapping veterans Jimmie Johnson, Jenson Button and Mike Rockenfeller to share the modified Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in this year’s 100th-anniversary edition of the sports-car classic.

The three drivers were introduced Saturday morning at Daytona International Speedway, just hours before the start of IMSA’s season-opening Rolex 24 endurance race. The Garage 56 entry — a collaboration among NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear that is based on the Cup Series’ Next Gen car — is set to race at Le Mans on Jun. 10-11 as a special-invitation entrant.

“Since the beginning of the Garage 56 project, it has been our goal to partner with the top racers in the world to represent us in Le Mans,” said Jim France, NASCAR chairman and CEO. “The lineup of Jimmie, ‘Rocky’ and Jenson is everything we could have dreamed of — three elite drivers who have won at the highest levels of motorsports worldwide. As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of NASCAR, we are honored to have these world-class champions help bring the sights and sounds of a NASCAR race car to fans in Le Mans, and across the world.”

The trio represents a well-tenured group known for success in a variety of motorsports disciplines — Johnson primarily in stock-car racing, Button from his winning background in Formula 1, and Rockenfeller as an ace from the world of sports and touring cars. Each of the three have expanded their portfolios in recent years, crossing over into other racing series, and all three are scheduled to participate in a two-day test Tuesday and Wednesday at Daytona.

Johnson’s name is the most familiar for stock-car fans as a seven-time champion of NASCAR’s top division. The 83-time Cup Series winner is returning to NASCAR this year, partly in a team ownership role with Legacy Motor Club and as a part-time driver. He turned his first laps in the Next Gen model during testing earlier this week at Phoenix Raceway, and he also assisted in shaking down the Garage 56 test car at Sebring International Raceway last month.

Johnson retired from full-time NASCAR driving duties after the 2020 season. Since then, the 47-year-old California native spent most of the last two seasons in IndyCar, but also branched into a limited schedule of sports-car competition. Overall, Johnson has made nine starts in the Rolex 24, including teaming with Rockenfeller the last two seasons.

“I’m super thrilled,” Johnson said in a news release. “It’s been at the top of my bucket list to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans someday. To have this opportunity come — and to partner with everybody and this driver lineup — is truly an incredible opportunity and one that I am thankful to be a part of.”

Rockenfeller has been the primary driver during Garage 56 testing, bringing a rich sports-car pedigree to the project. The 39-year-old German veteran has two Le Mans wins — an overall title in 2010 and a class victory in 2005 — and is a multi-time champion in Europe’s touring car and GT circuits. He also drove on the winning Rolex 24 team in 2010.

This year’s effort will mark Rockenfeller’s 11th appearance in the 24 Hours of Le Mans field. He expanded to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut last year, joining Spire Motorsports for appearances at Watkins Glen International and Charlotte Motor Speedway’s road course.

“It has been a great journey so far with the whole team and project,” Rockenfeller said. “To be involved as a driver from Day 1 until now was already a great honor, and to now have Jimmie and Jenson alongside me as teammates in Le Mans is unbelievable.”

MORE: Scenes from Garage 56 testing at VIR

Button, 43, is a 15-time Grand Prix winner and the 2009 Formula One champion. The British star also has one start in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, sharing driving duties in an SMP Racing entry that retired early with engine failure.

Since the end of his F1 career, Button has competed in the Japan-based Super GT Series, winning the championship as a rookie in 2018. He has also expanded his involvement into vintage racing and rallycross.

“As a lifelong racing fan, I have always dreamed of racing certain cars, with and against certain drivers and competing in certain events,” Button said. “In June, a number of those dreams will come true in one event when I get to bring NASCAR to the world stage alongside my pals Jimmie and ‘Rocky’ at the 100th running of the most prestigious race in the world. I’m really looking forward to sharing this journey with NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, and current and future NASCAR fans from around the world.”

The announcement also came with news that three-time IMSA champion Jordan Taylor will join the Garage 56 effort as a reserve driver and a driver coach. Taylor has made four appearances on the podium at Le Mans, including a GT class win in the 2015 edition.

Posted on January 28, 2023January 31, 2023 by Holly Cain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It’s not necessarily the warm beach air or laidback Jimmy Buffett-vibe of Daytona Beach that captures Austin Cindric’s heart when he arrives in Florida each January. It’s a far faster beat that moves him and there’s nowhere else he’d rather be this week.

The 24-year-old NASCAR star fully concedes that from the moment he drove through the tunnel at Daytona International Speedway for this weekend’s 61st Rolex 24 at Daytona IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season-opener, he felt that familiar special relationship he’s developed with the famed track.

MORE: 2023 Rolex 24 race coverage, info | History of NASCAR drivers in Rolex 24

His dramatic victory in the Team Penske No. 2 Ford in the 2022 Daytona 500 – as a NASCAR Cup Series rookie, no less – immediately placed him among the all-time laurels at the historic facility. This week he’d like to elevate his standing even more by winning in the Rolex 24’s LMP2 prototype class, which would mark the first time in history a driver has won the Daytona 500 and taken a Rolex 24 class victory in the same 12-month span of time.

For Cindric, this week’s sportscar opportunity is a result of his love-love relationship between the two major auto racing events, the Rolex 24 (Saturday, 1:40 p.m. ET, NBC) and the Daytona 500 – so much so, that fondness and his success have created a bit of an identity crisis.

“It’s funny, here I guess I’m known as the NASCAR guy now, or at least I’m waving the flag as the only one here (in the Rolex 24),’’ Cindric said. “But in NASCAR, I’m still known as the road-racing guy. So either way, it’s really cool and special to have that response. I guess that’s what it’s all about, why this place was built.

“This kind of feels like home in some ways. I’ve been coming to Daytona a lot longer for this race (Rolex 24) than I have for the 500 or NASCAR Speedweeks. So when I get on the speedway for the first time for qualifying in the Cup car, I blow by the bus stop (the road course chicane) and feel like I’ve missed the corner – so much so that my heart sinks a little bit and then I realize I am on the correct line. That’s how used to this (Rolex) weekend I am.”

Cindric will co-drive the LMP2 Class No. 51 Rick Ware Racing ORECA LMP2 07 with defending Rolex class winners Devlin Defrancesco and Eric Lux and highly-touted young driver Pietro Fittipaldo, grandson of Indy 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi. It marks the first race of a full-time 2023 IMSA entry for Ware, who also owns a NASCAR Cup Series team and fields cars in the NHRA and IndyCar series as well,

Often as Cindric spoke to the media in Daytona Beach during last week’s Rolex 24 test session, the Daytona 500 winner commented and gazed at his teammate Lux’s Rolex watch – a trophy for Lux’s 2022 LMP2 class win in the Rolex. It’s something Cindric wants badly. And has for years.

This weekend marks Cindric’s fifth start in the Rolex 24; the team’s car will roll off sixth in LMP2 and 14th overall on the 61-car grid. Cindric’s previous best Rolex finish is fifth in the GT3 class – in 2019 and 2022.

“I think the first step (to winning) is having a really good (driver) lineup, especially in a category where the car is essentially ‘spec,’ “Cindric explained. “I think we have a really strong lineup. There are a few lineups right now that are strong and I think we are one of them. So just going through the progression. Happy to be part of it.

“Eric and I have wanted to put something together for a few years now and it’s kinda cool to pull that off and I’m excited for the race.”

His teammates are equally confident and committed.

“When this whole deal came together, I was really excited and confident with the team we have, Rick Ware Racing and my teammates, Austin and Pietro and Eric,’’ Defrancesco said. “Pietro has been very strong over in Europe so he’s got a ton of experience in the car. Austin has the talent and has driven many different race cars and been fast in many different race cars. And Eric did a very, very good job last year with me here, so I think we have a very good shot.”

That’s exactly what Cindric wants to hear as he attempts to join a legendary list of Daytona 500 winners who have also won in class in the Rolex 24 – Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Jamie McMurray and Jeff Gordon.

“I want to win this race,’’ Cindric said. “That’s why I put so much work in. That’s why with the schedule we have (in NASCAR) I don’t care about sacrificing my last two weeks of offseason because this is something I’m really passionate about. I’m not passionate about just doing the event, I want to go win it.

“I’m not going to do something or be part of something I don’t think has the legs to be able to do it and between the lineup and the experience a lot of the team guys have, I think this has that potential. And it’s fun because I feel this lineup itself represents what makes this event fun for everybody.

“You’ve got one guy from NASCAR, one guy from Formula One, one guy whose IMSA, one guy from IndyCar and that’s what this event is all about, it’s a coming together of the people and individuals of motorsports and I see so many familiar faces here, people I only get to see once a year anymore that I’ve worked with and raced against. … I’m pretty hungry for the win and most importantly to get a cool watch like Eric has on.”

Posted on January 27, 2023January 31, 2023 by Holly Cain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. –NASCAR driver Harrison Burton held off hard-charging sports car veteran Spencer Pumpelly by a slight 0.688 seconds to earn the overall victory in Friday’s BMW M Endurance Challenge, the season-opening IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race on the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway road course.

Pumpelly, who co-drove with Jeroen Bleekemolen and Tom Collingwood, moved the No. 83 BGB Motorsports Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport from fifth place to second in the final 30 minutes of the four-hour race, applying pressure on Burton as he cut into the lead with each lap.

But the 22-year-old Burton – who drives the famed No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series – steered mistake-free, high-pressure circuits of his own in the No. 42 PF Racing Ford Mustang GT4 to ensure he and teammate Zane Smith – the 2022 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion making his IMSA debut – became the first NASCAR regulars to take the victory in this race.

2021 Truck Series champion Ben Rhodes and fellow NASCAR Truck Series driver Hailie Deegan finished third in the No. 41 PF Racing Mustang to complete the podium for the 32-car Grand Sport (GS) class.

Smith, 23, qualified an impressive third and moved forward immediately on the start, holding a sizable lead with just under three hours remaining. Late pit strategy by the competition, however, shifted the lineup as the No. 41 Mustang pitted to change drivers – Smith out and Burton in – just past the midpoint.

Burton ran third with just under 50 minutes to go, steadily making his way forward. He took the lead for good when leader Elliott Skeer in the No. 47 Nolasport Porsche had to retire with 22 minutes remaining.

“I felt like I was a little bummed out early because we got shuffled back a little after the first pit stop,’’ said Burton, making his second start in the race. “It was taking me a little bit to get back to the lead, and I was like, ‘I don’t want to be the guy that lets the team down and not finish the race off like we should.

“But a few restarts came our way, and I kinda shuffled my way through there. A lot of hard racing,’’ he added with a grin. “Pretty similar to NASCAR racing, to be honest with you, the amount of bumping and aggressive dive bombs and stuff. I felt kinda home in that. That was fun.”

Smith, who will attempt to make his first Daytona 500 start in February, gave a thumbs-up to his friend Burton’s work.

“Watching Harrison at the end with Spencer coming had me shaking in my boots, but he didn’t make a mistake,’’ Smith said, delighting in the win at the famous track. “If you can win anything at Daytona, whether it’s a dirt bike or a go-kart or a stock car and now a GT4 Mustang is just so dang cool.

“Daytona just brings such a different vibe than really any other race track. Not only to win at Daytona but in our first start is just so cool.’’

Posted on January 27, 2023 by Press Release

LOS ANGELES – The Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum is NASCAR’s first event of its 75th anniversary season. It’s also going to be a party for the ages.

That’s because NASCAR announced today that global DJ phenomenon Cheat Codes will perform during the caution breaks of its season-opening celebration and join forces with global superstar Dixie D’Amelio for a special performance of “I’ll Remember.”

Combined with a pre-race performance by Cypress Hill and a race-break performance by Wiz Khalifa, this addition creates a power-packed lineup of entertainment to accompany the stars and cars of the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday, Feb. 5.

“Adding Cheat Codes and Dixie D’Amelio to the lineup of entertainment takes the Busch Light Clash to the next level,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s senior vice president for racing development and strategy. “They are current artists with a global reach that numbers in the billions. Their addition to the Busch Light Clash takes this event to the next level.”

Cheat Codes is considered an inescapable musical force hopscotching through genres of electronic, dance, pop and now country. The Los Angeles trio’s impact of innovation and collaboration throughout popular culture has produced a total stream tally eclipsing a staggering 6 billion plays. Their diverse discography includes the platinum Pop Radio Top 5 smash “No Promises” (feat. Demi Lovato), the gold certified “Feels Great” (feat. Fetty Wap & CVBZ), and gold-selling breakout “SEX” with Kriss Kross Amsterdam.

Dixie D’Amelio is a multifaceted talent whose music has topped 625 million streams to date and a social media reach eclipsing 100 million followers. In addition, she has a successful TV show on Hulu (The D’Amelio Show), her own clothing brand with Hollister, Social Tourist, and brand partnerships with Puma, Valentino, Burberry, and more. She is one of the top 10 most followed creators on TikTok and was named one of YouTube’s Top 10 Breakout Creators of 2020 with one of the fastest growing channels globally. Her entrepreneurship combined with her influence on social media, has earned her coveted spots on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 and Forbes’ top creators list as well as, AdWeek’s Young Influentials and Variety’s Power of Young Hollywood Impact List.

In 2020, Dixie’s debut single “Be Happy” landed on the US Top 40 and Billboard’s Top Triller U.S. chart within a week and garnered more than 300 million streams. Most recently, her collaboration with Cheat Codes, and country singer Russell Dickerson on a remix of the hit song “I Remember (Dixie Remix)” has propelled her to even greater heights. On Nov. 4, 2022, Dixie made a cameo at Marquee Nightclub in New York City and joined Cheat Codes on stage for a surprise performance of the single.

Now, the powerhouses will join forces again at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for an unforgettable day of NASCAR racing and entertainment.

Tickets for the 2023 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum begin at $65, and kids 12-and-under are $10. Fans who want to take their race-day experience to the next level can upgrade to the Ally Pre-Race Party, which includes brunch, a drink ticket for Busch & Coca-Cola products, exclusive entertainment, a pre-race trackwalk and a special appearance from driver Alex Bowman. Fans are encouraged to get their tickets now while supplies last by visiting www.nascarclash.com. It’s one of the many anticipated events taking place this year as a part of the venue’s centennial anniversary celebration – “Coliseum Forever.”

College students can experience the Busch Light Clash from The Coca-Cola Torch Party Porch for just $40. This standing-room-only general admission section, located on the Coliseum’s peristyle steps, provides college students with up-close access to all the musical entertainment, driver introductions and racing action. College students can take advantage of this exclusive offer by visiting www.nascarclash.com/student.

Posted on January 27, 2023 by Staff Report

On Saturday, NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports will announce the driver lineup scheduled to compete as the Garage 56 entry in the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The announcement will come at 11 a.m. ET and will be streamed live on NASCAR.com via Press Pass.

Additionally, the Garage 56 entry, built and fielded in partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, will hit the Daytona International Speedway road course for a test on Tuesday, Jan. 31.

The announcement precedes the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway, scheduled to begin at 1:40 p.m. ET on Saturday on NBC.

WATCH STREAM: Press Pass

Posted on January 27, 2023 by Press Release

MILFORD, Conn. — Doug Coby and Tommy Baldwin Racing jointly announced today that Coby will pilot the historic No. 7NY for a full-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour campaign in 2023.

Set to compete in the 19-race schedule that begins in February at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway, the team will carry primary sponsorship from Mayhew Tools, a sponsor that has been with Coby since 2017 and is happy to make the move with him to TBR.

The partnership between team owner Tommy Baldwin Jr. and Coby will allow the six-time series champion to chase a seventh championship while also allowing Baldwin to try and continue his incredible run of success with his team. In 2022, Baldwin won the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour owners championship with three different drivers, including Coby. The Milford, Connecticut, veteran won three races with Baldwin in 2022, including two straight early in the season at Lee USA Speedway and Riverhead Raceway, and another at Langley Speedway.

Baldwin is excited to get work with Coby again, this time on a full-time basis.

“We worked together for the first time last year, and it sparked success right from the first laps we had together on the track,” Baldwin said. “Doug is a proven champion who knows how to be there at the end of races and the end of the year when it comes time to crown a champion. His record speaks for itself. With the year we had in 2022, we are looking forward to building on all of our success and putting ourselves back at the front again in 2023. Having Doug pilot the 7NY with the assistance of Mayhew Tools is a great opportunity for us.”

Coby sits inside the top six on the all-time wins on the Tour with 34 victories to go along with his six titles. He has finished inside the top 10 in points in 12 consecutive seasons including in 2022, when he competed in 12 of the series’ 16 events driving nine races for Baldwin and three for his own team.

Mayhew Tools has been a major supporter of Coby in the last five years, including sponsoring his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2021. Mayhew also sponsors the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour pole award at each event during the season.

“Mayhew Tools and I have a great relationship, with the goal being to bring brand awareness to the Mayhew name through our partnership on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour,” Coby said. “I’ve been fortunate to have them with me at Mike Smeriglio Racing, my own team Doug Coby Racing, and now next season with Tommy Baldwin Racing.

“Tommy’s family history in the Modifieds and his notoriety in NASCAR gives us a chance to get even more eyes on the Mayhew logo, and right now Tommy’s preparing the fastest cars in the pit area, so teaming up with Tommy full-time on the Tour in 2023 is a huge opportunity for us. Chasing my seventh NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship behind the wheel of the 7NY is a pretty neat story, and I can’t wait to build on the success we already found together last season.”

The 2023 Whelen Modified Tour season will begin at New Smyrna Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 11. Spread across eight states, the season will end in Virginia at Martinsville Speedway on Thursday, Oct. 26. The series will visit many of New England’s staple race tracks, including Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, Seekonk Speedway, Monadnock Speedway and more, while also helping to headline weekends with NASCAR National Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Richmond Raceway and Martinsville Speedway, among others.

“Mayhew Tools has been a supporter of Doug Coby and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour pole award for many years, and we have had a tremendous amount of success in the past with Doug and his race teams,” said John Lawless, President of Mayhew Tools. “Last year was only a partial season for both Doug and Mayhew, but we are really looking forward to supporting the combination of Doug and Tommy Baldwin Racing for a full season on the Whelen Modified Tour.

“We think they’re going to be a team that will certainly contend for many wins and a championship this season, and we are excited to help them work together on a full-time basis.”

Posted on January 27, 2023 by Staff Report

Alpha Prime Racing announced Friday that Rajah Caruth will return for a partial schedule in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season.

Caruth ran seven races for the Tommy Joe Martins-owned organization last season, recording a best finish of 12th place at Martinsville Speedway last October. The 20-year-old driver is also set for his first full season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this year; his agreement with GMS Racing was announced last December.

RELATED: 2023 Xfinity Series schedule

“Rajah is a special young race car driver who is exactly the type of person we want in our building,” APR vice president David Schildhouse said in a team release. “Keeping him here at Alpha Prime Racing for his Xfinity starts was a top priority for us this offseason. We look at Rajah as a vital part of our future and look forward to giving him the best tools possible to continue his growth in this sport.”

Caruth returns to an expanding driver roster for Alpha Prime, which will attempt to grow to a three-car effort in the Xfinity Series this season. Jeffrey Earnhardt is set to drive the APR No. 44 Chevrolet full-time, and Caruth joins Ryan Ellis, Sage Karam, Stefan Parsons and Leland Honeyman Jr. among drivers set to run select Xfinity events for the organization in 2023. Ellis’ deal is set for at least 24 of the season’s 33 races.

The team indicated that a schedule of Caruth’s events and sponsorship details would be announced at a later date.

“I’m so enthused to bolster my NASCAR schedule this year by returning to Alpha Prime Racing for some Xfinity races,” Caruth said. “Tommy and his family took a chance on me before I had even ran an ARCA race, and to represent them as well as Caesar (Bacarella), his family and every man and woman in the APR fold is a blessing. I can’t wait to build on the finishes we put together late last year and continue to show what both myself and this team is capable of.”

Posted on January 27, 2023February 9, 2023 by Jerry Bonkowski

Editor’s Note: Today’s Front Row Motorsports preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2023 Cup Series season, ranked in reverse order of best finish in last year’s owner standings.

FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Manufacturer: Ford
Engine: Roush Yates
Driver-crew chief pairings: Michael McDowell-Travis Peterson (No. 34), Todd Gilliland-Ryan Bergenty (No. 38).

Team outlook: Front Row Motorsports has all the ingredients for success, and 2023 should be a better season than 2022. This will be the 19th season in the Cup Series for the organization. It has made the Cup playoffs just twice: Chris Buescher in 2016 (finished last in the 16-car field) and Michael McDowell in 2021 (also finished last in the 16-car field). The team – especially McDowell – has improved significantly over the last couple of years, particularly in 2022 when the man known as “Big Mac” recorded a career- and team-best 12 top-10 finishes. If the new driver-crew chief combos mesh well, there is no reason not to think that at least one – if not both – of the two FRM cars make the playoffs in 2023.

MICHAEL MCDOWELL, NO. 34, FORD

Experience: 11th full-time season in NASCAR Cup Series.
2022 stats: 23rd in final standings; 0 wins, 2 top fives, 12 top 10s
2023 championship odds (BetMGM): 350-1

Outlook: Even though he didn’t make the playoffs like he did the year before, McDowell – the veteran of 429 career Cup starts with one win, seven top-five and 29 top-10 finishes – had his best season ever in Cup from an overall performance perspective when it comes to race finishes. Sure, he didn’t get a win, and his 23rd-place showing in the final standings looks somewhat mediocre, but his 12 top-10 finishes (he’s never had more than five top-10 finishes in a season before) says a lot about how strong this team can be. It just needs a little more luck and potentially a different (and maybe more aggressive) pit strategy from new crew chief Travis Peterson. McDowell is always a threat to win at superspeedways like Daytona and Talladega and is one of the more underrated road course drivers. The 38-year-old Arizona native could be one of the biggest sleepers this season, provided his team keeps him on the right track.

TODD GILLILAND, NO. 38, FORD

Experience: 2nd full-time season in NASCAR Cup Series.
2022 stats: 28th in final standings; 0 wins, 1 top five, 2 top 10s
2023 championship odds (BetMGM): 1,000-1

Outlook: Gilliland had a difficult rookie season in the Cup Series in 2022, earning just one top-five finish and two top 10s. That’s not totally unusual, given the fact he jumped from the Truck Series (where he earned three wins, 27 top-five and 53 top-10 finishes in 94 starts) directly to Cup, bypassing more seasoning in the Xfinity Series. He was a poor qualifier (27.5 average start) and was a mid-pack finisher most of the season (23.2 average finish). Admittedly, 2022 was a learning year for the son of former NASCAR driver David Gilliland. And while NASCAR Cup historically has a rough outlook for drivers in their sophomore seasons, it’s very possible Gilliland can improve and finish the season in the top 20. It’s unlikely he’ll make the playoffs, but improvement would definitely appear to be on the menu.

Editor’s note (Feb. 9, 2023): It was recently announced that Gilliland would no longer be competing in the full season driving the No. 38 FRM entry in the Cup Series. While Gilliland is slated to remain the primary driver for the team, the previous statistical and performance-based outlook did not have the relevant information to take this into account.

NASCAR.com 2023 team previews schedule

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