Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sim racing performed on its grandest stage Tuesday night and delivered an event to remember.

The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series held its championship finale at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, in front of a crowd that gathered to watch virtual racing on its real-life counterpart’s hallowed ground — with winner Casey Kirwan taking home an astounding $100,000 championship prize.

RELATED: More eNASCAR coverage

There to present the trophy was none other than NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., iRacing’s executive director and a key sim racing leader who helped design the championship trophy that bears his name to resemble Cup Series trophies of decades past. The moment was a far cry from the 1990s when Earnhardt was racking up high Internet bills while racing online himself before his NASCAR career skyrocketed.

On Tuesday, hors d’oeuvres circulated the main hall as drinks flowed among the spectators while four drivers competed on a stage in front of the championed cars of Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.

A general view of the NASCAR Hall of Fame as championship competitors race for the eNASCAR iRacing championship.
James Thomas | NASCAR Studios

“This is just confirmation and the result of years of trying to be an advocate or an asset to sim racing, and a lot of people working really hard to create something really special,” Earnhardt Jr. told NASCAR.com. “And also, I think we’ve got to be thankful for all the development team, and everybody that creates the software to be able to get it to a point to where [the] NASCAR industry starts to look at it as an asset, starts to look at it as a way to connect to a certain demographic. That’s really what we’re seeing here is the NASCAR industry really embrace it.”

After being welcomed by the Carolina Panthers’ drumline outside the Hall of Fame, fans and spectators encompassed the main corridor of the hall, all in awe of how far iRacing has come. Fans, along with families of the drivers, cheered as Kirwan made the title-winning pass on Bobby Zalenski, bringing an immediate smile to Kirwan’s face though more than 25 laps remained.

TJ Majors, spotter of the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford, entered sim racing on the ground floor along with Earnhardt Jr., the driver he previously spotted for. The enthusiasm for virtual competition felt Tuesday night once seemed unfathomable. Suddenly, it’s tangible.

“Man, where was this 20, 25 years ago?” Majors laughed. “I mean, this is awesome, man. It’s $100 grand to win this championship, so I can’t even — that’s life-changing for one of these kids, man. But it’s great to see it. We’ve got a huge trophy over here now that’s … gonna mean something. It’s pretty awesome looking. It’s like an old Cup trophy. I mean, you got a Hall of Famer here giving the command. And this is a big production. So it’s pretty cool to see it grow to this and to see this many real-world drivers involved and real race teams.”

Anthony Alfredo, driver of the No. 23 Our Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, helps run the XSET iRacing team that Kirwan competes for and was in attendance to celebrate as the champion co-owner. Alfredo credits the simulation service for his rapid ascension through the stock-car ranks and was struck by the significance of this championship event.

“It’s definitely huge for not just the sim racing industry as a whole but motorsports because I’m one of actually a few drivers now that made the transition from sim to reality, started their career on a computer,” Alfredo said. “So this is just really cool to see guys racing for a world championship tonight, and to be a part of it on the team side with XSET gaming and Casey Kirwan is huge.”

Rajah Caruth is one of the most recent examples of the sim’s success, jumping on iRacing after seeing William Byron’s rise from iRacer to NASCAR Xfinity Series champion — the same Byron who can clinch a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway (2 p.m. ET, NBC, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

“I didn’t grow up going to the race track. I was born in Atlanta, raised in DC, away from racing,” Caruth said. “The only reason why I have any sort of driving ability is really due to the sim. So that shows the legitimacy of the platform.”

Also on hand was Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford in the NASCAR Cup Series. Stewart-Haas eSports competitor Steven Wilson was among the Championship 4 contenders in the iRacing Series, and Smithfield, primary sponsor of both Wilson and Almirola, has taken notice of the value iRacing’s platform can provide.

“They understand the value, and they know that they can reach a younger demographic of the NASCAR fan by being involved in iRacing,” Almirola said. “And it’s a great opportunity to stay engaged with our fans and the consumers of their products and reach that younger demographic.”

eNASCAR iRacing championship contenders flank the trophy
James Thomas | NASCAR Studios

Steve Myers, the executive vice president of iRacing, stood gobsmacked at the success of the event as the festivities slowly came to a close, admitting an event like this was something he’d dreamed of exhibiting.

“These guys start getting emotional, their families get emotional and everyone’s crying. Like, I find myself emotional because I know how much work went into it,” Myers said. “Not just them, but everyone put into this. And to see that end result of the champion having that champion moment, there’s no words that I can use to describe that feeling.

“I am immensely proud of what we accomplished tonight, and I think we just got it started. I think this was a huge success. I think absolutely next year, I feel like we have the momentum to make it bigger.”

The sanctioning body and iRacing have worked more closely in recent years on numerous projects, a list that includes mapping the track laid inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as well as the Chicago street course that will debut in reality in 2023.

That partnership continues to grow, and its roots spread to the Hall of Fame on Tuesday night.

“It’s something that, shoot man, 10 years ago, trying to talk to NASCAR people about iRacing, they just couldn’t see the vision,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “So it’s pretty awesome actually to see everybody can’t deny, I guess, the cool factor here and the sheer connection this creates to a younger demographic.”

Posted on by Pat DeCola

Ross Chastain turned in another ho-hum finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, landing a second straight runner-up result after a P2 at Las Vegas the week before.

Why ho-hum? Because we’re now living in a world in which the weekly expectation for the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet driver, who entered 2022 with three total top fives through his first 115 NASCAR Cup Series starts, is a battle for the win and a finish among the leaders.

The 29-year-old Floridian’s out-in-the-open transformation over the course of a rollercoaster 2022 has been one of the most prominent among a handful of remarkable story lines on display this season. Chastain wasn’t in a whole lot of preseason playoff picks, yet here we are about to set the Championship 4 this Sunday at Martinsville Speedway (2 p.m. ET, NBC, NBC Sports App, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio) and he’s in the best position to do so of the seven drivers not currently locked in.

It’s the culmination of a lot of deep, ongoing self-analysis and the drive to be better — and then going out and doing it. The Ross Chastain we’re seeing now is not the Ross Chastain that showed up to the LA Coliseum in February, or the one who drew the ire of seemingly half the field over the summer.

He’s leveled up.

“So I mean, (his decision-making improvement is) what I’ve seen in these playoffs. He’s learning when to push and when to chill, and you see it,” Trackhouse co-owner Justin Marks said on pit road after the Dixie Vodka 400, the Round of 8’s middle race. “I mean, he makes his way to the front. And then he’s a threat these last two weeks; he’s been a threat to win both races, obviously. So yeah, that’s just maturity. That’s part of going through the process. He’ll be doing it for a long time. But there’s an absolutely lethal race car driver in there somewhere. It’s just, you know, the experience will bring it out.”

MORE: Chastain’s evolution into Champ 4 contender

Chastain emerged from his home track looking every bit the championship part, battling with rival and fellow title contender Denny Hamlin cleanly toward the end, and for the second week in a row receiving props after the race from a driver he was racing with. After they stopped their cars on pit road, Chastain and P3-finisher AJ Allmendinger shared a hearty handshake just a week after Vegas winner Joey Logano made sure to mention how much fun he had racing the two-time 2022 winner in the closing laps.

Now contrast that with the constant chatter leading up to and during the playoffs about when drivers might potentially issue payback for past run-ins with Chastain. If they still plan to, we haven’t seen any recent evidence of it.

“(Drama) hasn’t really … you know, there’s been no reason to have that conversation for months now,” said Marks, whose Trackhouse organization has won three total races in its second year of existence. “I mean, it was just a moment in time. And, you know, he learned from it and grew from it. And he’s not going to be that type of guy forever. You know what I mean? It’s just part of the learning experience. So, I suspect that the Ross Chastain we’ve seen for the last couple of months is the Ross Chastain we’re gonna see for many years to come.”

Let’s not put the (watermelon) cart before the horse, of course, but if this is the driver we’re going to see for the next decade-plus, in cars that are already this fast coming from an organization with one of the strongest trajectories in the Cup Series … just do the math there. That’s a strong recipe for a shot at double-digit career wins and the potential for multiple championships, the first of which could come in less than two weeks.

There’s always the chance, as we’ve seen with the comers and goers on the leaderboard in the Next Gen’s first year, that other cars in the garage catch up to Chastain and crew chief Phil Surgen and their weekly ways of finding the front. At the same time, however, it feels like this group still has a ways to go before hitting its ceiling, and that momentum could certainly be carried into 2023 and beyond.

daniel suarez and ross chastain look on
Getty Images

“We’re learning more about what he needs in a race car and giving him a race car for his style. And that just comes with everything we’re learning around this new car, but then his relationship with Phil continuing to develop and making sure during the week that they’re really listening to each other,” said Marks. ” … I mean, look, he’s been here for a long time. He’s got a lot of Cup starts. He’s driven a lot of stuff. And he’s just now in a position where he’s sitting in race cars that can win almost every week. So I just think it goes back to him recognizing the opportunity that he’s got, and just trying to maximize that opportunity to the most of his ability.”

For an ambitious organization that’s intent on doing things differently, it begs the question if expansion — beyond Trackhouse’s Project 91 program — could be in the works.

If so, is the “next Ross Chastain” out there?

“I think as the team grows, obviously, as a company, we have to start looking for talent out there,” said the driver-turned-owner. “But I want both these guys (including No. 99 driver Daniel Suárez) in these cars for a long time. So that’s definitely where we’re at right now. And that’ll just be something for way further down the line as we continue to build this company. I think it probably just goes to … is Trackhouse gonna be in a position over the next couple of years to expand to a third team? And, you know, charter acquisition is a tough thing right now, if not impossible at this moment in time. So we’re just committed to our two guys and our two cars.

” … But yeah, I mean, it’s part of the process. I’m excited watching (Ross) go through it. Excited about our opportunity.”

Posted on by Press Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR and FloRacing will continue their unprecedented investment and commitment to grassroots racing, adding $30,000 to the race purse for the Charlie Powell Memorial South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway on Nov. 18-19. The additional funding from FloRacing – along with added prize money from track and race sponsors – more than doubles the race purse from 2021.

The incremental purse will provide additional prize money to the winner, but the majority of the extra investment will go to the middle and back of the field. The last 20 finishers will receive more than double the purse from last year.

RELATED: Everything to know about the South Carolina 400

The South Carolina 400 was formerly known as the Myrtle Beach 400, a race that took place at Myrtle Beach Speedway. This year is the 30th anniversary of the event. Florence Motor Speedway owner Steve Zacharias formerly served as general manager at Myrtle Beach Speedway. Zacharias purchased Florence after Myrtle Beach closed in 2020 with the goal of making it a premier destination for racers across the country.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will compete in the event, which also features many of the top drivers in grassroots racing. The South Carolina 400 will air live and exclusive on FloRacing.

“We are extremely grateful for the commitment from NASCAR and FloRacing to make the South Carolina 400 even bigger and better than ever,” Zacharias said. “Florence Motor Speedway is a premier destination for short track racing, and we can’t wait to showcase it to the world on FloRacing and to the fans in attendance on Nov. 18-19.”

Fifty-two cars entered the South Carolina 400 in 2021, and more are expected this year. Past winners at Florence Motor Speedway include Earnhardt Jr., Joe Nemechek, John Hunter Nemechek and Josh Berry.

“Grassroots racing is a huge passion of mine and I’m honored to support the South Carolina 400,” said Earnhardt Jr. “I grew up competing at Florence and have been looking forward to taking the wheel there again against some of the best short-track racers in the world.”

Posted on by Cara Cooper

About five years ago, teenager Mady Stichal decided she wanted to try racing.

No one in her family had ever raced before; it was just something she saw that looked like fun, and she wanted to try it.

“My dad, when I first told him I wanted to race, he was like, ‘I don’t know,’” Stichal said. “But he saw how committed I was, and he’s every step of the way looked into it, done so much research for me, found so many set-ups and sat me down, read me books after books, articles after articles. Like, ‘Here, look at this, look at this.’ So he’s definitely someone who helped me throughout the way.”

Not only did Stichal want to try racing, she wanted to try everything in racing. After spending the first few years of her career competing on dirt tracks, this season she added an asphalt track to her resume, competing at Alaska Raceway Park.

Stichal ran in the track’s Late Model class full-time, and she competed in the Bandolero, Asphalt Sprint and Legends classes while also competing at three different dirt tracks on her off weekends.

“It was pretty crazy,” Stichal said of her busy season.

Behind the scenes: Alaska Raceway Park in photos

Mady Stichal
(Photo courtesy of Mady Stichal)

The recent high school graduate finished fifth in the GCI Late Model class at Alaska Raceway Park, a NASCAR-sanctioned 0.333-mile track in Palmer, Alaska. She was the highest finishing rookie in the field.

More than anything, 2022 was a learning season for Stichal.

“It was definitely a challenge. I learned a lot,” she said. “In the very beginning I was kind of skeptical of what to do, because I’ve always been on dirt, and I’ve mainly done sprints, so getting into a bigger car, I was like, ‘What could happen?’

“We figured out a lot with me, because my team was like, ‘We usually like setting up for a tighter car,’ and I was like, ‘OK, let’s try it.’ And it ended up not working for me, and we ended up battling setups until we figured out I’m more into loose cars. So it was pretty interesting to learn that each driver is different when it comes to setups.”

Prior to this season, Stichal, who dreams of one day racing in the World of Outlaws, said she had never considered racing on asphalt. That was until her car owner, Stu, reached out.

“He hit me up and was like, ‘Hey, I’ve been watching you race for some time. I really want to step back, and I really want to get a younger driver into the car. Would you be interested?’

“I thought about it and said, ‘This is going to grow my racing career, so why not?’ So I took it.”

In addition to learning how to drive a late model, it took some time for Stichal to adjust week-to-week when going from dirt to asphalt.

She reached her goals in each discipline, getting into the top five among sprint car racers in Alaska while also getting faster every week in a late model.

“It was pretty great for me to be able to jump to all those cars and learn and explore how each car is on this track,” she said. “I was blown away with myself, and I was really proud of my team for getting me back up there. It was awesome.”

Stichal said she’s learned a lot thanks to the help of her family. Even though none of the Stichals have a racing background, while she has learned how to drive, her family has learned with her to help her get better.

“With my whole family, they’re all super supportive,” she said. “They’re all there with me like, ‘Hey check this out, let’s try this set up,’ and I’m like, ‘Yea, let’s try it.’

“It helps me a lot to know that my family is right here by my side. If something goes wrong, if an accident happens or I end up failing or not doing my best, I know that they’re right there still supporting me saying, ‘Hey you have the next race.’”

And there will definitely be a next race. Stichal has talked with her car owner about possibly traveling outside of Alaska to race late models and sprints next season.

She plans to race as many different cars as possible for as long as she can.

“I feel it grounds me to say I can do different things,” she said. “It definitely made me more humble about which car I’m driving.

“I think it’s just the adrenaline rush, for sure, and the speed. Just wanting to be better and be faster every single lap I take for myself.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Petty GMS Motorsports announced Tuesday that veteran crew chief Luke Lambert will lead the No. 42 Chevrolet team next season, continuing his partnership with driver Noah Gragson into 2023.

Lambert will return to the NASCAR Cup Series after a successful Xfinity Series campaign with Gragson this season on the No. 9 JR Motorsports team. Their pairing has yielded a series-best eight victories this season, including a four-in-a-row win streak that tied a record set by the legendary Sam Ard.

Gragson’s most recent win – last weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway – clinched a Championship 4 appearance for the Nov. 5 finale.

RELATED: Xfinity Series standings | Martinsville weekend schedule

“I’m looking forward to continuing this journey with Noah,” Lambert said in a Petty GMS team release. “This year has been fun and rewarding, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. When I joined JRM, it was because I believed in the organization and knew I’d have the opportunity to compete for race wins and a chance at the championship, and that’s exactly where we are right now. I see the same opportunity with Petty GMS. They’ve shown great growth this season and were able to get the team’s first win. With Dave and Erik, along with what Noah and I bring to the table, I think we’ll continue to see that success and contend for race wins next season.”

The announcement finalizes the Petty GMS driver-crew chief lineup for next year. Gragson and Lambert will race alongside the No. 43 Chevy team, which will return driver Erik Jones and crew chief Dave Elenz in 2023.

“Hiring Luke was the right choice for us when it came to finding a crew chief for Noah,” said Joey Cohen, director of competition and engineering for Petty GMS. “The chemistry and success they have had this year in the Xfinity Series is one that can’t be replicated, and we know with the right resources and tools, that success can carry over to the Cup Series next year. Luke brings a great deal of knowledge from his previous years in the Cup Series and knowledge of Noah. With both Luke and Dave next year, Noah and Erik and the relationships they’ve already built, I know we’re giving them the best chance for success next season and the ability to continue to elevate Petty GMS.”

Tuesday’s move marks the latest in a series of changes for the No. 42 team, which was created when team owners Richard Petty and Maury Gallagher merged operations to launch Petty GMS last offseason. Gragson was tapped Aug. 10 as Ty Dillon’s replacement for 2023, and Chad Norris was named interim crew chief for the No. 42 group on Sept. 13, replacing first-year wrench Jerame Donley for the remainder of the season.

Lambert enters with a wealth of experience, dating back to his start as a race engineer for Richard Childress Racing to his ascent to the crew chief role in 2011. Since then, he’s made 332 Cup Series appearances atop the pit box – a stretch that includes one victory (2017) and a Championship 4 appearance (2014), both with Ryan Newman.

Lambert has been a crew chief for just two full seasons in the Xfinity Series, but those stints have been marked by rampant success. He more than doubled his victory total this year, adding Gragson’s eight triumphs to the four wins he shared with driver Elliott Sadler at RCR in 2012.

The hiring of Lambert means that Petty GMS will have two former crew chiefs for the JRM No. 9 team atop their pit boxes next year. Elenz worked with Gragson from 2019-21, collecting five Xfinity Series victories together and making the Championship 4 field in their final year with the No. 9 group.

Jones and Elenz have clicked this year, winning the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway last month and totaling 13 top-10 finishes so far in 2022.

Posted on by Staff Report

A season of hard work for drivers at 45 NASCAR-sanctioned shorts tracks across the United States and Canada has culminated in celebrations for numerous track champions.

From Alaska Raceway Park in Palmer, Alaska, to New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, drivers from all across the continent worked tirelessly toward the goal of becoming NASCAR track champions this season. For a select few, that dream was realized.

They include 2022 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national champion Layne Riggs, who captured his first track title at Virginia’s South Boston Speedway this year. Also among the track champions are drivers like Tim Brown, who captured his record-breaking 12th championship at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Dylan Zampa won 11 races in 13 starts at All American Speedway in Roseville, California, and Craig Von Dohren captured his 13th track championship at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania.

Below is a list of NASCAR-sanctioned division champions from all of the tracks that are part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.

2022 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series track champions

Adams County Speedway

  • Modified champion: Jesse Dennis
  • Stock Car champion: Brad Derry
  • B Modified champion: Austin Paul
  • Hobby Stock champion: Luke Ramsey
  • Compact champion: Bryan Vannausdle
  • Late Model champion: Zach Zeitner

Alaska Raceway Park

  • Late Model champion: John Klayum
  • Baby Grand champion: Travis Holmes
  • Thunder Stock champion: Keith Jones
  • Bomber Stock champion: Jeremy Copley

All American Speedway

  • Late Model champion: Dylan Zampa
  • Modified champion: Brandon White
  • Super Stock champion: Josh Whitfield
  • F4 champion: Ray Molina

Autodrome Chaudière Vallée-Jonction

  • Late Model champion: Jeff Cote
  • Truck champion: Steve Lavigne
  • Vintage champion: Marco Gilbert
  • Sport Compact Amateur champion: Eric Desponts
  • Legend champion: Hugo Paquet

Autodrome Granby

  • Modified champion: David Hebert
  • Sportsman champion: Samuel Charland
  • Pro Stock champion: Pascal Payeur
  • Sport Compact champion: Jeremie Goyette

Berlin Raceway

  • Super Late Model champion: Evan Shotko
  • Limited Late Model champion: Tim DeVos
  • Sportsman champion: Brian Thome
  • 4 Cylinder champion: Corey Holtzlander

Bethel Motor Speedway

  • Modified champion: Ed Dachenhausen
  • Street Stock champion: Bill Deak Sr.
  • Pro Stock champion: Brandon Decker

Bowman Gray Stadium

  • Modified champion: Tim Brown
  • Sportsman champion: Tommy Neal
  • Street Stock champion: Billy Gregg
  • Stadium Stock champion: A.J. Sanders

Claremont Motorsports Park

  • Modified champion: Trevor Bleau
  • Street Stock champion: Dave Greenslit
  • Late Model Sportsman champion: Ricky Bly
  • Mini Stock champion: Bradon Morrie

Colorado National Speedway

  • Super Late Model champion: Cody Dempster
  • Pro Truck champion: Curtis Heldenbrand
  • Late Model champion: Dan Alamaa
  • Grand American Modified champion: Kyle Clegg
  • Figure 8 champion: Travis Sanders
  • Super Stock champion: Chris Cox
  • Pure Stock champion: Kyle Carrasco

Complexe ICAR

  • Sportsman champion: Stephane Descoste
  • Legend Modified champion: Stephane Caron
  • Sport Compact: Jean-Phillipe Laberge

Coos Bay Speedway

  • Super Late Model champion: Wayne Butler
  • Street Stock champion: Toby McIntyre
  • Sportsman Late Model champion: Ryan Emry
  • Mini Outlaw champion: Bid Van Ioon
  • Hornet champion: Alex Butler
Peyton Sellers celebrates a victory at Dominion Raceway in Woodford, Virginia, on September 17, 2022. (Dinah Mullins/NASCAR)
Peyton Sellers celebrates a victory at Dominion Raceway in Woodford, Virginia, on September 17, 2022. (Dinah Mullins/NASCAR)

Dominion Raceway

  • Late Model Stock champion: Peyton Sellers
  • Modified champion: Mike Rudy
  • Virginia Racer champion: Alex Brock
  • Dominion Stock champion: Richard Powers
  • UCAR champion: Michael Chapman

Eastbound International Speedway

  • Sportsman champion: Jason Groves
  • Hobby Stock champion: Kevin Lane

Edmonton International Raceway

  • Pure Stocks champion: Garry Bushnell
  • Super Stocks champion: Mike Ramm
  • Thunder Cars champion: Andrew Crandall
  • Future Stocks champion: Lucas Belbeck

Elko Speedway

  • Late Model champion: Jacob Goede
  • Thunder Car champion: Conrad Jorgenson
  • Power Stock champion: Nick Oxborough

Evergreen Speedway

  • Pro Late Model champion: Naima Lang
  • Street Stock champion: Mark Hubbard
  • Mini Stock champion: Lane Sundholm
  • Hornet champion: Ryan Hausenfluck
  • Outlaw Figure 8 champion: Ricky Deitz

Florence Motor Speedway

  • Late Model Stock champion: Kade Brown
  • Charger champion: Wayne Locklair
  • Super Truck champion: Cody Kelley
  • Mini Stock champion: Matt Briggs

Grandview Speedway

  • Modified champion: Craig Von Dohren
  • Sportsman champion: Brian Hirthler

Greenville Pickens Speedway

  • Late Model Stock champion: Magnum Tate
  • Super Stock champion: David Rocklein
  • Renegade champion: Michael Mote
  • 4 Cylinder Front Wheel Drive champion: Joshua Thomason
  • Pure Stock champion: Robert Hall
  • Street Stock champion: Drexx Brezeale
Landon Huffman during the Jack Ingram Memorial at North Carolina's Hickory Motor Speedway on June 11, 2022. (Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)
Landon Huffman during the Jack Ingram Memorial at North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway on June 11, 2022. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)

Hickory Motor Speedway

  • Late Model Stock champion: Landon Huffman
  • Street Stock champion: Jon Austin
  • Super Truck champion: Rickie Dennie
  • Renegade champion: Charlie Neill
  • 4 Cylinder champion: Tim Canipe/Brian Mundy (tie)

Hudson Speedway

  • Modified champion: Geoff Rollins
  • Street Stock champion: Chuck Dehney
  • Late Model champion: Cole Littlewood
  • Mini Stock champion: Ricky Fisette
  • Six Shooter champion: Ryan Nelson

I-80 Speedway

  • Super Late Model champion: Kyle Berck
  • Stock Car champion: Brad Derry
  • Sport Mod champion: Matthew Andrews
  • Hobby Stock champion: Ryan Gilland
  • Modified champion: Jacob Hobscheidt
  • Late Model champion: Jacob Brown
  • Sport Compact champion: Adam Smith

Irwindale Speedway

  • Pro Late Model champion: Linny White
  • Spec Late Model champion: Tanner Huddleston
  • Enduro champion: Ian Rotundo
  • Street Stock champion: Jim Vermillion

Jennerstown Speedway

  • Late Model champion: Barry Awtey
  • Modified champion: Tom Golik
  • Pro Stock champion: Jeff Giles
  • Street Stock champion: Greg Burbidge
  • Charger champion: Steve Singo
  • Fast N’ Furious 4’s champion: Johnathan Haburcsak

Kingsport Speedway

  • Late Model Stock champion: Kres VanDyke
  • Sportsman champion: Keith Helton
  • Street Stock champion: Rob Austin
  • Pure 4 champion: Kenny Absher
  • Mod 4 champion: Kevin Canter

LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway

  • Late Model champion: Mike Carlson
  • Sportsman champion: Sam Niles
  • Hornet champion: Lester Stanfield
2022 Langley Speedway Late Model Stock Car champion Brenden Queen.
2022 Langley Speedway Late Model Stock Car champion Brenden Queen. (Photo: Langley Speedway)

Langley Speedway

  • Late Model Stock champion: Brenden Queen
  • Modified champion: Matt Carter
  • Limited Late Model champion: Ryley Music
  • Super Street champion: Jimmy Adkins
  • Enduro champion: Stephen Flinn
  • Grand Stock champion: Chris Roberts
  • Super Truck champion: Hunter Waltrip
  • UCAR champion: Christian Keller
  • Pro Six champion: Travis Wall

Lee USA Speedway

  • Pro Stock champion: Brandon Barker
  • Late Model Sportsman: Cole Littlewood
  • Street Stock champion: Milton Duran
  • Six Shooter champion: Adam Knowles
  • Pure Stock champion: Justin Faford

Limaland Motorsports Park

  • Modified champion: Todd Sherman
  • Thunderstocks champion: Gabe Mueller

Madison International Speedway

  • Late Model champion: Zack Riddle
  • MISfitz champion: Ray Hellenbrand
  • Bandits champion Nick Schmidt

Magic Valley Speedway

  • Modified champion: Zach Webster
  • Super Late Model champion: Jeff Hillock
  • Mini Stock champion: Roy Boots Jr.
  • Street Stock champion: Steve Edens Sr.
  • Bomber champion: Robin Finch Sr.
  • Hornet champion: Daniel Beam

Meridian Speedway

  • Modified champion: Neal Latham
  • Pro Late Model champion: Dalton Cristiani
  • Street Stock champion: Taylor Occhipinti
  • Mini Stock champion: Travis Pavlacky
  • Pro 4 champion: Jordan Harris
  • Hornet champion: Dale Bolinger
  • Bomber champion: Blaine Waller

Monadnock Speedway

  • Modified champion: Tyler Leary
  • Street Stock champion: Tim Wenzel
  • Late Model Sportsman champion: Justin Littlewood
  • Mini Stock champion: Gordon Farnum

Motor Mile Speedway

  • Late Model Stock champion: Kyle Dudley
  • Limited Sportsman champion: Karl Budzevski
  • Super Street champion: Hank Turman
  • Mod-4 champion: Kevin Canter

New Smyrna Speedway

  • Super Late Model champion: Brad May
  • Pro Late Model champion: Brad May
  • Modified champion: Wayne Parker
  • Sportsman champion: Ron Whaley
  • Super Stock champion: Justin Spears
  • Bomber A champion: C.J. Creech
  • Bomber B champion: Tony Bromley
  • E-Mod champion: Dylan LeBeau
  • Mod Mini champion: Todd Haught
  • Ground Pounder champion: Art Kunzeman
  • Truck champion: Jeffrey White
  • 602 Tour Modified champion: Bud McIntyre

Riverhead Raceway

  • Modified champion: Kyle Soper
  • Crate Modified champion: Owen Grennan
  • Late Model champion: Shawn Patrick
  • Super Pro Truck champion: Sean Glennon
  • Blunderbust champion: Cody Triola
  • Figure 8 champion: Scott Pedersen

Rockford Speedway

  • Late Model champion: Jacob Gille
  • Sportsman champion: Chad Smith
  • American Short Track champion: Matt Berger
  • Bandit champion: Stephen Hillary
  • Roadrunner champion: Austin Fowler

RPM Speedway

  • Modified champion: Steve Bernier
  • Sportsman champion: William Racine
BRENDA DILBECK
Jared Russell captured the Modified championship at Salina Highbanks Speedway in 2022. (Photo: Brenda Dilbeck/Salina Highbanks Speedway)

Salina Highbanks Speedway

  • Modified champion: Jared Russell
  • B-Mod champion: John Potter
  • Super Stock champion: Logan Brown
  • Pure Stock champion: Jaylen Hardbarger
  • Factory Stock champion: Matt French

Seekonk Speedway

  • Pro Stock champion: Mark Jenison
  • Late Model champion: Mark Jenison
  • Sportsman champion: Craig Pianka
  • Sport Truck champion: Rick Martin

South Boston Speedway

  • Late Model Stock champion: Layne Riggs
  • Limited Sportsman champion: Kyle Barnes
  • Pure Stock champion: Scott Phillips
  • Hornet champion: Jason DeCarlo

The Bullring at Las Vegas

  • Pro Late Model champion: Scott Gafforini
  • Modified champion: Justin Johnson
  • Outlaw Factory Stock champion: Michael Miller
  • Super Stock champion: Justin Johnson

Tucson Speedway

  • Super Late Model champion: Dylan Jones
  • Modified champion: Nick O’Neil
  • Pro Stock champion: Don Geary
  • Thunder Truck champion: David Levitt
  • Hobby Stock champion: Colton Tutt
  • Mini Stock champion: Jim Bates

Wake County Speedway

  • Late Model Stock champion: Clay Jones
  • Charger champion: Michael O’Brien
  • Bomber/Any Car champion: Sammy Pacitti
  • Modified 4-Cylinder champion: Kevin Jefferys
  • Mini Stock champion: Brandon Clements
Posted on by Adam Fenwick

The battle for the 2022 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship will come to a close Thursday when the Tour makes its 37th visit to the popular, 0.526-mile paved oval known as Martinsville Speedway.

Four drivers — Jon McKennedy, Ron Silk, Justin Bonsignore and Eric Goodale — enter the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 in contention for the championship. Any one could end the day as the title winner, but the champion will need to overcome the strongest field of the season.

Martinsville first hosted the modern version of the Tour in 1985, when Charlie Jarzombek won the first two Tour events at the track. Through the years, countless legendary names in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour history have visited Victory Lane at Martinsville, including Reggie Ruggiero, Mike McLaughlin, Tom Baldwin, Tony Hirschman, Mike Stefanik, Ted Christopher, Jimmy Blewett and Donny Lia, among others.

The Tour returned to Martinsville last season for the first time since 2010, and it was Goodale, who enters Thursday’s finale 13 points out of the championship lead, who emerged as the race winner. A victory likely will be what it takes for Goodale to claim his first Tour title, and based on history, that very well could happen.

Below is everything you need to know about Thursday’s Virginia is For Racing Lovers 200 at Martinsville Speedway.

MORE MARTINSVILLE: Entry list | Tickets | Streaming

Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 at Martinsville Speedway

What to watch for:

Martinsville Speedway CEntering the final race of the 2022 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season, the top four drivers in the series standings are separated by only 13 points.

Jon McKennedy enters the race as the championship leader, six points ahead of 2011 champion Ron Silk. Three-time and defending Tour champion Justin Bonsignore is third and 11 points back from the lead, while defending Martinsville winner Eric Goodale is fourth, only 13 points back.

Any of those drivers could end Thursday as the champion, but the battle for the victory, the coveted Martinsville grandfather clock and $111,113 in posted awards is going to be as intense as ever. A whopping 37 cars are entered in Thursday’s race, a season-high for the Tour.

Headlining the list of entrants in addition to the championship contenders are a quartet of drivers with experience in the NASCAR Cup Series. They include 2000 NASCAR Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte, who will make his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour debut for team owner Phil Stefanelli.

Cars line up during qualifying for the Virginia Is For Racing Lovers 200 for the Whelen Modified Tour at Martinsville Raceway in Martinsville, Virginia on April 8, 2021. (Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
Cars line up during qualifying for the Virginia Is For Racing Lovers 200 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Martinsville Speedway on April 8, 2021. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)

Ryan Newman, the 2008 Daytona 500 winner and four-time Tour winner, returns to make his second start this year in a car co-owned by Hermie Sadler and Virginia State Senator William Stanley. Current Cup Series competitor Corey LaJoie, who made his return to the Tour earlier this year at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, is also entered in the No. 53 for car owner Mike Curb.

Ryan Preece, the 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion, is back for his fifth race of the season and his third start of the year in the legendary Ole Blue No. 3. Preece scored his first Tour triumph back in 2008 at Martinsville in the Ole Blue No. 3.

Other notable entrants include six-time Tour champion Doug Coby, who will be in his own No. 10 for Thursday’s finale, Matt Hirschman, Max McLaughlin, Joey Coulter, Bobby Santos III, Anthony Nocella, Craig Lutz, Jimmy Blewett and Chuck Hossfeld.

The complete entry for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 can be viewed here.

RACE FACTS

Race Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200
Date Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022
Track Martinsville Speedway
Layout 0.526-mile paved oval
Location Martinsville, Virginia
Start Time 8 p.m. ET
Laps 200
Posted awards $111,113
TV channel USA (Delayed: Friday, Nov. 1, 1 p.m. ET)
Live stream FloRacing (Live)
Radio MRN (Live)

Schedule: Thursday, Oct. 27… Final practice from 3 – 4 p.m. ET … Qualifying at 5 p.m. … Race at 8 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 Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 is limited to 32 starters including Provisional Positions.

Tire allotment:The maximum tire allotment available for this event is 12 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 four (4) tires, any position.

Posted on by Staff Report

Kyle Larson was eliminated from repeating as the NASCAR Cup Series drivers’ champion in the Round of 12, but his triumph Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway opened the door for a potential team owners title for his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports group next month.

The possibility of a split championship exists for the first time in the Cup Series’ modern era when the sun sets on the 2022 season Nov. 6 at Phoenix Raceway.

Joey Logano and his Team Penske No. 22 Ford team clinched a unified berth in the Championship 4 fields with a victory in the Round of 8 opener a week ago at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Three title shots remain open in the driver playoffs, but just two exist on the team owners’ side after Larson locked the No. 5 team in.

RELATED: Cup Series standings | At-track photos

The divide opened near the end of the regular season when Kurt Busch withdrew his name from playoff contention as his recovery from a concussion stretched into the postseason. His No. 45 23XI Racing team retained its eligibility for the team owners’ title, thanks to Busch’s win in May at Kansas Speedway. The team, which shifted Bubba Wallace into the No. 45’s seat for the playoffs, was knocked from contention after the Round of 12.

Ryan Blaney clinched the 16th and final spot in the drivers’ playoffs in the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway, but his No. 12 Team Penske Ford team was one spot shy of reaching the owners’ playoffs. Blaney would qualify for the driver’s crown if he advances to the Championship 4 round after Sunday’s Xfinity 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM) at Martinsville Speedway.

Two Hendrick Motorsports drivers — Chase Elliott and William Byron — remain alive in the drivers’ championship. They also carry the hopes of the No. 9 (Elliott) and No. 24 (Byron) teams with them, which would secure the 15th championship on the team owners’ side for NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick.

“I certainly think they’re both important,” said Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports. “Obviously one has a different financial impact than the other one does, as we know the points fund is based largely on the owner points, but certainly for the driver as well as the team that that driver is associated with. That’s equally important to us, to be able to go there and compete for that and try to get that accomplished.”

Larson captured his first Cup Series championship last year at Phoenix, but says he still has aspirations for a repeat of sorts for his No. 5 bunch.

“I view myself as … if I say we were to win Phoenix, like my name isn’t going to be on the championship, but having our team be the champion I think is honestly better than … like I would hate to be in Ryan Blaney’s position,” Larson said. “I think he’s the one that’s only in on driver, not owner. I would hate to be in his position, and say he wins the championship and he is credited with a championship but not his team. If I was to have it one way or the other, I would rather be out on my end and be able to celebrate the team championship.

“I’m happy that we get to go compete for that again, and honestly that’s the paycheck, too. We’re going to go for that, and we’re fired up about it.”

Posted on by Pat DeCola

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — There weren’t many happy drivers to be found on pit road following Sunday’s Dixie Vodka 400 NASCAR Playoffs Round of 8 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway — and we’re not even in Martinsville yet.

You’ll get that in a sport where there are 30-plus losers and only one driver spraying champagne in Victory Lane, but, still, the playoff pressure is mounting. And evident.

Sunday’s 400-miler was yet another entry in this 10-race Cup Series playoff run won by a driver outside the postseason field, seeing one more opportunity dry up for the seven remaining championship-eligible drivers to clinch their spot in Phoenix Raceway’s Championship 4 race via a win alongside Joey Logano, the only driver currently locked in. In a race littered with late mistakes, drivers were beating themselves up in their post-race debriefs with media, focusing on what needs to be cleaned up before they try to all survive next weekend’s looming chaos at the paperclip-shaped Virginia short track.

RELATED: Official results | At-track photos

“(We’re not snake-bitten), just a lot of self-induced (mistakes),” said Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney after a promising run with yet another fast race car was derailed by error. “Two weeks bonehead-driver induced. So that part definitely stinks. Just the driver making mistakes. Team does a great job getting our car better again, had a fast car and I wrecked last week by myself and I downshift this week coming off pit road so just disappointed in myself.”

On Lap 211, Blaney saw his No. 12 Ford spin leaving the access road coming out of the pits, the result of an accidental downshift from high to low gear. It came not long after Blaney was running in the P2 position, a potential result that would’ve put him in a reasonably comfortable position heading into next Sunday’s Round of 8 finale at Martinsville Speedway, a track at which he owns the best average finish (10.2) among active drivers.

Instead of what was shaping up to be exactly the kind of rebound race the No. 12 team needed to escape the hole of minus-11 points to the bubble heading into Homestead, he leaves the 305 with an even deeper deficit at minus-18.

“Being as many points as we are out, you know you hope you can … it’s kind of like a must-win,” Blaney said. “I don’t see us making up that many points, so just go try to put yourself in a position to win the race. I don’t think we can point our way in, honestly. I think we’re too far out. So just gonna go do the best you can, you never know what’s gonna happen. Just try to run up front, put yourself in a spot to win the race. That’s all you can do.”

While far from a banner day for the No. 24 Chevrolet team, fellow playoff contender William Byron also had a bit of an up-and-down day, showing strength in both of the opening stages (2nd, 3rd, respectively) before a major hiccup by his team on pit road nearly washed it all away. A loose wheel during a Lap 207 pit stop necessitated a reversal by the No. 24 driver to get it tightened, which subsequently was followed by his Chevy stalling briefly as he attempted to drive off again. He recovered to finish a respectable 12th, but if it weren’t for those stage points and a fast car to race back through the field he could’ve been looking at perhaps a must-win situation in Virginia.

“We just kind of had a couple of runs that were worse than the others and just had that one run that I felt like we were struggling real bad,” Byron said. “And then we kind of got better at the end and had something again at the end so I don’t know, just kind of really struggled the one time and the rest of the race was pretty good.”

After heading into Sunday six points down below the elimination line, Byron now leaves Miami five points to the good to position both remaining Hendrick Motorsports cars (the other being 2020 champ Chase Elliott) provisionally in the title race.

There’s still one race remaining before that Championship 4 is finalized, however, but as the untouchable winner in Martinsville’s spring race, the chances to make it through are favorable.

“(We plan to attack Martinsville) just the same,” Byron said. “I mean, I honestly feel like it’s a good place for us. So we just got to try to approach it the same as we always do.

“I don’t think (we need to win) but we just need a really good day. I feel decent about it. I think we just have to … like, we had a test there and I felt like our car was decent. We just got to work on a couple of little things and just get a little bit better. Because everyone’s gonna get better from the spring. So I think if we do that we’ll be in good shape.”

Those that will have a shot to fight for the 2022 title will be decided next Sunday at Martinsville Speedway (2 p.m. ET, NBC, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) — and we should only expect four drivers to be smiling after that one, too.

Posted on by Cameron Richardson

Another playoff race without a championship-eligible driver in Victory Lane means the intensity will reach its peak next Sunday when the Championship 4 is set at Martinsville Speedway. With three title bids still up for grabs, let’s take a look at the Cup Series playoff field following the Round of 8 midpoint at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

WINNER

Kyle Larson put on a dominant performance Sunday, leading 199 of the 267 laps at the South Florida 1.5-mile oval to take his third win of the season. While he’s not eligible for the big trophy at Phoenix Raceway, he’s clinched a title berth for the No. 5 team as they chase the owners’ championship.

RELATED: Official results | Cup schedule

WHO’S HOT?

Ross Chastain. Two runner-up finishes in a row for the Florida native have him in a good position above the elimination line heading into the penultimate race of the 2022 season. Homestead marked his fifth top-10 finish in the playoffs and the third top-five run in the last four races. Martinsville could solidify Chastain’s bid for a title shot at Phoenix as he finished fifth there in the spring.

WHO’S NOT?

Chase Briscoe. After overcoming early woes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Briscoe’s chances of reaching the Championship 4 will come down to being victorious at Martinsville after hitting the wall near the end of Stage 2, parachuting the No. 14 Ford to a 36th-place finish at Homestead.

BUBBLE WATCH

Rank Driver Cutoff
1. Joey Logano WIN
2. Ross Chastain +19
3. Chase Elliott +11
4. William Byron +5
——– ELIMINATION LINE ———-
5. Denny Hamlin -5
6. Ryan Blaney -18
7. Christopher Bell -33
8. Chase Briscoe -44

NEXT RACE

The Championship 4 will be set next Sunday with the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway (2 p.m. ET, NBC, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

WHO IT FAVORS

William Byron. In the spring and under the lights, the driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet led 212 of 403 laps to take the checkered flag at Martinsville for his second win of the year. The victory was no fluke for Byron as he scored back-to-back top-five finishes on the 0.526-mile short track before. With just a five-point advantage after Homestead, Byron will need to run just as well at Martinsville in order to clinch his first Championship 4 berth.

WHO IT HURTS

Christopher Bell. Bell is in a must-win situation at Martinsville if he wants to keep his Championship 4 hopes alive after a hard-fought 11th-place run at Homestead. He grabbed a clutch victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course in a similar scenario. Still, the driver of the No. 20 Toyota has yet to produce quality results at the Virginia short track outside of a single top-10 finish early in 2021.