Mason Diaz, Mark Wertz lead Virginia Triple Crown standings heading into ValleyStar Credit Union 300

Posted on September 20, 2022 by Brandon White

Nothing about the 2022 edition of the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown has been predictable through the first two races.

This extends to the drivers who share the points lead heading into Saturday’s ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway, as young standout Mason Diaz and veteran Mark Wertz have withstood the chaos to accumulate average finishes of fourth.

Diaz regularly anticipates unpredictability when it comes to competing in the Virginia Triple Crown, but he considers himself fortunate to be atop the standings and is optimistic that he can bring home a title on Saturday evening.

“I figured we would have some decent finishes,” Diaz said. “With these big races, it’s so hard to tell what will happen. There tends to be a lot of carnage every year and we were never the best at Langley [Speedway]. We just wanted to go for it this year, but we’ve been fortunate with two fourth-place finishes.”

Even though he’s only 22, Diaz enters the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 with plenty of experience on his side.

Having made starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Camping World Truck Series and all three ARCA divisions, Diaz said the seat time has helped build his endurance and enabled him to be more comfortable against racing established Late Model Stock veterans like Peyton Sellers and Bobby McCarty.

That maturity proved to be an essential quality for Diaz during the final laps of the first Virginia Triple Crown event in the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 at South Boston on July 2.

With 12 laps remaining, Diaz was fighting for track position inside the top 10 when Jonathan Shafer was turned by Mike Looney on the frontstretch, leaving with Diaz and the rest of the field with nowhere to go as a 20-car pileup unfolded.

Instead of calling it a night, Diaz assessed the damage to his No. 24 Solid Rock Carriers Chevrolet and managed to get back on track. He avoided another late-race accident to obtain a solid fourth-place finish.

“I didn’t think we’d be able to keep going,” Diaz said. “I hopped out of the car from the passenger side because I had a car on top of me. The wheels were pretty straight, and my crew told me that if the wheels were straight, we would go back out. We needed a whole new body on the car after the race, but it could have been a whole lot worse.”

RACING REFERENCE: Career stats for Mason Diaz

While Diaz’s crew had to make repairs to his car, Wertz was fortunate by missing the huge crash altogether. He ended up finishing sixth at South Boston before following that performance up with a second-place run at his home track of Langley Speedway in the Hampton Heat 200.

A two-time Langley track champion in 2003 and 2004, Wertz has been enthralled by the success he has experienced in the Virginia Triple Crown this year and said nearly securing the Hampton Heat victory against so many talented drivers was a major highlight in his long career.

“That was epic,” Wertz said. “The best of the best were there for the Hampton Heat, so to execute a well-thought out race with strategy and tire management just made recognize that this program has the ability to race with all the big teams.”

Mark Wertz (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)

Now 53, Wertz has seen Late Model Stock competition on the East Coast change drastically in just the past couple decades. The most notable differences for him are how much younger his competitors are and the amount of money invested into ensuring they are able to succeed on the track.

Despite these changes, Wertz remains confident his No. 55 CorvetteParts.net/Dunkin Donuts Chevrolet prepared by Bubba Johnston can be competitive in both the weekly races at Langley and in marquee events like the ValleyStar Credit Union 300. He added that the experience within the program gives them an advantage against the younger drivers.

Bringing in six-time Langley track champion Danny Edwards Jr. for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 has only given Wertz more optimism about potentially bringing home a grandfather clock, but he stressed that everything for his team could be undone with a poor finish in his heat race.

With so much unpredictability associated with the heat races, Wertz intends to be patient but aggressive regardless of his starting position so he can have an opportunity to keep his hopes of a Martinsville win and Virginia Triple Crown title alive into the night.

“We’re definitely going to focus on short-run speed,” Wertz said. “Everybody has to run a heat race, so step one is just making [the ValleyStar Credit Union 300]. If time permits, we’ll work on our long run speed, but the main goal is focusing on making the race.”

Should Wertz make the 300-lap feature, he knows track position is going to be imperative for him to build a gap between Diaz and the rest of the Virginia Triple Crown contenders.

Like Wertz, Diaz is worried about getting caught up in an accident during his heat race and is hoping to put together a qualifying run strong enough to get him away from the chaos and inside the top 10 for the main event.

Mason Diaz (Photo: Jacob Kupferman/NASCAR)

Diaz believes he’s getting closer to being a consistent contender in Late Model Stock events. He said winning the Virginia Triple Crown would give him and Mike Darne Racing plenty of momentum heading into the winter.

“It’d be really cool for us to win the Triple Crown,” Diaz said. “This hasn’t been our best year even though we’ve had the speed. There have been a lot of parts failures that have taken us out of races, but a Triple Crown title would really show the speed that we have. We just have to keep our heads down and make it through the weekend unharmed.”

Diaz and Wertz will have to fend off several other talented drivers to claim the Virginia Triple Crown title at Martinsville. Below are how the top 10 in the Virginia Triple Crown standings look heading into the final race.

Mark Wertz: 4.0

Although he is one of the most experienced drivers in the field, Wertz has only attempted the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 eight times in his career. His most recent successful attempt came back in 2016, but he finished 41^st after being collected in a crash on the opening lap.

Mason Diaz: 4.0

Saturday will be Diaz’ fifth attempt in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300. In the races for which he’s qualified, Diaz has failed to finish every single one, with his best performance being a finish of 21^st back in 2017.

Jared Fryar: 5.5

Fryar salvaged a 10^th-place finish at South Boston despite getting entangled in the big crash on the frontstretch. He followed that performance by winning the Hampton Heat and finds himself well within striking distance of the lead shared by Wertz and Diaz.

Carter Langley: 6.0

Langley’s second attempt at the Virginia Triple Crown has been an adventurous one. He brought home a battered car at South Boston in fifth and will look to improve upon his seventh-place showing at Langley.

Bobby McCarty: 8.5

The defending Virginia Triple Crown champion, the 2022 season has been dominated by inconsistency for McCarty. Despite this, McCarty still has a chance to defend his title after recording finishes of ninth and eighth at South Boston and Langley, respectively.

Peyton Sellers: 8.5

No driver has recorded more Virginia Triple Crown championships than Peyton Sellers. A 14^th-place run at Langley hindered Sellers’ average finish, but he still has a great opportunity to claim his fourth title in the series on Saturday.

Conner Jones: 9.5

Jones opened his debut Virginia Triple Crown campaign by being swept up in the big one at South Boston that saw him get treated for a neck injury. He rebounded to finish sixth in the Hampton Heat but will need another strong performance at Martinsville to claim the title on Saturday.

Camden Gullie: 11.5

Gullie was one of many drivers swept up in the big crash at South Boston, but he was able to make repairs and salvage a seventh that night. A 16^th at Langley has dropped Gullie in the Virginia Triple Crown standings ahead of the ValleyStar Credit Union 300.

Landon Pembelton: 14.5

The defending ValleyStar Credit Union 300 winner, Pembelton’s Virginia Triple Crown run has been marred by frustration. He has not yet recorded a top 10, but will look to showcase the speed of his Sellers Racing Inc. car as he attempts to defend his Martinsville victory.

Mini Tyrrell: 14.5

After crashing at South Boston, Tyrrell rebounded in the Hampton Heat for a solid 12^th-place run. Tyrrell will need to crack the top 10 in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 to have a shot at winning the Virginia Triple Crown.

Posted on September 20, 2022September 20, 2022 by Staff Report

A top NASCAR competition official on Tuesday addressed the level of attrition during Saturday night’s Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, providing context around some of the power-steering issues at the short track, how single-source parts were chosen and adding that there remains a learning curve with the Next Gen car.

Scott Miller, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition, made his remarks during a Tuesday morning appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. His comments came three days after Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at the 0.533-mile Tennessee track, where the playoff-eligible field was trimmed from 16 to 12 drivers.

Eight of the 36 drivers were not running at the finish of the 500-lap event. Three of the six Toyota teams experienced issues with power-steering failure, and a fourth – the No. 18 of Kyle Busch – was sidelined by engine trouble. Those problems, which were compounded by tire issues on the high-banked concrete layout, prompted criticism from several drivers about the design of the Next Gen racer, which made its debut in the Cup Series this season.

Miller answered those Tuesday, borrowing a phrase used by Kevin Harvick at Darlington and parroted Saturday night by Martin Truex Jr., Bristol’s last-place finisher after power-steering woes.

“Bristol is definitely a unique load case, and some things cropped up with the steering that weren’t expected,” Miller told SiriusXM. “But honestly, no excuse, but, you know, with the newness of this car and the newness of everything, I think that it’s not acceptable to have problems, but it’s probably part of the learning process for us all. All the teams and OEMs were involved in the RFP (request for proposal) process when we chose the parts so, everybody’s got a stake in this, and it’s not just NASCAR choosing quote-unquote crappy parts.”

Miller said that competition officials had a meeting scheduled Tuesday morning with Goodyear representatives to debrief about their findings at Bristol. As for any other reliability concerns, Miller indicated that his department at the Research & Development Center was busy seeking fixes.

“Well, with every part of this car actually being a new part and a new design, I think historically, in racing and in any walk of life, when you do something completely new with a departure, there’s a learning curve,” Miller said. “So we’re in that learning curve, and, you know, working really hard to make sure that everything works. And I think for the most part, it has. We did have some steering issues at Bristol. That is, again, a part that was chosen through the RFP process, and it is team serviceable. So you know, that’s where we are right now. Are we looking to improve on when we have problems? We absolutely 100% are, every single day.”

In other topics discussed Tuesday:

• Miller addressed questions about caution flags and the timing of them, reiterating that each instance of contact or on-track trouble is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

“Every incident is unique. Every visual that we have on an incident is also unique,” Miller said. “We don’t have 36 sets of eyes glued to each and every car. We have a bunch of us up there that kind of act as spotters. We don’t always see the beginning of an incident, and we have to point that out. Whoever sees it points it out to the race director. The race director analyzes the situation as he sees it and puts the caution out at his discretion on what he sees.

“Now, we don’t have the ability to go obviously watch replays and watch the incident. Cautions are pretty … you know they’re a quick call, and there’s going to be some judgment in those, no matter how you look at it. So it’s, I would love to say that … I would love to be able to define what creates a caution and what doesn’t, but it’s impossible because everything is … every incident is completely different from the last one, and completely different from the next one.”

• Miller also offered a preview of Sunday’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 (3:30 p.m. ET, USA, NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM) at Texas Motor Speedway. The race opens the Round of 12 in the Cup Series Playoffs.

Miller indicated that the 1.5-mile track’s asphalt surface would be treated with a resin and that rubber would be applied with a “Tire Dragon” in an effort to widen the racing groove.

“It will be resin and Tire Dragon at the beginning of the weekend, and we’ll leave it,” Miller said. “We’re also going to probably go a lane or so higher in (turns) three and four, just to try to give a little bit more racing room over there. It may not turn into racing room, but if they do slip out of the groove, at least there’ll be something there to grab a hold of. So that’s what we’re doing for the weekend.”

Posted on September 20, 2022September 20, 2022 by Adam Fenwick

Every September, Martinsville Speedway welcomes the best Late Model Stock Car competitors from across the Southeast to take part in the annual running of the ValleyStar Credit Union 300.

The Martinsville Speedway Late Model race, held at the 0.526-mile track each season since 1985, is widely considered the most important and prestigious for Late Model Stock Car competitors. The event annually draws an entry list that more than doubles the 40-car starting field, meaning more than half of those who enter typically fail to qualify for the race.

The ValleyStar Credit Union 300 features a purse totaling $110,000. In addition, the race serves as the finale of the Virginia Triple Crown that also included the Hampton Heat 200 at Langley Speedway and the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 at South Boston Speedway. The Triple Crown offers an additional $7,000 bonus to the champion.

The entry list is stacked with regional and national stars, including drivers like Ty Majeski, Corey Heim, Timothy Peters, Peyton Sellers, Layne Riggs, Rajah Caruth, Mason Diaz, Tate Fogleman, Jared Fryar and defending race winner Landon Pembelton.

Below is everything you need to know about the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway.

Cars race during the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, at Martinsville Speedway. (Photo: Veasey Conway/NASCAR)

What TV Channel is the 2022 Martinsville Speedway Late Model race on?

All the on-track action for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville can be viewed live on FloRacing, the official streaming home for all NASCAR Roots properties.

The event will not be shown on a television network.

Below is the complete schedule for FloRacing’s coverage of the ValleyStar Credit Union 300.

Date	Start Time	How to Watch
Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022	3 p.m. ET	FloRacing

Complete schedule for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300

This year’s ValleyStar Credit Union 300 will take place on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, with practice and qualifying scheduled for Friday, Sept. 23, 2022.

The event is headlined by the 200-lap ValleyStar Credit Union 300 for Late Model Stock Cars. The event also includes four 25-lap qualifying races that will set the field for the 200-lap main event.

Below is the complete schedule at Martinsville Speedway (all times ET).

Friday, Sept. 23

Time	Event
6 a.m.	Registration Opens
6:30 a.m.	Haulers Enter
6:30 a.m.	Garage Opens
8:30 a.m.	Mandatory Crew Chief and/or Team Representative Meeting (Garage)
9 a.m.	Inspection
12:30 p.m.	Safety Communications Meeting (Care Center)
1 p.m.	Track Services Meeting (Inspection Tent)
2 p.m.	Fan Gates Open
2 – 6 p.m.	Practice
8 p.m.	Qualifying

Saturday, Sept. 24

Time	Event
8:30 a.m.	Garage Opens
8:30 a.m.	Registration Opens
9 – 11 a.m.	Work Session
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.	Cars to the Line
11:45 a.m.	Drivers’/Crew Chiefs’/Spotters’ Meeting (Media Center)
12:30 p.m.	Fan Gates Open
12:45 – 2:30 p.m.	Fan Garage Experience (Autograph Session)
3 p.m.	First Qualifying Race (25 laps)
3:30 p.m.	Second Qualifying Race (25 laps)
4 p.m.	Third Qualifying Race (25 laps)
4:30 p.m.	Fourth Qualifying Race (25 laps)
5 – 5:20 p.m.	Hot Laps
5 – 6:30 p.m.	Martinsville Speedway Track Events (Pre-Race/Driver Intros)
6:30 p.m.	All Cars on the Line (Race Line-up)
7 p.m.	ValleyStar Credit Union 300 (200 laps / 105.2 miles)

Official format for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300

The field for Saturday’s ValleyStar Credit Union 300 will be set by a combination of qualifying and four 25-lap qualifying races. Competitors will first qualify on Friday evening, with the fastest qualifier earning a $5,000 bonus. However, no competitors will lock into the 200-lap feature from qualifying like in years past.

Instead, the entire 40-car field will be set based on the four 25-lap qualifying races held Saturday prior to the 200-lap main event. The top-10 finishers in each of the four qualifying races will secure starting positions in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300. There will be no last chance race.

The 200-lap feature race will include three segments: 100 laps, 75 laps and 25 laps. The winners of the first two segments will each earn $1,000.

In the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 feature, the leader of each lap will receive $25, with $5,000 available in the laps led bonus pool. If the race concludes in overtime, there will be unlimited attempts at a green-white-checkered finish. The race winner will earn $32,000 in addition to taking home the coveted Martinsville grandfather clock.

Martinsville Speedway Late Model race entry list

The current entry list for the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 features 93 cars.

Headlining the list of entries is defending winner Landon Pembelton, who will look to become the first driver to earn back-to-back victories in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 and take home another grandfather clock.

In order to do that, he’ll have to defeat a field that includes Ty Majeski, who just punched his ticket to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship race at Phoenix Raceway with a victory at Bristol Motor Speedway last Thursday. Also entered is Corey Heim, a two-time Camping World Truck Series winner this year and the winner of the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 earlier this year at South Boston Speedway.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. has entered a car for rising star Carson Kvapil, the son of 2003 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil. Peyton Sellers and Layne Riggs, the two drivers who spent most of the year battling for the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division I National championship, are also entered.

Timothy Peters, a two-time ValleyStar Credit Union 300 winner, returns in search of his third victory in the event. Other previous winners that have entered include Mike Looney, Jake Crum and Jason York.

Other notable entries come from Brenden Queen, Tate Fogleman, Jared Fryar, Kaden Honeycutt, Bobby McCarty, Connor Mosack, Clay Jones, Mason Diaz, Conner Jones, Mark Wertz, Rajah Caruth, Katie Hettinger, Connor Hall and Mini Tyrrell.

Below is the complete entry list for Saturday’s ValleyStar Credit Union 300.

Car No.	Driver	Hometown	Owner
00	Kyle Barnes	Draper, VA	Wendy Barnes
01	Camden Gullie	Durham, NC	Jason Gullie
03	Brenden “Butterbean” Queen	Chesapeake, VA	Mike Queen
07	Jamie Byrd	Mount Airy, NC	Susan Stimpson
07	Chase Dixon	Abingdon, VA	Chris Dixon
07	Riley Neal	Walkertown, NC	HRE Lease Program
09	Riley Gentry	Easley, SC	Randy Gentry
0	Landon Pembelton	Amelia, VA	Brian Pembelton
1	Trent Barnes	Forest Hill, MD	Doug Barnes Sr
1	Daryn Cockram	Draper, VA	Daryn Cockram
1	Michael Faulk	Huntersville, NC	Lee Faulk
1	Jamie York	Reidsville, NC	Jason York
1	Andrew Grady	Youngsville, NC	Tony Grady
1	Shane L Canipe	Hildebran, NC	Shane L Canipe
1	Craig Moore	Rougemont, NC	Craig Moore
2	Ryan Wilson	Randleman, NC	Ryan Wilson
2	Braden Rogers	Bakersfield, CA	Lee Faulk
2	Brandon Pierce	Oak Ridge, NC	Lee Pulliam
4	Parker Eatmon	Wilson, NC	Mike Darne
4	M. Kyle Dudley	Roanoke, VA	M. Kyle Dudley
5	Jaiden Reyna	Cornelius, NC	VanDyke Racing
5	Carter Langley	Zebulon, NC	Hedgecock Racing
5	Dexter Canipe Jr.	Conover, NC	Dexter Canipe
6	Clark Houston	Hickory, NC	DHR of Knob, NC LLC
7	Dylan Ward	Walkertown, NC	Dylan Ward
8	Thomas Scott	Mebane, NC	Thomas Scott
8	Carson Kvapil	Mooresville, NC	Dale Earnhardt Jr.
8	Tate Fogleman	Durham, NC	JFCO Motorsports
8b	Chase Burrow	King William, VA	Edwards Racing Enterprises
11	Blaise Brinkley	Sanford, NC	Brad Brinkley
11	Timothy Peters	Danville, VA	R&S Race Cars
12	Austin Thaxton	South Boston, VA	Austin Thaxton
12	Kaden Honeycutt	Aledo, TX	Barry L Nelson
14	Jonathan Worley	Kingsport, TN	Jonathan Worley
14	Jared Fryar	Trinity, NC	Jimmy Mooring
15	Kres VanDyke	Abingdon, VA	VanDyke Racing
15	Ryan Millington	Statesville, NC	Bob Saville
15	Tristen Barnes	Draper, VA	Wendy Barnes
17	Jason Myers	Hurt, VA	Jason Myers
17	Stacy Puryear	South Boston, VA	Stacy Puryear
18	Jason York	Reidsville, NC	Jason York
19	Jessica Cann	Trinity, NC	Bill Petroff
19	Colby Stottlemyer	Dauphin, PA	Mark Stottlemyer
21	Mike Darne	Mooresville, NC	Mike Darne
21	Steve Zacharias	Myrtle Beach, SC	AK Performance
21	Tommy Neal	Rural Hall, NC	Tommy Neal
22	Bobby McCarty	Madison, NC	Barry L Nelson
24	Mason Diaz	Manassas, VA	Michael Diaz
25	Jacob Borst	Elon, NC	Justin Borst
25	Derrick R Lancaster	Christiansburg, VA	Derrick R Lancaster
26	Peyton Sellers	Danville, VA	Burt Sellers
28	Ryan Glenski	Mooresville, NC	Karin Glenski
28	Connor Mosack	Mooresville, NC	Justin Carroll
31	Cole Bruce	Fredericksburg, VA	Robert Bruce
31	Clay Jones	Lucama, NC	Wayne Goss
32	Nik Williams	Chuckey, TN	Dean Wilson
41	Davey Callihan	Fredericksburg, VA	Davey Callihan
41	Magnum Tate	Easley, SC	Hawk McCall Motorsports
44	Conner Jones	Fredericksburg, VA	Robbie Jones
45	Andrew “Bryce” Applegate	Simpsonville, KY	Andy Applegate
50	Ross “Boo Boo” Dalton	Greensboro, NC	Jay Dalton
51	Matt Cox	Longs, SC	Robert Elliott
51m	Ryan Matthews	Wake, VA	Mike Matthews
55	Mark Wertz	Chesapeake, VA	Mark Wertz
57	Eddie Johnson	Midlothian, VA	Richard K Johnson
57	Jimmy Mullins	Bassett, VA	Jimmy Mullins
57	Rajah K Caruth	Concord, NC	John Carroll
66	Ty Majeski	Vale, NC	Chad Bryant Racing/Triple R Racing
71	Jake Crum	Taylorsville, NC	BJ Mackey
71	Katie Hettinger	Dryden, MI	Matt Piercy
73	Bruce Anderson	South Boston, VA	Racing College
75	Cory Dunn	Salem, VA	Larry Dunn
77	Blake Stallings	Danville, VA	Steve Stallings
77	Connor Hall	Vale, NC	Chad Bryant Racing/Triple R Racing
78	Corey Heim	Davidson, NC	CH Racing
81	Zack Clifton	Walkertown, NC	Ronnie Clifton
81	Mini Tyrrell	Manassas, VA	Timothy Tyrrell
81	Adam Murray	Bailey, NC	Travis Byrd
87	Mike Looney	Catawba, VA	Billy Martin Racing
88	Doug Barnes Jr	Forest Hill, MD	Doug Barnes Sr.
88	Brad Housewright	Kingsport, TN	Claude F. Housewright Jr.
88	Dustin Rumley	Brown Summit, NC	Dustin Rumley
90	Terry Carroll	Williamsburg, VA	Terry Carroll
90	John Goin	Scottsville, VA	Bo Collins
91	Jonathan Shafer	Ashland, OH	R&S Race Cars
91	Justin Carroll	West Point, VA	Justin Carroll
91	Chris Elliott	Bullock, NC	Chris Elliott Motorsports
95	Sam Yarbrough	Myrtle Beach, SC	Robert Elliott
95	Jacob Heafner	Dallas, NC	John Carroll
97	Daniel Silvestri	Ashburn, VA	Brian Silvestri
99	Austin Somero	Landrum, SC	Ted Somero
99	Layne Riggs	Bahama, NC	Scott Riggs
T2	Travis Truett	Conway, SC	Travis Truett

Landon Pembleton celebrates after winning the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, at Martinsville Speedway. (Photo: Veasey Conway/NASCAR)

ValleyStar Credit Union 300 winners

Late Model Stock Cars have been a regular fixture at Martinsville Speedway through the years, but the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 didn’t come into existence until the 1985 season, when Barry Beggarly became the inaugural winner of the event.

It has been held annually since, with the lone exception being the 2020 season when the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Several drivers have earned multiple wins in the event, including Beggarly, who picked up a second victory in the race in 1994. Philip Morris is the all-time leader in ValleyStar Credit Union 300 victories with three. Others who have won the race twice include Timothy Peters, Curtis Markham, Phil Warren, Tony McGuire, Tommy Lemons Jr. and Lee Pulliam.

A number of drivers who would go on to enjoy success in one of NASCAR’s national divisions have also won the ValleyStar Credit Union 300. NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin won the race in 1987. Mike Sinner, the inaugural NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion in 1995, visited Victory Lane in the Martinsville race in 1993. Current NASCAR Xfinity Series star Josh Berry won the race in 2019.

Below is the complete list of winners of the ValleyStar Credit Union 300.

Year	Winner
1985	Barry Beggarly
1986	Ed Johnson
1987	Mark Martin
1988	Phil Warren
1989	Curtis Markham
1990	Wayne Patterson
1991	Curtis Markham
1992	Joe Gaita
1993	Mike Skinner
1994	Barry Beggarly
1995	Tony McGuire
1996	B.A. Wilson
1997	Billy Hogan
1998	Dexter Canipe
1999	Robert Powell
2000	Philip Morris
2001	Phil Warren
2002	Frank Deiny Jr.
2003	Jamey Caudill
2004	Tony McGuire
2005	Timothy Peters
2006	Alex Yontz
2007	Dennis Setzer
2008	Jason York
2009	Jake Crum
2010	Philip Morris
2011	Lee Pulliam
2012	Philip Morris
2013	Tommy Lemons Jr.
2014	Lee Pulliam
2015	Tommy Lemons Jr.
2016	Mike Looney
2017	Timothy Peters
2018	C.E. Falk III
2019	Josh Berry
2020	Not held
2021	Landon Pembelton

Posted on September 19, 2022 by Staff Report

NASCAR Cup Series teams are scheduled for the final organizational test of the year this week, getting track time Tuesday and Wednesday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The two-day open session is in advance of the Dixie Vodka 400, scheduled Oct. 23 (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM) at the 1.5-mile South Florida track. The event is the middle race in Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 8, which will determine the four drivers who will compete for the championship in the Nov. 6 finale at Phoenix Raceway.

RELATED: 2022 Cup Series schedule

One car from each manufacturer will also participate in wheel-force testing this week at Homestead-Miami. Those test runs will overlap with the organizational test and will take place Wednesday and Thursday.

A full list of participating teams and drivers will be released later.

The Homestead-Miami track was the site of the Next Gen car’s third-ever test during its development. Erik Jones drove the prototype in two days of on-track sessions Jan. 15-16, 2020.

Posted on September 19, 2022September 20, 2022 by Staff Report

Joe Gibbs Racing indicated Monday that its Nos. 11 and 18 teams will swap pit crews, starting with Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Driver Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 Toyota team remain alive in the Cup Series Playoffs, which continue with Sunday’s AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 (3:30 p.m. ET, USA, NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM) at the 1.5-mile Fort Worth track. Kyle Busch, driver of Coach Joe Gibbs’ No. 18 Camry, was eliminated from title contention after last weekend’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

RELATED: Weekend schedule: Texas | Playoff Pulse

The move was first reported by FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, and later independently confirmed by NASCAR.com through a JGR representative.

As of Monday afternoon, NASCAR’s team roster portal did not yet reflect the change. At Bristol, the listed over-the-wall personnel were:

• No. 11: Blake Houston (front tire changer), Jacob Holmes (tire carrier), Michael Hicks (rear tire changer), Derrell Edwards (jack), Justin White (fueler).
• No. 18: Thomas Hatcher (front tire changer), Lee Cunningham (tire carrier), C.J. Bailey (rear tire changer), Kellen Mills (jack), Matthew Tyrrell (fueler).

Posted on September 19, 2022September 19, 2022 by Zach Sturniolo

The NASCAR Cup Series season is 29 races old, but there’s already reason to celebrate before this season comes to an end.

Chris Buescher’s Bristol breakthrough on Saturday night produced the 19th different driver in Victory Lane this year, a record through 29 events and tying 2001 for the most in the modern era. Some of the stunners stem from who have been victorious; some stem from those who haven’t been.

MORE: Bristol results | Playoff Pulse post-Bristol

Let’s start, of course, with the winners.

Austin Cindric, the fresh-faced rookie wheeling the No. 2 Ford for Team Penske, started the year with a bang, scoring the Daytona 500 triumph in his eighth career Cup start by mere inches over Bubba Wallace.

Defending series champion Kyle Larson and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman followed up with respective wins at Auto Club and Las Vegas, perhaps lulling some into thinking this year would be routine. That was before Chase Briscoe, the sophomore Stewart-Haas Racing driver, made his maiden trip to Victory Lane by winning the spring race at Phoenix Raceway.

As the season rolled, Ross Chastain drove himself and Trackhouse Racing to their first wins at Circuit of The Americas, then proved himself again just four weeks later by winning at Talladega. His teammate, Daniel Suárez, wasn’t far behind, netting his inaugural triumph in June at Sonoma Raceway.

Another second-year team, 23XI Racing, has itself two wins this year courtesy of two different drivers — but via the same car number and at the same track. Kurt Busch drove the No. 45 Toyota to victory at Kansas Speedway in May. Five months later, with Busch recovering from a July injury, Wallace scored career win No. 2 at the same track piloting Busch’s number across the stripe.

Perhaps more eye-opening was that Wallace’s win came during a sweep by non-playoff drivers in the Round of 16, a shocker unseen during the elimination era of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs since it began in 2014. His victory was sandwiched between two storybook triumphs themselves.

Erik Jones earned his second Southern 500 checkered flag on Labor Day Weekend behind the wheel of Richard Petty’s famed No. 43 Chevrolet for Petty GMS Motorsports — the team’s first win despite the number and co-owner’s prior history. Two weeks later, Buescher scored the inaugural win for the rebranded RFK Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, his first win in 222 races.

RELATED: Roush revitalized | See all 19 winners

Most different winners in a season: All-time
Season	Winners
1956	19
1958	19
1961	19
2001	19
2022	19*
* = Through 29 races

Source: Racing Insights

And let’s not forget the first career win for Tyler Reddick at Road America on Fourth of July weekend — a feat he backed up four weeks later at the Indianapolis Road Course. His Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Dillon ended the regular season with a clutch win at Daytona to advance into the postseason as well.

Yes, the regular contenders have scored their wins — 2020 series champion Chase Elliott leads with four victories; two-time title winner Kyle Busch was victorious on Bristol’s dirt; Kevin Harvick went back-to-back in August; Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin each have two wins — but the parity has perhaps never been stronger in the NASCAR Cup Series.

While Hendrick Motorsports has statistically separated itself with nine wins — Joe Gibbs Racing trails with four — nine different teams have won in 2022. That means only six organizations that field full-time Cup efforts are winless.

And yet there remain surprises on the list of those with goose eggs in the win column.

Ryan Blaney, a three-time winner in 2021, has failed to visit Victory Lane since the 2021 regular-season finale, yet the No. 12 Ford (which won this year’s exhibition All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway) is locked into the Round of 12, which begins Sunday at Texas (3:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Former Cup champions Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr. have both been shut out of Victory Lane thus far and failed to make the playoffs for the first time in years. Keselowski last missed the postseason in 2013 while Truex was last out in 2014.

But there remain seven races on the schedule for breakout winners to find their way into the history books. Never has the Cup Series seen 20 different victors in the same season, particularly in the modern age dating back to 1972.

What once seemed impossible is certainly within reach. Truex has shown speed numerous times this season, including at 1.5-mile tracks like Texas and Las Vegas; Blaney, among other winless competitors, is especially capable of breaking through at the crapshoot that often is Talladega; and who’s to say the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval won’t produce an upset?

Regardless of what’s ahead over the next seven weeks, the season should be relished for its rare history. Years like this come around only so often — and if there is a new winner, it’ll be something never seen before.

Posted on September 19, 2022 by Cara Cooper

About five years ago, a then 26-year-old Ian Rotundo went to a race at California’s Irwindale Speedway with his family.

“I was sitting in the grandstands watching them race going, ‘I can do that, no problem,'” Rotundo said.

Rotundo had done some motorcycle racing, but never in a car. He had grown up watching the sport, loving driving and cars, and his dad desert raced many years ago.

While at Irwindale, a NASCAR-sanctioned asphalt oval near Los Angeles, Rotundo found the track’s Tucker Tire Enduro Sport class, which he thought looked relatively affordable with good competition and a variety of cars and skill levels.

It also, most importantly, just looked really fun.

It turned out, “I had a lot to learn,” he added.

(Photo courtesy of Ian Rotundo)

The first two years were a steep learning curve for Rotundo. He’s had to learn how to save tires and not be so aggressive on the gas pedal.

“Get in, put the pedal to the floor and hold on. … It turns out that doesn’t work very well,” he said. “I’m learning how to go slower to go faster, if that makes any sense.”

He’s started finding much more success the last two years. In 2021, he finished second in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Division III national championship standings, and this year he’s third.

“The last two years I’ve just been honing those skills and trying to be a little more precise, and a little less aggressive with the pedals, and a little smoother all around,” Rotundo said. “And it’s been amazing how much that’s changed, just learning how to drive a little more carefully. It’s not always push the pedal harder to go faster. It doesn’t always work all the time.”

Much of the learning for Rotundo has been alongside his family, especially his dad, Jim, who helps him work on the car every week.

“I couldn’t even begin to do it without him. There is no way that I would be as competitive as I am and consistent as I am without his help,” Rotundo said. “Doing stuff with my family has been awesome.”

Rotundo has found the competition and camaraderie among the drivers at Irwindale is his favorite aspect of racing. He’s built something of a rivalry with driver Bobby Ozman, who won the Enduro track championship at Irwindale in 2019 and 2020. Ozman is currently second to Rotundo in the track points this season.

“He’s been pushing me hard this year. He’s been doing a great job,” Rotundo said of Ozman. “It’s good to have. It’d be no fun if there were no competition.”

But it’s not all about just getting wins for the two drivers. It’s not worth it if they’re not pushing each other to victory.

“At the last race, during the autograph session, Bobby found a nail in his tire,” Rotundo said. “We had already gone through tech, and if he were to change that tire he was going to have to start at the back of the pack. So we ended up, I was able to run back to the pits and grab a plug kit and plug his tire for him, and he’s my biggest competition. But we’re still out there to help each other and make sure that we’re out there to race, and have fun racing and push each other on the track.

“I don’t want to beat him by some technicality that he was going to have to start further back than he was supposed to. I want to race him to race him. We’re out there to have fun and learning something, and push each other to the edge.

“I love the competition of it. The fact that on the track we can all be pushing the limits, and off the track be friends and help with each other.”

While Rotundo was hoping to try to win the NASCAR national championship this season, he may have to settle for another top-three finish. Irwindale finished its NASCAR season last week.

He’s fallen so in love with racing, though, that Rotundo will surely have more chances in the future.

“All of racing has been fantastic,” he said.

Posted on September 19, 2022 by Brandon White

Only three points separate the top three drivers in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standings heading into the final two races of the 2022 season.

After claiming his fourth win of the year at Riverhead Raceway on Saturday night, three-time Tour champion Justin Bonsignore has erased the deficit stemming from his poor start to put himself well within striking distance of adding another title to his prestigious resume.

With all the momentum favoring Bonsignore as he pursues a third consecutive championship, points leader Jon McKennedy and 2011 champion Ron Silk will find themselves playing both offense and defense with two historic tracks in Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park and Martinsville Speedway ahead.

Below is a breakdown of how the top 10 drivers in the standings fared during the Eddie Partridge 256, along with a complete look at the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standings.

Drivers line up on pit road during the Eddie Partridge 256 at Riverhead Raceway. (Photo: Mike Lawrence/NASCAR)

Jon McKennedy: 526 points

The last thing McKennedy needed was a mediocre performance at Riverhead. Bonsignore winning the Eddie Partridge 256 and Silk finishing third only compounded the consequences of McKennedy’s 10th-place run, as his lead in the standings has been reduced to just three points.

Justin Bonsignore: 523 points

A couple months ago, Bonsignore was nowhere near the championship fight being settled between McKennedy and Silk. Two consecutive victories at Oswego Speedway and Riverhead, along with an average finish of 3.6 over the last five races, has allowed Bonsignore to emerge as the title favorite with two races remaining.

Ron Silk: 523 points

Despite putting together one of the most consistent seasons of his career, Silk has yet to take his car to Victory Lane in 2022. Silk put together another solid performance at Riverhead with a third, but he now finds himself in a tie for second with Bonsignore.

Eric Goodale: 504 points

Goodale remains a dark horse candidate for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour title, but time is running out for him to erase a 22-point deficit. A quiet night for Goodale in the Eddie Partridge 256 saw him come home in fifth for his fourth top five on the 2022 season.

Austin Beers: 479 points

The only rookie who has run every race of the Tour season, Beers is now fifth in the point standings heading into the penultimate race at Thompson. Beers just narrowly missed out on his second top five of the year with a sixth-place finish at Riverhead.

Tommy Catalano: 470 points

Catalano rebounded from a disappointing showing at Oswego but was still unable to crack the top 10 by the time the checkered flag was displayed. The 12th-place finish by Catalano at Riverhead dropped him outside the top five in the point standings.

Kyle Bonsignore: 469 points

A different pit strategy nearly resulted in the other member of the Bonsignore family visiting Riverhead’s Victory Lane. Unfortunately for Kyle, he would get swept up in a late-race accident with Silk, forcing him to settle for a disappointing, 21st-place finish.

Craig Lutz: 466 points

Lutz picked up another top 10 in the Eddie Partridge 256 on Saturday evening by finishing seventh. After scoring only one top 10 in the first 10 races, Lutz now has four in a row, which includes his victory at Thompson back in August.

Doug Coby: 408 points

A three-time winner at Riverhead, Coby could not quite match the pace set by Bonsignore in Saturday’s Eddie Partridge 256. Despite this, Coby still finished fourth and further padded out Tommy Baldwin’s advantage in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour owner points.

J.B. Fortin: 360 points

The Eddie Partridge 256 proved to be another rough evening for Fortin. An accident with Riverhead regular Dylan Slepian knocked Fortin out of the race after 85 laps, which relegated him to 23rd.

Pos.	Driver	Points	Starts	Wins	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	Top 5	Top 10
1	Jon McKennedy	526	14	1	1	0	4	1	2	7	12
2	Justin Bonsignore	523	14	4	1	0	0	2	2	7	11
3	Ron Silk	523	14	0	2	4	1	1	0	8	11
4	Eric Goodale	504	14	0	2	0	1	1	2	4	9
5	Austin Beers *	479	14	0	0	1	0	0	1	1	6
6	Tommy Catalano	470	14	0	1	0	0	1	1	2	6
7	Kyle Bonsignore	469	14	0	1	0	1	1	2	3	8
8	Craig Lutz	466	14	1	0	1	0	0	1	2	7
9	Doug Coby	408	10	3	0	1	1	1	0	6	10
10	J.B. Fortin	360	13	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2
11	Patrick Emerling	330	10	0	2	2	0	0	0	4	6
12	Dave Sapienza	324	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
13	Gary McDonald	314	13	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
14	Walter Sutcliffe Jr.	308	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
15	Melissa Fifield	285	14	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
16	Ken Heagy	272	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
17	Matt Hirschman	257	6	1	2	1	1	1	0	6	6
18	Tyler Rypkema	230	7	0	1	0	0	2	0	3	3
19	Timmy Solomito	201	6	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	4
20	Jake Johnson *	193	6	0	0	1	0	1	0	2	4
21	Andrew Krause	179	6	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	3
22	Donny Lia	173	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
23	Kyle Ebersole	169	6	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	2
24	Jimmy Blewett	139	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2
25	James Pritchard, Jr. *	130	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
26	Dylan Slepian *	122	4	0	0	0	1	1	0	2	2
27	Mike Christopher, Jr. *	120	3	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	2
28	Kyle Soper	119	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	3
29	Ronnie Williams	119	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
30	Ryan Preece	111	3	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	3
31	Matt Kimball *	106	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
32	Eddie McCarthy *	105	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
33	Spencer Davis	102	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
34	John Beatty, Jr.	101	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
35	Sam Rameau	94	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	1
36	Bobby Santos, III	94	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
37	Anthony Nocella	88	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
38	Brian Roble *	86	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
39	Chuck Hossfeld	84	2	0	1	1	0	0	0	2	2
40	Anthony Sesely	78	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
41	Chris Young *	76	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
42	Chris Turbush *	76	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
43	Matt Brode *	73	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
44	Roger Turbush	72	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
45	JR Bertuccio	72	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
46	Max McLaughlin *	70	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
47	Jacob Perry *	63	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
48	Eddie Brunnhoelzl	58	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
49	Tom Rogers, Jr.	43	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
50	Jeremy Gerstner	42	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
51	Todd Patnode *	39	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
52	John Baker	38	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1
53	Blake Barney	35	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
54	Corey LaJoie	35	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
55	Joey Coulter	34	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
56	Ryan Newman	32	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
57	Jamie Tomaino	30	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
58	Mike Leaty *	30	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
59	John Fortin	29	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
60	Gary Putnam	29	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
61	Steve Dickey, Jr. *	28	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
62	Jack Ely *	28	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
63	Andy Seuss	22	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
64	Paul Charette *	21	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
65	Bryan Dauzat	20	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
66	Danny Bohn	20	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Posted on September 18, 2022 by Adam Fenwick

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Before Saturday night’s victory by Chris Buescher at Bristol Motor Speedway, it had been 191 races since RFK Racing last went to Victory Lane in the NASCAR Cup Series.

That victory came at Daytona International Speedway in 2017, when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. drove the No. 17 to victory.

A lot has changed since then. For one, when Stenhouse won in 2017 the team was known as Roush Fenway Racing. Secondly, Stenhouse has long since departed the team and now drives for JTG Daugherty Racing.

Perhaps most importantly, the biggest change since RFK Racing last visited Victory Lane in 2017 is the addition of Brad Keselowski as both a driver and co-owner of the team.

“I’ve had a lot of teammates through my Cup career that have been passionate and put in a lot of effort, but none like Brad,” said Buescher. “To see his passion and the amount of effort that he puts in each and every weekend, it just drives everybody to put in all the effort we possibly can to get to right here, right, to be sitting here after a race and celebrating.”

Keselowski brought with him a new mindset and the goal of turning RFK Racing back into the team that dominated the NASCAR Cup Series during the 1990s and 2000s with drivers like Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards.

While Buescher’s victory in the Bass Pro Shops Night Race Saturday evening doesn’t mean RFK Racing is back at that level, Keselowski believes it’s a major step forward for the entire program.

“It’s a big moment for him and a big moment for our company to be able to win races,” said Keselowski. “It’s really so important at this level. You’re really not relevant if you can’t win races. If you’re not relevant, you can’t have sponsors. You can’t have sponsors, you can’t go to the race track every weekend. We need to win.”

The victory by Buescher marked the 138th for the organization that entered the NASCAR Cup Series in 1988, when Mark Martin piloted the team’s flagship No. 6 for the first time.

That doesn’t take into account RFK Racing’s sweep of the of Bluegreen Vacations Duels in February at Daytona International Speedway, which were non-points events.

The victory was Buescher’s first for RFK Racing and his first since his maiden triumph in 2016 at Pocono Raceway when he drove for Front Row Motorsports. It also came at one of his favorite race tracks.

“This is the one, the one we’ve been looking forward to for a really long time, and it’s just a special place,” Buescher said of Bristol. “It’s unlike anywhere else we go.”

Chris Buescher, driver of the No. 17 Fastenal Ford, during the NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 17, 2022. (Logan Riely | Getty Images)

Keselowski called Buescher’s victory a “legacy win,” noting that not just any driver can walk into Bristol Motor Speedway and win the Bass Pro Shops Night Race. He said that speaks to the growth Buescher has shown throughout the season.

“The Bristol Night Race is a race that champions win, and I think the growth that he’s shown this year shows that he can be just that,” Keselowski said.

Statistically, Buescher flexed his muscle Saturday night. He led a race-high 169 laps, a career-best for the for the 29-year-old from Prosper, Texas. On top of that, he outran five playoff contenders in Chase Elliott, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain, who finished second through sixth.

Buescher’s victory provided Keselowski with a bit of extra gratification since he made a point to sign Buescher to a contract extension immediately after he became a co-owner of RFK Racing.

“I kind of felt like he was a hidden free-agent gem that wasn’t being scouted properly and felt that way for a handful of years,” Keselowski said. “So yeah, the first thing — it was literally the first thing I did when I signed the papers at RFK (was to sign Buescher to an extension).

“I thought he was somebody we could build around and get results, and today clearly shows that that was the case.”

Keselowski made it clear that despite the impressive performance by RFK Racing Saturday night, which included Keselowski leading 109 laps before a flat tire took him out of the race lead late in the event, there is still a lot of work left to do to get the team back to where he believes it should to be.

“We want to get back to being at least a four-car team. That’s been our goal all along,” said Keselowski. “Before you can get to a four-car team, you’ve got to get to a three-car team. Before you can get to a three-car team, you have to be relevant as a two-car team.

“For us, again, relevancy is winning races, multiple races a year with both of your cars and competing for playoffs. Obviously, we’re not in the playoffs with either of our cars, so we have more work to do. But our stated goal internally is to get back to being a four-car team.

“That’s not going to happen if you’re not winning races and you’re not relevant as a two-car team. This is a good step forward for us. We’ve got a long way still to go.”

Posted on September 18, 2022September 18, 2022 by Adam Fenwick

BRISTOL, Tenn. – The way Austin Cindric’s night started Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway, no one would have expected him to advance to the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Cindric blew a right-front tire on Lap 85 of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, which dropped him multiple laps down before the race even reached the 100-lap mark.

He entered the race only two points ahead of Kyle Busch for the final place in the Round of 12, making the flat tire, and a second one that came later in the race, exceptionally devastating. In the end, that same margin carried him forward into the next round of the postseason.

RELATED: Official results | Chris Buescher wins at Bristol

Cindric ended the first stage 35th in the 36-car field, but slowly, he began clawing his way back into the fight.

“For a while it was just drive as hard as I can,” Cindric said after racing his way into the second round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. “As they fell off likes flies, I tried not to force any issues, tried not to force any more right-front tire failures.”

The moment that eventually put Cindric into the Round of 12 came on Lap 269, when the engine in Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Toyota expired. Suddenly there was a glimmer of hope for Cindric, but it would take him nearly the rest of the race to overtake Busch in the standings.

“I think I was tied with the 18 for 100 laps,” Cindric said as he let out an exhausted laugh. “Just one hell of a night. I still don’t think this place loves me back, but it probably showed me a little mercy tonight.”

Cindric eventually crossed the start/finish line 20th, seven laps behind winner Chris Buescher. However, combined with Busch’s 35th-place finish and Tyler Reddick’s 25th-place finish, it was enough for Cindric to squeak into the Round of 12 by a whopping two points.

Reddick and Busch ended the race tied with 2,067 points and were the first two drivers who missed advancing to the Round of 12. Reddick’s night was derailed when he was collected in a multi-car crash shortly after a restart on Lap 278.

Cindric’s attention immediately turns to the Round of 12, which begins next Sunday with the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The Round of 12 also includes events at Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 2 and the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL on Oct. 9.

“I feel like it’s a great chance for us to do something that most people don’t expect, and that’s make the Round of 8 and have a shot to go win a championship,” Cindric said. “I’m on offense from here on out.”