DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 30, 2022) – NASCAR and Riverhead Raceway today announced the September NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race will now be known as the Eddie Partridge 256 and will feature a format change in tribute to the late Eddie Partridge, the long-time Riverhead Raceway and team owner who passed away last year.
The race length will be 256 laps (the previously announced length was 200 laps) and will feature a live pit stop in full view of the fans, bringing an additional element of excitement to the race. A temporary pit wall will be built in the infield to allow for the format. The six in the race length is in honor of the car number Partridge used as a team owner.
“Track general manager John Ellwood spearheaded this exciting change for the fans,” said Riverhead Raceway co-owner Tom Gatz. “His enthusiasm for the track is unmatched, and we are excited about what this will mean for everyone in attendance in September.”
Partridge was the 2011 and 2017 owner champion in the Whelen Modified Tour, and also won the 2011 driver title with Ron Silk in his car. Shortly before passing away on September 10, 2021, Partridge stood in Victory Lane one final time as Ryan Preece won at Richmond in his car that night.
“Eddie was a larger-than-life figure in the Modified community, and it was a goal of his to bring this format to Riverhead,” said Jimmy Wilson, Senior Director, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. “We know this will be a fitting homage to his legacy and can’t wait to put on a show he would be proud of.”
But aside from his legendary career as a car owner, during which he was known for giving many in the NASCAR industry their start, Partridge was also the long-time owner of Riverhead Raceway.
“I’m committed to keeping Eddie’s memory alive and this will be a tribute to him,” said Ellwood. “We all know how great the Whelen Modified Tour racing is at Riverhead, and Eddie really wanted to add this live pit stop format to give the fans in the stands even more to cheer for.”
Riverhead has hosted two Whelen Modified Tour races thus far this season, with Doug Coby winning the May race and Riverhead Raceway regular Kyle Soper winning in June.
The Eddie Partridge 256 at Riverhead Raceway will take place Saturday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase at the box office, and the race can be seen live on FloRacing. The delayed broadcast of the race will be on USA on Sunday, Sept. 25, at 1:30 p.m. ET.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour next races Saturday, Sept. 3, at Oswego Speedway. The race can be seen live on FloRacing at 8:30 p.m. ET and delayed on USA on Friday, Sept. 16 at 12 p.m. ET.
During the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, fans have the opportunity to compete in The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge presented by Ruoff Mortage on their own or as part of a created league.
Fans can enter by visiting The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge page beginning Tuesday, Aug. 30 and registering for a free NASCAR.com account before filling out a bracket. From there, choose from a list of playoff-eligible drivers round by round and you’re on your way to compete for prizes!
Registering for an account allows you to score points and keep track of your progress throughout the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Additionally, a NASCAR.com account allows you to keep track of the latest news, customize updates and learn inside information throughout the playoffs and beyond. If you already have a registered NASCAR.com account, simply logging in with the same credentials will allow you to compete without additional steps or the creation of a new account.
Can I create multiple entries?
All entrants are eligible to create up to three entries per person.
Does The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge work on mobile?
Participants are able to access the challenge and fill out brackets on mobile web and desktop applications.
Can I set up a league?
In addition to joining the overall leaderboard, participants can create their own leagues to compete with friends and others throughout the community. Leagues can be public and available for anyone to join or private and password protected. To join or create a league, follow the instructions on the Leagues tab. There, you can see participants, standings and point totals for each of your league entries. Creating or joining a league does not impact the eligibility to win prizes.
When do I make mypicks?
The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge is conducted in a round-by-round format, mirroring the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs elimination rounds. Beginning with the first opportunity to register on Aug. 30, each round has a window for participants to make their picks. When choosing drivers, list them in the correct order you think they will finish in.
Selections for the playoff-opening Round of 16 (drivers you believe will advance to the Round of 12) can be submitted before 6 p.m. ET on Sept. 4. Not long after the elimination at Bristol Motor Speedway, points are awarded and the Round of 12 selections (drivers you believe will advance to the Round of 8) will open until 3:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 25. After the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, Round of 8 selections (drivers you believe will make it to the Championship 4) will be available until 2:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 16. The Championship 4 and final round opens after the race at Martinsville Speedway (picking the driver you believe will win the title) and must be submitted before 2:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 6.
What am I picking?
When does it open?
When does it close?
Which drivers from the Round of 16 will advance to the Round of 12?
The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge launches Monday, August 30. Participants, start your selections!
Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. ET — before the playoff race at Darlington Raceway
Which drivers from the Round of 12 will advance to the Round of 8?
Within 12 hours of the race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 17
Sept. 25 at 3:30 p.m. ET — before the playoff race at Texas Motor Speedway
Which drivers from the Round of 8 will advance to the Championship 4?
Within 12 hours of the race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval on Oct. 9
Oct. 16 at 2:30 p.m. ET — before the playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Which driver will win the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Championship?
Within 12 hours of the race at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 30
Nov. 6 at 2:30 p.m. ET — before the Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway
Yes. During each round, participants will earn points based on their selections. Participants will receive 10 points for each driver correctly selected to advance to the next round of the playoffs, except for the Championship Round™. For the final round, all coming down to the finale at Phoenix Raceway, the correct driver chosen to win the 2022 Cup Series championship earns participants 40 points.
Five bonus points (per correct pick) are also awarded for arranging playoff drivers in the correct finishing order and one point for finishes one spot before or after. Points carry from round to round, and the eligible participant with the most points at the end of the Championship Round™ will be declared the winner.
Scoring factors in official finishing order after post-race inspection.
What are the prizes I can win for competing?
Cash prizes for The Playoffs Grid™ Challenge are awarded to the top three eligible entrants in the overall standings. One first-place winner will receive $10,000, one second-place winner will receive $5,000 and one third-place winner will receive $2,500. Participants can track their place in the standings with the live leaderboard throughout each round of the playoffs. Accounts listed in the top three positions — or any other position — may not necessarily be the top participants eligible to win prizes.
See the official rules for additional information on eligibility, prizes and tiebreak procedures.
Who are the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs drivers?
Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick, Kevin Harvick, Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe, Daniel Suárez, Austin Cindric, Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon.
Corey LaJoie is a man of the people and is happy to stop for fans.
But heading home from the track one Sunday afternoon, LaJoie stopped for some enthusiastic fans — who happened to be mistaken.
As LaJoie explains in this second installment of “Corey’s Stories,” a father and his son were elated to see a NASCAR Cup Series driver on the way to the airport following the event. But once LaJoie stopped, the fans realized they had the wrong driver in mind. Watch LaJoie relive the story below, and catch the “Stacking Pennies” podcast every week on www.nascar.com/podcast.
The 2023 Toyota Sequoia is here, and Toyota has gone all out to make it a truly legendary SUV. Completely reimagined from the ground up, the all-new Sequoia has the power, style, and capability fans need to take on any adventure.
Now Toyota and NASCAR are going all out to give one fan a chance to bring the Sequoia home. Fans can enter daily during the NASCAR Playoffs™ for a chance to win a 2023 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro — loaded with incredible features like the powerful, standard i-FORCE MAX Twin Turbo V6 Hybrid powertrain, modern styling, 14-in. Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen with 14 JBL® speakers, and much much more.
Plus, as the action heats up on-track, fans who enter on NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs™ race days will receive +10 bonus entries if a Toyota driver wins that week’s race.
Don’t miss out on a chance to win the all-new, go-anywhere, do-anything Toyota Sequoia.
NPN. Ends 11/6/22. Click for Rules/Entry. The Toyota model or models shown are designed to meet most off-road driving requirements, but off-roading is inherently dangerous and may result in vehicle damage. Toyota encourages responsible operation to help protect you, your vehicle and the environment. Seatbelts should be worn at all times. Do not allow passengers to ride in cargo area.
SOUTH BOSTON, Va. — The stakes are high. The drama will be higher.
One final night of racing remains in South Boston Speedway’s 2022 points season. Twin races are on the schedule. A three-way battle looms for the South Boston Speedway NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car Division championship between Layne Riggs, Peyton Sellers and Jacob Borst. A tight battle for the NASCAR national championship between Riggs and Sellers that grew closer this past weekend adds to the pressure.
Saturday night, Sept. 3, will be one of the most impactful nights of the season as South Boston Speedway hosts the Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event.
Riggs, of Bahama, North Carolina, is the current South Boston Speedway and NASCAR national points leader. Sellers, a Danville, Virginia resident, is the defending South Boston Speedway and NASCAR national champion. He trails Riggs by 20 points in the track point standings entering the twin 65-lap NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division races that will headline the seven-race Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event.
Borst, of Elon, North Carolina, last season’s South Boston Speedway points runner-up, sits in third place in the track point standings, two points behind Sellers and 22 points behind Riggs.
In the NASCAR national points chase, Riggs’ lead over Sellers had shrunk to 16 points entering last weekend’s action. That margin is likely to drop into single digits, as Sellers won the twin races at Dominion Raceway last weekend while Riggs had finishes of eighth and second.
While there is a true sense of urgency among Riggs, Sellers and Borst, none are admitting they are facing a lot of pressure heading into the twin 65-lap NASCAR Late Model Stock Car races Saturday night at South Boston Speedway.
Riggs says he does not pay attention to points.
“That’s something as a driver I don’t pay attention to,” he remarked. “I just pay attention to my car, my strategy and keeping my focus and my head about me. We’re going to keep doing what we’ve always been doing. I’m keeping my head down, being smart behind the wheel, and just trying to chip away and get a win everywhere we go.”
Sellers, who has six career South Boston Speedway NASCAR track championships under his belt, says the path to a record-tying seventh career South Boston Speedway title is a tough one, and he is not going to change his approach for the Sept. 3 twinbill.
“We can’t change what we’re doing,” Sellers pointed out. “We’re just going to try to win races, try to get our car the best we can, and the pieces will have to fall in place. He (Riggs) will have to have bad luck.”
Borst said he is going to give it his best shot in Saturday night’s twinbill. While he can possibly win the championship, he may have a better shot at second place in points, the spot where he finished last season.
“I’d love to win the championship, but Layne has a pretty good lead, and it’s going to be very hard to catch up to him,” Borst noted. “We’re going to go out there and try to do our best. If luck plays into our favor great, if it doesn’t, it’s just a part of racing. We’re going to go out there like nobody has any points and try to get the wins. We’ll take it like we do every weekend and just worry about ourselves and run our race.”
A seven-race card will fill the Sept. 3 Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night event. In addition to the twin 65-lap NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division races, there will be twin 30-lap races for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division, a 25-lap race for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division, a 20-lap race for the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division and a 20-lap race for the Mills Family Practice Champ Karts.
Track championships will be riding on the outcome of the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division twinbill as well as on the outcome of the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division and the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division races.
Kyle Barnes of Draper, Virginia holds a 30-point lead over Jason Myers of Hurt, Virginia in the chase for the Budweiser Limited Sportsman Division title, with Myers still having a shot at the title with the division’s twin races.
Four drivers are in the hunt for the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division title. Scott Phillips of Halifax, Virginia holds an eight-point lead over Johnny Layne of Halifax, Virginia entering the race. Jimmy Wade of Halifax, Virginia, who is having the best season of his career in the division, is only 23 points out of the lead, and B.J. Reaves of South Boston, Virginia is only 26 points out of the top spot.
In the Virginia State Police HEAT Hornets Division, Jason DeCarlo of Chase City, Virginia holds a seven-point lead over former division champion Kevin Currin of Chase City, Virginia. Dillon Davis of Nathalie, Virginia, the winner on August 20, is in third place, just 13 points out of the lead.
The Sept. 3 Halifax County Farm Bureau Championship Night race-day schedule has practice starting at 3:30 p.m ET. Grandstand gates will open at 5:30 p.m. ET, qualifying begins at 6 p.m. ET, and the first race of the night will get the green flag at 7 p.m. ET.
Advance adult general admission tickets are priced at $10 each and may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website through Friday night, Sept. 2. Advance tickets may also be purchased by calling the speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.
Tickets at the gate on race night will be $15 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $10 each at the gate on race night.
Fans and competitors can find the latest updates and news on the speedway’s website, southbostonspeedway.com, and through the track’s social media channels. Information may also be obtained by phoning the speedway at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season is nearing its crescendo as the series prepares for the 13th of 16 events this Saturday night at New York’s Oswego Speedway.
Jon McKennedy enters the event, the 15th in Tour history at the popular New York speedway, with a narrow, three-point edge on Ron Silk in the battle for the 2022 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship.
The Tour’s return to Oswego could be good news for Silk, as he is the defending race winner at the 0.675-mile oval. He dominated at Oswego last season, winning the pole and leading 111 laps en route to his most recent Tour victory.
Silk is one of 10 drivers to earn Tour victories at Oswego dating back to 1988, when Brian Ross won the first two Tour events in track history. Other victors at Oswego include Justin Bonsignore, Matt Hirschman, Ryan Preece, Doug Coby, Tony Hirschman, Mike Stefanik, George Kent Jr. and Mike McLaughlin.
Below is everything you need to know about Saturday’s Toyota – Bud Mod Classic 150 at Oswego Speedway.
Toyota – Bud Mod Classic 150 at Oswego Speedway
What to watch for:
Silk has been among the most consistent competitors all season with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. His 6.8 average finish is equal to that of his championship rival McKennedy. The only difference between the two is McKennedy has a victory, which came at Claremont Motorsports Park.
Silk is hopes a return to Oswego will be a good omen since he is the defending race winner. A victory would be a vital piece of the puzzle as he looks to claim his second Tour championship.
There will be plenty of competitors looking to deny Silk and McKennedy in Saturday’s event. In addition to Silk, there are three other previous Oswego winners entered in the Toyota – Bud Mod Classic 150. They include the Tour’s most recent winner, Coby, who triumphed at Oswego when the Tour returned to the track in 2016 after a 17-year absence.
Bonsignore, a two-time Tour winner this year who is still trying to get back in the championship hunt, triumphed at Oswego during the 2019 season. Part-time competitor Matt Hirschman, a winner already this year with the Tour at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway, is back as he searches for his second Oswego triumph with the Tour.
Bobby Santos III, who was forced to miss the race at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park due to a scheduling conflict, will look to get back on track at Oswego. He’ll once again pilot the No. 44 fielded by the Tinio family. Patrick Emerling also returns to Tour competition in his own No. 07.
The field prior to the Steel Palace 150 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Oswego Speedway on June 12, 2021. (Photo: Bryan Bennett/ARCA Racing)
Donny Lia continues his comeback season with Boehler Racing Enterprises with a visit to Oswego this weekend. His only previous Oswego start came in 2016 and resulted in a 15th-place finish.
Eric Goodale, currently third in the Tour standings, continues his quest for his first victory of the year in the No. 58 Modified. Austin Beers, fresh off a career-best third-place run at Langley Speedway, will also look to be a contender Saturday evening.
Additional entrants for Saturday’s race include New York’s own Tommy Catalano, Craig Lutz, Tyler Rypkema, Kyle Bonsignore, Kyle Ebersole, Brian Robie and Mike Leaty, among others.
The complete entry list for the Toyota – Bud Mod Classic 150 is available here.
Schedule: Saturday, Sept. 3: Garage opens at 11:30 a.m. … Final practice from 2-3 p.m. ET … Single-car qualifying (two laps) at 4:30 p.m. ET … Race at 7:30 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 Toyota – Bud Mod Classic 150 is limited to 28 starters including Provisional Positions.
Tire allotment: The maximum tire allotment available for this event is eleven (11) 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. To utilize the fourth (4th) change tire, the team will have to take a practice tire purchased at Oswego Speedway and turn in by the conclusion of practice.
Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale had everything to do with momentum, from the wild in-race swings on the postseason standings picture to the moves made in the draft at Daytona International Speedway. The deciding shift stemmed from the late-race momentum generated by Austin Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet in a fateful bump of Austin Cindric’s No. 2 Ford.
That changing of the guard for the lead in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 made the difference in the battle for the final berths in the Cup Series Playoffs grid, and Dillon’s first victory of the season cleared his way into the championship-eligible grid. Cindric’s defeat narrowed the playoff gap, leaving room for only one remaining qualifier – a spot that Ryan Blaney grabbed late, edging out Martin Truex Jr.
The implications from that final nudge with three laps remaining were wide-ranging. Here’s what the principals involved had to say about the pivotal moment:
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet driver: “Laps are clicking down, and I knew I could get to the 2’s back bumper pretty good. The 62 (Noah Gragson) and the 8 (teammate Tyler Reddick) did a good job of getting up through there, so I felt like three Chevys in a row was an advantage. In the back of my mind, I knew that the 12 car (Ryan Blaney) was still out there, and before I didn’t know where he was points-wise. If I waited until the white flag to make the move, possibly if he wrecks or someone wrecks back there, it could take our shot away.
“I wanted to make it before the white (flag). Truthfully, that was — it just kind of happened. I was kind of planning on getting a bigger run than that before and pulling out to the right. And I figured that the 2 was going to be a sitting duck because they were going to go with me, the Chevys would, and then we would race it out from there.
“He kind of got loose as I got to his back bumper into one, and I kind of have been giving him that same shove. I don’t know if I just caught more momentum that lap than the others, but when he got free, I just kind of moved up the track. Then I got way out front. It’s very hard to tell yourself to hit the brake pedal when you are driving away from the guys that are behind you to not give up that huge gap.
“When I saw Tyler got there and they were all splitting up, I was, like, ‘Man, I can’t let them go too big of a run.’ I knew Tyler would have my back. He has been a good teammate to me, and I enjoyed working with him. Hit the brake pedal. He got on my back bumper and from then on it was managing the gap to him in my mirror. We were able to bring it home.”
Austin Cindric, Team Penske No. 2 Ford driver: “I think it’s fair game any race of the season, but obviously that meant a lot for him to win that race. He had three cars that were certainly going to be able to work with him, and I was lifting way before the flagstand, trying not to get that gap. I kept trying to get the runs, trying to get the runs, and I feel like they got the run too late and then he hit me straight on the entry to the corner. Just glad I saved it, glad I had a shot to come back up through the field but yeah, I hate losing.”
Richard Childress, team owner of Richard Childress Racing: “He kept running up behind him. I think he was trying to get him loose. I didn’t see that move. I don’t know if he got so close, he got him loose, or if he bumped him a little to push him and got him sideways. When you are racing for the win, that’s what all of them is going to be doing.”
Travis Geisler, Team Penske’s NASCAR Competition Director: “Those guys pretty much knew where things were. I mean, it was pretty obvious what the situation was. He was in such a tough spot. I mean, he was a sitting duck with the whole RCR chain behind them. It was like, ‘Man, I hope we just don’t end up wrecked right here,’ which, fortunately, we just got moved and he was able to kind of come back and get a pretty good finish out of it.”
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The notion of any friction between Richard Childress Racing teammates should be thrown right out.
Tyler Reddick’s pending move to 23XI Racing in 2024 created no such disharmony in the Daytona draft when it came time for him to do what was best for his current home team. His dutiful driving provided a buffer, pushing the No. 3 RCR Chevrolet of Austin Dillon – a teammate and a friend — to a playoff-clinching win in Sunday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400.
Reddick’s looming departure from Richard Childress’ group was the kind of seismic move that’s had lingering effects, given the team’s blunt reaction when it was announced last month. In Sunday’s regular-season finale, Reddick’s focus was less on the future decoupling than it was the current union, helping his teammate join him in the 16-driver postseason field. Mitigating any hurt feelings wasn’t even a consideration.
“It’s not why I did it. I did it for Austin. I mean, I didn’t really do it for … it didn’t even, it wasn’t even on my mind, honestly,” Reddick said on pit road post-race, still smiling widely from his runner-up role in the RCR 1-2 finish. “Just trying to get my friend, my teammate, a fellow driver at RCR in the playoffs because it’s not just my group of guys that deserve it. It’s everybody at RCR that works really hard on these cars, and now both of our cars are in the playoffs.”
When Austin Dillon made his winning bump-and-run move on Austin Cindric on the 158th of 160 laps, Reddick squeaked by the squirrely No. 2 Team Penske Ford with a low-side dive to pick up two spots. He caught up to Dillon’s back bumper and his scraped and scarred No. 8 Chevy stayed there the rest of the race, keeping a resurgent Cindric plus eager underdogs Cody Ware and Landon Cassill at bay.
Any moves that served his own self-interests over the team never materialized.
“Yeah, I know that may be hard to believe, but certainly I had no interest and I think he knew that I wasn’t gonna pass him,” Reddick said. “I was going to be playing blocker for the rest of the deal.”
Meg Oliphant | Getty Images
“He did a really good job, and he did the right thing there,” said No. 8 crew chief Randall Burnett. “The biggest thing was, our goal at the beginning of the year is to get both cars in (the playoffs) whether it’s through winning or points or whatever. Obviously we want to win races. So for him to push the 3 and be a good teammate, everybody being a good teammate, I’m really happy for those guys. Those guys did a great job. They worked really hard week in and week out so, well-deserved on their part to get a win and it’s nice to be able to help push ’em to it.”
The two drivers embraced in Victory Lane, soaking in the champagne instead of the rain after a weather-slogged weekend at Daytona International Speedway. But the shared moment meant more than just a mutual show of respect among teammates.
Dillon revealed in his post-race interviews that when Reddick had made his decision to join 23XI that he called him to offer congratulations, but also to make a quick gut-check.
“For me being an owner’s son sometimes comes with caveats, and I wanted to make sure that I had nothing to do with the reasons that he was leaving,” Dillon said. “When I called him, I was, like, ‘Hey, man, I just want to make sure I’ve been a good teammate to you.’ He said, ‘No, you have been an amazing teammate. Me and Alexa (De Leon, Reddick’s girlfriend) really enjoyed being around you guys.’ I said, ‘Look, man, congratulations on your deal. Let’s go try and win some races for RCR over the next year and a half.’ ”
“For me, I was in none of his negotiations, talks, or anything. So it was more like he has been in a way inspirational to me to pick up my game because he has so much speed, and he shows it constantly. Tyler has been good for me. Then I think I’ve been good for him in some consistency aspects. We’ve rubbed off on each other in different ways to really help.
“When he got to my back bumper, I knew that I could trust him.”
Funny enough, Dillon’s faith in his teammate was challenged earlier in the race with a bold pit-road entry, helping Reddick gain a handful of spots with a dramatic whoa-down from the superspeedway pace.
“That little fart drove around me and Stenhouse and somebody else and got himself in a good position,” Dillon said. “But I was, like, ‘Dude, where were you going?’ ”
Reddick confirmed to Dillon later that he had no jitters about making that move.
“That’s just how Tyler is,” Dillon said. “It doesn’t matter what position he puts himself in, he is confident, and that confidence shows. I’m thankful that he has been my teammate for this long, and hopefully together both of us can keep progressing our share forward, and it feels good to have us both in the Playoffs.”
It’s been a whirlwind last two months for Richard Childress Racing. Reddick’s news came in the middle of his first two Cup Series wins, and Dillon – hampered in the standings by five crash-related DNFs – salvaged his postseason fate with a clutch victory that meant more magic for the No. 3 at Daytona.
With the playoff uncertainty finally settled for both RCR mates, each driver’s quest for a first NASCAR Cup Series title begins in Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 (6 p.m. ET, USA, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM) at Darlington Raceway.
Childress, the Hall of Famer team owner, vowed no team tension in chasing that trophy, either.
“I think I talked to all of those guys after his announcement, and I said we’re going to give him 100% chance to win races and 100% chance at winning the championship,” Childress said. “Now, we’ve got two in there, so we’ve got to give both of them the same advantage to try to win the championship.”
It may not seem possible, but the fight for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship has gotten even tighter between Jon McKennedy and Ron Silk.
What started as a five-point advantage for McKennedy ahead of Silk entering Saturday’s CheckeredFlag.com 150 at Virginia’s Langley Speedway is now only three points with four races left in the 2022 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season.
Both drivers completed solid races Saturday night at Langley, with Silk finishing second while McKennedy came home two positions behind him in fourth. Neither driver could catch race winner Doug Coby, who dominated the race by leading every lap for team owner Tommy Baldwin Jr. The victory by Coby helped Baldwin pad his lead at the top of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour owner standings.
Below is a breakdown of how the top 10 drivers in the standings fared during the CheckeredFlag.com 150, along with a complete look at the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standings.
Doug Coby, driver of the No. 7 John Blewett Inc. Modified, celebrates after winning the CheckeredFlag.com 150 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Larry King Law’s Langley Speedway on August 27, 2022. (Photo: Ryan M. Kelly/NASCAR)
Jon McKennedy: 454 points
Sometimes all a driver can ask for is a quiet, uneventful night. That’s exactly what McKennedy got Saturday at Langley. He qualified and finished fourth to maintain his lead at the top of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standings.
Ron Silk: 451 points
Entering the CheckeredFlag.com 150 five points in arrears of McKennedy in the standings, Silk narrowed that gap to three points Saturday night. He started fifth and worked his way up to second in the late stages of the race but had nothing for eventual race winner Coby. He now sits three points behind McKennedy with four races left this year.
Eric Goodale: 430 points
Saturday was not a good night for Goodale. He was collected in an accident that also involved Melissa Fifield in Turn 2 on Lap 109 and was never able to fully recover. He finished 12th, one lap behind race winner Coby, and sits 24 points behind McKennedy in the battle for the Tour championship.
Justin Bonsignore: 428 points
The defending Tour champion continues to play catchup from early season troubles that forced him to start the season last in the Tour standings. He started second and finished fifth Saturday evening and finds himself only two points behind Goodale for third and 26 points behind McKennedy in the series standings.
Tommy Catalano: 411 points
Catalano’s best Tour season to date continued with another strong performance Saturday evening at Langley. He started ninth and advanced three positions to finish sixth, which allowed him to go from sixth to fifth in the standings.
Austin Beers: 409 points
Beers enjoyed his best race of the season Saturday at Langley. He qualified a career-best third, which he then backed up with a career-best third-place finish. It was his first top-five finish in Tour competition, and it helped him go from seventh to sixth in the standings.
Kyle Bonsignore: 405 points
A spin late in Saturday’s race derailed Bonsignore’s day. The spin, which took place on Lap 122 in Turn 4, brought out the final caution flag of the race. With little time to recover, he ultimately finished 13th after starting 11th and dropped from fifth to seventh in the Tour standings.
Craig Lutz: 388 points
Craig Lutz followed up his victory at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park earlier this month by qualifying sixth and finishing ninth Saturday evening at Langley. He remains eighth in the standings.
Doug Coby: 330 points
Nobody was in Coby’s league Saturday at Langley. He was fastest in practice, qualified on the pole and led every lap of the CheckeredFlag.com 150 to earn his third Tour victory of the season. The victory also helped Coby move into the top 10 in the standings for the first time this season.
J.B. Fortin: 317 points
After a miserable race at Thompson, J.B. Fortin was able to put together a quiet and uneventful race at Langley. He started 12th and gained one position to finish 11th.
