NASCAR announced Wednesday afternoon that a change to the Damaged Vehicle Policy (DVP) clock will be implemented ahead of Sunday’s Cup Series Playoff opener at Darlington Raceway (6 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The DVP clock will see a four-minute increase from six to 10 minutes for teams to make repairs to their cars on pit road. This adjustment is in collaboration with teams throughout the season following learnings on repair time with the Next Gen car. The clock resetting after a driver is able to meet minimum speed on track under the DVP will remain in place.

RELATED: Schedule for Darlington | More NASCAR 101

The DVP was instituted in 2017 and began with a five-minute repair time on pit road that increased to six the following season.

The race for a 2022 championship will continue for the No. 45 Toyota of 23XI Racing — just on the owners’ side.

One week after Kurt Busch and 23XI decided to withdraw the veteran driver’s waiver to compete in this year’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, the organization announced that Bubba Wallace will run the course for the No. 45 team for the remainder of the season.

Owners’ points reset alongside driver points before the Round of 16, and the No. 45 23XI Racing entry qualified among those eligible for an owners’ title, boosted by Busch’s May 15 win at Kansas Speedway.

“Kurt put us in the playoffs and isn’t able to finish out the mission,” Steve Lauletta, president of 23XI Racing, told NASCAR.com. “We’re still qualified for the owners’ championship and now we’re looking to [Bubba] and Bootie [Barker, crew chief] and that team to take the No. 45 mantle and try to have our strongest run.”

RELATED: Current owner standings

Though he missed out on the drivers’ playoffs, Wallace has seven top-14 finishes in the last eight races in the No. 23 Toyota. That includes a third-place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and a runner-up effort at Michigan International Speedway.

Wallace is only in his second year with the blossoming organization, debuting in 2021 as the team’s inaugural driver for a single-car operation. This season, 23XI brought on Busch and expanded to two cars.

“Since we started 23XI as a one-car team and grew to two cars, we’ve always said we are two cars but act as one team,” Lauletta said. “This is us putting that, again, into reality. The whole point of this is to put our team in the best position to get as far in the owners’ championship playoffs as possible.”

The owners’ championship battle mirrors the Cup Series Playoffs and plays out over 10 races, ending with the championship race at Phoenix Raceway. 23XI Racing’s No. 45 entry enters the stretch 12th, only 33 points back from leader Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 9 Chevrolet.

45 Wallace Darlington2 2022 1200x520 Copy

Swapping the numbers on the car, while keeping personnel changes consistent to what we have seen throughout the season, allows Wallace to compete for the owners’ championship on behalf of the team while Ty Gibbs gains valuable experience behind the wheel of the No. 23 car with Billy Scott remaining as crew chief.

“Everybody knows the challenge,” Lauletta said. “We continue to work together to put both cars in position to be competitive. We want to continue the momentum with the No. 23 team and Bubba that we’ve had, and we want to continue to get Ty more accustomed to this Cup car and the way races play out.”

Busch has been sidelined with symptoms stemming from a concussion sustained in a qualifying crash July 23 at Pocono Raceway. Xfinity Series points leader Gibbs has commanded the entry since.

The current plan has Gibbs continuing to fill the seat until Busch is cleared and ready to make his return. In his first six Cup Series starts, Gibbs has an average finish of 19.7.

SCHEDULE: Darlington and more

Wallace’s first start in the new-look No. 45 entry is scheduled for Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway (6 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Editor’s note: Primary sponsors and paint schemes will follow each driver alongside the number swap.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR-themed teddy bears named ‘Speedy Bear’ are being delivered to children in hospitals across the United States and Mexico as The NASCAR Foundation and Kaulig Giving join together for the sixth annual “Speedy Bear Brigade.” This year’s program expands into Mexico bringing the cumulative total to more than 8,000 Speedy Bears delivered over six years to help comfort children during their hospital stays.

The NASCAR Foundation’s Speedy Bear Brigade began delivering Speedy Bears to children earlier this week with stops in Monterrey, Mexico, and Charlotte, North Carolina. NASCAR volunteers assisted with the deliveries, including representatives from the NASCAR Mexico Series who joined efforts for the first time.

“We are thrilled that our Speedy Bear Brigade continues to grow and impact more children each year,” said Nichole Krieger, The NASCAR Foundation executive director. “Support from donors like Kaulig Giving, the NASCAR Mexico Series and all of our wonderful NASCAR fans are so important in making this program a success as we help deliver cheer and positivity to children in hospitals everywhere.”

This year’s efforts mark the biggest to date with nearly 70 hospitals participating in race markets across the United States and Mexico. The initiative culminates on National Teddy Bear Day on Friday, Sept. 9, with events in Akron, Ohio, home to Kaulig Giving headquarters and during NASCAR’s Kansas Speedway race weekend.

“We’re honored to team up with The NASCAR Foundation to deliver cheer, positivity, and comfort to children in hospitals across the country through the Speedy Bear Brigade program,” said Matt Kaulig, team owner of Kaulig Racing and founder of Kaulig Giving. “Our partnership with The NASCAR Foundation continues to grow on and off the track and is a priority for us. All of us share the incredible goal of impacting the communities we love by helping children in need live happier, healthier lives.”

NASCAR fans are encouraged to join the Speedy Bear Brigade by making a $25 donation to The NASCAR Foundation to sponsor a Speedy Bear and send an inspirational message to a child in the hospital. As an additional incentive, Kaulig Giving has provided a challenge grant of $25,000 to double the impact of donations made at NASCARfoundation.org.

Locations supported by The NASCAR Foundation’s Speedy Bear Brigade powered by Kaulig Giving include:

  • Akron, Ohio — Akron Children’s Hospital
  • Birmingham, Alabama — Children’s of Alabama
  • Braselton, Georgia — Northeast Georgia Medical Center
  • Charlotte, North Carolina — Hemby Children’s Hospital and Levine Children’s Hosptial
  • Cleveland, Ohio — Cleveland Clinic
  • Concord, North Carolina — Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital
  • Darlington, South Carolina — McLeod Children’s Hospital
  • Daytona Beach, Florida — Halifax Health
  • Homestead, Florida — Homestead Hospital
  • Indianapolis, Indiana — Riley Children’s Hospital
  • Jackson, Michigan — Henry Ford Allegiance Health
  • Louisville, Kentucky — Nationwide Children’s Hospital
  • Monterrey, Mexico — Hospital Materno Infantil de Alta Especialidad
  • Nashville, Tennessee — Monroe Carell Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
  • Phoenix, Arizona — Phoenix Children’s Hospital
  • Pocono, Pennsylvania — Lehigh Valley Health Network
  • Richmond, Virginia — Children’s Hospital at VCU
  • Rochester, New York — Golisano Children’s Hospital
  • Sebring, Florida — AdventHealth Sebring
  • Shawnee Mission, Kansas — AdventHealth Shawnee Mission

When Tommy Catalano was a school-aged child, he looked forward to Fridays.

Sure, most of us looked forward to Fridays during our school years, but Tommy had a different reason.

While Tommy was riding the bus home from school, his parents Amy and Dave would be riding in their race car hauler on the way to nearby Spencer Speedway in Williamson, New York.

“It’s a mile and a half, maybe a little less from our house,” Tommy said of Spencer Speedway. “You’d get home from school, and I would wait for my Grandparents. They would take me to the track with them. My parents, you’d be getting off the bus and they’d be passing you with the truck and trailer headed down the road to the track.

“That was kind of the Friday night routine.”

RELATED: Mike Christopher Jr. carries family torch with the Modified Tour

The Catalano family has been involved in racing — specifically Modified racing — for decades. It may as well be a family tradition.

It all started with Tommy’s great uncle Joe Catalano, who began racing Modifieds in the 1960s in upstate New York. The racing bug was handed down to Dave, Tommy’s father, who drove for Joe years later.

Tommy inherited the bug from his father and mother, both of whom are racers. The third-generation driver is in the midst of his fifth NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season, which continues this Saturday night at New York’s Oswego Speedway.

Tommy Catalano, driver of the #54 FX Caprara, during qualifying the Phoenix Communications 150 for the Whelen Modified Tour at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on August 18, 2022 in Claremont, New Hampshire. (Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
Tommy Catalano, driver of the No. 54 FX Caprara Modified, during qualifying for the Phoenix Communications 150 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on August 18, 2022. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)

It all adds up to more than 60 years of racing Modifieds for the Catalano family.

“When you look back on it, you see pictures on Facebook or even if you go to the race track and they have the vintage class and you look at some of the cars and you go, ‘Man, I can’t believe people raced these,’” Tommy said. “Then you think, ‘That’s where our family started in Modifieds.’

“It’s definitely crazy to think about how far it’s come and how long we’ve stayed in it.”

Historically speaking, the Catalano family is relatively new to the Tour.

Tommy didn’t make his first Tour start until 2018. His mom Amy made her Tour debut in 2019, his uncle Buck made three starts during the mid-2000s, and his younger brother Timmy has made 23 Tour starts.

RELATED: Despite tragedy, Jimmy Blewett carries on family tradition of Modified racing

However, when one takes into account all of their local and regional Modified racing through the decades, the Catalanos might be the one of the longest tenured families in all of Modified racing.

“To me they are some of the coolest race cars,” Tommy said. “Growing up in my late teens I ran Late Models, Midgets, obviously the SK and Modified stuff in our family car. The Modifieds have always been, I don’t want to say a challenge, but they’re something that if you work at it, you get better and you see the results.

“Growing up, my uncles, my dad, my mom, the whole family, it was Modifieds. Where we’re from, if you got to the Modifieds, that was the premier division. That was the class everyone came to watch. That was the goal, to get to the Modifieds.”

Despite their short history with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, the Catalano family does have a special place in the Tour history books.

On Aug. 31, 2019, the Catalano family made history when mom Amy raced against her sons Tommy and Timmy at Oswego.

While that may seem like a unique accomplishment, for the Catalano family, it happened nearly every Friday night when they raced at Spencer.

Tommy Catalano driver of the #54 FX Caprara car enter his car during the Duel at the Dog 200 for the Whelen Modified Tour at Monadnock Speedway on June 19, 2022 in Winchester, New Hampshire. (Nick Grace/NASCAR)
Tommy Catalano driver of the No. 54 FX Caprara Modified, enters his car before the Duel at the Dog 200 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at Monadnock Speedway on June 19, 2022. (Photo: Nick Grace/NASCAR)

“That was just normal,” Tommy said. “When you got old enough, you just jumped in. Mom was out there. That’s just what we did. Around here, it’s kind of what we do. When we went to the Tour everyone was like, ‘Oh my goodness!’

“We were like, ‘What’s going on, what’s wrong?’ I tell everyone all the time, ‘I wonder what normal people do on weekends?’ And they say, ‘Are you calling yourself not normal?’ And I say, ‘Apparently not,’ because to us that was normal, but so many people are shocked by it.”

The Catalano family will be racing against each other in the lead-up to Saturday’s Tour race at Oswego when they return to Spencer this Friday evening. In all, five members of the Catalano family are expected to be in action Friday. Four of them — mom Amy and brothers Tommy, Timmy and Tyler — will be competing in the headlining Modified division. A fourth brother, Trevor, will also be in action in the SK Modified class.

Oh, and there is a fifth Catalano brother. His name is Troyer, and he currently races Go Karts.

The future of the Catalano family looks bright, especially with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

RELATED: How racing a Modified became a way of life for Matt Hirschman and family

While Tommy has yet to win a Tour race, he’s come close. This season he nearly won at Richmond Raceway, leading a race-high 69 laps before Justin Bonsignore passed him for the lead and eventually the victory with 11 laps left.

At 24 years old, Tommy should have plenty of opportunities to break into Victory Lane with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

If all goes as planned, he hopes to continue racing Modifieds for the rest of his life and then hand the tradition down to his own children.

Until then, he plans to continue making memories and adding to the legacy of the Catalano racing family. As long as he’s having fun, he says, he’ll continue racing Modifieds.

“At the end of the day, you’ve got to be able to ride home in that truck and still enjoy it, because if you’re not enjoying it, it’s another job,” Tommy said. “At that point, it’s not worth it.”

Editor’s note: The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series series will be spotlighted in USA Network’s new unscripted series “Race for the Championship” airing this fall. The first episode is Thursday, Sept. 1, at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

A new car, new race tracks and new rivalries reshaped the NASCAR Cup Series this season, fueling on-track action and off-track story lines worthy of their own TV series. Fortunately for fans, that’s exactly what’s in store beginning this week.

USA Network’s new unscripted series “Race for the Championship” premieres Thursday, Sept. 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, and drivers have opened up recently on the filming process and what it’s like to have their more private moments captured.

“It’s very entertaining, like highly entertaining,” Joey Logano said at Daytona International Speedway. “And it’s a good mix of preparing for racing, personal lives, and the race itself, which may actually be the smallest part of it because everyone gets to see the race on Sunday anyway. You don’t have to tell that story again because everyone knows how it goes, but at least the preparation side of it and how my competitors do it and those type of things I’m interested in.”

MORE: NASCAR on TV this week | Darlington schedule

The 10-episode series will tell the story of the 2022 Cup Series season and NASCAR Playoffs, from the competitive introduction of the Next Gen car at the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum in Los Angeles through the treacherous postseason road that brings four drivers their chance at championship glory in Phoenix.

As “Race for the Championship” documents the lives of NASCAR’s best on and off the track, viewers will get a rare glimpse of what it takes to balance personal relationships with the pressure to perform in the high-stakes world of Cup Series racing.

NASCAR Hall of Famer, NBC analyst and two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins the program as its executive producer, eager to help present the stars of today’s racing in more accessible ways to the fan base.

“We need to give everyone a better opportunity to get to know the individuals that are involved in NASCAR,” Earnhardt Jr. said in an interview with Variety. “I think this is a great opportunity to put a very human element into what we do and into our identity. It’s something I think that should have a profound impact on perception of the sport and also to give our fans a deeper dive into each individual.

“I have such a passion and love for the sport that I feel like this type of content is something that our fans are starving for. It’s always a lot of fun to work on a project that is unique and about something you’re passionate about. So that makes it easy to want to dive in, give input and get feedback — and be a part of the process.”

The series will feature a variety of drivers at different points as the drama of the 2022 season unfolds, including past champions like Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Logano and Brad Keselowski, along with others eager to write their own NASCAR legacies such as Ryan Blaney, Daniel Suárez, Ross Chastain, Corey LaJoie and others.

Busch, the series’ only active multi-time champion, is hopeful the show ends up “humanizing the villain” spectators may usually see on a Sunday afternoon.

“I’d like to be known by a heck of a lot more than just what is on broadcast television each weekend — or not on broadcast television,” Busch said at Daytona. “But to me, you know, I’m a husband, I’m a father, I’m a racer. And that’s all I’ve really known. I’ve grown up doing that. I’ve come from a blue-collar family from Las Vegas where my dad was a Mac Tool man and didn’t come up from a lot, but obviously trying to instill those same traits into my kids and how we go about what we do each and every week to go to the race track. So, for me, I would like to think that just, you know, again, showing the human side. Humanizing myself and what is important to me, not just at the race track, but away from the race track.”

 

Logano, winner of the 2018 Cup Series title, voiced his pleasure for the pilot episode and excitement for at-home viewers to get behind-the-scenes looks at what goes into the drivers’ lives when they aren’t piloting a race car at 200 mph.

“It was pretty entertaining, so it’s a step in that direction, for sure, and I think it’s gonna be great,” he said. “I really don’t see it where it’s bad for the sport. It has some drama in it. It’s life. It shows life and it follows different drivers on different weeks, so I think it’s gonna be great for our sport, for sure.”

The premiere episode serves as a perfect primer for the Cup Series Playoffs, which begin three days later at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 4. That opening race airs at 6 p.m. ET and will also be broadcast on USA.

“Race for the Championship” is produced by NASCAR Studios with NASCAR’s Tim Clark, Amy Anderson, Matt Summers and Tally Hair, along with production industry veteran Chaz Gray, serving as executive producers.

The No. 51 NASCAR Xfinity Series Chevrolet of Jeremy Clements Racing was levied an L2-level penalty by NASCAR officials, the sanctioning body announced Tuesday.

Wednesday morning, driver Jeremy Clements officially announced that the team had filed an appeal.

Clements wheeled the vehicle to victory in Friday night’s Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway, but the win as it stands will no longer count toward playoffs eligibility. The No. 51 was found in violation of Sections 14.6.12K&U of the NASCAR Rule Book, which pertains to the intake manifold.

Additionally, crew chief Mark Setzer was fined $60,000 and the team was assessed the loss of 75 owner points, 75 driver points and 10 playoff points should it still qualify for the postseason.

MORE: Darlington schedule | Xfinity points standings

Section K of the rule states that the intake manifold must conform to NASCAR templates, gauges, scales, fixtures and any and all other measuring devices; while Section U notes the floor of the intake manifold plenum must conform to the NASCAR Inspection Intake Manifold Plenum Plug Gauge.

In order to qualify for the 2022 playoffs, Clements will need to win one of the final three races of the regular season before the Xfinity Series Playoffs begin on Sept. 24 at Texas Motor Speedway. The Daytona triumph marked Clements’ second career win.

The Xfinity Series is back on track for the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 on Saturday at Darlington Raceway (3 p.m. ET, USA Network, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Editor’s note: This story will be updated with the status of the appeal and/or final ruling.

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!

RELATED: How the NASCAR Playoffs work

Why do I need an account?

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 my picks?

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

RELATED: Cup Series schedule | Cup Series Playoffs hub

Is there a points system?

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.

RELATED: Analyzing the 16-driver field

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.

ENTER THE CONTEST

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.