NASCAR officials penalized the No. 2 Team Penske Ford team Wednesday for a lost wheel during last weekend’s Cup Series event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Austin Cindric had brought the No. 2 Ford to pit road for service during the Stage 2 intermission of Sunday’s Ambetter 301. Shortly after leaving his pit stall, the left-front wheel detached from his car and rolled down pit road.
The infraction fell under the NASCAR Rule Book Sections 8.8.10.4 and 10.5.2.6 (loss or separation of an improperly installed tire/wheel from the vehicle). As a result, competition officials issued four-race suspensions to crew chief Jeremy Bullins, plus crew members Curtis Thompson (front tire changer) and Patrick Gray (jack).
In a similar situation nearly a week and a half ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway, competition officials opted against penalizing the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team for a wheel that became dislodged on pit road. Elton Sawyer — NASCAR’s vice president of officiating and technical inspection — said in a Tuesday appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that the No. 2 team’s infraction came under different circumstances.
“The amount of speed that the tire is carrying down pit road, did it impede another competitor — all of those things go into the decision-making and obviously the distance that one tire traveled on pit road, the 20 car versus what the 2 car was significantly different,” Sawyer told SiriusXM. “So although the optics are a loss of wheel on pit road, the two scenarios are quite a bit different. We’ll continue to dissect that and look at it. Again, we don’t want to over-officiate, but tires coming off is a huge safety concern and we just have to make sure that we’re handling that correctly. So we’ll continue to have dialogue internally … but they are two different situations for sure.”
Located adjacent to NASA’s Langley Research Center, several racing careers have taken flight at the facility since its inception back in 1950 as a dirt track. Among the drivers who have a Langley track championship on their resumes are Tommy Ellis, Lennie Pond, Ray Hendrick and Elton Sawyer.
Although Langley has not hosted a NASCAR Cup Series race since 1970, the track still hosts plenty of races for several different sanctioning bodies and features a competitive weekly division, with the Hampton Heat serving as the crown jewel race every summer.
Langley will have plenty of representation from its regular Late Model Stock competitors in Saturday’s 200-lap feature, all of whom will look to fend off many of the best drivers from the southeast and add their name to the prestigious list of Hampton Heat winners.
Below is everything you need to know about the Hampton Heat 200 at Langley Speedway.
Among the 36 entries for the Hampton Heat 200 include track champions Greg Edwards (left) and Brenden Queen (right). (Photo: Langley Speedway)
What TV channel is the Hampton Heat 200 at Langley Speedway on?
All the on-track action for the Hampton Heat 200 at Langley Speedway can be viewed live on FloRacing, the official streaming home for all NASCAR Roots properties.
The racing action will not be shown on a television network.
Below is the complete schedule for FloRacing’s coverage of the Hampton Heat 200.
This year’s Hampton Heat 200 will take place on Saturday, July 23.
Four different divisions encompass the on-track action for the Hampton Heat, which included features for Langley’s UCAR, Super Street and Super Truck classes. Wrapping up the evening will be the 200-lap Late Model Stock race.
Below is the complete race-day schedule at Langley Speedway.
Time
Event
11 a.m. ET
LMSC gates open
11:15 a.m. ET
LMSC inspection line open
11:30 a.m. ET
LMSC driver, crew chief, spotter meeting
12:30 p.m. ET
LMSC open practice
2 p.m. ET
LMSC qualifying tires released
3:30 p.m. ET
LMSC work complete, all cars head to inspection
4:30 p.m. ET
LMSC Hampton Heat 200 qualifying (scuff-green-white-checkered)
5:15 p.m. ET
LMSC autograph session
5:30 p.m. ET
LMSC haulers removed from infield
6:30 p.m. ET
Support division feature races
7:00 p.m. ET
LMSC final work session
8:15 p.m. ET
LMSC driver introductions
8:30 p.m. ET
LMSC pre-race ceremonies
8:45 p.m. ET
Hampton Heat 200
Official format for the Hampton Heat 200
Saturday’s Hampton Heat 200 will be divided into two segments, each lasting approximately 100 laps in length.
During the second segment, a controlled caution will be thrown at or around Lap 150. Teams have the option to stay out during this caution or come into the pits and make adjustments but are not allowed to add any additional fuel to the car.
Four tires will be allotted for the Hampton Heat. Caution laps will count except during the halfway break and the controlled yellow in the second segment.
Below is the segment breakdown for the Hampton Heat 200 at Langley Speedway.
Stage No.
Laps
Stage 1
100 laps (approx., halfway break)
Stage 2
100 laps (approx., controlled caution around Lap 150)
Hampton Heat 200 entry list
Three dozen drivers are currently entered for Saturday’s Hampton Heat 200.
Leading the contingent of Langley track regulars is points leader and defending track champion Brenden Queen, who has only lost one race at the track so far this year. Queen, who won the Hampton Heat back in 2020, will be joined on the entry list by other Langley champions such as Matt Waltz, Greg Edwards and Danny Edwards Jr.
The Langley regulars will have to fend off a talented field of outsiders to keep the Hampton Heat 200 trophy inside the city. Among them are Layne Riggs and the most recent Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series champion Peyton Sellers, who are currently separated by just 36 points in the national standings.
Current Virginia Triple Crown points leader Jacob Borst is looking for another strong run Saturday evening. A local regular at South Boston, Borst will have to quickly adapt to Langley’s flat surface to stay ahead of Sellers, Riggs, Bobby McCarty and the rest of the drivers committed to all three legs of the series.
Below is the complete entry list for Saturday’s Hampton Heat 200.
Car No.
Driver
0
Landon Pembelton
01
Camden Gullie
03
Brenden Queen
05
Mason Bailey
2
Brandon Pierce
2
Matt Waltz
5
Carter Langley
8
Carson Kvapil
12
Austin Thaxton
14
Jared Fryar
21
Greg Edwards
22
Bobby McCarty
24
Mason Diaz
25
Jacob Borst
25
Craig Eastep
26
Danny Edwards Jr.
26
Peyton Sellers
29
Casey Wyatt
31
Cole Bruce
41
Davey Callihan
41
Woody Howard
42
Chris Horton Jr.
44
Conner Jones
51
Ryan Matthews
55
Mark Wertz
72
Dean Shiflett
72
Jordan Wood
77
Connor Hall
78
Matt Carter
81
Mini Tyrrell
88
Thomas Marks
90
Terry Carroll
91
Justin Carroll
95
Sam Yarbrough
99
Layne Riggs
Among the drivers who have visited Victory Lane in the Hampton Heat 200 include Josh Berry, Peyton Sellers and C.E. Falk III, the latter of which has three victories in the race. (Photo: Langley Speedway)
Hampton Heat 200 history, winners
The local heroes of Langley have fared well against outside competition since the inception of the Hampton Heat 200 back in 2008.
In the 13-year history of the event, four-time track champion C.E. Falk III has been the most successful driver. Falk won the Hampton Heat two consecutive years in 2010 and 2011 before adding one last victory to his resume in 2014.
Falk is not among the drivers entered for Saturday’s Hampton Heat, nor is the most recent winner of the event in Josh Berry. Despite this, the field still includes five past winners in Sellers, Queen, McCarty, Connor Hall and Woody Howard.
Langley regulars and short track veterans alike will look to write their own Hampton Heat 200 history on Saturday in what is bound to be one of the most grueling Late Model Stock events of the year under the tumultuous summer heat.
Below is the complete list of winners in the Hampton Heat 200.
LAS VEGAS — NAPA reached a multi-year contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports that will continue its 26-race majority sponsorship of 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion and current points leader Chase Elliott.
The renewal was announced Wednesday in Las Vegas during the general session of the 2022 NAPA EXPO, which attracts more than 13,000 vendors, employees, store owners and NAPA AutoCare Center professionals. To share the news, Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick and team vice chairman Jeff Gordon joined Marti Walsh, NAPA vice president of marketing, on stage at the Venetian Convention and Expo Center.
“We could not be more excited to extend our relationship with Hendrick Motorsports and Chase Elliott, especially in a year when we are reigniting our brand to meet the demands of the future,” Walsh said. “Hendrick Motorsports and Chase have long been part of the NAPA family and their passion and energy will be an important part of our journey in the years ahead.”
NAPA became Elliott’s primary sponsor in 2014. The driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has since earned two NASCAR national series championships: the Xfinity Series in 2014 and the Cup Series in 2020. After his full-time move to the elite Cup level in 2016, the 26-year-old has won 16 points-paying races, most recently at Atlanta Motor Speedway on July 10.
“None of this is possible without NAPA,” Elliott said. “I’m so thankful for their commitment to our team and their passion for what we do every weekend. I’ve been lucky to meet a lot of great folks from across the country who work for NAPA. All of us are really proud to represent a company that takes care of its employees and its customers and is driven to be successful in every aspect. I’m looking forward to what’s to come and celebrating more wins together.”
After 20 starts in 2022, Elliott sits atop the Cup standings with a series-best three points-paying race wins. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native has clinched his seventh playoff appearance in as many full seasons at NASCAR’s top level, all with crew chief Alan Gustafson. Fans have voted him NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver for four consecutive years (2018-21).
“We take immense pride in our association with NAPA,” Hendrick said. “When you have a partner that has been so committed to our sport for so many years, it’s incredibly rewarding to see them win races, win championships and experience great success in their business. Chase, Alan and our entire organization are focused on raising the bar and delivering more victories for NAPA in all areas of our relationship.”
Toyota Racing Development president David Wilson shed light on the dire nature of contract talks with Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch, telling NBC Sports that the manufacturer is making contingency plans for all outcomes.
Busch, a 60-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, is in the final year of his deal as driver of the No. 18 Toyota, a car he’s wheeled to 56 of those victories. Last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Busch admitted that he had been in talks with other teams as the negotiations have extended into the summer months.
Wilson has spoken of Busch’s talent in glowing terms, noting the urgency of keeping one of the automaker’s most prolific racing starts. He said in May that “any scenario that doesn’t have Kyle Busch retiring from Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota would be a monstrous disappointment.”
Asked about the chances for such a return in July, Wilson told NBC Sports’ Dustin Long: “I wish I could handicap it for you … but I just can’t. We’re in a bad place right now … we’ve got some tremendously heavy lifting in front of us.”
Toyota has made two big signing splashes in recent weeks. Joe Gibbs Racing announced the return of Martin Truex Jr. to its No. 19 Toyota on June 24, and Tyler Reddick was introduced as a 23XI Racing signee on July 12 for its 2024 campaign.
Meanwhile, Busch’s unresolved contract has been further complicated by the departure of sponsor Mars/M&M’s at season’s end. That search for backing has been another piece for Wilson and Gibbs to consider.
“I use the baseball analogy in that a couple of months ago it was much easier to imagine success, and we had some partners that we thought we were going to land,” Wilson told NBC Sports. “And that was the bottom of the third inning. Now we’re in the bottom of the seventh. And the fact is that we don’t have it.
“Joe and I talk every night. This is the most important consideration that we are struggling with and working on. Our resolve has not changed one bit. We are not going to quit. … Sometimes these deals come together very late. It doesn’t get easier, that’s for certain. For Kyle, I feel terribly because the distraction, I think he admitted this, but the distraction now is real. While I say that Kyle is one of those athletes that can strap on his helmet and put that aside, he’s still human.”
Busch’s primary sponsor has placed its name on Sunday’s Cup Series event at Pocono Raceway, the M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400 (3 p.m. ET, USA, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM). Busch currently ranks sixth in the Cup Series points, claiming one win earlier this year on Bristol Motor Speedway’s dirt.
The place to be Friday and Saturday night, July 22-23, is Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington, where the venue will welcome some of the top Super Late Model and Pro Late Model competitors in the United States to battle for supremacy and a potentially huge payday during the 10th running of the Summer Showdown.
The Summer Showdown is unique because the event offers a $35,000 bonus to any driver who can win Friday’s 100-lap Pro Late Model race and Saturday’s 200-lap Super Late Model race. Combine that with the $10,000 Pro Late Model winner’s purse and the $25,000 Super Late Model winner’s purse, and one driver could leave Evergreen Speedway with a whopping $70,000.
However, it won’t be easy. Should a driver win the Pro Late Model feature on Friday and plan on competing in Saturday’s Super Late Model race in pursuit of the bonus, that driver will be required to start the Super Late Model feature from the rear of the field.
The bonuses don’t stop there. Should any driver finish in any combination of first, second or third in both races (with the exception of first in both races), that driver will also earn a $10,000 bonus. However, the same rule applies to Pro Late Model podium finishers attempting to win this bonus — they must start at the rear of the Super Late Model field on Saturday night.
Below is everything you need to know about the Summer Showdown at Evergreen Speedway.
What TV channel is the Summer Showdown at Evergreen Speedway on?
All of the on-track action for the Summer Showdown at Evergreen Speedway can be viewed live on FloRacing, the official streaming home for all NASCAR Roots properties.
The racing action will not be shown on a television network.
Below is the complete schedule for FloRacing’s coverage.
This year’s Summer Showdown is scheduled to take place on Friday and Saturday, July 22-23.
Six different divisions will compete over two days of on-track action at Evergreen Speedway, including the NASCAR Mini Stocks, Legend cars, NASCAR Street Stocks and Tri-State Mini Stock Tour. The event will be headlined by a 100-lap Pro Late Model feature on Friday and a 200-lap Super Late Model feature on Saturday.
Below is the complete race-day schedule at Evergreen Speedway.
Friday, July 22 (All times PT)
Time
Event
8 a.m.
Registration open
9 a.m.
Back gate opens, tech inspection opens
10:30 a.m.
Late Model driver and spotter meeting (tech trailer)
10:50 a.m.
NASCAR Mini Stock and Legend pit meeting (Figure 8 tech area)
11:10 a.m.
Pro Late Model practice
11:40 a.m.
NASCAR Mini Stock practice
12 p.m.
Super Late Model practice
12:30 p.m.
Legend practice
12:50 p.m.
Track crossing
1 p.m.
Pro Late Model practice
1:30 p.m.
NASCAR Mini Stock practice
1:50 p.m.
Super Late Model practice
2:15 p.m.
Front gates open
2:20 p.m.
Legend practice
2:40 p.m.
Track cold, crossing allowed
2:50 p.m.
Qualifying (Pro Late Model, Legend, NASCAR Mini Stock, Super Late Model)
4:30 p.m.
Heat races
6 p.m.
Opening ceremonies
Immediately after opening ceremonies…
Super Late Model qualifying heat races (20 laps)
Immediately after Super Late Model qualifying heat races…
NASCAR Mini Stock feature (40 laps)
Immediately after NASCAR Mini Stock feature…
Legend feature (30 laps)
Immediately after Legend feature…
Pro Late Model feature (100 laps)
Saturday, July 23 (All times PT)
Time
Event
8:30 a.m.
Registration opens
9 a.m.
Back gate opens
10 a.m.
Brief Late Model drivers meeting
10:15 a.m.
Tri-State Mini Stock Tour, Legend and NASCAR Street Stock drivers meeting
10:30 a.m.
Super Late Model practice
11 a.m.
Track crossing
11:10 a.m.
Tri-State Mini Stock Tour practice
11:30 a.m.
NASCAR Street Stock practice
11:50 a.m.
Legend practice
12:10 p.m.
Track crossing
12:20 p.m.
Super Late Model practice
12:50 p.m.
Tri-State Mini Stock Tour practice
1 p.m.
NASCAR Street Stock practice
1:10 p.m.
Legend practice
1:20 p.m.
Track cold
1:30 p.m.
Front gates open
2 p.m.
Summer Showdown tech opens
2 p.m.
Tri-State Mini Stock Tour and Legend qualifying
3:30 p.m.
Heat races
Immediately after heat races…
NASCAR Street Stock, Legend and Tri-State Mini Stock Tour B-Mains (if necessary)
5 p.m.
Tri-State Mini Stock Tour feature (40 laps)
Immediately after Tri-State Mini Stock Tour feature…
Legend feature (30 laps)
Immediately after Legend feature…
NASCAR Street Stock feature (40 laps)
Immediately after NASCAR Street Stock feature…
Opening ceremonies
Immediately after opening ceremonies…
Super Late Model feature (200 laps)
Official format for the Summer Showdown
The field for Saturday’s 200-lap Summer Showdown Super Late Model feature will be set based on qualifying and heat races.
Competitors will complete two timed laps during qualifying on Friday, July 22, with speeds determining their starting positions for heat races later the same day. Starting positions 1-32 for the 200-lap feature will be determined based on heat race results.
Positions 33-36 will be determined by the Last Chance Qualifier race, with positions 37-38 going to the top two non-transfer Last Chance Qualifier finishers in the Evergreen Speedway weekly championship standings.
The 200-lap Super Late Model race will include a break at or near the 100-lap mark. Teams will then get seven minutes to make changes on pit road before the race resumes.
The race must end with five green flag laps, though they do not need to be consecutive. Once the white flag is displayed to the leader, the next flag will end the race. There can be one green/white/checkered attempt. If another restart is required, the green and white flags will wave at the same time.
Summer Showdown entry list
A number of top contenders have filed entries to compete in both the Super Late Model and Pro Late Model events this week during the Summer Showdown.
They’re headlined by three-time Summer Showdown Super Late Model winner Preston Peltier, who is one of 16 competitors currently scheduled to compete in both races this weekend.
Also entered is defending race winner Owen Riddle, as well as 2016 race winner Tayler Riddle, though neither of them will be chasing the $30,000 bonus. Chris Eggleston, the 2015 ARCA Menards Series West champion, is scheduled to compete, as is touring Super Late Model star and two-time West Series champion Derek Thorn.
Naima Lang, who leads the weekly Pro Late Model division standings at Evergreen, is another driver scheduled to double-dip. Others who will be chasing the $30,000 bonus for sweeping both races include Dustin Ash, Trevor Christiani, Wyatt Gardner, Angel Cervantes, Randy Marshall, Daniel Moore, Trenton Moriarity, Haeden Plybon, Colton Price, Max Schroeder, Tyler Tanner, Austin Thom and Doni Wanant.
Below is the complete entry list for Saturday’s 200-lap Summer Showdown Super Late Model race and the 100-lap Pro Late Model race.
Divisions
Driver
Super Late Model
Garrett Archer
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Dustin Ash
Pro Late Model
Nick Beecher
Pro Late Model
Dan Beecher
Pro Late Model
Greg Bennett
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Angel Cervantes
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Trevor Christiani
Pro Late Model
Haley Constance
Pro Late Model
Dawson Cox
Super Late Model
Chris Eggleston
Super Late Model
Garrett Evans
Pro Late Model
Chad Fitzpatrick
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Wyatt Gardner
Pro Late Model
Evan Goetz
Super Late Model
Jonathon Gomez
Pro Late Model
Nick Gunderson
Super Late Model
Jace Hansen
Pro Late Model
Kaden Holm
Pro Late Model
Mike Jensen
Pro Late Model
Kasey Kleyn
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Naima Lang
Super Late Model
John Lathrop
Super Late Model
Mike Longton
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Randy Marshall
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Daniel Moore
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Trenton Moriarity
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Preston Peltier
Super Late Model
Ryan Phillpott
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Haeden Plybon
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Colton Price
Super Late Model
Kole Raz
Super Late Model
Tayler Riddle
Super Late Model
Owen Riddle
Pro Late Model
Zach Riehl
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Max Schroeder
Super Late Model
Buddy Sheppard
Pro Late Model
Thomas Stanford
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Tyler Tanner
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Austin Thom
Pro Late Model
Brad Thomas
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Derek Thorn
Super Late Model
Tim Trostel
Super Late Model, Pro Late Model
Doni Wanat
Preston Peltier after winning the Summer Showdown 200 on Sunday, June 30, 2019, at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash. (Photo: NASCAR)
Summer Showdown history, winners
The inaugural Summer Showdown was held in 2012 at the .646-mile asphalt oval, with local star Pete Harding emerging as the inaugural winner.
Since that time he has been joined as a Summer Showdown winner by six other drivers. Preston Peltier has been the most successful driver in Summer Showdown history after three consecutive victories from 2017-19.
Jay Sauls, former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor Cameron Hayley, touring Super Late Model star Bubba Pollard, Tayler Riddle and Owen Riddle have also earned victories in the prestigious event.
Owen Riddle is the defending Summer Showdown winner after taking the lead on the 154th circuit last year on his way to a $25,000 payday. The race was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Below is the complete list of winners of the Summer Showdown.
On the Stacking Pennies podcast, Corey LaJoie can always be heard offering two things: insightful analysis and hilarious anecdotes.
Corey’s stories usually fall into the latter category. So why not have some fun with it?
In this debut episode of “Corey’s Stories,” relive one of LaJoie’s most memorable moments from the 2022 Daytona 500.
The Great American Race is a standout event for every driver fortunate enough to qualify for the NASCAR Cup Series’ season opener. But LaJoie’s race took a turn even before he got into his No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet.
Watch as LaJoie relays his recollection of a fan during pre-race ceremonies and why their interaction had him chuckling to himself at 180 mph during the Daytona 500.
Daytona Beach, FL (July 20, 2022) – NASCAR continues to expand into the fast-growing world of college esports, announcing the fall season of its eNASCAR College iRacing Series. The four-race schedule kicks off at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Tuesday, September 20 with students eligible to qualify for the season-opener through a 10-day time attack window.
“Expanding our presence in the college esports arena is important as we continue to reach new demographics and introduce them to the sport of NASCAR,” said Ray Smith, Director of Gaming and Esports at NASCAR. “We’re looking forward to building on a successful spring semester and having more students explore the many opportunities NASCAR and our partners can offer them in their college years and beyond.”
Earlier this year, NASCAR and NACE Starleague, the largest collegiate esports league in North America, launched the eNASCAR College iRacing Series, bringing competitive sim racing to colleges and universities nationwide. Students representing more than 250 universities across the United States participated in this spring’s three-race schedule.
New this fall, Xfinity joins Coca-Cola, Logitech, Playseat and Southern Computer Warehouse as a presenting sponsor of the series. Competitors will now race NASCAR Xfinity Series cars, replicating the look and feel of the real-life series that’s produced stars like Chase Elliott, Daniel Suarez and Tyler Reddick.
“Our work with NASCAR has always been in the spirit of inspiring and giving back to communities,” said Matt Lederer, Comcast’s Vice President, Brand Partnerships and Amplification. “Joining the eNASCAR College iRacing Series as a presenting partner gives Xfinity the opportunity to reach a younger generation of NASCAR fans while providing new avenues to education for college students and encouraging them to explore new opportunities.”
Through the support of its partners, the eNASCAR Scholarship Fund also returns, awarding the highest finishers a combined $60,000 in scholarships.
More than 13,000 students are eligible to compete in the series through NACE Starleague, which was established in 2021 as a strategic partnership between the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) and Playfly Esports. Each time attack is open to all eligible students with the top 40 students who post the fastest qualifying times advancing to the race.
Competition will once again be led via iRacing.com, the official simulation partner of NASCAR, which provides one of the top online racing simulation portals and features officially-sanctioned, laser-scanned replicas of race tracks around the world.
Spontaneous decisions are sometimes the best decisions. Just ask Brandon Jones.
With elementary, middle and high school getting ready to begin in North Carolina next month, Jones and his girlfriend Ashley Safin had an idea on the plane ride back from Atlanta Motor Speedway after the July 9 Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
“I think we should do this for teachers,” Safin recalled.
What the 25-year-old couple, who began dating 10 years ago, was trying to accomplish is raising awareness for teachers in the education system through Clear the List, an initiative to help clear Amazon wish lists for educators around the United States through donations.
Ash & I would like to help “clear the list” on some of the teachers following me! Comment your classes Amazon wish list below. I’ll be sure to share some on insta hoping some of my followers will help as well! Thank u to those that continue to grow our education system! pic.twitter.com/Y3PnyUk3Sa
Before the Cup Series race going green at Atlanta, Jones used his platform to raise awareness for teachers, hoping some of his social-media followers would do the same. Through Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, Jones helped spread the message of some teachers’ wish lists.
“I think school is an outing in a way for some people if things aren’t going well at home or in life in general,” Jones told NASCAR.com at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “That’s one thing I enjoyed so much about school wasn’t about the academics, but you showed up, hung out with your buddies, the social aspect of it was so much fun. That’s what drove me to wanting to go to school.”
Within a week, Jones’ tweet had nearly 1,000 replies, many coming from teachers around the country providing their Amazon links to their wish lists.
“It’s overwhelming,” Jones said of the feedback. “I’ve always had super-good relationships in school. That’s one thing I always enjoyed. I didn’t want to go on field trips with kids, I wanted to stay back and hang out with the teachers, for whatever reason. I’ve always grown up in that adult, corporate lifestyle in a way, so maybe I’m just drawn to older people in that sense.”
One of those replies — six of them, technically — came from Darlington Raceway, which purchased six teacher’s wish lists in response to Jones’ tweet.
“Darlington Raceway is extremely thankful for all the teachers in the Darlington County School District and it’s a true blessing for us to help provide some of the supplies they need as they prepare for another school year,” track president Kerry Tharp said. “One of our track’s objectives is to do all we can to help support the young people in our community. We also want to give a shout out to all the workers in our school system and encourage them to be a part of our Workforce Appreciation initiative taking place over our upcoming Labor Day Weekend event.”
Growing up in Georgia, Jones wanted to get to North Carolina to chase his racing career, which is why his family made the move during his high school years. Jones and Safin met at Lake Norman High School their sophomore year.
Both Jones and Safin, who admitted she one day would like to become a substitute teacher, have family and friends who are in the education system. But they don’t consider that the primary reason for wanting to give back. Jones credits his high school teachers for pushing him and working with him while he chased his dream of making it to NASCAR.
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
“I missed so much school trying to become a race car driver,” he said. “Teachers and everybody would work so well with me trying to catch me up and make sure that I was still on top of the schoolwork. I think that was a cool part and what kept me driving about wanting to be a driver. They were happy about seeing me succeed and wanting to help me in that sense.
“It’s like a giveback in that way. I made so many friends through teachers at school that was like, ‘OK, now that I’ve made it to where I want to be, it’s time to give back to them a little bit.’ ”
Growing up, one of Safin’s role models was Regan Smith’s wife, Megan, who taught her in middle school. Jones credits Safin for coming up with the idea of kick-starting a program to help spread the links through his social-media channels.
Safin said she sees the gratitude that teachers had toward Jones’ help.
“It became a place where [teachers] were thankful to have a platform to share their list so maybe other people would join in,” she said. “It was fun seeing what everybody needs and takes. A lot of teachers use their own money [to buy supplies for their classes], so I think it was very important for us to do a little bit for them.”
In addition to helping “Clear the List,” Jones supports the Special Forces Foundation, running the group’s logo on his car each weekend. Admittedly, he leans heavily on Safin for ideas on how to further their community outreach.
“I love the idea of doing stuff like that,” he said. “I’m so focused here trying to do really well racing, so I’m not always thinking in that direction. It kind of helped lighten that up a little and get that horizon bigger.”
Through 18 Xfinity Series races this season, Jones has one victory at Martinsville with a total of seven top-10 efforts. Knowing Joe Gibbs Racing has shown plenty of speed across its three teams, he’s intrigued that he hasn’t seen more on-track success this year. The series heads to Pocono Raceway this weekend, where Jones has a pair of top-10 finishes in six starts.
“I’m pretty surprised we don’t have more top fives and even some more wins because the speed is there every weekend,” Jones added. “I think if you run top five consistently, then typically you find wins fast. I think it’s about getting a little bit of closure in some of these races.
“But I think that’s what you use the first half of the year for and when you get to the playoffs, you should have all of that ironed out to be ready to win.”
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — For the first time ever, the sights, sounds and speed of NASCAR are coming to the streets of downtown Chicago on July 1-2, 2023. One of the most iconic cities in the world, Chicago will add another chapter to its illustrious sports history when a NASCAR Cup Series street race debuts against the backdrop of Lake Michigan and Grant Park, televised on NBC.
“Like the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, we seized an incredible opportunity to add an unprecedented element to our schedule and take center stage in the heart of another major metropolitan market,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing development and strategy. “This is the ideal setting for the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street race. … We are very appreciative of Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her team, along with the entire city of Chicago for working with us to make this concept a reality.”
The first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street-course race will take place July 2, 2023 and be preceded by a NASCAR Xfinity Series race, which will run July 1, 2023. Both races will be surrounded by music and entertainment options for all ages, making it one of the signature sporting and entertainment events of the year.
“Chicago’s streets are as iconic as our skyline and our reputation as a world class sports city is indisputable,” Lightfoot said. “I am thrilled to welcome our partners at NASCAR to Chicago for an event that will attract thousands of people to our city. Chicago’s world class entertainment and hospitality industries, coupled with our city’s history as a conduit for sports talent, make us the perfect hosts for this unique event.”
Lake Shore Drive, Michigan Avenue, Columbus Drive and select surrounding thoroughfares will be transformed into a 12-turn, 2.2-mile street course, with the start-finish line and pit road located along South Columbus Drive directly in front of Buckingham Fountain. The course will pass through the famed Grant Park, as well as approach the northern edge of Soldier Field, one of the most notable and recognizable sports venues in the country — and the site of the only other Cup Series race to take place in downtown Chicago, in 1956.
“Welcoming yet another NASCAR event to Illinois just weeks after the inaugural Enjoy Illinois 300 Cup Series race is a testament to the strength of our tourism industry from Chicago to Metro East,” Governor JB Pritzker said. “Illinois, with its longstanding tradition of innovation, is a fitting host for NASCAR’s first-ever street race, and we are thrilled to welcome this new series to America’s most iconic drive next summer.”
“Chicago is one of the world’s top sports and entertainment destinations. Year after year, fans from all over the world travel to our great city for high-profile sporting events,” said Kara Bachman, executive director, Chicago Sports Commission: “The 2023 NASCAR Chicago Street Race weekend will continue that legacy with another monumental sports moment and we look forward to welcoming fans to NASCAR’s first-ever street race.”
Tickets for the 2023 NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend will go on sale later this year at NASCARChicago.com. Additional details and elements of the weekend will be announced soon, and fans can follow @NASCARChicago on social media for the latest real-time updates on all aspects of the event.
The remainder of the 2023 schedules for the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will be announced at a later date.
A key, creative piece of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series schedule was revealed Tuesday afternoon amid the bustle of downtown Chicago, where plans for a street-circuit race on the streets in the Chicago Loop were officially announced.
Series officials and driver Bubba Wallace were joined by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and other dignitaries at Cityfront Plaza in setting the course for NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend on July 1-2. The Cup Series’ inaugural race on a temporary street circuit will share the weekend with a companion IMSA sports-car event, and it will be broadcast on NBC.
“Really excited about announcing that for the first time with our national series that we’ll be bringing it to a street course, and what better place to do it than downtown Chicago, such an iconic city,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing development and strategy. “You think about the history of sports there, the iconic monuments and facilities around Chicago, and the support that we’ve had around Chicago as well. Mix that in with the great racing that we’ve seen with our NASCAR Cup Series, certainly going to be a very special moment in the summer of 2023 as we go street-course racing for the first time with the series.”
The Chicago event fits the recently cast mold of innovative additions to the Cup Series schedule, following the lead of bringing back dirt-track racing at Bristol Motor Speedway and the first-ever Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum earlier this year in Los Angeles. NASCAR’s top division will run on city streets for the first time in proximity to many Windy City landmarks, including Grant Park, Buckingham Fountain and the edge of Soldier Field. Iconic street names — Michigan Avenue and Lake Shore Drive — will be a part of the 2.2-mile layout.
The course was first developed on the iRacing platform and was used in the eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series last year. When that virtual circuit was unveiled, Kennedy said that “as we look at future schedules, certainly have everything on the table.” Tuesday’s announcement means that the sim-racing feasibility study will soon have a real-life corollary.
“Certainly a lot of work by the team in coming up with not only the vision for the iRacing event to be able to prove out what the track would look like, but then ultimately, what the site plan looks like, what the events and activities will look like on the event weekend, which will look significantly different from what we’ve seen at a lot of some of our other events,” Kennedy said. “We’ll have a number of different music acts, you know, different entertainment options throughout the weekend. IMSA will be joining us with one of their series as well, leading into the Cup Series on Sunday.
“So, really excited about it. A lot of work by the team so far to get to where we’re at today; a lot of work to go before July 1st and 2nd of next year, though.”
Kennedy indicated that series officials scouted multiple locations for a downtown event, but that Chicago’s Grant Park and its skyline-hub setting along Lake Michigan was “a no-brainer.” Lightfoot added that from a logistics standpoint, the city regularly hosts large-scale events, saying: “We know how to do this.”
“We’ll be working hand and glove with NASCAR to make sure that the experience is safe but also incredibly enjoyable for the fans,” Lightfoot added, mentioning the economic benefits of being a street-race host. “If you know anything about the city of Chicago, you probably know our tremendous lakefront and icons like Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain. I’m looking forward to showcasing our fantastic city on a global stage. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure that this race is a love letter to the city of Chicago.”
NASCAR officials indicated that the rest of the Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series schedule would be released at a later date. Only a handful of Cup Series dates have been revealed for 2023. Tickets are on sale for the season-opening Daytona 500, scheduled for Feb. 19. A return to the LA Coliseum for the preseason Busch Light Clash exhibition is set for Feb. 5.
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Kennedy confirmed that the Chicago Street Race would replace Road America on the Independence Day weekend slot on the schedule. The 4.048-mile road course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin — some 150 miles north of Chicago — hosted the Cup Series the last two seasons.
Kennedy says he’s hopeful the event will replicate the festival atmosphere from previous racing weekends around the July 4 holiday.
“We’ve had some great racing at Road America, certainly the past few years with the NASCAR Cup Series, much longer than that with the NASCAR Xfinity Series,” Kennedy said. “They’ve been great partners. We’ve seen a great turnout from a fan perspective as well. We’ve seen some great racing there. That said, it is unfortunate we’re not going back in 2023. Just because it’s a no for 2023 doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a no forever. We’ve got some great partners up there. We’ll certainly share more about what other national series’ schedules look like in the future.”
NASCAR has an array of long-running connections to the Chicago area. A Cup Series event in 1956 joined the regular rotation of auto racing at Soldier Field, now home to the Chicago Bears. More recently, the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet hosted the Cup Series from 2001-2019.
NASCAR’s experience with street-circuit racing is more limited. The former NASCAR Southwest Tour competed on a temporary layout near the LA Coliseum from 1998-2000, and the former NASCAR Winston West circuit ran four street races in the Pacific Northwest from 1986-88 — two each in the Washington cities of Spokane and Tacoma.
The versatility of the Next Gen car that debuted this year in the NASCAR Cup Series, plus the proof of concept that emerged from the Los Angeles Clash, have prompted Kennedy and the sanctioning body’s schedule makers to take the show on the road — or in this case, the downtown streets.
“We’ve talked about this before, but it gives us the ability to go into new markets,” Kennedy said of the stadium-style Clash event, “I think street courses gives us that ability as well. That said, it’s important for us to keep the integrity that we’ve had in the schedule, right? Mile and a half, superspeedway, short tracks are all important to our schedule. Adding a street course to the schedule I think is going to continue to make it probably the most diverse motorsports schedule that exists out there today, and we’re really excited about that. But I think it gives us the ability, as we think on into the future to enter some of the new markets and look at some of our events in different ways.”
