Josh Berry answered a runner-up finish last year at Dover Motor Speedway with a victory Saturday in the A-GAME 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the track– holding off his JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier by 0.604 seconds.
Berry led the final 55 laps of the 200-lap race to claim his first win of 2022 and the third of his Xfinity Series career. His JR Motorsports team claimed four of the race’s top-five positions – the first time any team has done so since 2013. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs was third followed by JRM drivers Noah Gragson and Sam Mayer.
“We just kept our head down and kept working every week and trying to fix any of our mistakes,” said Berry, who ended a five-race drought without a top-five finish. “And we knew that if we did that, and we kept bringing fast cars, we would have the speed to finally win. At the end of the day, you know this deal, it really doesn’t pay to be on fire at the beginning of the season. I mean, we saw that last year with the (eventual champion Daniel Hemric). So we just got to keep moving, I need on keep getting better every week and be there when it counts at the end of the season.”
Allgaier led a race-best 67 laps but was passed by Berry’s No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet with 55 laps remaining. He rallied to his ultimate second-place finish after suffering a setback on a slow final pit stop. Berry returned to track with the lead on that restart, and Allgaier had to race forward from fourth place, getting as high as second but never having a true chance to make a pass for the win.
“I struggled a lot on the bottom on the restarts and just kept trying to work to get better. It’s just credit to these guys, the pit crew did a phenomenal job today, they executed when we needed it,’’ said the 31-year-old Tennessee native, Berry. “And we were there when it counted.
“I went toe-to-toe with Justin Allgaier and he’s so freaking good here. Gosh, I thought he was kind of out of it after that pit stop and then he was right back to second and I thought, ‘here we go again.’”
Sean Gardner | Getty Images
Allgaier, 35, a perennial championship contender, is looking for his first win since Darlington Raceway last May. This marked his fifth runner-up finish in that time – but is his best showing of 2022.
“Proud of our team, we wanted to get the car in victory lane but with the string of bad luck, I feel like today was a good day, just a little bit short,’’ said Allgaier, who had finished 20th or worse in four of the five races leading into Dover.
Gragson’s fourth-place finish marked a solid end to a challenging day for the 23-year-old and earned him his $100,000 bonus check in the Dash 4 Cash program.
“What a day for the entire company, four cars in the top-five, and congratulations to Josh Berry for his win,’’ said Gragson, who added with a smile holding up the giant $100,000 cardboard Dash 4 Cash winner’s check, “My car was as fast as the Xfinity internet.’’
AJ Allmendinger finished sixth but retains the championship lead by 43 points over both two-race winner Gragson and three-race winner Gibbs.
Mayer’s fifth-place finish was impressive considering his eventful day. He won Stage 1 and then had a pit stop situation during the ensuing stop. His JR Motorsports Chevrolet lost a left-rear tire, and he ended up having to make an extra stop and eventually dropping back as far as 19th place before making his way forward again.
Saturday’s polesitter, Brandon Jones, rallied to a seventh-place finish after pit issues as well.
Richard Childress Racing’s Sheldon Creed was eighth – the highest finishing rookie with Riley Herbst and Ryan Sieg rounding out the top-10.
The series races next week at the historic Darlington Raceway in the Mahindra ROXOR 200 (Saturday, 1:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Allgaier is the defending race winner.
NOTE: There were no issues in the NASCAR Xfinity Series post-race inspection, confirming Berry as the winner. Allmendinger’s No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet had one lug nut not safe and secure.
DuraMAX Drydene 400 at Dover Motor Speedway
(⏰ Noon ET | 📺 FS1 | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)
Everything you need to know for Monday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at newly-renamed Dover Motor Speedway, the 11th regular-season event of the 2022 campaign.
Not many surprises in Saturday morning’s qualifying session, with Hendrick Motorsports and Trackhouse Racing sharing most of the success. Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez each flashed Chevrolet’s speed and will start in the top 10 on Sunday. However, the biggest and boldest surprise was Chris Buescher’s dash to the top of the leaderboard. The No. 17 Ford driver claimed his first career pole and first for RFK Racing’s newly-formed operation. Ford counterpart Ryan Blaney qualified fifth. Toyota drivers Denny Hamlin (second), Bubba Wallace (ninth) and Kyle Busch (10th) rounded out the top 10 quickest lap times. William Byron, the only Hendrick Motorsports driver who didn’t qualify, suffered a heavy hit during practice, forcing the No. 24 camp to a backup car. | See Byron’s wrecked Chevrolet | Full practice and qualifying recap
Big story line
After putting on a clinic at Dover in 2021, Hendrick Motorsports could very well do it again this year. Though we have seen reasonable parity to this point, William Byron (twice), Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson have still each reached Victory Lane. And Chase Elliott has to be champing at the bit to join his teammates in the win column. Each of the four sits top-seven in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, meaning they’ve still been quietly the team to beat every week. At a technical track like Dover, they could very well set themselves apart from the field as they did in last year’s historic 1-2-3-4 finish. But if anyone can slow their momentum at the “Monster Mile,” it is Kevin Harvick. The No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing driver is the only multi-time winner in the previous seven races here and has seven consecutive top-six finishes. Will we see the usual Dover dominators set the pace on Monday? Or will in-form drivers such as Ross Chastain, arguably the hottest driver on the planet, and Austin Dillon, the leader of the underdogs, continue to charge up the standings? | Who has the best odds for Monday’s race?
Who’s hot? Who’s not?
If Ross Chastain can win on Monday, it would be his series-leading third victory of the season at a third different track type. He enters this weekend as winner of two of the last five races (Circuit of The Americas and Talladega Superspeedway), boasting a career-best 13.5 average finish. However, Dover has historically been his Achilles heel. In seven Cup Series starts, Chastain has never finished better than 15th and has led zero laps. Time will tell if his 2022 magic will continue at the “Monster Mile.” On the other hand, Cole Custer has gotten off to a rocky start overall, racking up three DNFs in the first 11 races this season. Custer and the No. 41 team have 10 straight finishes of 11th or worse to start 2022. But he has been historically successful at Dover, with back-to-back top-10 finishes and a 10.3 average finish here. Look for Custer and company to turn their season around this weekend.
Driving under the radar
Cool, calm and collected. That has been the mantra for Alex Bowman as he has quietly become a weekly contender at almost every track. The No. 48 wheelman has five top 10s in the last six races, has scored stage points in eight of the 20 stages this season and already has the Las Vegas Motor Speedway win under his belt. It makes sense to put more focus on Bowman this weekend. He is the defending race winner and led 98 laps here last spring. 12-1 odds, while still very great, place him at the bottom of the Hendrick Motorsports camp. So keep an eye out for him Monday. It is always when you least expect it that Bowman rises to the occasion.
Getty Images
Race-day staples ✅
Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.
• Paint Scheme Preview: Dazzling schemes for Dover | See them here
• Power Rankings: Austin Dillon continues string of RCR top-three finishes | Where does he rank?
• Fantasy Fastlane: Can Hendrick Motorsports repeat Dover performance from 2021? | Top plays, sleepers
• NASCAR betting: Odds for Monday’s Cup race at Dover | BetMGM odds
• Backseat Drivers: At what point does 23XI hit the panic button? | Listen to the analysis
Catch the pack 💨
Read up on the top headlines from the week leading up to Monday’s race.
• Analysis: Ross Chastain is smashing his way through 2022 | Read more
• NASCAR Salutes: Military-support initiative returns this season | More details
• Finding his groove: Cole Custer is primed for a breakout at Dover | Full story
• Next Gen era: Kevin Harvick aims to keep clicking this week at the “Monster Mile” | Read more
• eNASCAR: Nick Ottinger gets 19th win in Coca-Cola iRacing Series | Final laps
• Penalties: NASCAR penalizes No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports team for loose wheel at Talladega | Full report
• Driver action: Denny Hamlin required to complete sensitivity training for tweet | More details
• Texas two-step: 2022 Cup Series All-Star Race format announced | Learn more
• Dirt track goes clean: Knoxville Truck Series race named Clean Harbors 150 | Press release
Get in on the action 💰
Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy.
• The Action Network: How to bet William Byron vs. Alex Bowman | Full analysis
• Backseat Bets: Who will win head-to-head at Dover? | Hear who the experts think
• Play it LIVE: Full guide to 2022 NASCAR Fantasy Live game | Get the FAQ
• BetMGM: Is Hendrick poised to dominate again at Dover? | Expert insight
• Fantasy picks: Kevin Harvick is an easy play for Dover |Video breakdown • Going all the way: NASCAR betting: 2022 Cup Series championship odds | See them here
Memorable ‘Monster Mile’ moments 🧟♂️
Take a look back at some important track history before the Cup Series returns on Monday.
• Back in time: Memorable moments at Dover | Which is your favorite?
• Winner, winner: All-time wins at Dover Motor Speedway (spring) | See the list
• Last year: Bowman wins, Hendrick finishes 1-2-3-4 | Full race recap
• An impossible save: Jimmie Johnson’s qualifying spin at Dover in 2006 |Watch it here
Fast facts ⏩
Hard-hitting, race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights.
• Dover has hosted a Cup race every season since 1969 and two races from 1971-2020. There is just one on the schedule this season. • The last six Dover races were won by different drivers. • There was a green-flag stretch of 80 laps or more in the last eight Dover races and 119 or more in five of those eight races. • The race winner started outside the top 10 in three of the last five Dover races. • Hendrick Motorsports has 21 Dover wins, more than double any other organization.
Say what? 🎙
Notable quotes from the stars of the sport heading into Monday’s race.
Logan Riely | Getty Images
• “It’s going to be a challenge for sure. Dover is so different from anything we have raced so far and really different from anywhere that we go all year. So that practice is going to be very important. It’s a hard track to get right anyways but throw in the new car and limited track time, it’s going to be difficult. I love going there though, so I’m really looking forward to it.” — Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
• “Even though we’ve had some good runs the last couple weeks I don’t feel like we’re where we need to be, but I feel like there’s the potential to get to where we need to be, so I’m not discouraged by where we’re at, but it’s not gone as well as we’d hoped, but, at the same time, we’re learning this new car and learning these new packages and there have been places we just haven’t hit it yet, so as long as we can start stringing together like we have the last few weeks, some good results, and keep building the momentum, but what’s important is having a shot at winning a race, so we are continuing to work towards that to where we can be closer to the front to give yourself that opportunity. We’re not there yet, but I feel like we have all the things that we need to get there. We just haven’t gotten there yet.” — Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
• “I want to win just as much as everyone else, if not more. I always want to win, and I always have an expectation of myself to want to go and perform. That expectation is the only one that matters to me, and I want to do the job to the best of my ability always, whether you have a win in the bank or not. For me, that doesn’t make me try any harder.” — Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
See where your favorite driver will pit for Monday’s NASCAR Cup Series DuraMAX Drydene 400 presented by RelaDyne (noon ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Dover Motor Speedway.
Buescher set the pace in the final 10-driver group, posting a best lap of 160.149 mph in the No. 17 RFK Racing Ford. He scored the organization’s first pole in nearly five years, dating back to May 2017 at Talladega Superspeedway, and he became the fourth first-time pole winner so far this season in the Cup Series.
“I guess it is not something that I have ever had a whole lot of emphasis on,” Buescher said of his qualifying effort. “At the end of the day it is all about that checkered flag at the end of the race. It is really cool, though. I have been really close here at Dover on the Xfinity side and this is a place I have loved coming to forever. I love watching it on TV. It is cool to get it here. I still have one of the smaller Miles The Monster trophies from the Xfinity side in the office at home. It is a special place for me and it is cool to get our first pole here.
“It has been a long time coming. Heck of a start for us.”
Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota started second in Sunday’s portion of the DuraMAX Drydene 400 presented by RelaDyne (postponed to Monday; will resume at noon ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott were fourth and fifth, respectively, and Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney wrapped up the top five.
Ross Chastain, last week’s winner at Talladega Superspeedway, was the leader in the first group of qualifying and started seventh Sunday. Elliott was fastest in qualifying’s Group B. The top five from each group formed the 10-driver field that ran for the pole on the 1-mile concrete track.
Cindric, Kurt Busch top eventful practice sessions
Austin Cindric and Kurt Busch set the pace in each practice group Saturday morning at Dover, avoiding the multiple spins and crashes that plagued others.
Torey Fox | NASCAR Digital Media
Cindric, this year’s Daytona 500 winner, was fastest overall at 157.846 mph in the No. 2 Team Penske Ford. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate was followed by a pair of Kaulig Racing teammates — AJ Allmendinger (157.805 mph) and Justin Haley (157.694). Denny Hamlin registered the fourth-best lap on the combined speed chart, and Busch — fastest in Group B — was fifth overall in the 36-car field.
The divided practice sessions were marked by several pitfalls, the heaviest hits snaring the primary cars of William Byron and Josh Bilicki. Both Byron’s Hendrick Motorsports team and Bilicki’s Spire Motorsports group unloaded backup cars to prep for Monday’s 400-miler.
“Just hate it for our guys more than anything,’’ said Byron, who is ranked third in the championship standings. “Have to pull out a backup car obviously. The primary was probably going to be really fast and I know our back-up car can be just as fast and we can still go and try to win on (Monday). But just a little bit over-confident on my end (in the accident).’’
Tyler Reddick’s No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet was involved in a pair of scrapes in Group B. Rookies Todd Gilliland (Group A) and Harrison Burton (Group B) also sustained damage in separate single-car incidents.
The Petty GMS Motorsports No. 42 Chevrolet of Ty Dillon failed pre-qualifying inspection two times Friday at Dover Motor Speedway, resulting in the loss of pit selection and a crew-member ejection. The team will be without car chief Cam Strader for Monday’s DuraMAX Drydene 400 (noon ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
There were no three-time inspection failures to report from the NASCAR Cup Series garage.
UPDATE: The No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet of William Byron and the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet of Josh Bilicki will both drop to the rear for backup cars. The No. 21 Ford of Harrison Burton, the No. 38 Ford of Todd Gilliland and the No. 45 Toyota of Kurt Busch will all drop to the rear for unapproved adjustments.
Monday’s race is the 11th this season in the Cup Series and the lone visit to Dover Motor Speedway in 2022.
Ross Chastain has won two of the last five races, including a last-lap pass to win Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, posted five top-three finishes in 10 races in 2022 and is part of Trackhouse Racing — the season’s most surprising NASCAR Cup Series team led by owner and former driver Justin Marks.
His team’s business partner Pitbull aka “Mr. Worldwide” has noticed the success and is giving Trackhouse Racing a shout-out in his new single “Can’t Stop Us Now” with country-rock superstar Zac Brown out on all platforms Friday.
In addition to Pitbull’s 89 million social media followers, the song will be heard billions of times by his music fans in Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Latin America and the United States.
NASCAR fans attending or watching Sunday’s Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway will see Chastain’s No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro carrying the “Can’t Stop Us Now” logos promoting both the song and Pitbull’s 50-event “Can’t Stop Us Now” North America concert tour that begins in July.
For Chastain, the 29-year-old Alva, Florida, native who is an eighth-generation watermelon farmer, it’s been one of those overnight success stories that took a lifetime to achieve.
After his traditional smashing of a watermelon after the victory Sunday, he’s spent the week doing media including national television and radio appearances. Now he’s helping one of the most popular entertainers on the planet promote his song and concert tour.
“How cool is all of this right now,” asked Chastain who said he texted with Pitbull on Monday because he was unable to come to the phone when Pitbull called victory lane in Talladega on Sunday. “Justin got to talk with him, but I was too busy jumping around hugging everyone and doing the victory lane stuff. I really want him here in victory lane with us someday soon.”
Chastain’s remarkable success in 2022 has him second in points if the playoffs were to start today. He’d like to climb one spot higher in the standings by winning Sunday in Dover.
If he does, this time he vows to take Pitbull’s phone call.
Ross Chastain makes a bigger splash with every watermelon smash.
The Florida man has now won two NASCAR Cup Series races in 2022, just 10 races into the 36-race season. He claimed his first-ever checkered flag at NASCAR’s top level back in March at Circuit of The Americas and then followed up with another capture last Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway. That makes him one of only two multi-time winners in 2022, joining William Byron.
While that’s impressive, what’s even more: Chastain has five podium finishes — third at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, second at Phoenix Raceway, second at Atlanta Motor Speedway, first at COTA and first at ‘Dega — which puts him among some rather notable names. Take a look below at other drivers who have had at least five top-three results through 10 races.
Of those 12 instances, a Cup Series champion is involved in eight cases (highlighted) regardless of whether the title came before or after the feat. Jimmie Johnson’s 2010 and Kyle Busch’s 2019 fast starts also led to their championships.
The end is a ways away for Chastain, but for the first time in his Cup Series career, he’s guaranteed a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs by virtue of a win. Granted, it’s also only his fourth full-time season, second consecutive.
In total, Chastain owns the two wins, nine top fives and 15 top 10s. Obviously the two wins came in 2022, but so did six of the top fives and six of the top 10s — already making this a career season. Overall, he’s averaging a 23.9 finish. This year, he’s at a 13.5 average.
Chastain, 29, is ranked ninth in the standings — 76 points off leader Chase Elliott.
Up next for the field is Dover Motor Speedway (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM). Chastain has seven starts at the 1-mile Delaware track, with his best run (15th) coming last year with Chip Ganassi Racing. All his other races there were with Premium Motorsports.
BetMGM lists Chastain at 14-1 odds to win Sunday — the fifth-best mark. Surely he has a watermelon ripe and ready.
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (April 29, 2022) – The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be back in Knoxville, Iowa, for the second straight season but the famed half-mile dirt track will seem much cleaner this year with Clean Harbors as the race sponsor.
The Clean Harbors 150 will be run on June 18 as NASCAR and Knoxville Raceway continue to showcase the legendary history of dirt racing across America.
Delivering a broad range of recycling services, hazardous waste management, emergency spill response and industrial cleaning, Clean Harbors boasts one of the 20 largest private motor carrier fleets in North America.
“Given this legendary dirt track, this is shaping up to be one of the most exciting truck races on the schedule,” said Clean Harbors Chief Operating Officer Eric Gerstenberg. “We are dedicating this race to the thousands of Clean Harbors truck drivers out on the road every day in the United States and Canada helping to keep the environment clean and make the world a better place. We simply couldn’t do it without them.”
Founded in 1980 with hundreds of service locations across the country, Clean Harbors is North America’s leader in environmental and industrial services. As the largest COVID-19 decontaminator in the county, Clean Harbors helped NASCAR return to racing early in the pandemic and subsequently deep cleaned all tracks. Along with decontamination efforts around Ground Zero following 9/11, the company is noted for aiding in the Deepwater Horizon and other major oil spills.
Through its subsidiary Safety-Kleen, Clean Harbors has been a decades-long partner of NASCAR. As the official environmental services supplier and green partner of NASCAR, Safety-Kleen collects all used oil, lubricants and liquid waste at the tracks, and then recycles, responsibly disposes of or re-refines those fluids. As the largest oil recycler in North America, the company is also the official environmental company of all the tracks where the NASCAR Cup Series competes.
“Across the country, Safety-Kleen has been keeping NASCAR tracks clean and maximizing recycling of waste oil and other fluids for decades. We’re the sustainability solution for more than 300,000 customers with NASCAR among our most visible. By sponsoring this race, we intend to bring sustainability to the forefront even more,” said Gerstenberg.
NASCAR announced in October the Camping World Truck Series would return to the “Sprint Car Capital of the World” for a second year as the American motorsports icon harkens back to its formidable years of racing on dirt ovals across America.
Winston, Ga.’s Austin Hill won the inaugural event, which was extended by 29 extra laps from its originally scheduled 150-lap distance, to complete a green-white-checkered flag finish, giving the Knoxville faithful both a spectacular and historic conclusion.
The event will be promoted in cooperation with North Carolina-based Spire Holdings.
“Clean Harbors is a great partner to the most prestigious dirt track in the world,” said Spire Holdings VP of Strategic Initiatives Joey Dennewitz. “Knoxville Raceway and the entire town of Knoxville are thrilled to host Clean Harbors and their truck drivers for the excitement and fun the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is best known for.”
Tickets are now available to purchase online or by calling the ticket office at 641-842-5431. Practice Night information will be released at a later date. Camping and parking information can be found via the track’s website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram platforms as it becomes available. To receive up-to-date information about the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Knoxville Raceway, visit our website.
The Clean Harbors 150 from Knoxville Raceway will be televised live on FS1 Saturday, June 18 beginning at 9 p.m. EDT. The race will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – This Military Appreciation Month, the NASCAR community comes together to honor and recognize the United States Armed Forces through the annual NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola program.
NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola returns for its eighth season, celebrating the service and sacrifice of U.S. service members and their families. Tributes will take place beginning this weekend at Dover Motor Speedway and will conclude with the 600 Miles of Remembrance during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend. Fans can follow and engage on social media using #NASCARSalutes.
“In partnership with NASCAR, Coca-Cola is proud to honor our nation’s Armed Forces during The Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend,” said Sue Lynne Cha, the vice president of integrated marketing experiences for Coca-Cola North America. “The Coca-Cola 600 brings racing fans together to recognize the service and sacrifices made by our U.S. military members and their families.”
Unique to the program this year, the NASCAR Salutes Wall of Honor will make its debut at each NASCAR race weekend in May. The mural wall will be located in track midways and allow fans to write messages to the military on individual magnets. Each magnet will then be added to the mural to create a giant mosaic unique to each track that will later be donated to a military base.
“It’s always incredible to see the NASCAR industry and our fans unite to celebrate our military service members and their families through NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola,” said Michelle Byron, NASCAR’s vice president of partnership marketing. “Through the support of Coca-Cola, the month of May has become a time when together as an industry, we can reflect on our nation’s heroes and honor the sacrifices they make every day to keep our country and its communities safe.”
To conclude NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola, NASCAR and Coca-Cola will again host Gold Star Families during Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway with all 40 NASCAR Cup Series cars featuring the name of a fallen service member on the windshield during the Coca-Cola 600.
In addition, several other NASCAR Salutes activities will take place, including:
During the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superpseedway on FOX, NASCAR premiered this year’s NASCAR Salutes brand spot. The creative runs through May and showcases the unique ties that NASCAR and Coca-Cola have with the military.
Discounted grandstand tickets are available to military members throughout NASCAR Salutes and all season long with NASCAR MILTIX Presented by GEICO Military. Active military and veterans can verify their status through SheerID and purchase tickets by visiting NASCAR.com/miltix.
At each NASCAR event during the month of May, service members from local bases will have access to complimentary grandstand tickets and unique VIP experiences made possible by Vet Tix and the NASCAR Troops to the Track Program.
Charlotte Motor Speedway continues its annual Mission 600, pairing the Coca-Cola Racing Family and other drivers with military bases to educate the NASCAR community about the day-to-day lives of the men and women who serve.
Xfinity, a Proud Premier Partner, will display red, white and blue Xfinity windshield headers on their race cars during the NASCAR Xfinity Series Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway to showcase their company’s commitment to hiring 21,000 veterans, National Guard and reserve service members and also military spouses who bring unique skills and experiences to Comcast NBCUniversal.
Camping World will celebrate with red, white and blue windshield decals on all trucks racing in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Camping World is a strong supporter of all military branches and proudly displays 3,200-square-foot American flags at its nationwide retail locations.
AMR, the “Official Emergency Medical Services Partner of NASCAR,” will feature the NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola branding on its NASCAR safety trucks and safety team helmets throughout the program.
For a fifth season, Mack Trucks, the “Official Hauler of NASCAR,” will wrap one of its NASCAR haulers in support of NASCAR Salutes leading into Memorial Day weekend. The final design was selected by fan votes with the voting period closing this week.
Continuing its tradition, Goodyear will replace its iconic “Eagle” sidewall design with “Honor and Remember” during the Coca-Cola 600 in recognition of the organization working closely with the industry to honor gold star families who have lost family members as a result of serving.
During the broadcast of the Coca-Cola 600, FOX will display the name of every U.S. Armed Forces member who lost his or her life since last year’s Memorial Day weekend race as part of a special tribute titled “FOX Sports Remembers,” an initiative begun in 2009. FOX’s scroll will begin running during its pre-race show at 5 p.m. ET.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, with the help of JDV Productions and Operation Vet Now Inc., will feature roof decals on all race cars honoring fallen service members during the Jennerstown Salutes 150 at Jennerstown Speedway on May 28.
Following Noah Gragson’s victory in a dramatic overtime finish at the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ biggest track last weekend, the series moves to the always exciting Dover Motor Speedway for a test on the “Monster Mile” this week.
Saturday afternoon’s A-GAME 200 at Dover (1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) presents a unique challenge to the Xfinity Series championship, with only one of the series’ full-time competitors having ever won this race previously.
Two-time Dover winner Justin Allgaier is hopeful that his track record will push him forward in the points and into an already tightly-grouped trio atop the championship.
Veteran AJ Allmendinger, who finished third last weekend in a typically frantic Talladega Superspeedway rush to the checkered flag, leads the Xfinity Series championship by 40 points over Gragson and 45 points over Ty Gibbs – the two swapping positions in the standings following Gragson’s win and Gibbs’ rough superspeedway outing.
Allmendinger has top-10 finishes in every race this season topped with a victory at the Circuit of The Americas last month. The driver of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet has only a pair of Xfinity starts at Dover – with a best finish of fourth-place last year – and has never led a lap there.
Gragson’s Talladega victory was his second of the season. His first came at the other 1-mile track, Phoenix Raceway, which gives him plenty of momentum as the series arrives in Dover.
Gragson has never won on the “Monster Mile,” but the driver of the JR Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet does have four top-10 finishes in six starts with a best showing of fourth place in 2020. He’s led only 38 laps at Dover during that time – but neither of his other closest championship challengers – Allmendinger or Gibbs – have led even a single lap at the track.
This will be only the second Dover start for Gibbs, who will be looking to regain momentum after a tough Talladega race. Involved in an accident on the big track, Gibbs finished 35th suffering only the second DNF in 27 career Xfinity Series races to date. Gibbs’ three wins and 330 laps led in 2022 are most in the series. The driver of the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota finished fifth in his only Dover race, last year.
Bringing us to Allgaier, who boasts a top-five finish in nearly half of his 21 Dover starts, including wins in 2018 and 2020 and three runner-up showings. In the last 12 Dover races, the driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet has 11 top-10 and nine top-five finishes – including the two victories. His 447 career laps led is most among Xfinity Series regulars and twice he’s led 100 or more laps in a Dover race.
It all speaks well for a potential Dover rebound to Allgaier’s 2022 season. He’s currently ranked sixth in the championship, 121-points behind Allmendinger, but has finished 22nd or worse in four of the last five races. His best finish of the year is fifth (at Daytona International Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway). His last win came almost exactly a year ago – May 8 at Darlington Raceway.
“I can’t wait to get to Dover this weekend with our No. 7 team,” Allgaier said. “We’ve been really strong there the last couple of years and I feel extremely confident that we are going to pick up right where we left off when we hit the track for practice on Friday. Hopefully, we can have a solid, smooth weekend and be right where we need to be, come race time, to fight for the win.
“I’m ready to go.”
The Dover race marks the Dash 4 Cash program’s 2022 finale. Gragson, Landon Cassill, Allmendinger and Ryan Sieg are qualified to win the $100,000 bonus check this week following their work last week at Talladega. The highest finisher among them earns the bonus cash from sponsor Comcast Xfinity. Allmendinger has won two of the three Dash 4 Cash prizes this season.
Unique to the program this year, the NASCAR Salutes Wall of Honor will make its debut at each NASCAR race weekend in May. The mural wall will be located in track midways and allow fans to write messages to the military on individual magnets. Each magnet will then be added to the mural to create a giant mosaic unique to each track that will later be donated to a military base.