Posted on by Holly Cain

After a three-week break in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule, the competitors return to action in the United Rentals 200 this Saturday at Martinsville Speedway (1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) to decide which four drivers will advance to the Championship 4 Round and have a shot at the title.

MARTINSVILLE: Weekend schedule | Camping World Truck Series Playoff page

Five-race winner John Hunter Nemechek holds a 1-point advantage over two-race winner Ben Rhodes atop the standings, with three-time series champion Matt Crafton and defending series champion Sheldon Creed rounding out the current top four in the standings. Stewart Friesen in fifth, the first spot outside the Championship 4 Round cutoff, is only five points behind Creed.

The remaining three playoff drivers, Chandler Smith (sixth), Carson Hocevar (seventh) and Zane Smith (eighth) – are separated by only six points – however, they are 34, 37 and 40 points behind the Championship 4 elimination line. They most likely will need a win to maintain championship eligibility when the title is settled next Friday night at Phoenix Raceway. That trio has combined for only two previous Martinsville starts.

Grant Enfinger is the defending race winner, claiming the trophy by .803-seconds over Rhodes last year. Current playoff drivers Zane Smith (third place), Crafton (fifth), Friesen (sixth) and Creed (eighth) all had top-10 finishes in that race. Nemechek did not compete in the race last year, nor did Chandler Smith. Hocevar placed 13th.

Crafton, who won at Martinsville in 2014 and 2015, is the only multi-time winner at the track among the playoff contingent. Nemechek won in 2018. Todd Gilliland, a 2019 winner here, joins Enfinger and four-time Martinsville winner Johnny Sauter as the only drivers in the field with previous wins at the 0.526-mile, paperclip-shaped short track.

Among the current top four driver in the playoff standings, Rhodes and Crafton share the best average finish at Martinsville – 10.8. Rhodes is still looking for his first win there but has finished inside the top five in three of his last four races, including a pair of runner-up showings (2019 and 2020). Crafton has the pair of wins plus four runner-up showings, but he’s scored only two top-10 finishes in the last five races at Martinsville.

Rhodes, driver of the No. 99 ThorSport Racing Toyota, has 14 top-10 finishes in 2021 – second only to Nemechek’s 15 top-10s among the drivers remaining in the playoffs. He’s had three in the five playoff races to this point, including a ninth at the Bristol and a runner-up at Las Vegas. That’s the only time in the last 10 races, however, that Rhodes has put together back-to-back top-10 finishes.

RELATED: Clinching scenarios |  Schemes for Martinsville

Crafton, driver of the No. 88 ThorSport Racing Toyota, has upped his game in the playoffs with four top-10 finishes in the five races, including a runner-up at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway and a third-place showing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

There is no doubt, however, their competition for Saturday afternoon’s trophy will come from Nemechek, who leads the series in wins (five), top fives (12) and top 10s (15). He’s scored three top-five finishes in the playoffs and two finishes of 20th or worse.

Nemechek is a former winner at Martinsville. However, in his last five races there, three times he has finished 28th or worse and he has the worst average finish (14.3) among the eight playoff eligible. The driver of the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota was seventh in his last Martinsville start in 2019.

Creed, a three-race winner in 2021, started the playoffs off with back-to-back wins (at Gateway and Darlington Raceway) but hasn’t had a top 10 since. He picked up his first top-10 finish at Martinsville last fall leading 65 laps and finishing eighth. His average finish there is 13.8.

Of the four drivers still eligible and hoping to race their way into the Championship 4 round, the veteran Stewart Friesen has the most Martinsville starts (seven). He’s finished among the top-10 in the last three races, but his best career showing is fifth (2019). He is another that has been especially fast during this playoff portion of the season, with four top-10 finishes in five playoff races including a best of third at Darlington. However, he has led only one lap (at Las Vegas) in his No. 52 Halmar Friesen Toyota during the playoffs and only 15 laps this season.

Among the young drivers still in the title hunt, Kyle Busch Motorsports driver Chandler Smith, 19, will be making his first start at Martinsville. He has a pair of top-10 finishes in the five playoff races including his first career victory at Bristol Motor Speedway three races ago.

Hocevar, 18, driver of the No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet, finished 13th in his only Martinsville start last year and led five laps. He has a pair of top-10 showings in the playoffs but has finished 22nd (Las Vegas) and 25th (Talladega Superspeedway) in the two races leading up to Martinsville.

Zane Smith, 22, had an impressive third-place finish and led 20 laps last year in his Martinsville debut. As with Hocevar, he comes into this cutoff race hoping to rebound from a pair of rough recent finishes. He was 29th at Las Vegas and 33rd at Talladega. He has two top-10 playoff efforts and three 29th or worse.

Posted on by Holly Cain

It’s hard to imagine this season’s NASCAR Xfinity Series becoming more competitive for Saturday night’s Dead On Tools 250 at Martinsville Speedway (6 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), but short-track racing for a shot at the Championship 4 round has all the makings of a highly-dramatic title set-up.

The Xfinity Series has only run at the 0.526-mile Virginia track twice in the last 15 years, with playoff contender Harrison Burton winning last year’s playoff race and Josh Berry taking the trophy earlier this season.

MARTINSVILLE: Weekend schedule | Xfinity Series Playoff picture

The first two playoff races in this round have been won by non-playoff contenders – John Hunter Nemechek at Texas Motor Speedway and Ty Gibbs at Kansas Speedway. And that’s put an interesting spin on the playoff points heading into Martinsville.

Defending series champion Austin Cindric from Team Penske and 2021 regular-season champion AJ Allmendinger from Kaulig Racing are tied in points atop the standings. Veteran Justin Allgaier, who races for JR Motorsports, and Daniel Hemric, who is leading the Joe Gibbs Racing’s charge, hold the final two positions above the Championship 4 elimination line going into the elimination race at Martinsville. However, Allmendinger’s Kaulig teammate, Justin Haley (in fifth), is only seven points behind Hemic (and nine points behind Allgaier).

Noah Gragson, who was collected in an accident last week at Kansas, is ranked sixth, 24 points below the elimination line. The 23-year-old JR Motorsports driver boasts the best average finish (2.5) in the series’ most recent two races at Martinsville. He was runner-up to Berry, his teammate, back in April.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Brandon Jones is a full 40 points behind his teammate, Hemric, in the final transfer spot to Championship 4 but has four top-10 finishes in five playoff races this season and a pair of top-10 finishes in both of his Martinsville career starts, including a best of fifth this year.

Harrison Burton, the defending race winner and a Joe Gibbs Racing driver, also finds himself in a must-win situation this week after having his day at Kansas cut short in an incident. He answered his 2020 playoff victory at Martinsville with a seventh-place effort this spring and has led a series-best 133 laps in the two races. Burton could use some Martinsville “magic” as he has yet to post a top five in the five playoff races this season and takes the worst average finish among playoff drivers (18.4) into this crucial race.

“We know the situation we are in,” said Burton, driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. “We are coming off a race where we had speed and were in contention to win, and in racing, that’s all you can do. My team and I have the confidence heading into Saturday and I’m looking forward to putting on a good show for all the fans under the lights at Martinsville.”

Three of the four drivers atop the standings – Cindric, Allgaier and Hemric – have scored top 10s in every Martinsville start. Allmendinger has yet to finish inside the top 10 in his two starts at the track but did lead a promising 68 laps in a 26th-place finish in 2020. And it’s worth noting, he finished runner-up twice (2012, 2016) in 21 NASCAR Cup Series races in Martinsville.

Cindric, 23, boasts the best average finish in the playoffs this season (4.2) with a perfect run of top-10 showings in all five playoff races, including runner-up finishes at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Roval and last week at Kansas. He has led at least 10 laps in the last seven races and was a runner-up at Bristol Motor Speedway in a dramatic side-by-side dash with Allmendinger for the checkered flag to conclude the regular season.

Allgaier, 35, was runner-up to Burton in 2020 and is on a hot streak in the playoffs with top-10 finishes in all five races. In fact, the two-race winner this year has finished inside the top-10 in the last 10 races – going all the way back to August.

Hemric, who is still racing for his first national series win, has come so close this season with three runner-up finishes and five third-place efforts. He has been strong in the playoffs with four top-10 finishes for a 5.8 average finish – just behind Cindric and Allgaier. Hemric finished third this year in his only previous Xfinity Series start at Martinsville.

Among these eight title hopefuls, Allgaier has the most Championship 4 appearances at four. He was runner-up to Cindric last year in Cindric’s first championship-round appearance in three seasons.

Last year’s Championship 4 finishing order was Cindric, Allgaier, Haley and Chase Briscoe (now in the NASCAR Cup Series). Hemric qualified in 2017 (fourth place) and 2018 (third place). Neither Gragson, Jones, Burton or Allmendinger have ever advanced to the Championship 4 Round.

Ty Gibbs, who now has four wins in 17 starts this season is entered again this week for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Posted on by Terrin Waack

For the first time this postseason, Ryan Blaney enters a cutoff race below the elimination line. Of course, it just so happens to be the Round of 8 finale – playoff drivers’ last chance to make the Championship 4, something Blaney has yet to do in his six-year career.

Though, the No. 12 Team Penske Ford driver is only one point out heading into Sunday’s Xfinity 500 (2 p.m. ET on NBC/NBC Sports App/Peacock, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

“We’ve been in the Round of 8, this is the third time, and just haven’t been able to make the championship race yet,” Blaney said Thursday. “So, yeah, I think that’s a big, big hurdle for us, for myself personally. It would be a great accomplishment to be able to that, not only for myself but everyone working on this 12 car – and give Todd a shot to run for a championship in his last season.”

MARTINSVILLE: Weekend schedule | Paint schemes | Betting odds

Todd would be Todd Gordon, Blaney’s crew chief. He’s set to retire from atop the pit box at the 2021 schedule’s conclusion.

Blaney and Gordon began working together prior to the 2020 season. Together, they have tallied four wins. Three of those came this year alone, breaking Blaney’s four-year streak of one-win seasons in a good way.

Winning is the easiest answer to Blaney’s current predicament, but it’s not his only solution. If not the best-performing car, he can still point his way into next week’s title battle.

“You just try not to go into panic mode in those situations,” Blaney said. “Because then you start driving kind of over the limit. And sometimes you can go slower, especially at Martinsville if you’re trying to kind of push too hard and kind of get out of your groove. So I know it’ll definitely get intense if you’re in that situation.”

Gordon is going to be the one in Blaney’s ear updating him on standings as they race. Blaney prefers to focus on stage points through the first two portions of the event, and then when time starts to run out, with around 100 laps to go, Gordon can chime in on where he ranks and who he needs to beat.

RELATED: Playoff standings | Breaking down the bubble heading to Martinsville

If Blaney finds himself still one point below the elimination line in the final laps, a spot or two could very well determine whether he ends up with the opportunity to compete for the 2021 championship – potentially his first. A risk may be warranted.

“I mean, define risky,” Blaney said. “I don’t know. Am I gonna turn somebody, wreck somebody? I wouldn’t like to think I would do that.  But in those situations, you just never know. You never know.

“I mean, yeah, you’re gonna make some bold moves. Maybe shove it in a lane that you know might not be a full car width, it might be three quarters of it, but in that situation, you might have to get in there and be aggressive. Just depends what spot you’re in and what you’re willing to do at the end of that thing.”

Posted on by Press Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR is expanding its sports betting footprint, announcing today an expanded content partnership with The Action Network, the most trusted source for sports betting insights and analytics. The partnership will create engaging editorial content and analysis on NASCAR BetCenter while also featuring a NASCAR navigation area on The Action Network’s website and app.

“As NASCAR’s handle continues to grow, we want to ensure we’re delivering the highest quality content for people actively engaged with sports betting,” said Joseph Solosky, Managing Director of Sports Betting, NASCAR. “Our continued partnership with The Action Network further strengthens our sports betting content as their team of experts help us generate new and creative ways to engage with fans and grow the sport.”

In 2019, NASCAR became the first sports league to partner with The Action Network around shared sports betting content. Since then, the NASCAR BetCenter was created, offering fans the latest driver odds, picks, predictions and more. Through this enhanced partnership, the NASCAR BetCenter will begin offering more betting-oriented content to fans through a seamless integration across NASCAR and The Action Network platforms.

“We’re thrilled to renew and expand our partnership with NASCAR,” said Chad Millman, Chief Content Officer, The Action Network. “They’ve been at the forefront of bringing innovative content and gaming options to fans for several years, reminding everyone that the rush of betting races is the perfect complement to watching them.”

This announcement is the latest in a series of partnerships demonstrating NASCAR’s commitment to building a responsible and unique sports betting experience for race fans and new audiences. Most recently, Fubo Sportsbook became the fourth Authorized Gaming Operator (AGO) of NASCAR, joining Barstool Sportsbook, BetMGM and WynnBET.

Posted on by Staff Report

The fall race at Martinsville Speedway tends to end with an equal combination of hurt feelings and hurt fenders among the NASCAR Cup Series drivers, particularly those competing for a spot in the Championship 4.

There’s one surefire way to avoid all the pit-road conflict and difficult post-race interviews: Win the race.

Defending series champion Chase Elliott knows that well, having been on both sides of the issue. The Hendrick Motorsports driver discussed the upcoming race in detail Thursday on NASCAR Twitter Spaces.

“I think as the race goes along, that intensity and that want to win becomes heightened,” Elliott told hosts Alex Weaver, Jonathan Merryman and Mamba Smith. “And I think it’s always so circumstantial, right? You don’t know exactly how the race is going to play. I just think you have to really be prepared for anything. There are guys in situations where they have to win, guys who don’t. The best place to be in all this is out front. If you can be better than the rest, that’s a safe place to be.”

RELATED: Cup Series schedule | Shop Chase Elliott gear, die casts

Elliott’s win at Martinsville in 2020 propelled him into the title field at Phoenix, where he won the race and his first series championship. Back in 2017, he was on the other end. Driving the No. 24 at the time, Elliott was moved up the track and spun by Denny Hamlin in the closing laps when Martinsville was the opening race of the Round of 8, not the closer.

“I don’t think there’s ever a safe space at Martinsville. My goal is to be in front of people far enough to where they can’t get to you,” Elliott said when discussing Sunday’s Xfinity 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App/Peacock, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). “Desperation sets in at some point if your season is in jeopardy. The best way to (avoid that) is just to be better than everybody else. That’s our goal.”

Posted on by Staff Report

The 2022 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour slate is starting to come into focus as tracks formally announce they’ve signed a sanction to host the series next year.

Below is what we know so far. We’ll keep updating this page as more race dates are announced.

2022 WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR WORKING SCHEDULE

 

Date Track
Saturday, Feb. 12 New Smyrna Speedway
Friday, April 1 Richmond Raceway
Saturday, April 23 Langley Speedway
Saturday, May 14 Riverhead Raceway
Saturday, June 25 Riverhead Raceway
Saturday, July 16 New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Wednesday, Aug. 17 Thompson Speedway
Saturday, Sept. 17 Riverhead Raceway
Posted on by Marcus DiNitto

Since taking the wheel of NASCAR’s sports betting initiatives in March, Joe Solosky has overseen the expansion of one of the racing organization’s sportsbook sponsorships, helped bring another partner aboard, worked with broadcasters to integrate betting content, strived to educate fans, and guided the sport into states where sports betting is close to being legalized. 

Solosky came to NASCAR from Sportradar, a multinational corporation that provides data to leagues, media companies and bookmakers, relocating to Charlotte for his new gig as Managing Director of Sports Betting.

As the 2021 season nears its conclusion, we caught up with Joe to reflect on his first year on the job and to look forward to what lies ahead in 2022.

RELATED: NASCAR BetCenter

NASCAR.com: How’s life in Charlotte? How is the new addition to your family?
Solosky: I tell people that we are “planted” in Charlotte, and I really mean it. We’ve adapted well to southern life, and I can’t see ever leaving. Having our first baby, a son named Calvin, born here only further solidifies that.

NASCAR.com: How has year one in your new role been?
Solosky: While Sportradar was a great company to work for, and my five-and-a-half years there got me to where I am, I have not looked back once since joining NASCAR. It truly is a family organization, and I’ve felt that since day one. Going from the data to league side has been a learning curve, but one that has been a bit easier to manage than previous position changes have been in the past.

NASCAR.com: What have been the biggest challenges?
Solosky: Definitely learning the sport. My biggest anxiety in applying for this role was my lack of exposure to, and awareness of, NASCAR growing up. While I have gained a great appreciation for the sport, its fans, and have become a fan myself, there is still a lot of learning to do on my side.

NASCAR.com: What accomplishments are you most proud of?
Solosky: I would say playing a role in getting NASCAR involved in the market access conversation in Ohio. When I joined, it seemed all of the teams and leagues were involved in that conversation except for us. I saw it as a good opportunity to display the type of aggression and leadership this role requires to bring awareness and recognition to our sport. Through amazing collaboration with our government affairs team and guidance with the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, motorsports betting will be more prevalent in the Buckeye State than it would have been otherwise.

NASCAR.com: You told me earlier this year you were not necessarily a huge NASCAR fan coming into this job, but you have since gained a new appreciation for the sport.
Solosky: Absolutely. The first race I went to was Pocono in June, and since I have been to Daytona and Charlotte, with plans to attend the championship in Phoenix. I was told the level of access employees and guests of employees get is unparalleled, but it pales in comparison to experiencing it. Having been converted to a fan of NASCAR through my initial experiences of attending races, it gives me full confidence in selling the sport to potential partners of ours in the sports betting space.

NASCAR.com: What’s been your favorite track?
Solosky: I would have to say Pocono because it was my first experience. I took the opportunity to watch each stage from a different vantage point — from pit road, from a suite and from the grandstands. The experience of watching an exciting finish in the grandstands while being able to connect with fans in a legal sports betting state to understand what we can do better has proven to be invaluable.

NASCAR.com: Did you bet on the Pocono races, since it’s in a legal state? How did you fare?
Solosky: At NASCAR, employees, drivers, and anyone involved in competition can’t bet on NASCAR. However, in Pennsylvania I did download a few apps to see what the user experience looked like and how NASCAR was presented differently across the apps. What was most helpful was anecdotal market research I did in asking fans if they bet on NASCAR, and what they liked and didn’t like.

NASCAR.com: What track were you not able to visit this season that you’re most looking forward to?
Solosky: I am really excited for our exhibition race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to kick off the season in 2022. I am anticipating new partners, new sports betting features and a race format that will be betting-friendly and different from our typical races.

NASCAR.com: There’s concern about the amount of gambling ads sports fans are seeing these days? What are your feelings about that? How much is too much, and how are you working with partners to find the right balance?
Solosky: I feel the same concern, and it’s something I’ve been cognizant about since day one at this job. The last thing I want is for fans who are not sports bettors to be alienated from the sport by the prevalence of sports betting advertising. I know our broadcasters do a great job of that, and I think we at NASCAR with our partnership team also does a good job in toeing that line. From our email, social, digital, signage and hospitality assets, we make sure we provide deliverables that target the right audience, don’t overload, and provide second-screen type options for those who want to engage in sports betting. Finally, none of those avenues in which we promote sports betting doesn’t come without activations from our partner in the American Gaming Association to educate fans on how to participate responsibly.

NASCAR.com: With the recent Fubo deal, NASCAR now has four sportsbook sponsors. How do you keep them all happy?
Solosky: My philosophy in taking on more partners is to work with those operators who want to work with us. From the first call, there must be some synergy between what NASCAR can do for their brand and what their platform can do for us as a sport. From there, we find clear delineations of what makes most sense for a specific sportsbook sponsor to “own” on our platform. I believe this helps in displaying to our partners we are not diluting their brand or giving preference to one operator over another.

NASCAR.com: What new and exciting things should NASCAR bettors look forward to next season?
Solosky: I think fans and bettors can look forward to a betting experience that looks and feels more like how stick-and-ball sports are bet on. Traditionally the race-winner market has been the featured offering for NASCAR, and given the long odds combined with length of a race, if that’s someone’s first bet on a NASCAR event, it also could be their last. Beginning next season, along with our sportsbook partners, we will be focusing on matchup or head-to-head betting. This changes the way a fan or bettor watches the race from a one driver vs. the field model, to a driver vs. driver model. We are also exploring providing a point spread bet for finishing position differential and an over/under for points gained in these head-to-head matchups.

NASCAR.com: We are a season away from an actual sportsbook opening at Phoenix Raceway, but what can you share about Barstool’s plans for Championship Weekend?
Solosky: Since Barstool has received their license in Arizona, the Penn National team and my group at NASCAR have been in constant touch multiple times per week planning for the championship. There are going to be really exciting promotions, and activation areas Barstool Sportsbook will have at Phoenix Raceway including a simulator where participants can win prizes based on lap speed. Additionally, the Barstool Racing talent should be out as a bullhorn drawing attention to the launch and excitement of betting on NASCAR.

NASCAR.com: Your pick to win the Cup championship?
Solosky: It’s hard to go against Kyle Larson this season, so I’ll ride with him.

Marcus DiNitto is Senior News Editor at Gaming Today and has been covering sports business for more than 20 years and sports betting for about 10. NASCAR is among the many sports he bets – and typically loses – on. Follow him on Twitter; do not bet his picks.

Posted on by Zack Albert

Clay Campbell has plenty to eagerly anticipate, both in the short term and over the longer haul.

As Martinsville Speedway’s president, Campbell is busy preparing for a tripleheader weekend of events that are all crucial to the playoff picture in all three NASCAR national series. The Championship 4 field for all three tours will be determined in a span of two days.

RELATED: Martinsville weekend schedule | Buy tickets

“What I’m looking forward to the most? Obviously looking forward to three great races, which … that’s going to happen,” Campbell said matter-of-factly during a brief break earlier this week. “Being the penultimate for all three, it’s going to be a nail-biter.”

Saturday, the Camping World Truck Series (1 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM) and Xfinity Series (6 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM) will host their Round of 8 finales. The weekend will be capped by Sunday’s Xfinity 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM) for the NASCAR Cup Series, and fans will be welcomed back without attendance limits for the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak — another facet of the weekend Campbell is embracing, besides the hard work.

But Campbell has more to look forward to as the Virginia short track his grandfather founded approaches its 75th anniversary season in 2022. Plans to observe the milestone haven’t been formalized, but Campbell said to expect the celebration to span the entire year.

2021 Oct27 Clay Campbell Main Image
Martinsville Speedway

“We’ve been talking for months, planning ahead and we’re working on some pretty neat things that will really highlight the history of Martinsville Speedway,” Campbell said. “Our fans are going to like it, and we’ll be announcing them a little bit later, but for anybody to celebrate the 75th anniversary is pretty special. And for this place to be around that long, looking at it, it doesn’t look like it’s 75 years old. It’s got a lot of history, and we’re going to be rolling it out all year long.”

It’s hard to avoid the sense of history when walking through the gates at Martinsville, which has been a fixture on the Cup Series schedule since its first season in 1949. Pioneers, Hall of Famers and golden-era legends raced here, and the track’s tight turns remain a challenge for the current crop of stars.

But Campbell knows the facility can’t be stagnant and entirely dwell in that nostalgia. There’s a delicate balance to strike — remaining mindful of the track’s legacy but also making the updates that will sustain it for the years ahead.

“That’s one thing that I think we have done pretty good over the years, is how do you maintain that history, the heritage, the tradition, all of that and still keep moving forward, keep growing, keep improving, providing amenities that our fans expect today,” Campbell said. “You can’t do things today like you did 20, 25 years ago. You’ve got to change.

“But I think when you go through our gates here you can look back in the past, you can envision all the greats of NASCAR at some point running here. You can see what we have now, and you get a glimpse into the future. Example, we’re the oldest track on the circuit but we have the newest technology in lighting with LED lights. I think we’ve got all three — the past, the present and the future. And that’s the fine line you’ve got to walk to maintain that, but that’s what we want to do and that’s what we have to do.”

Martinsville’s place in NASCAR history has been well-established, but a newer tradition is starting to take some root with its autumn weekend playing host to the next-to-last races of the season. Martinsville first took that spot on the schedule last season, and it’ll return as the Round of 8 finale in 2022.

MORE: Playoff standings

NASCAR’s schedule-makers rotated some of the postseason events on next year’s calendar but made a point to keep the slate of elimination races intact. Competition officials received no argument from Campbell once the ink on next year’s schedule dried.

“It’s very important. I think it’s one of the most, if not the most critical race of the season, because you come in here with eight (title-eligible drivers) and you leave with four,” Campbell said. “So we’ve been in a position in the past when we had three races to go after our fall event, and the sparks flew and emotions ran high. So to run that event here, the penultimate race, at Martinsville Speedway, I think it’s just fantastic. We love that spot. I think it’s the best place for it. Obviously, I’m selfish on that and prejudiced, but you know the style of racing you see here is just phenomenal.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Stewart-Haas Racing announced Wednesday that GearWrench has signed on as a primary sponsor for its No. 4 Ford and driver Kevin Harvick for five NASCAR Cup Series races in 2022.

The Apex Tool Group brand will be an associate sponsor for Harvick’s No. 4 in the remaining Cup Series races next season. The deal also comes with naming rights for Stewart-Haas Racing’s main assembly area at its Kannapolis, North Carolina, headquarters, which will now be called the GearWrench Garage.

RELATED: Key players in Silly Season

GearWrench has been a primary sponsor in the Cup Series since 2017 with Chip Ganassi Racing, which will cease its NASCAR operations after the season after it was purchased by Trackhouse Racing. The tool brand has been on the No. 1 CGR Chevrolet driven by Kurt Busch for four races this year, including the team’s most recent victory in July at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“We’ve prided ourselves in putting the right people in the right positions at SHR, and the people who turn wrenches on our race cars are the best in the business,” said team co-owner Tony Stewart in a release provided by the team. “We have high standards, and GearWrench tools not only meet, but exceed those standards. This is a partner who is as dedicated to winning as we are.”

Harvick is set for his ninth Cup Series season with Stewart-Haas Racing next year. Of his 58 Cup Series victories, 35 have come with SHR.

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

PHILADELPHIA — Comcast announced Wednesday the finalists for the 2021 Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award, an annual award created to recognize the philanthropic efforts of individuals within NASCAR. Whether by creating the first COVID-19 drive-thru mass vaccination clinic in North Carolina, providing additional access to education, or supporting shelter animals in need, the 2021 class of honorees has gone above and beyond in creating positive change throughout the year. 

The 2021 finalists are:

  • Curtis Francois, Owner of World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois
  • Greg Walter, Executive Vice President/GM at Charlotte Motor Speedway
  • Jamie Little, Pit reporter for NASCAR coverage on FOX

“Curtis, Greg and Jamie are demonstrating how important it is to make a positive impact on their community and we’re proud to honor them with this award that recognizes individuals within the sport who are going above and beyond,” said Matt Lederer, Comcast’s vice president of brand partnerships and amplification. “Community impact is one of Comcast’s core values, and each of these finalists embodies what it means to be a champion in their community.” 

Comcast’s Xfinity brand entered NASCAR as entitlement partner of the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2015 and is now also Premier Partner of the NASCAR Cup Series. Since then, the company has donated $840,000 to more than 20 different NASCAR-affiliated organizations to honor their efforts and to help further the impact of their worthy causes. Fans can visit ComcastCommunityChampion.com to learn more about past and present finalists and their acts of selflessness.

“There are so many inspirational stories of individuals and teams within NASCAR giving back and now more than ever it is important to bring that to life,” Lederer said.  

The 2021 Comcast Community Champion of the Year will be selected by a panel of Comcast and NASCAR executives, as well as NASCAR Driver Bubba Wallace, who received the award in 2020 for his work with the Live To Be Different Foundation, which supports disadvantaged individuals and those in need of a second chance with educational, social or other types of assistance needed to help make their dreams reality. Through a message of compassion, love and understanding, Live To Be Different’s mission is empowering the next generation to strive and achieve anything they put their mind to. 

“The NASCAR community is blessed to have a strong partner in Comcast that has continued to show its commitment to supporting NASCAR communities across the nation,” said Bubba Wallace, the 2020 Comcast Community Champion of the Year. “Their donation to the Live to Be Different Foundation helped us continue to make a positive and lasting impact as we work to remove barriers and fulfill dreams for future generations. We are honored to be a past Comcast Community Champion of the Year and look forward to seeing the impact this year’s honorees make on their communities.” 

Comcast will award $60,000 to the champion’s affiliated charity, and $30,000 to each of the two remaining finalists’ selected charities. The 2021 Comcast Community Champion will be announced at the end of November.

2021 Comcast Community Champion of the Year finalists:

Curtis Francois (Madison, Illinois) — A lifelong St. Louisan and former professional race-car driver, Curtis Francois is committed to his community and is dedicated to making the metropolitan St. Louis region a premier racing destination. Francois purchased World Wide Technology Raceway in 2011. After years of hard work and a multi-million-dollar investment in the track and its surrounding areas, today, World Wide Technology Raceway hosts hundreds of events throughout the year and is the only venue in the U.S. to host the elite series from each of the three major race sanctioning bodies.

WWTR’s charitable foundation, Raceway Gives, leverages the resources and technology opportunities associated with motorsports to provide programs that enhance education and career opportunities for youth, with a focus on STEM education and diversity. Raceway Gives focuses on gifted, diverse and underserved youth, as well as military families, using three pillars: motorsports career opportunities, community engagement with high schools and youth clubs, and educational experiences. Raceway Gives is actively engaged with Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee and the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Community Center in East St. Louis, Illinois, via a “Racing in the Classroom” program that has and continues to introduce motorsports education to an underserved community for local youth ages 8-18.

Greg Walter (Charlotte, North Carolina) — Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Charlotte Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Greg Walter has navigated uncharted waters with a servant’s heart, steering the speedway’s efforts to support the community in its most challenging time of need. Under Walter’s dedicated leadership, Charlotte Motor Speedway became the country’s first professional sports venue to serve as a remote testing site and hosted North Carolina’s first drive-thru mass vaccination clinic. The speedway also hosted food drives, blood drives and high-school graduations.    

Walter serves on the board of the Charlotte chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides funding for hundreds of non-profit organizations throughout the nation that meet the direct needs of children. In a year of reduced donations and fundraising events nationwide, Walter and the SCC staff found creative ways to generate charity funds, such as hosting sold-out, summertime drive-in movies. Walter’s efforts played a role in distributing more than $300,000 SCC funds at Christmas to deserving area nonprofits serving children in need.

Jamie Little (Indianapolis, Indiana) — Veteran motorsports reporter Jamie Little joined FOX NASCAR in 2015 to cover pit road for the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. She has covered NASCAR since 2007. Little is active in animal rescue work, donating to more than 25 animal shelters throughout the country, most of them in communities that host NASCAR races. Before moving to Indianapolis in late 2017, Little spent much of her free time volunteering at The Animal Foundation, Nevada’s largest animal rescue shelter, that is where her passion for animal rescue and adoption began. 

In 2020, Little started working with the Animal Help Alliance, a foster based rescue that specializes in rescuing the underdog, the broken and the hard to adopt animals in our community, a year ago when she came across a post on Instagram with photos of a pitbull who had suffered blunt force trauma to the head, requiring surgery to save her life. As a parent to two pitbull rescues, Little felt compelled to connect with AHA to further help animals impacted by neglect and abuse, while raising awareness about the benefits of rescuing and adopting animals in need.

Comcast has a long track record of community service, aiding in the advancement of local organizations, developing programs and partnerships, mobilizing resources to connect people and inspiring positive and substantive change. To learn more about these efforts, visit the Comcast Community Impact site. 

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.