Manufacturer-specific body updates unveiled for 2022 Camping World Truck Series season

Posted on October 29, 2021October 29, 2021 by Chase Wilhelm

NASCAR has announced new truck body updates beginning with the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.

The sanctioning body will permit Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota to update their truck noses and tails to better match production trucks for consumers, while adding more identity from the front fascia (nose of the truck) to the A-post.

Previously, the lower fascia was common on all three truck models. Now, it has been opened for the manufacturers to better replicate the looks of the Silverado, F-150 and Tundra.

Ford unveiled its 2022 F-150 model via social media on Thursday with current Truck Series driver Hailie Deegan. Toyota revealed the new-look Tundra TRD Pro on Friday with NASCAR Cup Series champion and Truck Series owner Kyle Busch. Chevrolet unveiled its new Silverado in a social media post at the end of October.

Toyota

The enhanced manufacturer identity will allow for the trucks on the race track to closely resemble those driven by fans off the car-dealership lot. While the body style is set to change, the thrilling on-track performance product fans are used to seeing will not be impacted and the same high-quality racing is anticipated for next season and beyond.

“We’re always looking for ways to be more relevant for our OEMs,” John Probst, NASCAR’s senior vice president of innovation and racing development, told NASCAR.com. “One of the ways to do that is to have the products on the race track more accurately reflect what’s available in the showroom. I think you’ll see a lot more characteristics of the production trucks in the trucks that you see on track in 2022.”

The submission process for all three manufacturers initially began in September 2020 and followed the OEM Body Approval Process outlined in the NASCAR Rule Book. All three OEMs passed wind-tunnel testing on their first attempt, which prompted final approval from NASCAR officials.

Chevrolet

Like the current body, next year’s truck versions will include a mixture of materials. The nose and tail affected by the updates will now be made of a strong composite material compared to the current nose and tail. The remainder of the body will consist of sheet metal.

While NASCAR would like all Truck Series teams to compete with the new body in 2022, the current body will also be approved for competition in 2022 to assist teams in the management of costs.

The manufacturers were able to add their own creativity to the new body updates, which Probst said is likely the biggest change that was made with the new process of determining the final product.

“We had opened up a lot more areas for the OEMs to basically implement their DNA into the race truck,” Probst said. “As part of that, though, we wanted to make sure that from a performance perspective, we keep parity on the race track. If you look at the Truck Series now, that’s some of the best racing we have going on. First and foremost, we didn’t want to hurt that, so we actually used the performance of the current truck for the new truck with additional character to them. While they have a lot more character from our process, from a performance perspective, the parity will still be really good in the Truck Series.”

Ford

That manufacturer ingenuity during the process has made for a more stylish on-track product for the fans’ enjoyment.

“They look really good with all that additional styling on the fenders and the hood and in the lower nose,” Probst said. “It’s even striking again when you see them all painted up with the decals on them and the paint schemes they implement. There’s a lot of thought that went behind them. I think the fans are going to be over the moon with how these trucks look.”

Probst indicated that before conversations about the body updates, two of the three manufacturers were contemplating changes to their trucks under the current format. The production of the Next Gen for the NASCAR Cup Series facilitated deeper conversations for changes to the trucks.

“We said why don’t we just take this opportunity to take some of the lessons that we learned on the Next Gen to open a lot more of the truck to OEM characteristics and that’s where we landed,” Probst said. “We got all three (manufacturers) on board. They were excited to go ahead and do that and take advantage of the opportunity to bring even more of the production truck to the race track.”

Posted on October 29, 2021October 29, 2021 by Zach Sturniolo

The NASCAR Cup Series rolls into Martinsville Speedway on Sunday to officially set the 2021 Championship 4 grid.

Ahead of the Xfinity 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App/Peacock, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), Kyle Larson remains the only driver whose ticket to compete for a title is punched. The remaining seven drivers in the Round of 8 are set to make sure they head to the desert as one of the four competitors with championship hopes still burning at Phoenix.

LINING THEM UP

By virtue of his third consecutive victory and ninth of the season, Kyle Larson will once again lead the field to green this weekend at Martinsville. The front three rows of Sunday’s starting grid feature pairs of teammates: Hendrick Motorsports teammates Larson and Chase Elliott will start up front ahead of the Joe Gibbs Racing duo of Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr., who are followed by Team Penske housemates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. Row 4 rounds out the playoff drivers with Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney starting seventh and eighth, respectively. For the full starting lineup, click here.

THE PURSE

NASCAR released purse information for the upcoming national series races.

NASCAR Cup Series: $7,778,099

NASCAR Xfinity Series: $1,325,013

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: $674,952

MARTINSVILLE HISTORY

— Martinsville Speedway held its first race on Sept. 7, 1947, a modified stock car race won by Red Byron and promoted by Bill France Sr., who convinced track co-founder Henry Clay Earles stock cars were the future of racing.

— NASCAR held its first sanctioned race at Martinsville on July 4, 1948, another modified stock car race and won by Fonty Flock. Bill France finished eighth.

— The Cup Series has raced at Martinsville since the series’ inaugural season in 1949. Byron claimed the victory on Sept. 25, 1949 over Lee Petty on what was then a dirt surface. The first 12 Martinsville Cup races were held on dirt.

— The popular grandfather clock awarded as the victor’s trophy was introduced in 1964, when Earles worked with the nearby Ridgeway Clock Company to produce it. The first clock was awarded in September 1964 to Fred Lorenzen.

— Richard Petty has 12 clocks (as well as three wins before the tradition began), besting Darrell Waltrip (11 clocks), Jeff Gordon (9) and Jimmie Johnson (9).

— International Speedway Corporation purchased the then-privately-owned Martinsville Speedway in 2004 for $192 million and resurfaced the entire track following the 2004 spring race, which saw Jeff Gordon run over loose concrete in Turn 3 while leading the event.

— Lights were added for the 2017 season as part of a $5 million project that coincided with the track’s 70th anniversary.

— Sunday marks the 146th race at Martinsville and just the second time it serves as the penultimate race of the season, the first of which occurred in 2020.

Source: Racing Insights

RULES PACKAGE

NASCAR Cup Series cars will utilize the 750-horsepower, low-downforce package this weekend, which features shorter spoilers and front splitters in an effort to minimize the impact of aerodynamics at tracks shorter than 1.4 miles in length. This package will also be used in next week’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

GOODYEAR TIRES

As the series heads to its penultimate race of 2021, Goodyear returns to Martinsville with the same tire compound and construction used during the spring race. Focus has gone into allowing the tires to lay more rubber in colder temperatures, but with current forecasts predicting a high of 64°F on Sunday, that may not come into play.

What always comes into play at the bullish paperclip half-mile is traction, especially with 750 HP underneath the drivers’ right feet.

“We adjusted the tread compounds last season at Martinsville to not only lay rubber but to give the cars more grip,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “The other key element of the tire is the construction, which we also updated in 2020. Our constructions for Martinsville have to consider that the cars are hard on the brakes entering the corners and hard on the gas exiting and must be able to handle those conditions.”

STORYLINES AND TRENDS HEADING INTO MARTINSVILLE

— While Kyle Larson is locked into the Championship 4, Chase Elliott (+34), Denny Hamlin (+32) and Kyle Busch (+1) sit above the elimination line entering Martinsville.

— On the outside looking in are Ryan Blaney (-1), Martin Truex Jr. (-3), Brad Keselowski (-6) and Joey Logano (-26).

— This is the third time at least four drivers were within six points of the bubble entering the Round of 8 elimination race.

— Martin Truex Jr. has won three of the last four races at Martinsville, including this spring’s event.

— The last eight Martinsville races were won by six different drivers. Truex is the only driver to earn multiple victories in that span.

— Chase Elliott’s victory in November 2020 is Chevrolet’s lone Martinsville triumph in the last nine races at the half-mile paperclip-shaped track.

— Ford is winless in the last four Martinsville races after winning each of three prior events.

— Joe Gibbs Racing has won four of the last eight contests at Martinsville.

— Martin Truex Jr led only 20 laps in his win at Martinsville in the spring, the fewest laps led by a winner in the last 18 races.

— The Stage 2 winner won four of the last six Martinsville races.

— Kyle Larson won three straight races twice in 2021, he is the first driver to do so since Dale Earnhardt in 1987.

— Three races at Martinsville were won with a last-lap pass, two coming in the last eight races.

Source: Racing Insights

TIME TO BET ON IT

While Kyle Larson has dominated the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with wins in four of the last eight races, the nine-time race winner is not the favorite at Martinsville, according to BetMGM.

That honor goes to Martin Truex Jr., who the sportsbook lists at 4-1 odds. With wins in three of the last four Martinsville races, it’s clear to see his advantage over the rest of the field this Sunday.

Larson, meanwhile, only has two top fives and three top 10s in 13 Martinsville starts but is still listed at 13-2, likely thanks to a fifth-place effort back in April. Denny Hamlin (6-1) and Chase Elliott (13-2/+650) have great track records at the paperclip but don’t necessarily need top-tier runs to advance to the Championship 4.

Kyle Busch is a two-time winner at Martinsville, but four straight finishes of ninth or worse at Martinsville leave him with the worst odds of all playoff drivers at 9-1.

FANTASY LIVE

Want to manage a team and race your way to the top of the leaderboards? Check out the playoff version of NASCAR Fantasy Live, which is open now and offers a fresh start for those of you who played the regular-season contest. The free-to-play game lets you choose your drivers each week and show off your crew-chief instincts, and there is a $10,000 prize for the winner.

The 2021 Fantasy Live points leaders are Kyle Larson (1,370), Denny Hamlin (1,363) and Chase Elliott (1,150).

This year, NASCAR.com also has the Playoffs Grid Challenge game, presented by Ruoff Mortgage, where you can pick the winners for each round of the playoffs right up through the Championship 4. First prize is $10,000.

How to play: Playoffs Grid Challenge | Playoff Fantasy Live

ALSO ON NASCAR.COM

Get additional camera views by logging on to NASCAR Drive, where each week a select number of in-car cameras will be available — as well as a battle cam and an overhead look.

New for this season, NASCAR has partnered with LiveLike to add fan engagement in the NASCAR Mobile App. Log in to the mobile app during the race for polls, quizzes, the cheer meter and more — and see instant results from NASCAR fans like you.

And finally, head over to the NASCAR Mobile App for AR Racing presented by Mobil 1, where you can design your own car and race the playoff drivers at the playoff tracks in augmented reality.

Posted on October 28, 2021October 28, 2021 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.

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 October 28, 2021October 28, 2021 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 October 28, 2021 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.

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 October 28, 2021October 28, 2021 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 October 28, 2021October 28, 2021 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.”

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 October 28, 2021November 1, 2021 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 October 28, 2021 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 October 28, 2021 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.

“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.

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.”