Posted on by Holly Cain

Only two races remain to set the 12-driver NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff grid and the Regular Season Championship remains very much up for grabs with only a single point separating five-race winner Austin Cindric and three-race winner A.J. Allmendinger.

That means there’s certainly a lot on the line in Saturday’s Go Bowling 250 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at the 0.75-mile Richmond (Va.) Raceway – the Xfinity Series’ first trip to the track this season.

And to top it all off, one of the sport’s most popular drivers – ever – NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns to the track for his annual one-race competition. With four wins in eight NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Richmond, Earnhardt leaves the NBC television booth Saturday afternoon and climbs into his JR Motorsports team’s  No. 8 “United for America” Chevrolet an absolute favorite to win.

RELATED: Richmond schedule | Lineup for Xfinity race | Paint schemes for Richmond

His teammate, JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier, a two-time winner in 2021, swept both events at Richmond last year and is the only full-time series driver with a previous win at the track. He’s finished fourth or better in the last four Richmond races and his 494 laps led is second only to Earnhardt’s 829 laps led.

The competitive level for Saturday’s race will be extremely high with Team Penske’s Austin Cindric and Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger involved in a tight regular-season title fight. Cindric’s third-place effort at Darlington, S.C. last weekend along with Allmendinger’s 20th-place showing has certainly tightened the standings and increased the competitive drama for these final two regular-season races.

“It’s gonna be a fun two weeks,” Cindric promised with a smile.

Although he has yet to win at Richmond, Cindric has been very good at the track scoring five top-10 finishes in six starts. He was runner-up in both 2019 races and led 64 laps in the spring Richmond race last year, finishing fourth. Allmendinger, on the other hand, has only one Xfinity Series start – a 14th-place finish back in 2007. The veteran competed in 23 NASCAR Cup Series races at the track with only three top-10 finishes – his best showing a sixth place in 2014.

As productive as Allmendinger has been this year, it’s easy to forget he’s only had 51 total Xfinity Series starts in his career and that this is his first full season in Xfinity.

Conversely, the 12th and final Playoff position is also still very much up for grabs – via a new race winner who would automatically transfer in or simply the points battle between Riley Herbst and Michael Annett.

The JR Motorsports driver Annett held that Playoff position before a leg injury forced him to miss four of the previous six races. Meanwhile, Herbst, who drives the No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, has earned four top-10 finishes in the last six races. Herbst has two top-10 finishes in three Richmond starts. Similarly, Annett has scored top-10 finishes in the last three Richmond races.

The latest driver to lock himself into the postseason is Noah Gragson. Gragson, 23, earned his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory of 2021 this past weekend at Darlington, S.C. and has top-10 finishes in four of his five Richmond starts, including a runner-up showing in 2018.

Gragson, as with the rest of the field, can count on a legitimate threat from his boss Earnhardt, who has been a master at Richmond. In eight Xfinity Series starts, he has four wins and seven top-10 finishes. He won three consecutive starts in three decades – 1999, 2002 and 2016 – four of five starts including a 1998 win as well.

And Earnhardt’s No. 8 carries a special nod to the Sept. 11 race date. The Chevrolet’s paint scheme will include tributes to the people lost in the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks – with the two World Trade Center Towers, the Pentagon and the Flight 93 Memorial in the design with the phrase, “Never Forget” on the quarter panels.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since that terrible day,” Earnhardt said. “The spirit of unity and togetherness our country felt on Sept. 11 is just as relevant now as it was then. I’m honored to be driving this car and championing Unilever’s United for America program.”

Posted on by NASCAR.com

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin snapped a 31-race winless streak last weekend at Darlington Raceway, taking the trophy for the first NASCAR Playoffs race of 2021. With the victory came the spoils and, in this instance, Hamlin is the only driver to clinch a spot in the Round of 12 with his victory. Now the series heads to Richmond Raceway this weekend for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders (Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) with 11 spots still up for grabs.

RELATED: Richmond weekend schedule | Darlington sets stage for Richmond | Latest on the playoffs

Already Clinched

The following driver has clinched a spot in the 12-driver field of the next round: Denny Hamlin. 

Can Clinch Via Points

If there is a repeat win by a previous Round of 16 winner (Denny Hamlin) or a win by a non-playoff driver, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the 11th winless driver (in the playoffs) in the standings.

— Kyle Larson: Would clinch with 18 points if Denny Hamlin or Martin Truex Jr. wins, 19 points if Kurt Busch wins, 20 points if Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano or Kevin Harvick wins, 21 points if Brad Keselowski wins, 22 points if Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott or Aric Almirola wins.

— Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott and Aric Almirola: Could only clinch with help.

If there is a new winner from Tyler Reddick or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the 10th winless (in the playoffs) driver in the standings.

— Kyle Larson: Would clinch with 22 points.

— Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott and Aric Almirola: Could only clinch with help.

Can Clinch Via Win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt Busch, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Aric Almirola, Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, William Byron or Michael McDowell.

Posted on by Marcus DiNitto

We’ve been writing in this space about a school of thought that many Cup Series Playoffs tracks are well-suited for Joe Gibbs Racing. Based on the betting odds for Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders, Richmond Raceway fits that bill.

JGR drivers occupy the top three spots on most oddsboards, with Martin Truex Jr. commanding the most respect at prices ranging from +400 to +450. Denny Hamlin is the second betting choice at +500 to +550, as he looks to guide the No. 11 Toyota to its second straight trip to Victory Lane, and Kyle Busch is next, priced in the +600 to +700 range.

RELATED: NASCAR BetCenter | Odds for Saturday night at Richmond

Truex’s past Richmond performances justify his favorite status. In the six races at this three-quarter mile Virginia track since 2018, Truex has two wins, a total of five top-five finishes, a stellar 125.8 rating and has led 28.3 percent of laps. While Truex’s fifth-place finish in the spring race at Richmond didn’t reward bettors who played him at +400, he ran near the front all afternoon, leading 107 laps and finishing second in both stages.

Hamlin’s car, though, was the most dominant that Sunday in April, as he led 207 laps, won both stages, and finished second in his home state. Additionally, our friend Jim Sannes at numberFire compiled some data that makes Hamlin look pretty strong Saturday night:

Busch’s record at Richmond, meanwhile, rivals that of Truex: Two wins in the six races since 2018, no finishes outside of the top 10, a 111.6 rating and has led 20 percent of the laps run. He’s stellar on short tracks in general, boasting a 6.26 average finish and 108.1 rating in the 19 races on these layouts since 2018, both tops in Cup, per DriverAverages.com.

The No. 18 has been mired in inconsistency this season, however, crashing out of the two most recent Cup events, something bettors looking to take a shot at his relatively attractive odds must consider.

Odds shopping, value hunting

The oddsboard at the market-making SuperBook USA in Las Vegas may offer some hints on where to find value Saturday night in Richmond. 

This chart shows odds to win, for drivers priced at less than 100/1, at four betting shops around the country (as of 10:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, Sept. 9) – NASCAR’s three official betting partners (WynnBET, Barstool Sportsbook and BetMGM), plus the SuperBook. (* indicates a driver not in the playoffs)

Driver Wynn Barstool BetMGM SuperBook
Martin Truex Jr. +450 +450 +400 +450
Denny Hamlin +500 +500 +550 +500
Kyle Larson +500 +800 +700 +1200
Kyle Busch +650 +700 +600 +700
Joey Logano +700 +800 +800 +600
Brad Keselowski +900 +1000 +1000 +800
Kevin Harvick +1100 +1200 +1200 +1000
Chase Elliott +1200 +1100 +1000 +1400
William Byron +1500 +1600 +2000 +1400
Christopher Bell +1600 +1800 +1800 +1400
Alex Bowman +1800 +1800 +1800 +2000
Ryan Blaney +2000 +2000 +2500 +2000
Aric Almirola +3300 +3500 +5000 +2500
Kurt Busch +4000 +4000 +3300 +5000
Austin Dillon* +6000 +5000 +5000 +5000
Ross Chastain* +6600 +5000 +5000 +6000
Matt DiBenedetto* +6600 +8000 +8000 +6000
Tyler Reddick +6600 +6600 +6600 +6000

Plenty of public bettors will be enticed by the +800 on Kyle Larson or +1200 on Chase Elliott. Hendrick Motorsports, particularly the No. 5, has been the superior garage much of the season, and the opportunity to play these guys at such long odds doesn’t come around often. But the SuperBook’s +1200 and +1400 on Larson and Elliott, respectively, suggest NASCAR gamblers should keep looking.

That brings us to a pair of Team Penske drivers. 

Joey Logano is priced as the +600 third betting at the SuperBook and can be had for +800 elsewhere. Logano has an excellent short-track record – his 7.79 average finish and 107.6 rating since 2018 are both second to Busch – and he was a threat throughout the spring race at Richmond, leading 49 laps and finishing third for the race and in both stages.

At +1000 at BetMGM, Brad Keselowski is also worth a look. Kes has three short-track wins and has led 1,295 laps (second to Truex’s 1,505) on these ovals since 2018, and his Richmond-specific stats are also among the best.

And let’s come full circle back to JGR and the longest shot from that garage. Christopher Bell hasn’t been running well of late, finishing 20th, 32nd, 13th and 36th over the last four Cup races. But short, flat tracks seem to be his thing. This season, he’s finished ninth at Phoenix, seventh at Martinsville, fourth here at Richmond and second at Loudon, and the SuperBook certainly respects him with a +1400 price.

If you believe in Bell but not quite to the extent that you give him a realistic chance to win Saturday night, remember NASCAR betting goes beyond the outright market, and you can find some nice plus-money options on the No. 20. Barstool offers +500 odds (bet $100 to win $500) on Bell to finish in the top three, and BetMGM has +240 on a top-five.

Marcus DiNitto is a writer and editor living in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has been covering sports for nearly two-and-a-half decades and sports betting for more than 10 years. His first NASCAR betting experience was in 1995 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, where he went 0-for-3 on his matchup picks. Read his articles and follow him on Twitter; do not bet his picks.

Posted on by Davey Segal

Coming off two consecutive victories, Ron Silk is back to square one this weekend.

Silk –along with the rest of the drivers on the Whelen Modified Tour — will take to Richmond Raceway for the first time since 2002. All but two drivers (Chuck Hossfeld and Jamie Tomiano) have never turned laps in a modified at “The Action Track.” Justin Bonsignore, a two-time series champion and current points leader, has test laps in a tire test, but no competitive race laps.

It’s a bit of a catch-22 for Silk, who understands the lack of experience puts things on more of an evening playing field — himself included.

“Richmond is kind of an unknown for all of us,” Silk said. “The majority of haven’t raced there before, but it’s certainly nice to be rolling in there on a little bit of a hot streak.”

Silk’s victories at Beech Ridge and Oswego have him heading into Richmond as the hottest driver on the tour. Another win would mark the first time since 2015, when Doug Coby accomplished the feat, that a driver on the tour has won three straight races.

Sitting third in the standings, 57 points back of the lead, title hopes are slim to none for driver No. 85 Kevin Stuart Motorsports machine. That makes wins of the utmost priority for the final three races this season.

RELATED: Silk wins at Beech Ridge | Silk goes two straight at Oswego

In addition to his two wins, the Norwalk, Connecticut, native has scored three top-five finishes in a row and in five of his last six overall. He’s not too shabby at tracks for the first time, either. Recently, he finished 12th at Lancaster and sixth at Jennerstown last season, in addition to his Beech Ridge victory last month in Maine.

That’s why Silk is approaching Richmond with a positive mindset. Sure, he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know, but it seems to have worked out just fine for him in the past.

“It’s been pretty good for me over the years,” Silk said. “South Boston we went to two years ago for the first time, and I won there. We had a race in Canada (Delaware Speedway) 10 years ago that none of us had been to, and I won there. I normally acclimate to new tracks pretty quickly, so I’m hoping that works in my favor at Richmond.”

Besides the positivity, Silk isn’t changing his driving style any despite never turning a lap at the Virginia short-track.

“You still go down straightaway and turn left at the end,” he said. “Just try and make smart decisions when we get there. And hopefully, we’re close with the car when we get there. That’s kind of the real sticking point at a place you’ve never been to. That’s our main focus. And if not, we react quick and make the proper adjustments.”

RACING-REFERENCE: Ron Silk Career Stats

In addition to running every NWMT race thus far in 2021, Silk has kept himself busy elsewhere, running the Tri Track Open Modified Series, where he sits third in the standings with three top-fives in five races.

“I love to race and I am fortunate enough that people want me to drive their cars,” he said. “I feel very lucky that I have multiple opportunities to do this and hopefully can keep doing it for a while.”

The Virginia is For Racing Lovers 150, the 12th of 14 races on the Whelen Modified Tour this season, will go green this Friday at 7 p.m. ET with live coverage on NBC Sports Gold’s TrackPass.

Posted on by Terrin Waack

The Round of 16 showdown at Darlington Raceway sure shook up the 2021 NASCAR Playoffs picture – and it was literally the first race of the postseason. The point standings’ series of switcheroos is bound to make things even more interesting for Saturday’s short-track race at Richmond Raceway (7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Out of the 16 drivers in the title field, only one remained stagnant in his spot in the standings.

RELATED: Richmond schedule | Keep up with all things playoffs

Take a look:

Screen Shot 2021 09 08 At 8.45.06 Pm

Now, to evaluate some highlights:

— Denny Hamlin went from being ranked seventh in the original playoff standings to now first after the opening race in the Round of 16. His jump is notable because his win at Darlington marked his first of 2021, and this is a driver who won seven races in 2020, six in the regular season alone.

— There are two drivers below the cutline with multiple wins from the 2021 regular season. Alex Bowman had three victories that qualified him into the postseason, and Kyle Busch had two. Bowman at least finished the race at Darlington running, albeit four laps short on the final distance. Busch, however, crashed out 125 laps into the 367-lap event. Busch dropping 10 spots in the standings is the biggest change, despite others either losing or gaining much more on the elimination line – like Kyle Larson gaining 33 points.

— The only two playoff drivers without a win remain above the elimination line: Tyler Reddick and Kevin Harvick. Both moved up thanks to Darlington results, just maybe not their own. Harvick had the top-five finish, so his rank increase was due to his own performance. Reddick, on the other hand, finished outside the top 15, so he benefited from others’ trouble.

— Reigning champion Chase Elliott sunk in the standings, unsurprisingly so because of his 31st-place finish at Darlington. Elliott is the only driver currently safe from elimination who lost points on the line. Tenth is the lowest he has been ranked all season, too.

— Martin Truex Jr. is that one driver who, out of the entire 16-drive field, did not move in the standings after Darlington’s race. Truex did add to his buffer on the elimination line, so he didn’t stay completely stagnant either.

After Saturday’s showdown at Richmond, only one race remains in the Round of 16: Bristol Motor Speedway (on Sept. 18), a wild-card venue for an elimination race that will trim the Cup Series playoff field from 16 to 12.

Posted on by Terrin Waack

NASCAR completed the second day of its two-day Next Gen test at Daytona International Speedway on Wednesday, as eight cars raced on the 2.5-mile track in Florida.

There were two goals for the trip. The first was to develop a tire with Goodyear that has the ability to return to Daytona in February. Secondly, NASCAR wanted to make sure it was able to hit its target speeds — both in single-car and multi-car runs — on the superspeedway, which normally flirts with the 200-mph mark.

“Overnight we changed the tapered spacer and made it smaller, to about 510 horsepower, and reduced the rear spoiler to seven inches,” said John Probst, NASCAR’s senior vice president of racing innovation. “That had the desired effect today, we did slow the cars down some. The feedback from the drivers was that it wasn’t a radical change from one to the next, so we feel like we now have that data to evaluate coming back here.”

RELATED: Photos from Next Gen test at Daytona

Probst said NASCAR will probably go back to Daytona in January for another test with even more teams, saying it was possible that session could feature 26 or more teams.

“It’s an important track for us to get right,” he said.

The drivers involved Wednesday were Chris Buescher (Roush Fenway Racing), William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports), Ross Chastain (Chip Ganassi Racing), Cole Custer (Stewart-Haas Racing), Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing), Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing), Joey Logano (Team Penske) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (JTG Daugherty Racing). Over half of the group has won a NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona before: Byron, Dillon, Hamlin, Logano and Stenhouse.

“I thought it went really well,” Byron said. “We got really aggressive there in that second drafting session. I feel like we were all pushing each other to make moves, and everyone was pretty comfortable with it, so that was really good to see.”

Teams tried out a few different methods to solve for the heat inside the vehicle, and Probst said NASCAR has some ideas to solve that issue.

Daytona marked the first Next Gen test with more than three cars on track at once. The first on-track test was back in October of 2019 at Richmond Raceway. The project was ultimately delayed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing its competitive debut to 2022. NASCAR announced the development phase was complete on Feb. 1, 2021, and manufacturers unveiled their finished models on May 5, 2021.

RELATED: Complete timeline of Next Gen car’s progress

“I would say it’s kind of like jumping into the unknown,” Custer said. “There’s so many things you don’t know what it’s going to be like. It’s pretty much rethinking the whole way we race. We’re going over things we never would have thought of to go over with our other car.”

NASCAR will give teams their first organizational test with their own Next Gen cars in October at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval layout. There are then two more organizational tests tentatively scheduled after the 2021 season concludes to allow teams more prep time for next season.

“It’s a race car,” said Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner. “It’s got four tires and a steering wheel. So, from my standpoint, it doesn’t change greatly. But still, there are some nuances. Your vision is a little different. The shifting is going to be different, especially when you go into road courses. So you’re going to want to get as many reps as you can to learn that. Any chance that I can get to get in it to be better acclimated, the better off I’ll be.”

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

Although a second-place finish was a disappointment for John Hunter Nemechek at Darlington Raceway, he took solace in the fact that he’s now locked into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs Round of 8.

The runner-up run behind race winner Sheldon Creed was Nemechek’s 10th top five of the 2021 season. The regular-season champion can now enter the final Round of 10 race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 16 (9 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) with an all-or-nothing mentality.

“We’ll take the momentum, not going to dwell on this,” Nemechek said after Sunday’s race. “Just one race of the playoffs and now we’re focused on the next round. Bristol doesn’t mean anything to us other than to go out there and try to win. Then the next round starts and all that focus is on those three races to make it to Phoenix. Eyes on the big trophy at the end of the year.”

RELATED: Truck playoff standings

For No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports crew chief Eric Phillips, just surviving Darlington was mission accomplished.

“That was the biggest thing coming in here — don’t make any stupid mistakes,” Phillips told NASCAR.com “It’s easy to do.”

The second-place result means Nemechek will likely start on the front row for Bristol. After finishing 22nd at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Nemechek and team were behind the 8-ball when it came to a starting spot and pit selection at Darlington.

With nothing to lose at Bristol, Phillips is already looking ahead to the first Round of 8 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to potentially lock themselves into the Championship 4 with a victory, something the team accomplished at the 1.5-mile track in the spring.

“I think not finishing well at St. Louis (Gateway) hurt us a little bit there and you pay for it the next race,” Phillips said. “Just go to Bristol with a solid truck and have a good week. Our main focus will be Vegas. We were really good there in the spring. Obviously, going back there, we feel good about it. That will probably be the biggest focus because if we can lock in at Vegas, then everything is on to Phoenix at that point.”

Despite winning five races in the regular season, defending champion Creed has stolen the thunder from the No. 4 team with two consecutive race wins to kick off the postseason.

But Phillips feels consistency has played a major role in Creed’s recent streak due to how the starting lineup is calculated.

“The way the lineups go each week, when you rack up a couple wins, you put yourself in a good spot,” Phillips said. “Anytime you get toward the back in these you got guys racing hard. I mean everybody races hard, but it’s just racing with people you don’t know. I think that’s why you see it. If somebody wins a couple, they can win a few in a row.”

At the moment, Phillips has eyes on Creed as Nemechek’s stiffest competition as the race to Phoenix moves forward.

“We knew we were going to race him (Creed) going to Phoenix,” Phillips said. “I think he’s probably, especially with his momentum right now, he’s going to be tough. They’re all going to be tough, but now we can focus on the next round and make sure we’re ready to go.”

Posted on by Staff Report

See where your favorite driver will pit for Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders at Richmond Raceway (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on by Staff Report

Kyle Larson earned the Busch Pole Award for Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders (7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 16 middle race at Richmond Raceway.

RELATED: Complete schedule for Richmond | Betting odds

Larson will start his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet from the first spot for the second time this season, in search of his second Richmond victory.

Austin Cindric claimed the pole for Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Go Bowling 250 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM) in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, meanwhile, is off this weekend.

As NASCAR adapted to COVID-19 protocols last season, practice and qualifying were eliminated at a majority of national-series events to limit at-track time, exposure and to cut race weekend costs. To determine starting lineups, competition officials used grouped draws, added inversions for weekend doubleheaders, and eventually adopted a performance-metrics formula. That metrics format remains in place this season, drawing on performance from both individual races and season-long results.

NASCAR’s metrics formula for 2021 weighs:

  • 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
  • 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
  • 35 percent: Team owner points ranking
  • 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race

See the full lineup for Saturday night’s Cup Series race below.

Start pos.
 Driver Car # Team
1 Kyle Larson 5 Hendrick Motorsports
2 Denny Hamlin 11 Joe Gibbs Racing
3 Martin Truex Jr. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing
4 Kurt Busch 1 Chip Ganassi Racing
5 Kevin Harvick 4 Stewart-Haas Racing
6 Joey Logano 22 Team Penske
7 Brad Keselowski 2 Team Penske
8 Ryan Blaney 12 Team Penske
9 Aric Almirola 10 Stewart-Haas Racing
10 Christopher Bell 20 Joe Gibbs Racing
11 Tyler Reddick 8 Richard Childress Racing
12 Alex Bowman 48 Hendrick Motorsports
13 Chase Elliott 9 Hendrick Motorsports
14 William Byron 24 Hendrick Motorsports
15 Kyle Busch 18 Joe Gibbs Racing
16 Michael McDowell 34 Front Row Motorsports
17 Ross Chastain 42 Chip Ganassi Racing
18 Chris Buescher 17 Roush Fenway Racing
19 Austin Dillon 3 Richard Childress Racing
20 Ryan Preece 37 JTG Daugherty Racing
21 Cole Custer 41 Stewart-Haas Racing
22 Daniel Suarez 99 TrackHouse Racing
23 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing
24 Ryan Newman 6 Roush Fenway Racing
25 Corey LaJoie 7 Spire Motorsports
26 Chase Briscoe 14 Stewart-Haas Racing
27 Bubba Wallace 23 23XI Racing
28 Matt DiBenedetto 21 Wood Brothers Racing
29 Justin Haley 77 Spire Motorsports
30 Anthony Alfredo 38 Front Row Motorsports
31 Erik Jones 43 Richard Petty Motorsports
32 BJ McLeod 78 Live Fast Motorsports
33 Josh Bilicki 52 Rick Ware Racing
34 Joey Gase 15 Rick Ware Racing
35 Quin Houff 00 StarCom Racing
36 Garrett Smithley 51 Petty Ware Racing
37 JJ Yeley 53 Rick Ware Racing

Practice and qualifying are tentatively scheduled for eight Cup Series races this year. Just one race remains with Busch Pole Qualifying on the schedule — the season-ending championship race Nov. 7 at Phoenix Raceway.

Posted on by Nascar

Meet the September Member of the Month

Name: Luke
Current City: Little Chute, Wisconsin
Member Since: 2018

Getting to know Luke:
​
Q. ​ How did you first become interested in NASCAR? 

“I first became interested at a very young age! I have been watching races on TV since before I can remember. My father and his whole family have always been huge into NASCAR and racing in general. Most of my dad’s brothers raced at the local short track Wisconsin International Raceway. My dad never raced but he spent a lot of time working on all their cars and supporting them, so I have always been watching races with my dad and his family.

They had all been going to Michigan in August for the NASCAR race since the early 90’s. I always dreamed to go with and see a race with them in person. I was finally allowed to go when I turned 14. I have been going with them every year since then. My dad and I have also gone to the Daytona 500 and Chicagoland. I also have been to Bristol on a trip a planned with my friends. But it all started with watching those fast cars on T.V. spending time with family!”

Q. What is your favorite part about NASCAR?

“I love the history, traditions and how family oriented the sport is! There is no other sport out there like it. I also love the feeling of being at the track with the other fans. It is a feeling unlike anything else. The energy at the track is absolutely stunning and I can’t help but smile the entire time. I love the sound and feel of the cars going around the track and how much the drivers truly care about their fans!’

Q. What is your favorite NASCAR memory?

“My favorite NASCAR memory would have to be my trip to the 2016 Daytona 500 with my dad! The race was one of the closest in Daytona history! It was an amazing race and I had a wonderful time bonding with my dad.”

Q. Do you have a favorite in any of the following categories?

Current Driver: “Kevin Harvick.”

Past Driver: “Bobby Labonte.”

Up and Coming Driver: “Justin Allgaier.”

Team: “Hendrick Motorsports.”

Track: “Martinsville Speedway.”

Q. What do you like to do in your free time? 

“I like to restore cars and motorcycles.”

FROM ALL OF US AT NASCAR, WE THANK LUKE FOR HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM HIM IN 2021!

Look for Luke on the Official NASCAR Fan Council page on NASCAR.COM.