New Hampshire race provides teaching moments for NASCAR bettors

Posted on July 16, 2021 by Marcus DiNitto

Betting around Sunday’s Foxwoods Resorts Casino 301 (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) offers a couple of valuable lessons for gamblers: the importance of line shopping and the importance of getting down early.

In terms of the latter, one prominent national sportsbooks was pretty far off-market with its opening number on Denny Hamlin in the odds-to-win market.

Denny Hamlin opens at +900 at @FDSportsbook. Given his performance in the 750 package this year, sign me up. https://t.co/sk9dQUfEwQ

— Jim Sannes (@JimSannes) July 13, 2021

FanDuel’s opener of +900 (bet $100 to win $900) on Hamlin was double the price hung at SuperBook USA in Las Vegas. As of Friday morning, Hamlin has been shortened to +450 at FanDuel, in line with the Vegas shop.

With those 9/1 odds on the No. 11 Toyota long gone, bettors who placed their wagers early at FanDuel got clear value.

Jim Sannes, a quantitative NASCAR betting and DFS analyst at numberFire, rates Hamlin as the favorite at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, giving him a 17.1 percent chance to win, which translates to odds of about +485. The best price we’re seeing on Hamlin as of this writing is +600 at Barstool SportsBook, and for Sannes, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver is still a play at that number.

“I feel like I’ll be higher than consensus on him, but based on his strengths, and based on what he did at Richmond and Phoenix specifically, I’m kind of okay going out on a limb with Hamlin this week,” Sannes told NASCAR.com on Tuesday.

There are plenty of other discrepancies among sportsbooks ahead of Sunday’s race. Kyle Larson, for example, is the +700 fourth betting choice at the SuperBook, while he’s the +450 co-favorite at FanDuel. NASCAR partners BetMGM and Barstool offer Larson at +525 and +550, respectively.

So once you’ve handicapped the race and settled on the driver or drivers you like, be sure to shop around – there are plenty of books around the country happy to take your action.

Larson knocked from favorite perch

This week’s race in Loudon marks the first on an oval since the Coca-Cola 600 in May that Larson isn’t the betting favorite at SuperBook USA, where he’s priced longer than Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. (+450) and Brad Keselowski (+600).

As dominant as Larson has been for stretches this season, he has not exactly shined on the short flat tracks comparable to New Hampshire. While he finished seventh at Phoenix, fifth at Martinsville and 18th at Richmond, he led just one lap combined in those three races.

“Hendrick’s never really had a ton of success here,” said Ed Salmons, vice president of risk management at the SuperBook.

Salmons also factored in the fact that Larson’s playoff position is secure.

“We’re in the stage of the year where some of these teams have so many bonus points built up that I’m not sure they’re not trying different things, like winning isn’t their ultimate goal,” he said. “I’m not sure if Hendrick is doing that right now or not. But I think all that is baked into the numbers.”

Sannes gives Larson the second-best chance to win this week, at 13.1 percent, behind Hamlin. That translates to about +660, meaning prices ranging from FanDuel’s +450 to Barstool’s +550 offer no value on the No. 5.

“I get it,” Sannes said of the continued short pricing on Larson, “but I can’t get there.”

Others in the mix

Joey Logano is offered at +1400 at FanDuel, again off-market from the +1000 consensus price. Those 14/1 odds are enticing to Sannes, who puts Logano’s chances of winning 10.8%.

“He’s really good on the short flat tracks,” Sannes said.

Added Salmons, “The Penske guys have always been strong (on these layouts), it’s been their thing.”

Sannes emphasized that since favorites tend to rule the day in New Hampshire, it’s more logical to target longer shots in markets other than outrights. He has Aric Almirola circled for group matchups and to finish in the top 10.

At FanDuel, Almirola is +320 to finish first in a group that also includes Tyler Reddick (+210), Ross Chastain (+320) and Austin Dillon (+320). BetMGM prices the No. 10 Ford at +225 for a top-10 finish.

Sannes also likes Kevin Harvick, Almirola’s teammate, to win at FanDuel’s price of +1700.

“I can’t touch Stewart-Haas Racing at a 550 (horsepower) track, but at a 750 I can,” he said.

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 July 16, 2021 by Cara Cooper

Bethel Motor Speedway may just be a quarter-mile asphalt track, but running hundreds of laps there on a given weekend is anything but easy.

Joel Murns is running in three different divisions at Bethel – a NASCAR-sanctioned track in Swan Lake, New York – this season. He’s currently third in points in the track’s street stocks division, third in the track’s enduro series with a win and second in points in the renegade division, having won the only race so far.

Between the three, Murns estimates there are nights he runs 300-400 laps.

“There are nights I don’t ever get out of the car, and I really, really enjoy it,” Murns said.

Physically, racing that much on a given night is much more demanding, but Murns has also put in a new focus on his fitness, which has helped him become more prepared for the rigors of racing.

Photo Credit | Melissa Brush Photography

Murns quit smoking cigarettes in 2019 and started running. He’s now lost about 50 pounds and runs about five miles a day. He and his kids all run together, and he’s doing half marathons, 5Ks and 10Ks, which has given him another outlet for his competitive juices.

“You always want to place in your age group and do well,” he said. “I’m a pretty competitive guy. It’s just another aspect of racing, it’s just I’m doing it with sneakers instead of tires.”

Being in better shape physically has made driving a bit easier for Murns. He went from struggling to get a win to finding Victory Lane twice so far this season, his third running full-time at Bethel.

“Before, I didn’t really think I was that out of shape until I started running more than one division in a night and realized I needed to do something else,” he said. “I’m going to say it’s extremely key. It’s a tight little bullring so you’re constantly on the wheel. Most of your top-level NASCAR guys lose about eight pounds in just one race. There are nights I don’t get out of the car for three or four hours and it’s about the same. I’m losing about eight pounds a night. A lot of it is water weight and stuff like that.”

In addition to his own focus on physical health, Murns credits friends and colleagues Jimmy Smith, Tony Garaguso, Larry O’Donnell and Kyle Welsch, along with his family, with helping him find more success at the track.

Fans at Bethel have enjoyed Murns getting to Victory Lane as much as he does. Although he’s relatively new to the track, he has built a friendship with a lot of the fans and brought new ones to the track through his work at the VA Hospital.

“I’ve got a couple of vets that see me at the clinic and they come to the races now, too,” Murns said. “So it’s kind of turned into another outlet for some of my veterans, too, to get out of the house and get back into society a little bit.”

Photo Credit | Melissa Brush Photography

Winning also gives Murns a chance to show off his “rooftop shuffle,” a dance he does on the top of his car after all of his wins.

“Even at 44 years old, I can still get my old butt up on the roof,” Murns said. “The kids get into it… I love when a driver gets out of the car and shows emotion. I’ve been an announcer for over 20 years at a local track and there’s nothing better than when a guy wins and shows emotion. I absolutely love it.”

Murns grew up going to races at Bethel. Now that he has been racing there for a few years, he said, “it’s the same as I always remembered as a kid.”

And it’s a place he’ll continue to go to — and run as many laps as possible.

“I saw a meme the other day… when you’re out on the track and you see a kid waving, you smile and wave back because I was that kid once. And that’s kind of how I feel,” Murns said. “You’ve got your hometown heroes there that I grew up watching. I don’t know if I’m becoming one of those, but sometimes I feel like I am. It’s kind of cool.

“My kids come to the races with me and they help work on the car and it’s absolutely amazing… As long as we’re having a good time I’ll continue to do this. And that’s mainly the goal. I hate points racing. I don’t like it. I never have. I’m just trying to have fun. I’m just trying to be that guy that people talk about Monday morning.”

Posted on July 16, 2021 by @nascarcasm and Steve Luvender

This weekend, NASCAR marks its 50th visit to New Hampshire Motor Speedway. As always, the winner of the race will win the coveted (assuming you’re not Denny Hamlin) giant lobster in Victory Lane. This got us thinking — which sea creature would be the best behind the wheel of a race car? Thankfully, Steve Luvender and @nascarcasm are here to discuss. Let’s take a deep dive into this hot-button issue!

MORE: Memorable moments at New Hampshire

@NASCARCASM: I have done the Googles on many sea creatures, and so many would make excellent drivers. The shark would be aggressive, but would depend too much on the spotter when its eyes rolled back into its head. The jellyfish would be smooth, but it lacks a brain. I have settled on the octopus. The octopus would make the best driver.

STEVE LUVENDER: The octopus! A solid choice. Hard to think of a downside for so many tentacles. I, too, searched so many times on Google for sea creatures in the past few days that my suggested searches are probably now damaged beyond repair. But, alas, our job is to answer the question at hand, no matter the cost. So, my esteemed colleague, while I’m interested to hear why you’re leaning toward an octopus driver, I’ll have to argue there’s a better creature who calls the ocean its home: the dolphin.

@NASCARCASM: I love dolphins. Everyone loves dolphins. For real. Have you ever met anyone who saw a dolphin and was like “F— you, dolphin”? No, dolphins are beloved. I do, however, challenge your insinuation that it would be better than an octopus. The octopus has (Googles “octo-”) eight arms. The dolphin has none. That alone should end this discussion.

LUVENDER: Ah! Darn! Looks like I’ve been bested. Discussion over.

Or not. I’ve already carefully considered such an argument—that a lack of arms means a lack of ability to drive—and it’s simply fallacious. Dolphins have flippers (think the adventure/family movie by a similar name), and they’re more than sufficient for navigating a car. If a trained dolphin can wave at people with its fins, it can steer and shift gears, too. An octopus, on the other hand … I don’t think so. You need quick movements when you’re making split-second decisions in a race, and those suction cups aren’t doing you any favors.

@NASCARCASM: The octopus can have two tentacles on the wheel, one on the shifter, one on the radio knob, one on the brake, one on the gas, one on the clutch and one out the window giving other drivers the finger ALL AT THE SAME TIME. It’s literally a deep-sea Swiss-Army knife of motorsports domination, Steve. Your flipper statement may have a modicum of truth but comparing a tentacle to a flipper is like comparing Jimmie Johnson to Casey Atwood, bruh.

LUVENDER: How dare you invoke the name of Casey Atwood! He didn’t get a fair shot in the Cup Series and you know it. Of course the octopus guy would make such a comparison. All that aside, let’s put this discussion to rest once and for all. The dolphin, unlike the octopus, is a mammal. That means dolphins breathe air. Care to head back to your precious Google and type in “How long can an octopus survive out of the water?”

@NASCARCASM: Instead of cool air, we simply pump saltwater into the helmet eliminating the need for oxygen. Problem solved. You’re just sitting back and envisioning the octopus signing eight autographs at once and becoming a fan favorite right now, aren’t you?

LUVENDER: Oh, you want to talk fan favorites? Close your eyes and picture this: a theme park, where the theme is ocean creatures. Fun ocean creatures that everyone loves. Open your eyes. It already exists, and it’s called SeaWorld. The dolphins are the stars of the show. Not some octopus with evil in its eyes and vengeance in its heart. Dolphins squeal and shriek with delight, and they have the gift of echolocation to see with sound waves or something. I don’t know the specifics; I only read the first page of Google. Tell me echolocation wouldn’t come in handy on the race track. More than the basis of your argument that seems awfully tentacle-heavy.

@NASCARCASM: HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT AN OCTOPUS CAN’T DO TRICKS? Maybe they can dance. Maybe they can grenade-toss beers out to friends, eight at a time. And that echolocation thing is a lie perpetuated by marine biologists. What’ll they say next – if dolphins swim really fast in a circle they can keep hurricanes away?

LUVENDER: Sure, there’s that video where an octopus trapped in a jar frees itself, but how often are NASCAR drivers faced with opening a jar at 200 mph? And I don’t want to get into the Vortex Theory discussion since we both know that’s scientific fact. Let’s recap how much I’m winning this argument.

Dolphins: super smart, friendly and communicative, air-breathing. Can balance a ball on its nose and do tricks for its trainers (think crew chief) in exchange for dead fish.

Octopus: Intelligence unknown since it can’t speak. Can open a jar. Might toss beers to friends.

I’ll give you this: for tailgating, the octopus wins, eight-tentacles-down. But for a driver, I don’t think so.

@NASCARCASM: OK to answer your first inquiry, that would be the third race of the 1954 season when Gober Sosebee, in desperate need of a mid-race snack, opened up a jar of delicious pickled eggs while soaring down the beach at Daytona (Source: Internet).

Hey, want me to further win this debate by adding this schematic which demonstrates how the tentacles advantage of the octopus means that a pit stop could be performed by ONE octopus? Four tentacles remove and replace the tires, two operate the pit guns, one adds fuel and the other uses suction to clean the grill more thoroughly than a human hand. GAME. SET. OCTOPUS. OR SOMETHING.

LUVENDER: Typical ‘Casm, moving the goalposts and changing the rules. Since you know the octopus would make for a worse driver, you’re now talking about their performance as a pit-crew member — and, to your point, they’d excel. And, unlike dolphins, people eat octopus, you know. Sort of like the New Hampshire Motor Speedway lobster trophy.

@NASCARCASM: THE OCTOPUS CAN EAT LOBSTER TOO. I just Googled it. Many interesting albeit disturbing videos exist on YouTube of this happening. It’s not quick. It’s a weird confrontation that takes a while. It’s sort of like if John Wes Townley was the octopus and Spencer Gallagher was the lobster. With that, I have won the argument. I step atop the aqua race car and raise my eight arms in the air for I have triumphed.

LUVENDER: Twenty to 30 minutes. That was the answer, by the way, to the question I posed earlier about how long the octopus can survive above land. Meanwhile, the dolphin’s already on its way to Victory Lane to enjoy its lobster dinner. Apparently, both dolphins and octopi eat lobster, so even if we can’t agree to which of the two would make for a better driver, there’s one clear loser — and it’s the lobster.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: 20 TO 30 MINUTES IS ABOUT HOW MUCH OF YOUR LIFE YOU’LL NEVER GET BACK BY READING THIS. WE ARE TERRIBLY SORRY)

Posted on July 16, 2021 by Terrin Waack

A driver from Joe Gibbs Racing has finished first or second in 14 of the last 15 Cup Series races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Half of the times that happened, it was a JGR car parked in Victory Lane. And then twice there was a 1-2 finish between teammates in Loudon.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Betting odds | Starting lineup | Paint schemes

The winners in that span include Matt Kenseth (three times), Kyle Busch (twice) and Denny Hamlin (twice). Kenseth no longer races in NASCAR after two part-time seasons in 2018 and 2020. Busch still pilots the No. 18 JGR Toyota, and Hamlin remains with the No. 11 entry. Martin Truex Jr. (No. 19) and Christopher Bell (No. 20) complete the four-car garage now, joining the team in 2019 and 2021, respectively, from other organizations.

Still looking at New Hampshire alone, Hamlin and Busch have the most career wins out of their teammates with three apiece. They also each have 11 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes, oddly enough. Hamlin has that stat line in 27 starts. Busch does in 29.

Neither Truex, nor Bell have won at New Hampshire. Truex has seven top fives and 13 top 10s in 27 starts. Bell only has his 28th-place run last year, but he did go two-for-two in the Xfinity Series from 2018-19.

With that said, BetMGM has Truex as not just the JGR favorite to win Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 in Loudon (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, PRN and SiriusXM) but also the overall favorite. He stands at 5-1 odds – more than likely because he has won three of the seven oval races with the same 750-horsepower package that’ll be used at New Hampshire. Kyle Larson from Hendrick Motorsports has the second-best odds at 21-4, followed by Hamlin at 11-2 and Busch at 13-2, in order. Bell is further down on the board with 20-1 odds.

Truex (three), Busch (two) and Bell (one) have already won this season, thus locking themselves into the 2021 NASCAR Playoffs. Hamlin has not.

Hamlin’s 369-point cushion on the cutline looks promising, but there are still five regular-season races left and only four spots remaining in the 16-driver postseason field. If he claims the regular-season title – Larson is catching up, now just 10 points behind – Hamlin will be playoff-bound. If he doesn’t win that or a race, and there are four new winners, he will get the boot. It’s best he wins, and New Hampshire offers a solid opportunity.

Speaking of those who have surprisingly not won this season and could at New Hampshire, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick was victorious in three of the last six races there. He has four wins at New Hampshire for his career, making him the winningest active driver in Loudon despite Joe Gibbs Racing’s recent success.

Posted on July 16, 2021 by Zach Sturniolo

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 on Sunday (3 p.m ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

So yes, get your lobster rolls and Sam Adams ready to rock as we settle into the Magic Mile for the sport’s annual voyage up to New England.

UP FRONT

On the heels of a runner-up performance last time out at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch will start from the pole Sunday, his first pole position since Phoenix Raceway in November 2019. Starting next to him on the front row will be his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Martin Truex Jr.

Chase Elliott will take the green flag from the third spot while last week’s winner Kurt Busch starts next to him in Row 2. Check out the full starting lineup here.

FAN ATTENDANCE

After being limited to just 12,000 fans in 2020, New Hampshire Motor Speedway will operate at full bore for its 2021 race weekend. Race-goers will have a new section to visit in Turn 4 called “Rock Point,” a bar and viewing area just outside the corner where nearly 10,000 seats were removed. There will also be more space in the main grandstands as spectators will have bar tops and cup holders in front of them at their seats.

Each guest is allowed to bring one soft-sided cooler with a maximum size of 14” x 14” x 14”. At the track, select stands will sell $3 Dasani waters and $5 Busch Lights. For more information, check out NHMS’s website.

NEW HAMPSHIRE’S NASCAR HISTORY

— New Hampshire Motor Speedway took shape at the former site of the Bryar Motorsports Park when Bob Bahre purchased the complex in 1989.

— The NASCAR Xfinity Series visited the track for the first time in 1990 before the Cup Series ventured north in 1993.

— NHMS is the largest sporting venue in New England at over 1,100 acres and seating capacity for 92,000 people.

— Speedway Motorsports purchased NHMS for $340 million in 2008, leading to numerous improvements including a 400% increase in usable infield space, enhanced safety fencing and an electronic scoreboard.

— Sunday’s race marks the 50th Cup Series contest at New Hampshire.

— Chevrolet has one win in the last 14 races at New Hampshire (Kevin Harvick, 2016).

Source: Racing Insights

RULES PACKAGE

New Hampshire Motor Speedway is 1.058 miles in length, so Cup teams will bring their high-horsepower, lower-downforce package to the Magic Mile this weekend.

With 750 HP under the hood, teams will also have shorter spoilers and front splitters to minimize the effects of downforce on the vehicles.

GOODYEAR TIRES

Goodyear will bring the same tire to New Hampshire as was used in last year’s events at the 1.058-mile asphalt oval. What’s important to note, though, is that this is the same tire used at Phoenix Raceway, where the Cup Series championship will be decided in November. Teams have also used these tires at Phoenix since the beginning of 2020.

“For Cup teams, they come back to Loudon on the same tire setup they’ve run there and at Phoenix for the past two seasons,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “That gives teams a chance to build a notebook on this setup and understand what works and where the edge of the envelope is.”

Because the track is so flat, teams utilize extremely low air pressures in their left-side tires to maximize grip and cornering. Goodyear warns teams heed the low minimum recommendation of 12 psi in those tires to avoid damaging the sidewalls and deflating a tire.

“Left-side pressures are important at Loudon as teams search for grip,” Stucker said. “Especially without practice, having raced on this setup before will help teams know that they need to respect our minimum recommended pressures.”

STORYLINES FROM THE GRANITE STATE

— Ford has won each of the last three races at New Hampshire, including Brad Keselowski’s 2020 victory.

— Kevin Harvick has won three of the last six races at the Magic Mile, and his crew chief Rodney Childers has four New Hampshire wins, leading all crew chiefs.

— Eleven of the last 12 race winners at New Hampshire are Cup Series champions, the lone exception being Denny Hamlin, who won in 2017.

— Toyota has dominated in laps led over the past seven races, leading 1,614 laps in the span opposed to 425 laps by Ford and 66 by Chevrolet.

— Martin Truex Jr. holds the record for most laps led at New Hampshire without a win, having led 744 circuits.

— Joe Gibbs Racing has finished first or second in 14 of the last 15 races at the Magic Mile, a stat that features seven wins and two 1-2 finishes.

— Hendrick Motorsports’ last win in New England was earned by Kasey Kahne, who went to Victory Lane in September 2012.

Source: Racing Insights

BET ON IT

Even though he’s yet to claim a victory here, Martin Truex Jr. is BetMGM’s favorite to win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, listing the driver of the No. 19 Toyota at 5-1 odds. Each of Truex’s three wins this season have come at tracks utilizing the high-horsepower, low-downforce package: Phoenix Raceway, Martinsville Speedway and Darlington Raceway.

Others are listed right there with Truex though, with Kyle Larson posted at 21-4 (+525) and Denny Hamlin at 11-2 (+550).

Kevin Harvick may not be in the midst of his most successful season, still sitting winless in mid-July after notching nine wins last year. But consider him a reasonable play at 12-1 odds this weekend, especially considering his track record in New England.

One more sleeper? Christopher Bell. At 20-1 odds, Bell may be an attractive play. He was running sixth in 2020 for Levine Family Racing when he suffered a tire failure that took him out of contention, plus he has two Xfinity Series victories and a Camping World Truck Series triumph at the “Magic Mile” as well.

FANTASY LIVE

Want to manage a team and race your way to the top of the leaderboards? Check out NASCAR Fantasy Live. The free-to-play game lets you choose your drivers each week and show off your crew-chief instincts. It’s not too late to join in on the competition.

The 2021 Fantasy Live points leaders are Denny Hamlin (832), Kyle Larson (812), William Byron and Kyle Busch (724).

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.

Posted on July 15, 2021 by Terrin Waack

Austin Cindric has known for nine months he will move up to the Cup Series come 2022. He thought he’d be driving the No. 21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing. That was true until Thursday, when Team Penske revealed Cindric will instead pilot its No. 2 Ford next season.

No harm, no foul thanks to the two teams’ alliance.

The change is a rather big deal, though, considering the No. 2 just happens to be Team Penske’s first-ever championship car and its winningest number.

“There’s never been a rookie to drive the 2 car in the Cup Series,” Cindric said Wednesday during a Zoom teleconference. “I wouldn’t say there’s pressure with that, but I think there’s definitely an expectation within the shop, and I’m excited to embrace that role and be able to go out there and obviously try to win races for Team Penske.”

Meanwhile, Harrison Burton has been chosen to take over the No. 21 entry, Wood Brothers Racing announced in sync with Team Penske. He comes from Joe Gibbs Racing’s Xfinity Series program.

Cindric’s move is internal. He already races for Team Penske in the Xfinity Series. So, when team owner Roger Penske confirmed Brad Keselowski, the current No. 2 driver, will not return to the organization after this season, there was no debate whether Cindric would fill the void.

“I couldn’t be prouder to say that he’s gonna be the driver of the No. 2 car, and I think he’s earned the respect,” Penske said. “You come in as the son of the guy who is the president of Team Penske, you’d probably come in with a little bit of weight on your shoulders, but I can tell you one thing, as far as I’m concerned, all that’s off. He’s proven to be the driver he is, the individual he is today.”

The 22-year-old joined Team Penske full time in 2019, won two races and finished sixth in the final standings. In 2020, he boosted his win total to six and captured the championship. He’s on pace to have an even better season this year with four wins already and 15 races remaining on the 2021 schedule.

In preparation for 2022, Cindric made his Cup Series debut this season. He has competed in six events with Team Penske’s No. 33 Ford. His best finish was 15th from the Daytona 500, despite a last-lap crash, and he even led laps in two road-course races.

“He’s had some good rides, running well at Daytona before the accident, and we were not expecting, quite honestly, we would not be able to put a deal together with Brad, but we can talk about that later probably,” Penske said. “This gave us a chance to step back and then you have the discussion with your key sponsor. Discount Tire has been a major player with us for a number of years. With the team and Discount Tire, we felt that was a very easy move for us. Brad really opened that up for Austin, and I think with that move we wanted to announce it today.

“There’s been lots of speculation, really, with Brad moving on and I think this helps him take on his next stage in his career and then we can bring Austin up into the 2 car.”

Rumors have not-so quietly circulated that Keselowski is going to join Roush Fenway Racing in an owner-driver role, but there has been no official announcement. With how Team Penske is structured, Penske didn’t see an opportunity to keep Keselowski around in the additional ownership way he wanted. It was discussed, because Penske really didn’t want to lose Keselowski as a driver.

Keselowski has been with Team Penske for his entire full-time career, which began in 2010. He started in the No. 12 car and switched to the No. 2 in 2011. Since then, 34 of his 35 wins have come in the Deuce — the other was with James Finch’s Phoenix Racing in a 2009 part-time role. He has one victory this year, which means he’s locked into the 2021 NASCAR Playoffs with one final shot at a second title with Team Penske.

“Did I ever sit here and think, one day I could be the driver of the 2 car? Probably not,” Cindric said. “I didn’t think that was something that was obtainable or reachable maybe at this stage in life. In my bedroom at my parents’ house, I still have a picture of Brad doing a burnout at Bristol signed by Brad Keselowski sitting on my bed. As a kid, you just grow up rooting for those guys and you don’t really picture yourself being one of them.”

Posted on July 15, 2021July 15, 2021 by Staff Report

Sam Belnavis, the former Chief Diversity Officer and Owner-Designate for Roush Fenway Racing and a motorsports pioneer, died Wednesday.

Belnavis was a trailblazer as a Black general manager and team owner in NASCAR. He introduced the National Guard as a sponsor of his team, BelCar Racing, with crew chief Travis Carter and driver Todd Bodine.

Prior to that, Belnavis had joined the Miller Brewing Company in the late 1970s and managed the sports marketing department. He broke into NASCAR when he signed driver Bobby Allison to a Miller Brewing Company sponsorship contract. Two years later, Allison won the NASCAR Cup Series championship in the No. 22 Miller High Life Ford.

Upon news of Belnavis’ passing, NASCAR released this statement: “We are saddened by the passing of Sam Belnavis, a true pioneer in motorsports whose tireless work helped foster an inclusive environment throughout NASCAR. For more than 30 years, his efforts as a team owner and executive, as well as his work to support the launch of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, helped introduce career opportunities in NASCAR to people of color. NASCAR offers its deepest condolences to Sam’s friends and family.”

The Belnavis Collective, NASCAR’s Black Employee Resource Group, is named after Mr. Belnavis and will continue to honor him through its mission and goals.

Posted on July 15, 2021 by Pat DeCola

Six years ago, Hendrick Motorsports sported a driver lineup of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne for the 2015 NASCAR Cup Series season.

The team fared admirably, with nine wins (five of which belonged to a certain eventual seven-time champion), one of the most memorable victories in the gold-standard organization’s history (“We’re goin’ to Homestead!”) and with it a Championship 4 appearance.

The writing, however, was very much on the wall. The youth movement was coming — and in a hurry.

All four drivers were in their age-35 season or later, teenage phenom Chase Elliott was fresh off the 2014 Xfinity Series title and while the wins were there, Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and Team Penske were putting some serious pressure on the most victorious franchise in the sport’s history.

Team owner Rick Hendrick spent the next half-decade re-tooling his team roster, with Elliott taking over Gordon’s No. 24 (now in the No. 9), Alex Bowman making his way into the No. 88 (now the No. 48), Byron hopping in the 24 after Elliott slid over to claim his father Bill’s old number and Kyle Larson joining the fray this year after Johnson stepped away from his full-time NASCAR duties.

Average Hendrick driver age in 2015: 39.25.

Average Hendrick driver age in 2021: 26.0.

Unquestionably the team to beat in 2021 having won 10 of the season’s 21 races, the reshuffling has worked. So why bring this up now?

Well, Hendrick isn’t the only organization susceptible to its drivers eventually aging out of competitiveness, and it might’ve provided the blueprint for how to make the transition to younger talent with a lineup potentially penciled in for the next decade.

The Ford-aligned Team Penske and Wood Brothers Racing shook up NASCAR Silly Season in a big way Thursday morning, announcing that 22-year-old Austin Cindric and 20-year-old Harrison Burton would be making the move up to Cup to pilot the Nos. 2 and 21 Mustangs, effectively replacing Brad Keselowski (37 years old) and Matt DiBenedetto (will be 30 on July 27), respectively. The pair will join team veterans in 2017 champ Joey Logano (31) and a winner for both organizations in Ryan Blaney (27).

NEWS: Austin Cindric, Harrison Burton to Cup in 2022 | Harrison Burton teams with Wood Bros.

“I don’t know whether we necessarily looked at Hendrick and said, ‘oh, let’s copy that,’ but certainly, yes, that is in some ways what they did, two, three, four years ago where they reset a driver lineup with a younger lineup and brought them up together,” said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director at Ford Performance. “It’s clearly, with other things, worked well for them. I definitely like the model with teamwork potential between Harrison and Austin to be able to lean on Joey and Ryan and that combination to have great performance across all four cars.”

Penske/Wood Brothers had their collective hands forced, to a degree, with Keselowski angling for an ownership stake at his current home.

“He wanted to have ownership and the way we’re structured, that wasn’t available,” said Penske after Thursday’s news broke. The two sides were unable to come to an agreement for beyond 2021, making the 2012 champ a free agent at the end of the year and clearing the path for a possible move to Roush Fenway Racing in a driver/ownership role.

Last fall, the teams announced Cindric would replace DiBenedetto in the No. 21. With Keselowski’s departure, the door remained open for the team to potentially retain DiBenedetto, but it chose to notify him roughly two weeks before his Aug. 1 contract deadline that it would be going in a different, younger direction with Burton. The No. 21 team is winless since 2017 and, while he’s hit his marks a few times this year, DiBenedetto is averaging a finish of 18.2 after a career-best 14.8 last year.

In addition to underwhelming performance out of the 21 car, NASCAR itself is about to enter a new frontier. As a new era of stock car auto racing is ushered in next season with the dawn of the Next Gen vehicle, the Wood Brothers saw that as a clean slate for all drivers in the series, regardless of tenure.

Thus, the perfect time to start anew and build for the future.

“Keep in mind, the Next Gen car is coming. That’s a white sheet of paper so far as drivers. White sheet of paper for everybody, but drivers in particular,” said team president and co-owner Eddie Wood. “So we felt that that’s a good time to bring in a young rookie. So, we made this decision to try to figure out what we wanted to do. We could bring a young rookie in to team up with Austin, obviously now going into the 2, and those two guys could work together and develop themselves into great race car drivers. Being rookies, they’re both on the same level and this new car, like I said, it’s a white sheet of paper that even if you’re a 20-year-veteran, you’re really not going to have a lot on a rookie. Everybody is kind of starting in the same place.”

With plenty of Silly Season shoes to drop before the end of the year and the ’22 Next Gen debut, it’s clear the Penske coalition is forward-focused and has a four-driver lineup (Wood Brothers has a technical alliance with Penske) set to contend for a decade-plus. One has to wonder if other organizations will follow suit at some point — Joe Gibbs Racing’s four drivers hold an average age of 35.75, for what it’s worth — or if premier-series experience still holds the value it once did.

One thing we do know?

The future isn’t coming. It’s already here.

MORE: Key players in Silly Season | Silly Season tracker

Posted on July 15, 2021July 15, 2021 by Terrin Waack

The main, and he claims only, reason Rick Hendrick has a history of resistance toward his drivers competing in any race car outside of the NASCAR Cup Series is because of safety concerns. He didn’t, and really still doesn’t, want them to risk getting hurt.

Then he signed Kyle Larson, an avid dirt racer, and Larson became Hendrick Motorsports’ winningest driver in the Cup ranks this season with a series-best four points-paying victories through 21 events.

“I’ve changed my mind on the whole process,” Hendrick said. “I think driving big horsepower cars out of control has helped him a tremendous amount in the Cup racing. His car control is steel. So, you’ve got to be willing to change. I guess these guys have worked me over enough. I’ve done it.”

Hendrick loosened the reins.

Larson hits the dirt as he pleases, though he agreed to dial back when the NASCAR Playoffs begin. Reigning Cup Series champion Chase Elliott is starting to dabble in multiple leagues, plural. Teammates Alex Bowman (sprint car) and William Byron (iRacing, albeit simulation) are also involved in different forms of racing.

The argument is it helps drivers hone their craft. It also — a newer realization — gives sponsors further exposure.

On Wednesday, Larson not only signed a contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports through 2023, but Hendrick Automotive Group also announced it’ll back Larson for the two full years, including his non-NASCAR racing schedule.

“When you look at a driver and their brand, you often think of them and the car that they drove and the sponsor that was on it,” Larson said. “Jeff Gordon and DuPont. Jimmie (Johnson) and Lowe’s. I hope it’s me with Hendrick Cars on my car for my whole career.”

At 28 years old, Larson has time to build that type of driver-sponsor relationship. Gordon retired from full-time racing at 44. Johnson left NASCAR at 45.

Larson is in just his first full-time season with Hendrick Motorsports, too. He has the four regular-season wins, which already matches his career-high mark with 15 races remaining in 2021, and an additional exhibition victory from the All-Star Race. Larson then boasts 10 wins beyond NASCAR this year, giving him 56 dirt triumphs since January 2020.

“For us, it’s from a marketing perspective, it’s a brand extension,” said Brian Johnson, Hendrick Automotive Group’s vice president of marketing. “Kyle talked about brands being associated with drivers throughout history. We want to have the same effect with him. So, whenever he’s in a late model, a sprint car, whatever — whatever he’s in — we want that HendrickCars.com brand associated with him because it touches a different audience.”

Different audiences lead to a bigger overall audience.

The proof is in the pudding there. HendrickCars.com has an existing presence in the NHRA drag-racing world as the primary sponsor for Greg Anderson, who’s one win away from holding the all-time Pro Stock record.

“I couldn’t believe when I went over to the drag race how many T-shirts and Hendrick Cars stuff was there,” Hendrick said. “I think we’re going to look at every opportunity there is.”

It has been a rather eye-opening experience. Because the benefits of racing go even beyond the competition and publicity bonuses. Hendrick has had grassroots fans apply to be mechanics for his Cup Series teams, and he is able to tell them about the opportunities at the dealerships instead.

There are positives to a driver racing in non-NASCAR fields, though the threat of injury impacting their NASCAR careers does remain.

“I want to say I don’t encourage it,” Hendrick said. “But I’m all for it if it’s something they want to do and they feel really motivated to do it.”

Posted on July 15, 2021July 15, 2021 by Staff Report

In a nearly nine-minute video posted to Facebook, Matt DiBenedetto did not hold back his emotions about losing his seat for the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season with the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford.

DiBenedetto revealed that he learned of the news yesterday that Harrison Burton would pilot the famed No. 21 in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season and said rather bluntly, “it does suck.”

NEWS: Austin Cindric, Harrison Burton to Cup in 2022 | Harrison Burton teams with Wood Bros.

“I’m going to be super honest. I’m not going to try and hide how I feel and what I feel,” DiBenedetto said. “You guys know what you see is what you get. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Found out yesterday. When I found out, I tried to be like OK, been through this before. How do I handle this? God has a plan for me. There’s a greater plan. …

“But you know what? I didn’t really sleep last night and I thought about it and it’s OK to have human emotion and I’m not going to lie to you, it’s OK to be pissed off, angry and bitter and all of the above. It just is what it is. We’re humans. We’re not perfect.”

MORE: Key players in Silly Season | Silly Season tracker

DiBenedetto reflected a bit on his time with the Wood Brothers — a tenure that will last two seasons (2020-21) and saw him nearly win at Talladega Superspeedway this spring. He called the Woods “family to me” and that he wants “to get that 100th win for them bad.”

The 29-year-old expressed frustration with his season to date as he sits outside the playoff picture in 18th in points heading to New Hampshire especially after he made the NASCAR Playoffs in 2020. He referred to the 21 team as “broken for a while” and how it “took too long” to shake things up. The Wood Brothers made a crew chief change before the All-Star Race with Jonathan Hassler taking over for Greg Erwin and the driver indicated that the change gave his team a jump-start with back-to-back top 10s at Road America and Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“Our team is clicking,” DiBenedetto said of his July runs thus far. “Finally. But guess what? It’s too late. I know it’s going to work out like it’s supposed to, but I’m just expressing my frustration with the way it is. I’m getting the (expletive) end of the deal. I’m not angry at any one in particular. It doesn’t make the situation not suck.”

RELATED: Wood Brothers through the years

Now, DiBenedetto finds himself in a position he has been in before. A pending free agent — looking for a new ride. It worked out for him when he bet on himself to leave Go Fas Racing in 2018 for Leavine Family Racing in 2019. And it worked out again when there was no seat for him at Leavine but he was able to land with the Wood Brothers and replace the retiring Paul Menard for the 2020 season.

Despite the bad news, the driver remains as optimistic as ever that his time in Victory Lane is coming.

“There’s still a lot of season left,” DiBenedetto said. “The positives are we do have our team on track so we can go kick ass. That’s the great thing that’s already shown. And I’m appreciative and I want to desperately get the 100th win for the Wood Brothers because like I said, they are and always will be family to me. And I am super appreciative of the opportunity.

“I’m here to win in the Cup Series. I am going to. Through all the heartache, all the frustration, all the obstacles, all the craziness … I am going to overcome all that and we are going to win. I feel confident that we are in the best position to go out there and do that finally and my future is going to be full of that and we’re going to have success.”