LEBANON, Tenn. — Ross Chastain had his doubts, but a late-race pit strategy call turned into a career-best finish in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway.
Chastain’s crew chief, Phil Surgen, made the call to stay out following a caution on Lap 218 of the 300-lap race at the 1.33-mile track and Chastain quickly lost the lead to eventual race winner Kyle Larson after the restart with 78 laps remaining. But the key caution came later in the race, the yellow flag flying for the final time on Lap 227 when Chase Briscoe clipped the wall after a brake failure.
Surgen rolled the dice and made the split decision to bring the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet in for service, giving up a top-five position on the race track.
That’s also where Chastain had his doubts, but he also didn’t realize they could make it on fuel through the end of the race while others were cutting it close.
“It was humbling,” Chastain said after the race. “They know better than I do. They also knew we could make it to the end. I wasn’t thinking that far ahead. We would have had to pit under green there, even if we stayed in the top four or five. They know what they’re doing. I am sorry that I doubted them.”
The end game worked out well for Chastain, rocketing up to a second-place finish in the final 68 green-flag circuits with fresh tires and plenty of gasoline.
It was a lesson learned for Chastain.
“Heat of the moment in the car,” Chastain said. “It’s really hot, I’m sweaty and tired and I’m like, man, we’re running third and we’re gonna give this up. I need to just drive.”
The result also served as Chastain’s second top five of his Cup Series career, following a fourth-place finish at Circuit of The Americas in May. The reaction from the 42 crew was a special moment for Chastain, as well.
“Positive like the guys got goosebumps driving up through the field,” Chastain said. “I get out of the car and they were like, ‘man, we haven’t had that in a long time.’ I hadn’t, either.”
As Larson and Hendrick Motorsports continue to tally top-five results, Chastain was able to pass William Byron in the closing laps to seal his career-best performance in NASCAR’s premier series.
For Chastain, the finish wasn’t a fluke, but more of a sign of things to come.
“That’s where we belong — second place,” Chastain said. “It’s just going to build confidence and all. It’s like we’re doing the right things.”
Wednesday, June 23 2 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rackley Roofing 200 (re-air), FS2
Thursday, June 24 4:30 p.m., NASCAR Whelen Series Modified Tour at Riverhead (tape delay), NBCSN
5:30 p.m., Dale Jr. Download, NBCSN
Friday, June 25 5:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6 p.m., ARCA Menards Series General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200, FS1
On MRN
6 p.m., ARCA Menards Series General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200
Saturday, June 26 6:30 a.m., ARCA Menards Series General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200 (re-air), FS2 8:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Classic: 1998 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1
9 a.m., ARCA Menards Series General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200 (re-air), FS1
11 a.m., NASCAR RaceDay: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Pocono, FS1
12 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series CRC Brakleen 150, FS1
2 p.m., Lost Speedways: Danger Zone (re-air), NBCSN
2:30 p.m., Countdown to Green: Pocono, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
3 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Pocono Organics CBD 325, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN3)
8 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series CRC Brakleen 150 (re-air), FS2
10 p.m., Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR (re-air), FS2
On MRN
11:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series CRC Brakleen 150
2 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Pocono Organics CBD 325
Sunday, June 27
6 a.m., ARCA Menards Series General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200 (re-air), FS1
8 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: CRC Brakleen 150 (re-air), FS1
12 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series Pocono Green 225 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro & Sons, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN3, 5)
2:30 p.m., Countdown to Green: Pocono, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 350, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN3, 5)
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Post-Race Show: Pocono, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
7 p.m., IMSA Auto Racing: Six Hours of the Glen, NBCSN
On MRN
11:30 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series Pocono Green 225 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro & Sons
2:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 350
Kyle Larson continued his streak of superiority Sunday afternoon, winning the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway — his third consecutive win, following three consecutive runner-up finishes. He hasn’t finished worse than second place in a NASCAR Cup Series race since May 2.
It’s a high performance mark the series hasn’t seen in more than a decade when former Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson won four straight points-paying races in 2007. Larson’s win Sunday was his third straight points-paying victory, but he also won the All-Star Race $1 million-to-win exhibition last week at Texas Motor Speedway.
Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet led Ross Chastain and Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 42 Chevrolet across the Nashville finish line by 4.335 seconds. He paced the field by as much as five seconds in the closing 10 laps of this inaugural event. And that fourth winner’s trophy is a series best on the season.
There were 14 lead changes among seven drivers, but only two other drivers led double-digit laps — Chase Elliott (13) and Kyle Busch (10).
“It was a great day,” Larson said, smiling at the understatement. “We never really had to run behind people, so I don’t know if one of my teammates got out front again, it probably would have been hard to pass them.
“This Valvoline Chevrolet was really good. It cut the middle of the corner really well and our pit crew did an awesome job again. I just hope we can keep it going.”
Larson led 264 of the 300 laps at the 1.333-mile Nashville track in the first NASCAR Cup Series race in the city since 1984. The effort marked the fourth time this season Larson has led at least 200 laps in a race and the fifth time he has led more than half the total laps in a race.
Only 17 races into the 36-race season, Larson has already eclipsed his previous season-best laps led. He has been out front 1,426 laps. His previous season-best total was 1,352 laps led in 2017.
Larson, who now has 10 career NASCAR Cup Series wins, has led 82% of all laps run during this current three-race winning streak. His Hendrick teammate, Elliott, – who was disqualified for having five loose lug nuts – won Stage 1 but lost the mini victory with his DQ; Kurt Busch ended up with the stage win. Larson answered with the Stage 2 victory – his 12th of the season, which is double that of any other driver.
Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, William Byron, looked to give the team its fifth straight 1-2 finish, rallying from the rear of the grid. He was running second until the final 10 laps when Chastain got around him. Byron finished third, followed by polesitter Aric Almirola and his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate, Kevin Harvick.
The fourth-place finish was Almirola’s best of the season. Harvick’s fifth-place run was his best in the last six races.
“We had a good car, just, my goodness, we don’t have anything for those Chevrolets right now,” said Almirola, who drives the No. 10 SHR Ford. “They’re making grip and they’re getting up off the corner. It’s so hard to race with them.
“But we have made huge strides to close the gap. Our race team is doing a great job scrounging and scrapping to build better race cars and it’s nice to come here and run up front, run in the top five and at least be in the mix.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Daniel Suarez, Kurt Busch, Christopher Bell and Joey Logano rounded out the top 10. It marked Stenhouse’s second top 10 of the season and the third for Suarez in the new No. 99 Trackhouse Racing team, which hosted co-owner, superstar performer Pitbull at Nashville.
NASCAR Cup Series championship leader Denny Hamlin had to pit for fuel with two laps remaining dropping from a top-10 result. He finished 22nd — the second time he has finished outside the top 10 in the last six races and now holds a slim nine-point championship lead over Larson.
The NASCAR Cup Series moves to Pocono Raceway for a doubleheader weekend. Race 1 will be Saturday (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The Explore the Pocono Mountains 350 (Sunday, 3:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) completes the weekend.
NOTE: Laron’s race-winning No. 5 Chevrolet passed NASCAR’s post-race inspection, thus confirming his victory. Elliott’s No. 9 Chevy, however, was disqualified for five loose lug nuts. The No. 19 Toyota of Truex had one loose lug nut but was not disqualified.
It only took 20 tries for Doug Coby to get the hang of things at Riverhead Raceway.
One week removed from missing the Whelen Modified Tour’s stop at Oswego Speedway, Coby got back to his winning ways with relative ease, leading 149 of 200 laps Sunday en route to the Buzz Chew Chevrolet Cadillac 200 victory, his second win of the season and second in a row at the quarter-mile track.
“We hit on something here,” Coby told NBC Sports’ TrackPass in Victory Lane following his 31st career win, tying him with Jeff Fuller for fifth on the all-time series wins list. “In Victory Lane for round two at Riverhead. Who would’ve thought that Doug Coby would be in contention to sweep Riverhead three times in a year when we come back in September? It’s so hard here and we’ve hit on something.”
Coby’s week off saw him fall to eighth in the championship standings, making a bid for his seventh title much tougher. Another win helps his chances, but unfortunately for him, the top two drivers of Patrick Emerling and Justin Bonsignore finished right behind Coby’s No. 10 once again in second and third, respectively, for the second straight race at Riverhead.
“I was just trying to bide my time there, keep the right rear on the car,” Emerling said following his fifth top-five finish in six races this season. “We got to second there and I thought we were in really good shape. I was looking forward to another 50 laps … hopefully we can come here and get one spot better (in September).”
Bonsignore, an eight-time winner at Riverhead, led the opening 51 laps from the pole before relinquishing the lead to Coby. While battling for position, he suddenly fell outside the top 10 as his No. 51 lost power before regaining it moments later.
“It’s tough here now with the spray, you gotta muscle our way to the top,” he explained following his fifth top-five finish this season. “It’s not the same track we were winning at for awhile. We gotta do our homework a little bit and see if when we get back here in September we can get a little better.”
Coby smiled and looked behind his No. 10 car in the winner’s circle at both Emerling and Bonsignore parked behind him, commenting on the championship battle unfolding.
“I wish I could get rid of these two,” Coby joked. “I finally win races up here, I look and the guys that are second and third are the guys I’m chasing in points. But that’s how good they are.”
Said Bonsignore: “These guys have been top 3 every week. Going to be one of these years it seems. It’s good to have new guys battling with us and Doug. Patrick’s team has been really good this year, they’re going to fight us until the end.”
With rain forcing the postponement of the race from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon, Coby, along with most other teams, were forced to make last-minute travel arrangements, causing a bit of a logistical headache. Emerling was quick to thank local driver J.B. Fortin, whose family allowed Emerling’s team to stay the night avoiding travel to and from the track on Father’s Day weekend.
Ron Silk and Anthony Nocella finished fourth and fifth, respectively, earning their first top five finishes of the season. Tommy Catalano, Kyle Soper, Jon McKennedy, Dylan Slepian and Tyler Rypkema rounded out the top 10 finishers.
The race was slowed six times for on-track incidents, including a red-flag period after Fortin, Eric Goodale and Dave Sapienza were involved in a multi-car accident.
The Whelen Modified Tour returns to the track on July 17 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Whelen 100. Bobby Santos III has won the last two events at NHMS (six total) and is expected to be in the field making his 2021 season debut.
Just over a year since Alvin Kamara traveled to Homestead-Miami Speedway to attend his first NASCAR race, the All-Pro running back for the New Orleans Saints has partnered with the sanctioning body to help grow the sport and its fan base.
As the first-ever Growth and Engagement Advisor, Kamara will work directly with NASCAR leadership on strategic planning and creative opportunities that support its fan development efforts.
Kamara and NASCAR announced the partnership this morning on his social channels from Nashville Superspeedway, where he will tour the facility and meet with NASCAR, industry leaders and drivers ahead of today’s Ally 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
“It’s an honor to be able to team up with NASCAR and be their first-ever Growth and Engagement Advisor,” Kamara said. “I’m excited to use my passion as a fan to help shape their long-term efforts to grow the sport.”
“Alvin’s journey to NASCAR happened very organically from that initial curiosity to experiencing our events to developing a real and sincere passion for the sport,” said Pete Jung, Chief Marketing Officer at NASCAR. “That’s what we’re looking to tap into … his insights, perspective and ideas … and learning more about his experience so that we can enhance what we’re doing to engage and develop new fans.”
A collaboration between NASCAR and Kamara’s team at Klutch Sports Group, the engagement will focus on connecting new audiences with NASCAR through immersive and educational experiences that help them learn more about the sport. Beginning today at Nashville Superspeedway, Kamara will interact directly with fans at races and share the ongoing story of his NASCAR fan journey through digital and social media content.
Additionally, Kamara will work alongside the Charlotte-based NASCAR Marketing team under Jung’s leadership and contribute to planning, ideation and activation around fan development and engagement.
Kamara’s interest in NASCAR began in June 2020 when the sport and its drivers, led by Bubba Wallace, took a stand for racial equality and social justice, and shortly after NASCAR banned the confederate flag. Four days later, Kamara attended the NASCAR Cup Series race in Homestead, Florida, the first major sporting event to return fans following the COVID-19 hiatus.
Kamara has attended additional races since and this past February, his Louisiana-based juice bar, The Big Squeezy, sponsored Ryan Vargas’ No. 6 JD Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway.
NASCAR officials indicated that three drivers — William Byron, Erik Jones and Quin Houff — will drop to the rear of the field for Sunday’s Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway because of unapproved adjustments.
Byron was the top qualifier among those three, pushing the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to a fourth-place starting berth for Sunday’s Ally 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM). But the penalty will drop his car to the back of the pack during pace laps.
Jones and Houff had each scraped the outside retaining wall during their qualifying laps, with Jones’ No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet brushing the barrier in Turn 4 and Houff tapping the Turns 1 and 2 wall with the No. 00 StarCom Racing Chevy.
Jones had secured the ninth starting spot in Busch Pole Qualifying. Houff did not post a qualifying speed and was already set to start last in the 39-car field.
Aric Almirola secured the Busch Pole Award and the No. 1 starting position for the NASCAR Cup Series’ debut at Nashville Superspeedway.
Almirola, the second driver to make a run, clocked a best lap of 161.992 mph in Sunday morning’s qualifying at the 1.33-mile Tennessee track. That speed places his No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford in the top starting spot for Sunday’s Ally 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM).
In landing his third career Cup Series pole, Almirola acknowledged the struggles that the No. 10 team has had this season. The 37-year-old driver sits 28th in the standings with just one top-10 finish through 16 races this year, but expressed hope that he and crew chief Mike Bugarewicz might be able to build on Sunday’s solid starting spot.
“We’ve been trying so hard to get back to the way we know how to run,” Almirola said. “Just proud of Buga and all the guys on this team. Something good finally happened to us, and hopefully we can put it together for a whole day.”
Kyle Busch will start alongside Almirola on the front row after logging the second-fastest speed — 161.910 mph in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Joey Logano, William Byron and Kyle Larson finished out the top five in qualifying.
Erik Jones scuffed the outside retaining wall exiting Turn 4 as he completed his qualifying lap. He posted the ninth-best time with the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet. Quin Houff also brushed the outside wall through Turns 1 and 2 during his qualifying run. He did not post a qualifying time and is scheduled to start last in the No. 00 StarCom Racing Chevrolet.
Martin Truex Jr., a three-time winner in the series this season, is set to start well back in 35th place after his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota washed up out of the racing groove on his qualifying lap.
Sunday’s event — set for 300 laps (399 miles) — is the first for NASCAR’s top division at Nashville Superspeedway, which sprang back to life for its first NASCAR weekend since 2011. It’s the first Cup Series event in the Music City area since the circuit last raced at the Nashville fairgrounds in 1984.
Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway (⏰ 3:30 p.m. ET | 📺 NBCSN | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)
Everything you need to know for Sunday’s inaugural Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway and 17th points-paying event of the season.
Where: Nashville Superspeedway, a 1.333-mile D-shaped oval just outside of Nashville, Tennessee Practice: Saturday at 2:05 p.m. ET on NBCSN | 50-minute open session | Practice recap Qualifying: Sunday at 11:05 a.m. ET on NBCSN | Single-car, one-lap qualifying | Starting lineup Grand Marshal: Luke Combs, country-music artist TV/Radio: NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Forecast: A 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87 degrees. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Race Distance: 300 laps, 399 miles Stages: 90 | 185 | 300 Pit-road speed: 45 mph Caution car speed: 55 mph Nashville 101: Get the full lowdown
Entry list: See who’s in the field Pit-stall assignments: See who is pitting where| Past experience may be key on pit road
Tyson Winter | NASCAR Digital Media
Five to watch
Here are five big story lines we’ll be following at Nashville Superspeedway.
1. As the number in question has increased for the last month, this week we ask: Can Kyle Larson make it four wins in a row? Two victories came before the All-Star Race. Then, he dominated the $1 million exhibition. Just 16 races into the 36-race season and the newest driver at Hendrick Motorsports is only 190 laps away from his most-ever laps led in a single season. Surely a new, unfamiliar track will slow him down, right? The field, and his teammates, better hope so. Bring it on, Nashville.
2. Don’t be surprised if Kurt Busch, Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe run well early. The three drivers, each representing their manufacturer, participated in the Goodyear tire test back in March. Then, they even got to return in April for an additional tire test. With just a lone practice session and a single-lap qualifying, Busch, Bell and Briscoe will have by far the most 2021 track time out of any NASCAR driver at Nashville this weekend.
3. More good news for the Busch brothers. Kyle Busch and Kurt have enjoyed a ton of success at concrete-surfaced tracks (Bristol Motor Speedway and Dover International Speedway). Kyle leads all active drivers with 11 combined wins, and Kurt is not far behind at seven. Series veteran Kevin Harvick has also done well, historically, picking up six wins of his own. Kurt and Harvick are each winless in 2021 and need a key win to solidify a playoff push, and it shouldn’t be a surprise if one comes this week.
4. Alex Bowman is in the midst of a career year at Hendrick Motorsports. Already notching two wins earlier this year, he is on the verge of setting a new career-best top-10 streak if he can pull it off this weekend with his fifth consecutive. He has made massive strides this season, and what’s more motivating than a new contract through 2023? Teammate Chase Elliott is the current series-best streak holder for the season with six in a row, dating back to Kansas Speedway.
5. Even though Denny Hamlin‘s early season dominance has seemingly cooled off a bit, he still holds the best average running position this season at 6.38 — almost two whole positions ahead of second-place William Byron. Though without a win, Hamlin still has a 47-point lead on Larson in the regular-season points standings. The 2018 season was the last time Hamlin went winless, and even then it was the only time in his entire Cup Series career since joining full time in 2006. That’s no easy feat. Expect him to be in Victory Lane when the odds are stacked against him. It might even be this week.
Race-day staples
Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles. •Power Rankings: Brad Keselowski, Team Penske back on the rise | Scope the ranks •Paint Scheme Preview: Check out the Music City looks | See the schemes •Fantasy Fastlane: See which drivers to use, avoid | Full Fantasy advice |Set your roster •Preview Show: Will a driver with past success be singing in Victory Lane? | Watch the show
Get in on the action
Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy. • Betting odds for Nashville race | See the odds
• Sportsbooks likely sweating Kyle Larson until Phoenix | Learn more • Experience at Nashville a betting factor? | See which drivers have raced here
• Take a shot at winning cash prizes with the free-to-play Jackpot Races app | Hit the jackpot
• Full guide to 2021 NASCAR Fantasy Live game | Get the FAQ
Nashville roots
Every track has a story to tell. Here’s what we’ve seen go down at Nashville Superspeedway in the past. • They’ve been here before: Active NASCAR drivers to win at Nashville | See them all • Takin’ it back to the early days: NASCAR’s history in Nashville | Learn more • Testing, testing: A first look at Cup Series cars turning laps at Nashville | View the images
Fast facts
Hard-hitting, race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights. •Sunday will be the first-ever Cup Series event held at Nashville Superspeedway and the 175th different track in series history. • At 1.333 miles, Nashville Superspeedway is the longest concrete oval on the 2021 NASCAR schedule. •With the track formerly hosting Xfinity Series and Truck Series events, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch lead all active drivers with 12 starts each. •Through 16 points-paying races, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman are the only repeat winners so far this season. •Starting position isn’t always key — eight races have been won by drivers who started the 10th or worse. •Only three races this season have had qualifying, and Chevrolet has raced on to the pole position in every one of them.
Catch the pack
Read up on all the headlines from the week leading up to Sunday’s race. • Get an inside look on how NASCAR made it’s way back to Music City with “The Return of Nashville Speedway“ • Hendrick Motorsports and Alex Bowman signed a contract extension, keeping Bowman in the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet through 2023 | Read more • Kaulig Racing makes big plans for 2022 season with Justin Haley and AJ Allmendinger | See them here • Jeff Gordon rumbled in the dirt, testing a sprint car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway dirt track | See images • Track-by-track updates, protocols for grandstand seating and fan access as COVID-19 restrictions ease | Read more • Get Bioethanol set to wave green flag on new era | Read more
• Austin Dillon running Xfinity races at Watkins Glen International and Indianapolis Road Course | Read more
Say what?
Notable quotes from the stars of the sport heading into Sunday’s race.
“I am excited for the Nashville Superspeedway – we are getting back into the Nashville market. That track has been sitting there for a few years now, so to get back out there is going to be great. They have sold out for this race weekend. That is awesome to have all the fans and to have a packed house.” — Erik Jones, driver of the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet
“Nashville is a tricky place. It races like a short track and has short-track features, but it also has the characteristics of a mile-and-a-half track. That’s going to be your biggest issue: finding a setup that balances that line perfectly. You want it to handle similar to how it would at a concrete short track like Dover but also handle well aero-wise like a mile-and-a-half. While we have limited notes across the board, we do know that it will also be a very temperature-sensitive track as well. There’s going to be a lot of obstacles to overcome, but I think with William running the truck race and us having a practice session on the Cup side, we’ll be as prepared as we can be. I’m excited to get back to Nashville and see what we can do as a team.” — Rudy Fugle, crew chief of William Byron’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
“Nashville had pretty new concrete when we were there for those years. Since we’ve not been there in a while, it will be interesting to find out what has changed and see what new bumps are there and what new things have kind of come up over the years. Obviously, so many advancements have been made since I was there last time. I’m looking forward to getting back there this weekend with our M&M’S Supra in the Xfinity Series. We’ll be getting more track time with the Xfinity car on Saturday and hopefully it helps us learn for Sunday as well.” — Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
LEBANON, Tenn. — As the NASCAR Cup Series celebrates its inaugural weekend at Nashville Superspeedway, so far Joe Gibbs Racing isn’t having much fun at the party.
Chevrolet drivers consumed the top-seven speeds in practice for Sunday’s Ally 400 (3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at the 1.33-mile concrete oval. It was Toyota’s fleet that struggled to find any momentum.
JGR driver Denny Hamlin recorded the fastest speed amongst the Toyota brigade with an eighth-place run, but it was a different story for the rest of the organization.
Although Hamlin’s No. 11 car was the closest to the mark to kick off the weekend, the speed of the Chevys are his main focus point.
“We are off a-ways for sure,” Hamlin said. “My objective is to just get my car as good as I can get it. If I can’t run with them, I can’t run with them. If there are four cars in particular that are faster than us, then it’s my job to finish fifth.”
Hendrick Motorsports drivers continued their dominating form in the session as William Byron led the way at the top of the leaderboard, tied with teammate Kyle Larson. Chase Elliott finished the session in third to complete the 1-2-3 sweep, and fellow Hendrick driver Alex Bowman placed 10th.
Other Chevy drivers in the top 10 included Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (fourth), Tyler Reddick (fifth), Kurt Busch (sixth) and Ross Chastain (seventh).
On the other hand, Christopher Bell finished 20th with Kyle Busch right behind in 21st. 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace ticked off the 28th-fastest speed, while Martin Truex Jr. brought up the rear in 29th.
Truex’s No. 19 team was feverishly making significant adjustments before the cars were impounded ahead of Sunday morning’s qualifying session (11:05 a.m. ET on NBCSN).
“For us, we’re a little worried,” Truex said. “We’re about to do some wholesale changes, so we’ll see. Definitely not a good practice.”
After winning his 100th career Xfinity Series race Saturday at Nashville, Busch didn’t hold out great hope for Sunday, either.
“I’m like how can we correlate what we’re doing on the Xfinity side and being so good and being so fast to being able to put that stuff in a Cup car?” Busch said. “But it just doesn’t connect like that. It’s not that simple.
“Flat out, we suck. Tomorrow is going to be a rough day.”
That was the initial impression from many throughout the garage after getting an in-person look at Nashville Superspeedway.
The 1.33-mile concrete track sat dormant since the final NASCAR-sanctioned event — an Xfinity Series race won by now-retired driver Carl Edwards on July 23, 2011.
One of the highest marks the extensive renovations and fresh coats of paint received was from NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee and NBC Sports analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. upon walking into the track on Friday.
Nashville Superspeedway looks amazing. Didn’t know what to expect after it sat idle for so long. They have done an incredible job preparing it for this weekend. It looks brand new. @NashvilleSuperS @NASCARonNBC @NASCAR
It was a well-earned compliment for track president Erik Moses and his fleet of employees, one that he didn’t take for granted.
“I would be lying to say I didn’t smile when I saw that,” Moses said on Saturday in the Nashville Superspeedway media center on Saturday. “It’s great to hear that kind of thing from people who are legends in the sport and for someone who really values this market as a market for NASCAR, it’s fantastic.
“We’ve thankfully heard that sentiment echoed out of people from NASCAR and our sport over the last couple days and we’re really grateful. It’s been a great team to get this to look like what you see here.”
If that wasn’t enough, NASCAR champion Brad Keselowski raved about the track’s condition after Cup Series practice on Saturday afternoon.
“I’m really impressed. The track is in amazing condition for having sat 10 years,” said Keselowski, a two-time Xfinity winner here. “I feel like it’s in better condition than I last was here. I don’t know how that’s possible. It’s like it reversed age. They’ve got the fountain of youth in here somewhere. The concrete is really good … last time I was here it was really bumpy and it doesn’t seem nearly as bumpy as it used to be.
“Somebody has been doing a lot of work around here and they’ve done an excellent job. Far surpassed my expectations coming here to Nashville.”
Chase Wilhelm | NASCAR Digital Media
The transformation came at a price — a mountain of work by many and a hefty investment to get the track back up to full song. Moses noted that it took $8 million-$10 million worth of improvements. The list of developments included the installation of WiFi and fiber networks, a revamp of the media center, infield care center and tower suites, light and sound systems just to name a few. The track also traded in traditional white outside retaining walls for a lighter, Tennessee blue coat.
No stone, or piece of concrete in this instance, was left unturned.
“There have been very few spaces on this campus that have not been touched as we’ve gotten this place ready to be reborn,” Moses said.
As the track enjoys the dawn of a new day, it also serves as a blast to NASCAR’s past in Music City. Twenty-two Xfinity Series races were held from 2001-11. Edwards was the winningest driver during that span with five career victories, including the final two events in 2011.
In the Camping World Truck Series, 11 different drivers won the 13 races held from 2001-11. Kyle Busch and Johnny Benson Jr. tied with a pair of victories, while Edwards also owns one triumph in a truck. Austin Dillon earned the victory in 2011 before the 10-year hiatus ended with Cup Series regular Ryan Preece’s win Friday night.
Keeping with tradition
The winner of each of those events received a custom guitar designed by the late Sam Bass and provided by Nashville-based guitar manufacturer Gibson.
While what was old is now new again, bringing back the Gibson tradition to Victory Lane and honoring Bass were constants that were important for Moses to keep intact.
“Without question it’s important to maintain the tradition of a Music City-made Gibson guitar for our race winners,” Moses said. “While everyone misses Sam and we could never recreate what he offered to our track champions, we are thrilled to rekindle our partnership with Gibson and to award their timeless guitars to our race winners.”
Moses also presented a special Gibson guitar that features Sam Bass’ iconic logo, which will be on display at the speedway for years to come.
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images
“Sam had a special place in this sport and certainly a special place at this track,” Moses said. “We thought that was worthy not only of a tribute to him, but one that would be permanent.”
Busch is a noteworthy story when it comes to the famous trophy’s past. After winning the Xfinity Series race at Nashville in 2009, Busch destroyed the guitar with a rock-star-style slam in Victory Lane. After making history by earning his 100th career Xfinity Series win in Saturday’s race, Busch jokingly pretended to crunch another one for the cameras, but better judgement prevailed.
“What’s the harm in having a little bit of fun?” Busch said after the race.
A look ahead
As renovations came to life and traditions were put back into place, an entitlement sponsor for the Cup Series race arrived as another integral part of the process. That’s where Ally Financial came into the fold, announcing their participation back in January, their first race entitlement sponsorship in company history.
“For an inaugural race and having the privilege to bring back Cup Series racing to Middle Tennessee for the first time in 37 years, it’s critically important that you have the right partner to help you lead that charge,” Moses said back in January. “I have no doubts that Ally is that right partner. They see this the same way we do, from investing in the community to making certain that we’re active in the promotion of this race.”
Moses was certainly right as we fast forward to Sunday where the Ally 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will be run in front of a sold-out crowd, which will fill an additional 15,000 temporary grandstand seats to reach the roughly 40,000-seat capacity.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
Now, with the re-imagining of Nashville Superspeedway finally realized and received with high accolades, what does the future hold for NASCAR in Middle Tennessee?
With a successful switch up to Nashville for the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series Awards banquet and talks ongoing between Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, Speedway Motorsports Inc., and the City of Nashville, it appears the sport has a strong hold on Music City.
Moses continues to focus on reaching the highest level of success for his own facility, but he welcomes the opportunity for more racing in the heart of The Volunteer State.
“I will tell you, if any fans in the country deserve more Cup Series racing, it’s the fans in Middle Tennessee,” Moses said. “My view is a rising tide raises all boats. We’re going to put on a great show out here with our partners at Ally and make sure people want to come back to the Ally 400 year over year. If there’s more Cup Series racing in the marketplace, then that’s good for fans and good for our sport.”
