Change is in the air as NASCAR gets ready to hold its first-ever Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway. On top of the excitement that will take place on the track, there will be a new look for the green flag, the fuelport on each car and for the No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet driven by Austin Dillon.
The green, white and black paint scheme is a fresh spin for fans of the No. 3 as Get Bioethanol represents the rebranding of American Ethanol. What hasn’t changed is the performance benefits of racing with engine smart and earth kind bioethanol blended fuel, Sunoco Green E15.
“Engine performance and reliability is important whether you’re on the racetrack or driving to the grocery store, and high-octane bioethanol help enhance performance,” said Austin Dillon. “Higher octane means better performance under pressure, so I am proud to race the Get Bioethanol Chevy and have the chance to showcase these benefits to race fans. My Chevy looks great, but it also performs great with Sunoco Green E15.”
Since 2011, NASCAR has used Sunoco Green E15 to power its race cars, taking a leadership role in making a positive impact on the planet. Bioethanol reduces greenhouse gases and other harmful emissions. It is blended into gasoline to boost octane while displacing harmful chemicals.
At the championship race in 2019 at Phoenix Raceway, NASCAR celebrated hitting the 15-million-mile mark running on Sunoco Green E15. Nearly two more seasons have passed with Sunoco Green E15 continuing to help reduce emissions.
“For a decade this partnership has been a linchpin in our broad effort to implement practices for the betterment of the environment,” said Michelle Byron, Vice President, Partnership Marketing for NASCAR. “We are excited to begin this next chapter of our relationship as Get Bioethanol makes its national debut on the track this weekend in Nashville.”
In addition to the No. 3 paint scheme, Get Bioethanol branding will also debut on the green flag that is waved to start the races at Nashville. And each car will display Get Bioethanol in a green logo around the fuelport. While green means go for the drivers, it also means going green to stay environmentally friendly.
Greenhouse gas emissions from bioethanol are 46% lower than gasoline and since 2008, bioethanol have already reduced carbon emissions from U.S. cars and trucks by nearly 1 billion metric tons. But it’s also a naturally high-octane fuel that helps boost engine performance, creating more horsepower and speed while allowing for the design of more fuel-efficient engines.
“People are looking for simple lifestyle changes to help the planet, and one way is to switch to a higher blend of bioethanol,” said Emily Skor, Chief Executive Officer of Growth Energy. “We are excited to debut the new Get Bioethanol car with NASCAR, a move that allows us to showcase our global commitment to bettering the environment.”
Whether it’s delivering cleaner and cooler high octane on the track or on your drive to the grocery store, plant-based bioethanol makes a lasting impact on our planet and for future generations. Learn more about what fueling up with bioethanol means for your engine and your environment at GetBioethanol.com.
Restrictions on fans’ access to NASCAR races are beginning to lift. The gradual reopening has progressed as vaccination numbers continue to rise and local and state officials alter their COVID-19 regulations in accordance with Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines.
Several tracks that had hosted races with limited numbers of fans in attendance have announced full grandstand access will be allowed for future events. NASCAR also expanded the footprint for garage access to selected guests during the May 7-9 race weekend at Darlington Raceway, and the protocols for face coverings were eased in outdoor settings the next weekend at Dover International Speedway.
On June 1, NASCAR officials announced that garage operations would largely return to pre-COVID norms and that several protocols would be discontinued, beginning with the NASCAR All-Star Race weekend June 12-13. And six NASCAR tracks announced June 2 that grandstands would fully reopen for their races later in the season.
Keep track of the evolving access levels and reopening announcements with this track-by-track timeline:
Status: Grandstand seating limitations have been lifted, opening the door for thousands more race fans to enjoy an action-packed month of May at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Per an executive order announced May 14 in North Carolina, fans will no longer be required to wear masks or socially distance in outdoor venues. Following state recommendations, fans who have not been vaccinated are still encouraged to wear a mask.
“From the outset of the pandemic, whether operating a drive-through testing clinic or hosting the state’s first mass vaccination event, this has been the ultimate goal — to get back to filling the grandstands for the biggest, most entertaining events in motorsports,” said Greg Walter, executive vice president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Status: The Northern California circuit announced April 8 its grandstands would reopen to fans for its NASCAR event weekend, working with local and state officials to observe COVID-19 protocols. The 2.52-mile road course did not host a NASCAR event during the height of the pandemic in 2020. On June 2, the track announced that tickets for its 33% capacity limit were sold out for Sunday’s main event, but that tickets remained for Saturday admission.
“We’re thrilled to be able to welcome thousands of race fans back to Sonoma Raceway for the Toyota/Save Mart 350,” said Jill Gregory, Sonoma Raceway’s executive vice president and general manager. “While we are operating at a reduced capacity for this year’s event, we’re still looking forward to hosting the first-class event that race fans here have come to expect. We also realize some fans will be disappointed, but the responsibility of putting on an event that is safe for our fans and local citizens is a top priority. We also appreciate the collaborative effort with officials of Sonoma County and the local health department to allow our fans to attend this event and get NASCAR back to the North Bay. We expect it to be the largest attendance for a sports event in Northern California since the pandemic shutdown 15 months ago. We can’t wait to welcome even more fans here next year.”
Status: The Fort Worth track announced April 8 infield camping would return for its NASCAR and IndyCar weekends, opening the east side of the infield to fans and keeping the garage area’s footprint separate on the west side of the track. That news came three days after the track indicated its Speedway Club dining and event space would reopen May 1-2 for its IndyCar doubleheader.
“We couldn’t be happier to welcome our great race fans back to the GEICO Infield Campground for two amazing weekends of the best auto racing in the world during our 25th Season of Speed,” said Eddie Gossage, Texas Motor Speedway’s president and general manager. “Infield camping at Texas Motor Speedway is an experience unto itself so we’ve missed the race fans being in the infield as much as they’ve missed being here.”
The 1.5-mile track has hosted multiple vaccination clinics on its grounds, and the Denton (Texas) Record-Chronicle reported county health officials had given 371,546 vaccine doses through the speedway immunization site.
Status: Shortly after a May 4 announcement by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, the 2.5-mile track issued a statement that it would operate at 100% in the grandstands and camping facilities for its NASCAR weekend. The raceway indicated it would follow all state-issued protocols and NASCAR guidelines that are in place at the time of the event. A mask mandate is in place until 70% of Pennsylvania residents receive a vaccine, but there are no social-distancing restrictions in place at this time.
“We are thrilled and appreciative of today’s announcement from Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf,” the track statement read. “As we have been doing, the Raceway will continue to follow the protocols and guidance set forth by our state and the sanctioning body of NASCAR at the time of our events.”
Status: The Hampton, Georgia, track announced April 30 its July date would be open with full-capacity grandstands for the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak. The venue plans to follow the state and local health guidelines that are in place when the July race weekend arrives, using hand-sanitizing stations, plus cashless transactions and ticketing to limit contact.
“As we’ve seen millions across Georgia and the Southeast get vaccinated, public health restrictions have eased and that gives us the green flag to take a big step towards welcoming more people to enjoy race weekend,” said Brandon Hutchison, Atlanta Motor Speedway’s executive vice president and general manager. “Needless to say, we can’t wait to have thousands of fans join us for some thrilling NASCAR action this summer.”
Status: New Hampshire Motor Speedway is currently following the state of New Hampshire’s Universal Best Practices, which went in to effect May 8 and does not include capacity restrictions or a mask mandate. Fans will be encouraged to utilize hand-sanitizing stations, all tickets will be mobile and all transactions will be cashless.
“We are thrilled to welcome race fans to ‘The Magic Mile’ to enjoy the many racing events we’ve got lined up throughout the season,” said David McGrath, executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “The past year has given us the opportunity to host a variety of events that are outside of our typical wheelhouse, but we’re excited to get back to our motorsports and fan entertainment roots.”
Status: Watkins Glen International announced June 18 that the grandstand will be fully open to spectators for its NASCAR tripleheader weekend, a three-day slate that also includes the ARCA Menards Series. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo lifted COVID-19 restrictions three days earlier. The track will continue to follow CDC guidelines to require face coverings at the track for unvaccinated spectators; officials at the road course also indicated they would continue to monitor protocols, working with health officials and local and state government.
“We are thrilled to welcome fans back at 100 percent capacity to Watkins Glen International following clearance from New York state government and health officials,” said track president Michael Printup. “Fans are our lifeblood and their presence at the track creates the aura and energy this sport thrives upon. We are appreciative of Governor Cuomo and his administration for their diligent work and collaboration to help us safely and smartly host fans as we look ahead to our IMSA and NASCAR events this summer.”
Status: The Brickyard has not announced its procedures or admittance for its annual NASCAR weekend, which will be fully contested on the oval/road-course layout for the first time. Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been approved for attendance of 135,000 in the grandstands for the Indianapolis 500 on May 30, a little more than half of its capacity. The track, which has hosted multiple vaccination clinics leading up to the 500-miler, plans to adhere to a county mask mandate but will no longer require temperature checks at entry.
Status: Full capacity for grandstands and the expansive campgrounds will be the order of the day when NASCAR returns to the Irish Hills of Michigan. The 2-mile facility will not have a mask requirement, but will work with health and government officials to monitor and adjust any needed COVID protocols. The track also announced an enhanced sponsorship for New Holland Agriculture North America and Henry Ford Health System, including title sponsorship of the Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series events.
“No race weekend is complete without fans and we are beyond excited and ready to welcome them back to Michigan International Speedway with no restrictions,” said MIS President Rick Brenner. “We are very appreciative of state, local and regional officials for the support and collaboration to welcome fans back for a safe and entertaining race experience. We are also thrilled to expand our relationships with New Holland and Henry Ford Health System, two organizations that have worked with us in the past to help enhance the at-track experience. With three races and countless entertainment options for fans of all ages, our goal is to deliver an unforgettable race weekend for everybody.”
Status: There will be no restrictions on the number of fans allowed to take in the action at the World Center of Racing. Fans will be treated to two races — the Coke Zero Sugar 400, NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale, on Saturday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. ET and the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Friday, Aug. 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Florida track also announced June 2 that tent camping, the UNOH Fanzone and other spectator areas will be reopened.
“The fans are the lifeblood of NASCAR and the reason we race week in and week out. Their presence at the track creates the aura and energy this sport thrives upon,” Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher said. “Even with a limited capacity at the Daytona 500 the atmosphere was palpable, so we look forward to welcoming back all of our fans for what will be an electrifying environment filled with dramatic and unpredictable racing action.”
Status: Darlington Raceway serves as host for the start of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs over the fall race weekend on Sept. 4-5. There will be no restrictions on the number of fans allowed to take in the action from the grandstands for the famed Cook Out Southern 500 NASCAR Cup Series playoff race on Sunday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. ET and Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
“Our loyal race fans have displayed their passion for NASCAR at Darlington Raceway throughout the pandemic, so this is a key moment in our storied track’s history to fully open our gates once again for the fall race weekend featuring one of the crown jewel races of NASCAR, the Cook Out Southern 500,” Darlington Raceway President Kerry Tharp said. “Thanks to Governor McMaster and his administration for their collaboration in helping us take this step forward together as a state to welcome the best fans in motorsports back home to the track Too Tough To Tame.”
Status: Grandstand seating and fan areas will be reopened to full capacity for a three-race weekend at the .75-mile Virginia track, with the Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Whelen Modified Tour in action. Hospitality areas, the midway and campgrounds will also be open without capacity limits.
“Our loyal race fans have shared their unwavering support for NASCAR at Richmond Raceway throughout the pandemic, so we are grateful to open our grandstands to full capacity for the first time in two years,” said Richmond Raceway president Dennis Bickmeier. “As we continue our 75th anniversary celebration, the cheers from the grandstands and FanGrounds will make this race weekend a momentous event that will once again bring us together.”
Status: Grandstand seating and fan engagement areas will be fully open for the tripleheader weekend that features cutoff races for the Round of 10 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs and the Round of 16 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs as well as the regular-season finale for the NASCAR Xfinity Series. There will be paperless transactions for tickets and concession purchases. The five Bristol Motor Speedway-operated campgrounds will also be open for the weekend.
Status: Las Vegas Motor Speedway confirmed on June 10 that the track will operate at 100% capacity after Clark County’s restrictions ease, which went into effect on June 1. The facility hosted roughly 15,000 fans for its NASCAR weekend in March, and its postseason races last September were held with no fans in attendance.
“We’re beyond thrilled that we’ll be able to open the grandstands to full capacity this fall,” said LVMS President Chris Powell. “We’ve been working to get back to normal for several months now, and knowing that we won’t be turning fans away because of social-distancing requirements has energized our entire staff. We can’t wait to welcome our race fans back to the speedway.”
Status: The 2.66-mile Alabama venue announced June 2 that its frontstretch towers and grandstands would be fully open to spectators for its NASCAR tripleheader weekend. There will also be no limitations on the garage experience, infield concerts, plus RV and tent camping on the grounds.
“Since 1969, our incredible fans have helped shaped Talladega Superspeedway into what it is today – an experience like no other,” said Talladega Superspeedway president Brian Crichton. “Nowhere is the passion in any sport felt more than it is at Talladega, and we have hundreds of thousands of fans from over the years to thank for that. Camping here is iconic, and the Talladega Garage Experience featuring Big Bill’s has set the tone for the future with a fun, unrivaled experience, In June of 2020, we helped our sport bring a limited number of fans back to the track after the pandemic started. Now, we are ready to welcome back all our fans, and new guests to the sport as well. It’s just plain fun for the entire family, coupled with the most exciting, competitive racing on the planet. Talladega Superspeedway is back!”
Status: There are no restrictions on the number of fans allowed to take in the action from the grandstands. Fans will be treated to three races — the Hollywood Casino 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. ET and on Saturday, Oct. 23, the Kansas Lottery 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at 2 p.m. ET followed by the Reese’s 150 ARCA Menards Series championship race at 6 p.m. ET.
“Fans have expressed their overwhelming desire to get back to the racetrack so we are thrilled to welcome back all of our fans as we celebrate our 20th anniversary season during the Hollywood Casino 400 NASCAR Playoffs weekend,” Kansas Speedway President Pat Warren said. “We saw some great NASCAR racing throughout our spring race weekend, and we look forward to what’s in store when the NASCAR Playoffs and ARCA Menards Series championship return Oct. 23-24.”
Status: The Virginia short track stated June 2 that no capacity limitations will be placed on grandstand seating for its fall NASCAR weekend, which features the next-to-last race of the season in all three national series. Hospitality and suite areas, plus campgrounds will all be fully reopened for the October events.
“When Martinsville Speedway hosts the penultimate races of the NASCAR Playoffs, our gates will be fully open to welcome our loyal fans back for a race experience unlike any other in motorsports,” said Clay Campbell, Martinsville Speedway president. “We are grateful to our fans for their dedication throughout this unprecedented time, so we look forward to welcoming them back and hearing the full roar of the crowd in the grandstands this fall.”
Status: The 1-mile Arizona track announced June 2 that there would be no restrictions on the number of fans admitted to the annual championship festivities. All three NASCAR national series and the ARCA Menards Series West will crown champions during the three-day weekend. NASCAR and track officials will continue to work with government and health officials to adjust health and safety protocols as necessary.
“Our loyal and passionate fans have shown tremendous support for Phoenix Raceway and our entire sport throughout the pandemic, including the inaugural NASCAR Championship Weekend at our facility last November,” said Julie Giese, Phoenix Raceway president. “We are ecstatic to have the opportunity to celebrate the crowning of four champions in front of a packed grandstand and to showcase to the world what this community of race fans in Arizona is all about.”
Hendrick Motorsports and driver Alex Bowman agreed to extend their partnership with a multi-year contract extension announced Friday.
The two-year extension will keep Bowman in Rick Hendrick’s No. 48 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series through 2023, syncing with Ally Financial’s contract as the car’s primary sponsor for that term. The announcement comes as NASCAR’s national series arrives at Nashville Superspeedway, where the banking company is the title sponsor for the Cup Series’ first race at the 1.33-mile track — Sunday’s Ally 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM).
Bowman, who moved into the No. 48 Chevrolet after seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson’s retirement, has been driving for the organization since 2016 when he and Jeff Gordon filled in for an injured Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Bowman took over the No. 88 Chevrolet ride upon Dale Jr.’s retirement after the 2017 season and won the 2018 Daytona 500 pole. Bowman won his first race for Hendrick Motorsports in 2019 at Chicagoland Speedway and has followed up with victories at Auto Club Speedway in 2020 and Richmond Raceway and Dover International Speedway in 2021. The wins at Richmond and Dover came in the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet.
Car owner Rick Hendrick addressed Bowman’s contract status after the No. 48 team’s victory at Dover, saying, “We’ve already started. It should be done any time. We want Alex there. He wants to be there. It’s kind of at this point just a formality.”
In October 2019, Ally added three years to its sponsorship of the No. 48 team, which fielded entries for Johnson at the time. With Friday’s announcement, the agreements for driver, team and sponsor are now concurrent through the 2023 season.
Before joining Hendrick Motorsports, Bowman drove for BK Racing in 2014 and Tommy Baldwin Racing in 2015. During those two seasons, Bowman’s best finish was 13th place in the 2014 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Bowman also has a win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series that came in 2017 for Chip Ganassi Racing.
With Bowman re-signed, Hendrick Motorsports has all four of its full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers – Bowman, William Byron, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson – signed for 2022.
The NASCAR Cup Series stops for the first time at Nashville Superspeedway this weekend, and the uncertainty that lies ahead gives casual-betting avid race fans a better chance to make money than they have in a typical race.
That, at least, is the opinion of one sharp NASCAR bettor.
As bookmakers set odds on a race, they usually have past data from the track, as well as information from comparable tracks to analyze. For Sunday’s Ally 400, they have neither. Not only is this the inaugural Cup race at the venue, it is also difficult to find useful comparisons to the 1.33-mile concrete-paved layout.
“I do think that tracks where there’s significantly less or no data that you can directly relate to it makes the job a little more difficult for the bookmakers,” said pro bettor Blake Phillips.
Some NASCAR analysts suggest mile-and-a-half tracks are the best comparisons for Nashville, but race teams bring the 550-horsepower, high-downforce package to the 1.5s, not the 750-hp, low-downforce setup they’ll be running Sunday. Meanwhile, the steep banking at the one-mile Dover International Speedway, owned by the same company as Nashville Superspeedway, complicates the comparison. Nashville’s concrete surface further muddies most comps.
“If you’re a bookmaker, what are you going to do?,” Phillips continued. “Are you looking at the one-and-a-half miles? Are you looking at the 750s? Are you trying to find a smart mix of the two? And that’s the kind of stuff that excites me – having to make those decisions. I like my odds of being able to make good decisions in that situation.”
But you may not have to be a pro to cash a few tickets Sunday. Beating the betting market is never easy – this is gambling, after all – but an astute NASCAR fan could catch a mistake or two made by the bookmakers.
When handicapping unfamiliar tracks, Phillips advises a more qualitative, less quantitative approach and focusing on drivers who are experienced, versatile and efficient at making adjustments.
“Somebody who’s an avid fan, who watches the races closely and understands what’s going beyond what’s in the box scores,” Phillips said of the type of recreational bettor who has a better chance at success in such a race. “Anybody who can understand the dynamics of who’s good and who’s not, who ran well and who had a race just break the right way for them at the right time. Anybody who can pick through that stuff has some ability to analyze it from a qualitative standpoint. And I think they’ll be able to spot some things that aren’t reflected in the raw data.”
Kyle Larson is the obvious favorite ahead of the Ally 400, priced at +275 (bet $100 to win $275) at NASCAR partner sportsbooks BetMGM and Barstool. This is something we should get used to.
“I venture to say he’s the best driver on the best team right now for the fastest manufacturer,” Phillips said of the pilot of the No. 5 Hendrick Chevrolet. “Any given weekend, beating Larson is a tall order. But if we’re going to see an upset, if we’re calling it that, this is a good track for it to happen, because you have guys who are really good at racing on multiple different types of tracks and really good at the 750 package.”
Phillips has a few drivers from the Penske garage circled – Brad Keselowski (12/1 odds at BetMGM) and Joey Logano (14/1).
“Keselowski and Logano are kind of jumping out to me,” he said. “It helps they were represented in the All-Star Race – the Penske guys were running up there with Hendrick. Granted, strange race format, a lot of short runs, but Logano’s a great guy on the 750 tracks, too, and (he and Kes have) been pretty decent this season.”
As dominant as Larson has been, odds of less than 3/1 are pretty short in an outright market and not overly enticing to many bettors.
“Is Larson priced fairly?,” Phillips said. “Eh, I’ll just say that I’m not betting on Larson.”
Watch and react
The Ally 400 is one of just eight Cup races this season that is scheduled to be preceded by practice and qualifying. While we’ve discussed previously how some bettors are benefitting from the lack of practice and quals, there is information from Saturday’s practice and Sunday’s qualifying runs that can be applied to handicapping the main event.
While some books wait until after practice to post matchup props, Phillips likes to get his action down wherever he can before the market adjusts. He uses practice and qualifying information, however, for late bets.
“I’m definitely looking around to see if anything jumps out at me pre-practice and qualifying, but of course I’ll be watching practice very closely, more so qualifying, and making updates to my ideas based on that,” he said.
“In NASCAR in general, it’s important to be able to adjust your opinions quickly and to weight recency a lot. I have some ideas going into the race of who’s going to be good here, but I’m going to let practice inform my opinions once I see that. I’m not afraid to take a couple of positions before then, though.”
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.
There is an understandable excitement as NASCAR visits new venues, and this week’s Nashville Superspeedway is a track many NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers have long had circled on the schedule.
Not only is the 1.33-mile concrete oval a new test for most of the field, Nashville has a history of crowning first-time race winners in the Xfinity Series. Half of the 14 previous race winners – including names such as Greg Biffle, Jason Leffler, Clint Bowyer and Brad Keselowski – hoisted their first series trophy in Nashville.
The Tennessee Lottery 250 (Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) may again add to that legacy. There are certainly some big names ready to make their first trip to Victory Lane in 2021. Six of the 12 drivers currently inside the playoff bubble are still looking for their first win of the season.
In Daniel Hemric’s case, he’s looking for his first career win in any of NASCAR’s three national series. So, Nashville’s tendency to celebrate new winners must be especially encouraging for the driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. He’s coming off a fourth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway last week – his first top-10 in a four-race period. He led a season-high 105 laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway three weeks ago only to crash and finish 28th.
He did have a top-five run at the 1.366-mile Darlington Raceway in May – a track of nearly the same length as this week’s Nashville track.
JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier won at Darlington this May in an epic battle between himself and teammate Josh Berry in the closing laps. And Allgaier is one of eight drivers entered this week who has competed at Nashville previously. He has three top-five finishes in six Nashville starts, including a fourth place in the last race held there in 2011.
One of his JR Motorsports teammates, Noah Gragson, would certainly love to notch his first victory in what has been an extremely frustrating season. The driver of the No. 9 JRM Chevrolet rebounded last week from a tough spring stretch – scoring a seventh-place finish at Texas. It was the perennial championship contender’s first top-10 in a five-week span that included three DNFs.
The last time Gragson led a race was at Darlington – his 40 laps out front were a race high on the day. He finished fourth, and these kind of numbers are surely encouraging for this week’s stop.
“I’ve never raced at the superspeedway but we’ve spent some time in the sim and luckily, we get a little bit of practice this weekend to learn the track and to make the right adjustments for the race,” Gragson said. “A part of me wishes we went straight into the race, but I know (crew chief) Dave (Elenz) and this entire No. 9 team will bring a fast Camaro and hopefully we can compete for the win.”
Allgaier and Gragson can certainly expect a challenge from another teammate. Berry is a Tennessee native and would love to earn a victory at Nashville this week. The same is true for championship leader Austin Cindric, who boasts a series-best 10 top-five finishes and more than 100-point advantage over second place A.J. Allmendinger in the standings, but who had his worst finish of the year (30th) on the similarly-sized Darlington track in May.
And then there’s the big picture storyline: Kyle Busch’s chance at earning a historic 100th NASCAR Xfinity Series victory. The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion scored win No. 99 last weekend in Texas and is easily the most successful driver at the Nashville track for this weekend’s event.
He won the 2009 Xfinity race from pole position leading 173 of the 225 laps. He also won from pole position in both of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career starts there (2010 and 2011). He led 131 of the 150 laps for the 2010 victory and led a dominating 140 of the 150 laps in his win the next the year.
The NASCAR Cup Series rolls into Music City this weekend for the first time since 1984 as it makes its inaugural appearance at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Fresh to the Cup schedule, the 1.33-mile concrete oval is no stranger to NASCAR. There’s plenty of history to dive into, so turn up the tunes and get ready for something fresh from Music City, USA.
The inaugural 300-lap Cup race at Nashville Superspeedway will be held in front of a sold-out, full-capacity crowd of 38,000 people this Sunday, marking the first full-capacity sellout since fans have been allowed back to the stands following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is an incredible milestone and shows all the progress we as a society and a sport have made against COVID-19,” said track president Erik Moses via the facility’s website. “It also shows us how eager race fans in this area are to see the return of the NASCAR Cup Series.”
The track will still heavily encourage unvaccinated fans to wear face masks at all times except when eating or drinking while the facility enhances its cleaning process. Fans should also note that coolers will not be permitted, “reducing the need to search them as part of the admission process.”
RULES PACKAGE
Just as they did at Nashville’s counterpart in Dover, Delaware, teams will utilize the 750-horsepower, low-downforce package this weekend. This package features shorter rear spoilers and front splitters.
GOODYEAR TIRES
Drivers Christopher Bell, Kurt Busch and Chase Briscoe participated in two Goodyear tire tests to help provide input for the inaugural Cup event on this concrete surface, first on a “green” racetrack and again on a prepped track sprayed with resin, which will be utilized this weekend. Additionally, the tire dragon was used to rubber in the track.
Goodyear will utilize the same left-side tires used at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway as well as the same right-side tires used at Dover International Speedway. According to Goodyear, the tread compound on the right-side is designed to lay rubber on concrete and create the opportunity for side-by-side racing.
“The first time we got on track, obviously the surface had not been raced on in some time so tire wear was fairly heavy,” Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing, said. “It was decided that the track could use some prep work to help the surface take rubber and create multiple grooves. We locked in on our tire set-up with known tire codes – the left-side that teams have run recently at both Kansas and Charlotte, with our Dover right-side. That right-side tire has proven to work very well on the concrete surface at Dover, and we expect much the same at Nashville.”
Teams will get 10 sets of Goodyear Eagles to use Sunday, as well as three sets for practice and one for qualifying.
PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING
Since Nashville is new to the Cup circuit, the series will practice and qualify this weekend. The lone practice will be held Saturday at 2:05 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) and qualifying will be held Sunday at 11:05 a.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) ahead of the race.
— Nashville Superspeedway opened in 2001 and immediately began hosting a plethora of different series, including the NASCAR Xfinity and Camping World Truck series events through 2011.
— At 1.33 miles, Nashville will become the longest concrete track to host a Cup Series race.
— Twelve drivers on Sunday’s entry list have made starts at Nashville Superspeedway, led by David Starr at 13 (12 NCWTS, one NXS), followed by Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski who each have 12 starts (10 NXS, two NCWTS).
— Kyle Busch has four wins at Nashville (one NXS, three NCWTS) while Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski each hold two Nashville Xfinity victories. Austin Dillon has one Truck Series triumph and Joey Logano has one Xfinity win as well.
— From 1958-1984, NASCAR competed at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville, where Richard Petty is the all-time wins leader with nine victories, followed by Darrell Waltrip (eight) and Cale Yarborough (seven).
— The Cup Series championship banquet was held in Nashville in 2019, beginning a campaign to bring the sport back to the Music City.
— In June 2020, Dover Motorsports Inc., which owns Nashville Superspeedway, announced plans to shift one of its Dover dates to Nashville for the 2021 season.
Unsurprisingly, Kyle Larson remains Las Vegas’ No. 1 man as the series shifts to Nashville, with BetMGM listing Larson as the favorite at 11-4 odds (as of Tuesday). Behind him are Martin Truex Jr. at 11-2 odds, Chase Elliott at 15-2 and a pair of Joe Gibbs Racing teammates, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch, at 8-1.
Hendrick Motorsports dominated at the last concrete oval in Dover, but Nashville is notably different in layout and features the on-track resin that wasn’t present at Dover in May.
Betting against HMS is likely ill-advised, but Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney has shown recent speed and may be worth a gamble at 15-1 odds this weekend.
— Chase Elliott has won two of the last three races at new venues, including the Daytona International Speedway road course in August 2020 and Circuit of the Americas in May.
— The last Cup winner on a newly-introduced paved oval to the schedule was Kyle Busch when Kentucky Speedway welcomed the Cup Series in 2011.
— The last time NASCAR raced in Nashville, Geoff Bodine went to Victory Lane at Fairgrounds Speedway in 1984, handing car owner Rick Hendrick his second career victory.
— Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott have finished 1-2 in each of the last three races. In each of the 11 previous times this feat has happened, one of those two drivers won the championship. The last time this happened was 1998 between Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon.
— Kyle Larson won the last NASCAR Cup Series race held on Father’s Day in June 2017 at Michigan International Speedway.
Data provided by Racing Insights
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 (660), Kyle Larson (603) and Chase Elliott (578).
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.
Charlotte, NC (June 18, 2021): Coming on the heels of a successful year across NASCAR’s fast-growing esports platform – the sanctioning body is today announcing an all-new eNASCAR series that will place a spotlight on the stars of its three international racing divisions across Europe, Mexico and Canada. The new series – entitled “the eNASCAR International iRacing Series” – will consist of three races at historic facilities – Brands Hatch, Circuit of the Americas, and the Daytona Road Course – live-streamed on eNASCAR.com/live at 6pm EDT/12am CET for a worldwide audience on consecutive Wednesday nights beginning June 23rd, 2021.
The field will contain an even mix of drivers from the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, NASCAR Peak Mexico Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series, and select drivers from NASCAR’s 2021 Drive for Diversity class.
“Each day, NASCAR teams and drivers across the world are turning to iRacing as a means to both keep their driving skills fresh and learn new race tracks. As our three international series rapidly expose NASCAR to new fans around the globe – this series will be the perfect platform to bring our stars from Europe, Mexico, Canada and beyond together on one stage to compete for worldwide bragging rights,” said Chad Seigler, vice president of international business development, NASCAR.
“We’re excited to welcome NASCAR’s top international stars to iRacing for the eNASCAR International iRacing Series,” said iRacing president Tony Gardner. “With passionate users in hundreds of countries around the world, and a number of international championship series for professional sim racers, iRacing has always been a global service. It’s a thrill to be able to combine that with our incredible relationship with NASCAR and put on this three-race series that reflects NASCAR’s continued international growth. These races should make for a thrilling show, and we can’t wait to drop the green flag!”
Each event will utilize the NASCAR Xfinity Series vehicles, with all drivers operating on an even playing field within the sim as they vie for international supremacy.
“GMS is always looking forward and I believe this is the next step for the team in that process,” said team owner Maury Gallagher. “We have the goal to be a championship-caliber team in any series in which we compete, and I am excited to watch the team grow in the coming years.”
Since its formation in 2014, GMS has won 61 races across the ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series. GMS also took home the 2016 and 2020 Camping World Trucks championship, the 2015 ARCA Menards Series championship as well as the ARCA East championship in 2019 and 2020.
“GMS has always risen to the occasion and proven that we are a team capable of competing at every level of this sport,” said Mike Beam, president of GMS Racing. “We have been preparing to make this step and with the addition of the Next Gen car in 2022, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to make the move.”
As the team actively seeks partnership opportunities for the 2022 Cup Series season, GMS Racing expects further announcements regarding driver and event schedule to come at a later date.
Landon Cassill has partnered with Voyager Digital Ltd. for the remainder of the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, making him the first driver to be paid fully in cryptocurrency. JD Motorsports announced the 19-race primary sponsorship deal Thursday.
Quite literally and figuratively, Cassill is investing his financial and professional future in Voyager.
“You can say no pun intended, but it really is,” Cassill told NASCAR.com. “I check my Voyager account probably 100 times a day.”
Voyager operates a crypto-asset trading platform. Cassill, an avid supporter of the cryptocurrency market, met Voyager CEO Steve Ehrlich a couple years ago at a crypto conference and has kept in contact since then. Their budding relationship is what sparked this partnership.
JD Motorsports’ No. 4 Chevrolet will officially sport its first Voyager paint scheme in Saturday’s Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway (3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports Live, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Ehrlich and other Voyager employees plan to be in attendance, as the company is excited about joining the sport and gaining a national platform.
“It goes all to education, and what we try to do is educate the masses on why cryptocurrency matters, why digital dollars is where we’re going,” Ehrlich said. “… I always tend to ask people as customers or people that are wanting to learn more: When was the last time you actually used real greenback dollars? Most people don’t. They use debit cards, and everything is electronic anyway. So, this is the next phase of electronic currency.”
Cryptocurrency can be turned into everyday cash and transferred to a personal banking account, thus avoiding volatility. Voyager even offers various interest rates to its users; the amount depends on the asset. Voyager will pay Cassill and JD Motorsports in a portfolio of crypto assets led by Litecoin and Voyager Token.
“Well, I mean, there is risk in holding cryptocurrency as there is with any stock or any investment,” Cassill said. “But for me, it’s something I’m familiar with, I’m comfortable with and I feel like I have a good handle on what I’m willing to risk and what I need to pay my bills.”
JD Motorsports owner Johnny Davis trusted Cassill’s instincts, too, when approached with the offer.
Voyager actually had a one-off opportunity with the No. 4 car about a month ago at the Circuit of The Americas, where Cassill placed 22nd. Otherwise, JD Motorsports has had nine different main sponsors through the 14 races so far. That’ll no longer be the case with Voyager.
“It gives us the opportunity to have more continuity on the car,” Cassill said. “These are small details that people maybe don’t realize. But with a small team, just knowing what’s going on the car and the team being able to take the energy that they might have focused on selling sponsors week to week or wrapping the car 10 different ways every week, now my guys can focus on the performance and make sure that we’re getting everything we can out of the car.”
This season, Cassill has posted a best finish of 12th twice – Daytona Road Course in February and Darlington Raceway in May. He’s ranked 18th in the standings right now – six spots outside of the 12-driver playoff field with 12 events left in the regular season.
Cassill, a 31-year-old from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has competed in the Xfinity Series since 2007 in both limited and full-time roles. His career-best result was third at Daytona International Speedway in 2011.
This 2021 slate marks Cassill’s first full-time effort in the series since 2014, when he closed out the season 12th in points.
“In the crypto world, we say, ‘to the moon,'” Ehrlich said. “We think this partnership is to the moon on what we can do for education and growth of both brands.”
With his mom spotting above him and his dad in the pits beside him, Nate Walton and his family headed into Berlin Raceway this season as the defending late model champions.
The 2019 title for Walton was redemption after coming up incredibly short in 2016. Five years ago, it came down to the last night, and Walton ended up one point short of a title.
In 2019, the Waltons weren’t planning to run a full season until they saw how well they were doing.
“We went out, ran the opening night, did really good, but we had an issue with the car,” Walton said. “So we fixed it and said, well, we’ll just run the next week. Once we got it fixed, and we ended up doing really good we kept showing up every week and the next thing you know we won the championship. It worked out good.”
It was the second title for Walton at Berlin – a NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series sanctioned 7/16-mile paved oval track in Marne, Michigan. His first came in 2011 in the track’s super stock division.
In all, the 31-year-old driver has won four championships in his 22 years of racing. Walton’s mom and dad asked him when he was nine if he wanted to get into racing go-karts. After going to a race then renting a cart to give it a try, “since then, that’s been it,” he said.
He won a go-kart title in 2001, his third season behind the wheel, and a dirt mini-stocks championship in 2005. He moved up to racing at his home track when he was 17.
Success has come early and often for a family that Walton said didn’t know what they were doing when they first started. The Walton family lives about 20 minutes from Berlin Raceway, and a body shop and towing company his family used to own stows tow trucks there for races.
“It’s pretty much in our backyard,” Walton said. “My parents went there a lot.”
“It’s kind of crazy. You grow up and you see these big names out there and next thing you know you’re racing against them,” Walton said. “You never figured you’d be doing that.”
Walton’s mom, Julie, now serves as his spotter during races, and his dad, Gary, is his crew chief. His tight-knit team also has friends, sponsors, and people from Walton’s work who come out and help whenever they can.
Racing has been a learning curve for the entire family, especially since none of the Waltons had ever worked on cars before he got into the sport, but they’ve never really showed it.
“Oh yeah, big time. We’re all still learning,” he said. “We still don’t’ really know all the ins and outs, so we get a little bit of help from other people, too.”
Walton is currently third in the super late model points at Berlin, 16 points behind first place. Like years past, the plan is to travel a bit, and the team wants to get more wins wherever they go.
But if it comes down to the end of the season and they’re in the running for another championship, “we might as well go for it,” Walton said.
After so many years of racing, for a family that didn’t know much about the sport before diving into it head first, Walton said they’re all still having fun, which is all that matters.
“It’s fun knowing that they’re there and they’re supporting me like they do,” Walton said of his family. “Just having the family there with their support… I kind of feel good about how we can all work together. It’s kind of like a family thing. Some families like to go camping. What we like to do is go racing.
“We always say that if we’re not having fun we’re going to stop doing it… You know you have your trying times where you struggle but that’s part of racing unfortunately. But it’s fun when you can brush that aside and keep going.”
