See where your favorite driver will pit for the NASCAR Cup Series’ annual All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sunday (8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
When Phil Fowler first started racing at Eastbound International Speedway, he would often do giveaways after races with young fans, holding competitions with kids in the stands to win his steering wheel, helmet, or other pieces of his car.
One year after a crash, he even gave away the hood of his late model.
“I don’t know how impressed the dad was with that that he had to take a hood panel home,” Fowler said. “But the kid loved it and seeing the smile on the kid’s face, that’s what really means more for our race team.”
Fowler and his race team focus everything on kids, and for at least the next three years his car will reflect that focus. Fowler’s late model will carry a paint scheme with the signature red and yellow and the emblem for Ronald McDonald House on the hood. Ronald McDonald House Charities is a nonprofit organization whose stated mission is “to create, find, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children,” the website states.
Fowler will race the car in the Advance Auto Parts Division One at Eastbound International Speedway – a NASCAR-sanctioned 0.375-mile semi-banked asphalt oval track in St. John’s, Newfoundland. He has an eighth and a sixth-place finish so far this season.
RELATED: Get up to speed on grassroots racing at NASCAR Roots
After the paint scheme was unveiled, Fowler took the car to the Ronald McDonald House St. John’s location, where the president arranged to allow some of the children staying there to see the car, get in, and ask Fowler questions about racing.
“It was almost like they felt like they were actually driving the car,” Fowler said. “A couple of the kids there were really, really, really enticed by it. It just broke up their day for them and let them forget things for a while so they could have a bit of fun.
“It put smiles on their faces. The kids actually really loved it and the parents seemed like they enjoyed it just as much as the children. They asked us as many questions as the kids did.”
Fowler will again display his car and his team’s tractor-trailer at the St. John’s Ronald McDonald House and have a meet and greet this weekend to allow race fans or non-race fans to see the car and possibly make a donation or leave a gift for the children.
“We try to do everything we can for local children and we focus on the children mostly,” he said. “We try to make everything better for those because the most important thing is supporting those kids, of course.”
Fowler has been racing at Eastbound for five years, his first time racing on an oval track. An interest in cars when he was growing up drew him to drag racing because there weren’t any oval tracks near his home.
He got out of the sport for a time to go to college and play competitive hockey. After Eastbound was built, the owners convinced Fowler to try out a legends car that he raced for two years.
Fowler then moved up to late models, which he’s been racing ever since.
“There’s nothing like an oval track. It’s a pretty different sport,” Fowler said. “The camaraderie with oval tracks is a lot different than drag racing. It’s a lot more intense, a lot more fun.
“It’s really intense, really competitive. A lot of competition so you’re either on your A-game or you’re in the back of the pack with this racing.”
The first couple of years were a big learning curve for Fowler and his team, trying to get the track and set-up figured out. He had to learn how to stay out of trouble and not be too aggressive, while still maintaining speed.
While Fowler thinks his car is getting faster, he knows his competition is getting faster too. It’s that competitive nature to keep up with them that keeps him on the track.
“As of right now we are a really competitive car. We have great sponsors that back us so we can do what we’re doing,” Fowler said. “We can be a top-3 car in every race.
“Every year the car is getting faster and faster. The competition part keeps bringing us back because the better we get the better other cars are getting. It seems like every season others are getting faster and faster and the races are getting bigger.”
With two top-10 finishes this season, Fowler has one goal in mind for 2021 – win a championship. He and his team won a track championship at Thunder Valley Speedway in Canada last season, but he’s still looking for an Eastbound title.
“We do have a car that’s really good and can win a few races, so we’re hoping to get a few wins under our belt so we can run up at the top in points again and hopefully we can get a championship this year…and get our names on a NASCAR plaque.”
If anyone would like to help out Ronald McDonald House, they can make donations here.
Racing will return to Eastbound Speedway on June 20 for the Bay By Bay LTD 100.
With two wins before All-Star weekend, Alex Bowman has secured a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, and based on his recent momentum (four straight top-10 finishes) and the overall dominance of Hendrick Motorsports, the No. 48 may just be among the four drivers competing for the championship in Phoenix. If Bowman is there at the end, one professional gambler could be looking at another fat payday.
Zack White, a respected bettor who counts NASCAR among his specialties, has multiple four-figure wagers (see photo to the right) on Bowman to win the 2021 title at odds ranging from 28/1 (+2800) to 35/1 (+3500). The bets were placed between January and April at various sportsbooks around the country and would result in a $198,000 win should Bowman lift the Cup. White has a few smaller bets sprinkled on Bowman as well, he said in a text message to NASCAR.com.
“How ANY Hendrick team was 35/1 this year is still crazy to me,” White texted.
It wouldn’t be the first time White has profited handsomely from long-shot futures bets. He and betting partner Mark DeRosa last winter made $20,000 in bets on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, before the team signed Tom Brady, to win the Super Bowl at around 65/1 odds and to win the NFC at around 35/1, per an ESPN report.
RELATED: NASCAR BetCenter
Matthew Rasp, a Sports Trader at BetMGM, said in an email to NASCAR.com that partly due to White’s bet, Bowman “slightly edges out” Kyle Larson as the book’s largest NASCAR futures liability when combining digital with retail (Borgata in Atlantic City, where White has a $2,000 wager on Bowman at 35/1, is an MGM property).
Ed Salmons, vice president of risk management at SuperBook USA, where White has a $1,000 ticket on Bowman at 30/1, said in a text that a Bowman championship would result in a loss for his shop’s futures book. Bowman ranks fifth at the SuperBook in terms of drivers with the most amount of money bet on them to win the title, behind Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr.
Per current prices at the SuperBook, Bowman’s futures odds have been trimmed to 16/1. At BetMGM, the No. 48 is 14/1 ahead of this weekend’s All-Star race.
RELATED: All-Star Race betting odds | 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Championship odds
While most of the attention around the Hendrick garage is on Larson and Elliott, the team’s other two drivers are factors in the championship mix, too. William Byron, sitting in fourth place in the standings, is now 12/1 on BetMGM’s futures board and has been shortened from 30/1 to 14/1 at the SuperBook.
White likes his position on Bowman, but given the chance to run it back, he’d have an investment in the No. 24 as well.
“I almost pulled the trigger on Byron too, wish I had,” he texted. “Could seriously be 4 Hendrick cars racing for the Championship in Phoenix.”
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.
The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race is Sunday, and the Fan Vote is still going strong for the big event at Texas Motor Speedway. Voting will be open until Friday at noon ET, so here’s a roundup of the top five drivers.
The top vote-getters, in alphabetical order: Chase Briscoe, Matt DiBenedetto, Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez and Bubba Wallace.
RELATED: Vote your favorite driver into the All-Star Race
Fans can vote here for one eligible driver once a day per unique email address. Votes shared on Facebook and Twitter will count as bonus entries, for a total of four votes per day.
To compete in the All-Star Race (8 p.m. ET, Sun., FS1, MRN, SiriusXM), drivers must be a NASCAR Cup Series winner in 2020-21 or be a full-time driver who was a previous All-Star or past Cup Series champion. The stage winners and overall race winner in the All-Star Open (6 p.m. ET, Sun., FS1, MRN, SiriusXM) and the Fan Vote winner will also be eligible for the race.
RELATED: Texas Motor Speedway All-Star weekend schedule
The 17 drivers who are already entered into the All-Star Race include: Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon, Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Cole Custer, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Michael McDowell, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson and Ryan Newman.
Kyle Petty has logged plenty of miles over the years, whether on the track during his NASCAR driving career or in the many cross-country motorcycle trips he’s made with others in his long-running charity ride. This summer, Petty will add some more intimate miles to his personal odometer in a new prime-time show.
“Dinner Drive with Kyle Petty” is set for a July 8 premiere (8 p.m. ET) on the Nashville-based Circle Network. The show places Petty with several personalities — both inside and outside the world of motorsports — in their home environment. Each guest will feature a vehicle that holds special meaning for them, and Petty will be along for the ride to grab food at a favorite local eatery, where one-on-one conversation will follow.
“Dinner Drive will feature an inside look at the lives and cars of some of the biggest names in sports, music, and entertainment, including sentimental stories of their upbringing, professional careers, and personal lives,” Kyle Petty said in a news release. “I’m excited for viewers to pull up a chair and join us at the table as we have candid conversations about life with each guest.”
The guest list for the weekly series is star-studded. NASCAR.com shared an exclusive first look at clips from the first episode, where Petty meets up with Dale Earnhardt Jr., gets acquainted with his vintage Chevy S10 pickup truck, and shares conversation at a local pizza joint in his Mooresville, N.C., stomping grounds.
The full schedule of guests:
- July 8: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- July 15: Davis Love III
- July 22: Darius Rucker
- July 29: Mario Andretti
- Aug. 5: Ric Flair
- Aug. 12: Richard Petty
- Aug. 19: Herschel Walker
- Aug. 26: Pitbull
Oswego Speedway welcomes the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour back to Upstate New York for the first time since 2019 this Saturday (June 12).
This week’s race marks the fifth race of 2021 and first of two stops at the ⅝-mile track this year, but Saturday night’s Steel Palace 150 could offer a significant shakeup in the points standings. Six-time tour champion and Riverhead Raceway winner Doug Coby will not compete this weekend despite sitting third in points, only five points behind current points leader Patrick Emerling.
RACE INFO: Race Center for this week
The heat for the top spot of the tour is quickly heating up as Emerling leads Justin Bonsignore, last week’s winner at Jennerstown Speedway, by a single point. Bonsignore is also the most recent Oswego winner in a modified, earning the checkered flag in the 2019 Toyota Mod Classic.
Action in Oswego is sure to reach a fever pitch, though, with some familiar names returning to the circuit this weekend.
Fans can attend the race (buy tickets) as well as watch the race live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.
Steel Palace 150
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
With his JTG-Daugherty Racing No. 37 team opting out of the NASCAR All-Star Race weekend, Ryan Preece will hop behind the wheel of the No. 6 Chevrolet owned by Ed Partridge in an attempt to score his second Oswego victory, having won there previously in 2017.
Matt Hirschman will also make his season debut this weekend in the No. 60 car for Roy Hall. Hirschman has three career tour wins, the last of which came at Oswego in 2018.
But all eyes will be on Justin Bonsignore, who led 81 of 150 laps en route to victory lane the last time the modifieds hit Oswego Speedway. In four starts at the storied facility, Bonsignore’s record is astounding with finishes of third, sixth, second and first.
His next-best competition would have been Doug Coby, who also has four starts and finishes of first, fourth, third and sixth. Instead, Chase Dowling will hop into the No. 10 Ford to make his season debut in his place. Dowling has three Oswego starts under his belt, netting finishes of eighth, 12th and ninth since 2016.
Points leader Patrick Emerling, who won at Stafford Motor Speedway to close the month of April, enters with a history of scattered performances at Oswego. Half of his four starts have resulted in top-10 finishes of fifth and seventh, but the other two have ended in mediocre runs with finishes of 18th and 14th. His point lead may be in peril knowing Bonsignore’s more impressive resume at Oswego.
Eric Goodale took home the checkered flag at the season-opening race at Martinsville Speedway but comes into the event fourth in points. Oswego has treated the Riverhead, New York native well with two fifth-place finishes and a seventh-place effort in his last three starts.
RACING REFERENCE:
- 2021 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Points
- Past NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Races at Oswego
- NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Drivers at Oswego
RACE FACTS
| Race | Steel Palace 150 |
| Date | Saturday, June 12, 2021 |
| Track | Oswego Speedway |
| Layout | 0.675-mile oval |
| Location | Oswego, New York |
| Start time | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| Laps | 150 |
| Miles | 101.25 |
| Tickets | OswegoSpeedway.com |
| TV channel | NBCSN (Delayed: Sunday, June 20, 10 a.m. ET) |
| Live stream | TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold |
RELATED:
CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the Steel Palace 150 is limited to 28 starters including provisionals. The field will be set by qualifying (1-22) and provisional process per the entry blank (23-28) for the Steel Palace 150. In the event that qualifying as stated on the entry blank does not take place for any unforeseen circumstance, the field will be set in accordance with the 2021 NASCAR Touring Series Rule Book.
QUALIFYING: Two consecutive qualifying laps. Faster lap determines qualifying position. Adjustments or repairs may not be made on the vehicle after the vehicle has taken the green flag at the start/finish line. NASCAR reserves the right to have more than one vehicle engage in qualifying runs at the same time.
The maximum tire allotment available for this event is as follows: The maximum tire allotment available for this event is eleven (11) tires per team. All tires used for qualifying and the race must be purchased at the track and scanned by Hoosier, unless otherwise approved in advance by the Series Director. Four (4) tires must be used for qualifying and to begin the race. All qualifying tires must remain in impound until released by NASCAR Officials. The remaining tire allotment may be used for practice and/or change tires during the event.
The tire change rule is four (4) tires, any position.
QUALIFYING AND SPECIAL AWARDS
$400 Phil Kurze Halfway Leader Award presented by Josten’s per event award to the race leader at the halfway point of the event, regardless if the race is running under green or yellow.
$600 Hoosier Tire “Lap Leader” per event award to the eligible car owner whose driver leads the most laps in each event. In the event of a tie, the award will go to the highest finishing car in the event.
$500 Hoosier Tire “Hard Charger” per event award to the highest finishing eligible driver who advances the most positions during the course of the race. In the case of a tie, the highest finishing driver will receive the award.
$500 Hoosier Tire “Most Improved” per event award to the eligible new team/organization whose driver improves the most positions during the course of the race. In the event of a tie, the award will go to the highest finishing car in the event. If money is not awarded during this event, funds will roll over to the next event and will continue to roll over until an eligible new team/organization claims the money.
$1,000 Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole per event award to the driver with the fastest qualifying time eligible to participate under the Manufacturers’ Prize Money Conditions.
$550 Sunoco Spec Fuel award divided: 1st-$300 5th-$150 10th-$100.
$3,500 Whelen Engineering “Winner of the Race” award to the winning driver.
Whelen Non-Starter award will be paid to the first 15 competitors throughout the season who pass inspection, practice, attempt to qualify, but fail to make the feature event.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Comcast is proud to announce nominations for the 2021 Comcast Community Champion of the Year are now open through Aug. 2, 2021 at ComcastCommunityChampion.com. In its seventh year, this prestigious annual award serves to recognize the philanthropic efforts of individuals within the NASCAR industry.
Created in 2015, the Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award is designed to honor the incredible efforts of NASCAR industry members who are giving selflessly to improve their communities. Comcast will select and honor three finalists, sharing their stories publicly. A committee of NASCAR & Comcast executives will then determine the Comcast Community Champion of the Year, awarding $60,000 to the champion’s affiliated charity and $30,000 to each of the two finalists’ selected charities later this year.
“Uplifting communities is one of our core values at Comcast, and we’re honored to recognize the selfless individuals from the NASCAR family going above and beyond to support their local communities,” said Matt Lederer, Comcast’s Vice President, Brand Partnerships and Amplification. “We’re calling on race fans and industry family members to nominate these unseen heroes so we can continue to highlight the amazing work and causes they are supporting.”
Eligible award recipients from NASCAR’s top-three national series are:
- Race team owners, employees and drivers
- Employees from tracks on the 2021 schedule
- NASCAR officials
- Motorsports media members
Since the inception of the program, Comcast has donated more than $700,000 to 18 different nonprofit organizations, furthering the impact of the philanthropic efforts of all finalists and champions. Past champions include:
- NASCAR driver, Bubba Wallace, representing the Live To Be Different Foundation
- Dover International Speedway President, Mike Tatoian, representing USO Delaware
- NASCAR champion, Joey Logano, representing the Joey Logano Foundation
- Chip Ganassi Racing’s pit crew department representing Ronald McDonald House
- JR Motorsports fabricator, Wade Jackson, representing Camp LUCK
- NASCAR driver, Joey Gase, representing the Iowa Donor Network
“It was a tremendous honor to be named Comcast Community Champion last season,” said NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace. “Comcast’s generosity has helped the Live To Be Different Foundation continue to empower the next generation to build a better and more inclusive society by removing barriers and fulfilling dreams.”
Comcast has a storied history of strengthening communities each and every day of the year providing education opportunities and digital skills training to help create more pathways to economic mobility for young people and adults alike. In March, on the 10th anniversary of the Internet Essentials program, Comcast announced it would invest $1 billion over the next 10 years to further close the digital divide and provide even more low-income Americans the tools and resources they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. In 2020, Comcast provided nearly $500 million in total support to 4,500 nonprofit partners sharing Comcast’s commitment to creating a more connected and equitable world.
Kyle Larson has claimed the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway(8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) after the lineup was determined via random draw Tuesday afternoon.
Larson, who has won the last two NASCAR Cup Series races, will start his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet from the pole position. Larson is one of three drivers with multiple wins in 2021, joining Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. and teammate Alex Bowman. The 2019 NASCAR All-Star Race winner will start on the front row alongside Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.
RELATED: Texas All-Star weekend schedule | 2021 Cup Series standings
The starting lineup for the NASCAR All-Star Open was also determined via owner points. Tyler Reddick’s No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet started first alongside a fellow former Xfinity Series champ in Chris Buescher in the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford.
See the full lineup for Sunday’s All-Star Race race below (updated after Sunday’s All-Star Open).
| Start pos. |
Driver | Car # | Team |
| 1 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2 | Kyle Busch | 18 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 3 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 4 | Cole Custer | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 5 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 6 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 7 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske |
| 8 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 9 | Brad Keselowski | 2 | Team Penske |
| 10 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 11 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 12 | Kevin Harvick | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 13 | Kurt Busch | 1 | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 14 | Ryan Newman | 6 | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 15 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 16 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 17 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske |
| 18 | Ross Chastain | 42 | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 19 | Tyler Reddick | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 20 | Aric Almirola | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 21 | Matt DiBenedetto | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
See the full lineup for Sunday’s All-Star Open race below (lineup determined by driver points)
| Start pos. |
Driver | Car # | Team |
| 1 | Tyler Reddick | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 2 | Chris Buescher | 17 | Roush Fenway Racing |
| 3 | Matt DiBenedetto | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 4 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
| 5 | Ross Chastain | 42 | Chip Ganassi Racing |
| 6 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
| 7 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing Team |
| 8 | Erik Jones | 43 | Richard Petty Motorsports |
| 9 | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 10 | Aric Almirola | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
| 11 | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
| 12 | Anthony Alfredo | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 13 | Quin Houff | 00 | StarCom Racing |
| 14 | James Davison | 15 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 15 | Josh Bilicki | 52 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 16 | Austin Cindric | 33 | Team Penske |
| 17 | Cody Ware | 51 | Petty Ware Racing |
| 18 | BJ McLeod | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports |
| 19 | Justin Haley | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
| 20 | Garrett Smithley | 53 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 21 | Timmy Hill | 66 | MBM Motorsports |
| 22 | David Starr | 13 | MBM Motorsports |
NASCAR officials fined the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team Tuesday for a lug-nut infraction after Sunday’s Cup Series event at Sonoma Raceway.
Race officials found one lug nut not safely secured in a post-race check after the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at the 2.52-mile road course. Running afoul of Section 10.9.10.4 in the NASCAR Rule Book meant a $10,000 fine for James Small, crew chief for JGR’s No. 19 team.
RELATED: Official Sonoma results
Martin Truex Jr. drove the No. 19 Toyota to a third-place finish. Kyle Larson prevailed in the race, snapping a modest two-race win streak for Truex on the California circuit.
No post-race penalties emerged from last weekend’s event for the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
NASCAR competition officials announced rules changes Tuesday with the intent to slow Cup Series cars by approximately 7-10 mph at superspeedway events.
Officials issued the rules bulletin to teams Tuesday afternoon, mandating a smaller tapered spacer for NASCAR’s largest ovals, with the opening reduced from 57/64-inch to 53/64-inch. The rules also remove the wicker from the spoiler, and a reinforced roll bar that was previously optional — behind the driver compartment and near the rear wheel well — is now mandatory.
RELATED: 2021 Cup Series schedule
The changes will be in effect for the Cup Series’ next superspeedway event, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Aug. 28 at Daytona International Speedway. The race is scheduled as the Cup Series’ regular-season finale, and the 16-driver playoff field will be determined after its conclusion.
The rules shift comes in the wake of Joey Logano’s rollover crash in the series’ most recent superspeedway race, April 25 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Logano’s No. 22 Team Penske Ford went airborne in a multicar stack-up, skidding on its roof before sliding back to a stop on all four wheels. He emerged unhurt, but was vocal in advocating for safety measures on NASCAR’s fastest ovals.
A day after the crash, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Scott Miller said that keeping cars planted to the racing surface in the event of a high-speed spin was “something that we’ve been working on and will continue to work on.” Miller said NASCAR competition officials would collaborate with crew chiefs, drivers and team engineers to work through all suggestions and details.
The Cup Series returns to Talladega for the final superspeedway event of the year Oct. 3. It’s scheduled as the final such race for the current-generation Cup Series model before the Next Gen car makes its debut in the 2022 Daytona 500.
The rules bulletin also mandated that two flashing brake lights would be required on Cup Series cars in the event of rain at road-course events. NASCAR officials recently instituted the same rule for Xfinity Series events.