Trio of USO Service Members of the Year go above and beyond

Posted on May 25, 2021 by Staff Report

The 2021 NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola campaign is more than just a military appreciation platform — it’s a campaign that salutes heroes next door. Each week, NASCAR.com will highlight multiple individuals who have made a difference with their service both in the military and to their communities.

In the latest profiles, NASCAR.com is highlighting three 2020 USO Service Members of the Year: SGT Mary Ehiarinmwian (USO Soldier of the Year), PO2 Andrew J. Fleming (USO Coast Guard Guardsman of the Year and Sgt Nolan P. McShane (USO Marine of the Year).

SGT Mary Ehiarinmwian/Photo courtesy of USO

SGT Ehiarinmwian was driving to conduct Physical Readiness Training (PRT) at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. On her way to PRT, she was unknowingly driving behind a vehicle of a soldier from the same unit when that vehicle suddenly lost control and rolled over several times before coming to a rest, upside down, on a steel property gate – almost impaling the driver.

She pulled her vehicle over and rendered assistance, seeing if the driver was injured before pulling the driver from the smoking vehicle and getting him to safety. Ehiarinmwian stayed with the driver until medical assistance arrived on site. She currently serves with the U.S. Army’s 523rd Engineer Support Company and is from St. Robert, Missouri.

PO2 Fleming was conducting on-water booming operations off the coast of Georgia in his role as a marine science technician when a report of a capsized recreational finishing vessel came over his radio. He quickly directed his workboat to respond to assist in the recovery of two mariners from the capsized vessel. Upon his arrival at the scene, Fleming was able to pull the mariners from the water. One was unconscious and he successfully performed CPR and was able to resuscitate. While everyone was en route to Station Brunswick, he noticed the second mariners was showing signs of hypothermia and shock. Fleming moved quickly to remove the mariner’s soaked outer clothing and wrapped him in his own jacket to retain body heat as they made their way to the station.

PO2 Andrew J. Fleming/Photo courtesy of USO

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fleming led the efforts to establish protocols for Sector New York’s remote facility inspection program. This helped to safeguard branch personnel from exposure to the virus and planned operations to ensure that the 200 facilities within the area of responsibility remained compliant with protocols. He serves in the U.S Coast Guard’s Sector New York and is from Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Sgt McShane (pictured above) was honored for his quick thinking during a training exercise in Twentynine Palms, California. In the course of the exercise, a Marine become severely wounded and McShane moved quickly to control the chaotic site, while confirming tourniquet placement and inspecting the pressure dressings on the wounded Marine. His calmness, leadership and tactical knowledge were vital in stabilizing the Marine prior to the air medical evacuation to the local hospital. He currently serves with the U.S. Martine Corps’ 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and hails from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The details of the honorees brave actions were provided by the USO.

Posted on May 25, 2021May 25, 2021 by Press Release

ATTLEBORO, Mass. — All NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour teams will carry the name of a fallen hero on their roof decal this Saturday, May 29, at Jennerstown Speedway. As part of a partnership with Operation Vet NOW Inc. (OVN), JDV Productions — led by Josh Vanada — and NASCAR, the fourth race of the Whelen Modified Tour season will be the Jennerstown Salutes 150 presented by DGV.

The race — which comes on Memorial Day weekend — will honor those lost fighting in war for the freedoms of the United States of America, and beyond. Some of the heroes that will be on the Modifieds hit close to home for the drivers — with some carrying the name of their lost family members.

The list of heroes includes members of the Air Force, Marine’s, Army and Navy, with a mix of Captains, Majors, Staff Sergeants, Corporals, Master Sergeants, Sergeant 1st Class, Warrant Officers, Seaman, Lieutenant’s and more. The list includes heroes who earned the Medal of Honor, Silver Star and Bronze Star — and some who were a Prisoner of War or Missing in Action. It should be a special day for all involved. As the race day draws near, promoters have come together to release a list of the fallen heroes that will be honored on Saturday (see below).

J.B. Fortin, who is in the middle of his third straight year of full-time Whelen Modified Tour racing, returns to Jennerstown for the third time in his career, looking to earn his first top-10 at the Pennsylvania oval. Fortin will carry the name of Air Force Airman First Class Gerard J Fortin — his grandfather — for Saturday’s event.

It’s a special moment for J.B. and the entire Fortin family. His father, John Fortin Sr., is coming off a win in NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series action at Riverhead Raceway last weekend, and the entire team is ready to honor their family member with a strong run in his honor.

“It’s big for me, and it would mean a lot to me to go out there and have a good run, especially on a weekend like this,” J.B. Fortin said. “My grandfather was my best friend when I was younger… we were inseparable. I actually have a tattoo with the Air Force symbol on my arm with his name on it. He never really got to see me race, moving down to Florida before I really got going. When NASCAR approached me and asked what name I would like to carry, I told them right away I was using my grandfather. No doubt about it.”

As previously released, two-time Whelen Modified Tour champion Justin Bonsignore will carry the name of Air Force Staff Sergeant David Weiger, and Weiger’s family will also be in attendance on Saturday’s as a Gold Star Family. Both of Weiger’s parents, and his brother, will be at Jennerstown Speedway to watch Bonsignore wheel the No. 51 Phoenix Communications machine.

Jon McKennedy, driving for Tommy Baldwin Racing, will carry the name of Army Sergeant Jason McClary — while McClary’s brother will be in attendance. The Wing Man & Name sake of Army Warrant Officer James L Darcy will be at the track, with Ron Silk carrying his name on top of his Kevin Stuart Motorsports No. 85 for the 150-lap affair.

Craig Lutz, Tyler Rypkema and six-time Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby will carry the name of a hero who earned the Medal of Honor — the highest honor in the United States military from 1863 to current — with just over 3,500 awarded the honor.

Additional names may be added to the list if additional entries are received prior to race day. As of Tuesday, May 25, 23 cars are entered for the Jennerstown Salutes 150 presented by DGV.

Operation Vet NOW Inc. (OVN), a non-profit organization established to reduce veteran suicide and improve the overall wellness of veterans, regardless of era served, through innovative outreach experiences. OVN concentrates on veterans who suffer from the invisible injuries of PTSD, TBI, combat and transition stress issues, and mental health concerns, stemming from military service, connecting them to heal their mind, body and soul.

As part of a one-day show, the Jennerstown local Late Models and Modifieds will also join the action. Practice begins at 2:45 p.m. for local divisions, with the only Whelen Modified Tour practice of the day set from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole qualifying, which will be single-car time trials, is set for 5:45 p.m. Following tour qualifying, local divisions will race, and the green flag in the Jennerstown Salutes 150, presented by DGV, will drop at 7:30 p.m.

General admission tickets are $30 for adults, with advance tickets now on sale at JDVProductions.com. A discounted ticket of $27 will be offered for Active Duty Military and Veterans. Tickets will also be available at the gate on the day of the race. Pit passes will be sold at the track only and are also available to the general public. There are no capacity restrictions in place for the event. The race will also air to a live audience on NBC Sports Gold through their TrackPass platform, which will include a special opening ceremony.

For more information on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, visit nascar.com. For more information on JDV Productions, visit JDV Productions on Facebook and follow at JDVProductions.com.

CONFIRMED FALLEN HEROES ON WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR CARS AT JENNERSTOWN:

01 — Melissa Fifield — Air Force Captain Frederick A Reid
07 — Patrick Emerling — Air Force Major James A Crew
1 — Woody Pitkat — Marine Staff Sergeant Robert L Babula
2 — Chuck Hossfeld — Private 1st Class Marine Paul A Gilbert
5 — Kyle Ebersole — Lance Corporal Marine Abram Howard
7 — Jon McKennedy — Army Sergeant Jason McClary
10 — Doug Coby — Air Force Master Sergeant John Chapman
14 — Scott Wylie — Army First Lieutenant James R Kalsu
22 — Kyle Bonsignore — Lance Corporal Marine Joshua T Twigg
32 — Tyler Rypkema — Army Sergeant 1st Class Randall Shughart
34 — JB Fortin — Air Force Airman First Class Gerard J Fortin
36 — David Sapienza — Air Force Staff Sergeant Dashawn Briggs
45 — Timmy Catalano — Army Sergeant First Class Brent Adams
46 — Craig Lutz — Army Private 1st Class Melvin Brown
51 — Justin Bonsignore — Air Force Staff Sergeant David Wieger
54 — Tommy Catalano — Army Sergeant First Class Justin K Bluementhal
58 — Eric Goodale — Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy
64 — Timmy Solomito — Air Force Staff Sergeant Dylan Elchin
77 — Max McLaughlin — Navy Seaman Ralph L Hann
78 — Walter Sutcliffe — Army Specialist Christopher A Golby
82 — Anthony Nocella — Army Staff Sergeant Stevon Booker
85 — Ron Silk — Army Warrant Officer James L Darcy

Posted on May 25, 2021May 25, 2021 by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Due to logistical challenges resulting from the ongoing pandemic, NASCAR has shifted the second race in the Camping World Truck Series Playoffs, originally scheduled to take place in Ontario, Canada at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, to Darlington Raceway. The race will be the first of a Sunday Playoffs doubleheader at Darlington and will begin at its originally scheduled time (Sunday, Sept. 5, 1:30 p.m. ET, FS1). The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs will kick off its 10-week playoff run later that evening (6 p.m. ET, NBCSN).

The NASCAR Xfinity Series will open a trio of races at The Lady In Black on Labor Day Weekend when cars hit the track on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Darlington Raceway also hosted all three NASCAR national series for Throwback Weekend, May 7-9. In the Friday night NASCAR Camping World Truck Series affair, Sheldon Creed took home his first victory of 2021 after outdueling Ben Rhodes on the final two restarts of the race.

The Camping World Truck Series Playoffs get underway at World Wide Technology Raceway on Friday, Aug. 20 at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular season continues this Friday, May 28 at 8:30 p.m. ET from Charlotte Motor Speedway, airing live on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The NASCAR Cup Series highlights Memorial Day Weekend festivities at Charlotte Motor Speedway when the world’s best drivers compete in one of NASCAR’s most storied races, the Coca-Cola 600, on Sunday, May 30 at 6 p.m. ET, live on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Posted on May 24, 2021 by Terrin Waack

AUSTIN, Texas — NASCAR managed Mother Nature’s temper Sunday the best it could.

As the Cup Series made its race debut at the Circuit of The Americas’ 3.41-mile road course, it also took on its first true rain race in the modern era. Teams were equipped with proper wet-weather tires, but the circuit’s 20 turns were still slippery given the amount of water sustained. And the required windshield wiper couldn’t do much to help visibility issues if teams chose to turn it on.

The EchoPark Texas Grand Prix ultimately ended prematurely, as Chase Elliott was named victor with 14 laps remaining in the 68-lap event.

“I would kind of own the fact that maybe we did let it go a little too long there before we did something,” said Scott Miller, NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition. “But it’s a learning experience for all of us. We will learn. We will be better next time.”

Officials threw the yellow flag for safety on Lap 54 and quickly changed it to red for track-drying purposes. The race was called not long after the volume of water was deemed too much to continue.

Overall, there were five cautions for 13 laps. That doesn’t seem like much, considering one was for a car stalling early and two were for stage breaks. The initial cause for concern were the wrecks in Stage 2.

On Lap 19, there were two incidents. Christopher Bell ran into the rear of Ryan Blaney, and Bubba Wallace crashed into the back of Kevin Harvick.

“We don’t have any business being out in the rain, period,” Harvick said in the garage. “All I can say is this is the worst decision that we’ve ever made in our sport that I’ve been a part of, and I’ve never felt more unsafe in my whole racing career, period.”

Said Miller post-race: “Harvick has his right to his opinion. I don’t think that’s probably an opinion that’s universally shared among the drivers, and we certainly don’t want to put anybody in harm’s way out there. It’s a tough job for us to balance — a competitive event, a good show for the fans and the drivers’ best interest.”

Cole Custer and Martin Truex Jr. were then involved in a Lap 25 accident that saw Truex’s car get lifted and Custer’s car set fire. Truex bumped the rear of Michael McDowell after he checked up, which slowed Truex to a point where Custer drove into him.

McDowell (seventh) and Blaney (17th) went on to complete the race. Truex, Custer, Harvick, Bell and Wallace had their days cut short and made up the 35th through 39th finishing positions in order. They were all able to exit their vehicles under their own power and were also evaluated at the infield care center before being released.

“If you get in a crash, you’re going to say that, and rightfully so,” third-place Joey Logano said of Harvick’s comments. “They have a point. You can’t see and you crash, it becomes dangerous, yes. … Just like your superspeedway stuff. There is no difference, right? There’s moments where it’s just dangerous, and we need to continue to look to find ways to be better at it.”

The main obstacle here: Drivers couldn’t see well, especially when at full speed with rooster tails. Miller said NASCAR is already thinking about ways to solve that problem — such as looking into where the water is emanating from and seeing if there’s a way to cut the spray down.

Hydroplaning was another topic of discussion, but that has to do with standing water more than anything and goes back to judgement calls by NASCAR.

Miller does not envision what happened Sunday preventing NASCAR from racing in the rain again. There are five more road-course stops left on the schedule, starting with Sonoma Raceway in two weeks, and that’s where rain-racing opportunities could soon arise.

“All the time, I say this is the safest sport when it comes to automobile racing,” Logano said. “No. 1. NASCAR is No. 1. But we’re that way because of that mentality to be better, better and better.”

Posted on May 24, 2021June 21, 2021 by Staff Report

Jennerstown Speedway returned to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule last year for the first time in 15 years, and immediately proved to be the wild card track on the slate.

Not only were there two different winners, eight different drivers scored a top five and 15 different drivers walked away from the Pennsylvania track with at least one top 10.

Eric Goodale and Patrick Emerling head to the fourth race of the 2021 season tie atop the championship standings, but averaged a 14.5 finish at Jennerstown last year with a best run of 12th by Emerling in the second race.

What does that all mean for Saturday night’s Jennerstown Salutes 150 presented by DGV? The first of two trips to western Pennsylvania could further shake up an already unpredictable championship race.

RELATED LINKS:

RACE INFO: Jennerstown Salutes 150 presented by DGV At Jennerstown Speedway

The race will take on special significance as part of Memorial Day weekend. In special partnership with Operation Vet NOW Inc., event-promoter JDV Productions will honor those lost serving the country in war, while also keeping in mind those who are currently serving, or suffering from effects from war, including but not limited to PTSD, TBI, mental health, and combat and transition stress issues.

The race will include special appearances by Gold Star Family members and each NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour cars will each carry the name of a veteran lost in war.

Fans can attend the race (buy tickets) as well as watch the race live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.

Jennerstown Salutes 150 presented by DGV

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

Just two drivers – Craig Lutz and Justin Bonsignore — walked away from Jennerstown with a pair of top five finishes. Fittingly, each visited Victory Lane. Bonsignore lead all 133 laps in the opener, crossing the finish line 1.1776 seconds ahead of runner-up Lutz. Bonsignore led the first 110 laps of the return before Lutz got past him. Bonsignore faded to fifth, and Lutz held off Dave Sapienza in a late sprint to the finish.

Fast forward to the return to the track, and the two drivers responsible for winning nine of the 14 races from Aug. 31, 2019, through last year have yet to break through this season.

Lutz has had tough luck this year, and will look to Jennerstown to get that turned around. Bonsignore watched a win at his home track, Riverhead Raceway, slip away to Doug Coby in the closing laps.

Just 14 points separate Goodale and Emerling from sixth-place Tommy Catalano.

Among that group is Kyle Bonsignore and Coby. On the outside looking in are a trio of expected championship contenders in Jon McKennedy (eighth, 26 points back), Ron Silk (10th, 34 points out) and Lutz (12th, 44 points behind). Silk was sixth in the 2020 opener and then notably elected to skip the return trip. He wound up rebounding from a slow start to the season with top three runs in the final five races.

That

RACING REFERENCE:

RACE FACTS

RACE	Jennerstown Salutes 150 presented by DGV
PLACE	Jennerstown Speedway in Jennerstown, Pa.
DATE	Saturday, May 29, 2021
TIME	7:15 p.m. ET
TV/LIVE STREAM	TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold (live) / NBCSN – (Thursday, June 3, 5 p.m. ET)
TRACK LAYOUT	0.522-mile paved oval
LAPS	150
MILES	78.3
EVENT SCHEDULE	Saturday, May 29 — Garage opens: 1:15 p.m. ET; Practice: 3:30-4:30 p.m.; Qualifying: 5:45 p.m.; Jennerstown Salutes 150 presented by DGV: 7:15 p.m.
TWITTER	@NASCARRoots, @jtownspeedway, @_TrackPass

RELATED:

Jennerstown Salutes 150 presented by DGV Entry List

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the Jennerstown Salutes 150 presented by DGV is limited to 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 Jennerstown Salutes 150 presented by DGV. 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 rollover to the next event and will continue to rollover 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.

Posted on May 24, 2021May 24, 2021 by Terrin Waack

AUSTIN, Texas — For 21 seasons, Petty Enterprises’ record 268 NASCAR Cup Series win remained untouched.

On Sunday, Hendrick Motorsports notched its own 268th victory to tie Petty Enterprises for most all-time at the sport’s top level. The driver of the team’s No. 9 Chevrolet, Chase Elliott, equaled out the playing field when he was declared victor of the rain-shortened Circuit of The Americas race in Austin, Texas. It marked Hendrick Motorsports’ fifth triumph in 2021.

“The boss has been on us heavy about that record,” Elliott said. “He wants that record, so super glad that we could help with that.”

Rick Hendrick’s Hendrick Motorsports has fielded entries since 1984. Richard Petty’s Petty Enterprises competed from 1949-2008; its last win was in 1999.

Hendrick has 13 titles, with the latest coming in 2020 by Elliott, while Petty’s 10th and final was in 1979 by The King, himself. Both organizations were home to a seven-time champion — Petty and Jimmie Johnson.

Petty Enterprises set the bar. Hendrick Motorsports met it.

“I really don’t know what to say other than Richard Petty and that organization have been the backbone of the sport,” Hendrick said. “Richard has done so much. It’s quite an honor to even be in the same series with him.

“Never thought we’d get here, but real proud of the guys.”

COTA was Elliott’s first win of the season. The additional four in-house victories are split among his three teammates — Alex Bowman (two), William Byron and Kyle Larson, who placed second to Elliott at COTA.

Bowman actually led Hendrick Motorsports’ first-ever 1-2-3-4 finish last week at Dover International Speedway. That has only ever happened three other times in the sport’s history, once in the modern era.

“I think it’s the best it’s ever been for us, to have a balance of four cars that are running that well,” Hendrick said. “We usually had one or two — Jeff’s domination, Jimmie’s dominating.”

Jeff Gordon stands as Hendrick Motorsports’ winningest driver with 93 to his name. Johnson then follows with 83. Both spent their entire career with Hendrick.

Elliott is then tied with Terry Labonte for third-most at 12 wins.

Elliott’s recent trophy actually achieved yet another milestone, this one for Chevrolet. The manufacturer now has 800 wins — the series’ best mark by 92 (Ford).

“They’re a great partner to me personally,” Elliott said. “They’ve played a massive role in the success of Hendrick Motorsports, past and present. A great group to work with, so super proud of them.

“Obviously there’s a lot of guys — a lot more guys than me — that have contributed to that banner.”

Chevrolet’s 400th, 500th, 600th and 700th milestone victories were thanks to Hendrick Motorsports drivers. Labonte tallied No. 400 at Richmond Raceway in 1994, Gordon hit 500 at Watkins Glen International in 2001, Kyle Busch notched 600 at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2007, and Johnson grabbed 700 at Texas Motor Speedway in 2012.

In fact, every Hendrick Motorsports win was powered by a Chevrolet, dating back to Geoffrey Bodine’s first trip to Victory Lane in 1984 at Martinsville Speedway.

“The support from Chevrolet has been awesome all these years,” Hendrick said. “They’ve always been there. I appreciate that a bunch. You stick with a manufacturer, you go through times where you think your car is not as good, then you hit a streak and you get it all figured out.”

Hendrick Motorsports currently seems to have it all figured out with Chevrolet. All four of its drivers are provisionally locked into the playoffs with 14 races down and 12 to go in the regular season. No chance any one of them is taking his foot off the gas either; a crown jewel awaits.

The annual Coca-Cola 600 is Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway (6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM).

“Man, I don’t know,” Hendrick said. “It would sure be nice to win another one in Charlotte. That would be the place to really break the record.”

Posted on May 23, 2021May 23, 2021 by Staff Report

Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet both hit heady milestones with a win on Sunday during NASCAR’s inaugural race on the 3.41-mile, 20-turn road course at The Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas.

Hendrick tied Richard Petty Enterprises for the most team victories in the NASCAR Cup Series with 268. Chevrolet also reached 800 wins as a manufacturer in the Cup Series.

Chase Elliott did the honors of taking the checkered flag for the rain-shortened event in the No. 9 Chevrolet. It was his 12th victory in the NASCAR Cup Series and his first this season. It came on the heels of teammate Alex Bowman’s win last weekend at Dover International Speedway in a race in which Hendrick cars finished 1-2-3-4. This time Hendrick went 1-2 with Kyle Larson coming in behind Elliott at COTA.

“This is two in a row for Hendrick Motorsports and the 800th win for Chevrolet,” Elliott said. “I couldn’t be more proud of Chevy and it’s the 268th win for Hendrick Motorsports.”

Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt are among the best-known drivers with the most wins for the Chevrolet camp. Gordon earned all 93 of his Cup wins with Hendrick Motorsports and in a Chevrolet. Johnson did the same for all 83 of his Cup Series wins.

Chevrolet stands atop the manufacturer leaderboard with 800 Cup wins. Ford is next with 708 Cup victories. Toyota, which is relatively new to NASCAR, has 157 Cup wins.

“So proud of Chase Elliott and his No. 9 Camaro team for persevering all race long and handling such challenging conditions to deliver a big win at the first race at Circuit of The Americas,” said Jim Campbell, vice president of Chevrolet Performance and Motorsports. “Chase’s first win of the season is extra special as it was Hendrick Motorsports 268th Cup win and Chevrolet’s 800th Cup win.”

Chevrolet’s first Cup win came with driver Fonty Flock on March 26, 1955 at Columbia Speedway in South Carolina.

The drivers who helped Chevrolet earn other important milestone wins were:
100th win: 7/07/62 — Rex White – Columbia, South Carolina
200th win: 6/11/78 — Benny Parsons – Riverside, California
300th win: 4/20/86 — Dale Earnhardt – North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
400th win: 9/10/94 — Terry Labonte – Richmond, Virginia
500th win: 8/12/01 — Jeff Gordon – Watkins Glen, New York
600th win: 3/25/07 — Kyle Busch – Bristol, Tennessee
700th win: 11/4/12 — Jimmie Johnson – Ft. Worth, Texas

Posted on May 23, 2021May 23, 2021 by Reid Spencer

You can’t call a Chase Elliott victory on a road course “unexpected,” but little else was predictable in the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at the Circuit of The Americas road course in Austin, Texas.

After all, Elliott came to COTA having won five of the previous 10 road races, and on Sunday the EchoPark Texas Grand Prix became No. 6 after NASCAR called the race 14 laps short of the scheduled finish because of excessive standing water on the track and potential danger to the drivers.

RELATED: Official results

Elliott’s first victory of the season and 12th of his career accounted for significant milestones. He delivered the 268th Cup win for Hendrick Motorsports, tying the organization with Petty Enterprises for most all-time.

It was also the 800th NASCAR Cup Series victory for Chevrolet.

“Yeah, man, I couldn’t be more excited,” said Elliott, the reigning Cup champion, who is tied for third with Rusty Wallace in all-time road-course wins. “I’ve never won a rain race before, so it’s kind of cool. Just super-proud of our team for continuing to fight.

“We kind of started the day, and we weren’t very good. I just kept pushing myself and (we) made some good changes throughout the day and got to where I think we were on pace with those guys there at the end.”

A week after Hendrick drivers finished 1-2-3-4 at Dover, the organization grabbed the top two spots at the 3.41-mile, 20-turn road course, with Kyle Larson running second when NASCAR red-flagged the event after 54 of a planned 68 and then called it when the rain failed to abate.

Joey Logano ran third, followed by Ross Chastain and AJ Allmendinger. Chase Briscoe, Michael McDowell, Alex Bowman, pole winner Tyler Reddick and Kyle Busch completed the top 10.

William Byron finished 11th, ending his streak of consecutive top-10 results at 11.

For all but the first few laps, drivers raced in the rain until it became too heavy to continue.

With challenging visibility on the long, high-speed backstretch, a crash on Lap 25 brought the race to a halt for the first time. Martin Truex Jr. slammed into the back of the Ford of Michael McDowell, who had slowed in traffic.

In a chain reaction, the Ford of Cole Custer plowed into the back of Truex’s damaged Toyota, lifting the rear of the Camry off the pavement. Custer then hit the Armco barrier to the inside of the straight. Custer hastily exited the crippled Mustang, which had lit on fire.

NASCAR red-flagged the race and sent track dryers out to remove water from the racing surface.

“I’m all good,” Custer said after a trip to the infield care center. “It didn’t hurt as much as I thought it was going to be, but it’s just that you can’t see anything. It’s pretty bad. I mean, you can’t see a foot in front of your car.

“I was just rolling down the backstretch. You can’t see anything. I’m just so frustrated about having our day end like this. It killed the car, and it’s just really frustrating.”

The cars of Custer and Truex were damaged too severely to continue. Before that wreck occurred, Kevin Harvick and Bubba Wallace already had been eliminated in a similar low-visibility crash on Lap 19.

Even before the race went green, teams were faced with a choice. With rain seemingly imminent but the track dry to start the event, would a change to slick tires be in order, or would crew chiefs opt to stay on rain tires, which NASCAR had mandated for the initial roll off pit road.

Most of the field opted for slicks, and Austin Cindric streaked to an early lead. But the rain intensified, and those who had taken the green on dry tires soon came to pit road for rain tires.

Earlier in the day, in only the second Cup qualifying session of the 2021 season, Reddick won the pole in dry conditions with a lap at 92.363 mph. The pole was the first for a Richard Childress Racing driver on a road course since Dale Earnhardt was top qualifier for the last time in his career in August 1996 at Watkins Glen.

“Road racing has been a big challenge in my career, and I’ve worked really hard to get better at it,” said Reddick, who qualified fifth in the rain and finished eighth in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race. “Running yesterday’s NXS race helped me with some valuable seat time, so it’s great to see all that hard work come together with a pole.”

NOTE: Following post-race inspection, Chase Elliott was confirmed as the race winner. There were no other issues.

Posted on May 23, 2021 by Staff Report

Which channels have NASCAR programming this week? We answer that and give the weekly NASCAR television listings here in the NASCAR TV schedule.

Note: All times are ET.

MORE: How to find NBCSN | Get the NBC Sports App | How to find FS1 | Get FOX Sports App

Monday, May 24
4:30 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series: EchoPark Texas Grand Prix at COTA (re-air), FS1
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
7 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: EchoPark Texas Grand Prix at COTA (re-air), FS1
10:30 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: EchoPark Texas Grand Prix at COTA (re-air), FS2

Tuesday, May 25
1:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: Toyota Tundra 225 at COTA (re-air), FS2
2:30 p.m., IMSA: Prototype Challenge at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (tape delay), NBCSN
3:30 p.m., IMSA: Mazda MX-5 Cup at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (tape delay), NBCSN
4:30 p.m., IMSA: Michelin Pilot Challenge at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (re-air), NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Wednesday, May 26
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
7 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Radioactive — Charlotte, FS1

Thursday, May 27
6 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Radioactive — Charlotte (re-air), FS2
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Radioactive — Charlotte (re-air), FS1
5:30 p.m., Dale Jr. Download, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: 2000th Episode, FS1

Friday, May 28
10:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Radioactive — Charlotte (re-air), FS2
11:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: Practice, FS2
4 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Practice, FS1
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: Qualifying, FS1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FS1
7 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Practice, FS1
8 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: Camping World Truck Series at Charlotte, FS1
8:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, FS1

On MRN:
8 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Saturday, May 29
1 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
7 a.m., The 600: History of NASCAR’s Toughest Race (re-air), FS1
8 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
10 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Qualifying, FS1
11 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Qualifying, FS1
Noon, NASCAR RaceDay: Xfinity Series at Charlotte, FS1
1 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, FS1 (Canada: TSN 5)
4 p.m., Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR, FS1
5 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
7 p.m., ARCA Menards Series: General Tire 150, FS1

On PRN:
11 a.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Qualifying
12:30 p.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

On MRN:
7 p.m., ARCA Menards Series: General Tire 150 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Sunday, May 30
Midnight, NASCAR Xfinity Series: Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
7:30 a.m., Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR (re-air), FS2
9 a.m., Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR (re-air), FS1
10 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Best of Radioactive — Charlotte, FS1
10:30 a.m., NASCAR Xfinity Series: Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (re-air), FS1
4:30 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: Cup Series at Charlotte, FS1
5:30 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: Cup Series at Charlotte, FOX
6 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, FOX (Canada: TSN 5)

On PRN:
5 p.m., NASCAR Cup Series: Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Posted on May 23, 2021 by Staff Report

NASCAR Cup Series points leader Denny Hamlin will be among several cars dropping to the rear prior to the start of Sunday’s EchoPark Texas Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas (2:30 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Hamlin’s No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota will drop to the rear for unapproved adjustments. He had battled some power steering issues in qualifying earlier on Sunday. He was slated to start 19th.

Also dropping to the rear for unapproved adjustments:
Aric Almirola (No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, was set to start 26th)
Chase Briscoe (No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, was set to start 27th)
James Davison (No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet, was set to start 32nd)
Chris Buescher (No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, was set to start 28th)
Anthony Alfredo (No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford, was set to start 37th)
Erik Jones (No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet, was set to start 29th)
Cody Ware (No. 51 Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet, was set to start 35th)
Daniel Suarez (No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet, was set to start 15th)

MORE: Full COTA guide for Sunday