Dover 101: Starting lineup, betting odds, key storylines

Posted on May 14, 2021May 14, 2021 by Sean Montgomery

After a stellar NASCAR throwback weekend, the Cup Series takes on the “Monster Mile” Sunday in the Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway (2 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Before you tune in for the race, take a look at a few important details you should know.

WHO’S ON THE POLE?

After a dominant performance at Darlington Raceway, Martin Truex Jr. earned his second Busch Pole Award of the season and sets the pace for this Sunday’s race at Dover. Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin fills out the top row, ahead of the Hendrick Motorsports duo of William Byron and Kyle Larson in row two.

Where does your driver start Sunday? See the full Drydene 400 starting lineup.

FAN ATTENDANCE, VIRTUAL FAN ZONE

General admission tickets for the 2021 Drydene 400 are sold out. However, premium packages may still be available at the Dover International Speedway event site.

Fans who are not able to attend still have a chance to interact with the Dover Mobile App or the interactive virtual fan zone.

BETTING ODDS, SLEEPER PICK

Truex has been on a tear lately and it’s caught the eye of oddsmakers across the board, as he enters this weekend a 7-2 favorite. Larson (9-2), Hamlin (5-1), Chase Elliott (7-1) and Kevin Harvick (7-1) stand in the way as the primary contenders, according to BetMGM Dover betting odds.

Notably, Hamlin and Harvick won here last year, but Dover only has one slot on the 2021 Cup Series schedule.

Outside of the usual favorites, one driver has impressively finished top five in three of the last four races at the track and was collected in an early wreck in the other — Alex Bowman. Bowman already has a win this season and arguably has his best performances at Dover. Look out for the new driver of the No. 48 to continue bringing a familiar number to Victory Lane.

RELATED: All-Star Race Fan Vote

RULES PACKAGE

The 2020 NASCAR rules package for short tracks and road courses will be in effect with a reduced downforce package that features a 1.17-inch tapered spacer used to achieve a target of 750 horsepower, a significantly smaller rear spoiler at 2.75 inches, a quarter-inch front splitter overhang with approximately 2-inch wings and alterations to the radiator pan and the removal of its vertical fencing to reduce front-end downforce.

GOODYEAR TIRES

Surfaced in 1995, the paved concrete track is the oldest on the Cup Series schedule and a terror on tires throughout the afternoon. For 400 miles around the 1-mile circuit, teams have nine sets of Goodyear Eagle Speedway Radials to conquer the “Monster Mile”.

The Minimum recommended tire inflation is 18 psi for the left side tires, 49 psi for the right front and 45 psi for the right rear.

“Dover poses several obvious challenges for us and the race teams,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “In addition to the concrete surface, the high banks and high horsepower put an emphasis on the importance of air pressures. Getting aggressive on-air pressures is definitely a way to gain grip, but that also carries a certain amount of risk. We added some grip to the left-side tire we bring to Dover for last season, and that has proven to help teams get the grip they need while helping protect the right-front position.

KEY STORYLINES, STATS

— There have been five different winners in the last five races at Dover (Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr. and Chase Elliott).

— 21 cars finished on the lead lap in the second race at Dover in 2020, tying the record for the most all-time.

— Hendrick Motorsports has 20 Dover wins (11 by Jimmie Johnson), totaling more than double any other organization. However, Hendrick has failed to reach Victory Lane in the last four, making it their longest winless streak since 2008.

— 10 different drivers have secured a checkered flag in the 12 races in 2021, with Martin Truex Jr. as the only repeat winner this season.

Source: Racing Insights

RELATED: Top all-time Dover lap leaders

FANTASY LIVE

Want to manage a team and race your way to the top of the leaderboards? Well, you can with 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 (529), Martin Truex Jr. (454) and William Byron (428).

ALSO ON NASCAR.COM

Get additional camera views by logging on to NASCAR Drive, where each week a select number of in-car cameras will be available – as well as a battle cam and an overhead look.

New for this season, NASCAR has partnered with LiveLike to add fan engagement in the NASCAR Mobile App. Log in to the mobile app during the race for polls, quizzes, the cheer meter and more – and see instant results from NASCAR fans like you.

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Holly Cain

It may have taken Justin Allgaier a couple races to get going this season, but the veteran is going and going fast. Last week’s Darlington Raceway winner is the only NASCAR Xfinity Series championship-eligible driver to have ever won on this week’s equally-notoriously tough track, the 1-mile Dover International Speedway. And he has done so twice.

Allgaier will line up second for Saturday’s Drydene 200 (1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) and is one of four drivers not only racing for a win but competing for a $100,000 bonus as part of the Xfinity Dash 4 Cash program.

Noah Gragson, whose bonus-winning fourth-place finish at Darlington was disqualified post-race Saturday then reinstated Wednesday on appeal, is eligible for the money again this weekend. Josh Berry and Brandon Jones join Allgaier and Gragson. Three of them – Allgaier, Gragson and Berry – are JR Motorsports teammates. Jones drives for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Allgaier earned his second career Dover victory in the first part of a doubleheader weekend last August at the track, finishing 1.977 seconds ahead of eventual series champion Austin Cindric and leading 120 of the 200 laps.

Allgaier and Cindric are the only two two-time race winners in 2021. And they show up Saturday as the race favorites. Allgaier has had eight top-five finishes in the last 10 races there – including a six-race streak from 2017-20 when he finished no worse than third at the Dover mile. The driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet has been runner-up three times overall, boasts a career average finish of 9.7 and led 334 of his career 353 laps led at Dover in just the last six races.

Historically, Allgaier has a tendency to go on winning runs. In 2018, he won twice in a five-race stretch and then three times in a five-race stretch later in the season. Last year, he won three times in a six-race late-summer stretch. His victory last weekend was his second in a four-race window.

“Dover has been a really good place for us these last couple of years and I can’t wait to get back there with this BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet,” Allgaier said. “Hopefully we can unload with the same speed that helped us get to Victory Lane last summer here and that we can come home with that $100,000 Dash 4 Chase prize from Xfinity. I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can do.”

Cindric’s showing at Dover last year – a runner-up and third-place finish – was indicative of a good weekend and what he is also capable of at the track. He has finished no worse than ninth in six career starts and has finished third or better in his last three races there.

The driver of the No. 22 Penske Racing Ford is looking to reclaim his early-season hot streak. After opening the year with five straight top-five runs, he has only a pair of top-10 finishes in the last four races. It’s still good enough to keep the 22-year-old 39 points ahead of second-place Daniel Hemric in the series driver standings.

Gragson, who will be going for his fourth consecutive Dash 4 Cash bonus check, has historically counted Dover as a good venue. The 22-year-old has four top-10 finishes in five starts there. He was fourth in the first race of the Dover doubleheader in 2020 – leading 27 laps – and sixth in the second race.

No doubt having won the appeal this week and shown himself a factor in the race, Gragson is hopeful Dover will be a turning point in a frustrating 2021 run. He has three DNFs coupled with five top-10 finishes. His best showing is a runner-up finish at Martinsville Speedway.

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Zack Albert

Editor’s note: If you or a loved one are struggling today, please reach out for support. Visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness website.

Every driver in NASCAR’s national ranks has a story, the details of the path that got them to that level. Those stories take hold, marking the key moments in the passage of time and in their own journey.

Telling the story of Cody Ware’s path not just to the NASCAR Cup Series but his growth to adulthood means acknowledging some hard truths and deep-rooted memories — that quote-unquote “real talk,” as it’s sometimes called. Those acknowledgements have gotten easier with each retelling through the years, and Ware has strived to use them as a positive — helping others and, in turn, healing himself.

“Honestly, for me it’s really easy now,” Ware says. “The biggest reason why I do it now isn’t for me, it’s for other people, so that other people who have had traumatic experiences or have dealt with things, whether their mental health issues have been with them since they were born, or coming from a bad experience. Just trying to tell my tale so that people don’t feel as alone, and that they can feel comfort in that it’s OK to not be OK, and to get help and to get better.”

Ware shared his story with NASCAR earlier this month, and his experiences with bullying in his youth and his walk with mental wellness are featured in a short film called, “The Battle Within.” The release coincides with Mental Health Awareness Month, a national movement to fight stigmas and offer support for individuals battling mental illness and their loved ones.

Ware has opened up with frank transparency about his past, using it as a means to move forward in his ongoing fight with the effects of depression. In the film, he details his relationship with the clique he fell in with as a teenager and how their interactions went from relatively minor mischief to a dark place. One day in woods, Ware’s group scattered and fled after soaking him with gasoline and setting his legs ablaze.

Help eventually came, and a painful recovery from severe burns followed. But so did mental anguish and a struggle to find his way after the trauma. That part of the story represented a long road back, but Ware found an outlet in following the path of his father, Rick, into motorsports. To this day, racing remains a refuge, one where he’s able to block out disruptions.

“It really just boils down to living in the moment,” Ware says. “When you’re doing something as all-intensive as driving a race car is, it just gets rid of the static and the chatter so all the doubts or fears that I might have that always are prevalent in day-to-day life, those thoughts just turn off because it’s just 110 percent focused on living in the moment and driving the race car to where — even if I wanted to — I don’t have time to think about all those other things that would normally worry me or bother me.

“So for me, racing obviously, it’s passion. I’m an adrenaline junkie, so I love the adrenaline, I love the intensity, but I also love the escape and the reprieve that driving a race car gives me from dealing with the issues that I deal with.”

While racing has often provided Ware with a sense of belonging and community, it hasn’t been a cure-all. The pressure of competing and sometimes finding conflict on the track steeped in the 2017 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, where Ware’s effort ended early after a crash with AJ Allmendinger and Matt DiBenedetto. Struggles in his day-to-day life fueled a post-race feud on social media, one that turned personal. It became a crossroads moment.

“Where it kind of came to a head and became that fork in the road was Darlington in 2017 where all the repressed emotions and trauma and hurt that I was feeling from my teenage years that obviously just couldn’t go ignored any longer or else it was going to end my career and ruin racing for me,” Ware says. “So that was the moment where I really needed to acknowledge that I needed to get help and I had to decide that that’s what I wanted to do because I didn’t want to lose racing and give up what was really the one thing I had to look forward to each week, which was getting to drive a race car.

Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images

“Having to kind of have my job and career put to the burner made me realize that things had to change. I had been going to therapists and things like that in the past, but I really was always skeptical and not very optimistic about it and didn’t have the right mentality to get help. That was the catalyst that made me realize that I had to put in genuine effort into making things better and healing.”

Those hard truths and deep-rooted memories? Ware became more public in addressing them, and his openness has been a beacon to others dealing with similar pains. That’s also meant trying to harness social media’s reach for positive ends.

As social platforms go, escaping the negativity that exists hasn’t always been easy. Some of that friction flared after last month’s race at Martinsville Speedway, where an on-track altercation with teammate James Davison became heated, sparking conflict within the team. Critics were quick to associate Ware’s mental-health battles with the short-track frustrations many drivers face at Martinsville. Ware says it has led him to maintain a lower profile on social media in the weeks since.

“I know that I’m not the first and I’m not the last person that’s ever going to lose their mind and have moment at a place like Martinsville,” Ware says, “but a lot of the people who were making it about mental health or being like, ‘ahh, he’s angry and he wrecked his teammate because he’s crazy and has mental-health issues,’ it’s like … no. I lost my cool at a short track. I did something dumb. Everyone’s done something that they’ve regretted and known was wrong, especially in racing at a place like that.

“And so, that was kind of the straw that broke the camel’s back for me on social media, just seeing and realizing that the stigma is still very real with mental health, and I’m always going to do my best to be an advocate and wear my heart on my sleeve and open up for those that need it and those that deserve it. But I definitely have had to take a break from that because I’ve got a very real first-hand experience in how the stigma is still very real to this day.”

Through it all, Ware has relied on a close-knit support system, one that includes his parents and fellow drivers, whether it’s at the track or in his daily life. He specifically mentions BJ McLeod as someone he speaks with regularly, leaning on his perspectives as a fellow competitor to work through issues.

The support has helped him, but Ware also makes sure to devote time to helping others, whether it’s through sharing his story or listening and learning about their personal experiences, being present with each retelling.

“For me, what it boils down to is just giving back, it’s just trying to be a good Christian, trying to be there and be the somebody for someone else that I wish was there for me when I was going through things directly as a teenager in the first months and years after my incident,” Ware says. “I didn’t have anyone who I trusted to confide in or let be there to let them give me support. So I’m just trying to be the person that I wish was there for me when I was going through all this stuff as a teenager.

“Half of it’s ending the stigma and trying to normalize talking about mental health and normalize getting health care and treatment for it, and the other half is as a reminder to let people know that if you need someone to talk to, I’ve been through a lot, I’ve been through many ups and downs, and I’m someone you can talk to. I’ve had many friends of mine and people that I’ve met through racing reach out and talk to me, and I’m very thankful that I’ve been able to be there for people. I’m confident and I have a peace about me, knowing that no matter how hard racing gets or how hard life may be — now or in the future — I feel like I’ve done some good, and that also motivates me to continue doing that and hopefully helping more people along the way. I think even if it’s saving just one person, it’s worth it.”

Posted on May 13, 2021May 13, 2021 by Cara Cooper

The Navy brought both Rick Poust and Louie Pasderetz to Virginia, and it just so happened they both fell in love with racing while there.

Poust and Pasderetz are both active duty members of the U.S. Navy and stationed on the Eastern shore of Virginia. Poust had been a race spectator his entire life, going to races at local tracks in Pennsylvania as a kid with his grandfather and dreaming of getting the chance to be like the drivers he idolized on the track.

“I always wanted to be one of those drivers. I looked up to them. They were my heroes,” Poust said. “And then when my grandfather passed away, I wanted to pursue that dream of racing for him in his honor.”

It was the summer of 2015 when Poust found someone on Craigslist who was willing to swap a race car for Poust’s Jeep. Later that summer he walked through the gates of Langley Speedway – a NASCAR-sanctioned 0.397-mile paved oval track in Hampton, Virginia – and “had no idea what I was doing,” he said.

Pasderetz was also a fan of racing growing up, and his dad was a driver in Illinois where he grew up.

When he moved to Virginia, he saw a commercial for Langley’s annual Hampton Heat.

“We went and watched it and then a couple months later I bought a car and we started racing,” Pasderetz said.

Rick Poust is currently third in the points in the Super Trucks division at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia. He is also currently active duty in the U.S. Navy.

Poust and Pasderetz will be competing for a win in Langley’s Super Trucks Division this Saturday night, but they’ll also be driving for something more, too. Langley will host “Armed Forces Night,” this Saturday, honoring members of the military with the annual Commanders Cup. The top seven drivers in each division will randomly draw for which branch of the military they will represent during the race. The branch with the lowest average finish will be awarded the Commanders Cup.

“To me, this is honestly the biggest race of the year,” Poust said. “Being active duty and having the opportunity to represent all the active, reserve, and retired fans in the stands. Just having that opportunity to carry that military banner is an honor. I feel like I represent everybody up there that’s ever served… It’s honestly a real honor to be able to partake in this.”

“It’s so awesome the track really puts on an event like this to represent the military,” Pasderetz said. “It means a lot to us and my whole team. Being active duty and knowing what it’s like to be on deployment and miss races and miss holidays and getting to do something like that, where we can be active duty and represent a branch is really awesome.”

Poust is currently third in the Super Trucks points at Langley this season, but his main goal is to just be as competitive as he can in what will likely be a shortened season for him. He will start working towards a deployment in June, and will deploy shortly after, though he doesn’t know where yet.

“If we can pull off a win, great, otherwise just have fun,” Poust said of his goals the rest of the season.

Pasderetz is the defending champion in Langley’s Super Trucks division, and he leads the points this year with a win and a second place finish so far. Having only been racing for about five years, he’s learned a lot about the sport in a little amount of time.

Both drivers have found that while racing is a good opportunity for a competitive outlet, there’s also a close-knit bond among drivers, which has helped them acclimate to their new homes a lot quicker.

“We just got lucky with some of the people we partnered with and they really made a big difference. We were kind of slow and we ran in the back when we were by ourselves,” Pasderetz said.

“The only friends I had was a couple military people and I was just living in Virginia and didn’t really know anybody. And then going out to Langley, they kind of welcomed me into their family and it gives you something to do and keeps you out of trouble. Langley is really welcoming to all military people.”

Poust estimates 95 percent of his friends are from Langley, and said most have become more than friends. They’re an extended family.

“That’s probably the thing I’ve taken away from it the most. No matter what happens on track, if you have an issue, there’s always somebody willing to help make sure you can get out there and race,” he said. “Fortunately, with the truck division at Langley Speedway, we all have each other’s backs. We’ll all go out there and beat the crap out of each other on the track but between races and leading up to the races everybody helps out. Somebody is willing to drop what they’re doing and help out. The teamwork aspect, the family aspect, that’s the biggest takeaway I’ve gotten with this racing gig.”

Both drivers also have family near and far cheering them on and helping in any way they can. Poust’s dad, Richard Poust Sr., works on the truck during the week.

“I wouldn’t be where I am right now if it wasn’t for my dad’s hard work,” he said. “I just hold the steering wheel, but my dad really puts in the time and effort on the truck to study the set up and see what’s going on with it and try to make it fast. We work together in the garage but he’s the brains behind everything.”

Pasderetz isn’t able to be with his family throughout the week, but he has a cheering section back home in Illinois on race day. His mom throws a big party for family and friends to come over and watch a livestream of every race, putting up banners and checkered flags throughout their home. Julie Pasderetz even threw a championship party last year to celebrate her son’s first title.

For both drivers, their new race track families will be supporting them on and off the track and in an even more special way this weekend.

Langley’s Virginia Army National Guard Armed Forces night will kick off at 7 p.m. on Saturday with late models, modifieds, super streets, super trucks, and enduros. Fans can also watch the racing on TrackPass on NBC Gold.

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Staff Report

With the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race set for June 13 at Texas Motor Speedway, the All-Star Race Fan Vote opened Thursday.

Fans can participate by visiting here and voting for their favorite driver. You can only vote for one eligible NASCAR driver per submission, and you may only submit one ballot per day per each unique email address. Sharing your vote on Twitter and Facebook adds a bonus entry for each, for a total of four submissions for your favorite driver per day.

MORE: Vote now

Here are the drivers eligible for the Fan Vote: Aric Almirola, Anthony Alfredo, Chris Buescher, Josh Bilicki, Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Matt DiBenedetto, Joey Gase, Timmy Hill, Quin Houff, Erik Jones, Corey LaJoie, BJ McLeod, Ryan Preece, Tyler Reddick, Garrett Smithley, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Daniel Suarez, Bubba Wallace and Cody Ware.

Drivers are eligible for the Fan Vote by having attempted to qualify for the 2021 Daytona 500. Should a Fan Vote candidate win a 2021 NASCAR Cup Series race before the All-Star Race — Dover International Speedway, Circuit of the Americas, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Sonoma Raceway stand as the four opportunities left — that driver is automatically in the field.

Should a driver win a stage in the NASCAR Open qualifying race before the All-Star Race then that driver will be locked into the field and not eligible to be the Fan Vote winner. A driver must finish the NASCAR Open with his respective vehicle in a raceable condition at the time called as determined by the NASCAR Cup Series Managing Director in order to win the Fan Vote.

One Fan Vote winner has gone on to win the All-Star Race in the event’s history: Kasey Kahne in 2008.

Seventeen drivers are already locked into the All-Star Race. The criteria for eligibility includes NASCAR Cup Series race winners in 2020-21 and full-time drivers who are either past All-Star winners or past Cup Series champions. Those drivers are: 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.

Voting will end at noon ET on Friday, June 11.

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Track Release

After more than three decades of service to race fans on behalf of Speedway Motorsports, including the last 25 years at Texas Motor Speedway, Eddie Gossage will step down as President of The Great American Speedway following the June 13 NASCAR All-Star Race.

“The timing just feels right after 32 years with the company,” Gossage stated. “The Smith family and Speedway Motorsports changed my life and I will forever be appreciative and grateful.

“Before my wife Melinda and I chart our next adventure, I’m thankful that I get to come full circle as a promoter with the NASCAR All-Star Race.”

BUY TICKETS: NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas

After working for Nashville International Raceway, Bristol International Raceway and Miller Brewing Company in motorsports management and public relations capacities, Gossage joined Speedway Motorsports in 1989 as the Vice President of Public Relations at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He honed his skill for promotional flair under the guidance of Speedway Motorsports Executive Chairman Bruton Smith and then Charlotte Motor Speedway President Humpy Wheeler. During one Gossage-produced press conference in 1992 to promote the first NASCAR All-Star Race to run at night, the young promoter rigged a giant light switch to highlight the innovative new lighting system at the superspeedway. When Smith threw the switch, sparks flew, setting the speedway founder and owner’s hair on fire.

“I thought I was headed for the unemployment line for sure,” laughed Gossage. “But for some reason, Bruton kept me around, and it wasn’t long after that he gave me an opportunity I could have only dreamed of.”

Smith took Gossage under his wing as he began to purchase property in North Texas and design plans for what would become not only the finest motorsports facility in Texas, but also one of the most spectacular entertainment venues in the world. The 1,500-acre complex includes a 1.5-mile superspeedway, 194 luxury suites, 76 condominiums, a nine-story Speedway Club, Class A office space and the 11,000-seat, four-tenths-mile Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track. Smith named Gossage General Manager of Texas Motor Speedway in 1995 and added the title of TMS President in 2004. Now 62, Gossage is one of the longest-tenured employees at Speedway Motorsports.

“When I built Texas Motor Speedway, I had plenty of architects, accountants and attorneys, but what I really needed was promotion,” said Smith. “That’s where Eddie came in. They say ‘everything’s bigger in Texas’, and I needed a big personality in Dallas/Fort Worth. Eddie’s become a shrewd businessman over the years, but he’s remained a publicist at heart, and he never forgot what the entertainment business is about—having FUN.

“I am grateful for all that Eddie has done for our company. He’s been a promoter, friend and an asset to the entire motorsports industry.”

“In my career, I’ve been blessed to meet presidents, world leaders, astronauts, scholars, world-famous athletes, actors and musicians, millionaires and billionaires,” said Gossage. “Of them all, Bruton Smith is the greatest man I’ve ever met. I thank God I met Bruton and that he selected me to head up Texas Motor Speedway. His continued trust in me is an honor I consider part of one of the most cherished relationships two men could enjoy.”

Under Gossage’s leadership, Texas Motor Speedway has hosted millions of fans at NASCAR, IndyCar and World of Outlaw races, produced car shows and concerts with The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top and Willie Nelson, and in 2015, built the world’s largest LED high-definition television, the 22,704 square-foot ‘Big Hoss’.

“Eddie Gossage has been synonymous with Texas Motor Speedway’s success, and his contributions to our company and the speedway’s impact on the state of Texas during his career are immeasurable,” said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith. “Beyond the big events, wild pre-race shows and publicity stunts, Eddie has always been the biggest fan of the fans. No one has more desire to give them a memorable experience. I’ll always be thankful for his dedication to our company and the inspiration he’s given our staff to always put the fans first.”

“The NASCAR All-Star Race was one of the first major events I promoted at Charlotte,” Gossage said. “I’ve wanted to bring it to Texas for years. I’m glad Marcus made it happen, and I’m thankful for each and every opportunity he’s continued to give me since becoming CEO. Like with his dad, Speedway Motorsports is in good hands with Marcus.

“I’m not sure what my next adventure will be. I do know Melinda and I are looking forward to some more fun with the grandkids,” Gossage said with his trademark smile. “But first, we’re going to corral some Texas-sized fun one last time with the fans at the NASCAR All-Star Race!”

Speedway Motorsports will launch a nationwide search for Gossage’s successor.

Tickets for Texas Motor Speedway’s 2021 major event season, including the June 13 NASCAR All-Star Race, are on sale now at texasmotorspeedway.com. For more information, fans can keep track of all of Texas Motor Speedway’s events during the 25^th Season of Speed by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Keep up with all the latest news and information on the speedway website and TMS mobile app.

Posted on May 13, 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 in the week’s race markets who have made a difference with their service both in the military and to their communities.

In the latest profile of a next-door hero, NASCAR.com is highlighting Rebecca Gray.

Gray is currently the Executive Director of Military and Veteran Affairs at Comcast NBCUniversal and serves as a colonel in the Air National Guard. In her role with Comcast, she works collaboratively across the company developing programs and outreach to engage the veteran and military community. Gray also works on Comcast Lift Zones, a multi-year initiative to close the digital divide by delivering free WiFi to 1,000 local community centers, including those serving veterans and military families.

Before working at Comcast, she worked at Southern Company leading business partnerships with the U.S. Department of Defense. She also served as the CEO of Focused Community Strategies, an Atlanta-based nonprofit developing affordable urban housing, healthcare centers and youth and senior centers.

In 2007, she co-founded an International Baccalaureate charter school that teaches English and Mandarin Chinese to 800-plus students, many of whom come from low-income homes.

Gray was a recruited athlete to the United States Air Force Academy, where she was a three-time All-American in springboard diving. Having never considered military service before, she views her experiences at the academy as “life-changing” as she’s now proudly served the country for more than 30 years.

Today, Gray continues her dedication to the nation’s military as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion in the Air National Guard. In this role, she works to develop programs that take care of airmen by creating inclusive, supportive environments and addressing barriers preventing them from achieving their full potential.

In celebration of women’s contributions to the nation’s defense, Comcast NBCUniversal is supporting the Military Women’s Memorial in Washington, D.C. The initiative aims to document the service of the nearly three million women who’ve served with or in the U.S. Armed Forces.

To learn more about the women veterans national registry, go to womensmemorial.org.

Posted on May 13, 2021May 13, 2021 by Press Release

PHILADELPHIA (May 13, 2021) – With the NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race this weekend at Dover International Speedway, Comcast is excited to officially announce the opening of a brand-new Lift Zone in the Dover, DE community. Created in partnership with the Green Beret Project, the new Lift Zone will provide a safe space for students to access the Internet for free so they can participate in distance learning and do their schoolwork. Students at the center will also receive laptops to assist in closing the homework gap and digital divide.

“We’re proud to support military veterans who are making a difference in their communities,” said Rebecca Gray, Executive Director of Military & Veteran Affairs at Comcast. “Through this Lift Zone at the Green Beret Project, young people will be able to access education, job training, and other critical resources through the Internet.”

Since 2018, Comcast has donated more than $200,000 during NASCAR’s Dash 4 Cash to help close the digital divide. The efforts have enabled local non-profits in each Dash 4 Cash market, from Veterans Service Organizations to Boys & Girls Clubs, to make Internet connectivity more accessible for low-income families and individuals.

Lift Zones complement Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, the largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program for low-income households in the U.S. Internet Essentials has an integrated, research-based, wrap-around design meant to address each of the three major barriers to broadband adoption – insufficient digital literacy skills, the lack of a computer, and the absence of a low-cost Internet service.  The program is structured as a partnership between Comcast and tens of thousands of school districts, libraries, elected officials, and nonprofit community partners. For more information on Internet Essentials, visit www.internetessentials.com.

In March, on the 10th anniversary of Internet Essentials, 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.

“For years, Comcast has shown its commitment to supporting low-income families and veterans by ensuring they have access to an affordable and reliable internet connection,” said Adam Kramer, State Director, The Green Beret Project. “We’re proud to partner with Comcast on the opening of this Lift Zone and look forward to the positive benefits it will bring to the Dover community.”

This weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Dover International Speedway concludes the Dash 4 Cash program, with full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers, Brandon Jones, Josh Berry, Justin Allgaier and Noah Gragson competing for a bonus $100,000 in prize money. The highest-finishing Dash 4 Cash eligible driver at Dover will receive the bonus.

About Internet Essentials

Internet Essentials is Comcast’s signature digital equity initiative and the nation’s largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program. In 10 years, it has helped connect 10 million low-income Americans to broadband Internet at home, most for the very first time. Internet Essentials has a comprehensive design that addresses each of the three major barriers to broadband adoption. This includes: multiple options to access free digital literacy training in print, online, and in-person; the option to purchase a heavily subsidized, low-cost Internet-ready computer; and low-cost, high-speed Internet service for $9.95 a month, plus tax. The program is structured as a partnership between Comcast and tens of thousands of school districts, libraries, elected officials, and nonprofit community partners. Comcast has never raised the price of the program. For more information about Internet Essentials and Comcast’s commitment to education and digital equity, please visit https://corporate.comcast.com/education. To apply, visit www.internetessentials.com or call 1-855-846-8376 for English or 1-855-765-6995 for Spanish.

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, Peacock, NBC News, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

About The Green Beret Project

The Green Beret Project offers at-risk youth dynamic programming after school and on weekends. During these sessions, adult cadre build rapport and trust, while identifying the future young leaders for the program. There is informal and formal mentorship for youth, to include instruction addressing areas of need. As Green Beret Project youth show they are dependable through service projects, regular attendance, and responsible behavior, then they are asked to become leaders in the organization.

Posted on May 12, 2021May 12, 2021 by Marcus DiNitto

The two races on the NASCAR Cup schedule following the Drydene 400 feature a return to the sport’s traditional rhythm of running practice and qualifying ahead of the main event. That means Sunday’s race at Dover is the last chance of the month for a certain segment of bettors and DFS players to capitalize on the some of the oddness brought on by the COVID pandemic.

Only eight races this season are preceded by practice and qualifying, and according to some sharp bettors and DFS players, the rest of the schedule provides an even greater edge than they typically find in the markets.

All bettors and bookmakers are privy to practice and qualifying data, evening the playing field to a certain degree. Plus, oddsmakers are quick to move their lines after watching how teams perform on that week’s track, eroding value from the numbers posted earlier in the week.

“I absolutely loved last year with no practice and qualifying, and so far this year, with the races I bet that don’t have it, I still feel like I’m going in with a really good edge,” said Zack White, a professional NASCAR bettor. “There’s just not as much competition in the marketplace either, because a lot of these at least somewhat sharp guys were reliant on having that practice data. …. There were a lot more sharps in the space in the practice and qualifying races prior to 2020 pandemic era. It’s taken quite a few of the sharps out of the equation.”

Micah Roberts, a former Las Vegas sportsbook director who now bets NASCAR and covers the sport from a betting perspective, says without practice and qualifying, a team’s performance with that week’s race package and its history at the track become more important handicapping tools. When analyzing Dover this week, for example, bettors should emphasize how well drivers do using the 750 horsepower, low downforce package.

“There’s value to be found for guys that are sharp and understand that from the get-go,” Roberts said. “I don’t know if every book does the full work like they would with practice, because most of the bettors would wait until after practice to bet matchups. Now you have to come fully prepared based on what teams do with a certain package.”

Sharps are also exploiting these advantages in DFS, a bettor who goes by the name “AbnormallyDist” (pro gamblers are often notoriously protective of their identity) said on a recent episode of the “Circles Off” sports betting podcast hosted by fellow pro Rob Pizzola.

With practice and qualifying, “there’d be an obvious pick and you’d just play the guy whose car was the best in qualifying, and it was easy for NASCAR touts (pick sellers) because there were obvious plays every week,” AD told Pizzola and his co-host. “Now that there’s no practice, it’s a little harder because you need to use some more advanced statistics. So the edge, I feel like in the last year, has gone through the roof, and it’s been really profitable.”

Blake Phillips, another sharp NASCAR bettor, says the lack of practice and qualifying has reinforced his long-held belief that starting position isn’t as correlated to finishing position as many recreational bettors may think.

“I’ve always thought that starting position wasn’t extremely valuable,” Phillips told NASCAR.com. “The guys that are gonna come out on top usually find a way through the field with these Cup races being as long as they are. You can see the correlation between starting and finishing position drop starting last year and going into this year. So, if anything, you can kind of identify some spots where some things may not be factored in the market, but I don’t think the effect is powerful enough to generate any easy money, per se.”

While Phillips believes the edge from no practice/no quals is more exploitable in DFS than in the betting market, he said there are advantages to be gleaned from a qualitative over a quantitative approach, a notion that should encourage NASCAR bettors who follow the sport closely but may not have the time, patience or mathematical or computer skills to build statistical models.

“There’s value to both (approaches), but being able to follow along and understand why certain drivers do better in certain situations can really help influence your bets and generate an edge that won’t necessarily appear just by looking at the stats,” he said.

Kyle Busch, for example, hasn’t hid the fact that the lack of practice has made it difficult for his team to find the right setup.

“The drivers who are able to adjust on the fly during a race and improve over the course of the race with their crew chiefs are the ones who tend to see more success that you may not have expected, and the drivers who kind of need a lot of that data from practice aren’t getting it,” Phillips said.

The better teams benefit from this dynamic, Roberts agreed.

“Because there’s no practice, they can’t (screw) around on the setup coming out of the garage like they used to,” Robert said. “(They can’t say) ‘we’ll figure it out in the first practice, and we’ll change a few things’ – they’ve got to do it during the race.”

Marcus DiNitto is a writer and editor living in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has been covering sports for nearly two-and-a-half decades and sports betting for more than 10 years. His first NASCAR betting experience was in 1995 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, where he went 0-for-3 on his matchup picks. Read his articles and follow him on Twitter; do not bet his picks.

Posted on May 12, 2021May 12, 2021 by Staff Report

The National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer overturned penalties Wednesday issued to the JR Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet team after Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway.

Roger Werner, the final appeals officer, heard and considered the organization’s appeal, overruling the disqualification that stemmed from the No. 9 car’s failure to pass post-race technical inspection. The decision restores Noah Gragson’s fourth-place result and the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus as the top finisher among a group of four drivers eligible for the prize.

RELATED: Dash 4 Cash results

“Everyone at JR Motorsports strives to bring four fast and competitive race cars to the track each and every week and we are happy to see that the ruling was overturned,” JR Motorsports general manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller said in a statement.

On Saturday, NASCAR officials had relegated Gragson and the No. 9 entry to last place in the 40-car field for the Steakhouse Elite 200. That decision had briefly handed the Dash 4 Cash bonus to the next-highest eligible finisher — AJ Allmendinger.

NASCAR officials said post-race the JRM No. 9 had violated Rule 20.14.c in the NASCAR Rule Book, which states: “All suspension mounts and mounting hardware must not allow movement or realignment of any suspension and/or drivetrain component beyond normal rotation or suspension and/or drivetrain travel.”

With his Darlington finish restored after Wednesday’s hearing, Gragson rejoins the four-driver Dash 4 Cash field for Saturday’s Drydene 200 (1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM) at Dover International Speedway. That bonus will be contested among Gragson, Darlington race winner Justin Allgaier, Josh Berry and Brandon Jones.

Gragson has swept all three Dash 4 Cash prizes this season, topping the field of eligible drivers at Martinsville Speedway (April 11), Talladega Superspeedway (April 24) and Darlington (May 8). Saturday’s 200-miler at Dover is the final event in the four-race D4C program for 2021.