Posted on March 6, 2021March 6, 2021 by Holly Cain

AJ Allmendinger took the lead and held off the field on a final race restart with 12 laps remaining to earn his fourth NASCAR Xfinity Series win in the last 16 races – taking the victory in the Alsco Uniforms 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in his first race at the track in three years.

Allmendinger’s No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet had to hold off the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota driven by Daniel Hemric, who led a race-best 74 of the 200 laps and came 0.978 seconds away from his first career victory.

It was an emotional win for the veteran Allmendinger, who climbed out of his car at the finish line and leaned against it, eyes closed for a moment before doing his live television interview.

This is the 39-year-old Californian’s first full-time season racing in NASCAR since 2018, when he competed in the NASCAR Cup Series ranks. He earned three wins driving part-time for Kaulig Racing the last two seasons.

“First of all, it’s awesome to have you all back in the grandstands,” a smiling Allmendinger said, motioning toward the cheering but socially distanced and limited-size crowd.

“It’s emotional because you don’t know when you’re going to do this again,” Allmendinger continued. “You never know. This could be the last one (win), you never know, I hope it’s not. I think we can do a lot more.”

“Even though I’m back full-time,” he added, “this is fun, but I want to win so bad for [team owner] Matt [Kaulig] every week. It’s hard to put into words what he means to me. Truly how bad I want to win for him … it means that much to me that he believes in me.”

For Hemric, who now has 11 career runner-up showings in NASCAR’s three national series, it was a tough final outcome considering the strong showing up front for his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota all race long. He led eight different times and won Stage 2. Tonight was Hemric’s eighth runner-up finish in his NASCAR Xfinity Series career. NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett holds the Xfinity Series record for the most runner-up finishes before his first victory with 10 second-place finishes.

“You hate to have one get away like that, but we came here and wanted to try to have more speed to lead laps and win stages and we did that today,” Hemric said. “We lined up with a shot there and just got beat. Congratulations to AJ. We just got beat.”

Hemric’s teammate Brandon Jones finished third followed by 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Austin Cindric, who led 43 laps and won Stage 1.

Cindric had a tire go down on his No. 22 Team Penske Ford just 55 laps into the race. A crash involving Ty Dillon and Riley Herbst one lap later prompted the race’s third yellow flag, allowing Cindric to regain his lost lap as the caution period’s beneficiary, though the misfortune dropped him to 36th in the 40-car field before his mid-race comeback.

With his inspired rally, he finished 10th in the second stage and broke into the top five by Lap 117. He made contact with Harrison Burton in the closing laps and his fourth-place showing is his fourth top five in as many races.

Las Vegas native Noah Gragson finished fifth – his best showing of the season. Michael Annett, Josh Berry, Justin Haley, Harrison Burton and Jeb Burton rounded out the top 10. The performances by Haley and Jeb Burton gave Kaulig Racing a top-10 sweep.

Cindric holds a 21-point lead over Hemric in the series driver standings entering next Saturday’s Call 811 Before You Dig 200 at Phoenix Raceway (5:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Note: Post-race inspection in the Xfinity Series garage was clear, with no major issues reported. The race-winning No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevy of Allmendinger was found with one unsecured lug nut in a post-race check.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on March 6, 2021 by Pat DeCola

NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas (⏰ 3:30 p.m. ET | 📺 FOX | 📻 PRN, SiriusXM)

Everything you need to know for Sunday’s race, the fourth points-paying NASCAR Cup Series event of the 2021 season.

Where: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile layout located in Las Vegas
Green flag: 3:49 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR
Forecast: Partly sunny with a high near 78, according to NOAA.gov
National anthem: Jessie James Decker
Grand marshal: Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr
Race Distance: 267 laps, 400.5 miles
Stages: 80 | 160 | 267
Pit-road speed: 45 mph
Caution car speed: 55 mph
Starting lineup: Kevin Harvick on Busch Pole
Pit stall assignments: See where cars line up | Why Rodney Childers didn’t pick first stall

2021 Truex Vegas — Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images

Five to watch

Here are five big story lines we’ll be following.

1. Does this weekend mark the start of Martin Truex Jr.‘s impending 2021 dominance? It just might. The 6-1 favorite to win Sunday, Truex is the only multi-time Cup Series winner for Toyota at Las Vegas. Intermediate tracks have been the 2017 champ’s meat and potatoes for the past half decade, and it’s possible — if not likely — he flexes on the field this weekend for his second victory with second-year crew chief James Small. Both of his Vegas wins have come since the start of 2017. “I feel good about our team and where we’re at,” Truex said. “We had a really strong run in Miami last weekend and led some laps. We’re really close.”

2. Chris Buescher muscled his way to the front of the field at Homestead-Miami Speedway, spending 57 circuits leading the pack and looking like a boss while doing it. He eventually faded as the race wore on, but teammate Ryan Newman landed a seventh-place finish — his best non-superspeedway finish since the 2019 finale. It’s clear Roush Fenway Racing had speed at Miami, the only question is if it’ll carry on to the rest of the season, starting with similarly configured Vegas. I lean toward yes, but time will tell.

3. Chase Briscoe‘s rookie season has very much not gone according to plan thus far, with a best finish of 18th through three races and a points position of 25th. Last year’s Xfinity Series stalwart came into 2021 with high expectations, which have not been met thus far. It’s early, however, and this weekend could be just what the super-talented Briscoe needs — two of his series-best nine wins in 2020 came at the Nevada track.

4. You could pretty much say all of the same things about Briscoe’s veteran Ford stablemate in Matt DiBenedetto, as the veteran’s season has been a nightmare so far, but Sunday should offer some respite. Matty D notched a pair or runner-up finishes at Las Vegas last year, which has to be helping to keep his head up rolling into the weekend. Through three races so far, the playoff hopeful DiBenedetto has accumulated just 14 total points and an average finish of 32.7.

5. Kurt Busch is the most recent winner at the track, having finally captured the checkered flag at his home digs last fall. In no way would we rule out the former champion this weekend — especially given how strong he has looked through three races thus far — but that win certainly stands as an anomaly on his racing resume. His previous 10 Vegas races netted just two top 10s and eight finishes of 21st or worse.

Race-day staples

Mcdowell Powerrankings Hero — Getty Images

Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.

• Power Rankings: Michael McDowell rides season-opening hot streak into top 10 | See the ranks
• Paint Scheme Preview: 2021 Las Vegas tripleheader spring weekend | See the schemes
• Fantasy Fastlane: See which drivers to use, avoid | Full Fantasy advice | Set your roster
• Preview Show: Jonathan Merryman and Alex Weaver preview the race | Watch the show

Get in on the action

Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy.

• Betting odds for today’s race | See the odds
• For bettors, Las Vegas is no longer special — and that is fantastic for NASCAR fans | Full betting preview
• Take a shot at winning cash prizes with the free-to-play Jackpot Races app. | Hit the jackpot
• Full guide to 2021 NASCAR Fantasy Live game | Get the FAQ
• Analysis: Starting position can pay off big at Vegas | See the stats

Track history

Every track has a story to tell. Here’s what we’ve seen go down at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the past.

• Memorable moments at Las Vegas | See the moments
• All-time track winners | See the list
• Top 10 lap leaders at Las Vegas Motor Speedway | See the list
• Throwback: Kyle Busch, Joey Logano tangle on Vegas pit road in 2017 | Watch the video
• Relive Jeff Gordon’s 2001 UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 win | Watch the race

Fast facts

Hard-hitting, race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights.

• Team Penske driver Brad Keselowski is a three-time Las Vegas winner with a top-10 finish in 10 of the last 11 races at the track.
• Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson is a nine-time runner-up on 1.5-mile tracks, two of which came at Las Vegas.
• Roush Fenway Racing’s Ryan Newman finished seventh last week at Miami, his first top 1o on a 1.5-mile track in more than a year.
• Bubba Wallace of 23XI Racing finished sixth at Las Vegas last spring in his best-ever finish on a 1.5-mile track.
• Joe Gibbs Racing driver and Las Vegas native Kyle Busch has just one win at his home track in the Cup Series but a total of six spread across all three national series.

Catch the pack

Read up on all the headlines from the week leading up to Sunday’s race.

• Backseat Drivers: Do top teams have to worry after early chaos? | Hear the debate
• NASCAR reveals procedures, details for inaugural Bristol Motor Speedway dirt-track weekend | Read more
• Drivers offer impressions of Circuit of The Americas at Goodyear tire test | Read more
• Penalty report: 10 teams fined for lug-nut violations at Homestead-Miami Speedway | Read more

Say what

Notable quotes from the stars of the sport heading into Sunday’s race.

“I think momentum is a big part of our sport. Momentum and confidence is hard to fabricate. You can’t just make it up. You either have it or you don’t and you only have it with results and performance, so I do think that. I do think that we have more confidence and, like I said, it affects every area from the shop to the pit stops to myself..” — Michael McDowell

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

“I was surprised. I thought there would be cobwebs and rust. But maybe because I raced so much last year in Sprint cars and open-wheel cars and dabbled in some Late Model stuff, I felt as fresh as ever in a race car. Your body just gets into a rhythm of even buckling in the car each week. When I got in the car and put my head and neck restraint on and buckling up and all that, everything just felt normal. It didn’t feel like I had been out of the car in long time.” — Kyle Larson

“We can be more aggressive now. At the same time, we know what it takes to win and be successful, so we don’t have to do anything much different, either. We can be a little more aggressive with the calls on pit road and the strategy calls to get track position and hold it. I feel like at Las Vegas we can be strong. We just need to go there and execute similarly to how we did last weekend in Homestead.” — William Byron

Posted on March 5, 2021March 6, 2021 by Holly Cain

John Hunter Nemechek earned his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win in four years, holding off his boss Kyle Busch by 0.695-seconds for the victory in Friday night’s Bucked Up 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

It was a 1-2 finish for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Nemechek, 23, of Mooresville, North Carolina, led a race-best 94 laps in the No. 4 Toyota – the pair combined to lead a dominating 110 of the 134 total laps with each taking a Stage victory.

And while Nemechek held the point for most of the race, it was a typically thrilling Las Vegas show turned in by the Vegas native Busch, who has won the last three spring races at the track.

RELATED: Official results

Busch started 29th and raced his way inside the top 10 by the 10th lap. A blown tire on his No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota put him down a lap with about 50 laps remaining and again, he turned in a dazzling performance – restarting 25th with 31 laps to go and breaking into the top 10 just 10 laps later.

The two Kyle Busch Motorsports drivers were lined up first and second on the race’s final restart with six laps to go, but Nemechek was able to pull ahead and pull away to his first series victory driving for the series all-time winningest driver Busch.

“Coming back to the Truck Series, that was the plan, that was the goal, we came into the year with the hashtag ‘here for wins’ and we are here for wins,” said Nemechek who has seven career series wins. “I definitely think experience paid off tonight.”

Disappointed not to win, Busch was still encouraged for his team after the race.

“It’s perfect, it’s all you can ask for, it’s everything,” the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Busch said of his team after the race. “It’s cool to see the four-truck in Victory Lane and see John Hunter have a shot and get back in Victory Lane.

“Having Eric Phillips back and all the guys that have come on board this year doing all the stuff that we’re accustomed to doing and getting back to running up front, seeing both of us sharing in that and having that speed, that four-truck was fast.

“Even on those short runs I couldn’t run with him. After about eight or 10 (laps) I had a better shot at running with him but we just didn’t have the laps there at the end.”

Austin Hill, a two-time Las Vegas winner, finished third followed by Stewart Friesen and Matt Crafton. Zane Smith, Grant Enfinger, Parker Kligerman, Christian Eckes and Ben Rhodes – a two-time winner already this season – rounded out the top 10.

Enfinger and Kligerman both collected an extra $25,000 bonus check from series sponsor Camping World for their top-10 efforts. The series sponsor offered an incentive program this week with an extra payday available for the 10 trucks that carried the Camping World name on it, as Enfinger and Kligerman did. There was a bonus for winning, finishing among the top five and finishing among the top 10.

With the win, Nemechek takes a 14-point advantage atop the championship standings over the season’s two-time winner Rhodes. The series next race is the Fr8Auctions 200 on March 20 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR).

The biggest incident of the race occurred on Lap 96. A seven-car pileup at the entrance of Turn 1 after the No. 24 Chevrolet of Raphael Lessard came across the nose of David Gilliland’s No. 17 Toyota, sending both drivers for a spin. The crash also collected Hailie Deegan, Sheldon Creed, Austin Wayne Self, Bret Holmes and Ryan Truex. Holmes and Truex were forced to retire from the race.

Notes: The No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota of race winner John Hunter Nemechek passed post-race technical inspection at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which means his victory is official. The No. 52 Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota of Stewart Friesen had one lug nut not safe and secure. NASCAR officials will take the No. 4 of Nemechek, the No. 21 GMS Racing Chevrolet of Zane Smith and the No. 15 David Gilliland Racing Ford back to the R&D Center in Concord, North Carolina for a full teardown and inspection.

Posted on March 5, 2021 by Staff Report

Dale Earnhardt Jr. took his father’s newly restored Chevrolet Nova racer out for a spin Friday as the black and silver No. 8 rumbled back to life. The sound should be sweet music when the car takes a more public drive in two months, right back at home at Darlington Raceway.

RacingOne | Getty Images

Earnhardt indicated Friday that the vintage car is set to be part of NASCAR Throwback Weekend on May 7-9 at the South Carolina track, leading the pace laps for the May 8 race for the Xfinity Series. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was a three-time Darlington winner in the series, and twice drove a GM Goodwrench-sponsored No. 8 to Victory Lane there.

The No. 8 Nova has undergone a painstakingly thorough restoration at the JR Motorsports fabrication shop, a process that Earnhardt Jr. has documented in great detail on social media. He indicated that the car was once bodied as a Pontiac Ventura, and confirmed its authenticity through the use of archival photos.

Earnhardt Jr. won 24 times in his Xfinity Series career and was the tour’s champion in consecutive years (1998-99). His father is credited with 21 victories on that circuit since its rise to a national series in 1982.

The car’s planned Darlington appearance won’t be the first time a NASCAR Hall of Famer has presided over the pace laps in a historic car. Richard Petty was a memorable part of the 2017 Throwback Weekend, when he was black-flagged for taking one pace lap too many in his No. 43 Plymouth Belvedere.

pic.twitter.com/6uK1ttq1bA

— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) March 5, 2021

Posted on March 5, 2021March 5, 2021 by Marcus DiNitto

We’ll be using this space, about twice each week, to provide you with sports betting content as it relates to NASCAR. We’ll educate you on the concepts, terminology and nuances of sports betting with the intention of helping create a more informed, responsible and enjoyable gambling experience for race fans.

Three races, three long-shot winners.

That’s how the 2021 NASCAR Cup season started, and that’s just fine for the sportsbooks.

Sure, there were some small bets sprinkled on Michael McDowell to win the season-opening Daytona 500, Christopher Bell to take the O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 road-course race that followed and William Byron in last week’s Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but no wagers substantial enough to make a dent in the books’ ledgers, even at the long odds at which those drivers were priced.

“NASCAR’s the one sport that people, especially people who bet the big money, are obsessed with betting the low odds (favorites), so we usually write a lot of money on the lowest odds,” Ed Salmons, who handles the NASCAR oddsmaking at SuperBook USA, said from Las Vegas, site of Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM). “Guys like Byron (a 30-to-1 underdog at Miami), who maybe win once a year, they kind of get forgotten. He was definitely forgotten (last Sunday), which was good for the house.”

So were Bell and McDowell.

The wild finish in the 500 – that saw Joey Logano (12-to-1) and Brad Keselowski (12-to-1), first and second place respectively under the white flag, crash in the final lap, allowing McDowell to move into the lead – worked out well for the SuperBook.

“That was awesome,” Salmons said. “They (bettors) came in and bet $5,000 on (Denny) Hamlin at 10-1, $5,000 on Chase (Elliott) at 12-1 to win that race. Chase wound up almost stealing that thing, but McDowell ended up winning. McDowell we opened and closed at like 80-1, and there was a small amount of money (on him to win) – I’m talking maybe $20.”

A week later at Daytona, Bell closed at 80-1 to win on the road course, “and we had maybe $20 or $30 on him, not a lot, so that was another good race for us,” Salmons said.

Certain long shots, though, can make a bookmaker uncomfortable.

“The bettors will jump on a couple of guys like a Bubba Wallace at 100-1 and it will accumulate, and we’ll be in the hole a high six figures, sometimes seven figures (of liability),” said Johnny Avello, director of sportsbook operations at DraftKings. “We’re not seeing huge, huge money on one particular guy. That doesn’t mean that guys don’t bet five dimes ($5,000) on (Kevin) Harvick at 7-1 or Hamlin at 9-1; it just means that typically large, five-, six-figure bets is not the way this game has been bet, at least up to this point.”

Salmons painted a similar picture at his shop and said large wagers in the outright (to win) market are key to the book’s NASCAR profits.

“We have a few house customers that bet big dollar amounts on NASCAR,” Salmons said. “We had one of our house guys bet $6,000 on Harvick (to win at Miami) at 10-1. He bet $10,000 on Chase Elliott to win the road course race at 9-5. So there are some big-money bets that keep your futures book going.”

Josh Bilicki may create some sweat for Circa Sportsbook in downtown Las Vegas, as the CEO of Dollar Loan Center wagered $10,000 on the 1,000-to-1 shot with the promise to pay off all Nevada customers’ loans with the $10 million hit if the No. 52 finishes in front.

The bet could result in a $10M payout if #JoshBiliki wins this weekend at @LVMotorSpeedway @CircaSports @DontBeBroke https://t.co/KjKLxa9UeG

— KTNV | Channel 13 News Las Vegas (@KTNV) March 5, 2021

Wide open in Vegas

While dark horses have dominated early this season, a return to form looms. That implies it’s time for a driver closer to the top of the odds board to take the checkers Sunday at Las Vegas, but a glance at the numbers suggests a wide-open affair. Not much separates the top four favorites –Harvick is 5-1 at the SuperBook, and Hamlin, Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. all opened at 7-1 – and nine drivers are priced at 12-1 odds or shorter.

“It seems like it’s going to be a really open race,” Salmons said.

When handicapping the Vegas race, lessons can be gleaned from Miami, another 1.5-mile oval, but there are also key differences between the tracks, and all of that is baked into the odds.

“From what I saw (last week), and the difference here to there, the cautions and the pit stops, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin and Harvick were picking up like four or five spots per pit stop, which is just huge,” Salmons said. “I mean, track position in Vegas will be huge. It’s not like Homestead where you can start first and be running sixth after a couple laps. This track here, you get the clean air and you’re gone, so that will figure into the price.”

Salmons has his eyes on the Chevrolets this weekend, particularly the Hendrick Motorsports cars, which performed well at Miami after disappointing on the 1.5-milers in recent seasons. Chevys took three of the top four spots last week and five of the top ten. Hendrick drivers Byron finished first, Kyle Larson fourth and Alex Bowman ninth.

“The Chevys ran so well (at Miami). Is that something we’re going to see here?” Salmons said. “And that’s going to be priced into it. Bowman (16-1) and Byron (18-1) and Larson (10-1) and obviously Chase, the best driver of them all, those guys will have lower odds than they’ve had in years past because for whatever reason Hendrick was off on mile-and-a-half speedways for a couple of years, and it looks like they’re definitely coming back.”

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 March 5, 2021 by Jason Christley

ATTLEBORO, Mass. — JDV Productions and Jennerstown Speedway announced on Thursday that the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race scheduled for Saturday, May 29, will be titled the Jennerstown Salutes 150 presented by DGV.

As part of a special partnership with Operation Vet NOW Inc., a Memorial Day celebration will take place in Pennsylvania for the fourth race of the Whelen Modified Tour season. The event, promoted by JDV Productions, will remember 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 will honor a large number of fallen heroes, specifically on each car. NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour cars will each carry the name of a veteran lost in war on the side of their 600-horsepower machines for competition.

“I’m in awe of the sacrifices that the members of our armed forces make to serve our nation, and protect the ideals which this great nation was founded upon. Their bravery is inspiring, and the sacrifice of their families is worthy of our highest gratitude and recognition,” Josh Vanada, founder of JDV Productions, said.

“I can’t think of a more appropriate way to recognize these men and women whose lives have been given in service to our nation than by honoring Gold Star families, just miles from the 911 Memorial, at Jennerstown Speedway, on Memorial Day weekend. I’m thankful to the whole team at OVN for helping us to honor these fallen soldiers, and express our gratitude to their families.”

Operation Vet NOW (OVN) Inc. is a non-profit organization established to reduce veteran suicide and improve the overall welness of veterans, regardless of era served, through innovative outreach experiences. Having started just over three years ago, 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 care to heal their mind, body, and soul. As part of multiple efforts, Operation Vet NOW specifically works on a Fallen Heroes project to honor those who have been lost. With each event that they work, OVN incorporates the recognition and tribute to honor fallen heroes that have given the ultimate sacrifice. This project will be in action during the Jennerstown race day, as OVN will set up a pop-up tent in the midway and have photos and names of the heroes that are being honored, along with more at the track.

“We have a lot of ties in motorsports,” Tony Aubrey of Operation Vet NOW Inc., a Combat Veteran of over 20 years himself, said. “We know that motorsports is a patriotic industry. Motorsports also has a large number of veterans — all the way from attendance, to participants in the races. We know that when we go to the races, we will find a lot of veterans to connect with there. When Bill Hribar (General Manager at Jennerstown Speedway) reached out and said that JDV Productions wanted to connect, I was happy to take the next step. This should be a great event for us to honor those fallen heroes, their families, and see some exciting racing on the track.”

Although the race day will honor countless lost soldiers, a specific Gold Star family invited to attend will be Michael and Lori Wieger, the parents of Staff Sergeant Air Force member David A. Wieger. A Gold Star family is made up of those who are left behind following the passing of a soldier in war. Special Agent David Wieger was killed in Iraq in November of 2007, when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device. Special Agent Wieger was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Force Commendation Medal (2nd Oak Leaf Cluster) and the Air Force Combat Action Medal. His family, located about 20 miles from Jennerstown Speedway in North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, will serve as the Grand Marshals and Honorary Starters for the race.

As part of the pre-race ceremonies, both the National Anthem and God Bless America will be performed by Felisha Mascinatonio, the daughter of a combat veteran. The Taps Bugle Players from the local American Legion will be in attendance, along with a local Honor Guard. Additional information about the event will be released closer to race day.

JDV Productions, led by Josh Vanada and his team of experienced professionals in motorsports, will return to grassroots short-track racing to promote three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events in 2021. As part of the tour’s 37th annual season of competition, which includes a 14-race schedule in six different states, JDV Productions will promote races in three states — Pennsylvania, New York and Maine. Races at Jennerstown Speedway Complex (May 29), Oswego Speedway (June 12) and Beech Ridge Motor Speedway (August 21) will be led by the JDV team.

All three events will be $10,000+ to win for drivers, including the Whelen Winner of the Race bonus award, and each will have a full purse structure throughout the field. JDV is committed to assisting the Whelen Modified Tour group to continue the deep history of NASCAR’s oldest touring series.

For more information on Operation Vet NOW Inc., visit www.opvetnow.org, visit them on Facebook at facebook.com/operationvetnow and on Instagram at Operationvetnow. For more information on JDV Productions, visit jdvproductions.com and follow on Facebook.

Posted on March 5, 2021March 5, 2021 by Staff Report

The following article is brought to you by BetMGM.

If you start up front for a NASCAR race, you’ll finish well, right? Well, yes, sometimes.

When it comes to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, qualifying well and starting up front is an indication of what’s to come and also what the NASCAR odds may be. In fact, in the past 15 years of racing, the winner started from the top five nine times in 18 races. In the Xfinity Series, every race winner since 2009 has started in the top 10.

But as fans know, this year’s qualifying order isn’t being established by the fastest qualifying lap on a Friday or Saturday. It’s based on a formula that takes into account previous race success, team owner rankings, etc. You can thank the COVID-19 pandemic for no qualifying.

Therefore, while starting upfront is certainly an advantage, it may not be indicative this year of who has the strongest car. That could make this race even more exciting as more powerful teams may be farther back than they’d be if there were qualifying. That will be a dynamic to keep a close eye on this weekend.

So who could dominate? We take a look.

THE FAVORITE

Martin Truex Jr. +600

Martin Truex Jr. will start fourth in the field using the new starting-grid formula, so he’ll easily be within close range of going for the win. His history at Las Vegas is impressive, with two wins since 2017 and five top-five finishes.

While Truex is certainly a tough competitor on the track, his demeanor is a very consistent, calm type of driver. He doesn’t pop off at a moment’s notice, favoring the role of the silent assassin. Then, all of a sudden, he has crept up the stairs of the stage in Victory Lane.

That’s what makes him such a threat at a calm and consistent track like Las Vegas. He’s the perfect fit, and his results here prove it.

OTHERS: Truex may be the NASCAR betting odds favorite, but Brad Keselowski (+650) shouldn’t be ignored. He has three wins in the past 10 Las Vegas races and also seven top-five finishes in his last 11 starts there. Also, Joey Logano (+650) has the best average finish in the past 15 races (8.4) and two wins.

THE DARK-HORSE THREAT

Ryan Blaney +1100

Ryan Blaney hasn’t won here in nine NASCAR Cup Series career attempts, but Las Vegas is his best regular-season track if you go by average finish (9.7). He has six top-10 finishes and three top fives, and last season, he led the early-season race for 19 laps. He seems very comfortable on the 1.5-mile oval track, and his career shows the 1-to-2 mile tracks cater to his talents better than most others.

Blaney has gotten off to a bit of a bumpy start in 2021, crashing out of the Daytona 500 and taking 15th and 29th, respectively, the next two weekends at the Daytona Road Course and Homestead-Miami Speedway.

He’d like nothing more than to bounce back at one of his favorite tracks, so keep an eye on him.

OTHERS: There’s no way you could write about Las Vegas without mentioning the Busch brothers, who were both born in the “Entertainment Capital of the World.” Kurt Busch (+2000) won the second Las Vegas race of 2020, and Kyle Busch (+1200) is usually pretty good on his home track. While Kyle qualified well (on the pole and second, respectively) for both Vegas races last year, he didn’t finish in the top five in either. He does have one career win (in 2009).

THE INTRIGUING LONG SHOT

Chase Briscoe +3500

Chase Briscoe has won the past two Xfinity Series races at Las Vegas, and the rookie dominated the junior circuit last year, winning nine races. Overall, the first-year Cup Series driver took 52 top 10s in just 83 races.

The truth is, Briscoe has demonstrated a knack for being able to wheel around 1.5-mile tracks. Whether it has been in Las Vegas, Kansas, Texas or Kentucky, he tends to run well. While this track would seem to favor veterans, this is one Cup Series neophyte to keep an eye on.

OTHERS: Austin Dillon (+5000) has been around longer than Briscoe and also won Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series races at Las Vegas. This weekend, he will be driving the BetMGM Chevrolet for his grandfather at Richard Childress Racing. Dillon has a solid history on 1.5-mile tracks, capturing eight of his top-series career wins on them.

Posted on March 4, 2021March 5, 2021 by Chase Wilhelm

Nearly a week after crashing into the back of David Starr with fewer than three laps remaining while leading last Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Noah Gragson’s view remains unchanged.

Gragson appeared to be on his way to securing his third career Xfinity Series victory, but disaster struck as he tried to place Starr a lap down. The No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet was destroyed after Starr lost control and slid up the race track despite trying to move down to give room, leaving Gragson with no option but to slam into his back bumper.

Gragson made critical comments about Starr immediately after the incident. Once the race was completed, Starr made a visit to the No. 9 hauler. Gragson then made an effort to explain that Starr has always been a difficult car to pass and he’s not the only one who thinks the same.

“I understand that they’re racing and they’re on track and they’re running their own race, but man, when the leader’s coming, we’d like just a little bit more respect,” Gragson said during his Thursday media availability. “It’s not just him, though.”

As the series heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 300 (4:30 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), Gragson said even after looking back on the situation, he still wouldn’t have done anything differently – referring to both the crash and his comments afterward.

“I think the most important thing for me is to stay true to myself,” Gragson said. “I think it’s to not really change because I went through a little process last year where I wasn’t really myself. People tried to slow me down and it didn’t really work for me. I spoke what was on my mind.”

One of those people who spoke with Gragson about slowing down and being less aggressive was team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. The pair had an in-depth conversation about how he should practice more patience on the race track, but not at the sacrifice of speed.

The concept didn’t really match up with Gragson’s driving style, which led him to throwing caution to the wind – which included Earnhardt’s opinion – and racing the only way he knows.

“We had a good conversation and I tried to do what he said, but I just slowed down,” Gragson said. “I didn’t have the speed. I finally got into the playoffs and I’m like, screw that, I’m going to go out there and race as hard as I can and be comfortable with myself and race the way I know how to, and we had really good results.”

Gragson noted since then, he has discussed the incident with other drivers, including Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson and Tyler Reddick. They all said they didn’t know what Gragson could have done differently, which was “refreshing” to hear for him.

While those drivers know the position Gragson is currently in trying to race for the livelihood of his career each week, those on the outside aren’t privy to the same knowledge. That’s where Gragson tries to educate people on what it’s like to be in his shoes, but most of the time, to no avail.

“I’ve heard it all,” Gragson said. “Probably the worst stuff you could hear on Twitter based on personal experiences in my life over the past couple years. Stuff that happens on the race track doesn’t bother me a bit. For myself personally, it’s not that I’m mad or it gets under my skin what people say, it’s me trying to educate them of what it’s like to be behind the wheel of the race car — me trying to educate and inform them of my side of the story.

“I think that might be where the communication gets a little disruptive or it gets misunderstood is the fact that I’m just trying to explain some of the ignorance or some of the uneducated comments on there. It just seems like it’s almost impossible to educate the uneducated.”

While many have taken to social media to either express support or disdain toward Gragson, he welcomes all the chatter surrounding him – both positive and negative.

If you're talking about me, I'm doing my job.

— Noah Gragson (@NoahGragson) March 3, 2021

“Everyone has their own opinion and I’m fine with that,” Gragson said. “I have my own opinion, too. If people are talking about me, I’m doing my job. I’m doing a good job. Darrell Waltrip once said that if they’re talking about you, good or bad, they’re still talking about you.

“There are people who like me, there’s people who hate me, you’re gonna have that. Does it bother me? Not a bit.”

Posted on March 4, 2021 by Holly Cain

After an off-week to regroup, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action as the series heads west for Friday night’s Bucked Up 200 (9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

ThorSport Racing driver Ben Rhodes comes to Las Vegas having swept the season’s first two races at Daytona Beach, Florida. And he is one of only four current full-time competitors to have won at the 1.5-mile track previously.

In fact, a then 20-year old Rhodes won his career first series race there in 2017 – edging Christopher Bell to the checkered flag by .066 seconds. Rhodes will start on the pole Friday night alongside 2020 series champion Sheldon Creed, runner-up to Rhodes at the last race – Daytona International Speedway’s road-course event.

Creed, who has four top-10 finishes in four Vegas starts – was also the second-place finisher the last time the series raced at the track in September. He led a race-best 89 of the 134 laps but finished second to Austin Hill.

Hill would love to find his 2021 groove this weekend in Vegas, which will be his 100th series start. The Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota driver has won two of the last three races there and is one of only four drivers in history (also Jack Sprague, Mike Skinner and Kyle Busch) with multiple Las Vegas wins. But he has had a slow start to this season and is still looking for his first top-20 finish. He finished 22nd on the Daytona oval and 33rd on the road course.

The Vegas high banks have been a strength for Hill – those two wins are a third of his six-win career total. In the last three races, he has won twice and finished third. He will have his work cut out this weekend with a 31st-place starting position. Busch, the defending race winner at his hometown track, will start 29th.

“We’ve had extremely fast Tundras every time we’ve gone to Las Vegas and have had a ton of success,” Hill said. “This is the same truck that we won with in 2019 and ran third with last spring. Hopefully, we can have a similar result on Friday night. We didn’t get the results we wanted in the first two races at Daytona, but every one of us is looking forward to turning that around this week and hopefully, we can get our Ibaraki Toyopet Toyota into Victory Lane for the first time this season.”

Posted on March 4, 2021 by NASCAR.com

Name: Marsha
Current City: Des Moines, Iowa
Member Since: 2018

GETTING TO KNOW MARSHA:

Q. How did you first become interested in NASCAR?

“When I was young, I watched all of the great drivers like Dale Earnhardt Sr. and followed him until his accident. When Dale Jr. came into the picture, I followed him as well. In 2017, I had the chance to be in the pits at the Iowa Speedway Xfinity Series race and I met William Byron. He won the race that night. Ever since then he has been my driver. The excitement and experience were overwhelming.”

Q. What is your favorite part about NASCAR?

“I love the speed of the cars and the different setups that NASCAR has. I love the fact that when this pandemic hit our nation, they thought of us fans and communicated with us by doing virtual driving.”

Q: What is your favorite NASCAR memory?

“When Dale Jr. won Daytona for the last time. I was on Cloud 9. But I know there will be many more with William Byron.”

Q: Do you have a favorite in any of the following categories?
Current Driver: “William Byron.”
Past Driver: “Dale Earnhardt Jr.”
Team: “Hendrick Motorsports.”
OEM: “Chevy.”

Q. What do you like to do in your free time?

“I love watching NASCAR. I love to do crafts and bake for my family. Spend time with my mom. I love to go fishing with the family.”

FROM ALL OF US AT NASCAR, WE THANK MARSHA FOR HER CONTINUED SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM HER IN 2021!
Look for Marsha on the Official NASCAR Fan Council page on NASCAR.COM.