NASCAR creates new partner-driven technology platform

Posted on August 26, 2021September 10, 2021 by Staff Report

The sport of stock car racing has a long and storied history with technology, one that has helped position NASCAR as a leader among sports leagues in the pursuit for leading-edge innovation. Recently, NASCAR took a major step to pass that tech-forward ethos to companies around the globe through a new initiative called the NASCAR Technology Partner Platform, with 30 technology companies slated to attend the platform’s inaugural event at Daytona International Speedway during Coke Zero Sugar 400 race weekend.

When Christine Stoffel-Moffett, Head of Enterprise Technology at NASCAR, joined the company a year ago, she envisioned a new NASCAR-centered community for the tech industry that leveraged the sport’s long history of pushing technological boundaries and collaborating around innovative ideas. Created from that vision is an all-new program that is set to connect tech leaders from around the globe in a collaborative and fast-paced environment that will serve as an incubator for new ideas, case studies, relationships and efficiencies.

“When I joined NASCAR in March of 2020, I established a mission statement as a goal for NASCAR technology that stated ‘NASCAR technology teams’ vision is to be looked upon as the most inspiring, future-forward, innovative and technology advanced organization across the sports and entertainment industry.’ To accomplish this, we are selecting the best-in-class technology solutions and partners to align with NASCAR and participate on this journey together. The NASCAR Technology Partner Platform is the intersection of this vision; our tech partners will become part of the fabric and community of NASCAR for many years to come,” Stoffel-Moffett said.

This new platform is open to both existing NASCAR partners as well as companies outside of the sport, and through joining the platform companies will be afforded the opportunity to become part of an exclusive community of brands looking to network and collaborate together. NASCAR Technology Partners will meet throughout the season at tentpole events to identify new initiatives and concepts that are developing in the rapidly-changing tech space. Partners will also be encouraged to utilize NASCAR events to host key clients, top prospects, and exceptional employees with an unforgettable experience.

In addition, NASCAR Technology Partners will have direct access to NASCAR and its racetrack properties to test new developments, implement proof of concepts, and authenticate go-to market strategies for product launches. These technology journeys will be showcased and promoted through the brand’s marketing presence established in the partnership.

Current NASCAR Official Partners Xfinity, Comcast Business, Verizon and Amazon Web Services have committed to the program and will participate in this weekend’s event in Daytona. NASCAR has also welcomed forward-thinking and innovative brands HGC Technologies and Extreme Networks to establish its core foundation of NASCAR Technology Partners.

Through partnerships with elite, industry-leading technology partners, NASCAR will accomplish its innovation goals driving forward – and ultimately position itself as a dynamic testing ground for technological innovation and business transformation.

Companies that would like to be considered to join the NASCAR Technology Partner Program can learn more by contacting [email protected].

Posted on August 26, 2021August 26, 2021 by Zack Albert

Purists are old enough to recall when Daytona International Speedway’s 400-miler had “Firecracker” in the title, a delightfully alliterative race name often supplemented by art of exploding fireworks. Up until 1987, that event was held on July 4 — regardless of what day of the week the holiday fell on — and pre-noon start times were the norm before high-tech lighting made nighttime racing a possibility.

Purists might scoff at the NASCAR Cup Series schedule’s most recent twist, which plucked the 400 from the Independence Day slot it had held since the historic Florida track opened in 1959. There’s something to be said for planting new traditions, too, because the scheduling gods have created a firecracker of an event.

For the second consecutive year, the Cup Series will stage its regular-season finale in Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 (7 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Daytona. The unpredictable and perilous nature of superspeedway racing adds an extra layer of drama to the pressure-packed night, flinging the door wide open for a host of drivers vying for the 16th playoff spot — the final one available.

A schedule shift of such magnitude may have been written in the stars long before last year’s regular-season finale, an overtime classic won in clutch fashion by first-time winner William Byron. Stray chatter about Daytona potentially hosting the season-ending race in November even pre-dates the 10-race playoff format’s embryo phase. But a superspeedway end to the 26-race regular season was seemingly foretold four years ago at, of all things, a car unveiling.

Denny Hamlin had just helped to pull the cover off a new FedEx design for his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in October 2017. Talladega Superspeedway, a sister track to Daytona, was coming up on the schedule, and the venue had just been moved away from an elimination juncture in the playoff rotation. Hamlin talked about the schedule’s subtle impact, then was asked — for grins — where he would place Talladega if given full rein with the racing calendar.

“I think it should be the last race before the playoffs,” Hamlin said. One reporter stifled a bewildered half-laugh, but Hamlin wasn’t joking. “I think that is the ultimate wild-card spot, and if you want to see the craziest Talladega race ever, it would be right before the playoffs started to have that, because you’re going to have — what is this, probably 28 cars or so with their last opportunity to make it into the playoffs. To me, it’s a no-brainer where it should be in the schedule, but getting the tracks to agree to something like that is going to be very hard.”

Had such a move actually been brought up to the powers-that-be at the time? “It’s been floated with a side of push in it,” Hamlin said. “I think it would be the ultimate cutoff race. Talk about not knowing whether you’re in or out until the last lap, that would be the race.”

And now it is, only swapping in Daytona for Talladega as the superspeedway wild-card component.

Last year’s first run produced the fireworks that one might expect in July. Every push or dose of aero momentum was treated like an ounce of precious metal, and the running standings ticker stayed in continual flux.

Tyler Reddick typified the desperation of the final 10 laps with a bold move for his playoff survival that chopped the advances of Kyle Busch, triggering a 10-car stack-up that thinned the field of several front-runners. Jimmie Johnson’s hopes of making the playoffs in his final full Cup Series season fizzled in an 11-car melee that erupted just seven laps later.

Byron was left standing at the end, checkered flag and playoff berth in hand after one of the most compelling races of the season. Ask any of the contenders lacing up their driving shoes for Saturday’s Daytona reprise and more pyrotechnics are to be expected.

“It’s going to be balls to the wall for anybody that’s top 30 in points,” Busch said

Purists, buckle up.

Posted on August 26, 2021 by Chase Wilhelm

Ryan Blaney is hitting his stride at just the right time.

The No. 12 Team Penske driver heads into Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400, the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale, at Daytona International Speedway (7 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) on a hot streak that serves as one of the best in his career. In the past eight races, beginning at Pocono Raceway, Blaney has only two finishes outside of the top six (20th at Road America, 14th at Watkins Glen). That equals an average finish of 7.25 in that stretch.

But how does that compare to Blaney’s previous seasons? Before his current streak, Blaney’s best average finish in the same stretch of races (race Nos. 18-25) is 12.5 in 2018. That year, Blaney was eliminated in the Round of 12 of the playoffs. Below is a breakdown of his average finish in races 18-25 in all six of his full-time seasons, including where it ranked among other drivers in the field.

Season	Avg. finish	Season rank
2021	7.25	1st
2018	12.5	7th
2019	14.375	13th
2017	18.25	16th
2020	18.25	16th
2016	20.5	19th

Now let’s compare Blaney’s streak to other drivers in that same stretch of races over the past six seasons. Traditionally, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick have been strong during the final run into the playoffs. As you can see in the chart below, both drivers have set the bar high, with sprinkles of success from Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch before you get to where Blaney’s average finish ranks.

Driver	Avg. Finish	Season
Kevin Harvick	4.75	2020
Martin Truex Jr.	6	2020
Denny Hamlin	6.25	2017
Denny Hamlin	6.5	2016
Denny Hamlin	6.625	2020
Kevin Harvick	6.75	2018
Kyle Busch	7.125	2019
Ryan Blaney	7.25	2021
Kyle Larson	7.375	2021
Erik Jones	7.5	2018

As it stacks up, Hamlin was able to transfer the momentum gained in the final stretch of regular-season races into one Championship 4 appearance (2020), while Harvick was able to do the same in 2018. The only one on the list to win a title in that same year was Busch in 2019.

While a lot can happen in the 10-race playoff stretch, statistically, Blaney has put himself in the best position of his career heading into the postseason. If he can keep clicking off top-five finishes, it might be his best chance for his first Championship 4 appearance to date.

Statistics provided by Racing Insights.

Posted on August 26, 2021 by Staff Report

Earlier this year, NASCAR and its manufacturers formally introduced the unique body styles of the Next Gen Car to NASCAR fans and industry members. The new sleek design is fulfilling NASCAR’s promise to put the “stock” back in stock car racing. The Next Gen car will make its highly anticipated debut in 2022, and drivers, partners and fans are excited to see the new cars in action.

A significant contributor to the development of the Next Gen car has been the automotive performance suppliers that are producing super high quality performance parts for each of the cars that will hit the track in 2022. In celebration of those key suppliers, NASCAR is announcing today, a new partnership program that will highlight their contribution to the sport.

The NASCAR Competition Partner program is making its debut today and includes some of the highest quality automotive performance suppliers, including BBS Wheels, Cometic Gasket, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Mobil 1 Lubricants, SRI Performance and Technique Chassis. As part of the program, NASCAR Competition Partners will have the ability to promote and market the products that are used across all NASCAR Series including the new Next Gen Car. This partnership allows true automotive based performance companies to showcase their alliance with NASCAR to their customers and to the performance motorsports industry.

“The Next Gen car has been a product of incredible collaboration across our teams, OEM’s, and a number of partners that have provided input on the car,” said NASCAR SVP of Racing, Jon Probst. “Countless hours of simulation, wind tunnel tests, and lab testing went into optimizing the car for performance and safety. On the track, the Next Gen car has been put through a rigorous testing process and we couldn’t have done it without the support of incredible partnerships.”

As a competition partner, each supplier will utilize a newly designed Competition Program badge that can be used to promote and market their high quality, category leading, performance parts. Each part is NASCAR tested, NASCAR approved, and NASCAR tough.

Posted on August 25, 2021August 26, 2021 by Marcus DiNitto

Brendan Gaughan lends a unique perspective to the intersection of gambling and NASCAR. The former NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series driver grew up in Las Vegas and around the casino business – his father, Michael, and grandfather, Jackie, both magnates of the industry.

Michael currently owns the South Point Hotel & Casino, which houses one of Vegas’ most respected sportsbooks. On Super Bowl Sunday, in fact, you’ll find Brendan behind the counter, writing tickets for the bettors lined up to wager on the game.

Brendan, who stepped away from NASCAR after racing in five Cup events last year, co-hosts “Gone Racin,'” a NASCAR betting-themed show on VSiN (for the uninitiated, that’s the Vegas Stats & Information Network, a media company dedicated to sports betting founded by Brent Musburger in 2017). He also remains involved in his family’s casino business, in addition to several entrepreneurial endeavors of his own, and yes, even some racing.

We recently caught up over the phone with Brendan and discussed his favorite casino games, why he doesn’t bet NASCAR and the slick vehicles he drives to get his family around town.

NASCAR.com: I know you do some ticket writing on Super Bowl Sunday at the South Point.
Gaughan: That’s been a special deal for my family. A Gaughan has worked a sportsbook since the dawn of sportsbooks and casinos, every Super Bowl. And as long as I’m around, the trend will not be lost. And with any luck, my children will continue that when I’m gone.

NASCAR.com: What’s the biggest bet you’ve ever written?
Gaughan: I got to write one of the $250,000 ones. Just depends on what window it gets sent to, and they sent me one for $250,000.

NASCAR.com: Do you remember who it was on and if it was a winner?
Gaughan: You know what, I don’t. It was just a bet. You know what I mean? In our businesses, it’s where’s the number going and go to the next one.

NASCAR.com: What else are you doing these days? What else are you working on? I know you have some business interests. What’s keeping you busy?
Gaughan: I have a moonshine company; we make a City Lights Shine. I have a chemical company and PPE company. That’s something that we started before the pandemic, and it’s doing well right now. And then of course the family business. We have Mesquite Gaming in Mesquite, Nevada – Casa Blanca Resort and Virgin River Hotel – and the South Point. I stay in Mesquite, because if my dad’s there, probably not a good idea for me to be there. We get along great, as long as we don’t work with each other. I’m sure anybody who has worked with their fathers many times could say that. So I stick with Mesquite, he sticks in the South Point.

NASCAR.com: Yeah, I heard you on a podcast characterizing your relationship with your father as unique.
Gaughan: He’s an amazing man. I love him to death, and we get along amazingly – until we have to share a boardroom.

NASCAR.com: Other than the South Point, what’s your favorite sportsbook in Vegas?
Gaughan: Well, I’m kind of a homer when it comes to the South Point, so I stick mostly there. But I will have to say that I’m a fan of the Stevens brothers (Derek and Greg), and I’m a fan of what they’ve built. I think it’s a beautiful place they built over there at Circa and that sportsbook, especially.

NASCAR.com: Do you bet a lot of NASCAR?
Gaughan: No. Remember I wasn’t allowed for the last 25, 30 years of my life. I couldn’t. And it was definitely a different era. I mean, (today’s legal sports betting environment) is very unique. Hell, in 2020, I was doing a gambling television show on a race that I was racing in. But I respected NASCAR’s wishes very, very closely on that and understood. I grew up in this business. There’s a fine line there. So no, I do not bet on NASCAR. And even to this day, truly, I don’t bet on NASCAR. …. Now that I’m out of the sport, I talk about it more often, but I still don’t feel like it’s right. I was too involved too long.

NASCAR.com: South Point title sponsors a race in September (at Las Vegas Motor Speedway). How does your life change during that week?
Gaughan: Oh, God. If at all possible, I try to make sure I leave town (laughs). It’s a very hectic week for the hotel, for me personally. Honestly, it was easier when I was behind the wheel, because at least I had an excuse for a few hours that nobody could bother me. Now it’s wide open. Everybody wants me to go everywhere, wants you to do something. Everybody thinks you have Ticketmaster tattooed on your forehead. So it’s definitely a difficult week. But you know what, so worth it. We love seeing the race fans at the hotel, love seeing the race teams. We have 47 teams total between Truck, Xfinity and Cup that stay with us. We take care of the race teams. Man, we love it.

NASCAR.com: That’s fun. To you, what’s been the biggest surprise so far of the 2021 NASCAR season?
Gaughan: Well, I think it just happened – AJ Allmendinger (winning the Cup race on the Indianapolis Road Course on Aug. 15). That was phenomenal. I was so excited for AJ. …. It wasn’t a surprise to me, surprise to others – Kyle Larson’s dominance. I said in our first show of Gone Racin’ that I expected Kyle Larson to win at least five races this year. And he’s already at that number.

NASCAR.com: I also heard you mention your nephew as an up-and-coming racer. How’s his career going?
Gaughan: Jakers (Jake Gaughan) is making his way in, he’s racing the off-road, and he’s working hard at it. He’s going through the typical growing pains of trying to race in the desert. He has an allergy to keeping all four wheels down at the moment. We’re trying to fix that problem. But he’s doing great. He finished second last week at Reno in his class, and he’s won a couple of big races, so he’s doing well.

NASCAR.com: If you don’t bet NASCAR, what do you play?
Gaughan: What’s funny is growing up in this life – I’m not going to say I didn’t make book with the nuns in fifth grade for extra credit in school – but I don’t tend to bet heavily. I’ve watched my father do it, and what I learned a long time ago was, ‘am I going to worry about my $100 bet, or am I going to worry about what the hotel needs?’ So I’m rooting for the Denver Broncos, Dad’s rooting for the Washington Redskins, my $150 win is much less important than the win for the hotel (laughs). So I tend to not bet often. I only bet when I have fun feelings about things, where there’s people that I like in a game. I used to love betting on (former Bucs and Falcons running back) Warrick Dunn. So I’ll find a reason to bet, but I don’t do it often anymore.

NASCAR.com: Any casino games?
Gaughan: Yeah, once again growing up the business, you learn you get burned. But I love to shoot dice. If you’re a real casino man, you know how to shoot dice and you know the odds on everything. So a dice table is where you’ll find me. If I’m looking to play with friends and be social, you’ll find me a Pai Gow table. So depends on the mood.

NASCAR.com: What will it take to get you back in a race car?
Gaughan: Well, I still go race in the desert, and I’ll do that until you pry the steering wheel from my cold dead hand. But in a NASCAR? No thank you, I’m good. I’m happy. I’ve been there done that. I bought many t-shirts, and I’ve moved on. You’ll find me in the dirt in Baja. Matter of fact, I’m sitting here prepping for the Baja 400 (scheduled for September) right now. If you’re looking for me, go looking in the dirt in Mexico.

NASCAR.com: What kind of car do you drive in real life?
Gaughan: (laughs) Oh, everybody loves that question, they think my answer is funny. I have a 2012 Volkswagen Routan minivan and a 2020 Chrysler Pacifica Red S Edition minivan.

NASCAR.com: Like a true family man.
Gaughan: I love ‘em! No, I love ‘em. I love minivans! Even without the family. The Red S is my favorite minivan. It is so freaking cool. Look it up online. It’s cool looking.

NASCAR.com: Your pick to win the Cup championship?
Gaughan: I picked him at the start of the season to be a favorite, and everybody kind of laughed at me, but Kyle Larson is still my favorite. He is absolutely showing the talent that he is. If I’ve got a dark horse sitting there, it’s William Byron, but Hendrick Motorsports is the favorite by far.

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 August 25, 2021 by Staff Report

NASCAR penalized three Cup Series teams, an Xfinity Series team and a Camping World Truck Series team Wednesday for infractions during last weekend’s events at Michigan International Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

RELATED: Cup Series standings | Daytona schedule

Two of the three Cup Series teams were found with one unsecured lug nut in Sunday’s post-race check after the FireKeepers Casino 400, resulting in a $10,000 fine for each of the following teams/crew chiefs:

No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota (crew chief Mike Wheeler; driver Bubba Wallace)
No. 51 Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet (crew chief Mike Hillman; driver Cody Ware)

The No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing team (driver Ross Chastain) was then penalized in the Cup Series for the Chevrolet’s loss of an axle during the race. Crew member David Fero is suspended from the next event as a result (Saturday’s regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway).

In the Xfinity Series, the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet (driver AJ Allmendinger) was found with a single unsecured lug nut after Saturday’s New Holland 250 at Michigan, resulting in $5,000 fine for crew chief Jason Trinchere.

In the Camping World Truck Series, the No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Toyota (driver Derek Kraus) was found with a single unsecured lug nut after Friday’s Toyota 200 at Gateway, resulting in $2,500 fine for crew chief Mark Hillman.

NASCAR also hit Brian Thomas, a crew member in the Xfinity Series, with an indefinite suspension from the sport due to a behavioral infraction.

Posted on August 25, 2021August 28, 2021 by Staff Report

See where your favorite driver will pit for Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway (7 p.m. ET on NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on August 25, 2021August 25, 2021 by Staff Report

Kyle Larson has secured the Busch Pole Award for Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 (7 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the NASCAR Cup Series’ regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway.

Larson, the series points leader, will start his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet from the first spot for the sixth time this season, in search of his first Daytona victory. He leads Denny Hamlin by 28 points in the final battle for the series’ regular-season championship, which includes a 15-point bonus in the playoff-point tally.

AJ Allmendinger claimed the pole for Friday’s Wawa 250 (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM) in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet. Allmendinger is the Xfinity Series’ most recent winner, prevailing in triple overtime last weekend at Michigan International Speedway.

RELATED: Daytona weekend schedule | Buy tickets

As NASCAR adapted to COVID-19 protocols last season, practice and qualifying were eliminated at a majority of national-series events to limit at-track time, exposure and to cut race weekend costs. To determine starting lineups, competition officials used grouped draws, added inversions for weekend doubleheaders, and eventually adopted a performance-metrics formula. That metrics format remains in place this season, drawing on performance from both individual races and season-long results.

NASCAR’s metrics formula for 2021 weighs:

25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
35 percent: Team owner points ranking
15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race

See the full lineup for Saturday night’s Cup Series race below.

Start pos.	Driver	Car #	Team
1	Kyle Larson	5	Hendrick Motorsports
2	William Byron	24	Hendrick Motorsports
3	Denny Hamlin	11	Joe Gibbs Racing
4	Kyle Busch	18	Joe Gibbs Racing
5	Chase Elliott	9	Hendrick Motorsports
6	Ryan Blaney	12	Team Penske
7	Martin Truex Jr.	19	Joe Gibbs Racing
8	Kurt Busch	1	Chip Ganassi Racing
9	Matt DiBenedetto	21	Wood Brothers Racing
10	Brad Keselowski	2	Team Penske
11	Kevin Harvick	4	Stewart-Haas Racing
12	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	47	JTG Daugherty Racing
13	Chris Buescher	17	Roush Fenway Racing
14	Christopher Bell	20	Joe Gibbs Racing
15	Alex Bowman	48	Hendrick Motorsports
16	Chase Briscoe	14	Stewart-Haas Racing
17	Tyler Reddick	8	Richard Childress Racing
18	Michael McDowell	34	Front Row Motorsports
19	Aric Almirola	10	Stewart-Haas Racing
20	Bubba Wallace	23	23XI Racing
21	Erik Jones	43	Richard Petty Motorsports
22	Joey Logano	22	Team Penske
23	Ryan Newman	6	Roush Fenway Racing
24	Ryan Preece	37	JTG Daugherty Racing
25	Cole Custer	41	Stewart-Haas Racing
26	Daniel Suarez	99	Trackhouse Racing
27	Austin Dillon	3	Richard Childress Racing
28	Justin Haley	77	Spire Motorsports
29	Ross Chastain	42	Chip Ganassi Racing
30	BJ McLeod	78	Live Fast Motorsports
31	Cody Ware	51	Petty Ware Racing
32	Anthony Alfredo	38	Front Row Motorsports
33	Corey LaJoie	7	Spire Motorsports
34	Garrett Smithley	53	Rick Ware Racing
35	Quin Houff	00	StarCom Racing
36	Josh Bilicki	52	Rick Ware Racing
37	Joey Gase	15	Rick Ware Racing
38	Kaz Grala	16	Kaulig Racing
39	Landon Cassill	96	Gaunt Brothers Racing
40	David Starr	66	Motorsports Business Management

Practice and qualifying are tentatively scheduled for eight Cup Series races this year. Just one race remains with Busch Pole Qualifying on the schedule — the season-ending championship race Nov. 7 at Phoenix Raceway.

Posted on August 24, 2021August 24, 2021 by Tadd Haislop

Heading into the final race of the 2021 regular season for the NASCAR Cup Series, the Playoffs standings show all but one spot clinched.

The 16th and final driver to clinch a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs will do so Saturday night in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 (7 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Daytona International Speedway.

With a series-high five victories and 12 stage wins thus far in 2021, Kyle Larson leads the NASCAR Playoffs standings over Denny Hamlin in second place, Kyle Busch in third, William Byron in fourth and defending champion Chase Elliott in fifth entering Daytona.

On the other end of the grid is Tyler Reddick, who enters Saturday night with a 25-point edge over his Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Dillon for the 16th and final NASCAR Playoffs spot.

Either driver would clinch with a win. But if Daytona produces a repeat winner on the season — or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the Playoffs — Reddick would need at least 31 points to clinch his spot in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Dillon, on the other hand, would need help to clinch.

Below are the complete NASCAR Playoffs standings ahead of the regular-season finale, including the list of drivers who have already clinched spots.

NASCAR Playoffs standings

Below are the NASCAR Playoffs standings heading into the Cup Series’ regular-season finale at Daytona.
Note: The drivers locked in are listed first.

Season standings rank	Driver	Season points	Cutoff	Wins bonus	Stage wins	Regular-season bonus	Playoffs reset	Projected Playoffs Points
1.	Kyle Larson	1004	Locked In	25	12	15	2000	2,052
2.	Denny Hamlin	976	Locked In	0	5	10	2000	2,015
3.	Kyle Busch	838	Locked In	10	5	8	2000	2,023
4.	William Byron	833	Locked In	5	3	7	2000	2,015
5.	Chase Elliott	820	Locked In	10	2	6	2000	2,018
6.	Martin Truex Jr.	789	Locked In	15	5	5	2000	2,025
7.	Ryan Blaney	787	Locked In	10	4	4	2000	2,018
8.	Joey Logano	772	Locked In	5	4	3	2000	2,012
9.	Kevin Harvick	756	Locked In	0	0	2	2000	2,002
10.	Brad Keselowski	729	Locked In	5	2	1	2000	2,008
12.	Alex Bowman	674	Locked In	15	0	0	2000	2,015
14.	Kurt Busch	643	Locked In	5	3	0	2000	2,008
15.	Christopher Bell	595	Locked In	5	0	0	2000	2,005
19.	Michael McDowell	497	Locked In	5	0	0	2000	2,005
23.	Aric Almirola	436	Locked In	5	0	0	2000	2,005
11.	Tyler Reddick	677	25	0	3	0	2000	2,003
–	*CUTOFF*	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
13.	Austin Dillon	652	-25	0	0	0	–	–
16.	Matt DiBenedetto	557	-120	0	1	0	–	–
17.	Chris Buescher	542	-135	0	1	0	–	–
18.	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	504	-173	0	0	0	–	–
20.	Ross Chastain	492	-185	0	0	0	–	–
21.	Bubba Wallace	482	-195	0	1	0	–	–
22.	Chase Briscoe	450	-227	0	0	0	–	–
24.	Erik Jones	427	-250	0	0	0	–	–
25.	Daniel Suarez	423	-254	0	0	0	–	–
26.	Ryan Newman	406	-271	0	0	0	–	–
27.	Ryan Preece	398	-279	0	0	0	–	–
28.	Cole Custer	382	-295	0	0	0	–	–
29.	Corey LaJoie	307	-370	0	0	0	–	–
30.	Anthony Alfredo	237	-440	0	0	0	–	–

Who has clinched a spot in Cup Series Playoffs?

Below is the list of 15 drivers who have already clinched spots in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

All but two have clinched with race victories; Hamlin and Kevin Harvick have clinched on points.

Projected playoff points rank (among those locked in)	Driver	Clinched with
1	Kyle Larson	Win (5)
2	Martin Truex Jr.	Win (3)
3	Kyle Busch	Win (2)
4	Chase Elliott	Win (2)
5	Ryan Blaney	Win (2)
6	Alex Bowman	Win (3)
7	William Byron	Win (1)
8	Denny Hamlin	Points
9	Joey Logano	Win (1)
10	Brad Keselowski	Win (1)
11	Kurt Busch	Win (1)
12	Christopher Bell	Win (1)
13	Michael McDowell	Win (1)
14	Aric Almirola	Win (1)
15	Kevin Harvick	Points

Clinch scenarios for regular-season finale at Daytona

NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona are known for their unpredictability, so the 15 drivers who could clinch the 16th and final NASCAR Playoffs spot with a win will be hoping to do just that Saturday.

The following are the drivers who would clinch a NASCAR Playoffs spot with a win in the regular-season finale at Dayona.

Tyler Reddick
Austin Dillon
Matt DiBenedetto
Chris Buescher
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Ross Chastain
Bubba Wallace
Chase Briscoe
Erik Jones
Daniel Suarez
Ryan Newman
Ryan Preece
Cole Custer
Anthony Alfredo
Corey LaJoie

Reddick and Dillon are the only two drivers who can clinch the last NASCAR Playoffs spot without a win at Daytona.

If a repeat race winner (or a driver who cannot advance to the Playoffs) takes the checkered flag Saturday night, Reddick or Dillon could clinch by being ahead of the fourth winless driver in the standings.

In that case, Reddick would clinch with 31 points earned at Daytona. Dillon could only clinch with help.

The same point requirements would hold true if a new win were to come from Hamlin or Harvick.

Posted on August 23, 2021August 23, 2021 by Zack Albert

It’s been nearly two months since Todd Gordon announced that he would soon step away from his role as crew chief for Team Penske’s No. 12 Ford and driver Ryan Blaney. There’s an 11-race runway before that move becomes official at season’s end, and all indications are that Gordon won’t coast into that career sunset.

Gordon gathered up his second NASCAR Cup Series win of the season with Blaney on Sunday afternoon at Michigan International Speedway, providing some pre-playoffs momentum for the No. 12 team and fulfilling a point of emphasis for Ford, not far from the automaker’s hub in Detroit.

No less than Edsel Ford II delivered that message personally to Blaney & Co. on Sunday. But in addition to the customary Blue Oval pep talk, Ford mentioned another goal. “We need to get Todd one more win here in Michigan before he leaves,” Blaney recalled Henry Ford’s great-grandson saying. “Last chance to do it.”

Sunday’s Michigan victory in the FireKeepers Casino 400 would rank as quite the send-off for Gordon on its own. But the 51-year-old crew chief says he wants more from his final year on the pit box, now presented with the ideal scenario to leave his role on top.

“Ideally, Ryan has talked about this a little bit, but I want to go out a champion,” Gordon says. “We’ve got a lot of races left. We’ve got a lot of competition. I’m really comfortable with my decision. I don’t know where it will take me. There’s things that I can do. Heck, I can spend a year at my house just working on home projects.

“I’m comfortable with where I’m going to go. I’ve had a great career. I do want to go out while I’m still relevant and still competitive. I want to pick my time, and this is it. I think it’s time for family, but it’s still great to win races. It’s a blessing and an opportunity that I’ll cherish for the next 11 and hopefully we can get a couple more of these and a championship.”

Relevant and competitive are bars that Gordon has cleared in all nine full-time seasons as a Cup Series crew chief. He’s won at least once every year since 2013, collecting 24 Cup victories in his time with Team Penske and hoisting the 2018 series championship with Joey Logano.

Gordon was first paired with Blaney as part of an organization-wide crew chief shake-up before the 2020 season, but routine driver-crew chief communication was halted by the COVID-19 outbreak just four races into that campaign. No practice or qualifying meant that opportunities to collaborate during a race weekend were reduced, a development that Blaney called “bittersweet.”

That said, Blaney has still called his experience with Gordon, “a ton of fun. He has showed me a lot of different things about race cars, kind of has widened my knowledge of everything.

“Wish him the best that’s for sure next year, but we’ve got a job to do this year — sending him out with a bang. Nice win today. Hopefully we can get a few more wins and be able to bring home the big one at the end of the year. Be a pretty big send-off for Todd. Hopefully we can do that for him.”

The coronavirus stoppage threw the NASCAR industry into transition, and Gordon shifted from spending more time at the track or at the race shop to having more time with family at home. The break prompted him to reassess his life’s priorities. Both of his daughters were back home, and he reconnected with his parents, who used to take a motorhome from track to track to follow their son’s travels. It’s what fed his decision to announce June 28 that he’d hang up his headset after the season.

“I want to spend some time with my family. I wanted to have more time to do that,” Gordon said. “I know my own competitive nature, I need to actually make the commitment to step away to slow things down and make time to do the other things that I want to do. That’s pretty much most of where this is coming from.”

Even as he continues to add victories to his career portfolio, Gordon maintains there’s not a lingering itch to stay in his current role. He said Sunday that he’d surely miss the camaraderie that comes with being a part of team owner Roger Penske’s organization and the sense of community from being at the track each week, but that also he has the rare chance to step aside on his own terms.

Should the next 11 races play out favorably, those terms might include a second Cup Series championship.

“I’ve got the greatest boss in the world, greatest opportunity in the world,” Gordon said. “I’m walking away from this because I want to make time for other things. It’s been a great run, and I’d like to see what the next chapter of my life brings.”