Erik Jones and Legacy Motor Club is a fitting example. The Southern 500 winner in 2022, the driver of the No. 43 Chevrolet entered the 2023 season with an opportunity to ride his momentum to the playoffs. Instead, he has only secured two top-10 finishes — one at Talladega Superspeedway and one at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The race weekend at Nashville Superspeedway was a different story. Jones had the fourth-fastest car in practice and then he ran inside the top 10 throughout the Ally 400. He ultimately crossed the finish line eighth overall in what was his first top-10 away from a superspeedway.

“It was a good day. We had a good No. 43 Allegiant Chevy,” Jones said after the race. “We were able to run up towards the top 10 all day, so just need to build on that. If you can be up there and running competitively, it gives you something to work on.

“Today was the first day in a while that I felt like we were in the ballpark and where we need to be, so that’s a good step. I’m proud of the effort, for sure. We’re getting the cars better and where we want them to be, and hopefully just get them a little bit more moving forward.”

Jones was not the only driver with a much-needed strong finish. AJ Allmendinger finished 10th overall while Chase Elliott finished fourth as he tries to bounce back from missing seven of the first 17 races.

Allmendinger’s Weekend Consisted of Success

GettyCup Series drivers race at the Ally 400.

Allmendinger’s return to the Cup Series has been a work in progress. He kicked off the year with a sixth-place finish in the Daytona 500, but he failed to crack the top 10 again until the June race at Sonoma Raceway. Allmendinger also had three DNFs due to crashes.

Allmendinger’s weekend began with a standout performance. He competed in the Xfinity Series race at Nashville Superspeedway, and he took the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro to Victory Lane after leading 25 laps.

Allmendinger then delivered a much-needed performance for Kaulig Racing in the Cup Series race. He qualified 19th overall in the No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro, and he secured bonus points in the first two stages after consistently running inside of the top 10.

Allmendinger ultimately crossed the finish line 10th overall in what was his third top-10 of the season. He was set for a ninth-place finish, but Kyle Busch passed him before crossing the finish line.

“We had a really good day,” Allmendinger said after the race. “Our car was really balanced all day; we didn’t have to make adjustments. We just couldn’t get the track positions and we lost spots on pit road and had to make up for it.

“At the end of the day, that probably cost up three or four spots overall. I’m proud of the team. We are making a lot of progress, we had a lot of speed all weekend. I’m looking forward to going to a street course here to hopefully make up some more ground.”

Elliott Inched Closer To the Playoff Cutline

GettyChase Elliott watches qualifying at Nashville Superspeedway.

Elliott’s season has been a whirlwind. He missed six races early after fracturing his tibia in a snowboarding accident and then another while serving a one-race suspension for intentionally hooking Denny Hamlin into the outside wall at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

These absences dropped Elliott outside of the top 30 in points, and it put him in a must-win position. However, he has steadily moved his way up the leaderboard with some strong performances.

Elliott finished seventh at Kansas Speedway, third at Darlington Raceway, fifth at Sonoma Raceway, and fourth at Nashville Superspeedway. He is now 25th in the standings and 64 points behind the playoff cutline. Elliott still faces a hurdle, but he is moving closer to his ultimate goal of reaching the playoffs.

“It was solid, but we still needed a little bit,” Elliott said. “I actually thought we were the best at the start of the race and then we kind of got off there in the mid-stage and I think we basically just kind of got back to where we were and everyone else got a little better.

“But yeah, proud of the effort and to get two top-fives in a row is a good thing for us. Trying to get things going, so we will try again in Chicago.”

The incident occurred on a restart just after the halfway point of the race. William Byron hit Brad Keselowski from behind, who momentarily lost control and bunched up the field. Blaney checked up along with others in the field, but he went sliding through the grass after contact from Kyle Busch. The No. 12 Team Penske Ford then slammed head-on into the concrete wall at the end of pit road.

“I don’t really know what happened,” Blaney said after undergoing evaluation at the infield care center. “Someone checked up on the restart, I guess. I kind of checked up, got hit from behind — I didn’t know if they were wrecking — and I just couldn’t get it straightened out.

“When I got out of the grass, I thought I was going to come back around, and that I’d be ok. Just never got back right. I don’t know why there’s no SAFER barrier there. That’s pretty ridiculous, honestly. Hardest hit I’ve ever had in my life. Happy to be all right, but it sucks for the Pennzoil Ford Mustang. Stinks to go home early.”

The SAFER Barrier Plays an Important Role

GettyRyan Blaney prepares for practice at Nashville Superspeedway.

The SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) Barrier is found at NASCAR tracks around the country. It consists of steel tubes welded together and pieces of polystyrene foam mounted behind them. This entire construction mounts to the existing concrete wall at the tracks.

The goal of the SAFER Barrier is for it to absorb the kinetic energy of the stock car hitting it at close to 200 mph. The energy is dissipated along the wall, which reduces the amount going into the car and the driver.

The SAFER Barrier covers the majority of areas at Nashville Superspeedway, but it is not present at the end of pit road where Blaney’s collision took place. Though that will potentially change ahead of the next race weekend at the Tennessee track.

“NASCAR safety engineers work closely with safety experts on the implementation of barriers around the track,” the sanctioning body said in a statement after the race. “As we do following every race weekend, we will evaluate all available data and make any necessary improvements.”

The Focus on Safety Will Continue

The trip to Nashville Superspeedway highlighted another area where NASCAR will need to focus ahead of the 2024 season. The SAFER Barrier will need to be put in more areas surrounding the 1.33-mile track to account for other crashes that could take place in the future.

“I hope he was okay — that’s the most important thing,” Brad Keselowski said in reference to Blaney’s crash at Nashville Superspeedway. “Sounds like more work to do there, too.”

There have been multiple occasions in the Next Gen era when safety has become a talking point. These discussions took place as drivers sustained concussions after contact with the outside wall, as well as after fires erupted in the Ford Mustangs.

The safety discussions also continued into 2023 after the trip to Talladega Superspeedway and a crash involving Kyle Larson and Ryan Preece.

Each time these discussions took place, NASCAR began making changes in the pursuit of improved safety. Some changes were faster while others took extra time. Now, there will likely be more after Blaney’s crash at Nashville Superspeedway.

The Ally 400 weekend came to a close with Ross Chastain winning his first race of the 2023 Cup Series season. He capped off a historic weekend for Trackhouse Racing while returning to his contender form.

The driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro kicked off the weekend by winning the pole at Nashville Superspeedway, the first time in Trackhouse Racing history. He then went out and led 99 laps at the organization’s home track while securing bonus points in the first two stages.

“That’s just a desire to win,” Chastain said about his massive post-race burnout. “I got to tell you, it’s just so hard at this level. It’s the best of the best. It’s where I’ve wanted to be since I was 18 years old, from studying for over 10 years just to qualify better let alone go race for a Cup race win.

“Along the way, the journey, I’m so happy that my group is here, everybody that supports me. Yeah, look, it’s a Cup win. I don’t care what happened last month, the rest of my life, it’s a freaking Cup win.”

With the win, Chastain punched his ticket to the playoffs. He also added another style of track to his list of wins. His first took place at a road course in Circuit of the Americas and his second was at Talladega Superspeedway. Now he has a traditional oval on his resume.

The win was significant for Chastain considering that he returned to the playoffs. It was even more important for Trackhouse Racing. The Justin Marks-founded team calls Nashville home.

“We started this company in Nashville, Tenn., with two employees — me and Ty Norris — four years ago,” Marks said after the race, per Trackhouse Racing. “And for us to win… it’s a home race, it’s a home win, it’s amazing. …It’s been a tough couple of weeks, and we just needed something big to happen for this team.”

This Race Weekend Brought Back The Old Chastain

GettyRoss Chastain eats a watermelon at Nashville Superspeedway.

Following a crash at Darlington Raceway, Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick called out Chastain for wrecking other Chevrolet drivers. Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks responded by saying that he would take a “more active role” in Chastain’s development.

The weeks after these comments featured unexpected performances by Chastain. He had two finishes outside of the top 20 followed by a 10th-place finish at Sonoma Raceway. The aggressive Chastain was gone while a seemingly timid replacement was behind the wheel of the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro.

The Ally 400 was a different story. Chastain won the pole, and he had what appeared to be the best car in the field. He led laps early and then chased down Martin Truex Jr. during the final stage of the 300-lap race. Once he took the lead, he checked out and rebounded from a difficult stretch.

“You have to go to your people, trust in the process, read your books, trust the big man’s plan upstairs, just keep getting up and going to work,” Chastain told NBC Sports after exiting his No. 1 Chevrolet.

“I got to tell you, a lot of self-reflection throughout all this. I had a group that believed in me, and they didn’t let me get down. They bring rocket ships, and I just try to point them to Victory Lane.”

Chastain Previously Put the Field on Notice at Nashville Superspeedway

The Florida native bounced around between the national series early in his career as he drove for multiple teams. However, the 2021 season was when he truly put the Cup Series field on notice.

Chastain entered the inaugural Cup weekend at Nashville Superspeedway with three top-10 finishes for Chip Ganassi Racing. He was seventh in the Daytona 500, fourth in the rain-shortened Circuit of the Americas race, and seventh at Sonoma Raceway.

Chastain then headed to Nashville Superspeedway and delivered a strong performance. He started 19th overall and steadily worked his way through the field before the final stage. Chastain also rebounded from a speeding penalty before finishing second overall in what was a career-best finish.

“It’s positive. The guys got goosebumps there at the end driving through the field,” Chastain said about his performance after the race. “I get out of the car, and they’re like, ‘Man, we haven’t had that in a long time. I hadn’t either.”

This debut at Nashville Superspeedway was only a glimpse of Chastain’s success at the Tennessee track. He returned in 2022 with Trackhouse Racing and finished fifth overall after securing bonus points in the second stage. Chastain then delivered a dominant performance in 2023 to score his first win at Nashville Superspeedway.

As the driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro explained during a press conference at Nashville Superspeedway, there are going to be so many new fans. He pointed to the number of tickets sold to new fans in advance of the inaugural street race, and he said that a lot of people will simply walk up when they hear the engines roaring through the heart of the city. This will only put NASCAR in front of new potential fans.

“I think there’s signs all over town so they’ll at least know about it,” Chastain said. “And then when we go roaring down through there, there are going to be so many new fans. I’m bought-in. It doesn’t matter, for me, how my personal race goes or my weekend goes. I could very easily drive it into the tire barriers about every corner if I’m not careful.

“I’ve done that on the simulator quite a bit. You make the brake zone by just a few feet and there’s no run-off. Yes, I want points and I want to win, but I’m more looking at it from the big picture of us as a whole and if it elevates all of us, it’ll pay off for me in the long run.”

Chastain’s Boss Sees Positives Entering the Chicago Week

GettyRoss Chastain stands at attention during the national anthem.

Chastain is not the only one that sees the positives of the Chicago Street Race. Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks also had some comments about the upcoming event during a press conference of his own.

Marks, who will actually drive for Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series race, explained that street racing can definitely provide excitement late in green flag runs when drivers are sliding around on old tires. His hope is that there won’t be a lot of caution flags that lead to the field lining up behind the pace car.

Ultimately, Marks sees how the Chicago Street Race can be a success regardless of the racing. He has seen firsthand how residents of a variety of cities will watch a race simply because there is a big event happening that provides excitement. It happened in other racing series, and it can happen in NASCAR.

“I tell this story — I raced in the Long Beach Grand Prix in one of the support divisions six or eight years ago,” Marks said. “I remember Sunday morning before the race, I sort of had this lightbulb moment where I was like, ‘this race works so well because there’s 100,000 people here and 95,000 of them aren’t race fans.

“‘They’re here because something is happening in their town and it’s exciting and came right to their front doorstep.’ So I think that’s an important element of street racing. We run a race in Nashville and there’s so many people that come that don’t know much about IndyCar racing. They just think it’s cool that there’s race cars coming to their city and racing through the streets and it’s quite a spectacle. So from that standpoint, I’m a huge fan of NASCAR doing it.”

The Race Will Provide Some Intense Battles

When the new fans watch this street race in Chicago, they will get a firsthand look at cars from the Xfinity Series and Cup Series. They will also see close-quarters battles on a purpose-built track that will challenge the best drivers in the field.

“It’s really rough. It’s bumpy. It’s slippery,” Kyle Busch said at Nashville Superspeedway. “There’s some corners that are very challenging, some blind ones at that. When you’re going around the Bean on the left-hander, that’s really, really slippery and there’s a huge bump going through [Turn] 9 before you get into [Turn] 10. The wall in [Turn] 8, before you go around the left-hander, is, to me, really narrow over there.

“You’re barely trying to miss getting your right front ripped off; not bouncing off that and killing your car on the left side. So there could be more room given over there, I feel like. That’s probably a really tight spot that could use a little bit of help, just based off of what the simulator is telling us. But other than that, it’s going to be a tight street course. That’s what tight street courses are.”

There is a belief that this race could be major for NASCAR. It could help bring in new fans that may not have necessarily expressed interest in the racing series. Making the race weekend an event with numerous concerts will only aid in this pursuit.

That being said, the action on the track will need to deliver for viewers in attendance and those at home. A caution-filled wreck-fest could potentially turn potential fans away, as could a race with only one lead change. There will have to be some contact between drivers, some angry comments, and some passes for the lead.

In an exclusive clip provided to Heavy, Busch sat down with Kyle Petty for the Season 3 premiere of “Dinner Drive With Kyle Petty.” He explained that he grew up competing at tracks around the Southwest after getting a later start compared to other drivers. He also revealed that he actually had to stretch the truth about his age in order to compete in some events.

“When I got my start though, it was Legends cars,” Busch told Petty during a sitdown at Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen. “I raced in Vegas, I raced in Salt Lake City, Lake Havasu City, but I was 13 when I started.

“You were supposed to be 14. I was 13. I may or may not have worked on my birth certificate to get me ahead. So I’m 13, supposed to be 14, running Legends Cars.”

The Birth Certificate Work Backfired at 1 Point in Time

Circle NetworkKyle Busch races a kart as a child.

Busch’s plan to get some racing reps worked when he was racing Legends cars around the Southwest. However, it backfired as he began to compete in some bigger vehicles.

“So now I turn 14, technically I’m 15, so I’m allowed to run Modifieds,” Busch continued. “So I’m on dirt racing, and I moved a guy out of the way for third place one night. I finished third, and after the race, he wants to fight.

“He goes, ‘Oh, my God, he’s just a kid.’ So he called the newspaper guy who ran public records and had him dig into public records — ‘How old is Kyle Busch?’ Figured out I was a year younger than I was supposed to [be], turned me in, so it got me kicked out.”

Busch ended up going back to Legends Cars after the truth surfaced about his age. Once he finally turned 16, he worked his way up to Super Late Models. Busch also made his Craftsman Truck Series debut after turning 16, and he delivered two top-10 finishes in six starts.

NASCAR ultimately changed the age requirements for its national series, so Busch had to step away after this debut in 2001. He ultimately made his return to NASCAR in 2003 as he turned 18, which kicked off a historic stretch of winning seasons.

Busch told the full story during the Season 3 premiere on Thursday, June 29, at 10 p.m. ET on the Circle Network. New episodes will air weekly on Thursday nights at 10 p.m. ET.

Circle is available for free over the air in Gray Television markets. The ad-supported streaming app is also available on Tubi, Samsung TV Plus, Peacock, The Roku Channel, Redbox, XUMO, and VIZIO SmartCast.

Busch Also Discussed Another Setback Later in His Career

Getting kicked back to Legends Cars disrupted Busch’s path to racing stardom. However, it was only a minor setback as he made his way through the ranks and became a multi-time champion across the national NASCAR series.

There was another setback later in Busch’s career that became a talking during the Season 3 premiere of “Dinner Drive With Kyle Petty” — a broken leg in the season-opening Xfinity Series race in 2015 that kept him out of the Cup Series for the first 11 weeks. Though Busch was able to work his way back to full health and win the first championship of his career after winning five of the 25 races in which he competed.

As Busch explained during this sitdown with Petty, being stuck at home was emotional. He said that there were times when he would be at home tearing up while watching the race because he was missing his time at the track.

This was not a simple time, but Busch had an important person in his corner — Samantha Busch. His wife was there every step of the way to be that all-important support system that he needed while recovering from the injury.

This support provided extra motivation for Busch during his rehab. He had the goal of providing his own support by being at the hospital for the birth of Brexton, and he was able to achieve this after working hard and pushing through his rehabilitation.

The win at the 1.33-mile concrete track was Allmendinger’s 17th in the Xfinity Series. He is now in a tie with Bell and Hamlin for 17th on the all-time series wins list. Allmendinger also broke his tie with Jeff Green and Joe Nemechek. The next two drivers ahead of the veteran are Justin Allgaier and Greg Biffle with 20 wins each.

Allmendinger has only made three starts in the Xfinity Series during the 2023 season, and he has delivered standout results in the Kaulig Racing star car. He kicked off his schedule with a win at Circuit of the Americas and then he finished second behind Aric Almirola at Sonoma Raceway. Nashville marked his second trip to Victory Lane with the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro.

Allmendinger will now recuperate after a hot afternoon at Nashville Superspeedway, and he will prepare for another important race. He will compete in the Ally 400 on Sunday, June 25, while driving the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro and continuing his full-time season.

The Entire Organization Delivered Strong Results

GettyAJ Allmendinger celebrates a win at Nashville Superspeedway.

While Allmendinger ultimately ended the day with the win, he was not the only Kaulig Racing driver to deliver strong results in a chaotic race that featured 11 cautions.

Rookie of the Year contender Chandler Smith finished 12th, but that did not tell the full story. He led 74 laps, finished sixth in Stage 1, and won Stage 2. This helped him lock up 40 crucial points as he prepares for his first Xfinity Series playoff appearance.

Daniel Hemric, for comparison, was in need of a solid day after a recent stretch that has included a 22nd-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway and a 33rd-place finish at Sonoma Raceway. c

The 2021 Xfinity Series champion started at the rear of the field, but he worked his way up to third by the end of Stage 2 while avoiding the numerous wrecks that unfolded ahead of him. He led a lap while battling Smith, and he put himself in a position to secure a top-three finish in double overtime.

Hemric did not fully achieve this goal. He had to check up after a major wiggle, which dropped him from second to fourth. He then lost four more positions on the final lap and had to settle for an eighth-place finish.

This top-10 was a far cry from what Hemric wanted entering a pivotal stretch of the season, but it helped him accumulate 37 crucial points. He is now 28 points above the cutline with 11 races remaining in the regular season.

Allmendinger Had Another Reason for Competing

Allmendinger, the winningest driver in Kaulig Racing, has primarily focused on road courses when pulling double duty. This was the case when he was full-time in the Xfinity Series and it has remained so with his return to the Cup Series.

However, Allmendinger suited up at Nashville Superspeedway for multiple reasons. He wanted to fight for the unique guitar trophy, which he secured after leading 25 total laps. Kaulig President Chris Rice also explained during the race that the California native was helping the team figure out what was wrong with their program.

Allmendinger will now have one more opportunity to help the team continue making progress in the Xfinity Series. He said during his post-race media availability that the only other Xfinity Series race remaining on his schedule is at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course.

This is the same track where he captured Kaulig Racing’s first-ever Cup win, and he will attempt to add more wins to his resume during his return to it in July.

The Florida native achieved this goal during a hot afternoon at the 1.33-mile Tennessee track. He secured his spot in the final round of qualifying and then he went out and became the only driver to post a lap under 30 seconds (29.797). This locked up the pole award and put Chastain in a position to lead the field to the green flag.

Tyler Reddick, who was fastest in practice on Friday, June 23, had the second-best lap time at 30.005 seconds. This ensured a spot on the front row next to Chastain for the primetime Cup Series race that kicks off the NBC Sports portion of the schedule.

Bubba Wallace was the only driver that was in a position to potentially beat Chastain’s time. He was within reach of the fastest time, but he lost control and spun exiting Turn 4. He slid harmlessly onto the apron, but he was not able to complete his lap.

Qualifying Was Special for Chastain

GettyRoss Chastain (top) has made positive strides in qualifying.

The emotion was evident on Chastain’s face as he spoke to NBC Sports reporter Kim Coon. He explained that he has worked hard to get better at qualifying and that he has dealt with frustrations over the years.

As evidence of this fact, Chastain did not secure a starting spot inside of the top 10 until he joined Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2021 season. This was a season that had limited qualifying sessions, but Chastain delivered some solid laps when given the opportunity. This includes Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he qualified ninth overall and Road America where he qualified seventh.

Once Chastain moved to Trackhouse Racing, he took over stronger equipment. He reached the second round of qualifying in 13 of the 36 races, and he secured a spot on the front row at both Atlanta Motor Speedway and Richmond Raceway.

These two summer races remained as Chastain’s best qualifying efforts until the NASCAR Cup Series made its third trip to Nashville Superspeedway. This is when he went out and won the pole for the first time in his career.

Chastain’s average starting position through 167 starts is 23.8, but he has made major strides in 2022 and 2023. His average starting position during his first season at Trackhouse Racing was 14.4 and his average starting position entering the Nashville weekend in 2023 was 13.2.

“Definitely qualifying as a whole has not been my strong suit in my life, so a lot of work has went into it and not a lot of payoff,” Chastain told media members after winning the pole. “Not a lot of reward.

“Even the times that we do tie together round one, I’ve never been able to put round two together in a way that I’m proud of and that I feel like I’ve done right. I usually overdrive and when I should just go the same speed, or a little slower even and be fine, I usually slow down even more because I try to go faster.”

Chastain Has Raised Expectations for Nashville Superspeedway

GettyRoss Chastain prepares for practice at Nashville superspeedway.

The race weekend at Nashville Superspeedway provides Chastain with a big opportunity. He has struggled since the race weekend at Darlington Raceway where he crashed and finished 29th. He then finished 22nd at both Charlotte Motor Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway before finishing 10th at Sonoma Raceway.

Chastain’s weekend at Nashville Superspeedway began far better. He was third-fastest during the practice session on June 23 and then he went out and won the pole for the Ally 400 on June 24.

Where does Chastain go from here? Will this speed translate into a strong finish at the 1.33-mile track? That answer remains unknown, but the driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet has raised expectations for the weekend.

“After driving the rocket ship I had yesterday in practice, my expectations are high,” Chastain said prior to qualifying. “We’ll have a shot. We’ll be able to go and wherever we qualify, we’ll be able to race throughout tomorrow night’s race and put ourselves in position.

“Yeah, expectations are to go compete. We have fast cars. We have good support. Trying to tie up all the little loose ends. We just want a shot.. that’s it. It’s going to come down to restarts throughout the final stage and adjusting our car throughout the night.”

LaJoie was the first of the two drivers to spin. He lost control during the opening round of qualifying, and he backed the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro into the wall. He then slid through the infield grass before taking his car back to the garage.

Suarez was the second. He posted the fastest overall lap during the opening round of qualifying and then he went out with the goal of winning the pole. However, he lost control exiting Turn 4 and hit the wall before taking the green flag.

Both LaJoie and Suarez will have to start from the rear of the field after their respective incidents in qualifying. LaJoie’s No. 7 Chevrolet sustained less damage, but he did not complete a qualifying lap. His team will still have to make repairs before the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway.

When Suarez met with media members, he didn’t know if he would have to go to a backup car or if the team could make repairs. He expressed hope that it was the latter because he had confidence in his ability to drive through the field with a strong car.

Suarez Provided 1 Explanation for the Spins

GettyDaniel Suarez practices at Nashville Superspeedway.

Suarez took part in a media bullpen after hitting the wall, which meant that he faced several questions about the spin. He used the opportunity to provide an explanation for why certain drivers lost control.

As Suarez said, there is a bump exiting Turn 4. Hitting it isn’t necessarily an issue during an average lap. However, he was free before he hit the bump, which caused the No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro to suddenly spin.

The bump was not the cause of Suarez’s spin. It was simply one of the factors that played a role in him hitting the wall and failing to take the green flag on his qualifying lap. Though it meant that he watched his teammate, Ross Chastain, win the first-ever pole in Trackhouse Racing history.

2 Other Drivers Had Their Own Issues Exiting Turn 4

GettyBubba Wallace qualifies at Nashville Superspeedway.

Suarez and LaJoie were not the only drivers that had issues exiting Turn 4 at Nashville Superspeedway. Kyle Busch and Bubba Wallace also did so. Though they avoided damage.

Busch’s spin took place during the 50-minute practice session at the 1.33-mile track on Friday, June 23. He lost control of the No. 8 Chevrolet and spun, but he kept the car out of the outside wall. Busch was able to take part in qualifying the following morning while posting the sixth-fastest time.

Wallace, for comparison, had the fastest lap during Group B qualifying. He secured his spot in the final round at Nashville Superspeedway and then he headed out last with the goal of winning the pole for the second time in his career.

Wallace appeared to be in a position to beat Chastain’s time and lead the field to green, but he also lost control exiting Turn 4. He spun harmlessly onto the apron and the infield grass before coming to a stop just before the start-finish line.

Like Busch, Wallace avoided damage after losing control. This means that he should still be able to keep his starting spot inside of the top 10 as he tries to deliver a strong performance at the Tennessee track.

Why did Busch choose to completely buy into the RCR way ahead of his first season with the organization? It would have been easy enough to try to get them to change to fit his ways. The answer boils down to the people that are on the Welcome, N.C., campus. They bring race wins and familiarity with Chevrolet to the table, which only helped Busch better make the transition.

“Randall [Burnett] is a smart guy,” Busch said at Nashville Superspeedway. “We’ve got some really good people over there. I really enjoy working with Justin Alexander, as well as Keith Rodden. All of those guys are pretty sharp guys. Buying into their way and their system because that’s how they’ve done it for so long was me getting an understanding and just being like, ‘Let’s go to work.’

“But also, to just say too that I’ve brought a lot to the table, as well from where I’ve been and some of the ways that I’ve done things before, too. We talked about that, and we’re intermixing a lot of that. Whether it’s 60/40 their way, my way, or vice versa, I don’t care, it doesn’t matter. It’s whatever works.

“So how we get through those things that work for them, and then the things that I always bring up that I’m still pushing for. There’s probably, I don’t know, how many items on my checklist, but at least five that are top priority that I’m really still forking them with and trying to get them to accomplish.”

Busch Has Achieved Early Success With RCR

GettyKyle Busch meets with media members at Dover Motor Speedway.

Crew chief Randall Burnett entered the 2023 season with three career wins — all with Tyler Reddick. There were questions about how he and Busch would gel, but they quickly provided an answer.

Busch has celebrated three wins in the first 16 races while working with Burnett, and he has put himself solidly inside the top 10 in the standings. This sets him up to secure more bonus points once the playoffs begin at Darlington Raceway and potentially work his way through the opening rounds.

That being said, Busch’s focus is not on the Round of 16. Instead, he and Burnett have the goal of securing more stage wins and race wins before the end of the regular season so that they can further stockpile playoff points.

This will help offset any unexpected crashes or mechanical issues that could disrupt races in the opening rounds, something that happened to Busch during the 2022 playoffs. Though Busch noted that other factors will have an impact.

“Championship-caliber team, I would say our guys are super good at building some really good cars,” Busch said. “We’ve had some really clean stuff. The job that each member on the team has been doing has been top-notch. I get in the car, all my stuff is there — the windshield tear-offs are right, the black-out’s good.

“Like details, it comes down to the details. So to me, from what I can tell, it’s where we need to be. Praises to them and I’m looking forward to racing out the rest of the year with the way that we’ve had our start.”

Certain Tracks Line Up Well for Busch & RCR

GettyKyle Busch drives at Sonoma Raceway.

Busch has three wins already, and he has 10 left in the regular season. After that, he will have 10 more races to potentially punch his ticket to the championship four. Winning races in each round will be the goal, but he could potentially point his way into the finale.

There are some races that pose some concerns for Busch. Bristol Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway stand out considering the struggles that RCR has experienced in short track races.

The rest of the tracks stand out as opportunities to add more wins. Busch already has secured wins at several of them. Examples include New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Richmond Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway, and Texas Motor Speedway.

As Elliott explained, the trip to Sonoma Raceway was a significant event for him and the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports team. They reached the second round of qualifying, which was a change from much of the 2023 season, and they performed well en route to a fifth-place finish. Now, he feels that they can ride that momentum to the playoffs.

“I think that cadence and that stride that we executed with in Sonoma can result in great results from here to Daytona,” Elliott said during a press conference at Nashville Superspeedway.

“Like I said, we’re in a tough spot, but I think it’s a great opportunity to go and have some fun and embrace the challenge. That’s really kind of where my head’s at.”

The Types of Upcoming Tracks Provide Extra Confidence

GettyChase Elliott sees opportunities ahead of him & the No. 9 team.

Simply turning in a strong performance at Sonoma Raceway was significant for Elliott. These have been few and far between during the 2023 season as he has missed seven races — six for injury and one for suspension.

Elliott has five top-10 finishes in nine races, headlined by a runner-up at Auto Club Speedway. He also has strong performances at Kansas Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, and Darlington Raceway, which adds some extra confidence as he approaches the variety of summer tracks.

“Kansas was a high spot, Fontana was a high spot, Sonoma was also very good,” Elliott added. “Three very different style of tracks, so that brings some positivity to my mind that it’s there. We just have to extract it here every week for the next 10.”

Kansas, Martinsville, and Darlington don’t return to the schedule until the playoffs, but there are some other tracks that are similar. This includes Nashville, Michigan, Richmond, and New Hampshire. Elliott also returns to Atlanta, the site of a previous win. Mixing in some road courses — Indianapolis and Watkins Glen — only provides more opportunities.

Avoiding the Potential for Chaos is Critical

There are several races where Elliott will be among the favorites to win due to his past success. His goal is to capitalize on some of these opportunities while avoiding one particular scenario.

“Certainly don’t want to go to Daytona and be in the position to have to win a speedway race to get into the playoffs,” Elliott said. “Odds are if you’re in that position, you’re probably not going to be much of a threat anyway, in my opinion. We want to be a threat each week from here on, and I intend to do that.”

This must-win situation is one that has bitten other drivers in the past. Bubba Wallace, Martin Truex Jr., Austin Dillon, William Byron, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Brad Keselowski, and Chris Buescher are only some examples of drivers that have faced this situation in recent seasons.

Byron and Dillon have both won their way into the playoffs at Daytona International Speedway. The other drivers have failed to achieve this goal due to crashes or simply failing to cross the finish line first.

Dillon is actually someone that has been on both sides of this scenario. He won the 2022 regular-season finale and reached the playoffs, but he crashed on the final lap of the 2021 regular-season finale and lost the final spot to then-teammate Tyler Reddick.

Kyle Larson previously delivered an Xfinity Series win for JR Motorsports during the 2022 season. Now, he will try to capture one for the team in a different series.

According to a press release, Larson will join JR Motorsports for a trip to Caraway Speedway on June 28. He will make his Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour debut as he drives the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Late Model. Larson will also become teammates with Carson Kvapil, the defending LMSC series champion.

“I thought it would be fun,” Larson said in a press release. “I like racing on the local level. I feel like I can have an impact on the crowds at the facility and the viewership.

“I hope I can go there and have fun, and put on a good show for the fans. I’m looking forward to it. Thanks to Dale for the opportunity.”

JR Motorsports Has Recent Success at Caraway Speedway

GettyKyle Larson prepares for a race at Sonoma Raceway.

Larson is no stranger to competing in a variety of racing series. He has done so countless times throughout his career, and this CARS Tour event only continues the trend.

Larson will have confidence in strong equipment heading toward Caraway Speedway. After all, Kvapil has three wins on the season already, and he is the points leader. Kvapil also won the Old North State Nationals at Caraway Speedway in March 2022 after leading 59 of the 200 laps.

“It’s really cool that Kyle is coming to Caraway with us,” Kvapil said. “He’s a NASCAR champion and one of those guys who can drive anything and be really competitive right away.

“As a team, we’ve been pretty good at Caraway, with the win last season in the Old North State Nationals, and I know how our cars perform there. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to race with him.”

Larson Has Enjoyed Several Wins in 2023

GettyThe No. 5 team celebrates a win at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

One of the most talented drivers in all of motorsports, Larson has achieved success in a variety of events spread across multiple racing series. In NASCAR alone, he has celebrated wins across the three national series.

Larson has won two points-paying Cup Series races in the first 16 weeks of the season — Richmond Raceway and Martinsville Speedway — the latter of which checked off a career-long goal. Larson also won the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

The list of wins continues with the Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway, which checked off another goal on Larson’s career list, and the Craftsman Truck Series race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

The success extends to the High Limit Sprint Car Series, which Larson created with Brad Sweet. He currently leads the standings with 480 points after five completed events.

Larson built up this lead with A Feature wins at Wayne County Speedway, Tri-City Speedway, and Eagle Raceway. Larson also won a World of Outlaws event at Huset’s Speedway. These four straight wins have helped him accumulate more than $110,000 in prize money.

These are only some examples of Larson’s wins in 2023. He will have more opportunities to pursue trophies as he continues with the Cup Series season, takes on more High Limit events, and joins forces with JR Motorsports.

Richard Petty is teaming up with one of the biggest names in custom choppers, Billy Lane, for a unique competition. The two will guide Minnesota high school students during a rat road build-off.

Petty, Lane, and Northern Tool and Equipment representatives announced the build-off on June 23 during a Back to the 50’s event put on by the Minnesota Street Rod Association. As part of the build-off, two Minnesota high schools will spend the next year building rat road go-karts using 740cc NorthStar EFI engines.

Lane, the man who built a chopper with a hubless wheel, will provide guidance to one of the teams. Petty, the seven-time champion with the most wins in Cup Series history, will provide guidance to the other.

“It’s a thrill and an honor to be involved in teaching students these skills,” said Lane. “There are a lot of good ways to make a living, and this effort by Northern Tool + Equipment to expose students to the trades at a young age is critical.”

This competition is made possible through Northern Tool and Equipment’s Tools for Trades program. The company donates equipment through this program to support the technical education programs of schools.

The two Minnesota schools — Minneapolis North and Lakeville North — will both receive tool donations as they begin the go-kart build-off. They will also receive a cash stipend for supplies.

The Competition Includes Some ‘Hot Rod Flair’

GettyRichard Petty watches practice at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The go-kart build-off has some NASCAR elements with Petty’s involvement. Lane brings the world of custom choppers to the competition. There will also be some hot rod flair provided by another prominent figure.

Once Minneapolis North and Lakeville North have their go-karts built, Cliff Anderson Jr. will join the project. He will provide custom pinstriping, which will only take the go-karts to the next level.

Fans will be able to keep track of the build-off through social media. There will be a media team documenting the process while Dylan McCool provides updates.

The YouTuber is known for finding classic cars that have been left for dead and rebuilding them. Now he will provide narration as future generations of builders put their own spin on rat rod culture.

This Competition Continues Petty’s Dedication to Future Builders

Northern Tool +EquipmentRichard Petty (left) has showcased his support for future builders on multiple occasions.

The partnership with Lane may be newer, but Petty has previously joined forces with Northern Tool and Equipment so that he could support the next generation of builders.

Back in December, Petty and Northern Tool teamed up to donate thousands of dollars worth of tools to Randleman High School. The goal was to educate the next generation about the importance of manufacturing, as well as the important jobs available to them.

Randleman High School, Petty’s alma mater, received several important tools that would help the next generation of builders gain experience and education. The list included pliers, screwdrivers, inverters, air hoses, a Lincoln Electric welder, and an Ingersoll Rand compressor.

“Tools for the Trades is a great program, and it’s important for kids to know they have career options,” Petty added in the press release. “This country will always need tradespeople to make and manufacture things. The team at Petty’s Garage and I are excited to meet the students and help them with this build-off.”

The No. 14 entry in the Camping World SRX Series is going to have a classic partner during the six-race schedule. Tony Stewart will reunite with Bass Pro Shops as he pursues another racing championship.

The SRX Series announced the news on June 22, three weeks before the season-opening race at Stafford Motor Speedway. A press release noted that Bass Pro Shops will be Stewart’s primary partner during the 2023 season and that the company will also be the Official Outdoor Sporting Goods Sponsor of SRX.

“I’m thrilled that Bass Pro and Johnny Morris are joining us at SRX this year,” Stewart said in a press release. “Johnny is a great sportsman, conservationist, and friend of mine, and I’m excited to be driving his iconic Bass Pro paint scheme in SRX this year.”

Stewart Has Worked With Bass Pro in Multiple Racing Series

GettyTony Stewart spent several seasons with Bass Pro Shops.

Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, has been associated with some major brands throughout his racing career. Prominent examples are Home Depot, Mobil 1, Office Depot, and Bass Pro Shops. All have served as primary partners over the years, and he has celebrated wins with them.

Stewart won two of these championships with Home Depot colors on his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac/Chevrolet. He won the third with Office Depot and Mobil 1 colors on his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet. Though Bass Pro Shops also supported Stewart during this third run.

Bass Pro Shops also supported Stewart as he competed in other racing series. A prominent example was his Prelude to the Dream at Eldora Speedway, an annual dirt race that ran from 2005 until 2012 and attracted some standout drivers.

Stewart won the Prelude to the Dream three times — 2006, 2008, and 2009 — and he put Bass Pro Shops up on the stage on both the No. 20 and No. 14 entries as he celebrated.

Stewart Pursues Another Championship

GettyTony Stewart qualifies at Watkins Glen International.

The reunion with Bass Pro Shops takes place as Stewart prepares for another six-race SRX Series season. He will compete at Stafford Motor Speedway, Thunder Road Speedbowl, Motor Mile Speedway, Berlin Raceway, Eldora Speedway, and Lucas Oil Speedway while trying to win his second championship in three years.

“We are fired up to be a part of this exciting new racing series,” Morris added in the press release. “Our longtime friend Tony Stewart has been an advocate for our customers and for conservation for many years, and we are deep down proud to see him in our Bass Pro Shops car for the SRX 2023 season.”

The Hall of Famer will face some stiff competition as he pursues this goal. He will take on such full-time drivers as Brad Keselowski, Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman, Hailie Deegan, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Paul Tracy, and defending SRX Series champion Marco Andretti.

The driver lineup will also feature some special guests making limited starts. This list includes Denny Hamlin, Kenny Wallace, Kyle Busch, Tony Kanaan, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Daniel Suarez, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Josef Newgarden, Helio Castroneves, and Ron Capps.

The Xfinity Series serves as a fitting example. Of the first 14 races at the 1.33-mile track, seven featured drivers capturing their first career wins. Greg Biffle was the first as he won for Roush in 2001. Scott Riggs and Jack Sprague joined him in 2002 while Jason Leffler scored his first win in 2004.

Reed Sorenson and Clint Bowyer were the next to join this list as they both scored their first career Xfinity Series wins during the 2005 season. Brad Keselowski rounds out the list of first-time winners as he took JR Motorsports to Victory Lane at Nashville Superspeedway in 2008.

First-time winners have not been a thing at the Tennessee track since it returned to the Xfinity Series schedule. Kyle Busch won the 2021 race for Joe Gibbs Racing and then perennial championship contender Justin Allgaier won the 2022 race for JR Motorsports.

The Craftsman Truck Series Has Its Own First-Time Winners

GettyRyan Preece poses after winning at Nashville Superspeedway.

The Xfinity Series is not the only one that has seen first-time winners celebrating at Nashville Superspeedway. The Craftsman Truck Series has a similar history, albeit on a smaller scale.

The Truck Series has competed at Nashville Superspeedway 15 total times. The track was a mainstay on the schedule from 2001 until 2011 and then it returned in 2021 and 2022.

Two drivers have used the track to capture their first career win. David Reutimann was the first as he captured the 2005 Truck Series race. This was his lone win in the third-tier series.

Ryan Preece was the other to do so. He won the 2021 Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway while driving for David Gilliland Racing — now Tricon Garage. He then won his second career Truck Series race at the track in 2022.

Several Drivers Remain Solid Options

GettyXfinity Series drivers race at Nashville Superspeedway.

Many drivers in the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series have scored their first career wins at Nashville Superspeedway, a stat that could continue with the tripleheader on June 23-25.

The Cup Series seeing a first-time winner is less likely considering that Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have led the most laps in the first two races at Nashville Superspeedway. HMS drivers have also swept the races.

Similarly, the Truck Series drivers that have performed the best at Nashville Superspeedway in 2021 and 2022 are those that have multiple wins on their resumes. This includes Stewart Friesen, Grant Enfinger, Zane Smith, Ben Rhodes, and Matt Crafton.

The Xfinity Series race is the most likely option considering that several winless drivers have strong performances at the Tennessee track.

Riley Herbst is a prominent example. He has two starts at Nashville Superspeedway, and he has two top-10 finishes. He crossed the finish line 10th in 2021 and then third in 2022 after he started from pole position.

Sam Mayer is another standout option. The Wisconsin native only has one Xfinity Series start at the track, but he finished fifth overall. Mayer has also been on the cusp of a win since moving to a full-time schedule.

One other name to watch is Sheldon Creed. The Richard Childress Racing driver crashed during his first career start at Nashville Superspeedway, but he has 19 top-10 finishes and six top-fives since moving up to the Xfinity Series on a full-time basis.

Josh Berry will take over the No. 4 Ford Mustang in 2024 as he takes on the full NASCAR Cup Series schedule for the first time in his career. He will also partner with Rodney Childers, a crew chief who is the perfect fit due to his Late Model background.

Berry did not have an easy path to the NASCAR Cup Series. He landed an opportunity in the JR Motorsports Late Model program, and he proved that he could contend with more than 100 wins over the span of a decade. He then went on to capitalize on a part-time Xfinity Series schedule in 2021.

This is a similar background to Childers, who raced Late Models across the Southeast before ultimately becoming a championship-winning crew chief in the NASCAR Cup Series. He dealt with similar situations that Berry faced while working his way up, and he learned the importance of “earning” his way instead of breaking out the checkbook.

“On the late model side, you could see it from the very beginning,” Childers said during a June 21 press conference. “The very early days of going to Hickory and running on Saturday night to a year or two later of just completely dominating every time you went. And then, watching the CARS Tour racing and other things.

“It also goes along with doing things like [Berry] did at the Snowball Derby last year, going down there and maybe some people not expecting him to do a whole lot, then sits on the front row and runs up-front all day. You could just always see it, from the very beginning.

“For me, I went through all that same stuff. You talk about making it on merit. He’s kind of went about it the same way that I was trying to go about it, so I’ve just always had a ton of respect for that. We both had great opportunities to get to where we are, and to be able to work together and to share some of that on the weekends of watching late model races and talking about that kind of stuff is kind of an ice-breaker in a way.”

Berry Fits a Specific Mold at SHR

GettyTony Stewart (left) explained why he chose Josh Berry (right).

This common background means that Berry and Childers essentially speak the same racing language. They have similar backgrounds, and they have overcome some of the same hurdles. This will only benefit them as they grow together in 2024 and beyond.

For team owner Tony Stewart, Berry fits the specific SHR mold. He is a racer that worked his way up through various motorsports series while competing across the country, and he has dedicated his life to getting better on a consistent basis.

“That’s something that’s a really big part of our DNA at Stewart-Haas Racing,” Stewart said during the press conference. “It’s not about guys that just come in, spend their time during the day and when the clock gets to the point where it’s time to leave, they all just bail out of there.

“We got people there that care about race cars, and that’s all they think about is racing. That’s what this guy has done for years. He lives, eats, and breathes racing, and that’s all he wants to do aside from his family. But, that’s what we want. That’s the DNA we want.

“That’s what our culture at SHR is built around — a bunch of people who just want to go win races and contend for championships. That’s one of the many reasons why he’s such a good fit for our organization right now.”

Chemistry Will Remain a Focus

GettyStewart-Haas Racing officially introduces Josh Berry (center) as its newest driver.

There is still time remaining before Berry and Childers officially begin working together. Harvick has to close out the regular season and the playoffs while Berry has to continue the pursuit of Xfinity Series wins.

Once the season finale comes to a close, they can begin preparing for the next chapter. Childers does not know the exact date when Berry’s contract will allow for this process to begin, but he knows that there will be an early emphasis on relationship-building. After all, his relationship with Harvick was a major factor in their 37 wins together and the Cup Series championship.

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for [Childers], and [I’m] just excited to work with him and learn from him,” Berry said during a June 21 appearance on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s podcast. “He’s been pretty involved throughout this process as well.”

To further the point, Berry revealed that there was a specific text from Childers early in the process. The veteran crew chief said the decision-makers at SHR had thrown out a list of potential drivers to take over the No. 4 Ford Mustang. According to the text, everyone had voted for Berry.

“I can’t imagine a better opportunity for myself, to be full-time Cup racing with Stewart-Haas and headed for the No. 4 car,” Berry said during the press conference.

“Our expectations are going to be simple — that’s just to keep working hard and keep doing the things this group has been doing for years… working hard, believing in each other. We think that if we do the right things and stay the course that the results will come.”

The Hall of Famer provided the comments during a media session put on by NBC Sports. He explained that he still has the desire to see the Nashville Fairgrounds on the NASCAR schedule, but he also wants to keep Nashville Superspeedway active due to the action it has delivered in the past two seasons.

“I feel like there is room for both [tracks],” Earnhardt said. “My appreciation and the appeal to the speedway for me has increased quite a bit over the last two years we’ve been there.

“So while I’m looking forward to whatever the future may hold for the fairgrounds, I feel like the speedway has earned its position and earned its place. The races are spectacular, the track is wide, and provides drivers with places to go to pass. It’s just been compelling so far.”

The 1.33-Mile Track Has Multiple Lanes

GettyMartin Truex Jr. (front) & Denny Hamlin (rear) race at Nashville Superspeedway.

What makes a good intermediate track? The ability to work through the field and take advantage of multiple lanes is certainly up there.

This is something that Auto Club Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway both have. The result is that both tracks have delivered excitement for fans and drivers alike over the years.

Nashville Superspeedway may not be at the same level as Homestead, in particular, but it certainly has room for drivers to move around. The 2022 race was a fitting example as the field went three- and four-wide at times while battling for position.

There also wasn’t a true dominant lane. Denny Hamlin was better on the inside while Martin Truex Jr. made his moves on the outside. Having multiple options only improved the racing as the two teammates battled for stage wins.

Questions Remain About the Nashville in 2023

GettyKyle Larson (front) races at Nashville Superspeedway.

The Tennessee track has delivered some highlight-worthy battles in the first two years since it returned to the NASCAR schedule. Though two Cup Series teams have dominated in the first two races.

Drivers from Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have combined to lead 579 of the 600 laps in the first two races. Hamlin leads the way for JGR with 114 laps led in 2022 while Kyle Larson is atop the list for Hendrick Motorsports with 264 laps led in 2021.

Kyle Busch (64 laps led), Truex (82 laps led), and Chase Elliott (55 laps led) are the other three drivers that have led laps for the two championship-winning organizations.

While these two teams have shared the number of laps led, only one has celebrated wins. Larson won the inaugural Ally 400 in 2021 while Elliott won the rain-delayed Ally 400 in 2022.

With two teams leading the overwhelming majority of the laps, there are questions about whether this trend will continue. Will JGR and HMS dominate once again in 2023, or will another team such as 23XI Racing step in and take control?

The answer likely depends on qualifying. Hamlin won the pole in 2022, which put him at the front of the pack early. He used this advantage to lead early and often while battling Truex and other drivers. Though the rain delays also opened up opportunities for other drivers to contend for the win.

“Nashville is really interesting. We had a really strong car last year,” Truex said in a release from JGR. “Led a bunch and won both Stage 1 and Stage 2 and was in really good shape.

“The rain delay came, the track cooled off and changed a lot and we went from us and the 11 as the two cars to beat to all of a sudden five or more guys right there with us. I don’t remember exactly how we got shuffled out of the lead but I know it had something to do with the pit cycle and pit stops.

“Once you lose the lead, you lose the advantage, and some other guys got faster as it cooled off when it was so much later at night and we just couldn’t get back to the front. I feel like we’ve been bringing some really good cars to the track and would expect us to be strong at Nashville this weekend.”

The Las Vegas native missed the NASCAR weekend at Sonoma Raceway due to concussion-like symptoms after a crash at World Wide Technology Raceway. He is now able to return, which will set him up to take on his first Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway.

As part of the announcement, Legacy MC also confirmed that Gragson will remain playoff-eligible after NASCAR has granted a waiver. Though he will have to win his way in as he sits 33rd in the standings with 143 points.

“Nashville in one of my favorite cities so to race there is really cool,” Gragson said in a press release. “I’m feeling better and so happy to return this weekend. I’m thankful to Grant [Enfinger] for helping us out at Sonoma, it’s very hard to step away, but I was able to rest and recover and I’m ready to get after it.”

Gragson is not the only driver that will make his return to competition at Nashville Superspeedway. Truck Series driver Corey Heim will also be back after he missed the trip to World Wide Technology Raceway due to an illness.

The 2023 Season Has Been Difficult for Gragson & Legacy

GettyNoah Gragson (left) & Jimmie Johnson (right) talk during the race weekend at COTA.

Legacy Motor Club faced raised expectations entering the 2023 Cup Series season. The team had added a new co-owner in seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, and it was fresh off a season in which Erik Jones won a Crown Jewel race. The team also had a promising rookie in Gragson taking over the No. 42 Chevrolet.

The season has not played out as Legacy MC hoped. Jones and the No. 43 team received an L1-Level penalty for a modified greenhouse, which took away 60 driver points, 60 owner points, and five playoff points for driver and owner.

The on-track performances have also fallen short of the team’s hopes. Jones only has two top-1o finishes in the first 16 races, both of which were in superspeedway races. Gragson’s best finish is 12th at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and he has five DNFs in the past nine races.

An Offseason Change Should Benefit Legacy MC

GettyNoah Gragson watches qualifying at the LA Memorial Coliseum.

The future should be brighter for Gragson and Legacy MC. The Las Vegas native will continue to gain more experience at the top level of NASCAR, and then he and Legacy MC will move over to Toyota Racing Development.

Joining Toyota Racing Development does not guarantee improved performance, but it certainly sets up this scenario. There will only be eight full-time Toyota entries in the Cup Series. Joe Gibbs Racing has four while 23XI Racing and Legacy MC will each have two.

These smaller numbers automatically put Legacy Motor Club in a better position to succeed. The organization will have a deeper connection to TRD instead of being one of several partners in the Chevrolet Camp.

For comparison, there are currently 16 full-time entries in the Cup Series. Hendrick Motorsports has four, Richard Childress Racing has two, Trackhouse Racing has two, Spire Motorsports has two, Legacy has two, Kaulig Racing has two, JTG Daugherty Racing has one, and Live Fast Motorsports has one.

This move will not take place until after the season finale at Phoenix Raceway. For now, Gragson will make his return to Cup Series competition so that he can fight for points and solid finishes.

SHR made the announcement at Charlotte Motor Speedway on June 21. Tony Stewart, Greg Zipadelli, Harvick, and Rodney Childers met with members of the media and detailed the future of the No. 4 team. They confirmed that Berry will make the move over to Ford Performance while taking over a winning car.

As Stewart explained, there weren’t many drivers that they wanted to look at to replace Harvick in the No. 4. They “put all our eggs in one basket” while trying to bring Berry into the fold.

Harvick chimed in and said that the No. 4 team needed a driver that could step in and immediately fit in with this group of “special people.” He explained that the common denominators with Berry and Childers made this the right fit.

“Josh Berry has proven himself in the Xfinity Series and this year showed how quickly he can adapt to the cars and the level of competition in the NASCAR Cup Series,” said Greg Zipadelli, chief competition officer.

“He’ll be a rookie in our racecar next year, but he drives like a veteran. He puts in the work to ensure that he’s always ready for the opportunities that come his way, and we’re very happy that his next opportunity is with Stewart-Haas Racing.”

Berry Followed a Unique Path to NASCAR’s Top Level

GettyJosh Berry watches practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The  Tennessee native did not follow the standard path to NASCAR’s national series. Instead, Berry worked as a bank teller and raced Legends cars at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. He also competed virtually on iRacing, where he met Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2008.

The two became friends, which led to Earnhardt putting Berry in the JR Motorsports Late Model program. The Tennessee native took advantage by winning more than 100 races, a national title, and multiple track championships.

“We always knew in the back of our minds that might just be his legacy,” Earnhardt told media members on June 20. “But we found ourselves in a position to give him some opportunities in our Xfinity car.

“That was basically like, ‘Hey, here’s like a very meager chance to show what you can do. Go out there and you have to make it happen. We don’t know whether this is all we’ll be able to allow.'”

Berry made 12 starts in the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, five in the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro, and five in the No. 31 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet Camaro during the 2021 season.

Berry delivered his first career Xfinity Series win at Martinsville Speedway in the spring and then he won at Las Vegas in the fall while replacing an injured Michael Annett.

These wins helped bring new partners on board, which led to Berry taking on a full schedule in 2022. Once again, he capitalized by winning three races and ending the season fourth in the championship standings.

“He won at Martinsville in one of those abbreviated opportunities. I mean, I cried like if he was my brother,” Earnhardt added. “It’s hard to describe the emotion, but it was incredible.

“So since then we’ve continued to, because of his on-track success, draw more support and interest in his career. We’ve gotten new partners and sponsors that want to get behind this Josh Berry thing.”

Stewart Took a Different Approach With This Deal

With Berry taking a “blue-collar approach” to his NASCAR career, he hasn’t brought millions of dollars in sponsorship to the table. This is actually something that Stewart prefers.

As the Hall of Famer explained during the press conference, “I’m not interested in some kid’s father coming in and buying their way into the Cup Series. I have zero interest in that.”

Instead, Stewart noted that someone from Berry’s background is more likely to win a championship. They have had to work and earn their way into NASCAR’s elite series.

That being said, there are discussions currently taking place about the No. 4’s future. The industry belief is that Busch Light will move to another team and driver, which leaves open spots on the schedule. SHR is currently working on filling these spots for the 2024 season.

The No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro will have a primary partner returning for multiple NASCAR Cup Series seasons. LLumar will continue its support of Chase Elliott.

Hendrick Motorsports announced the news on June 21. The organization said that LLumar had inked an extension that runs through the 2026 Cup Series season. This deal includes two races per season, as well as two additional races in 2023.

Elliott, the 2020 Cup Series champion, already ran a LLumar scheme once during the 2023 season — Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway. He paid tribute to his father with a red-and-white scheme.

Now, Elliott will have another scheme for the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway and the playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway. The playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway remains on the schedule as part of a previous announcement.

“I’m excited to continue our relationship with LLumar and to get two additional chances to get them to victory lane this season,” Elliott said in a press release.

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to meet many of the Eastman employees over the years, whether it’s at their facilities near tracks where we compete or having them out for the races. I look forward to seeing what we can continue to accomplish together in the coming years.”

LLumar Has Celebrated 1 Win With Elliott

GettyChase Elliott prepares for a race at Circuit of the Americas.

Eastman Performance Films, which uses the sponsorship to highlight LLumar, first joined forces with Elliott during the 2021 Cup Series season. The company served as the primary for the inaugural race at Circuit of the Americas while making its move into NASCAR.

This debut went well for Eastman and LLumar. Elliott won the rain-shortened road course race at Circuit of the Americas after he gambled and stayed out on the track despite having an insufficient amount of fuel.

LLumar returned to the No. 9 during the 2022 season and served as the primary partner for two additional races. Elliott showcased the brand at COTA as he finished fourth and then at Martinsville Speedway as he finished 10th after starting from the pole.

Elliott only has one career win with LLumar, but he has delivered strong performances with the brand on his No. 9 Chevrolet. The third-place finish at Darlington Raceway was only the latest example.

Elliott Now Has Multiple Sponsors Locked Up

GettyUniFirst will return to support Elliott through the 2028 season.

LLumar is not the only sponsor that will continue to support Elliott in the NASCAR Cup Series. Hooters agreed to return for the 2024 season while NAPA Auto Parts added multiple years to its existing deal.

On July 20, 2022, NAPA and Hendrick Motorsports announced that they had reached a multi-year extension. They noted that this deal included 26 races per season as NAPA remained the anchor partner.

The original press release did not detail the number of years included in this extension. However, it followed Elliott signing a massive, five-year extension that locked him up through the 2027 Cup Series season.

One other company that has inked a large extension is UniFirst. The company kicked off the 2022 season by signing a five-year extension that includes three races in 2022, three races in 2023, and five races each season from 2024-2028.

UniFirst doesn’t have a points-paying race win with Elliott, but the company has celebrated after an exhibition event. UniFirst was the co-primary partner in 2020 as Elliott won the All-Star Race.

Letarte provided the comments during an NBC Sports media session on June 20. He explained that Truex went through a slump during the 2022 season. This is nothing new for top-level athletes, but Truex and his team persevered. They got back to their winning ways early in 2023, and they set themselves up for a strong summer.

“Now that the drought is over, I don’t know why Martin couldn’t be that multi-time champion that some of us are surprised he isn’t,” Letarte said. “It’s very quick and easy to forget that he was one or two pit stops from being a two- or a three-time champ. That is sports, that is how things fall at times.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me, even in the twilight of his career with only I’m sure a few years left, he could easily find his way to the championship four at Phoenix. We’ve seen year in and year out, I think that’s all you can ask for.

“Then you have to hope for a good Sunday in Phoenix to become a champion. I think there’s definitely a pathway for Martin Truex to get to Phoenix as a championship contender.”

Pit Stops Disrupted Championship Dreams

GettyMartin Truex Jr. reacts after finishing 11th at Richmond Raceway.

The pit stops that Letarte mentioned occurred during Truex’s past two appearances in the championship four. Back in 2019, the No. 19 pit crew accidentally swapped the front tires on the No. 19 Toyota Camry.

This miscue disrupted a day in which he led 103 laps in what appeared to be the best car in the field. It also opened up the door for then-teammate Kyle Busch to win his second championship.

The second stop was in the 2021 season finale. Truex was in the lead during the final stage while teammate Denny Hamlin was the only driver within reach of challenging for the win. It appeared that the two Joe Gibbs Racing drivers would battle for the win, but NASCAR threw the caution for debris with 30 laps remaining.

The championship four drivers headed down pit road for their final stops, and Kyle Larson’s team used the opportunity to turn in the fastest stop of the day. The Hendrick Motorsports driver left pit road in first place while Hamlin was in second.

Once the race restarted, Truex jumped up to second place and began to chase down Larson. He was unable to achieve this as Larson led the final 28 laps and won the first championship of his career.

Letarte Nailed 2 Predictions in 2022

GettySteve Letarte (center) speaks to media members at Phoenix Raceway.

The former crew chief-turned-analyst has made many comments about Truex over the years since moving to NBC Sports, and he has nailed two separate predictions about the 2017 Cup Series champion.

The first prediction was in February 2022. He said that Truex could miss the playoffs due to the teams moving to the Next Gen car and the veteran’s absence during testing sessions.

This prediction came true as Truex went winless and missed the playoffs. He still delivered a consistent season overall, but there were too many winners for him to point his way in.

The second prediction was in August 2022. Letarte said that he was glad Truex made the decision to return for another season in the Cup Series. He then predicted that the veteran would return to the playoffs in 2023 and make a deep run.

Truex has delivered on one part of the prediction. He has won two races — Dover Motor Speedway and Sonoma Raceway — and firmly entrenched himself in the playoffs. Now, the next step is making a run through the opening rounds.

Truex Reflected on His Bounce-Back Season

GettyMartin Truex Jr. celebrates a win at Phoenix Raceway.

What was the main reason for Truex snapping this winless streak and getting back into the playoffs? Was he more familiar with the cars, or was it the fact that he and the No. 19 team just kept pushing forward while blocking out the noise?

Truex has actually mentioned multiple factors that played a role in his return to Victory Lane. He mentioned after his win at Sonoma that it was important to keep the team together and overcome the mistakes that plagued it in 2019.

Truex also acknowledged the role that the Next Gen cars played in his winless season. There were times when the No. 19 team was just trying to figure out the best setup for the various races, but there was not enough time to fix any mistakes.

The 2023 season, for comparison, provided opportunities for the No. 19 team to go back to notes from the first year of the Next Gen era and see exactly what did not work.

“Last year was a big learning curve,” Truex said, per Joe Gibbs Racing. “We were trying to figure out what direction we needed to go in at races with this car and, having 15-minute practices where you opt-in on what you show up with, there is really no time to recover if you show up with some bad ideas or things that didn’t work.

“You have to wait till you go back to that track again. Just all of that learning process and figuring things out has been a big factor for us. I think our cars are better this year, as well. Toyota did some work in the offseason, and everybody at JGR worked hard to try to put the pieces together so I think, overall, we just have a better platform to work with and a better understanding of what we need.”

The 2009 Formula One World Champion met with media members on June 20 to recap the 24 Hours of Le Mans and preview the Chicago Street Race. He used the opportunity to explain that there could be a fanbase in Europe that appreciates the big engines and close-quarters racing but struggles to adjust to the aggressiveness inherent to NASCAR.

“I think there are certain things that the European fanbase will struggle with,” Button explained. “I think the big one is the ‘no rules’ in terms of how aggressive you can be on the track. I think that’s one thing that takes all of us time to get into, in any category of NASCAR.

“We struggle with that initially, because it’s completely different to any other type of racing, where in other racing if you tap a guy, you’re probably going to get a penalty or damage your car. Whereas, in NASCAR, that’s not the case. You can hit people, and it’s down to the other guy either to retaliate or to move out of the way.”

European Fans Embraced the Over-the-Top Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro

GettyJenson Button (front) prepares for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

As Button explained during his media session, there were countless fans that embraced NASCAR competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They cheered every time the Chevrolet Camaro passed another car, and they loved having something so over-the-top on the starting grid.

Does this mean that European fans will watch any of the upcoming Cup Series races? It is possible, especially with Button returning to the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang for the Chicago Street Race.

If these fans do tune in for the inaugural race on the streets of The Windy City, they will likely see something quite different than Button’s first start at Circuit of the Americas. There will be inevitable cautions, but the drivers will likely approach the course differently due to the barriers in place and the potential for race-ending damage.

“There’s no room for error,” Button added. “You can’t dive into corners, make a mistake and then the next lap around, take it a little bit easier because you’ll be in the wall with a damaged car.

“So, I think in terms of what the teams and drivers do over the race weekends, it’s very different from normal. It’s going to be building up to a good lap time, and come the race, we can’t drive like we did at COTA because none of us will get around Turn 1. I think there needs to be a little more respect for the circuit, as well as the other cars.”

Strike While the Iron is Hot

The aggressiveness could split the potential fanbase in international markets, but NASCAR could still gain countless new fans by riding the momentum built up by Garage 56.

Button acknowledged this. He explained that NASCAR needs to jump on what they did at Le Mans so that the fans don’t forget about it, and he noted that a race in Europe in 2024 would be great.

Of course, putting the Cup Series cars in front of new fans is only part of the process. NASCAR also needs to find a way to get them to care about the drivers and their personalities.

This is something that Formula One achieved with the Netflix documentary series, “Drive to Survive.” If NASCAR can put its drivers and teams front and center, it could help bridge the proverbial gap.

“Racing is one thing, and I think understanding the personalities that are in the sport is something that I think European fans would want to know,” Button said.

“Just seeing 39 cars go around is great, but if you don’t know who’s behind the wheel, you have no one to really support — unless you just like the color of the car, like my son does. I think there needs to be a way to get the European fans to understand the personalities within the sport, as much as enjoying the racing.”

The No. 45 Toyota Camry will have a new partner for the Nashville Superspeedway Cup Series race. Garth Brooks will join forces with Tyler Reddick and 23XI Racing.

According to a press release, The Big 615 radio station and TuneIn will join MoneyLion as co-primary partners for the Nashville Superspeedway race. Brooks and TuneIn recently partnered to launch the Sevens Radio Network, which boasts The Big 615 as its first station.

The scheme will feature black-and-white colors with logos for MoneyLion, Brooks, The Big 615, and TuneIn. The Big 615 logo also has an outline of Tennessee as a background, which is fitting considering that 615 is an area code for Nashville.

“What a cool opportunity and great place for the 23XI team to partner with Garth Brooks, TuneIn, and MoneyLion,” Reddick said in a press release.

“Racing back in Nashville has been great for our sport and fans, and I can’t think of a more iconic artist to feature on the No. 45 car. It’s a real honor for me and I hope we can put on a good show for Garth and all the fans.”

Brooks Previously Supported NASCAR

GettyGarth Brooks poses at Daytona International Speedway in 2008.

The country artist has ties to NASCAR that go back decades. For example, he took part in a press conference with Mike Helton and Kyle Petty during a 2008 testing session at Daytona International Speedway.

This appearance was used to officially unveil Brooks’ partnership with the NASCAR Foundation. He served as the face of the 2008 NASCAR Day campaign, which aimed to raise money to support a variety of charities through the NASCAR Foundation.

Brooks appeared in print, radio, and television advertising campaigns throughout the season while telling people how a $5 donation could make a difference in the lives of children.

Fast-forward to the 2023 Cup Series season and Brooks will now take on a different role. He will join forces with 23XI Racing as Reddick makes his third career start at Nashville Superspeedway.

“It’s easy to see why NASCAR is such a fan-driven sport,” Brooks said in a press release. “Hell, we just have our logo on the car and I feel like I’m driving the car myself! This is exciting!”

Reddick Has the Same Finish in 2 Races at Nashville Superspeedway

GettyKurt Busch finished second overall at Nashville Superspeedway in 2022.

The California native will have an opportunity ahead of him when he heads to Nashville Superspeedway for the race weekend. He will be able to potentially contend for a win with a Nashville station on his No. 45 Toyota Camry.

Reddick’s first two starts at the 1.33-mile track were with Richard Childress Racing. He drove the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro to an 18th-place finish both times while failing to secure bonus points in the first two stages.

He will now take over a stock car that was within reach of a win during the first year of the Next Gen era. Kurt Busch drove the No. 45 Toyota to a second-place finish at Nashville Superspeedway after securing seven bonus points and leading three laps.

Meanwhile, teammate Bubba Wallace finished 12th after making his through the field from the 30th position and scoring bonus points in Stage 1. The driver of the No. 23 also recovered from an unscheduled pit stop due to a loose wheel.

JGR announced the news on June 20 with a press release. The NASCAR organization said that it had received a “significant investment” from HBSE and Arctos Partners, which will help support Joe Gibbs’ “vision for the growth of JGR as a family company and as a continued leader in NASCAR.”

HBSE, founded by Josh Harris and David Blitzer, has ties to multiple sports leagues. The Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils are both HBSE brands. The Washington Commanders will also join this group as Harris is set to become the NFL team’s new owner.

As part of the investment, Gibbs will also become a limited partner in Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. Though this remains pending until the NBA and NHL both approve the move.

The Deal Does Not Include Day-to-Day Operations

GettyMartin Truex Jr. (left) & Denny Hamlin (right) race at Kansas Speedway.

An important note about this deal is that HBSE does not have a role in the day-to-day operations of Joe Gibbs Racing. Instead, Gibbs and team president Dave Alpern will continue running the organization.

HBSE and Arctos will have a more prominent role in the marketing, sales, and business side of Joe Gibbs Racing. This will only help the organization continue to grow as it pursues more wins and championships.

“Josh Harris, David Blitzer, and their entire team have a vision that has delivered winning franchises in basketball, hockey, soccer, and youth sports,” Gibbs said in a press release.

“Their teams are among the most successful in their leagues in growing audience and sponsorship and their commitment to the communities they work in are unparalleled. I am excited to join the HBSE family and to have their support in growing Joe Gibbs Racing.”

Gibbs Previously Showed Support for Harris

GettyJoshua Harris speaks at a Philadelphia 76ers event.

The partnership between HBSE and Joe Gibbs Racing is not the first time that Harris and the Hall of Famer have crossed paths. Gibbs previously showed his support for the billionaire’s purchase of the Washington Commanders.

Gibbs issued a statement in May that made clear his support. He explained how great leadership comes from the top, and he said that Harris shares his values. Gibbs then said that he was committed to doing what he could to help the Commanders reconnect with the community.

Gibbs achieved no shortage of success during his time in the NFL. He compiled a coaching record of 224-141-1, and he led the then-Redskins to three Super Bowl titles (1982, 1987, and 1991). Two of his players — kicker Mark Moseley and quarterback Joe Theismann — won MVP.

“In recent years I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know Coach Gibbs and am proud to count him as a trusted friend and advisor,” Harris said in a press release on June 20.

“Joe is a winner. First in football and then with Joe Gibbs Racing, he has led organizations that build winning cultures based on strong values and a deep commitment to family and faith. This investment and partnership aims to support his vision and allow Joe Gibbs Racing to continue its track record of excellence long into the future.”

Trackhouse Racing does not have an Xfinity Series program, so Marks will join forces with a new organization to make his return to NASCAR competition. He will take over the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro for Kaulig Racing while Jockey serves as his primary partner.

“It’s very difficult to retire as a racecar driver,” Marks said in a press release. “I’ve got a lot of experience on street courses, so when NASCAR announced it was going to Chicago, I just felt like I really had to be a part of that experience.

“We have a great relationship with Kaulig Racing through our pit crew department and being a fellow Chevrolet team, so making my return to racing with the team just felt right. Jockey coming on board makes it even more enticing to run well in Chicago.”

Marks Last Competed in Xfinity in 2018

GettyJustin Marks celebrates an Xfinity Series win in 2016.

The driver-turned-team owner has not competed full-time in any of the national NASCAR series, but he has made 80 total starts across them. This includes 35 starts in the Xfinity Series and Marks’ lone win.

The California native took on his most expansive schedule during the 2016 season. He drove for Chip Ganassi Racing in 17 events and took the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro to Victory Lane at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Marks has seven top-10 finishes, three top-fives, and one win in Xfinity Series competition, which have all been on the various road courses.

Marks last competed in the Xfinity Series during the 2018 season. He made three starts for CGR, headlined by a runner-up behind Chase Briscoe in the inaugural Charlotte Roval race.

Marks Joins a Winning Organization

GettyJustin Marks prepares for a race at Michigan International Speedway.

Marks has not competed in the Xfinity Series in several years, but he has continued competing while simultaneously running the fledgling Trackhouse Racing.

For example, Marks made his return to the Craftsman Truck Series in 2022, which followed years of him contending for wins in multiple sports car series. One recent event was the May 29 Trans-Am race at Lime Rock Park which he won.

Marks will now join forces with another organization, one that has achieved extensive success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Kaulig Racing has 22 wins in the second-tier series, nine on various road courses. The organization also has a Cup Series win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

The No. 10 that Marks will control has already visited Victory Lane twice during the 2022 season. AJ Allmendinger won at Circuit of the Americas while Kyle Larson won at Darlington Raceway. Allmendinger also finished second at Sonoma Raceway behind Aric Almirola.

“If you’re in a road-course car in the Xfinity Series, AJ demonstrates pretty consistently, that the Kaulig Racing cars are the ones you want to be sitting in,” Marks added. “It’s going to be a very unique event, and I know we will have a good racecar.”

The NASCAR Roster Portal first detailed the changes and then SHR confirmed them with a press release. Crew chief Richard Boswell will move from Riley Herbst’s No. 98 team to Chase Briscoe’s No. 14 team. Engineer Davin Restivo will move from Aric Almirola’s No. 10 team to become Herbst’s new crew chief.

These moves will go into effect during the race weekend at Nashville Superspeedway as all three national series return to action. Herbst will work with Restivo during the Xfinity Series race on June 24 while Briscoe will work with Boswell during the Cup Series race on June 25.

John Klausmeier, who previously served as Briscoe’s crew chief in the Cup Series, will remain at SHR. He will take on a new role with the company’s vehicle performance group.

“We made these changes in the best interests of the entire organization,” said Greg Zipadelli, chief competition officer, SHR. “Different people in new positions brings new perspectives.

“There’s still a lot of racing left to do this year, which means there’s still a lot of opportunity. We need to seize these opportunities and make the most of them, and fresh perspectives from the top of the pit box to the preparation inside the shop will help us do that.”

Boswell Guided Briscoe To Several Wins

GettyChase Briscoe & his team celebrate a win at Iowa Speedway.

The decision to put Boswell atop the No. 14 team’s pit box follows an L3-Level penalty issued to Stewart-Haas Racing for counterfeiting a Next Gen single source vendor-supplied part. As part of the penalty, Klausmeier received a six-race suspension and a $250,000 fine.

Briscoe worked with an interim crew chief in Mike Bugarewicz for the races at World Wide Technology Raceway and Sonoma Raceway, but he will now have a familiar face atop the pit box. Though it will be in a different series.

Boswell has previous success working with Briscoe. He has been the crew chief for the Indiana native for 62 Xfinity Series races, and he has celebrated eight of his nine career wins with him. The other was an Xfinity Series race with Kevin Harvick in 2018.

Six of these wins took place during Briscoe’s career-best season — 2020. Boswell was atop the pit box for 29 races while Greg Zipadelli was the crew chief for four other races.

Briscoe won nine total races before reaching the championship four. He ended the year fourth in the standings after finishing ninth in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Herbst’s Season Has Taken a Turn

GettyRichard Boswell (right) speaks to Riley Herbst (left) at Portland International Raceway.

Boswell’s time with Briscoe came to an end after the 2020 season. Briscoe moved up to the Cup Series to replace a retiring Clint Bowyer while Boswell remained with the No. 98 team.

Boswell has since spent 80 races guiding Riley Herbst in the Xfinity Series. The No. 98 team has gone winless, but it has made back-to-back appearances in the playoffs with Herbst behind the wheel. The Las Vegas native also posted 33 top-10 finishes and 13 top-fives combined in his first two seasons with SHR.

The 2023 season started with more strong performances. Herbst had top-10 finishes in the first six races of the season, and he kept himself near the top of the points standings.

The situation has since changed for Herbst and Boswell. They have failed to crack the top 10 in eight straight races while crashes have led to three DNFs. An engine failure at Portland International Raceway led to a fourth DNF.

Herbst was second in the standings early in the 2023 season, but he is now 10th overall with 371 points. There are two drivers below him and the cutline, but there is no room for error with 12 races remaining in the regular season.

Zane Smith, the defending Truck Series champion, will make his return to the Xfinity Series for the first time since the 2021 season when he made one start for Kaulig Racing.

Smith will drive for RSS Racing while taking over the No. 28 Ford Mustang, and he will pull double duty while also making his third career Truck Series start at the 1.33-mile track.

The entry list also includes some other big names — AJ Allmendinger in the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro, Carson Hocevar in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, and Ty Gibbs in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota GR Supra.

Smith Has 11 Career Xfinity Series Starts

GettyZane Smith prepares for a race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

The California native has spent the past three seasons competing full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series while winning the championship once and finishing runner-up twice.

Smith is currently in the midst of his fourth season, and he is back in the playoffs after adding another two wins to his career total. He captured the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway before winning for the second time at Circuit of the Americas.

While Smith has focused on the Truck Series, he has made starts across the other two national series. This includes 10 Xfinity Series starts in 2019 with JR Motorsports and one in 2021 with Kaulig Racing.

Smith’s lone start in 2021 ended early due to a crash, but he delivered several strong runs for JR Motorsports in 2019. He finished top 10 in seven of his starts and fifth in two of them. Smith also led his first career laps at Chicagoland Speedway.

Another Guest Driver Achieved Success for RSS Racing

GettyZane Smith has some Xfinity Series experience.

Smith will make his return to the Xfinity Series at Nashville Superspeedway, and he will make his debut for RSS Racing. He will do so two weeks after another guest driver delivered a standout performance.

The last time the Xfinity Series competed was at Sonoma Raceway on June 10. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Aric Almirola joined RSS Racing for the event, and he drove the No. 28 Ford Mustang.

The story early was Kyle Larson. The Hendrick Motorsports driver started from the pole, and he led 53 laps while sweeping the first two stages. However, pit strategy put Almirola ahead of Larson on the final restart.

The 2021 Cup Series champion was in a position to take the lead late. He put himself within reach of Almirola and the No. 28, but he hit the tires in Turn 11. This yanked the wheel out of his hands and sent the No. 17 toward the outside wall.

Almirola took advantage of Larson’s mistake, and he pulled away while AJ Allmendinger moved into second place. Almirola went on to win the first race in RSS Racing’s history after leading 17 laps while Allmendinger crossed the finish line second. Larson recovered and finished third while dealing with a damaged Chevrolet Camaro.

Stewart-Haas Racing announced on June 21 that Josh Berry would replace Kevin Harvick in the No. 4 Ford Mustang in 2024, according to a NASCAR Cup Series press conference transcript released to the media.

In attendance at Charlotte Motor Speedway were team co-owner Tony Stewart, Chief Competition Officer Greg Zipadelli, crew chief Rodney Childers and Harvick, the 2014 Cup Series champion.

Matt Weaver of Sportsnaut had reported early on June 19 that SHR would hold a press conference to bring Berry, a KHI Management client, into the fold. This followed months of rumors about Berry’s future in the Cup Series.

A Previous Report Set the Stage for This Move

GettyKevin Harvick’s Ford sits on the grid at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

There had been conversations about Berry’s move to SHR over multiple months.

There were rumblings throughout the industry that an announcement would actually take place during Coca-Cola 600 weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic then dropped a story days prior to the Cup Series race saying that Berry and SHR were finalizing a contract.

The press conference did not take place prior to the Coca-Cola 600, but the expectation remained that Berry would ultimately replace Harvick in the No. 4 Ford Mustang as he paired with Childers. Now, SHR appears poised to make the official announcement.

Berry Has Continued Gaining Cup Series Experience

GettyJosh Berry (left) will partner with Rodney Childers.

The Tennessee native entered the 2023 Cup Series season with only two career starts at the top level of NASCAR. He took over the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet for two events in 2021.

That stat line has since changed as Berry has gained more experience while making select starts. He has replaced both Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman due to injuries early in the 2023 season.

Berry made five starts in the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro as Elliott recovered from a fractured tibia. Jordan Taylor took over for the race at Circuit of the Americas. Berry posted two top-10 finishes during this run, headlined by a runner-up at Richmond Raceway.

Berry then took over the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro for three points-paying races as Bowman recovered from a fractured tibia. He delivered a top-10 finish at Dover Motor Speedway before winning the All-Star Open and putting himself in the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

With Berry now set to move up to the Cup Series on a full-time basis, he will join forces with one of the best crew chiefs in NASCAR. He will work with Childers, a man who has celebrated 40 Cup Series wins and one championship.

37 of Childers’ wins have been with Harvick behind the wheel of the No. 4 Ford Mustang. He also won two races with David Reutimann and one with Brian Vickers before joining forces with Harvick.

SHR has dealt with performance struggles during the Next Gen era. Though the No. 4 team has continued to perform at a high level.

Harvick’s ability behind the wheel plays a role, but Childers has developed a reputation for his ability to keep everything running at a high level. This will be crucial for Berry as he embarks upon his first full-time Cup Series season.

SS GreenLight Racing announced the news on June 19 as the NASCAR teams returned from the off-week. Massey will make his debut with the team while Brunt Workwear serves as his primary partner. A-Z Companies and Marty Massey Towing will provide additional support for the effort.

Massey has made 47 previous starts in the Xfinity Series while suiting up for three other teams. He spent 22 races with BJ McLeod Motorsports between 2020-2021 and one with Rick Ware Racing.

Massey spent the 2022 season as the anchor driver of the No. 91 DGM Racing Chevrolet Camaro. He made 24 starts while posting top-10 finishes at Atlanta Motor Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Massey Began 2023 With Another Team

GettyMason Massey prepares for qualifying at Michigan International Speedway.

The Georgia native has primarily competed in the Xfinity Series while nearing 50 career starts, but he actually began the 2023 season with a Craftsman Truck Series organization.

Reaume Brothers Racing announced on January 24 that it would become the newest member of the Ford Performance lineup. As part of this move, the team said that Massey would return to the team for the first time since the 2019 season while taking on a full-time schedule.

Massey made six starts for Reaume Brothers Racing in the No. 33 Ford F-150. He did not qualify for the Truck Series race at Circuit of the Americas along with Alex Bowman and Samuel Lecomte.

Massey posted a season-best finish of 11th at Texas Motor Speedway after he started 27th overall. However, he and Reaume Brothers Racing parted ways after the spring race at Martinsville Speedway.

Massey has not suited up for a national series race since a 33rd-place finish at the Virginia short track. That will now change as he joins SS GreenLight Racing for the first time and makes his return to the Xfinity Series.

The race weekend with SS GreenLight Racing will mark the first time that Massey competes at Nashville Superspeedway. The 2022 race at the 1.33-mile track was one of three events for which Massey did not qualify in the No. 91 Chevrolet.

SS GreenLight Racing Has Worked With Multiple Drivers

GettyGray Gaulding races at Talladega Superspeedway.

SS GreenLight Racing does not have full-time drivers for the No. 07 and No. 08 entries. Instead, the organization uses a variety of guests to fill out the Xfinity Series schedule.

The No. 08, in particular, has featured Gray Gaulding as the anchor driver. He has made 10 starts in the entry while Aric Almirola, Preston Pardus, Natalie Decker, and Kyle Weatherman have all made one start each.

Gaulding’s eighth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway stands out as the entry’s best outing. Gaulding also has a pair of top-20 finishes at Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The No. 08 is now 31st in the owner standings with 148 points. It is 21 points behind the No. 02 Our Motorsports Chevrolet, which has featured Weatherman, Blaine Perkins, and David Starr behind the wheel.

The Craftsman Truck Series race will be the first primetime event. It will take place on Friday, June 23, at 8 p.m. ET (FS1). The Xfinity Series race on June 24 will take place in the afternoon at 3:30 p.m. ET (USA), but the Cup Series race on June 25 will begin at 7 p.m. ET (NBC).

This marks a change from the first two Cup Series events at Nashville Superspeedway that began in the afternoon. Though the 2022 race ended under the lights due to multiple weather-forced delays.

One potential reason for the Cup Series race moving to primetime is that it will help get the drivers and the fans away from the heat of the day. It will also kick off the NBC portion of the schedule with an intense battle under the lights.

The Truck Series Schedule Headlines June 23

GettyCup Series drivers will qualify at Nashville Superspeedway on June 24.

The weekend begins on Friday, June 23, with all three series hitting the track. The Craftsman Truck Series drivers will practice at 4 p.m. ET (FS1) before qualifying at 4:30 p.m. ET (FS1).

The Xfinity Series drivers and Cup Series drivers will then practice at 5:30 p.m. ET and 6:30 p.m. ET, respectively, as USA Network provides coverage for the first time this season.

The Truck Series race will then cap off the opening day of the Nashville weekend with the Rackley Roofing 200. This event, the final in the Triple Truck Challenge series, will feature drivers battling for the win, a spot in the playoffs, and a $50,000 bonus.

One interesting aspect of this race is that it will be the first since the Truck Series returned to Nashville Superspeedway that will not end with Ryan Preece in Victory Lane.

The Connecticut native won the Truck Series races in 2021 and 2022, but he is not eligible to compete in the 2023 race since it is part of the Triple Truck Challenge. Full-time Cup and Xfinity drivers can not take on these bonus program races.

June 24’s Schedule Includes Multiple Series

GettyKyle Busch celebrates an Xfinity Series win at Nashville Superspeedway.

The second day at Nashville Superspeedway will have multiple on-track sessions in Middle Tennessee. The schedule begins at 12 p.m. ET with Xfinity Series qualifying (USA) and then it continues at 1 p.m. ET with Cup Series qualifying (USA).

The main event on Saturday will be the Xfinity Series race at 3:30 p.m. ET (USA). The first two events have featured two different organizations winning — Joe Gibbs Racing in 2021 and JR Motorsports in 2022 — and there will be multiple in the field that will have an opportunity to join this list.

The Xfinity Series races were significantly different than those in the Truck Series and Cup Series. David Gilliland Racing — now Tricon Garage — took the events in 2021 and 2022 with Preece as the winning driver.

Hendrick Motorsports won the first two Cup Series races as Nashville Superspeedway. Kyle Larson took the first in 2021 while Chase Elliott won the second in 2022.

The No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado will have a new driver for two upcoming races. The Craftsman Truck Series team has joined forces with Matt Mills.

Kyle Busch Motorsports announced the news on June 16 with a press release. The team said that Mills will take over the No. 51 Chevrolet Silverado at Richmond Raceway on July 29 and the Milwaukee Mile on August 27. J.F. Electric will serve as his primary partner.

“I’m really excited that KBM is providing me with an opportunity to showcase my abilities driving two races in the No. 51 Silverado,” Mills said in a press release.

“It makes it even more exciting that Richmond is the first race because I was born about an hour from there and I’ve had some strong runs there in the Xfinity Series, so I couldn’t think of a better track to make my KBM debut at. J.F. Electric has been a long-time supporter, and this wouldn’t be possible without them, Utilitra and Thompson Electric.”

Mills Makes His KBM Debut in 2023

GettyMatt Mills will drive for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Mills has made 141 starts across the three national NASCAR series while driving for a wide variety of teams. The majority — 121 races — have been in the Xfinity Series while 19 have been in the Truck Series. His lone other start was in the Cup Series.

Mills’ most recent starts in the Truck Series have been with Young’s Motorsports. He made four starts for the team in 2022 and four in 2023 while posting a career-best finish of 15th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2022.

Mills will now make his Kyle Busch Motorsports debut, and he will take over the best equipment of his NASCAR career. He will also make his first starts in the Truck Series at Richmond Raceway and Milwaukee Mile. Though Mills has seven starts at Richmond in the Xfinity Series.

Rules Prohibit Certain Drivers From Competing at Milwaukee

GettyRon Hornaday Jr. races at Milwaukee Mile.

The trip to Milwaukee Mile will have a fairly streamlined lineup. There are rules in place that prohibit certain drivers from competing at the one-mile track due to its place on the NASCAR schedule.

The Truck Series race at Milwaukee Mile takes place on Sunday, August 27. This event is the second race of the opening round of the playoffs.

Full-time Cup Series drivers are not eligible to compete in the regular-season finale and the Truck Series playoff races while the full-time Xfinity Series drivers are not allowed to compete in the Truck Series season finale.

Mills is not full-time in any national series, so he can compete in the Truck Series race at Milwaukee Mile. He will take advantage of this opportunity while becoming the fourth driver to control the No. 51 Chevrolet Silverado.

There have been 12 Truck Series races so far in 2023. Jack Wood has controlled the No. 51 for five of them while Kyle Busch has taken it over for four. He will make his fifth start of the season at Pocono Raceway on July 22.

William Byron rounds out the list. He made three starts in the No. 51 as part of a limited schedule with his former team, which included Bristol Motor Speedway, Darlington Raceway, and North Wilkesboro Speedway.