NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Drydene 400
The Place: Dover International Speedway
The Date: Sunday, May 16
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 12:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 400 miles (400 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 120), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 240), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 400)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: Drydene 200
The Place: Dover International Speedway
The Date: Saturday, May 15
The Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 1 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 200 miles (200 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Next Race: Toyota Tundra 225
The Place: Circuit of The Americas
The Date: Saturday, May 22
The Time: 1 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 12 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 139.81 miles (41 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 12), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 26), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 41)
NASCAR Cup Series
Monster of a good time ahead for the NASCAR Cup Series at Dover
Next up on the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series schedule is Dover International Speedway and Sunday’s Drydene 400 (2 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) the 13th race of the season.
Aptly named the Monster Mile, Dover International Speedway is a 1-mile concrete paved oval located in Dover Delaware. Dover International Speedway, originally known as Dover Downs International Speedway, has hosted 102 NASCAR Cup Series races dating back to the inaugural event on July 6, 1969. The first Dover race was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty driving a Petty Enterprises Ford (115.772 mph, 02:35:28). Petty actually won the first two Cup events at the track (1969, 1970).
In total, the 102 NASCAR Cup Series races at Dover have produced 42 different pole winners and 38 different race winners. NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson leads the series in poles at Dover with six (1969, 1973 sweep, 1974, 1975, 1981). Ryan Newman (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007) and Denny Hamlin (2012, 2013, 2015, 2019) lead all active series drivers in poles at Dover with four poles each. Recently retired driver, Jimmie Johnson holds the series record for the most wins at Dover with 11 victories (2002 sweep, 2005 Playoffs, 2009 sweep, 2010 Playoffs, Spring of 2012, 2013 Playoffs, Spring of 2014, Spring of 2015, and Spring of 2017).
Of the 38 different NASCAR Cup Series winners at Dover International Speedway, nine are active this weekend. Four drivers are tied for the most wins among active drivers at Dover – Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, and Ryan Newman – each have three wins.
Race Winners | Wins | Seasons |
Kevin Harvick | 3 | 2020, 2018, 2015 |
Martin Truex Jr | 3 | 2019. 2016, 2007 |
Kyle Busch | 3 | 2017, 2010, 2008 |
Ryan Newman | 3 | 2004, 2003 sweep |
Denny Hamlin | 1 | 2020 |
Kyle Larson | 1 | 2019 |
Chase Elliott | 1 | 2018 |
Brad Keselowski | 1 | 2012 |
Kurt Busch | 1 | 2011 |
This weekend’s Drydene 400 race will be 400 laps (400 miles) and will be broken up into three stages. The first two stages will be 120 laps each and the final stage will be 160 laps. Since the inception of Stage racing in the Cup Series in 2017, six different drivers have won at least one stage at Dover, led by Kevin Harvick with six stage wins; followed by Martin Truex Jr. with four, Denny Hamlin with three and Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Kyle Larson each have one. Hamlin and Harvick swept both stages en route to their wins last season at Dover.
Sunday’s Drydene 400 will set the starting lineup by Metric Qualifying and as a result Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Martin Truex Jr. (pole) and Denny Hamlin (second) will start on the front row. Hamlin should feel quite fortuitous starting in the second position this weekend, as it is the most proficient starting position in the field producing (20) the most wins of any starting position – winning percentage 19.61%. And it’s the same starting position he won from last season.
Standings leader Denny Hamlin winless through first dozen races of the year
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin has become the first driver standings leader in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Era (2004-2021) to compete in the first 12 races of a season and not win a race.
Hamlin, the defending winner of this weekend’s race at Dover International Speedway, is hoping to end his winless streak that has reached 17 events (dating back to Talladega on Oct. 4, 2020) and etch his name on the 2021 wins list.
Driver Points Standings Leader Following 12th Race of Playoff Era Seasons (2004-2021)
Season | Points Leader After 12th Race | Wins | Pts Lead Over 2nd |
2021 | Denny Hamlin | 0 | 75 |
2020 | Kevin Harvick | 2 | 8 |
2019 | Joey Logano | 1 | 9 |
2018 | Kyle Busch | 3 | 12 |
2017 | Martin Truex Jr. | 2 | 5 |
2016 | Kevin Harvick | 1 | 21 |
2015 | Kevin Harvick | 2 | 41 |
2014 | Jeff Gordon | 1 | 11 |
2013 | Jimmie Johnson | 2 | 32 |
2012 | Greg Biffle | 1 | 10 |
2011 | Carl Edwards | 1 | 36 |
2010 | Kevin Harvick | 1 | 69 |
2009 | Jeff Gordon | 1 | 44 |
2008 | Kyle Busch | 3 | 94 |
2007 | Jeff Gordon | 3 | 132 |
2006 | Jimmie Johnson | 3 | 109 |
2005 | Jimmie Johnson | 2 | 71 |
2004 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 3 | 5 |
Though Hamlin has yet to win this season, he has been very consistent putting up nine top-five finishes in 12 starts. He currently holds a 75-point lead in the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings on his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. in second.
Last season, Denny Hamlin put on a dominating performance at Dover leading a race-high 115 laps, winning both stages and grabbing his first career Monster Mile win. Hamlin has made 30 series starts at Dover collecting four poles, one win, six top fives and 13 top 10s.
If Hamlin happens to remain winless for the rest of the regular season, he will become the first NASCAR Cup Series driver standings points leader to make the postseason without a win.
Playoff Bubble: Points so tight a tiebreaker is needed along Playoff cutline
Twelve races into the NASCAR Cup Series regular season and the points around Playoff cutline are mighty close. So close, the NASCAR Cup Series needed a tiebreaker to decide who’s in and who’s out following Darlington.
When the checkered flag flew at Darlington Raceway last Sunday, Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick and Wood Brothers Racing’s Matt DiBenedetto ended up tied in points (268 points each) along the Playoff cutline in 16th and 17th, respectively. Reddick currently holds the tiebreaker of best finish with a runner-up back at Homestead-Miami Speedway compared to DiBenedetto’s best finish this season of fourth at Kansas Speedway.
Now the series turns its attention to Dover International Speedway, the halfway point of the regular season, and teams need to start considering a win might be their only option to make the postseason. With 13 races to go and several big names left without a win, time and Playoff spot availability are conspiring against the competitors still looking to seal their position in the Playoffs.
2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. added to his 2021 season wins total last weekend at Darlington Raceway getting his third victory of the year. Heading to Dover this weekend, 10 drivers have locked themselves into the Playoffs on wins, leaving one spot secured for the driver standings points leader (currently Denny Hamlin) and five additional spots up for grabs by virtue of a win or points position.
2021 Driver Playoff Outlook Following Race No. 12 – Drivers Not Locked In | ||||||
Rank | Driver | Points | Wins | Stages | Playoff Pts | Pts From Cutoff |
11 | Denny Hamlin | 529 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 261 |
12 | Kevin Harvick | 385 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 117 |
13 | Chase Elliott | 382 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 114 |
14 | Austin Dillon | 316 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 |
15 | Chris Buescher | 287 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
16 | Tyler Reddick | 268 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
17 | Matt DiBenedetto | 268 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
18 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 249 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -19 |
19 | Ryan Newman | 246 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -22 |
20 | Kurt Busch | 240 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -28 |
21 | Bubba Wallace | 223 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -45 |
22 | Ross Chastain | 218 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -50 |
23 | Daniel Suarez | 214 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -54 |
24 | * Ryan Preece | 209 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -59 |
25 | Chase Briscoe # | 198 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -70 |
26 | Cole Custer | 192 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -76 |
27 | Erik Jones | 188 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -80 |
28 | Aric Almirola | 168 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -100 |
29 | Anthony Alfredo # | 125 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -143 |
30 | Corey LaJoie | 116 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -152 |
Interestingly, the top three winners from last season in the NASCAR Cup Series, combining to win 21 of the 36 races (58.3%), Kevin Harvick (nine wins), Denny Hamlin (seven wins) and Chase Elliott (five wins) are all still looking for their first trip to Victory Lane this season. All three have won at Dover International Speedway; including last season when both Denny Hamlin (Race 1) and Kevin Harvick (Race 2) each won. Elliott grabbed his lone victory at the Monster Mile back in 2018.
Countdown to the NASCAR All-Star Race: Who’s name will be added next?
Time is ticking and June 13 will be here before we know it for this season’s NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway. With the format announced and the current 17 eligible drivers already locked in, who will add their name to the list over the next four races (Dover, COTA, Charlotte, and Sonoma)?
Those eligible for the NASCAR All-Star Race include drivers who won a points event in either 2020 or 2021; drivers who won a NASCAR All-Star Race and compete full-time; and drivers who won a NASCAR Cup Series Championship and compete full-time. Drivers who have already clinched an All-Star Race spot this season are Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, William Byron, Cole Custer, Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Michael McDowell, Ryan Newman, and Martin Truex Jr.
This weekend at Dover International Speedway nine active former Monster Mile winners are entered and all nine have secured their eligibility to the All-Star Race.
But four former NASCAR Xfinity Series Dover winners entered this weekend are looking earn their way into the All-Star and Playoffs with a win this weekend – Chase Briscoe (2020), Chris Buescher (2015), Daniel Suarez (2016) and Eric Jones (2016). Plus, two former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Dover winners are entered this weekend hungry for their first win of 2021 – Tyler Reddick (2015) and Aric Almirola (2010).
Only two NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at Dover International Speedway: Martin Truex Jr. (June 4, 2007) and Jody Ridley (May 17, 1981).
NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.
Coca-Cola Racing Family Driver Ryan Newman Visits Camp Lejeune, Trains with MARSOC – This week, as part of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Mission 600, Coca-Cola Family Racing driver Ryan Newman visited Camp Lejeune to learn from and train alongside members of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command (MARSOC). The day-long visit serves as a prelude to the upcoming Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend and to highlight the shared connections between NASCAR and the U.S. Armed Forces.
“It’s special, just to be close and in contact and hear the stories of the Marines, that’s what’s really special to me,” Newman said. “What hit me the most was the emotional side of the canine unit and the memorial to the people and the dogs that didn’t make it – what happens when we fight for our freedom… It’s important for me to pay attention, to spread the word and to make people understand because I know that I have taken a lot for granted when it comes to how and what goes into fighting for our freedom.”
Reigning Rolex 24 LMP2 Champion Kyle Tilley to make NASCAR Cup Series debut with Live Fast Motorsports at COTA – Kyle Tilley, reigning Rolex 24 LMP2 Champion and Asian LeMans Series Pro/Am Champion, will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Circuit of The Americas on May 23, 2021 with Live Fast Motorsports. Tilley, who is currently competing in IMSA, the Asian LeMans Series and European LeMans Series and competes across the world in a multitude of different cars from current LMP prototypes to vintage Formula 1 cars, will add four NASCAR Cup Series races to his schedule in the 2021 season.
“The NASCAR Cup Series! To say I’m excited would be an understatement. I have always been a big fan of NASCAR and the close racing it provides,” Tilley said. “To have the opportunity to go up against the best at COTA is going to be both a huge challenge and learning curve, but one I am really looking forward to.”
Tilley’s NASCAR Cup Series schedule is as follows: Circuit of The Americas (May 23), Road America (July 4), Watkins Glen International (August 8) and Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (August 15).
This weekend at Dover International Speedway the Live Fast Motorsports No. 78 Ford will be piloted by BJ McLeod. The 78 team will start 31st at Dover on Sunday.
NASCAR Salutes: Kurt Busch Dedication Ceremony at USS Dunham, Mayport Naval Station – This week, Chip Ganassi Racing driver Kurt Busch, along with officials from the USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), unveiled the name of fallen service member, U.S. Marine Corporal (Cpl.) Jason Dunham, whose name will be adorned on the windshield of the No. 1 GEARWRENCH Chevrolet as part of the NASCAR Salutes program. As a result of his selfless and heroic actions to save the lives of other Marines while serving in Iraq, Dunham was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by President George W. Bush in 2004. He was 22 at the time of his death. The award was the first Medal of Honor to be awarded to a United States Marine since the Vietnam war.
Later this month, the No. 1 GEARWRENCH Chevrolet Camaro that Busch will pilot in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 30, will carry the name of Cpl. Dunham as part of NASCAR Salutes, 600 Miles of Remembrance. Through collaboration with CGR team partners GEARWRENCH and The American Legion, Dunham’s family gave the blessing to use this event to honor their son and brother, by caring his name on the No. 1 Chevy. Busch is a previous winner of NASCAR’s longest race, as he won the event in 2010.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Gearing up for the Monster Mile
The NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to Dover International Speedway this weekend for the Drydene 200 on Saturday, May 15 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio for the 10th race of the season.
Last weekend, Justin Allgaier took home his second victory of 2021 at Darlington Raceway for Throwback Weekend, while his JR Motorsports teammate Noah Gragson grabbed the Dash 4 Cash prize; his third Dash 4 Cash $100,000 bonus in a row bringing his total to $300,000 this year.
As the series heads to Dover this weekend, look for Allgaier to keep the recent momentum on his side as he is the defending winner of this weekend’s race at the Monster Mile.
It was a doubleheader event last season at Dover for the Xfinity Series. With Allgaier winning the first race, Austin Cindric finished second, Ross Chastain finished third, Gragson fourth and Harrison Burton finished fifth.
The race had six cautions for 27 laps and an average speed of 110.142 mph. There were six lead changes and Allgaier led a race-high 120 laps.
Rolling into this weekend at Dover, Cindric has the best pre-race driver rating at the Monster Mile with a 114.2 and Allgaier has the third-best at 106.0. Hemric is fourth on the list at 103.8 and Gragson is fifth at 101.9.
Allgaier holds the top spot in fastest laps run at the track with 246 fastest laps run. Cindric is behind him in second with 116 fastest laps.
There have been 74 Xfinity Series races at Dover International Speedway with 48 different pole winners.
Bubba Wallace is the youngest pole winner at the track from 2012 when he was 18 years, 11 months, 21 days old. The oldest pole winner is Dick Trickle in 1999 at 57 years, 7 months and 9 days.
Of the 74 races at Dover, there have been 50 different race winners and only eight races have been won from the pole or first starting position. The last race won from the pole was in 2017 by Kyle Larson.
Joey Logano holds the race record at 131.219 mph in 2013 and Erik Jones holds the qualifying record at 158.318 mph in 2016.
Kyle Busch has the most Xfinity Series wins at Dover with five and the most top 10s at 15. Allgaier has the most lead lap finishes (16) and Kyle Busch has the most laps led (1,349).
Hemric will start on the pole this weekend at Dover for the Drydene 200 with Allgaier next to him on the front row. Gragson, Jones and Burton will round out the top five. Berry, AJ Allmendinger, Jeremy Clements, Justin Haley and Brett Moffitt will occupy the first 10 starting spots.
Show Me The Money: Noah Gragson goes for first ever Dash 4 Cash season sweep
For the first time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash program’s history a driver has a chance to sweep all four of the program’s rounds in a single season and win a total of $400,000 in bonus money. JR Motorsport’s Noah Gragson, from Las Vegas Nevada, has won the last three Dash 4 Cash awards this season banking $300,000 already and now heads to Dover International Speedway this weekend for the final round and a chance at getting the first ever Dash 4 Cash sweep.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash program was designed to add elements of unpredictability and drama leading up to and during four designated races, increase on-track competition, engage fans and reward and recognize NASCAR Xfinity Series regular competitors.
Since going to a multi-round format in 2011, no driver has swept every round in a single season. Prior to Gragson winning three Dash 4 Cash rounds (Martinsville, Talladega, Darlington) in one season this year, only seven drivers had won multiple rounds in a single season: Reed Sorenson (2011: Daytona, Iowa), Elliott Sadler (2013: Daytona, Chicago), Regan Smith (2015: Dover, Indianapolis), Erik Jones (2016: Bristol, Dover), Justin Allgaier (2017: Phoenix, Richmond), Christopher Bell (2019: Bristol, Dover) and Ross Chastain (2020: Atlanta, Pocono).
This year the NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash is taking place at four tracks – Martinsville Speedway (April 9), Talladega Superspeedway (April 24), Darlington Raceway (May 8) and Dover International Speedway (May 15). This weekend at Dover will mark the final installment of the program.
Gragson and the three highest finishing full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers from Darlington Raceway – Justin Allgaier (1st), Josh Berry (2nd), Brandon Jones (3rd) will compete at Dover for the final prize.
Dash 4 Cash Qualifiers at Dover:
Noah Gragson will make his sixth start this weekend at the Monster Mile. He has one top-five finish and four top 10s to his name with an average start of 6.4 and average finish of 8.6. His best finish came at this exact race last season after starting second and finishing fourth. He’s led 38 laps at Dover.
This weekend will be Justin Allgaier’s 21st Xfinity Series career start at Dover. He has two wins (2018, 2020), nine top fives and 13 top 10s at the track. He has also led 353 laps.
Brandon Jones will make his 11th start at Dover on Saturday. He has one top five and four top 10s at the track and has led 45 laps. His best finish came at the second race at Dover last season in fourth.
Rookie Josh Berry will make his Xfinity Series debut at Dover this weekend.
Xfinity Sunoco Rookie Update
The NASCAR Xfinity Series Sunoco rookie standings saw a little shakeup after Darlington.
Sunoco Rookie of the Year | ||
Rookies | Points | Awards |
Josh Berry | 168 | 3 |
Ty Gibbs | 149 | 2 |
Ryan Vargas | 78 | 4 |
Jordan Anderson | 0 | 0 |
Sam Mayer | 0 | 0 |
JR Motorsport’s Josh Berry took the lead in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings after Darlington Raceway. His second-place finish last weekend bumped him ahead of Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs, who had been in the lead since his win at the Daytona Road Course early in the season.
In eight starts so far this year, Berry got his first-ever Xfinity Series win at Martinsville has had two top fives and four top 10s to his name. He’s also led 103 laps this season and has an average start of 16.0 and average finish of 19.0.
Ty Gibbs is running a part-time schedule for Joe Gibbs Racing this season and in his first-ever start at the Daytona Road Course, he won after starting 15th. He’s made four starts so far in 2021 and has three top-five finishes and three top 10s. His average finish is 6.0 and average start is 21.8. Last weekend at Darlington marked Gibbs’ worst finish of 17th so far this season.
JD Motorsport’s Ryan Vargas is still sitting in third in the rookie standings with 79 points. In nine starts so far this season for JD Motorsports, Vargas has a best finish of 18th from the season-opener at Daytona.
Xfinity Playoff Bubble: Who stacks up where?
Justin Allgaier became the second driver to win multiple races this season, joining points leader Austin Cindric, with his win last weekend at Darlington Raceway. Thankfully for the rest of the Playoff bubble drivers, another new winner didn’t take one of the Playoff spots that they’re in search of.
Two drivers without wins yet this season, that are pretty comfortable in the points right now are Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Daniel Hemric and Harrison Burton. Hemric continues to be the highest ranked driver without a win in sixth with a 143-point cushion ahead of the Playoff cutoff. And Harrison Burton is behind him in seventh with 115 points ahead of the cutline.
The next five drivers in the Playoff outlook are all within 100 points of the postseason cutoff – Justin Haley (+88 points), Noah Gragson (+64), Jeremy Clements (+48), Brandon Jones (+28) and Michael Annett (+6)
Gragson’s rough start to the 2021 season has come full circle after a couple strong finishes in a row and winning the three Dash 4 Cash installments so far. Clements has been in the Playoff standings for the entire season, showcasing the consistency and talent of his small family-owned race team. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Brandon Jones has had a roller coaster of a season so far with three DNFs of 30th or worst but has tamed the flames of those poor finishes with five top-five finishes; including a third-place finish last weekend at Darlington.
Along the Playoff cutline you will find Brandon Brown and Michael Annett battling hard for the final Playoff spot. Annett currently grasps on to a six-point lead over Brown and sits in the final Playoff transfer spot (12th). Brown will have his work cut out for him this weekend to continue to close that points gap as Annett has a better average finish (12.2) than Brown at Dover (18.3).
NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver Playoff Outlook Following Darlington Raceway-1:
Rank | Driver | Points | Starts | Race Wins | Stage Wins | Playoff Pts | Pts From Cutoff |
1 | Austin Cindric | 386 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 15 | In On Wins |
2 | Justin Allgaier | 263 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 10 | |
3 | AJ Allmendinger | 294 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
4 | Jeb Burton | 292 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 5 | |
5 | Myatt Snider | 261 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 5 | |
6 | Daniel Hemric | 347 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 143 |
7 | Harrison Burton | 319 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 115 |
8 | Justin Haley | 292 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 88 |
9 | Noah Gragson | 268 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 64 |
10 | Jeremy Clements | 252 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 |
11 | Brandon Jones | 232 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 28 |
12 | Michael Annett | 210 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
13 | Brandon Brown | 204 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -6 |
14 | Riley Herbst | 185 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -25 |
15 | Tommy Joe Martins | 168 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -42 |
16 | Ryan Sieg | 165 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -45 |
17 | Landon Cassill | 155 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -55 |
NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.
JJ Yeley added to Our Motorsports driver lineup – Our Motorsports has announced that JJ Yeley will pilot the No. 23 Chevrolet for two races beginning this Saturday at Dover International Speedway.
Yeley made his NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in 2004 and has 339 starts in the Xfinity Series. Yeley, 44, will also pilot the No. 23 for Our Motorsports at the Charlotte ROVAL in October.
Saturday will be Yeley’s 22nd start at Dover. He has three top 10s to his name and a best finish of eighth in 2016. He made his first start at the Delaware track in 2004 starting 25th and finishing 26th for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Drydene sponsoring three JD Motorsports cars this weekend – JD Motorsports with Gary Keller announced that Drydene Performance Products will sponsor three cars in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Dover International Speedway on Saturday.
Based out of Warminster, Pennsylvania, Drydene is sponsoring both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Dover International Speedway. In addition, the Nos. 4, 6 and 15 Chevrolet’s will also sport the Drydene high performance oils and lubricants.
This marks the second consecutive year that Drydene has served as the primary sponsor for the JDM cars.
Kyle Sieg making Xfinity debut at Dover – DGM Racing announced that Kyle Sieg, brother of NASCAR Xfinity Series veteran driver Ryan Sieg, will make his series debut in the No. 90 Ford this weekend at Dover International Speedway.
Kyle Sieg has made four ARCA Menards Series starts and one ARCA Menards Series West start in 2021. Of his four ARCA starts this season, Sieg has a best finish of fourth at Phoenix Raceway in March. The 20-year-old also has finishes of eighth or better in all of his starts.
Independent Metal Scrap will sponsor Sieg in the No. 90 this weekend.
Sieg will also compete in Friday night’s ARCA Menards Series East event at Dover in the No. 28 with sponsorship from Drydene.
Comcast opens new Lift Zone in Dover prior to Xfinity race – In September, Comcast vowed to open 1,000 new high-speed Wi-Fi Lift Zones throughout the United States by the conclusion of 2021.
So far, the company has already opened over 50 new zones this year.
Dover isn’t the first NASCAR market that has a Lift Zone in it, either. At Martinsville Speedway on April 9, Comcast announced the opening of a Wi-Fi-Connected Lift Zone in the Martinsville area.
It’s important for the racetracks to have the Lift Zones but it also benefits the communities during times when the races aren’t in town.
Having this weekend’s race be a Dash 4 Cash race for the Xfinity Series as well as the opening of the new Lift Zone, there is a lot of excitement around the race.
“I think it shows that, even as a big racetrack in a small community we, too, like Comcast, we’re concerned with our own community,” Dover International Speedway President Mike Tatoian explained in an interview. “For one of [the Lift Zones] to be located here in our community – because I think a lot of us, you take things for granted. ‘Well of course you have internet at home.’ Well, not everybody does, especially with the pandemic and where we are and the importance of education and getting access.”
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
2020 Series Champ Sheldon Creed and Chevrolet end Toyota’s 2021 dominance
Leading into last weekend’s race at Darlington Raceway, Toyota had dominated Victory Lane thus far in the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season – winning all seven races to date.
That all changed last Friday night when Sheldon Creed piloted his No. 2 GMS Racing Chevrolet to the win over ThorSport Racing’s No. 99 Toyota driven by Ben Rhodes at Darlington Raceway.
The win also ended a five-race win streak by Kyle Busch Motorsports that saw John Hunter Nemechek and Kyle Busch each win a pair of races while Martin Truex Jr. won on the Bristol dirt.
Darlington marked Creed’s first win of the season – and first since he won the season finale at Phoenix in November to win the season championship. He is just one race off the pace from when he earned his first victory of the title season – in the seventh race of the year at Kentucky.
Overall, Creed won five races last year; including a victory on the Daytona Road Course, which will serve him well when the series returns to action next week at Circuit of The Americas.
Taking a turn at Circuit of The Americas
After a week off, the Camping World Truck Series will be back in action next Saturday, May 22, for the Toyota Tundra 225 (1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).
This will mark the first time NASCAR has raced at COTA, which is a 3.41-mile road course located just outside Austin, Texas. The multi-elevational track has 20 scenic turns for the trucks to navigate.
Ben Rhodes (2021 – Daytona Road Course), Brett Moffitt (2019 – Canadian Tire), John Hunter Nemechek (2016 – Canadian Tire), and Sheldon Creed (2020 – Daytona Road Course) are the only active regular drivers in the Camping World Truck Series who have wins on road courses.
Matt Crafton, Nemechek and Creed each have a runner-up finishes on a road course and Crafton leads all regulars with four top-five finishes on a road courses. Nemechek and Creed each have three top fives.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Etc.
Triple Truck Challenge Presented by Womply: Sheldon Creed won the opening round of the Triple Truck Challenge this season at Darlington Raceway, netting a $50,000 bonus. This marked Creed’s second Triple Truck Challenge victory after winning the bonus last year at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Next weekend’s race at COTA will be the second leg of the Triple Truck Challenge, which will wrap up at Charlotte (5/22).
Jack Wood to make series debut at COTA: ARCA Menards Series driver Jack Wood will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut next weekend at COTA, driving the No. 24 GMS Racing Chevrolet, the team announced this week. Wood has one top-five and two top-10 finishes in four ARCA Menards Series starts this season.
“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to get in a top-tier truck, especially at a racetrack like COTA,” said Wood. “It’s going to be a long day of learning for me, but I’m excited for the challenge. I can’t thank everybody at Chevrolet and GMS enough for giving me a shot.”
— NASCAR —