Julian Martin‘s son is quick to recite the interpretation: “Never lift: ‘To keep one‘s foot firmly planted on the accelerator pedal with complete disregard to the possible outcome can often end in catastrophic results, but with proper execution has been known to create legends,’” Mark Martin says. “That‘s my dad.”

So when Martin sat down to put pen to paper and tell his life story, with all the unlikely undulations of his Hall of Fame racing career, there was really only one potential title. That autobiography is now available for pre-order, with “Mark Martin: Never Lift” scheduled for publication in August from Octane Press.

The hardcover book, co-written with veteran journalist Mark “Bones” Bourcier, weighs in at a hefty 544 pages, full of the detail that‘s come from living through several decades of racing in different eras until his eventual retirement after the 2013 season. The 67-year-old veteran also points out that his story is now unfettered by obligations or restrictions — from team owners, sponsors or any sanctioning body. “Beholden to no one,” Martin says, promising an unflinching view of how it was.

— NASCAR.com —

There were no issues for #77-Carson Hocevar. He is officially the winner.

The #34-Layne Riggs (finished sixth) had two lug nuts not safe and secure. Front Row Motorsports will receive a $2,500 fine and a crew member suspended for one race.

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Point Standings, Owner Point Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report

Beating runner-up and Spire Motorsports teammate Kyle Busch to the finish line by 0.730 seconds in overtime, Hocevar notched his sixth career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory at the 1.5-mile intermediate track that gave him his first in the series in 2023.

The triumph reversed a 1-2 finish from earlier this season at EchoPark Speedway near Atlanta, where Busch beat Hocevar to the stripe by 0.114 seconds.

“It‘s unbelievable—what a fun race,” Hocevar said after climbing from his No. 77 Chevrolet on the frontstretch. “We had to reverse the order, obviously the 1-2 with Kyle. I watched him win a lot of truck races, and it‘s finally good to put an end to his Texas streak.”

Busch had won his last four Truck Series starts at Texas, but an early brush with the outside wall forced him to regain a lost lap as the beneficiary under caution for Cole Butcher‘s crash in Turn 2 on Lap 51.

Busch fought through the field and challenged for the lead in the late going but failed to add to his record 68 Truck Series wins.

“We had an eventful night,” Busch said. “We didn‘t start off very well. We were really, really loose and made a lot of adjustments to get it close. When we put the last set off tires on, we were really fast, felt really good.

“I was struggling with grip all night long, but (crew chief) Brian (Pattie) and the guys made a lot of good calls to get us dialed back in. It would have been nice to be in Victory Lane, but it‘s good to have a teammate in there and have him get his shot. I got one, he got one, so now we‘re even there.”

After the second stage break, Hocevar thought he might have a loose wheel, but that didn‘t prevent him from going all-out during a succession of restarts late in the race.

Gio Ruggiero led the field to the overtime restart on Lap 171, but he lost impetus in the middle of a three-wide situation on the white-flag lap, as Hocevar charged into the lead and opened a gap of 10 car-lengths.

Kaden Honeycutt finished third, right behind Busch‘s Silverado, with Brandon Jones and pole winner Ben Rhodes in fourth and fifth, respectively, as Ruggiero fell to 17th. Layne Riggs, Christian Eckes, Daniel Hemric, Ty Majeski and Chandler Smith completed the top 10.

Though Honeycutt left with the series lead—by 14 points over Smith—he remained frustrated with his inability to close out a victory.

“I‘m proud to be able to drive a truck like this,” said Honeycutt, who is winless in 66 Truck Series starts. “It‘s disappointing that I just keep failing. There‘s no excuse for it. As soon as I got the lead (on Lap 149), I didn‘t protect it right. I didn‘t do the right things and ultimately that‘s what led us to lose.

“Just got to figure out how to get restarts done. I‘ve got to figure out how to win races. It‘s eating me alive, I can promise you that.”

Ruggiero likewise missed an opportunity. He had passed Hocevar for the lead on Lap 165 of a scheduled 167, but a violent, five-truck accident on the frontstretch caused the eighth caution, necessitated a red flag for cleanup and forced the overtime.

Hocevar won the second stage and led a race-high 76 laps to 41 for Rhodes, who won the first stage wire-to-wire.

–NASCAR Wire Service —

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Point Standings, Owner Point Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report

Allmendinger, a road-course specialist with a long history of success on twisting tracks, brings extensive experience to the seat. The 44-year-old has posted multiple strong finishes at Watkins Glen, highlighted by his emotional first NASCAR Cup Series victory there in 2014 when he held off Marcos Ambrose in a two-lap dash to the finish.

He has also recorded top finishes in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at the track and continues to compete full-time in the Cup Series for Kaulig Racing.

“Watkins Glen will always be special to me because it‘s where I earned my first NASCAR Cup Series win, and I‘ve always loved the place,” said Allmendinger, who drove the team‘s No. 10 Ram 1500 in the Truck Series race at Darlington Raceway on March 20.

“Kaulig Racing is making good progress on the truck side,” Allmendinger continued. “They‘re doing a really good job, and hopefully when I get in the No. 25 truck through the Free Agent Program I can help keep moving things in the right direction. We‘ll have some fun and maybe even have a shot at a top-five finish or a win. It was nice to run at Darlington and get a good feel for the trucks, even though it‘s completely different from a road course. We‘ll go out there, have some fun, and put a good result in at Watkins Glen.”

The No. 25 Ram 1500 serves as the flagship entry for Ram‘s Free Agent Driver Program. Launched as part of the manufacturer‘s return to NASCAR after a 13-year absence, the innovative initiative rotates a different driver into the truck nearly every weekend. It features a mix of veteran stars, rising talents, road-course specialists, dirt-track standouts and other available drivers to deliver fresh storylines, broaden fan interest and provide opportunities for proven competitors and up-and-coming talent.

The program kicked off at the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway in February with NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart behind the wheel and has since included drivers such as Ty Dillon, Colin Braun, Corey LaJoie, Parker Kligerman and Carson Ferguson. Ram and Kaulig Racing designed the program to generate buzz around the manufacturer‘s re-entry while showcasing the Ram 1500‘s versatility on NASCAR‘s toughest tracks.

On Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, Ram and Kaulig Racing announced that NASCAR veteran Clint Bowyer will drive the No. 25 Ram 1500 at Dover Motor Speedway on May 15 and fellow veteran Jamie McMurray will race on June 21 on the new street course at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego.

Kaulig Racing, founded in 2016 by Matt Kaulig, has grown from a single-car Xfinity Series team into a multi-division powerhouse. The organization fields full-time entries in the Cup Series and a five-truck fleet in the Craftsman Truck Series as Ram‘s anchor partner.

Allmendinger will join the Kaulig Racing Truck Series lineup that includes Corey LaJoie in the No. 10, Brenden “Butterbean” Queen in the No. 12, Mini Tyrrell in the No. 14 and Justin Haley in the No. 16.

Watkins Glen International has been a cornerstone of NASCAR road-course racing with the Cup Series visiting annually since 1986 on the 2.454-mile layout featuring seven turns. The historic venue has produced memorable battles and showcased the skills of drivers who excel on technical circuits.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Watkins Glen International, the Bully Hill Vineyards 176, is scheduled for Friday at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1, with live radio coverage on the NASCAR Racing Network.

— Kaulig Racing —

“These exceptional North Carolinians have excelled in sports and, beyond their wins, demonstrated deep commitment to their communities,” said Governor Josh Stein. “I am honored to recognize them today for their athletic excellence and community contributions. We are proud to celebrate their success.”

The Latest Order of the Long Leaf Pine Honorees:

• Greg Biffle, Iredell County — 19-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race champion; dedicated supporter of Hurricane Helene rescue and recovery, flying numerous lifesaving missions in his helicopter (posthumous)
• Shawn Clark, Watauga County — Appalachian State University head football coach; former Appalachian State University All-American offensive lineman (posthumous)
• Rodney Rogers, Durham County — Former Wake Forest men‘s basketball player and ACC Player of the Year; NBA Sixth Man of the Year; advocate for people with disabilities (posthumous)
• Debbie Antonelli, Wake County — Hall of Fame basketball analyst; former NC State women‘s basketball forward; main play-by-play voice of the WNBA‘s Indiana Fever; founder of “24 Hours of Nothing But Net” free throw shooting marathon to benefit Special Olympics; Kay Vow Cancer Fund board member
• Kayden Beasley, Harnett County — Paralympic and World Para Ice Hockey Championship gold medalist
• Bob McKillop, Mecklenburg County — Former Davidson College men‘s basketball coach; 2008 NABC National Coach of the Year; Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame nominee
• Mystique Ro, Mecklenburg County — Olympic Team USA skeleton athlete; former Queens University heptathlete; World Championship gold and silver medalist; founder and CEO of the Project Push Gold Fund to provide resources for those competing in sliding sports
• Martin Willard, New Hanover County — Competitive sailor and sailing mentor out of Wrightsville Beach for more than 50 years; four-time World Championship regatta top-10 finisher; member of the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust and the North Carolina Coastal Federation
• John Wall, Wake County — No. 1 NBA Draft pick and five-time NBA All-Star; founder of the John Wall Family Foundation supporting disadvantaged families with events including school supplies distribution in Raleigh; sponsor of the nationally known John Wall Holiday Invitational basketball tournament in Raleigh

Governor Stein also recognized North Carolina Central University Chancellor Karrie Dixon and the North Carolina Central men‘s tennis team, led by Coach Curtis Lawson, for their 2025 HBCU National Tennis Championship victory. Beyond this athletic success, the team earned the highest GPA in the country for all Division I men‘s tennis teams.

— North Carolina Governor’s Office —

Ross Chastain will debut the branding on Friday at Texas Motor Speedway as he makes his third start of the season behind the wheel for Niece Motorsports.

“I love seeing what Blues Hog has been doing in NASCAR, and we‘re all super thrilled to welcome them to Niece Motorsports,” said Chastain. “Our fans love barbecuing, and we think their brand is a perfect fit for our team.”

In addition to the brand‘s associate placement on the No. 45, Blues Hog will serve as the primary sponsor for Garrett Mitchell, aka “Cleetus McFarland”, in the No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado at Talladega Superspeedway on October 23.

After a strong runner-up finish in the ARCA Menards Series race at Talladega, McFarland is ready to run it back with Blues Hog in the Truck Series.

“I‘m FIRED UP to be driving the Blues Hog Silverado for Niece Motorsports at ‘Dega,” said McFarland. “We are all hoping to take it to the front!”

Headquartered in Washington, MO just outside St. Louis, Blues Hog has exploded in the BBQ industry since its initial blend was first created in the mid 1980‘s by founder, Bill Arnold. A visionary behind the brand‘s success, Arnold won several awards for his cooking, and was inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame in 2023.

Under the leadership of Tim Scheer, the brand has expanded its offering of products to now include snack sticks and ready-to-eat meats, all of which can be found online or in grocery stores throughout the country.

Scheer, a longtime NASCAR fan, believes the sport is a perfect opportunity to partner with Niece Motorsports.

“Blues Hog is proud to be out front in the barbecue category just like Niece Motorsports likes to be out front in the race,” said Scheer. “We’re looking forward to jumping in on the hottest thing going in NASCAR with Cleetus McFarland, Ross Chastain, Landen Lewis, and the Niece Motorsports family. Be like Biff, Do it for Dale, and Stay Saucey!”

Blues Hog will appear on the No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Ross Chastain and Landen Lewis for the remainder of the NCTS race season.

Lewis, who has made a handful of starts already this year, eyes racing with support from Blues Hog through the latter portion of the schedule.

“I‘m proud to represent everyone at Blues Hog on our No. 45 Chevy,” said Lewis. “Their sauces taste incredible, and I‘m looking forward to seeing what this partnership will grow into with our team in the future.”

This weekend also marks the inaugural Blues Hog BBQ Showdown at Texas Motor Speedway.

Drivers Chastain and Lewis will greet the competitors on Friday before the Truck Series race. On Saturday, Pitmasters face off for competition day. Before Sunday‘s Cup Series race, awards and shares of the $25,000 prize pot will be presented on the main stage prior to driver introductions.

Whether you‘re craving barbecue, wings, snack sticks, or other recipes, Blues Hog has fans covered. Visit www.BluesHog.com to find the brand‘s full listing of products.

— Niece Motorsports —

The annual initiative recognizes and supports active duty servicemembers, veterans, military families and fallen heroes through a series of programs throughout Military Appreciation Month, including special recognition in the 600 Miles of Remembrance at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24 and culminating at Nashville Superspeedway on May 31.

As part of this year‘s enhanced platform, NASCAR and Coca-Cola will introduce the NASCAR Heroes Pass, a fan-driven initiative designed to honor military service members in a lasting and meaningful way.

From May 1 through May 31, fans can visit NASCAR.com/Salutes to nominate a deserving active duty service member or veteran from any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. GOVX will verify nominees to ensure authenticity and integrity of the program. A total of 250 recipients will be selected to receive a NASCAR Heroes Pass, granting them lifetime access to NASCAR races — defined as two tickets to one participating track annually for 20 years.

The program is designed to go beyond recognition by creating a lifelong connection between NASCAR and those who serve, while encouraging fan participation and storytelling throughout the month.

“For more than a decade, NASCAR Salutes has been a cornerstone of how our sport honors the military community,” said Jess Smith, Vice President of Brand at NASCAR. “With the introduction of the NASCAR Heroes Pass as part of NASCAR Salutes 250 Together with Coca-Cola, we‘re deepening that commitment in a way that creates lasting impact and celebrates service for years to come.”

NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola has delivered meaningful at-track experiences for servicemembers and their families, united partners across the motorsports industry and driven critical investments in military and veteran service organizations through NASCAR Impact and other league-wide efforts. The program builds each year toward Memorial Day Weekend and the 600 Miles of Remembrance, where every NASCAR Cup Series driver takes the green flag with the name of a fallen service member displayed on their car.

“As Coca‑Cola proudly celebrates America‘s 250th anniversary throughout the year, this Military Appreciation Month is especially meaningful,” said Don Rouse, Vice President of Sports & Entertainment at Coca‑Cola North America. “NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca‑Cola is a cornerstone of our partnership, and we‘re honored to provide Heroes Passes to deserving servicemembers and veterans so they can experience the excitement of NASCAR for years to come.”

Honor and Remember will again collaborate with NASCAR teams to host Gold Star Families at Charlotte Motor Speedway as part of the 600 Miles of Remembrance. As a NASCAR Impact partner, the organization continues to support families who have lost loved ones in the line of duty.

NASCAR Impact will also continue its work with Sound Off, a nonprofit focused on expanding access to mental health resources for veterans and active duty servicemembers through a peer-to-peer support platform.

As part of this year‘s NASCAR Salutes 250 Together with Coca-Cola program, NASCAR will:

Host at-track experiences for military members, veterans and their families, including:

— Discounted grandstand tickets for military members all season long through NASCAR MilTix Presented by GOVX. Active military and veterans can verify their status and purchase tickets by visiting NASCAR.com/miltix.

— Complimentary grandstand tickets and VIP experiences throughout May for service members from local bases, made possible by Chevrolet‘s NASCAR Troops to the Track program and Vet Tix.

— The “Mobility Pit Box,” which will welcome mobility-impaired race fans and veterans at select events, continuing Toyota‘s commitment to “Mobility for All.”

Bring together the motorsports industry in recognition of the military, including:

— O‘Reilly Auto Parts, featuring patriotic red, white and blue windshield headers during the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

— Craftsman, displaying red, white and blue windshield decals on all NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series entries during race weekend at Charlotte.

— Goodyear, continuing its tradition of replacing its iconic “Eagle” sidewall design with “Honor and Remember” for the Coca-Cola 600.

— Mechanix Wear, outfitting NASCAR officials with special camouflage gloves for race weekend.

Invest in veteran and military service organizations so they can continue their critical work, including:

— Sound Off

— Honor and Remember

NASCAR Salutes 250 Together with Coca-Cola represents an evolution of one of the sport‘s most meaningful initiatives — bringing fans, partners and the industry together to honor service, celebrate America‘s legacy and create lasting connections with the military community for years to come.

— NASCAR —

“We are proud to welcome Caterpillar aboard as an Official Sponsor of Texas Motor Speedway,” TMS Executive Vice President and General Manager Mark Faber said. “With Caterpillar‘s headquarters located in the DFW Metroplex and its past history within motorsports, this is truly a natural fit. As one of the largest motorsports and entertainment venues in the country, we look forward to collaborating with Caterpillar to create impactful fan engagement opportunities and deliver innovative event integrations.”

Headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Caterpillar continues to strengthen its ties to the North Texas business community by joining forces with “The Great American Speedway!” The collaborative sponsorship highlights Caterpillar‘s support of major sports.

“Texas Motor Speedway is an important platform for Caterpillar because it reflects our presence and commitment to the communities where we operate,” said Caterpillar Global Brand Director Jenny Young. “From our North Texas headquarters to the customers, dealers and employees across the state, Texas plays a critical role in our business. Texas Motor Speedway reflects that same spirit of performance, precision and engineering excellence, making this a natural fit for Caterpillar.”

Texas Motor Speedway visitors will see Caterpillar branding featured across the property during the May 1-3 NASCAR tripleheader weekend and at select marquee events throughout the year. The sponsorship will also provide opportunities for fan engagement activations and event integrations that showcase Caterpillar‘s industry leadership.

— Texas Motor Speedway —

The partnership pairs one of NASCAR‘s newest teams with one of the most recognizable and longest tenured brands in NASCAR. Coca-Cola has a long history in motorsports, including over 40 years of title sponsorship of the Coca-Cola 600, one of NASCAR‘s most prestigious races. Coca-Cola‘s storied partnership in NASCAR also includes the Coca-Cola Racing Family, which launched in 1998. Wallace will return to the Coca-Cola Racing Family of drivers after being a member from 2018 through 2020.

To kick off the expanded collaboration, Coca-Cola will debut a co-branded paint scheme with Hardee‘s on Wallace‘s No. 23 Toyota Camry XSE for the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International on May 10th. The car will premiere as The Coca-Cola Company celebrates its 140th anniversary. The iconic beverage brand will also be featured on Wallace‘s firesuits throughout the season, as well as on the No. 23 team‘s uniforms and equipment.

For Wallace — who has had a strong start to the season — the partnership is a full-circle moment.

“I couldn‘t be happier to be back in the Coca-Cola Racing Family,” said Wallace. “I enjoyed the work we did together in the past and look forward to again connecting with race fans as part of this program. I‘m known to have an ice-cold Coca-Cola after the race, so this is the perfect partnership. Now, it‘s going to be even better to share a Coke with the 23 team here at 23XI.”

“NASCAR has long been part of Coca‑Cola‘s story, and welcoming Bubba Wallace back to the Coca‑Cola Racing Family through our partnership with 23XI Racing is a natural extension of that legacy,” said Don Rouse, VP of Sports & Entertainment Marketing, Coca-Cola North America. “Together, we‘re connecting with fans through a program built on authenticity, shared values, and a genuine love for the sport.”

— 23XI Racing —

“I don‘t want to be in court,” Dickerson said, calling the lawsuit an effort to “diminish” his team. “… They‘ve called us a lot of things, and we hear it. If the point is to try to hurt us or try to burn us down? OK. I don‘t think they‘re gonna beat us; they might win something, but I‘ll make sure they wish they hadn‘t.”

…

“We‘re not here to diminish anyone,” JGR co-owner Heather Gibbs said in a statement provided to The Athletic in response to Dickerson‘s comments. “Drivers like Carson Hocevar are exactly what NASCAR needs. I couldn‘t be more of an advocate for young drivers coming into the series.

“In terms of the lawsuit, our singular purpose is to protect our trade secrets — the most important information that our race team (and any race team for that matter) possesses.”

Spire was named as a co-defendant in the lawsuit. Still, Dickerson has emphatically insisted that the team does not have any of JGR‘s information, which is proprietary to each NASCAR team (since car setups account for a large part of the speed shown on the racetrack, along with the engine, driver and crew).

See much more at The Athletic (unlocked article)

From the Gluckcast today, Spire Motorsports owner Jeff Dickerson had some strong comments in defense of his team in the JGR/Gabehart lawsuit. pic.twitter.com/wQQeembqYB

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) April 30, 2026

Denny Hamlin will be the first guest analyst at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Connor Zilisch, 10-time winner from The CW’s inaugural season covering the series, will be an analyst at Nashville Superspeedway. Ross Chastain will be in the booth at Pocono Raceway.

The other three analysts include AJ Allmendinger at Sonoma Raceway, the series’ win’s leader Kyle Busch at EchoPark Speedway and Bubba Wallace at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The CRAFTSMAN Truck Series hasn‘t raced on a 1.5-mile intermediate track since last May at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a gap of more than 11 months. In Texas, the series returns to a venue that presents unique challenges, where the backstretch flows from relatively flat Turns 1 and 2 into high-banked, high-speed Turns 3 and 4.

The 52nd CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Texas (most of any track) is unlikely to present a problem for Busch, who has won six of the previous 51 races there. In fact, Busch is nearly as prolific at Texas as he is at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Across all three of NASCAR‘s national series, Busch has won 20 times in Fort Worth (four Cup, 10 O‘Reilly and six Truck) versus 22 total victories at Thunder Valley.

“Texas is a track where I‘ve had a lot of success in the Truck Series, including a win with Spire a couple of years ago,” said Busch, who will drive Spire‘s No. 7 Chevrolet on Friday night.

“We had a lot of speed in our HendrickCars.com Silverado at Atlanta, and I know (Carson) Hocevar was really fast at Texas last year, so hopefully we can capitalize on the speed that Spire is bringing to the mile-and-a-half tracks and add another trophy to the trophy case.”

Hocevar will compete in the No. 77 Spire Chevrolet Silverado. He, Busch and Ross Chastain (No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevy) are the only three full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers entered in Friday night‘s race.

However, NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series regulars Brandon Jones and William Sawalich will be driving Toyotas for TRICON Garage.

Last year‘s winner, Corey Heim, is not entered. Busch is the most recent Texas winner in the field (2024).

— NASCAR News Wire —

Allgaier has qualified in the top 10 in 12 of the last 13 NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series events at the track, with a pole in 2023. He has finished in the top-five in five of the last seven races, with a best of second in 2021.

In the last three races combined, Allgaier has led 349 laps. He has won five of the last six stages at the track and a record seven overall.

Yet Allgaier is seeking his first victory at TMS in Saturday‘s Andy‘s Frozen Custard 340 (3:30 p.m. ET on CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The irony is that Allgaier, the career leader in Dash 4 Cash wins with eight, isn‘t eligible for the $100,000 bonus in the final race in this year‘s Dash 4 Cash program. A victory, however, would suffice on its own merits.

“Texas has been a really good track for us over the last few years,” Allgaier acknowledged. “I know that (crew chief) Andrew (Overstreet) and all the guys on this Roto-Rooter Chevrolet are working really hard to give us another car capable of running up front again this weekend.

“We‘ve come close here before, and hopefully we can be in a position at the end of the day to get that one spot better and come away with a Cowboy hat.”

Standing in Allgaier‘s way is defending race winner Kyle Larson, who is making his fourth start of the season in the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Larson has a victory, a second and a fourth in his first three 2026 starts in the car.

Sheldon Creed is seeking his third straight Dash 4 Cash bonus, having won at Kansas Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway with respective finishes of second and third. To collect the $100,000 prize, Creed must finish higher than three other eligible drivers—Corey Day, Sammy Smith and Brent Crews.

Fresh from his first career O‘Reilly Series victory at Talladega, Day is eligible for the Dash 4 Cash bonus for the first time. Interestingly, in last Saturday’s race, Day became only the sixth driver in series history to notch his first career victory while leading only the final lap.

— NASCAR News Wire —

Before last Sunday, it would have been reasonable to pick Texas Motor Speedway as a possible venue for Hocevar‘s first NASCAR Cup Series win, given his performance at the 1.5-mile intermediate speedway.

After he stole the show last Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, however, the driver of the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet is seeking his second straight victory in Sunday‘s Wurth 400 Presented by LIQUI MOLY (3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Far-fetched? Perhaps. But Hocevar has a history at the Fort Worth Track that might suggest otherwise.

In 2023, he claimed the first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory of his career at Texas on the way to a four-win season.

Last year in Cowtown, he won the only pole position of his Cup Series career with a lap at 191.659 mph.

“I feel good about it,” Hocevar said of Sunday‘s race. “Obviously, we were on the pole last year and had speed, and I won my first-ever Truck race there.

“We have a lot of momentum and excitement behind us right now, while we go into a track that it is realistic to be up front and contend all day. We have been looking forward to and circling Texas for a couple weeks, so what happened last weekend is really an added bonus.”

Hocevar‘s victory at Talladega was the second of the season for Chevrolet. Ford drivers have only one win so far this season—Ryan Blaney‘s triumph at Phoenix Raceway.

The defending winner of Sunday‘s race at Texas is Joey Logano, whose victory in Fort Worth last season is the last time a Ford driver not named Ryan Blaney won a Cup Series event.

Logano‘s victory had a special emotional component that made it unforgettable to the three-time series champion.

“I remember, probably as much as anything, the day after, just because a little friend of mine—Liam—passed away the next day,” Logano said. “I remember his mom saying one of his last moments of enjoyment was sitting in the hospital watching us win.

“I thought that was probably one of the most incredible moments of my life, hearing that and just realizing what that win really meant and how it happened. I remember us not being the fastest car, and I remember just kind of finding ourselves in position to win late in the race, and we were able to take advantage of that.

“It made me feel like things were bigger than just the race. That race will always be one of the most remembered wins I‘ve ever had because of that.”

To defend his victory at the track, Logano will have to overcome several obstacles in terms of statistics and performance. In the last nine Cup races at TMS, there hasn‘t been a repeat winner.

Logano‘s average finish at Texas (13.3) narrowly misses the top 10 all-time. At the last Cup event on a 1.5-mile track (April 19 at Kansas Speedway), Logano had a miserable time with the handling of his No. 22 Team Penske Ford and finished 30th.

Series leader Tyler Reddick, a five-time winner this season, has the best average finish at Texas among active drivers (11.0) and third-best all-time. Reddick also was the winner at Kansas two weekends ago.

Reddick scored his first Cup Series victory on an oval track at Texas in 2022.

Texas Motor Speedway features two fundamentally different sets of corners, the product of repaving and reconfiguration in 2017. Turns 1 and 2 are relatively flat, with Turns 3 and 4 higher-banked and faster.

Perhaps the new layout has contributed to unpredictable results at the track. Daniel Suarez boasts the longest active streak of top-10 finishes at Texas with three. Austin Dillon, a 2020 winner in Fort Worth, is second with two.

The tire combination Goodyear is providing this weekend has never been used at Texas before, but it‘s a known quantity to Cup drivers and crew chiefs, having been run at Las Vegas, Darlington and Kansas this year.

— NASCAR News Wire —

Situated at one of the most technical and action-packed sections of the 16-turn, 3.4-mile circuit, the newly branded Mattermost Suites will provide a premium hospitality experience with commanding views as drivers navigate the challenging Turn 11 complex. The Mattermost Suites will serve as a premier gathering space for partners, customers and invited guests to connect while taking in world-class racing at the first NASCAR event ever held on an active military base.

“Mattermost is an innovative company with deep roots in operational sovereignty and secure collaboration, making them a natural fit for this historic event at Naval Base Coronado,” said Amy Lupo, President of NASCAR San Diego. “The Mattermost Suites will offer an exceptional experience for guests while showcasing a brand that shares our commitment to precision, performance and teamwork. We‘re proud to welcome Mattermost aboard for this historic weekend.”

Mattermost delivers secure, workflow-centric collaboration for the world’s most demanding operational environments. Built for national security, intelligence, public sector, and enterprise teams, it enables organizations to move fast, coordinate with precision, and maintain full operational control — even in disconnected, classified, or high-threat conditions — aligning seamlessly with the spirit of innovation and operational excellence that defines NASCAR San Diego Weekend.

“Mattermost was built for mission-critical operations where control, resilience, and speed determine outcomes,” said Leigh Dow, Chief Marketing Officer at Mattermost. “Naval Base Coronado represents the standard our customers operate at every day. This isn‘t just a sponsorship — it‘s a reflection of our commitment to the operators, missions, and environments that demand secure, sovereign coordination at scale. We‘re proud to support a weekend that brings that standard to life and honors the Navy’s 250-year legacy of service to this nation.”

NASCAR San Diego Weekend presented by Anduril begins with Navy Community Day on Friday, June 19, 2026. Access that day will be open exclusively to members of the U.S. Navy stationed at Naval Base Coronado and a limited number of Coronado residents, culminating with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race.

Ticket holders from the general public will be welcomed aboard June 20—21, 2026. The NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series will take center stage on Saturday, June 20, and the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series will compete in the Anduril 250 Race the Base on Sunday, June 21.

For more information and ticket details, visit NASCARSanDiego.com

— NASCAR —

RCA has its own celebrated, winning history in the NASCAR Cup Series and previously sponsored Cale Yarborough Motorsports. Drivers Jeremy Mayfield and John Andretti both spent time in an RCA-sponsored entry throughout the mid-90’s, with Andretti taking the company to Victory Lane in the 1997 Pepsi 400 after fighting off Terry Labonte and Dale Earnhardt to collect the checkered flag.

The iconic consumer electronics brand will join the defending All-Star Pit Crew Challenge Champions, who look to collect back-to-back $100,000 checks to go along with pit-road bragging rights during NASCAR‘s annual all-star festivities. In addition to its position aboard McDowell‘s No. 71 Chevy Camaro, RCA will be showcased throughout the Spire Motorsports garage, including branded headsets across the team‘s No. 71 effort.

Following the May 15-17 all-star weekend, RCA will return to McDowell‘s No. 71 Chevy Sept. 19 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and Oct. 5 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

“We are incredibly excited to return RCA to the world of motorsports, a space that aligns so naturally with our legacy of performance and innovation,” said Tony Bozzini, President of RCA. “Spire Motorsports is the ideal partner for this next chapter, bringing a forward-thinking approach and competitive spirit that mirrors our own. Together, we see an opportunity to reconnect with passionate fans while elevating the RCA brand on a national stage. This partnership marks the beginning of an exciting journey, and we look forward to building something truly impactful with the Spire team.”

Founded in 1919, RCA has a rich history using the power of technology to bring people together while symbolizing American ingenuity worldwide. Built on more than a century of engineering innovation, RCA is the standard-bearer in performance, precision and trustworthiness, affording Spire Motorsports a wealth of resources as the team continues to raise its competitive bar on a weekly basis.

Ten races into the 2026 campaign, McDowell sits just outside the top 20 in points on the strength of one top-five and two top-10 finishes, including a season-best fifth-place finish in the Cup Series‘ March 1 visit to Circuit of the Americas.

“Our Spire Motorsports team has been working so hard these last few months to bring in new partners, and RCA is a great fit,” said McDowell. “Our sport relies on communication, and the RCA brand has a deep history of keeping people connected. I am excited to wear the RCA colors and represent the brand and its values on and off the track. I‘m especially looking forward to Talladega (Superspeedway) later this fall. We started on the pole last October and led a lot of laps. We expect to bring that same speed this year with the RCA colors on our No. 71 Chevrolet.”

The NASCAR All-Star Race from Dover Motor Speedway will be televised live on FS1 Sunday, May 17, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The $1 million-to-win, all-star spectacular will be broadcast live on Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 and HBO Max.

— Spire Motorsports —

Her upcoming debut marks a major milestone in Spurlock‘s budding career, as well as for American motorsports. Since its inaugural season in 1995, NASCAR‘s Truck Series—one of the sanctioning body‘s three national touring divisions alongside the O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series and Cup Series—has never featured a Black female driver. Spurlock‘s breakthrough represents continued progress in expanding representation at stock car racing‘s highest levels.

“I‘m excited for Watkins Glen,” Spurlock said. “It‘s been a while since I‘ve raced on a road course, so I‘m looking forward to getting back out there. Having the opportunity to compete in ARCA and make my debut in the Truck Series is going to be a lot of fun. I‘m focused on learning as much as I can in both the car and the truck, and hopefully we can keep this top-10 momentum going!”

Last month, Spurlock made headlines at Kansas Speedway by becoming the first Black woman to compete in the national ARCA Menards Series. She surpassed expectations with a thrilling 10th-place finish, even after being bumped in the closing laps. The controversial rear-bumper strike sent her car sideways, but she quickly recovered, drawing widespread praise for her control and composure and earning her the Reese‘s Sweet Move of the Race.

As part of her weekend at The Glen, Spurlock will take on the added challenge of a doubleheader. She‘s scheduled to make her second national ARCA Menards Series start in the General Tire 100, where she‘ll drive the No. 66 Foxxtecca Ford for MBM.

Balancing two events in a single day at one of North America‘s most demanding road courses will test Spurlock and her team‘s versatility and stamina. The 2.45-mile circuit at the southern tip of Seneca Lake is known for its high-speed straightaways and technical corners, including the Esses, the sweeping Carousel in Turn 5, and the signature Bus Stop chicane, where races are often won or lost—or ended at the wall.

While Spurlock, 34, has quickly become a can‘t-miss talent in stock cars, her path to this moment has been two decades in the making. She began in motorcycle drag racing, where the Richmond, Virginia, native soon established herself as a standout in the 4.60 index class, setting records and taking home class victories. In 2024, she made history as the first woman to win the DME Racing Real Street class in the XDA Motorcycle Drag Racing Series with a 7.32 ET run at 178 mph.

A year later, she debuted in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle, becoming just the second Black woman to compete in the category. She plans to follow that up by racing in two of the NHRA‘s premier events later this season: the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, IN, on Sept. 4—7, and the Texas NHRA FallNationals in Dallas, TX, on Oct. 16—18, both with Arana Racing.

Her 2026 season is also being documented in the Foxxtecca-produced docuseries Driven by Dystany: The Road to NASCAR, which is helping build a growing and passionate fanbase. Based in Detroit, MI, and co-founded by Chris Harris and Kellie Crawford, Foxxtecca is an experiential media and events company operating at the intersection of mobility, culture, and technology. It connects the automotive industry with new and diverse audiences through storytelling, education, and live experiences.

“Dystany‘s docuseries takes viewers inside a journey most people never see—the real path to becoming a NASCAR driver, told through her lived experience of a Black woman in this space,” Harris said. “It‘s not just about building her audience or authentically highlighting diversity, it‘s about expanding the audience for motorsports while directly challenging and exposing the assumptions that have kept too many people on the outside looking in.”

The ARCA Menards Series General Tire 100 at The Glen is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET / 10:30 a.m. PT on Friday, May 8. It will air on FS2 and stream via the FOX Sports app. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen will follow at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT, with coverage on FOX Sports 1 and streaming on the FOX Sports app and FuboTV.

— MBM Motorsports —

The leadership structure further aligns these strategic priorities under O‘Donnell. His executive leadership team includes Kennedy; Tim Clark, Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer; Brian Herbst, Executive Vice President and Chief Media and Revenue Officer; Amanda Oliver, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer; Scott Prime, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer; Greg Motto, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Ed Bennett, Executive Vice President and Chief Administration Officer and CEO, IMSA; John Probst, President of NASCAR Event Management (NEM); Laura Jackson, Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer; and Nicole Haves, Vice President and Chief of Staff.

This leadership team brings together the experience and alignment needed to execute NASCAR‘s strategic priorities across the business.

— NASCAR —

TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY — STATS & TIDBITS

EVENT & TRACK SPECIFICS
Season Race #: 11 of 36 (May 3, 2026)
The Purse: $11,233,037
Race Length: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Stage 1 Length: 80 laps (ends on Lap 80)
Stage 2 Length: 85 laps (ends on Lap 165)
Final Stage Length: 102 laps (ends on Lap 267)

Track Size: 1.5 Mile Asphalt Oval
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 20 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 24 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 2,250 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,330 feet

TRACK QUALIFYING & RACE RECORDS

Track Qualifying Record:
Kurt Busch, Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, 200.915 mph, 26.877 secs., November 3, 2017

2025 Pole Winner:
Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, 191.659 mph, 28.175 secs., May 3, 2025

Track Race Record:
Greg Biffle, RFK Racing Ford, 160.577 mph, (03:07:12), November 14, 2012

2025 Race Winner:
Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, 116.885 mph, (03:28:40), May 4, 2025

HISTORY

• Construction on Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) began in 1995 just outside the Dallas/Fort-Worth area of Texas.
• The first NASCAR national series race at Texas Motor Speedway was a NASCAR Xfinity Series event on April 5, 1997. The race was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin driving an RFK Racing Ford (122.993 mph).
• The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway was on April 6, 1997, and the race was won by Jeff Burton in an RFK Racing Ford (125.111 mph).
• Texas Motor Speedway underwent its first repave between the 2001 and 2002 NASCAR Cup Series seasons.
• In 2011, the spring NASCAR Cup Series race was moved from Sunday to Saturday night under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway. The 2017 season marked the first year it was moved back to a Sunday afternoon race.
• Texas Motor Speedway hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race on November 6, 2005 — the postseason race won by RFK Racing driver Carl Edwards (151.055 mph).
• Texas Motor Speedway underwent its second repave between the 2016 and 2017 NASCAR Cup Series seasons. The renovation added a new layer of asphalt over the existing pavement, an expansive French drainage system on the frontstretch and backstretch and reduced the banking in Turns 1 and 2 by four degrees (now 20 degrees).
• The 2021 season marked the first time the track hosted the NASCAR All-Star Race instead of the points-paying spring event. Texas Motor Speedway hosted the NASCAR All-Star Race in 2021 and in 2022 instead of spring race.
• Texas Motor Speedway has hosted one NASCAR Cup Series race from 1997 – 2004 and two races per year from 2005 – 2020.
• In 2021 and 2022, the track hosted the NASCAR All-Star Race and one point-paying Playoff race.
• Since 2023, the NASCAR Cup Series has only competed at Texas Motor Speedway once a season.
• In total, Texas Motor Speedway has hosted 45 NASCAR Cup Series races from 1997 — 2025.

STARTS

• A total of 192 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.
• A total of 156 drivers have competed in more than one Cup race at Texas.
• Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Texas Motor Speedway with 39 appearances.
• Top five in Cup Series Texas Motor Speedway starts (all-time): Kevin Harvick (39), Kurt Busch (37), Ryan Newman (36), Jimmie Johnson (36), Denny Hamlin (35), Kyle Busch (35) and Martin Truex Jr. (35).
• Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in starts at Texas Motor Speedway with 35 each.
• Top five in Cup Series Texas starts (active): Denny Hamlin (35), Kyle Busch (35), Brad Keselowski (30), Joey Logano (30) and Michael McDowell (27).
• Seven drivers have made their first NASCAR Cup Series career start at Texas Motor Speedway; the most recent was John Hunter Nemechek in 2019.

• Of the seven drivers that made their first career NASCAR Cup Series start at Texas Motor Speedway, Trevor Bayne posted the best finish in his series debut, with a 17th-place finish on November 7, 2010.
• Ty Gibbs leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position with a 7.0 in four starts.

Top 10 in Average Starting Position in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas (All-Time & Active)

• Brad Keselowski leads all active Cup Series drivers in starts at Texas without visiting Victory Lane at 30 starts.

POLES

• A total of 28 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won the pole at Texas Motor Speedway.
• A total of 11 of the 28 Cup Series Texas pole winners have won multiple poles at the 1.5-mile speedway.
• The inaugural Pole Qualifying at Texas Motor Speedway in 1997 was cancelled due to weather conditions — NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett started the race from the first starting position. He finished the race runner-up.
• Jeremy Mayfield was the first NASCAR Cup Series pole winner at Texas Motor Speedway in 1998 with a speed of 185.906 mph, driving the Team Penske 12 Ford.
• Kurt Busch leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Texas Motor Speedway with three (Spring 2015, Playoffs 2017, Spring 2018).
• Brad Keselowski leads all active drivers in NASCAR Cup Series poles at Texas with two (2015, 2022).
• This weekend, seven of the 28 NASCAR Cup Series Texas Motor Speedway pole winners are active.

• Three drivers have won consecutive poles at Texas Motor Speedway: Bobby Labonte (2003 and 2004), Ryan Newman (2005 sweep) and Kurt Busch (2017 and 2018).
• Youngest Texas Cup Series pole winner: Carson Hocevar (May 4, 2025 — 22 years, 3 months, 6 days).
• Oldest Texas Cup Series pole winner: Bill Elliott (April 8, 2002 — 46 years, 6 months, 0 days).
• Three drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Cup Series pole at Texas Motor Speedway: Martin Truex Jr. (November 4, 2007), David Ragan (April 9, 2011) and Carson Hocevar (May 4, 2025).
• In total 13 different organizations have won a NASCAR Cup Series pole at Texas Motor Speedway.

• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Texas Motor Speedway with eight poles among six drivers: — Terry Labonte (2000), Brian Vickers (2006), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2008), Jeff Gordon (2008, 2009), Jimmie Johnson (2012, 2019) and Kyle Larson (2024).
• Four different manufacturers have won a NASCAR Cup Series pole at Texas Motor Speedway; led by Chevrolet with 17 poles, and followed by Ford (13), Toyota (six) and Dodge (four).
• The most consecutive poles won by a manufacturer at Texas Motor Speedway in the Cup Series is four straight by Chevrolet (2006-2008) and Ford (2017-2018).
• Three drivers have won Cup Series poles at Texas Motor Speedway in multiple manufacturers:
  • Carl Edwards — Ford (2013), Toyota (2016)
  • Kurt Busch — Chevrolet (2015), Ford (2017, 2018)
  • Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet (2007), Toyota (2012)

WINS

• A total of 24 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Texas Motor Speedway.
• A total of 10 of the 24 Cup Series Texas winners have won multiple times at the 1.5-mile track.
• The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway was on April 6, 1997, and the race was won by Jeff Burton in an RFK Racing Ford (125.111 mph).
• This weekend, eight of the 24 NASCAR Cup Series Texas Motor Speedway race winners are active.

• Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Texas Motor Speedway with seven victories (2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 sweep and 2017) in 35 starts — winning percentage of 20%.
• Kyle Busch leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in wins at Texas Motor Speedway with four victories (2013, 2016, 2018, 2020).
• Three NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted consecutive wins at Texas Motor Speedway: Jimmie Johnson (2014 Playoff race and 2015 sweep), Carl Edwards (2008 sweep) and Denny Hamlin (2010 sweep).
• Jeff Burton (April 6, 1997) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (April 2, 2000) are the only two drivers to win in their first career NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Youngest Cup Series Texas winner: Joey Logano (April 7, 2014 — 23 years, 10 months, 14 days).
• Oldest Cup Series Texas winner: Dale Jarrett (April 1, 2001 — 44 years, 4 months, 6 days).
• A total of 20 different starting positions on the grid have led to victories in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway.
• The third starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field at Texas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, producing more wins (eight) than any other starting position (17.7%) — most recently: Kevin Harvick‘s win in the 2018 Playoff race.
• Five of the 45 NASCAR Cup Series races (11.1%) at Texas Motor Speedway have been won from the pole or first starting position, the most recent was Kyle Larson‘s win on 10/17/21.
• Five different drivers have won a NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway from the pole or first starting position: Kasey Kahne (2006), Jimmie Johnson (2012), Kyle Busch (2013), Kevin Harvick (2019) and Kyle Larson (2021).
• Eight of the 45 NASCAR Cup Series races (17.7%) at Texas Motor Speedway have been won from the front row: five from the first starting position (11.1%) and three from the second starting position (6.6%).

NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Texas Motor Speedway

• The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Texas Motor Speedway is 31st, by Matt Kenseth in 2002.
• The deepest in the field that an active race winner has started at Texas Motor Speedway is 30th, by Denny Hamlin in 2010.
• A total of nine different organizations have won a NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Texas Motor Speedway with 12 victories among six drivers: Terry Labonte (Spring 1999), Jeff Gordon (Spring 2009), Jimmie Johnson (Playoffs 2007, Playoffs 2012, Playoffs 2013, Playoffs 2014, Spring 2015, Playoffs 2015, Spring 2017), Kyle Larson (2021), William Byron (2023) and Chase Elliott (2024).
• Four different manufacturers have won a NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, led by Chevrolet with 18 wins; followed by Ford (16), Toyota (eight) and Dodge (three).
• Two NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Texas Motor Speedway in two different manufacturers: Jeff Burton (1997 — Ford; 2007 — Chevrolet) and Carl Edwards (2005, 2008 sweep — Ford; 2016 — Toyota).
• Chevrolet has posted four consecutive Cup Series wins at Texas Motor Speedway, the longest streak of consecutive wins by a manufacturer at the track — 2021-2024.

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes:

• A total of 24 different drivers have finished runner-up in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Jimmie Johnson leads the series in runner-up finishes at Texas Motor Speedway with five second-place finishes.
• Brad Keselowski leads all active Cup drivers in runner-up finishes at Texas with three.

Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Texas Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-Five Finishes:

• A total of 54 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-five at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-five finishes at Texas Motor Speedway with 16 top fives.
• Kyle Busch leads all active Cup drivers in top-five finishes at Texas with 14 top fives.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Texas Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-10 Finishes:

• A total of 74 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-10 at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-10 finishes at Texas Motor Speedway with 25 top 10s.
• Kyle Busch leads all active Cup Series drivers in top-10 finishes at Texas with 19.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Texas Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Average Finish:

• Tyler Reddick leads active Cup Series drivers in average finishing position at Texas with a 11.0 in seven starts.

Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Texas Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

LAP LEADERS & LEAD CHANGES

• A total of 98 different drivers have led at least one lap at Texas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson (36 starts) leads the Cup Series in laps led at Texas Motor Speedway with 1,152 laps led.
• Kyle Busch (35 starts) leads all active drivers in the Cup Series in laps led at Texas with 1,069; Busch ranks second on the all-time list as well.
• The most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas by the race winner is 278 of the scheduled 339 laps (82%) by Tony Stewart on November 5, 2006 — he started eighth and won.
• The most laps led by a driver that did not win in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas is 312 of the scheduled 334 laps (93.4%) by Brad Keselowski on November 8, 2015; he started from the pole and finished second.
• The fewest laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas by the race winner is one lap, the final lap of the scheduled 334 by Jeff Burton on April 15, 2007 — he started second and won.
• Last season‘s NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Texas Motor Speedway, Joey Logano, led seven laps en route to the victory.
• The most leaders in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway is 19 different leaders on September 25, 2022. Last season‘s race had 13 different leaders.
• The fewest leaders in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway is four different leaders on November 8, 2009.

Top 10 Laps Leaders in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas (All-Time & Active)

• The most lead changes in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway is 36 lead changes on September 25, 2022. Last season‘s race had 23 lead changes.
• The fewest lead changes in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway is eight lead changes on October 17, 2021.
• Twice the NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway has concluded with a last lap pass for the win:
  • April 15, 2007 — Jeff Burton passed Matt Kenseth for the win on the final lap.
  • April 7, 2014 — Joey Logano passed Jeff Gordon for the win on the final lap.

FEMALE COMPETITORS

• Two female drivers have made NASCAR Cup Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway: Shawna Robinson and Danica Patrick
• Danica Patrick holds the series record for best finish at Texas Motor Speedway by a female competitor with a 16th-place finish (twice: Spring 2015, Playoffs 2015).

TRACK / EVENT STATS

• Since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, the closest Margin of Victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway was the April 4, 2004 race won by Elliott Sadler with a Margin of Victory of 0.028-second over second-place Kasey Kahne.

Top Five Closest Margin of Victories in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas:

Top Five Largest Margin of Victories in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas:

• A total of eight of the 45 Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway have resulted in NASCAR Overtime:

• Of the 45 NASCAR Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, only one has been shortened from its originally scheduled distance due to weather – the 2016 Playoff race.

• Weather has postponed the NASCAR Cup Series Texas race to another date three times:

• Qualifying has been cancelled five times in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas for the reasons indicated:

NASCAR IN TEXAS

• There have been 168 NASCAR national series points-paying races among four tracks in the state of Texas.

• The first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Texas was a NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas. The event was held on December 7, 1969 and it was won by Bobby Isaac (Dodge).

TEXANS IN NASCAR

• A total of 98 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Texas.
• A total of 10 different drivers from Texas have won at least one race in NASCAR‘s three national series.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Terry Labonte leads all Texas drivers with 34 NASCAR national series wins.

Winners from Texas:

— NASCAR —

As a prelude to the historic 67th running of the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend, Chastain joined Charlotte Motor Speedway President and General Manager Greg Walter in laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

“Coming up here I was very selfish (thinking) ‘we won the race; we get to come do this. After experiencing this, I realized this is not about me,” Chastain said following his visit. “This is about so many that paid the ultimate sacrifice. They paid the ultimate sacrifice and they lost who they were for us. We don‘t know who is in there. It‘s a much bigger picture on what that race (the Coca-Cola 600) is and what I didn‘t grasp before. I know we‘re very patriotic in what we do on the weekend, but seeing this brings a whole different meaning now.”

In addition to the wreath-laying, the group visited the gravesite of astronauts killed in the U.S. Challenger explosion, met members of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, and witnessed a changing-of-the-guard ceremony. At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, members of The Old Guard stand watch 24 hours a day, a tradition that began in 1948. Following the visit to Arlington National Cemetery, several dignitaries visited the White House for lunch and a tour, while others visited the U.S. Capitol.

“When you come to a place like this, you really get perspective,” Marks said of his time at Arlington National Cemetery. “It‘s humbling… This is the reason why we get to do what we do. This is why we get to have NASCAR and a Coca-Cola 600, race car drivers and race teams. Sometimes in the sport you get so focused on the details, so bogged down in that last tenth of a second or your whole life can revolve around some small thing that has to do with a race car. Then you come to Washington, DC — to Arlington — and you look around and go ‘this is how and why we get to be able to pursue our passions to make race cars go fast.‘ It‘s just a great moment of perspective.”

Each Memorial Day weekend, Charlotte Motor Speedway honors all of the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice during a moving Coca-Cola 600 pre-race show that includes representation from all six branches of the military. In addition to aerial and ground demonstrations, the pre-race salute features hundreds of members of the U.S. Armed Forces and Gold Star Families.

“Memorial Day is kind of viewed by Americans as the threshold to summer. It‘s kind of that beginning stage where summer‘s here and we get to have fun. For those who‘ve served in the military — and what we‘ve come to realize at Charlotte Motor Speedway — it‘s a very somber day to remember a fallen comrade, a fallen friend or family member. Memorial Day represents something different. We try to honor that with the Coca-Cola 600.”

In recent years, the speedway‘s salute has expanded to include Mission 600, a campaign pairing NASCAR drivers with regional military bases designed to educate the NASCAR community about the day-to-day lives of the men and women who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. Already in 2026, on behalf of the Coca-Cola Racing Family of drivers, Chase Elliott visited Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort to train alongside members of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing‘s Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 31, Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 501 and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 533. Additional Mission 600 visits in the coming weeks leading up to the May 24 Coca-Cola 600 are scheduled to include Coca-Cola Racing Family driver Austin Dillon traveling to Fort Bragg and Daniel Suarez visiting Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

— Charlotte Motor Speedway —

“Joining forces with ESPN is a monumental next step in the evolution of CW Sports,” said Brad Schwartz, President, The CW Network. “The CW now offers more than 800 hours of premium live sports per year. This agreement extends the reach of CW Sports and enables us to capture audiences across the best of broadcast and the best of streaming, ensuring fans can access live CW Sports wherever they are and on whatever device they prefer. This new partnership will allow us to connect seamlessly with our audiences everywhere—from football and basketball to motorsports, professional wrestling, bowling, bull riding, and much more to come as CW Sports continues its exciting march forward.”

“Bringing CW Sports to the ESPN App is another step in delivering more value, choice and flexibility for fans, expanding the range of live sports available within our streaming ecosystem,” said Rosalyn Durant, Executive Vice President, ESPN Programming & Acquisitions. “This agreement gives fans even more live sports to watch year-round within the ESPN Unlimited plan, while extending the reach of CW Sports to new audiences. As we continue to evolve ESPN‘s direct-to-consumer experience, collaborations like this allow us to better serve fans by making more of the sports they love available in one place.”

Launched in 2023, CW Sports has rapidly become a broadcast destination for live sports across a diverse variety of leagues and was recently named a finalist for the Sports Business Awards 2026 Breakthrough of the Year. CW Sports is the exclusive home for all 33 races in the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series through the 2031 racing season. During its first year on The CW in 2025, the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series had its most-watched season in four years, growing its total audience by ten percent over the previous year. The first 13 races of 2025 each drew over one million total viewers for the first time in nearly a decade. Each of the first 10 races of the current 2026 season have delivered more than one million total viewers every week, and viewership is up 22 percent over last year‘s season average.

The CW is a prominent broadcaster within the college sports landscape, including a partnership with the ACC to air college football and men‘s and women‘s basketball games. The network recently extended its partnership with the new Pac-12 Conference to include 13 regular season football games per year through the 2030-31 season, as well as adding regular season men‘s and women‘s basketball games including the women‘s basketball tournament‘s semifinal and championship games. In Fall 2026, CW Sports will also begin its pact with the Mountain West conference to air 13 football games, 20 men‘s basketball games and 15 women‘s basketball games per year through the 2030-31 season. This fall, The CW will also broadcast the 2026 Arizona Bowl for the fourth year in a row.

Other sports offered through The CW include WWE NXT live every Tuesday night, PBA professional bowling championship games, AVP professional beach volleyball matches and PBR bull riding team series events.

ESPN offers its full suite of networks and services directly to fans on the ESPN App and ESPN.com with an ESPN Unlimited subscription, providing more choice, flexibility and access to all of ESPN, including more than 47,000 live events per year, on-demand replays, industry-leading studio shows and original programming, and more. The ESPN App gives fans a unique viewing experience that includes multiview and synchronized two-screen viewing options, swipe-able shortform vertical video and a personalized SportsCenter For You, as well as integrated game stats, ESPN Fantasy sports, betting odds and information from DraftKings, sports merchandise, and more. These features are available to all fans who watch on the ESPN App on mobile and connected TV devices, whether they subscribe directly or through a pay TV package from certain providers. Subscription options available for fans include the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle that provides a one-of-a-kind streaming package combining sports with blockbuster movies and hit series. Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle subscribers can access all ESPN and CW Sports content on Disney+. For more visit stream.espn.com.

— ESPN —

While several people are referenced in the documents, none have been charged, and Channel 9 is not naming them.

The crash happened on December 18, when the plane carrying the Biffle family went down shortly after takeoff from the Statesville airport.

According to investigators, unusual activity tied to the family began almost immediately.

Just after 2 a.m. the next day, an email was sent to Greg Biffle‘s account reading, “I heard you‘re dead, rest in hell.”

That same day, investigators said information linked to bank accounts belonging to Greg and Cristina Biffle, including email addresses, phone numbers, and passwords, was changed.

Fraudulent activity was also detected on Cristina‘s Venmo account.

By December 30, a fraudulent check had been cashed from one of the Biffles‘ accounts, and three more attempts were made.

The most significant incident occurred the night of January 7 into January 8, when someone broke into the Biffles‘ Mooresville home.

See much more at WSOC.

Fans will see the No. 99 Fentanyl Free America Chevrolet, powered by Viking Motorsports and driven by Parker Retzlaff, in the Andy‘s Frozen Custard 340: NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series at the Texas Motor Speedway Saturday, May 2, 2026.

This unique opportunity to promote a Fentanyl Free America shines a light on the dangers of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that claimed 40,000 lives between October 2024 and October 2025.

“We can help eliminate the fentanyl threat by accelerating our efforts to spread critical awareness. We are making progress and events like this continue to drive this life-saving mission forward,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole.  “With the assistance of the DEA Dallas Field Division, this opportunity to team up with No. 99 and Viking Motorsports will enable us to reach thousands of race fans with this important message. Parker is using the track to save American lives and help us achieve a Fentanyl Free America.”

Sara Carter, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), joins Administrator Cole in support of the No. 99 Fentanyl Free America car powered by Viking Motorsports.

“I‘m grateful to Administrator Cole and our partners at DEA for their continued leadership and collaboration. From National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to their support of our incoming National Drug Control Strategy, our work together reflects a shared commitment to protecting our American communities,” said ONDCP Director Sara Carter. “Events like this give us a powerful opportunity to connect directly with families, because prevention, awareness, and saving lives remain at the heart of everything we do.”

Through this unique initiative, DEA and Viking Motorsports are uniting the thrill of racing with DEA‘s mission to save American lives by empowering fans to understand the dangers of synthetic drugs and protect themselves from the risks associated with today‘s illicit drug supply.

“Partnering with the DEA for the ‘Fentanyl Free America’ campaign is one of the most important things we’ve done as a team,” stated Jeremy Lange, general manager of Viking Motorsports. “The NASCAR community is incredibly loyal and engaged, making the No. 99 Chevy the perfect vehicle—literally and figuratively—to carry this life-saving message. We are excited about the race, but we are even more passionate about the cause. We want to urge every fan watching this weekend to educate themselves on the dangers of fentanyl.”

Operation Fentanyl Free America has resulted in the seizure of nearly 10 million fentanyl pills, and more than 6,000 pounds of fentanyl powder since October 2025.  This is an estimated 144 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl removed from our communities within six months.

The Fentanyl Free America initiative underscores DEA‘s commitment to protect the United States from dangerous synthetic opioids, while mobilizing a national call to action to reduce the supply and demand for fentanyl.  This mission is driven by action:

    Protect: Remove fentanyl from communities

    Prevent: Understand the risks and share life-saving information

    Support: Stand with those impacted

DEA remains at the forefront of the fight to disrupt trafficking networks and strengthening the government‘s response to the fentanyl crisis. Administrator Cole and Parker Retzlaff remind race fans that “on the track safety isn‘t optional; off the track the risks are just as real.” You can see their message in its entirety here.  Join us in this race to save lives by visiting DEA.gov/fentanylfree and sharing our free resources.

— Drug Enforcement Administration —

Araya, the unmistakable lead vocalist and bassist for the legendary thrash metal band Slayer, will deliver the command for drivers to start their engines ahead of the WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY (2:30 p.m. CT, TV: FS1, Radio: PRN, SiriusXM) as Texas Motor Speedway celebrates its 30th anniversary season.

“Excited to be the Grand Marshal for the WÜRTH 400,” Araya said. “Slayer, NASCAR Reign in speed!”

Araya has fronted Slayer for more than four decades, dating to the band‘s formation in 1980. Over that time, Slayer has become one of the most influential and uncompromising forces in heavy metal, with “Reign in Blood” standing as a benchmark release and cementing its place among the iconic “Big Four” alongside Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax.

The band has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, including multiple gold-certified releases and a multi-platinum record, while producing 11 studio albums and earning two Grammy Awards.

After announcing their final world tour in 2018, Slayer has returned for select, high-profile performances this year, including a stop at Texas Motor Speedway for the inaugural Sick New World Texas music festival on Oct. 24. The festival will feature more than 50 scheduled performers across four stages at “The Great American Speedway.”

The band also is celebrating the 40th anniversary of “Reign in Blood” by performing the genre-defining album in its entirety with performances in Shakopee, Minn., on Sept. 4, and Los Angeles on Nov. 13 and 14.

Joining Araya in a primary dignitary role is 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year and Dallas Mavericks standout Cooper Flagg.

Flagg was officially announced last week as the Honorary Pace Car Driver for Sunday‘s marquee race. He will have the honor of driving a 2026 Chevrolet Corvette to pace the NASCAR Cup Series field to the green flag for the start of the WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY. Flagg, the 19-year-old former Duke star and No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, led the Mavericks and all NBA rookies in scoring average (21.0) this past season.

Another notable pre-race individual is Sunday‘s National Anthem singer, 101-year-old military veteran Don Graves. He is a U.S. Marine veteran who is part of a revered group of living American heroes that took part in the successful assault on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima during World War II. It will be Graves‘ third performance at Texas Motor Speedway, including the National Anthem prior to last year‘s NASCAR Cup Series race.

The WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY headlines a NASCAR tripleheader at Texas Motor Speedway. The weekend also includes the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 on Friday, May 1, at 7 p.m. and NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series Andy‘s Frozen Custard 340 on Saturday, May 2, at 2:30 p.m.

Below are the dignitaries for each of the weekend races.

NASCAR Cup Series Wurth 400

• Grand Marshal: Slayer lead vocalist and bassist Tom Araya.
• Honorary Pace Car Driver: 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year and Dallas Mavericks standout Cooper Flagg.
• National Anthem: Don Graves, a 101-year-old World War II Iwo Jima survivor.
• American Flag Arrival: Re/Max Skydive Team.
• Presentation Of Colors: 1st Calvary Division Honor Guard from Fort Hood, Texas.
• Invocation: Texas Tailgaters and former American Idol contestant Jayson Arendt.
• Flyover: Four T-38‘s from Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas.

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Andy’s Frozen Custard 340

• Co-Grand Marshals: Andy‘s Frozen Custard CEO & Owner Andy Kuntz and his daughter, Leigha.
• “Drivers, Start Your Engines” command — Andy Kuntz accompanied by Leigha Kuntz, along with friends, family and Andy‘s franchise operators.
• Honorary Starter: Colyer Kuntz, son of Andy Kuntz.
• Victory Lane Trophy Presenters: Andy, Dana and Carol Kuntz.
• American Flag Arrival: Re/Max Skydive Team.
• Presentation Of Colors: 1st Calvary Division Honor Guard from Fort Hood, Texas.
• National Anthem: 1st Calvary Division Band from Fort Hood, Texas.
• Invocation: Bret Shisler of TXArm.
• Flyover: Four T-38‘s from Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Craftsman Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250

• Grand Marshals: CCF Family of Brands Operations Regional Vice President of Operations Michael Cory, General Manager Julia Perez-Figueroa, Regional Vice President of Operations Carmon Houston and District Director of Operations Laiza Stroud.
• Honorary Starter: CCF Family of Brands District Director of Operations Joshua Gunter
• Victory Lane Trophy Presenters: CCF Family of Brands President Bill Baker and Executive Vice President, Retail Operations Larry Reisinger.
• American Flag Arrival: Re/Max Skydive Team.
• Presentation Of Colors: 1st Calvary Division Honor Guard from Fort Hood, Texas.
• National Anthem: 1st Calvary Division Band from Fort Hood, Texas.
• Invocation: Bret Shisler of TXArm.

— Texas Motor Speedway —

Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Ross Chastain, Kyle Busch, Connor Zilisch, Ty Gibbs and NASCAR Hall of Famer Donnie Allison are among the initial list of driver appearances across the Fan Zone on Sunday, May 17. Fans can catch appearances and interviews at the Monster Monument, along with autograph sessions and additional appearances at the Cracker Barrel Stage inside Miles Beach, presented by Visit Delaware, throughout the weekend.

The 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race weekend at Dover Motor Speedway will feature a full slate of NASCAR competition, including the ECOSAVE 200 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race on Friday, May 15, the BetRivers 200 NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series race on Saturday, May 16, and the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race on the high banks of The Monster Mile on Sunday, May 17.

ALL-STAR VILLAGE to Debut at Dover Motor Speedway During 2026 NASCAR All-Star Weekend

Dover Motor Speedway‘s Fan Zone will expand in a BIG way during NASCAR All-Star Weekend with the debut of All-Star Village at The Monster Mile. Serving as a new entertainment hub, All-Star Village will bring together live entertainment, interactive attractions and NASCAR-themed displays, giving fans even more to explore across the property.

Spanning more than two acres and located just steps from the Monster Monument and adjacent to Miles Beach, presented by Visit Delaware, All-Star Village helps create the largest active Fan Zone footprint in Speedway history, adding even more entertainment, energy and space for fans throughout race weekend.

All-Star Village will be located adjacent to the Speedway‘s Fan Zone, in the grassy area formerly known as “The Grove,” and will be open throughout race weekend.

All-Star Village Hours:
Friday, 12 noon to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

FEATURED ALL-STAR VILLAGE ATTRACTIONS:

Timberworks Lumberjack Show: Featuring professional lumberjacks with experience competing across North America, the Timberworks Lumberjack Show brings authentic timber sports to The Monster Mile. Their performers have appeared on ESPN‘s Great Outdoor Games, STIHL Timbersports Series and ABC‘s Wide World of Sports, delivering fast-paced demonstrations of traditional skills like axe throwing, log rolling, speed climbing and chainsaw cutting throughout the weekend.

CAN‘T MISS! Red, White & Brew Beer Garden: Grab a cold drink and take a break in All-Star Village at Red, White & Brew. Featuring a 2-level Busch Light bar and ample seating, this centrally located hub will become a destination to relax and recharge with friends and race fans.

NEW! NASCAR Driver Displays: Fans can find and support their favorite drivers with signage featuring every competitor in the NASCAR All-Star Race and their top career achievements. It‘s a great way to celebrate the stars of the sport and capture photos throughout the village.

NEW! All-Star Highlights Displays: From “One Hot Night” to “The Pass in the Grass,” relive some of the most memorable moments in All-Star Race history. This interactive display takes fans through the history of the NASCAR All-Star Race, exploring the excitement, drama and legacy that have defined one of NASCAR‘s most unique events.

Track Flags Display: All 26 NASCAR Cup Series tracks will be represented throughout All-Star Village with their official track flags on display, adding color and personality to the village atmosphere.

Music and Appearances: DJ Yarney will be spinning throughout the weekend in All-Star Village, keeping the energy high as fans move through the area. Fans can also expect driver appearances and special guests throughout race weekend.

Roaming Performers: Performers will be appearing throughout All-Star Village all weekend, interacting with fans and popping up when fans least expect them.

CAN‘T MISS! Kiss My Axe: Step right up and test your aim with six lanes of axe throwing fun. Open all weekend and free to play, it‘s a quick, hands-on activity where fans can compete against friends and family and see how they stack up against the rest.

Cast in Bronze: A one-of-a-kind musical performance, Cast in Bronze features a traveling carillon with 35 bells weighing a combined four tons, all played live by a single performer. Created by internationally trained carillonneur Frank DellaPenna, the act has performed everywhere from Walt Disney World‘s Epcot to national television, delivering a visually striking and powerful show unlike anything else at race weekend.

The King‘s Hat: A traveling, six-foot-tall handcrafted sculpture celebrating Richard Petty and the Petty family‘s rich history in NASCAR, The King‘s Hat features iconic Dover imagery from Petty‘s legendary career.

RETURNING! World‘s Largest Rubber Duck: A fan-favorite returns to The Monster Mile for its third consecutive appearance in the Fan Zone, this time headlining All-Star Village. Towering more than six stories tall, this iconic attraction remains one of the most popular and most photographed spots on property.

RETURNING in 2026! MILES BEACH, presented by Visit Delaware, brings summer atmosphere back to Dover Motor Speedway Fan Zone during NASCAR All-Star Weekend, May 15—17

Following a successful debut last season, Dover Motor Speedway and Visit Delaware have partnered again to bring a beach-inspired Fan Zone experience to The Monster Mile with the return of MILES BEACH, presented by Visit Delaware, during NASCAR All-Star Weekend, May 15—17.

MILES BEACH, presented by Visit Delaware, will again take over more than an acre of Dover‘s famed Fan Zone, offering dozens of beach-themed, family-friendly attractions, including many FREE options, for fans to enjoy throughout All-Star Weekend.

MILES BEACH, presented by Visit Delaware, hours:
Friday, May 15: Noon to 9 p.m.
Saturday, May 16: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday, May 17: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

MILES BEACH ATTRACTIONS:

600 Tons of Sand, Lighthouse, Boardwalk & Beach Features: MILES BEACH will again feature over 600 tons of sand to form a spacious beach area with seating and shade, surrounded by a boardwalk-style setting that includes palm trees, beach balls, Adirondack chairs, a boat and beach grasses. The area will be capped by the 25-foot-tall lighthouse overlooking the Fan Zone, and a large boardwalk will flank the area, echoing the look and feel of Delaware‘s well-known beach towns.

NEW! Live Sea Lions: New for 2026, live sea lion shows will be featured inside the Fan Zone at MILES BEACH. Fans can interact and watch the sea lions up close as they perform interactive routines and take photos during appearances throughout the weekend.

NEW! Live Shark Display: A live shark exhibit will be part of the MILES BEACH experience, giving fans the opportunity to view sharks up close in a specially designed display while learning more about the ocean animals.

NEW! Stingray Experience: Fans will also be able to take part in a hands-on stingray experience, allowing guests to safely interact with stingrays and learn more about them with assistance from on-site staff.

RETURNING! WHITE LIGHTNING Bar + Arcade, Presented By BetRivers: White Lightning Bar + Arcade will return in 2026 as a popular indoor gathering space for campers and fans. Named after the original nickname of Dover Motor Speedway‘s concrete track, the area features a full bar with Anheuser-Busch products, along with more than a dozen classic arcade games and seating available all weekend.

Live Appearances, Driver Q&As, Trivia and Games on The Miles Beach Stage: The MILES BEACH Stage will once again host live music, special driver appearances and interactive entertainment throughout All-Star Weekend. Ty Gibbs is expected to participate on Sunday morning, with additional drivers to be announced soon.

Huge Sand Sculpture Display: Fans can watch as a professional sand sculptor creates a large sand sculpture during All-Star Weekend, with the finished piece on display for fans to enjoy by Sunday, May 17.

MILES BEACH Patrol: MILES BEACH Patrol staff members will be stationed throughout the area to assist fans, answer questions and help guide guests.

Free Caricaturist & Selfie Stations: Complimentary caricature drawings will be available throughout the weekend, giving fans a personalized keepsake from their visit. A variety of notable photo opportunities will be available to fans to capture fun photos too.

Live Music Across the Fan Zone: Mariachi Arrieros Band, Trinidad North Steel Drum, The Red Hot Ramblers and Homestead Bluegrass will perform throughout the grandstand areas, adding a variety of musical styles across the property. At Miles Beach, Emily Moses McNatt will perform Saturday during the day, and the Philly Keys will bring high-energy dueling piano performances with crowd interaction and fan-favorite songs to the Monster Mile Bash, presented by Jayco, on Saturday evening beginning at 6:30. Fan-favorite Soul Chase will perform on Sunday to close out the weekend.

ADDITIONAL FAN ZONE ENTERTAINMENT:

The Fan Zone opens at the following times each day:
Friday, May 15: Noon
Saturday, May 16: 9 a.m.
Sunday, May 17: 8 a.m.

FEATURED FAN ZONE ENTERTAINMENT FOR 2026

NEW! Krazy Maze: This giant interactive maze dares fans to find their way through twists, turns and surprises at every step. Designed for all ages, the Krazy Maze delivers a fun mental challenge that keeps fans guessing at every corner. Its sprawling design creates a walk-through adventure that surprises fans with just how big and tricky it really is.

NEW! Frick Frack Blackjack: Forget cash and forget the rules. Frick Frack Blackjack is a comedy-driven game show where fans are invited to play a no-cash, no-limit version of blackjack by bartering everyday items, jokes or ridiculous dares. With nonstop banter between players, dealers and the crowd, no two hands are ever the same and the laughs keep coming.

RETURNING! Micro Wrestling: Back by popular request, Micro Wrestling brings big personalities, big energy and fast-paced action straight to the Fan Zone. Featuring live professional wrestling, crowd interaction and plenty of jaw dropping moments, this high-energy experience always draws a crowd and delivers a show fans won‘t forget.

Dialed Action: High-flying, heart-pounding and impossible to ignore, Dialed Action brings extreme sports excitement to the Fan Zone all weekend long. Featuring BMX bikes, motorcycles and daring freestyle stunts, each performance delivers big air, jaw-dropping tricks and edge-of-your-seat moments that stop fans in their tracks.

Cracker Barrel Experience: Located in the Fan Zone, the Cracker Barrel Experience will offer a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere with seating, interactive activations and giveaways, giving fans a place to unwind while staying part of the action. Select driver autograph sessions will also be hosted at the Cracker Barrel Stage, featuring appearances from NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts and Truck Series drivers, providing additional opportunities for fans to meet their favorite drivers.

Bumper Cars: Before and after America‘s best drivers go wheel-to-wheel on the high-speed Monster Mile, fans can jump behind the wheel of some low-speed vehicles themselves. The Fan Zone bumper cars offer classic fun and friendly, yet full-contact competition, making them a must-stop attraction for fans of all ages.

Lock-In Lounge: The lounge is your hub for renewing your Dover tickets all weekend long. Fans can stop in to chat with Dover staff and lock-in their plans to return to the Monster Mile in 2027. Fans who renew on-site will receive a special JLab gift as a thank you.

AmirrorCAN Man: Towering at nearly seven feet tall and dressed in red, white and blue mirror armor, the AmirrorCAN Man brings a patriotic presence to the Fan Zone as part of the celebration of America‘s 250th anniversary of independence. Complete with a top hat, cane and American flag, this strolling performer creates fun photo opportunities while interacting with fans throughout race weekend.

NASCAR Kids Zone, presented by good2grow: Young race fans can burn off some energy in the NASCAR Kids Zone, a dedicated interactive play area designed for fans 12 and under. With plenty of hands-on activities and NASCAR-themed fun, the Kids Zone gives younger fans a place to play, explore and be part of the excitement throughout race weekend.

Rock-It Robot: Standing nine feet tall and powered by music, Rock-It Robot is a roaming Fan Zone favorite. This towering, dancing gentle giant moves through the crowd interacting with fans, striking poses and creating larger-than-life photo opportunities wherever he goes.

Little Farm: A slice of the barnyard right at The Monster Mile! Little Farm lets fans get up close with ponies, goats, donkeys and other friendly animals. With pony rides and free face painting for kids, it‘s a fan-favorite stop that delivers smiles for families and animal lovers alike.

Del Rods Car Show: Taking place Saturday and Sunday, Del Rods will feature a collection of classic, custom and modern vehicles from the Del Rods Car Club, a Central Delaware-based group founded in 1974.

Plant Guy: Is he a plant? Or is he a performer? Fans won‘t know until they come across him. Blending seamlessly into the scenery, Plant Guy suddenly comes to life, surprising unsuspecting guests and creating hilarious moments and photo opportunities throughout the Fan Zone.

A Full Plate at The Monster Mile: Food and Beverage Options

Race weekend 2026 marks the LARGEST variety of food and beverage selections that Dover Motor Speedway has ever had to offer! From quick bites to full meals, fans will find a wide variety of food and beverage options across the Fan Zone and frontstretch concourse throughout NASCAR All-Star Weekend.

Talkin Sweets: Fresh donuts and hot coffee make this a perfect stop to start the day or grab a quick sweet treat between activities.

Talkin Chicken: Serving up crispy chicken tenders paired with refreshing lemonade, this stand delivers a simple, fan-favorite combo.

Zeny‘s Concessions Trailers: A wide-ranging menu featuring Philly cheesesteaks, Philly fries, cheeseburgers, Italian sausage and fresh-squeezed lemonades.

Mission BBQ: Classic barbecue favorites including brisket, pulled pork and a variety of hearty BBQ sandwiches, bringing bold flavors to race weekend.

Snell Ice Cream: Cool off with soft serve ice cream and classic sundaes, a go-to stop for a refreshing treat.

Buntings: A mix of savory and sweet options including pretzels, kettle corn, Italian sausage, cheeseburgers, fries and pretzel dogs.

Auntie Anne‘s: Signature pretzels served hot, including cinnamon sugar, salted pretzels and pretzel dogs with cheese dipping cups.

Philly Cheesesteak: Authentic Philly cheesesteaks served hot off the grill, paired with classic fries.

White‘s Concessions: A lineup of comfort food favorites including funnel cakes, chicken tenders, fries and chicken and waffles.

Rita‘s: A refreshing stop for flavored Italian ice, perfect for staying cool throughout the day.

Woodson‘s Wrap Shack: Offering buffalo chicken, veggie and Mediterranean wraps for fans looking for lighter or alternative options.

Wing King: Serving chicken wings, fries and cheeseburgers, delivering bold flavors and hearty portions.

Boardwalk Specials: Classic boardwalk-style eats including chicken tenders, funnel cakes, lemonades and Philly cheesesteaks.

Creative Concessions Carts: Convenient grab-and-go options located throughout the Fan Zone, featuring lemonades and pretzels.

Binner‘s Acai Bowl Tent: A selection of acai bowls with a variety of toppings, offering a fresh and refreshing option for fans.

Travelling Tom‘s: A full coffee lineup including iced and hot coffee, mochas and hot chocolate to keep fans energized all weekend.

Kona Ice: Shaved ice with a wide variety of flavored syrup options, a colorful and refreshing favorite for all ages.

Across the Property: Food and beverage options will be available throughout the Fan Zone and along the frontstretch concourse near the grandstands, making it easy for fans to grab something to eat without missing any of the action. At Miles Beach, fans can enjoy boardwalk-style bites along with a dedicated Orange Crush Bar, while inside All-Star Village, the Red, White & Brew Beer Garden will serve Busch Light products alongside classic concession items such as pretzels and hot dogs.

Bring Your Own Cooler: Fans are welcome to bring their own cooler into the track, one of the traditions that continues to make Dover Motor Speedway and NASCAR a uniquely fan-friendly experience.

Altogether, the 2026 Fan Zone isn‘t just an addition to race weekend, it‘s a destination in its own right. Whether fans are looking to relax, explore, eat, or stay fully immersed in nonstop entertainment, the Fan Zone delivers at every turn. It‘s a reflection of how far the event has come and where it‘s headed, continuing to grow into one of the most complete fan experiences in motorsports at The Monster Mile.

NASCAR TICKETS:
Visit DoverMotorSpeedway.com to purchase tickets for NASCAR All-Star Weekend, explore camping and parking
options, or sign up for email updates.

— Dover Motor Speedway —

“It‘s really cool to have O‘Reilly Auto Parts come onboard our No. 8 Chevrolet,” said Smith. “They have been a great series partner this season and I feel like they are a brand that‘s a perfect fit for us as a race team, as well as for the fans and the series. I‘m grateful to be a part of this and hopefully we can go out and give them some great runs.”

Founded in Springfield, MO. in 1957, O‘Reilly Auto Parts is committed to delivering reliable automotive products at competitive prices with excellent customer service. By focusing on both everyday drivers and professional technicians, O‘Reilly strives to build trust, ensure customer satisfaction, and remain the leading choice in the auto parts industry. This new partnership with JRM and O‘Reilly Auto Parts brings together a shared focus of performance, delivering results and building a team first culture.

“This is such a great opportunity to partner with an established and finely tuned organization that runs exclusively in the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series,” said Hugo Sanchez, O‘Reilly vice president of Advertising and Marketing. “Additionally, aligning with an up-and-coming driver in Sammy Smith further deepens our roots in the sport and brings even more excitement for our team members, many of whom can identify with a young person who‘s working their way up, just like them.”

Be sure to catch Smith and the No. 8 O‘Reilly Auto Parts Chevrolet at Pocono on Saturday, June 13 at 4:00 p.m. ET on The CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.

— JR Motorsports —

Race viewership peaked at 1,830,000 total viewers in the waning laps. The first 11 races of the season have all delivered more than 1 million total viewers.

In a constantly evolving industry like NASCAR that is driven by speed and efficiency, MythWorx will work with Joe Gibbs Racing to enhance the organization‘s AI capabilities across multiple departments.

“MythWorx was built for exactly this kind of environment,” said Jason Williamson, CEO of MythWorx. “When compute, testing and hardware are constrained, the advantage shifts to systems that can reason, adapt and learn in real time and at a lower cost. That‘s where we outperform traditional AI.”

MythWorx branding will be featured on the lower rear-quarter panel of Hamlin‘s No. 11 Toyota starting this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Hamlin is no stranger to success at Texas, with three career wins in addition to eight top-five finishes, 16 top-10s and 330 laps led.

“We’re thrilled to welcome MythWorx as a partner,” said Chris Gilligan, chief information officer for JGR. “Their innovative approach to AI brings a level of capability we believe can be truly transformative for our engineering programs. The precision, speed and efficiency demand of our sport creates a natural alignment with what MythWorx delivers, and we look forward to implementing their technology to elevate our work across key areas of competition.”

Coverage of this weekend‘s race at Texas Motor Speedway begins Sunday, May 3, at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1, PRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

— Joe Gibbs Racing —

To commemorate its maiden voyage in NASCAR‘s premier division and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, McDowell‘s No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will sport a vibrant livery featuring “Doug” The Defense Unicorn.

“Defense Unicorns was built by veterans for the mission, and sponsoring Michael McDowell in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Naval Base Coronado is our way of showing up for the people who make that mission possible and saying thank you,” said Dr. Rob Slaughter, CEO of Defense Unicorns. “NASCAR is America’s sport, born from grit, built on speed, and beloved by the communities that produce our warfighters. We build alongside our warfighters, and events like this remind us exactly who we’re building for.”

Founded in 2021, the San Antonio-headquartered organization took the preliminary steps for its cornerstone Unicorn Delivery Service (UDS), delivering essential software in mission-critical environments from submarines and forward operating bases to aircraft carriers and space systems.

Defense Unicorn‘s UDS is a secure, portable platform, purpose-built for delivering software to military systems. UDS includes the essential tools to package, deploy, monitor, and sustain mission applications.

Built for versatility and efficiency, the “package once; deploy anywhere” philosophy is paramount for the success of military mission environments, supporting multiple cloud providers and systems.

Defense Unicorn’s credibility has translated into landmark contract wins, including a $300 million GSA contract, a $1 billion Space RCO contract, and a role in the approximately $140 billion Golden Dome initiative.

The company’s single largest customer engagement is a $100 million task order under the GSA contract with the U.S. Navy, underscoring the depth of trust warfighters are placing in the platform.

“I‘m thrilled to represent Defense Unicorns in San Diego at Naval Base Coronado,” said McDowell. “It‘s going to be a unique race weekend, something like we have never seen before. My appreciation for the military and its systems is something I take seriously and what better place to represent this important platform than Coronado? I am really looking forward to getting out there and having a good run. We had a lot of speed at the Chicago Street Race last year, and that is really our closest comparison, in terms of a venue. I can confidently say our road course program is constantly improving and San Diego is a track that we have circled for a win.”

In January, Defense Unicorns achieved a milestone $1 billion+ valuation, officially becoming a true “unicorn” company, guided by the support of Bain Capital and its $136 million Series B investment.

Leading into race weekend, the company will host Warhacker, a first-of-its-kind Hackathon in San Diego, with the mission to bring together government, industry, academia, and non-profit companies to build, package, and deploy software solutions to warfighter problems. Applications are open now, and the event will be held June 16-19.

The NASCAR Cup Series’ inaugural race from Naval Base Coronado will be televised live on Amazon Prime and HBO Max on Sunday, June 21 beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 17th of 36 points-paying races on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.

— Spire Motorsports —

.@FoxTV got a 2.11 rating and 3.967 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 @Talladega, down slightly from a 2.18 and 4.041 million last year.

➡️ The event peaked at 4.9 million viewers from 6:45-7:00pm ET during the end of the race. pic.twitter.com/CVQog04FDW

— Adam Stern (@A_S12) April 28, 2026

A working group of teams representing Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota will meet with NASCAR about the superspeedway rules package, which was a focus of discussions during and after Sunday‘s Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.

“I think we saw enough in the Talladega race, and there was enough feedback from the industry that said, ‘let‘s take another look at this,’” NASCAR vice president of race communications Mike Forde said during the latest episode of the “Hauler Talk” podcast. “So we are meeting with that group again to talk about this.”

Shorter spoilers on superspeedways have been championed by Denny Hamlin, who texted NASCAR CEO Steve O‘Donnell after lobbying Monday on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast for a spoiler cut to raise speeds by reducing drag.

— NASCAR.com —

This tire setup has raced this year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway – both 1.5-mile ovals like Texas – and Darlington Raceway for the Goodyear 400. The left-side tire was introduced at Charlotte Motor Speedway last May and features a compound update compared with what was run in Texas last year, while the right-side tire underwent a construction change, and was first raced at Kansas last fall.

“The Goodyear Racing Eagle tire setup we have selected for Texas Motor Speedway represents the next step in the consolidation of our intermediate track tire package,” said Justin Fantozzi, Goodyear Director of Racing for the Americas. “Teams are already familiar with the combination, having run it three times this year, and we are happy with its performance at similar 1.5-mile tracks.”

NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series teams have a similar level of experience with their tires chosen for this weekend, which they have already raced at Las Vegas and Kansas in recent weeks. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series setup is the same, but that series hasn‘t run these tires yet in 2026. The 15-inch tires will also use inner liners, as is customary on tracks one mile and longer.

Goodyear Racing Eagle tires are also in action this weekend at South Georgia Motorsports Park for the NHRA Southern Nationals and in France for the European Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Le Castellet.

Fast Facts

NASCAR Cup Series
Race: Würth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY (267 laps / 400.5 miles)
Track: Texas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Date/Time: Sunday, May 3, 3:30 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, HBO Max

Tire: Goodyear Racing Eagle
Tire Code: D-5284 left side, D-5290 right side
Previous Usage in 2026: Las Vegas, Darlington, Kansas
Tire Circumference: 2,263 mm (89.1 in.) left side, 2,277 (89.6 in.) right side
Recommended Minimum Inflation: LF — 20 psi, RF — 50 psi, LR — 22 psi, RR — 46 psi
Total Sets: 10 (8 new race / 1 qualifying transfer to race / 1 practice)

NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series
Race: Andy‘s Frozen Custard 340 (200 laps / 300 miles)
Track: Texas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Date/Time: Saturday, May 2, 3:30 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: CW, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Tire: Goodyear Racing Eagle
Tire Code: D-6110 left side, D-6140 right side
Previous Usage in 2026: Las Vegas, Kansas
Tire Circumference: 2,225 mm (87.6 in.) left side, 2,250 (88.6 in.) right side
Recommended Minimum Inflation: LF — 19 psi, RF — 52 psi, LR — 19 psi, RR — 48 psi
Total Sets: 6 (4 new race / 1 qualifying transfer to start race / 1 practice)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Race: SpeedyCash.com 250 (167 laps / 250.5 miles)
Track: Texas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Date/Time: Friday, May 1, 8 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: FS1, NASCAR Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Tire: Goodyear Racing Eagle
Tire Code: D-6110 left side, D-6140 right side
Previous Usage in 2026: First use
Tire Circumference: 2,225 mm (87.6 in.) left side, 2,250 (88.6 in.) right side
Recommended Minimum Inflation: LF — 19 psi, RF — 52 psi, LR — 19 psi, RR — 48 psi
Total Sets: 5 (3 new race / 1 qualifying transfer to start race / 1 practice)

— PitBox 91 —

The alliance reunites Arrow McLaren team principal Tony Kanaan and Johnson — former Chip Ganassi Racing teammates — and follows the two-year alignment between Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports which featured NASCAR champion Kyle Larson in the car.

Johnson and Legacy MC also bring 2015 Indy-winning race engineer Brian Campe, who was part of the Hendrick/Larson program, to complement the Hunter-Reay entry as race strategist and car communicator, and some of Legacy‘s NASCAR pit crew members, who‘ve started training and blending with Arrow McLaren‘s over-the-wall crew to service the No. 31 Chevy.

— Racer —

And frankly, also for the NASCAR Cup Series as a whole.

He is the second first-time winner in the last three races, earned the second victory for the high-expectation three-car Spire Motorsports team and provided an unmistakable shining moment in the sport, which has celebrated a pair of 23-year old NASCAR Cup Series race winners who not only bring massive talent but also big personality to the sport.

A new generation of next-level talent has arrived and Hocevar, with his unique “victory lap” and unapologetic bold demeanor Sunday afternoon really brought the point home. It was a win so popular in the garage that other drivers — including former champions Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch — made a point to congratulate the young driver on pit road.

A win important enough to the sport that newly-named NASCAR Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Steve O‘Donnell was all smiles watching Hocevar and his team in all the post-race pageantry and interviews. Asked if he was okay with Hocevar sitting on the window ledge of his No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet and driving it in front of an absolutely ecstatic Talladega front grandstands, O‘Donnell grinned and nodded in approval.

The afternoon and the celebration really transcended a single driver and represented a new generation of talent bringing an equally high wattage dose of star power.

“That personality connects,” said Spire Motorsports executive Jeff Dickerson.

Indeed it did Sunday and likely will in the future. Many people from inside the industry conceded they hadn‘t heard a crowd reaction to a race outcome like the one Hocevar received for many years. The fans were loud and stayed as long as possible to watch the young driver get his trophy.

Even one the weekend‘s other big stars — YouTube mega-personality Cleetus McFarland (who finished runner-up competing in Saturday‘s ARCA Menards Series race at Talladega) – called into Hocevar‘s press conference hours after the checkered flag to offer his congratulations.

The happiness for Hocevar was surpassed only by the genuine gratitude the young driver showed. As fellow 23-year-old, Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Ty Gibbs did after claiming his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol, Tenn. three weeks ago, Hocevar got emotional in the moment.

He reiterated throughout his time with the media that he was careful to take in everything — the sound of the crowd, the confetti blowing through the air, the heartfelt congrats from other competitors, the embraces he received from so many teammates during his trophy hoist.

In fact, Hocevar didn‘t even throw a big soiree at a fancy hotel to celebrate that milestone, life-changing work Sunday. He instead shared that he was headed to a Chili‘s restaurant near his home in North Carolina once he got back home — a perfect opportunity to highlight his sponsor and also a telling reflection of his humble heart.

“I think it‘s huge,” Hocevar‘s crew chief Luke Lambert said of the recent wave of young winners.

“It‘s a great thing to see a new class of superstars come in and usher themselves into the sport. … it‘s impressive to see these young guys go up against people that are in that class [of more experienced competitors]. It takes their talents, the right team and atmosphere around them, then the right amount of experience to be able to go toe to toe with those guys, truly Hall of Famers that have years of experience and still have all the talent and all the makings of a phenomenal race car driver.

“To see the young guys start to be able to break into that, I think it means great things for the sport.”

Does this change Hocevar‘s competitive reputation? Once considered a “raw” talent with tendencies to make mistakes in overly-aggressive moves on track, this victory in one of the most competitive venues on the circuit stands to go a long way toward establishing Hocevar‘s evolving credibility.

And the feel-good quotient he produced is undeniable.

“I was happy for Ty [Gibbs],” Dickerson said. “You see these kids get their first one (win) and it takes you back to your first one. There‘s no feeling like it.”

“They‘re going to see the happiest kid in the world,” Dickerson said of the inevitable post-victory attention.

All the joy of sport‘s big moments.

— NASCAR News Wire —

Foster Love is a nationwide nonprofit organization committed to improving the way children experience the foster care system for the better. From helping one child, to supporting over one million foster youth, Foster Love continues to strive towards the goal of improving the foster care experience for the over 430,000 children currently in the system.

As a special tribute, the No. 11 team will once again swap the Safelite red for a refreshed blue design, representing the official color of National Foster Care Awareness Month, serving as a visual reminder of the kids who often go unseen, while also recognizing foster parents, family members, volunteers, mentors, policymakers and child welfare professionals.

Honeycutt will carry Foster Love branding across all five NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races this May, including Texas Motor Speedway, Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway, Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway and Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway in an effort to raise awareness and inspire action for foster youth nationwide.

In 2025, the Safelite Foundation, Foster Love and TRICON partnership produced two victories, as Corey Heim took the blue livery to victory lane at Texas Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“Our associates have made this partnership truly their own. They‘ve shown up in every way possible, from volunteering and donating to openly sharing their own personal connections to the foster care system,” said Wendy Bradshaw, Executive Director of the Safelite Foundation and Community Affairs.

“During every race in May, we will cheer on Kaden, recognizing that he is a powerful advocate for raising awareness about foster care across the country. Throughout Foster Care Awareness Month, he is partnering with us on and off the track to be a driving force for good.”

Through this special collaboration, Safelite will host over 30 guests, including foster children and families at Charlotte Motor Speedway, bringing a unique and meaningful partnership into a space where it had rarely existed before. Limited edition Kaden Honeycutt shirts will be offered in celebration of the collaboration, with a percentage of the proceeds going directly to Foster Love. Fans can find the design for sale on shopTRICON.com.

The partnership is set to debut at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday, May 1 in the SpeedyCash.com 250. The 200-lap race will be televised live on FS1 with radio coverage provided by the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

— TRICON Garage —

Andy Street will assume crew chief responsibilities for the No. 8 Chevrolet, working alongside driver Kyle Busch for the remainder of the 2026 season. Jim Pohlman will transition into a leadership role within RCR‘s competition department.

“This move is about putting our people in the best position to succeed,” said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of RCR. “We have strong talent across this organization, and we‘re focused on having each person in the right position to help deliver the results we expect.”

The adjustment reflects RCR‘s broader commitment to returning to consistent, front-running form on a weekly basis.

“We strongly believe in the people we have,” said Mike Verlander, President of RCR. “At the same time, we expect better results, and that requires us to continually evaluate and make adjustments. Jim has more than two decades of success in this sport and will remain an important part of our team. We believe Andy and Kyle‘s previous working relationship positions us to improve the No. 8 team and compete at a higher level.”

Street, who has served as Performance Director in 2026, brings more than 20 years of experience with RCR across multiple roles, including as a race-winning crew chief. He will begin leading the No. 8 team immediately.

— Richard Childress Racing —

As the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series heads to Texas Motor Speedway for Saturday afternoon‘s Andy‘s Frozen Custard 340, Ellis will showcase a familiar name on his No. 02 Young‘s Motorsports Chevrolet — one that has become a cornerstone of his program.

Texas-based Eclipse Claims Consulting returns to support Ellis for the fourth consecutive season, continuing a partnership built on consistency, shared momentum and most of all, friendship.

Headquartered in Frisco, Texas, Eclipse Claims Consulting is a trusted authority in insurance claim advocacy and appraisals.

Known as a national leader in insurance adjustments, the company specializes in property damage, including natural disasters such as flood, hail, tornado, hurricane, wildfire and earthquake damage.

With a mission centered on securing fair and timely settlements, Eclipse Claims Consulting has helped clients nationwide recover millions of dollars after property losses caused by storms, fires, water damage, and other disasters.

The company has built its reputation as a go-to advocate for policyholders facing complex insurance claims.

Whether assisting homeowners after a hurricane or guiding a business through fire damage recovery, Eclipse Claims Consulting remains a trusted partner at every step of the insurance claim process.

For Ellis, the continued support from Eclipse Claims Consulting carries added significance in 2026 as he begins a new chapter with Young‘s Motorsports.

In a season defined by change, the presence of a trusted, long-term partner provides valuable continuity and confidence, allowing the veteran driver to remain focused on performance while building chemistry within a new organization.

“We‘ve built something really special with Eclipse Claims Consulting over the last four years,” said Ellis. “It‘s more than just a partnership at this point — it‘s a friendship.

“That kind of loyalty means everything in this sport, and having them by my side as I start a new chapter with Young‘s Motorsports gives me a lot of confidence every time we hit the track.”

Ellis, a native of Ashburn, Va., will make his ninth NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series start at Texas Motor Speedway on May 2.

The 1.5-mile speedway is one of the few venues where he has competed across all three of NASCAR‘s national series.

In his previous eight series starts, Ellis has recorded a track-best finish of 13th in the fall 2023 edition of the Andy‘s Frozen Custard 300.

On Saturday, he will make his fifth consecutive start at Texas Motor Speedway — and his third straight appearance carrying the Eclipse Claims Consulting colors.

“It‘s always special racing at Texas Motor Speedway, but it means even more when you‘re representing a Texas-based partner like Eclipse Claims Consulting,” added Ellis. “It‘s their home race, and you want to do everything you can to represent them well and give them something to be proud of.”

It‘s also a special race for Young‘s Motorsports. Founded in Midland, Texas, the event at Texas Motor Speedway serves as the organization‘s hometown race, making it even more meaningful to represent a Texas-based partner in Eclipse Claims Consulting.

Now operating from a well-equipped facility in Mooresville, N.C., Young‘s Motorsports team principal Tyler Young welcomes Eclipse Claims Consulting to the organization as a valued partner.

“We‘re proud to welcome Eclipse Claims Consulting to Young‘s Motorsports as a valued partner,” said Young, who made 12 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway, including a top-10 finish in 2018.

“Their Texas roots align perfectly with this event, and to have them on board for our home race makes this weekend even more meaningful for our team.”

— Young’s Motorsports —

Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2026 Jack Link‘s 500

Start time to record race/commercial periods: 3:00 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 6:59 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 239
Minutes of race broadcast: 211
Minutes of traditional commercials: 28
Minutes of side-by-side commercials: 36

Total number of commercials: 155
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 78
Total number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 63
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 48
Total number of ‘Side-by-Side‘ commercials during the broadcast (split-screen): 92
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 45
Number of times Fox utilized ‘Side-by-Side‘ commercials during the broadcast: 14

See much more at CawsNJaws.

Anything that could go wrong did go wrong for Alex Bowman and the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team throughout the opening nine Cup Series races to begin the 2026 Cup Series season.

Finally, something went right for the Arizona native in Sunday‘s Jack Links 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

After collecting three stage points in Stage 2, Bowman had track position throughout the final stage. He was planted on the rear bumper of Carson Hocevar for much of the final stint, riding around the 2.66-mile oval around the inside line.

On the final lap, it was the No. 48 car that pushed Hocevar ahead of the pack to score the Spire Motorsports driver‘s first Cup victory. Bowman took the checkered flag in third, his first top-five finish since last August at Richmond Raceway, 16 starts ago.

“To be blunt, it just feels good to get out here without crashing,” Bowman told Fox Sports after the event. “I’m getting old, [and] don’t have much of that left in me. Glad to get out of here clean.

“We had a great Ally 48 Chevy all day. Felt like we played the race the best we could kind of with the situations we were given.”

Being trapped on the inside of the second row for much of the final stage, Bowman believed his only shot to contend for the win was to push Hocevar out far enough to the point where he had to defend the top line. Otherwise, he would need something outside of his control to happen.

“I don‘t think there was ever an opportunity to move up, which I don‘t know that I would have moved up because these races are, statistically, won from the bottom at the end,” Bowman told reporters. “It‘s hard to say if I could have done anything different. I feel like we executed everything we needed for that last run. If we would have won, it probably would have to fall into our lap a little bit.”

Getting away unscathed is particularly noteworthy. Bowman had a bout with vertigo that lasted over a month, sidelining the eight-time Cup winner for four races. On March 1 at Circuit of The Americas, Myatt Snider hopped in the No. 48 car for the final 20 laps when the symptoms began.

When Bowman was at the helm, the numbers were dreadful to kickstart the season. Entering Talladega, he tallied 42 points total in five starts and was the caboose in the field among full-time competitors. He nearly doubled his total at Talladega alone, banking 37 points, though he remains 36th in the order.

“It feels good,” Bowman told reporters of the podium effort. “I would much rather do that at a non-[superspeedway] when you feel like the driver has more to do with it. Things went our way.

“It was nice to get a solid finish. It‘s been hard just to finish races this year.”

On the owners side, the No. 48 team leaped a trio of spots in the standings to 32nd. Bowman led the way for HMS at Talladega, with Chase Elliott just behind in fourth.

“Happy for the team; they‘ve had an incredibly rough go at it from a lot of angles for the entire season,” Bowman added.

The Cup Series heads to Texas Motor Speedway next weekend where Bowman has a pair of top-five finishes in 16 starts. He has finishes of 29th or worse — including three DNFs — in four of the last five trips to the 1.5-mile oval.

There were no issues for #77-Carson Hocevar. He is officially the winner of the Jack Link’s 500.

The cars of #8-Kyle Busch and #38-Zane Smith are returning to the R&D Center for inspection.

Hocevar battled #17-Chris Buescher over the last stage of the race but got the lead on the final lap to get his first career win.

The Cup Series now heads to Texas Motor Speedway.

The huge crowd loved the unique celebration and the 23-year old Michigan native deservedly soaked it all in after earning a .114-second victory over Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing veteran Chris Buescher in Sunday‘s Jack Link‘s 500 at the iconic Talladega track completing a solid, no-holds-barred three-lap run to the checkered flag for his first trophy in NASCAR‘s premier series.

It marks the second time in the last three races a driver earned his first career victory — matching the work of Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Ty Gibbs two weeks ago at Bristol, Tenn.

“I‘ve had this thought up for a while,‘‘ Hocevar said of his winning salute. “And I‘ve messed it up every which way to not be able to do it. And I don‘t care if I took me 20 minutes or whatever I was going to figure out how to do it.

“I‘m just so thankful,‘‘ he said, the grandstand crowd roaring in approval. “This is the biggest dream I‘ve ever thought of. Thank you everybody. I couldn‘t have done it any better way. Hopefully my grandfather is watching. My grandmother died last year and I‘m just so thankful I can give my grandfather a trophy now.‘‘

“Just unbelievable, I‘m just so thankful,‘‘ he added. “I knew we were going to win. I really did.‘‘

Over the three years he‘s competed full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, Hocevar has taken some criticism for his bold — at times imprudent — driving style. But on Sunday, Hocevar proved his metal in the big leagues leading 19 of the final 37 laps in the 188-lap classic and holding the field off on three late race restarts.

“He deserved it for sure and this is a perfect place for him to get it,‘‘ third place finisher, Hendrick Motorsports‘ Alex Bowman said of Hocevar.

Buescher, who also scored his career-best finish at Talladega said, “That was a fun race all the way until the end.

“Man, it was close. … awesome day and it was a good race.”

Hendrick‘s Chase Elliott, a two-time Talladega winner, finished fourth in the No. 9 Chevrolet with Front Row Motorsports‘ Zane Smith rallying to an impressive fifth place finish in the No. 38 Ford, also setting the fastest lap of the race.

Another former Talladega winner, Hyak Motorsports‘ Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished sixth, followed by Trackhouse Racing‘s Ross Chastain, Team Penske‘s Austin Cindric, Front Row‘s Noah Gragson and two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, whose 10th place showing Sunday was the first top-10 of the season for the venerable Richard Childress Racing team.

There were 16 leaders and 52 lead changes on the day, with JGR‘s Christopher Bell leading a race-high 31 laps despite finishing 17th. RFK Racing‘s Ryan Preece and Ross Chastain were the race‘s two stage winners.

Half the field — literally — was eliminated from legitimate winning contention in a wild 26-car melee in Turn 3 on lap 115 that included championship leader Tyler Reddick among the two-dozen collected. And it all started up front.

Contact between the front cars of leader Bubba Wallace and Ross Chastain triggered the chain reaction incident and brought out a 10-minute red flag stoppage. A handful of those involved — including 23XI Racing‘s Wallace and fellow past Talladega winners and Team Penske teammates Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano – were no longer able to continue but a sizable number of those involved were able to return to the track.

“Got wrecked there, unfortunately,‘‘ Wallace offered in an understatement after leading three times on the day. “Our Xfinity Toyota Camry was a little unstable getting pushed, but manageable. Maybe that hard of a hit was too much, so unfortunately, we wiped out a bunch of cars.

“Got to debrief, got to be better. Just kind of riding around, not doing much in the first stage — nothing to show for it at Talladega. Unfortunate, it is a place we come to with a lot of confidence, and it is what it is. We will put this one behind us and go on to Texas and have some fun.”

Blaney was equally as frustrated, but like so many of those caught up in the incident, also philosophical about the close-quarter brand of speedway racing that has so often produced NASCAR‘s version of the “the big one.‘‘

“I feel like we all just got pinballing off each other there,‘‘ Blaney said, adding, “It‘s not like there‘s any blame on anybody. It‘s what this thing is. We see each other. We all just kind of get bumping and banging and one guy eventually gets turned with the car being as unstable as it is. It definitely stinks to be out early.”

A five-time race winner this season, Reddick was also among those whose cars suffered damage in the massive mid-race incident. Hoping to win his fifth race from pole position this season, instead the Californian had to recover from damage in both the big accidents and then again after his No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota clipped the wall with 27 to go.

He stayed on the lead lap and managed a 14th place finish in the 40-car field and maintains a commanding lead atop the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings, 110 points over Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Denny Hamlin — one of Reddick‘s 23XI Racing team owners.

The NASCAR Cup Series moves west for its annual stop at Texas Motor Speedway for next Sunday‘s Würth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY (3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Joey Logano is the defending race winner.

— NASCAR News Wire —

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points Standings, Owner Points Standings, Cumulative Report, Infraction Report.

For complete race information, check out the Talladega race page.

Chaos at Talladega. Here's what happened: pic.twitter.com/SWn6yMLaZp

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 26, 2026

“Yeah, we‘ve got it done. We‘re going to be here for a while, which is really exciting. Obviously, this place has meant a lot to me since I got here. The success we‘ve had… it‘s been incredible.”

Just really proud of everybody at 23XI Racing. Looking forward to what‘s ahead.”

NEWS: Tyler Reddick confirms to @JoshRSims that he has extended his contract with 23XI Racing. pic.twitter.com/b3mIAJ4Zsv

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 26, 2026

The announcement came Sunday morning during Fox‘s pre-race NASCAR Cup Series broadcast from Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, where both Bowyer and McMurray work as broadcast analysts.

Bowyer, a 10-time Cup winner and longtime fan favorite, will drive the Ram 1500 at Dover Motor Speedway on May 15. McMurray, a seven-time winner and 2010 Daytona 500 champion, will take the wheel for the Truck Series‘ historic inaugural race at the Naval Base Coronado street course in San Diego on June 19.

Tim Kuniskis, Head of American Brands, SRT Performance, North America marketing and retail strategy at Stellantis, emphasized the role of Ram‘s Free Agent program.

“Bringing in veterans like Clint and Jamie adds another level of excitement, which is why we created the Free Agent Program,” Kuniskis said. “Their experience and success help showcase Ram‘s unique approach to America‘s motorsport while allowing fans to watch a couple of their favorite drivers get behind the wheel of a Ram 1500 with Kaulig Racing.”

Bowyer expressed enthusiasm about returning to competition on one of NASCAR‘s most demanding short tracks.

“I‘m pumped to get back in a truck, especially one with Ram power behind it,” Bowyer said. “Dover is a beast — concrete, tight and unforgiving — and I plan to put this No. 25 Ram Free Agent truck right up front where it belongs.”

McMurray welcomed the chance to tackle the unique challenge of a temporary street course on an active military base.
“Racing on a naval base in San Diego for the very first time is going to be an incredible experience,” said McMurray, who co-won the 2015 Rolex 24 sports car race on the Daytona road course. “Street courses reward precision and adaptability, and I‘m looking forward to teaming with Kaulig and Ram to make some history in that No. 25 truck.”

Bowyer, 46, of Emporia, Kan., earned 10 victories and four poles during a decorated NASCAR Cup Series career that included strong runs with Richard Childress Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing. He captured the 2008 NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series championship and owns three Truck Series wins. Since retirement from Cup racing, he‘s worked as an analyst for NASCAR on Fox. Known for his sharp wit and aggressive short-track style, Bowyer remains a popular figure among fans.

McMurray, 49, of Joplin, Missouri, amassed seven Cup Series victories across nearly two decades, including a sweep of the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the fall race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in a remarkable 2010 season. He finished his career with two victories each at Daytona, Talladega and Charlotte, along with a NASCAR All-Star Race win. McMurray is a NASCAR analyst for Fox Sports and is in his eighth season in 2026 as a key contributor on the network‘s “NASCAR RaceDay” prerace show alongside host Chris Myers.

Launched as part of Ram‘s full-season return to NASCAR after a 13-year absence, the Free Agent Driver Program partners with Kaulig Racing‘s No. 25 entry to feature a rotating lineup of drivers throughout the 2026 Craftsman Truck Series schedule. The initiative has already featured high-profile names such as three-time Cup champion Tony Stewart at Daytona, along with other veterans and emerging talents, including Ty Dillon, Parker Kligerman, Corey LaJoie, Colin Braun and Carson Ferguson.

By keeping the seat open for a mix of legends, free agents and up-and-comers, Ram aims to create fresh narratives, highlight the capability of its trucks and open doors across the broader motorsports community.

The upcoming races carry special significance on the 2026 calendar. Dover Motor Speedway makes its return to the Truck Series after a multiyear hiatus, promising intense action at “The Monster Mile.” The San Diego event marks NASCAR‘s first-ever race on an active military installation at Naval Base Coronado, adding a patriotic element to the series‘ expanding street-course footprint.

Kaulig Racing was founded in 2016 by entrepreneur Matt Kaulig and has grown rapidly from a single-car O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series team into a multi-series organization. The team entered the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020 and expanded into the Truck Series in 2026 with an ambitious five-truck program powered by Ram.

Its full-time Truck Series lineup features LaJoie in the No. 10, Brenden “Butterbean” Queen in the No. 12, Mini Tyrrell in the No. 14 and Justin Haley in the No. 16, alongside the rotating No. 25 Free Agent entry. Kaulig also fields two full-time Cup Series entries with Ty Dillon in the No. 10 and A.J. Allmendinger in the No. 16.

The Truck Series race at Dover Motor Speedway is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET on Friday, May 15, and will air live on FS1 with radio coverage on the NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The inaugural Truck Series race at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego is set for 7 p.m. ET on Friday, June 19, and will also be broadcast live on FS1 with companion coverage on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Both events will be available to stream on Fubo.

— Kaulig Racing —

Johnson, one of the most accomplished drivers in motorsports history with 83 Cup Series victories, will serve as a key ambassador for Dollar Tree, helping to amplify the company‘s focus on speed, safety, productivity, performance and teamwork. As part of the agreement, Johnson will participate in national marketing campaigns, digital and social content, in-store promotions and select corporate events.

“This partnership is rooted in shared values and a belief in building something meaningful together,” said Rick McNeely, Executive Advisor, Dollar Tree. “Jimmie‘s career is defined by consistency, performance and teamwork — qualities that align directly with how we operate as a company. We‘re excited to bring his voice and credibility to our customers and associates.”

Johnson said the opportunity reflects a natural alignment between his career and Dollar Tree‘s growth. “I‘ve always believed success comes from preparation, discipline and the people around you,” Johnson said. “Dollar Tree is building something special, and I‘m proud to be part of it. From the products on shelves to the teams behind the scenes, there‘s a strong connection in how we approach performance every day.”

In addition to the personal services agreement, Dollar Tree and Johnson have entered a licensing agreement for a new line of co-branded products in Dollar Tree stores beginning this fall. The program will feature Johnson‘s name, image and likeness alongside LEGACY MOTOR CLUB branding.

Initial product categories will include an exciting selection of automotive products, supplies, and accessories at an exceptional value. Additional categories, such as toys, health and personal care items and apparel are expected to be added to the assortment at a later date.

“We‘re incredibly excited to introduce this new product line, developed in partnership with Jimmie Johnson, one of the most iconic names in NASCAR,” said Brent Beebe, Chief Merchandising Officer, Dollar Tree. “Our collaboration blends performance, style and everyday practicality that I anticipate our customers will love. This partnership is about offering great products that deliver exceptional value and make it easy for our customers to find what they need — while discovering something new every time they walk through our doors.”

Johnson‘s role as owner of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB adds a unique dimension to the partnership, connecting competitive performance on the track with a broader consumer platform.

The collaboration reflects a long-term vision for a meaningful, recognizable partnership between motorsports and retail. “This is about more than a traditional endorsement,” Johnson added. “It‘s about building a legacy together, creating products and experiences that connect with people in a real way.”

— Legacy Motor Club —

In collaboration with Alan‘s former crew chief Paul Andrews, the project invites fans, racers, and supporters to help restore the legendary #7 Ford Thunderbird — the car that defined a championship moment in 1992.

…

The restoration will require new body panels. The nose must be repaired. The engine will be rebuilt. And fittingly, many of the same hands that helped build it in 1992 have stepped forward to help revive it.

But restoring the Underbird isn‘t only about honoring the past. It‘s about fueling the future.

…

The Alan D. Kulwicki Motorsports Laboratory provides students with hands-on experience designing, building, and racing cars — preparing the next generation of engineers and competitors.

— Philanthropy Focus —

He‘ll start his No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota from pole position in Sunday‘s Jack Link‘s 500 (3 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), going for his second Talladega victory.

“It is weird to be in this spot. I will say that,‘‘ Reddick allowed. “There‘s certainly a lot of noise out there, a lot of speculations, but for me, it’s easy to not get caught up in it because we know what we’re doing, we know how we’re doing it, when we’ve been successful with it.

“So, yeah, I feel bad for those that are tired of it,‘‘ he added, noting what a challenge his winless 2025 season had been for the team.

“We are enjoying it. We want to keep winning and doing the things that we’re doing. Yeah, I don’t feel bad because I remember how I felt all of last year. I know how my team felt about last year, and so we don’t want to go back to not winning and we’re going to keep working really hard to find ways to get a to victory lane.”

“I found out last year, it’s really hard just to win any race, and so for us to put together like we have and start the year strong like, it’s hard to do, but we’re really thankful that it’s happened, and certainly, I think, with how last year went for us at no point are we like, ‘we’re good.‘ I think if anything, we‘re hungrier now than we were to start the year to just keep after it and keep winning races.”

BUSCH SETTING EXAMPLE FOR SON
A two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion with 233 victories total in the sport‘s three national series, Kyle Busch knows how to win and how to compete.

One of the most dynamic competitors in the sport‘s history, however, Busch is currently enduring an unusual 102-race winless streak in the NASCAR Cup Series dating back to his last trophy on June 4, 2023 at Gateway (Madison, Ill.). Not only does the statistic continually motivate him, but it has given him an unusual opportunity to set an example of grace and persistence for his children.

The father of two, including up-and-coming racer, 10-year old son Brexton knows his kiddos are watching him at work and the driver of the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet is showing them how to react and prevail in both the challenging times as well as the victory circle moments. A two-time Talladega winner, he will start Sunday‘s race ranked 27th in the championship standings and still looking to earn his first top-10 of the year.

His passion should never be doubted, however. And that ethos, he hopes to pass along.

“It‘s frustrating,‘‘ Busch said of those that would question his effort or dedication. “Because I feel like I‘ve done nothing except positive things in the time in which I‘ve been at RCR. The last four years I‘ve done nothing but work as hard as I could possibly do. There‘s a lot of great people there and a lot of smart people there as well in [team owner] Richard [Childress] and Mike [Dillon] and all those guys have given us all the resources and tools to go out there and succeed. It‘s just not quite come together with the results of winning.

“The first year it did but it‘s trickled off since then. But there‘s nothing that stands out to me other than going there to win races and be competitive. I‘m raising a little racer myself. Brexton sees every single weekend. He‘s around. He sees me go home and I‘m watching SMT film or I‘m looking at data or being at team meetings.

“I‘m doing all I can on my side to help further develop the team and it‘s for me to show him there‘s a lot of work that goes into this. It doesn‘t just come easy. You‘ve got to pour it in to get the result out of it.

“Yeah, we want to win and be successful. Brexton doesn‘t really remember the days of me being out there winning all the time, winning all the races and [him] being thrown up in the air. That was a little before his memory time. Lennox too. I won those three races in ‘23 and she was a baby. Trust me, this is my life, our lives and everything we‘ve known and now another generation coming in.

Busch won pole position for February‘s Daytona 500 and has a pair of victories at Talladega (Spring, 2008 and 2023) – leading laps in 14 of the last 15 races at the big track.

KESELOWSKI‘S DEGA LEGACY
RFK Racing co-owner Brad Keselowski‘s six Talladega Superspeedway wins are most among active drivers and second all-time to only the late Dale Earnhardt‘s 10-trophy total. But it‘s been since 2021 that the 2012 series champ last celebrated in Dega‘s Victory Lane. He has three runner-up showings since – including both 2024 races.

The former champion scored his career first NASCAR Cup Series win at Talladega in his track debut in Spring, 2009. And, Keselowski fully concedes, he feels a special affinity for the place and enjoys watching historic YouTube videos of the races here.

“When I watch them I think about how cool it is that I get to race here and get to compete on the same track and the success that you have and get to the same record book as those that were behind you,‘‘ Keselowski said. “That feels really cool.

“Talladega is a storied track. There‘s so much history here. I don‘t really necessarily get caught up too much in the pageantry, although I do think it‘s cool, as much as I get caught up in the idea of being able to race where legends have raced before me and hopefully adding my name to a record book beside them.”

JONES AND TALLADEGA APPROACH
Even though the change to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship format has eliminated the win-and-in Playoff strategy, Legacy Motor Club driver Erik Jones insists the emphasis on points racing doesn‘t change the way he goes about competing. Particularly at places such as Talladega Superspeedway.

Jones, who scored his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory at a drafting track, the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway in 2018, enters Sunday‘s race 24th in the championship points standings – 63 points behind 16th place Daniel Suarez in the final points position that would advance to the Playoffs.

“We approach all these races pretty aggressive in the last handful years because this has been our only great shot to try to win our way in the playoffs,‘‘ said Jones, driver of the No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota. “So, I think if anything, it makes it more aggressive because the stage points are probably more important than ever. The finishes are great, but if you can go and earn top-three stage points in both stages, and even if you get wrecked out at the end, you’re still going to have a decent day, so I think that’s our focus.

“The stage lengths are probably a bigger change than anything, that first stage is a bit confusing, length on some strategies and things that guys can do. So, it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out, but I think as far as the aggression side, I think will be just as high as ever for stage points.”

TALLADEGA RACE NUGGETS
The last 11 Talladega NASCAR Cup Series races have been won by different drivers, the longest such current streak of any track. … The winner led 10 laps or less in the last 10 Talladega races. … Richard Childress Racing driver Kyle Busch has finished on the lead lap the last 10 Talladega races. Should he do so Sunday he would tie the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt with 11. … Eight of the last 12 Talladega races have been decided by a last lap pass. … A stage winner has gone on to win the race only once this season — Ryan Blaney at Phoenix. … Drivers have combined for only six DNFs through the last five races is the fewest for a five-race span in NASCAR history. … The 54 total caution flags this season are the fewest through nine races since 2012.

— NASCAR News Wire —

The Nos. 19, 8 and 2 are returning to the NASCAR R&D Center for inspection.

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points, Owner Points, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

The 20-year old Californian sprint car driver delivered the multi-time NASCAR Cup Series championship Hendrick team its first O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series victory at Talladega and this weekend earned a win for a special “guest” crew member, former NFL great Jason Kelce who dressed out in Hendrick blue and helped transport tires for the team on pit road Saturday.

“I sure as heck didn‘t think it [first win] would be at a superspeedway,‘‘ said a grinning Day, who also won a sprint car race in Nebraska earlier this week. “My 17 guys just built a rocket ship.

“I feel like we‘ve been close, had a good day at Rockingham (N.C. race) and had a couple other good days and just didn‘t finish it off, so this is super cool.‘‘

Rookie Brent Crews finished a career best runner-up in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with Haas Factory Team driver Sheldon Creed scored third in a typical photo finish-type conclusion on the 2.66-mile Talladega high banks. Creed‘s work was good enough to claim the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash incentive prize for his effort — the second straight week he did so.

“Hard to be too mad at second here when so much happens and very easily could have been in one of those crashes at the end.  Getting to take home the Dash 4 Cash is really special and thank the guys in the shop for that.‘‘

JR Motorsports driver Sammy Smith was fourth in the No. 8 Chevrolet extending a top-10 streak for the team to 68 races, second best all-time in the series. Owner-driver Jeremy Clements was fifth in the South Carolina-based No. 51 Jeremy Clements Racing team Chevrolet, earning the independent team‘s best showing since 2022.

Dean Thompson, Jesse Love, Brandon Jones, Parker Retzlaff and Austin Green rounded out the top-10 with J.J. Yeley earning the only Ford in the 38-car field an impressive 11th place finish.

Love started on pole position in the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, led the most laps (37) and was out front late before getting shuffled backwards with six laps remaining. The field split his car high and low on track with Creed moving into the lead with five laps remaining.

Creed‘s Haas Factory Team teammate Sam Mayer, who had been impressive throughout the afternoon, was scored the leader with two laps to go in a three-wide front row also featuring Creed and Day. And then as so often happens at Talladega, contact during the final frantic laps of competition shuffled the front pack, slammed Mayer‘s No. 41 Chevy and two-time former winner Jeb Burton‘s No. 27 Jordan Anderson Chevrolet into the outside wall.

Creed settled for 25th despite leading three times for eight laps on the day. Burton, a photo-finish runner-up last year in the race, settled for 26th.

JR Motorsports teammates Carson Kvapil (stage one) and Justin Allgaier (stage two) claimed the two wins but both were unable to recover from a mid-race green flag penalty for “impeding” cars on track during the final stage of racing.

The four caution periods was the fewest since 2022. The 38 lead changes were the most at the track since 2013.

Despite recording the lowest finish of the season (23rd), Allgaier retains the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series championship lead by 105 points over Creed.

The series moves to Texas Motor Speedway for next Saturday‘s Andy‘s Frozen Custard 340 (3:30 p.m. ET, The CW, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson is the defending race winner.

Day, Crews, Creed and Smith will be eligible for the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash award next week.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points, Owner Points, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

Press Conference

Saturday, April 25, 2026

An Interview with: Jim France, Steve O’Donnell, Ben Kennedy

THE MODERATOR: I’d like to bring up NASCAR chairman Jim France and executive vice president Lesa Kennedy for some opening remarks.

JIM FRANCE: I’m a little embarrassed by the video because it’s difficult to take credit for other people’s hard work. I happened to be lucky to be part of a great team called NASCAR. We got over 1,400 employees. I go back to the day when we probably had 14 employees. I was real young then.

I’ve been fortunate enough to see the growth of our sport and the caliber of folks that we’ve had involved in developing the sport, starting with my father and mother and brother.

I think I can speak with some real experience here that I believe we have the finest team of people working and running NASCAR that we’ve ever had in our entire history.

It’s going to be my honor here in just a few moments to turn this over to NASCAR’s CEO Steve O’Donnell.

I want to make a comment about what Steve and Ben did starting in March of 2020 when we were all sent home and told that we were unessential. We had a lot of people figuring out how they were going to put beans on their table.

Steve and Ben went to work putting together the plan and getting our industry together that got us back to the racetrack, led the way for a lot of major sports getting back in business, and the first to bring their fans back.

We got a great team and they’re going to take this thing even farther.

So Steve, you got the wheel, partner.

THE MODERATOR: I think we’ll start with some opening remarks from NASCAR’s new CEO, Steve O’Donnell.

STEVE O’DONNELL: Thank you. First I want to start and say that Jim’s been an incredible friend and mentor to me, along with a number of other folks in the France family. I am incredibly honored to be in this position and continue working with the France family.

When we’re at our best as a sport, the teams, the tracks, manufacturers, television partners, OEMs, drivers, we’re all working together and we’re aligned to make each other better.

The first goal that we’ve got is to really unite our industry. I want to create a culture where there’s collaboration, a genuine collaboration, where everybody wins.

The great news I think for us is we’re not starting from scratch. We’re close to 80 years of building a foundation. We’ve got racing series, not just Cup, but a portfolio of racing series that’s unrivaled in all of motorsports.

We have a solid charter foundation, a great broadcast agreement. We have tracks who are putting on the best fan experiences in the world. A schedule led by Ben that continues to evolve. An incredible amount of talented people within NASCAR.

Then when you look at our team ownership group, you have racers, you have titans of business, and you —

(Temporary loss of PressPass)

STEVE O’DONNELL: –drivers, tracks, manufacturers, OEMs, and probably most importantly for us, too, all of the talented employees we have at NASCAR. Not just the leadership team, but those who are out selling the tickets, interacting with the fans and can tell you what’s really happening, where we need the sport to go.

I know there’s a number of areas that we need to address and we’re going to move with urgency. What we’re going to need from this industry, and I’m talking to everyone in this industry now, is their collective intelligence. We have some of the brightest minds in all of motorsports each and every weekend in the garage. We have to tap into that, be united and work together.

Last couple things I’ll say is NASCAR has always been an American original. My job, our job, I think all of our jobs, is to make sure that the next generation of fans, wherever they grow up, whatever they do, wherever they come from, whatever makes them unique, knows that this sport belongs to them, not because we changed who we are but because new fans recognize what our core fans have known all along: that we’re a bad-ass American sport.

Jim, Mike, Lesa, many others at NASCAR who have mentored me, I want to continue to do the same. My teammate Ben, in his new role as COO, I think all of you that know Ben know he’s demonstrated an incredible ability. He’s a humble guy who works hard, has great new ideas. I couldn’t be more excited to work with Ben and elevate the sport and continue to work with a community that I love.

Ben, congrats. I’ll throw it over to you.

BEN KENNEDY: Thank you. I’d say firstly thank you to Jim. He’s been a great leader, mentor to me. To my mom Lesa, to Steve obviously, to Mike Helton, the entire board for believing in us, believing in the vision that we have, and doubling down on the sport.

Jim mentioned a story that we had during COVID. I think we both remember it vividly, of us going into the office every single day unsure of what was going to happen. It was a leadership team. A lot of the folks that are in the room today, a lot of new folks that we’ve brought in since then, have helped take this sport to the next level.

You think about everything this sport has accomplished over the last several years, going to new locations from a schedule perspective, all the work that John Probst and the team have done on the competition side, bringing new cars, thinking about our race portfolio, what the future that is going to bring to the table.

I’ve really enjoyed working with the events and venues team. I think it’s neat to be able to somewhat follow in my mom’s footsteps. She was always on the track side of the business, working with International Speedway Corporation.

Our events are critical to us. For me this comes a bit full circle. I’ve always been a competitor at heart. Had a chance to drive for 11 years. I raced out here at Talladega a couple times. Had a couple good and bad finishes along the way (smiling).

I love the racing aspect of the business. My first job coming at NASCAR was working with John Probst and the competition team. Looking forward to working with them and the rest of the leadership team.

Steve said it before that we have an incredible leadership team, not only at NASCAR, but our industry partners, broadcast partners, teams, tracks, drivers, OEMs. You can go down to the list.

We have a great group of people that are second to none in this industry. I think it’s rare that you find people that are truly passionate and care about this sport. We have a lot of that.

Look forward to the new challenge, rolling up our sleeves and getting back to work.

THE MODERATOR: We’ll take some questions.

The first thing you said in your opening was uniting the industry, everybody. You made similar comments back when the Chase was reintroduced on working on relationships in the garage, everybody getting off their own islands. Can you share have you already been in the garage? That seems like a big focus for you.

STEVE O’DONNELL: Yeah, no, that’s a really great question.

Yes, I think the Chase is an example of when we are at our best. Everyone contributed to that idea. Tim Clark led that for us. We had every stakeholder in the industry weighing in on what this could be.

You can see when we do those things, we don’t always agree on exactly what comes out, but everybody has had input. The results are usually pretty fantastic.

That’s probably an example of yes, that’s a start. We need that tenfold, creating new businesses, what is the future product we’re going to race, just getting ahead of it.

I think we do the day to day well, but where do we want to be five years from now. Working closely with Ben on that, setting a plan. If you were going to go interview any driver or track – what is the plan for the next five years, where do you want to be – they could all answer that somewhat similarly. That’s the goal.

Almost sounded like a call to action, unite the industry, listen to everybody, address matters with urgency. Is that an accurate assessment of this is not just swapping titles?

STEVE O’DONNELL: We’re going to get to work. We’ve already been at work. The big thing, twofold, we’re going to make some moves and have some fun. I think we lost that over the last couple years.

It is an unbelievable privilege to be in this position. My wife reminded me today that people would kill to be doing what you’re doing. That’s not lost on me.

It’s a privilege to do it, but it’s also fun, what we get to do each and every day. The race you just saw was unbelievable, the enthusiasm from the drivers. We got to showcase that, be proud of that, proud of who we are. I think you’ll see more of that.

Ben brings a lot of that for us. The younger generation reminding us of, Hey, you can’t take months and months to make a decision. TikTok, whatever it is, you got to be quick, but you got to be smart about it. I think he’s pushing for that, which is great.

Steve, you said you wanted the industry to be somewhat united. Where do you want this to be in five years?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Five years from now, if we’re clicking on all cylinders, you’ll see the sport be a must-have from TV partners, whatever the media may be. More and more sponsors activating across drivers. I think you’ll see drivers that are crossover superstars outside of racing. You’re seeing that happen more and more. Value of teams continue to increase.

Really the alignment is what is going to do it, bringing in new fans, but really being proud of who we are. I think we’ve got the opportunity. I go back to the foundation that the family has built. All those that have passed before us, regardless of where you were in the industry, built an incredible sport. We sometimes forget that.

So we’re building off of a foundation that is incredibly strong. We just got to do the right things to keep that growing.

Ben, I know over the past few years you’ve been viewed as the architect of the schedule. You will still oversee that process. Will there have to be adjustments made with the other added responsibilities that you have?

BEN KENNEDY: Yeah, a little bit. Recently Julie Giese, who you guys know, she’s been the president of Phoenix and headed up the Chicago Street Course for the past few years. She’s now leading all of our scheduling efforts.

She’s done a tremendous job already helping us build out the 2027 schedule. We’re actually leaving after this to sit down and talk with a few drivers about it.

We have a great team on the event and venues team, whether it’s the racetracks, folks are thinking about hospitality, food and beverage at our tracks. We have six or seven verticals that live within our team today. Then we get to add in John Probst and the competition folks together.

I think it’s neat that we get to bring competition and our tracks kind of closer together. Granted, we’ll be working with the rest of the leadership team.

If you think about some of the most important parts of our business and our DNA, when I think about it, it’s our events, it’s our venues and the cars we put on track. I think putting that team together in one department is going to be a neat opportunity.

Ben, you mentioned talking about getting back into the competition side of things. How has your background as a former racer served you as you relate to the current crop of drivers?

BEN KENNEDY: Yeah, it’s helpful. I didn’t realize when I was a driver, I didn’t think to realize how much it would help me coming to the business side of the sport.

Being a driver, going to the race shop every Tuesday and Wednesday, spending time with the team on the weekend, then being a team owner as well. We still have a late model team out at Daytona.

I think it’s also created a level of empathy in the garage area. More important than anything is the relationships I built being a driver and being a team owner. I think it’s really neat.

We had dinner with the champions in Phoenix after the race last year. To look around and see crew chiefs and drivers and engineers, folks that are Cup, O’Reilly and Truck champions that were my crew chiefs back in the day or my competitors. I think it’s really neat to think about that 10 years ago that they are now sitting on the stage celebrating their wins.

The relationships are critical in this business. I think just having a perspective and a competitive background just makes it a little bit easier.

STEVE O’DONNELL: If I could add to that. I’ll brag on Ben a bit.

Coming up through the ranks, a young driver is going to move to the competition portion of the business, John and I are like, Ben is coming in, he is going to work on the Truck Series. What does that mean? We sat down and said we have some relationship challenges, we need to go out and talk to some of the owners.

Natural question in this room or any one of us is he can do whatever he wants in the world. What’s going to happen? What’s going to be the drive?

Within three days we had a report from 36 team owners. He had met with every single team owner, had ideas where we could go.

In addition to the experience, I think he puts in the work. That’s respected by every one of our people at NASCAR. I think you see that in the garage, too, which is welcomed. It’s awesome.

Can you talk about the importance of the fan input as you go forward, things where fans can really feel as if they are having a say, I don’t know if that is the right expression but…

STEVE O’DONNELL: We’re the one sport which is awesome in the fact that they are the most passionate fans and you know where they stand.

I think with that passion, we lost a little bit of fans feeling like this was their sport. You’re seeing that come back. The ‘Hell Yeah!’ campaign is all about that.

But as we go forward, it’s taking their input and making some moves. The Chase was part of that. The Chase was making that move to go back.

I think there are a lot of other ideas that are out there that the fans go as what they see the drivers do, adding horsepower, doing some things this year that we’re going to continue to make those moves, hopefully in the right direction, that our fans embrace. Hopefully see that throughout this year.

With that, our fans are the best salespeople in the sports world, right? They love NASCAR. If we can get anyone here to the infield of Talladega, they’re going to be coming back. That’s the goal, is showcase to everyone what we love about this sport.

Steve, Mike Helton, even though titles were a little bit different, he pretty much ran things for a few years in the early 2000s. I’m curious, what did you see him do as a non-France family member in running the sport and/or what advice has he given you that you’ve taken to heart about running the France’s sport?

STEVE O’DONNELL: Mike Helton is the most respected guy I’ve seen in the industry. What I would say that Mike Helton has given to me, two things. He’s given me a ton. Two things that always stick out are: Whatever decision you make, who needs to know about what you just did? We have so many stakeholders to make sure that you over-communicate.

The other thing I know about Mike, he does not brag or talk about this. That guy is calling everybody on Christmas Day. He’s talking to the drivers. He’s talking to crew chiefs.

Everybody has a story about Mike Helton, how he’s reached out, how he’s been always door’s open. Never changed the cell phone number in the entire time he’s been here. Why? He wants everyone to have access, be able to talk to him.

The lesson I’ve learned is you better be accessible. You can’t always agree, but you better listen. You better go back and talk to people. If you’re going to go left or right, you decide to go left, you better explain why you didn’t go right. As long as you have a good reason, everything will work out.

The last thing I’d say is if I could have a quarter of the respect that Mike garnered in this industry, I think it would be a pretty successful run.

Ben, he’s sitting right next to you, try to be as honest as possible, but a lot has been made about Steve being a non-France family member to ascend into this role. Maybe it will be your job one day. Why haven’t you taken it already? Can you explain why Steve is the guy for the role, why you’re not there already, and the fact that he is a non-France family member.

BEN KENNEDY: Yeah, Steve talked a lot about Mike. I would almost make some analogies to stuff as well. I feel like Mike was a mentor to Steve, and Steve has been a big mentor to me. He was the first person I called when I said, Hey, I want to take the job at NASCAR, come and work for you guys. We had a lot of conversations over the off-season before I did that.

I think with him and Mike having a competition lens and a competition background is really helpful in the industry. I think it’s given him the credibility and respect in the garage area that Steve has built over his 30-plus years at NASCAR.

Being able to know all the different stakeholders in the industry, whether it’s teams, drivers, a lot of our partners, he’s built that and fostered those relationships over a long period of time. I think that is what has helped make him so successful, our sport so successful from that perspective.

The other thing I appreciate about Steve is his honesty and transparency. You see it through the hallways, any time we’re in a meeting, he’s straight up with you. He’ll tell you how it is, whether it’s good, bad or indifferent. I appreciate that about him.

I look forward to working alongside him and seeing some more success.

THE MODERATOR: Ben, can you tell the story about you guys and the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, how that happened.

BEN KENNEDY: Yeah, so Steve and I were I think it was 2019 he texted me and said, We need to start working on our schedule. 2020 schedule, made some big moves. Wanted to work on the ’21 schedule. It was an opportunity for us to start thinking bigger and bolder.

We went on a world tour in the fall of ’19. Went to Chicago. That was the first meeting we had over lunch.

STEVE O’DONNELL: Soldier Field, forgot that it was a little small.

BEN KENNEDY: We tried Soldier Field. That didn’t work.

That was when we first sat down and talked about the street course. Then we shortly went to L.A. after. We were driving all around southern California. We know how many fans we have in that region. We went to four or five different pit stops of different potential locations we could go to.

Driving down the highway, I remember seeing the L.A. Coliseum we were driving by. Man, that place is cool. I think they had some Super Bowls there, big events in the past. It would be wild if you could actually pull off an event. This is right after the Soldier Field conversation.

I think we went to the website, found the general manager’s email address, shot him a note. About a month later we went and sat down with them. That was the genesis of what led to the Clash at the Coliseum.

THE MODERATOR: All from the rental car (smiling).

Steve, you talked about expanding the fan base. For years, as long as I’ve been involved with the sport, the 18 to 39s have been the elusive Holy Grail. How do you attract those new fans and still maintain the core base that you’ve got?

STEVE O’DONNELL: I think you’re seeing it. The first part I would address the core.

As the core got older, it’s important for us to make sure that their kids understand what was so cool about NASCAR. As they’re coming back, which they are, that’s great for us, you bring that generation.

On the newer fans or the younger fans, you’ve seen us make some really bold moves, new television agreement. Having someone like Amazon come in, the demo got much younger already, we can see that. Some of the events that Ben talked about, younger fans are coming to those races.

When you look at the marketing campaign, what we’re doing socially and digitally, those numbers have been through the roof this year. We’re seeing a lot younger engagement. We’re actually doing less in terms of what we posted. The quality of what Jeff Smith is putting out is incredible. People are engaging.

I judge by my kids on whether or not we’re cool or they’re pointing out stuff that I haven’t pointed out that is cool. I know we’re onto a good thing.

A lot of work still to be done. You’re seeing that come in and seeing it be done being proud of who we are. We chased some things that may not have worked, but we’re being way more authentic now and it’s working.

THE MODERATOR: I think that will wrap it up for us. Appreciate you being here. Thank you, gentlemen, for sharing time with us.

— NASCAR —

The current NASCAR Cup Series points leader, 23XI Racing‘s Tyler Reddick will start his No. 45 Toyota from pole position according to the rule book. He has earned four of his five race wins from pole position this season and if he wins Sunday, would become the first driver since the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt to win three consecutive races on drafting style tracks. He‘s previously won the Daytona 500 season-opener and at Atlanta‘s EchoPark Speedway.

Two-time and reigning series champion Kyle Larson will start his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet alongside Reddick on the front row in pursuit of his career first Talladega trophy. Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Denny Hamlin will start third in the No. 11 Toyota, with 23XI Racing‘s Bubba Wallace and JGR‘s Chase Briscoe rounding out the top-five.

The current winningest driver on the 3.66-mile Talladega high banks, Brad Keselowski will roll off sixth in the No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford racing for his seventh ‘Dega victory and first anywhere since 2024. Defending Talladega race winner, Penske Racing‘s Austin Cindric will roll off 13th in the No. 2 Ford.

“I think it [qualifying] provides you an advantage on pit road and I think anytime you come to these tracks with a 500-mile race you‘re going to have to come from behind at some point, come from the back foot at some point, so from a track position standpoint, ideally you‘d like to start up front,‘‘ Cindric said.

“Otherwise having a good pit stall is critically important. We see pit road execution being absolutely critical at these races — all races — but behind able to have an opening or pick who you‘re around in a more “earned scenario, I see that as the most important thing missed today.”

There have been 11 different race winners in the last 11 Talladega races. Briscoe won in the series‘ last trip to Talladega and would be the first driver since Ryan Blaney (2019-2020) to win in consecutive races here.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

“Eladio‘s impact on the global music stage makes him an exciting choice to lead the field to green at Talladega Superspeedway,” said Josh Harris, Regional President, Talladega Superspeedway and Darlington Raceway. “He‘s built an impressive career that resonates with fans around the world, and that level of influence matches the energy and scale of what we deliver here each race weekend.”

Born in Kansas City and raised in Puerto Rico, Eladio brings a bicultural perspective that has helped shape his distinctive voice in Latin trap and reggaeton. Known for his sharp lyricism, versatility, and global collaborations, he has built a massive international following, surpassing 5 billion YouTube views and more than 5.1 billion streams across platforms.

His catalog includes standout hits such as “Coco Chanel,” “Kemba Walker,” “Mbappe,” and “Si La Calle Llama” while collaborating with fellow heavyweights such as Bad Bunny, Lil Wayne, Karol G, 50 Cent, Future, J. Balvin, Big Sean, Peso Pluma and others.

Eladio earned his first Latin GRAMMY® Award in 2023 for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Song with “Coco Chanel” and has also landed three consecutive Top 40 appearances on the Billboard 200 charts with “Don Kbrn” (2025), “Sol Maria” (2024) and “3men2 Kbrn” (2023).

Eladio is known for his electric performances and has lit up stages at Coachella, Governors Ball, SXSW and sold-out arenas worldwide.

The spring race weekend action at Talladega Superspeedway kicks off on Saturday, April 25, with a doubleheader. The ARCA Menards Series will hit the track in the Alabama Manufactured Housing 200 a 12:30 p.m. ET followed by the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series Ag-Pro 300 at 4:00 p.m. ET. On Sunday, April 26, the NASCAR Cup Series stars will duke it out during the Jack Link‘s 500 to close out the weekend at 3:00 p.m. ET.

— Talldega Superspeedway —

Effective immediately, O‘Donnell becomes the first non-France family member to serve as CEO in NASCAR‘s 78-year history. He assumes all strategic and operational leadership for NASCAR, its affiliated racing series and businesses. Kennedy, in his expanded role as Chief Operating Officer, will oversee several core business functions, including the addition of NASCAR‘s competition department, alongside his current leadership of track and event operations, racing innovation, hospitality, and venue strategy. Jim France, who served as NASCAR Chairman and CEO since 2018 where he oversaw nearly a decade of innovation and steady growth, will remain as Chairman of NASCAR‘s Board of Directors. Lesa France Kennedy also continues as Executive Vice Chair and NASCAR‘s Board of Directors remains unchanged.

“I am incredibly proud of the strength and stability we‘ve achieved across the sport, which gives me tremendous confidence in our plan to transition leadership to Steve as NASCAR‘s next CEO and Ben as COO,” said NASCAR Chairman Jim France. “Together, they represent the future of the sport, and along with our world-class executive team and race team partners in the garage, they will guide NASCAR into its exciting next era.”

As CEO, O‘Donnell will focus on advancing NASCAR‘s vision as one of the world‘s premier sports and entertainment brands. Previously serving as NASCAR‘s sixth President, O‘Donnell is one of the sport‘s longest tenured and respected executives with more than 30 years of service across competition, operations, marketing and business functions — from grassroots racing through the NASCAR Cup Series. He will also lead the development and execution of multi year strategic plans, financial and performance benchmarks, succession planning, as well as NASCAR‘s next media rights and evolving content distribution strategies.

“It is an honor to step into the role of CEO working alongside Ben and our leadership team at such an important time for our sport,” said NASCAR Chief Executive Officer Steve O‘Donnell. “I have devoted nearly my entire l career to NASCAR, this garage and our fans, guided by the France family‘s commitment to deliver the best racing in the world. I am grateful and energized to continue to collaborate with our colleagues across our sport, while listening to our race fans to realize that vision each and every week.”

With Ben Kennedy‘s elevation to NASCAR‘s Chief Operating Officer, he will oversee a range of business- and competition-critical functions, including the addition of Competition led by John Probst. Probst will report to Kennedy, who began his NASCAR career on the Competition team as General Manager of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Kennedy will also continue to oversee the creation of NASCAR‘s highly anticipated annual schedule, a key driver of marquee events that expand NASCAR‘s reach and introduce the sport to new audiences while honoring its most beloved racing traditions that have delivered many iconic sports moments.

— NASCAR —

See the early report about these changes here.

Talladega Superspeedway marks the debut of the Roush 50th Anniversary decal as the track embodies the boldness and belief required to chase big ideas. The decal serves as a meaningful tribute to the engineering foundation at the heart of the car and the minds that have powered Roush innovation and performance for decades.

In a relentless pursuit of performance, Jack Roush built his organizations with the same mindset, blending engineering precision with a willingness to push beyond convention. As founder of both Roush and the race team that philosophy continues to shape RFK Racing today.

“Roush was built on the belief that innovation never stands still, and that mindset is woven into everything we do at RFK Racing,” said Chip Bowers, President of RFK Racing. “Seeing the 50th Anniversary decal on our cars is a powerful reminder that performance starts with people, engineers and risk-takers who refuse to stop pushing what‘s possible. We‘re proud to represent that legacy on track as we continue racing towards what‘s next.”

The celebration continues June 7 when RFK Racing returns to Michigan, where Roush was born in 1976. There, all three RFK Racing entries will carry an additional special edition Roush anniversary decal on the A-Post. The tribute marks five decades since Jack Roush founded the company in Michigan and honors a legacy built on a relentless drive to solve the next big challenge, values that continue to shape RFK Racing on and off track as the racing organization competes in its 39th NASCAR Cup Series season.

RFK Racing has seen much success over the years at its coined home track, Michigan International Speedway. Chris Buescher most recently brought home the victory in 2023, scoring RFK Racing‘s 14th NASCAR Cup Series win there. The team is looking to make it 15 wins in June for an ultimate anniversary celebration in Victory Lane.

For half a century, Roush has grown from a small engineering operation into a global, do‑it‑all organization tackling some of the world‘s most complex challenges, from advanced mobility and aerospace to sustainability and immersive experiences. All fueled by the visionaries behind the work, Roush‘s‘ past is celebrated, its future limitless, and its impact felt far beyond the racetrack.

“From the very beginning, we were built on the idea that every challenge has a solution. Keep trying to solve the next big thing. That‘s why we‘re still here. That‘s how we stay motivated for the future.” Jack Roush, Founder & Chairman

What began in 1976 as a bold vision fueled by grit and ingenuity has become a get-it-done company making impact on industries across the globe. It took endless determination to get us here. In 2026, the same determination keeps us firmly focused on the future of mobility, aerospace, defense and more. Roush‘s 50th anniversary gives us the opportunity to share our story — celebrating our growth, the evolution of our capabilities, and the incredible people behind it all.

From racetracks to proving grounds, from advanced simulations to cleaner mobility and beyond, Jack Roush‘s belief in empowering people who want to do great things and trusting them to create the extraordinary continues to shape every chapter of our story. Join Roush as we celebrate fifty years of limit-busting, pure magic, and adrenaline.

To learn more about the Roush legacy go to https://www.roush.com/50years/

— RFK Racing —

NASCAR is also promoting Ben Kennedy, France‘s great-nephew, to chief operating officer from his current position as executive vice president and chief venue and racing innovations officer, those sources said. The moves will be announced this weekend.

Naming O‘Donnell CEO represents a seismic departure for NASCAR, which was founded by the France family in 1948 and has since always had a family member in the top day-to-day role. O‘Donnell was named NASCAR president last year and is celebrating his 30th anniversary with the company.

France, 81, remains as NASCAR‘s chairman, and his 54 percent ownership stake in NASCAR is unchanged. The other 46 percent of the company is owned by his niece, Lesa France Kennedy, Ben Kennedy‘s mom.

See much more at The Athletic.

Flagg will have the distinction of driving a 2026 Chevrolet Corvette to pace the NASCAR Cup Series field to the green flag for the start of the WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY beginning at 2:30 p.m. CT (TV: FS1, Radio: PRN, SiriusXM). It will mark his first-ever NASCAR race experience — and it comes with the best seat in the house.

“Being asked to drive the official pace car at Texas Motor Speedway is such an honor,” Flagg said. “My Mom and Dad are both big NASCAR fans so we‘re excited; this is going to be a special experience for our family.”

Flagg, the 19-year-old former Duke star and No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, recently concluded a brilliant first season with the Mavericks. He led the team in scoring and was among the league‘s top-performing rookies throughout the year. Flagg‘s 21.0 scoring average also led all NBA rookies this season.

His season included multiple standout performances, highlighted by becoming the youngest player in NBA history to score 50+ points and the youngest to record 45+ points in consecutive games.

The WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY anchors a NASCAR tripleheader at Texas Motor Speedway. The weekend also includes the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 250 on Friday, May 1, at 7 p.m. and O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series Andy‘s Frozen Custard 340 on Saturday, May 2, at 2:30 p.m. For more information or tickets, please visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

— Texas Motor Speedway —

The race is part of the NASCAR tripleheader weekend at “The Great American Speedway.” On-track action begins Friday with NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series practice at 1:35 p.m. CT, followed by qualifying at 2:40 p.m. CT. The day concludes with the Truck Series race at 7 p.m. CT (TV: FS1; Radio: NASCAR Racing Network, SiriusXM).

“Our partnership with Cory Roper and Halmar Friesen Racing is an exciting extension of our commitment to performance and customer engagement,” said Mike Cooper, Chief Commercial Officer of RelaDyne. “Drydene is built on a legacy of hard work and innovation, delivering products that perform day in and day out. This partnership allows us to showcase that performance on a national stage while connecting with our customers, partners, and fans.”

“All of us at Halmar Friesen Racing are thrilled to partner with Drydene and Cory Roper for Texas,” said Stewart Friesen, co-owner of HFR and driver of the No. 52 truck. “Cory has been a longtime friend of our organization, and we‘re excited to have him behind the wheel of our TRD Pro #62. With Drydene‘s support, we believe this is a strong, competitive combination and a great opportunity for everyone involved.”

RelaDyne and Drydene are also using this sponsorship and other races this weekend to kick off #MayMeansMotorsports — a month-long celebration of the brand‘s deep-rooted presence in racing. Drydene has a strong history in motorsports, including its longstanding partnership with Logan Schuchart and Shark Racing in the World of Outlaws, its recent non-wing sprint car sponsorship with Wesley Smith Racing, involvement with Petty Performance Racing at the Chili Bowl, and the newly announced entitlement of the Drydene Stockyard Stampede at Texas Motor Speedway during NASCAR weekend on April 30 and May 2. Through these partnerships, Drydene continues to align with performance, durability, and the hardworking teams and drivers who represent the brand both on and off the track.

As RelaDyne continues to expand the Drydene brand nationwide, partnerships like this reinforce its commitment to performance and reliability in the commercial and industrial space. RelaDyne is proud to bring that performance to life on the track through its partnership with Cory Roper and Halmar Friesen Racing on May 1.

— Halmar Friesen Racing —

The court determined that Gabehart improperly acquired JGR‘s confidential information before his departure, including sensitive competitive data such as race strategy, engineering analytics, financial details, and proprietary performance models. Evidence showed he copied or photographed this information and stored it on personal devices without authorization. The judge concluded that these materials qualify as trade secrets and that Gabehart‘s actions constitute actual or threatened misappropriation, warranting injunctive relief restricting his use or disclosure of the information.

In addition, the court upheld the enforceability of Gabehart‘s noncompete agreement, which restricts him from performing similar services for competing NASCAR teams for up to 18 months. The judge found the agreement reasonable in scope and necessary to protect JGR‘s business interests, particularly given Gabehart‘s high-level role and access to sensitive information. As a result, the injunction will also limit his ability to work in comparable positions during the restricted period.

However, the court denied JGR‘s request for injunctive relief against Spire Motorsports, finding insufficient evidence that the team had acquired, used, or was likely to use JGR‘s trade secrets. The judge rejected arguments based on the “inevitable disclosure” theory, noting that courts in the jurisdiction have not adopted that doctrine. While the case will proceed on the merits, the ruling maintains restrictions on Gabehart individually while allowing Spire to continue operations without direct court-imposed limitations at this time.

A federal judge in the Western District of North Carolina has granted in part and denied in part a motion for a preliminary injunction filed by Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) against former employee Christopher Gabehart and his new employer, Spire Motorsports. The ruling finds that JGR is likely to succeed on key claims against Gabehart, including misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of his employment agreement, but declines to extend similar relief to Spire at this stage.

The court determined that Gabehart improperly acquired JGR‘s confidential information before his departure, including sensitive competitive data such as race strategy, engineering analytics, financial details, and proprietary performance models. Evidence showed he copied or photographed this information and stored it on personal devices without authorization. The judge concluded that these materials qualify as trade secrets and that Gabehart‘s actions constitute actual or threatened misappropriation, warranting injunctive relief restricting his use or disclosure of the information.

In addition, the court upheld the enforceability of Gabehart‘s noncompete agreement, which restricts him from performing similar services for competing NASCAR teams for up to 18 months. The judge found the agreement reasonable in scope and necessary to protect JGR‘s business interests, particularly given Gabehart‘s high-level role and access to sensitive information. As a result, the injunction will also limit his ability to work in comparable positions during the restricted period.

However, the court denied JGR‘s request for injunctive relief against Spire Motorsports, finding insufficient evidence that the team had acquired, used, or was likely to use JGR‘s trade secrets. The judge rejected arguments based on the “inevitable disclosure” theory, noting that courts in the jurisdiction have not adopted that doctrine. While the case will proceed on the merits, the ruling maintains restrictions on Gabehart individually while allowing Spire to continue operations without direct court-imposed limitations at this time.

A spokesperson for the Iredell County Sheriff‘s Office told WBTV that there is a person of interest in the case, even though no arrests had been made as of Thursday, April 23. Authorities did not release the name of the person of interest, as of Thursday.

The ICSO sent a press release Thursday night confirming search warrants were conducted at two different locations. WBTV was on-site as the warrant was being executed at 2863 Saint James Church Road in Denver. The other search warrant was executed at 144 McCrary Creek Road in Mooresville.

— WBTV —

Paring drivers with regional military bases for a day-in-the-life of men and women in the Armed Forces, Mission 600 serves as a prelude to Charlotte Motor Speedway‘s patriotic pre-race salute to the troops prior to the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend. With representation from all six branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, the salute embodies the patriotism and service of the nation‘s men and women in uniform.

During his visit with MAG-31, Elliott toured the flight line of the famed F-35B, where he was treated to a Level 2 aerial demonstration of the world’s first supersonic, stealth fighter capable of Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL). Elliott also took part in a hands-on demonstration on loading inert ordnance onto the cutting-edge machines and saw first-hand how crews work together — like a NASCAR pit crew — to maintain and operate the elite machines.

“Having lived the NASCAR world for so many years, it‘s so much a team effort and a team sport. The drivers are nothing without their teams, and that‘s the truth,” Elliott said. “Coming here today and watching what goes on the flight line right before one of these F-35s get ready to go, I see very much the same type of teamwork that the teams have here — and also a lot of trust. I‘m putting a lot of trust in my crew to make sure all the bolts are tight before we go out there and push those cars to the limit, much like the pilots do for their crews before they go and push their airplanes to the limit. A lot of respect for that combination and getting it right. Executing that is a tough thing.”

Following lunch with Marines in the Officers‘ Club, Elliott climbed into the cockpit of a state-of-the-art F-18 simulator to try his hand at a series of maneuverability and dogfighting exercises.

“It’s always great to show off the cool gray war-fighting machines that we have out there, but what‘s more important in instances like this is, I get to take them into the squadrons and see the unsung heroes that we have out here, which are maintainers,” said MAG-31, commanding officer, Col. Michael Cassidy. “We’ve got an 18- to 21-year-old workforce which is kind of the baseline of what we do here, and we trust them every day to get out there and turn the wrenches to keep these war fighting machines in the air.”

Mission 600 continues next week Ross Chastain visits Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a tradition for the defending race winner to kick off national Military Appreciation Month. Additional scheduled visits in 2026 include Austin Dillon visiting the 82^nd Airborne at Fort Bragg (U.S. Army), Daniel Suarez traveling to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and Joey Logano spending time with members at the U.S. Coast Guard Stations Elizabeth City. The military tributes will culminate during a rousing pre-race celebration ahead of the Coca-Cola 600.

“The Coke 600 has always been a top-notch experience from my perspective,” Elliott said. “It makes me very proud to be part of the sport on weekends like that. Having the chance to meet so many service men and women from across the country who come in and get to experience that firsthand — to express appreciation that you might not get to on a normal day. I think NASCAR, for all the things that we do, that is one that we‘ve always gotten right. Charlotte Motor Speedway has had a big hand in that too, over the years. It‘s one of the best experiences throughout the season that I get to be a part of and I‘m really proud to say that you‘re part of that show.”

“This documentary really shows what goes into trying to complete The Double, not just on race day, but in the weeks and months leading up to it,” Larson said. “I‘ve always felt like people watch us race, but they don‘t see what it takes to get there. Having cameras around for two years gives a real look at my life — the preparation, the pressure, the travel and the balance between racing and family. There are moments fans have never seen before, and I think it really captures how hard it is to do what we do and chase something big.”

In motorsports, there are feats so audacious they border on impossible. For Kyle Larson, that feat was The Double — an attempt to complete two of auto racing‘s crown jewel events in a single day: the legendary Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR‘s grueling Coca-Cola 600, a combined 1,100 miles of racing across two different cities, two fundamentally different cars and two of the most demanding tracks in the world. But the film goes beyond the attempt itself, offering a personal look at Larson‘s life and career — the mindset, the sacrifices, and the people around him who make it possible. It also shows the true scale of what it takes. The logistical challenge of The Double is staggering — racing 500 miles at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, then flying from Indiana to North Carolina to climb into a stock car and complete NASCAR‘s longest event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, all while managing the extreme physical toll of heat, dehydration, G-forces and mental exhaustion. Only a handful of drivers have ever dared to attempt it, but in 2024 and 2025, Larson pushed himself to the absolute limit in pursuit of one of racing‘s most elusive accomplishments.

Sometimes the most compelling stories in sports aren‘t about crossing the finish line — they‘re about the sheer will and determination it takes to compete at the highest level. “Kyle Larson vs. The Double” captures something rare: a story that departs from the typical sports narratives and instead finds meaning in the relentless pursuit of overcoming multiple challenges on and off the track. Through Larson‘s two-year journey, the documentary reveals what it looks like when an elite competitor refuses to accept limitations — the training, the sacrifice, the physical and emotional toll, and the drive to attempt something that tests your limits not once, but twice, despite knowing the odds.

Directed by Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Cynthia Hill, “Kyle Larson vs. The Double” is a Markay Media and Imagine Documentaries production, in association with NASCAR Studios, Hendrick Motorsports and Penske Entertainment. “Kyle Larson vs. The Double” is executive produced by Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Sara Bernstein, Meredith Kaulfers, Justin Wilkes of Imagine Documentaries, Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports and Tim Clark and John Dahl of NASCAR Studios. Cynthia Hill and Sandra Katherine Davidson serve as producers.

NASCAR on Prime returns for its second season of exclusive coverage on Sunday, May 24 at 6 p.m. ET with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the first of five consecutive NASCAR Cup Series races. Fans in the U.S. will be able to watch NASCAR live at home or on the go, and across hundreds of compatible devices, streaming from the web or using the Prime Video app on smartphones, tablets, set-top boxes, game consoles and connected TVs.

— Prime —

“Caylee has been on iconic stages all throughout her career and will ignite the same unstoppable energy on the stage at Talladega Superspeedway,” said Josh Harris, Region President, Talladega Superspeedway and Darlington Raceway. “With Caylee opening for Kip, this show is sure to match the adrenaline and excitement that fans expect from a race weekend.”

Caylee is a singer/songwriter and native of Ellaville, Georgia. She has racked up almost 275 million career global streams to date, won an ACM Award for Musical Event of the Year (“Fooled Around And Fell In Love” with Miranda Lambert), and picked up “Artist to Watch” accolades from “The Bobby Bones Show” and “Rolling Stone,” among other honors.

Her sophomore album BED OF ROSES was named on the “25 BEST ALBUMS OF 2025” (Rolling Stone) and one of the “10 BEST COUNTRY ALUBMS OF 2025” (Billboard). Caylee has shared stages with a long list of iconic artists, including Kip Moore.

After just wrapping up her BED OF ROSES ACOUSTIC TOUR, she will now be joining Brooks & Dunn‘s NEON MOON TOUR 2026 this fall.

The spring race weekend action at Talladega Superspeedway kicks off on Saturday, April 25, with a doubleheader. The ARCA Menards Series will hit the track in the Alabama Manufactured Housing 200 followed by the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series Ag-Pro 300 at 4:00 p.m. ET. On Sunday, April 26, the NASCAR Cup Series stars will duke it out during the Jack Link‘s 500 to close out the weekend at 3:00 p.m. ET.

For ticketing information and more details about upcoming events, including the Jack Link‘s 500 race weekend, visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com.

— Talladega Superspeedway —

The partnership links SunFire‘s American-made heating products with one of motorsports‘ most demanding competitive stages. SunFire manufactures radiant heaters for shops, garages and job sites that require dependable, odor-free and fume-free heat.

“We are thrilled to partner with Joey Gase and his team,” said Michael Perleberg, sales and brand manager at SunFire. “Joey represents the determination and reliability we build into every SunFire heater. Our heaters are hand-crafted in Wisconsin using premium components and deliver powerful, clean heat without smell or fumes. We are excited to bring that same level of performance to the track and introduce SunFire to racing fans across the country.”

Gase, driver and co-owner of Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen, said the partnership is a natural fit.

“In racing, you need equipment you can trust in tough conditions, just like the shops and garages that rely on SunFire heaters every day,” Gase said. “Their American-made quality and radiant heating technology make them a strong fit for our program. I look forward to showcasing SunFire on the car and delivering strong results for our fans and partners.”

More information is available at sunfireheaters.com.

— Joey Gase Motorsports —

The sponsorship builds directly on SPIRE Academy‘s landmark $6 million, five-year partnership with Vensure Employer Solutions, a global leader in HR technology and workforce solutions, announced in February and one of the largest in youth sports history. Together, these moves reflect a deliberate strategy: extend SPIRE Academy‘s reach beyond its campus and into national conversations about high performance, workforce development, and the future of youth sports. The Nashville race is the partnership’s most visible national activation to date, putting both brands in front of a Cup Series audience on a prime-time broadcast.

“This is a national moment for SPIRE Academy, and it’s one our team, student-athletes, families, and alumni can genuinely own,” said Steve Sanders, CEO of SPIRE Academy. “Putting our name on the No. 16 car in Nashville, alongside a partner like Vensure, is exactly the kind of stage we’ve been building toward. We welcome athletes from around the world to Geneva, and we’re proud that a moment like this carries Northeast Ohio with it. Matt Kaulig and Kaulig Racing are the perfect partners for that story.”

Matt Kaulig is an award-winning entrepreneur, business owner, and philanthropist from Northeast Ohio. He quarterbacked the University of Akron Zips football team in the 1990s before founding Leaf Home, a contractor business he started out of his home in 2005, which is now one of the largest direct-to-consumer home products companies in the United States and Canada.

Today, he is the executive chairman of Kaulig Companies Limited, his single-member family office, known for offering a diverse spectrum of businesses, which includes sports and entertainment, marketing and events, private equity, real estate, and philanthropy, with a focus on children and families. His sports venture includes Kaulig Racing, a multi-car NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team, and he is minority owner of the Cleveland Guardians baseball team along with sponsoring and running The Kaulig Companies Championship, a PGA Champions Tour Major at Firestone CC in Akron, Ohio.

“Being from Northeast Ohio, it’s great to see SPIRE Academy showing the world that the highest level of youth sports performance is right here,” said Kaulig. “What they‘re building is real, and it matches how we race, with high standards, high performance, and no shortcuts. We‘re proud to put them on the No. 16 car in Nashville and help tell that story on a national stage.”

Kaulig‘s longtime driver, Allmendinger, shares the enthusiasm. “I think NASCAR fans and all sports fans are going to hear more about SPIRE Academy in the future,” said Allmendinger. “The best young athletes in America and across the world are going to see it as a place to improve their skills and get ready for high-performance competition. I hope this sponsorship in NASCAR increases awareness and gives all these students and supporters something to cheer about.”
“We don‘t think about sponsorships as logo placement — we think about them as long-term commitments to people,” said Phil Urso, Chief Sales Officer of Vensure Employer Solutions. “SPIRE Academy is building the next generation of high performers, not just in sports, but in life and work. NASCAR gives us a national platform to tell that story, because high performance, preparation, and accountability matter whether you‘re competing on the track, in the classroom, or in the workforce. That alignment is why this partnership works.”

“I’ve always believed that the right partners don’t just share your logo. They share your standards. Vensure understood that from day one, and so does Kaulig Racing,” said Amy Liles, Head of Partnerships at SPIRE Academy. “Having Crimson Education, Nuclear Printing, and Ironhorse on the No. 16 alongside us in Nashville is a reflection of what we’re building here: a group of organizations that see the same future for athlete development and want to be part of it.”

The Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway runs Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Lebanon, Tennessee. For more information about SPIRE Academy, visit spireacademy.com. For details on Vensure Employer Solutions, visit vensure.com.

— Kaulig Racing —

The FaithFest 250 presented by Mercer Transportation is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, at 12:30 p.m., ahead of NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying for the Window World 450.

Although the NASCAR All-Star Race has been held at the venue for three consecutive years since 2023, the Window World 450 on Sunday, July 19, will mark the first time the event has paid Cup Series points since Jeff Gordon‘s victory in September of 1996. The zMAX CARS Tour will kick off the weekend with a Friday-night doubleheader on July 17.

“We are so thankful to Mercer Transportation and Brent Wooten for allowing FaithFest to be a part of the NASCAR Truck Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway,” said Craig Church, founder of FaithFest. “This is a special event since it is the first full points race weekend at the racetrack since 1996. We are excited to be a part of something this historic, but even more, we are here for something eternal. I have given the rest of my life to seek and to save, letting people know they can find true hope in Jesus Christ. Jesus is Lord, and He has radically changed my life. My prayer is simply that people will find the peace and joy I have in Jesus and have the eternal hope of heaven.”

Each year, FaithFest draws thousands of attendees to the region and features performances by nationally known Christian artists. The organization also supports local outreach efforts year-round. FaithFest Evangelistic Ministries will hold a prerace service and pre-race concert by Crabb before the Truck Series hits the track Saturday afternoon.

A two-time GRAMMY Award winner and 22-time GMA Dove Award winner, Jason Crabb has been named both Artist of the Year and Male Artist of the Year by the GMA Dove Awards. Over a three-decade-plus career, Crabb has carved a path across Southern Gospel, Country, Gospel and Pop music and touched nearly every part of the Christian and Gospel music community. Crabb collaborated with Dylan Scott for “Good Morning Mercy” as well as Trace Adkins and Zach Williams for “God Can Use a Broken Man.”

“I have been blessed to be a part of FaithFest since its inception in 2017. I am so excited about all the Lord is doing through this ministry, as the Gospel is boldly proclaimed and Jesus is lifted high,” said Crabb. “I am looking forward to singing about His powerful name at the FaithFest 250. Come join us at the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway, in July! ”

A Sunday morning sunrise service will also be hosted by FaithFest Evangelistic Ministries in the Fan Zone prior to the Cup Series Window World 450. FaithFest Evangelistic Ministries exists to reach the lost and revive the church through gathering and going where the gospel is preached and the presence of God is encountered. Its mission is to offer faith-forming events and go where God opens a door, giving people the opportunity to experience Jesus.

“We are honored to sponsor the Truck Series race at North Wilkesboro Speedway,” said Brent Wooten, managing agent at Mercer Transportation. “Racing brings people together, but what excites us most is the opportunity to stand alongside FaithFest Evangelistic Ministries and be part of something that goes far beyond the track. Our goal is simple: if, through this effort, we can help reach one more soul for Jesus, then it‘s all worth it.”

Mercer Transportation, based in Louisville, Kentucky, was founded in 1977 on a simple idea: pay drivers promptly and treat them fairly. What began with three men has grown into a nationwide full truckload transportation network known for stability, service and long-term relationships.

In 1995, the first year of the Craftsman Truck Series, Mike Bliss picked up the win at North Wilkesboro Speedway, followed a year later by Mark Martin. Since the track‘s revitalization, Kyle Larson, Corey Heim and Chandler Smith have each earned a victory at the storied arena.

— North Wilkesboro Speedway —

Haas Factory Team‘s Sheldon Creed (No. 00 Chevrolet), Richard Childress Racing‘s Jesse Love (No. 2 Chevrolet), JR Motorsports‘ Justin Allgaier (No. 7 Chevrolet) and last week‘s Kansas winner Taylor Gray (No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) will compete for the big money this weekend.

It is Allgaier‘s record 26th time being eligible for the Dash 4 Cash bonus and conversely, Gray‘s first. The 2024 series champ Allgaier leads all drivers having captured the award eight times in his career.

It‘s been a stellar start for the veteran, whose three victories and eight top-five showings through the opening 10 races are tops in the field. He‘s on a streak of seven straight top-five finishes and is the only driver in the series to earn stage points in every single race stage this season.

And for the effort. … Allgaier holds a staggering 131-point lead over Creed atop the championship standings. He‘s nearly 200 points up on fifth place — 196 points ahead of JGR‘s Brandon Jones.

Love, who sits third in the championship, 149 off Allgaier‘s blistering pace, holds the mark for most laps led this season (224) and has proven himself especially good on the big tracks, such as Talladega, where in 2024 he scored his first series victory.

He‘s started from the front row in all four of his Talladega starts — winning pole position the last three races — and he‘s 4-for-4 in top-10 finishes at the sport‘s biggest track leading an impressive 125 laps in that span.

Both Allgaier and Love know they will have to beat Love‘s RCR teammate, Austin Hill for a trophy shot. Hill has won the last two NOAPS races at ‘Dega holding off another two-time Talladega winner Jeb Burton in last spring‘s race.

“Anything can happen at Talladega,” said Allgaier, whose best Talladega finish is runner-up (2016). “It‘s such an unpredictable style of racing. Thankfully, JR Motorsports has always brought great cars to the superspeedways and I know that we will have another one on Saturday.

“Hopefully we can keep our nose clean all race long, work well with our teammates, and be in position to fight for both the win and the Dash 4 Cash bonus.”

Kennametal Pole Qualifying is set for Friday at 5:30 p.m. ET (CW App).

— NASCAR Wire Service —

And even as unpredictable as the big drafting tracks may be there is every reason to believe the 30-year-old Californian is still a favorite yet again this week heading to the sport‘s largest venue, the 2.66-mile Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway for Sunday‘s Jack Link‘s 500 (3 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) — a race he won in 2024.

There have been only five winners in the opening nine races — including a first-timer Ty Gibbs at Bristol, Tenn. – with Reddick‘s five trophies the largest haul through this part of the season since similar work completed by the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt in 1987. The excellence has propelled Reddick‘s championship lead over his team co-owner and fellow Toyota driver, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin to a massive 105 points.

Even the few races Reddick hasn‘t won, he‘s still proven to be on-game, posting a series-best average finish this season of 5.0. And he‘s been perfect on drafting tracks so far with wins in the season-opening Daytona 500 and then at Atlanta‘s EchoPark Speedway the next week.

Yet if there is any speedway where the rest of the field perpetually feels competitive in the always-unpredictable run-up to the checkered flag, Talladega is unquestionably “that” place.

Team Penske‘s Austin Cindric won last year‘s spring race in the ninth closest margin of victory (.022-second) in track history. And last fall‘s Talladega Playoff race featured the most lead changes (77) since 2011 and the most race leaders (23) since 2010.

This weekend NASCAR has proactively made a major competitive adjustment at Talladega by changing the stage lengths. The first stage will run 98 laps and the final two are scheduled for 45 laps each. The aim in shortening the second and third stages is to curtail fuel-saving in the final portion of the race eliminating the need to stop for fuel and instead allow the cars to run “full throttle” to the checkered flag. And the reception has been positive, if cautious.

“Just curious to see how that’s kind of going to affect the fuel conservation and stuff throughout the race,” conceded two-time and reigning series champion, Hendrick Motorsports‘ Kyle Larson.

“I still think you’re going to be saving quite a bit of fuel, but we’ll see when we get there. And then, I think you just study that and see what kind of scenarios might pop up and how to best adapt for it. You‘re always trying to position yourself for that final run to the end, so we’ll see if we can do that.

“We’ve done that well in the past at Talladega, especially, and I think it could just look a little different now with stage lengths.”

Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing owner-driver Brad Keselowski is among those expecting a strong showing this weekend. The 2012 series champion‘s six wins here are most among active drivers and he has three runner-up finishes since his most recent trip to Victory Lane in April 2021.

Joining him on the list of Talladega multi-time winners are Team Penske’s championship teammates Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, who each own three Talladega trophies. Richard Childress Racing‘s Kyle Busch — who is looking for his first race win since June 2024 – Hendrick Motorsports‘ Chase Elliott, Hyak Motorsports‘ Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Hamlin all have two wins.

23XI Racing‘s Bubba Wallace, Reddick, Trackhouse Racing‘s Ross Chastain, JGR‘s Chase Briscoe join Cindric as the other active former winners.

Of note, more drivers have scored their first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Talladega than any other track in the sport.

Busch Light Pole Qualifying is Saturday at 10:30 a.m. (Prime, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

— NASCAR Wire Service —

“We‘re proud to further align the Kubota brand with one of the most recognized sports organizations in the country, building on the successes of our sponsorship with Trackhouse Racing and Ross Chastain,” said Alex Woods, President, Kubota Tractor Corporation. “Kubota equipment is built for customers who demand quality, durability and high productivity. NASCAR is built on engineering excellence, speed, and sustained high performance under pressure. Together, we represent two organizations that are part of the fabric of American life, connected by hardworking people and loyal communities that rely on equipment purpose-built for the job — on or off the racetrack.”

As part of the agreement, Kubota equipment will be integrated into NASCAR track operations at select venues, supporting track preparation and facility needs. The partnership provides visible, real-world applications that reinforce Kubota‘s reputation for durability and reliability in demanding environments.

“Kubota‘s commitment to the people who power our communities — from farmers and builders to the men and women who have served our country — aligns seamlessly with NASCAR‘s fan base and values,” said Craig Stimmel, NASCAR SVP and Chief Commercial Officer. “Including a presence at the NASCAR San Diego Weekend adds even greater meaning, as we celebrate veterans in a setting that reflects service, resilience and pride. From integrating Kubota equipment into our operations to creating impactful moments for fans and veteran honorees alike, this collaboration is built on shared purpose and real-world performance.”

Kubota has maintained a presence in NASCAR through its partnership with Trackhouse Racing since 2022 and continues to build on that involvement through this new multi-year agreement.

Kubota to Sponsor NASCAR San Diego Weekend and Honor Veterans

As part of the agreement, Kubota will sponsor NASCAR San Diego Weekend presented by Anduril at Naval Base Coronado from June 19—21 and will play an integrated role throughout the weekend, serving as the Official Tractor, Construction Equipment, Compact Equipment, and Utility Vehicle partner for NASCAR San Diego Race Weekend.

Kubota‘s presence during the weekend will also highlight the company‘s ongoing commitment to supporting U.S. military veterans. As part of the weekend‘s activities, Kubota will host a special ceremony prior to the Sunday NASCAR Cup Series race to recognize the five recipients of its 2026 Geared to Give program. During the ceremony, the farmer veterans will be presented with the keys to new Kubota equipment in front of race attendees.

Each recipient and one guest will attend the race weekend as Kubota‘s invited guests, which will include access to Kubota‘s suite to watch the race and a meet and greet with Ross Chastain and the Trackhouse Racing team.

Since 2015, Kubota has partnered with the Farmer Veteran Coalition on a multi-million-dollar program that includes veteran grants, organizational support and equipment to help farmer veterans transition into careers in agriculture. Kubota also supports the Boot Campaign, a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of military veterans and their families.

Kubota equipment will also be displayed in the fan zone throughout the weekend, where fans can learn more about the company‘s veteran-focused initiatives, including Geared to Give and its partnership with Boot Campaign.

Over the course of the partnership, Kubota will collaborate with NASCAR to engage fans at tracks nationwide and across digital and broadcast platforms, while continuing to invest in American communities in support of the veterans, farmers, builders, landscapers and landowners who rely on Kubota equipment every day.

Representatives from all three Cup Series manufacturers took part in the test: Ryan Blaney (Ford), Kyle Larson (Chevrolet) and Denny Hamlin, while Justin Allgaier (Chevrolet) and Brandon Jones (Toyota) put down laps for the O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series.
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The test marked the first time Chicagoland had seen cars on track since 2019.

“You‘ve raced so much between then and now that I didn‘t really remember a whole lot of the track other than just the big bump in one and some bumps in [Turns] 3 and 4, and those are all still there,” Larson told media at the track. “It‘s just cool. It‘s really fast. A lot faster pace than what I remember the old car being here. We‘re on the throttle quite a bit, but it‘s also not as hot as what it was the last times we were here. It‘ll be hot when we come back, so the pace should slow down.”

…

“One of the neatest things about this place, I thought the surface was at a really good point of like, very well aged, to where we‘re going to use the whole race track,” [Ryan] Blaney said. “Tire falloff is going to be pretty big, especially when we come back in the summer. So we‘re going to be able to use everything of the race track, which is good, but that‘s always nice when you have mile-and-a-halfs that are wide. I just remember it puts on really good races, and the curved backstretch is different, but I have a lot of fun memories about this place.

— NASCAR.com —

A leader in cutting-edge cybersecurity consultancy, the partnership between Maggio and ControlAltProtect centers on a shared mission to educate the racing community on the importance of obtaining and maintaining a robust cybersecurity system. By leveraging NASCAR‘s platform, ControlAltProtect aims to bring its suite of consultancy services, including threat intelligence, incident response, and proactive defense, to a broader audience of business leaders and fans alike. At its core, both NASCAR and cybersecurity are engineering disciplines where the margin for error is zero.

“In racing, a split-second vulnerability can cost you the checkered flag, and in the digital world, it can cost you your entire business,” said Brent Panell, CEO of ControlAltProtect. “Partnering with Mason Maggio for a second year allows us to showcase the true synergy between our worlds. We are both in the business of precision, rapid response, and unwavering protection.”

As Maggio returns to the site of his first start with DGM Racing, he hopes to better his 22nd-place finish from the fall race at Talladega Superspeedway in 2025.

Maggio shared his enthusiasm for the ongoing collaboration, “We‘re thrilled to have ControlAltProtect back with us for multiple races this year. They were a great partner last year and love racing as a sport and as an avenue to spread awareness of the importance of cybersecurity!”

— DGM Racing —

That figure is up 26% from the comparable 2025 event, which aired on FS1 and averaged 2.319 million viewers.

The 2026 audience represents the most-watched spring race at Kansas since 2016, per NASCAR.

.@FoxTV averaged 2.926 million viewers for Sunday's NASCAR AdventHealth 400 at Kansas, up 26% from last's year comparable event that aired on @FS1 (2.319 million).

➡️ That is good enough to make it the most watched spring race at Kansas since 2016, per @NASCAR. pic.twitter.com/jWIcluLP2O

— Adam Stern (@A_S12) April 22, 2026

The Auckland, New Zealand, native will pilot the No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado backed by Circle B Motorsports Auctions, DQS Solutions & Staffing, and J.F. Electric for the 176-mile event in upstate New York on May 8.

Van Gisbergen joins fellow Trackhouse Racing teammate Ross Chastain as a driver for Niece Motorsports‘ NCTS program. In 2023, he made his NCTS debut with the organization at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park – his only series start to date.

“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to race for Niece Motorsports at Watkins Glen,” said van Gisbergen. “I raced the truck once back in 2023 at IRP and it was epic! Happy to be back at one of my favorite tracks. Hopefully we have a good crack at it. Thanks to Niece Motorsports, Circle B Diecast, DQS, J.F. Electric, Chevrolet and Trackhouse for giving me the opportunity. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Circle B Diecast will serve as van Gisbergen‘s primary sponsor for Watkins Glen. The company will promote its new Motorsports Auctions website, which is the online auction solution for both its North Carolina and Missouri warehouses. Fans can soon pre-order 1:24 and 1:64 scale diecast replicas of van Gisbergen‘s No. 4 truck at CircleBDiecast.com.

“All of us at Circle B Diecast are incredibly excited to partner with Shane van Gisbergen and Niece Motorsports at Watkins Glen,” said Brent Powell, Co-Owner of Circle B Diecast. “SVG is an extremely talented driver, and a fan favorite. It’s pretty cool how this whole deal came together, I saw a tweet that a fan sent out asking if Shane was racing in the Truck Series race at Watkins Glen, and once I saw that he was interested, I immediately called Cody Efaw to see if we could put this together. They have a great group over at Niece Motorsports, and I think Shane will do a great job for all of us.”

Niece Motorsports fields its largest driver lineup in more than a decade of competition this season. With the addition of van Gisbergen, Team President and CEO Cody Efaw believes the team will further strengthen its road course capabilities.

“Shane‘s ability on road courses made him a clear priority for our organization at Watkins Glen,” said Efaw. “When we learned Shane had interest in running Truck Series races, it felt like a natural fit. Our fab and body shop have put in a tremendous amount of work building new road course trucks, and we‘re confident in what we‘re bringing to the track. With Shane and Ross – both proven Cup Series road course winners – paired with Andres Perez de Lara, a talented road course racer in his own right, we like the strength of our lineup, and expect to be in contention for the win.”

The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series heads to Watkins Glen International on Friday, May 8. Live coverage of the Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at the Glen will air on FOX Sports 1, the NASCAR Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

— Niece Motorsports–

The partnership kicks off on Friday during the Nashville race weekend with a takeover at Chief‘s featuring driver appearances, giveaways, and the excitement only a trip to Broadway can bring. Throughout Chief‘s, 23XI and select partner branding will be on full display as the thrill of the racetrack comes downtown for visitors to Nashville and fans alike. Field & Stream, which has a regular presence at Chief‘s, will also co-host an invite-only party in the Friendly Shadows Dueling Piano Bar, welcoming fellow 23XI partners to Music City.

Always eager to guide people on their adventures, Field & Stream is hosting a sweepstakes that will award one lucky winner a trip for two to Nashville for the race weekend. The winners will receive access to Friday‘s exclusive party, VIP tickets to the Nashville race, a gift bag from Field & Stream and 23XI, a one-year Premium membership to Field & Stream‘s 1871 Club, and more. To register, visit http://www.fieldandstream.com/23XIsweepstakes.

In addition to enjoying the atmosphere, fans will also have the chance to hear from all 23XI drivers as they take the stage in the Neon Steeple for interviews during SiriusXM‘s Music Row Happy Hour, hosted by Buzz Brainard. For more information about the event, follow 23XI on social media.

As part of the Nashville weekend takeover, Heim‘s No. 67 car will feature Chief‘s branding as the primary partner, with Field & Stream highlighted on the car. Later in the season, Field & Stream will be featured as the primary partner on the No. 67 Toyota Camry at Indianapolis in July, when Heim takes on the Brickyard for the first time, and again in October at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Throughout the remainder of the season, Field & Stream branding will appear on Heim‘s firesuits, as well as on the No. 67 team‘s uniforms and equipment. Additionally, Heim and Field & Stream will team up off the track to create digital content that inspires people to get outside through unique storytelling featuring the up-and-coming NASCAR driver.

“Field & Stream is proud to partner with 23XI, Corey Heim, and Chief‘s for race weekend in Nashville,” said Gregory Gatto, president of Field & Stream. “NASCAR fans share a deep connection to tradition, family, and the outdoors, and this collaboration gives us a natural way to bring our storytelling and values to that audience.”

“We‘re honored to welcome a heritage brand like Field & Stream to 23XI,” said Steve Lauletta, 23XI team president. “Through this partnership, fans will have the opportunity to step into the outdoors with Corey, thanks to Field & Stream‘s best-in-class outdoor-lifestyle media platform, which will showcase unique stories and locations beyond the racetrack. We look forward to kicking things off in Nashville and collaborating with even more partners there for another great race weekend.”

“As I continue to learn and grow as a NASCAR driver, this opportunity to work with such a well-known and respected brand means a lot to me,” said Heim, driver of the No. 67 Toyota Camry XSE. “I‘ve always enjoyed activities like fishing, and I‘m excited to expand my outdoor skills and share those adventures. I know that with Field & Stream, we‘ll have some fun this season, on and off the track.”

—  23XI Racing  —

IKEA will be showcased aboard Hocevar‘s No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in NASCAR‘s premier division beginning May 3 at Texas Motor Speedway where he secured his first-career pole award last May. Later in the season, IKEA will return at Atlanta Motor Speedway in July and again at Kansas Speedway in September.

“It‘s really cool to have IKEA partner with Spire Motorsports on the Cup Series‘ side of the sport and it‘s great to see another major brand keep growing with us,” said Hocevar. “Everyone I met from IKEA at Daytona were really nice and super fun to be around. They will be with us for a few races where we‘ve run well in the past so hopefully, we can reward their faith in us with a checkered flag.”

Nine races into the 2026 season, Hocevar has logged two top-five finishes and sits 12th in the series‘ point standings. Last year, he earned two top-five and nine top-10 results, including a pair of career-best runners-up finishes at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway during his sophomore campaign.

IKEA was first aboard a Spire Motorsports entry as a co-primary sponsor in February‘s season-opening NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway where Hocevar qualified fourth and paced the field for 20 circuits.

The Würth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY from Texas Motor Speedway will be televised live on FS1, Sunday, May 3 beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 11th of 36 points-paying races on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

— Spire Motorsports —

It’s the most-watched Kansas race in three years (since 2023 on NBC). Viewership was up +12% compared to last year‘s same weekend race from Rockingham (4/19/25 on The CW).  The race peaked at 1,291,000 total viewers from 9:15-9:30pm ET.

TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY STATS & TIDBITS

EVENT & TRACK SPECIFICS
Season Race Number: 10 of 36 (April 26, 2026)
Race Purse: $11,233,037
Race Length: 188 laps / 500.08 miles
Stage 1 Length: 98 laps
Stage 2 Length: 45 laps – Stage 2 Ends on Lap 143
Final Stage Length: 45 laps — Final Stage Ends on Lap 188 

Track Size: 2.66-miles (Biggest in NASCAR)
Banking/Turns (All 4): 33 degrees (Steepest in NASCAR)
Banking/Frontstretch: 16.5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees
Length/Frontstretch: 4,300 feet
Length/Backstretch: 4,000 feet (Longest in NASCAR)

TRACK RECORDS: QUALIFYING & RACE
Track Qualifying Record: Bill Elliott, Ford, 212.809 mph, 44.998 secs. April 30, 1987
Track Race Record: Mark Martin, Ford, 188.354 mph, (02:39:18), May 10, 1997
2025 Spring Pole Winner: Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford, 182.174 mph, 52.565 secs. April 26, 2025
2025 Spring Race Winner: Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford, 157.203 mph, (03:10:52), April 27, 2025

TRACK HISTORY

• Construction began on what was then known as the Alabama International Motor Speedway on May 23, 1968 in a soy bean growing area near Talladega, Alabama.
• In 1965, Bill France was considering building a track in South Carolina but was convinced by an Anniston, AL insurance man and sometimes race driver Bill Ward to “build it in Alabama”. France agreed to build it if Ward could find a suitable location. He found it at a virtually abandoned airport next to I-20.
• The airport next to where the track sits today was originally built in 1942 to train Navy pilots. The city of Talladega had acquired the airport from the Government for $1 but it had to pay to maintain it.
• In exchange for NASCAR building a new runway the city gave 600 acres to NASCAR. France later leased and bought more land and with the support of Governor George Wallace the state built a spacious access road.
• It cost NASCAR $6 million to build the superspeedway in Alabama at that time.
• The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway was held on September 14, 1969. The race was won by Richard Brickhouse, from Rocky Point, North Carolina, driving a 1969 Dodge Daytona for car owner Ray Nichels. The average speed of the first race was 153.778 mph. The race was run after most of the regulars decided not to compete because of their concern about the capability of the tires to withstand the high speeds.
• The name of the facility changed to Talladega Superspeedway in 1989.
• The fourth repaving of the 2.66-mile track was completed on September 19, 2006.
• Today, Talladega Superspeedway covers about 3,000 acres – the most of any Cup track (Daytona is 482 acres).
• In total, there have been 113 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway, one series event in 1969, and two races per year since 1970.

STARTS

• A total of 493 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.
• A total of 349 different drivers have competed in more than one Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway.
• Dave Marcis and Terry Labonte lead the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Talladega with 61 starts each.
• Top five in Cup starts at Talladega (all-time): Dave Marcis (61), Terry Labonte (61), Michael Waltrip (60), Ricky Rudd (59) and Bill Elliott (57).
• Kyle Busch leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in starts at Talladega Superspeedway with 41.
• The top five in Cup starts at Talladega (active): Kyle Busch (41), Denny Hamlin (40), Joey Logano (34), Brad Keselowski (34) and Michael McDowell (30).
• A total of 72 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have made their first career start at Talladega Superspeedway.

• The most recent driver to make his first Cup start at Talladega was Harrison Burton on April 25, 2021. Justin Haley (4/28/19) is the only other active driver to make his first career Cup start at Talladega.
• Of the 72 drivers to make their first career Cup start at Talladega Superspeedway, Dick Simon had the best finish with a seventh-place result after starting 52nd on May 6, 1973.

Average Starting Positions

• Bobby Isaac leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Talladega Superspeedway with a 3.625 in eight starts.
• Austin Cindric leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Talladega Superspeedway with a 9.0 in eight starts.

Top 10 in Average Starting Positions at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)

POLES

• A total of 49 different drivers have won at least one pole at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• A total of 25 of the 49 NASCAR Cup Series Talladega Superspeedway pole winners have won more than one.
• Bobby Isaac won the inaugural pole at Talladega Superspeedway in 1969 with a speed of 199.466 MPH. In fact, Isaac won the first three poles at the 2.66-mile superspeedway: 1969 and 1970 sweep.
• Seven of the 49 NASCAR Cup Series Talladega pole winners are active this weekend:

• NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Talladega Superspeedway with eight poles (1985 sweep, 1986 sweep, 1987 sweep, spring 1990 and fall 1993).
• Michael McDowell (2024 sweep, fall 2025) leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in poles at Talladega Superspeedway with three.
• A total of 12 drivers have won consecutive poles at Talladega — Michael McDowell (2024 sweep) and Christopher Bell (2022 sweep) are the only active drivers to accomplish the feat.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott holds the record for most consecutive poles at Talladega Superspeedway with six-straight poles from 1985 to 1987.
• Youngest Talladega Cup Series pole winner: Chase Elliott (May 1, 2016 — 20 years, 5 months, 3 days).
• Oldest Talladega Cup Series pole winner: Mark Martin (October 23, 2011 — 52 years, 9 months, 14 days).
• Seven drivers have posted their first NASCAR Cup Series pole at Talladega Superspeedway; most recently was Zane Smith (04/27/2025).

• A total of 32 different organizations have won a pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway.
• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Talladega Superspeedway with 13 poles among eight drivers: Darrell Waltrip (1988), Terry Labonte (1995), Jimmie Johnson (2002), Jeff Gordon (2007, 2011, 2012, 2015 sweep), Mark Martin (2011), Kasey Kahne (2012), Chase Elliott (2016, 2019) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2017).
• Of the 32 different organizations with a NASCAR Cup Series pole at Talladega, seven are active this weekend:

• A total of eight different manufacturers have won the pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Speedway; led by Chevrolet with 38 poles; followed by Ford (33), Dodge (12), Toyota (six) Mercury (five), Oldsmobile (five), Pontiac (three), and Buick (two).
• A total of 12 different drivers have won poles in the NASCAR Cup Series in multiple manufacturers at Talladega Superspeedway, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Buddy Baker, who all three of his poles were in a different manufacturer (Dodge 1973, Ford 1975, and Oldsmobile 1980).
• The most consecutive poles by a manufacturer in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega was seven straight by Chevrolet (2009-2014) and Ford (1985-1988).

WINS

• A total of 54 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Talladega Superspeedway.
• A total of 28 of the 54 NASCAR Cup Series Talladega race winners have won multiple times at the 2.66-mile track.
• The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway was held on September 14, 1969, and the race was won by Richard Brickhouse, from Rocky Point, North Carolina, driving a Dodge Daytona for car owner Ray Nichels.
• This weekend 12 of the 54 NASCAR Cup Series Talladega Superspeedway race winners are active:

• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Talladega Superspeedway with 10 victories (1983, 1984, 1990 sweep, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1999 sweep, 2000).
• Brad Keselowski leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in wins at Talladega Superspeedway with six victories (2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021).
• Youngest Cup Series Talladega winner: Bobby Hillin Jr. (July 27, 1986 — 22 years, 1 month, 22 days).
• Oldest Cup Series Talladega winner: Harry Gant (May 6, 1991 — 51 years, 3 months, 26 days).
• A total of 12 different drivers have won their first NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Speedway; three are active this weekend — Brad Keselowski (2009), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2017) and Bubba Wallace (2021).

Eight different drivers have won consecutive NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway –

• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. holds the record for the most consecutive NASCAR Cup Series races won at Talladega Superspeedway with four straight from 2001-2003.
• A total of 26 different starting positions in the field at Talladega Superspeedway have led to a win in the NASCAR Cup Series.

NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Talladega Superspeedway

• A total of 13 different drivers have won a NASCAR Cup Series race from the pole or first starting position at Talladega Superspeedway for a total of 15 races won from the first starting position.

• A total of 15 of the 113 (13.27%) NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway have been won from the pole or first starting position; the most recent to accomplish the feat was Denny Hamlin (October 4, 2020).
• The outside front row (second-place) starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (21) than any other starting position at Talladega (18.58%).
• The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Talladega is 36th, by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon in the 2000 spring race.
• The deepest in the field that an active NASCAR Cup Series race winner has started at Talladega is 34th, by Denny Hamlin in the 2014 spring race.
• Ricky Rudd leads the NASCAR Cup Series in the most starts at Talladega Superspeedway without a win at 59 appearances.
• Michael McDowell leads the NASCAR Cup Series among active drivers with the most starts at Talladega Superspeedway without visiting Victory Lane at 30; followed by Austin Dillon with 25.
• A total of 32 different organizations have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway.
• This weekend, nine of the 32 organizations with wins in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway are active:

Active Organization with Wins At Talladega Superspeedway

• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins by an organization at Talladega Speedway with 14 victories among seven different drivers — Ken Schrader (1988), Jeff Gordon (1996, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2007 sweep), Terry Labonte (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2011), Brian Vickers (2006), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2015), Chase Elliott (2019, 2022).
• Nine different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway, led by Chevrolet with 45 wins; followed by Ford (33), Mercury (7), Toyota (7), Buick (6), Oldsmobile (6), Dodge (4), Plymouth (3), Pontiac (2).
• Chevrolet also leads the NASCAR Cup Series in consecutive wins at Talladega Superspeedway with 13 straight victories among five drivers from April 25, 1999 to May 1, 2005.

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes

• A total of 56 different drivers have finished runner-up in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway, and 28 of the 56 have finished runner-up multiple times.
• NASCAR Hall of Famers Buddy Baker (1973, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1984) and Tony Stewart (April 2001, Oct. 2001, 2002, May 2005, Oct. 2005, 2006) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in runner-up finishes at Talladega with six second-place finishes each.
• Brad Keselowski (2021, 2024 sweep) leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in runner-up finishes at Talladega Superspeedway with three.

Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-Five Finishes

• A total of 132 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have finished in the top-five at Talladega, and 88 of the 132 have finished in the top-five multiple times.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top fives at Talladega with 23 top-five finishes.
• Brad Keselowski leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top-five finishes at Talladega with 12.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-10 Finishes

• A total of 218 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-10 at Talladega, and 144 of the 218 have finished in the top-10 multiple times.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top 10s at Talladega with 27.
• Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top-10 finishes at Talladega with 17 each.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)

Average Finishes

• Pete Hamilton leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Talladega Superspeedway with a 5.600 in five career starts.
• Todd Gilliland leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Talladega Superspeedway with a 13.1 in eight career starts.

Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)

LAP LEADERS & LEAD CHANGES

• A total of 217 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have led at least one lap at Talladega Superspeedway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Talladega Superspeedway with 1,377 in 44 career starts.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Buddy Baker has the second-most laps led in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega with 1,137 in 43 starts. Earnhardt and Baker are the only two drivers to have more than 1,000 laps led at the track.
• Joey Logano leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in laps led at Talladega Superspeedway with 567 in 34 career starts.
• The most laps led by the race winner at Talladega Superspeedway in a NASCAR Cup Series event was 153 laps of the scheduled 188 (81.4%) by Pete Hamilton on August 23, 1970. He started the race from the fourth position.
• The most laps led by a driver that did not win the race at Talladega Superspeedway in a NASCAR Cup Series event was 142 laps of the scheduled 192 (73.9%) by Matt Kenseth on May 5, 2013. He started the race from the sixth position and finished eighth.
• Five times the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway has led only the final lap (one lap) — April 25, 2021 (Winner: Brad Keselowski), October 14, 2018 (Aric Almirola), April 26, 2009 (Brad Keselowski), October 7, 2009 (Jeff Gordon) and April 24, 2022 (Ross Chastain).

Top 10 Series Lap Leaders at Talladega Superspeedway (All-Time & Active)

• The most leaders in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway is 29 and it occurred on April 25, 2010. (Tandem Drafting Era: 2010-2011).
• The fewest leaders in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway is four and it occurred on May 16, 1971. The 188 lap race was led by Bobby Allison (73 laps), Donnie Allison (63 laps), Dave Marcis (38 laps) and Buddy Baker (14 laps).
• The most lead changes in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway is 88 and it has happened twice — April 25, 2010 and April 17, 2011 (Tandem Drafting Era: 2010-2011).
• The fewest lead changes in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway is 13 and it occurred on May 6, 1973.

TRACK/EVENT SPECIFIC STATS

• Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway is the April 17, 2011 race won by Jimmie Johnson over second-place Clint Bowyer by a Margin of Victory of 0.002 second.

Top 10 Closest Margin of Victory in the Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway

• Qualifying has been cancelled in the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway nine times.

• Three NASCAR Cup Series races held at Talladega Superspeedway were not run on their scheduled date:

1. The April 27, 1997 race was postponed due to inclement weather to May 10, 1997 — Mark Martin won the event.
2. The April 30, 2006 race was postponed due to inclement weather on May 1, 2006 – Jimmie Johnson won the event.
3. The April 26, 2020 race was rescheduled due to the pandemic to June 22, 2020 — Ryan Blaney won the race.
4. The October 3, 2021 race was postponed due to inclement weather to October 4, 2021 — Bubba Wallace won the event.

• Only three of the 113 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega have been shortened due to weather conditions:

• There have been 20 NASCAR Cup Series races resulting in Overtime at Talladega:

FEMALE COMPETITOR STATS

• Three female drivers have competed at Talladega in the NASCAR Cup Series: Janet Guthrie, Patty Moise and Danica Patrick. Patrick posted the best finish by a female at Talladega with a 19th-place finish in 2014.

NASCAR IN ALABAMA

• There have been 191 NASCAR national series races held in the state of Alabama among seven different tracks.

• The very first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Alabama was a NASCAR Cup Series event held at Lakeview Speedway (Mobile) in 1951 — the race was won by Alabama native Tim Flock (Oldsmobile).
• The first race held at Talladega Superspeedway was in 1969 — the event was won by Richard Brickhouse (Dodge).

ALABAMA IN NASCAR

• A total of 77 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Alabama.
• Eleven drivers from Alabama have won at least one race in NASCAR‘s three national series combining to a total of 214 victories; seven of the 11 winners have won in the NASCAR Cup Series.

• Bubba Wallace is the sixth different driver from the state of Alabama to win at a track in Alabama; joining Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Davey Allison, Neil Bonnett and Tim Flock.

— NASCAR —

“There is certainly a needle to be threaded there along the line of entertainment and sport, and maybe you can even go beyond sport and just say pure engineering,” Probst said. “I think for us, I feel like we don‘t need to be on the absolute bleeding edge of powertrain technology to be relevant to our OEMs and also be entertaining to our fans.”

— Sports Business Journal —

Stand Ready Apparel is a patriotic and faith-driven lifestyle brand based in San Antonio, Texas. The company creates patriotic and faith-driven designs that celebrate military pride and American values. From graphic tees to accessories, Stand Ready Apparel delivers high-quality products for those who work hard, love freedom, and aren‘t afraid to show a little attitude.

“We‘re excited to bring Stand Ready Apparel to the NASCAR community and to partner with a driver like Josh who embodies determination and passion,” said Kim McLamb, owner of Stand Ready Apparel. “This is an incredible opportunity for us to reach new fans and show what our brand is all about.”

“I‘m proud to partner with Stand Ready for the Texas race. Their belief in strong values and living each day guided by those values is something everyone can embrace,” said Bilicki. “NASCAR fans are going to love their designs.”

“Sponsoring Josh Bilicki and the No. 07 car at Texas Motor Speedway is an exciting milestone for Stand Ready Apparel. NASCAR fans are hardworking, patriotic, and loyal—exactly the kind of people our brand was built for,” said Lamb. “We‘re proud to support Josh and bring Stand Ready Apparel to the track in a big way. And we‘re offering fans 20% off their purchase with code TMS07 through the end of May.”

The Andy‘s Frozen Custard 340 (200 laps | 300 miles) is the 12th of 33 NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series races on the 2026 schedule. Practice starts on Friday, May 1 at 4:00 p.m. followed immediately by qualifying. The field is set to take the green flag the next day at 2:30 p.m. with live coverage on The CW, the Performance Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are Central Daylight Time.

— Snow Belt MGMT —

“Zac and his music have a way of bringing people together — and that same energy and passion that define his performances also define what Talladega Superspeedway is about,” said Josh Harris, Region President, Talladega Superspeedway and Darlington Raceway. “Whether it‘s on stage or on the high banks, it‘s all about unforgettable moments, and we can‘t wait for Zac to help fire up the crowd and get this race started in true Talladega style.”

For over two decades, Zac Brown Band has cultivated genre-defining music with classics like “Free,” “Toes,” and “Chicken Fried,” and most recently with the release of their latest album, “Love & Fear.” The Atlanta, Georgia, native wears many hats as not only the magnetic frontman for Zac Brown Band, but also as an innovative entrepreneur with projects spanning beyond the entertainment industry to food, fashion and philanthropic efforts as well.

In 2011, Brown founded the Camp Southern Ground — a summer camp for neurodiverse children of all ages that experience social, emotional or financial challenges. There, the camp aims to provide extraordinary experiences that help build confidence and community. During the offseason, the site is used for post 9/11 veterans as an opportunity for healing while in the search for a purpose in civilian life. Last year, Brown was named the inaugural winner of the Veterans Voice Award for his commitment to the military community.

As the grand marshal, Brown‘s iconic voice will usher the most famous words in the motorsports, getting the crowd ready for the Jack Link‘s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Serving as the honorary starter, Lorissa Link, will wave the green flag to start the race as field thunders through the trioval. She will be accompanied by Troy Link.

Troy, son of Jack Link‘s founder, is the acting CEO of the Wisconsin-based snack company. For over 40 years, the family owned and operated company has passed along family recipes for the world to enjoy. Troy has spent almost 30 years with the company and is in his 14th as the CEO. Lorissa is the founder of Lorissa‘s Organics, an allergen-free meat snack company offering the category‘s only certified organic — and free from the top nine allergens — beef, chicken and turkey sticks.

The spring race weekend action at Talladega Superspeedway kicks off on Saturday, April 25, with a doubleheader. The ARCA Menards Series will hit the track in the Alabama Manufactured Housing 200 a 12:30 p.m. ET followed by the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series Ag-Pro 300 at 4:00 p.m. ET. On Sunday, April 26, the NASCAR Cup Series stars will duke it out during the Jack Link‘s 500 to close out the weekend at 3:00 p.m. ET.

For ticketing information and more details about upcoming events, including the Jack Link‘s 500 race weekend, visit  www.talladegasuperspeedway.com

— Talladega Superspeedway —

The Goodyear Racing Eagle tires selected are also the same as those raced on both visits to Talladega last year. This left-side tire has raced at NASCAR‘s longest oval track since 2022, and the right-side tire was introduced last year with a construction update.

“We have seen tire wear increase at Talladega in recent visits, but the tire setups we‘ve selected for this weekend provide teams with a familiar base,” said Rick Heinrich, Goodyear NASCAR product manager. “Strategy here is often dictated by drafting position, but it‘s common to see teams add two-tire and fuel-only stops into the mix throughout the race.”

NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series teams will also continue with a familiar Talladega setup. So far this season, they have run this left-side tire at Daytona, and the right-side tire at EchoPark Speedway. They will also use inner liners, as is customary on tracks 1-mile and longer.

Goodyear Racing Eagle tires are also in action this weekend at zMax Dragway in Concord, North Carolina, for the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals.

Fast Facts

NASCAR Cup Series
Race: Jack Link‘s 500 (188 laps / 500.08 miles)
Track: Talladega Superspeedway (2.66-mile oval)
Date/Time: Sunday, April 26, 3 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, HBO Max

Tire: Goodyear Racing Eagle
Tire Code: D-5142 left side, D-5218 right side
Previous Usage in 2026: Daytona
Tire Circumference: 2,274 mm (89.5 in.) left side, 2,277 (89.6 in.) right side
Recommended Minimum Inflation: LF — 28 psi, RF — 52 psi, LR — 28 psi, RR — 50 psi
Total Sets: 7 (6 new race / 1 qualifying transfer to race)

NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series
Race: Ag-Pro 300 (113 laps / 300.58 miles)
Track: Talladega Superspeedway (2.66-mile oval)
Date/Time: Saturday, April 25, 4 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: CW, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Tire: Goodyear Racing Eagle
Tire Code: D-6102 left side, D-6126 right side
Previous Usage in 2026: Daytona (LS), Atlanta (RS)
Tire Circumference: 2,229 mm (87.8 in.) left side, 2,250 (88.6 in.) right side
Recommended Minimum Inflation: LF — 26 psi, RF — 50 psi, LR — 26 psi, RR — 48 psi
Total Sets: 4 (3 new race / 1 qualifying transfer to start race)

— PitBox 91 —

McFarland finished 33rd in his series debut earlier this month at Rockingham Superspeedway, six lap down. It was his first of three scheduled races in 2026, hoping to run later this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. After his first showing, NASCAR officials deemed he was yet to be approved for Talladega but was cleared to compete at short tracks, in addition to any venue in the Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series.

Nashville measures at 1.33 miles in length, featuring both intermediate and short-track tendencies.

He‘s back! The @tommys_express No. 33 will be flying like an Eagle in Nashville on May 30th with Cleetus McFarland behind the wheel. pic.twitter.com/49J6v1vFFE

— RCR (@RCRracing) April 20, 2026

Yeley comes into the 113-lap race around the 2.66-mile oval with a wealth of experience. The second-generation racer has 831 starts in NASCAR‘s top-three national touring series — Cup (397), O‘Reilly (397) and Craftsman Truck (37).

Before he began his NASCAR career, Yeley was a decorated USAC driver. The Phoenix native scored five championships in the venerable open-wheel series, including the rare Triple Crown where Yeley won the USAC Sprint, Midget and Silver Crown titles in a single year (2003). He won 24 races, breaking the single-season record set by racing legend A.J. Foyt, who won 19 races in 1961.

“I‘m blessed to be able to do something I love,” said Yeley, the son of seven-time Arizona Midget Racing Association and two-time World of Outlaws midget champion “Cactus” Jack Yeley.

Yeley‘s role with Hettinger Racing is hands-on, and the organization benefits from his experience. His background also aligns with Jobber, the leading provider of software for blue-collar businesses.

“Before I started racing, I did construction in and around my hometown of Phoenix,” Yeley said. “We had a family-owned underground fire line construction company. Did a lot of manual labor and anything else it took to keep the business running smoothly.”

The Yeley family‘s workload continued even after the trenches were dug.

“My mom did the books and ran the office. My dad did all the bidding, and then he also ran the backhoe. In total, there were eight of us, so a small group, but we did a lot of very substantial jobs. To have Jobber available to us back then would‘ve really simplified processes and probably given us more time to spend together as a family,” Yeley said.

Jobber supports over 350,000 service professionals across more than 50 industries, unifying quoting, scheduling, payments and customer communication in a single platform. At the core is Jobber AI, a purpose-built intelligence layer designed specifically for service pros, embedded throughout the experience to deliver insights, automate actions and keep businesses running around the clock.

“To be freed up from the office side of things, that would‘ve helped my mom and dad,” Yeley said. “Jobber is a really cool and useful platform. You see how helpful it is to small businesses, especially ones where work is done out in the field and everyone is always on the go. It keeps you organized and efficient, which is how you want to be when time is money.”

In addition to its software, Jobber has consistently invested in blue-collar businesses through initiatives like Jobber Grants, events and free tools and resources, helping hundreds of thousands of service pros connect, strengthen their businesses and scale with confidence.

“NASCAR is built on experience and a willingness to outwork the competition,” said Matt Baker, vice president, brand marketing and operations at Jobber. “J.J. Yeley‘s career reflects that. He‘s done the work, both in and out of the car, and he understands what it takes to build something from the ground up. That‘s the same mindset we see in the pros we support every day who take pride in their craft, stay disciplined and are always looking for ways to operate more efficiently so they can grow their businesses.”

Operating efficiently is the name of the game at Talladega, where pack-style racing is prevalent. Thirty-eight cars race as one, drafting off one another, using aerodynamics to position themselves for a charge toward the front and, ultimately, victory.

“Anytime I go speedway racing, it‘s to win,” Yeley said. “When it comes to finding some drafting partners, my experience helps. I want to find guys I trust being around, and vice versa. And having a Roush-Yates engine, that power allows me to do what I want versus being at the mercy of others. If we need to go three-wide and make a run, I can do that.”

Yeley‘s run to the front of the pack on Saturday at Talladega begins Friday with a qualifying run. All O‘Reilly Series entrants will make a timed lap against the clock beginning at 4:30 p.m. CDT/5:30 p.m. EDT to secure their starting spot. The Ag-Pro 300 goes green on Saturday at 3 p.m. CDT/4 p.m. EDT with live, flag-to-flag coverage provided by The CW and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

— TrueSpeed Communication —

The drivers testing remain the same, except for Nick Sanchez, who will not be in attendance.

ORIGINAL POST 4-6-2026: Preparation for NASCAR‘s return to Chicagoland Speedway continues later this month with a Goodyear tire test scheduled for Tuesday, April 21. The session will mark the first on-track activity at the 1.5-mile tri-oval since 2019, providing teams and officials with critical data ahead of the facility‘s highly anticipated return to the national spotlight in 2026.

A total of six drivers will participate in the test, representing both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series. Cup Series entries include Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Larson, while the O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series will be represented by Justin Allgaier, Brandon Jones, and Nick Sanchez. The test will focus on tire performance and durability as NASCAR prepares for competition at the intermediate track.

This event is FREE to the public and will include fun activities and giveaways in between laps!

The test serves as an early step toward NASCAR‘s return to Chicagoland Speedway on July 3—5, 2026, when the ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series, and NASCAR Cup Series will all compete at the venue for the first time in seven years. The Independence Day weekend event is expected to reestablish Chicagoland as a key stop on the NASCAR calendar, with tickets available now at ChicagolandSpeedway.com.

— Chicagoland Speedway —

“Why not both?” Tyler Reddick could have asked on Sunday afternoon.

To be sure, it takes consummate skill and excellent equipment to win five of the first nine races in a NASCAR Cup Series season. After all, no other driver had accomplished that feat since NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt won six of the first nine events in 1987.

It took an 11th-hour twist of fate, however, for Reddick to win the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Enter Cody Ware. In the closing laps, as Reddick was chasing Denny Hamlin, who co-owns the 23XI Racing cars Reddick drives, Ware was trying to nurse his No. 51 Chevrolet to the finish line on tires that were more than 60 laps old—well beyond their useful life at Kansas.

Ware already had scraped the outside wall, but he soldiered on as Reddick caught and passed Hamlin for the lead on Lap 258 and held the top spot for seven laps.

Inexplicably, Reddick‘s No. 45 Toyota sputtered, though crew chief Billy Scott asserted later that the car was not out of fuel. Confused by the momentary loss of fuel pickup, Reddick switched to a secondary pump.

“I lost focus, unfortunately, and drove it right into the fence,” Reddick said.

The burp in the fuel system and contact with the outside wall slowed Reddick and allowed Hamlin to regain the lead on Lap 265 of 267, but before Hamlin could take the white flag, Ware‘s Camaro spun in Turn 4 to cause the only caution of the race for an on-track incident.

Deprived of the chance to win in regulation, Hamlin pitted for new right-side tires before overtime. Reddick did the same, and so did Kyle Larson, the two-time defending winner of the spring race at Kansas.

Moments after Hamlin led the field to green for the two-lap overtime shootout, Larson steered to the bottom of the track, put Hamlin three-wide in the middle and took the lead in what looked like a done deal for the reigning series champion.

But Reddick‘s car handled better than Larson‘s on two new tires, and after bouncing off the Toyota of Christopher Bell, Reddick pursued Larson and passed him through the final two turns for the win.

Let‘s back up for a moment. As Reddick was chasing Hamlin in the closing laps of regulation, as luck would have it, Hamlin approached the lapped car of Kyle Busch. Earlier in the week, Busch had taken umbrage at comments Hamlin had made on his podcast “Actions Detrimental.”

The day before the race, Busch had commented, “He can bash me all he wants, and I can make his life hell.” As Hamlin approached Busch‘s Chevrolet on the 1.5-mile track, Busch tried to do just that, making his car as difficult to pass as possible. Hamlin lost a half-second to Reddick in the process.

“When the 8 (Busch) was in front of him, I just had a feeling that was how it was going to go down,” said Reddick, who had a front-row seat for the action. “It certainly helped us catch the 11 (Hamlin) faster.”

Nevertheless, when Reddick had his fuel issue and scraped the wall, Hamlin regained control and was headed for victory until Ware spun.

Reddick‘s good fortune, however, has a converse, and Hamlin seemingly has been star-crossed since last November, when he dominated the Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix, only to be foiled by a caution with three laps left.

At Martinsville on March 29, Hamlin led 292 of 400 laps in the fastest car but was snookered when Chase Elliott short-pitted to gain the lead. On Sunday at Kansas, the car Hamlin drives was beaten by a car he owns, thanks to the ill-timed caution.

Hamlin‘s friend and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan didn‘t lighten Hamlin‘s mood after the race.

“Look, I’m racing against Denny,” said the NBA Hall of Famer. “I really wanted to beat him, because I know we’re going to talk a lot of trash a little bit later.”

On pit road, Jordan gave Hamlin a hug, ruffled his baseball cap and pretended to choke Hamlin‘s neck.

The score so far this year? Reddick: five wins to one for Hamlin and two for Joe Gibbs Racing (Hamlin and Ty Gibbs).

Perhaps it was because he was runner-up, perhaps because he had somewhere else to be, but Hamlin didn‘t appear for a post-race press conference as car owner after a Reddick victory for the first time this season. Team president Steve Lauletta did the honors.

There is a place of solace for the bad luck that has followed Hamlin and the No. 11 team—Victory Lane. For his sake, that‘s a visit that should come sooner rather than later.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

The No. 24 Toyota GR Supra, driven by Harrison Burton, will honor the life and legacy of FDNY Firefighter Jesse Gerhard while also recognizing generations of sacrifice across the department. The paint scheme includes the names of FDNY firefighters, including members who died in the line of duty and those who died of illnesses related to their work in the rescue and recovery efforts following 9/11.

The effort was created to recognize Jesse Gerhard‘s service, honor fallen heroes, and raise awareness of the Jesse Gerhard Memorial Foundation‘s mission. The Foundation was established to continue Jesse‘s commitment to helping others and supporting those in need.

Jesse Gerhard was the youngest son of Bruce and Lynn Gerhard and the brother of Casey Gerhard. Born and raised in Islip, New York, Jesse knew from the age of three that he wanted to become a firefighter. He joined the Islip Fire Department in 2010, later served as an FDNY EMT beginning in 2015, and achieved his lifelong goal of becoming an FDNY firefighter in 2018. He served with Engine Company 264 and later Ladder Company 134 in Far Rockaway — a neighborhood in Queens, New York. Jesse passed away on February 16, 2022, after suffering a medical episode following a house fire in Queens the day before. His legacy now continues through the Foundation established in his honor.

“Having Jesse‘s name ride on an official NASCAR race car is an incredible honor, but even more meaningful is carrying the names of fallen heroes alongside him,” said Casey Gerhard, Jesse‘s brother and founder of the Jesse Gerhard Memorial Foundation. “This tribute is a powerful way to ensure their legacy lives on and remind people of the sacrifice behind it.”

Bulovas Restorations helped make the partnership possible and has been recognized by the Foundation as a key partner in bringing the tribute to life.

Jesse‘s parents, Bruce and Lynn Gerhard, will be in attendance at Talladega as the tribute car honoring their son takes the track.

“We are proud to support the Jesse Gerhard Memorial Foundation and help make this tribute possible,” said Rory Bulovas, founder of Bulovas Restorations. “This is an opportunity to honor Jesse, recognize the first responder community, and support a cause that continues to make a difference.”

Harrison Burton, a NASCAR Cup Series superspeedway race winner, is in his fourth full-time season of NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series competition and first season with Sam Hunt Racing. He made the series playoffs in 2025 and brings that momentum to the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra at Talladega.

As part of the effort, more than 350 supporters also added their names to the car through a decklid campaign, with 100% of proceeds benefiting the Jesse Gerhard Memorial Foundation.

A limited-edition 1:24 scale Lionel Racing diecast of the tribute car is also being produced, with proceeds benefiting the Jesse Gerhard Memorial Foundation. The diecast is available for purchase at jessegerhard.org.

Additional support came not only from Bulovas Restorations but also from a group of companies that wanted to help honor Jesse Gerhard and support the cause. Supporters include M.O.S. Energy Pouches, Setcom, Sullivan Papain Block McGrath Coffinas & Cannavo P.C., Opti-Coat, FireStationFurniture.com, Chica Chida PB Agave Spirits, New York Firefighters Heart & Lung Center, John McNamara Foundation, the 34.3 Foundation, Bender Extender, The RV Hunter, Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York, and Fireside RV Rentals.

Fans can watch the No. 24 Jesse Gerhard Memorial Foundation Toyota GR Supra in action during the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, April 25, with coverage airing live on The CW and available on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90).

— Sam Hunt Racing —

The Talladega race marks the second year of the partnership between Ellis and ZEROES Premium Beverages, which last appeared on his car in last spring‘s race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway — a breakthrough performance that saw Ellis earn his first career top-10 finish in the series.

That milestone result not only marked a defining moment in Ellis‘ career but also helped solidify the relationship between driver and partner, with both sides eager to build on that momentum as they reunite at one of the sport‘s most unpredictable venues.

ZEROES is a trailblazing ready-to-drink alcohol beverage redefining how modern consumers enjoy cocktails — with zero sugar, zero carbs, and just 90 calories per can.

Proudly veteran-owned and American-made, ZEROES delivers bold flavor and premium vodka in a clean, easy-drinking format made for active, on-the-go lifestyles. Whether you’re winding down or turning up, ZEROES is the smarter way to sip — no mixers, no compromises, just great taste and real refreshment.

“I‘m really excited to have ZEROES Premium Beverages back with us this weekend at Talladega,” said Ellis.

“Charlotte last year was such a huge moment for me and for ZEROES Premium Beverages, and to have them a part of that made it even more special. Superspeedway racing can be unpredictable, but we‘ve shown we can put ourselves in position, and hopefully we can give them another strong run.”

Ellis returns to the famed Alabama race track with added confidence on the strength of a top-10 finish at the other superspeedway on the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule, delivering a strong sixth-place finish in the season-opening United Rentals 300 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in his debut with Young‘s Motorsports — a performance that showcased early chemistry and competitiveness between driver and team.

“We are proud to continue our partnership with Ryan and align with Young‘s Motorsports this weekend at Talladega,” said Cliff White, principal of ZEROES Premium Beverages. “What he accomplished at Charlotte last year showed us the kind of determination and potential he brings to the track, and it made continuing this relationship an easy decision for us.

“To see him follow that up with a strong run at Daytona to start the season only reinforces our belief in what this group can do together. We‘re excited to be back at Talladega and look forward to building on that performance on Saturday afternoon.”

Also adorning the television panel and rear bumper of Ellis‘s No. 02 Chevrolet will be Dakota Riggers, a Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based supplier founded in 1982 that specializes in rigging, lifting equipment, industrial tools and fall protection gear, and a longtime supporter of the veteran driver.

The partnership continues a relationship built on loyalty and shared commitment, with Dakota Riggers maintaining a visible presence as Ellis and Young‘s Motorsports chase another strong superspeedway result at Talladega.

“We‘re proud to continue supporting Ryan and be part of his journey,” said Nick Gladue, President of Dakota Riggers.

“He‘s been a big part of our story for a long time, and it‘s great to see the momentum he‘s building this season. Talladega is such a unique place, and we‘re excited to be back on the car and look forward to a strong run this weekend.”

The 11th race of the 2026 NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series season will mark Ellis‘s eighth career start at Talladega Superspeedway. In his previous seven appearances, he has recorded a track-best finish of 11th in the 2023 Ag-Pro 300 while driving the No. 45 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet.

Overall, Ellis has earned three top-20 finishes at the 2.66-mile superspeedway and posted his career-best NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying effort last April, when he lined up ninth for the 113-lap event.

Since making his series debut in 2016, Ellis carries an average finish of 23.1 at Talladega — a venue widely known as the “Sweet Home of Speed.”

“I always enjoy coming to Talladega — it‘s a place where anything can happen, and if you put yourself in the right position, you can come away with a strong finish,” sounded Ellis.

“I‘ve had some solid superspeedway runs, especially at Daytona earlier this year, and I‘m excited to get back with ZEROES Premium Beverages and Dakota Riggers on the car this weekend.

“Their continued support means a lot, and hopefully we can put together another good run and contend for my third career top-10 finish.”

Ellis‘s early-season performance at Daytona International Speedway not only provided a boost of confidence for the veteran driver but also for the Young‘s Motorsports organization as it continues to find its footing in the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series.

With a proven track record at superspeedways and growing chemistry between driver and team, the opportunity for a breakthrough result remains firmly within reach heading into Talladega.

“Talladega has been a special place for our organization over the years, especially with our two NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series wins there with Spencer Boyd and Tate Fogelman,” said Tyler Young, team principal of Young‘s Motorsports.

“With the way Ryan and our team have worked together early this season, we feel like this could be a great opportunity for us. Superspeedway racing levels the playing field, and if we execute the way we‘re capable, Talladega might be the perfect place for us to chase our first NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series victory.”

— Young’s Motorsports —

In addition to this weekend‘s race at Talladega, he will also compete at Pocono, Daytona and the fall Talladega race.

Live Fast Motorsports 🤝 Daniel Dye

Talladega 4/26
Pocono 6/14
Daytona 8/29
Talladega 10/25#livefast #nascar #cupseries #championcontainer pic.twitter.com/aUlMzH0jxU

— Live Fast Motorsports (@teamlivefast) April 20, 2026

Gase will be behind the wheel of car #44 emblazoned with Sparky the Fire Dog®, NFPA‘s beloved fire safety mascot, marking Sparky’s 75th birthday. Since 1951, Sparky has helped educate generations of people on the importance of fire prevention and safety. NFPA is celebrating the milestone with activities throughout the year highlighting Sparky‘s continuing role in promoting fire safety for children and families.

“Having Joey back on the track at Talladega is another important opportunity to bring NFPA‘s safety message to NASCAR fans throughout the country,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA vice president of Outreach and Advocacy. “As we share that message this week, it is also important to recognize that our hearts are with the Birmingham community following the tragic loss of three family members in a recent home fire. We extend our deepest condolences to all those affected by this tragic event, which only underscores the importance of home fire safety.”

Sunday‘s race will begin at 2:00 pm CST, and will be carried on FOX and HBO Max. Radio coverage will be available on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Talladega marks another stop in NFPA‘s ongoing racing sponsorship with Gase. His team recently represented NFPA last month at Darlington Raceway and at Martinsville Speedway as part of the NFPA 250, further extending NFPA‘s safety reach, impact, and audience.

— NFPA —

Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2026 Advent Health 400

Start time to record race/commercial periods: 2:00 PM
End time to record race/commercial periods: 5:09 PM
Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 189
Minutes of race broadcast: 167
Minutes of traditional commercials: 22
Minutes of side-by-side commercials: 19

Total number of commercials: 107
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 62
Total number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 52
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 44
Total number of ‘Side-by-Side‘ commercials during the broadcast (split-screen): 55
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 33
Number of times Fox utilized ‘Side-by-Side‘ commercials during the broadcast: 8

Companies seen the most in commercials during this broadcast: Busch Light (10 times); NASCAR (8 times); Xfinity (7 times); Arby‘s (7 times); Toyota (6 times)

See much more at CawsNJaws.

There were no issues for #45-Tyler Reddick. He is officially the winner of the AdventHealth 400.

No are returning to the R&D Center for inspection.

Reddick passed #5-Kyle Larson on the final lap of the race to get his fifth win of the season.

The Cup Series now heads to Talladega Superspeedway.

Yet, in a magical season for the driver of the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota, Reddick won Sunday‘s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway in spite of all the adversity.

The catalyst was Cody Ware‘s spin on Lap 266, the penultimate circuit of the scheduled regulation distance. That incident caused the third caution of the race one lap after Denny Hamlin had retaken the lead from Reddick, who switched to pump 2 in his Camry after the car sputtered with two laps left.

Ware‘s spin sent the race to overtime, and all 16 cars on the lead lap came to pit road for tires, with Hamlin, Reddick, Larson, Christopher Bell, Bubba Wallace and five cars behind them taking right-side tires only.

Moments after the overtime restart on Lap 273, Larson steered to the inside of Hamlin on the bottom row and charged into the lead. Reddick fell back after his contact with Bell‘s Toyota forced Bell into the outside wall.

But the outside lane opened up for Reddick, whose handling was superior to Larson‘s in the overtime. Reddick mustered a huge run in the top lane, then drove to the inside of Larson‘s Chevrolet, which tightened up on corner entry.

Reddick cleared Larson through the final two corners and crossed the finish line 0.118 seconds ahead of the reigning champion.

“Just really blessed with the late caution,” said Reddick, who won for the fifth time this season, the second time at Kansas and the 13th time in his career. “Was that nuts or what? I couldn’t believe it.

“I mean, first off, I feel like I have to say obviously just for how I feel. I never like being on the inside of it—really hate that for Christopher Bell. Good, hard racing. The 11 (Hamlin) came up. I mean, I took off tight. Not thrilled I got Christopher there. I hate that for him because he was having a good, solid day.

“Man, these late race restarts get crazy. I obviously had a run on the 5 (Larson). I was shocked I was able to get to his inside there. An incredible SupplyHouse Toyota Camry all day long.”

Reddick is the first driver since Dale Earnhardt in 1987—and fourth all-time—to win five of the first nine races of a season in NASCAR‘s top division. His series lead increased to 105 points over second-place Hamlin, who won the first stage.

NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, who co-owns 23XI Racing with Hamlin, was elated with the victory.

“This kid is on fire,” said Jordan, who has witnessed all five of Reddick‘s victories this season in person. “I don‘t know how I can ever cool him down. He is unbelievable. Unbelievable last couple laps. I’m proud of the whole team.”

Larson, who led 78 laps and won the second stage, executed the overtime restart to perfection but couldn‘t hold the lead.

“I got to the lead, and I thought I could cruise right there to the checkered flag, but my balance on two tires was just super, super tight,” said Larson, whose winless streak grew to 33 races. “I didn‘t get through (Turns) 3 and 4 fast enough, and then the No. 45 (Reddick) had such a big run on me from behind.

“I thought I could go to the top to get some load into my front tires, but it still didn‘t turn there. That was a bummer, but just overall happy with the day we had.”

Chase Briscoe finished third on four new tires, with Hamlin and Wallace running fourth and fifth, respectively. Brad Keselowski, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Ty Gibbs and Chris Buescher completed the top 10.

Bell, who led 47 laps, spun coming to the white flag in overtime and finished 20th.

Hamlin led a race-high 131 laps and was positioned for the victory until Ware‘s spin.

“I mean, obviously it’s not winning,” Hamlin said of the way the race played out. “It’s Cody Ware, six laps down, wrecking. I don’t know. It just added up.

“I fell for the same move that the 5 (Larson) got me a couple years ago when I was on the inside. I got to learn from those mistakes that I make, not executing those last few laps.”

The NASCAR Cup Series races next in the Jack Link‘s 500 next Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway (3 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, HBO Max and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Reddick won the spring race at Talladega in 2024.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points Standings, Owner Points Standings, Cumulative Report, Infraction Report.

For complete race information, check out the Kansas race page.

Justin Allgaier holds a 131-point lead over Sheldon Creed for the regular-season championship through 10 races.

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points, Owner Points, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

The first of the frontrunners to pit during the final 95-lap green-flag run in the Kansas Lottery 300, Taylor Gray grabbed the lead during the cycle and held off charging Sheldon Creed to score the second NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series victory of his career.

Crew chief Jason Ratcliff, who won at Kansas with driver David Green in 2003, called Gray into the pits on Lap 143 of 200. Creed and Brandon Jones, running first and second on Lap 146, emerged from pit road after stops on Lap 147 roughly three seconds behind Gray.

Jones, winner of the first two stages, had to serve a pass-through penalty for a tire violation during his stop and lost the chance to win. But Creed, with Justin Allgaier behind him in third, began a methodical pursuit of Gray that ultimately came up 0.718 seconds short.

“How about Jason Ratcliff?” Gray exclaimed after climbing from his No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. “That pit call was awesome. We had a car capable of winning. I thought the 20 (Jones) was a little better than us before the green-flag cycle started, but we just had to stay locked in, and we had to be a little bit freer.

“Jason made a really good adjustment on the car and a really good pit call and got us in clean air. It‘s been a long start to the year, man—not that we‘re not bringing speed to the race track. It‘s just that things haven‘t really gone our way. So it‘s nice to finally be able to close one out.”

Gray gained three positions to ninth in the series standings.

As it turned out, Creed also had plenty of reasons to celebrate. By finishing first among four eligible drivers, he earned a $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus for the first time in his career. It was Creed‘s fifth attempt to win the Dash 4 Cash prize money.

“It was a great day for us after starting in the back,” said Creed who dropped to the rear of the field at the beginning of the race after his No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet failed pre-race inspection. “I kind of knew right away my car was really fast, and I was able to drive to the front, and I just had a lot of fun today…

“It‘s just really cool to be able to bring a hundred grand back to the Haas Factory Team. I definitely wanted to win and add to it, but the 54 (Gray) did a really good job short-pitting us. He ran a really good last 40 laps there a got through traffic quick and made it where I never really got close enough.”

Allgaier came home third, followed by defending series champion Jesse Love and Brent Crews. William Byron, Cole Custer, Jones, Sam Mayer and Ryan Sieg completed the top 10 in a race that featured 11 lead changes among eight drivers.

Allgaier finished third in both stages and added one point to his series lead over second-place Creed. The margin is now 131 points.

Long before Gray took the checkered flag, there was plenty of action in the first stage.

The race wasn‘t two laps old when an accident on the backstretch launched the No.1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet of Carson Kvapil into the air and sent it flipping down the backstretch.

Contact from Byron‘s Chevy turned Kvapil‘s car sideways near the front of the field. Parker Retzlaff‘s piled into Kvapil‘s car near the outside wall. The impact knocked the rear of Kvapil‘s Camaro airborne, and the car proceeded to barrel-roll down the backstretch, coming to rest on its roof.

With the use of tethers and a tow truck, safety workers righted the car, and Kvapil climbed out before a mandatory trip to the infield care center.

“Maybe on dirt, I‘ve flipped a few of them, but definitely never asphalt racing or a big stock car race,” Kvapil said after being evaluated and released from the care center. “It was actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be, once I realized I was going over, but it just sucks.”

On Lap 38, Jesse Love crowded Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Hill down toward the apron as the two raced side-by-side in Turn 4. Hill spun sideways, and as he fought to control his No. 21 Chevrolet, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of William Sawalich plowed into Hill‘s car.

“I‘ll remember this,” Hill promised on his radio, referring to racing from his teammate he thought was unnecessarily close.

Hill fell out of the race in 34th place. Corey Day saw his streak of eight straight top 10s end with a 12th-place finish after rallying from an accident on Lap 101 and subsequent flat tire.

Gray, Creed, Allgaier and Love qualified for the third Dash 4 Cash race of the season, Saturday‘s Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway (4 p.m. ET on CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

— NASCAR Wire Service —

See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points, Owner Points, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

Reddick toured the 1.5-mile speedway in 29.142 seconds (185.300 mph) to claim his third Busch Light Pole Award of the season, his second at Kansas and the 14th of his career.

In doing so, Reddick edged his car owner, Denny Hamlin (185.179 mph), by 0.019 seconds for the top starting spot in Sunday‘s AdventHealth 400, the ninth NASCAR Cup Series race of the year.

The pole was the fifth in the last six Kansas races for Toyota drivers.

The 2026 season already has been a remarkable one for Reddick, who won the first three races and added a fourth victory March 22 at Darlington Raceway. Reddick‘s last three wins have come from the pole position, at EchoPark Speedway near Atlanta (starting on metrics after a qualifying rainout), Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, and at Darlington.

Should Reddick win on Sunday, he would become the fourth driver in Cup Series history—and the first since Dale Earnhardt in 1987—to win five of the first nine events of a season. Reddick currently tops the series standings with a 62-point edge over second-place Ryan Blaney.

“We had a lot of good handling in our car for Atlanta,” Reddick said of his and his team‘s ability to convert qualifying speed into race wins. “COTA obviously I felt like the 12 (Blaney) and Shane (van Gisbergen) were really strong. I think just good handling, handling that you can trust, handling that stays with you in the long run. So, Darlington, same thing.

“Here, the speeds were a bit higher, and I didn’t know if we’d be able to get the pole, but it was really nice to see that the handling that we have, the short-run speed that we have appears to be all there today.”

Bristol winner Ty Gibbs and defending series champion Kyle Larson posted identical times (29.192 seconds for 184.982 mph) and will start third and fourth, respectively, with Gibbs getting the nod on owner points. Larson is the two-time defending winner of the spring race at Kansas.

Chase Briscoe qualified fifth at 184.938 mph, as Toyotas claimed four of the top five starting positions. Carson Hocevar was sixth, followed by Chris Buescher, Daniel Suarez, Blaney and Bubba Wallace.

— NASCAR News Wire —

See the complete qualifying results and the AdventHealth 400 Starting Lineup.

For complete race information, check out the Kansas race page.

His former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Denny Hamlin, gave a blunt assessment of Busch‘s struggles in the Next Gen era on his Actions Detrimental podcast early in the week. He ackno wledged that Busch is a “Hall of Fame, Mount Rushmore” driver, but acknowledged that he isn‘t outperforming teammate Austin Dillon as expected and “doesn‘t know how to consistently get speed out of the Nex Gen car.”

…

Asked about Hamlin‘s comments in a pre-qualifying media bullpen at Kansas Speedway, Busch had a simple request for Hamlin.

“If Denny wants to switch cars, I‘ll switch cars with him,” Busch told The Athletic‘s Jeff Gluck. “Any day of the week, any time. I would love for him to show me he can carry it better than I can.”

…

“He can bash me all he wants,” Busch added. “I can certainly make his life hell.”

— Racer —

KANSAS CITY, Kan.—No doubt a bettor brave enough to take Chase Elliott with one lap left in overtime in last year‘s Sept 28 race at Kansas Speedway could have gotten long odds.

Elliott took the white flag in fifth place, behind the Toyotas of Bubba Wallace, Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe and Christopher Bell. Wallace pulled out to a lead of a half-car-length, with Hamlin in pursuit.

Hamlin steered his No. 11 Camry to the inside of Wallace‘s car and forced Wallace wide through the final two corners. That allowed Elliott to dive to the inside of both Toyotas and steal the win for Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet.

“It certainly played a factor, kind of in the manufacturer battle as well, right?,” Hamlin said on Saturday before NASCAR Cup Series practice for Sunday‘s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas (2 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). “I mean, you go from winning one to now your competition actually won.

“There were definitely a lot of negatives to the way that race ended, but it certainly was I just, I feel like, I was trying to go for it, certainly, and used a little bit too much aggression, for sure, in Turn 3.

“But overall, you’re going to have that in racing. When you have teammates, manufacturer guys that you all share information with, we’re going to always be right around each other. So sometimes those racing incidents happen in one out of 20 times.”

Hamlin heads the list of winners at Kansas with four victories, but he‘s shocked at his recent failures to find Victory Lane.

“For the last six years, if someone else wins a Kansas race, I’m just trying to figure out how we didn’t win, because we’re always just so fast here,” Hamlin said.

“We found 10 to 12 different ways to not win here, and I thought I saw the stat this week that there has only been… I think (Kyle) Larson’s been the only repeat winner here in the last 11 races, and it was like, the fact that we haven’t is just criminal. So, hopefully we can change that.”

Now a NASCAR Cup winner, Ty Gibbs wants to make racing more physical

At age 23, Ty Gibbs is feeling his oats after his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory, and he‘d like to make the sport tougher and more physical.

“I think we should rip all the cool suits out of everyone‘s cars and make it a more physical sport,” Gibbs said on Saturday. “I think that would be very entertaining and bring out more emotion, obviously…

“I think no cool suits—rip ‘em all out. I think, honestly, people would be pumped with that, ‘cause half the time they break on everybody and make it worse. I think we should rip all of it out, make it more physical.”

When cool suits are working properly, they compensate for high temperatures in a car‘s cockpit. When they malfunction, however, the water flowing inside the suit can overheat and add to a driver‘s discomfort.

Some drivers, such as Gibbs‘ teammate Denny Hamlin, choose not to use cool suits at all.

Erik Jones: New LEGACY president should have significant impact

The new president of LEGACY Motor Club isn‘t just an administrator, as driver Erik Jones made clear on Saturday at Kansas Speedway, site of Sunday‘s AdventHealth 400 (2 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

With a background as chief operating officer at Joe Gibbs Racing and as vice president of engineering and R&D (as well as global sales and marketing) at automotive industry supplier Multimatic, Michael Guttilla brings a broad-ranging skill set to LEGACY.

“I didn’t know him beforehand, but I had a chance to sit down and spend some time with him in the last week and a half,” Jones said on Saturday at Kansas Speedway. “I think he’s a super impressive guy. His resume’s really strong, and he’s done a lot of things, in motorsports and in manufacturing and production cars.

“He has a pretty broad range of skills, and I think he has a lot of managerial skills. I think the role he’s in is great, obviously, but I think he can bring a lot to the table and sense of understanding the engineering side as well. I don’t think he’s a guy that is just well-versed in business, but I think he’s well versed in competition and performance.

“I’m excited to have him. We’ve been kind of waiting to fill that role and find the right guy, and that‘s been a role that wasn’t just randomly filled when Michael became available. It was something that’s been in the works, and we’ve been trying to find the right fit for a while. I was excited to do that, excited to have him, and see what he can bring. It’s still super early. It‘s been a couple of weeks, but I really, I think his influence is already starting to be felt a bit.”

Female drivers make a statement in ARCA Menards Series race at Kansas

Gio Ruggiero won Saturday‘s Tide 150 ARCA Menards Series race at Kansas Speedway, but there were significant stories that unfolded behind him.

Three of the four female drivers in the field finished in the top 10, with Lanie Buice running fifth, followed by Jade Avedisian in seventh and Dystany Spurlock in 10th. Avedisian was competing on a 1.5-mile intermediate speedway for the first time.

The fourth female driver in the race, Isabella Robusto, a former Kansas pole winner, was running just outside the top 10 when the engine in Cleetus McFarland‘s car blew and spread oil on the track.

Robusto slid through the fluid, slammed into the outside wall and fell out of the race.

Daniel Dye finished second in his first race since his reinstatement from a suspension for inappropriate comments directed at IndyCar driver David Malukas.

— NASCAR Wire Service —

Lee grew up in Lanagan, Missouri where he spent endless hours tinkering on car engines. He grew his passion of building and designing engines to auto racing where he began his long and illustrious career as a mechanic then on to becoming team manager for multiple race teams across a broad-spectrum auto racing series. He notched multiple race wins and championships across the globe ranging from IMSA, GTO, CART, Indycar, and NASCAR. His most cherished win as an engine builder was the Indianapolis 500. Prior to retirement in 2013, Lee was President and General Manager for Toyota Racing Development (TRD) for nearly 15 years. He was recognized as one of the most influential people in American auto racing and his legacy in the sport will live on thru his many accomplishments and trophy case. He enjoyed golf, travel and tooling around on his boat on Lake Norman in North Carolina blaring bluegrass music. As a hobby, Lee was a pilot for many years, often flying himself and others to races in his super charged Mooney Airplane.

He is survived by his brother Virgil (Dennis) White, daughter Shelby, son Scott, two step-daughters; Gina and Dana, as well as his granddaughters Harper, Paige, Heather, and Haley.

“Chef Jose and the entire team at Levy Restaurants did an exceptional job creating bold, flavorful menu items with a bit of a fiesta flair for our upcoming NASCAR tripleheader weekend,” Texas Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Mark Faber said. “These featured items are just one of many exciting experiences our race fans have to look forward to throughout the May 1-3 weekend.”
Here‘s a look at the featured menu items that are sure to fuel your race weekend appetite:

Sweet Piggy Pit Stop – $18
• A wild sweet-meets-savory stack featuring Texas toast layered with crispy bacon, melted American, Cheddar and Pepperjack Cheeses, sugary-glazed donuts and finished with a drizzle of syrup. Big, bold and a Victory Lap for your taste buds.
Peanut Butter Jam Burger – $18
• Sink your teeth into a distinct flavor mash-up featuring a juicy ¼ lb. beef patty, crispy bacon and a generous layer of crunchy peanut butter; finished with a sweet-heat kick of a “made-from-scratch” habanero berry jam and served on a Brioche bun. A sweet, savory, spicy masterpiece built for race day.
Turbo Mac n Cheese Lug Nuts – $12
• Deep-fried golden bites packed with a creamy three-cheese macaroni, crispy bacon bits and chopped jalapenos. Crunchy on the outside, melty on the inside, and built for a full-throttle kick of flavor.
El Jefe Cheesy Barbacoa Melt – $18
• Tender barbacoa beef piled high on toasted bolillo bread with grilled melted cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Topped with a fresh cilantro-onion mix and served with a rich, savory consomé for dipping. A bold, top race-day contender.
Pecan Blast Churro Fries – $13
• Crispy churro fries piled high with warm pecan pie filling, chopped pecans, rich chocolate drizzle and a fluffy dollop of whipped cream. A Texas-sized dessert built for race-day indulgence.
Southern Speed Tea – $15
• A smooth blend of Maker‘s Mark bourbon, ripe peach puree, and refreshing iced tea, brightened with lemon juice and finished with a fresh mint garnish. Sweet, smooth and perfect for cooling off between laps.
Rattlesnake Melon-Rita – $15
• A striking blend of Espolón Blanco tequila, refreshing watermelon juice, smooth blue agave and zesty lime, finished with a spunky pepper puree kick. A refined yet refreshing cocktail, packing Texas-sized flavor in every sip.
All entree items will be available at Kapow Kitchen in Section 120, while the mixed beverages can be found at the No Limits Bar. The Pecan Blast Churro Fries will also be available in Sections 406 and 418, giving race fans even more ways to satisfy their sweet tooth.

— Texas Motor Speedway —

KNOX Hydration was developed to bridge a gap in the market: a hydration drink that not only tastes great, but also delivers real functional benefits. Packed with amino acids, electrolytes, and essential vitamins, KNOX supports optimal hydration while helping you stay focused and perform at your best.

“We‘re proud to partner with Garage 66 on one of the most demanding stages in motorsports at Talladega,” said John Schaefer, CEO of KNOX Hydration. “At speeds where focus, endurance, and split-second decisions define performance, proper hydration isn‘t just a health priority—it‘s a competitive advantage. KNOX Hydration is committed to supporting both driver and crew with the essential hydration they need to stay sharp, recover faster, and perform at their peak from the first lap to the checkered flag.”

Whether you‘re training in the gym or tackling a busy workday, KNOX is your reliable daily hydration solution. Trusted by elite athletes and weekend warriors alike, it‘s designed for all levels, delivering the perfect balance of performance and great taste.

KNOX Hydration is accelerating its global expansion, with operations now in Africa, Australia, and the UK. Building on this momentum, the brand is set to launch in the US later this year. 2026 is shaping up to be a breakout year as KNOX continues to expand its global footprint and bring its hydration solutions to new audiences worldwide.

“Expanding into the NASCAR world marks an exciting step forward for KNOX Hydration as we continue to grow our audience on a global scale,” said Mark Jacobs, KNOX Hydration Director of Global Marketing. “Motorsport brings together fans from diverse backgrounds and regions, and this platform allows us to share a universal message: hydration is fundamental to performance, focus, and overall well-being. Whether on the track or in everyday life, we‘re committed to delivering a product and a message that resonates across borders and fuels people to perform at their best.”

Hydrated by KNOX and with additional support from Carter‘s Royal Dispos-All, GPC Poultry Supply & Hardware, and Auto Direct USA, Chad Finchum is set to make his first career drafting track start in the NASCAR Cup Series. The Knoxville, Tennessee native has Top 15 finishes at both Daytona and Talladega in the NASCAR O‘Reilly Auto Parts Series.

“Talladega has always been a place we‘ve been strong,” said Finchum. “I‘ve had some really good runs there in the past, so I‘m excited to get back to it. There‘s a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes—from the driver side, the team side, and our partners—to put something like this together. Now it‘s about going out there, executing at a high level, and coming home with a solid finish. There are just not many places in this sport like racing at ‘Dega.”

Qualifying for the Jack Link‘s 500 at Talladega commences on Saturday, April 25 at 9:30 am CT (10:30 am ET), with live streaming coverage on Prime Video. The 500-miler gets underway on Sunday, April 26 at 2 pm CT (3 pm ET) and airs live on network FOX.

— Garage 66 —

Buescher‘s striking design will incorporate Liverpool FC‘s distinct red colorway sweeping across the car‘s body with RFK Racing‘s signature pillars taking on the soccer team‘s white and green accent color. Positioned on the door panel will be the soccer team‘s distinctive ‘Liver Bird‘ logo, anchoring the design. The Trimble brand will be prominently displayed across the hood, quarter panels and rear deck, delivering a bold and unmistakable presence across the car.

Fans will get their first look at the Liverpool FC paint scheme during ‘Premier League Mornings Live‘ at Armature Works in Tampa Bay, April 18 & 19. The free fan festival will feature live match viewings, interactive experiences, and special appearances, offering an ideal stage to unveil the car ahead of its on-track debut.

This unique crossover comes at a moment when attention on soccer in the United States is at an all-time high. The Sonoma race comes less than two weeks before the world‘s most prestigious soccer tournament concludes in New Jersey, and only a month prior to Liverpool FC‘s highly anticipated U.S. preseason tour consisting of an exhibition tour of ‘friendlies‘ including stops in Nashville (July 25), New York (July 29), and Chicago (August 2).

“This is a special opportunity to connect three world-class organizations,” said RFK Racing President Chip Bowers. “Liverpool FC has one of the most passionate global fanbases in sports, and Trimble‘s sponsorship made it possible to bring that global energy to life on one of our cars in Sonoma, at a time when the world‘s attention is on soccer in the U.S. It‘s a powerful moment for all three brands.”

Liverpool FC, the reigning Premier League Champion, is one of the world‘s most famous and successful soccer clubs with 20 League titles, eight FA Cups, 10 League Cups, six European Cups, three UEFA Cups, four European Super Cups, 16 Charity Shields, two Women‘s Super League titles and one Women‘s Championship.

“Collaborating with our global sponsor Trimble to feature on RFK Racing‘s car is an exciting moment for the club. It allows us to show up in a completely new sporting environment and connect with supporters in a way that feels fresh and unexpected, particularly in the US where we have the fastest growing fanbase of any Premier League club, said Kate Theobald, Commercial Director at Liverpool FC. “Unveiling the car in Tampa, in front of fans, is the perfect way to bring that moment to life as we look ahead to returning this summer for our 2026/27 U.S. preseason tour.”

Trimble, a global technology company that enables essential industries including construction, geospatial and transportation, has been an active sponsor partner with both RFK Racing and Liverpool FC. Trimble‘s support of this collaboration was instrumental in creating the commemorative car design for Sonoma.

“Trimble technology helps connect critical industries around the world — from the construction of state-of-the-art stadiums to the roads and bridges fans use to get to them,” said Mark Schwartz, Group President of AECO at Trimble. “Our collaboration with RFK Racing and Liverpool FC celebrates a shared commitment to precision and performance. By bringing these iconic brands together, we are showcasing how a connected ecosystem — whether on the pitch, the track, or the jobsite — empowers teams to achieve more.”

In addition to the on-track activation at Sonoma, a merchandise collection featuring the Liverpool FC inspired design will be made available, giving fans a chance to celebrate the collaboration across both sports. The effort also opens the door for crossover engagement between NASCAR fans and Liverpool FC‘s global fan base.

Liverpool FC‘s presence on Buescher‘s Trimble Ford Mustang underscores FSG‘s commitment to creatively showcasing its global sports platforms. The collaboration in Sonoma builds on previous cross property activations, including RFK Racing’s Boston Red Sox-themed paint scheme that brought another FSG brand to the track in prior years.

— RFK Racing —

It is my understanding that Pat Gray will not be able to compete this weekend so Blaney is getting another jackman change.

Blaney will get Graham Stoddard from the No. 4 of Noah Gragson.

Landon Honeycutt stays on the No. 21 after the swap this morning. pic.twitter.com/TzdMqEXBhE

— Bozi Tatarevic (@BoziTatarevic) April 17, 2026

ORIGINAL POST 4-16-2026: Team Penske has made a change to the No. 12 pit crew that services Ryan Blaney‘s car in the NASCAR Cup Series, the team confirmed Thursday morning.

Patrick Gray will join as the team‘s new jackman for Sunday‘s race at Kansas Speedway. Gray began the season as the jackman on the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford driven by Josh Berry.

Gray replaces Landon Honeycutt, while Honeycutt joins the No. 21 roster.

The move comes as the No. 12 pit crew has been under scrutiny this season. Although Blaney sits second in the points standings with one win, three top fives and six top 10s in eight races, his pit crew has statistically been ranked among the lowest in the Cup Series. Per NASCAR Insights, the No. 12 crew ranked 35th of 36 full-time entries in season-long stats following last week‘s race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Blaney finished second but lost a total of 11 spots on pit road that day, his crew ranking 30th on the day.

— NASCAR.com —