This Week in Motorsports: September 16 – 22, 2024
NCS/NXS/NCTS/ARCA: Bristol Motor Speedway – Sept. 19-21
NHRA: zMAX Dragway – Sept. 20-22
PLANO, Texas (Sept. 18, 2024) – NASCAR is back at Bristol Motor Speedway for a jam-packed weekend of racing with four races over the span of three days. The Cup Series and Xfinity Series each hold cutoff races this weekend, with the Cup Series completing its Round of 16 and the Xfinity Series completing its regular season. The Truck Series’ race is the penultimate of its Round of 10, while the ARCA Menards Series holds its third-to-last race of 2024, which is also the ARCA Menards Series East championship race.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series also returns to action this weekend with the second race of the Countdown to the Championship at zMAX Dragway outside of Charlotte.
NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS
Points update at Round of 16 cutoff … With Saturday night’s race marking the Round of 16 cutoff in the Cup Series, here’s where the Playoff Toyota Camry XSEs sit. Christopher Bell is second in the Playoff standings, currently 46 points to the good, joined above the cutline by Tyler Reddick (sixth) who is 30 points to the good and Ty Gibbs (12th) who is six points above. Denny Hamlin enters the weekend six below the cutline, and Martin Truex Jr. is currently 14 points under.
Hamlin seeks Bristol threepeat … With his championship hopes on the line this weekend, Hamlin returns to Bristol where he goes for his third consecutive win on the half-mile concrete oval. The 43-year-old won the night race a year ago, following it up with a victory in the hectic spring race earlier this year. Another Bristol triumph would secure Hamlin his 55th career win, his fifth at Bristol, and a spot in the Round of 12.
Full-time GR Supras locked in Playoffs as cutoff arrives … Ahead of Friday’s cutoff for the Xfinity Series Playoffs, both full-time Toyota GR Supra drivers, Chandler Smith and Sheldon Creed, have locked themselves into the postseason. Smith is currently fourth in the Playoff standings behind his two wins so far this season and Creed is currently 10th with his 145-point cushion to the cutline.
Truex makes 100th Xfinity Series start … This weekend marks a milestone race as Ryan Truex will make his 100th career Xfinity Series start when he takes the green flag on Friday in the No. 20 GR Supra. It’s been a career year for Truex in the Xfinity Series with two wins (Dover and Daytona) and five top-10s. This will also be Truex’s fifth Xfinity start at Bristol.
Heim, Gray in good positions heading to Bristol … With just two races remaining in the Round of 10, Corey Heim and Taylor Gray sit in solid spots in the Truck Series Playoff standings. Heim is third in the standings, 41 points to the good, while Gray sits fifth, 13 points above the cutline going into Thursday night.
Heim looks to continue Bristol success … Bristol Motor Speedway has been a favorable spot for Heim so far in his Truck Series career. In three starts, the 22-year-old has finished inside the top-10 each time, including a victory last year. Another top-10 finish or better will be paramount as Heim seeks to lock himself into the next round of the Playoffs.
Sawalich doing double duty again … William Sawalich is back behind the wheel of the No. 1 Tundra TRD Pro this Thursday for TRICON Garage, while also competing in the ARCA Menards Series race earlier in the afternoon. This will be Sawalich’s third Trucks start at Bristol and the 12th overall Trucks start of his career.
NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series | ARCA Menards Series East
Sawalich vies for another championship … In Thursday’s race at Bristol, Sawalich aims for his second consecutive ARCA Menards Series East championship. The Minnesotan currently sits 16 points behind first heading into the weekend. He’s made one ARCA start in his career at Bristol in 2023, which resulted in a victory from pole. Repeating at the half-mile concrete oval may result in crowning Sawalich as champion again.
NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car
Ashley takes over points lead … With his No. 1 qualifying effort and semifinals appearance at Maple Grove, Justin Ashley now takes over the Top Fuel points lead after the first Countdown to the Championship race. He’s followed by Maple Grove race winner Antron Brown, Shawn Langdon, Doug Kalitta and Steve Torrence as Toyota continues to hold the top-five in Top Fuel. Billy Torrence holds 10th going into Charlotte. In Funny Car, J.R. Todd remains fourth, with Ron Capps sixth and Alexis DeJoria rising to seventh after her semifinals run last weekend.
Kalitta seeks Charlotte repeat … During his magical run to the Top Fuel world championship a year ago, Kalitta captured victory in the Carolina Nationals in taking the first two races of the Countdown. The driver of the Mac Tools Toyota dragster aims to repeat at zMAX Dragway this weekend to get himself back towards the top of the point standings as the championship push intensifies.
Toyota streaks roll on to Charlotte … With Brown’s victory at Maple Grove last weekend, and the all-Toyota final of he and Langdon, Toyota kept two of its streaks in NHRA going. Toyota has now made 38 consecutive final rounds in either Top Fuel or Funny Car after this past weekend, and Brown’s win gives Toyota 14 victories in the last 16 races, dating back to Kalitta’s win in Pomona last November.
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