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NASCAR 2025: Ultimate Guide to Driver Moves and Team News

NASCAR will return to competition on Sunday, February 2nd, 2025, at 8 pm ET with the NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. It marks NASCAR’s return to the quarter-mile track for the first time since 1971.

Saturday will feature four 25-lap heats to help determine the starting lineup. To finalize the lineup, there will also be a 75-lap last-chance qualifying race on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET before the main event.

In anticipation of the 2025 season, we’ve got the scoop on the latest driver moves and team news.

*Please check back regularly for updates.

NASCAR Cup Series

Anthony Alfredo, Beard Motorsports

On Jan. 9, Beard Motorsports announced that Anthony Alfredo will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 in the No. 62 Chevrolet with Fortify Building Solutions as a sponsor.

Front Row Motorsports will expand to a three-car team in 2025

Front Row Motorsports confirmed on May 29 that they will expand to a three-car team in 2025.

“We have a very positive outlook on the future of NASCAR, and as the sport plans for success, so do we,” commented Bob Jenkins, Owner of Front Row Motorsports. “Today that means having a plan for expanding back to three cars in the NASCAR Cup Series. I always have the vision to continue to grow and improve our team, and that commitment and desire never changes. I am committed to the sport and its passionate fans and partners.”

Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports Ford

The team announced on June 5 that Todd Gilliland will return to the NASCAR Cup Series with Front Row Motorsports in 2025 after signing a multiyear deal and will move from the No. 38 Ford to the No. 34 Ford. On December 12th, it was announced that Chris Lawson would return to Front Row Motorsports as crew chief for Gilliland.

Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports Ford

In July, it was announced that Gragson has signed a multi-year deal with Front Row Motorsports as they expand to three charter teams in 2025. On Jan. 3 it was revealed that Gragson will drive the No. 4 Ford Mustang with Drew Blickensderfer as his crew chief.

“It’s definitely exciting times,” Gragson said during a press conference. “When we started out this year, I didn’t know how I was going to run. I didn’t know if I had the potential to run in the Cup Series just based off how the 2023 season went, and to be able to get my feet underneath me with the opportunity at Stewart-Haas, it definitely opened people’s eyes. And with the challenges that have come about with Stewart-Haas, we were looking for a home for a long time, and that’s when I got introduced to Bob and Jerry [co-owners].”

Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford

On January 2 the team announced that Zane Smith will return to Front Row Motorsports in 2025 to drive the Cup Series No. 38 Ford. Ryan Bergenty will be his crew chief.

“I’ve always felt at home with Front Row Motorsports,” Smith said “They believed in me when I signed with them to race in the Truck Series initially in 2022 and we shared so much success together, winning six races and a championship in two seasons. Unfortunately, everyone had to make tough decisions because there were only two Cup cars available at Front Row Motorsports going into last season when I was ready to move up full-time. Now, going into next year, Front Row has really taken their Cup program to another level and I cannot think of a better lineup of teammates.”

Garrett Smithley, Garage 66 (Formerly MBM Motorsports)

MBM Motorsports has rebranded their Cup Series team to Garage 66 as of Jan. 16.

Garrett Smithley will drive the No. 66 Ford in the  Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Feb. 2  No announcements have been made as to whether the team will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500, or who the driver will be.

Chandler Smith, Garage 66 (Formerly MBM Motorsports)

It was announced on Jan. 23 that Smith would drive the No. 66 Ford and attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500.

Haas Factory Team (NCS/NXS)

After the news that Stewart-Haas Racing would cease operations at the end of 2024, Gene Haas announced on June 20 that he would field one Cup charter and two Xfinity Series teams under the name Haas Factory Team in 2025.

“My commitment to motorsports hasn’t changed, just the scope of my involvement,” Haas said. “Operating a four-car Cup Series team has become too arduous, but, at the same time, I still need a platform to promote Haas Automation and grow HaasTooling.com.”

On Jan. 7, the team announced Nick Sandler as the competition director for the Cup Series program and Adam Gravitt as the competition director for the Xfinity Series program.

Cole Custer, Haas Factory Team

After two seasons in the Xfinity Series, Cole Custer will return to the Cup Series in 2025 to drive the No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford. 

“I’ve grown up with Haas Automation, and having their name on my firesuit is something I take a tremendous amount of pride in. I’m driven to win for Gene and everyone at Haas Automation because they’ve been such a big part of my career,” Custer said.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Hyak Motorsports (formerly JTG Daugherty)

JTG Daugherty Racing announced in November that they would rebrand with a new name (Hyak Motorsports) under new ownership, effective immediately. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will continue to drive the No. 47 Chevrolet with crew chief, Mike Kelley. 

Chris Gabehart, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing

On November 22nd, Joe Gibbs Racing announced a couple of major changes for next season regarding the No. 11 team. Chris Gabehart, Hamlin’s crew chief for the previous six years, will advance to the role of competition director in 2025. Chris Gayle, Ty Gibbs’s crew chief for the past two seasons, will be Hamlin’s crew chief in 2025.

“Denny is obviously a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” said Gayle. “I’m looking forward to working with him and the guys on the No. 11 team. He and Gabehart have established an incredible culture that is a very good barometer for our other drivers and teams to strive to match. I have all the confidence in the world we can hit the ground running and continue the success that this group is accustomed to in 2025.”

Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

On June 14, Truex announced his decision to retire from full-time competition at the end of the 2024 season. He will compete in a few select races in 2025, beginning with the Daytona 500.

“It’s been incredible. It’s been a hell of a ride. I’m excited about the future, and I’m not really sure what that looks like yet,” Truex said.

Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

On June 25, ChaseBriscoewas named as Truex’s successor in the NASCAR Cup Series after signing a multiyear contract to drive the No. 19 Toyota beginning in 2025. 

“I have to win. Like there’s no excuse not to win,” Briscoe said. “You have to make the playoffs. If you don’t make the playoffs, then there’s no reason I should be driving this race car. So yeah, I definitely think that you have to win races. You have to be running up front consistently, and I think they feel like I’m capable of doing that. But I have to show that, so hopefully, that’s what I can do.”

Tyler Allen, Joe Gibbs Racing

On December 2nd, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Tyler Allen will move from crew chief of the No. 20 Toyota in the Xfinity Series to crew chief for Ty Gibbs and the No. 54 team in the Cup Series in 2025. 

“It’s an honor to be named crew chief for Ty Gibbs and the 54 Team as we head into the 2025 season,” said Allen. “This opportunity has been a dream of mine since starting here at JGR 10 years ago, and I’m thankful for the support and guidance I’ve received from my mentors, teammates, and everyone along the way. Ty has shown a lot of speed and potential the last two years, and I look forward to building on that experience to get the 54 car in victory lane.”

Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports

JR Motorsports announced on Jan. 15 that they will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 in the No. 40 Chevrolet with driver Justin Allgaier and make their Cup Series debut. Greg Ives will be Allgaier’s crew chief and they will have sponsorship from Chris Stapleton’s Traveller Whiskey.

AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Allmendinger will return to the Cup Series in 2025 to drive full-time for Kaulig Racing and will drive the No. 16 Chevrolet. 

Ty Dillon, Kaulig Racing

It was announced on September 28th that Ty Dillon will drive the No. 10 Chevrolet full-time for Kaulig Racing in 2025. 

“I am incredibly grateful for another opportunity to run full-time in the Cup Series, and to be able to do it with the men and women at Kaulig Racing means a lot to me personally,” said Dillon. “They gave me a chance this year to go out and prove myself in a handful of starts. The team and I were able to connect early on, and we put together a few strong runs in the No. 16. I’m really looking forward to what 2025 brings with this team. We have a bright future ahead of us and we’re going to give it our all each and every race next season.”

Erik Jones, LEGACY Motor Club Toyota

The team confirmed that Jones will return to drive the No. 43 LEGACY Motor Club Toyota entry after signing a multiyear deal with the team. Jones will continue to pilot the coveted 43 Toyota Camry XSE for the 2025 NASCAR season and beyond.

“I’m looking forward to what we can build at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. I’ve been with the No. 43 car for a handful of years and feel like I’m coming into some of the best years of my career. I am hoping to grow alongside LEGACY M.C. in the seasons to come,” said Jones.

Jimmie Johnson, LEGACY Motor Club

On Jan. 16, Jimmie Johnson confirmed that he will attempt to qualify for the 2025 Daytona 500 in the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota. He has also signed up for the Memorial Day Weekend Coca-Cola 600 on May 25, his second of two planned appearances. If he qualifies for both events, it will give him 700 career starts.

Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing

On Nov. 20, Richard Childress Racing announced that Austin Dillon will be paired with a new crew chief in 2025 as Richard Boswell takes over on the pit box for the No. 3 Cup Series Chevy. Bass Pro Shops and Winchester confirmed on Jan. 17 that they will sponsor Dillon for 17 races this season.

Jesse Love, Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing confirmed on October 31st that Love will be back to drive the No. 2 Xfinity Series Chevrolet in 2025. 

“I’ll always be grateful that we were able to give Whelen their first NASCAR win earlier this season (2024) and I know we have more victories in our future together,” said Jesse Love.

Tim Brown, Rick Ware Racing

Rick Ware Racing announced on November 17th that Bowman Gray Stadium star Tim Brown, the track’s all-time wins leader (101 Modified Division victories), will drive the Rick Ware Racing No. 15 Ford and attempt to qualify for the Clash exhibition race on February 2nd at the quarter-mile oval.

Corey LaJoie, Rick Ware Racing

On Jan. 27, the team announced that LaJoie will run a limited schedule during the 2025 Cup Series season in the No. 01 Ford Mustang, beginning with the Daytona 500. He will also join the Prime Video 5-race Cup Series broadcast team as an analyst.

Matt McCall, RFK Racing

On November 7th, RFK Racing announced that Matt McCall would not return as crew chief for the No. 6 Ford driven by Brad Keselowski in 2025. 

Jeremy Bullins, RFK Racing

Brad Keselowski will have a new crew chief next year. On Nov. 21, RFK Racing announced that Jeremy Bullins will be Keselowski’s crew chief in 2025. Bullins and Keselowski worked together for two seasons (2020 and 2021) at Team Penske and captured five wins.

“I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to work with BK again, this time in the iconic No. 6 car with RFK,” said Bullins. “We were able to accomplish a lot as a team previously, but we had a couple of unfinished goals like a Daytona 500 win and a championship together and I’m ecstatic we get the opportunity to compete together again. From the outside looking in it’s been obvious the trajectory RFK is on, and I look forward to being part of the growth and future success of the team.”

Ryan Preece, RFK Racing

On November 19th, RFK Racing announced that Ryan Preece will drive the No. 60 Ford full-time in 2025. Kroger will also move its sponsorship from JTG Daugherty Racing to sponsor all of the RFK Racing teams (Preece, Keselowski, and Buescher). 

“I’m a racer. I’m somebody that wants to win races. I want to compete for championships. My entire career has certainly been unorthodox, but I have unfinished business, and I want to win really bad,” said Preece. “I’m eager and ready to get to the Clash and get to Daytona and finish out that goal.”

Veteran Derrick Finley was announced as Preece’s crew chief on Jan. 14. Finley has over 20 years of experience in NASCAR on the pit box and in various roles throughout the NASCAR organization.

Brad Keselowski, co-owner and driver for RFK Racing said, “His experience and technical knowledge of the sport will play a crucial role in the initial development and growth of the No. 60 team.”

Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

On May 8, Spire Motorsports announced they had signed a multiyear contract with Michael McDowell to drive the No. 71 full-time.

“This is a new chapter for my family and me, and we’re incredibly thankful for the opportunity that’s in front of us,” said McDowell. “It’s going to take some hard work, but I feel like everything is in place for us to be successful as a race team, to win races and contend for championships. People are the greatest asset to any organization, and with Spire’s vision, ambition, knowledge, and dedication, we will achieve great things. Failure is not an option, and that’s the mindset that it will take to achieve our goals.”

Rodney Childers, Spire Motorsports

After the announcement that Stewart-Haas Racing would cease operations at the end of the 2024 season, Spire Motorsports hired Rodney Childers as the crew chief for the No. 7 team (Justin Haley) beginning in 2025. The current crew chief, Ryan Sparks, will move to the role of competition director.

“I think the biggest thing is seeing how Spire Motorsports has grown over the last couple of years,” said Childers. “They are investing in people, and that’s what makes a difference these days. We all buy the same chassis, bodies, and parts. What makes a difference is the people. Spire continues to invest in the people within the team, and they seek out good people to add depth to an already strong group.”

Justin Haley, Spire Motorsports  

Spire Motorsports announced on September 20th that Haley had signed a multi-year contract to drive the No. 7 Chevrolet. 

“Spire Motorsports gave me my first few starts in the Cup Series,” said Haley. “My first was in the No. 77 at Talladega on my 20th birthday. We had a lot of great runs in our first year together in 2019, and there’s still a lot of familiar faces around there who were on the team back then. I’m excited to come home. This is where I got my start in the Cup Series, and I’m excited to go out there and compete with (crew chief) Ryan Sparks and the No. 7 team. The next seven races will give us a nice head start and a baseline for next season.”

Haley began driving the No. 7 Chevy Camaro at the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway while Corey LaJoie finished the 2024 season in Rick Ware Racing’s No. 51 entry.

Matt McCall and Dax Gerringer, Spire Motorsports

On November 25th, Spire Motorsports announced that veteran crew chief Matt McCall will join the team as Director of Vehicle Performance. Dax Gerringer, the former lead engineer at Stewart-Haas Racing, will join the organization as Technical Director. 

“This is a great addition for our team and one that means a lot to me, personally,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “Matt is a longtime friend, one of my first handful of NASCAR clients I had when I was a young agent, and we’ve always shared the same view of how race cars work and race teams operate. I’m happy the stars finally aligned for us to work together, and I look forward to adding him to an already impressive group for 2025.”

Stewart-Haas Racing will close at the end of the 2024 season (NCS/NXS)

Stewart-Haas Racing announced on May 28 that the team would cease operations at the end of the 2024 season and sell its four charters. In 2008, NASCAR Hall of Famer Stewart joined forces with Haas to form SHR for its inaugural season in 2009, starting with a two-car team with drivers Stewart and Ryan Newman with a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports.

“We have made the difficult decision to close Stewart-Haas Racing at the conclusion of the 2024 season. It is a decision that did not come easily, nor was it made quickly. Racing is a labor-intensive, humbling sport. It requires unwavering commitment and vast resources, with a 365-day mindset to be better than everyone else. It’s part of what makes success so rewarding. But the commitment needed to extract maximum performance while providing sustainability is incredibly demanding, and we’ve reached a point in our respective personal and business lives where it’s time to pass the torch.”

Daniel Suárez, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Trackhouse Racing announced on Friday, August 9th, that Daniel Suárez will return as the No. 99 Chevrolet driver in 2025, marking their fifth season together.

“Trackhouse is home to me, and I have enjoyed every minute I have been here,” said Suárez. “We plan to keep working, growing, and winning more races. We can only do that with the support of my Amigos and Amigas at Freeway Insurance. They have backed me for the last several years and we have grown close with their customers and employees.”

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing

Shane van Gisbergen will transition from the Xfinity Series to drive the No. 88 Chevrolet full-time in the Cup Series for Trackhouse Racing in 2025. 

“This is what I have planned for, and I am ready,” van Gisbergen said. “I know there is a tough learning curve ahead, but the best way to learn is to go out and do it.” He added, “I feel I have made progress running the Xfinity Series this year with Kaulig Racing, and I can’t thank everyone there enough. I look forward to the Cup Series. Those drivers and teams are the best in the world, and it will be an honor to be part of their races.”

On Jan. 23 it was announced that Red Bull would serve as the official energy drink of Trackhouse Racing and the primary partner on Shane van Gisbergen’s No. 88 Chevrolet in five NASCAR Cup Series races.

Connor Zilisch, Trackhouse Racing

Trackhouse Racing also announced on Jan. 23 that Zilisch will make his Cup Series debut at Circuit of the Americas on March 2 in the No. 87 Chevrolet with Red Bull as his primary sponsor. As noted below, Zilisch is racing full-time in the Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports.

Martin Truex Jr., TRICON Garage

On Jan. 16, TRICON Garage announced that Martin Truex Jr. will attempt the Daytona 500 in the No. 56 Cup Series car with technical support from Joe Gibbs Racing. Cole Pearn will serve as the crew chief for the entry.

Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing

23XI Racing confirmed on September 26th that Wallace has signed a multiyear renewal to drive No. 23 Chevrolet in 2025 “and beyond.”  

“From day one Bubba has been an integral part of 23XI,” said a statement on social media. “We’re excited to announce that he has signed a multi-year renewal and will continue to play a key role in helping 23XI grow and succeed. #ForwardTogether”

Riley Herbst, 23XI Racing

On November 21st, 23XI Racing announced that Herbst will join the team in the No. 35 Toyota as their third full-time driver in 2025.

“It’s an honor to join 23XI and Toyota for the opportunity to race in the Cup Series each week,” Herbst said. “Racing full-time in the Cup Series has been my goal since I started in NASCAR, and I’m excited to start my Cup career with such an accomplished and driven team. What 23XI has accomplished in a short time is impressive,e and I look forward to building on their success as the organization grows. It’s also great to continue representing Monster and I’m excited about adding to their legacy in NASCAR.”

Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford

Josh Berry will drive for Wood Brothers Racing in 2025. He replaces Harrison Burton in the No. 21 Ford, who will move to the Xfinity Series with AM Racing next season.

“First and foremost just the history, the heritage, the family atmosphere that the Wood Brothers provide. It just really feels like a great fit for me. I feel like I fit their brand, and who they are and how I’ve gotten here, and how they’ve gotten here. I feel like this is a great fit. I’ve really enjoyed my relationship with Ford, and to continue that on was something that’s important to me, and I appreciate, and I’m thankful to have that opportunity. It just really means a lot to drive an iconic car like the 21. I feel like it’s a great opportunity for me. I feel ready to provide results, and I think that all in all, it’s gonna be a great relationship.” Berry said.

A longtime employee of Team Penske and seasoned race engineer in the NASCAR Cup Series, Miles Stanley will transition to Wood Brothers Racing in 2025 to serve as crew chief of the famed No. 21 Ford Mustang with driver Berry.

Parker Retzlaff, Alpha Prime Racing

On December 18th Alpha Prime Racing confirmed that Retzlaff will pilot the No. 4 Chevrolet full-time in 2025. Joe Williams was announced as his crew chief on Dec. 20. Sponsorship details have not been released. Rettzlaff joins Brennan Poole who returns for a second season in the No. 44 Chevrolet.

“We all want to win races, be consistent, and prove we’re here to compete,” Retzlaff said in a press release. “Everyone here has told me how much they believe in me and what I can do.”

Hailie Deegan and AM Racing Ford “Part Ways”

After competing in the first 17 Xfinity races of 2024 in the No. 15 Ford, it was announced on July 8th that Deegan and AM Racing had decided to “part ways effective immediately.” On October 14th, she issued a statement sharing her decision to move to open-wheel cars and compete in a full season next year in Indy NXT, an IndyCar development program, with HMD Motorsports.

“This year, I took the opportunity to hop into the F3 car. And it was one of the coolest experiences I honestly had. I just fell in love with it. One thing went to the next literally, and I went to a few Indycar races I think. Being in the pit sparked so much conversation so I flew up to Indie, checked out a few shops, met with a few of the teams, met with HMD, and I am so excited to be a part of HMD Motorsports.”

Harrison Burton, AM Racing

On September 20th, AM Racing announced that Harrison Burton would join the team to compete full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025 after three seasons in the Cup Series with Wood Brothers Racing.

Nick Sanchez, Big Machine Racing

Sanchez will move from the Truck Series to drive full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025 for Big Machine Racing. 

“This is a huge opportunity for me,” Sanchez said Wednesday in a virtual conference. “When I look at the [Xfinity] schedule and when I look at the places I need to improve as a driver, I think it just offers more for me. I’m excited to get to the race track next year and try to collect trophies for Scott and the whole team. This team has everything to be successful. I look forward to plugging into the team and chasing trophies.”

 “I’m excited to join AM Racing and help build it into the race-winning race team I believe it can and will be,” said Burton. “I think this will be a great opportunity for me to take the things I’ve learned in the Cup Series, bring those to the Xfinity Series, and be the best driver I can be. It’s a blessing to continue my NASCAR journey, and I intend to make the most of this opportunity.”

Cope Family Racing

On Jan. 2, it was announced that Cope Family Racing (CFR)  will debut in 2025 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway in the No. 70 Chevrolet. The team is a family-owned organization with Derrike Cope as the team’s General Manager. Driving duties will be split between Leland Honeyman Jr. (17 races) and Thomas Annunziata. Honeyman will begin the season in the driver’s seat for the season-opener at Daytona.

“I’m excited to join Cope Family Racing as they launch their NASCAR Xfinity Series program,” said Honeyman. “It’s an honor to be part of a team with such a racing legacy, and I can’t wait to contribute to this new chapter in their history book. I’m ready to take on 2025 and continue chasing success on the track.”

“I’m super excited to be racing part-time with CFR in 2025,” Annunziata responded. “Derrike Cope and the Cope Family are rich in NASCAR experience from his driving days and running the team for StarCom Racing in the Cup Series. Although it’s a new team, CFR has assembled an experienced group to compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. I’m ready and more motivated than ever to be a part of this exciting project. Time to go to work.”

Ryan Ellis, DGM Racing

DGM Racing announced on October 18th that Ellis will drive full-time next season in the Xfinity Series. 

“Chatting with Mario (Mario Gosselin, team owner) about his plans for the program in 2025 convinced me that joining DGM was something I couldn’t pass up. He’s a racer, and his enthusiasm was immediately contagious,” Ellis states. “I have so much respect for what the Gosselin family has built, and I hope that we can turn some heads together next year. I’ve seen just how high the potential is at DGM, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

Sam Mayer, Sheldon Creed, Haas Factory Team

Haas Factory Team announced on August 17th that Mayer (No. 41 Ford) and Sheldon Creed (No. 00 Ford) will complete their Xfinity Series driver lineup for 2025. Crew chief Jonathan Toney will be paired with Creed, and Jason Trinchere will be on the pit box for Sam Mayer. On Jan. 7, the team announced Adam Gravitt as the competition director for the Xfinity Series program.

“I’ve won in every division I’ve raced in, and I feel like I’ve earned my place in the Xfinity Series, but that’s not enough. I want to win in the Xfinity Series,” said Creed, who currently drives for Joe Gibbs Racing. He continued, “I watched what Cole Custer did last year on his way to the Xfinity Series championship and when I talked with him about the set-up of the organization, everything he said resonated with me. I feel like Haas Factory Team is a place where I can succeed and where Sam and I can work together to win races and be championship contenders.”

“The Xfinity Series is a really great place to learn and grow and get yourself ready for the NASCAR Cup Series,” Mayer said. “Cup is my ultimate goal, and to really push myself to become the kind of driver who can succeed in Cup, I needed to get out of my comfort zone, challenge myself, and hone my race skills so that when that Cup moment comes, I’m ready. The Haas team got Cole Custer ready for his moment and it’s a place that will help get me and Sheldon ready for our moments.”

Corey Day, Hendrick Motorsports

Hendrick Motorsports announced on Jan. 9 that they have signed a multiyear agreement with Corey Day. He will compete in approximately 30 pavement races across the Xfinity Series, CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, ARCA Series and the Trans-Am Series with sponsorship from HendrickCars.com.

Mark Setzer, Jeremy Clements Racing

On December 12th, the team announced that Mark Setzer would not return as crew chief in 2025. Kase Kallenbach will replace Setzer as the crew chief for the No. 51 team.

“Mark [Setzer] has done a lot to help grow our program here at JCR. We have had some memorable moments with him on the pit box for sure, and I am grateful for all his hard work over the last four seasons. We wish him nothing but the best in whatever comes next.” said Jeremy Clements.

Brandon Jones, Joe Gibbs Racing

Jones will return to Joe Gibbs Racing after signing a multiyear contract on September 3rd to drive full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025. He drove for JGR from 2018 to 2022 and, most recently, for JR Motorsports (2023, 2024).

“I’m beyond excited to be returning to Joe Gibbs Racing and rejoining the Toyota Racing family,” said Jones. “My time with JGR was some of the most rewarding of my career, and I’m eager to build on that success as we chase more wins and a championship together. I’m ready to hit the ground running and make the most of this incredible opportunity.”

Taylor Gray, Joe Gibbs Racing

Taylor Gray will race full-time in 2025, driving the No. 54 Toyota in the Xfinity Series. 

“I am very thankful for this opportunity,” Gray said. “I feel like I have learned a lot in the races I have run this year, and we can build on that next season. Being able to work with Tyler (Allen, crew chief) and these guys for a few races has been a great head start on next season and getting that chemistry going, so I’m really excited about what we can do running together full-time.”

William Sawalich, Joe Gibbs Racing

On October 21st, Joe Gibbs Racing confirmed that William Sawalich will compete full-time in the No. 18 Toyota in the Xfinity Series next season. 

“I am honored to be driving the No. 18 full-time in the Xfinity Series next year,” Sawalich said. “It has been really cool to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing (ARCA Series), and I feel like I have developed so much as a driver over the past two years. I still have a lot to learn, especially with moving to a new series, so I am looking forward to taking this next step in racing.”

Justin Bonsignore, Joe Gibbs Racing

Justin Bonsignore will return to Joe Gibbs Racing to pilot the  No. 19 Toyota for five NASCAR Xfinity Series races in 2025. He made his  Xfinity Series debut with the team in 2024 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Greg Van Alst, Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen

Joey Gase Motorsports confirmed on December 16th that the team has signed ARCA Menards Series veteran, Greg Van Alst, to compete in most of the 2025 Xfinity Series races in the No. 35 Chevrolet. His first race will be the United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 14, 2025.

“I am thrilled about this opportunity to compete in most of the NASCAR Xfinity Series season with Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen,” said Van Alst. “This is an essential step in my racing career, and with a tunneled vision focused on the Xfinity Series, I believe I can step up to the plate and not only be competitive but also produce some strong finishes that can propel our team into the spotlight. I’m ready to get to work and make the most out of the opportunity to make my NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Daytona in about two months.”

Austin Green, Jordan Anderson Racing

Green will return to Jordan Anderson Racing to run a partial Xfinity Series schedule in the No. 32 Chevrolet focusing on road courses and short tracks.

Connor Zilisch, JR Motorsports

On August 7th, JR Motorsports announced thatZilisch will join the team in 2025 to drive the No. 88 Chevrolet full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with veteran crew chief Mardy Lindley.  

“There’s a lot of good Chevrolet-affiliated teams with Kaulig and RCR (Richard Childress Racing), but at the end of the day, when you look at the Cup Series and the guys who have come through JR Motorsports and gone to the Cup Series, I feel like they’ve had the most success. And I do think there’s a lot of really good resources at JR Motorsports that I’ll be able to go and learn from as we look on to the years to come. I feel like I’m in a really good spot with a lot of great people around me that’ll help guide me in the right direction as I get into the Xfinity Series next year.”

JR Motorsports Drivers/Crew Chiefs

Jim Pohlman will return to the No. 7 team with Justin Allgaier.
Phillip Bell will move to the No. 8 team with Sammy Smith.
Andrew Overstreet will be on the No. 1 pit box with rookie driver Carson Kvapil.
Mardy Lindley will join the No. 88 team as crew chief for Connor Zilisch.
Corey Shea joins the No. 9 part-time All-Star entry team as crew chief for nine races with Trackhouse Racing’s Chastain and van Gisbergen.

Daniel Dye, Kaulig Racing

On August 23rd, Kaulig Racing announced that Dye will drive the team’s No. 10 Xfinity Series Chevrolet full-time in 2025.

“I’ve really enjoyed driving the Xfinity car this year, and I’m excited for the opportunity to continue working with Kaulig Racing in 2025,” said Daniel Dye. “It’s been a fun experience learning the car and trying to navigate the different feeling compared to the truck. I’m looking forward to finishing out the season, running for the Truck Championship and making the most of my remaining races in the No. 10.”

Christian Eckes, Kaulig Racing

On August 31st Kaulig Racing announced that Eckes will move from the Craftsman Truck Series to drive the team’s No. 16 Chevrolet full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025.

“Just super excited for this opportunity,” Eckes said. “This is something I feel like it’s been a long time coming, and to do it with Kaulig Racing, Chris (Rice, team president), Matt (Kaulig, team owner) and so many great teammates as well is something that I’m really looking forward to. Obviously, have a lot to achieve this year still, but very excited for the future. Just ready to get to work.”

Kaulig Racing, Crew Chief Lineup

Kaulig Racing revealed their Xfinity Series crew chief lineup on December 19th. Kevin Walter will be paired with Daniel Dye (No. 10 Chevrolet), Eddie Pardue with Josh Williams (No. 11 Chevrolet), and Alex Yontz with Christian Eckes (No. 16 Chevrolet).

Tyler Tomassi, No. 66, MBM Motorsports

MBM Motorsports announced today (Jan 15) that Tyler Tomassi will drive the No. 66 Ford Mustang in two NASCAR Xfinity Series events in 2025 – Martinsville Speedway in March and Bristol Motor Speedway in April.

Kris Wright, Our Motorsports

On November 20th, Wright announced he would drive the No. 5 Chevrolet full-time in 2025. He will replace Anthony Alfredo.  

“I am thrilled to join Our Motorsports for the 2025 season,” said Kris Wright. “I’m equally excited to make my return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series and look forward to hitting the road for 33 weeks to take on the challenges of a full season together.”

Dean Thompson, Sam Hunt Racing

On Jan. &, Sam Hunt Racing announced that Dean Thompson will pilot the No. 26 Toyota full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025.

“I’m very excited to join the Sam Hunt Racing group and continue to pursue my dreams in NASCAR,” Thompson said. “The team made me feel at home after the two races we shared last year. Everything clicked with us, and we are both in a spot where we could fulfill each other’s needs to help our growth as a race team and driver. I’m lucky to have this opportunity to take the next step, which most can only dream of reaching, and I’m grateful to share it with such an awesome group of people.”

Garrett Smithley, SS-Greenlight Racing

SS-Greenlight Racing announced on Mon., November 19th, that Garrett Smithley will return to the team in 2025 and compete full-time in the No. 14 Chevrolet with crew chief, Jason Mille and will be sponsored by Trophy Tractor.

“I’m incredibly excited and grateful to be a full-time driver at SS-Greenlight Racing,” Smithley said in a team release. “I haven’t been full-time since 2019, so beyond excited to get to work with Bobby (Dotter, owner) and Jason Miller (crew chief). Daytona can’t come soon enough!”

SS-Greenlight Racing, No. 07

On Jan. 16 the team announced that Patrick Emerling, Alex Labbe and Nick Leitz will split SS-Greenlight Racing’s No. 07 entry for the 2025 Xfinity Series season. Emerling will compete in the season opener at Daytona.

Matt DiBenedetto, Viking Motorsports

On Jan. 16 Viking Motorsports announced that DiBenedetto will drive the No. 99 (new car number) for Viking Motorsports again in 2025 for a full Xfinity Series season with Pat Tryson as crew chief.

Anthony Alfredo, Young’s Motorsports

On Jan. 12 Young’s Motorsports announced that Anthony Alfredo will drive the No. 42 Chevrolet full-time in the 2025 Xfinity Series with sponsors Dude Wipes and RANDCO.

Chandler Smith, Front Row Motorsports

On December 12th, Front Row Motorsports announced that Chandler Smith had signed with them for the 2025 season as they expanded to add a second entry to their Truck Series lineup. He joins returning Rookie of the Year, Layne Riggs. The Truck number and sponsors for Smith will be announced later.

“I’m excited to join Front Row Motorsports truck program,” said Smith. “They are a top contender in the Truck Series and have proven so with championships and wins. I like what they are building here and am honored to have the opportunity to add to it. We are getting a bit of a late start, but I am excited about the caliber of talent we are talking to in being a part of this program for 2025.”

Daniel Hemric, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing

McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced on November 20th that Hemric will drive the No. 19 Chevrolet full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2025, replacing Christian Eckes.

“This is a great opportunity for me to compete for wins and chase another championship,” Hemric said. “Thanks to Bill McAnally, Bill Hilgemann, NAPA, Chevrolet and everyone involved for the opportunity. It’s a big milestone season to be a part of with NAPA’s 100th anniversary and the 35th year of Bill’s partnership with them. We’re going to do everything we can to get the NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet in victory lane and be in contention for a championship.”

Tyler Ankrum, McAnally-Hilgemann

On November 25th, the team confirmed that Ankrum will return to drive the No. 18 Chevrolet with crew chief Mark Hillman. It will be his seventh season in the Truck Series. 

“I’m really glad to be staying at MHR with Mark and the entire LIUNA team,” Ankrum said in a released statement. “This last year was probably the best of my career with the consistency we showed throughout the season. Making the playoffs was a huge goal for us and we were in the mix all the way to Martinsville, so we want to take another step and make it to Phoenix in 2025. We all want to get back to victory lane, and I think keeping this group together and continuing to develop as a team will help us get there.”

Connor Mosack, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing

On December 3rd, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced that Mosack had been signed to drive the No. 81 Chevrolet in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2025. Mosack’s resume includes 11 starts in the Truck Series and 28 in the Xfinity Series throughout his career. 

“I’m ecstatic to start 2025 with everybody at MHR and want to continue this team’s success in the playoffs,” Mosack said. “All four MHR teams had great performances this past year, so this is a big opportunity to race with a winning organization. It’s great to continue being part of Team Chevy and appreciate NAPA Nightvison and everyone at MHR for making this a reality. I’m looking forward to working with Blake and we want to become one of the weekly contenders, compete for wins, and lock ourselves in the playoffs.”

Jack Wood, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing

McAnally-Hilgemann Racing (MHR) announced on December 3rd that Jack Wood will return to the team in 2025 to compete in the Truck Series full-time in the No. 91 Chevrolet Silverado with crew chief Kevin Bellicourt.

“I’m definitely thankful and excited to be back at MHR next season,” Wood said in a released statement. “We had a lot of bright spots this past season and have a great foundation to build on. I have a lot of trust in Kevin [Bellicourt], [team owner] Bill [McAnally], and everyone at MHR, so that makes me excited for what’s ahead of us next year. It’s great to have Adaptive One Calipers board with us and looking forward to activating with their customers throughout the season.”

Kaden Honeycutt, Niece Motorsports

On Oct. 1, Kaden Honeycutt was announced as the full-time driver of the No. 45 Chevrolet for Niece Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2025. It will be his first full-time ride in a national series.

“I can’t even begin to tell you how much this opportunity means to me,” Honeycutt said. “Before I got connected with Al (Niece) and Cody (Efaw), last year, I thought my career was over. Both of them took a big chance on me leading into this year and it’s kept me hungry to make them proud. My group of guys on the No. 45 team have become brothers to me, and we’ve been able to share such a good relationship.”

Christian Rose, Niece Motorsports

On December 16th, Niece Motorsports announced that Christian Rose would move up from the ARCA Menards Series to drive the team’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2025.

“For me, it’s a huge opportunity to make the jump from the ARCA Series,” said Rose. “I got my feet wet a little bit in the Truck Series a few years ago, but I believe in everything that we have going on in this building and am very excited to get to Daytona. The speed that we’ve seen from this team is a big reason why we signed our deal, and I’m just excited to make that transition. I think if we do the right things and show up and put the work in, we can have a lot of great things to look forward to next year.”

Dawson Sutton, Rackley W.A.R.

On October 17th, Rackley W.A.R. announced that Sutton would compete full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series next year in the No. 25.

“This is really a phenomenal opportunity,” he said. “I’ve dreamed for this day to come, and my goal is to make it to NASCAR’s Cup Series that represents the best of the best. It’s all a little hard to believe right now, but I know I have a big job to do, and that’s exactly how I look at it.”

Frankie Muniz, Reaume Brothers Racing

Reaume Brothers confirmed on October 22nd that Muniz will race the No. 33 Ford full-time in 2025. 

Cody Dennison, Reaume Brothers Racing 

On Jan. 21, Reaume Brothers Racing announced that Dennison will drive the No. 2 Ford in the Craftsman Truck Series part-time in 2025. He will make his debut at Martinsville Speedway on March 28th.

Tyler Tomassi, Reaume Brothers Racing

Reaume Brothers Racing announced on Jan. 14 that Tomassi would return and run two Craftsman Truck Series races in the No. 2 Ford. He will compete at Nashville Superspeedway on May 30 and Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 11.

Rajah Caruth, Spire Motorsports

On December 13th, Spire Motorsports confirmed that Caruth will return to Spire Motorsports in 2025 to drive the No. 71 Chevrolet for a second season in the Craftsman Truck Series with sponsorship from HendrickCars.com.

“It is great to have a home and stability heading into next year,” Caruth said in a released statement. “I believe this is the first time in my career I won’t be with a new team or competing in a different series at the start of the season. I really appreciate the opportunity [owners] Jeff [Dickerson] and T.J. [Puchyr] have given me, and I’m excited to continue preparations for 2025. Our organization has really grown over the past year, and we have shown what we are capable of. We have set the bar high for the season, and the expectation is to win more races and compete for a championship.”

Corey Heim, Tricon Garage

On November 7th, it was announced that Heim will return in 2025 to drive the No. 11 Toyota for the team along with crew chief, Scott Zipadelli.

“I am excited to be back with TRICON for my third full-time year,” said Heim. He continued, saying, “I have developed so much alongside this organization in the last two years, and we have made some incredible memories along the way. I can’t wait to continue this journey in 2025 with my No. 11 crew.”

Tanner Gray, Tricon Garage

Tricon Garage confirmed on November 18 that Gray will return to drive the Craftsman Truck Series No. 15 Toyota full-time in 2025.

“TRICON has become a second home to me, and I am looking forward to another year as the driver of the 15,” said Gray. “I feel like we have some unfinished business after this past season, and I am as motivated as ever to compete in the postseason in 2025.”

Toni Breidinger, Tricon Garage

Tricon Garage announced on November 26th that Toni Breidinger will advance from the ARCA Menards Series to drive the team’s No. 5 Toyota full-time next year in the Craftsman Truck Series. 

“Racing full-time with TRICON is a dream for me. It’s been a 15-year process to get here but I’m so excited for this moment and ready to capitalize on it,” Breidinger said. “I wouldn’t have this opportunity if it wasn’t for Toyota, Raising Cane’s, CELSIUS, and Sunoco. I’m beyond grateful to have these partners and team in my corner to take this next step in my career.”

Gio Ruggiero, Tricon Garage

On December 2nd, Tricon Garage announced that Gio Ruggiero, who claimed nine top 10s in the ARCA Menards Series in 2024, will drive the team’s No. 17 Toyota in 2025. Ruggiero earned nine top 10s in the ARCA Menards Series in 2024.  

“I am super thankful to have the opportunity to run full-time with TRICON in 2025,” said Ruggiero. “I look forward to getting to work with all of the guys on the 17 team and contending for wins this season.”

Tricon Garage, No. 1 “All-Star” Entry

William Sawalich will begin the season as the driver of the No. 1 at Daytona International Speedway. He will also race at Atlanta Motor Speedway (Feb. 22), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 14), Nashville Superspeedway (May 30) and Watkins Glen International (Aug. 8).

Brandon Jones will drive the No. 1 for seven races, beginning at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 21. His schedule also includes the Bristol Motor Speedway spring race on April 11, Rockingham Speedway (April 18), Texas Motor Speedway (May 2), Kansas Speedway (May 10), Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 23) and Pocono Raceway (June 20).

Brent Crews will make nine starts beginning at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 17 and followed by Lime Rock Park (June 28), Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (July 25), Richmond Raceway (Aug. 15), Bristol (fall, Sept. 11), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Sept. 20), Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval (Oct. 3), Martinsville (fall, Oct. 24), and the season finale at Phoenix Raceway (Oct. 31).

Lawless Alan will compete in four races in 2025 – Martinsville (spring, March 28), Michigan International Speedway (June 7), Darlington Raceway (Aug. 30) and Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 17). Jake Hampton will lead the No. 1 team on the pit box.

TRICON Garage, Crew Chief Lineup

On December 16th, TRICON Garage announced its crew chief lineup for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Scott Zipadelli will return to lead the No. 11 team with rookie driver, Gio Ruggiero. Jeff Hensley will return and transition to the No. 15 team with driver, Tanner Gray. Jerame Donley will lead the No. 17 team with rookie Gio Ruggiero, and Derek Smith will serve as crew chief for Toni Breidinger in her first full-time season in the No. 5. Matt Puccia will be back as the team’s competition director.

Young’s Motorsports, Nathan Byrd

Young’s Motorsports announced on Jan. 27 that Byrd will drive the team’s No. 02 Chevrolet in a minimum of 15 during the 2025 season beginning with the season-opener at Daytona.

Young’s Motorsports, Stefan Parsons

On Jan. 27, Young’s Motorsports also revealed that Stefan Parsons will join the organization in 2025. His schedule will be announced at a later date.

Front Row Motorsports: Pocono Raceway NCS Race Advance (Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland, Zane Smith)

Noah Gragson | Todd Gilliland | Zane Smith
Pocono Raceway NASCAR Cup Series Race Advance
Pocono Raceway 400
Date: Sunday, June 14, 2026
Event: Race 18 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Pocono Raceway (2.5-miles)
#of Laps: 160
Time/TV/Radio: 3:00PM ET on Prime/MRN/SiriusXM channel 90

FRM Points Standings:

Zane Smith (22nd)
Todd Gilliland (25th)
Noah Gragson (29th)

Noah Gragson Notes

Next on the schedule for the NASCAR Cup Series is Pocono Raceway, nestled in the Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania. Last week, at Michigan, Noah Gragson and the No. 4 team put themselves in position for a solid finish until a late-race incident relegated them to a 27th place result. Gragson will look to improve upon previous NASCAR Cup Series performances at the track known as “The Tricky Triangle”, with a best finish of 22nd that occurred in 2023. Gragson has found some success at the track known for its three unique turns, winning in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2022 while competing for JR Motorsports. Gragson started ninth in that event and led 43 laps, on his path to victory.

Repowered for the summer stretch of races, Gragson and his Front Row Motorsports team will have MillerTech Performance Lithium Batteries back on as primary sponsor of the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. MillerTech will share space on the car with Kampgrounds of America (KOA), through a business-to-business partnership built around keeping campers “powered up” wherever the road takes them. The relationship between the two companies also includes co-branding of the entitlement of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race on Saturday, the MillerTech Performance Lithium Batteries 250 Presented by KOA. Throughout the race weekend, fans are encouraged to visit the MillerTech booth in the Pocono Raceway Fan Fair area of the facility, located behind the main grandstands. At the booth, MillerTech will be giving away branded items and will also welcome Gragson for an appearance at 11:55 a.m. (ET) on Sunday morning.

For the 2026 season, MillerTech is doubling down on its mission of “Powering Your Adventure” with durable, high-performance battery technology built for any environment. To bring that story to life, MillerTech and Front Row Motorsports have started rolling out a six-part social media series showcasing the many ways its products fuel the adventures of fans, customers and partners alike. From the track to the real world, MillerTech remains committed to providing reliable power wherever the journey leads.

“I’m excited about the direction we’ve been heading in these past few races,” said Gragson. “I feel like we’re more competitive and starting to hit our stride a bit. Outside of the disappointing finish last week, which we had no control over, we were right there, battling around the top-10 all race. Pocono is a track that’s a lot of fun to race at. It takes precise balancing of the setup to be fast. You might be good in one or two turns but not so good in the others, so you need to focus on what gives you the most momentum to get down the long straightaways quickest. Plus, there’s a lot going on, in the cars, from constantly shifting to setting yourself up for the next corner, and then you also have to be playing defense, to not allow someone to get a run on you down those straightaways. Hopefully, we can keep the energy we’ve had the last few weeks and come out with a strong run.”
Road Crew

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Grant Hutchens

Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska

Car Chief: Joey Forgette

Hometown: Iron Mountain, Michigan

Engineer: Dillon Silverman

Hometown: Chico, California

Engineer: Scott Bingham

Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Tony Infinger

Hometown: Fort Valley, Georgia

Tire Specialist: Chris Aunspaw

Hometown: Zelienople, Pennsylvania

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Spotter: Adam Fournier

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Transporter Co-Driver: Ron Miske

Hometown: Fairfield, Connecticut

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Tafton Hensley

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Sheridan Jones

Hometown: Norfolk, Virginia

Tire Carrier: Drew Baum

Hometown: Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania

Jackman: Tommy Bebie

Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio

Fueler: Blake Baker

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Todd Gilliland Notes

This will be Todd Gilliland’s fifth Pocono Raceway start in the NASCAR Cup Series. Gilliland’s best finish at the Long Pond, Pennsylvania track was in the 2023 event, where he started 36th and finished 15th. In his four NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the track, Gilliland has finished seventh three times (2018, 2019, 2021) and fourth in 2020.

Love’s Travel Stops returns with Gilliland and the No. 34 team for Sunday’s race. Love’s Travel Stops rolls out a major update to the Love’s App, introducing a unified Love’s Rewards program that now benefits every customer who stops at Love’s. Whether fueling up, grabbing a snack, or stocking up on Love’s-branded products, customers can now save and earn points at every turn simply by scanning the Love’s App in-store or at the pump. The new Love’s Rewards program focuses on delivering meaningful value at every stop and aims to make Love’s the first stop drivers think of on the road. Love’s Rewards App users can also save 10¢ per gallon on gas and up to 25¢ per gallon on auto diesel. Fans can download the app from Google Play and the Apple App Store. To explore all the new benefits of the Love’s Rewards program, visit www.loves.com/loves-rewards.

“The last couple of weeks we’ve managed to pull out some top-20 and top-25 finishes to keep us in the fight, but we need to execute better in qualifying to start scoring some stage points and not starting behind the eightball when the green flag waves,” said Gilliland. “It’s easy to lose focus this time of year, but Chris (Lawson) and the guys have been hard at work. If we unload and need to throw the kitchen sink at it to get better, they won’t hesitate. As far as Pocono, it’s a one of those ‘Achilles Heel’ tracks. The tunnel turn gets me every time. Hopefully, we can hit the nail on the head early and keep up the top-20 finishes.”
Road Crew

Driver: Todd Gilliland

Hometown: Sherrills Ford, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Chris Lawson

Hometown: Medway, Ohio

Car Chief: Joe Marra

Hometown: Somers, New York

Engineer: Marc Rullo

Hometown: Ringwood, New Jersey

Engineer: Kevyn Rebolledo

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Spotter: Brit Andersen

Hometown: Branford, Connecticut

Mechanic: Michael Brookes

Hometown: Columbus, Ohio

Interior Specialist: Ethan Deguevara

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Tire Specialist: Billy John

Hometown: Pitman, New Jersey

Mechanic / Engine Tuner: Kyle Moon

Hometown: Troy, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Randy Bernier

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Rick Grissom

Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Danny Olszowy

Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky

Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon

Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Paul Steele

Hometown: Wichita, Kansas

Jackman: Ryan Selig

Hometown: Lindenhurst, Illinois

Fueler: Zeke Nance

Hometown: Calhoun, Georgia

Zane Smith Notes

Zane Smith will make his third Pocono Raceway start in the NASCAR Cup Series this Sunday. While his experience at the track in the NASCAR Cup Series is limited, Smith has five starts at the track in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, earning one pole (2022) and a career best finish of eighth in 2021.

Long John Silver’s will join the No. 38 car this weekend, partnering with Smith for the 160-lap event. Long John Silver’s will bring its signature, fan-favorite blue and yellow “Fish Yeah” scheme to Smith’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

“We had really good speed last week that I can feel like can translate to Pocono,” said Smith. “Even though we didn’t have the finish we deserved at Michigan, the car was really good and we’re still feeling a lot of momentum with how good the cars we’re bringing to the track are.”
Road Crew

Driver: Zane Smith

Hometown: Huntington Beach, California

Crew Chief: Ryan Bergenty

Hometown: Plainville, Connecticut

Car Chief: Will Norris

Hometown: Bells, Tennessee

Engineer: Jacob Clamme

Hometown: Hartford City, Indiana

Engineer: Chris Yerges

Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Mechanic / Engine Tuner: Steve Godfrey

Hometown: West Haven, Connecticut

Interior Specialist: Matt Fowler

Hometown: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Mechanic: Austin Bloom

Hometown: Lowell, Oregon

Spotter: Ryan Blanchard

Hometown: Bethlehem, Connecticut

Transport Co-Driver: Bryan Whitman

Hometown: Newton, North Carolina

Transport Co-Driver: Shawn Sellew

Hometown: Stafford Springs, Connecticut

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Michael Louria

Hometown: Gibraltar, Michigan

Rear Tire Changer: Adam Riley

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Tire Carrier: Jarren Davis

Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

Jackman: Nate McBride

Hometown: Vidalia, Georgia

Fueler: Ray Hernandez

Hometown: Orlando, Florida

ABOUT MILLER TECH

MillerTech Energy Solutions is a faith-based, family-run American manufacturer of UL Certified lithium batteries built to power your adventure. Whether you’ve got an RV parked at the track, a boat at the lake, a golf cart on the course, or you’re living off-grid, MillerTech is built for you. Backed by a 10-year warranty and US-based customer support, MillerTech is the proud sponsor of Noah Gragson and the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Front Row Motorsports. Learn more at millertechenergy.com.

ABOUT KAMPGROUNDS OF AMERICA, INC.

Kampgrounds of America, Inc. has been the definitive leader in outdoor hospitality for more than 60 years. United under the mission of “connecting people to the outdoors and each other,” the company consists of two unique brands: KOA and Terramor Outdoor Resorts. KOA, the world’s largest system of privately-owned, open-to-the-public campgrounds, consists of more than 500 franchised and owned campgrounds. With unrivaled brand visibility, KOA also offers campground owners and operators unparalleled support in campground education, design, recruitment, marketing and technology. Terramor Outdoor Resorts, a glamping venture, opened its first flagship property in Bar Harbor, Maine in 2020. Literally meaning ‘Love of Land,” the brand focuses on delivering a refined and upscale outdoor experience. For more information, visit KOA.com and TerramorOutdoorResort.com.

ABOUT LOVE’S TRAVEL STOPS

Love’s has been fueling customers’ journeys since 1964. Innovation and perseverance continue to lead the way for the family-owned and -operated business headquartered in Oklahoma City with more than 40,000 team members in North America and Europe. The company’s core business is travel stops and convenience stores with 640 locations in 42 states. Love’s continues its commitment to offer products and services that provide value for professional drivers, fleets, four-wheel customers, RVers, alternative fuel and wholesale fuel customers. Giving back to communities Love’s serves and maintaining an inclusive and diverse workplace are hallmarks of the company’s award-winning culture.

ABOUT LONG JOHN SILVER’S

Long John Silver’s was founded in 1969 and is on a mission to create treasured moments through high-quality food and bell-ringing service. With restaurants from sea to mouth-watering sea, Long John Silver’s continues building on a belief that the unique seafood experience from the coasts should be accessible to all. Learn more at ljsilvers.com or join the conversation via social media on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization competing in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, FRM has earned top honors including a 2021 Daytona 500 victory and the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship. Based in Mooresville, N.C., FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with the No. 34 and No. 38 teams in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. For more information, visit FrontRowMotorsports.com and follow Front Row Motorsports on social media — X: @Team_FRM, Instagram: @teamfrm, Tik Tok: @Team_FRM, YouTube: @FrontRowNASCAR, and Facebook: facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway Outlook and Picks

Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) heads to Pocono Raceway for The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA on Sunday, June 14 at 3 p.m. ET on Prime.

Denny Hamlin won the pole last season with a lap of 172.599 mph (52.144 secs.), and Chase Briscoe led a race-high 72 of the 160 laps and captured the race lead in the final restart to beat Hamlin in The Great American Getaway 400 on Sunday, June 22, 2025.

Track & Race Information for The Great American Getaway 400

Season Race #: 16 of 36 (June 14, 2026)
Track Length: 2.5 Mile Asphalt Paved Tri-Oval
Race Purse: $11,233,037
Banking in Turn 1: 14 degrees
Banking in Turn 2: 8 degrees
Banking in Turn 3: 6 degrees
Frontstretch: 3,740 feet
Backstretch: 3,055 feet
Shortstretch: 1,780 feet

Length and Race Stages for The Great American Getaway 400

Race Length: 400 Miles (160 Laps)
Stage 1 Length: 30 laps (Ends on Lap 30
Stage 2 Length: 65 laps (Ends on Lap 95)
Final Stage Length: 65 laps (Ends on Lap 160)

Who and what should you look out for at Pocono Raceway?

This weekend, eight of the 41 NCS Pocono race winners are active. Denny Hamlin leads in wins with seven victories. The deepest an active NCS race winner has started is 22nd, by Chris Buescher in 2016. Brad Keselowski leads all active NCS drivers in runner-up finishes with four.

Active Pocono Winners (8)WinsSeasons
Denny Hamlin72023, 2020, 2019, 2010, 2009, 2006 sweep
Ryan Blaney22024, 2017
Chase Briscoe12025
Chase Elliott12022
Alex Bowman12021
Chris Buescher12016
Joey Logano12012
Brad Keselowski12011

The first starting position has produced the most race winners, with 16, more than any other starting position at Pocono in the Cup Series with a 17.39% winning percentage.

Additional Starting Position StatsWinning %Wins
Winning from the First Starting Position:17.39%16
Winning from the Front Row:28.26%26
Winning from a Top-Five Starting Position:54.35%50
Winning from a Top-10 Starting Position:70.65%65
Winning After Starting Outside the Top 10:29.35%27
Winning After Starting Outside the Top 20:7.61%7

The Driver Picks for The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway

  • Denny Hamlin has five poles, seven wins, 17 top fives, 24 top 10s, and a series-best average finish of 10.056.
  • William Byron has two poles, three top fives, six top 10s, and an average finish of 11.000.
  • Tyler Reddick has two top fives, four top 10s, and an average finish of 16.125.
  • Kyle Larson has one pole, five top fives, ten top 10s, and an average finish of 11.500.

Spire Motorsports Great American Getaway 400 Race Advance

  • In 18 previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Spire Motorsports has five top-20 finishes, with a best result of 17th earned by Carson Hocevar in 2024. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet ZL1s in the Cup Series for Daniel Suárez, Michael McDowell and Hocevar, respectively.
  • The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA will be televised live on Prime Sunday, June 14 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The 16th of 36 points-paying races on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Daniel Suárez – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Daniel Suárez will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Freeway Insurance/Roamly Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA at Pocono Raceway.
  • Freeway Insurance was established in 1987 and is one of the largest and fastest-growing personal lines insurance brokers in the United States, offering coverage through a “click, call, or come in” approach that connects customers nationwide. The company continually researches, grows, and diversifies its product offerings to stay responsive to the evolving insurance market. Freeway provides a wide range of options – from basic to premium coverage – in auto, truck, commercial vehicle, homeowners, renters, small business, motorcycle, recreational vehicle, fire, and flood insurance. In 2008, Freeway Insurance became part of Confie, the nation’s leading personal lines insurance distribution company. Customers can access Freeway Insurance through neighborhood offices, online at www.freeway.com, or by calling (800) 300-0227.
  • Roamly is a leading provider of innovative, specialty insurance solutions purpose-built for the modern mobility and marketplace travel economy. As a Lloyd’s Coverholder and AI-first insurance innovator, Roamly delivers a robust platform, deep carrier partnerships, and an expanding ecosystem that empowers consumers, professional fleet owners, and marketplaces to unlock new revenue streams while reducing risk. Roamly’s technology harnesses AI, advanced automation, and embedded distribution to power tailored coverages for recreational vehicles, carsharing, and other emerging mobility models – covering everything from underwriting and claims to compliance, data analytics, and real-time risk management. Learn more at www.roamly.com.
  • Suárez, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner, has made 14 Cup Series starts at Pocono, earning one pole, two top-five and four top-10 finishes while leading 39 laps at the 2.5-mile triangular-shaped racecourse. He holds an average starting position of 14.0 and an average finish of 16.6, with his best result coming in 2018 when he won the pole and finished second. Last season at the “Tricky Triangle,” Suárez started 10th, spent much of the day running inside the top 10 and ultimately finished 15th.
  • After 15 races, the 34-year-old driver currently ranks ninth in the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings with 418 points and sits just 10 points behind his Spire Motorsports teammate Carson Hocevar in seventh.
  • Last week at Michigan International Speedway, Suárez led 10 laps, raced with the leaders throughout the event and ultimately brought home a spirited sixth-place finish. He collected eight stage points, helping to propel him from 10th to ninth in points. The solid effort marked Suárez’s fifth top-10 finish of the season.
  • Suárez is a veteran of 338 Cup Series starts and has notched three wins, 26 top fives and 80 top-10s in NASCAR’s premier division. He has led 945 laps and earned three poles since making his series’ debut in 2017.
  • Over the last 15 races, the Monterrey, Mexico native has completed 3,985 of 4,045 laps (98.5%), posted an average starting position of 12.2 and a 13.7 average finish. That consistency marks a significant step forward from the same 15-race stretch a year ago. He has improved his average starting position by 13 spots and bettered his average finish by seven positions.
  • Daniel Suárez Quote
  • Pocono Raceway has been a good track for you in the past. You won the pole in 2018 and have several solid finishes. What are you looking forward to heading into this weekend?
  • “Pocono is a really unique and challenging track. The speeds are very high, and with three completely different corners, it’s hard to put together a perfect lap. You’re always trying to find a balance, because what works in one turn might hurt you in the next. That’s what makes it such a tough place, but also a fun one to race. I feel like we’ve been bringing competitive cars lately and improving each week, and that’s given us good momentum. The team has been working hard, and I’m looking forward to getting to Pocono, continuing that progress and seeing what we can do.”

Ryan Sparks – Crew Chief, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Ryan Sparks is the Crew Chief of Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series.
  • Coming off a top-10 finish at Michigan, Sparks has called 217 NASCAR Cup Series races since making his crew chief debut in 2020. Since then, he’s led his drivers to one victory, six top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. He earned his first career Cup Series win in this year’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Sparks has called eight races at Pocono Raceway, with his best finish coming last season when former driver Justin Haley finished 19th.
  • Sparks joined Spire Motorsports prior to the 2021 season, where he served as both Crew Chief and Competition Director, leading the organization’s competitive and technical efforts. In 2026, Sparks serves in a singular role as crew chief for Daniel Suárez. He brings more than a decade of experience across all three of NASAR’s national series, highlighted by 13 seasons at Richard Childress Racing and contributions to title-winning campaigns in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (2011) and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (2013).

Michael McDowell – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Michael McDowell will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Delaware Life Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series’ Great American Getaway 400 Presented by VISITPA at Pocono Raceway.
  • Delaware Life is a life insurance and annuity company that empowers financial professionals with a wide array of customizable solutions. A subsidiary of Group 1001 Insurance, Delaware Life was born out of the advisor industry and understands how important it is to find the right fit for every client, every situation, and every individual need. Delaware Life is passionate about equipping its clients with annuities that give customers peace of mind and a successful future, allowing them to plan with confidence for whatever’s next.
  • McDowell owns 23 Pocono starts where he’s earned two top 10s and led 14 laps in NASCAR Cup Series competition. He registered a venue-best sixth-place finish in 2022. The father-of-five has logged a 25.5 average start and a 26.2 average finish at the “Tricky Triangle.”
  • In 2007, McDowell earned a trip to Pocono’s Victory Lane in the ARCA Menards Series where he led twice for just two laps including the final sprint to the checkered flag.
  • Last Sunday at Michigan, the two-time Cup Series race winner struggled to find a competitive balance until early in Stage 3. Unfortunately, the No. 71 sustained significant damage during a Lap-155 incident, leaving him 26th in the final rundown.
  • Across his last five races, including the 2026 NASCAR All-Star Race, the 2021 Daytona 500 Champion holds an average finish of 13th, while pacing the field two times for eight laps (Watkins Glen/Charlotte).
  • After 15 points-paying races on the 2026 calendar, McDowell is currently 20th in points. With 11 races remaining before NASCAR’s “Chase” format begins to determine this year’s champion, the Glendale, Ariz., native sits 46 points below the cutline on the strength of two top-five and three top-10 finishes.
  • Michael McDowell Quote
  • The next few tracks play to your strengths, Pocono and a few road courses. What do you need this weekend to regroup after a tough day at Michigan?
  • “I always look forward to Pocono. It is a great atmosphere. When it comes to racing, Pocono is pretty technical and unique given how narrow the track gets over the tunnel turn. So, getting though there is important because you can lose track position if you’re not aggressive enough and then it is important to be able to keep your speed in Turn 3 to set up a good passing zone on the frontstretch. Pocono has been a place where we’ve had good speed, and we didn’t get the result we deserved but I’m optimistic with the speed we have in 2026. This weekend is a place where we need to have a solid day to set us up for success at Coronado and Sonoma.”

Travis Peterson – Crew Chief, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Travis Peterson is the crew chief of Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series.
  • Peterson heads to Pocono to call his fifth Cup Series event at the iconic Long Pond, Pa., triangular-shaped track where he earned a venue-best 19th-place result with McDowell in 2023.
  • In his former role as a race engineer at Hendrick Motorsports, Peterson played a key role in Dale Earnhardt, Jr’s., 2016 runner-up Pocono finish.
  • The 35-year-old has called 128 races in NASCAR’s premier series, where he’s secured eight pole awards, one win, nine top fives and 26 top 10s.

Carson Hocevar – Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Carson Hocevar will race Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA, his third start at the “Tricky Triangle” in NASCAR’s premier division.
  • Zeigler Automotive Group is one of the largest privately-owned dealer groups in the U.S. with 88 franchises across 41 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Vehicle brands represented include all the domestic and majority of the imported manufacturers. Besides its extensive automotive portfolio, the organization owns and operates Zeigler Motorsports, an 85,000-square-foot motorsports dealership and action park, offering 19 different powersports brands, plus its own onsite restaurant: Trak Houz Bar & Grill. Additionally, Zeigler Motorsports houses the Elevate Leadership & Team Building Academy, an executive training company. The Kalamazoo-based dealer group also owns three Byrider franchises, three finance companies, several insurance firms, and a leasing firm.
  • In last season’s annual trip to the Pocono Mountains, Hocevar qualified third and spent most of the day racing for position inside the top five. Unfortunately, an untimely sequence of cautions left him mired in traffic for the remainder of the afternoon, ultimately leaving him 18th when the checkered flag waved.
  • Through 15 races, the 23-year-old driver sits seventh in points, just 25 markers out of sixth. His one win, four top fives, seven top 10s, 428 points scored, average starting position of 10.9 and 14.2 average finish are all career highs through the first 15 points-paying races of the season. The team’s average starting position has improved by nearly nine spots while its average finish is eight positions better compared to this point in 2025.
  • Last Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, the Portage, Mich., native started on the outside of the front row and led the opening 14 circuits. He battled for the lead during the final restart of the afternoon but ultimately finished fifth, a career-best result at his home track.
  • The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year registered his first-career victory earlier this season at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. He survived a late-race restart with three laps remaining with help from his Chevrolet teammates and brought home the checkered flag. Hocevar became the 13th driver to earn his inaugural series victory at Talladega, and registered Spire Motorsports’ first win since the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway with driver Justin Haley.
  • Hocevar owns four CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Pocono, highlighted by a fifth-place finish in 2022.
  • Carson Hocevar Quote
  • Coming off a strong showing at Michigan, how do you carry that momentum into Pocono this weekend?
  • “I obviously wanted to finish better last week, but it just shows our expectations for our team. We have been really fast on the intermediates and bigger tracks. Coming off a good finish, you get a little bit of momentum to carry through the week until you get to the racetrack. We qualified third last year and ran up front for most of the race, so we expect to be up there again this weekend.”

Luke Lambert – Crew Chief, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

  • Luke Lambert is the crew chief of Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series.
  • Lambert is in his third season at Spire Motorsports and fourth with driver Carson Hocevar. The duo has logged two pole awards, one win, seven top-five and 22 top-10 finishes in 95 races together.
  • The 16-year veteran crew chief has called 21 NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway, earning five top 10s. Lambert owns venue-best seventh-place finishes with drivers Ryan Newman (June 2014) and Daniel Hemric (July 2019).
  • In his lone O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race atop the pitbox at Pocono, the Mount Airy, N.C., native guided Noah Gragson to Victory Lane in 2022. Gragson led 43 of the event’s 90 laps and held off a late-race charge to secure his third of eight wins on the season.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports fields full-time entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing.

The team, co-owned by longtime NASCAR industry executive Jeff Dickerson and TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss, earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado its first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent victory came May 24, 2026, when Daniel Suárez won the NASCAR Cup Series Series’ Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

In 2026, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series and the Nos. 7 and 77 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The Mooresville, N.C., organization also fields the No. 77 410 sprint car in Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing competition.

BRISTOL DRAGWAY SET FOR MAJOR FRIDAY NIGHT TO OPEN SUPER GRIP NHRA THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS

BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 9, 2026) – Friday night in Thunder Valley has always been a huge highlight of the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. But there will be even more excitement – and a lot more on the line – when nitro at night comes alive in a major way this Friday at Bristol Dragway.

The second round of qualifying – which starts at 7:30 p.m. in Pro Stock Motorcycle and Pro Stock and continues at 8:30 p.m. in Funny Car and Top Fuel – will also see the final rounds in Top Fuel and Funny Car of last weekend’s NHRA New England Nationals presented by bproauto completed under the lights on Friday.

Rain halted those two final rounds on Sunday and postponed them to Friday in Bristol, which will lead to an electric atmosphere at Thunder Valley.

In Top Fuel, points leader Shawn Langdon – winner of three straight races and four of the past six – will take on surging Leah Pruett in the finals. Funny Car will see a John Force Racing showdown, with teammates Jordan Vandergriff and Jack Beckman squaring off in the finals round.

Langdon has been virtually unstoppable as of late, making a record run of 345.00-mph in the process and taking a commanding points lead in the process, while Pruett, who is third in points after returning to the sport this season for Tony Stewart Racing, is closing in on what she hopes is her first victory of the 2026 campaign.

“It’s going to be a week of anticipation trying to wrap up the final round for Epping,” Pruett said. “We did not have lane choice (on Sunday) except for first round and we don’t have lane choice going into the final at Bristol. We get to refresh our brains, so obviously we’re pumped.”

Added Langdon: “We’ll head to Bristol, start going through some notes and get prepared there. It’ll be a good weekend.”

Vandergriff and Beckman are both running well at an opportune time. Vandergriff won his first career race a month ago and was the No. 1 qualifier last weekend, bringing plenty of momentum into Bristol. Beckman, meanwhile, appears to be closing in on his first victory of the season and now has an opportunity for two in a span of three days.

“Our car has been down the track 14 of the last 15 runs,” Beckman said. “We’re going to have qualifying, the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, the final round against Vandergriff for this race, and the Bristol race. That’s four reasons to push hard right off the bat.”

Added Vandergriff: “We have an all-JFR final and this is definitely what John (Force) would have wanted.”

It’s a remarkable start to what should be an incredible weekend celebrating 25 years of NHRA racing at Bristol Dragway and NHRA’s 75th anniversary season.

Following a can’t-miss Friday, final qualifying, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and a special autograph session takes place on Saturday, followed by eliminations on Sunday. Plus, the race will feature a host of 75th anniversary items, including:

  • An appearance from NHRA fan-favorite Top Fuel driver Clay Millican as well as NHRA legend Darrell Gwynn. Millican’s memorable 2017 Bristol win will also be celebrated as the race’s historic moment.
  • On Sunday, a free, limited-edition NHRA pennant will be given to the first 4,000 fans in attendance.

In 2025, Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Bristol. This season’s Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals will be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations starting at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 14.

Six-time world champ Anderson made history last season when he secured his 1,000th round win en route to the win over Dallas Glenn, who is the points leader and reigning champ. Erica Enders, Matt Hartford and Greg Stanfield are after wins as well.

Gadson, the reigning world champ and points leader, hopes to repeat, but will be challenged by Maryland winner Angie Smith, Jianna Evaristo and Steve Johnson.

The event will also feature the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown. After final qualifying on Saturday, fans can attend a special autograph session at the Bristol Dragway Welcome Tent in the midway.

Bristol race fans can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce each driver and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk, and congratulate the winners at the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. They can visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 5 and 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, June 12, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, June 13 at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Eliminations will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 14. Television coverage includes qualifying action at 8 p.m. ET on Friday and 2 p.m. on Sunday on FS1, leading into eliminations at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, fans can visit NHRA.com/tickets. For more information on NHRA, please visit NHRA.com.


About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Beard Motorsports and Casey Mears are Back on Track with Eyes on a Milestone

Casey Mears Kicks Off Countdown to 500th NASCAR Cup Series Start as Beard Motorsports Tackles Pocono for the First Time

MT. PLEASANT, Michigan (June 9, 2026) – For Casey Mears, the road to a milestone 500th career NASCAR Cup Series start got a little sidetracked thanks to the intervention of Mother Nature seven weekends ago at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. But it continues in earnest for the 48-year-old driver on Sunday with the Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, where the veteran racer will finally get his first chance to strap into the No. 62 Gracie Foundation Chevrolet for family-owned Beard Motorsports.

Wet weather on qualifying day April 25 at Talladega sent Mears and the Beard team to the sidelines before they ever had a chance to turn a lap. It was to be Mears’ 496th career Cup Series start, and his and the team’s first of five races together this season, to be followed by the July 26 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Aug. 29 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, the Oct. 25 YellaWood 500 at Talladega, and the season finale Nov. 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The latter outing will mark career start No. 500 for Mears.

But before his thoughts turn to milestones, Mears is focused on something much simpler this weekend – getting back behind the wheel.

“The biggest thing is just looking forward to getting to the racetrack,” Mears said. “After showing up to Talladega and being the only car that goes home, that was no fun. Just knowing that we’re going to the racetrack and have an opportunity to go racing and get to know all the guys on the team a little better and go out and have some fun is the plan.”

That opportunity was denied at Talladega when qualifying was washed out. With the field set by NASCAR metrics that include owner points, the Beard entry, with zero owner points, became the lone team left out of the 40-car field.

“For sure it was disappointing,” Mears said. “I felt like if we would’ve had the opportunity to qualify, we definitely would’ve been in. That was probably the frustrating part, knowing one of the better cars

was going home. But that’s the way the sport goes. You can’t control the weather.”

Now the focus shifts to one of NASCAR’s most unique venues. Pocono Raceway, known as “The Tricky Triangle,” presents challenges unlike any other track on the schedule. Its three corners were modeled after three different speedways, creating a setup compromise that teams spend entire weekends trying to solve.

That challenge becomes even greater for Beard Motorsports, whose 34 previous Cup Series starts over the past nine seasons have come almost exclusively the superspeedways at Daytona and Talladega. This weekend represents the organization’s first appearance at Pocono.

For Mears, however, the 2.5-mile triangle feels much more like home. He owns 28 career Cup Series starts there, highlighted by a pole position in 2004 and a pair of top-10 finishes during the 2007 season for Hendrick Motorsports. Before that, he dominated a memorable ARCA Menards Series doubleheader weekend in 2003, sweeping both races while leading 103 of 160 laps driving for owner Chip Ganassi.

Those experiences provide confidence heading into an otherwise uncertain weekend.

“Anytime you go back to a place where you’ve had success at any level, it makes you feel good about going back,” Mears said. “Those ARCA races were super dominant. The car was super fast, and it was great to get a couple of wins and get momentum going in the right direction.”

Pocono’s unique layout also played into Mears’ strengths during the early stages of his NASCAR career.

Coming from an IndyCar background, he arrived with extensive experience shifting gears and adapting to diverse track configurations – skills that proved valuable at a venue many stock car drivers found challenging back in the day.

“I’ve always liked the track,” Mears said. “I feel like I adapted to it pretty early on and had speed right out of the gate.”

Even so, there are plenty of unknowns awaiting him this weekend. Although Mears and Beard Motorsports have spent months preparing for their run this season, Talladega’s weather-shortened weekend means neither side has yet experienced a single competitive lap together.

“We haven’t had any on-track activity to have any gauge of where the car may or may not be,” Mears said. “We’re kind of going into this with a lot of unknowns. But they’re prepared. I’ve been speaking a lot with (crew chief) Darren (Shaw) and (co-owner) Amie (Beard-Deja), and Darren’s saying all the right stuff as far as things they’re working on with the car.”

The team’s attention to detail has earned Mears confidence. Since making its Cup Series debut at the 2017 Daytona 500, Beard Motorsports has built a reputation for maximizing opportunities despite its limited schedule. Powered by ECR-built Chevrolet engines, the organization has recorded eight top-10 finishes in just 34 Cup Series starts, including Noah Gragson’s fifth-place finish at Daytona in 2022.

While much of that success has come on superspeedways, Mears believes the meticulous approach required to compete at those venues can translate elsewhere.

“The majority of the ability to excel at the superspeedways goes out the window at a place like Pocono, but the attention to detail that it takes at a superspeedway is key,” he said. “The relationship between the bottom of the car and the ground is so important these days. Anything that can reduce friction and drag is huge. There’s stuff they’ve probably done with their superspeedway program that applies.”

Practice will be especially important as Mears gets reacquainted with both Pocono and NASCAR’s NextGen car on a high-speed handling circuit. The limited track time available means every lap will matter.

“I’m going to be trying to get speed as quickly as I can,” Mears said. “Hopefully the car is close and we have pretty good speed. If we can make a couple changes in practice, get some direction, and I can go out there and get laps and get comfortable, I’ll be pretty happy.”

Success at Pocono often comes down to mastering turn three, the long, flat corner that feeds onto the track’s longest straightaway.

“If you mess up turn three, you pay for it all the way down the front straight,” Mears said. “I think turn three is probably one of the most important corners, time-wise.”

Coincidentally, Pocono also carries a deeper family connection for Mears. His uncle, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears, was a three-time IndyCar winner at Pocono, while his father Roger also competed there multiple times during his IndyCar career. The track’s place in family history only adds another layer of significance to the weekend.

Here and now, the goal is a clean race, a solid finish and a strong start to a partnership designed to culminate with one of NASCAR’s enduring veterans reaching the 500-start milestone come November. At a track known for surprises, patience and experience often prove valuable commodities.

“If you can stay clear of mistakes and when people start getting desperate, you can sometimes capitalize on that,” Mears said. “Hopefully we can stay clean and have a good, solid day to start off our relationship with Beard.”

No. 62 Beard Motorsports Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Casey Mears

Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Crew Chief: Darren Shaw

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Drew Mickey

Hometown: Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Spotter: Bruce Danz

Hometown: St. Petersburg, Florida

President: Linda Beard

Hometown: Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Caison Dillon

Hometown: Welcome, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Bryan Ketchie

Hometown: Mt. Ulla, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Tanner Wells

Hometown: Goldsboro, North Carolina

Jack Man: Garrett Crall

Hometown: Hicksville, Ohio

Fuel Man: Douglas Warrick

Hometown: Hamilton, New Jersey

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Jack Gagnon

Hometown: Quebec, Canada

Mechanic: Mark Sanders

Hometown: Springfield, Ohio

Tire Technician: Mike Harrold

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Brian Trevino

Hometown: Statesville, North Carolina

Interior Specialist: Nic Hill

Hometown: Fort Myers, Florida

Engineer: Mack Kanupp

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Transporter Driver: Roger Lankford

Hometown: Lexington, North Carolina

AARON STANFIELD TO ADD PRO MOD DRIVING DUTIES FOR REMAINDER OF 2026

WYNNEWOOD, Okla. (June 09, 2026) — Elite Motorsports and Modern Racing, Inc. announced today a permanent driver change for the ProFlow Pumping Solutions/Modern Racing/Elite Motorsports Pro Modified entry, confirming that standout driver Aaron Stanfield will take over the driver’s seat for the duration of the 2026 JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports season. Stanfield will continue to compete full-time in NHRA Pro Stock with Elite Motorsports.

The transition comes on the heels of Mason Wright’s decision to step away from full-time competition behind the wheel. Wright, who operates Shaneda Machine, Inc. in Odessa, TX, determined that the growth of his business portfolio requires his complete focus.

“Oilfields run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and so do the people who work in them,” Wright shared on social media. “That work ethic has carried over into everything I’ve done, including drag racing. But as our businesses continue to grow, they require my full-time attention. This decision allows me to focus on family, our companies, and the future we’re building together.”

Justin Elkes, owner of Modern Racing, expressed total support for Wright while highlighting the strength of their internal racing infrastructure.

“We fully support Mason and wish him nothing but the absolute best as he shifts his primary focus to his family and his rapidly expanding business priorities” Elkes said. “At the same time, we are incredibly excited to promote from within our Elite Team alliance by having Aaron Stanfield step in to handle the driving duties for the remainder of the season. His proven talent and recent Pro Modified success make him the perfect fit to step in and keep our momentum moving forward.”

Richard Freeman, owner of Elite Motorsports, also expressed his appreciation for Wright and the foundation he helped build within the program.

“We can’t thank Mason enough for the incredible amount of time, dedication, and resources he’s poured into this program,” Freeman said. “He’s been a tremendous part of what we’ve built, both on and off the racetrack, and we fully support him as he focuses on his family and businesses. The door will always be open here at Elite Motorsports. If and when Mason is ready to get back behind the wheel, he’ll always have a place with us.”

Stanfield, a multi-time NHRA world champion across several categories, is prepared to carry the torch for the team starting at the upcoming Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway, scheduled for June 12-14. Stanfield proved his elite capability in a Pro Mod earlier this year with a spectacular $150,000 victory at the prestigious World Series of Pro Mod event in Bradenton, Florida.

“It’s an honor to get the call to represent ProFlow Pumping Solutions, Modern Racing, and Elite Motorsports for the rest of the year,” Stanfield said. “Pro Mod is an absolute blast and incredibly competitive. Coming off the big win in Bradenton earlier this year, I feel confident we can give this team a great showing at Bristol along with the rest of the season.”

JBS Equipment Pro Modified competition at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals begins with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 3:45 and 7 p.m. and Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 2:35 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 1:40 p.m. Follow along with live updates and racing action from Bristol Dragway on the NHRA Pro Mod YouTube channel and NHRA Pro Mod Facebook page.

RON CAPPS, THE WINNINGEST NHRA FUNNY CAR DRIVER IN BRISTOL DRAGWAY HISTORY, TO BE INDUCTED INTO PRESTIGIOUS LEGENDS OF THUNDER VALLEY AS ONLY THIRD ACTIVE PARTICIPANT

NHRA Funny Car superstar Ron Capps will be inducted into the Legends of Thunder Valley on Sunday at Bristol Dragway during pre-race ceremonies for the Super-Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 9, 2026) – Ron Capps, the winningest NHRA Funny Car driver in Bristol Dragway history, has been named the 2026 honoree for the prestigious Legends of Thunder Valley, historic Bristol Dragway’s Hall of Fame.

Capps, 60, will be officially inducted into the Legends of Thunder Valley during pre-race ceremonies for the 25th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, June 12-14, round No. 9 of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. He becomes only the third driver to be inducted while still an active participant, joining John Force and Tony Schumacher.

Capps is the 24th inductee in the Legends of Thunder Valley and joins the exclusive club that also includes Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, NHRA founder Wally Parks, John Force, Don Schumacher, Shirley Muldowney, Tony “The Sarge” Schumacher, Scotty Cannon, and last year’s inductee Del Worsham, to name a few.

He will be presented with the customary Legends of Thunder Valley plaque by Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway president and general manager Jerry Caldwell during Sunday’s pre-race ceremonies, which begin at 11 a.m. ET. The accompanying signage showcasing his name in brilliant red will be installed upon the grandstand suite fascia as part of the ceremony.

“Ron has put fans on their feet at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals cheering him on for decades and has found a way to Winner’s Circle here on many occasions,” Caldwell said. “Ron has done it all at Bristol, including winning races, earning No. 1 qualifying positions, setting track performance records and he’s done it with a big smile on his face the whole time. Not only is Ron one of the sport’s greatest champions, but he’s also one of its most dynamic ambassadors and we are thrilled to recognize and induct him today as the 2026 Legend of Thunder Valley honoree.”

Capps has earned an incredible eight NHRA Funny Car victories during NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals competition over parts of three decades. The Carlsbad, Calif. driver claimed wins in 2001, 2006, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023 and 2025. What’s most impressive, is that he’s won those races with a variety of different team owners and crew chiefs over the years, showing his versatility as a pilot of the challenging 12,000-plus horsepower short-wheel-base machine where the engine sits in front of the driver and the flip-up body closes down and latches before each 330-mph run down the dragstrip.

In addition to recently making the move to become his own team owner, Capps previously drove for a pair of the sport’s legends: Don “The Snake” Prudhomme and Don Schumacher. Both Prudhomme and Schumacher are already members of the Legends of Thunder Valley. His roster of all-star crew chiefs over the years have included Ed McCulloch, Rahn Tobler, John Medlen and Dean Antonelli.

In addition to his Bristol victories, Capps has also earned a Bristol runner-up finish to Matt Hagan in 2015 and a No. 1 Qualifying Award at Bristol in 2016. Capps also holds the Bristol Dragway track ET record at 3.884 seconds, set in June of 2016.

In his career, Capps is a three-time NHRA Funny Car World Champion and has scored 79 career Funny Car victories. He has career-best performances of 3.821 seconds (2024 Pomona, California) and 339.28 mph (2019 Reading, Pa.). With two victories this season, coming at Phoenix and Charlotte, Capps is the current Funny Car points leader in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Guests are invited to come out and celebrate with Capps, June 12-14 at Thunder Valley. He will be featured in several autograph sessions, including Saturday night’s popular Fan Fest in the Pits.

As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

In addition to Capps, fans will get to see plenty of NHRA stars during the weekend, like recent Bristol winners Austin Prock, Justin Ashley, Doug Kalitta, a three-time Bristol winner, motorsports icon Tony Stewart, who is making his third Bristol Dragway start, four-time Top Fuel champ Steve Torrence, three-time champ Antron Brown, Virginia cattle rancher and four-time world champ Matt Hagan and recent four-time season Top Fuel winner Shawn Langdon who posted the sport’s first 345 mph speed in competition.

On Friday night, in addition to night qualifying and fireworks, fans will be treated to some bonus racing with the held-over final rounds from last weekend’s NHRA New England Nationals in New Hampshire. Langdon will face Leah Pruett in the Top Fuel final, while Jordan Vandergriff will line up against Jack Beckman in the Funny Car final. This is the second time in history that delayed finals from New England have moved to Bristol.

The high-revving Pro Stock category returns to action at Bristol with some new faces leading the way including points leader Dallas Glenn, the father-son tandem of Greg and Aaron Stanfield and two-time season winner Matt Hartford. Meanwhile, series veterans and multi-time champs Greg Anderson, Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin Jr. are ready to return to their winning ways. All three drivers are three-time Pro Stock winners at Bristol.

The 200-mph Pro Stock Motorcycle class also returns this season and Bristol has produced five winners in five seasons: Richard Gadson, Gaige Herrera, Steve Johnson, Angelle Sampey and Jerry Savoie. Matt Smith and Angie Smith, Chase Van Sant, John Hall, Ryan Oehler and Clayton Howey are all top contenders.

The JBS Equipment Pro Mod Drag Racing Series also will return to Bristol Dragway along with the NHRA Lucas Oil Series and the Factory Stock Showdown.

Fans also will want to visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create a carnival atmosphere, with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

There are three major events that fans definitely won’t want to miss, including Friday’s Nitro at Night qualifying session where the Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars “light their candles” and power down the drag strip at more than 330-mph as flames erupt out of their header pipes. That session is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. A brilliant fireworks show will complete the racing on Friday.

On Saturday, race officials will host the popular Fan Fest in the Pits, where many of the top drivers are available to meet with fans and sign autographs. This event begins 30 minutes after the final nitro qualifying session and is held in the large Guest Welcome Center tent in the pro pit area near the second tunnel.

The other is the Sealmaster TrackWalk on Sunday morning prior to pre-race ceremonies. Join NHRA drivers and NHRA officials as they walk the famed Bristol Dragway quarter-mile strip before racing begins.

Qualifying for the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals begins Friday, June 12 with a pair of pro sessions, the first at 6 p.m. and the second under the lights at 8 p.m. The final two rounds of qualifying are set for Saturday, June 13, at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. and will include the popular bonus program Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. Final eliminations are scheduled for noon on Sunday, June 14.

Friday’s 90-minute qualifying show will air on FS1 at 8 p.m. (ET), and be followed by another hour qualifying show on Sunday at 2 p.m. (ET), also on FS1. Sunday’s three-hour final eliminations show will air at 3 p.m. (ET) on FS1.

Single-day Friday tickets start as low as $35 for adults. Saturday adult tickets start at $60 and Sunday’s tickets start at $50. All grandstand tickets for kids 12 and under are free on Friday and $12 each day on the weekend with a paid adult. Discounted weekend packages and limited premium seating are also available.

To purchase your reserved seats, call Bristol Dragway at (866) 415-4158. Tickets also are available online by visiting the BMS website.

LEGENDS OF THUNDER VALLEY

2026 – Ron Capps, Funny Car

2025 – Del Worsham, Funny Car / Top Fuel

2024 – Shirley Muldowney, Top Fuel

2023 – Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel

2022 – Don Prudhomme, Funny Car / Top Fuel

2021 – Scotty Cannon, Pro Mod / Funny Car

2019 – Ted Jones, promoter / drag racing visionary

2018 – Mark Oswald, Funny Car / Top Fuel

2017 – Doug Herbert, Top Fuel

2016 – John Force, Funny Car

2015 – Carl Moore, Bristol Dragway founder

2015 – Connie Kalitta, NHRA pioneer/Top Fuel/Funny Car

2014 – Don Schumacher, NHRA team owner / Funny Car pioneer

2013 – Warren Johnson, Pro Stock

2012 – Gene Fulton, Engine Builder

2011 – Jeff Byrd, Bristol President and GM / RJ Reynolds marketing

2010 – Shirl Greer, Funny Car

2009 – Dale Pulde, Funny Car

2008 – Ronnie Sox & Buddy Martin, Pro Stock

2007 – Bruton Smith, Speedway Motorsports / Bristol Dragway owner

2007 – Wally Parks, NHRA founder

2007 – Don Garlits, Top Fuel

2007 – Larry Carrier, Bristol Dragway founder

2007 – Rickie Smith, Pro Stock / Pro Mod

About Bristol Dragway

Affectionately known as “Thunder Valley,” Bristol Dragway is nestled between two mountains in northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line and sits adjacent to the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway. In 2026, the historic dragstrip is celebrating its 61st anniversary and is scheduled to play host to numerous major events including the fan-favorite Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, a marquee event in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Other key events at the Dragway in 2026 include the DER Bracket Series, Summit Racing Equipment Thunder Valley Street Fights series, BTE World Footbrake Challenge races, PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown, JEG Summer Fling, RAD Fall Fling 500K, and the NHRA Jr. Drags Eastern Conference Finals. Bristol Dragway also transforms into a premier outdoor concert venue for the world’s greatest music performers and becomes The Thunder Valley Amphitheatre presented by Ballad Health. With more than 50 event days each season and serving as the longtime starting point for The Food City Speedway in Lights holiday spectacular, Bristol Dragway continues to be one of the busiest drag racing facilities in the nation. For more information, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com/dragway.

Ford Racing NASCAR – Pocono Advance

POCONO

Sunday, June 14– NASCAR Cup Series, 3 p.m. ET (PRIME)

The NASCAR Cup Series makes its annual trip to the Pocono Mountains for this weekend’s Great American Getaway 400 on Sunday afternoon. Ryan Blaney and Chris Buescher are the two active drivers who have series victories with Ford at the track, which has been hosting races since 1974. Ford has 25 wins overall at the Tricky Triangle with Bill Elliott’s four from 1985-89 leading the way.

BERRY TO MAKE 100TH CUP START

Wood Brothers Racing driver Josh Berry will be making his 100th career NASCAR Cup Series start this weekend when the circuit makes its annual stop at Pocono Raceway. Berry’s most memorable moment to this point was his first victory with the team last year in the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. That made him the 20th driver to win at least one series race for the organization and guaranteed his spot in the postseason for the first time.

FIRST-TIME CUP WINNERS

There are currently four Ford Racing NASCAR Cup drivers still looking for their first series victory (Todd Gilliland, Zane Smith, Noah Gragson, Ryan Preece). Pocono Raceway is a place where that has happened on a few occasions, most recently in 2017 when Ryan Blaney scored his first victory while driving for the Wood Brothers. Jeremy Mayfield (1998), Denny Hamlin (2006) and Chris Buescher (2016) are the other three who also made the “Tricky Triangle” the place for their first trip to Victory Lane.

SITTING ON 749

The next Ford win will be its 750th all-time in NASCAR’s top series. Ned Jarrett is Ford’s win leader with 43 while Bill Elliott is second with 40. Shirtless Jimmy Florian scored the Blue Oval’s first series victory when he upset the likes of Lee Petty, Curtis Turner and Joe Weatherly at Dayton Speedway on June 25, 1950. Florian earned his nickname after getting out of his 1950 flathead Ford without a shirt. Overall, 91 drivers have won at least one series race with Ford, including notable drivers Mario Andretti, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, A.J. Foyt, Richard Petty, and Dale Earnhardt.

QUESTION: WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR FIRST WIN AT POCONO?

CHRIS BUESCHER: “Lots of things that were very positive, and then on the negative side of it, I’ll just start with that because when we did get the final OK, that’s it, we’re calling it, it was almost an hour-and-a-half later. I think all the pit boxes on pit road were shut down and sealed up. People were gone. Haulers were missing. It was pretty clear that we were done and we hung out for a long time. The negative side to that is at the end of it, there was nobody to celebrate with. I think there were eight people, mainly our team standing on pit road, and the grandstands were empty. Pit road was empty. The garage was all but empty. We couldn’t use the really neat Victory Lane at Pocono that has since been replaced, so we had to go do an alternate one in the garage. There was no celebration on the frontstretch. No burnout to it. It took away some of the most fun parts about winning races in just that raw emotion in the moment. That being said, it was huge for us. I remember how the day went. We had an accident that we narrowly avoided, but I think we touched fenders with somebody and with a metal body car it ended up cutting a tire down. So, we ended up on pit road off sequence, which set us up to be able to run longer on that fuel run. That put us in a spot to where as cars started pitting, the rain was far enough out, but the fog is unpredictable in Pocono. I had an ARCA win narrowly slip away due to fog at Pocono, ironically. I’ll still trade it for that Cup win at the end of the day, so I’m OK with it now, but it let us stay out there just long enough. Jamie McMurray was ahead of us and when he pitted and then I think it was the next straightaway they came over the radio and they’re like, ‘Hey, the visibility is getting pretty bad up here. How is it from your standpoint going down the backstretch?’ And I’m like, ‘It’s fine.’ And as soon as I let the words come out of my mouth, I realized, ‘Well, that was the wrong answer. I know what they were fishing for.’ They were very quick to ask me again the next straightaway and I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, it’s really bad. I can’t see a thing. I’m sure you can’t see me either. This feels unsafe.’ I was a little bit of a slow learner back then, but it was a really big moment for us and everybody at Front Row Motorsports. To be able to put ourselves in the playoffs that season was huge in our rookie year, so I definitely have a lot of things that come back to me from that race and it was certainly a fun one. It was unfortunate not to get to celebrate the proper way because wins in this sport are so hard to come by no matter how they arrive and you certainly want to have that ability to celebrate with all the people who work so hard to create those moments and it didn’t quite feel the same as any of the wins since.”

RYAN BLANEY: “It was a wild race in 2017 with the Wood Brothers. I had a great car all day. I lost communication with my team early in that race, probably a third of the way through. Fortunately, I could hear them but they couldn’t hear me, so communication-wise I knew when to pit, which was good and we really just had a system of if I was tight, hand on the roof, and if I was too loose, hand on the door and they would make adjustments to that. We had a good pit stop at the end of the race to get out and be the first guys on tires. I was able to get by Kyle Busch with 10 or 11 laps to go and then I had to hold Kevin (Harvick) off. It was more stressful trying to hold Kevin off than trying to get the lead because now you’re in the lead trying to win your first Cup race and all you can think about is just don’t make a mistake and don’t give it away, so that was a stressful 10 laps or so to hold Kevin off, but he raced me really clean. The other thing that was the most fun about that day is it wasn’t just my first Cup win, it was a lot of my team’s first Cup win too, so being able to share that moment with them and celebrate, to be able to win for the Wood Brothers was something I always wanted to achieve and to have your poster up on the wall in Stuart (VA) was something pretty neat. That was number 99 for the Wood Brothers. I wish we could have got 100, but that came a few years later. Still, that was a fun day and an even better night.”

BLANEY GETS FIRST CUP VICTORY

Ryan Blaney earned his first NASCAR Cup Series victory in 2017 at Pocono Raceway, giving the Wood Brothers their 99th all-time series win. Blaney held off Kevin Harvick over the final seven laps to win the Pocono 400 after overcoming a loose wheel only 19 laps into the event. He found himself in position to win after the caution came out with 19 laps to go. Kyle Busch opted to stay out while all of the other contenders behind him pitted, including Blaney who got four fresh tires and restarted fourth. A major battle between Busch and Blaney resulted, but the newer tires proved to be too much as Blaney eventually got by with nine laps to go. He couldn’t breathe easy, however, as Harvick started to reel him in. Despite closing the gap, Harvick could never pull alongside to challenge and Blaney took the checkered flag.

BUESCHER JOINS FIRST-TIME WINNERS CLUB AT POCONO

Chris Buescher is another Ford driver who posted his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Pocono when he won the rain-shortened Pennsylvania 400 in 2016. Buescher led the final 12 laps and qualified for the playoffs as the scheduled 160-lap race was called after 138 circuits. It represented the second series win and first playoff qualification for Front Row Motorsports, which Buescher drove for in 2016 after the organization entered into an alliance with what was then Roush Fenway Racing.

KULWICKI’S FINAL WIN

When Alan Kulwicki won the Champion Spark Plug 500 on June 14, 1992 it marked the final victory of his NASCAR Hall of Fame career. Kulwicki, who was voted into the Hall in 2019, passed Bill Elliott with 11 laps remaining to cap a day that saw 15 cars drop out before the checkered flag flew, including 11 engine failures. In a precursor to what happened a few months later at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kulwicki and Elliott battled down the stretch as they exchanged the lead multiple times over the final 25 laps. Kulwicki passed Elliott for the top spot on lap 181, but traffic slowed him down to the point that five laps later the two swapped positions. Mark Martin made it a three-way battle, but Kulwicki ultimately prevailed as he got by both drivers on lap 190 and never looked back. Kulwicki, who won five series races overall, went on to win the championship later that year over fellow Ford drivers Elliott and Davey Allison.

FORD’S NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

AT POCONO

1985 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)

1988 – Bill Elliott (2)

1989 – Terry Labonte and Bill Elliott

1990 – Geoffrey Bodine (2)

1992 – Alan Kulwicki (1)

1994 – Rusty Wallace and Geoffrey Bodine

1995 – Dale Jarrett (2)

1996 – Rusty Wallace (2)

1997 – Dale Jarrett (2)

1998 – Jeremy Mayfield (1)

2000 – Jeremy Mayfield and Rusty Wallace

2001 – Ricky Rudd (1)

2002 – Dale Jarrett (1)

2005 – Carl Edwards and Kurt Busch

2008 – Carl Edwards (2)

2010 – Greg Biffle (2)

2016 – Chris Buescher (2)

2017 – Ryan Blaney (1)

2020 – Kevin Harvick (1)

2024 – Ryan Blaney

Ryan Blaney celebrates his second NASCAR Cup Series victory at Pocono on July 14, 2024.

The Ford Mustang is the world’s best selling sports car and one of its most popular race cars. With Mustang-based race cars competing in international sports car competition (GT3 and GT4), NASCAR, NHRA, Formula Drift, in Supercars, at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and in its own bespoke regional one-make series – Mustang Cup and Mustang Challenge – the platform has an unprecedented global reach. This weekend, 40 Mustang race cars are scheduled to race across all disciplines. Learn more about Mustang at www.FordRacing.com .

Erik Jones, Bubba Wallace notch strong podium results at Michigan

Photo by Tim Jarrold for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Erik Jones and Bubba Wallace capped off strong on-track performances throughout the 2026 FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway this past Sunday, June 7, by notching podium results. As a result, both competitors made major gains within the points standings in their bids to make the 2026 Chase for the Cup.

Jones, a native of Byron, Michigan, entered the Michigan race weekend strapped in 21st place in the 2026 Cup Series driver standings. Through the first 14 scheduled events, he recorded two top-10 results and an average finishing result of 20.3. Despite finishing 21st or worse seven times through the first 10 races, he netted four consecutive top-20 results in the four previous events leading up to his home-track event of Michigan.

After taking the green flag from 10th place, Jones methodically raced his way to the front and nearly reeled in Chase Elliott for the second stage victory before settling in the runner-up spot. Despite losing six spots on pit road before the final stage period, Jones rallied by motoring his way into the runner-up spot with less than 10 laps remaining. By then, however, he trailed race leader and eventual winner Denny Hamlin by a large margin, and he ultimately settled in the runner-up spot while trailing Hamlin at the finish line by more than 11 seconds.

Jones’ runner-up result was his ninth driving the No. 43 entry, an entry in which he first assumed in 2021 under the Richard Petty Motorsports banner and currently under the Legacy Motor Club banner owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. Jones also achieved his first top-five result since finishing in third place during the 2025 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway last September, and he notched his third top-10 result of the 2026 Cup Series season.

With a current season-high runner-up result, Jones, who was mired as low as 35th in the standings and has spent much of the early portions of this season within the mid-20s range, boosted himself and his No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota Camry XSE entry team into 18th place in the standings. They trail the top-16 cutline to be in Chase contention by 18 points with 11 races remaining until the Chase begins.

Despite being disappointed with a runner-up result and having a first Cup victory in nearly four seasons evaporate by a large margin, Jones sets his sights on extending his recent on-track surge next Sunday, June 14, at Pocono Raceway, a track in which he holds an average-finishing result of 13.5 and a total of eight top-10 results through 14 starts.

“I really think we had the best car and it just didn’t work out perfect,” Jones said on Prime Video. “Everything has to work out really well, and some things just didn’t go right at the end. Denny got out front and drove away, and we had to work through some traffic. It’s frustrating, but at the same time, the last month and a half has been good for us. We’ve had fast cars. We haven’t quite got the finishes we’ve deserved. Today was obviously, we got the finish we deserve, almost, I think. Just didn’t work out…We just got to do every little thing right and [the win]’ll come. You run upfront like that, it’s going to happen for you.”

Like Jones, Bubba Wallace executed an event where he both raced upfront and led at certain portions to notch a result that is his current highest of the 2026 Cup Series season and erased the previous results that nearly knocked him below the Chase cutline.

Wallace, a native of Mobile, Alabama, entered this past Sunday’s Michigan race weekend ranked in 15th place in the standings. After notching an average-finishing result of 8.8 through the first five events and being ranked in the runner-up spot in the standings, he has since endured a roller coaster swing throughout the next nine events, where his average-finishing result dipped to 23.8 as he ended up with six results of 22nd or worse. Despite finishing in the top 10 twice throughout the stretch, he quickly plummeted towards the Chase cutline and was in jeopardy of dropping below it.

Starting in 13th place, Wallace netted a fifth-place result following the first stage period and gained a strong start during the second stage’s commencement to lead his first six laps. Despite being briefly involved in a Lap 82 restart incident that eliminated his teammate/series points leader, Tyler Reddick, and led to a post-race conversation with the incident’s perpetrator, Carson Hocevar, Wallace rallied by leading an additional three laps (Laps 95-97) before he finished just outside of the top-10 mark when the second stage period concluded.

No. 23
Photo by Tim Jarrold for SpeedwayMedia.com.

In the closing laps, Wallace worked his way up as high as second place in the leaderboard despite trailing his fellow competitor and 23XI Racing co-owner, Denny Hamlin, by a large deficit. While battling with Erik Jones and Carson Hocevar in the closing laps, Wallace lost the runner-up spot to Jones, but managed to fend off Hocevar and Kyle Larson to settle in third place and with a 12-second disadvantage to Hamlin.

Wallace’s third-place result at Michigan is his current best through 15 events of the 2026 season and his second top-five result this year after he previously finished in fifth place at Kansas Speedway in mid-April. The driver of the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota Camry XSE entry also notched his 30th top-five result in his 306th Cup career start and his fourth top-10 result at Michigan. Wallace’s Michigan result was enough to boost him up to 11th place in the standings, and he is 49 points above the top-16 cutline.

At the conclusion of the event, Wallace left Michigan with positive reactions as he strives to both continue his on-track rally and be competitive at Pocono, a track where he has an average finish of 20.5 and a trio of top-10 finishes.

“We’ve gone through a month of hell,” Wallace said on Prime Video. “It’s hard to be happy with a third place because this is what should be happening when we’re executing like we are and we just get blindsided by something. At the end of the day, it’s no excuses. I just need to be better, but all in all, we were good enough for third…I would say we executed all day. It’s a valiant team effort. Each and every week, it’s a grind, so it’s nice to get on the other side of it and get back to work for Pocono.”

The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season for both Erik Jones and Bubba Wallace continues with the Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, this upcoming Sunday, June 14, at 3 p.m. ET on Prime Video, MRN Radio, SiriusXM and HBO MAX.

The Legal Challenges Behind Serious Two-Wheeler Accidents in South Bend, IN

A two-wheeler accident changes direction very fast after the crash is over. One side starts explaining fault, insurance companies begin collecting statements, and medical expenses continue growing before riders fully understand the damage left behind. Serious accidents in South Bend, IN, often become more complicated because riders are judged differently from regular drivers during investigations. 

Small details suddenly carry heavy weight once fault, compensation, and insurance responsibility enter the conversation. Many injured riders later realize the hardest part was not only the accident itself but also the pressure that followed afterward. That is why some people eventually reach out to a South Bend motorcycle accident attorney while trying to handle difficult claim disputes.

Riders Usually Start at a Disadvantage

Two-wheeler accident cases often become difficult because riders are judged differently from regular drivers. Insurance companies and even witnesses sometimes assume the rider was taking risks before anyone fully understands what happened.

Drivers may claim the rider was speeding or weaving through traffic, even if the collision happened because of a careless lane change or unsafe turn. Those early accusations can shape the entire direction of the case and make riders fight harder to prove their side of the story.

Recovery Costs Grow Faster Than Expected

Two-wheeler crashes often leave riders with painful injuries and expensive medical treatment. Emergency care, therapy sessions, surgeries, and missed work quickly create financial pressure that becomes difficult to manage.

Insurance companies know injured riders may feel desperate to settle quickly. Because of that, some early offers sound helpful at first, but fail to cover long term treatment or lost income connected to the accident.

What begins as a traffic collision can suddenly become months of financial stress and insurance arguments.

More Than One Side May Share Responsibility

Some accidents involve several parties instead of only one careless driver. A delivery company, employer, maintenance provider, or even a vehicle manufacturer may become connected to the investigation depending on the situation.

Road conditions may also raise questions if damaged pavement, missing traffic signs, or construction areas played a role in the crash. Once multiple parties become involved, insurance companies often spend more time arguing over blame than helping injured riders move forward.

The Problems Riders Commonly Face After the Crash

Insurance Adjusters Begin Building Their Defense Early

Insurance companies often start reviewing motorcycle accident claims almost immediately after the collision happens. Recorded statements, medical records, and police reports become part of the investigation very quickly.

Some adjusters try to reduce compensation by questioning injuries or suggesting the rider shares part of the blame. Delayed treatment or incomplete records sometimes become reasons to challenge the claim itself.

Riders recovering from serious injuries may already feel exhausted while trying to deal with these complicated conversations and paperwork demands.

Missing Proof Can Change Everything

Strong evidence becomes one of the most important parts of any motorcycle or rideshare accident claim. Without enough proof, even serious crashes may become harder to defend during settlement discussions.

Accident scenes disappear quickly once damaged vehicles are moved, and roads reopen. Witnesses leave, weather changes, and security footage may get erased after only a short time.

People who later contact a South Bend motorcycle accident attorney often realize that missing evidence created major problems during insurance negotiations and fault investigations.

Indiana Fault Rules Often Create Extra Pressure

Indiana follows a modified comparative fault system, which means compensation may be reduced if the injured rider shares part of the responsibility for the accident.

Insurance companies sometimes use this rule aggressively because shifting even small amounts of blame toward the rider may lower settlement amounts. A single detail from a witness statement or accident report can suddenly become extremely important later.

That pressure often makes motorcycle accident cases feel far more stressful than regular vehicle collisions.

The Kind of Evidence That Makes Claims Stronger

Evidence helps accident claims move beyond opinions and arguments because it gives investigators real details connected to the crash itself.

Details That Often Strengthen Motorcycle Accident Claims

  • Photos showing road conditions and vehicle damage
  • Surveillance or traffic camera footage
  • Witness names and written statements
  • Police accident reports
  • Repair records and inspection details
  • Phone records connected to distracted driving
  • Images of damaged helmets and riding gear

Organized evidence usually gives insurance companies fewer opportunities to question what really happened during the collision.

Conclusion 

Serious two-wheeler accidents in South Bend, IN, often create legal and financial pressure that many riders never expect after a crash. Fault disputes, missing evidence, insurance investigations, and severe injuries can quickly turn simple claims into difficult legal situations. Riders are often forced to defend themselves while still dealing with recovery costs and ongoing medical treatment. Strong documentation, clear evidence, and careful handling of accident details usually shape how these cases move forward. Many injured riders eventually understand that protecting information early becomes one of the most important parts of handling a serious accident claim properly.