Mike Rockenfeller, No. 42 Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
START: 26TH FINISH: 29TH OWNERS POINTS: 32ND
Mike Rockenfeller Post-Race Thoughts: “Well that was definitely not the result that we wanted, but thanks to the team for the hard work. We didn’t have the pace, but then also we got caught up in the incident here in the last chicane. That definitely ended our race hopes, but yeah, it was a great experience to be back at the ROVAL. Everybody on our No. 42 team fought well, especially on pit lane. The boys kept us on the lead lap and that was pretty much all we could do. Thank you a lot to Jimmie Johnson and Maury Gallagher for giving me the call, and I wish Carson (Hocevar) and the Sunseeker Resort team well in the rest of the races this year.”
Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
START: 23RD FINISH: 36TH POINTS: 27TH
Erik Jones Post-Race Thoughts: Sidelined by damage sustained in an accident in the final stage.
“We’ve kind of struggled all year on road courses. We haven’t really had a good day on one this season, so I need to get better on my end – figure out what to do and how to race on them. With this car, I’ve never really had a great day on road courses, so it’s frustrating. The car is just different to drive on road courses, so just have to get better. Hopefully for next year, we can figure out what to do, get some more simulator time and dial it in.”
ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:
LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (NCS) Jimmie Johnson. The club competes full-time in the NCS fielding the Nos. 42 and 43 Chevrolet Camaro entries, respectively, along with the No. 84 part-time entry for Johnson in 2023. Richard Petty “The King” serves as team ambassador.
In 2021, Gallagher acquired Richard Petty Motorsports and renamed the team to Petty GMS. With the addition of Johnson to the ownership structure in 2023, the organization rebranded to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (LEGACY M.C.). With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level.
Based in Statesville, N.C., LEGACY M.C. operates alongside GMS Racing (GMS), which currently fields three full-time entries in the NASCAR Truck Series. Since the formation of GMS in 2012, Gallagher and Mike Beam, team president, have shared incredible success. GMS Racing captured the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship, the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championships and the 2019 and 2020 ARCA East championships, accumulating over 65 wins across six national racing circuits.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
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Do you own a car? If so, now’s the time to improve the way that it looks.
A lot of people get very lazy when it comes to their vehicles, especially with aesthetic maintenance. Sure, most people take their cars to a mechanic if they break down or show signs of damage, but if the average person’s car gets dented, scratched, or marked, it’s pretty common for them to leave the damage unchecked. This post intends to tell you about what you need to do to improve your car’s external appearance, so you can take pride in it.
Regular Maintenance
If your car shows any signs of damage, make sure that you immediately take it to get repaired. A professional car interior and exterior detailing service may be able to help you with this. You still need to go to visit a detailing company even if your car doesn’t show signs of damage though. Performing regular maintenance on your car is something you can do at home. However, serious maintenance, i.e., work on your car’s engine, should be dealt with by somebody with experience. Under no circumstances should you attempt to make such repairs yourself. If you are going to perform maintenance on your car’s exterior, i.e., buffing out dents and concealing scratches, make sure that you take great care and follow expertly authored guides. There are many such guides available for you to view on the internet, so you should have no trouble finding learning resources.
Detailing Services
If you want to keep your car looking its best, make sure that you regularly visit a detailing agency, as suggested above. Detailing agencies clean and maintain people’s cars for them. You do need to make sure that you find a reliable detailing agency if you are planning on hiring one. A detailing service’s reliability can be ascertained from their reviews. Make sure that when you are reading reviews, you read ones published on independent review sites and not on the businesses’ actual websites. Google Review and Trustpilot are the best places to turn when you are looking for information about specific businesses. The reviews posted on these sites are verified and authenticated by specialists. Reviews posted on businesses’ websites by their owners do not tend to be reliable and as a matter of fact, tend more often than not to be heavily biased.
Consider Upgrades
Consider making upgrades to your car too. Upgrades can be a great way to enhance your car’s appearance and increase its value. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that they have to take their cars to professional mechanics and detailing services to have upgrades performed, but this is not true. It’s actually entirely possible to make repairs to your car independently, even at home. If you are going to do this, make sure that you conduct extensive research so that you can find the perfect parts for your car, as the better the parts are, the more your car will be worth on the resale market.
If you own your own car, make sure that you maintain and look after it. Maintaining and looking after your car will increase its value and give you something to be proud of. Be sure to get your car detailed on a regular basis too.
NASCAR is all about thrills. High-octane races, thunderous engines, and adrenaline-fueled action. However, this doesn’t mean that safety isn’t paramount. With speeds often exceeding 200 miles per hour, if there are any slip-ups, there’s the potential for danger. However, any risks have been significantly reduced by NASCAR’s safety innovations. Read on to find out more about how drivers are being protected, even at top speeds.
Advanced Helmets and HANS Devices
The helmets used by NASCAR drivers really do offer some advanced head protection. Not only are they equipped with reinforced shells, but they are also lined with energy-absorbing foam that will minimize any impact to the head. In addition to this, innovative HANS devices restrict excessive head movement during an impact. These have become the standard for protecting drivers against any head or neck injuries.
Fire Resistant Suits & Safety Nets
Fire-resistant suits are another crucial element of NASCAR safety. Made from multiple layers of fire-resistant material, they act as a second skin, offering precious moments of protection in a fire-related incident. Safety nets are also essential in the event of a crash. Safety nets cover the driver’s side window. In the event that the window smashes, the safety nets will prevent any debris from entering the cockpit, keeping drivers safe.
Safety Barriers
One of the most important components of NASCAR’s safety arsenal is the implementation of safety barriers, including traffic control barricades. These barriers have played a major role in protecting drivers. They are usually placed strategically around the track, providing an added layer of safety in case a crash occurs at a high speed. The barriers absorb and dissipate the energy of an impact, reducing the force that can impact the driver. This innovation has been integral, making the sport significantly safer for drivers.
The Car of Tomorrow
Another pivotal moment in NASCAR safety was the introduction of The Car of Tomorrow (CoT), introduced in 2007. It introduced some game-changing safety measures such as energy-absorbing materials, as well as improved structural integrity. This car paved the way for the Next Gen Car. The Next Gen Car introduced in 2022, has gone one step further to protect drivers. Its design includes a reinforced roll cage, as well as the energy-absorbing materials seen in the last model. This design further reduces the risk of injury if a crash occurs at top speeds.
The Human Element
In addition to technology and innovation, people also have a huge part to play in keeping NASCAR safe. NASCAR events have a dedicated emergency response team that is trained to react incredibly quickly. They’re always ready to provide medical care, or even extract drivers from vehicles when necessary.
NASCAR’s commitment to safety makes it feel like a sport that you can really get behind. It provides heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping action alongside innovative safety features and the further development of safer race cars. As NASCAR continues to evolve, one thing is for sure, we can expect more groundbreaking safety features that will safeguard life and limb while ensuring that racing remains exhilarating and enjoyable for all.
Race car building has really changed over time. It’s all about keeping up with new track demands and what the fans want to see. The race arena is now a huge platform for branding, so it’s not just about speed anymore but how cool these cars look, too.
But in this world of constant change, some techs stand out as real game changers. We will tell you about four big technologies that are taking race car creation to a whole new level.
Advanced Carbon Fiber Composites
Race cars need to be both light and strong. In the past, it usually meant choosing one over the other. Now, we’ve got things like carbon fiber composites that are tough but really light. The secret is all in how they’re made, with lots of careful layering for maximum strength.
So what do you get at the end? Cars are ready to handle even the toughest tracks while staying quick on their wheels. Plus, these new materials let designers nail those aerodynamic shapes without giving up any sturdiness.
3D Printing and Rapid Prototyping
Getting a race car just right needs lots of little changes all the time. With 3D printing, making and checking parts is now so quick. The old days of waiting on molds or heavy-duty machining are all in the past.
If something isn’t working great, we can make new versions so fast to try out different options. This means that these cars are always improving over time. They’re getting better at handling any surprises from ever-changing tracks.
AI-Driven Aerodynamics Analysis
In racing, even a split second can make all the difference. That’s where aerodynamics comes into play, shaping cars to cut through air quickly. Wind tunnel tests have always been part of car design, but now, AI is taking it further.
Using tons of data and real-time simulations, AI predicts how air flows around a race car better than ever before. It pinpoints pressure spots and areas causing drag with crazy accuracy. This way, hiccups in design are caught much earlier, making sure every race car becomes an unbeatable speed machine cutting smoothly through thin air.
Electrification and Energy Storage Innovations
Everyone’s going green these days, including the racing world. Electric power isn’t a fad – it’s here to stay. Many race leagues are bringing in electric or hybrid races, so energy storage and delivery are pretty crucial now.
New breakthroughs in battery technology, storing energy, and regenerative braking systems mean cars can use their power even better. These cool updates mean that today’s electric race cars can totally keep pace with traditional petrol-powered ones, gearing us up for an electrifying future on the track.
Conclusion
Race car making is on the edge of some seriously cool tech breakthroughs. New stuff in materials, design methods, data analysis, and power systems means tomorrow’s race cars will be quicker and more efficient. As these game-changers become commonplace, that just means we’ve got a future full of fast-paced excitement where speed limits and designs keep getting better.
When confronted with the choice of upgrading or repairing your vehicle, many car owners find themselves at a crossroads, contemplating two options: searching for a mechanic near me to enlist the services of a professional or embarking on a do-it-yourself (DIY) modification journey. While the advantages of hiring a professional mechanic are evident, this article will delve into the merits of utilizing auto repair kits to repair or enhance your car.
Nowadays, a multitude of online retailers, such as https://klifex.com/, offer comprehensive kits designed for a wide array of self-repair and modification tasks for your vehicle. These auto repair kits, available on websites like the one mentioned, are particularly appealing because they include all the requisite components required to complete the task at hand, all at a budget-friendly cost. Below, we will outline some of the key benefits of employing an auto repair kit:
Benefits
Cost Savings: Arguably the most enticing advantage of DIY auto repairs lies in the substantial cost savings achieved by eliminating labor expenses. For minor repairs or routine maintenance, this approach can lead to significant financial savings, making it an ideal choice for those aiming to be economical.
Learning Experience: Employing auto repair kits to mend your vehicle presents a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience and expand your knowledge of automotive mechanics. It provides an invaluable chance to deepen your understanding of your car’s intricacies and develop essential mechanical skills.
Convenience: Auto repair kits are often equipped with all the necessary tools and parts needed for specific repairs, ensuring that you can conveniently carry out the repair at home or even on the go in case of emergencies.
Control and Customization: DIY repairs empower you to exercise full control over the quality of parts and materials used. This allows you to choose between aftermarket or OEM components, enabling customization or the preservation of your vehicle’s original specifications.
Future Maintenance: In addition to the learning experience, becoming intimately acquainted with your vehicle’s inner workings proves immensely useful for future maintenance. Routine upkeep becomes a breeze, and identifying potential issues becomes far less challenging.
While the list of benefits is extensive, it is essential to acknowledge the drawbacks associated with employing auto repair kits for DIY maintenance.
Drawbacks
Skill and Knowledge Requirements: DIY auto repair demands a certain level of automotive knowledge and mechanical skills. Complex repairs may exceed the capabilities of individuals lacking experience in this domain. Additionally, vehicles imported from overseas may have unique systems that complicate repairs; thankfully, you can easily find specialized services for European auto repair in Nashville to handle these challenges. These professionals are equipped to diagnose and service complex systems that may not be covered in standard repair kits
Safety Risks: Some repairs can pose safety hazards if not executed correctly. It is imperative to always adhere to safety precautions, and in certain instances, it may be safer to entrust the repair to seasoned professionals.
Time and Tools: DIY repairs may necessitate specialized tools and can be time-consuming. Allocating ample time and creating a suitable workspace is imperative for a successful repair.
Quality of Work: The quality of DIY repairs can vary, and errors can lead to additional issues down the road, potentially resulting in higher overall costs. Purchasing an auto repair kit, investing time in the repair, and then encountering difficulties that necessitate professional assistance can lead to a significant opportunity cost in addition to professional repair expenses.
Bottom Line
Employing auto repair kits to restore your vehicle offers numerous advantages, including cost savings, educational opportunities, convenience, and enhanced control. Nevertheless, it is crucial to assess your skills and the complexity of the repair before embarking on the endeavor. It is advisable to start with simpler auto repair kits and progressively tackle more complex tasks as you gain experience and confidence in your abilities. In cases of substantial struggles, seeking the expertise of a qualified mechanic is the best course of action to avoid digging yourself into a difficult-to-escape hole.
Amid the on-track action and the battles between a bevy of Playoff competitors vying for spots to the Round of 8, AJ Allmendinger spoiled the party by flexing his road course muscles and capping off a dominant run by winning the sixth annual running of the Bank of America Roval 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course on Sunday, October 8.
The 41-year-old Allmendinger from Los Gatos, California, led twice for a race-high 46 of 109-scheduled laps in an event where he started sixth and endured various pit strategies and on-track battles against the field and Playoff contenders throughout the first two stage periods. After assuming the lead for the first time with 52 laps remaining over Playoff contender Kyle Busch, Allmendinger then surrendered the lead to pit along with most of the field under green with 39 laps remaining. But he was able to reassume the top spot with nearly 30 laps remaining amid a late caution period for an incident involving Playoff contender Denny Hamlin and when some competitors who had not yet pitted, did so.
Starting with 31 laps remaining, Allmendinger then endured four extra caution periods and restarts, where he fended off late challenges from Playoff contenders Busch and William Byron along with rookie Ty Gibbs, to navigate his way to his first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the 2023 season, the third of his career and his first in more than two years.
Allmendinger’s victory also occurred on a day when the second round of eliminations in the 2023 Cup Series Playoffs ensued. It left former Cup champions Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski, along with last year’s championship runner-up Ross Chastain, and Playoff newcomer Bubba Wallace, below the top-eight cutline and officially out of title contention for this season.
With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Saturday, October 7, Playoff contender Tyler Reddick scored his third Cup pole position of the season and the sixth of his career after posting a pole-winning lap at 102.839 mph in 81.214 seconds. Joining him on the front row was Playoff contender Christopher Bell, who posted the second-best qualifying lap at 102.695 mph in 81.328 seconds.
Prior to the event, Playoff contender Kyle Larson, and Ty Dillon, started at the rear of the field in backup cars after both separately wrecked into the wall and were unable to post a qualifying lap.
When the green flag waved and the race started, Reddick, who opted to start on the outside lane, rocketed ahead from Bell and led the field through the first turn before the field navigated its way through the infield road course turns. With the field navigating its way through the road course turns and back onto the oval turns before entering the backstretch chicane, Reddick managed to retain the top spot from Bell as he made his way through the frontstretch chicane and led the first lap. By then, Reddick’s advantage over Bell was six-tenths of a second while Bubba Wallace, Daniel Suarez and AJ Allmendinger followed suit in the top five.
Through the second to fourth lap, Reddick slowly stretched his advantage to nearly a second over Bell. As Reddick proceeded to lead the fifth lap by more than a second over Bell, Wallace retained third ahead of Suarez and Allmendinger while Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, rookie Ty Gibbs and Ross Chastain were running in the top 10. Behind, Denny Hamlin was in 11th ahead of William Byron, Michael McDowell, Martin Truex Jr. and Alex Bowman while Austin Dillon, Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Preece and Chris Buescher occupied the top 20. Meanwhile, Kyle Larson, who dodged a spin by Erik Jones through the frontstretch chicane, was mired in 28th behind Chase Briscoe while Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was on pit road after making contact with the wall and damaging a rear toe link to his No. 47 Harris Teeter/Totino’s Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
Through the first 10 scheduled laps, Reddick continued to lead by eight-tenths of a second over Bell while Wallace, Suarez and Allmendinger remained in the top five. As Kyle Busch, Elliott, Ty Gibbs, Logano and Chastain continued to run in the top 10, Playoff contenders Hamlin, Byron, Truex, Blaney, Keselowski, Buescher and Larson were running 11th, 12th, 14th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 27th, respectively, while McDowell, Bowman and Austin Dillon were running in the top 16. Meanwhile, Preece was back in 20th ahead of teammate Aric Almirola, Cindric was running 22nd ahead of Corey LaJoie and Justin Haley, Kevin Harvick was mired in 26th ahead of Larson and Mike Rockenfeller was in 31st in between Briscoe and Austin Hill.
Five laps later, Reddick’s lead extended back to more than a second over Bell while third-place Wallace trailed by more than four seconds. Behind, Suarez and Allmendinger continued to run in the top five while Elliott, Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs, Logano and Chastain remained in the top 10.
Another lap later, the first round of green flag pit stops commenced as Playoff contender Blaney pitted his No. 12 Discount Tire Ford Mustang followed by the No. 2 Menards Ford Mustang piloted by teammate Austin Cindric. Another two laps later, brothers Austin and Ty Dillon pitted along with Briscoe and Austin Hill while Playoff contender Brad Keselowski was assessed a pass-through penalty after NASCAR deemed he missed the frontstretch chicane. By the time Keselowski served his penalty at the Lap 20 mark and with Reddick continuing to lead, more drivers, including Larson, Justin Haley and Preece pitted under green.
By Lap 21, more drivers, including Suarez, Allmendinger, Elliott, Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs, Logano, Byron, McDowell, Buescher, Harvick and Zane Smith pitted under green while Hamlin, Bowman, Almirola and Josh Bilicki followed suit during Lap 22 as Reddick continued to lead ahead of Bell and teammate Wallace. Bell would then pit his No. 20 DeWalt Toyota TRD Camry under green on Lap 23 and just as pit road closed with the first stage period nearing its conclusion.
When the first stage period concluded on Lap 25, Reddick, who came into the Charlotte Roval two points below the top-eight cutline in the Playoff standings, captured his sixth Cup stage victory of the 2023 season. Teammate Wallace settled in second ahead of Chastain, Truex and Bell, who executed his pit stop to only lose three spots while blending back on the track, while Suarez, Elliott, Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs and Allmendinger were scored in the top 10. By then, Playoff contenders Hamlin, Byron, Blaney, Keselowski, Buescher and Larson were mired outside the top 10 on the track while all but one of 37 starters were scored on the lead lap. In addition, Mike Rockenfeller was serving a stop-and-go penalty for missing the backstretch chicane.
Under the stage break, some led by Reddick, including those who remained on the track to gain stage points, pitted while the rest led by Bell remained on the track.
The second stage period started on Lap 29 as Bell and Suarez occupied the front row. At the start, Bell, who made contact with Suarez, managed to rocket ahead from the outside lane and retain the lead through the first turn and the infield road course turns. As Elliott and Suarez bumped while battling for the runner-up spot ahead of the field through the road course turns and back on the oval turns, Bell muscled away with the lead as Kyle Busch and Allmendinger were in the top five. With more side-by-side battles ensuing through the backstretch chicane and back to the frontstretch, Bell retained the lead ahead of Elliott, Suarez, Kyle Busch and Allmendinger while Ty Gibbs, Hamlin, Logano, Byron and McDowell were in the top 10 at the Lap 30 mark.
At the Lap 35 mark, Bell was leading by two-tenths of a second over Elliott followed by Suarez, Allmendinger and Kyle Busch while Ty Gibbs, Hamlin, Logano, Byron and McDowell were in the top 10. Behind, Bowman was in 11th ahead of Blaney, Buescher, Reddick and Larson while Cindric, Almirola, Austin Dillon, Chastain and Haley were mired in the top 20 ahead of Wallace, Josh Bilicki, Truex, Keselowski and Harrison Burton.
Another lap later, Elliott muscled his No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 beneath and past Bell through Turn 8 as he assumed the lead. With Elliott stretching his advantage to more than half a second through the frontstretch, Suarez, Allmendinger, Kyle Busch and Ty Gibbs started to close in on Bell for the runner-up spot while Hamlin trailed in seventh place. By then, Reddick carved his way up to the 12th while teammate Wallace was mired in 20th behind Chastain. In addition, Larson was in 15th behind Buescher and Blaney while Truex and Keselowski were back in 23rd and 24th. Meanwhile, Harvick was back in 36th after locking up his tires, missing the backstretch chicane and coming to a full stop to serve his penalty a few laps earlier.
Just past the Lap 40 mark, Elliott was leading by more than three seconds over Bell while Allmendinger, Ty Gibbs, Kyle Busch, Suarez, Hamlin, Logano, Byron and McDowell were running in the top 10. By then, Playoff contenders Reddick, Buescher, Larson, Blaney, Chastain, Wallace, Truex and Keselowski were in 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 20th, 21st and 24th, respectively.
Another lap later, a second wave of green flag pit stops commenced as Blaney pitted before Harrison Burton and Almirola pitted during the next lap. Playoff contender Kyle Busch would pit his No. 8 Lenovo Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 along with Logano, Byron, Austin Dillon and Keselowski on Lap 43 before Allmendinger, Ty Gibbs, Suarez, Bowman, Cindric and Zane Smith peeled off the track to pit during the following lap. In the process, Elliott retained the lead through Lap 45 ahead of Bell, Hamlin, Reddick, Buescher and Larson.
Then with three laps remaining in the second stage period and just after more names that included Playoff contender Buescher pitted, the caution flew after Josh Bilicki and Corey LaJoie made contact that resulted in LaJoie sending Bilicki into the wall in between Turns 3 and 4. Bilicki’s incident was enough for the second stage period scheduled to conclude on Lap 50 to conclude under caution as Elliott, who was about to pit under green but elected to remain on the track during the incident, captured his second Cup stage victory of the 2023 season. Playoff contenders Bell, Hamlin, Reddick, Larson, Chastain, Wallace and Truex followed suit from second to eighth while McDowell and Playoff contender Kyle Busch were scored in the top 10. By then, Playoff contenders Byron, Blaney, Buescher and Keselowski were mired within the top 20 while all but two starters were scored on the lead lap. In addition, Hamlin, who came into the Charlotte Roval 50 points above the top-eight cutline, was able to accumulate enough points to clinch a spot in the Round of 8.
During the stage break, some led by Elliott pitted while the rest led by Kyle Busch remained on the track. Amid the pit stops, McDowell’s pit crew went underneath the hood of the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang amid a power steering issue.
With 56 laps remaining, the final stage commenced under green as Kyle Busch and Ty Gibbs occupied the front row. At the start, Busch muscled ahead with the lead through Turn 1 while Allmendinger battled and overtook Gibbs for the runner-up spot. As the field navigated its way through the infield road course turns and back on the oval turns, Busch retained the lead while Byron, Logano and Buescher battled for fourth place in front of Blaney and Suarez. Amid more battles through the backstretch chicane, Busch retained the lead as he navigated back to the frontstretch chicane with runner-up Allmendinger trailing by three-tenths of a second.
At the halfway mark in between Laps 54 and 55, Kyle Busch continued to lead by three-tenths of a second over a hard-charging Allmendinger followed by Byron, Ty Gibbs and Logano while Buescher, Suarez, Blaney, Bowman and Keselowski were in the top 10. By then, Playoff contenders Reddick, Chastain, Larson, Wallace, Truex, Bell and Hamlin were mired in 19th, 24th, 25th, 27th, 28th, 30th and 32nd, respectively, while Cindric, Harvick, Austin Dillon, Preece and LaJoie were running in the top 15.
Then with 52 laps remaining, Allmendinger made his move beneath Busch and moved his No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 into the lead through Turn 8. With Busch now back in the runner-up spot and placed in a “must-win” situation to move into the Round of 8, Byron, Ty Gibbs and Buescher were in the top five while Logano, Suarez, Blaney, Bowman and Keselowski were in the top 10. Meanwhile, Playoff contenders Larson, Wallace, Chastain, Truex, Bell and Hamlin were mired outside the top 20 on the track.
With 45 laps remaining, Allmendinger extended his advantage to more than two seconds over Kyle Busch followed by Byron, Ty Gibbs and Buescher while Logano, Suarez, Blaney, Bowman and Keselowski were in the top 10 on the track. By then, Playoff contender Reddick was up to 15th and Larson was in 20th while Chastain, Wallace, Truex, Bell and Hamlin were mired in 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, and 29th, respectively. The current running order of the Playoff contenders currently places Keselowski, Chastain, Wallace and Kyle Busch below the top-eight cutline while Buescher, Bell, Reddick, Truex and Larson were currently scored above the cutline, with Larson just nine points ahead of Keselowski.
Then two laps later, Elliott pitted his No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 under green along with Harrison Burton. Playoff contender Keselowski would then pit his No. 6 Castrol Edge Ford Mustang during the following lap as he dropped to 17th by the time he blended back on the track while Allmendinger retained the lead ahead of Kyle Busch, Byron, Ty Gibbs and Buescher. Busch would then surrender the runner-up spot to pit under green with 40 laps remaining along with Briscoe and Erik Jones as Byron moved into the runner-up spot followed by Ty Gibbs. By then, Almirola was assessed a pass-through for missing the chicane while Hamlin spun after getting hit by Zane Smith through the frontstretch and just as McDowell fell off the pace after blowing a left front tire due to running over the curbs hard.
With 39 laps remaining, a bevy of names led by Allmendinger peeled off the track to pit under green in response to McDowell’s issues while Blaney remained on the track to inherit the lead. With McDowell able to limp his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang back to pit road, the race remained under green flag conditions as Blaney was scored the leader followed by Austin Dillon, Haley, Bell, Allmendinger and Kyle Busch. Bell, Austin Dillon and Chastain, who entered his pit stall in an awkward position with the right-rear tire sticking out after dodging Dillon on pit road, would pit under green with 37 laps remaining.
Then with 34 laps remaining, the caution flew after Hamlin, who was running just outside the top 20, got loose and spun his No. 11 Mavis Tires & Brakes Toyota TRD Camry for a second time, this time through the frontstretch chicane as he was then hit by Mike Rockenfeller while Ty Dillon also went off the track as he was trying to avoid Hamlin. During the caution period, some led by Blaney and including Elliott pitted while the rest led by Allmendinger remained on the track.
With the race restarting under green with 31 laps remaining, Allmendinger and Ty Gibbs dueled for the lead entering Turn 1 and through the infield road course turns before Gibbs muscled his No. 54 Interstate Batteries Toyota TRD Camry into the lead entering Turn 3. Then as the field made its way just past Turn 4, trouble struck behind as Austin Dillon and LaJoie wrecked, but the event remained under green flag conditions. Back at the front and as the field returned to the oval turns, Allmendinger made his move beneath Gibbs and reassumed the lead in Turn 8 as Byron and Kyle Busch closed in from behind. Amid the tight competition through the backstretch chicane and back to the frontstretch chicane, Allmendinger retained the lead from Ty Gibbs.
Then a lap later, the caution flew after Erik Jones, who was caught in a three-wide battle with Stenhouse and Elliott entering Turn 2, was clipped by Stenhouse and sent for a spin before he hit the wall, came back down the track and was hit by McDowell while Playoff contender Truex barely dodged the incident. The incident was enough to terminate Jones’ day in the garage while McDowell managed to proceed. By then, Hamlin retired in 37th, last place, after failing to beat the Damaged Vehicle Policy clock in time to continue.
During the following restart with 27 laps remaining, Allmendinger managed to rocket away from Ty Gibbs and retain the lead entering Turn 1 as the field fanned out entering the infield road course turns. With the field navigating through the turns and the oval circuit before entering the backstretch chicane, Allmendinger retained the lead by half a second over Ty Gibbs followed by Kyle Busch, Byron and Logano while Wallace, Bell and Larson engaged in a heated battle within the top 15 and to race their way into the Round of 8. Shortly after, Playoff contender Reddick engaged in a fierce battle with Logano for fifth place while Playoff contender Chastain was mired in 19th ahead of Elliott.
Amid another caution period with 24 laps remaining after Andy Lally spun just past Turn 1 and tried to nurse his car the opposite way before entering pit road and coming to a stop, some led by Playoff contender Keselowski pitted while the rest led by Allmendinger remained on the track.
As the race restarted with 22 laps remaining, Allmendinger managed to muscle away from Ty Gibbs entering Turn 1 to retain the lead. Behind, Kyle Busch and Gibbs made contact while battling for the runner-up spot as the field made its way through the infield road course turns and back on the oval turns. Then through the backstretch chicane, trouble struck for Playoff contender Wallace after Suarez briefly slid sideways while on the brakes and turned Cindric, who then turned Wallace’s No. 23 Leidos Toyota TRD Camry in the process as the latter two spun, but the event remained under green as Allmendinger retained the lead ahead of Ty Gibbs, Kyle Busch, Byron and Reddick. Amid their incidents, Wallace, who stopped on the frontstretch chicane after missing the backstretch chicane, and Cindric both pitted under green.
Back on the track and with 20 laps remaining, Allmendinger was leading by more than a second over Ty Gibbs followed by Kyle Busch, Byron and Reddick while Logano, Buescher, Bowman, Preece and Larson were scored in the top 10. By then, Playoff contenders Chastain, Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Wallace were currently scored below the cutline while Larson and Truex occupied the final two transfer spots by 26 and 24 points, respectively.
Then with 17 laps remaining, more trouble ensued after Playoff contender Keselowski spun through the frontstretch chicane while battling Playoff contender Chastain in the top 20, with Chastain missing the frontstretch chicane to avoid Keselowski, coming to a full stop for missing the chicane and eventually pitting his No. 1 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for service. With the race remaining under green, the caution would return the following lap after Bell, who was battling Suarez for 11th place, sent Suarez’s No. 99 Aguas Frescas Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 spinning backward and wrecking into the Turn 8 outside wall. During the caution period, some including Keselowski pitted while the rest led by Allmendinger, including the front-runners, remained on the track.
Down to the final 13 laps of the event, the race restarted under green. At the start, Allmendinger muscled ahead from the outside lane to retain the lead before Kyle Busch made his way into the runner-up spot over Ty Gibbs entering Turn 1. As the field made its way through the infield road course turns, the caution quickly returned after fire billowed out of the No. 47 entry piloted by Stenhouse in Turn 2, with the driver able to escape uninjured.
With the race restarting with 10 laps remaining, Allmendinger rocketed ahead with the lead while Kyle Busch, who spun the tires on the restart, was locked in a battle against Byron for the runner-up spot, with Byron claiming the spot through the infield road course turns. As Allmendinger muscled away with the lead while the field navigated its way through the infield road course turns and on the oval turns, Busch was trailing the lead by more than a second with Allmendinger and Byron running first and second while Ty Gibbs and Logano were in the top five. By then, Playoff contenders Bell, Buescher, Reddick, Larson and Truex were scored above the top-eight cutline in the Playoff standings while Chastain, Wallace, Busch and Keselowski were scored on the outside.
Down to the final five laps of the event, Allmendinger continued to lead by seven-tenths of a second over a hard-charging Byron while third-place Kyle Busch trailed by more than a second. With Ty Gibbs and Logano occupying the top five, Playoff contenders Reddick and Buescher were in sixth and seventh while Bowman, Elliott and Preece were in the top 10. Meanwhile, Playoff contenders Larson, Blaney, Chastain, Bell, Wallace, Truex and Keselowski were in 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th, 19th, 20th and 21st, respectively.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Allmendinger remained as the leader by four-tenths of a second over Byron while third-place Kyle Busch trailed by more than two seconds. With Byron unable to gain more ground through the infield road course turns, the remaining oval turns and the backstretch chicane, Allmendinger was able to place a reasonable gap between himself and Byron and navigate his way around the final set of turns before returning to the frontstretch and claiming the checkered flag by six-tenths of a second over Byron.
With the victory, Allmendinger notched his third NASCAR Cup Series career victory, all on road course venues, and his first since winning the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in August 2021. He also recorded the second Cup career win for Kaulig Racing, the second for crew chief Matt Swiderski and the 16th of the season for the Chevrolet nameplate. Having won the Charlotte Roval four consecutive times from 2019 to 2022, Allmendinger became the fifth competitor overall to win a Cup event at the Roval alongside Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell.
The victory for Allmendinger also comes as his status to race for Kaulig Racing either in the Cup or Xfinity Series in 2024 remains to be determined.
Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.
“You don’t know when you’re going to [win] again,” Allmendinger, who fought tears of joy on the frontstretch, said on NBC. “I love all the men and women at Kaulig Racing so much. [My family and friends] see how much anguish and how much I put it on my shoulders when we’re struggling. It just means the world. I hate crying right now, but it’s a freaking Cup race, man, and you don’t know when it’s ever gonna happen again! Let’s go! Come on! This is why you do it. This is the only reason you do it. You fight all the blood, sweat, tears. Everybody at Kaulig Racing, it’s just been such a, I say, down year, but up-and-down year. It’s our second year in the Cup Series…Matt [Kaulig] and Chris [Rice], I freakin’ love you guys so much.”
Meanwhile and amid Allmendinger’s victory, Kyle Busch, who ended up in third place behind Byron, was eliminated from the 2023 Cup Series Playoffs along with 10th-place finisher Ross Chastain, 16th-place finisher Bubba Wallace and 18th-place finisher Brad Keselowski.
“That’s what we set out to do,” Busch said. “That’s what we felt like our road course program had in it, anyways, was for sure a top three, definitely a win. The guys gave me a great piece today. The Lenovo Camaro was pretty fast. Just lacked a little bit on the long run. Just didn’t quite have enough to have the feel of the tire that I was really looking for to be able to turn into the corners and to be able to drive out of the corners and keep pace with the front two at the end. Overall, this ride’s on me. The first two week’s of this round was, obviously, not very good and we didn’t score any points, so that’s where it’s at. It sucks to be out this early, but let us do Texas all over again and I feel like there and we’re ready.”
“This weekend was incredible, just from the effort from the team, for myself, just all clicking and it felt really good to be competitive and run up front, pass cars on road courses, to not be fast, so a lot to look at,” Wallace said. “What I analyze is what could have I done to not be in that situation. Could I have been faster, passed another car, how to be better? To not put yourself when you’re racing around with squirrels. It is what it is. Just didn’t have enough and it wasn’t in the cards. Guess that’s what 30 is. I’m not mad. I’m happy for the team. I’m pumped for our season. It’s not over with it yet. I’m really excited for next week and Homestead, Martinsville. We still got four races to go out and do it. Proud of the team, so I appreciate them.”
“We knew it coming in that it was gonna be tough,” Chastain said. “We put together a heck of a day for us on road courses this year. Lately, we’ve just been slower and slower. The curves are just, I can’t get over them. There’s a lot of reason I can’t break and we’ve reverted on some of that through Watkins Glen and to here, and it’s really paid off. So excited in the gains we’ve made because we came out of the box super strong last spring. It’s not over, right? We’ve signed ourselves for a long time together. I can’t wait to get to work in the morning for Vegas and every race after.”
“You always want to be better,” Keselowski said. “The way the Playoffs work, it’s really not one race. The cutoff’s kind of make or break. It’s two or three races there. It ended up 20-some points back and you could probably look through each one of those races and say I could have got five or six here or more so. All in all, it was big progress from where we’ve been. Not the day we wanted to have and it certainly stinks to not advance, but a lot of progress from where we were last year and I’m looking forward to making another step going into next year so we can keep pushing. A rasonable season when we still got the opportunity to run fifth in points and win races over the next four weeks. We’ll make the most of that.”
Amid the disappointments for Wallace, Busch, Chastain and Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr. was the sole survivor for a second consecutive round as he finished 20th and transferred into the Round of 8 by 12 points with Kyle Larson, who ended up 13th, also transferring by 13 points. As a result, both along with William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Chris Buescher, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell and Ryan Blaney will square off against one another in the Round of 8 next weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and battle for four championship finale spots.
“I feel like we’ve just been slipping through these Playoffs by the skin of our teeth,” Truex said. “Today’s just another not very good day. First half of the race felt OK, but man, I get back in traffic and my tires were gone in five laps, so I’m not sure what we had going on there the second half of the race. Thankful we’re through. We live to fight another day and good racetracks are finally coming up for us instead of Talladega and the Roval, so I don’t know. We’ll see what we can do. I know we’re capable of it. We just got to find it again. We’ve lost something. Hopefully, we can find it this week and go do what we did earlier in the year.”
“Feels good,” Larson said. “That was really stressful there at the end because we were really tight on the owner’s points and that’s what pays the money. I wanted to get in on that, but just huge thank you to everybody at Hendrick Motorsports and all four teams who pitched in to help all night yesterday and into the early morning today. It means a lot to me. Happy to advance and look forward to the next round, for sure. There are some great tracks for us. Let’s go win Vegas and go win these next four races. That would be amazing.”
Rookie Ty Gibbs notched his fourth career top-five result in NASCAR’s premier series by finishing fourth on the track ahead of Logano while Reddick, Buescher, Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott and Chastain completed the top 10.
There were seven lead changes for six different leaders. The race featured seven cautions for 18 laps. In addition, 33 of 37 starters finished on the lead lap.
Results.
1. AJ Allmendinger, 46 laps led
2. William Byron
3. Kyle Busch, six laps led
4. Ty Gibbs
5. Joey Logano
6. Tyler Reddick, 27 laps led, Stage 1 winner
7. Chris Buescher
8. Alex Bowman
9. Chase Elliott, 15 laps led, Stage 2 winner
10. Ross Chastain
11. Ryan Preece
12. Ryan Blaney, six laps led
13. Kyle Larson
14. Austin Dillon
15. Christopher Bell, nine laps led
16. Bubba Wallace
17. Corey LaJoie
18. Brad Keselowski
19. Kevin Harvick
20. Martin Truex Jr.
21. Aric Almirola
22. Justin Haley
23. Todd Gilliland
24. Harrison Burton
25. Austin Cindric
26. Josh Bilicki
27. Austin Hill
28. Chase Briscoe
29. Mike Rockenfeller
30. Zane Smith
31. Ty Dillon
32. Michael McDowell
33. Daniel Suarez
34. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – OUT, Electrical
35. Andy Lally – OUT, Accident
36. Erik Jones – OUT, Accident
37. Denny Hamlin – OUT, Dvp
*Bold indicates Playoff contenders
Playoff standings
1. William Byron – Advanced
2. Ryan Blaney – Advanced
3. Denny Hamlin – Advanced
4. Christopher Bell – Advanced
5. Chris Buescher – Advanced
6. Tyler Reddick – Advanced
7. Kyle Larson – Advanced
8. Martin Truex Jr. – Advanced
9. Ross Chastain – Eliminated
10. Bubba Wallace – Eliminated
11. Brad Keselowski – Eliminated
12. Kyle Busch – Eliminated
The Round of 8 in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs is set to commence next Sunday, October 15, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event’s broadcast is slated to occur at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
A.J. Allmendinger celebrates after winning Sunday's Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (HHP/Chris Owens photo)
A.J. Allmendinger won Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, his first win of the NASCAR Cup Series season and the third of his career
William Byron, Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs and Joey Logano rounded out the top five; Busch, Bubba Wallace, Brad Keselowski and Ross Chastain were eliminated from the Playoffs
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CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 8, 2023) – A.J. Allmendinger has no teaching degree, but he took 36 of NASCAR’s best drivers to ROVAL™ school on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Allmendinger had a faultless drive in holding off a hard-charging William Byron to win the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400, continuing a string of scoring at least one victory on the ROVAL™ every year since 2019.
Allmendinger’s ROVAL™ triumphs prior to Sunday, though, were in the Drive for the Cure 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race. This one was under the NASCAR Cup Series spotlight, and no one – not even Byron, the series’ winningest driver this year – could keep Allmendinger from leading a race-high 46 of 109 laps. The win was the third of Allmendinger’s career, his first in more than two years, and his second for Kaulig Racing.
Byron emerged from a pack of contenders to give chase in the closing laps, but Allmendinger held his nerve and beat Byron’s Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to the finish line by .666 seconds.
Kyle Busch, who had to win to advance into the NASCAR Playoffs’ Round of 8, was eliminated after finishing third. Ty Gibbs and Joey Logano completed the top five with polesitter Tyler Reddick sixth, followed by Chris Buescher, Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain.
Busch, Chastain, Bubba Wallace and Brad Keselowski were eliminated from the Playoffs. Byron, Buescher and Reddick will join Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney in the Round of 8.
Reddick led every lap of Stage 1, while Elliott claimed Stage 2.
Shortly after Hamlin clinched a Round of 8 berth thanks to accumulated stage points, he crashed out and ultimately finished 37th.
A.J. ALLMENDINGER, NO. 16 KAULIG RACING CHEVROLET (Race Winner): “I knew that if I could get into the lead, it was going to be a difficult challenge for those guys to get around me. … I try to study, not just the race track, but where everybody is in the Playoffs and where they are. Everybody’s going for a Cup win, but there’s aggression and there’s desperation. Going back and forth (for the lead with Gibbs) was fun, but I know what he’s going for: his first Cup win. It’s hard to do this. I knew Kyle (Busch) had to win to stay in the Playoffs and I knew William was advancing, so he was going to be aggressive, but not that aggressive.
“At the end of the day, for me, it’s about if I make no mistakes and William beats me, I’ll go home, look in the mirror and say, ‘Hey, the better team, better driver beat me.’ I didn’t want to make a mistake that cost me. Those moments are the ones I dream of: it’s the best of the best, it’s on you, and it’s up to you not to let them by. Those last seven or eight laps, that’s as perfect as I can drive a race car. After that, you can walk around, beat your chest a bit and say, ‘When it’s time, I can be as perfect as possible.’”
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET (Runner-Up): “It was up and down for us – obviously up at the end. That’s how you want it. I was under the weather before the race, but honestly, once I got in the race car, I was pretty much fine. Really close to a win, but not quite.”
KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING CHEVROLET (Third-Place Finisher): “The 54 (Ty Gibbs) cut me some breaks over the last three or four laps. I was getting sloppy, the car was coming out of the race track and getting real challenging to drive. We held on for third, so that’s about what we expected out of here with our road course program. It’s strong. … It’s going to be bittersweet when we win in Las Vegas next week, because, boom, that locks you through. That’ll give you all the what-ifs, but it’ll certainly be a good building block for our program.”
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CONCORD, N.C. – Road course aficionado AJ Allmendinger stole some thunder from the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers with a convincing victory in Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
Driving the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, Allmendinger led twice for a race-high 46 laps, including the last 33, and beat runner-up William Byron to the finish line by 0.666 seconds to win his first Cup race of the season, his first at the Charlotte Road Course and the third of his Cup Series career—all on road courses.
Kyle Busch finished third at the 2.32-mile, 17-turn circuit, two spots short of the win he need to advance to the Playoffs’ Round of 8. Joining Busch on the Playoff elimination list were Ross Chastain (who finished 10th), Bubba Wallace (16th) and Brad Keselowski (18th).
Allmendinger took the lead for the final time when Ryan Blaney pitted from the top spot on Lap 77, under caution for a wreck in the frontstretch chicane involving Denny Hamlin, Ty Dillon and Mike Rockenfeller.
The 41-year-old from Los Gatos, Calif., survived four more cautions and four more restarts before he completed what he termed “the drive of my life.”
Allmendinger was weeping during the cool-down lap and teared up in his post-race interview.
“I hate crying right now, but it’s a freaking Cup race, man,” he said. “You don’t know when it’s ever going to happen again…
“This is why you do it. This is the only reason you do it. You fight. All the blood, sweat, tears, everybody at Kaulig Racing has just been such… I’d say a down year, but up-and-down year. It’s our second year in the Cup Series.”
Byron and Ryan Blaney already had advanced to the Round of 8 in the Playoffs by virtue of their respective victories at Texas and Talladega.
Joining them in the next round, which starts next Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, are Tyler Reddick (who ran sixth from the pole on Sunday), Denny Hamlin (37th), Christopher Bell (15th), Chris Buescher (seventh), Kyle Larson (who started from the rear in a backup car and finished 13th) and Martin Truex Jr. (20th).
The regular-season champion, Truex, claimed the final berth in the Round of 8 by 12 points over Chastain, the first driver out.
Ill-fortune that befell Chase Elliott near the end of Stage 2 facilitated Allmendinger’s victory. Just as Elliott, the race leader, was approaching pit road to “short” the stage, BJ McLeod’s spin in Turn 4 caused the second of seven cautions and forced NASCAR to close pit road.
Elliott steered back to the racing surface and won the stage but lost critical track position after pitting during the stage break and never regained it. He finished ninth behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman.
Ty Gibbs came home fourth, followed by Joey Logano.
After a strong run from start to finish, Busch was philosophical about his exit from the Playoffs.
“The guys gave me a great piece today,” he said. “The Lenovo Camaro was pretty fast, just lacked a little bit on the long run, just didn’t quite have the feel of the tire that I was really looking for to be able to turn into the corners and to be able to drive out of the corners and keep pace with the front two there at the end.
“But overall, this ride is on me anyways. The first two weeks of this round were obviously not very good, and we didn’t score any points. That’s where it’s at. That’s where it lies. Texas, Talladega, just not being able to execute and do a good job when points were on the line.”
NASCAR Cup Series Race – Bank of America ROVAL 400 Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course Concord, North Carolina Sunday, October 8, 2023
Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 5 Mins, 57 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.666 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 7 for 18 laps.
Lead Changes: 7 among 6 drivers.
Lap Leaders: T. Reddick (P) 1-27;C. Bell (P) 28-35;C. Elliott (P) 36-50;C. Bell (P) 51;K. Busch (P) 52-57;A. Allmendinger 58-70;R. Blaney (P) 71-76;A. Allmendinger 77-109.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): AJ Allmendinger 2 times for 46 laps; Tyler Reddick (P) 1 time for 27 laps; Chase Elliott (P) 1 time for 15 laps; Christopher Bell (P) 2 times for 9 laps; Kyle Busch (P) 1 time for 6 laps; Ryan Blaney (P) 1 time for 6 laps.
NASCAR CUP SERIES CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY ROAD COURSE BANK OF AMERICA ROVAL TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT OCTOBER 8, 2023
Allmendinger Claims the Victory at the Charlotte ROVAL; Byron and Larson Advance to Round of Eight
Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger scored the first playoff upset of the season – taking his No. 16 Celsius Camaro ZL1 to the victory in the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 elimination race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
A four time winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, Allmendinger has now recorded 14 career road course victories at the NASCAR national level, with three coming in NASCAR’s premier series.
Allmendinger delivered Chevrolet its series-leading fourth NASCAR Cup Series victory in the series’ sixth appearance at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
Chevrolet continues to lead the series with 16 NASCAR Cup Series victories this season, and 849 all-time victories in NASCAR’s premier series.
Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Kyle Larson advanced to the NASCAR Cup Series Round of Eight. With the playoff standings reset, Byron maintains the top position of the standings, with Larson in the fourth position, heading into the next round.
You’ve won some big races in your life; why was this one so emotional?
“Because you don’t know when you’re going to do it again. I love all the men and women at Kaulig Racing so much. First of all, hi to my beautiful wife and my new baby boy. I usually give these checkered flags away but I’m going to have to wrap this around Aero. My mom and dad, all my family and friends – those people see how much anguish and how much I put it on my shoulders when we’re struggling. It just means the world.
I hate crying right now, but it’s a freaking Cup race, man. You don’t know when it’s ever going to happen again. Let’s go!”
Does all the anguish make these moments worth it?
“And more. This is why you do it. This is the only reason you do it. You fight. All the blood, sweat, tears, everybody at Kaulig Racing has just been such – I wouldn’t say a down year, but an up-and-down year. It’s our second year in the Cup Series.
I can’t thank Celsius enough for coming on board. All of our partners – Nutrient Ag Solutions, Action Industries, Leaf Filter, Chevy, and ECR for everything that they do for us. Matt Kaulig, Chris Rice, Sparco and Arai Helmets, and Corby Concepts – everybody that allows me to do this. Especially Matt and Chris, I freaking love you guys so much.”
TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 RESULTS: POS. DRIVER 1st AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Celsius Camaro ZL1 2nd William Byron, No. 24 HP Camaro ZL1 3rd Kyle Busch, No. 8 Lenovo Camaro ZL1 8th Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 9th Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 10th Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1
The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of Eight will get underway at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the South Point 400 on Sunday, October 15, at 2:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on the NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE QUOTES:
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1
Finished: 10th
How do you come to terms with this playoff run and the fact that it’s ending here today?
“We knew coming in that it was going to be tough. We put together a heck of a day for us on road courses this year in this No. 1 Worldwide Express Chevy. Lately, we’ve just been lacking speed and I can’t get over the curbs. There’s a lot of reasons. We’ve reverted on some of that through Watkins Glen (International) and to here (Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course) and it’s really paid off. I’m excited with the gains we’ve made. We came out of the box super strong in 2022 – won the first road course race in the Next Gen car. And then it just slowly kind of stepped back all the way until mid-season this year.
I can’t wait to get to work in the morning, to Las Vegas (Motor Speedway) and every race after that.”
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Huk Performance Fishing Camaro ZL1
Finished: 14th
“I’m proud of everyone on the No. 3 Huk Chevrolet team for their effort today. We finished the race, what is more than we could say about the previous two weeks. Our Chevy was too tight on the right-hand turns all day, but by making adjustments on pit road throughout the day we got better at the end. It was a good recovery by our team. We got turned around mid-race and when the No. 4 car barreled into the No. 7 car who got into us. Overall, proud of the effort of this team.”
“It was a stressful weekend, but the No. 5 team and everybody at Hendrick Motorsports did a great job working hard on this backup car late last night. I felt like our car was really good today. We were just pretty conservative there at times. I just didn’t want to make a mistake like I did last year and take ourselves completely out of it. It was just stressful there the final stage, but we were able to get in, which was the goal.”
Did you know that if Kyle (Busch) won, it was going to be a dog fight, and was the team keeping you updated of the points during the race?
“Yeah, I had my eyes on the No. 8 (Kyle Busch), for sure. I was nervous on the restarts. I just assumed that the No. 54 (Ty Gibbs) and the No. 16 (AJ Allmendinger) would crash or something, and then he’d get in the lead and throw a wrench in everything. It worked out and I’m just happy to get through this round. I didn’t execute nearly good enough. We’re going to some great tracks for us in this next round and hopefully we’ll make it to Phoenix.”
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Lenovo Camaro ZL1
Finished: 3rd
What more did you need, especially in that final run?
“Just more overall grip. Those last couple of restarts, we were just fighting with traction up off the corners and with front-turn to be able to turn into the corners. We gave it a valiant effort. That was about what we thought we would get out of here, at least what I thought. We wanted to come in here and win. This team is capable of running and they gave me a great car today. The Lenovo Camaro was fast. We had good speed in it, just wasn’t able to hold on with the tires as long as I wanted to. We’ll take that. It rides on my shoulders anyway with the previous two weeks – not getting anything out of Texas (Motor Speedway) and not getting a whole lot out of Talladega (Superspeedway). Just bad circumstances, but we’ll fight on another day.”
William Byron, No. 24 HP Camaro ZL1
Finished: 2nd
There were points where you looked like you were gaining on AJ Allmendinger. What more did you need?
“Yeah, just one final run to get within a car-length there. The air buffer is kind of tough there with three to four car lengths. But once you get within one, you can kind of manipulate his car a little bit, so I was hoping for that. It’s been a great year for the No. 24 HP Chevy team and we’ve been great on all the road courses. I had that one shot with probably eight laps to go. AJ (Allmendinger) just did a good job blocking the chicane there. He didn’t miss his marks and it was too early to make a dive bomb to him.
Just proud of the whole team. The Z by HP Camaro was awesome. We definitely improved a lot as the race went on. It was good to have Z by HP on the car – a new partner for us, so that was really fun. Just good momentum. We’ve got to keep it rolling. I’d like to finish one-two-two in the next round, too. That would be ideal, but we just have to keep performing like this and we’ll be where we want to be.”
Mike Rockenfeller, No. 42 Sunseeker Resorts Camaro ZL1
Finished: 29th
“Well that was definitely not the result that we wanted, but thanks to the team for the hard work. We didn’t have the pace, but then also we got caught up in the incident here in the last chicane. That definitely ended our race hopes, but yeah, it was a great experience to be back at the ROVAL. Everybody on our No. 42 team fought well, especially on pit lane. The boys kept us on the lead lap and that was pretty much all we could do. Thank you a lot to Jimmie Johnson and Maury Gallagher for giving me the call, and I wish Carson (Hocevar) and the Sunseeker Resort team well in the rest of the races this year.”
Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Camaro ZL1
Sidelined by damage sustained in an accident in the final stage.
Finished: 36th
“We’ve kind of struggled all year on road courses. We haven’t really had a good day on one this season, so I need to get better on my end – figure out what to do and how to race on them. With this car, I’ve never really had a great day on road courses, so it’s frustrating. The car is just different to drive on road courses, so just have to get better. Hopefully for next year, we can figure out what to do, get some more simulator time and dial it in.”
TEAM CHEVY RACE NOTES:
STAGE ONE:
· Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez posted the third-fastest lap in Saturday’s qualifying session to lead Chevrolet to the green-flag in the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 elimination race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
· After being forced to a backup car after an accident in Saturday’s practice session, Kyle Larson gained 15-positions in the opening 20 laps. Larson reported that his No. 5 Camaro ZL1 was tight in turns three-four and five-six as the field approached the first round of green-flag pit stops. Sitting in the 21st position, crew chief Cliff Daniels called Larson to pit road for four tires and fuel with five laps remaining in Stage One.
· Entering the elimination race below the playoff cutline, crew chief Phil Surgen elected a pit strategy for track position in the opening stage. With much of the field coming to pit road for scheduled green-flag stops, Ross Chastain cycled up to the third position to collected eight points in Stage One.
· Chastain led Chevrolet to five top-10 finishes in Stage One:
3rd Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1
6th Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Aguas Frescas Camaro ZL1
7th Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1
8th Kyle Busch, No. 8 Lenovo Camaro ZL1
10th AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Celsius Camaro ZL1
STAGE TWO:
· Pitting prior to the end of Stage One, Daniel Suarez cycled back to the top of the leaderboard as the leaders came to pit road – ultimately taking a spot on the front-row to lead the field to the start of Stage Two.
· Restarting from the third position, Chase Elliott quickly took over the top position in the opening laps of the stage. Leading 15 circuits in the stage, Elliott hit a milestone feat in his NASCAR Cup Series career – scoring 5,000 laps led in NASCAR’s top series.
· Elliott continued to pace the field as another round of green-flag pit stops got underway in the closing laps of the stage. Crew chief Alan Gustafson called Elliott to pit road when a caution came out. Narrowly missing the commitment line, Elliott maintained his track position as the race leader, ultimately going on to take the Stage Two win.
· Team Chevy Stage Two: Top-10
1st Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1
6th Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1
10th Kyle Busch, No. 8 Lenovo Camaro ZL1
FINAL STAGE / POST-RACE NOTES:
· Finding his way to pit road during the stage break, crew chief Gustafson called for a four-tire and fuel stop on the No. 9 Camaro ZL1 with Elliott taking the green-flag for the final stage from the 26th position.
· Pitting prior to stage end, strategy from atop the pit box put Kyle Busch and the No. 8 Camaro ZL1 team on the front-row for the start of the final stage. Taking the green-flag with 56 laps to go, Busch took the lead entering turn one – going on to lead six laps before a battle for the lead ensued with fellow Chevrolet driver AJ Allmendinger.
· The four-time NASCAR Xfinity Series Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course winner made a pass for the lead – quickly pulling his No. 16 Camaro ZL1 to a 2.4 second lead with 45 laps remaining. Continuing under green-flag conditions, Allmendinger brought his Chevrolet to pit road for four tires and fuel – reentering the field with 38 laps to go.
· Faced with a handful of cautions, Allmendinger continued to maintain the top position during each restart battle. The restart with 10 laps to go saw Team Chevy playoff contender Kyle Busch lineup alongside Allmendinger. Making contact as the pair led the field to the green-flag, Allmendinger ultimately came away with the lead exiting turn one.
· Allmendinger was able to hold-off a hard charging William Byron and Kyle Busch to score a playoff upset – taking the checkered flag for his third career NASCAR Cup Series victory.
About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
Polewinner Connor Zilisch Leads Every Lap for the Second Race in a Row At High Point, North Carolina-based Team’s Beloved Home Track – VIR
Overview: Date: Oct. 8, 2023 Event: VIR SpeedTour (Round 12 of 13) Series: Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli Division: Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers TA2 Series Location: Virginia International Raceway (VIR) in Alton Layout: 3.27-mile, 17-turn road course Format: 30 laps or 75 minutes Weather: Sunny, low-60s Winner: Connor Zilisch of Silver Hare Racing
● Zilisch started on the pole for the fourth time this season and the third race in a row and led all 30 laps of the race. He duplicated his feat from the series’ prior race Sept. 24 at World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis, where he led all 61 TA2-class laps from pole to checkered flag.
● This was Zilisch’s fifth win of the season and his second straight. His victory tally began March 26 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and continued June 4 on the downtown streets of Detroit, Aug. 5 in downtown Nashville, Sept. 24 at St. Louis and today at VIR.
● Zilisch’s lap of 1 minute, 49.934 seconds around VIR’s 3.27-mile, 17-turn layout earned him the Omalagato Fastest Lap of the Race Award.
● Saturday, Zilisch made his TA-class debut at VIR driving the No. 7 Franklin Road Apparel/Silver Hare Racing Chevrolet Camaro for Showtime Motorsports. He also qualified on the pole and led every lap of that race to become the youngest winner in TA-class history.
● Zilisch’s sweep of the VIR race weekend put the 17-year-old in a class of his own. Prior to today, no driver in Trans Am history had won two races in different classes in a single weekend.
Connor Zilisch, Driver, No. 7 Silver Hare Racing/Carter Bank Chevrolet Camaro:
“I want to thank my whole, entire team, Silver Hare Racing. They’ve worked so hard to give me fast cars every week we come to the track, and it’s showed the last several times we’ve been here. It means a lot to be racing for this team. Maurice and Laura Hull gave me this opportunity to come out here and race. My family has given me this chance – my mom and dad always support me. Carter Bank and Trust for being on the car this weekend, local company helping us out and helping us get to the track. It just feels good to win for the fifth time this year. It’s pretty special to have this good of a year. We’ll go to COTA with a chance to win. We’re out of the championship hunt, so we can’t win the championship but there’s still another race to win. We’ll go there with that goal. And I can’t ask for much better of a weekend than winning both features and winning both poles.”
Maurice Hull, Co-Owner, Silver Hare Racing:
“What a sweep, and it was all in front of family and friends, which is wonderful. Connor is just an amazing driver. He did a wonderful job, and we’ve got a stellar crew. Gil (Martin, competition director) has got it running perfectly. It’s teamwork, just great, great teamwork, and Laura and I are just extremely proud to be associated with this group of people – first class. It was a wonderful weekend. It was a rocky road getting to this point, so all the good things that have happened these last several races has been well-deserved, hard-earned. It was like the race today, there were a lot of full-course cautions in the path of this win. So there were a lot of restarts that we had to navigate, not only in the race, but in the last six months of this year for this team. It’s been very gratifying to get to where we are today. A lot of people have been working very hard.”
Next Up:
The 2023 Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers TA2 Series season concludes four weeks hence with the Mission Foods Austin SpeedTour Nov. 3-5 at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. The weekend kicks off with a pair of 20-minute TA2 test sessions at 11:15 a.m. and 5:05 p.m. CDT Friday, Nov. 3. Official TA2 practice is set for 11:05 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, followed by qualifying at 3:10 p.m. Sunday’s 30-lap, 75-minute TA2 race begins at 9 a.m. CST with live television coverage provided by MAVTV, augmented by live-streaming video coverage by the Trans Am Series and SpeedTourTV channels on YouTube.
About Silver Hare Racing:
Silver Hare Racing is a fulltime competitor in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli’s newly renamed Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers TA2 Series. The multicar team has won the TA2 Masters class championship three times (2018, 2019 and 2020) with driver and team co-owner Maurice Hull. Under the leadership of Hull’s wife, co-owner and team manager Laura Hull, Silver Hare Racing provides a variety of services that includes private testing and arrive-and-drive programs. The team offers six professionally built and maintained TA2 chassis from Howe Racing and operates from a state-of-the-art facility in High Point, North Carolina. For more information, visit SilverHareRacing.com.
