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Virtual Reality and the Future of Casino Gaming- A Glimpse into the Next Frontier

By
SM
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Photo by Darya Sannikova

Virtual reality (VR) technology is poised to revolutionize the landscape of casino gaming, ushering in a new era of immersive and interactive experiences. As VR technology continues to advance, it offers the potential to transport players into digital realms that replicate the ambiance of physical casinos while introducing innovative elements that redefine the way we engage with gambling. In this article, we will take a glimpse into the next frontier of casino gaming and explore the exciting possibilities that virtual reality holds.

1. Immersive Environments:

Virtual reality enables players to step into fully immersive casino environments. From opulent casinos reminiscent of Las Vegas to themed settings that evoke different eras and cultures, VR casinos create a sense of presence and authenticity that transcends traditional online gaming.

2. Interactive Gameplay:

VR casino games offer a level of interactivity that goes beyond traditional online experiences. Players can physically interact with game elements, such as pulling levers on slot machines, tossing dice on a craps table, or handling playing cards during poker games.

3. Social Interaction:

One of the most exciting aspects of VR casino gaming is the potential for social interaction. Players can engage with friends or meet new people in virtual lobbies, chat rooms, and multiplayer game tables, fostering a sense of camaraderie and community.

4. Live Dealer VR:

Virtual reality can enhance the live dealer experience by placing players directly at the table with a 360-degree view. This technology blurs the line between online and land-based casinos, offering a heightened level of immersion and realism.

5. Customization and Personalization:

VR casinos allow players to customize their avatars, surroundings, and even the rules of the games themselves. This level of personalization creates a tailored experience that resonates with individual preferences.

6. Exploration and Adventure:

VR technology opens the door to creative possibilities, such as gamified casino environments that incorporate elements of exploration and adventure. Players can embark on quests, solve puzzles, and unlock rewards as they navigate through virtual casino landscapes.

7. Ethical and Responsible Gambling:

As VR casino gaming evolves, there is a need to address ethical considerations, such as responsible gambling practices and ensuring that immersive experiences do not exacerbate addictive behaviors. Industry stakeholders must collaborate to establish guidelines that prioritize player well-being.

In conclusion, virtual reality is poised to redefine the future of casino gaming by offering immersive environments, interactive gameplay, social interaction, and innovative experiences that blur the line between reality and digital entertainment. As VR technology continues to mature, the potential for new and captivating casino experiences is virtually limitless. Contact us for more information on slot gacor.

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Watkins Glen

By
Jeffrey Boswell
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Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole at Watkins Glen and finished second.

“William Byron just had too much car,” Hamlin said. “I mean, way too much car. It almost seems unfair, which is what NASCAR inspectors must be saying.”

2. William Byron: Byron took charge early and dominated in winning the Go Bowling At The Glen, his fifth win of the year.

“My No. 24 Chevy was fast,” Byron said. “Once I got to the lead, I just ran away from the field. Now, I just need to run away from inspectors.”

3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished sixth at Watkins Glen.

“It just took us too long to find the right balance,” Truex said. “My No. 19 Toyota was sponsored by Siemens. If you scramble the letters in ‘Siemens,’ it tells you a lot about the handling, because it was my ‘nemesis.'”

4. Chris Buescher: Buescher finished seventh in the Go Bowling At The Glen, and is now eighth in the points standings.

“William Byron was the class of the field,” Buescher said. “I know my car was no match for him. So, the ‘Fastenal’ wasn’t fast at all.”

5. Christopher Bell: Bell finished third at Watkins Glen, posting his sixth top-five of the season.

“Sponsors naming races is totally out of control,” Bell said. “Come on, the ‘Go Bowling At The Glen?’ I mean, spare me.”

6. Kyle Larson: Larson came home 26th at Watkins Glen after an early pit lane speeding penalty derailed his chances.

“That was all my fault,” Larson said, “and I take full responsibility. And I really have to stop having to say those words.”

7. Joey Logano: Logano came home 10th in the Go Bowling At The Glen.

“The upcoming regular-season finale at Daytona is going to be wild,” Logano said. “If NASCAR’s most popular driver Chase Elliott doesn’t win there, he’s gonna come up ’empty’ once more.”

8. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished ninth at Watkins Glen and is now ninth in the points standings.

“I’m rounding into playoff shape,” Blaney said. “You know what they used to say about Tony Stewart? His playoff shape was round.”

9. Michael McDowell: McDowell won Stage 1 at Watkins Glen, but a subsequent pit lane penalty all but ruined his hopes for a win. Then, his engine failed, knocking him out of the race on Lap 74. He finished 36th.

“I drove through too many pit boxes on pit entry,” McDowell said. “The penalty for that is a drive-through penalty, which means you have to return to the scene of the crime. That’s something that Kyle Busch hopes he never has to do.”

10. Ross Chastain: Chastain finished 18th at Watkins Glen.

“My car was sponsored by ‘Be A Moose,'” Chastain said. “‘Be A Moose’ in a charitable organization. Some drivers often say I’m a moose, as in a moose in a china shop.”

Stewart-Haas Racing: Go Bowling at The Glen from Watkins Glen International

By
Official Release
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STEWART-HAAS RACING
Go Bowling at The Glen

Date: Aug. 20, 2023

Event: Go Bowling at The Glen (Round 25 of 36)

Series: NASCAR Cup Series

Location: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International (2.45-mile, seven-turn road course)

Format: 90 laps, broken into three stages (20 laps/20 laps/50 laps)

Race Winner: William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Winner: Michael McDowell of Front Row Motorsports (Ford)

Stage 2 Winner: William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

SHR Race Finish:

● Ryan Preece (Started 30th, Finished 17th / Running, completed 90 of 90 laps)

● Kevin Harvick (Started 33rd, Finished 21st / Running, completed 90 of 90 laps)

● Aric Almirola (Started 27th, Finished 30th / Running, completed 90 of 90 laps)

● Chase Briscoe (Started 26th, Finished 35th / Running, completed 83 of 90 laps)

SHR Points:

● Kevin Harvick (10th with 693 points, 168 out of first)

● Ryan Preece (24th with 423 points, 438 out of first)

● Aric Almirola (25th with 413 points, 448 out of first)

● Chase Briscoe (31st with 324 points, 537 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Harvick clinched his spot in the NASCAR Playoffs by virtue of William Byron’s victory in the Go Bowling at The Glen. With Harvick 10th in the point standings and Byron being a repeat winner in 2023, Harvick is assured of getting one of the final three spots in the 16-driver playoff field regardless of the outcome of the regular-season finale next week at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

Race Notes:

● Byron’s victory in the Go Bowling at The Glen was his ninth career NASCAR Cup Series win, his fifth of the season and his first at Watkins Glen. His margin over second-place Denny Hamlin was 2.632 seconds.

● There was one caution period for a total of four laps.

● All but five of the 36 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● Martin Truex Jr., remains the championship leader after Watkins Glen with a 39-point advantage over second-place Hamlin.

● DYK?: Tony Stewart, the “Stewart” in Stewart-Haas Racing, leads the NASCAR Cup Series in victories at Watkins Glen with five (2002, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2009). He was one win shy of tying the series record for most road-course wins at a single track, a mark held by fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison at Riverside (Calif.) Raceway (1971, 1973, 1975, 1979 and 1981).

Sound Bites:

“I think we’ll just look toward Darlington. Daytona kind of just is what it is. You either come out rolling and have a chance or you don’t, so we’ll go down there and push as hard as we can and be ready for Darlington. We’ve been terrible on the road courses the last two weeks. The month before that, we did good. We had cars that were capable to run in the top-five. As long as it’s an oval, we’ll be fine. I wish we could’ve won a race before now, but we’ve had our opportunities to win a few. We’ve struggled on the road courses, but other than that it’s been OK.” – Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday, Aug. 26 at Daytona. The 160-lap race around the 2.5-mile oval begins at 7 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Race Recap: Watkins Glen International

By
Official Release
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Mike Rockenfeller, No. 42 Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 21ST
FINISH: 19TH
OWNERS POINTS: 33RD

Mike Rockenfeller Post-Race Thoughts: “Starting from 21st and only finishing 19th is for sure not what we were hoping for or what I was hoping for. On the first pitstop, we had an issue on the left side with the jack and we lost a ton of time there. That probably cost us eight spots, but that’s how it is. The car was tricky to drive but for sure we learned a lot again in the race. The last stint, I would say, after the restart we were quite OK. At the very end, I was just hanging on. Getting three positions on the last lap was nice and made a top-20 finish, which at the end is still my best result. Thanks to the team and everybody for letting me hop in the seat and try to do my best. I hope to come back.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

START: 34TH
FINISH: 29TH
POINTS: 28TH

Erik Jones Post-Race Thoughts: “Not a very good day. We started in the back, had an issue and went to the back again. That’s pretty much all we had. It went all-green. I hope next week at Daytona will be better. It’s the last shot to win and try to get in the playoffs. So we’ll try to go do that.”

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:

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Byron executes on pit strategy to claim dominant Cup victory at Watkins Glen

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

After finishing no higher than 14th during his previous five scheduled starts, William Byron responded with an emphatic and potential championship-performance statement after scoring a dominant victory in the Go Bowling at The Glen on Sunday, August 20.

The 25-year-old Byron from Charlotte, North Carolina, led three times for a race-high 66 of 90-scheduled laps in an event where he started on the front row alongside pole-sitter Denny Hamlin and spent the first stage period running in the top five. Then during the first wave of green flag pit stops that ensued entering the second stage period, a strategic call by crew chief Ryan “Rudy” Fugle and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team to have Byron pit a lap after the front-runners enabled Byron to cycle ahead of them.

He proceeded to lead starting on Lap 24 and claimed the second stage victory. Then following another well-executed call to pit with 35 laps remaining just as teammate Chase Elliott drew a caution for running out of fuel on the course, Byron cycled back to the lead with 33 laps remaining and retained the top spot during a 30-lap shootout to the finish, setting sail to his unprecedented fifth checkered flag of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.

With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Saturday, August 19, Denny Hamlin notched his fourth Cup pole of the 2023 season after posting a pole-winning lap at 125.298 mph in 70.392 seconds. Joining him on the front row was William Byron, who posted the second-best qualifying lap at 124.961 mph in 70.582 seconds.

Prior to the event, Aric Almirola, Cole Custer, Justin Haley, Brad Keselowski and Corey LaJoie dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments to their respective entries.

When the green flag waved and the race commenced, Hamlin rocketed ahead with an early advantage while the field fanned out entering the first turn. As the field continued to duke for early positions through the Esses and the first four turns, Hamlin retained the lead ahead of a hard-charging McDowell. Through the Inner Loop Bus Stop Corner before entering the Carousel, the Outer Loop and the final set of turns, Hamlin managed to fend off McDowell and a pack of competitors jostling for spots to lead the first lap.

Through the second lap, McDowell attempted to make a move beneath Hamlin for the lead entering Turn 1. In spite of Hamlin briefly going off the track through Turn 1, Hamlin managed to retain the lead through the Esses ahead of McDowell while William Byron trailed behind in third in front of rookie Ty Gibbs and AJ Allmendinger. Hamlin would also manage to navigate his way smoothly through the Carousel and the Esses with the top spot, but McDowell continued to close as he awaited his opportunity to take the lead.

Two laps later, McDowell, winner of last weekend’s Cup event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, made his move beneath Hamlin’s No. 11 Mavis Tires & Brakes Toyota TRD Camry and drew himself into a brief duel with Hamlin before he muscled his No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang ahead with the top spot entering Turn 2. Byron then followed suit and assumed the runner-up spot through Turns 2 to 4 in his No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 while Hamlin settled in third in front of teammate Ty Gibbs. With Hamlin settling in between Byron and Gibbs, McDowell proceeded to lead, starting on the fourth lap.

During the fourth lap, early trouble struck for Daniel Suarez, who was running 10th before he got loose while hitting the curbs exiting the Bus Stop Corner and spun as he barely hit the inside wall, but he was able to proceed without drawing a caution. Meanwhile, McDowell retained the lead through the fifth lap mark over a hard-charging Byron.

Through the first 10 scheduled laps, McDowell was leading by four-tenths of a second over Byron followed by Hamlin, Ty Gibbs and Allmendinger while Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, Bubba Wallace and Kyle Busch were in the top 10. Behind, Joey Logano was in 11th ahead of Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, Austin Cindric and Chris Buescher while Alex Bowman, Martin Truex Jr., Ross Chastain, Chase Briscoe and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. occupied the top 20. Meanwhile, Ryan Blaney was mired in 21st ahead of Mike Rockenfeller, Ryan Preece, Corey LaJoie and Daniel Suarez while Todd Gilliland, Ty Dillon, Andy Lally, Erik Jones and Kevin Harvick were back in the top 30. Amid the running order, Brad Keselowski was in 33rd in between Justin Haley and Aric Almirola while Harrison Burton was mired in 36th, a lap down in last place, after an earlier chain reaction resulted with Lally bumping and spinning Burton’s No. 21 DEX Imaging Ford Mustang in the Carousel Corner without drawing a caution.

Five laps later, McDowell continued to lead by half a second over Byron while third-place Hamlin trailed by more than a second. In the process, Ty Gibbs and Allmendinger remained in the top five ahead of Larson while Bell, Wallace and Kyle Busch overtook Reddick to move up to seventh through ninth, respectively. In addition, Elliott retained 13th ahead of Buescher and teammate Bowman, Truex was mired back in 23rd and Harvick was in 28th in front of Keselowski.

Another two laps later, green flag pit stops ensued as Truex pitted his No. 19 Siemens Toyota TRD Camry along with Blaney and Elliott. Logano, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Aric Almirola, Cindric and Bowman would also pit during the ensuing laps as McDowell continued to lead.

At the conclusion of the first stage period on Lap 20, McDowell, who first assumed the lead on the fourth lap, captured his second Cup stage victory of the 2023 season. Byron settled in second followed by Hamlin, Ty Gibbs and Allmendinger while Larson, Bell, Wallace, Kyle Busch and Reddick were scored in the top 10. By then, more names that included Austin Dillon, Reddick, Preece and Corey LaJoie pitted under green.

With the event proceeding under green just past the Lap 20 mark to start the second stage, McDowell led Hamlin, Ty Gibbs, Larson, Bell, Wallace, Kyle Busch and a host of competitors during the following lap to pit road for service under green while Byron assumed the lead followed by Allmendinger. Amid the pit stops, McDowell, who managed to exit pit road ahead of Hamlin, was assessed a penalty for driving through too many pit boxes prior to entering his pit box for service. Byron would then pit under green on Lap 22 as Allmendinger assumed the lead. Once Allmendinger pitted by Lap 23 after leading two laps, Byron, who earlier managed to blend back on the track from pit road ahead of Hamlin, assumed the lead followed by Hamlin, Ty Gibbs, Allmendinger, Larson and Keselowski, who has yet to pit. As Byron proceeded to lead just past the Lap 25 mark, McDowell was mired back in 17th behind Truex. In addition, Bell, Elliott, Wallace and Kyle Busch were scored in the top 10.

At the Lap 30 mark, Byron maintained the lead by seven-tenths of a second over Hamlin followed by Ty Gibbs, Allmendinger and Larson while Bell, Elliott, Kyle Busch, Wallace and Reddick were running in the top 10. By then, Keselowski pitted his No. 6 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang under green while Austin Dillon, Logano, Briscoe, McDowell and Truex were scored in the top 15. With Keselowski losing spots as he blended back onto the racetrack amid his pit stop, Harvick was in 28th behind teammate Almirola, Suarez was in 26th and Bowman was mired in 17th in between Blaney and Buescher.

By Lap 35, Byron extended his advantage to eight-tenths of a second over Hamlin while Ty Gibbs, Larson and Allmendinger remained in the top five. In addition, Bell, Elliott, Kyle Busch, Wallace and Reddick retained their respective spots in the top 10 while McDowell was mired in 12th in between Austin Dillon and Logano.

At the conclusion of the second stage on Lap 40, Byron captured his eighth Cup stage victory of the 2023 season. Hamlin settled in second while Ty Gibbs, Larson, Allmendinger, Bell, Elliott, Kyle Busch, Wallace and Austin Dillon were scored in the top 10.

With the event commencing under a continuous green flag period with 50 laps remaining, Byron was leading by seven-tenths of a second over Hamlin. Byron would proceed to extend his advantage to more than a second over Hamlin as the event reached its halfway mark with 45 laps remaining. Behind, Ty Gibbs, Larson and Allmendinger remained in the top five while Bell, Kyle Busch, Elliott, Wallace and Ausitn Dillon continued to run in the top 10 with McDowell moving up to 11th ahead of Reddick, Logano, Truex and Blaney.

With 40 laps remaining, Byron continued to extend his advantage as he was leading by more than three seconds over Hamlin while Larson overtook Ty Gibbs to move into third place. With Allmendinger retaining fifth ahead of Bell and Kyle Busch, McDowell returned to the top 10 as he moved up to ninth in between Elliott and Wallace while Truex was scored in 12th in between Austin Dillon and Blaney.

Three laps later, another cycle of green flag pit stops commenced as Ty Gibbs pitted his No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota TRD Camry while running in the top five. McDowell would also pit along with Blaney, Suarez, Larson, Logano, Reddick, Preece, Stenhouse, Almirola, Cindric and Buescher as Byron continued to lead by more than five seconds over Hamlin.

Then two laps later, the caution flew when Elliott ran out of fuel through the Esses as his No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 coasted entering the Inner Loop before coming to a full stop off the course near the Bus Stop Corner. By then, Byron, Hamlin, Allmendinger and Bell had pitted prior to the caution being displayed. In addition, Larson, who had just pitted prior to the caution, was penalized for speeding while exiting pit road and was sent to the rear of the field for the ensuing restart.

During the caution period, some led by Kyle Busch, including those who had not yet made a pit stop, pitted while the rest led by Byron remained on the track. By then, Elliott, who was assisted by a wrecker to return to pit road, lost a lap to the leaders as he was mired in 34th.

When the race restarted under green with 30 laps remaining, where Byron and Hamlin occupied the front row, Byron and Hamlin dueled for the lead through the frontstretch and entering Turn 1 as the field fanned out. Entering the Esses, Byron managed to clear Hamlin to retain the lead ahead of Bell and Allmendinger while Truex was up to fifth in front of teammate Ty Gibbs. In addition, Blaney was up to seventh ahead of Buescher while McDowell was in ninth ahead of Logano. As the field navigated its way through the Bus Stop Corner, the Carousel and the final sets of turns while jostling for late positions, Byron managed to place a reasonable gap between himself and Hamlin as he retained the lead for the following lap.

Down to the final 25 laps of the event, Byron was leading by six-tenths of a second over Hamlin followed by Bell while Allmendinger and Ty Gibbs, both of whom are needing a victory to make the 2023 Cup Series Playoffs, were running fourth and fifth. Behind, Truex, the regular-season leader, was sixth while Buescher, McDowell, Reddick and Blaney were running in the top 10 ahead of Logano, Todd Gilliland, Stenhouse, Wallace and Keselowski. Meanwhile, Kyle Busch was back in 17th, Harvick was back in 23rd in front of Larson and Bowman was mired in 26th behind Suarez.

Five laps later, Byron extended his advantage to one-and-a-half seconds over Hamlin while Bell, Allmendinger and Ty Gibbs remained in the top five on the track. Behind, Truex, Buescher, McDowell, Reddick and Blaney also remained in the top 10. By then, Wallace retained 14th ahead of Keselowski and Cindric, Kyle Busch was still mired in 17th, Larson was back in 21st behind Austin Dillon, Harvick was down in 24th ahead of Suarez and Bowman was in 26th. In addition, Elliott was mired in 33rd and not scored on the lead lap along with Harrison Burton, Chase Briscoe and Ty Dillon.

With 15 laps remaining, Byron stabilized his advantage to more than a second over Hamlin while Bell, Allmendinger and Ty Gibbs remained in the top five. By then, the event remained under green flag conditions despite Almirola spinning entering the frontstretch. Not long after, McDowell, who was running eighth, pitted under green after the power in his No. 34 Ford shut off, which resulted with him coasting through the circuit before limping his car to his pit stall as his pit crew went underneath the hood of McDowell’s car to diagnose the issue. The issue would eventually be terminal for McDowell as he capped off his roller coaster event in 36th place, dead last.

Down to the final 10 laps of the event, Byron extended his advantage to two seconds over Hamlin while Bell, Allmendinger and Ty Gibs continued to run in the top 10. With McDowell out of contention, Truex was in sixth followed by Buescher, Reddick, Blaney and Logano while Gilliland, Stenhouse, Wallace, Keselowski and Kyle Busch were in the top 15.

With five laps remaining, Byron stabilized his advantage to nearly three seconds over Hamlin as Bell, Allmendinger and Ty Gibbs remained in the top five.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Byron remained as the leader by more than three seconds over Hamlin. With Hamlin unable to gain ground, Byron was able to cycle his No. 24 Chevrolet smoothly around Watkins Glen’s series of turns for a final time before re-emerging through the frontstretch in clean air and to capture his fifth checkered flag of the 2023 Cup season.

With the victory and the regained momentum, Byron notched his ninth career win in NASCAR’s premier series, his career-high fifth of the season and his first on a road course venue. The victory at Watkins Glen was the 102nd overall for Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 24 entry, with HMS notching its 298th Cup career win overall, as Byron claimed his first victory since winning the rain-shortened event at Atlanta Motor Speedway in early July.

“[The win] feels really good,” Byron said on USA Network. “Just a huge credit to the race team behind me. I wanna thank [road ringer] Max Papis. This first road course win. We’ve worked years and years for this. Thanks to all the guys on the team. It’s a great win. I don’t know what it means in all that. I don’t read into that, but I think it shows that when we’re at our best, we can perform like this. We seem to go through that summer slump in July and August. For some reason, we just can’t quite put the races together. I think it’s the racetracks itself. [I] Just came this weekend with a good mindset. [I] Focused it on trying to get ready for the postseason. We’ve had fast cars. We just haven’t executed races, but today, it was flawless. Road courses have been tough, so it’s fun to get a win. Really good strategy by [the crew].”

Hamlin, the pole-sitter who led the first three laps, settled in the runner-up spot for the third time this season after trailing Byron to the finish line by more than two seconds while teammate Bell finished third.

“I’m happy with my day,” Hamlin said. “It takes me a while to get going and with [Michael] McDowell there at the beginning, he’s ready and he’s on kill, and I’m kind of working my way into it. I just hate that I lost the lead because I just looked at [Byron]’s back bumper the rest of the day. It was a fun race.”

Allmendinger and Ty Gibbs finished fourth and fifth, respectively, as both enter next weekend’s regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway 72 and 32 points, respectively, below the top-16 cutline in their final hopes of making the Playoffs. Truex, the regular-season leader in the standings, came home in sixth place and leaves Watkins Glen with a 39-point lead in the standings while Buescher, Reddick, Blaney and Logano finished in the top 10.

Notably, Wallace finished 12th and he leaves Watkins Glen grasping onto the 16th and final vacant spot to the Playoffs by 32 points. Kyle Busch finished 14th followed by Keselowski, Cindric ended up 16th, Mike Rockenfeller ended up 19th in his second Cup start behind Ross Chastain, Harvick settled in 21st in front of Suarez and Bowman and Elliott capped off his run in 32nd, a lap down. In addition, Larson and Austin Dillon ended up 26th and 31st, respectively, after Larson collided into Dillon entering the final turn and sent both spinning.

There were six lead changes for five different leaders. The race featured a single caution period for four laps. In addition, 31 of 36 starters finished on the lead lap.

With one regular-season event remaining of this year’s Cup Series schedule, Martin Truex Jr. continues to lead the regular-season standings by 39 points over teammate Denny Hamlin and 76 over William Byron.

William Byron, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Christopher Bell, Michael McDowell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are currently guaranteed spots for the 2023 Cup Series Playoffs based on winning at least once throughout the regular-season stretch. With Byron winning at The Glen, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski have clinched spots for the Playoffs based on points while Bubba Wallace occupies the 16th and final vacant spot to the Playoffs by 32 points over rookie Ty Gibbs. Daniel Suarez trails the top-16 cutline by 43 points, AJ Allmendinger trails by 72, Alex Bowman trails by 96, Chase Elliott trails by 101, Austin Cindric trails by 114, Justin Haley trails by 162, Ryan Preece trails by 167 and Aric Almirola trails by 177.

Results.

1. William Byron, 66 laps led, Stage 2 winner

2. Denny Hamlin, three laps led

3. Christopher Bell

4. AJ Allmendinger, two laps led

5. Ty Gibbs

6. Martin Truex Jr.

7. Chris Buescher

8. Tyler Reddick

9. Ryan Blaney

10. Joey Logano

11. Todd Gilliland

12. Bubba Wallace

13. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

14. Kyle Busch, two laps led

15. Brad Keselowski

16. Austin Cindric

17. Ryan Preece

18. Ross Chastain

19. Mike Rockenfeller

20. Corey LaJoie

21. Kevin Harvick

22. Daniel Suarez

23. Alex Bowman

24. Justin Haley

25. Andy Lally

26. Kyle Larson

27. Josh Bilicki

28. Cole Custer

29. Erik Jones

30. Aric Almirola

31. Austin Dillon

32. Chase Elliott, one lap down

33. Harrison Burton, one lap down

34. Ty Dillon, one lap down

35. Chase Briscoe, seven laps down

36. Michael McDowell – OUT, Electrical, 17 laps led, Stage 1 winner

Next on the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the series’ regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero Sugar 400, which will determine the 16-driver field of this year’s Cup Series Playoffs. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, August 26, at 7 p.m. ET on NBC.

Wallace retains final Playoff vacant spot with top-12 run at Watkins Glen

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by Kirk Schroll for SpeedwayMedia.com.

With a 12th-place finish in the Go Bowling at The Glen on Sunday, August 20, Bubba Wallace is one race away from claiming a potential spot in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Meanwhile, time is running low for a multitude of stars vying for the final vacant spot in the Playoffs currently occupied by Wallace. Among those within striking distance is rookie Ty Gibbs, who is still looking from the outside despite achieving another strong top-five result in his first full-time season in NASCAR’s premier series.

Wallace, the 29-year-old Wallace from Mobile, Alabama, rolled off the starting grid in 12th place but was able to gain the early pace needed to race his way into the top 10 on the track. At the conclusion of the first stage’s period on Lap 20, Wallace notched three stage points to his possession after being scored in eighth place. After pitting under green on Lap 21 with the front-runners, he emerged in ninth place nearing the Lap 30 mark and would retain the spot at the second stage’s conclusion on Lap 40 to collect two additional stage points and accumulate five stage points throughout the event.

An untimely caution with 35 laps remaining when Chase Elliott ran out of fuel and came to a stop on the course while Wallace moved up to second place resulted in Wallace having to pit along with select others during the caution period. Despite restarting 16th during a restart with 30 laps remaining, Wallace used the stretch to gain four spots on the track and pilot his No. 23 McDonald’s Toyota TRD Camry to the checkered flag in 12th place, which marked his 13th top-15 result of the season and the fourth time where he finished 12th.

As a result of the finish and with William Byron, a four-time race winner of this season, winning Sunday’s event at Watkins Glen, Wallace, who dropped to the bubble zone towards the Playoff cutline last weekend after Michael McDowell won at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, leaves The Glen with a 32-point advantage for the 16th and final vacant spot to the 2023 Cup Series Playoffs.

Currently, the 2023 regular-season stretch marks Wallace’s strongest to date with four top-five results, six top-10 results, a career-high 159 laps led and an average-finishing result of 17.0 through 25 scheduled events. While Wallace is looking to race his way into the Playoffs for the first time in his career and join 23XI Racing teammate Tyler Reddick in the postseason field, he is also seeking his first Cup victory of the season, with his latest victory occurring at Kansas Speedway in September 2022.

“I’m proud of myself,” Wallace said on USA Network. “That’s the first time I felt proud of myself at a road course race. I just executed and didn’t lose focus. Maybe one time, and that’s the difference maker. You’ve got to stay on it, especially at these places. Just hats off to my team for sticking with me and believing in me on these road courses. I know we still have one more [regular-season race] to go, but we wanted to maintain our gap and not lose too many, and we gained. Hats off to everybody, the effort that we put in, Toyota for believing in me,…all of our partners involved. Just a great day for the No. 23 team. Now we get to go into Daytona [International Speedway], still stressful as hell, but that takes a little bit of the edge off, for sure.”

Rookie Ty Gibbs, the reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion from Charlotte, North Carolina, started in fourth place, which marked his second-best starting spot of this season. He proceeded to finish fourth in the first stage and third in the second stage, where he accumulated 15 stage points and kept his No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota TRD Camry running toward the front.

Restarting fifth during a 30-lap dash to the finish, Gibbs briefly lost a spot to teammate Martin Truex Jr. before he reclaimed fifth place. From there, he trailed AJ Allmendinger to the finish and claimed the checkered flag in fifth place, which marked his second top-five result of the season and of his youthful Cup Series career.

The strong top-five result, however, was not enough for Gibbs to boost himself inside the top-16 cutline to make the 2023 Cup Series Playoffs as he trails the cutline by 32 points behind Wallace entering the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway. With Gibbs looking to notch his first victory in the Cup circuit and make his first Playoff appearance, he is also looking to join his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates consisting of Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. into the postseason field.

“I felt like we were really fast,” Gibbs said. “We had a really fast Monster Toyota Camry. I just didn’t do a good job getting through the guys in front of us. I feel like we were much faster than the three in front of us. And I just couldn’t get by them. I feel like I just need to do a better job at that, but feel like our car was really good and really capable of doing that. I don’t really know what mindset to have going in [to Daytona]. Just stay clean and try to make it to the end and have a good finish.”

In addition to Ty Gibbs, a host of names that include Daniel Suarez, AJ Allmendinger, Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott, Austin Cindric, Justin Haley, Ryan Preece, Aric Almirola, Todd Gilliland, Corey LaJoie, Erik Jones, Austin Dillon, Harrison Burton, Chase Briscoe and Ty Dillon.

Currently, Wallace maintains the 16th and final vacant spot to the 2023 Cup Series Playoffs by 32 points over Ty Gibbs entering the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero Sugar 400, which will officially determine the 16-driver field of this year’s Cup Series Playoffs. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, August 26, at 7 p.m. ET on NBC.

Burton Finishes 33rd At Watkins Glen

By
Official Release
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Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team were unable to overcome an early-race setback in Sunday’s Go Bowling at the Glen and were relegated to a disappointing 33rd-place finish.

Burton started Sunday’s 90-lap race on the road course at Watkins Glen, N.Y., from 32nd place. With five drivers dropping to the rear for the start, he was able to move up and was in 28th place by Lap Seven.

But his forward progress ended there when a group of drivers slowed ahead of him and an oncoming driver knocked Burton around.

Burton brought the No. 21 DEX Imaging Mustang to pit road for fresh rubber and returned to the track in 36th place, one lap down.

From that point on to the checkered flag there was just one caution flag, and therefore there were few realistic opportunities to rejoin the lead lap.

Burton made green-flag pit stops a Laps 30 and 57, and moved into 33rd in the closing laps of a race that was run in just under two hours.

The No. 21 team will be working to rebound in next Saturday night’s regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway.

About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

NHRA AT BRAINERD: Team Chevy Post Race Recap

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Official Release
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CHEVROLET IN NHRA
2023 LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS
BRAINERD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
BRAINERD, MINNESOTA
TEAM CHEVY RACE RECAP
AUGUST 20, 2023

DALLAS GLENN RACES TO BRAINERD VICTORY WITH CHEVROLET; GAINS MOMENTUM HEADING INTO U.S. NATIONALS AND THE NHRA COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

  • Dallas Glenn, driver of the RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock car, captured his fourth Wally trophy of the 2023 NHRA season and eighth Pro Stock career victory.
  • Glenn earned the 375th Pro Stock win for Chevrolet, the 256th in the Chevrolet Camaro.
  • With Glenn’s victory, he continues to sit first in the 2023 NHRA Pro Stock points standing heading into the U.S. Nationals.
  • Robert Hight, of John Force Racing (Funny Car), and Erica Enders, of Elite Motorsports (Pro Stock), raced to victory during qualifying to take home the Lucas Oil Nationals Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge prize.
  • Greg Anderson, of KB Titan Racing, earned his first No. 1 qualifier of the year and 122nd of his Pro Stock career after his 6.597-second run at 205.79 MPH.

BRAINERD, Minnesota (August 20, 2023) – Capturing Chevrolet’s 375th NHRA Pro Stock victory and the 256th in the Chevrolet Camaro, Dallas Glenn, driver of the Rad Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock car for KB Titan Racing, captured his eighth career Pro Stock Wally trophy after defeating Kyle Koretsky in the 2023 Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Finals at Brainerd International Raceway.

“I just need to keep this momentum going,” said Glenn. “I’ve been really lucky this season. I feel like I’ve been just good enough, and I’ve got the baddest Jerry Haas race car on the planet right now. It was really ugly in the final, it was shaking pretty good, but we got through it.”

Defeating Jerry Tucker in Round 1, Erica Enders in Round 2, and Aaron Stanfield in Semifinals before winning over Koretsky in the final round, Glenn carries both the points lead and strong momentum with his fourth victory of the season into Labor Day weekend’s U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

In Funny Car, it was a John Force Racing faceoff in in semifinals, with Robert Hight, driver of the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car taking on his teammate and team owner John Force, driver of the PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car. Racing to the finish line with a pass of 3.918 ET at 325.61 MPH to J. Force’s 11.323 ET at 76.73 MPH, Hight ultimately settled for runner-up of the Brainerd event after being defeated by Ron Capps in the finals.

“This is the first final round we’ve been to in the Cornwell Tools Chevy Camaro so hats off to the Cornwell Tools team,” Hight said. “The car has been running well, it’s starting to respond to the decisions Jimmy Prock is making. We had some fun today, had a couple of tough rounds, it was no cakewalk. We really wanted to get the job done, especially with Matt Hagan going out in the first round. We knew it was going to take more to win in the finals, I know Jimmy was shooting for better but we’re chipping away at it. We’re close and knowing that has me excited for the U.S. Nationals. We need another Wally, it’s been a while. So we’ll go out and test tomorrow and work to get one step closer.”

Despite finishing runner-up in the event, Hight was victorious on his birthday weekend by coming out on top of Saturday’s Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge over Matt Hagan with his run of 3.988-seconds at 315.05 MPH to Hagan’s 4.043 ET at 311.20 MPH. Joining Hight, Erica Enders, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepower Garage Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Stock car, also raced to the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory during Saturday’s qualifying in Brainerd.

Unfortunately for the Chevrolet-backed Top Fuel teams of Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy/Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet dragster, and Austin Prock, driver of the Montana Brands/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster, it was an early day of elimination competition, with B. Force eliminated after a Round 2 defeat and Prock facing an early exit after Round 1.

“This Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster is close but we haven’t had much luck, and haven’t been able to catch any breaks lately,” said Prock. “I know I also haven’t been doing a great job behind the wheel, I haven’t met my standards. I’ll get it together and be there when it counts and I know my team is working hard to do the same. Indy is next and then it really counts.

The 2023 Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, next up for the Chevrolet teams of Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown, with action kicking off the Labor Day weekend Sept. 1-4, 2023. Broadcast of Monday’s eliminations air live Sunday, Sept. 4 from noon to 2 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET on FOX.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:

Brittany Force, driver of the Monster Energy Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:

“Leaving Brainerd International Raceway still on a positive note after an unexpected weekend. We were hoping to do better coming out of a runner-up finish in Topeka. This Monster Energy / Flav-R-Pac team did qualify No. 4 and earned bonus championship points in the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday but unfortunately got beat in the second round today. We made some solid laps, our best in the first round at 3.694 at 334 but we smoked the tires in round two. Our team is aware of our mistakes and we know how to correct them and move on. The U.S. Nationals is next up in two weeks and we will be ready.”

Austin Prock, driver of the Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster for John Force Racing:

“It was another tough stop on our NHRA Camping World tour. This Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist dragster is close but we haven’t had much luck, and haven’t been able to catch any breaks lately. I know I also haven’t been doing a great job behind the wheel, I haven’t met my standards. I’ll get it together and be there when it counts and I know my team is working hard to do the same. Indy is next and then it really counts.”

John Force, driver of the PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car for John Force Racing:

“It was a good day, good race day. We needed this. I raced my race, I stage deep but I do what I have to, I need all the advantage I can get. I know that PEAK Chevrolet, with my crew chiefs Danny Hood and Tim Fabrisi, I know they give me a good fast race car. I love racing that hot rod. Never want to race your teammate unless it’s in the finals but at least it was in the semifinals and we both will get a chance at the Mission Foods Challenge. One race left before the Countdown, time to buckle up and get the job done.”

DALLAS GLENN, DRIVER OF THE RAD TORQUE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS PRO STOCK CAR FOR KB TITAN RACING – Brainerd Winner’s Press Conference:

EVERYTIME YOU AND ERICA ENDERS HAVE RACED HEAD-TO-HEAD AND WON THAT RACE, THE WINNER HAS WON THE EVENT.

“There’s a reason (Erica Enders’) is a five-time champion. She’s beat up on me a lot and she’s really, really tough. Last couple of times I’ve beat her, I’ve got a little bit lucky. You know what? To win one of these, you need to be lucky.”

YOU’VE COME HERE OFTEN WORKING WITH THE KB TITAN RACING TEAM. THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME HERE AS A DRIVER, AND NOW A WINNER OF THE EVENT.

“First time down the track was Q1. The last time we were here, I was working on Jason Line’s car and we parked it in the Winner’s Circle that time, too.”

YOU UNDERSTAND HOW SPECIAL IT IS HERE, HOW HARDCORE THESE FANS ARE, ESPECIALLY FOR PRO STOCK. THAT’S GOT TO MAKE THIS EVEN BETTER?

“Brainerd always had a good Pro Stock following between Greg Anderson, Warren Johnson, and Jason Line. The Pro Stock fans run deep here. It’s a great place to win. I’m glad to win here. This is usually a tough one to win.”

THIS IS YOUR FOURTH ONE OF THE YEAR. WE’VE GOT INDY, THEN THE COUNTDOWN. IS YOUR TEAM READY FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP RUN?

“Absolutely. With the momentum we’ve got going, we just need to keep our feet moving and not trip and fall. We’ve got a good points lead, and we were sad to see it go. Other years, we’ve seen it go the other way.”

AFTER ALL IS SAID AND DONE, AND YOU’VE WON, HOW DOES THE TRUCK AND TRAILER GET BACK HOME?

“I’ve got to drive it. It’s 20 hours back home (to North Carolina) or so. We’ll get started and probably get home sometime Tuesday.”

FOURTH WIN OF THE SEASON, EIGHT OF HIS CAREER, IN HIS FIRST APPEARANCE AT BRAINERD… BEATING JERRY TUCKER, ERICA ENDERS, AARON STANFIELD AND KYLE KORETSKY, TALK A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR RACE DAY…

“I feel the car did most of the work today. It’s running so good today. I was a little worried because it seems to be of late the car works really good when it’s hot and humid out. as much as I hate it being hot and humid out. It showed on Saturday when I picked up four bonus points in qualifying. We went out there eon the first run, and I didn’t think it was a great run, and we were second for the session. It put me third pair out second round, so I felt like we had a really good car. We just went out there and made four really solid laps. It shook a little in the final. The track felt a little sticky to me and I think it was probably just a little too good; maybe we just needed to get after it a little bit more, but it made it through it. I know Kyle (Koretsky) really, really, really wanted to win that one especially here at Lucas Oil (Nationals), but that’s one thing I love about KB (Titan) Racing is that there are never any team orders. We put up the absolute best tune up in each car we can, and we let the drivers figure it out. When I won the semifinals and it was an all-KB (Titan Racing) final, that’s where the real emotion of winning kind of comes out because no matter what, the trophy is coming home with us.”

YOU SEEM TO EBB AND FLOW THIS YEAR. WHAT’S IT GOING TO TAKE FOR SOMEONE IN THE COUNTDOWN TO TAKE COMMAND AND RUN IT TO THE FINISH LINE?

“I feel like I definitely have the car to do it. If I can just work a little bit more… I felt like I made some gains with my clutch pedal, then that red light in Q3 against Erica (Enders) kind of set me back a little bit. It kind of took some of the confidence away. As long as somebody can settle into the teens of double-0’s with a car that’s working as good as mine, then it’s going to be really, really tough to beat.”

“The conditions this weekend were pretty tricky. We started pretty cool, then it got really hot and humid, and then it went back to even better and (cooler). We put down some good laps on Sunday, but to come here and race and win my first time, it’s an awesome feeling.”

KNOWING WHAT’S COMING WITH INDY AND THE COUNTDOWN, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO GET WINNING BACK ON YOUR SIDE AS ALL THIS APPROACHES?

“It’s funny you mention that. My first season, I got three wins, then I only got one in my second season. I got three wins this season pretty quick, and now I feel like we kept going to the final and coming up short. To get this one, it breaks that kind of three-win wall. I know I can win more than three in a season, so now I feel like the sky is the limit. It definitely builds the confidence that when you have a car this good, you don’t have to be double-0 (on the tree) every hit. I can just calm down, relax, and make good quality and consistent runs.”

GIVE US A PREVIEW OF U.S. NATIONALS, THE NEXT RACE ON THE TOUR, THE BIGGEST SINGLE RACE ON THE SCHEDULE, CONCLUDING THE REGULAR SEASON:

“I came really close last year. I ran Greg (Anderson) in the final, and I felt like I rushed my staging procedure just a little bit. I got in just an extra half-inch and went .002 red. Everybody kind of tightens the belts a little more, bring their a-game, and their best stuff for Indy. It’s like the preview for the Countdown, what’s to come. Everybody wants to win Indy. It’s a tough one. I’m really glad I get to be in another #2Fast2Tasty Challenge because I think there are three or four of us tied for points right now. Whoever gets the most points gets to keep the trophy, which I found out at the last one. So, I really want to bring that trophy back home with me. I get one more chance to do it. It’ll be tough. Indy’s always tough. It’s a long week. You get your one run Friday, two Saturday, two Sunday, and you race Monday. It feels like you’re there forever and you’ve got cars running constantly. It’s definitely a grind and definitely brings out the best in the competitors.”

Round 1 Recap:

Top Fuel:

No. 4 Brittany Force defeated No. 11 Josh Hart with her run of 3.694 ET at 334.15 MPH to Hart’s 3.758 ET at 331.85 MPH.
No. 8 Austin Prock fell to No. 7 Mike Salinas with his run of 3.748 ET at 325.30 MPH to Salinas’s 3.726 ET at 335.32 MPH.

Funny Car:

No. 6 Robert Hight defeated No. 11 Bobby Bode with his pass of 3.881 ET at 330.88 MPH to Bode’s 3.929 ET at 322.50 MPH.
No. 7 John Force defeated No. 10 Chad Green with his run of 3.959 ET at 329.99 MPH to Green’s 325.30 MPH.

Pro Stock:

No. 1 Greg Anderson defeated No. 16 David Cuadra with his run of 6.562 ET at 207.82 MPH to Cuadra’s 6.638 ET at 207.89 MPH.
No. 8 Kyle Koretsky defeated No. 9 Camrie Caruso with his pass of 6.580 ET at 207.21 MPH to Caruso’s 6.584 ET at 208.71 MPH.
No. 11 Chris McGaha defeated No. 4 Christian Cuadra after Cuadra red lit to McGaha’s 6.619 ET at 208.33 MPH.
No. 2 Matt Hartford defeated Fernando Cuadra, Jr. with his run of 6.557 ET at 208.81 MPH to Cuadra, Jr.’s 6.621 ET at 206.76 MPH.
No. 7 Aaron Stanfield defeated No. 10 Bo Butner, III with his pass of 6.577 ET at 207.91 MPH to Butner, III’s 6.593 ET at 208.14 MPH.
No. 3 Erica Enders’ defeated No. 14 Mason McGaha with her run 6.574 ET at 209.04 MPH to McGaha’s 6.612 ET at 207.82 MPH.
No. 5 Deric Kramer defeated No. 12 Troy Coughlin, Jr. with his run of 6.546 ET at 208.20 MPH to Coughlin, Jr.’s 6.566 ET at 208.75 MPH.
No. 6 Dallas Glenn defeated No. 11 Jerry Tucker with his pass 6.555 ET at 206.86 MPH to Tucker’s 6.692 ET at 204.94 MPH.

Round 2 Recap:

Top Fuel:

B. Force fell to Leah Pruett with her run of 4.309 ET at 262.49 MPH to Pruett’s 3.750 ET at 333.41 MPH.
Funny Car:

J. Force defeated Dale Creasy, Jr. on a 3.900 ET at 328.94 MPH-run with Creasy, Jr. disqualifying on his pass.
Hight defeated Dave Richards with his run of 3.913 ET at 329.83 MPH.

Pro Stock:

Koretsky defeated Anderson with his pass of 6.587 ET at 208.14 MPH to Anderson’s 6.582 ET at 208.14 MPH.
Kramer defeated C. McGaha with his run of 6.573 ET at 208.01 MPH to McGaha’s 6.626 ET at 207.75 MPH.
Stanfield defeated Hartford with his run of 6.581 ET at 208.49 MPH to Hartford’s 6.556 ET at 209.04 MPH.
Glenn defeated Enders with his pass of 6.561 ET at 208.07 MPH to her 6.648 ET at 206.20 MPH.

Semifinals Recap:

Funny Car:

Hight defeated teammate J. Force with his run of 3.918 ET at 325.61 MPH to Force’s 11.323 ET at 76.73 MPH.

Pro Stock:

Koretsky defeated Kramer with his run of 6.586 ET at 208.30 MPH to Kramer’s 6.574 ET at 208.49 MPH.
Glenn defeated Stanfield with his run of 6.555 ET at 207.62 MPH to Stanfield’s 6.578 ET at 208.42 MPH.

Finals Recap:

Pro Stock:

Glenn defeats Koretsky with his run of 6.566 ET at 207.56 MPH to Koretsky’s shaking of the tires after the start.

Funny Car:

Hight felt to Ron Capps with his run of 3.900 ET at 324.90 MPH to Capps’s run of 3.887 ET at 332.75 MPH.

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.

Keselowski, Harvick clinch 2023 Cup Series Playoff spots with top-21 runs at Watkins Glen

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Kirk Schroll for SpeedwayMedia.com.

While William Byron celebrated an emphatic victory following a dominant performance in the Go Bowling at The Glen on Sunday, August 20, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski were left feeling victorious after both former NASCAR Cup Series champions officially secured spots for the 2023 Cup Series Playoffs based on points.

The event at Watkins Glen started off on a rough note for Keselowski, the 2012 Cup Series champion who was one of five competitors to start at the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments. Following the first of 90-scheduled laps, the Michigan native was mired in the next-to-last position in 35th place and had only managed to carve his way up to 33rd place just past the Lap 10 mark.

Then during the first cycle of green flag pit stops in between the conclusion of the first stage period and the start of the second stage period, Keselowski and crew chief Matt McCall rolled the dice by remaining on the track while most of the field pitted. This allowed Keselowski to move up as high as seventh place in the leaderboard before he pitted his No. 6 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang under green on Lap 30. He would then be mired back within the top 30 through the second stage period and pit during the event’s only caution period with nearly 30 laps remaining despite climbing up to 13th.

Restarting 18th during the final restart with 30 laps remaining, Keselowski would take the checkered flag in 15th place, which marked his 12th top-15 result of the season. With Byron, who came into the event as a four-time race winner of this season, winning at The Glen, Keselowski, who did not score any stage points at The Glen, but ended up 107 points ahead of Bubba Wallace, who holds the 16th and final vacant spot to the Playoffs, in the regular-season standings, was able to clinch his spot for the 2023 Cup Series Playoffs.

Keselowski’s accomplishment means that the 2023 season will mark his 11th season making the Cup Series Playoffs, his first since 2021 and his first as a driver/co-owner of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing. He missed the 2022 Playoffs during his first season as a driver/co-owner after notching only a single top-five finish, six top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 19.2 throughout the 36-race schedule. This season, he has achieved five top-five results, 10 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 14.3 through 25 scheduled events.

In addition, Keselowski is still pursuing his first victory as a driver/co-owner in the Cup Series, with his latest victory occurring at Talladega Superspeedway in April 2021 while driving for Team Penske.

“We had a pretty strong month or so,” Keselowski said on USA Network. “We had a really good car today with our BuiltSubs Ford Mustang. Just ran solid. Basically, started last and got to 15th. If we could’ve caught a break on the yellows and all that, I think we could’ve ran top 10 today. My teammate Chris Buescher and both [Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing cars], we’re finding speed here before the Playoffs start. Overall, a really good day for us. What’s great for us going into Daytona is we can go in there and just have fun. It’s great to have that off of our shoulders. We’re gonna race really hard, but with nothing to lose. That makes us really dangerous.”

Like Keselowski, Sunday’s event at The Glen started off on a rough note for Kevin Harvick, who rolled off the starting grid in 33rd place and without his championship-winning crew chief Rodney Childers, who returned to North Carolina due to a personal matter. With Stewart-Haas Racing engineer Stephen Doran calling the shots atop the No. 4 Ford Mustang pit box, Harvick, the 2014 Cup Series champion, spent the early stages of the event mired outside the top 30. He would crack his way into the top 15 at the conclusion of the first stage period and during the first cycle of green flag pit stops before he pitted just past the Lap 22 mark.

Mired back towards the top-30 mark upon his pit service, Harvick was scored 24th at the halfway mark and just past the second stage’s conclusion with the 2014 Cup Series champion not scoring any stage points. Running in 14th place during the event’s only caution period with 35 laps remaining after Chase Elliott ran out of fuel on the course, Harvick joined a handful of competitors to pit under caution and restarted in the middle of the pack with 30 laps remaining.

When the checkered flag flew, Harvick nursed his No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang in 21st place, which marked his second consecutive finish outside the top 20. By being 103 points above Bubba Wallace, who holds the 16th and final vacant spot in the Playoffs, in the regular-season standings, Harvick was also able to accomplish a similar feat to Keselowski’s by clinching his spot for the 2023 Cup Series Playoffs based on points.

With his accomplishment, Harvick, who is currently embarking in his 23rd and final full-time season in NASCAR’s premier series, will make his 17th career appearance as a Cup Series Playoff contender as he battles for his final opportunity to win his second Cup title and first since 2014. This season, he has achieved six top-five results, 11 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 14.0 through 25 scheduled events.

Having achieved 60 career victories in the Cup Series, Harvick is still pursuing his first of the season and first since winning at Richmond Raceway last August.

Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

“We’ll go down to [Daytona International Speedway] and push as hard as we can, and be ready for Darlington [Raceway],” Harvick said. “We’ve been terrible on the road courses the last two weeks. The last month before that, we did good. We had cars that were capable to run in the top five, so as long as it’s an oval [track], we’ll be fine.”

With secured berths to the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs set for both, Keselowski and Harvick shift their attention to the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero Sugar 400, which will officially determine the full 16-driver field of this year’s Cup Series Playoffs. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, August 26, at 7 p.m. ET on NBC.

Kaulig Racing Post-Race Report | Watkins Glen International

By
Official Release
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Go Bowling at the Glen

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Celsius Camaro ZL1

  • AJ Allmendinger qualified sixth for the Go Bowling at the Glen.
  • Allmendinger took over fifth place on the first lap, where he remained for the duration of the opening stage. He was quiet on the radio, only reporting that the rear of the car was out of the track. Allmendinger finished the opening stage in fifth and took over the lead as cars began coming down pit road for green flag pit stops.
  • The No. 16 Celsius Chevy came down pit road from first place on lap 23 for a scheduled green flag stop and exited pit road in fifth. On lap 24, Allmendinger took over fourth place and was running lap times similar to the leader by lap 28. The No. 5 car passed the No. 16 for fourth place on lap 34, and Allmendinger reported he was too free and lacked lateral grip. He finished stage two in fifth place.
  • On lap 44, Allmendinger was running fifth when his spotter told him his lap times were better than the leaders in front of him. On lap 55, the No. 16 Chevy came down pit road from the fourth position for four tires, fuel and an adjustment. Allmendinger sat in seventh when the caution came out on lap 57 and would restart fourth on lap 60. The No. 16 Celsius Chevy went on to finish fourth in the Go Bowling at the Glen.

“It’s been tough these past couple of weeks. These cars are physically harder to drive than the old Cup car. With the tires not falling off, you still feel like you’re running [qualifying] laps. The Celsius Chevy was fast. I think if we could have gotten up there and cleared the Toyotas there, maybe we had something for William [Byron]. It’s so hard to pass in dirty air. We wanted to win, but I’m super proud of everyone at Kaulig Racing. We’re getting better. Last week was disappointing, but I’m proud of myself this week. I felt like I made no mistakes. That was all I had all day today. It’s something to build on.” – AJ Allmendinger

Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

  • Justin Haley qualified 20th for the Go Bowling at the Glen but would start the race at the rear due to an unapproved adjustment.
  • The first stage remained caution-free for its entirety. As the field began to pit under green, Haley worked his way to 19th where he finished the opening stage.
  • After completing two laps in the second stage, Haley radioed that he needed left rear grip. He pitted on lap 24 from 10th place for tires and fuel. After pitting, Haley sat 31st, telling the No. 31 team that he was unable to make any passes for position. Like stage one, stage two remained caution-free, and Haley finished 31st.
  • The very first caution of the day came out on lap 57 for a car stopped on track, as Haley sat 17th. He pitted for tires and a full tank of fuel under caution, prepared to make it until the end. The green flag came back out with 30 to go in the race, as Haley restarted from 26th. The race stayed green for the remaining laps, and Haley finished 27th.

“We struggled right off the bat today by having to start at the rear, costing us a ton of track position. We struggled with rear grip and lack of cautions made it so hard for me to pass. Definitely not the day we wanted in Watkins Glen, but hopefully we can rebound in Daytona, a place I have had success at.” – Justin Haley  

Shriners Children’s 200

Chandler Smith, No. 16 Quick Tie Products Chevrolet Camaro

  • Chandler Smith qualified 18th for the Shriners Children’s 200 at Watkins Glen International.
  • Smith gained two spots at the drop of the green flag and passed the No. 91 for 15th on lap four. Trying to make a move into the bus stop, he jumped the curb and spun, sending him back to 23rd. Smith made up one spot and finished stage one in 22nd, 40 seconds behind the leader.
  • Just after the green-white-checkered flag waved, Smith pulled into the pits for four tires and fuel and merged back on track one lap down. While leaving the box, he drove through too many pit stalls and was penalized. Before he could serve the drive-through penalty, the No. 43 car stalled on track, and a caution came out on lap 22. Due to the No. 16 being under penalty, he could not take the wave around and still had to go to the tail-end of the field at the restart. In turn, crew chief, Bruce Schlicker, called Smith back into the pits to top off on fuel on an extended caution, which the team could only do because it was ineligible for the wave around. Smith restarted on lap 27 in 31st, still one lap down. He made his way up to 29th by the time the yellow flag flew for the second time on lap 32 but was not in the free pass position. Under caution, Smith pitted to refuel again. He restarted 28th and was in the free pass position. Smith gained one spot and finished stage two in 27th.
  • On lap 47, a caution came out, allowing Smith to get back on the lead lap, as he was in the free-pass position. He came down pit lane for four tires and fuel and restarted 25th on the lead lap with 30 to go. Over the course of the next 24 laps, the No. 16 made it as high as 12th place while being told to push hard instead of fuel-save, passing cars who had come down for fuel. On lap 77, the yellow flag waved again. Schlicker radioed to Smith to come down into the pits for four tires and fuel, saying he wanted Smith to “go on the attack” in the closing laps. The No. 16 restarted in 16th with four laps remaining and avoided a wreck in the outer loop to move up to 12th as the final caution came out. Restarting in 10th after cars pitted, Smith avoided the overtime carnage to cross the line in eighth.

“After all we dealt with today, I’m thrilled to leave Watkins Glen with a top 10. It’s a credit to the entire No. 16 Quick Tie Products team. The crew gave me the best chance to claw our way back up the leaderboard. We took advantage of other peoples’ mistakes and kept it mostly clean to the finish.” – Chandler Smith

Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Cirkul Chevrolet Camaro

  • Daniel Hemric qualified sixth for the Shriners Children’s 200 at Watkins Glen International.
  • Hemric started the race as the first car on the outside lane, after the No. 17 and No. 00 dropped to the rear for unapproved adjustments. Hemric’s No. 11 Cirkul Chevrolet fired off free, dropping back to eighth by lap eight. While avoiding an incident in front of him on lap 11, Hemric steered clear of contact but fell back to 13th, where he finished the opening stage under green flag conditions.
  • Hemric remained in 13th, until the first caution came out on lap 22. He pitted under caution for four tires, fuel, track bar and air pressure adjustments. Hemric restarted 17th with 14 laps to go in stage two and was able to move up to 13th by lap 28. When the next caution flag flew on lap 32, Hemric elected to stay out, restarting 12th with seven laps to go in the stage, before moving up to 11th where he finished stage two.
  • The first caution of the final stage came out on lap 47. Hemric pitted for four tires and fuel and was reminded to save fuel. He restarted 11th with 32 laps remaining in the race, making his way back into the top 10 by lap 59. With 15 to go, Hemric reported a problem with his No. 11 Cirkul Chevy and made an unscheduled pit stop from eighth place. Unable to address the problem, Hemric went back on track only to pit again, this time, having to drive to the garage for the team to address the issue. After discovering a part failure, the team sent Hemric back out just before the restart with four to go to finish the race. The caution came out almost immediately after the restart before going into NASCAR overtime. Hemric restarted 23rd where he ultimately limped the No. 11 Cirkul Chevy to the end.

“We had really good short-run speed in the Cirkul Chevrolet this weekend, especially in practice and qualifying. I think we just let the racetrack get away from us, and our setup was a bit aggressive. We struggled a bit in the first run and thought we made good changes to get the speed a little better. I thought we were going to be able to salvage a pretty good day and possibly a top-five. Unfortunately, we had a parts failure, and that’s something you can’t control when it happens. Today we didn’t do the little things right, but we get the chance to regroup for next week.” – Daniel Hemric

Kyle Busch, No. 10 LA Golf Chevrolet Camaro

  • Kyle Busch qualified eighth for the Shriners Children’s 200 at Watkins Glen International.
  • Busch quickly worked his way up to third at the start of the race, before radioing that his No. 10 LA Golf Chevrolet was too free. After driving off track in the grass, Busch was forced to pit on lap 10 for tires, fuel and to clean off the grill to prevent the car from overheating. Busch made his way back to 25th, where he finished the opening stage.
  • The first caution of the day came out on lap 22 for a car stopped on track. Busch relayed to the team that the back of the No. 10 was too high. He pitted under caution for tires, fuel, and a major adjustment. Busch restarted 24th on lap 27 and worked his way up to 17th when the next caution came out on lap 32. Busch reported that he lacked lateral grip in the No. 10 Chevy. Restarting on lap 34, Busch went on to finish the second stage in 12th place.
  • After the second stage ended under green, the first caution of the final stage came out on lap 47. Busch pitted, as the No. 10 team was close to its fuel window. He restarted inside the top 10 with 32 laps remaining. The next caution came out on lap 77, as Busch had made his way up to seventh. He reported the third gear in his No. 10 Chevy was gone. As the field went back to green with four laps remaining, the caution came back out on lap 80, but Busch’s No. 10 Chevy had lost all gears, forcing him to stop on track. He was pushed back to the garage and scored 27th.

“We had an eventful day in our LA Golf Chevrolet. We had an unscheduled pit stop on lap 10 and lost track position and had to play catch-up from there. For most of the day the car was loose and we had a lack of grip. We stayed out and got track position for the restart with five laps to go but something broke and ended our day. Thanks to everyone at Kaulig Racing for their hard work. We’ll rebound at Darlington.” – Kyle Busch  
 
About Kaulig Racing™

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 with Justin Haley piloting the No. 31 Camaro ZL1, and an all-star lineup featured in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. Haley will continue to drive the No. 31 full-time in 2023, alongside AJ Allmendinger, who will drive the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. The team will continue to field three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by an all-star lineup, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by Chandler Smith. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

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