Moving from Toronto to another province is not complicated because of one single task. It becomes complicated because dozens of small things have to line up at the same time.
There is the pickup date, building access, packing, truck space, travel distance, delivery timing, insurance, and the question of what happens if your new home is not ready exactly when the shipment arrives. A move to Calgary, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Montreal, Edmonton or Halifax can cover thousands of kilometres, so small planning mistakes tend to become much more noticeable than they would during a local move.
That is why it helps to speak with experiencedlong-distance movers in Toronto before your moving date is close. A good moving company should be able to explain how the shipment will travel, how delivery timing works, what is included in the price, and who will be responsible for your belongings while they are in transit.
Start With the Route, Not the Boxes
People often begin a move by thinking about packing. For a long-distance relocation, the route and schedule should come first.
The distance between Toronto and Montreal is very different from the distance between Toronto and Vancouver. A moving company may also operate those routes differently depending on how its trucks are scheduled.
Before asking for a quote, have at least a rough idea of:
– where you are moving from and to; – your preferred pickup period; – when you can accept delivery; – how much furniture and how many boxes you expect to move; – whether either property has elevators, stairs, or limited truck access.
You do not need a perfect inventory on the first call, but the more accurate the information is, the more useful the initial estimate will be.
It is also worth asking whether the mover actually operates the route you need on a regular basis. A company that frequently runs between Ontario and Western Canada, for example, may be able to offer a more predictable schedule than one arranging the trip only occasionally.
The Cheapest Quote Can Be the Most Expensive One
Long-distance moving quotes can vary dramatically.
One company may appear hundreds of dollars cheaper than another, but that number means little unless you know what is included.
Ask whether the quote covers:
– loading and unloading; – furniture wrapping; – disassembly and reassembly; – stairs or long carries; – packing materials; – storage if required; – additional pickup or delivery stops; – fuel and transportation charges.
The important question is not simply, “How much does the move cost?”
It is, “Under what circumstances can this price change?”
A quote that looks slightly higher but clearly defines the service can be far more useful than a low estimate followed by extra charges once the truck is loaded.
Ask Who Is Actually Moving Your Belongings
This is an easy detail to overlook.
Some moving companies handle the entire relocation with their own crews and trucks. Others may subcontract parts of the transportation to third-party carriers.
That does not automatically make one model better than the other, but you should know what you are buying.
Ask whether the same company will pick up and deliver the shipment. Find out who you contact while the truck is in transit and whether you will receive updates along the route.
For a move lasting several days, knowing who has your belongings and how to reach someone directly can make a significant difference.
## Dedicated and Consolidated Moves Work Differently
Long-distance household shipments generally move in one of two ways.
A dedicated move means the truck or a substantial portion of it is assigned specifically to your shipment. This gives the mover more control over pickup and delivery timing and may reduce handling along the way.
The downside is cost. Sending a truck thousands of kilometres for one household is expensive.
A consolidated move combines compatible shipments travelling in the same direction. For example, several customers moving from Ontario toward Alberta or British Columbia may share truck capacity.
This usually lowers transportation costs because the truck is not travelling partially empty.
The trade-off is scheduling flexibility. A consolidated truck may need to complete several pickups and deliveries along the route, so the delivery window can be wider.
Neither option is automatically better. A family with a strict possession date may value a dedicated move. Someone with flexible timing may save considerably by choosing consolidation.
Get the Price in Writing
A long-distance move is not the place for vague verbal pricing.
The written quote or contract should explain the expected cost and the conditions that could change it.
Pay particular attention to how the mover calculates the shipment. Ask whether pricing is based on weight, volume, truck space, or another method.
Also confirm how additional services are handled.
If your inventory increases before moving day, there should be a clear method for updating the quote rather than discovering a new price after everything has been loaded.
The same applies to access problems. If the truck cannot park near the entrance or a building requires a long carry, it is better to know in advance whether that changes the cost.
Insurance and Transit Updates Are Worth Asking About Early
Long-distance moves involve more time on the road and more handling than most local moves, so insurance or valuation coverage deserves attention.
Ask what protection is included automatically and whether additional coverage is available.
You should also understand how damage claims are handled. Keep photographs of valuable furniture and other important belongings before they are loaded.
Communication matters just as much.
Find out:
– who your point of contact will be; – how often transit updates are provided; – whether delivery windows are confirmed in advance; – what happens if weather or road conditions create a delay.
A mover that explains these details clearly before pickup is usually easier to deal with if the schedule changes later.
Do Not Pack Everything Just Because You Own It
Cross-country moving costs are closely connected to how much space your belongings occupy.
That makes a long-distance relocation a good time to decide what is actually worth transporting.
Large, inexpensive furniture can sometimes cost more to move than to replace. The same is true for items that have been sitting unused in a basement or garage for years.
Before packing, separate belongings into four groups:
– move; – sell; – donate; – discard.
Reducing the shipment can lower costs and save time at both ends of the move.
For furniture that is travelling, remove loose parts where possible and keep hardware in labeled bags. Protect finished surfaces with moving blankets or appropriate wrapping.
Take photographs of valuable pieces and make a simple inventory before loading.
Documents, medication, passports, jewelry, electronics containing important data, and anything you may need immediately should stay with you rather than going on the moving truck.
Toronto Has Several Common Cross-Canada Moving Corridors
Toronto is one of the main starting points for long-distance household moves in Canada.
Common routes include:
– Toronto to Calgary; – Toronto to Edmonton; – Toronto to Vancouver; – Toronto to Winnipeg; – Toronto to Montreal; – Toronto to Halifax.
The route matters because distance is only part of the equation.
A frequently travelled corridor may offer more scheduling flexibility because moving companies already have trucks operating in that direction. Less common destinations may require additional coordination.
Weather also plays a role. A winter move across the Prairies or through Northern Ontario can operate very differently from the same route in summer.
When comparing companies, ask how often they service your destination and what delivery window they would normally expect for that particular route.
Leave Some Flexibility Between Pickup and Delivery
One of the easiest ways to make a long-distance move unnecessarily stressful is to plan everything around one exact delivery hour.
Road conditions, weather, previous deliveries and building restrictions can all affect timing.
If possible, avoid scheduling something critical immediately after the earliest expected delivery date.
Keep enough clothing, medication, work equipment and daily essentials with you to manage for a few days without the shipment.
That small buffer can turn an ordinary schedule change into a minor inconvenience instead of a major problem.
The Questions Matter More Than the Sales Pitch
Most moving companies can give you a polished estimate and promise that the move will go smoothly.
The useful information usually comes from asking more specific questions.
Who owns the truck?
Will another carrier handle the shipment?
Is the price fixed?
How is the shipment separated if the truck is consolidated?
What happens if the delivery window changes?
Who provides updates during transit?
How is damage coverage calculated?
Those answers tell you much more about the actual service than a low headline price or a few broad promises on a website.
A long-distance move from Toronto will always involve some variables. The goal is not to eliminate every one of them. It is to know, before moving day, which company is responsible for each part of the process, what you will pay, and what should happen between pickup and delivery.
Motorsports content moves quickly. A single race weekend can produce practice updates, qualifying news, driver interviews, technical discussions, race previews, live reactions, post-race analysis, photography, and fan conversations. For publishers and independent creators, the challenge is not finding stories. The challenge is turning those stories into clear, engaging content quickly enough for the audience.
AI video tools can support this process by helping creators develop visual concepts, organize short scripts, and produce additional video formats from existing race-week information. They do not replace reporting, photography, interviews, or editorial judgment. Instead, they can make it easier to transform verified motorsports information into useful visual content.
A practical grok video ai workflow can be evaluated for short explainers, race-week summaries, social media clips, and visual story ideas. The most important rule is simple: verify the information before it becomes part of a published video.
Why Motorsports Media Is a Strong Fit for Short Video
Racing is naturally visual. Cars, tracks, pit stops, helmets, team garages, timing screens, tire choices, and driver reactions can all support short-form storytelling.
A written report may explain what happened, but a short video can help viewers understand the context. For example, a video can introduce a track, explain a race-week schedule, summarize a major storyline, or show why a particular strategy attracted attention.
Short videos can also reach audiences who do not read every article. A social media viewer may watch a 45-second explainer and then decide to read the full race preview. In this way, video becomes a supporting format rather than a replacement for detailed journalism.
Race-Week Content Ideas for AI Video
The best AI video concepts are connected to real editorial needs. Motorsports publishers can use video for several recurring formats.
Pre-race previews are one useful example. A short video can introduce the upcoming event, explain the schedule, highlight confirmed storylines, and tell viewers what to watch during the race.
Track explainers are another option. A creator can describe the general character of a circuit, the importance of braking zones, or the difference between short tracks, road courses, and superspeedways. Check any technical or historical detail against reliable sources before publication.
Post-race summaries can turn a completed event into a concise visual recap. The video might present the official result, a key moment, a strategy discussion, and the next question for the championship or team.
Driver and team features can also benefit from visual storytelling. A creator might produce a short profile based on verified public information, official statements, and approved images. The video should clearly distinguish confirmed facts from commentary.
How to Build a Motorsports AI Video
Step 1: Choose One Editorial Question
Every short video should answer one main question. Examples include:
What should fans know before this weekend’s race?
Why is this track different from the previous venue?
What was the main storyline after the race?
How did a team’s strategy affect the final result?
What should viewers watch during qualifying?
A focused question prevents the video from becoming a collection of unrelated facts.
Step 2: Gather Verified Information
Before writing the script, collect the information that the video will use. This may include an official schedule, a confirmed entry list, a published team release, a verified interview quote, a race result, or previously published editorial analysis.
Do not ask an AI system to guess missing information. It should not invent lap times, driver comments, penalties, championship standings, sponsorship details, or race results.
Create a short fact sheet with the following fields:
• Event name • Date and time • Series • Location • Confirmed participants • Main storyline • Source of each fact • Editorial angle
This makes the script easier to review.
Step 3: Write a Short Script
A practical race-week video can use a simple structure:
Opening: Tell viewers what the video is about.
Context: Explain why the topic matters.
Details: Present two or three verified points.
Analysis: Add a clearly identified editorial observation.
Conclusion: Tell viewers what to watch or read next.
For example:
“This weekend’s race deserves attention for three reasons. First, the venue presents a different challenge from the previous event. Second, several teams are entering the weekend with important questions to answer. Finally, the schedule creates a short window for preparation. Here is what fans should watch before the green flag.”
The script should be direct and easy to follow.
Step 4: Develop Visual Concepts
A motorsports video doesn’t need to recreate a race that didn’t happen. It can use supporting visuals instead.
Possible scenes include:
• A stylized racing circuit • A close-up of a racing helmet • A generic pit-lane environment • A moving schedule graphic • A simplified tire or strategy illustration • A dramatic view of cars entering a corner
When using generated visuals, clearly separate illustrative scenes from real race photography. The audience should not mistake a fictional visual for actual event footage.
Creators exploring visual direction can use grok imagine as a reference point for developing race-themed concepts, color palettes, and visual storyboards. Generated visuals should support the editorial message instead of presenting unverified events as real.
Step 5: Add Captions and Data Carefully
Captions are essential for mobile viewers and people watching without sound. Keep them short and place them where they do not cover the main visual.
If the video includes dates, times, standings, or results, check every number before publishing. A small error in a schedule or result can quickly erode trust.
Use graphics for simple information:
• Race weekend schedule • Session names • Confirmed result • Key question • Next event
Avoid putting too much data on one screen. A short video should guide the viewer toward the most important information.
Step 6: Create Multiple Versions
One race-week article can support several video formats.
A detailed preview can become:
• A 30-second social media summary • A one-minute schedule guide • A track-focused explainer • A post-race question • A short audio-visual quote card
This approach helps a newsroom or independent creator reuse research without repeatedly copying the same video. Each version should serve a different purpose and start differently.
Editorial Rules for Responsible AI Video
Accuracy is the most important standard in motorsports media. AI-generated content should never fabricate a driver quote, simulate a real crash, alter a race result, or imply that a fictional scene is authentic event footage.
Creators should also consider image rights, music rights, team branding, driver likeness, and platform rules. If a visual is illustrative, label it appropriately when necessary.
A responsible workflow includes human review at three points:
Before production, verify the facts.
During production, check that visuals do not imply false events.
Before publishing, review the final video for accuracy, clarity, and rights concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can AI video replace motorsports journalism?
No. AI video can support presentation and production, but reporting, interviews, verification, analysis, and editorial responsibility remain human tasks.
What type of racing content works well in short video?
Race previews, schedule guides, track explainers, post-race summaries, strategy discussions, and verified team or driver features can all work well.
Should generated visuals look like real race footage?
Not necessarily. Illustrative visuals may be safer and clearer when they are obviously stylized. Real event footage should come from approved or properly licensed sources.
How long should a race-week video be?
The ideal length depends on the topic and platform. A focused explanation can often be delivered in under two minutes, while a deeper analysis may require a longer format.
What should be checked before publishing?
Verify names, dates, times, results, quotes, statistics, team details, visual rights, captions, and any statement that could be interpreted as factual.
Conclusion
AI video tools can help motorsports media create more timely and accessible content around race weekends. The strongest workflow begins with verified information and a clear editorial question. From there, creators can write a short script, build supporting visuals, add accurate captions, and adapt the story for multiple formats.
The technology should support the reporting rather than replace it. When human judgment, fact-checking, and creative direction remain at the center, AI video can help racing publishers explain events more clearly, reach new audiences, and keep fans engaged between races.
MADISON, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 12: Jesse Love, driver of the #2 Whelen Chevrolet, and crew celebrate in victory lane after winning the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Nu Way 225 Powered by Bobcat and Sauced by Blues Hog at WWT Raceway on September 12, 2026 in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Amy Kontras/Getty Images).
Jesse Love made an emphatic return to Victory Lane in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series by storming his way to a late victory in the Nu Way 250 at World Wide Technology Raceway on Saturday, September 12.
The reigning O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion from Menlo Park, California, led four times for 70 of 180-scheduled laps in an event where he qualified on the front row, settled in fifth place following the first stage period, and steered clear of a bizarre stack-up and incident on pit road prior to the second stage period to restart on the front row for the latter stage’s start. Love then managed to lead for the first time on Lap 78 and cruise to the second stage victory.
After reassuming the lead from teammate Austin Hill to lead a majority of the early stages in the third and final stage period, Love, who withstood three cautions and restarts throughout the final stage, lost the lead to Kvapil at the start of a 41-lap shootout, but the former reassumed it with 16 laps remaining. From there, Love established a reasonable gap between himself and Sheldon Creed to achieve his first O’Reilly victory of the 2026 season and draw himself into the championship picture.
With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Saturday, Chaser Carson Kvapil qualified on pole position for a second consecutive event with a pole-winning lap at 133.825 mph in 33.626 seconds. Chaser Jesse Love qualified in second place with a lap of 133.412 mph in 33.730 seconds.
Before the event, Lavar Scott and Josh Williams dropped to the rear of the field after unapproved adjustments to their respective entries.
When the green flag waved and the event commenced, pole-sitter Carson Kvapil gained an early jump from the outside lane, and he moved in front of Jesse Love exiting the frontstretch and entering the first two turns. As the field jostled for early spots for a single circuit, Kvapil cycled his No. 1 Wilde Chevrolet Camaro entry back to the frontstretch and led the first lap.
Over the next four laps, Kvapil stretched his early advantage up to seven-tenths of a second over Love while Chasers Corey Day and Austin Hill, along with non-Chaser William Sawalich, followed suit in the top five, respectively. Behind, Chasers Justin Allgaier and Sheldon Creed were racing in sixth and seventh, respectively, ahead of rookie Brent Crews and Chasers Rajah Caruth, Sammy Smith and Taylor Gray. Meanwhile, Sam Mayer, Brandon Jones and Parker Retzlaff were the three lowest-running Chasers in the field as they were in 12th, 16th and 17th, respectively, while Kvapil proceeded to lead by more than a second at the Lap 10 mark.
On Lap 12, the event’s first caution flew when Taylor Gray, who was in 10th place, spun beneath Rajah Caruth through the first two turns while both were battling for ninth place. Four laps later, the event restarted, and Kvapil mirrored his launch from the event’s start by motoring away from the field from the outside lane. As Kvapil led, Day motored his way into the runner-up spot while Austin Hill battled teammate Love for third place. While Allgaier and Creed battled for fifth place in front of Crews and Sawalich, Kvapil led the next lap. Kvapil proceeded to lead by six-tenths of a second over Day on Lap 20 while Love, Allgaier, Hill, Creed, Crews, Sawalich, Caruth and Sammy Smith followed suit, respectively.
Through the Lap 25 mark, Kvapil was leading by a second over Day while Allgaier, Love, Hill and Creed, all of whom were in the Chase, were racing in the top-six mark, respectively, with Creed trailing the lead by more than three seconds. Behind, teammates Crews and Sawalich occupied seventh and eighth on the track while Caruth, Mayer, Sammy Smith and Retzlaff rounded out the top-12 mark, respectively. Meanwhile, Brandon Jones was mired in 17th place and Gray, who pitted following his early spin, was up in 25th place.
Five laps later, Kvapil stabilized his advantage by more than a second over Day while Allgaier, who occupied third place in front of Richard Childress Racing’s Love and Hill, trailed by three-and-a-half seconds. Another three laps later, Love got loose through Turns 3 and 4, which allowed both Hill and Creed to overtake for top-five spots. As Love battled back Creed for fifth place, Crews and Sawalich reeled in from behind. Meanwhile, Caruth dropped to 11th while Mayer and Retzlaff moved up to ninth and 10th, respectively. While teammates Jones and Gray were mired in 17th and 27th on the leaderboard, Kvapil maintained the lead by more than a second over Day by Lap 40.
When the first stage period concluded on Lap 45, Kvapil cruised to his third O’Reilly stage victory of the 2026 season by half a second. Day followed suit in second ahead of Allgaier, Hill, Love and Creed while Crews, Sawalich, Mayer and Retzlaff were scored in the top 10, respectively. With eight of 12 Chasers securing the event’s first round of stage points, the remaining Chasers, including Sammy Smith, Caruth, Jones and Gray, were mired in 11th, 12th, 17th and 28th, respectively.
During the event’s first stage break period, the field led by Kvapil pitted for a first round of pit service. During the pit stops, a major and bizarre incident struck on pit road when Caruth, who entered pit road with the field under a cautious pace, got rear-ended by Nick Sanchez, and the latter two spun and collided into Brent Crews’ entry that was being serviced. The collision collected a handful of Crews’ pit crew members and occurred in front of Day as Day’s entry was being serviced with no contact. The collision also triggered a stack-up and accordion effect that involved a majority of the field racing within the top mid-pack region while damaging some that included Anthony Alfredo, Jeremy Clements, Harrison Burton, Brandon Jones, Dean Thompson, Ryan Sieg and Jeb Burton.
The multi-car incident on pit road was enough for the event to be placed in a red flag period for seven minutes and 54 seconds to have the carnage cleared. Once the red flag was lifted and the event proceeded at a cautious pace, all of the crew members were reported to be okay amid the collision, including Allgaier, who had a loose wheel, and the damaged entries pitted as Kvapil, who was among a handful of drivers who were ahead of the carnage, had beaten the field off pit road first to retain the event’s overall lead.
The second stage period started on Lap 53 as Kvapil and Love occupied the front row. At the start, Kvapil maintained the lead for a full cycle. As Kvapil led by half a second at the Lap 55 mark, Love outdueled Hill, Mayer and Sawalich for the runner-up spot. Behind, Day battled Creed for sixth place in front of Retzlaff and Sammy Smith while Gray navigated his way up to 10th place. As Allgaier navigated his way up to 14th place, Caruth and Jones were mired in 25th and 28th, respectively, with damaged entries while Kvapil stretched his lead out by eight-tenths of a second on Lap 60.
Through the Lap 70 mark, Kvapil extended his lead by three seconds over Mayer as Mayer overtook Love for the runner-up spot a lap prior. Meanwhile, Hill, Love’s teammate who pitted two laps earlier due to a loose wheel, plummeted to 30th while Sawalich, Creed, Day, Retzlaff, Sammy Smith, Allgaier and Gray were racing in the top 10, respectively. Further behind the top-10 mark, Caruth and Jones were racing in 21st and 24th, respectively.
Two laps later, the caution returned due to debris reported on the frontstretch. Prior to the caution, Alfredo had fallen off the pace due to a flat left-front tire on his entry. During this caution period, some, including Caruth and Jones, pitted while the rest, led by Kvapil, remained on the track. In addition, Hill cycled back to the lead lap by being the first competitor to score a lap down.
The event’s next restart on Lap 78 featured Kvapil battling Love as the field nearly fanned out from the frontstretch and through the first two turns. With Mayer occupying third place in front of the field, Love managed to overtake Kvapil entering the frontstretch and lead the next lap. Love led by three-tenths of a second over Kvapil by Lap 80 while Mayer and Creed followed suit. Meanwhile, Sawalich held fifth place over Day, Allgaier and Retzlaff while Love was being pressured by both Kvapil and Mayer for the lead at the Lap 85 mark.
When the second stage period concluded on Lap 90, Love outdueled Mayer and Kvapil to capture his fourth O’Reilly stage victory of the 2026 season. Mayer and Kvapil settled in second and third, respectively, while Creed, Sawalich, Allgaier, Day, Retzlaff, Sammy Smith and Ryan Sieg were scored in the top 10, respectively. By then, eight of 12 Chasers secured the event’s second round of stage points while the remaining Chasers, including Gray, Caruth, Jones and Hill, were mired in 14th, 16th, 23rd and 30th, respectively.
During the event’s second stage break period, the field led by Love returned to pit road for service. Following the pit stops, Love exited pit road first over Sawalich, Mayer, Kvapil and Creed while Allgaier lost two spots and exited pit road in eighth place behind Day and Retzlaff. Meanwhile, Hill, who remained on the track, inherited the lead.
With 82 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as teammates Hill and Love occupied the front row. At the start, Hill received a push from Sawalich to gain a brief advantage from the outside lane through the frontstretch, but Love stormed back atop the leaderboard from the inside lane through the first two turns. Amid a brief scramble towards the front, Love led the next lap over Hill, Mayer and Day while Sawalich was trying to retain fifth place over Kvapil and Creed. Behind, Allgaier and Retzlaff battled for eighth place in front of Gray, Sammy Smith and Crews while Love maintained the lead by four-tenths of a second with 80 laps remaining.
Down to the final 70 laps, Love stretched his late lead by up to one-and-a-half seconds over Mayer while Day, Kvapil and Sawalich occupied top-five spots ahead of Creed, Allgaier, Hill, Gray, Retzlaff and Sammy Smith, respectively, on the track. Meanwhile, Caruth and Jones were mired in 16th and 22nd, respectively, as Love continued to extend his lead, where he led by more than two seconds over Mayer with 60 laps remaining.
Then with 54 laps remaining, the caution flew when Lavar Scott spun and backed his entry into the outside wall in Turns 3 and 4, where he sustained significant rear-end damage as he was reeling in Brandon Jones. At the time of caution, Love was leading by more than three seconds over Kvapil while Mayer, Day, Sawalich, Creed, Allgaier, Gray, Retzlaff and Hill were in the top 10. During this caution period, the field led by Love pitted, and Love retained the lead by exiting pit road first ahead of Kvapil, Mayer, Creed, Sawalich, Day, Gray, Allgaier, Sammy Smith and Retzlaff, respectively.
For the event’s next restart with 48 laps remaining, Love and Kvapil dueled for the lead in front of two-stacked lanes until Love, who restarted on the inside lane, motored ahead through the first two turns. Love proceeded to lead the next lap, and Kvapil retained the runner-up spot over Creed and Mayer while Sawalich and Day traded paint, bumped and fiercely battled for fifth place in front of Allgaier. Amid the late-race rubs, Day’s steady run at Gateway came to an end when he got bumped on the side by Sawalich, hit in the rear by Allgaier, sent for a spin down to the backstretch’s infield, and collided into the inside wall hard. This marked the second consecutive event where Day and Sawalich, who sustained a heavy tire and fender rub on his left side, had a run-in on the track after both tangled and rubbed fenders last weekend at Darlington Raceway.
As the event restarted with 41 laps remaining, the field fanned out as Love and Kvapil dueled for the lead through the first two turns before Kvapil motored ahead through the backstretch. As Creed overtook Love for the runner-up spot, Kvapil cycled back to the frontstretch and led the next lap. With Sammy Smith and Crews navigating their way into the top five, Crews was pressured by Mayer and Gray for fifth place while Allgaier was mired in 10th place behind Hill and Retzlaff. Allgaier would be overtaken by Kyle Sieg for 10th place, and both Mayer and Gray overtook Crews on the track for fifth and sixth, respectively, while Kvapil led by four-tenths of a second over Creed with 35 laps remaining.
Down to the final 30 laps, Kvapil was leading by two-tenths of a second over Creed while third-place Love trailed by a second. Seconds later, the caution flew due to a multi-car wreck that involved Brad Perez, Josh Bilicki and Joey Gase through the first two turns. During this caution period, select names, including Allgaier, pitted while the rest, led by Kvapil, remained on the track.
With 24 laps remaining, the event’s next restart featured Kvapil receiving a push from Creed to motor ahead of Love from the outside lane through the frontstretch before Kvapil transitioned to the inside lane entering the first two turns. As Kvapil completed a full cycle around Gateway before he led the next lap, Creed maintained the runner-up spot in front of a side-by-side battle for third place between Love and Mayer while Gray also tried to join the battle. Love would outduel Mayer for third place and overtake Creed for the runner-up spot over the next two laps as Kvapil maintained the lead by three-tenths of a second with 20 laps remaining.
Then with 17 laps remaining, Love, who had been reeling in Kvapil, seized an opportunity by driving to the rear of Kvapil’s entry through Turns 3 and 4 before the latter dueled with the former through the frontstretch. As both Creed and Mayer joined the battle, Love made the inside lane work to his advantage through the first two turns and resumed the lead. As Love led by four-tenths of a second with 15 laps remaining, Creed and Mayer overtook Kvapil for second and third, respectively, while Gray trailed in fifth place by under a second.
Down to the final 10 laps, Love stretched his late lead in his No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Camaro entry by nine-tenths of a second over Creed while Mayer and Gray trailed by a second. Meanwhile, Kvapil lost fifth place to Austin Hill as Retzlaff, Crews, Sammy Smith and Kyle Sieg were racing in the top 10, respectively. Another five laps later, Hill made a second unscheduled pit stop under green to have a right-side tire addressed. With Hill dropping out of contention, Love continued to lead by more than a second over Creed.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Love remained in the lead by more than a second over Creed. With no competition lurking or reeling in from behind, Love smoothly navigated his way around Gateway for a final time before he cycled back to the front stretch and claimed his first elusive checkered flag of the 2026 season.
With the victory, Love recorded his fourth career win in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series division, his first at Gateway’s World Wide Technology Raceway and his first since he won both the finale and the 2025 championship at Phoenix Raceway this past November. Love, who also became the 12th competitor overall to win an O’Reilly event at Gateway, recorded the 23rd victory of the 2026 O’Reilly season for Chevrolet and the third for Richard Childress Racing.
Love, who entered Gateway situated in sixth place in the Chase standings, jumped two spots to fourth place and he trails the points lead by 16 points. He has seven events remaining to reel in and defend his O’Reilly championship with Richard Childress Racing before he graduates to full-time Cup Series racing with Wood Brothers Racing in 2027.
MADISON, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 12: Jesse Love, driver of the #2 Whelen Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Nu Way 225 Powered by Bobcat and Sauced by Blues Hog at WWT Raceway on September 12, 2026 in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
“[I] Guess we had to put’em on the dash,” Love said on the frontstretch on the CW Network. “Just proud of our crew. Proud of my pit crew. Proud of my whole Whelen Engineering team…everybody that’s been so involved in repeating a championship this year. It’s been really hard, but I knew that if I keep my grit, if I keep my tenacity, if I keep my work ethic, not just keep it, but improve it, then eventually, one of these opportunities is gonna be there and I’m gonna freakin’ take it, which we freakin’ did tonight…Man, I’m just so grateful.”
Sheldon Creed, winner of last weekend’s Chase opener at Darlington Raceway, settled in the runner-up spot ahead of teammate Sam Mayer, the latter of whom continues his search of his first victory this season. Taylor Gray and Carson Kvapil, the latter of whom led a race-high 105 laps compared to Love’s 70, finished in the top five.
Parker Retzlaff, Brent Crews, Sammy Smith, Kyle Sieg and Jeb Burton completed the top 10 in the final running order. Notably, Crews, Sieg and Burton were the three highest-finishing non-Chasers in the top-10 mark. Meanwhile, the remaining Chasers, including Rajah Caruth, Justin Allgaier, Brandon Jones, Austin Hill and Corey Day, ended up 11th, 13th, 15th, 29th and 33rd, respectively.
The second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ Chase event of the 2026 season featured eight lead changes for four different leaders, and seven cautions for 37 laps. In addition, 27 of 36 starters finished on the lead lap.
Race Results:
Jesse Love, 70 laps led, Stage 2 winner
Sheldon Creed
Sam Mayer
Taylor Gray
Carson Kvapil, 105 laps led, Stage 1 winner
Parker Retzlaff
Brent Crews
Sammy Smith
Kyle Sieg
Jeb Burton
Rajah Caruth
Dean Thompson
Justin Allgaier
Ryan Sieg
Brandon Jones
William Sawalich
Patrick Staropoli
Josh Williams
Brennan Poole
Blaine Perkins
Mason Maggio
Anthony Alfredo
Jordan Anderson
Ryan Ellis
Myatt Snider
Josh Bilicki
Joey Gase
Brad Perez, one lap down
Austin Hill, one lap down, four laps led
Lavar Scott, one lap down
Jeremy Clements, 12 laps down
Austin J. Hill – OUT, Electrical, one lap led
Corey Day – OUT, Accident
Nick Sanchez – OUT, Accident
Harrison Burton – OUT, Accident
Dawson Cram – OUT
*Bold indicates Chase Drivers
Following the second Chase event of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Sheldon Creed leads the standings by three points over Justin Allgaier, nine points over Carson Kvapil, and 16 over Jesse Love. The rest of the 12-car Chase field is displayed below.
Chase Standings:
Sheldon Creed
Justin Allgaier -3
Carson Kvapil -9
Jesse Love -16
Sam Mayer -61
Austin Hill -61
Sammy Smith -64
Corey Day -69
Brandon Jones -76
Parker Retzlaff -83
Taylor Gray -86
Rajah Caruth -118
Next on the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule is the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. The event is scheduled to occur next Friday, September 18, and air at 7:30 p.m. ET on the CW Network, PRN Radio, and SiriusXM.
Max Reaves (No. 18 Cook Out Toyota) started from the Sioux Chief PowerPEX Pole and led every lap on his way to his fourth ARCA Menards Series win of the season in Saturday’s Spruce 212 at Salem Speedway. This win is the eighth of the year for the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 team; they have four wins with Reaves, Elko Speedway, Berlin Raceway, Illinois State Fairgrounds, and tonight at Salem, and four with Giovanni Ruggiero, Daytona International Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, and Pocono Raceway.
ARCA Menards Series championship points leader Jake Bollman (No. 20 Nitro Motorsports Toyota) finished second for the second straight week and fifth time overall in 2026. Bollman also has finished in the runner-up position at Daytona, Michigan, Elko, and last week at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. He unofficially leads the ARCA Menards Series standings by 13 points over Nitro Motorsports teammate Thomas Annunziata (No. 70 JBL Toyota) with two races remaining.
Annunziata finished seventh after being involved in the race’s ninth caution; he was lapping to the outside of Ben Peterson (No. 06 Peterson Motorsports Ford) when the two made contact, sending Annunziata into a spin and damaging the left front corner of his car. Annunziata’s Shannon Rursch-led team made quick repairs and kept him on the lead lap, allowing him to pick up two positions in the final ten laps.
Hometown favorite Will Kimmel (No. 69 Aviation Tech / Burger Foundation Ford) rallied from brake issues under the first caution flag of the night to finish third. It was Kimmel’s 23rd career top-five finish and his best ARCA Menards Series finish since he finished fourth at Salem in 2024.
Landon S. Huffman (No. 97 Hoosier Daddy / Hoosier Mamma Car Care Products Chevrolet) recovered from a spin at lap 125 and a brush with the wall inside the final 20 laps that left the right rear quarter panel barely hanging on to finish fourth. It’s Huffman’s second top-five finish three career ARCA Menards Series starts; he finished third in his most recent start at Chicagoland Speedway in July.
Isabella Robusto (No. 55 Mobil 1 Toyota) scored her first top-five finish, fifth, since she finished fifth at Berlin Raceway in June; it was her 14th career top-five finish, extending her ARCA Menards Series record for most top-five finishes by a female driver.
Tristan McKee (No. 77 Spectrum Chevrolet) fought back from a broken right front sway bar arm, which was replaced under the second race break of the night, to finish sixth.
Gavan Boschele (No. 25 Toyota Racing Toyota) recovered from a spin caused by a soft right rear tire just before the second race break to finish eighth. Boschele lost two laps as a result, but was helped by two late-race cautions to regain his lead lap status.
Austin Vaughn (No. 91 TMI Gifts / Wood Sales Inc. Ford) received a series record six free passes to finish ninth, the final car on the lead lap.
Carson Brown (No. 28 Grizzly Coolers Chevrolet) spun after contact with Robusto to send the race into overtime. Brown, who has wins this season at Phoenix Raceway and last week at DuQuoin, finished tenth.
There were ten cautions for 61 laps which held the race’s average speed to 64.868 miles per hour.
Reaves’ margin of victory was 0.381 seconds.
The next race for the ARCA Menards Series is Bush’s Beans 200 at the Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday, September 17. The race, set to begin at 5:30 pm ET, will be televised live on FS1. ARCARacing.com will have live timing & scoring data throughout all on-track activity and live race audio. Follow @ARCA_Racing on X (formerly Twitter) for up-to-the-minute updates.
About ARCA The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization to sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit , or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing).
About Menards A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states. Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building. You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more. To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro!
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Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too! For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.
Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Team Excel at World Wide Technology Raceway, Finding Victory Lane and Advancing to Within 16 Points of Championship Lead
Finish: 1st Start: 2nd Points: 4th
“Everybody is so involved in defending the championship this year. It’s been really hard, but I knew if I could just keep my grit, keep my tenacity, and keep my work ethic – and not just keep it, but improve on it, then eventually, one of these opportunities was going to be there, and I would be there to take it, which we did tonight. We had a fast Whelen Chevrolet all day and it means a lot to win here because St. Louis is a special place for me. I got my first national midget win across the street, I made my first NASCAR Truck Series start here and got beat here last year, but we had a good car. I want to give all the glory to God for putting the right people in my life. This is a big win for everybody on the team, everyone in Welcome, North Carolina, and Chevrolet.” -Jesse Love
Two Unscheduled Green-Flag Pit Stops Spoil Top-Five Run for Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Team at World Wide Technology Raceway
Finish: 29th Start: 6th Points: 6th
“That one is really disappointing. Our Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet was fast on a long run. Fire off was a struggle but once we got eight or 10 laps into a run, the car would come to life. We were on track to have another top-five day with points in both stages, but unfortunately we had to make an unscheduled stop under green for a loose right rear before the end of Stage 2. We just had to take the hit and be easy on our stuff until we cycled back on the same tires as the leaders. Everyone kept their heads down and we did just that. Drove back up inside the top-five and were chasing third. Then with less than five to go, I could feel the right rear start falling off again. It wasn’t worth having a bigger issue so we pitted under green. We left a lot of points on the table tonight which is the worst part.” -Austin Hill
GRAY REBOUNDS FROM EARLY RACE SPIN TO TOP-FIVE Crews, Thompson and Jones recover from damage to finish top-15
MADISON, Ill. (September 12, 2026) – Taylor Gray bounced back from an early race spin to drive through the field and lead Toyota with a fourth-place finish in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. It is Gray’s second straight top-10 finish to open the Chase.
Brent Crews (seventh), Dean Thompson (12th) and Brandon Jones (15th) all recovered for top-15 finishes after being involved in a massive pit road incident early in the race.
TOYOTA RACING Post-Race Recap NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS) World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway Race 26 of 33 – 225 miles, 180 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Jesse Love* 2nd, Sheldon Creed* 3rd, Sam Mayer * 4th, TAYLOR GRAY 5th, Carson Kvapil* 7th, BRENT CREWS 12th, DEAN THOMPSON 15th, BRANDON JONES 16th, WILLIAM SAWALICH 37th, HARRISON BURTON *non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
TAYLOR GRAY, No. 54 Operation 300 Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 4th
Bounced back from a spin early to finish top-five. Can you take us through your night?
“Yeah, first off, really proud of our whole Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 group. They did an awesome job executing all night. Especially with the position I put us in early in the race; really honestly put us in a bad spot. It hindered us a lot and put us in a point where we weren’t going to get stage points all day. They did a great job fighting back and giving me a race car I could drive to the front there at the end. Really thankful to everyone at TOYOTA RACING, M-Experiment.”
WILLIAM SAWALICH, No. 18 SoundGear Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 16th
How would you describe how the events unfolded?
“Yeah, our SoundGear GR Supra was pretty good tonight. Good run through stage one and two, and obviously our stage three was a little behind because of damage.”
Are you worried about any repercussions?
“I’m just worried about next week and Bristol and what I have to do with my team.”
HARRISON BURTON, No. 24 Dead On Tools Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing
Finishing Position: 37th
What happened out there?
“I’m not sure what happened. The 51 (Jeremy Clements) was right in front of me, and I was just running my lights, and he ran into the guy in front of him, who ran into the guy in front of him and it looks like I got the worst of it. We knocked the radiator out of mine, just a horrible way to end the day. Just cruising down pit road – we were going to make a big change. We were really tight. We had a good qualifying effort and thought we would fire off better but too tight for our Dead On Tools Supra, and fell off the wagon. You get behind people and track position and that is what happens.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of over 50 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
Joey Logano achieved the Busch Light Pole Award for the Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway) in Madison, Illinois, on Saturday, September 12.
The event’s starting lineup was determined through an on-track qualifying session that consisted of a single-car, single-lap qualifying format. During the session, each of the 36 competitors vying for 36 starting spots cycled around Gateway a single time to post the fastest lap amongst one another. The competitor who posted the fastest lap earned pole position.
During the session, Logano, who was the second-fastest competitor in practice on Saturday prior to qualifying, utilized his single-lap session to post a lap at 137.124 mph in 32.817 seconds. The lap was enough for the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion from Middletown, Connecticut, to achieve the top-starting spot for the second Chase event of the 2026 Cup Series season.
With the pole, Logano notched his 35th Cup Series career pole for his 643rd series start, his first at Gateway and his second of the 2026 season, with his previous pole occurring at Phoenix Raceway in March. Logano, who is currently ranked in ninth place in the 2026 Chase standings, emphasized Gateway being a golden opportunity for him and his No. 22 Team Penske Ford team to draw themselves back within striking distance of competing for a championship, with Logano also attempting to become the first repeat Cup winner at Gateway for Sunday’s main event.
“The [No. 22] guys are doing a good job,” Logano said. “This is the racetrack that we had circled that we need to capitalize on. We know our points situation. We need to score max points here. Starting upfront will help that, for sure. I just got to manage the strategy. It’s definitely got a fast car. The Shell/Pennzoil Mustang, in race trim, was really good. Short run, long run. Obviously, qualifying was spectacular. Overall, proud of the team and proud of the effort and the chance that we got.”
Logano will share the front row with Kyle Larson, the reigning two-time Cup Series champion who is ranked in seventh place in the Chase standings. Larson posted the second-fastest lap during Saturday’s qualifying session at 135.980 mph in 33.093 seconds.
Chasers Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe, Carson Hocevar, Bubba Wallace, Chase Elliott, Ty Gibbs and Denny Hamlin qualified in the top 10, respectively. Blaney, the 2023 Cup Series champion, was the fastest competitor in practice, and Bell is coming off his first victory of the 2026 season at Darlington Raceway for the Southern 500 and to commence the 2026 Chase.
With 10 of 16 Chasers occupying the top-10 starting spots, the remaining Chasers, including Austin Cindric, Ryan Preece, Daniel Suarez, Tyler Reddick, Chris Buescher and William Byron, will start 13th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 21st and 24th, respectively. Notably, Alex Bowman and Zane Smith are the two-highest non-Chase qualifiers for Sunday’s main event as they will line up in 11th and 12th, respectively.
With 36 competitors vying for 36 starting spots, all made the main event.
Gateway – Qualifying Position, Best Speed, Best Time:
Joey Logano, 137.124 mph, 32.817 seconds
Kyle Larson, 135.980 mph, 33.093 seconds
Ryan Blaney, 135.898 mph, 33.113 seconds
Christopher Bell, 135.767 mph, 33.145 seconds
Chase Briscoe, 135.546 mph, 33.199 seconds
Carson Hocevar, 135.395 mph, 33.236 seconds
Bubba Wallace, 135.355 mph, 33.246 seconds
Chase Elliott, 135.302 mph, 33.259 seconds
Ty Gibbs, 135.294 mph, 33.261 seconds
Denny Hamlin, 134.086 mph, 33.312 seconds
Alex Bowman, 134.702 mph, 33.407 seconds
Zane Smith, 134.650 mph, 33.420 seconds
Austin Cindric, 134.565 mph, 33.441 seconds
Ryan Preece, 134.381 mph, 33..487 seconds
Daniel Suarez, 134.360 mph, 33.492 seconds
Josh Berry, 134.316 mph, 33.503 seconds
AJ Allmendinger, 134.140 mph, 33.547 seconds
Tyler Reddick, 134.100 mph, 33.557 seconds
Connor Zilisch, 134.040 mph, 33.572 seconds
Ross Chastain, 133.996 mph, 33.583 seconds
Chris Buescher, 133.901 mph, 33.607 seconds
Austin Dillon, 133.833 mph, 33.624 seconds
Brad Keselowski, 133.575 mph, 33.689 seconds
William Byron, 133.531 mph, 33.700 seconds
Erik Jones, 133.480 mph, 33.713 seconds
Cole Custer, 133.432 mph, 33.725 seconds
Austin Hill, 133.262 mph, 33.768 seconds
John Hunter Nemechek, 133.097 mph, 33.810 seconds
Michael McDowell, 132.830 mph, 33.878 seconds
Cody Ware, 132.642 mph, 33.926 seconds
Noah Gragson, 132.610 mph, 33.934 seconds
Ty Dillon, 132.575 mph, 33.943 seconds
Riley Herbst, 132.112 mph, 34.062 seconds
Todd Gilliland, 132.100 mph, 34.065 seconds
Shane van Gisbergen, 131.633 mph, 34.186 seconds
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 131.521 mph, 34.215 seconds
*Bold indicates Chase Drivers
The 2026 Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway is scheduled to occur on Sunday, September 13, at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN Radio, SiriusXM, and HBO MAX.
Carson Kvapil notched the second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series pole position of his career and in recent weeks for this year’s Nu Way 225 at World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway) in Madison, Illinois, on Saturday, September 12.
The event’s starting lineup was determined through an on-track qualifying session that consisted of a single-car, single-lap qualifying format. During the session, each of the 36 competitors vying for 36 starting spots cycled around Gateway once to post the fastest lap amongst one another. The competitor who posted the fastest lap was awarded the pole position.
During the session, Kvapil, who was the fifth-fastest competitor in practice earlier on Saturday, utilized his one-lap session to post a lap at 133.825 mph in 33.626 seconds. The lap was enough for the 23-year-old native of Mooresville, North Carolina, to achieve his second consecutive O’Reilly pole in recent weeks. Kvapil, who is currently ranked in third place in the 2026 Chase standings, trails points leader and JR Motorsports’ teammate Justin Allgaier by 19 points as he continues his pursuit of his first championship over the final eight Chase events of the 2026 campaign.
Kvapil will share the front row with Jesse Love, the reigning O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion. Love posted the second-fastest lap of the session at 133.412 mph in 33.730 seconds. Sheldon Creed, winner of last weekend’s Chase opener at Darlington Raceway, qualified in third place with a lap of 133.381 mph in 33.738 seconds. Corey Day, who is coming off an extended contract announcement with Hendrick Motorsports, qualified in fourth place with an exact lap of Creed’s.
Justin Allgaier, the 2024 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion and current Chase leader, will start in fifth place while Austin Hill, Harrison Burton, William Sawalich, Rajah Caruth, and Brent Crews will start in the top 10, respectively. Burton and Sawalich are the highest-two non-Chase competitors starting towards the front for Saturday night’s event at Gateway.
Notably, Taylor Gray, who was the fastest in practice, will start in 11th place. The remaining Chasers that include Sammy Smith, Brandon Jones, Sam Mayer and Parker Retzlaff will start 12th, 15th, 18th and 19th, respectively.
With 36 competitors vying for 36 starting spots, all made the main event.
Gateway – Qualifying Position, Best Speed, Best Time:
Carson Kvapil, 133.825 mph, 33.626 seconds
Jesse Love, 133.412 mph, 33.730 seconds
Sheldon Creed, 133.381 mph, 33.738 seconds
Corey Day, 133.381 mph, 33.738 seconds
Justin Allgaier, 133.183 mph, 33.788 seconds
Austin Hill, 133.128 mph, 33.802 seconds
Harrison Burton, 133.116 mph, 33.805 seconds
William Sawalich, 133.089 mph, 33.812 seconds
Rajah Caruth, 132.951 mph, 33.847 seconds
Brent Crews, 132.924 ph, 33.854 seconds
Taylor Gray, 132.786 mph, 33.889 seconds
Sammy Smith, 132.759 mph, 33.896 seconds
Anthony Alfredo, 132.626 mph, 33.930 seconds
Nick Sanchez, 132.482 mph, 33.967 seconds
Brandon Jones, 132.221 mph, 34.034 seconds
Kyle Sieg, 132.170 mph, 34.047 seconds
Dean Thompson, 131.922 mph, 34.111 seconds
Sam Mayer, 131.915 mph, 34.113 seconds
Parker Retzlaff, 131.880 mph, 34.122 seconds
Jeb Burton, 131.579 mph, 34.200 seconds
Patrick Staropoli, 131.395 mph, 34.248 seconds
Brennan Poole, 131.207 mph, 34.297 seconds
Jeremy Clements, 130.875 mph, 34.384 seconds
Blaine Perkins, 130.818 mph, 34.399 seconds
Myatt Snider, 130.503 mph, 34.482 seconds
Josh Bilicki, 130.344 mph, 34.524 seconds
Lavar Scott, 130.167 mph, 34.571 seconds
Ryan Sieg, 129.960 mph, 34.626 seconds
Brad Perez, 129.676 mph, 34.702 seconds
Josh Williams, 129.560 mph, 34.733 seconds
Jordan Anderson, 129.522 mph, 34.743 seconds
Mason Maggio, 129.463 mph, 34.759 seconds
Ryan Ellis, 129.429 mph, 34.768 seconds
Joey Gase, 128.656 mph, 34.977 seconds
Austin J. Hill, 127.555 mph, 35.279 seconds
Dawson Cram, 0.000 mph, 0.000 seconds
*Bold indicates Chase Drivers
The 2026 Nu Way 225 at World Wide Technology Raceway is scheduled to occur on Saturday, September 12, at 7:30 p.m. ET on the CW Network, MRN Radio and SiriusXM.
NASCAR Cup Series World Wide Technology Raceway Team Chevy Driver Quotes September 12, 2026
Daniel Suarez, driver of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying session at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Media Availability Quotes:
After the race last week, you told me about the sense of frustration, maybe from an execution standpoint. Now that you’ve had time to sit back and look at it, what is it that you felt like you were missing?
“I mean, obviously we didn’t have practice, right? We didn’t have qualifying. We did our normal work during the week; simulator a couple times a week, and for some reason, we missed something in the process. Obviously, you know, we started the race up front. I mean, we’re leading lap one, and we didn’t have the balance or the speed to fire up. And obviously without practice, it was a little bit more difficult to get it right. But that’s not an excuse. There were other teams that hit it a little bit better than us. So there was a little bit of frustration there, that for some reason, we missed it a little bit.
And also, we had a lot of issues with radios. We had issues with brakes. We had issues with the engine. And when you’re having all these kind of situations and you can’t communicate; it’s already hard enough for me, you know, with my broken English, so when the radio is not working very good, it doesn’t make it any more fun. So there were just some execution issues because of lack of communication from the radios. And then just to put the cherry on top of the cake, the last pit stop. My guys did an amazing job all night, and the very last one was a 30-second pit stop or something like that. It wasn’t good. We just didn’t execute well enough. It wasn’t a Chase performance, in my mind, so we just need to do better. That’s it. You know, we learn from a few mistakes, and we are ready to give it another shot.”
To that point, you’ve driven for a lot of organizations that are, I would argue, more buttoned up, certainly, than the Jeff Dickerson model, whether it’s Coach (Joe Gibbs) or Justin (Marks). How different is the culture and atmosphere, for good, bad or indifferent, racing for Jeff compared to other places you’ve been?
“Yeah, you know, Jeff (Dickerson), he’s a racer. You know, he loves racing. He’s always talking about dirt racing, midgets, trucks or the O’Reilly’s Series. He’s a racer. He’s a racer that happens to be an owner. So he’s just very driven, you know? He’s very, very driven. It’s a little bit different, you know, the dynamic. But he’s very passionate. He’s very loyal to his people. He has his way of doing things, and I respect that. And obviously, you know, he has made this organization successful to this point.
Obviously, we still have a long ways to go. We have to continue to grow, and that’s what we’re aiming for. This is the conversation that I have had with some people, is that everything that has been happening is just a distraction, you know? Like, right now, I should be answering questions about how we’re going to be faster, how we’re going to beat the Toyota’s, how we’re going to beat the Penske cars. And here we are talking about these two guys, you know, messing each other up. It’s part of it. To me, it’s just a distraction that shouldn’t be happening.”
Daniel, a stat came out this week that you are the top average finisher for Chevrolet at 14.69. What does that mean to you in your first year with this team, when you’re going against drivers such as Hendrick Motorsports and all that, who also have the Bowtie banner?
“Not too bad for a guy that didn’t have a ride last year. I guess I just remember how to drive now (laughs).
But no, it’s good. I mean, obviously the team has been doing a good job. I’m very, very proud of all the men and women that Spire Motorsports for the way that we have executed things. We haven’t had the fastest cars, you know, every single week, but we have had good speed; good enough to win a race and good enough to be on the front row several times. But we keep pushing. We keep pushing to get better and better. Having an average of 14.69, that’s not the goal. To be able to win the championship, it’s going to have to be better than that. So that’s what we’re aiming for, and that’s where my mind is at. You know, how can we make this organization better? Are we good? Yes, we are good. But good, to me, is not good enough. You know, we want to be better. And for that, we have to button up a few things. We have to have everyone pulling the train in the same direction, which I believe that we are, with a few distractions here and there, obviously. But I believe that we are pulling in the same direction.”
Now that we’re in the Chase, does the anxiety and stress diminish for you now that elimination rounds have been eliminated?
“You know, that’s a great question. I think it does a little bit, just because you’re not thinking about short-term results. You’re thinking about 10 weeks, you know? The champion is going to be determined by who can do the best job – not here, not next week, not last week – but the best average running and finish in the next 10 weeks. So, yeah, I feel like it relaxes a little bit of things. But, with that being said, once we get to, I would say halfway, the urgency is going to start picking up for several teams. So, we just have to be smart. In my mind, we have to just control what we can control, execute to the best of our abilities and try to maximize our potential. You know, that’s the main goal. It’s not a secret that the Toyota’s are very fast right now, and we’re working very hard to try to catch them. But we also know that that’s not going to happen overnight, just by clicking on something. We have to work together. We have to get better. We have to improve our simulation, our processes and everything that we’re doing. We have work to do, but we’re up for the challenge.”
Looking at your execution this week, leaving Darlington, you’re over a race for the points behind the points leader. Do you all have a certain set number of points that you all are trying to chase leaving this weekend to feel like you all have a shot moving forward?
“The thing is that — man, we can talk about points a lot. We can talk about what we need to do points-wise. And that’s good. I’m okay with that. But at the end of the day, you have to control what you can control, and I can only control one car out there. You know, I cannot control the 11, I cannot control the 12, whoever is up front. I can only control one car, and my job is to maximize the potential of the 7 car. And if that means finishing fifth, that’s fine. And if that means finishing first, that’s amazing. But my job is that. So I have to continue to focus on what I can control and try to let the points take care of themselves, you know, because at the end of the day, the points is a consequence, the way I see it. The points are a consequence of the results that you have on the track. And if we do our job on the track, execute and have the speed, the points are going to take care of themselves. Hopefully that’s good enough for us to have a shot by the end of October, beginning of November.”
About General Motors
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future.
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TOYOTA RACING – Denny Hamlin NASCAR Cup Series Quotes
MADISON, Ill. (September 12, 2026) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin was made available to the media on Saturday prior to the NASCAR Cup Series race from World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 King’s Hawaiian Cinnamon Rolls Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
How important is it to continue your season-long consistency as you battle for a championship?
“I mean, you got to stay on the track. It certainly helps your cause like last week when you’ve got issues, if you can keep it on the track, keep it on the lead lap. It gives you an opportunity to kind of make up for those tough days if things break your way towards the end. So, it definitely was a crucial part of where we ended up in the regular season.”
You have experience going through the 10-race Chase. Does that matter?
“No, it doesn’t really matter. This sport is week to week and every week it’s just a new reset. So, there’s not a whole lot numbers wise that correlate to what happened last week or what happened 10 years ago, correlates today. I think that it’s good for veteran patience, but that’s about it.”
Do we need to look at the metric or go back to the random draw?
“The random stuff, no. Absolutely not. I mean, could you imagine going to the finale and two guys battling for a championship, one draws pill one, like that’s horrible. Random? Absolutely not. You got to earn your way. If you want to do 50-50, that’s fine, because we’re 20 some races in. If you’re buried in the point, it’s not because the metric did it. It’s because you didn’t perform well.”
If it rains, how should you set it?
“If it rains, it’s difficult because, last week, kicked off the Chase, and it also was after a speedway, and we all know speedways can get very random, right? Yeah, I don’t know. We don’t want to make it too complicated for the fans that at this racetrack, you set your metric one way, another way, you do it, I don’t know, if you just do 50% or more of where you are in the standings, then I think that that kind of will fix itself in the long run.”
Do you think your race should reflect the complete race and stage points should continue?
“I mean, come on, man. Now we’re arguing something different, like, just stop complaining for one week. That’s what it was built around. We worked with NASCAR on this for quite a while and we came up with the stages, then we came up with, how are we going to reward it? And the reason we did it that way is because it just didn’t seem right for someone to dominate the day, blow an engine with 20 to go, and it was like they were never there, right? So, the reason that they gave points, the way they did, and reward them at the, at the amount that they did at certain points of the race is to give the reward to the greatness of someone that goes and runs the table. That’s what’s going to be great about this format is that even with four or five races out and someone’s 100 points out, it just takes a couple of runnings of the table and you’re there. I think that it’s going to make it far more compelling, and it’s also going to reward those that perform great for an extended period of time. I think that the amount that the stages are rewarded are fair to the total amount that you get for the end of the race.”
Jeff Dickerson responded to your comments this week. How would you respond to his thoughts? Was it fair?
“I think it was somewhat fair in all. I don’t really have a lot more to answer that, but it was somewhat fair.”
How important are wins in the Chase?
“I don’t know. You don’t know whether you have to win until you have to win. I mean, you just really don’t know, we don’t know the implications of last week. We won’t know them until the after Homestead, right? We don’t know, and we’re kind of looking in the short term, and it’s a big gasp of air, like, oh my gosh, we just lost half our lead, but it’s seven days later, we’re going to try to get more points, right? So, it’s very week to week and I think that any things that happen in each one of these 10 weeks, we will not know the implications till it’s all said and done. You just got to play it week by week and get all the points you can every week. I feel like given the circumstances of last week for us, we maximized as good as we could, the damage that had, but someone’s going to win this week. That person’s going to gain a lot of points, and we’ll be talking about them as part of the championship picture if it’s not me. We always live in the now, but this is all part of the bigger picture.”
What can you improve at this track despite your consistent success here?
“Yeah, I can’t rely on the results alone. I think that when I dug into this racetrack this week, I think that while we won, we finished second, a few other years. I don’t know that we were that car on pace, right? I think we did a really good job executing. I had some fortunate breaks. I had some good restarts, and then you end up winning the race, and so I don’t think that we had that, we had race winning pace when it mattered, but I don’t think we’ve been as good as the results have shown. So, there was a lot to dig into this week and try to get better at and we’ll try to start that today and go practice.”
What are you going to be looking for in this practice session?
“I would think the first part is whether we guessed right on with the aero package changes for this racetrack. It you look at kind of where we struggled this year, it’s been, when we went to this package, at a track for the first time. Bristol, we were not that great, and quite a few others. I can name a few others where it was, we just missed it. Darlington certainly, in the first race, we missed it. So hopefully we’ve learned from that and we’ll tell pretty early in practice whether our guess on the setup is the correct direction for what this racetrack needs. Hopefully we’re in the ballpark to where we can tweak once we get here, right? I mean, there are certain parts and pieces of the car that you can’t change, and we tried to do our best to make sure that we were pretty versatile when we got here.”
Has there been any talks about the superspeedway package after Daytona?
“No, I mean, I’m always in contact with them about different subjects and whatnot. I think you let them kind of guide where that goes. I’ve given my input on it, and I certainly think that they’ll let you guys know sooner than later on what’s the come for Talladega. I would I would certainly think that they were not displeased with what they saw, and there’s certainly things that they thought that they could see that could be a little bit better.”
When you see the Brad Keselowski and Carson Hocevar posters? Is that amusing to you?
“Sure. As long as it’s not you, it’s always amusing (laughter). I mean, it’s promoters jobs are to promote, and they do what they see fit for that.”
Does the anxiety or stress diminish now that the rounds have been eliminated?
“Yeah, I would say so. Certainly, when you’re on the cusp of being around that cut line, in a cutoff race, yeah, those weeks are definitely stressful, but I’ll be honest with you, every week so far, and we’ve only two weeks into this, but yeah, every week I’m treating it like, it’s the last race, so, I mean, yeah, I think it’s more 10 weeks of the anxiety versus the only three times, and then you got your finale. I think that the intensity and the anxiety for 16 guys is here every week for this format.”
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