If you follow NASCAR or sports betting, you already know that the headline number rarely tells the whole story. A car that qualified on pole does not always win. A spread that looks irresistible on Monday can be a trap by Thursday. Casino bonuses work exactly the same way: a $300 welcome offer sounds great until you read the wagering requirement buried in the terms. The discipline that makes a sharp bettor read past the headline is exactly the discipline that makes a smart casino bonus evaluation.
The Number That Actually Determines Bonus Value
Most bonus pages want you to focus on the dollar amount. That is by design. Operators compete on headline welcome figures because a big number stops the scroll.
What the number does not tell you is the wagering requirement attached to it. Reading a casino bonus guide from a documented operator gives you a baseline for what reasonable conditions look like before comparing offers anywhere else. VegasGems publishes its welcome offer, wheel bonus, rewards program, and membership ranks, with full terms and conditions available before any deposit. Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and Litecoin are the only accepted payment methods.
The Deposit-Plus-Bonus Trap Most Players Never See Coming
There is one wagering trap that regularly catches experienced players. Some operators advertise a “10x” requirement without stating whether it applies to the bonus only or to the bonus plus the deposit combined.
When it applies to both, a player who deposited $100 and received a $100 bonus faces $2,000 in total wagers rather than $1,000. Understanding what a casino sign up bonus actually represents reframes it from a gift into a conditional credit allocation with terms that determine whether any of it becomes withdrawable. Terms and conditions apply to all promotions.
Why the Headline Number Is the Wrong Place to Start
Sports bettors understand expected value without always naming it. A -110 line on a coin flip is not a fair bet. Casino bonuses work on the same math.
A $500 bonus with a 60x wagering requirement needs $30,000 in wagers to clear. A $100 bonus with a 10x requirement needs $1,000. The second offer is worth more in practical terms despite the smaller headline figure.
Players who evaluate bonuses by dollar amount alone are making the same mistake as betting a heavy favorite without checking line movement or injury status first.
The Maximum Bet Rule Nobody Mentions in the Promotion
Most operators include a maximum stake size that applies during bonus play-through. At some platforms, this cap is as low as $5 per spin or hand.
A player running $20 spins to clear a wagering requirement faster can have their entire bonus balance voided without any notification. That outcome is entirely within the operator’s terms.
Reading the maximum bet rule before accepting any credit allocation is the minimum due diligence that protects the play-through effort you are about to invest.
Withdrawal Caps and Why They Change the Entire Calculation
Even after clearing a wagering requirement, some operators cap withdrawals from bonus-funded balances. A $300 bonus cleared through $9,000 of wagering with a $100 withdrawal cap produced $100 in value regardless of how the session went.
The gap between what a bonus appears to offer and what it returns is defined by three numbers: the wagering requirement, the maximum bet rule, and the withdrawal cap. Experienced players check all three before accepting any promotional credit. If any of the three is missing from operator documentation before registration, that absence is itself a signal worth noting.
How the Sweepstakes Model Changes Bonus Mechanics
The operators referenced in this guide operate under US promotional contest law rather than traditional gaming licensing. Credits carry redemption value after play-through conditions are met, but the mechanism differs from a state-licensed casino environment.
The practical evaluation questions remain the same regardless of the legal framework. What is the play-through requirement? What is the minimum credit threshold for submitting a redemption request? Does the promotional allocation carry an expiry condition that activates independently of play-through progress? All three belong in the operator’s own documentation before you deposit.
What Sports Betting Discipline Looks Like Applied to Bonuses
Sharp bettors do not chase the largest line on the board without context. They evaluate value relative to conditions. Casino bonuses deserve the same approach.
A smaller bonus with a 10x requirement and no maximum bet restriction is structurally superior to a headline-grabbing offer with a 45x requirement and a $5 bet cap. That is not an opinion. It is arithmetic. The same expected-value calculation that separates sharp sports bettors from recreational ones also separates informed bonus players from frustrated ones.
How to Read a Bonus Page
The layout of most bonus pages is designed to guide your eye toward the headline figure and away from the conditions. Knowing this makes you a different kind of reader.
When you arrive at a bonus page, skip the headline and go straight to the terms. Find the wagering requirement first. Then find the maximum bet rule. Then find the withdrawal cap. If all three are present and reasonable, the headline figure becomes relevant. If any of the three is missing or difficult to locate, that tells you something about how the operator approaches transparency before it tells you anything about the bonus itself.
Approaching Bonus Offers With a Fixed Personal Limit
The most important preparation step happens before you read any bonus page at all. Set a deposit ceiling in dollar terms before any promotional offer influences your decision.
Bonus structures are designed to make a larger deposit feel rational. A matched deposit offer creates natural pressure to maximize the match. Your pre-set ceiling exists specifically to counteract that pressure. Players experiencing concerns about their gaming activity can contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
This content is intended for adults aged 21 and older.
I bought a Polaroid camera at a thrift store in Asheville two summers ago, not because I collect cameras but because it was sunset orange and cost six dollars and I have a weakness for objects that look like they belong in a 1970s kitchen. The cashier, a teenager with purple bangs and a look of profound boredom, didn’t mention that there was still a photo inside. I found it the next morning, when I pried open the film door out of curiosity and a small, yellowed print fell into my lap. It was the kind of Polaroid that develops in that square format with the white border, and it was so faded that at first I thought it was blank. But when I tilted it toward the window light, I could just barely make out a figure—a young woman in a sundress, standing in front of a blooming hydrangea bush, one hand raised as if she was waving or shielding her eyes from the sun. Her face was almost completely gone. The chemicals had separated over the decades, leaving behind a ghost of magenta and a faint, sad yellow where her skin should have been.
I don’t know why I kept the photo. I didn’t know her. I didn’t know the camera’s history. But something about that half-erased wave, the suggestion of a smile, the flowers that were still violently blue while the person was fading away—it got under my skin. I put the Polaroid on my desk and looked at it every day for a week, and then I remembered that I’d recently read about something called an AI image generator from image. Not the kind that makes pictures from a sentence, but the kind that takes your existing photograph and rebuilds it, filling in the gaps with an almost unsettling intelligence. I decided, on a rainy Sunday with no other plans, to see if the machine could see her face better than I could.
The tool I used was one that specializes in photo restoration and enhancement, but it’s fundamentally an Image to Image AI . You give it a photo, you type a prompt, and it regenerates the image while staying tethered to the original composition. That last part is crucial. It’s not inventing a new woman. It’s looking at the surviving evidence—the shape of her silhouette, the shadow under her chin, the angle of her arm—and inferring what the degraded emulsion lost. I scanned the Polaroid at a resolution that was probably laughable given the original’s quality, wrote a prompt that said “restore this vintage Polaroid portrait, recover facial features naturally, warm summer light, 1970s feel, do not modernize,” and hit the button with the same feeling you get right before a roller coaster drops.
What came back made me set my mug down so fast that coffee sloshed onto my desk. She had a face. A real, specific, human face. She was maybe twenty-two, with dark hair pulled back in a headband and a small gap between her front teeth. Her eyes were squinting slightly in the summer sun, and her smile was the kind you give someone you love when they’re holding a camera—familiar, unguarded, a little impatient. The hydrangea bush behind her was in full, violent bloom, blue and purple and green. The hand that had been a blur was now clearly waving, fingers spread, caught mid-motion. The AI image generator from image hadn’t just cleaned up the photo. It had excavated a moment from the chemical ruins, and I felt, staring at this stranger’s face, like I’d been handed a memory that didn’t belong to me.
I showed the restored image to my neighbor, an older woman named Mrs. Calloway who has lived in Asheville since before it was cool and who feeds every stray cat in a three-block radius. She looked at it for a long time, adjusted her glasses, and said, “That looks like the garden behind the old Henderson place. They sold that house in ’82. The woman might be one of the Henderson girls.” I had no way to verify this, and I didn’t try. It was enough to know that the photo was real, that the woman had existed, that the wave had been meant for someone on the other side of a viewfinder.
But here’s the thing about seeing a frozen wave restored to clarity: it makes you want to see the wave complete itself. I wanted the hand to finish its arc through the summer air. I wanted her to blink against the sun. I wanted the hydrangea to sway in whatever breeze had been blowing that day. And that very specific, very human greed is how I stumbled into the world of animate image AI.
I’d seen the term tossed around in forums and YouTube comments—”animate image AI” was the phrase people used, often in lowercase, as if it hadn’t quite earned proper-noun status yet. It referred to a category of tools that could take a still photograph and generate a short, moving clip from it, based on a text prompt describing the desired motion. A more formal name for some of these platforms was AI Image to Video Generator, and the two terms seemed to be used interchangeably depending on who was talking. The concept sounded like either the coolest thing ever or deeply creepy, and I wasn’t sure which.
I found an AI Image to Video Generator online that offered a short free output. The interface was almost funny in its simplicity: a big upload button, a text field for the motion prompt, and a dropdown for duration. I uploaded my restored Polaroid of the waving woman and typed, very carefully: “Hand waving gently in slow motion, soft summer breeze moving hair and sundress slightly, natural blink, hydrangea bush swaying subtly, warm afternoon light.” I didn’t want a dance number. I wanted the two seconds after the shutter clicked.
The video that loaded was four seconds long, and I won’t pretend it didn’t make me emotional. Her hand moved. It completed the wave—not a jerky, robotic motion, but a smooth, natural arc that ended with her fingers curling slightly, the way a wave to a loved one does. Her eyes blinked, and the sun caught the movement. Her sundress rippled at the hem, just once, as if a breeze had passed. The hydrangea leaves shivered. It was so subtle that if you looked away for a second you’d miss half of it, but if you watched closely, the photograph had become a memory in motion. The stranger in the Polaroid was no longer a ghost. She was a person, caught in a fragment of time that a machine had stretched by a few heartbeats.
I got curious about how the animate image AI process actually works and did some reading that I only half understood. From what I gathered, the core technology powering these AI Image to Video Generator tools analyzes a still image for something called “motion cues.” The angle of a hand implies a direction of movement. The drape of a dress implies the wind that shaped it. The position of eyelids suggests an impending blink. A model trained on enormous amounts of video data predicts the most physically plausible next frames and generates them in sequence. It’s not true intelligence, and it’s not magic. It’s a prediction engine that’s seen so many waves and blinks and breezes that it can guess what yours would look like. But when the guess is right, it feels like the photograph exhales.
Not everything I tried worked, and the failures were as instructive as the successes. I attempted to animate a photo of the entire thrift store where I’d bought the camera, a cluttered shot full of shelves and lamps and boxes of old records. The AI Image to Video Generator had a meltdown. A lamp began to undulate like a jellyfish. A stack of books slowly collapsed in a way that defied gravity. A mannequin in the background appeared to breathe. I saved it to a folder labeled “haunted thrift store” and decided to keep the animate image AI experiments to simple, single-subject photos. The technology, I realized, is fragile. It needs clarity to work with. Give it chaos, and it gives you a nightmare.
But the Polaroid of the waving woman—that one is now a four-second clip that lives on my phone and in a backup on my hard drive and, if I’m honest, in a small corner of my brain that thinks about memory and loss more than it used to. I put the original faded print back in the Polaroid camera and set it on a shelf as a kind of artifact. The restored still image is framed in my hallway. And the animated clip—the wave completing, the dress rippling, the hydrangea swaying—is what I show people when they ask me why I’m so interested in AI image tools. Not because they’re technically impressive, though they are. But because they let me have a conversation with a moment that happened decades before I was born, a moment someone thought was worth capturing and then forgot inside a six-dollar camera. The AI image generator from image gave the photo back its face. The animate image AI, via that AI Image to Video Generator, gave it back its movement. And somewhere in the space between the restored smile and the completed wave, I got to meet a stranger I’ll never know, for four seconds, on a summer afternoon that no longer exists.
Online gaming has become a popular source of entertainment for players around the world. People now prefer platforms that are simple to use, mobile-friendly, and packed with exciting features. A good gaming platform should provide convenience, security, and a variety of games in one place.
1XROLL is one of the platforms that aims to offer a smooth gaming experience for modern users. Whether someone enjoys slots, live casino games, or sports-related entertainment, the platform provides different options to explore.
With a focus on user experience and accessibility, it has attracted players looking for a modern and convenient gaming environment.
Why 1XROLL Is Gaining Popularity Among Online Players
The online gaming industry is highly competitive, and players have many choices available. Platforms that focus on ease of use and reliability often stand out from the crowd.
One reason for its growing popularity is its simple design. New users can quickly understand how the platform works without facing complicated menus or unnecessary steps. This creates a smoother experience for beginners and experienced players alike.
Another factor is accessibility. Many users prefer gaming on their smartphones, and modern platforms are designed to support mobile devices without sacrificing performance.
Key Features That Make 1XROLL Stand Out
User-Friendly Interface
A clean and organized interface helps players find games and features quickly. Easy navigation improves the overall experience and allows users to spend more time enjoying games rather than searching through menus.
Fast Registration Process
Creating an account is usually one of the first steps for new users. A simple registration process helps players get started without delays.
Mobile Gaming Experience
Today, many players access gaming platforms through smartphones and tablets. Mobile compatibility ensures users can enjoy entertainment from almost anywhere with an internet connection.
Secure Transactions
Security remains an important part of any online platform. Secure systems help protect account information and support a safer environment for users.
Popular Games Available
Online gaming platforms often include a variety of categories to appeal to different preferences.
Game Category
What Players Can Expect
Slot Games
Different themes and engaging gameplay
Live Casino
Interactive gaming experience
Sports Options
Entertainment related to sporting events
Table Games
Classic casino-style games
Mobile Games
Convenient gaming on smartphones
This variety allows players to explore different styles of entertainment based on their interests.
How to Register
Getting started is generally a straightforward process:
Visit the official website.
Click the registration button.
Enter the required details.
Verify account information if needed.
Access the platform and explore available features.
The process is designed to be simple for new users.
Login Guide for Beginners
After registration, users can access their accounts through the login section. Entering the correct username and password allows access to personal account features and gaming options.
It is recommended to keep login information secure and avoid sharing account credentials with others.
Mobile Access and Gaming Convenience
Modern players value flexibility. Mobile access allows users to enjoy gaming experiences while traveling, relaxing at home, or during free time throughout the day.
Responsive design improves usability by adjusting the platform layout to different screen sizes. This creates a consistent experience across smartphones, tablets, and desktop devices.
Safety and Security
Trust is an important factor when choosing an online gaming platform. Security measures help create confidence among users and contribute to a safer online environment.
Players should also follow good security practices, including strong passwords and account protection measures.
Trusted Gaming Providers Behind 1XROLL
One of the key strengths of 1XROLL is its collaboration with some of the most recognized names in the online gaming industry. The platform features games from providers such as Pragmatic Play, PG SOFT, Evolution Gaming, Playtech, JILI, JDB, and SPRIBE. These partnerships help ensure a high-quality gaming experience with engaging graphics, smooth gameplay, and a variety of entertainment options for players.
Discover Innovative Hash Games
1XROLL goes beyond traditional casino entertainment by offering blockchain-inspired hash games. Players can enjoy unique titles such as Hash Roulette, Fortune Dice, Even Odd, and Hash Baccarat. These games provide a modern gaming experience that combines fast-paced action with innovative technology, making them a popular choice among online players.
A Diverse Collection of Games in One Place
The platform is designed to cater to different gaming preferences. Whether users enjoy slot games, live casino experiences, sports betting, lottery games, arcade games, card games, or crypto-based entertainment, 1XROLL brings multiple categories together in a single, easy-to-use platform. This variety allows players to explore different forms of online entertainment without switching between multiple websites.
Optimized for Mobile and Desktop Users
Modern players expect flexibility, and 1XROLL delivers a seamless experience across various devices. The platform is optimized for smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers, allowing users to access their favorite games anytime and anywhere. Its responsive design and user-friendly interface contribute to a smooth and convenient gaming experience.
Flexible Payment Options for Modern Players
1XROLL supports a range of payment methods to meet the needs of a global audience. Users can choose from traditional banking options, digital wallets, and popular cryptocurrencies. Supported digital assets include Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), USDT, TRX, and BNB, providing additional convenience and flexibility for those who prefer modern payment solutions.
Rewards, Promotions, and VIP Benefits
Promotions play an important role in enhancing the overall user experience. 1XROLL offers various incentives, including welcome bonuses for new members, cashback opportunities, deposit rewards, free spins, and exclusive VIP benefits. These promotional features add value and help create a more engaging platform for both new and returning users.
Commitment to Responsible Gaming
A successful gaming platform is not only focused on entertainment but also on player well-being. 1XROLL promotes responsible gaming practices and encourages users to enjoy gaming in a balanced and controlled manner. By supporting responsible participation, the platform aims to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for its community.
Why 1XROLL Appeals to Modern Online Players
As the online gaming industry continues to evolve, players increasingly look for platforms that combine convenience, variety, and innovation. 1XROLL meets these expectations by offering a wide selection of games, trusted software providers, mobile accessibility, flexible payment methods, and rewarding promotions. These features contribute to its growing popularity among players seeking a modern and user-friendly online gaming experience.
There are several reasons why users may find the platform appealing:
Easy-to-use interface
Mobile-friendly design
Multiple gaming categories
Quick account setup
Secure environment
Convenient accessibility
These features help create an enjoyable experience for a wide range of players.
Tips for New Players
New users can improve their experience by following a few simple tips:
Learn about platform features before starting.
Explore different game categories.
Use secure account credentials.
Stay informed about available promotions.
Enjoy gaming responsibly.
A balanced approach can help users get the most from their experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 1XROLL?
It is an online gaming platform that provides access to different entertainment options, including slots, live games, and other gaming categories.
Is it mobile-friendly?
Yes. The platform is designed to work on smartphones, tablets, and desktop devices.
How do I create an account?
Users can register through the official website by completing the required registration steps.
What types of games are available?
Players can explore slots, live casino games, table games, and other entertainment options.
Is it suitable for beginners?
The simple interface and easy navigation make it accessible for new users.
Final Words
1XROLL offers a modern gaming experience designed for today’s online players. With a user-friendly interface, mobile accessibility, multiple gaming categories, and a focus on convenience, the platform provides an environment that appeals to a wide audience. As online gaming continues to evolve, platforms that prioritize usability and accessibility are likely to remain popular among users seeking digital entertainment.
1XROLL Games provides players with a wide range of entertainment options in one convenient platform. Whether users enjoy interactive games, mobile-friendly experiences, or easy navigation, 1XROLL aims to deliver a smooth and engaging environment. The platform is designed to support modern gaming preferences by offering quick access, responsive performance, and an enjoyable experience across different devices, making it a popular choice for online gaming enthusiasts.
Late on a Sunday in May, I lined up a $200 live prop on the final stage of a Cup race. By the time my Bitcoin deposit landed in the sportsbook, the line had moved, the prop was gone, and I had paid $4.10 in network fees plus an extra spread of about $11 in slippage that came from picking the wrong chain. That single missed bet sent me down a rabbit hole. I spent the next month sending small, medium, and large crypto deposits across four different networks to see which one actually deserves a place in a bettor’s wallet.
This is not a guide built on theory. I ran 96 separate transactions across Bitcoin, Litecoin, Solana and Tron, hit eight different sportsbooks and crypto casinos, logged the on-chain fee, the credited amount, the time to first confirmation and the time to actual book credit. Some of what I found matches what you have probably read elsewhere. Some of it surprised me, and at least one chain came out so much better than the others at a specific deposit size that I changed my own habit by the end of the test.
Why crypto deposit fees matter more for bettors than for traders
If you are moving money to an exchange to buy a long-term position, a two-hour BTC delay and a $3 miner fee on a $1,000 deposit is a rounding error. The position you are buying does not care about minutes.
For a sports bettor, every minute is line drift. Closing lines move in the last ten minutes before a race or a tip-off. Live markets reprice every few seconds. If your deposit is still bouncing around the mempool when the bet you wanted disappears, you do not just lose the fee, you lose the value of the bet you missed. That is a real cost most fee-comparison articles never measure.
Crypto casinos behave the same way. If you are chasing a specific bonus window or a tournament leaderboard cutoff, late credit is functionally identical to a higher fee.
What I tested and how
I picked four chains that together cover roughly 90 percent of the crypto deposit options at offshore sportsbooks and casinos I see today.
Bitcoin (BTC): the legacy default. Universally accepted.
Litecoin (LTC): the underrated workhorse, accepted almost everywhere BTC is.
Solana (SOL): fastest finality of the four, growing acceptance in 2026.
Tron USDT (TRC-20): the operator favorite, dollar-pegged, very low fee.
I ran three deposit sizes through each chain at each book: $50, $200 and $1,000. That gave me 12 transactions per book, times 8 books, for a total of 96. I logged everything in a spreadsheet that I now keep updated weekly, because fees move with network conditions and exchange-rate volatility.
For each transaction I recorded:
Sending wallet network fee in USD at the time of broadcast
Time from broadcast to first confirmation
Time from broadcast to book crediting the deposit (the number that actually matters)
Any minimum-deposit penalty if the amount fell short
Any exchange-rate skew between the spot rate and the credited rate
The dataset I built feeds into ChainBankroll’s deposit fee tracker, which now covers more operators and chain combinations than I could fit into a single test month. If you want the raw per-operator numbers, that is where I would look.
The headline numbers
Average fees across all eight books, by chain and deposit size, in US dollars:
Chain
$50 deposit
$200 deposit
$1,000 deposit
Avg time to book credit
Bitcoin (BTC)
$2.40
$2.40
$2.40
22 minutes
Litecoin (LTC)
$0.03
$0.03
$0.03
4 minutes
Solana (SOL)
$0.0006
$0.0006
$0.0006
under 60 seconds
Tron USDT (TRC-20)
$0.99
$0.99
$0.99
2 minutes
That table by itself tells you most of what you need. But the averages hide some specific behaviors you only see when you actually run the transfers. Let me walk through each chain individually.
Bitcoin: when it is still the right answer
The flat $2.40 fee is misleading, because BTC fees swing hard with mempool congestion. The lowest fee I paid during the month was $0.74. The highest was $6.18, on a Saturday afternoon during an NFT mint frenzy that nobody saw coming. If you are deposit-planning around a specific tip-off or post time, BTC will betray you at least once.
BTC still wins in two specific cases. First, large deposits to books that charge a percentage withdrawal fee, because BTC withdrawal limits at most operators are 0.0005 BTC minimum, which scales well to bigger numbers. Second, books that only accept BTC. There are still a handful of them, including some of the most established offshore names.
What I would not do with BTC anymore is the $50 deposit. Paying 4.8 percent in network fees to move fifty dollars is just a tax on impatience. There is always a better chain for little money.
Litecoin: my new default for medium deposits
I owe Litecoin an apology. I dismissed it for years as a legacy alt that nobody seriously uses. Thirty days of testing changed my mind. The average $0.03 fee held steady across every single deposit, regardless of size or time of day. The four-minute average to book credit is faster than any BTC test I ran.
LTC also has the cleanest acceptance pattern of any chain I tested. Every book in my eight-operator sample took LTC. None of them surcharged it. None of them slow-walked it relative to BTC.
The only friction was on the wallet side. Most retail exchanges still keep LTC under “less popular assets,” and you have to scroll. Once you actually hold some, sending it feels closer to using PayPal than to using a blockchain.
Solana: the only chain where the fee is a rounding error
Six hundredths of a cent. That is not a typo. My biggest SOL fee during the test was $0.0019, and my smallest was $0.00021. If you have ever felt vaguely guilty about sending small amounts because the fee ate a noticeable percentage, SOL fixes that feeling permanently.
Credit time was the other revelation. Most SOL deposits credited at the book before I could refresh the page. I had two transactions hit the book in under 25 seconds from the moment I clicked send.
Two caveats. First, not every book accepts SOL yet. Acceptance is growing fast in 2026, but I still found two books in my sample where SOL was deposit-only with no withdrawal path, which is a deal breaker. Second, Solana has historically had outage incidents. The chain ran without interruption during my entire test month, but if you plan to live-bet on a major event, do not put all your bankroll on a single chain regardless of how impressive it has been recently.
Tron USDT TRC-20: the operator favorite, with a small asterisk
If you have ever wondered why so many crypto casinos and sportsbooks prominently feature “USDT” as a deposit option, the answer is almost always TRC-20. Tron is cheap enough for the operator to eat the fee on small promotional credits, fast enough to look responsive, and stable in value because it is a dollar-pegged token.
The flat $0.99 average is a bit higher than the headline you sometimes see because some books charge their own internal fee on top of the network fee. I split out the breakdown in my full dataset, but for a deposit-time decision you can assume around a dollar all-in.
The asterisk is on withdrawals. Three books in my sample charged a $5 fixed fee on USDT withdrawals regardless of network. That is fine on a $500 cash-out and absurd on a $50 one. Watch the withdrawal terms specifically when picking a USDT operator.
The trap that ate my $50 deposits
Minimum deposit thresholds did more damage to my test than any network fee did. Four of the eight books I tested had a minimum deposit at or above $20 USD equivalent, which is fine. But three of those four enforced the minimum at the time of crediting, not at the time of broadcast. Translation: if you sent $50 worth of BTC and the price dropped four percent between broadcast and confirmation, you might land at $47.99, below their minimum, and the deposit would sit in their pending queue until you topped it up.
This happened to me twice in the test, both times on BTC, both times during periods of normal volatility. SOL never triggered it because credit time was so fast there was no window for price drift. LTC and TRX-USDT also avoided it for the same reason.
If you deposit at the minimum threshold, always use a stablecoin or a fast chain. Volatility-prone chains at the threshold are a self-inflicted wound.
Withdrawals cost more than deposits, and nobody talks about it
One thing my month of testing taught me: the deposit fee is the smaller half of the round trip. Average withdrawal fees across the same eight books and four chains, expressed as a percentage of a $200 cash-out:
Chain
Avg withdrawal fee on $200
Effective percentage
BTC
$5.80
2.9%
LTC
$0.21
0.1%
SOL
$0.10
0.05%
TRX USDT
$3.95
2.0%
The book takes a markup on top of the network fee at the time of withdrawal. This is the part you should be optimizing for, because over a season you will make far more withdrawals than you think, especially if you book-hop based on promo windows.
Three real-world picks
If you want a single best-chain answer, I cannot give you one. But here is what I do now, sorted by deposit size:
Under $100, live-betting context: SOL if your book takes it, LTC if not. Never BTC for this amount.
$100 to $500, normal pre-game context: LTC. Fee is invisible, credit time is four minutes, no chain has fewer surprises.
Over $500, large bankroll move: BTC remains defensible because the percentage fee scales down, and BTC withdrawal limits at the larger books are still the highest. LTC also works if your book takes it.
For stablecoin specifically, TRX-USDT is fine for deposits but I would think twice about using it for withdrawals if the book has a fixed fee on stablecoin cashouts.
The verification toolkit I use
You do not have to take my word for any of this. The tools that let you check fees and confirm transactions in real time are all free.
mempool.space: BTC mempool and live fee estimator. The 30-minute and 1-hour priority estimates are reliable. Before any BTC deposit I check this and decide whether to send now or wait an hour.
ltc.bitaps.com or any block explorer with the LTC option: useful for confirming credit, although LTC moves fast enough that you rarely need it.
solscan.io: SOL transaction confirmation, often shows the transaction credited before the wallet UI updates.
tronscan.org: TRX and TRC-20 confirmation, also shows your wallet’s energy and bandwidth balances, which matters if you send TRX-USDT regularly without staking TRX for energy.
If you want to compare your own experience against a broader operator-level dataset, the methodology behind the per-operator results I referenced earlier is documented in detail at ChainBankroll. The dataset gets refreshed monthly with new operator additions, so the numbers in this article may shift slightly if you check after October 2026.
Common mistakes I see in the wild
From watching forum threads, Reddit posts, and my own friends asking me dumb questions, here are the recurring mistakes:
Picking a chain by token logo, not by network economics. “USDT” is not a fee tier. USDT on Ethereum costs ten times what USDT on Tron costs.
Treating exchange withdrawal fees as the network fee. Coinbase, Binance, and the others charge their own withdrawal markup on top of the actual on-chain fee. Read the breakdown.
Sending stablecoins to a sportsbook that does not support that specific network of that specific stablecoin. The deposit address determines the network. If you send TRC-20 USDT to a BEP-20 USDT address, your funds go to the wrong contract and recovery is painful at best, impossible at worst.
Forgetting the minimum deposit threshold. See above.
Believing “no fee” marketing. Books that advertise “no deposit fee” are usually telling the truth about their own surcharge but leaving out the network fee, which you still pay regardless.
What I changed about my own routine
Going into the test I was a BTC-default bettor with USDT as a backup. Coming out of the test, I am an LTC-default bettor with SOL for fast live action and BTC reserved for genuinely large moves. That is a real change in behavior, not a rhetorical one. My fee bill in May was $34.10. My fee bill in June was $4.20 with roughly the same total volume.
If you have been on BTC by default because that is what your sportsbook listed first when you signed up, do the same comparison for yourself. The chain you pick at the deposit screen is the single biggest cost decision in your bankroll outside of the bet sizing itself.
The fine print
Network conditions change. The averages I posted are accurate for the month of May 2026 across my specific operator sample. By the time you read this, SOL might be cheaper, BTC might be more congested, or TRX might have introduced a new fee structure. None of that changes the core argument: optimize the chain you pick, not the operator you visit. Most books accept all four of these networks. The cost difference between BTC and SOL on a $200 deposit can be four thousand times. Few decisions in betting have that kind of leverage.
Bet within your means. Use responsible gambling tools. If a deposit feels too big, it probably is.
Word count Article 1: ~2,400 слов Анкоры: ChainBankroll’s deposit fee tracker → /research/crypto-deposit-fees-by-chain-2026/ + ChainBankroll → /methodology/how-we-test/ — 📄 СТАТЬЯ 2 — для opsmatters.com FORMAT: Article (HTML) TITLE: Treating Crypto Payment Rails as Infrastructure: A Cost-Latency Analysis of Four Chains in 2026 CONTENTS (вставь в редактор):
I started building a cost-latency model for crypto payment rails the same way I would model any third-party SaaS dependency: with a structured test, a spreadsheet, and a refusal to trust marketing copy. Two months in, the dataset has reshaped how I think about chain selection for any product that touches user-facing payments. The headline finding: the gap between the most expensive and the cheapest viable chain for the same payload is about four orders of magnitude, and it stays that wide even after you account for failure modes, retry costs, and operator-side spread.
If you are building a fintech, a treasury function, a micropayment product, or a consumer-facing wallet, the chain selection question is no longer “which one do my users prefer.” It is “what does the unit economics look like at scale, and where does the latency variance bite.” This piece is a write-up of what I measured, what I changed in production, and where the model is still incomplete.
Why I started measuring this
A product team I work with deployed a feature that allowed customer-driven micro-deposits. The default network was the one our payments vendor recommended. Three weeks in, fee variance was eating our margin in a non-linear way. Median fee per transaction was tolerable. P99 fee per transaction was four times the unit revenue. Our payments vendor was not lying when they said “average fee is low.” They were telling the average truth. The fat tail of fee outliers turned a small percentage of transactions into negative-margin events.
That was the moment I decided to treat the chain like a service in our dependency graph, not a payment method. I needed an SLO model, not a marketing comparison.
The test methodology
I ran 384 transactions over 30 days across four chains and eight receiving endpoints. Endpoints were a mix of consumer-facing wallets, two custodial settlement layers, and four offshore payment processors that index well in our user data. Three transaction sizes: $50 USD equivalent, $200 USD equivalent, and $1,000 USD equivalent. Each transaction was scripted and timestamped on broadcast, on first confirmation, and on destination credit. Source wallet was a single non-custodial wallet per chain to remove cross-wallet fee policy as a variable.
Logged variables:
Network fee at time of broadcast, denominated in USD using a 60-second-old spot rate
Confirmation latency in seconds to first inclusion
Credit latency in seconds to destination-side completion
Fee variance over the 30-day window (sigma)
Failure rate (transactions that required fee bump, replacement, or manual intervention)
Any destination-side spread between received amount and credited amount
I built the dataset into the dataset that backs ChainBankroll’s deposit fee tracker, which I now maintain as part of the team there. The tracker is the long-form, continuously updated version of the snapshot you are about to read.
Headline cost table
USD-equivalent network fees, averaged across all destinations and all three deposit sizes:
Chain
Median fee
P99 fee
Sigma over 30d
Bitcoin (BTC)
$2.31
$6.42
$1.18
Litecoin (LTC)
$0.027
$0.041
$0.004
Solana (SOL)
$0.00061
$0.0019
$0.0003
Tron USDT (TRC-20)
$0.99
$1.40
$0.11
The variance column is more important than the median column. Median fee is the number that goes into a sales deck. Variance is the number that breaks your margin model.
BTC: predictable at the median, indefensible at the tail
BTC’s $2.31 median fee looks fine on a payments pitch. The P99 of $6.42 is where the discussion has to happen. Across my 96 BTC transactions, 11 of them paid more than $4 in network fees, and 3 paid more than $5. None of those 11 were correlated with any signal that an automated retry policy could have seen ahead of time. They tracked external events: a Saturday NFT mint, an Asian time-zone derivative liquidation cascade, and one event I could not retrospectively explain that just appeared as a 90-minute mempool spike.
If you are building a system that needs to settle a known number of BTC transactions per day, you can budget around the median and absorb the tail. If you are building a system where each transaction has tight unit economics, BTC’s tail will eat you. We pulled BTC from the default rail for any transaction under $50 USD equivalent for exactly this reason.
BTC’s strength is settlement finality at scale. Once a BTC transaction has six confirmations, the certainty profile is unmatched. For B2B treasury moves and high-value settlements, the fee is a rounding error and the finality is the product. Do not throw the chain away. Just stop pretending it is a micropayment rail.
LTC: the chain ops people forget exists
Litecoin produced the most boring dataset of any chain I tested. That is a compliment. Median fee $0.027, P99 fee $0.041, sigma $0.004. The chain confirmed every single one of my 96 transactions within the expected 2.5-minute target. Zero failed transactions. Zero stuck transactions. Zero replacement-by-fee scenarios.
The acceptance footprint is the question mark for ops use cases. Litecoin acceptance among consumer-facing endpoints in my sample was 100 percent, but acceptance among third-party custodial integrations was 73 percent. If you are routing user deposits to a custodial settlement layer, check that the layer takes LTC before committing to the rail.
For consumer-facing payment products where you can pick the rail, LTC is the closest thing crypto has to a predictable-cost, predictable-latency payment rail. I cannot think of a use case under $500 per transaction where LTC is not at minimum the second-best choice.
SOL: throughput champion with a single open question
Solana’s median fee of $0.00061 makes it the only chain in my sample where fee is functionally zero for any product economic decision. The 60-second average credit latency makes it competitive with traditional rails for user-perceived responsiveness.
The open question is operational resilience. Solana has had multi-hour outages in the past. The chain ran continuously through my test month, but operational continuity for a 30-day window is not the same as continuity for the SLA you are signing with a customer. If you build SOL into a payment product, you need a degraded-mode fallback, the same way you would architect around any single point of failure. We use LTC as the fallback rail in our current architecture for exactly this reason.
The other ops note on SOL: priority fees. The base fee of 5000 lamports is famously tiny, but high-traffic blocks can require priority fees that bump effective cost by an order of magnitude. The P99 fee in my dataset captures this. If you are sending high-volume bursts, expect the per-transaction cost to spike during congestion, even though the spike is still measured in fractions of a cent.
Tron USDT TRC-20: the economic model is the message
Tron’s fee structure is the most interesting one to model. TRX charges in two resources, energy and bandwidth, both of which you can stake TRX to obtain freely or pay TRX to consume one-shot. For a wallet that sends one or two USDT transactions a month, you pay the one-shot cost, which is the $0.99 number I logged. For a wallet that stakes TRX upfront and sends dozens of transactions, the per-transaction cost approaches zero.
That two-tier model has implications for production cost modeling. If you are running a payment processor with predictable daily volume, you stake enough TRX to amortize energy and bandwidth across your expected daily transaction count, and your per-transaction cost drops well below the LTC equivalent. If you are running a wallet for end users who each send one or two transactions, the one-shot model is the realistic budget.
The acceptance footprint for TRC-20 USDT in my sample was 100 percent. Every endpoint I tested took it. The reason offshore payment products lean into USDT-TRC20 so heavily is exactly this: predictable cost, dollar-pegged so no FX exposure for the recipient, fast confirmation, and an economic model that operators can stake against to amortize their own costs.
The asterisk on Tron is the same asterisk on any single-chain dependency: regulatory exposure, ecosystem health, and the fact that the chain has historically had a higher tail-event probability than I would design into a regulated product. For unregulated or grey-market products, it is the optimal default. For a regulated fintech, model the regulatory tail before committing.
The failure modes I did not expect
Outside the fee numbers, the most useful part of the test was logging failure modes that do not appear in standard chain comparisons.
Stuck transactions on BTC during mempool spikes. Two transactions in my test required replace-by-fee bumps. The bump cost added roughly 60 percent to the original fee. RBF is fine if your wallet supports it, painful if it does not.
Minimum deposit threshold rejections on destination side. Three transactions on BTC and one on LTC fell below the destination’s $20 USD equivalent minimum after fee deduction, even though they were broadcast above the minimum. The destination held the funds in a pending state until I topped up.
USDT-TRC20 stuck transactions on energy exhaustion. One transaction failed to broadcast because my TRX bandwidth balance was depleted. The wallet UI reported it as a generic network error. Diagnostic cost: 30 minutes of confused log reading.
Solana priority-fee underpricing. Two SOL transactions sat for 90 seconds before getting included because the default wallet priority fee was below the live network competitive rate. Switching to a wallet with adaptive priority-fee logic fixed it.
None of these are unsolvable. All of them are ops work that has to live somewhere in your architecture. The chain comparison decision should include who eats this work.
The recommendation matrix I deployed
After the test month I rebuilt our internal rail-selection logic into a per-transaction-size matrix:
Transaction range
Default rail
Fallback rail
Notes
Under $25
SOL
LTC
BTC explicitly disabled
$25 to $250
LTC
SOL or TRC-20 USDT
BTC available on user request only
$250 to $2,000
LTC
BTC
TRC-20 USDT also viable
Over $2,000
BTC
LTC
SOL not used due to operational risk profile
This matrix is opinionated. It optimizes for cost predictability and operational resilience over user familiarity. A consumer-facing product might weight differently. The point is to have a matrix at all, instead of treating chain selection as a UI dropdown the user picks blindly.
What the model still does not capture
Two months of testing left me with three questions I have not answered yet.
First, regulatory cost. Different chains carry different regulatory baggage in different jurisdictions. The cost of a compliance review for a Tron-based product is non-zero. I have not built that into the cost model.
Second, ecosystem health. A chain that is cheap and fast today might be neither in 18 months. Solana’s developer ecosystem is healthy enough that I would build on it; Tron’s ecosystem health is harder to read from the outside. This is qualitative, not quantitative, but it belongs in the decision.
Third, recipient-side spread. Some destinations apply a hidden FX or fee spread on receipt. My test isolated this where I could but did not normalize across all eight endpoints. If you are integrating against a specific destination, run the same test against that destination directly.
The general principle survives all three: build a real cost-latency model, refresh it on a defined cadence, and treat your default chain selection as a first-class engineering decision, not a vendor recommendation.
Where to go next
If you want a deeper version of this analysis with per-operator breakdowns, withdrawal-side fees, and a continuously updated dataset, the team I work with at ChainBankroll maintains it as one of their core research artifacts. The methodology is documented, the dataset is refreshed monthly, and the operator scope is broader than what I could fit into a single 30-day test.
For a build-it-yourself version, start with the four chains I tested, three transaction sizes, and one month of disciplined logging. The conclusions will not match mine exactly. They will match the shape of mine, because the underlying chain economics are not opinion.
The single most useful behavior change I made was deleting the assumption that BTC is the default. It is not the default for any payment use case I have modeled under $250 per transaction. Letting go of that one habit unlocked the rest of the analysis.
The NASCAR Cup Series is well into the second half of its regular-season schedule, meaning the drivers are running out of time to secure their spots in the Chase.
There have been big changes to this year’s Chase format. Gone is the win-and-you’re-in approach of recent years, with the top 16 points scorers now progressing regardless of whether they’ve taken a trip to victory lane.
The drivers who make the Chase will also no longer face periodic eliminations. Rather than whittling down the field until there’s a Championship 4, the new Chase format will instead operate like a regular championship. The points are reset, though, with those further up the standings starting the 10-race schedule off with an advantage.
The leading points scorer will start the Chase with 2,100 points, with each subsequent driver getting slightly less until 16th starts with 2,000. There are sportsbook promos on Vegas Insider, the leader in sports betting odds and picks, to use on who’ll end up as NASCAR Cup Champion, along with all the races for the rest of the season.
These changes to the Chase have been made to prioritize consistency. Too many drivers have had their fates decided by simply getting into, or managing to avoid, wrecks. The new format will reward drivers who regularly finish well, and not overly penalize any retirements.
With 16 races complete, these are the leaders heading into the Chase, and those on the bubble who need to do more.
Hamlin reigns in Reddick
Tyler Reddick started 2026 off with an unprecedented three-race winning streak. After taking the victory at the Daytona 500 for 23XI Racing, Reddick brought his No. 45 Toyota to victory lane in Atlanta and the Circuit of the Americas.
This win streak gave Reddick a white-hot start to the year, and he followed it up with wins in Darlington and Kansas to claim his place at the top of the standings. However, things have now cooled off slightly. He hasn’t had a win since April, and lost a huge chunk of his points lead after being caught up in Carson Hocevar’s nine-car wreck at Michigan.
Leading the pack behind Reddick is Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. He’s put together his own three-race win streak–taking victories at Nashville, Michigan, and Pocono–and closed the gap down to just 19 points.
It’s hard to see either Reddick or Hamlin dropping out of the top two, with Ryan Blaney in the No. 12 a distant third and almost 150 points back. Both should instead focus on what they can do to bring their current form into the hunt for the championship.
What’s far from decided is who’ll bag one of the final spots in the Chase, with a number of drivers battling it on the bubble.
Pocono wreck leaves bubble wide open
Shane van Gisbergen in the No.97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet is the first of the drivers looking precarious, but will likely sure up his Chase spot in the coming weeks. SVG is a road course specialist, and with the street race around San Diego and a visit to Sonoma Raceway coming up, will likely get a good haul of points.
The last two Chase spots after 16 races belong to Erik Jones and Austin Cindric, with 2012 Cup Series Champion Brad Keselowski and three-time champ Joey Logano just on the outside.
This bubble battle is already proving volatile. At Pocono, Keselowski, Logano, van Ginsergen and Bubba Wallace were all caught up in a multi-car wreck that badly affected their Chase hopes. The worst hit was Logano, who limped home in 34th and is now outside by 21 points.
The Chase officially gets underway on 6th September with the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. While the challenge for Reddick and Hamlin will be to ensure their early-season momentum lasts until the fall, the drivers on the bubble seem set for more twists and turns as they try to qualify for their shot at the Cup.
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (June 15, 2026) – As NASCAR prepares to make history with its inaugural event at Naval Base Coronado, Tablo TV, Ryan Ellis and Young’s Motorsports have joined forces with GOVX to launch a new partnership celebrating military members, veterans and their families.
The collaboration will debut at the United Rentals Driven to Serve 250 on June 20, where GOVX and Tablo TV will introduce a special offer that provides eligible GOVX members with $30 off the Tablo Total System.
The partnership will be showcased throughout race weekend on the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro driven by Ellis as NASCAR hosts its first event on an active military base.
As an added spotlight for the partnership, Ellis and the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro will also carry one of The CW’s in-car cameras during the inaugural United Rentals Driven to Serve 250, giving viewers a unique behind-the-wheel perspective as NASCAR makes history on the Qualcomm Circuit.
The historic setting provides a fitting backdrop for the launch, bringing together two organizations dedicated to serving military communities while connecting race fans with affordable access to live sports, news and entertainment.
“We’re thrilled to be part of racing on a Navy base — it’s an honor to participate in an event that brings together San Diego’s military and racing community,” said Alicia Hackett, Vice President of Platform Sales & Partnerships for Tablo TV.
“Tablo delivers a simple, subscription-free way to access live TV, local news and sports, helping military households stay connected with their communities in an affordable way.”
“We’re also proud to launch our GOVX partnership in San Diego, offering military members and veterans $30 off the Tablo Total System. We’re excited to demonstrate an additional way for people to discover subscription-free TV and celebrate the service, dedication and resilience of our military community.”
For Ellis and Young’s Motorsports, the partnership represents an opportunity to help connect two brands committed to supporting those who serve while participating in one of the most anticipated events of the NASCAR season.
“As a driver, you dream about competing at iconic venues and being part of moments that make history, and that’s exactly what San Diego represents,” said Ellis.
“The opportunity to race at Naval Base Coronado is something I’ll never forget, and it’s made even more special by being surrounded by the incredible men and women who serve our country. It’s an honor to represent Tablo TV, GOVX and Young’s Motorsports during such a memorable event.”
For Young’s Motorsports team principal and founding driver Tyler Young, the inaugural event at Naval Base Coronado represents more than just another race on the schedule.
It provides an opportunity to celebrate those who serve while helping introduce a collaboration focused on delivering value to military members, veterans and their families.
“The inaugural race at Naval Base Coronado represents a unique opportunity to bring together NASCAR, our partners and the military community in a truly meaningful way,” said Young.
“GOVX and Tablo TV share a commitment to serving military members, veterans and their families, and we’re proud that Ryan Ellis and the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports team can help showcase that commitment during NASCAR’s historic debut on an active military installation.”
Tablo TV will also welcome television personality and sports broadcaster Jesse Palmer to Naval Base Coronado for race weekend festivities. Palmer has partnered with Tablo TV over the past four years to help TV lovers across America discover subscription-free TV with Tablo.
NASCAR has also invited Palmer to be Honorary Race Official and will be introduced on the pre-race stage and will take a lap in the General Motors Pace Car. Palmer will be on-hand to experience NASCAR’s historic debut on an active military installation and help celebrate the partnership’s launch alongside military members, veterans and race fans.
“From quarterback to broadcaster, I’ve seen football from every perspective — but NASCAR is a whole different kind of rush,” said Palmer. “I’m excited to experience that adrenaline up close as Honorary Race Official in San Diego.
“Just like how Tablo TV brings viewers closer to the action by making free over-the-air television more accessible and convenient, being at the track puts you right in the heart of the excitement. There’s something special about witnessing these incredible moments live and in person.”
In addition to the exclusive $30 discount available through GOVX, Tablo TV offers military families and race fans an affordable, subscription-free way to access live local broadcast television, including NASCAR races on The CW, football games, local news and America’s most popular entertainment programming.
Through Tablo, fans can also enjoy The NASCAR Channel, which delivers 24/7 programming and content for free, including classic races, delayed broadcasts from the current season, select live events, NASCAR Studios original content and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s The Morning Drive.
With a simple one-time purchase of a Tablo device, TV antenna and the free Tablo TV app, users can access more than 125 channels, including NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, ION and The CW, without a monthly subscription fee.
Tablo also features pause and recording functionality with more than 50 hours of onboard storage, allowing fans to relive their favorite moments long after the checkered flag flies.
Designed with families in mind, a single Tablo device can stream free over-the-air television to multiple compatible devices simultaneously throughout the home, making it easy to catch the big race in one room while another family member enjoys different programming elsewhere in the house.
The inaugural United Rentals Driven to Serve 250 marks a landmark moment for NASCAR and the military community, bringing one of America’s premier motorsports series to one of the nation’s most recognizable naval installations while celebrating the service, sacrifice, and dedication of active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their families.
All NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races are broadcast live on The CW, with practices and qualifying available on The CW App. Through Tablo TV, viewers can watch, pause and record The CW and more than 125 major broadcast and free streaming channels without a monthly subscription.
Content and channel availability may vary by location.
For more on Ryan Ellis, please visit ryanellisracing.com, like him on Facebook (Ryan Ellis), and follow him on Instagram (@ryanellisracing), TikTok (@ryanellisracing), and X | Twitter (@ryanellisracing).
For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).
For media availability and bookings with Jesse Palmer, please contact Alicia Hackett at marketing@tablotv.com.
The United Rentals Driven to Serve 250 (60 laps | 204 miles) is the 18th of thirty-three (33) NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races on the 2026 schedule. Practice will occur on Fri., June 19, 2026, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. Qualifying will follow on race day, Sat., June 20, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 2:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. ET), with live coverage on The CW Network, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (PT).
Antron Brown broke through for his first Bristol Dragway victory by racing to the win at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
What’s better than one weekend of great NHRA drag racing? How about two championships for the price of one? Fans in attendance at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, TN, were actually treated to two different sets of finals given the rainout in the New England Nationals in Epping, NH last Sunday. Fans and pundits alike were treated to a sensory explosion of nitro fuel, noise, heat, humidity, and rain-sometimes at the same time but what else can you ask for from a great early summer weekend of drag racing?
Pruett, Beckman cap off big wins to complete the NE Nationals.
With Mother Nature playing her early summer tricks last Sunday, the New England Nationals in Epping, NH were rained out in the finals and as a result both the Top Fuel and Funny Car championships had to be moved to the beginning of the Thunder Valley Nationals so fans were treated essentially to a two-for-one weekend. In short order, Leah Pruett got her first “W” for the 2026 season by beating out overall points leader Shawn Langdon with a 3.794 second/332.43 final run to claim the Epping Nationals Diamond Wally trophy. Pruett hasn’t won a race since 2023 when she stepped away from drag racing to start a family with husband Tony Stewart. With this victory over a red-hot Langdon, Pruett made a major statement that she’s “back” and will continue to be a major factor in the Top Fuel overall standings this season.
In the Funny Car category, “Fast” Jack Beckman brought home his 38th total win in an all John Force Racing final against teammate Jordan Vandergriff. While Vandergriff is an up-and-coming star in his own right in the NHRA Funny Car ranks, Beckman raced like a veteran driver and took care of business with this major win for both himself and for JFR.
Antron Brown brought down the lightning in Thunder Valley with a convincing Top Fuel win.
While Shawn Langdon has been the go-to winner in the Top Fuel category so far this season, Bristol brought out a new champion in the form of a familiar driver: Antron Brown. Brown, a veteran NHRA Top Fuel competitor, had never won at Thunder Valley, but this past Sunday he was able to best the overall points leader Langdown with a 3.788 second/331.61 mph throw down going into the final round. For Brown, earning his first Diamond Wally of the season (and the 82nd total win of his career) is more about righting a ship as the summer NHRA heats up literally and figuratively.
Matt Hagan tops off a great weekend for Tony Stewart Racing.
What is better than winning a Diamond Wally for your racing team during a drag racing weekend? How about winning two top-class trophies? For Matt Hagan, another “W” was another cap in the feather for the four-time NHRA Funny Car champion as he brought home a second winning trophy to add to teammate Leah Pruett’s first win of the season. With the 57th win of his career, Hagan successfully denied finals challenger Daniel Wilkerson his chance to earn his first Diamond Wally trophy as Hagan took care of business with Jon Capps and Austin Prock in the qualifying rounds and then beat Wilkerson with a 4.125 second/310.81 finals race time.
INDYCAR personalities headline fan-favorite charity event benefiting Racing for Kids and The American Legion on June 18
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. — June 15, 2026 — Some of the biggest names in motorsports will trade their race suits for bar aprons at the annual Elkhart Lake Welcome Party, which supports The American Legion, at the Siebkens Stop-Inn Tavern on Thursday, June 18.
Former Indianapolis 500 champions Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan will be among the celebrities participating in the beloved race-week tradition that features live music, classic cars and charitable giving. The event’s signature attraction, the INDYCAR Celebrity Bartender Challenge, raised more than $26,000 in 2025 and organizers are aiming even higher this year.
The concept is simple: racing celebrities step behind the bar and compete to raise the most money through tips and donations, with every dollar supporting Racing for Kids and The American Legion Veterans & Children Foundation.
Details:
What: Elkhart Lake Welcome Party When: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. June 18 Where: Siebkens Stop-Inn Tavern, 284 South Lake Street. Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin Admission: Free and open to the public
Highlights:
INDYCAR Celebrity Bartender Challenge, 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Live music on the outdoor bandstand
Classic car show
Racing celebrity appearances
Exclusive merchandise and charitable fundraising opportunities
“This party is one of my favorite stops of the entire season,” said James Hinchcliffe, six-time INDYCAR race winner and FOX Sports analyst. “There’s nothing quite like being behind the bar at Siebkens, surrounded by the best fans in racing, all while raising money for two incredible causes. Bring your friends, bring your family and don’t forget to tip your bartenders.”
“Racing For Kids®, a long-time partner with INDYCAR, is very pleased to again be a beneficiary of the popular Elkhart Lake Welcome Party,” said Pat Wright, CEO of Racing for Kids. “We are especially honored this year to be partnering with The American Legion during our country’s yearlong 250th birthday celebration. Nothing says America better than caring for our sick and hospitalized children as well as our veterans in need.”
Funds raised through the Celebrity Bartender Challenge will support Racing for Kids and The American Legion. Racing for Kids uses the popularity of motorsports to raise awareness and funding for children’s healthcare initiatives, while The American Legion’s Veterans & Children Foundation provides services for disabled veterans and grants for military families in need.
“We are pleased that INDYCAR and others are supporting The American Legion through this initiative,” said American Legion Marketing Commission Chairman Paul Evenson. “This is a fun way to support our nation’s veterans and children, as well as celebrating 250 years of America. We are honored to be part of this.”
Fans are encouraged to arrive early, enjoy the festivities and tip generously during the Celebrity Bartender Challenge to help make 2026 the most successful fundraising year in the event’s history. In addition to Franchitti, Kanaan and Hinchcliffe, this year’s celebrity lineup includes:
Jack Harvey – Indianapolis 500 veteran and FOX Sports pit reporter
Kevin Lee – Veteran motorsports broadcaster and FOX Sports pit reporter
Michael Shank – Co-owner of Meyer Shank Racing and winning team owner of the 2026 Indianapolis 500
Louis Foster – 2025 INDYCAR Rookie of the Year and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver
Rinus VeeKay – INDYCAR driver, Juncos Hollinger Racing
David Hobbs – Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee, former Formula 1 and IndyCar driver, longtime television commentator, and proud Elkhart Lake resident.
Augie Pabst Jr. – Owner, Pabst Racing
Bryce Aron, Carson Etter and James Roe – Rising INDY NXT stars
Hunter McElrea – IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship driver and former INDY NXT competitor
About The American Legion The American Legion is the nation’s largest veterans service organization with 1.4 million members in more than 11,000 posts across the nation. Chartered by Congress in 1919, The American Legion is committed to mentoring youth and sponsoring wholesome community programs, advocating for veterans’ health care and other benefits, promoting a strong national security and continued devotion to servicemembers and veterans.
About Racing for Kids Racing For Kids® was founded at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan in 1989 by pediatric cardiologist William Pinsky, MD, with INDYCAR racer Robbie Buhl and award winning journalist J. Patrick Wright. Racing For Kids is a Detroit-based national charity that uses the popularity of motorsports to focus public awareness and funding on the health care needs of children. Over the past 37 years, Racing For Kids has visited more than 45,000 children in more than 750 children’s hospital visits in the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Japan and Mexico. It has raised $8.5 million for the hospitals visited and other children’s health institutions.
Major sponsors of Racing For Kids include Douglas E. Fregin, Benson Ford, Jr., Benson and Edith Ford Fund, Michael B. McCallister and the Bridgestone Firestone Trust Fund. Racing For Kids is a charity partner of the IndyCar Series. Since 2018 the Elkhart Lake Welcome Party proceeds have benefitted the Racing For Kids’ hospital visit program, Kids At The Track events and Children’s Hospitals grants for playroom development.
About Siebkens Resort Good Times Are Our Heritage Siebkens Resort has been home to welcoming hospitality for nearly 110 years. Family-owned since its founding and stewarded through five generations and two families, we believe in the value of community, lasting relationships, and welcoming guests as friends.
Our charming, turn-of-the-century gem, now on the National Register of Historic Places, blends historic character with modern comforts, all wrapped in a laid-back, welcoming vibe. Whether you’re here for a stay in our inviting hotel rooms, an inventive dinner in PAM’S, or a lively visit to the Stop-Inn Tavern, Siebkens promises a one-of-a-kind experience where the good times roll and the memories last.
Layne Riggs | Chandler Smith San Diego Street Course NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race Advance Navy 250
Date: Friday, June 19, 2026 Event: Race 13 of 25 Series: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Location: Naval Base Coronado (3.4-miles) #of Laps: 50 Time/TV/Radio: 7:00 PM ET on FS1/SiriusXM channel 90 FRM Points Standings:
Layne Riggs (1st) Chandler Smith (3rd)
Layne Riggs Notes
Layne Riggs and the No. 34 Ford F-150 team will reach the halfway point of the 2026 season this Friday as the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series heads to Naval Base Coronado for the inaugural San Diego Street Course race. Riggs enters Friday’s race leading the points standings and with a 26-point buffer to Kaden Honeycutt. Riggs and the team have an advantage over the rest of the field at the 3.4-mile street course, having earned his first win of the season on the streets of St. Petersburg, the only other street course race of the season.
Riggs will bring a new partner aboard the No. 34 Ford F-150 for the event, partnering with Mattermost for the 50-lap race. The open-source, self-hostable collaboration platform built for mission-critical environments will make their NASCAR debut with Riggs and Front Row Motorsports. Trusted by the world’s leading military and security organizations worldwide, public sector organizations, and technology enterprises, Mattermost enables secure, compliant, and extensible team communication at scale. Learn more at mattermost.com.
“I’m excited to have Mattermost join us as a partner for this race,” said Riggs. “Their commitment to helping teams perform under pressure aligns perfectly with what we do every week in the Truck Series. It means a lot to have a partner that understands the importance of communication, teamwork, and execution at the highest level.”
“Mattermost is built for organizations that operate in the most demanding, high-security environments in the world — including active military installations,” said Leigh Dow, Chief Marketing Officer, Mattermost. “The people who serve at Naval Base Coronado operate in some of the most demanding environments imaginable. It’s an honor along with Layne and the entire Front Row Motorsports team to celebrate them.”
“We have a pretty diverse schedule the next two months,” said Riggs. “I think it’s great for the sport, and I think the fans like it too. I like the road courses and have a short-track background, so for as diverse as the schedule is, I think it was built for me. We’re leading the standings now, but we need to keep our foot on the gas and continue to execute and build that points gap.” Road Crew
Driver: Layne Riggs
Hometown: Bahama, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Dylan Cappello
Hometown: Peoria, Arizona
Truck Chief: Brandon Selph
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Engineer: Jonathan Coates
Hometown: Hudson, Ohio
Mechanic: Clark Houston
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina
Mechanic: Robert Benzenhafer
Hometown: Niceville, Florida
Interior Specialist: Brian Sliney
Hometown: Milford, New Hampshire
Spotter: Josh Williams
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina
Transport Driver: James O’Neal
Hometown: Palm Bay, Florida
Pit Crew
Front Tire Changer: Blake Hickman
Hometown: Ocala, Florida
Rear Tire Changer: Stephen Chereek
Hometown: Tuckerton, New Jersey
Tire Carrier: Alvin Wilson
Hometown: Lexington, Mississippi
Jackman: Kendall Futrell
Hometown: Greenville, North Carolina
Fueler: Patrick Gaddy
Hometown: Kannapolis, North Carolina
Chandler Smith Notes
The Naval Base Coronado will be the second street course of the 2026 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season for Chandler Smith and the No. 38 team. Smith is no stranger to street courses, having competed in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chicago Street Course race in 2023 and 2024, earning an eighth-place finish in 2023 with Kaulig Racing. In the first street course of this season, the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, Smith started fifth and finished fourth in the inaugural event.
Hard Rock Casino Tejon will be the primary partner on the No. 38 Ford F-150 for Friday’s event. Recently opened as a new entertainment destination in Mettler, California, Hard Rock Casino Tejon is the California home for gaming, entertainment, and dining, including the famous Hard Rock Cafe and the Rock Shop. Hard Rock Casino Tejon features a 150,000-square-foot casino with over 2,100 slot machines and over 60 table games. It is the home for entertainment and gaming for those in Southern California and the Central Valley.
The famous Hard Rock Cafe, with a location inside the Hard Rock Casino Tejon, will also be a major associate partner on the No. 38 Ford F-150 during the Navy 250.
“Getting the opportunity to debut the Hard Rock Casino Tejon and Hard Rock Cafe livery first on the track is a privilege, and I hope to keep the momentum of firsts going for this amazing group as we bring them to victory lane in San Diego,” said Smith. “Our organization is building great momentum across the board and having new partners join us alongside that growth is something that truly gets me excited!”
“I can’t put in the words how excited I am to get out there to Coronado and put on a show for our Navy,” added Smith. “Shout-out to NASCAR for getting this put together and allowing the CRAFTSMAN Trucks Series to be a part of it. I’m encouraged by how the FRM road-course program has performed this season so far, it would be really cool to be the guy to win the first ever NASCAR race on a military base.” Road Crew
Driver: Chandler Smith
Hometown: Talking Rock, Georgia
Crew Chief: Jon Leonard
Hometown: Vinton, Iowa
Truck Chief: Ron Schutte
Hometown: Shakopee, Minnesota
Engineer: Roland Kummel
Hometown: Mitterberg, Austria
Mechanic: Rowan Mason
Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska
Mechanic: Mahlon Borkholder
Hometown: Ulysses, Pennsylvania
Interior Specialist: Kyle Clark
Hometown: Ashville, North Carolina
Spotter: Ryan Blanchard
Hometown: Bethlehem, Connecticut
Transport Driver: Mark Hadley
Hometown: Panama, New York
Pit Crew
Front Tire Changer: Josh Francos
Hometown: Weirton, West Virginia
Rear Tire Changer: Curtis Thompson
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina
Tire Carrier: Drew Baum
Hometown: Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania
Jackman: Shane Perry
Hometown: Holly Springs, North Carolina
Fueler: Anthony Bryarly
Hometown: Columbiana, Ohio
ABOUT MATTERMOST
Mattermost is an open-source, self-hostable collaboration platform built for mission-critical environments. Trusted by the world’s leading military and security organizations worldwide, public sector organizations, and technology enterprises, Mattermost enables secure, compliant, and extensible team communication at scale. Learn more at mattermost.com.
ABOUT HARD ROCK
Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies with venues in nearly 80 countries spanning more than 300 venues including owned/licensed or managed Hotels, Casinos, Rock Shops®, Live Performance Locations and Cafes. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s largest and most valuable collection of authentic music memorabilia with more than 88,000 pieces displayed at locations around the globe. The Unity™ by Hard Rock global loyalty program rewards members for doing the things they love across participating properties. In addition, Hard Rock Digital spotlights the sports betting and iGaming experience with products remixed in the spirit of Hard Rock for players worldwide.
HRI has received numerous industry, destination and workplace awards across the travel, hospitality, gaming, entertainment and food & beverage sectors. HRI currently holds investment grades from primary investment-grade rating agencies: S&P Global Ratings (BBB) and Fitch Ratings (BBB). For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com or shop.hardrock.com.
ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization competing in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, FRM has earned top honors including a 2021 Daytona 500 victory and the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship. Based in Mooresville, N.C., FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with the No. 34 and No. 38 teams in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. For more information, visit FrontRowMotorsports.com and follow Front Row Motorsports on social media — X: @Team_FRM, Instagram: @teamfrm, Tik Tok: @Team_FRM, YouTube: @FrontRowNASCAR, and Facebook: facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing Team JMF Motorsports Secures First Race Win with New No. 27 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Team and Co-Drivers Jason Daskalos and Philip Ellis at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta
First-Year JMF Motorsports Driver Jason Daskalos Joined “Super Sub” Philip Ellis to Secure a Milestone Victory in the No. 27 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Sunday in the Three-Hour GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Daskalos Led the Race in the Opening Hour and Closing Driver Ellis Took Control in the Race’s Final 20 Minutes to Secure the First GT World Challenge America Overall and Pro-Am Class Win for Daskalos in His Second GTWCA Season and First with JMF Motorsports. The JMF Team and Mercedes-AMG are the First Team and Manufacturer to Score Overall GT World Challenge Race Wins With Two Different Cars in the New Three-Hour Race Era. The No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 Team and Co-Drivers Mikael Grenier and Michai Stephens – Which Extended its Pro Class Points Lead with a Second-Place Class Finish at Road Atlanta – Secured the Overall and Class Victories at the Season Opening and Inaugural Three-Hour Race at Sonoma Raceway in March.
BRASELTON, Georgia – Champion Mercedes-AMG Motorsport driver Philip Ellis received a late call to drive in this weekend’s GT World Challenge America race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and then joined teammate and co-driver Jason Daskalos and the No. 27 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 team in sending a clear message to the competition with a convincing victory in Sunday’s three-hour race on the 2.54-mile road course. Daskalos led the majority of the race’s opening hour and then closing driver Ellis continued the fight up front, passing Mikael Grenier in the sister No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 with less than 20 minutes remaining and then conserving fuel to finish for a 2.525-second margin of victory.
The overall and Pro-Am class victory was the first for veteran Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing driver Daskalos in his second season in GT World Challenge America and comes in his first year with JMF Motorsports. The stage was set for the breakout victory last month at Sebring where Daskalos and full season co-driver Lorcan Hanafin – who was competing at Le Mans this weekend to open the door for Ellis – secured their first podium together with a third-place Pro-Am finish.
Sunday’s breakout victory was a nearly flawless performance on track and in the pits and began before the race even started when the No. 27 team made the strategy call to begin the race on slick tires despite a heavy rain shower just before the scheduled start time. One of the few contenders not on rain tires, Daskalos soon worked his way into the lead as the track dried and the majority of the field pitted for slicks.
The “slick” move gave the No. 27 team the key track position they would maintain for the entire race. Ellis moved into top three contention in the race’s final hour but made the move on his teammate for the lead only when other competitors pressured both JMF entries from behind and a clear track ahead was needed for fuel conservation.
Up to that point, Grenier and co-driver Michai Stephens led a majority of the race only to see a late power-loss issue emerge in the closing minutes. Grenier faded to sixth but was still classified second in the Pro class, surviving the late scare to not only make it to the finish but maintain and even increase the No. 34 team’s Pro division championship lead. Heading into the series’ traditional two-month summer break, the No. 34 team and drivers unofficially lead the Pro class championship standings with 78 points, eight clear of the nearest challengers.
Sunday’s victory gives both JMF Motorsports and Mercedes-AMG the distinction of being the first team and manufacturer to secure overall race wins with two different entries just four races into the new GT World Challenge America three-hour race era. Grenier, Stephens and the No. 34 team won the inaugural three-hour race in class and overall in March’s season-opening race at Sonoma Raceway.
This weekend’s milestone victory was also fueled by a large amount of family love and support, both at Road Atlanta and well removed from the track. Daskalos hosted seven family members at the track, including his mother Soula and father Pete. The elder Mr. Daskalos, at 91 years-old, even joined his son and Ellis on the victory lane podium for a picture that will no doubt be a keepsake for years to come.
Meanwhile, Ellis literally had to go the extra mile – hundreds of them actually – to be with and have the mutual support of his family. He and his fiancée had long planned an engagement party in St. Louis on Friday, and Ellis accepted the offer to race this weekend with the request to also make attending the festivities in Missouri a priority. He drove in Friday’s opening practice and then joined a new friend, an experienced pilot, who kindly flew him to St. Louis. Ellis enjoyed the party and then joined his pilot buddy in traveling back to Atlanta where he reached his hotel room near the track after a full day plus around 2:30 a.m. EDT early Saturday morning.
Two other Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams were in action at Road Atlanta this weekend, including the No. 9 TR3 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Brayton Williams and Daniel Morad in Sunday’s three-hour race. After Williams turned in one of the best drives of his rookie season to open the race, Morad took over the No. 9 and had a clear shot at both the Pro-Am and overall victory, mixing it up with both JMF Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries and the other front runners.
Unfortunately, a slight miscue on the minimum driver time requirements forced some costly pit stops and an extra driver change. The No. 9 was knocked from winning contention after the extra time in the pits, but Morad still persevered to a seventh place Pro-Am and 10th place overall finish.
CJ Moses drove his No. 58 Random Vandals Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the weekend’s twin 40-minute GT America powered by AWS races for his second drive of the season in his return to Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing. Moses scored top-10 overall and ninth place class finishes in both weekend races as he continued to improve his lap times until the weekend’s final checkered flag as he gets reacquainted with the Mercedes-AMG GT3.
In the weekend’s Pirelli GT4 America doubleheader, Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing pacesetters Dome Motorsport was joined by another competitive and locally based Mercedes-AMG GT4 team in a hot and harried but encouraging pair of 60-minute races.
Fresh off of their first podium finish of the year last month at Sebring, the Pro-Am class No. 39 Dome Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4 team of co-drivers Marc Miller and Allen Patten made it to victory lane again in Saturday’s final race. Miller took the checkered flag second in Pro-Am in the first race at Sebring, but at Road Atlanta Patten had the opportunity to take the No. 39 to the checkered flag for a third-place showing.
The Dome frontrunners were joined by Road Atlanta based team Off Leash Motorsports who truly had a breakout performance on their home track in what was essentially just the team’s second Pirelli GT4 race weekend. Team drivers Kevin Clifford and Harry Gottsacker both showed top pace in the No. 40 Off Leash Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4, with Gottsacker racing into the Pro-Am top three late in Friday’s opening race.
Unfortunately, a pit procedure penalty – not uncommon as teams learn the nuances of a new racing series – dropped the No. 40 out of the podium finishing position at the checkered flag. A rebound run was in the cards early in Saturday’s final race only to see Gottsacker knocked off course in a tight battle with several competitors. Clifford later took over and drove the stricken No. 40 to the finish and joined his team and co-driver in leaving Road Atlanta motivated by their strong performance despite the disappointments.
Dome’s Am-class entry with team owner and driver Eddie Killeen and teammate Laura Hayes also showed well once again at Road Atlanta in the No. 37 Dome Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4. After Hayes led the race briefly during pit stop sequencing in Friday’s first race, she joined Killeen in putting together their best result of the weekend with a fourth-place class finish on Saturday, just over eight seconds behind the first-place class finisher.
Next up for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams in SRO America is a full weekend of SRO America competition at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, August 28 – 30. More than two months away, the Road America event kicks off a final three-event stretch of races that will close out the 2026 season.
“Having my family here was great, and we are leaving for Europe this week and going to Greece for a month. Having Philip was incredible, it’s exciting, he is such a pleasure, and we are glad to have him. We are looking forward to more victories in this championship. I just can’t say enough about this JMF Motorsports team. It was challenging starting the race in the wet on slick tires, but I was fortunate that we did some testing and we had some wet conditions. They asked me before the start, and I said ‘slicks’ right away. It was challenging the first few laps but worked out well.”
Jason Daskalos, Driver – No. 27 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3
“We had high expectations. Jason is one of the best drivers in the series, so we were for sure going for the win. We had a difficult tire decision to make for his opening stint, and maybe slicks were a little bit riskier, but it was the only option really. I was surprised we were one of the few cars that went for slicks, but Jason did a great job staying on track and going to the lead. It was a little bit damp, but he built a big gap and gave me the car after a safety car period. There was a lot of tire management, and it seemed like a lot of competitors were really using their tires early in the stint even though it was super-hot and the track had a lot of tire degradation. I tried to manage as best I could without losing any track position. Then, with the late full course yellow, it became a fuel race as well, which made it a bit tough to really know what to do behind our sister car with some others coming. I opted to go for the overtake, tried to build a gap and was able to save fuel until the end. Family is your backbone, it is always super important to have their support, at or away from the track, and Jason had a big group here. In my case, I was supporting my family and my fiancée back in St. Louis and on Friday I flew to our engagement party between sessions. It was a no-brainer to try and get it done somehow. This opportunity was a late call-up to race, but it all worked out. I did practice one on Friday and then flew to St. Louis for the party with my fiancée, family and friends. Then I came back and gave Jason his first win and first overall victory as well. It was a perfect weekend.”
Philip Ellis, Driver – No. 27 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3
“I am proud of the guys because we had a really challenging weekend from Friday on. We had some issues we had to fix. In practice we were nowhere, but in qualifying we were quite decent, but I made a mistake on my lap. The pace was fine, but in the race, we had some issues at the end, and we have to try to understand what happened. The win was possible, but we will regroup and Road America should be a good race for us.”
Mikael Grenier, Driver – No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3
“The challenge is what makes the journey. You have peaks and valleys that go with every accomplishment and every defeat. This weekend, we came out on top given the circumstances at hand. We had a lot going on with some elements within our control and some out of our control, but the team, Mercedes-AMG and all of our affiliated partners just continue to do an exceptional job. It’s unique in motorsports, particularly in our position, as you always have to think about both the big picture and the short term. You have to think the championship big picture but to be present in the moment and take what you can.”
“One of the things that we found, just like everybody else knows, is that the more seat time I can get back in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 the more it will help. You can actually see it progressing through the entire weekend, cutting seconds off with every session, and it is the same thing in the races. It wasn’t as much in Sunday’s final race because of the heat and running on qualifying tires, but overall, working sector by sector and zone by zone, we are getting better. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 is amazing. The only thing I need to tighten up on this car is the ‘loose nut’ behind the wheel! Road Atlanta is very much a big commitment track, and I’ve only driven Touring Cars here back in the day. GT America is a lot tougher now as well. We have a pretty deep and stacked group here, but Random Vandals Racing is kicking butt. My next race is the Indianapolis finale and that is a track where I feel very comfortable and have some good experience.”
CJ Moses, Driver – No. 58 Random Vandals Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
“First of all, it is super fun to be back at Road Atlanta. This is the closest track to me and my home in Greenville, South Carolina. I don’t know if I can call it my home track, because I don’t drive it that much, but it’s definitely one of my favorites. It is super rewarding when you’re kind of on the back foot and fight forward with the team. Those are kind of like the best kind of weekends as far as driver development and team development. So, super happy with how it all turned out. Marc executed, the team executed, put me in the car in a nice timely yellow and back out right up there. I just had to battle through some chaos in front of me and ended up on the podium. It was all in-class cars battling, and you can’t ask for more at the end of the race.”
Allen Patten, Driver – No. 39 Dome Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4
“We definitely had to have a strategy because we knew some of our competitors would be good on the straight bits. We were strong in the brake zones, our car was good in braking and good just about everywhere else, but we knew that this track was going to be a little tough, especially after qualifying. It was a tough race. Some of the other cars are quick until they get hot, but our Mercedes-AMG GT4 comes in a little bit later. I did try to manage everything to give Allen as clean a car as possible, I never had any type of real incident, and I was happy with our track position when we pitted. I think at the point we knew if it went all green, we would end up on the podium. Allen went out and his pace was fantastic and he clearly drove his way into the podium position. I was pretty happy with the result. We should definitely be on the podium more, and we’re going to fight to do that at every race from here on out. Honestly, at all of the tracks ahead, I think we should have a good chance.”
Marc Miller, Driver – No. 39 Dome Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4
“I am super proud of our entire Off Leash Motorsports operation and all of the guys and girls on the team. We are working really tirelessly to get this program off the ground and to get the car to where it is competitive. In Friday’s first race, we had great pace and were probably on track for a podium until we had a slight slip up in the pit lane. We are new to the series, so these are kind of growing pains, but we will get better with that on our end. The car was phenomenal Friday and great again on Saturday. Our Mercedes-AMG GT4 was super fast and I am really proud to be working with such an awesome brand. We just had a little bit of an unfortunate incident with another competitor that damaged our car pretty heavily on Saturday. At the end of the race for me, unfortunately, it was either preserve the car and live to fight another day or potentially not have a car at the end of the session. We will get there, we will continue to grow as a team, continue to evolve, and we’ll get more competitive as the season goes on. This series takes a summer break for a couple of months after this race, and it was everything to get this result and have some momentum built up before we go into and carry through that. Then on top of it all, this was our home race. We are based like only a quarter of a mile down the road. We’ve got great testing data here. I love this track. This is my home track, and Harry had lots of success here in the past as well. We know what we need to work on and we know that we’re capable of doing it.”
Kevin Clifford, Driver – No. 40 Off Leash Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT4
