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Expand Image Backgrounds Naturally With Seedream Outpainting Tools

By
SM
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Images are now featured on websites, social media, ads, and print. Images need to be different sizes and formats for various channels. Natural background expansion to retain composition and to adapt the visuals to different formats. Outpainting with AI expands the canvas of your image without adding any disruptive elements. Pippit’s intuitive creative tools make this easy, allowing for quick and efficient enhancement and production of images.

Understanding AI Outpainting and Its Creative Potential

Outpainting is a capability of contemporary AI that cleverly expands an image past its borders, creating the content in the process. AI can predict what is around the image and analyze the existing visual information, unlike traditional editing, where visual information may need to be manually reconstructed. This way, realistic extensions are created, consistent with the original scene. Consistency remains paramount – inconsistent information can affect visual credibility. Seedream‘s cutting-edge image generation features allow for the creation of natural scene extensions while maintaining the overall composition and visual harmony.

Understanding AI Outpainting and Its Creative Potential

How Seedream Models Approach Background Extension

To be able to expand backgrounds, one must understand the visual relationships in a scene and its structure. Before generating new content, advanced AI models analyze objects, environments, depth, and spatial arrangements. This method allows for continuity over large areas and gives a realistic lighting and perspective. Balanced expansions that are related to the system’s recognition of environmental patterns and visual cues. The intelligence minimizes noticeable transitions and helps to achieve natural results for professional creative projects.

Key Advantages of Using Seedream Outpainting for Image Expansion

Outpainting can be a useful practical tool for creators who create content in multiple formats. Long canvases help to balance the visuals and provide more design options. Images can be resized for various aspect ratios (without excessive cropping). With AI, the need for manual environmental reconstruction editing is eliminated, which reduces the workload. The process is suitable for realistic pictures and artistic compositions. Faster production cycles are also a benefit to creative teams. This kind of innovation, seen at Seedance, propels the development of AI-driven visual creation technologies as a whole.

Seedance

Steps to Expand Image Backgrounds Naturally With Seedream Outpainting Tools

Getting instant access to Seedream’s outpainting capabilities through Pippit is simple. Click the button below to create your Pippit account, and follow this guide:

Step 1: Open the AI canvas workspace

  1. At the main interface, click on the button “Image studio” to enter the AI-powered image creation workspace.
  2. Next, select the “AI design” feature to begin creating visually seamless image extensions.
  3. The AI-powered models, including Seedream 4.0, Seedream 4.5, Seedream 5.0 lite, as well as GPT Image 2, are already integrated for image creation in this editor.
AI canvas workspace

Step 2: Extend your image background

  1. Type in your prompt to describe how you want the image background to expand.
  2. Include specific details about style, colors, textures, or visual elements for better results.
  3. Pick your resolution and aspect ratio for the generated image.
  4. Once everything is ready, click on the button “Generate.”
image background

Step 3: Refine and save your creation

  1. Preview all AI-powered photos that Pippit has created for you.
  2. Select the version that best matches your vision.
  3. Feel free to use AI-powered editing tools, such as “Regenerate” and “Upscale image“.
  4. You can also choose the “Convert to video” feature for diverse types of content formats.
Refine and save your creation
  1. Finally, click on the “Download” button to save your design.
save your design

Techniques for Achieving Seamless Background Extensions

There are a number of visual elements that are important for successful outpainting. Placement of subjects will greatly influence the results generated, as there will be space around the subjects to determine expansion opportunities. Environmental information provides hints towards the environment, which can help to guide the generation quality. Spatial arrangements are preserved with the help of depth relationships and are realistic. Pay attention to the lighting direction, which helps to maintain shadows and highlights. Prompting that is descriptive of environments is often helpful. Other elements, including descriptions of texture, atmosphere, style, and perspective, help further expand the accuracy and continuity of the visuals.

Common Background Expansion Scenarios for Content Creators

In many industries, flexible image formats are vital for effective communication. Social media managers customize images for banners and profile images. The same imagery is used across different marketing channels by marketing teams. Web designers improve the background images to make it more wide. Large-format promotional pieces are printed using print professionals who ensure that the quality of composition is maintained. Digital advertisers create assets for various platform specifications. Background expansion ensures design consistency and meets a variety of publication needs.

Essential Features That Strengthen Seedream Outpainting Results

Several technical capabilities contribute to stronger outpainting performance:

  • With the help of context-aware expansion, visual relationships are maintained between the areas.
  • The continuity of the environment is natural, and this increases the realism of the scene and visual continuity.
  • Maintained depth accuracy in large compositions.
  • Background generation can be cleaner and more believable thanks to distortion reduction.
  • Lighting continuity = shadows, highlights, and overall lighting.
  • There is no abrupt shift in the texture consistency, but rather it mimics the patterns in the environment.
  • Multiple dimensions and content layouts can be adapted to the flexible canvas.
  • Refining is made easy with integrated editing workflows using connected creative tools.

How Pippit Enhances the Outpainting Workflow

Pippit provides image expansion capabilities in a wider creative environment. Image Retouching Tools to retouch details once they’ve been created. Enabling higher resolutions and better clarity with upscaling functions. You can save some content and use it for your marketing material in a more dynamic way by converting it into a video. Centralized workflow management ensures that creation, editing, enhancement, and export are all in one platform. This streamlined structure helps to minimize complexity and boost efficiency within content production teams.

Future of AI-Powered Background Extension With Seedream

AI background generation is an ever-evolving process, becoming more and more aware of the surroundings and the scene. Future improvements will probably lead to more accurate object recognition and superior spatial reasoning. The faster the processing speed, the more production time is saved. The more the generation is improved, the more seamless the original versus expanded content can be. These improvements will allow designers and marketers to be more creative and keep up with the increasing visual production needs.

Conclusion

The Natural background expansion is a key component of the existing visual production. AI outpainting guarantees that the images are extended without sacrificing realism, balance, or image quality in composition. Intelligent image generation is more accessible and efficient when combined with a powerful creative platform. With ever-growing content needs on channels and formats, background extension will continue to be a useful feature to use when producing flexible, high-quality content.

The Ultimate Father’s Day Gift Guide for Car Dads and Garage DIYers

By
SM
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Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the fathers who are always ready to fix, build, repair, and improve everything around them. These are the dads who spend weekends in the garage, under the hood of a car, or helping others solve everyday mechanical and household problems.

While traditional gifts like clothing or accessories are appreciated, they rarely become part of a father’s daily routine. Practical tools, on the other hand, are used repeatedly and become genuinely valuable over time.

For car enthusiasts, garage DIYers, and hands-on fathers, one of the most important yet often overlooked tools is a reliable flashlight. Whether inspecting an engine, checking fluids, changing parts in tight spaces, or handling roadside emergencies, proper lighting is essential for both safety and efficiency.

This is exactly where the Oclip Pro stands out as a powerful and practical Father’s Day gift.

Why Lighting Is Essential for Car Dads

Automotive work rarely happens in ideal conditions. Engine compartments are dark, tight, and full of shadows. Even a well-lit garage cannot eliminate all visibility issues, especially when working under dashboards or beneath vehicles.

Poor lighting can lead to mistakes, delays, and even safety risks. Dropping tools, missing small components, or misidentifying parts becomes more likely in low-light environments.

A high-quality EDC flashlight solves these issues by providing consistent, portable lighting exactly where it is needed.

Introducing the Olight Oclip Pro

The Olight Oclip Pro is a compact clip-on EDC (Everyday Carry) flashlight designed for versatility, portability, and hands-free operation.

Unlike traditional flashlights, it is lightweight, portable, and can be attached to clothing, gear, or metal surfaces for maximum convenience.

It offers a triple-light system:

  • Floodlight mode (up to 500 lumens) – provides wide-area illumination for garage work, repairs, and general tasks
  • Spotlight mode (up to 380 lumens) – delivers focused beam for inspections and long-distance visibility
  • Red light mode – helps preserve night vision and reduces glare during nighttime use

This combination makes it suitable for both professional and everyday applications.

Hands-Free Design That Changes Everything

One of the most frustrating parts of working on vehicles or DIY projects is holding a flashlight while trying to use tools.

The Oclip Pro solves this problem with its smart clip-on and magnetic design.

It can be attached to:

  • Shirt pockets
  • Hats or caps
  • Tool belts
  • Backpacks
  • Metal surfaces like car bodies or engine compartments

This allows users to keep both hands free while working, improving accuracy, safety, and comfort.

For car dads who often work in tight spaces, this feature alone is a game-changer.

Built for Everyday Carry (EDC)

The Oclip Pro is designed as an EDC flashlight, meaning it is meant to be carried daily without inconvenience.

It is compact, lightweight, and durable enough for regular use in home, garage, and outdoor environments.

It also includes USB-C rechargeable capability, allowing quick and convenient charging without the need for disposable batteries. This makes it both practical and environmentally friendly.

Powered by a built-in 580 mAh battery, the Oclip Pro delivers exceptional battery management. It offers up to 144 hours (or about 6 days) of continuous runtime in moonlight mode, and its emergency Beacon mode can run for up to 24 hours when critical signaling is needed. 

Ideal for Automotive and Roadside Emergencies

Car maintenance and emergencies often happen at unexpected times.

Flat tires, battery failures, and engine issues usually occur in low-light conditions. In these situations, reliable lighting is critical.

The Oclip Pro provides:

  • Floodlight mode for broad visibility during repairs
  • Spotlight mode for inspecting specific components
  • Red light mode for emergency signaling and night vision protection

Its compact size ensures it can be kept in the glove box, pocket, or tool kit at all times.

More Than Just a Garage Tool

Although perfect for automotive work, the Oclip Pro is also useful in many everyday situations.

Fathers can use it for:

  • Home repairs
  • Power outages
  • Outdoor activities like camping and hiking
  • Evening walks
  • Storage organization
  • Electrical inspections

Its versatility ensures it becomes a daily-use tool rather than something stored away and forgotten.

Why It Makes the Perfect Father’s Day Gift

The best gifts are those that combine usefulness, durability, and everyday practicality.

The Oclip Pro delivers all three.

It is not just a flashlight—it is a multi-purpose lighting tool that supports real-life activities. From garage work to outdoor adventures and emergency situations, it provides consistent value.

Instead of a one-time novelty gift, it becomes part of a father’s daily toolkit.

Final Thoughts

For car dads and garage DIYers, proper lighting is not optional—it is essential. The Olight Oclip Pro brings together portability, power, and hands-free convenience in one compact device.

This Father’s Day, gifting a practical tool like the Oclip Pro ensures long-term usefulness, making every repair, project, and emergency easier and safer.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Is Live – And Winbox Is Where Malaysia Bets

By
SM
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Every four years, the whole world stops for football. Kopitiams get packed, group chats go crazy, and everyone suddenly becomes a football expert. But this FIFA World Cup 2026 season, things feel a little more exciting — especially if you’re into online sports betting in Malaysia.

The stakes are bigger, the platforms are better, and the prizes? Almost unbelievable.

Whether you’ve been betting for years or you’re just getting started, this is honestly the best time to jump in.

Winbox Just Gave Bettors a Really Good Reason to Get Excited

Here’s the big news. Winbox has raised the maximum bet limit to RM500,000 for this FIFA season. Yes — half a million ringgit on a single match.

For those who take football betting in Malaysia seriously, this changes everything. Bigger limits mean bigger prize pools, sharper odds, and a whole lot more excitement on every matchday.

This is exactly why Winbox has become the go-to best online casino in Malaysia for the World Cup season. 

3 Easiest Bet Types to Start Winning on Winbox MAXBET

Knowing how to bet is just as important as picking the right team. Here’s a quick breakdown of the most popular bet types on Winbox MAXBET — all straightforward, no complicated rules.

Asian Handicap — Great Odds, Even on One-Sided Games

This is the most popular bet type in online football betting across Malaysia, and for good reason. Asian Handicap balances out uneven matchups by giving the weaker team a head start.

So instead of betting on Brazil to simply win and getting low returns, you can bet on Brazil to win by a specific margin for much better odds. If you understand team form and matchups, this one rewards you well.

Over/Under — Pick the Vibe of the Game

Not sure who wins? Bet on how the game feels instead. Over/Under lets you guess whether both teams will score more or less than a set number of goals — usually 2.5 or 3.5.

Tight defensive game? Go under. Two attacking sides going head to head? The over might be your friend. Simple to understand, and one of the best entry points for anyone new to sport betting online.

Mix Parlay — Turn a Small Bet Into a Big Win

This is the one that gets everyone excited. Mix Parlay lets you combine multiple matches into one bet slip. The more games you add, the bigger the potential payout. You can stack 2 to 10+ matches. One wrong result and the slip falls, but that’s what makes it thrilling. During FIFA World Cup 2026, with so many matches happening back to back, Mix Parlay is where the real fun begins.

Real Rolex. Real Prize. Bet Through Winbox to Win It

Here’s something that goes beyond just football. This FIFA season, if you place bets through MAXBET, CMD368, or SBOBET on Winbox, you’re automatically in the running to win a Rolex Submariner watch.

Not store credits. Not free bets. An actual Rolex.

The more you bet during the tournament window, the better your chances. It’s a real reason to not skip those smaller matchday wagers.

Watch Every FIFA Match in Real Time — Free, Fast, and Reliable

This part often surprises people. Winbox Live lets you stream every FIFA match for free — no subscription, no buffering, no annoying ads cutting in during a penalty.

If you’re doing live in-play betting on online casino Malaysia platforms, being able to watch the match in the same place you’re placing bets is a huge deal. No more dodgy streams. No more missing the goal you just bet on.

Log in to Winbox before the next match and check it out yourself.

Join Thousands of Malaysian Bettors Already In — Register Now

Higher bet limits, free live streaming, a chance to win a Rolex, and three of the best sportsbooks all in one place — Winbox has genuinely gone all out this FIFA season.

Whether you’re a long-time fan of online sports betting or someone who only bets during the World Cup, the setup right now is hard to beat.

Register on Winbox today and make every matchday count.

NHRA THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS: ELITE MOTORSPORTS EVENT PREVIEW

By
Official Release
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BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 09, 2026) – Elite Motorsports closes out the three-race Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series Eastern swing with this weekend’s Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.

Greg Stanfield on the Rise

Greg Stanfield and the Janac Brother’s Racing Pro Stock team have been on a steady rise through the first eight events of the 20-race Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series. The veteran racer and six-time NHRA world champion (five in Super Stock, one in Factory X), Greg opened the season with a first-round loss at the Gatornationals, putting him ninth in points but the Janac Brother’s car hasn’t seen an early race day exit since.

With six semifinal appearances, including a current streak of four-in-a-row, and a No. 1 qualifying position at the inaugural Potomac Nationals in Maryland, his first since 2009, Greg sits third in the Pro Stock championship points standings, 189 back from the lead.

“Bristol is one of my favorite tracks. I know it is for Aaron too. That’s where I grew up. There’s a lot of family out there,” Greg said. “Hopefully it will be good weather, the track surface is good, and we can turn on some win lights on Sunday. We’ve gotten in a habit of getting close so far this season. I’m really looking forward to being able to capitalize, get the job done on Sunday and celebrate in the winners circle.”

Aaron Stanfield Pulling Double Duty

Elite Motorsports and Modern Racing Inc. announced Aaron Stanfield will take over the driver’s seat of the ProFlow Pumping Solutions/Modern Racing/Elite Motorsports Pro Modified entry for the duration of the 2026 JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports season. Stanfield will continue to compete full-time in NHRA Pro Stock with Elite Motorsports meaning he’ll be wheeling the ProFlow Pro Mod car and the JHG / Melling / Janac Brothers Pro Stock car for this weekend’s Thunder Valley Nationals.

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

Aaron has one previous win at Bristol Dragway in 2022 when he defeated teammate Erica Enders in the finals. He was also the No. 1 qualifier that year. In 2025, Aaron was the No. 4 qualifier and had a semifinal finish.

“I always look forward to racing at Bristol Dragway. It’s one of my favorite tracks,” Aaron said. “And of course we want to park a JHG car in the winners circle, it’s a home race for them. I’m looking forward to having Jason and Nikki Johnson and all their crew out at the track. It always makes for a good time but it’ll be even better if it ends with one of those diamond Wallys.”

Notable

· Stephen Bell and the 1320 LLC team return to NHRA Pro Stock competition after a month off.

· Erica Enders and her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / R+L Carriers machine are looking for their fourth win at Bristol Dragway, tying the most of any Pro Stock driver past or present.

Competition at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals begins with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 5 and 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Eliminations are slated for noon on Sunday. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with qualifying shows Friday at 8 p.m. ET and Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. Eliminations will air Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.

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

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

FRM Points Standings:

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

Noah Gragson Notes

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

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

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

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

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Grant Hutchens

Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska

Car Chief: Joey Forgette

Hometown: Iron Mountain, Michigan

Engineer: Dillon Silverman

Hometown: Chico, California

Engineer: Scott Bingham

Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Tony Infinger

Hometown: Fort Valley, Georgia

Tire Specialist: Chris Aunspaw

Hometown: Zelienople, Pennsylvania

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Spotter: Adam Fournier

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Transporter Co-Driver: Ron Miske

Hometown: Fairfield, Connecticut

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Tafton Hensley

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Sheridan Jones

Hometown: Norfolk, Virginia

Tire Carrier: Drew Baum

Hometown: Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania

Jackman: Tommy Bebie

Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio

Fueler: Blake Baker

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Todd Gilliland Notes

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

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

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

Driver: Todd Gilliland

Hometown: Sherrills Ford, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Chris Lawson

Hometown: Medway, Ohio

Car Chief: Joe Marra

Hometown: Somers, New York

Engineer: Marc Rullo

Hometown: Ringwood, New Jersey

Engineer: Kevyn Rebolledo

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Spotter: Brit Andersen

Hometown: Branford, Connecticut

Mechanic: Michael Brookes

Hometown: Columbus, Ohio

Interior Specialist: Ethan Deguevara

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Tire Specialist: Billy John

Hometown: Pitman, New Jersey

Mechanic / Engine Tuner: Kyle Moon

Hometown: Troy, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Randy Bernier

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Rick Grissom

Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Danny Olszowy

Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky

Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon

Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Paul Steele

Hometown: Wichita, Kansas

Jackman: Ryan Selig

Hometown: Lindenhurst, Illinois

Fueler: Zeke Nance

Hometown: Calhoun, Georgia

Zane Smith Notes

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

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

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

Driver: Zane Smith

Hometown: Huntington Beach, California

Crew Chief: Ryan Bergenty

Hometown: Plainville, Connecticut

Car Chief: Will Norris

Hometown: Bells, Tennessee

Engineer: Jacob Clamme

Hometown: Hartford City, Indiana

Engineer: Chris Yerges

Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Mechanic / Engine Tuner: Steve Godfrey

Hometown: West Haven, Connecticut

Interior Specialist: Matt Fowler

Hometown: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Mechanic: Austin Bloom

Hometown: Lowell, Oregon

Spotter: Ryan Blanchard

Hometown: Bethlehem, Connecticut

Transport Co-Driver: Bryan Whitman

Hometown: Newton, North Carolina

Transport Co-Driver: Shawn Sellew

Hometown: Stafford Springs, Connecticut

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Michael Louria

Hometown: Gibraltar, Michigan

Rear Tire Changer: Adam Riley

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Tire Carrier: Jarren Davis

Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

Jackman: Nate McBride

Hometown: Vidalia, Georgia

Fueler: Ray Hernandez

Hometown: Orlando, Florida

ABOUT MILLER TECH

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

ABOUT KAMPGROUNDS OF AMERICA, INC.

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

ABOUT LOVE’S TRAVEL STOPS

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

ABOUT LONG JOHN SILVER’S

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

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

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

The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway Outlook and Picks

By
SM Staff
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Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

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

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

Track & Race Information for The Great American Getaway 400

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

Length and Race Stages for The Great American Getaway 400

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spire Motorsports Great American Getaway 400 Race Advance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Mission Foods

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

About NHRA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Those experiences provide confidence heading into an otherwise uncertain weekend.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No. 62 Beard Motorsports Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Casey Mears

Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Crew Chief: Darren Shaw

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Drew Mickey

Hometown: Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Spotter: Bruce Danz

Hometown: St. Petersburg, Florida

President: Linda Beard

Hometown: Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Caison Dillon

Hometown: Welcome, North Carolina

Rear Tire Changer: Bryan Ketchie

Hometown: Mt. Ulla, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Tanner Wells

Hometown: Goldsboro, North Carolina

Jack Man: Garrett Crall

Hometown: Hicksville, Ohio

Fuel Man: Douglas Warrick

Hometown: Hamilton, New Jersey

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Jack Gagnon

Hometown: Quebec, Canada

Mechanic: Mark Sanders

Hometown: Springfield, Ohio

Tire Technician: Mike Harrold

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Brian Trevino

Hometown: Statesville, North Carolina

Interior Specialist: Nic Hill

Hometown: Fort Myers, Florida

Engineer: Mack Kanupp

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Transporter Driver: Roger Lankford

Hometown: Lexington, North Carolina

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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