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The Role of Expert Predictions in Racing Results

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Motorsports isn’t just a test of speed—it’s a collision of precision, strategy, and anticipation. These days, expert predictions shape far more than casual debates or office pools; they influence million-dollar sponsor decisions, betting odds from London to Las Vegas, and even how teams plan for race day.

As data science collides with gut instinct on the grid, trusted forecasts now drive excitement for everyone from seasoned punters to rookie fans. Understanding this evolving landscape is essential for anyone who wants an edge—on or off the track.

Understanding Expert Predictions in Racing

When we talk about expert predictions in racing, we mean more than a friend’s race-day guesswork. True experts—think professional bettors, retired drivers with years on the circuit, or accredited tipsters—base their forecasts on deep industry knowledge and systematic research.

Their edge comes from granular insight: they track car setups across different tracks, examine weather reports, analyze previous season data, and often have connections within teams to catch rumors before they hit Twitter.

Unlike casual fans or instinctive punters who might pick favorites based on charisma or recent headlines, experts present evidence-backed reasonings for every recommended bet or forecast. In Europe’s vibrant motorsports scene, some of the most relied-upon voices are ex-racers turned analysts whose picks can shift betting odds overnight.

Trust in expert insights has soared as more fans discover dedicated communities like Stake Hunters. Here, transparent records show all past predictions—wins and losses included—which separates seasoned professionals from keyboard theorists. These platforms helped elevate expert predictions from forum folklore to respected tools shaping fan debates and global betting markets.

In a world where anyone can claim expertise online, credentials—and cold hard data—are now the gold standard for prediction credibility. This increased transparency means genuine experts stand out not by shouting the loudest but by turning raw statistics into actionable intelligence fans actually trust.

Next up: why that trust depends on solid analytics just as much as personal experience.

The Science Behind Race Outcome Predictions

Successful racing predictions are grounded in a blend of data analytics and rigorous statistical modeling. Today’s experts use everything from past driver performance to the smallest shifts in weather or track temperature. Sophisticated models process hundreds of variables—team consistency, qualifying results, pit stop histories—aiming to forecast who will come out on top.

Researchers have taken this further: “A machine learning approach to race outcome prediction in motorsports” (International Journal of Computer Applications, 2021) demonstrates that by feeding machines historical lap times, team stats, and even tire selection data, algorithms can achieve surprisingly accurate forecasts.

But the real insight comes when numbers meet context—a lesson the South Korean KBO stock car scene emphasizes in its embrace of both big data tools and local “pit whispers.” This intersection defines predictive success and leads into the next layer: what actual information powers these models?

Key Data Points Used in Race Predictions

Every detail matters in motorsport—and expert analysts know exactly which ones change a race’s narrative.

They start with core factors:

  • Driver performance history: Longitudinal records reveal not just speed but patterns under pressure.
  • Track characteristics: Each venue has quirks—bank angles at Daytona or narrow curves at Monaco—that impact results.
  • Weather conditions: Sudden rain at Spa-Francorchamps has rewritten many F1 storylines.
  • Tire strategy and wear: Pit crews’ calls on soft vs medium compounds often swing NASCAR outcomes late in races.
  • Pit stop efficiency: Seconds saved—or lost—inflame French Grand Prix discussions annually.

The 2021 study cited above found that algorithms integrating such variable-rich datasets didn’t just guess winners—they mapped likely positions for multiple drivers using weighted factors. For example, an unexpected downpour would shift result probabilities instantly; if optimal tire changes followed (as seen repeatedly during Japan’s Super GT series), predictors flag new favorites as laps unfold.

Qualitative inputs also matter. Analysts scan interviews for subtle insights—a driver showing nerves before Silverstone? That rarely ends well. It’s this synthesis—hard numbers plus human nuance—that keeps Finnish bettors glued to pre-race analytics shows every Sunday morning.

The Human Element: Intuition vs Analytics

No algorithm can fully capture race-day chaos—the gut feel is still king for seasoned tipsters. Even with world-class data feeds spitting out probable podiums for Le Mans or Talladega, veteran observers like former F1 driver Damon Hill remind us some moves defy prediction because they hinge on instinct under pressure.

Intuitive judgments draw from experience: Did a rival crack last year after back-to-back cautions? Is there tension between teammates affecting garage morale? Local legends thrive here—the Italian Tifosi communities listen just as closely to paddock rumors as technical reports before Monza races.

Top predictions emerge when intuition meets strong analytics:

  • A handicapper might downgrade odds if he senses overconfidence during Aussie V8 Supercars trials—even if model outputs suggest otherwise.
  • During Singapore night races, split-second track sweeps missed by sensors but caught “by eye” help recalibrate expert calls mid-broadcast.

Algorithms often handle volume better—but humans add color from unseen sources and chalkboard smarts honed across seasons. As experts combine both approaches, their recommendations carry more weight—and engage fans beyond spreadsheets alone.

Impact of Expert Predictions on Racing Communities and Betting

Expert predictions do more than just inform bets—they shape the culture, excitement, and conversation around motorsports. Accurate forecasts from trusted voices influence wagering trends and set off lively debates among fans, especially in communities deeply invested in outcomes like NASCAR’s U.S. fanbase or Britain’s racing circuit devotees.

According to The Influence of Sports Betting on Fans’ Engagement with Sports, expert analysis drives higher engagement: bettors participate more actively when reliable picks are available, fueling both online forum discussions and real-world viewing parties.

This trust ripples across betting platforms—shaping odds, inspiring confidence among casual punters, and giving die-hard fans common ground for spirited exchanges about drivers, teams, and strategy. As localized examples show—from Formula 1 pubs in Monaco to Kentucky dirt-track tailgates—expert predictions become part of each region’s distinctive race-day rituals.

Betting Strategies Shaped by Expertise

Expert predictions have fundamentally changed how racing fans wager—with many now favoring structured strategies over gut feelings alone. Techniques like value betting hinge on identifying odds where analysts spot a gap between bookmaker lines and true probabilities; consistent tipster insight makes this possible for motivated followers browsing European motorsports forums or Australian Supercars groups.

Seasoned bettors often hedge their wagers by using competing tips (a favorite driver versus a promising underdog), lessening risk while keeping payouts within reach if results swing unexpectedly—a dynamic commonly seen during tense British Touring Car Championship weekends.

Statistical arbitrage—the pursuit of tiny but near-certain profits by placing bets across several markets—is gaining steam thanks to data-driven content shared by respected forecasters online. Findings from The Influence of Sports Betting on Fans’ Engagement with Sports back this up: exposure to well-argued predictions increases both technical skillsets and overall betting participation rates throughout European racing communities.

Ultimately, these approaches turn the act of wagering into a tactical endeavor rather than pure speculation—a trend echoed everywhere from Italian Formula E chatrooms to Sunday parties at Daytona Beach.

Community Trust and Transparency in Tipster Platforms

Trust is everything when it comes to following expert picks—especially as crowdsourced platforms multiply across the web. Genuine credibility depends on open statistics: proven hit rates published publicly for all users to examine before risking money themselves.

Platforms like Stake Hunters set an industry standard here; they require verified track records for every tipster posting recommendations globally—and make historical success (or failure) easily searchable via transparent dashboards accessible from São Paulo lounges or Tokyo race-watching meetups alike.

Reputation quickly separates respected veterans from flashy newcomers pushing risky “insider” info without receipts—which matters not just for financial safety but also community cohesion in places such as Scottish rally clubs or Singaporean F1 bars that rely heavily on honest guidance amid fierce local rivalry.

Transparent systems foster accountability: users can follow pros who match their style—or call out exaggerators whose claims don’t survive scrutiny—incentivizing everyone involved with global networks like Stake Hunters to play fairer games together wherever they watch races unfold.

Limitations and Responsible Use of Expert Predictions

Expert predictions may sharpen our view of who’s likely to win or lose a race, but motorsports is an arena where chaos often defeats the cleverest algorithms. Even meticulously crafted forecasts—rooted in mountains of data—can unravel in seconds. The unpredictable nature of racing shouldn’t be underestimated, whether you’re a passionate fan or someone with money riding on each outcome.

Tips from seasoned analysts are most valuable when seen as starting points, not promises. A wise approach is to use expert insights as part of a broader toolkit—cross-check with your research, know the track record behind any tipster, and remember that surprises lurk around every corner. While studies show that fans enjoy more engagement (and sometimes higher returns) when following experts, it’s essential to view predictions as guideposts instead of guarantees.

Motorsports enthusiasts should also make use of responsible betting resources tailored for their context—a crucial step given how easily excitement can spill into riskier behaviors during high-stakes events like Monaco’s Grand Prix or Daytona’s season opener.

Unpredictability in Racing: When Predictions Fall Short

The heart-pounding thrill of racing comes partly from its sheer uncertainty. One moment a favorite dominates; the next, disaster strikes without warning—weather shifts suddenly at Silverstone; debris punctures a tire at Talladega; mechanical glitches end Max Verstappen’s run just laps before glory.

Take the iconic 2016 Spanish Grand Prix: both Mercedes drivers were predicted by nearly every analyst to sweep the podium. Instead, an opening-lap collision eliminated both cars instantly—a shock echoed across F1 paddocks and punter chats alike. Or look at NASCAR’s Bristol Night Race in 2022: Chase Elliott seemed unstoppable based on every metric until late-race contact sent him spinning out.

These moments aren’t rare exceptions—they’re reminders that motorsport is guided by probability but ruled by chance and durability under pressure. Weather systems shift minutes before green flag drops; pit crews fumble what looks routine; even cutting-edge simulations can’t anticipate wildcards like mid-race engine failures or controversial officiating calls.

This unpredictability makes victory sweeter—and prediction tougher—showcasing why even top-tier expertise must coexist with humility about limits.

Ethical & Responsible Prediction Consumption

Following tips adds spice to race days—but gambling always carries risk wherever you call home. British bookies string up bold promotions for Formula 1 weekends while Italian regulators warn daily against reckless behavior near Monza season highlights.

Regulations differ massively from country to country: Sweden pushes strict deposit caps through state-run platforms while American states let individual tracks set their own guidelines (with unique rules for series like IndyCar). This means bettors everywhere need local awareness alongside trust in tipsters’ reputations.

Responsible consumption starts with honest self-assessment—is this bet adding fun or causing stress? Leading sites and broadcasters feature hotlines after major races so fans have support if patterns tip toward compulsion rather than enjoyment or analysis-driven play.

Above all else, let expert forecasts heighten your experience—not dictate it outright—and seek credible support channels if wagering ever feels less like entertainment and more like obligation (or obsession). Remember: even Lewis Hamilton has bad days on circuit…so bettors deserve some grace too when luck refuses their forecast!

Conclusion: The Future of Expertise in Racing Predictions

Expert predictions have fundamentally changed the way fans, bettors, and teams engage with racing. By blending sophisticated analytics with race-day experience, these forecasts bring deeper understanding to both performance on the track and betting strategies off it.

As new technologies—like AI-powered models—continue to sharpen prediction accuracy, their role will only grow. The motorsports community is moving toward more data-driven dialogue while keeping expert intuition at its heart—a combination that will define how races are understood and enjoyed in years ahead.

Erik Jones to make 300th Cup career start at Texas

Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Erik Jones is on the verge of achieving a milestone start in his ninth full-time season competing in the NASCAR Cup Series division. By competing in this weekend’s event at Texas Motor Speedway, the driver of the No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota Camry XSE entry will make his 300th career start in NASCAR’s premier series.

A native of Byron, Michigan, Jones made his inaugural start in the Cup Series division at Kansas Speedway in May 2015, where he filled in as an interim competitor for the injured Kyle Busch and in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Toyota Camry entry. By then, Jones, a four-time race winner in both the Craftsman Truck Series and Xfinity Series divisions, had made his unofficial Cup debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in April, where he relieved Denny Hamlin early in the event due to Hamlin suffering neck spasms and finished in 26th place. Starting in 12th place for his official Cup debut at Kansas, Jones was having a strong start towards the front before he snapped loose while racing in the top-five mark and hit the outside wall entering the frontstretch with 72 laps remaining. The incident relegated him to 40th place in the final running order.

Six months later, Jones, who would proceed to win the 2015 Truck Series championship, returned to the Cup Series as an interim competitor for JGR’s No. 20 Toyota team, where he replaced Matt Kenseth for two events after the latter was issued a two-race suspension for intentionally wrecking Playoff contender Joey Logano from the lead during the previous weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Ultimately, Jones would notch a season-best 12th-place run at Texas Motor Speedway before he finished 19th at Phoenix Raceway.

In 2017, Jones, who was coming off a four-race winning season in the Xfinity Series with JGR as he also claimed the Rookie-of-the-Year title and made the Championship 4 round, graduated to the Cup Series for the first time in his career, where he piloted the No. 77 Toyota Camry entry for Furniture Row Racing as the organization expanded to fielding two full-time entries for the first time. Commencing his rookie Cup campaign by being involved in a multi-car wreck on Lap 90 and finishing in 39th place during the 59th running of the Daytona 500, Jones recorded a total of five top-10 results, including a strong third-place finish at Pocono Raceway in June, through the first 20-scheduled events.

Jone would then ignite a six-race hot streak to cap off the regular-season stretch by finishing in the top 10 in all of them. Mired within the results were a third-place finish at Michigan International Speedway in August and a career-best runner-up result at Bristol Motor Speedway during the following weekend despite starting on pole position for the first time and leading a race-high 260 of 500 laps. His late hot streak was not enough for him to make the 2017 Cup Series Playoffs. With three additional top-10 results accumulated for the remaining 10 events on the schedule, the Michigan native proceeded to finish in 19th place in his rookie Cup campaign and claim the Rookie-of-the-Year title. By then, he became the first competitor to achieve the rookie title across NASCAR’s top three national touring series (Cup, Xfinity and Truck).

After Furniture Row Racing scaled back down to a single-car entry in 2018, Jones replaced Matt Kenseth in the No. 20 Toyota entry for his sophomore Cup campaign. Like his rookie season, Jones commenced the season by being involved in a multi-car wreck, this time on Lap 59, during the 60th running of the Daytona 500 as he ended up in 36th place in the final running order. Over the next 16 events on the schedule, he notched a total of seven top-10 results.

Then at Daytona for the Coke Zero 400 in July, Jones survived two overtime attempts and received a drafting help from Chris Buescher to overtake former teammate Martin Truex Jr. during the latest attempt, which was enough for him to muscle his way to his first Cup Series career victory. By then, Jones became the first competitor to achieve a first Cup career win in Daytona’s 400-mile event since Aric Almirola made the last accomplishment in 2014.

With an automatic berth to his first Cup Series Playoffs by winning at Daytona, Jones capped off the regular-season stretch with six top-10 results and a runner-up result in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway through an eight-race span. Despite notching the pole position for the Playoff opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he ended up in 40th place, dead last, during the main event after he wrecked into Playoff contender Kevin Harvick through the first two turns towards the Lap 150 mark.

Jones would then be eliminated from the Playoffs after finishing 11th and 30th, respectively, during the following two Round of 16 events. Nonetheless, he proceeded to finish fourth three times over the final seven events on the schedule, which was enough to claim a career-best 15th place in the final standings. Overall, he capped off his sophomore Cup campaign with a career-high 18 top-10 results and a career-best average-finishing result of 14.0.

Remaining at Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Toyota team for the 2019 Cup season, Jones commenced his junior season by finishing in third place behind teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch during the 61st running of the Daytona 500. He proceeded to rack up an additional seven top-five results and 11 top-10 results throughout the next 23 events on the schedule. Then at Darlington Raceway for the Southern 500 in September, Jones, who was sporting a special black late model throwback scheme to his No. 20 Toyota entry, led 79 of 367-scheduled laps and held off a late charge from Kyle Busch to score his second Cup career victory and first of the season.

The Southern 500 victory occurred in Jones’ 100th career start in NASCAR’s premier series. It automatically guaranteed him a spot into the 2019 Playoffs. His second Playoff appearance ended following the Round of 16 for a second consecutive season after he finished 36th, 38th and 40th, respectively, during the first Playoff round. During the second Round of 16 event at Richmond Raceway, Jones initially finished fourth as part of a 1-2-3-4 finish for Joe Gibbs Racing, but was demoted to 38th place due to his car failing the post-race inspection process. After recording four top-10 results during the remaining seven events on the schedule, Jones settled in 16th place in the final standings. Despite ending up one spot lower in the final standings compared to the previous season, he managed to obtain a career-high 10 top-five results and lead a career-high 172 laps in a season.

Jones commenced the 2020 Cup Series season on a wild note by winning the Busch Clash at Daytona after rallying from being involved in three multi-car, overtime wrecks and receiving a strong drafting push from teammate Denny Hamlin, who was a lap down, to rocket his battered No. 20 Toyota away from the field of six competitors on the final lap. Amid the early celebrations, the 2020 season would end up being a winless season for Jones, who racked up a total of nine top-five results and 13 top-10 results throughout the 36-race schedule. After missing the Playoffs, he settled in 17th place in the final standings.

Jones transitioned to Richard Petty Motorsports to pilot the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entry after he was replaced by Christopher Bell at JGR. In the 2021 Cup season, Jones would only record a total of six top-10 results and settle in 24th place in the final standings. He remained in the No. 43 Chevrolet entry after Richard Petty Motorsports rebranded to Petty GMS Motorsports in 2022.

The Michigan native recorded nine top-10 results, including a strong third-place finish at Auto Club Speedway in February, throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch. Despite missing the Playoffs for a third consecutive season, Jones served as the ultimate spoiler to commence the Playoffs by winning the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway for the second time in his career after leading the final 23 laps and taking advantage of Playoff contender Kyle Busch losing an engine in the closing laps.

The Southern 500 victory marked Jones’ third Cup career victory and the 200th win for the No. 43. Jones’ victory in three seasons also occurred 55 years to the day when team owner Richard Petty celebrated his latest victory at Darlington. The Michigan native proceeded to finish in the top 10 three additional times over the remaining nine scheduled events, finishing in 18th place in the final standings. By then, the 2022 season marked his fifth season where he achieved double-digit top-10 results in a season as he also tied his second-best average-finishing result of 16.3 to the 2019 season. He had also surpassed 200 Cup career starts.

Returning to Petty GMS Motorsports that rebranded to Legacy Motor Club in 2023, Jones, who had also inked a multi-year contract extension to remain with the organization during the previous season, only recorded a total of seven top-10 results and a season-best third-place run at Kansas Speedway in September before finishing in 27th place in the final standings.

This past season, Legacy Motor Club switched manufacturers from Chevrolet to Toyota. Jones endured a difficult campaign, where he recorded a single top-10 result throughout the first 10 scheduled events. Then at Talladega in April, he suffered a compression fracture in his lower vertebra. The fracture occurred during a late multi-car wreck with his Toyota teammates. It resulted in Truck Series competitor Corey Heim filling in for Jones over the next two events.

Returning to Darlington in May, Jones finished no higher than 13th over the remaining 14 regular-season events on the schedule. He also missed the Playoffs for a fifth consecutive season. Managing a fifth-place run at Talladega in October and throughout the final 10 events on the schedule, he settled in 28th place in the 2024 final standings.

This season, Jones has racked up two top-15 results and five top-20 results through the first 10 scheduled events. His highest result of 2025 is a 12th-place finish during the 67th running of the Daytona 500 in February. Jones is currently in 30th place in the 2025 driver’s standings and he trails the Playoff cutline by 72 points.

Through 299 previous Cup starts, Jones has achieved three victories, two poles, 38 top-five results, 90 top-10 results, and 828 laps led. He has an average finishing result of 18.0 as he continues his pursuit of his first Cup Series championship.

Erik Jones will make his 300th Cup Series career start at Texas Motor Speedway for the Würth 400. The event will occur this upcoming Sunday, May 4, and air at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

NASCAR issues penalities to Nos. 87, 99 Xfinity teams

Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

NASCAR revealed the penalty report following this past weekend’s actions between the Xfinity and Cup Series divisions at Talladega Superspeedway.

In the Xfinity Series, the No. 87 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet team and the No. 99 Viking Motorsports Chevrolet team received L1-level penalties. The issues were discovered on the entries during the pre-race inspection process. The penalties were due to parts modifications involving the rear bumper covers and w. The modifications resulted in both entries violating Sections 14.4.A; 14.4.11.C&D in the NASCAR Rule Book, which highlighted the rear bumper covers.

Both teams received penalties and were docked 20 points and five Playoff points as a result of the pre-race infractions. The teams also received fines of $25,000 apiece.

During the Xfinity event at Talladega, which occurred on April 26, Matt DiBenedetto drove the No. 99 Viking Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro entry to a fifth-place result. It was his first career top-five in the series, ranking him in 24th place in the driver’s standings. Meanwhile, Austin Green, a part-time racer, did not qualify on time , who was scheduled to drive the No. 87 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet Camaro entry, to make the main event.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series, Craftsman Truck Drtird and Cup Series divisions return to action next weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. The Truck Series will commence next weekend’s triple-header feature at Texas on Friday, May 2, at 8 p.m. ET on FS1. The Xfinity Series will follow suit on Saturday, May 3, at 2 p.m. ET on the CW Network. The Cup Series will cap off the weekend on Sunday, May 4, at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

Spire Motorsports WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY Race Advance

  • In 13 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway, Spire Motorsports has logged one top-10 and four top-20 finishes. Carson Hocevar earned a team-best 10th-place result in last year’s annual visit. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet ZL1s in the Cup Series for Justin Haley, Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
  • The Würth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLI will be televised live on FS1, Sunday, May 4 beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 11th of 36 points-paying races on the 2025 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Justin Haley – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

  • Justin Haley will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Katz Coffee Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s Würth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY at Texas Motor Speedway.
  • Katz Coffee has been roasting Liquid Love since 2003, proudly fueling some of the Nation’s most celebrated chefs, coffee shops, and restaurants. As Texas’ largest specialty coffee roaster, Katz sources beans from the finest farms around the globe and roast them fresh daily in small batches to ensure every brew is perfect. Every cup is crafted to deliver bold flavor, a smooth finish, and the energy to power everything from daily routines to a day at the track. Born in the Lone Star State, Katz’s reach now stretches from coast to coast, and its coffee is enjoyed in communities from Seattle to Key West. Giving back to the community is as important as what’s in the coffee cup, through long-standing support of the PTSD Foundation of America and other local nonprofits, Katz is proud to stand for something bigger. Katz roasts with purpose, serves with passion, and always strives to Grow Together.
  • Last week at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Haley started 37th and ultimately came home 25th in the final rundown.
  • Haley scored a series/venue best third-place finish in November 2022 and is well accustomed to “The Great American Speedway” across all three of NASCAR’s national touring series. He finished 13th last fall in the Cup Series most recent visit to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
  • The Winamac, Ind., native earned five top-10 finishes across six NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Texas and notched a November 2018 win in CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competition that propelled him into the series’ Championship 4 race two weeks later. On top of the win, Haley boasts top-10 results in all five of his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the ultra-fast 1.5-mile Fort Worth quad-oval.
  • Over the course of his career, the newly minted 26-year-old, who celebrated his birthday Monday, has collected four NASCAR Xfinity Series checkered flags and three CRAFTSMAN Truck Series wins, making him one of just 41 drivers in history to have earned wins across all three of NASCAR’s National Touring Series. 
  • In total, Haley has made 51 Cup Series starts for Spire Motorsports, with the bulk of races coming during the 2021 season behind the wheel of the team’s No. 77 machine. In his second appearance amidst his return to Spire Motorsports at Talladega last October, Haley earned a seventh-place result, his first top 10 with the team since the 2021 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona.

Justin Haley Quotes
Katz Coffee is hopping aboard this weekend. What are your thoughts about them joining you at Texas?
“I’m excited for Katz Coffee to ride along with me at Texas Motor Speedway. I’ve had a lot of great runs at Texas, so hopefully we can mix it up at the front of the field and compete for the win. Katz does a great job of fueling the men and women at Spire Motorsports with rich, great tasting coffee both at the shop and at the track every weekend. I’m not going out on a limb when I say Spire Motorsports and Katz Coffee have the best coffee game in the sport.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Ryan Sparks

  • Ryan Sparks serves in a dual role as both Spire Motorsports Competition Director and crew chief for driver Justin Haley. The duo paired up for the first time at Kansas Speedway in September 2024.
  • The Winston Salem, N.C., native has called 175 NASCAR Cup Series races where he’s earned three top-five and nine top-10 finishes.
  • In total, Sparks has called six races at Texas Motor Speedway and calls a 14th-place finish (September 2022) a venue best while serving in a NASCAR Cup Series crew chief role.

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

  • Michael McDowell will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Delaware Life Chevrolet ZL1 for Sunday’s Würth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY at Texas Motor Speedway.
  • In 26 NASCAR Cup Series starts at the high-speed 1.5-mile tri oval, McDowell has logged a 26.4 average start and a 28.7 average finish. Over his last four starts, McDowell has earned an average starting position of 12.75 and a 19.5 average finish.
  • McDowell has led 18 laps at Texas with 12 of those laps coming in 2022, when the Glendale, Ariz., native qualified a venue-best fifth for the 334-lap contest.
  • The No. 71 Chevrolet will return to its teal-and-blue Delaware Life livery for Sunday’s 400-miler.
  • Delaware Life is an insurance and annuity company that empowers financial professionals with a wide array of customizable solutions. A subsidiary of Group 1001 Insurance Holdings LLC, Delaware Life focuses on delivering a seamless experience for advisors. The company 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 advisors with annuities that give their customers peace of mind and a successful future, allowing them to plan with confidence for whatever’s next.
  • McDowell qualified 13th in last season’s annual visit to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex but was saddled with a 35th-result following a mid-race incident.
  • The veteran racer qualified 14th last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway and came home with a solid 11th-place finish. He clocked the event’s fastest lap on Lap 120 with a time of 49.896 seconds. The lap’s average speed of 199.933 miles per hour stands as the fastest for a single lap in the history of the seventh generation NASCAR Cup Series car (2022-present).
  • The No. 71 team has earned 11th-place results three times this season, (Daytona, Circuit of the Americas, Talladega) falling just one position shy of its first top 10 of the year.
  • McDowell has claimed three Xfinity Fastest Lap awards, clocking the fastest lap in the Daytona 500, last month at Phoenix Raceway, and again last weekend at Talladega. He stands as the only driver across all three national series to have secured three bonus points through the recently unveiled program.
  • The Arizona native secured Spire Motorsports’ first Busch Light Pole Award last month at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His 28.833-second lap marks the fastest lap in the Gen-7 era (2022-present) at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval.

Michael McDowell Quotes:
What are the challenges of Texas as the track continues to age?
“The bump in Turn Four on the high side is a big challenge, especially during restarts. The track is very daunting still to this day, even as it ages, because the speeds are so high and these cars are right on the edge. Now, you have some of that character with those bumps, and our cars are so low that when you bottom out, they take off. I wasn’t the only car to back it into the fence there while trying to get clear. We saw a few other guys do that last year as well. It just shows that typically Cup guys don’t make a ton of mistakes, and we saw a lot of mistakes there, which proves how challenging the race track is. It’s still one of those places that it can take your breath away.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Travis Peterson
Across two Cup Series attempts at Texas Motor Speedway, crew chief Travis Peterson has led McDowell to an average start of 15.0 paired with an average finish of 25.0.
As a race engineer at JR Motorsports, the West Bend, Wis., native helped Chase Elliott to Victory Lane in 2014. After qualifying 6th, the team dominated the race and led 38 of the 200 laps en route to Elliott’ first of three wins during his Xfinity Rookie season.
Prior to his time as a crew chief, the 33 year-old worked as a race engineer for Dale Earnhardt Jr., at Hendrick Motorsports where he recorded an average finish of 4.0 across four NASCAR Cup Series attempts, including a runner up finish in 2016.

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

  • Carson Hocevar will make his third NASCAR Cup Series start at Texas Motor Speedway, just one week after scoring a sixth-place result at Talladega Superspeedway in the No. 77 Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente Chevrolet ZL1.
  • The four-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race winner has made three CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Texas, earning the black cowboy hat in what marked his first trip to CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Victory Lane in April 2023. In total, he has collected two top-fives at the 1.5-mile Fort Worth oval, in addition to an 11th-place result in his first appearance
  • The Portage, Mich., native finished 10th in his most recent Cup Series start at Texas. In both races he contested at the Fort Worth mile-and-a-half track, Hocevar qualified and finished inside the top 20.
  • Hocevar will climb behind the wheel of the western-themed Chili’s Bar & Grill machine for a third-straight Cup Series race, but only after making his return to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series on Friday night. The No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado will also showcase the Ride the ‘Dente livery for the 167-lap SpeedyCash.com 250.
  • Chili’s is a leader in the casual dining industry and the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT). Chili’s is known for its big mouth burgers, Chicken Crispers®, full-on sizzling fajitas and hand-shaken margaritas. Chili’s takes its food seriously – but not themselves – because dining out should feel like a celebration even if there is nothing to celebrate. Chili’s passion is making everyone feel special, and every day, ChiliHeads make it their job to spread #ChilisLove across almost 1,600 restaurants in 27 countries and two territories. Chili’s hosts local Give Back Events to support kids, education and hunger and has raised more than $100 million benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through generous Guest donations. Find more information about Chili’s at chilis.com, follow on Twitter or Instagram, like them on Facebook or join Chili’s on TikTok.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
The No. 77 team has raced within the top 10 in the last two races and now you head to Texas where you’ve run well in both the Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. What are your expectations for this weekend’s race in Fort Worth?
“I’ve been excited to get to Texas and now even more excited to be able to return to the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. I’ve always done really well at Texas and feel like that’s a place where we can get a win in both series. We’ve been really strong on the intermediate tracks and it feels like we’re finally getting back to a place where we can consistently run up front. We’ve had a lot of fun with Chili’s the last few weeks and I’m ready to keep it going this week at their home track.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Luke Lambert

  • Crew chief Luke Lambert has called 20 Cup Series races at Texas resulting in two top-10 finishes. The first was a 10th-place finish earned with Ryan Newman in November 2016 and the most recent in 2024 with Hocevar.
  • Lambert led Noah Gragson to a win in September 2022 after starting from the second position. Gragson claimed the pole position in the series’ first Texas visit of the year, adding to Lambert’s streak of guiding drivers to top-five starting positions at the track located in Fort Worth.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports 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 on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on March 21, 2025, when Kyle Larson took the checkered flag in the Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

In 2025, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team also fields the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and the No. 77 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series in select events.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY RACE PREVIEW

EVENT: Würth 400
DATE: May 4, 2025
RACE: NASCAR Cup Series | Race 11 of 36
TRACK: Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas | 1.5-mile quad-oval

CLUB MINUTES
SEVEN TIME AT TEXAS: LEGACY MC co-owner Jimmie Johnson holds multiple records at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS), including the most wins (seven), most runner-up finishes (five), the most top-five finishes (16), and a total of 1,152 laps led. Victory Lane in Texas is titled “Jimmie Johnson Winner’s Circle” after the seven-time champion.

KENSETH AT TEXAS: CLUB Competition Advisor Matt Kenseth also has a stellar record at Texas Motor Speedway. He won two times in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and has three top-five finishes and five top-10 finishes at the track. He secured a pole position for the 2009 race.

NEVER SETTLE: ESPN’s Marty Smith and Johnson team up for their weekly podcast, Never Settle. The podcast airs live on SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90 at 2 p.m. ET every Wednesday and can be downloaded wherever fans source their podcasts.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JHN AT TMS: Texas Motor Speedway holds a special place for Nemechek, as it was the site of his first NCS start. This weekend, he returns to TMS for his fifth NASCAR Cup Series appearance at the track, where he holds an average finish of 24th over his previous four starts.

In the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS), Nemechek has an impressive record at TMS, with six starts resulting in two wins (2021 and 2023), four top-five finishes, and five top-10s. The North Carolina native also found success in the NASCAR Truck Series, capturing a victory at the speedway in 2021.

T-MACK AT TMS: The 42-year-old crew chief, Mack, has five NCS starts at the Fort Worth speedway. Of those starts, he has two top-10s.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!: Race day, May 4, front-tire changer on the No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team, Scott Brzozowski, will be celebrating a birthday!

QUOTING JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK:

“I feel like Texas Motor Speedway is kind of a wildcard when it comes to mile-and-a-half tracks, just because of how different both ends of the track are. Turns 1 and 2 are relatively flat, while Turns 3 and 4 are more high-banked and allow for more speed through the corner.

At LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, I think our mile-and-a-half program has improved this year. We’re continuing to make progress, and hopefully that momentum carries into these next few races.”

QUOTING TRAVIS MACK:

“We’ve been building off our performances at Vegas, Homestead, and Darlington as we head into Texas this weekend with the No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE. Each race has given us more to work with, and we’re focused on continuing to learn and improve our mile-and-a-half program. The goal is to take what we gain here and carry that momentum into Kansas and Charlotte.”

ERIK JONES
NO. 43 ADVENTHEALTH TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
300 CUP SERIES STARTS: This weekend will mark the 28-year-old Erik Jones’ 300th NASCAR Cup Series start. His first start came filling in for Kyle Busch on May 9, 2015, when Jones was 18. Texas Motor Speedway is actually the site of Jones’ second Cup Series start on Nov. 8, 2015, where he started sixth and finished 12th in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Toyota. LEGACY MC’s co-owner, Johnson, won that race in Texas. Throughout his 299 starts, Jones won three times – twice in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway and once at Daytona International Speedway in the 400-mile event. Additionally, his resume has 38 top-five, 90 top 10, and two pole positions.

JONES AT TMS: Jones has 13 total starts at the Fort Worth, Texas, 1.5-mile quad-oval. He has three top-five finishes and seven top 10s in his NCS career at TMS.

YOUNG GUNS 300 CLUB: Although Joey Logano was the youngest Cup driver to make it to 300 starts at age 26, followed by Kyle Busch at age 27. Jones joins a three-way tie with Chase Elliott and Richard Petty for those drivers who made their 300th start at age 28 in the Series.

BESHORE AT TMS: Crew chief Ben Beshore has two Cup Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway — one with Kyle Busch and one with John Hunter Nemechek. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Beshore has five starts as a crew chief at TMS, earning three victories with three different drivers: Kyle Busch (2019), Harrison Burton (2020), and John Hunter Nemechek (2023).

RIDE ALONG: Fans can ride along with the No. 43 and Erik Jones as he carries onboard cameras sponsored by AdventHealth, giving the fan multiple viewpoints of the 28-year-old driver as he navigates Texas Motor Speedway this weekend.

QUOTING ERIK JONES:

“Texas has been a place I’ve really enjoyed. Before and after the reconfiguration. I’ve won a handful of races there, both in Xfinity and Truck, and look forward to hopefully running well and up front in the No. 43 Advent Health Toyota Camry for my 300th start. It’s a place we have had some strong runs at, a place I have a good feel for and am comfortable at, and always look forward to it on the schedule.”

QUOTING BEN BESHORE:

“We’ve had some decent speed at a few of the intermediate tracks this year, and we’re confident we can combine everything we’ve learned to put a strong package under [Jones] this weekend. What we take away from Texas should help us build toward better results at Kansas and Charlotte as well.”

CLUB APPEARANCES
On Saturday afternoon in Mansfield, Texas, Jones will make an appearance on behalf of AdventHealth and Texas Health, promoting the new clinic in this location. This community event will feature a short question-and-answer session with Jones and some photo opportunities.

Later Saturday at 8:30 p.m. (Local time), Jones will go out to the Lonestar Circle Campgrounds and partake in some dueling piano fun.

On race day morning, Nemechek will visit the NASCAR Classics merchandise hauler and connect with fans and sign some autographs. The appearance on Sunday will start at 10:30 a.m. (Local Time).

TUNE IN:
The Würth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway will take place on Sunday, May 4th, at 3:30 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1, MAX, PRN, and SiriusXM – NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Gazoo Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.

JGR, HENDRICK EARLY-SEASON DOMINANCE PACES “FAST FIVE” STORYLINES FOR WÜRTH 400 PRESENTED BY LIQUI MOLY

Chase Elliott takes the checkered flag in last season’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, giving Hendrick Motorsports its third win in the last four visits to Fort Worth, Texas. Photo credit: Getty Images for NASCAR.
  • Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have combined to win eight of the first 10 races of the NASCAR Cup Series season.
  • Team Penske finally breaks through for first win of the season at Talladega.
  • Defending race winner Chase Elliott looking to snap another winless streak at TMS.

FORT WORTH, Texas (APRIL 29, 2025) – The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) will make its second and final stop in the state of Texas with Sunday’s WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS).

Christopher Bell won the first race of the Texas “two-step” in early March at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, and now the series visits Fort Worth as nearly the first third of the season has been completed. The WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY (2:30 p.m. CT, TV: FS1, Radio: PRN, SiriusXM and Lone Star 92.5 FM locally) will be the 11th of the 36 points-paying races on the season, and various storylines continue to develop since William Byron’s victory in the season-opening Daytona 500.

Here’s the “Fast Five” storylines to watch during the WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY race weekend:

1) Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) and Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) have been a dominant duo since the outset of the season with the two powerhouse organizations combining for eight wins in the first 10 races.

JGR paces the way with five of those victories, and the team has recorded those in bunches. Christopher Bell reeled off three in a row early in the season at Atlanta, Circuit of The Americas and Phoenix, and teammate Denny Hamlin went back to back at Martinsville and Darlington, respectively.

William Byron got Hendrick Motorsports rolling with his second consecutive season-opening Daytona 500 victory, and teammate Kyle Larson followed with wins at Homestead-Miami and Bristol, respectively.

The only team to interrupt their complete dominance through the first nine races was Wood Brothers Racing, courtesy of a victory by Josh Berry at Las Vegas. Team Penske’s Austin Cindric won Sunday’s thriller at Talladega Superspeedway, but HMS had all four drivers finish among the top seven with Larson second, Byron third, Chase Elliott fifth and Alex Bowman seventh.

The early-season trend could continue for Hendrick Motorsports at Texas Motor Speedway, where the organization has won two in a row and three of the last four. Larson ignited the run with a win in 2021 and was followed by Byron in ’23 and Elliott last season. JGR’s last win at Texas came with Kyle Busch in 2020, and Hamlin notched one the previous season.

The one driver among the two organizations to keep an eye on is Byron. He has finished among the top three in three of his last four visits, with a runner-up finish in 2021, a victory in ’23 and third last season. He also is riding a four-race, top-10 streak at TMS.

Byron arrives first in the Cup Series points standings and having finished sixth or better in his last three races.

2) The Team Penske trio of Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and Austin Cindric led a combined 616 laps through the first nine races, but that did not translate into a single win for the organization.

The trio led a modest 31 of the 188 laps at Talladega, but it was the seven by Cindric that was enough to give Team Penske its first win of the season.

Prior to that, the laps led proved fruitless as Blaney was the only one among them to record a top-five finish. Blaney led 197 laps during that stretch and posted three top-five finishes, including a best of fourth at Atlanta. Logano led 260 laps, but the best finish he could muster was eighth at Martinsville. Cindric added 159 laps led and a pair of top-10s, with a best of sixth at Las Vegas.

Team Penske now heads to TMS, where they run a similar storyline of this season. Blaney has led 449 laps at TMS but is still searching for his first win. He has finished among the top 10 in half of his 16 visits, including a best of second in the 2018 fall race. Logano has led 494 laps with 12 top-five finishes in 29 starts, but has just one win (spring of 2014) among that success. Cindric has just three starts with one lap led and is seeking his first top-10 finish.

3) Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott is hopeful that Texas Motor Speedway can end a victory drought for a second consecutive season.

Last season, he won in double overtime to snap a 42-race winless streak and earn his first victory since Talladega on Oct. 2, 2022. It also was his first Cup Series victory in 14 starts at Texas Motor Speedway.

Elliott, a 19-time Cup Series winner and 2020 series champion, arrives at TMS currently saddled by a 37-race winless streak following a fifth-place finish at Talladega. During that stretch, he has recorded 11 top-five finishes that includes runner-up performances at Bristol and Martinsville last season.

He currently sits fourth in the Cup Series points standings, with three top-five finishes through the first 10 races. He finished fourth at COTA and matched that performance at Martinsville.

Elliott owns a 12.2 average finishing position at TMS with seven top-10 finishes and 128 laps led in 14 career starts.

4) Ryan Preece nearly gave RFK Racing its first win of the season at Talladega as he was edged by .022 of a second by Team Penske’s Austin Cindric. Preece, however, would forfeit that career-best, runner-up finish when his car failed post-race inspection for an illegal spoiler.

RFK Racing could be in contention once again as the series heads to Texas Motor Speedway, but this time it could be co-owner/driver Brad Keselowski.

Keselowski is on a six-race streak at TMS of finishing ninth or better, highlighted by a second-place finish last season. It was his third runner-up performance at TMS, where he has produced 14 top-10 finishes, including half of those among the top five, in 27 career starts.

Keselowski also holds a dubious distinction, along with Martin Truex Jr., as the only Cup drivers among the top 13 in career laps led at Texas Motor Speedway without a victory. Keselowski, who ranks 10th with 685 laps led, needs to lead five laps in the WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY to pass Truex Jr. for ninth on the list and seven laps led will allow him to vault past Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards (all tied with 691) to sixth.

5) Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace are off to solid starts for 23XI Racing, but the three-car organization, which also includes rookie Riley Herbst, is still seeking its first win of the season.

Reddick and Wallace have shown promise at Texas Motor Speedway and could be in line to get 23XI Racing into the win column. Reddick, sixth in the Cup Series standings with three top-five finishes, has finished among the top nine in three of his last four visits to TMS. He also owns top-five performances in half of his six career starts. Reddick posted a win in 2022 while with Richard Childress Racing and was fourth last season. In his last three starts, he has led 143 laps.

Wallace, seventh in the NCS standings behind a pair of third-place finishes, has been strong at Texas of late. He won the pole in 2023, led 111 laps and finished third. He followed up that effort with a seventh-place finish last season.

Herbst will be making his inaugural start at TMS in the Cup Series.

Event tickets and camping for the 2025 WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY NASCAR tripleheader weekend are on sale now. Save up to 33 percent versus purchasing individual tickets, take advantage of interest-free monthly payments, get the best seat selection and more. Click HERE for more information and to buy tickets.

Texas Motor Speedway’s current 2025 events calendar includes Kubota High Limit Racing (May 1 and 3 at the TMS Dirt Track), WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY NASCAR tripleheader weekend (May 2-4), C10 Nationals (May 9-10), Holley LS Fest Texas (May 16-17), Bandas y Trocas (May 24), Solar Car Challenge (July 17-23), Goodguys Summit Racing Lone Star Nationals (Sept. 26-28), Texas World Dirt Track Championship (Oct. 3-4 at the TMS Dirt Track), October Truck Madness (Oct. 11), Kubota High Limit Racing All-In Championship (Oct. 17-18 at the TMS Dirt Track), FuelFest (Oct. 25), POWRi Sprint Cars (Nov. 7-8 at the TMS Dirt Track) and Xtreme Xperience (Dec. 11-14).

ABOUT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Texas Motor Speedway is among the largest sports and entertainment venues in the United States. The speedway has an array of amenities such as Big Hoss, the largest single LED screen of any sports facility in North America, making it one of the premier venues in the world of sports. The 1.5-mile superspeedway located in Fort Worth hosts all three NASCAR national series among its various races and specialty events throughout the year. Texas Motor Speedway is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, LLC, a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. For more information, please visit texasmotorspeedway.com.

MORE INFO:

Keep track of Texas Motor Speedway’s busy schedule by following on Facebook, X and Instagram. Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Speedway website and TMS mobile app.

Spire Motorsports SpeedyCash.com 250 Race Advance

  • In three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway, Spire Motorsports has earned one win, one top-10 and two top-15 finishes. Kyle Busch led 112 of 167 laps en route to victory in the 2024 SpeedyCash.com 250. The Mooresville, N.C., organization fields the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The Nos. 07 and 7 entries will see a rotating roster of all-star caliber drivers throughout the season, while Rajah Caruth and Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Andres Perez de Lara will pilot the Nos. 71 and 77, respectively, for the full slate of races.
  • The SpeedyCash.com 250 will be televised live on FS1 Friday, May 2 beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The eighth of 25 races on the 2025 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series calendar will be broadcast live on the NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Nick Sanchez – Driver, No. 07 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

  • Nick Sanchez will drive Spire Motorsports’ No. 07 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado in Friday’s SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.
  • The Miami, Fla., native will pull double duty this weekend, and also pilot Big Machine Racing’s No. 48 Chevrolet in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Andy’s Frozen Custard 300.
  • The 2023 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Rookie of the Year has 46 series starts between the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He secured 13 top fives, 26 top 10s, seven pole awards and led 391 laps, while claiming victories at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway last year. He qualified for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoffs in both seasons, reaching the Round of 8 in both attempts.
  • Sanchez has two CRAFTSMAN Truck Series appearances under his belt at “The Great American Speedway,” where he earned the pole position in both 2023 and 2024. He led 168 of 172 laps in a dominating performance in 2023, registering an impressive average running position of 1.1. An incident on an overtime restart relegated his Gainbridge SIlverado to a 16th-place result. Last season, Sanchez managed top-five track position throughout the evening to secure a third-place finish, his fourth top five through the season’s first seven events.
  • Founded in 2018, Gainbridge® is an insurtech subsidiary of Group 1001 that empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone, no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Its platform provides access to financial products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge® is headquartered in Zionsville, Ind. For more information, visit www.gainbridge.io or follow and connect with us on X and LinkedIn.
  • Through the opening 11 events on the 2025 Xfinity Series calendar, Sanchez has earned one top-five and four top-10 finishes. He is currently 14th in the series’ championship point standings, 25 points outside the playoff cutline.
  • The 2022 ARCA Menards Series champion made 42 starts in the historic stock car series, collecting four wins, 18 top fives, 31 top 10s and championship honors in just his second full season. Two of his four victories in the series came at Kansas Speedway, another 1.5-mile oval.
  • The black and yellow Gainbridge colors will cover Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-087. The truck was last on track at Bristol, finishing in the runner-up position with Kyle Larson at the controls.

Nick Sanchez Quotes
What are you looking forward to in your return to Spire Motorsports this weekend at Texas?
“I’m really excited to join Spire Motorsports again. I obviously spent the last two years driving those Chevy Silverados during the team’s technical partnership with Rev Racing, so I’m familiar with them for sure. Texas is a great track for us. We won the pole there the last two years and led a bunch of laps. It’s definitely a race I’ve had circled on my calendar that I want to win for this team. I get to run my first double-duty weekend, so that will be a fun, new challenge for me.”

Atop the No. 07 Box – Crew Chief Allen Hart

  • Allen Hart calls the shots for the No. 07 team, an entry that will see a rotating roster of drivers throughout the 2025 campaign.
  • Last time out at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway, the No. 07 team and driver Sammy Smith spent most of the afternoon racing inside the top 10. The Gainbridge Silverado hit pit road under green-flag conditions with nine laps remaining to top off with fuel, but a speeding penalty forced them down pit road a second time. The team crossed the line in 16th, one lap down.
  • As a race engineer at JR Motorsports, the Midland, Mich., native helped Justin Allgaier and the No. 7 team to a runner-up finish in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition at Texas Motor Speedway in June 2021. Allgaier led 23 laps on the day, but was bested by 0.433 seconds by Kyle Busch, who secured his 99th victory in the series.
  • Hart earned his first career win in a crew chief role in March’s Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. After a spin midway through the Final Stage, Kyle Larson made an impressive run through the field over the event’s final 40 circuits, chasing down the leaders with two laps remaining to make the winning move.
  • Through seven races, No. 07 team sit sixth in the division’s owner’s championship point standings. They have collected one win, two top-five and two top-10 finishes on the 2025 campaign.

Carson Hocevar – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

  • Carson Hocevar will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente Chevrolet Silverado in Friday’s SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.
  • Hocevar will pull double duty this weekend as he will also drive Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY.
  • The 22-year-old has made three CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Texas, earning the black cowboy hat in what marked his first trip to CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Victory Lane in April 2023. In total, he has collected two top-fives at the 1.5-mile Fort Worth oval, in addition to an 11th-place result in his first appearance.
  • The Portage, Mich., native is a veteran of 77 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races, earning four wins, 21 top fives and 33 top 10s while leading 600 laps. He made the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoffs in all three full-time seasons, and reached the Championship 4 in 2023.
  • The 2024 Cup Series Rookie of the Year has a pair of appearances at Texas in NASCAR’s premier division, collecting a 10th-place finish last May. The result marked his first Cup Series top 10 and one of six earned in his rookie campaign.
  • The four-time CRAFTSMAN Truck Series winner will return to the No. 7 Silverado next weekend at Kansas Speedway. He will round out his four-race slate at Michigan International Speedway (June 7) and Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (June 20).
  • Hocevar will race Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-086 Friday night. The truck’s first and only prior appearance came at Homestead-Miami Speedway in March, collecting a 15th-place result with Corey Day.
  • Chili’s is a leader in the casual dining industry and the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT). Chili’s is known for its big mouth burgers, Chicken Crispers®, full-on sizzling fajitas and hand-shaken margaritas. Chili’s takes its food seriously – but not themselves – because dining out should feel like a celebration even if there is nothing to celebrate. Chili’s passion is making everyone feel special, and every day, ChiliHeads make it their job to spread #ChilisLove across almost 1,600 restaurants in 27 countries and two territories. Chili’s hosts local Give Back Events to support kids, education and hunger and has raised more than $100 million benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through generous Guest donations. Find more information about Chili’s at chilis.com, follow on Twitter or Instagram, like them on Facebook or join Chili’s on TikTok.

Carson Hocevar Quote
What are your expectations for you return to the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at Texas, a track you’ve won at before?
“I’m really excited to get behind the wheel of a truck again. It has been a while since I’ve run in the series, but I am really looking forward to it. I won my first truck race there and will be with one of the best teams in the garage and with one of the most experienced crew chiefs (Brian Pattie). It is cool to see the Ride the ‘Dente colors on a Silverado. Hopefully we can bring all the Chili’s folks to Victory Lane both Friday night and Sunday.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Brian Pattie

  • Brian Pattie stands atop of the No. 7 pit box, an entry that will see a plethora of all-star caliber drivers behind the wheel throughout the 2025 season.
  • The Zephyrhills, Fla., native has called two CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, including Kyle Busch’s dominant performance in the 2024 SpeedyCash.com 250. Busch led 112 of the event’s 167 laps en route to Victory Lane, calculating an impressive field-leading 1.62 average running position.
  • The 24-year veteran spent 14 seasons in NASCAR’s premier division. As a crew chief, he has earned six wins in Cup Series competition and 11 in the Xfinity Series. He stands as one of 11 crew chiefs to win races across all three of NASCAR’s national touring series.
  • Earlier this season, the No. 7 team defended its 2024 victory in the Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway with Kyle Busch behind the wheel. The Las Vegas driver spent all 135 laps in the top 15 while leading a race-high 80 laps and recording a field-leading average running position (3.2) and driver rating (124.6).

Rajah Caruth – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

  • Rajah Caruth will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado in Friday evening’s SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.
  • The 22-year-old has made two CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the Texas tri-oval, highlighted by a venue-best 12th-place finish last May.
  • In the 2024 SpeedyCash.com 250, Caruth secured the 10th-place starting spot in qualifying but ran over a piece of debris on the cool-down lap, puncturing the right-rear tire. After the No. 71 team changed the tire, the driver was forced to start at the tail of the field. Despite a spin early in the event parlayed with a severe lack of track position, Caruth secured an impressive 12th-place finish.
  • Caruth made his debut at the track in 2023 and fell multiple laps down when contact with a competitor forced his Silverado into the outside retaining wall. The resulting right-side damage caused a tire rub, and eventually, a flat tire. He rebounded to finish 19th following a slew of late-race yellow flags.
  • Last time out at Rockingham Speedway, Caruth managed his fuel load over a 77-lap run to claim a fourth-place finish.
  • After starting the season with back-to-back finishes outside the top 25, Caruth has rebounded with four top-10 finishes in the last five events. He is one of four drivers to accomplish the feat over the same number of races.
  • HENDRICKCARS.COM is the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group. Visitors can shop more than 30,000 new or pre-owned vehicles, locate centers for service and collision repair, receive a value to sell or trade their car, chat online with customer service, discover career opportunities, learn more about vehicle protection programs, and explore how the company gives back to the community.
  • The 2024 season marked a career year for Caruth where he tallied one win, a pair of Cometic Gasket Pole Awards and five top-five finishes, all of which were the first of his young career. The 12 top-10 finishes on the season tripled Caruth’s total of four in 2023, while his average starting position of 10.7 was four positions higher than 2023 and his 11.6 average finish was an impressive seven positions higher.
  • With his first career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win last season, Caruth became the third African-American driver to win a NASCAR National Touring Series race.
  • Caruth and the No. 71 team qualified for the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoffs in 2024, the first such appearance for the former Washington, D.C., resident. Despite reaching the Round of 8, mechanical issues stalled his championship bid in the season’s penultimate event at Martinsville Speedway.
  • Caruth will be behind the wheel of Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-080. The truck has seen action four times, most recently finishing second at Las Vegas in March.

Rajah Caruth Quotes
Last season at Texas you had to battle through adversity to salvage a 12th-place finish. Talk about how the day unfolded.
“Texas started pretty well last year. We were solid in practice and I put down a 10th-place qualifying run, but we ran over a rivet or something pulling back into the garage after my lap. It flattened my right-rear tire so we had to change it before the race and got sent to the back. To compound the day, I spun trying to pass a slower truck early, then got run into later and had to pit with a flat right-front tire. I spent a majority of the night one lap down until I got the free pass close to the end to get back on the lead lap. Then we managed to finish 12th. I don’t think our finish was indicative of how fast our HENDRICKCARS.COM Silverado was. Kyle (Busch) dominated the race and Nick (Sanchez) finished third, so we had company-wide speed. I believe we can replicate that Friday and get our Silverados up front.”

You’ve had four top 10s in the last five races, capped off with your first top five of the season at Rockingham. How does that help your confidence heading into the upcoming six-race stretch?
“I think it mostly helped going into the off week. Mentally, when you come off a good result it makes things feel okay. If you head into a break or off weekend after a bad night, it makes the gaps more difficult to manage. The strategy worked in our favor, but I think that was one we got back. There were three or four races last year that a caution messed up our strategy or took us out of the running for a good finish, so I’m happy we were on the right side of it this time. The next couple race tracks are in my bread and butter, so I think we will be good enough we won’t have to rely on strategy.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion

  • Veteran crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion has called 11 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at Texas Motor Speedway and led his drivers to four top-five and six top-10 finishes.
  • The Boylston, Mass., native guided Martin Truex, Jr., to a third-place finish in the 2007 Dickie’s 500 in NASCAR Cup Series competition during his time with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
  • Manion, a 31-year veteran of the sport, founded Spire Motorsports’ CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program alongside industry veteran Mike Greci in 2022. The team claimed their first victory in their second outing with William Byron behind the wheel at Martinsville Speedway.
  • The 53-year-old has racked up six Cup Series victories – including the 2010 Daytona 500 – 17 NASCAR Xfinity Series triumphs and 11 CRAFTSMAN Truck series wins. Manion is also one of 11 crew chiefs to have called wins across all three of NASCAR’s national touring series.
  • In 2023, Manion became one of few to call a race in all three of NASCAR’s national series in a single season, all of which came under the Spire Motorsports banner. He led the part-time effort on the No. 7 Silverado in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, helped in limited starts for Carson Hocevar in the Xfinity Series and took the reigns during the second half of the Cup Series season for Ty Dillon and the No. 77 team.

Andres Perez de Lara – Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

  • Andres Perez de Lara will pilot the No. 77 Telcel Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.
  • In the division’s most recent race at Rockingham Speedway, the 2024 ARCA Menard’s Series Champion was was competing in the top five until he had to return to pit road for fuel with 20 laps to go. Despite the set back, Perez de Lara rallied for a 12th-place finish.
  • The 20-year-old will make his first start at the Texas oval on Friday and third CRAFTSMAN Truck Series appearance at a 1.5-mile venue. Perez de Lara has made six starts on 1.5-mile ovals in the ARCA Menards Series, collecting one top-five and three top-10 finishes, while claiming the pole position in the 2023 event at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  • Telcel is Mexico’s leading telecommunications company, providing nationwide coverage, cutting-edge mobile connectivity, and high-speed internet services to millions of users. With over 30 years of experience, Telcel continues to innovate in digital communication, offering solutions that keep people connected anytime, anywhere.
  • Beyond technology, Telcel is committed to supporting excellence in sports, particularly in motorsports. As a proud and long-time sponsor of Perez de Lara, Telcel fuels the passion for speed, precision and performance, driving success both on and off the track. Telcel will be a season-long partner with Perez de Lara and the No. 77 team.
  • The Mexico City native has made nine CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts, eight of which were behind the wheel of a Spire Motorsports Silverado. He earned his first-career top 10 in his CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut last June at World Wide Technology Raceway via a ninth-place result. His career-best seventh-place finish at Martinsville Speedway in March marked his second top 10 in the series.
  • Perez de Lara is in pursuit of Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in 2025 and sits second in the standings for the award, 41 points behind leader Gio Ruggiero.
  • The 2024 ARCA Menards Series champion juggled his duties while also competing full time in the NASCAR Mexico Series. In 2023, he earned the Rookie of the Year award while finishing fourth in the division’s championship point standings and reaching the series’ version of the NASCAR playoffs. His lone win in the series came at Ovalo Aguascalientes, a 0.875-mile oval.
  • Perez de Lara will pilot Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-085 on Friday. The chassis has made two appearances, both at Homestead-Miami Speedway, earning a chassis-best eighth-place finish last October with Rajah Caruth behind the wheel.

Andres Perez de Lara Quotes
Texas Motor Speedway is another new track for you, What are your thoughts heading there for the first time?
“Texas is probably the fastest mile-and-a-half we go to all year. I feel confident going into this weekend because Spire has always brought fast Silverados to Texas. Knowing that I will have a fast truck gives me the feeling that we will be able to get a result that will help us with my Rookie of the Year campaign. The No. 77 team has continually gotten better every week. If we do everything right, we will be fighting for a great result.”

How do you think Texas will differ from the other mile-and-a-halves where you’ve raced?
“Texas is so one of a kind when it comes to intermediate tracks. The corners race completely different and you have to be good on both ends to be successful. The time I’ve gotten in the sim has been super beneficial to get familiar with the track. I will definitely have to qualify well because track position is crucial, especially in a truck. I am excited to race at Texas and hopefully come home with a good result.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Chad Walter

  • Crew chief Chad Walter has called four CRAFTSMAN Truck Series events at Texas Motor Speedway, earning two top-five and three top-10 finishes. Chase Elliott earned a runner-up finish aboard the No. 24 GMS Racing Silverado in 2021 with Walter atop the box.
  • As a shop engineer at Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Walter had a hand in the engineering efforts behind Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s, first Cup Series victory at Texas in April 2000. The driver of the No. 8 Chevy led a race-high 106 laps en route to a nearly six-second victory.
  • Between NASCAR’s Xfinity Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, the Albion, N.Y. native has racked up six wins, 52 top fives and 131 top 10s.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports 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 on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on March 21, 2025, when Kyle Larson took the checkered flag in the Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

In 2025, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team also fields the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and the No. 77 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series in select events.

Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Advance: Texas Motor Speedway

NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE ADVANCE: TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Event: SpeedyCash.com 250 (167 laps / 250.5 miles)
Round: 8 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Texas Motor Speedway
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Date & Time: Friday, May 2 | 8:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX Sports 1 | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90

Team Stats & Notes

  • Niece Motorsports Texas Stats: Texas Motor Speedway was the site of the team’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) debut race in 2016. Niece drivers have made 35 combined starts over a 10 year period. The team claimed victory in 2023 at this track with Carson Hocevar, and have notched a total of two top-fives and five top-10 finishes. Last year, Bayley Currey led the team with a 14th-place result.
  • Home Team: Team Owner, Al Niece, has called Texas home for several decades. With Niece Equipment headquartered in Buda and Fort Worth, the team’s roots are deeply embedded in the Lone Star state.

No. 42 J.F. Electric / Fowler Companies Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett

  • Mills’ Texas Stats: Matt Mills has competed in three NCTS races at Texas Motor Speedway. By finishing 26th in last year’s event, Mills earned his personal-best result at the 1.5-mile track. Through eight NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) starts, Mills’ best finish is 13th, which he attained in October, 2020.
  • Shiplett’s Texas Stats: Mike Shiplett has only competed in one NCTS race at Texas, which resulted in a 22nd-place finish with Bret Holmes last year. Shiplett is a past winner at this track, having won a NXS race with Kyle Larson in 2016. In 13 NXS starts, the veteran amassed four top-fives and six top-10 finishes. He has also competed in 11 Cup Series races here, finishing as high as 10th in fall, 2009 with AJ Allmendinger.
  • On the Truck: Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from longtime partners J.F. Electric and Utilitra, who will serve as his anchor partners for the entire 25-race season.
  • Throwback Paint Scheme: Mills will carry a special throwback paint scheme on his Silverado for this race which harkens back to Ross Chastain’s win at World Wide Technology Raceway in 2019. This race win was a pivotal moment in the history of the team, which secured their berth into the Playoffs.
  • Celebrating 100 Years: 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the Fowler Company, the parent company of J.F. Electric. In 1925, James L. Fowler founded The Fowler Company with a single truck and a vision. Through hard work and family dedication, the business grew—eventually evolving into J.F. Electric in 1969. The hood design on Mills’ No. 42 Chevrolet nods to that historic first truck along with a current work truck.
  • Recapping Rockingham: Matt Mills and the No. 42 team were on their way to a promising finish in Rockingham before getting collected in a multi-truck crash late in the going. Mills earned his best qualifying result of the season in 13th, and held steady inside the top-15 in both of the first two stages. Just as the team eclipsed the top-10, Mills was swept away in the incident resulting in a disappointing 30th-place finish.
  • Points Rundown: Following his crash Rockingham, Mills dropped two spots in points down to 20th-place. Mills is only one point behind Dawson Sutton in 19th, and 13 points ahead of Bayley Currey in 21st.
  • Quoting Mills: This is the start of a pretty large string of intermediate tracks, so how important is it to come out of Texas with a good result?

“Texas is a track that’s very important to our team, so heading there will be important to have a good run. It’s a track that I really like, and going into that stretch of races will be key to build a good notebook for what we need out of the next few races. We hope to start off strong and keep the momentum rolling on our J.F. Electric team.”

About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.

About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.

No. 44 TXAPA / MG Machinery Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Bayley Currey | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers

  • Currey’s Texas Stats: Bayley Currey has competed in three NCTS races at Texas and earned his personal-best finish of 14th-place last year. Through nine NXS starts at the 1.5-mile track, Currey’s best result is 12th-place, achieved twice (fall, 2020 and fall, 2022). He has also made one Cup Series start here.
  • Rogers’ Texas Stats: Wally Rogers has called nine NCTS races at Texas, resulting in three top-10 finishes. Ron Hornaday gave Rogers his best finish at the track in 2005 when he crossed the line in sixth-place. In nine NXS races, Rogers’ drivers finished inside the top-10 twice, and he also won a pole with Kevin Harvick in 2008. Rogers has also made 11 Cup Series starts here.
  • Home Race: Currey is a native of Driftwood, TX near Austin, which is roughly three and a half hours away from the track. As a kid, Currey raced on the short track of “Little” Texas Motor Speedway, and became the bandolero track champion in 2006. He is only one of two drivers (Kaden Honeycutt being the other) entered in Friday’s race to hail from the state of Texas.
  • On the Truck: Currey’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from the Texas Asphalt Paving Association (TXAPA) and MG Machinery, LLC. These partners have been supporting Niece Motorsports since 2016.
  • Throwback Paint Scheme: Currey’s TXAPA / MG Machinery Silverado will dawn a throwback paint scheme to Ross Chastain’s “winning” truck from Iowa in 2019. A tough memory for the team no doubt, the No. 44 was disqualified shortly after celebrating in victory lane. The distraught moment rallied the team together for a strong comeback in which they would win the very next race. This video recalls the impact that Iowa race had from the team’s perspective.
  • Recapping Rockingham: Bayley Currey and the No. 44 team brought a truck that had raw speed on both the short and long runs, and had high hopes for their first race at Rockingham. Currey qualified sixth, but was unfortunately taken out of contention with an early wreck on lap two. The Masked Owl Technologies pit crew worked hard at repairing the damage to keep Currey in the race, but lost several laps in the process. They were credited with a 20th-place finish through attrition.
  • Owner Points Rundown: Niece Motorsports’ No. 44 Chevrolet continues to hold down 15th-place in the owner points standings heading into Texas. The team currently resides 11 points back from Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 entry in 14th, and is four points ahead of TRICON Garage’s No. 15 entry in 16th.
  • Quoting Currey: You’ve been here long enough to realize what the truck you’re racing meant to the team, so what does it mean to you to bring it back?

“Oh yeah, I’ve always loved this paint scheme. We ran something similar to it a few years ago and I’ve been begging them to bring the neon green back for a while. I’m pretty pumped to have TXAPA and MG Machinery supporting us this week. Obviously, we are representing the state pretty heavily – with two companies based out of Texas at a Texas race. I’m from Texas, Al (Niece) is from Texas, so it all lines up pretty well for us.”

About TXAPA: Texas Asphalt Pavement Association is a full-service Association for the asphalt industry. It serves the needs of asphalt producers, contractors, liquid asphalt suppliers, and interested firms dedicated to improving and growing the asphalt industry. The Association is committed and dedicated to providing the services and information that keeps its member firms and the industry on the competitive edge.

About MG Machinery: MG Machinery LLC is located in Buda, Texas with a long history of sales and rentals in the heavy equipment, construction, and mining equipment. Born from necessity and a passion for the construction and mining industry, it is in their blood.

No. 45 DQS Solutions & Staffing / Precision Vehicle Logistics Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Kaden Honeycutt | Crew Chief: Phil Gould

  • Honeycutt’s Texas Stats: Kaden Honeycutt will make his first-career start in any series at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday night. He attempted to qualify for this race in 2023, but withdrew after crashing with a blown tire in practice.
  • Gould’s Texas Stats: Phil Gould has called eight NCTS races at Texas, resulting in two top-fives and three top-10 finishes. Gould served as crew chief for Carson Hocevar when he won his first race here in 2023. In 12 NXS starts, Gould’s drivers finished inside the top-10 on three occasions – bested by Brian Scott who finished sixth in 2014.
  • Home Race: Honeycutt is a native of Aledo, TX, which is located only 45 minutes away from the track. Growing up, Honeycutt has several memories of watching his heroes race at the 1.5-mile speedway. He competed in Bandoleros and U.S. Legends Cars at “Little” Texas Motor Speedway, winning several feature races. As one of only two drivers from the Lone Star state (Bayley Currey being the other), he is sure to be a fan favorite this week.
  • On the Truck: Honeycutt’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from DQS Solutions & Staffing and Precision Vehicle Logistics, who will serve as his anchor partners for the majority of the season.
  • Throwback Paint Scheme: Honeycutt’s No. 45 DQS / Precision paint scheme is reminiscent of the very first Niece Motorsports truck to hit the track in 2016. The original truck, driven then by Casey Smith, made its debut at Texas Motor Speedway in October of that year, marking the start of the team’s history.
  • Recapping Rockingham: Kaden Honeycutt and the No. 45 team had a great showing at Rockingham Speedway. Honeycutt qualified in seventh-place and gained a considerable amount of points by finishing third and second in the opening two stages. The DQS Solutions & Staffing Chevrolet led for a total of 12 laps, but slid back in the final run to the checkers to finish in sixth-place. Overall, it was a solid points night for the team who vaulted back above the Playoffs cutline.
  • Points Rundown: Entering the eighth race of the season, Honeycutt sits ninth in the championship standings, 34 points ahead of the Playoffs cutline. Honeycutt is only three points behind Grant Enfinger in eighth, and nine points back of Jake Garcia in seventh.
  • Quoting Honeycutt: What will it mean to make your first start at your home track of Texas Motor Speedway?

“I’m very excited to go to Texas. I grew up watching races there for over 15 years now, so it will be really cool to get a chance to race there in front of all my family. Most importantly, I want to try to win a race for Al Niece and everyone here at the team. It would be really cool to go out there and win as we’re celebrating our 10th season at our home track with this special paint scheme. Unfortunately, I don’t have many laps around the track, but hopefully, we’ll get dialed in pretty quickly. Our mile-and-a-half package has been great the past few years, so we expect to run well.”

About DQS Solutions & Staffing: Guided by a mission to achieve excellence and adaptability, DQS partners with clients to create custom solutions that address unique business challenges. Recognized as Michigan’s fastest-growing company and #22 in the nation on the Inc. 5000 list, DQS drives industry growth while giving back through its nonprofit, Foundation for Pops, and partnerships like the River Rouge School District.

About Precision Vehicle Logistics: Precision Vehicle Logistics is a customer-focused group of professionals committed to service excellence in finished vehicle logistics. Precision offers a unique combination of talented experience, industry-leading software and systems, and a network of partners and resources to deliver customized solutions to the world’s leading automakers.

About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is a professional auto racing team founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2025, the team celebrates its 10th consecutive season competing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) where it fields the Nos. 41, 42, 44 and 45. Since its founding in 2016, Niece Motorsports has garnered nine wins, 50+ top-fives, 100+ top-10s, 190+ top-15 finishes and made five playoff appearances. At its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Salisbury, NC, Niece Motorsports is a trusted build shop for the Chevrolet Silverados of multiple NCTS teams as well as a customizable fabrication shop for any manufacturing needs.

Follow the Team: To keep up to date with the latest team news, visit niecemotorsports.com or connect on Facebook and Instagram (@NieceMotorsports) as well as X (@NieceMotorsport).

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 To Pace 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 To Pace 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, April 29, 2025) – The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 – capable of 233 mph, the highest top speed of any car ever made in America by an auto manufacturer – will lead the field to the green flag for the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 25 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Designed for speed and performance, the Corvette ZR1 is up for any challenge, and the exterior and interior of the Corvette ZR1 will be on full display as the car fulfills responsibilities on and off the track.

Michael Strahan, a Pro Football Hall of Fame member, two-time Daytime Emmy Award winner, longtime “FOX NFL Sunday” analyst and “Good Morning America” co-host, has been named honorary Pace Car driver and will pace the field of 33 drivers in the Corvette ZR1 to start “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

“Chevrolet is proud that the 2025 Corvette ZR1, our fastest Corvette ever, will be the Official Pace Car for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500,” said Scott Bell, global Chevrolet vice president. “With a top speed of 233 mph, the Corvette ZR1 is the perfect fit to lead the Indy 500 field to green.”

The Corvette ZR1 delivers 1,064 horsepower at 7,000 rpm from a 5.5L twin-turbo V8, which is the most power ever from a factory Corvette and the most powerful V8 ever produced in America from an auto manufacturer. For Pace Car duty, the ZR1 is equipped with the Carbon Aero package, including dive planes on the front bumper, underbody aero strakes and the rear wing, which creates more than 1,200 pounds of downforce at top speeds.

The Corvette ZR1 achieves incredible acceleration – capable of zero to 60 mph in 2.3 seconds before rushing through the quarter-mile in 9.6 seconds at 150 mph, making it the quickest Corvette ever.

Arctic White exterior paint and Jet Black interior accents pair nicely with the Indianapolis 500 logos on the Pace Car. The jewel tone, emerald green and gold of the logo are highlighted in racing stripes and additional exterior design elements. Carbon fiber wheels complete the car’s iconic, race-ready look.

“As we anticipate another iconic Indianapolis 500, we are once again excited to have the incredible American sports car Corvette pacing the field,” IMS and INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. “The race car-like performance of the Corvette ZR1 makes it the perfect car to pace the Indianapolis 500, and the distinctive sound of the Chevrolet V8 engine will echo brilliantly inside the walls of IMS.”

Corvette is the longest-running car nameplate in automotive industry history, so it’s no surprise Corvette has paced “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” more times than any car. The 2025 race marks the 36th time for Chevrolet to pace dating back to 1948 and the 22nd time overall, all since 1978, for America’s favorite sports car.

Visit IMS.com for tickets and more information on all Month of May events and activities at IMS.

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 80 countries. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

JEGS & NHRA ANNOUNCE LONG-TERM EXTENSION OF JEGS ALLSTARS, WITH 2025 RETURN SET FOR TEXAS MOTORPLEX

ENNIS, Texas (April 29, 2025) – Following a thrilling celebration of 40 years of the popular JEGS Allstars in 2024, NHRA and JEGS announced an exciting multi-year extension of the historic specialty race.

Continuing its status as one of the biggest and most highly-anticipated events of the years for standout drivers in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the JEGS Allstars returns to historic Texas Motorplex for the third time in 2025 as part of the track’s Stampede of Speed and the 40th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals on Oct. 8-12.

The JEGS Allstars made a successful move to Texas Motorplex in 2023 and will continue as a marquee attraction during the massive Stampede of Speed.

“JEGS is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with the NHRA in presenting the JEGS Allstars, an event that showcases the highest level of sportsman competition,” JEGS CEO Gabe Mendoza said. “For more than four decades, this program has recognized the dedication, performance and excellence of racers from across the country and beyond. We are honored to play a key role in one of the most prestigious events in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and remain committed to supporting its continued growth and impact.”

For more than 40 years, the JEGS Allstars has celebrated the best of sportsman racing in a unique team format, bringing out the best from across NHRA’s seven divisions, including competitors from across the country and internationally.

The unique event crowns individual champions in 10 separate classes, in addition to the overall team title. To qualify for the prestigious event, drivers earn points in their home divisions throughout the season in the following categories — Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Top Dragster and Top Sportsman.

Since moving to Texas Motorplex, the race has also featured distinct Texas-sized traditions, including custom t-shirts and decals for drivers and teams, and a custom trophy and custom-made JEGS Allstars belt buckle for the winners. There’s also custom-fit Texas Motorplex cowboy hats for winners, as a victory at the JEGS Allstars remains a huge honor for every racer in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

“The JEGS Allstars has become a major addition to the Stampede of Speed and Texas Fall Nationals lineup and we are thrilled to have it back,” Texas Motorplex Co-Owner Christie Meyer Johnson said. “Having racers from all over the country race in an all-star event brings a lot of prestige to the Fall Nationals. Seeing the emotion and passion from those drivers really makes the Stampede of Speed an even more special event for all our fans. We have added some Texas traditions to the JEGS Allstars and hope that we will continue to make this a memorable event for all the racers, their fans and teams.”

“The JEGS Allstars has been a hallmark event for 40 years and we’re thrilled to see JEGS continue as the title sponsor of this special and unique event,” NHRA Vice President and Chief Development Officer Brad Gerber said. “They see the tremendous value in this team event that brings out the best in our remarkably talented sportsman racers. The race has found a great home at Texas Motorplex and we look forward to seeing this event continue to grow and thrive for years to come.”

The weekend includes several special events, including the driver and team welcome breakfast and participating in the Stampede of Speed Pre-Stage Fan Fest in downtown Waxahachie. The JEGS Allstars event will be shown live on NHRA.tv during the race weekend and also featured on the NHRA on FOX Lucas Oil Sportsman show.

For more information on NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.


About JEGS

JEGS, an industry-leading DTC e-commerce retailer and distributor of high-performance and restoration automotive aftermarket parts and accessories, will have a strong presence on and off the track as it celebrates its 65th anniversary and ongoing commitment to sportsman racing.

About Lucas Oil

Founded in 1989 by Forrest and Charlotte Lucas, Lucas Oil Products was created with the simple philosophy of producing only the best line of lubricants and additives available anywhere. Today, it encompasses the most diversified range of products in the automotive, powersports, marine, industrial, outdoor, and motorsports marketplaces, many of which were created by Forrest Lucas himself. In total, the company boasts more than 300 premium products, representing the largest variety of shelf products of any oil company in the United States with a distribution network across 48 different countries. For more information, please visit www.LucasOil.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 Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock 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.