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Virtual Reality Casinos: Where the Technology Is Now and Where It Is Heading

By
SM
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Image by Brian Penny from Pixabay

Virtual reality has been described as the future of online casinos for nearly a decade, and the gap between that promise and current reality is finally beginning to close. The technology has matured considerably since its earliest consumer applications, and the online gambling industry has taken notice. What was once a speculative concept discussed at industry conferences is now a developing category with real platforms, real players, and real investment behind it.

The current state of VR casino technology is best described as early-stage but functional. Platforms built specifically for virtual reality headsets do exist, with SlotsMillion launching what is widely regarded as one of the first dedicated VR casino environments. Since then, development has continued steadily if not dramatically, constrained primarily by the cost and accessibility of the headsets required to use these platforms at full capability.

Where the Technology Stands Right Now

  • Hardware and Access

The headset market has evolved significantly over the past few years. Devices like the Meta Quest series have made standalone VR considerably more affordable and accessible than the tethered PC-based systems that dominated the early market. That shift is directly relevant to VR casino adoption because the barrier to entry for players has lowered in practical terms, even as the software side of the experience continues to develop.

  • Software Maturity and Game Selection

The game libraries available in VR casino environments remain considerably smaller than those offered by standard online platforms. That limitation reflects the additional development cost of building genuinely immersive three-dimensional games and the relatively small active user base that currently justifies that investment.

The quality of existing VR casino environments varies widely. Some platforms offer genuinely impressive spatial design with interactive elements, ambient sound design, and avatar-based social features. Others offer little more than a three-dimensional skin over a conventional slot interface and produce an immersive setting without a fundamentally different experience beneath it.

  • The Social Dimension

Standard online casino play is an essentially solitary experience, and VR environments address that directly. Players can occupy shared spaces, interact through avatars, observe others at the same table, and engage in the kind of ambient social experience that has always been part of the appeal of physical casinos.

This social dimension is where VR casinos most clearly differentiate themselves from every other online format. Regulated platforms that already support trusted payment infrastructure, including Ontario casinos with Interac as a standard deposit and withdrawal option, are well-positioned to integrate VR environments as an additional mode of play rather than a wholesale replacement for the existing platform experience.

The appetite for social casino experiences is well documented, and VR offers a technology capable of delivering them in ways that live dealer games, despite their popularity, cannot fully replicate. Sitting at a blackjack table alongside other avatars in a rendered environment is a meaningfully different experience from watching a dealer through a video stream.

Where the Technology Is Heading

Improved Hardware Driving Adoption

The trajectory of VR headset development points clearly toward lighter, more comfortable, higher-resolution devices at lower price points. As those improvements compound over the next several years, the friction of using a headset during an extended casino session will decrease considerably. Eye tracking, improved hand tracking without physical controllers, and better field of view are all in active development across major hardware manufacturers.

Wider hardware adoption creates the commercial justification for greater software investment, which in turn produces better VR casino environments that attract more players. The cycle has not yet reached a self-sustaining velocity, but the conditions for it are developing steadily in the consumer electronics and online gambling industries.

Integration Rather Than Replacement

Established platforms with existing player bases, regulatory approvals, and payment infrastructure are better positioned to add a VR mode than new entrants. This means the regulatory frameworks that already govern online casino play in licensed markets will naturally extend to VR environments. Players will not need separate accounts or verification processes, and the responsible gambling tools already in place will apply across standard and VR play modes without additional complication.

A Realistic Assessment

VR casinos are not yet a mainstream proposition, and the evidence does not currently support that conclusion. The technology is real, the development is genuine, and the long-term direction is clear. What remains uncertain is the pace at which hardware adoption, software investment, and regulatory accommodation will converge into a widely accessible and commercially compelling product.

The online gambling industry has consistently demonstrated an appetite for formats that deliver something meaningfully new. Virtual reality, at full maturity, offers exactly that kind of differentiation. The question has always been one of timing, and current development trajectories suggest the answer is considerably closer than the broader conversation around VR gaming currently reflects.

Ryan Preece fined, docked points after on-track incident with Ty Gibbs at Texas

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Andrew Boyd for SpeedwayMedia.com.

NASCAR revealed the penalty report following this past weekend’s triple-header weekend of racing, which featured the Cup, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Craftsman Truck Series divisions, at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas (May 1-3).

In the Cup division, Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 60 Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry, was levied a $50,000 fine and a 25-point penalty. This was in response to an on-track retaliatory incident with Ty Gibbs during Sunday’s Cup event, won by Chase Elliott.

The issue began on Lap 100 of 267, when Preece appeared to bump the rear bumper of Gibbs’ No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry XSE entry. The contact sent Gibbs sideways and into the Turn 3 outside wall, where he sustained significant right-side damage. Ultimately, the incident relegated Gibbs to a 36th-place result with a DNF while Preece continued and finished in 14th place.

Preece’s on-track actions towards Gibbs violated Sections 4.3 & 4.4A from the NASCAR rule book. It pertains to NASCAR’s Member Code of Conduct Guidelines. Before the incident, Preece voiced his frustrations with Gibbs over their on-track battle at the conclusion of the first stage period. He also hinted at paying back Gibbs.

Before Preece’s penalty was revealed, he offered his perspective on the on-track incident and the feud with Gibbs on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

“There are people that you can race with respect around and cut breaks to,” Preece said. “Like, I can think of multiple times yesterday that instead of putting another driver in a pretty tough spot, you make the decision not to do that. I just grew up racing against people that I learned that lesson a long, long time ago, when I was a lot younger. Sometimes, I question if those same lessons are learned by the time you get to Cup.

“For me, it was more along the lines of [Gibbs] pretty much was very close to clear getting into [Turn] 3, and I could lift, but I didn’t,” Preece added. “I was right there and I felt like he came down, and I was not going to cut him a break because in the past, him and I have had problems. So I’ve got a little bit of a short fuse with him and I, with how we’re racing. And that was just one of those situations that could I cut him a break? Probably could have, but I didn’t. And ultimately, I didn’t feel like I hit him. I felt like I stayed right on him, and he got loose, and from there on, unfortunately, he wrecked.”

Preece was previously 12th in the driver’s standings with 298 points. With the penalty, he dropped a position to 13th place with 273 points and is 38 points above the top-16 cutline to be in contention to make the Chase. Gibbs dropped two points positions from fifth to seventh.

In the Truck division, Dylan Cappello, crew chief for Layne Riggs and the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford F-150 team, received a fine of $2,500. He is also suspended from the upcoming event at Watkins Glen International. Cappello’s penalty was due to improperly installed lug nuts on Riggs’ entry. This violated Sections 8.8.10.4a of the NASCAR rule book that pertains to Tires and Wheels, along with lug nut(s) not properly installed.

Amid the penalty, Riggs finished in sixth place during Friday’s Truck event at Texas. He is currently third in the driver’s standings and trails teammate Chandler Smith for the points lead by 19 points.

There were no penalties levied against any drivers and teams following Saturday’s O’Reilly event at Texas. Kyle Larson won the event.

The 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season resumes with the Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen on Friday, May 8, at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM.

The 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season follows suit with the Mission 200 at The Glen on Saturday, May 9, at 4 p.m. ET on the CW Network, MRN Radio and SiriusXM.

The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season continues with the Go Bowling at The Glen on Sunday, May 10, at 3 p.m ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM and HBO MAX.

The Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen Outlook and Picks

By
SM Staff
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Shane Van Gisbergen celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 10, 2025. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) heads to Watkins Glen International for the Go Bowling at The Glen on Sunday, May 10, at 3 p.m. ET on FS1.

Last season, Ryan Blaney topped NASCAR Cup Series qualifying in his No. 12 Team Penske Ford with a lap of 122.568 mph (71.960 secs.), and Shane Van Gisbergen captured his fourth consecutive road-course victory and his first at the 2.45-mile track.

Track & Race Information for the Go Bowling at The Glen

Season Race #: 12 of 36 (May 10, 2026)
The Purse: $11,233,037
Track Size: 2.45-mile
Track Type: Asphalt Multi-Elevational Road Course
Number of Turns: 7

Length and Race Stages for the Go Bowling at The Glen

Race Length: 100 laps / 245 miles
Stage 1 Length: 20 laps (Ends on Lap 20)
Stage 2 Length: 30 laps (Ends on Lap 50)
Final Stage Length: 50 laps (Ends on Lap 100)

Who and what should you look out for at Watkins Glen International?

NASCAR Cup Series 2026 Top 16 in the Driver Standings at Watkins Glen
RankDriverRacesPolesWinsTop 5sTop 10sDNFsAFDR
1Tyler Reddick50004012.278.5
2Denny Hamlin192169315.985.7
3Chase Elliott92244012.3102
4Ryan Blaney9101411580
5Chris Buescher100124014.876.8
6Carson Hocevar20011010.585.6
7Ty Gibbs40011021.572.6
8Kyle Larson110235014.688.6
9Brad Keselowski150046015.987.1
10William Byron70124013.792.2
11Bubba Wallace70001121.158.4
12Ryan Preece50001120.664.3
13Christopher Bell5002406.896.9
14Daniel Suárez80034012.881
15Austin Cindric40001013.876.1
16Chase Briscoe5001301678.8

Based on the last 20 races at Watkins Glen International (2005 – 2025).
AF – Average Finish
DR – Driver Rating

This weekend, eight of the 27 NCS race winners at Watkins Glen are entered in the event. Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and Kyle Busch lead all active drivers in wins at Watkins Glen International with two victories each. A total of six NCS drivers have posted consecutive wins at Watkins Glen, and Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott are the only active drivers to accomplish the feat.

Active WGI WinnersWinsSeasons
Kyle Larson22022, 2021
Chase Elliott22019, 2018
Kyle Busch22013, 2008
Chris Buescher12024
William Byron12023
Denny Hamlin12016
Joey Logano12015
AJ Allmendinger12014

A total of 14 different starting positions have led to victories. In 42 races, the pole or first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field (25%), producing more winners than any other starting position, with 10. The most recent driver to accomplish the feat was Chase Elliott in 2019.

StatsWinning %Wins
Winning from the First Starting Position:25.00%10
Winning from the Front Row:35.00%15
Winning from a Top-Five Starting Position:67.50%28
Winning from a Top-10 Starting Position:77.50%32
Winning After Starting Outside the Top 20:2.44%1

The Driver Picks for the Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International

  • Chase Elliott has two poles, two wins, four top fives, four top 10s, and an average finish of 12.333.
  • Kyle Larson has two wins, three top fives, five top 10s, and an average finish of 14.636.
  • Shane Van Gisbergen has one win, two top fives, two top 10s, and the series-best average finish of 1.500.
  • Carson Hocevar has one top five, one top 10, and an average finish of 10.500.
  • Christopher Bell has two top fives, four top 10s, and an average finish of 6.800.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: WATKINS GLEN RACE PREVIEW

By
Official Release
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LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:
WATKINS GLEN PRE-RACE ADVANCE
EVENT: Go Bowling at The Glen
DATE: May 10, 2026
RACE: NASCAR Cup Series 12 of 36
TRACK: Watkins Glen International | 7-Turn, 2.45-Mile Road Course

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 PYE-BARKER FIRE & SAFETY TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JHN AT WATKINS GLEN: John Hunter Nemechek has two NASCAR Cup Series starts at Watkins Glen International, with his highest finish of 21st coming in August 2024. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, he has two career starts at the road course, with his best finish of sixth coming in the August 2023 race. Nemechek also has one start at The Glen in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series where he started sixth and finished second under caution.

T-MACK AT WATKINS GLEN: Sunday’s race will be crew chief Travis Mack’s fifth NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen. His first outing came with Daniel Suarez in 2021, and the duo competed there together for three years in a row, earning a highest finish of fifth in August 2022. In 2024 at The Glen, he earned the pole and a second-place finish with Shane van Gisbergen. He returned in 2025 with Nemechek. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Mack has two starts at Watkins Glen with Michael Annett, earning a 17th-place finish in 2018 and an eighth-place finish in 2019.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTE:
“Watkins Glen is one of my favorite road courses on the schedule. We showed some speed there last year until we got some damage at the end of Stage 2, so I feel like we can build off of that and have a solid showing this weekend.”

TRAVIS MACK QUOTE:
“Road courses are a never-ending fight, and we’re always looking to get better. COTA was our highest finish of the year so far, so hopefully we can build off that for this weekend.”

ERIK JONES
NO. 43 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JONES WATKINS GLEN STATS: Sunday’s Go Bowling at the Glen will mark Erik Jones’ ninth NASCAR Cup Series start at Watkins Glen International. In his prior seven starts at the track, Jones earned two top-fives and four top-10s. His best finish came in August 2019 when Jones started 14th and earned a solid fourth-place result. Jones has an additional four starts outside of the Cup Series at The Glen – three in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and one in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. In his three O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts, Jones earned a best finish of eighth in August 2017 after starting sixth. In his only NASCAR K&N Pro Series East start at the track, Jones started 25th and finished 19th after leading seven laps in the August 2018 race.

STAGE WINNER AT TEXAS: In last Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway, Jones not only had a solid day to finish 12th, but also earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series stage win. As a caution came out with just a handful of laps to go in Stage 1, crew chief Justin Alexander made a bold call to stay out when leaders pitted to have Jones inherit the lead. He battled for the No. 47 on the restart to keep the lead and pull away to earn the stage win. This was also the first stage win for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.

ALEXANDER AT THE GLEN: This Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen International will be crew chief Justin Alexander’s eighth race on top of the box at the road course in New York. He earned a best finish of 13th with Paul Menard in August 2015.

THE OSCAR PLUSH: The Oscar Jones collectible plush is back in stock! Modeled after his eight-year-old German Shepherd, the Oscar plush started to be sold at Indianapolis last year and has been in such high demand that they sold out online. A portion of the sale of the plush will go back to the Erik Jones Foundation to support the funding of grants for its animal welfare pillar of giving. Since its launch in 2021, the Erik Jones Foundation has gifted more than $40,000 in grants to organizations promoting animal welfare and supporting the training of working animals. Fans can still purchase their own Oscar plush at ErikJonesRacing.com.

ERIK JONES QUOTE:
“Watkins Glen should be good. As far as road courses go, it hasn’t been the smoothest part of our program the last handful of years, but Watkins Glen is one that has stood out. We’ve been able to run well at it. We came home with a decent finish last year, and this year I feel like we could run top-10 there with a good day. Hopefully, we can also have some opportunities for some stage points based on strategy or just running well enough to earn some. Watkins Glen is a unique road course. It’s one that I have a lot of experience on and somewhere that fits a lot of drivers’ styles that grew up racing ovals. You see more guys running well there. Hope to keep that momentum rolling from Texas.”

JUSTIN ALEXANDER QUOTE:
“Road courses have been a place where LEGACY MOTOR CLUB has needed some work in the past. COTA had a lot of obstacles thrown our way, so I don’t know if that was an accurate depiction for the No. 43 team of what we have for road courses after the work we put in during the off season. Watkins Glen is a little bit different style of road course from the others though. I think there’s some more speed and strategy at play. Hopefully our hard work on our road course program will have paid off, but I’m excited to get to Watkins Glen this weekend.”

CLUB MINUTES:
FAST PIT STOPS: The LEGACY MOTOR CLUB pit crews are continuing to impress as the season continues on. Per Asphalt Analytics, the No. 43 team ran the CLUB’s fastest pit stop ever last Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway with a time of 8.365 seconds. They were also top-five in pit crew rankings for the race with an average of 8.690 seconds, which was also a LEGACY MOTOR CLUB best.

JJ AT THE GLEN: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB owner and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson has 18 Cup Series starts at Watkins Glen International. He earned a best finish of third twice in his career at The Glen – August 2007 and August 2012. In total, Johnson earned four top-fives, eight top-10s, and led 18 laps on the road course in New York. He has an additional four starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Watkins Glen where he earned a best finish of second in his final start there in August 2011. Johnson started sixth and finished just .974 of a second behind race winner Kurt Busch.

KENSETH GLEN STATS: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB competition advisor and 2003 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Matt Kenseth has a total of 19 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Watkins Glen. In his career, he earned two top-fives, eight top-10s, and led three laps at The Glen. His best finish of second came in August 2017 when he started 15th. He ended up finishing .414 of a second behind race winner Martin Truex Jr. Kenseth has an additional six NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at The Glen. He earned two top-fives and three top-10s with a best finish of third in August 2008 after starting 16th.

THE KING AT THE GLEN: Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB ambassador Richard Petty owns eight Cup Series starts at Watkins Glen. He earned a best finish of ninth in August 1991 at the track after starting 31st for the 90-lap race.

SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT:

CLUB APPEARANCES:
John Hunter Nemechek will visit the NASCAR Experience Stage on Saturday, May 9 for NASCAR Family Fued at 11:15 a.m. local time. On Sunday, May 10, he will be at Pit Inn for a Q&A session at 11:30 a.m. local time and follow that with an autograph session at the trackside merchandise trailer at 12 p.m. local time.

TUNE IN:
Fans can tune in to watch the Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen International on Sunday, May 10 at 3 p.m. EDT on FS1, MAX, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization 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 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.

Spire Motorsports Go Bowling at The Glen Race Advance

By
Official Release
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  • In 13 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Watkins Glen International (WGI), Spire Motorsports has logged two top-five and three top-10 finishes. Carson Hocevar owns the team’s best result, a third-place effort, earned in Sept. 2024. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the Cup Series with Daniel Suarez, Michael McDowell and Hocevar, respectively.
  • The Go Bowling at The Glen will be televised live on FS1 Sunday, May 10 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 12th of 36 points-paying races on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series calendar will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

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

  • Daniel Suárez will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International.
  • The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation (CRSF) empowers communities with clean, safe places for underserved youth to play, learn, and grow. Since 2018, Group 1001 and the CRSF have combined efforts to build 17 youth development parks and install 20 STEM centers nationwide. Group 1001 employees have joined CRSF to host and volunteer for four Community Enhancement Projects. CRSF and Group 1001 have impacted over 100,000 youth in their joint effort to promote active lifestyles and educational opportunities. For more information, visit https://ripkenfoundation.org/.
  • Across eight previous Cup Series starts at WGI, the Monterrey, Mexico native, has earned three top-five, four top-10 and six top-20 results with 14 laps led. He carries an average starting position of 14.4 and a 12.8 finishing position at the 2.45-mile course. His series/venue best came in 2017, when he finished third.
  • Suárez earned his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Sonoma Raceway, another road course, in 2022, to become the first Mexican-born driver to win in NASCAR’s premier division.
  • Watkins Glen marks the second of four road-course events on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series calendar. At the first road course of the season at Circuit of the Americas, Suárez started 23rd and finished 25th.
  • The 34-year-old driver finished seventh at WGI in August 2025, capitalizing on pit strategy and a steady charge through the field to turn a mid-pack start into a strong top-10 result.
  • Out of Suárez’s 334 Cup Series starts, 38 have come on road courses. In those races, he’s delivered one win (Sonoma 2022), six top-five and eight top-10 finishes, while leading 85 laps.
  • Last week at Texas, Suárez battled handling issues throughout the day but rebounded to finish sixth for his third top 10 of the season.
  • After 11 races, Suárez sits 14th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings. The two-time Cup Series winner has one top five, three top 10s and is averaging a 15.2 finish – four positions better than this time last season.

Daniel Suárez Quote
How are you feeling heading into the weekend, and how do you think the changes in the carousel section will affect the racing?
“I feel very good about it. For me and the team, I think we’ve learned a lot over the past few races, and that’s put us in a strong position heading into this weekend. I truly believe we’re in a really good place to go there, be competitive, and fight up front, so I’m super excited about that. It’s going to be fun, especially with a few changes to the race track, like the track limits in the carousel section. That’s definitely going to add something new and make things interesting. Overall, I’m really looking forward to it and seeing how everything comes together.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Ryan Sparks

  • Ryan Sparks is coming off a top-10 finish at Texas Motor Speedway. Over his Cup Series career, Sparks has called 213 races, earning five top-five and 13 top-10 finishes since making his debut atop the pit box in 2020.
  • The Winston-Salem, N.C., native’s best finish at Wakins Glen came in September 2024, where he earned an eighth-place finish with former driver, Corey LaJoie. Sparks has called five races at the Glen and overall has led the charge in 28 races on road courses, earning one top-10 finish.
  • Sparks joined Spire Motorsports in 2021, where he served as both Crew Chief and Competition Director, leading the organization’s competitive and technical efforts. In 2026, Sparks serves in a singular role as crew chief for Daniel Suárez.
  • Sparks brings more than a decade of experience across all three national series, highlighted by 13 seasons at Richard Childress Racing and contributions to title-winning campaigns in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (2011) and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (2013).

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

  • Michael McDowell will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Go Bowling Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen. Spire Motorsports and Go Bowling recently renewed their partnership and will expand the relationship this weekend by including both McDowell and young phenom Tristan McKee during the NASCAR Cup and ARCA Menards Series races this weekend. While McDowell will pilot the No. 71 Go Bowling Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in NASCAR’s premier division, McKee will race the No. 77 Chevy when the ARCA Series mixes it up Friday afternoon.
  • Bowling continues to be the No. 1 participatory sport in the United States, with more than 60 million people taking to the lanes and bowling centers all over America each year.
  • GoBowling.com is the destination for bowling fans and enthusiasts seeking news and information about one of America’s favorite pastimes and the nation’s number one participatory sport. With more than 67 million people taking to the lanes every year, GoBowling.com is a one-stop location where people of all ages can go to satisfy their love of bowling. Consumers turn to GoBowling.com every day to find bowling fun – discovering new bowling centers, tips and techniques to use on the lanes, entertaining bowling news and great deals at more than 1,700+ family-friendly bowling centers across the country.
  • In 16 starts at the famed 2.45-mile road course, situated at the southern tip of Seneca Lake, in the picturesque Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York, the driver of Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Chevy, has earned two top-10 finishes and led laps in three of his last four starts.
  • In his last four starts at WGI, the former open-wheel racer holds an average starting position of 5.5, including two third-place starts.
  • In last season’s NASCAR Cup Series race at The Glen, McDowell started sixth and finished 19th.
  • The father-of-five has earned top-10 finishes in two of his last four Cup Series races at Watkins Glen and paced the field for 38 laps.
  • The Glendale, Ariz., native recorded five Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series starts at WGI, collecting two top fives and three top 10s. He posted an average starting position of 3.8 while earning back-to-back fourth-place finishes in 2004 and 2005.
  • The two-time Cup Series winner made his first O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start in nearly a decade last summer driving the No. 11 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing. He paced the field and was running second in the late goings before being clipped in the left-rear quarter panel by another competitor, ultimately leaving him 25th in the final rundown.
  • Prior to last year, his most recent O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start came in 2016. McDowell qualified Richard Childress Racing’s No. 2 Chevrolet second at Road America, leading 24 of 48 laps en route to his lone win on NASCAR’s junior circuit.
  • McDowell has made four O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at the seven-turn, 2.45-mile circuit, picking up a 10th-place finish in 2010.
  • In addition to Go Bowling, associate partners, NEFCO, B’laster, and Workforce will support the No. 71 Chevrolet’s efforts this weekend.
  • The 2021 Daytona 500 Champion will have a familiar voice on the spotter stand this week where McDowell’s cousin, Jason Noll, will assist primary spotter Michael Fisher during the Cup Series’ visit to the newly repaved venue.
  • The 19-year Cup Series veteran currently sits in the top 10 of the Fan Vote for next weekend’s NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. Fans can vote for McDowell up to five times a day.

Michael McDowell Quote
How does a top-five result at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) help you this weekend at Watkins Glen?
“COTA and Watkins Glen are very different. Overall, our road-course cars and speed have been good. This is our second road course of the year, so hopefully, we can have a day similar to COTA. It’s important to unload close and qualify well, to have a good shot at it in the race. Watkins Glen is just a cool road course. I have always loved going up there. The rhythm and flow make for a good track. You have to attack the bus stop, carry a lot of momentum into the esses, with very little room for error. It is a lot of fun, and I enjoy it. I think more than anything is when you’re driving with a smile on your face, you’re usually doing pretty good.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Travis Peterson

  • Crew Chief Travis Peterson will call his 125th NASCAR Cup Series race from atop the pitbox at Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen.
  • Peterson has called two races in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at the seven-turn, 2.45-mile track, earning one top-five and two top-10 finishes while working as a race engineer at JR Motorsports.
  • The 34-year-old has been part of two NASCAR Cup Series top 10s at the track, first as a race engineer for Chris Buescher and RFK Racing in 2022, then as a crew chief for McDowell in 2024.

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

  • Carson Hocevar will race Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Spectrum Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen, his third start in NASCAR’s premier division at the 2.45-mile race course.
  • Spectrum is a suite of advanced communications services offered by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), a leading broadband connectivity company available to 58 million homes and small to large businesses across 41 states. Founded in 1993, Charter has evolved from providing cable TV to streaming, and from high-speed Internet to a converged broadband, WiFi and mobile experience. Over the Spectrum Fiber Broadband Network and supported by our 100 percent U.S.-based employees, the Company offers Seamless Connectivity and Entertainment with Spectrum Internet®, Mobile, TV and Voice products. More information can be found at corporate.charter.com.
  • Through 11 races, Hocevar sits sixth in points, 12 markers out of fifth. His one win, three top fives, five top 10s, 333 points scored, average starting position of 10.1 and 13.4 average finish are all career highs through the first 11 points-paying races of the 2026 season. The team’s average starting position is nearly seven positions better than last season, and its average finishing position has improved by over eight spots compared to this point in 2025.
  • Last Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, the Portage, Mich., native registered his fifth top-10 result of the 2026 campaign with a seventh-place finish while racking up 41 points on the day, the fourth-most accumulated in the field. He earned the pole position for the second time in his career, and first since last season’s trip to Texas, with a lap time of 28.222 seconds (191.340 mph).
  • The 2024 Cup Series Rookie of the Year notched a then career-best third-place finish in his first Cup Series start at the Upstate New York venue in 2024.
  • Aside from his NASCAR Cup Series duties, Hocevar will also pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Delaware Life Chevrolet Silverado RST in Friday afternoon’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen. He is fresh off a victory in last weekend’s SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway where he registered his sixth series’ victory and second at the Fort Worth oval.
  • In his lone CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Watkins Glen in 2021, Hocevar qualified ninth and was credited with a 10th-place result in the regular-season finale when the race was called for inclement weather. One day prior, he made a rare ARCA Menards Series appearance at the track, where he qualified fourth in a star-studded field of up-and-coming racers featuring four current NASCAR Cup Series drivers (Chase Briscoe, Ty Gibbs, Riley Herbst and Hocevar).
  • Hocevar will partake in a full week of races as he and Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 team kick off their FloRacing Night in America schedule. They will start the 11-race mid-week slate with a pair races in the “Land of Lincoln” beginning Wednesday at Spoon River Speedway before moving to Lincoln Speedway Thursday.
  • The 23-year-old driver, who grew up racing pavement late models, has competed in 10 dirt late model events, qualifying for six A-main feature races and earning a career-best sixth-place finish at Eldora (Ohio) Speedway in June 2023 during a Dirt Late Model Dream preliminary feature.
  • Hocevar made a surprise appearance Monday night at the Met Gala in New York City. The Met Gala is an annual, invitation-only fundraising gala held on the first Monday in May to benefit the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. Known as “fashion’s biggest night,” it marks the opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibition and brings together celebrities, designers, and influencers who wear elaborate outfits themed around the new exhibition.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
How do you evaluate the start to your season?
“I think we are right where we want to be. It was obviously really cool thing to get the win for Jeff (Dickerson) and everyone at Spire Motorsports, and while we are sixth in points with 98 points on The Chase cutline, we lost out on some points at times this year, too. We got turned while leading at Daytona and lost spots on late-race restarts at Bristol and Richmond. We have shown where we are capable of running week-in and week-out, we just have to continue to put it all together like we have the first 11 weeks.”

You’re running some grassroots races this week. Why does that make sense for you?
“I’m excited to get things rolling. We were supposed to have three nights, but rains had other plans. We will still have two opportunities this week to get out there and dial in our program. It will be nice for me to get in the swing of running a dirt car and acclimated to the late night feature before packing up and heading to the next track the next night. It will be fun to at least see how we stack up against everyone throughout the schedule. Can’t wait to get out there with the Spire guys and give everyone from Chili’s something to cheer for during the week.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Luke Lambert

  • Crew chief Luke Lambert is in his third season at Spire Motorsports and fourth with driver Carson Hocevar. The duo has logged one win, two pole awards, six top-five and 20 top-10 finishes in 91 races together.
  • The 16-year veteran crew chief has called 12 NASCAR Cup Series races at Watkins Glen, notching one top five and two top 10s, highlighted by Hocevar’s third-place result in 2024.
  • The Mount Airy, N.C., native has been atop the war wagon for a pair NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races at Watkins Glen, tallying a venue-best fourth-place finish with Noah Gragson in 2022.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports fields full-time entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing.
The team, co-owned by longtime NASCAR industry executive Jeff Dickerson and TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss, earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado its first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent victory came May 1, 2026, when Carson Hocevar won the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series’ SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.

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

Spire Motorsports Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen Race Advance

By
Official Release
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  • In four NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Watkins Glen International (WGI) Spire Motorsports earned its lone top-10 finish when Sammy Smith finished sixth in last year’s Mission 176 at the Glen.
  • Round 8 of the 2026 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship will mark Spire Motorsports 200th start that saw the team’s first foray in the division Feb. 18, 2022 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway with Austin Hill at the controls. Since then, the Mooresville, N.C. organization has gone on to record six poles, 11 wins, 40 top-five and 82 top-10 finishes. The team’s most recent CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win came last Friday at Texas Motor Speedway when Carson Hocevar earned the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250.
  • The Bully Hill Vineyards 176 will be televised live on FS1 Friday, May 8 beginning at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The eighth of 25 points-paying races on the 2026 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series schedule will be broadcast live on the NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Connor Mosack – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST

  • Connor Mosack will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Friends of Jaclyn Chevrolet Silverado RST in Friday’s Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen.
  • The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers and to raise awareness through their Adopt-A-Child, Safe on the Sidelines and Guardian Angel Programs.
  • In his lone CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at WGI, Mosack qualified 10th and raced his way into the top five during the final run where he was in contention for the win before contact during multiple overtime restarts left him 16th in the final rundown.
  • During the inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (Fla.), Mosack started on the pole after qualifying was canceled due to weather, and controlled the early stages of the race. Unfortunately, heavy damage resulting from contact with another competitor shuffled Mosack down the leaderboard. Still, he managed to work his way back toward the front to recover for a solid, 13th-place finish.
  • The talented road racer is a two-time race winner in the Trans Am Series at WGI where he earned back-to-back victories in 2021 and 2022, including winning from the pole in 2022.
  • In ARCA Menards Series competition, Mosack has made two starts at the famed 2.45-mile road course, earning one top-five finish in 2024, a race won by Spire Motorsports’ teammate Connor Zilisch.
  • The 176-mile event will mark Mosack’s third CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start of the year and ninth with Spire Motorsports. In eight previous starts with the team, the 27-year-old has tallied two top-five and five top-10 finishes.
  • Mosack will drive Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-071 Friday. This is the same truck Mosack raced in February at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
  • Before it was property of Spire Motorsports, chassis SMT-071 saw success as the primary road-course truck for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Busch drove it to victory at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway in June 2022, where he led 45 of the event’s 75 laps, en route to the now defunct team’s 95th CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win.
  • In 11 races, SMT-071 has tallied two poles, one win and six top fives while maintaining a 3.5 average starting position and an average finish of 10.2. The truck has paced the field for 101 circuits and led laps in six of its 10 starts.

Connor Mosack Quote
You showed top-five speed late in your only truck start at Watkins Glen. How do you build on that experience heading back this weekend?
“Watkins Glen is one of my favorite tracks and I always look forward to racing there. One of the biggest things I learned last year was how the truck transitions throughout the run and what I need to be strong all race long. I feel good about where our truck is this year and it should be a great weekend for us.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Brian Pattie

  • Brian Pattie sits atop the No. 7 pit box, an entry that will see myriad all-star caliber drivers behind the wheel throughout the 2026 season.
  • Pattie has called four NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, including Busch’s dominant performance in the 2024 SpeedyCash.com 250. Busch led 112 of the event’s 167 laps en route to victory, calculating a decisive 1.62 average running position.
  • The Zephyrhills, Fla., native has led the No. 7 team to one win, two top-five and three top-10 finishes through the first six CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races of 2026, posting an average finish of 10.3
  • The 25-year industry 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 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. He stands as one of 11 crew chiefs to win races across all three of NASCAR’s national touring series.

Connor Zilisch – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST

  • Connor Zilisch will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Trackhouse Labs Chevrolet Silverado RST in Friday’s Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen.
  • Trackhouse Labs is a division of Trackhouse Entertainment used for technical capabilities including motorsports supply needs, philanthropic services, and custom design and fabrication. Among the special projects managed by Trackhouse Labs was the construction of the Aerial Recovery trucks built to aid in first responder rescue missions after natural disasters in the United States. Trackhouse Labs also has the capability to produce custom vehicle build outs for both the road and track and as well as classic car renovations.
  • Zilisch will pull triple duty this weekend and compete in all three of NASCAR’s national touring series races at WGI. In addition to his responsibilities behind the wheel of Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Chevy Friday afternoon, the accomplished road racer will also race JR Motorsports’ No. 1 Chevrolet in Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ Mission 200. On Sunday, he’ll wheel Trackhouse Racing’s No. 88 machine in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Go Bowling at The Glen.
  • The 72-lap event will mark his ninth CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start and seventh with Spire Motorsports. In six previous starts with the team, Zilisch has earned two Kennametal Pole Awards and two top-five finishes.
  • In three CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts on road courses, Zilisch has registered two top-five and three top-10 finishes.
  • In his lone start with Spire Motorsports last season, Zilisch qualified sixth at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL and finished fifth in the EcoSave 250. He ran inside the top three most of the day and despite late-race contact with another competitor, still maintained his footing inside the top five when the checkered flag flew.
  • Zilisch became the seventh driver in O’Reilly Auto Parts Series history to win in his debut at Watkins Glen. The 2024 Mission 200 was extended into double overtime from its originally scheduled 82 laps where he held off the field during back-to-back restarts for his maiden trip to Victory Lane.
  • The 19-year-old racer has made seven O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ road course starts, earning five wins, six top-five and six top-10 finishes for a 4.4 average finish. His most recent road course victory came last season at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL.
  • Zilisch will race Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-076 Friday in its seventh start.

Connor Zilisch Quote
You’ve been close to a win with Spire Motorsports and always run well at Watkins Glen. What gives you the confidence this could be the weekend it all comes together?
“I’m excited to go to Watkins Glen this weekend and start my triple header weekend with Spire Motorsports. Spire has been a great team for me to race with in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. They have a lot of great people who support me and what I do, so I enjoy racing with them. I haven’t gotten a win yet, but we’ve been close. I’m pumped to go to Watkins Glen and hopefully, have a good race on Friday. I always look forward to going to Watkins Glen because that place has meant a lot to me over the years.”

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

  • Veteran crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion has called 16 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series road-course events, collecting four top-10 finishes. Zane Smith’s 2021 sixth-place result at Watkins Glen marked his best finish in CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competition at the famed New York venue.
  • Manion founded Spire Motorsports’ CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program alongside industry veteran Mike Greci in 2022. The team claimed its first victory in its second outing April 7, 2022, with William Byron behind the wheel at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
  • The seasoned veteran crew chief has racked up five Cup Series victories – including the 2010 Daytona 500 – 17 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series triumphs and 12 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.
  • Manion called Martin Truex, Jr.’s 2005 victory in the inaugural O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. The win marked the first of six during the 2005 campaign for the Truex Jr./Manion pairing. Nine months later, the potent duo secured their second O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship in as many seasons at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
  • In 2023, Manion became one of a select few to call a race in all three of NASCAR’s national touring series in a single season, all of which came under the Spire Motorsports umbrella. 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 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and took the reigns during the second half of the Cup Series season for Ty Dillon and the No. 77 team.

Carson Hocevar – Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST

  • Carson Hocevar will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Delaware Life Chevrolet Silverado RST in Friday’s Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen.
  • 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.
  • Hocevar will pull double duty this weekend at Watkins Glen, where he’ll also pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Spectrum Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series’ Go Bowling at The Glen.
  • The 23-year-old driver led the No. 77 team to Victory Lane last Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. Hocevar started 11th and led early in the final stage, but an issue during a green-flag pit stop caused the team to slip to fourth, six seconds behind the leader. Fortunately, a Lap-145 caution flag allowed Hocevar to reel in the lead trio, and after returning to racing action on Lap 149, made the move for the top spot four laps later. He survived multiple late-race restarts, including one NASCAR Overtime attempt, to snag his sixth career victory in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, just five days removed from his first NASCAR Cup Series win.
  • Hocevar currently sits sixth in the NASCAR Cup Series championship point standings. His one win, three top fives, five top 10s, 333 points scored, average starting position of 10.1 and 13.4 average finish are all career highs through the first 11 points-paying races of the 2026 season.
  • The newly minted Cup Series winner has one start under his belt in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at Watkins Glen, coming in 2021. He qualified ninth and was credited with a 10th-place result in the regular-season finale when the race was called prior to its scheduled conclusion for inclement weather.
  • One day prior to his first-and-only CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Watkins Glen, Hocevar made a rare ARCA Menards Series appearance at the 2.45-mile racecourse. He earned a fourth-place finish in a star-studded field of up-and-coming drivers featuring four current NASCAR Cup Series competitors (Chase Briscoe, Ty Gibbs, Riley Herbst and Hocevar) and 13 other NASCAR National Series competitors.
  • The 23-year-old driver, a veteran of 87 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races, has logged one pole, six wins, 24 top fives and 37 top 10s, while leading 843 laps. He made the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoffs in all his three full-time seasons and earned a spot in the 2023 Championship 4.
  • Hocevar will be at the controls of Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-072 Friday afternoon. This is the same Chevrolet Silverado Rajah Caruth raced to a fourth-place finish last October at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. Over 11 starts, a collection of drivers have driven this Spire Motorsports-prepared racer to three top-five and seven top-10 finishes.

Carson Hocevar Quote
You are at the halfway mark of your truck schedule for this season. How are you enjoying the experience and what are your thoughts as you carry out the rest of your races?
“It has been super fun for me. Other guys go golfing in their free time, I just like racing. It is an opportunity for me to go out, have fun, and try to help the No. 77 team rack up as many owner points as possible. It was cool to get the win last week at Texas for Jeff (Dickerson), Chad (Walter) and everyone at Spire, and hopefully we can get a couple more before my races are over.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Chad Walter

  • Chad Walter calls the shots from the top of the No. 77 pit box, an entry that will see multiple all-star caliber drivers behind the wheel throughout the 2026 season.
  • Walter is a mechanical engineering graduate of Cornell University in Ithaca, located 30 miles from Watkins Glen. During his studies, he played defensive end for the Big Red football team. He hails from Albion, N.Y., positioned just west of Rochester.
  • Last weekend’s victory marked the first for the veteran crew chief since March 2024 when he guided Rajah Caruth to his first career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win.
  • The 54-year-old has called 10 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series road course events. Driver Tyler Ankrum earned Walter’s best result on a road course, a sixth-place result on Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway’s road course configuration in 2020.
  • In 19 road course events atop the NASCAR O”Reilly Auto Parts Series pit box, Walter has tallied five top fives and seven top 10s. As a crew chief for the JR Motorsports’ No. 5 team, Walter reached Victory Lane at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with Ron Fellows in 2008. The duo elected to run long during a pit cycle as storms were approaching the circuit. When heavy rain descended upon the track on Lap 48, the race was declared official and Fellows was declared the winner.
  • During his time as a shop engineer at Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Walter was part of Steve Park’s 2000 triumph at Watkins Glen. Park led 53 laps en route to his maiden Cup Series victory. Spire Motorsports’ Truck Series Competition Director and part-time crew chief of the team’s No. 71 entry Kevin “Bono” Manion was the car chief on the No. 1 car that weekend.
  • Between NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, the 54-year-old has racked up seven wins, 56 top fives and 142 top 10s.

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

The team, co-owned by longtime NASCAR industry executive Jeff Dickerson and TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss, earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent win came April 27, 2026, when Carson Hocevar earned his inaugural Cup Series win in the Jack Links 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

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

RFK Racing, Fifth Third Team Up to Fight Hunger in Charlotte

By
Official Release
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NASCAR Team and Bank Employees Volunteer at Second Harvest of Metrolina for Fifth Third Day

CONCORD, NC (May 5, 2026) — Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing’s No. 17 Fifth Third-sponsored NASCAR Cup Series pit crew teamed up with Fifth Third Bank employees in Charlotte Tuesday to volunteer at Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. The collaboration continued a shared tradition of giving back and helping address food insecurity in the communities they call home.

During the event, Fifth Third presented a $25,000 donation to Second Harvest of Metrolina, reinforcing the Bank’s commitment to keeping the customer and community at the center of everything it does. The volunteer effort and contribution align with Fifth Third Day, the bank’s annual day of service and giving recognized each year around May 3 or better known as 5/3 on the calendar.

The RFK Racing team and Fifth Third employees worked side by side to support Second Harvest’s mission, helping prepare and pack meals that will be distributed to families across the Charlotte region. Hunger relief has been a focus of Fifth Third Day since 2012, when the Bank formally aligned its enterprise-wide volunteer efforts around fighting food insecurity.

“Fifth Third Day is about showing up for our communities in meaningful ways,” said Lee Fite, president of Fifth Third Bank’s Carolinas Region. “By working together with our employees, RFK Racing and Second Harvest of Metrolina, we are going above and beyond to support families who need it most and strengthen the places we call home.”

The collaboration between Fifth Third Bank and RFK Racing has become a familiar sight in Charlotte, with the No. 17 team and Bank employees volunteering together at local food banks for several consecutive years around Fifth Third Day. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to service, teamwork and making a positive impact beyond the track.

Since 1991, Fifth Third has recognized May 3 as Fifth Third Day, using the occasion as a rallying point for volunteerism and giving across its footprint. Through longstanding partnerships with Feeding America and local food banks, Fifth Third employees have helped deliver millions of meals to neighbors in need through volunteering and financial support.

About RFK Racing

RFK Racing, in its 39th season in 2026, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988, and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit rfkracing.com, and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.

About Fifth Third Bank

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Fifth Third operates 15 lines of business including consumer banking, commercial banking, wealth and asset management, data and analytics, and investment banking. Fifth Third is focused on improving lives and communities through responsible banking and a commitment to being One Bank—A Fifth Third Better.

ARCA Menards Series at Watkins Glen International: General Tire 100 at The Glen Entry List, Pre-Race Notes, Stats Update

By
Official Release
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  • The ARCA Menards Series will take on the twisting turns at Watkins Glen International in Friday’s General Tire 100 at The Glen, the fifth race of the series’ 2026 season and first of two road course races. It will be the seventh race for the ARCA Menards Series at Watkins Glen International and the series’ 34th race on a road course in its history.
  • Jake Bollman (No. 20 Nitro Motorsports Toyota) leads the ARCA Menards Series championship standings heading into the General Tire 100 at The Glen; he has an eight-point lead over Ryan Vargas (No. 34 Maples Motorsports Chevrolet) heading into Friday’s race. Neither driver has made a road course start previously in the ARCA Menards Series.
  • In the 33 previous ARCA Menards Series road course races, there have been 30 different winners. Only one driver has won more than once: Andrew Ranger (No. 53 Van Dyk Recycling Solutions Chevrolet). Ranger will make his first ARCA Menards Series start since he won at New Jersey Motorsports Park in 2014. Ranger won his first career start at the track in 2011, and again in 2012, 2013, and 2014. His worst ARCA Menards Series road course start was second at Road America in 2013, and he has never finished outside the top-five with fifth-place finishes at both Chicagoland Speedway and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in his only two oval track starts in 2011. Ranger also has an ARCA Menards East road course victory at Lime Rock Park in 2010.
  • Home state favorite Andy Jankowiak (No. 71 Whelen / DAK’s Markets Chevrolet) heads into his home race fresh off his first career ARCA Menards Series victory in the series’ most recent race at Talladega Superspeedway. Jankowiak hails from Buffalo, New York, about two hours to the northwest of the Watkins Glen area and races tour-type Modifieds at various short tracks across the state.
  • NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship contender Kaden Honeycutt (No. 17 Mohawk Northeast Inc/MMI Toyota) will make his first ARCA Menards Series appearance since 2023 in the General Tire 100 at The Glen. Honeycutt will be teaming up with the Cook Racing Technologies team that he won two ARCA Menards Series West races with in 2023 which helped propel the organization to the West owner’s championship. Honeycutt will do double duty on Friday; he will also race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series nightcap.
  • Max Reaves (No. 18 Cook Out Toyota) will make his ARCA Menards Series road course debut in the General Tire 100 at The Glen. Reaves scored his fourth career ARCA Menards East victory last Saturday night at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and he enters Friday with three career ARCA Menards Series victories, the most recent in the 2025 season finale at Toledo Speedway. Reaves’ Joe Gibbs Racing team has had previous success on road courses, with wins at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with Ty Gibbs in 2021 and again in 2024 with William Sawalich and Brandon Jones at Watkins Glen in 2022. Sawalich also has three ARCA Menards West wins at road courses, at Portland International Raceway in 2024 and again at Portland and Sonoma Raceway in 2025.
  • Dystany Spurlock (No. 66 Foxxtecca Ford) will also do double duty; she will make her second career ARCA Menards Series start and then make her NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut both driving for Carl Long’s MBM Motorsports organization. Spurlock became the first ever Black female driver to start an ARCA Menards Series race at Kansas Speedway where she finished tenth; when she takes the green flag in Friday’s event she will be the first Black female to start a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race.
  • ARCA Menards East championship point standings leader Tristan McKee (No. 77 Go Bowling Chevrolet) became the 38th driver to win in his ARCA Menards Series debut at Watkins Glen in 2025 and the series’ second-youngest winner in history at 15 years, 4 days of age, behind only Todd Gilliland who won at Toledo Speedway in 2015 at 15 years, 1 day of age. McKee won the first two East races in 2026 at Hickory Motor Speedway and Rockingham Speedway.
  • The 33 teams entered represent the largest ARCA Menards Series entry list at Watkins Glen International since the series’ first appearance at the track in 2001.
  • Previous ARCA Menards Series winners at Watkins Glen International include John Finger (2001), Corey Heim (2021), Brandon Jones (2022), Jesse Love (2023), Connor Zilisch (2024), and Tristan McKee (2025).
  • The race will be run under the Break pit stop format with a five-minute break scheduled at or around lap 21. Teams can change tires, add fuel, and make adjustments. The break is the only time teams can change tires of a similar tread pattern (dry to dry, wet to wet) without penalty. Should weather conditions dictate, teams can change dry to wet or wet to dry without penalty under either green flag or yellow flag.
  • Should the race need to be extended to overtime, there will be one attempt at a one-lap green-and-white-together restart. Should the caution come out in overtime, the field will be frozen at the time of the caution.
  • The General Tire 100 at The Glen is set for 1:30 pm ET on Friday, May 8. The race will be televised live on FS2. The race will also be broadcast on select affiliates of the MRN Radio network nationwide and on MRN.com. Live timing & scoring data and live race audio will be available on ARCARacing.com; for up-to-the-minute updates please follow @ARCA_Racing on X (formerly known as Twitter).

About ARCA 
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing). 

About Menards
A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states.  Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building.  You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more.  To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro!
 
Menards has what you need to complete your outdoor projects and keep your yard in tip-top shape including mowers, trimmers, blowers, pressure washers and more, plus a beautiful garden center stocked with plants, shrubs, trees, landscaping tools, grass seed, fertilizer options, outdoor décor and patio furniture.  Menards also has everyday essentials like health & beauty products, housewares, pet and wildlife supplies, automotive items and even groceries.  And at Christmas, an Enchanted Forest display area with impressive trees, lighting, decorations, ornaments, inflatables and more. 
Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too!  For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.

Desnuda Named Official Partner, Premium Tequila of IMS

By
Official Release
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INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, May 5, 2026) – Desnuda Organic Tequila, an Indiana-based premium spirits brand, announces a partnership with Indianapolis Motor Speedway to become the “Official Premium Tequila” of IMS.

Crafted with intention, tradition and ritual, Desnuda embodies honesty and authenticity. An award-winning spirit, grown in the sacred ground of Jalisco, Mexico, Desnuda is certified organic, gluten-free and GMO-free tequila made with 100% Blue Weber agave.

Two beverage barns at IMS will be dedicated to Desnuda products, serving three specialty cocktails, including a margarita, pineapple sour and paloma. These barns will be located at the north end of Tower Terrace and outside of Turn 2. In addition, the “American Jubilee” cocktail served throughout IMS during the Month of May will use Desnuda Tequila.

“Desnuda is known for its commitment to tradition and one-of-a-kind experiences,” INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “IMS and the Indy 500 also are one-of-a-kind and steeped in tradition, and Desnuda provides our fans with another way they can celebrate together at the Racing Capital of the World.”

In a world of industrial spirits and celebrity tequila, Desnuda stays small by choice. They roast the agave in stone ovens and ferment in closed tanks for purity.

Desnuda Tequila is presented in hand-forged bottles that make every release one of a kind.

The next event for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the Sonsio Grand Prix on the road course at IMS. Live coverage begins at 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, May 9 on FOX. Live coverage of the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge will begin at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday, May 24 on FOX.

The Business Side of Vehicle Transport

By
SM
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Photo by depositphotos at https://depositphotos.com/

That paperwork is simple to dismiss from the outside. The truck is the visible part. The chain of documentation behind the move is the hidden aspect.

Why Is There So Much Paperwork in Automotive Transportation?

Paperwork is a feature of automotive shipping because a car shipment typically involves more than one business and more than one handoff.

A single vehicle relocation may include vehicle owner, broker, transporter, pickup location, delivery location, insurance requirements, inspection notes, billing department. In motorsports, the chain might encompass race teams, stores, sponsors, event sites, parts suppliers and last-minute logistics. In the retail automotive world, this can include dealers, auctions, recon centers, lenders and third party carriers.

Each side needs a distinct section of the record. Pickup crew must release paperwork. Delivery workers require condition confirmation. The carrier shall have proof of delivery of the vehicle. The billing contact needs to see an invoice that reflects the details of the job.

If a document is lost or a reference number is incorrect, payment is slow.

Which Documents Are Important After Vehicle Delivery?

After the delivery, the important documents are those showing the job was authorized, finished and priced right.

This can involve for vehicle travel and transfer of goods:

  1. details of dispatch or loading
  2. written price agreement or rate confirmation;
  3. inspection records of pickup and delivery;
  4. acknowledged delivery;
  5. BOL (Bill of Lading) or transport receipt;
  6. accessorial approvals for waiting time, storage, special handling or extra stops;
  7. latest invoice

The specific document names are dependent on the type of shipment. A race car out to an event can have different paperwork than a used vehicle out of an auction to a dealership. And the billing question is the same: Can the carrier verify the job was done on the terms agreed to?

If the answer is yes, it’s easier to pay. If the answer involves phone calls, misdirected emails or missing attachments, the invoice becomes delayed.

Why Is the Reference Number Important?

Reference numbers will be used by billing teams to connect the invoice to the original transport order.

The driver may conceive of the work by: route, vehicle, customer name or delivery date. The billing department might only care about the load number, purchase order, shipment ID, or internal reference. If the invoice number is somewhat different from the original agreement, the system or clerk reviewing it may not know where to apply it.

That’s why little differences are important. A dash, prefix, missing digit or copied number from the wrong document can throw an otherwise valid invoice into manual review.

Carriers should copy the billing reference directly from the agreement/rate confirmation and maintain the original document connected to the work file. It’s the safest way to do it. 

Why Is Manual Billing Still Used in Transport?

Manual invoicing is still popular since many small carriers still interact with a variety of brokers, shippers, clients and formats on a weekly basis.

Big fleets could employ a Transportation Management System (TMS) that brings together dispatch, accounting, tracking, driver payments and billing. Small operators don’t generally need that whole system. They can book work over the phone, email, load board or broker portal. But their immediate concern is more narrow: get the job documents turned into a correct invoice and transmit it swiftly.

That gap is why many carriers are looking at specific freight billing software for carriers instead of broad solutions designed primarily for brokers, shippers, or huge fleets. The useful software in this category starts with the documents carriers already use: rate confirmations, Bills of Lading, delivery records, and invoice templates.

Sometimes the best tool isn’t the one with the most features. For a small transport firm, often the greatest tool is the one that cuts off the largest amount of repeated typing.

How Can Automation Help Without Changing the Entire Workflow?

The best value of automation is when it can fix the one pain point without having to re-engineer all the other processes in the organization.

In transport billing the repetitive phase is the data transfer. The agreed price, pickup details, delivery details, client name and reference number are already on the original paper. The carrier shouldn’t have to read one document and then re-key the same information line by line into another document.

A practical automated workflow is as follows:

1. Keep the shipping agreement or pricing confirmation.
2. Take a photo of the delivery document signed.
3. Fill in the invoice with the same reference numbers and prices.
4. Prepare one billing packet with the invoice and proof documentation.
5. Send the packet to the billing contact on the agreement.

The carrier still checks the invoice before mailing it. Automation doesn’t relieve accountability. This decreases both the repetition of entry and its associated errors.

What Should Automotive Businesses Expect from Carriers?

Carriers should be expected to offer the automotive industry with comprehensive, uniform billing packets.

That means the invoice must clearly show the vehicle or load reference, negotiated charge, delivery details, carrier information and evidence of completion for a dealership, auction, racing operation or service business that uses third-party transport. If there are to be any further charges these should be in writing.

Clean billing is also good for the client. It cuts down on chasing missing paperwork, connecting bills to jobs and checking out past deliveries.

Strong carrier connections are about more than price. They also rely on dependability following delivery when paperwork needs to be concluded and payment needs to proceed.

Complete the Paperwork Loop After Delivery

Transporting vehicles is an operational job but the remuneration is dependent on administrative accuracy. The carrier can accomplish everything perfectly on the road, but if the invoice package is incomplete or not matching, they will wait on payment.

As automotive logistics become more linked, the biggest wins won’t just be tracking vehicles in transit. And there will be savings from clearing up the papers after delivery. The more quickly a completed project becomes a complete invoice packet, the more quickly everyone can close the loop.

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