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Wood Brothers Racing – Race Week Briefing: Charlotte Motor Speedway

Event: Bank of America 400

Date/Time: Sunday, October 11, 2026, 3 p.m. ET

Location: Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, North Carolina

Layout: 1.5-Mile Oval

TV/Radio: USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Sunday’s Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway will mark the 125th NASCAR Cup Series start on the track’s 1.5-mile oval for Wood Brothers Racing, which will field the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang for driver Josh Berry.

The first of those 125 starts came in the 1960 National 400, when Speedy Thompson delivered the Wood Brothers’ first-ever Cup Series victory. Thompson led 44 laps that afternoon, including the final 35, and took the checkered flag one lap ahead of runner-up Richard Petty.

The Woods have since added five more victories at Charlotte and 100 more Cup Series wins overall.

Charlotte has historically been one of the team’s most successful tracks. The Wood Brothers have earned 20 poles at the speedway, more than at any other track, including a remarkable stretch of 12 consecutive poles from 1973 through 1979. The team also has 39 top-10 finishes at Charlotte, including 24 top-five results.

The Wood Brothers’ most recent top-10 finish on the Charlotte oval came in 2017, when Ryan Blaney finished eighth.

Berry enters this weekend looking to rebound after disappointing finishes at Kansas Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway the past two weekends. He has made three previous Cup Series starts on the Charlotte oval, highlighted by a 10th-place finish in 2024. He finished 12th at the track last season and also scored a victory at Charlotte in O’Reilly Series competition in 2022.

“The last couple of weeks haven’t gone the way we wanted, so Charlotte is a good opportunity for us to reset and get back on track,” said Berry, who will be seeking his 10th top-10 finish of the season. “We know what this team is capable of, and our focus is on putting together a solid weekend and rebuilding some momentum for the final stretch of the season.”

Practice for the Bank of America 400 is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 2:05 p.m. Both sessions will be televised on truTV.

Sunday’s 267-lap, 400.5-mile race is scheduled to take the green flag shortly after 3 p.m. ET, with Stage 1 ending at Lap 80 and Stage 2 at Lap 165.

USA Sports will provide live television coverage of the Bank of America 400.

Josh Berry

Age: 35 (Oct. 22, 1990)

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Miles Stanley

IG: @joshberry88

X: @joshberry

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

What is iGaming, and its Future with Licensing

Photo by Chris F on Pexels

Simply put, iGaming generally refers to gambling and gaming activities conducted online through apps, websites, or other digital platforms. This term includes essentially any casino-like game played online, and more.

What Type of Games Does iGaming Include?

As mentioned, it includes a wide range of online gambling activities. While traditional gambling takes place in a physical casino, iGaming offers access to gambling websites and services via a mobile device or a computer.

You can expect the following forms of iGaming:

  • Online casino games such as blackjack, slots, roulette, and baccarat
  • Sports betting, including motorsports, football, basketball, and horse racing
  • Competitive games such as online poker and other peer-to-peer gambling games
  • Live dealer games streamed over the internet
  • Esports betting on exclusively online games

The exact library of games depends on the platform and the laws of the platform’s jurisdiction. While some regions allow online sports betting, others may restrict or outright prohibit it.

Does iGaming Need Licensing?

Short answer: yes, iGaming does generally need licenses to operate legally. Gaming licenses provide a regulatory framework for online gambling platforms. This ensures platforms operate under oversight and meet the standards for safe, fair play.

Gambling requirements are essential for addressing key factors like player safety, game integrity, and financial security. Requiring platforms to show they’re fair and protect their customers is a good thing.

A platform license is also a green flag for customers. It shows that an authority has assessed the license holder and deemed it appropriate.

Consistently Shifting Regulatory Environment

One of the biggest factors surrounding iGaming is the continued development of online gambling markets. Governments and regulatory authorities worldwide have approached iGaming with guidelines to ensure safe play.

Each jurisdiction has taken its own approach to iGaming, with some introducing new legal frameworks, while others maintain tight restrictions on the types of games that can be played. For operators, entering a new market can require considerable effort to meet new legal requirements. This can include applying for a new local license, changing how games are run in that area, and even establishing more robust platform-wide procedures.

Regulations can also affect existing licenses. This can take the form of new requirements for player security, verification, deposits, withdrawals, or even new responsible gambling restrictions.

Evolving Technology in iGaming

Because iGaming is inherently tied to technology and the internet, it continues to evolve daily. Mobile devices let customers access iGaming almost anywhere, including live dealer games streamed online that recreate the casino experience.

Emerging technologies also raise questions and create opportunities for iGaming. Cryptocurrency involvement, artificial intelligence, data-driven custom gambling systems, and identity verification will all bring changes or challenges for iGaming.

As each new technology emerges or is adopted, regulatory bodies and platforms will need to update existing rules or add new safeguards.

What Does the Future Hold?

One thing is clear: iGaming is here to stay for a long time, along with the wider gambling industry. Changes will likely include new markets, regulatory shifts, and technological developments.

For customers, licensing provides important safeguards and helps distinguish regulated platforms from unregulated ones. For platform owners, it will help them understand and comply with regulatory guidelines that keep their user base safe and secure.

iGaming is more than online gambling. It is a rapidly evolving industry built around casino and gambling services that aims to provide a fun, safe environment for customers. As the industry continues to expand, licensing requirements and regulatory changes will remain integral to how these platforms operate.

When Does Mobile Car Detailing Make More Sense Than a Traditional Car Wash?

Keeping a car clean sounds easy until the week gets busy. Work runs late, errands pile up, and the vehicle keeps collecting dust, crumbs, road film, and fingerprints. That is often when people start searching for a Mobile Detailer near me instead of squeezing another trip into the day.

When Time Is the Biggest Problem

A normal car wash can take longer than expected once travel and waiting time are added. Even a short appointment may mean driving across town, checking in, waiting for the vehicle and then heading home again.

Mobile detailing changes that routine. The technician comes to the vehicle, allowing the owner to continue working, stay at home or deal with other responsibilities.

For someone who already has a full day, removing one extra journey can make car care much easier to manage.

When the Cabin Has Been Ignored

Vehicle interiors collect dirt in places that are easy to miss. Sand settles into carpets, crumbs fall between seats, and dust gathers around vents, cup holders and trim.

A quick vacuum may improve the appearance, but it often does not deal with stains or heavily used surfaces. This is where a Vehicle interior cleaning service can be useful.

Deeper cleaning can focus on carpets, seats, door panels, and other areas that have become difficult to manage with ordinary home cleaning.

When the Car Is Used Every Day

Daily-use vehicles usually show dirt faster than cars that spend most of their time in a garage. Commuting, school runs, takeaway drinks, sports equipment and pets can all leave their mark.

The outside also deals with pollen, rain, insects, road dirt and brake dust. None of these problems is unusual, but together they can make a vehicle feel neglected.

This kind of gradual build-up is one reason some owners prefer regular detailing instead of waiting until the car needs a major clean.

When You Need More Than a Basic Wash

A basic wash is useful when the main problem is surface dirt. Detailing is different because it looks more closely at the condition of several parts of the vehicle.

The wheels may need extra attention. Glass can develop stubborn marks. Paint may feel rough because of bonded contamination, while interior surfaces may need careful cleaning rather than a quick wipe.

Not every car needs polishing, waxing or paint correction. The right service depends on the vehicle’s age, condition and previous care.

A sensible detailing appointment should match the actual condition of the car instead of automatically adding every available treatment.

When You Are Getting Ready to Sell

Presentation matters when a vehicle is being prepared for sale or trade-in. A buyer will still care about mileage, maintenance and mechanical condition, but the first impression usually comes from what they can see.

Dirty carpets, stained seats, dusty trim and neglected wheels can make an otherwise sound car look poorly maintained.

Detailed cleaning will not change the vehicle’s history, but it can help present it better. A cleaner car also tends to photograph better when listings are being prepared.

When Convenience Still Needs the Right Setup

Mobile service is convenient, but the location still matters. The detailer should have enough room to work around the car and to work safely.

Some services may also depend on shade, weather or suitable working conditions. It is worth discussing these details before the appointment.

That helps avoid confusion and gives the technician a better chance to prepare properly for the type of work being requested.

When Regular Maintenance Works Better

Some owners wait until a vehicle looks very dirty before booking professional cleaning. Others prefer maintenance visits before grime becomes difficult to remove.

There is no single schedule for every driver. A family SUV used every day will have different needs from a weekend car.

Where the vehicle is parked, how far it travels and whether children or pets ride inside will also affect how quickly it needs attention.

Caring for your vehicle regularly can help to make it easier to maintain, and can help to minimize the amount of more intense cleaning that will be necessary in the future.

Conclusion

Mobile detailing makes the most sense when convenience and more thorough vehicle care are both important. It can suit busy owners, daily drivers, family cars, vehicles being prepared for sale and interiors that need more than a quick vacuum. The service is especially practical when traveling to a detailing shop would add unnecessary time to an already full day. For drivers exploring local mobile car-care options, dripKingsMobiledetailing.com provides information about services that can be arranged around the vehicle’s location and condition.

Doviko launches New Online Rakhi Collection to Improve Customer Experience

Doviko, a Delhi-based online shopping platform, has introduced its latest collection of Rakhis designed to make Raksha Bandhan celebrations more special and memorable. Combining traditional Indian craftsmanship with modern styles, the new collection offers a variety of attractive Rakhi designs for brothers, bhaiya-bhabhi, and children.

Raksha Bandhan is one of India’s most cherished festivals, celebrating the unique bond of love, affection, and protection between siblings. As the festival approaches, families are looking for meaningful ways to express their emotions and strengthen these special relationships. Doviko’s new Rakhi range provides customers with an easy way to choose thoughtful and stylish Rakhis for their loved ones.

A Wide Range of Rakhis for Every Celebration

Doviko offers an extensive selection of Rakhis featuring different colors, patterns, materials, and decorative elements. From traditional designs inspired by Indian culture to contemporary styles, the collection is created to suit different tastes and preferences.

Customers can conveniently browse the collection online and select a Rakhi that reflects their relationship with their brother. Detailed product information and an easy online shopping process make it convenient for customers to place their orders from the comfort of their homes.

Special Rakhis for Bhaiya-Bhabhi

Raksha Bandhan is also an opportunity to celebrate the special relationship between a sister, her brother, and her sister-in-law. Keeping this sentiment in mind, Doviko has introduced attractive Bhaiya-Bhabhi Rakhi sets.

These designs combine traditional motifs with contemporary styling and may feature decorative beads, stones, charms, and other embellishments. Such Rakhi combinations provide a thoughtful way to celebrate the bond shared between siblings and their extended family.

Fun and Colorful Rakhis for Kids

Children can enjoy the festival just as much as adults. Doviko’s collection includes colorful and playful Rakhis created especially for kids. Bright colors, attractive patterns, and fun themes make these Rakhis appealing to younger family members.

The kids’ range includes designs inspired by popular cartoon characters, superheroes, and other playful themes. Parents and family members can choose a design based on a child’s personality and interests, making the buy rakhi online ceremony even more exciting for them.

Convenient Online Rakhi Shopping

Doviko aims to simplify the process of shopping for Raksha Bandhan. Customers can explore different rakhi for Bhaiya Bhabhi designs online, review product details, compare available options, and complete their purchases through secure online payment methods.

The platform also provides delivery services so customers can send their chosen Rakhis to loved ones, even when they are separated by distance. This convenience helps families continue their Raksha Bandhan traditions while staying connected.

Attractive Offers on Rakhi Collection

To add more value to the festive shopping experience, Doviko is offering discounts and promotional deals across its Rakhi collection. Customers can take advantage of these offers while choosing quality Rakhis at affordable prices.

The company hopes that its combination of attractive designs, convenient shopping, and competitive pricing will help customers celebrate Raksha Bandhan with greater joy.

Celebrate the Bond of Siblings with Doviko

Raksha Bandhan represents a timeless relationship built on love, care, trust, and affection. Whether you are searching for a traditional baby rakhi online, a stylish Bhaiya-Bhabhi set, or a colorful Rakhi for a child, Doviko’s online collection offers a variety of choices for the occasion.

Doviko is an e-commerce business headquartered in Delhi, India, offering a diverse range of products for festivals and special occasions. With an emphasis on quality, convenience, and customer satisfaction, the company aims to help shoppers make important celebrations more meaningful.

Customers can explore Doviko’s Rakhi collection online and choose designs that help express their feelings for their loved ones.

Media Contact

Contact Person: Anil Kumar
Email: support@doviko.com
Website:  https://www.doviko.com/

Why Mechanics Take Their Rings Off: Snag Injuries vs. Battery Burns

In a case written up in the journal Orthopedics in 2013, a 34-year-old auto mechanic was holding a wrench near a 12-volt car battery. His gold ring touched the positive terminal. The wrench touched the ring and the negative terminal at the same moment.

He felt the pain instantly. The burn wrapped all the way around the base of his ring finger, and after three weeks of barely healing, it needed a full-thickness skin graft.

That’s one of two reasons experienced mechanics take their rings off before the hood goes up. The other is ring avulsion — the snag injury hand surgeons see when a ring catches on something, and the body keeps moving. They’re different injuries with different causes, and a ring that’s safe from one isn’t automatically safe from the other.

Two Injuries, One Ring

Both injuries start with a metal band on a working hand. After that, the physics splits completely.

Ring avulsion (snag)Electrothermal burn (battery short) 
What happensThe ring catches and a sudden force pulls on the fingerThe ring closes a circuit between a live terminal and ground, and the metal heats up
Typical triggerMachinery, a fence, the edge of a counter or table, a fallA ring on the positive terminal while a wrench or the battery housing completes the path
What the ring doesHolds — a metal band takes far more force to break than siliconeConducts the current and carries the heat into the skin
Worst caseComplete degloving or amputation of the fingerA deep burn around the finger that may need a skin graft
Main preventionRing off for tool and equipment workRing off, and the live terminal covered

What Happens When a Ring Snags?

Cleveland Clinic defines ring avulsion as an injury that happens when a ring you’re wearing is suddenly pulled with a strong force. Its list of causes reads like a normal week in a shop: a ring caught in a machine or equipment, a ring hooked on a fence or the edge of a counter during a fall. A 2016 case discussion in the journal Eplasty puts it more plainly: the injury classically happens when a wedding band catches on machinery or a protruding object.

Ring avulsions are commonly described with a three-class scale published by Urbaniak and colleagues in 1981, though surgeons also use modified versions. Class I means circulation to the finger is still adequate. Class II means it isn’t. Class III is complete degloving or complete amputation.

It doesn’t take a lift or an engine hoist, either. In June 2015, Jimmy Fallon tripped in his New York apartment, caught his fall, and his ring hooked the side of a table. “Almost ripped my finger off,” he wrote afterward. He needed surgery.

Why a Metal Band Doesn’t Just Snap

Metal doesn’t give, and that’s the problem. A cadaver study presented to the American Association for Hand Surgery in 2021 loaded silicone and metal rings on cadaver fingers until the rings failed. The silicone rings gave way at an average of 53.0 newtons. The metal rings held until 495.2 — roughly nine times the force.

bands
Illustration: silicone and metal bands of the same size. In a 2021 cadaver study, the silicone rings gave way at about a ninth of the force.

That’s true of a thin wedding band and of a chunky 26-gram V-twin motorcycle engine ring alike, with its separate cooling fins and pushrod covers standing out from the finger. The trade jewelry mechanics love is after-hours jewelry. Cleveland Clinic also notes that the looser a ring fits, the more room it has to catch on something.

The 12-Volt Burn That Catches People Off Guard

Twelve volts sounds harmless, which is exactly why battery burns catch people off guard. OSHA’s electrical safe-work rules name rings outright: conductive jewelry — watch bands, bracelets, rings — may not be worn where it might contact exposed energized parts, unless it’s covered or insulated. The danger at a battery isn’t a shock through your body. It’s current through the ring.

Starter batteries are built for heavy current. Battery Council International defines their cold cranking amps rating as the load a new, fully charged battery can deliver for 30 seconds at 0°F while holding at least 7.2 volts. Passenger-car batteries are commonly rated in the hundreds of amps. A ring that bridges the positive terminal to the negative terminal or to grounded metal completes a short circuit. The fault current isn’t the number on the label — it depends on the battery and the whole path — but the ring is now carrying it.

The 12-Volt Burn
Illustration: clamps off, posts capped. The authors of the 2013 case report say the live terminal should be covered whenever you work near a battery.

Where the Short Actually Happens

The authors of the Orthopedics report describe the mechanism plainly: ring burns from car batteries happen by short-circuiting through the ring when it touches the open terminal or the metal housing. They add that gold can heat up to its melting point in a matter of seconds.

Gold isn’t special here. Silver has the highest electrical conductivity of any metal, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry, and steel or titanium bands conduct too. Any metal ring can close that circuit.

Shop Habits That Prevent Both

The fix for both injuries is the same boring habit: the ring comes off before the work starts. Cleveland Clinic’s advice is blunt — don’t wear rings or other jewelry while working with tools or heavy equipment. The Orthopedics authors go one step further for battery work and say the live terminal should be covered too.

Where the ring goes matters more than people admit. A shirt pocket or the corner of a greasy bench is how rings get lost. Silver adds one more wrinkle. Bikerringshop’s guide to storing silver jewelry explains why a ring that sits out the workweek darkens faster than one that’s worn, and it walks through an airtight-bag routine that keeps the ring bright until Friday night.

If you’d rather wear something on the job, silicone bands are the common compromise. Cleveland Clinic notes they break or tear more easily than metal, and the 2021 cadaver study found they failed at about a ninth of the force. That lowers the risk. It doesn’t make a finger snag-proof.

Ring Safety Questions Mechanics Ask

Can a car battery really burn you through a ring?

Yes. A starter battery can drive a heavy current through anything metal that bridges its positive terminal and ground. A ring in that path heats up fast — a case report in Orthopedics describes a mechanic who needed a skin graft afterward.

Is a silicone ring safe for mechanics?

Safer, not safe. In a 2021 cadaver study, silicone rings broke at an average of 53 newtons versus about 495 for metal ones, so they’re far more likely to give way before the finger does. Cleveland Clinic still advises taking rings off for work with tools or heavy equipment.

What’s the difference between ring avulsion and degloving?

Ring avulsion is any finger injury caused when a ring catches and is forcefully pulled — the ring doesn’t have to come off. Degloving is when skin and soft tissue are stripped from the finger. In the Urbaniak system, complete degloving and complete amputation are both class III.

Should mechanics take off their wedding rings?

For hands-on work, yes. The classic ring avulsion involves a wedding band caught on machinery, and the classic battery burn involves a ring bridging a terminal. Putting it back on when the shift ends keeps both risks out of the shop without giving up the ring.

Pick one spot for the ring — the same one, every shift — somewhere you’ll see it before you leave. The habit takes a few seconds a day.

The mechanic in that 2013 case report had barely healed after three weeks and ended up with a skin graft. All from one slip with a wrench.


Author bio: Tepparit Kacha has worked with sterling silver rings for over a decade and curates the handcrafted range at Bikerringshop. He writes about how jewelry fits into working lives — including the moments it should come off.

Best Race Medal Makers for Speedway Track Runs

The best race medal maker for speedway track runs is The Monterey Company, a Bend, Oregon manufacturer that has made custom running medals since 1989 and die-cast medals in any shape from a 50-piece minimum. Track runs like the 5K Run on the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg track have become a fixture of race week, and the finisher medal is the souvenir runners take home.

Speedway 5Ks often double as fundraisers. In 2012, Dover paired its NASCAR Unites Track Walk and 5K with fundraising for Autism Speaks and The NASCAR Foundation, and Kasey Kahne’s charity 5K reached its seventh straight year in 2016. This guide ranks five race medal makers for these events on minimum order, ribbons, shipping speed, and custom shapes.

Key Takeaways

  • The Monterey Company ranks first for track runs because its die-cast medals can take the shape of a circuit or checkered flag at no added charge.
  • Crown Awards and Gem Awards are the fastest options, with same-day and 24-hour shipping on stock and insert medals.
  • Minimum orders for custom race medals range from one piece at Gem Awards to 50 pieces at The Monterey Company.
  • Confirm ribbon details, proof approval, and delivery dates well before race week.

Race Medal Makers Compared

Medal makerBest forMinimum orderMedal typeNeck ribbonSpeed
The Monterey CompanyCustom shapes and signature events50 piecesDie-cast, any shape at no added chargeIncluded, full-color printedRush production available
Crown AwardsMotorsport venues on short deadlinesLogo fee waived at 50+ piecesStock medal with logo insertFree on every racing medalSame-day ship on in-stock medals
Gem AwardsSmall fieldsNo minimumSublimated 2-inch disc in metal holderAvailableUsually ships within 24 hours
Running Awards and ApparelMedals bundled with shirts and hatsNot listedCustom design by in-house art teamNot listedNot listed
Stride AwardsAdding staff and volunteer itemsNot listedFinisher and place medalsRace ribbons and lanyardsNot listed

What Makes a Good Track Run Medal

A track run medal is a finisher award that rewards participants and commemorates a race venue fans already know. The strongest track run medals borrow from motorsport imagery: a circuit outline, a checkered flag, a car number, or race week branding the event has permission to use. Size and weight matter as well, since a medal that feels substantial in the hand reads as a keepsake rather than a giveaway. The ribbon matters too, because a printed event name and date often carry as much memory as the medal itself.

The Five Best Race Medal Makers for Track Runs

1. The Monterey Company

The Monterey Company is a custom medal manufacturer in Bend, Oregon, that has produced custom race medals since 1989. Its medals are die-cast, and the company states there is no added charge for unique shapes, so a track run medal can take the outline of a road course or a checkered flag. The Monterey Company sets a 50-piece minimum, which suits mid-size fields. Every order starts with a free digital proof and unlimited revisions, and neck ribbons with full-color event printing are included. Add-ons such as spinner centers, glow-in-the-dark fills, and bottle opener medals give race week organizers room for something different. Rush production is available, though die-cast work rewards events that set their date months ahead.

2. Crown Awards

Crown Awards is an award retailer with a dedicated racing category covering auto racing and car show awards alongside medals, which makes it a natural fit for motorsport venues. Crown Awards includes a free neck ribbon on every racing medal and ships in-stock medals the same day. Organizers who want a logo can use the Crown Awards custom insert line, where the logo setup fee is waived on orders of 50 pieces or more. Crown Awards is the quickest route for an event planned on a short runway, though the look stays closer to a stock award than an original piece.

3. Gem Awards

Gem Awards is a Utah awards and trophy shop with a no-minimum policy, so a club run with 30 finishers can order exactly 30 medals. Gem Awards custom medals pair a sublimated two-inch insert disc with a solid metal holder, a format that handles full-color artwork well. Gem Awards says it usually ships custom medals within 24 hours, with larger orders taking up to 72. The tradeoff is form: holder shapes are set, so the design lives on the disc rather than in the metal outline.

4. Running Awards and Apparel

Running Awards and Apparel is a race swag company based in Elgin, Illinois, that serves running events in all 50 states. The Running Awards and Apparel art team designs medals for each event, and the same order can include screen-printed or sublimated race shirts plus its Run-Dri technical hats. That bundling simplifies things for a track that wants medals, shirts, and caps to match. Organizers who only need medals may find a single-product specialist easier to work with.

5. Stride Awards

Stride Awards is a race award company that covers finisher medals, place medals, and marathon and 5K designs, along with race ribbons and custom lanyards. Stride Awards also produces apparel, challenge coins, and lapel pins, which helps when a speedway wants volunteer or staff recognition items alongside the finisher medals. Customer testimonials on the Stride Awards site point to hands-on help through design revisions. Minimums and production times are not listed on its homepage, so ask for both in the first quote request.

Timing the Order Around Race Week

Race week is crowded. Credentials, sponsor activations, and fan events all compete for the same staff hours, which is why medals ordered late tend to turn into a scramble. Work backward from race day: lock the design, approve the proof, confirm the ship date, and leave a buffer for freight delays. The Road Runners Club of America offers programs and services for race directors, a useful starting point for anyone organizing a first track event.

“The key here is time. Start working on your medal design six months in advance of your race.”  –  Scott Maxwell, Maxwell Medals & Awards

Track Run Medal FAQ

What is the difference between die-cast and insert race medals?

A die-cast race medal is cast from a custom mold, so the metal itself takes the shape of the design, such as a track outline. An insert race medal is a stock metal holder with a printed disc set into the center, as the two-inch sublimated disc Gem Awards uses. Die-cast medals offer more design freedom, while insert medals ship faster.

Do custom race medals come with ribbons?

Most race medal makers include a neck ribbon with custom race medals. The Monterey Company includes full-color printed neck ribbons on every order, and Crown Awards includes a free neck ribbon on every racing medal.

What is the minimum order for custom race medals?

Minimum orders for custom race medals range from one piece to 50 pieces. Gem Awards has no minimum, The Monterey Company starts at 50 pieces, and Crown Awards waives its logo setup fee on orders of 50 or more.

Online Casinos That Sponsor Drivers, And What Golden Nugget Bought On The No. 38

On 4 August 2021, Front Row Motorsports said GoldenNuggetCasino.com would be the primary sponsor of the No. 38 Ford Mustang driven by Anthony Alfredo, at Michigan on the 22nd and at Richmond on 11 September, with associate branding on the car, the hauler and the team channels for the rest of the season.

Five days after that announcement, DraftKings agreed to buy the sponsor. The paint scheme had not turned a competitive lap. That sequence is a useful way into a question the sport does not answer out loud: what is a car’s flank actually worth to a gambling brand?

What A Flank Is Worth When Only One Viewer In Eight Can Act

Part of the answer is geography. A Cup broadcast carries a sponsor’s paint into every state, but a real-money casino app can take a bet only from someone physically inside a state that has licensed it, and it checks the phone’s location to make sure. So what the livery is worth to a gambling brand turns on how much of the audience lives inside licensed states.

The arithmetic underneath is blunt. Only seven states have licensed the real-money online casino product at all. Census Bureau estimates for mid-2024 put the seven at 40.3 million people against a national 340.1 million.

Just under one American in eight lives where a licensed casino app can accept a real-money deposit. Now set a race broadcast beside that ratio. Fox counted 7,489,000 viewers for the Daytona 500 on 15 February 2026, an 11% rise on the year before, and Sports Media Watch logged the 2025 Cup season at roughly 2.48 million a race, down from 2.87 million.

A truck-parts sponsor banks all of that reach. A licensed casino app banks the eighth of it that can legally act on what it just saw, and the rest is brand-building it cannot easily price. The gap is not a rounding error. It is the difference between a spend that pays back inside a quarter and one that has to be defended on feel.

That explains the buying pattern better than any rate card does. Gambling money in stock-car racing has gone into single races and short multi-race blocks rather than full seasons, and it has clustered at tracks inside or beside markets where the real-money product works. A full calendar means paying for a great deal of territory the app cannot serve.

That state list is the number a casino sponsor is really buying against, rather than the viewer count, and Legal Sports Report keeps it app by app under top casino apps.

Golden Nugget Bought Two Races And Then Got Bought

Samir Banerjee, then marketing director at Golden Nugget Online Gaming, set out the thinking in the launch announcement this site carried: “The NASCAR Cup Series is one of the premier sports leagues in the country with a passionate fan base of online casino and sportsbook patrons.” Fan overlap, in other words. Nothing about reach.

No figure was attached to the deal and I have not found one published since. That is ordinary rather than evasive. Stock-car sponsorship terms are rarely disclosed at all, and the gambling deals have been no more talkative than the rest of them.

The timeline is the interesting part. DraftKings and Golden Nugget Online Gaming announced an all-stock agreement with an implied equity value of about $1.56 billion, and they did it thirteen days before the car ever ran the scheme in competition. The purchase closed in 2022.

The brand survived the company. Golden Nugget still trades as an online casino under DraftKings ownership, while the business that signed the livery no longer exists in that form. I have found no Golden Nugget car in Cup after 2021, which is the unremarkable fate of a two-race deal signed by a company already being sold.

The Integrity Rule Came Before The Money

The order of events is the part people skip. On 28 January 2019, NASCAR barred drivers and team members from betting on its own races, built the policy with Sportradar Integrity Services, and capped fantasy prize money for its own people at $250. A betting kiosk had opened at Dover the previous autumn.

The commercial side opened afterwards. Penn National signed first among the official betting sponsors. BetMGM followed in 2020 with a multi-year deal that made it an authorized gaming operator, WynnBET came next, and Fubo Sportsbook joined later in 2021. FanDuel arrived in 2023 and DraftKings in 2024.

Teams moved on the same schedule. Richard Childress Racing ran BetMGM on the No. 3 of Austin Dillon and the No. 8 of Tyler Reddick during 2021, then said at the start of 2024 that the arrangement would continue with Dillon and Kyle Busch in those two cars. Kaulig Racing named DraftKings its exclusive sports betting sponsor in 2025, primary on the No. 10 of Ty Dillon for two Cup races.

None of that would have been sellable the other way round. A sanctioning body cannot take a sportsbook’s money while leaving its own competitors free to bet the race, and the second question got settled before the shop opened. Seven years on, the fence is mechanical rather than moral. Ray Koch, director of sports betting at NASCAR, described the arrangement at an industry panel in June this year: employees, team owners, drivers and pit-crew members “can bet, but not on NASCAR.”

Enforcement sits upstream of the person. Covered personnel are submitted to Sportradar as encrypted data, and if one of them tries to bet on a stock-car market, in his phrase, “it will say max wager zero dollars.” The same supplier relationship widened in 2023, when the series added betting data rights, so it now sells the feed that prices the market as well as the space beside the track.

The Paint Changes Its Name Where The Law Says No

Formula 1 shows what a livery looks like when it has to satisfy twenty-odd national advertising regimes instead of one. The 2023 Alfa Romeo ran Kick branding rather than Stake at four rounds, in Australia, Spain, Belgium and Qatar, and for the two seasons that followed the entry was Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, with the chassis carrying the Kick name at every race.

Alessandro Alunni Bravi, the team representative, put it plainly in early 2024: “Where Stake is prohibited, so gambling advertising is prohibited, we will use a different name.” A sister brand that could legally be advertised took the slot whenever the gambling brand could not.

Stock-car sponsors do not carry that cost. A Cup car races inside one country, and the variation it meets sits in state gambling law and in what a broadcaster will accept, not in a national advertising ban that changes between one round and the next.

The arrangement has ended. Audi took the entry over as a works team for 2026 and named Revolut its title partner a year before the switch, so the most visible gambling title sponsorship in motorsport closed because a manufacturer arrived, not because a regulator forced it out.

The Entitlement Outlasted Every Livery

Count the durations and a pattern falls out. Golden Nugget got two races. SportPesa lasted one season as title sponsor of Racing Point in 2019, on terms RaceFans reported at the time as $8 million for that year, $10 million for 2020 and $12 million if it ran into 2021, and the team raced as BWT Racing Point the following season instead. Stake managed two.

Now look at what stayed. South Point has had its name on the fall Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway since the event began in 2018, and the speedway announced another multi-year extension in October 2022. The comment from Michael Gaughan that day was about five years of relationship. It said nothing about impressions.

Hollywood Casino has carried the Kansas Cup race since 2011, and BetMGM put its name on an Xfinity race at Charlotte in 2025. An entitlement costs less than a season of primaries and it is pinned to a place, which is the honest shape of the product underneath. A casino sits somewhere. So does a racetrack.

South Point shows the same logic at car level. For the Las Vegas weekend in 2023 it went primary on the No. 11 Kaulig Racing Xfinity car of Daniel Hemric, and took associate space on the No. 16 and No. 31 Cup entries across the same three days. One weekend, one market, one property the sponsor owns a few minutes from the track. Hemric put it in terms of the Gaughan family standing by his career, which is closer to how these local deals actually get made than any media-value model would suggest.

For anyone following this side of the sport through the money rather than the driver market, Legal Sports Report on X is worth keeping in the feed through silly season.

So buy the event before the car. A flank sells a national number that a licensed casino app can only partly use, while an entitlement sells a place, and a place is what a casino has always been. The exception is a single-race primary at Las Vegas, Kansas or Dover, where the crowd in front of the paint is the crowd that can act on it. Those two Golden Nugget dates were reaching for exactly that, with a corporate clock running against them.

Jeb Burton transitioning to RSS Racing for 2027 O’Reilly season

Photo by Logan Allen for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Jeb Burton will be moving to RSS Racing to pilot the No. 22 Chevrolet Camaro entry for the 2027 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season.

The news comes as the 34-year-old Burton from Halifax, Virginia, is currently campaigning in his sixth consecutive season in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season and fourth with Jordan Anderson Racing. He is currently ranked in 21st place in the 2026 standings and has notched a trio of top-10 results, eight laps led and an average-finishing result of 22.1 through 28-scheduled starts.

Burton made his first O’Reilly Auto Parts Series career start at Kentucky Speedway in September 2013, where he finished in eighth place while driving for Turner Scott Motorsports. Since then, he has made a total of 236 starts over 13 seasons, to date, with starts occurring with organizations that include Richard Petty Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing, JR Motorsports, Kaulig Racing, Our Motorsports and Jordan Anderson Racing. 

Burton achieved his first career victory at Talladega Superspeedway in April 2021 while driving for Kaulig Racing. Two years later, the Virginian notched his second career victory at Talladega and delivered the first victory for his current organization, Jordan Anderson Racing. During the latter two seasons, he made the Playoffs and finished 10th and 12th, respectively, in the standings. In addition to his pair of victories at Talladega, Burton has accumulated 15 top-five results, 51 top-10 results, 189 laps led and an average-finishing result of 18.0 as he strives for additional victories and his first series’ championship. 

The No. 22 is syonymous to the Burton family, particularly for Jeb as it marks the exact number his father, Ward, piloted in the Cup Series division while teaming up with Bill Davis Racing, starting from mid-1995 through nearly the entire 2003 season. In the No. 22 entry, Ward Burton scored his four Cup career victories, including the 2002 Daytona 500. Jeb also made a single O’Reilly start in the No. 22 entry fielded by Jordan Anderson Racing at Daytona in August 2023, where he finished in 12th place. For the 2027 season, Burton will sport the exact red font to the number 22 that Ward sported.

RSS Racing, which debuted in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series division in 2013, currently fields a single full-time entry numbered 39 piloted by Ryan Sieg and a part-time entry numbered 38 in the series piloted by multiple competitors. To this date, the organization has a pair of victories: Sonoma Raceway in 2023 with Aric Almirola and Daytona in 2026 with Ryan Sieg. 

Following the announcement, Burton took to social media to release a following statement regarding his move to RSS Racing:

“The Siegs are building something special and the performance is headed in the right direction. I’m grateful and excited about this opportunity.”

With his plans for next season set, Jeb Burton’s 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season resumes this upcoming Saturday, October 10, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, for the Blue Cross NC 300. The event’s broadcast time is slated to commence at 4 p.m. ET on the CW Network, PRN Radio and SiriusXM.

Front Row Motorsports: Charlotte Motor Speedway NCS Race Advance (Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland, Zane Smith)

Front Row Motorsports
Noah Gragson | Todd Gilliland | Zane Smith
Charlotte Motor Speedway NASCAR Cup Series Race Advance

Event Details:

Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Track Size / Surface: 1.5-miles / Pavement
Track Location: Concord, North Carolina
Race Date: October 11, 2026
Race Start Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Race Information: 267 Laps (Stages – 80 / 165 / 267) – 400.5 Miles
Television: USA
Radio: SiriusXM / PRN

Event Notes:

  • 32nd points-paying event of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. 34th on-track event overall this season for the series.
  • Second NASCAR Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway this season.
  • Sixth race of The Chase, the NASCAR Cup Series postseason.

No. 4 Team Details

Driver: Noah Gragson

Crew Chief: Grant Hutchens

Primary Sponsor: TruckClub / Rush Truck Centers

Standings: 31st

Recent Season Results:

Las Vegas Motor Speedway (October 4) – 20th
Kansas Speedway (September 27) – 36th
Bristol Motor Speedway (September 19) – 16th

Driver and Team Event Notes

With his 20th place finish last Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Noah Gragson has now scored two top-20 finishes in the last three NASCAR Cup Series events.

In five previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Gragson has one top-10 finish, finishing 10th in the 2025 Coca-Cola 600.

Gragson has also made five starts at the track in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, earning two top-five and three top-10 finishes. Additionally, in two NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts, Gragson has two top-10 finishes at the track.

TruckClub / Rush Truck Centers Event Notes

TruckClub will make their NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend, with Noah Gragson and the No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse team.

TruckClub protects owner-operators and small fleets from the repair bills that take trucks off the road. Its flagship product, TruckProtect™, is a commercial truck protection plan for Class 3–8 trucks, built primarily for heavy-duty tractors and offered in three tiers, Essential, Pro, and Elite, covering up to 4,400+ parts with per-claim limits of up to $30,000 and no aggregate cap.

Members enroll with three photos and no inspection, pay weekly with no long-term contract, get repairs at any OEM dealership or licensed shop nationwide, and manage payments, claims, maintenance records, and support through an easy-to-use member portal. Learn more at truckclub.com.

With a commitment to keeping customers up and running, Rush Truck Centers proudly serves the Charlotte metro area, with nearby locations in Charlotte and Hickory.

For the haul to Charlotte Motor Speedway, and each week during the NASCAR Cup Series season, the Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang Dark Horse race cars are transported to the track behind the power of Peterbilt Model 579 tractors, provided and serviced exclusively by the team at Rush Truck Centers. To find the Rush Truck Centers location nearest to you, visit rushtruckcenters.com.

No. 34 Team Details

Driver: Todd Gilliland

Crew Chief: Chris Lawson

Primary Sponsor: Love’s Travel Stop’s

Standings: 23rd

Recent Season Results:

Las Vegas Motor Speedway (October 4) – 33rd
Kansas Speedway (September 27) – 19th
Bristol Motor Speedway (September 19) – 19th

Driver and Team Event Notes

Todd Gilliland will make his sixth NASCAR Cup Series start at Charlotte Motor Speedway this Sunday.

In four NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the track, Gilliland has one pole and three top-10 finishes.

Love’s Travel Stops Event Notes

Love’s Travel Stops returns with Gilliland and the No. 34 team for Sunday’s race.

This will be Love’s Travel Stops 17th race of the 2026 season with Gilliland and the No. 34 Ford team.

Love’s Travel Stops has rolled out a major update to the Love’s App, introducing a unified Love’s Rewards program that now benefits every customer who stops at Love’s. Whether fueling up, grabbing a snack, or stocking up on Love’s-branded products, customers can now save and earn points at every turn simply by scanning the Love’s App in-store or at the pump.

The new Love’s Rewards program focuses on delivering meaningful value at every stop and aims to make Love’s the first stop drivers think of on the road. Love’s Rewards App users can also save 10¢ per gallon on gas and up to 25¢ per gallon on auto diesel. Fans can download the app from Google Play and the Apple App Store. To explore all the new benefits of the Love’s Rewards program, visit www.loves.com/loves-rewards.

No. 38 Team Details

Driver: Zane Smith

Crew Chief: Ryan Bergenty

Primary Sponsor: Aaron’s Rent to Own

Standings: 28th

Recent Season Results:

Las Vegas Motor Speedway (October 4) – 36th
Kansas Speedway (September 27) – 31st
Bristol Motor Speedway (September 19) – 28th

Driver and Team Event Notes

In his four previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Smith has two top-10 finishes, finishing 10th in both the 2023 and 2026 Coca-Cola 600’s

In his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series career, Smith has two top-five and three top-10 finishes in four starts at the track.

Aaron’s Rent to Own Event Notes

Aaron’s Rent to Own joins Smith and the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse team for their 15th primary sponsorship race of the 2026 season. This season, the Aaron’s Rent to Own race program has been highlighted by three top-10 finishes, including a 10th place result with Smith in this season’s Coca-Cola 600.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

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

Spire Motorsports Bank of America 400 Race Advance

  • In 18 previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Spire Motorsports has one win, one top-five and two top-10 finishes. Daniel Suárez led 17 laps en route to victory in the 2026 Coca-Cola 600. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the Cup Series with Suárez, Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
  • The NASCAR Cup Series will contest the sixth race of The Chase Sunday at Charlotte. Hocevar and Suárez sit 11th and 14th, respectively in the championship standings. McDowell is 20th in points following last week’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
  • Spire Motorsports will open its doors to race fans, Friday, Oct. 9, beginning at 8:30 a.m., prior to NASCAR’s tripleheader race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Following the success of last year’s “Spire Goes Pink” initiative, the team’s official retail store will once again feature merchandise honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with all proceeds benefiting breast cancer research. Driver autograph sessions will begin at 11 a.m. inside the showroom and feature Spire Motorsports Cup Series drivers Daniel Suárez, Michael McDowell, and Carson Hocevar. Seven-year-old Bandolero racer Kip Knaus will also be on hand to greet fans and sign autographs. Autographs will be limited to two items per person. A total of 200 QR codes redeemable for autographs will be available on-site on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • The Bank of America 400 from Charlotte Motor Speedway will be televised live on USA Network Sunday, Oct. 11 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 32nd of 36 points-paying races on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series calendar will also be broadcast live on the Performance 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 Bank of America 400.
  • 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/.
  • St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will also be showcased on the C-Piller of Suárez’s No. 7 Chevy this weekend at CMS. St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped drive the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since it opened more than 60 years ago. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live.
  • Earlier this season at CMS, Suárez earned his third-career NASCAR Cup Series victory and first with Spire Motorsports in the Coca-Cola 600. NASCAR officials called the race official after 373 of 400 laps due to persistent rain. Suárez and the No. 7 Chevrolet team return to CMS this weekend looking to build on that memorable victory. In 12 career starts at Charlotte, Suárez has earned one win, one top-five and two top-10 finishes while leading 53 laps.
  • The Monterrey, Mexico native enters the sixth of 10 Chase races to determine the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series champion. Following last weekend’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he sits 14th with 2,123 points, 195 markers behind the leader. He enters Sunday’s race at Charlotte with one win, three top-five, seven top-10 and 24 top-20 finishes. Over 31 races this season, Suárez holds a 14.3 average starting position and a 15.3 average finish.
  • Last week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Suárez started 11th and finished 14th, securing his 17th top-15 result of the season. He scored five stage points with a sixth-place finish in Stage 1 and, despite battling a lack of grip, the No. 7 team fine-tuned their race car throughout the day to maintain position inside the top 15 across the final stage. Following the race, Suárez moved up two spots in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, from 16th to 14th.
  • The 34-year-old driver brings 354 Cup Series starts of experience to the field, along with victories at Sonoma (June 2022), Atlanta (February 2024) and Charlotte (May 2026). A 10-season veteran of NASCAR’s premier division, he has earned 27 top-five and 82 top-10 finishes since making his Cup Series debut in 2017. Suárez has also led 949 laps and collected three career poles.
  • Following Friday evening’s CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at CMS, Suárez will join Christopher Bell and Noah Gragson on the CMS front stretch for a 10-minute fireside chat honoring Kyle Busch. The segment, moderated by Mike Joy, will feature memorable stories from their time with Kyle and Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Daniel Suárez Quote
You’re heading back to Charlotte, where you won in May. How do you feel about returning to the oval layout after competing on the ROVAL in recent years?
“I’m looking forward to being home this weekend and getting back to Charlotte. I’m glad we’re back on the oval. We had a great race there in May, so hopefully we can go back, have a good car and put together another strong weekend.”

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

  • Ryan Sparks is the crew chief of Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 with driver Daniel Suárez in the NASCAR Cup Series.
  • Sparks has called 232 Cup Series races, earning one victory, seven top-five and 17 top-10 finishes since keying the mic for the first time in NASCAR’s premier division in 2020.
  • The Winston-Salem, N.C., native earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series win as a crew chief earlier this season in the May 24 Coca-Cola 600 at CMS. While the race was declared official just shy of the scheduled 400-lap distance, Sparks made the winning call when he chose to mount two tires as opposed to four in the late stages, leaving Suarez in control when the checkered flag waved.
  • 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. He brings more than a decade of experience across all three of NASCAR’s national touring 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 Delaware Life Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in this weekend’s Bank of America 400.
  • 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.
  • In 27 attempts at the 1.5-mile track in NASCAR’s backyard, McDowell has led 13 laps and owns a pair of top-10 finishes where he earned a venue-best seventh-place finish in the 2025 Coca-Cola 600. In four O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at CMS, the father-of-five claimed two top-20 finishes.
  • In the series most recent stop at the famed Concord, N.C., oval in May, the 2021 Daytona 500 champion started fourth and finished 14th.
  • Last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Glendale, Ariz., native qualified 18th and finished 21st. McDowell is currently 20th in points with five races remaining on the 2026 schedule.
  • Over the first 31 races of the season, the 41-year-old has led 24 laps while logging three top-five and six top-10 finishes. He’s recorded a 16.7 average start and a 19.2 average finish.

Michael McDowell Quote
This the first time Charlotte has not raced on the ROVAL since 2017, what are you expecting to see and learn from the spring?
“Being a road course guy, I hated seeing the ROVAL go. We’ve had some competitive speed on the oval the last few years and we’re looking to maximize that. Obviously, Daniel (Suárez) won the Coca-Cola 600 which was huge for our organization and that gives us a little added confidence going into this weekend. That confidence is super helpful after this stretch of 1.5-mile tracks, which haven’t gone exactly as we hoped. Regardless, 400 miles at Charlotte will be fun. The race is going to feel much shorter, so having track position early will be crucial if we want to maximize our day. Off the track, Charlotte is a busy week with appearances and our Fan Day on Friday, but it’s great to be home while having some friends and family join us. Hopefully, we can run up front so Spire (Motorsports) can sweep the Charlotte races this season.”

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

  • Crew chief Travis Peterson calls the shots for Michael McDowell and the No. 71 team.
  • The pairing of Peterson and McDowell finished seventh last season during the Coca-Cola 600, their collective best finish on an intermediate-style track.
  • As a race engineer at JR Motorsports, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte graduate played a key role in Chase Elliott’s top-10 finish in the 2014 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event. Elliott started from the pole position and led 66 laps on the day.

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 Bank of America 400, the sixth of 10 races in The Chase.
  • Spectrum is a suite of advanced communications services offered by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), the leading broadband and video company in the nation and the fastest growing mobile provider in its footprint, with services available to more than 70 million homes and small to large businesses across 45 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% U.S.-based employees, the Company offers Seamless Connectivity and Entertainment with Spectrum Internet®, Mobile, TV and Voice products. 
  • Hocevar and the No. 77 team, alongside teammate Daniel Suarez and Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 team, are competing for 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship honors. The opportunity marks the first appearance in The Chase for Hocevar and the first time a Spire Motorsports team will compete for a Cup Series title. Through five of 10 races in The Chase, the No. 77 team sits 11th in points, 21 markers behind 10th.
  • Through 31 races, the Portage, Mich., native has already set career-highs in multiple categories:
  • Season-to-date results – one win, six top fives, 11 top 10s
  • 198 laps led
  • 785 points scored
  • 12.2 average start
  • 16.2 average finish
  • The 23-year-old driver has been one of the most improved on the circuit throughout the 2026 campaign. The team’s average starting and finishing positions have each improved by nearly five spots compared to this point in 2025. Hocevar is on pace to improve his average finish by 5.4 positions by season’s end – the third-best of all drivers – while his 11th position in points is a 12-position improvement compared to the end of 2025 – the second-best improvement across the field.
  • Hocevar owns three career NASCAR Cup Series starts at “America’s Home For Racing”, where he secured a venue-best 21st-place finish in 2024, his first visit to the Charlotte oval in NASCAR’s premier division.
  • In the series’ first of two 2026 home races in May, Hocevar started 23rd and raced just outside the top 10 near the halfway point. Unfortunately, an equipment issue during a green-flag pit stop pinned the team one lap down. They were unable to race their way back on to the lead lap and were credited with a 23rd-place finish.
  • In the 2025 Coca-Cola 600, Hocevar was knocking on the door of his first Cup Series victory before an engine failure sent the No. 77 Chevy to the garage in the final stage. He lined up on the front row for a Lap-307 restart and battled for the lead entering Turn 1 before quickly dropping through the field. The team was ultimately credited with a 34th-place finish.
  • The six-time CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race winner owns three previous starts at Charlotte, registering two top fives, including a venue-best runner-up finish in 2021, while pacing the field for 105 laps.
  • Last Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the driver of the No. 77 qualified 10th and managed top-10 track position throughout the opening segment to take the green-and-white checkered flag in eighth. Hocevar restarted fifth and was running in the top 10 before a scheduled pit stop during a Lap-94 caution. Unfortunately, he was forced to drive down pit road under green-flag conditions just 45 laps later with a tire issue, but recovered from the 26th position, one lap down, to a 15th-place finish at the end of the second stage. The Spectrum Chevy lined up 15th for the Lap-170 restart, allowing Hocevar to work forward to a respectable 12th-place finish.
  • Hocevar registered his first-career victory earlier this season at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. He survived a late-race restart with three laps remaining and brought home the checkered flag to register Spire Motorsports’ second Cup Series win and first since the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400.

Carson Hocevar Quote
Charlotte marks the third mile-and-a-half in a row and it’s obviously a home race. What are your thoughts heading into the weekend?
“It is business as usual. If anything, it is exciting for us just because it is a good one for us. We restarted on the front row of the Coca-Cola 600 last year when we blew up, then Daniel (Suarez) and the No. 7 team got the win, so the whole shop is excited to get. Add in the home race aspect and all the families that will be there, and it can be a really special weekend.”

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

  • Luke Lambert is the Crew Chief of Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series with driver Carson Hocevar.
  • Lambert is in his third season at Spire Motorsports and fourth with Hocevar. The duo has logged two pole awards, one win, nine top-five and 26 top-10 finishes in 111 races.
  • The 16-year veteran crew chief has called 19 NASCAR Cup Series races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, notching one top five and six top 10s highlighted by Ryan Newman’s fourth-place result in October 2016.
  • During his time as a race engineer at Richard Childress Racing, Lambert helped Jeff Burton to victory in the 2008 Cup Series event at the venue then known as Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Burton made the race-winning move on leader Greg Biffle with 57 laps remaining and fended off late-race challenges from Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne to secure his 21st and final Cup Series victory.
  • The Mount Airy, N.C., native has been atop the war wagon for three NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races at Charlotte, earning three top fives and logging a venue-best third-place finish in October 2012 with driver Elliott Sadler.

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

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

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