If you spend any time in a NASCAR infield or scrolling through racing forums, one thing becomes obvious fast — the parking lot tells the same story as the track. American-made pickups dominate. Trucks outnumber sedans by a wide margin. And the conversation about cars rarely stays on horsepower; it eventually circles back to financing, depreciation, and what a stock-car-loving family actually pays for the privilege of driving the vehicles they love.
The connection between racing fandom and real-world buying decisions is stronger than most people realize. It’s not just preference. It’s a measurable economic pattern.
NASCAR Fans Are 68% More Likely to Own a Truck
A widely-cited NASCAR demographic analysis shows fans are 68% more likely than non-fans to own a truck, and 76% more likely to pay more for high-quality products. They’re also nearly twice as likely as the average American adult to be in the market for a car or truck within the next 12 months — 37% versus 20%, according to YouGov Profiles data.
That’s not a coincidence. Stock car racing originated in the American South, evolved alongside Detroit’s full-size truck era, and built its identity around vehicles that haul, tow, and survive. Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota — the three manufacturers competing in the Cup Series — also happen to build the three best-selling pickup trucks in the country. The fan-to-buyer pipeline is structural, not accidental.
But here’s where the romance of the sport meets the math of real life: a 2026 Ford F-150 XLT crew cab runs around $55,000. A Chevy Silverado 1500 LT in similar trim is close behind. A Toyota Tundra Limited can push past $58,000. These aren’t the budget-friendly numbers most fans grew up with.
The Real Cost Isn’t on the Sticker
Here’s a number that surprises even seasoned truck buyers: the average new-car monthly payment in the United States hit $767 in Q4 2025, according to Experian’s State of the Auto Finance Market report. Average loan amount: $43,582. Average term: nearly 69 months — almost six years of payments on a single vehicle.
For a NASCAR fan eyeing a fully-equipped F-150 or Silverado, the actual numbers run higher. A $55,000 truck with $5,000 down at 6.5% APR over 60 months works out to roughly $985 per month — and that’s before adding sales tax, registration, and any state-specific fees. Run it in a high-tax state like California (where local rates can hit 11.25% in some cities), and the same loan adds nearly $200/month in tax burden alone.
This is why so many buyers end up underwater on their loans. The truck looks affordable on the lot. The 84-month financing makes the monthly payment look manageable. But by year three, depreciation has outpaced principal payoff, and the buyer owes more than the truck is worth.
What the Smart Money Does
Veteran motorsports fans — the ones who’ve owned five or six trucks across their adult lives — tend to do three things differently:
They get pre-approved through a credit union before walking into a dealership. Three credit unions in particular consistently beat dealer financing on truck loans: PenFed, Navy Federal, and local options like Golden 1 in California or BECU in the Pacific Northwest. The pre-approval becomes leverage in the F&I office, even if the buyer ultimately takes dealer financing.
They calculate the total cost before negotiating, not after. This means knowing the sales tax rate of their county (not their state — local rates vary), the annual registration fees, and the actual monthly payment based on their credit tier. A buyer with a 740 FICO will see APRs around 4.66%; a buyer at 620 might see 11% or higher. On a $50,000 loan, that spread is roughly $385 per month — same truck, same dealer, completely different financial reality.
They use a Car Payment Calculator before committing. Running real numbers — exact MSRP, exact down payment, exact local tax rate, exact term — turns a vague feeling about affordability into a concrete monthly figure. It also reveals when a $1,000 increase in down payment is worth more than a 0.25% rate reduction, or when extending a term from 60 to 72 months costs $4,000 in additional interest for $80 in monthly relief.
Manufacturer Loyalty Has a Real Cost
NASCAR fans are famously loyal to manufacturers. A Ford fan stays with Ford. A Chevy fan dies a Chevy fan. Toyota’s growing presence in the sport since 2007 has built its own fanbase. This loyalty translates to truck purchases — but it can also lock buyers into worse deals.
When a Ford-loyal buyer walks into a Ford dealership, the dealer knows the cross-shopping is limited. Negotiation leverage drops. The same buyer cross-shopping Ford against Chevy and Ram simultaneously gets the best deal — even if they ultimately buy the Ford anyway.
This isn’t a knock on loyalty. It’s a recognition that the financial mechanics of the buying process don’t care about a buyer’s favorite driver. A $1,500 negotiation difference compounds to roughly $1,800 over a 60-month loan once interest is factored in. That’s two years of NASCAR streaming subscriptions, or a weekend trip to Daytona.
Beyond the Truck: The 5-Year Picture
The full cost of owning a $55,000 truck over five years — including loan interest, insurance, fuel at 18-22 mpg, registration fees, and basic maintenance — typically lands between $95,000 and $105,000 for the average buyer. That figure can shift by $10,000 or more based on factors that have nothing to do with the truck itself: the buyer’s credit score, the registration county, the down payment amount, and the loan term.
The buyers who plan all of this in advance — who know their actual monthly payment before sitting in the F&I office, who understand which fees are negotiable and which aren’t, who have a credit union pre-approval in their pocket — end up paying significantly less for the same vehicles. The buyers who don’t plan end up paying for the privilege of not planning.
The Takeaway for Fans Who Buy Like They Race
Racing rewards preparation. The drivers who win Cup Series races aren’t the ones who improvise — they’re the ones whose teams have run every scenario in the simulator before the green flag drops. The same logic applies to buying the truck that gets you to the racetrack.
Three rules separate the fans who make smart buys from the ones who get upsold:
First, calculate before you walk in. Know your monthly payment for every credit tier and term length you might be offered. Decisions made in the F&I office happen fast, and the only buyer who isn’t getting maneuvered is the one who already knows the numbers.
Second, shop the financing separately from the truck. The vehicle and the loan are two different products. Treating them as one package is how dealers extract the most margin.
Third, respect the long tail. A $55,000 truck doesn’t actually cost $55,000. It costs whatever the total of 60 monthly payments, plus tax, plus registration, plus insurance, plus fuel works out to be. That number — the real number — is the only one that matters when deciding what’s affordable.
Race fans understand that the checkered flag is the result of a thousand small decisions made before the race even starts. Buying a truck works the same way. The fans who treat the buying process like a race — preparation, data, leverage — drive away in the truck they wanted at a price they can actually afford.
Choosing the right curling broom can make a noticeable difference in how you play and how comfortable you feel on the ice. It’s one of those pieces of gear that seems simple at first, but once you start comparing options, the details matter.
If you’re browsing through different curling supplies, it’s easy to feel unsure about what actually matters and what doesn’t. This guide breaks things down in a straightforward way so you can make a confident choice without overthinking it.
Brush Head Material
The brush head is the part that directly contacts the ice, so it plays a big role in performance. Most modern brooms use synthetic fabrics designed to create the right amount of friction.
Some heads are more aggressive, meaning they generate more heat and can influence the stone’s path more effectively. Others are gentler and better for beginners or casual play.
When comparing options, look for:
Approved materials for your level of play
Durability over time
Ease of replacing the fabric
Handle Design And Grip
The handle might not seem like a big deal, but it affects comfort and control during a game. Most handles are made from lightweight materials like carbon fiber or fiberglass.
A lighter handle reduces fatigue, especially during longer matches. Grip style also varies—some are smooth, while others have textured or padded sections.
Think about:
How does it feel in your hands
Whether it provides enough grip when you’re sweating
The overall balance when you swing it
Weight And Balance
A well-balanced curling broom feels natural to use. If it’s too heavy, your arms will tire quickly. If it’s too light, you might not get the pressure you need when sweeping.
Balance matters just as much as weight. A broom with evenly distributed weight will help you maintain a consistent sweeping motion.
It’s worth trying a few options in person if you can, just to see what feels right.
Head Size And Shape
Not all broom heads are the same size or shape. Some are wider, covering more ice with each stroke, while others are more compact for precise control.
Wider heads can be helpful for beginners since they make sweeping easier. Smaller heads are often preferred by experienced players who want more accuracy.
There’s no single “best” option—it depends on your playing style and comfort.
Replaceable Parts And Maintenance
A good curling broom should last a long time, but parts like the fabric head will wear out. Choosing a model with easy-to-replace components can save money and hassle down the line.
Look for:
Quick-change head systems
Availability of replacement pads
Simple cleaning and care instructions
If you already own a curling broom, upgrading just the head can sometimes improve performance without buying a whole new setup.
Price And Value
Curling brooms come in a wide range of prices. Higher-end models often use lighter materials and advanced fabrics, but that doesn’t mean you need the most expensive option.
For beginners, a mid-range broom is usually a solid choice. It offers good performance without a big investment. As you gain experience, you’ll have a better idea of what features matter most to you.
Finding The Right Fit
At the end of the day, the best curling broom is the one that feels comfortable and suits your level of play. Pay attention to how it feels in your hands, how easy it is to control, and whether it matches your needs on the ice.
Taking a little time to compare options now can make your games more enjoyable and help you improve with every match.
Never Give Up Attitude Rewards Jesse Love and the No. 2 Samsara Chevrolet Team with a Top-10 Finish at Texas Motor Speedway
Finish: 9th Start: 21st Points: 3rd
“Today we maximized the best result we could with our No. 2 Samsara Chevrolet, battling the car’s handling the entire race. We were moving forward towards the top-10 in Stage 1, but the car got too tight in Turns 3 and 4 and fell back. We made multiple adjustments to try and combat that, but went from being too tight to too loose and fell a lap down. A late caution in Stage 3 allowed us to get back on the lead lap with less than 20 laps to go, and we drove forward salvaging a ninth-place result. Today we showed that we didn’t quit as a group. Lessons were learned in Texas, and notes were made, and now we’ll shift our focus to Watkins Glen next weekend.” -Jesse Love
Austin Dillon Shows Speed in the No. 3 Boot Barn Chevrolet Despite Damage From On-Track Incident
Finish: 23rd Start: 20th Points: N/A
“I was excited to come back to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and make a start in the No. 3 Boot Barn Chevrolet, but unfortunately the race started off with a multi-car incident. I thought we were going to be fine but a car in front of us went back down and barely clipped our left front. It knocked a fender brace loose and eventually got into the tire. We ended up going a lap down making repairs and never got the track position back. If it wasn’t for going a lap down, I think we could have ended up with a strong top-10 finish, even with the damage. Restarts were great today. I would gain like four spots every time before our Chevy would get too tight. I’m thankful for the opportunity, just wish we could have seen how our car would have handled in clean air.” -Austin Dillon
Austin Hill and the No. 21 Distributor Wire & Cable Chevrolet Team Earn Seventh-Place Result at Texas Motor Speedway
Finish: 7th Start: 7th Points: 7th
“All in all, it was a solid day for our Distributor Wire & Cable Chevrolet. We qualified seventh, ran the majority of the race between sixth and eighth, and finished seventh. Some days you just have to take the cards that are dealt to you and maximize the result, which we did. The balance of our car was on the tighter side, but our biggest hiccup was fire off speed. Other guys were able to take off right away on a restart and it would take 15 or 20 laps before our car was really good. Once we got to that point of a run, we were posting lap times just as fast or on par with the leader. In saying all of that though, after the last few weeks, today was a good step in the right direction. Our No. 21 group will keep working at it.” -Austin Hill
Kyle Larson prevailed in a 17-lap shootout and a late challenge from teammate Justin Allgaier to win the Andy’s Frozen Custard 340 at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 2.
The reigning two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion from Elk Grove, California, led five times for a race-high 93 of 200-scheduled laps in an event where he took the green flag from third place and spent the early portions of the event racing towards the front. After finishing in the top-five mark during the event’s first two stage periods and having a brief sniff at the lead during the second stage period, Larson executed a bold three-wide move in between teammate Connor Zilisch and Brent Crews that even involved on-track contact to storm to the lead with 95 laps remaining.
Photo by Ron Olds for SpeedwayMedia.com
After dominating the final stage period, Larson held a steady advantage over teammate Justin Allgaier when a late-race caution with 22 laps remaining briefly stalled his run to victory. Through a 17-lap shootout, Larson utilized defensive driving to fend off Allgaier throughout the run to pilot the No. 88 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro entry from JR Motorsports to his second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory of the 2026 season and his second in a row at Texas.
With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Friday, May 1, Justin Allgaier nabbed his first O’Reilly pole position of the 2026 season with a pole-winning lap at 188.607 mph in 28.631 seconds. Allgaier shared the front row with Brandon Jones, the latter of whom posted the second-fastest qualifying lap at 188.075 mph in 28.712 seconds.
Prior to the event, Ryan Sieg and Ryan Ellis dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments to their respective entries. Lavar Scott also started at the rear of the field due to an engine change to his No. 45 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet Camaro entry.
When the green flag waved, and the event commenced, pole-sitter Justin Allgaier and Brandon Jones briefly dueled through the frontstretch until Allgaier motored his No. 7 Roto-Rooter Chevrolet Camaro entry ahead from the inside lane and with the lead through the first two turns. Shortly after, the event’s first caution flew when Taylor Gray, who was racing within the top-15 mark, got clipped sideways by Carson Kvapil, as both he and teammate William Sawalich, the latter of whom got hit by Jeb Burton, spun through the first two turns.
At the front of this incident, Corey Day, who started in sixth place and was coming off his first O’Reilly career victory at Talladega Superspeedway, washed up the track entering the backstretch and smacked the outside wall. Day’s incident damaged the right side and the decklid of his No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro entry and evaporated his hopes of winning the fourth Dash 4 Cash $100,000 bonus of this season as he dropped out of race contention.
The next restart on the sixth lap featured Allgaier motoring away from the field through the frontstretch and from the inside lane before he continued to lead through the first two turns and the backstretch. As Allgaier led the next lap, Brandon Jones retained second place over Connor Zilisch while Kyle Larson, who had an early stab for the runner-up spot, dropped to fourth place in front of Brent Crews as Crews recovered from being dead sideways a lap prior.
The caution, however, returned seconds later due to Austin Green getting hit by Josh Williams and spinning through the first two turns, where the former then barely clipped Mason Maggio and sent Maggio for a spin towards the backstretch’s outside wall. During the caution period, the driver of the Chevrolet Corvette pace car had to take evasive action to avoid Maggio’s wrecked entry as Maggio tried to pull up the track and drive away from the carnage scene in the backstretch.
As the event restarted on Lap 12, Allgaier used the inside lane to motor away from the field through the frontstretch for a second consecutive time. He proceeded to lead the next lap over Jones while Larson navigated his way up to third place in front of Zilisch. While Brent Crews and Sheldon Creed battled for fifth place, Allgaier stretched his lead to eight-tenths of a second over Jones by Lap 15.
On Lap 17, the event’s third caution flew due to Brad Perez getting loose off of Turn 4 and hitting the right side of Austin Green while trying to straighten his entry. As a result of the contact with Green, Perez then shot back across the track and hit the frontstretch’s outside wall head-on, which further damaged the front end of his entry, and slid through the frontstretch as Lavar Scott spun to avoid Perez.
When the event restarted under green on Lap 24, Allgaier fended off teammate Larson through the frontstretch and the first two turns with the lead. As teammate Connor Zilisch, who restarted fifth and used a bold move beneath Crews and Jones to move into third, overtook Larson for the runner-up spot, Allgaier led the next lap. Meanwhile, Jones dropped to fifth place behind teammate Brent Crews before both Jones and Creed dropped Crews out of the top-five mark. Sam Mayer, Austin Hill, Jeremy Clements and Jesse Love pursued in the top-10 mark as Allgaier stretched his lead to more than a second.
Through the first 30 laps, Allgaier was leading by nearly two seconds over Zilisch and by three seconds over Larson while Jones and Crews pursued in the top five ahead of Sheldon Creed, Mayer, Hill, Clements and Love. Behind, Kyle Sieg, Anthony Alfredo, Parker Retzlaff, Harrison Burton, Austin Dillon, Dean Thompson, William Sawalich, Rajah Caruth, Ryan Sieg and Carson Kvapil trailed in the top-20, respectively, as Allgaier added another second to his advantage, where he led by more than three seconds over Zilisch at the Lap 35 mark.
When the first stage period concluded on Lap 45, Allgaier, who was leading by more than three seconds, captured his fifth O’Reilly stage victory of the 2026 season. Teammates Zilisch and Larson settled in second and third, respectively, while Jones, Crews, Creed, Mayer, Hill, Clements and Parker Retzlaff were scored in the top 10, respectively. By then, 28 of 38 starters were scored on the lead lap.
Under the event’s first stage break period, the lead lap field led by Allgaier pitted for service. Following the pit stops, Allgaier retained the lead by exiting pit road first ahead of Zilisch, Larson, Jones and Crews. Amid the pit stops, Brennan Poole was penalized for vehicle interference.
The second stage period started on Lap 53 as teammates Allgaier and Zilisch occupied the front row in front of teammate Larson, Jones, Crews and Creed. At the start, Allgaier and Zilisch dueled for the lead before Zilisch used the outside lane to briefly motor his No. 1 Registix/TruckClub Chevrolet Camaro entry ahead. With Allgaier slipping to third place, Larson went beneath Zilisch through the backstretch and motored ahead with the lead, where he led the next lap. Zilisch and Larson swapped the lead three times over the next three laps before the former retained it for good by Lap 57.
Just past the Lap 60 mark, Zilisch was leading by more than a second over Larson, Allgaier and Crews while fifth-place Jones trailed by two seconds. Behind, Mayer, Retzlaff, Hill, Creed and Ryan Sieg were racing in the top-10 mark ahead of Sawalich, Sammy Smith, Jesse Love, Dean Thompson, and Kvapil, as Harrison Burton, Taylor Gray, Clements, Caruth and Alfredo were mired in the top-20 mark ahead of Kyle Sieg, Austin Dillon, Lavar Scott, Blaine Perkins and Josh Williams, respectively.
Following another caution that flew from Laps 68 to 71 due to debris that was detected across the backstretch and occurred due to Austin Dillon shredding a right-front tire, the event restarted on Lap 71. At the start, Zilisch motored ahead with the lead from the inside lane and after he received a strong push from Crews. Through the first two turns, Allgaier used the outside lane to battle Crews for the runner-up spot. As the field led by Zilisch cycled back to the frontstretch to complete another lap, Allgaier prevailed in the battle for second place and Mayer joined the battle by overtaking Crews for third place.
During the next lap, Allgaier motored away with the runner-up spot and tried to reel in Zilisch. Behind, Crews fended off Mayer and Larson for third place and Larson engaged in a tight battle with Mayer for fourth place while Jones and Retzlaff tried to reel in from behind.
At the Lap 80 mark, Zilisch stretched his advantage to more than a second over teammate Allgaier and Crews while Larson and Mayer trailed in the top five, respectively. As Jones, Retzlaff, Hill, Creed and Sawalich trailed by as far back as six seconds in the top-10 mark, Zilisch maintained his advantage to a full second over Crews while third-place Allgaier trailed by one-and-a-half seconds.
When the second stage period concluded on Lap 90, Zilisch fended off a late charge from Crews by a tenth of a second to capture the stage victory. Crews settled in second ahead of Allgaier, Larson and Mayer while Jones, Retzlaff, Hill, Creed and Sawalich were scored in the top 10, respectively. By then, 27 of 38 starters were scored on the lead lap.
During the event’s second stage break period, the lead lap field led by Zilisch returned to pit road for a second round of pit service. Following the pit stops, Zilisch retained the lead by exiting pit road first ahead of Crews, Larson, Allgaier and Jones, respectively.
With 103 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as Zilisch and Crews occupied the front row in front of Larson, Jones, Allgaier and Retzlaff. At the start, Zilisch gained the upper hand through the frontstretch and the first two turns as he led from the inside lane. As the field fanned out through the backstretch, Zilisch cycled back to the frontstretch and led the next lap over Larson and Crews while Allgaier occupied fourth place in front of a bevy of competitors that included Hill, Mayer, Retzlaff, Sammy Smith, Sawalich, Kvapil, Creed, Ryan Sieg and Love.
At the event’s official halfway mark with 100 laps remaining, Zilisch retained the lead by half a second over teammate Larson while Crews, who trailed by seven-tenths of a second, dropped to third place. Then four laps later, Larson got underneath Zilisch as both drag-raced through the backstretch. Their side-by-side battle allowed Crews to reel in and join the battle. Seconds later, Larson got loose underneath Zilisch and slightly went up the track, which allowed Crews to get beneath both Larson and Zilisch amid a tight three-wide move. With the trio making contact against one another, Larson, who was pinned in the middle of the three-wide scuffle, managed to motor ahead and lead with 95 laps remaining.
Down to the final 75 laps of the event, Larson continued to lead by three seconds over runner-up Crews and by more than four seconds over third-place Allgaier. Meanwhile, Jones and Retzlaff cracked the top-five mark while Zilisch, who trailed the lead by nearly eight seconds, dropped to sixth place in the leaderboard. Hill, Mayer, Kvapil and Sammy Smith occupied the remaining top-10 spots over Sawalich, Creed, Clements, Love and Ryan Sieg as Larson stabilized his lead to three seconds over Crews with 70 laps remaining.
With 60 laps remaining, Larson increased his advantage to four seconds over Crews as Allgaier, Jones, Retzlaff, Hill, Kvapil, Mayer, Sammy Smith and Sawalich all raced in the top-10 mark, with the latter trailing as far back as 16 seconds. Meanwhile, Zilisch, who had been methodically losing spots and pitted five laps earlier under green flag conditions due to a flat right-front tire, was mired two laps down in 28th place.
A lap later, a late cycle of green flag pit stops ensued as Kvapil surrendered his spot within the top-10 mark by pitting his No. 9 Arby’s BBQ Chevrolet Camaro entry. Richard Childress Racing’s Hill and Love pitted during the next two laps before Allgaier, Retzlaff and Mayer pitted their respective Chevrolet entries with 56 laps remaining.
The leader, Larson, along with Crews and Jones, pitted simultaneously shortly after as Sawalich, Alfredo, Dean Thompson, and others pitted. At the conclusion of the pit stops, Larson cycled back on track ahead of Allgaier, Jones, and Crews. Larson then officially cycled back to the overall lead with 51 laps remaining after Rajah Caruth pitted.
With 40 laps remaining, Larson was leading by more than two seconds over Allgaier while Crews trailed in third place by five seconds. Fourth-place Jones trailed the lead by nearly seven seconds, and fifth-place Retzlaff trailed by nine seconds while Hill, Kvapil, Mayer, Sammy Smith, and Creed occupied the remaining top-10 spots ahead of Love, Clements, Alfredo, and Zilisch, all of whom were scored on the lead lap.
Ten laps later, Larson’s advantage slightly decreased to 1.889 seconds over Allgaier, though the latter was unable to gain significant ground on the former. Meanwhile, third-place Crews trailed by nearly five seconds while top-five competitors Jones and Retzlaff both trailed by as far back as nine seconds in the top-five mark.
Then, with 22 laps remaining, the caution flew due to Rajah Caruth getting loose entering Turn 2. He then veered to the right, hit the outside wall, spun down the track, and hit the inside wall on the right side while facing backwards. At the time of caution, Larson was leading by 1.617 seconds over Allgaier, while only 12 competitors were scored on the lead lap. During this latest caution period, the lead lap field led by Larson pitted. Larson retained the lead by exiting pit road first over Jones, Allgaier, Crews, and Hill, respectively.
The ensuing restart with 17 laps remaining featured Larson muscling ahead of the field through the frontstretch and using the preferred inside lane as the field fanned out to multiple lanes entering the first two turns. Amid a series of late jostling for spots, Larson led the next lap by two-tenths of a second over Allgaier and Jones. As Mayer jumped to third place in front of Crews, Jones, Creed, Retzlaff, Hill, Love and Clements, Larson methodically added one-tenth of a second to his advantage over the next three laps. By the time the event reached its final 10-lap mark, he was leading by half a second over Allgaier.
Down to the final five laps of the event, Larson, who had his advantage shrink to a tenth of a second a lap prior, went on the defensive. He kept Allgaier trailing behind, maintaining the lead by two-tenths of a second over a hard-charging Allgaier. Allgaier reduced his deficit to a tenth of a second during the next lap, and Larson grew it back to two-tenths for the following lap before Allgaier reeled in to trail by a tenth of a second with two laps remaining.
When the white flag waved, and the final lap started, Larson remained in the lead by a tenth of a second over Allgaier. Through the first two turns, Larson went on defensive mode as he kept Allgaier squarely behind his rear bumper. With Allgaier trying to reel Larson back down through the backstretch, he tried to use the outside lane to draw even with Larson through Turns 3 and 4.
But Larson used the inside lane to maintain the lead and slightly pull away. With Allgaier unable to recover, Larson cruised back through the frontstretch and claimed the checkered flag by two-tenths of a second over Allgaier.
With the victory, Larson, who led a race-high 93 laps, notched his 19th NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series career victory in his 124th series start, his second of the 2026 season and his third overall at Texas Motor Speedway. Larson, who achieved the victory in his fourth and final O’Reilly scheduled start of the 2026 season, also won for the fourth time driving the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro entry for JR Motorsports. Larson’s Texas O’Reilly victory marked the seventh win of this season for JR Motorsports and the 10th for Chevrolet.
Photo by Jake Daugherty for SpeedwayMedia.com.
“I really didn’t think I had a chance there with Justin [Allgaier] behind me,” Larson said on the frontstretch on the CW Network. “He was really good and catching me there on that long run after the green flag stop. [I] Was just hoping cleaner I could kind of stretch away like I did the run before to start Stage 3. He was just really good behind me, and he could run a lot of different lanes back there, too. I was trying to do what I could to take his air away while also maintaining a good corner for myself, but man, he was always closing on me. Thanks to him for racing me clean there. He could have easily got in the back of me. I could tell he was trying to pack some air to get me free. That was a great little run to the end there.”
Meanwhile, Allgaier, who led 54 laps, was left disappointed on pit road after he was outdueled by Larson, which prevented him from winning at Texas for the first time ever. Amid the disappointment, Allgaier increased his points lead to 121 over Sheldon Creed.
“I felt like the shot run for us is a little bit of a struggle, I guess, all day,” Allgaier said. “We were on the splitter a little too hard to fire off on those runs, and really, that was the difference maker at the end of the race. I’m disappointed. Without contact, I don’t know that there’s any way to get around [Larson], and I tried every lane I could possibly try and just unfortunately come up short. I’m gonna go back and watch this [race] a bunch and try to figure out what I could have done better…One of us had to win, right? We very could have easily wrecked there and either one of us won. We both finished one, two. It’s a good points day for us again, and we’ll move on to next week.”
As Larson celebrated an O’Reilly race victory, rookie Brent Crews emerged victorious in his own form. By emerging as the highest-finishing Dash 4 Cash contender in fourth place on the track and ahead of Sheldon Creed, Sammy Smith, and Corey Day, Crews pocketed the fourth and final $100,000 bonus of the 2026 season. Crews, who achieved the bonus for the first time ever in his inaugural O’Reilly campaign, also notched his fourth consecutive top-five result and sixth top-10 result through eight starts this season.
“This Mobil 1 Toyota GR Supra was as fast as it could be,” Crews said. “Just needed a little bit there more at the end. Just go a little tight, but other than that, I had a blast there at the end, getting to race Larson and Allgaier and Sam [Mayer]. Great points day for this team. Ready to keep learning.”
Sam Mayer came home in third place ahead of Crews, while Parker Retzlaff notched his second top-five result of the 2026 season by finishing in fifth place. Sheldon Creed, Austin Hill, Brandon Jones, Jesse Love, and Jeremy Clements completed the top 10 in the final running order.
There were 13 lead changes for six different leaders. The event featured seven cautions for 36 laps. In addition, 20 of 38 starters finished on the lead lap.
Following the 12th event of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Justin Allgaier continues to lead the standings by 121 points over Sheldon Creed, 167 over Jesse Love, 198 over Corey Day, and 204 over Brandon Jones.
Results:
Kyle Larson, 93 laps led
Justin Allgaier, 54 laps led, Stage 1 winner
Sam Mayer
Brent Crews, two laps led
Parker Retzlaff
Sheldon Creed
Austin Hill
Brandon Jones
Jesse Love
Jeremy Clements
Carson Kvapil
Anthony Alfredo
Sammy Smith
Ryan Sieg, one lap led
William Sawalich
Dean Thompson
Patrick Staropoli
Josh Williams
Lavar Scott
Brennan Poole
Connor Zilisch, one lap down, 48 laps led, Stage 2 winner
Harrison Burton, one lap down
Austin Dillon, one lap down
Ryan Ellis, one lap down
Blaine Perkins, one lap down
Jeb Burton, one lap down
Josh Bilicki, two laps down
Joey Gase, two laps down
David Starr, three laps down
Kyle Sieg, four laps down
Garrett Smithley, six laps down
Mason Maggio, 11 laps down
Taylor Gray, 12 laps down
Rajah Caruth – OUT, Accident, two laps led
Austin Green – OUT, Accident
Brad Perez – OUT, Accident
Corey Day – OUT, DVP
Dawson Cram – OUT, Engine
Next on the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule is the Mission 200 at The Glen (Watkins Glen International) in Watkins Glen, New York. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, May 9, and air at 4 p.m. ET on the CW Network, MRN, and SiriusXM.
CREWS WINS DASH 4 CASH WITH FOURTH-PLACE FINISH IN TEXAS 18-year-old registers fourth consecutive top five result
FORT WORTH (May 2, 2026) – Brent Crews was the top-finishing Toyota driver in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, winning the Dash 4 Cash $100,000 bonus with a fourth-place result on Saturday afternoon.
Eighteen-year-old Crews has recorded four consecutive top five finishes and six top 10s in eight series starts. Brandon Jones also earned a top-10 finish for Toyota in Texas with an eighth-place result on Saturday.
TOYOTA RACING Post-Race Recap NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS) Texas Motor Speedway Race 12 of 33 – 300 miles, 200 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Kyle Larson*
2nd, Justin Allgaier*
3rd, Sam Mayer*
4th, BRENT CREWS
5th, Parker Retzlaff*
8th, BRANDON JONES
15th, WILLIAM SAWALICH
16th, DEAN THOMPSON
22nd, HARRISON BURTON
33rd, TAYLOR GRAY
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
BRENT CREWS, No. 19 Mobil 1 Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 4th
Can you take us through your experience for your first time at Texas Motor Speedway?
“Today was a blast. I just want to thank the good Lord for keeping us safe today. It’s a beautiful day today here in Texas. The Mobil 1 Toyota GR Supra was as fast as it could be. Some mistakes on my part learning green-flag stops and stuff but that comes with it. I had a blast and thankful to bring this team home some money. They deserve it with how hard they’ve been working in the shop. Congrats to Kyle (Larson) and Justin (Allgaier). It was really fun getting to race some of the best guys in our sport.”
What grade would you give yourself today in your first start at Texas?
“You asked me this question at Bristol, and I don’t remember what I gave myself. I don’t know – maybe like an A minus – somewhere in there – maybe a B plus. I feel like my car was really, really good today. I just want to thank the good Lord above for keeping us safe. The weather was absolutely gorgeous today. It warmed up from yesterday, so it was a little bit tougher in the car. This Mobil 1 Toyota GR Supra was as fast as it could be. I just needed a little bit more there at the end. It just got a little bit tight, but I had a blast there at the end getting to race Larson and Allgaier and Sam (Mayer). I told Sam this the other week – I grew up watching Sam in the class ahead of me racing go-karts so it’s like full circle getting to race against all of these guys. Great points day for this team. I want to thank Seth and this team and everybody at Mobil 1. They did such a great job.”
What does an 18-year-old do with $100,000?
“That’s a great question. Unfortunately, I don’t think my mom or my dad will let me do anything exciting so I’ll see what I can do.”
BRANDON JONES, No. 20 Menards/Sylvania Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 8th
How was your race and what did you need more of today?
“We qualified really good and had a great practice yesterday. We came into a little hotter track today. Our short run speed was kind of our kryptonite and our weakness, but our long run speed was where we were really good. I didn’t really want to see that yellow at the end, but the yellow was also our shot to try to go and win the race again. Looking back at the race again and the whole event, maybe I pick behind the 88 (Kyle Larson) to have a slightly better chance at it but I don’t know. I think our balance was still just slightly off even on that last run to kind of end. We did all we could. The guys did a really good job of trying to make swings at it and make adjustments. Looking forward to the next couple weeks. We’ve got some great tracks coming up. It was a good points day. I know we want to be better than that and we were fourth capable so eighth was worst case scenario but all in all it was still a solid day.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of over 50 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
Layne Riggs | Chandler Smith Texas Motor Speedway NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race Report SpeedyCash.com 250 Date: Friday, May 1, 2026 Event: Race 7 of 25 Series: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Location: Texas Motor Speedway (1.5-miles) Length of Race: 172 laps over two hours, 17 minutes, 5 seconds
FRM Finish:
Layne Riggs (Started 34th, Finished 6th / Running, completed 172 of 172 laps) Chandler Smith (Started 8th, Finished 10th / Running, completed 172 of 172 laps)
“I thought we had a shot at it there, just kind of got used up at the end,” said Riggs. “Nothing went our way all day, from not getting to qualify, having to fix repairs to the back window under caution. Man, I just think everything that could have gone wrong went wrong, and somehow we still finished up front and had a shot to win. Good points day, but definitely one that got away. This stings a lot, but thank you, Aaron’s. Thank you to Ford Racing. Thank you to everybody at Front Row Motorsports for trying their hardest, and we’ll go get them next week.”
“It was a good night, I suppose,” said Smith. “I wish we were out there celebrating but didn’t have a lot of things go for us tonight. The No. 38, Speedy Cash Ford F-150 was fast but it just wasn’t meant to be. We’ll take our solid 10th-place finish and move on.”
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.
Carson Hocevar saved his best lap for last as he edged teammate Daniel Suarez and claimed the Busch Light Pole Award for the Würth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 2.
The event’s starting lineup was determined through a single-car, single-lap qualifying format. In this format, all 38 competitors vying for 38 starting spots cycled around Texas Motor Speedway once to post the fastest lap amongst one another. The competitor who posted the fastest single lap was awarded the pole position.
During Saturday’s qualifying session, Hocevar, who was the 22nd-fastest competitor during Saturday’s practice session and was the 38th and final competitor to qualify, clocked in a single-qualifying lap at 191.340 mph in 28.222 seconds. Hocevar’s lap was enough to knock his Spire Motorsports teammate Daniel Suarez off the top of the qualifying chart and claim his first first-place starting spot of the 2026 season by 0.003 seconds.
With the pole, Hocevar, a 23-year-old native of Portage, Michigan, and driver of the No. 77 Spectrum/Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entry, recorded his second NASCAR Cup Series career pole for his 92nd series start, as his first and previous pole occurred at Texas a year ago. He also recorded the third-ever pole for Spire Motorsports and the second of the 2026 season for the Chevrolet manufacturer.
Ironically, Hocevar became the first competitor to back up a first Cup career victory with a pole for a next-scheduled event since Chase Briscoe achieved the previous feat between his first Cup victory at Phoenix Raceway, followed by a pole at EchoPark Speedway in March 2022. Having won Friday night’s Craftsman Truck Series event, Hocevar will attempt to double down with two NASCAR national touring series victories in the same weekend for the first time as he strives for a second consecutive Cup victory for Sunday’s main event.
“It feels pretty good right now,” Hocevar said. “It’s so awesome. I was watching 2008 when Dale [Earnhardt] Jr. got the pole here and I was watching that footage before and I knew we were going out last.” He continued, “I was like, man, I really wanna get the pole again and be the last car and get it. I didn’t expect to steal it from our teammate, but it’s just the coolest thing when I was a fan, for sure, when the last car goes out and steals at the last second. A testament to all the Spire [Motorsports] guys, though. This is a front row; this is a team effort here. Two cars on the front row right after a win. Hopefully, we can do it at a non-superspeedway right now.”
Hocevar will share the front row with teammate Daniel Suarez, the latter of whom clocked in the second-fastest single-lap qualifying run at 191.320 mph in 28.225 seconds. For Suarez, this marks his first time starting on the front row for an upcoming Cup event since he started on pole position at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in August 2023.
Chris Buescher, Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe will start in the top five, respectively. Kyle Busch, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman and Ty Gibbs completed the top-10 starting grid, respectively.
Notably, William Byron, who was the fastest competitor in practice, will start in 15th place while Joey Logano, the reigning winner at Texas, will start in 23rd place.
In addition, Bubba Wallace and Austin Dillon were the only two competitors who were unable to post a qualifying lap. Wallace will start in 37th place in a backup car after he wrecked his primary car during practice. Dillon will start at the tail end of the field in 38th place due to an engine failure that also occurred in practice.
With 38 competitors vying for 38 starting spots, all made the main event.
Texas – Qualifying Position, Best Speed, Best Time:
Carson Hocevar, 191.340 mph, 28.222 seconds
Daniel Suarez, 191.320 mph, 28.225 seconds
Chris Buescher, 190.981 mph, 28.275 seconds
Denny Hamlin, 190.786 mph, 28.304 seconds
Chase Briscoe, 190.786 mph, 28.304 seconds
Kyle Busch, 190.611 mph, 28.330 seconds
Christopher Bell, 190.456 mph, 28.353 seconds
Tyler Reddick, 190.416 mph, 28.359 seconds
Alex Bowman, 180.382 mph, 28.364 seconds
Ty Gibbs, 190.168 mph, 28.396 seconds
Kyle Larson, 190.067 mph, 28.411 seconds
Connor Zilisch, 189.940 mph, 28.430 seconds
Austin Cindric, 189.860 mph, 28.442 seconds
Chase Elliott, 189.780 mph, 28.454 seconds
William Byron, 189.693 mph, 28.467 seconds
Ross Chastain, 189.427 mph, 28.507 seconds
Corey Heim, 189.341 mph, 28.520 seconds
Riley Herbst, 189.228 mph, 28.537 seconds
Michael McDowell, 189.155 mph, 28.548 seconds
Ryan Preece, 189.129 mph, 28.552 seconds
Erik Jones, 188.950 mph, 28.579 seconds
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 188.772 mph, 28.606 seconds
Joey Logano, 188.692 mph, 28.618 seconds
Josh Berry, 188.686 mph, 28.619 seconds
Brad Keselowski, 188.442 mph, 28.656 seconds
AJ Allmendinger, 188.403 mph, 28.662 seconds
Cole Custer, 188.311 mph, 28.676 seconds
Noah Gragson, 188.193 mph, 28.694 seconds
Cody Ware, 187.983 mph, 28.726 seconds
Shane van Gisbergen, 187.905 mph, 28.738 seconds
Ryan Blaney, 187.800 mph, 28.754 seconds
Todd Gilliland, 187.682 mph, 28.772 seconds
John Hunter Nemechek, 187.669 mph, 28.774 seconds
Zane Smith, 187.669 mph, 28.774 seconds
Ty Dillon, 185.350 mph, 29.134 seconds
Chad Finchum, 176.396 mph, 30.613 seconds
Bubba Wallace, 0.000 mph, 0.000 seconds
Austin Dillon, 0.000 mph, 0.000 seconds
The 2026 Würth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway is scheduled to occur on Sunday, May 3, and air at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN Radio, SiriusXM and HBO MAX.
TOYOTA RACING – John Hunter Nemechek NASCAR Cup Series Quotes
FORT WORTH (May 2, 2026) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB driver John Hunter Nemechek was made available to the media on Saturday prior to the NASCAR Cup Series race from Texas Motor Speedway.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 43 Pye Barker Fire & Safety Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB
What are your thoughts on the season so far?
“I feel good and disappointed all at the same time. I feel like the potential that we’ve had, the speed that we’ve been able to have in our race cars at times has definitely been better than years past. I feel that overall, we have made major gains, they’re just not showing up on paper from finishing results, from the point standings and things of that sort right now. We’ve gotta definitely change that a little bit. I feel like overall, performance-wise and potential-wise it’s better than it has been at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. It’s just now about execution and finishing where we feel like we should. The 43 (Erik Jones) has had a couple decent runs. We’ve had some pretty decent runs. Like I said, but the finishes don’t always show that, so we’ve figure that out.”
How do you come into the weekend with a fresh mindset and fresh approach when it’s snowballing like that?
“It’s hard to be honest with you. I work with a great lady in North Carolina on the sports psych side just trying to clear mental and being as fresh as I can be every single week. You do it long enough, you’re going to have ups and downs and how you get through those is how you perform as a race car driver. I feel like it would be completely different if the potential wasn’t there for sure. I would say, for us, I’ve had some of the best practice sessions I’ve had as far as car speed, fire off speed, long run speed, all of that – throughout this year, so that’s a check in my book. Qualifying – there still has to be a decent amount of effort put in to understand why we’re qualifying where we are rather than just going out early. When you get into that snowball effect, the metrics definitely hurt you from the qualifying side of going out early and then you’ve got to kind of dig out of that hole and we haven’t been able to do that yet. But then you look at the race and by stage 2 and stage 3 we’re pretty good. Our cars drive really good, we’re looking for more potential things of that sort, but the potential is there, right? It’s trying to hit for qualifying and hit it for the first run of the race. I feel like those are my two Achilles heels within LEGACY MOTOR CLUB right now and if we can figure out that first run of the race and figure out qualifying, I think we can have some really strong runs put together.”
What’s the situation with your pit crews and who is developing them?
“It is in house right now. Chris Hall is our pit crew coach. He is the one that’s helped develop all of our guys. We have some new guys and also some veteran guys. I think my front tire changer Scottie (Brzozowski), I think pitted for my dad back in the early 2000’s. He’s been changing tires for 20 plus years and still some of the best metrics as far as tire changers go. It’s pretty cool to be able to have a group of guys like that. It’s the same group that I’ve had the last two years as well. We took everything in-house, I think it was ’25 I think it was when we started taking everything in house. I feel confident in what we’re doing, I feel confident in kind of the procedure and structure of what is going on. Do we need to get better? Yes. But that’s in every forefront within LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. It’s still continuing to build. Your only two years into having pit crews in house and trying to develop guys and things of that sort. It’s tough – it comes down to tenths of a second on pit road. I do feel confident in it. I feel that we can continue to get better. I feel like we are consistent for sure, we’ve just got to get a little bit faster on the racetrack, on pit road, off the race track, kind of everything.”
How do you feel like it compares to last year when there was a lot of promise shown?
“I still feel like there’s a lot of promise. I feel like the potential is there. I feel like we’ve had some of the better cars that we’ve had but it’s taken longer to get there this year as far as in the race. Like I said, I think that our Achilles heel has kind of been our first run of the race. With qualifying, if you qualify towards the back and you’re not close on starting balance or whatever it may be, you’re fighting to stay on the lead lap. The leaders in clean air are coming so fast the first stage. If you go a lap down normally, your kind of stuck a lap down most of the day. It’s frustrating for sure. You look back at lap times on the race track through stage 2 and stage 3 and we’re top 15, top 10 lap times most of the time depending on where we’re at. With that, we know the potential is there. How do we get better to start? How do I get better to start as a driver? As a team how do we get to that point, right? And where are the gains that we’re making throughout the race and how do we implement those pre-race to be able to start closer and get through traffic and things of that sort. Part of it is digging ourselves out of this rut for sure. You look at Talladega and we probably should’ve finished top 10 there at the end and had our right rear tire go flat from a spring in the valve stem core failing with 20 to go or whatever it may be. We’ve just got to get these little bugs worked out and hopefully kind of change our luck. I know that I’ve always said you make your own luck right? But, just trying to put yourselves in position to actually get the full potential and the finishing results that we feel like we deserve.”
Is there any part of you that enjoys the process of digging yourself out of a rut?
“Yeah, I think for me it’s frustrating at times, right? I want to dig myself out of the rut and stay out of the rut to be honest with you. It seems like this year has kind of just been in the rut as far as finishing positions and going out early in qualifying and being group one in practice and things of that sort. I think for me, it’s just continuing to push as hard as I know how. As Jimmie (Johnson) tells me every week, just go be yourself. From getting to this level and winning races through the Truck Series, the Xfinity Series, and everything else. I was just myself. I wasn’t overthinking it, I wasn’t overdoing it. At times, I was pushing too hard, right? But, in the end, it’s all about just being yourself and going out and maximizing your day. The Cup Series is hard for sure. It’s a building process at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB from the ground up. To answer your question, yeah, it can definitely get frustrating being out of the rut, back in it and out of the rut again. I feel like we continue to get better and continue to push. We just need to get that to show up on paper nowadays.”
What adjustments have you made within the organization to help you navigate the changes that are currently going on?
“That’s a great question. I feel like there’s definitely been a lot of changes internally with shuffling people around to different roles and things of that sort. There was another shuffle I guess over the offseason I would say with Erik’s (Jones) crew chief Ben Bayshore moving over to the simulation department. Engineering side, Chad Johnston moving over as technical director and Michael Guttilla now coming over as President. There’s a lot of really familiar faces for me of guys that I’ve worked with in the past in the organization. It’s just a matter of finding out where they fit and how everyone works together and how everyone continues to push to build to get to where we want to be each and every week. So, I feel like with that it’s hard to hit that overnight, right? It’s long-term building and trying to continue to build from the ground up. You think about it, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB really, I guess, started in 2024 and I would say you could kind of throw 2024 out the window and we restarted in 2025. With that, it’s two years now I feel like with the same personnel within the organization and adding a couple new hires that will continue to push our team.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of over 50 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
Carson Hocevar won the SpeedyCash.com 250, his sixth victory in 87 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races. It was his first victory and third top-10 finish in 2026, and second victory and third top-10 finish in five races at Texas Motor Speedway.
Kyle Busch (second) posted his 12th top-10 finish in 16 races at Texas Motor Speedway. It is his third top-10 finish in 2026.
Hocevar and Busch earned Spire Motorsports’ third one-two finish in CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competition. The most recent occurrence was in February’s Fr8 Racing 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway when Busch bested Hocevar.
Kyle Busch battled back from an early incident in Friday night’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race, which saw him make contact with the wall and go a lap down, to battle for the win in the closing laps before ultimately finishing runner-up to his Spire teammate Carson Hocevar in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.
Busch started sixth and was battling side-by-side for position when the HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado RST slid up the track and made contact with the outside wall, causing damage to the right-side fender wells. The talented wheelman settled into the 10th position despite the contact, but four laps later he felt a tire going down and made his way down pit road for right-side tires. After the team cleared the fenders, the six-time Texas winner returned to the track and finished the opening stage one lap down in the 31st position.
Veteran crew chief Brian Pattie summoned his driver to pit road between stages for further damage repair and a fresh set of left-side tires. The Las Vegas native was in position for the free pass when a caution waved 20 laps into Stage 2. Before visiting pit road, he reported that his Chevrolet was better, but still needed adjustments in order to make his way forward. Busch restarted 28th and continued to push forward, ultimately completing the second stage in the 16th spot.
After restarting 17th, Busch immediately made his way into the top 10 in the opening laps of the Final Stage. He stalled out at the ninth position as the field began green-flag pit stops on Lap 121. Pattie was the second-to-last crew chief to call his driver to pit road, hoping it would give his team a tire advantage for the end of the event. A speedy four-tire stop moved Busch up to the sixth position when stops had cycled through with 35 laps remaining. A slew of cautions would ensue, allowing the two-time Cup Series champion to move up the running order prior to a caution on Lap 157 that brought out the red flag. When the yellow flag was once again displayed, Busch lined up on the outside of the front row, next to Hocevar. The eighth caution of the night set up overtime, with the No. 7 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet lining up on the inside of the third row. Busch catapulted from fifth to second and crossed the line 0.730 seconds behind Hocevar in the runner-up position. The hard-fought second-place result allowed the No. 7 team to retain the lead in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series owner standings. After seven races, the team leads the No. 11 by two tallies.
Kyle’s Post-Race Comments “We had an eventful night, but Brian (Pattie) and everybody made some really good calls on this HENDRICKCARS.COM Silverado and got us a lot faster there at the end. We fired off really good on that final set of tires and had a lot of speed during the long green-flag run. We were really fast. The quickest truck on the track. We finally got the grip in the truck that I was looking for. So that moon thing doesn’t, doesn’t really work. It took too long for all that to come in and we came up a little short in the end. Thanks to Dan (Towriss), Jeff (Dickerson) and Rick (Hendrick), and everybody at Spire for letting me have this chance to go out and have some fun in the Truck Series.”
Carson Hocevar, driver of Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente Chevrolet Silverado RST, secured his sixth CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory in Friday evening’s SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway. Hocevar paced the field five times for a career-high 76 laps.
Hocevar qualified 11th but wasted no time moving forward, reaching the fourth position before a Lap-23 caution. He restarted fourth with 12 laps remaining in Stage 1, and despite a spirited battle with race leader Ben Rhodes, settled for the second position in the opening segment. During the ensuing stage break, veteran crew chief Chad Walter brought his driver down pit road for four tires and a slight air pressure adjustment to address a slight loose-handling Silverado.
The Portage, Mich., native restarted Stage 2 in 12th on Lap 47 but made quick work of the field, reaching fifth by Lap 48 and moving into the runner-up spot two circuits later on Lap 50. Hocevar took the lead on Lap 59 and paced the field for the next 17 laps until a caution on Lap 75 sent the majority of the field to pit road. The slow down set up a two-lap sprint to the green-and-white checkered flag, and despite lining up sixth for the restart, Hocevar took the lead in just one lap, driving off to the Stage 2 win. His effort in the opening 80 laps of the event accumulated 19 stage points, the most of any team in the field, which will aid in the No. 77 crew’s pursuit of a CRAFTSMAN Truck Series owners’ championship.
The 23-year-old driver led the field at the start of the Final Stage, holding the position for another 37 laps before relinquishing the top spot to hit pit road for service under green-flag conditions on Lap 121. An issue on pit road during the stop caused the team to lose the lead during the green-flag pit cycle, returning to the track in fourth, six seconds behind the leader. Fortunately, a Lap-145 caution brought Hocevar to the tailgate of the lead trio. After returning to racing action on Lap 149, he made the move for the top spot once again in just four laps. Hocevar 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 career-first NASCAR Cup Series win.
Carson’s Post-Race Comments
“This is unbelievable, it means a lot. We are going to go burn down a Chili’s somewhere here in Texas. What a fun race. It is cool to get another Spire Motorsports one-two finish, but we had to reverse the order from Atlanta a couple months back. I’ve watched Kyle (Busch) win a lot of truck races, so it is fun to put an end to his Texas streak.
“I could say the difference tonight was the driver in the seat, but we were just really good on restarts. The No. 77 team has done a really good job. It has been a struggle the last couple races, we just haven’t had the race-winning speed we are expecting to have. I am so thankful to get it done here.”
Up Next… The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series heads to Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International on Friday, May 8. The Bully Hill Vineyards 176 at The Glen will be televised live on FS1 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).
The eighth of 25 points-paying races on the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series calendar will be broadcast live on the NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
To stay up-to-date on all the latest news and exclusive content, follow Spire Motorsports on Facebook, X and Instagram, and visit Spire-Motorsports.com.
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 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 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 will also field the No. 77 410 sprint car in Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing competition.
TWO TUNDRA TOP-FIVES IN TEXAS Honeycutt, Jones Lead Toyota with Third and Fourth Place Finishes
FORT WORTH (May 1, 2026) – TRICON Garage teammates Kaden Honeycutt and Brandon Jones led the Toyota Tundra contingent with third and fourth-place results, respectively, on Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway.
Gio Ruggiero also ran among the top five throughout much of the race, pacing the field for 22 laps late in the race. Tundra drivers led a total of 43 laps (of 172) around the 1.5-mile Texas oval on Friday evening.
TOYOTA RACING Post-Race Recap NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) Texas Motor Speedway Race 7 of 23 – 250.5 Miles, 167 Laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Carson Hocevar*
2nd, Kyle Busch*
3rd, KADEN HONEYCUTT
4th, BRANDON JONES
5th, Ben Rhodes*
14th, GIO RUGGIERO
17th, WILLIAM SAWALICH
19th, STEWART FRIESEN
28th, TANNER GRAY
34th, CORY ROPER
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
KADEN HONEYCUTT, No. 11 Safelite + Foster Love Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage
Finishing Position: 3rd
What are some things you can be proud of after today’s race?
“I’m proud to be able to drive a truck like this. It’s disappointing that I just keep failing. There’s no excuse for it. As soon as I got the lead, I didn’t protect it right, I didn’t do the right things and ultimately that’s what led us to lose. I just want to thank this whole 11 crew, Safelite, Foster Love, Toyota Racing, TRICON. All my guys have done such an excellent job. Scott (Zipadelli, crew chief) did really good adjustments all day to help me out and I felt like once we got the track position at that last stage I thought we were one of the best trucks. I thought I could’ve run the 17 (Gio Ruggiero) down on that green flag run and pass him and if it went green, I thought I would’ve won it. Just gotta figure out how to get restarts done. I’ve gotta figure out how to win races. It’s eating me alive, I can promise you that. Just want to thank everyone at Toyota Racing – Toyota Tundras are built here in Texas, and I just wanted to get a win for them today because we definitely had a truck to do it. I’m disappointed that we didn’t but thanks to Scott’s leadership and everyone that we’ll keep on going.”
“Heck, I’ll take that. What a long, crazy night that was. Just trying to learn these trucks again. This was our first of four this year, and just fun to come over to TRICON and have Sprecher Root Beer come on board. They ran some races with us last year and really enjoyed themselves. It was fun to get them a top five and a really nice way to kick off my Truck Series run here. I think we had a really fast truck here tonight and circumstantial – could’ve won the race. It all just depended on what lane you were in. There was a lot of chaos at the end of that race obviously. A lot of beating and banging so it was just about picking the right lane and being in the right place at the right time. I was happy with that. Gio (Ruggerio) almost had one too, so we were really close as an organization, I think. Just really, really fun tonight.”
Can you talk about your race tonight after leading late in the race?
“It was a good race. I definitely held onto track position the whole time. We had a fast truck so it was easy to do that. But yeah, definitely just didn’t finish anywhere near where we should’ve with the truck we had. I’m happy with how good the truck was. I think that’s really good as a team moving forward into the next few races to have that speed. If we can run like that every race, we’ll win a lot of races. Definitely a positive note on that side. Just was tough on those restarts there at the end of the race. It’s so hard to break away from the trucks behind you here. I feel like the draft – they can get such a huge run on you. You just have to really be super aggressive on defense mode. It was tough at the end there. Just have to execute the last restart better and probably would’ve won the race.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
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