Preece 3rd, Keselowski 11th, and Buescher 13th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas, NV (March 16, 2025) – Some things may stay in Vegas, but the momentum Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing captured on Sunday is something they’ll hope to carry with them as the season progresses. Led by Ryan Preece, who matched a career-high 3rd place finish, all three RFK teams finished among the top 15. Brad Keselowski posted a strong 11th-place finish, while Chris Buescher came home 13th.
6 Brad Keselowski – RECAP
Brad Keselowski came to Las Vegas looking to turn his luck around, and with a determined, focused effort, that’s exactly what he did. Keselowski and crew chief Jeremy Bullins worked throughout the day, adjusting the car and dialing it in for the final run that netted the Castrol Ford an 11th-place finish.
Although the car was difficult to turn early in the race, Keselowski, a three-time Las Vegas winner, overcame the handling issue using experience. Studying the lines of others, Keselowski adjusted, finding more efficient ways to roll the corners. This, combined with Bullins’ careful chassis adjustments, allowed the car to run inside the top 15 consistently during the 267-lap race.
A critical moment came late in the race when several cars in front of Keselowski crashed. It was this type of event that had impacted the #6 car on multiple occasions this year. This time, though, spotter TJ Majors navigated Keselowski through the crash, helping him escape damage. A final pit stop in the closing laps allowed Keselowski and Bullins to top off fuel, make some short-run adjustments, and make an aggressive push toward a very solid finish.
“All in all, not a bad day for us,” said Keselowski. “At times, we had great speed, especially at the end. This is the type of run we need to build off of.”
17 Chris Buescher – RECAP
After a strong qualifying effort, Chris Buescher rolled off 11th on Sunday in the Smith’s / Dasani Ford. Quickly, though, as the cars fanned out through the sweeping corners of the mile-and-a-half Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Buescher faced a challenge. The swirling ‘dirty’ air churned up, making the car tight and difficult to turn.
With plenty of racing still ahead, crew chief Scott Graves went to work, finding ways to help Buescher. After several chassis adjustments, the Smith’s / Dasani Ford was able to slice through the air better, helping Buescher navigate the corners. With the car more to his liking, Buescher charged into the top 10. Unfortunately, some track position was later lost when the #17 needed to make an unscheduled pit stop to tighten a loose wheel.
Still, there was a rally, and Buescher fought back to a respectable 13th-place finish.
“We started off really, really tight, and it took us a while to get it underneath us,” said Buescher. “We spent much of the day working on it, and we got a decent finish out of it.”
60 Ryan Preece – RECAP
There have been glimpses of greatness for Ryan Preece so far in 2025, and those were once again on display Sunday as he brought home the RFK organization’s best finish of the season. Preece’s third-place Las Vegas finish also matched a career-best (Talladega 2019) for the Berlin, CT driver.
Preece started 12th – his best-ever qualifying effort at a mile-and-a-half track. Confidence was high for the driver of the Consumer Cellular Ford, who appears to be in the midst of a breakout season after leading three of the season’s first four races.
Preece began the day hoping for long runs, and eventually, they did come. That strategy proved successful. As the runs wore on, Preece was able to consistently keep speed in the car. He used that to his advantage. Additionally, lightning-fast pit stops – one as fast as 8.7 seconds – helped Preece climb into the top five during the race’s final stage. In the closing laps, crew chief Derrick Finley urged Preece to save fuel, but a late-race caution made fuel conservation a non-issue. Preece was able to top off, hold his track position, and come home with a podium finish.
“Going into the season, our motto was, ‘live by the fire, die by the fire,’ take chances, be aggressive, and be on the offense,” said Preece. “I’m really grateful to come out here and have a great day because, at the beginning of the season, this is really what sets the tone.”
Up Next:
Homestead-Miami Speedway (Homestead, FL) Sunday, March 23, 2025, @ 3:00 p.m. ET on FS1
About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, in its 38th season in 2025, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988, and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass 300 wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion.
In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content, and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit rfkracing.com, and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.
RACE RUNDOWN: A strong day for Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang team proved dividends as he brought home a sixth-place finish in Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Cindric would roll from the third starting spot and showed great early pace in his No. 2 Ford Mustang. He would ride in second place behind teammate Joey Logano prior to the first round of green flag pit stops. A caution during the cycle would allow the Discount Tire crew to pit under the yellow flag and remain on the lead lap. Cindric would cycle to the front on the restart and be the leader by lap 41. With clean air, Cindric would hold off Alex Bowman to win Stage 1, his first stage triumph of 2025. Cindric would restart second to begin Stage 2. The balance of his Discount Tire Ford Mustang shifted to the tight side. He would fall back to eighth prior to the next round of pit stops. Unfortunately, Cindric would pit twice for a potential loose wheel. Buried in dirty air, Cindric would finish Stage 2 in the 21st position. He would slowly make progress back to the front, but timely strategy calls by crew chief Brian Wilson would allow Cindric to regain the lost track position. Cindric would focus forward and ultimately bring home a sixth-place finish at race end. The result marked his second top 10 finish of the year. He has also led at least one lap in four of the five races thus far in 2025.
CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “Definitely a solid day for our Discount Tire Ford Mustang. Think we showed great pace and fought back through some adversity. Great call by Brian (Wilson) to gain back that track position. We can certainly build off today.”
RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney rallied from two laps down in the opening stage to make his way into the top five by Stage 2, but ultimately was collected in a multi-car incident on lap 195 to bring an end to the weekend in Las Vegas for the No. 12 Menards/Pennzoil Ford Mustang. Due to damage sustained during practice Saturday, Blaney took the green flag from the tail end of the field and gained 10 positions in the opening 10 laps. A caution during the first green flag pit cycle of the afternoon trapped Blaney two laps down, resulting in a 33rd-place finish in Stage 1. An early caution during the first run of Stage 2 awarded Blaney the free pass to rejoin the lead lap, as he went on to gain 27 spots en route to a sixth-place finish in Stage 2. After the field lined up to restart with 73 laps to go, Blaney found himself in the middle of a four-wide battle off turn two and was turned into the outside wall on the backstretch. Blaney was able to drive the Menards/Pennzoil Ford Mustang to the garage for the No. 12 team to make repairs, but ultimately retired from the race.
BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “We were four-wide there. I’ll have to go back and see if I pinched those guys in the fence on the top. You try to take the best you can out of this weekend even though it ended poorly. We finally got our way into the top five and the car was really good, but we end up wrecked. It’s one of those weekends where it seems like nothing can really go right, but we’ll stick with it.”
JOEY LOGANO No. 22 PENNZOIL ULTRA PLATINUM FORD MUSTANG
RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano was in contention late in Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas, but the final pit cycle of the afternoon proved to be costly, culminating in a 15th-place finish. Logano started from the front row for the second consecutive week and led the first of his 40 total laps on the afternoon before scoring a seventh-place finish in Stage 1. Following a four tire stop and a round of adjustments during the stage caution, Logano continued to fight the handling in traffic during the second segment as he faded outside of the top 10. A caution on lap 147 set up split strategies with a handful of teams taking two tires prior to the restart, miring Logano in traffic as he logged a 17th-place finish in Stage 2. The No. 22 team was one of a few to play the long game on fuel strategy to make it to the end, as Logano took over the lead with just over 30 laps remaining. However, a caution with 25 laps to go saw the Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Ford Mustang relinquish the lead on pit road as Logano went on to cross the line 15th following the final restart with 19 laps to go.
LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “Tough way to end the weekend for us. The last run was shaping up to look a lot like how last fall’s strategy played out for us, but I just made a mistake on pit road that I wish I could have back. Proud of the effort but should’ve had more to show for it.”
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the East Coast to race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, March 23. Live coverage begins at 3:00 p.m. ET on FS1 with in-car camera angles available all race long through MAX Driver Cam.
Experiencing a vehicle breakdown can be stressful, especially on busy roads. According to the ATA Technology & Maintenance Council, breakdowns occur approximately every 10,000 miles, making preparedness essential. This guide will walk you through the necessary actions to ensure your safety and minimize risks during a breakdown situation.
Understanding Common Breakdown Causes
Understanding why vehicles fail helps prevent emergencies. By identifying these causes early, you can avoid costly repairs and dangerous situations.
Tire, Brake, and Wear-Related Issues
Tire problems are leading causes of breakdowns. Flats, blowouts, and misaligned axles can leave you stranded. Low tread, underinflation, and improper alignment increase the risk of tire failure.
Brake wear and corrosion are also common issues, especially in heavy vehicles that put significant strain on braking systems. Regular inspections can detect worn pads or corroded components before they fail.
Electrical Problems and Engine Malfunctions
Electrical issues like failing alternators or starter motors can disrupt your journey. Warning signs include flickering lights or clicking noises when starting the engine. Battery problems frequently cause breakdowns as well.
Engine malfunctions often stem from poor maintenance. Routine checks prevent overheating, oil leaks, and other serious issues. Addressing minor problems early helps avoid major repairs later.
What to Do When Your Vehicle Breaks Down on the Highway
When your vehicle suddenly stops on a busy road, knowing the right steps can make all the difference. Staying calm and acting quickly ensures your safety and minimizes risks.
Assessing Your Surroundings and Securing a Safe Spot
First, try to pull over to the side of the road. Look for a safe location like an off-ramp or a hard shoulder. Avoid stopping in the middle of traffic lanes. Check your mirrors and assess traffic before moving.
Once parked, turn off the engine to prevent further damage and reduce accident risks. Stay inside the cab if exiting is unsafe due to traffic or weather conditions.
Activating Hazard Lights and Warning Devices
Turn on your hazard lights immediately to alert other drivers. If you have reflective triangles or flares, place them at least 100 feet behind your vehicle. This gives approaching drivers enough time to slow down.
Ensure your warning devices are visible, especially at night or in poor weather. These steps help prevent collisions and keep everyone safe.
Notifying Your Employer and Dispatch
Contact your employer or dispatch as soon as possible. Provide clear details about your location and the issue for quicker assistance.
If the situation is critical, call 911. Share your exact location and describe the problem. Staying calm and providing accurate information ensures a faster response.
Using roadside assistance apps can speed up the process, as these tools often share your location and vehicle details with service providers automatically.
Executing Emergency Procedures and Safety Measures
Facing a roadside emergency requires quick thinking and precise actions. Staying calm is the first step to ensuring your safety and the safety of others.
Staying Calm and Remaining in the Cab
If your vehicle stops unexpectedly, stay inside the cab if it’s safe. Exiting on a busy road increases accident risk. Use your hazard lights to alert other drivers.
Remaining in the cab also ensures you’re visible to emergency responders. Keep your seatbelt on and avoid moving around unnecessarily to minimize risks while waiting for help.
Contacting Emergency Services and 911
Call 911 immediately if the situation escalates or poses danger. Provide clear details about your location and the nature of the emergency for faster response.
For less urgent issues, contact your dispatch or roadside service provider with your exact location and a description of the problem. Accurate information ensures a quicker resolution.
Key safety steps:
Stay calm to make clear decisions during an emergency
Remain in the cab if exiting is unsafe
Use hazard lights and warning devices to alert others
Call 911 for critical situations and provide precise details
Follow proper regulations for placing warning devices
Connecting with Roadside and Towing Assistance
Modern tools make it easier than ever to locate reliable roadside assistance in emergencies. Technology has revolutionized how drivers find help during breakdowns, ensuring faster and more efficient service.
Using Technology and Apps to Locate Services
GPS-enabled apps are game-changers for drivers needing assistance. These tools pinpoint your exact location and connect you with nearby service providers. Many apps also offer real-time traffic updates, ensuring help arrives quickly.
Having a list of trusted emergency contacts is another smart move. Apps often allow you to save preferred providers for quick access, preventing scrambling for help during stressful situations.
Leveraging Heavy Towing Services
For larger vehicles, specialized towing services like Austin’s Towing & Recovery are essential. Companies that offer heavy-duty towing and recovery services are reliable choices for drivers in need. Many provide 24/7 availability, meaning you can count on them regardless of time or place.
When contacting a service, be ready to provide your location and details about the issue. Clear communication speeds up the process and ensures the right help is dispatched, minimizing downtime and keeping you safe.
FAQ
What are the most common reasons for vehicle breakdowns? The most frequent causes include tire failure, brake issues, electrical problems, and engine malfunctions. Regular maintenance can help prevent these issues.
What should you do immediately after your vehicle breaks down? First, assess your surroundings and move to a safe location if possible. Activate hazard lights and place warning devices to alert other drivers.
How do you ensure safety while waiting for assistance? Stay calm and remain inside the cab unless it’s unsafe. Keep your seatbelt on and avoid standing near traffic lanes. Contact emergency services if needed.
Who should you notify when your vehicle breaks down? Inform your employer or dispatch immediately. Provide details about your location, the issue, and assistance required to ensure a quick response.
How can you find reliable roadside assistance quickly? Use technology like apps or GPS to locate nearby services. Companies specializing in heavy-duty towing can provide prompt support.
What steps can you take to prevent future breakdowns? Regularly inspect your vehicle, especially tires, brakes, and engine components. Address minor issues before they escalate and follow a consistent maintenance schedule.
Conclusion
Being prepared for unexpected vehicle issues saves time and stress. Understanding common causes like tire wear or electrical problems helps you take preventive measures. Regular maintenance is your best defense against breakdowns, ensuring your vehicle stays in top condition.
If a problem arises, knowing the right steps is crucial: pull over safely, activate hazard lights, and contact roadside service promptly. Using technology like GPS-enabled apps can speed up assistance and reduce downtime.
By staying calm and following proper procedures, you protect yourself and other drivers. Proactive maintenance and awareness are key to minimizing risks. With the right knowledge and support, you can handle any roadside issue effectively.
Photo by Ron Olds/SpeedwayMedia.com - Josh Berry wins for Wood Brothers Racing
Josh Berry cashed in on a dream opportunity driving for the legendary Wood Brothers Racing organization by earning his first NASCAR Cup Series career victory in the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 16.
The 34-year-old Berry from Hendersonville, Tennessee, led twice for 18 of 267 scheduled laps in an event where he qualified in seventh place. He executed a smooth, methodical performance on the track towards the front as he finished in the top 10 at the conclusion of the event’s two stage periods.
Then, amid a late fuel-mileage battle, Berry, who rallied from making an extra pit stop to have a wheel tightened prior to the start of the final stage period, cycled past Daniel Suarez for the lead for the first time with 35 laps remaining. He was cruising out in front before he was overtaken by Joey Logano four laps later.
When Noah Gragson blew a right-front tire and wrecked with 25 laps remaining, an opportunity presented itself for Berry. He entered and exited pit road in second place behind Suarez following a strong pit service while Logano lost a bevy of spots due to a slow pit service.
During the final restart period with 19 laps remaining, Berry was briefly outdueled by Suarez before he tracked the former down three laps later. During another late-race battle, Berry muscled ahead and cleared Suarez for the lead with 14 laps remaining. With the lead in his possession, Berry spent the final 14 laps cruising and extending his advantage to more than a second. Finally, he fulfilled his lifelong dream by scoring his first win in NASCAR’s premier series in Sin City.
With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Saturday, March 15, Michael McDowell notched his first Cup pole position of the 2025 season with a pole-winning lap at 186.961 mph in 28.883 seconds. Joining McDowell on the front row was Joey Logano, the latter of whom clocked in his best qualifying lap at 186.864 mph in 28.898 seconds.
Prior to the event, several drivers. dropped to the rear of the due to unapproved adjustments to their vehicles, including Christopher Bell, rookie Riley Herbst, John Hunter Nemechek and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to their respective entries. Ryan Blaney also started at the rear of the field due to not posting a qualifying lap while his No. 12 Team Penske Ford team repaired the primary car he had wrecked during Saturday’s practice session.
When the green flag waved and the event commenced, Michael McDowell and Joey Logano dueled for the lead as the field fanned out entering the first two turns. Both McDowell and Logano remained dead even for the lead through the backstretch and through Turns 3 and 4 before McDowell managed to lead the first lap by a nose.
During the second lap, Logano used the inside lane to muscle his No. 22 Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry ahead of McDowell through Turns 3 and 4 as Logano proceeded to lead a lap for himself. Logano would proceed to lead through the fifth lap mark over McDowell as Austin Cindric, William Byron, Alex Bowman and Kyle Busch followed suit in the top-six.
Through the first 10 scheduled laps, Logano led by half a second over McDowell as Cindric, Byron, Bowman, Busch, Erik Jones, Zane Smith, Kyle Larson and Josh Berry were racing in the top 10, respectively. Behind, Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick, Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin occupied the top-15 spots ahead of Austin Dillon, Daniel Suarez, AJ Allmendinger, Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece. Meanwhile, Chase Briscoe, Brad Keselowski, Carson Hocevar, Ryan Blaney, Ty Dillon, Cole Custer, Noah Gragson, Christopher Bell, rookie Shane van Gisbergen and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. were mired in the top 30. Ty Gibbs, John Hunter Nemechek, Todd Gilliland, Justin Haley, rookie Riley Herbst and Cody Ware rounded out the 37-car field.
Fifteen laps later, Logano retained the lead by six-tenths of a second over teammate Cindric, the latter of whom assumed the runner-up spot eight laps earlier. Behind, Hendrick Motorsports’ Byron and Bowman moved up to third and fourth, respectively, while McDowell dropped to fifth place. Busch, Jones and Larson followed suit in the top eight while Reddick, who started in 14th place, was up to ninth place ahead of Elliott, Zane Smith, Berry, Wallace, Chastain and Suarez.
At the Lap 30 mark, Blaney, who was racing in the top-20 mark, pitted his No. 12 Pennzoil/Menards Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry, but he encountered a slow pit service and dropped out of the lead lap category. Another lap later, more names including Ross Chastain, Austin Dillon, Chase Briscoe, Brad Keselowski, Chris Buescher, Zane Smith and the leader Logano pitted before more names including the new leader Cindric, Bowman, Byron, McDowell, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Preece, Shane van Gisbergen and Ty Gibbs pitted their respective entries.
Then, during the green flag pit stops, the event’s first caution flew on Lap 33 when a left-rear wheel rolled out of Chase Briscoe’s No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE entry just as Briscoe re-entered the track following his pit service. The wheel rolling out of his entry cost Briscoe two laps from the leaders. At the time of caution, Kyle Busch, one of several competitors who had yet to pit, was leading.
During the caution period, the top 19 competitors led by Kyle Busch pitted for their first round of service. The rest, led by Cindric, remained on the track. Following the pit stops, both Busch and Hamlin were penalized for speeding while entering pit road.
The beginning of the next restart on Lap 40 featured Cindric and Alex Bowman dueling for the lead through the first two turns and the backstretch. As the field fanned out, Bowman used the outside lane to edge his No. 48 Ally Chevrolet entry ahead through Turns 3 and 4 and lead the following lap over Cindric. Cindric then tried to use the inside lane through the first two turns to move in front of Bowman, but Bowman fought back, using the outside lane to lead the following lap by a nose for a second time. Amid the side-by-side battle between Cindric and Bowman, Wallace and Elliott battled for third place in front of Reddick, Logano, Berry and Allmendinger.
On Lap 43, Wallace, who caught Cindric and Bowman, battled with the latter for the runner-up spot as Elliott pursued within close range. With Bowman managing to fend off Wallace and Elliott for second place through the backstretch, Cindric muscled his No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry away with a steady advantage by Lap 45. Cindric stretched his advantage to a second over Bowman at the Lap 50 mark as Elliott, Wallace and Logano gave chase in the top five. Behind Logano, Berry pursued in the top six as Allmendinger, Hocevar, Reddick, Larson, Bell and Byron trailed in the top 12.
By Lap 60, Cindric continued to lead by nine-tenths of a second over Bowman, while third-place Bowman and fourth-place Wallace trailed by more than two seconds. Meanwhile, Berry, who cracked the top five, trailed the lead by four seconds while Logano, Allmendinger, Larson, Reddick and Hocevar followed suit in the top 10.
Over the next five laps, Logano, who was running within the top-five mark earlier, lost three positions on the track as he was overtaken by Berry, Allmendinger and Larson. As a result, Logano dropped to eighth place while teammate Cindric had his lead decreased to three-tenths of a second over Bowman. Amid Bowman’s charge, Cindric, who navigated his way through the lapped competitor of Cody Ware, maintained the lead by two-tenths of a second at the Lap 70 mark.
When the first stage period concluded on Lap 80, Cindric, who stretched his advantage back up to more than one-and-a-half seconds, captured his first Cup stage victory of the 2025 season. Bowman followed suit in second ahead of Elliott, Wallace and Larson while Allmendinger, Logano, Berry, Hocevar and Bell were scored in the top 10, respectively.
Under the stage break, the lead lap field, led by Cindri,c peeled off the track to pit road for service. Following the pit stops, Elliott exited pit road first ahead of Wallace, Cindric, Larson, Bowman, Berry, Logano, Bell, Suarez and Hocevar, respectively. Shortly after, however, Elliott was penalized for speeding on pit road.
The second stage period started on Lap 88 as Wallace and Cindric occupied the front row. At the start, Wallace rocketed his No. 23 U.S. Air Force Toyota Camry XSE entry ahead from the field using the inside lane. Wallace led through the first two turns and the backstretch before Larson used the outside lane to draw even with Wallace. Wallace, though, would muscle back ahead through the frontstretch’s inside lane and lead the following lap. As Wallace led, Larson and Cindric gave chase, while Logano and Bowman followed in pursuit. Bowman, however, would make an unscheduled pit stop under green to address a vibration to his entry on Lap 90.
Just past the Lap 95 mark, Larson started to reel in Wallace for the lead. He trailed Wallace by only two-tenths of a second. Larson would then overtake Wallace for the top spot through the frontstretch at the Lap 100 mark. He proceeded to lead by nearly half a second over Wallace. Bell charged his No. 20 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry XSE entry up to third place. Logano, Byron, Berry, Cindric, Allmendinger, Hocevar and Reddick were racing in the top 10.
On Lap 107, the caution flew when Shane van Gisbergen, who was racing in the top-30 mark, spun his No. 88 Red Bull Chevrolet entry below the backstretch. At the time of caution, Bell had assumed the runner-up spot over Wallace. And, Berry had overtaken Logano for fifth place while Larson was still leading the event.
During the caution period, the leaders led by Larson returned to pit road for service. Following the pit stops, Wallace reassumed the lead. He edged Byron off of pit road first while Larson, Reddick, Berry, Hocevar, Suarez, Allmendinger, Logano and Noah Gragson followed suit in the top 10. Amid the pit stops, Ty Gibbs, who was scored a lap down, was penalized for speeding on pit road. Bell was also penalized for pitting outside of his pit box, where he stopped in teammate Chase Briscoe’s pit box to have a left-front wheel tightened. Not long after, Cindric made a second pit stop to address a potential loose wheel on his entry.
The start of the next restart period on Lap 112 did not last long after Kyle Busch, who restarted in the top-12 mark, snapped sideways entering the backstretch and hit the outside wall. The entire right-rear wheel then rolled out of Busch’s No. 8 BetMGM Chevrolet entry. Amid the issue, Busch managed to nurse his entry back to his pit stall, but he was penalized two laps due to the entire wheel coming off of the entry. At the time of caution, Byron had assumed the lead over teammate Larson and Wallace. During the caution period, Bowman and McDowell pitted their respective entries, but both were penalized for speeding on pit road.
As the event restarted under green on Lap 119, the field fanned out. Teammates Byron and Larson dueled in front of 23XI Racing’s Wallace and Reddick. Then, after dueling with Byron through the first two turns and the backstretch, Larson received a push from Reddick to muscle the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet entry ahead. Larson led the following lap while Reddick challenged Byron for the runner-up spot. Behind, Wallace fended off Suarez and Hocevar for fourth place as Berry led a bevy of competitors to challenge Hocevar for sixth place.
Just past the Lap 125 mark, Larson retained the lead by three-tenths of a second over teammate Byron. Reddick, Wallace and Suarez followed suit in the top five. Meanwhile, Bell, who was trying to recover from his pit road penalty, was mired in 31st place and teammate Hamlin was racing inside the top-25 mark. While van Gisbergen pitted under green to address a flat right-front tire, Reddick closed in on Hendrick Motorsports’ Larson and Byron for the lead as the trio was separated by six-tenths of a second by Lap 130.
Through the Lap 145 mark, Larson extended his advantage to more than a second over Reddick, the latter of whom assumed the runner-up spot from Byron two laps earlier. Meanwhile, Wallace trailed in fourth place by three seconds while Suarez retained fifth place ahead of Berry, Hocevar, Allmendinger, Buescher and Logano, respectively.
Two laps later, the caution flew when Todd Gilliland, who was battling Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for 14th place, slowly went up the track and hit the outside wall entering the frontstretch. The contact with the wall shot Gilliland into the side of Stenhouse before the former veered sideways and hit the outside wall again in his NO. 34 Love’s Travel Stops Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry. At the time of caution, Kyle Busch, who was in the garage to have his entry repaired, returned to pit road and was forced to serve his two-lap penalty for the loose wheel.
During the caution period, the lead lap field, led by Larson, pitted for service. Following the pit stops and amid mixed strategies, Chastain, Erik Jones and Hamlin exited pit road first after the trio opted for only two fresh tires. Behind, Larson, Wallace, Byron, Suarez, Reddick, Berry and Hocevar, all of whom opted for four fresh tires, followed suit.
With 13 laps remaining in the second stage period, the race restarted under green. Chastain and Jones dueled in front of Hamlin, Larson, Wallace, Byron and the field through the first two turns. As the field fanned out through the backstretch, Chastain muscled his No. 1 Kubota Chevrolet entry ahead from the inside lane while Larson made a daring three-wide move in between Byron and Jones in a bid for the runner-up spot.
The trio remained dead even against one another during the following lap until Wallace pushed Jones’s No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE entry ahead of Larson and Byron through the backstretch. As Jones muscled ahead with second place, Wallace was pinned in a three-wide battle with Larson and Byron for third place while Hocevar, Berry, Hamlin and Suarez gave chase. Amid the battles, Chastain maintained the lead by half a second with 10 laps remaining in the second stage period.
With eight laps remaining, Jones, who was battling Wallace for fourth place, went wide through the first two turns after he got loose. This dropped Jones to ninth place in the leaderboard and Wallace moved up to fourth place behind Larson while Byron started to reel in on Chastain for the lead. Another two laps later, Larson joined the battle for the lead before Byron used the outside lane to overtake Chastain for the lead through Turns 3 and 4. Teammate Larson would quickly follow suit on his four fresh tires and he pursued Byron for the lead while Chastain fell back to third place.
Then, with three laps remaining in the second stage period, Larson got underneath teammate Byron through the backstretch and he used Turns 3 and 4 to assume the lead. As Larson led the following lap, Hocevar reeled in on Wallace for fourth place while Chastain retained third place.
When the second stage period concluded on Lap 165, Larson captured the stage victory and became the first Cup Series competitor to notch multiple stage victories in the 2025 season. Teammate Byron settled in second ahead of Chastain, Wallace and Hocevar while Blaney, Suarez, Berry, Reddick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. were scored in the top 10, respectively.
During the stage break, nearly the entire lead lap field, led by Larson, returned to pit road for service while McDowell and Austin Dillon remained on the track. Following the pit stops, Suarez exited pit road first following a two-tire pit stop. Larson, Byron, Wallace, Chastain, Blaney, Berry, Gragson, Preece and Reddick, all of whom went with a four-tire pit service, followed suit.
Amid the pit stops, Hocevar had to reverse his entry to avoid hitting Ty Gibbs while trying to exit his pit stall. In addition, Riley Herbst and Ty Dillon were sent to the tail end of the field due to speeding on pit road and removing equipment, respectively. Soon after, Berry made an extra pit stop to have his right front wheel tightened.
With 94 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as McDowell and Austin Dillon occupied the front row. At the start, McDowell rocketed his No. 71 Group 1001 Chevrolet entry ahead from the inside lane, while Larson wasted no time going in between Suarez and Dillon while charging on his four fresh tires. As Dillon lost a bevy of spots through the first two turns, McDowell retained the lead through the backstretch until Larson used the outside lane entering the frontstretch to reassume the lead.
As Larson led the following lap, Suarez assumed the runner-up spot from McDowell while Byron, Chastain and Wallace followed suit. Over the next three laps, Byron dueled with Suarez for the runner-up spot in front of Chastain, McDowell, Wallace, Blaney, Gragson, Reddick and Stenhouse while Larson led with 90 laps remaining.
Down to the final 80 laps of the event, Larson was leading by more than a second over teammate Wallace, while Trackhouse Racing’s Chastain and Suarez followed suit in third and fourth, respectively. Behind, Blaney outdueled Wallace for fifth place as Reddick started to reel in on teammate Wallace for sixth place.
Shortly after, the caution returned after Cody Ware spun and hit the wall through Turns 3 and 4. During the caution period, the leaders led by Larson returned to pit road for service. Following the pit stops, Chastain exited pit road first following a two-tire pit stop while Larson, Cindric, Elliott, Suarez, Byron, Blaney, Bell, Gragson and Reddick, all of whom pitted for four fresh tires, followed suit. Amid the pit stops, Hocevar and Ty Gibbs made contact on pit road, as Hocevar hit and spun Gibbs while trying to exit pit road, resulting in Gibbs sitting backward in his pit box. Not long after, Bowman and Gilliland returned to pit road to top off their fuel tanks.
With the event restarting under green with 73 laps remaining, the field fanned out as Suarez, who restarted as the third competitor on the inside lane, was cut off by Cindric amid contact and the former’s bid to go underneath the latter for position. Then, as Larson dueled with Chastain for the lead, the caution quickly returned when a stack-up within the fanned-out field resulted in Stenhouse getting hit and sent for a spin by Allmendinger.
In front of Stenhouse’s incident, more trouble ensued as Wallace, Gragson and Blaney squeezed against one another, resulting in Blaney getting turned and Wallace being pinned against the wall. As Blaney spun, Jones also spun and they collided against one another while spinning as Austin Dillon and Wallace were also left with damage to their respective entries.
During the caution period, multiple drivers, including Larson, Elliott, Chastain, Byron, Cindric, and Bell pitted while the rest, led by the new leader Reddick, remained on the track. Not long after, Elliott would pit a second time for left-side tires.
As the event restarted under green with 67 laps remaining, the field fanned out again as Reddick muscled his No 45 The Beast Toyota Camry XSE entry ahead with the lead. With Reddick leading, Suarez and McDowell dueled for second place before the former cleared the latter. Reddick led the following lap while Preece, Hamlin, Gragson and Berry pursued Suarez and McDowell for top-three spots.
Berry and Hamlin battled for sixth place behind Gragson as Logano navigated up to eighth place in front of Allmendinger and Bowman while Reddick retained the lead over the next two laps. With van Gisbergen trying to limp his entry to pit road after making contact with the wall, Byron, Elliott, Bell and Larson were all trying to navigate their way back to the front while Reddick led with 60 laps remaining.
With 50 laps remaining and fuel strategy within the field beginning to brew, Reddick continued to lead by three-tenths of a second over Suarez. Behind, McDowell, Hamlin and Preece were racing in the top five. Logano, Berry, Bowman and Allmendinger followed suit in the top nine, respectively. Meanwhile, Chastain, who pitted during the recent caution period, carved his way back up to 10th place while Ty Dillon, Cindric, Gragson, Byron and Zane Smith occupied the top-15 spots. Behind, Larson was mired in 16th place ahead of Bell, Briscoe, Keselowski and Buescher, while John Hunter Nemechek, Elliott, Justin Haley, Stenhouse and Cole Custer were mired in the top 25, respectively.
Another 10 laps later, Reddick retained the lead by two-tenths of a second over Suarez, while Hamlin, who assumed third place earlier, trailed the lead by four-tenths of a second. Behind, Logano moved up to fourth place while trailing the lead by seven-tenths of a second, while fifth-place Berry trailed by more than a second.
Then, a lap later, Suarez and Reddick dueled for the lead. Amid their side-by-side battle, Logano dueled with Hamlin for third place as Berry closed in. By the time Logano cleared Hamlin for third place with 37 laps remaining, Suarez claimed the lead from Reddick. Logano and Hamlin would proceed to challenge Reddick for the runner-up spot another lap later, which also allowed Berry to reel in before Berry assumed third place from Logano. Hamlin then pitted his No. 11 Yahoo! Toyota Camry XSE entry under green while Suarez maintained the lead over Reddick.
With 35 laps remaining, Reddick then pitted from the runner-up spot. During Reddick’s pit stop, Berry cycled past Suarez for the lead and was pursued by a hard-charging Logano. With both Reddick and Hamlin pinned a lap down following their respective pit stops, McDowell and Bowman cycled into the top five. Berry maintained the lead over Logano with 32 laps remaining. Logano then got underneath Berry through the backstretch and assumed the lead with 31 laps remaining.
With 25 laps remaining, the caution flew when Noah Gragson blew a right-front tire and smacked the outside wall through the first two turns. Gragson’s incident occurred seconds after Kyle Busch, who was more than 30 laps down, scrubbed the outside wall through the first two turns but managed to steer his car below the apron and limp back to pit road.
During the caution period, the lead lap field, led by Logano, peeled off the track to pit road for service. Following the pit stops, Suarez exited pit road first ahead of Berry, Preece, Chastain, Bowman, Cindric, Larson, Allmendinger, Byron and Buescher as Logano, who received a slow pit service, plummeted to 20th place.
The start of the next restart with 19 to go featured Suarez and Berry dueling for the lead through the first two turns as the field fanned out to multiple lanes. Both Suarez and Berry continued to duel through the backstretch until Chastain gave teammate Suarez a push to shove the No. 99 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet entry ahead through Turns 3 and 4. Suarez would proceed to lead the following lap ahead of Berry, Chastain, Byron and Preece. Cindric moved into sixth place ahead of a three-wide action involving Bowman, Allmendinger and Larson. Elliott and Buescher battled for ninth place in front of Bell and Keselowski, while Logano was mired in the top 20. Amid the battles within the field, Suarez retained the lead over Berry, Chastain and Byron.
Then, with 16 laps remaining, Berry made his move beneath Suarez for the lead through the first two turns. Berry continued to duel with Suarez for a full lap and led one lap as Suarez kept racing dead even with Berry for the top spot at the start/finish line with 14 laps remaining. With 13 laps remaining, Berry then used the inside lane to muscle his No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry ahead and clear Suarez Preece battled Chastain for third place while Byron, who battled Chastain earlier, followed suit.
Down to the final 10 laps of the event, Berry was leading by eight-tenths of a second over Suarez, while Preece, Chastain and Byron continued to follow suit in the top five, respectively. By then, Cindric, Allmendinger, Bowman, Larson and Elliott trailed in the top 10, respectively, as Berry stabilized his lead to nearly a second over the next five laps.
With five laps remaining, Berry retained the lead by more than a second over Suarez while third-place Preece trailed by three seconds. By then, top-five racers Chastain and Byron also trailed the lead by three seconds and sixth-place Cindric trailed by more than four seconds, while Berry continued to slowly drive away with the top spot.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Berry remained in the lead by more than a second over Suarez. With Suarez unable to narrow the deficit between himself and the leader. Berry navigated his way through lapped traffic and smoothly cycled his way around the Vegas circuit for a final time before he wheeled back to the frontstretch and streaked across the finish line in first place for his first career checkered flag in NASCAR’s premier series.
With the victory, Berry, who was coming off a strong fourth-place finish at Phoenix Raceway, became the 206th competitor overall to win in the Cup Series division. He is also the 20th competitor overall to notch a Cup victory while driving the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford entry. Berry, who joined William Byron and Christopher Bell as Cup Series race winners through the first six scheduled events of the 2025 season, also became the first competitor to record a first Cup career win in Sin City, Nevada.
The victory was the 101st for the Wood Brothers Racing, the organization’s first at Las Vegas and the organization’s first since Harrison Burton steered his way to his first Cup victory in August 2024 at Daytona International Speedway. In addition, crew chief Miles Stanley achieved his first win atop the pit box.
“Oh man, I don’t even know what to think,” Berry said on the frontstretch on FS1. “Just awesome. I love this track. Las Vegas has been so good to me. I’ve had so many great moments here. [I] Just struggled in the Next Gen car here, but man, [crew chief Stanley] Miles and this whole No. 21 team, everybody at Wood Brothers Racing, they gave me a great car today. We just battled and battled and battled. Man, it was our day. I just can’t believe it. Such a battle with Daniel [Suarez] there at the end. Beating and banging at a mile and a half [track] is crazy, but whoever was gonna get out in front was probably gonna win and we were able to get it from him.”
Photo by Ron Olds for SpeedwayMedia.com.
“It’s just incredible,” Berry added. “[Wood Brothers Racing]’ve just been so good to me. It’s just been a great relationship. Obviously, [I] thank everybody at Wood Brothers Racing, but Team Penske as well. They welcomed me with open arms and tried to help me and accelerate this learning process as much as I can. I really can’t say enough for Miles Stanley. He is so good at what he is doing and we have a great thing going on together. He really believes in me. Man, we’re just gonna enjoy this moment.”
Suarez, who led 12 laps compared to Berry’s 18, settled in second place for his first top-five finish of the 2025 campaign. Amid the disappointment of being one position shy of claiming his first victory of the year, Suarez was left pleased with his result. Previously, he had finished no higher than 13th and was coming off three consecutive finishes outside the top-20 mark, including two DNFs.
“[I’m] Definitely a little disappointed, but first of all, congratulations to the No. 21 team and Josh [Berry],” Suarez said. “They did a great job. They’ve been fast lately. They’ve been in contention, so congratulations to them. We did everything right. The team did an amazing job on the strategy, pit stops. We did everything right. Our car was fast. We just struggled a little bit in the short run. Unfortunately, I feel like that’s why we lost the race. [I] Just had a little bit too much contact. I almost wrecked in [Turns] 1 and 2, but overall, just very, very proud of everyone at Trackhouse [Racing]. We’ve been working very hard and it’s showing. Solid effort.”
Ryan Preece, who was coming off a strong 15th-place result at Phoenix Raceway, doubled down by tying his career-best result in the Cup Series with a third-place effort. William Byron and Ross Chastain, both of whom led a combined 24 laps, came home in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Austin Cindric, Alex Bowman, AJ Allmendinger, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott completed the top 10 in the final running order.
Notably, Christopher Bell, who was pursuing a fourth consecutive Cup victory to commence the 2025 season, ended up in 12th place behind Brad Keselowski. In addition, the following names that included Joey Logano, pole-sitter Michael McDowell, Chase Briscoe, rookie Riley Herbst, Ty Gibbs, Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones, Bubba Wallace, Carson Hocevar, Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch, rookie Shane van Gisbergen and Ryan Blaney ended up 15th, 16th, 17th, 19th, 22nd, 24th, 25th, 27th, 28th, 30th, 32nd, 33rd, 34th and 35th, respectively.
There were a record 32 lead changes for 13 different leaders. The race featured nine cautions for 53 laps. In addition, 26 of 36 starters finished on the lead lap.
Following the fifth event of the 2025 Cup Series season, William Byron leads the regular-season standings by 29 points over Christopher Bell, 48 over both Tyler Reddick and teammate Chase Elliott, 51 over teammate Alex Bowman and 55 over teammate Kyle Larson.
Race Results.
1. Josh Berry, 18 laps led 2. Daniel Suarez, 12 laps led 3. Ryan Preece 4. William Byron, 10 laps led 5. Ross Chastain, 14 laps led 6. Austin Cindric, 47 laps led, Stage 1 winner 7. Alex Bowman, two laps led 8. AJ Allmendinger 9. Kyle Larson, 61 laps led, Stage 2 winner 10. Chase Elliott 11. Brad Keselowski 12. Christopher Bell 13. Chris Buescher 14. Justin Haley 15. Joey Logano, 40 laps led 16. Michael McDowell, five laps led 17. Chase Briscoe 18. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 19. Riley Herbst 20. John Hunter Nemechek 21. Ty Dillon 22. Ty Gibbs 23. Zane Smith 24. Tyler Reddick, 34 laps led 25. Denny Hamlin 26. Cole Custer 27. Erik Jones, one lap down, one lap led 28. Bubba Wallace, one lap down, 20 laps led 29. Todd Gilliland, two laps down 30. Carson Hocevar, two laps down 31. Noah Gragson – OUT, Accident 32. Austin Dillon, 27 laps down 33. Kyle Busch, 35 laps down, three laps led 34. Shane van Gisbergen – OUT, Accident 35. Ryan Blaney – OUT, Accident 36. Cody Ware – OUT, Accident
Next on the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season is Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida, for the Straight Talk Wireless 400. The event is scheduled to occur next Sunday, March 23, and air at 3 p.m. ET on FS1.
Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Dow Chevrolet Derailed by Multi-Car Accident at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Finish: 32nd Start: 22nd Points: 32nd
“We had a very fast Dow Chevrolet today. The results don’t show how good we were. We passed a lot of cars early in the first stage, which set us up for a strategy call to pit early and start Stage 2 inside the top-10. We had a slow stop, and that put us mid-pack. We were able to race our way back inside the top-20 and felt like we had a top-10 car. Unfortunately, we got caught up in a big crash in Stage 3. The wreck happened in front of us and we were pushed into it. Richard (Boswell, crew chief) and the team did a great job repairing the No. 3 to get it back on track and finish the race. I’m looking forward to Homestead-Miami next weekend. If our car is as good as it was this weekend, I feel like we can have a shot. I’m very proud of everyone at Richard Childress Racing. Both cars showed speed all weekend, and we have a lot to look forward to this season.” -Austin Dillon
Disappointing Finish for Kyle Busch and the No. 8 BetMGM Chevrolet Team at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Finish: 33rd Start: 4th Points: 17th
“Our BetMGM Chevrolet was strong early in the race. We were running up front, about to pit when the caution came out and we inherited the lead. Unfortunate to have been penalized for speeding on pit road. I was convinced we were fine as was Randall (Burnett, crew chief), but it was what it was. Obviously the issue with the right rear effectively ended our day. We were able to go out, log laps and finish the race, but we had high hopes that we had a car that could contend for the win today.” -Kyle Busch
RICK WARE RACING Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube Date: March 16, 2025 Event: Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube (Round 5 of 36) Series: NASCAR Cup Series Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval) Format: 267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/85 laps/102 laps)
Race Winner: Josh Berry of Wood Brothers Racing (Ford) Stage 1 Winner: Austin Cindric of Team Penske (Ford) Stage 2 Winner: Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
RWR Finish:
● Cody Ware (Started 35th, Finished 36th / Accident, completed 186 of 267 laps)
RWR Points:
● Cody Ware (37th with 24 points)
Race Notes:
● Josh Berry won the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube to score his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory. His margin over second-place Daniel Suárez was 1.358 seconds.
● This was Ford’s 742nd all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory and its first of the season. ● This was Ford’s 16th NASCAR Cup Series victory at Las Vegas and its second straight. Joey Logano won the series’ prior race at Las Vegas last October on his way to the Cup Series championship. Ford won its first race at Las Vegas on March 1, 1998 with NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin. ● There were nine caution periods for a total of 53 laps. ● Twenty-six of the 36 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap. ● William Byron remains the championship leader after Las Vegas with a 29-point advantage over second-place Christopher Bell.
Sound Bites:
“It was definitely a long day here in Las Vegas. I feel like we finally got the car working in a somewhat decent spot and started making our way toward the pack. It’s really frustrating to have that left rear (tire) come down. We spent all day working on the car just to have it cut short once we finally hit the mark. So, frustrated with that, but thankful to the guys and all the hard work they did to keep us in the hunt today. I mean, we went from kind of in our own ZIP code, not in a good way, to finally in the hunt and having a racecar that actually can go racing. So a really frustrating way to end the day. We’ll just get ready for Homestead next weekend, just keep our eyes moving forward and keep digging.” – Cody Ware, driver of the No. 51 Evel Knievel/Parts Plus Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Straight Talk Wireless 400 on Sunday, March 23 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race begins at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY RACE RECAP
LAS VEGAS (March 16, 2025) – The NASCAR Cup Series wrapped up its West Coast swing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the Pennzoil 400. Erik Jones delivered another impressive qualifying performance, securing the fifth starting spot in the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE. John Hunter Nemechek showed solid race pace in Saturday’s practice but faced an uphill battle after qualifying 30th in the No. 42 Backstreet Boys Toyota Camry XSE. In the end, it was Josh Berry who captured his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory in the fifth race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Below is a look at how the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entries fared:
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK NO. 42 BACKSTREET BOYS TOYOTA CAMRY XSE RACE RECAP:
START: 30TH | FINISH: 20TH | POINTS: 15TH John Hunter Nemechek, piloting the No. 42 Backstreet Boys Toyota Camry XSE, initially secured the 30th starting position. However, following a throttle body change on Saturday afternoon after qualifying—a modification that NASCAR mandates forfeiting the starting spot—the team started from the rear of the field in 36th. As the race unfolded, they planned their first pit stop just before a caution on lap 34. This timely yellow flag allowed them to pit under caution, resulting in significant track position gains. Despite this advantage, Nemechek struggled with the car’s tight handling, resulting in a 29th-place finish for Stage 1. In response, the team opted for an extended pit stop to raise the front ride height, aiming to enhance downforce and improve performance in the middle stage of the race.
In Stage 2, crew chief Travis Mack emphasized the importance of maintaining discipline and wrapping the bottom groove of the 1.5-mile track—a strategy aimed at assisting the car’s handling. This approach proved beneficial, as John Hunter Nemechek, driving the No. 42 Backstreet Boys Toyota Camry XSE, sustained a mid-pack position throughout the stage. He concluded Stage 2 in 20th place, finishing just behind his teammate, Erik Jones.
Stage 3 began with Nemechek starting in the 19th position. On lap 187, a caution flag was displayed, during which Nemechek experienced difficulties firing off that previous green flag run. Shortly after, on lap 195, a multi-car incident occurred on the backstretch; Nemechek skillfully navigated through the chaos, mostly avoiding involvement but did tap the nose of his car on the one in front of him when slowing. Opting for track position, he stayed out during the caution and restarted in 9th place—the first time he had broken into the top 10 that day. However, as the race progressed, Nemechek’s car struggled to maintain pace with some slight damage to the hood, leading him to a drop back to the 23rd position by lap 221.
With under 25 laps remaining, the field was slowed once again, bringing another opportunity for adjustments. The No. 42 team took advantage of the caution to put on fresh tires and fix the bowed-up hood from the lap 195 incident. Restarting 24th with a tire advantage on cars in front of him, Nemechek pushed forward and secured a 20th-place finish by the checkered flag, gaining 16 spots from the start of the race.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTABLE:
“The race started out not as a great day as the balance wasn’t there in our No. 42 Backstreet Boys Toyota Camry XSE. We had issues getting through traffic but luckily there was some cautions there and we didn’t go a lap down and that saved our day. We had some strategy calls that got our car better continuously throughout the day and we finished with a 20th-place finish. Hats off to the men and women at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, and thanks to Brian [Littrell], Kevin [Richardson] and Nick [Carter] for coming out today and hanging with us. I feel good about our result after we started but we still have some work to do on our mile and half program but step in the right direction.”
(Photo Credit: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB / NKP)
ERIK JONES NO. 43 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE RACE RECAP:
START: 5TH | FINISH: 27TH | POINTS: 25TH Erik Jones rolled off fifth in the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE, but he slipped back slightly in the early laps as the race settled into a rhythm. On lap 34, just as the yellow flag waved, Jones was already heading down pit road. To avoid a penalty for pitting when it was closed, he drove straight through without service and rejoined the field. The rest of the stage proved challenging as he fought a loose-handling race car, working hard to maintain position while searching for adjustments to improve the balance. The Michigan native finished the first stage in 15th.
In Stage 2, with 14 laps remaining, crew chief Ben Beshore made a strategic call for the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE to take only two right-side tires during a pit stop, propelling Erik Jones to the front row for the ensuing restart. Jones maintained a strong position for six laps; however, upon encountering bumps in Turns 1 and 2, his car washed up the track, resulting in the loss of several positions. He ultimately concluded the second stage in 19th place.
Jones started the third stage in 18th position but gradually slipped to 24th in the running order. On lap 195, an incident involving the No. 47 car spinning down the backstretch triggered a chain reaction. Positioned on the outside in a four-wide formation, Jones’s No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE was collected in the ensuing chaos, sustaining damage from other spinning vehicles. The team addressed the cosmetic damage during the caution period, enabling Jones to rejoin the race at the tail end of the field.
Jones continued to battle handling issues throughout the race and went down a lap with under 30 laps remaining in the race. The team took the wave around and got back on the lead lap but wasn’t able to pit. Managing worn tires in the final laps, he ultimately secured a 27th-place finish, one lap down in the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE.
ERIK JONES QUOTABLE:
“Our Dollar Tree team had an up-and-down day at Las Vegas. We struggled with the handling and got caught back in the pack. Towards the end of the race, we got hit in the rear, which sent us spinning and caused some damage to our No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE. We’ll continue to work hard and try to get back on the other side of this with a great result.”
(Photo Credit: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB / NKP) NEXT UP: The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, March 23, for an action-packed race on the iconic 1.5-mile oval. Drivers will chase victory in one of the season’s most challenging and dynamic races. The race will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1, MAX, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Gazoo Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.
Berry is the 90th different driver to win a Cup race with Ford, and the first new winner since Harrison Burton won at Daytona (2024).
Today’s win is Ford’s 742nd all-time in NASCAR Cup Series competition.
Ford Unofficial Results: 1st – Josh Berry 3rd – Ryan Preece 6th – Austin Cindric 11th – Brad Keselowski 13th – Chris Buescher 15th – Joey Logano 23rd – Zane Smith 26th – Cole Custer 29th – Todd Gilliland 31st – Noah Gragson 35th – Ryan Blaney 36th – Cody Ware
JOSH BERRY, No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW
WHAT BETTER PLACE FOR YOU FIRST WIN THAN IN A PLACE YOU’VE WON TWICE BEFORE IN XFINITY. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO WIN IN CUP? “Man, I just can’t believe it. I’m just so proud of everybody on this team. The car was really solid all day. We just executed. We had a mishap on pit road and was able to rebound again, and I’m just super proud of these guys. I’m just really trying to soak this all in, honestly. I’m trying to take my time with everything and really enjoy this moment.”
WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WHEN THEY HAD YOU COME DOWN PIT ROAD TO TIGHTEN THAT WHEEL? “I mean, it was obviously disappointing, but thankfully the wheel stayed on and we were able to make it to pit road before Miles was gonna get a vacation. It just broke up the race. There was a lot of strategy going on and we were able to capitalize on it. We had a great battle with Joey and was hoping it would go green, but we got the caution and this pit crew rebounded and they dug deep at the end and had a great stop and we fought for the win.”
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN WITH THE WOOD BROTHERS? “I’m just really proud of everybody on this team. This is a great group. They build great race cars and it’s just been a privilege to drive for them. I’m just so really thankful to be here. There are so many people I could thank for this moment, but to be a Cup Series winner is really special.”
RYAN PREECE, No. 60 Consumer Cellular Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “Going into the season the motto is live by the fire, die by the fire and take chances, be aggressive, be on the offense and just put us in position. Man, I’m happy for Josh. I really liked him when we were teammates and I’m just super proud of everybody on this Consumer Cellular Ford Mustang Dark Horse. I just can’t thank Jack Roush, Brad Keselowski, Kroger, Mohawk Northeast, Fifth Third Bank and the list goes on and one – Build Submarines, Castrol, for the opportunity. I’ve been told I’m mid very often by people and I’m glad I feel Josh said he felt like himself again and I felt the same today.”
NASCAR CUP SERIES LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT MARCH 16, 2025
Suarez Leads Chevrolet with Runner-Up Result at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Chevrolet Claims Seven Top-10 Finishes
TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 RESULTS: POS. DRIVER 2nd – Daniel Suarez 4th – William Byron 5th – Ross Chastain 7th – Alex Bowman 8th – AJ Allmendinger 9th – Kyle Larson 10th – Chase Elliott
Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez drove his No. 99 Chevrolet to his best finish of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – leading Chevrolet to the checkered flag with a runner-up result in the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube.
A series of cautions in the final stage made pit strategy the name of the game. With a caution on lap 244, the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet pit crew put down a monster performance on pit road to give Suarez the win off pit road and a front-row starting position for the restart with 20 laps remaining. Suarez battled side-by-side with race winner, Josh Berry, for a handful of laps before settling into the runner-up position.
The Bowtie brand had a monstrous presence in the top-10 of the final leaderboard, with Suarez leading the manufacturer to seven top-10 finishes at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval – a season-best for Chevrolet with five points-paying races complete. Among those results were representation by three different Chevrolet organizations including two top-five finishes for Trackhouse Racing; all four Hendrick Motorsports entries with top-10 results; and Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger in the eighth position.
Larson proved to be a contender all race long, with the 32-year-old Elk Grove, California, native also collecting his second stage win of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, making the Chevrolet driver the first repeat stage winner in the division with now five points-paying races complete.
In just his fifth points-paying start with Spire Motorsports, Michael McDowell earned the pole position for today’s 267-lap race – laying down a lap of 28.883 seconds in his No. 71 Chevrolet. The lap delivered Chevrolet its second-straight pole win of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, as well as Spire Motorsports’ first-ever pole win in NASCAR’s top division.
UP NEXT: The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season continues at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Straight Talk Wireless 400 on Sunday, March 23, at 3 P.M. ET. Live coverage can be found on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Post-Race Driver Quotes:
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 5th
“Yeah, it got him (Daniel Suarez) clear to the lead. I was fully committed to him and happy to do it. Got him a good push down the frontstretch and through the restart zone; another one into (turn) one and another one into three. We stayed connected well. It was aggressive, but it got him to the lead. And then he just bottomed out too hard with his car and let Josh (Berry) inside of him a couple laps into that run. Bummer because he had a better car than we did and had a shot to win. It just slipped away from us.”
How important was this day for Trackhouse Racing to get both cars into the top-five here at Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
“Yeah, it’s huge. That’s what I said to Daniel (Suarez) – it’s pretty cool to be talking about what we could do better than second and fifth and legitimately running up there. It’s so frustrating though because you could see how close Daniel was. He had the better Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet today, and for him to be so close, it’s a bummer.”
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 21st
“Our Sea Best team battles and fights and gets better and better every time, every minute we work together. We’re developing a trend of getting stronger as we go, so that’s exciting for the future. We had some opportunities to probably have a better finish there, but from where we were at the beginning of the race to the end, it was a lot better. I’m very happy with our effort. We’ll keep going and getting better. I’m very pleased.”
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Finished: 4th
How much of an issue were tires today, and how much were you conserving it? How much did that strategy play into your finish today?
“Yeah, when everything got flipped with the fuel strategy – not really pit strategy, but you had to pit to make it to the end of the race. Everything just got flipped around and we were on the bad side of that, having to restart in the 20s and then have to drive back through the field. I thought we did a good job getting back through the field. Our car was a lot tighter in traffic. There’s definitely some things for us to improve and work on because I feel like once we lost the first couple of rows, it was a completely different race car. We just have to continue to improve on that.
Overall, happy with the result for the No. 24 Raptor Chevrolet team. We had a good car. We definitely had one of the best cars, if the race would have played out normally. We just didn’t really have a chance to get back up there at the end.”
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Finished: 16th
“It was an up-and-down day for the No. 71 Group 1001 Chevy team. We had a little issue there early on with the diffuser flap falling down. We didn’t figure it out until about the end of Stage Two. Once we got that back, we were kind of back in the game but just a couple adjustments behind. I thought we would have a shot at the top-10, but on the last run, the car just got really tight. It’s unfortunate to lose spots there at the end.. you never want to do that. But we’ll keep building and keep working on it; keep making notebooks and get it right.”
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 34th
“Our day was going pretty good there at the start. I was learning to move around and started to go forward. Just made an adjustment that didn’t go our way and never recovered. It’s a shame, my Red Bull Chevrolet had plenty of potential and I felt like I could’ve been okay. My teammates ran really well, so our car was good. Just learning to put myself in the right spots. We’ll be ready for Homestead next weekend.”
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Finished: 2nd
“Definitely a little disappointed, but first of all, congratulations to Josh Berry and the No. 21 team. They did a great job and they’ve been fast. The No. 99 Freeway Insurance Chevy team did everything right. The pit crew did an amazing job with the pit stops. We did everything right with the strategy. Our Chevy was fast, but we just struggled a little bit on the short runs. I mentioned to my crew chief – before the last run, I told him that if we’re going to be up front, we’re going to need a better car for the short run. I was having too much contact over there in (turns) one and two. Unfortunately, I think that’s why we lost the race. We just had a little bit too much contact. I almost wrecked in one and two.
But overall, just very, very proud of everyone at Trackhouse Racing. The entire organization has been working very hard and it’s showing. Thank you to Chevrolet, Freeway Insurance, Coca-Cola, Quaker State – all of our partners that help us to get to the track every weekend. It was a solid effort.”
About General Motors
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.
LAS VEGAS (March 16, 2025) – After three straight victories, Christopher Bell’s streak came to a close at Las Vegas, where he led Team Toyota with a 12th-place finish.
Toyota Post-Race Recap NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Las Vegas Motor Speedway Race 5 of 36 – 400.5 miles, 267 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS 1st, Josh Berry* 2nd, Daniel Suarez* 3rd, Ryan Preece* 4th, William Bryon* 5th, Ross Chastain* 12th, CHRISTOPHER BELL 17th, CHASE BRISCOE 19th, RILEY HERBST 20th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK 22nd, TY GIBBS 24th, TYLER REDDICK 25th, DENNY HAMLIN 27th, ERIK JONES 28th, BUBBA WALLACE *non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 12th
Can you tell me what your feelings are right now?
“I mean, just – I don’t know. It’s fine. I was a grind today for sure. I don’t really know how I feel yet, but we certainly didn’t do what we did the last couple of weeks and that was just have a nice clean race. I think the Interstate Camry was definitely capable of competing for the win when we were at our best but just going to the back and to the front and to the back and to the front, we just didn’t get a handle on the balance, because it changes so much from being back there. I felt like we were in position in stage two to contend for another win, but it got away from us.”
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 nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 31 electrified options.
