What began as a tough night for Josh Berry and the No. 21 eero team turned into a hard-fought comeback, as they rebounded from a lap down to finish 12th in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Berry rolled off 18th but quickly began losing ground to the leaders as handling issues set in. He had dropped to 30th by Lap 40 and was on pit road under the green flag when Kyle Larson spun and brought out the caution flag.

That ill-timed caution dropped Berry to 37th and a lap down, but he took the wave-around on the next yellow and finished Stage 1 in 33rd.

Berry and the eero team endured another tough stretch in the second 100-lap Stage, holding on to finish 27th while staying committed to turning things around in the closing half of the race.

As the handling of the No. 21 Mustang Dark Horse steadily improved, Berry finally caught a break, earning the free pass after a multi-car incident at Lap 247 involving Ryan Blaney and four others.

Returning to the battle in 22nd place and back on the lead lap, Berry was able to finish 20th in the third Stage.

With the car dialed in for the final 100-lap run to the checkered flag, Berry cracked the top 15 by Lap 315, ran as high as fifth during green-flag pit stops, and settled into 14th with 38 laps to go.

With nine laps remaining, he moved into 13th place, then passed Erik Jones for 12th with two to go, earning his fifth finish of 12th or better in 13 races this season.

Eddie Wood said that the strong comeback was rewarding for him and for the family of Marine Cpl. Ian Zook, whose name was on the windshield of the Wood Brothers Mustang as part of the sport’s Memorial Day Weekend remembrance of fallen service members.

“Len and I got to spend time with Ian’s family before the race,” Wood said. “It turns out they were long-time fans of our team, and getting to meet them and talk to them reminded us of the sacrifices that families like them have made over the years.

“We were honored to have Ian’s family members with us and to be able to learn more about the young man who gave his life so we all can enjoy nights like tonight.”

Berry and the No. 21 team now turn their attention to Nashville Superspeedway and next Sunday’s Cracker Barrel 400.

About eero
eero was founded to make wifi and networking the way they should be—fast, reliable, secure, and, most importantly, easy to use. After introducing the first home mesh wifi system with a high-quality design that blends into its environment and technology that intuitively works behind the scenes, eero became known for sweating every single detail and delivering award-winning hardware and software for homes, businesses, communities, and service providers. Founded and headquartered in San Francisco in 2014, eero is an Amazon company. For more information, visit eero.com.

About Wood Brothers Racing
Founded in 1950 by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood in Stuart, Virginia, Wood Brothers Racing holds a special place in NASCAR history as the sport’s longest-running team. Over eight decades, the team has earned 101 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with 120 poles, and remains proud of its longstanding relationship with Ford Motor Company, fielding only Ford products since its inception. Glenn’s brother, Leonard Wood, played a key role in shaping modern racing by developing the techniques behind today’s pit stops. With a rich legacy rooted in innovation and tradition, Wood Brothers Racing continues to honor its heritage while adapting for the future as it competes in NASCAR’s premier series with Josh Berry.

Allmendinger Earns Fourth-Place Finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Lexington, N.C. (May 26, 2025) – AJ Allmendinger finishes fourth in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, earning his best finish of the 2025 season.

Following a fifth-place qualifying effort, the best starting position for the No. 16 this season, Allmendinger maintained his position inside the top 10 for the duration of the Coca-Cola 600.

“The LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevy was good all night,” said Allmendinger. “To finish inside the top five, top six in all the stages and be there all night is really good for our team. We need a little bit more to get to the next level, but super proud of everybody at Kaulig Racing. We’ve had a tough three weeks so to come back and show up with a lot of speed was important. It was an honor to have Sergeant Nicole Gee on the windshield banner and the side of the car. I told her family I was going to do everything I could to try to get them to Victory Lane with us. It meant a lot to be able to meet her family; we know what this day is truly about. I’m proud that I give her a great ride.”

Allmendinger’s fourth-place finish comes following two DNFs at Texas and Kansas.

“It was a good weekend for us to show speed off the truck in practice and to qualify well,” said Crew Chief Trent Owens. “We were able to collect a lot of stage points and come away with a fourth-place finish. It was just an outstanding day for Kaulig Racing and it’s pretty amazing what AJ’s brought to the table with getting this car in the top 10 at these tracks this year. It’s been a lot of fun and hopefully we’ll continue that through the season. I’m really happy with everybody at the shop and everybody that travels on the crew. We’re looking to keep the momentum going and carry that into the summer.”

Allmendinger earned the third most points during the race and earned a total of 13 stage points. The team’s efforts this weekend move Allmendinger into 17th position in the points standings.
 
About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 27 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

RFK Racing records a pair of top-10 finishes in NASCAR Crown Jewel Event.

Concord, NC (May 25, 2025) – With 100 miles more than any other race on the schedule, the Coca-Cola 600 is NASCAR’s longest race. Those additional miles proved critical, defining the outcome for each of Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing’s three teams. While Brad Keselowski and Ryan Preece were able to capitalize in the final circuits, it was that last segment that bit Chris Buescher.

No. 6 – Brad Keselowski

Brad Keselowski overcame multiple hurdles Sunday night to lead five laps and record an impressive top-five finish in NASCAR’s most grueling race – the Coca-Cola 600.

Despite starting deep in the field (35th), Keselowski was determined, charging toward the front at the drop of the green flag. The BuildSubmarines.com Ford picked up nine positions in the first six laps. With a fast race car and nearly 600 miles still ahead, Keselowski radioed, “I’m just trying to be patient here.” That patience would be tested after he was assessed a penalty for vehicle interference during a pit stop. That penalty cost track position, and the No. 6 finished Stage One in 19th.

Stage Two brought a different challenge: a loose race car. Following a mid-segment pit stop, the car snapped loose. Keselowski saved it, but not before the roof flap and diffuser flaps engaged, slowing the car for the remainder of the run. Temporarily, Keselowski went a lap down, finishing the segment 33rd. Perseverance in the third stage, though, paid off. Continuing to drive hard, the 2012 champ was in position to receive the free pass at lap 238. He took advantage, finishing 13th in Stage Three.

Prior to the conclusion of the third segment, confidence was building. “If you could give me a little more drivability, with the speed we have, we’ll be lights out,” he said. Crew chief Jeremy Bullins made adjustments during the final 100 laps, and the car continued to improve. Keselowski seized the opportunity, surging toward the front as the laps wound down. When the checkered flag flew, he had overcome a penalty, a near-spin, and a lap down to record a season-best fifth-place finish.

“We had a really good car,” said Keselowski. “We got mixed up in some of the different stuff in the midpoint of the race and just clawed our way out. I feel like if we could have got to the lead, we could have won the race. I wish it was a 700-mile race.”

No. 60 – Ryan Preece

Making his 200th career start in the NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Ryan Preece rolled off 28th in his No. 60 Kroger / Irish Spring Ford Mustang. He quickly showed speed, steadily working his way through the field and picking up eight positions in the first 40 laps. When Stage One was complete, Preece was 14th.

That surge continued in Segment Two. Although he had to overcome some minor snags on pit road, he finished 11th in the second segment.

Following a mid-race moment of silence, Preece began Stage Three in 12th and broke into the top 10 by lap 255. Managing a loose-handling car in the final 45 laps of the stage, he held position and secured a 10th-place finish—earning a valuable stage point.

After a pit stop, Preece started the final stage 12th. Still turning laps with a loose car, he slipped back to 16th by lap 330. Midway through the stage, though, his team made a strategic call to short-pit, allowing him to cycle back out in 12th with just over 40 laps to go. From there, Preece steadily worked his way forward, battling through traffic to finish ninth and earn his second straight top-10 result.

“I’m really proud of the race car we had the entire day, and we’ll continue to work at it and get better,” Preece said. “It’s fun racing here, and tonight gives us something to build on heading to Nashville next weekend.”

No. 17 – Chris Buescher

With a very fast qualifying lap, Chris Buescher began Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 with a solid fourth-place starting position. As the opening laps unfolded, the Body Guard Ford remained consistently fast. Buescher raced with the leaders throughout the first segment and finished Stage One sixth—earning valuable stage points.

As the sun set and the track cooled, handling changed. Buescher’s car tightened up, and positions were lost. Stage Two ended with a 13th-place finish. The team continued to adjust, with several chassis changes, not only to address handling but also to provide a smoother transition through the bumps in Turns 1 and 2. Buescher navigated the challenges to finish 16th in Stage Three.

Still hopeful he could charge to the front, Buescher fired off 17th in the final stage. Those hopes, though, were dashed when the No. 17 Ford Mustang was caught up in a crash triggered by Carson Hocevar with just 93 laps remaining. Buescher was forced to make multiple stops for repairs to a heavily damaged right front and an altered steering system. Despite the damage, Buescher was able to secure a 22nd-place finish.

Up Next:

Nashville Superspeedway (Nashville, TN): Sunday June 1, 2025 @ 7:00pm EST on Prime

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.

No. 16 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

Start: 5th
Stage 1 Finish: 5th
Stage 2 Finish: 6th
Stage 3 Finish: 6th
Finish: 4th

AJ Allmendinger remained happy with the handling of his No. 16 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevy for the duration of the Coca-Cola 600. Crew Chief, Trent Owens, made a minor air pressure adjustment during the first stage break to help Allmendinger after he reported the car was building tight. Allmendinger maintained position in the top six for a majority of the race and the team continued to make minor adjustments to keep up with the changing track conditions. Allmendinger earned 13 stage points and following his fourth-place finish, currently sits 17th in the points standings.

“The LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevy was good all night. To finish inside the top five, top six in all the stages and be there all night is really good for our team. We need a little bit more to get to the next level, but super proud of everybody at Kaulig Racing. We’ve had a tough three weeks so to come back and show up with a lot of speed was important. It was an honor to have Sgt Nicole Gee on the windshield banner and the side of the car. I told her family I was going to do everything I could to try to get them to Victory Lane with us. It meant a lot to be able to meet her family; we know what this day is truly about. I’m proud that I give her a great ride.” ~AJ Allmendinger

No. 10 Grizzly Nicotine Pouches Camaro ZL1

Start: 19th
Stage 1 Finish: 22nd
Stage 2 Finish: 28th
Stage 3 Finish: 26th
Finish: 19th

Ty Dillon and the No. 10 team started the Coca-Cola 600 from the 19th position on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Fighting a tight-handling Chevy early in the race, Dillon was running in the top 25 before a pit road penalty at the end of stage one dropped the team to the tail end of the field. Battling back and returning to the top 25, Dillon made a green flag pit stop halfway through stage two and fell off the lead lap. Despite running one lap down, Dillon continued to run fast, competitive laps throughout the remainder of the race and finished the 600-mile event in the 19th position.
 

“I honestly think that was probably the worst result we could have got for the car that we had. We had it really fast Grizzly Nicotine Pouches Chevrolet, so that’s the positive, but everything that could go wrong on pit road went wrong. It’s frustrating, we’ve got to get it cleaned up. We can all work better, including myself, to clean it up. We just didn’t catch a break at the end either with the lucky dog and no caution, but still happy with our speed.” ~Ty Dillon
 
About Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 27 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Coca-Cola 600 – Charlotte Motor Speedway
Concord, N.C. – May 25, 2025

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 MENARDS/DURACELL FORD MUSTANG

START: 14TH STAGE 1: 16TH STAGE 2: 32ND STAGE 3: 33RD FINISH: 31ST POINTS: 15TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Menards/Duracell Ford Mustang team showed early potential in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, running solidly inside the top 15 for much of the opening stint despite battling grip issues. He finished Stage 1 in the 16th position, but trouble struck in Stage 2 when contact with the outside wall resulted in right-side damage. Cindric continued on to end the segment in the 35th spot before heading to pit road for evaluation. A damaged right-rear toe link was discovered, forcing the team to make extended repairs that cost several laps. Cindric returned to the track and completed the remainder of the 600-mile marathon, ultimately crossing the line in the 31st position.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “It’s a bit of a shame. I thought we had a solid run going, but I got a little too free and popped the fence. I was trying to be patient all night and still didn’t quite get it. I thought we had enough speed to sneak a top 10 in there tonight, but overall, it was a difficult evening and I’m proud of the hustle from the guys to be able to finish the race.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 BODYARMOR CHILL FORD MUSTANG

START: 21ST STAGE 1: 23RD STAGE 2: 19TH STAGE 3: 38TH FINISH: 38TH POINTS: 7TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney’s night at Charlotte Motor Speedway ended abruptly as the No. 12 BODYARMOR Chill Ford Mustang was making a run towards the top 10 as he was collected in a multi-car incident in Stage 3, resulting in a 38th-place finish. After finishes of 23rd and 19th in the opening two stages, respectively, Blaney restarted the third segment from 17th and made his way up to 12th in the running order as the balance began to settle in. Following a caution on lap 237, Blaney lined up to restart 12th and found himself in the top lane of a three-wide battle coming out of turn four, resulting in contact with the Nos. 19 and 99 cars that put the BODYARMOR Chill Ford into the outside wall and sustained terminal, right side damage.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “It was three-wide and tight getting off the corner. I thought I was kind of high enough as I could go and it seems like, I don’t know if it was just a big squeeze, a couple of us bounced off each other – just tight off [turn] four. The first caution set us back and then finally got close to the top 10, but now we’re going to go home early. It’s one of those things.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL ULTRA PLATINUM FORD MUSTANG

START: 16TH STAGE 1: 27TH STAGE 2: 32ND STAGE 3: 25TH FINISH: 17TH POINTS: 9TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano raced to a 17th-place finish in Sunday night’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway as the No. 22 Pennzoil Ultra Platinum team battled back from a lap down late in the race. Logano and the No. 22 crew worked to dial in the balance over the course of the first two stages before logging a 25th-place finish in Stage 3. He restarted the final stage in the free pass position and a caution on the opening lap allowed him to rejoin the lead lap prior to the final run of the night. After a lengthy stop on pit road under caution to make one final swing on adjustments for the night, Logano raced his way back into the top 20 and maintained his position on the lead lap to come away with a 17th-place finish.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “It was a grind it out day for our 22 team, for sure. I’m proud of the way we continued to make our Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Ford competitive as the night went on and just kept making progress on it.”

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday, June 1 for the Cracker Barrel 400. Race coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE REPORT
MAY 25, 2025

Chastain Collects First Crown Jewel Triumph at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Chevrolet’s Series-Leading 26th Coca-Cola 600 Win

TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER

1st – Ross Chastain
2nd – William Byron
4th – AJ Allmendinger
6th – Chase Elliott
7th – Michael McDowell
 
· Ross Chastain earned his first win of the 2025 season on one of the sport’s biggest stages – the 66th running of the Coca-Cola 600. The victory – Chastain’s sixth all-time in 236 NASCAR Cup Series starts– marked his first crown jewel triumph in the division.

· The victory marks Chevrolet’s 47th all-time NASCAR Cup Series win at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with now 26 of those wins coming in the Coca-Cola 600 – both of which are series-leading records. Chastain keeps Chevrolet undefeated in crown jewel wins in 2025, with William Byron and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team opening the season with back-to-back Daytona 500 victories.

· Chastain delivered Chevrolet its fifth NASCAR Cup Series win of the 2025 season, with the 32-year-old Alva, Florida, native becoming the third different driver from the Bowtie brigade to win his way into a spot in the series’ 16-driver playoff field.

· The hometown hero, William Byron, came just short of his first Coca-Cola 600 victory – ultimately taking the checkered flag in the runner-up position. The 27-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native was a force all night long – driving his No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet to three stage wins and a race-high 283 laps led. Byron enters the second-half of the series’ regular-season back at the top of the points standings, with the No. 24 Chevrolet team heading to Nashville Superspeedway with a 29-point advantage over his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kyle Larson.

Chevrolet’s all-time NASCAR Cup Series statistics at Charlotte Motor Speedway:

Wins: 48
Poles: 35
Top-Fives: 218
Top-10s: 442

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 13 NASCAR Cup Series races complete:

Wins: 5
Poles: 7
Top-Fives: 27
Top 10s: 60
Stage Wins: 14

UP NEXT: The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season continues at Nashville Superspeedway with the Cracker Barrel 400 on Sunday, June 1, at 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage of both events can be found on Amazon Prime Video, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Post-Race Driver Quotes:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Finished: 1st

Is this a ‘pinch me moment’ when you think about what happened on Saturday with the car? You started 40th and you ended up in first…

“They built a whole new car. They were there when I left the broadcast yesterday, and I drove straight to the shop and sat in this car. It was just a chassis and a body, no wrap. Three-quarters of the suspension was on it. They were on the Hawkeye, and they were just trying to piece it together because the other one was destroyed. So, it took us the entire race — 590-something miles, to get to the lead.

Holy cow, we just won the Coca-Cola 600. For our No. 1 Jockey Chevy team, for Busch Light, Acceptance Insurance, Wendy’s, the Moose; it’s so cool to do it on Memorial Day. This race is so big.. the Coca-Cola 600. To think about what this weekend means, I drive for a veteran owner in the Truck Series, Al Niece, and he tells me stories. He tells me some, but he doesn’t tell me all. We were in Texas sitting around the campfire and he talks about how proud he is of this country and how he served. I know how proud so many of our service men and woman are, and the ones that didn’t get to come home and paid the ultimate sacrifice, we raced for them this weekend and it’s because of them that we get to race. We get to race the Coca-Cola 600 and we just won it!”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Finished: 20th

“We had a really solid Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Chevrolet tonight at Charlotte Motor Speedway. I’m proud of this RCR team for all the work they did after practice and qualifying on Saturday to give us something competitive for tonight. Crew chief Richard Boswell made great calls to keep up with the adjustments on our Chevy, and we had a car capable of running in the top five. Unfortunately, it came down to fuel mileage at the end and we ran out with two laps to go while running 10th. Disappointed, but overall, we had a solid car and our handling tonight was an improvement over where we’ve been the last few races. I want to thank Bass Pro Shops and Winchester for everything they do for our military and allowing us to honor our heroes this weekend with a patriotic paint scheme. It meant a lot to be able to race with United States Army Staff Sergeant Sean Gregory Landrus on our windshield header, and John A. Morris above the door.”

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Sidelined by damage sustained in an accident on 247.

Finished: 37th

Larson on the accident that ended his day early at Charlotte Motor Speedway:

“I don’t know.. I saw smoke and I tried to get left through the infield and I just didn’t get far enough left. I got tagged and it ended our night. Just a bummer of a day all around. I just got super loose into turn three out of nowhere early in the race. I caught the wall and got some toe damage. I thought the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet team did a great job in getting us back to where we were somewhat comfortable there the last 200 laps. We just needed to kind of chip away at it and I thought we could still end up OK.

Just not the day that I wanted, but huge thanks to Rick and Linda Hendrick, all of Hendrick Motorsports, Arrow McLaren, Chevrolet, everybody involved in making the day memorable. It’s just unfortunate, but hopefully we can run it back someday.”

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Finished: 6th

“We had a really good No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet. Pit road was amazing. We gained spots on pit road all day, but I would give them right back on the next restart. I just needed to be better.”

Are you confident going into Nashville Superspeedway next weekend?

“I am. We were making really good pace right there in the end. I just gave up too much on the restarts.”

Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Finished: 19th

“I honestly think that was probably the worst result we could have got for the car that we had. We had it really fast Grizzly Nicotine Pouches Chevrolet, so that’s the positive, but everything that could go wrong on pit road went wrong. It’s frustrating, we’ve got to get it cleaned up. We can all work better, including myself, to clean it up. We just didn’t catch a break at the end either with the lucky dog and no caution, but still happy with our speed.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Finished: 4th

How much did you really have to fight for it because you almost made it look easy.

“The No. 16 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet was good all night. We ran inside the top-five, top-six through most of the race. We needed a little bit more to get to the next level, but I’m super proud of everyone at Kaulig Racing. We had a tough three weeks there, but it’s great to come back and show up with a lot of speed. I told Sgt. Nicole Gee that’s on the side of our race car, I told her family I was going to do everything I could to try to get them in victory lane. It was close! It meant a lot to be able to meet her family. We know what this day is truly about, so I’m proud I could give her a great ride. Almost got all of us to victory lane.”

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Finished: 2nd

Right at the end, though, with eight laps to go, what was going through your mind as you tried to form an attack and go after that No. 1 car there?

“Well, I was just defending. He (Ross Chastain) was catching me, and I was trying to just defend. I was getting a little bit tight. Then the scenario there with the cars we were around, it was tough. So, yeah, he got a run on me and was able to get to the bottom and clear me off of (turn) two.

Disappointing just to lead that many laps, but such a great effort by the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet team. I guess I just could have anticipated that last run a little better. I ran in dirty air for a long time and heated my tires up. Then we lost a chunk of time, and the No. 45 (Tyler Reddick) about crashed in front of us. We’ll just keep going and keep trying to put races together like that.”

Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Finished: 7th

“It was a great night for the No. 71 Veterans 1001 Chevrolet team. I was bummed out about my mistake there early on with missing the pit box. We had a lot of speed in our Chevrolet, so really thankful for everyone at Spire Motorsports. I hate it for Carson (Hocevar). He was up there racing for the win. Not sure what happened there, but it was unfortunate for them. I was thankful to get back up to the front after a long night. It was just a big mistake on my part.

I’m thankful… thankful to get a top-10 and miss some of the wrecks there. I’m really proud of the speed we had. We’ll try to build some momentum here and head to Nashville (Superspeedway).”

Connor Zilisch, No. 87 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Finished: 23rd

“It was a really long day. My goal was to come in and run all the laps, and we did that. Finishing 23rd isn’t horrible.. probably better than I was expecting. We got some damage when Jimmie (Johnson) had an issue and spun into us, and that kind of hurt us for the rest of the day. I felt like we were actually pretty good during the first stage and we were making up ground. But nonetheless, really proud of Trackhouse Racing. It’s so cool to see Ross (Chastain) win such a big race, and I’m very thankful to be able to get this opportunity to run in the Cup Series again with Red Bull and Trackhouse Racing.”

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Finished: 14th

“We’ve just been chipping away the last few weeks; getting better and better. I feel like we’ve just been growing in confidence. We’ve been a bit under the radar, but we had some good pace there. Unfortunately when Daniel (Suarez) and Ryan (Blaney) wrecked, I had to go across the infield and it damaged something underneath and we were really tight. There were about five of them jumping on the front splitter to get it back down, but it wasn’t quite the same. A lot of the cars we finished behind, we were better than them, but it was promising.”

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.

Creed and Mayer Finish Just Outside Top 10 in NXS at Charlotte
Custer Brings Home 21st in Coke 600 on Sunday

Xfinity Series

00 Sheldon Creed

Sheldon Creed turned in a determined performance in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS). After starting eighth, his best career qualifying effort at the 1.5-mile track, he established the No. 00 Pit Boss Ford as one of the most consistent cars in the field. He made early progress, working his way up to sixth by lap 10 and cracking the top 5 by lap 20. Throughout the segment he showed solid speed and managed shifting balance in the car to finish 11th in Stage One.

Beginning Stage Two, Creed continued moving forward. On lap 62, he executed a pair of aggressive passes on Matt DiBenedetto and Sammy Smith, and climbed back into the top 10 while running some of his fastest laps of the race. Aided by mid-segment adjustments, he grabbed stage points with a ninth-place finish in the segment.

Creed faced adversity on lap 120 when he slapped the wall in Turns 1 and 2. With a flat right-front tire he was forced to make a green-flag stop that put him a lap down. The team stayed patient, banking on a caution and got the break they needed on lap 149 to rejoin the lead lap. After a flurry of late-race yellows and restarts shuffled the field, Creed powered up to second with 17 laps to go. Because of the unscheduled stop earlier, Creed was forced to run to the end on worn tires. As the race went into multiple overtime finished, tire wear ultimately caught up with him and Creed crossed the line in 10th, a hard-earned result and his second career top-10 at Charlotte.

“I feel like we rebounded really quickly,” said Creed, referring to the mid race flat tire set back. “We had a shot, just too many cautions there at the end and too many guys with fresh tires.”

41 Sam Mayer

Sam Mayer turned in an impressive effort in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, earning stage points in each of the race’s first two segments. Starting 11th in the Audibel Ford, Mayer wasted no time moving forward. He climbed to fifth by lap 10 and was running fourth by lap 20. He maintained that pace through the end of Stage One, earning solid stage points with a fourth-place segment finish.

A shuffle on pit road saw him restart seventh, entering Stage Two. Mayer though, quickly regrouped, working his way back into the top five by lap 71, and picked up more stage points with a sixth-place finish in Stage Two.

Before beginning Stage Three, Mayer gaining two spots on pit road – one earned by his crew’s fast service and another thanks to a penalty to eventual race winner, William Byron. Mayer restarted fourth and moved up to third by lap 130, positioning himself as a contender. But the race took a tough turn when he had brushed the wall on lap 158, sustaining right-side damage and a flat tire. Mayer battled back, charging his way into the top five at one point in the closing laps. A rash of cautions, however, created a chaotic and extended finish. After multiple overtimes Mayer crossed the line with a solid 11th place result.

“Overall, our Audibel Ford was really good. It had a lot of pace. We could hang out and be up there in the top five all day,” said Mayer. “We made the most of the day. That’s why stage points are so important. We didn’t get a top 10 out of it but top five-ish points.”

Cup Series

41 Cole Custer

Cole Custer rolled off 29th in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at CMS, piloting his Texas A&M Ford Mustang in honor of Captain Ronald Forrester. He made early gains, moving up three spots in the first 10 laps before slipping back to 28th ahead of a caution on lap 41. The yellow flag gave the No. 41 team a chance to shine on pit road, gaining Custer five positions with a fast stop.

Despite the strong pit work, Custer struggled with a loose-handling car and fell back through the field, finishing the opening stage in 32nd. Things nearly took a turn for the worse on lap 111 when he was involved in an incident coming off turn four, but he escaped without damage and kept his car clean. Restarting 34th, Custer managed to work his way forward, gaining four spots by the end of Stage Two.

As the field paused for a moment of silence on pit road, Custer sat in 30th, one lap down. Undeterred, he stayed focused in the third stage, gradually picking up positions and climbing as high as 25th during the run. By the end of Stage Three, he settled into 29th, continuing to fight through tough handling and slick track conditions in NASCAR’s longest race of the season.

Custer began the final stage in 27th and quickly gained two spots by lap 330. Crew chief Aaron Kramer opted for a long-run strategy, keeping the No. 41 on track while others pitted. This allowed Custer to climb as high as 21st before making his green-flag stop on lap 359, after which he cycled back to 27th. With fresher tires in the final 40 laps, he steadily regained positions and crossed the line in 21st, showing solid execution of the team’s strategy.

“We fought hard and executed well tonight, but we definitely have some gains that we have to make on our 1.5-mile tracks,” Custer said. “I’m looking forward to going to Nashville and we’ll see what we can do there.”

Up Next:
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Nashville Superspeedway next weekend for the 14th points race on the NASCAR Cup Series/Xfinity schedule. Race coverage for the Xfinity series is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday on the CW, and Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on Prime for the Cup Series.

About Haas Factory Team
The Haas Factory Team is a NASCAR Cup and Xfinity program owned by Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation. Beginning in 2025, the team will feature Cole Custer driving the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the NASCAR Cup Series, while Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer take on the Xfinity Series in the No. 00 and No. 41 Ford Mustangs, respectively. Based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, the Haas Factory Team reflects a commitment to performance and engineering excellence, carrying forward Gene Haas’s commitment to motorsports.

CONCORD, N.C. (May 25, 2025) – The NASCAR Cup Series raced its longest race of the year Sunday night celebrating Memorial Day weekend with a “home” race. When 600 miles were complete, the driver in Victory Lane was Ross Chastain, who picked up his first victory of the 2025 season.

Below is a look at how the three LEGACY MC entries fared:
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE RACE RECAP:
START: 6TH | FINISH: 27TH | POINTS: 20TH
The Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR’s longest race of the season, is a Memorial Day weekend tradition at Charlotte Motor Speedway. For this grueling 600-mile event, John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE team started strong, rolling off from sixth on the grid.

In Stage 1, Nemechek was pleased with the handling of his car, despite it being a little tight in the center and loose off the corners, he managed to maintain track position. Just before the end of the 100-lap opening stage, he passed the No. 17 car to secure a fourth-place stage finish.

After a pit stop during the stage break, Nemechek restarted in sixth but got bogged down and slipped back to eighth, the lowest he had run up to that point. He quickly regained ground, climbing back to fifth by lap 139. As day turned to night, the balance of the Dollar Tree Toyota shifted to the loose side, making it difficult to get the power down on corner exit. Nemechek was among the first to pit during the green-flag cycle on lap 148, gaining track position with fresher tires. Once the cycle completed, he emerged in second but faded slightly to finish Stage 2 in fifth.

After the traditional moment of silence to honor fallen service members, the team made a four-tire stop with a slight air-pressure adjustment and added fuel to prepare for the second half of the race. Now deeper in the field, Nemechek battled through dirty air, which affected his car’s balance. Spotter Hayden Reeves kept him focused, reminding him of the car’s strength and the length of the race. Though running back in traffic, Nemechek turned top-five lap times and closed out Stage 3 in 14th.

In the final 100-lap stage, with the entire team pushing to finish strong, misfortune struck. On lap 339, Nemechek got loose and made contact with the outside wall. He brought the car to pit road and reported steering issues as a result of the impact. Despite a promising start and competitive pace, the damage hampered the team’s efforts, and Nemechek ultimately crossed the finish line in a disappointing 27th place.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTABLE:

“We had a fast No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry for Stage 1 and 2, we just got behind, losing track position, and got stuck. We ended up getting loose there at the end and got into the fence. Promising day, solid speed, just not the result that we want.”

TRAVIS MACK QUOTABLE:

“We had a good car; we just needed to execute better. We made gains, we’ll go back to the drawing board and figure it out.”

ERIK JONES
NO. 43 ADVENTHEALTH TOYOTA CAMRY XSE RACE RECAP:
START: 27TH | FINISH: 13TH | POINTS: 27TH
After qualifying 27th for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Erik Jones had to drop to the rear of the field at the start due to an unapproved adjustment on the No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE after Saturday’s qualifying session. He wasted no time moving forward as he worked up to 35th by lap 3 after starting 40th. Despite dealing with a very tight car, Jones was able to move up to 23rd in the following laps. When the caution came out on lap 42, he was 22nd. The No. 43 team opted to pit under the yellow for four tires, fuel, and an air-pressure adjustment. He restarted 16th on lap 52.

While he struggled on the restart, Jones recovered and was running 15th on lap 60. He commented that his car was unpredictable and that he had trouble with handling in Turns 1 and 2. As the stage continued under green, he told the team that he kept getting tighter on the long runs. When the caution came out on lap 97 to end the stage under caution, he was running 16th. During the stage break, the No. 43 team took four tires, fuel, and a wedge adjustment. A fast pit stop by the team gained Jones four spots to restart 12th for the second stage.

Jones was already up to eighth by the time the caution came out four laps into the Stage 2 run. He fell back on the next restart to 11th but quickly regained his spots. He was seventh by lap 127. Jones was extremely tight in the first two turns of the 1.5-mile oval still. He pitted on lap 152 under green for four tires, fuel, and another air pressure adjustment. As the rest of the field also pitted under green, Jones cycled through to seventh once again. His Toyota Camry XSE continued to build tight as the stage finished on a long green flag run. Jones finished Stage 3 in eighth, earning three valuable stage points.

He restarted 12th for the third stage and found himself in 10th just four laps after the lap 208 restart. He ran in that position until the caution on lap 238 when he was able to pit for four tires, fuel, and another air-pressure adjustment to help aid his still-tight car. He restarted 10th and was running eighth when the caution came back out on lap 246. Jones continued to tell the team that he had no turn. He fell back to 17th on the lap 252 restart. The driver of the No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE finished 18th in the third stage. During the stage break, the team pitted for four tires, fuel and to undo all their last adjustments.

For the fourth and final stage, Jones restarted 17th in the No. 43 Toyota. Jones found himself running ninth in just one lap after the stage’s second restart. He continued to run in the top-10 as the stage stayed green. On lap 348, green flag pit stops started for a majority of the field’s final stops of the race. Jones visited his pit stall on lap 352 for four tires and fuel plus another round of adjustments. When the field cycled through, Jones was 15th. The 600-mile race ran green until the checkered flag where Jones brought home a 13th-place finish for the No. 43 AdventHealth team.

ERIK JONES QUOTABLE:

“Honestly, we just dealt with the same issues pretty much all race long. Just consistently way too tight and couldn’t seem to get it better with any of the adjustments we made. It was still a solid day thought to finish 13th after some issues throughout the race. This is the longest race of the season, and a big success is just surviving it. We did just that and walked away with some things we can work on for next week at Nashville.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON
NO. 84 CARVANA TOYOTA CAMRY XSE RACE RECAP:
START: 17TH | FINISH: 40TH
After taking NFL champion Tom Brady for a ride in an IndyCar before the Indianapolis 500, Johnson flew to Charlotte for his 700th NCS start. He rolled off 17th, and during Stage 1, Johnson said the No. 84 was tight in the center. The first opportunity to pit came during a caution on 43. Johnson had already fallen down a lap to leaders but gained the lap back.

Late in Stage 1, he tagged the wall in Turn 4 and said the No. 84 was very tight off despite the adjustments from the pit stop. Johnson finished Stage 1 in 36th.

Crew chief Chad Johnston made more changes to help Johnson with the same handling conditions at Lap 100.

On Lap 111, Johnson got loose and hit the wall in turn three, knocking the right suspension out of the car, and would have to retire early, finishing 40th.

JIMMIE JOHNSON QUOTABLE:

“Just made a mistake in turn three and hit the wall, unfortunate day for the entire No. 84 team. It was really great to see John Hunter and Erik running so well, so I spent the rest of the race with my owner hat on watching our guys.”

(Photo Credit: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB / NKP)

NEXT UP: The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Music City and Nashville Superspeedway for the Cracker Barrel 400 on Sunday, June 1. The race begins at 7:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on Amazon Prime. The radio broadcast will be on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

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

BRISCOE EARNS COKE 600 POLE, DELIVERS BEST TOYOTA RESULT
Indiana-native earns back-to-back top-five finishes

CONCORD, NC (May 25, 2025) – Chase Briscoe started from the pole, but had to battle back from an early race pit road penalty. The Indiana-native was able to drive all the way back to third to lead Toyota in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday evening. Briscoe has now earned back-to-back top-five finishes for the first time since joining Joe Gibbs Racing. It was his fifth top-five run of the year.

Denny Hamlin also had a strong run going – leading eight times for 53 laps, before having a fueling issue on his final scheduled pit stop. He was forced to make a late race run down pit road for more fuel and fell to 16th in the final finishing order.

Toyota GAZOO Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Race 13 of 36 – 600 miles, 400 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Ross Chastain*

2nd, William Bryon*

3rd, CHASE BRISCOE

4th, AJ Allmendinger*

5th, Brad Keselowski*

8th, CHRISTOPHER BELL

13th, ERIK JONES

16th, DENNY HAMLIN

24th, TY GIBBS

26th, TYLER REDDICK

27th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK

28th, RILEY HERBST

35th, BUBBA WALLACE

40th, JIMMIE JOHNSON

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

CHASE BRISCOE, No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 3rd

How did you rally from 37th at one point to third?

“Yeah, on paper, started first and finished third, but there is a lot more to the story. We made it a lot harder 600 miles than we probably needed too. We just had that penalty early and it kind of put us behind. When you start from the front, you kind of set your car up for clean air, we didn’t anticipate 37th. It just took us forever to just slowly creep up on it. We were kind of out of adjustments. So overall, we were probably a third-place car, realistically – just wish we could have got some stage points in our Bass Pro Shops Toyota. Overall, a good finish, I wouldn’t say it was a great night. Honestly, that is just been how our season has gone – we’ve gotten really good finishes, but we’ve not just had very good day. So, hopefully, we can put one of those all the way together here soon.”

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 National Debt Relief Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 16th

How do you come with terms with your gas situation?

“Well, you can’t change the results. You have to live with them.”

Do you have a conversation with the team?

“I mean, they are the pros. I’m not a pit guy, but I tried to do everything I could for the National Debt Relief Toyota team. We had a great car, and it was fun battling up front. It was a heck of a battle there. I would have liked to see it through, but unfortunately, just didn’t get enough gas in it and had to come back in.”

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.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.