Month: May 2024

Event: NASCAR All-Star Open | NASCAR All-Star Race (non-points races)

Time/Date: 5:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 19

Location: North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway

Layout: .625-mile oval

Laps/Miles: 100 laps/62.5 miles | 200 laps/125 miles

TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

SHR Fast Facts:

–  For the first time in Josh Berry’s NASCAR Cup Series career, he is attempting to make the non-points All-Star Race as a full-time premier series competitor. The 33-year-old rookie made his series debut with a pair of races in 2021, then filled in as a substitute driver at 10 races in 2023 – eight with Hendrick Motorsports and two with Legacy Motor Club. Berry did have the opportunity to race his way into last year’s All-Start Race at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway via the All-Star Open that preceded it, and the short-track aficionado did just that. He qualified second in the injured Alex Bowman’s No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports entry and won the 100-lap shoot-out on the .625-mile oval. As a result, Berry earned the 22^nd starting spot for the 200-lap All-Star Race, from where he climbed his way to 15^th by race’s end.

– Ryan Preece is headed to North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway this weekend to compete for a spot in Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race. The driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing will have to race into the main event by finishing in the top-two positions during Sunday’s undercard All-Star Open. NASCAR returned to North Wilkesboro after a 27-year hiatus for last season’s All-Star event. Preece qualified eighth and finished fourth in last year’s All-Star Open, falling just two spots short of advancing to the main event.

–  For all the talk about the All-Star Race, Noah Gragson and his Stewart-Haas Racing teammates are focused on the NASCAR All-Star Open. The 100-lap race is for drivers not qualified for the All-Star Race, and Gragson and his Stewart-Haas brethren fall into this group. Only drivers who have won a points race in either 2023 or 2024, drivers who have previously won the All-Star Race and still compete fulltime, and drivers who have won a NASCAR Cup Series championship and compete fulltime are eligible for the All-Star Race. Gragson is one of 20 drivers looking to race their way into the All-Star Race via the Open, but only the top-two finishers in the Open will advance to the All-Star Race. However, a third Open driver will get into the All-Star Race via a fan vote, which will remain live until 5:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday when the green flag waves for the Open.

– Chase Briscoe has been a part of two All-Star Races, and he didn’t need to run the All-Star Open to make the main event. After winning the NASCAR Cup Series rookie-of-the-year title in 2021, Briscoe won in just the fourth start of his sophomore season. On March 13, 2022 at Phoenix Raceway, Briscoe took the checkered flag in his 40th career Cup Series start. The victory secured Briscoe’s place in the NASCAR Playoffs and earned him the honor of being the 200th Cup Series winner in NASCAR history. It also gave Briscoe automatic entry into the All-Star Race in 2022 and 2023. In those two races, Briscoe finished 18th and fourth, respectively.

OUR WEEKLY WRAPS:

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:

Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 Harrison’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Coming off a strong run at Darlington to a short track where you raced your way into the All-Star Race last year in the No. 48, how do you and the No. 4 team continue to build on the momentum?

“I think the biggest thing our group is focused on is just continuing our process and maximizing the things we can control. Rodney (Childers, crew chief) and the guys at the shop have built really fast Ford Mustang Dark Horses for every short track we have gone to, which gives me a ton of confidence heading to North Wilkesboro. If we just stick to our process, prepare the best we can during the week, and go have a clean day, there’s no reason we can’t advance to the All-Star Race and do really well.”

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

North Wilkesboro has been paved since last season’s All-Star Race. How do you envision it will affect the race compared to last season?

“With North Wilkesboro’s repave and all the improvements to the racetrack, some of that takes away from the tire fall-off. However, at the same time, I had the opportunity to go there earlier this year to do a tire test, and it’s still the same North Wilkesboro that all of us love. It should be an exciting weekend from both a competition and entertainment standpoint.”

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

When North Wilkesboro ran its last points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race in 1996, you weren’t even born. So when NASCAR returned to North Wilkesboro last year for the All-Star Race, did you have an understanding of its history, or was it just another track where you had to go out and compete?

“For me, it was probably just go out and compete. It’s another challenge and trying to figure out another track. Obviously, you hear the stories from everybody who was around at that time and they all have their story about how they saw Richard Petty go around that place, Dale Jarrett, Dale Sr., Rusty Wallace. They all have their story and how much that place means to them. I might not share that same sentimental value, but I do appreciate it the same as when we go to Martinsville. The first time you go to Martinsville, you think, ‘Man, this is grassroots!’ It’s cool. It’s different. I thought that was pretty cool about it, but to me it’s another racetrack where I have an opportunity to go out and compete and try to be the best driver that I can be.”

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang

You competed in the past two All-Star Races, but this year you have to race your way into the main event. Did you have an appreciation for being a part of the main event, and does that make you want to get back into the All-Star Race that much more?

“For sure. The last two years, I’ve been able to just be locked into the All-Star Race and I didn’t have to do anything to get into it as far as the weekend itself. This time, it’ll kind of be like going back dirt racing where you have heat races, and if you don’t make the transfer, you’re done. You’re loading up and going to the house. It definitely makes you appreciate it a little bit more, being locked into it. I would obviously love to go there locked into it. It just makes it that much more important to go there and run good because that’s a race that you want to be a part of. The All-Star event itself, it’s nice to be able to have your name attached to that event, and obviously to be racing for a million bucks is super cool, too. So that’s definitely one you put a lot of emphasis on throughout the year, and obviously you know that when you do get a win that you’re locked into the All-Star Race, and that’s one of the perks of it.”

Event: Goodyear 400 (Round 13 of 36)

Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 12

Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway

Layout: 1.366-mile oval

Laps/Miles: 293 laps/400.2 miles

Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 90 laps / Stage 2: 95 laps / Final Stage: 108 laps

TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

SHR FAST FACTS:

– Josh Berry and the No. 4 Harrison’s Throwback Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing head to Darlington (S.C.) Raceway for Sunday’s culmination of this year’s annual NASCAR Throwback Weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400. It will be Berry’s second career start on the 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval affectionately known as the “Track Too Tough To Tame,” his first coming a year ago this weekend in his 10^th career Cup Series start.

– In the past three NASCAR Cup Series races, Noah Gragson has scored his career-best starting spot and his career-best finish. Last weekend at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Gragson qualified third to better his prior career-best starting spot of fifth, earned the previous week at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. And three races ago at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Gragson finished third, besting his prior career-best result of fifth, earned in the August 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. This recent run of top-10s – third at Talladega, sixth at Dover and ninth at Kansas – is part of a six-race stretch dating back to March 31 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, where Gragson has not finished outside the top-20, allowing him to climb from 34th in the championship standings to 19th heading into the Goodyear 400 Sunday at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

– Darlington (S.C.) Raceway is home to the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR, and for Sunday’s Goodyear 400 NASCAR Cup Series race, drivers and teams use their racecars to turn back time by running throwback liveries. The racecars are the canvas where the paints of the past come alive. For Chase Briscoe and the No. 14 team of Stewart-Haas Racing, they’re throwing it back to the paint scheme Chase’s father, Kevin, used on his sprint car during a more than 20-year career that included over 200 feature wins. The elder Briscoe also won the 1993 track championship at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Indiana, and scored five track titles at Bloomington (Ind.) Speedway, including a run of three straight (2004-2006) after winning championships there in 1991 and 2001.

– Ryan Preece will be throwing it back to his 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship season when he takes to the 1.366-mile, egg-shaped Darlington (S.C.) Raceway oval for Sunday’s Goodyear 400. Preece’s No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing will pay tribute to the No. 16 Modified he drove for owner Eric Sanderson’s Flamingo Motorsports team to four victories and 10 top-five finishes en route to the 2013 series title. Preece first made a name for himself in the Modified Tour, where he has 26 career wins, during his rise to the Cup Series.

OUR WEEKLY WRAPS:

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Your No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse at Darlington represents three generations of racing Briscoes. How special is that for you?

“It’s cool just to be able to kind of throw it back and give back to the only reason I’m racing at all. If it wasn’t for my grandpa in 1976 kind of getting bit by the racing bug, then my dad doesn’t get involved in it, and if my dad’s not involved in it, then probably I’m not involved in it. So, it’s pretty cool to be able to do that and have all three generations still alive to be able to see it. Not many families can say they have three generations of racecar drivers, and the way my son is, I’m probably in trouble because we’ll probably have four generations. It is really cool and really special. I’ve been fortunate that, pretty much every year of my career, Darlington throwback weekend I’ve been given me the opportunity to kind of do what I wanted, and I’ve wanted to do this for a long time and this year it just all came together. I’m really excited for it and can’t wait to see it on track.”

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

You’re building a lot of momentum, especially of late. Can you explain how you’ve been able to consistently run up front?

“I feel like we keep on stacking chips every weekend. We’re enjoying learning with this group of guys and bonding and getting better each and every race. It’s a lot of fun. Drew Blickensderfer, my crew chief, really challenges me to get better each week, and we keep growing on those processes and steps. I’m trying to fine-tune that right now and just keep building each and every week. I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity.”

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Talk about the paint scheme and what it means to you to run the scheme for the first time on your Cup Series car at Darlington?

“I saw Darlington as a good opportunity to run a paint scheme that is not only very special to me, but also to someone who did a lot for my career. Eric Sanderson and Flamingo Motorsports saved my racing career, so when things get underway this weekend, it’ll certainly mean a lot to climb back into a car with that paint scheme.”

Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 Harrison’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse

What does it mean to you to have Harrison’s throwback to Rodney Childers’ Late Model days, as well as paying tribute to South Carolina’s racing history and Hall of Fame drivers?

“I am really proud to be able to run that car. I think the No. 4 team as a whole has been doing a really good job together and really learning a lot, so to be able to give back is a neat opportunity. I know (Rodney) will be really excited to see it back on track, and maybe a little bit emotional. I just hope we can go out there and have a strong run and do his car justice because he was bad-ass in it.”

Event:  AdventHealth 400 (Round 12 of 36)

Time/Date:  3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 5

Location:  Kansas Speedway in Kansas City

Layout:  1.5-mile oval

Laps/Miles:  267 laps/400.5 miles

Stage Lengths:  Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps

TV/Radio:  FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

SHR FAST FACTS:

– Two months ago, in just the third race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series campaign at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Noah Gragson finished an impressive sixth. It was his third career top-10 and it came in his 42nd career Cup Series start, but only his third points-paying start with Stewart-Haas Racing. Since then, the driver of the No. 10 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Ford Mustang Dark Horse has scored four finishes of 12th or better, including a career-best third-place drive two weeks at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and another sixth-place run last Sunday at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. Las Vegas’ 1.5-mile oval is similarly structured to the 1.5-mile oval Gragson will visit this weekend – Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, host to Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 – and he’s eyeing the intermediate-style track for a Las Vegas-esque performance.

– The AdventHealth 400 Sunday at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City will be Chase Briscoe’s seventh career NASCAR Cup Series start at the 1.5-mile oval. While Briscoe is still looking for his first top-10 finish at Kansas, he has been quietly consistent, with four finishes among the top-20 and only one result outside the top-25. Briscoe’s best Cup Series finish at Kansas is 13th, earned in September 2022.

– Ryan Preece and the No. 41 HaasTooling.com team return to Kansas Speedway in Kansas City for Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 NASCAR Cup Series race aiming to have another strong showing on an intermediate-style oval. In the series’ most recent visit to an intermediate track, the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth on April 14, Preece had an impressive performance during which he ran inside the top-10 for a majority of the race en route to a solid 12th-place finish. It was his best career finish at Texas in eight Cup Series starts.

– Berry took on the Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway concrete mile oval last Sunday for the third time in his Cup Series career. He qualified a career-best 12^th and finished 14^th and will arrive at Kansas second in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings, 13 points behind leader Carson Hocevar. Berry is 24^th in the overall Cup Series standings.

OUR WEEKLY WRAPS:

WHAT OUR DRIVERS ARE SAYING:

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Ford Mustang Dark Horse

You finished sixth earlier this year at Las Vegas – a 1.5-mile oval that has similar characteristics to Kansas. While that race was back in March, can what you learned in Las Vegas translate to Kansas?

“I think the mile-and-a-halves are the bread and butter for our program. Specifically, it seems like we’ve had good speed at the two we’ve been at, we’ve had good pace. So with that being said, it definitely is one that interests me, going back to a mile-and-a-half. I’m looking forward to Kansas, Darlington, Charlotte and the rest of the mile-and-a-halves this year just because I feel like that’s probably where I excel at, now, as a driver. I used to love the short tracks and felt like I was really good and only got wins on short tracks. Now, I feel like I’m terrible at the short tracks and better at the intermediate-style tracks.”

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Ford Mustang Dark Horse

While Texas Motor Speedway isn’t an exact copy of Kansas, it’s still an intermediate-style oval. Does your sixth-place run three weeks ago at Texas provide some insight as to how you’ll perform at Kansas?

“I’d like to think it would. Texas is a very unique mile-and-a-half in that you’re way slower in one end than you are in the other. Kansas is also a very unique mile-and-a-half just because it’s very high-speed. I would say it probably has the fastest corner speed of any mile-and-a-half we go to. So if your stuff was OK in (turns) three and four at Texas, I’d say it maybe correlates a little bit to Kansas. Kansas is just so fast and smooth. There are no bumps, no anything, so it’s kind of a weird racetrack. We don’t really go anywhere that’s like Kansas. Our mile-and-a-half stuff’s been pretty good this year. I don’t know if we’re going to have race-winning speed going there, but I do think we’re going to at least be in the hunt.”

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

You had a strong performance at Texas, the most recent mile-and-a-half track on the schedule. Could we see the same type of performance at Kansas?

“I look back at Texas as being our first real mile-and-a-half race of the season. Vegas didn’t give us a lot. Not being able to turn many laps in practice and switching to a back-up car for the race there didn’t give us an opportunity to see what we had for the mile-and-a-half racetracks this season. So, looking back at Texas, I felt pretty good about our race there. We had good speed during the race. Our emphasis for Kansas is qualifying better. If we don’t do that, it makes for a long day, especially when track position is important like it will be on Sunday.”

Josh Berry, Driver of the No. 4 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Kansas is a 1.5-mile track with multiple groves and a lot of opportunity to create speed. How beneficial is it to be able to change lanes and work your way through the field at 1.5-mile tracks when passing has been a challenge in the NextGen car?

“I think having those lane options helps the most when trying to find clean air. The NextGen car is really good in clean air, so being able to move around to find it will give the drivers the chance to race harder and make passes regardless of lane choice. I am looking forward to being able to be aggressive when I need to in order to gain track position.”