NASCAR National Series News & Notes – Dover Motor Speedway

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Everything you need to know about the Dover weekend and more.

April 24, 2024

NASCAR Cup Series

Next Race: Würth 400

The Place: Dover Motor Speedway

The Date: Sunday, April 28

The Time: 2 p.m. ET

The Purse: $7,992,801

TV: FS1, 1 p.m. ET

Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Distance: 400 miles (400 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 120),

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 250), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 400)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Next Race: BetRivers 200

The Place: Dover Motor Speedway

The Date: Saturday, April 27

The Time: 1:30 p.m. ET

The Purse: $1,420,381

TV: FS1, 12:30 p.m. ET

Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Distance: 200 miles (200 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45),

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

Next Race: Heart Of America 200

The Place: Kansas Speedway

The Date: Saturday, May 4

The Time: 8 p.m. ET

The Purse: $770,294

TV: FS1, 7 p.m. ET

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Distance: 201 miles (134 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 30),

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 60), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 134)

NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR All-Star Race format at North Wilkesboro Speedway announced

NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports announced this week the details for the 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race to be held on Sunday, May 19, for the second consecutive year at the newly paved North Wilkesboro Speedway. While the simplified format will return this season – featuring two heat races to set the All-Star Race starting lineup, a 100-lap All-Star Open, and a 200-lap main event – several new features will debut including a tire strategy element, a new Qualifying / Pit Crew Challenge format and pitting requirements. The spotlight will be on the stars of the sport as they take on these new challenges at the historic .625-mile track in the annual exhibition event for the grand prize of $1 million.

The signature new element in this season’s format centers around tire type and allotment. Potentially, three different tires will be utilized throughout the event weekend— a “prime tire” (the baseline tire assessed in last month’s Goodyear Tire Test at North Wilkesboro Speedway), an “option tire” (slick tires, but made with the same rubber as the wet weather tire, making it a softer tire with more grip and faster wear) and “wet weather” (the wet weather tire only used if the track is wet). The ‘Goodyear Eagle’ lettering will be yellow on the prime tires, red on the option tires, and white on the wet weather tires.

The particulars on the tires:

• Teams will be allotted nine sets of tires for the event weekend.
• For practice, qualifying, the heat races, and the Open, teams will be allotted three sets of prime tires and two sets of option tires.
• For the All-Star Race, teams will have two sets each of primes and options.
• All four tires on the car must be of the same type at all times.
• Only the prime tire will be used during both qualifying sessions.
• For practice, the heat races, and the NASCAR All-Star Open, teams will have the option to start on any type of tire.
• All teams will start on the option tire for the All-Star Race.

“After a successful return to North Wilkesboro Speedway last season, we are thrilled to bring the action back to one of NASCAR’s most iconic and storied tracks,” said John Probst, NASCAR Senior Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer. “The spotlight will certainly be on the crew chiefs and drivers as they plan their tire strategy for this special race. In testing, the softer tires were significantly faster — but wore much quicker. Goodyear has been an incredible partner in this All-Star element, and it will be fascinating to watch how crew chiefs and drivers manage this unique challenge.”

The NASCAR All-Star Race will be 200 laps with two All-Star cautions at lap 100, and lap 150. At the lap 100 break, teams must perform a four-tire pit stop, using any tire of their choosing. All laps (caution and green flag) will count, and NASCAR Overtime rules will be in effect.

Sunday’s All-Star Open will give drivers who are not guaranteed a spot in the main event a chance to race their way into the All-Star Race. The 100-lap Open will have an All-Star caution at Lap 50, at which time teams must perform a four-tire pit stop. At the end, three Open drivers will advance to the All-Star Race – the top two race finishers and the Fan Vote Winner. NASCAR All-Star Race Fan Voting is now open on NASCAR.com/fanvote.

“This format will challenge drivers, crew chiefs and pit crews from Friday through Sunday, and strategy will play a huge part in who takes home the $1 million prize,” said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith. “The All-Star Race has always been a place for innovation, from its very creation in 1985 to racing under the lights, unique paint schemes and double-file restarts. Now we have an old-school, short track format developed by Dale Jr. plus a new twist on tires courtesy of NASCAR and Goodyear. Kevin Harvick gave great input on stepping up the impact of qualifying. Throw it all together at North Wilkesboro and we’ve got something special for the 40^th running of the NASCAR All-Star Race.”

All-Star weekend festivities will begin Friday evening with the All-Star Open qualifying and All-Star qualifying / Pit Crew Challenge. While last season’s qualifying was based solely on the results of the Pit Crew Challenge, this season combines the traditional qualifying effort with the Pit Crew Challenge element. Drivers will take the green flag, run one full lap at speed, and on the second lap proceed to one of two NASCAR designated pit stalls for a four-tire stop with mock fuel delivery. When the pit stop is complete, the cars will exit pit road and race back to the checkered flag. The qualifying time will be the total elapsed time from green flag to checkered flag, and the pole sitter will start on the pole for Heat Race 1 and the All-Star.

The pit crew with the fastest stop during the All-Star qualifying attempt (no penalties) is the winner of the Pit Crew Challenge. Timing lines are established one box behind and one box ahead of the NASCAR designated pit stop boxes. Pit Crew Challenge results will determine pit picking order.

Saturday night will feature two 60-lap heat races that will determine the starting lineup for the All-Star Race among drivers already locked into the field. There will be an All-Star caution at lap 30 of each heat race; teams must perform a four-tire pit stop. The results of Heat 1 will establish the inside row, and the results of Heat 2 will establish the outside row. The action-packed weekend will conclude Sunday night with the All-Star Open and All-Star Race.

“The emphasis on tire strategy and returning to an old-school qualifying approach are both great moves to give the entire weekend more impact,” said Harvick, who will call his first NASCAR All-Star Race for FOX Sports. “Being able to walk away from qualifying with both a Pit Crew Challenge champion and a locked-in pole winner elevates the event for both the fans and the teams.”

Drivers eligible for the NASCAR All-Star Race include those who’ve won a points event in either 2023 or 2024, drivers who’ve won a NASCAR All-Star Race and compete fulltime, and drivers who’ve won a NASCAR Cup Series championship and compete fulltime.

Drivers who have already clinched an All-Star Race spot include: AJ Allmendinger, Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, William Byron, Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Michael McDowell, Tyler Reddick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Daniel Suárez, Martin Truex Jr., and Shane van Gisbergen.

The NASCAR All-Star Race will air live on FS1, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with coverage beginning at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 19.

NASCAR Announces Nominees for NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2025

NASCAR this week announced the 15 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

Greg Biffle, the first driver to win both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship joins the Modern Era ballot alongside legendary engine builder Randy Dorton and three-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion Jack Sprague. “Mr. Modified” Ray Hendrick and three-time Convertible Division champion Bob Welborn join the Pioneer ballot for the first time. In addition, Larry Phillips was nominated to the Pioneer ballot after appearing on the Modern Era ballot the maximum 10 times.

Two Modern Era candidates and one Pioneer candidate will be elected as the Class of 2025. The Pioneer ballot honors those whose careers began more than 60 years ago.

Dr. Dean Sickling, who invented the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barrier which has saved countless lives, joins the Landmark Award ballot for the first time. The Landmark Award honors those who made significant contributions to the growth and esteem of NASCAR.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel will meet in person to discuss and vote for the Class of 2025 and Landmark Award on Tuesday, May 21. The winners of a NASCAR.com Fan Vote (www.nascar.com/halloffame) will comprise the final ballot tallied. The Fan Vote is currently open and will close on May 19 at 12 p.m. ET.

The Modern Era Ballot and Landmark Award nominees were selected by the Nomination Committee, which consists of representatives from NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks. The Honors Committee, largely comprised of all living Hall of Famers, Landmark Award winners and Squier-Hall Award winners, selected the Pioneer Ballot.

Following are the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2025 nominees and Landmark Award nominees:

Modern Era Ballot

Greg Biffle, 2000 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion and 2002 Xfinity Series champion

Neil Bonnett, won 18 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including consecutive Coca-Cola 600 victories

Tim Brewer, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief

Jeff Burton, won 21 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including the Southern 500 and two Coca-Cola 600s

Randy Dorton, built engines that won nine championships across NASCAR’s national series

Carl Edwards, winner of 28 NASCAR Cup Series races and 2007 Xfinity Series champion

Harry Gant, winner of 18 NASCAR Cup Series races, including two Southern 500 victories

Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief

Ricky Rudd, won 23 times in NASCAR Cup Series, including the 1997 Brickyard 400

Jack Sprague, three-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion

Pioneer Ballot

Ray Hendrick, won over 700 times in NASCAR Modified and Late Model Sportsman

Banjo Matthews, built cars that won more than 250 NASCAR Cup Series races and three championships

Ralph Moody, two-time NASCAR Cup Series owner champion as mechanical genius of Holman-Moody

Larry Phillips, first five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion

Bob Welborn, three-time Convertible Division champion

Landmark Award

Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.

Lesa France Kennedy, NASCAR Executive Vice Chair and one of the most influential women in sports

Dr. Joseph Mattioli, founder of Pocono Raceway

Dr. Dean Sicking, inventor of the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barrier

Les Richter, long-time NASCAR executive oversaw competition, helped grow the sport on the West Coast

Legacy Motor Club taps Corey Heim to replace an injured Erik Jones at Dover

After being involved in a multi-car incident at Talladega Superspeedway, Legacy Motor Club has announced driver Erik Jones will not race this weekend in the Würth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway due to a compression fracture in a lower vertebra in his back. In his stead, will be reserve driver Corey Heim piloting the famous No. 43 Toyota this weekend. Heim will collaborate with crew chief David Elenz. Legacy M.C. will request a medical waiver for Jones to remain eligible for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Although there has been no timeline set for Jones’s return behind the wheel, he will be in attendance in Dover to help call the race with his crew. Heim, 21, a native of Marietta, Ga., currently competes in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series for TRICON Garage and in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Sam Hunt Racing.

“Erik’s long-term health is our number one priority,” said Jimmie Johnson, co-owner of Legacy M.C. “It will be great to see him at the track Sunday and we intend to give him the time it takes to recover properly. I know Corey will do a great job behind the wheel for the Club. In the meantime, our thoughts are with Erik and his wife Holly – they have our total support.”

On a limited schedule Jimmie Johnson returns to the Monster Mile

The only driver Miles The Monster ever bows to is NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson, who conquered the Dover-mile 11-times in his lustrous Cup career. Now, on a limited schedule driving for Legacy Motor Club, a team he has part-ownership in, he returns to take on the Monster one more time.

In 38 starts, Johnson has put up 11 wins, 18 top fives, 27 top 10s and three poles. His average finish of 8.656 is second-best among active drivers and he holds the series-best rank in the following pre-race loop categories Average Running Position (8.912), Driver Rating (112.0), and Laps in the Top 15 (10,684 laps, 84.5%).

In Johnson’s last three starts at Dover he has finished inside the top-10; including his last start there in 2020 where he finished third. But this weekend will be his first attempt at the Monster Mile in the Next Gen car.

A quick Monster Mile rundown

Aptly nicknamed the Monster Mile, Dover Motor Speedway is a one-mile concrete paved oval located in Dover, Delaware, and will be the site of this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race.

Dover Motor Speedway, originally known as Dover Downs International Speedway, has hosted 105 NASCAR Cup Series races dating back to the inaugural event on July 6, 1969.

The first Dover Motor Speedway NASCAR Cup Series race on July 6, 1969 was a 300-mile event that was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty driving a Petty Enterprises Ford (115.772 mph, 02:35:28). Petty actually won the first two Cup events at the track (1969, 1970).

In total, the 105 NASCAR Cup Series races at Dover Motor Speedway have produced 43 different pole winners and 39 different race winners.

Qualifying Rewind: Front row is the place to start at Dover

Of the 22 different starting positions on the grid that have led to victories at Dover Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, the outside front row is the most proficient starting position in the field producing more winners (20 winners, 19.05%) than any other spot. And nine Cup Series drivers have won from the pole or first starting position for a total of 13 victories form the first starting spot at Dover Motor Speedway (12.38%).

The NASCAR Cup Series has produced 43 different pole winners at Dover Motor Speedway. NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson leads the Cup Series in poles at Dover Motor Speedway with six (1969, 1973 sweep, 1974, 1975, 1981). Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin leads all active series drivers in poles at Dover with four (2012, 2013, 2015, 2019). Eight of the 43 NASCAR Cup Series Dover Motor Speedway pole winners are active this weekend.

11-time victor Jimmie Johnson leads stable of winners at Dover

Legacy Motor Club’s owner/driver Jimmie Johnson holds the NASCAR Cup Series record for the most wins at Dover Motor Speedway with 11 victories (2002 sweep, 2005 Playoffs, 2009 sweep, 2010 Playoffs, Spring of 2012, 2013 Playoffs, Spring of 2014, Spring of 2015, and Spring of 2017) and he will be one of eight active winners in this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race.

Johnson is one of just five drivers to win 10 or more races at a single track, joining Richard Petty (15 wins at Martinsville and North Wilkesboro; 13 wins at Richmond; 11 wins at Rockingham and 10 wins at Daytona), Darrell Waltrip (12 wins at Bristol; 11 wins at Martinsville; 10 wins at North Wilkesboro), David Pearson (10 wins at Darlington), and Dale Earnhardt (10 wins at Talladega). 

In total 39 different drivers have won in the Cup Series at Dover. Of the 39 different NASCAR Cup Series winners at Dover Motor Speedway, eight are active this weekend.

This weekend’s Würth 400 will be 400 laps (400 miles) and will be broken up into three stages. The first stage will be 120 laps, the second stage will be 130 laps and the final stage will be 150 laps.

All the NASCAR Cup Series on-track action begins on Saturday, April 28 with practice from 10:30 a.m. ET directly followed by Busch Light Pole Qualifying at 11:20 a.m. ET. Both will be televised on FS1.

Defending Dover winner Martin Truex Jr. is still looking for first win of 2024

Ranked second in the NASCAR Cup Series driver point standings following the 10th race of the season at Talladega Superspeedway, Martin Truex Jr. returns to Dover Motor Speedway looking for his first win of 2024. Just 15 points back from the driver standings lead, Truex is the only driver in the top five in the point standings without a win. But that could all change this weekend at the Monster Mile, because Truex is the defending winner of this race, and the one-mile concrete track has been particularly good to him over through the years.

Martin Truex Jr. is one of only two drivers all-time to earn their first NASCAR Cup Series career victory (June 6, 2007) at Dover Motor Speedway; he is joined by Jody Ridley (May 17, 1981).

Among active drivers Truex has the second-most wins at Dover Motor Speedway with four. In 33 career starts at Dover, Truex has also put up 10 top fives and 19 top 10s. His average finish at the track is 11.4.

Next Gen keeps delivering high-speed competition

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season is off to another highly competitive start and below are some of the statistics that the first 10 races of the season have produced.

This season is just the third-time the NASCAR Cup Series has produced 300+ lead changes (312) through the first 10 races of a season; joining the 2011 (343) and 2010 (329) seasons.

This year’s 31.2 average lead changes per race are the third-most in the series through 10 races; behind the 2011 (34.3), and 2010 (32.9) seasons.

This season the NASCAR Cup Series has produced 37 different lap leaders through the first 10 races of the season, the series-most different lap leaders since 2011 (39). This season is also averaging 12.9 lap leaders per race, the most since 2011 (13.9).

The average Margin of Victory of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway was 0.208-second, the second-closest Margin of Victory in the series this season, just behind the three-wide Atlanta Motor Speedway finish at 0.003-second. Six of the 10 Cup races this season have resulted with a Margin of Victory of less than a second.

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Talladega Superspeedway race produced 315 Green Flag Passes for the Lead – the series-most for the spring Talladega race and the second-most ever recorded since the inception of the Loop Data stat in 2005. Last season’s October Talladega Playoff Race holds the all-time single-event Cup Series record with 348 Green Flag Passes for the Lead.

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Talladega Superspeedway race produced 17,042 Total Green Flag Passes – the most for a race this season and the third-most in the spring Talladega race since the inception of the stat in 2005, behind the 2014 (19,742) and the 2016 (18,058) seasons.

Cup Playoff picture is coming through but still a little fuzzy

With 10 NASCAR Cup Series races in the books this season, the Playoff picture is somewhat taking shape. So far, seven drivers have earned their spot in the postseason by virtue of a win, leaving nine spots still up for grabs as the Cup Series heads to Dover Motor Speedway for the Würth 400 on Sunday, April 28 at 2 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The fast seven that have earned a spot in the Playoffs already this season on wins are William Byron (three wins), Denny Hamlin (two wins), Kyle Larson (one win), Chase Elliott (one win), Tyler Reddick (one win), Christopher Bell (one win), Daniel Suarez (one win).

At the other end of the Playoff outlook sits two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano, currently 16th in the standings, tied in points with RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher in 17th – the first position outside the postseason cutoff. Just behind Buescher in the 18th spot is two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, who is 11 points back from Logano and Buescher.

Currently, there are eight full-time Cup Series drivers that won last season that are looking for their first win of 2024 – Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain, Joey Logano, Michael McDowell, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.

Tim Dugger to perform at Dover on Sunday, April 28 – American country singer and songwriter Tim Dugger and his friends will entertain Monster Mile fans on Sunday, April 28 as part of a national tour of Speedway Motorsports venues in 2024.

The Tim Dugger and Friends Tour will crank up during nine race weekends in 2024. Dugger’s Dover Motor Speedway appearances will take place on the Monster Monument at Victory Plaza as part of the Monster Mile’s traditional free, family fun entertainment offerings during its April 26-28 NASCAR weekend, highlighted by the Würth 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, April 28.

“I’ve played several of these tracks and I always have the MOST fun with the race fans,” said Dugger. “For 2024 we’re going to kick it up a notch and throw some big-time parties before those green flags fall. Can’t wait to go coast-to-coast with Speedway Motorsports and the best sports fans in America.”

Dugger’s racing and country music roots run deep. The Alabama native developed a passion for songwriting as he spent summers jamming with bluegrass pickers at his local music store. When he later met NASCAR team owner Richard Childress, Dugger was hooked on America’s most popular form of motorsports. Since then, Dugger has brought his two passions together by performing his original songs and popular covers at racetracks all across the country. Fans have enjoyed Dugger’s songs and his habit of bringing surprise guests onto the stage to share in the fun.

“It’s a party every time Tim Dugger takes the stage, and NASCAR fans absolutely love him because he’s one of them,” said Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith. “Tim is true entertainer and we’ve got 10 big shows coming up. I can’t wait to see how many of his friends in the NASCAR garage come out to join him on stage.”

Stat Watch: Upcoming Driver Milestones in the NASCAR Cup Series – This weekend the NASCAR Cup Series will be at Martinsville Speedway, and below are a few of the possible milestones that can be achieved this Sunday and over the next few weeks.

Starts

Alex Bowman will make his 300th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Dover Motor Speedway this weekend, becoming the 102nd different driver to make 300 or more starts in the series. Bowman made his first start in the NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2014. In Bowman’s previous 299 career Cup starts he has driven for BK Racing (2014) and Tommy Baldwin Racing (2015) before finding a home at Hendrick Motorsports (2016-2024). In total, Bowman has posted seven wins, 36 top fives, 84 top 10s and four poles. He has also led 1,307 laps. Bowman has made 12 starts at Dover Motor Speedway posting one win (2021), and five top fives.

Noah Gragson is expected to make his 50th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Dover Motor Speedway this weekend. Gragson has driven for two teams in his brief Cup career – Legacy Motor Club and Stewart-Haas Racing. In his 49 previous starts he has put up two top fives and four top 10s. Gragson has made one start at Dover in the series – he started 33rd and finished 34th.

Ross Chastain is expected to make his 200th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Darlington Raceway.

Chase Elliott is expected to make his 300th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Corey Lajoie is expected to make his 250th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Wins

Denny Hamlin currently has 53 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if he were to win another race, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Lee Petty for 12th on the all-time wins list with 54 victories each.

Martin Truex Jr. currently has 34 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if he were to win another race, he would tie Brad Keselowski for 24th on the all-time wins list with 35 victories each.

Joey Logano currently has 32 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if he were to win another race, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Fireball Roberts for 27th on the all-time wins list with 33 victories each.

Kyle Larson currently has 24 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if he were to win another race, he would tie Jim Paschal and Joe Weatherly for 34th on the all-time wins list with 25 victories each.

Laps Led

Five drivers could reach milestones in laps led this weekend at Dover Motor Speedway.

If Johnson were to reach 19,000 laps led, he would become just the 10th driver all-time to accomplish the feat.

Next Gen competition stats since 2022 – Here is a look at who has excelled the most in the Next Gen car since it was introduced to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022 (82 total Cup points races).

Most Championships

Organization – Team Penske (2)

Driver – Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney (1 each)

OEM Championships – Chevrolet (2)

Most Wins

Organization – Hendrick Motorsports (26)

Driver – William Byron (11)

Manufacturer – Chevrolet (43)

Most Runner-Up Finishes

Organization – Hendrick Motorsports (18)

Driver – Tyler Reddick (8)

Manufacturer – Chevrolet (37)

Most Top-Five Finishes

Organization – Hendrick Motorsports (91)

Driver – Kyle Larson (32)

Manufacturer – Chevrolet (181)

Most Top-10 Finishes

Organization – Joe Gibbs Racing (151)

Driver – Christopher Bell (44)

Manufacturer – Chevrolet (344)

Most Poles

Organization – Joe Gibbs Racing (22)

Driver – Christopher Bell (10)

Manufacturer – Toyota (26)

Most Top-10 Starts

Organization – Hendrick Motorsports (161)

Driver – Kyle Larson (55)

Manufacturer – Chevrolet (301)

Most Laps Led

Organization – Joe Gibbs Racing (6,092)

Driver – Kyle Larson (2,293)

Manufacturer – Chevrolet (8,867)

Crew Member Spotlight: Dover Motor Speedway – This weekend at Dover Motor Speedway we wanted to highlight several of the team’s crew members that are from the surrounding areas of the track in Delaware and New Jersey.

From Delaware:

Aslan Pugh is the Jackman for Kaulig Racing’s No. 16 team and hails from Wilmington, Delaware. Prior to joining the team as Jackman, Pugh went to Rutgers University where he competed as a linebacker on their football team and studied Engineering as his major.

From New Jersey:

Stephen Chereek is the Front Row Motorsports Rear Tire Changer for the No. 38 team. Chereek calls Tuckerton, New Jersey his hometown. Attended PIT Instruction and Training prior to working in NASCAR.

Milan Rudanovic is the Fueler for Trackhouse Racing’s No. 99 team. Rudanovic hails from Wantage, New Jersey and prior to working in NASCAR he attended Rutgers University where he played college football.

Ryan Flores is the Front Tire Changer for Team Penske’s No. 12 team. Flores is from Manasquan, New Jersey where he attended Manasquan High School.

Chris Puskas is the Engine Tuner for Team Penske’s No. 2 team. Puskas is from Somerset, New Jersey where he attended Franklin High School before going to University of Northwestern Ohio where he drove a dirt modified for the student motorsports team.

Pat Gray is the Jackman for Team Penske’s No. 2 team. Gray hails from Westfield, New Jersey. Prior to working in NASCAR, Gray attended Monmouth University where he played college football.

NASCAR Xfinity Series

RSS Racing’s Ryan Sieg cashes in; Final Dash 4 Cash up next at Dover

Despite falling a lap down after a flat tire, Ryan Sieg was able race his way back and beat his three NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash competitors for the $100,000 bonus last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.

“This is huge for our team,” Sieg said. “It was a rough one (at Talladega). I thought I threw it away, but we were lucky enough to get the caution at the end and come back and beat the 16. So, it all worked out and is pretty extraordinary for our small team.”

With the Xfinity Dash 4 Cash win, he was able to lock himself into the final Dash 4 Cash opportunity this weekend at Dover Motor Speedway along with Jesse Love, Riley Herbst and Anthony Alfredo.

Let’s take a look at how these four drivers have performed at Dover Motor Speedway:

Ryan Sieg (No. 39 RSS Racing Ford) has made 17 Xfinity Series starts at Dover posting three top 10s and an average finish of 14.4.

Jesse Love (No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) will be making his Xfinity Series debut at Dover Motor Speedway this weekend.

Riley Herbst (No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford) has made six Xfinity Series starts at Dover putting up three top 10s and an average finish of 12.8.

Anthony Alfredo (No. 5 Our Motorsports Chevrolet) has made four Xfinity Series starts at Dover with a best finish of 11th and an average finish of 18.2

Up next: The Monster Mile

After a wild weekend at Talladega, the NASCAR Xfinity Series will now be heading to Dover Motor Speedway’s Monster Mile for the BetRivers 200 on Saturday, April 27 at 1:30 p.m. ET (FS1, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Dover Motor Speedway has hosted 77 Xfinity Series races, producing 53 different race winners and 49 different pole winners. Eight races have been won from the pole or first starting position, most recently by Kyle Larson in 2017.

A few drivers have etched their names in the Monster Mile’s record book:

·       Most wins – Kyle Busch (five)

·       Most poles – Harry Gant & Joey Logano (five)

·       Most top fives – Justin Allgaier & Matt Kenseth (12)

·       Most top 10s – Justin Allgaier (16)

·       Most laps led – Kyle Busch (1,349)

·       Most lead lap finishes – Justin Allgaier (19)

·       Race record – Joey Logano (131.219 mph) – 2013

·       Qualifying record – Erik Jones (158.318 mph) – 2016

Drivers will kick off the weekend on Friday, April 26 with practice at 3 p.m. ET followed by qualifying at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS2.

Conquering the Monster Mile: Can they do it again?

This weekend’s BetRivers 200 has three drivers entered who have triumphed at Dover Motor Speedway previously and will be heading back in hopes of landing themselves in Victory Lane once again – Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer and Ryan Truex.

JR Motorsport’s Justin Allgaier is quite the veteran at the Dover track with 23 starts under his belt. In those 23 starts, he’s posted two wins (2018, 2020), 12 top fives, 16 top 10s and has led 514 laps.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer has made seven starts at Dover in the Xfinity Series, posting one win (2019), four top fives, six top 10s and has led 237 laps.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ryan Truex first career win came at Dover Motor Speedway last season (2023). In seven starts at the track, he’s posted one win, two top fives, four top 10s and has led 167 laps.

Dover Motor Speedway: A place of firsts

Dover Motor Speedway is a memorable place for 14 drivers, as it has home to their first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win; including last season’s winner Ryan Truex, who grabbed his first series win driving for Joe Gibbs Racing last April.

There are 23 drivers in the field who are still looking to post their first Xfinity Series win and add their name to the list – Dawson Cram, Anthony Alfredo, Garrett Smithley, Daniel Dye, Josh Williams, Hailie Deegan, Sheldon Creed, Taylor Gray, Corey Heim, Kyle Sieg, Blaine Perkins, Matt DiBenedetto, Ryan Sieg, Leland Honeyman Jr, Ryan Ellis, Brennan Poole, Parker Kligerman, Carson Kvapil, Kyle Weatherman, Kaden Honeycutt, Shane van Gisbergen, Patrick Emerling and David Starr.

NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.

Sunoco Rookie of the Year update – Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love scored his first win in just his ninth career Xfinity Series start, which has widened his rookie standings lead. The California native now sits with 316 points, fourth in the driver standings and has locked himself into the Playoffs.

Kaulig Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen sits in second in the rookie standings with 194 points, 122 points back from Love.

Leland Honeyman Jr. holds the third position with 147 points.

Hailie Deegan and Dawson Cram close out the competition, with 115 points and 59 points, respectively.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

Three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series drivers entered this weekend at Dover

Despite being off this weekend three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series drivers are entered to compete in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race – Corey Heim, Daniel Dye and Taylor Gray.

TRICON Garage’s Corey Heim returns to Dover Motor Speedway for his first double duty weekend at the one-mile track piloting the No. 26 Sam Hunt Racing Toyota on Saturday in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race and then will jump in the No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota for the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday. Heim was tapped by LMC to drive this weekend as a replacement driver for an injured Erik Jones. It will be Heim’s NASCAR Cup Series career debut.

Looking to Dover, Heim made his Xfinity Series debut at the Monster Mile last season finishing 35th. The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series breakout star will look to rebound from last year’s finish this weekend. Heim has made five starts in the Xfinity Series this season with a best finish of fourth at Richmond.

McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Daniel Dye will attempt to make his Dover Motor Speedway debut this weekend in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, piloting the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet. The 20-year old has made two previous Xfinity starts this season at Daytona and Texas, finishing 27th and 24th, respectively.

Corey Heim’s TRICON Garage teammate, Taylor Gray, will also attempt to make his Dover debut this weekend, behind the wheel of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Gray has made four previous Xfinity starts this season (Richmond, Martinsville, Texas, Talladega). The 19-year old finished third in his Xfinity debut at Richmond.

Five different NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series winners in seven races

Through seven races of the 2024 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season, five different winners have visited Victory Lane. When the series returns to action at Kansas Speedway for the Heart of America 200 (Saturday, May 4, at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM Radio), it could very well see a sixth.

Nick Sanchez, Kyle Busch, Rajah Caruth, Christian Eckes, and Corey Heim have all raced their way into Victory Lane this season. Busch and Eckes are two-time winners.

ThorSport Racing’s Matt Crafton is searching for his first win, but it could be on the horizon. The veteran driver owns a vast majority of the records at Kansas Speedway – the race record (139.857 mph – 05/08/2015), most races (27), tied for most wins with Kyle Busch (3), most top fives (7), top 10s (14), and laps completed (4,148).

The driver of the No. 88 ThorSport Ford finished 11th in the 2023 Spring Kansas race.

Of the five different winners this season, Sanchez, Caruth, Eckes, and Heim are the four that have earned their spot in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs by virtue of their wins.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff Projection following Texas:

Kansas Speedway awaits the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

While the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series tackle the concrete oval of Dover Motor Speedway this weekend, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series has one more weekend off before firing the engines up at Kansas.

The CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will return to competition under the lights at Kansas Speedway for the Heart of America 200 (Saturday, May 4 at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM Radio).

The 1.5-mile track has hosted 27 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races since its inaugural CRAFTSMAN Truck Series event on July 7, 2001 – a race won by Ricky Hendrick, driving the No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. 

The Heart of America 200 will be broken up into three stages. The first two stages will be 30 laps each and the final stage will be 74 laps for a race total of 134 laps (201 miles). 

Practice will begin Saturday, May 4 at 12:05 p.m. ET on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio followed by qualifying at 12:35 p.m. ET.

Eckes jumps to Truck standings lead with Kansas in his sights

McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes has catapulted himself into the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series points lead following his fourth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway. This is just the third time in his career he has led the points standings.

Through seven CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races this season, there have been four drivers from three organizations that have led the standings – Tyler Ankrum, Ty Majeski, Corey Heim, and now Christian Eckes.

The driver of the No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet is currently two points ahead of TRICON Garage’s Corey Heim in second and 12 points ahead of ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski in third.

Eckes will look to hold on to the standings lead at Kansas Speedway next weekend. The 23-year old from Middletown, New York has made eight CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Kansas posting one win, four top fives, and six top 10s. Eckes is the most recent Kansas winner in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Etc.

Brett Moffit joins TRICON Garage for multi-race slate – The 2018 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion Brett Moffitt will pilot the No. 1 TRICON Garage Toyota in multiple events this season.

The longtime Truck Series standout will make his season debut at Kansas Speedway on May 4, and is currently slated to compete alongside veteran signal-caller Seth Smith. Last year, Smith helped make NASCAR history at Kansas Speedway, guiding Toni Breidinger to a top-15 finish – the best debut by a female in series history.

Moffitt brings a lengthy and decorated Truck Series resume with him to TRICON. In 93 career starts, the Grimes, Iowa native has tallied 13 victories, 40 top fives and 54 top 10s with over 1,230 laps led. Nearly half of those victories have come at speedways between one and two miles in length, including a victory at Kansas in October of 2020.

Connor Mosack added to star-studded lineup with Spire Motorsports – Connor Mosack, one of the most versatile drivers in the sport, has been given the nod to join Spire Motorsports’ all-star lineup in select NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races behind the wheel of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet.

Beginning with the Heart of America 200 at Kansas Speedway, Mosack will also be back in the seat at Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 24), Pocono Raceway (July 12), Kansas Speedway (September 27), and Homestead-Miami Speedway (October 26).

In 2023, Mosack competed in select ARCA Menards Series events and put the competition on notice with an average finish of 3.5 over six races, including a win last September at Kansas Speedway. He has made 24 Xfinity Series appearances with his best results coming at Watkins Glen International (fifth) and Portland International Raceway (eighth).

He finished 19th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in his lone NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start of 2024 and logged a solid fourth-place finish in ARCA Menards Series competition a week later at Phoenix Raceway.

About Post Author

Michael Jaworecki Sr.

Myracenews2@gmail.com

http://Myracenews

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