Tag: Cup Series

Denny Hamlin says NASCAR should return to Chicagoland Speedway

Denny Hamlin says NASCAR should return to Chicagoland Speedway. Find out what Hamlin had to say about the Chicago Street Course as well!

NASCAR last raced at Chicagoland Speedway in 2019, as the COVID-19 pandemic knocked it off the schedule. However, many fans have called for NASCAR to return to Chicagoland, as the 1.5-mile track put on a show with the Gen 6 cars. Now, with the NextGen car’s strength being 1.5-mile tracks, that eagerness has only increased, and at least one driver wants it to come back.

[autotag]Denny Hamlin [/autotag] jumped on his podcast, Actions Detrimental, and talked about some tracks that should return to NASCAR. Chicagoland was one of those mentioned, and Hamlin endorsed the idea.

“Yes, [NASCAR] should be going back to [Chicagoland Speedway], for sure,” Hamlin said. “I think there’s room for both [the Chicago Street Course and Chicagoland].”

Hamlin has a mindset similar to that of many fans and drivers, as Chicagoland was one of the best race tracks on the schedule before COVID-19. The NextGen car flourishes on 1.5-mile tracks and would be a great fit. Hamlin mentioned the Charlotte ROVAL as a date that should be an oval, but either way, Chicagoland needs to return if the race track can still host a weekend.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants NASCAR to stop racing at Charlotte ROVAL

Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants NASCAR to stop racing at the Charlotte ROVAL. Check out what Earnhardt said about returning to two oval dates!

NASCAR has been racing at the Charlotte ROVAL since 2018 due to a lack of road courses and poor competition on 1.5-mile tracks. However, the NextGen car’s strength on 1.5-mile tracks and the addition of road courses has changed the opinions of many in the industry. In fact, one of those people happens to be former NASCAR driver [autotag]Dale Earnhardt Jr.[/autotag]

With the 2025 NASCAR schedule becoming more of a topic, Earnhardt went on his podcast, The Dale Jr. Download, and gave his opinion on the Charlotte ROVAL. If it were up to Earnhardt, NASCAR would not return to the road course layout.

“I was never a fan of the (Charlotte ROVAL),” Earnhardt said. “Listen, me and (CEO of Speedway Motorsports Marcus Smith) are pals, but I’ve told him in person to his face. I’m like, ‘Hey, not gonna love that one’. Fans love it. That’s, if you love the ROVAL, I don’t know, that’s great, I don’t know control what the schedule is but I won’t miss it if it goes away.”

“I think that Marcus is smart, he’ll shelf the Roval and take advantage of the popularity that the Next-Gen cars have on the mile-and-a-halfs. I feel like, you know, we got the ROVAL because of how bad the product was at Charlotte. It’s terrible, and so you know, he had to do something. And the Roval was good out of the gate, the same way in which racing at the Coliseum was cool the first time, but for me, after one or two, I’m done.”

This isn’t the first time that Earnahrdt has expressed his desire for the second oval date to return for Charlotte Motor Speedway. It makes the most sense as NASCAR now has Watkins Glen International in the playoffs, with the NextGen car having its biggest strength on 1.5-mile tracks. It may not be coming, but Earnhardt wouldn’t miss the Charlotte ROVAL.

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RFK Racing teases big NASCAR announcement in Cup Series for 2024

RFK Racing teases a big NASCAR Cup Series announcement during the 2024 season. What is RFK Racing planning for the No. 60 car?

[autotag]RFK Racing[/autotag] was on the wrong end of NASCAR history at Kansas Speedway. Chris Buescher lost to Kyle Larson by 0.001 seconds, the closest NASCAR Cup Series finish ever. Now, Buescher and RFK Racing must look forward and leave this finish in the rearview mirror. In fact, the NASCAR team is now teasing an announcement about an exciting development.

The “Stage 60” account on X hadn’t posted since David Ragan’s attempt at the 2024 Daytona 500, but that changed on Wednesday morning. After an almost three-month absence, “Stage 60” posted a picture of the No. 60 car with the caption, “Who’s next?” This likely means RFK Racing is preparing for a big announcement regarding its No. 60 car.

Who could drive the No. 60 car in 2024? ThorSport Racing driver Ty Majeski is one name previously linked to RFK Racing. Also, Supercars Championship driver Cam Waters, who competed for ThorSport Racing in two NASCAR Truck Series races, has been mentioned. It’ll be interesting to see what RFK Racing does next, as an announcement could be on the way.

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FOX Sports to cancel NASCAR Race Hub after 11 years on the network

FOX Sports will cancel NASCAR Race Hub after 11 years on the network. The NASCAR show moved to FOX Sports 1 in 2013.

A shocking report hit the NASCAR world on Wednesday evening. According to RACER’s Kelly Crandall, FOX Sports is canceling NASCAR Race Hub, a one-hour daily program on FOX Sports 1. The final show will take place on Tuesday, June 11, which is slightly over one month away. The show debuted on SPEED in 2009 before moving to FOX Sports 1 in 2013.

This is a disappointing development for NASCAR fans, as there will be no longer a daily show for the sport. FOX and NBC don’t air NASCAR weekday shows, while Amazon Prime and Warner Bros. Discovery haven’t started working as TV partners yet. Maybe one of the two newcomers could introduce a new NASCAR weekday show in its place.

NASCAR’s momentum has been trending in the right direction, so this is a gut punch for those who want more content. Other American sports, such as MLB and the NBA, have daily shows throughout the year. NASCAR Race Hub represented the same for the sport, but now it is left without an option for viewers outside of the weekend.

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NASCAR’s weather forecast for Darlington looks questionable in May 2024

NASCAR’s weather forecast for Darlington Raceway looks questionable in May 2024. Find out why NASCAR could see a weather delay on Friday!

NASCAR is ready for Darlington Raceway after a rainy Sunday afternoon at Kansas Speedway. Last week, the NASCAR Cup Series was delayed for three hours until the weather cleared out the track dried in Kansas. It was well worth the wait as NASCAR had the closest finish in Cup Series history. Now, NASCAR looks to avoid the weather in South Carolina.

According to Weather.com, the weather forecast at Darlington Raceway calls for a high of 80° and no chance of rain. This is a little bit different from Saturday’s forecast, which calls for a high of 76° and a 10% chance of rain. However, the forecast for Friday is a different story, with a high of 80° and a 60% chance of rain. This might spell trouble for NASCAR.

The NASCAR Truck Series race is supposed to happen on Friday night, but it currently says rain will be in the forecast until 10 to 11 p.m. ET. Will the Truck Series race on Friday? There could be a postponement to Saturday if Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate. Thankfully, the weather on Saturday and Sunday promotes racing, which is all NASCAR wants at Darlington.

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Michael McDowell signs multi-year contract with Spire Motorsports

Spire Motorsports announces that Michael McDowell has signed a multi-year contract to drive the No. 71 Cup car starting in 2025.

[autotag]Michael McDowell[/autotag]’s unknown status for the 2025 NASCAR season only lasted three hours. On Wednesday afternoon, [autotag]Spire Motorsports[/autotag] announced that it has signed McDowell to a multi-year contract starting in 2025. The 39-year-old will compete in the No. 71 car, which is currently occupied by rookie driver Zane Smith.

McDowell has spent the last seven years with Front Row Motorsports, with the highlight being his victory in the 2021 Daytona 500. The driver of the No. 34 car also beat Chase Elliott at the Indianapolis Road Course, clinching a spot in the 2023 NASCAR playoffs. Now, McDowell will join Corey LaJoie and Carson Hocevar at Spire Motorsports.

This is a great landing spot for McDowell, who is looking to help build Spire Motorsports. The NASCAR Cup Series organization has slowly been growing, and it’s having its best year yet. It will be fascinating to see how McDowell runs in the No. 71 car, as he likely becomes the most serious playoff threat with Spire Motorsports.

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Harrison Burton ‘unlikely’ to return to Wood Brothers Racing in 2025

Harrison Burton is “unlikely” to return to Wood Brothers Racing for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season at this time.

[autotag]Harrison Burton[/autotag] joined [autotag]Wood Brothers Racing[/autotag] in 2022 as the NextGen car made its debut; however, everything has gone downhill. Burton has regressed every season and currently sits 33rd in the point standings with the worst average finish in his career. Amid a very down year, Wood Brothers Racing could be making a change for the 2025 season.

According to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrss, Burton’s return to Wood Brothers Racing seems unlikely as he sits in a contract year. The driver of the No. 21 car has really struggled, with only seven top-30 finishes through 12 races in 2024. Burton’s struggles have been shocking as he nears 100 Cup Series starts, which is when young drivers typically show improvement.

It’s unclear which direction Wood Brothers Racing would go if Burton doesn’t return next season. The NASCAR Cup Series organization expected much more from the young driver, but he hasn’t translated well to the top level. Time is running out, and Burton needs to make a drastic improvement to save his seat at Wood Brothers Racing,

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Martin Truex Jr.’s retirement timeline receives a big update in 2024

Martin Truex Jr.’s retirement timeline receives a big update in 2024. Find out when Truex could make a decision on retiring from NASCAR!

[autotag]Martin Truex Jr.[/autotag] has pondered retirement for the last two years but returned to Joe Gibbs Racing both times. The topic of Truex’s retirement will be hot until he decides, as drivers’ thoughts on the subject never go away near the end of their careers. With May arriving and NASCAR silly season heating up, will Truex decide soon?

According to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, a decision on Truex’s future is not expected soon. This would line up with previous announcements from the Joe Gibbs Racing driver. In 2023, Truex announced his return on August 5 while deciding on June 24 in 2022. Therefore, the driver of the No. 19 car has over a month until his earliest announcement in the last two years.

Truex is enjoying an excellent bounce-back season after flaming out in the playoffs last year. He currently sits second in the point standings and has been really close to multiple victories. Truex is still performing well at 43 years old, so it wouldn’t be a surprise either way. For now, Truex will focus on winning races in the NASCAR Cup Series with a retirement decision lurking.

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Stewart-Haas Racing could sell entire NASCAR operation ahead of 2025

Stewart-Haas Racing could sell its entire NASCAR operation, including its building, ahead of the 2025 Cup Series season.

[autotag]Stewart-Haas Racing[/autotag] was the center of attention during NASCAR silly season in 2023, and that won’t change this year. The NASCAR Cup Series team is rumored to possibly sell at least one of its charters ahead of the 2025 season. Following Michael McDowell’s announcement that he will leave Front Row Motorsports, silly season has been gaining steam, with a notable story brewing regarding Stewart-Haas Racing.

According to Sportsnaut’s Matt Weaver, Stewart-Haas Racing’s entire building and operation in the Cup Series is said to be on the market. This means Stewart-Haas Racing could be looking to exit the Cup Series completely. As of now, nothing has been reported or changed hands, but the NASCAR team could be on the way out ahead of 2025.

It would be a shocking end to Stewart-Haas Racing’s tenure in the Cup Series, which could closely resemble Chip Ganassi Racing’s departure as they sold its operation to Trackhouse Racing. Just like in 2023, Stewart-Haas Racing will again be the center of conversations. However, this could represent the end of Stewart-Haas Racing’s time in the Cup Series.

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NASCAR qualifying order for the Cup Series at Darlington in May 2024

Check out the NASCAR Cup Series qualifying order and groups for the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway this weekend!

NASCAR is set to arrive at Darlington Raceway for the 13th weekend of the 2024 Cup Series season. It represents the first date at the venue as the other stands as the last race of the 2024 NASCAR regular season. Last year, William Byron beat Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott for his first Darlington victory. Byron led seven laps and earned five playoff points.

First, the Cup Series needs to qualify for the event at Darlington, and the qualifying format is simple. The session will be split into Groups A and B. Each group will have single-lap runs, and the top 5 fastest drivers from each group will advance to the final round. Then, a round of single-lap runs will determine the top 10 starters. The metric system determines the qualifying order and groups.

Below, you can check out the NASCAR qualifying order and groups for this weekend’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway!

Goodyear 400 qualifying order, groups:

(Group A)

  • No. 15 Kaz Grala
  • No. 16 Derek Kraus
  • No. 43 Erik Jones
  • No. 41 Ryan Preece
  • No. 7 Corey LaJoie
  • No. 22 Joey Logano
  • No. 51 Justin Haley
  • No. 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  • No. 54 Ty Gibbs
  • No. 42 John Hunter Nemechek
  • No. 34 Michael McDowell
  • No. 24 William Byron
  • No. 45 Tyler Reddick
  • No. 10 Noah Gragson
  • No. 48 Alex Bowman
  • No. 20 Christopher Bell
  • No. 17 Chris Buescher
  • No. 19 Martin Truex Jr.

(Group B)

  • No. 21 Harrison Burton
  • No. 71 Zane Smith
  • No. 31 Daniel Hemric
  • No. 3 Austin Dillon
  • No. 2 Austin Cindric
  • No. 99 Daniel Suarez
  • No. 77 Carson Hocevar
  • No. 14 Chase Briscoe
  • No. 4 Josh Berry
  • No. 38 Todd Gilliland
  • No. 23 Bubba Wallace
  • No. 6 Brad Keselowski
  • No. 1 Ross Chastain
  • No. 12 Ryan Blaney
  • No. 8 Kyle Busch
  • No. 9 Chase Elliott
  • No. 11 Denny Hamlin
  • No. 5 Kyle Larson

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