Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson said he was not impressed with how teammates Carson Hocevar and Michael McDowell raced each other at the end of last weekend’s race at Watkins Glen and addressed Justin Haley’s status in an interview this week with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Dickerson spoke on “SiriusXM Speedway” with host Dave Moody.

Hocevar told reporters Wednesday that he and McDowell planned to talk this weekend at Richmond about how they raced each other on the last couple of corners at Watkins Glen.

McDowell ran Hocevar down on the final lap and made contact entering the last corner as they raced for 18th place. They ran side-by-side to the checkered flag and Hocevar hit McDowell’s car after crossing the finish line.

“Like I told them both,” Dickerson said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, “I didn’t know we had a top-18 bonus clause in our contract that had them looking like Ricky (Craven) and Kurt (Busch) at Darlington (in 2003) coming across the line for 18th. I was not terribly impressed with our guys on that exchange.”

Hocevar admitted it’s probably better that he and McDowell didn’t talk soon after.

“Maybe it’s best-case scenario that we’re both gone (from the shop this week),” Hocevar said. “It didn’t seem that big of a deal to me. Either he made a mistake or misjudged and, obviously, turned me. Then we were just fighting for the last lap, the last corner. Felt that was plenty OK to do considering the contact. I could play defense for one corner to try to get the spot.”

Hocevar notes that every position matters. Finishing order is part of what determines the qualifying order at the next race.

“I think with Richmond being the next (event) with the qualifying draw being so important that that one spot matters a lot for qualifying, especially for how tough that place is to pass and also super easy to go a lap down at that place,” Hocevar said.

“So qualifying means everything, especially going out late, you’re going to have a massive advantage. So the later we could have got, the better. So I’m glad we at least got a decent position. But yeah, Michael wanted to sit down and talk about it a little bit of just how we can move forward and help each other and next time avoid that.”

The Athletic reported earlier this month that “there is no hotter seat in the garage” than Haley’s seat. He enters Saturday night’s race at Richmond 30th in the points. He started the season with with former championship crew chief Rodney Childers leading the team but they split after nine races.

Haley had five top-20 finishes — including one top 10 — in nine races with Childers. Haley has had five top-20 finishes — and no top 10s — in the 15 races since splitting with Childers.

“Obviously, it’s been a pretty difficult season, in general, with where we are in the points standing and kind of what we’ve gone through,” Haley said last month at Indianapolis. “Definitely not what I expected when I started in Daytona, to go through all we’ve been through. But just trying to find a little bit of silver lining and get some good finishes by the end of the year.”

Asked about the status of Haley, Dickerson told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio:

“There’s pressure internally and externally that we all have to answer to and kind of meet. It’s no secret that Justin and that team, they just have not performed up to the expectations that we’ve set forth. That is something that we’re constantly discussing. How do we do better? How do we make this go better and faster and more results?

“I’ve been super proud of Justin the last few weeks because with all these rumors swirling around, I thought he put together a couple of good really weeks. Obviously led practice (at Watkins Glen). I’m actually kind of proud of him for how he has responded. I don’t know that if the rumors added any more pressure.

“I think as we have kind of evolved as a company … we are to a place where we have to meet those expectations. It’s just not good enough for us to make it to the racetrack anymore or just kind of run 30th anymore. We just can’t do it. That’s just the way to put it.

“I would say that Justin is under no more pressure than us or than me to perform. I guess you just never know how this is going to go. I’m as curious as anybody to see where this goes the next 12 weeks. I do know this. He’s got two opportunities here to make the playoffs. I would not bet against Justin Haley at either of these tracks.”

A potentially game-changing development for Putnam County is revving toward reality after clearing its first major approval hurdle Wednesday night.

Proposed by St. Augustine-based Scott Lagasse Racing (Team SLR) and Mosler Industries, the $200 million complex would feature a high end driver-training test track, car storage and a variety of other uses—including a four-star hotel.

Helmed by Palatka native and former NASCAR driver Scott Lagasse Sr. and his son, Scott Lagasse Jr., also a competitive driver, Team SLR’s vision was received positively by tbhe Putnam County Planning Commission Wednesday, which voted unanimously to recommend it to county commissioners.

“Why not Putnam?” the younger Lagasse told the panel at the meeting, stressing his family’s roots in the area. “This is dad’s home. This is legacy. Why not here?”

Lagasse Sr., who once drove on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, has built a diverse motorsports enterprise that is now “operating on all eight cylinders,” he told the commission.

The Lagasses now focus on their Trans Am Series team, a driver-training program and building cars for other teams.

The 443-acre property borders the Palatka-Kay Larkin Airport — a location Scott Lagasse Sr. said is ideal for both accessibility by high end clients and noise considerations.

The project drew enthusiastic endorsement from several community leaders, including Sheriff Gator DeLoach.

Local residents also signaled their support, arguing that Putnam needs an economic engine to spur growth and jobs.

Representatives said it could inject $20 million into the county’s economy each year and potentially open in 2027.

“This is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time,” Lagasse Sr. said. “It’s home to me and I don’t want to travel…Why not build it here and have the revenues here?”

Plans call for recreational uses, first-responder training space, a racing museum and, eventually, the county’s first four-star hotel.

5 KYLE LARSON
 

Age: 33 (July 31, 1992)
 

Hometown: Elk Grove, California
 

Last Week: 39th (Watkins Glen)
 

Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels
 

Standings: t-4th
 
Twitter Instagram Facebook
 
 
No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet
 

 

 

2025

 

Cup Career

 

Richmond

Races

24

 

390

 

20

Wins

3

 

32

 

2

Poles

1

 

22

 

2

Top 5

11

 

130

 

5

Top 10

14

 

196

 

10

Laps Led

873

 

10,129

 

346

Stage Wins

8

 

70

 

1

Average Finish

14.5

 

14.1

 

10.7

 

Kyle Larson finished seventh or better in all but two of the last 12 NASCAR Cup Series short-track races (both finishes outside the top seven came at Iowa Speedway).
The Elk Grove, California, native has led the second-most laps (265) at Richmond Raceway in the Next Gen car behind Martin Truex Jr. (382).
Larson has scored the fourth-most points on short tracks in 2025 with 109.
The 33-year-old sits tied for fourth in the regular season points standings, just four markers behind third place and 85 points behind leader and Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron

 

 
9 CHASE ELLIOTT
 

Age: 29 (Nov. 28, 1995)
 

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
 

Last week: 26th (Watkins Glen)
 

Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
 

Standings: 2nd
 
Twitter Instagram Facebook
 
 
No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet
 

 

 

2025

 

Cup Career

 

Richmond

Races

24

 

346

 

17

Wins

1

 

20

 

0

Poles

0

 

12

 

0

Top 5

7

 

111

 

6

Top 10

12

 

183

 

8

Laps Led

385

 

5,911

 

105

Stage Wins

1

 

39

 

0

Average Finish

11.0

 

12.8

 

10.7

 

With just two races left in the regular season, Chase Elliott is second in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings, 42 markers behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron.
Elliott’s average finish of 10.96 is the best of all drivers in 2025 and his third best in a season after 24 races.
This is second straight year that the 29-year-old has completed all but one lap entering the 25th race of the season.
This weekend, the Cup Series heads to Richmond Raceway where Elliott has a streak of two top-10 finishes, tied for second longest. Last year, he placed fifth in the spring and ninth in the summer. He also started inside the top five in both events.
In the stage racing era, Richmond is Elliott’s third best oval based on average finish (9.64). He has four top-five finishes in his last eight races there.
Elliott is the most recent Cup Series winner in a night race, claiming victory at his home track of Atlanta Motor Speedway back in June.

 

 
24 WILLIAM BYRON
 

Age: 27 (Nov. 29, 1997)
 

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
 

Last Week: 4th (Watkins Glen)
 

Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
 

Standings: 1st
 
Twitter Instagram Facebook
 
 
No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet
 

 

 

2025

 

Cup Career

 

Richmond

Races

24

 

276

 

13

Wins

2

 

15

 

0

Poles

2

 

15

 

0

Top 5

9

 

63

 

1

Top 10

13

 

117

 

3

Laps Led

910

 

3,888

 

239

Stage Wins

7

 

30

 

1

Average Finish

13.8

 

15.1

 

15.0

 

William Byron captured another top-five finish this past weekend at Watkins Glen International, extending his lead in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season points standings to 42 over Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott. This is the 19th week he’s led the standings and he’s been no worse than second. Two races remain in the regular season.
The Charlotte, North Carolina, native is leading in several statistical categories including: laps led (910), points (812), laps spent in the top five (2,849), laps spent in the top 10 (3,884) and average running position (10.05).
Byron has two wins in the last eight short track races, tied for the most.
In the Next Gen era, Byron has won four night races, most of any driver.
At Richmond Raceway, Byron has led 239, laps all coming in the Next Gen era. That accounts for Byron’s fourth-most laps led at any track and the fourth-most laps led at Richmond with this generation car.

 

 
48 ALEX BOWMAN
 

Age: 32 (April 25, 1993)
 

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
 

Last Week: 20th (Watkins Glen)
 

Crew Chief: Blake Harris
 

Standings: 9th
 
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No. 48 Ally Chevrolet
 

 

 

2025

 

Cup Career

 

Richmond

Races

24

 

349

 

17

Wins

0

 

8

 

1

Poles

2

 

7

 

0

Top 5

5

 

45

 

1

Top 10

13

 

109

 

4

Laps Led

160

 

1,528

 

19

Stage Wins

0

 

7

 

0

Average Finish

16.2

 

19.1

 

19.2

 

With only two races remaining in the regular season, Alex Bowman is 15th in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings, holding a 60-point cushion above the cutline.
Through 24 races in 2025, Bowman has 13 top-10 finishes, his most ever at this point in a season. He has five top-five finishes and is one of only five drivers with multiple poles, scoring two.
The Tucson, Arizona, native will make his 350th career Cup Series start this weekend at Richmond Raceway.
In 17 Cup starts at Richmond, Bowman has one win (April 2021), four top 10s and one top five.
Bowman’s eight career victories have each come at a different track: Chicagoland Speedway (2019), Auto Club Speedway (2020), Richmond (2021), Dover Motor Speedway (2021), Pocono Raceway (2021), Martinsville Speedway (2021), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2022) and the Chicago Street Course (2024).
For this weekend’s race at Richmond, the featured Best Friends Animal Society partner is the Henrico Humane Society in Allen, Virginia.
Ally and HendrickCars.com are teaming up again to give fans the chance to win prizes with this year’s “Open Road Sweepstakes.” Fans can win VIP experiences at various races throughout the season and one lucky winner will hit the open road in a Chevy Silverado LT Trail Boss with an Airstream camper. Fans can stop by the Ally Fan Zone to enter the sweepstakes in-person and check out the camper. Fans can also enter at ally.com/sweepstakes/nascar.

 

 
HENDRICK
MOTORSPORTS /
Hendrick Motorsports
 

 

2025

 

All-Time

 

Richmond

Races

24

 

1,405

 

81

Wins

6

 

318*

 

12

Poles

5

 

258*

 

19*

Top 5

32

 

1,311*

 

69*

Top 10

52*

 

2,239*

 

128*

Laps Led

2,328*

 

84,640*

 

4,643*

Stage Wins

16*

 

131

 

2

 
*Most all time
**Tied for most all time

With William Byron’s fourth-place run at Watkins Glen International last Sunday, Hendrick Motorsports remains the only organization to place at least one car in the top 10 of every event in 2025. That streak goes back 32 races to last season, the longest such run of any team in the Next Gen era.
The Hendrick Motorsports engine shop stands at 549 national series victories, just one short of an unprecedented 550. The organization’s engines have won 18 poles (seven in the NASCAR Cup Series, 11 in the Xfinity Series) and 22 races (six in Cup, 15 in Xfinity and one in the preseason Clash) in 2025 and have powered teams to 40 points paying Cup Series victories in the Next Gen era, the most of any organization.
Hendrick Motorsports has led 2,328 laps through 24 events this year, accounting for 39% of all circuits completed in the Cup Series and more than any other team by 1,141.
With 16, the organization leads the series in stage wins and is tied for the most through a season’s first 24 races all time.
Hendrick Motorsports is the all-time leader in poles (19), top-five finishes (69), top 10s (128) and laps led (4,643) at Richmond Raceway.

 

 
QUOTABLE /
 

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet, on gathering needed momentum for the playoffs: “The last couple of months we haven’t scored as many points as we want but through that, I feel like we’re a much tougher team. We’ve been through a lot and seen a lot of different things and circumstances over the past two, two and half months and I think that can prepare you for the playoffs. I think we have some great tracks for us in the playoffs and I feel if we do a solid job the next two weeks and we execute, we head into the playoffs with some momentum and get to those tracks that we run good at and gain some points again and hopefully get a win or two along the way and just another way to help your playoff out.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet, on going back to Richmond Raceway: “Richmond is a track that has always been difficult for me to get a hold of and be consistently good time after time because the window to hit it right is just so small. I feel like there are very few guys that are consistently successful there. Last year, I do feel like we put together a couple pretty decent finishes, so hopefully we can continue that this weekend.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet, on any similarities between Iowa Speedway and Richmond Raceway: “Yeah, I mean you hope so, but they’re very different. Like Iowa, with the repave and just the conditions there versus Richmond being really slick old asphalt and slow mid-corner, it’s going to be a lot different at Richmond. So yeah, you hope some stuff translates, but Richmond’s kind of its own beast, really.

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet, on Richmond Raceway: “Richmond’s always a place I enjoy racing. It’s such a unique short track because you have to balance speed with saving your tires over a long run. We’ve had some strong runs there before, and with the playoff picture so tight right now, every point matters.”

Hendrick Motorsports PR
 

After winning Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen, Connor Zilisch climbed from the car to celebrate, as he had done in his previous five wins this year. However, this time, he slipped off the car and fell onto the ground in a frightening moment. He suffered a broken collarbone in the fall, but there were no other reported injuries.

As he recovers, there have been rumors swirling that NASCAR is going to change its Victory Lane policy or even ban drivers from standing on top of the car. But in the sanctioning body’s weekly podcast, Hauler Talk, NASCAR’s managing director of communications, Mike Forde, said that there are no such plans to limit the celebrations.

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Connor Zilisch falls, JR Motorsports Chevrolet

“We haven’t said that we were going to tell drivers who have won not to step out onto their window, and stand there and take photos and all that,” explained Forde. “Right now, there are no best practices. We aren’t legislating it. We haven’t said that drivers aren’t allowed to do this or anything else. However, I think we did notice the window net … we do have NASCAR employees in Victory Lane, and just make the window net is inside of the car.

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“I think that was part of the problem — the window net was flapping on the outside. I think Connor even said that may have been a problem, and one of our safety guys actually mentioned the same thing. He noticed that as being one of the issues. So, nothing as far as a policy goes. Make sure the window and check, (because) if that’s inside the car, it’s one less thing you can slip on.”

Read Also:

Connor Zilisch undergoes surgery on collarbone after Victory Lane fall

One year later: Remembering NASCAR’s most infamous Richmond finish

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

Events free to spectators are noted. Parking fees may apply.

Vintage Motorsports

Thursday, Aug. 14 -Saturday, Aug. 16

Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

8am. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, 1021 Highway 68, Salinas. weathertechraceway.com

Auctions

Thursday, Aug. 14

Broad Arrow Auctions

10am. Monterey Jet Center, 196 Skypark Drive, Monterey. Free*. broadarrowauctions.com *Preview is open to the public.

Thursday, Aug. 14- Friday, Aug. 15

Bonhams

9am. The Quail, 27050 Rancho San Carlos Road, Carmel. bonhams.com

Thursday, Aug. 14- Saturday, Aug. 16

Gooding Christie’s

9am. 3300 Portola Road, Pebble Beach. goodingco.com

RM Sotheby’s

10am. Monterey Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza, Monterey. rmsothebys.com

Mecum Auctions

8am. Hyatt Regency Hotel, 1 Old Golf Course Road, Monterey. mecum.com

Forums

Thursday, Aug. 14- Saturday, Aug. 16

Pebble Beach Classic Car Forum

10am-5:30pm. Forest Lake and Stevenson, Pebble Beach. Free. pebblebeachconcours.net

Events/Shows

Thursday, Aug. 14

Ferrari Owners Club Concours

8am-4:30pm. Dolores between Ocean and 7th, Carmel. Free. focnorcal.org

Legends of the Autobahn

9am-3pm. Pacific Grove Golf Links, 77 Asilomar Blvd., Pacific Grove. Free. legendsoftheautobahn.org

Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance

9am. Portola Road, Pebble Beach. Free. pebblebeachconcours.net

Prancing Ponies Car Show

10am-4pm. Ocean Avenue, Carmel. Free. prancingponieswomenscarshow.com

Woodies in the Woods

Noon-5pm. Asilomar, 800 Asilomar Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. santacruzwoodies.com

Friday, Aug. 15

Werks Reunion

7am-3pm. Monterey Pines Golf Course, 1250 Garden Road, Monterey. Free. werksreunion.com

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering

9am-4pm. The Quail, 8205 Valley Greens Drive, Carmel. peninsula.com

Pacific Grove Auto Rally

Noon-5pm. Lighthouse Avenue, Pacific Grove. Free. pgrotary.org

The Paddock

3-8pm. Bayonet & Black Horse, 1 McClure Way, Seaside. internationalcarweek.com

Saturday, Aug. 16

Concours d’Lemons

8am-1:30pm. City Hall, 440 Harcourt Ave., Seaside. Free. 24hoursoflemons.com

Concorso Italiano

10am-4pm. Bayonet & Black Horse, 1 McClure Way, Seaside. internationalcarweek.com

Exotics on Broadway

1-4pm. Broadway Avenue, Seaside. Free. exoticsonbroadway.com

Ferrari Owners Club Gathering

4-7pm. 3663 The Barnyard, Carmel. focnorcal.org

Monterey Motorsports Festival

5-11pm. Monterey County Fair & Event Center, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey. montereymotorsportsfestival.com

Sunday, Aug. 17

Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

10:30am-5pm. Pebble Beach Golf Links, 1700 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach. pebblebeachconcours.net.

DAYTONA BEACH — With the Coke Zero Sugar 400 coming up Aug. 23, NASCAR fans are starting to turn their thoughts to Daytona International Speedway.

As the NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale nears, here’s a fun look at the place where the race will take place, and how the track wound up there.

NASCAR is born

In December 1947, a group of men involved with stock-car racing got together in the Ebony Lounge on top of the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach to form the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, which came to be known as NASCAR. Included in that meeting were about 35 car owners, track promoters, drivers and others involved with racing.

Leading the charge to form a unified, stock-car organization was William H.G. France, better known as Bill France, Sr.

France was a race driver and mechanic who owned a gas station on Daytona’s Main Street. He had started promoting races on the Daytona Beach and Road course in 1938.

Daytona International Speedway comes to life

NASCAR races were held in several different locations, including on Daytona’s Beach and Road course. But by 1958, France was working on building a permanent race track on the western side of Daytona Beach next to the city’s airport.

A year later, the huge new track dubbed Daytona International Speedway was ready for a race. The track cost an estimated $3 million to build.

On Feb. 22, 1959, the inaugural Daytona 500 was held on the 2.5-mile asphalt track with 31-degree high banks. Nearly 42,000 fans came to the newly built Speedway to watch 59 cars battle to fly past the checkered flag first.

France awarded the win for the 500-mile race and $19,050 in prize money to Lee Petty.

Staff writers Mark Lane and Godwin Kelly contributed to this report