Zane Smith Key Takeaways

• Stage One: 18th / Stage Two: 8th / Race Result: 13th

• Zane Smith made his second Nashville Superspeedway NASCAR Cup Series start on Sunday, qualifying 27th for 300-lap race. Smith drove his way into the top-20 in Stage One, finishing the stage in 18th. In Stage Two, with strategic calls from Crew Chief Ryan Bergenty and hard racing from Smith, the No. 38 Ford finished eighth in the second stage, earning Smith stage points before heading into the final stent. Miscues on pit road under the stage break caution put Smith 18th to start the final stage. Smith recovered to finish the race in 13th.

• “Way better car than a 13th place finish shows,” said Smith. “We’ve got a few things to clean up but overall, I’m pretty excited about the speed we’ve showing up to the track with.”

Todd Gilliland Key Takeaways

• Stage One: 31st / Stage Two: 30th / Race Result: 22nd

• Todd Gilliland qualified 35th for his fourth Nashville Superspeedway NASCAR Cup Series start Sunday night. Throughout the first two stages, Gilliland struggled with the handling of his Ford Mustang Dark Horse, finishing the stages in the 30’s. The team made adjustments on pit road to start the final stage and recovered to finish 22nd.

• “It was a blue-collar type of race for this No. 34 team,” said Gilliland. “We put our nose to the grindstone and made small gains but just weren’t able to get the track position we needed to get a better finish. We’ll come back stronger at Michigan.”

Noah Gragson Key Takeaways

• Stage One: 23rd / Stage Two: 38th / Race Result: 38th

• Noah Gragson made his third Nashville Superspeedway NASCAR Cup Series start this past weekend. It was his second start at the track with Crew Chief Drew Blickensderfer. Qualifying 30th for the event, Gragson spent Stage One working his way into the top-25, finishing the stage in 23rd. In Stage Two, on lap 113, Gragson was involved in a multi-car incident and took significant damage to his No. 4 Ford. Gragson retired from the race and was credited with a 38th place finish.

• “I thought our race in Nashville was going well until it wasn’t,” said Gragson. “I felt like the speed was there for us to have a decent night, but we got the short end of the stick from someone else’s mistake. Thankful for our team and the hard work they put in each week, really unfortunate way to end the night. On to Michigan.”

FRM PR

The NASCAR Cup Series is set to take on the Michigan International Speedway for the next race of the 2025 season, with 36 cars registered for the race.

Check out the entry list for this year’s Firekeepers Casino 400.

2025 NASCAR Michigan Entry List

1. Ross Chastain (#1, Trackhouse Racing)
2. Austin Cindric (#2, Team Penske)
3. Austin Dillon (#3, Richard Childress Racing)
4. Noah Gragson (#4, Front Row Motorsports)
5. Kyle Larson (#5, Hendrick Motorsports)
6. Brad Keselowski (#6, RFK Racing)
7. Justin Haley (#7, Spire Motorsports)
8. Kyle Busch (#8, Richard Childress Racing)
9. Chase Elliott (#9, Hendrick Motorsports)
10. Ty Dillon (#10, Kaulig Racing)
11. Denny Hamlin (#11, Joe Gibbs Racing)
12. Ryan Blaney (#12, Team Penske)
13. AJ Allmendinger (#16, Kaulig Racing)
14. Chris Buescher (#17, RFK Racing)
15. Chase Briscoe (#19, Joe Gibbs Racing)
16. Christopher Bell (#20, Joe Gibbs Racing)
17. Josh Berry (#21, Wood Brothers Racing)
18. Joey Logano (#22, Team Penske)
19. Bubba Wallace (#23, 23XI Racing)
20. William Byron (#24, Hendrick Motorsports)
21. Todd Gilliland (#34, Front Row Motorsports)
22. Riley Herbst (#35, 23XI Racing)
23. Zane Smith (#38, Front Row Motorsports)
24. Cole Custer (#41, Haas Factory Team)
25. John Hunter Nemechek (#42, Legacy Motor Club)
26. Erik Jones (#43, Legacy Motor Club)
27. Tyler Reddick (#45, 23XI Racing)
28. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (#47, HYAK Motorsports)
29. Alex Bowman (#48, Hendrick Motorsports)
30. Cody Ware (#51, Rick Ware Racing)
31. Ty Gibbs (#54, Joe Gibbs Racing)
32. Ryan Preece (#60, RFK Racing)
33. Michael McDowell (#71, Spire Motorsports)
34. Carson Hocevar (#77, Spire Motorsports)
35. Shane van Gisbergen (#88, Trackhouse Racing)
36. Daniel Suárez (#99, Trackhouse Racing)

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A NASCAR team is facing a penalty following an infraction discovered in post-race technical inspection at Nashville.

All three NASCAR national series were in action at Nashville Superspeedway this past weekend, with the Xfinity Series race, known as the Tennessee Lottery 250, taking place on Saturday night.

The race was won by Justin Allgaier, making it three victories in 2025 for the 38-year-old on what was a dominant night for the No. 7, who led home a JR Motorsports one-two alongside Connor Zilisch.

However, post-race at Nashville, officials were kept busy, with Daniel Dye being disqualified after his ninth-place finish on the road, whilst elsewhere, there was an infraction discovered on the No. 88.

As per NASCAR, in post-race inspection, the No. 88 car of Zilisch had two lug nuts not safe and secure.

READ MORE: Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace among NASCAR Cup Series stars hit with penalties at Nashville

JR Motorsports/Connor Zilisch facing penalty

As a result of the above, the team are now facing a penalty in this week’s penalty report when it drops, with several punishments already issued this season for similar infractions.

For example, back in March, two of Joe Gibbs Racing’s Xfinity Series cars were fined $5000 each for lug nut infractions at Phoenix Raceway under Sections 8.8.10.4a in the NASCAR Rule Book.

Under the same sections of the rule book, later that month, four Xfinity Series teams were hit with penalties following post-race inspection at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

On that occasion, once again, each team in question was hit with a $5000 fine.

Given the above precedent, it seems likely that Zilisch and JR Motorsports’ penalty will be along similar lines, and a financial punishment given rather than a sporting one.

READ MORE: NASCAR announce driver disqualification at Nashville as official statement released

Related

Corey LaJoie will contest nine of the last 13 races in the Craftsman Truck series for Spire Motorsports.

LaJoie, who is also a member of the Prime Video broadcast team for the five NASCAR Cup Series races, will pilot the No. 07 Chevrolet beginning Saturday at Michigan International Speedway. The series will then visit Pocono, Lime Rock, Indianapolis, and Watkins Glen before LaJoie rejoins the circuit at Richmond Raceway (August 8) and runs the remainder of the schedule.

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the seat and chasing some NASCAR Craftsman Truck series wins,” said LaJoie. “I put in a lot of work in the early days to help shape Spire Motorsports, and I still have some friends that have been there since day one, so it’ll be good to see them. The No. 07 team has been bringing some fast trucks to the track this year and are looking for a spot in the owner’s playoffs.

“It’ll be nice to have some consistency with the team to get acclimated to these vehicles, chase some wins and hopefully, a Craftsman Truck series owner’s championship.”

LaJoie is a former Spire Motorsports driver. He drove for the Cup series team from 2021 through the fall of last season, when he finished the season with Rick Ware Racing.

There are six races left in the regular season for the Truck series. The No. 07 team has one win, which came with Kyle Larson at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

LaJoie has made five Truck series starts in his NASCAR career. The most recent start for LaJoie in the series was the 2024 season opener at Daytona.

“While discussing our best path to bring Spire our first Craftsman Truck series championship and describing what we needed in a driver, the driver we were all talking about without saying his name was Corey LaJoie,” Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson said. “So, when I ran into Corey in the motorhome lot one morning earlier this spring, I asked him what he thought about coming home and doing this.

“He is synonymous with what we’ve built here over the last few years and deserves this opportunity. I’m looking forward to getting him in the truck at Michigan to work out some kinks and start getting a game plan together for the playoffs.”

Ryan Blaney celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, June 1, 2025, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) — Ryan Blaney and Team Penske have been fast with his No. 12 Ford Mustang this year only to have races slip away when it mattered most.

Not Sunday night.

Blaney ran away down the stretch for his first Cup Series victory of the year Sunday night at Nashville Superspeedway, then he celebrated with a burnout in front of the roaring fans after what he called a rough year.

“I’m ready to go celebrate,” Blaney said.

The 2023 Cup champ had been racing well with five top-five finishes over the first half of this season. He finally got to victory lane for his 14th career victory and first since Martinsville in November after leading a race-high 139 laps.

“I never gave up hope that’s for sure,” Blaney said. “We’ve had great speed all year. It just hasn’t really been the best year for us as far as good fortune. But (No.) 12 boys are awesome. They stick with it no matter how it goes.”

He became the ninth different winner this season and the fifth driver to win in as many races at Nashville. He also gave Team Penske a second straight Cup win at Nashville’s 1.33-mile concrete track.

Blaney, who started 15th, quickly drove his way to the front as he won the second stage. He easily held off Carson Hocevar by 2.83 seconds. Hocevar matched his career-best finish at Atlanta in February after complaining during the race that his No. 77 Chevrolet was undriveable.

“Either I’m really dramatic or they’re really good on adjustments,” Hocevar said. “Probably a little bit of both, but, yeah, proud of this group proud of this car. A place that is really, really difficult to pass, we’re able to go 26th to second.”

Denny Hamlin finished third in his 700th career Cup Series race, matching the third-place finish by Jeff Gordon at Darlington in 2013 for the best finish in a driver’s 700th race. Joey Logano, who won here last year, was fourth and William Byron fifth.

Hamlin was hoping for one more caution that never came after seven cautions for 35 laps.

“Just couldn’t run with the 12 (Blaney) there in the super long run,” Hamlin said. “After 40 laps, I could maintain with him. But then after that, he just pulled away and stretched it on us.”

There was a sprint to the finish under green forcing teams and drivers to pick and choose went to pit. Blaney had led 107 laps when he went to the pits under green flag on lap 248. Hamlin took the lead before going to pit road on lap 256.

Crew chief Jonathan Hassler said they decided on Blaney’s fifth and final pit stop trying to make sure he could get back out into the cleanest air possible.

“It was really nice just to finish off a race,” Hassler said.

Brad Keselowski had the lead when he went to the pits on lap 269. Blaney took the lead for the final 31 laps.

Waiting on a call

Hamlin raced Sunday night hoping to take advantage of his starting spot spot beside pole-sitter Chase Briscoe. Whether Hamlin would chase his third win this season had been in question with his third child, a boy, due the same day.

Hamlin practiced and qualified well, so he drove his No. 11 Toyota even as Joe Gibbs Racing had Ryan Truex on standby in case Hamlin got the call that his fiancee was in labor. Hamlin won the first stage and survived the final stretch without water or fresh air.

Tyler Reddick beat his boss Hamlin, a co-owner of his 23XI Racing team, to new parent status, which Reddick announced on social media earlier Sunday.

His family welcomed their second son at 2:20 a.m. on May 25, then Reddick followed up hours later by finishing 26th in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.

Early night

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. didn’t finish his first race this year. He was the first out when Hocevar tapped his No. 47 Chevrolet, spinning Stenhouse into the wall between Turns 3 and 4 for the second caution of the race on lap 106.

Punishment and more penalties possible?

AJ Allmendinger started at the back of the field and served a stop-and-go penalty after the green flag for an unapproved adjustment to the splitter during Saturday’s practice. His No. 16 Chevrolet was sent back to the garage and then the scanning station before practice and qualifying.

The No. 66 Ford of Chad Finchum failed inspection twice leading to engineer Austin Webb’s ejection. The Garage 66 team also lost pit stall selection.

Up next

NASCAR heads to Michigan International Speedway for the Cup Series on June 8.

A season full of near misses and hard-luck finishes for Ryan Blaney disappeared in a magical Music City night.

At a sold-out Nashville Superspeedway, with fireworks and cheers washing over him, Blaney was finally able to celebrate a victory.

Blaney, driving the No. 12 Ford for Penske Racing, led a race-high 139 laps, earned his first NASCAR Cup Series win of the year and the 14th victory of his career by taking the checkered flag in the Cracker Barrel 400.

“We’ve had great speed all year — just hasn’t been the best year for us as far as good fortune,” said Blaney, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion. “The 12 boys are awesome; they stick with it no matter how it goes, and it was great to finish one out tonight.”

Blaney gained top position early by making a two-tire stop, won the second stage after surviving a wave of caution flags and held on through a green-flag pit stop cycle in the third stage to beat Carson Hocevar to the start-finish line by 2.83 seconds.

“I never gave up hope,” said Blaney, who won his first Cup Series race since last fall in Martinsville, a span of 15 events.

“I thought [two tires] was a good call. We drove up to seventh there in the first stage, and I thought two tires were great. I thought my car was really good, and that really set us up for the rest of the race.

“It’s nice that it’s finally happening. It’s time to go celebrate!”

Denny Hamlin, making his 700th career Cup Series start, won the opening stage, led 79 laps and placed third. Defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano, the 2024 Nashville Superspeedway winner, finished fourth and William Byron came in fifth.

For Hocevar, a past Truck Series winner at Nashville, it was his second runner-up finish of the season.

“Proud of this group — proud of this car,” Hocevar said. “At a place that is difficult to pass, we went from 26th to second. It’s good to get a deserved finish for once.”

“Good run for the 12,” Hamlin added. “He just pulled away and stretched it on us.”

Blaney, 31, from Hartford Township, Ohio, averaged 129.068 mph around the 1.33-mile concrete oval, completing 300 laps in 3 hours, 5 minutes and 29 seconds. Seven caution periods took up 35 laps while nine leaders exchanged the lead 18 times, with 25 drivers finishing on the lead lap. The Cracker Barrel 400 was the 2,800th NASCAR Cup Series race.

Chase Briscoe, the fastest Cup Series qualifier in track history, led 51 laps overall before slipping back to finish 17th.

Among other notables, Josh Berry, from nearby Hendersonville, Tennessee, placed 30th while Knoxville, Tennessee, native Chad Finchum finished 35th.

NSS PR