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From Winner to Champion, Part 4: Execution, evolution and some radio magic

Editor’s note: This is the fourth installment in a seven-part series celebrating the 30th anniversary of Jeff Gordon’s first NASCAR Cup Series championship and the first for Hendrick Motorsports in 1995. Join us each Thursday as we relive all the moments and talk to many of the players involved in one of the organization’s and the sport’s most unforgettable […]

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Editor’s note: This is the fourth installment in a seven-part series celebrating the 30th anniversary of Jeff Gordon’s first NASCAR Cup Series championship and the first for Hendrick Motorsports in 1995. Join us each Thursday as we relive all the moments and talk to many of the players involved in one of the organization’s and the sport’s most unforgettable and important seasons.  

For Jon.

CONCORD, N.C. – February. Daytona Beach, Florida. 

Crisp morning breezes are combated by mid-day sun, with enough warmth and light bathing the coast – and a certain 2.5-mile, historic, asphalt loop – to hint at spring on the horizon. 

For a race car driver, crew chief, team member or fan, nothing arrives with more promise or hope than Speedweek at Daytona International Speedway. 

Of course, back in 1995, it was still, “Speedweeks”, with the biggest discernable difference being more valuable time at the World Center of Racing at a mighty fine time of year to be in eastern Florida. 

Armed with a brand-new hot rod – the aerodynamically pioneering Chevrolet Monte Carlo – and coming off of a season that included his first two career wins, Jeff Gordon certainly rolled into Daytona that February with a spring in his step and hope in his heart. 

Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 Chevrolet lined up behind Dale Earnhardt (3) and alongside eventual-race-winner, Sterling Marlin (4), prior to the start of the 1995 DAYTONA 500. 

“I know we were building momentum, and the confidence was building right along with it and I think early testing of the Monte Carlo showed a lot of promise, so I think we were pretty optimistic,” Gordon told HendrickMotorsports.com ahead of this series. 

Optimistic, yes. 

Realistic? Well, at least somewhat according to Gordon. 

After all, Dale Earnhardt was entering the year fresh off of his record-tying seventh NASCAR Cup Series championship and his fourth in five years. He was seemingly poised to rule stock car racing for the unforeseeable future. And when it came to the crown, he already had an established and formidable pack of chasers, names like Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin. Both drivers had finished in the top three in points in each of the prior two seasons. 

REWIND: Jeff Gordon wins inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994

Undoubtedly, with the aforementioned victories – the 1994 Coca-Cola 600 and the Brickyard 400 – Gordon made strides in his second full-time season. He’d also improved his points standing from 14th to eighth. 

But with an established gridlock atop the sport, did Gordon really believe his team was ready for a title push? 

“If I had to guess, (crew chief) Ray (Evernham) was probably thinking championship, but I don’t know that I was quite yet,” Gordon admitted. “It’s a big leap to go from where we were to feeling like you’re championship material.”

Jeff Gordon having a chat with seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Richard Petty, at Talladega Superspeedway in 1994.

There were a few key numbers that illustrated the gap Gordon alluded to. 

Speed wasn’t an issue. The team had proven that from the jump, winning its Daytona Duel race to open the 1993 season and showcasing it again at two of the biggest events on the ’94 calendar. 

If anything stood in the way of the 24 team ascending to the highest echelon of stock car racing it was consistency, or a lack thereof. Between 1993 and 1994, Gordon piled up 14 top-five finishes to go with 25 top 10s. But also, across those same 64 starts, he had as many DNFs as he did lead-lap finishes (21). 

RELATED: From Winner to Champion, Part 3: Championship Metal

“If you look back at 1994, they won a couple of big races but they tore up a lot of stuff too. I think they went through 16 rear clips or something like that,” Hendrick Motorsports teammate Terry Labonte said. “I didn’t think they could’ve gotten that good in that short of a period of time.”  

And that seemed to be the prevailing thought as the season was set to open. 

Winston Kelley, now the executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, was establishing himself as a voice of the sport with the Motor Racing Network. He’d done all 31 races in 1994. 

“Going into it, I don’t know if anyone would’ve had him in the Mount Rushmore of potential candidates in terms of the title, but I would say given the promise they’d shown in 1994, they would’ve been in the conversation,” Kelley told HendrickMotorsports.com. “Maybe top 10 or 12. But would I have thought they’d be in the top three or four or five? Probably not. You had Dale, Mark, Rusty and those guys. Dale Jarrett had started running good too.” 

By 1995, Rusty Wallace (left) and Mark Martin (right) had established themselves as the top contenders to Dale Earnhardt’s throne atop the NASCAR Cup Series standings.

Even with the progress the team had shown in ’94, Gordon had still finished second within his own garage. Labonte scored three victories in his debut season at Hendrick Motorsports, powering his way to a seventh-place finish in the points standings. 

For Evernham, Labonte’s success only sharpened his desire to hasten his team’s march forward. 

“It was almost competitive between the three teams and that in itself drove us,” Evernham said. “You want to be the leader of your pack, so that competitiveness between the three cars actually worked in our advantage.”

RELATED: From Winner to Champion, Part 2: Championship Material

As teams descended on Volusia County that spring, few could’ve guessed that the apple cart was about to be upset. Even fewer would’ve guessed that it would be the 23-year-old driver/37-year-old crew chief combination clad in rainbow-colored uniforms that would upset it. 

And that way of thinking likely didn’t change after the DAYTONA 500, either. 

It takes time to progress from winner to champion. It also takes time to change the perception of a race team. 

The No. 24 crew going to work on Jeff Gordon’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo at Talladega Superspeedway in 1995.

But as the 1995 progressed, Gordon and the 24 team parlayed an explosive but volatile start into a consistent reliance that showed up, along with speed, each and every week at the race track. 

Brian Whitesell, now vice president of manufacturing at Hendrick Motorsports, was an engineer and a key car builder on the 24 team that year. 

“We had started to bring a little different way of racing that happens even now and every few years, the script changes and you have to continue to adapt,” Whitesell said. “We hit on that with Jeff’s talent and a little different methodology. We did a lot of work to make the cars consistent, which played into the points standings at the time. A lot of the things we did coupled with Jeff’s talent, that’s where we slowly pulled away. Back then it was common to have suspension failures, hub failures, brakes, engines, radiators – there was a myriad of failures and eliminating those one-by-one and piling up points … and then we also had the performance to back that up.”

And for Gordon, it was time to start fulfilling the promise Evernham had seen years prior. 

RELATED: Phorm Energy inks multi-year partnership with Hendrick Motorsports

“He captured it the first time he stepped on campus before he was hired. We talked after that and he was like, ‘Man, if you can’t win races and a championship at that place, you can’t do it anywhere. They’ve got everything you can possibly need,'” Gordon recalled. “To hear that from him, someone I had a lot of confidence and trusted in his knowledge … to me, maybe other people didn’t see it or recognize it at that time but all that mattered was the people on the team that we were going to surround ourselves with. 

“And I know one thing; it didn’t take long once the season started to feel like this is the year we can get it done.” 

‘Magic on the radio’

It’s funny how statistics and results can read three decades removed from the moment. 

Just empty numbers on a page, void of context.

For instance, if one were to look up the 1995 DAYTONA 500 today, he/she would find that Gordon finished a nondescript 22nd. Sure, the 61 laps led might arch an eyebrow, but if anything, it would only speak to the inconsistencies that had limited the team through the growing pains of its formative years. A ton of speed with a middling finish.  

DAYTONA 500 Race 1
Date:          Feb. 19, 1995
Started:  4th
Finished: 22nd
Laps led: 61
Points earned:       102
Earnings:     $67,915
Points standings:  1. Sterling Marlin 185; 2. Dale Earnhardt 175 (-10); 3. Mark Martin 170 (-15); 4. Ted Musgrave 160 (-25); 5. Dale Jarrett 155 (-30); 5. Michael Waltrip 155 (-30); 7. Steve Grissom 146 (-39); 8. Terry Labonte 142 (-43); 9. Ken Schrader 138 (-47); 10. Morgan Shepherd 134 (-51)

This time around, it wasn’t driver error or mechanical failure that took Gordon out of contention for the win. After spending much of the afternoon as a fixture at the front of the field, a slow pit stop relegated Gordon to the middle of the pack. After making up ground, another miscue on pit road – dropping the jack too early – damaged the 24 car and it never drove the same. Shortly after, with the stretch run approaching, Gordon brushed the wall and had to pit, losing a lap along the way.

It would’ve been easy, even understandable, for a 23-year-old, hungry driver looking for a breakthrough, all while under the pressure of driving for an organization still searching for its first championship, to play the blame game. NASCAR history is littered with radio transmissions of angry voices from inside the cockpit lambasting crew members after miscues. 

That’s not what happened on that afternoon in Daytona Beach. What did happen, according to Evernham, was a moment that would loom as large in the 1995 championship chase as any of the seven wins the 24 team would go on to gather. 

RELATED: From Winner to Champion, Part 1: ‘One Hot Night’

Jeff Gordon (24) runs second behind eventual-winner, Sterling Marlin (4), in the 1995 DAYTONA 500. Gordon would finish 22nd.

“Instead of Jeff unloading on everybody that day, he said, ‘Look, we had a great day, we had a great car, we’re going to get them next week.’ That was like magic on the radio that day,” Evernham said. “I think everybody stepped up and never wanted to let Jeff Gordon down again.” 

“Jeff was always mature beyond his years. For a young guy who had his first chance to win the DAYTONA 500 – and they had a really good car, probably the strongest car in the field along with (eventual winner) Sterling (Marlin), who was always good at Daytona – to pick the crew up says a lot,” Kelley echoed. “I think that chemistry you hear about from everybody, things like that make championships. How people deal with a bad day has more impact than how they celebrate wins.” 

Race wins and humbling moments

Gordon and the No. 24 team would get several opportunities to celebrate wins in 1995, and they presented themselves early and often. 

If Gordon’s performance throughout the majority of the DAYTONA 500 was a hint of things to come, a dominant performance in a victory at Rockingham Speedway (then North Carolina Motor Speedway) the following week served as confirmation. At least in terms of speed, the No. 24 would be a force in the weeks to come. 

Starting from the pole, which would be a staple of the team throughout the mid-to-late 90s as well, Gordon led 329 of 492 laps including the final 83 in holding off Bobby Labonte by 1.19 seconds. 

ROCKINGHAM Race 2
Date: Feb. 26, 1995
Started: 1st
Finished: 1st
Laps led: 329
Points earned: 185
Earnings: $167,600
Points standings: 1. Dale Earnhardt 345; 2. Mark Martin 316 (-29); 3. Sterling Marlin 312 (-33); 4. Dale Jarrett 310 (-35); 5. Steve Grissom 296 (-49) 6. Ricky Rudd 289 (-56); 7. Jeff Gordon 287 (-58); 8. Michael Waltrip 267 (-78); 9. Kyle Petty 261 (-84); 10. Ward Burton 256 (-89)

During a postrace interview, pit road reporter Ned Jarrett remarked, “The car was so good, it looked like at times there that you couldn’t back up even if you wanted to.”

For Gordon, gone were the tears and aw, shucks-ness of the Coca-Cola 600 win. Certainly, his third career victory came with joy, but the maturity Gordon had shown in handling adversity at Daytona came through in his television interview as well. 

“The new Monte Carlo is an awesome car. I never thought we’d have them like we did today,” Gordon told Jarrett. “The longer we went green the better that thing was. And we had to work on it; it wasn’t that perfect at the beginning. It came to us; the track came to us. Ray Evernham and the Rainbow Warriors, they did a heck of a job.”

But while the team was pushing its speed to new heights, the lows continued to hinder its big-picture process. A week after the win, Gordon was right back on the pole at Richmond Raceway but a mechanical issue took the No. 24 out of the race less than halfway through, resulting in a 36th-place finish. 

Jeff Gordon poses with a trophy after winning at Rockingham in the second event of 1995. It was his third career victory.

Meanwhile, Labonte visited victory lane, moving up to fourth in the points standings. Gordon plummeted to 13th. 

“The car was strong, the team was strong. I felt like I was just really getting comfortable and confident in knowing what I wanted in the car at all the different tracks,” Gordon said. “Obviously, wins do a lot for you, but it’s a long season. You gain this confidence. It’s, ‘Yeah, we can win every week,’ and then you get knocked down a little bit and you’re like, ‘Woah, hold on, we’re going to have to work really hard at this and it’s not going to come easy.’”

“It was never just, ‘We’re on a stretch that nobody is going to touch us. It just seemed like it was week-to-week of, ‘Man, we’re good.’ We’d get on a streak of winning some races and then there were some humbling moments too.” 

But the group kept fighting. A week after Richmond came the first of two dates at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The second would serve as the season finale. 

As it turned out, both would be pivotal events on the 1995 schedule for the 24 team. 

Jeff Gordon (right) poses with car owner Rick Hendrick and the trophy after winning at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the spring of 1995
ATLANTA
Date: March 12, 1995
Started: 3rd
Finished: 1st
Laps led: 250
Points earned: 185
Earnings: $104,950
Points standings: 1. Dale Earnhardt 685; 2. Sterling Marlin 613 (-72); 3. Mark Martin 596 (-89); 4. Terry Labonte 582 (-103); 5. Dale Jarrett 553 (-132); 6. Jeff Gordon 532 (-153); 7. Ricky Rudd 531 (-154); 8. Bobby Labonte 496 (-189); 9. Derrike Cope 491 (-194); 10. Morgan Shepherd 468 (-217)

For the second time in four races, Gordon was able to finish off a dominant day, this time pacing 250 of 328 laps in rolling to victory lane for the fourth time in his career. 

But again, the team couldn’t get off the roller coaster. 

Race No. 5 came at Darlington Raceway. Gordon collected his third pole of the young season and yet again, had what was likely, the best car, pacing 155 of the first 199 circuits. Yet, Gordon was collected at the front of the field when Bobby Labonte made contact with the lapped car of Randy LaJoie just past the start-finish line on a restart. 

REWIND: Ray Evernham pit call sends Jeff Gordon to Coke 600 win in 1994

The beginning of the 1995 proved a couple of things – one, the team had reached a new level in terms of performance capabilities and two, it had as much fight as it did speed. 

And that mentality trickled down from driver and crew chief. 

“It took a lot of effort to establish that reliability and Jeff’s talent pushed us to operate at his level as well,” Whitesell recalled. “It just kept feeding on itself to continuously improve what we were doing. Every component from a radiator hub to the gears to the transmission, all of those things kept improving to get that consistency to operate the entire vehicle.”

So, when the NASCAR Cup Series marched on to Bristol Motor Speedway the following week, Gordon and the team was ready. 

This time, it was 95 laps led and the team’s third win of the season that pointed the No. 24 back in the right direction. 

Bristol Motor Speedway
Date: April 2, 1995
Started: 2nd
Finished: 1st
Laps led: 95
Points earned: 175
Earnings: $61,625
Points standings: 1. Dale Earnhardt 948; 2. Sterling Marlin 931 (-17); 3. Mark Martin 795 (-153); 4. Jeff Gordon 794 (-154); 5. Terry Labonte 789 (-159); 6. Derrike Cope 770 (-178); 7. Dale Jarrett 752 (-196); 8. Ted Musgrave 733 (-215); 9. Rusty Wallace 730 (-218); 10. Ricky Rudd 725 (-222)

In just six weeks to open 1995, Gordon earned more wins (three) than he had in two full seasons prior. That was the good news. 

However, those three victories were paired with three finishes of 22nd or worse. And as good as the wins felt, in the big picture, it added up to a fourth-place points standing, 154 markers behind the leader, Earnhardt. 

Yet, despite the bumps in the road, everything felt different. While the results weren’t quite consistent yet, the race-winning speed was, and the 24 bunch was bringing it to the race track every week. 

“We won more races in the first six events of that year than we did the first two years of our team, so that was really cool,” Evernham said. “A lot of it was maturity and confidence. Jeff and I had little experience in Cup when we came in and did that. It took us a long time – Jeff figuring out the cars and coming into his own.”

With a win at Bristol Motor Speedway, Jeff Gordon (right) went to victory lane three times in the first six races of the 1995 season.

‘…And then, they showed up’

A funny thing happened after the win at Bristol: Gordon followed it up with another great run, finishing second at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Then came a third-place run at Martinsville Speedway. 

Yet another second-place showing at Talladega Superspeedway following that briefly put Gordon in a tie for the points lead with Earnhardt. It would be short lived, Earnhardt responded with a victory at Sonoma Raceway, the only road-course win in his career. Gordon would then finish 33rd in the Coca-Cola 600 after starting on the pole, pushing him back to fourth and 101 markers behind. 

History is never recognized in the moment. Even as Gordon continued to display his driving prowess and as Evernham and company continued to crank out fast race cars, few could’ve seen what the rest of 1995, and most of the rest of the decade, would hold. 

But with every lap led and with every new race track conquered, the 24 team began to acquire an aura of inevitability. Bad days started to become less frequent and when Gordon wasn’t crashed, he was usually out front. 

Jeff Gordon, Ray Evernham and the No. 24 team produced lightning quick race cars all season long in 1995.

Whether he was a preseason favorite or not didn’t much matter by the time the Cup Series headed to Dover Motor Speedway on June 4 of that year for the 12th event of the season. What no one could’ve known, is that a run-of-the-mill sixth-place finish would kickstart the first long run of brilliance in Gordon’s career, one that would turn the 1995 season on its head and push the No. 24 team to the pinnacle of the sport. 

Yet, there had been enough signs already. And team owner Rick Hendrick could sense the tide turning for good.  

“Jeff had shown flashes – winning the 600 and the Brickyard were huge moments – but we knew the key was consistency,” Hendrick told HendrickMotorsports.com. “Ray had built a team that was incredibly tight-knit. They trusted each other. Jeff was still young, but he was mature beyond his years in the car. You never counted out Dale Earnhardt, but it did feel like a shift was happening.”

REWIND: Jeff Gordon ties Dale Earnhardt on all-time wins list at Phoenix

“I feel like by race 10, it was, ‘OK, we’re starting to see who the players are and we’ve got to get through the summer and really understand it,'” Gordon added. “I was so nervous because we’d never won a championship. I’m sure Ray was feeling a lot of pressure. The whole team was feeling a lot of pressure because Mr. Hendrick had never won a championship at that point. Nobody on the team had ever won a championship and we’re going up against some fierce competitors.”

Speaking of which, they were starting to take notice as well. Even the ones in the same race shop. 

“It was obvious (Gordon) was very talented and obviously, he was going to do well,” Labonte said. “To be that young and be as good as he was and when you look at these race tracks, it’s not like he was winning at the same track every weekend. Typically, that takes four or five years in the Cup Series just to gain the experience at different tracks because everything you learned this weekend doesn’t really apply to next weekend.” 

Jeff Gordon (24) began to pry the torch from Dale Earnhardt (3) in 1995 en route to his first NASCAR Cup Series title.

Earnhardt, as expected, was in the midst of yet another championship-caliber season. He’d started 1995 with five-consecutive top-four finishes and had a pair of wins and only three showings of worse than sixth place by the conclusion of the Dover race. He led the points standings by 100 tallies and seemed to be more than a third of the way toward a ground-breaking eighth title. 

And there were others. Sterling Marlin would parlay an opening win in the Great American Race into likely the best season of his career and he was planted in second place behind Earnhardt when the checkered flag waved at Dover. The ever-steady Martin was fourth and putting pressure on Gordon in third. 

REWIND: Jeff Gordon wins fifth and final Brickyard 400

But fresh off the win at Sonoma, a sixth place at in the 600 and a fifth at Dover, the mood was still fairly rosy in the No. 3 camp. But Earnhardt’s crew chief Andy Petree, who shared a friendship with Evernham and who’d played a vital part in pairing him with Gordon, could feel the storm brewing. 

And the rest of the year would birth what would become one of NASCAR’s greatest and most endearing rivalries. 

“We kind of knew it was coming, you just never know when,” Petree said. “I felt confident in the fact that we were going to be more consistent; nobody scored points like Dale did and he had a sense for that old points system. He never threw away points. We felt like we could handle it. Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace had been our biggest competitors, we were probably more looking toward them and how were we going to beat them … And then, they showed up.” 



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Gainbridge, Project Zin Supporting Michael McDowell at Sonoma

In his last three starts at the 1.99-mile course, McDowell has recorded no finish worse than seventh, including a runner-up result in last Summer’s running of the race, while driving for Front Row Motorsports. The father-of-five is one of the most experienced drivers on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit, recording more than 500 career starts. […]

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In his last three starts at the 1.99-mile course, McDowell has recorded no finish worse than seventh, including a runner-up result in last Summer’s running of the race, while driving for Front Row Motorsports.

The father-of-five is one of the most experienced drivers on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit, recording more than 500 career starts. Since joining the series in 2008, McDowell has scored a pair of victories (2021 Daytona 500 and 2023 Indianapolis Road Course).

“This is a great way to represent an important cause,” said McDowell. Family is such a substantial part of life — mine especially, right? I’ve got five kids. The impact they’ve had on my life is something I’ll never take for granted, and I always want them to strive for success, no matter what that may be.”

“Teaming up with Gainbridge and Project Zin gives the NASCAR community a chance to reinvest in the programs offered by the Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area and make a real difference in the lives of children and families who need support. It’s going to be a special weekend all the way around, and I hope I can put on a good show for them.”



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Is This NASCAR’s Last Chicago Street Race?

1. Will Sunday be the final NASCAR Cup Series race on the Chicago street course? Luken Glover: It’s looking likely. There are several contributing factors to the logistics of the event, such as business and road closures, the expiration of the initial three-year agreement for the city to host the race and poor weather. The return […]

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1. Will Sunday be the final NASCAR Cup Series race on the Chicago street course?

Luken Glover: It’s looking likely. There are several contributing factors to the logistics of the event, such as business and road closures, the expiration of the initial three-year agreement for the city to host the race and poor weather. The return on investment has been solid, but it’s enough to clear the majority of the hurdles NASCAR faces to keep it going. There is also the possible return of Chicagoland Speedway, and with NASCAR in talks with San Diego to host a street race there in the future, it could spell the end of the Chicago street course experiment. 

James Krause: No. From my understanding, the city has some aldermen looking to talk to NASCAR about the event’s future after this weekend, and NASCAR has an interest in returning. While you can argue the juice might not be worth the squeeze for some in Chicago, NASCAR touted the event as having created an economic impact of $128 million. Plus, the racing is fantastic with a course that perfectly combines long straightaways, tight corners and passing opportunities. Cost to the city and its taxpayers? The $5 million allocated made up .009% of the state’s $55.2 billion budget. Too worried about the crime? Bad news: Richmond, Va., Indianapolis and St. Louis all have a higher homicide rate than Chicago.

Mark Kristl: Yes, and that’s OK. These three races proved NASCAR could successfully race on a street course, and hopefully there’s a street course race somewhere else in the future. Regarding the 2026 July 4 race, that’s tough to answer because next year is the United States’ 250th anniversary, so there’s extra prestige there. How about Michigan International Speedway? The 2-mile track is loved by the manufacturers, the camping scene there is alive and well, and the daytime racing would serve as a perfect occasion to end the night with spectacular fireworks and a top-notch concert.

2. This weekend will be the first non-Daytona 500 Cup race to have a driver not qualify since 2018. Which open car will be on the outside looking in at Chicago?

Christopher Hansen: Josh Bilicki may be the odd man out in terms of qualifying for Sunday’s race given the competition he’ll face from the other open drivers. Austin Hill and Corey Heim seem poised to make it in with their natural abilities on road courses from the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Will Brown, competing in a third Kaulig Racing entry, is also likely to qualify his way into the field with his road racing background. That leaves Katherine Legge to battle Bilicki for the final spot. Despite both drivers having some road course experience, Bilicki will be left watching from the sidelines after qualifying.

Mike Neff: Looking at the five drivers who have to qualify on time, there are three who should be a layup to make it. Heim and Hill are regular competitors in NASCAR, and they’re driving for 23XI Racing and Richard Childress Racing, respectively. Barring a disaster, they will be in. Brown is not a household name in the states, but he is on the same level as Shane van Gisbergen. Kaulig is experienced and has done well on road courses in the past. It is going to be a coin flip between Legge and Bilicki, but the experience card is in Bilicki’s wallet. He has more races in stock cars, and Legge has struggled as she attempts to learn them. Legge is going to be the odd driver out.

Wyatt Watson: The dishonor will fall on either Legge or Bilicki. Legge is still trying her hand at stock car racing going into her third-ever Cup race with Live Fast Motorsports. She was about eight-tenths off the pace from Ryan Truex in qualifying at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. She has previous experience in the Xfinity Series, but not to the level that matches Bilicki in NASCAR. While Bilicki will possibly be in the slowest car in the field, his biggest challenge will be to make a lap as he qualified for last year’s race without a time. It’s very close to call, but give the edge to Bilicki here.

3. Of the Cup Series’ four current broadcast partners, which one provides the best coverage, and which needs the most improvement?

Watson: Amazon Prime Video has blown everybody out of the water in the span of five races. Its pre-race and post-race shows harken back to the Speed Channel days with in-depth analysis and interviews from a good chunk of the field. Adam Alexander has thoroughly impressed on both his coverage there and at TNT so far with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte, and its presentation during the race is very nice as well. Going commercial-free for a major part of the final run to the checkered flag is a major positive for Prime as well. What I can’t stand is FOX’s coverage. Mike Joy and the pit reporting are the only positives to really write about here, and the revered veteran Joy has been sadly walking it back the last couple of seasons. Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer bring some of the driest commentaries of all time and have made races far less interesting. Overall, it just seems like FOX is not invested in the sport, and that feeling has never been clearer with both Prime’s spectacular performance and the excellent coverage FOX provided for the NTT IndyCar Series.

Kristl: Prime did a phenomenal job in its first year broadcasting the Cup Series. The announcers brought the right amount of enthusiasm, and the post-race show was lively, insightful and enjoyable for the fans. The pre-race intro was awesome, and the postrace content was thorough. FOX needs the most improvement. Too often, I heard Joy talk about something, but the cameras took too long to show it. Michael Waltrip’s grid walk is an embarrassment to the sport when it should be a chance to have some fun and learn or hear something relevant prerace. Its post-race content usually consists of a few interviews, a brief mention of the next race and then FOX transitions to its next show. Everyone knew when Call Me Kat was coming on, though … and it still wound up canceled. FOX should use the Prime broadcasts to significantly improve its 2026 Cup coverage.

Glover: Prime couldn’t have done much better in its introduction to broadcasting NASCAR races, featuring a booth with good chemistry, strong presentation and unique in-race analysis. Its post-race show moved the needle forward, featuring interviews with drivers and more postrace breakdown. NBC deserves a lot more credit for its graphics and overall presentation, providing a much sharper feel than FOX. Speaking of FOX, it is the broadcast partner leaving the most to be desired. Statistical and graphic errors, lackluster camera shots, lackadaisical post-race coverage and a lack of energy from the booth are some of its largest issues that need to be improved quickly. 

4. Which driver has been the most pleasant surprise in the Truck Series so far this season, and who has been the biggest disappointment?

Neff: For starters, we have to take Heim out of the conversation. He is absolutely dominating the series and it is unquestionable. Behind Heim, it has been Kaden Honeycutt who has really been surprising. He has shown consistency across all types of tracks and is threatening to break through with a stage win sometime soon. Honeycutt is top five in points and should be a threat to make the Championship 4 come playoff time. As for disappointment, ThorSport Racing in general has underwhelmed. The biggest disappointment of the squad has been Matt Crafton. A multi-time champion, he has simply been struggling tremendously this season, 16th in points and with just one stage win. He has three top 10s and an average finish of 18.2, the worst of his entire career.

Hansen: In his first full-time season competing in the Truck Series, Honeycutt has really come into his own in the last few races. He is on the cusp of breaking into victory lane anytime now and has proven that his No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet has the speed to consistently run up front, leading laps and challenging for wins. Ty Majeski, the defending series champion, is the biggest disappointment simply because he doesn’t seem to have the same sort of speed he had in 2024. Majeski is precariously sitting right on the playoff cut line, only 38 points ahead of Jake Garcia for the last playoff spot on points. With only three races remaining before the playoff grid is set, Majeski will likely need a win to assure he’ll have a chance to defend his championship.

Krause: I’ve been surprised by Daniel Hemric‘s consistency. He probably needs a few more wins to be a championship threat to Heim, but he’s tied with Heim in top 10s at 11 and is tied for the second most top fives with seven. Speaking of title threats, Majeski, like most of ThorSport, has been a non-factor almost all year. Lime Rock Park was his best finish of the year in second, and at short tracks, his strongest track type, he has just one top 10 in three races. If Majeski can’t get a win at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park or Richmond Raceway like he did last year, forget repeat champion — he might not make the playoffs. 


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Entering his fifth year with Frontstretch, Luken Glover is the author of The Underdog House, shedding light on the motivation and performance of NASCAR’s dark horse teams as they strive to fight to the top. Additionally, Glover reports for the site at various events, and he contributes in the video editing department.

A 2023 graduate of the University of the Cumberlands, Glover is a middle school math and PE teacher, as well as a basketball coach. He is passionate about serving in his church, playing/coaching a wide variety of sports, and researching motorsports history.



James Krause joined Frontstretch in March 2024 as a contributor. Krause was born and raised in Illinois and graduated from Northern Illinois University. He currently works in La Crosse, Wisconsin as a local sports reporter, including local short track racing. Outside of racing, Krause loves to keep up with football, music, anime and video games.


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Mark Kristl joined Frontstretch at the beginning of the 2019 NASCAR season. He is the site’s ARCA Menards Series editor. Kristl is also an Eagle Scout and a proud University of Dayton alum.


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What is it that Mike Neff doesn’t do? Mike announces several shows each year for the Good Guys Rod and Custom Association. He also pops up everywhere from PRN Pit Reporters and the Press Box with Alan Smothers to SIRIUS XM Radio. He has announced at tracks all over the Southeast, starting at Millbridge Speedway. He’s also announced at East Lincoln Speedway, Concord Speedway, Tri-County Speedway, Caraway Speedway, and Charlotte Motor Speedway.


Wyatt Watson has followed motorsports closely since 2007. He joined Frontstretch as a journalist in February 2023 after serving in the United States Navy for five years as an Electronic Technician Navigation working on submarines. Wyatt is one of Frontstretch‘s primary IndyCar correspondents, providing exclusive video content on site. He hosts Frontstretch‘s Through the Gears podcast and occasionally The Pit Straight.You can find Wyatt’s written work in columns such as Friday Faceoff and 2-Headed Monsteras well as exclusive IndyCar features. Wyatt also contributes to Frontstretch’s social media team, posting unique and engaging content for Frontstretch.

Wyatt Watson can be found on X @WyattWRacing



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Gainbridge, Project Zin Co-Sponsoring Michael McDowell at Sonoma

Gainbridge, as part of its continuing efforts to support cultural and community initiatives making an impact across the nation, will partner with Project Zin to serve as co-primary sponsors for Michael McDowell and the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet at Sonoma Raceway. Project Zin, a two-day celebration featuring dishes and wine pairings from some of […]

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Gainbridge, as part of its continuing efforts to support cultural and community initiatives making an impact across the nation, will partner with Project Zin to serve as co-primary sponsors for Michael McDowell and the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet at Sonoma Raceway.

Project Zin, a two-day celebration featuring dishes and wine pairings from some of the most illustrious chefs and eclectic vintners in the Bay Area, will take place August 15-16 at Bricoleur Vineyards in Sonoma, California.

All proceeds from the event will benefit the Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area and its mission to empower, inspire, and provide support to individuals and families within the Down Syndrome community.

“When our son Brady was diagnosed with Down Syndrome, our world shifted overnight,” said Clay and Carrie Mauritson. “What felt like one of the hardest moments in our lives became one of the greatest blessings. Project Zin is our way of giving back—creating something joyful, purposeful, and rooted in community. It’s a celebration of inclusion and possibility, and we’re so proud to support the incredible work of the Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area through this event.”

McDowell, driver of the No. 71 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series, is a two-time race winner in the series. The native of Avondale, Arizona is a veteran of more than 500 starts at NASCAR’s top-level and has captured victories at two of the most historic venues on the circuit – Daytona and Indianapolis.

In his last three starts at the 1.99-mile Sonoma Raceway, McDowell hasn’t finished worse than seventh-place, including a runner-up result in last year’s annual trip to the Sonoma, California road course.

“This is a great way to represent an important cause,” said McDowell. “Family is such a substantial part of life — mine especially, right? I’ve got five kids. The impact they’ve had on my life is something I’ll never take for granted, and I always want them to strive for success, no matter what that may be. Teaming up with Gainbridge and Project Zin gives the NASCAR community a chance to reinvest in the programs offered by the Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area and make a real difference in the lives of children and families who need support. It’s going to be a special weekend all the way around, and I hope we can put on a good show for them.”

In the first half of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series campaign – his first driving for Spire Motorsports – McDowell has recorded one top-five, two top-10s, and seven top-15 finishes, including a recent fifth-place finish at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez – the Cup Series’ first trip to Mexico City.

After 18 races, McDowell sits 22nd in NASCAR Cup Series point standings, 77 points below the cutline to make the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway will take place on Sunday, July 13 at 3:30 pm ET on TNT Sports, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

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NASCAR Chicago Street Race odds, predictions, props: 2025 Grant Park 165 picks by model that nailed 24 winners

The Chicago Street Race has quickly become one of the most thrilling visual spectacles in the NASCAR Cup Series, and the 2025 Grant Park 165 on Sunday will also serve as the second round of the first-ever NASCAR In-Season Challenge. Shane van Gisbergen won the first Cup race on the Chicago Street Course in 2023. […]

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The Chicago Street Race has quickly become one of the most thrilling visual spectacles in the NASCAR Cup Series, and the 2025 Grant Park 165 on Sunday will also serve as the second round of the first-ever NASCAR In-Season Challenge. Shane van Gisbergen won the first Cup race on the Chicago Street Course in 2023. Now, the road-racing specialist is the +210 favorite in the 2025 Grant Park 165 odds after winning three weeks ago in Mexico City. Then in 2024, it was Alex Bowman who won the Grant Park 165 and he’s listed at +1900 in the NASCAR at Chicago odds and you can also find him for as high as +270 in the latest NASCAR props from DraftKings.

The green flag drops at 2 p.m. ET and the race is scheduled for 75 laps around the 12-turn, 2.2-mile circuit winding through the streets of Chicago. Before entering any 2025 Grant Park 165 picks, NASCAR DFS lineups on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel, or locking in NASCAR props on sites like PrizePicks, Sleeper Fantasy, and Underdog Fantasy, be sure to see the latest 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race predictions from SportsLine’s proven projection model.

Developed by daily Fantasy pro and SportsLine predictive data engineer Mike McClure, this proprietary NASCAR prediction model simulates every race 10,000 times, taking into account factors such as track history and recent results.

The model began its 2025 season by calling Chase Elliott to win for a +300 payout at the Clash at Bowman Gray and was also high on Byron as a +2000 longshot at Daytona. Then it predicted Kyle Larson’s win in Miami for a +350 payout, Christopher Bell’s +600 triumph in the NASCAR All-Star Race, Denny Hamlin’s +650 victory in Michigan, Shane van Gisbergen’s +330 victory in Mexico and Elliott’s win in Atlanta for a +1500 return. In 2024, it nailed Larson to win in Las Vegas for a 21-5 sports betting payout and predicted Denny Hamlin’s wins in Bristol at 5-1 and Richmond at 17-4.

It also impressively nailed five of Larson’s wins during his historic season in 2021. All told, the model has nailed a whopping 24 winners since 2021. Anyone who followed its lead on betting apps and sportsbooks on those NASCAR picks could have seen huge returns. New users also have the opportunity to take advantage of the latest Bet365 promo code, BetMGM promo code and Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.

Now, the model simulated the 2025 Grant Park 165 10,000 times. Head to SportsLine to see the complete projected NASCAR at Chicago leaderboard.

Top 2025 Grant Park 165 predictions

For Sunday’s 2025 Chicago Street Race, the model is high on Chris Buescher, even though he’s a +2200 longshot in the latest 2025 NASCAR at Chicago odds from FanDuel. He’s a target for anyone looking for a huge payday and first-time users can also get up to $150 in bonus bets if their first $5 bet wins with this FanDuel promo code.

After a breakout three-win season in 2023, Buescher missed the NASCAR playoffs entirely last season, but did manage to collect his sixth career victory in the NASCAR Cup Series during the postseason. He’s yet to win in 2025, but he’s in a solid position on points, as he’s sitting ninth in the NASCAR standings entering the week and has a 52-point lead over first man out Ryan Preece. However, with that bubble shrinking in each of the last three weeks, he won’t want to leave his playoff fate to chance.

Buescher has 17 career top-10 finishes in 39 starts on street courses and road courses in the NASCAR Cup Series, including a win at Watkins Glen last season. He also finished 10th in the inaugural Chicago Street Race and was top 10 in both of the road races that have taken place so far this season.

The model has also revealed a shocking NASCAR prop for Sunday: AJ Allmendinger finishes top 10 for a +120 payout. He’s a potentially a strong value pick for your Chicago NASCAR prop bets.

The 43-year-old is facing a pretty significant points deficit with eight races to go in the regular season, as he’s 59 points behind current bubble boy Bubba Wallace. However, he’s an established road racer and the Chicago Street Race is a huge opportunity to make up ground. All three of Allmendinger’s NASCAR Cup Series victories have come on road courses and he’s also had nine of his 21 career top-fives and 22 of his 84 career top-10s in road races. See which other drivers to avoid and the rest of the projected NASCAR leaderboard at SportsLine.

How to make 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race picks

The model is also targeting two other drivers with Chicago NASCAR odds of 22-1 or longer to make a serious run at the checkered flag. Anyone who backs these drivers could hit it big. You can see all of the model’s NASCAR picks, props, and projected leaderboard over at SportsLine.

So who wins the 2025 Grant Park 165, and which longshots are must-backs? Check out the latest 2025 NASCAR at Chicago odds below, then visit SportsLine now to see the full NASCAR Chicago Street Race projected leaderboard, all from the model that has nailed 24 winners, and find out.

2025 NASCAR Chicago odds, drivers, lineup

See the full NASCAR at Chicago picks at SportsLine

(odds subject to change)
Shane van Gisbergen +210
Christopher Bell +750
Kyle Larson +900
Ty Gibbs +1200
Tyler Reddick +1200
Chase Elliott +1400
William Byron +1600
Alex Bowman +1900
Will Brown +2200
Chris Buescher +2200
AJ Allmendinger +2200
Michael McDowell +2300
Ross Chastain +2800
Chase Briscoe +3100
Daniel Suarez +3100
Kyle Busch +3400
Ryan Blaney +4000
Carson Hocevar +4000
Denny Hamlin +4000
Austin Cindric +5000
Joey Logano +10000
Ryan Preece +11000
Justin Haley +11000
Brad Keselowski +11000
Corey Heim +11000
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +12000
Bubba Wallace +14000
Todd Gilliland +14000
Austin Dillon +14000
Cole Custer +14000
Zane Smith +14000
John Hunter Nemechek +14000
Erik Jones +21000
Noah Gragson +25000
Josh Berry +25000
Austin Hill +25000
Riley Herbst +30000
Josh Bilicki +34000
Ty Dillon +34000





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Luxury Brand Sponsorship and SoHo Sneaker Surprise

Revolutionary Racer Toni Breidinger Makes Headlines with Unique Sponsorship Deals Toni Breidinger, the trailblazing racer from TRICON Garage, is causing a stir in the racing world with her unconventional sponsorship deals. The Victoria’s Secret model recently announced a groundbreaking two-race sponsorship deal with luxury fashion brand Coach, showcasing their signature black and white colors on […]

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Revolutionary Racer Toni Breidinger Makes Headlines with Unique Sponsorship Deals

Toni Breidinger, the trailblazing racer from TRICON Garage, is causing a stir in the racing world with her unconventional sponsorship deals. The Victoria’s Secret model recently announced a groundbreaking two-race sponsorship deal with luxury fashion brand Coach, showcasing their signature black and white colors on her #5 Toyota Tundra. But that’s not all – Breidinger turned heads by sipping coffee out of a Coach sneaker during a promotional shoot, pushing the boundaries of traditional sponsorships.

This isn’t the first time Breidinger has made waves with her partnerships. She previously featured in Coach’s Soho Sneaker campaign, where she starred in a promotional video filmed on the bustling streets of New York City. The young racer shared a behind-the-scenes clip from the shoot, revealing her innovative use of the Soho sneaker as a cup holder, adding a touch of glamour to the racing world.

Despite some ups and downs on the track, including an 18th-place finish at Rockingham Speedway, Breidinger remains a force to be reckoned with. While her TRICON Garage teammate Corey Heim dominates the drivers’ standings, Breidinger continues to break barriers and challenge the status quo with her unique collaborations and fearless attitude.

In another groundbreaking move, Breidinger recently announced a partnership with iconic restaurant chain Dave and Buster’s, marking their debut in NASCAR sponsorship. As the official summer ambassador for Dave and Buster’s, Breidinger will proudly display the company’s branding as the primary sponsor on her #5 Toyota in the upcoming New York race on August 8. Fans can also look forward to the launch of her custom fire suit during the same weekend, adding a dash of excitement to the racing event.

Reflecting on the innovative collaboration, Breidinger expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “I’ve been a fan of Dave & Buster’s for as long as I can remember. I always stop in when I’m on the road. I love the games and energy, so getting to partner with a brand I genuinely enjoy is really exciting for me.” The partnership promises an interactive experience for fans, with the announcement of Dave & Buster’s Leaderboard Challenge offering exclusive rewards such as VIP access to NASCAR tickets and even a brand new car.

As Breidinger gears up for her 16th Truck Series start at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, the racing world is abuzz with anticipation. Fans can catch all the action on Friday, July 25, at 8 p.m. ET, as this fearless racer continues to break barriers and redefine the world of motorsports.



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Former Xbox Dev Claims Turn 10’s Forza Motorsport Team ‘Is No More’

As part of Microsoft’s sweeping job cuts this week, it’s been reported that Forza Motorsport developer Turn 10 Studios has lost almost 50% of its staff – and according to a former worker, the losses are even more significant than that. Fred Russell — former content coordinator at Turn 10 — has posted out to […]

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Former Xbox Dev Claims Turn 10's Forza Motorsport Team 'Is No More'

As part of Microsoft’s sweeping job cuts this week, it’s been reported that Forza Motorsport developer Turn 10 Studios has lost almost 50% of its staff – and according to a former worker, the losses are even more significant than that.

Fred Russell — former content coordinator at Turn 10 — has posted out to Facebook that the Forza Motorsport team has been “shuttered” and “is no more”. Xbox content creator Klobrille has also jumped on this news, going on to speculate that Turn 10 may now be a support team for Forza Tech & Forza Horizon moving forward.

Fred Russell:
“Turn 10 Studios has shuttered the Forza Motorsport space and the team is no more. A very sad day for one of the best car racing video games. I loved my time there.”

Now, it’s worth noting that Russell hasn’t been at the Xbox developer for a good number of years now, so there’s every chance that assumptions are being made based on what’s been circulating publicly. However, there’s also a big chance that the former Forza dev still has connections with those recently working on the game – and there’s more evidence of major changes at Turn 10 as well.

Another Facebook post, this time from a senior design director at Microsoft who’s worked on Forza Motorsport since the beginning, talks about a major job loss on their end too. Scott Catlin has taken to the social media platform to reminisce about their time working on the franchise – adding that they “had a good run” making Xbox’s premiere racing series since 2005.

Scott Catlin:
“After nearly a quarter century, I was laid off from Microsoft and Turn 10 Studios on Wednesday. I’m still unpacking the effect it will have on me and my family – they have only ever known me as the husband and father that worked at Xbox, making racing games and playing with cars. I met some amazing people, friends that I’ll cherish for ever. We had a good run. FORZA!!”

At the time of writing, Microsoft hasn’t made a public statement on the future of Turn 10 and its Forza Motorsport series, but all signs are pointing towards Xbox’s long-time sim racer beginning to wind down. What we do know is that another Forza game of some sort is planned for 2026; widely believed to be the next entry in the Horizon series from Playground Games.



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