Drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series seldom stay with a single race team throughout their careers. They jump ship based on several factors, including career stage, remuneration, and team performance standards. But 2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott is one driver who wants to stay with his team, Hendrick Motorsports, till the very end.

Elliott joined the HMS ranks in 2016, taking over the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro that the four-time champion Jeff Gordon commandeered for decades. He has grown to be one of the biggest stars, if not the biggest, in the sport and is actively pursuing his second championship in 2025. He confirmed in a recent interview that he has no desire to race under a different banner ever.

He said on The MeatEater Podcast, “I’ve seen a lot of people jump around over the years. Even guys that you wouldn’t have expected to jump around and do something different. Personally, I would love to spend my career with one team. I’ve been at it with them for 10 years now. I hope I don’t have to go anywhere else or do anything else for sure.”

Gordon started and finished his career with Hendrick Motorsports, like Elliott wants to do. If the 29-year-old manages to keep himself as one of Rick Hendrick’s four horsemen until retirement, he will be joining an elite breed of drivers who are known for their loyalty. Moreover, it is almost a given that at least a few more championships await him if he stays put.

How big was it for Elliott to join Hendrick Motorsports?

Chase’s father, Bill, was an extremely popular figure in American motorsports. Fans loved the sight of him and regarded him highly, although he couldn’t really live up to the other legends on the track every time. But what he lacked in results, he made up for with flair. In contrast to Chase, Bill was a big-time journeyman throughout his career.

He raced for more than a dozen teams throughout his career, with his longest stint coming with Melling Racing. So, it was a naturally big moment for him and his family when it came to light that Chase would be racing for Hendrick Motorsports.

Chase said in an interview at the time, “My parents especially have believed in me every step of the way, and I know this wouldn’t be possible without all the sacrifices they’ve made to focus on my racing career. This is such a big week for our family. I know how rare this opportunity is and will work as hard as I can to make everyone proud.”

Bill would be incredibly proud of his son’s consistency and patience if he stays with Hendrick Motorsports throughout his career. But the most crucial requirement to do that is to start winning more races. The younger Elliott finished third in the Cup Series race at Mexico City last Sunday. His next challenge will be at the Pocono Raceway.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A federal judge urged NASCAR and two of its teams, including one owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan, to settle their increasingly acrimonious legal fight that spilled over into tense arguments during a hearing on Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell of the Western District of North Carolina grilled both NASCAR and the teams — 23XI Racing, which is owned by Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins — on what they hoped to accomplish in the antitrust battle that has loomed over the stock car series for months.

“It’s hard to picture a winner if this goes to the mat — or to the flag — in this case,” Bell said. “It scares me to death to think about what all this is costing.”

23XI and Front Row were the only two organizations that refused to sign a take-it-or-leave-it offer from NASCAR last September on a new charter agreement. Charters are NASCAR’s version of a franchise model, with each charter guaranteeing entry to the lucrative Cup Series races and a stable revenue stream; 13 other teams signed the agreements last fall, with some contending they had little choice.

The nearly two-hour hearing was on the teams’ request to toss out NASCAR’s countersuit, which accuses Jordan business manager Curtis Polk of “willfully” violating antitrust laws by orchestrating anticompetitive collective conduct in negotiations. NASCAR said it learned in discovery that Polk in messages among the 15 teams tried to form a “cartel” type operation that would include threats of boycotting races and a refusal to individually negotiate.

One of NASCAR’s attorneys even cited a Benjamin Franklin quote Polk allegedly sent to the 15 organizations that read: “We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

Jeffrey Kessler, an attorney representing the teams, was angered by the revelation in open court, contending it is privileged information only revealed in discovery. Kessler also argued none of NASCAR’s claims in the countersuit prove anything illegal was done by Polk or the Race Team Alliance during the charter negotiation process.

“NASCAR knows it has no defense to the monopolization case so they have come up with this claim about joint negotiations, which they agreed to, never objected to, and now suddenly it’s an antitrust violation,” Kessler said outside court. “It makes absolutely no sense. It’s not going to help them deflect from the monopolizing they have done in this market and the harm they have inflicted.”

He added that “the attacks” on Polk were “false, unfounded and frankly beneath the dignity of my adversary to even make those type of comments, which he should know better about.”

NASCAR attorneys said Polk improperly tried to pressure all 15 teams that comprise the RTA to stand together collectively in negotiations and encouraged boycotting qualifying races for the 2024 Daytona 500. NASCAR, they said, took the threat seriously because the teams had previously boycotted a scheduled meeting with series executives.

“NASCAR knew the next step was they could boycott a race, which was a threat they had to take seriously,” attorney Lawrence Buterman said on behalf of NASCAR.

Kessler said outside court the two teams are open to settlement talks, but noted NASCAR has said it will not renegotiate the charters. NASCAR’s attorneys declined to comment after the hearing.

Bell did not indicate when he’d rule, other than saying he would decide quickly.

Preliminary injunction status

Kessler said he would file an appeal by the end of the week after a three-judge federal appellate panel dismissed a preliminary injunction that required NASCAR to recognize 23XI and Front Row as chartered teams while the court fight is being resolved.

Kessler wants the issue heard by the full appellate court. The injunction has no bearing on the merits of the case, which is scheduled to go to trial in December. The earliest NASCAR can treat the teams as unchartered is one week after the deadline to appeal, provided there is no pending appeal or whenever the appeals process has been exhausted.

There are 36 chartered cars for the 40-car field each week. If 23XI and Front Row are not recognized as chartered, their six cars would have to compete as “open” teams — which means they’d have to qualify on speed each week to make the race and they would receive a fraction of the money guaranteed for chartered teams.

Discovery issues

Some of the arguments Tuesday centered on Jonathan Marshall, the executive director of the RTA. NASCAR has demanded text messages and emails from Marshall and says it has received roughly 100 texts and over 55,000 pages of emails.

NASCAR wants all texts between Marshall and 55 people from 2020 through 2024 that contain specific search terms. Attorneys for the RTA said that covers more than 3,000 texts, some of which are privileged, and some that have been “deleted to save storage or he didn’t need them anymore.”

That issue is set to be heard during a hearing next Tuesday before Bell.

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Jenna Fryer, The Associated Press

Drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series seldom stay with a single race team throughout their careers. They jump ship based on several factors, including career stage, remuneration, and team performance standards. But 2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott is one driver who wants to stay with his team, Hendrick Motorsports, till the very end.

Elliott joined the HMS ranks in 2016, taking over the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro that the four-time champion Jeff Gordon commandeered for decades. He has grown to be one of the biggest stars, if not the biggest, in the sport and is actively pursuing his second championship in 2025. He confirmed in a recent interview that he has no desire to race under a different banner ever.

He said on The MeatEater Podcast, “I’ve seen a lot of people jump around over the years. Even guys that you wouldn’t have expected to jump around and do something different. Personally, I would love to spend my career with one team. I’ve been at it with them for 10 years now. I hope I don’t have to go anywhere else or do anything else for sure.”

Gordon started and finished his career with Hendrick Motorsports, like Elliott wants to do. If the 29-year-old manages to keep himself as one of Rick Hendrick’s four horsemen until retirement, he will be joining an elite breed of drivers who are known for their loyalty. Moreover, it is almost a given that at least a few more championships await him if he stays put.

How big was it for Elliott to join Hendrick Motorsports?

Chase’s father, Bill, was an extremely popular figure in American motorsports. Fans loved the sight of him and regarded him highly, although he couldn’t really live up to the other legends on the track every time. But what he lacked in results, he made up for with flair. In contrast to Chase, Bill was a big-time journeyman throughout his career.

He raced for more than a dozen teams throughout his career, with his longest stint coming with Melling Racing. So, it was a naturally big moment for him and his family when it came to light that Chase would be racing for Hendrick Motorsports.

Chase said in an interview at the time, “My parents especially have believed in me every step of the way, and I know this wouldn’t be possible without all the sacrifices they’ve made to focus on my racing career. This is such a big week for our family. I know how rare this opportunity is and will work as hard as I can to make everyone proud.”

Bill would be incredibly proud of his son’s consistency and patience if he stays with Hendrick Motorsports throughout his career. But the most crucial requirement to do that is to start winning more races. The younger Elliott finished third in the Cup Series race at Mexico City last Sunday. His next challenge will be at the Pocono Raceway.

Formula One is recognized as the most popular motorsport internationally. In the United States, NASCAR reigns supreme.

While NASCAR may never reach the heights internationally as Formula One, this past week was a step in the right direction. NASCAR held its Cup Series and Xfinity Series races at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. Mexico’s own Daniel Suárez won the Xfinity race, while New Zealand’s Shane van Gisbergen was dominant in taking the checkered flag in the Cup race.

Does that mean NASCAR is now international? “You bet your bottom dollar it does,” Kyle Petty said Monday.

Kyle Petty: ‘I loved’ NASCAR race in Mexico

“I loved this race in Mexico. It was a historic event. I don’t care what anybody says about it. I don’t care about the complainers, the whiners, get out of town. This was a historic event for NASCAR,” Petty said. “It took us to a city of 9.5 million people. It took us to another country and exposed us to fans who maybe knew what our sport was but had never seen it. Now, they know what it is. Thanks to Daniel Suárez, everyone knew in Mexico what our sport was. What a great day for Daniel and a great day for Mexico. He carried an entire country on his back to Victory Lane in the Xfinity race.

“We switch to the Cup side. Shane van Gisbergen — he wins the race. He’s from New Zealand and he wins in Mexico in a NASCAR race which is an American sport. Does that make us international? You bet your bottom dollar it does, and I think we’re going to see more of it. We may never be Formula One, and I don’t want to be Formula One. But I think at some point in time, they’ll be a handful of races outside the United States. We’ve already had foreign drivers win here. Mario Andretti, Earl Ross, Juan Pablo Montoya, Daniel Suárez, Marcos Ambrose and now, Shane van Gisbergen.”

Kyle Petty calls for NASCAR to take Cup Series across the globe

NASCAR wants to expand its footprint across the globe. That is clear, though it’s yet to be decided if NASCAR will return to Mexico City in 2026. Petty believes not only should NASCAR head back to Mexico City but entertain hosting a race across the pond.

That would be well in line with how Formula One operates. Formula One’s schedule includes trips to the U.S., Australia, Japan, France and Canada among other countries.

“When we bring that caliber of driver to our sport, it gives us international attention. When we take our sport to another country, that makes us international,” Petty said. “I’m sorry, that’s the definition. We are going to be an international sport. We already have fans all over the world. … Now that they know NASCAR in Mexico, we need to go back over and over again. And listen, I’m not above going across the pond. Let’s go there. Let’s show everybody what NASCAR Cup racing can be.”

NASCAR star Chase Elliott is set for a series switch this weekend, Hendrick Motorsports have confirmed.

Following Sunday’s race in Mexico City, in which Elliott finished in third place, NASCAR hits Pocono Raceway this week, with the Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series all in action across the weekend.

Elliott is set to be a busy man, too, with Hendrick Motorsports revealing that the 2022 Cup Series champion will be on double duty in Pennsylvania, driving the No. 17 for the team in the Xfinity Series alongside the No. 9 in the Cup.

“Surprise! The No. 17 gets a familiar face with Chase Elliott pulling double duty at Pocono Raceway,” the team wrote in an official statement.

NASCAR HEADLINES: Denny Hamlin setback confirmed as Joe Gibbs Racing await penalty fate

Chase Elliott set for Xfinity Series drive at Pocono

This weekend will mark the second time that Elliott has stepped down to race in the Xfinity Series having also done so back in April at Darlington.

That weekend, Elliott finished the race in second place in the No. 17 Chevrolet, beaten by Joe Gibbs Racing’s Brandon Jones.

Of course, like most Cup Series stars, Elliott previously raced in the Xfinity Series full-time earlier in his career, driving for two full seasons in the No. 9 for JR Motorsports in 2014 and 2015.

During that time, Elliott won four Xfinity Series races, and he has since gone on to add two further wins to his tally in the series having dipped back in intermittently.

Elliott’s statline in the series as a whole reads 86 races, six wins, 70 top 10’s, and two poles.

READ MORE: NASCAR star Chase Elliott on the rise as Denny Hamlin suffers demotion

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Starting in 1982 and continuing through  2019, NASCAR would stage two race weekends per summer at Pocono Raceway with one in early June and the other in late July or early August.

Then in 2020-21, the pandemic led to holding Cup series races on back-to-back days, and with restrictions in place, the crowds were drastically reduced.

However, when NASCAR decided to visit Pocono just once per season, starting in 2022, it settled on a July date. The Cup race was held on July 24 in 2022, July 23 in 2023, and July 14 last year, and the crowds for all three were some of the best seen in Long Pond, Monroe County, in years.

When NASCAR decided to go back to a June date this year, there might have been some cause for concern that it could negatively affect attendance.

As it turned out, those worries weren’t necessary.

NASCAR makes its annual stop at the so-called Tricky Triangle this weekend, and the place figures to be packed.

Pocono Raceway announced earlier this month that all 3,300 available camping sites were sold for the weekend’s three races. The same release said that grandstand tickets were available for Friday’s Craftsman Truck Series race and Saturday’s Xfinity Series race.

But limited seats remained for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race as the track is hoping for, and likely to get, a third consecutive sellout.

“I liked the July date, but NASCAR sets the schedule and we work together on that, and I think we’ve found a pretty good window here for race weekend,” Pocono Raceway president Ben May said. “The nice part is that the kids are out of school by now. As far as the kids go, and our push for families to come with free admission for kids 12 and under, I think we’re fine. Any earlier in June would have been a little tough. But this is a pretty good time of year for us.”

NASCAR has increasingly added new venues to its schedule, and there has been a reduction in races in the Northeast.

“At one point we had seven Cup races in the Northeast … two at Pocono, two at Dover, two at New Hampshire, and one at Watkins Glen, and now we have just one race at each spot,” May said. “We’re all doing great. Dover had close to a sellout last year, and New Hampshire did, and Watkins Glen always has a great crowd. So we feel good about everything that’s happening here in the Northeast.”

Since track founders, the late Dr. Joseph and Dr. Rose Mattioli, turned over leadership of the track to their grandsons, Brandon and Nick Igdalsky, in 2011, and May was promoted to president in 2017, there has been a steady stream of upgrades and improvements to the track and the raceday experience.

This year, it is the modernization of the scoreboard in Turn 2 that is the most visible to the campers inside the track.

“It was a bit dated,” May said. “It had just the six positions and was the old bulb system. Now, it’s an LED board, and I think that’s probably the glaring thing folks will notice when they get there.”

Depending on when they get there, racing fans will be treated to up to three races with the truck series race, the Xfinity race and the Cup race spread out over three days.

“I think the tripleheader is a big deal,” he said. “I think there are only 10 tracks that have all three series on a weekend. We have a 5:30 truck series race on Friday night, so if you can get out of work and get to the track, you can enjoy a top-notch race. You can have fun watching the truck series.

“At one point, we had both the Truck Series and the Xfinity Series race on Saturday. Not that there’s any such thing as too much racing, but we missed some action in the Fan Zone where the kids can have some fun and partake in the fan experience. Spreading them out to having one race Friday and another on Saturday is better for all involved.

“We’ve also got the Cup series practices and qualifying on Saturday, so you can see NASCAR’s superstars as well as the Triple-A ballplayers, if you well. And then we have a ton of those kids’ activities as well on Saturday, so it’s still a very busy day, and kudos to NASCAR for having three competitive series …”

The Cup series has been quite competitive with 10 different drivers finding Victory Lane through the first 16 races.

New names have emerged to replace the icons of past decades. Ryan Blaney, last year’s race winner and the 2023 Cup series champ, is one of the younger drivers who are consistently contending for race wins and championships.

“I’ve been around this sport long enough to recognize when you see a shift,” May said. “When I first got into this sport, it was Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon. And then you see Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson retiring, and it’s cyclical like any other sport. Eventually, the superstar athletes retire.

“Now we have Christopher Bell winning a bunch of races. He’s a heck of a driver, and when it comes to Pocono, it seems like the veterans are the ones who win. Ryan Blaney won last year, and he is now a veteran, and Chase Elliott has been in this sport for 10 years, and he hasn’t had a win yet this year.

“But it’s the Christopher Bells and William Byrons, the kids that are going to be the next superstars,” May added. “They have proven that they can drive a race car.”

May also likes some of the things happening off the track. He credits the Netflix series that reminds football fans of NFL Films for boosting interest. He is also excited about the addition of Amazon Prime.

There’s also an in-season tournament being introduced for the first time this year, with Pocono being the last race for seeding for the tournament.

At the core of the sport’s popularity is still the accessibility of fans to the athletes, and Pocono creates a lot of up-close and personal moments.

“It’s absolutely one of the biggest advantages we have as a sport,” May said. “The drivers will come out on raceday and they’ll do Q-and-As and they will sign autographs and they will talk to the fans.

“And then 20 minutes later, you see them do 200 miles an hour with their hair on fire. So that ability to get near them is so big. A lot of sports do a great job, but NASCAR is at the lead of that. Not a lot of folks can say they have had a Q-and-A with Saquon Barkley 30 minutes before kickoff. It just didn’t happen. That’s the beauty of our sport.”

And perhaps there is no more loyal sports fan than a NASCAR fan.

“I go back to the Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson days when Jimmie Johnson was in a Lowe’s car and Tony Stewart was in the Home Depot car,” May said. “Tony’s fans weren’t going to Lowe’s, and there was no way a Jimmie Johnson fan was going to Home Depot. The fans understand what it takes to keep their favorite driver on the track and going fast. They have a true understanding of what makes the ecosystem of NASCAR work.”

Another aspect of the weekend is the promotion of the Poconos. The Xfinity race is called the Explore the Pocono Mountains 250, and the Cup race is called the Great American Getaway presented by VisitPA.com.

“The visitors bureau of the Poconos sponsors the Explore the Pocono Mountains 250, and that’s a massive boost to the area at a time when we’re just kicking off summer here and our No. 1 business is tourism,” May said. “The support we get from that group has been terrific, and the state tourism office has been wonderful in making sure people come to Pennsylvania. You know Doc Mattioli was a Pennsylvania guy, and so was Dr. Rose. They’re from Pennsylvania and cared about the state.

“That’s why one race was called the Pennsylvania 500 and the other was called the Pocono 500 for years,” May added. “The whole family is proud to be from Pennsylvania, and we’re a family-owned and operated business. So we love highlighting the Poconos and Pennsylvania with our race weekend.”