NASCAR announces penalties after Texas Motor Speedway weekend
NASCAR announced the penalties after the Texas Motor Speedway races this past weekend. Kevin Walter, the crew chief for Xfinity Series driver Daniel Dye, has been suspended for the Charlotte race and fined $10,000 for two missing/loose lug nuts. Daniel Dye finished 11th at Texas Motor Speedway. In an Instagram post, Dye wrote, “Looked like […]
NASCAR announced the penalties after the Texas Motor Speedway races this past weekend. Kevin Walter, the crew chief for Xfinity Series driver Daniel Dye, has been suspended for the Charlotte race and fined $10,000 for two missing/loose lug nuts.
Daniel Dye finished 11th at Texas Motor Speedway. In an Instagram post, Dye wrote, “Looked like we were gonna have a chance to finish inside of the top 10 for a little bit but unfortunately it didn’t shake out in our favor. Looking forward to a couple of weeks off.”
Dye is in his first season as a full-time Xfinity Series driver after spending the last two seasons in the Truck Series. The 21-year-old is driving the No. 10 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing and has earned five top-10 finishes in 12 races. He has yet to win a race in NASCAR’s national series.
Daniel Dye looks to have a big rookie season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series
“Daniel [Dye] has done a really great job for our team this season,” Kaulig Racing President Chris Rice said in a statement in August, per Jayski’s Silly Season Site. “He is invested in our program and putting in the time and effort to keep getting better. I’ve been able to spend a lot of time with him throughout the season, and we’re looking forward to having him with us full-time in 2025.”
“I’ve really enjoyed driving the Xfinity car this year, and I’m excited for the opportunity to continue working with Kaulig Racing in 2025,” Dye said in August. “It’s been a fun experience learning the car and trying to navigate the different feeling compared to the truck. I’m looking forward to finishing out the season, running for the Truck Championship and making the most of my remaining races in the No. 10.”
In March, Dye spoke to ABC 4 about his goals for his rookie season in the Xfinity Series. “I’m greedy. In the sport of racing, you always have to be a little bit greedy. So, just gotta be able to capitalize on that,” Dye said. “I’d love to win. I’ve still yet to get a top three National Series win so to be able to get that and lock ourselves in the playoffs.”
Kirkwood fastest in Detroit Grand Prix practice after nudge from Power
Detroit — Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global Racing took the No. 1 spot in Friday’s practice to start the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix weekend. The opening practice featured some controversy with Will Power of Team Penske using his No. 12 Chevrolet to give Kirkwood a tush-push, then getting around his No. 27 Honda. It’s a […]
Detroit — Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global Racing took the No. 1 spot in Friday’s practice to start the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix weekend.
The opening practice featured some controversy with Will Power of Team Penske using his No. 12 Chevrolet to give Kirkwood a tush-push, then getting around his No. 27 Honda.
It’s a huge weekend with Chevrolet being the race sponsor and needing a win in the Motor City, especially since they are 0-for-6 in races this season. Alex Palou has won five times in Honda power for Ganassi Racing and Kirkwood winning at Long Beach.
It’s also important for Team Penske drivers since the organization was involved in a cheating scandal during qualifying for the Indianapolis 500, costing team president Tim Cindric and two others their jobs. Power and his teammates Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden all struggled in the Indy 500 with McLaughlin crashing in the warm-up lap and Power finishing 19th and Newgarden 22nd.
Power talked about his push of Kirkwood, saying: “I felt since I touched him, I should just keep pushing him so I could get a gap.”
Kirkwood, who was involved in an incident with A.J. Foyt driver Santino Ferrucci in last year’s practice, simply said: “I don’t care. I’m not upset. I’m P1 anyway. The track is not big enough (for 20-car field). He got frustrated and pushed me.”
Kirkwood topped the field, going around the nine-turn, 1.7-mile temporary street course in 1.01.750 with McLaughlin second (1.02.03), followed by Power (1.02.386) and Newgarden (1.02.481).
David Malukas of A.J. Foyt Racing had a first-hand look at Power and Kirkwood going at it, saying: “It was cool to see him (Power) push him (Kirkwood), and then see him (Kirkwood) throw his arm out, like to say, ‘What the hell is going on.’”
Lundgaard of Aaron McLaren was fifth fastest (1.02.604), followed by Kirkwood’s teammate Colton Herta (1.02.614).
Alex Palou, who has won five of the first six races for Chip Ganassi Racing, wasn’t among the top 10 in practice, finishing 15th in the 20-car field, and having to go in a runoff after locking up his brakes and missing a corner on one lap.
Malukas said he jumped into a simulator to run 100 laps to get ready for this weekend, especially since the series is going from an oval to a bumpy, tight street course.
“Thankfully I went on a simulator and went 100 laps because it’s so technical and the margin for error is very small,” Malukas said. “Turn 1 looks inviting, wide in the entrance and very tight on exit, and then the bumps are mid to out and that takes you to a wall.”
Sounds like a recipe for an accident or two or at least a tush-push in the days ahead.
Qualifying is set for Saturday at 12:20 p.m., with the race Sunday at 12:30.
Young gun Palou exhausted
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou is the young gun of the Indy Car series, already winning three series championships and well on the way to his fourth.
Palou, 28, is coming off an Indianapolis 500 win and flew into Detroit exhausted.
“I’m tired, exhausted, but it was the best moments of my life,” said Palou when he arrived in Detroit Thursday afternoon. “I went to the Pacers game on Sunday night (following 500 win), then flew to New York (for Monday and Tuesday) where I had a lot of events, doing media, then getting the chance to see the Empire State Building and Times Square.
“Now, it’s on to Detroit where I won the first time on the new track. It’s a very demanding track, narrow and bumpy where you have to stay out of trouble to have a chance at winning.”
Palou got his DHL No. 10 Honda on the nine-turn, 1.7-mile temporary street course down the streets of downtown on Friday afternoon for practice to prepare for Sunday’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.
Palou wasn’t at his best either, finishing 15th fastest, locking up his brakes on one lap, forcing him to the runoff lane.
The event moved from Belle Isle to the downtown track two years ago and Palou quickly mastered the bumpy, narrow and short course to reach Victory Lane.
Palou has won series championships in 2021, ’23 and ’24 and is the first driver since A.J. Foyt (1979) to win five of the first six races to start a season this year.
While Palou is the king of the young guns, he has a lot of competition, led by 26-year-old Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren, 25-year-old Colton Herta of Andretti Global, 26-year-old Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global, 23-year-old Christian Lundgaard of Arrow McLaren, 23-year-old David Malukas of A.J. Foyt Racing and 26-year-old Santino Ferrucci, Malukas’ teammate.
O’Ward has seven career wins during his six seasons with Arrow McLaren, winning three races and finishing fifth in points last year.
O’Ward has earned 194 points this season, a distant second to Palou with Kirkwood, who won at Long Beach, third (180) and Lundgaard, fourth at 177.
O’Ward has consistently run up front in the past few races, finishing sixth at Alabama, third in the Indy Grand Prix and third in the Indy 500.
Herta started in the series as a teenager, then joined Michael Andretti’s organization where he quickly made a name for himself in 2020 when he had seven top 5s, including a win at Mid-Ohio to place third in points.
Herta was runnerup to Palou in the battle for the championship last season with wins at Toronto and Nashville. He has struggled this season where he heads into this weekend ninth in points.
Lundgaard is having a brilliant season in his first year at Arrow McLaren after spending his first four years in the series with Rahal Lettermen, owning three podiums (top three finishes).
Ferrucci finished last season on a high note, placing fourth in both races in a doubleheader in Milwaukee and sixth in Nashville to finish ninth in points.
Ferrucci showed his grit and competitiveness in last year’s Detroit Grand Prix, getting into numerous battles with Kirkwood and Herta in practice and qualifying, ultimately finishing ninth in the race.
Malukas, in his first year of driving for Foyt, has struggled in the five road and street course races with his best finish of 13th in St. Petersburg IndyNXT.
Now, it’s time to watch rookies Louis Foster and Jacob Abel with the 21-year-old Foster winning the Indy NXT title last season and the 24-year-old Abel finishing second.
Foster is now competing in the big show for Rahal Letterman, running in the No. 45 Honda with Abel in the No. 51 Honda for Dale Coyne Racing.
Detroit’s Allaer grew up as hockey fan
Detroit native Nolan Allaer had no intention of being an IndyCar driver when he was in grade school or middle school, but everything changed when he was in high school and hopped in a simulator and fell in love with auto racing.
Allaer, 23, was born in Detroit, but his family moved to Tampa Bay, where his father got a job with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, when he was 2.
Allaer grew up a hockey fan and when his family moved back to Michigan in 2016, he attended Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, and one day got into a simulator where he put in impressive times.
His father, Robert, was a driver — a two-time SCCA National Champion — and told Nolan that if he got within two-tenths of his time he would let him drive his race car for a graduation gift.
Allaer reached his goal, and made the most of his opportunity which led him to winning the Formula F championship. He is now driving the No. 11 for HMD Motorsports in the Indy NXT series — the AAA of the IndyCar series — where he will be competing in Sunday’s 10:30 a.m. race in his Martini-banded livery sponsored car with National Coney Island and Faygo as additional sponsors.
“I loved it, but never dreamed of being a race car driver,” said Allaer on his start in simulators. “Then, I got my start, always thinking this will be the last time I will be in a race car.”
Allaer did get into racing in the Florida Karting series in his younger years, but said at the time he despised the sport because of the pressure he felt.
Now, Allaer enjoys the pressure of sitting in his NXT series car where he will try to move up the ladder after sitting 20th in points after five races with a top showing of 16th in the Indy Grand Prix.
Allaer finished 12th out of 20 cars in Saturday’s practice.
dgoricki@detroitnews.com
Detroit Grand Prix
Where: Temporary street course, downtown Detroit
Main event: IndyCar Series Detroit Grand Prix, Sunday, 12:30 p.m. (Fox)
NASCAR Truck Series Qualifying Today: Nashville start times, schedule and how to watch live on TV
The 2025 NASCAR Truck Series hits Nashville Superspeedway on Friday, May 30, for qualifying ahead of the Rackley Roofing 200.
Last time out, the Truck Series raced at Concord to follow up the All-Star Weekend, with Corey Heim winning the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 after sweeping the stage wins too.
READ MORE: NASCAR Race […]
The 2025 NASCAR Truck Series hits Nashville Superspeedway on Friday, May 30, for qualifying ahead of the Rackley Roofing 200.
Last time out, the Truck Series raced at Concord to follow up the All-Star Weekend, with Corey Heim winning the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 after sweeping the stage wins too.
READ MORE: NASCAR Race Today: Truck Series at Nashville start times, schedule and how to watch live on TV
With that dominant win, Heim continues to lead the way in the Truck Series standings heading to Nashville this weekend.
The No. 11 driver has a 100-point advantage over Chandler Smith in second, whilst Daniel Hemric, Tyler Ankrum and Grant Enfinger sit third, fourth and fifth respectively.
With that said, let’s get into all the details you need to know ahead of Friday’s qualifying action!
READ MORE: NASCAR penalty appeal has massive impact on Cup Series playoffs
NASCAR Truck Series: Nashvilla qualifying start times
NASCAR Truck Series qualifying Nashville Superspeedway starts on Friday, May 23, at 5:10 pm ET. You can find the start time converted to your local city and time zone below.
City (Time Zone)
Session start time
New York, NY (ET)
5:10 PM
Charlotte, NC (ET)
5:10 PM
Columbia, SC (ET)
5:10 PM
Charleston, WV (ET)
5:10 PM
Augusta, ME (ET)
5:10 PM
Chicago, IL (CT)
4:10 PM
Pierre, SD (CT)
4:10 PM
Nashville, TN (CT)
4:10 PM
Des Moines, IA (CT)
4:10 PM
Montgomery, AL (CT)
4:10 PM
Mexico City, MX (CT)
4:10 PM
Denver, CO (MT)
3:10 PM
Salt Lake City, UT (MT)
3:10 PM
Albuquerque, NM (MT)
3:10 PM
El Paso, TX (MT)
3:10 PM
Los Angeles, CA (PT)
2:10 PM
Las Vegas, NV (PT)
2:10 PM
Seattle, WA (PT)
2:10 PM
Portland, OR (PT)
2:10 PM
San Francisco, CA (PT)
2:10 PM
How to watch NASCAR Truck Series at Nashville on TV
In 2025, all of the action from the NASCAR Truck Series is set to be shown live on FOX Sports in the United States.
Practice (4:05 pm ET) and qualifying (5:10 pm ET) action from Nashville Superspeedway on Friday can be watched on FOX Sports 2.
Race action, meanwhile, will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1, with radio coverage also available on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Country
Broadcaster(s)
United States
FOX Sports
Canada
Bell Media (CTV, TSN, USA Network and TSN+)
NASCAR HEADLINES: Penalty ruling shakes up standings as team hit with suspensions
NASCAR Xfinity Series at Nashville Superspeedway Preview
The NASCAR Xfinity Series is racing in Nashville, Tennessee, for the Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway. Let’s get you up to speed for Saturday night’s Xfinity Series race. Ty Gibbs leads the field to the green flag to start the Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 29, 2024 (James Gilbert/Getty Images) NASCAR […]
The NASCAR Xfinity Series is racing in Nashville, Tennessee, for the Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway. Let’s get you up to speed for Saturday night’s Xfinity Series race.
Ty Gibbs leads the field to the green flag to start the Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 29, 2024 (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
NASCAR Xfinity Series at Nashville Superspeedway Preview
It’s time to go racing in Music City, Nashville, Tennessee. The Tennessee Lottery 250 is the 14th race of the 2025 season. Last time the Xfinity Series raced at Nashville, it was John Hunter Nemechek and the Joe Gibbs Racing #20 team taking home the victory. Can Joe Gibbs Racing dominate like they did last year? Or will Chevy continue their absolute dominance this season?
Race Preview:
The 2025 Tennessee Lottery 250 is a 250-mile, 188-lap race around the 1.333-mile Nashville Superspeedway. It is the 26th Xfinity Series race at the track. Stage cautions will be displayed on laps 45 and 90, with the checkered flag flying on lap 188. There is a total prize purse of 1,651,939 dollars available to participants of this race. Teams will have five sets of tires for qualifying and the race.
The Track-Nashville Superspeedway:
Nashville Superspeedway, located in Lebanon, Tennessee, opened in 2001 as a 1.33-mile concrete oval track. Initially hosting races for the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series, it became notable for its concrete surface. After closing in 2011 due to declining attendance, the track reopened in 2021 under Speedway Motorsports ownership, hosting its first NASCAR Cup Series race. Since 2021, it has hosted all three major NASCAR Series.
The Xfinity Series has raced at Nashville 25 times in the past. Greg Biffle won the inaugural race back in 2001. Carl Edwards holds the record for wins at the speedway, five wins in 13 starts. AJ Allmendinger holds the track lap record, a 31.214-second lap, set in the 2022 running of the Tennessee Lottery 250.
Xfinity Series Points Standings:
These are the current point standings for the Xfinity Series following last week’s race at Charlotte:
The race will have some notable additions to the field for Saturday’s race. Ross Chastain will drive the #9 for JR Motorsports. Corey Day will drive the #17 Camaro for Hendrick Motorsports. Aric Almirola will pilot the #19 for Joe Gibbs Racing. Katherine Legge continues her run in the #32 for Jordan Anderson Racing. Myatt Snider will make his third start of the year, driving the #91 for DGM Racing.
READ MORE: Hendrick Motorsports Ensures Future, Signs 19-Year-old Corey Day
Who Will Win in Nashville?
It has been clear that the Xfinity Series is Chevrolet’s playground in 2025. Out of the 14 races run this season, 12 have been one by Chevrolet. 8 of those wins have been won by full-time Xfinity drivers. Those other six have been won by Cup Series racers. If you want to bet on a winner, bet on him driving a Chevrolet.
Justin Allgaier is the only winner racing in the field this Saturday. He is the points leader for the series, and after a pit-gamble gone wrong last week at Charlotte, I think he wants to get another win and extend that points lead.
READ MORE: Late Caution Derails Larson, as Justin Allgaier Wins in South Beach
Joe Gibbs Racing has the other two wins in the series in 2025. Aric Almirola has one, and Brandon Jones the other. They dominated this race in 2024, winning the pole, both stages, and the race. If anyone has the speed to upset Chevy’s dominance, it has to be JGR. Look for Almirola to lead the Toyota charge on Saturday.
Sam Mayer has put the blue ovals on his back this season. He is third in the points and has almost 100 more points than his teammate, Sheldon Creed. He has had top-five, top ten speed all season long, but has not been able to get that breakout speed for a win. Look out for Sam Mayer to again lead the Ford camp at Nashville.
How To Watch The Xfinity Series at Nashville:
Here is the schedule for the Tennessee Lottery 250:
Saturday, May 31st:
Practice:
2:00 PM Eastern
Coverage is located on the CW App
Qualifying:
3:10 PM Eastern
Coverage continues on the CW App
The Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway:
Stay tuned for all the excitement from Nashville Superspeedway and the NASCAR Xfinity Series
Dennis Hauger Sets Quick Early Pace in First Detroit Practice
INDYCAR Just when it appeared Dennis Hauger might be mortal, he sent a message Friday afternoon to the rest of the INDY NXT by Firestone field during the final moments of the first practice for the Detroit Grand Prix. Series points leader Hauger turned the quickest lap of the opening session of the weekend, 1 […]
Just when it appeared Dennis Hauger might be mortal, he sent a message Friday afternoon to the rest of the INDY NXT by Firestone field during the final moments of the first practice for the Detroit Grand Prix.
Series points leader Hauger turned the quickest lap of the opening session of the weekend, 1 minute, 6.8158 seconds, in the No. 28 Rental Group car fielded by Andretti Global on his final trip around the nine-turn, 1.645-mile street circuit in downtown Detroit.
SEE: Practice Results
“Good run,” Hauger said. “We were having some issue in the middle of practice, which wasn’t ideal, and we didn’t get to do as many laps as the others. But we still found good pace. Getting laps was the most important thing with a new track (for me), and a track like this, it’s not easy to get on with quickly.
“A good start. We have to keep improving for tomorrow.”
Those are ominous words for Hauger’s rivals. He has won three of the first four races this season in the INDYCAR development series and is 15 points ahead of fellow Andretti Global series rookie Lochie Hughes atop the standings.
Up next is practice at 8 a.m. ET Saturday, followed by qualifying at 11:30 a.m. (both sessions FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). The 45-lap race starts at 10:30 a.m. ET Sunday (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).
2024 series Rookie of the Year Caio Collet ended up second at 1:07.1961 in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports machine, also ripping off his quickest lap late in the 45-minute session.
Rookie Max Taylor, just 17 years old, sat atop the time sheets with one minute to go but ended up still an impressive third at 1:07.2210 in the No. 18 HMD Motorsports car. Series veteran Myles Rowe was fourth at 1:07.3022 in the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy machine.
Veteran Salvador de Alba rounded out the top five at 1:07.3826 in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car of Andretti Global. That team put three drivers in the top six as Hughes’ best lap was 1:07.4375 in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car.
The unforgiving concrete walls around tight, bumpy street circuit in downtown Detroit collected their share of cars during the session.
Andretti Global’s James Roe brought out a red flag with heavy left-side contact in Turn 7 in his No. 29 Topcon machine, while Liam Sceats later made contact in Turn 4 in his No. 30 HMD Motorsports car shortly after the track opened following Roe’s incident.
Also making light contact without causing a red flag were rookie Tommy Smith in the No. 16 HMD Motorsports machine and veteran Niels Koolen in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing car.
None of the drivers involved in the incidents was hurt.
The drivers who should be worrying about NASCAR Cup playoff hopes
13 races down, 13 races to go in the regular season for the NASCAR Cup Series. At the halfway point, there have been eight different winners with Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing [JGR] taking the lion’s share of victories. Those fortunate eight are William Byron [Hendrick], Kyle Larson [Hendrick], Christopher Bell [JGR], Denny Hamlin [JGR], […]
13 races down, 13 races to go in the regular season for the NASCAR Cup Series. At the halfway point, there have been eight different winners with Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing [JGR] taking the lion’s share of victories.
Those fortunate eight are William Byron [Hendrick], Kyle Larson [Hendrick], Christopher Bell [JGR], Denny Hamlin [JGR], Joey Logano [Penske], Austin Cindric [Penske], Josh Berry [Wood Brothers], and newly crowned Coca-Cola 600 winner Ross Chastain [Trackhouse].
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Photo by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
But while these drivers are feeling secure, there are several others beginning to sweat. Looking closer at the standings, drivers like Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, and Ryan Blaney need not worry (yet). While they are winless, they do have a comfortable points margin over the cut-line. But as we’ve seen before, that could rapidly change should a few more drivers lower in the standings start grabbing wins.
Where things get more nerve-wracking is around the bubble, but there’s still no need to panic for these drivers at this time. Ryan Preece holds the 16th and final spot after taking into account the drivers beneath him who have already won, leaving on the hot seat. He is just six points ahead of his RFK Racing teammate Chris Buescher, who recently got 30 points back after a penalty appeal.
This remains an incredibly tight battle that will surely look a lot different around the cut-off race at Daytona, with eight winless drivers within 40 points of Preece. There is no margin for error right now with this group. But what about the drivers even deeper in the standings? It might be time to be a little bit worried, if not fully beginning to panic. Here’s a brief look at those drivers and their current situation:
Ty Gibbs: 25th, -50pts out
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Photo by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Gibbs is still in a position to point his way in, but his season has left the No. 54 team scratching their heads. Unlike his JGR teammates, the speed just hasn’t been there. Bristol was a bright spot as he finished third, but he has eight finishes of 22nd or worse in the first 13 races as well. This comes as quite a surprise. Despite being winless in his first 100 Cup starts, Gibbs still made the playoffs last year.
Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford
Photo by: Logan Riely / Getty Images
Smith is with a new team in 2025 and so far, he’s improving on last year’s performance. But that still puts him just 26th in the standings with a best finish of ninth. However, it was around this point last year when he started turning things around, so perhaps we’ve yet to see the best he has to offer in the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford. He did manage to earn a pole position at Talladega, so we know he has the speed when the series heads to superspeedways.
Erik Jones, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota
Photo by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Few expected Jones to be lagging behind his teammate in 2025, but like the two names we already went over, he is. Legacy Motor Club has been struggling for speed, but there is reason to be hopeful. Recent races have shown an uptick in performance, including a top five for Jones at Texas and a solid showing in the Coke 600. Maybe all is not lost, but they need to start making big gains, now.
Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports Ford
Photo by: Logan Riely / Getty Images
Gragson has been a bit like his FRM teammate Smith. The potential is there, but the execution is not. A top ten at COTA, a top five at Talladega, and another top ten at the Coke 600 show that they can put together strong races, and Gragson is a proven multi-time winner in the Xfinity Series. But the weeks when they’re off, they are very off, and that’s left him buried in the standings.
Justin Haley, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Photo by: Getty Images
Haley’s team just wants to go a few weeks without losing any more personnel. Crew chief Rodney Childers abruptly parted ways with Spire mid-season and they lost several (good) crew members to Hendrick Motorsports. While both of his Spire teammates have challenged for race wins, Haley has been falling behind and has recorded no finish higher than tenth. Around Gragson and Haley is where drivers and teams are likely less concerned about points at this point and are thinking more about how they can hit a home run and score a victory.
Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Photo by: Sean Gardner / Getty Images
Suarez locked himself into the 2024 playoffs with a win in the second race of the year. He almost did something similar early this season, but lost out in a battle with Josh Berry for the Las Vegas win. Suarez has had brief moments of speed and Trackhouse just won the Coke 600 with his teammate Chastain, but the consistency isn’t there at all. Suarez hasn’t led more than 12 laps in any single race, and the four DNFs due to crashes haven’t helped either. He’s likely in a must-win mindset and he has some good opportunities coming up to do just that, but just as Chastain did one week ago, he will have to capitalize when those moments arrive.
Ty Dillon, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Photo by: James Gilbert / Getty Images
T. Dillon is nowhere near his veteran teammate AJ Allmendinger at Kaulig Racing, finishing no higher than 12th in any race this year. Dillon’s return to the Cup Series has been a struggle and winning a race in the Cup Series is something he is 0-258 in achieving. With the lack of speed that has plagued this No. 10 team, his only hope likely sits with the drafting races at Atlanta and Daytona.
Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Photo by: Chris Graythen – Getty Images
A true shocker. The 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion made the playoffs last year and before a top-five finish in the Coke 600, Keselowski has been nowhere. Nine finishes of 26th or worse in the first 13 races, five DNFs due to crashes in what has been the worst season of his career. His teammates are battling around the bubble while Keselowski lags 100 points behind them. It’s a confusing situation as no one, including Keselowski, expected to see the No. 6 Ford in this position.
Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Photo by: James Gilbert / Getty Images
SVG is the lowest of the three Trackhouse drivers, but he is also leading the ROTY standings with his only rival just one point behind him. No one expected the three-time Supercars champion to come in and immediately find his way on ovals, but he wasn’t making any progress either … until recently. A 20th at Kansas and a 14th in the Coke 600 are his best oval finishes of the year, both coming in the last two races. He even earned pole position for the All-Star Open at North Wilkesboro. And as strange as it may sound, SVG likely has a better chance of making the playoffs than many of the drivers ahead of him. He’s a road racing ace and while he missed out on a win at COTA (finishing sixth), there are four more road courses left in the regular season. He is fully capable of winning all of them, and this Kiwi only needs one to shake up the entire playoff picture.
Riley Herbst, 23XI Racing Toyota
Photo by: Getty Images
Another rookie like SVG, also driving a newly created third team but for 23XI Racing. Unfortunately, he does not have the benefit of a track where he knows he can win like SVG. Herbst’s best result this year is 14th and he has been deep in the pack during most races. He has to win, but where can he make that happen?
Cole Custer, Haas Factory Team
Photo by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
We all knew 2025 would be a struggle for the Haas Factory Team. After Stewart-Haas Racing shut down, all that remains is a single-car effort with Custer behind the wheel. He has no finishes higher than 13th, and 11 of the first 13 races have seen him finish outside the top 20. And yet, he was also half-a-lap away from potentially winning the Daytona 500 when he crashed in the battle for the win. With how the rest of the season has gone, he surely has Daytona circled later this summer as perhaps his only chance to put Gene Haas into the playoffs.
Cody Ware: 36th, -200pts out
Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing Ford; Cole Custer, Haas Factory Team Ford
Photo by: Christopher Trim Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
There’s no way to sugarcoat this. Ware is last among all full-time drivers, a full 75 points behind his nearest competition. Ware’s best finish is only 24th and nine of the first 13 races have seen him finish 30th or worse. While I’m tempted to say there’s no hope, that’s never truly the case in this championship format. Last year, Harrison Burton entered Race #25 of 26 at Daytona dead last among full-time drivers, and he went on to win the race.
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TNT Sports & Max Announce NASCAR Driver Cam “Featured Multiview” Selections for Cracker Barrel 400 on Sunday, June 1 – Speedway Digest
TNT Sports and Max today announced the driver selections for NASCAR Driver Cam’s Featured Multiview during this Sunday’s Cracker Barrel 400 from Nashville Superspeedway, with streaming coverage beginning approximately 30 minutes before the green flag: Josh Berry, notching his first career victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this season (March 16). Denny Hamlin, securing two […]
TNT Sports and Max today announced the driver selections for NASCAR Driver Cam’s Featured Multiview during this Sunday’s Cracker Barrel 400 from Nashville Superspeedway, with streaming coverage beginning approximately 30 minutes before the green flag:
Josh Berry, notching his first career victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this season (March 16).
Denny Hamlin, securing two wins this season – his first at Martinsville Speedway (March 30) and another at Darlington Raceway (April 6) – giving him a sixth-place position in the overall standings.
Ricky Stenhouse, with one top-five and two top-10 finishes this season.
Chase Elliott, voted “Most Popular Driver” for seven consecutive seasons, sits fourth in the standings with three top-five finishes this season.
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B/R Racing’s X and Instagram platforms will also host four head-to-head polls through this Friday featuring eight additional drivers for fans to vote on which four will be featured on a special “Fan Selected” Multiview stream on Max.
Individual Driver Cams will also be available for all drivers in the NASCAR All-Star Open earlier in the evening on Sunday.
The NASCAR Driver Cam experience — exclusive to Max — offers motorsports fans the ultimate all-access pass to every driver for every race throughout the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series schedule, including a layered audio mix of scanner team radios and ambient car noise, all synced up with a 1080p Driver Cam feed (on supported devices).
Fans will be able to choose between the up to 40 individual Driver Cams or the two pre-set Multiview stream options featuring four drivers each. Each individual driver stream features integrated live stats— stage, lap number, position and race status — along with telemetry data including speed, RPM, gear, and more. Users can pause, rewind and fast forward as well, and a replay of each individual driver stream will be available following each race.
The NASCAR Driver Cams and Multiviews are available to stream within Sports on Max. Users can find all NASCAR Driver Cam on Max live content on the upcoming schedule at https://play.max.com/live-sports-schedule.
