NXS: Austin Hill takes third win of season in dramatic three wide finish under caution – Speedway Digest
Coming off a disqualification last week in the return of NASCAR to Rockingham Speedway, Jesse Love Jr. would put his car on the pole over teammate Austin Hill. The pair has already gone to victory lane in the first two superspeedway races of the season. The opening stage would run calm and caution free with […]
Coming off a disqualification last week in the return of NASCAR to Rockingham Speedway, Jesse Love Jr. would put his car on the pole over teammate Austin Hill. The pair has already gone to victory lane in the first two superspeedway races of the season.
The opening stage would run calm and caution free with little challenge for the pole sitter Jesse Love taking the opening stage win of the day over Hill, Creed, Eckes and Sanchez rounding out the top-five.
Love’s first challenge of the day would come in the beginning of the second stage with Eckes, S. Smith, and J. Burton all taking turns leading.
Austin Hill turn at the lead would come with six laps remaining in the stage would hold off several challenges to take the stage win over Love, Almirola, Sanchez and S. Smith.
The first caution for cause of the day would come 80 laps into the event when S. Smith would get turned across the nose of J. Burton to collect Van Last, Sieg and others.
With laps winding down passing the 100 laps mark the fourth caution of the day would come out when Almirola would go up the track into the path of Legge before turning back down the track into the path of Jones, Earnhardt and others.
Zilisch and Allgaier would battle through the white flag lap before Zilisch would turn hard into the inside wall bringing out the final caution of the three as three cars of Austin Hill, Jeb Burton and Love would come three wide through the incident as NASCAR would finally throw the caution.
The trio of cars would ride around the track sitting just short of the tri-over waiting for a call from NASCAR on the official winner.
After NASCAR would take time to review footage at the time of caution Austin Hill would be ruled as the winner over Jeb Burton and Jesse Love.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series now moves onto Texas Motor Speedway next Saturday May 3 for Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at 2 p.m. ET on CW Network.
Denny Hamlin gives it the gas. Mexico next. Yep, it’s a Hemi
In the end, Denny Hamlin had enough horsepower to get by William Byron at Michigan. And then he had enough gas in the tank to complete the 400 miles and bag his third trophy of the season. It’s also the 57th win of his career, which is 11th best all-time and three away from catching […]
In the end, Denny Hamlin had enough horsepower to get by William Byron at Michigan.
And then he had enough gas in the tank to complete the 400 miles and bag his third trophy of the season. It’s also the 57th win of his career, which is 11th best all-time and three away from catching Kevin Harvick and reaching the top 10.
After the checkers, he revved it and smoked it just enough to run out of gas and his No. 11 Toyota needed a tow to Victory Lane. No big deal, you likely say.
Well, probably not. But all the same, Denny might want to start saving on that Sunoco bill because his accompanying NASCAR job — team co-owner — might come with some financial headwinds in the coming weeks.
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That’s right, Denny will be going right from post-victory interviews to a chat with the lawyers. But not before first checking in with the obstetrician.
Huh?
Let’s get up to speed …
First Gear: Worried? Not Denny
Michigan International Speedway is NASCAR’s fastest track, and no, we couldn’t say that if speeds weren’t restricted at the two highest-banked superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega) as well as the newest too-fast-for-sanity track (Atlanta).
In-car telemetry showed cars tickling and even surpassing 200 mph on the Michigan straights. Stressing the horses to such degrees naturally takes a lot of fuel, which is why Michigan occasionally comes down to who’s done a better job of calculating the mileage and, when needed, loosening the laces on the right shoe in order to feather that throttle.
Denny Hamlin wins at Michigan, he becomes just the 10th driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to win with more than 700 career starts.
With 57 wins, he is now the winningest driver in Joe Gibbs Racing history, breaking a tie with Kyle Busch (56 wins) pic.twitter.com/k5R9RLVkAv
A final caution with 53 laps remaining around the 2-mile oval left no room for error on fuel. William Byron, who reluctantly gave up the lead to Hamlin with four laps left, ran out of gas and had to quickly dive to the pits coming off Turn 4 with the white flag in sight.
Denny being Denny, he claimed afterward he wasn’t worried about his own gas gauge, even after Byron disappeared from his mirror for obvious reasons.
“No, not really,” he suggested.
He has other issues on his mind, you know. Longtime fiancee Jordan Fish spent the weekend back home, awaiting the birth of the couple’s third child.
And there’s that other thing …
Second Gear: Courtroom setback precedes on-track victory
We haven’t revisited the courtroom for a few weeks, so let’s check in.
Uh-oh, we have actual movement, and not just paperwork involving the ongoing antitrust case filed by 23XI and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR.
Last week, a federal appeals court overturned an earlier judgement that allowed 23XI (owned by Hamlin and Michael Jordan) and Front Row to keep their coveted charters and all the benefits that come with those Cup Series “franchises” — each is a three-car team.
BREAKING: A federal appeals court has overturned the injunction that let 23XI and Front Row Motorsports race as chartered teams. Their current and newly acquired charters from SHR are now at risk, and they could be forced to run as open teams. Via. Jeff Gluck pic.twitter.com/ziCPRIMpDQ
The teams were given until June 19 to file for a rehearing. If they don’t file, or if they do file and get another negative judgement, the appeals court’s verdict is set and the two teams can have their charters stripped by NASCAR, which would take away their automatic entry into each race and, more importantly, cost them the financial benefits of being a chartered team (bigger weekly payouts, etc.).
The automatic race entry isn’t likely a big deal, since Cup races rarely reach the maximum 40-car limit. Lost revenue streams, however, is another thing entirely.
Beyond the current dust remains the early-December trial date that will ultimately settle the ugliness, unless something is worked out before then.
Third Gear: NASCAR stretches its southern boundary
For the first time since early March, the Cup Series visits a road course this coming weekend. But this isn’t Watkins Glen, Sonoma or any of the other familiar layouts. It’s the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City.
Hopefully we’ll talk more about those Rodriguez brothers later in the week.
Busy morning at Michigan as #NASCAR Cup Series teams began to swap out cars and equipment for Mexico.
These trucks delivered the Mexico City cars today & will drive back to North Carolina with the Michigan cars. The primary haulers now have the Mexico cars loaded for the haul. pic.twitter.com/zwxoxMFa7F
Meanwhile, if it all sounds a tad familiar, it’s because NASCAR’s Xfinity Series raced at the Mexico City track four straight years, from 2005-2008. The race winners were Martin Truex Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya, and two dudes still very active today — Kyle Busch and, yes, Denny Hamlin.
This effort poses a ton of logistical lifting for the Boys in Operations, who must navigate the distance and, more cumbersome, the chore of getting those packed haulers through customs at the border. What could go wrong?
Hopefully nothing.
Fourth Gear: Dodge racing back to NASCAR … in a Ram
“That thing got a Hemi?”
Man oh man, you could hardly go to a commercial break 20 years ago without hearing that phrase during an ad for Dodge Ram.
RAM Is Back in NASCAR
RAM will race in the Craftsman Truck Series starting in 2026.
But that’s not all. CEO Tim Kuniskis hinted a Dodge Cup Series entry could follow. “We have cars in our company,” he said.
And now it’s coming back. About every half-generation, it seems, there’s a breakthrough in NASCAR’s manufacturer roll call. Dodge is the newest, announcing this past weekend that the Ram is returning to the Truck Series next season.
Dodge was last in the Truck Series in 2013, and last raced the Cup Series in 2012. The Ram returns next February at Daytona. How long before the Charger makes its way to the Xfinity or Cup Series? No word yet, but you have to assume it’s part of the grand plan.
And yes, they’re also bringing back the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8.
Clint Knight talks workforce, local music and revival of Mansfield Motorsports Speedway
The News Man Weekly Podcast is brought to you by our friends at Relax, It’s Just Coffee! MANSFIELD — From music to motorsports to workforce development, Clint Knight wears a lot of hats — and we talk about all of them in this week’s 51st episode of the News Man Weekly podcast. By day, Knight […]
The News Man Weekly Podcast is brought to you by our friends at Relax, It’s Just Coffee!
MANSFIELD — From music to motorsports to workforce development, Clint Knight wears a lot of hats — and we talk about all of them in this week’s 51st episode of the News Man Weekly podcast.
By day, Knight is the workforce development director for the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, working to build a talent pipeline that can support the region’s evolving economic needs.
Outside the office, he runs Valley Media and Productions, curates the Sunday Songwriter Series at the Phoenix, and co-hosts the Ohio Dirt Track Podcast.
We dig into Clint’s southern history as a musician and his passion for local music — including his work creating intimate singer/songwriter showcases.
We discuss his deep roots in the dirt track racing scene, where he co-hosts a podcast and is closely following the revival of the Mansfield Motorsports Speedway.
We also touch on his day job in workforce development and what it really takes to prepare a community for industrial growth.
Plus: Local news headlines from around the region, including a death penalty case in Morrow County, inmate overdoses at RICI and the latest on solar energy restrictions in Richland County.
Relevant links:
Check out the Ohio Dirt Track podcast!
Intro song credit: Smoke And Drink, by Luke Watson.
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City editor. 30-year plus journalist. Husband. Father of 3 grown sons and also a proud grandpa. Prior military journalist in U.S. Navy, Ohio Air National Guard. — Favorite quote: “Where were you when…
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Mexico’s altitude will test engines for NASCAR Cup, Xfinity Series teams this weekend
Drivers and teams will have more than each other to contend with when the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series race this weekend at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. They’ll also have to contend with the elevation. The road course is about 7,500 feet above sea level — the next highest track in NASCAR is […]
Drivers and teams will have more than each other to contend with when the NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series race this weekend at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.
They’ll also have to contend with the elevation. The road course is about 7,500 feet above sea level — the next highest track in NASCAR is Las Vegas at about 2,000 feet elevation.
The higher elevation means thinner air. Air plays a key role in horsepower and cooling and those will be significant issues for teams.
Doug Yates, president and CEO of Roush Yates Engines, estimates that the thinner air could reduce horsepower as much as 20% for the 670-horsepower Cup engines.
Danny Lawrence, long time engine builder for Richard Childress Racing and its director of the Xfinity Series and vice president of alliance operations, said maximizing horsepower is challenging at such a high altitude.
“You’ve got to fool the engine to make it think that the conditions are better,” he told NBC Sports.
#NASCAR races this weekend at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City. The area is about 7,500 feet above sea level (Charlotte, NC, home to the teams is at 751 feet above sea level). Daniel Suarez talks about the challenges of competing at high elevation. pic.twitter.com/N2YzUAxQyQ
Daniel Suarez said the horsepower reduction will be minimal for drivers.
“I don’t think you have to drive different, but the cars are going to have more mechanical grip especially on the exit of the corners because you have less power,” he said. “We’re going to lose like 80 to 100 horsepower. That’s a lot. … But at the same time, in the high-speed corners, we’re going to lose a lot of downforce. We’re going to lose a little bit of everything.”
Racing at such elevation is new for the Cup Series. The Xfinity Series raced in Mexico City from 2005-08. The series averaged nearly seven engine failures per weekend (practice and the race) the first three years. The final year racing at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez saw no engine failures during the weekend.
“I would say we’re more concerned about the cooling and the components and the other things we have to ensure are properly set up,” Yates told NBC Sports.
NASCAR will allow each manufacturer to have two sets of hood louvers to run during practice Saturday to see which best cools the engine. Each manufacturer will select which hood louver it will use and all of its teams must use the one selected on its cars.
The only time the NASCAR Cup Series has had a podium celebration was for the Clash at the LA Memorial Coliseum exhibition races from 2022-24.
“The problem we have with the engine is the caution laps,” Trent Owens, crew chief for AJ Allmendinger, told NBC Sports. “It gets so hot under the caution laps, more so than the green laps.”
Under green flag conditions, the cars are at higher speeds and can get more air to cool. The slower speeds under caution means less air gets to the engine to cool it. As engines start to overheat, several problems can ensue.
“What happens with the engine management software is it goes into protection (mode) if you don’t get it cool enough before the restart,” Owens said. “So you’re trying to prevent that. It doesn’t shut the engine off, but it starts feeding it fuel and changing the timing and stuff like that where you lose horsepower.
“So, just having that stuff right is probably our concern that we normally don’t have to worry about at any (other) event.”
With NASCAR’s rule that engines must run two races, most of the engines that will run in Sunday’s Cup race will be that engine’s second race.
Yates said a lot of the Ford engines for the 2.42-mile road course in Mexico were run earlier this year at Martinsville, a half-mile short track.
Yates says the two courses share some similarities so that running one engine at both tracks makes sense.
“We shift at Martinsville every straightaway, every lap,” Yates said. “So the power curve actually shifted up quite a bit from years ago. As the engine group, we have the opportunity to change the intake manifold and the exhaust system today, so we can tune around the base engine and have power lower RPM range or higher RPM range with those two tuning tools.”
Young Motocross Rider Camden Trail Remembered After Tragic Accident at East Bend Motorsports
EAST BEND, N.C. (BTW21) — The motocross community is mourning the loss of Camden “Cam” William Trail, a 14-year-old rising motocross star from Bassett, Virginia, who tragically passed away on June 7 following a mid-air collision during a practice session at East Bend Motorsports in North Carolina. According to race official Travis Rominger, the incident happened […]
EAST BEND, N.C. (BTW21) — The motocross community is mourning the loss of Camden “Cam” William Trail, a 14-year-old rising motocross star from Bassett, Virginia, who tragically passed away on June 7 following a mid-air collision during a practice session at East Bend Motorsports in North Carolina.
According to race official Travis Rominger, the incident happened at the finish line jump when two riders collided in mid-air.
Video footage reviewed by race organizers indicated that the crash was a heartbreaking accident with no fault attributed to either rider.
Rominger, who was the first to reach Camden after the crash, shared that medical professionals—including paramedics, EMTs, and nurses—were on the scene within a minute.
Despite over an hour of life-saving efforts, Trail could not be revived.
In the ambulance, Trail’s parents told Rominger that their son died doing what he loved. “Their faith is very strong,” Rominger said in a statement released by the facility. “We ask the entire EBMX family to lift this family up in prayer during this unthinkable time.”
Camden Trail was born April 6, 2011, in Roanoke, Virginia.
A vibrant and ambitious young man, he had a deep passion for motocross and a love for anything outdoors or with an engine.
His infectious smile and joyful spirit left lasting impressions on all who knew him.
Beyond motocross, Camden ran his own business, Cam’s Lawn Care, showcasing a rare work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit for someone so young.
He was also known for his love of dancing, his loyalty to friends, and the way he brought joy to every room he entered.
A funeral service will be held Tuesday, June 10 at 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Bassett, with visitation beginning at 5:30 p.m. Burial will be held privately.
In the wake of this tragedy, a GoFundMe campaign has been established to support the Trail family with funeral and memorial expenses.
Organizers of the fundraiser described Camden as “more than a talented rider — he was a beloved son, friend, and inspiration to everyone who knew him.”
The motocross world now rides with a heavy heart, honoring a young life cut far too short, but forever remembered.
RCR forced to make changes before Kyle Busch heads to Mexico – Motorsport – Sports
NASCAR heads to Mexico City this weekend for the first points race outside of the United States in the modern era, but while Daniel Suarez has benefited from a special sponsorship agreement due to his Mexican ties, Kyle Busch and Richard Childress Racing have been forced to make changes. While NASCAR has traveled to Mexico […]
NASCAR heads to Mexico City this weekend for the first points race outside of the United States in the modern era, but while Daniel Suarez has benefited from a special sponsorship agreement due to his Mexican ties, Kyle Busch and Richard Childress Racing have been forced to make changes.
While NASCAR has traveled to Mexico for exhibition races, there has never been a competitive Cup Series race south of the U.S. border. NASCAR is looking to expand by adding more international drivers to the stock car series and has taken inspiration from Formula One.
In addition to racing in Mexico, NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps has entertained taking the Cup Series to Brazil. However, as Busch and RCR have discovered, switching locations can lead to sponsorship issues.
RCR has been forced to cover several active sponsors ahead of Sunday’s race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Due to advertising laws in Mexico, alcohol sponsors have been covered up.
Some products containing less than six percent alcohol must undergo a permitting process to be authorized. Due to strict regulations, all nicotine, tobacco, and CBD logos have also been covered.
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Casinos and gambling sponsors are permitted if they are licensed in Mexico, but others will be banned. Several NASCAR teams, including RCR, have been covering their haulers ahead of the race, and some cars also need a makeover.
BetMGM and 3Chi have previously sponsored Busch’s No. 8 Chevrolet, but both sponsors are banned from advertising in Mexico. Despite the operational changes impacting teams, Phelps is still excited to make history.
“I’m excited. It’s the first time we’ve taken the Cup Series in the modern era outside our own borders,” Phelps told Motorsport.com. “It’s a big stage for us, and we need to make sure we make it.
“I think the Mexican fans are going to come, they’re going to support us, and I think it’s going to be a great show. Our drivers will love the circuit, and maybe, who knows, we can have our drivers, at some point, come to Brazil and have a race in Sao Paulo.”
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Phelps has made it clear that Brazil could be a future destination, as he added: “I’d like to see it happen. Obviously, we need all parties to come together and understand how important that would be for NASCAR in general and for the category.
“But I personally would be very excited about it. We’d like to have a Brazilian (driver) come out of NASCAR Brazil, come and race with us full-time, and, you know, compete for wins and championships.
“So we’re excited about this prospect, I was very impressed with the number of drivers I saw and how fast they were and their abilities, and we’re excited about this happening in the future.”
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