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RCR Race Preview: Texas Motor Speedway – Speedway Digest

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway… Richard Childress Racing has three wins among 124 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway. The Welcome, North Carolina-based race team first found Victory Lane at the track with Jeff Burton in April 2007. Burton led only the final lap […]

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Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway… Richard Childress Racing has three wins among 124 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway. The Welcome, North Carolina-based race team first found Victory Lane at the track with Jeff Burton in April 2007. Burton led only the final lap to grab his 19th career Cup Series victory. Austin Dillon was victorious at Texas in 2020. Dillon led the final 10 laps and edged teammate Tyler Reddick by just .149 seconds to score the win – his first at Texas and the 109th all-time by RCR. In 2022, Reddick led the final 24 laps to grab his first Texas victory. RCR has earned 11 top-five and 38 top-10 finishes on the 1.5-mile quad-oval.

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Texas Motor Speedway… RCR has 102 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Texas Motor Speedway, acquiring five wins (Kevin Harvick in 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2012). RCR has earned 26 top-five and 56 top-10 finishes along with five pole awards as an organization. Last season, both Austin Hill and Jesse Love scored top-10 finishes (ninth-place by Love, sixth by Hill). Hill has reeled off four consecutive top-10s for RCR at Texas, including a second-place finish in the fall race in 2022. In 2024, Love’s lap of 185.612 miles per hour paced the field, timing in over two-hundredths of a second over second place.

In the History Books… Hill made NASCAR Xfinity Series history with his victory at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2025, surpassing both Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Tony Stewart to become the all-time leader in superspeedway wins in the series. This triumph marked his ninth career win on drafting-style tracks, breaking a tie with the two legends. Hill’s performance at Talladega Superspeedway added to his impressive record, solidifying his status as a dominant force in superspeedway racing.​

A Patriotic Unveil… U.S. Military Veterans are invited to RCR’s campus on May 14 to attend Veterans with Coffee, a monthly event RCR hosts in conjunction with Veterans Bridge Home to provide support and resources for area Veterans. The May edition of the popular event will include a special patriotic car unveil. Media are invited to attend and cover the unveil, beginning at 9 a.m.

Catch the Action… The Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, May 3, beginning at 2 p.m. ET on The CW. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Download The CW app free of charge to watch NASCAR Xfinity Series Practice & Qualifying.

The Texas 400 at Texas Motor Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, May 4, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. NASCAR Cup Series Practice & Qualifying at Texas Motor Speedway will be broadcast on Amazon Prime. Ride shotgun all season long with live, in-car camera feeds and scanner audio with a paid subscription to Max as part of their NASCAR driver cam experience during the race.
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Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway… In 20 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway, Dillon has earned one win, one top-five, and three top-10 finishes. He also earned the pole award at the 1.5-mile track in 2016. Dillon has made 11 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track with a career-best finish of third in 2015 after starting from the pole position for the 300-mile race. Dillon, the 2011 NASCAR Truck Series Champion, has five Truck Series starts at Texas with a career-best finish of second in 2011 and one pole in 2010.

Winner, Winner … Dillon won a NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway in 2020, the third of his five career victories in the series. The Texas win was part of a 1-2 finish for RCR, with former teammate Tyler Reddick coming in second. The victory not only marked Dillon’s first win of the 2020 season but also earned him an automatic berth in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The win was especially significant for RCR, as it was their first 1-2 finish in the Cup Series since 2011.

Did You Know?… Dillon’s 2016 pole award at Texas Motor Speedway remains RCR’s lone NASCAR Cup Series pole in 124 Series starts at the Fort Worth-based track. In total, Dillon owns six poles in Cup Series competition, most recently sitting on the pole in 2019 at Chicagoland Speedway.

One Year Ago… In the NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway in April 2024, Dillon finished eighth after starting 15th. Despite handling challenges during the race, strategic pit calls and strong restarts contributed to his top-10 result. ​

Dillon Rides Top-10 Surge… The No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Chevrolet team enters Texas Motor Speedway riding a wave of momentum following back-to-back top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series. A strong performance at the high-banked Bristol Motor Speedway, followed by an impressive run at the unpredictable Talladega Superspeedway, has boosted Dillon’s average finish and provided a much-needed lift in the points standings.

Let’s Ride… This weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, two worlds collide as several professional bull riders who ride for the Carolina Cowboys in the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series will join Dillon at the track as guests of Richard Childress Racing. Dillon, who is the general manager of the Carolina Cowboys, spends much of his time outside of his No. 3 Chevrolet managing day-to-day operations for the Carolina Cowboys. Many of the riders live in Texas and are preparing for the Individual Season World Finals, the event marks an exciting lead-up to championship action.

Tickets to the 2025 Carolina Cowboys Home Stand Are Available Now … Driven by the same passion for performance that guides his race team, Richard Childress’ latest endeavor brings Professional Bull Riding to the Carolinas. The Carolina Cowboys represent the Carolinas in the PBR Team Series, an elite league featuring the world’s top bull riders competing in games throughout the country. The team is owned by Richard Childress and Jeff Broin with 2018 Daytona 500 Champion Dillon serving as General Manager. Don’t miss the Carolina Cowboys 2025 “Cowboy Days” Home Stand September 12-14 at First Horizen Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. Tickets are on sale at PBR.com and Ticketmaster.

Dillon Joins Coca-Cola’s Mission 600 at Norfolk Naval Base… Dillon is scheduled to visit Norfolk Naval Base Wednesday on behalf of Coca-Cola as part of the Mission 600 initiative. Now in its eighth year, Mission 600 pairs NASCAR drivers with U.S. military units to help educate the NASCAR community about the U.S. Military and build meaningful connections with our service members. Dillon’s visit underscores his commitment to supporting and connecting with military personnel and helps build up anticipation to one of NASCAR’s most patriotic races, the Coca-Cola 600, which annually takes place over Memorial Day weekend.​

About Bass Pro Shops… Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations, and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops united with Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations, and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit basspro.com.

About Winchester Ammunition… Winchester is the leading small-caliber ammunition brand for hunting, recreational shooting, and law enforcement, and the largest supplier to the U.S. military. The legendary Winchester® brand, with its 159-year history, is founded on principles of integrity, hard work, and a strong commitment to its loyal customers. As a division of Olin Corporation, Winchester shares Olin’s purpose to deliver materials and solutions that enhance and protect lives. Learn more about Winchester and the responsible use of its products by visiting Winchester.com or connecting with us on Facebook at Facebook.com/WinchesterOfficial.

Winchester Safes, Based in Texas… With a long-standing commitment to protecting legacies, Winchester Safes is honored to stand alongside Winchester Ammunition in supporting timeless racing tradition and its fan base. Winchester Safes, the most trusted name in safe innovation and reliability, operates with a remarkable unit capacity of over 1 million safes per year and is strategically located in Texas to offer a significant cost advantage to any shipping point across the United States.

Winchester Safes Grand American™… Crafted for those who protect more than possessions, the new Grand American™ safe secures your legacy with unmatched security. Built to safeguard firearm collections, heirlooms, and history, the Grand American™ carries forward the Winchester tradition of protection.

Meet Dillon… Dillon, along with several professional bull riders who ride for the Carolina Cowboys in the PBR Teams Series, are scheduled to make a stop at the RCR Merchandise hauler in the Texas Motor Speedway fan midway on Sunday, May 4, at 10:45 a.m. Local Time to greet race fans and sign autographs. Stop by and get your new RCR and Carolina Cowboys gear.

Questions, Please… Media covering the Texas Motor Speedway race are encouraged to stop by the infield media center on Sunday at 10:20 a.m. Local Time to learn more about the Carolina Cowboys.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

What are your thoughts on Texas Motor Speedway?

“Texas Motor Speedway has so much grip now and has changed a lot from the old track to the new track. It has always been a strong track for me, so I am excited to race there this weekend with Bass Pro Shops and Winchester. There is a lot of variety on both ends of the track, which makes it exciting to race. On one end, you are going to have a high-speed and very banked corner, and on the other end, you will have a hard corner that you will have to get turned into and then get back on the gas.”

How would you gauge Richard Childress Racing’s Intermediate Program This Year?

“I’m excited to have Texas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway back-to-back. I felt like we had a fast car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March and a good car at Homestead-Miami Speedway. We passed a lot of cars in those two races. Emphasis will be on qualifying for us. If we can qualify well at those two tracks, I think we can have a pretty good weekend. Texas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway can be tracks where we can put ourselves in a better position in the point standings. You never know what can happen with the opportunity to win.”

How important are these next few weeks building off the positive momentum your team has gained over the past few weeks?

“It’s very important. Bristol Motor Speedway went well. We headed into the Easter break and carried more momentum into Talladega Superspeedway last week and were able to finish in the top-10. Our next goal is to break into the top-20 in points. If you’re in the top-20, you still have the opportunity to go out and be able to be in the second group for practice and qualifying, even if you have a rough weekend the week before. Qualifying late seems to be a big advantage because of how tight the field is. If you’re on that cut line, you know you’re going to have to pass cars, and passing has been tough. It’s very important to build yourself up in that front area of points.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 7-Eleven Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway… Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway will mark Kyle Busch’s 35th career Cup Series start at the track. Busch has four wins at the mile-and-a-half oval (the spring races in 2013, 2016 and 2018, as well as the fall race in 2020). Additionally at Texas, Busch has 14 top-five finishes, 19 top-10 finishes, 1,069 laps led, an average starting position of 14th, an average finish of 12.2, and has completed 94.9 percent (10,650 of 11,217) of the laps he’s contested there.

5 X 8 = 40… Arguably the most successful driver in NASCAR’s modern era, Busch approaches the Texas Motor Speedway race weekend entering a new decade as the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will celebrate his 40th birthday on Friday. Busch began his career driving the No. 5 Chevrolet. While his initial outing didn’t go as scripted (the then 18-year-old made contact with the Turn 4 wall at his home track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, flat-siding his racecar and retired after completing just 11 laps), he has grown into a formidable force in the sport. Busch enters this weekend at Texas with 63 career wins in the Cup Series, the most among active drivers. In addition, he is a 34x polesitter, and boasts an impressive 252 top-five finishes, 386 top-10 finishes and 19,440 laps led in 724 career Cup Series starts. Today, Busch continues to build on his legacy in the No. 8 Chevrolet.

New Colors … Busch’s Chevrolet will sport new colors this weekend when 7-Eleven debuts as the primary partner of the No. 8.

Texas Fourstep… Busch is the winningest active driver at Texas Motor Speedway. He earned his first Cup Series victory at Texas in April 2013. He took the lead after a lightning-fast pit stop during the final caution put him out front, and he led the final 19 laps to win his first Cup Series race at the mile-and-a-half speedway. In April of 2016, Busch went on the outside of Turn 4 on the first lap after the final restart to take the lead, which he held for the final 32 laps enroute to the win, doing so by nearly four seconds over second-place finisher Dale Earnhardt Jr. In his third victory at Texas, the 44th of his Cup Series career, Busch led four times for a race-high 116 laps after finishing as runner-up in three of that season’s first six races. His most recent Texas win came in October of 2020, when Busch led five times for 90 of the 334 laps. The race started Sunday and was red flagged due to poor weather conditions after 52 laps were completed. 72 hours later, the green flag waved allowing Busch to claim his fourth Texas victory.

Success Not Limited to the Cup Series… In addition to his Cup Series successes at Texas, the veteran racer also has an astonishing 10 wins in 23 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and six more in the NASCAR Truck Series at The Great American Speedway.

Get to the Points… After his 27th-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway, Busch enters Texas 16th in the series standings.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

Let’s talk about what it is about Texas Motor Speedway that you like?

“Texas Motor Speedway is a challenging racetrack, with turns one and two being as flat as they are and as wide as they are. There’s a lot of room and options for where you can go,. but there’s probably only about about six inches of that racetrack that feels really good. That’s the groove that you want to be in, and stay in, in order to get that grip. We’ve been pretty decent at Texas. Last year, we were fast. We had some good speed. Unfortunately, I wrecked in qualifying, which then forced us to go to a backup car, but we were able to come back up through the field and get a top-15 finish. I think if we would have been able to race in the primary, we would have been able to finish in the top 10. We would have had a shot. But, you never know how some of those races play at the end. I remember Denny Hamlin, I think, was really pushing hard, running hard, trying the outside. And he finally busted his butt there towards the end as well, too, and Chase Elliott was able to get the win. So, it’s really, really finicky. It’s very hard to push harder, to find speed, to make speed to catch the guy in front of you or pass the guy in front of you and not overstep that edge.”

Is it a track that’s really sensitive when it comes to the temperature?

“Obviously, it’s in Texas. It gets hot there. It’s probably a track that may have a little bit of different characteristics when you go back each time.”

As the sun and the heat builds up throughout the day, does that track change a lot?

“It does, yeah. That track really changes a lot. I think it changes a lot in the beginning of our races with the Xfinity rubber down from the day before. Then it progressively changes as the day gets hotter in our races or if it goes later and cools off a little bit. It gets faster, it gets more grip. So, you’re always limited on that feel and the grip and how fast you can you feel like you can go. I talk about how treacherous or tricky turns one and two can be as far as being as flat as they are, but the same can be said for three and four with knowing how hard to push. Can you run wide open down there? Do you lift out of the throttle, get back to the throttle early? Do you just part throttle it longer through the corner? There’s a few different ways to run it.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Samsara Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway… Jesse Love has made one career NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Texas Motor Speedway. Driving the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet one year ago, Love earned the pole position, tallied stage points, and brought home a ninth-place effort.

Starting P1… In Love’s young Xfinity Series career of only 44 starts, the Menlo Park, California native has secured seven pole positions – five in 2024 and two in 2025. Love, who most recently claimed the first starting position last week at Talladega Superspeedway, captured his first non-drafting track pole at Texas Motor Speedway in April 2024.

Another Record for the Resume… After capturing the pole position at Talladega Superspeedway, Love became the first driver in Xfinity Series history to win four consecutive drafting track poles.

Sophomore Success… After a successful Sunoco Rookie of the Year campaign in 2024, Love has carried the momentum into his sophomore season. With a third of the current season complete, Love has one win in the season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway, two poles, three top-five, and seven top-10 finishes. Leading in six events for a total of 156 laps, the young gun has recorded an average starting position of 8.1 and an average finishing position of 12.3.

Holding Strong… Through 11 races, Love remains in the fourth position in the Xfinity Series driver championship point standings – only seven points behind third-place Sam Mayer. With his Stage 1 win at Talladega Superspeedway, Love increased his Playoff Point total to six.

Double Duty… Love will make his second career NASCAR Cup Series start on Sunday when the 20-year-old pilots the No. 62 C4 Ultimate Energy Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports. The pair is also slated to compete in one additional Cup Series event in 2025, at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July.

About Samsara… Samsara (NYSE: IOT) is the pioneer of the Connected Operations® Cloud, which is a platform that enables organizations that depend on physical operations to harness Internet of Things (IoT) data to develop actionable insights and improve their operations. With tens of thousands of customers across North America and Europe, Samsara is a proud technology partner to the people who keep our global economy running, including the world’s leading organizations across construction, transportation and warehousing, field services, manufacturing, retail, logistics, and the public sector. The company’s mission is to increase the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the operations that power the global economy.

Samsara Safety… Samsara utilizes AI-powered technology with trillions of data points to help fleet drivers reduce accidents by up to 50%. The Richard Childress Racing hauler drivers utilize the Samsara platform on a weekly basis to be efficient and safe on the roads to and from the racetrack.

JESSE LOVE QUOTE:

With one career start at Texas Motor Speedway, describe your first impressions of the track.

“Texas is fun, fast, and high-speed. It’s a track that is hard to drive and requires you to be technical. It’s extremely hard to pass in Turns 3 and 4, because the track is so narrow at that end. Turns 1 and 2 are wide and flat. Turns 3 and 4 are narrow, bumpy, and banked. Both ends of the track are equally as important to having a good finish. I know our Samsara Chevrolet will have speed in it. Hopefully we are able to get a good qualifying lap in on Friday to set ourselves up for the best possible position during the race.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway… Austin Hill has made six career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway, posting two top-five and four top-10 efforts (best finish of second in fall 2022). In last year’s event at the 1.5-mile oval, Hill qualified in the 13th position, fought a tight handling condition, and finished in sixth-place. The Winston, Georgia native also has 10 NASCAR Truck Series races on his resume at the Fort Worth, Texas track, earning three top-five and four top-10 finishes (best result of second in 2020).

Top-10 Streaking in Fort Worth… In his last four Xfinity Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, Hill has secured four top-10 results and never finished worse than seventh-place.

Win No. 3 of 2025… After starting from the second position, leading 19 laps, and capturing the Stage 2 win, Hill captured his first career victory at Talladega Superspeedway last Saturday. This marked the No. 21 team’s third win of the 2025 Xfinity Series season – a series-leading accomplishment.

Record Breaker… With nine career Xfinity Series drafting track wins, Hill is now the all-time wins leader at that specific style of racing. The 31-year-old passed two NASCAR Hall of Famers – Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart – to secure the title.

All-Time Lap Leader Extended… During his win at Talladega Superspeedway, Hill extended his all-time Xfinity Series lead in number of laps led on drafting tracks to 753. Hill accomplished this career feat in 22 drafting track races, 11 starts less than second-place Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Did You Know? Hill has won five of the last six stages on drafting tracks, including the second stage at Talladega Superspeedway. The one stage that Hill didn’t claim was earned by his teammate Jesse Love.

Gaining Ground… With 11 races complete, Hill gained one position and currently holds second-place in the Xfinity Series driver championship point standings – 79 points behind leader Justin Allgaier. Hill has secured a series-leading 20 Playoff points.

About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies provides industry-leading logistics solutions that help businesses thrive. Whether you need specialized trucking, warehousing, 3PL, exporting, importing, or crane services, Bennett has the expertise to handle your most complex and time-sensitive freight. From LTL to over-dimensional truckloads, Bennett ensures safe, reliable, and on-time deliveries around the world. With a legacy of excellence since 1974, their family and woman-owned company is dedicated to providing personalized, flexible solutions that meet your unique business needs. Trust Bennett to deliver when it matters most – discover how we can help your business grow at www.bennettig.com. Together we can move anything.

Crane & Rigging… BOSS Crane & Rigging, a division of Bennett Family of Companies, is one of the top competitive providers of crane and rigging solutions. It specializes in the heavy lifting of major components, oversized machinery, oil rigs and components, and trucking transport. BOSS combines the best tools with the best talent to offer a range of services for the Construction, Mining & Steel, Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, and Wind Industries.

Meet Hill… On Saturday, May 3, fans will have two opportunities to meet Hill in the Fan Zone at Texas Motor Speedway. At 9:40 a.m. Local Time, Hill is scheduled to participate in a question-and-answer session at the Gate 3 Stage. Immediately following at 10a.m. Local Time, the veteran racer is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler. Stop by to meet Hill and purchase new No. 21 gear.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

With Texas Motor Speedway having two different ends of the track, describe the racing action and what a driver needs out of the car to compete for the win.

“Texas Motor Speedway is a very unique racetrack. It’s a different mile and a half than most of the intermediate tracks we go to. Turns 1 and 2 are really flat and wide, which leads to a lot of space where errors can be made, especially when you are inside of another car. If someone gets tight on your door, it’s a very easy spot for you to loop it around and back into the fence. Then on the other end of the track in Turns 3 and 4, you give it all you have. If you can hold it wide open in Turns 3 and 4, you probably have a fast race car. You need a car that handles well in Turns 1 and 2 and then hang it out as much as you can in Turns 3 and 4. Personally I have always enjoyed racing at Texas, and I feel like it’s a place that our Bennett Transportation & Logistics team can be successful at. I would call Texas my second-best mile-and-a-half track behind Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Just haven’t been able to wear the cowboy hat yet.”

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Front Row Motorsports: North Wilkesboro Speedway Competition Notes – Noah Gragson

Noah Gragson and the No. 4 Rural King Ford TeamNorth Wilkesboro Speedway Competition NotesNASCAR All-Star RaceDate: Sunday, May 18, 2025Event: Race 14 of 38Series: NASCAR Cup SeriesLocation: North Wilkesboro Speedway (0.625-miles)#of Laps: 250Time/TV/Radio: 8:00 PM ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM channel 90 Noah Gragson Notes Noah Gragson and the No. 4 Ford team head to the North […]

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Noah Gragson and the No. 4 Rural King Ford Team
North Wilkesboro Speedway Competition Notes
NASCAR All-Star Race
Date: Sunday, May 18, 2025
Event: Race 14 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: North Wilkesboro Speedway (0.625-miles)
#of Laps: 250
Time/TV/Radio: 8:00 PM ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM channel 90

Noah Gragson Notes

Noah Gragson and the No. 4 Ford team head to the North Wilkesboro Speedway for the NASCAR Cup Series annual All-Star Race. For Gragson, he looks to continue his All-Star Fan Vote domination, winning the vote in 2023 & 2024 where he finished 23rd and 11th, respectfully. The weekend will kick off with the Pit Crew challenge on Friday, May 16th at 6:00 pm ET. The All-Star Open race will be held on Sunday, May 18th at 5:30 pm ET. The All-Star race is scheduled for Sunday evening at 8:00 pm ET.

Rural King, America’s Farm and Home Store, will return to Gragson’s No. 4 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. This marks the Mattoon, Illinois-based retailer’s third race with Front Row Motorsports, bringing its well-known commitment to rural values, hardworking communities, and American heritage to race fans across the country. Gragson will make an appearance at the Rural King in Conover, North Carolina on Sunday, May 18th from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm ET.

“I’ve always loved going to the North Wilkesboro Speedway,” said Gragson. “The energy there is incredible, and the track delivers that classic short-track, beating-and-banging style of racing. I’ve been fortunate to win the Fan Vote the past two years, so hopefully I can make it three in a row and get this No. 4 team into the main event.”

Road Crew

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Joey Forgette

Hometown: Iron Mountain, Michigan

Engineer: Dillon Silverman

Hometown: Chico, California

Engineer: Scott Bingham

Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Tony Infinger

Hometown: Fort Valley, Georgia

Tire Specialist: Chris Aunspaw

Hometown: Zelienople, Pennsylvania

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Spotter: Nick Del Campo

Hometown: Blauvelt, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Nate “Cookie” Eller

Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Thomas Hatcher

Hometown: Middleburg, Florida

Rear Tire Changer: Adam Riley

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Tire Carrier: Jarren Davis

Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

Jackman: Nate McBride

Hometown: Vidalia, Georgia

Fueler: Ray Hernandez

Hometown: Orlando, Florida

ABOUT RURAL KING

Rural King, also known as RK Holdings, LLP, planted its roots as America’s Farm and Home Store in Mattoon, Illinois in 1960. Since that time, Rural King has grown to more than 140 stores in fourteen states. Specifically, we provide a broad range of essential goods, food, feed, seed and other farm and home necessities to the communities we serve throughout Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. We welcome and encourage everyone to enjoy our long-standing tradition of offering free popcorn and coffee every time you visit our stores.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @teamfrm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.





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Kyle Larson Rejects Major Tony Stewart Claim About Hendrick Motorsports Driver’s NASCAR Commitment

Kyle Larson is one of the busiest NASCAR drivers. Away from his full-time duties for Hendrick Motorsports, he races extensively in the High Limit Racing Series, the World of Outlaws, and other dirt platforms. These indulgences have made his love for sprint car racing very apparent over the past several years. But would he prioritize […]

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Kyle Larson is one of the busiest NASCAR drivers. Away from his full-time duties for Hendrick Motorsports, he races extensively in the High Limit Racing Series, the World of Outlaws, and other dirt platforms. These indulgences have made his love for sprint car racing very apparent over the past several years. But would he prioritize it over NASCAR?

He mentioned in a recent interview with The Athletic that fans often get it wrong by assuming he would.

He said, “People back in the day used to get it wrong that I didn’t care about NASCAR. I still think people think, “Oh, I’m just doing this for the money, and if I had a choice, I’d be racing sprint cars all the time.”

“That really bugs me, because it isn’t about the money. I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t love it, you know? So I do love this. I wish fans would realize that,” the 32-year-old explained.

Larson has been racing full-time in the Cup Series since 2014. He is a Cup Series champion and is poised to become one of the greatest stock car racing drivers to have ever lived. Such achievements are not attainable without a strong love for the game.

One of the biggest reasons why he races dirt a lot is the practice that it offers for him to perform better in NASCAR. Especially with practice sessions before Cup Series races now limited, such extracurricular racing can help a lot.

So, it wouldn’t really be fair to claim that he would jump ship to sprint car racing if it offered him the same paycheck as NASCAR does. And yet, that’s exactly what the three-time Cup Series champion, Tony Stewart, did earlier this year.

Tony Stewart’s take on Larson’s NASCAR loyalty

Stewart is one of Larson’s mentors. They are quite similar in how they love racing outside NASCAR. It is with this position that Stewart said last month, “If the money was equal – and I’m not going to speak for Kyle (Larson) and Kyle and I have never had this conversation – but I feel very confident in this statement that if the money was equal, that Kyle Larson would be in a sprint car, not in a Cup car.”

That’s a bold claim. He had gone on to make the same statement about Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe, avid dirt racers. He continued, “And like I’ve said, I’ve never had this conversation with any of those guys about it, but that’s my gut instinct, that’s what my gut tells me that if the money was equal, they’d be on dirt, they’d not be in NASCAR right now.”

The dirt racing series of today aren’t going to be able to compete with NASCAR on financial grounds any time soon. The only scenario in which these words can be tested is if NASCAR purchases one of the platforms like how it purchased the ARCA Series in 2018 and raises the purse sizes. Only then would we truly know whether Larson would stay in stock cars or switch to sprint cars.



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Helping others achieve success in motorsports | Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — Growing up on a cattle ranch in Littleton, Colorado, Judy Kouba Dominick can thank her dad for her motorsports career. Her grandfather, Joe, was a cattle rancher who rode bucking horses. Her dad, Earl, was fascinated with cars. × This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to […]

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INDIANAPOLIS — Growing up on a cattle ranch in Littleton, Colorado, Judy Kouba Dominick can thank her dad for her motorsports career.

Her grandfather, Joe, was a cattle rancher who rode bucking horses. Her dad, Earl, was fascinated with cars.


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NASCAR paint schemes preview: Hendrick Motorsports gets All-Star Race ready

CONCORD, N.C. – Nothing like dressing up for a special occasion! The NASCAR Cup Series will head to North Wilkesboro Speedway this weekend for the All-Star Race, set for 8 p.m. on Sunday. It will mark the third year in a row the All-Star Race will call the 0.625-mile short track, home.  The first time around, in […]

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CONCORD, N.C. – Nothing like dressing up for a special occasion!

The NASCAR Cup Series will head to North Wilkesboro Speedway this weekend for the All-Star Race, set for 8 p.m. on Sunday. It will mark the third year in a row the All-Star Race will call the 0.625-mile short track, home. 

The first time around, in 2023, Kyle Larson won in dominant fashion, a similar refrain of late. Larson is coming off a victory at Kansas Speedway last Sunday in which he led 221 of 267 laps in his third win of the year. 

All told, Larson has three wins in the All-Star Race all coming in the last six years. He’s tied with Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt for the second-most all time and just one behind Jimmie Johnson. 

Chase Elliott also has an All-Star win, claiming his in the event’s only foray to Bristol Motor Speedway back in 2020. 

Changes to this year’s event include an increase in laps from 200 to 250 and a promoter’s caution. For more details on the format, click here. 

Here’s a look at how all four Hendrick Motorsports cars will look when they hit the track this weekend: 



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Hyak Motorsports – All-Star Race Advance – Speedway Digest

Event Overview ● Event: All-Star Race ● Time/Date: 8 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 18 ● Location: North Wilkesboro Speedway ● Layout: 0.625 mile short track oval ● Format: 250 laps / 156.25 miles ● TV/Radio: FS1 / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Notes of Interest Hyak Motorsports heads to North Wilkesboro Speedway for the2025 […]

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Event Overview

● Event: All-Star Race

● Time/Date: 8 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 18

● Location: North Wilkesboro Speedway

● Layout: 0.625 mile short track oval

● Format: 250 laps / 156.25 miles

● TV/Radio: FS1 / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

Hyak Motorsports heads to North Wilkesboro Speedway for the2025 All-Star Race with the iconic SunnyD car. This weekend the No. 47 car will proudly showcase a fan favorite livery, cementing the brand’s continued sponsorship with the team.

SunnyD is back and ready for more action this weekend at another legendary racetrack on the NASCAR circuit. SUNNYD, apart of Harvest Beverage Company, will adorn the hood of Stenhouse’s No. 47Chevrolet for the All-Star Race. After appearing on Stenhouse’s car for the NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray on February 2, the nostalgic beverage made its return to the Daytona 500 before coming back on the car for the March 31 race at Martinsville Raceway, April 5 at Darlington Raceway, April 13 at Bristol Motor Speedway, and May 4 at Texas Motor Speedway. Harvest Hill Beverage Company, based in Stamford, Connecticut, is owned by private equity firm Brynwood Partners, and acquired the SUNNYD brand from J.W. Childs in February2016. Harvest Hill markets some of America’s most beloved beverage brands, including SUNNYD, JUICY JUICE, LITTLE HUG and DAILY’S Cocktails. SUNNYD products are widely distributed through leading retailers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. For complete nutrition facts, recipe and activity ideas, and other helpful information, visit SUNNYD.com. For more information on Harvest Hill, please visit www.HarvestHill.com.

The All-Star Race is one of the most anticipated events of the year, and Hyak Motorsports is ready to rise to the occasion.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Driver of the No. 47 Chevrolet Camaro for Hyak Motorsports:

“The All-Star Race is always intense – no points on the line, just pride and a big check. It’s a chance to go out there, take some risks, and really show what your team is made of. I’m excited to mix it up and hopefully give the fans something to cheer about.”

Hyak Motorsports PR



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Tony Kanaan gets back on track at Indianapolis, perhaps for the final time in storied career | National News

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — It took Tony Kanaan a dozen tries to win the Indianapolis 500, and, much later, four years to accept it was time to retire and find something else to do outside a racecar. His 2023 start in the Indy 500 was supposed to be the last of his career and perhaps will […]

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — It took Tony Kanaan a dozen tries to win the Indianapolis 500, and, much later, four years to accept it was time to retire and find something else to do outside a racecar.

His 2023 start in the Indy 500 was supposed to be the last of his career and perhaps will ultimately go down as his final appearance in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

But that final 500 led to a full-time job with Arrow McLaren Racing, where in under two years Kanaan has been promoted to team principal and the man in charge of making the decisions while McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown focuses on Formula 1.

And, in a worst case weather scenario May 25, Kanaan might just find himself back in the field of 33 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After two days of rain delays, Kanaan on Thursday completed the veteran refresher course required for him to be the emergency replacement driver for Kyle Larson should Larson have to leave Indianapolis early to make it back to North Carolina for the the Coca-Cola 600.

A long rain delay in Indy last year ruined Larson’s attempt to complete motorsports 1,100-mile “Double” and he never turned a lap in Charlotte. NASCAR made clear to Larson and Hendrick Motorsports that the Coca-Cola 600 must be his priority or it will cost him dearly in the Cup Series championship race.

Although Kanaan said the refresher course rekindled his passion for Indianapolis, he would prefer not to replace Larson and race again at age 50. He’d have to start last if Larson leaves Indianapolis before the race begins.

“My retirement, I think my biggest fear was how much I was going to miss this,” Kanaan said. “But not sure I want to start 33rd and try to pass everybody and suffer for 2 1/2 hours. I did go out on my own terms and I don’t have the need to go back and run this race again.”

Kanaan will be on Larson’s timing stand during the race and cannot replace him in the car once the race begins.

His acceptance of being a retired racer comes from the massive responsibility he’s been given by Brown. With Brown based in England, Kanaan is the day-to-day boss at Arrow McLaren and thriving in the new role.

“The team loves him, I haven’t had that since I started the IndyCar team. He leads by example. He’s a workaholic. He’s motivated, and that rubs off on people,” Brown told The Associated Press. “None of that surprises me. What did surprise me about TK is the dude can talk and listen at the same time. He takes a lot of advice, which is a bit unusual. He talks to our board members all the time — probably more than me — and he knows what he doesn’t know and doesn’t want to make mistakes, he’s decisive, and he ain’t scared.

“If I tell him to do something — and it’s something unpleasant — Tony’s like ‘OK, I’ll do it.’ Then 10 minutes later he calls me and tells me its done.”

Adjusting to a new role

Kanaan doesn’t look at his new job as the guy tasked with doing Brown’s dirty work — and there was a lot of it last year as the IndyCar team had a slew of driver hiring and firings.

He said he understands the difficult business side of motorsports and noted Michael Andretti fired him in 2010 despite an existing contract over a loss of sponsorship. It was then he truly understood the brutal nature of the sport and has carried it with him into his role as leader at Arrow McLaren.

“I think the way I want to run the team, Zak and I think the same. It’s not that he doesn’t want to do it, it’s that I’m in charge and I should do it,” Kanaan said. “If he’s going to do everything for me, why am I here? When you’re being honest, good or bad, it’s going to be uncomfortable.

“I had to do a few things these with people that were my friends,” he continued. “It’s not about that. We run a company now. It’s also my reputation and how I want this team to be perceived to be successful. If people are not able to separate the friendship to the professional, then too bad. I think it’s just a choice that I made. I think I’m a fair person. I think I try to run the team as fair as I can. If you’re lacking, I will tell you. Or if you’re doing good, I’ll tell you. I will never forget, Zak told me one day, ‘You don’t need a title. If 10 people walk in the room, they should be able to pick who the boss is.’”

The drivers’ view

Arrow McLaren fields three full-time entries for Pato O’Ward, Christian Lundgaard and Nolan Siegel, and a fourth car at Indy for Larson. O’Ward has embraced the feedback he receives from his new boss because Kanaan “still thinks he’s a racing driver.

“I think it drives everybody forward. Obviously, always has a good spirit, lots of energy,” O’Ward said. “I always like to hear the negative feedback more, I would say, than the positive because I feel like the positive, it’s always very dependent on just results. But I feel like behind the results, there’s a lot of things that happen, and you always learn more from the things that you’re doing maybe not optimal. I always welcome it.”


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

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.



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