When Kyle Larson puts his helmet on and climbs into the cockpit of his Arrow McLaren ride today at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he will begin his second attempt to run both the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

But might it also be his last attempt? Or the last time by any driver for years to come?

“I hope it’s not the last,” said Larson, who goes into this attempt as the Cup points leader after his win last weekend at Kansas. “I hope this year is not the last time we ever see anybody do it because I think it’s huge for motorsports. It’s huge for IndyCar, probably even bigger for NASCAR. Hopefully the schedules will work out in the future and maybe the rules will change a little bit, too.”

Kyle Larson earned his third Cup victory of the season.

What was a formidable quest in 1994 when John Andretti became the first driver to compete in both signature races on Memorial Day weekend is now immeasurably more difficult.

The start times at Indianapolis and Charlotte prove challenging even without weather issues. Any Cup driver who would attempt the double seeks a team capable of winning the Indianapolis 500 and such rides are limited. A new NASCAR rule makes an attempt to run both races riskier for Cup drivers.

NASCAR’s action came in response to Hendrick Motorsports keeping Larson at Indy last year despite four-hour rain delay instead of sending him to Charlotte to start the 600. After arriving late to Charlotte, Larson never got into his car before rain ended the 600 early.

Section 12.4.2.1.A of the Cup Rule Book states that “unless otherwise authorized by NASCAR, driver(s) and Team Owner(s) must start and attempt to complete all Championship Races to be eligible for The Playoffs.”

A new part of that section reads: “If a driver does not start and attempt to complete a Race and wishes to remain eligible for the Playoffs, that driver must request a Playoff waiver via the Playoff Waiver Request. If a Playoff waiver is granted for anything other than a medical reason or age restriction, the driver will forfeit all current and future Playoff Points earned prior to the start of the Playoffs. NASCAR’s decision to grant or decline a Playoff waiver request and subsequent loss of Playoff Points is final and non-appealable.”

Larson leads the series with 23 playoff points heading into next weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte via three race wins and eight stage victories. He would lose all those playoff points and any he would earn in the remaining 14 regular season races if he doesn’t start the 600 because of his Indy 500 quest. Losing all those playoff points could cost him a chance to advance in NASCAR’s playoffs and race for a championship.

Hendrick Motorsports already has stated that it will pull Larson from the Indianapolis 500 to ensure Larson is in Charlotte in time to start the 600.

“It’s always been hard to get both races in, but I feel like they’ve made it more difficult for somebody to want to go risk that and compete in the double with how much investment it takes from everybody’s part,” Larson said of the new rule.

With six of the 14 races left in the regular season on either road courses or drafting tracks, the standings could change dramatically by late August.

Larson seeks to become only the second driver since 2005 to run in both races in the same day and the fifth overall. Kurt Busch was the last to do so in 2014. Kyle Busch has come close to making an attempt. He said that Joe Gibbs nixed a deal in 2017 when Kyle Busch was at JGR. Kyle Busch also said that he sought the ride with Arrow McLaren before Hendrick Motorsports secured it for Larson.

There’s no guarantee the Hendrick/McLaren partnership continues. This is the second year of a two-year deal to give Larson the chance to run both races.

“I will say to do it this way with this kind of effort where you have your Cup team and the IndyCar team kind of collaborating with the paint scheme and sponsors and partners that are kind of crossing over and documenting it on Amazon Prime, having the level of competition, the capabilities on both sides of this with the Cup car and Indy car as well as the driver being able to be capable of doing it, I don’t know if you’ll ever see that again,” Jeff Gordon, vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, told NBC Sports.

“But if you do, it’ll be a while because it’s a huge, huge undertaking and a lot of coordination and resources to be able to do it.”

Larson admits he’s not sure he would have done it again this year had he been able to compete in both races last year as scheduled. Gordon also said that had things gone well at Indy, Hendrick might not have chosen to make the attempt this year.

A look at the winners and losers from Sunday’s Cup race at Kansas Speedway.

One person who hopes to see Larson and others attempt it in the future is Tony Stewart, the only driver to compete all 1,100 miles in one day when he finished sixth at Indianapolis and third at Charlotte that night in 2001.

“There’s going to be that special person that comes along, even after Kyle’s generation is over,” Stewart said. “There’s going to be that one special person that that opportunity is realistic and deserved. Hopefully, they will continue having those opportunities to do the double like that.”

Larson finished 18th last year at Indy. Stewart is looking forward to what Larson can do this year and if Larson can finish better than Stewart did in both races.

“He’s more than capable of beating that,” Stewart said of his 2001 performance in both races. “I think anybody that has a record, in the back of their mind doesn’t want it to be broken, but if it’s going to be broken, Kyle’s the guy I want to do it. I think the world of Kyle Larson, we’re good friends. I have so much respect for him as a driver. Anytime he’s racing anything on dirt, I’m a fan and love watching him drive.

“I’m going to be pulling for him during May just because I know his history, he’s a dirt track guy at heart. We have similar backgrounds because of that and you’re always rooting for somebody like that.”

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Kyle Larson denied Kyle Busch his lifelong dream of racing in the Indianapolis 500, as his NASCAR rival prepares for his second opportunity in the annual race held on May 25.

Larson’s attempted doubleheader last season was dampened by severe weather, as it saw him miss the Cup Series race later in the day. Missing out on those points may have cost him the regular-season championship, but it turns out that he only had a seat in the Indy 500 because of Busch.

Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion, has achieved almost everything possible in NASCAR, ranking first in overall wins between the top three NASCAR divisions. The two remaining goals on his to-do list are to win the Daytona 500 and race in the Indy 500, and he was moments away from doing so until Larson stepped in.

The NASCAR veteran is winless in 20 attempts at the Daytona 500, but a more achievable goal is simply competing in the Indy 500. Busch has attempted to do so for his entire career, but saw his dreams crumble in 2024 when Larson ended up racing instead.

In a recent episode of the ‘Actions Detrimental’ podcast, hosted by fellow driver Denny Hamlin, Busch told the story of his near miss with McLaren. “I had it signed, sealed, and delivered again, and then Larson took it,” Busch said.

“I won’t release the sponsor, but I had a sponsor talking to Zak Brown (McLaren CEO). The deal was done, and we were about ready to go to contract, and Zak Brown told the sponsor ‘Hey, I need you to buy the car.’

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“And the sponsor was like, ‘Why do I want to buy the car? I don’t need the car. I want to sponsor the car. I’m sponsoring Kyle [Busch] and he’s going to drive the car.'”

Busch was respectful when keeping the details anonymous, but did reveal that his entry was halted due to fears he could wreck the car. Busch then added: “It wasn’t two weeks later that I’m talking to this sponsor guy, and he was like, ‘Yeah, we’re too late anyway now. The opportunity is closed because Larson got it.'”

Larson ended up signing a two-year deal, despite Busch making it clear that he only wishes to try the Indy 500 once. Busch has now turned his attention to Team Penske, but is facing another issue.

DON’T MISS

“We were talking to Roger “(Penske),” Busch said. “The sponsor is close to Roger and we were talking to Roger about doing it and he says ‘I can’t get you the right people to be able to do another car.'”

Busch did have one other opportunity in 2017, but his dreams were blocked by Joe Gibbs, who he was racing for in NASCAR at the time. Back then, the team owner was strict when it came to his drivers racing elsewhere, and Busch was denied.

“It was all done,” Busch said when explaining his attempt in 2017. “M&M’s was gonna do it. Guess who said no?”

At first glance, pit stops might look like a routine break in the action, but in NASCAR, they’re a high-stakes ballet of speed, precision and strategy. At New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS), where races are often won by fractions of a second, a flawless pit stop can be the difference between victory and defeat.

Split-Second Decisions

NASCAR pit stops typically take around 12 seconds, and every movement is choreographed. Tire changers, fuelers and jackmen all have designated roles, executing with military precision. During a NASCAR race, even a one-second delay can drop a driver several positions, especially on the tight, flat one-mile oval known as “The Magic Mile,” where track position is everything.

Tech Meets Timing

Teams use advanced analytics and real-time data to determine exactly when to pit. Factors like tire wear, fuel levels, track temperature and caution flags all play into these decisions. In recent years, NASCAR teams have adopted AI tools and machine learning to simulate pit strategies, proving that science and technology are as critical as horsepower and handling.

Why It Matters at NHMS

NHMS is one of the most unique tracks on the NASCAR circuit. Its flat turns and one-mile layout mean there are fewer opportunities to pass compared to high-banked ovals. That puts even more pressure on pit road. Gaining two or three spots during a pit stop might be a driver’s best chance to climb the leaderboard. The narrow racing groove and tight racing pack amplify the importance of clean, efficient stops. At NHMS, pit road strategy often is the race strategy.

Experience the Strategy Live

Watching a race at NHMS offers fans a front-row view of the most intense moments in motorsports, including the pit stops that define championship runs.

For tickets and more information, visit NHMS.com.

Don’t Miss the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge at North Wilkesboro Speedway

For fans eager to see pit crews take center stage, the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge presented by Mechanix Wear returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway this Friday, May 16 as part of NASCAR All-Star Race week festivities. The fastest pit crew not only earns bragging rights and a $100,000 prize, but also secures top starting positions for the All-Star Open and heat races for the NASCAR All-Star Race.

• The 2025 NASCAR All-Star Open will mark Spire Motorsports’ 13th attempt to qualify for the NASCAR All-Star Race. Corey LaJoie posted the team’s best finish in the NASCAR All-Star Open when he raced to a fourth-place finish in the 2022 edition at Texas Motor Speedway. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet ZL1s in the Cup Series for Justin Haley, Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
• Spire Motorsports’ only appearance in the NASCAR All-Star Race came in 2020 when Haley qualified via his win in the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The top-two finishers in Sunday afternoon’s All-Star Open will transfer into the main event, in addition to the winner of the All-Star Fan Vote.
• Coverage from North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway will begin with the NASCAR All-Star Open at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The NASCAR All-Star Race will follow “The Open” at 8 p.m. EDT. Both races will be televised live on FS1. The all-star weekend festivities will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Justin Haley – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

• Justin Haley will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Gainbridge Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Open at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
• Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Open will mark Haley’s fifth attempt to race his way into NASCAR’s annual All-Star Race. His best finish came in 2022 when the event was held at Texas Motor Speedway where he finished third. The 26-year-old scored a fourth-place finish in last year’s All-Star Open and came home 14th when the event made its 2023 debut at the famed Wilkes County (N.C.) speedway.
• Haley has one start in the NASCAR All Star Race after earning a spot in 2020 via his win in the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. That summer’s annual visit to “The World Center of Racing” also marks Spire Motorsports’ lone win in NASCAR’s premiere division. Haley went on to finish 14th when the series contested the event on a Wednesday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.
• Founded in 2018, Gainbridge® is an insurtech subsidiary of Group 1001 that empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone, no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Its platform provides access to financial products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge® is headquartered in Zionsville, Ind. For more information, visit www.gainbridge.io or follow and connect with us on X and LinkedIn.
• Last week at Kansas Speedway Haley was involved in a multi-car incident late in the race but soldiered home for a 31st-place result.
• Over the course of his career, Haley has collected four NASCAR Xfinity Series checkered flags and three CRAFTSMAN Truck Series wins, making him one of just 41 drivers in history to have earned wins across all three of NASCAR’s National Touring Series.
• He made his first start in NASCAR’s premier division for Spire Motorsports at Talladega Superspeedway on April 28, 2019 – his 20th birthday. Over the course of the last seven seasons, the 26-year-old racer has notched one win, five top fives, 17 top 10s and 103 laps led.
• In total, Haley has made 53 Cup Series starts for Spire Motorsports, with the bulk of races coming during the 2021 season behind the wheel of the team’s No. 77 machine. In his second appearance amidst his return to Spire Motorsports at Talladega last October, Haley earned a seventh-place result, his first top 10 with the team since the 2021 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona.

Justin Haley Quotes
You are an open entry this weekend, how do you feel about making it into the All-Star race?
“I’m excited to race North Wilkesboro this weekend with the 7 team. We’ve found a lot of speed recently and hopefully we can put it in the big show this weekend.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Ryan Sparks

• Ryan Sparks serves in a dual role as both Spire Motorsports Competition Director and crew chief for driver Justin Haley and was first paired with Haley at Bristol Motor Speedway in September 2024.
• The Winston Salem, N.C., native has called 177 NASCAR Cup Series races where he’s earned three top-five and nine top-10 finishes.
• In total, Sparks has called five NASCAR All-Star Opens since 2020-present, and earned an event-best fourth-place result with Corey LaJoie during the 2022 edition at Texas Motor Speedway.

Michael McDowell – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

• Michael McDowell will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Delaware Life Chevrolet ZL1 in this weekend’s NASCAR All-Star Open, aiming to race his into Sunday’s 250-lap main event or be voted in via the All-Star Fan Vote.
• Last week it was announced that McDowell was ranked inside the top 10 in All-Star Fan Vote standings and joins Spire Motorsports’ stablemate Carson Hocevar as a contender for an opportunity to transfer into the main event.
• With a $1 million payday on the line, McDowell hopes to improve on his season-best short track finish of 12th at Martinsville Speedway. The Cup Series veteran returns to the historic .625-mile oval with a confidence boost, having recorded two top-10 starts and a venue best finish of ninth in last year’s event at the historic Wilkes County track.
• Delaware Life is an insurance and annuity company that empowers financial professionals with a wide array of customizable solutions. A subsidiary of Group 1001 Insurance Holdings LLC, Delaware Life focuses on delivering a seamless experience for advisors. The company understands how important it is to find the right fit for every client, every situation and every individual need. Delaware Life is passionate about equipping advisors with annuities that give their customers peace of mind and a successful future, allowing them to plan with confidence for whatever’s next.
• Across the first 12 races of the 2025 season, the Glendale, Ariz., native has an average starting position of 13.9, including four starts inside the top 10.
• The No. 71 Chevrolet will return to its teal-and-blue Delaware Life livery for this weekend’s All-Star Open and pit crew challenge.
• McDowell has claimed three Xfinity Fastest Lap awards this season, clocking the fastest lap in the Daytona 500, at Phoenix Raceway, and again at Talladega Superspeedway. He stands as the only driver in the Cup Series to have secured three bonus points via the program.
• McDowell secured Spire Motorsports’ first Busch Light Pole Award at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. His 28.833-second lap marks the fastest lap in NASCAR’s seventh-generation Cup Series car (2022-present) at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval.
• Spire Motorsports will host a small media event on Thursday, May 15 to unveil this year’s Coca-Cola 600 scheme. Media members interested in attending should contact, jpayne@spire-motorsports.com to RSVP.

Michael McDowell Quote:
Does the All-Star Race take some of the pressure off from a normal race weekend?
“It’s fun to have a couple of weeks at home and have more shop friends, family and crew members there. As far as it being a pressure-free weekend—it’s not. It really isn’t, because you want to win. You want to make it into the All-Star Race.

“We were a few laps away from not having to think about the Open race in Texas, but North Wilkesboro is a fun weekend. It’s a cool racetrack. It feels like a little time capsule, and you get back to some of the grassroots that we have. The scoreboard there, the walls, the fans – it’s just fun. It’s a cool place, and we look forward to the weekend.”

Talk about the importance of qualifying well at short tracks.
“You’re racing for the top two spots, so every lap counts and everything matters. We saw that. We were close to racing our way in a couple of years ago. Just like every weekend, you have to qualify well, and you’ve got to have a good car because everybody’s so close. It’s an elbows-out kind of grind for sure. You always have the fan vote to fall back on, but I’ve never put a lot of emphasis on that. I did when I drove the No. 95. They did a little campaign because they wanted to have some fun. I love my fans. I have great fans. Obviously, I’ve been doing this a long time, and I’m super appreciative. But I’m also that guy who would just rather earn it on merit, so we’ll see what happens this weekend.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Travis Peterson

• Crew chief Travis Peterson celebrated his 34th birthday last weekend at Kansas Speedway and led the Spire Motorsports contingency with an 11th-place qualifying effort.
• The University of North Carolina at Charlotte graduate led McDowell to a ninth-place finish in last season’s NASCAR All Star Race.

Carson Hocevar – Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

• Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar will pilot the No. 77 Indy25 Chevrolet ZL1 in his second All-Star Open appearance. The Portage, Mich., native started and finished 10th in the 2024 All-Star Open, coming up short in his bid to advance to the feature event.
• Spire Motorsports and Gainbridge® have partnered with the WNBA All-Star 2025 Host Committee to feature the “Indy25” logo in recognition of AT&T WNBA All-Star 2025 taking place in Indianapolis. Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Fever, will be the site of the 21st edition of the WNBA All-Star Game, as well as the WNBA STARRY 3-Point Contest and WNBA Skills Challenge July 18-19.
• Last Saturday at Kansas Speedway, Hocevar drove the No. 7 Delaware Life Chevrolet Silverado RST to victory in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. It was his first victory in two starts this season and fifth overall. Hocevar started 22nd in the No. 77 Delaware Life Chevy in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race, led laps in the second stage and was tracking a top-10 finish before a flat tire forced the team to pit with less than 20 laps remaining.
• The 2024 Rookie of the Year earned top-20 finishes in the two points-paying races held so far on tracks less than a mile. He also had a strong showing in the Clash at Bowman-Gray Stadium.
• Hocevar is currently in the top-five in the All-Star Fan Vote, just three days before the Cup Series drivers take to the track for practice and qualifying at the famed North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
North Wilkesboro has hosted racing since before the sports’ inception. What does it mean to you to have the chance to compete on such hallowed grounds?
“Any time we can go to tracks that have a long history in the sport, it means a lot. North Wilkesboro was no longer on the schedule when I was younger, but I love racing and I’ve seen the old footage of the races there. It’s a place that is so important to the history of stock car racing and to see it brought back to life, and hosting the Cup Series, is really cool. I’m thankful that it’s something I get to be part of.”

Last year you put in a lot of effort to garner fan votes to advance to the All-Star Race, but this year you’ve been a bit quieter. Does that change in approach reflect the confidence you have in yourself to advance on track?
“I think so. I was a rookie last year, I didn’t have a lot of experience and I knew going in how tough guys race when there’s money on the line. I leaned on my personality a lot, but I feel like people know who I am now. We’ve had some really good runs and we get better each week. The No. 77 team has shown a lot of improvement on the short tracks and I think we learned a lot last year that will help us this time around.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Luke Lambert

• In 2023, crew chief Luke Lambert led Noah Gragson to a seventh-place finish in the All-Star Open at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Gragson earned the Fan Vote to advance to his first All-Star Race.
• In 68 points-paying races contended on short tracks, Lambert has led his drivers to four top-five and 18 top-10 finishes, with 58 laps led.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on May 10, 2025, when Carson Hocevar took the checkered flag in the Heart of Health Care 200 at Kansas Speedway.

In 2025, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team also fields the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and the No. 77 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series in select events.

The NASCAR Cup Series takes a week off from points racing for the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

This is the third year the event has been held at the historic track, which hosted Cup races from 1949-96. The Cup Series returned in 2023 for this exhibition race. Kyle Larson won the 2023 All-Star Race and Joey Logano won the race last year.

Here is a look at the good news and bad news for Cup teams heading to North Wilkesboro.

23XI Racing — Good news: Bubba Wallace’s average finish of 7.25 in four All-Star Race appearances ranks third among active drivers behind only Joey Logano (average finish of 6.07) and Kyle Larson (7.0). … Wallace is among is among the top five for the All-Star fan vote. Bad news: Wallace finished 33rd in each of the past two points races, dropping him from seventh to 10th in the standings. … Tyler Reddick failed to score a top 10 in the last four races. … Reddick has one top 10 in his last six Cup points races. … Riley Herbst failed to score a top-20 finish in six of the seven races leading into this weekend.

Front Row Motorsports — Good news: Noah Gragson has been voted into the All-Star Race by the fans in each of the last two years and is among the top five vote-getters heading into this weekend. … Todd Gilliland has finished 16th or better in five of the last six races entering the All-Star Race. … Zane Smith has six top-20 finishes in the last seven Cup races. Bad news: Gragson is 31st in the points at the All-Star break.

Haas Factory Team — Good news: Cole Custer has two top-20 finishes in the last three races. Bad News: Those are his only top-20 finishes this year.

Hendrick Motorsports — Good news: Kyle Larson heads into the All-Star break as the points leader. … He also has scored the most playoff points this season, scored the most stage wins, led the most laps and is tied for most wins. … Oh yeah, Larson has more All-Star wins (three) than any other active driver and is one win away from tying Jimmie Johnson for most All-Star Race wins all-time. … Hendrick Motorsports has won a record 11 All-Star Races. … Chase Elliott enters the All-Star Race fourth in the points for the second year in a row. Bad news: William Byron lost the points lead due to a 24th-place finish last weekend at Kansas. … Byron has finished 19th or worse in each of the two All-Star Races at North Wilkesboro. … Alex Bowman has three finishes of 35th or worse in the last five races (the other results were top 10s).

Several challenges, including a new NASCAR rule, make the feat of running in those signature races in the same day much more difficult.

Hyak Motorsports — Good news: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. provided the highlight of last year’s All-Star Race with his confrontation with Kyle Busch after the event. Bad news: Stenhouse has finished last in each of the two All-Star Races at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Joe Gibbs Racing — Good news: Christopher Bell has finished first or second in five of the 12 points races this season, winning three times and finishing second twice. … Denny Hamlin has finished second in two of the last three All-Star Races. … Chase Briscoe has finished a season-best fourth four different times this year. … Ty Gibbs won last year’s NASCAR Open to earn a spot in the All-Star Race. He’s in the NASCAR Open this year. Bad news: JGR last won the All-Star Race in 2017 with Kyle Busch. … Ty Gibbs has finished 17th or worse in the last three points races.

Kaulig Racing — Good news: Twice AJ Allmendinger has won what is now called the NASCAR Open to advance to the All-Star Race. Bad news: Allmendinger has finished 36th and 38th in the past two races, dropping him from 15th to 25th in the season standings. … Ty Dillon has finished outside the top 20 in three of the last four points races.

From new events on the schedule in recent years to examining how to enhance the racing at some tracks and what changes, if any to make to how the champion is crowned keeps NASCAR looking ahead.

Legacy Motor Club — Good news: John Hunter Nemechek has scored back-to-back top 10s, the second time he’s done that this year. Bad news: Legacy failed to have a car in last year’s All-Star Race after both Erik Jones and Nemechek failed to advance out of the NASCAR Open.

Richard Childress Racing — Good news: Kyle Busch holds the record for most laps led in the All-Star Race at 324. Bad news: Kyle Busch has failed to finish better than ninth in the last four All-Star Races. … Austin Dillon has not finished better than 17th in his last two All-Star Race starts.

Rick Ware Racing — Good news: Harrison Burton, who is eligible for the All-Star Race with his win last year at Daytona, will drive the No. 51 in the event. … This will mark the first time Rick Ware Racing has had a car in the All-Star Race. … Cody Ware will move over to the No. 15 and compete in the All-Star Open. … Ware goes back to the No. 51 after this weekend. The change is just for the All-Star Race since Burton, who races full-time in the Xfinity Series, didn’t have a ride in the exhibition race. Bad news: Ware ranks last among the 36 full-time drivers in points after 12 races.

RFK Racing — Good news: Brad Keselowski has finished second in the All-Star Race three times, tied with Sterling Marlin and Ken Schrader for the most runner-up results without a victory in the event. … Chris Buescher finished third in last year’s All-Stat Race. … Ryan Preece is among the top five for the All-Star fan vote. Bad news: Buescher has finished outside the top 10 in four of the last six points races.

With six of the 14 races left in the regular season on either road courses or drafting tracks, the standings could change dramatically by late August.

Spire Motorsports — Good news: Carson Hocevar is among the top five for the All-Star fan vote. Bad news: All three Spire drivers (Michael McDowell, Justin Haley and Hocevar) are in the NASCAR Open this weekend.

Team Penske — Good news: Joey Logano is the defending All-Star winner after he led 199 of 200 laps in last year’s event. … Logano has finished in the top 10 in the last 10 All-Star Races, a series record. … Ryan Blaney has finished no worse than sixth in each of the last five All-Star Races, including a win in 2022. Bad news: Austin Cindric, who is in the All-Star Race this year, finished last in the NASCAR Open a year ago after being in an incident during the event.

Trackhouse Racing — Good news: Daniel Suarez’s average finish in five All-Star Race appearances is 8.80, which ranks sixth among active drivers. … Shane van Gisbergen is among the top five for the All-Star fan vote. Bad news: Ross Chastain has not qualified better than 25th in the last five Cup races entering the All-Star break.

Wood Brothers Racing — Good news: His Las Vegas win earned him a spot in the All-Star Race. … Berry comes into the weekend after a sixth-place finish at Kansas last weekend. Bad news: That Kansas finish was his first top 10 since his Las Vegas win in March.