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Austin Cindric and Harrison Burton are both preparing for their first season in the NASCAR Cup Series.  Cindric will be driving the No. 2 Ford Mustang for Team Penske while Burton takes the wheel of the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford.  Before jumping into their new rides for the start of the 2022 season, both will be teaming up to drive a Mustang GT4 for PF Racing in the four-hour Michelin Pilot Challenge event at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 28.  Both drivers took part in a media Q&A session this afternoon.

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Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing, announced earlier this week that the 2022 season would be his last as a full-time driver in the NASCAR Cup Series.  He held a Q&A session this afternoon to talk about that decision with members of the media.

CONCORD, NC - RIS - Matt DiBenedetto shared a laugh this morning from the Rackley W.A.R. headquarters near Nashville when he confirmed out loud that he’s spent the past 12 years driving in two of NASCAR’s top series’; NASCAR Cup and Xfinity.  “I may be telling my age, I don’t know. I forget that I’ve been doing this stuff so long,” said DiBenedetto, upon being announced as the full-time driver of Rackley W.A.R.’s No. 25 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chevrolet Silverado for the 2022 racing season.

MOORESVILLE, NC - RIS - Front Row Motorsports (FRM) today announced the sharp-minded and energetic leader Blake Harris as the crew chief for Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Ford Mustang team. Harris, 34, joins FRM from previous winning stints at Furniture Row Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing with NASCAR Cup Series champion, Martin Truex, Jr.

Tyler Reddick scored the most spins

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(CONCORD, NC – DEC. 17, 2021 – RIS) Two days of testing the 2022 "Next Gen" NASCAR Cup cars concluded Friday, Dec. 17, with further progress made on determining the configurations for the coming season of racing.

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(CONCORD, NC - RIS) A Holiday Racer's Bookshelf: Looking for a different gift for the racing enthusiast on your holiday gift list? Would you rather find something other than team regalia or souvenirs in the giftwrap? Here are some suggestions that might start someone else on the path to reading more about our favorite subject: cars and racing. Not all of these books are still in print, but they can be found online or in a local second-hand bookstore.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Nov. 19, 2021) – The following is a statement from Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith on funding for North Wilkesboro Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway being included in North Carolina’s 2022 budget as part of the American Rescue Plan:

RFK Racing

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CONCORD, NC - RIS - At a news conference at Charlotte Motor Speedway today, it was announced that Roush Fenway Racing would renamed Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing to reflect Brad Keselowski's ownership.  The following is comments from the team and the new owner. BRAD KESELOWSKI, Driver and Co-Owner, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing -- “It’s been a work of love from a lot of different people to bring all of this together.  Steve brings up the passion and the passion has really peaked out.  All of us are super excited about what we have going on here, but with that we want to first acknowledge where we’ve been.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 9, 2021) – NASCAR announced the qualifying elements and race format for the first-ever Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, the unprecedented 150-lap main event highlighting two days of racing action at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, Feb. 5 and Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. and DOVER, DE (Nov. 8, 2021) – Speedway Motorsports, LLC (“Speedway Motorsports”), a leading marketer, promoter and sponsor of motorsports entertainment, and Dover Motorsports, Inc. (NYSE: DVD) (“Dover Motorsports”) today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which Speedway Motorsports has agreed to acquire Dover Motorsports for $3.61 per share in cash for an approximate total equity value of $131.5 million. The transaction was announced today by Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith and Dover Motorsports President and CEO Denis McGlynn.

This was first written as an exercise in historical research. Since then, we’ve tried to keep it updated. In light of past seasons’ somewhat controversial endings, especially where the 2004 championship is concerned, here’s the version for the year just ended.)

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AVONDALE, AZ – RIS – In a season that he dominated, Kyle Larson got a good pit stop just when he needed it and went on to win the final NASCAR Cup race and get the trophy as the 2021 champion.  The other two Championship 4 contenders were not far behind. Denny Hamlin finished third and Chase Elliott finished fifth. Ryan Blaney came home fourth, the first of the non-playoff drivers.

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AVONDALE, AZ – RIS – Daniel Hemric passed defending champion Austin Cindric on the last lap of overtime to win for the first time in his career and the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday night. 

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AVONDALE, AZ – RIS – With a maniac-like final run, Ben Rhodes won the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Championship by shifting gears and running down Chandler Smith.  Rhodes finished third behind race winner Smith and runner-up Stewart Friesen. It was enough to give him his first Truck Series title over Zane Smith (finished fifth), John Hunter Nemechek (finished seventh) and Matt Crafton (finished 12th).

(MARTINSVILLE, VA – OCT 31, 2021 – RIS)  Alex Bowman won the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on lap 501 after bumping and spinning Denny Hamlin to bring out the 15th and final caution while fighting for the lead on lap 493 and then holding off the new second place driver, Kyle Busch, on the overtime restart and final lap. This was Bowman’s sixth NASCAR Cup series career victory.

Martinsville, VA, 10/31/2021, Ed Turner, RIS

Martinsville Speedway is expecting the largest crowd since 2016

Noah Gragson on his way to winning Martinsville

(MARTINSVILLE, VA – OCT 30, 2021 – RIS) NASCAR'S oldest track, Martinsville Speedway, saw the Championship Four selected for the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series with Noah Gragson racing cleanly to the win to earn a spot racing for the season ending championship next weekend at Phoenix Raceway. Joining Gragson in the Chapionship Four group racing for the season crown are Austin Cindric, second-place finisher at Martinsville, and AJ Allmendinger, plus Daniel Hemric, who earned his place at the table without winning a single race this season.

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MARTINSVILLE, VA – RIS – Zane Smith survived in the Camping Word Truck Series race on Saturday at Martinsville Speedway.  On the final restart in overtime, trucks got three- wide on the tiny half mile track.  Todd Gilliland was leading as he did all day, but that was to change.  Smith was running three-wide with Todd Gilliland and Stewart Friesen for the lead when Friesen made contact with Gilliland and spun Gilliland as the field took the white flag in overtime. Smith pulled ahead in Turn 1 as Friesen spun into the wall, bringing out the caution. Since the field had taken the white flag, the caution ended the race. Smith won the event.

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KANSAS CITY, KS – RIS – Kyle Larson won his ninth NASCAR Cup race on Sunday which was the second time this season he has won three Cup races in a row. His magical season was capped by the fact that his car number and paint scheme mirrored the scheme Rick Hendrick, son of car owner Rick Hendrick, used on his short career in NASCAR.  Twenty-one years ago, Ricky was killed in a place crash traveling to the Martinsville Cup race, but the day is still celebrated every year.

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KANSAS CITY, KS – RIS – Ty Gibbs won his fourth race of an abbreviated season by taking the checkers at Kansas Speedway in playoff race on Saturday. Gibbs passed playoff driver and defending series champion Austin Cindric with 11 laps remaining in the 200-lap Kansas Lottery 300 at the 1.5-mile oval. It’s the fourth time in the five postseason races so far that a non-playoff driver has gone to Victory Lane.

Kyle Larson notched another win

FORT WORTH, TX – RIS – Kyle Larson became the first driver to be part of the NASCAR Cup  final four at Phoenix Speedway. Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway found Larson dominating the race even though he had plenty of drivers who were very competitive chasing him. Larson led 256 of 334 laps at the 1 1/2-mile track and got his eighth win this season, staying in front through seven restarts in the final stage. Three of those restarts came after incidents involving other playoff contenders in the closing laps.This was the first chance for anyone to guarantee a shot at racing for the Cup title in Phoenix on Nov. 7.

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FORT WORTH, TX – RIS – John Hunter Nemechek used a two-tire final pit stop to gain track position and roared back to pass Daniel Hemric to win the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday.  He was in the No.54 Toyota from Joe Gibbs Racing made famous by Kyle Busch was competing in the series. With 20 laps to go, his march to the front was impressive. 

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(CONCORD, NC – OCT 14, 2021 – RIS) Tony Stewart announced today that Tony Stewart Racing will field a Top Fuel dragster for his fiancée Leah Pruett and a nitro Funny Car for current champion Matt Hagan.

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(CONCORD, NC - OCT 13, 2021) Monday and Tuesday were the first truly open test sessions for the new Next Gen car that will see its first on-track competition at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with the Feb 6, 2022 'The Clash at L. A. Memorial Coliseum.'

Geisler speaking in the Media Center

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NASCAR completed a two-day Next Gen test at Charlotte Motor Speedway and as part of that, Travis Geiser, NASCAR competitiondirector for Team Penske, answered some questions from members of the media on Tuesday afternoon. Here is a transcript of that session.

Kyle Larson celebrates with another epic burnout

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(CONCORD, NC – OCT. 10, 2021 – RIS) A problem with the battery and alternator belt couldn't keep Kyle Larson out of Victory Lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway's Bank of America ROVAL™400. After the crew replaced the battery and alternator belt and he dropped back in the pack, Larson drove back to the front to lead the last eight laps of the race, beating out Tyler Reddick by 0.782 second. Chris Buescher took third, another eight plus seconds back with Kyle Busch fourth and Denny Hamlin fifth.

'Dinger taking his third consecutive ROVAL checkers

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(CONCORD, NC - OCT 9, 2021 - RIS) Break out the brooms: AJ Allmendinger took the checkered flag for his third straight victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Drive for the Cure 250 on Charlotte Motor Speedway's ROVAL™. Current champion Austin Cindric finished second, followed by Daniel Hemric, Justin Haley, Brandon Jones and Noah Gragson. All of the top six finishers are locked into the next round of the playoffs. 

Can Chase Elliott win his third-straight ROVAL?

Starting Line Up 62nd Annual Bank of America ROVAL 400, Sunday, Oct. 10
Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course

Starting Line Up 62nd Annual Bank of America ROVAL 400, Sunday, Oct. 10
Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course

Pos, Driver, Car
1) Denny Hamlin (P), No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota
2) Brad Keselowski (P), No. 2 Wurth Ford
3) Joey Logano (P), No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford
4) Christopher Bell (P), No. 20 Irwin Trade Strong Toyota
5) Martin Truex Jr. (P), No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota
6) Ryan Blaney (P), No. 12 DEX Imaging Ford
7) Kevin Harvick (P), No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford
8) Chase Elliott (P), No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet
9) Kyle Busch (P), No. 18 M&M's Toyota
10) Kyle Larson (P), No. 5 HendrickCars.com 

Joey Logano and Joey Hand

Ford Press Release: DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 5, 2021 – • Former Ford GT driver and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Joey Hand will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Will Chase Elliott win his third consecutive Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 and to punch his ticket to the Round of 8 in NASCAR's 2021 Playoffs? Can Denny Hamlin find Victory Lane for the first time ever at Charlotte? Which driver might play Playoff spoiler on the ROVAL? Storylines abound heading into this weekend's pivotal Playoff showdown. (RIS photo – John Davison)

CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 4, 2021) – The drama of the NASCAR Playoffs shifts into high gear this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, as the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 and the Drive for the Cure 250 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina give NASCAR’s championship contenders one final shot to advance to the Round of 8.

Bubba Wallace celebrates in Victory Lane

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TALLADEGA, AL – RIS – Darrell “Bubba” Wallace won the rain-shortened NASCAR Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway on Monday.  The race was postponed on Sunday due to rain, but the rain persisted on Monday, but the race was called because of more rain and NASCAR monitoring the situation on radar. 

(TALLADEGA, AL – OCT 2, 2021 – RIS) Following North Carolinian Tate Fogleman's first career win in the Camping World Truck Series race earlier, Brandon Brown scored his first career Xfinity Series race when encroaching darkness after a pair of late race cautions forced NASCAR to end the race under caution before the scheduled distance.

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TALLADEGA, AL – RIS – Tate Fogleman spun leader John Hunter Nemechek out on the final lap of the NASCAR Camping World truck race in overtime to win in an upset.  The final lap saw To0dd Gilliland leading with Nemechek alongside.  Nemechek was able to get by the damaged truck with lap the lap to go.  Before the finish line, Fogleman turned Nemechek and took the checkers.

cancer survivors join Daniel Hemric and Kurt Busch in painting pit wall pink

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CMS Press Release: CONCORD, N.C. - Sept. 28, 2021 – Alongside dozens of pink shirt-wearing breast cancer survivors, NASCAR drivers Kurt Busch and Daniel Hemric joined officials from Charlotte Motor Speedway and Blue Cross NC in painting Charlotte Motor Speedway's pit wall pink on Tuesday.

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LAS VEGAS, NV - RIS -Denny Hamlin moved on to field of eight with a convincing victory in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  Hamlin outran the field in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in his second win of the season, leading 137 of the 267 laps in the South Point 400. His first victory at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval was the 46th of his Cup Series career.

Josh Berry celebrates his win

(LAS VEGAS, NV – SEP 25, 2021 – RIS) Josh Berry took advantage of driving as a sub for Michael Annett to capture his second career NASCAR Xfinity Series race, sweeping around Justin Allgaier after late green flag pit stops to win the first Xfinity playoffs race by over four seconds. Berry's car headed a JR Motorsports sweep of the top three positions, followed by Justin Allgaier and Noah Gragson. Reigning 2020 champion Austin Cindric came home in fourth position, with Daniel Hemric finishing fifth.

Christian Eckes Leads Thorsport Four Truck Sweep at Las Vegas
(LAS VEGAS, NV – SEP 24, 2021 – RIS) Christian Eckes made personal and series history in taking his first career NASCAR win, heading the four Thorsport trucks to a first-ever top four finish for the same team. Ben Rhodes took second, followed by Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter. Rhodes' second place finish moved him into the points lead as the series goes to Talladega next weekend.

Josh Hart in Friday qualifying

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Josh Hart scored a monumental NHRA Top Fuel upset in Sunday's DEWALT NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway; Hart edged Top Fuel points leader Brittany Force Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car), Kyle Koretsky (Pro Stock) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also scored victories on Sunday at the Bellagio of drag strips
Charlotte Motor Speedway's Fall Season of Speed continues with the Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 Oct 9-10

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BRISTOL, TN - RIS - Kyle Larson won the NASCAR Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway, but he had help.  It is a long story, but in the end, teammate Chase Elliott, who had fallen laps down while battling with Kevin Harvick, decided to help fellow Hendrick Motorsports driver Larson.  The incident is in the eye of the watcher, but regardless, Larson won the race with Kevin Harvick second.  The result was familiar.