NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 Presented by TicketSmarter
World Wide Technology Raceway The Purse: $7,425,976
Sunday, June 4 3:30 p.m. ET TV: FS1, 2 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 300 miles (240 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 140), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 240)
NASCAR Xfinity Series Pacific Office Automation 147
Portland International Raceway The Purse: $1,376,231
Saturday, June 3 4:30 p.m. ET TV: FS1, 4 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 147.75 miles (75 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 25), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 50), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 75)
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Toyota 200
World Wide Technology Raceway The Purse: $738,514
Saturday, June 3 1:30 p.m. ET TV: FS1, 1 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 200 miles (160 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 35), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 70), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 160)
NASCAR Cup Series
Back For More: NASCAR Cup Series returns to World Wide Technology Raceway
After an outstanding debut last season, the NASCAR Cup Series will be returning to the World Wide Technology Raceway for this weekend’s Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter this Sunday, June 4 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – the 15th race of the 26-race regular season.
World Wide Technology Raceway, located in Madison, Illinois just outside St. Louis, was originally built as a drag strip and road course in 1985 and was originally known as St. Louis International Raceway Park. In 1994, new ownership acquired the track. The existing tracks (drag strip and road course) were demolished over the course of 1995–1996 and a new oval speedway and drag strip were constructed.
The current 1.25-mile oval that is World Wide Technology Raceway has a unique shape and different degrees of banking in each set of turns. The backstretch is confined to run parallel with Illinois Route 203, making Turns 1 & 2 a tighter radius than Turns 3 & 4. Turns 1 & 2 have similar characteristics to New Hampshire Motor Speedway while Turns 3 & 4 are similar to Phoenix Raceway. The track’s egg shape mimics the legendary Darlington Raceway. The facility now has more than 700 acres welcoming fans this weekend.
The first NASCAR national series race held at World Wide Technology Raceway was a NASCAR Xfinity Series race held on June 26, 1997 – Elliott Sadler won the event.
Though this will only be the second NASCAR Cup Series event this weekend at the 1.25-mile track, World Wide Technology Raceway has hosted 15 NASCAR Xfinity Series races from 1997-2010 and 22 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races from 1998-2010 and 2014-2022.
Team Penske’s Joey Logano is the defending winner of the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway – one of 19 different tracks the Connecticut native has won at in the series. Eight other drivers entered this weekend have won in either the NASCAR Xfinity Series or the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at World Wide Technology Raceway, led by Kevin Harvick with three NASCAR national series wins at the 1.25-mile track (NXS 2000, 2001 and NCTS 2010); followed by Christopher Bell (NCTS 2016), Kyle Busch (NXS 2009), Ross Chastain (NCTS 2019), Justin Haley (NCTS 2018), Brad Keselowski (NXS 2010), Martin Truex Jr. (NXS 2004) and Bubba Wallace (NCTS 2014) each with one victory.
All the on-track action begins for the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend with practice and Busch Light Pole Qualifying on Saturday, June 3 at 10 a.m. ET on FS1.
NASCAR to ring in 100th National Series race in Illinois
NASCAR has a long history in the state of Illinois dating back to 1954, and this weekend the sport will run its 100th and 101st national series races in the state of Illinois at Word Wide Technology Raceway.
Returning for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race, the Toyota 200, on Saturday, June 3 (race 100) and the NASCAR Cup Series’ second installment of the Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter this Sunday, June 4 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (race 101). World Wide Technology Raceway is the fifth different track in the great state of Illinois that has hosted a NASCAR national series event.
The NASCAR Cup Series first competed in the state of Illinois on Saturday, July 10, 1954 at Santa Fe Speedway, a half-mile dirt track located in Willow Springs, IL. The event had 23 cars entered and was scheduled for 200 laps (100 miles). Dick Rathman won the race driving a 1954 Hudson for car owner John Ditz.
It wasn’t until two years later that the NASCAR Cup Series returned to the state of Illinois, only this time it was at the famous Soldier Field in Chicago. On July 21, 1956, the NASCAR Cup Series saw 25 cars compete at the half-mile paved track inside the stadium for 200 laps (100 miles). The race was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Fireball Roberts driving a Ford for car owner Pete DePaolo.
The NASCAR Cup Series has also competed at Chicagoland Speedway from 2001-2019 for 19 races.
In total, there have been 99 NASCAR national series races in the state of Illinois among five different tracks. The NASCAR Cup Series has made 22 starts in the state of Illinois and has competed at four of the five tracks.
Breakdown of the NASCAR National Series races in Illinois (All-Time)
Track Name City Cup Xfinity Truck Combined First Year
Chicagoland Speedway Joliet 19 24 11 57 2001
World Wide Technology Raceway Madison 1 15 22 38 1997
Chicago Motor Speedway Cicero 0 0 2 2 2000
Santa Fe Speedway Willow Springs 1 0 0 1 1954
Soldier Field Chicago 1 0 0 1 1956
Totals 22 39 35 99
Confluence Festival a nice weekend addition for fans at WWTR
This weekend’s NASCAR festivities at World Wide Technology Raceway, will be accompanied by the Confluence Festival, a showcase of innovation, talent and live entertainment that represents the region’s communities coming together in welcoming NASCAR to World Wide Technology Raceway.
Already announced 14-time Grammy-nominated Dierks Bentley will headline, playing a full set in what will be his only St. Louis appearance this year. He leads an impressive award-winning lineup:
Flo Rida – Five-time Grammy nominee Flo Rida is an American rapper and singer who 2007 breakout single “Low” was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for over ten weeks and remained in the top ten for over 20 weeks. Having sold over 80 million records worldwide, he is one of the best-selling musical artists in the world.
Brothers Osborne – Brothers Osborne is an American country music duo consisting of brothers T.J. Osborne and John Osborne. Eight-time Academy of Country Music Award winners and six-time Country Music Award winners, they won the 2022 Grammy Award for “Best Country Duo/Group Performance”.
Brittney Spencer – Brittney Spencer is an American Country singer/songwriter from Baltimore. Brittney has released three singles; “Sober & Skinny”, “More Than Perfect” and “Wake Me Up (A Fever Dream)”. She was nominated for Country Music Television Music Awards “CMT Digital First Performance of the Year” in 2022 for her performance of “Sober & Skinny”.
Bailey Zimmerman – From nearby Louisville, IL, Zimmerman is one of country music’s most exciting new voices with the 2022 release of his debut LP, Leave the Light On – the biggest streaming country debut of all time and the most-streamed all-genre debut of the year.
Rissi Palmer – Rissi Palmer was one of the first African American female country artists to chart on country radio with singles, “Country Girl,” “Hold On To Me,” and “No Air.” She has independently released a Christmas single, her first children’s album, Best Day Ever and an EP titled The Back Porch Sessions. Her most recent album, Revival, has been critically hailed as her most personal and uplifting work to date. While she made her mark in Country Music, she is equally at home in R&B music, bringing the entire spectrum of popular music to bear on music she calls “Southern Soul.”
Tim Dugger – A NASCAR favorite, country singer-songwriter Dugger returns for the 2023 Confluence Music Festival. After surpassing 15 million career streams, he released his new single, “Buy a Bar” this past February.
“We are so excited to deliver an impressive second-year experience for racing fans as they return to World Wide Technology Raceway,” said Curtis Francois, Owner and CEO of World Wide Technology Raceway. “We have so much to celebrate and live music entertainment is an important part of how we want to attract and delight our guests at the Enjoy Illinois 300.”
Special performances by BeBe Winans, Jazz St. Louis, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Madison High School Marching Band and The Muny Teens will put an unforgettable and uniquely local stamp on the event.
Regional acts scheduled to perform over the weekend include: Blinded By Stereo, DJ Mahf, DJ Big D, Dr. Zhivegas, Dylan Triplett, Funky Butt Brass Band, Lamar Harris, Malena Smith, Red and Black Brass Band, St. Boogie Brass Band, The Bobby Ford Band, The Mighty Pines – lead singer Neil Salsich is competed on NBC’s The Voice!, Vella La Vella, and We Are Root Mod.
“We were intentional about developing a line-up that is exciting, representative and true to the mission of Confluence,” said Kwofe Coleman, President and CEO of the Muny, and producer of the Confluence Festival. “Sharing the platform of Enjoy Illinois 300’s remarkable reach among local and national artists from various genres is a special opportunity to celebrate the concept of together and offer race-goers and attendees an unforgettable experience.”
Blaney becomes 10th different winner this season, sixth to knockout big winless streak
And just like that another large winless streak is snapped. Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney hustled to a crown jewel win in a rain-delayed Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway becoming the 10th different winner in the NASCAR Cup Series this season. Blaney also conquered a winless streak that had reached 59 races. He is the sixth different driver this season to snap a winless streak of 25 races or more, joining Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (199 races), Martin Truex Jr. (54 races), Denny Hamlin (33 races), William Byron (30 races) and Kyle Busch (28 races).
A total of 16 active drivers currently have winless streaks that date prior to the start of the 2023 season.
Driver Track Date Races Since Attempts Since
Justin Haley Daytona 07/07/19 140 83
Michael McDowell Daytona 02/14/21 85 85
Brad Keselowski Talladega 04/25/21 76 76
Aric Almirola Loudon 07/18/21 64 64
AJ Allmendinger Indianapolis RC 08/15/21 62 33
Austin Cindric Daytona 02/20/22 49 49
Alex Bowman Las Vegas 03/06/22 47 39
Chase Briscoe Phoenix 03/13/22 46 46
Ross Chastain Talladega 04/24/22 40 40
Daniel Suárez Sonoma 06/12/22 34 34
Kevin Harvick Richmond 08/14/22 26 26
Austin Dillon Daytona 08/28/22 24 24
Erik Jones Darlington 09/04/22 23 23
Bubba Wallace Kansas 09/11/22 22 21
Chris Buescher Bristol 09/17/22 21 21
Chase Elliott Talladega 10/02/22 19 13
As the most recent winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, Ryan Blaney jumps off the winless list this season and has secured his spot in the Playoffs for the seventh-time in his career (2023, ‘22, ’21 ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17). This year, the North Carolina native has posted one win (Charlotte), four top fives and eight top 10s. And to boot, Blaney is ranked second in the series driver standings, just one-point behind standings leader and Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain.
As the series heads to World Wide Technology Raceway for the Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter this Sunday, June 4 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, watch for Ryan Blaney to continue to ride his wave of success. In last year’s inaugural Cup Series event at WWTR, he finished in the top-five (fourth) and led 12 laps. Loop Data also has him ranked in the top five in several pre-race categories: Average Running Position (6.780, third-best), Driver Rating (118.2, second-best), Fastest Laps Run (38, second-best), and Quality Passes (52, second-most).
Playoff Bubble: Just five postseason spots still open following Charlotte
Rolling into World Wide Technology Raceway this weekend, 10 different drivers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series this season. With a spot secured for the driver point standings leader without a win, currently occupied by Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain, that leaves just five spots available in 16-driver field to make the postseason.
The 10 drivers that have earned a spot in the Playoffs by virtue of their wins this season are William Byron, Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr., Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Joey Logano.
Ross Chastain regained the points lead in the NASCAR Cup Series following Dover Motor Speedway and has held the top spot since, but he is winless and currently only has a one-point advantage over Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in second.
The five drivers currently occupying Playoff spots on points are: 12. Kevin Harvick (+146 points over postseason cutoff), 13. Brad Keselowski (+102), 14. Chris Buescher (+76), 15. Bubba Wallace (+35), 16. Alex Bowman (+4).
It didn’t take Alex Bowman long to bounce back into Playoff contention. He returned from injury last week at Charlotte with a Playoff waiver and ranked 17th in points. After posting a 12th-place finish at Charlotte, he has now jumped to 16th, up four points over Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe in 17th – the first spot outside the Playoff cutoff.
Not far behind Bowman in the points are Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ty Gibbs in 18th (-15 points) and Trackhouse Racing driver Daniel Suarez in 19th (-20 points).
In last season’s WWTR Cup race Bowman finished 13th, Briscoe finished 24th, and Suarez finished 23rd. This weekend will be Ty Gibbs first appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Four of the drivers that finished in the top-10 in the NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway last season are still looking for their first win of 2023 – Aric Almirola, Erik Jones, Ross Chastain and AJ Allmendinger.
NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.
Corey LaJoie to pilot No. 9 for Hendrick Motorsports at WWTR – Following the announcement that Hendrick Motorsports’ driver Chase Elliott would be suspended for this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway, the organization has tapped Spire Motorsports’ driver Corey Lajoie to drive the No. 9 Chevrolet this Sunday.
“We are grateful to Corey for stepping in and to the team at Spire Motorsports for making him available,” the Hendrick Motorsports statement said this week.
This season, Lajoie has put up one top five and an average finish of 19.1 in 14 Cup Series starts.
In last season’s NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway, Lajoie finished 36th (last) in the event due to engine failure driving the No. 7 for Spire Motorsports.
Carson Hocevar to make NASCAR Cup Series career debut at WWTR for Spire Motorsports – With Corey Lajoie getting the opportunity to drive the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in replace of a suspended Chase Elliott, Spire Motorsports has called upon rising NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series star Carson Hocevar to hop behind the wheel of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet at World Wide Technology Raceway to make his series career debut.
Though this will be Hocevar’s series track debut, he has made three starts in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at the 1.25-mile track posting one top-10 finish (eighth in 2021).
Milestone Watch: Brad Keselowski to make 500th career Cup start – This weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway, RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski will become the 46th different driver to make 500 or more NASCAR Cup Series career starts.
Keselowski has had quite the career in his previous 499 NASCAR Cup Series starts, putting up one Cup Series Championship (2012), two Championship 4 Round appearances (2017, ‘20), 10 Playoff appearances (2011, ’12, ’14, ’15, ’16, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20, ’21), 35 wins, 142 top fives, 239 top 10s and has led over 9,000 laps.
This weekend, Keselowski will look to become just the third driver to win on his 500th NASCAR Cup Series career start, joining Richard Petty (July 12, 1970 at Trenton) and Matt Kenseth (September 22, 2013 at New Hampshire).
NASCAR Championship Weekend returning to Phoenix Raceway in 2024 – NASCAR has announced that Phoenix Raceway will continue as host of NASCAR Championship Weekend in 2024.
Four champions will be crowned over three days, Nov. 1-3, 2024, as the best drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series West will compete for season supremacy at Phoenix Raceway.
“This honor is a testament to our fans whose overwhelming support makes this a true championship-caliber venue,” said Phoenix Raceway President Latasha Causey. “They pack the grandstands, fill the hillside and create the best camping experience in all of NASCAR inside our breathtaking GEICO Gecko Campground. Now the onus is on us to exceed the already high standards we’ve set to continue building on this momentum and keep them coming back.”
The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race completely sold out at Phoenix Raceway in 2021 and 2022, and only a limited number of seats remain for the 2023 NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway, Nov. 3-5.
NASCAR Diversity Internship Program announces 2023 Class – NASCAR has announced its 22nd NASCAR Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) class welcoming undergraduate and graduate students to NASCAR. The class of 37 students completed orientation during the Coca-Cola 600 race weekend in Charlotte. Many in the group had the opportunity to experience their first NASCAR race, visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Hendrick Motorsports and the Motor Racing Network facilities.
The NASCAR Diversity Internship Program is a 10-week program that offers hands-on experience across various roles in the motorsports industry. NDIP provides practical, unique, hands-on experience in a variety of fields vital to the sport and business operations. Throughout the summer interns will receive mentorship, network with industry leaders and engage in a case study competition.
“This year we’re welcoming another exceptional class of college students eager to learn about our sport,” said Brandon Thompson, NASCAR’s Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion. “As a graduate of NDIP,
I know firsthand how crucial it is for students to have exposure to professional sports opportunities. We’re excited to welcome this year’s class and look forward to seeing them grow this summer.”
Launched in 2000, the highly competitive career development program has introduced over 500 college students to the NASCAR industry, and has grown to include several industry partners, providing a variety of career exposure opportunities. 2023 partners include Rev Racing, World Wide Express, 23XI Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Sonoma Raceway, Team Penske, Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing.
NDIP is open to college students who are sophomores or above with a minimum 3.0 GPA representing the following races/ethnic minority classifications: Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Latino or Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.
For the entire list of this year’s NDIP class, please visit NASCARMedia.com and the following: LINK
360° Fan Immersion Infield Experience awaits spectators at WWTR – Awaiting fans at the World Wide Technology Raceway is the all-new Gateway Garage Experience that enables fans to get up close and personal with the teams, cars and drivers, as they prepare to compete on the 1.25-mile oval. It’s the perfect combination of a party and NASCAR action. Passholders will have access to the following: pre-race opening ceremonies on-track; premium access to Saturday and Sunday Turn 1 concerts; tech inspection; driver Q&A’s; discounted food and beverage; free enhanced wi-fi; and the driver red-carpet walk. Fans in the Gateway Garage Experience will also have access to a NASCAR-approved viewing area behind the team pit boxes on pit road during the race. Other details include:
The speedway has lengthened the existing garage space to allow fans a close look at the crews, cars and NASCAR’s biggest stars preparing for races on the track.
The NASCAR Cup Series Drivers Meeting and VIP event space will now be held in a remodeled Clubhouse located adjacent to the garage area.
The adjacent Fan Zone has been expanded and reimagined, featuring infield seating as well as shade structures, soft seating, additional vendors and multiple food options.
The infield experience is part of a multi-phase $100 million renovation and expansion project that includes significant land acquisition and expanded guest accommodations, including the infield fan zone project.
“Our fans are going to love the intimate experience of the new garage access,” World Wide Technology Raceway owner Curtis Francois said. “This is just the latest example of our commitment to building a world-class entertainment venue, investing more each year, responding to what fans want and showcasing hospitality at every turn.”
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Justin Allgaier snags a first JR Motorsports win of 2023; ready for some road course action
JR Motorsports’ driver Justin Allgaier has put up some impressive finishes at Charlotte Motor Speedway over the course of his career and was finally able to take to the checkered flag on Monday, bringing his numbers up to one win, six top fives, 12 top 10s and 160 laps led in his 21 starts at the 1.5-mile track.
The win marked his first of the season and the 20th in his NASCAR Xfinity Series career. It was also uncharacteristically the first win of the season for JR Motorsports. The victory also secures him into the Playoffs later this season, for a series leading eighth time in his career (2023, ‘22, ’21, ’20, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’16).
Allgaier will look to keep the momentum going at Portland International Raceway, a track that served him well last season. In the inaugural Xfinity Series race at the Portland road course last year, the 36-year-old driver put up a top-five finish (fifth).
Although there has only been one road course on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule this season thus far (COTA), Allgaier has proved he hasn’t lost his road course racing touch as he posted a fifth-place finish in Austin.
Here is a look at Allgaier’s stats on other road courses coming up on the Xfinity Series circuit this season:
Road America: 11 starts – One win (2018), two top fives, five top 10s.
Indianapolis RC: Three starts – one top five, two top 10s.
Watkins Glen: 11 starts – four top fives, seven top 10s.
Charlotte Roval: Five starts – Two top fives, three top 10s.
Back to the Northwest: Portland International Raceway is up next
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will be heading back to Portland International Raceway for the Pacific Office Automation 147 on Saturday, June 3 at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. This will be the second time the Xfinity Series heads to the 1.967-mile road course. The inaugural event last season saw road course ringer AJ Allmendinger snag the victory by 2.879 seconds after working his way up from the 10th starting position.
Allmendinger won’t be in the field this time around but the inaugural pole sitter, Anthony Alfredo, will be back in hopes of leading the field in the Pacific Office Automation 147 once again.
Last year’s runner-up on the Portland road course, Myatt Snider, will also be back to give the track another go. He’ll be behind the wheel of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for his second start of the season with the team. He made his first start with the JGR organization at the season-opener in Daytona, where he posted a fifth-place finish.
Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill, who placed third in last year’s inaugural race, will be competing on Saturday as well. With three wins already under his belt this season (Daytona, Las Vegas, Atlanta), he’s hungry for a fourth. If he pulls off the victory, it’ll be his first road course win in the Xfinity Series.
Although the No. 21 Chevrolet driver, Hill, had some engine trouble earlier this season at COTA and ultimately finished 37th, he’s proved his skill on road courses. Last season, he posted a runner-up finish at COTA, a fourth-place finish at Road America, and a ninth-place finish at Indy RC.
Drivers will kick off their weekend with practice at 11:30 p.m. ET followed by qualifying at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 3. Practice will not be broadcast but qualifying will be shown on FS1.
Road course racin’ with a twist
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will be heading to Portland International Raceway to make some left and right turns but pit stops may look a tad bit different:
GENERAL PROCEDURE RULES
The field will be frozen at the time of caution
All caution periods will be Quickie Yellows (when Pit Road has opened, ALL cars may pit)
Fuel may only be added during the stage breaks
Tires may be changed at any time during the event
STAGE BREAK PIT STOPS
Stage breaks will consist of a THREE-minute break
NASCAR Officials will announce the start of the THREE-minute break after the last vehicle has stopped in their pit stall
No crew members on pit road until all cars are stopped and NASCAR has announced the start of the break
Fuel may not be added, and tires may not be changed at the same time
Tires must be changed first, then fuel may be added
The lap in which pit road is open during the stage breaks will not count
Teams that elect not to pit will stop behind the caution vehicle until the conclusion of the break
GREEN FLAG PIT STOPS
Green flag pit stops, where tires are changed, must not be completed faster than the minimum time allotted from yellow line to yellow line: 60 seconds minimum
In the event of flat tire(s) under green flag: If the tire(s) are visually flat when the vehicle enters pit road, the team may elect to change the flat tire(s) only and not be subject to the minimum time on pit road
RESTART LINE-UP (During stage breaks and all caution periods)
Lead lap Cars that did not pit (Using Freeze the Field at Time of Caution)
Lead lap Cars that pitted (Using Freeze the Field at Time of Caution)
Lap(s) down Cars that did not pit (Using Freeze the Field at Time of Caution)
Lap(s) down Cars that pitted (Using Freeze the Field at Time of Caution)
Free Pass, Wave Around, and Penalty Cars (Using Freeze the Field at Time of Caution)
PIT STOP PENALTIES
Restart Tail End:
Pit crew members on the hot side of pit wall before the THREE-minute break has started
Servicing the vehicle after the THREE-minute break has ended
Vehicles not in the correct restart position when the one to go is given at Turn 8
Pass-Through:
Not meeting the green flag minimum time limit on pit road
PIT CREW / PIT EQUIPMENT
The Pit Crew Members will consist of:
Road crew roster positions
Five (5) Crew Members to service and fuel the vehicle (excluding the stage breaks)
One (1) Driver Assist Crew Member to clean the windshield and assist the driver
All pit crew safety equipment is required during any pit stops (excluding the stage breaks)
Any compressed air-driven pneumatic pit gun or battery-operated electric pit gun may be used.
NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.
Xfinity Sunoco Rookie of the Year update – The NASCAR Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year competitors now have 12 races under their belts as they gear up for their series debuts at Portland International Raceway.
Kaulig Racing’s Chandler Smith continues to lead the competition with one win (Richmond), four top fives, five top 10s and 374 points. Earlier this season at COTA, he posted a 12th-place finish.
Not far behind is Joe Gibbs Racing’s Sammy Smith, who has racked up one win (Phoenix), three top fives, five top 10s and 350 points. He posted a fourth-place finish earlier this season at COTA’s road course.
Jordan Anderson Racing’s Parker Retzlaff has posted one top five and three top 10s this season, accumulating 243 points. He finished 17th at COTA earlier this season.
Closing out the competition is Blaine Perkins with 66 points.
Double dipping in Portland – A few NASCAR Xfinity Series regulars will be pulling double duty this weekend at Portland International Raceway and running in the ARCA Menards Series West’s Portland 112 on Friday, June 2.
Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Cole Custer and Riley Herbst will be amongst the list of drivers. Custer is set to pilot a second entry from High Point Racing while Herbst will drive an entry fielded by Jerry Pitts.
Kyle Sieg is also slated to join in on the double duty fun behind the wheel of the No. 46 for Lowden-Jackson Motorsports and Parker Retzlaff will get behind the wheel of the No. 02 for Young’s Motorsports.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
All Rhodes lead to Victory Lane
During the final restart on Lap 111, ThorSport Racing’s Ben Rhodes managed to secure the lead from Carson Hocevar and pulled away to win the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, getting his first win of 2023 and snapping a 27-race winless streak.
The 2021 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion gave Ford its first Truck Series win at Charlotte.
Rhodes became the ninth different winner in 11 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races and took home a bonus of $50,000 for winning the first of three events in the Triple Truck Challenge – a program that provides the opportunity to win $500,000 for a driver who can sweep all three participating races.
In addition to the Triple Truck Challenge bonus, the 26-year-old Kentucky native has officially earned a spot in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs for the sixth-time in his career (2023, ‘22, ’21, ’20, ’18, ’17).
TRICON Garage’s Corey Heim, who led the most laps with 49, finished in second after winning the opening stage. Heim continued his string of strong results, collecting his fourth top five and ninth top 10 in 11 races. Finishing in third was TRICON teammate Dean Thompson. The driver of the No. 5 Toyota Tundra PRD recorded his best-career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series finish.
Triple Truck Challenge continues at World Wide Technology Raceway
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series is returning to World Wide Technology Raceway this weekend for the 23rd running of the Toyota 200 and the second race of the Triple Truck Challenge (Saturday, June 3, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Located in Madison, Illinois just outside of St. Louis, World Wide Technology Raceway was originally built in 1985 as a road course and was named St. Louis International Raceway Park. In 1996, the road course was demolished and transformed into the 1.25-mile oval and accompanying drag strip that are well-known today.
The inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at the 1.25-mile track was held on September 19, 1998 – a race won by Rick Carelli, driving a Chevrolet for Marshal Chesrown.
The 22 previous races at World Wide Technology Raceway have produced 13 different pole winners along with 20 different race winners. Greg Biffle (1998, 2000) and Ted Musgrave (2001, 2005) lead the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in poles with two each.
Additionally, Sheldon Creed (2020, 2021) and Ted Musgrave (2001, 2005) lead the series in wins at World Wide Technology Raceway with two each. TRICON Garage’s Corey Heim, who won last year’s Toyota 200, is the only previous winner entered this weekend.
Practice and qualifying for the Toyota 200 will begin Friday, June 2 at 6:00 p.m. ET on FS1.
Six competitors locked into NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs
With five races left in the regular season, here’s a look at the current CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff standings:
Locked In:
Six drivers have locked themselves into the 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs by virtue of wins this season – Zane Smith (Daytona, COTA), Christian Eckes (Atlanta, Darlington), Carson Hocevar (Texas), Corey Heim (Martinsville), Grant Enfinger (Kansas), and most recently, Ben Rhodes (Charlotte).
Currently in on Points:
Two drivers have built up a points cushion of 35 points or more over the Playoff cutoff following Charlotte – Ty Majeski (119 points above the Playoff cutoff) and Matt Crafton (+35).
Seven points above the cutoff and ranked ninth in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff outlook is TRICON Garage’s Tanner Gray. Following Gray is Rackley W.A.R’s Matt DiBenedetto, just one point above the cutoff.
Outside Looking In:
Another ten drivers sit outside the Playoff position but still have plenty of time to race their way into the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs.
Halmar Friesen Racing’s Stewart Friesen is 11th in Playoff standings, one point behind Matt DiBenedetto in 10th. Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Nick Sanchez sits 11 points off the final Playoff position in 12th.
Following Friesen and Sanchez is Chase Purdy (-36 points back from Playoff cutoff), Jake Garcia (-48), Tyler Ankrum (-63), Hailie Deegan (-75), Rajah Caruth (-81), Colby Howard (-99), Daniel Dye (-100), and Dean Thompson (-102).
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Etc.
Carson Hocevar to make NASCAR Cup Series debut at Gateway – CRAFTSMAN Truck Series driver Carson Hocevar is set to make his NASCAR Cup Series debut in Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway. Hocevar will drive the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet in Sunday’s event in place of Corey Lajoie.
“Carson has proven to be more than capable, and he’s done a great job in our No. 77 Premier Security Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “This is a win for everyone involved.”
Jesse Love to make CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut – Two-time ARCA Menards Series West Champion, Jesse Love, will make his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut in the No. 1 TRICON Garage Toyota Tundra TRD at World Wide Technology Raceway. Love has won the last three ARCA Menard Series races this season (Talladega, Kansas, and Charlotte).
“A lot of time, sweat, and tears have gone into this opportunity and I’m looking forward to capitalizing on it,” said Love. “I think Gateway will be a great place to get started, so June 3 can’t come fast enough.”
NASCAR
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