By Adam Carabine Best First Stage The closest finish in NASCAR history likely overshadowed everything else in this race, but let’s not forget the beauty that was Stage One.  Right off the top, you had polesitter Christopher Bell and Ross Chastain racing like there was 10 to go.  There was a round of clean, green-flag pit stops which shook things up.  There was intrigue throughout the field.  It was awesome. Yes, the finish is what people will be talking about for years to come, but there was more greatness to this race than just the 0.001 margin of victory.  In the first stage alone, there were 10 green flag lead changes.  Sometimes it feels like we get less than that in other FULL races.  Texas’ first stage only had 3. Does NASCAR’s Short Track package need work? For sure it does - they would be the first ones to tell you that, too. Is the Intermediate package working? Hell yes. Worst Time to be Canadian Having rain or any sort of weather delay is never a fun time.  You get excited for a race, only to turn on the TV and find that it’s pouring rain and you’ll likely not be seeing cars on the track for a few hours. Cue the broadcast desperately trying to find things to discuss to fill the time - also not super enjoyable, although the occasional feature can be entertaining. However, in Canada, it doesn’t work the same way. Quick background - NASCAR coverage in Canada is not done the same way as it is in the USA.  For the Americans, they get Fox for half of the year, and then NBC for the second half (at least for the remainder of this year - things are set to change next year). In Canada, we get to see the American feeds, but they’re broadcast on the same channels every weekend - TSN (Canada’s version of ESPN).  We get to see the switch to NBC halfway through the season, but it remains on TSN. Now, TSN has 5 channels, numbered TSN 1 through 5 (original, I know), and it varies from week to week which one will have NASCAR Cup Series racing, but we know it can be found on one of those five on any given week. The rain delayed the race in Kansas, and TSN decided to put some golf coverage on instead, stating that when the race was ready to be run, we’d get it back. Some time passes, the rain stops, and they’re about ready to go racing.  I’m reading on Twitter/X that they’re firing up the engines, etc. and yet still I’m watching golf.  In fact, the exact same golf coverage is being shown on TWO channels at the same time. A third TSN channel has started running a pre-recorded clip-style show, something about the Biggest Coach Blowups Ever, and suddenly I see that the race has gone green! I know there aren’t as many of us fans up here in Canada, but come on, TSN!  You can do better!  We had to watch the final hole of golf, and then some extremely boring post-match interviews with the winner before finally switching over to NASCAR.  We joined the race on lap 15. Okay, I’m done ranting, but boy was that frustrating! Worst Paint Scheme Every week I pick on someone new.  This week, the worst paint scheme has to go to Todd Gilliland and his Long John Silver’s 38 Dark Horse Mustang.  To be fair, it was a fairly strong week in paint scheme land, and there have been much worse offerings in the past. Best Stats In the last twenty races, dating back to last year - both Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. have only finished outside of the Top 20 once! They also coincidentally are the only two Cup Series drivers with Average Finishes below 10 this season. Brad Keselowski had an insane day of passes - his pass differential was +59.  Maybe I’m misremembering, but I can’t seem to recall him making his way back through the field all that often? Bonus stat - Corey Heim is having an other-worldly season in Trucks.  Through 7 races, he has an average finish of 3.5 - that is insane. Closest Finish I mean, I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the closest finish in NASCAR history, right?  That’s kind of a big deal.  One man’s victory is another man’s heartbreak - and Chris Buescher was on the losing end of the closest finish in history.  More on that later. It is absolutely beyond the human capability to understand what a single millisecond looks like, feels like, etc.  The fact that Larson edged out Buescher by 0.001 seconds, or one millisecond, is INSANE. First of all, even the fact that we have the technology to even register that difference is amazing.  How would they even have approached this sort of finish in the years before HD cameras, etc.?  There has never been a tie in NASCAR, though if somehow there had been, there are rules for that too. The first tiebreaker would be laps led, then to who ran the most laps in 2nd, then 3rd, etc. until the tie was broken.  That would certainly not be a fun way to decide a race, so we’re lucky that Buescher wasn’t a millisecond faster. But boy, what a time to be alive.  And what a finish. Biggest Heartbreak Let’s put an F in the chat for Chris Buescher.  I’ve often wondered whether it’s better to lose by a close margin or a huge one.  Before this weekend, when picturing a ‘close margin,’ I didn’t quite have 0.001s in mind, but I think I can definitively say this one must hurt more. Let’s not even get started on the fact that the official scoring initially said Buescher had won.  So not only does he lose the race, but they likely feel embarrassed celebrating for a few seconds before being told it actually was Larson’s victory. But even without that, just based on the tone of Buescher’s post-race interview, you could tell he was just beginning his journey through the seven stages of grief. He was shown a replay that was pretty clear he was a hair behind Larson at the line, and was clearly in denial, saying, “I don’t see it.  I still don’t see it.” In the end, Buescher’s crew chief, Scott Graves, met with NASCAR and they showed him their in-depth look at the finish.  Heartbreaking, yes, but indisputably it was Larson across the line first. “It is what it is - doesn’t make it any easier to swallow,” Graves said after the meeting with NASCAR. Best One-Up

By Adam Carabine We've ranked all 34 full-time drivers in the Cup Series (there are 36 charters, but the Rick Ware 15 and Kaulig 16 have rotating drivers, so they're excluded). Rankings are determined using a large number of statistical inputs. Zane Smith – This week: 34th – Last week: 34th P29 at Kansas – it’s going to take more than that to move up the Power Rankings. Harrison Burton – This week: 33rd – Last week: 33rd He was the final car still running at the end of the Kansas race.  P36, 6 laps down. Michael McDowell – This week: 32nd – Last week: 32nd A P10 at Kansas is the right direction to be headed, but he’ll need to show that it’s not a one-off before moving up the rankings. Austin Dillon – This week: 31st – Last week: 31st Another finish outside of the top 20 this weekend – especially when his teammate came 8th. Austin Cindric – This week: 30th – Last week: 28th Another DNF in Kansas after qualifying in the Top 10.  They’re going to need some results very soon. Corey LaJoie – This week: 29th – Last week: 29th P26 at Kansas is not nearly good enough for this team. Carson Hocevar– This week: 28th – Last week: 27th A stellar campaign for All-Star votes, but a P24 at Kansas is not an all-star worthy result. Justin Haley – This week: 27th – Last week: 30th P18 in the Rick Ware Racing equipment isn’t too shabby at all. Josh Berry – This week: 26th – Last week: 25th A 15th placed finish at Kansas is a step in the right direction.  He falls one spot in the Power Rankings because of others doing better around him. Erik Jones – This week: 25th – Last week: 24th He only falls back because he wasn’t racing.  He’ll be able to make up some ground next week when he returns at Darlington. Todd Gilliland – This week: 24th – Last week: 26th A P14 at Kansas, plus some laps led? That’s a solid week for Todd Gilliland, so he moves up two spots. Daniel Hemric – This week: 23rd – Last week: 21st Did we see Hemric on TV once this past weekend?  P30 means a two-spot slide. Ryan Preece – This week: 22nd – Last week: 20th Preece ran in the back all day at Kansas, was passed multiple times, and came home P28.  He might want in on that study group after all. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – This week: 21st – Last week: 23rd Fresh off of a 2-year extension with JTG-Daugherty, Stenhouse had some positive passing numbers and finished a respectable 16th at Kansas. John Hunter Nemechek – This week: 20th – Last week: 22nd Suddenly the veteran driver of the two Legacy Cars (with Corey Heim filling in for an injured Erik Jones), Nemecheck was solid all day.  Some savvy strategy at the end got him a P13 after riding around in the mid 20s most of the day. Noah Gragson – This week: 19th – Last week: 19th Another week down, and another Top 10 for Noah.  Had it not been for the 35-pt penalty the team got early in the season, he’d be creeping up on the playoff bar. Bubba Wallace – This week: 18th – Last week: 18th Not much to write home about this weekend for Bubba Wallace.  A P17 for this team isn’t good enough to move the needle. Daniel Suarez – This week: 17th – Last week: 15th Rough day in Kansas for Suarez, and he falls out of the Top 16 of our Power Rankings.  His finish of 27th was actually better than his average running position all day.  (Don’t forget that Kansas is in the playoffs…) Chase Briscoe – This week: 16th – Last week: 14th The leader of SHR had an extremely forgettable day in Kansas.  He came home 21st, and actually had a field-worst -31 passing differential. Joey Logano – This week: 15th – Last week: 12th What has happened to Logano? We know he tends to take the ‘odd’ years off, but 2024 is an even number!  Luckily his tow truck driver etiquette has improved.  P34 in Kansas. Christopher Bell – This week: 14th – Last week: 16th Bell’s season has been off to a shaky start, but he won the pole at Kansas and finished P6.  He’s on the upswing. Chris Buescher – This week: 13th – Last week: 17th In possibly the most heartbreaking 2nd place finish of all time, Buescher showed that he’s getting some of his 2023 mojo back.  RFK is just knocking at the door. Alex Bowman – This week: 12th – Last week: 13th It was another quietly good day at Kansas for Bowman.  He’s now got the 5th best average finish in the Cup Series.  The only problem is that Elliott, Larson and Byron are all 2, 3 and 4. Kyle Busch – This week: 11th – Last week: 11th Another week, another Top 10 for Kyle Busch.  He led 14 laps too.  I’m sure he wishes he was doing better, but considering how his teammate Austin Dillon is fairing in the same equipment, he can’t complain. Ross Chastain – This week: 10th – Last week: 9th The Kansas race started strong for Chastain.  He was up front, battling for the lead, scored points in each stage break, and even led 43 laps.  But he finished P19, which should be a disappointment for this team. Brad Keselowski – This week: 9th – Last week: 10th Keselowski is the owner of the strangest outlier stat from Kansas.  His pass differential of +59 was so much higher than anyone else – Byron’s was the next highest at +27. Ty Gibbs – This week: 8th – Last week: 8th Some unfortunate pit strategy ended up ruining what looked to be a good day at Kansas for Ty.  He earned points in each stage break, but finished a lap down, P32.  His underlying stats kept him at 8th this week. Ryan Blaney – This week: 7th – Last week: 7th It was a quiet, effective day for Blaney in Kansas – P12 for the number 12 car.  He’ll likely not be happy with it, but Team Penske had a rough day overall. Tyler Reddick – This week: 6th – Last week: 6th An uncharacteristically slower day for Reddick this past weekend, he finished 20th.  He earned a few points in Stage 2, and was running in the Top 15 most of the day.  His 62 quality passes (green flag passes in the Top 15) was third highest on the day, too.  He’ll bounce back. Chase Elliott – This week: 5th – Last week: 5th It was the kind of race that builds more momentum for Elliott in Kansas.  He had the most quality passes of anyone all day, positive pass differentials, the works, etc.  But it was all topped off with a P3 finish. William Byron – This week: 4th – Last week: 4th Kansas wasn’t so kind to William Byron.  He finished 23rd, though his underlying stats showed a better day in the works.  He’s built up enough cache to not fall in the standings… yet. Martin Truex Jr. – This week: 3rd – Last week: 2nd Another solid day for Truex, without a win to show for it.  He looked primed to take the victory up until Kyle Busch spun on his own with a handful of laps remaining, bringing out the caution.  If he can channel that frustration, he’ll be in victory lane soon. Denny Hamlin – This week: 2nd – Last week: 3rd He led the most laps at Kansas, and earned the most stage points of anyone on the day.  The two-tire strategy at the end burned him, but he brought home a respectable P5. Kyle Larson – This week: 1st – Last week: 1st Larson stuck his tongue out at the start/finish line to beat Buescher at Kansas, but it wasn’t even the win that kept him in the top spot of the Power Rankings.  His average position was 3rd all day, and he earned the 2nd most Stage Points of any driver.  He should scare the other drivers right now, he’s ramping up.

(Photo Credit: Twitter.com/TooToughToTame) Press Release | DARLINGTON RACEWAY DARLINGTON, S.C. (MAY 7, 2024) – Darlington Raceway announced today that NASCAR Hall of Famer, former team owner and crew chief Ray Evernham will serve as the Grand Marshal on Sunday for the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. The NASCAR legend will deliver the starting command for one of the most thrilling NASCAR Cup Series races of the season, which culminates The Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR at the Track Too Tough to Tame. “There are few NASCAR crew chiefs as decorated and committed to improving the sport of stock car racing as Ray Evernham,” said Josh Harris, President of Darlington Raceway. “It’s a pleasure to highlight Evernham’s impact by naming him as Grand Marshal during NASCAR’s Official Throwback Weekend.” Less than a decade into his illustrious career, Ray Everham’s name was cemented in the history books. As crew chief, Evernham led Jeff Gordon and the No. 24 team to three Cup Series Championship titles, four Cook Out Southern 500 victories at Darlington Raceway, two DAYTONA 500 triumphs and a series-leading 49 wins in the 1990s. His innovation on pit road earned his No. 24 pit crew the nickname “Rainbow Warriors.” Evernham recognized the special abilities of his pit crew and capitalized on their strengths, incorporating regular physical conditioning, speed and coordination drills and film review sessions into their training. In 2001, Evernham became a team owner, spearheading the return of Dodge to NASCAR with Evernham Motorsports. His Cup Series drivers won 13 times under his leadership, including Bill Elliott’s victory in the 2002 Brickyard 400. At Darlington, Evernham’s teams garnered four top-five finishes and three poles. Evernham, a New Jersey native, found success as a modified driver in the northeast during the 1970s and 1980s. Evernham raced against the stars of the Northeast modified circuit, including Jerry Cook and Richie Evans, both NASCAR Hall of Famers. He competed regularly at Wall Stadium Speedway, a 1/4-mile high-banked paved oval track in Wall Township, N.J. The Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR will Celebrate Our Roots with many competitors paying homage to their grassroots origins, beginning with the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 at 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. Then, the weekend will culminate with the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series taking on the Track Too Tough to Tame in the Goodyear 400 at 3 p.m. Sunday. NASCAR fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets via phone at 866-459-7223 or online at darlingtonraceway.com while supplies last.

Press Release | FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 7, 2024) - Layne Riggs will honor his family’s rich racing heritage at the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway with his throwback paint scheme. The No. 38 Infinity Communications Group Ford F-150 will pay homage to Riggs’ father, Scott, who raced the featured scheme during the 2000 season for Impact Motorsports. In his limited schedule that year, Scott Riggs had seven top-10s in 15 starts, including a 5th-place finish at Richmond (V.A.) Raceway. "It's really cool to go [to Darlington] and pay homage to my dad," Riggs said. "I've raced some of his schemes in the past, but this one is really cool because it was his first full time opportunity at the national level, and this is my first full time opportunity at the national level." "Darlington is a pretty gnarly track from what I've seen, I'm excited to get on it. It's going to be a tough race, but it brings me back to my roots in tire management and old school racing." In addition to the scheme, Riggs will be carrying the Orange County Speedway track logo on the name rail, his hometown track. "It's surreal to me to be watching Layne in the truck series at the same tracks I've raced in this scheme," Scott Riggs said. "The paint scheme is older than Layne. It means a lot to have Infinity Communications Group support this scheme and let me relive those memories while also supporting my son." Riggs will race Friday night at the Darlington Raceway with track activity starting with practice and qualifying at 3:00 pm ET. The 147-lap event will take place that evening at 7:30 pm ET.

Press Release | THE MILKWAUKEE MILE WEST ALLIS, Wis. (May 7, 2024) – LIUNA and the Wisconsin Laborers’ District Council have announced an agreement with NASCAR event promoter Track Enterprises for the return of NASCAR to the historic Milwaukee Mile on Sunday, August 25th. The 17th running of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) race at the 1.015-mile track will be known as the “LIUNA 175.” The intensity of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoffs starts in Milwaukee and will be on full display, as eight eligible drivers will be racing for the LIUNA 175 winner’s trophy and a ticket to the next round of the Playoffs, and ultimately, the championship. In the grandstands will be upwards of 1,000 Wisconsin LIUNA members cheering on their LIUNA sponsored driver, Tyler Ankrum, and the thrilling on-track action the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series continues to produce. "On behalf of the 9,000 skilled, working men and women of the Wisconsin Laborers' District Council, who build our state's infrastructure, we are honored to have NASCAR return to the Milwaukee Mile and be the title partner for this year's LIUNA 175,” said Kent Miller, President/Business Manager of the Wisconsin Laborers’ District Council. “We felt the power of our membership last year with almost 600 strong in the grandstands, and this year we expect over 1,000 members and their families to attend and cheer on our union brother, Tyler Ankrum, in the No. 18 LIUNA Chevrolet Silverado.” LIUNA, the Laborers’ International Union of North America, is no stranger to sports sponsorship or motorsports. LIUNA sponsors two-time NCTS playoffs driver Tyler Ankrum and has sponsorships of sports teams and organizations around the country. Ankrum, the 2019 NCTS Rookie of the Year, and race winner, is off to a promising start to the 2024 season with his new team, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. The team is co-owned by Stratford, Wisconsin businessman, Bill Hilgemann and California native Bill McAnally. Ankrum, who has led a career-high 62 laps this season, has secured three top-five and four top-10 finishes in just the first eight starts of 2024. “We are extremely excited to have LIUNA and its proud Wisconsin LIUNA members join us and become our title sponsor for the return of NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series to the Milwaukee Mile,” said Bob Sargent, President of Track Enterprises. “It takes a lot of effort to promote the kick-off race in the Truck Series playoffs, and our fans deserve it after last year’s successful event. Sunday, August 25th will be a special race day with all of the Wisconsin LIUNA members and their families in the grandstands to witness the LIUNA 175. It’s going to be exciting!” LIUNA 175 race ticket and event information can be found online at TrackEnterprises.com/MilwaukeeMileRacing The LIUNA 175 from the Milwaukee Mile will be televised live on FS1 Sunday August 25, beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 17th of 23 NCTS races on the 2024 schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Each week here on Racing Refresh we like to take a look back to the week that was in motorsports through the eyes of X. Let's get started! 10. They even got the font?!?!? Big league. 9. Mark Martin the hip-hop aficionado! Who would have thought? I think he should rank Eminem higher though. 8. Given how well this car is performing at mile-and-a-half tracks I think there's no question we should go back to Chicagoland. What say you? 7. I feel like this could a huge conflict of interests if this were to happen. I have my doubts that this comes to pass. However, the charter debate gets more interesting by the week. 6. NASCAR is a great period of transition. But, we may see the biggest transition ever if they go Hybrid in a few years. Personally, I think it's only a matter of time. 5. Look, we don't typically toot our own horn here but, toot toot. 4. Is this true? It may be soon to give it those type of declarations. 3. New winners are special to see no matter what motorsport we're watching. 2. Bob breaks it down as only he can. It's shaping up to be quite the silly season. 1. The agony of defeat.

By Matt Marr Polesitter Christopher Bell led Ross Chastain and the rest of the field to the green flag. Derek Kraus, driving in the 16 for Kaulig Racing, led at lap 40 during a round of green flag pit stops.  Meanwhile, Kyle Larson narrowly passed Chastain for position. Denny Hamlin won Stage One keeping Chastain at bay. Larson made a three wide pass on lap 89 to take the lead as Chris Buescher made it five-wide to take the second position. Chris Buescher won Stage Two over Larson. Buescher unfortunately had to restart at the tail end of the longest line as his pit crew was over the wall too soon during stage break pit stops. The first caution (other than stage breaks) came out for a multi-car incident involving Corey LaJoie, Austin Hill and Jimmie Johnson. The second caution came out for a wreck involving Austin Cindric, Bubba Wallace and Michael McDowell. Buescher and Hamlin swapped the lead for several laps but the caution came out for Kyle Busch spinning with 7 laps to go. Buescher led the restart and took the white flag, but coming off of turn four Larson and Buescher bang off each other.  It was a historic photo finish Larson wins the Advent Health 400! Officially Larson won by 0.001 seconds, the closest finish in NASCAR history. Advent Health 400 top 5: 1. Kyle Larson 2. Chris Buescher 3. Chase Elliott 4. Martin Truex Jr. 5. Denny Hamlin

By Adam Carabine

By Adam Carabine By this point of the season, we now have enough data to get a more accurate sense of how the drivers are doing statistically this year. Enter the StatChat Power Rankings! We've ranked all 34 full-time drivers in the Cup Series (there are 36 charters, but the Rick Ware 15 and Kaulig 16 have rotating drivers, so they're excluded). Rankings are determined using a large number of statistical inputs. Zane Smith – This week: 34th – Last week: (--) He has the worst average finish in the Cup Series, 0 Top 10s, and 2 DNFs through 11 races – it’s been an abysmal rookie campaign for Zane Smith in the 71. Harrison Burton – This week: 33rd – Last week: (--) Burton has shown flashes of promise, including a Top 10 at both Phoenix and Talladega, but if he doesn’t start performing more consistently he may be out of a job at Wood Bros. Michael McDowell – This week: 32nd – Last week: (--) McDowell stands alone with 4 DNFs in this young season, the most of any Cup Series driver. He’s had cars capable of competing for wins, including poles at both Atlanta and Talladega this year, but it hasn’t translated to results.  Don’t sleep on him just yet. Austin Dillon – This week: 31st – Last week: (--) It’s been a rough season for the #3 camp.  Already Dillon has had a crew chief fired and replaced.  He’s currently having his worst career season by average finish, and his one Top 10 on the year came at Texas last week. Justin Haley – This week: 30th – Last week: (--) A step backward was maybe to be expected for Haley when he moved from Kaulig to Rick Ware Racing this year.  There was hope that he’d elevate the program at the #51, but so far he’s only finished on the lead lap 4 times.  Growing pains. Corey LaJoie – This week: 29th – Last week: (--) He can be a threat at drafting tracks (see P4 at Daytona this year), but with 4 other finishes outside of the Top 30 this year alone, it might be time to focus on the other disciplines on the NASCAR schedule. Austin Cindric – This week: 28th – Last week: (--) Talladega wasn’t a terrible race for Cindric.  He qualified on the front row, scored the most stage points on the day, but ultimately finished 23rd.  He followed it up with a quiet P15 at Dover, so things could be turning around, but that career-worst average finish needs to be addressed. Soon. Carson Hocevar – This week: 27th – Last week: (--) Hocevar may currently be winning the battle for Rookie of the Year, but the results aren’t consistent.  Finishing 40th at your first ever Daytona 500?  Not ideal.  However, he has also had two separate stretches of 3 Top 20s in a row.  For the equipment he’s in, that might be a win. Todd Gilliland – This week: 26th – Last week: (--) After a few really impressive weeks, Gilliland has come back down to earth a bit.  The results haven’t always been there as far as finishes, but he’s already led 91 laps this season, and he’s showing he deserves a shot in the #38. Josh Berry – This week: 25th – Last week: (--) Perhaps seen as the no-brainer pick to win Rookie of the Year this year, Berry has struggled adapting to a full-time Cup schedule. Both Ford and SHR’s struggles might be having an impact here too.  Berry is still looking for his first Top 10 of 2024. Erik Jones – This week: 24th – Last week (--) Injury notwithstanding, Erik Jones has had both moments of greatness, and moments to forget this season.  It’s the first year that Legacy Motor Club is within the Toyota camp, so there’s bound to be a feeling out process.  The bad news is that he hasn’t led a single lap yet this year.  The good news? Jones will return from injury at Darlington – his best track. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – This week: 23rd – Last week (--) It’s been a weird up and down year for Stenhouse in the 47.  He’s got a P6 at Atlanta, and a P4 at Talladega, but he’s also got four finishes outside of the Top 30.  He’s on a small, underfunded team, so you do have to manage expectations here.  JTG-Daugherty just re-upped him for a few more years, though. John Hunter Nemechek – This week: 22nd – Last week (--) It’s weird to think that this isn’t John Hunter’s rookie season.  He has (deservedly so) made his way back to the Cup Series after a demotion following his 2020 rookie campaign.  Again, he’s on a Legacy Motor Club team that’s hoping they’re on the upswing, so results haven’t come yet, but he’s showing that a little extra time cooking down in the lower series might have been a good idea. Daniel Hemric – This week: 21st – Last week (--) A few weeks ago, Hemric would have probably been a little lower in the Power Rankings, but he’s put together a solid few weeks.  Back to back P9 finishes at Talladega and Dover (two very different tracks, mind you), plus he has 0 DNFs this year.  Kaulig has taken a bit of a step back this year in the Cup Series, but he’s pretty much matching what Haley did in that seat a year ago. Ryan Preece– This week: 20th – Last week (--) Ryan Preece had some bad luck last week at Dover, where human error within the shop had his #41 catching fire (not in a good way) and finishing last.  Despite that, he’s still having the best Cup Series season of his career (by average finish), and he’s finding some footing at SHR. Noah Gragson – This week: 19th – Last week (--) Noah Gragson started out a little inconsistent in his return to the Cup Series after a suspension cancelled out the back half of his rookie season last year.  However lately he has been putting together some solid runs, and has a P3 and P6 in his last two starts.  If he can keep that up consistently, he’ll move up the Power Rankings quickly. Bubba Wallace – This week: 18th – Last week (--) If you took away the last two races, Bubba might have been higher in these Rankings, but he’s had a rough couple of weeks.  Two DNFs in a row, and finishes outside of the Top 30.  He’s shown some promise, and he’s two points out of a playoff spot currently, but he’s at the point in his career where he needs to start consistently challenging for wins. Chris Buescher – This week: 17th – Last week (--) The big question on everyone’s mind (including probably Chris Buescher’s) is whether last year’s success was a flash in the pan.  Buescher has looked decent at times this year, including a runner-up finish at Phoenix.  But because of last year’s success it feels like a down year.  He’s still winless on the season, and it’s going to be tough to match last year’s three trips to victory lane. Christopher Bell – This week: 16th – Last week (--) Christopher Bell can’t seem to string any momentum together this season.  He’s the lowest ranked winner on our list.  His win at Phoenix was important, especially since the Championship Race returns there in the fall.  But he and his team are going to need to weed out a bunch of mistakes to even make it there. Daniel Suarez – This week: 15th – Last week (--) Suarez earned the second win of his career by just a hair back in Atlanta, kicking off a great start to the 2024 campaign.  Since then he has been a little less consistent, but his pressure to make it to the playoffs has already been erased.  Did they take their foot off the gas to prep for the playoffs? Chase Briscoe – This week: 14th – Last week (--) It’s hard to believe that this is Briscoe’s 4th year as a Cup Series regular.  SHR was expecting to take a step back after the retirement of two veterans in Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola, but now suddenly Briscoe is their veteran presence on the team.  He’s been the best performer for them, and is having a career year, but he could use a win. Alex Bowman – This week: 13th – Last week (--) It’s got to be tough to be Alex Bowman.  He’s on a premiere team, and actually getting decent results, but his teammates are all far outpacing him, making him look bad.  Bowman has 0 of HMS’ 5 wins this year, yet quietly he’s putting together his best ever year by average finish.  He’s got more Top 10s than teammates Larson and Elliott – in fact, only two drivers (Byron and Reddick) have more than he does. Joey Logano – This week: 12th – Last week (--) It’s been an up and down year for Logano so far.  He started the season off with two poles in the first three races (though the first one might’ve had help from an illegal webbed glove), but it’s been feast or famine since then.  He’s a two-time champion who is tied in average finish for 16th with Noah Gragson.  I’d still bank on him to make the playoffs though. Kyle Busch – This week: 11th – Last week (--) The talk around Kyle Busch this year has been oddly quiet.  He’s actually putting together a decent enough year, statistically.  Sure, he doesn’t have a win yet, but he’s got 4 Top 10s and 2 Top 5s.  He was plagued with some mechanical issues early on this season, but hopefully a P4 at Dover last week is something to build on. Brad Keselowski – This week: 10th – Last week (--) Rounding out the Top 10, Keselowski has been on the precipice so many times this year.  His year got off to a rocky start with two P33s in a row.  And while his average finish is actually worse than Kyle Busch’s, he’s got twice as many Top 5s through just 11 races.  Keselowski is going to break his winless streak this year.  And soon. Ross Chastain – This week: 9th – Last week (--) Another weirdly quiet driver this year is Ross Chastain.  He’s in the Top 10 in points, he’s having a career-best season by average finish, and he’s also managed to stay out of the spotlight.  That might be a good thing, because a lot of Chastain’s press comes from on-track incidents.  He’s still winless this year but he should be a lock for the playoffs. Ty Gibbs – This week: 8th – Last week (--) Ty Gibbs certainly has the advantage of great equipment over other young drivers, but he’s also making the most of it.  His average finish this year is 3rd best in the Cup Series.  He’s run literally every single lap except for TWO this season.  Gibbs will get his first Cup Series win this season, you can take that to the bank. Ryan Blaney – This week: 7th – Last week (--) The defending champ is still winless this year, but he’s still piling up the points.  In 6 separate races this season, Blaney has scored 32 or more points.  Sure, he’ll want to start winning again soon if he wants to win another championship this year, but I wouldn’t worry just yet.  His average finish this year is better than last year’s championship winning season. Tyler Reddick – This week: 6th – Last week (--) Reddick’s win at Talladega might have been a result of being in the right place at the right time – that was McDowell’s race to lose – but he has run pretty well all season long.  He’s led 124 laps (7th in the Cup Series), and he has 7 Top 10s (with nearly an 8th when he finished P11 this past weekend at Dover).  Reddick’s looking to the playoffs already. Chase Elliott – This week: 5th – Last week (--) He got the monkey off his back, now what’s he going to do with it? What’s more impressive than Chase’s win this season is just how consistent he’s been.  His worst finish is still within the Top 20 (P19 at Phoenix), and when you’re able to keep that consistency up, good things happen.  This is his best season by average finish. William Byron – This week: 4th – Last week (--) It’s hard to believe that someone with 3 wins already is not in the number one spot, but there have been a few blemishes to Byron’s season as well.  It might be a case of him setting the bar too high last season when he scored 6 wins, but is it weird to feel like he might be underperforming?  He’s got two finishes outside of the Top 30 too, so he’s not been without his faults, but look for him to make another deep run in the playoffs this year. Denny Hamlin – This week: 3rd – Last week (--) The only other 3-time winner this season, the villainous Denny Hamlin has been finding ways to stack up points as well.  He’s 3rd in overall stage points earned this season, but his average finish could still use a little work, as it was better last season.  The question will always be whether Denny ever wins a championship.  There’s no way to predict it, but there’s no doubt he’s in the conversation again this year. Martin Truex Jr. – This week: 2nd – Last week (--) Martin Truex Jr. has been snake-bitten this year when it comes to wins.  He’s had great runs, but has yet to see the checkered flag.  What might be scary for other drivers is that Martin is on track to score 179 more points than he did last year, a year where he won the regular season points race.  Whether he wins or not, he’ll make the playoffs this year, in what could be his last push for a second championship. Kyle Larson – This week: 1st – Last week (--) Larson has only won once this year, so you might find it odd that he’s at the top of the Power Rankings.  But Larson has dominated many other stat categories too, it was too hard not to put him there.  He’s led the most laps of anyone (570), he’s the only driver above 400 points in the standings (410), and perhaps most impressively, he has an insane amount of stage points (126).  126 stage points is essentially like winning 3 extra races.  He’s won 6 stages already.  Look for Larson to continue his reputation as a perennial championship favourite.

Press Release | LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Erik Jones has been cleared to race by doctors and approved to return by NASCAR, but out of an abundance of caution, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB has opted for Jones to rest for another event. Corey Heim will drive the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE at Kansas Speedway this weekend. Jones will attend the race at Kansas Speedway to support crew chief Dave Elenz and the No. 43 team and plans to return to the driver’s seat next weekend at Darlington Raceway – a track where he has two NASCAR Cup Series victories.