By Adam Carabine Best Attendance Whatever happens in the world of NASCAR, there always seems to be a contingent of fans who claim that the sport is dying. They claim that attendance is down, the on-track product is suffering, it’ll never be like it was in the ‘good old days,’ etc. The fact of the matter is, it looks like NASCAR is on the upswing.  Dover looked close to being sold out, attendance overall has been up all season, and even the TV ratings are showing improvement. There are always going to be growing pains when something new comes along, and the Next-Gen car is an example of that. The short track package in particular could use some tweaking, and things aren’t quite where NASCAR would like them to be.  That is obvious. But to claim that things are currently awful and that the sport is dying is just not accurate.  A statement like that reflects poorly on whoever says it, as the evidence is clear.  NASCAR is trending in the right direction. Best and Worst Blocking Much was made of the aero-blocking that was being done at the end of the race.  It was clear that leader Denny Hamlin’s car was not quite as fast as runner-up Kyle Larson’s.  However, Hamlin was able to keep Larson behind him with the power of aerodynamics. For some, that’s disappointing.  They want to see the fastest car be the victor each week, and have them really deserve the win.  I’m sure it doesn’t help things that the villainous Denny (more on that later) Hamlin was the one doing the blocking.  If it’s Chase Elliott earning a win the same way, you probably wouldn’t see as much hate. As for what I think, of course you’d like to see more green flag passes for the lead.  But you also can’t fault the drivers for making the best of what they’ve been given.  The Next-Gen car is hard to pass with, especially for the lead. There are ways to exploit your lead if you have clean air, and aero-blocking is one of them. Does it make for the most exciting racing? No.  Is it within the rules? Absolutely.  And at this point since Denny has announced that he cares more about winning individual races than he does winning a championship, all the power to him. Worst Paint Scheme This week’s worst paint scheme is a no-brainer.  Jimmie Johnson’s #84 Dollar Tree/Family Dollar Toyota Camry was uninspired. This guy is one of the most decorated drivers in the history of NASCAR, and unfortunately this week his car had the worst decorations.  Tell me I’m wrong. Best Stats Chase Elliott may not have won the race, but he had some impressive numbers in Dover.  His 5th place finish after starting P29 put him as the biggest mover on the day.  He had the most quality passes (green flag passes while in the Top-15) with 36, and his 8 extra stage points gave him 40 total on the day. Speaking of stage points, Martin Truex Jr. scored the most all day, with 17.  That put him only two points behind Denny Hamlin for most overall at Dover. Joey Logano had a rough day.  His P16 finish doesn’t sound so terrible, but he was passed 18 more times under green than he passed anyone else - the worst of any driver at Dover. And finally, Dover’s 6 DNFs was the most we’ve had in a single race since Atlanta back in February.  The Daytona 500 still has had the most of any race this season.  Dover ranks third. Worst Villain Has Denny Hamlin surpassed Kyle Busch as NASCAR’s newest villain?  It’s a question that came up during this week’s episode of Racing Refresh Happy Hour, and it got me thinking. Kyle Busch was absolutely the villain for a long time.  He was cranky, rude, and downright belligerent, even when he didn’t need to be. Since moving to RCR, Busch has mellowed a lot, and Hamlin has seemingly taken over that role.  He certainly gets enough boos. But here’s where I’m having trouble with it.  Back in Kyle Busch’s grumpy days, there was no question that it was genuine.  His ire was terrifying, but it was real.  You definitely didn’t want to get on that bad side.  And then that hard exterior became so hard to shake. He’d win a race (and he won a lot of them) and he would be so happy to rub it in your face.  He would gloat like he was the scrawny kid that put on a bunch of muscle over the summer holidays. I think Denny’s heel turn is all just an act.  It’s a marketing ploy, and an attempt to keep eyes on him.  Whether it’s for his own #11 car with Joe Gibbs Racing, or his 23XI team, Denny has found a way to keep himself in the conversation. But it’s not real.  I truly believe Hamlin has no desire to be the villain.  I think this is his way of keeping himself, his properties, and the sport itself in the limelight.  I’m not against people marketing themselves, and I’m not even against people playing up ‘characters’ in order to do that.  But I don’t feel like Hamlin does a good job of playing the villain.  It’s not genuine, and it’s not believable. All of this being said, I’m personally annoyed by it, so maybe his villain act is actually working? Greatest Early Halloween Spook

(Photo Credit: Twitter.com/TooToughToTame) Press Release | DARLINGTON RACEWAY DARLINGTON, S.C. (April 30, 2024) – Darlington Raceway announced today that legendary former NASCAR Cup Series driver Jeff Burton will serve as the Honorary Starter for the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, May 12. In honor of the 25th anniversary of Burton sweeping the NASCAR Cup Series races at Darlington in 1999, the NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee and broadcaster will wave the green flag for one of the most exciting NASCAR Cup Series races of the season. “The Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR is an annual celebration of NASCAR’s rich history and Jeff Burton has played an integral part of so many great moments in our sport, especially here at Darlington,” said Josh Harris, President of Darlington Raceway. “We’re thrilled to have him serve as our Honorary Starter during such a special weekend for our sport.” In his 22-year career, Burton amassed 21 NASCAR Cup Series wins and 27 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins, including four checkered flags at Darlington – one of only 10 drivers to have at least 20 wins in each series. Last year, the 1994 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers, and he was honored prior to the 2023 Goodyear 400. He’s also affectionately referred to as “The Mayor of NASCAR” for his insightful perspectives on issues affecting the well-being and safety of stock car racing. Burton began competing in Go-Karts at the age of seven, winning two Virginia State Championships before transitioning into stock car racing at the age of 16. From 1986-89, he raced for his father, John Burton, driving in the Late Model Stock Division at South Boston Speedway, where they garnered several victories. In 1988, Burton ran five races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, before going full-time in 1989. 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, May 10, followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 at 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 11. 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, May 12. NASCAR fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets via phone at 866-459-7223 or online at darlingtonraceway.com while supplies last.

Press Release | SPIRE MOTORSPORTS MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 30, 2024) – Spire Motorsports and Corey LaJoie have partnered with DLJ Produce, via its Razzle Dazzle brand of grapes, to commemorate LaJoie’s first ARCA Menard’s Series East victory with a special look for the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. LaJoie’s No. 7 Razzle Dazzle Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will showcase a similar paint scheme to the one he raced to his first career NASCAR Regional Touring Series win, coming on June 2, 2012 in the NASCAR Hall of Fame 150 at historic Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Concord, N.C., native went on to win four more ARCA Menard’s Series East (formerly K&N Pro Series East) races in 2012 driving his family-owned No. 07 machine. “It’s always fun when we can bring a new partner to the track and introduce them to the sport,” said LaJoie. “I really appreciate the team at Razzle Dazzle for being willing to participate in Darlington’s initiative and help us throw it back to my first NASCAR win at Bowman Gray. Our Razzle Dazzle Chevy Camaro looks awesome and we’re going to work our tails off to have a great day on the race track.” DLJ Produce, through its Razzle Dazzle brand, has become synonymous with quality and trust in the Fresh Produce industry. With decades of experience, DLJ Produce has consistently delivered the finest produce, nurturing strong partnerships with local and international growers, and upholding uncompromising standards of excellence. Razzle Dazzle table grapes are meticulously grown and harvested to ensure a premium taste experience. Each grape is carefully selected for its natural sweetness, offering a burst of flavor in every bite. From classic favorites to unique varieties, Razzle Dazzle brings a spectrum of taste and color to consumers' plates, elevating every moment with its brilliance. "Partnering with Spire Motorsports under our Razzle Dazzle brand is a thrilling extension of our commitment to excellence and community engagement,” said Bill Coombs, President/CEO DLJ Produce. “Just as we strive to deliver the finest produce to our customers, we're excited to see Corey Lajoie bring the brilliance of Razzle Dazzle to the exhilarating world of the NASCAR Cup Series, enriching experiences for fans nationwide." LaJoie has 12 previous NCS starts at the “Track Too Tough To Tame” dating to 2017 and has logged one top 15 and six top-25 finishes, completing just shy of 92 percent of the laps contested over that span. The 32-year-old father of two recorded a team- and venue-best 15th-place finish in the 2021 Southern 500. In the series most recent visit to Darlington Raceway, LaJoie started and finished 22nd. The Goodyear 400 from Darlington Raceway will be televised live on FS1 Sunday, May 12, beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The 13th of 36 races on the 2024 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Press Release | KAULIG RACING LEXINGTON, N.C. (April 29, 2024) – Black’s Tire (BTS) will celebrate its 95th anniversary with the help of Kaulig Racing at Darlington Raceway. BTS, a longtime partner in NASCAR’s top series, will be the primary partner onboard Daniel Hemric’s No. 31 Camaro ZL1 for the Goodyear 400. As one of Goodyear’s leading tire partners in the Darlington area, BTS is excited to showcase its throwback colors and logo in the Goodyear 400 for the second year-in-a-row with Kaulig Racing, previously acting as the primary partner of the team’s No. 16 Camaro ZL1 with AJ Allmendinger in the 2023 Goodyear 400. “We’re excited to team up with our friends at Kaulig Racing for the second time at Darlington!” said Ricky Benton, president at Black’s Tire. “With this year being our 95th anniversary, we thought what better way to celebrate than to use our ‘throwback’ colors for NASCAR’s annual throwback weekend?“ With many of its 70 locations in The Lady in Black’s backyard, BTS will once again give back to its customers and team members by offering them a chance to bring their moms to the track for an afternoon of action-packed racing as part of its Mother’s Day promotion. Coining the phrase “Let’s Go Together”, BTS ensures all who walk through its doors feel like family. “Not only are we excited to team up with Black’s Tire for its 95th anniversary, but we have the chance to help thank moms of BTS employees and customers on Mother’s Day,” said Chris Rice, president of Kaulig Racing. We’re proud to partner with an organization that values family as much as we do at Kaulig Racing. We can’t wait to take on ‘Too Tough To Tame’ together.” The Goodyear 400 will kick off on Sunday, May 12 at 3 PM ET with coverage on FS1.

By Matt Marr Pole-sitter Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney led the field to the green flag. There was a caution on lap 42 for Todd Gilliland spinning on the backstretch while battling Austin Dillon. Blaney led the ensuing restart on lap 48. Martin Truex Jr. wins Stage One under caution after a Brad Keselowski spin with 2 laps to go. Kyle Larson held off a charging Alex Bowman to win Stage Two. Denny Hamlin led Larson on the restart for the final stage starting on lap 259. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. hit the inside wall on lap 320 bringing out the caution. Hamlin retook the lead with 72 laps remaining, but another caution came out for a multi-car wreck involving William Byron, Bubba Wallace, Christopher Bell and Zane Smith. Hamlin sped off the restart with 63 to go and dominated the last half of the final stage to win the Würth 400, holding off Larson’s late race charge. Wurth 400 top 5: 1. Denny Hamlin 2. Kyle Larson 3. Martin Truex Jr. 4. Kyle Busch 5. Chase Elliott

By Adam Carabine

Press Release | MCANALLY-HILGEMANN RACING Statesville, N.C. (April 25, 2024) – McAnally-Hilgemann Racing (MHR) and Christian Eckes will turn back the clock to the 1950’s for NASCAR’s Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway on May 10th. The defending NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) winner at “The Lady in Black” will feature a throwback paint scheme to recognize one of the sport’s pioneers, Brownie King. Eckes’ No. 19 Gates Hydraulics Chevrolet Silverado RST will replicate King’s 1957 Chevrolet that he drove in NASCAR competition in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. King, a current resident of Johnson City, Tenn., was one of the few drivers to compete on the sands of Daytona Beach and in the inaugural 1959 Daytona 500. His daughter and son-in-law Debbie and Jeff Moore currently own a NAPA Auto Care located in Johnson City, Tenn., Gray Tire & Automotive. The Moore’s shop lobby doubles as a chronicle of King’s driving career and displays numerous photos from races on the Daytona Beach shores to Darlington and Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS). King is a living racing legend in Eastern Tennessee and is a former BMS track champion from the track’s infancy in the early 1960’s. “This is a great honor,” King said. “I appreciate what the MHR team has done and am really excited for this. Christian is a great aggressive driver, and the truck looks amazing. It looks really similar to the Chevy I raced at Darlington in 1957. I wish I was able to be at the race, but we’ll be watching on TV and hoping Christian can get the win.” “It’s a thrill for us to honor a pioneer of our sport like Brownie,” team owner Bill McAnally said. “It’s an honor for us to run his colors with Gates Hydraulics as a ‘thank you’ for his contributions to the sport and to Jeff and Debbie Moore for their strong relationship with NAPA. It’s a treat to tie everything together and we’d love to see Christian pull Brownie’s paint scheme into victory lane again at Darlington.” Eckes hopes to go back-to-back at Darlington Raceway after his 2023 triumph, during which he paid tribute to NASCAR Hall of Famer Hershel McGriff. The NCTS throwback event goes green on Friday, May 10th at 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.

Press Release | SPIRE MOTORSPORTS MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 25, 2024) – Spire Motorsports has partnered with Connor Zilisch and Silver Hare Racing to add three additional NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) races to the 17-year-old racing phenom’s ambitious 2024 plans. All totaled, Zilisch will compete in five NCTS races for Spire Motorsports as part of the organization’s all-star lineup led by veteran crew chief Brian Pattie. The Mooresville, N.C., native made his debut for Spire Motorsports earlier this season at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) where he qualified on the pole, subsequently setting a new track record. Despite an early race miscue, Zilisch was undeterred and raced his way to a spirited fourth-place finish in his first career NCTS start. “It’s pretty hard not to be amped up when you get three more races with someone as talented as Connor Zilisch,” said Pattie. “He’s shaping to be up to be a generational talent and to say he was impressive at COTA would be an understatement, at best. He’s proven that he can drive anything on four wheels so we’re definitely looking forward to having him back in our truck at Richmond.” It was previously announced Zilisch would drive the No. 7 Chevy Silverado at Talladega Superspeedway October 4 and that Spire Motorsports will coordinate a separate entry for him at the October 27 NCTS playoff race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Since then, Spire Motorsports and Zilisch have agreed to races at Richmond Raceway (Aug. 10), Bristol Motor Speedway (Sept. 19) and Martinsville Speedway (Nov. 1).  Silver Hare Racing will serve as Zilisch’s primary sponsor at Richmond, Bristol and Homestead and as an associate sponsor at Talladega and Martinsville. The Austin Hatcher Foundation was originally scheduled to be Zilisch’s primary partner at Homestead but will now serve in that capacity at Martinsville. Zilisch, 17, is an accomplished karting and road racer who, most notably, was part of Era Motorsport’s LMP2 class win at the 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway, making him the second-youngest driver, ever, to win the iconic race. He is a six-time Trans-Am TA2 class race winner for Silver Hare Racing and a central component of Trackhouse Racing’s driver development program.

Press Release | WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY ST. LOUIS (April 25, 2024) – Acknowledging the impact the 700-acre motorsports complex is having on the Southwestern Illinois and St. Louis region, World Wide Technology Raceway announced today it will carry the company’s name for another five years. WWT became the named track sponsor in 2019 and has grown into a multi-faceted relationship. David L. Steward, Founder and Chairman of World Wide Technology, said, “My family and the company see our commitment to the raceway as a way to serve the people of St. Louis and Southwestern Illinois with world-class motorsports like the annual NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series races. We see this investment as key to long-term benefit and growth for our region.” “Our partnership is deeply rooted in World Wide Technology’s and the Steward Family’s commitment to community. It reflects the company’s innovative approach to technology, which aligns so well with the science of motorsports and racing,” said Curtis Francois, WWTR owner and CEO. “The last five years are a blur of big wins, thousands of new fans, new technology, more diversity in the stands and on the track, and significant economic impact in the communities around us who so need it.” “Under the leadership of Curtis Francois, World Wide Technology Raceway has quickly established itself as a national destination for motorsports and today’s announcement strengthens that position for years to come,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc. “David Steward and the Steward family continue to show how they exemplify civic leadership at the highest level by bringing leaders together around WWTR to expose youth to science and technology, inspire workforce development collaborations in underinvested neighborhoods, and celebrate St. Louis’ leadership in music and the arts.” WWT’s engagement with the raceway and motorsports includes helping to expand the sport’s appeal by supporting initiatives that increase diversity among drivers, their teams, and creating a welcoming, inclusive environment for fans. The company also provides innovative technology to race teams and tracks; educates students through STEM activations and programs; and supports employees who help during race weekend. The company and Steward family also are major sponsors of the Confluence Music Festival, now an essential part of the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series race weekend experience. It features local, regional and global artists on stages throughout the venue, delivering world-class music for the more than 100,000 fans who attend each year. The upcoming NASCAR Cup Series race weekend, May 31-June 2, will showcase the impact the raceway has on the region as fans from across the country and world arrive in the region to participate in the multi-day event. “Thousands of visitors pour into our state as a result of this race. As part of the race experience, they see all we have to offer and many come back to further explore the sights and sounds of Illinois,” said Mark Kern, St. Clair County Board Chairman. “We are proud to continue our successful partnership with World Wide Technology Raceway to host the Enjoy Illinois 300  NASCAR Cup Series for its third consecutive year,” said Daniel Thomas, deputy director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Tourism. “This incredible event will once again welcome more than 100,000 racing fans from across the country to Illinois’ premiere destination for the motorsports industry, generating an economic impact of $60 million for the Metro East region. Visitors can make the most of their Enjoy Illinois 300 experience by extending their stay to explore the region’s many outdoor attractions, historic sites and family-friendly experiences.”