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Press Release | NASCAR The highly anticipated NASCAR Powerball Playoff™ is back for its third edition, offering lottery players a chance to win an exclusive trip to 2025 NASCAR Championship Weekend™ and cash prizes up to $1 MILLION! Powerball® and NASCAR® announced the return of the national promotion today, which will run alongside the 2025 NASCAR season. The promotion will culminate with four lottery players winning a VIP trip for two to 2025 NASCAR Championship Weekend™ at Phoenix Raceway®, Oct. 31 – Nov. 2. In addition, the four lottery players will have the chance to win $1 million in a special drawing televised live on NBC before the start of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race™. “This promotion offers our players the ultimate motorsport experience, combining the excitement of NASCAR Championship Weekend with the chance of a lifetime to win $1 million,” said Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO. “The four finalists and their guests will be flown to Phoenix to be immersed in the action, including pace car rides, access to exclusive areas, and front-row seats to some of the biggest NASCAR races.” “This promotion has been such a great avenue to further engage NASCAR fans all across the country over the past two seasons,” said Michelle Byron, NASCAR Executive Vice President, Chief Partnership and Licensing Officer. “The synergies the Powerball Playoff has with the different stages of the NASCAR Playoffs allows for increased excitement and anticipation throughout the year, culminating with someone winning $1 million right before we crown a champion in Phoenix.” Lottery players can enter the national Powerball® promotion through a participating state lottery. Lotteries will hold in-state contests and second-chance drawings throughout the 2025 NASCAR regular season to form a national pool of entrants. Entry periods and method of entry will vary by lottery. At the end of the NASCAR regular season, 16 semi-finalists will be drawn from the national pool to advance to the Powerball Playoff drawings, with no more than one semi-finalist per lottery advancing. The Powerball Playoff drawings are a series of elimination drawings that mirror the elimination rounds of the NASCAR Playoffs™. As the 2025 playoff field of drivers is reduced, Powerball will reduce its playoff field of semi-finalists eligible to win the $1 million grand prize. Through a series of drawings, the field of semi-finalists will be reduced from 16 to 12 to 8 to 4 – with the remaining four finalists winning a VIP trip for two to the NASCAR Championship Weekend™ at Phoenix Raceway and entry into the $1 million drawing. The results of each Powerball Playoff drawing will be revealed during select race broadcasts, beginning with the Round of 16 announcement on Aug. 23 at the NASCAR regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway. Cash prizes will be awarded to all 16 national semi-finalists based on their elimination position, ranging from $2,500 to the $1 million top prize: The VIP trip includes roundtrip airfare for two to Phoenix, three nights hotel accommodations – double occupancy, two Ally Curve Hospitality Club passes for both the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race on Nov. 1 and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Nov. 2, two passes for VIP experiences at Phoenix Raceway during the NASCAR Championship Weekend including NASCAR Cup Series™ VIP access, NASCAR team hauler tour, MRN radio booth tour, pace car rides, Victory Lane access, all meals, and ground transportation to scheduled events and activities. Players should stay tuned to their local lotteries for more information on how to enter. Participating lotteries include Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana (Hoosier), Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. Additional lotteries may join the Powerball promotion at a later time. Last year, Louisiana Lottery player Meagan Lewis, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was declared the NASCAR Powerball Playoff Champion and $1 million winner in a special drawing broadcast live from Phoenix Raceway before the start of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race™. The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season officially begins this Sunday with live action of the DAYTONA 500 from Daytona International Speedway. The race will air live at 2:30 p.m. EST on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. (Photo Courtesy NASCAR)

Press Release | NHRA With several talented names, new faces, and the addition of current and former stars, the NHRA is pleased to release its in-venue and NHRA.tv announce team for the 2025 season in the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Along with veteran NHRA announcers Joe Castello, Jason Galvin, Hannah Rickards, and Jason Logan, the NHRA will add David Freiburger, Top Fuel driver Jordan Vandergriff, and Courtney Enders to its standout team. Star drivers like Ida Zetterstrom and Angelle Sampey will also join the team in 2025 at a variety of races, as well as appearances from legendary drivers throughout the year. A look at the talented group of voices for the 2025 campaign: David Freiburger: This veteran of the motorsports industry is known for editing Hot Rod Magazine and hosting the Roadkill and Engine Masters television shows, and has a huge social media following. Freiburger will be an announcer on NHRA.tv in 2025 and will appear on select NHRA on FOX broadcasts. Jordan Vandergriff: The standout has competed in the NHRA Top Fuel ranks and also appeared on “The Bachelorette” and “Bachelor in Paradise.” The NHRA on FOX reporter will attend additional races exclusively for NHRA.tv coverage. Joe Castello: Castello is a veteran on the NHRA scene, working as an NHRA announcer for more than a decade. His “WFO” channel and live stream is also a popular destination for race fans throughout the week. Jason Galvin: He joined the NHRA announce team full-time in 2023 and was also named NHRA Sportsman Manager leading into the 2025 season. Jason Logan: He will continue as the trackside DJ, bringing music and a variety of fun activities for NHRA fans. Hannah Rickards: Responsible for programming the Nitro Alley stage in the pits, which includes a variety of content leading up to pro sessions. Fans can expect staples like Nitro School, the NHRA Insider podcast, appearances from drivers and crew chiefs, autograph sessions, and more. Courtney Enders: Enders will be contributing to coverage in both the Mission Foods and Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series during the upcoming season. Al Tucci: The veteran drag racing broadcaster will be the voice of the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series for all 10 races in 2025. “It’s an honor to be part of this announce team that will lead NHRA into its next era of announcing,” Castello said. “NHRA Drag Racing is about passion and everyone in this talented team has it. Fans can expect a fast-paced broadcast covering the sport in new ways while also keeping what has made NHRA great for nearly 75 years. I’m excited to tell the stories of the greatest racers in the world.” Along with a variety of NHRA legends and current stars appearing in the booth, the in-venue broadcast team will also get periodic appearances from NHRA on FOX voices Brian Lohnes, Amanda Busick, and Bruno Massel, providing NHRA fans an incredible array of talent and depth at national events. All 20 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series national events in 2025 can be viewed on NHRA.tv, with the price remaining at $159.99 for the entire season or $24.99 per national event. The test session at Gainesville Raceway on March 4-5 will also be streamed for free on NHRA.tv, which leads into the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals on March 6-9 at the historic facility. Adding to the diverse announcing team, NHRA also made significant investments in equipment and personnel to ensure a better listening and viewing experience, both for fans in attendance and watching at home on NHRA.tv. Those improvements include: New timing and scoring graphics that will be implemented into the broadcast Upgraded PA system and audio equipment Additional national events with two jumbotrons for better in-venue experience “We’re extremely excited to showcase this incredible variety of talented voices for our in-venue and NHRA.tv broadcasts for the 2025 season,” NHRA Senior Vice President Evan Jonat said. “Along with our standout announcers returning, by adding some new voices and having several different NHRA stars and legends join them in the booth, there will be so many great options who each bring something unique to our broadcasts. I think fans – both in-venue and watching on NHRA.tv – will be thrilled with the graphics and equipment upgrades as well. We’re all looking forward to a great year of these talented announcers showcasing the incredible action and amazing race teams in the NHRA.” On the local scene, NHRA will work closely with NHRA Member Tracks and its divisions to cultivate local talent throughout the year. Along with the complimentary coverage, fans who purchase the full NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season on NHRA.tv get incredible access to watch nearly 60 live events this year along with access to hours of original, special content, previous years of racing and more. NHRA also previously announced it will stream more than 30 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events on either NHRA.tv or the NHRA YouTube page for free during the 2025 campaign, including extensive action from across all seven divisions, special events and more. The full schedule of complimentary races is available at NHRA.tv, with additional races expected to be added in the coming weeks. (Photo Courtesy NHRA)

Press Release | NHRA The standout competitors in the NHRA Summit Racing Series, the world’s largest motorsports program when it comes to racer participation, will now have the opportunity to race for a world championship in Las Vegas, as the 2025 NHRA Summit Racing E.T. Series schedule was announced today. For the first time, winners in the Eastern Canada Division will advance for the chance to compete for a world championship in 2025. An Eastern Canada E.T. Finals took place for the first time a year ago, and now, winners will advance to the NHRA Summit Racing Series World Championship, which takes place Oct. 30-Nov. 2 as part of the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It also adds an eighth official division to the thrilling Summit E.T. Series, as drivers in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman and Motorcycle will compete at NHRA member tracks across North America for a chance at a world championship. The Street Legal EV Finals will be contested at the eight divisional championships in 2025. Super Pro will move from 1/4th-mile to 1/8th-mile at the world championship to stay more in line with the most common style of racing in the category at NHRA member tracks. With the addition of the eighth division, there will also be no wild card entry to fill the eighth spot in each category. Winners from the eight Summit Racing E.T. Finals will make up the 32 world championship contenders racing for a chance at glory, a huge purse, and prizes in Las Vegas. On the Road to Vegas, tens of thousands of drivers will compete for event wins and divisional titles. The eight Summit Racing E.T. Finals begin on Aug. 15-17 with the Division 4 Finals at Texas Motorplex in Dallas, Aug. 28-31 in Division 6 at Mission Raceway Park in Mission, B.C.., and continuing throughout September with Division 3 at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, on Sept. 11-13, Division 5 on Sept. 12-14 at Tri-State Raceway in Earlville, Iowa, Division 1 Canada on Sept. 18-20 at Luskville Dragway in Québec, and Division 1 on Sept. 19-21 at Numidia Dragway in Numidia, Pa. The action at the E.T. Finals wraps up in October, with Division 7 racing Oct. 3-5 at Firebird Motorsports Park in Phoenix. The following week (Oct. 9-12), the Division 2 Finals will take place at Gainesville Raceway. From there, the eight winners in Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, and Motorcycle will advance to Las Vegas with a world championship on the line. Summit Racing Equipment, an industry leader in the distribution of auto racing parts and equipment through catalogs and the internet, remains a huge supporter of the program, boasting a partnership of more than 20 years. “We’re thrilled with the continued growth of the NHRA Summit Racing Series. It’s exciting to see an eighth Summit Racing E.T. Finals take place in Eastern Canada as this program continues to expand and provide great opportunities to the amazing racers across North America,” said Jim Greenleaf, Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports & Events manager. “There are so many talented competitors in the series that just winning a divisional championship is a huge accomplishment. We’re honored to present a unique opportunity to those racers to compete for a world championship. It’s always an exciting weekend in Las Vegas, and we can’t wait to crown world champions this year.” National champions in 2024 included Zach Meziere (Division 6) in Super Pro, Alvie Merrill (Division 4) in Pro, C.W. Hoefer (Division 7) in Sportsman, James Paulson (Division 5) in Motorcycle, and Omar Leon (Division 7) in Street Legal EV. The eight E.T. Finals winners in the NHRA Summit Series receive an impressive prize package, including a Wally, jacket, and purse, along with bonus travel money to attend the world championship in Las Vegas. At the national event, each championship contender can enjoy a memorable experience that includes a champions’ welcome dinner, an introduction during the pre-race ceremony at the NHRA national event, and a huge spotlight all weekend as they compete for a world championship in front of a huge Las Vegas crowd. The championship competitors will compete for a huge purse that is paid out to the 32 competitors attending the finals, plus contingency bonuses, a national championship Wally, a championship jacket, and more. “Any time we can expand opportunities for our racers in North America, it’s a big deal, and today’s announcement is no different,” said Jason Galvin, NHRA Sportsman Racing manager. “The addition of Canada as a participant in the E.T. championships has been years in the making, and the support of Summit Racing Equipment is the only reason this is possible. We have eight great E.T. Finals events on tap, all leading into what has become a banner weekend for bracket racers in Las Vegas. Our goal in Las Vegas is to make that event unique and make those 32 drivers feel like the superstars we know they are. Last year was a big step, and this year will be even bigger.” For more information on the NHRA Summit Racing Series, visit www.nhra.com/sportsman 2025 NHRA Summit Racing Series E.T. Finals Schedule Division 1 Canada – Luskville Dragway, Luskville, Québec, Sept. 18-20 Division 1 – Numidia Dragway, Numidia, Pa., Sept. 19-21 Division 2 – Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla., Oct. 9-12 Division 3 – Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio, Sept. 11-13 Division 4 – Texas Motorplex, Dallas, Aug. 15-17 Division 5 – Tri-State Raceway, Earlville, Iowa, Sept. 12-14 Division 6 – Mission Raceway Park, Mission, British Colombia, Aug. 28-Aug. 31 Division 7 – Firebird Motorsports Park, Phoenix, Oct. 3-5 NHRA Summit Racing Series World Championship The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Oct. 30-Nov. 2 (as part of the NHRA Nevada Nationals) (Photo Courtesy NHRA)

Press Release | NHRA The NHRA announced today that Right Trailers has been named the title sponsor of the upcoming big-money NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout. The Right Trailers NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout will take place on Saturday, March 8 as part of the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at legendary Gainesville Raceway, pitting eight star drivers against each other as part of a unique one-day specialty event at one of the biggest races on the NHRA tour. A longtime supporter of NHRA Drag Racing, Right Trailers continues to be involved in the sport at several levels. They sponsor both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals in the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League, and Right Trailers, which was started in 2004, is also the title sponsor of the NHRA’s Top Dragster and Top Sportsman categories. Now they move into the 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph Top Fuel ranks for the specialty race that offers a big purse, bragging rights, and a special Callout trophy as part of one of the most historic races on the NHRA schedule. “Right Trailers has been a longtime supporter of NHRA Drag Racing in the Sportsman ranks and the Jr. Drag Racing League. Over the years, several of those drivers have gained the experience necessary to compete at the highest level of the sport — Top Fuel. The thrill of watching these drivers reach speeds of 330 mph is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Right Trailers President Michael Scott said. “At the Gatornationals, the NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout will give our customers and select staff members the opportunity to witness this exciting action first-hand. We are thrilled to share this experience with our diverse customer base, which includes several NHRA teams across both the Sportsman and Professional levels. This opportunity allows us to elevate the Right Trailers - Nationwide brand to the Top Fuel category, and we see tremendous value in the potential it holds. We are enthusiastic about what lies ahead and look forward to future partnerships with the NHRA.” The Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout features a stacked field loaded with stars and world champions. Four-time champ Steve Torrence secured the top spot in the one-day specialty event for a second straight year and will get the first opportunity to select his first-round opponent, moving down the line until all first-round matchups are set. The driver who makes the quickest winning run in the first round will then select their semifinal opponent, locking in the other matchup. Those first-round selections take place at noon ET on Friday, March 7 in the Top Eliminator Club, with the opening round of racing slated for 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. The semifinals follow at 3 p.m., and the final round takes place at 4:30 p.m. A special Callout broadcast will air at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS1. “We’re thrilled to have Right Trailers as the title sponsor of the Top Fuel All-Star Callout, which has been a great specialty race to start the season,” NHRA Vice President and Chief Development Officer Brad Gerber said. “They’ve been an incredible partner for so many years, and there’s so much excitement surrounding the Callout and our season-opening race in Gainesville, this pairing just made perfect sense. This only helps add to the anticipation leading into the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, and we can’t wait for a great weekend to kick off 2025.” Torrence won the inaugural Top Fuel All-Star Callout in 2022, and local native Josh Hart provided a feel-good story in 2023 by earning the victory from the No. 8 position. Last year, Antron Brown’s championship run started with his memorable specialty race victory, defeating Brittany Force in the final under the lights and setting the stage for a run at his fourth world title. In 2024, Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won the Gatornationals to open the year. It marked the first double-up victory for Kalitta Motorsports, while six-time world champ Enders won the historic race for the first time. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 9. Before the race, fans will again be invited to a special Gatornationals Kickoff Party and Fanfest at Josh Hart’s Burnyzz Speedshop in Ocala, Fla. In what’s become an exciting pre-event tradition, the event will take place from 6-9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5. The fun-filled kickoff event will include driver appearances and autographs from 7-8 p.m. at the state-of-the-art facility and much more. NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 7, and the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, March 8 at 12:30 and 3:10 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 9. To purchase tickets to the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, visit www.nhra.evenue.net/. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Get your tickets now for the Top Eliminator Club before they sell out. (Photo Courtesy NHRA)

By Adam Carabine Happy NASCAR Opening Day everyone!  Yes, the Clash has already come and gone, but this is the real deal. This weekend NASCAR travels to Daytona, Florida for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.   Daytona is a 2.5-mile high-banked tri-oval which opened in 1959.  The first NASCAR winner at Daytona was Lee Petty that same year.    Tomorrow’s race will be 200 laps long (for a total of 500 miles), with stage breaks occurring at 65 – 130 – 200.  The fuel window is between 45-50 laps, though with drafting and fuel saving, it could be stretched longer.  Pit road speed is       55 mph, and the caution vehicle runs at 70 mph.    This is the first race of the season, so no one has logged any laps just yet!    Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Daytona: John Hunter Nemechek 11.00 over 4 races Bubba Wallace 11.93 over 15 races Zane Smith 13.00 over 3 races Alex Bowman 15.24 over 17 races Austin Cindric 17.00 over 7 races (1 win)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Daytona: SVG 35.00 over 1 race Todd Gilliland 28.83 over 6 races Daniel Suarez 27.06 over 16 races Carson Hocevar 25.50 over 2 races Tyler Reddick 24.91 over 11 races   Daytona is a Super Speedway   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Super Speedways: John Hunter Nemechek 15.50 over 8 races Bubba Wallace 16.15 over 29 races (1 win) Denny Hamlin 17.11 over 76 races (5 wins) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 17.70 over 48 races (4 wins) Ryan Blaney 17.82 over 40 races (4 wins)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Super Speedways: Carson Hocevar 23.75 over 5 races Daniel Suarez 23.59 over 32 races Ty Gibbs 23.20 over 10 races Cody Ware 22.38 over 16 races Tyler Reddick 22.10 over 21 races (1 win)   Richard Petty is the winningest driver at Daytona, with 10 wins.  Cale Yarborough is next with 8.  Of current drivers, Denny Hamlin has the most with 3 wins.   Notable drivers who have not won at Daytona: Kyle Larson (has won at 18 other tracks) Chase Elliott (has won at 15 other tracks) Christopher Bell (has won at 8 other tracks) Tyler Reddick (has won at 8 other tracks) Alex Bowman (has won at 8 other tracks)   Drivers who have scored their first win at Daytona – Justin Haley (his 3rd race), Austin Cindric (his 8th race), Erik Jones (his 67th race), William Byron (his 98th race), and Michael McDowell (his 356th race).   Based on average finish, both John Hunter Nemechek and Bubba Wallace list Daytona as their BEST track, meanwhile SVG, Carson Hocevar, Tyler Reddick, and Chase Elliott list it as their WORST.    Here is the current battle for Rookie of the Year: Riley Herbst 0 SVG 0   Milestone Watch Chase Elliott Looking for his 20th Career Win Kyle Larson Looking for his 30th Career Win Christopher Bell Looking for his 10th Career Win Kyle Larson Looking for his 120th Career Top 5 Ryan Blaney Looking for his 150th Career Top 10   Here are the top 10 longest active winless streaks:   Winless Streaks Justin Haley 142 races Cole Custer 98 races Bubba Wallace 80 races Erik Jones 80 races Kyle Busch 58 races Michael McDowell 49 races Daniel Suarez 35 races William Byron 29 races Chase Elliott 28 races Denny Hamlin 26 races   The race begins Sunday, February 16th at 1:30pm ET (10:30am PST) – Enjoy the race everyone!   Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter  @RacingRefresh   Is there an error? Is there a stat missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

By Adam Carabine Hendrick Motorsports Four full-time entries in the NASCAR Cup Series   Car No. 5 Kyle Larson Kyle Larson celebrates after winning at the Charlotte Roval last season - Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images 2024 Stats Larson was in this ride last season Final Standings Position – 6th  Best 2024 Finish – P1 six times, at Las Vegas, Kansas, Sonoma, Indianapolis, Bristol and the Charlotte Roval Points – 2,378 Average Finish – 12.91   Career Cup Series Stats Starts – 365 Wins – 29 Best Career Season Finish Position – 1st in 2021 with Hendrick Motorsports   ---------- Car No. 9 Chase Elliott Chase Elliott after winning the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray earlier this year - Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images 2024 Stats Elliott was in this ride last season Final Standings Position – 7th  Best 2024 Finish – P1 at Texas Points – 2,342 Average Finish – 11.72 (best in the Cup Series)   Career Cup Series Stats Starts – 322 Wins – 19 Best Career Season Finish Position – 1st in 2020 with Hendrick Motorsports   ----------   Car No. 24 William Byron William Byron prepares ahead of the race at Pocono last season - Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images 2024 Stats Byron was in this ride last season Final Standings Position – 3rd  Best 2024 Finish – P1 three times, at Daytona (500), COTA, and Martinsville Points – 5,034 Average Finish – 12.94   Career Cup Series Stats Starts – 252 Wins – 13 Best Career Season Finish Position – 3rd twice, in 2023 and 2024, both with Hendrick Motorsports   ---------- Car No. 48 Alex Bowman Alex Bowman signing autographs at Pocono Raceway last season - Photo by Jame Gilbert/Getty Images 2024 Stats Bowman was in this ride last season Final Standings Position – 9th  Best 2024 Finish – P1 at the Chicago Street Course Points – 2,318 Average Finish – 14.75   Career Cup Series Stats Starts – 325 Wins – 8 Best Career Season Finish Position – 6th in 2020 with Hendrick Motorsports   2025 Hopes and Expectations The final Team Preview in this series, and it’s the best team in all of NASCAR (at least last year).  Hendrick Motorsports is almost a super-team.  With a combined 69 career wins between their four drivers, there isn’t really a slouch on the team.  So how do you set expectations for your 2025 season when you’re just expected to continue to be the best?   Larson needs to find his way back to the Final Four after missing it in 2024.  With all of his extra-curricular racing as well, it’ll be important for him to stay healthy throughout the season.  Chase Elliott has been less dominant on road courses since the switch to the Next-Gen car, and he could afford to up his game there.  Byron started last season quite strong, but fizzled through the second half of the season. Some more consistency through 2025, and a championship might be the only way to improve on last year.  Bowman was the subject of some speculation, as he was seemingly the low man on the totem pole.  But after his win at the Chicago Street Course, and a solid playoffs, things seemed to quiet down on that front.  Bowman needs a strong showing this year, if at the very least to silence his critics.

By Adam Carabine Joe Gibbs Racing (Xfinity Series) Three full-time entries in the NASCAR Xfinity Series   Car No. 18 William Sawalich William Sawalich after scoring the pole at Phoenix last season - Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images 2024 Stats Sawalich ran three Xfinity races at the tail end of the season last year Final Standings Position – N/A Best 2024 Finish – P13 at Phoenix Points – N/A Average Finish – 23.33 (three races)   Career Xfinity Series Stats Starts – 3 Wins – 0 Best Career Season Finish Position – N/A   ---------- Car No. 20 Brandon Jones Brandon Jones after winning the Pole at Las Vegas last season - Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images 2024 Stats Jones was in the 9 car last season for JR Motorsports Final Standings Position – 14th  Best 2024 Finish – P2 at Charlotte Points – 696 Average Finish – 19.36   Career Xfinity Series Stats Starts – 302 Wins – 5 Best Career Season Finish Position – 6th in 2020 with Joe Gibbs Racing   ----------   Car No. 54 Taylor Gray Taylor Gray (#19) and Riley Herbst (98) on track at Atlanta last season - Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images 2024 Stats Gray ran a part-time schedule with Joe Gibbs Racing last season Final Standings Position – N/A Best 2024 Finish – P3 at Richmond Points – N/A Average Finish – 19.23   Career Xfinity Series Stats Starts – 13 Wins – 0 Best Career Season Finish Position – N/A   2025 Hopes and Expectations Joe Gibbs Racing’s Xfinity Series program was the best and most consistent Xfinity Team last year, but there are some big changes in 2025.  With essentially a brand new lineup, JGR is taking some risks on some younger and unproven drivers, though there is certainly some talent there.  William Sawalich is coming in after tearing up the ARCA Menards Series (East, West, and regular).  Taylor Gray is coming off an impressive NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, where he finished 6th in the standings.  Brandon Jones returns to JGR after a two-year stint with JR Motorsports (Jones previously had spent five seasons with JGR).    With two of their three full-time drivers vying for Rookie of the Year, it has the potential to be a bit of a down year for JGR’s Xfinity program, but developing talent for Toyota is also an important part of the lower series.  Look for Jones to take on a leadership role within the team, and for the two newbies to challenge for a win.

By Adam Carabine TRICON Garage Four full-time entries in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series   Truck No. 5 Toni Breidinger Toni Breidinger ahead of an ARCA Menards Series race at Kansas last year - Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images 2024 Stats Breidinger spent the 2024 season in the ARCA Menards Series   Career Truck Series Stats Starts – 4 Wins – 0 Best Career Season Finish Position – N/A   ---------- Truck No. 11 Corey Heim Corey Heim celebrates his win at Kansas last season - Photo by Chris Graythen 2024 Stats Heim was in this ride last season Final Standings Position – 2nd  Best 2024 Finish – P1 six times, at COTA, Kansas, North Wilkesboro, WWT Gateway, Pocono, and Kansas Points – 4,035 Average Finish – 7.17   Career Truck Series Stats Starts – 64 Wins – 11 Best Career Season Finish Position – 2nd in 2024 with TRICON Garage   ----------    Truck No. 15 Tanner Gray Tanner Gray (L) and his brother Taylor (R) at Talladega a few seasons ago - Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images 2024 Stats Gray was in this ride last season Final Standings Position – 13th  Best 2024 Finish – P6 at Kansas Points – 550 Average Finish – 15.61   Career Truck Series Stats Starts – 117 Wins – 0 Best Career Season Finish Position – 13th in 2024 with TRICON Garage   ----------   Truck No. 17 Gio Ruggiero Photo from www.x.com/TRICONGarage 2024 Stats This will be Ruggiero’s first season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series   2025 Hopes and Expectations TRICON Garage was one of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ best teams last season, largely due to Corey Heim.  There’s only one thing Heim could improve upon from last season, and that’s to win the championship – so he will likely have his sights set on that.  With the departure of Hailie Deegan from NASCAR to the IndyCar world, Toni Breidinger now steps up as the sole full-time female competitor across all three series.  She’s shown some promise down in the ARCA Series, and it will be interesting to see how she fares in the Trucks.  Tanner Gray has been looking for his first Truck Series win for years now, and 2025 might be the year to check that off of his bucket list.  Gio Ruggiero is a bit of a wildcard, as he doesn’t have a ton of starts under his belt in any of the ARCA Series (though he does have a win at Five Flags Speedway).    Heim will be the leader of this team, but TRICON will hope that Breidinger and Ruggiero can get up to speed quickly and compete.