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By Adam Carabine Happy weekend everyone, it’s time for another edition of Stats Saturday – though this time it’s on a Friday!  This weekend NASCAR travels to Bristol, Tennessee for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.   Bristol is a 0.533-mile oval short track that opened in 1961.  That same year, Jack Smith won the first ever NASCAR race there, and it has been a staple on the schedule ever since.   Tomorrow’s race will be 500 laps long (for a total of 266.50 miles), with stage breaks occurring at 125 – 250 – 500.  Pit road speed is 30 mph, and the caution vehicle runs at 35 mph.    This year, the NASCAR Cup Series has run 7,327 laps, for 9,921.14 miles so far this season.  No driver has completed 100% of them, but Daniel Hemric is the closest, having driven 99.45% of them.    Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Bristol: Chase Elliott 11.31 over 16 races John Hunter Nemechek 13.00 over 3 races Kyle Larson 13.37 over 19 races (1 win) Christopher Bell 13.89 over 9 races (1 win) Denny Hamlin 14.08 over 37 races (4 wins)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Bristol: Zane Smith 36.00 over 1 race Noah Gragson 31.33 over 3 races Corey LaJoie 27.20 over 15 races Michael McDowell 25.43 over 28 races Ross Chastain 24.91 over 11 races   Bristol is a Short Track   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Short Tracks: Joey Logano 11.09 over 182 races (12 wins) Chase Elliott 11.45 over 95 races (4 wins) Christopher Bell 12.12 over 51 races (5 wins) Ryan Blaney 12.73 over 99 races (2 wins) William Byron 13.10 over 73 races (3 wins)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Short Tracks: Daniel Hemric 24.36 over 22 races Noah Gragson 24.25 over 20 races John Hunter Nemechek 24.09 over 20 races Harrison Burton 23.57 over 31 races Ryan Preece 22.88 over 55 races   Darrell Waltrip is the winningest driver at Bristol, having scored 12 wins over the course of his career.  Cale Yarborough, Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, and current driver Kyle Busch all are tied for 2nd, with 9 wins each.   Notable drivers who have not won at Bristol: Martin Truex Jr. (has won at 16 other tracks) Chase Elliott (has won at 15 other tracks) William Byron (has won at 10 other tracks) Ryan Blaney (has won at 9 other tracks) Alex Bowman (has won at 8 other tracks)   No driver has scored their first Cup Series win at Bristol.   Based on average finish, no drivers list Bristol as their BEST or WORST track.     Based on their point pace, let’s have a look at how this season is comparing to last season for drivers:   Drivers Faring Better than in 2023 Noah Gragson +428 pts (incomplete 2023 season) Chase Elliott +321 pts (incomplete 2023 season) Alex Bowman +187 pts Ty Gibbs +186 pts Todd Gilliland +141 pts   Drivers Faring Worse than in 2023 William Byron -223 pts Martin Truex Jr. -179 pts Ricky Stenhouse Jr. -148 pts Kyle Busch -138 pts Denny Hamlin -117 pts   While some drivers may be doing better this year than they did in 2023, how does this year stack up against their entire career?  This statistic does not include rookies, as this is their first full year in the Cup Series.   Drivers Having their BEST Career Year Tyler Reddick 11.54 Ty Gibbs 15.04 Todd Gilliland 19.79   Drivers Having their WORST Career Year Harrison Burton 25.82 Justin Haley 23.11 Austin Dillon 22.96 Erik Jones 22.62   Here is the current battle for Rookie of the Year: Carson Hocevar 526 Josh Berry 481 Zane Smith 378 Kaz Grala 169   The Manufacturer Standings are calculated by awarding points to the highest finisher for each manufacturer according to their finishing position.  (40 for 1st, 35 for 2nd, 34 for 3rd, etc.)  No stage points or playoff points count.   Manufacturer Standings         Chevrolet 1014 Ford 988 Toyota 985   Here is the same formula, but used on a team-vs-team basis:   Chartered Team Standings Hendrick 938 Joe Gibbs 928 23XI 839 RFK 815 Penske 798 Trackhouse 776 Stewart-Haas 767 RCR 659 Spire 636 Front Row 587 Kaulig 513 Rick Ware 481 Legacy Motor Club 481 JTG-Daugherty 411 Wood Bros 325   At each stage break, the Top 10 drivers are awarded points based on their finishing positions.  Here are the leaders this year:   Stage Point Leaders Kyle Larson 256 Denny Hamlin 234 Ryan Blaney 212 Christopher Bell 187 Martin Truex Jr. 187 William Byron 175 Tyler Reddick 174 Chase Elliott 170 Brad Keselowski 139 Joey Logano 137   Milestone Watch Brad Keselowski This will be his 550th Cup Series Start Chase Elliott Looking for his 20th Career Win Christopher Bell Looking for his 10th Career Win William Byron Looking for his 50th Career Top 5 Alex Bowman Looking for his 40th Career Top 5 Chase Briscoe Looking for his 30th Career Top 10 Martin Truex Jr. Looking for his 290th Career Top 10 Erik Jones Looking for his 90th Career Top 10 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Looking for his 60th Career Top 10   Here are the top 10 longest active winless streaks:   Winless Streaks Justin Haley 133 races Erik Jones 73 races Bubba Wallace 71 races Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 63 races Kyle Busch 49 races Martin Truex Jr. 44 races Michael McDowell 40 races Ross Chastain 28 races Daniel Suarez 26 races William Byron 20 races   The race begins Saturday, Sept 21st  at 7:30 pm EST (4:30 pm 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   With the playoffs in full swing now, the StatChat Power Rankings are focusing in on the 16 Cup Series Playoff Drivers.  Rankings are determined using a large number of statistical inputs, with most emphasis on the last 5 races     Harrison Burton – This week: 16th – Last week: 14th The fact that Burton is coming into Bristol just 20 points below the cutline says maybe more about the rest of the playoff field than it does about his performance.  He’ll need a miracle to make it to the next round, but stranger things have happened!   Ryan Blaney – This week: 15th – Last week: 9th   While Blaney had a good finish in Atlanta (P3), he crashed out in the second lap of Darlington, and then did it again on the first lap of Watkins Glen.  At +30 to the cutline, he’s likely okay unless there’s another disaster for him at Bristol.   Chase Briscoe – This week: 14th – Last week: 16th No one had Briscoe making the playoffs, but a walk-off win at Darlington changed that.  Now he’s +6 to the cutline with Bristol remaining.  He might be able to pull this off and make it to the next round.  He’s certainly got momentum on his side.   Martin Truex Jr. – This week: 13th – Last week: 15th After just squeaking into the playoffs, Truex has finished 35th and 20th in the two playoff races so far.  Still, he’s only 13 points out of the next round – it’s not impossible but it’ll be hard.   Tyler Reddick – This week: 12th – Last week: 2nd Reddick looked strong in Atlanta after clinching the Regular Season Championship the week before in Darlington.  An uncharacteristic P2 7 at a road course tumbles him to the bottom half of the Power Rankings, but he’s likely safe to pencil into your Round of 12.   Daniel Suarez – This week: 11th – Last week: 3rd Suarez has been a surprise in this year’s playoffs.  Though it’s only been two races so far, he’s got the best average finish of any playoff driver (P2 and P13).  He is 5th in the standings right now, which is likely safe into the Round of 12.   William Byron – This week: 10th – Last week: 6th It’s been a quiet playoff for Byron so far.  A 9th placed finish at Atlanta is nothing to scoff at, but he followed it up with a P34 at Watkins Glen.  After such a strong start to the season, he’s been a little too quiet, but if he can survive Bristol his playoff point cushion might help him make it a few rounds.   Denny Hamlin – This week: 9th  – Last week: 4th  After a baffling strategy call at Atlanta had him finish 24th, he needed a good day at Watkins Glen to stay afloat.  An unfortunate penalty that was only Toyota’s fault put him in a bit of a hole to start the playoffs, but he didn’t exactly help his chances at Watkins Glen.  He sits 6 points out of the next round heading to Bristol, though his 4 wins there give hope that he’ll make it to the next round.   Ty Gibbs – This week: 8th – Last week: 7th The young phenom might not have the finishing positions he’d like, but he’s scored stage points in 3 of the 4 stages so far in the playoffs, giving him just enough of a boost to be inside the playoff picture for now (+6 to the cutoff line).  Bristol is unpredictable, but Toyotas tend to fare well there.   Alex Bowman – This week: 7th – Last week: 8th It seems alll Alex Bowman needed was a little bit of a push.  Start questioning whether his seat is safe for next year, and he will fight back tooth and nail.  A Top-5 at Atlanta, and a solid 31 points earned at Watkins Glen, and Bowman almost clinches a spot in the Round of 12 already.  There are some scenarios where he could miss, but it would take a catastrophe.   Joey Logano – This week: 6th – Last week: 10th The reason Logano is so low, despite already winning his way into the next round, is because the formula takes the previous five races into account – not just the playoffs.  Coming into the playoffs, Logano was ranked 27th of all drivers, and that included a couple of DNFs in a row at Michigan and Daytona.  If he keeps up his current pace, he’ll continue climbing to the top.   Brad Keselowski – This week: 5th – Last week: 5th It’s a shame that Keselowski’s finishing positions haven’t resulted in more points, as he’s actually had a solid playoff run so far, if you look at the underlying data.  Critics might say he’s been a bit too conservative, and that doesn’t help the fact that he’s facing a -12 gap to the playoff cut line.  He’ll need some help to get to the next round, but it’s doable.   Chase Elliott – This week: 4th – Last week: 11th Though it seems that Chase Elliott’s road course prowess has slipped some in the Next-Gen era, he’s still sitting comfortably at +30 to the cut line.  Throw in the fact that he’s the best current driver at Bristol by average finish, and this will be a big shock if he’s not in the Round of 12.     Kyle Larson – This week: 3rd – Last week: 13th He’s shown speed, but he’s lacked consistency over the last few weeks.  At the Southern 500, he was the best car for a long time, but couldn’t close out the deal.  He crashed out early at Atlanta due to a driver error, and his Top-15 at Watkins Glen wasn’t anything to write home about.  Yes, he’s +26 to the cut line, but he could and should be higher up.    Austin Cindric – This week: 2nd – Last week: 12th Two playoff races in, he’s got two Top 10s.  You can’t ask for much more.  He’s +44 to the cut line, and looking like a sure thing to make the next round of the playoffs.  Did anyone have him being 3rd in points on their Playoff Bingo Card? I certainly didn’t, but he’s earned it.   Christopher Bell – This week: 1st – Last week: 1st Bell is making a case for being the top championship contender in the field right now.  His consistency over the last weeks has been unmatched – he’s finished five of the last six races in the Top-15, including three Top 5s.  Watch for him to make a strong push for the trophy in Phoenix.

Press Release | MCANALLY-HILGEMANN RACING HendrickCars.com and McAnally-Hilgemann Racing (MHR) announced today that winged sprint car phenom Corey Day will make his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) debut with sponsor HendrickCars.com at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) on Thursday, September 19th. Day, 18, will pilot a HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST in four upcoming NCTS events at BMS, Kansas Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway (HMS), and Martinsville Speedway. His four-race slate with MHR will be led by the team’s General Manager and veteran crew chief Chad Norris. Day will drive the No. 81 Chevrolet at BMS and Martinsville, and the No. 91 entry at Kansas and HMS. The Clovis, Calif. teenager has emerged as one of the elite talents in winged sprint car competition and is quickly capturing some of the sport’s most prestigious prizes. Day recently notched his biggest career victory in the $100,000-to-win Trophy Cup at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif. in the High Limit Racing sprint car series. He has seven wins in 46 races with High Limit Racing thus far in 2024 and is currently fifth in the series’ standings. Day has already recorded numerous accolades on his resume including a Chili Bowl prelim feature win, becoming the youngest USAC National Midget feature winner, and a World of Outlaws victory. “I’m excited to make my start in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series,” Day said. “I haven’t made many non-dirt racing starts but I’m ready to begin learning more about this type of racing. I know I will face some challenges but I feel confident in my ability to learn and I know that I have great support behind me with HendrickCars.com and McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. I just hope to represent them well.” “We can’t wait to see what Corey can do in one of our Chevrolet Silverados”, team owner Bill McAnally said. “It’s clear to see the raw talent and speed that he has in a sprint car, and we’re excited to help him get acclimated to NASCAR racing. Corey has shown to be a quick learner in his career and we’re looking forward to him joining our team in these four races.” Day’s highly anticipated NASCAR debut at BMS on September 19th will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET. (Photo Courtesy McAnally-Hilgemann Racing)

Press Release | RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING Mack Trucks and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) today announced a long-term partnership under which Mack will be designated as the “Official Long-Haul Truck of Richard Childress Racing.” As part of the agreement, Mack will provide a fleet of customized Mack Anthem® 70-inch Stand-Up Sleeper models dedicated to meeting the needs of RCR during the grueling NASCAR season. “The Mack Anthem has repeatedly proven its dependability and quality for the last eight years serving as the Official Hauler of NASCAR,” said David Galbraith, vice president of marketing and global brand for Mack Trucks. “With superior uptime performance coupled with excellent efficiency, it only makes sense that RCR has entrusted Mack to haul its critical technology and equipment. We’re extremely proud to announce our partnership, providing us the opportunity to share the capabilities of Mack products and the excitement of the NASCAR season with customers and fans.” RCR is one of the largest and most storied organizations in NASCAR competition, accumulating 16 championships and more than 200 victories across NASCAR’s top three series. During the NASCAR season, Mack Anthem models will haul RCR race cars, including those driven by current team drivers Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch, Jesse Love and Austin Hill. In addition to providing transportation solutions, the partnership allows Mack to offer customers memorable experiences at various race events across the United States during the NASCAR season. Customers will have the opportunity to meet NASCAR Cup Series drivers, tour customized Anthem trucks and join RCR victory lane celebrations. “Richard Childress Racing is looking forward to the future with Mack Trucks, which will help ensure our success during the racing season by providing us with an integral transportation solution,” said Torrey Galida, Richard Childress Racing president. “Our partnership was made possible by our full confidence in Mack Trucks, whose values of excellence and innovation matches ours.” A combination of efficiency, comfort and connectivity, the Anthem model is built for business and designed for drivers. Each of RCR’s custom-spec’d Anthem models is powered by a 13-liter Mack MP 8 engine with 505 horsepower and 1,860 lb.-ft. of torque. The Anthem models are equipped with Mack Command Steer, Mack’s highly advanced active steering system. An electric motor added to the hydraulic steering system applies additional torque as needed, reducing driver effort by up to 85 percent. A return to zero capability automatically returns the steering wheel to the center position, also helping improve driver productivity. Another feature is Mack GuardDog® Connect, a proactive diagnostic and repair planning solution that protects and maximizes customers’ uptime. GuardDog Connect proactively monitors a truck’s critical fault codes that could lead to unplanned downtime. Under the partnership, the Anthems will dutifully transport RCR equipment and technology with the distinctive power, presence and unparalleled highway uptime of a Mack truck. (Photo Courtesy NASCAR)

Press Release | PHOENIX RACEWAY PHOENIX (Sept. 12, 2024) – As a number of regional businesses and community guests gathered at Phoenix Raceway today to celebrate the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and raise funds for the Fighter Country Foundation, the track announced that grandstand seats are sold out for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Sunday, Nov. 10. It marks the seventh consecutive Cup Series event to sell out at the mile-long doglegged oval and the fourth consecutive sellout for the Cup Series Championship. “The level of appreciation we hold toward our fans is boundless after selling out another Cup Series event at Phoenix Raceway,” said Phoenix Raceway President Latasha Causey. “Their continuous presence and support for NASCAR and our community show why Phoenix Raceway is a state-of-the-art racing destination worthy of hosting NASCAR Championship Weekend.” In addition, Phoenix Raceway presented a $100,000 check to the Fighter Country Foundation, a program dedicated to supporting the morale, well-being and culture of the men, women and children who serve our community and country at Luke Air Force Base. For more information about the Fighter Country Foundation, visit fightercountry.org. This marks the third-straight year that NASCAR and Phoenix Raceway have hosted the NASCAR Championship Luncheon, and the $100,000 donation marks the largest amount granted in the event’s run. Ryan Blaney, 2023 Cup Series champion and driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford Mustang, participated in a fireside chat to discuss his championship and ties to the Phoenix area. Rajah Caruth, NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series driver of the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado, Regina Sirvent, NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series and NASCAR Mexico Series competitor, and Nathan Lyons, NASCAR Drive for Diversity and Rev Racing Youth Development driver, spoke on a panel with Brandon Thompson, NASCAR Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Drive for Diversity program. Only a select number of Hillside and Infield General Admission tickets remain for the Cup Series Championship Race, and tickets are also running out quickly for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series West championship races scheduled for Nov. 8-9. NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway kicks off with the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race at 6 p.m. MST on Friday, Nov. 8, preceded by the ARCA Menards Series West finale. On Saturday, Nov. 9, the action will continue as the Xfinity Series Championship Race will crown a new victor of the season. Then, the 2024 season will come to a dramatic conclusion with the Cup Series Championship Race at 1 p.m. MST on Sunday, Nov. 10, as four drivers vie for the highly coveted Bill France Cup. Fans should act now to secure the remaining seats and experiences for this year‘s NASCAR Championship Weekend by visiting www.PhoenixRaceway.com. Fans looking to buy or sell reserved seats for the Cup Series Championship Race should visit SeatGeek, the Official Ticket Marketplace of NASCAR. For more information on Cup Series Championship Race tickets, visit SeatGeek’s Phoenix Raceway page. (Photo Courtesy NASCAR)

By Adam Carabine Happy weekend everyone, it’s time for another edition of Stats Saturday!  This weekend NASCAR travels to Watkins Glen, New York for the “Go Bowling at the Glen” at Watkins Glen International.   Watkins Glen is a 2.45-mile-long Road Course with 8 turns.  The track was opened in 1956, and held a race there the following year.  It returned again for a couple of races in 1964 and 65, then finally became a regular staple on the NASCAR schedule in 1986.  Buck Baker won the first NASCAR race at Watkins Glen.   Tomorrow’s race will be 90 laps long (for a total of 220.86 miles), with stage breaks occurring at 20 – 40 – 90.  Pit road speed is 40 mph, and the caution vehicle runs at 45 mph.    This year, the NASCAR Cup Series has run 7,235 laps, for 9,695.37 miles so far this season.  No driver has completed 100% of them, but Daniel Hemric is the closest, having driven 99.45% of them.    Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Watkins Glen: Christopher Bell 6.00 over 3 races Tyler Reddick 8.33 over 3 races Chase Elliott 9.43 over 7 races (2 wins) Martin Truex Jr. 10.65 over 17 races (1 win) Kyle Busch 10.67 over 18 races (2 wins)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Watkins Glen: Daniel Hemric 35.00 over 1 race Harrison Burton 30.50 over 2 races Corey LaJoie 27.60 over 5 races Ryan Preece 27.00 over 3 races Michael McDowell 25.69 over 13 races   Watkins Glen is a Road Course   Top 5 Career Average Finishers at Road Courses: Chase Elliott 8.08 over 33 races (7 wins) Tyler Reddick 10.32 over 24 races (3 wins) Chris Buescher 13.30 over 35 races Ty Gibbs 13.75 over 12 races Kyle Busch 14.44 over 56 races (4 wins)   Bottom 5 Career Average Finishers at Road Courses: Daniel Hemric 26.70 over 7 races Ryan Preece 26.33 over 21 races Harrison Burton 23.95 over 15 races Noah Gragson 23.88 over 7 races Corey LaJoie 23.71 over 28 races   Tony Stewart is the winningest driver at Watkins Glen, having won 5 times.  He’s followed by Jeff Gordon who has 4, and Mark Martin with 3.  As for current drivers, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott each have 2 wins.   Notable drivers who have not won at Watkins Glen: Brad Keselowski (has won at 17 other tracks) Ryan Blaney (has won at 9 other tracks) Christopher Bell (has won at 8 other tracks) Alex Bowman (has won at 8 other tracks) Tyler Reddick (has won at 7 other tracks)   Chase Elliott won his first Cup Series race at Watkins Glen.  It came in his 99th career start.   Based on average finish, no drivers list Watkins Glen as their BEST or WORST track.     Based on their point pace, let’s have a look at how this season is comparing to last season for drivers:   Drivers Faring Better than in 2023 Noah Gragson +417 pts (incomplete 2023 season) Chase Elliott +332 pts (incomplete 2023 season) Ty Gibbs +192 pts Alex Bowman +180 pts Todd Gilliland +138 pts   Drivers Faring Worse than in 2023 William Byron -196 pts Martin Truex Jr. -181 pts Ricky Stenhouse Jr. -128 pts Kyle Busch -117 pts Michael McDowell -105 pts   While some drivers may be doing better this year than they did in 2023, how does this year stack up against their entire career?  This statistic does not include rookies, as this is their first full year in the Cup Series.   Drivers Having their BEST Career Year Tyler Reddick 10.96 Ty Gibbs 14.78 Todd Gilliland 19.93   Drivers Having their WORST Career Year Harrison Burton 25.89 Justin Haley 22.89 Austin Dillon 22.78 Erik Jones 22.20   Here is the current battle for Rookie of the Year Carson Hocevar 492 Josh Berry 469 Zane Smith 346 Kaz Grala 169   The Manufacturer Standings are calculated by awarding points to the highest finisher for each manufacturer according to their finishing position.  (40 for 1st, 35 for 2nd, 34 for 3rd, etc.)  No stage points or playoff points count.   Manufacturer Standings         Chevrolet 944 Toyota 929 Ford 908   Here is the same formula, but used on a team-vs-team basis:   Chartered Team Standings Hendrick 913 Joe Gibbs 905 23XI 819 RFK 775 Penske 771 Trackhouse 743 Stewart-Haas 736 RCR 650 Spire 602 Front Row 557 Kaulig 478 Rick Ware 473 Legacy Motor Club 465 JTG-Daugherty 410 Wood Bros 307   At each stage break, the Top 10 drivers are awarded points based on their finishing positions.  Here are the leaders this year:   Stage Point Leaders Kyle Larson 253 Denny Hamlin 233 Ryan Blaney 212 Christopher Bell 187 Martin Truex Jr. 177 Tyler Reddick 170 William Byron 169 Chase Elliott 165 Brad Keselowski 139 Joey Logano 129   Milestone Watch Austin Dillon This will be his 400th Cup Series Start Todd Gilliland This will be his 100th Cup Series Start Chase Elliott Looking for his 20th Career Win Christopher Bell Looking for his 10th Career Win William Byron Looking for his 50th Career Top 5 Alex Bowman Looking for his 40th Career Top 5 Austin Cindric Looking for his 20th Career Top 10 Martin Truex Jr. Looking for his 290th Career Top 10 Erik Jones Looking for his 90th Career Top 10 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Looking for his 60th Career Top 10   Here are the top 10 longest active winless streaks:   Winless Streaks Justin Haley 132 races Erik Jones 72 races Bubba Wallace 70 races Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 62 races Kyle Busch 48 races Martin Truex Jr. 43 races Michael McDowell 39 races Chris Buescher 37 races Ross Chastain 27 races Daniel Suarez 25 races   The race begins Sunday, Sept 15th  at 3:00 pm EST (12:00 pm 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!

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CONCORD, N.C. - No matter what happens the rest of the NASCAR Cup Series season, Kyle Larson will enter 2025 with some unfinished business. On Tuesday afternoon at Charlotte Motor Speedway, he announced he's back in business for another go at the #Hendrick1100. A press conference was held in the track's media center to announce Larson’s second attempt at the Indianapolis 500, Coca-Cola 600 double with both races set for May 25, 2025. He finished 18th in last year’s rain-delayed Indy 500 and arrived in Charlotte just in time for that same storm to bring a premature end to the Coca-Cola 600 before he logging a single lap. “I wanted to do the double I didn’t get to do,” Larson said. “Really, everybody involved wanted to see it happen as well. Glad we get to run through it again.” Larson was flanked on Tuesday by Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, vice chairman Jeff Gordon, McLaren CEO Zak Brown and Tony Kanaan, the 2013 Indy 500 champion who served as an IndyCar coach for Larson last year. Once again, he will run the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Arrow McLaren entry at Indianapolis, a car owned by Hendrick and will serve as an Arrow McLaren teammate for Pato O'Ward, Nolan Siegel and Christian Lundgaard. Kanaan will serve as the backup driver “Kyle had a great month of May and showed what a gifted race car driver he is. From a sponsorship perspective, we saw an incredible lift for HendrickCars.com and measured a three-to-one return on our investment," Hendrick said. "It was a monumental effort by all involved, but we didn’t have the opportunity to see it through (because of inclement weather). Everyone learned a great deal that we’ll take into next year. Now that we’ve experienced it once, we know what to expect, which can only make us better and more prepared. Zak and the team at Arrow McLaren are tremendous partners, and we’re looking forward to finishing the job together in 2025.” “Kyle showed us all what he was capable of this past May, and given a second chance with better weather conditions, I think we’ll all be excited to see him fight for a win at the Indy 500 and then another one in Charlotte," Brown added. "He’s one of the most talented racing drivers out there, and it’s a privilege to do this again with Mr. Hendrick and Jeff Gordon, who are both world-class. We can’t wait for May.” It was an impressive Indianapolis 500 debut for Larson a year ago. He earned Rookie of the Year honors after setting a single-lap, rookie record qualifying time of 233.43 mph, eventually qualifying fifth. Yet, Larson feels he may be positioned even better this time around. “I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t feel like I had the opportunity to win both races,” Larson said. “I know that’s a very difficult task but I know it can be done, especially being with a team like Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports.” Larson spent a large part of last year’s Indianapolis 500 running in the top 10 before a late speeding penalty on pit road put him back in the field. He won the Coca-Cola 600 in 2021. “I think with a year of experience, hopefully, we’ll be even more competitive and I’m super confident in the NASCAR side of things that we can go (to Charlotte) and win," Larson said. "It’s just going to be great to finally have that opportunity again and hopefully, the weather cooperates a little better.” As for future attempts? Larson didn’t rule it out and added that even had the weather not cut his attempt well short in 2024, a return trip in 2025 would’ve still been likely. “I love to race and I love to compete in big events. Had it gone perfect logistically and all that, I think I would still want to do it for sure because I wouldn’t have won the Indy 500,” Larson said. “I would like the chance to someday win it. It’s not a different style of race, so I feel very experienced there and I feel like someday I could win, so, just the stars have to align.” (Photo Courtesy Hendrick Motorsports)