MICHAEL JORDAN REACTS AS TYLER REDDICK WINS 4TH OF 6 | NASCAR CUP SERIES 2026

 

TYLER REDDICK WINS AT ATLANTA TO GIVE MICHAEL JORDAN SECOND STRAIGHT NASCAR VICTORY

 

Tyler Reddick rebounded from a crash to become the first driver in 17 years to sweep the first two races of a NASCAR Cup Series season, winning in double overtime Sunday at Echo Park Speedway. David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

HAMPTON, Ga. — Whether on or off the racetrack, all Michael Jordan does is win in NASCAR.

For the second consecutive Sunday to open the season, the basketball great and co-owner of 23XI Racing celebrated in victory lane with driver Tyler Reddick. This time, after a thriller at Echo Park Speedway.

Jordan’s team now has the top two drivers in the Cup Series points standings with Reddick and Bubba Wallace. The six-time NBA champion already added a ring last week with Reddick in the Daytona 500, the crown jewel of stock-car racing.

Oh, and Jordan also settled a federal antitrust lawsuit with NASCAR in December, a major legal victory that secured a permanent franchise-style model and ensured his team would remain in business for the long-term.

“The guys worked hard all summer, and I know we had our little ordeal,” Jordan said after Reddick’s victory Sunday, referring to the bruising court battle that ended with him making peace with NASCAR CEO and chairman Jim France. “They kept working hard and this is the fruit of their labor. They put forth the effort, and for us to come out and win the first two races says a lot about our whole team.”

It especially says a lot about Reddick, who put on another dazzling performance the week after he became the fourth driver in history to win the Daytona 500 by leading only the final lap.

This time, he led a race-high 53 laps on the 1.54-mile oval south of Atlanta – including the final two in a double-overtime restart. He snatched the lead from Wallace despite the right-front fender of his No. 45 Toyota being damaged in a nine-car crash on the 224th of a scheduled 260 laps. Reddick fell two laps down for repairs but came roaring back from 27th for his 10th career victory.

“I mean, that’s crazy, ain’t it?” said Reddick, who became the first driver since Matt Kenseth in 2009 to win the first two NASCAR Cup Series races of the season. “I just found a way to get back in the top five, and I tried to stay committed to somebody.”

He got a helpful push from runner-up Chase Briscoe. Ross Chastain finished third, followed by the Spire Motorsports tandem of Carson Hocevar (who triggered a large crash in the first overtime) and Daniel Suarez.

“Tyler had like another gear,” Chastain said. “(He had) no fender, and he pulled us so fast.”

In a race that featured a track-record 57 lead changes, Wallace was first entering the final restart but shuffled to eighth. He still gained the second-most points (48) by winning the second stage and leading 46 laps.

“Tyler did an unbelievable job,” Jordan said. “I feel bad for Bubba because he had an unbelievable day. But Tyler drove his ass off. I’m very happy for Tyler. I’m very happy for 23XI.”

Green turns to yellow

Austin Cindric took advantage of a stretch of 61 green-flag laps to open the race, winning the first stage after starting 30th.

It was the second consecutive year that the first stage in the February race was completed without a yellow flag – an oddity for a track known for chaos since its 2022 reconfiguration into a high-banked drafting oval.

The cautions quickly picked up pace in the second stage with three yellow flags in 40 laps that collected 16 cars and eliminated notable drivers Ty Gibbs, Josh Berry, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Busch. The 160-lap middle segment ended under another yellow when defending Cup Series champion Kyle Larson slammed the outside wall after a collision with Shane van Gisbergen.

No Las Vegas love lost

Busch was perturbed after his No. 8 Chevrolet “got rammed” exiting Turn 2 by the No. 4 Ford of Noah Gragson on the 125th lap.

Though both drivers hail from Las Vegas, Nevada, the 40-year-old Busch felt little kinship in taking issue with the aggressive style of Gragson, who is 13 years younger.

“He didn’t give me an opportunity to make sure I was straight before hitting me or get into me gently to try and get the momentum back,” said Busch, who finished 33rd. “He just drove right through me.”

Up next

The NASCAR Cup Series will race at the Circuit of the Americas, the first road course of the 2026 season, on Sunday, March 1. Christopher Bell outdueled Kyle Busch and William Byron to win at the Austin, Texas, track last year.

- Associated Press

20-YEAR NASCAR CUP SERIES STREAK COMES TO A SCREECHING HALT AT DAYTONA

For the first time since 2005, the NASCAR Cup Series has a full-time No. 97 car.

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing, NASCAR | Jonathan Bachman/GettyImages

There weren't many changes to the NASCAR Cup Series driver lineup from the 2025 to the 2026 season, but the changes that were made were signifcant.

Connor Zilisch has replaced Daniel Suarez at Trackhouse Racing after spending the year with JR Motorsports' Xfinity Series team, and Suarez has moved to Spire Motorsports to replace Justin Haley.

Haley is the only full-time Cup driver from 2025 who is no longer competing full-time in the Cup Series in 2026, as he has dropped down to the Truck Series with Kaulig Racing, reuniting him with the team he drove for in both the Xfinity Series and Cup Series from 2019 to 2023.

But Zilisch isn't driving Suarez's No. 99 Chevrolet in 2026.

Instead, the rookie is using the No. 88 Chevrolet that was used by Shane van Gisbergen in 2025. The No. 88 hadn't been used full-time since Alex Bowman drove it at Hendrick Motorsports in 2020.

The No. 99 shifted back over to RFK Racing, where it hadn't been used since 2016, for their Daytona 500 one-off entry for Corey LaJoie, although he failed to qualify. Van Gisbergen, meanwhile, has reverted to the number he used in Australian Supercars (and during the 2024 Xfinity Series season): No. 97.

As a result, the 2026 season is the first season since 2005 to see a No. 97 in the full-time Cup Series lineup.

The No. 97 is also a former Roush Racing number. Kurt Busch took over behind the wheel of the No. 97 Ford late in the 2000 season, and he drove the car until the antepenultimate race of the 2005 season.

For the final two races of the year, after Busch was cited for reckless driving and became "belligerent with Maricopa County (Arizona) sheriff's deputies during a traffic stop", Kenny Wallace filled in for him at Phoenix Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Prior to 2026, the No. 97 hadn't been used in the Cup Series in any capacity since the 2018 season, when Obaika Racing entered the No. 97 Toyota for Tanner Berrhill at Phoenix and Homestead. David Starr also drove the car at Texas Motor Speedway after failing to qualify at Talladega Superspeedway.

Between 2005 and 2018, appearances for the No. 97 entry were few and far between. Jeff Fuller, who failed to qualify the No. 97 Toyota for NEMCO Motorsports for the 2010 Daytona 500, drove the same car later in the year at Talladega.

Kevin Conway drove the same car for the same team twice at Daytona and twice at Talladega in 2011, though his qualifying attempt for the Daytona 500 was unsuccessful.

Bill Elliott got behind the wheel at Talladega and Daytona the following year after failing to qualify for the Daytona 500, before Timmy Hill made a start at Talladega.

- Asher Fair

LEGEND AND HUMANITARIAN AT AGE 55

NASCAR LEADER GREG BIFFLE HAS PASSED AWAY IN A PLANE ACCIDENT

 

NASCAR has lost a leader and a humanitarian.

Greg Biffle has died in a plane crash in North Carolina at the age of 55. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.

NASCAR SETTLES FEDERAL ANTITRUST CASE FILED BY 2 OF ITS TEAM, ONE OWNED BY NBA GREAT MICHAEL JORDAN

Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, sits in his pit box during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Talladega Superspeedway, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Talladega, Ala. (AP Photo/ Butch Dill) (Butch Dill)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR reached a settlement Thursday of the bruising antitrust lawsuit filed against the stock car series by two of its race teams, including one co-owned by NBA great Michael Jordan.

“Today’s a good day,” Jordan said as he waited in the gallery for attorneys to announce the deal. Details were not immediately released.

The settlement came on the ninth day of the trial before U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell, who set aside motions hearing for an hour-long sidebar. Jeffrey Kessler, attorney for 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, emerged from a conference room at the end of the hour to inform a court clerk “we’re ready.” Kessler then led Jordan and 23XI co-owner Denny Hamlin, as well as Front Row owner Bob Jenkins, to another room for more talks.

23XI and Front Row filed their lawsuit last year after refusing to sign agreements on the new charter offers NASCAR presented in September 2024. Teams had until end of day to sign the 112-page document, which guarantees access to top-level Cup Series races and a revenue stream, and 13 of 15 organizations reluctantly agreed. Jordan and Jenkins sued instead and raced most of the 2025 season uncharted.

Both teams said a loss in the case would have put them out of business.

Bell told the jury that sometimes parties at trial have to see how the evidence unfolds to come to the wisdom of a settlement.

“I wish we could’ve done this a few months ago,” Bell said in court. “I believe this is great for NASCAR. Great for the future of NASCAR. Great for the entity of NASCAR. Great for the teams and ultimately great for the fans.”

All teams felt the previous revenue-sharing agreement was unfair and two-plus years of bitter negotiations led to NASCAR’s final offer, which was described by the teams as “take-it-or-leave it.” The teams believed the new agreement lacked all four of their key demands, most importantly the charters becoming permanent instead of renewable.

The settlement followed eight days of testimony in which the Florida-based France family, the founders and private owners of NASCAR, were shown to be inflexible in making the charters permanent.

When the defense began its case Wednesday it seemed focused more on mitigating damages than proving it did not act anticompetitively.

An economist earlier testified 23XI and Front Row were owed over US$300 million in damages.

- Jenna Fryer, The Associated Press

WHY NASCAR CHOSE A ‘HYBRID’ APPROACH TO ITS $7.7 BILLION TV RIGHTS DEAL

Industry leaders explained why NASCAR is "well positioned" for the evolving landscape of live sports viewership, while also addressing some lackluster ratings for the Cup Playoffs on USA Network

Carl Edwards and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Photo by: Logan Riely / Getty Images

Earlier this week, team executives, broadcast partners, and several other prominent figures got together at the NASCAR Hall of Fame for the 2025 Racer's Forum, engaging in fascinating discussions about the evolving business landscape within the multi-billion dollar sport.

There was plenty on the table for discussion. One of the most illuminating panels of speakers consisted of Alex Strand (Sr. Coordinating Producer, Prime Video), Anthony D’Inverno (VP Content Acquisitions, Warner Bros Discovery Sports), Jessica Forrest (Group Vice President, Nielsen Sports), and Brian Herbst (EVP, Chief Media & Revenue Officer at NASCAR).

What they said could change how the sport is viewed, literally.

Four partners sharing the NASCAR Cup season

This year marked the beginning of a seven-year, $7.7 billion TV media rights deal which splits the Cup Series between four partners, and features some Cup races on streaming for the very first time. Brian Herbst shared how this came about.

Top Videos

“We looked at a content landscape and consumption patterns that were changing," explained Herbst about the decision to split up the broadcast rights. "If you look at the last time we did our TV deal in 2013, cable was in 100 million homes and that was kind of peak cable. We saw NASCAR in particular still as a very strong anchor property across the cable ecosystem with FS1 and USA, but we also wanted to make sure that we diversify our content distribution strategy – making sure we had a presence on broadcast TV with FOX and NBC and CW as well (for the Xfinity Series).

”Cable was still where most of the dollars were from a financial perspective. And then we wanted to make sure we had some kind of digital streaming element which we were able to do with Amazon and HBO Max as well. We wanted to distribute our content differently beyond just broadcast and cable.”

He went on to say that a lot of it was simply timing and certain market dynamics. Herbst and his NASCAR colleagues knew FOX and NBC wanted to return, and while FOX was eager to hold onto the Daytona 500 and cross-promote with its other live sports coverage, NBC was keen to have the run-up to the championship again.

What made negotiations last as long as they did was the summer stretch, as Herbst admitted that it “took a lot of time, thought, and effort.” Ultimately, it led to the addition of Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery as new partners.

Prime Video changes the game

Starting with NASCAR's longest race -- the Coca-Cola 600, Prime Video became the first to stream a Cup race exclusively, beating many earlier ratings projections.

“Feedback has been tremendous," said Strand about their first year with NASCAR. "Pretty exciting to me. Certainly something we probably couldn’t have imagined the positivity we had received, but we certainly spent a lot of time preparing and making sure we got the sport right, and told the story correctly.” 

Amazon was also aggressive in promoting its five-race stretch, leveraging all of the resources at its disposal to advertise these races. And while attracting new and younger eyes to the sport is critical, Strand noted the importance of ensuring existing fans could get to the platform.

Additionally, Prime Video gave fans some relief from constant interruptions due to commercial ad breaks, which has been a common complaint regarding the sport's more traditional network partners.

Most will agree that Prime Video's inaugural season with NASCAR was a success in both viewership and public reception. One of the most popular aspects of it was the extended post-race show with no set end time. Fans had become accustomed to brief or non-existent post-race shows due to time constraints on cable, but it was an issue that did not exist on streaming.

This season also saw the return of NASCAR on TNT, with D’Inverno explaining that there were three main reasons behind it: 1. TNT wanted to continue to invest in prominent sports and capture their audiences; 2. Comfortable relationships with leadership that made things go smoothly; 3. There was a push for them to fill a summer gap in their live coverage, which NASCAR slotted into nicely.

Why Nielsen Sports execs believes NASCAR is 'well-positioned'

Forrest, who represented Nielsen at the forum, applauded the decision by NASCAR to diversify its coverage between traditional media and streaming.

“The hybrid approach that NASCAR has employed is critical in a time where media consumption is as fragmented as it is," she explained. "I think it would be very tough for one rights holder to put all their eggs in one media distribution basket. That would also be very expensive for a media company.

"From a media consumption perspective, while I don’t think linear viewing is going anywhere, we continue to see streaming grow. If we look at total viewing minutes, almost half of those minutes currently are from streaming – 46% as of last month … Streaming certainly can’t be ignored, nor can linear distribution. I think NASCAR is very well positioned.”

Making it easier for fans to find NASCAR

However, this move to split races among broadcast partners hasn't come without setbacks. Viewership during the NASCAR Cup Playoffs has been down a considerable amount on NBC's USA Network, which has raised eyebrows. Could part of the issue be the fact that NASCAR is spread across so many platforms and some fans became overwhelmed? 

Forrest believes there is an "adjustment period for fans" and an expected dropoff because of that. 

“I’m going to put on my fan hat here, but obviously it’s something we’re keeping a close eye on too," continued Forrest. "Today’s sports are more accessible than they’ve ever been, but it’s also harder to watch sports than it’s ever been – bouncing back and forth between the apps and the subscriptions, regional networks, streaming, linear. I think what I’m anxious to see is how does the industry adapt to that and how does the industry alleviate some of that frustration for the viewer, and make it easier to watch sports and know where to go to find sports.”

Herbst also commented on the notable drop in ratings this fall. He was quick to note how NASCAR over-performed with FOX and Prime Video, and cited several factors for the current trend.

“Going head-to-head against the NFL (which the NASCAR playoffs do every year), last week we had the Charlie Kirk Memorial, and this week we had the Ryder Cup," said Herbst. "The sports calendar gets more and more competitive with each passing year."

Herbst would like to see more presence digitally and even more cross-promotion to help get stronger ratings for USA, but he also expects viewing habits to continue to rapidly evolve over the next couple of years.

He also essentially ruled out running the Daytona 500 on the same week of the Super Bowl, saying that it would be "very, very, very unlikely."

He then added: "We will follow the data. If the data says that you are taking a bigger hit than you used to (going up against the NFL), then we would take that into consideration with the scheduling process.” 

As for the viewership demographic, Herbst noted that the sport has already seen a real shift in the audience profile as they near the end of Year One with this deal.

"That 18-34 demographic is up double-digits year-to-year, but conversely, the 50+ demo is down," he revealed.

- Nick DeGroot

BUBBA WALLACE EMOTIONAL INTERVIEW AFTER WINNING BRICKYARD 400 AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

FINAL LAPS: BUBBA WALLACE WINS BRICKYARD 400 AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

 

BREAKING: CHASE BRISCOE PENALTY OVERTURNED, AUSTIN CINDRIC PENALISED & NASCAR SUES 23XI RACING

 

JOEY LOGANO WINS NASCAR PLAYOFF OPENER AT ATLANTA TO ADVANCE TO SECOND ROUND

Joey Logano, center, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)ASSOCIATED PRESSLess

HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) — One of the first things Joey Logano said after winning NASCAR's playoff opener was that the postseason is his time of the year.

And, in 10 initial playoff appearances, he typically slid his way through the rounds, winning two Cup titles and never finishing lower than eighth in the standings.

Then came last year when Logano, as the reigning Cup champion, was eliminated from the 16-driver field in the very first round for the first time in his career. He dreaded going to the track for the remainder of the season even as Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney went on to win the championship.

There will be no stumble this year, not after an overtime victory Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway gave Logano an automatic berth into the second round of the playoffs.

“That’s how we start the playoffs, boys!” Logano shouted. “When it is playoff time, it is our time.”

Logano won the 11th race of the season to end in overtime — a tie for the record set in the 2017 season. He's trying to become the only active three-time Cup champion in the series. Kyle Busch, who did not make the playoffs, is the only other driver with two Cup titles.

“We've been able to level up when we need to level up and be able to fire off the first race of the playoffs and with a statement is key, right?” Logano said.

Ryan Blaney was initially listed in second for a 1-2 sweep for Team Penske and Ford. Blaney lined up behind Logano and gave him the pushes he needed to deny Daniel Suarez the victory.

But after a review, Suarez was moved to second and Blaney dropped to third. Team owner Roger Penske was not at the race because the Detroit resident was scheduled to attend the Lions' NFL home opener later Sunday.

Suarez, who won the closest three-wide finish in NASCAR history here in February, had his own help from Trackhouse Racing teammate Ross Chastain. The two-lap overtime sprint to the finish began with Logano and Suarez lined up side-by-side on the front row, each with their teammate behind them for the push to the front.

Blaney got Logano out first, but Chastain remained locked onto the bumper of Suarez's Chevrolet and the two dueled it out until Blaney used a final push to get his Penske teammate the win.

AP

Suarez, who gained two spots in the standings to ninth with his runner-up finish, was disappointed to come up short.

“No, definitely not satisfied. I am happy with it, but not satisfied," he said. “I felt like we were going to have a great shot at it. Ross was doing an amazing job of pushing, and I don’t know if he got a flat tire or something, but once I lost him, I knew it was going to be tough. But, that is part of racing, right?”

Christopher Bell in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing finished fourth, and Alex Bowman in a Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports was fifth. Regular-season champion Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing was sixth and followed by Busch of Richard Childress Racing, Chase Elliott of Hendrick, William Byron of Hendrick and Austin Cindric of Penske. Only two Toyotas — Bell and Reddick — finished inside the top 10.

Larson crashes early

Larson running third in the closing laps of the first stage when his car inexplicably shot into the outside wall.

“I don't know if I blew a tire or what,” Larson radioed.

As the No. 5 Chevrolet shot back down the track, Larson was hit in the rear by fellow playoff driver Chase Briscoe. That contact caused damage to Briscoe's Ford.

The incident ended the race for both drivers.

Larson was the points leader at the start of Sunday before his crash, which he called one of the hardest hits of his career and it came without any warning.

“No, not at all. Never. Not once," Larson said. “It just caught me way off guard. I was never once loose, even in that corner. And then, it just started stepping out. I corrected it and overcorrected it, I guess. I feel fine. Thankfully, everything held up great in the car.”

His 37th-place finish dropped him all the way to 10th in the standings; four drivers will be cut from the field after the Sept. 21 race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Briscoe, who won last week's regular-season finale to make the playoff field, was ranked 13th out of 16 at the start of the race. He's now last in the standings after finishing last in the race.

“That’s NASCAR — you can be on top one week and you can be at the very bottom of the mountain the next week," said Briscoe, who added he was fortunate not to be injured. "It was a big hit. One of the biggest hits I’ve had in a long time. My private area hurt pretty bad at first, just when I hit it was a big hit, but, other than that, I’m totally good.

My head, everything feels fine. I’m glad my ankles didn’t get messed up. The brake pedal and everything went through the floorboard, so I’m thankful that I’m alright, for sure.”

Mixed playoff day

It was a huge points day for Bowman, who opened the week defending his job in the No. 48 for Hendrick Motorsports. His performance has been off since an injury last season and Bowman needed a win at Chicago to earn a spot in the playoff field.

He began the playoffs ranked 12th and jumped all the way to sixth by finishing fifth at Atlanta.

It was the exact opposite for Denny Hamlin, who opened the day ranked sixth but had a horrible weekend in Atlanta that ended with a last-lap crash and a 23rd-place finish. He dropped to 11th in the standings and is only three points above the cutoff line.

Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Ty Gibbs, who led 37 laps, faded to 17th and is the final driver above the cutline with a one-point margin.

The four drivers below the cutline and in danger of elimination are Brad Keselowski, Harrison Burton, Martin Truex Jr., and Briscoe.

Up next

The road course in Watkins Glen, New York, makes its debut in the 10-race playoff schedule next Sunday. Hendrick Motorsports drivers Chase Elliott, Larson and William Byron have combined to win the last five races at the track dating to 2018 when Watkins Glen was part of the regular-season schedule.

- Jenna Fryer

MICHAEL JORDAN AND WIFE YVETTE PRIETO HOLD HANDS AS THE BOARD A BOAT DURING SAINT-TROPEZ VACATION

Jordan and Prieto married in 2013 and share twin daughters, Victoria and Ysabel

 

Michael Jordan seen out in the French sunshine with his wife Yvette Prieto on their holidays in Saint Tropez. PHOTO: BACKGRID

 

NBA legend Michael Jordan is enjoying a European vacation with his wife Yvette Prieto this summer.

The 61-year-old retired athlete and Prieto, 45, were spotted holding hands during a lunch outing to the Casa Amor restaurant in Saint-Tropez on Wednesday, July 9.

The couple looked relaxed as they soaked in the hot temperatures on their French vacation. In addition to lunch, the couple enjoyed a boat ride during their beach day."

The retired Chicago Bulls star sported a black Jordan brand hat, a white t-shirt and black shorts as he smoked a cigar and walked hand-in-hand with his wife on the beach.

Prieto looked stylish in a white crochet shorts set with a hot pink bikini top and aviator sunglasses during the couple's lunch date in France.

Jordan and Prieto have been married since 2013, but the couple rarely make public appearances together. They were last seen on a red carpet in June 2023 when they attended a party at Electric Jane in Nashville to celebrate the start of NASCAR race weekend.

Prieto, a model, met the six-time NBA champion at a Miami nightclub in 2008. They share twin daughters, Victoria and Ysabel, 10.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer , from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Jordan has three older children through his first marriage to Juanita Vanoy: Jeffrey, 35, Marcus, 33, and Jasmine, 31, who are all involved in the business side of basketball and their dad's Air Jordan line.

Marcus Jordan, Michael jordan, Jasmine Jordan and Jeffrey Jordan. PHOTO: JEFFREY JORDAN/INSTAGRAM

 

Marcus has made headlines recently for his relationship with Real Housewives of Miami star Larsa Pippen, 50, who was married to Michael's former teammate and ex-friend Scottie Pippen.

 In October, Jordan reached a new financial milestone when his net worth climbed to $3 billion after selling his stake in the Charlotte Hornets a few months prior.

According to Forbes, Jordan's updated net worth puts him among the 400 wealthiest people in America. He is the first athlete to make the list, joining the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and L.A. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.

Jordan's NBA earnings totaled approximately $94 million, and an estimated $2.4 billion coming from brands like McDonalds, Nike, Hanes and Gatorade, per Forbes.

- Natasha Dye

JOSEF NEWGARDEN WAS ON TOP OF THE WORLD AFTER WINNING THE INDY 500. THIS YEAR FEELS MUCH DIFFERENT

AP Photo 

 INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A social media post designed to introduce drivers in the Indianapolis 500 to the general public put Josef Newgarden in an awkward light when the reigning race winner was asked a simple question.

“Which IndyCar driver would you take on a road trip?” asked the questionnaire.

“Solo” Newgarden responded.

An odd answer for a driver who a year ago was practically inseparable from Scott McLaughlin, his Team Penske teammate. The “Bus Bros.” had a media company, a YouTube show and merchandise. They appeared to be the best of friends and McLaughlin celebrated Newgarden when the Tennessean finally broke through to win his first Indianapolis 500.

Twelve months later, the Bus Bros. are no more, the friendship apparently unraveled after Newgarden went solo and unfollowed everyone on social media — including his wife — in a bid to rebuild his love of racing. Winning the Indy 500 wasn't as fulfilling as he had expected; for the two-time IndyCar Series champion, racing had become a grind of too many failures and not enough successes.

Insulated but re-energized when he returned for this season, Newgarden scored an emphatic victory in the opening race in St. Petersburg, Florida. Six weeks later, IndyCar discovered illegal push-to-pass software on the three Team Penske cars and threw out both Newgarden's win and McLaughlin's third-place finish.

AP Photo 

Newgarden returns to the speedway for Sunday's race as the defending Indy 500 winner but caught in a cheating scandal that has damaged his pristine reputation and that of Team Penske. A deeply embarrassed Roger Penske suspended four team members, including team President Tim Cindric, Newgarden's strategist.

If the drama is distracting Newgarden, he's not let on.

He qualified third to complete Team Penske's first front row lockout in Indy 500 qualifying since 1988. McLaughlin won the pole and Will Power qualified second.

Asked how different this year has felt from last season, when Newgarden won in his 12th try, he felt nothing much has changed.

“Feels really similar to me in a lot of ways. I feel a lot of respect for this facility and this race, this track,” Newgarden said before turning the topic to how good his Chevrolet was a year ago. "We were fortunate enough as a team, as a group, where it just fell into place for us. We had a great car. ... it was our day.

“I feel the same in that regard. I think I’ve got another great race car,” he continued. “I had sort of let go of the fact that I was ever going to win this race. It’s such a tough race to win, I think you had to be comfortable with that. I think that rings true for a second. I’m happy to be here, happy to have a shot.”

PADDOCK UNREST

There remains dissatisfaction about the scandal, particularly from teams who simply don't believe the Team Penske explanations as to how Newgarden, his engineers and McLaughlin found nothing to be amiss when their horsepower boosts worked when they should not have. It took IndyCar said Penske drivers had manipulated the push-to-pass software system on their cars; Penske and Cindric called it a miscommunication and breakdown in process.

Zak Brown, head of Arrow McLaren Racing, said the Penske punishments were too light; he called Cindric's presence at Penske's sports car win at Laguna Seca two weeks ago while under suspension “a bad look.”

There is skepticism that Cindric won't be involved in some form in the race. IndyCar set no parameters on what the suspended team members can or can't do, leaving the discipline to Penske to dole out. Penske owns not only the race team, but IndyCar itself, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500.

“Do I think Tim Cindric is engaged during the Month of May? Yes. In what way, I don't know the rules they set out, I don't know that,” Brown said. “But do I believe that Tim Cindric is sitting on his couch, turning on the race and watching it as 5 of 6 million other people are? No.”

Newgarden can win a $440,000 bonus from trophy-maker BorgWarner if he becomes the first driver to win back-to-back Indy 500s since the award was established in 1995. It's been claimed only once — by Helio Castroneves after 2001 and 2002 victories — and only five drivers in 107 runnings have won “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in consecutive years.

Newgarden is the race favorite, followed by McLaughlin and Kyle Larson, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. The odds made McLaughlin a little nervous and same for Larson, who couldn't understand why anyone would “waste their money betting on me.”

Said McLaughlin: “My first Indy 500, I was headed out to driver intros and some guy screamed at me he'd bet $20,000 on me to win. And all I could think was ‘Why?’”

AP Photo 

LARSON EFFECT

This year's race has NASCAR star Kyle Larson in the field as he attempts to become the fifth driver in history to complete “The Double” and race in both the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

The 2021 Cup Series champion is the first driver to attempt the 1,100 miles of racing since Kurt Busch in 2014. Weather is not in his favor with the Indy forecast calling for rain on Sunday.

Larson qualified fifth for his debut Indy 500 and a year's worth of prep has gone into his joint effort between Arrow McLaren Racing and Hendrick Motorsports. Rick Hendrick, his boss, now seems to be having second thoughts about pulling Larson from Indy to get him to Charlotte Motor Speedway in time for the evening's NASCAR race.

“At this point, just hoping the weather cooperates to get all 1,100-miles in. It’s been something I’ve looked forward to for close to two years,” Larson said. “It doesn’t look too promising for Indy on Sunday, but I think for me, where I sit, if it’s going to rain, I hope it rains all day. That way it can just get pushed to Monday or something. We can get (NASCAR) in on Sunday night and then come here Monday.”

McLaren boss Zak Brown said the decision would be solely for Hendrick to make.

CHEVROLET vs. HONDA

Chevrolet clearly had the speed benefit in qualifying when the engine maker claimed the first eight spots in qualifying. But Honda showed it can hold its own in race trim, which means there is no obvious favorite for Sunday.

“I think Chevrolet has a little bit of a power advantage right now, but you never know once the race starts,” said Chip Ganassi, who failed to qualify any of his five Honda-powered cars inside the top 12. “I’ll take a handling car any day over horsepower.”

BROWN'S OWN DOUBLE

Brown has his own eye on the weather and a plane ticket on hold for Saturday to take him to the Monaco Grand Prix if it appears the Indianapolis 500 will be rained out.

He would then attempt his own version of “The Double” and watch his F1 drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on Sunday in Monaco, then return to Indianapolis for the 500 on Monday. If he decides to stay in Indianapolis but the 500 is rained out, Brown said he'd travel to North Carolina to cheer on Larson in the Coca-Cola 600.

“I just hope it's not a rain delay,” Brown said. “I hope it's either a washout, chucking down rain and we're not racing Sunday and leave, go to Charlotte, and come back. That's the delay I want.”

- JENNA FRYER

LARSON EDGES BUESCHER AT THE LINE AT KANSAS SPEEDWAY IN CLOSEST FINISH IN NASCAR CUP SERIES

AP Photo 

 KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Kyle Larson came roaring around the outside of Chris Buescher on the final lap at Kansas Speedway, banging doors with him all the way to the finish line, only to be told by his team over the radio that everything he had given was not quite enough.

It wasn't until Larson was in Turn 3 of the cool-down lap that he saw his spotter, Tyler Monn, dancing high above the track.

In the closest finish in NASCAR history, one that only became official with a grainy black-and-white photo at the line, the No. 5 car was declared the winner by a thousandth of a second — every bit as close as the Kentucky Derby a day earlier, and an even more dramatic finish than the three-at-the-line conclusion to the Cup Series race at Atlanta earlier this season.

“Had no clue if I won or not," Larson said, "but honestly didn't really care. I was like, ‘Man, that was frickin' awesome.'”

Not so awesome for Buescher's team, which had begun celebrating before the result became official. His crew chief, Scott Graves, asked to meet with NASCAR officials in their hauler. Shown the finish-line photo, he accepted the outcome.

“I don’t know what to say right now,” Buescher said, shaking his head while standing beside his No. 17 car. “I haven’t seen a replay other than just the picture, and I sure can’t see in that picture. That sucks to be that close.”

The edge-of-your-seat finish came after a caution for Kyle Busch's spin forced the green-white-checkered finish. Larson had pulled behind Buescher on the backstretch of the last lap, then came around him in the final corner. To the naked eye, Buescher looked as if he had edged ahead, and even Larson had started to congratulate his team on a strong second-place run.

A few minutes later, he was doing a celebratory burnout on the front stretch.

It was a brilliant start to a busy month of May for Larson, who will attempt to run the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day Memorial Day weekend. The win was his second of the season for Hendrick Motorsports, and it gave him a bit of retribution after finishing second to Denny Hamlin last week at Dover and in the spring race at Kansas a year ago.

Martin Truex Jr. finished fourth Sunday and Hamlin, who had the lead on the final restart, faded back to fifth place.

“Had a great view of the finish,” Hamlin said with a smile.

Making the finish an even bigger bummer for Buescher was the fact that he had overcome a big miscue midway through the race. He had just won the second stage and led the field to pit road when a crew member came over the wall early. The penalty sent him to the rear, and Buescher had to spend much of the final stage working his way back to the front.

Ultimately, Buescher's team opted for a different pit strategy than the other leaders. So did Hamlin's team, which had survived its own share of pit problems. And it might have worked out for both of them had the race finished under green.

Instead, the late caution forced the leaders to pit, and set up a finish that went down in NASCAR history.

“I mean, I'll always remember this, for sure," Larson said. "There's definitely wins that you can kind of get lost in the distance a little bit, but when you finish and have the closest finish in Cup Series history, I don't think you're ever going to forget about it, even if it gets broken someday. Great to be on this side of it.”

AP Photo 

BEST OF THE REST

Christopher Bell started on the pole but struggled to run up front all day in a race that began after a 3 1/2-hour rain delay. He finished sixth, and was followed by Alex Bowman and Kyle Busch, whose spin brought out the last caution. Noah Gragson and Michael McDowell joined Buescher in giving Ford, which has yet to win this season, three cars in the top 10.

YELLOW FLAGS

There were no cautions other than for stage breaks until Jimmie Johnson wrecked with 91 laps to go. The seven-time champion, back in the No. 84 for the second consecutive week, was hit from behind by Corey LaJoie after he had checked up.

“Just trying to set up for the corner, I got a little help from behind and just kind of hanging on from there,” Johnson said.

The yellow flags then came in quickly: Hamlin made contact with Austin Cindric, sending the No. 2 into a wreck that spun out Bubba Wallace and McDowell. Harrison Burton wrecked on the restart, then Joey Logano did on the next one.

ODDS AND ENDS

Corey Heim, who won the Truck Series race Saturday night, finished 22nd while subbing for Erik Jones in the No. 43 car for Legacy Motor Club. ... Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was 16th in his first race since signing a contract extension with JTG Daugherty Racing. He also did it after going for a wild ride in his sprint car Saturday night at nearby Lakeside Speedway. ... Gragson has had strong back-to-back weeks after finishing sixth at Dover. ... The series heads to Darlington next for its annual throwback weekend.

NASCAR, INDYCAR ICON TONY STEWART'S NEW PASSION FOR DRAG RACING

Tony Stewart stands next to his dragster after finishing fourth in his first professional final round at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals on April 14 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. (Photo by Will Lester/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

 CONCORD, North Carolina -- A guy in a Home Depot t-shirt, a woman in an Eldora Speedway hoodie and a kid in a Dodge drag racing hat walk up to a bar.

No, that's not the start of a joke. It's an image of reality. It was at Charlotte's zMax Dragway, site of the NHRA's fifth event of the season, the 4-Wide Nationals, held earlier this month on a 1,000-foot straight-line show palace built in the shadow of the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

It was on that adjacent 1.5-mile oval that Tony Stewart won a NASCAR Cup Series race and the NASCAR All-Star Race, completed the second half of a pair of Indy 500/Coca-Cola 600 one-day "Double Duty" marathons, and won a pair of pole positions in an IndyCar. The NASCAR Hall of Famer's Stewart-Haas Racing HQ is located one exit up the highway from zMax and he has even fielded wining cars on the four-tenths-mile clay oval dirt track that sits adjacent to the drag strip.

But now the one they call "Smoke" is smoking the tires on an 11,000-horsepower NHRA Top Fuel dragster. Sure, racing is racing and Stewart has excelled at every racing discipline America has to offer, a series of crossover moves matched only by the likes of A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti. But drag racing, the one area those legends never dared to wander for more than a one-off event, is another planet. Here, races last four seconds instead of 400 miles and left turns are very, very bad.

Walking through Nitro Alley with a man who has infamously crashed through his near-53 years with all the delicateness of a wounded crocodile, one witnesses a Tony Stewart rarely seen in the wild. He smiles. He signs autographs. He answers questions. He is downright ... happy?

"Takes some getting used to, doesn't it?" Stewart joked as he snaked his way through the fans strolling the midway, taking advantage of the NHRA's fan access, allowing them to stand right next to the machines as they are being built and tuned, soaking up clouds of bitter nitrous oxide as if they're sampling department store perfume samples.

"Pretty much everything in my motorsports world was somewhat under the same bubble, just some things were off to the side, some were somewhere in the middle. But they all had aspects that were very similar," explained the only man to win championships in USAC, Indy Car and NASCAR, all while making countless appearances at short tracks during the summer nights in between his big league races.

"But this sport, this is very different. Drag racing, it's on Fantasy Island over here. Every day I feel like when I go through the gate there's going to be Tattoo and his white tuxedo going, 'Welcome to the races today!'"

He points to that trio of fans wearing the Home Depot/Eldora/NHRA merchandise, the ones waiting for him to walk over and autograph their gear. When Stewart works those ropes, he likes to don his darkest pair of sunglasses, allowing him to discreetly scan the crowd while he chats and scribbles signatures. As he describes it, he drops another old-school TV reference.

"Every time I go out to the rope to sign autographs, it's like 'This is Your Life' because there will be somebody out there with a T-shirt or a die-cast car from something else I did, whether it's NASCAR or IndyCar or a hat from a short track you've probably never even heard of before. That's especially true when we are here at Charlotte, or last week at Las Vegas, places where I have raced a lot of different stuff. I guess it should make me feel old, but this is the youngest I've felt in a long time."

For those who have spent time around Stewart over the past several decades, that youthfulness is shockingly apparent. His frame is nearly 50 pounds lighter than it was at the height of his NASCAR powers, at least partially responsible for his light-footed gait as he makes his way around the NHRA paddock. But the true power behind his newfound boyish spirit is anchored by the emotion that long eluded him, when he was emotionally unmoored to the point that his tantrums were once as anticipated and feared as were his moves on the racetrack.

The man is in love.

That's how he ended up at the drag strip in the first place, his courtship of Leah Pruett, a 17-time NHRA race winner. They were engaged in March 2021 and married later that year. Stewart, having already owned teams and series spanning short tracks and NASCAR, decided to invest in drag racing. Pruett competed in Top Fuel for Tony Stewart Racing, while Stewart started dabbling in the lower division of Top Alcohol dragsters.

This season, Pruett, 35, made the decision to climb out of the cockpit while she and her husband started trying to become parents. She has been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto's thyroiditis, a condition that prevents her thyroid from producing enough hormones. She has admitted that she struggled with controlling the condition enough to race without issues, so she made the decision to give her body a rest as the couple attempts pregnancy.

Stewart, who finished second in the Alcohol Funny Car standings in 2023, moved into her seat, despite no experience in a Top Fuel dragster -- the iconic long, skinny, winged machine that routinely travels at speeds of more than 330 mph. He has not yet earned a Top Fuel victory but has advanced to the semifinals in the past two events, both of which employ the rear four-wide format instead of the traditional one-on-one races.

Pruett has struggled with being on the sidelines.

"We knew she was going to struggle," Stewart admitted. "We've talked about it a bunch of times, but to make the decision she had to make first of all, and to execute and do what she's doing is super hard. I'm glad I'm a male race car driver. The female race car drivers are way tougher than all of us men because to have to take yourself out of a car to have a baby, to sit there and do what you love doing and have your career best finishing points last year and then make a decision you want to start a family. ... She has a million excuses to be off center every day and be frustrated and mad, and she's been amazing through it."

In the late 1990s, when Stewart made the move from young Midwestern Sprint Car legend to the major league level of the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR, he was seemingly off center every single day. Since retiring as a full-time NASCAR driver in 2016, with 49 wins and three Cup Series titles on his mantel, he has found peace of mind by diving into piles of meticulous details, whether it be as the owner of race teams, racetracks, or even entire racing series. When one of those ventures ceases to become enjoyable, he moves on (see: the persistent rumors that Stewart-Haas Racing is seeking to sell off at least one of its NASCAR team ownership charters).

Drag racing is nothing if not meticulous. For all of its unmeasurable noise and barely controllable violence, success at 330 mph is found in the study of all things minuscule, from racers' reaction time to the go lights to the way that fuel is mixed and engines are torn down and reconstructed between each run.

"It's procedures that you have to learn and it's the cadence of the procedure and doing everything exactly the same every time," he said, pinching his fingers together to make his point. "I told the other drivers, when you guys make split-second decisions for the less than four seconds that I run, I have to take your split-second decisions and make split-second decisions out of that. That's how fast we have to make decisions here, because it's not just steer left or steer right, or get out of it.

"It's when something happens, your brain has to have the ability to quickly make a decision of, can I drive through this? Do I pedal this or do I just abort the run all together? And you have to do that in such a small amount of time."

Is that fun?

"So fun. I love it. I'm so happy. I hope you can tell. I hope everyone can tell. Y'all could certainly tell when I wasn't happy. I made that a little too obvious, didn't I? Hopefully, it's just as obvious now that I am happy."

Then, with a Smoke smirk, he added an asterisk before heading over to sign those autographs for the "This Is Your Life" trio at the rope.

"You think racing the Indianapolis 500 at 230 miles per hour or racing against Dale Earnhardt at Daytona or trying to control an 11,000-horsepower Top Fuel car is scary? That's nothing," he said. "I'm way more scared of being a dad. But I'm ready for it, too."

- Ryan McGee, ESPN Senior Writer

TALADEGA ENDS IN WILD PHOTO FINISH | NASCAR CUP SERIES EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS

 

MJ FOR THE WIN: REDDICK PULLS OFF A TALLADEGA BUZZER-BEATER FOR MICHAEL JORDAN

AP Photo 

 TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — So much for Michael Jordan being a jinx at the race track.

The Basketball Hall of Famer celebrated as if he was still on the court after Tyler Reddick stole a NASCAR Cup victory at Talladega Superspeedway, speeding across the line after front-runner Michael McDowell — swerving back and forth in a desperate bid to hold the lead — crashed with the finish line in sight.

It was another wild Talladega finish — and marked the first time that Jordan, co-owner of the 23XI Racing along with Denny Hamlin, has been at the track to witness a victory for one of his drivers.

“Denny keeps saying I was bad luck when I come to the track, and today we proved him wrong,” a beaming Jordan said in Victory Lane. “I’m very happy to be here to see it. Everybody tells me when we win we can have a good celebration, but this is the first time I’ve been here.”

AP Photo 

McDowell, the pole-sitter, dominated the closing laps and was in position to give Ford its much-needed first victory of the year. But his desperate efforts to block Keselowski, another Ford driver, wound up costing them both.

McDowell spun out, Keselowski had to check up and Reddick sped by to claim his sixth career Cup victory by 0.208 seconds.

A pile of cars behind them were taken out, as well. Corey LaJoie's No. 7 machine slid across the finish line on its side, pinned against the wall in front of the massive grandstands.

Reddick climbed out of his No. 45 car and scurried up the fence like Spider-Man.

“Was that crazy, guys?” he screamed to the fans. “That was chaos. That’s Talladega for you.”

For Jordan, it sparked memories of his former life, the one where he won six NBA championships and hit countless buzzer-beaters.

Yet make no mistake: Jordan's passion these days is stock car racing.

AP Photo 

“To me, this is like an NBA playoff game," the 61-year-old said. “For us to win a big race like this, it means so much to me. I’m all in. I love it. It replaces a lot of the competitiveness that I had in basketball. But this is even worse, because I have no control. If I was playing basketball, I’d have total control. But I have no control, so I live vicariously through the drivers, crew chiefs and everybody.”

Keselowski settled for the runner-up spot, failing again to pick up his first win since he triumphed three years ago at this 2.66-mile trioval in east Alabama.

“We went to make a move and Michael covered it,” Keselowski said. “We went the other way and had nowhere to go when Michael came back down. It's just the way this stuff goes.”

McDowell was apologetic to Keselowski and everyone who crashed behind him.

“He pushed me out. I drove back to him and was able to get in front of him that very first time. But when I came back down, I barely wasn't clear,” McDowell said. “It's Talladega. You're going for it, trying to get a win. We just came up short and took a lot of guys out with me."

AP Photo 

Reddick's victory redeemed a botched strategy that knocked out a bunch of Toyota contenders, including Hamlin, who co-owns 23XI while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.

All three Toyota teams pitted in tandem with 37 laps to go, going with a strategy that would've allowed them to push the pace on the rest of the fuel-saving field — with an idea of drafting all the way to the front for the checkered flag.

Unfortunately, they couldn't keep their cars straight.

Just four laps later, with the Toyota train running at a blistering, single-file pace and chasing down the lead pack, John Hunter Nemechek appeared to get into the bumper of Bubba Wallace, who is Reddick's teammate at 23XI. Wallace then clipped Erik Jones, which sent him smashing hard into the outside wall.

Nemechek then slid down the track and took out Hamlin, as well.

“We had a plan,” Wallace said. “We just didn't execute it as well as we should have. I hate it. It doesn't make us look good at all.”

Jones took the brunt of the blow, a crash that would've been much worse without the sturdy cars and foamy barriers.

He was initially examined and released from the infield care center, saying “I’m a little sore, but I’m all right." But Jones' team announced after the race that he was transported to a hospital for further observation, providing no details on the nature of his injuries.

Reddick was at the front of the pack and avoided the crash.

In the end, he was able to celebrate an improbable win.

Always one to deliver a well-timed verbal jab, Jordan couldn't resist taking a poke at his co-owner, who was headed for the exits until he realized Reddick had won.

“Actually. he did a good job of wrecking,” Jordan said of Hamlin, “so we could get up front. That was actually pretty good.”

CLEAN RACING

Unlike the wacky finish, the first two stages were caution-free — the first time that’s happened at Talladega since the stage system was instituted in 2017. Many drivers were focused on saving fuel and there weren’t many bold moves.

Finally, on lap 132, with the cars three-wide and tightly bunched in the middle of a huge train, the first occurred.

Justin Haley got a bump from behind and went spinning into Christopher Bell, whose car sustained heavy damage that left him with a last-place finish.

IMPRESSIVE KIWI

Shane Van Gisbergen turned in a strong run in the first oval race of his burgeoning NASCAR Cup career.

The stunning winner of the Chicago street race in his Cup debut last summer, Van Gisbergen showed the depth of his talent by leading laps and staying out of trouble at the harrowing 2.66-mile trioval until the very end.

Unfortunately for the 34-year-old from New Zealand, he got caught up in the final melee and didn't make it across the line. He finished 27th.

AP Photo 

STARTING AT THE BACK

Season points leader Kyle Larson started the race with a huge disadvantage after his team was penalized for altering the roof rails on his No. 5 car on the way to the qualifying line Saturday.

Larson, who had won three straight poles, was barred from qualifying, forced to start from the back of the field and ordered to do a drive-through penalty on the opening lap. He was least a half-lap behind the field by the time he got up to speed and, without anyone to draft with, was caught by the leaders on the 12th lap.

NASCAR also ejected Larson’s car chief, Jesse Saunders, from the speedway.

Larson was able to work his way back into the mix but he wasn't a contender at the end. He finished 20th.

UP NEXT

The Cup series heads next Sunday to Dover Motor Speedway, where Martin Truex Jr. won the race a year ago.

- PAUL NEWBERRY

NASCAR CUP EXTENDED SERIES | COOK OUT 400

WILLIAM BYRON WINS DAYTONA 500 UNDER CAUTION

USA TODAY Sports 

The perfect script played out for Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the 66th Daytona 500 on Monday.

Race leader William Byron finished a four-lap shootout under caution in a Presidents' Day Daytona 500 delayed a day because of rain, making him the winner of the Great American Race in Daytona Beach, Fla.

As the late-afternoon start turned into night at the historic Daytona International Speedway and with the white flag approaching, Ross Chastain made a move into the middle lane and wrecked with second-place Austin Cindric.

That gave Byron his first Daytona 500 win and 11th of his career in the series.

Byron's teammate Alex Bowman finished second, giving Hendrick Motorsports its ninth 500 win, tying the organization for first all-time with Petty Enterprises, and a 1-2 finish in its 40th anniversary season in NASCAR. Monday marked the 40th anniversary of Hendrick Motorsports' first Cup Series start, which came in the Daytona 500.

THE NASCAR CRAFTMAN TRUCK SERIES RETURNS TO DAYTONA