Daytona 500 Tag

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Austin Cindric will look to make his Cup Series debut in the 63rd Daytona 500, driving the No. 33 Team Penske Ford Mustang. The team confirmed Wednesday morning that the 22-year-old will be one of four rookies (Kaz Grala, Noah Gragson and Chad Finchum being the others) who must qualify for “The Great American Race.” Cindric, who’ll be driving for Wood Brothers Racing full-time in 2022, said while being an open car makes it tough on his chances of makingRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer A passing of the torch between two Las Vegas natives has been established as Beard Motorsports announced Thursday that Noah Gragson will replace the retired Brendan Gaughan in the No. 62 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for next month’s Daytona 500. This will be the 22-year-old Xfinity Series standout’s first attempt to qualify for a Cup race as he’ll be among several drivers who’ll look to take one of the four available spots and be among the 40 drivers competing in the 63rd renewal of “TheRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Kaulig Racing announced Wednesday that Kaz Grala will attempt to make the 63rd Daytona 500 next month, piloting the No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. It’ll mark Grala’s second-ever Cup appearance as he filled in for Austin Dillon at the Daytona International Speedway road course race last August, finishing an astonishing seventh. Dillon had tested positive for COVID-19, ultimately leading Richard Childress Racing on giving the 22-year-old an opportunity to compete in the sport’s highest level. Grala will have to make the race however, hopingRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Front Row Motorsports announced its official 2021 NASCAR Cup Series plans Wednesday morning as Anthony Alfredo will become a full-time driver and David Ragan making his return to the Daytona 500 being the highlights. Alfredo, who spent the past season running part-time for Richard Childress in the Xfinity Series, will replace John Hunter Nemechek in the No. 38 Ford Mustang. Ragan, who finished fourth in last year’s weather and crash-marred “Great American Race,” will run the No. 36 Ford once again. Car owner Bob JenkinsRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor The 2021 NASCAR Hall of Fame class was officially announced on Tuesday, with a trio of drivers, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mike Stefanik, and Red Farmer, getting the call to have their names enshrined among the greats of the sport. Since the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s first class in 2010, each subsequent class has comprised of five inductees, but starting with this year’s class, only three will now make the cut and will be joined by the Landmark Award winner. The ballot is broken down intoRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor While the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season is still on hold due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, when the green flag flies and the cars hit the track again, Ryan Newman is planning to be back behind the wheel of his Roush-Fenway Racing Ford. Newman, who has been on the sidelines since his harrowing crash at the end of the Daytona 500, made the announcement of his return in the opening minutes of Sunday’s Talladega iRacing broadcast. “I’m so excited and thankful, all at the sameRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor Ryan Newman’s road to recovery following his frightening crash at the end of the Daytona 500 took him to New York City and the TODAY Show on NBC on Wednesday, where he detailed more about how things are going for him in the weeks since the crash. “It’s still humbling to watch [a replay of the crash] and know that I’m sitting here without a headache, which is amazing,” Newman said. “Just a miracle on so many levels and thankful for so many people, for prayers,Read More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor The opening salvo of the 2021 NASCAR season just underwent a major shakeup with Daytona International Speedway announcing a shortened race week schedule starting next season. Traditionally, the Busch Clash and Daytona 500 qualifying have been held on the weekend prior to the Great American Race, but next year, everything is getting compressed into a six-day window from Tuesday, February 9 to Sunday, February 14. The Busch Clash will be run on Tuesday night, but won’t be held on Daytona’s 2.5-mile oval. Instead, the exhibition raceRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Ryan Newman confirmed in his first statement since Monday’s violent Daytona 500 crash that he sustained head injury which will put him out for an unknown amount of time. Newman also mentioned that he doesn’t have any internal organ damage or broken bones, but once the green light is given for an on-track return, even if doesn’t mean strapping in his No. 6 Ford Mustang right away, he’ll be there. Here’s Newman’s full statement that was issued prior to Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:Read More