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Corey Heim scores his 4th career stage win and the First Stage win for any NASCAR Driver at North Wilkesboro.  Corey Heim leads the field at North Wilkesboro’s Tyson 250. Image: North Wilkesboro Twitter
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 Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, and JJ Yeley, driver of the #15 VDL Strong/go2mro.com/donate Ford, drive during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 19, 2023 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) Via Media.NASCAR With the qualifying field for Saturday's All-Star Open being set by a combination of the pit crews and the drivers during Friday's Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge, here is your Open starting grid.
 Pit crew members of the #54 Monster Energy Toyota, leaps into action during the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race Qualifying Pit Crew Challenge at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 19, 2023 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) Via Media.NASCAR With a time of 13.012 seconds, the 54 team blew through their 4 tire stop to put the #54 of rookie Ty Gibbs on the pole for the All-Star Open tomorrow.
Crew Chief Chris Gayle & Car Chief Nate Bellows led their team to one hell of a fast stop to win the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge winning not only the Pole for the Open for their driver, but also a $100,000 bonus for themselves.. PLUS... a pretty unique trophy! Congratulations to Chris & Nate as well as,
For the first time since 1996, the NASCAR Cup Series will return to North Wilkesboro Speedway where the sport's All-Stars will celebrate the 75th anniversary by going back in time! Friday, May 19th3:05 pm Craftsman Truck Series Practice FS1 4:00 pm Cup Series Practice FS1/ MRN 5:45 pm Cup Series Qualifying (Pit Crew Challenge) FS1/ MRN Saturday, May 20th10:30 am Craftsman Truck Series Qualifying FS1 1:05 pm Craftsman Truck Series Driver Intros FS1 1:30 pm Craftsman Truck Series Tyson 250 FS1/ MRN 7:20 pm Cup Series All-Star Heat 1 FS1/ MRN 8:15 pm Cup Series All-Star Heat 2 FS1/ MRN Sunday, May 21st5:10 pm Cup Series All-Star Open Driver Intros 5:30 pm Cup Series All-Star Open FS1/ MRN 7:30 pm Cup Series All-Star Race Driver & Team Intros 8:00 pm Cup Series All-Star Race FS1/ MRN Tyson 250 (Craftsman Truck Series)North Wilkesboro Speedway Watch: Fox Sports 1, Listen: MRN/ Sirius XM 90 Purse: $696,922 Stage 1: 70 laps. Stage 2: 70 laps. Final Stage: 110 laps = 250 laps = 156.25 Miles  North Wilkesboro CARS Tour crowd 5/17. Image: North Wilkesboro Speedway FB All-Star Open (Cup Series)North Wilkesboro Speedway Watch: Fox Sports 1, Listen: MRN/ Sirius XM 90 Purse: $664,600 Race Distance: 100 laps = 62.5 Miles  All-Star Race Format. Image: Media.NASCAR All-Star Race (Cup Series)North Wilkesboro Speedway Watch: Fox Sports 1, Listen: MRN/ Sirius XM 90 Purse: $3,563,159 Race Distance: 200 laps = 125 Miles By: Tom Luttermoser
 Chuck E. Cheese fantasy scheme that can be seen at tracks and CEC locations. Image: HMS Chuck E. Cheese is entering the sports partnership world for the first time, and they are doing it in NASCAR! Charles Entertainment Cheese will be a 2-year partnership with Hendrick Motorsports (Insert Mickey Elliott joke here) starting at Charlotte's Coke 600 Memorial Day weekend.
"As part of a two-year collaboration, the co-branded "Racing World" will feature Hendrick Motorsports in Chuck E. Cheese locations across the country by offering kid-focused video content and a variety of licensed products." This partnership could greatly benefit both parties involved with Chuck E. Cheese bringing in new customers from the tracks to their stores and HMS gaining new young racing fans from the restaurants. With the younger audience being something the sport of NASCAR is desperate for, this could also be a win for the sport as a whole. From Hendrick Motorsports announcement; In addition to licensed merchandise, fans will have several ways to interact with racing and all new entertainment, including:
The History of the sport is riddled with "winningest teams" and "Winningest Drivers". But what of the numbers? 10th- #4 Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Mobil 1 Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway on August 14, 2022 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) Via Media.NASCAR The #4 car has won a total of 82 times in the NASCAR Cup Series. The number last won with Kevin Harvick at Richmond in Summer 2022. 9th- #6 David Regan celebrating his first career win at Daytona 2011. Image: Getty Images Via NASCAR The #6 car has won a total of 83 times in the NASCAR Cup Series. The number last won with David Ragen at Daytona's Coke Zero 400 in 2011. 8th- #22 Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Autotrader Ford, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 19, 2023 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) Via Media.NASCAR The #22 has won a total of 88 races in the NASCAR Cup Series. The number last won with Joey Logano at the spring Atlanta Race in 2023. 7th- #48 Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 06, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) Via Media.NASCAR The #48 car has won a total of 91 times in the NASCAR Cup Series. The number last won with Alex Bowman at Las Vegas in the Spring of 2022. 6th- #21 Image: Chris Trotman/Getty Images. Via Media.NASCAR The #21 has won a total of 92 times in the NASCAR Cup Series. The number last won with Ryan Blaney at the first Pocono race in 2017. 5th- #24 William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta Throwback Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on May 14, 2023 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images) Via Media.NASCAR The #24 has won a total of 100 times in the NASCAR Cup Series. The Number last won this passed weekend with William Byron at Darlington 2023. This marks the 5th number to hit triple digit wins. 4th- #3 Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 BREZTRI Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on August 28, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) Via Media.NASCAR The #3 has won a total of 101 times in the NASCAR Cup Series. The number last won with Austin Dillon at the Summer Daytona race in 2022. (Tie at 101) 3rd- #2 Austin Cindric, driver of the #2 Discount Tire Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 20, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) Via Media.NASCAR The #2 has won a total of 101 times in the NASCAR Cup Series. The number last won with Austin Cindric at the 2022 Daytona 500. (Tie at 101) 2nd- #43 Erik Jones, driver of the #43 FOCUSfactor Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory ane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 04, 2022 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) Via Media.NASCAR The #43 has won a total of 200 times in the NASCAR Cup Series. The number last won with Erik Jones at Darlington's Fall race in 2022. This allowed the 43 to join elite company in the 200s. 1st- #11 Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Advent Health 400 at Kansas Speedway on May 07, 2023 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) Via Media.NASCAR The #11 sits atop the throne in elite company of 1. The #11 is the only number in the sport's history to have won more than 200 times. #11 has sat in victory lane a wopping 229 times in the NASCAR Cup Series. The number last won with Denny Hamlin at Kansas in the spring race of 2023. By: Tom Luttermoser
 The 24 in Darlington Victory Lane. Image: HMS In what would become a NASCAR number dynasty, Jeff Gordon made his first start in November of 1992 in the new #24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Lumina. On May 29th, 1994 that legacy would truly begin with a young Gordon winning the Coca-Cola 600. Gordon and the #24 would then go on to win the inaugural Brickyard 400 that season as well. He would follow that up with his first championship in just his 3rd season in the Winston Cup Series. Fast forward to 1998 and 13 wins to tie up his 3rd career Cup Series title. Gordon would retire in 2015 with 93 career victories putting him firmly in 3rd all-time and 1st all-time in the Modern Era of NASCAR racing. Gordon would be replaced in the 24 car by the son of Hall of Fame driver Bill Elliott, Chase Elliott in 2016. Elliott would go winless in his 2 seasons behind the wheel of the 24 car. In 2018, the #24 team would re-brand as the #9 team as Chase would honor the number that his father made famous. Hendrick's long-standing #5 team would then re-brand as the #24 team for rookie William Byron. Byron would go winless in his first 2 seasons but would finally break the 4-year winless streak for the legendary 24 car. August 29, 2020, at the Coke Zero Sugar 400, Byron would score his first career Cup Series victory and the first time the 24 would win with a name on the rail that wasn't "Gordon". Byron would go on to score his second career win in 2021 and finally, in 2022, Byron would become a multi-time winner in a single season winning two more times. Those 4 wins would bring that total to 97. Byron would continue his winning ways in 2023 with 2 back-to-back wins early in the season (99). May 14th, William would make the #24 only the 5th number to roll into the triple digits by winning the Goodyear 400 at Darlington. What made that even more special was his throwback to Gordon's 1998 50th NASCAR Anniversary scheme. By: Tom Luttermoser  Rick Hendrick, Jeff Gordon and Ray Evernham after Gordon’s first career win at Charlotte 1994 Since just after the end of the 2016 Cup Series Finale at Homestead-Miami where he was robbed of a Cup Championship by one of NASCAR's infamous "phantom debris" cautions, for tire debris that many clamed didn't exist off the 32 car. Carl Edwards dropped off the face of the NASCAR planet. After a 3 win season and a dominant performance during the championship race where pulling away from his closest competitor with only 15 laps to go the caution came out leading to the now infamous restart wreck between himself and Logano and the end of his great Cup career. Fast forward to April of 2023 and Carl was named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers. NASCAR made it known to the world that all surviving 75 greatest would come together for a photo at Darlington Motor Speedway on May 14th, but, not too many believed he would show up until it was announced during the broadcast for the Kansas spring race that he would be joining the broadcast booth for Fox Sports during Stage 2 of the Goodyear 400 at Darlington.  Lat Photographic So There's a Chance?Carl was seen at the TrackHouse Racing shop prior to the weekend where he was checking out the facilities. Edwards during an interview in the Fan Zone was asked if he would return to Cup to which he replied "It's a diminishing skillset... I think I'd be pretty slow..." he also added, "I haven't raced anything and I don't have any plans to, but heck, who knows." *Insert excited crowd cheers here During his time in the booth Carl said that he really wants to get into a simulator to get a feel for the Next Gen car. "So if I ever decide to come back, I'm ready to go." Is this Carl left handedly giving the NASCAR world an "I'm Back" or is this Carl just talking? Well just look, he said he has checked off everything on his to do list of a normal life. He left so close to the top that he may have something to prove. Where Would He Go?Carl Edwards was a hell of a driver, 2x runner up for the Cup title and 28 Cup wins to his name is a pretty impressive mark to leave on the sport. But the who, what and when are not known (obviously). The "if" is a big one too. But with Carl peaking around at TrackHouse I could very easily see a potential of a Kimi Raikkonen type deal in the 91 car. You know, 2-3 races and even the potential of this year. Well don't get your hopes up fully. Carl seemingly had a great time in the booth with Bowyer, the pair matched up perfectly. He could come in for a broadcast gig. Either way, I do see Carl coming back to NASCAR. And I see it happening sooner rather than later. By: Tom Luttermoser
 Kyle Larson at Darlington. Image: Kaulig Racing After a nail biting last lap race for the win, Kyle Larson led his 46th and final lap for the win. This was his first race in the #10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet and he got it done after wining Stage 1 and finishing second in Stage 2.
Larson got his win over John Hunter Nemechek after the pair made contact numerous times. After the 20 and 10 slid into the wall between turns 3 & 4, Nemechek made a dive to the inside of Larson, Larson bounced off the wall and sent Nemechek sliding into the inside wall where he would come back up the track in front of traffic finishing 4th. Austin Hill took 3rd by inches over the 20 car backing into the wall across the line. This marks the second win for the #10 this season and Kaulig Racing's 3rd of the season. Top- 10
By: Tom Luttermoser  Image: Michigan International Speedway This is the second year in a row that Michigan International Speedway has sold out the infield camping spots! Featuring 3 of NASCAR's stock car series including the ARCA Menards, Xfinity and Cup Series on the weekend of August 6th, it is an action packed weekend that hosted our first NASCAR Cup Series race coverage last year.
“Selling out our infield camping for the second year in a row is a huge testament to the dedication and passion our fans have for coming out to spend their weekend with us,” said Michigan International Speedway President Joe Fowler. “We still have general camping and grandstand tickets available for what is sure to be a thrilling weekend of racing once again here in the Irish Hills.” *Tickets are available for purchase via phone at 888-905-7223 or online at mispeedway.com. Fans can view the full 2023 NASCAR Cup Series schedule and purchase tickets at nascar.com/tickets Information from Media.NASCAR |