DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Rick Hendrick sees the enormous talent in Ross Chastain. The veteran team owner also sees Chastain's sometimes reckless style that leaves damaged cars and angry competitors in his wake.
NASCAR 75: Greatest drivers convene, reminisce at Darlington
May 16, 2023 GMTDarlington Raceway president Kerry Tharp could barely contain himself as he thought about the group of greats he was about to host.
“You're looking an iconic list of who's who in motorsports,” he said.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR spent the weekend at Darlington Raceway celebrating its 75th anniversary, a salute that will now move to North Wilkesboro Speedway with the first Cup Series race at the reopened track since 1996.
Race teams ask NASCAR for ‘meaningful’ talks as their business model dispute skids toward summer
May 12, 2023 GMTCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The fight between NASCAR and its teams over a new revenue model prompted the owners of 16 chartered organizations to send a letter to NASCAR's board of directors earlier this month requesting “meaningful dialog” regarding the franchise model system.
NASCAR 75: Fan growth, new stars among looming challenges
May 4, 2023 GMTNASCAR is crumbling. That is the image being presented to the casual fan early in this injury-plagued start to NASCAR's 75th anniversary season.
Toyota expands NASCAR fleet by adding Jimmie Johnson’s team
May 2, 2023 GMTToyota will finally expand its fleet in NASCAR by adding Jimmie Johnson's two-car team next season. The addition of Legacy Motor Club will give Toyota eight Camry TRD's in the Cup Series.
Toyota has long been the smallest manufacturer in NASCAR and also long eager to add new teams to its roster.
Bowman out at least 3 NASCAR races with fractured vertebra
April 26, 2023 GMTCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Alex Bowman suffered a fractured vertebra in a sprint car crash and Hendrick Motorsports said Wednesday the NASCAR star will miss at least the next three Cup races.
Jeb Burton wins Xfinity Series crash-fest at Talladega
April 23, 2023 GMTTALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — Jeb Burton won his second career Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway in a Saturday crash-fest that had two red-flag stoppages and took more than three hours to complete.
NASCAR drivers know everyone wins when Elliott is racing
April 17, 2023 GMTMARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — NASCAR drivers don't need to be reminded what Chase Elliott’s return to racing on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway means to those associated with the sport.
Hendrick drivers Bowman, Byron penalized by NASCAR
April 6, 2023 GMTDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The Hendrick Motorsports teams of points leader Alex Bowman and two-time winner William Byron were penalized by NASCAR for violations found in the Richmond post-race inspections.
NASCAR, teams at ‘significant impasse’ over charters
April 5, 2023 GMTCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A top group of NASCAR team owners skipped a meeting with series officials Wednesday with the two sides at an impasse over permanent charters, a key plank in the business model of the stock car series.
Appeals panel rescinds penalty against 3 Hendrick drivers
March 29, 2023 GMTCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A NASCAR appeals panel rescinded the hefty points penalties levied against Hendrick Motorsports drivers Alex Bowman, William Byron and Kyle Larson for an illegally modified part on their Chevrolets discovered earlier this month.
Column: COTA yet another sloppy NASCAR road course race
March 27, 2023 GMTCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kimi Raikkonen couldn’t get over how many restarts there were in the waning laps of NASCAR’s first road course race of the season. Jordan Taylor called his NASCAR debut “a race of survival” and Jenson Button found much of it “a bit silly.”
Hill wins Xfinity race in Atlanta to continue dominant start
March 19, 2023 GMTHAMPTON, Ga. (AP) — Austin Hill continued his dominant start to the NASCAR Xfinity season, holding off Daniel Hemric at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday night for his third win in five races.
Hill overcome a record-setting day of cautions in doubleheader Xfinity and truck series races.
Byron out to validate Hendrick’s strong start despite fines
March 18, 2023 GMTHAMPTON, Ga. (AP) —
Back-to-back wins haven't stopped William Byron from believing he and his Hendrick Motorsports team have a lot to prove in Sunday's NASCAR stop in Atlanta.
NASCAR issues largest team fine in history against Hendrick
March 15, 2023 GMTCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR levied the largest combined fine on one team in series history Wednesday, hammering Hendrick Motorsports for modifying air-deflecting pieces last weekend at Phoenix Raceway.
Ex-F1 champ Button to enter 3 NASCAR races starting at Texas
March 9, 2023 GMTJenson Button will make his NASCAR debut later this month at Circuit of the Americas, the first of three Cup Series races scheduled for the former Formula One world champion.
Button puts two former F1 champions in the field for the March 26 race on the permanent road course in Austin, Texas.
Kimi Räikkönen to return to NASCAR and race again at COTA
March 8, 2023 GMTKimi Räikkönen will again enter a NASCAR Cup Series race, this time at Circuit of the Americas, where the Finnish driver scored the final victory of his Formula One career in 2018.
Räikkönen will again race for Trackhouse Entertainment Group in its special Project91 entry that is designed to give a seat in NASCAR to drivers from others disciplines.
NASCAR star Elliott has leg surgery after snowboard accident
March 4, 2023 GMTNASCAR superstar Chase Elliott had successful surgery for an unspecified injury to his left leg Friday night, hours after a snowboarding accident in Colorado. He will miss this weekend’s NASCAR race at Las Vegas.
Kyle Busch gets 1st RCR victory in Fontana’s NASCAR farewell
February 27, 2023 GMTFONTANA, Calif. (AP) — Kyle Busch still smiles at the memory of getting thrown out of California Speedway during his first competitive trip here in 2001. The 16-year-old upstart dominated a NASCAR Truck Series practice, only to be told he couldn't run in a race sponsored by Marlboro because he was too young to smoke.
Dethroned King: Petty hurt as Johnson takes over race team
February 18, 2023 GMTDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Richard Petty may still reign as NASCAR’s King, but with Jimmie Johnson wresting control of Petty’s old race team, he is definitively not the boss.
The Hall of Famer essentially has been stripped of power inside his former eponymous team that rapidly rebranded and rebuilt since November.
Fox pit reporter Sims a symbol of NASCAR’s diversity goals
February 18, 2023 GMTDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — When Josh Sims reports on NASCAR this season, the stock car series these days -- from the garage to the grandstands to top brass -- looks more like him.
Updated Next Gen car to get real-world test in Daytona 500
February 17, 2023 GMTDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The latest version of NASCAR’s Next Gen car is still awaiting a real-world test. It’s sure to come in the Daytona 500.
Reacting to driver complaints and concussions to Kurt Busch and Alex Bowman, the sanctioning body made changes to the crumple zones in the backend of Cup Series cars in hopes of reducing the effects of rear-impact collisions.
Streamline Hotel provides glimpse into NASCAR’s storied past
February 16, 2023 GMTDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Vintage racecars crowded into the parking lot of the Streamline Hotel for a “legends party” Wednesday, and hundreds of fans got up-close looks at pieces of NASCAR history.
NASCAR 75: Car evolution includes stock, wings, safety. EV?
February 15, 2023 GMTDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — NASCAR’s next 75 years almost certainly will include at least a partially electric vehicle turning laps at Daytona International Speedway.
It’s unfathomable to some, unconscionable to others.
NASCAR 75: Caruth reflects on sport he calls ‘my everything’
February 14, 2023 GMTWith NASCAR celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2023, The Associated Press asked Rajah Caruth, a 20-year-old graduate of the “Drive for Diversity” program and a student at Winston-Salem State, to write an essay on the series and its role in his life:
NASCAR 75: Earnhardt Jr. says NASCAR ‘is family’
February 14, 2023 GMTWith NASCAR celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2023, The Associated Press asked retired Hall of Fame driver and NBC Sports analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. to write an essay on the series and its role in his life.
NASCAR 75: France family built US racing at Daytona Beach
February 14, 2023 GMTDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The France family love affair with racing began when Bill France was a teen willing to skip school to catch events in suburban Washington, D.C. He taught himself mechanics, even tried racing a bit himself.
NASCAR Preview: Drivers to watch include Harvick, JJ, Logano
February 14, 2023 GMTDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — This 75th season of NASCAR begins Sunday with the Daytona 500 and it comes after what has been a long exodus of sorts.
Since 2016, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Danica Patrick and Jimmie Johnson have all retired (though Johnson is back).
NASCAR Preview: 75th season one of celebration & transition
February 13, 2023 GMTDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Kevin Harvick is looking for the exit ramp as he enters his final season as a NASCAR driver while seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is sliding back into stock cars.
Harvick's farewell tour will come nine years after his only Cup Series title and ahead of a move into the broadcast booth.
Kyle Busch violated Mexican gun laws on recent vacation
February 7, 2023 GMTMEXICO CITY (AP) — Kyle Busch was detained at a Mexican airport late last month when a handgun and ammunition were discovered in his luggage, the NASCAR star acknowledged this week, apologizing for the incident and calling it “a mistake.”
Truex determined to rebound from winless season with Gibbs
February 7, 2023 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — Martin Truex Jr. contemplated retirement during last year’s winless season and needed until June to decide to return in 2023.
He announced his plans in his typically understated way, with a one-sentence statement: “I’m back in the 19 next year," it read.
Kevin Harvick to join Fox booth as NASCAR analyst in 2024
February 6, 2023 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — Kevin Harvick won't spend a single day in retirement when his NASCAR driving days are over: Fox said Sunday it has hired Harvick for its broadcast booth next season.
Harvick announced last month that he will retire from NASCAR competition at the end of the 2023 season.
Ally Financial expands NASCAR spend with 2 new partnerships
February 5, 2023 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — Ally Financial has expanded its growing portfolio as a top NASCAR sponsor with a deal to become the official bank of the stock car series and NASCAR-owned race tracks.
The multiyear deal was announced Sunday ahead of NASCAR's exhibition extravaganza at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and led to the creation of the “Ally Pre-Race Tailgate” that debuted ahead of the Busch Light Clash.
New-look Logano leads NASCAR back to the L.A. Coliseum
February 5, 2023 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — Joey Logano arrived at the first event of the season with a jet black shock of thick hair and a banner in the grandstands advertising the company that treated NASCAR's reigning champion for alopecia and early baldness.
NASCAR bans Chastain’s wall-hugging move at Martinsville
January 31, 2023 GMTNASCAR has essentially banned the “Hail Melon” video-game move driver Ross Chastain used at Martinsville Speedway to race his way into the championship finale.
Column: Kennedy takes bold risks with NASCAR family business
January 31, 2023 GMTDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Ben Kennedy may someday be the head of NASCAR.
If it happens, it won't be a case of nepotism. Yes, he is the the great-grandson of NASCAR’s founder, but the 31-year-old graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in sports management and has spent his entire life learning the family business.
Busch, Bowyer, Harvick, Helio to all race SRX this summer
January 18, 2023 GMTCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick will all make their debuts this season in Tony Stewart's summer all-star series, while four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves confirmed Wednesday he'll return for a third season.
Column: Hendrick checking off his own personal bucket list
January 17, 2023 GMTCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Hendrick Motorsports started as All-Star Racing in a old shop with wood-paneled walls and just enough room for its eight employees.
Rick Hendrick had cobbled together just enough money to launch that unsponsored NASCAR team for the 1984 season.
Frankie Muniz, best known as ‘Malcolm,’ starts NASCAR career
January 13, 2023 GMTThere might be a reboot on the horizon for actor Frankie Muniz, one aptly titled “Malcolm in the Middle of a Pileup.”
Muniz, who starred in “Malcolm in the Middle” and “Agent Cody Banks,” announced this week that he’s competing as a full-time race car driver in the ARCA Menards Series.
Next Gen car leveled NASCAR field in 2022, possibly beyond
December 27, 2022 GMTThe most meticulously designed and intently controlled racecar in NASCAR history leveled the field in 2022.
The so-called Next Gen car resulted in 19 different winners over 36 races, including five first-timers and two guys who earned their first shot at a championship in the season finale.