Bubba Wallace took the helm of the 45 car into the playoffs to help Toyota battle for the manufacturers trophy. A lot of folks were scratching their heads over that move and questioning the sanity of Toyota and 23XI Racing. But a couple of weeks later, all the questions were answered as Bubba drove the 45 to its second victory at Kansas.
Switching gears and mashing the gas has this season’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs off to a feverish start and for the first-time in series history not one of the 16 Playoff drivers are locked into the Round of 12 following the postseason opener. That’s because Petty GMS and driver Erik Jones, a non-Playoff competitor this season, snatched the victory at Darlington Raceway last weekend, leaving the Playoff standings shaken-up like never before.
Hate to say I told you so, but I told you so.
Last week I said that Erik Jones was my sleeper driver to turn the tables on the playoffs and he did it in rare form.
Daytona International Speedway has historically been known as a place of surprises and this past weekend’s Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola was no exception. As if a rain delay wasn’t enough, Friday night’s Xfinity Series race went into not double, but triple overtime and sent a different winner into Victory Lane – Jeremy Clements.
The week started with the announcement that Kurt Busch was not going to make the start of the Cup playoffs and that his waiver request had been withdrawn, effectively giving up any hope of a return for the former champion. That announcement left the window open for Martin Truex, Jr. and Ryan Blaney to make the playoffs on points if neither won at Daytona. That is, unless no one NEW won at Daytona. (more…)
It all comes down to this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series regular season finale, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, this Saturday, August 27 at 7 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, and if history is any indicator of what to expect this weekend, everybody has a shot at the win.
Tensions are high and anticipation is running rampant amongst competitors as the NASCAR Cup Series prepares for the penultimate race of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series regular season, the Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International, this Sunday, August 21 at 3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
“Looking at the competition right now, you have to like Toyota’s chances. But look out, (Kevin) Harvick was second to (Denny) Hamlin in the spring race. If you doubt Harvick, you don’t know him very well.”
While Toyota didn’t do too badly in the race, the Ford of Kevin Harvick came to play. It seems just a few weeks ago many were wondering if Harvick could even make the playoffs. He was below the cut line and he hadn’t been very sporty.
Mooresville, N.C. (Aug. 12, 2022) — 23XI Racing announced today that Bubba Wallace has signed a multi-year extension to remain with the team. Wallace joined 23XI in September of 2020 as the team’s inaugural driver, earning 23XI its first NASCAR Cup Series win at Talladega Superspeedway in 2021 and first pole award at Michigan International Speedway in 2022. Wallace, driver of the No. 23 Toyota Camry TRD, has played an integral role in the team’s growth and will continue to do so going forward.
For the second time this season, the NASCAR Cup Series will head to Richmond Raceway for some Sunday afternoon side-by-side short track action in the Federated Auto Parts 400 on August 14 at 3 p.m. ET (USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Only three races remain in the 2022 regular season (Richmond, Watkins Glen and Daytona) to decide the 16-driver Playoff field and for the first-time in the elimination-style format of Playoffs (2014-2022), the series has produced 15 different winners leaving just one spot still open on points. (more…)
