Tyler Reddick to 23XI Racing in 2024

Denny Hamlin (L) and Tyler Reddick (R) will join forces in 2023 (Forbes.com)

After what has been a somewhat tame "Silly Season", 23XI Racing and Tyler Reddick set the NASCAR garage on it's ear by announcing that the two-time Xfinity Series champion would leave Richard Childress Racing to join the team owned by 48-time Cup Series winner Denny Hamlin and six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan for the 2024 season.

The announcement was made during a Toyota Racing video conference. As Hamlin was giving an update on his 2022 season, Reddick entered the call on a separate screen, then walked into the room and sat next to Hamlin.

Describing Reddick as a "franchise driver," Hamlin said very little is certain about Reddick's deal with his team right now, but that the biggest piece of that puzzle is now in place.

"Honestly, there are no hidden secrets here. We do not know who the sponsor will be. We do not know what car it is," said Hamlin. "All we know is we wanted him and we made sure we planted our feet deep in the ground to make sure Tyler had an opportunity with this race team, and we made it happen."

Hamlin has often spoken about 23XI's five-year plan to become a championship contending organization. In a call-in appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio following his team's bombshell announcement, Hamlin called Reddick a "generational talent" and that bringing him on board in their team's fourth season will enable them to take that next step.

"Generational talents don't come around that often. But when they do, you need to put your best foot forward to lock it up," said the three-time Daytona 500 winner.

Reddick has spent his entire, three-year Cup Series career with RCR. After winning two races and his first Xfinity title with JR Motorsports in 2018, Reddick moved to Childress' team the following season for a clearer path to Cup. He would score six more wins and another title in 2019 before being promoted to the sport's top level.

Reddick just scored his first Cup win two weeks ago (Google Images)

This move comes as a major shock because, just ten days ago, RCR announced it had picked up the 2023 option on Reddick's contract. The next day, the Corning, Calif. native grabbed his first career Cup Series win in the Kwik Trip 250 at Road America.

However, Reddick admitted to always wanting to look ahead to what his long-term future could be. This deal had reportedly been in the works for about a year and, based on how both parties navigated his '23 option, this move shouldn't be a "major shock" to RCR.

"It’s always a difficult thing whenever two partners or two pieces or our relationship is going to come to an end," Reddick said during the announcement. "But I feel like it gives everyone time to figure out what lies ahead. What is the next step? Where do we go from here?

"So, for me and in my opinion, I feel like it’s better to do it now than in the playoffs.... There’s no there’s no reason to kick the can down the road. We know what lies ahead, and we now all know what’s in front of us and what we need to do."

Looking forward, Reddick expressed his excitement for what lies ahead of him for the '24 campaign. 

“The team is very young, but it’s been going in a very positive direction from day one. It’s been obvious. I’m just really excited to get it out there and it’s in front of everyone. 23XI can go to work, myself and RCR can go back to work and continue to be as competitive as possible. But also, I know the future is set in stone and what lays ahead.”

While Reddick is making the move that he feels is best for his career, RCR did appear to be a bit taken aback by their driver's announcement. The team posted a response to the 23XI announcement on Twitter which read:

pic.twitter.com/PrNkyHYSH6

— RCR (@RCRracing) July 12, 2022

Clearly, there is a bit of resentment at Childress' Welcome, N.C. facility. Regardless of whether the team was shocked or not, this news will clearly make the next season and a half incredibly interesting, and more than a bit awkward for the team and their soon to be ex-driver. After making the playoffs each of the last two seasons, it will be a challenge for them to overcome the biggest lame duck scenario a team has faced in recent memory.

While rumors will now begin to swirl about how his team will be structured a season from now, Steve Lauletta, president of 23XI Racing, said they still needs to determine what car Reddick will drive in 2024. Hamlin said the team will seek sponsorship for Reddick, and that announcing his addition now will give them a big leg up on those recruiting efforts. He did say that both of the team's current wheelmen, Kurt Busch and Bubba Wallace, will remain in their stable for '23.

Chicago Street Course Moves Closer to Reality for 2023

 

Downtown Chicago could play host to NASCAR's first street race (ChooseChicago.com)

The proposed NASCAR street race through downtown Chicago appears to have taken a major step closer to becoming a reality yesterday.

Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic is reporting that the publication has obtained a letter from Erin Harkey, commissioner, Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, City of Chicago, addressed to Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s senior vice president of racing development and strategy, endorsing a stock car event to be held in the city for a three-year stretch beginning in 2023.

“Chicago is incredibly enthusiastic about the opportunity to serve as host of the 2023, 2024, and 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Course events, and we stand ready to welcome NASCAR fans to our world class city,” the letter states. “This would be a historic partnership for NASCAR and the city of Chicago, and our department is committed to collaborating and supporting NASCAR to execute the events in a safe and secure manner.”

While no contract has been signed yet, an official announcement is expected to be made on July 19, sources have confirmed to The Athletic. There is also rampant speculation that this event could come at the expense of the race at Road America in northern Wisconsin, which would be surprising given that track's very successful two year run on the Cup Series schedule.

The Buckingham Fountain in downtown Chicago (Hotels.com)

“As Commissioner of the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), I am thrilled about the potential opportunity to host the NASCAR Street Course events here in Chicago,” Harkey writes. “DCASE is dedicated to enriching Chicago's artistic vitality and cultural vibrancy, and our strong partnership with the Chicago Sports Commission ensures that NASCAR fans would be treated to a diverse and unforgettable experience.”

NASCAR has never run an event on a temporary street course, but such a move would be consistent with the sanctioning body's recent attempts to create unique experiences in larger markets, while also adding diversity to a debatably stale schedule.

Recent changes have included moving the Busch Light Clash across the country from Daytona International Speedway to the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, adding more road course events at tracks like Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas and Road America, and covering Bristol Motor Speedway in a layer of clay for a night race on dirt.

Another piece of this puzzle is NASCAR wanting to generate the same can't-miss party vibe that Formula 1 has made popular in the U.S., especially following this year's Miami Grand Prix. So, there is a real hope that this type of event would help NASCAR continue to ride the wave of success it has enjoyed during what has been a year of resurgence for a sport that has been somewhat stagnant for the last decade or so.

Larson's Championship Rebound is One for the Ages

Kyle Larson (L) and Cliff Daniels (R) pose with the Bill France Cup (Google Images)

Kyle Larson had killed the golden goose.

The night of April 12, 2020 was the night his career as a NASCAR Cup Series driver should have, for all intents and purposes, ended. After believing he had lost communication during an iRacing event that was streaming online, he asked if any of his fellow racers could hear him, then uttered a racial slur. A competitor radioed Larson to let him know that, in fact, they could hear him - and that those watching the event could as well.

The next day, he lost his ride, was suspended by NASCAR and the World of Outlaws, and was dropped by nearly every major sponsor on his Cup Series and dirt cars.

Once one of the most promising young stars in our sport, Larson had been "cancelled." To those watching the saga unfold on social media, it didn't seem like there was any chance of resurrecting his career. Fans everywhere, myself included, never thought they'd see him climb into a NASCAR stock car again.

That is, until Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon rolled the dice and gave Larson the opportunity of a lifetime - a second chance to not only prove he had learned his lesson and matured as a person, but also a chance to prove his abilities as a racer in of the best cars in the Cup Series garage. Despite a chorus of doubters and naysayers, Hendrick's gamble paid off in the biggest way possible.

Larson and his son Owen celebrate a title together (Google Images)

The Elk Grove, Calif. native scored his tenth points-paying win of the 2021 season in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway, which is impressive in and of itself, but this victory also netted Larson and his team the 2021 Cup Series championship. Along with 20 top five finishes, 26 top tens, two poles, and nearly 2,600 laps led, this was an absolutely stellar season for Hendrick's flagship No. 5 team. It was also a level of success many would have considered impossible after the journey Larson had just competed.

The life of a professional athlete appears to be a relatively charmed one. Wealth, success, and admiration from legions of fans. However, living nearly every moment in the limelight means that each move you make and every word you say is scrutinized by the media, your competitors, and countless keyboard quarterbacks and social media trolls on the web.

The comment made by Larson was repugnant, reprehensible, and should not be tolerated in the world today. But, does that also mean he is incapable of changing his ways and atoning for his mistake? Today's hot take, "Cancel Culture" society seems to ensure that, more often than not, once a prominent person does or says something offensive, they're removed from the public eye for good before they can even think about asking forgiveness.

Larson was not going to let public opinion stop him from climbing back to the pinnacle of American motorsports. After a hiatus from social media, he penned an essay apologizing to those he'd offended and thanking those who still supported him.

"After I said the N-word, anger came at me from all angles. Being labeled a racist has hurt the most, but I brought that on myself," Larson wrote. "What I didn't expect, though, were all the people who, despite their disappointment in what I did, made the choice to not give up on me. It motivates me to repay their faith by working harder, not giving up on myself, and making sure something positive comes from the harm I caused."

Larson and his team look to defend their title in 2022  (Google Images)

Words are nice, and it's clear from his essay that the 17-time Cup Series winner wanted to make amends. But, actions always speak louder and Larson was ready to put in the work.

Yes, he completed his NASCAR-mandated sensitivity training, but he also worked very closely with the Urban Youth Racing School in Philadelphia during his time away from the sport. Founded in 1998 by Anthony Martin, the organization exposes inner city youth between the ages of 8-18 to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) career opportunities within the motorsports industry. Per their website, the UYRS has impacted the lives of more than 7,500 at-risk youth. Larson had already become involved with the Urban Youth Racing School a few years prior to his suspension, but he clearly saw this as an opportunity to do even more for a cause he feels strongly about. He also attended classes to learn more about the African-American community and visited the city of Minneapolis just days after George Floyd's murder.

Larson went above and beyond, and the NASCAR garage took notice.

Enter Hendrick Motorsports and the resurrected No. 5 team. When rumors began to swirl that Larson would make his way back into NASCAR, many saw Hendrick as a fool for wanting to sign a driver they assumed no sponsor would want to touch. Just 18 months or so later, HendrickCars.com is doing land-office business and HMS partner Valvoline recently renewed their contract with the team through 2027. That deal includes three primary races on Larson's Camaro.

It can be easy to write people off after an egregious error in judgement, especially when that person is a major league athlete. But, Larson's saga illustrates the importance of second chances. He put in the effort, made some personal changes, and was rewarded with the opportunity of a lifetime and the support of some of the most influential people in our sport. He's clearly grown by leaps and bounds and matured into someone fans can be proud to have represent NASCAR as its champion. And with one win, eight top fives, 10 top tens, and two poles in the first 18 races of 2022, he won't be giving up that crown without a fight.

Cup Series Gladiators Will Battle at the LA Coliseum in 2022

The LA Coliseum will host NASCAR's season opening exhibition race in February (Fox News)

"Are you not entertained?!"

These immortal words were shouted to spectators at the Roman Coliseum by Russell Crowe's character Maximus in the 2000 film Gladiator. No doubt the NASCAR sanctioning body will be thinking this same after announcing that the Cup Series is scheduled to open their 2022 season in an exhibition race on a quarter-mile short track built inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, in an event dubbed the Clash at the Coliseum.

NASCAR fans have been pleading for more short track races to be added to a schedule that includes more than its fair share of "cookie cutter" mile-and-a-half race tracks. This season saw the addition of some of the country's preeminent road courses (Circuit of the Americas, Road America, and the infield courses at Daytona and Indianapolis), but the only real shakeup on the short track side of things was coating Bristol Motor Speedway in a few layers of dirt for the first Cup Series race on such a surface in half a century.

Now, in one of the biggest schedule changes in recent memory, the Cup Series will see the traditional season-opening Clash moved from Daytona to the legendary LA Coliseum. The invitation-only, non-points event will be held on a temporary, quarter-mile asphalt track built inside the stadium. The current home of the USC Trojans football team, and the venue for such landmark sporting events as Super Bowl I and the 1959 World Series, the Coliseum can seat a capacity crowd of 77,500 fans.

While this may seem like a first-of-its-kind event, NASCAR has run inside stadiums before, including regional events at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C. and a Cup race at Soldier Field in Chicago in 1956.

“Los Angeles is synonymous with major sports and entertainment events, so we seized an innovative opportunity to showcase NASCAR at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR senior vice president of strategy and innovation. “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to take center stage in this market as we get our 2022 season underway.”

Tickets for the Clash at the Coliseum will go on sale tomorrow at $65 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under.  

A race that began as an exhibition event for the previous year's pole award winners, the Clash has been held the week prior to the Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway since 1979. However, the last few years, the event was beginning to get a bit stale among fans. The field had also been expanded to include the previous year's playoff contenders and previous Daytona 500 pole winners. This past year, the event was moved to the infield road course at Daytona, and the last lap beating and banging between Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott that let Kyle Busch slip past for the win seemed to cure many of those ills. 

But, addressing the fan base's request for more short track racing, while also racing in one of the largest sports markets in the country, will no doubt be a positive for the sport. FS1's NASCAR RaceHub took to the track, in iRacing simulators of course, with Jamie McMurray, Clint Bowyer, and Tyler Reddick to help give fans a small taste of what they can expect to see this February:

"This is gonna be somethin' you DO NOT wanna miss."@ClintBowyer, @TylerReddick and @jamiemcmurray take a few @iRacing laps around the LA Coliseum during NASCAR Race Hub. pic.twitter.com/4vzzcRgrEu

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) September 14, 2021

Keselowski Joins Roush Fenway Racing as Driver/Owner in 2022

Brad Keselowski (No. 2) will replace Ryan Newman (No. 6) in 2022 (Google Images)

Following months of rumor and speculation, the news was made official on July 20, 2021 that Brad Keselowski will leave his championship contending seat at Team Penske for an opportunity to become an owner/driver with Roush Fenway Racing.

The partnership will see Keselowski take over the seat of the team's flagship No. 6 Ford Mustang on the track on Sunday, and give the 35-time Cup Series winner a place on the competition committee at RFR at the shop on Monday.

Founded in 1988 as Roush Racing, Jack Roush and Fenway Sports Group still maintain one of the most successful teams in NASCAR history and one of Ford's tent pole organizations. However, it's been a long fall for RFR from the five team juggernaut that took half the berths in the championship playoffs in 2005. Now relegated to mid-pack status, getting both their No. 6 and No. 17 entries into the top ten feels like a trip to victory lane for Roush Fenway fans.

Enter Keselowski. 

The 2012 Cup Series champion feels that, while he's giving up a chance to win more races and championships in the immediate future, this move will enable him to play a role in returning Roush Fenway Racing to victory lane and enable him to remain a part of the sport once he hangs up his helmet.

"I am thrilled to share the news about this next venture with my fans, peers, and the industry," the Rochester Hills, Mich. driver said. "This presents an opportunity to continue my on-track success with a strong team and a long-term commitment, but also dive into my passion of team ownership where I know I can be an asset to the future of the team."

Brad Keselowski (L) and Jack Roush (R) will be teaming up in 2022
(Google Images)

Keselowski is no stranger to the ownership side of the sport, owning his own Camping World Truck Series operation from 2007 to 2017. The team rose to become a championship contender, finishing runner-up in the points standings twice, and providing a springboard for rising stars Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Tyler Reddick, Daniel Hemric, Ross Chastain, and Austin Cindric.

As mentioned, Keselowski is buying into a team that has been at the top of the sport for almost four decades. The first NASCAR team to reach 300 wins, Roush Fenway Racing has also amassed eight championships, including back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004. 

"I'm truly excited about this partnership with Brad," said Roush. "I think it will bring a lot to the organization, from not only his ability behind the wheel, but a rejuvenation and fresh perspective across our teams. I've had the opportunity to watch Brad for a number of years, as he has fought and clawed his way up the ladder, molding himself into a champion and one of the top drivers in our sport. I've always admired his resolve and determination. I'm very pleased that he has chosen to be a part of our organization and I'm proud to partner with him moving into the future." 

But while Roush, affectionately known as the Cat in the Hat, has no plans to retire any time soon, at 79-years-old, team officials needed to plan for the organization's continued, long-term success. Bringing in a 37-year-old Keselowski allows RFR to plan for the future, and allows Roush an eventual exit strategy. However,  he indicated Tuesday morning that fans will still be seeing his trademark straw hat in the NASCAR garage for as long as he's able to be there.

"I've been asked to say that I'm passing my baton to (Brad), which I am, but I've still got one hand on the thing, so I'm not going to give up completely for a while," Roush told the media during the team's press conference at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. "There are no retirement plans for me in my immediate future. I intend to keep going to racetracks the way I have and to be as much of a nuisance and distraction as I have to my drivers and crew chiefs in the past."

Keselowski admitted during the press conference that there will be a good deal of work involved in helping return RFR to championship form, but citing the success story of Tony Stewart buying into a struggling Haas CNC Racing in 2009, he feels that he's ready for the challenge and that he's "buying into a stock as it's about to go up."

Jack Roush plans to travel to the track for many years to come
Google Images)

"It's going to be tough," said Keselowski. "This team has won a lot of races and championships and we have room to grow and get better. I'm no doubt committed to doing just that and recognize the challenge that's ahead... but there are things that give me confidence (like the success of the Stewart Haas Racing model).

"Beyond that, of course, the  Next Gen (car) coming into the sport should be a significant reset with the technology, a significant reset for the way the processes flow and and some of those things that we would need to overcome, so I think kind of taking that down the course of NASCAR leadership and some of the things they have going on, a lot of confidence in where this sport is heading."

No contractual or financial terms were discussed during the announcement. The percentage of equity that Keselowski purchased was not mentioned, but Team President Steve Newmark said that it is their "hope and expectation" that Keselowski's minority percentage will grow in the coming years.

"Brad and I have talked and he's going to drive as long as he's competitive," Newmark told the media corps. "Once we get to that point about when he says 'Hey, it's time for me to pass the reigns to another driver,' we've got a structure set in place where he'll assume a greater leadership role, but a lot of those details we don't think are relevant now because they're so far off in the future. But one of the things that has been most appealing to us about this transaction is we now have a 5-10-15 year strategic plan about how we're going to keep growing, getting better.

"The owners have committed to continue to invest in this sport around Next Gen, upgrading facilities, and so, for us, it really gives us a runway that we think will allow us to excel."

Newmark also added that there are "a whole host of things that (the team) is going to be changing." So, now that the initial announcement is out of the way, the team will circle back with details about  driver lineups, partners, and other information pertaining to the 2022 season in the coming months.

"This is a big challenge, but it's a big dream of mine to be an owner, and a partner at the NASCAR level with the right ownership group, and I think this is it," Keselowski told reporters. "But it's scary. I have a great team now. I'm not going to say anything differently, and I've been very privileged to drive for Team Penske and to have the success we've had. It's tough to leave that, and I don't want to deny that in any shape or form, but this is a big dream of mine and it was worth leaving it for.

"It's not an easy transition. I know the work is going to be hard and that is scary. It's scary to leave something where you know you can be successful to go to a new opportunity, but I believe in this opportunity. But we have to go do the work. Nobody is going to give anything to us. We have to work for it."

Weekend Wrap-up: Martinsville

Truex Jr Scores First Martinsville Win, Advances to Championship Four

The 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs got off to a fast start for Martin Truex Jr. Winning the first two races in the Round of 16, the 2017 series champion has stayed consistent, quietly finishing inside the top ten in every playoff race but Talladega.

Truex Jr and girlfriend Sherry Pollex pose with their new
grandfather clock in victory lane (Google Images)

Sunday in Martinsville, however, Truex and his No. 19 team were anything but quiet, leading 464 of the 500 laps in the First Data 500. Not only was this victory redemption after getting mugged by Joey Logano in the final corner of this event one year ago, but it also locked the New Jersey driver into the championship four round a Homestead Miami Speedway in three weeks.

“I don’t think anyone expected that,” said Truex of his team's dominating performance. “This race track, in general, you don’t see that. Hats off to my guys. Pit crew was stellar today, and we didn’t make many adjustments. We adjusted on early and it came to life, and that was a lot of fun.

“I don’t know, maybe now I’ve got this place figured out. Who knows? But just really proud of everybody, and after last year, we talked earlier, everybody wants to keep talking about last year, and I’m like, ‘We’ve got work to do.’ I’m just proud of everybody for giving me a race car like that and being able to put it all together today when it counted.”

While Truex was busy putting on a clinic, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates had trouble keeping their tempers in check. Kyle Buscch got into a shoving match with Aric Almirola that resulted in both drivers spinning and Almirola getting tagged in the driver's side door by Jimmie Johnson. Busch would rebound to finish 14th, Almirola vowed to make the last three races "hell" for the 2015 series champion.

Following the race, JGR's Denny Hamlin got into it with Joey Logano on pit road after the two made contact on the track. Hamlin slid into Logano's No. 22 with around 40 laps to go, causing the 2018 champ to spin and taking away any chance they had to win. After a heated discussion, Logano shoved Hamlin's shoulder and turned to walk away. After giving chase, Hamlin was restrained by several members of Logano's team, one of whom executed a horsecollar tackle, dropping Hamlin to the pavement. That crew member, Tire Technician Dave "Mule" Nichols, Jr. has been since been suspended for one week by the sanctioning body.

Tensions overflowing at @MartinsvilleSwy! @joeylogano and @dennyhamlin get into an altercation on pit road! #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/bBIBuS0A7W

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 27, 2019

“We were having a discussion,” Hamlin said. “Everything was civil, and then, like Joey does, he does a little push and then runs away. So that’s Joey. Scared. He said, ‘Do you want to go?’ I said, ‘Yes, I’m here.’ But then he runs away.”

“I just wanted to see what his thoughts were, and it wasn’t quite the answer I was looking for,” said Logano.

Sophomore driver William Byron also had a strong showing, giving Truex fits in the final run to the checkered flag and coming home second.

“This isn’t a place that I’ve loved coming to, and it just clicked this weekend, the things we did with the car going into qualifying and then obviously our race. Super excited, but second is not super fun, either. We’ll try to get one spot better next time,” said Byron.

Brad Keselowski, who won the spring Martinsville event, came home in third, Hamlin finished in fourth, and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top five. Kurt Busch finished sixth, Kevin Harvick came home seventh, Logano finished in eighth, Kyle Larson crossed the line ninth, and Ryan Newman was tenth.

The NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series heads west to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend for the AAA Texas 500. The race is set to go green at 3:00 pm ET on Sunday, November 3, with NBC, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio covering all the action.

Todd Gilliland Edges Chastain for First Truck Series Win

After 46 races for Kyle Busch Motorsports, ever-growing expectations, and being called out in the media by his team owner, Todd Gilliland scored his first Gander Outdoor Truck Series victory in the NASCAR Hall of Fame 200 at Martinsville Speedway.

Gilliland scored his first truck series win in 46 starts
(Google Images)

Both Gilliland and teammate Harrison Burton have faced intense pressure this season for missing the playoff field and not winning in KBM equipment that Kyle Busch took to victory lane five times this year and that veteran Greg Biffle won in after an almost 20 year absence from the truck series.

After the 11th caution, Gilliland drove underneath title contender Ross Chastain, with Gilliland’s No. 4 Toyota clearing Chastain’s No. 45 Chevrolet for the top spot. Gilliland led the final 11 laps, surviving the race's final caution and an overtime that took the race one circuit past its scheduled distance of 200 laps.

“I wish we had won two years ago, just like everyone else thought we would,” Gilliland said. “I thought we would, too. We went through some growing pains. Marcus Richmond was my crew chief, and we got rid of him, and then he came back and was helping us again. He’s really great here at Martinsville.

“I’m just so proud of these guys. Man, this is a long time coming. Hopefully, this will get some momentum rolling and open up some doors for next year.”

Gilliland, who revealed he doesn't have any plans in place for 2020 admittedly let his emotions get the better of him following the checkered flag when he keyed his radio, thanked his crew, and told Busch he "could stay in his f**king motorhome."

In spite of coming up one lap short of the victory, Chastain led 68 laps and came home second, gaining some serious points in a race that was hard on most of the other playoff drivers like Tyler Ankrum, Austin Hill, and Stage One winner Brett Moffitt.

Johnny Sauter came home third, Grant Enfinger came home fourth, and Timmy Hill rounded out the top five. Stewart Friesen recovered from a lap 150 spin to finish in sixth, John Hunter Nemechek came home seventh, Whelen Modified winner and native of Freehold, N.J. Danny Bohn finished eighth in his truck series debut, Jeb Burton finished ninth, and Codie Rohrbaugh rounded out the top ten finishers.

The Gander Outdoors Truck Series will take this weekend off, returning to action on Friday, November 8 at ISM Raceway in Phoenix for the Lucas Oil 150. The race will go green at 8:30 pm ET with FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio covering the event.

Bell, Buescher on the Move in 2020

As the playoffs continue and the 2019 season winds to a close, silly season is beginning to move fast and furious as teams prepare - and improve - for 2020.

Christopher Bell will be promoted to the No. 95 car
next season (Google Images)

In a move that surprised literally no one, news broke earlier this week that Christopher Bell would be replacing Matt DiBenedetto in the Leavine Family Racing No. 95 Toyota. JGR and Toyota needed a landing spot for Bell, lest they risk losing him to another team with a Monster Energy Cup Series ride open (all four of the current Gibbs cup drivers are filled through next year). As a Gibbs satellite team, LFR was the only logical landing spot for the Xfinity Series title contender.

Yes, fans were more than a bit distraught to see DiBenedetto lose his ride in the No. 95, but he has since landed in the Wood Brothers No. 21 Ford to replace a retiring Paul Menard.

Rheem, Bell's current Xfinity Series sponsor, will be moving up with him next year. They will join current LFR backer Procore as a primary sponsor on the car in 2020. Likewise, crew chief Jason Ratcliff will join the 24-year-old Norman Okla. native at NASCAR's top level year, along with the rest of his Xfinity crew. Current crew chief Mike Wheeler will move to LFR competition director.

“Since I was young, I wanted to make a career out of racing,” said Bell. “To take this next step and race in the NASCAR Cup Series with the support of LFR, JGR and Toyota is just a dream come true... Having been under the JGR banner these past seasons in the Xfinity Series and with TRD for as long as I can remember, having their continued support as I transition to LFR is extremely comforting and will be a tremendous benefit to me. I can’t wait to close out this season in the Xfinity Series with a strong run, and I’m looking forward to the challenge that awaits in 2020.”

While Bell's talent is expected to significantly elevate the performance of LFR's Toyota, the move also comes with a substantial increase in technical, engineering, and financial support from the JGR mother ship.

“I’ve said from the start, I want this team to be competitive,” said team owner Bob Leavine. “Christopher is one of the most talented drivers we’ve seen come up through NASCAR’s ranks and together, with JGR and Toyota’s support, I’m confident our team will continue to grow, just as it has this past year. We’re certainly happy to continue to progress our relationship with both JGR and TRD as the technical partnership takes the next step forward.”

Stenhouse Jr (L) will be replaced in Jack Roush's No. 17 by
Chris Buescher (R) in 2020 (Google Images)

Now that this news had officially been announced, many felt that this would set other dominoes in motion. Perhaps RCR would tell us that Tyler Reddick is replacing recently ousted Daniel Hemric, or SHR would say where Cole Custer will be driving next year. But then Roush Fenway Racing came out of left field with a story that no one in the industry saw coming.

Late last week, RFR announced that they will be replacing Ricky Stenhouse Jr in the team's No. 17 Ford with 2015 Xfinity Series champion Chris Buescher. Similar to the DiBenedetto to Wood Brothers Racing story from a few weeks ago, this was a very well-kept secret. It even caught the ownership at JTG Daugherty Racing off guard.

“We were in the final strokes of the contract when learning that Chris has gone in a different direction,” said Geschickter said in a statement. “We appreciate all of the efforts from Chris through the past three seasons at JTG Daugherty Racing. When the dust settles, we will begin the process of searching for our next driver to fill the No. 37 seat for the 2020 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.”

While Stenhouse Jr won two Xfinity Series titles for RFR, he has long had a reputation as a hard-charging driver. That has won him quite a few races in NASCAR's top two series, but more often than not, it's also gotten him in trouble. Before his days as a championship contender at the Xfinity level, Stenhouse was parked by Roush for tearing up too many race cars, a move many felt settled him down and contributed to his back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012. Signed through 2021, the dirt racer from Olive Branch, Miss. has had some rough luck this year, including spinning leader Martin Truex Jr at Richmond last weekend (a mistake that cost Stenhouse a potential top ten finish). Team principal Jack Roush had a small window to sign Buescher, who was on loan to JTG, and told the media that his reputation for being easier on equipment factored into his decision.

Stenhouse Jr (C) won two Nationwide (now Xfinity) Series
titles for Roush Fenway Racing (Google Images)

“We had so much trouble getting speed out of our cars,” Roush said. “With Ryan (Newman) and with Matt Kenseth’s help last summer we identified some things we should be working on which had not been on our radar and worked on those things. When we put Ryan in the car, he fell right in line with what Kenseth had thought were the priorities and we see Chris falling in the same line.

"I look forward to having cars that are more similar for both drivers that we can develop from race to race by not having so many wrecks. Ryan’s done really well about keeping his car together and Chris has a history of doing the same thing."

Stenhouse Jr said that, while he was blindsided by RFR to release him, he also understands that his cup series results haven't been what anyone expected and that he's looking forward to his final few races in the No. 17 car, as well as seeing what his options are for next season.

“It was fun, a little emotional with the relationship Jack and I have," said Stenhouse. "It’s the only team I’ve ever been at, so I’m looking forward to see what’s next. Like I said, there’s a lot of work to do on that, but, all in all, I’m definitely looking forward to these last eight with the great partners that we have, everybody on the 17 team. I’ve worked with a lot of them since my Nationwide days, so it will be tough, but it will be a fun eight races with them.”

“I still feel like I’ve got unfinished business in this series,” he added.