Chevy racing–NASCAR–Watkins Glen Advance

May 6, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE Watkins Glen InternationalMay 8-10, 2026

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

On the heels of its first tripleheader sweep of the 2026 NASCAR season, Chevrolet will carry that momentum to upstate New York as all three divisions will take on the left- and right-hand turns of Watkins Glen International for the sport’s second road course race of the season. Chevrolet sits as the winningest manufacturer across all three divisions at the historic 2.45-mile New York circuit with a combined 40 trips to victory lane across the NASCAR national ranks. Among those includes a pair of triumphs in the track’s most recent events for NASCAR’s top-two divisions with Team Chevy’s road course ringers, Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch, driving the manufacturer to its 23rd Cup Series win and 14th O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win last season.

NASCAR has shared an over 40-year history with Watkins Glen International, and throughout that tenure, the circuit has became the home to an elite list of “firsts” for the Bowtie brigade. When the circuit first opened its doors to host the NASCAR Cup Series for its inaugural event in 1957, it was Buck Baker that took the victory – ultimately delivering Chevrolet its first-ever road course win in NASCAR’s premier series.

ALL-TIME ROAD COURSE RANKINGSCareer Chevrolet driver, Jeff Gordon, continues to stand tall atop the NASCAR Cup Series all-time road course wins list with nine victories throughout his storied career. But there are a trio of Team Chevy drivers that have proven to be a threat to challenge that record. Chase Elliott leads the series’ active drivers with seven road course wins in NASCAR’s premier series – a record that started with his first career win at Watkins Glen International in 2018. The record is enough to put the Dawsonville, Georgia, native third on the series’ all-time wins list, just behind Gordon and Tony Stewart (eight wins). The fourth position on the rankings sees a five-way tie that includes Team Chevy’s Shane van Gisbergen and Kyle Larson, who each own six road course wins in their Cup Series careers.

TRACKHOUSE TRIO DOING THE TRIPLEIn addition to their full-time rides on Sunday, the stable of Trackhouse Racing drivers will also be behind the wheel of a Camaro SS and a Silverado RST for a triple duty weekend at “The Glen”. Shane van Gisbergen will team up with Niece Motorsports to make just his second career Truck Series start, followed by a reunion with the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team for the pairing’s second O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start of the season. Ross Chastain will also join the Niece Motorsports lineup for his fourth Truck Series start of the season, with his O’Reilly Auto Parts Series ride coming out of the Jordan Anderson Racing camp. For Zilisch, his triple duty effort will come with Spire Motorsports for Friday’s Truck Series race, with the Chevrolet driver teaming back up with JR Motorsports on Saturday to compete for their third-straight Watkins Glen victory in the second-level division. All three drivers are road course winners in the NASCAR national ranks, with Van Gisbergen and Zilisch returning to the upstate New York circuit as the track’s defending winners in the Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Chastain become a first-time winner at NASCAR’s highest level at Circuit of The Americas (2022), and while he’s still looking for his first trip to victory lane at Watkins Glen, he’s progressively building confidence with back-to-back top-10 finishes in the Cup Series’ past two visits to the circuit.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·        Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Watkins Glen International:     Kyle Larson – two wins (2021, 2022)Chase Elliott – two wins (2019, 2018)Kyle Busch – two wins (2013, 2008)Shane van Gisbergen – one win (2025)William Byron – one win (2024) ·        Chevrolet is the winningest manufacturer in all three NASCAR national divisions at Watkins Glen International with 23 Cup Series wins, 14 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins, and three Craftsman Truck Series wins.
·        In 24 NASCAR Cup Series road racing events in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads the series with 17 victories – recorded by eight drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations. ·        At Talladega Superspeedway, Chevrolet tallied six top-10 finishes, marking the second time this season a manufacturer has placed six cars in the top-10 of a Cup Series event. The Bowtie brand took it one step further by achieving the highest representation of different organizations within those results with five Chevrolet organizations placing drivers in the top-10.  ·        With seven-straight victories to start the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Chevrolet set the record for the longest season-opening streak by a single manufacturer in the division’s history.  ·        In 155 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 70 victories – a winning percentage of 45.2%.
·        Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025.
·        With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 884 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

TUNE-IN:NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The GlenSunday, May 10, at 3 p.m. ETFS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts SeriesMission 200 at The GlenSaturday, May 9, at 4 p.m. ETCW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 NASCAR Craftsman Truck SeriesBully Hill Vineyards 176 at The GlenFriday, May 8, at 4:30 p.m. ETFS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

QUOTABLE QUOTES:Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletHas road course racing evolved with the Next Gen car?“Yes, it has. The setup and how teams put them together from COTA in 2022 to now are drastically different. I was fast at the beginning (laughs), that should tell you everything you need to know as everybody was learning. I was on the front end of learning COTA and everything the gen 7 car needed there, and several tracks and we were more competitive then, than we are now. It definitely has evolved and Shane (van Gisbergen) has changed this sport forever. ” Do you lean on SVG or get advice from his since he’s been the driver to beat the last couple of years on road courses?“Absolutely! I can see what he’s doing in the Cup car but I can’t master doing it as fast as he can. The goal to learn from him is kind of a hamster wheel that never ends.” Do you like going up to the Watkins Glen area? It’s such a unique place in comparison to the other areas we go to for racing.“I love going up to New York. I spend a lot of time up there with various partners I have and do a lot of work with the New York Highway Safety Office. I’ve already been up there this year for various events and I go in early on race week. So, it feels like home to me when I visit. It’s going to be a little colder this year since we are racing in May but I’m looking forward to racing in all three series.” Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletWhat are some of the things you like about Watkins Glen International, and what are some of the things that are difficult about that track?“Watkins Glen International is very fast for a road course. The bus stop, the esses, a big chunk of the speed at Watkins Glen comes from those two sections. The other sections are more self-explanatory, but it’s a tough track. It’s been my hardest track to get a grip on, but I feel like going there does present some opportunities because you have some strategy and different things that can play out. Qualifying is pretty important there as well. I’m looking forward to getting there in our Bass Pro Shops/Winchester AA White Flyer Chevrolet.” Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports ChevroletHow are you feeling heading into the weekend, and how do you think the changes in the carousel section will affect the racing?“I feel very good about it. For me and the team, I think we’ve learned a lot over the past few races, and that’s put us in a strong position heading into this weekend. I truly believe we’re in a really good place to go there, be competitive, and fight up front, so I’m super excited about that. It’s going to be fun, especially with a few changes to the race track, like the track limits in the carousel section. That’s definitely going to add something new and make things interesting. Overall, I’m really looking forward to it and seeing how everything comes together.” Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletWhat makes Watkins Glen International unique?“I love Watkins Glen. It’s always been a great place, great countryside, and is a lot of fun. Watkins Glen has always kind of been considered one of the superspeedways of road courses; it’s just a really fast course. A lot of speed there. I always look at every single racetrack wanting to win, and fortunately I’ve won there in the O’Reilly Series and the Cup Series. I’m excited to get back on the road courses again. Back in the years when we used to have only two road courses on the schedule, you would’ve kind of looked at it as a, ‘well hey you know it’s kind of like an off-weekend. Just treat it like an off-weekend, it doesn’t mean much if you run well or if you don’t,’ but now there’s six road courses on the schedule. There’s enough of a bulk of a schedule of races that you got to be a good road racer. I feel like being ahead of the game in that and being able to win races there in the past lends itself fairly well for me.” With rain being potentially a factor this weekend, how do you prepare for that possibility?“The biggest thing is looking ahead, getting with your crew chief and your engineers and kind of plan how you want to build your set-up for that. If we know there’s going to be rain on Sunday, then we’re pretty much going to build a rain setup into the racecar, but if the weather forecast looks good to where it doesn’t look like there’s going to be rain on race day, then you’ll kind of build for more of a dry type of setup. There are little differences that you can do in your racecar for the dry versus the wet. We kind of won’t really know until just a few days ahead of time. The biggest thing that you look for there is when you go to the racetrack, you’re not allowed to change the racecar once you unload the racecar out of your trailer. Your spring settings and the majority of how your suspension is all bolted on and set up, you can’t change those. The only thing you’re changing is air pressure in tires, the height of your racecar, and maybe some shocks. That’s all you’re allowed to change, so you definitely got to be ahead of the game and being able to prepare whichever direction you plan to race in.” What’s your favorite thing to do outside of the racetrack at Watkins Glen International?“Each year we’ve always done the Watkins Glen State Park hike. Really neat to do that. It’s always a great area to come to, it’s always beautiful, and looking forward to seeing what it looks like this time of year.” AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet“Watkins Glen will always be special to me because it’s where I earned my first NASCAR Cup Series win, and I’ve always loved the place. I’m going to go do what I can and wheel the heck out of the thing and hopefully we will be contending for a win. If not, like always, we’ll try to get the best finish possible. At COTA (Circuit of the Americas), we had top-five speed – fourth to seventh speed – and we played the stage game of getting points knowing maybe we didn’t have a shot to win the race. To me, the car didn’t feel like it drove a ton different at COTA (from years past). We’ll find out when we get to Watkins Glen where we stack up, but last year we were not where we wanted to be. We’re hopeful it will drive much better this time. At the end of the day, we’re going to make the most out of the day for our partners and hopefully we end up in Victory Lane.” Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet“I am really looking forward to Watkins Glen this weekend. It is always one of the most fun road courses we go to, with how much speed it has, and how much flow the track has. It could also be an interesting weekend with weather so I’m sure we will put on an exciting show for the fans with our HaasTooling.com Chevrolet.” Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet“We’ve had some solid runs lately, and that comes from the guys working hard back at the shop and bringing us better cars each week. It’s been a group effort and we want to keep building on that at Watkins Glen. We’re proud to have Ram Self Storage back on the car this weekend.” Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet“Watkins Glen has a lot of elevation changes, more so than other road courses we visit. It’s definitely a place where the commitment factor and the confidence level have to be high. You have a lot of elevation change in the first couple of corners. You get a little bit of a break from that going through the bus stop and then into the carousel, but then you have a lot of elevation change going into the short chute. Almost every corner is an opportunity for passing. It’s a very wide track with a lot of grip. You can run offline fairly easily at Watkins Glen, so turn one, going into the bus stop, going into the carousel, going into the lefthander after the short chute, you have a lot of opportunities to pass around the whole racetrack. To be able to do that is what makes racing at Watkins Glen so good.” Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports ChevroletHow does a top-five result at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) help you this weekend at Watkins Glen?“COTA and Watkins Glen are very different. Overall, our road-course cars and speed have been good. This is our second road course of the year, so hopefully, we can have a day similar to COTA. It’s important to unload close and qualify well, to have a good shot at it in the race. Watkins Glen is just a cool road course. I have always loved going up there. The rhythm and flow make for a good track. You have to attack the bus stop, carry a lot of momentum into the esses, with very little room for error. It is a lot of fun, and I enjoy it. I think more than anything is when you’re driving with a smile on your face, you’re usually doing pretty good.” Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports ChevroletHow do you evaluate the start to your season?“I think we are right where we want to be. It was obviously really cool thing to get the win for Jeff (Dickerson) and everyone at Spire Motorsports, and while we are sixth in points with 98 points on The Chase cutline, we lost out on some points at times this year, too. We got turned while leading at Daytona and lost spots on late-race restarts at Bristol and Richmond. We have shown where we are capable of running week-in and week-out, we just have to continue to put it all together like we have the first 11 weeks.” You’re running some grassroots races this week. Why does that make sense for you? “I’m excited to get things rolling. We were supposed to have three nights, but rains had other plans. We will still have two opportunities this week to get out there and dial in our program. It will be nice for me to get in the swing of running a dirt car and acclimated to the late night feature before packing up and heading to the next track the next night. It will be fun to at least see how we stack up against everyone throughout the schedule. Can’t wait to get out there with the Spire guys and give everyone from Chili’s something to cheer for during the week.” Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletWhat are your thoughts about competing at Watkins Glen this weekend?“Watkins Glen gives us the chance to kind of level the playing field. The road courses are a strong suit for Trackhouse as a whole and I’m looking forward to this weekend. It’s an opportunity for me to go out and have a good finish and Watkins Glen is a place where we can do that. The Cup Series is tough, and it certainly hasn’t been easy for me, but I enjoy the challenge of coming to these places and learning. It’s a lot different than Saturdays. I have a lot to learn at these tracks.” What do you think about some of the track changes at Watkins Glen? There are track limits in Turns 1 and Turn 5.“It will change a little bit but honestly, it’s not a huge change. Other than restarts you never really went all the way out in Turn 1. With the rumbles they added last year it was bad for the tires and you didn’t really want to be out there if you could avoid it. I don’t think it’s going to change too much but the restarts are certainly going to be a little bit different with not being able to go out there and use the space if you need it. I’m curious to see how that changes things. Obviously coming out of the carousel and being forced to stay on the track is going to change how you drive the carousel a little bit. Those are small changes in the grand scheme of things.” Is there an area of the course at Watkins Glen that you would like to capitalize on?“I feel like the track has a good rhythm. You never feel like you’re having to slow down that much. All the corners are pretty high speed, and it just has a good flow to it. Watkins Glen has always treated me well. I feel like I’ve always ran well at Watkins Glen. I’m excited to do my first Cup race there and try to get a good result and continue to build on the momentum we have from Texas.” What is your comfort level of racing in wet weather conditions?“I feel really comfortable in the rain. I grew up racing go-karts, and we raced in the rain a lot there and then in the sports car stuff that I’ve done I raced quite a bit in the rain as well. I’m looking forward to it. I think I maybe don’t have quite as much experience in the rain as maybe SVG (Shane Van Gisbergen), but I’ve always felt like I’ve been able to adapt and do a good job in the rain whenever I’ve been faced with that challenge. I’m excited to go figure it out if it does rain and make the most of it.” Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletAre you excited to be racing all three series this weekend?“Yeah, I want to race everything! I would love to do it on ovals as well, especially at tracks like Texas. I would love to do more on ovals to get better, but obviously it’s easier for me to get sponsorship on road courses (laughs). Hopefully, if I have good races with these teams, it will lead to more on ovals. All three series should be awesome racing.” Does your team feel any extra pressure this weekend?“Yeah, of course but I think it’s an expectation you have to manage. We can’t go there and just expect to win, but hopefully we are good and competitive and competing for the win at the end.” How do you think the cooler temperatures will affect the race this weekend?“It was hard on tires there last year. When we went to the different compound than the year before and you definitely felt a lot of fall off. So, the cooler temps will help with that. But I don’t know the climate there, how much cooler it will be. But I think it will affect all classes, even the O’Reilly series, the tires blister and get pretty hot there, the left rear. So, it will probably be the same for them too.” The forecast is supposed to be wet, does that excite you?“No, I hate racing in the rain (laughs). But I’m good at it. I’ll adapt if it happens, but I hope it’s dry for all three races. It’s just no fun racing in the rain. You can’t be precise, you got to just wing it, stuff goes wrong, I’ve just never enjoyed it.”

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCEWatkins Glen InternationalMay 8-10, 2026

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series StatisticsManufacturer Championships:Total (1949-2025): 44First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)Most recent: 2025 Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Driver Championships:Total (1949-2025): 34First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29 Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2025 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007) 2026 STATISTICS: Wins: 3Poles: 2Laps Led: 916Top-Fives: 20Top-10s: 39Stage Wins: 7 CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 884 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 768Laps led to date: 257,650Top-fives to date: 4,456Top-10s to date: 9,190 Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date: General Motors: 1,218 Chevrolet: 884 Pontiac: 154 Oldsmobile: 115 Buick: 65 Ford: 848 Ford: 748 Mercury: 96 Lincoln: 4 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467 Dodge: 217 Plymouth: 191 Chrysler: 59 Toyota: 210

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Wood Brothers racing–Watkins glen Preview

May 6, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

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Briggs Danner Making World of Outlaws Late Model Debut at Selinsgrove

May 6, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

SELINSGROVE, PA (May 6, 2026) – The World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision is making a stop in the heart of Sprint Car country next week, and one of open-wheel racing’s bright young stars is set to join in on the action.

Non-Wing Sprint Car ace Briggs Danner will make his fendered World of Outlaws debut on Wednesday, May 13, at Selinsgrove Speedway in the Lazer Chassis Racing No. 31. It’s the first of seven planned starts this season in the ride which Danner is sharing with Big Block Modified driver Billy Pauch Jr.

The 24-year-old Allentown, PA native won multiple Quarter Midget championships before moving up into the SpeedSTR division at several area tracks. He went Sprint Car racing at age 19 and started winning almost immediately. Danner won back-to-back USAC East Coast Sprint Car Series championships in 2022 and 2023, and his 32 victories make him the winningest driver in the tour’s history. He hit the road with the AMSOIL USAC Sprint Car National Championship in 2024 and has since won eight races, most recently at Lawrenceburg Speedway on April 11.

But Danner has always had an itch to get behind the wheel of any race car he can get his hands on, and a conversation at the end of 2024 got the ball rolling on giving Super Late Models a try.

“I met Jim Bernheisel and the guys out at PRI,” Danner said. “Tim Hogue, who I drive a Sprint Car for, introduced me to them. They’ve known each other for a while, I guess, and I’ve always had an interest in Late Models and interest in trying one out anyway. So, I got in touch with them and they said that they were willing to put some sort of deal together to run a local show or two last year, which we did. It ended up working out. Jim Bernheisel used to run the car, Denny Superko’s car, they’re kind of in as a partner deal with it. Denny wants to run a couple shows, and he really likes Selinsgrove and he wants to go run with the Outlaws.”

Once the deal was done, Danner made his Late Model debut last June at Bridgeport Motorsports Park and earned an impressive fourth-place finish. His next start a month later at Selinsgrove was more of a struggle, as Danner crossed the line 16th.

“I ran Bridgeport for my first race, and that’s definitely a track that I’m comfortable with in Modified shows and Sprint Cars, Winged and Non-Wing and all kinds of stuff,” Danner said. “Being comfortable there definitely helped. We finished fourth there, so that was great, right off the bat to run that good. We qualified well, just kind of getting my feet wet trying to get it figured out, we had a good run.

“Selinsgrove didn’t quite go as good for us. Ran a Sprint Car there a few times, but it’s just a lot different. It was slick that night, and that’s just a whole new ball game for me to try and get accustomed to. I definitely have some room to grow for sure, but I’m super excited for the opportunity to try to figure it out.”

It’s easy for a Sprint Car driver to turn a blind eye to any type of racing that doesn’t involve open wheels and push trucks, but that’s never been who Danner is. He’s always respected anyone with a passion for making cars go fast, and his interest in the Late Model side of the sport has only grown as he’s gotten more involved in it.

“I’ve always paid attention to [Late Model racing], but never like a super big follower of it,” Danner said. “But I’ve always loved Late Models and just everything about them. The fenders, the aero, the four-link stuff, just everything about them, I’ve always loved. There’s just not a lot of it by us. To be able to get my feet wet in it with Denny and Jim and those guys was a pretty cool deal, and I’m willing to run as much as I can with them.”

A driver from the Sprint Car world dipping their toe in the Late Model waters, or vice versa, is nothing new. But the list of drivers who have been successful in both cars is much shorter. Does Danner expect his seat time in a Sprint Car at Selinsgrove to give him any sort of upper hand against the World of Outlaws next week? He’s not convinced.

“It’s tough. Like, when I ran Bridgeport, obviously I knew the racetrack, but anything as far as driving the car was totally thrown out the window,” Danner said. “It didn’t mean anything to me, and in fact, anything I knew about driving a race car probably hurt me, honestly. It was like learning all over again. To go to a place like Selinsgrove where I don’t have too many laps, I have some laps there, but it’s just so much different in a big car, let alone a Late Model. We have a lot of good guys coming, obviously, so I’m going to have to try to figure it out pretty quick.”

Despite a solid debut last summer, Danner is keeping his goals in check ahead of his first national Late Model start. There are plenty of formidable regional Super Late Model operations in the northeast, but he knows going toe-to-toe with the likes of Nick Hoffman, Bobby Pierce and Tim McCreadie will be an entirely different challenge.

“I don’t exactly know what my expectations are,” Danner said. “A solid night would be just being competitive and being in the mix of things. If we have a decent showing in the Feature, qualify, not wreck stuff up or not be too far out to lunch, I’ll be pretty happy.”

Danner will make his World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision debut at Selinsgrove Speedway on Thursday, May 14, part of a larger swing that also includes stops at Georgetown Speedway (Wednesday, May 13), Marion Center Raceway (Friday-Saturday, May 15-16) and Bedford Speedway (Sunday, May 17). More information on each event can be found by clicking here.

Briggs Danner Making World of Outlaws Late Model Debut at Selinsgrove

But Danner has always had an itch to get behind the wheel of any race car he can get his hands on, and a conversation at the end of 2024 got the ball rolling on giving Super Late Models a try.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

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OUTLAWS STRIKE FIRST: Kofoid Holds Off Macedo for Second Straight Gettysburg Clash Victory

May 6, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

The Roth Motorsports pilot slips by Gravel and survives Macedo’s last gasp at Lincoln for his Series-leading fifth win of the year

ABBOTTSTOWN, PA (May 5, 2026) – The Pennsylvania Posse prevailed in 2025, but the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car drivers came out swinging in 2026.

Abbottstown, PA’s Lincoln Speedway served as the battlefield on Tuesday night as the Gettysburg Clash renewed the sport’s most storied rivalry. The World of Outlaws travelers came into the year looking for vengeance after being bested by PA last season, and that’s exactly what they got in round one.

Michael “Buddy” Kofoid charged from outside the second row and snatched the top spot from polesitter David Gravel with a Lap 19 slide job. Gravel returned the favor, but a fortuitous yellow flag for Kofoid flew as the lap hadn’t been completed after Gravel got back around him. That handed the lead to Kofoid for the restart, and he capitalized.

The Penngrove, CA native wheeled away, but Carson Macedo began to close in on the tail tank of the Roth Motorsports No. 83 in the final laps. Kofoid slipped off the bottom while struggling with traffic in the final set of corners and opened the door, but Macedo’s run to the checkered came up just short as Kofoid narrowly held on.

“I didn’t really see Carson,” Kofoid explained. “I think I maybe heard him after the white (flag) into (Turn) 1. I couldn’t tell what the lapper was going to do. I got a really good run on him, and it looked like he was going to go high then he swooped down. I tried to stay in clean air and kind of missed it and tried to scramble to drive back across.”

Kofoid and the Roth crew now lead the tour in 2026 trips to Victory Lane as Lincoln is their fifth. The 24-year-old’s second Lincoln score makes him the 12th competitor with multiple victories at the track nestled in the Pigeon Hills. His 27th career win with The Greatest Show on Dirt puts him in a three-way tie with Paul McMahan and Tim Shaffer for 26th all-time.

Macedo’s second-place finish was his second straight runner-up in the Jason Johnson Racing No. 41. He also continues to hold the second spot in the standings.

Chase Dietz moved the Stehman Motorsports No. 23D up to third late to make sure the PA Posse had a presence on the podium.

David Gravel and Danny Dietrich completed the top five.

NIGHTLY NOTES

David Gravel grabbed his sixth Race//Ready Hottest Lap of the Night in 2026.

Danny Dietrich claimed his fifth career Simpson Quick Time in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying.

Heat Races belonged to Danny Dietrich (NOS Energy Drink Heat One), David Gravel (TheGreatestStoreonDirt.com Heat Two), Carson Macedo (WIX Filters Heat Three), and Sheldon Haudenschild (Golf Cart Services Heat Four).

The SPA Technique #1 Redraw went to David Gravel.

Gravel also topped the Toyota Dash.

Logan Schuchart won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.

Tyler Ross ripped from 24th to seventh to earn KSE Racing Products Hard Charger honors.

That also made Ross the Tub O’ Towels Seventh Place Finisher.

Ashton Torgerson was the Five Star Bodies Rookie of the Race.

David Gravel clocked the ACME Trading Company Fast Lap.

The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Bill Balog.

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series heads to Mechanicsburg, PA’s Williams Grove Speedway on May 8-9 to battle the PA Posse for bragging rights and the HVAC Distributors Morgan Cup. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

Before the racing at Williams Grove, fans can head to Hersheypark Stadium on Thursday, May 7 from 5-7pm for the Hershey Sprint Car Experience where teams from both the World of Outlaws and Pennsylvania Posse will unite to celebrate the region’s rich racing tradition.

Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.

Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule.

FEATURE RESULTS:

OUTLAWS STRIKE FIRST: Kofoid Holds Off Macedo for Second Straight Gettysburg Clash Victory

The Roth Motorsports pilot slips by Gravel and survives Macedo’s last gasp at Lincoln for his Series-leading fifth win of the year

ABBOTTSTOWN, PA (May 5, 2026) – The Pennsylvania Posse prevailed in 2025, but the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car drivers came out swinging in 2026.

Macedo’s second-place finish was his second straight runner-up in the Jason Johnson Racing No. 41. He also continues to hold the second spot in the standings.

Chase Dietz moved the Stehman Motorsports No. 23D up to third late to make sure the PA Posse had a presence on the podium.

David Gravel and Danny Dietrich completed the top five.

NIGHTLY NOTES

David Gravel grabbed his sixth Race//Ready Hottest Lap of the Night in 2026.

Danny Dietrich claimed his fifth career Simpson Quick Time in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying.

The SPA Technique #1 Redraw went to David Gravel.

Gravel also topped the Toyota Dash.

Logan Schuchart won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.

Tyler Ross ripped from 24th to seventh to earn KSE Racing Products Hard Charger honors.

That also made Ross the Tub O’ Towels Seventh Place Finisher.

Ashton Torgerson was the Five Star Bodies Rookie of the Race.

David Gravel clocked the ACME Trading Company Fast Lap.

The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Bill Balog.

Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.

Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule.

FEATURE RESULTS:

NOS Energy Drink Feature (35 Laps): 1. 83-Michael Kofoid[4]; 2. 41-Carson Macedo[3]; 3. 23D-Chase Dietz[8]; 4. 2-David Gravel[1]; 5. 48-Danny Dietrich[7]; 6. 41R-Logan Rumsey[2]; 7. 5-Tyler Ross[24]; 8. 75-Cameron Smith[10]; 9. 39M-Kasey Kahne[11]; 10. 23-Garet Williamson[17]; 11. 15-Donny Schatz[13]; 12. 17N-Dylan Norris[28]; 13. 7S-Chris Windom[23]; 14. 99M-Kyle Moody[16]; 15. 11-TJ Stutts[15]; 16. 18-Sheldon Haudenschild[5]; 17. 17-Spencer Bayston[20]; 18. 2C-Cole Macedo[18]; 19. 10-Matt Campbell[19]; 20. 28M-Conner Morrell[27]; 21. (DNF) 1A-Ashton Torgerson[9]; 22. (DNF) 1S-Logan Schuchart[21]; 23. (DNF) 17B-Bill Balog[6]; 24. (DNF) 16C-Skylar Gee[25]; 25. (DNF) 51R-Freddie Rahmer[26]; 26. (DNF) 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[14]; 27. (DNF) 95-Kody Hartlaub[12]; 28. (DNS) 1X-Chad Trout

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TOP FIVE STORYLINES: Midwest Doubleheader Brings 360 Stars to Benton, Paducah

May 6, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

BENTON, MO (May 5, 2026) — The American Sprint Car Series is set to open the May slate with a return to the Midwest.

The country’s top 360 Sprint Car drivers begin the two-day trek with a stop at Missouri’s Benton Speedway on Friday, May 8. Then, the Series crosses the Kentucky state line to visit Paducah International Raceway for the Mother’s Day Salute on Saturday, May 9. Both Feature races will offer a $4,000 winner’s share.

While the two tracks share the same 3/8-mile length, each brings different characteristics: Benton is a low-banked, gumbo-dirt facility, while Paducah is a high-banked clay racetrack. Both key to the hunt for the Emmett Hahn Championship Trophy.

BENTON INFO

PADUCAH INFO

WATCH ON DIRTVISION

Here’s what to look for this weekend:

Sam Staying Up – Sam Hafertepe Jr. may be looking for his first win of the 2026 season, but he hasn’t lost his way of staying at the top of the Series points standings.

With eight races complete in the ASCS campaign, the Sunnyvale, TX native holds the points lead by 66 markers over Matt Covington as he continues to chase a seventh Series championship.

Hafertepe has a history of feats between the two tracks. He won the 2025 Series event at Benton on the way to clinching the year-end championship. Though he’s never won at Paducah, Hafertepe owns the track’s 360 Sprint Car track record and has two second-place finishes with ASCS.

Hot Pursuit – As the sole championship chaser that has visited Victory Lane in the year, Matt Covington will visit two tracks that have treated him well in recent outings.

In two career starts at Benton, Covington’s highest finish is an eighth-place result from 2024. Across four Paducah appearances, the Glenpool, OK racer holds two ASCS National victories at the track in 2018 and 2025. He sits at a 1.75 average start and has never started outside of the top three.

With a 66-point gap separating Covington from Hafertepe for the Series lead, he has an opportunity to shorten the distance between the two days of racing with his second win of the season.

Who’s Next? – Amongst the field of title chasers in ASCS, five drivers are hoping to cross their first Feature win off the list in 2026.

The highest driver in the standings without a victory is Kyler Johnson, who has finished top-10 in the last six Features, including a top-five and second-place result at Central Arizona Raceway.

Behind Johnson, the Series regulars that are seeking a first-career win at Benton or Paducah include Ryder Laplante, Brogan Carder, Austyn Gossel, and Cole Schroeder. Gossel owns the highest finishes among the group, with a fifth-place at Benton and a runner-up at Paducah – both of which came in 2025.

Steady Gains – Seth Bergman began the 2026 season without scoring a top-10 finish at Volusia Speedway Park. Since then, he’s managed to finish in the top-10 six consecutive times, along with his first podium of the year at Salina Highbanks Speedway.

The 2024 champion’s climb up the Series standings in the last six Features has him placed in fourth, three points away from third-place Kyler Johnson and 102 points behind Hafertepe.

Though the Snohomish, WA driver has never claimed victory at Benton and Paducah, they have each played a hand in his success with the Series. In his only start at Benton in 2024, he finished in seventh place. In three appearances at Paducah, Bergman earned two top fives and a career-high of third in 2024.

Mighty 3/8 Miles – Benton and Paducah have each provided a share of ASCS history, and the May swing will add another chapter for the Series in entering the first racing weekend of May.

Benton made its debut in 1995 with all-time Series winner Gary Wright taking victory. The next year, Terry Gray and Jerrod Hull were triumphant in two races in June and July, respectively. In the return to the “Show Me State” track in 2024, Missouri native Joe B. Miller claimed his second career Series win, then Sam Hafertepe Jr took the most recent Feature win in 2025 at the facility.

Paducah made its first appearance with the Series in 2018 as Matt Covington captured his sixth career Series win. When the “Blue Grass State” 3/8-mile returned to the schedule in 2024, Sand Springs, OK’s Hank Davis scored his most recent ASCS triumph. Two separate visits to Paducah in 2025 saw Covington return to Victory Lane in May, and Jason Martin bagging the September showcase.

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

WHEN AND WHERE

May 8 at Benton Speedway in Benton, MO

May 9 at Paducah International Raceway in Paducah, KY

AROUND THE CORNER

Saturday, May 30 at Salt City Speedway in Hutchinson, KS

CURRENT TOP-10 STANDINGS

Sam Hafertepe Jr. (664pts)
Matt Covington (-66)
Kyler Johnson (-99)
Seth Bergman (-102)
Whit Gastineau (-152)
Ryder Laplante(-186)
Brogan Carder (-229)
Terry Easum (-231)
Hank Davis (-239)
Austyn Gossel (-239)

FEATURE WINNERS (6 Drivers)

2 wins – Justin Peck, Tyler Courtney

1 win – Chris Martin, Brady Bacon, Levi Hillier, Matt Covington

FEATURE LAPS LED (12 Drivers)

52 laps – Justin Peck

30 laps – Levi Hillier

22 laps – Chris Martin

21 laps – Austin McCarl

18 laps – Brady Bacon, Matt Covington

16 laps – Cameron Martin

13 laps – Brian Brown

10 laps – Kyler Johnson

7 laps – Cole Macedo

6 laps – Tyler Courtney

3 laps – Sean McClelland

QUICK TIME AWARDS (4 Drivers)

4 awards – Sam Hafertepe Jr

1 award – Chris Martin, Levi Hillier, Kyler Johnson

HEAT RACE WINNERS (22 Drivers)

3 wins – Matt Covington

2 wins – Whit Gastineau, Chris Martin, Sam Hafertepe Jr, Justin Peck

1 win – Sean McClelland, Garrett Benson, Cam Martin, Brady Bacon, Tyler Clem, Emerson Axsom, Brian Brown, Cole Macedo, Garen Linder, Colby Copeland, Nick Parker, Hank Davis, Ryder Laplante, JJ Hickle, Seth Bergman, Kyler Johnson, Alex Hill

DASH STARTS (26 Drivers)

6 starts – Sam Hafertepe Jr

5 starts – Kyler Johnson

4 starts – Whit Gastineau, Levi Hillier, Matt Covington

3 starts – Chris Martin, Tyler Courtney, Brian Brown, Justin Peck

2 starts – Camerson Martin, Emerson Axsom, Austin McCarl, Brady Bacon, Davie Franek

1 start – Garrett Benson, Brock Zearfoss, Cole Macedo, Tyler Clem, Hank Davis, Ryder Laplante, Nick Parker, Colby Copeland, Garen Linder, JJ Hickle, Seth Bergman, Alex Hill

SMITH TITANIUM LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (6 Drivers)

2 wins – Braxton Weger

1 win – DJ Christie, Matt Covington, Tyler Clem, Whit Gastineau, Sterling Cling

HARD CHARGER AWARDS (8 Drivers)

1 award – Seth Bergman, Ryder Laplante, Brady Bacon, Cole Macedo, Sam Hafertepe Jr., DJ Netto, Whit Gastineau, Brogan Carder

PODIUM FINISHES (14 Drivers)

4 podiums – Sam Hafertepe Jr.

3 podiums – Justin Peck

2 podiums – Tyler Courtney, Brady Bacon, Austin McCarl, Matt Covington, Levi Hillier

1 podium – Chris Martin, Seth Bergman, Cole Macedo, Emerson Axsom, Brock Zearfoss, Kyler Johnson, JJ Hickle

2026 AMERICAN SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE + WINNERS

Date / Track / City, State / Winner (Total Wins)

TOP FIVE STORYLINES: Midwest Doubleheader Brings 360 Stars to Benton, Paducah BENTON, MO (May 5, 2026) — The American Sprint Car Series is set to open the May slate with a return to the Midwest.