NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: NASCAR All-Star Race
The Place: Texas Motor Speedway
The Date: Sunday, May 22
The Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 7:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 187.5 miles (125 Laps); Stage 1 (25 Laps), Stage 2 (25 Laps), Stage 3 (25 Laps), Final Stage (50 Laps)
NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: NASCAR All-Star Open
The Place: Texas Motor Speedway
The Date: Sunday, May 22
The Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 5 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 75 miles (50 Laps); Stage 1 (20 Laps), Stage 2 (20 Laps), Final Stage (10 Laps)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: SRS Distribution 250
The Place: Texas Motor Speedway
The Date: Saturday, May 21
The Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 1 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 250.5 miles (167 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 40),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 80), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 167)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Next Race: SpeedyCash.com 220
The Place: Texas Motor Speedway
The Date: Friday, May 20
The Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 7:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 220.5 miles (147 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 35),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 70), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 147)
NASCAR Cup Series
Everything is bigger in Texas, even NASCAR All-Star Race weekend
For the second time in the prestigious event’s history, the NASCAR All-Star race and the NASCAR All-Star Open will take place at Texas Motor Speedway this Sunday, May 22. The NASCAR All-Star Open is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. ET and the main event, the NASCAR All-Star race, will follow at 8 p.m. ET (on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) with over a million dollars up for grabs.
The NASCAR All-Star Race was introduced in 1985 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and the first All-Star race was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip and crew chief Jeff Hammond. Waltrip led 27 laps in the 70-lap inaugural All-Star event en route to the win driving the No. 11 Junior Johnson & Associates Buick. It was Waltrip’s only career All-Star win.
This weekend’s NASCAR All-Star Race will be the 38th running of the prized exhibition race and Texas Motor Speedway (2021-2022) is the fourth different track to host the event; joining Charlotte Motor Speedway (34 All-Star races: 1985, 1987-2019), Atlanta Motor Speedway (1986) and Bristol Motor Speedway (2020).
The second NASCAR All-Star Race in 1986 was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the event was dominated by NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, who set the record for the most laps led in a NASCAR All-Star Race by a driver that won the event, leading 82 of the scheduled 83 laps (98.8%). Elliott started the event in the second starting position. Twice the NASCAR All-Star Race has been led by one driver flag-to-flag both at Charlotte; Dale Earnhardt led all 70 laps in 1990 and Davey Allison led all 70 laps (100%) in 1991.
The next 33 All-Star events would be held at Charlotte Motor Speedway until the 2020 season due to the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic- the race was rescheduled and moved to Bristol Motor Speedway. Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott grabbed his first NASCAR All-Star Race win at Bristol that season. The win made the Elliotts (Bill and Chase) the second father-son duo to win the NASCAR All-Star Race all-time, joining the Earnhardts (Dale and Dale Jr.).
Then last season, the special non-points event was moved to Texas Motor Speedway for the first time. And for the second straight season, the NASCAR All-Star Race was won by a Hendrick Motorsports driver – Kyle Larson. Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in NASCAR All-Star race victories with 10 among five drivers – Jimmie Johnson (four: 2003, 2006, 2012, 2013), Jeff Gordon (three: 1995, 1997, 2001), Terry Labonte (1999), Chase Elliott (2020) and Kyle Larson (2021).
It also was the second consecutive season the NASCAR All-Star Race winner went on to win the NASCAR Cup Series Championship in the same season. The feat has occurred 12 times since the inception of the All-Star race in 1985 by seven different drivers – Darrell Waltrip (1985), Dale Earnhardt (1987, 1990, 1993), Rusty Wallace (1989), Jeff Gordon (1995, 1997, 2001), Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2013), Chase Elliott (2020) and Kyle Larson (2021).
In total, the 37 NASCAR All-Star Races have produced 25 different winners, led by the recently retired Jimmie Johnson with four All-Star wins (2003, 2006, 2012 and 2013). Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick (2007, 2018) and Hendrick Motorsport’s Kyle Larson (2019, 2021) lead all active drivers in NASCAR All-Star Race wins with two each. In total, seven former NASCAR All-Star Race winners are entered this weekend:
| Active All-Star Winners | Wins | Seasons |
| Kyle Larson | 2 | 2021, 2019 |
| Kevin Harvick | 2 | 2018, 2007 |
| Chase Elliott | 1 | 2020 |
| Kyle Busch | 1 | 2017 |
| Joey Logano | 1 | 2016 |
| Denny Hamlin | 1 | 2015 |
| Kurt Busch | 1 | 2010 |
The 37 NASCAR All-Star Races have also produced 19 different pole winners; three of the 19 are active this weekend:
| Active Pole Winners | Poles | Seasons |
| Kyle Busch | 3 | 2012, 2011, 2008 |
| Kyle Larson | 1 | 2017 |
| Denny Hamlin | 1 | 2015 |
The NASCAR All-Star Race has been won from the pole or first starting position six times by five different drivers, the first three came in consecutive years – Dale Earnhardt (1990), Davey Allison (1991, 1992), Kurt Busch (2010), Denny Hamlin (2015) and Kyle Larson (2021).
The on-track activity for the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway will begin on Saturday, May 21 with practice for both the NASCAR All-Star Open and NASCAR All-Star Race from 7 p.m. – 7:35 p.m. ET directly followed by Qualifying for the NASCAR All-Star Open at 7:35 p.m. ET and Qualifying for the NASCAR All-Star Race at 7:55 p.m. ET (on FS1).
2022 NASCAR Open and NASCAR All-Star Race Formats:
The NASCAR All-Star Race has become one of the sport’s most innovative exhibition events, where formats and technical elements can be tested on a grand scale and this weekend’s spectacular will be no different.
NASCAR and Texas Motor Speedway announced the format and eligibility for the NASCAR All-Star Race on Sunday, May 22 that features four stages and 125 laps of on-track competition for a $1 million payday, stage winner incentives, amplified roles for the pit crews, and a distinctive head-to-head elimination qualifying format.
The NASCAR All-Star Race returns to Texas Motor Speedway for the second consecutive season and this 38th edition brings some unique twists for the eligible Cup drivers pursuing the winner-take-all $1 million payday. The most prominent twist will come in the form of a four-round qualifying format with head-to-head elimination rounds and the pivotal role of the pit crews.
The NASCAR All-Star Qualifying format is as follows:
- Opening round is the traditional single-car, one-lap format in reverse order of the current 2022 owner points.
- Fastest eight qualifiers transfer to a three-round, head-to-head elimination bracket.
- Elimination bracket will feature two cars staged in adjacent pit stalls near the end of pit road.
- At the sound of an alert, each pit crew will perform a four-tire stop and, at the drop of the jack, drivers will exit their pit stalls (with no speed limit) onto the track.
- First car back to the start/finish line advances to the next round.
- Final pairing competes for the pole.
The NASCAR All-Star Race format is as follows:
The race will consist of four stages, with the first three 25 laps in length and the fourth and final being a 50-lap shootout for the $1 million prize. The new format has provided a major incentive to win any of the opening three stages or the pit stop competition during the break between Stages 2 and 3.
· Stage 1 (25 laps): Stage 1 winner will start on the pole in the final stage as long as he finishes 15th or better in Stages 2 and 3.
· Stage 2 (25 laps): Stage 2 winner starts second in final stage as long as he finishes 15th or better in Stage 3.
· Special Stage Break (Pit Stop Competition): Each team must pit and perform a four-tire stop. The team with the shortest time on pit road (pit in/pit out) wins the pit crew award and the driver will start fourth in the final stage as long as he finishes 15th or better in Stage 3.
· Stage 3 (25 laps): Stage 3 winner starts third in final stage.
· Stage 4 (50 laps): Stage 1 winner starts first, Stage 2 winner second, Stage 3 winner third and pit stop competition winner fourth. If a “natural” caution occurs between laps 15-25 of the final stage, standard race procedures will be in effect. If no “natural” caution occurs during that time, NASCAR will call an “All Star” competition caution.
· Winner of Stage 4 earns $1 million.
NASCAR All-Star Open format is as follows:
- The NASCAR All-Star Open will run immediately prior to the NASCAR All-Star Race and will include three stages (20 laps / 20 laps / 10 laps).
- The winner of each stage will earn a spot in the NASCAR All-Star Race.
- The winner of the Fan Vote will also earn a spot in the NASCAR All-Star Race. Fans may vote for their favorite driver by visiting NASCAR.com.
Who’s already locked into the Main Event – the 2021 NASCAR All-Stars
Heading into this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, 20 different drivers have earned their spot in the NASCAR All-Star Race on May 22 at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Drivers eligible for the 2022 NASCAR All-Star Race consist of:
- Cup Series drivers who have earned a points-paying race victory in either 2021 or 2022.
- Previous NASCAR All-Star Race winners who are competing full-time this season.
- Previous NASCAR Cup Series champions who are competing full-time this season.
| Entry | Car | Driver | Organization | Crew Chief | Manufacturer |
| 1 | 1 | Ross Chastain | TrackHouse Racing | Phil Surgen | Chevrolet |
| 2 | 2 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Jeremy Bullins | Ford |
| 3 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart Haas Racing | Rodney Childers | Ford |
| 4 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Cliff Daniels | Chevrolet |
| 5 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | Matt McCall | Ford |
| 6 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Alan Gustafson | Chevrolet |
| 7 | 10 | Aric Almirola | Stewart Haas Racing | Drew Blickensderfer | Ford |
| 8 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chris Gabehart | Toyota |
| 9 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Jonathan Hassler | Ford |
| 10 | 14 | Chase Briscoe | Stewart Haas Racing | John Klausmeier | Ford |
| 11 | 16 | A J Allmendinger (i) | Kaulig Racing | George Spencer | Chevrolet |
| 12 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Ben Beshore | Toyota |
| 13 | 19 | Martin Truex Jr | Joe Gibbs Racing | James Small | Toyota |
| 14 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing | Adam Stevens | Toyota |
| 15 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Paul Wolfe | Ford |
| 16 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing | Bootie Barker III | Toyota |
| 17 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports | Ryan Fugle | Chevrolet |
| 18 | 34 | Michael McDowell | Front Row Motorsports | Blake Harris | Ford |
| 19 | 45 | Kurt Busch | 23XI Racing | Billy Scott | Toyota |
| 20 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports | Greg Ives | Chevrolet |
Of the 20 drivers already entered in the NASCAR All-Star race, seven have previously scored wins in the annual exhibition event, led by Kevin Harvick (2007, 2018) and Kyle Larson (2019, 2021) with two All-Star victories each. 2021 series champion, Kyle Larson is the most recent NASCAR All-Star race winner, bringing home the victory from Texas Motor Speedway last season.
In total, 24 drivers will make a start in this season’s NASCAR All-Star race and four additional positions will be added to the NASCAR All-Star Race field following the NASCAR All-Star Open – the NASCAR Open Stage 1 Winner, the NASCAR Open Stage 2 Winner, the NASCAR All-Star Open Winner, and the Fan Vote Winner.
Win and You’re In: A glimpse into the NASCAR All-Star Open
The NASCAR All-Star Open was first introduced into the NASCAR All-Star format on May 11, 1986, at Atlanta Motor Speedway; the non-points special event was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Benny Parsons with crew chief Cliff Champion, but it did not grant the team entry to the All-Star Race; that started the following season. Parsons was driving a Jackson Brothers Racing’s Oldsmobile when he won in 1986.
There have been 39 NASCAR All-Star Open events, one per year since 1986; except in 2000, 2001 and 2002, it was held as two events with both of the winners moving on to the All-Star Race. Starting in 2015, the NASCAR All-Star Open was broken up into segments and then in 2017 it was divided into stages and each winner of the segments or the stages earned a spot in the All-Star Race.
The NASCAR All-Star Open has featured a field that has ranged from 36 drivers from 1994-1996 to 14 drivers in the inaugural event in 1986. Last season’s Open field at Texas had 22 participants and this weekend’s event is anticipating 16 participants.
A total of 30 different drivers have won the NASCAR All-Star Open from 1986-2021; five are active this weekend but only one is entered in this weekend’s Open – Daniel Suarez – the other four former Open winners have already qualified for the All-Star race this season.
| Active Open Winners | Wins | Seasons |
| AJ Allmendinger | 2 | 2018, 2008 |
| Kyle Larson | 2 | 2019, 2016 |
| Martin Truex Jr | 2 | 2010, 2007 |
| Aric Almirola | 1 | 2021 |
| Daniel Suarez | 1 | 2017 |
Sterling Marlin leads the NASCAR Cup Series in NASCAR All-Star Open wins with four victories (1988, 1989, 1993 and 2004).
Eight of the 30 NASCAR All-Star Open winners have multiple wins – Sterling Marlin (four wins), AJ Allmendinger, Clint Bowyer, Jeremy Mayfield, Martin Truex Jr., Michael Waltrip, Kyle Larson and Todd Bodine each have two Open victories. And three drivers have won consecutive NASCAR All-Star Open events – Sterling Marlin (1988-89), Michael Waltrip (1991-92) and Clint Bowyer (2014-15).
Ryan Newman (2002) and Kyle Larson (2019) are the only two drivers to win the NASCAR Open and the All-Star Race in the same weekend.
Among the 16 drivers vying for the coveted wins in this weekend’s NASCAR All-Star Open to move on to the All-Star race, Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick has the best average finish in points-paying races at Texas Motor Speedway, with a series leading 8.667 in three starts. Right behind him is Petty GMS Motorsport’s Erik Jones with an average finish of 10.5 in 10 points-paying races at Texas.
NASCAR.com’s All-Star Fan Vote is still underway
The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race is Sunday, and the Fan Vote is still going strong for the big event at Texas Motor Speedway. Voting will be open until Friday at noon ET, so here’s a roundup of the top 10 drivers as May 10.
So far, the top 10 vote-getters in alphabetical order are: Chris Buescher, Harrison Burton, Cole Custer, Austin Dillon, Justin Haley, Erik Jones, Corey LaJoie, Tyler Reddick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Daniel Suárez.
Fans can vote here for one eligible driver once a day per unique email address. Votes shared on Facebook and Twitter will count as bonus entries, for a total of three votes per day.
The Stars of Texas Motor Speedway
Since this weekend will be the second time the NASCAR Cup Series has held the NASCAR All-Star Race and Open at Fort Worth’s Texas Motor Speedway, the best data to look at heading into Sunday is how drivers have performed in points-paying races at the famed 1.5-mile Texas track.
Of the seven former NASCAR Cup Series Texas Motor Speedway winners entered in this weekend’s festivities, all but one are already in the NASCAR All-Star Race. The lone star that hasn’t earned his spot in this weekend’s All-Star Race yet is Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillion (2020 Texas winner)
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch leads the series among active drivers in points-paying race wins at Texas Motor Speedway with four victories (2013, 2016, 2018, 2020). 2021 series champion and Hendrick Motorsport’s driver Kyle Larson is the most recent winner at the 1.5-mile track, grabbing the Playoff win last season.
Besides Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick are the only other active drivers with multiple wins at Texas.
| Active Texas Winners | Wins | Seasons |
| Kyle Busch | 4 | 2020, 2018, 2016, 2013 |
| Kevin Harvick | 3 | 2019, 2018, 2017 |
| Denny Hamlin | 3 | 2019, 2010 sweep |
| Austin Dillon | 1 | 2020 |
| Joey Logano | 1 | 2014 |
| Kurt Busch | 1 | 2009 |
| Kyle Larson | 1 | 2021 |
NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.
Blake Shelton to perform concert between NASCAR Open and All-Star Race – Country music superstar Blake Shelton will perform a live 60-minute concert at 5:30 p.m. CT between the NASCAR Open and the 7 p.m. CT green flag for the $1-million-to-win NASCAR All-Star Race.
“The incredible intensity of the drivers and teams as well as the Texas-sized excitement from our race fans is what makes the NASCAR All-Star Race just that much more special,” Texas Motor Speedway General Manager Rob Ramage said.
Tickets for the May 20-22 NASCAR All-Star Race Weekend, including the Blake Shelton concert, are on sale now at https://www.texasmotorspeedway.com/events/season-tickets/.
Banda MS De Sergio Lizarraga will perform post-race concert at Texas Motor Speedway – Banda MS De Sergio Lizarraga will perform a full ninety-minute set at the Texas Motor Speedway after the NASCAR All-Star Race on Sunday night, May 22, 2022.
“2021’s BMF Fest was the beginning of an amazing partnership with Texas Motor Speedway, NASCAR and Univision. Banda MS is consistently among the top groups in delivering Regional Mexican Music to our community. Having them perform at the end of the NASCAR All-Star Weekend is the perfect frosting on the cake,” said Mark Masepohl, President & General Manager, Univision Dallas
Banda MS De Sergio Lizárraga was born in 2003 in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico, and has been a staple in ranchera music for the past 16 years. Banda MS is listed by the specialized press as the most influential group of its kind and Spotify lists it as the most listened to Mexican artist, with 872 million streams achieved throughout 2020. The band has secured 20 consecutive #1 hits including “El Mechón,” “Mi Razón De Ser,” “Hermosa Experiencia,” and more.
“We are honored to partner with Univision and to have La Que Buena as our first-ever Spanish-language radio partner,” said Texas Motor Speedway General Manager Rob Ramage. “Texas Motor Speedway has hosted great events for the Hispanic community for years so Banda MS performing live as a special part of our NASCAR All-Star Race, a crown jewel motorsports event, is huge. I want everyone in the Hispanic community to join us and know that we support them.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Xfinity Series fires up for the Lone Star State
The NASCAR Xfinity Series had last weekend off to recharge and will be back at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 21 at 1:30 p.m. ET for the SRS Distribution 250 on FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Fans will be back at the 1.5-mile track after last seeing Camping World Truck Series regular John Hunter Nemechek steal the victory in his fourth Xfinity Series start of the 2021 season (second Xfinity Series career win).
Texas Motor Speedway has produced 24 pole winners and 22 race winners in 42 Xfinity Series races with NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin winning the inaugural race on April 5, 1997.
Only six races have been won from the pole or first starting position in Xfinity Series history at Texas and the last driver to accomplish the feat was Ryan Blaney in 2018.
Kyle Busch has made quite the name for himself in just 23 Xfinity Series starts at the Fort Worth, Texas track. He holds the record for most poles (4), most wins (10), most top fives (17), most top 10s (18), most lead lap finishes (20) and most laps led (1,795).
Texas is a memorable place not only for Busch, but for others as well as it is a place of firsts. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1998), Kurt Busch (2006), Chase Elliott (2014) and Erik Jones (2015) all got their first Xfinity Series win at Texas Motor Speedway while Denny Hamlin (2006), David Ragan (2007) and Alex Bowman (2013), all got their first Xfinity pole in Texas.
The on-track action for the Xfinity Series will begin on Friday, May 20 when drivers start their engines for practice at 6 p.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 6:30 p.m. ET (on FS1).
Buckle up! It’s about to get rowdy!
Kyle Busch won’t be making a NASCAR Xfinity Series appearance this weekend and John Hunter Nemechek won’t be competing to claim a back-to-back Texas Motor Speedway win but there’s sure to be some good competition out on the track on Saturday.
Last year’s Fall race runner-up was Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemric and he’s proven to be a force at the Texas track. Although his first stint in 2017 wasn’t what he expected (finished 32nd), he quickly turned things around on his second go that season and finished in the top 15. Since then, he has posted three top fives and four top 10s at Texas Motor Speedway. Hemric sits with one top five and four top 10s thus far this season and is looking to post his first win since last seeing Victory Lane at the 2021 Xfinity Series Championship in Phoenix.
Hemric’s teammate AJ Allmendinger could also call some attention for the Kaulig Racing team. Allmendinger has only given the track a go twice in his Xfinity Series career but won the pole both times and placed sixth place in both races. Allmendinger has posted a top-10 finish in every race this season thus far and already has a win under his belt.
Another driver sure to turn some heads this weekend is the Xfinity Series’ latest winner, JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier. The veteran has posted 23 starts at the track with four top fives and 12 top 10s, including a runner-up finish in last year’s Texas Spring race. He’s coming off of a great win two weeks ago in Darlington and has posted four top fives and six top 10s this season. With a win in Texas, he would become the first back-to-back winner this season. (The last driver in the Xfinity Series to win back-to-back races was Noah Gragson last season when he won in Darlington and Richmond).
Speaking of Gragson, he’s also someone to watch at the SRS Distribution 250. Last season, he posted top-10 finishes in both Texas races and overall has a good record at 1.5-mile tracks. He has posted six top five and seven top 10 finishes in seven starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and three top fives and four top 10s in five starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, just to name a few. On top of that, he already has two wins this season (Phoenix and Talladega) with eight top fives and eight top 10s. If Gragson finds Victory Lane this weekend, he will tie Ty Gibbs for most wins this season thus far (three).
Xfinity Playoff Bubble: Five spots remain
Seven drivers have already clinched their spots in this season’s Playoffs with their respective wins – Ty Gibbs, Noah Gragson, AJ Allmendinger, Justin Allgaier, Josh Berry, Brandon Jones and Austin Hill – leaving just five spots left with 15 races to go in the regular season.
Although yet to post a win this season, JR Motorsport’s Sam Mayer currently sits in the eighth-place position with a 69-point cushion ahead of the Playoff cutoff. Mayer has had a top-five finish in all but one of the last six races this season and could very well work his way to a win joining JRM teammates Gragson, Allgaier and Berry.
In the ninth-place position is Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst who is 54 points ahead of the cutline. Just one point shy in the 10th-place position is RSS Racing’s Ryan Sieg who is 53 points up on the Playoff cutline. Sieg has posted one top five and seven top 10s in 11 starts this season.
Rounding out the last two slots in the current Playoff outlook are Landon Cassill (+35) and defending series champion Daniel Hemric (+22).
Just outside the postseason cutoff is driver of No. 23 Our Motorsports Chevrolet, Anthony Alfredo (-22). The 23-year-old has yet to post a series win, but he’s posted one top five, three top 10s and eight top 15s this season.
Alfredo is the only driver outside the Playoff cutline currently within striking distance of the postseason. Jeb Burton (-62), Sheldon Creed (-68), Brett Moffitt (-72), Brandon Brown (-80), Myatt Snider (-127) and Jeremy Clements (-127) are all more than 60 points back from Daniel Hemric in the 12th and final Playoff transfer position.
NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.
JR Motorsports going for four straight wins – The last three races of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season have been won by JR Motorsports drivers – Noah Gragson (Talladega on 4/23), Josh Berry (Dover on 4/30) and Justin Allgaier (Darlington on 5/7) – this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway the organization will look to win its fourth straight race for the first time in its existence in the series.
If JRM wins their fourth race this season this weekend it will be the sixth time in NASCAR Xfinity Series history (1985-2022) that an organization has won four or more consecutive races in a single season. JR Motorsports would also become the fourth different team to accomplish the feat joining Howard Thomas Racing (1983), RFK Racing (2000) and Joe Gibbs Racing (2008, 2016, 2021).
Joe Gibbs Racing holds the record for the most consecutive wins in a single season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with six straight wins from April 5, 2008 – May 9 2008.
If JR Motorsports wins its fourth straight race with driver Sam Mayer this weekend, then JRM would become the first organization to win four or more consecutive races with four different drivers.
AJ Allmendinger on a hot streak of top 10s – Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger has started the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series posting 11 consecutive top-10 finishes heading into this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Allmendinger’s streak of top-10 finishes this season is the fourth longest streak of consecutive top 10s to start a NASCAR Xfinity Series season behind Sam Ard (23 consecutive top 10s in 1984), Regan Smith (13 consecutive top 10s in 2014) and Elliott Sadler (12 consecutive top 10s in 2018).
Allmendinger has made two series starts at Texas Motor Speedway posting two top 10s and an average finish of 6.0.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Camping World Truck Series heads to the Lone Star state
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is halfway through the 16-race regular season and is headed to Texas Motor Speedway for the SpeedyCash.com 220 for some high-speed action under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway (8:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Texas Motor Speedway has hosted 47 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races dating back to the inaugural event on June 6, 1997. The first Camping World Truck Series race at Texas was won by Kenny Irwin Jr. driving the No. 98 Ford for owner Jim Herrick.
The 47 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races at Texas Motor Speedway have produced 29 different pole winners and 25 different race winners.
Mike Skinner leads the series in poles at Texas with five (2004, 2005 sweep, 2006, 2007). ThorSport Racing’s Matt Crafton leads all active drivers this weekend in poles with three (2009, 2010, 2015).
Halmar Friesen Racing’s driver Todd Bodine leads the series in wins at Texas with six victories (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010). Bodine is joined by Matt Crafton (two wins: 2014, 2015) and John Hunter Nemechek (2021) as the only three active winners entered this weekend.
This weekend’s on-track activity for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will begin with practice from 4 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET, directly followed by Cometic Gaskets Pole Qualifying at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Front Row Motorsport’s Zane Smith sets himself apart from the competition
After his dominating performance at Kansas Speedway last weekend, Front Row Motorsport’s Zane Smith has set the ‘champion favorite’ spotlight square on his shoulders.
The Huntington Beach, California native has posted a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series leading three wins this season on three completely different types of tracks – the Daytona superspeedway, the Circuit of The Americas road course and then last weekend’s 1.5-mile intermediate speedway at Kansas. He has also cashed-in on four stage wins in addition to his race wins bringing his Playoff points total to a series leading 19 points – nine more than Ben Rhodes’ 10 Playoff points (second-most).
Not only has Zane Smith been collecting the most checkered flags this season, but he has also been out front the most, leading laps in six of the eight races totaling 201 of the 1,054 scheduled laps this year (19.07%).
But it was last weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway that Smith put on his best performance of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 54-start career. The 22-year-old put on a clinic, starting fourth and racing his way to the front leading 108 (race-most) of the scheduled 134 laps (80.6%) and in the process posted his first career Perfect Driver Rating (150.0). Smith became the 13th different driver in the series to score a Perfect Driver Rating and the first this season.
Smith hopes to keep his early season success flowing this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway where he has made three series starts posting one top- five and two top-10 finishes. He finished sixth in this event last season.
John Hunter Nemechek returns to Texas to defend last season’s win
Last season, Kyle Busch Motorsport’s driver John Hunter Nemechek left Texas Motor Speedway with the fourth of his 2021 series leading five victories on the year. Fast forward to this week, and though Nemechek might not have the same number of wins under his belt, he is right back into the championship mix currently second in the standings, 20 points back from the lead, as he heads to Texas Motor Speedway to defend his 2021 victory. Nemechek is also looking to become the fifth different driver to win consecutive races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Texas Motor Speedway; joining Brendan Gaughan (four straight: 2002 sweep-2003 sweep), Todd Bodine (2005, 2006), Ron Hornaday Jr. (2008 sweep), Johnny Sauter (2012 sweep, 2017-2018).
This season, Nemechek has made eight starts putting up three poles, one win (Darlington), four top fives and five top 10s. His average finish this season is 11.1.
Looking to this weekend at Texas, Nemechek has made six starts at the Fort Worth track posting one win (2021), one top five and two top 10s.
2021 champ Ben Rhodes still holds the series standings lead after eight races
Defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Ben Rhodes is eight races through the 2022 regular season on a quest to become just the second driver in series history to win back-to-back titles (Matt Crafton, 2013-‘14) and has firm grasp on the driver standings lead heading into Texas this weekend for the SpeedyCash.com 220.
Rhodes catapulted to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver standings lead following Martinsville and has since built on his points cushion ahead of second place over the last three races. In eight starts this season, he has collected one win (Bristol), five top fives (series-most) and six top 10s.
Currently, Rhodes is 20 points up on Kyle Busch Motorsport’s driver John Hunter Nemechek in second, and 21 points up on the season wins leader and Front Row Motorsport’s driver Zane Smith in third place.
Only eight races remain to decide who will win the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Regular Season Championship this season and bank not only the prestigious trophy, but the additional 15 Playoff points that come with it.
The inception of the Playoffs in the series was in 2016, but the Regular Season Championship wasn’t introduced until the 2017 season, and since then, no driver has won the Regular Season title more than once – John Hunter Nemechek (2021), Austin Hill (2020), Grant Enfinger (2019), Johnny Sauter (2018), and Christopher Bell (2017).
Of the five different drivers to win the NASCAR Camping World truck Series Regular Season Championship, Christopher Bell is the only one to go on and win the overall season title (2017).
Rhodes will look to keep building on his points lead this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. The Kentucky native, has made 11 starts at Texas posting two top fives and four top 10s.
Playoff Bubble: Six spots still available at halfway
We’re halfway through the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular season and just four Playoff eligible drivers have won this season, leaving six postseason spots still up for grabs with eight races to decide the field.
Following Kansas Speedway last weekend, four drivers have locked themselves into the Playoffs by virtue of their wins this season – Zane Smith (three wins: Daytona, COTA, Kansas), Chandler Smith (Las Vegas), Ben Rhodes (Bristol), John Hunter Nemechek (Darlington).
At the other end of the Playoff outlook is ThorSport Racing’s Matt Crafton in the 10th and final transfer position following Kansas. Crafton holds a 20-point advantage over Tanner Gray in 11th – the first position outside the Playoffs. Crafton holds the record for the most Playoff appearances in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and has made each of the postseasons since the inception of the Playoffs in the series in 2016; a streak of the last six seasons (2016-2021).
Looking to this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, the pendulum of experience at the 1.5-mile track couldn’t have swung further apart when it comes to Crafton and Gray. Gray has made three series starts at Texas posting two top-10 finishes while Crafton has made 41 appearances in this event putting up three poles, two wins (2014, 2015), 17 top fives and 29 top 10s. To put the vast difference in experience at Texas between these two drivers teetering the Playoff cutline into perspective, Crafton made his first Truck Series start at Texas in 2001, two years after Gray was born in 1999.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Etc.
Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings update following Kansas – With eight races in the books for the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, the halfway point of the regular season, Niece Motorsport’s teammates Lawless Alan and Dean Thompson hold the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings top two spots, respectively. Alan is 20 points ahead of Thompson in second following Kansas.
Alan grabbed his fourth Sunoco Rookie of the Race Award last weekend at Kansas Speedway thanks to his 19th-place finish. This season, Alan has been a quick study in the Truck Series putting up five top-20 finishes in eight starts. His average finish this season is 22.1
Alan’s Niece Motorsports teammate, Dean Thompson is currently second in the standings after posting two top-15 and three top-20 finishes. Thompson has also secured the second-most Sunoco Rookie of the Race Awards this season with three.
GMS Racing’s Jack Wood is third in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings, 27 points back from Alan in the rookie standings lead and nine points behind Thompson in second. Alan, Thompson, and Wood are the only three rookies to run fulltime this season. Wood has mustered one top-15 and two top-20 finishes this season. His average finish through eight races is 26.4.
All five rookies will be attempting to make their NASCAR Camping World Truck Series track debut this weekend.
2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Standings following Kansas
| Rookies | Points | Awards | |
| Lawless Alan | 119 | 4 | |
| Dean Thompson | 101 | 3 | |
| Jack Wood | 92 | 1 | |
| Corey Heim | 89 | 0 | |
| Blaine Perkins | 41 | 0 |
Armani Williams to attempt season debut this weekend in Texas – This weekend Armani Williams attempt to make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season debut at Texas Motor Speedway and join Thad Moffitt, Brad Perez, Blake Lothian, Keith McGee, Akinori Ogata and Jesse Iwuji as the seventh different driver to pilot the No 43 Reaume Brothers Racing Chevrolet this season.
Williams has made one previous career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start in his career at World Wide Technology Raceway in 2021; he started 36th and finished 21st posting a positive place differential of 15 positions.
Preece, Chastain and Bodine back in the Truck Series this weekend – Three big names you will recognize are returning to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this weekend for the SpeedyCash.com 220 at Texas Motor Speedway – Ryan Preece, Ross Chastain and two-time series champion Todd Bodine.
Preece will be behind the wheel of the No. 17 Team DGR Ford with crew chief Chad Johnston. This will be his fourth start of the season for Team DGR in the series. His previous three starts have produced one top five and three top 10s.
Chastain will pilot the No. 41 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet this weekend. He has made two previous Truck Series starts this season posting an average finish of 24.5.
Bodine returns to the No. 62 Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota this weekend at Texas. He has made two previous starts this season posting one top-10 finish (Darlington).
Of the three drivers, Bodine (10.167) has the best average finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Texas Motor Speedway, followed by Chastain (18.333). Preece will be making his series track debut this weekend. Also worth noting, Bodine leads the series in wins at Texas Motor Speedway with six victories but hasn’t been to Victory Lane at the 1.5-mile track since 2010.
