NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Go Bowling 235
The Place: Daytona International Speedway Road Course
The Date: Sunday, August 16
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: NBC, 2:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 234.65 miles (65 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 15),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 30), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 65)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: UNOH 188
The Place: Daytona International Speedway Road Course
The Date: Saturday, August 15
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 2:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 187.72 miles (52 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 15),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 30), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 52)
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series
Next Race: Sunoco 159
The Place: Daytona International Speedway Road Course
The Date: Sunday, August 16
The Time: 12 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 11 a.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 158.85 miles (44 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 12),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 25), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 44)
ARCA Menards Series
Next Race: General Tire 100
The Place: Daytona International Speedway Road Course
The Date: Friday, August 14
The Time: 5 p.m. ET
TV: Broadcast live on MAVTV and streamed live on NBC Gold TrackPass
Distance: 101.8 miles (28 laps)
NASCAR Cup Series
Daytona Road Course welcomes the NASCAR Cup Series
For the first time in NASCAR Cup Series history the series will compete on the Daytona International Speedway Road Course for the inaugural Go Bowling 235 this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
The Daytona International Speedway Road Course has been measured at 3.61-miles and the competitors will have to navigate through 14 turns; including the newly added chicane on the Frontstretch between Turn 4 and Tri-Oval. This weekend’s Go Bowling 235 will be 65 laps (231.465 miles) and will be broken up into three stages. The first two stages will be 15 laps each and the final stage will be 35 laps.
| Cup Road Course Tracks | Races |
| Riverside | 48 |
| Watkins Glen | 37 |
| Sonoma | 31 |
| Bridgehampton | 4 |
| Lancaster | 2 |
| Charlotte ROVAL | 2 |
| Augusta (RC) | 1 |
| Kitsap | 1 |
| Linden | 1 |
| Road America | 1 |
| Titusville-Cocoa | 1 |
| Total | 129 |
Over the course of its 71-year history (1949-2020) the NASCAR Cup Series has held 129 road course races among 11 different tracks, the Daytona Road Course will be 12th different road course the series has competed on. Riverside International Raceway has hosted the series-most road course events at 48; followed by Watkins Glen International with 37 and Sonoma Raceway with 31.
The 129 NASCAR Cup Series road course races have produced 52 different winners, led by NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon with nine victories (Sonoma: five wins, Watkins Glen: four) and Tony Stewart with eight (Sonoma: three, Watkin Glen: five). NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison holds NASCAR Cup Series record for the most wins on a single road course with six victories at Riverside International Speedway (1971, 1973, 1975, 1979, 1981 sweep).
While this will be the NASCAR Cup Series’ first visit on the road course, the iconic layout that has been the home of the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA, North America’s premier sports car race, since 1962. Most of the NASCAR Cup Series field will be making their track debuts this weekend, but 10 active drivers entered this week have some experience competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship events at the Daytona Road Course – the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Paul Revere 250.
Hendrick Motorsport’s driver and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has made seven Rolex 24 starts posting a career-best finish of runner-up in 2005 and 2008.
“It’s a fun track,” said Johnson. “It might seem like a surprise to some, but in my mind, I felt like it would be a good option. It’s fun just doing different things, new things and this year has brought a lot of that. There’s silver lining moments we’re all experiencing with this pandemic. You look at the schedule and races moving around and Daytona being an example of that with the road course, it’s nice to have something a little different, especially where I sit with my career and looking for new experiences.”
The only other driver with that much experience on the Daytona Road Course is Front Row Motorsport’s Michael McDowell who also made seven starts in the Rolex 24 posting a best finish of third in 2012.
But of the 10 active NASCAR drivers with Daytona Road Course starts only one has ever won at the famed track – Brendan Gaughan finished 12th overall and won the Rolex 24 in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge class in 2011.
Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch is the most recent to compete on the road course. He drove a GTD-class Toyota Lexus-RCF in the 2020 Rolex 24, finishing 26th overall, ninth in class.
The 10 active NASCAR Cup Series drivers entered this weekend with previous starts on the Daytona Road Course in other series:
· Jimmie Johnson – Rolex 24 (2004, ‘05, ‘07, ‘08, ‘09, ‘10, ‘11); Paul Revere (2007)
· Michael McDowell – Rolex 24 (2005, ‘06, ‘07, ‘08, ‘09, ‘11, ‘12); Paul Revere (2005, ‘06)
· James Davison – Rolex 24 (2014, ‘15, ‘16) Qualified on GTD class pole for 2015 Rolex 24
· Kyle Busch – Paul Revere (2009), Rolex 24 (2020)
· Kurt Busch – Rolex 24 (2005, ‘08)
· Kevin Harvick – Rolex 24 (2002)
· Clint Bowyer – Rolex 24 (2013)
· Matt Kenseth – Rolex 24 (2005)
· Timmy Hill – Rolex 24 (2012)
· Brendan Gaughan – Rolex 24 (2011 – won the event in the Porsche GT3 class)
Cup Series active road course ringers gear up
| Active NCS Road Course Winners | Wins |
| Kyle Busch | 4 |
| Martin Truex Jr | 4 |
| Chase Elliott | 3 |
| Kevin Harvick | 2 |
| Clint Bowyer | 1 |
| Denny Hamlin | 1 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 1 |
| Joey Logano | 1 |
| Kurt Busch | 1 |
| Ryan Blaney | 1 |
While most of the NASCAR Cup Series races on the 2020 schedule focus on turning just left, this weekend the competitors will have to overcome not only turning left and right but also while making their first laps ever on the famous 3.61-mile, 14-turn Daytona International Speedway Road Course.
Of the drivers entered this weekend, 10 have previous NASCAR Cup Series wins on road courses. Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch (Sonoma: two wins, Watkins Glen: two) and Martin Truex Jr. (Sonoma: three wins, Watkins Glen: one) lead all active drivers in road course wins with four each.
Hendrick Motorsport’s driver Chase Elliott is the most recent Cup Series winner on a road course taking the checkered flags at two of the three road courses on the 2019 schedule – Watkins Glen International and the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL.
Playoff Bubble: Four races left to make the postseason
With only four races remaining in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season time is running out for the competitors vying for the final six Playoff transfer spots.
A total of 10 drivers have clinched their spot in the postseason on wins – Kevin Harvick (six wins), Denny Hamlin (five), Brad Keselowski (three), Joey Logano (two), Ryan Blaney (one), Chase Elliott (one), Martin Truex Jr. (one), Alex Bowman (one), Austin Dillon (one), Cole Custer (one).
Possible to Clinch at Next Race (sorted by points) at Daytona:
Clinch On Wins
The following nine drivers have already clinched a top 30 spot in the points and with a win this weekend, they could clinch a Playoff spot on wins:
Aric Almirola (0 Wins, 669 Points, +431 Points Ahead of 31st)
Kyle Busch (0 Wins, 651 Points, +413 Points Ahead of 31st)
Kurt Busch (0 Wins, 648 Points, +410 Points Ahead of 31st)
Clint Bowyer (0 Wins, 571 Points, +333 Points Ahead of 31st)
Matt DiBenedetto (0 Wins, 568 Points, +330 Points Ahead of 31st)
William Byron (0 Wins, 537 Points, +299 Points Ahead of 31st)
Erik Jones (0 Wins, 511 Points, +273 Points Ahead of 31st)
Jimmie Johnson (0 Wins, 511 Points, +273 Points Ahead of 31st)
Tyler Reddick (0 Wins, 501 Points, +263 Points Ahead of 31st)
Clinch Top 30 and Wins
The next five drivers still need to clinch a top 30 spot in points to be able to clinch a spot in the Playoffs on wins:
Christopher Bell (0 Wins, 415 Points, +177 Points Ahead of 31st) – Could clinch a top 30 spot on their own with 52 points this weekend. Can clinch a Playoff spot at Daytona with a win and clinching a top 30 spot in points.
Four of the five drivers attempting to clinch a spot in the top 30 in the driver standings will need help this weekend to accomplish the feat, but if they do and win the race, they will clinch a Playoff spot.
Darrell Wallace Jr. (0 Wins, 400 Points, +162 Points Ahead of 31st)
Michael McDowell (0 Wins, 376 Points, +138 Points Ahead of 31st)
Chris Buescher (0 Wins, 371 Points, +133 Points Ahead of 31st)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (0 Wins, 369 Points, +131 Points Ahead of 31st)
Impossible to Clinch
Even with a win, John Hunter Nemechek (0 Wins, 341 Points, +103 Points Ahead of 31st) would not clinch a top 30 spot, so he cannot clinch a Playoff berth in the next race. If he can’t clinch a top 30 with a win, no other winless drivers below him in the standings could clinch either.
NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.:
Harvick can wrap up regular season title at Daytona RC – Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick can clinch the NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Championship in the next race with help, if he finishes the next race 181 points ahead of second in the driver standings. Currently he has 137 points lead over second place Brad Keselowski and 140 points lead over third place Denny Hamlin. Harvick has accumulated 35 Playoff points through 22 races this season. If he were to win the Regular Season title and be awarded the 15 bonus Playoff points it would bring his total to 50 Playoff points to carry throughout the postseason.
Daytona adds new chicane to famous road course – NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway announced a new twist to the storied, high-banked tri-oval/infield road course with the addition of a chicane at the exit of the NASCAR turn four that will provide competitors with yet another passing zone. The new chicane now creates a 14-turn, 3.61-mile layout (from the 3.56-mile/12 turn) on the storied DAYTONA Road Course, which, for the first time in history, will play host to NASCAR’s three top national series, along with the ARCA Menards Series.
“Daytona International Speedway is known for producing iconic moments in the history of NASCAR, and this will surely join that long list,” said track President Chip Wile.
Special trophy awaits Daytona Road Course winner – The winner of this Sunday’s (Aug. 16) historic first NASCAR Cup Series race on the world famous road course at Daytona International Speedway – the Go Bowling 235 At The DAYTONA Road Course – will win a special, one-of-a-kind trophy, produced by The Corning Museum of Glass. The Corning Museum of Glass has partnered with Watkins Glen International to design a trophy for its NASCAR Cup Series races since 2012.
Traditional glassmaking methods were used on the 18” tall/4.5” wide prize, incorporating a blown glass cup that plays on the history of NASCAR (began in 1948), “The World Center of Racing” Daytona International Speedway (opened in 1959), and Daytona Beach, the “Birthplace of Speed,” which dates back to 1903 when automotive competition began on the sands of the beach. Photos of production, as well as the finished trophy, are located here.
“Thinking about the history of the track and long-held traditions, I was reminded that historically, trophies used to be cups and have evolved into sculptural forms,” said Eric Meek, Sr. Manager of Hot Glass Programs at The Corning Museum of Glass, the foremost authority on the art, history, science and design of glass. “We took this trophy back to a more traditional shape. Daytona is the most historical track, and in thinking about a trophy design for a race held in this storied location, I was transported back to the golden age of speed. I wanted to design something that felt like a bit of a throwback – like it belonged in the era of streamline racers and the quest to go faster.”
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Xfinity Series kicks off historic weekend for three national series at Daytona Road Course
The NASCAR Xfinity Series is sticking with road-course action for the second weekend in a row, but this time, they will compete for the first time in series history on the Daytona International Speedway Road Course.
The UNOH 188 will kick off the historic weekend for all three NASCAR national series on Saturday afternoon (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
The Xfinity Series competed at Road America last weekend, where road course ace Austin Cindric was victorious for the fourth time this season.
Luckily for the drivers, they are in road course mode right now having just competed on the Road America road course while the other two series competed at Michigan International Speedway last weekend. But Saturday’s race is going to be new and tricky for every driver entered. On top of the series never competing on the course, there has been a new chicane added in Turn 4.
The race will be 187.72 miles and 52 laps. The first stage will end on Lap 15 and the second stage will end on Lap 30. Cindric will lead the field to green from the pole.
Cindric and points leader Chase Briscoe both competed in GT races at the road course prior to the start of the Rolex 24 this season. Cindric has three Rolex 24 starts to his name.
AJ Allmendinger is a past winner in the Rolex 24 in 2012 and was the runner-up in 2006 and finished third in 2013.
Keeping track of the Playoff bubble
The Xfinity Series is back on a road course this weekend to make history along with the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series.
With Austin Cindric taking home his fourth win of the season last weekend at Road America, six drivers remain locked into the Playoffs with a win. Spots seven through 12 are still up for grabs.
Although, Brandon Brown, who is holding onto the final Playoff spot right now extended his lead further over the weekend, road courses can shake up everything especially when no one has ever run a race on it.
Ross Chastain is still holding onto the seventh spot in the driver Playoff standings as the first driver without a win. Justin Allgaier is right behind Chastain in eighth and Michael Annett is in ninth. Ryan Sieg jumped up one spot to 10th while Riley Herbst, a Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, is hanging on to the 11th spot.
| Rank | Driver | Points | Race Wins | Stage Wins | Pts from Cutoff |
| 1 | Chase Briscoe | 760 | 5 | 3 | In On Wins |
| 2 | Austin Cindric | 771 | 4 | 7 | |
| 3 | Noah Gragson | 697 | 2 | 8 | |
| 4 | Harrison Burton # | 608 | 2 | 0 | |
| 5 | Brandon Jones | 523 | 2 | 2 | |
| 6 | Justin Haley | 636 | 1 | 2 | |
| 7 | Ross Chastain | 708 | 0 | 0 | 358 |
| 8 | Justin Allgaier | 598 | 0 | 7 | 248 |
| 9 | Michael Annett | 543 | 0 | 0 | 193 |
| 10 | Ryan Sieg | 436 | 0 | 2 | 86 |
| 11 | Riley Herbst # | 424 | 0 | 0 | 74 |
| 12 | Brandon Brown | 403 | 0 | 0 | 53 |
| 13 | Jeremy Clements | 350 | 0 | 0 | -53 |
| 14 | Myatt Snider # | 330 | 0 | 0 | -73 |
| 15 | Josh Williams | 317 | 0 | 0 | -86 |
Jeremy Clements has been hanging onto the 13th spot right below the cutline and Myatt Snider, another rookie, is in 14th, 73 points back from the cutline. Josh Williams has made his way up to the 15th spot.
Noah Gragson continues to hold the most stage wins of any driver in the series with eight and his JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier and Team Penske’s Austin Cindric are tied with seven.
Road course connoisseurs on deck at Daytona
Saturday’s UNOH 188 (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCR Radio) will mark the third road course race of the season so far for the Xfinity Series.
The first road course race this season was also a historic one as the series ran on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course for the first time in history. Chase Briscoe won the race after leading 30 laps and starting in 12th. Briscoe has competed in GT races at the road course prior to the start of this year’s Rolex 24, giving him some experience on the track.
Austin Cindric won the second road course race last weekend at Road America for the series. He started second and led 19 laps en route to the win. Cindric has three starts in the Rolex 24 (2017-2019).
It is no secret that Briscoe and Cindric are two of the best road course racers that run fulltime in the Xfinity Series. Both drivers got their first career wins on a road course and also happen to be the two drivers dominating the 2020 season.
But, other familiar names such as AJ Allmendinger, who will return to Kaulig Racing again this weekend to run the No. 16, and his teammate Justin Haley, show strength on road courses. Allmendinger is a past overall winner in the Rolex24 in 2012 and was the runner-up in 2006 while finishing third in 2013.
“The Daytona road course – it’s happening. I’m ready! Road America was a great day, and we almost got the win. I’m so proud of everyone at Kaulig racing. We’re making such great progress. I can’t wait to get to Daytona. I think I’ve done 15 Rolex 24 hour races now. This will be the first time in a Xfinity car on the road course. With the added chicane off of Turn 4, it’s going to make for some good action. Overall, I’m so proud of this race team. We’re getting so close. I’m ready to go win and pull into victory lane at Daytona for the second time with Kaulig Racing there. I have to try to match Ross (Chastain) from last year there on the oval,” Allmendinger said in a team release.
Then there are some drivers that we do not see every week in the Xfinity Series but will hit the road course and compete on Saturday for various teams.
Andy Lally will be making his second Xfinity Series start this season at the Daytona Road Course for Our Motorsports. His first race of the season was at Road America and he finished fifth, rallying from a 23rd-place starting position. This will be his 13th career Xfinity start in a span of eight years. He has two best finishes of fifth at Mid-Ohio in 2017 and Road America last weekend. Lally is the 2011 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year and a four-time Rolex 24 at Daytona class champion.
Jade Buford is back behind the wheel of the No. 07 for SS Green Light Racing. This will be his third Xfinity start in 2020 and all on road courses. He finished in 14th at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and finished ninth last weekend at Road America for JD Motorsports.
Earl Bamber, two-time Le Mans 24 race winner, will make his Xfinity Series debut this weekend for Richard Childress Racing at the Daytona Road Course. Bamber also won the GTLM championship in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship last year.
Brandon Gdovic is back behind the wheel of the No. 26 for Sam Hunt Racing for the second time this season. He made a start for the team at the Indy Road Course and finished 12th after starting last at 38th.
Preston Pardus will pilot the No. 36 for DGM Racing for the second week in a row and the third time this season. The Daytona Beach-area native finished 10th at the Indy Road course and eighth last weekend at Road America. This weekend will mark his fifth Xfinity Series career start.
CARS Super Late Model driver Harold Crooms is set to make his Xfinity Series debut on Saturday in the No. 66 for MBM Motorsports. MBM has brought a variety of drivers on board this season and Crooms is the only one with no previous NASCAR national series experience. He did participate in ARCA Menards Series testing at Daytona in January.
Lastly, Scott Heckert will make his 10th Xfinity Series career start at the Daytona Road Course for B.J. McLeod in the No. 78. Saturday will also be his second start of the season. Last weekend he finished 33rd at Road America.
Brandon Brown tightens his lead
Brandon Brown’s No. 68 did not start the race at Road America last weekend as hoped. On the very first lap of the race, Brown had to be pushed to pit road due to a mechanical issue. He fell back a lap in the process and had to fight his way to the front in a crazy and wet race on the road course.
His small Brandonbilt Motorsports team fixed the problem and then scored four stage points in the second stage. They fought back earned a 12th-place finish that helped him gain some ground above the Playoff cutline. The finish also marked his second-best career finish on a road course.
With only eight races to go in the regular season, the race to the Playoffs is becoming even more tight so a good run is what Brown and the team needed.
Earl Bamber making debut with Richard Childress Racing
Two-time Le Mans 24 race winner Earl Bamber will be making his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut for Richard Childress Racing this weekend at the Daytona Road Course in the No. 21 Chevrolet.
The team has partnered with KCMG for the event.
