It’s the Fourth of July and everyone celebrates in their own unique way.
Here’s a look at how the NASCAR world (with a cameo from the IndyCar world) is celebrating Independence Day this weekend.
Check back for more as the day unfolds across the country!
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Michael McDowell will start on the pole for the NASCAR Open at Bristol Motor Speedway after a random draw. Aric Almirola joins him on the front row.
Click here for NASCAR Open starting lineup
The winners of each segment advance to the All-Star Race, along with the fan vote winner. Last year, Kyle Larson won a segment in the Open to advance to the All-Star Race and then won that event. Other segment winners last year were William Byron and Bubba Wallace. Alex Bowman advanced through the fan vote a year ago. Bowman has already qualified for this year’s All-Star Race.
NASCAR Open at Bristol
Race Time: 7 p.m. ET Wednesday
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway; Bristol, Tennessee (0.533-mile speedway)
Length: 85 laps over three segments, 45.3 miles
Segments: Segment 1 is 35 laps. Segment 2 is 35 laps. Segment 3 is 15 laps.
TV coverage: FS1
Radio: Performance Racing Network (also SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Streaming: Fox Sports app (subscription required); goprn.com and SiriusXM for audio (subscription required)
Next Xfinity race: Saturday at Texas (200 laps, 300 miles), 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN
Next Truck race: Saturday at Texas (167 laps, 250.5 miles) 8 p.m. ET on FS1
Martin Truex Jr., who is seeking his first All-Star Race win, will start on the pole for Wednesday night’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway after a random draw.
Truex will be joined on the front row by Alex Bowman.
Rookie Cole Custer, who earned a spot in the All-Star Race with his win Sunday at Kentucky, will start eighth.
Click here for All-Star Lineup
Among the special rules for the race:
# The Chose Rule will be used. As drivers approach a designated spot on the track, they must commit to the inside or outside lane for the restart.
# The car number will move from the door toward the rear wheel to give sponsors more exposure.
# Cars that have automatically qualified for the All-Star Race will have underglow lights on their cars.
NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol
Race Time: 8:30 p.m. ET Wednesday
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway; Bristol, Tennessee (0.533-mile speedway)
Length: 140 laps over four segments, 74.6 miles
Segments: Segment 1 is 55 laps. Segment 2 is 35 laps. Segment 3 is 35 laps. Segment 4 is 15 laps (only green flag laps count in this segment).
TV coverage: FS1
Radio: Performance Racing Network (also SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Streaming: Fox Sports app (subscription required); goprn.com and SiriusXM for audio (subscription required)
Next Xfinity race: Saturday at Texas (200 laps, 300 miles), 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN
Next Truck race: Saturday at Texas (167 laps, 250.5 miles) 8 p.m. ET on FS1
The Xfinity Series went to Kentucky Speedway for a doubleheader and Austin Cindric left the track with two wins and a spot in the playoffs.
Cindric, who claimed the first oval track NASCAR wins of his career, is now third on the playoff grid among the six drivers locked into the postseason. He has 15 playoff points.
Noah Gragson, who is second on the grid, won three of four stages in Kentucky and has 18 playoff points.
Six spots remain to be filled on the playoff grid. The last two drivers currently in the top 12 are Ryan Sieg (+57 points above cutline) and Brandon Brown (+14).
The first four drivers outside the top 12 are Myatt Snider (-14 points from cutline), Jeremy Clements (-30), Alex Labbe (-42) and Jesse Little (-47).
Cole Custer delivered the first curveball to the NASCAR Cup Series’ playoff chase Sunday when he won at Kentucky Speedway.
Custer entered the race 25th in the points, nine spots back from the cutoff line for 16-driver field.
Now, Custer is one of nine drivers locked into the playoffs, meaning the cutoff for the postseason is 15th in points.
Among those currently in the playoff grid who are not locked in, the last two are William Byron (+30 points) and Jimmie Johnson (+24).
The first four drivers sitting outside a playoff spot are Austin Dillon (-24 points from cutoff), Tyler Reddick (-41), Erik Jones (-42) and Bubba Wallace (-84).
