Jeffrey Earnhardt joins Alpha Prime Racing Xfinity team for 2023

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Jeffrey Earnhardt will drive the Alpha Prime Racing No. 44 Chevrolets full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2023, the team announced Tuesday.

“We’re so excited to have Jeffrey with us next season,” APR President Tommy Joe Martins said in a statement released by the team. “Jeffrey has been a competitor and a friend to me for a few years now. When Caesar (Bacarella) and I started this team last year, we both talked about having Jeffrey at the top of our roster, so to see this all come together for 2023, he and I both feel like we finally got our guy.”

Earnhardt has competed in all three NASCAR national series. He has raced 76 times in Cup, 144 in Xfinity and 10 in the Truck Series without a win. He has a top finish of second in Xfinity.

“I’m really pumped this came together with Tommy and Caesar,” Earnhardt said. “We were evaluating different options, and after speaking with them we knew this would be the perfect fit. They are making major moves to strengthen their program, and they made me feel welcomed.”

ForeverLawn will continue to sponsor Earnhardt.

NASCAR viewer’s guide for Las Vegas Motor Speedway

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It’s down to four races and eight drivers.

The Cup playoffs will continue Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC) at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as the Round of 8 opens.

After the wild finish to last Sunday’s race at the Charlotte Roval, eight drivers remain in the hunt for the Cup championship. In order of their point standing, they are Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe.

The list has Hendrick Motorsports with two spots, Team Penske with two, Joe Gibbs Racing with two and Stewart-Haas Racing and Trackhouse Racing with one each.

MORE: NBC Sports NASCAR Power Rankings

Bell made the round with a comeback victory last Sunday at Charlotte, and Briscoe squeezed into the last spot with a late-race rally.

Where have the champions gone?

Of the eight drivers remaining in the championship chase, only two — Chase Elliott and Joey Logano — own Cup titles, Elliott winning in 2020 and Logano in 2018.

Kyle Larson, the defending champion, was eliminated from playoff contention last Sunday at Charlotte.

Three active champions — Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr. — failed to qualify for the playoffs, Busch losing his shot because of injury. Former champs Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick departed in the Round of 16.

Welcome, youngsters

By average age, this season’s Round of 8 driver list is the youngest — at 30.1 years old — in playoff history.

At 24, William Byron is the youngster championship contender. The oldest, at 41, is Denny Hamlin. Other than Hamlin and Logano (32), the field is made up of 20-somethings.

MORE: Playoff grid resets after Charlotte win by Christopher Bell

Byron, Bell, Briscoe and Chastain are making their first appearances in the Round of 8. Logano has been in the Round of 8 eight times and is the leader in that category.

Calculating the Round of 8

Is there a favorite in the Round of 8?

The numbers say it’s Denny Hamlin, now in his 17th full-time Cup season and still searching for his first championship.

Hamlin and Joey Logano are the only Round of 8 drivers who own race victories at each of the three tracks in the round — Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway. Hamlin was won once at Vegas, three times at Homestead and five times at Martinsville. No one else in the playoffs is close to that total.

Next is Logano, with two wins at Vegas and one each at Homestead and Martinsville.

Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain, Chase Briscoe and Christopher Bell have not won at any of the Round of 8 tracks in the Cup Series.

Entry lists

Thirty-six teams are entered in Sunday’s Cup race at Las Vegas. Xfinity invader AJ Allmendinger is on the list.

Las Vegas Cup entry list

Thirty-eight entries are on the list for Saturday’s Xfinity race (3 p.m. ET, NBC), including Hailie Deegan, Trevor Bayne, John Hunter Nemechek and Jeffrey Earnhardt.

Las Vegas Xfinity entry list

This week’s schedule and forecast

(All times Eastern)

Friday, Oct. 14

Forecast: Sunny. High of 92.

8:35 – 9:05 p.m. — Xfinity practice (USA Network)

9:05 – 10 p.m. — Xfinity qualifying (USA Network)

Saturday, Oct. 15

Forecast: Sunny. High of 90.

12:05 – 12:50 p.m. — Cup practice (NBC Sports App, USA Network coverage begins at 12:30 p.m.)

12:50 – 2 p.m. — Cup qualifying (USA Network)

3 p.m. — Xfinity race (201 laps, 301 miles; NBC, Peacock, Performance Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Sunday, Oct. 16

Forecast: Mostly sunny. High of 85.

2:30 p.m. — Cup race (267 laps, 400 miles; NBC, Performance Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

 

 

 

Saturday Talladega Xfinity race: Start time, TV info, weather

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The second race of the opening round of the Xfinity playoffs takes drivers to Talladega Superspeedway.

Noah Gragson secured his spot in the next round by winning last weekend at Texas. Ryan Sieg holds the final transfer spot. Riley Herbst is the first driver below the cutline, one point behind Sieg. Also below the cutline are reigning series champion Daniel Hemric (-8 points), Brandon Jones (-12) and Jeremy Clements (-28).

Details for Saturday’s Xfinity race at Talladega Superspeedway

(All times Eastern)

START: The command to start engines will be given at 4:09 p.m. … Green flag is scheduled to wave at 4:21 p.m.

PRERACE: Xfinity garage opens at 1 p.m. … Driver introductions are at 3:30 p.m. … The invocation will be given at 4 p.m. … The Brookwood High School choir will perform the anthem at 4:02 p.m.

DISTANCE: The race is 113 laps (300.58 miles) on the 2.66-mile speedway.

STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 25. Stage 2 ends at Lap 50.

TV/RADIO: USA Network will broadcast the race at 4 p.m. Countdown to Green begins at 3:30 p.m. on USA Network. … Motor Racing Network coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. and also will stream at mrn.com. SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the MRN broadcast.

STREAMING: NBCsports.com

FORECAST: Weather Underground — Sunny with a high of 78 degrees and no chance of rain at the start of the race.

LAST TIME: Noah Gragson won and was followed by Jeffrey Earnhardt and AJ Allmendinger.

NASCAR viewer’s guide for Talladega Superspeedway

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After a messy Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs move on this weekend to another potentially messy spot — Talladega Superspeedway.

Home to the Big One — an almost certain multi-car crash, Talladega also occasionally produces unexpected winners, including Richard Brickhouse, James Hylton, Lennie Pond, Ron Bouchard and Brad Keselowski.

The mix of tight drafting, the Next Gen car and general playoff tension should make Sunday’s 500-mile run quite the adventure.

On Sunday at Texas, Tyler Reddick became the second driver (after Chase Elliott) to score three wins this season.

Joey Logano enters Talladega with the playoff point lead.

Playoff rookies roll on

The four drivers participating in the Cup playoffs for the first time remain factors approaching the second race in the second round.

Ross Chastain is second in the standings, 18 points above the cutline entering Talladega.

MORE: NBC NASCAR rankings put Denny Hamlin first

Daniel Suarez, Chastain’s Trackhouse Racing teammate, is seventh. He’s four points above the cutline.

Two other playoff rookies — Chase Briscoe and Austin Cindric — will start Talladega below the cutline. Briscoe is four points below the cutline. Cindric is 11 points below the cutline.

Looking for wins

Only six of the remaining 12 playoff drivers have won races at the two remaining tracks in the second round (Talladega and Charlotte Roval).

Among the six, Joey Logano has the best win record at Talladega, having finished first there in 2015, 2016 and 2018.

Other Talladega winners in the group: Ryan Blaney (two), Denny Hamlin (two), Chase Elliott (one), Ross Chastain (one).

The Charlotte Roval is relatively new, of course, but Chase Elliott already owns two wins there. Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson also have won at the Roval.

An opening for Brad?

Few people who watched it will forget the first Cup Series victory scored by Brad Keselowski.

It occurred at this week’s tour stop — Talladega Superspeedway — in April 2009. Keselowski and Carl Edwards made contact approaching the finish line and notched the win, even as Edwards’ car flew into the frontstretch fence, spraying car parts into the grandstands.

Thirteen years later, Keselowski returns to NASCAR’s biggest track having recorded six Talladega wins. No other active drive has more than three.

Keselowski’s refurbished team — Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing — has new fire with Chris Buescher winning at Bristol and Keselowski winning the pole and finishing eighth at Texas.

RFK Racing has led 309 laps in the past two races, more than the team had led in the prior 105 races combined.

Although he hasn’t won a Cup race since scoring a victory in a Team Penske Ford in April 2021 at Talladega, Keselowski must be considered a threat Sunday.

Entry lists

Thirty-seven drivers, including Xfinity Series star Noah Gragson and reigning Xfinity champion Daniel Hemric, are entered for Sunday’s Cup race.

Talladega Cup entry list

The Xfinity entry list includes 41 drivers for 38 spots. Among those joining the series regulars are Trevor Bayne, Parker Kligerman, Timmy Hill and Jeffrey Earnhardt.

Talladega Xfinity entry list

Forty-one drivers are entered for Saturday’s Camping World Truck Series race. Included are Kaz Grala, Ryan Preece, Natalie Decker, Jennifer Jo Cobb and Parker Kligerman.

Talladega Truck entry list

This week’s schedule and forecast

(All times Eastern)

Friday, Sept. 30

Forecast: Partly cloudy. High of 77. (Weather note: There is the possibility that Hurricane Ian could impact the race weekend, depending on its path).

  • 3:30 – 5 p.m. — Truck Series qualifying
  • 5:30 – 7 p.m. — Xfinity Series qualifying (USA Network)

Saturday, Oct. 1

Forecast: Overcast with showers at times. Potential for heavy rainfall. High of 73. 60% chance of rain.

  • 10:30 a.m. – Noon — Cup Series qualifying (NBC Sports app, Motor Racing Network, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio)
  • 12:30 p.m. — Truck Series race (94 laps, 250 miles; FS1, Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
  • 4 p.m. — Xfinity Series race (113 laps, 300 miles; USA Network, Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Sunday, Oct. 2

Forecast: Sun in the morning, increasing clouds in the afternoon. Slight chance of a shower. High of 74.

  • 2 p.m. — Cup Series race (188 laps, 500 miles; NBC, Motor Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

 

 

 

 

NASCAR viewer’s guide for Texas Motor Speedway

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The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs roll on this weekend to Texas Motor Speedway, which will be hosting its first points race of the season.

Former champion Chase Elliott, a four-time race winner and the only driver with more than two victories this year, leads the standings, followed by Joey Logano and Ross Chastain.

The Texas race (3:30 p.m. ET Sunday, USA Network) is the first of three races in the Round of 12. Events at Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 2) and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval (Oct. 9) will follow.

Entering Texas, Chase Briscoe, Alex Bowman, Daniel Suarez and Austin Cindric are below the cutline.

Chris Buescher won Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, becoming the third non-playoff driver to win during the playoffs.

Three tough teams

Three teams account for nine of the remaining 12 drivers in the hunt for the Cup championship.

Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penske and Trackhouse Racing put all of their drivers in the second round.

Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, William Byron and Alex Bowman are in the final 12 for Hendrick. Bowman is below the cutline.

MORE: NASCAR official fires back at Kevin Harvick’s comment

Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney are in the top eight entering Texas. Teammate Austin Cindric is below the cutline.

Trackhouse Racing drivers Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez remain in title contention. Suarez is below the cutline.

In a playoff season marked by troubles of various sorts, Byron is the only driver who has not had a significant issue through the first three races. He has finished eighth, sixth and third in the opening races.

A 20th winner?

In a very unusual season, one of the most unusual statistics is this: Nineteen different drivers have won a race this year, tying the modern-era record set in 2001.

Could there be 20 different winners? In a word, yes.

Six drivers who won races last year haven’t won a points race this year. They are Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, AJ Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Brad Keselowski and Michael McDowell.

Truex, Keselowski and Blaney might be the best bets to be No. 20 this weekend at Texas.

Truex is a three-time runner-up at Texas and has led 674 laps there, the most by any driver without a win at the track.

Keselowski has finished second twice at Texas and led 654 laps there. He led 109 laps Saturday at Bristol as part of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing’s best race of the season.

Blaney remains in the championship race despite continuing to haul a big zero with him. He won the All-Star Race at Texas this year and has finished in the top 10 in seven of the past eight Texas races.

Playoff standings tight

Twelve drivers will be hoping to advance to the Round of 8 as the NASCAR playoffs stop at Texas Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval over the next three weeks.

The point totals in the top 12 entering Sunday’s race at Texas are tight.

MORE: NBC Sports NASCAR Power Rankings

Only 34 points separate leader Chase Elliott and 12th-place Austin Cindric. The point gap from first to 12th in recent seasons has been higher — 57 in 2021, 66 in 2020, 46 in 2019, 55 in 2018 and 56 in 2017.

The battle around the cutline is tighter. Only seven points separate sixth-place Denny Hamlin and 12th-place Cindric.

Entry lists

Thirty-six drivers are entered in Sunday’s 334-lap Cup race. Included in addition to Cup  regulars are Garrett Smithley and Noah Gragson.

Texas Cup entry list

Thirty-nine drivers are entered for 38 spots in Saturday’s 200-lap Xfinity Series race. On the list are Tommy Joe Martins, Stefan Parsons, Matt Mills, Jeffrey Earnhardt and Garrett Smithley.

Texas Xfinity entry list

This week’s schedule and forecast

 (All times Eastern)

Saturday, Sept. 24

Forecast: Sunny and hot. High of 98.

  • 10:35 – 11:05 a.m. — Xfinity Series practice (USA Network)
  • 11:05 – Noon — Xfinity Series qualifying (USA Network)
  • 12:35 – 1:20 p.m. — Cup Series practice (USA Network)
  • 1:20 – 2:30 p.m. — Cup Series qualifying (USA Network)
  • 3:30 p.m. — Xfinity Series race (200 laps, 300 miles; USA Network, Performance Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Sunday, Sept. 25

Forecast: Mostly sunny. Stray shower or thunderstorm possible. High of 95. 15% chance of rain.

  • 3:30 p.m. — Cup Series race (334 laps, 501 miles; USA Network, Performance Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)