- Xfinity 250 - Martinsville Speedway - 1. (#91) Zack Saunders - 2. (#1) Cory Mott - 3. (#29) Steward Harding Walker - 4. (#69) Caleb Tipton - 5. (#94) Thomas Wolfe - 6. (#22) Nic Vasquez - 7. (#6) Stephen Menke - 8. (#3) Ben Lawson - 9. (#37) Joe T. Wright - 10. (#16) Nathaniel Campbell - 11. (#57) Michael Deitch - 12. (#00) Garth Griswold - 13. (#11) Nishil Condoor - 14. (#7) Steven Carlile - 15. (#8) Zach Johnson - 16. (#99) Justin Bell - 17. (#74) Caleb Sheets - 18. (#30) Mason Hoeffner - 19. (#96) Vince Mitchell
Crown Jewel Racing Officials announced today that Cody Porter, driver of the #04 XPress Esports Ford Mustang, submitted a waiver application to compete in the 2024 Team Conti Sim Performance (TCSP) Cup Series Playoffs. Porter has completed six races this season winning two of them, but is short of the required 17 race participation requirement outlined by the CJR Competition Committee.
Porter joined the league in June and announced his presences by winning two of his first four races and finishing in the Top 5 in his first four starts. He won the pole at the famous Brickyard 400, but was caught in some turmoil and finished 13th. He has raced in six of the last nine races of the TCSP Cup Series and would finish with eight races total if his hauler makes it to Daytona this week, and Darlington next week. Porter had this to say to the voting committee which is formed up of the current sitting playoff drivers.
“I have shown since my arrival that I have been a clean, fair, and competitive driver against everyone, and committed to the league. I hope that the voting committee also sees that and takes it into consideration.”
Lots of Playoff Drivers had split views on whether Porter should be approved or denied the waiver. Cody Leach voiced his opinion on why he was in approval for the waiver.
“I voted yes, he has been here pretty regularly racing in multiple series, granted he missed a couple races, but if anyone deserves a waiver, outside of Kristopher Burnham who I would grant as well; Porter would be the one for it.”
Kristopher Burnham also spoke up in opposition of waivers in general.
“I am not in favor of granting waivers. If I do not make the remaining two races I would be needing a waiver. I do not want a waiver, if I do not make the minimum amount of races participated in. I don’t believe that anyone should receive a waiver.”
In the end Porter did not obtain enough support for his waiver to be approved. Porter received two votes in favor of approval from Cody Leach and Zack Saunders. Drivers voting not in favor were Nic Vasquez, Mike Burnett, Nathaniel Campbell, Kristopher Burnham, Caleb Tipton, Cory Mott, Steven Carlile, Zach Johnson, Vince Mitchell, Allen Phillips, and Stephen Menke. Zander Short and Garth Griswold abstained from the vote.
Porter may not be racing for a championship in the TCSP Cup Series this season, but barring any catastrophic meltdown failures he will be making it into the VRS Truck Series Playoffs to continue the Xpress Esports dominance of the Truck Series.
The TCSP Cup Series will be back in action tomorrow night for 100 laps at the Coke Zero Sugar 250 which is sure to have some fireworks explode with playoff chances on the line. As well all saw on Saturday night, anyone can be there at the end to win the checkered flag. Tune into the Crown Jewel Racing Network to catch all the action unfold tomorrow night!