Tag: whattowatchfor

What to Watch For: TCSP Dash Series – Phoenix

Garth Griswold

The Team Conti Sim-Performance (TCSP) Dash Series rolls into the desert heat of Phoenix today for the GOVX 200, a 200-lap showdown around the 1-mile, low-banked tri-oval. As Round 4 of the season, this race offers drivers a critical chance to lock themselves into the playoffs—or risk fading into the Arizona sunset. With high stakes, hot streaks, and teams desperate to turn their fortunes around, here’s what to watch for under the lights tonight.

HOT DRIVERS

Nathan Fuller is scorching the competition right now. Fresh off a dominant win last week at COTA, Fuller locked himself into the playoffs and surged 10 spots in the season standings to sixth place. His momentum makes him a serious threat to go back-to-back and solidify his postseason credentials tonight.

Zack Saunders also secured his postseason berth with a win at Atlanta earlier this year, but his luck took a fiery turn last week. A sizzling internet connection dropped him from the COTA race, leaving the playoff-bound driver—and plenty of frustrated sports gamblers—with a bitter taste. Saunders was a betting favorite heading into that event, and after the unexpected disconnect, he’ll be eager to cool his temper and heat up the track in Phoenix.

John Terrell, the current TCSP Dash Series points leader, has yet to visit victory lane this season. However, his consistency—a 6th at Atlanta, 8th at another event, and 11th last week—proves that stage points are the secret sauce keeping him atop the standings. A win would lock him in, but Terrell’s knack for racking up points could keep him in the driver’s seat regardless.

Who’s NOT Hot

Palmetto Motorsports is stuck in neutral—or worse. All four of their charter cars languish at the bottom of the owners’ standings, making them the poster team for the struggle bus. Phoenix could be a make-or-break moment for this squad to find some speed and climb out of the basement.

Leach Brothers Racing isn’t faring much better. Full-time drivers Cameron Romano and Tyler Krawczyk are hovering near the bottom of the driver standings with little room left to fall. This team has the talent to rebound, and a strong showing tonight could spark a turnaround. Keep an eye on them as they fight to claw their way up the leaderboard.

Keys to Win

Phoenix’s tri-oval layout promises a mix of strategy and aggression. If the race sees long runs, tire management will be the difference-maker—drivers who save their rubber could steal the show in the closing laps. On the flip side, restarts are prime opportunities to gain positions, so expect chaos and bold moves every time the green flag waves. The winning formula? Brake hard, drive harder. This track rewards drivers who can balance precision with all-out intensity.

Tune In

The desert duel goes green tonight at 8:30 PM EST, broadcast live on the Crown Jewel Racing Network. With playoff implications on the line and a mix of red-hot contenders and struggling teams ready to shake things up, the GOVX 200 is primed to deliver edge-of-your-seat action. Don’t miss it!

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: COTA

Garth Griswold

The Majors Garage Cup Series rolls into Austin, Texas, tonight, March 5, 2025, for the EchoPark Grand Prix at the COTA West track, promising a high-stakes showdown under the Texas sun. This condensed version of the Circuit of the Americas, with its tight corners, steep elevation changes, and technical demands, sets the stage for the Crown Jewel Racing league’s finest to battle it out. Tonight could redefine the 2025 standings—or deepen the struggles for those already on the ropes.

WHOSE HOT

Thomas Wolfe: The Road Course Redemption Story

Thomas Wolfe enters COTA as a driver with something to prove—and a track record that’s starting to silence the doubters. Last year, skepticism swirled around Wolfe’s road course prowess, with analysts questioning whether he could handle the twists and turns that define circuits like this one. But the 2024 season told a different story. Wolfe stunned the field with victories at the Chicago Street Course and the Charlotte Roval, showcasing a newfound mastery of road racing. His ability to navigate tight corners and capitalize on late-race restarts turned heads, and now he’s a legitimate threat every time the schedule veers away from ovals. At COTA, Wolfe will look to carry that momentum forward. Can he cement his status as a road course elite? Keep an eye on his qualifying lap—starting near the front could set the tone for another statement win.

Zach Saunders: Bouncing Back from a Rough Night

Zach Saunders: Bouncing Back from a Rough Night
Zach Saunders enters COTA West with a point to prove, carrying the confidence of a stellar 2024 season where he claimed victories at Sonoma and Watkins Glen and notched a hard-fought 4th at this very track. Last night’s race, however, left a sour note—Saunders disconnected after Stage 1, cutting his run short and igniting his hunger for redemption. Known for his aggressive yet precise driving, he excels on road courses that demand finesse, and COTA West’s blend of sweeping turns and heavy braking zones suits his style perfectly. The question is whether he can shrug off the sting of last night’s technical woes. If Saunders can tap into the form that dominated Sonoma and Watkins Glen while avoiding gremlins, he’ll be a contender. Watch for an early charge—he’s primed for a fierce rebound.

Dallas Pataska: The Oval King Faces a New Challenge

Fresh off a commanding victory at Atlanta last week, Dallas Pataska has the racing world buzzing. His dominance on ovals—where he’s proven he can turn left with the best of them—has put everyone on notice. But COTA isn’t Atlanta, and the question looms: can Pataska turn right as well as he turns left? Road courses like this one demand a different skill set—braking discipline, corner exits, and adaptability—and Pataska’s limited success on twisty tracks has some wondering if his oval brilliance will translate. Still, momentum is a powerful thing, and Pataska’s confidence is sky-high after Atlanta. His raw speed and fearless approach could make him a dark horse if he finds a rhythm early. Look for Pataska to either surprise the field or expose a weakness—there’s little in-between with a driver this bold.

WHOSE NOT HOT

Thomas Villano

Thomas Villano’s 2025 Majors Garage Cup Series campaign has been a rollercoaster stuck in the wrong gear. As of March 5, 2025, the driver finds himself languishing in 35th place in the standings with just 8 points—a far cry from where he was last season. Villano’s early struggles have left fans and pundits alike wondering if the magic has run dry. Tonight’s EchoPark Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) West configuration could be his shot at redemption—or another chapter in a season spiraling out of control.

Vince Mitchell

Vince Mitchell’s 2025 Majors Garage Cup Series season has been a rocky adjustment since joining Palmetto Motorsports, leaving him mired in 31st place with just 15 points as of March 5, 2025. The transition to his new team hasn’t gone as hoped—early races have revealed struggles with pace and setup, far from the strong start he anticipated. Tonight’s EchoPark Grand Prix at COTA West could be a turning point, but with only 15 points and a 31st-place standing, Mitchell and Palmetto need a solid run to kickstart their season.

Garth Griswold

Garth Griswold’s 2025 Majors Garage Cup Series season has been a relentless string of misfortune, with the driver unable to shake what seems like a persistent curse. It started at the Clash at USA International, where he was wrecked during the heat races and then dumped on the last lap in the Last Chance Qualifier, ending his shot at the main event. The bad luck followed him to Daytona, where the season-opening chaos left his car in pieces, and then to Atlanta, where yet another wreck dashed his hopes of a clean finish. Griswold’s early season has been defined by crumpled sheet metal and missed opportunities, leaving him desperate to break the cycle at tonight’s EchoPark Grand Prix at COTA West.

Garage Gossip Fuels Transfer Talk

Whispers are swirling around the MGCS garage that Thomas Wolfe, the road course standout currently with Backroad Bandit Racing, might be on the move for 2025. Rumors suggest he’s been in talks with Palmetto Motorsports, a shift that could bump Jim Mott down to a full-time role in the Team Conti Sim-Performance Dash Series if it comes to fruition. Meanwhile, another rumor has Wolfe eyeing an open Cup seat at Hollywood Motorsports, potentially joining forces with Nathaniel Campbell’s racing outfit. As of March 5, 2025, nothing’s confirmed, but the paddock buzz has Wolfe weighing his options after a standout 2024 with Backroad Bandit Racing.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: ATLANTA

The Majors Garage Cup Series presented by Crown Jewel Racing is live tonight from Atlanta Motor speedway. Green flag flies at 8:15pm EST. WATCH HERE

STARTING OFF HOT!

Cody Porter sits on top of the league table by securing the win at the Daytona 500 last week. Even with an early wreck that put the team of the 04 Toyota Camry into crisis mode, Cody was able to dig in and bring the first trophy of the year back to the Moonshine Motor Club garage.

Tyler Belanger looked to bring the field to the checkered flag at the end of the Daytona 500 but with a late move by Cody Porter sent him home empty handed. The good news is that was the first race of the season not the last. If this is what Tyler and the 88 team are showing early this season, we can comfortably say that the 88 team will find their way into victory lane!

A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS

Top 20 finishers from the Daytona 500.
Top 25 in the season standings.

RECENT NEWS

  • A statement out of the Backroad Bandit’s garage have confirmed that Austin Runkel has been removed from the seat of the number 20 Chevy Camaro. The new face behind the wheel of the number 20 will be James Nesta. Backroad Bandits owner Nim Silva stated “We decided to part ways with Austin Runkel for purely playoff strategic wise, and no harm foul at all. Backroad hopes James Nesta takes the #20 Cup Charter to the playoffs”
  • Not long after the Factory Motorsports media team released their promo for tonight race. It has been confirmed that Zander Short will not be behind the wheel of the number 2 flo-racing Ford Mustang. It is unknown why he won’t be in attendance for tonight and Factory Motorsports owner Stephen Menke has declined to give a statement. Tyler Justice will be behind the wheel of the number 2 tonight. Sources inside the Factory motorsport garage haven’t been too informative about this driver, but it is known that him and Boyd Hoggan have raced together before. If he is cut from the same cloth, then Factory won’t have to worry about securing points tonight for the 2 car.

Ambetter Health 350 Entry List

Tyler Justice and the number 2 team will receive and EOL for driver swap. Austin Runkel, Josh Stoltz, Daulton Shearer, Nathan Barrows, Boyd Hoggan, and Justin Bell will be fighting to qualify in on time. The 6 drivers will be competing for 4 open spots in tonight’s race.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: DAYTONA 500

The Majors Garage Cup Series is live from Daytona tonight for the Daytona 500! Green Flag flies at 8pm EST with coverage going live at 7:15pm EST, Watch Here.

STARTING GRID

TALE OF THE TAPE

Tonight, these Cup Series drivers have 200 laps of terror at Daytona. Screaming down the track at over 190mph, these drivers will not only have to control their own cars destinies, but one wrong decision could kill the dreams of many drivers. A bad push, a late block, an arca brake could be the one mistake that could be the end of your night. No one knows how to navigate these waters more than our defending Daytona 500 winner, Nic Vasquez. Nic wheeled the number 22 Ducks unlimited ford mustang to 2 wins out of the 4 Superspeedway races of last season. When Nic was asked about how he feels on lifting the trophy for the second year in a row he said “I feel confident about today and winning back-to-back Daytona 500’s. The car in qualifying and the duels was good and just needed a few minor changes…. funny thing is a lot of people say it’s luck, but I believe 0% of it is luck. I think you create your own luck, and the stats prove that. Superspeedway racing is an art form that only a few can master and there’s no doubt you’ll see that tonight.”

Duel Winners

Dallas Pataska not only wheeled the number 17 majors’ garage Chevy Camaro to a duel win last Wednesday; He also was already locked into the front row from posting the fastest qualifying lap. Dallas seems to have Daytona figured out and his competition should be looking at his as the one to beat.

Cody Leach and aggression go together like peanut butter and jelly. With him securing a duel win he has placed himself in the second row on the outside line, inches away from the promise land. The question is will he take his time and enjoy all 200 of these laps, giving himself a chance to fight for the win, or will he be his own worst enemy and end up in the garage early?

THE BIG BAD WOLFE

We caught up with Thomas Wolfe this morning in the infield at Daytona to ask him how he was feeling about tonight and the start of the season.
Crown Jewel: Knowing plate tracks aren’t your strong suit, what’s your gameplan for starting off this season on a high, the same way you finished last season with the championship win?
Thomas Wolfe: Well if I still have power (snow storm happening right now) def would love to keep it out front. But for the most part just need to stay patient, if I get shuffled back, and not worry about racing until it’s go time.

RUMOR MILL

  • With Nathaniel Campbell taking a new role as the head of media for Crown Jewel Racing league and broadcasting for the Majors Garage Cup Series, many wondered what would happen to that cup charter. Sources said that Ben Lawson offered an undisclosed amount to purchase the charter from the Hollywood Motorsports owner, but it was turned down so that they could keep it as an in-house open charter car. Information on what driver would have gotten the seat is unknown, but we do know that the car would have been an extension of the Factory Motorsports team owned by Stephen Menke.
  • Nic Vasquez goes for his 3rd superspeedway in in 2 years tonight, attempting to continue his dominance on plate tracks. Nic will start 21st tonight.
  • All of the Zandervolt Unlimited Honda entries will receive EOL penalties for late driver swaps. We will see if having all 3 Hondas already link up near the rear of the field will be more of a blessing than a curse in the long run.
  • Manufacturer numbers for tonight: Chevy-14 cars, Honda-3 cars, Ford-12 cars, Toyota-11 cars.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: THE DUEL AT DAYTONA

The Majors Garage Cup Series is live from Daytona tonight for the Bluegreen Vacations Duel at Daytona. Green Flag flies at 8:15pm EST live on WTTV

SNAPSHOT OF QUALIFYING

As of 1:30pm cst, Thomas Wolfe and Logan Giesbrecht have locked themselves into the front row of the Daytona 500 next week. As of right now, Boyd Hoggan and Leeroy Sellers have locked themselves in as the 2 open cars to get in through qualifying.

Crown Jewel, we have THE BEEF

Some would say this is DeJa’Vu from the season finale of last year. Nic Vasquez has once again killed his teammate and Factory Motorsports owner Stephen Menke. Last week with an oddly late attempt to enter pit road, Nic Vasquez slammed into the pit barrels Kyle Larson style flipping Menke in the process. Oddly enough, he’s a Joey Logano fan. Stephen has kept things cool and lighthearted, but things may change if this happens in a points paying race.
In the LCQ for the Clash, a last lap move by Caleb Tipton has started some new beef. Apparently from reports of arguments at the 00 hauler between the two, this beef is a Griswold vs the entire THM crew. Stewart was heard yelling from the pits at the Hollywood Motorsports executive about getting “JET PUFFED”. Moments later, Tipton, who was 100% locked into the Clash Feature race gave Garth a shove in turns 1 and 2. This sent Garth around and to the ice cream stand earlier than he hoped. Garth has been heard saying “they’ll pay for their sins” under his breath since the incident. Tonight, we will see if he gives them grace by getting his revenge now instead of next week in the Daytona 500.
Toyotas vs everybody. WRL has been an anchor team in superspeedway racing at Crown Jewel. With creating the Ford alliance last season and starting the domination of Fords on Superspeedways. Last Season a Ford Driver won 3 out of the 4 superspeedway races, but WRL making the controversial move to Toyota and Top Tier rebranding to Palmetto Motorports and also getting the call from Toyota, this has created a new the new super team. Not to mention that Toyotas legacy team of Moonshine motor club and their four chartered cars to add makes them an 11-car train.

RUMOR HAS IT

Sources inside the garage are saying that the number 20 car for BBR could be up for grabs with Boyd Hoggan looking for a cup ride. Nim has told us that he has “no comment.” and “don’t believe everything you hear.” when we asked him about the situation. Boyd has a resume that many racers dream of and after the big shock of the Luka to the Lakers trade during the NBA trade deadline, we can confidently say that anything is possible. Austin Runkel has decline to give us a statement.
The Factory Motorsports camp is hopeful that they can create an alliance with Tipton-Harding Motorsports going into the Daytona 500. After losing WRL as their main partners, Factory could have trouble next week in continuing their dominance on superspeedways. Stewart has been heard by sources talking around the garage that he would work with the Factory Motorports drivers, but he does not trust them as far as he can throw them. We caught a glimpse of an unnamed executive’s schedule and noticed that the two teams have scheduled a meeting before the duels to attempt to clear out any grievances they have from last season and move forward going into the duels and the Daytona 500.

HOW THINGS WILL WORK TONIGHT

  • Top 2 qualifying times will be locked into the first row, regardless of duel finish.
  • Top 2 open car qualifying times will be locked into the Daytona 500.
  • Franchise entries and open car entries will be seeded separately to ensure an even split of each across both duels.
  • Duel 1 will consist of 18 franchise entries + 11 open cars. Top finishing open car (qualified car exempt) advances to the 500. Finishing order sets the inside row of the 500.
  • Duel 2 will consist of 18 franchise entries + 10 open cars. Top finishing open car (qualified car exempt) advances to the 500. Finishing order sets the outside row of the 500.
  • Each duel will pay stage points – 10, 9, 8, 7, etc.
  • RC (incident caused) points will begin being counted tonight!

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: THE CLASH

The Cup series returns in 2025 as the Majors Garage Cup Series! Tonight, the green flag flies on WTTV at 8pm est.

NEW LOOK ON THE OLD DOGS

After the preseason race at Autoclub last Wednesday. It didn’t take much time to notice that the top 10 were the usual suspects in the lineup. Thomas Wolfe taking the checkered flag seems like a fever dream some nights. One thing you can’t say is that he didn’t earn that victory. Starting in 28th and running all the way up to 1st is no small feat. Actually, looking deeper into the finish order, 5 of top 10 finishers didn’t even qualify in the top 20 (Saunders, Phillips, Cory Mott, Leach). No matter how they got up there by bullying or by diplomacy, we won’t find out about the repercussions till tonight at USA International Speedway.

ROOKIES TO WATCH

  • Cody Porter– Cody ran a limited schedule last year but now he is making his full-time appearance into the cup series. Many are saying he has the ability from what he showed last year to fight for the title at phoenix in November.
  • Noah Hamilton– Noah showed us last week that he has the speed to be in the cup series by placing 4th in qualifying. The question now is can he put a whole race together and make a run for the playoffs that no one would see coming.

FAVORITES GOING INTO THE SEASON

Thomas Wolfe goes into this season as the top favorite out of the 3 selected by Vegas Sportsbook. Coming off a championship win and turning around after the offseason with a preseason win, Vegas has him sitting at +425 to win back-to-back championships. Honestly, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone after the beat down he handed out last season, securing 8 wins on his way to that Cup Series Championship.
Zander Short is a seasoned veteran at the Crown Jewel Racing league. Outside of last season, Zander has been seen as the favorite and a no brainer pick to take home a Cup Series trophy. This year Vegas has him sitting in the 3rd spot at +1340 to win the Majors Garage Cup Series Championship. The big question is can he stay out of his own way on and off the track? If you are a betting man and have been reading reports coming out of the Factory Motorsport’s camp, you will have heard that Zander is “100% locked in on finally bringing home a trophy.”
Cody Porter has shown us last season in the few races completed by him that he knows how to win. Winning both at Pocono and in Nashville, Cody showed the fans that if you give him a full season to show his true potential, a Majors Garage Cup Series championship isn’t something he’s hoping for, it’s something that is truly possible to obtain. Vegas currently has him sitting just behind Thomas Wolfe with +844 odds to take home the trophy in Phoenix.

TEAM SPOTLIGHT

Tipton-Harding Motorsports: After Combining forces last season, Caleb “THE UBERMAN” Tipton and Stewart Harding-Walker have created a team that wants to become a powerhouse in the Majors Garage Cup Series. Stewart was asked How does he feel about the team as a whole going into the season? Do they expect all cars to get into the playoffs this season or have they set more realistic plans for the future?
Stewart: “Hard to say. we have a solid team for 2025 and are much more organized and prepared for this season, I put a lot of time into reorganizing our team to work out the issues from last season that held us back. I think there’s a good chance we have multiple playoff entries like last season but with such an unknown and strong field it’s honestly anyone’s guess as to who makes the cut.”

THANK YOU!

Lasty, we here at Crown Jewel Racing League want to say thank you to all of our fans, broadcaster, sponsors, drivers, and team owners for continuing to support this amazing community. Through the laughter, the beefs, the wins and the loses, you all continue to help us grow and create a community of diverse race fans! Good luck to all the drivers in the 2025 Majors Garage Cup Series!

WHAT TO WATCH: PHOENIX

The TCSP Cup Series Championship race is live tonight from Phoenix. Green Flag flies at 8pm EST.
WATCH HERE

CHAMPIONSHIP FOUR

  • Stephen Menke-FMS-FORD- Stephen secured his second win of the season with perfect timing. With a near perfect performance at Miami, in what could be called the race of the year for the TCSP. Stephen locked himself into the final four and has given himself an extra week to prepare for Phoenix. With an average running position of 10.3 all season and an 8.9 ARP on short tracks, Stephen has shown he has the ability to put up a fight to bring the championship trophy back to the FMS workshop.
  • Cory Mott-Palmetto-CHEVY- Our Regular season champion has withstood the beating of the playoffs and has scratched and clawed his way to this final four. The question is, is he and the 1 team burnt out after all this fighting or will they receive their second win and bring Palmetto and Chevy a championship before the team makes their manufacturer switch to Toyota TRD. Cory has an ARP of 7.3 on short tracks (highest out of championship 4), which could lead some of the analyst to believe He has a real shot tonight.
  • Nic Vasquez-FMS-FORD- Factory Motorsports has 2 chances in to bring the trophy home. Nic Vasquez has shown he knows how to win with 3 wins this season and making the playoffs after a very controversial ruling last week. If Nic and the 22 team have stayed focused amidst the media circus surrounding the decision and this championship race, there’s no reason he doesn’t have a shot in lifting the grand prize of a TCSP championship trophy. An ARP of 11.7 on short tracks (lowest out of the championship 4) doesn’t shine too much light on his chances tonight but after talking with representatives from the team, their focus and determination seems to be enough.
  • Thomas Wolfe-BBR-CHEVY- Thomas seemed to be our favorite coming into the championship four but without a win in the round of 8, has he lost his winning ways. Okay, let’s stop rage baiting here. Thomas is a force to be reckoned with. With an ARP of 8.6 on short tracks and 7 wins in the bag, it’s hard not to have Thomas and the 94 team as your favorite for tonight. Can he continue his quest for dominance and secure the final prize of the TCSP Cup Series championship or will we see another favorite fall in a David vs Goliath showdown.

THANK YOU!

To all viewers, sponsors, racers, broadcasters, team owners, and employees, we want to thank you for all of your support through this long season! We have had our highs and lows, controversial moments, and Cinderella stories. We can’t wait to have you all and more back next season!

Team Conit Sim Performance moves sponsorship to Xfinity Series

We want to thank Team Conti Sim Performance for continuing their support of the Crown Jewel Racing league and their sponsorship with us. They will be moving to the Xfinity Series as the TCSP Dash Series. We highly recommend taking advantage of their extensive knowledge in sim racing and to help you with the cost use CROWNJEWEL10 to receive 10% your order. https://teamconti.gg/

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: CHARLOTTE ROVAL

The TCSP Cup Series comes to you live from the Charlotte Roval. Green Flag flies at 8:15pm est.
WATCH HERE

HOT DRIVERS

  • Zack Saunders-BBR-CHEVY- After Zacks win at Talladega, He has clinched the number 1 spot in the season standings. With 4 top five finishes, including 2 wins in his last 5 races, it seems like Zach won’t be slowing down any time soon.
  • Nic Vasquez-FMS-FORD- Nic has put his points penalty behind him in these first 2 rounds. With only 1 finish outside of the top 10 all playoffs long(11th), Nic seems to be eyeing down phoenix as a real possibility.
  • Vince Mitchell-Uber MS-FORD- Miracles do happen. Vince has had a rough go at the playoffs but squeaked into the round of 12. Now with an amazing showing at Talladega, Vince sits somewhat comfortably in +4 points to the cut line going into the Roval, with a chance to move on further than most thought was possible.

NOT DRIVERS

  • Cory Mott-Palmetto MS-CHEVY- Cory has had a great run and many may say he’s pretty hot. Unfortunately, a wreck ending his night early at Talladega has put our regular season champion under the cut line. Sources from the team have told us the number 1 team has been putting in alot of extra practice going into tonight race to minimize any potential mistakes. Now we all wait and see if this is the end of a great season or the turnaround for Cory’s championship hopes.
  • Steven Carlile-Ethix MS-CHEVY- The 7-team seemed like a for sure pick to be in the championship 4 at phoenix in a few weeks’ time barring no mistakes. Unfortunately, those mistakes did happen. With electrical issues plaguing him at Talladega and a 18th place finish in the Kansas race, Steven finds himself 18 under the cut line and looking for a miracle tonight. Luckily for him if anyone can pull that off, he is the one who can do it.

DRIVER NEWS

  • Zack Saunders has locked himself into the next round with a photo finish win at Talladega.
  • Joe Wright tied his best finish of the season with a 2nd place finish at Talladega.
  • Regular season champion Cory Mott sits below the cut line going into tonight’s cut off race.
  • The Bank of America ROVAL was first run in 2018 with Ryan Blaney winning the inaugural race.

PLAYOFF PICTURE

FAN PICK OF THE WEEK

Zack Saunders-BBR-FORD
When you think about road courses in the TCSP Cup Series, the first name that always comes to mind is Saunders. If you don’t have him winning, then you are delusional. Zack has won 2 out of the 4 road courses we have ran this season, with only 1 race finishing outside of the top 5(Street Course 15th). Sitting currently at +450 for a win, he has this all but sealed up before the green flag has even flown. Some other picks that seem promising are, Cody Leach +560 for a top 10, and Steven Carlile at +1200 for a win. We can make this short and sweet for future reference. If the TCSP Cup Series has a road course coming up on the schedule, Saunders will dominate.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: TALLADEGA

The TCSP Cup Series are live tonight from Talladega Superspeedway. Green Flag flies at 8:15pm est. WATCH HERE

HOT DRIVERS

  • Thomas Wolfe-BBR-CHEVY- Thomas seems like a freight train with no brakes at this point. If you don’t have him in your final four picks for the Championship, I want what you’re smoking.
  • Ben Lawson-FMS-FORD- If his top 10 finish was any other week than last week, Ben would be finding himself high above the cutline. Unfortunately, for the 3 team, 9 out of 10 cars finishing in the top 10 were all his playoff competition. Lucky for Ben the Fords have had the superspeedways in a chokehold all year. Look out for him to pull himself back above the cut.
  • ALL PLAYOFF DRIVERS– Last week at Kansas showed the fans why the current playoff drivers are the best of the best. All playoff drivers but one (Vince Mitchell) Finish in the top 11 with only Tyler Belanger separating the field. Talladega is always a crapshoot, but these drivers left fighting for a championship won’t be living on a hope and a prayer.

NOT DRIVERS

  • Vince Mitchell-Uber MS-FORD- If not for the amazing performance by all playoff drivers last week, Vince would have been able to pull a few points back instead of looking at the mountain which is getting into the next round that’s in front of him. With a 17th place finish last week and now sitting -11 to the line, Vince is looking for a miracle in the last 2 rounds left.
  • Stewart Harding Walker-Uber MS-FORD- A late addition but what seemed to be a good one in the TCSP Cup Series, Stewart has seemed to fall off a cliff after his wreck at Watkins Glen. Since The Glen, Stewart hasn’t been able to sneak into the top 20, but hopefully Talladega can turn the tide for him and the team to improve morale going into next season.

DRIVER NEWS

  • Sam Bennet will be our new permanent race control for the remainder of the playoffs.
  • All playoff drivers besides one (Vince Mitchell) finished in the top 11 last week.
  • Thomas Wolfe is locked into the round of 8 after his win at Kansas last week.
  • Keep an eye out tonight for manufacturers working together as a team to push to the front of the field.
  • Both superspeedway races in the spring were won by a Ford. With Oskar Jensen snagging the last win at Daytona in the summer for the Toyota Team.
  • Talladega is the world’s greatest, biggest (2.66 miles), steepest (33 degrees), and fastest track in NASCAR.
  • Nic Vasquez still holds the crown this season for most Superspeedway wins with 2. (Daytona and Talladega Spring races)

PLAYOFF PICTURE

FAN PICK OF THE WEEK

Nic Vasquez-FMS-FORD
It’s hard to believe that Nic hasn’t won all the TCSP Cup Series superspeedway races this year. Domination is what critics would call his performances. No matter if the races were two, three, or four wide, he seems to have control of the field at all times. If it wasn’t for an unfortunate accident at the summer Daytona race, we could very well be talking about a potential superspeedway sweep this season. Nic is currently sitting at +350 with the remainder of the favorites after him all being under the Ford Motor Company umbrella. Their teamwork has shown that if you put the racing to the side and can last until the white flag flies, one of your teammates will come away with the checkered flag. Right now, Vegas is offering up a special bet with a ford podium sweep at +900, easy money folks.

What to watch for: Kansas

The TCSP Crown Jewel Cup Series are live from Kansas Speedway for the Hollywood Casino 300. Green flag flies at 8:15pm est. WATCH HERE

HOT DRIVERS

  • Cory Mott-Palmetto MS-CHEVY- Cory has fought off a possible first round exit with a huge 3rd place finish at Bristol last week. What looked like what could have been a win to add to his playoff point tally didn’t quite happen, but he is securely sitting in 3rd place, 18+ above the cut line.
  • Natheniel Campbell-Hollywood MS-CHEVY- He was on the outside looking in last week but a 2nd place finish for Natheniel has secured him a spot in the round of 12. Hopefully he can keep the good times rolling currently sitting in 12th, -6 to the cut line.
  • Stephen Menke-FMS-FORD- When you been having a season like Menke you can afford a 29th place finish in the last race of the round. Prior to that, in both playoff races Menke finished in the top 10. He has kept good form all season and with him getting his bad race out of the way at Bristol, Menke could turn this playoff field upside down here in the round of 12.

NOT DRIVERS

  • Vince Mitchell-Uber MS-FORD- After his win at Michigan, and the announcement of his move to Palmetto MS for the 2025 season, it seemed like Vince may start his rise to the top. Unfortunately, outside of a 6th place finish at Darlington, Vince hasn’t been able to sniff a top 10 finish. Thankfully for the 96 team they have reset in points back to 6th in the standings after almost seeing a first-round exit. Hopefully they can improve their form and hold on to continue through to the round of 8.
  • Cody Leach-WRL-FORD- One good race last round was enough to save him from a could be first round exit. Cody is currently sitting +2 to the cut line and 1 top 10 finish in the last 4 races won’t cut it for the 15 team. The rollercoaster ride they have been on all season has gone from possible round of 4 contenders, to cut line riders. Leach and the 15 team will need to have a consistent and flawless round of 12 to advance or we may be saying bye to their championship hopes.

DRIVER NEWS

  • Drivers who exited the first round of the plays: Zander Short, Tommy Carroll Jr, Garth Griswold, Allen Phillips.
  • No penalties will be served at the beginning of the race tonight at Kansas.
  • Kansas Motor Speedway was opened in 2001 during the Nascar Golden era.
  • John Connor won the VRS Truck Series race on Monday night.
  • Thomas Villano got the win in the Bob Henry’s Xfinity Series last night.
  • Both Winners from the Truck and Xfinity races will be racing tonight in the TCSP cup series.

PLAYOFF PICTURE

5 drivers find themselves less the 10 points to good on the cut line. Carlile+7, Menke+4, Mitchell+3, Leach+2, Vasquez+0. The round of 12 is shaping up to be the best battle we could see all playoffs.

FAN PICK OF THE WEEK

Factory Motorsports
All drivers from the FMS shop are going into this round of 12 above the cut line. Thankfully for them this round starts off at a track where almost all of these drivers have had success at. Menke recorded a top 5 finish in the spring, and Ben ran hard for an amazing 11th place finish when he was still getting comfortable in the seat of the 3 car. Nic did score a 24th place finish in the spring but the historians of CJR will remind you that in past seasons he has won, and consistently shined at the mile and a half long track in Kansas. Currently Menke is +700, Vasquez is +1300, and Lawson is +2200. If you like money, sprinkling a few bucks on each of these guys to win is a no brainer. It FMS can get linked up late and this race stays as green as we believe it can, the force field should take them all the way to the front.