NASCAR Cup Series Driver Penalized, Starting Lineup Updated for Darlington Race Carson Hocevar of Spire Motorsports faces a penalty that will significantly alter his starting position for Sunday’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. Originally qualified 16th, Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevrolet will be moved to the rear of the field following a control arm adjustment made by the team. This penalty places him 36th in the 37-car grid, positioning him on the outside lane of the egg-shaped oval. The penalty will shift the starting positions of drivers who were originally behind Hocevar on the outside lane. Those drivers will move up one row (two positions) in the lineup. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. of Hyak Motorsports, who was slated to start 18th, will now begin in 16th place. Drivers on the inside lane will not see any changes due to Hocevar’s penalty. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota Justin Allgaier, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota John Hunter Nemechek, No.#nascar_cup_series #carson_hocevar #spire_motorsports #darlington_raceway #goodyear_400
Carson Hocevar will begin Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway from the rear of the grid due to an unapproved adjustment made by his team. The No. 77 Chevrolet’s upper control arm was replaced, a change not permitted by NASCAR rules, according to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. Hocevar was originally scheduled to start in Row 8 alongside Justin Allgaier but will now attempt to work his way up the track in what is expected to be a competitive race. The race marks the first time Darlington will use the new short track package, which includes 750 horsepower, a three-inch rear spoiler, and fewer diffuser strakes. Tire strategy will play a significant role, as it has been 18 years since the track’s last repave. Teams will have access to 12 sets of Goodyear tires for the weekend. The left-side tire, used at Darlington last season, will be paired with the right-side tire, which debuted at Kansas Speedway in September. Some drivers, including Denny Hamlin, have speculated that tire degradation could result in a four-second loss over the course of the race. Darlington, traditionally associated with Throwback Weekend, will not feature official throwback paint schemes this season. However, Hocevar’s team chose to run a Dale Earnhardt-inspired design, replicating the iconic blue and yellow livery from the 1981 season. Dale Earnhardt Jr. praised the scheme, calling it his favorite ever used by his father during his Hall of Fame career. “This is my favorite Dale Earnhardt paint scheme,” Earnhardt said on his podcast, “Dale Jr. Download.” He highlighted the 1981 car, noting its underrated status and the vintage appeal of its yellow nose and vintage stripes. “It’s straight badass vintage,” he added.#carson_hocevar #darlington_raceway #bob_pockrass #dale_earnhardt_jr #goodyear
Chris Buescher Praises Brad Keselowski’s Dual Role in NASCAR Brad Keselowski is set to make his 600th start in the NASCAR Cup Series on March 29 at Martinsville Speedway, marking a significant milestone in his career. The 2012 champion has long been respected by fans and drivers, but his teammate Chris Buescher has emerged as one of his most vocal admirers. Buescher’s praise for Keselowski’s contributions to the sport highlights the deep respect he holds for the driver’s work ethic and leadership. Keselowski’s transition from driver to team owner has been a defining aspect of his career. In 2022, he became a co-owner of RFK Racing, a move that has allowed him to influence the sport from both behind the wheel and in the garage. Buescher, who has worked closely with Keselowski in this dual role, credits the team owner’s hands-on approach for fostering a unique partnership. “It has been the most unique way to talk about race cars to your ownership because anything we are experiencing in our race car or anything we want to be better, he’s living it at the same time,” Buescher said during a press conference at Darlington Raceway. Buescher emphasized how Keselowski’s personal commitment to improvement mirrors the team’s goals. “He wants that to be better. He wants our cars to turn better in the middle, and he wants the rear to be planted in the racetrack. He understands exactly where we’re coming from,” he added. This alignment between Keselowski’s vision and the team’s objectives has been instrumental in shaping RFK Racing’s progress. Under Keselowski’s leadership, the team has evolved from a two-car operation to a three-car organization, with Ryan Preece now driving the third car.#rfk_racing #chris_buescher #brad_keselowski #martinsville_speedway #darlington_raceway
