NASCAR has adjusted procedures for wet-weather oval races, leaving teams to decide which tires to put on the car.The updates are:- To start the race, all cars and trucks must use the same tire type (slick or wet-weather), which NASCAR will determine.- After the green flag, if NASCAR throws the…

The post NASCAR tweaks procedure for wet-weather oval races appeared first on Mr PitBox.

NASCAR’s Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway was already chaotic. Then the brakes started failing.

Ryan Blaney was running sixth on Lap 155 when the right-front brake rotor on his No.12 Ford exploded. The 2023 Cup champion had been in contention for a strong result, but the failure sent him into the outside wall and ended his race with a 35th-place finish. His crew chief Jonathan Hassler later admitted the team had underestimated how much cooling the brakes needed with NASCAR’s higher-horsepower package.

Then, on Lap 214, Chase Elliott who was running sevent, suffered a brake failure while running seventh. His No.9 Chevrolet spun into Chase Briscoe, taking both playoff drivers out of the race. 

Then, with just three laps remaining, Chris Buescher suffered another brake failure that brought out the caution and sent the race into overtime.

Those failures and minor mechanical issues have changed the playoff picture.

Only three of the 16 Chase drivers finished the Gateway race in the same position they entered it. Briscoe fell from fifth to eighth in the standings, and Elliott dropped from ninth to 11th. Ryan Blaney also lost ground to points leader Denny Hamlin.

And the brake failures were only part of a race that spiraled into chaos. Gateway produced 18 cautions, two red flags and a double-overtime finish. The 18 yellows shattered the track record and matched the Next Gen-era high.

For Kevin Harvick, that raises a question NASCAR may have to address.

Harvick wants NASCAR to give teams more freedom

Speaking on the Speed with Harvick and Buxton podcast, the 2014 Cup Series champion pointed to the rule that limits what teams can replace after practice and suggested NASCAR reconsider it before next season.

“They had an extended practice, probably need to think about next year, maybe letting them change the pads and the rotors or calipers, whatever they need to change after practice in order to go into the race.”

The argument makes sens. Teams had extended practice at Gateway to understand the demands of a track known for heavy braking. If the brake components show excessive wear or teams discover that their cooling setup is not sufficient, Harvick believes they should have the freedom to replace those components before the race.

Gateway proved why.

The 1.25-mile oval features long straightaways followed by heavy braking zones, putting repeated heat cycles through the brakes. The new 2026 package made that challenge even greater, with NASCAR increasing horsepower to 750 at selected tracks while reducing downforce. acknowledged earlier in the season that the extra speed and reduced aerodynamic stability were contributing to additional brake wear.

As of now, the teams can change brake components during the race, but under the current impound rules, they cannot simply replace the brake pads after practice and before the race starts.

At Gateway, teams had an extended one-hour practice. They could use that session to evaluate the brake package, but once practice/qualifying and the impound procedure were complete, the car was effectively locked down. If a team discovered that its brake pads or rotors had been pushed too hard in practice, it couldn’t just install a fresh set before Sunday’s race.

So, Harvick’s proposal would not mean abandoning the 750-horsepower package. His suggestion is much narrower: give teams the freedom to replace brake pads, rotors or calipers after practice, before the race, if the practice session reveals a problem.

Could NASCAR use Gateway’s failures as a reason to reconsider how much freedom teams have to protect themselves from another brake disaster?

Also Read:: Rockingham Speedway Is for Sale at a Surprising $10 Million After NASCAR Drops 2027 Race

More must-reads:

• Rockingham Speedway Is for Sale at a Surprising $10 Million After NASCAR Drops 2027 Race
• Carson Hocevar Trolls NASCAR Media, Fans After Sunday’s Chaotic Race
• NASCAR Schedule This Week at Bristol: Practice and Qualifying Time, Race and Track Info

The post Should NASCAR Teams Have More Freedom After the Brake Failure Disaster? appeared first on Mr PitBox.

Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers can be sent to mailbag@racer.com. We love hearing your comments and opinions, but letters that include a question are more likely to be published. Questions received after 12pm ET each Monday will be saved for the following week.Q: Based…

The post The RACER Mailbag, September 16 appeared first on Mr PitBox.

In the moment, Sunday’s race made many question what had happened to the so-called best drivers in the (stock car) world.Chaotic. Messy. Drawn out.But the NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway delivered on multiple fronts. In short, Sunday was as chaotic as it was cool because sometimes…

The post NASCAR’s WWTR race was a chaotic mess. And it was beautiful appeared first on Mr PitBox.

Rockingham Speedway is officially for sale, with the asking price set at $10 million. The news comes just weeks after the track was left off NASCAR’s 2027 national series schedule, putting a question mark over the future of one of stock car racing’s most recognizable venues.

Known as “The Rock,” Rockingham opened in 1965 and quickly became one of NASCAR’s defining tracks. Its abrasive surface and steep corners saw some of the sport’s toughest races with legends such as Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Benny Parsons left major marks there. 

Petty remains the track’s winningest Cup driver with 11 victories, Earnhardt clinched his seventh championship at Rockingham in 1994, and Parsons famously survived a Lap 13 crash in the 1973 season finale, with rival teams helping rebuild his car so he could finish and secure the title.

Now the future of that history is tied to a $10 million price tag.

Rockingham Speedway president Kenny Nowling confirmed that the property is on the market and that ownership will not consider an offer below $10 million. Track Enterprises has already made an offer, but it was reportedly well below that figure and was rejected. The ownership is now seeking other potential buyers.

Who Will Buy Rockingham Speedway for $10 million ?

For a track that has already received significant public investment and just demonstrated that NASCAR can draw fans back to the property, $10 million is an intriguing number. But buying Rockingham is only the starting point. A new owner would still need to invest in the facility, attract major events and build a business model that works without a guaranteed NASCAR date.

Rockingham is not closing, and the current ownership says it intends to keep operating and developing the property unless a qualified buyer meets the $10 million threshold and passes its vetting and due-diligence process.

There are already discussions about bringing NASCAR back. Nowling said Rockingham has begun talks with NASCAR and Richmond officials, including the possibility of eventually hosting a Cup Series race. There is, however, no NASCAR date secured for 2027 or beyond.

That leaves Rockingham in an unusual position: the track has proved it can still generate interest when NASCAR comes to town, but it now needs an owner willing to make the long-term investment required to bring the sport back consistently.

The next owner will have to decide whether The Rock is worth betting on again.

Also Read:: Dodge’s NASCAR Comeback Gains Momentum With Potential 2027 Engine Deal

More must-reads:

• Carson Hocevar Trolls NASCAR Media, Fans After Sunday’s Chaotic Race
• NASCAR Schedule This Week at Bristol: Practice and Qualifying Time, Race and Track Info
• NASCAR The Chase Standings Right Now: Cup Series The Chase Battle with 8 Races Left

The post Rockingham Speedway Is for Sale at a Surprising $10 Million After NASCAR Drops 2027 Race appeared first on Mr PitBox.

Denny Hamlin remains the NASCAR Cup Series championship point leader, but his previously slim advantage is even smaller after the second race in the Chase.Hamlin and his Joe Gibbs Racing team were able to salvage a ninth-place finish out of Sunday’s race at World Wide Technology Raceway with the help…

The post Hamlin’s Chase advantage narrows after WWTR appeared first on Mr PitBox.

Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway saw a record-tying 18 cautions on the track involving 13 of the 16 drivers competing in The Chase. Carson Hocevar wasn’t one of them, leading to a bit of trolling of the media and fans on Monday.

In a Facebook post on Monday morning, Hocevar offered a sarcastic apology to NASCAR fans who’ll now miss out this week on podcasts that may struggle for things to talk about since he didn’t cause any of the incidents.

Related: Spire Motorsports Has Fined Carson Hocevar for ‘Dumb’ Behavior

It’s an obvious shot at the NASCAR news cycle from last week when Hocevar wrecked Brad Keselowski at Darlington. After the race, Keselowski vowed to get revenge on the Spire Motorsports driver, prompting a response from Hocevar and then days of discourse on various podcasts.

The first public criticism came from driver Denny Hamlin, who wouldn’t mention Spire by name but instead took aim at Spire. Hocevar did receive criticism on Door Bumper Clear and the widespread discussion around him led to Spire’s co-owner appearing on The Gluckcast for the second time this year to defend his team’s rising star.

Related: Carson Hocevar Cashed In With Trolling of Brad Keselowski

To his credit, on a day when several The Chase drivers caused on-track incidents that brought out the caution, Hocevar had a clean day and left World Wide Technology Raceway with an eighth-place finish.

Even on a weekend where he didn’t make any negative headlines, Hocevar once again demonstrated that he knows how to use social media to delight his fan base and stir the pot with those who are a bit tired of his antics.

More must-reads:

• NASCAR Schedule This Week at Bristol: Practice and Qualifying Time, Race and Track Info
• NASCAR The Chase Standings Right Now: Cup Series The Chase Battle with 8 Races Left
• Dodge’s NASCAR Comeback Gains Momentum With Potential 2027 Engine Deal

The post Carson Hocevar Trolls NASCAR Media, Fans After Sunday’s Chaotic Race appeared first on Mr PitBox.

The NASCAR schedule this weekend delivers us three races for The Chase, with both the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Cup Series having their third race of the playoff while the Truck Series holds its first. It’s all taking place at the iconic short track at Bristol.

Let’s take a look at the NASCAR schedule this week, with all three series racing at Bristol Motor Speedway under the lights. As always, we first list the schedule by day followed by a series-by-series schedule with track info below.

Note: There is no NASCAR race on Sunday this weekend. The Truck Series race is on Thursday with the O’Reilly Series race on Friday and the Cup Series race on Saturday.

NASCAR Weekend Schedule at Darlington

Here is the NASCAR schedule this weekend at Darlington. All times are Eastern Time.

Thursday, Sept. 17

Friday, Sept. 18

Saturday, Sept. 19

NASCAR Truck Series Schedule This Week

Here is the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule this weekend at Bristol.

NASCAR O’Reilly Series Schedule This Weekend

Here’s the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Pparts Series schedule this week at Bristol.

NASCAR Cup Series Weekend Schedule

Here is the Cup Series schedule this weekend at Bristol.

Bristol Motor Speedway Track Info and Race Info

Here is the track info at Bristol.

• Location: Bristol, Tennessee
• Track Length: 0.533 Miles
• Track Type: Short Track
• Surface: Concrete
• Banking: Turns: 24-28, Backstretch: 4-8; Frontstretch: 5-9

UNOH 250 Race Info (Truck Series)

• Stage 1: 65 Laps
• Stage 2: 65 Laps (Lap 130)
• Final Stage: 120 Laps (Lap 250)
• Distance: 133.25 Miles

Food City 300 (O’Reilly Series)

• Stage 1: 85 Laps
• Stage 2: 85 Laps (Lap 170)
• Final Stage: 130 Laps (Lap 300)
• Distance: 159.9 Miles

Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Cup Series)

• Stage 1: 125 Laps
• Stage 2: 125 Laps (Lap 250)
• Final Stage: 250 Laps (Lap 500)
• Distance: 266.5 Miles

More must-reads:

• Carson Hocevar Trolls NASCAR Media, Fans After Sunday’s Chaotic Race
• NASCAR The Chase Standings Right Now: Cup Series The Chase Battle with 8 Races Left
• Dodge’s NASCAR Comeback Gains Momentum With Potential 2027 Engine Deal

The post NASCAR Schedule This Week at Bristol: Practice and Qualifying Time, Race and Track Info appeared first on Mr PitBox.

Multiple NASCAR Cup drivers suffered brake related issues at World Wide Technology Raceway – a place notorious for those kinds of problems – on Sunday.

The post WWTR bites brakes once again as a number of drivers get caught out appeared first on Mr PitBox.

Joey Logano needed a little help from friends on Sunday to seal the deal at World Wide Technology Raceway, but the Team Penske driver ended up all alone at the front.

The post Logano settles for third after losing WWTR lead to Larson appeared first on Mr PitBox.