Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Allen Gregory
The changing of the guard continues in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Sunday’s upset victory by Ross Chastain at the Circuit of the Americas road course in Austin, Texas, marked the sixth different winner in the first six Cup races of the season. That mark includes three first-time winners.
Want more proof of the youth movement at the Cup level? Consider that drivers under age 30 have swept the past 12 points races.
In a Tuesday press conference with Bristol area-media at the expansive Trackhouse Racing shop in Concord, North Carolina, the 29-year-old Chastain and his team members were in a festive mood.
“There wasn’t much sleep Sunday night and we were back in here [Monday],” Chastain said. “We had a breakfast and lunch [Wednesday] to fellowship and show appreciation to our people.”
With his aggressive driving style and background as a watermelon farmer in Florida, Chastain has emerged as one of the hottest properties in the sport. He conducted at least 10 interviews in a span of two hours Tuesday.
Trackhouse Justin Marks has become almost as popular as his two drivers – Chastain and Daniel Suarez. The 41-year-old entrepreneur and former racer is a refreshing face in a business long dominated by older businessmen.
Marks is engaging, honest and ambitious. Very ambitious.
“Fundamentally, Trackhouse exists to challenge the traditional way of doing things,” Marks said Tuesday. “(Daniel) was sort of the perfect guy to set us off on this path. Ross is very much in the same mold, somebody that’s just using natural talent and is looking for their breakthrough.”
Thanks in part to the new Next Gen car, breakthroughs have become common at the Cup level.
Pit Stops: One of the biggest stories from Texas almost featured driver Parker Kligerman and the Abingdon based Food Country USA Henderson Motorsports Truck Series team. After being spotlighted in Saturday’s pre-race show for his fourth place qualifying effort, Kligerman led nine laps and stayed among the top five most of the day before falling back to 19th on the final lap. Crew chief Chris Carrier also earned high praise for the way the small Henderson operation consistently overcomes long odds. … Dirt racing fans around the Southeast received some good news Tuesday when it was announced that defending NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Larson will compete in both the Karl Kustoms Bristol Dirt Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway this Friday and Saturday and in the World of Outlaws Bristol Bash Sprint Car and Super Late Model races on April 28-30. NASCAR Cup driver Justin Haley is scheduled to race this week in the Dirt Nationals Modified class, while Truck Series regular Austin Wayne Self participated three nights at BMS last week in Sport Modified. …Abingdon’s Chase Dixon finished in the No. 19 spot and on the lead lap in Saturday’s CARS Tour Late Model race at Hickory Motor Speedway, while his Chase Dixon Motorsports teammate Colby Higgins was 22nd in the 27-car field. Highlands Motorsports driver Luke Fenhaus recorded a third place effort in the CARS Tour Pro Late Model event at Hickory.
agregory@bristolnews.com | Twitter: @Greg_BHCSports | (276) 645-2544
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Mac McClung missed his second straight game on Monday night for the South Bay Lakers of the NBA’s G League due to concussion protocols.
Baseball, Softball, Soccer, Tennis results from Thursday in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee
Gavin Cox homered and Colin Richardson went 3-for-3 as the Richlands Blue Tornado topped Lebanon, 9-3, for a non-district baseball win on Frid…
The Gate City, Virginia, native was 13-14 during his time at the helm and led the Blue Devils to two Region 1D playoff appearances.
Members of Tennessee High’s baseball team gathered around head coach Russ Basham on that May afternoon in 1967 at J. Fred Johnson Stadium with feelings ranging from frustration to anger to self-doubt.
Anna Hagy hit a two-run homer in the first inning and that set the tone as the Marion Scarlet Hurricanes hammered Smyth County rival Chilhowie…
A trio of freshman made key plays in the final two innings to lift John Battle to a season-opening 4-2 win over Virginia High on a cold, windy and even rainy Friday night at Battle Field.
Baseball, softball, soccer and tennis results from Tuesday
Evan Hankins and Jon Alan-Richardson homered in a non-district win.
For the second straight season, the Black Diamond District will feature just three baseball teams.
Allen Gregory
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.