NASCAR news ticker April 2023: Alex Bowman sidelined for several weeks

Here you find our NASCAR news ticker for March 2023 – Latest news: Alex Bowman got injured in a crash and will miss several races

April 27, 2023: Bowman to miss several races (NCS)

Alex Bowman was injured in a crash at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa. The Hendrick driver crashed during a race on the dirt track and fractured a vertebra. The driver of the #48 Chevrolet Camaro is expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks and miss important NASCAR races. Josh Berry, who has been filling in for Chase Elliott, will take over the Chevrolet cockpit.

April 24, 2023: These are the Talladega winners (NCS & NXS)

Kyle Busch has won the NASCAR Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. The Childress driver benefited from a crash on the last lap of the second overtime and took the win. Earlier, “best buddies” Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace clashed, causing the only Big One of the day. Busch passed the two on the bottom line to take first place. In the Xfinity Series, Jeb Burton won, Blaine Perkins was involved in a violent accident.

April 21, 2023: JTG and RFK swap pit crews (NCS)

A Ford and Chevrolet team swap pit crews ahead of the NASCAR Cup race at Talladega: JTG Daugherty Racing let Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s crew go, while Chris Buescher’s (RFK Racing) entire squad joins the team. But why is it possible for teams to make such a swap even though they compete for different manufacturers? In NASCAR, it’s not uncommon for smaller teams to lease pit crews from larger organizations. So it is in the case of JTG Daugherty and RFK: RFK lends its personnel to JTG Daugherty and is allowed to make changes whenever they want.

April 20, 2023: Austin Dillon penalized (NCS)

Richard Childress Racing was penalized after the race at Martinsville. The L1 penalty affects the #3 car driven by Austin Dillon. The car was put through its paces at the series’ development center and was found to be in violation of the rules because parts on the underbody were modified. Dillon and his team will each be deducted 60 championship points and five playoff points. In addition, crew chief Keith Rodden will be suspended for two races. The former crew chief of Kasey Kahne must also pay a $75,000 fine. Childress has already filed an appeal.

April 19, 2023: Denny Hamlin was unhappy with the package (NCS)

The Gen7 car and Martinsville Speedway were not good friends in the spring race either. The racing on the short track in Virginia was not convincing, although NASCAR had tweaked the cars’ aerodynamics. According to Denny Hamlin, either the package or the tires were “terrible”. NASCAR is open to further changes to the package for short-track racing. According to NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer, it was “difficult to pass” at Martinsville, which is why the series wants to analyze the data from the race to possibly make further adjustments to the car configuration.

April 19, 2023: NASCAR gave back all points to Kaulig Racing (NCS)

The affair about the manipulated louvres now seems to have come to an end: NASCAR has now also rescinded the points penalty against Kaulig Racing and returned all points to the team. Originally, Kaulig and Hendrick Motorsports had each been deducted 100 points per car because of the modifications to the spec part, but Hendrick and Kaulig appealed. Thanks to the National Motorsports Appeal Panel, Hendrick received all points back, while Kaulig only got 25 points back. This unfair treatment of the teams has now been corrected by NASCAR. This should put the issue to rest.

April 17, 2023: These are the three Martinsville race winners (all)

NASCAR’s three national racing series went into action at Martinsville Speedway in mid-April 2023. Kyle Larson won a fairly uneventful race on Martinsville’s short track and claimed his second win of the season on a short oval after Richmond. The Hendrick driver prevailed over Joey Logano in the closing stages. Victory contender Kevin Harvick struggled with the lug nut on his Stewart-Haas Ford in the closing stages and fell far back. John Hunter Nemechek won the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Corey Heim celebrated the third Truck victory of his career.

April 13, 2023: Chase Elliott makes his comeback (NCS)

Chase Elliott is back! The 2020 champion will once again be competing for points at Martinsville Speedway in the #9 Hendrick Chevrolet. Josh Berry and Jordan Taylor had subbed in for the 27-year-old during his rehabilitation phase. Elliott had broken his left leg while snowboarding in early March 2023 and was out for weeks. The Dawsonville racer has already received a so-called “medical waiver” from NASCAR, so he will remain in championship contention despite missing races should he make the playoffs for the 2023 season.

April 13, 2023: Ware arrested, Smith jumps in (NCS)

It’s now clear why Cody Ware missed the dirt track race in Bristol. The 27-year-old was arrested in North Carolina for allegedly assaulting and strangulating a woman. The driver, who was replaced by Matt Crafton, has been released after paying bail of around 2,750 Euros. The first court date to resolve the case is set for May 1, 2023. At Martinsville, Zane Smith will take over the car from Rick Ware. NASCAR has suspended Ware indefinitely pending the verdict. Ware is expected to cooperate with authorities, the team says.

April 10, 2023: These are the Bristol race winners (NCS & NCTS)

The Bristol Dirt Race was marked by 14 cautions and numerous accidents. After 250 exciting and intense laps, the winner was Christopher Bell, who celebrated his first win of the season and thus has a good chance of making the playoffs. Kyle Larson won stage 1, Tyler Reddick was victorious in the second segment. Larson clashed with Ryan Preece several times and so emotions ran high on the temporary dirt track. Joey Logano won the Truck Series race in his guest start, but the Penske driver was turned around by William Byron in the early stages of the Cup Series race and fell far behind.

April 9, 2023: NASCAR adjusted the rulebook (NCS)

NASCAR has made a rule change in the middle of the 2023 season regarding appeals after penalties against teams and drivers. In doing so, the series aims to significantly curtail the power of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel. Previously, the panel could reduce or even remove any part of a penalty. It is now no longer possible to cut out a penalty element. In extreme cases, the panel can only adjust the decision to the minimum or maximum of the penalty provided. NASCAR can now also communicate the panel’s reasons for adjusting a penalty.

April 9, 2023: NASCAR announced the All Star Race format (NCS)

NASCAR has announced the format for the All-Star race at the legendary North Wilkesboro Speedway. The starting grid will be determined in two 60-lap heats. Teams will battle it out for the starting order of the heats in a pit stop challenge. This is followed by the 100-lap All-Star Open with a stage break at around lap 40, from which the top 2 and the public vote winner move into the main race. The actual All-Star race is 200 laps long with a break at the halfway point of the race. 22 drivers have already secured a starting spot in the All-Star race.

April 9, 2023: Matt Crafton subs for Cody Ware (NCS)

Matt Crafton will make a surprise NASCAR Cup Series appearance in the Bristol Dirt Race in Tennessee. The 46-year-old replaces Cody Ware, who, according to the team, will not be able to participate in the race for “personal reasons.” The three-time Truck Series champion has competed in only a few races at NASCAR’s highest level despite his titles. In 2015, he filled in for Kyle Busch at the Daytona 500 and finished 18th. In 2019, he replaced Matt Tifft and finished 25th at Martinsville. 2023 will be his third stint as a replacement driver in a NASCAR Cup Series race.

April 7, 2023: More chaos around NASCAR’s penalties (NCS)

NASCAR and the penalties: it’s on to the next round. Unlike Hendrick Motorsports, Kaulig Racing also has to suffer in the overall standings for the modified air intakes. The penalty was merely reduced from 100 to 75 points. Denny Hamlin also appealed the penalty for intentionally wrecking Ross Chastain, but it was dismissed. After the Richmond race, Hendrick Motorsports was assessed an L1 penalty for illegal modifications to the car. Affected were William Byron and Kyle Larson, who were each deducted 60 points and five playoff points, plus a $75,000 fine.

April 4, 2023: Those are the winners in Richmond and Texas (all)

Kyle Larson claimed his first win of the season at Richmond Raceway. The 2021 champion prevailed over Josh Berry in a race dominated by strategies and exciting battles. Berry, who had started the race in car number 9 as a replacement for the injured Chase Elliott, gambled before the final caution and stayed out for a long time on his worn tires and thus gained the necessary track position in the final phase of the race. There were first time winners in the Xfinity and Truck Series: Zane Smith won in Richmond in NASCAR league 2, Carson Hocevcar took victory in the Truck race in Texas.