NASCAR Rant Report - Monday, April 14th

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Major headlines out of the weekend:

Kyle Larson Dominates the Weekend at Bristol
Chandler Smith Spoils Larson's Sweep
Allgaier Cashes-in with Third Place
An Emotional Weekend for the NASCAR Garage

Plus, miscellaneous topics so far this week.

Kyle Larson Dominates the Weekend at Bristol:

Kyle Larson had an exceptional weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, achieving victories in both the Cup and Xfinity Series races. Larson's led 277 of 300 laps in the Xfinity Series SciApps 300, securing his first win in the series for 2025. In the Cup Series, Larson continued his dominance by winning the Food City 500, marking his second consecutive victory at Bristol and his third career win at the track.

Alex Bowman securing the pole position for the Cup Series race, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. also showcased strong performance, leading the practice session and qualifying second for the Cup race. Denny Hamlin, aiming for his third consecutive victory, faced challenges but remained a strong contender, finishing second in Sunday.

The weekend's events were marked by significant incidents, including a severe crash involving Sheldon Creed and Brennan Poole during the Xfinity Series race. Both drivers walked away uninjured, highlighting the safety measures in place.

Overall, the weekend at Bristol was a mixed bag strategy wise, with many expecting extreme tire wear similar to this race last year. Despite the mismatched expectations, Kyle Larson emerged as the dominant force.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

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Chandler Smith Spoils Larson's Sweep:

Chandler Smith claimed his first Truck Series victory of the 2025 season at Bristol Friday evening. Smith, driving the No. 38 QuickTie Ford for Front Row Motorsports, led a race-high 127 laps and won the first stage. He secured the win by holding off Cup driver Kyle Larson in a seven-lap dash to the finish. Larson, who was aiming for a weekend sweep of all three NASCAR national series races, finished second after overcoming a pit road speeding penalty.

Smith's victory was part of the Triple Truck Challenge, earning him a $50,000 bonus. Corey Heim finished third, followed by Tyler Ankrum and Ben Rhodes. Rajah Caruth led much of the second half of the race on older tires but was overtaken by Heim and Smith with under 30 laps to go. Caruth eventually finished ninth. Bayley Currey, who won the second stage, suffered a transmission issue late in the race and finished 23rd.

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Allgaier Cashes-in with Third Place:

Justin Allgaier secured a third-place finish in the SciAps 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway, earning his second $100,000 Dash 4 Cash prize of the season. Despite his strong performance, Allgaier expressed disappointment, mainly due to Kyle Larson's dominant win. Allgaier briefly took the lead at the start of stage three but was soon overtaken by Larson.

Allgaier faced challenges during the race, including contact with lapped cars and battling his teammates. Carson Kvapil managed to pass Allgaier in the closing laps, finishing second, while Sammy Smith finished fourth, making it a strong showing for JR Motorsports with three drivers in the top five. Allgaier praised his teammates' efforts and acknowledged their potential as future threats in the series.

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An Emotional Weekend for the NASCAR Garage:

The NASCAR community experienced a deeply emotional weekend following the deaths of three influential figures: Jon Edwards, Al Pearce, and Shigeaki Hattori.

Jon Edwards, the Hendrick Motorsports director of communications, passed away suddenly at the age of 53. Edwards was a pivotal figure in NASCAR, having been Jeff Gordon's PR representative for decades and later working closely with Kyle Larson. His death left a significant void in the NASCAR garage, with many expressing their grief and sharing memories of his impact on their careers and lives. Larson dedicated his victories in both the Xfinity and Cup Series races at Bristol to Edwards, highlighting the deep bond they shared.

Al Pearce, a revered motorsports journalist, also passed away. Known for his extensive coverage of NASCAR and his dedication to the sport, Pearce was a fixture in the NASCAR media centers for over 50 years. His colleagues remembered him as a humble and passionate journalist who always sought to tell the best stories. Pearce's contributions to motorsports journalism were celebrated, and his absence will be felt deeply by those who knew him.

Shigeaki Hattori, a championship-winning truck series team owner, was another significant loss for the NASCAR community. Hattori was remembered for his dedication to his team and his efforts to secure sponsorships to keep his team competitive. His former driver, Austin Hill, credited Hattori with giving him the opportunity to advance in his career.

The weekend at Bristol was marked by tributes and remembrances for these three men, with drivers and teams honoring their legacies. The NASCAR community came together to support each other, sharing stories and memories that highlighted the profound impact Edwards, Pearce, and Hattori had on the sport.

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Miscellaneous:

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Inducted into Motorsports Hall of Fame of America: Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in March 2026. Earnhardt Jr., a two-time Daytona 500 winner and 15-time NASCAR Most Popular Driver, joins other notable inductees such as NHRA Competition Director Steve Gibbs, MotoGP World Champion Kenny Roberts Jr., sports car racer John Morton, sprint car legend Sammy Swindell, powerboat driver Dave Villwock, and motorsports reporter Pete Lyons.

Tony Stewart Wins NHRA Top Fuel: Former NASCAR star Tony Stewart won his first career NHRA Top Fuel victory at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas. Stewart's winning run was 3.870 seconds at 317.42 mph, beating Antron Brown, Justin Ashley, and Jasmine Salinas in the final.

Mike Harmon Racing Confirms Team Continuation: Mike Harmon Racing announced that the team is not shutting down despite withdrawing from the Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The team plans to return to the track at Rockingham Speedway next weekend.

David Starr Plans Partial Schedule with Joey Gase Motorsports: Veteran racer David Starr is planning to compete in more NASCAR Xfinity Series races this year with Joey Gase Motorsports. Starr aims to finalize a 15-20 race deal and is scheduled to race at Texas Motor Speedway next month.

Joey Logano Inducted into Talladega Walk of Fame: Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano will be inducted into the Talladega Walk of Fame at Davey Allison Memorial Park on April 25. Logano has three career wins at Talladega Superspeedway and joins a prestigious list of NASCAR legends.

NASCAR and Elevate Partner for Premium Experience Program: NASCAR has partnered with Elevate to create a new premium hospitality program called NASCAR ONE Fueled by Elevate. The program will offer unique VIP experiences, including track access, standalone events, and camping enhancements across 22 events at 13 NASCAR racetracks.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on these topics.

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