NASCAR Rant Report - Monday, April 28th

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Major headlines out of the weekend:

Cindric Wins at 'Dega; Preece & Logano DQed
Austin Hill's Continued Drafting Dominance
Cleetus McFarland Returns to ARCA
Prime Video Gearing Up For NASCAR

Plus, miscellaneous topics so far this week.

Cindric Wins at 'Dega; Preece & Logano DQed:

The NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway saw Austin Cindric secure his third career victory and first of the season in a dramatic photo finish, narrowly beating Ryan Preece by 0.022 seconds. However, post-race inspections led to the disqualification of Preece and Joey Logano due to rear spoiler violations, relegating them to 38th and 39th places, respectively. Kyle Larson was promoted to second place, followed by William Byron, Noah Gragson, and Chase Elliott.

The race featured 67 lead changes among 23 drivers and was slowed by four cautions for 22 laps. During Stage 1 as cars headed to pit road, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch made contact, causing both cars to steer up the track and clip into Alex Bowman and Ryan Blaney. Keselowski and Blaney retired from the race due to extensive damage. The other natural caution of the race occurred on lap 52, just after the first incident, when a bad drafting push sent Christopher Bell and Chris Buescher spinning on the back stretch.

Another notable incident occurred as Ross Chastain seemingly independently impacted the Toyota’s fuel strategy, putting his own car in harm’s way as the Toyota line was set to past the line of Chevrolets he was in. Though a Ford went on to win, only one Toyota finished in the top 15, prior to the disqualifications.

The next race is scheduled for this coming Sunday, May 4th, at Texas Motor Speedway.

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Austin Hill's Continued Drafting Dominance:

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway ended with Austin Hill securing his third win of the season and his career first at Talladega. Hill's victory, achieved in a photo finish, marked his ninth win on a drafting track, breaking the tie with legends Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart for the series.

Jesse Love, who claimed the pole position, led a race-high 50 laps but ultimately finished third after a last-lap collision with Connor Zilisch. Zilisch, who was leading at the time, was spun into the inside wall by contact with Love, prompting a caution that froze the field. Hill was declared the winner after a review, with Jeb Burton finishing second. Burton expressed frustration, believing he was ahead at the time of the caution and spoke out in protest. Despite the controversy, Austin Hill remained the winner and moved up to second in the points standings.

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Cleetus McFarland Returns to ARCA:

YouTube sensation Cleetus McFarland made his return to the ARCA Menards Series at Talladega Superspeedway, securing an impressive top-10 finish in the General Tire 200. McFarland’s real name is Garrett Mitchell, but his YouTube persona boasts over 4 million subscribers and nearly 1.77 billion views.

McFarland's race at Talladega was not without its challenges. He started in the 18th position and quickly moved into the top 10, but around lap 15, he experienced mechanical issues. Despite this setback, McFarland managed to stay in the race, using advice from mentors like Greg Biffle and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to navigate the track. His perseverance paid off as he avoided several late-race incidents, including a multi-car pileup on the final lap, to finish 10th.

The race was won by Lawless Alan, who claimed his first career ARCA victory. Alan led the race during a one-lap overtime restart and maintained his position when a caution ended the race prematurely. Thad Moffitt finished second, and Isabella Robusto made history with the best Talladega performance by a woman in ARCA history, finishing third.

McFarland's performance garnered significant attention, with his in-car camera stream peaking at over 70,000 viewers. His success at Talladega has fueled speculation about his future in stock car racing, with McFarland expressing interest in returning for more races, including a potential appearance at Bristol later this year.

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

Prime Video Gearing Up For NASCAR:

Prime Video is gearing up for its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series coverage, starting with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25, 2025. To complement this, Prime Video will premiere a highly-anticipated four-part docuseries titled "Earnhardt," which explores the life and legacy of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. The first two episodes will be released on May 22, followed by the final two episodes on May 29.

The docuseries features rare archival footage, thrilling race sequences, and emotionally revealing interviews from Earnhardt's family, friends, and rivals. The series delves into Earnhardt's rise to stardom, his transformation into "The Intimidator," his pursuit of an eighth championship and elusive Daytona 500 win, and the tragic events of the 2001 Daytona 500.

Prime Video is also enhancing its NASCAR coverage with a new anthem, "Up Around The Bend (Amazon Music Original)," a reimagined version of the classic song by John Fogerty, featuring country music artist Eric Church. This anthem will debut during the Coca-Cola 600 broadcast and will be integrated into Prime Video's NASCAR coverage throughout the season.

Additionally, Prime Video will present exclusive coverage of practice and qualifying sessions for nearly the entire first half of the NASCAR season, excluding the All-Star Race. The broadcast team includes race announcer Adam Alexander, analysts Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte, and pit road reporters Trevor Bayne, Kim Coon, and Marty Snider. Danielle Trotta will host the on-site studio coverage, joined by analysts Carl Edwards and Corey LaJoie.

Prime Video's entry into NASCAR broadcasting marks a significant expansion of its sports programming, offering fans a unique and immersive viewing experience.

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

Miscellaneous:

818 Tequila Partners with Toni Breidinger: 818 Tequila, founded by Kendall Jenner, has partnered with NASCAR driver Toni Breidinger for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. Breidinger will feature 818 branding on her car and gear, starting with the Nashville Speedway race on May 30, 2025. The partnership aims to connect with a new generation of fans, particularly women.

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

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