TC Daily Pit Stop: Chase Elliott Suspended, Corey LaJoie to Substitute; Hocevar Making Cup Debut; Young's and Kris Wright Part Ways; Entry Lists and TONS MORE!
TC Daily Pit Stop: Wednesday, May 31st, 2023
Chase Elliott Suspended Following Coke 600 Crash; Corey LaJoie Driving Hendrick No. 9 at Gateway
After NASCAR determined that Chase Elliott intentionally retaliated against Denny Hamlin by hooking Hamlin in the right rear in Monday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the sanctioning body has issued a one-race suspension to the sport’s Most Popular Driver.
Elliott, who missed six races earlier this season due to injury, has been attempting to claw back into the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Now, he’ll need another Playoff waiver and help to work inside the cutline.
Corey LaJoie will move from the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet to fill in for Elliott in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet this weekend. Hendrick Motorsports will submit a formal request for a Playoff waiver for Elliott.
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Carson Hocevar Making Cup Series Debut at Gateway in Spire Motorsports No. 7
As Corey LaJoie moves over to the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports team this weekend to fill in for the suspended Chase Elliott, Carson Hocevar will get his chance to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series for the first time. The 20-year-old has received the call to slide into the No. 7 Spire Motorsports entry this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.
Hocevar has one victory in 65 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts, and he has two top-10 finishes in three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts.
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Young’s Motorsports and Kris Wright Part Ways Effective Immediately
Kris Wright, who has piloted the No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado for Young’s Motorsports in 11 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races in 2023, has officially parted ways with the team, a Young’s Motorsports representative confirmed to TobyChristie.com.
Wright sits 23rd in the NASCAR Truck Series championship standings and has three finishes of 16th-or-better in 2023.
“I love Kris [Wright] and his family, and wish him nothing but the best,” said Tyler Young, owner of Young’s Motorsports, which fields the No. 02, 12, and 20 full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this season.
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Preston Pardus Tapped to Drive for SS GreenLight Racing No. 08 at Portland
Preston Pardus will return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series this weekend in the Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland International Raceway, as he’ll pilot the No. 08 Ford Mustang for SS Green Light Racing.
The 26-year-old has made 20 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series ranks, and has recorded three top-10 finishes, including a career-best seventh-place effort at the Charlotte ROVAL in 2021.
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GK Racing Attempting Truck Series Debut at Gateway with Owner-Driver Clay Greenfield
New race team alert! Clay Greenfield will return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway with long-time sponsor Backyard Blues Pools, and he’ll do so in the new GK Racing No. 95 entry.
GK Racing, owned by Clay and Tandra Greenfield and Jordan and Theresa Kiss, will compete in select NASCAR Truck Series events this season before competing in an expanded schedule in 2024.
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ENTRY LISTS
Preliminary Entry List: 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWT Raceway
Preliminary Entry List: 2023 NXS Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland