TC Daily Pit Stop: Rafa Matos Making Xfinity Debut at Watkins Glen; NASCAR Banquet Moving to Charlotte; Darlington Storylines and TV Schedule
TC Daily Pit Stop: Saturday, August 31, 2024
It’s finally time for the weekend to commence!
The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series are in Darlington, South Carolina to compete at one of NASCAR’s most historic racetracks, Darlington Raceway, where a victory would remain a highlight of a driver’s resume.
10:30 AM ET - NASCAR Xfinity Series Practice - NBC Sports App
11:10 AM ET - NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying - NBC Sports App
12:30 PM ET - NASCAR Cup Series Practice - USA / NBC Sports App
1:20 PM ET - NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying - USA / NBC Sports App
3:00 PM ET - NASCAR Xfinity Series Pre-Race - USA / NBC Sports App
3:30 PM ET - NASCAR Xfinity Series Race - USA / NBC Sports App
FULL TV SCHEDULE
Rafa Matos to Attempt Xfinity Debut at Watkins Glen with Peterson Racing Group
Rafa Matos, the current points leader in the TransAm TA2 Series, will join Peterson Racing Group to compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Watkins Glen International, the driver confirmed on Thursday.
The 42-year-old driver from Brazil pilot the No. 87 Chevrolet Camaro for the first-year organization, with sponsorship from 3Dimensional Services Group and the Navy Seal Foundation.
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NASCAR Awards Banquet Moving to Charlotte in 2024
NASCAR’s end-of-year banquet, held annually to celebrate the top drivers in each of NASCAR’s National Series, is moving to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2024, the sanctioning body confirmed Friday.
The Charlotte Convention Center will host the two-day event, with Thursday, November 21st reserved for NASCAR Regional and NASCAR International champions and the Friday, November 22nd portion reserved for NASCAR’s National Series.
Coverage of the event will be on The CW on Sunday, November 24.
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SOME MAJOR STORYLINES ENTERING DARLINGTON:
Justin Haley ‘Excited’ to Return to Site of Rick Ware Racing Breakout Run: In May, Justin Haley earned his first top-10 with Rick Ware Racing at Darlington — the team’s first on a non-drafting track. Now, the driver of the No. 51 Ford Mustang is “really excited” to return to the site of the team’s breakout run.
Who Could Burst Playoff Bubble with Darlington Victory?: It’s the final race of the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season and there are many drivers looking to win their way into the post-season, including Erik Jones, who has a great history at Darlington. Who could turn the post-season upside down with a win on Sunday? Here is four different options.
Christopher Bell Glad Southern 500 is No Longer in the Playoffs: Christopher Bell is pleased that the Southern 500 is no longer in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in a mid-week media availability, saying it allows drivers to be more aggressive in this crown jewel event.
ICYMI NASCAR Headlines:
Rockingham Speedway Returning to Xfinity, Truck Schedules in 2025
Retzlaff: Didn’t Mean to Cost Busch, Chevrolet; Was Trying to Win at Daytona
NASCAR Trivia
NEED A HINT?
This driver has never won in NASCAR’s National Series.
This driver suffered a pair of hard crashes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, including a notable flip at Talladega Superspeedway.
This driver last competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
This driver last utilized a number synonymous with one of NASCAR’s Most Popular Drivers.
Yesterday’s Question: Who has the most NASCAR Xfinity Series victories at Rockingham?
CORRECT ANSWER: Mark Martin! Martin won 11 times in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Rockingham Speedway, including four in a row. The driver also won events in the Cup Series and K&N Pro Series at the racetrack.