Motorsport

My first reaction when I saw this announcement like Wow!! I couldn’t believe it thinking at first if it was fake news, but yes, it did turn out to be real after Toyota has officially welcomed Legacy Motor Club to their NASCAR Cup Series line-up from next year onwards alongside the flagship Joe Gibbs Racing team (four cars) & 23XI Racing (two cars).

Plus, it’s going to be great to see the TRD talent alumni Noah Gragson (No.42) & Erik Jones (No.43) return to Toyota once again at Legacy Motor Club, whom they have been racing & winning races under these race cars in the past. And the co-owner & 7 x NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson will race other than a Chevy for the first time too when he too will pop up at selected races in the No.84 like the Daytona 500. It’s not the first time he drove a non-Chevy race car when JJ was racing a Honda engine in IndyCar (Open-Wheel) back in 2021 & 2022 at Ganassi.

So yes there’s going to be some NASCAR fans & predominately old timers in particular as to why Jimmie Johnson, Maury Gallagher & Richard Petty switched to a Japanese car or foreign manufacturing, having seen JJ been loyal to Chevy that saw win accomplish so many races & championships while “The King” has raced & ran various other American car makes for most of his life. 

But the thing is that the world has changed these days and they’re doing this to hopefully win races & potentially championships over the long run. Also, Toyota has invested a whole lot of manufacturing, jobs & service parts right here in America where their Camry road cars have been made over in Georgetown, Kentucky since 1988 – so much history there that makes Toyota so great for many Americans including their participation in NASCAR over the last 15 to 20 years.

What will happen with the change of manufacturers going forward?

Now that the switch has been made official, LMC doesn’t need a technical alliance with JGR but will of course build their own cars while receiving engines & data from Toyota – the same thing Trackhouse exactly operates with their Cup Series program alongside Chevy. 

Plus, will we see them acquire a 3rd full-time charter & revive the No.44 numberplate perhaps? Unless NASCAR is going to take away one of the bottom 3 charter entries (No.15 Rick Ware Ford, No.77 Spire Chevy & No.78 Live Fast Chevy) – should they continue finishing there for the third year in a row, I don’t think any of them will sell up unless they’d be happy to take the money & run. 

But yes, that is something LMC can hopefully make that happen at some point depending on the next TV rights deal from 2025 including sponsorship of course & have one of the Toyota Racing youngsters in there to build some Cup experience like Sammy Smith or Corey Heim. Otherwise, they can always poach Austin Hill from Richard Childress Racing’s Xfinity team who is outstanding right now just like 23XI did to Tyler Reddick (No.45 now) last year.

And lastly, I don’t think Toyota will put LMC out of business after let’s say a few years when co-owners Jimmie Johnson & Maury Gallagher has more than enough decent amount of money combined to generate & keep them afloat while chasing more on-track success. I see no problem with Denny Hamlin & Michael Jordan so far at 23XI, so no doubt LMC will be a great success as 23XI there.

One Australian Superbike legend Wayne Maxwell may have retired recently after he wrapped up his decorated career in the No.1 Ducati bike at McMartin Racing, having won three titles to his name (2013, 2020-2021). However, look out as there’s another ASBK legend who can easily fill Maxwell’s shoes very perfectly with a perfect start to the 2023 ASBK season in none other than Josh Waters (No.21).

He too got away with all three wins throughout the opening race weekend including pole position; Plus, he also became the new lap record holder of the premier class category here at Phillip Island. Race 1 didn’t bother him too much despite the red flag restart & fared even better with the new lap record of 1:30:75, before Waters built on such a healthy lead during the last two Sunday races on the Yamaha duo of Cru Halliday (3rd in Race 2 & 2nd in Race 3) who rebounded after his Race 1 DNF from Saturday & so does the current champion (also 3 times) in Mike Jones (4th in Race 1, 3rd in Race 2 & 2nd in Race 3). This is going to be a great two if not three way battle as this season goes on throughout 2023 for the riders’ crown. 

Then we take a quick look over at the secondary Supersport category where Harrison Voight had a great weekend for the No.29 Yamaha bike collecting two wins in between Races 1 & 3 plus the pole position, even though he held off such a huge threat from Olly Simpson on the run home during the 3rd & final race of the weekend. Although he may be disappointed with a DNF despite building a healthy lead before Voight was slipped away into the gravel that gave Ty Lynch a free run up front in Race 2, but still a red-hot start to his 2023 season nonetheless.

We’ll see if Voight can build on the two opening round wins & stay battling up front as the new Supersport category season progresses before looking dethrone current champion John Lytras for the championship come early December at The Bend Motorsports Park in SA.

For now, the ASBK will make their next stop at Sydney Motorsports Park in Eastern Creek for the first time in several years on Friday 24th-Saturday 25th later this month. Also another first time moment, a night event on Saturday where we will get to get some brilliant racing across several categories under the lights including the premier Superbike class. 

It’s going to be such a great weekend out just like the opening round that was accompanied by the World Superbikes’ Australian Round support bill a few days ago. One round done, six more left of the 2023 ASBK season as you can watch every race live both on SBS & Stan Sport.

Stenhouse was crowned winner of the 2023 Daytona 500 after an exciting race in which he passed Joey Logano on the last lap. A crash behind him sealed his victory in Sunday’s Daytona 500.

The 35-year-old driver took the lead for the first time in the race with a push from Kyle Larson in the first overtime, but a crash sent the race to a second two-lap overtime. In the restart, Logano got ahead of Stenhouse, but a great push from Christopher Bell allowed Stenhouse to pass Logano. Travis Pastrana and Aric Almirola were involved in a crash, which brought out the yellow flag.

Since Stenhouse had already taken the white flag, the race was over and he was declared the winner. This is his first victory in the NASCAR Cup since 2017 and the third of his career, all of which have been on superspeedway tracks.

It is also JTG Daugherty Racing’s first win since A.J. Allmendinger’s victory in 2014 at Watkins Glen, New York. The race set a duration record, with 212 laps or 530 miles. Joey Logano finished second, Christopher Bell third, Chris Buescher fourth, and pole winner Alex Bowman completed the top five.

After the caution between Stages 2 and 3, most of the leading cars pitted. Almirola was the first to exit. However, Ross Chastain was penalized for speeding and had to restart the race from the back. Bell also had to go to the back due to an over-the-wall violation, and Noah Gragson was penalized for an uncontrolled tire.

On the restart on lap 138, Bubba Wallace, who chose not to pit, led the race, followed by Almirola, Buescher, and Byron. However, on lap 140, NASCAR had to show a caution due to debris in turn 2, specifically a blown tire from Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Ford. At that time, Bowman had to turn around upon exiting the caution.

With 35 laps to go, Buescher stayed in the lead with team owner Brad Keselowski right behind him. Almirola was in third and Austin Cindric was in fourth. Wallace, who did not pit during the stage break, made his green-flag stop on lap 172, coming down the pit road by himself.

Stenhouse was penalized for speeding and had to serve a pass-through penalty. When the green-flag stops were over, Ryan Preece slowed down and slid into the middle of the field, causing a multi-car crash on lap 182 that brought out the fifth caution of the race. With five laps to go, a group of nine cars led the race, with Keselowski still in the lead. Busch, with the help of other Chevrolets, managed to take the lead on the outside.

On lap 198, Daniel Suárez lost control in turn 4 and ended up in the infield grass, bringing out a caution and taking the race into a two-lap overtime. For the start of the extra time, Busch led the race followed by Austin Dillon, Byron, Logano, Larson, Keselowski, Stenhouse, and Buescher. In turn 3 after the restart, Byron collided with Austin Dillon and spun him, causing another multi-car crash and taking the race into a second overtime. 

Stenhouse, who was being pressured by Larson, emerged as the leader. At the beginning of the second overtime, Stenhouse was followed by Larson, Bell, Logano, Busch, Allmendinger, Denny Hamlin, and Bowman. Then the last overtime attempt towards the checkered flag eventually finished under yellow where Pastrana sent Larson into the wall also collecting Almirola & several others, before the race officials confirmed Stenhouse as the first-time Daytona 500 winner. Thanks to his breakthrough moment yesterday, he & JTG has now booked his Playoffs ticket into the Round of 16 come early September. 

Next stop – Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California – where NASCAR is set for a three-week West Coast tour beginning this Sunday for the Pale Casino 400.