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JRM Reveals Crew Chiefs for Top Rookies

WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 14: Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 Carolina Carports Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on September 14, 2024 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Kauy Ostlien

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Royal T Grafix

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What’s Happening?

Friday, JR Motorsports announced changes to its Crew Chief lineup for 2025. This season is one of a moderate overhaul for the team’s lineup, including two of the highest-rated rookies.

  • Two teams will keep their 2024 Crew Chiefs in 2025. Sammy Smith retains Philip Bell, who took over before the 2024 playoffs and boosted Smith’s performance. Furthermore, 2024 series champion Justin Allgaier and Jim Pholman will work together once again in 2025; the two won six races in the past two seasons.
  • However, the pairings most fans are interested in are the Crew Chiefs calling the shots for JRM’s rookies Carson Kvapil and Connor Zillish. These two young drivers are considered favorites to walk away with Rookie of the Year. Zilisch is a prospect for Trackhouse Racing, while Kvapil is a long-time late-model driver for JRM.
  • JRM is pairing Kvapil with Andrew Overstreet in the No. 1. Overstreet was the Crew Chief of JRM’s part-time No. 88 last season. In 2024, Kvapil drove that No. 88 in nine races, earning three top fives and four top tens. Kvapil takes over the No. 1 for Sam Mayer, who is racing for the Haas Factory Team in 2025.

Zilisch, who won a race with Overstreet, will race with former No. 1 Crew Chief Mardy Lindley. In 2023 and 2024, with Sam Mayer, Lindley won seven races. Notably, four of those wins were on road courses, and pairing Lindley with the road course prodigy Zilisch makes sense for JRM.

The team also plans to enter the No. 9 part-time as Zillisch will drive the No. 88. Cory Shea will call the shots for this car. Known drivers include Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen, and potential drivers include Spire’s Rajah Caruth and Hendrick Motorsports’ prospect Corey Day.

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DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - APRIL 06: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Lionel Racing Reveals First Wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics Diecast

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

Lionel Racing finally confirmed the first wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics 1:64 scale diecast for Monday morning, with the line of retail-exclusive diecast featuring a new look for the new year.

  • This line will include six throwback paint schemes from NASCAR’s 2025 throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway. Though they did not release one in 2025, this move restarts an annual tradition of Lionel releasing at least one wave of cars carrying the colors of that prior season’s throwback designs.
  • Included in this wave of cars are Austin Cindric, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, William Byron, and Sammy Smith. Alongside these paint schemes’ debuts in the Authentics line is a new design for the packaging of the 2026 line of NASCAR Authentics.
  • Last season was somewhat turbulent for Lionel as, alongside issues with tariffs, the brand only released three waves of NASCAR Autentics, one wave of NASCAR Autentics Winners Circle diecast, and two waves of Haulers.
  • Lionel announcing the first wave of 2026 early on in the new year is perhaps a sign that 2026 could return this line to its regular release schedule. The post from Lionel Racing also confirmed that the brand will announce another wave by the end of the week, further hinting at a recommitment to the Authentics line.

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SPARTA, KY - JUNE 26: Chase Pistone, driver of the #9 NTS Motorsports Chevrolet, talks with his crew during practice for the NASCAR Camping World Series UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway on June 26, 2014 in Sparta, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Chase Pistone, NASCAR Trucks and Nationwide Series Driver, Passes Away

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

Chase Pistone, a former competitor on the short track racing circuit in addition to NASCAR’s National Series, has passed away. Pistone, now a successful Legends Car owner, was 42.

  • Chase’s brothers Nick and Tom Pistone confirmed the North Carolina natives’ passing to LegendsNation.com. The cause of Pistone’s passing is unknown. The family asked that media share the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number, which is 988.
  • Pistone, the grandson of NASCAR legend “Tiger” Tom Pistone, made his way to NASCAR after competing on short tracks in Legends cars and Late Models. He would make his jump to NASCAR via the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2005, racing for Green Light Racing at Martinsville Speedway.
  • Pistone would continue his NASCAR pursuits in 2006, racing in ARCA and the NASCAR Busch Series. Unfortunately, these two starts, at Martinsville with the Busch Series and Iowa with ARCA, would be his last for nearly a decade.
  • Pistone returned to NASCAR in 2014, racing in a combined eight NASCAR Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series races. During this season, his final in NASCAR, the then 30-year-old scored his best National Series finish, ninth place in the Truck Series annual trip to Gateway.

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8 Takeaways From NASCAR At COTA

by Bryan Aguiar

Three races in, the 2026 season is finally starting to show its hand. COTA shifted narratives, exposed weaknesses, and raised new questions about contenders, pretenders, and everything in between.

  • Has Shane van Gisbergen officially been proven mortal after getting outraced late at Circuit of the Americas?
  • Is 19-year-old Connor Zilisch already ahead of schedule after slicing through the field multiple times?
  • With three straight wins, is Tyler Reddick basically a lock for the postseason this early?
  • And how concerned should the 48 team be after a rough weekend for Alex Bowman?

From substitute drivers being forced into action to points gaps growing faster than expected, COTA delivered more than just a road course chess match. There were momentum swings, reputation hits, and at least one young driver stacking up enemies before stacking up results.

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