The Backstretch

Kyle Larson is one step closer to another NASCAR championship! Larson delivers a huge victory at Talladega Superspeedway, putting himself in position to nearly put the championship race away with just two races remaining. But with Martinsville next on the schedule, is the title fight really over?

In Season 5, Episode 40 of The Backstretch Podcast, Heather Williams and Henderson Motorsports crew chief Chris Carrier break down Larson's big win, a controversial call involving the double yellow line and a Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing performance that nearly saw the team lap the entire field. Plus, NASCAR Cup Series driver John Hunter Nemechek joins the show!

🏁 What Matters / What Doesn't

Kyle Larson takes control of the championship battle with a statement win at Talladega! With the title within reach, how much pressure is now on the remaining contenders to make something happen before it's too late?

Roush turns heads at Talladega! The team appears to ignore the usual strategy of saving fuel and nearly laps the entire field. Was it a brilliant performance, an unusual set of circumstances or a sign of just how strong the team was?

And the double yellow line controversy returns! Where should NASCAR draw the line (literally) when it comes to drivers making moves below the yellow line at superspeedways? Chris offers a crew chief's perspective on the rule, enforcement and the decisions that can determine a race.

🎤 Turn 5 – John Hunter Nemechek

John Hunter Nemechek joins The Backstretch Podcast! The NASCAR Cup Series driver talks about his racing career, the challenges of competing at NASCAR's highest level and his search for a job for the 2027 season.

📻 Say What? – Radio Chatter

A frightening crash at Talladega involving Riley Herbst, Joey Logano and several other drivers sends shockwaves through the field.

We listen to the radio communications from the incident. What does the audio reveal about the chaos inside the cars and on the pit boxes?

🛠 Pit Notes – Martinsville Speedway

The championship picture heads to Martinsville, where there's no room to hide and every position matters.

Chris Carrier looks ahead to the challenges of the paperclip-shaped short track, the importance of track position and strategy, and what the remaining championship contenders must do to keep their title hopes alive.

Larson is closing in on the championship. Talladega delivered plenty of drama. And Martinsville could be the final hurdle before the title is decided!

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#NASCAR #JohnHunterNemechek #KyleLarson #Talladega #Martinsville #RileyHerbst #JoeyLogano #RoushFenwayKeselowskiRacing #NASCARChase #BackstretchPodcast

Tyler Reddick just blew the NASCAR championship race wide open! Reddick delivers a huge win at Phoenix Raceway, shaking up the title fight with just three races remaining. Meanwhile, questions are swirling about NASCAR's playoff format, the future of superspeedways in the Chase and a TV audience that hit its lowest Phoenix numbers in years. Is the championship battle headed for a dramatic finish?

In Season 5, Episode 39 of The Backstretch Podcast, News 5's Heather Williams and Henderson Motorsports crew chief Chris Carrier break down Reddick's pivotal victory, NASCAR's championship debate and the latest drama from the track. Plus, former NASCAR Cup Series driver Casey Mears joins the show to discuss his quest for 500 starts, growing up in a legendary racing family and what makes Talladega Superspeedway so unique.

🏁 What Matters / What Doesn't

Tyler Reddick's Phoenix victory changes everything! With the championship race suddenly wide open, who has the momentum heading into the final three races? Heather and Chris examine the impact of Reddick's win and what it means for the title contenders.

Should superspeedways like Talladega be part of the Chase? With unpredictable racing and the potential for a single wreck to change everything, does NASCAR's playoff format reward the best teams—or leave too much to chance?

Phoenix also delivered a troubling television ratings number, drawing the lowest audience for the race in years. What does that say about NASCAR's championship format, the sport's TV audience and the challenge of keeping fans invested in the title fight?

🎤 Turn 5 – Casey Mears

Casey Mears joins The Backstretch Podcast! The veteran driver discusses his quest to reach the incredible milestone of 500 NASCAR Cup Series starts, reflecting on a career that's spanned multiple teams and eras of NASCAR racing.

Mears also shares what it was like growing up in a famous racing family and how that background shaped his own career behind the wheel. And with Talladega on the horizon, he talks about the challenges and unpredictability of superspeedway racing.

📻 Say What? – Radio Chatter

Zane Smith finds himself in NASCAR's penalty spotlight after making contact with Carson Hocevar. We break down the incident, the resulting fine and the questions it raises about driver conduct and accountability.

Plus, Shane van Gisbergen gets a chuckle out of a crash unfolding right in front of him! We listen to the radio chatter and discuss the moment when even a chaotic situation on the track can produce an unexpected reaction.

🛠 Pit Notes – Talladega Superspeedway

Get ready for Talladega! With the championship battle wide open, NASCAR heads to one of its most unpredictable tracks, where drafting partners, split-second decisions and the threat of a massive wreck can change everything in an instant.

Chris Carrier offers a crew chief's perspective on preparing for superspeedway racing, managing the risks and making the right calls when the stakes are high. With the title fight tightening, will Talladega create another major shake-up in the championship standings?

Reddick has changed the championship picture. Mears is chasing 500 starts. And Talladega is ready to turn everything upside down!

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#NASCAR #CaseyMears #TylerReddick #Talladega #PhoenixRaceway #ZaneSmith #CarsonHocevar #ShaneVanGisbergen #NASCARChase #BackstretchPodcast

Chase Briscoe is on fire, but Kyle Larson isn't giving up his championship lead!

Briscoe wins his second consecutive race in a thrilling finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, holding off Christopher Bell as tire trouble nearly costs him the victory. Meanwhile, Larson continues his remarkable consistency, finishing sixth or better in every Chase race so far.

With just four races remaining, is the championship Larson's to lose?

In Season 5, Episode 38 of The Backstretch Podcast, News 5's Heather Williams and Henderson Motorsports crew chief Chris Carrier break down the championship battle, a potential new manufacturer in NASCAR and some heated post-race tempers.

🏁 What Matters / What Doesn't

Dodge is reportedly nearing a return to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027! With a potential partnership involving Kaulig Racing and ECR Engines, could Dodge make an immediate impact against Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota?

Kyle Larson's incredible Chase consistency has him leading the championship standings. After last year's controversial finish to the title fight, does Larson's performance this season prove the value of NASCAR's return to a consistency-based championship format?

🎤 Turn 5 – Austin Cindric

This week's Turn 5 is a little different! After a scheduled guest had to cancel, Heather joins NASCAR's weekly media availability with Austin Cindric.

The Team Penske driver discusses the final four races of the season, his team's improved performance, Phoenix Raceway, brake concerns, tricky pit stalls and the challenge of racing at the front of the Cup Series field.

📻 Say What? – Radio Chatter

Michael McDowell vs. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.! Tempers flare after the checkered flag at Charlotte, leaving damaged race cars and frustrated teams. Chris explains why post-race retaliation is especially aggravating from a crew chief's perspective and whether NASCAR should step in.

Briscoe vs. Bell in a Charlotte thriller! We listen to the dramatic radio communications as Briscoe battles tire trouble in the closing laps and Bell nearly steals the victory. Chris breaks down the emotions on both pit boxes during one of the closest finishes in Charlotte Motor Speedway history.

🛠 Pit Notes – Phoenix Raceway

For the first time in seven seasons, Phoenix won't host the NASCAR Cup Series championship finale.

Chris Carrier explains how moving Phoenix earlier in the Chase could change race strategy, driver aggression and the championship battle. With Larson holding a commanding lead, could Phoenix be the last real opportunity for drivers like Ryan Blaney and Chase Briscoe to make up significant ground?

Four races remain. Larson leads the way. Briscoe is charging. And Talladega is still waiting.

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#NASCAR #AustinCindric #ChaseBriscoe #KyleLarson #ChristopherBell #Dodge #PhoenixRaceway #MichaelMcDowell #RickyStenhouseJr #NASCARChase #BackstretchPodcast

Chase Briscoe puts on a show at Las Vegas, dominating the competition as NASCAR reaches the halfway point of the Chase!

With five races down and five to go, the championship picture is starting to take shape. But what have we really learned, and who has the best chance to take home the Cup Series title?

In Season 5, Episode 37 of The Backstretch Podcast, News 5's Heather Williams and Henderson Motorsports crew chief Chris Carrier break down Briscoe's impressive performance, reflect on an emotional weekend for the NASCAR community and look ahead to the next stop in the championship battle.

🏁 What Matters / What Doesn't

The NASCAR community gathered in Charlotte for a celebration of life honoring Kyle Busch, a little more than three months after his tragic passing. We share a special video from the event as Chris reflects on Busch's legacy, the impact of his loss and why publicly celebrating his life matters so much to the racing community.

NASCAR announces another rules package change for Talladega. With the superspeedway race approaching, will the adjustments make a meaningful difference in the racing, or are we expecting too much?

🎤 Turn 5 – Five Minutes with Ryan Blaney

Ryan Blaney joins the show as the Chase reaches its halfway point. We discuss the championship battle, the pressure of the postseason and what it takes to remain in contention as the schedule winds down.

📻 Say What? – Radio Chatter

Denny Hamlin goes for a spin at Las Vegas, but NASCAR keeps the race green. Was that the right call, or should officials have thrown the caution? Heather and Chris debate where NASCAR should draw the line.

Christopher Bell battles a power steering failure during the race. Just how difficult is it to control a Cup car without power steering? Chris explains what happens behind the wheel and whether teams can do anything to prevent or manage the problem once it begins.

🛠 Pit Notes – Charlotte Motor Speedway

For the third consecutive week, NASCAR heads to a mile-and-a-half track, this time at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Chris Carrier breaks down the keys to success at Charlotte, including tire management, changing track conditions, pit strategy and finding the speed needed to compete for a victory as the championship battle intensifies.

Five races down. Five to go. The Chase is heating up, and every point matters.

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#NASCAR #RyanBlaney #ChaseBriscoe #KyleBusch #LasVegasMotorSpeedway #CharlotteMotorSpeedway #DennyHamlin #ChristopherBell #NASCARChase #BackstretchPodcast

Kyle Larson is the man of the hour in NASCAR.

Larson wins at Kansas, stretches his lead in the Chase standings and puts himself in position to accomplish something NASCAR hasn't seen since Jimmie Johnson — win back-to-back Cup Series championships.

In Season 5, Episode 36 of The Backstretch Podcast, Heather Williams and crew chief Chris Carrier break down Larson's championship run and the biggest stories from Kansas as NASCAR heads deeper into the Chase.

🏁 What Matters / What Doesn't

Brad Keselowski is leaving the No. 6 car at the end of the season and giving up his ownership stake in RFK Racing. It's a massive change for an organization he helped reshape — but what does it mean for Keselowski and RFK moving forward?

Erik Jones re-signs with Legacy Motor Club, completing the team's driver lineup, while Jeremy Bullins joins the organization to help complete its crew chief lineup. Is Legacy quietly putting together the pieces it needs to take another step forward?

🎤 Turn 5 – Five Minutes with Bubba Wallace

📻 Say What? – Radio Chatter

Brad Keselowski and Carson Hocevar make contact at Kansas after Keselowski previously warned that payback was coming. Was this simply a racing incident — or did Brad finally collect on what happened at Darlington?

Austin Hill has had enough of Shane van Gisbergen. As emotions boil over on the radio, Chris explains the crucial roles spotters and crew chiefs play in calming a driver down, keeping them focused and preventing frustration from turning into an even bigger problem.

🛠 Pit Notes – Las Vegas

Larson has the points lead. Keselowski is making a major career change. Rivalries are boiling over. And the championship fight is only getting tighter.

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#NASCAR #BubbaWallace #KyleLarson #BradKeselowski #CarsonHocevar #AustinHill #SVG #LasVegasMotorSpeedway #NASCARChase #BackstretchPodcast

ust when you thought the Chase couldn't get any crazier, Bristol said, "Hold my beer."

Joey Logano continues one of the biggest turnarounds of the season, winning at Bristol for his third victory of the year. When the summer began, Logano looked like he might miss the Chase entirely. Now he's firmly in the championship fight.

But the biggest story coming out of Bristol may have happened after the racing stopped.

In Season 5, Episode 35 of The Backstretch Podcast, Heather Williams and crew chief Chris Carrier break down the Ryan Blaney-Carson Hocevar fight, NASCAR's decision not to issue punishment and everything else from a wild night at The Last Great Colosseum.

🏁 What Matters / What Doesn't

Kyle Larson leaves Bristol as the points leader, but NASCAR now returns to the mile-and-a-half tracks where Toyota has been dominant. How much does holding the points lead matter at this stage of the Chase?

The No. 6 team makes a major change with Jeremy Bullins leaving and Mike Skarbowski taking over as crew chief. Can a crew chief change this late in the season make a meaningful difference?

🎤 Turn 5 – Five Minutes with Michael McDowell

📻 Say What? – Bristol Fight Fallout

Carson Hocevar gives his side of the post-race confrontation with Ryan Blaney before Blaney discusses the fight on Denny Hamlin's Actions Detrimental podcast. Does the fact that Blaney finally confronted Hocevar change anything about how the garage races the No. 77 going forward?

NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell addresses the incident on Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour podcast. NASCAR isn't punishing the drivers for the fight, so Chris weighs in on whether letting drivers handle their own business is the right approach.

🎙 Backstretch Conversation – Darnette Vickers

🛠 Pit Notes – Kansas

Logano is surging. Larson has the points lead. Tempers are boiling. And the Chase is only getting more intense.

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#NASCAR #MichaelMcDowell #RyanBlaney #CarsonHocevar #JoeyLogano #KyleLarson #KansasSpeedway #BristolMotorSpeedway #DarnetteVickers #BackstretchPodcast

The Chase is bringing out another gear in NASCAR's biggest teams.

After a wild weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway, Kyle Larson snaps his winless streak and gets back to Victory Lane. In Season 5, Episode 34 of The Backstretch Podcast, Heather Williams and crew chief Chris Carrier break down Larson's win and why it's no coincidence that some of NASCAR's top teams are finding extra speed now that the postseason has arrived.

🏁 What Matters / What Doesn't

A frightening crash on pit road during the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race raises questions about the width and safety of pit road at World Wide Technology Raceway. Several drivers say it's simply too narrow. Does NASCAR need to make a change?

Josh Berry will join Legacy Motor Club next season, while Daniel Suárez says he expects news about his future soon. With Silly Season seats quickly filling up for next year and beyond, how much do these moves matter for the teams and drivers involved?

🎤 Turn 5 – Five Minutes with Connor Zilisch

📻 Say What? – Radio Chatter

The No. 12 team battles brake problems at Gateway as brake issues become a recurring theme throughout the weekend. They once seemed relatively rare—so why are we hearing about them more often?

Brad Keselowski reacts after Joey Logano drives right past him, raising an interesting question for Chris: Can there really be "good engines" and "bad engines" among teams using the same manufacturer?

🛠 Pit Notes – Bristol

The Chase heads to Bristol Motor Speedway, and Chris Carrier breaks down what it takes to survive 500 laps at The Last Great Colosseum. From tire management and traffic to track position, pit road and keeping your emotions under control, there's little room for error when the championship contenders take on the high banks.

Larson is back in Victory Lane. The championship contenders are turning up the pressure. And now it's time for Bristol under the lights.

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#NASCAR #KyleLarson #ConnorZilisch #BristolMotorSpeedway #WWTR #JoshBerry #DanielSuarez #NASCARChase #BackstretchPodcast

After seven runner-up finishes, Christopher Bell finally breaks through.

Bell scores his first win of the season in the Southern 500 at Darlington, starting the Chase with a statement victory. In Season 5, Episode 33 of The Backstretch Podcast, Heather Williams and crew chief Chris Carrier break down how big this win is for Bell and the No. 20 team as the championship battle gets underway.

🏁 What Matters / What Doesn't

🎤 Turn 5 – Five Minutes with Ryan Preece

📻 Say What? – Radio Chatter

🛠 Pit Notes – World Wide Technology Raceway

Bell has the first win of the Chase. The Hocevar controversy isn't going away. And with nine races remaining, the pressure is only beginning.

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Ryan Preece delivers the ultimate walk-off win at Daytona.

With the regular season on the line, Preece scores a dramatic victory to grab one of the final three spots in the Chase, joining Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric as the final drivers to make NASCAR's 16-driver postseason field.

In Season 5, Episode 32 of The Backstretch Podcast, Heather Williams and crew chief Chris Carrier break down the Daytona drama, the final Chase field and the biggest questions as the championship battle begins.

🏁 What Matters / What Doesn't

🎤 Turn 5 – Five Minutes with Bubba Wallace

📻 Say What? – Radio Chatter

🛠 Pit Notes – Darlington

The regular season is over. The Chase is set. Now the road to the championship begins.

16 drivers. 10 races. One champion.

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#NASCAR #BubbaWallace #RyanPreece #DennyHamlin #Daytona #Darlington #NASCARChase #BackstretchPodcast #CupSeries

Ryan Blaney gets the win at New Hampshire, continuing Team Penske's dominance on NASCAR's short, flat tracks. But with that portion of the regular-season schedule behind us, can Penske keep rolling as the series heads to very different tracks before returning to Phoenix and Martinsville late in the Chase?

In Season 5, Episode 31 of The Backstretch Podcast, Heather Williams and crew chief Chris Carrier break down Blaney's victory, Penske's championship potential and everything that's on the line heading into the regular-season finale at Daytona.

🏁 What Matters / What Doesn't

🎤 Turn 5 – Five Minutes with Ross Chastain

📻 Say What? – Radio Chatter

🛠 Pit Notes – Daytona

Chris Carrier breaks down what we're watching for at Daytona, how teams approach a superspeedway race when points are everything, and which three drivers he believes will grab those final Chase spots.

One race. Three spots. And Daytona.

What could possibly go wrong?

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#NASCAR #RyanBlaney #RossChastain #Daytona #DaytonaInternationalSpeedway #NASCARChase #TeamPenske #JoshBerry #AustinHill #BackstretchPodcast