The Cup Series drivers travel to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin for some road course racing at Road America with the Kwik Trip 250.  The challenging course features 14 turns and over four miles of road course.

It was a rough start for Team Hereberg whose number 27 car driven by Loris Hezemans failed the pre-qualifying inspection process twice.  As a result, the crew loses a crew member for the weekend.  The team also looses the chance to choose their pit stall for the race on Sunday.

Road course racing always brings some unfamiliar names to the list of regulars.  This week Joey Hand, Loris Hezemans, and Kyle Tilley join the list of drivers for some road course racing.

The drivers have been divided into two groups with each group having 15 minutes of group qualifying.  The top five drivers from each group will then have 10 minutes of group qualifying to determine who will sit on the pole.

In Group A – Chase Briscoe, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, Austin Cindric, and Cole Custer will all make a run for the pole.

In Group B – Alex Bowman, Michael McDowell, Chris Buescher, Joey Hand, and Chase Elliott will all make a run for the pole.

After a 10 minutes second round of qualifying, making a run late in the round, Chase Elliott put his number nine car on the pole with Chase Briscoe starting alongside on the front row.

There is a flurry of activity surrounding Ross Chastain’s car.  The crew is finding micro cracks in the brake rotors due to overheating and then the brakes getting cold and have had to change them.  Kyle Larson and William Byron’s crews also reported brake rotor issues.  NASCAR is allowing the crews to make brake rotor changes with no penalty, citing safety concerns.

Saying that they found something that they didn’t like, the number 18 car driven by Kyle Busch is making an engine change.  Busch will have to start the race from the back of the field due to the change after qualifying in 13th.

The starting lineup for the Kwik Trip 250:
Chase Elliott
Chase Briscoe
Kyle Larson
Tyler Reddick
Austin Cindric
Michael McDowell
Chris Buescher
Alex Bowman
Joey Hand
Cole Custer
Brad Keselowski
Ross Chastain
Kyle Busch – moved to the back of the field
Denny Hamlin
Martin Truex Jr
Christopher Bell
Daniel Suarez
Joey Logano
Ryan Blaney
Austin Dillon
A Allmendinger
Kurt Busch
Harrison Burton
Aric Almirola
Bubba Wallace
Josh Bilicki
Erik Jones
Kevin Harvick
William Byron
Ty Dillon
Cody Ware
Todd Gilliland
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Justin Haley
Corey LaJoie
Loris Hezemans
Kyle Tilley


Preparing for the race, several crews were changing brake rotors; NASCAR officials have stated that since it is a safety issue, they will not penalize the crews.  With the heat of the brakes under use and then cooling off on the straightaways, the rotors were cracking causing a danger of exploding rotors and crashing cars.

Stages one and two of the race are 15 laps each with stage three lasting 32 laps for a total of 62 laps around the four mile road course.  The drivers use a entire gallon of fuel on each lap.  The fuel cells hold around 18 gallons of fuel.

Chase Elliott is reporting a possible steering issue in his car after firing the engine.

It’s a Chase front row with Chase Elliott on the pole and Chase Briscoe starting alongside.  Elliott brings the field down for the green flag start of the race and jumps out in front for the lead. Going into turn one Chase Briscoe comes up to go side by side with Chase Elliott.  Chase Elliott gets out in front for the lead.

Lap two, Chase Elliott has a half second lead on Chase Briscoe; Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, and Michael McDowell round out the top five.

Lap three, Chase Elliott reports that the steering doesn’t feel right.  The crew reports that they have a plan.

Kyle Busch has moved up to 29th place after starting the race from the back of the field due to an engine change.

Corey LaJoie is off the track.

Lap five, Chase Elliott holds on to the lead.  Kyle Busch and Aric Almirola make contact after spinning out but the track stays green.

Lap six, Chase Elliott has pulled out to a lead of nearly two seconds on Chase Briscoe; Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, and Michael McDowell round out the top five.

Lap seven, Chase Elliott continues to expand his lead and is now nearly two and a half seconds in front of Chase Briscoe; Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, and Michael McDowell round out the top five.  So far there has been a minimal amount of passing by the drivers.

Lap nine, the top five remains Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, and Michael McDowell with Chase Elliott three and a half seconds in the lead.

Kyle Busch reports no grip, no nothing in his car.

Lap 10, Chase Elliott’s lead is now four seconds on Chase Briscoe with Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, and Michael McDowell rounding out the top five.

Lap 12, Chase Elliott is “driving it like he stole it” with a lead of nearly six seconds on Chase Briscoe; Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, and Austin Cindric round out the top five. 

Drivers begin coming down pit road to short pit the end of the stage.

Lap 13 , Chase Elliott has an eight and a half second lead on Chase Briscoe; Austin Cindric, Alex Bowman, and Joey Logano round out the top five.

Chase Elliott gives up a big lead to come down pit road to short pit and avoid being way back in the field at the end of stage one.

Chase Briscoe is the new leader with Austin Cindric in second; Alex Bowman, Joey Logano, and Kurt Busch round out the top five.  The shake up in the field has put Kyle Busch in the top 15.

Denny Hamlin has been charged with driving through too many pit boxes.  Pit road is “backwards” to what the drivers are used to doing and they cannot see how many pit boxes they drive through.  NASCAR allows for a driver to run through three pit boxes without a penalty.

AJ Allmendinger made a second trip down pit road with a possible loose wheel.

With a lead of a second and a half, Chase Briscoe wins stage one for his second stage win.

The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Chase Briscoe
Austin Cindric
Alex Bowman
Joey Logano
Kurt Busch
Harrison Burton
Bubba Wallace
Erik Jones
Justin Haley
Chase Elliott

Drivers who did not short pit the end of stage one come down pit road for service.  After pit stops cycle through, Chase Elliott retakes the lead.

Kyle Busch and Aric Almirola have slow stops as crews work to make repairs.

Denny Hamlin makes a second trip down pit road and is charged with running through too many pit boxes for the second time.  So far this season, Hamlin has been charged with a total of 26 penalties.

Chase Elliott brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with team mate Kyle Larson alongside on lap 18.  Elliott holds on to the lead with Larson in second; Tyler Reddick, Ross Chastain, and Chris Buescher round out the top five.

Corey LaJoie has returned to the track five laps down.  Loris Hezemans is off the track.

Stage two, the drivers are getting more aggressive on the track and battling for position.

Lap 19, Chase Elliott has a one secod lead on Kyle Larson; Tyler Reddick, Ross Chastain, and Michael McDowell round out the top five.

Lap 22, Chase Elliott hods a lead of over a second on Kyle Larson but has not been able to pull away like he did in stage one; Tyler Reddick, Ross Chastain, and Michael McDowell round out the top five.

Cody Ware is off the track.

Lap 23, Chase Elliott has increased his lead to two seconds on Kyle Larson.

Tyler Reddick passes Kyle Larson for second place.

Joey Logano makes contact with Bubba Wallace and sends both drivers around but the track stays green.

Lap 25, Chase Elliott has pulled out to a four second lead on Tyler Reddick; Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, and Michael McDowell round out the top five.

Cody Ware returns to the track four laps down.

Chase Elliott reports a possible brake issues.

Lap 27, drivers begin making green flag pit stops as they short pit the end of stage two.  Chase Elliott has a four second lead on Tyler Reddick.

Lap 28, Chase Elliott has a four second lead on second place driver Tyler Reddick but is 23 seconds in front of fifth place driver Ryan Blaney.

Chase Elliott makes his pit stop and gives the lead over to Ryan Blaney as Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, and Ross Chastain also come down pit road.

With a lead of two and a half seconds, Ryan Blaney wins stage two for his fifth stage win of the season.  Blaney has the most stage wins this season.

The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Ryan Blaney
Joey Hand
Ty Dillon
Kurt Busch
Erik Jones
Justin Haley
Harrison Burton
Bubba Wallace
Chase Elliott
Tyler Reddick

Drivers who did not pit before the end of stage two come down pit road for service.

The drivers cannot complete the race on a single load of fuel and will have to make at least one pit stop to make it to the end of the race.

Chase Elliott resumes the lead on lap 33 with Tyler Reddick alongside.  After going side by side, Chase Elliott edges out in front for the lead with Tyler Reddick in second; Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, and Daniel Suarez round out the top five.

Josh Bilicki is off the track.

Lap 34, Tyler Reddick has caught up to leader Chase Elliott and is challenging for the lead.  Reddick is the only driver in the top five yet to win a race.

The top five are Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, and Daniel Suarez.

Lap 35, Bubba Wallace gets off the course and into the gravel but he gets it going again and back on the track.  He is dropping a lot of gravel on the course.

Ross Chastain and Kyle Larson make contact and sends Chastain through the grass but the track stays green.

Lap 37, Chase Elliott has a one second lead on Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, and Daniel Suarez round out the top five.

Lap 38, Chase Elliott has a lead of nearly a second and a half on Tyler Reddick; Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, and Daniel Suarez round out the top five.

Of the 35 cars on the lead lap, only two of them are not on the lead lap; Cody Ware and Corey LaJoie are laps down after spending time in the garage.

Lap 41, Chase Elliott has a second and a half lead on Tyler Reddick; Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, and Daniel Suarez round out the top five.

Josh Bilicki returns to the track eight laps down.

Lap 41, Brad Keselowski comes down pit road. The drivers are not yet within their window make it to the end of the race.

Lap 43, at the edge of their pit window, several drivers come down pit road for service.  Christopher Bell has a slow pit stop with tire issues.

Lap 43, the top eight drivers including Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, and Daniel Suarez come down pit road for service.  Chase Elliott barely beats Tyler Reddick off of pit road.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr leads the race with Cole Custer in second; Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, and Ty Dillon round out the top five.

Lap 45, Kyle Busch is the last car on the lead lap in 32nd place.

Lap 45, Ryan Blaney leads the race with Denny Hamlin in second.

Lap 46, Ryan Blaney makes his pit stop and hands the lead over to Denny Hamlin; Joey Hand, Harrison Burton, Chase Elliott, and Tyler Reddick round out the top five.

Chase Elliott and Tyler Reddick battle for position with Tyler Reddick taking the spot.  Chase Elliott continues stay on Reddick’s bumper.

Denny Hamlin and Joey Hand makes their pit stops and gives the lead over to Harrison Burton.

Lap 47, Harrison Burton has yet to make his pit stop; Tyler Reddick is less than half a second back.

There are 15 laps remaining in the race and while there has been a few on track incidents, there have been no caution flags for on track incidents in the race.

Harrison Burton has made his pit stop and gives the lead over to Tyler Reddick with Chase Elliott nearly a second and a half back; Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, and Chris Buescher round out the top five.

Lap 49, Chase Elliott is slowly closing the gap on leader Tyler Reddick; Elliott is only a second behind Reddick.

Loris Hezemans is out of the race.

Lap 51, Chase Elliott is less than a second behind leader Tyler Reddick; third place driver Kyle Larson is over seven seconds back with Ross Chastain and Chris Buescher rounding out the top five.

Ten to go, 40 miles, Tyler Reddick has a lead of just over half a second on Chase Elliott; Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, and Chris Buescher round out the top five.

Eight to go, Tyler Reddick has increased his lead to a second on Chase Elliott; over 10 seconds back Kyle Larson is in third with Ross Chastain and Chris Buescher rounding out the top five.

Bubba Wallace gets off the track.

Six to go, Tyler Reddick holds on to his one second lead on Chase Elliott; Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, and Chris Buescher round out the top five.  Drivers are spread out all through the course.

Five to go, Tyler Reddick has pulled out to a two second lead on Chase Elliott.

Four to go, Austin Dillon gets off the track but gets moving again and is racing again and the track stays green.

Three to go, Tyler Reddick has a lead of nearly two and a half seconds on Chase Elliott.

Austin Dillon is limping around the track with a flat tire.  He pulls off on the access area and the track stays green.

Tyler Reddick takes the white flag with a four second lead on Chase Elliott.

For the fifth time this season, a driver wins his first race.  Not since the second year of NASCAR (1950) has the sport seen that many first time winners in a single season.

Tyler Reddick becomes the 13th different winner in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season!

The unofficial results of the Kwik Trip 250:
Tyler Reddick
Chase Elliott
Kyle Larson
Ross Chastain
Daniel Suarez
Chris Buescher
Austin Cindric
Michael McDowell
AJ Allmendinger
Kevin Harvick
Ryan Blaney
Alex Bowman
Martin Truex Jr
Chase Briscoe
Cole Custer
William Byron
Denny Hamlin
Christopher Bell
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Ty Dillon
Joey Hand
Harrison Burton
Kurt Busch
Todd Gilliland
Justin Haley
Erik Jones
Joey Logano
Aric Almirola
Kyle Busch
Austin Dillon
Kyle Tilley
Cody Ware
Brad Keselowski
Corey LaJoie
Bubba Wallace
Josh Bilicki
Loris Hezemans