Team Penske – Ford

The cars: Austin Cindric No. 2, Ryan Blaney No. 12, Joey Logano No. 22

The story: Penske is a team at the top of their game, with Logano winning the 2022 championship and Blaney winning the 2023 championship. Blaney has continued his form into 2024, while Logano has had a terrible start but is typically strong in the summer stretch. Cindric, meanwhile, looks to rebound in his third full-time season after a sophomore slump last year. Can the Penske crew make it three titles in a row?

The predictions: Blaney and Logano will both be title contenders as usual despite Logano’s slow start. Cindric will probably still be behind his teammates, but I expect him to improve over last year in nearly every metric and possibly get his second career win.

Wood Brothers Racing – Ford

The cars: Harrison Burton No. 21

The story: Wood Brothers is a team with a long history, having run the No. 21 car with the same paint scheme since the 1960s. Historical success does not translate to consistent results, however, and the No. 21 car has been quite slow with Burton behind the wheel. Even a close technical alliance with Penske hasn’t done much to help their speed.

The predictions: WBR has been terrible since Burton took over driving duties in 2022, and I don’t expect them to do much better in 2024. Burton needs to have a good year or else his time in the Cup Series might be over.

RFK Racing – Ford

The cars: Brad Keselowski No. 6, Chris Buescher No. 17

The story: After Buesher won three races in 2023 and both RFK cars finished top 8 in points, expectations for this team are high going into 2024. After a decade-long slump that saw the team downsize from five cars to two and lose multiple championship-tier drivers, RFK’s future is finally looking bright with a solid start to 2024.

The predictions: Keselowski is the last remaining competitive owner-driver, and I expect him to break his two-year winless drought this season. Buescher’s three wins should give him the confidence to continue his streak. A championship push may well be realistic for both RFK cars.

Stewart-Haas Racing – Ford

The cars: Josh Berry No. 4, Noah Gragson No. 10, Chase Briscoe No. 14, Ryan Preece No. 41

The story: Once a championship-tier organization, SHR is shedding relevance with each passing year. 2014 champion Kevin Harvick and longtime veteran Aric Almirola retired after 2023 with their roles filled by rookie Berry and second-year driver Gragson. Last year, Harvick dragged his team to relevance, but he’s not here to repeat those glories in 2024.

The predictions: With Harvick’s retirement, SHR lost its best driver by far. I would be shocked if any of their four cars were in the top 20 in points since Briscoe and the talented rookie Berry are their only realistic chances at relevance.

Front Row Motorsports – Ford

The cars: Michael McDowell No. 34, Todd Gilliland No. 38

The story: McDowell has been the underdog story of the 2020s, winning races in both 2021 and 2023  and bringing long-time backmarkers FRM to relevance. The No. 34 has made the most out of FRM’s resources and become a fan favorite through consistency and persistence which have brought the rewards of increased funding and support from Ford going into 2024.

The predictions: FRM’s increased manufacturer support has already paid dividends with McDowell and Gilliland showing lots of speed early in 2024. Front Row won’t make a championship run yet, but I would expect McDowell to compete for a win or two.

Rick Ware Racing – Ford

The cars: (Multiple Drivers) No. 15, Justin Haley No. 51

The story: Rick Ware has always been a backmarker team with quite slow cars, but they’ve been improving over the past few seasons. Adding Haley, a proven competitor capable of getting good runs out of weak cars, is a significant upgrade for this team, and we’ve seen RWR show more speed than usual early in 2024.

The predictions: RWR isn’t great, and they won’t be winning races anytime soon. What RWR is looking for is consistency and improvement, which I believe Haley can bring in the No. 51 while the No. 15 hosts a few drivers looking for a full-time ride.

Hendrick Motorsports – Chevy

The cars: Kyle Larson No. 5, Chase Elliott No. 9, William Byron No. 24, Alex Bowman No. 48

The story: This team oozes talent. Byron is coming off a breakout six-win year, Bowman is a dependable performer and 2020 champ Elliott is looking for revenge after a winless 2023. Add Larson, the 2021 champ and arguably the best race car driver in the world, and you have a terrifying juggernaut. They’ve already won three of the first six races: Byron won at Daytona and Circuit of the Americas, while Larson took Las Vegas.

The predictions: Hendrick is consistently the championship favorite. I expect Elliott and Bowman to have fantastic comeback seasons, Byron to keep winning races and Larson to at least be a championship contender right at the end.

Trackhouse Racing – Chevy

The cars: Ross Chastain No. 1, Daniel Suárez No. 99

The story: The young Trackhouse team is already a top-tier organization going into their fourth year of competition. Chastain is a championship threat with a flair for aggressive driving, Suárez got his second career win at the start of the year and the team co-owned by Pitbull (yes, that Pitbull) remains the most interesting team in the sport.

The predictions: Trackhouse has six wins over the past two seasons, and I think they’ll come back strong this year with both full time cars getting a win and Chastain making another deep championship run.

Richard Childress Racing – Chevy

The cars: Austin Dillon No. 3, Kyle Busch No. 8

The story: Adding two-time champion Busch for the 2023 season was a great decision as he brought the team legitimacy and three wins to boot. Dillon, on the other hand, had his worst statistical year since 2019 and his worst points finish ever. RCR has promise, but if they want to shake the “Richer Children’s Racing” moniker, they’re going to need to prove that both cars are legitimate contenders.

The predictions: In his second season at RCR, Busch will be searching for consistency to match his speed, which I think he’ll find despite a rough start. Dillon will likely rebound, but I still anticipate him to be a non-factor for wins or the championship.

Spire Motorsports – Chevy

The cars: Corey Lajoie No. 7, Zane Smith No. 71, Carson Hocevar No. 77

The story: A long-time backmarker, Spire has quietly been improving in recent years. Lajoie has established himself as a dependable and competent driver, and he’s paired with two talented rookies in Hocevar and Smith for 2024. If the team is going to make a big stride forward, this year would be a great time to see Spire move up the charts.

The predictions: Spire won’t be a title contender, but Lajoie is quite talented and will get a few good finishes. Hocevar and Smith will have some learning to do, but once they settle in, this team has potential to shake up the midfield.

Kaulig Racing – Chevy

The cars: (Multiple Drivers) No. 16, Daniel Hemric No. 31

The story: Kaulig brings a brand new driver lineup with Justin Haley moving on from the No. 31 and A.J. Allmendinger moving back to the lower-tier series from the No. 16. Hemric, a consistent performer in the lower series, takes over the No. 31 full-time, while the No. 16 has a rotating cast of part-time drivers. This will be an adjustment year; can Kaulig set up for the future?

The predictions: Kaulig has struggled through its first few seasons, and losing two talented, full-time drivers in Haley and Allmendinger is a tough blow. One Kaulig car in the top 20 in points would be a good season for this team.

JTG Daugherty Racing – Chevy

The cars: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. No. 47

The story: JTG Daugherty isn’t a flashy team, but in recent seasons Stenhouse has been a consistent and reliable driver, bringing this small team good results and the occasional win. They don’t have the speed or the resources of the big-name teams, but the JTG Daughtery crew has steadily found ways to finish races well and get themselves unexpected results.

The predictions: The No. 47 car won’t be in contention for a championship, but Stenhouse has shown good form recently, including a win in 2023. Don’t be surprised when this team randomly appears in the top ten or even top five several times this year.

Joe Gibbs Racing – Toyota

The cars: Denny Hamlin No. 11, Martin Truex Jr. No. 19, Christopher Bell No. 20, Ty Gibbs No. 54

The story: Coach Gibbs has built an empire headlined by 2017 champ Truex and 3-time Daytona 500 winner Hamlin. The up-and-coming Bell and Ty Gibbs (grandson of Joe) give them staying power. Despite losing two-time champ Kyle Busch after 2022, JGR has not missed a beat, racking up wins and remaining a title threat. With Bell and Hamlin winning early this year at Phoenix and Bristol, respectively, JGR is setting up for another great season.

The predictions: Truex, Hamlin and Bell have all been title contenders in the past few years, and I expect that to continue. Gibbs showed great promise in his rookie year and his 2024 is off to a fast start. He has a great chance to get his first Cup win later this year.

23XI Racing – Toyota

The cars: Bubba Wallace No. 23, Tyler Reddick No. 45

The story: This team, co-owned by JGR driver Denny Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan, is coming off its best season yet with Reddick winning twice and both cars finishing top 10 in points. The future appears bright for the organization with two young talents behind the wheel and an ownership group invested in the team’s long-term growth.

The predictions: 23XI has steadily improved with each passing year, and I expect this trend to continue. Reddick will continue to contend for wins and might be a dark horse for the title, while Wallace has a great shot at his third career win.

Legacy Motor Club – Toyota

The cars: John Hunter Nemechek No. 42, Erik Jones No. 43

The story: LMC switched from Chevy to Toyota for the 2024 season after a disappointing 2023. Jones managed to have a few strong runs towards the end of last year. Nemechek joined LMC after two fantastic seasons in the lower series. After a terrible 2023, can LMC rebound into competitive form with a new manufacturer?

The predictions: This team is hard to predict. Despite finishing 27th and 32nd in points last year, there’s a surprising optimism about this team. I don’t expect title contention, but a win for one or even both LMC cars wouldn’t shock me.

Every weekend from now until November, these 36 cars will be in action with their drivers and teams traveling across the nation to compete at all manner of tracks. It is these tracks that we will turn to next, from the high banks of Daytona to the winding esses of Sonoma. I hope to see you there!

Chances are, you’ve heard of NASCAR, but you may not know much about the sport besides the fact that the cars go fast, turn left, and get into gigantic crashes. With the occasional NASCAR story sneaking onto news feeds, you probably also have some questions. Do Pitbull and Michael Jordan really own NASCAR teams? Do the drivers really only turn left? And how stock are these “stock cars,” anyway?

The short answers to these questions are “Yes”, “No”, and “Not in the slightest.” The long answers, plus a whole lot more, are what I’m here to explain. Welcome to the first of a four-part series exploring the world of NASCAR. This article will be a general primer, while parts two, three, and four will explore the drivers, the tracks, and the rules, respectively.

The Cars
A NASCAR Cup series “stock car” is about as far from a dealership car as possible. Cup cars weigh in at 3200 pounds with nearly a ton of extra aerodynamic downforce, and are powered by a 6 liter V8 engine that produces nearly 700 horsepower. These engines are paired with 15” brakes, allowing these cars to accelerate to high speeds and stop quickly. 

The car body is made of carbon fiber composites which are more resistant to deformation than metal bodies. The combination of grip and power means that Cup cars can reach 200 miles per hour, while the composite bodies mean that cars can get into minor scrapes and still remain competitive. It’s rare to find a race-winning car without at least some paint scratches and tire marks.

Cup cars also have extensive safety features to protect drivers during crashes. They range from the obvious, such as reinforced roll cages, to the technical, like carefully engineered front and rear clips built to absorb energy. Every part of the car is designed with safety in mind. Even the roof flaps that open up when a car begins to spin are there for safety. 

This safety-first mentality makes NASCAR the safest major motorsports series. Despite the massive crashes, more drivers miss races because of injuries sustained from off-track hobbies than because of injuries sustained in a NASCAR race.

The Drivers
Behind the controls of these brilliantly-engineered cars are some of the planet’s greatest drivers. Virtually every driver to start a NASCAR race has performed at a high level in some other series, and all of them have been driving race cars since well before they could legally drive a road car. Most NASCAR drivers have experience across several disciplines of racing, from dirt tracks to open-wheel cars.

Though many veterans, such as Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart, have retired from full-time driving in the last decade, NASCAR in 2024 has no shortage of names and personalities. There’s the defending champ Ryan Blaney; the 2020 champ and most popular driver Chase Elliott; the villains, three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and two-time series champ Joey Logano; the veterans such as two-time champ Kyle Busch and 2017 champ Martin Truex Jr.; the underdogs like Michael McDowell, and even the happy-go-lucky watermelon farmer turned checkers-or-wreckers championship contender Ross Chastain. With thirty-six drivers on track, there’s plenty of contenders to cheer for.

The Teams
No NASCAR driver could race without a full team behind him. Some crew members are more visible than others, but all of them are vital to every race win. Here’s a few of the more important at-track team members:

Crew chief: This is the first crew member you’ll hear about. The crew chief sits on top of the team’s box on pit road, deciding on race strategy, when to pit, what adjustments to make to the car, and all the long-term details that can give a driver an edge.

Spotter: The spotter sits high above the track on top of the grandstands with binoculars to watch the race. They give drivers valuable information about where other cars are, what lanes other cars are driving in, which cars are gaining/losing time and anything else the driver needs to know.

Pit crew: These are the people who jump over the wall during a pit stop. There are five pit crew members: A front and rear tire changer, a tire carrier, a jackman and a fueler. They must change all four tires, fill the car with fuel, and make mechanical adjustments – all in under fifteen seconds. To say their jobs are high-pressure would be an understatement.

Car chief: Where the crew chief deals with in-race planning, the car chief deals with pre-race planning. They lead the engineering team and before a race will make sure everything on the car is optimized for performance while still meeting NASCAR’s stringent inspection policy.

The Tracks
The NASCAR Cup series season lasts from February into November and consists of 36 points races plus a few exhibition races. In 2024, NASCAR will host points-paying races at 26 unique tracks. Most tracks are ovals, but every track on the schedule is unique. Short ovals under a mile long require constant aggression with drivers using their bumper to help make passes. Longer ovals emphasize strategy, adaptability, engineering and less all-out aggression. Five road courses bring a unique challenge with each composed of varied turns requiring patience, skillful driving and turning right. They even hold a race on the streets of Chicago’s park district.

The most unique type of track on the schedule are the superspeedways. These large ovals are designed for maximum speed, and because drivers never have to get out of the throttle, winning one of the six superspeedway races requires drafting. 

Drafting is when one car drives very close behind another, making the trailing car push through less air, experience less drag, and thus go faster. Superspeedway races typically have two or three lines of drafting cars pushing each other, and with so many cars so close together, this type of racing requires everyone to be at their best to navigate to the front without crashing.

What to Know
The 2024 NASCAR season is about to begin, with the Daytona 500 happening on Sunday, Feb. 18. As one of the aforementioned superspeedways, Daytona always brings an exciting opening to the points-paying season. If you choose to tune in, here are some storylines to watch for:

• Defending champion Ryan Blaney is looking to be the first driver to win back to back titles since Jimmie Johnson won five straight from 2006 to 2010. His teammate Joey Logano won the title in 2022 and 2018.

• Kyle Larson has won on nearly every track he’s driven on in every discipline he’s tried, including a 10-win championship year in 2021. Now entering his 11th full-time season, he’s becoming a veteran and will doubtlessly be a championship favorite again this year.

• NASCAR decides a champion using a unique playoff system, in which sixteen drivers compete in the final ten races and gradually get whittled down until four drivers fight for the championship in November. With the field having more parity than ever, competition for the last of those sixteen spots will be incredibly tight this year.

So, whether you become a diehard fan who watches every race from Daytona to Phoenix, or if you just tune in sometimes to see the wrecks, NASCAR has something for everyone, and much of what turns a casual fan into a lifelong viewer is getting to know the stories of the drivers. Part 2 of this series will dive into the field of 36 fulltime cars, getting to know the drivers, the stories, and the expectations for 2024. 

Complaints about racial bias in the housing assignment procedure at William Jewell College surfaced during the March 27 Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) event, but Ernie Stufflebean, assistant dean of Student Life and director of Residence Life, calls those concerns surprising and completely unfounded.

Allegations that a majority of, self-identified, African American or black students are assigned to live in the same dorm – Semple Hall – came to light during the Diversity and Inclusion event in which college leaders asked students if they’d seen examples of discrimination and racism on campus.

At the D&I event the accusations of racial bias in housing assignments were made by Micah Williams, junior Biology and Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry (ACT-In) major and president of the Black Students Association (BSA). The Hilltop Monitor sat down with Williams to learn more about these claims.

“It’s weird to me they [African American or black students] all live close together,” said Williams.“Is it a coincidence or not? It’s hard not to look like a race thing.”

“The good majority of people who live there don’t want to be there,” Williams added.

But Stufflebean calls the accusations false and asserted race is never a factor when housing decisions are made.

“It’s absolutely not true,” Stufflebean said, adding he was shocked when he heard the claims during the diversity event. “But there is that perception out there now and that is a problem.”

Housing records for the 2018-2019 academic year that Stufflebean provided The Hilltop Monitor, however, appear to support the students’ accusation.

Jewell defines “minority students” as any international student and any student who marked their race as American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, black or African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander or two or more races on enrollment forms.

Using this definition, the data shows that minority students are not represented equally in the campus’ residential facilities.

Based on those figures, 48% – or almost half of the black or African American students who live on campus – live in Semple Hall. Considering African American students make up about 4% of the student population, there does appear to be a disproportionate number of black students living in Semple.

Records show that only three of the black students living in Semple selected this dorm as their first choice when completing their 2018-2019 housing application. The other nine who were assigned would have preferred to live in a different facility.

Semple is generally ranked lower on preference lists due to one key reason: its allegedly run down conditions.

“It’s the worst building on campus,” said Williams, who lived in Semple Hall last year. “The water doesn’t work half the time, and there’s mold.”

Stufflebean said Semple Hall, built in 1957, underwent “pretty significant renovations within the last six or seven years.” Updates included new ceiling, paint and LED lighting.

“We’re not worried about paint, we’re worried about the water in bathrooms and small room sizes,” says Williams. “If we’re forced to live here all four years, at least give us somewhere nice to live.”

Days after the D&I event Residence Life Staff announced that Semple Hall would be closed for the 2019-2020 academic year to undergo renovations. It was said that this decision was made after conversations with the Student Senate. Hannah Keeney, junior psychological science major and (at the time) Treasurer of the Student Senate, said that these conversations were not related to the D&I event.

“To my knowledge, the closing of Semple is completely isolated from any D&I roundtable topics brought up,” said Keeney. “I believe the closure of Semple is completely related to building repairs and renovation.”

The statistical aversion students have to living in Semple raises the question of why a disproportionate percentage of black students ended up in a building they did not prefer.

Stufflebean said his office uses a Microsoft Excel program in the housing selection process and again emphasized race is never a factor. Student housing, he said, follows the school’s non-discrimination policy.

Stufflebean noted that the housing applications are linked to a student database which includes factors like athletic commitments, majors and whether or not the student is in Greek Life, but does not include any information about race.

Students are also allowed to self-identify their gender on the housing forms and this can play a role in the assignment of dorms, largely due to the limited number rooms available for each gender in each dorm, and the locations of gender neutral housing.

In the lottery for housing priority is first given to seniors, then juniors and sophomores. All first-years live in either Mathes Hall or Eaton Hall.

Within each grade level, priority is also determined by the date and time students turn in their housing application. The sooner students turn in their housing applications, the more likely they are to get their first pick.

Once one dorm fills up, students are automatically put into their second choice residence hall. That means Semple Hall, often picked last on a student’s ranking, serves as overflow housing. Semple Hall also houses many transfer students, these students – who frequently do not visit the campus prior to enrolling – do not get the opportunity to rank housing preferences and are automatically assigned to live in Semple in the interest of them being allocated housing efficiently.

Stufflebean said students who do not get to live in the dorm they requested are automatically waitlisted for their first choice. That means if an opening becomes available, the next student on the priority list will be contacted. Students can also ask Stufflebean for their order on that list.

Stufflebean said students can also talk to Student Life about their housing assignment at any time, although few take advantage of this option.

“You can request a room change even before the school year,” Stufflebean said. “We do everything we can to make sure students are in a place where they are comfortable.”

But students must have their bills paid to get priority housing selections.

“If a student has an outstanding balance, they may not be able to register for classes next year, which bounces them from the housing process,” Stufflebean says.

After hearing students’ concerns about possible housing discrimination, Stufflebean said he’s open to new ideas to ensure the selection process is fair.

“I’m not wed to this priority system. If the students think there’s a better way, like maybe including GPA [in determining priority], then we’re willing to talk about it. Let’s have a discussion,” Stufflebean said.

Williams, who works in Student Life and understands the inner-workings of the system, said the administration must do a better job educating students on the housing process.

“If it’s by timing you need to let people know – educate us. We deserve that,” Williams said.

Williams also said students aren’t aware of the connection between outstanding balances and their housing selections.

“If you saw how many people weren’t registered you’d be surprised. I know they make sure you know you have a balance, but the housing issue is sort of fine print,” said Williams.

Williams has one final message for the administration.

“I want them to acknowledge there is a problem – this administration tries to sweep things under the rug like we’ll forget about it. Find a way to educate us so it does not happen again.”

Both Keeney and Williams were elected to serve on the 2019-2020 Student Senate Cabinet, April 18. D&I will be a priority during their leadership and they plan to work with Student Life to implement a more equitable housing policy at Jewell.

“We look forward to investigating this issue further and working towards a more inclusive community, within upperclassmen housing in particular,” said Keeney. “We plan to meet with Student Life at least once before the school year ends, and this will be one of the topics our cabinet would like to discuss in addition to continuing open dialogue between Senate and Student Life regularly, as the cabinet prior has set as a precedent.”

I am concerned for the future of our republic. Not because of who our next president will be, but because I have seen so many Americans across the many social media platforms proclaim that our next president will “never be [their] president;” and because those Americans whose candidate lost have absolutely condemned those whose candidate won—close to 60 million individuals—because of just one of their actions: the single vote they cast for President of the United States.

Donald J. Trump will be the 45th President of the United States of America.

Yet, would that opening paragraph have to be altered if the previous line read “Hillary R. Clinton will be . . . ?” Unfortunately, I do not think that a single word of the opening paragraph would have to be altered. Regardless of who won, America is a starkly divided nation.

But that is not to say that our divisions are insurmountable or that we have never overcome similar obstacles before in our still young nation’s history. If my assurances are insufficient in providing comfort, I recommend that you take some history courses here at Jewell; I am positive that you will encounter times in which people did not need to speculate about any persecution that might come their way because of its immediate presence in their lives, and times in which the masses overthrew the political order, not with votes, but with bloodshed.

So, with a little historical perspective, hopefully some people will be more confident that our differences can be overcome. The healing begins with having uncomfortable conversations. You, white fraternity man from Overland Park: listen when that girl with the rainbow pin on her backpack goes on and on about what you have allowed to be called “locker room talk;” she had hopes that progress would be made against rape culture and now she has good reason to think that there might be several steps taken backwards. She watched the videos that portrayed some of the things that Trump rally attendees said and she wept alone in her dorm room, for herself, for some of her friends and for her family, all recently descended from immigrants. She is scared. You, Latina whose issue of primary concern is LGBTQ rights: don’t write-off the white guy who sits in the back of the classroom when he finally contributes to class one day and speaks out against increased immigration. Maybe he’s not a racist, chauvinist, xenophobe; maybe he’s just terrified that he won’t get a job after he leaves Jewell, that he will be saddled with crippling debt, and that he’ll never be able to provide for his girlfriend, whom he plans to marry. He has been forced to confront something that he has never confronted before: fear. He’s scared, just like you are. Listen to each other! Democracy dies when the dividing aisles of legislative houses become sound-proof barriers.

When we join the ranks of the esteemed alumni of William Jewell College, we will also be joining the ranks of the more educated members of our society. With that position in society comes a certain civic responsibility: to serve in the vanguard of the republic. Clearly, considering the results of the election, the political order that vanguards past had established and maintained and that the current vanguard tried to maintain has now been largely rejected by the people. If the vanguard does not adapt to the changing political landscape, the opposition to the “establishment” will only become more fierce, if not violent, risking outright revolution. However, if the the forces of unadulterated populism are permitted to bend the political order to their will, I fear that chaos will ensue. In either situation, liberal democracy is prone to be replaced with illiberal authoritarianism. That is what we, as future members of the vanguard of the republic, must guard against at all costs.

Have hope! America is not known for her pessimism and apocalyptic proclamations do very little to resolve issues. Reread “On Liberty,” go have an uncomfortable conversation and save our republic.