Ricky Stenhouse Jr. vaulted to a fourth‑place finish at Nashville Superspeedway after a four‑tire stop propelled him from 13th to the front of the field in the final four laps.
Late‑race charge past the leaders
Fresh Goodyear slicks allowed the Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet to surge past the pack, climbing to sixth before encountering a side‑by‑side battle between Shane van Gisbergen and Chase Elliott. A slip‑up from the two on the final lap opened a narrow corridor, letting Stenhouse clear them, though time ran out to challenge the leading Joe Gibbs Racing trio of Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe.
Rowdy’s NOS Energy tribute paint scheme
The No. 47 Chevrolet ran a livery almost identical to Kyle Busch’s past NOS Energy Drink Chevrolet, a direct homage to the late NASCAR star. “Seeing that Kyle Busch‑inspired scheme finish in the top five was special,” Stenhouse said, adding that the team’s decision to go “on offense” with fresh tires proved decisive.
Significance for Hyak Motorsports and the points race
Hyak, one of the few single‑car operations still competing full‑time in the Cup Series, out‑performed multi‑car organizations such as Hendrick, Spire, Trackhouse, RCR and Kaulig on a track where it had previously struggled. Crew chief Mike Kelly’s strategy earned the team its best result at a non‑drafting circuit since a second place at Dover four years earlier. The fourth‑place finish lifted Stenhouse three spots in the championship standings, making him the biggest mover of the weekend.
With the momentum generated at Nashville, Hyak Motorsports now eyes a continued climb in the points hierarchy, eager to translate fresh‑tire aggression into future podium chances.
"