Decoding some of NASCAR drivers’ famous code words on team radio

The NASCAR racing teams often employ coded terminology on team radios to keep rivals guessing and to ensure a foothold in the hot racing atmosphere. With radio communications open to the media today, crews have become inventive with their nomenclature and often copy from sponsor names or different subjects to hide true meanings.

The application of code words changes with race conditions and track. For tracks with less wear on the tires, such as Talladega or Michigan, teams use a broader range of choices, such as pitting for a change of fuel or not pitting at all, which requires clandestine communication. For tracks requiring four-tire stops, such as Richmond or Atlanta, blunt radio communications become usual, simply because alternatives are not too numerous. Interestingly, these code words are kept taped inside the cars for the drivers as a reference.

Christopher Bell spoke about one of the code names while interviewing for Jordan Bianchi's article for The Athletic:

“(Ratcliff) said, ‘Lemon-lime,’ and ‘lemon-lime’ on my sheet said pit under green, and we’re under yellow, so I asked him, ‘Are you sure that that’s what you want to do?’ And he said, ‘Yes, absolutely. Lemon-lime.’ So, I stayed out."

Quite a number of NASCAR teams opt to base their radio codes on the main sponsor of a race so as to keep their strategies secret from their rivals. As an example, Wallace's 23XI Racing, No. 23, which went to Michigan with the backing of McDonald's, not only chose but also utilized terms related to food like "nuggets," "cheeseburger," and "Filet-O-Fish" to pitch their brake strategy in a whispered manner.

Likewise, Aric Almirola's crew came up with a set of words comprising "ham," "bacon," "pork chop," and "hot dog" to talk on the radio in a secret code as they were helped by Smithfield Foods. Nonetheless, some teams decide not to use sponsor-related words. The No. 11 team at Michigan, Gabehart, used "Tigers" and "Cubs" as secret phrases even though his team was not sponsored by Major League Baseball (MLB).

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Ryan Blaney and other Penske stars suffer major setback before Kansas NASCAR playoff race

Ryan Blaney and his Team Penske teammates faced a major setback ahead of the Kansas playoff race as NASCAR confirmed all three Penske cars would have to start from the rear of the field. Blaney, driving the No. 12 Ford, was forced to switch to a backup car after a tire deflation caused him to crash into the outside wall during practice at Kansas Speedway. Since Blaney had already secured his place in the Round of 8 through his earlier victory at New Hampshire, this provides some cushion heading into a challenging race.

Joey Logano and Austin Cindric, the other two Penske drivers, also received penalties for unapproved adjustments, compounding the team's difficulties. Toby Christie reported on X:

"#NASCAR has confirmed all three @Team_Penske cars will go to the rear before the green flag today. @Blaney (backup car) @joeylogano and @AustinCindric (unapproved adjustments)"

Joey Logano, the reigning Cup champion, had a flat right-rear tire in practice but managed to avoid a crash, though the incident left his car with underbody damage, leading to a disappointing qualifying result of 35th place.