NASCAR will take center stage at \u201cAmerica\u2019s Home For Racing\u201d this weekend with all three national touring series tackling the 2.28-mile road course that lies within Charlotte Motor Speedway.<\/p>\n
This marks the first time in the circuit\u2019s history to host a tripleheader weekend as the Craftsman Truck Series is set to make its first-ever appearance on the 17-turn course to kickoff its Round of Eight. For the Cup and Xfinity Series, the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course will once again serve as the elimination race for the Round of 12 for each division. Already the circuit\u2019s winningest manufacturer, Chevrolet will enter the race weekend as the circuit\u2019s defending winners in both of NASCAR\u2019s top-two divisions.
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Chevrolet at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course:<\/p>\n
The Charlotte Motor Speedway has been a staple piece of NASCAR history \u2013 most commonly known as the site for one of the Cup Series\u2019 crown jewel events, the Coca-Cola 600. During the 2018 season, a 17-turn, 2.28-mile configuration within the iconic venue was introduced to NASCAR\u2019s top-two divisions as a pivotal stop on their respective postseason schedules. Throughout the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course\u2019s short seven-race history, Chevrolet has been a force to be reckoned with \u2013 entering the weekend with five Cup Series wins and six Xfinity Series wins.<\/p>\n
Hendrick Motorsports\u2019 Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson are the only two-time Charlotte ROVAL winners in NASCAR\u2019s top division. Elliott delivered Chevrolet its first checkered-flag at the circuit in 2019, with the 29-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, native making a return visit to victory lane the following season \u2013 a win that provided as a stepping stone to his first career Cup Series championship. For Larson, his first of two Charlotte ROVAL triumphs also came in his championship-earning season (2021), with the 33-year-old Elk Grove, California, native holding the reigns as the circuit\u2019s defending winner. Fellow Team Chevy teammate, AJ Allmendinger, is the only driver in the circuit\u2019s history to earn a victory in both of NASCAR\u2019s top-two divisions \u2013 driving a Kaulig Racing-prepared Chevrolet to one Cup Series win (2023), as well as four-straight Xfinity Series wins (2019-2023).
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LOCKED-IN<\/p>\n
Heading into the Charlotte race weekend, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer that has already earned an early berth into the Round of Eight in both the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series.<\/p>\n
Last weekend at Kansas Speedway, Chase Elliott turned a 14-point cushion into an automatic ticket to the next round after a dramatic overtime finish that saw the Hendrick Motorsports driver make a final-corner pass to take his second checkered-flag of the 2025 Cup Series season. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native proved to be a contender throughout the day at the Heartland-based oval \u2013 driving his No. 9 Chevrolet to a pair of top-four stage finishes en route to the win and a strong 55-point race (second-best). While he can rest easy heading into the second elimination race of the playoffs, this weekend provides for the perfect opportunity to add to his points bank. Elliott is a seven-time road course winner in NASCAR\u2019s top division \u2013 the most of all active drivers. In his seven career starts at the Charlotte Road Course, he\u2019s tallied five top-10 finishes, including his two wins and a fifth-place finish last season.<\/p>\n
In the Xfinity Series, the JR Motorsports duo of Connor Zilisch and Justin Allgaier are the only drivers to have earned an early berth into the Round of Eight on points. Zilisch added onto an already career season by driving the No. 88 Chevrolet to his 16th-consecutive top-five finish \u2013 breaking the record previously set by Sam Ard over four decades ago (1983). Turning in a 49-pont race (second-most of the race), Zilisch was able to reach a triple-digit points cushion ahead of the series\u2019 first elimination race of the postseason. For the reigning champion, a gamble in late-race pit strategy didn\u2019t play into his favor, but a sweep of the stage wins helped lead the No. 7 Chevrolet team to a 68-point cutline cushion and an already guaranteed spot into the next round.
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Larson, Byron Bank Strong Points Cushion<\/p>\n
Kyle Larson and William Byron are two-for-two in top-10 finishes in the Round of 12 \u2013 leading the pair of teammates to a comfortable points position heading into the Charlotte race weekend. Larson currently sits in the top provisional playoff position, third, with a 54-point advantage over the cutline. The Elk Grove, California, native\u2019s two top-five finishes at the Charlotte Road Course have come in the form of a win \u2013 one of which came in the series\u2019 most recent appearance at the circuit. Byron and the No. 24 Chevrolet turned a working day into the ultimate rebound at Kansas Speedway \u2013 bringing home a ninth-place finish to still maintain a strong 40-point cushion. In his seven career starts at the Charlotte Road Course, the 27-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native has collected four top-six finishes, including back-to-back podium results the past-two seasons.
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CHASTAIN STILL IN THE FIGHT<\/p>\n
Ross Chastain holds the first position on the outside looking in, but is still very much within striking distance at a chance to advance into the Round of Eight with the Team Chevy driver heading to \u201cAmerica\u2019s Home for Racing\u201d just 13-points below the cutline. While the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course hasn\u2019t always been nice to the Trackhouse Racing driver, Chastain has proven he knows how to navigate left- and right-hand turns. Chastain became a first-time winner in NASCAR\u2019s top division on a road course, which came behind the wheel of the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet at Circuit of The Americas in 2022. This season, the 33-year-old Alva, Florida, native has earned two top-10 finishes on road courses \u2013 one of which came at the series\u2019 most recent road course race (Watkins Glen International). Chastain also carries a little added confidence heading into the weekend as the Team Chevy driver will return to the site of his last Cup Series win, which came on the facility\u2019s oval configuration during one of the sport\u2019s crown jewel events (2025 Coca-Cola 600).
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SVG, ALLMENDINGER AMONG PLAYOFF SPOILER HOPEFULS<\/p>\n
While they might not be contending for a championship title, two of the sport\u2019s top road course ringers \u2013 Shane van Gisbergen and AJ Allmendinger \u2013 have a playoff upset within reach.<\/p>\n
Coming off his career-best oval finish in NASCAR\u2019s top division, Van Gisbergen will turn his attention to what he knows best \u2013 making left- and right-hand turns. The 36-year-old Auckland, New Zealand, native is a five-time Cup Series winner, with each of those triumphs coming on a road course. In five road course events this season, Van Gisbergen has yet to finish outside of the top-six, including four-straight trips to victory lane. The road course king has made just one start at the Charlotte Road Course (2024) \u2013 a weekend that started with the Team Chevy driver earning his first career Cup Series pole win and ended with a seventh-place result.<\/p>\n
Allmendinger has proved to be a favorite during each visit to the Charlotte Road Course. The 43-year-old Los Gatos, California, native is the only driver to reach victory lane at the circuit in both of NASCAR\u2019s top-two divisions, including one Cup Series win and four-straight Xfinity Series wins. Allmendinger has driven a Kaulig Racing-prepared Chevrolet to top-seven finishes in four of his five career Cup Series starts at the North Carolina-based circuit, including a sixth-place finish one year ago. The veteran is a three-time Cup Series winner, with his most recent coming in the 2023 Charlotte ROVAL event.
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HEMRIC LEADS TEAM CHEVY INTO NCTS ROUND OF EIGHT<\/p>\n
With the first round of the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs in the books, Chevrolet will head into the Round of Eight with a manufacturer-leading four representatives that remain in title contention. McAnally-Hilgemann Racing\u2019s Daniel Hemric will lead the Bowtie brigade into the next round ranked third in the playoff standings. The 34-year-old Kannapolis, North Carolina, native has turned in top-10 results in each of the series\u2019 road course events this season, including a runner-up finish at Watkins Glen International. A veteran in the NASCAR national ranks, Hemric has the advantage of previous experience around the 2.28-mile circuit \u2013 making a handful of starts in both the Cup and Xfinity Series. Notably, he\u2019s produced top-10 results in four of his five career Xfinity Series starts at the Charlotte Road Course, including back-to-back podium appearances (2020-2021).
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Chevrolet\u2019s season statistics with 31 NASCAR Cup Series races complete:<\/p>\n
Wins: 13<\/p>\n
Poles: 11<\/p>\n
Laps Led: 3,286<\/p>\n
Top-Fives: 57<\/p>\n
Top-10s: 126<\/p>\n
Stage Wins: 22<\/p>\n
Chevrolet\u2019s season statistics with 28 NASCAR Xfinity Series races complete:<\/p>\n
Wins: 23<\/p>\n
Poles: 17<\/p>\n
Laps Led: 3,426<\/p>\n
Top-Fives: 93<\/p>\n
Top-10s: 182<\/p>\n
Stage Wins: 43<\/p>\n
Chevrolet\u2019s season statistics with 21 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races complete:<\/p>\n
Wins: 6<\/p>\n
Poles: 2<\/p>\n
Laps Led: 939<\/p>\n
Top-Fives: 44<\/p>\n
Top-10s: 96<\/p>\n
Stage Wins: 7
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BOWTIE BULLETS:<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at the Charlotte Road Course:<\/p>\n
Kyle Larson \u2013 two wins (2024, 2021)<\/p>\n
Chase Elliott \u2013 two wins (2020, 2019)<\/p>\n
AJ Allmendinger \u2013 one win (2023)<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Chevrolet is the only manufacturer with multiple wins in both of NASCAR\u2019s top two divisions at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, with the Bowtie brand entering the weekend with five wins in seven NASCAR Cup Series races and six-straight wins in seven Xfinity Series races.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Chevrolet has earned 23 victories in the past 30 NASCAR Cup Series races on the series\u2019 traditional road courses \u2013 dating from Chase Elliott\u2019s victory at Watkins Glen International in Aug. 2019, to Shane van Gisbergen\u2019s win at Watkins Glen International in Aug. 2025. Van Gisbergen and Alex Bowman have added three more triumphs on left- and right-hand turns by keeping Chevrolet undefeated in the Chicago Street Race.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 In 19 NASCAR Cup Series races on traditional road courses in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads the series with 13 victories \u2013 recorded by seven drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Chevrolet has earned at least half of the top-10 finishing results in 13 of the 31 points-paying races thus far this season, including a season-high seven top-10 finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 In 139 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 65 victories \u2013 a winning percentage of 46.8%.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 With its 43 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 879 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.<\/p>\n
\ufeffFOR THE FANS:<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Charlotte Motor Speedway, featuring a variety of Chevrolet vehicles.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Chevrolet drivers from across the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series will make appearances at the Team Chevy Racing Display throughout the race weekend:<\/p>\n
Saturday, Oct. 4<\/p>\n
Austin Hill: 10:15 a.m. \u2013 10:30 a.m.<\/p>\n
Corey Day: 10:30 a.m. \u2013 10:45 a.m.<\/p>\n
Matt DiBenedetto: 2:00 p.m. \u2013 2:15 p.m.<\/p>\n
Daniel Dye: 2:15 p.m. \u2013 2:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Christian Eckes: 3:15 p.m. \u2013 3:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Sunday, Oct. 5<\/p>\n
Carson Hocevar: 11:00 a.m. \u2013 11:15 a.m.<\/p>\n
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: 11:15 a.m. \u2013 11:30 a.m.<\/p>\n
Shane van Gisbergen: 11:35 a.m. \u2013 11:50 a.m.<\/p>\n
Kyle Busch: 11:50 a.m. \u2013 12:05 p.m.<\/p>\n
Ty Dillon: 12:20 p.m. \u2013 12:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
AJ Allmendinger: 12:30 p.m. \u2013 12:45 p.m.<\/p>\n
Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:<\/p>\n
Friday, Oct. 3: 10:00 a.m. \u2013 3:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Saturday, Oct. 4: 10:00 a.m. \u2013 4:00 p.m.<\/p>\n
Sunday Oct. 5: 10:00 a.m. \u2013 7:00 p.m.
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TUNE-IN:<\/p>\n
NASCAR Cup Series<\/p>\n
Playoffs Round of 12: Elimination Race<\/p>\n
Bank of America ROVAL 400<\/p>\n
Sunday, October 5, at 3 p.m. ET<\/p>\n
(USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)<\/p>\n
NASCAR Xfinity Series<\/p>\n
Playoffs Round of 12: Elimination Race<\/p>\n
Blue Cross NC 250<\/p>\n
Saturday, October 4, at 5 p.m. ET<\/p>\n
(CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)<\/p>\n
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series<\/p>\n
Round of Eight: Race One<\/p>\n
NCTS Playoff Race at Charlotte ROVAL<\/p>\n
Friday, October 3, at 3:30 p.m. ET<\/p>\n
(FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
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QUOTABLE QUOTES:<\/p>\n
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet<\/p>\n
What do you need to be able to go to the Round of 8?<\/p>\n
\u201cBe on the throttle more. More time on the gas, more speed.\u201d<\/p>\n
What is the strategy for the Roval race to get to the next round?<\/p>\n
\u201cPhil Surgen and the guys get to figure out how to get stage points and set ourselves up for the end of the race. A lot of it depends on speed. If we\u2019re fast enough to battle with SVG, then we don\u2019t care as much about stage points because we\u2019re fast and we just go win the race.\u201d<\/p>\n
Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet<\/p>\n
The ROVAL marks the final road course of the season, and you\u2019ve earned top-20 finishes at both COTA and Sonoma. What\u2019s your mindset going into this weekend\u2019s race?<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always enjoyed the challenge of the ROVAL. It\u2019s exciting for both the drivers and the fans, which brings its importance to a premium. We\u2019ve been working towards getting the road course package more comfortable and I\u2019ve had some of my best races at the ROVAL. I\u2019m looking forward to racing at home this weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet<\/p>\n
You have three top-five finishes at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course. What are some of the keys to success here?<\/p>\n
\u201cThe key to running well at the ROVAL is just staying out of trouble and trying to keep your momentum rolling all the way around the racetrack. There are some big braking zones where you can really attack and get a lot of slowing down done in a quick period of time but the infield section has such little grip and is so bumpy that you\u2019re just trying to control the slip and not go too fast and crash. It\u2019s about tiptoeing as much as you can with carrying the right amount of roll speed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL is a cutoff race in the Playoffs, do you expect more contact and more chaos late in the race? What is the best way to stay out of that mess?<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you expect more contact, more chaos, and more desperation moves at times. I also think there are some payback opportunities where guys will dump guys if they know they\u2019re in a make it or break it situation and they\u2019re on the bubble. That is always kind of on the table as well at the ROVAL. It would be nice to just stay out of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Charlotte ROVAL is always one of my favorite races. Our team has so many great memories there and we hope to go make some more. I\u2019ve struggled a little bit this year when it comes to our road course program, but we have put a lot of effort in to have good speed and be competitive. Obviously, the ultimate goal is to compete for the win, but for how the year\u2019s gone on the road course side of it, running top five, avoiding mistakes, and giving ourselves an opportunity to be there at the end will be a successful day for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Roval is one of the most unique challenges of the year, and our team has worked hard to prepare. With Real American Beer back on the car and the opportunity to honor breast cancer survivors, it\u2019s a weekend that means a lot to all of us. We\u2019ll give it everything we\u2019ve got.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet<\/p>\n
Talk about the ROVAL from the point of view of a road course ace?<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ROVAL is unique, it\u2019s one of a kind in the sense that it\u2019s not like any other road courses we see. It\u2019s not a typical or standard road course. But the oval part of it isn\u2019t really a thing anymore. I think in the old car you had to choose whether you wanted your car to go through the banking or go through the infield, whereas now in the Next-Gen car it\u2019s not really a hybrid, as much. So, set up wise you\u2019re thinking about it from a road-course standpoint, but it\u2019s very unique.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet<\/p>\n
How has your approach to road course races changed over the last year?<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year, in general, our focus was to finish races. We\u2019ve changed that approach to going for wins and going as hard as we can so I think that\u2019s allowed me to learn more about racing up front and challenging for position. I think there\u2019s a lot of opportunity on road courses and we\u2019ve run decent this year, it\u2019s just finishing it out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Have you adjusted your driving style throughout the playoffs as you race around guys that are trying to advance to Phoenix?<\/p>\n
\u201cNot really. I\u2019m not going to intentionally put anyone in a bad spot, but we\u2019re still here to win races. I appreciate what they are fighting for and don\u2019t want to be the driver that ruins someone\u2019s playoff run. I just rely on the team to keep me updated on what is going on and I focus on my goal, which is getting to the front.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet<\/p>\n
Your first top-10 on an oval last weekend at Kansas, how does it feel?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels great, it was an awesome day! It was good to get our first top-10 in Kansas. Wasn\u2019t ideal that we had to go a lap down at the start but just continued to work our way forward. Took me some time to get confident, but the car was really good and it allowed me to have confidence in myself as the race progressed. Really stoked for that finish and proud of all my guys on the 88 team. We are getting a lot better at these (ovals).\u201d<\/p>\n
Heading into the Roval, how excited are you to get back on a road course?<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited. I always enjoy turning right (laughs). It\u2019s a track I\u2019ve been too before, and I did decent there last year in both Cup and Xfinity. It\u2019s definitely a little different than your average road course, but it\u2019s a lot of fun. Hopefully it will be a great weekend!\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet<\/p>\n
You have a win and a pole position at the Cup level on road courses. How much do you like road racing?<\/p>\n
\u201cI really like road course racing and I think we will be competitive this weekend at the ROVAL. I want to thank everyone at Choice Privileges for their support this season. We have been consistent at the ROVAL over the last few races and I think we can be even more competitive this weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n
Connor Zilisch, No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet<\/p>\n
\u201cThe road courses have been really good for the WeatherTech team this year so I\u2019m excited to have one in the playoffs. I\u2019ve been to the Roval before in a Trans Am car but never in a Xfinity car. I\u2019ve got a little bit of experience but I\u2019m excited to go there again and get the feel of the new layout. It looks really cool and it\u2019s always great to race in my hometown.\u201d<\/p>\n
Does that little bit of experience give you an edge to get ready for the Roval?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always good to have laps at a track before you go there but it\u2019s obviously going to be different. It is helpful but it\u2019s not going to be a huge advantage for me, especially with those guys that I\u2019m racing against raced there last year.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Roval is a cutoff race leading into the Round of 8. How intense do you think that race will be?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a little bit more chaotic than most given that it\u2019s a cutoff race but that doesn\u2019t change our goals and our mindset. We go to the track every week, especially with the speed that we\u2019ve had at the road courses, just go and execute. I feel like we\u2019ve done a really good job of that at most of the road courses this year. If we go and do our job, I know we\u2019ll have a really good shot at it. I feel like with the speed of our JRM cars we shouldn\u2019t have too much trouble around there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Does having a home track in the Playoffs give you a little bit of a break?<\/p>\n
\u201cI always love getting to drive from my house to the track and Charlotte is a place that we can do that. It\u2019s going to be nice to get a weekend where we can race at our home track and not have to fly somewhere. I almost won at the oval earlier this year and hopefully I can win in my hometown.\u201d
\u200a<\/p>\n
GM PR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NASCAR will take center stage at \u201cAmerica\u2019s Home For Racing\u201d this weekend with all three national touring series…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1168,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[446],"tags":[49,48,717,718,77,720,634,1702,721,1704,722,82,723],"class_list":["post-183853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nascar","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-charlotte","tag-craftsman-truck-series","tag-international","tag-motor","tag-nascar","tag-ricky-stenhouse-jr","tag-series","tag-speed","tag-speedway","tag-sports","tag-xfinity-series"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=183853"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183853\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1168"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=183853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=183853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=183853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}