JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Watkins Glen International
RACE: Zippo 200 at The Glen (82 laps / 200.9 miles)
Broadcast Information – TV: 3 p.m. ET on NBC / Radio: 2:30 p.m. ET on
MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90
Michael Annett
No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet
• Michael Annett’s best NASCAR Xfinity Series finish at Watkins Glen International is 11th and came in 2012.
• Annett comes to Watkins Glen on a run of eight top-10 finishes in his last 10 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, three of those in the top five.
• Annett is consistently running at the finish at Watkins Glen, completing 99.5 percent of the laps run in his seven starts on the upstate New York road course.
• The familiar colors of Pilot Flying J return to the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro SS at Watkins Glen.
Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier has eight NXS starts at Watkins Glen, with two top-five and five top-10 finishes. His best finish came in last year’s event, when he raced his way to third.
• Last season, Allgaier proved himself to be a bit of a roadcourse ace, claiming wins at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Road America and earning three top-three finishes in four starts.
• Overall, in 24 starts on road courses, Allgaier has three wins, seven top fives and 15 top 10s.
• With seven races left in the regular season, the Illinois native sits fourth in the NXS point standings.
Ryan Preece
No. 8 Louisiana Hot Sauce Chevrolet
• Ryan Preece returns to JRM’s No. 8 Chevrolet for the fourth time in 2019 this weekend at Watkins Glen.
• In three previous starts this season for JRM, Preece has recorded one top five, three top 10s and a best finish of fourth at Pocono Raceway in June.
• In two career NXS starts at Watkins Glen, Preece has earned a best finish of fourth, coming in this event last season.
• Overall, Preece has scored two top fives and two top 10s in five career starts on road courses in the NXS, earning a best finish of fourth at both Watkins Glen and the Charlotte ROVAL in 2018.
Noah Gragson
No. 9 West Herr Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson will make his first NXS start on a road course this weekend at Watkins Glen.
• In two previous starts on road courses in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, Gragson has earned one top five and two top 10s with a best finish of second coming at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 2017.
• The Las Vegas native has also made a combined 10 starts on road courses in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West, scoring a total of four wins, five top fives and seven top 10s. Gragson most recently visited Victory Lane in the K&N Pro Series West earlier this summer at Sonoma after starting second and leading 24 laps en route to the win.
Driver Quotes
“We are on a pretty good roll here lately, and Watkins Glen is a fun place to race. It’s a great layout, challenging with all the right-hand corners, and we’ve had some good performance on road courses here with JR Motorsports. The key to our season, besides winning at Daytona, is our consistency. Travis Mack (crew chief) and the No. 1 team have been rock-solid all year long, and we’re in a good place in preparing for the Playoffs in a few weeks.”– Michael Annett
“Being successful on road courses is all about car management, making sure that you manage your tires, the brakes, and keeping your car on the course. If we can do that, then I think our BRANDT Professional
Agriculture team will be in great shape. The playoffs are right around the corner and bonus points are key. I feel like the road courses are where we really have an opportunity to gain some ground. We were
strong on those tracks last season and I’m confident we can continue that momentum as we enter this stretch of road courses coming up, starting with Watkins Glen this weekend.”– Justin Allgaier
“I’ve really enjoyed racing with JR Motorsports this season, and I’m looking forward to the culmination of that this weekend at Watkins Glen International. I, by no means, have a road course racing background, but it’s something I enjoy to break up our schedule. I was fortunate to have a top-five run here last year in the Xfinity Series, and I’m hoping to build upon that this weekend with Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and the No. 8 Louisiana Hot Sauce team. I’m really grateful to Kelley, Dale and the entire JR Motorsports organization for the opportunities this season to be a part of the team.” – Ryan Preece
“I really enjoy racing on the road courses and I’m really excited to get that stretch of the season started this weekend in Watkins Glen. We were able to knock the rust off earlier this year in Sonoma with the K&N car and were fortunate enough to come away with the victory. Watkins Glen is definitely a different kind of animal than Sonoma but I am really looking forward to seeing what we can do this weekend with our West Herr Chevrolet.” – Noah Gragson
JRM Team Updates
• JRM at Watkins Glen: JR Motorsports has 33 NXS starts at Watkins Glen International, earning six top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. The team’s best finish came in 2011 when Jimmie Johnson crossed the finish line in second.
• JRM on Road Courses: In 97 NXS starts on road courses, JRM has scored four wins, 23 top fives and 47 top 10s. Ron Fellows and Regan Smith earned the organization’s first two road course victories at Montreal in 2008 and at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2015, respectively, while Justin Allgaier went to Victory Lane at Mid-Ohio and Road America last season.
• Gragson Media Availability: JRM driver Noah Gragson will be stopping by the media center at Watkins Glen International for media availability on Friday, Aug. 2, at 4 p.m. EST.
• JRM Souvenir Autograph Session: JRM teammates Justin Allgaier and Noah Gragson will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Hendrick Motorsports souvenir trailer at Watkins Glen International on Saturday, Aug. 3 from 10 – 10:30 a.m. EST.
