JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Daytona International Speedway
RACE: Wawa 250 (100 laps / 250 miles)
DATE: Friday, Aug. 28, 2020
Broadcast Information – TV: 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN / Radio: 7 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90
Michael Annett
No. 1 TMC Transportation Chevrolet
• Michael Annett returns to Daytona International Speedway this weekend in search of a second NASCAR Xfinity Series victory to go along with the one he scored in 2019.
• Annett is on a streak of nine top-10 finishes in his last 10 races this season and is averaging a finish of 8.2 over those 10 starts.
• In addition to winning at Daytona in 2019, Annett also earned his first NXS pole at Talladega later that season.
• TMC Transportation returns to the No. 1 Chevrolet this weekend at Daytona. In two previous races this season
with the black and gold colors on his car, Annett has finished fifth (Kentucky) and eighth (Kansas).
Daniel Hemric
No. 8 Poppy Bank Chevrolet
• Daniel Hemric will make his fifth NXS start at Daytona on Friday evening.
• In four previous starts in the NXS at the hallowed superspeedway, Hemric has earned a best finish of eighth in this event in 2018.
• In 14 combined starts on the superspeedways of Daytona and Talladega in the NASCAR Cup Series, NXS and Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, Hemric has scored a best finish of fifth in the April 2019 Cup Series event.
• Through 14 NXS starts in 2020, Hemric has earned a best finish of second at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May.
Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson returns to the site of his first career NXS victory this weekend in Daytona. Gragson enters the race as the defending winner at the famed track, having won the 2020 season-opening event.
• Overall, Gragson has three starts in the NXS at Daytona, earning one win, one top five and one top 10.
• At tracks that are two miles or larger, Gragson has an average finish of 10.2, including one win, four top fives, six top 10s and has led 66 laps.
• After 21 races in the 2020 season, Gragson leads the way for JRM with two wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s and is currently third in the championship standings.
Justin Allgaier
No. 7 Suave Men Chevrolet
• Last weekend, Justin Allgaier claimed his first victory of the season at Dover, locking himself into the NXS Playoffs.
• In 19 NXS starts at Daytona, the 34-year-old driver has four top fives and eight top 10s, with a best finish of second (July 2016, February 2019).
• Allgaier led 23 laps and earned a stage win in this year’s season-opening event at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, but his day was cut short after he was caught up in a multi-car incident on lap 109.
• In 21 starts this season, the Illinois native has led for 557 laps and earned eight stage wins. He currently sits fifth in the series standings.
Driver Quotes
“It’s always nice to go back to Daytona, and since we are on a bit of a hot streak lately I feel even better about it. This No. 1 team has been solid all season long, and I am looking for another great performance this weekend. We’ve had speed all year, and our restrictor-plate program here at JRM is really good. We were fast in February and we’ll be fast again this weekend.” – Michael Annett
“It feels good to finally get a win after the tough season we’ve had. I think that will give us some more momentum as we get closer to the playoffs. Daytona is one of those places where you never know how your day is going to end. It hasn’t been too kind to our No. 7 team our past couple of trips there, but we know we have a strong superspeedway program and we’re going to do all we can to get a great finish with our Suave Men Camaro.” – Justin Allgaier
“Anything can happen in superspeedway racing. You can go from the back to the front and right back at any given moment. It’s definitely a unique style of racing and I’m really looking forward to getting to Daytona on Friday and drafting with my JRM teammates. JRM has always seemed to unload with a ton of speed at both Daytona and Talladega and Jeb (Burton) had some great runs at both tracks earlier this season. If we just play it smart and avoid trouble, I feel really confident that we can fight for the win in the closing laps with our Poppy Bank Chevy.” – Daniel Hemric
“The last time we ran the oval at Daytona was one of the best days of my racing career. We had just announced a new partnership with Bass Pro Shops, TrueTimber Camo and Black Rifle Coffee earlier that week and to celebrate in Victory Lane with them in Daytona was amazing. I can’t wait to get back there and hopefully put this Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Camaro back in victory lane just like we did in February. JR Motorsports has always been great on superspeedways and I know that’s not going to change this weekend.” – Noah Gragson
JRM Team Updates
• JRM at Daytona: In 80 NXS starts at Daytona International Speedway, JR Motorsports has scored seven wins, 24 top fives and 36 top 10s. The organization enters this weekend as the most recent race winner on the famed superspeedway with Noah Gragson scoring the victory in the 2020 season-opening event. Gragson’s victory keeps JRM’s streak alive of visiting Victory Lane at Daytona at least one time in every season since 2016.
• JRM on Superspeedways: In 121 NXS starts at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, JRM has earned a combined nine wins, 36 top fives and 59 top 10s. Elliott Sadler scored the organization’s most recent victory at Talladega in 2016 while Noah Gragson visited Victory Lane at Daytona earlier this season. Overall, JRM has won seven times at Daytona, more than any other track on the NXS circuit.
• United for America: As part of the Unilever’s family of brands, Suave stands #UnitedforAmerica: a commitment to help frontline relief organizations deliver essential supplies to those in need. See what they’re doing at . And remember, if you find yourself out of hand soap, grab the Suave Men 3-in-1 body wash. It’s just as effective for cleaning hands.
