JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Michigan International Speedway
RACE: New Holland 250 (125 laps / 250 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021
Broadcast Information – TV: 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN / Radio: 3 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90
Josh Berry
No. 1 Pilot Flying J / Trucking Moves America Forward Chevrolet
• Josh Berry will drive the No. 1 Chevrolet this weekend, as full-time driver Michael Annett continues his recovery from recent leg surgery. This is Berry’s first start on the 2-mile oval in NASCAR competition.
• The No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet will carry a special paint scheme this weekend honoring Trucking Moves America Forward, whose mission is to create a positive image for the industry, which is vital to the nation’s economy.
• It is the second race in which the 30-year-old Berry will substitute for Annett. Berry drove the Pilot Flying J Chevrolet to an eighth-place finish on July 17 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Sam Mayer
No. 8 QPS Employment Group Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer will make his first NXS start at Michigan this weekend in the No. 8 QPS Employment Group Chevrolet.
• The 18-year-old Mayer has competed at oval tracks measuring 2 miles in length a combined three times between the ARCA Menards Series and NXS. His best finish of third came in ARCA at Pocono during the 2020 season.
• In three oval races during his NXS stint, Mayer has one top 10, coming at Atlanta where he raced to a ninth-place finish.
• Throughout the 2021 season the No. 8 team has accumulated one win, four top fives and nine top 10s while pacing the field for 151 laps.
Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson’s only start on the 2-mile oval in the NXS came in 2019, and he finished second.
• Gragson has had success at MIS in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, earning a fourth-place finish in 2018 and a seventh-place run in 2017.
• At Michigan, Gragson has earned a driver rating of 105.8 in the NXS, thanks to the statistical formula employed by NASCAR to measure success on a particular track.
• Gragson has turned up the wick over the last eight races, earning three top-five and seven top-10 finishes during that span in his No. 9 Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet.
• In nine previous NXS starts at Michigan, Justin Allgaier has scored two top fives and five top 10s, with a best finish of fourth coming in 2010.
Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Allgaier finished fifth in the most recent NXS event at Michigan in 2019.
• On tracks 2 miles or greater in his NXS career, the Illinois native has earned one win (Indianapolis – 2018), 15 top fives and 31 top 10s.
• With just five races remaining in the regular season, Allgaier currently sits fourth in the championship standings and third in the projected playoff grid.
Driver Quotes
“I wish Michael (Annett) the best as he continues his recovery from surgery, and I’ll do everything I can to get a good finish for him, Pilot Flying J, Trucking Moves America Forward and everyone on this No. 1 team. Michigan is a place I’ve never raced at before, and I am anxious to see it in person. It’s wide and has many grooves, so it ought to be exciting.” – Josh Berry
“Michigan will be interesting this weekend for sure since we haven’t been there since 2019. It’s such a fun track to race on and I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can do on Saturday with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. Even though Indy didn’t end the way we wanted last week, we have been consistently bringing cars capable of winning to the track each and every week, and I feel extremely confident that will be the case again come race day.” – Justin Allgaier
“I can’t wait to get to Michigan and hopefully have a good run to put this bad luck behind us. This team has been bringing fast cars to the track and Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and the rest of the team deserve a good run. It’s my first time there and we will be starting around mid pack, so it’s going to take some patience to be there at the end.” – Sam Mayer
“We ran really well at Michigan when we were there in 2019. We qualified fourth and finished second in that race, so that helps the confidence going into this weekend. We have been putting together strong runs lately, so hopefully we can keep that up this weekend and maybe punch our ticket into the playoffs.” – Noah Gragson
JRM Team Updates:
• JR Motorsports at Michigan: JR Motorsports has competed at Michigan a combined 35 times in the NXS. Over the course of these 35 starts at the 2-mile facility, JRM has tallied two wins, 13 top fives and 24 top 10s. JRM’s most recent win came during the 2013 season when Regan Smith drove the No. 7 to Victory Lane. Brad Keselowski scored the other victory for JRM during the 2009 season.
• Trucking Moves America Forward: The No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet has a new paint scheme this weekend featuring Trucking Moves America Forward, an industry group which focuses on creating a positive image for the trucking industry, one of the most vital pieces of our nation’s infrastructure. TMAF’s mascot, Safety Sammy, will make an appearance at Michigan this weekend to interact with fans and help spread the message.
• Gary Sinise Foundation: Along with Tire Pros, we want to give back to our local communities. With their network of more than 600 dealers, they’re able to make a difference and so they’ve recently partnered with American Tire Distributors and their Summer for Heroes Giving Campaign benefiting the Gary Sinise Foundation. The Gary Sinise Foundation’s mission is to serve our nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need. Its programs — designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen, and build communities — serve America’s heroes and their loved ones 365 days a year
