JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Bristol Motor Speedway
RACE: Food City 300 (300 laps / 159.9 miles)
DATE: Friday, Sept. 17, 2021
Broadcast Information – TV: 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN / Radio: 7 p.m. ET on PRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90
Michael Annett
No. 1 Pilot Flying J Driver Appreciation Chevrolet
• Michael Annett enters the weekend 66 points out of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, needing a victory to advance to the top 12.
• Annett has three top-10 finishes in his last five starts on the .533-mile oval. In the fall last season, Annett was running in the top five when a lapped car took him out of the running.
• Annett will again have a special paint scheme this weekend in honor of Pilot Flying J’s Driver Appreciation Month program. The scheme, which features the hashtag #ThankATrucker on the TV panel, will be on the car through the Sept. 25 event at Las Vegas.
Sam Mayer
No. 8 Tire Pros Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer will make his first NXS start at Bristol this weekend in a special Tire Pros Chevrolet. This new scheme for Tire Pros was voted on by fans and features a metallic silver base with bright red and black accents.
• Mayer’s last visit to Bristol saw the then 17-year-old earn his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory, as well as win in the ARCA Menards Series in the same day at Bristol. He led for a combined 146 laps.
• The 18-year-old Franklin, Wis. native is coming off a strong run at Richmond that saw him lead seven laps and race inside of the top five for most of the day before finishing a solid 12th at the Virginia short track.
Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson will look to make it three NXS victories in a row on Friday night at Bristol after sweeping events at both Darlington Raceway and Richmond Raceway.
• Gragson has one victory on the .533-mile oval in his career, winning the spring race in 2020 after a spirited battle with teammate Justin Allgaier. In four starts, Gragson has the win and three top-10 finishes.
• In two short-track stars this season—at Martinsville Speedway and Richmond—Gragson has finished first (Richmond) and second (Martinsville) to teammate Josh
Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier returns to the site of his first career NXS victory this weekend at Bristol on a roll after having finished inside the top 10 in 10 of the last 12 NXS races this season.
• Overall, Allgaier has earned nine top fives, 12 top 10s and has led for an astounding 764 laps to accompany his victory at the famed short track in 2010.
• The 764 laps led at Bristol are the most laps Allgaier has led at any track in his NXS career and his nine top fives are the second most, trailing only Dover International Speedway.
• The Illinois native currently sits third in the NXS playoff grid with just one race remaining in the regular season.
Driver Quotes
“This is our last chance to get into the playoffs for the driver’s championship, and we plan to make it our best shot. We’ve run well the past three races, but events haven’t gone our way, so we need to make the most of this weekend at Bristol. We’ve been fast—I had the best car I’ve ever had there last fall—and we can do it again. This No. 1 Pilot Flying J team will give it everything we have.”– Michael Annett
“I love racing at Bristol. It’s a place that has really suited my driving style over the years and I feel like we have always unloaded with a car that is capable of going to Victory Lane, but we’ve just had circumstances not go our way. Hopefully, all will go well on Friday night and we will unload just as fast and can be in contention for the win with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet and end this regular season on a strong note as we head into the playoffs.” – Justin Allgaier
“Bristol is a track that I am really comfortable at and I am looking forward to getting there in a few days. I will be running the ARCA and Truck races again, so hopefully we can defend the wins we had there in 2020. JRM had strong runs last season at Bristol and I know it will be more of the same this year, so I have a lot of confidence going into the race on Friday night. This Tire Pros Chevrolet is going to look awesome underneath the lights and it would look even better in Victory Lane.” – Sam Mayer
“I am excited to get back to Bristol this week. It’s a track that this No. 9 Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Camaro has always been strong at. We got the win during our first visit last season and then ran seventh at this race last year. Dave (Elenz, crew chief) and the No. 9 team has been unloading fast Camaros all year and we are really trending in the right direction with the two wins we have had in the last two races. Hopefully we can make it a third win this weekend and enter the playoffs on a high note.” – Noah Gragson
JRM Team Updates
• JRM at Bristol: JRM has competed at “The Last Great Coliseum” a combined 80 times. Over the course of the 80 starts at the .533- mile facility, JRM has tallied two wins, 21 top fives and 49 top 10s. JRM’s most recent win came at the first Bristol event in 2020 when Noah Gragson claimed his second victory of the season in the No. 9.
• Pilot Flying J Driver Appreciation Month: Michael Annett’s No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet will again carry a signature paint scheme as part of Pilot Flying J’s Driver Appreciation Month. The red and yellow scheme features the words “If you’ve got it, a trucker brought it” on the hood and #ThankATrucker on the TV panel at the rear of the car. The Driver Appreciation theme inspires fans to thank professional drivers for all their hard work in delivering the goods we all depend on. And to see how Pilot Flying J is thanking professional drivers, visit pilotflyingj.com.
• #MakeTasteNotWaste: Did you know that approximately 40% of food waste happens in people’s homes? It’s true. Life is often to blame, causing us to see “nothing” in a fridge full of food—but Hellmann’s magical ingredient can help transform all that “nothing” into a delicious something. Join the mission to #MakeTasteNotWaste and make the most of your food with Hellmann’s easy tips and tricks. Interested in taking action beyond recipes? Learn more about how Hellmann’s is helping to prevent food waste. Click here for more information.
