SS GreenLight Racing | NASCAR Xfinity Series
Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway | Xfinity Series Championship 200
Fast Facts
No. 17 SS GreenLight Racing Team:
Driver: Joe Graf Jr. (@JoeGrafJr)
Primary Partner(s): Model Electronics Inc.
Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro
Crew Chief: Joe Williams
Driver Points Position: 28th | Owner Points Position: 26th
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines (ECR)
Notes of Interest:
Welcome Aboard: This weekend at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway, Joe Graf Jr. and the No. 17 SS GreenLight Racing Chevrolet Camaro will highlight Model Electronics as the primary partner in the final race of the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
The 33rd race of the 2021 season signifies Model Electronics Inc.’s entry into the NASCAR world with athlete driver Graf Jr.
Model Electronics will become the eighth new primary marketing partner that Graf Jr. and SSGLR have introduced to the NASCAR Xfinity Series scene this season.
About Model Electronics Inc.: Founded in 1976, Model Electronics Inc. has grown to become one of the largest OEM (Original equipment manufacturer) authorized electronic service centers in the nation.
Headquartered in Ramsey, New Jersey, Model Electronics Inc. is a leader in electronics for the consumer and professional markets. Model Electronics is the parent company to Model Electronics TX located in Dallas, Texas and Model Electronics AES, located in Ramsey, New Jersey.
With over 40 years experience, they have partnered with some of the most well-known automotive brands such as General Motors, Nissan, BMW, Visteon, Delphi, Honda and more.
Operations include research and development, engineering, repair, remanufacturing, sales and distribution of factory-installed automotive electronics including radios, instrument clusters, navigation and video.
Number Swap: For the final time this season, Joe Graf Jr. will drive the No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro instead of his traditional No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro.
Phoenix marks the third race this season where Graf has swapped numbers this season. Earlier this year, Graf drove the No. 17 Chevrolet at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway in June and most recently at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL last month.
Graf will retain his same No. 07 team with the number swap for the Xfinity Series Championship 200.
School Back In Session: While juggling a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule with SS GreenLight Racing, college life has resumed for Joe Graf Jr.
With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Graf Jr. has resorted to online classes at the University of New York, where he is pursuing a degree in business, media and sports management.
Save The Date: The offseason may be approaching, but that doesn’t mean Joe Graf Jr. won’t be around. This week, he confirmed his attendance for this year’s 32nd annual Stocks-For-Tots.
Returning after a one-year sabbatical due to COVID-19, this year’s event is set for Tuesday, December 7, 2021, in Mooresville, N.C.
Additional details on the engagement will be available through Graf’s social media or Stocks-For-Tots, official Facebook page.
Since 1989, Stocks for Tots has generated more than $1 million and collected well in excess of 70,000 toys during its never-ending efforts to raise awareness of child abuse throughout North Carolina.
In Loving Memory: This weekend at Phoenix Raceway, Joe Graf Jr. and SS GreenLight Racing will carry the name of Bray Pemberton on the passenger side name rail of the team’s No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro.
Pemberton passed away on September 8, 2021, after a brief illness.
Pemberton was an instrumental figure in the everyday business and growth of Graf’s motorsports career. He will be deeply missed by all.
Saving You Some Money: As fall has officially fallen, Joe Graf Jr.’s other marketing partner Z Grills still wants to help the NASCAR community save money – but also enjoy the perfect fall barbecue dinner.
With the holidays on the horizon, Z Grills Racing (ZGrillsRacing.com) is offering a 10 percent discount off your TOTAL purchase, using the code NASCAR at checkout.
Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Phoenix Raceway Starts: Joe Graf Jr. will make his fourth NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway in Saturday night’s Xfinity Series Championship 200.
In his three previous races, Graf finished 31st, 27th and 25th respectively. In his most recent trip to the desert, Graf Jr. contended for a top-20 finish, but a late-race scrap with the wall dropped the No. 07 Z Grills Chevrolet Camaro to 25th at the checkered flag.
Joe Graf Jr. Xfinity Series Career Speedway Nuggets: At tracks from 1.0-mile to 2.0-mile in size, Graf has competed in 32 NASCAR Xfinity Series races. He holds an average starting position of 26.1 and an average result of 24.7.
Martinsville (Va.) Speedway | Dead On Tools 250 Race Recap: In the most recent NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Graf Jr. delivered an impressive performance.
After starting 32nd, Graf struggled with the handling of his No. 07 CoverSeal Chevrolet Camaro, but positive adjustments from crew chief Joe White allowed Graf to march forward during the third stage.
Climbing from as deep as 36th in the field, Graf earned a commendable lead lap 15th place finish and his best result at the 0.526-mile paperclip overall in three career Xfinity starts.
Put Me In Coach: To strengthen his physique, Joe Graf Jr. began collaborating with new trainer and former NASCAR Cup Series Josh Wise during the 2020 offseason.
In addition to Wise, Graf has also been working with former NASCAR driver and open-wheel driver Scott Speed on being more disciplined behind the wheel of his No. 17 Model Electronics Inc. Chevrolet Camaro.
Sneaker Mania: Along with the adrenaline of the Motorsports competition, Joe Graf Jr. also has a vogue for hype sneakers. In his current collection, he owns and wears at least 85 limited edition sneakers – and his collection continues to grow every month.
The current estimated value of his collection tops $90,000.
From the Pit Box: Industry veteran Joe Williams is Joe Graf Jr.’s crew chief.
He will crew chief his 65th NASCAR Xfinity Series race as crew chief on Saturday night and his fourth at the 1.0-mile oval.
In his previous 64 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, he has collected four top-five and 15 top-10 finishes.
Hello From The Other Side: Graf Jr. has a teammate at SS GreenLight Racing. Veteran JJ Yeley will drive the No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro on Saturday night for his 16th start of the 2021 season.
Yeley, a native of Phoenix, Ariz. is set to make his 351st career NASCAR Xfinity Series start and 22nd at Phoenix. His best Xfinity track finish occurred in the 2006 Arizona Travel 200, where he finished sixth after starting 18th for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Follow on Social Media: For more on Joe Graf Jr. visit JoeGrafJr.com, like him on Facebook (Joe Graf Jr.), follow him on Twitter (@JoeGrafJr) and Instagram (@joegrafjr).
For more on SS GreenLight Racing, please like them on Facebook (SS GreenLight Racing) and follow them on Twitter (@SSGLR0708) and visit their website at SSGreenLight.com.
Joe Graf Jr. Pre-Race Quotes:
On Phoenix Raceway: “I really feel like we have some momentum on our SS GreenLight Racing team right now, especially after last weekend’s race at Martinsville.
“As far as Phoenix is concerned, I’ve had very good cars there in the past, just haven’t had the finishes to show for it. I’m hoping we can change that on Saturday night.
“No doubt the addition of practice and qualifying should be extremely beneficial to us this weekend. Joe (White, crew chief) has been doing an amazing job and I’m looking forward to another opportunity of earning another top-15 finish to close out my sophomore year.”
On Model Electronics Partnership: “Being a native of New Jersey, I am thrilled about this partnership with Model Electronics for this weekend at Phoenix Raceway.
“For 45 years, Model Electronics has been a staple in the automotive arena and now we’re bringing them to NASCAR and allowing them to ignite their brand to one of the most sponsor-loyal fan bases in the United States.
“Our No. 17 Model Electronics Chevrolet Camaro looks not only electrifying but very patriotic and I am excited to see it on the track and deliver Model Electronics and their customer base a memorable finish in our last race of the year.”
On Xfinity Series Homestretch Run: “Hard to believe that this is it for the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Our season has not gone the way we planned, but it has not been from a lack of effort, just a variety of circumstances – most beyond our control.
“I really look forward to Phoenix though. We see this race as another opportunity, just like Martinsville last weekend.
“Not only is Phoenix another chance to deliver a strong finish but build some momentum for the offseason. We are also starting to get focused on 2022 and cannot wait to announce those plans soon.”
Race Information:
The Xfinity Series Championship 200 (200 laps | 200 miles) is the 33rd of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2021 schedule. A fifty-minute practice is scheduled for Fri., Nov. 5 from 3:05 p.m. to 3:55 p.m. Qualifying is set for race day, Sat., Nov. 6 at 2:35 p.m. The 36-car field will take the green flag later in the day shortly after 5:30 p.m. MT (8:30 p.m. ET) with live coverage on the NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.
About SS Green Light Racing:
As one of the most tenured teams in all of NASCAR, SS GreenLight Racing led by team owner and former driver Bobby Dotter has been a mainstay in the sport fielding entries in either the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series or the Xfinity Series competition since 2001.
SS GreenLight Racing will continue with a two-car program in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021.
