JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Auto Club Speedway
RACE: Production Alliance Group 300 (150 laps / 300 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022
Broadcast Information – TV: 5 p.m. ET on FS1 / Radio: 4:30 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90
Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer will make his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Auto Club Speedway this weekend.
• In one start on a track measuring 2 miles in length (Michigan International Speedway), Mayer ran inside the top 10 until a mechanical problem prematurely ended his day toward the end of Stage One.
• Mayer currently sits 23rd in the NXS point standings, 35 points behind the leader and 12 points behind the playoff cutline, after an eventful weekend at Daytona International Speedway.
Josh Berry
No. 8 PUBG MOBILE Chevrolet
• Josh Berry and the No. 8 team welcome PUBG MOBILE aboard the JRM Chevrolet for four races in 2022, starting this weekend at Auto Club.
• The 31-year-old will make his first start at the 2-mile speedway in Fontana. In one start on a 2-mile oval, Berry held a commanding lead until a late-race yellow handed him a fourth-place finish at Michigan.
• The Hendersonville, Tenn. native currently sits 15th in the NXS driver standings after the opening race at Daytona.
• During Berry’s part-time season in 2021 he recorded two wins, six top fives and 12 top 10s while pacing the field for 216 circuits.
Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson seeks his first victory in Fontana this weekend after coming off a third-place finish in the season opener at Daytona.
• In two previous starts on the 2-mile oval, Gragson owns a best result of 12th in 2019.
• On NASCAR’s 2-mile ovals at Auto Club and Michigan, Gragson has an average finish of 10.8, with a best result of second at the latter in 2019.
• Gragson’s Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber®/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet led 12 laps in the season opener and battled for
Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• In 12 starts at Fontana in the NXS, Justin Allgaier has earned a best finish of second, coming in this event in 2018.
• Overall, Allgaier has tallied six top 10s at the Southern California oval, including four in his last five races.
• In his NXS career on tracks 2 miles or greater in length, Allgaier has earned one win (Indianapolis – 2018), 18 top fives and 36 top 10s in 71 career starts.
• According to NASCAR’s loop data statistics, Allgaier currently ranks first in quality passes (494), green-flag passes (707) and laps run inside the top 15 (1,527) at Fontana.
Driver Quotes
“This is my first time at Auto Club but I have been watching a lot of film on the track from the past races to see how it races. The worn out surface and the way the track has multiple grooves should give us a great race. I’m ready to get there in our Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet and see what we have when we unload. This is one track our team has circled with how much preparation we have put in at the sim the last few weeks.” – Sam Mayer
“It’s going to be interesting going back to Fontana this weekend after having not raced there since 2020. We’ve had some really strong runs there in the past and I feel really confident that we will have that same speed again on Saturday. Fontana is such a wide track that really lets you race all over, which makes it a lot of fun. Hopefully we can have a smooth day with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet and be in contention for the win in the end.” – Justin Allgaier
“I raced with this team at Michigan, the other 2-mile track on the schedule, and we had the win until a late yellow came out. The tracks are different, but the speed we had at Michigan and the time I’ve spent in the sim for Auto Club has me ready for this weekend. This PUBG MOBILE Camaro looks great and it would be fitting to be in Victory Lane with winner winner chicken dinner on the side of the car.” – Josh Berry
“The last time we were at Auto Club in 2020, we had a really strong run going but ended up getting some damage in a wreck off of Turn 2. We’re able to run up against the wall which is where I am at my best, so hopefully we can get this Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Camaro on the boards and be there at the end.” – Noah Gragson
JRM Team Updates:
• JR Motorsports at Auto Club: JR Motorsports has competed at Auto Club Speedway a combined 45 times in the NXS. Over the course of these 45 starts at the 2-mile facility, JRM has tallied one win, nine top fives and 25 top 10s. JRM’s only win came during the 2015 season when Kevin Harvick drove the No. 88 to Victory Lane.
• Fourth Anniversary: Celebrating its fourth anniversary, PUBG MOBILE is a battle royale mobile game developed by Lightspeed and Quantum Studios of Tencent Games and KRAFTON, Inc. and is based on PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS. The game focuses on visual quality, maps, fast-paced action, and other aspects, providing an all-rounded surreal battle royale experience to players. For more information, visit pubgmobile.com and download the game for free on the App Store or Google Play Store.
• Celebrating 50 Years: Join us in celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bass Pro Shops by checking out the latest from country music star Chris Janson. This is our kind of song! It’s a touching tribute to Bass Pro Shops’ founder’s dad, John A. Morris and Dale Sr., and a salute to all those who love spending time in the great outdoors! Click here to watch the full music video.
