JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Kansas Speedway
RACE: Kansas Lottery 300 (200 laps / 300 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022
Broadcast Information – TV: 3 p.m. ET on USA / Radio: 2:30 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90
Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate/Huck’s Market Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer has one start and one top 10 at Kansas Speedway, coming in this race last season. Mayer started 12th and finished eighth.
• The driver of the No. 1 currently sits ninth in the championship standings, 109 points above the playoff cutline with only two races remaining in the regular season.
• In his last three starts at 1.5-mile tracks in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Mayer has a pair of third-place finishes (Charlotte Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway).
• At tracks measuring 1.5 miles in the NXS, Mayer has tallied two top-five and four top-10 finishes in nine starts.
Josh Berry
No. 8 HarrisonsUSA.com Chevrolet
• In 2017, Josh Berry made his lone start at Kansas. He will make his first start with JR Motorsports at the 1.5-mile facility this weekend.
• The Hendersonville, Tenn. native battled to an eighth-place finish last week at Darlington to secure his 14th top-10 finish of the 2022 season.
• Berry currently ranks third in stage wins (6) this season, trailing teammate Gragson (12) and Allgaier (7) in the category.
• The No. 8 team sits fifth in the driver’s standings with two races remaining in the regular season.
Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson will seek to continue his surge toward the top of the Playoff Grid this week at Kansas. Over his last six starts, Gragson has two victories (at Pocono and Darlington) and four top-five finishes.
• On 1.5-mile tracks in his NXS career, Gragson has amassed 16 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes in 35 starts. In four starts at Kansas, Gragson’s best finish came in 2019, where he finished 13th.
• Gragson has earned 12 (41%) of JRM’s 29 stage wins this season, including six in the last 10 races. He is ranked first in stage wins on the year, leading over teammates Allgaier (7) and Berry (6).
Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• In 12 previous starts in the NXS at Kansas, Justin Allgaier has earned three top fives and nine top 10s, with a best finish of fifth occurring on three separate occasions (2013, 2017, 2019).
• On tracks between 1 and 2 miles in length in the NXS, Allgaier has scored 11 wins, 67 top fives and 131 top 10s in 210 career starts. All three of the veteran driver’s wins in 2022 have come on tracks measuring between 1 and 2 miles (Darlington, Nashville and New Hampshire).
• Through 24 events in 2022, Allgaier is currently ranked third in wins (three), third in top fives (11) and third in top 10s (16) among his competitors.
Driver Quotes
“I thought we had really good speed at Kansas last year, but with it being my first race there it was a little bit of a learning curve. With a lot more experience at these 1.5- mile tracks, I have a lot more confidence going into this weekend and I know this team is going to do what it takes to put this car up front. It’s time to get some momentum on our side as we close in on the playoffs.” – Sam Mayer
“I’m really looking forward to seeing what we’ll have this weekend in Kansas. We have had a lot of speed this year on the mile-and-a-half tracks with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. The playoffs are right around the corner, so hopefully we can have a smooth day on Saturday and be in contention for the win to maximize our points on the day. We’re ready to get going.” – Justin Allgaier
“I’ve raced at Kansas before but it’s been a few years, so we have spent some time in the sim getting ready for what this weekend is going to bring. Our intermediate cars have been really good this year and I expect more of the same this weekend. There’s multiple grooves early in a run, so hopefully we can put ourselves in the right position to battle for the win on Saturday.” – Josh Berry
“Winning at Darlington has helped us with momentum for the playoffs, and this No. 9 Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee team is on a roll. Kansas is unique, as we have not had the success we deserve there. We are putting strong races together every week thanks to Luke (Lambert, crew chief) and the rest of our team. I know we can start the playoffs strong in a couple of weeks.”– Noah Gragson
JRM Team Updates:
• JR Motorsports at Kansas: JR Motorsports has competed at Kansas Speedway a combined 48 times in the NXS. Over the course of those starts at the 1.5-mile facility, the organization has tallied 13 top fives and 28 top 10s. JRM has three runner-up finishes in Kansas with Kevin Harvick (2014), Elliott Sadler (2016) and Daniel Hemric (2020). It’s one of only three active facilities where the team is looking for its first win.
• Harrison’s USA: Shop your Back to School outfit needs by visiting your closest Harrison’s USA store or by shopping online here.
• Hellmann’s Mayo: Think you have tried Hellmann’s Mayonnaise on everything? Think again. Add a trendy spicy twist to a classic Margarita (as long as you’re over the age of 21) with Hellmann’s Spicy Mayonnaise Dressing; tasting is believing! Find the recipe here and let us know how great it tastes!
• Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Justin Allgaier and Josh Berry will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports/Hendrick Motorsports souvenir rig on Saturday, Sept. 10 from 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. local time.
• Team Chevy Display: JRM driver Josh Berry will be signing autographs at the Team Chevy display located in the Kansas Speedway fan zone on Saturday, Sept. 10 from 11:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. local time.
