JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Richmond Raceway
RACE: ToyotaCare 250 (250 laps / 187.5 miles)
DATE: Friday, April 12, 2019
Michael Annett
No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet
• Michael Annett’s first start for JR Motorsports at Richmond Raceway in 2017 is his best over the last four races there, earning an eighth-place finish.
• In 13 starts at Richmond, Annett has one top five and three top 10s to go along with completing 98.7 percent of laps run in those races.
• Annett currently sits fifth in the championship standings and has already qualified for the NXS Playoffs by virtue of his season-opening victory at Daytona International Speedway.
• The No. 1 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet driver has an average finish of 7.6 through the first seven events of 2019.
Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier has 16 NXS starts at Richmond, with three top five and six top 10s. His best effort of second came in the spring 2017 event.
• The Illinois native has led 195 laps at the Virginia short track, the most among full-time NXS drivers.
• In his six starts at Richmond since joining JRM, Allgaier has an impressive average start of 5.7.
• Seven races into 2019, Allgaier currently sits sixth in the NXS point standings, 90 markers outside of the lead. He earned two Playoff points after sweeping the first two stages at Bristol Motor Speedway last weekend.
Zane Smith
No. 8 PatientPop Chevrolet
• Zane Smith will make his first career NXS start at Richmond on Friday.
• PatientPop, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based company providing a complete practice growth platform that delivers measurable improvements for medical providers, is on board the No. 8 as primary partner at Richmond.
• Smith recorded an 11th-place finish in his first NXS short track start last weekend at Bristol.
• In 19 starts on short tracks in the ARCA Racing Series, Smith has earned two victories (Nashville and Toledo), nine top fives and 15 top 10s, with two pole awards and 495 laps led.
Noah Gragson
No. 9 Switch Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson will make his second career NXS start at Richmond this weekend.
• Gragson earned a second-place finish in his lone start at the .750-mile short track after leading 10 laps in April 2018.
• In two career NXS starts on short tracks, Gragson has recorded one top five, two top 10s and has an average finish of 5.5.
• Gragson is currently tied for ninth in the championship standings following his ninth-place finish last weekend in Bristol.
Driver Quotes
“We had a solid Pilot Flying J Chevrolet last week at Bristol, but we needed a little bit more to run in the top five. With how hard that Travis (Mack, crew chief) and the guys have been working, we’ll have it this weekend at Richmond. We’ve been on a roll so far this season, and we’ve had a pair of top-10 finishes the last two weeks, so we’ll continue on that plan and continue working on getting our Chevrolet ready for the Playoffs.” – Michael Annett
“Jason Burdett (crew chief) and the guys on this BRANDT Professional Agriculture team have worked hard to put together a strong short track program. I think we were proving that last weekend at Bristol until misfortune struck our team. We’ve had a lot of that so far this year and I’m ready to turn things around. Hopefully we get things done this weekend in Richmond and end the night in Victory Lane.” – Justin Allgaier
“We made a lot of progress last weekend in Bristol in what was my first start on a short track in the Xfinity Series. Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and I learned a lot and I feel like we can continue to grow off of that this Friday in Richmond. It’s a one-day show which will be interesting but I’m ready for the challenge with our PatientPop Chevrolet. Hopefully we can have a smooth night and come home with a solid finish.” – Zane Smith
“I’m excited to be racing at Richmond again this weekend. We came so close here last season in my first ever Xfinity Series start and I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can do this time around with JR Motorsports and our Switch Chevrolet. We’ve had a lot of positive momentum here lately and I’m confident that we can keep building off that and be in contention all night long on Friday.” – Noah Gragson
JRM Team Updates
• JRM at Richmond: In 65 NXS starts at Richmond Raceway, JR Motorsports has scored three wins, 20 top-five and 37 top-10 finishes. JRM’s three victories at Richmond came in three consecutive years with Kevin Harvick in April 2014, Chase Elliott in September 2015 and team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. in April 2016.
• Allgaier Autograph Session: Justin Allgaier will sign autographs at the JR Motorsports / Hendrick Motorsports souvenir trailer on Saturday, April 13, from 4:30 – 5:00 p.m. ET at Richmond Raceway.
• Dirty Mo Media T-Shirt Giveaway: If you spend $88 or more at the JR Motorsports / Hendrick Motorsports souvenir trailer this weekend, you will receive a free Dirty Mo Media T-shirt (while supplies last – shirt is not available for purchase).
