JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Homestead-Miami Speedway
RACE: Contender Boats 300 (200 laps / 300 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022
Broadcast Information – TV: 4:30 p.m. ET on USA / Radio: 4 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90
Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet
• Sam Mayer currently sits as the eighth seed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, 36 points behind teammate Justin Allgaier for the fourth and final spot in the Championship 4 with two races remaining in the Round of 8.
• Mayer will make his first start at the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend.
• At tracks measuring between 1-2 miles in length in the NXS, Mayer has earned five top fives and 10 top 10s, with an average finish of 15.6.
• In his last six NXS starts dating back to Kansas Speedway in September, Mayer has only one showing outside of the top 10, earning an average finish of 6.8 over that span.
Josh Berry
No. 8 High Rock Vodka Chevrolet
• Josh Berry became the first driver to advance into the Championship 4 by virtue of last week’s win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• In his first full-time NXS season, Berry is one of four drivers who will compete for a championship at Phoenix Raceway.
• Berry has made two starts at the 1.5-mile track located in southeast Florida. He drove the No. 8 to a 10th-place finish at Homestead last season.
• The No. 8 team has placed inside of the top 10 in seven consecutive races dating back to Darlington Raceway.
• Overall, Berry has amassed three wins, 11 top fives and 20 top 10s this season.
Noah Gragson
No. 9 Bass Pro Shops / TrueTimber / Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet
• Noah Gragson has been stout at Homestead, finishing in the top five in three of his four starts and leading 208 laps.
• Over his last seven starts, Gragson has won four times and finished third or better in six of them. The lone non-top-five result came at Talladega, where he was 10th.
• Gragson nearly had his first victory at Homestead in 2021, leading handily with two laps remaining when a lapped car cut a tire and moved up the track into his path. The incident ended Gragson’s day early.
• In 13 starts this season on tracks measuring 1-1.54 miles, Gragson has four wins, nine top-five and 10 top-10 finishes.
Justin Allgaier
No. 7 The BRANDT Foundation Chevrolet
• Justin Allgaier enters the second race in the Round of 8 as the fourth seed, 15 points above the playoff cutline.
• Allgaier has scored a best finish of sixth in 13 NXS starts at Homestead, coming in the 2016 season finale.
• The No. 7 Chevrolet will carry colors commemorating the 10th anniversary of The BRANDT Foundation this weekend at Homestead.
• In his four career playoff starts at Homestead in the NXS (2016-19), Allgaier has earned an average finish of 9.8.
• According to NASCAR’s loop data statistics, Allgaier currently ranks first in laps run inside the top 15 (1,756), green-flag passes (889) and quality passes (577).
Driver Quotes
“Homestead is a track that I am looking forward to finally racing on. It’s wide and allows you to race in multiple grooves throughout each run. We’ve been in the sim working on making sure I am ready for when we hit the track on Friday and I feel confident we can have a good run. Hopefully we can close the gap in points and have a shot to put ourselves into the championship race.” – Sam Mayer
“We’ve had some good runs in playoff races here in the past with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. Homestead is such a unique track that really allows you to race all over and I know that Jason (Burdett, crew chief) and all the guys on this No. 7 team will give me a great car when we unload Friday. We know what is out there in front of us and what we need to do. This round started off on a strong note and hopefully we can keep that going and get ourselves even closer to locking into that final race at Phoenix.” – Justin Allgaier
“Being locked into the championship race is a huge weight off our shoulders as we head into Homestead. We’ve put a lot of work in at the sim for this week and I feel ready to get there this weekend. I know this High Rock Vodka Chevrolet is going to be fast this weekend, so we’re going to try and make another High Rock moment by getting them into victory lane.” – Josh Berry
“I love running at Homestead-Miami Speedway and really want a win there. We had it in 2021 before the incident in Turns 3 and 4, and I feel like this place owes me one. Our No. 9 team is on a roll, and we had a great car at Las Vegas last week. Right now, it’s all about getting into the Championship 4 and winning a championship.” – Noah Gragson
JRM Team Updates
• JR Motorsports at Homestead: JR Motorsports has competed at Homestead-Miami Speedway a combined 50 times in the NXS. Over the course of those starts at the 1.5-mile facility, the organization has tallied two wins, nine top fives and 23 top 10s. The most recent win for the organization came with Tyler Reddick in 2018, which secured the NXS championship for the team.
• Bass Pro Shops: Now through Oct. 31, you can get $60 extra Club points when you shop Cabela’s MT050 Insulated Parka and Bib. Shop now. Remember, you earn free gear with your Bass Pro Shops Club Card. Take advantage of all the ways your Club Card can reward you!
• 10 Years of The BRANDT Foundation: This weekend at Homestead, Justin Allgaier will be sporting the colors of The BRANDT Foundation to commemorate the Foundation’s 10th anniversary. Established in 2012, The BRANDT Foundation supports the Ag and social charities where BRANDT does business. Click here to donate to support their mission and to help those affected by Hurricane Ian through The BRANDT Foundation’s Hurricane Ian Relief Fund
