JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Watkins Glen International
RACE: Shriners Children’s 200 (82 laps / 200.9 miles)
DATE: Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023
Broadcast Information – TV: 3:30 p.m. ET on USA / Radio: 3 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90
Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet
- Sam Mayer heads up the coast to the Finger Lakes for his third NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Watkins Glen International.
- The Franklin, Wis. native is coming off a second-place finish at the Indianapolis Road Course after making a thrilling pass for the runner-up position with two laps remaining in the event.
- In the six road courses races so far in the 2023 season, Mayer has landed one win, three top-five and five top-10 finishes. His win came at his home track of Road America and marked his first NXS victory.
Josh Berry
No. 8 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATV’s Chevrolet
- Josh Berry’s No. 8 Chevrolet will carry the distinctive colors of Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER Boats & ATVs this weekend at Watkins Glen.
- On road courses in his NXS career, Berry has earned three top-five and eight top-10 results in 13 starts, with the best finish a third last season at Road America. He was ninth last year at The Glen.
- In six starts on the road circuits this season, Berry has a topfive at Portland and top-10 finishes at both Circuit of the Americas and Road America. His average finish this season on such tracks is 14.7.
Brandon Jones
No. 9 Menards/MagickWoods Chevrolet
- Brandon Jones has made six starts at Watkins Glen with a best finish of sixth coming during the 2021 season. His average finish at the New York facility is 13.5.
- Jones picked up the ARCA Menards Series win last season at the 2.45-mile road course after leading just one lap.
- With four races remaining in the NXS regular season, Jones currently sits 13th in the standings, 65 points below the 12th and final spot in the playoffs.
- Jones has finished inside the top 10 in three of the last four races dating back to Pocono Raceway in July.
- Crew chief Jason Burdett hails from nearby Arkport, N.Y., roughly an hour’s drive west of The Glen. Burdett’s racing journey began with several local teams in 1998.
Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
- Justin Allgaier has earned four top fives and seven top 10s in 11 career NXS starts at Watkins Glen.
- Allgaier’s best finish in the Empire State is third, occurring in both 2018 and 2019. Additionally, the Illinois native has placed inside the top five in four of the last five events, dating back to 2017.
- In the six previous road course races in 2023, Allgaier has scored four top fives and five top 10s, with a best finish of second coming at Portland.
- In his NXS career, Allgaier is a three-time road course winner, having gone to Victory Lane in Montreal in 2012 and at Mid-Ohio and Road America in 2018 for JRM.
Driver Quotes
“I am looking forward to getting back to Watkins Glen as we have had super good runs there in the past, pulling two top-10 finishes. Road courses have been fun for me this year and this No. 1 team has really set me up to be able to succeed. I am hopeful that we can go in with our heads held high this weekend and be able to contend for that second win.” – Sam Mayer
“We had a solid day last weekend on the road course at Indy and we have been really strong all season long on the road courses, which makes me really optimistic heading into Watkins Glen. We’re not out of this fight for the regular season championship and I know that Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) and everyone on this BRANDT Professional Agriculture team will give me a Camaro capable of closing that gap on the points leader and battling for the win this weekend. We just need to keep all the fenders on it and execute the best we can and I feel like we will be there when it counts on Saturday.” – Justin Allgaier
“Watkins Glen is a lot different than Indy in that it has a lot of elevation change. We ran ninth there last year, which was a good finish for us. We are in good shape in the points, but I really want to get a win and concentrate on prepping for the championship run. We’ve ran well on the road courses this season, hopefully we can keep that going this weekend.” – Josh Berry
“We have been getting better and better on the road courses this season and I think this weekend in Watkins Glen will be more of that. We’ve been preparing in the sim this week to make sure I am ready when we unload and I feel confident as we get closer. Jason (Burdett, crew chief) and this entire Menards/MagickWoods team have been hard at work, hopefully we can put it all together this weekend and come home with a solid finish.” – Brandon Jones
JRM Team Updates
- JR Motorsports at Watkins Glen: JR Motorsports has competed in the “Finger Lakes” region of New York a combined 46 times in the NXS. In those starts at the 2.45-mile road course, the organization has recorded one win, 10 top fives and 28 top 10s. JRM is the defending winner at Watkins Glen after Kyle Larson took home the checkered flag at this race last season.
- Road Course Racing: JR Motorsports has competed on road courses a combined 212 times in the NXS. Over the course of those 212 starts at such tracks, JRM has recorded six wins, 55 top fives and 113 top 10s. The most recent win on a road course for the organization came with Sam Mayer at Road America in July of this year as he captured his first career NXS win.
- Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer, Josh Berry and Brandon Jones will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, Aug. 19 from 12:45 p.m. to 1:15 p.m
