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CHEVROLET NCS AT ECHOPARK SPEEDWAY 2: Chase Elliott Media Availability Quotes

By
Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
ECHOPARK SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
JULY 11, 2026

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session at EchoPark Speedway. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native returns to his home track as the defending winner of the track’s summer race.

Media Availability Quotes:

Elliott on this weekend’s In-Season Challenge Match-Up Against Chase Briscoe:

“Collectively as a team, if we go do our jobs, you’re going to take care of the In-Season Challenge, as well. That’s where my mind is at, which is trying to survive the carnage that I’m sure is inbound for all of us tomorrow night. Hopefully we’ll be rolling there at the end and have a shot.”

Reflecting back on last summer’s race here at EchoPark Speedway, how different is the day versus the night race here? Also, how big was that win for you last year, in terms of changing the direction of how your team’s season move forward into the playoffs?

“Yeah, it was definitely a big win. Anytime you can win at your home track, it’s just always a really big deal. It just feels a little different. It’s not like I’m trying any harder… I try hard every week. It’s not like I’m necessarily doing anything different, but I do think to cross that bridge and to kind of check that box, it had a little different feel to it. I have a lot of pride being from here and sharing a home state with a lot of the people that are going to be sitting up in the crowd tomorrow night, which I think is really cool. The home wins are really neat. I don’t know how much it really changed the course or direction of our season with how different this race is and it kind of being a speedway-style race, but it was a great night and one I’ll never forget, for sure. It was special for a lot of reasons, so hopefully we can run that back.”

With six races remaining in the regular season, it seems like your team is hitting your stride at the right time. Is that the sense that you have, and if so, what is it that’s led your team to that point?

“Yeah, I think for us, it’s just staying straight in the direction that the race is meant to be going. I think I crashed or was spun out for about two months, from Charlotte on, it seemed like. So, I think for us, it’s just about putting together solid races; executing good days and trying to minimize mistakes. I feel like there’s been a lot of mistakes from me personally throughout that timespan. So, yeah, just piecing that all together and trying to get back to doing what we do well. For us, there’s been pace at different points in time, so it’s just about putting that together at the right time.”

Last year, you won with the ‘Desi9n to Drive’ car and know that was extra special at your home track. This year, you have two people here – Max and Noelle – who designed your car for this weekend. Are they going to be here at the track, and how excited are they to see the car out there on the track?

“Yeah, they’re super pumped. What a great way to celebrate nine years last year. I know I talk about it a lot, but really couldn’t have had that story end any better, honestly. There were enough bad races for our ‘Desi9n to Drive’ car that we hopefully earned one or two more good ones.

But yeah, they’re super pumped. Both Max and Noelle have a lot of energy. We had an event last night and they were pumped up. It will be cool to see them here tomorrow. Max has a little bit of racing experience. Noelle, not so much. But I think it will be fun to see them both in this environment; under the lights and with all the things that this race brings now with just the energy and the excitement around it. Currently in Atlanta, the energy is pretty high for people around here, so I’m excited for them to experience that first-hand and see their ideas and imagination out there on the track.”

What does the ‘Desi9n to Drive’ program mean to you personally and for the foundation to be able to this for these kids?

“At the end of the day, it’s really all about Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Everything is for them and just trying to make a difference for the folks that work there, the patients there and the families that go through different challenging times that they would never imagine having to deal with. At the end of the day, you’re trying to make a difference in that collectively and their network of hospitals, but then more directly, just trying to have a positive impact. If it’s just one more positive day for those kids or gives them an experience they might not otherwise have at a race or event like this, in my view, it’s a win, as well. Really proud of where it’s come and the journey it’s been on, and for NAPA bringing it to the next level to make it what it is today. It’s been an honor for me to be a part of it.”

Looking ahead to next weekend, you’re going to be running all four races at North Wilkesboro. Overall, what do you like about North Wilkesboro? For the Truck race in particular, does that carry any more extra weight or is it extra special because you’re filling in for Kyle Busch?

“I’m super excited about it for a lot of different reasons. I don’t get to run late model races a lot. There’s just really not a lot of mid-week shows that work out for us with how our schedule is. It’s not like the dirt world where they race a lot of mid-week shows, so I’m excited about that. I appreciate Dale (Earnhardt Jr.) asking me to drive his late model stock, as well. That’s not a car that I’ve really had a lot of experience racing, in general. But both that race and the Truck race, as well, they were meant to be for Kyle (Busch). I think Dale was going to get him to drive that late model stock, as well, so it will definitely be special for that reason. I would love to go and get a win in honor of him, his career and the friend he was to me over the years. I don’t know how my name got drawn, asked or what it was, but I appreciate them thinking of me and letting me have that honor to go run those races.”

Do you feel more comfortable heading to the Brickyard in the O’Reilly car after running last weekend at Chicagoland?

“Not really, honestly. I think Indianapolis is so different. My understanding is with the high downforce, draggy, drafting vibe that they had going there last year (in the O’Reilly race), I think it’s totally different than what we had last weekend at Chicagoland. I don’t really know what to expect for that. I would look at Chicagoland as being more normal to those races, compared to what I see on TV a lot. I had a lot of fun with it. I thought Mardy (Lindley) and the entire No. 88 team did a great job. They were well-prepared and had me up to speed the best they could outside of the car. They gave me the time to get up to speed once we got out there on the track and showed me a lot of respect in that regard, so I really appreciate them and look forward to working with that group again. It’s a really good group of people and they’re well-buttoned up. You can’t ask for much more, so hopefully we can try to better it by a spot in Indy.”

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future.

GM Motorsports, including the Cadillac Formula 1® Team develops and proves advanced technologies in the most demanding environments, accelerating innovation in performance, safety, efficiency, and electrification for its production vehicles. Cadillac Racing is one of the leading manufacturers in the IMSA and FIA World Endurance Championships (WEC). Chevrolet competes in single seaters in the US IndyCar series, and in NASCAR with multiple team partners and drivers. Corvette customer teams compete in GT series across the globe including IMSA and WEC. Learn more at GM.com.

Chris Buescher Atlanta Media Availability – EchoPark Speedway

By
Official Release
-

Ford Racing Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Quaker State 400 Media Availability — EchoPark Speedway
Saturday, July 11, 2026

Christopher Buescher, driver of the No. 17 Kroger/Heinz Ketchup/Artesano Brioche Ford Mustang Dark Horse, is currently seventh in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings. He stopped by the EchoPark Speedway infield media center before qualifying to talk about this weekend’s race.

CHRISTOPHER BUESCHER, No. 17 Kroger/Heinz Ketchup/Artesano Brioche Ford Mustang Dark Horse – HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE ON YOUR VERY OWN BILLBOARD? “I am realizing there was some reality to Ryan’s post and I’m not gonna lie, that guy uses a lot of ChatGTP and I just knew that he was faking this one, and a lot of people online pointed out that the trees didn’t have leaves on them, or it was the same photo for both, and I realized those were just renderings as to what they would really look like because we have seen time and time again that this actually happened. Scott Graves was driving down this morning and confirmed it in our group chat that there are billboards, so I guess I’ve made it at this point. My face is on a billboard. Either we’ve done something really well or if you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident, I’ve got you. I don’t know (laughing). It’s something. Ryan is back to shenanigans, which is fine because I’m currently in the process as well and I look forward to unveiling that before too terribly long. We’re gonna keep having fun with it. I do realize that everybody here at EchoPark Speedway had a role in this, so we will have to figure out how to return that favor somewhere along the way, but that was something.”

YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE CHRISTOPHER BUESCHER THIS WEEKEND AFTER LOSING THE BRACKET BATTLE WITH CHRISTOPHER BELL, RIGHT? “So your question was why am I holding 64 ounces of ketchup in my hand? Obviously, we’ve got the Heinz Ketchup Ford Mustang this week. It’s a pretty awesome-looking ride and we figure we’re just gonna pour everybody a little shot on the way out of here, so I hope you all are ready. The other question you kind of skated over there. We were sitting on the stage last week and I was sitting next to C Bell, I’m just gonna shorten his all the way, and he’s sitting there and we’re talking like, ‘What are we gonna do? What’s it gonna be?’ And I’m like, ‘You know what? We’ll just make it to where whoever wins this thing, just tell the other one where they need to shut their first name off at.’ He said, ‘Yeah. I like that. We’ll do it.’ And I’m sitting here thinking, ‘There’s one stopping point that’s not acceptable for either of us’ and that was after the t and we agreed on that. But he was nice to me. He let me have my full legal birth name back, so we’re Christopher for the weekend on that side, but I was gonna be way more mean than that. I was thinking just Ch, or Chri. I didn’t know exactly where I was gonna end. Christoph seemed pretty good. There were so many ways he could have gotten at me, so, yeah, I’m appreciative of the full name.”

DOES THE PAYBACK FOR THE SHENANIGANS GET INCREASED WITH HIM USING THAT PHOTO? “I guess that’s kind of leading into something that honestly had nothing to do with him pranking me, but I’m equally embarrassed about, so that was just straight up due to our friends at Kroger and Minute Rice, but to be seen on that front. Ironically, I did have that same haircut when I was a kid, but it just wasn’t that red. From that side of it, it’s OK, but I think he’s just jealous I got the Minute Rice ride this year and he didn’t, so that’s why he used that photo. I don’t know where that one came from. Apparently, he was asking around trying to get baby photos of me and things of that nature, but I’ve got enough friends around here that they didn’t release those. It’s not too out of hand yet. I did not see him spending this much currency to get this accomplished and it makes me realize I may have cheaped out on my next project a little bit, so I’ll have a couple weeks to do a little spending, but I promise it’s going to be equally as much fun if not just a little bit more rewarding on a psychological level.”

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST SUMMER RACE WITH THAT NEW TIRE SETUP FROM FEBRUARY. DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT YET WITH HOW THAT’S GOING TO REACT TO DIFFERENCES IN TRACK AND AMBIENT TEMPERATURE? “To be honest with you, I never really have figured out what to expect when we come to Atlanta yet. It seems like it changes so much in between our races by itself. Weather conditions are so significantly different this go around. I don’t have a good answer for you. Qualifying is not a good read on it because it’s a single lap and everybody is locked down and nothing drives great in qualifying, but you can deal with it for a lap by yourself. Really, we get into the race and it remains to be seen. Obviously, going into the night we’ve had some good night races here that it seems like the handling kind of comes to you for the entire field. The track seems to widen out as we get into our race, whether it is day or night, it takes a little bit longer to work in that third groove here. I don’t know if it’s just dirty at first or needs to get rubber in it. There’s enough handling here that it’s not like a Daytona or Talladega where you can just find a clean way forward. It has to come in, so, no, I don’t have the answers for sure. There’s a lot to figure out as we go into tomorrow and, really, the O’Reilly race isn’t a great read for our race either here. The cars are just too different at this point, I believe, to get that feel. So, there are more questions than answers.’

YOU WERE AT NORTH WILKESBORO SEVEN YEARS AGO AS PART OF THE CLEAN UP. DID YOU EVER FATHOM THAT IT WOULD BE BACK IN ITS CURRENT STATE AND HOST A POINTS RACE? “No. I remember we went up there, me and Bailey Currey rode up there together. It started out as like a question of who is willing to help. I was like, ‘I’ve got a skid steer and a trailer and I’ll come up there and move some dirt around and clear the track.’ I’d seen some pictures. I’d driven by it on my way to Bristol every year and I knew how bad a shape it was in from the road. We got there and I remember Dale riding around on the street sweeper just making laps and smiling ear to ear covered in mud basically. It was nasty. It was cold. I was like, ‘He did the bulk of the work already.’ So we got there and I remember just going around and having the understanding that it was to try and get it scanned and preserved in the digital world knowing that it probably wasn’t gonna make it beyond that. It’s pretty remarkable to see where it’s gotten to now. It’s been such a fun racetrack to be on, whether it was the old surface or the new. It’s gonna be a fun night race, a long race as well. There are a lot of cool things coming there, but it’s really neat to see where it’s gotten to, but I had no clue that was even a possibility while we were there.”

WOULD NORTH WILKESBORO BE AROUND WITHOUT DALE’S INVOLVEMENT AND PUSH BEHIND IT? “I don’t see a world that it would have been anything like it is, no. I felt like that was a push from him and a movement that he created and got a lot of people behind it in a lot of ways and it worked. The racing has been good there. The fan involvement there has been fantastic. The stories that you get from people that remember going there back in the day and those that didn’t understand it and had to see it for themselves. It’s pretty wild, but that was definitely something that I don’t believe would have come around without him really pushing.”

LAST WEEK BRAD ADDRESSED THAT HE FELT THE TEAMWORK AT TOYOTA MADE SOME OF THE RACES PREDETERMINED. DO YOU FEEL THAT WAY? “It’s probably gonna be more in Brad’s wheelhouse, for sure, from the driver and the ownership side. He is definitely more in the weeds with that. I think in trying to take bits and pieces of what I hear him saying there just from that interview and also what we see week to week I see where he’s coming from and how we work together and how we can be better to try and have that high tide raise all ships. That’s kind of the idea and the principle he was trying to get across there, so, right now, obviously we are in a place where we are not the dominant manufacturer and so we’re gonna figure out ways that we feel like we can get there and feel that could be part of it. No one is sitting still. I promise you that, whether it’s manufacturers, our engine shop, RFK, personally. We’re all trying to figure out how to find that little bit of extra speed that will get us to the point where we can say we’re contending to win races week in and week out. We’re just not quite there yet. We have plenty of ideas on what it could be. If 10 percent of everybody’s idea actually makes it better, then at the end of the day it would make it a lot better for all of us on the RFK side of things and the Ford camp, I guess, in principle. There’s no way to prove it out, but I understand some of the comments from it.”

NOW THAT WE HAVE THE CHASE SYSTEM AND YOU’RE SEVENTH IN POINTS. WHAT HAS THIS POINT IN THE YEAR BEEN LIKE FROM A MENTAL AND STRESS STANDPOINT KNOWING YOU’RE IN A GOOD POSITION TO QUALIFY? “Very similar as years past in a lot of ways because we haven’t won yet. The years that we’ve won races they’ve come deeper into the season than we would like them to every time. We’ve had a couple years where the wins came in the playoffs. In ‘23 it came right leading up to it and secured everything for us, but, yeah, if you think about the place we’ve been on a points standpoint, it’s been simply because we hadn’t won races yet the last couple of years and on a straight consistency side of things if you took this format, we would have easily made the Chase. We’re aware of that. It doesn’t change what the system was at the time. We’re aware of where we’re at now and we’re gonna be a Chase contender. We know that. I’ve told everybody that from the beginning of the year because that’s how we’ve been able to race year in and year out, it’s just we still don’t have a win right now. So from most aspects of it, it’s very much the same, it’s just the result or the perks from the win are not a guarantee, but realistically we feel like we’ve already got that part covered. We’re just trying to figure out how to win races and that’s the stressful side or the driving side or however you want to put it. It’s figuring out how to get into Victory Lane.”

DO YOU FEEL SAFE ENOUGH WITH WHERE YOU ARE IN POINTS AND WHAT TRACKS ARE AHEAD? “The drafting tracks has been one of the places that have produced the knockout from the top row. That was tough to go through and we knew it was a possibility and it happened to us. That won’t be the situation exactly this go, but it doesn’t change the fact that there’s no way we can afford to give anything. You can’t be reckless. You can’t give anybody an inch. We still have to perform at a high level. We still have to do our work ahead of time and come into these weekends and be prepared to put in our max effort. With that, we’ll be fine on making the Chase, but that’s ultimately not the goal. It’s realizing and I think seeing it more and more out there that if you can start the Chase in fifth or sixth spot, or better, then you have a shot to win a title and we’re just outside of that, so we have to step up to be able to get to that point to where we’re not just a participant but a contender at the end. So where we’re at right now I’m not worried about making the Chase. I’m just not. That’s going to come to us with the kind of races we’re able to put together, but I want to win races. I don’t want to just be consistently right there around the fifth to eighth place. I want to win races and we’ve got a lot of good tracks coming up for us, but, yes, when you go to drafting racetracks there are those chances that things get wild. Take them for what they are. We know it can happen, but we’re in a really good spot and our team has worked really hard to get us here knowing that this was gonna be a stretch where you can have some big gains or big losses.”

Front row lock out for Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA at São Paulo

By
Official Release
-

July 11th, 2026 – Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA has locked out the front row of the grid for the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo at the latest round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Will Stevens secured pole postion for the No.12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R with a lap time of 1:23:041. Just 0.048 seconds off pole position was the sister car driven by Jack Aitken.

“Locking out the front row at São Paulo with the #12 Cadillac V-Series.R on pole and the #38 alongside in second is an incredible achievement for the entire Cadillac Racing programme,” said Cadillac Racing Manager, Keely Bosn.

“Congratulations to Will Stevens on an outstanding lap to earn pole position and to Jack Aitken for putting the #38 on the front row as well. Seeing both Cadillacs separated by such a tiny margin is a testament to the preparation and execution from both crews, especially in a qualifying session where the top ten was incredibly competitive and every hundredth of a second mattered.”

“This is the third consecutive front row start in 2026, which reflects the consistency we’ve continued to build throughout the season. To have both Cadillacs leading the field at a track where we celebrated a one-two finish last year makes today even more special. Now our focus turns to converting this qualifying performance into a strong race result tomorrow.”

 No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R. Will Stevens: “To come away with back-to-back poles here in Sao Paulo is an amazing moment. For me personally it’s my first pole position with Cadillac which is very special, and a lot of my family are here to experience it with me. A big thanks to the whole Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA team for giving us the package to put both cars on the front row of the grid. Now we focus on the race tomorrow. Hopefully we can get back to back wins after back to back poles.”

No. 38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R. Jack Aitken: “It was a really strong set of free practice sessions for us. We have been working through practice to fine tune the balance and try and get the car into the best possible window. The field is very, very tight here. The tiny margin of difference in qualifying between the top five cars shows that every little counts. It was a great effort by everybody to get this front row lockout.”

The No.12 car will be driven by Will Stevens and Norman Nato and the No.38 car will be driven by Jack Aitken, Sebastian Bourdais and Earl Bamber. The race will take place on the 4.409 km (2.677-mile), 15-turn Autódromo José Carlos Pace (Interlagos) circuit. It is scheduled for 1130am local time on Sunday July 12th.

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future.

GM Motorsports, including the Cadillac Formula 1® Team develops and proves advanced technologies in the most demanding environments, accelerating innovation in performance, safety, efficiency, and electrification for its production vehicles. Cadillac Racing is one of the leading manufacturers in the IMSA and FIA World Endurance Championships (WEC). Chevrolet competes in single seaters in the US IndyCar series, and in NASCAR with multiple team partners and drivers. Corvette customer teams compete in GT series across the globe including IMSA and WEC. Learn more at GM.com.

Sam Mayer sweeps O’Reilly poles at Atlanta in 2026

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Sam Mayer swept both pole positions at EchoPark Speedway in 2026, with his latest NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series pole occurring on Saturday, July 11, for the Focused Health 250.

The event’s starting lineup was determined through a two-round qualifying session. The first session featured 38 competitors battling for 38 starting spots, cycling once around the track to post the fastest lap. At the conclusion of the first session, the top-10 fastest qualifiers transferred to the second and final round, where they contested for the pole position. 

During the first qualifying session, Mayer was the second-fastest qualifier at 173.061 mph in 32.035 seconds behind Carson Kvapil (173.320 mph, 31.987 seconds). After being one of 10 competitors to transfer to the final qualifying round, he clocked in another fast lap at 173.554 mph in 31.944 seconds. Mayer’s lap was enough for the Franklin, Wisconsin, native to retain the top starting spot and secure pole position over Kvapil by 0.034 seconds.

With the pole, Mayer, driver of the No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet Camaro entry, notched his sixth O’Reilly Auto Parts Series pole for his 170th career start and his first since the March race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mayer also became the first O’Reilly competitor to sweep a pair of poles at EchoPark Speedway since Jesse Love achieved the previous feat in 2024. 

No. 41
Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Mayer will share the front row with Carson Kvapil, the latter of whom was within striking distance of achieving his first O’Reilly career pole, but will settle in the runner-up starting spot with a lap of 173.369 mph in 31.978 seconds.

Jesse Love, William Sawalich and Sammy Smith will start in the top five, respectively. Sheldon Creed, Brent Crews, Rajah Caruth, Taylor Gray and Patrick Staropoli, all of whom transferred to the final qualifying session along with the top-five starters, will start in the top 10, respectively.

Notably, Austin Hill, who is pursuing a sixth victory at his home track of Atlanta, will start 11th and share the sixth row with Brandon Jones, who won last weekend’s O’Reilly event at Chicagoland Speedway. In addition, Jake Finch, who is making his first of select starts with JR Motorsports, will start in 15th place and share the eighth row with teammate and points leader Justin Allgaier. Nick Sanchez, who scored his first O’Reilly career victory at Atlanta a year ago in mid-June, will start 18th.

Jordan Anderson, who is making his first O’Reilly start since Daytona International Speedway earlier in February, will start at the tail end of the field in 38th place due to sustaining a flat right-rear tire during his qualifying lap. Teammate Blaine Perkins will also start at the rear of the field (37th place) due to a mechanical issue during his lap.

With 38 competitors vying for 38 starting spots, all made the main event.

EchoPark Speedway – Qualifying Position, Best Speed, Best Time:

  1. Sam Mayer, 173.554 mph, 31.944 seconds
  2. Carson Kvapil, 173.369 mph, 31.978 seconds
  3. Jesse Love, 173.142 mph, 32.020 seconds
  4. William Sawalich, 172.678 mph, 32.106 seconds
  5. Sammy Smith, 172.608 mph, 32.119 seconds
  6. Sheldon Creed, 172.517 mph, 32.136 seconds
  7. Brent Crews, 172.415 mph, 32.155 seconds
  8. Rajah Caruth, 172.206 mph, 32.194 seconds
  9. Taylor Gray, 172.174 mph, 32.200 seconds
  10. Patrick Staropoli, 171.630 mph, 32.302 seconds
  11. Austin Hill, 171.715 mph, 32.286 seconds
  12. Brandon Jones, 171.561 mph, 32.315 seconds
  13. Corey Day, 171.498 mph, 32.327 seconds
  14. Jeremy Clements, 171.455 mph, 32.335 seconds
  15. Jake Finch, 171.450 mph, 32.336 seconds
  16. Justin Allgaier, 171.222 mph, 32.379 seconds
  17. Anthony Alfredo, 171.148 mph, 32.393 seconds
  18. Nick Sanchez, 171.111 mph, 32.400 seconds
  19. Ryan Sieg, 170.958 mph, 32.429 seconds
  20. Kyle Sieg, 170.800 mph, 32.459 seconds
  21. Jeb Burton, 170.349 mph, 32.545 seconds
  22. Parker Retzlaff, 170.338 mph, 32.547 seconds
  23. Dean Thompson, 170.202 mph, 32.573 seconds
  24. Leland Honeyman Jr., 170.150 mph, 32.583 seconds
  25. Harrison Burton, 169.962 mph, 32.619 seconds
  26. Garrett Smithley, 169.495 mph, 32.709 seconds
  27. Ryan Ellis, 169.138 mph, 32.778 seconds
  28. Mason Maggio, 169.112 mph, 32.783 seconds
  29. Nick Leitz, 168.731 mph, 32.857 seconds
  30. Brennan Poole, 168.705 mph, 32.862 seconds
  31. Glen Reen, 168.593 mph, 32.884 seconds
  32. Lavar Scott, 168.296 mph, 32.942 seconds
  33. Joey Gase, 168.275 mph, 32.946 seconds
  34. Josh Bilicki, 167.822 mph, 33.035 seconds
  35. Logan Bearden, 164.907 mph, 33.619 seconds
  36. Carson Ware, 153.531 mph, 36.110 seconds
  37. Blaine Perkins, 118.441 mph, 46.808 seconds
  38. Jordan Anderson, 0.000 mph, 0.000 seconds

The 2026 Focused Health 250 at EchoPark Speedway is scheduled for Saturday, July 11, at 7 p.m. ET on the CW Network, PRN Radio, and SiriusXM. 

Layne Riggs scores first Truck pole of 2026 at Lime Rock Park

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by Andrew Boyd for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Layne Riggs notched his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series pole position of the 2026 season for the second annual LiUNA 150 at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut, on Saturday, July 11.

The event’s starting lineup was determined through a group qualifying session. The field of 33 competitors was split into two qualifying groups. Each group was allotted 20 minutes to post the fastest lap amongst one another. The competitor who posted the fastest lap between the groups would be awarded the pole position.

Riggs, who was the 10th-fastest competitor in practice earlier on Saturday and qualified in the second group, posted his fastest lap at 99.115 mph in 53.683 seconds. The lap was enough for the Bahama, North Carolina, native to claim his first first-place starting spot for a Truck event this season for Saturday afternoon’s event at Lime Rock.

With the pole, Riggs, who leads the series’ standings and is in his third consecutive season of driving the No. 34 Ford F-150 entry for Front Row Motorsports, notched his fifth Truck Series career pole, his first on a road course event and his first since the season-finale event at Phoenix Raceway in November 2025. Having won street courses at St. Petersburg and San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado throughout this season, Riggs will attempt to add a third street/road course victory to his resume as he also strives to gain momentum ahead of the Chase and his first championship bid.

Riggs will share the front row with Connor Mosack, the latter of whom was the fastest in the first qualifying group and who posted his fastest lap at 99.014 mph in 53.738 seconds. Kaden Honeycutt, Thomas Annunziata and Ty Majeski will start in the top five, respectively. Annunziata, who is making his second Truck career start and driving the No. 1 Toyota entry for TRICON Garage, is aiming for a weekend sweep at Lime Rock after winning Friday’s ARCA Menards Series event.

Landen Lewis, Giovanni Ruggiero, Daniel Hemric, Chandler Smith (fastest in practice) and Jake Garcia completed the top-10 starting grid. Notably, Colin Braun, who is making his second Truck start of the season in the No. 25 RAM 1500 entry for Kaulig Racing, was the only competitor to not post a qualifying lap. Nevertheless, he will round out the 33-truck field in 33rd place.

With 33 competitors vying for 33 starting spots, all made the main event.

Lime Rock Park – Qualifying Position, Best Speed, Best Time:

  1. Layne Riggs, 99.115 mph, 53.683 seconds
  2. Connor Mosack, 99.014 mph, 53.738 seconds
  3. Kaden Honeycutt, 98.949 mph, 53.773 seconds
  4. Thomas Annunziata, 98.857 mph, 53.823 seconds
  5. Ty Majeski, 98.839 mph, 53.833 seconds
  6. Landen Lewis, 98.608 mph, 53.959 seconds
  7. Giovanni Ruggerio, 98.248 mph, 54.157 seconds
  8. Daniel Hemric, 98.170 mph, 54.200 seconds
  9. Chandler Smith, 98.164 mph, 54.203 seconds
  10. Jake Garcia, 98.135 mph, 54.219 seconds
  11. Tyler Ankrum, 97.971 mph, 54.310 seconds
  12. Grant Enfinger, 97.859 mph, 54.372 seconds
  13. Christian Eckes, 97.839 mph, 54.383 seconds
  14. Andres Perez De Lara, 97.789 mph, 54.411 seconds
  15. Ben Maier, 97.697 mph, 54.462 seconds
  16. Parker Kligerman, 97.518 mph, 54.562 seconds
  17. Ben Rhodes, 97.488 mph, 54.579 seconds
  18. Stewart Friesen, 97.401 mph, 54.628 seconds
  19. Kris Wright, 97.344 mph, 54.660 seconds
  20. Tanner Gray, 97.244 mph, 54.716 seconds
  21. Dawson Sutton, 97.084 mph, 54.806 seconds
  22. Cole Butcher, 96.381 mph, 55.206 seconds
  23. Justin Haley, 95.958 mph, 55.449 seconds
  24. Wesley Slimp, 95.931 mph, 55.465 seconds
  25. Corey LaJoie, 95.765 mph, 55.561 seconds
  26. Louis Foster, 95.663 mph, 55.620 seconds
  27. Graham Doyle, 95.343 mph, 55.807 seconds
  28. Mini Tyrrell, 95.109 mph, 55.944 seconds
  29. Brenden Queen, 94.831 mph, 56.108 seconds
  30. Jackson Lee, 94.683 mph, 56.196 seconds
  31. Frankie Muniz, 92.631 mph, 57.441 seconds
  32. Josh Reaume, 91.855 mph, 57.926 seconds
  33. Colin Braun, 0.000 mph, 0.000 seconds

The 2026 LiNUA 150 at Lime Rock Park is scheduled for Saturday, July 11, at 1 p.m. ET on FS1, NASCAR Racing Network, and SiriusXM.

Jacob Denney goes back-to-back with Jefferson County Speedway Night 1 Victory

By
Briar Starr
-
Photo Courtesy of Ray Hague Photo

Already having won Wednesday night’s event at the Mitchell County Fairgrounds Raceway in Beloit, Kansas, with the USAC NOS Energy National Midget Championship, Jacob Denney was entering the two-night affair at the Jefferson County Speedway in Fairbury, Nebraska, with tons of momentum and seeking back-to-back victories. With a record 40 midgets on hand at the speedway, Denney had to hold off fierce competition in a 30-lap feature. He started third and was able to work his way quickly to grab his second victory in the past two days with his Toyota Racing Development/Keith Kunz Motorsports entry.

“My car was really good (during the green-flag runs),” Denney said to Flo Racing on the frontstretch. “I could start a pace and kind of set it. I could maintain the pace the whole time. I didn’t really have to push it. I got through all the holes really nice, and that’s what you need on a track like this. It’s really technical. You couldn’t really push that hard, or you’d make a mistake. So, it was nice to be able to run a solid pace all race long, and try to make as little mistakes as possible.

“Those cautions definitely made it tough. I didn’t know if I should rip the top because you have so much more speed down the back straightaway or slide myself. Had a great car again tonight. Can’t thank my guys enough. They were busting their tails before the feature started.”

As previously mentioned, a record 40 midgets showed up for the two-day show, with Friday night being the first of two nights. However, only 24 cars could start the feature.

Prior to the four heat races, including the semi-feature as well as the C-feature, there was a hot lap session and a two-lap qualifying session. Brecken Reese set the pace in hot laps with a time of 11.166 seconds, while Justin Grant again set the quick time in qualifying, posting a lap time of 11.122 seconds.

With the four heat races set, they were 10 laps apiece, and the top five transferred to the main event. The semi-feature would take the top four. There was also a C-feature, which also took the top four.

During the first heat race, Reese started on the inside row, while Kale Drake started on the outside pole. At the drop of the green, Drake took the early advantage using the high side to his advantage. However, Drake’s machine got a little bobbly after exiting Turn 2, allowing Reese to take the lead. An early caution came out for Blaze Bennett, who came to a stop sideways off Turn 4.

With the only yellow during this heat race, Reese held on to his position and went on to secure the victory. Drake, Adam Trimble, Justin Grant, and Cale Coons were the top five transfers.

In the second heat event, Trey Zorn, out of Russell, Kansas, started on the pole, taking the inside lane, with Drew Sherman on the outside. Unlike the previous heat, there was no yellow, and Zorn grabbed an easy win. Drake Edwards, Sherman, Cannon McIntosh, and Haidyn Hansen were the transfers.

Wout Hoffmans was originally supposed to start on the pole position for the third heat. Unfortunately, he did not start because he had trouble with an engine failure in his car early in the program. This saw Zach Daum inherit the top spot with Kevin Thomas Jr in second. The third heat was clean and green, and Daum got the victory. Thomas Jr, Ethan Mitchell, Gavin Miller, and Jakeb Boxell rounded out the top five transfers.

For the final and fourth heat race, Zack Merritt was in the top spot with Mack Leopard on his outside row. Leopard passed Merritt on the outside off Turn 2 to take the lead. Leopard would go on to secure this heat race win. Colton Robinson, Hank Soares, Denney, and Merritt were your top five.

Following the four heat races, the C-feature took place, which also consisted of 10 laps. There was an early caution on the opening lap, which saw pole sitter Mikey Blackard and Bennett spin around backward off Turn 2. This was the only incident of the C-feature, and Matt Sherrell got the victory to move on to the main event. He was followed by Blackard, John Klabunde, and Shyla Ernst, who also transferred.

As the C-feature concluded, the program kept rolling at a fast pace, rolling right on into the semi-feature. Gaige Weldon and Garrett Benson were your front row starters. Benson led the early stages of the feature, but quickly found trouble as he found himself stopped on the outskirts of Turn 4 to bring out the yellow with seven laps to go. Ernst was also off after making contact with the right rear of Lance Bennett.

While Weldon was on his white flag lap, another yellow was brought out for a car flipping upside down off Turn 4. Caiden Warren was the unfortunate one to land upside down. Thankfully, Warren was able to climb out of his car and appeared okay. Once cleanup was done to get the car off track, there would be a one-lap dash to the finish.

However, Weldon hung onto his top spot and would take the victory. He was followed by Hayden Reinbold, Bradley Cox, and Kyle Jones, who were your top four.

Once all was said and done, it was finally time for the 30-lap feature. Miller and Coons started on the front row with Denney in the third position. Miller had the advantage by leading lap one. However, Denney challenged early by using a slider and taking the lead briefly on the backstretch before his teammate Miller retook the top spot. The two put on a show going back-and-forth.

But that was short-lived, as the first yellow flew with 27 laps to go for an upside-down car. It was Merritt who went upside down in Turn 2. Another caution flew shortly thereafter to slow the field down again.

A better restart by the leaders was seen this time around. However, the third caution would fly one lap later for a car stopped in Turn 4, which was for Jones.

After the yellow, the field went green again, and saw Denney and Miller put on another clinic with the lead for a few laps before another caution slowed the pace. Weldon was stopped in Turn 2 with 18 laps to go.

Following the cleanup, there was a great battle between Miller, Boxell, and McIntosh for second. Unfortunately, this was also short-lived, as another caution was seen with Jones stopped again on the top side of Turn 4. The race would go back green and saw a few green-flag laps. Boxell eventually got the better of the battle between Miller and McIntosh. However, this wouldn’t affect Denney any, as he would go on to win another USAC National Midget victory at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. 

Official Race Results Following Night 1 at the Jefferson County Speedway in Fairbury, Nebraska

  1. Jacob Denney
  2. Jakeb Boxell
  3. Gavin Miller
  4. Cannon McIntosh
  5. Kale Drake
  6. Justin Grant
  7. Zach Daum
  8. Drake Edwards
  9. Cale Coons
  10. Brecken Reese
  11. Ethan Mitchell
  12. Hayden Reinbold
  13. Kevin Thomas Jr
  14. Adam Trimble
  15. Mack Leopard
  16. Colton Robinson
  17. Bradley Cox
  18. Haidyn Hansen
  19. Drew Sherman
  20. Gaige Weldon
  21. Kyle Jones
  22. Hank Soares
  23. Trey Zorn
  24. Zack Merritt

Up Next – The final night of the USAC Nos Energy Drink National Midget at Jefferson County Speedway in Fairbury, Nebraska concludes tonight. Action can be seen live on Flo Racing.

Thomas Annunziata notches second consecutive ARCA victory at Lime Rock Park

By
Andrew Kim
-
Credit: ARCA Racing.

Thomas Annunziata doubled down at a road course venue where he achieved his first career ARCA Menards Series victory a year ago. This season, he led all but nine of the 68 scheduled laps to win the Lime Rock Park ARCA 100 on Friday, July 3, for his second consecutive victory in the ARCA Menards Series.

The 21-year-old Annunziata from Colts Neck, New Jersey, started Friday’s main event on the front row and assumed command for the first time on the sixth lap. Despite nearly having his event go sideways during a Lap 18 restart that caused him to lose the lead to title rival Jake Bollman, Annunziata recovered and reassumed the lead by Lap 22. From there, Annunziata never looked back as he proceeded to claim the checkered flag by nearly 10 seconds over Andrew Ranger.

With on-track qualifying determining the starting lineup on Friday, Carson Brown secured pole position with a lap at 97.908 mph in 54.345 seconds. Thomas Annunziata, the reigning ARCA Lime Rock Park winner, qualified in second place with a lap at 97.793 mph in 54.409 seconds.

When the green flag waved and the event commenced, Carson Brown maintained a steady advantage through the main straightaway that led to the first turn. Brown, however, went up the track through the first turn and was overtaken by both Thomas Annunziata and Tristian McKee, with McKee assuming command through the first two turns (Big Bend) and leading to both a third left-hander turn and a fourth right-hander turn. As the field behind jostled for early spots, McKee fended off Annunziata through the remaining three turns and cycled back to the main straightaway to lead the first lap.

Over the next four laps, McKee maintained the lead by as high as four-tenths of a second over Annunziata while Brown, who dropped to fifth place during the opening lap, rallied his way up to third place. Behind, points leader Jake Bollman and Peter Portante were in the top five while Isabella Robusto, Andrew Ranger, Max Reaves, Ryan Gemmell and Stewart Friesen occupied the remaining top-10 spots over Jeff Anton, Dawson Sutton, Alex Quarterley, Andy Jankowiak, Isaac Kitzmiller, Graham Jacobson, Ty Fredrickson, Will Robinson, Jason Kitzmiller and Chase Buscaglia, respectively.

On the seventh lap, Annunziata overtook McKee through the main straight in between Turns 7 and 1 to assume the lead for the first time. As Annunziata proceeded to extend his advantage to more than a second by the 10th lap, Brown reeled in and intimidated teammate McKee for the runner-up spot while Bollman and Portante continued to occupy the remaining top-five spots over Ranger, Robusto, Gemmell, Reaves and Anton, respectively.

Following the event’s first caution that flew on the 12th lap due to debris that came off of Corey Aiken’s entry lying on the course, the event restarted on the 19th lap. At the start, Annunziata got sideways entering the first turn when he wheel-hopped the turn and was hit in the rear by Brown. As a result, Annunziata managed to keep his entry straight when he ran into the side of McKee, but the latter went off the course amid the contact as Brown also slipped and spun through the first turn. Amid the chaos and with no caution flying, Bollman maneuvered his way into the lead, and he led the next lap over Annunziata while Reaves, Gemmell and Anton were in the top five.

On Lap 22, Annunziata overtook Bollman to reassume the lead through the sixth turn. As Annunziata led the next lap over Bollman, Reaves and Gemmell battled closely behind for third place while Ranger was up into fifth place ahead of Anton, Portante, Quarterley, Friesen and McKee, respectively. Sutton, who spun on Lap 20, was in 19th place behind Brown. Robusto, who was pushed by a wrecker during the first caution period due to having no fuel pressure, was mired 10 laps down in 25th place.

At the halfway mark on Lap 34, a competition caution flew, and the event entered a five-minute break period. During this time, all competitors pitted non-competitively with the options to have tires changed along with a fill-up of fuel and adjustments/repairs needed. At the time of caution, Annunziata was leading by more than two seconds over Gemmell while Reaves, Bollman, Ranger, McKee, Portante, Anton, Quarterley and Ian Kitzmiller in top 10, with Brown mired in 15th and 19 of 29 starters scored on the lead lap.

When the event resumed with 30 laps remaining, Annunziata fended off Ryan Gemmell through the first turn to maintain the lead. As the field bumped and jostled for late spots through the course’s turns, Annunziata led the next lap over Gemmell and Bollman while Ranger and Reaves were in the top five ahead of Peter Portante, McKee, Alex Quarterley, Stewart Friesen and JeffAnton. Annunziata, who stretched his lead to more than a second with 29 laps remaining, increased his lead to more than two seconds with 25 to go.

Then with 23 laps remaining, the caution flew due to debris on course, and it evaporated Annunziata’s lead of more than five seconds. During the next restart with 18 laps remaining, Annunzaiata fended off Ranger through the first four turns to maintain the lead while a variety of on-track bumps and jostling of spots, including one that involved McKee running into the side of Portante through the first turn, ensued. Annunziata led the next lap, and he grew his lead over Ranger to eight-tenths of second with 15 laps remaining.

Down to the final 10 laps, Annunziata grew his late lead to more than two seconds over Ranger while Bollman, Brown and Reaves trailed in the top five, respectively. By then, Gemmell dropped to sixth ahead and was racing ahead of McKee as Annunziata extended his lead to more than six seconds with five to go.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Annunziata remained in the lead by nine seconds over Ranger. With no challenges reeling in close enough, Annunziata cycled around Like Rock Park smoothly for a final time before he cycled back to the main straightaway and claimed the checkered flag by more than nine seconds over Ranger.

With the victory, Annunziata, driver of the No. 70 Toyota Camry entry for Nitro Motorsports, scored his second ARCA Menards Series career victory in his 18th series start, both of which have occurred at Lime Park. He also notched his sixth top-five result through 12 ARCA events in 2026 and he trails points leader Jake Bollman by eight points with only eight events remaining on the 2026 schedule. Annunziata’s ARCA victory completed half of his double-duty roles this weekend at Lime Rock as he will also drive TRICON Garage’s No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry on Saturday, July 10.

“I grew up doing this kind of stuff. A lot of these guys didn’t,” Annunziata said. “I have an advantage when it comes to the road courses. We started getting hot there the last couple of races. We weren’t able to execute a victory there, but I feel like we deserved one for a while. We worked hard for this. It means so much to get the first win for Nitro Motorsports in 2026. Yeah, it’s been a while [since I won], so I’m happy. You got to just keep digging. [I] Just don’t have quite the race craft yet, so we’re getting closer, but I know what I’m doing here.”

Andrew Ranger, a three-time NASCAR Pintys Series champion from Quebec, Canada, finished in the runner-up spot over Carson Brown, Max Reaves and Jake Bollman. Ryan Gemmell, Tristan McKee, Isaac Kitzmiller. Dawson Sutton and Jeff Anton completed the top 10 in the final running order.

This event saw four lead changes among three leaders and three cautions over 15 laps. In addition, 19 of 29 starters finished on the lead lap.

Results:

  1. Thomas Annunziata, 59 laps led
  2. Andrew Ranger
  3. Carson Brown
  4. Max Reaves
  5. Jake Bollman, three laps led
  6. Ryan Gemmell
  7. Tristan McKee
  8. Isaac Kitzmiller
  9. Dawson Sutton
  10. Jeff Anton
  11. Peter Portante
  12. Will Robinson
  13. Stewart Friesen
  14. Andy Jankowiak
  15. Ty Fredrickson
  16. Graham Jacobson
  17. Jason Kitzmiller
  18. Chase Buscaglia
  19. Takuma Koga
  20. Bobby Earnhardt, two laps down
  21. Alex Quarterley, four laps down
  22. Alex Clubb, seven laps down
  23. Michael Maples, eight laps down
  24. Nate Moeller, nine laps down
  25. Isabella Robusto, 18 laps down
  26. Corey Aiken – OUT, Mechanical
  27. Brad Smith – OUT, Mechanical
  28. Ed Pompa – Did Not Start (DNS)
  29. Jef Maconi – Did Not Start (DNS)

Next on the 2026 ARCA Menards Series schedule is the LiUNA! 150 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Brownsburg, Indiana, an event that will also serve as a shared event that will feature competitors competing in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East divisions. The event is scheduled to occur on July 24 and air at 5 p.m. ET on FS1.

ARCA Menards Series at Lime Rock Park: Lime Rock Park ARCA 100 Post-race Notes

By
Official Release
-
  • Thomas Annunziata (No. 70 JBL Audio Toyota) scored his first ARCA Menards Series victory of the season in Friday’s Lime Rock Park ARCA 100 at the 1.47-mile, seven-turn Lime Rock Park road course. Annunziata, from nearby Colts Neck, New Jersey, started second and led 59 of the race’s 68 laps to win at Lime Rock for the second consecutive season.
  • With the victory, Annunziata becomes only the second driver in ARCA Menards Series history to win multiple races on a road course. The other, Andrew Ranger (No. 53 SFW Farm Chevrolet), finished second, 9.932 seconds behind. Ranger has four ARCA Menards Series road course victories, all at New Jersey Motorsports Park, from 2011 through 2014.
  • Annunziata will make his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start of the season in tomorrow’s LiUNA 150. Annunziata will drive the No. 1 Toyota for Tricon Garage; Annunziata finished 15th in last year’s NCTS race at Lime Rock driving for Spire Motorsports.
  • Carson Brown (No. 28 Whelen Chevrolet) started from the Sioux Chief PowerPEX Pole but was muscled out of the lead on the opening lap by his Pinnacle Racing Group teammate Tristan McKee (No. 77 NEFCO Chevrolet). Both Brown and McKee would endure off course excursions on restarts, with Brown dropping to the tail of the lead lap after spinning on the first restart of the day. Brown would recover to finish third, while McKee, who earned his first ARCA Menards Series win at Watkins Glen International last August, would finish seventh.
  • Two-time ARCA Menards Series winner this season Max Reaves (No. 18 Cook Out Toyota) finished fourth after a spirited battled with championship points leader Jake Bollman (No. 20 Nitro Motorsports Toyota) in the closing laps. Reaves nearly spun numerous times off turn six and down the hill into turn seven as he battled a loose racecar; Bollman notched his eighth top-five finish of the season in fifth.
  • Bollman led three laps, from lap 20 through 22, the first laps led in his ARCA Menards Series career.
  • Ryan Gemmell (No. 29 Ciferno Well Services / TC3 Toyota) ran as high as second just before the race’s mid-race break before crossing the finish line in sixth. Gemmell, who raced with the NASCAR Classics series at LeMans last week, has finished in the top ten in all five of his ARCA Menards Series starts, all of which have been on road courses.
  • Reigning ARCA Menards Series East champion Isaac Kitzmiller (No. 79 A.L.L. Construction / Carter CAT Chevrolet) finished seventh, his sixth career top-ten finish and first since he finished seventh at Phoenix Raceway in March three starts ago.
  • NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Dawson Sutton (No. 42 Rackley Roofing / MMI Services Chevrolet) recovered from a spin in turn five just after the first restart of the day to finish ninth in his second career ARCA Menards Series race.
  • Jeff Anton (No. 44 Deer Park Recycling / Squid Details Chevrolet) finished tenth, his second straight ten top-ten finish at Lime Rock Park; he finished eighth in last year’s race.
  • Bollman continues to lead the ARCA Menards Series championship standings but Annunziata has unofficially closed the gap to eight points heading into the series’ next race at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on July 24.
  • The next race for the ARCA Menards Series is the LiUNA 150, a combination race with the ARCA Menards Series East at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday, July 24. The race, set to begin at 5 pm ET, ill be televised live on FS1 and broadcast on select affiliates of the MRN Radio network nationwide. ARCARacing.com will have live timing & scoring data throughout all on-track activity and live race audio. Follow @ARCA_Racing on X (formerly Twitter) for up-to-the-minute updates.

About ARCA 
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization to sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit , or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing). 

About Menards
A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states.  Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building.  You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more.  To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro!
 
Menards has what you need to complete your outdoor projects and keep your yard in tip-top shape including mowers, trimmers, blowers, pressure washers and more, plus a beautiful garden center stocked with plants, shrubs, trees, landscaping tools, grass seed, fertilizer options, outdoor décor and patio furniture.  Menards also has everyday essentials like health & beauty products, housewares, pet and wildlife supplies, automotive items and even groceries.  And at Christmas, an Enchanted Forest display area with impressive trees, lighting, decorations, ornaments, inflatables and more. 

Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too!  For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.

RCR Race Preview: EchoPark Speedway

By
Official Release
-

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at EchoPark Speedway… In 171 NASCAR Cup Series starts at EchoPark Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned nine wins and four pole awards, including Kevin Harvick’s emotional victory in 2001. Dale Earnhardt won eight times at the Hampton, Georgia track under the RCR banner (1984-fall, 1986-fall, 1988-spring, 1989-fall, 1990-spring, 1995-fall, 1996-spring, 2000-spring). The Welcome, N.C. team has 31 top-five and 64 top-10 finishes at EchoPark Speedway and has led a total of 3,045 laps at the 1.54-mile oval.

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at EchoPark Speedway… Richard Childress Racing has recorded eight NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins at EchoPark Speedway, led by Austin Hill’s five victories (2022-fall, 2023-spring 2024-spring and fall, 2025-spring). Harvick (2013) and Jeff Burton (2006, 2007) also secured victories at EchoPark Speedway with RCR. As an organization, RCR has racked up 20 top-five and 37 top-10 finishes across 70 starts at the Peachtree State track.

Did You Know… Since Austin Hill joined RCR in 2022, the team has won 13 of 26 drafting-track races, including nine of the last 15 in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (Hill – seven, Jesse Love – two).

Tickets to the 2026 Carolina Cowboys Home Stand Are Available Now… The Carolina Cowboys, a professional team in the PBR Teams League owned by Richard Childress and Jeff Broin with Austin Dillon serving as the team’s general manager, are set to defend their PBR Teams Championship for the 2026 season beginning this weekend in Fort Collins, Colorado on July 11-12. The Cowboys boast a talented roster with new additions including 2018 PBR Rookie of the Year and 2025 Challenger Series Champion Keyshawn Whitehorse, and standout Brazilians Elizmar Jeremias and Thiago Salgado. Don’t miss the Carolina Cowboys 2026 “Cowboy Days” home stand September 18-20 at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. Tickets are on sale at PBR.com and Ticketmaster.com.

Celebrating America’s 250… As part of RCR’s ongoing commitment to honor and support those who served our country, RCR hosted a special Veterans Lunch event this past Wednesday celebrating America’s 250th birthday. RCR employees and area Veterans joined together to enjoy a full lunch, complete with apple pie, courtesy of Patriot Mobile. All are welcome to join us for Veterans Coffee next month, Wednesday, August 12 beginning at 9 a.m. ET.

Catch Saturday’s Action… The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ Focused Health 250 at EchoPark Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, July 11 at 7 p.m. ET on The CW. The live radio broadcast can be heard on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Saturday’s qualifying session will be shown for free on The CW App beginning at 11 a.m. ET.

Watch Us on TNT Sports… The NASCAR Cup Series race at EchoPark Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, July 12, beginning at 7 p.m. ET on TNT Sports, the third of five consecutive races this season that will air on TNT Sports. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Saturday’s qualifying session at EchoPark Speedway will be broadcast on truTV beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET. Ride shotgun all season long with live, in-car camera feeds and scanner audio with a paid subscription to Max as part of their NASCAR driver cam experience during the race.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Titan Community Outreach Chevrolet at EchoPark Speedway… In 19 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at EchoPark Speedway, Austin Dillon earned a best finish of sixth in March 2021. Across four NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and four NASCAR Truck Series starts at the Hampton, Georgia track, Dillon has posted seven top-10 results and never finished worse than 11th.

About Titan Community Outreach… Titan Community Outreach was founded through the deep relationships and opportunities that have been cultivated within Titan Risk Solutions. With the ultimate goal of helping those who are in need, Titan has evolved into a dynamic group of community ambassadors across the country. Titan Community Outreach has a goal to support the communities, families, and individuals who keep our industry and neighborhoods moving. Built on principles of integrity, responsibility, and people-first leadership, Titan Community Outreach strives to be on the forefront of providing opportunities for all people regardless of their current situation. Titan Community Outreach exists to give back in meaningful, hands-on ways. By Partnering with groups such as Pitstops For Hope, Harvesters, Big Brothers / Big Sisters of America, Team Dillon Management, and Richard Childress Racing, Titan has been able to provide resources to schools, families, and children across the country. Through charitable programs, community partnerships, and volunteer engagement, Titan Community Outreach focuses on creating real impact where it matters most. From supporting families in need to investing in youth and community programs, our mission is rooted in service, collaboration, and long-term positive change. For more information, or to support our mission of helping others visit www.titanoutreach.org.

Play Ball… Dillon and his RCR teammate Austin Hill traveled to Tampa, Florida this week to promote the upcoming NASCAR race weekend at Daytona International Speedway, August 28 and 29th, which will mark the last Cup race of the regular season. Dillon threw out the first pitch at Tuesday night’s Tampa Bay Rays baseball game as part of the league’s NASCAR night presented by Daytona International Speedway and Coca-Cola Beverages Florida. In addition to motorsports, Dillon, a former Coke Zero Sugar 400 race winner, also shares a passion for baseball. He played in the 2002 Little League World Series and is active in his son, Ace’s tee-ball league. Dillon is also a proud Atlanta Braves fan.

Meet Dillon… On Sunday, July 12 at 2:45 p.m. Local Time, Dillon is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler located in the Fan Zone. Shortly afterwards at 3:30 p.m. Local Time, the six-time Cup Series winner is scheduled to make an appearance at the Chevrolet Display in the Fan Zone for a question-and-answer session. Stop and visit Dillon before the green flag waves.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

What expectations do you have this weekend at EchoPark Speedway?

“I’m looking forward to racing at Echo Park Speedway in Atlanta this weekend. We’ve got Titan Community Outreach on board, and who doesn’t love racing under the lights. The track presents a lot of opportunity with two and three-wide racing. It’s awesome entertainment for fans. We’ll be trying to do our best to be at the front when it matters. It’s an opportunity for RCR, so hopefully Austin Hill and I are 1-2 at the end of the race.”

Austin Hill and the No. 33 BankOZK Chevrolet at EchoPark Speedway… Austin Hill has made one NASCAR Cup Series start at EchoPark Speedway, piloting the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet in 2023. The 32-year-old has competed in nine career NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events, earning five victories. In six NASCAR Truck Series races at the Hampton, Georgia track, Hill has one pole award and three top-10 finishes, including back-to-back second-place results in 2020 and 2021.

Career on Drafting Tracks… Hill has made six career Cup Series starts on drafting tracks, with a best finish of 14th coming at Daytona International Speedway in August 2023.

Georgia Boy Returns Home… Hill is a native of Winston, Georgia, located 60 miles from EchoPark Speedway. The racer started his motorsports career racing bandolero and legends cars on the front stretch quarter-mile oval at the Hampton, Georgia track.

About BankOZK… Bank OZK (Nasdaq: OZK) is a regional bank providing innovative financial solutions delivered by expert bankers with a relentless pursuit of excellence. Established in 1903, Bank OZK conducts banking operations in 268 offices in nine states including Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee, New York, California and Mississippi and had $40.8 billion in total assets as of December 31, 2025. For more information, visit ozk.com.

Special Appearance… In partnership with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, Hill made an appearance at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta on Friday, July 10. While in the Seacrest Studio, Hill participated in a fun, lighthearted chat, took photos, and signed autographs to brighten the kids’ day.

Meet Hill… On Sunday, July 12 at 3:20 p.m. Local Time, Hill is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler in the Fan Zone at EchoPark Speedway. Stop by to meet Hill prior to the green flag.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

What do you expect from this weekend’s race at EchoPark Speedway?

“Atlanta is a different style of drafting. The technique is different than what you need at Daytona or Talladega. I’ve noticed that over each race on the surface, the track is changing and progressing. It’s losing grip and handling is becoming more of an issue. It’s difficult on drivers to balance the want for the car to drive well and the want for the car to have speed. I come into each drafting track with the hope to just have a shot at the end. If we are running inside the top-five with a handful of laps to go, we have put ourselves in position for a chance at it. Anything can happen and it can happen fast at these types of tracks though, so you have to stay focused throughout.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet at EchoPark Speedway… Jesse Love will make his sixth career start at Echo Park Speedway in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series this weekend. Across his previous five starts at the 1.54-mile oval, the 21-year-old boasts three pole awards, having swept both poles in 2024 in addition to the Spring 2025 race. He earned his best finish of fifth in his most recent appearance at the track last February. Love has completed 100% of the laps contested at EchoPark Speedway and has led a total of 227 laps.

Last Time at EchoPark… Starting 10th in last February’s race at EchoPark Speedway, Love won Stage 1 and stayed primarily in the top-10 for the majority of the race. He avoided a last lap accident to finish fifth, his career-best result at the track.

Last Week… Starting sixth after qualifying was canceled for last Saturday night’s race at Chicagoland Speedway, Love wasted no time making his presence known. He quickly worked his way into the top five and finished second in both Stage 1 and Stage 2. In the final stage, the young gun took the race lead before ultimately bringing home a strong third-place finish – his third consecutive top-10 result.

Drafting Tracks Success… In 15 career O’Reilly Auto Parts Series drafting track races, Love has tallied eight poles, 11 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 8.5. Love has also led a combined total of 494 laps in those races.

Consistency Continues… Love’s average finish of 10.3 is tied second-best among full-time drivers in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Get to the Points… Love remains second in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver championship point standings, 195 points behind leader Justin Allgaier and 29 points ahead of third-place Corey Day.

About Whelen Engineering… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, and we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

Everyday Champion… You don’t have to wear a cape to be a hero. Sometimes, all it takes is a willingness to step forward, a commitment to others, and the determination to make a difference—day after day, year after year. That’s the spirit behind Whelen Engineering’s Everyday Champion program, which is now accepting nominations for 2026. Created to honor first responders and everyday citizens who rise to the occasion when it matters most, the program celebrates the quiet strength, compassion, and leadership that define true heroism. Each year, the Everyday Champion program recognizes those who go above and beyond – whether through a single act of heroism or a continued commitment to serving others. Past honorees have included law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedicine teams, and civilians whose actions made a life-saving difference.

Nominations are open from May 1 through August 14, 2026. Individuals can nominate a deserving hero by visiting whelen.com/everydaychampion and completing a brief submission form outlining their story. The selected 2026 Everyday Champion will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they will be honored during a special ceremony and inducted into the Whelen Hall of Champions. In addition, a generous donation will be made in their name to the charity of their choice.

Meet Love… On Saturday, July 11 at 1 p.m. Local Time, Love is scheduled to join his fellow competitors for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series autograph session at the Fan Zone Stage at EchoPark Speedway. At 1:55 p.m. Local Time, the 21-year-old is scheduled to sign autographs at the RCR Merchandise Hauler located in the Fan Zone. Stop by to meet Love on Saturday.

JESSE LOVE QUOTE:

How do you feel heading to EchoPark Speedway this weekend?

“I enjoy going to Atlanta because our cars are always fast. You get to make aggressive moves. I haven’t won at EchoPark Speedway yet, but every time we’ve been there we’ve led laps. I need to put myself in the best position possible at the end to win. Hopefully it can be a place where we score a lot of points and try to make up some ground on Justin Allgaier.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet at EchoPark Speedway… Austin Hill has nine starts in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at EchoPark Speedway, earning five victories, including winning three consecutive events (swept both races in 2024 and 2025-spring) at the Hampton, Georgia track. Hill has led laps in eight of nine starts, pacing the field for a total of 398 laps. In addition, the 32-year-old has six NASCAR Truck Series starts at the Peachtree State track, posting one pole (2019), two top-five (2020, 2021) and three top-10 results (2019-2021).

Last Week… After rolling off 16th last Saturday night at Chicagoland Speedway, Hill and the No. 21 team spent much of the race battling just outside the top-10. After making steady adjustments throughout the night, the Winston, Georgia, native worked his way forward, ultimately bringing home a fifth-place finish.

Record Chasing… This weekend, Hill will look to surpass Kevin Harvick for the most all-time O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins at EchoPark Speedway. Harvick’s five victories came before the track reconfiguration, while Hill’s five checkered flags have all been on the new surface.

Drafting Track Dominance… Hill is the all-time O’Reilly Auto Parts Series drafting track leader in wins (11), stage wins (18) and laps led (925). The veteran racer is the only O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver to win on all three drafting tracks.

Get to the Points… Hill remains fifth in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver championship standings. The 16-time Series winner is 255 points behind leader Justin Allgaier and 30 points behind fourth-place runner Sheldon Creed.

About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 14 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. Bennett has 4,625 drivers/owner-operators, over 1,000 employees and 600 agents located across the United States. For more information, visit www.bennettig.com.

Countdown to Daytona… Hill and his RCR teammate Dillon traveled to Tampa, Florida this week to promote the upcoming NASCAR race weekend at Daytona International Speedway, August 28 and 29th. Hill participated in on-field promotions during the Tampa Bay Rays baseball game and helped Daytona announce the entitlement sponsor of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race on Friday, August 28. The event will be named the Winn-Dixie 250 Powered by Coca-Cola. Hill is the most recent O’Reilly Auto Parts Series winner at the historic superspeedway.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

What do you need from your car to have success at EchoPark Speedway?

“We need to have a balance of raw speed and downforce built into the car. It’s always a 50-50 on what we want to do. How much do we want to look at the raw speed and sitting on the pole, and how much do we want to look at the drivability of the car. For our series and our teams, it’s tough to understand what we need to have when unloading. Sure, you can go trim your car out and sit on the pole, but what is it going to do once you’re in the pack? There are a lot of different ways to look at Atlanta, which I enjoy. We might see a breakaway of five or six cars, or we all might be bunched up. It really depends on what everyone brings to the racetrack and how the race plays out. Temperature always seems to play a role in the equation too.”

11-YEAR-OLD LUCAS STONE WINS 2026 KIDS COLOR PPG CONTEST

By
Official Release
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Winning design selected by Josh Berry to be featured as pit wall banner at Indianapolis

STUART, Va. (July 10, 2026) – Wood Brothers Racing and PPG announced today that 11-year-old Lucas Stone of Bassett, Virginia, has been selected as the winner of the 2026 Kids Color PPG program. Stone’s winning design will be featured on the No. 21 PPG team’s pit wall banner during the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26.

Josh Berry, driver of the No. 21 PPG Ford Mustang Dark Horse, selected the winning artwork from entries submitted by a talented group of young race fans from across the country.

“We saw a lot of creative designs, and it was really fun to go through all of them,” Berry said. “Lucas did an awesome job bringing this year’s ‘America’s Birthday Celebration’ theme to life. It has a lot of great color and creativity, and I’m looking forward to seeing it on pit road in a few weeks at Indianapolis.”

Stone’s winning artwork celebrates America’s 250th birthday through a vibrant patriotic design featuring bold red, white and blue elements that capture the spirit of the historic milestone. His artwork will be transformed into a full-size pit wall banner that will be displayed throughout the 400-mile race before being signed by the No. 21 team and given to Stone following the event.

The 2026 edition marks the second year of the Kids Color PPG program with Wood Brothers Racing, continuing a tradition of celebrating creativity and inspiring the next generation of race fans. Prior to expanding to the No. 21 team in 2025, the program featured fellow PPG-sponsored driver Josef Newgarden, with winning artwork showcased on a variety of items over the years, including a helmet, firesuit and pit wall banner.

“We’re proud to continue the Kids Color PPG program and celebrate the creativity of young race fans through this special initiative,” said Trish Allen, strategic relationships manager, PPG. “Lucas created a wonderful design that perfectly captures this year’s theme, and we’re excited to showcase his artwork at the Racing Capital of the World.”

The Brickyard 400 presented by PPG is scheduled for Sunday, July 26, at 2 p.m. ET with live television coverage on TNT.

About PPG

At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty products that our customers have trusted for more than 140 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 50 countries and reported net sales of $15.9 billion in 2025. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

About Wood Brothers Racing

Founded in 1950 by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood in Stuart, Virginia, Wood Brothers Racing holds a special place in NASCAR history as the sport’s longest-running team. Over eight decades, the team has earned 101 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with 120 poles, and remains proud of its longstanding relationship with Ford Motor Company, fielding only Ford products since its inception. Glenn’s brother, Leonard Wood, played a key role in shaping modern racing by developing the techniques behind today’s pit stops. With a rich legacy rooted in innovation and tradition, Wood Brothers Racing continues to honor its heritage while adapting for the future as it competes in the NASCAR Cup Series with Josh Berry.

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