RYAN PREECE
New Hampshire Advance
No. 41 Mohawk Northeast Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: USA Today 301 (Round 18 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 23
● Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon
● Layout: 1.058-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 301 laps / 318.46 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 70 laps / Stage 2: 115 laps / Final Stage: 116 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Ryan Preece is heading home to New England for Sunday’s USA Today 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. The native of Berlin, Connecticut, has one win in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour at the 1.058-mile oval, just a two-hour, 45-minute drive from his hometown. Preece has five NASCAR Cup Series starts at New Hampshire with a best finish of 16th, scored in August 2020 for JTG Daugherty Racing. He qualified 21st and finished 28th there in July 2023 in his first year with Stewart-Haas Racing.

● Preece has five New Hampshire starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with a pair of top-three finishes in his most recent outings driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. He started sixth and finished second with a pair of laps led in July 2017, then returned the following July to start third and finish third with six laps led.

● Preece arrives at New Hampshire on the heels of last weekend’s inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway in Newton, where he started 29th and charged to 16th in the opening 30 laps to become one of the top-three biggest movers in the race. An untimely pit stop in the latter stages of the race, however, left him with a 27th-place finish.

● Preece is set to make his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour comeback at New Hampshire this weekend. Driving the No. 40 for his family-owned outfit, Ryan Preece Racing, he’ll compete in Saturday’s Mohegan Sun 100 at 6:30 p.m. EDT, airing on FloRacing. The 2013 Modified Tour champion has 26 New Hampshire starts in the series with a 2021 victory there to go with eight top-fives and 14 top-10s.

● Before NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying Saturday, Preece will walk a lap around the 1.058-mile oval with fans. The Speedway Children’s Charities Track Walk Presented by NBT Bank, which supports children in need, starts at 8 a.m. EDT. Cost is $25 per person with children 12 and under admitted free with a paying adult. Registration is available online (click here), or in-person between 7-8 a.m. at event check-in located in front of the facility’s bath house, across from the infield tunnel entrance.

● Joining Preece and the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at New Hampshire is Mohawk Northeast. This weekend marks Mohawk’s first race of 2024 as the primary partner on the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. A longtime supporter of Preece, Mohawk is one of the premier heavy-civil contractors in the Northeast. The corporation has been providing the highest-quality construction services to a wide variety of clients. Specializing in heavy highway, railroad, movable and fixed bridges and marine construction, Mohawk has completed countless projects within industry safely, on time and within budget. Mohawk can self-perform all phases of construction, including electrical, mechanical, structural steel repair and erection, deep foundations, pier and bulkheads, fabrication and coating (AISC & SSPC Certified), and a wide range of marine services. With an extensive fleet of cranes, barges, offshore tugboats and many other pieces of heavy equipment, Mohawk is a well-established leader in heavy civil construction. Clients include the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, USACE, General Dynamics – Electric Boat, Connecticut DOT, Massachusetts DOT, New York DOT, Metro North Railroad, Amtrak, and various private sector clients.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 Mohawk Northeast Ford Mustang Dark Horse

How much are you looking forward to heading back to New Hampshire? Your hometown is less than three hours from the racetrack.

“I was born and raised in the Northeast, so I love going there. I love the fans. I love the campground. I love everything about that racetrack. I grew up going to races at New Hampshire and there’s really no place like it. The atmosphere is incredible.”

Do you feel the support from people in the Northeast when you race at New Hampshire?

“Yep, for sure. I’ve won a lot of races in the Northeast, and it’s home, so driver introductions are pretty good to me there. I’m really looking forward being in New Hampshire, and hopefully we’re able to have a solid run in our Mohawk Ford Mustang Dark Horse. The support means the world to me. I had to fight to get to where I am, and I don’t take any of it for granted.”

You’ve had a lot of success at New Hampshire. What will it take to have a strong run in Sunday’s USA Today 301?

“I think, for me, it comes down to having the right balance in our racecar. If we have that in the race, and can go where others aren’t, we’ll be fine. Iowa was tough, balance-wise, but we’re working in the right direction. Qualifying is also really important at this style of racetrack. A good starting spot sets the tone because track position is everything.”

You’re making your first start of the season in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. What are your thoughts about that?

“I’m really excited about it. I’ll be running for my family-owned team, and the Modified Tour is where I made a name for myself. When I won the championship in 2013, I became the youngest champion in that series. I think it’s a good opportunity to build momentum heading into Sunday, and we’ll do everything we can to park the No. 40 (Modified) in victory lane.”

Mohawk has been a longtime supporter of yours. How important has its support been for your career?

“Mohawk is certainly one of the reasons why I’m racing in the Cup Series. They were on the car when I was given a shot to race for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series back in 2017. We finished second at New Hampshire and won Iowa with Mohawk on the car in my first two races with Gibbs, and those races are what ultimately changed my life. They’ve been a great partner and I’m looking forward to having them back on the car this weekend.”

No. 41 Mohawk Northeast Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ryan Preece

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Crew Chief: Chad Johnston

Hometown: Cayuga, Indiana

Car Chief: Jeremy West

Hometown: Gardena, California

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen

Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Tony Raines

Hometown: LaPorte, Indiana

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Devin Lester

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon

Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons

Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Sherman Timbs

Hometown: Indianola, Mississippi

Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore

Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Front End Mechanic: Joe Zanolini

Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Interior Mechanic: Robert Dalby

Hometown: Anaheim, California

Tire Specialist: Matt Ridgeway

Hometown: Carrollton, Georgia

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife

Hometown: Orange County, California

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues

Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer

Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

Martin Truex Jr.
New Hampshire Advance
No. 19 Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing

Event Overview

● Event: USA Today 301 (Round 18 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 23
● Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon
● Layout: 1.058-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 301 laps / 318.46 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 70 laps / Stage 2: 115 laps / Final Stage: 116 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Where We Stand: The New Jersey native sits fifth in the driver standings with 530 points, 61 behind new leader Chase Elliott. All four Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) entries are currently inside the top-11 in the standings with Denny Hamlin third, Christopher Bell eighth and Ty Gibbs 11th as the series heads to New England this weekend.

● Truex is the defending Cup Series winner at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, having scored his first win there in NASCAR’s top series a year ago in a dominating effort in which he led 254 of the 301 race laps. Additionally, Truex has nine top-five finishes and 15 top-10s and has led a total of 1,170 laps in 30 career Cup Series starts at New Hampshire. Truex’s average New Hampshire finish is 11.3.

● History at New Hampshire: Truex has some history at New Hampshire in the NASCAR K&N Series, having scored two of his five series victories at the mile oval.

● Family Ties: Not only has Martin Truex Jr. won at New Hampshire in both the East and Xfinity Series, his dad, Martin Truex Sr., won a East Series race at the track in 1994. Additionally, Martin’s brother Ryan won two East Series races at New Hampshire back in 2010.

● Reser’s returns to New Hampshire this weekend after being featured on Truex’s No. 19 Camry last weekend at Iowa Speedway in Newton. Family owned and operated, Reser’s has been a proud sponsor of good times at racetracks, picnics, and barbecues since 1950 with a family of brands that includes Reser’s American Classics, Main St. Bistro, and more. Reser’s operates 14 facilities in the U.S. and Canada and actively supports the communities it serves. Visit resers.com to learn more.

● Looking for 35: Truex’s win at New Hampshire last July was his most recent Cup Series win, the 34th of his career, tying him with 2004 champion Kurt Busch for 25th on the all-time Cup Series win list.

● Ahead at this Stage: Truex has accumulated 63 stage wins since the beginning of the stage era in 2017. He is the only driver with 10 or more stage sweeps, with his latest sweep coming at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn last August. Truex scored his second stage win of the season at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway in April, leading the field across the line at the end of Stage 1.

Martin Truex Jr., Driver of the No. 19 Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota Camry XSE

It was evident how much winning at New Hampshire last year meant to you. What makes New Hampshire so special for you and your family, and how special was it to get that first Cup win there?

“I spent a lot of my childhood up there and watching my dad race in the North Series up there at New Hampshire. Just spent a lot of time going up to Loudon every summer. And then racing and running well up there was a big part of the reason why I got hired and got to move to North Carolina to run in the Busch Series. It’s just been a special track for me, and to finally get that first Cup win there was huge. Hopefully we can go back-to-back this year and get our Reser’s Fine Foods Camry to victory lane there again.”

What do you think it will take to go back-to-back at New Hampshire?

“It’s a tough place and it’s not gotten any easier since then. The older it gets, the harder it gets. Last year, we saw the track be very different than it’s ever been before. You would always run that second lane and a little bit the third one and sometimes lane one, but at the end of the race last year we were running the fourth and fifth lanes. It was just crazy to see how that old asphalt in the corner came in during the race. It’s a very challenging and unique track, it’s got those seams in between each lane that can make your life miserable in the car if you hit those wrong. It’s crazy how it will change your car and mess up your lap. It’s a very technical track and it’s gotten bumpy over the years as well. It’s flat, has a fast entry and not a lot of grip. New Hampshire is a real challenge but it’s a lot of fun when you get it right. I know all our guys will be ready with our Reser’s Fine Foods Camry this weekend.”

You had so many close calls at New Hampshire prior to finally winning there last year. What was the feeling like to not only have a good race but to also be able to finish it off in victory lane?

“I feel like sometimes the ones you want to win the most are the hardest to get and Loudon was always one I really wanted. It felt great to go to victory lane there and remember what it was like just coming up in my career and going to that victory lane, and all the things that have happened in between kind of crossed my mind, and it was really a special day and moment.”

What does New Hampshire mean to you and your family, starting with your dad’s win there?

“New Hampshire is a big part of my career and our family’s racing history. When my dad got his win there, it was his first big win, and I was 12 when that happened. I grew up going up there for races and seeing the Busch cars and the Cup cars there for the first time ever. The only time I got close to those cars was up there, until I moved to North Carolina to race for a living. A lot of special memories there, and that place was a big reason I finally got the opportunity to move south.”

What are some memories of those times years ago going to New Hampshire as a family?

“The coolest part is that my dad, my brother and I have all won there in the North series. I’ve got a picture of myself, my mom, and my brother sitting in the stands when my dad was out there practicing one year, had to be 1994 or so. I was 14, my brother was probably 2. Just a lot of memories going there. That’s the first place I ever saw Cup cars in person. One of the coolest things I ever got to do was they used to have the combination race where the Busch North guys would get to race against the Busch Series guys who came up from down south. My dad’s car was parked nose-to-nose with Dale Earnhardt’s Busch car and I got to see him under the hood working on the car, and he was my favorite driver as a kid. Just a lot of good memories, that was the first big track I ever got to race on, just a lot of things that made New Hampshire special. I got my first Busch North win there and it kind of put me on the map and put me on the radar to get a job and drive for a living. It was a very important place for me coming up through the ranks.”

No. 19 Reser’s Fine Foods Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Martin Truex Jr.

Hometown: Mayetta, New Jersey

Crew Chief: James Small

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Car Chief: Chris Jones

Hometown: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

Race Engineer: Jaik Halpainy

Hometown: Blockville, New York

Engineer: Jeff Curtis

Hometown: Fairfax Station, Virginia

Spotter: Drew Herring

Hometown: Benson, North Carolina

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Ryan Martin

Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Virgina

Mechanic: Todd Carmichael

Hometown: Redding, California

Interior/Tire Specialist: Tommy DiBlasi

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Engine Tuner: Beau Morton

Hometown: Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Transporter Driver: Kyle Bazzell

Hometown: Fairbury, Illinois

Transporter Driver: Eddie DeGroot

Hometown: Baldwinsville, New York

Over-The-Wall Crew Members

Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Jackman: Caleb Dirks

Hometown: Riverside, California

Tire Carrier: CJ Bailey

Hometown: Outer Banks, North Carolina

Front Tire Changer: Lee Cunningham

Hometown: Leaf River, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Mike Louria

Hometown: Gibraltar, Michigan

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Saturday, June 22 — NASCAR Xfinity Series, 3:30 p.m. ET (USA)
Sunday, June 23 — NASCAR Cup Series, 2:30 p.m. ET (USA)

The regular season rolls on this weekend as two of NASCAR’s top three touring series head to New England as New Hampshire Motor Speedway hosts the NASCAR Xfinity and NASCAR Cup Series this weekend. The Magic Mile has been a yearly fixture since 1993 with Ford winning a combined 25 times

(17 Cup and 8 Xfinity).

BLANEY CLINCHES PLAYOFF SPOT

Ryan Blaney clinched a playoff spot with his dominating performance at Iowa Speedway last weekend, leading a career-high 201 laps in the 350-lap event. The defending NASCAR Cup Series champion joins fellow Ford drivers Brad Keselowski (Darlington) and Austin Cindric (Gateway) as automatic qualifiers. The Iowa victory also completed a trifecta for Blaney, who has now won in all three of NASCAR’s top divisions at the short track. He won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race there in 2012 and the NASCAR Xfinity Series event in 2015.

95 AND COUNTING

Blaney’s win on Sunday night also marked the 95th victory for Team Penske with Ford. Rusty Wallace scored the organization’s first win when he took the checkered flag at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, NC, in 1994. Team Penske won 27 races from 1994-2002 and then returned to Ford in 2013 with Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano. Since then, they’ve added a third car with Ryan Blaney and have won 68 times. Seven different drivers have won at least one race with Team Penske and Ford with Logano leading the way (30).

TEAM PENSKE ALL-TIME FORD WINNERS

Joey Logano (30)
Brad Keselowski (26)
Rusty Wallace (23)
Ryan Blaney (10)
Jeremy Mayfield (3)
Austin Cindric (2)
Ryan Newman (1)

HOME SWEET HOME

New Hampshire Motor Speedway is the home track for New England native Joey Logano and he’s definitely had his share of success with two NASCAR Cup Series victories, including the first of his career in 2009. Logano added another win in 2014 with Ford and in 25 starts has an average finishing position of 14.1. He’s been particularly consistent in recent years, entering Sunday’s race with six top-10 runs in the last seven Loudon events.

Ryan Blaney: “I feel like we’ve always had good runs there, we just haven’t finished. I thought we were in contention to win last year and had a pit road deal at the end of the race and took us out of it, but I thought us and the 19 were probably the best cars there last year. I enjoy it. I’ve always wanted to hold the lobster ever since I was a kid. The area is great. I love the fans. I love the weather up there. It’s nice this time of year. When it gets six months down the road I probably won’t like it as much when there’s three feet of snow up there, but that place is awesome and I feel like it’s a good test for Phoenix. There are some things you can take away from that place that can help you down the road.”

Joey Logano: “That’s one track I’m probably more excited about than any other one coming up, for sure. It’s a great track for us. I’d say it’s Paul Wolfe’s best track as a crew chief. I can’t say I ran really well there until Paul set up my car, so I’d say it’s a really good track for him. I feel confident going there, for sure.”

Todd Gilliland: “I’m excited for New Hampshire. It’s maybe a Gateway type of racetrack and I thought we ended up having fairly good speed and McDowell got the pole over there. I’m excited for it. Our cars have speed it seems like at some point throughout every race weekend it’s just about hitting that more consistently throughout the whole weekend. My crew chief is from up there and a couple of my team guys are from the northeast, so we’re gonna have a lot of friends and family up there. That brings a little added pressure, but also a lot of excitement around that race.”

Noah Gragson: “I hope it will be like Phoenix. We had a lot of speed at Phoenix and felt like we had a good car. I’ve kind of struggled at New Hampshire and been hit or miss there. There are a lot of different options on how you can approach the corners, if you want to run low through the corner or drive in low and straight into a diamond, or you can really arc it out and turn down into the center and leave low, so there are a lot of options as a driver. It’s a tough, challenging, flat racetrack and kind of hard to pass, but we had speed at Phoenix so hopefully it will be close to that.”

WEEKEND SWEEP

Brad Keselowski had a weekend to remember as he became the first driver to sweep a NASCAR Xfinity and NASCAR Cup Series race weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, achieving the feat on July 12-13, 2014. Keselowski led 138 of 305 laps, including the final two under a green-white-checkered finish, to beat Kyle Busch to the finish line. The win was Ford’s fourth straight series win, marking the first time that had happened since 2001.

BURTON LEADS EVERY LAP

Jeff Burton is the last driver to lead every lap of a NASCAR Cup Series race when he did it on Sept. 17, 2000 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Bobby Labonte started from the pole, but Burton grabbed the lead after starting on the outside of the front row. Even though Labonte and Dale Earnhardt challenged him throughout the day, Burton never gave up the lead, becoming the first driver to lead every lap of a series race since Cale Yarborough did it in the Music City USA 420 at Nashville Speedway on June 3, 1978. The race, which was run with the use of restrictor plates, ended under caution after Sterling Marlin was involved in an accident with three laps remaining. It was Burton’s fourth win at the speedway and concluded a stretch that saw him win four consecutive seasons at the Magic Mile.

OWNER/DRIVER FIRST

Ford’s first NASCAR Cup Series win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway came in the track’s second year of hosting events in 1994. That’s when Ricky Rudd outdueled Dale Earnhardt in the closing laps to post his 15th career win. Rudd led 55 laps on the day, but won it after a memorable side-by-side battle with seven laps to go in which he passed Earnhardt on the inside, only to see the black No. 3 crossover and pull alongside for the next lap. Rudd eventually pulled in front and held on to take the Slick 50 300 on July 10, 1994. Rudd went on to post 23 NSCS wins in his career and had at least one victory in 16 consecutive seasons (1983-98), but none may have been as satisfying as this one because it marked his first triumph as an owner/driver.

CUSTER CLINGING TO POINTS LEAD

It’s the slimmest of margins, but the lead is the lead and that’s what Cole Custer has on the field as he continues to sit on top of the series point standings heading into this weekend’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Custer, who took the lead after the race in Portland, holds a one-point advantage on Chandler Smith and has a top 10 finish in 12 of the last 13 events. He’s coming off a sixth-place run at Iowa Speedway and looks to continue a similar streak at NHMS, where he has a pole and three top-10 finishes in four career series starts.

FORD’S NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS

AT NHMS

1994 – Ricky Rudd

1996 – Ernie Irvan

1997 – Jeff Burton (1)

1998 – Jeff Burton (1)

1999 – Jeff Burton (1)

2000 – Jeff Burton (2)

2001 – Dale Jarrett (1)

2002 – Ryan Newman (2)

2004 – Kurt Busch (Sweep)

2008 – Greg Biffle (2)

2014 – Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano

2018 – Kevin Harvick

2019 – Kevin Harvick

2020 – Brad Keselowski

2021 – Aric Almirola

FORD’S NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS

AT NHMS

1994 – Derrike Cope

1995 – Chad Little

1999 – Elton Sawyer

2001 – Jason Keller

2002 – Bobby Hamilton Jr.

2004 – Matt Kenseth

2006 – Carl Edwards

2014 – Brad Keselowski

No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse Will Feature the Pickle Car at New Hampshire

 MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 18, 2024) – Front Row Motorsports (FRM) and Grillo’s Pickles have announced an exciting partnership that will see the iconic pickle company partner with Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 team. FRM and Grillo’s will collaborate on compelling activation programs to engage the NASCAR community, and Grillo’s will also serve as the primary partner on the No. 38 car at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Made with a 100-year old family recipe, Grillo’s Pickles started in the Boston Common in 2008 selling pickles out of a Cutlass Supreme and then a Pickle Cart. Since then, Grillo’s has grown to national grocery distribution and is now in a partnership with FRM.

“We are extremely excited to partner with Front Row Motorsports to bring some Grillo’s fun to the sport of NASCAR,” said Mark Luker, VP of Marketing at Grillo’s Pickles. “We recently launched a new jar which addresses our largest consumer frustration. What better way to drive awareness of the brand and encourage NASCAR fans to Chill Out and Eat a Pickle than to enter a partnership with FRM.”

The No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse will feature the famed “Sam Sam the Pickle Man” mascot as part of the green and white “Pickle Car” livery. Sam Sam the Pickle Man is on a mission to become the “World’s Most Interesting Pickle”, kicking off his campaign with FRM and Gilliland.

“This is such an engaging partnership for the fans,” said Gilliland. “Grillo’s has really played into their partnership with us. They brought Sam Sam by the shop and made some fun content with Ryan (Bergenty) and me. They are super excited about their first NASCAR weekend, it’s cool to be a part of. I think fans are really going to like the paint scheme, it’s very eye catching, you can’t miss it.”

Fans can watch the No. 38 Grillo’s Pickles Ford Mustang Dark Horse this Sunday at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway at 2:30 pm ET on USA Network.

ABOUT GRILLO’S PICKLES

For people who want freshness, Grillo’s is the pickle company that is changing the game. That’s because Grillo’s uses only clean, garden-fresh ingredients to make deliciously simple foods that deliver all the crunchy, tangy, satisfying flavor you’ve been searching for, with none of the junk. How do we do it? Our products are made cold, shipped cold, and consumed cold. You get an incredible crunch, and we never have to mess with artificial preservatives. In fact, the only thing traditional about us is our 100-year-old family recipe. The rest? It’s fresh. Grillo’s offers mouthwatering bites nationwide with their selection of spears, chips, wholes and Pickle de Gallo. For more information, visit GrillosPickles.com or contact grillos@autumncommunications.com.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

CHASE BRISCOE
New Hampshire Advance
No. 14 Zep Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview
● Event: USA Today 301 (Round 18 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 23
● Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon
● Layout: 1.058-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 301 laps / 318.46 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 70 laps / Stage 2: 115 laps / Final Stage: 116 laps
● TV/Radio: USA / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Chase Briscoe has made three NASCAR Cup Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, and each time he’s raced at the 1.058-mile oval, he’s come away with a better finish. The Mitchell, Indiana, native’s first Cup Series start at New Hampshire came in 2021 during his rookie season, when he finished 27th. In his return to the track in 2022, Briscoe bettered his mark from the year before by 12 spots, finishing 15th. And in Briscoe’s most recent drive at New Hampshire last year, he finished 10th. Briscoe comes into Sunday’s USA Today 301 with five top-10 finishes this season and 26 in his career, a mark highlighted by his victory on March 13, 2022 at Phoenix Raceway.

● Phoenix holds many of the same attributes of New Hampshire in that it’s a flat, mile-long oval with little banking in the corners. When Briscoe scored his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Phoenix, he did it in just his 40th career Cup Series start. The victory also secured Briscoe’s place in the NASCAR Playoffs and earned him the honor of being the 200th Cup Series winner in NASCAR history. In Briscoe’s most recent Cup Series race at Phoenix back in March, he finished ninth.

● Regarding this year’s NASCAR Playoffs, nine regular-season races remain before the 16-driver, 10-race playoffs begin Sept. 8 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Briscoe is currently 19th in the standings, 44 points outside the top-16 cutoff. He can still point his way into the playoffs with a string of solid runs in these next nine races beginning Sunday at New Hampshire. However, the easiest way to make the playoffs is to win. “Win and you’re in” is the playoff mantra, and 10 drivers have already punched their playoff ticket, most recently reigning Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney last Sunday at Iowa Speedway in Newton. A victory by Briscoe would secure his spot in the playoffs and leapfrog him into an 11th-place standing.

● Prior to racing at New Hampshire in the NASCAR Cup Series. Briscoe made two other starts at the Magic Mile – one in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Briscoe’s New Hampshire debut came in the Truck Series on Sept. 23, 2017, when he drove a Ford F-150 for team owner Brad Keselowski to a respectable 11th-place finish. Briscoe’s next start at New Hampshire was nearly two years later in the Xfinity Series when, on July 20, 2019, he finished sixth in a Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing.

● Briscoe carries the colors of Zep this weekend at New Hampshire. Zep is the go-to cleaning brand for professionals and its iconic blue and gold palette adorns Briscoe’s No. 14 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for the USA Today 301. Zep is a leading innovator, producer and distributor of maintenance, cleaning and sanitation solutions for industrial and institutional, retail, and food and beverage customers. Briscoe’s partnership with Zep isn’t confined to the racetrack. From his garage at home or on the Chase Briscoe Racing sprint car hauler that travels to races across the country, Zep is always within reach. A few favorites include Zep’s engine degreaser, foaming glass cleaner, spray cleaner and polish, heavy-duty foaming degreaser, penetrating lubricant and brake cleaner. Said Briscoe: “Whether it’s at the track or at home, Zep is always close by. From its line of cleaning supplies to its car care products, you’ll find Zep inside my race hauler and inside my garage. Whether it’s my sprint car, my street car or my tractor, Zep helps me keep them looking right and running right.”

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Zep Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Each time you’ve competed at New Hampshire in the NASCAR Cup Series, you’ve earned a better result. Are you finding that experience is the best factor when it comes to performing well in Loudon?

“For whatever reason, it just seems like every time I go to New Hampshire, I’m still trying to just figure out my bearings and what I need to go fast. The Cup car has been kind of interesting. I’ve actually run statistically pretty well in the Cup car there, but it’s definitely a place I feel like I struggle at, and I’ve definitely put in a ton of work in trying to get better there. As big of a struggle as it is and as frustrating as it is, I do enjoy going up to New Hampshire just because I feel like every time I go there, I see improvement. I’m seeing results from the stuff I’ve been working toward, and I’m excited to improve on it a little more from last year. Last year we ended up 10th there. Hopefully, we can improve on that.”

What would it mean to have a really strong finish this time at New Hampshire, where you’re leading laps and in contention?

“It would mean a lot. From a personal standpoint, I feel like New Hampshire is a place I’ve struggled at, but I’ve also put in a lot of work to get better there. So to be able to see results come would obviously be satisfying. And then with everything kind of going on right now, not having a job for next year and with our team shutting down at the end of the year, I really feel like I’m auditioning every single week, especially these next three, four or five weeks. Loudon is in that stretch, so I need to go up there and have a good run and prove my worth in the sport.”

New Hampshire represents the only NASCAR Cup Series race in New England. Can you feel the sense of excitement fans have when the Cup Series comes to this region?

“It’s always cool to go up to New Hampshire, just due to the fact that the turnout we get up there is always massive. The fan base there is so motorsports hungry – they love motorsports in that part of the country. They have regional NASCAR series between modifieds and stuff like that, but to have the actual Cup Series come up there, it’s their only shot to see us. They always turn out, that race is always pretty much sold out, a ton of people camp at that racetrack. I feel like that’s some of the most camping we see anywhere. It’s always cool to go up there and have the support of the race fans. It’s always cool to race in front of a big crowd. Every time we go to New Hampshire, we certainly have that.”

When you’re at a track where it’s a struggle to be consistently quick, how important is it to just clear your mind and go in with as positive an attitude as possible?

“I think you definitely have to go there with an open mindset every single time. You’ve got to believe that this time is going to be different than the last. It’s weird, in the past, I felt like in the lower series, the tracks that I just really, really struggled at have kind of turned into my best tracks in the Cup Series. I don’t know if it’s just putting in that little extra effort at those tracks or what, but when I was coming up through the Truck Series and the Xfinity Series, the three tracks that always stood out were Phoenix, Loudon and Richmond. Richmond and Loudon have turned into places where I can run top-10, and obviously Phoenix is where I was able to win my first Cup race. You just have to have an open mindset. You can’t go there already beat. You have to know that when you go there, you still have an opportunity to win. The biggest thing for me was embracing the challenge and not just saying, ‘Man, I stink here.’ When you embrace the challenge and really put your head to it, I feel like there are a lot of things you can do. Especially now, in the world that we live in, there’s just so much data to look at and comb through. I can look at every single driver in the field and see what they’re doing. When you’re coming up through the Truck Series and the Xfinity Series, we didn’t really have any of that at our disposal. So, it makes it a little bit easier to wrap your head around where you’re struggling and why.”

Was that breakthrough win at Phoenix more than just a breakthrough at that track, but also at similar tracks?

“I think so, for sure. When I talk about the Truck Series and the Xfinity Series, and even ARCA, I always talked about my biggest struggle being the flat tracks. I was always pretty good anywhere that had banking, but the flat tracks, my technique and stuff just never worked for whatever reason. Being able to put a lot of effort in at places like Phoenix, and then seeing the results – I always had to train myself to do stuff other than what I thought was natural, and I’ve been able to fine-tune that the last couple of years. It kind of just goes back to having that data at our disposal and seeing what guys like Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex and these guys who are extremely good at these flat tracks are doing, and you just try to copy that as best you can.”

What makes New Hampshire such a challenge to get around fast and consistently?

“I think what makes New Hampshire so hard is that it’s just a really, really fast racetrack. For one, you’re flying down into the corner and it is just so rough. Getting into turn three, especially, your car is just bouncing around. It’s so flat, it has no banking, and it’s got all these patches in different places and it’s just an awkward racetrack. It’s one of those places where if your car is off, it’s just a long day trying to make it do what you want it to do. With how fast we’re going and how flat it is, the car just never wants to do what you’re trying to get it to do, so it’s just a matter of trying to make it as best you can. It’s a challenge of a racetrack. It’s a hard track to wrap your head around.”

You ran Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis three weeks ago. It has a similar layout to New Hampshire and while you ran pretty well, the finish didn’t show it. Did the experience give you insights as to what to do in regard to New Hampshire?

“I think there’s definitely stuff you can take away from Gateway. I think all of the flatter tracks, you can learn something from it. Gateway’s turns three and four are somewhat similar to what the radius is at New Hampshire. I would say as far as Gateway, you definitely learn stuff at Phoenix that you can apply at Gateway, and we took some of what we learned at Phoenix and took it to Gateway and we’ll do the same at Loudon – we’ll take some of what we learned at Gateway and we’ll apply it there. I definitely think there’s something we can take from there. I don’t think it’s 100 percent, by any means, but you can take little pieces here and there.”

Your car owner, Tony Stewart, said that when he’d go run his sprint car somewhere and perform well, having success in that discipline made him better come Sunday when he got into his Cup car. You’re running a sprint car Friday night at New Hampshire’s dirt track. Is that your way of hitting the reset button, where you go into the Cup weekend refreshed?

“I definitely feel like when I go and run the sprint car that it makes everything feel slower for me in the Cup car, so that’s an advantage. But then it is just a reset for me, whether I’m driving my family stuff or for somebody else like I will at New Hampshire, it’s a fun way for me to get away from the stress. I always tell people it’s kind of like my golf game. It’s just a way for me to go and forget about everything else I’ve got going on and go hang out with some of my buddies and relax. Yeah, I’m out there trying to win, but if I run 15th or if I win, there’s no points, there’s none of that stress that comes along with it. I’m just there to have a good time and forget about everything I’ve got going on. It’ll definitely be nice to go up there. I’ll get to run with Matt Tanner, who I drove for last year up there. Just a super cool family and super laid back and relaxed and they don’t put any pressure on me. It just makes it enjoyable.”

No. 14 Zep Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe

Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell

Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey

Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal

Hometown: Holland, Michigan

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams

Hometown: Plymouth, Wisconsin

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads

Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips

Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable

Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Dale Lackey

Hometown: Taylorsville, North Carolina

Loudon Event Info:
Date: Sunday, June 23
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Loudon, New Hampshire
Format: 301 Laps, 318.46 Miles, Stages: 70-115-116
TV: USA
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 12:35 p.m. ET, Practice (USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 1:20 p.m. ET, Qualifying (USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 2:30 p.m. ET, Race (USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

• Race No. 18 on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule comes this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the circuit’s annual stop in New England.
• Loudon is the site of seven wins all-time for Jack Roush in the Cup Series. It also stands as Brad Keselowski’s best track of any on the circuit as he’s finished 10th or better in eight of the last nine races.

6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: BuildSubmarines.com

• Keselowski and the No. 6 team will sport the colors of the Boston Red Sox this weekend, celebrating in part RFK’s ties to the organization, and BuildSubmarines.com’s partnership with the team beginning this season.
• The No. 6 will closely mirror the scheme Carl Edwards made famous in 2007 in the No. 99.

17 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: Fastenal

Keselowski at NHMS
Starts: 23
Wins: 2 (2014, 2020)
Top-10s: 16
Poles: 4 (2010, 2013, 2014, 2019)

• NHMS stands as Keselowski’s best track statistically with an average finish of 9.8 and 16 top-10s, the most of any track on the circuit. He’s won in Loudon twice – first in 2014 and most recently in 2020.
• He’s finished top-7 in five-straight Loudon events, including P5 a season ago. He’s led laps in 15 of his 23 NHMS starts.
• Keselowski is coming off back-to-back P9 starting spots and has four poles all-time, the last coming in 2019. He carries a 10.2 average starting position into the weekend, third-best of any track on the circuit.
• He also has two NXS wins in Loudon winning consecutive races in 2012 and 2014. He earned the pole in five of his 10 NXS starts and finished top-10 in every start with an average result of 3.8.

Buescher at NHMS
Starts: 10
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —

• Buescher makes his 11th Cup start at NHMS this weekend where he’s coming off a 15th-place result last season, tied for his career-best finish.
• He carries a 23.9 average starting position into the weekend with a best effort of 16th (2022).
• Buescher also made two Xfinity Series starts with a best finish of fifth back in 2014.

RFK Historically at New Hampshire
Cup Wins: 7 (Jeff Burton, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000; Kurt Busch, 2004 (twice); Greg Biffle, 2008

• Patriot’s Day: This weekend’s NCS event at New Hampshire is in the home territory of RFK’s co-owners, the Fenway Sports Group. FSG is based out of Boston, Massachusetts, and is located just 82 miles from New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
• Niner Niner: RFK has won in all three of NASCAR’s major touring series at New Hampshire, including seven times in the NCS and once each in Xfinity and the Truck Series. Jeff Burton drove the No. 99 to RFK’s first NCS win at Loudon back in 1997, while Greg Biffle earned the most recent win in 2008. Kurt Busch went to victory lane in 2000 in the trucks while Carl Edwards picked up the win in 2006 in Xfinity series action.
• Four in a Row: RFK won at least one NCS race at New Hampshire in four consecutive seasons from 1997-2000, with former driver Burton taking the checkered flag on each occasion. In addition, RFK swept both races at New Hampshire in 2004 with former driver Busch.
• Wicked Good Domination: Former RFK driver Burton posted one of the most dominating wins in NASCAR history at New Hampshire on Sept. 17, 2000, with Burton qualifying on the front row (second) and leading all 300 laps of the event en route to his fourth victory at the New England track. RFK has led over 100 laps in NCS action at New Hampshire on six different occasions, including leading over 150 laps four times and over 190 laps three times. All-in-all, RFK has led 1,557 laps at New Hampshire in the NCS.

RFK Loudon Wins

1997-1 Burton Cup

1998-1 Burton Cup

1999-1 Burton Cup

2000-2 Burton Cup

2004-1 Busch Cup

2004-2 Busch Cup

2008-2 Biffle Cup

2006 Edwards NXS

2000 Busch Truck

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Iowa: Keselowski earned his ninth top-10 of the season Sunday night in Iowa, driving to a 10th-place result after earning stage points in each of the first two stages. Buescher led a handful of laps before cutting a right-front tire, going on to finish 18th.

Points Standings (6: 9th, 17: 13th): Keselowski sits ninth in points, still with just three points separating him from seventh, while Buescher is just behind in 13th.