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2025 DAYTONA 500 Logo Unveiled

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Official Release
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Logo pays tribute to iconic Harley J. Earl trophy presented to winner of The Great American Race

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 15, 2024) – Daytona International Speedway today unveiled the 2025 DAYTONA 500 logo, paying tribute to the design roots of speed as it features the iconic Harley J. Earl Trophy front and center.

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 15, 1998: NASCAR’s 50th year got off to a bang with Dale Earnhardt winning the Daytona 500 after 20 tries. The win came 50 years to the day of the running of NASCAR’s first race. (Photo by ISC Archives/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images)

Variations of Harley J. Earl awards were presented to DAYTONA 500 champions for decades. But it wasn’t until 1998 that the modern Harley J. Earl Trophy featuring Earl’s Firebird I concept automobile, hand-sculpted by artist John Lajba, atop a black trioval base was presented in Victory Lane.

The late NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt was the first to take home the trophy that pays homage to Harley J. Earl, a renowned automotive designer and the second commissioner of NASCAR.

“The DAYTONA 500 is not only NASCAR’s biggest race of the year, but also one of the most famous motorsports races in the world,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “By featuring the symbol of becoming a DAYTONA 500 champion, the Harley J. Earl Trophy, in the logo for the 67th running of The Great American Race, we blend the greatness of the race with the history of the sport.”

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 19: William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta Chevrolet, is presented the Harley J. Earl trophy from Frank Kelleher, president of Daytona International Speedway in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 19, 2024 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron was the most recent Cup Series driver to take home the Harley J. Earl Trophy this past February, capturing his first – and Hendrick Motorsports’ ninth – DAYTONA 500

Fans are encouraged to sign up for exclusive pre-sale access to the 2025 DAYTONA 500 by logging onto DAYTONA500.com and completing the pre-sale registration form. To receive priority access to seats, camping, and other experiences, fans may place a $25 deposit to jump the line and receive an early purchase link.

NASCAR will be back at Daytona International Speedway one more time in 2024, for one of the final opportunities for Cup Series drivers to clinch a spot in the Playoffs during the Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend on Aug. 23-24.

Drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity Series will tackle the 2.5-mile trioval once again in the Wawa 250 powered by Coca-Cola on Friday, Aug. 23. Then, on Saturday Aug. 24, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to DAYTONA during the Coke Zero Sugar 400. Tickets may be purchased for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race weekend at daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

About Daytona International Speedway   

Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of The Great American Race – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as the World Center of Racing, boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. Some of the exciting racing events include January’s Rolex 24 At DAYTONA and Roar Before The Rolex 24, February’s DAYTONA 500 and Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth, March’s Bike Week At DAYTONA Presented By Monster Energy, featuring DAYTONA Supercross and the DAYTONA 200, the August Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend, and much more. The Speedway grounds are also used extensively for other events that include concerts (Welcome to Rockville, Heroes Honor Festival, etc.), sporting events (DAYTONA Soccer Fest, CLASH DAYTONA, etc.) civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.    

About NASCAR 

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. 

For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and Snapchat.

Winward Racing, Ward and Ellis Secure Third IMSA WeatherTech GT Daytona Race Victory in Year’s First Four Races with Late Pass for the Win Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

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Official Release
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WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Salinas, CA, IMSA, May 2024(Photo by Brian Cleary/bcpix.com)

MONTEREY, California – Philip Ellis capitalized on the race leader’s late mistake with five minutes remaining to pull off a winning pass that secured the third IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona (GTD) victory of the season for the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 team Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Ellis, co-driver Russell Ward and the No. 57 team secured the three wins in the span of the year’s first four races and leave Laguna Seca a season-high 213 points ahead of the second-place competitors, 1,367 – 1,154, in the GTD driver championship standings. Winward’s GTD team championship margin is even larger with a 308-point advantage in first, 1,367 – 1,059, while Sunday’s success also boosts Mercedes-AMG’s points lead in the GTD manufacturer championship standings to a season-high 249 points, 1,457 – 1,208.

Winward’s previous victories were controlled and convincing wins in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in January and March’s 12 Hours of Sebring, but Sunday saw the Winward team on a different path to victory lane. Starting driver Ward qualified third and joined Ellis in rarely falling out of the top three throughout the two-hour and 40-minute race, but the No. 57 wasn’t the race pacesetter it was in sweeping the “36 Hours of Florida” at Daytona and Sebring.

Winward led one lap mid-race as the GTD field filed through pit stops, but the only true race laps up front were the final five circuits after the race leader momentarily tangled with a GTP competitor in the infield section of the 2.238-mile Monterey circuit. Ellis pounced on the opportunity and crossed the finish line with a 3.458-second margin of victory to seal a win that was the result of great pit work, race strategy and Winward’s renewed commitment to avoid mistakes this season.

Winward’s victory highlighted a solid weekend for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing competitors at Laguna Seca. The No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports entry of Mike Skeen and Mikael Grenier made it a pair of Mercedes-AMG GT3s in the GTD top four with a fourth place showing.

The result followed the No. 32 team’s season-best third place finish last month at the Grand Prix of Long Beach, and Korthoff Preston and its drivers wrapped up this year’s two race California stretch with a pair of strong results and a renewed GTD championship campaign.

Skeen and Grenier have cracked the top five in the GTD driver championship standings with 1,033 points while the No. 32 ranks third with the same number of points in the GTD team championship.

Winward Racing also hit the podium in Saturday’s two-hour Michelin Pilot Challenge race with Russell Ward’s father Bryce Ward finishing third in the top-tier Grand Sport (GS) class with co-driver Daniel Morad in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4.

Opening driver Ward survived the frantic rush into Turn 1 at the race start to move into the top-10 in his opening-hour stint at the wheel. Morad took over for the final run to the finish, and after a well-executed pit stop by the Winward crew, rejoined the race just out of the top five.

From there, Morad turned in another charge to the front, passing some of the other top drivers in the series and moving to third with just eight laps to go. Time ran out before Morad could track down the top two, but the podium showing was the team’s second victory lane appearance this season after securing runner-up honors in the season-opening race at Daytona.

Ward, Morad and the No. 57 jumped from 11th to sixth in the GS driver and team championship standings, leaving Laguna Seca just 120 points out of first place with seven races remaining on the 2024 schedule.

Mercedes-AMG Motorsport customer teams in the WeatherTech GTD championship compete next in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, June 21 – 23, at Watkins Glen International in New York State. Competitors in Pilot Challenge are next in action as the headliner at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, June 7 – 9, in the year’s second and final four-hour race. Daytona was the year’s first four-hour contest.

Russell Ward, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It’s really awesome momentum from the group. In the morning before the recon laps we found a technical issue under the hood, and it was all hands-on deck, scrambling to change a part and pulling some major parts to get to it. We made it with a minute to spare, so another really awesome job by the guys to get that done right before the race. Really, just an amazing job by the team. The team is in really high spirits right now, we are going to keep that momentum going, keep everybody excited to be coming into work every day. We want to keep the streak going, the streak of finishes – not necessarily wins – but those are incredible, and we know we have a car that can win at every race track.”

Philip Ellis, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: “We were able to test at Laguna after Long Beach, so I would say we were sorted out a bit better than some of the other teams, but the conditions this weekend were so different that it was not like it was any huge benefit. The tire degradation on the old pavement that we thought would go away on the new surface came back, so we stuck with what we know, executed at our best and had other guys make mistakes for us. Team spirits are high, and that is the most important thing. If they don’t give us a good car and great pit stops, Russell and I can’t do a thing. Honestly, they make it easy for us to look good.”

Mike Skeen, Driver – No. 32 Korthoff Preston Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3: “I think Laguna Seca was pretty good to us. We didn’t have a chance to test there ahead of time, and it was a little bit tricky finding what we needed in two practice sessions to kind of catch up to everybody else. We were pretty happy with where we ended up with the car, it was a super tight qualifying session, and we were right there as far as pace. I had a nice shift, getting by a couple of guys and moving us up into a podium position in the first stint. Then Mik did a good job and it looked for awhile like we might secure a podium position, but it was still a good points day. We moved up in the championship with the fourth place and I think overall we can be pretty happy.”

Bryce Ward, Driver – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4: “Russell and Philip gave us some really good pointers on what to do and what not do after they tested here, so right out of the box the car was really quick. The engineers really nailed it, it was fantastic and our Mercedes-AMG GT4 was great. I saw a really great opening on the outside of Turn 1 at the start, but I didn’t figure there would be so many marbles and gravel there. I lost a bunch of places but then got my head in the game, got a rhythm going, made a couple of great passes and turned it over to Daniel. I am just so excited, it was such a great race, I am on top of the world. IMSA has done a great job this year in not over-managing the competition and performance to let us all just race on track and the competition has been great. Everybody seems to have an opportunity to win. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca also did a really good job getting the new pavement down. Everybody really, really enjoyed it, including us, so let’s give them a tip of the cap. It’s good to be out of Laguna Seca with a podium and looking forward. Onward and upward!”

Bay Area native DJ Umami to Light up the Stage Prior to Toyota/Save Mart 350

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Official Release
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SONOMA, Calif. (May 13, 2024) Before the roar of NASCAR Cup Series cars reverberates off the hillsides at Sonoma Raceway, Bay Area native DJ Umami will boost the crowd’s energy in the form of a prerace concert prior to the Toyota/Save Mart 350 on Sunday, June 9.

DJ Umami is currently the resident DJ for the San Francisco Giants, after having entertained fans in that same fashion with the Golden State Warriors from 2012-2021. The unmistakable fervor and flavor she brings to any event, celebration or dance floor has been a constant since she splashed onto the local scene in San Francisco in 2008. Within just a year, she gained residency with the prestigious female DJ crew “Peaches.”

Umami’s rise in the music industry has been punctuated with opening sets for renowned artists such as Dua Lipa, Anderson Paak, and Thundercat. In addition, DJ Umami has made appearances at Outside Lands in San Francisco, Google and the Nike Women’s Marathon and is part of the Creative Collective for Bacardi Ocho Reserve.

While R&B, Soul and Hip Hop are foundational to her musical taste, it’s Umami’s ability to read the energy of a crowd combined with her belief in music as healing that drives her to serve an eclectic menu of sounds. As a Filipina American, her desire is to bring more visibility to the craft, and inspire the next generation of women DJs. Umami’s vibrancy and versatility across varied audiences promises to rev up the crowd in anticipation of the green flag. Fans wanting to get up close to the stage for DJ Umami’s concert will want to get a pre-race track pass ticket upgrade.

Tickets, pre-race track passes and camping are available for NASCAR weekend at SonomaRaceway.com or by calling (800) 870-RACE [7223].

Sonoma Raceway is a 2.52-mile and 12-turn road course and quarter-mile drag strip located at Sears Point in Sonoma County, California. Built in 1968 the track is carved into rolling hills with 160 ft of total elevation change. It is host to one of the few NASCAR Cup Series races each year that are run on road courses. It is one of the world’s busiest racing facilities, with track activity scheduled an average of 340 days a year. A complete and versatile motorsports complex, it is home to one of the nation’s only high-performance automotive industrial parks with approximately 70 tenants.

NASCAR TO LAUNCH IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT ON TNT SPORTS IN 2025

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Official Release
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PRIME VIDEO KICKS OFF ACTION WITH THREE SEEDING RACES FOR INAUGURAL EVENT

THIRTY-TWO DRIVERS TO COMPETE IN BRACKET-STYLE COMPETITION WITH DRIVER HEAD-TO HEAD MATCHES DETERMINING ADVANCEMENT; WINNER TO RECEIVE $1 MILLION CASH PRIZE

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 13, 2024) – National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (“NASCAR”) today announced it will hold a first-of-its-kind in-season tournament for the NASCAR Cup Series™ in 2025. The seeding for the bracket-style head-to-head event across TNT Sports’ full five-race schedule will be set by results from the final three races that will air on Prime Video.

“With the launch of our new media rights partnerships in 2025, we were excited to partner with Prime Video and TNT Sports to collaborate on fan engagement concepts that drive storylines in our sport and innovation from a production perspective,” said Brian Herbst, NASCAR SVP, Media and Productions. “The idea of an in-season tournament has been discussed within the NASCAR industry and as we started to focus on adding promotional elements that drive interest throughout the season, we were excited by the opportunity to leverage the marketing weight of Amazon and TNT Sports to bring this concept to life.

“Having head-to-head driver matchups for each one of TNT’s NASCAR Cup Series races will add a compelling fan engagement element across media platforms like TNT, Bleacher Report, House of Highlights, and NASCAR digital platforms.”

All drivers are eligible for the seeding races which will take place during the final three races of Prime Video’s coverage of the NASCAR Cup Series. The top 32 drivers based on the seeding events, will become eligible for the in-season tournament competition. Bracket seeding will be established by best finish in each race over the three races with the tiebreakers determined by the next-best finish, followed by season points position.

The tournament kicks off with the first event in the TNT Sports portion of the NASCAR Cup Series season. Drivers will compete head-to-head with the higher finishing driver of each race advancing over five rounds. The winner of the tournament will receive a $1 million prize.

“It’s never been a better time to be a fan of motorsports, and this new first-ever in-season tournament will bring a new competitive dynamic to NASCAR’s summer race weekends,” said Craig Barry, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer, TNT Sports. “TNT Sports has always been at the forefront of creativity and innovation, and NASCAR is a perfect partner to bring this vision to life across our networks and platforms.”

“We’re excited to be part of NASCAR’s first in-season tournament next season,” said Charlie Neiman, Head of Sports Partnerships, Prime Video. “This tournament will showcase the league’s ability to drive innovation and engage fans with increased competition during a key part of the NASCAR schedule.”

In November 2023, NASCAR reached new seven-year media rights agreements for the NASCAR Cup Series with four best-in-class distribution partners – FOX Sports, NBC Sports, Amazon’s Prime Video and TNT Sports, a division of Warner Bros. Discovery – to deliver live coverage of all 38 NASCAR Cup Series races, beginning in 2025 and extending through the 2031 season.

Prime Video and TNT Sports will evenly split a series of 10 midseason races. Both also own the exclusive rights to select practice and qualifying sessions for the NASCAR Cup Series schedule through 2031.

NASCAR’s first fully direct-to-consumer partner, Prime Video will stream practice and qualifying live for the first half of the season through their last race of the midseason series with the exceptions of the Busch Light Clash, DAYTONA 500® and NASCAR All-Star Race™, which remain on FOX Sports.

TNT Sports will initiate its coverage with the next five midseason races, all part of the NASCAR Cup Series in-season tournament, simultaneously broadcast live on TNT and streaming on the B/R Sports Add-On on Max. Practice and qualifying for the remainder of the season will stream on Max and air on truTV.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Mexico Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series™). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.

For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and Snapchat.

About TNT Sports

TNT Sports is a global leader in the delivery of premium sports content. The TNT Sports U.S. portfolio includes expansive, multi-platform partnerships with the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, National Hockey League, United States Soccer Federation and NASCAR (coming in 2025). Owned and operated platforms are highlighted by Bleacher Report, the #1 digital destination for young sports fans, along with House of Highlights, HighlightHER, Golf Digest, and a full suite of digital and social portfolio brands. Additionally, TNT Sports co-manages NBA Digital — comprised of NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE Pass, the NBA App and NBAGLEAGUE.com — as well as NCAA.com and NCAA March Madness Live. TNT Sports in Europe and the Republic of Ireland includes partnerships with the NBA, Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UFC, WWE and more, as well as much-loved brands Eurosport, Global Cycling Network (GCN), Global Mountain Bike Network (GMBN) and multi-sport programming and content on discovery+ and Discovery’s free-to-air TV networks.

About Prime Video Sports

Prime Video supports a growing lineup of live sports globally, including Thursday Night Football, NASCAR, the New York Yankees, Seattle Kraken, Overtime Elite, and Premier Boxing Champions in the United States; the NWSL, the WNBA, and ONE Championship in the United States and Canada; NHL in Canada; UEFA Champions League football in the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy; Roland-Garros and Ligue 1 in France; New Zealand Cricket in India; as well as Copa do Brasil football and the NBA in Brazil. While availability varies by marketplace, fans can also subscribe to streaming services such as Sportsnet, Eurosport, FOX Sports (Mexico), Viaplay Sport, MLB.TV, NBA League Pass, NBA TV, DAZN (Germany and Spain), and Premiere FC (Brazil) through Prime Video Channels. This is in addition to a selection of Amazon Original sports documentaries including Kelce, Bye Bye Barry, Coach Prime, Giannis, and the Amazon Original All or Nothing franchise.

Overstock.com Racing: Noah Gragson All-Star Advance

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Official Release
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NOAH GRAGSON
North Wilkesboro / All-Star Race Advance
No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: NASCAR All-Star Open | NASCAR All-Star Race (non-points races)
● Time/Date: 5:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 19
● Location: North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway
● Layout: .625-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 100 laps/62.5 miles | 200 laps/125 miles
● TV/Radio: FS1 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● This year marks the 40th running of the NASCAR All-Star Race. Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway hosted the first All-Star Race and 34 in total. The All-Star Race debuted on May 25, 1985, at Charlotte’s 1.5-mile oval and it was won by Darrell Waltrip. Atlanta Motor Speedway hosted the second All-Star Race in 1986 before returning to Charlotte for a 33-race run. The 2020 All-Star Race was held at the .533-mile Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway – the first time the All-Star Race wasn’t held at a 1.5-mile oval. The All-Star Race returned to a 1.5-mile oval in June 2021, when Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth began hosting the event for a two-year stretch. When North Wilkesboro hosted the All-Star Race for the first time last year, it became just the second track other than a 1.5-mile oval to host the specialty event.

● For all the talk about the All-Star Race, Noah Gragson and his Stewart-Haas Racing teammates are focused on the NASCAR All-Star Open. The 100-lap race is for drivers not qualified for the All-Star Race, and Gragson and his Stewart-Haas brethren fall into this group. Only drivers who have won a points race in either 2023 or 2024, drivers who have previously won the All-Star Race and still compete fulltime, and drivers who have won a NASCAR Cup Series championship and compete fulltime are eligible for the All-Star Race. Gragson is one of 20 drivers looking to race their way into the All-Star Race via the Open, but only the top-two finishers in the Open will advance to the All-Star Race. However, a third Open driver will get into the All-Star Race via a fan vote, which will remain live until 5:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday when the green flag waves for the Open.

● The fan vote is what got Gragson into last year’s All-Star Race. He finished seventh in the Open but took the highest tally in the fan vote to earn a spot in the All-Star Race. Gragson started last in the 24-driver field and finished 23rd.

● A touch of the champagne-sipping realm of Formula One comes to the moonshine-imbibing world of North Wilkesboro when drivers competing in both the All-Star Open and the All-Star Race get a choice of tire compounds. In Formula One, teams get an allotment of soft, medium and hard tires from supplier Pirelli that they must use throughout the race weekend. At the All-Star event weekend, tire supplier Goodyear is bringing a “prime” tire, which is a slick racing tire, an “option” tire that is also a slick but with a softer, faster-wearing compound, and a rain tire should weather conditions warrant its use. The lettering on the prime tires will be yellow, the lettering on the option tires will be red, and the lettering on the rain tires will be white. In theory, the prime tire will last longer but provide less grip, therefore compromising speed. The option tire will provide maximum grip at the beginning of a run, allowing drivers to make significantly more speed, but their high-degradation rate means that speed will be short-lived. The rain tire will only be used in wet or damp conditions. Here are some additional details pertaining to tire usage at North Wilkesboro:

●  Teams will be allotted nine sets of tires for the weekend.

​●  Teams will be allotted three sets of prime tires and two sets of option tires for practice, qualifying, the heat races and the All-Star Open.

​●  Teams will have two sets of prime and option tires for the All-Star Race.

​●  All four tires on the car must be the same type at all times.

​●  Only the prime tire will be used during qualifying.

​●  Teams will have the option to start on any type of tire for practice, the heat races and the All-Star Open.

​●  All teams will start on the option tire for the All-Star Race.

● DYK? The frontstretch of North Wilkesboro runs downhill and the backstretch runs uphill. This forces drivers to change their approach to each corner of the racetrack, as they’re carrying more speed entering turn one than they are going into turn three.

● Overstock.com adorns Gragson’s No. 10 Ford Mustang at North Wilkesboro. The partnership amplifies the recent relaunch of Overstock.com, home of crazy good deals that offer quality and style for less. Overstock.com is for the savvy shopper who loves the thrill of the hunt and it includes product categories customers know and love, like patio furniture, home furniture and area rugs, while reintroducing jewelry, watches and health-and-beauty products.

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

When North Wilkesboro ran its last points-paying NASCAR Cup Series race in 1996, you weren’t even born. So when NASCAR returned to North Wilkesboro last year for the All-Star Race, did you have an understanding of its history, or was it just another track where you had to go out and compete?

“For me, it was probably just go out and compete. It’s another challenge and trying to figure out another track. Obviously, you hear the stories from everybody who was around at that time and they all have their story about how they saw Richard Petty go around that place, Dale Jarrett, Dale Sr., Rusty Wallace. They all have their story and how much that place means to them. I might not share that same sentimental value, but I do appreciate it the same as when we go to Martinsville. The first time you go to Martinsville, you think, ‘Man, this is grassroots!’ It’s cool. It’s different. I thought that was pretty cool about it, but to me it’s another racetrack where I have an opportunity to go out and compete and try to be the best driver that I can be.”

You advanced from the Open to the All-Star Race in your first All-Star Race weekend. Not everyone does that. Did you have an appreciation for being a part of the main event?

“I think the coolest thing was being a part of driver intros for the All-Star Race. I would’ve liked to have seen what it was like at Charlotte back in the day. There were a lot of people at North Wilkesboro, but there were a lot more people at Charlotte. I used to watch the All-Star Race growing up when it was at Charlotte. It was a different atmosphere. But it was definitely a privilege to be a part of the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro and something that I’m very thankful for. It’s what I grew up watching, and to be a part of that All-Star lineup, and to have the support from the fans, it meant the world to me to be voted in. It wasn’t my best weekend as a driver, but the fans definitely pulled through and, hopefully, we can transfer into the race this year. But if not, we need all the votes we can get, and it doesn’t go unnoticed that the fans are what continues to drive me week in and week out, so it’s definitely special to be a part of that race.”

North Wilkesboro has been completely repaved. How much of a game-changer is that compared to what you experienced last year?

“It’ll be quite a bit different. You just didn’t have any grip (last year), so if you were a little bit off, you were a lot off because the delta on that was a big difference. You saw Kyle Larson lap the whole field, pretty much, driving from last to the front and still lapping guys. His stuff was really good. I think it’ll probably be a lot closer, and it’s a new challenge for us, so I’m excited for it.”

You’re in the Open again this year. Knowing a top-two finish gets you into the All-Star Race, how hard will the racing be to earn one of those transfer spots?

“We’re trying to become an All-Star, right? So it’s not as challenging as if you’re racing all 35 guys on the racetrack. But at the same time, it is a challenge to just do it and have a good car and understanding the track and getting a good finish.”

Describe the vibe of last year’s All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro.

“It was definitely a different vibe than normal, and I think the excitement level leading up to it – everybody was very excited, so that was super cool and it just carried throughout the whole weekend. I ran a Late Model race there, as well, so I was up there the whole week and everybody was pretty fired up and pumped up. It was a good time.”

No. 10 Overstock.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: James Kimbrough

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Andy Houston

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotten

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Beau Whitley

Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

Tire Specialist: Jacob Cooksey

Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Steve Casper

Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Drury and PT Autosport ready for more at COTA

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Official Release
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SRO Sebring 2024

The 2022 PT Autosport Aspiring Driver Shootout winner looks to capitalize on the success two weeks ago at Sebring

MILLVILLE, NJ (13 May 2024) – Precision Racing LA w/PT Autosport driver Henry Drury heads to Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas this week, ready to continue the learning curve in the Toyota GR Cup doubleheader.

As Drury continues his first season of professional racing, seeing progress in his own performance behind the wheel of the No. 88 PT Autosport Toyota GR86 Cup Car remains essential. The 24-year-old English born, Tampa, Fla. resident qualified second for the first of two races at Sebring and brought home his first top 10 in the series. Drury is currently 12th in the overall point standings nd looks to continue that momentum this week.

After getting hit from behind in the second race at Sebring, Drury will look for more consistent finishes as the series heads to the Formula 1-grade Austin facility.

“I’m ready for another exciting weekend,” said Drury. “After such drastic ups and downs at Sebring, it’s time to really show what we can do and find some consistent points finishes. Precision Racing LA were strong at COTA last year, so hopefully that means we start on the front foot and can challenge up front again!”

COTA has a wide-open, sweeping layout – 3.426-miles, with 19 turns, including the iconic turn 1, with 133 feet of elevation change – which means the track is one of the fastest on the GR Cup circuit. Drury has done his usual due diligence on the sim, which is helpful for muscle memory, but he feels that this will be one track where the sim will only go so far in teaching what it takes to go fast.

“The speed at COTA, like Sebring, means that the most important thing is to break through the ‘fear barrier’ – especially in the high commitment areas,” said Drury. “I find that with a new racetrack, especially a fast and high commitment one like Sebring or COTA, you have to be ready to just absolutely send it right from the first lap, and then suddenly those difficult corners aren’t so difficult anymore. The more quickly you can get up to speed in the big boy corners, the easier the rest of the weekend will be – and we’ve seen how important qualifying is in the series, so the quicker you get up to speed, the better.”

“Henry made great strides forward at Sebring, both in terms of ultimate pace and racecraft,” said Alex Sedgwick, PT Autosport lead driver and driver development director – who, along with Precision Racing LA’s Ryan Eversley, has been coaching Drury. “There is, of course, still some work to do but it’s impressive just how far he has come, with minimal testing and just two weekends under his belt so far. We’re looking forward to seeing that progression continue this weekend!”

The COTA weekend comes just two weeks after the series raced at Sebring and for Drury, the more he stays in race mode, the better.

“Staying in the swing of things with such a short gap between races really helps for me,” said Drury. “When there’s so long in between races, at this stage of my career when I’m only driving once every few weeks, it’s almost like having to learn things all over again when you step back in the car. So I much prefer it this way!”

The Toyota GR Cup series will contest two 45-minute races this weekend – race one will take the green flag Saturday at 3:35 ET, with race two Sunday at 12:35 p.m. Both races will be broadcast live at www.grcup.com.

PT Autosport would like to thank partner STEAM Sports Foundation for their support in its GR Cup effort.

About PT Autosport — Discover Unique Talent. Develop Champions.

PT Autosport, based at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ, campaigns rising star Alex Sedgwick (UK) in the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup North America series with JDX Racing, 2022 Aspiring Driver Shootout winner Henry Drury (UK) in the Toyota GR Cup North America series with Precision Racing LA, and 2023 Aspiring Driver Shootout winner Brenna Schubert (USA) in a soon-to-be-announced series for the 2024 season.

PT Autosport is dedicated to providing merit-based motorsport industry opportunities for diverse individuals with high integrity, grit, and coach-ability, achieved through a development program for young aspiring drivers, engineers, mechanics, and other professionals. The first step of this process is applying for the annual Aspiring Driver Shootout, in which aspiring drivers aged 18-23 can compete for a team racing partnership with the team.

A rigorous evaluation process of applicants determines the final competitors for the driver shootout. The winner earns financial support of up to $250,000 ($50,000 guaranteed) to pursue their racing career. The review process also provides the team the chance to identify unique talent for other roles in motorsport, including race engineers, mechanics, and professionals.

PT Autosport is building a community that fosters the development of young talent to find a place where they can make an impact in the motorsport community as a career.

PT Autosport social media

Instagram: @pt_autosport
TikTok: @ptautosport
Twitter: @PtAutosport
Facebook: PT Autosport

BRAD KESELOWSKI SCORES FIRST WIN FOR MUSTANG DARK HORSE AT DARLINGTON

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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media & Getty Images

DARLINGTON, SC – May 13, 2024 – Brad Keselowski won Sunday’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway, marking his first win as RFK Racing co-owner, 36th of his career, and second at Darlington Raceway. This was Ford Performance’s first win of the 2024 season with the new Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

“Congratulations to Jack, Brad, Matt, and everyone at Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing on the race win at Darlington,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Brad and Matt were fast in qualifying and maintained that speed throughout the entire race. Everyone at Ford Performance, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, and Roush Yates Engines has worked hard this year to bring the Mustang Dark Horse to victory lane and winning at a difficult track like Darlington is really special.”

“It’s just so great to be here in Darlington. I love this track. I love coming here. It’s a special place to me whether you win or not, but to run up front all day and have a great car, qualify up front, it was just an awesome day for Castrol. I’m glad for Ford. Ford has been working really hard to get us up here and here we are. We got them a win, so they don’t have to hear about that anymore. I’m happy for Ford. Hopefully, there are more great things to come. It was a total team effort from the top to the bottom to get us to where we could have a fast car. We executed on pit road, led laps and were there when it counted at the end,” commented Keselowski.

Brad Keselowski started Sunday’s 400-mile race in second and led 37 laps after battling pole sitter Tyler Reddick for most of the afternoon. With 33 laps remaining in the race, Keselowski and Reddick raced side-by-side for a few laps until both were passed by Keselowski’s teammate Chris Buescher. Buescher drove down to the bottom of the track and sped past Keselowski and Reddick to assume the lead. With 10 laps remaining, Buescher and Reddick made contact causing both cars to cut a tire, allowing Keselowski to take the lead. Keselowski took the checkered flag and finished 1.214 seconds ahead of runner-up Ty Gibbs.

A total of five Ford Performance drivers finished in the top 10: Stewart-Haas Racing’s Josh Berry finished in P3 along with teammate Chase Briscoe in P5, Rick Ware Racing’s Justin Haley in P9, and Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell in P10.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series also raced at Darlington on Saturday. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer started from the pole and finished in P3 while teammate Riley Herbst finished in P7.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to North Wilkesboro Speedway this weekend for the All-Star Race while the Xfinity Series takes a one-week break and races next at Charlotte.

39 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 459 WINS – 429 POLES

About Roush Yates Engines
Roush Yates Engines is a leading-edge engine development company based in Mooresville, NC consisting of two state-of-the-art facilities – Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions, a world class AS9100 Rev D/ISO 13485 certified CNC manufacturing facility. The company’s core business includes designing, building and testing purpose-built race engines.

Ford Performance in partnership with Roush Yates Engines is the exclusive engine builder of the NASCAR FR9 Ford V8 engine.

With an unparalleled culture of winning and steeped in rich racing history, Roush Yates Engines continues to follow the company’s vision to lead performance engine innovation and staying true to the company’s mission, provide race winning engines through demonstrated power and performance.

NHRA ROARS INTO BRISTOL DRAGWAY FOR SUPER GRIP NHRA THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS

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BRISTOL, Tenn. (May 13, 2024) – The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to Thunder Valley for another year of intense racing action at the 23rd annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway on June 7-9.

A highlight on the NHRA circuit, all the stars in the NHRA are thrilled to return to Bristol Dragway for one of the most scenic and memorable events on the NHRA tour. It is the eighth of 20 events during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and will again feature competition in the four professional categories: Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

All the thrilling sights and sounds of 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph action is taken to an incredible, can’t-miss level in Thunder Valley, where fans will be treated to an epic weekend loaded with action. From four rounds of qualifying, including a spectacular night session on Friday night, to the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday, there’s something for every racing fan in Bristol.

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Steve Johnson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) took home titles in 2023 in picturesque Thunder Valley and this year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations beginning at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 9.

Ashley had a memorial weekend in Bristol last year in the Top Fuel ranks. When the rain-delayed NHRA New England Nationals had to be contested in Bristol, Ashley not only claimed the Epping title on Saturday, he also went on to win the Bristol race. He’s the Top Fuel points leader with two event wins to his credit, but hot on his heels is a loaded field, including reigning champion Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon also with two wins this season, and the Capco duo of Steve and Billy Torrence. Fans can also watch NASCAR legend Tony Stewart’s Bristol Top Fuel debut as well.

Capps claimed his second consecutive Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals last season when he defeated Alexis DeJoria in the final round. Capps is the winningest Funny Car driver at Bristol Dragway with six wins to his credit. If he wants to go three in a row, he’ll be up against the likes of points leader Austin Prock who joined the Funny Car ranks this season, Gainesville winner J.R. Todd, reigning champ Matt Hagan, Bob Tasca and John Force, who each have wins on the season.

Enders, the reigning Pro Stock world champ, didn’t claim an event win until Bristol last year. The Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals was the turning point in her season in 2023, where she went on to win her sixth Pro Stock title. With a win in Gainesville, she’s in the hunt again this season. Leading the points and Enders’ longtime rival is Greg Anderson, with two wins in 2024. Also in the Pro Stock mix is Dallas Glenn, Jeg Coughlin Jr., Aaron Stanfield and Cristian Cuadra.

Johnson, a veteran within the Pro Stock Motorcycle class, was one of only four race winners in 2023. He claimed his win over Gaige Herrera, who went red in the final. Herrera, who won 11 events last year, went on to win the title in dominant fashion and is undefeated thus far in 2024. Johnson is only the third motorcycle rider to win at Bristol Dragway as the class was added to the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in 2021. Other contenders include six-time champion Matt Smith, former champ LE Tonglet, John Hall, Hector Arana Jr. and Angie Smith.

Also on deck is the fan-favorite Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday. Semifinalists from the NHRA New England Nationals, will meet up in Bristol for a specialty race rematch with the winners taking home bonus points and a bonus purse.

The Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, featuring some of the top racers in the country, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock. The weekend includes an appearance from the Legends Nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars as well. After final qualifying on Saturday, fans will also be treated to a special autograph session and fanfest at the Bristol Dragway Welcome Tent in the midway.

Fans will also be invited to the Nitro Alley Stage all weekend, which features Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at Bristol Dragway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that celebrates each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the Bristol event winners.

As always, fans also get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Bristol. They can see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. Fans can also visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food, and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4 and 6:45 p.m. ET on Friday, June 7, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, June 8 at 12:30 and 3:15 p.m. Eliminations will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 9. Television coverage includes qualifying action at 7 p.m. ET on Friday and 12:30 p.m. on Sunday on FS1, leading into eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. For more information on NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

Headquartered in San Dimas, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Kyle Washington Scores First Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West Masters Class Victory in the No. 232 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in Utah

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Washington Charges from 10th at the Start to the Early 992 Masters-Class Lead and Eventual Victory at the Utah Motorsports Campus for First Victory of 2024

GRANTSVILLE, Utah (May 13, 2024) – Kyle Washington scored his first USAC Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West by Yokohama Masters Class race win Sunday in his No. 232 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup at the Utah Motorsports Campus. The victory was also the first of 2024 for Washington in a full and multi-series schedule of races this year with GMG Racing and came after Washington charged from 10th on the starting grid to first in Masters in Turn 1 at the start of Sunday’s final 35 minute race of the weekend.

Rebounding from a fourth-place Masters finish Saturday after a contact incident hampered the handling of his Porsche, Washington bolstered his Masters Class championship campaign with his third podium finish in the year’s first four Sprint Challenge West races. In last month’s season-opening doubleheader at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Nevada, Washington secured a runner-up Masters class finish in the first race and a third-place showing in the second.

“A great ending to the weekend for Kyle, winning his class and finishing fourth overall,” said GMG Racing President and Founder James Sofronas. “He’s been knocking on the door in multiple series this year, but to score his first win of 2024 in one of his two fulltime series this weekend in Utah is huge for the Sprint Challenge USA West Masters championship. We will take the momentum to Circuit of The Americas (COTA) the next two weekends where Kyle will race in his other full-season championship, Fanatec GT World Challenge America, this Saturday and Sunday and then be back in Porsche Sprint Challenge West Memorial Day weekend.”

“We started way back in the pack Sunday and I thought the only way we would get a good result today was if there was a big incident in Turn 1,” Washington said. “And what do you know, there was a big incident and we just got lucky when I stayed outside and got around a lot of cars. Then we held off Kevin Woods, who was behind me, filling my mirrors, pressuring me the whole time and it really couldn’t have worked out better. You have to be good to be lucky, and lucky to be good, but I had a lot of family here and we are all happy. Happy Mother’s Day to all of the Mothers out there, including mine, Phyllis. Thanks Mom, we will see you for dinner tonight!”

Washington was joined on track in Utah by his GMG Racing Pro-Am class teammate Patrick Mulcahy, who was contesting his second career Sprint Challenge race weekend in his No. 254 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Mulcahy was on pace from the start of the weekend but was unfortunately sidelined for both races after a contact incident in Saturday morning’s final practice.

“Patrick had a disappointing end to his weekend, but the important thing is he is okay,” Sofronas said. “His car is heavily damaged, but we have a Plan B we are working on, and Patrick is going to rebound and go to COTA in two weeks.”

Washington’s family at the track included his brother-in-law, mother-in-law and his 14-year-old son Blake Washington, who put in some laps of his own on track. The younger Washington joined Sofronas’ son Jenson Sofronas, 13, in USAC’s on-track testing program throughout the weekend in GT4-spec Porsches. Both second-generation drivers are targeting entry level USAC competition licenses later this year, which makes them eligible to compete in the Cayman GT4 Clubsport division.

“Jenson and Blake received their provisional USAC licenses and had more than five hours of track time over the three days to get them up to speed,” Sofronas said. “They both made big improvements, excelled for their young experience levels, and Jenson really got up to speed on Sunday and showed great pace. I was following him, and I could watch his lines and watch his inputs, and it was super cool.”

The younger Sofronas turned laps in both a Porsche Cayman and later even in his father’s Porsche GT3 Cup car.

“I want to compliment USAC for putting together this program and this evaluation period,” Sofronas said. “It was just us on track in these private run groups, it allowed USAC to observe and monitor, and we left with video, data and captured everything for review down the road.”

Next up for GMG Racing are the back-to-back COTA weekends starting later this week, May 17 – 19, with the SRO America event. Washington and Sofronas both compete in the SRO GT America powered by AWS sprint race series at COTA while Tom Sargent joins Washington for the weekend’s featured Fanatec GT World Challenge doubleheader.

The following Memorial Day weekend, May 24 – 26, will see Washington and Mulcahy return for Porsche Sprint Challenge West Rounds 5 and 6.

About GMG Racing: Founded in 2001, GMG Racing quickly established itself as North America’s premier performance tuning facility. What began as a small 1,200 sq. ft. shop, maintaining two race cars, has grown into a 30,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art performance tuning, racing and service facility located in Santa Ana, California in Orange County and with a trackside motorsports facility at 28,000 sq. ft. currently being built at The Thermal Club. The staff, attention to detail, and passion are what make GMG the choice of professionals and enthusiasts worldwide. GMG, in its early years, was located directly across the street from Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA). This close proximity allowed GMG to build a strong relationship with the legendary racing brand which has helped us support our customers to the highest level possible. From club racing to Sebring, Daytona and Spa, GMG can take you as far as you want to go. More information can be found at www.gmgracing.com.

ARCA Menards Series East at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway – Music City 150 Post-race Notes

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  • Reigning series champion William Sawalich earned his first ARCA Menards Series East victory of 2024 with a dominant performance in the Music City 150 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. Sawalich started third but took the lead at lap five, and except for getting beat to the start/finish line on a restart, led the rest of the way to score his fifth career series victory in his tenth career start.
  • Isabella Robusto tied the record for best finish by a female driver in an ARCA Menards Series East race, second, and did so in her series debut. Kenzie Ruston set the record when she finished second at Iowa Speedway in 2014.
  • Connor Zilisch finished third, his third top-five finish in three career ARCA Menards Series starts. Zilisch assumed the lead in the series championship standings and unofficially holds a five-point lead over Sawalich headed into the Dutch Boy 150 at Flat Rock Speedway.
  • Zachary Tinkle finished a career-best fourth, his third top-ten finish of the season.
  • Andrew Patterson made his ARCA Menards Series debut driving for team owner Mark Noble and finished fifth.
  • Tyler Scofield scored his first career top-ten finish in sixth; Scofield made his series debut at Five Flags but fought electrical problems which relegated him to a 15th-place finish.
  • Caleb Costner finished a career-best seventh; combined with his teammate D.L. Wilson’s tenth-place finish they put both of the Costner Motorsports team’s cars in the top ten.
  • Jayson Alexander, an active member of the North Carolina Army National Guard and the University of North Carolina Charlotte ROTC program, finished eighth in his series debut, giving team owner Andy Hillenburg two cars in the top ten.
  • Nashville late model regular Hunter Wright gave the MAN Motorsports team two top-ten finishers with his ninth-place finish.
  • Gio Ruggiero led the ARCA Menards Series East championship standings coming in to the Music City 150, and he started the day by scoring his first career General Tire Pole Award. Ruggiero led the first four laps but experienced a cut left rear tire while battling with Connor Zilisch for the second position; the tire went down as he entered turn one on lap six sending him hard into the turn one wall. Ruggiero would return to the track to pick up four positions but would call it a night after 49 laps. He finished 14th.
  • Tanner Reif experienced engine issues in practice forcing the Cook Racing Technologies team to change engines before the race; Reif made it to the grid for the start but experienced overheating problems. As he tried to get to pit road to have those problems looked at, he made contact with the tire protecting the end of the pit wall doing significant damage to his car and ending his night. He finished 15th.
  • The next race for the ARCA Menards Series East is the Dutch Boy 150 at Flat Rock Speedway on Saturday, May 18. The race will be streamed live on FloRacing at 7:30 pm ET.

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 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 www.arcaracing.com, 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.

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