Home Blog Page 1028

The Benefits of Booking Rental Cars in Advance

By
SM
-

Planning a trip involves numerous decisions, from selecting your destination to booking accommodation and activities. One crucial aspect that travelers often overlook is securing a rental car. 

Booking a rental car Halo Rentals in advance can significantly enhance your travel experience. It offers a range of benefits that make your journey smoother, more convenient, and cost-effective. This article explores the advantages of booking rental cars in advance, helping you make the most of your travel plans.

Cost Savings

Lower Rates and Special Offers

One of the most compelling reasons to book a rental car in advance is the opportunity to save money. Rental car companies frequently offer reduced rates for early reservations. As your travel date nears, the demand for rental cars rises. 

This increased demand generally results in higher prices. You could also choose the option to rent to own cars in Perth and skip the rental and booking for your travels. By making your booking early, you can secure a lower rate. Additionally, you might benefit from special offers or discounts that are not available closer to your travel dates.

Avoiding Last-Minute Price Hikes

Booking a rental car at the last minute can be risky, especially during peak travel seasons or in popular destinations. One of the most compelling reasons to book a rental car in advance is the opportunity to save money. Rental car companies frequently offer reduced rates for early reservations. 

As availability decreases, rental companies may increase their prices, leaving you with fewer options and higher costs. As your travel date nears, the demand for rental cars rises. This increased demand generally results in higher prices. By booking early, you can secure a lower rate and avoid these last-minute price hikes. Securing your rental car in advance ensures you get the vehicle you need at a reasonable price.

Greater Vehicle Selection

Access to a Wider Range of Vehicles

Booking your rental car in advance gives you access to a broader selection of vehicles. This is particularly important if you have specific requirements, such as a larger vehicle for a family trip or a luxury car for a special occasion. Early booking also ensures a fuel-efficient model for a long road trip. 

By securing your rental car ahead of time, you can choose the vehicle that best suits your needs. This way, you avoid settling for whatever is available at the last minute. Travelers looking for flexible and well-maintained options may choose to Explore Zero Car Iceland (or similar service providers elsewhere), which can offer a diverse fleet to match different travel preferences. Planning ahead provides peace of mind and a more tailored travel experience.

Ensuring Availability of Preferred Options

Certain vehicles, such as SUVs, convertibles, or specialty cars, are often in high demand and can be difficult to secure if you wait until the last minute to book. Reserving your rental car beforehand ensures that your preferred vehicle type will be available for your trip. This foresight provides the comfort and convenience necessary for an enjoyable travel experience. 

Whether you need a larger vehicle for a family vacation or a stylish convertible for a special occasion, early booking helps you meet your specific requirements. Additionally, planning ahead allows you to select a fuel-efficient model for long road trips, enhancing comfort and cost-effectiveness. By securing your rental car in advance, you avoid the risk of having to settle for a less suitable option. Ultimately, early reservations offer peace of mind and a more tailored travel experience.

Time Savings

Streamlined Pick-Up Process

Booking your rental car in advance can save you valuable time upon arrival at your destination. With your reservation already in place, the pick-up process is typically quicker and more efficient. This means you can spend less time waiting at the rental counter and more time enjoying your trip. 

Many rental companies also offer express check-in services for customers with advance bookings, further speeding up the car hire process. Less time spent at the rental counter means more time to explore your destination. Additionally, confirming reservations reduces the stress and uncertainty of last-minute bookings. By planning ahead, you can ensure a smoother and more enjoyable travel experience.

Reduced Stress and Hassle

Traveling can be stressful, especially if you have a tight schedule or are unfamiliar with your destination. Booking your rental car in advance can significantly reduce this stress. Having a car reserved ensures that a reliable vehicle will be ready and waiting for you upon arrival. 

This means you won’t have to worry about arranging transportation at the last minute. Instead, you can focus on enjoying your trip and exploring your destination. Knowing that your transportation needs are taken care of provides peace of mind. Ultimately, advanced reservations contribute to a smoother and more enjoyable travel experience.

Flexibility and Convenience

Freedom to Explore

Having a rental car gives you the freedom and flexibility to explore your destination at your own pace. You are not restricted by public transportation schedules or the availability of ride-sharing services. Booking your rental car in advance ensures that you have the transportation you need to visit attractions, dine at local restaurants, and discover hidden gems off the beaten path. 

By planning ahead, you can select a vehicle that best suits your travel needs, whether it’s a spacious SUV for a family vacation or a compact car for navigating city streets. Advance reservations also allow you to take advantage of better rates and special offers, making your trip more cost-effective. Furthermore, securing your rental car in advance eliminates the stress and uncertainty of last-minute bookings. Ultimately, this foresight contributes to a more enjoyable and well-planned travel experience.

Customizable Travel Plans

A rental car lets you easily customize your travel plans to suit your preferences and interests. Whether you want to take a scenic drive, visit multiple locations in a single day, or make impromptu stops, having your own vehicle provides the convenience and flexibility to create a personalized itinerary. Booking your rental car in advance ensures you have the right vehicle to accommodate your plans. 

It gives you easy access to a broader selection of vehicles, with different options and ensuring you can choose one that meets your needs. Early reservations can also help you secure better rates, making your trip more cost-effective. Furthermore, planning ahead eliminates the stress and uncertainty of last-minute bookings. Ultimately, having a rental car enhances your travel experience by offering freedom, convenience additional comfort, and peace of mind.

Enhanced Travel Experience

Comfort and Convenience

Having a rental car can significantly enhance your travel experience by providing both comfort and convenience. You can choose a vehicle that offers ample space for passengers and luggage, ensuring everyone’s comfort throughout the trip. Additionally, you can select a car with air conditioning, GPS navigation, and Bluetooth connectivity, making your journey more enjoyable. 

Booking your rental car in advance for road trips allows you to secure a vehicle with these amenities, tailoring the experience to your specific needs. This foresight ensures a smoother trip and provides peace of mind knowing your transportation is sorted. Furthermore, early reservations can help you secure better rates at selected locations, making your trip more cost-effective. Ultimately, having the right vehicle enhances your travel experience by offering freedom, convenience, and additional comfort beyond.

Reliability and Safety

Booking a rental car from a reputable company in advance ensures you will have a reliable and well-maintained vehicle for your trip. Rental companies regularly service and inspect their vehicles to keep them in good working condition. This significantly reduces the risk of breakdowns and other issues that could disrupt your travel plans. 

Additionally, having your own vehicle enhances your safety, giving you control over the cleanliness and hygiene of your transportation. This is particularly important in the context of ongoing health concerns. Knowing that your transportation needs are secured provides peace of mind and allows you to focus on enjoying your journey. Early booking of a rental car ultimately contributes to a smoother and more enjoyable travel experience.

Planning and Budgeting Benefits

Easier Trip Planning

Having a rental car reserved in advance simplifies trip planning. It enables you to coordinate accommodation, activities, and transportation more effectively, ensuring that all aspects of your trip are aligned. This foresight makes it easier to create a cohesive and well-organized travel itinerary. 

By reducing the likelihood of last-minute changes or disruptions, you can enjoy a more relaxed travel experience. Knowing that your transportation needs are taken care of provides peace of mind. Additionally, having a confirmed reservation can help you secure better rates and vehicle options. Ultimately, advance planning contributes to a more enjoyable and well-organized trip.

Better Budget Management

Booking your rental car in advance helps you manage your travel budget more effectively. By securing a fixed rate for your rental, you can avoid unexpected expenses and better allocate your funds for other aspects of your trip, such as dining, activities, and souvenirs. Early booking also allows you to take advantage of package deals or bundled offers, including car rental, accommodation, and other travel services, providing additional savings. 

This proactive approach ensures you have more control over your travel expenses and can make informed financial decisions. Early reservations for car hire will often come with special discounts and promotional rates that further enhance your budget management. With a confirmed booking, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that your transportation costs are fixed and accounted for. Ultimately, booking your rental car in advance offers a more cost-effective and enjoyable travel experience.

Environmental Considerations

Choosing Eco-Friendly Options

If you are conscious of your environmental impact, booking your rental car in advance allows you to choose eco-friendly options. Many rental companies offer hybrid or electric vehicles that produce fewer emissions and are more fuel-efficient. By reserving your vehicle ahead of time, you can ensure that an eco-friendly option is available, allowing you to reduce your carbon footprint while traveling. 

These vehicles not only help conserve fuel and the environment but also often come with benefits such as lower fuel costs. Booking your car hire very early gives you a broader selection of cars, increasing the likelihood of securing an environmentally friendly vehicle. Early planning often comes with better rates and special offers on green vehicles. Ultimately, making conscious choices about your rental or car hire can contribute to a more sustainable travel experience.

Supporting Sustainable Practices

Booking in advance also supports rental companies that prioritize sustainable practices. Many companies are implementing green initiatives, such as reducing paper usage, implementing energy-efficient processes, and offering carbon offset programs. By choosing to book with these companies, you contribute to promoting environmentally responsible travel. 

Reserving your rental car ahead of time allows you to research and select companies making strides in sustainability. This proactive approach benefits the environment and encourages more companies to adopt green practices. Supporting these businesses through your early booking decision leads to broader positive impacts within the industry. Ultimately, your choices can drive demand for more sustainable options and promote a culture of eco-friendly travel.

Additional Perks and Benefits

Loyalty Programs and Rewards

Many rental car companies offer loyalty programs and rewards for customers who book in advance. These programs often include benefits such as free rental days, which can significantly reduce your overall travel costs. Additionally, loyalty programs may provide upgrades, allowing you to enjoy a more luxurious vehicle without extra charges. 

Booking early also makes you eligible for discounts on future bookings, giving you savings on subsequent trips. By participating in these loyalty schemes, you can accumulate points or credits that can be redeemed for various rewards. This not only enhances your current travel experience but also sets you up for more cost-effective travel in the future. Ultimately, booking your rental car early allows you to capitalize on these perks and enjoy a more rewarding travel experience.

Peace of Mind

Ultimately, booking your rental car in advance provides peace of mind. Securing your transportation needs beforehand ensures that you have the best vehicle for your requirements. This foresight allows you to focus on enjoying your trip without worrying about last-minute arrangements. By planning ahead, you can confidently embark on your journey knowing that potential disruptions have been minimized. 

Additionally, you’ll have time to consider various options and select the most suitable and affordable vehicle. This level of preparation translates to a smoother and more enjoyable travel experience. Ultimately, the early booking of a rental car contributes to a relaxed and confident travel mindset.  

Conclusion

Booking a rental car in advance offers numerous benefits that can enhance your travel experience. From cost savings and greater vehicle selection to time savings and enhanced convenience, early booking provides a range of advantages that make your trip more enjoyable and stress-free. 

Whether planning a family vacation, a business trip, or a solo adventure on open road, securing your rental car ahead of time is a smart decision that can lead to a more seamless and satisfying travel experience. So, the next time you plan a trip, consider booking your rental car in advance and reap the many rewards it offers.

The Heart of Car Maintenance: Local Brisbane Mechanic

By
SM
-
Photo by Sten Rademaker on Unsplash

As Brisbane grows and evolves, so does the importance of reliable nearby offerings, mainly about car maintenance. A nearby Brisbane mechanic is not only a carrier company but a community pillar making sure the safety and capability of cars keep the metropolis moving. This article delves into the importance, benefits, and function of nearby mechanics in Brisbane, highlighting why those professionals are indispensable to vehicle owners and the broader community.

The Importance of Local Mechanics

Mechanics play an essential role within the automotive enterprise, offering vital offerings that maintain automobiles in top circumstances. In Brisbane, a metropolis regarded for its bustling lifestyle and enormous suburban regions, the need for straightforward and professional mechanics is paramount. These professionals provide more than a few offerings, from routine protection to complicated repairs, making sure that automobiles function effectively and adequately. When looking for a nearby Brisbane mechanic, it is essential to locate one who knows the specific riding conditions of the vicinity.

A local Brisbane mechanic is specifically valuable due to the fact they understand the unique use conditions of the place. Whether it’s navigating the urban streets of the CBD, driving through the scenic routes of Mount Coot-tha, or handling the coastal weather near Redcliffe, these mechanics tailor their offerings to fulfill the specific needs of neighborhood drivers. Their familiarity with the local environment allows them to offer more unique and effective maintenance, addressing problems that might be overlooked with the aid of less experienced technicians.

Personalized and Community-Centric Service

One of the standout functions of a neighborhood Brisbane mechanic is the customized service they provide. Unlike large, impersonal chain stores, a neighborhood Brisbane mechanic builds relationships with their customers. They regularly understand their clients by using calls, recognize their automobile history, and offer tailor-made advice based totally on individual needs. This customized technique fosters acceptance as true and loyalty, ensuring that customers return whenever they want help.

Moreover, a local Brisbane mechanic is deeply incorporated into the Brisbane community. They participate in local events, help with network tasks, and frequently contribute to nearby economies by sourcing components and materials from close by suppliers. This network-centric technique not best blessings the mechanics but additionally strengthens the nearby economy, growing a symbiotic relationship between groups and citizens.

Expertise and Quality Workmanship

The understanding of a neighborhood Brisbane mechanic cannot be overstated. Many of these experts have years of revel in and large training, making them especially skilled in diagnosing and repairing an extensive variety of automobile problems. Their commitment to first-class workmanship ensures that upkeep is accomplished properly the primary time, lowering the chance of recurring troubles and saving clients time and money in the long run.

A local Brisbane mechanic often maintains up with the latest advancements in automotive generation, always updating their abilities to handle more recent automobile models and extra sophisticated structures. This willpower toward ongoing education ensures that they can provide top-notch providers, regardless of the complexity of the restoration or upkeep required.

Competitive Pricing and Transparent Services

Cost is a big issue for many vehicle owners whilst choosing a mechanic. A neighborhood Brisbane mechanic often gives aggressive pricing, providing great services at affordable fees. They are typically more obvious about their pricing structures, making sure that clients apprehend the expenses involved earlier than any work starts offevolved. This transparency builds trust and removes the concern of hidden charges, which is a common issue with larger, company restore stores.

Additionally, a neighborhood Brisbane mechanic is much more likely to offer flexible fee alternatives and personalized provider programs, catering to the various economic wishes of Brisbane residents. This flexibility guarantees that more human beings can get entry to critical vehicle maintenance services without straining their budgets.

Convenience and Accessibility

The convenience of having a neighborhood Brisbane mechanic can’t be underestimated. With several garages and workshops scattered throughout Brisbane’s suburbs and critical areas, finding a nearby mechanic is usually sincere. This accessibility is particularly beneficial in emergencies, wherein instantaneous interest is needed to cope with crucial problems.

A local Brisbane mechanic frequently gives extra offerings that enhance convenience, which include cellular upkeep, where the mechanic comes to the purchaser’s place, and after-hours services, accommodating people with busy schedules. These alternatives ensure that automobile preservation and maintenance can be managed with minimal disruption to each day’s lifestyles.

Environmental Responsibility

Many a nearby Brisbane mechanic also are dedicated to environmental sustainability. They put into effect eco-friendly practices, which include recycling used oil and elements, using environmentally friendly merchandise, and promoting using gas-green technologies. By adopting those practices, they make contributions to decreasing the environmental impact of automotive protection and repair activities.

Choosing the Right Local Mechanic

Selecting the proper local Brisbane mechanic includes considering several elements. Firstly, it’s critical to investigate and read opinions from other customers to gauge the first-rate of carrier supplied. Recommendations from pals and family also can be valuable, supplying insights based totally on personal reviews.

Visiting the mechanic’s workshop can offer a firsthand look at their operations. An easy, nicely organized shop is frequently indicative of professional and meticulous painting practices. 

Additionally, engaging in communication with the mechanic can help assess their information, communication competencies, and willingness to explain the repair manner clearly.

Finally, it’s essential to make sure that the local Brisbane mechanic is licensed and has the vital qualifications to perform the desired offerings. Certifications from identified automotive industry our bodies indicate a dedication to keeping excessive requirements of provider and professionalism.

Conclusion

In the dynamic and developing metropolis of Brisbane, a neighborhood Brisbane mechanic is greater than only a carrier company—they depend on partners to retain the safety and efficiency of the cars which can be necessary for regular existence. Their information, customized service, aggressive pricing, and commitment to the network lead them to an invaluable aid for automobile proprietors. By choosing a nearby Brisbane mechanic, citizens now not simplest ensure their vehicles are in capable arms but also support nearby agencies and contribute to the strength and resilience of their network.

Rick Ware Racing: Justin Haley/Kaz Grala Sonoma Race Advance

By
Official Release
-

JUSTIN HALEY | KAZ GRALA
Sonoma Advance

Event Overview

● Event: Save Mart 350k (Round 16 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 9
● Location: Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway
● Layout: 1.99-mile, 10-turn road course
● Laps/Miles: 110 laps/218.9 miles (352.3 kilometers)
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 25 laps / Stage 2: 30 laps / Final Stage: 55 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Justin Haley, Driver of the No. 51 Jacob Construction Ford Mustang Dark Horse

● As the NASCAR Cup Series treks to Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, Rick Ware Racing (RWR) driver Justin Haley hopes to keep the ball rolling for the No. 51 Jacob Construction team after scoring its second top-10 of the season. Haley’s ninth-place finish at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) in Madison, Illinois, was his best at the 1.25-mile track and matched his best finish this season for RWR.

● The newly repaved, 1.99-mile, 10-turn road course in Sonoma, where Haley owns three starts with a best finish of 12th, earned in 2022, is the perfect opportunity for the 25-year-old to better his top finish of the season. He’s already shown the No. 51 team is capable of carrying speed through left- and right-hand turns after a standout performance in the first road-course event of the year March 24 at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. Haley crossed the finish line fourth but the result was later nullified with a disqualification following post-race technical inspection.

● The showing at COTA wasn’t a surprise coming from Haley, who has two top-five finishes and three top-10s among 19 Cup Series road-course starts, and has led 23 laps en route to a runner-up finish at last year’s inaugural Chicago Street Race. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he owns four top-fives and 10 top-10s in 16 road-course starts, including two runner-up finishes – 2020 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and 2021 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington.

● Following Sunday’s race at WWTR, Haley stands sixth among drivers in laps completed (4,328) and miles completed (5,407.04), and first among the Ford drivers in the same categories. His eight lead-lap finishes through the first 15 races surpasses a season total for any RWR driver to date. In addition, Haley’s ninth-place finishes, earned in two of the last three races, mark the first time an RWR driver has earned top-10 finishes in the same timeframe.

Kaz Grala, Driver of the No. 15 N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang Dark Horse

● Grala returns to the No. 15 N29 Capital Partners Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RWR for his first Sonoma start in the Cup Series. Grala does own one Xfinity Series start at at the track, which resulted in an 20th-place finish in 2023. The 25-year-old driver has four top-fives and eight top-10s in 19 Xfinity Series starts on road courses with a best finish of fourth earned in 2020 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

● Grala finished 14th in his lone NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Sonoma in 2022 and also competed in the ARCA Menards Series West event at the track in 2015, finishing 17th.

● Grala’s first career Cup Series start came in 2020 on the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway road course. He started 10th in the field of 39 cars piloting the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing entry and led three laps en route to a seventh-place finish. It’s his best finish in three Cup Series starts on road courses.

● The Boston native is no stranger to making left and right turns. In 2014, at the age of 15, Grala became the youngest driver ever to compete in an IMSA event when he drove in the Michelin Pilot Challenge. Two years later, he made his debut in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, where he was the youngest driver in the field, co-piloting a GT3-class car for RWR president Robby Benton.

Rick Ware Racing Notes

● Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series Top Fuel driver Clay Millican heads to Bristol, Tennesse for this weekend’s Thunder Valley Nationals. The RWR driver advanced to semifinals last weekend at the New England Nationals in Epping, New Hampshire, where he was bested by Tony Schumacher. Millican moved up to sixth in the driver standings with his semifinal result.

● Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age six when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver seat and into fulltime team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that fields two fulltime entries in the NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), where RWR won the 2022 SX2 championship with rider Shane McElrath.

Justin Haley, Driver Q&A

When you start to knock down consistent top-10 finishes, there’s a lot of talk about momentum. Do you feel like momentum is real, or is it just the result of hard work?

“A little bit. The better you run, it just kind of snowballs and this sport has always been like that. People have always said once you get your first one, the rest are easier, and not that we’ve won but it’s kind of the same theory. But it is the work that’s put in. You try so hard to have those good runs and, once you get it, you know what led to it and it’s going to keep producing those good runs. You have that setup, you have your notes, and then you just go from there. So yeah, we’ve got a lot of momentum right now and have had it over the past few weeks. We’ve been really good. I feel like even our Charlotte race could have been a lot better if we would have been able to finish the whole distance. The cars are driving really well right now. They’re super fast and competitive.”

What will be the biggest challenge at Sonoma this weekend?

“Going into Sonoma this year, the repave is the talk of the town. I know there’s been some tire testing out there and stuff like that. I’ve heard the cars that tested were around three seconds faster than they we’ve been in the past, so that will make it interesting – the tire fall-off and the tire wear and the tire heat and things like that. You really had to manage your stuff for a run in the past. I’m curious to go out and see if the same old bumps around the track are still there or if repave has taken those out. I feel like I’ve always been decent at Sonoma. We were really quick at COTA and qualified in the top-15, so if we have anything similar to the package we had a COTA, I feel like we will be quite competitive.”

Kaz Grala, Driver Q&A

This Sunday will mark your first Cup Series start at Sonoma, but it’s not your first time competing on the track. How comfortable do you feel about this weekend’s race?

“Sonoma is a track I’ve really enjoyed racing at in the past. I think the repave is a bit of an unknown for everyone, but it seems like we’ll be seeing a bit more speed than what the track has allowed in the past. The RWR cars have been really competitive over the last few weeks and I think we learned a lot at the first road course of the year, so we should be able to keep things moving in the right direction.”

What makes a road course enjoyable for a driver?

“I think it depends on your background and the type of driver you are. Success always helps, and I’ve done really well on the more technical road courses, and I’ve had the benefit of running road courses all throughout my career. I think that helps a lot in certain situations. If you get behind, you know what you need to do to get back to the front and that you’re capable. I don’t need to overthink or stress about where we qualify or if we have a bad pit stop because I know I have the tools to get that position back and give the No. 15 team a good finish.”

Burton, DEX Imaging Team Getting Ready For Repaved Sonoma

By
Official Release
-

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team are set to take on the newly repaved Sonoma Raceway.

It’s the first repave of the entire track in 23 years, and that has teams like Burton and the DEX Imaging crew looking for higher speeds on the 10-turn, 1.99-mile layout.

“This will be an interesting week with Sonoma having been repaved,” said crew chief Jeremy Bullins. “It’s always been a hot, slick weekend, but now the track will have a lot of grip.

“Based on the testing that’s happened the lap times will be a lot faster.”

The weekend schedule has been crafted to allow teams and drivers extra time to adapt to the new surface.

“It will be nice to get a practice this weekend and be able to try some changes we don’t normally get to make and keep working on our race cars,” Bullins said. “The repave will also probably impact the race strategy as we will see a lot less fall off [of speeds during a run] than your typical Sonoma race.”

A 50-minute practice session is set for Friday at 2:05 p.m. local time (5:05 Eastern Time) with TV coverage on FOX Sports 1.

Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday at 3 p.m. (6 p.m. Eastern) with FOX Sports 2 carrying the TV coverage.

Sunday’s 110-lap, 218.9-mile race is expected to get the green flag just after 12:30 p.m. (3:30 Eastern) with TV coverage on FOX.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 25 and 55.

About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.

Zach Top to headline AMS pre-race concert on Sept. 8

By
Official Release
-

HAMPTON, Ga. (June 5, 2024) – Zach Top will get fans revved up for the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs at Atlanta Motor Speedway with his catalog of old-school country music on Sunday, Sept. 8.

The speedway’s frontstretch will be jamming with the sounds of Top’s take on traditional country music through songs like “Sounds Like the Radio”, “There’s the Sun”, and “Bad Luck” as he performs on the AMS pre-race stage. Top’s concert will be the headline act leading up to pre-race ceremonies and the start of the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart.

Top’s flavor of classic-style country was shaped by his upbringing; Top would listen to legendary 90’s country artists while working on his family’s ranch in Sunnyside, Wash. Classic sounds from country traditionalists like George Strait, Randy Travis, and Keith Whitley inspired Top’s craft, which he honed throughout his teenage years and early twenties by playing in various bluegrass bands. Since moving to Nashville in 2021 Top has made his mark as an artist to watch, most recently with the release of his debut album Cold Beer & Country Music earlier this year.

Fans with pre-race track passes get stage-front access to Top’s concert and access to pit road, AMS victory lane, and stage-front access to driver introductions. Limited pre-race track passes are available; Insiders Club season ticketholders can get pre-race track passes for a discounted price of $65; all other fans can experience the pre-race festivities up close for $75, or $35 for kids 12 and under.

Ticketholders who do not have a pre-race track pass can still enjoy Top’s concert from their grandstand seat as part of their admission to the Sept. 8 Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart.

Tickets and camping accommodations for the Sept. 6-8 Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart NASCAR weekend are available at www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

About the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart:

The Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart kicks off the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. 16 drivers begin their quest to hoist the Brian France trophy on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s high banks on Sunday, Sept. 8.

Accompanying the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart is the Focused Health 250 on Saturday, Sept. 7. With just three races remaining in the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season, the rising stars of NASCAR will have added pressure to secure their place in the postseason with a trip to victory lane.

More information on the Sept. 6-8 Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart weekend and ticket availability can be found online at AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

Follow Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Keep track of all of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s events by following on Twitter, Instagram, and become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Atlanta Motor Speedway mobile app.

Toyota Racing Weekly Preview 06.05.24

By
Official Release
-

This Week in Motorsports: June 3 – 10, 2024

· NCS/NXS/ARCA WEST: Sonoma Raceway – June 7-9
· NHRA: Bristol Dragway – June 7-9

PLANO, Texas (June 5, 2024) – NASCAR’s Cup and Xfinity Series are back on the west coast at Sonoma Raceway, with the weekend culminating with the Toyota/Save Mart 350. The two series will be joined at the California circuit by the ARCA Menards Series West, who’s back in action after Portland last weekend. NHRA heads to Bristol Dragway for the eighth race of their 2024 season.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS

Toyota takes over manufacturer’s points lead … After Sunday’s race at Gateway, Toyota is now the Cup Series manufacturer’s points standing leaders going into Sonoma this weekend. This is the first time Toyota has led the standings this season as it seeks its first manufacturer’s championship since 2016.

Hamlin’s top-five streak continues … A second-place finish last weekend in Gateway now makes it five consecutive top-fives for Denny Hamlin. The Cup Series points leader has four career top-fives at Sonoma and is the defending pole-winner as he seeks another high finish to retain and extend his points lead with 11 races remaining in the regular season.

Truex returns to favorable Sonoma … Currently fourth in the Cup Series points standings, Martin Truex Jr. is back at Sonoma Raceway where he’s been ultra-successful of late. The New Jersey native has four wins in the last seven races on the 1.99-mile road course, including a victory last year. Another triumph would be Truex’s first of the 2024 season as he looks to officially lock himself into the Playoffs.

Smith, Creed hold steady in points top-10 … Following a wild race at Portland last weekend, Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chandler Smith and Sheldon Creed continue inside the top-10 of the Xfinity Series points standings in third and eighth, respectively. Smith has already locked himself into the Xfinity Series Playoffs via his two wins earlier this season and Creed seeks to do the same this weekend at Sonoma with 12 races remaining in the regular season.

Nemechek back in Xfinity Series … For the first time since COTA back in March, John Hunter Nemechek is back in the Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing, piloting the No. 20 GR Supra this weekend. Nemechek has made one career Xfinity Series start at Sonoma (last season) and is looking for his second win of 2024 to couple his Las Vegas triumph from March.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA West

Toyota well represented at Sonoma … For this weekend’s ARCA Menards Series West race, Toyota’s driver development program will once again be well represented. Gio Ruggiero, Isabella Robusto and Brent Crews will all be running Toyota Camrys for Venturini Motorsports this weekend, while William Sawalich, coming off his win at Portland, will once again drive for Joe Gibbs Racing. Sawalich looks for his third win in the first four ARCA Menards Series West races this season.

NHRA – Top Fuel | Funny Car

Top Fuel win streak now at eight … Following Doug Kalitta’s thrilling win at Epping last weekend, Toyota has now won eight consecutive Top Fuel events on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series circuit, including the first seven races of 2024. Toyota’s six Top Fuel racers will have ideal chances to extend the streak to nine this weekend at Bristol Dragway, including category points leader, Justin Ashley, who goes for a personal three-peat at the Tennessee drag strip.

Toyota seeks Bristol Funny Car four-peat … Bristol Dragway has been a favorable spot for Toyota’s Funny Car program with this weekend offering a chance for a fourth consecutive win. Ron Capps enters the weekend as the two-time defending winner of the Thunder Valley Nationals and Alexis DeJoria was victorious in 2021. Another triumph by either would be paramount at this point in the season, as well as for J.R. Todd who’s in the middle of the Funny Car championship fight.

500 career round wins on the table for Torrence … Should he advance to at least the semifinals this weekend at Bristol, Steve Torrence will have 500 round wins in his historic NHRA career. A semifinals appearance, and more, would mean wonders for Torrence who currently sits fourth in the Top Fuel points standings as he looks to close in on his Toyota teammates ahead of him in search of his fourth world championship.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 49,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 34 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 28 electrified options.

Through its Driving Possibilities initiative, the Toyota USA Foundation has committed to creating innovative educational programs within, and in partnership with, historically underserved and diverse communities near the company’s U.S. operating sites.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

JR Motorsports — NXS Sonoma Preview

By
Official Release
-

JR Motorsports Team Preview
TRACK – Sonoma Raceway (1.99 mile road-course)
NXS RACE – Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 250 (79 laps / 156.95 miles)
TUNE IN – FS1, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 8:00 p.m. (ET)

Sam Mayer
No. 1 MyRTIC Personalization Chevrolet
Mayer 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 13
Wins: 1
Top 5s: 5
Top 10s: 6
Laps Led: 62
Avg. Finish: 18.2
Points: 12th

  • Sam Mayer heads to Sonoma Raceway looking for his fourth career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory on a record course.
  • The young driver will be making only his second start at the 1.99-mile road course as he is coming off a 10th-place finish in this event last season.
  • The Franklin, Wis. native earned his first NXS Pole Award of the 2024 season at Portland last Saturday and was running in the top-three late in the event before suffering a flat left-ear tire.
  • The No. 1 MyRTIC Personalization Chevrolet will carry the RTIC Outdoors Father’s Day Sweepstakes winner, Steve Wolfe, above the passenger-side door for Saturday’s event.

Sam Mayer

“I am eager to get back to Sonoma and top our 10th-place effort from last season with yet another road-course victory. This No. 1 JR Motorsports team has given me absolute rocket ships this season and I know with all the hard work and time these guys have put in we will get back in Victory Lane very soon. Really excited to have our friends at RTIC back on board with a brand-new MyRTIC Personalization paint scheme.”

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Proud BRANDT Partners Chevrolet
Allgaier 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 13
Wins: 1
Top 5s: 4
Top 10s: 6
Laps Led: 473
Avg. Finish: 15.2
Points: 4th

  • Justin Allgaier finished seventh in last season’s inaugural NXS event at Sonoma.
  • Overall, in his NXS career on road courses, Allgaier has scored a combined three wins, 19 top-fives and 33 top-10’s in 55 starts.
  • Last weekend at the road course in Portland, Allgaier swept both stages en route to a runner-up finish.
  • This weekend, Allgaier’s familiar No. 7 Chevrolet will feature the brands of BRANDT Professional Agriculture, TradeMark Nitrogen, Rev1 Energy and Precision Build.

Justin Allgaier

“We were really strong last weekend in Portland and I feel extremely confident that we will be just as quick in Sonoma. We were in position for a solid top-five here last year before we had some power steering issues, and I know that we will be just as capable of running even better when we get to the track on Friday. This group is ready to go and hopefully we can put on a great show for everyone at BRANDT Professional Agriculture, TradeMark Nitrogen, Rev1 Energy and Precision Build.”

Sammy Smith
No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet
Smith 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 13
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 2
Top 10s: 8
Laps Led: 50
Avg. Finish: 15.7
Points: 10th

  • Sammy Smith heads to Sonoma for the second time coming off a third-place finish at Portland last weekend.
  • In 12 career starts in the NXS on road courses, Smith has scored three top-fives and five top-10’s.
  • Smith finished ninth at Sonoma in 2023 for his first time on the 1.99-mile road-course.
  • Pilot Flying J will share the TV panel with Cheema Freightlines LLC, a trucking company originating in Lathrop, CA who is dedicated to delivering excellence for their customers.

Sammy Smith

“Having two third-place finishes in a row is a great confidence boost for this No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team. We’ve been running well but to finally break into the top-five is a great feeling as we head back to the West Coast for our second consecutive road course. We hope to get Pilot Flying J where they belong in Victory Lane.”

Brandon Jones
No. 9 Menards / JELD-WEN Chevrolet
Jones 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 13
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 1
Top 10s: 5
Laps Led: 20
Avg. Finish: 17.8
Points: 13th

  • Brandon Jones has made 42 starts on road courses in the NXS and has accumulated five top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. His best finish of second came at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course during the 2020 season.
  • After qualifying on the pole last weekend in the ARCA Menards Series at Portland, the 27-year-old Georgia native will be making his sixth road-course start this weekend.
  • JELD-WEN, a global manufacturer of interior and exterior building products, will be making a repeat appearance on the hood of Jones’ No. 9 Chevrolet this weekend. The company was previously featured earlier this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Brandon Jones

“After the tough time we had at Portland I am looking forward to going back to Sonoma this weekend. I know this No. 9 team is putting in the work this week to give me another fast car and Phillip (Bell, crew chief) and I have been working on our strategy, so I am hoping for a good race and to be in contention for the win at the end.”

JRM Team Updates

JR Motorsports at Sonoma Raceway: JR Motorsports has competed at Sonoma Raceway a combined four times with the NXS since its first trip there in 2023. In those starts at the 1.99-mile road course, the organization has recorded two top-10s, with an average finish of 17.8.

Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith, Brandon Jones will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, June 8 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. PT.

ABEL Motorsports trio back in action at Road America

By
Official Release
-
Indianapolis, IN - during the INDYCAR Sonsio Grand Prix in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Chris Jones | IMS Photo)
  • Jacob Abel holds a 25-point INDY NXT by Firestone championship lead heading into the second of two successive race weekends
  • Yuven Sundaramoorthy (Wisconsin) and Jordan Missig (Illinois) both consider Road America their home track

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (5 June 2024) – ABEL Motorsports heads to this weekend’s INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Road America with plenty of storylines, and a driver trio that includes the points leader (Jacob Abel) and two local drivers (Yuven Sundaramoorthy and Jordan Missig).

All three drivers have a great deal of experience on the historic 4.048-mile road course termed “America’s National Park of Speed” through their junior formula careers and, in Missig’s case, his sports car career as well.

Born in Oconomowoc, Wis., Sundaramoorthy figures that between June Sprints, F1600 Championship races, and the USF Pro Championships, he has raced at Road America 20 times. His family moved to China for his father’s work when he was three years old, then moved near Albany, NY when he was 10, but Wisconsin remained a mythical figure in his life.

“Growing up, I would always say that I was from Wisconsin. My parents always bought me Badger stuff growing up because I was into the Wisconsin sports. It’s always been a faint memory in the back of my mind, and I knew I wanted to go to college there.”

Graduating from the University of Wisconsin at Madison last year with a degree in computer science, Sundaramoorthy came away from school with much more than just a degree – his time in Formula SAE gave him practice, real-world knowledge that he puts to use as a race car driver.

Sundaramoorthy will drive the Formula SAE electric vehicle he helped build while studying computer science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The student team will compete for the electric vehicle championship title at Michigan International Speedway, against as many as 119 university-based teams from all over the world.

“Working with the Formula SAE team gave me so much valuable experience, including ways to use my computer science knowledge with a connection to racing. Through the FSAE team, I got to understand more of the intricacies of a race car, more of the physics side of the car, which has given me more of an understanding of the details behind the car – instead of just being the driver.”

With such a short turnaround between Detroit and Road America, the ABEL team was grateful to come away from last weekend’s street fight with very little damage and for Abel, still holding the points lead. With two podiums and four top fives in six junior formula races at Road America (including last year’s INDY NXT second place finish), Abel considers the scenic road course to be one of his best. It’s also the very first racetrack he visited.

“I feel as though last year’s race was a win that got away from us,” said Abel. “We got unlucky in qualifying and started back in the field but drove up to second. It’s one of our best tracks so I’m looking forward to it. It’s also one of my best memories – it’s the very first track I attended. I was in fourth or fifth grade and my grandfather took me out of school to go see my dad in the vintage races there. I’ve been going there at least 15 years so it holds a very special place in my heart.

“Last year was a crucial year at Road America, because of the new surface,” continued Abel. “We were all still learning the Firestone tires last year and they adapted to that new surface well, so it’s a high-speed, high grip track now. You just have to have confidence out there and as a third-year driver in the series, I’m confident with the car and tire at Road America.”

Missig, from Joliet, Ill. returns to the team for what he considers to be his home race.

“This track has meant a lot to me over the years – it’s given me a lot of wins and a lot of great finishes so I’m hoping to deliver more of that kind of results this weekend,” said Missig, who earned two Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series victories at Road America in 2021, on his way to a third-place finish in the championship. “But this weekend is also special because most of the crew from Autobahn Country Club is coming up to support me, including executives and members. It will be fun to be racing in front of the hometown fans and people who are important to me, on the biggest stage that I’ve been on.”

ABEL Motorsports thanks partners ABEL Construction Company, Advance Ready Mix, Boyd Cat®, S Team Motorsports and OMP for their continued support.

The INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Road America takes the green flag Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET. The race will be streamed live in the U.S. on Peacock, while international viewers can watch via INDYCARLIVE, with INDYCAR Radio available at indycar.com and on Sirius XM.

About ABEL Motorsports: Team principal Bill Abel began racing motocross in 1972, earning numerous championship titles as he continued the family racing tradition. In 2015, ABEL Motorsports was launched, starting in the USF2000 series and building up the junior open wheel ladder. The team captured the inaugural Formula Regional Americas Championship with driver Kyle Kirkwood in 2018.

ABEL Motorsports currently competes in the INDY NXT by Firestone series, the official development series for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, led by third-generation driver Jacob Abel. The team made its INDYCAR debut in 2023 with driver RC Enerson in the Indianapolis 500. For more information visit the official team website at abelmotorsports.com.

About Abel Construction Company: ABEL Construction is one of the largest general contractors in Kentucky, holding licenses in thirteen states. The company has offices in Lexington, Kentucky and Indianapolis, Indiana, with the corporate office in Louisville. Their expertise spans many areas, including general contracting, construction management, design-build, Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), and facilities maintenance.

Abel Construction has helped build some of the region’s most recognizable landmarks. Their projects cover diverse sectors, including automotive, healthcare, post-secondary education, commercial, food/beverage, tech, and industrial/manufacturing. They prioritize client satisfaction, focusing on efficient project delivery regardless of size or cost. The company’s skilled professionals utilize cutting-edge technology and software to ensure successful outcomes. abelconstruct.com/.

ABEL Motorsports social media

Facebook: ABEL Motorsports
Twitter/X: ABEL Motorsports
Instagram: ABEL Motorsports

RFK Unveils Collaborative Scheme with BuildSubmarines.com, Boston Red Sox

By
Official Release
-

No. 6 BuildSubmarines.com Ford to Carry Red Sox Colors in New England Region

CONCORD, N.C. (June 5, 2024) – RFK Racing has unveiled a unique scheme for the upcoming race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, showcasing the team’s ties to the Boston Red Sox and BuildSubmarines.com assets.

BlueForge Alliance (BFA), the non-profit integrator for the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base (SIB), owns and operates BuildSubmarines.com, a recruiting platform for maritime manufacturing careers and training opportunities. Starting with the 2024 season, BFA has teamed up with the Boston Red Sox to showcase career opportunities at more than 1,600 industrial base suppliers across the six-state New England region during the MLB season.

This includes careers at General Dynamics Electric Boat, a prime shipbuilder of Navy submarines, located in Groton, Connecticut. Electric Boat will also be on the hood of the No. 6 Ford Mustang for the Loudon NASCAR race.

“Our partnerships with RFK Racing and the Boston Red Sox are highlighting skilled trades careers in the maritime industry which contribute to the construction of Navy submarines,” said Kiley Wren, Co-Founder and Chief Executive, BlueForge Alliance. “With NASCAR’s annual visit to New England, and our collaboration with one of the region’s most storied sports franchises, we are creating a prime platform to present these stable, family-sustaining, purpose-filled jobs to millions of NASCAR and baseball fans in the region and across the country. We look forward to knocking this out of the park with our friends at RFK and the Red Sox.”

Brad Keselowski’s No. 6 car will feature a prominent Red Sox livery for race weekend in Loudon later this month, a look that throws back to the scheme Carl Edwards made famous in 2007 in the No. 99 Ford. In addition to the car graphics, Keselowski’s firesuit for the weekend will also resemble that of a baseball uniform, as the team has also changed the No. 6 number font to match the scheme from 2007.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway is the site of two wins for Keselowski as the track stands as his best on the circuit statistically with a 9.8 average finish. Overall, Keselowski has finished inside the top-10 in 16 career events at New Hampshire, 10 of which were top five results.

Track activity at New Hampshire begins Saturday (June 22) with practice and qualifying, with race coverage set for Sunday (June 23) at 2:30 p.m. ET (USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

About RFK Racing
RFK Racing, in its 37th season in 2024, features an ownership lineup pairing one of the sport’s most iconic names, Jack Roush, along with NASCAR Champion, Brad Keselowski, and Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry. Roush initially founded the team in 1988 and it has since become one of the most successful racing operations in the world, propelling him to be the first NASCAR owner to amass three hundred wins and capturing eight championships, including back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. Keselowski, a former owner in the NASCAR Truck Series, is the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. In 2007, Roush partnered with Henry, who also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to form Roush Fenway Racing. Off the track, RFK is a leader and proven winner in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning social media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Visit rfkracing.com, and follow the team on all social platforms @rfkracing.

Stewart-Haas Racing: Sonoma NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)

By
Official Release
-

COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
Sonoma NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance
NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

  • Event: Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 250 (Round 14 of 33)
  • Date: Saturday, June 8
  • Location: Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway
  • Layout: 1.99-mile, 10-turn road course
  • Time/TV/Radio: 8 p.m. EDT on FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

  • “Stone” Cole Custer, who is known for his trademark beer-smashing victory celebrations, will gladly trade the beer for one of Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway’s signature wine toasts in victory lane this weekend as he heads to Wine Country for Saturday’s Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 250. The Ladera Ranch, California native will return to his home state for the first time this season after welcoming nearly 100 family members to the track for last weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway. Custer started fourth for the 75-lap event at Portland and ran in the top-10 for a majority of the race, picking up a total of 13 points through his finishes in the opening two stages. While some pit stop issues put him back in the field as the race was nearing its end, Custer was able to fight his way back into the top-10 in the closing laps. His Ford Mustang crossed the finish line sixth, marking his 10th top-10 of the 2024 season, all coming in the last 11 races. While he is still searching for his first win of the season, Custer has had his eye on the back-to-back road-course events at Portland and Sonoma after scoring his first win of 2023 at Portland.
  • Saturday’s Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 250 will mark the second time that Custer will race at Sonoma in the Xfinity Series. Custer can still claim a leg up on his fellow fulltime competitors at the 1.99-mile, 10-turn circuit though with two NASCAR Cup Series starts there, three in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, and one in the ARCA Menards Series West. The 26-year-old driver earned a best Cup Series finish of 20th in June 2021. His best K&N Series finish was fourth in June 2019, while he earned an 18th-place result in his lone ARCA start. In his first Xfinity Series start there last June, Custer finished sixth after rebounding from a 26th-place qualifying effort.
  • Leaving Portland last Saturday, the Xfinity Series saw a new points leader – Cole Custer. Despite having yet to score his first win of the season, the driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse has used his consistency, strong runs, and stage points to climb to the top of the standings for the first time since he won the 2023 Xfinity Series championship in November. He has an 18-point advantage over second-place Austin Hill. With 13 races to go until the playoffs begin Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Custer is currently seventh in the playoff standings, highest among winless drivers and 167 points above the top-12 cutline. With the mantra of “Win and you’re in,” Custer and the team would like nothing more than to score a win so the points racing can be put aside. Still, he and the team seem to be in a good position to point their way into the playoffs and snatch not only the regular-season championship trophy, but the 15 valuable playoff points that go with it.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

  • Las Vegas native Riley Herbst is excited to stay out on the West Coast for the Xfinity Series’ second of back-to-back road-course weekends, featuring Saturday’s Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 250 at Sonoma. The driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing showed off more of the speed he’s had all season in last Saturday’s 75-lap event at Portland. After posting the fastest lap in his first-round qualifying group, Herbst went on to grab the third spot in final qualifying. At the drop of the green flag, Herbst wasted no time passing front-row starters Sam Mayer and Shane Van Gisbergen in the first turn. He held the lead for the first 15 laps – his first career laps led at Portland – before Justin Allgaier got by him. Herbst finished second in Stage 1 to earn nine bonus points, then finished seventh in Stage 2 to earn an additional four bonus points. While several spins and issues put him back in the pack in the final stage, Herbst showed his perseverance and drove his way up to 10th place by the checkered flag. It was his fifth top-10 of the season and his first at Portland. He looks to carry that momentum into this weekend’s outing in Wine Country.
  • Saturday’s race at Sonoma will be Herbst’s second at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. In the series’ inaugural race last season, he rebounded from his 23rd-place qualifying effort to finish 15th. While the series has only visited the 1.99-mile, 10-turn road course just once, Herbst has two starts there in other series – one in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and one in the ARCA Menards Series West. His K&N start came in June 2016 at the age of 17, when Herbst started 10th and finished the 64-lap race fifth in the No. 19 car for owner Bill McAnally. During last year’s inaugural Xfinity Series race weekend, Herbst added some extra seat time in the ARCA race, qualifying sixth for the 64-lap race and running in the top-five for a majority of it. He finished third behind runner-up Sammy Smith and race-winner Ryan Preece.
  • Knowing the summer months of the Xfinity Series schedule can make or break a driver and team’s chances of locking in a spot in the playoffs, Herbst and the No. 98 Monster Energy team will be highly focused on the championship picture. After just barely missing the top-12 cutoff last season, Herbst is on a mission for redemption as he heads into the final 13 races of the regular season, many of which he struggled at last season. His 10th-place finish at Portland last weekend bested by far his 32nd-place finish there in 2023. Herbst heads to Sonoma seventh in the driver standings, just two points behind sixth-place A.J. Allmendinger, and with a 24-point advantage over eight-place Sheldon Creed. Herbst is ninth in the playoff standings, third-highest of the winless drivers, with a 70-point advantage to the top-12 cutline. To help secure his position in the standings, Herbst has collected a total of 117 stage points throughout the season so far, the third highest among Xfintiy Series regulars, only behind Austin Hill and Allgaier.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Saturday’s race will mark the second Xfinity Series race at Sonoma, but you’ve raced there several other times in the NASCAR Cup Series and the ARCA Menards Series West. Throwing in a curveball this season, however, is the Sonoma repave that happened after last year’s race. What are you expecting for this weekend’s race, given your experience at the track and your overall success on road courses in the past?

“I don’t think anyone knows how this repave will affect the cars. No one has really been on it, yet, to test it out. Thankfully, we get an entire practice session on Friday to try to learn it and get our cars set up just right for Saturday’s race. It’s one of the few times that we get a full practice session throughout the season, so I’m excited. With all that said, Sonoma is now my home track in NASCAR with Auto Club Speedway being taken off the schedule. It’s always fun going back to California to race. On top of that, we’ve had some strong runs at Sonoma in the past. I know we struggled in qualifying last year, but I think you’ll see us riding some momentum from Portland. We’ll have a shot at parking our No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse in victory lane as long as we can stay out of trouble and put together a good race. It’ll be difficult, but I have faith in this team that we can get it done.”

Heading into the summer months, you’ll be faced with the challenge of racing non-stop until the July 20 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway at a variety of racetracks. Is there a certain style of track that you’re looking forward to more so than the others?

“We really do touch almost every kind of track during this stretch of summer months. We’ll go from back-to-back road courses to a short track, to an intermediate, and then throw in a curveball with the Chicago Street Course, which also drives so much differently from a traditional road course. I can’t say that I’m more excited for one than the other, though. We’ve built a really good notebook in the Xfinity Series at Stewart-Haas for every kind of track, so I’m confident when we roll into each race weekend. You always put more expectations on the races you’ve won before, but it’s also exciting to go back to Iowa after a few years away and we’re going back to the traditional Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. There’s going to be a lot of good races coming up and I know we can be competitors each and every weekend.”

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse

You’re heading into your second of back-to-back road courses before you then head to a short track, and then intermediate tracks. Each type of racetrack comes with its own challenges, but which ones are you looking forward to the most this summer?

“As a driver, you obviously have to be ready for whatever type of track is heading your way. Still, I’m definitely excited for Iowa and Nashville coming up. Those have always been fun tracks for me. Iowa was where I got my first Xfinity Series start back in 2018 and I finished sixth. Obviously, there was a lot to learn in that race, but it’s also fun to go back to a place like that when it has that memory. Nashville will be a fun one, too. I’ve been fast there in the past, but last season it was where Davin (Restivo, crew chief) first joined the team. We ended up second and, while we had some bad luck in the summer months, we also learned a lot to help us get my first win later that season at Las Vegas. I think the No. 98 Monster Energy team will be strong competitors at all of the tracks, but those are definitely ones that I’m excited for as a driver.”

While you’ve only been to Sonoma once in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, you do have some experience there in the ARCA Menards Series West, formerly known as the K&N Pro Series West. What did you learn last year in both the ARCA and Xfinity race that you can carry over into Saturday’s race?

“It always helps a lot to have that extra time on the track in other series. Sonoma didn’t quite go our way last year, so it was frustrating. I had a strong day on Friday in the ARCA race, but then we didn’t qualify well in the Xfinity Series and it felt like we were playing catchup all day. Now, we’re heading into that same track, but with a repave. Thankfully we’ll get another full practice session on Friday to help us not only learn the track but get our setup just right. It’ll help me learn and prepare. Full practice sessions are still so rare in NASCAR after the pandemic. While it makes the weekends shorter, it definitely is a struggle for drivers who are just getting to a track and learning it for the first time. I’ve seen us really strive when we have time to get our setup better, so I’m excited for it. I know Sonoma can be a tricky road course, so we’ve been working hard to prepare for it, but we also have a chance to get better in that practice session. We had speed at Portland, so I’m hoping that carries over into Sonoma.”

1...1,0271,0281,029...6,741Page 1,028 of 6,741