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5 Ways a GPS Tracker Can Save You Money (Insurance, Theft Recovery)

By
SM
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Discover how a GPS tracker can save you money through insurance discounts, efficient theft recovery, and more. Learn five key ways this technology can lower costs and boost your vehicle’s security and efficiency.

1. Lower Insurance Premiums

Insurance companies focus on risk management, and that’s why they value GPS trackers. Many offer discounts for vehicles with these devices, as GPS reduces theft risk and simplifies recovery. This means lower payouts for insurers when theft occurs, allowing them to offer you lower premiums.

GPS trackers not only provide savings but are also sometimes required for insuring high-risk items. They can help negotiate coverage for items hard to value financially after theft, especially for commercial equipment where asset loss costs can be significant.

2. Faster Theft Recovery

Imagine this: your vehicle gets stolen. With a GPS tracker, recovery chances soar. Police can rapidly track down the vehicle, usually ensuring its quick and safe return. Without a GPS tracker, recovery could take longer, plus you might face extra costs like a deductible or getting a replacement vehicle.

One notable brand, Spy Spot, showcases how a GPS car tracker provides live tracking with reliable service to assist in theft recovery. It’s not just a tool; it’s your partner in faster theft resolution.

3. Improved Driver Behavior

Driver behavior significantly impacts vehicle safety and operating costs. GPS trackers monitor behaviors like speeding, sudden braking, and route efficiency, allowing drivers to pinpoint improvements, saving on fuel, and maintenance, and possibly reducing insurance costs from accidents. Data is crucial. ZenduIT’s platform analyzes driver safety and performance, offering actionable insights for informed, cost-effective decision-making on the road.

4. Reduced Fuel Costs

Fuel is a major ongoing expense for vehicle owners. A GPS tracker can help cut this hefty bill by offering real-time traffic updates and suggesting the most efficient routes, helping you avoid congestion and idling that waste fuel. Brands like Linxio provide GPS trackers designed to make every mile cost-effective and eco-friendly.

5. Better Fleet Management

For businesses with a fleet, GPS trackers are game-changers. They track locations, monitor driving habits, and optimize routes, saving on fuel, maintenance, insurance, and labor costs. It’s an efficiency booster many businesses don’t know they need.

Systems from companies like Spytec GPS scale your business, from a dozen to a thousand vehicles, simplifying operations management.

Conclusion

Investing in a GPS tracker is an investment in more than just finding your way. It’s about finding and keeping your finances secure. With the potential to save on insurance premiums, expedite theft recovery, refine driver behavior, cut your fuel costs, and streamline fleet management, a GPS tracker is a powerful, multifaceted tool that should be at the forefront of your vehicle security and savings strategy.

Kubota VIP Race Day Giveaway at Homestead-Miami Speedway

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Official Release
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The #1 car meets the #1-selling compact tractor in Kubota’s VIP Race Day Giveaway.

Between now and August 30, fans can enter for a chance to win a trip for two (2) to Miami for a VIP experience at Homestead-Miami Speedway from October 26 to October 28, which includes roundtrip airfare for two, two nights’ hotel accommodations, two tickets to the race, pit road access for Saturday’s practice, a tour of the pits, garage, and hauler, a meet-and-greet with Ross Chastain, and access to watch the race from pit road and a tour of the pit box.

The winner also receives their choice of a second trip for an exclusive tour of Trackhouse Racing’s headquarters in Concord, North Carolina, or a check for $1,000. To enter and for more information, visit www.KubotaRaceVIP.com.

Entry Dates: 6/3/24 – 8/30/24

Prize: The “Grand Prize” consists of a trip for the winner and one (1) guest (21+) to Miami, FL for a VIP stock car race experience from October 26, 2024 – October 28, 2024 (details below) and winner’s choice of either a) a second trip to Trackhouse in Concord, NC (details below) dates TBD based on winner and Trackhouse schedules (approximate value $2,650), or b) a check for $1,000 made out to the winner. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of the Grand Prize: $6,450 or $4,800, depending on the choice of prize.

Miami Trip (October 26 – 28, 2024): Includes two (2) roundtrip flights, two (2) nights’ hotel accommodations and two (2) tickets to the stock car race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, terms and conditions apply. The prize also includes pit road access for Saturday practice, a tour of pits, garage, and hauler, a short Meet and Greet with professional driver Ross Chastain, subject to availability, and access to watch the race from pit road and a tour of the pit box.

Concord Trip (if selected) (Dates TBD): Includes one (1) night’s hotel accommodations and a tour of Trackhouse Racing.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Open only to legal residents of the 50 US/DC, 21 years of age and older. Void where prohibited by law. The sweepstakes starts at or about 8:00 a.m. CT on 6/3/24 and ends at 11:59 p.m. CT on 8/30/24. Subject to Official Rules, including how to enter, prize details, odds, and restrictions, see info.kubotausa.com/vipraceday.

Sponsor: Kubota Tractor Corporation, 1000 Kubota Drive, Grapevine, TX 76051.

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: World Wide Technology Raceway

By
Jeffrey Boswell
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Photo by Simon Scoggins for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Note: The quotes in this column are fictional.

1. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished second in the Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway.

“What a finish!” Hamlin said. “I can’t believe Ryan Blaney ran out of gas on the final lap. Ryan must be fuming. Actually, I guess he was not fuming.”

2. Christopher Bell: Bell won the first two stages at World Wide Technology Raceway, but an engine issue late in the race ended his victory chances. He faded and eventually finished seventh.

“My car was so good for most of the race,” Bell said, “I thought I was going to coast to the win. My car was so bad later, I had to coast to the finish line.”

3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski took third in the Enjoy Illinois 300.

“I think we could have won the race,” Keselowski said. “All we needed was just a little luck. You know, the same kind of luck that benefitted Austin Cindric–two faster cars ahead going belly up.”

4. Ty Gibbs: Gibbs finished 11th in the Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway.

“Two words I didn’t think could ever be used in conjunction were ‘Enjoy’ and ‘Illinois,'” Gibbs said. “Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to come back to this state, but only if there’s a race here.”

5. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished 13th in the Enjoy Illinois 300.

“If we found out one thing on Sunday at WWTC,” Elliott said, “it’s that Cody Ware can’t drive worth a lick. He caused two accidents in the first 18 laps. It would make total sense if his middle name started with a ‘B,’ as in ‘B-Ware.’ He’s like a human caution flag.”

6. Ryan Blaney: Blaney led on the final lap at World Wide Technology Raceway but ran out of gas on the final lap, allowing Austin Cindric to steal the win in the Enjoy Illinois 300. Blaney finished 24th.

“This is heartbreaking,” Blaney said. “Not only for me but also for the person responsible for calculating fuel mileage. Actually, it’s worse for him. While I’m only out of gas, he’s out of a job.”

7. William Byron: Byron came home 15th at World Wide Technology Raceway as Hendrick Motorsports placed only one car in the top 10.

“My Hendrick teammate Kyle Larson knocked Kyle Busch out of the race,” Byron said. “I thought there might be a confrontation between the two after the race. But I think Busch has learned his lesson after what happened after the All-Star Race. He’s witnessed firsthand what these types of confrontations can result in—-some old man getting punched in the face by a driver.”

8. Kyle Larson: Larson finished 10th in the Enjoy Illinois 300.

“Stewart-Haas Racing is closing up shop at the end of this season,” Larson said. “Much like when their cars are on the track, I doubt anyone will notice when they are gone.”

9. Austin Cindric: Cindric pounced on the final lap when race leader Ryan Blaney ran out of gas to win the Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway.

“This puts me right in the Cup championship conversation,” Cindric said. “The first round of the Playoffs will likely take me out of it.”

10. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex suffered a flat left rear tire midday through the Enjoy Illinois 300. He fell two laps down and eventually finished 34th.

“It’s days like this that make me question my future in racing,” Truex said. “To be clear, by ‘days like this’ I don’t mean finishing 34th, but finishing behind the likes of Cody Ware and Corey Lajoie.”

TOP FUEL POINTS LEADER JUSTIN ASHLEY HOPES TO KEEP STREAK ALIVE AT SUPER GRIP NHRA THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS

By
Official Release
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BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 3, 2024) – If you’re NHRA Top Fuel points leader Justin Ashley, it would be hard not to love Bristol Dragway. Ashley has won back-to-back races in scenic Thunder Valley, including last year when he swept the weekend in incredible fashion, including the postponed Epping event, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge bonus race and the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

It may be hard to top that at this weekend’s 23rd annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, but Ashley will try as he seeks an impressive third straight victory at Bristol Dragway. Only Top Fuel legend Tony Schumacher and Pro Stock’s Mike Edwards have won three straight times in Thunder Valley, meaning Ashley will try to join some rarified air.

He’s enjoyed another banner year thus far in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, entering the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals as the points leader on the strength of two wins in his 11,000-horsepower Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster. As expected, the annual trip to Bristol is one Ashley enjoys a great deal.

“It’s one of the more challenging places we race, but it’s been a complete team effort there,” Ashley said. “Our team’s experience tuning and navigating this track has played a big part in it. Last year in Bristol was a weekend I’ll never forget and every time I go to Bristol from now on, it’s going to be something I think about. They absolutely pack the place in Bristol and it’s such a special place to race. With all the sounds that are so unique to that facility, I just have so many fond memories of racing there.”

Ashley (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Steve Johnson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) took home titles last year 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. It is the eighth of 20 races during the 2024 season and the fan-favorite Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge also takes place on Saturday, featuring semifinalists from last weekend’s NHRA New England Nationals.

Ashley won’t be part of the bonus race this year, experiencing a rare first-round defeat on Sunday. He’ll have an immediate chance to bounce back in Bristol, which could be one benefit of a busy June that features four race weekends.

But he’s also facing off against a deep Top Fuel class that includes reigning world champ Doug Kalitta, who won on Sunday in Epping, Antron Brown, Brittany Force, Steve Torrence, Shawn Langdon, Clay Millican and racing legend Tony Stewart, who is making his Bristol Top Fuel debut this weekend. Ashley, though, is eager to put last weekend behind him and see if he can create some more Bristol magic.

“This stretch is going to be critical for us to get into a rhythm,” Ashley said. “You can go from one race to the next and if you won the race before, it’s great. You can carry that momentum into the next one and if you lose, it might even be better because you don’t have to sit on it too long and suffer. You can go right to the next race. But in the summer months when it becomes hot, the tracks can be really challenging, so the people who are going to win are those who can go up and down the track.”

Capps won his second straight Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals last season when he defeated Alexis DeJoria in the finals. He’s looking for his first win of 2024 in a loaded group that includes points leader Austin Prock, John Force, who won Sunday in Epping, Gainesville winner J.R. Todd, reigning champ Matt Hagan and Bob Tasca III.

Enders, the reigning Pro Stock world champ, is after consecutive Bristol wins and also her 50th career national event victory this weekend. To do so, she’ll have to get past the likes of points leader Dallas Glenn, Greg Anderson, who has two wins this season, Jeg Coughlin Jr., Aaron Stanfield and Epping winner Troy Coughlin Jr.

Johnson, a veteran in Pro Stock Motorcycle, claimed his win over Gaige Herrera in 2023. Herrera, who won 11 events last year, went on to win the title in dominant fashion and is undefeated thus far in 2024. Other contenders include six-time champion Matt Smith, former champ LE Tonglet, John Hall, Hector Arana Jr. and Angie Smith.

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 4:30 and 7 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.

Fortify Building Solutions Joins Beard Motorsports, Alfredo at Talladega

By
Official Release
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25-Year Old Back Behind the Wheel of the No. 62 Chevrolet in the YellaWood 500

MT. PLEASANT, Michigan (June 3, 2024) – Beard Motorsports announced today that Fortify Building Solutions will be the primary sponsor for the No. 62 Chevrolet and driver Anthony Alfredo for the Oct. 6 NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

Fortify Building Solutions, part of Cornerstone Building Brands, offers North America’s most extensive selection of high-quality metal roofing, wall, and building solutions. Tailored for local builders, contractors, and homeowners, the brand’s 20-plus branch locations supply professionals and homeowners with hometown service and support, backed by a nationwide manufacturing and distribution network.

“We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with Beard Motorsports and driver Anthony Alfredo,” said Mike Pegues, General Manager of Retail Direct Sales at Fortify Building Solutions. “We believe Anthony’s dedication and passion on the track mirror our commitment to providing top-quality metal roofing, wall, and building materials to our communities and will bring excitement to our employees and customers.”

The YellaWood 500 will be the first foray into motorsports sponsorship for the Fortify Building Solutions brand, and it will be the fourth race of the 2024 NASCAR season for the family-owned Beard Motorsports team.

“We are very proud to be able to welcome Fortify Building Solutions, not only to Beard Motorsports but to the NASCAR Cup Series,” said Amie Beard, executive vice president of Beard Motorsports. “This sport is something our family is very passionate about and it’s exciting to be able to welcome new partners to NASCAR and share that passion. And Talladega is the perfect place for a new brand to make its debut. We are just so thankful for this new partnership and can’t wait to get to Talladega in October.”

This YellaWood 500 will be Alfredo’s third race with the No. 62 Beard Motorsports team. Alfredo joined Beard Motorsports for this year’s season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, where he finished 27th. He followed that up with a career-best sixth-place finish in the GEICO 500 at Talladega in April.

“I am so excited to have the opportunity to get back behind the wheel of the No. 62 Chevrolet Camaro for Beard Motorsports,” Alfredo said. “I am even more thankful for the support of Fortify Building Solutions for making it possible. This partnership really resonates with me, given my family background in the construction industry. I look forward to building a long-term relationship as strong as their metal building products.”

The No. 62 Fortify Building Solutions Chevrolet paint scheme will be revealed through social channels in the coming weeks.

About Fortify Building Solutions

Fortify Building Solutions is proud to provide builders, contractors and homeowners – across local communities and nationwide – with the broadest selection of metal roofing, wall and building products through our vast manufacturing and distribution network. As part of the Cornerstone Building Brands family, we are dedicated to offering personalized support and service to help our customers through every step of their project.

About Cornerstone Building Brands

Cornerstone Building Brands is the largest manufacturer of exterior building products for residential and low-rise non-residential buildings in North America. Headquartered in Cary, N.C., we serve residential and commercial customers across the new construction and repair and remodel markets. Our market-leading portfolio of products spans vinyl windows, vinyl siding, stone veneer, metal roofing, metal wall systems and metal accessories. Cornerstone Building Brands’ broad, multichannel distribution platform and expansive national footprint includes approximately 18,000 employees at manufacturing, distribution and office locations throughout North America. Corporate stewardship and environmental, social and governance responsibility are embedded in our culture. The company is committed to contributing positively to the communities where people live, work and play. For more information, visit us at www.cornerstonebuildingbrands.com.

AO Racing and Rexy Double Down for Victory in Motor City

By
Official Release
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DETROIT, Mich., (June 3, 2024) – Just weeks after the team’s first win in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, AO Racing celebrated their second consecutive win at the Detroit Sports Car Classic. The class victory extends their points lead in the GTD PRO class. Rexy, the No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 Rawr had a nail-biting race with drivers Sebastian Priaulx and Laurin Heinrich, persevering through contact to win on Corvette and Ford’s home turf.

”All of us at AO Racing are thrilled for our second IMSA victory with Rexy,” said AO Motorsports Director Gunnar Jeannette. “It was one of the most nerve-wracking finishes I’ve ever been a part of, in dealing with the car damage after contact. Our goals for this weekend were to have a clean race and come away with a top-five result, so to leave with our second victory and increased lead in points is fantastic.”

The tight, 1.654-mile, 9-turn temporary street course on Detroit’s waterfront set the scene for an exciting event. The 100-minute round was the first time the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship entrants competed in the race. With three practice sessions to learn the tight circuit, Priaulx qualified fourth in class. He performed flawlessly to open the race, closing out his stint in third place, behind the No. 4 Corvette and the No. 14 Lexus. After a perfect pit stop by the crew in pit lane, Heinrich took over the driving duties, in what was a caution-filled stint. He and Rexy narrowly survived an incident between the No. 4 and No. 14 cars, resulting in heavy damage to the front splitter as the green dinosaur-liveried Porsche navigated around the two cars to take the lead. Heinrich drove it to the finish line, parking Rexy in victory circle, once again the top finisher in the GTD PRO class.

The win continues the momentum for AO Racing, who will compete in their next IMSA WeatherTech event at Watkins Glen International’s Six Hours of The Glen, June 21 to June 23. Before then, the team’s LMP2 program travels to Le Mans, France, for the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, on Saturday, June 15. Testing begins this week before official practice sessions take place next week. The team will join forces with TF Sport to enter the event with Spike, AO’s purple and orange dragon. For more information, visit aoracing.com.

Driver Quotes

Sebastian Priaulx

What a great day. I kept the car clean on the start for Laurin and he was able to go and execute the result there for us. I’m really proud of the team. Everyone did a great job. It was a bit of luck, but we made our own today. I’m happy to have a car that was able to finish with the damage we had. I’m proud of Laurin and the team.

Laurin Heinrich

I’m really happy to get our second win in a row, back-to-back, in Detroit. It was not an easy race. Seb had a great qualifying and a good opening race stint to put us in that place, and then in the end, a great pit stop and strong out lap kept us going. We got a bit tight in the hairpin. I had nowhere to go and had contact with the Corvette, and from there, I had to nurse the car home with a lot of damage. I had to adapt my driving style a bit because the car didn’t want to go straight. I’m really happy to bring it home.

Championship in Play as Mazda MX-5 Cup Returns to Mid-Ohio

By
Official Release
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LEXINGTON, Ohio (June 3, 2024) – The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin never ceases to surprise. Now at the halfway point of the season, the series has yet to have a repeat race winner and the championship point leader has changed with each round. Rounds Seven and Eight at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course could disrupt these trends and put the spotlight on a 2024 championship favorite.

The Mid-Ohio weekend marks the return of Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup to the 2.258-mile natural terrain road course after not being part of the 2023 season schedule. Since then, the track has new pavement and the cars now race on Michelin tires. That could make it a level playing field for those who have not been to the circuit before.

JTR Motorsports Engineering is flying high after the last two rounds of the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Coming into that weekend, JTR had yet to put a driver on the podium. Leaving Laguna Seca, however, the Indiana-based team locked out the top two positions in the points, thanks to wins from Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) and Aaron Jeansonne (No. 24 JTR Motorsports Engineering).

Not only that, but the team’s rookie driver, Nathan Nicholson (No. 56 JTR Motorsports Engineering) captured his first two career podiums and moved up to fifth in the point standings, the highest of the rookie class.

Nipping at JTR’s heels are the drivers of McCumbee McAleer Racing. Jeremy Fletcher (No. 22 McCumbe McAleer Racing) and Nate Cicero (No. 83 McCumbee McAleer Racing), who each took a third-place finish in Monterey. Their teammate Gresham Wagner (No. 5 McCumbee McAleer Racing) has more wins at Mid-Ohio than any other driver entered, with two (2020 and 2022). That could be because it’s his favorite track.

“It’s a really old-school type track,” Wagner said. “To be fair, most of the tracks we go to have their own unique characteristics that make them tricky or require some finesse. It’s the strongest at Mid-Ohio, that element of finesse and precision that it requires. It has a little bit of everything: high-speed back straight, it’s got a tight little arena section, it’s flowing and hilly. It’s a dream track. For cars that race like we do, it’s the perfect little bullring with a few passing opportunities.”

Mid-Ohio will mark the return of Connor Zilisch (No. 72 BSI Racing) who missed Rounds Five and Six due to a scheduling conflict with his ARCA commitments. When the young phenom last raced MX-5 Cup at Mid-Ohio, he was a rookie and had a weekend to forget. He may not be in the championship hunt, but Zilisch is capable of mixing it up at the front of the field and is eager to get his first MX-5 Cup win of the season after missing out on a victory at Sebring by all of .001-seconds.

The largest cheering section of the weekend undoubtably goes to local driver Woody Heimann (No. 82 JTR Motorsports Engineering). The Ohio native is in his fourth season of MX-5 Cup. Living just an hour away, Heimann has been coming to Mid-Ohio since he was a kid and started his racing career here, albeit on two wheels instead of four.

“I’ve raced motorcycles, bicycles and now cars at Mid-Ohio,” Heimann said. “My first time there was 1996 as a spectator and my first time there on two wheels was 2001 at a track day. My first race was spring of 2003, on two-wheels. I’m celebrating 21 years of motorsports at Mid-Ohio!

“Mid-Ohio is a great road course,” he added. “I feel like half the paddock would say it’s their favorite track. It’s a drivers’ course. It’s not a drafting track. The draft doesn’t matter much and if you can wheel the car well, then you’ll do good. Having raced a season (2023) that didn’t go to Mid-Ohio, it makes me appreciate it that much more now that we’re going back.”

Heimann is correct, many drivers on the MX-5 Cup grid list Mid-Ohio as their favorite track.

Will we have our first repeat winner of the season, or will the championship leader double down on his points margin? Will hometown heroes rise to the top and make it to the podium or could a talented rookie get their first-ever win? These questions and more will be answered in MX-5 Cup Rounds Seven and Eight at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Race 1 will go green at 3:25pm ET on Saturday, June 8. Race 2 will take place Sunday, June 9, at 10:25am ET. Both races will be streamed live on RACER.com and IMSA.tv.

About: The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin is the signature spec series for Mazda Motorsports. The series has been operated by Andersen Promotions since 2017 and is currently sanctioned by IMSA. Mazda-powered grassroots champions can earn Mazda scholarships for this pro-level series. The Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup awards more than $1 million in prizes and scholarships.

Find out more at http://www.mx-5cup.com.

Cindric ends 85-race victory drought with dramatic win in NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300

By
Official Release
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Team Penske’s Austin Cindric celebrates in Victory Lane after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway. Photo credit: World Wide Technology Raceway.
  • Team Penske’s Austin Cindric lands first win since the 2022 Daytona 500 as teammate Ryan Blaney runs out of fuel coming to the white flag at World Wide Technology Raceway.

MADISON, Ill. (June 2, 2024) – Sometimes it takes a little luck to go along with all that horsepower and talent to win in the ultra-competitive NASCAR Cup Series.

Team Penske’ Austin Cindric capitalized on teammate Ryan Blaney running out of fuel heading to the white flag in Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 to snap an 85-race winless streak before a near-sold out crowd at Wide World Technology Raceway.

The victory was Cindric’s first since winning the 2022 season-opening Daytona 500 when he was named the Cup Series Rookie of the Year that year.

Description automatically generated“I’m heartbroken for the 12 team (Blaney),” said Cindric, who only had one top-10 finish (fourth at Atlanta in February) through the first 14 races. “I don’t know what happened to them at the end of the race, but they deserved to win this race. Ryan’s been a hell of a leader on this team. This weekend was a great weekend for everybody involved. That 2 car is in the fight, an eventual 1-2 there. Heartbroken for those guys.

“This is huge for me. This is huge for this team. I’m so glad I was able to get a win with Brian (Wilson) as my crew chief in the Cup Series. You never know when it’s going to happen again, just drive my butt off and hope for the best.”

Blaney (No. 12 Ford) was trying to end a winless streak of his own – 15 races – and it appeared that he was in line to do so as he held a lead over Cindric (No. 2 Ford) as he was approaching the white flag signifying the final lap. But suddenly Blaney began to slow with no fuel remaining, unable to eke out just over a lap on the 1.25-mile short oval, and Cindric pounced.

“Never thought in my mind we were short,” said Blaney, who finished 24th. “It’s one of those things. One lap short. That just stinks. Really happy with our showing today. I don’t know what I got to do to get some luck on our side. I thought we had a great shot to win today. It ended up bad.”

Cindric, who started second and led a career-best 53 laps, was in the right place at the right time to cash in on his teammate’s misfortune and give Team Penske its second win in the three Cup Series races at the venue. Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Toyota) of Joe Gibbs Racing finished second – 3.844 seconds back – and Brad Keselowski (No. 6 Ford) of RFK Racing took third. Rounding out the top five were 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick (No. 45 Toyota) and Team Penske’s Joey Logano (No. 22 Ford), the winner of the inaugural 2022 Cup Series race here.

Throughout the majority of the 240-lap race, it appeared that Joe Gibbs Racing would find its way to Victory Lane as Christopher Bell (No. 20 Toyota) was dominant. Bell won the first two stages, led five times for a race-high 80 laps and was in a side-by-side battle with Blaney for the lead in the final 20 laps. Bell grabbed the lead from Blaney on Lap 221, but lost it on the ensuing lap. It was after that that Bell began to fade dramatically, eventually victimized by a mechanical issue that led to a seventh-place finish.

“It’s everything. It’s absolutely everything,” Cindric said. “Great to win in front of an amazing crowd. This race track does an amazing job putting on events. Just proud to be able to do it. Proud to bring it home for these guys. They deserve it.”

For more information on the NASCAR race weekend, please visit www.wwtraceway.com.

Team Penske NASCAR Cup Series Race Report – Gateway

By
Official Release
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Enjoy Illinois 300 – World Wide Technology Raceway
Madison, IL – June 2, 2024

AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 FREIGHTLINER FORD MUSTANG

START: 2ND STAGE ONE: 4TH STAGE TWO: 2ND FINISH: 1ST POINTS: 18TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Teamwork, determination and patience are just three of the keys to success, and that’s what it took Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway as Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Freightliner Ford Mustang team orchestrated a remarkable performance that culminated with a trip to victory lane, marking the second NASCAR Cup Series win of Cindric’s career. The 2022 DAYTONA 500 winner fired off from the second position after narrowly missing out on the pole in Saturday’s time trials and remained a frontrunner throughout the opening Stage. Cindric reported early on that he was fighting a loose condition and a lack of stability on entry. After finishing a strong fourth in the opening segment, the Team Penske driver made his way to pit road for four fresh tires, fuel and a swing of air pressure adjustments to aid the handling of the Freightliner Ford Mustang. Multiple cars stayed out and did not pit, leading Cindric to restart outside the top 10 on Lap 55. He quickly charged back inside the top 10 and shortly after reported that the handling of the car had improved. In the midst of green flag pit stops, Cindric cycled to the lead and remained there until he returned to pit road on Lap 112 when the No. 4 triggered the caution. With a four-tire stop on deck, Cindric returned to the track and restarted fifth with just over 20 laps remaining in Stage 2, ultimately climbing to finish second. The No. 2 team elected to stay out and Cindric restarted as the leader, choosing the outline lane. With the speed of Team Penske on full display, Cindric and teammates Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano occupied the top three positions at one point in the Stage ahead of the final pit cycle. The former NASCAR Xfinity Series champion made his final trip to pit road with 63 laps go to and remained in contention for the win as the final laps clicked away, ultimately securing the checkered flag for his first Cup Series win since a historic triumph in the 2022 Great American Race. While the Gateway victory marked the first win for Brian Wilson as a Cup Series crew chief, it also serves as his 50th win as a crew member on a Team Penske entry in NASCAR.

CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “Honestly, I’m heartbroken for the 12 team. I don’t know what happened to them at the end of the race, but they deserved to win this race. Ryan has been a hell of a leader on this team. This weekend was a great weekend for everybody involved. To have two cars in the fight and an eventual one-two there, like I said, I’m heartbroken for those guys, but this is huge for me. This is huge for this team. I’m so glad I was able to get a win with Brian (Wilson) as my crew chief in the Cup Series. You never know when it’s gonna happen again. I just drove my butt off and hoped for the best.”

RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/RICHMOND FORD MUSTANG

START: 3RD STAGE ONE: 3RD STAGE TWO: 3RD FINISH: 24TH POINTS: 12TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney came up one lap short of taking the checkered flag Sunday at Gateway as the No. 12 Menards/Richmond Ford Mustang ran out of fuel coming to the white flag, resulting in a 24th-place finish. Blaney led twice for 20 laps and picked up a pair of third-place stage finishes in the 300-mile event as the 12-team’s strategy nearly came to fruition. After starting from the inside of row two, Blaney was part of a three-car breakaway at the front of the field during the first long, green flag run of the day to secure a third-place finish in Stage 1. Following a four-tire stop and a round of adjustments at the stage break, Blaney lined up to restart 14th as teams began to vary their strategies in anticipation for another long run. Blaney battled his way back into the top-10 just 25 laps into the segment despite a loose-handling condition starting to set in. Crew chief Jonathan Hassler opted to run long instead of split the stage in half as Blaney moved all the way up to second in the running order by the time the caution flag flew on lap 112. After a four-tire stop and another round of adjustments, Blaney restarted from seventh with 21 laps to go in Stage 2 before fighting his way up to third by the end of the segment. Blaney remained on the track during the stage break as the Team Penske Fords lined up 1-2-3 for the start of the final segment. While running second, Blaney was called to pit road on lap 175 for the final stop of the afternoon before cycling to fifth in the running order with 30 laps to go. With the pit cycle nearing completion, Blaney was locked into a battle with the No. 20 for what would eventually be the race lead at the end of the green flag cycle. Blaney found success running the high line in the corners to fend off any potential runs to his inside before stretching out his lead to over a second with 18 laps remaining. While leading coming to the white flag, Blaney was off the pace coming out of turn four as the Menards/Richmond Ford ran out of fuel, culminating in a 24th-place finish.

BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “I never thought in my mind we were short. It’s one of those things. I’m proud of the 12 boys. The Menards/Richmond Ford was fast. I had my work cut out for me holding off Christopher [Bell]. That was fun. I don’t know what happened to him, but just one lap short. That stinks, but congrats to the 2 team. They did a good job all day. Props to them and Austin [Cindric]. I’m proud for Team Penske and Ford. I’m really happy with our showing today. I don’t know what I’ve got to do to get some luck on our side. I’ve wrecked the last two points races and thought we had a great shot to win today and I ended up bad, so I just appreciate the effort. We just have to keep sticking with it.”

JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG

START: 12TH STAGE ONE: 9TH STAGE TWO: 6TH FINISH: 5TH POINTS: 16TH

RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano posted his third top-five finish in three Cup Series starts at Gateway Sunday afternoon, coming away with a fifth-place result. Logano worked his way into the top-10 early in the opening stage after starting 12th despite a loose-handling condition to cross the line ninth in Stage 1. Following a four-tire stop at the stage break, Logano lined up to restart 18th as teams began to vary their strategies. Crew chief Paul Wolfe opted to run long as opposed to splitting the second stage, allowing Logano to climb the leaderboard all the way to fourth. The caution flag flew on lap 112 and Logano brought the Shell-Pennzoil Ford to pit road for four tires as the field lined up to restart with 21 laps to go in the second segment. Logano powered his way through traffic to reach the top-five with ten laps to go in the stage before settling for a sixth-place finish in Stage 2. The Team Penske Fords lined up 1-2-3 for the start of the final stage as Logano managed his tires over the long green flag run before hitting pit road for the final time on lap 177 from the lead during the cycle. He made his way back on the lead lap with 47 laps to go before making his way back into the top-10 with 23 laps remaining as the pit cycle continued to shuffle the field. The race stayed green the rest of the way as Logano continued to make his way to the front before ultimately crossing the line fifth for his second top-five finish of the season.

LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “We weren’t too far off. We were just a few adjustments away of getting our Shell-Pennzoil Mustang as good as our teammates were, but not too bad. We were able to grab some points, which we need to do, and a Penske car got in Victory Lane, so you’ve got to be happy about that. Obviously, we’d rather it be us, but that momentum goes through the whole shop. It’s still a good day. We still scored a bunch of points today with stage points in both stages. A poor qualifying effort, which probably hurt us a little bit on tuning the car and just a little too loose off.”

The NASCAR Cup Series heads west to the newly-repaved Sonoma Raceway for the second of five road course races on the 2024 schedule. The 110-lap event on Sunday, June 9, begins coverage at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and Ogier denied in dramatic finish

By
Official Release
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Car 17 (Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais)

Toyota City, Japan, June 3, 2024 – (JCN Newswire) – TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team and Sébastien Ogier looked set to secure a third consecutive victory together at Rally Italia Sardegna before late drama in the final few kilometres of the event meant they missed out by the narrowest of margins.

Ogier was involved in a close battle for the lead for most of the event, and while a strong Saturday afternoon enabled him to lead into the final day, competition remained intense on Sunday and just 6.2 seconds separated him and rival Ott Tänak going into the deciding Power Stage. Still, Ogier looked to be doing enough to secure victory until he began losing air from a tyre over the rough final section of stage.

It meant that he and co-driver Vincent Landais ultimately missed out by just 0.2s in a finish that equals the closest ever in FIA World Rally Championship history – coincidentally set by Ogier when he beat his now-Team Principal Jari-Matti Latvala by the same margin in Jordan in 2011. Ogier still climbs to fourth place in the drivers’ championship, only 30 points from the lead despite contesting only four of the six rounds held so far.

Elfyn Evans has also reduced his gap to the championship leader to 18 points after finishing fourth overall with co-driver Scott Martin. Following a challenging start on Friday, Evans remained consistent to climb up into the top four by the end of Saturday and carried improved pace into the final day to take third in both the Super Sunday classification and the Power Stage, netting 18 points in total.

Takamoto Katsuta was running in third position overall on Saturday afternoon before a transmission-related issue forced he and co-driver Aaron Johnston to stop. They restarted on Sunday and set the fifth-best time in the Power Stage.

Following its maiden WRC2 victory in Portugal, the GR Yaris Rally2 claimed a second consecutive win on rough gravel roads. Sami Pajari and Enni Mälkönen claimed a commanding triumph in their Printsport-run car while finishing in sixth position overall. Portugal class winners Jan Solans and Rodrigo Sanjuán made it a double podium in third for Teo Martín Motorsport.

Quotes:

Akio Toyoda (TGR-WRT Chairman)

“The surface in Sardinia is very demanding, and it always gives challenges to our team and cars. TGR has won Sardinia only once so far when Seb got the victory in 2021. Seb and Vincent were doing really well on this harsh and demanding event, but they missed out at the very last moment on the Power Stage. The gap of 0.2 seconds is so small and disappointing, but this is sport. Our team all hate to lose. We will turn this frustration into strength and aim for the next victory.

P.S. to OttI was on-site in Rally Sardinia 2019 and following your performance. You made up for the disappointment of that Power Stage this time. Congratulations!”

Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal)

“We are of course very disappointed to miss out on the victory in this way. This final stage in Sardinia has been very dramatic in the past and unfortunately, it’s not the first time that we have experienced late drama here, because it reminds us of what happened back in 2019 when we were leading with Ott until the last stage. This event has not always been kind to us, but it was looking very good for Seb and we thought we could take another victory together here. The only positive is that it didn’t affect the points so much for us. A moment like this can be difficult to digest, and we hate to lose, but we also never lose our fighting spirit and we will come back to fight again on the next event in Poland.”

Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33)

“It’s been a very difficult weekend for us but today was a bit better. I would say the feeling was definitely improved and I think the times and the points that we got from the day showed that. Still, it’s clear looking at the weekend overall that we still have a lot of work to do to improve in rallies with conditions like this one. The good news is that the characteristics now change to something quite different for the next three rallies. We know the car can be strong on fast rallies like those and it will be important to prepare as best we can and try to find confidence early.”

Sébastien Ogier (Driver car 17)

“We knew it could be tough today with some stages that are very rough and maybe not the most suited to us. Still, I think we were doing a good enough job to secure the win, but unfortunately we started to lose tyre pressure three kilometres from the end. The conditions were very extreme in this Power Stage, even worse than we have seen there before, and I don’t think there was much that I could have done differently. It’s something that’s never easy to take, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really change anything in terms of the overall points for the team. I think I can still be happy with the weekend I’ve done, and sometimes motorsport just doesn’t go your way. We will come back and try to keep up this level of performance we’ve had.”

Takamoto Katsuta (Driver car 18)

“Today my target was to get some points. We knew it would be difficult with our starting position, and the first stage was not good because we had a lot of dust from the car in front and could not see so much. We took some points but of course I wanted more. Things were working well earlier in the rally, everything was under control and then unfortunately we had the technical issue. But it was a demanding rally for the cars and sometimes things like this can happen: I just need to accept it and move forward to the next rally.”

PROVISIONAL FINAL CLASSIFIACTION, RALLY ITALIA SARDEGNA

1 Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID) 3h06m05.6s
2 Sébastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID) +0.2s
3 Dani Sordo/Cándido Carrera (Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID) +2m25.8s
4 Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID) +2m37.8s
5 Grégoire Munster/Louis Louka (Ford Puma Rally1 HYBRID) +6m42.9s
6 Sami Pajari/Enni Mälkönen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) +7m13.4s
7 Yohan Rossel/Benjamin Boulloud (Citroën C3 Rally2) +7m45.7s
8 Jan Solans/Rodrigo Sanjuán (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) +7m52.7s
9 Martin Prokop/Michal Ernst (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) +10m05.4s
10 Kajetan Kajetanowicz/Maciej Szczepaniak (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) +10m09.3s
35 Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID) +41m28.1s

(Results as of 16:00 on Sunday, for the latest results please visit www.wrc.com)

2024 FIA World Rally Championship for drivers after round 6:
1 Thierry Neuville 122 points
2 Ott Tänak 104
3 Elfyn Evans 104
4 Sébastien Ogier 92
5 Adrien Fourmaux 74
6 Takamoto Katsuta 52
7 Kalle Rovanperä 36
8 Dani Sordo 27
9 Esapekka Lappi 23
10 Grégoire Munster 16

2024 FIA World Rally Championship for manufacturers after round 6:
1 Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team 269 points
2 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team 256
3 M-Sport Ford World Rally Team 131

What’s next?

Rally Poland (June 27-30) returns to the WRC for the first time since 2017, offering fast stages on soft and sandy roads around Mikołajki in the Masurian lake district in the north-east of the country.

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