CHARLOTTE 1

Friday, May 24 — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 8:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Saturday, May 25 — NASCAR Xfinity Series, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
Sunday, May 26 — NASCAR Cup Series, 6 p.m. ET (FOX)

Racing on Memorial Day Weekend is a NASCAR tradition and Charlotte Motor Speedway will once again take center stage by hosting all three national series. Ford is the defending winner of two events after Ben Rhodes won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race last season and Ryan Blaney followed in the NASCAR Cup Series in the Coca-Cola 600.

BLANEY GOING FOR 600 REPEAT

Ryan Blaney will try to become the first NASCAR Cup Series driver since Jimmie Johnson (2003-05) to repeat as winner of the Coca-Cola 600. Blaney took the checkered flag first in last year’s event that was delayed a day due to rain and snapped a 59-race winless streak in the process. He led a race-high 163 laps, including the final 26 after passing William Byron on lap 375, and scored top-five points in all four stages. Overall, Ford had a strong night as five drivers combined to lead 201-of-400 laps.

MULTIPLE FORD 600 WINNERS

Only two drivers have won the Coca-Cola 600 more than once with Ford, but two current drivers have an opportunity to add their name to that list. NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen was the first driver to win multiple 600 events, doing it in 1963 and 1965 while Jeff Burton joined him after victories in 1999 and 2001. Ryan Blaney (2023) and Brad Keselowski (2020) are the two eligible drivers who can join them on Sunday.

Fred Lorenzen — 1963 and 1965

Jeff Burton — 1999 and 2001

LOGANO PURSUES

ALL-STAR/COCA-COLA 600 SWEEP

Joey Logano registered his second career victory in the NASCAR All-Star Race last weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway, and on Sunday he can join a select group of drivers who followed that up with a win in the Coca-Cola 600. Only eight drivers have accomplished the feat, which was done for the first time by NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip in 1985, and most recently achieved by Kyle Larson in 2021. Only one Ford driver has captured both events in the same season and that was Davey Allison in 1991. The complete list is below:

DRIVER, YEAR

Darrell Waltrip, 1985

Davey Allison, 1991

Dale Earnhardt, 1993

Jeff Gordon, 1997

Jimmie Johnson, 2003

Kasey Kahne, 2008

Kurt Busch, 2010

Kyle Larson, 2021

RYAN BLANEY ON COKE 600 WIN: “It was nice to put that race together. That’s obviously a long night and it was a long weekend running on Monday. It’s just cool that we were able to put a whole race together and could snap that streak of not winning for awhile and then to do it – Joseph won the Indy 500 the day before that on Sunday, so it was nice to kind of finish that off. We’re always watching that race and if one of those guys wins, we kind of know we’ve got a shot to do it and you don’t get that shot very often, so it was nice for it to all come together. And then being from just down the road was super cool with my family there and a bunch of buddies, so it would be nice to do it again. That’s something I’ll never forget.”

CHASE BRISCOE ON COCA-COLA 600: “It’s honestly a race I really enjoy running, just that whole day is special for me growing up in Indiana and what Memorial Day means. From a motorsports standpoint with the Indy 500 and then the Coke 600 it’s just a special day to be able to say you’re one of the guys that’s racing in a premier series on that day is special. The Coke 600 is a super cool race. I enjoy the long races because I feel like there’s a lot of comers and goers and you can really try to make your car better. It’s a race of attrition to a certain extent, so I’ve always enjoyed that race. Last night, I went back and watched the whole race from 2022 and I’m still kicking myself, so I’m looking forward to hopefully getting some redemption this year.”

JOSH BERRY ON RACING THE COCA-COLA 600 FOR THE FIRST TIME: “I’m excited. I think to experience that for the first time is gonna be a lot of fun. It’s gonna be a challenge, though, running 600 miles. I haven’t driven the Next Gen at Charlotte, so that will be a new experience for me, but I have a win in the Xfinity Series there so I’m excited to get there and see it. It’s gonna be a long night. We’re gonna have to grind it out. The track is gonna change a lot from when the race starts to when it finishes, but Rodney and this 4 team have had some solid runs there, so hopefully we can keep that up.”

KESELOWSKI ADDS ANOTHER JEWEL

Brad Keselowski became the first Ford driver since Mark Martin in 2002 to win the Coca-Cola 600 when he held off Jimmie Johnson in an overtime finish to take the checkered flag in 2020. The race ended up going five laps past the advertised distance and ended with Keselowski adding another crown jewel victory with Ford to go with his wins in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis (2018) and Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway (2018).

THREE MAJORS FOR DJ IN ONE SEASON

Dale Jarrett won his share of major races during a sterling career in the NASCAR Cup Series, but no season may have been better than his first year driving at Robert Yates Racing in 1996. After winning the season-opening Daytona 500, his second of three triumphs in that event, Jarrett came to Charlotte in search of winning the Coca-Cola 600 for the first time. Jarrett, who qualified 15th, wasn’t much of a factor when the race started, but when the sun went down his No. 88 Quality Care Service/Ford Credit Ford Taurus came to life. He took the lead for the first time on lap 175 and ended up leading 199 of the final 226 laps for RYR to win going away. Jarrett eventually went on to win the Brickyard 400 a couple of months later to give him three of the sports biggest victories in one season.

HOLMAN & MOODY CONQUER THE WORLD

Ford won the Coca-Cola 600 for the first time on May 27, 1962 when the race was still referred to as the World 600. This marked the third running of NASCAR’s longest race and in the end it was Nelson Stacy, behind the wheel of a 1962 Holman & Moody Ford, that ended up in victory lane. Stacy passed David Pearson, who developed engine trouble with eight laps to go, and went on to beat Joe Weatherly to the finish line by 32 seconds in posting the third of his four career victories. Fellow Holman & Moody teammate Fred Lorenzen finished third. The win was Stacy’s second straight after he took the checkered flag two weeks earlier in Darlington.

CUSTER CLOSING IN

Cole Custer is still looking for his first win of the season, but the California native comes into this weekend’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a streak of nine straight top-10 finishes, a mark that leads all series drivers. He’s coming off a third-place run at Darlington Raceway and sits only three points out of first in the overall point standings. This weekend will be Custer’s seventh career NXS start at CMS, a place where he has one runner-up finish (2018) and a third-place showing last year.

FIRST CHARLOTTE TRUCK SERIES WIN

Ben Rhodes provided Ford with its first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win at Charlotte Motor Speedway last season when he passed Carson Hocevar and led the final 25 laps. For Rhodes, it marked the only win during his championship-winning season and seventh of his career. The race was a three-way battle between Rhodes, Hocevar and Corey Heim, who combined to lead all but five of the 134 circuits.

FORD COCA-COLA 600 WINNERS

1962 – Nelson Stacy

1963 – Fred Lorenzen

1965 – Fred Lorenzeon

1970 – Donnie Allison

1982 – Neil Bonnett

1987 – Kyle Petty

1991 – Davey Allison

1996 – Dale Jarrett

1999 – Jeff Burton

2000 – Matt Kenseth

2001 – Jeff Burton

2002 – Mark Martin

2020 – Brad Keselowski

2023 – Ryan Blaney

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS

AT CHARLOTTE OVAL

1992 – Jeff Gordon (Sweep)

1993 – Mark Martin (2)

1995 – Chad Little (1) and Mark Martin (2)

1996 – Mark Martin (Sweep)

1998 – Mark Martin (1)

1999 – Mark Martin (1)

2000 – Jeff Burton (1)

2001 – Jeff Green (1) and Greg Biffle (2)

2003 – Matt Kenseth (1)

2006 – Carl Edwards (1)

2011 – Matt Kenseth (1) and Carl Edwards (2)

2014 – Brad Keselowski (2)

2016 – Joey Logano (2)

2017 – Ryan Blaney (1)

2018 – Brad Keselowski

FORD NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT CHARLOTTE OVAL

2023 – Ben Rhodes

• Bommarito Automotive Group to serve as primary sponsor on the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek
• Tune into the Enjoy Illinois 300 on Sunday, June 2 at 3:30 p.m. ET

STATESVILLE, N.C. (May 21, 2024) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ today announced Missouri’s very own Bommarito Automotive Group, will serve as the primary sponsor on the No. 42 Bommarito Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek at World Wide Technology Raceway for the Enjoy Illinois 300 on Sunday, June 2.

“It’s an honor to be able to represent the Bommarito Automotive Group brand at World Wide Technology Raceway for the NASCAR Cup Series race,” said Nemechek, driver for the No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota Camry XSE. “Having won a race at World Wide Technology Raceway in the past, this is an event that I have had circled on my calendar all season. Everyone at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and I are hoping to be able to put together a strong showing and make everyone at Bommarito Automotive Group proud.”

Frank Bommarito founded Bommarito over 50 years ago as a single-point Oldsmobile dealer, and is now Missouri’s No. 1 automotive group, ranked among the top 50 in the nation. Bommarito Automotive Group’s current CEO/President John Bommarito employs over 1,000 people across 20 locations in the Missouri marketplace, including Toyota. Bommarito continues to work in conjunction with CLUB Ambassador Richard Petty “The King” to grow awareness of world class racing in the St. Louis and Illinois region.

“We’re passionate about racing and proud to be partners for the third continuous year with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB,” said Chuck Wallis, Vice President of Bommarito Automotive Group.

Bommarito Automotive Group made its debut in the auto racing scene in 2015 and has since expanded its presence in the racing world, particularly in NASCAR, including LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, the INDYCAR Series, and the IMSA Series.

The driver of the No. 42 Bommarito Toyota Camry XSE has seen his fair share of success at World Wide Technology Raceway. Nemechek won the 2017 NASCAR Truck Series race at the track and has seven starts at the 1.250-mile oval in the NASCAR Truck Series. The Enjoy Illinois 300 will mark Nemechek’s first race at World Wide Technology Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Tune in for the Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday, June 2 at 3:30 ET. Race coverage will be on FS1, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 and Motor Racing Network (MRN).

For more information on Bommarito Automotive Group, visit www.bommarito.com. For more information on John Hunter Nemechek and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, visit legacymotorclub.com.

ABOUT BOMMARITO AUTOMOTIVE GROUP: What Frank Bommarito started over 50 years ago, as a single-point Oldsmobile dealer, has now successfully grown into Missouri’s No. 1 automotive group, also ranked top 50 in the nation. With over 1,000 employees and 20 locations offering 20 franchised brands, Bommarito Automotive Group continues to grow its brand while also growing its involvement in motorsports. Our vision was to have a vehicle in our portfolio for every type of buyer. We now can drive home our mission: One Bommarito vehicle in every driveway. Once a vision, today a reality.

Bommarito began its motorsports involvement in 2015 with Jordan Anderson Racing and since has evolved into Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport and are owners of the No. 31 and No. 27 NASCAR Xfinity Series teams. Bommarito also holds the title sponsorship for the Bommarito 500 NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at World Wide Technology Raceway since 2017, and is proud of its strategic partnership with Vasser-Sullivan in the IMSA Series. Thanks to you and the millions of dedicated race fans, Bommarito’s success and involvement in racing continues to demonstrate when you win on Sunday it generates sales on Monday. Visit bommarito.com 24/7 and follow us on all social media platforms @bommaritoautosport.

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice “Maury” J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The CLUB competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme E Series. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty “The King” serves as Club Ambassador. With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ on Facebook, X, Instagram and at www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.

NOAH GRAGSON
Charlotte Advance
No. 10 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview

● Event: Coca-Cola 600 (Round 14 of 36)
● Time/Date: 6 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 26
● Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway
● Layout: 1.5-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 400 laps/600 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 100 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Stage 3: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● If the Coca-Cola 600 is about being consistently good for a prolonged period of time, it could very well serve as a microcosm of Noah Gragson’s season to date in the NASCAR Cup Series. The driver of the No. 10 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing comes into the series’ longest race this Sunday at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway riding a wave of front-running consistency. Gragson has scored seven straight top-20s coming into Charlotte, and he has finished among the top-15 in his last four races. His career-best finish of third was earned during this span – April 21 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway – and his average finish of 16.4 in the 13 races held this season is 15th best among the 33 drivers who have run all the races so far this season.

● Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 will be Gragson’s third career NASCAR Cup Series start on Charlotte’s 1.5-mile oval. His best result at the track is 24th, earned in the 2022 Coca-Cola 600.

● Gragson’s record in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Charlotte is another example of his penchant for consistency. In four career Xfinity Series starts at the D-shaped oval, Gragson has three finishes of 11th or better, with his best result being a pair of fourth-place drives – May 2019 in his first Xfinity Series start at Charlotte and May 2022 in his most recent Xfinity Series start at the track. That last Xfinity Series race was arguably Gragson’s best at Charlotte as he started seventh and led twice for 36 laps before finishing fourth. The winner that day was Josh Berry, who was a teammate to Gragson in the Xfinity Series and is a teammate today with the duo both driving for Stewart-Haas.

● Gragson has also made two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at Charlotte, earning a pair of top-10s. He finished ninth in May 2017 and eighth in his return to the track in May 2018, where he led twice for 13 laps.

● As part of #NASCARSalutes and the 600 Miles of Remembrance initiative during the Coca-Cola 600, the No. 10 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester team is honoring United States Marine Corps Sergeant Jasper P. Sloan. The native of Corpus Christi, Texas, was a Squad Leader with the Third Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines, Fifth Marine Division, who posthumously received the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity. Born June 30, 1922, Sloan was killed in action against enemy forces during the Battle of Iwo Jima on Feb. 26, 1945. With his platoon held up by a devastating rain of hostile sniper and machine-gun fire, Sloan advanced his squad 75 yards to a strategic position on higher ground where he initiated a daring attack against strongly fortified Japanese positions despite a lack of flanking support. Repeatedly exposing himself to enemy fire as he pointed out new targets and directed his men, Sloan waged battle for more than two hours, enabling the remainder of his besieged platoon to move forward. Later that same day, Sloan twice braved heavy machine-gun fire to go to the aid of a seriously wounded comrade and, while ministering to him on the second occasion, was mortally struck down. Sloan’s dauntless courage, cool decision and self-sacrificing devotion to duty in the face of tremendous odds were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service.

Noah Gragson, Driver of the No. 10 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Before the Coca-Cola 600 goes green, two of motorsports’ biggest races take place earlier in the day – the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500. How much racing do you watch prior to the Coca-Cola 600?

“I’ll tune in. It’s a great day of racing. For me, we’ve got our longest race of the year, so my ultimate focus is on the nighttime show, the Coke 600. It closes out the greatest day in motorsports.”

Memorial Day weekend is a big weekend for auto racing between Monaco, Indy and Charlotte. What sparked your interest in racing?

“I like competing in sports, and I like competing in action sports. I love dirt bikes, mountain bikes, snowboarding, skateboarding. If we’re building a jump for our snowboards, I’m going to jump higher and I’m going to jump farther than you. If we’re racing skateboards down a hill, I’m going to be the last one to jump off the skateboard, even if it causes me to get road-rashed up just to go a foot farther. I always like the competition side of things. I love driving. We had a golf cart as a kid and I loved driving that thing. I went and did some go-karting when I was really little at a family fun place where they had roller coasters and arcade games and they couldn’t get me off the go-karts. So I loved it as a kid, and I finally got the opportunity when I was 13.”

Kyle Larson is doing the Double – running the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. How interested are you in his endeavor?

“I’m super interested. I’ve been around Kyle a little bit through my career. He’s a remarkable driver, and to be able to see one of our guys who we’ve raced with every weekend go and try a different discipline of motorsports is really cool and awesome. I would love to do it one day. It’s definitely a special moment. I remember buying a Kurt Busch ‘The Double’ shirt back in the day off his website. It was black and gold and had his Indy car and his Cup car on it, and I thought, ‘Man, this is super cool, like I don’t know if we’ll ever see this again.’ So to have Kyle Larson doing it, it’s a lot more rare nowadays than it was in the late ’90s, early 2000s. Tony (Stewart) used to do it quite a bit, but to have a guy doing it now and be a part of the Cup Series and see one of our guys go over and race the Indy 500, it’s really special for everyone.”

Prior to Larson doing the Double, Kurt Busch attempted it in 2014. How much did a 16-year-old Noah Gragson watch of your fellow Las Vegas native’s attempt at the Double?

“I didn’t really know much about what it takes to be a Cup driver and what it takes to do both. Now, obviously, I have a different perspective. Used to think, ‘Man, 1,100 miles, that’s not that long,’ but then I ran a Coke 600 and I’m like, ‘This thing’s long. What if I’d had to run a 500-mile race earlier in the day?’ It’s cool seeing the behind-the-scenes. Hopefully, they’ll do a video showing the whole journey for Kyle Larson from the start to the finish, like a documentary. I think they did that with Kurt Busch. It was cool to see the behind-the-scenes stuff, like him getting the IV in the airplane, flying from Indy to Charlotte, helicoptering into the track, getting there, changing in the airplane, all that stuff, stuff you wouldn’t ever see, I hope they’re able to do that. It’s really cool.”

Much is made about the Coca-Cola 600 being the series’ longest race. Because the race is so long, can it be a good thing where if you’re not where you want to be, you have time to make things right? Or is the other side of the coin being that it’s too long of a race to not be good, as the delta to being off can quickly become insurmountable?

“You definitely have to stay on the lead lap, but it’s a long enough race where you have plenty of opportunity to fix the thing if it’s not handling the way you want it to.”

The Coca-Cola 600 used to be about pushing drivers and their cars to the limit, as attrition was once a key factor. But today, drivers are fitter than ever and cars seem to be built better than ever before. Is that extra 100 miles noticeable anymore, be it from your perspective behind the wheel or from your team’s when it comes to building your racecar?

“The cars are very durable, and us drivers have a different mindset on how we prepare. I think things have evolved a lot to where it’s kind of just another race, but we do know it’s the longest one. It’s still a little intimidating, especially the first one.”

The Coca-Cola 600 is considered one of NASCAR’s crown jewels because it is the only 600-mile race on the schedule. But in this short-attention-span era, is a 600-mile race still needed?

“Yes, I think it’s cool. It’s something different and it’s fun as a driver. It’s different. It’s unique. Do we need all races to be 600 miles? Absolutely not. But one a year is something different, interesting and cool. It’s a long time, though. It’s not short, by any means, and I think the passionate motorsports fans enjoy it.”

What makes turning fast and consistent laps at Charlotte so challenging?

“The Coke 600 goes from day to night. Definitely, the sun in your eyes off of turn four, and really through (turns) three and four, you can’t really see so you might not run the wall. But it seems like in the Cup cars, getting them wound up right against the outside wall on both sides is pretty fun. It’s a rough racetrack in (turns) three and four. There are a lot of bumps because the track has been settling. Actually, the back straightaway is downhill and the front straightaway is uphill. You wouldn’t know that, but if you ride a bicycle, it’s like a two-gear difference if you kept the same rpm. Up the hill you need to downshift two gears to carry the same rpm, the same miles an hour. We don’t really feel that inside the car, but it’s definitely a challenging racetrack, and then 600 miles, the mental side of it, you need to be 100-percent focused until the end of it.”

No. 10 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Noah Gragson

Hometown: Las Vegas

Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois

Car Chief: Jerry Cook

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Engineer: James Kimbrough

Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

Spotter: Andy Houston

Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder

Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa

Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard

Hometown: King, North Carolina

Jack Man: Sean Cotten

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener

Hometown: Fortuna, California

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Chris Trickett

Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia

Mechanic: Beau Whitley

Hometown: Carmel, Indiana

Tire Specialist: Jacob Cooksey

Hometown: Westbrookville, New York

Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller

Hometown: Monroe, New York

Transporter Co-Driver: Steve Casper

Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Leader in Casual Dining to Honor Gold Star Family at Coca-Cola 600

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 21, 2024) – A fourth-place finish and 200,000 margaritas sold in a single day stamped a standout maiden voyage for Spire Motorsports and Chili’s® Grill & Bar, and the pair announced today a partnership extension for three additional NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) races in 2024 aboard Corey LaJoie’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 beginning with this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The extended partnership includes associate sponsorship on the No. 7 for the rest of the 2024 season.

In addition to this weekend’s annual 600-miler, Chili’s will also be showcased as LaJoie’s primary sponsor at World Wide Technology Raceway on June 2 and again at Darlington Raceway Labor Day Weekend. LaJoie earned a career-best fourth-place finish in Chili’s first foray with the team at the Daytona 500, and just three days later the brand had a banner National Margarita Day, selling more than 200,000 of its signature drinks that day.

“Numbers are important, but relationships are everything,” said Chili’s CMO George Felix. “We jumped into NASCAR for the first time this year because we saw a chance to reach this passionate fanbase, but to do that we needed to find the perfect driver and team for Chili’s. We have that with Corey and Spire. We’re excited to solidify this partnership by putting the pepper back on the hood at some of the season’s remaining marquee races.”

In keeping with the tradition of honoring fallen service members during NASCAR’s annual Memorial Day Weekend festivities, LaJoie will be racing in honor of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jeremie S. Border, of Mesquite, Texas, who died September 1, 2012, by small arms fire while conducting combat operations in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan.

Border was assigned to Company Alpha, 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Okinawa, Japan and was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan.

His name will be displayed on the windshield of LaJoie’s Chevy Camaro throughout the race weekend. Border is the brother of long-tenured Chili’s team member DeLaynie Peek, who will be at Charlotte Motor Speedway as NASCAR and its teams honor Gold Star Families for the seventh consecutive year.

“I’d put my brother’s name or face on anything if it meant people could learn about the hero and protector he was, so for it to happen in such a visible and memorable way is just amazing,” Border’s sister and Chili’s team member DeLaynie Peek said. “Chili’s wanted to honor someone connected to its family, and that says so much about the company’s culture that they’re making sure this moment didn’t pass without making one of their own feel special. We’re so grateful to them and to Spire and Corey for choosing Jeremie to ride along this weekend.”

Border graduated from Mesquite High School in 2002 and attended college at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas earning his bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Communications. He entered the Army in 2006 as an infantryman, where he completed basic training, advanced individual training and basic airborne course at Fort Benning, Ga.

His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 2, Army Service Ribbon, Special Forces Tab, Expert Infantry Badge and the Army Parachutist Badge.

Border was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Afghan Campaign Medal.

“This is always a special weekend,” said LaJoie. “Seeing Staff Sgt. Border’s name on the windshield of our Chili’s Chevy Camaro is incredibly humbling. He put the wellbeing of his fellow soldiers and civilians above his own. Chili’s has stepped up in a big way to honor one of their very own Gold Star Families, and It’s really an honor to represent Chili’s, Staff Sgt. Border and his family.”

LaJoie has logged 10 previous NCS starts at the legendary 1.5-mile Concord, N.C. oval and earned a venue/race-best 12th-place finish in the 2019 running of NASCAR’s longest race. Last May, the third- generation racer started 25th and finished 17th.

The Coca-Cola 600 from Charlotte Motor Speedway will be televised live on FOX Sunday, May 26, beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. NASCAR’s annual Memorial Day Weekend 600-mile classic will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

About Chili’s® Grill & Bar …
Hi, welcome to Chili’s! We are a leader in the casual dining industry and the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT). We are known for our big mouth burgers, Chicken Crispers®, full-on sizzling fajitas and hand-shaken margaritas. We take our food seriously – but not ourselves – because dining out should feel like a celebration even if there is nothing to celebrate. Our passion is making everyone feel special, and every day, our ChiliHeads make it their job to spread #ChilisLove across almost 1,600 restaurants in 27 countries and two territories. And Chili’s cares. We host local Give Back Events to support kids, education and hunger and have raised more than $100 million benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through generous Guest donations. Find more information about us at chilis.com, follow us on Twitter or Instagram, like us on Facebook or join us on TikTok.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team will also field the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth will drive the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolets in the No. 77.

Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on April 12, 2024, when Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Coca-Cola 600 Event Info:
Date: Sunday, May 26
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Concord, N.C.
Format: 400 Laps, 600 Miles
TV: FOX
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 5:05 p.m. ET, Practice (FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 5:50 p.m. ET, Qualifying (FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 6 p.m. ET, Race (FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

• The NASCAR schedule turns to Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series is set for the famed Coca-Cola 600 Sunday night.
• RFK has 20 wins all-time at CMS including four in the Coke 600.
• A season ago in this race, Chris Buescher won stage two and led laps before going on to record his fourth-straight top-10 in the 600-mile event.
• NASCAR Salutes Together with Coca-Cola is a six-week, industry-wide campaign celebrating the service and sacrifice of U.S. service members and their families through a multitude of at-track integrations, original content features and fan engagement opportunities.
• This year, NASCAR Salutes begins on Memorial Day Weekend, anchored by a special tribute called “600 Miles of Remembrance” where every Cup Series car in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 will feature the name of a fallen service member on the windshield.

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

• The BuildSubmarines.com car will feature the name of Commander Howard Gilmore (United States Navy – Selma, Alabama) on the windshield. Gilmore was the commanding officer of the U.S.S. Growler during World War II. During a fire fight with enemy gunboats, Commander Gilmore gave the order to clear the bridge, and refusing safety for himself, remained on deck while his men preceded him below. Having been hit by gunfire, in his final living moments, Commander Gilmore gave his last order to the officer on deck, “take her down”.
• For his distinguished gallantry and valor above and beyond the call of duty, Commander Gilmore was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

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

• Through Fastenal’s partnership with Operation Healing Heroes (a veterans charity program & TV show on Discovery Channel), Major Troy Gilbert (United States Air Force – San Angelo, Texas) will be honored on the No. 17 car this weekend. As part of the partnership with Operation Healing Heroes, Major Gilbert’s wife Ginger will be on site at RFK Racing on Friday, May 24th to see the car and be part of a sit-down interview telling her story along with meeting Chris.

Keselowski at Charlotte
Starts: 24
Wins: 2 (2013, 2020)
Top-10s: 10
Poles: 1 (2011)

• Keselowski makes his 15th start in the Coca-Cola 600 and 25th overall start at CMS this weekend. He has 10 top-10 finishes – five inside the top five – with two wins and a 14.4 average finish.
• Keselowski is the 2020 winner of the 600-mile event, leading 21 laps after starting ninth. He also won on the oval in 2013, and in total has led in 13 different Charlotte oval events.
• Last season, Keselowski finished 19th in the 600 after starting third.
• Keselowski has an average starting position of 15.6 with one pole (2011). Otherwise, he has nine starts inside the top-10.
• Keselowski also made a combined 25 additional starts in the Xfinity and Truck Series at CMS with a combined four wins – all in Xfinity – in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2018.

Buescher at Charlotte
Starts: 11
Wins: —
Top-10s: 4
Poles: —

• Buescher makes his 12th Cup start at Charlotte this weekend in what will be his eighth Coca-Cola 600.
• He has four top-10s at Charlotte with a best finish of sixth in the 2019 Coke 600. He finished 10th a year later, and ran eighth in the 2021 marquee event.
• He’s coming off a P8 finish a year ago after initially starting 11th and leading 12 laps.
• Buescher’s best starting position stands as 11th (twice) with a 20.5 overall average starting position.
• He also made five Xfinity Series starts at CMS with three top-10s and a best finish of sixth (2014).

RFK Historically at Charlotte
Cup Wins: 8 (Mark Martin, 1992, 1995, 1998, 2002; Jeff Burton, 1999, 2001; Matt Kenseth, 2000, 2011)

• RFK in the 600: In 110 NCS starts in the famed Coca-Cola 600, RFK Racing has visited victory lane four times and recorded 23 top-five and 41 top-10 finishes. Jeff Burton leads the way with two Coke 600 victories for Jack Roush, while Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth have one apiece.
• Tale of the Tape: RFK has started 220 NCS races at Charlotte, recording eight total wins with 46 top-five and 82 top-10 finishes. RFK Fords have an average finish of 16.4 with 2639 laps led all-time.
• 2006 Dominance: RFK had its best overall outing in the Coca-Cola 600 in 2006, when its five entries averaged a 5.4 finish. RFK Fords finished third, fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth, while leading 52 laps in the event. In 2002, RFK posted a one-two finish in the event with Martin and Kenseth battling feverishly for the win and combining to lead 67 laps in the race (with Martin taking the win).
• Golden Sombrero: RFK won a record four consecutive Coca-Cola 600’s from 1999-2002 with drivers Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin. During that span, RFK led 427 laps, including 201 of 400 laps in the 1999 event.

RFK Charlotte Wins

1992-2 Martin Cup

1995-2 Martin Cup

1998-2 Martin Cup

1999-1 Burton Cup

2000-1 Kenseth Cup

2001-1 Burton Cup

2002-1 Martin Cup

2011-2 Kenseth Cup

1993-2 Martin NXS

1995-2 Martin NXS

1996-1 Martin NXS

1996-2 Martin NXS

1998-1 Martin NXS

1999-1 Martin NXS

2000-1 Burton NXS

2001-2 Biffle NXS

2002-2 Burton NXS

2006-1 Edwards NXS

2011-1 Kenseth NXS

2011-2 Edwards NXS

2011-2 Edwards NXS

2015-1 Buescher NXS

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
All-Star: Buescher capped off his weekend at North Wilkesboro with his best-career finish in the All-Star Race, P3. Keselowski finished 16th.

Points Standings (6: 11th, 17: 12th): Points remain unchanged coming off the All-Star Race, with Buescher and Keselowski just outside the top-10.