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2023 NHRA Funny Car Champion Matt HaganPreviews This Weekend’s NHRA 4-Wide Nationals

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Matt Hagan, a three-time winner at zMAX Dragway and the defending NHRA Funny Car champion, will look to notch his first victory of the season at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals this weekend. (NHRA photo)

CONCORD, N.C. (April 21, 2024) – As the NHRA’s best drivers prepare for the return of four-wide drag racing to zMAX Dragway this weekend, defending Funny Car champion Matt Hagan knows he’s got his work cut out for him to earn his fourth Wally at the Bellagio of drag strips and his first of the season. Despite a wildly competitive class – which saw the final four drivers separated by just 0.012 of a second at the four-wides in Las Vegas earlier this month – Hagan feels confident as he returns to his home track.

What he’s saying:

On the competitiveness of this year’s Funny Car class:

“The final that I was in, in Vegas, there was 12,000ths (of a second) difference between all four cars. I mean, it was unbelievable to have four cars running down there that fast in a final. And, you know, three of us got beat on a holeshot. But it was just a photo-finish final. And, you know, to have four funny cars run that close together is unbelievable.”

On what it takes to win 4-Wide:

“A lot of times, the motor is not happy or something’s happening, you would click it off and shut it down (in the two-wide format). (In four-wide, where two cars advance), it don’t matter whether you’re on fire upside down, you got to go to the other end, you know, because you don’t know if those other two cars even left the starting line. So it makes it very, very interesting. It’s definitely a twist that we don’t see anywhere else other than these two two events that Bruton has at those tracks (Charlotte and Las Vegas).”

On his outlook on the start of the 2024 season:

“We’re a little behind this year. Last year we won six races, and three of those six we’d already won by now. So, we’ve done some stuff with a change in combinations and in the motor and housing and a couple of different things. You have to always evolve and you have to always innovate. But, you know, when you do that, you change one thing. It changes stakes. So I feel like we’re just a little bit behind the eight ball. It’s exciting because when crew chiefs get it, they’re like, ‘oh, I got it,’ you know what I mean? So they’re always changing things. But it was nice to see the car last weekend in Vegas really respond to the changes.”

On giving advice to team owner Tony Stewart in his rookie season racing Top Fuel:

“I’m not really giving him any pointers unless he comes over and asks for something. I’m not one to be like, ‘hey, do it this way or do it that way.’ I think that, you know, at 300 miles an hour, you’re out there on your own, but you got to kind of figure it out a little bit, you know? That was the advice that was given to me when I drove Tim Wilkerson’s car for the first time to get my license. And, I mean, it rings true because, you know, until you make those mistakes and have that seat time, no one can tell you how to do it or what you did wrong.”

Hagan’s quest for his first Wally of the season starts Friday with qualifying under the lights as the dragway hosts its Night of Fire. All four pro categories will set the field with two rounds of qualifying on Saturday before elimination Sunday.

TICKETS:

Fans can purchase tickets to this weekend’s NHRA 4-Wide Nationals online at charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Every ticket is a pit pass, so come early to see your favorite drivers and their cars up-close before a festival of 44,000 horsepower ignites the excitement!

KEEP TRACK:

Stay on pace with what’s happening at Charlotte Motor Speedway by following on X and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

ABEL Motorsports trio poised for success at Barber

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Sundaramoorthy looks to repeat his junior formula success, when he became the first Indian American driver to win an INDYCAR-sanctioned race

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (22 April 2024) – Riding momentum from the INDY NXT by Firestone season opener six weeks ago on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., ABEL Motorsports heads to the scenic roller coaster that is Barber Motorsports Park for the 35-lap Grand Prix of Alabama – part of the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix.

Drivers Jacob Abel (Louisville, Ky.) and Yuven Sundaramoorthy (Oconomowoc, Wis.) have raced at Barber before during their junior formula careers (four races for Sundaramoorthy, nine races for Abel), while Josh Mason (Maresfield, UK) will get his first look at the 17-turn, 2.3-mile road course this week.

Barber has long been a driver favorite, with 80’ of elevation changes and extremely high-speed corners. In fact, the slowest corner at Barber clocks in at nearly the same speed as the fastest corner at St Pete.

Sundaramoorthy, 21, achieved a milestone at Barber in 2021, becoming the first Indian American driver to score a win in an INDYCAR-sanctioned series race when he captured a dominant USF2000 Championship victory from the pole position.

“2021 really was a breakout year for me,” said Sundaramoorthy. “That year gave me a great deal of confidence as I continued up the ladder. I learned how to keep the momentum going through the inevitable ups and downs. That’s been the benefit of coming up through the ladder series, knowing the tracks and in some cases, having had success on those tracks.”

Heading into just his fifth INDY NXT weekend, Sundaramoorthy knows what he is looking for out of his ABEL Motorsports-prepared Dallara this weekend.

“Barber is such a high-commitment track: you have to have a good feel for the car, to know that you can trust the car, and just commit,” said Sundaramoorthy. “Finding that place with the INDY NXT car is the priority – if you make one tiny mistake, it makes a huge difference in time. Given how competitive the series is, one small mistake could be 10 positions.”

Abel, 23, hopes to capitalize on his second-place finish in the season opener on a track he knows well, having earned three top 10 finishes in four junior formula races at Barber. He topped the speed charts in the series test late last year so it’s unsurprising that he counts the track as one of his favorites.

“Of all the tracks we go to, Barber is probably the most fun to drive and the most liked by the drivers,” said Abel. “There are so many elevation changes and high-speed corners, and the track surface is so smooth, so it requires a very different set up in the car than St. Pete. We were super strong in the test so hoping to carry that momentum into the race weekend.”

Showing solid pace in his Stateside debut in St. Pete, Mason, 22, flew home after the race and went straight to the simulator, ready to learn everything he could about the track before seeing it for the first time this week.

“St. Pete was a good first step, looking at where we ended up compared with where we started,” said Mason. “Obviously, as a driver, you’re here to win, but for the first time in the car and the first time at St. Pete, there were some challenges, and I think we overcame them. We showed that we can compete at the front, with the pace we had. I’m comfortable with the car and the crew – ABEL Motorsports is a brilliant team. I’ve been with many different teams and ABEL is definitely the most open team, right from the start. They made me feel comfortable from the outset and looking at their history, they’re good at what they do and they’re very professional – but they have a fun side as well, which is a nice balance!”

With seven weeks between races, the break between St. Pete and Barber is the longest of the INDY NXT season. For Abel, living in Indianapolis and being near the shop – and coaching some of the junior formula racers – has helped to fill the time.

“It’s all about staying focused,” said Abel. “I’ve been at the shop a lot, working with all the team members and really making sure we’re on it come Barber. I’ve also been doing a lot of coaching in the lower categories which keeps me at a racetrack. I think just working with race cars on track and telling people how to go fast is really good mental training for me. Because of that, I feel as though I’m still in it.”

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 of Alabama takes the green flag Sunday, April 28 at 11:05 a.m. Eastern. The race will be streamed live in the U.S. on Peacock, while international viewers can watch via INDYCARLIVE.com with INDYCAR Radio available at indycar.com/radio 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 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.

Mahindra Tractors Racing: Chase Briscoe Dover Advance

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Official Release
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CHASE BRISCOE
Dover Advance
No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Event Overview
● Event: Würth 400 (Round 11 of 36)
● Time/Date: 2 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 28
● Location: Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway
● Layout: 1-mile, concrete oval
● Laps/Miles: 400 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 120 laps / Stage 2: 130 laps / Final Stage: 150 laps
● TV/Radio: FS1 / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● With a 12th-place finish last Sunday at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Chase Briscoe maintained his streak of quiet consistency that has allowed him to climb from 18th in the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings four weeks ago to 12th entering Sunday’s Würth 400 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. The driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing has scored seven straight top-20 finishes, with the last three being no worse than 12th. With 16 races to go before the championship cutoff where only the top-16 drivers are eligible to compete in the 10-race title chase, Briscoe has a 23-point margin over 17th-place Kyle Busch.

● The Würth 400 will mark Briscoe’s fourth career NASCAR Cup Series start at Dover. In three prior starts at the 1-mile, concrete oval, Briscoe’s best finish is 13th, earned in May 2022.

● Briscoe’s stats in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Dover are far more impressive. In the stepping-stone division to the elite NASCAR Cup Series, Briscoe competed at Dover five times, earning a win, three top-fives and four top-10s. His worst finish was 19th, earned in his first Xfinity Series start at the track in October 2018.

● Briscoe’s NASCAR Xfinity Series win at Dover was impressive. On Aug. 23, 2020, Briscoe started sixth and led three times for a race-high 107 laps, including the final 13. He crossed the stripe with a 2.463-second advantage over runner-up Ross Chastain.

● Prior to his time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Briscoe competed for one season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. In 2017, Briscoe ran one Truck race at Dover. It went well as Briscoe won the pole with a lap of 23.007 seconds at 156.474 mph. He then led three laps in the race before finishing 12th.

● The high-banked, high-speed Dover oval harkens back to two other high-banked tracks Briscoe competed on as he climbed the racing ladder to the NASCAR Cup Series. Salem Speedway and Winchester Speedway, both in Indiana, provided Briscoe with a hint of what throttling around Dover’s 24 degrees of banking would be like. Salem is a .555-mile oval with 33 degrees of banking and Winchester is a half-mile oval with 37 degrees of banking. Briscoe made three ARCA Menards Series starts at Salem and one at Winchester. In his three starts at Salem between 2015 and 2016, Briscoe won two poles (April and September 2016), led a total of 155 laps, and scored two finishes of sixth or better, with his best result being fifth in his debut at the track in 2015. In his lone ARCA race at Winchester in 2016, Briscoe dominated by winning the pole, leading the most laps (142 of 200) and winning the race by 1.132 seconds.

● Mahindra Ag North America is in its third year as the anchor sponsor for Briscoe and the No. 14 team after extending its partnership with Stewart-Haas during the offseason. The multiyear agreement with the NASCAR team co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart and industrialist Gene Haas continues to feature Mahindra Tractors, a brand of Mahindra Ag North America, on Briscoe’s No. 14 Ford Mustang for the majority of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Houston-based Mahindra Ag North America is part of Mahindra Group’s Automotive and Farm Sector, the No. 1 selling farm tractor company in the world, based on volumes across all company brands. Mahindra offers a range of tractor models from 20-75 horsepower, implements, and the ROXOR heavy-duty UTV. Mahindra farm equipment is engineered to be easy to operate by first-time tractor or side-by-side owners and heavy duty to tackle the tough jobs of rural living, farming and ranching. Steel-framed Mahindra Tractors and side-by-sides are ideal for customers who demand performance, reliability and comfort. Mahindra dealers are independent, family-owned businesses located throughout the U.S. and Canada.

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

Your first start at Dover came back in 2017 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and you came out of the gate really strong by winning the pole. How did you do it?

“I’ve always enjoyed really fast racetracks where it’s just super-high commitment, kind of elbows up. There’s something about it that just felt normal. We were really good there in the Truck. I had a wheel come off in the race and we finished worse than we probably should have. We’ve been able to win there in other series. The Cup Series has been a struggle there, truthfully, but I’ve always enjoyed going to Dover. It’s one of those racetracks where, as a driver, if you just embrace it, it’s a lot of fun.”

Did the track remind you of Winchester or Salem from your sprint car days?

“Yeah. I’ve always enjoyed racing at high-commitment places where it’s high-banked and the more speed you can carry, the better. Until that point, Salem and Winchester were the only tracks I’ve run that were like that. Bristol in the Truck Series, I guess I hadn’t even run Bristol yet at that point in the Truck Series, so the only point of reference I had was Salem and Winchester and I just remember it feeling like a big Salem or Winchester. A lot of guys aren’t used to high-banked racetracks. I only had two starts on them, but sprint car-wise, I ran a lot of high-banked, high-speed racetracks and it didn’t really freak me out. I feel like a lot of guys probably go there for the first time and if you grow up pavement racing, there’s not a lot that compares with that, so it can be very eye-opening. It’s just one of those deals that, as a sprint car guy, it makes it a little bit easier to get used to the speed, and I feel like you’ve seen a lot of sprint car guys be really successful there because of that.”

Did you ever have a welcome-to-Dover moment?

“I remember the first time I was there, going out and being pretty mind-blown at how big the drop was, like down into the corner. I ran the simulator and watched video, but you never get a full appreciation for it until you do it. I remember coming in after that first 10-or-so-lap run huffing and puffing. I never took a breath the first 10 or so laps around that place. So, yeah, I would say that was my welcome-to-Dover moment. And honestly, every time you go there, it’s one of those same things where you forget how big the drop is and you forget to breathe on your first run. I feel like every time you go to Dover you have one of those welcome-to-Dover moments.”

How difficult is Dover in a Cup car, and how steep is the learning curve?

“I would say the biggest thing about the Cup car is that everybody is just so close. In the lower series, if you’re fast, you can move around the racetrack and pass guys. Dover is one of the harder places to pass guys, in general. But the Cup car, everybody is so close on speed that it makes it really, really challenging. Track position is so important, and that’s where I probably need to do a lot better job in the Cup Series. When I get track position, I need to be extremely aggressive as far as trying to hold it, but then also just trying to figure out better ways to pass there. Especially in my Cup career, I’ve kind of been one of the first guys to the top (of the track) and that typically wears your tires out way more. It’s a short-term gain but a long-term loss, so just trying to understand what I need to do as far as passing guys would probably help me most in my Cup career there at Dover.”

Dover is another track where your time in the Xfinity Series was fruitful – a win among four top-10s in five career starts. What allowed you to be consistently good at Dover in the Xfinity Series?

“I would say the biggest thing is the Xfinity car was the one car that was the most out of control at that racetrack. You were really sideways all the time. The Truck has a lot of downforce, the Cup car has a lot of downforce, but the Xfinity car just really fit my driving style around that place and just how you had to be elbows up and, at the same time, you had to be really patient at times and you could search around the racetrack. I just really enjoyed that track in that style of car from the first time we went there. I always had speed there and that made it fun.”

Describe a lap at Dover, specifically, the grit you need have to throw the car into the corner and trust it.

“You go down the straightaway and it’s more banked than half the racetracks we go to, and you look down into turn one and see the elevation change. You drive down in there and it kind of reminds me of a roller coaster to a certain extent because it does kind of get your stomach a little bit. The car gets really light and it’ll slam down into the ground super hard, and you can feel your whole body compressed into the seat. And then you’re out of the gas, kind of rolling, and you can’t even see the exit of the corner. You go back to wide open and hope you did it at the right time. Come back out of the hole and then do the same thing going down into turn three. It seems like for whatever reason, in turn three the drop-in feels a little more extreme. It’s a cool place. I always feel like if you can give anybody a ride-along in a two-seater to hook them on NASCAR and make them appreciate what we do, Dover is certainly the place.”

How physical is a race at Dover?

“From your neck standpoint and from your core standpoint, I feel like Dover is probably the hardest track on your body. And just even from a mental standpoint, you can’t take a single second off there. You’ve got to be on it at all times. I’d say it’s one of the top-five, top-10 hardest tracks, for sure. It’s always a challenge when you go there.”

Do you feel the seams in the concrete at Dover?

“I’ve never had any issues there as far as that goes. I always feel it’s rougher down the straightaways than it is in the corner, and maybe that’s because our car in the corners is so loaded up that you don’t really feel anything. But I don’t feel like it’s crazy rough, by any means.”

No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe

Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: Richard Boswell

Hometown: Friendship, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey

Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook

Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala

Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal

Hometown: Holland, Michigan

Jack Man: Dylan Moser

Hometown: Monroe, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams

Hometown: Plymouth, Wisconsin

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads

Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips

Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable

Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Dale Lackey

Hometown: Taylorsville, North Carolina

Lotus Tech Releases Video Showcasing ESG Vision: Driving The Future of Sustainable Mobility

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Official Release
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NEW YORK, April 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lotus Technology Inc. (“Lotus Tech” or the “Company”), a leading global luxury electric vehicle maker has today released a new video, showcasing its transition to sustainable mobility. With an ambition of “Driving Change” and commitment to electrification, Lotus Tech aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2038 and achieve a 100% electric product portfolio by 2028.

Featuring insights from the Chairman of Lotus Tech’s ESG Committee and the ESG team, the video highlights the Company’s mission and its interpretation of sustainability, along with the current progress and achievements in areas such as sustainable vehicle design, eco-friendly materials, electric product line-up, and more.

Alexious Lee, ESG Committee Chairman of Lotus Tech, said: “At Lotus, we know we have a responsibility to play in the global transition to net zero emissions. That’s why, in 2018, we launched Vision80, our strategy to transform the business into an all-electric global mobility provider in ten years. But we know electrification is not enough. We must consider the whole life cycle impact of producing a car. From manufacturing and production, to charging and to its end life. We’re on a journey to build a business that benefits the planet and committed to showing our progress along the way.”

Lotus first announced its Vision80 strategy in 2018 to transform to a global all-electric luxury technology brand by 2028. It has spent the last six years bringing together over 75 years of expertise in engineering and performance, with cutting-edge technologies, to develop electric vehicles that are designed to set a new standard for automotive excellence.

As part of its long-term business objective, Lotus has launched a range of electric vehicles designed to accelerate the transition to electrification including the electric hypercar, Evija; its first electric hyper-SUV, Eletre; and its first electric hyper-GT, Emeya.

Lotus has also developed its own cutting-edge technologies, designed to improve the charging infrastructure globally and further increase electric vehicle adoption. This includes its own fast charging solutions including an ultra-fast 450kW DC charger, and solar storage supercharging solutions to maximise green energy utilisation.

Lotus Tech has published its first ESG report last year, which outlines its commitment to reaching carbon neutrality by 2038, two years before The Climate Pledge. The Company is a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and supporter of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and has aligned its actions in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

To achieve its ambition of carbon neutrality, Lotus promotes renewable energy use and other sustainable practices for the Lotus Global Smart Factory, which is owned by Geely for the production of Lotus’ lifestyle electric vehicles and has been consciously designed with sustainability at its core. Current measures already implemented include collecting and using the rainwater collected in the lake onsite for operations, such as vehicle washing. This aims to save approximately 35,000 cubic meters of water each year. The factory also has a photovoltaic power station on site, which has an annual capacity exceeding 16 GWh.

Lotus has also consciously designed its next-generation electric vehicles including Eletre and Emeya with advanced sustainable materials that are also sustainably sourced. The Company is also measuring its greenhouse gas emissions on a frequent basis across its product and operations, as part of its advanced carbon emissions management systems.

To learn more about ESG at Lotus Tech, please visit www.group-lotus.com/esg.

About Lotus Technology Inc.
Lotus Technology Inc. has operations across China, the UK, and the EU. The Company is dedicated to delivering luxury lifestyle battery electric vehicles, with a focus on world-class R&D in next-generation automobility technologies such as electrification, digitalisation and more. For more information about Lotus Technology Inc., please visit www.group-lotus.com.

Rick Ware Racing: GEICO 500 from Talladega

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Official Release
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RICK WARE RACING
GEICO 500

Date: April 21, 2024
Event: GEICO 500 (Round 10 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
Format: 188 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/60 laps/68 laps)
Race Winner: Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Austin Cindric of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)

RWR Race Finish:

● Cody Ware (Started 34th, Finished 24th/ Running, completed 188 of 188 laps)
● Justin Haley (Started 27th, Finished 34th/ Running, completed 185 of 188 laps)

RWR Points:

● Justin Haley (33rd with 101 points)
● Cody Ware (38th with 13 points)

Note: This was Ware’s first start of the season.

RWR Notes:

● This was Ware’s eighth career start at Talladega. His best finish remains 19th, earned in October 2020.
● This was Haley’s ninth career start at Talladega. His best finish remains sixth, earned in October 2023.
● Haley led two times for four laps to bring his laps-led total at Talladega to nine.

Race Notes:

● Tyler Reddick won the GEICO 500 to score his sixth career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his first at Talladega. His margin of victory over second-place Brad Keselowski was .208 of a second.
● There were four caution periods for a total of 21 laps.
● Thirty of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● Kyle Larson remains the championship leader after Talladega with a 15-point advantage over second-place Martin Truex Jr.

Sound Bites:

“I think our No. 15 Jacob Construction Ford Mustang was a fast car. We showed our speed multiple times throughout the race. I just wanted to play it smart and be there at the end, which is what we did. Unfortunately, the last 20-25 laps we didn’t have a whole lot of help behind us to get a pack going towards the front, but I’ll take the wins with the losses. I’m still happy for our first race back. I’ll take the positives from it and know that we’ve got good, fast cars here at the superspeedways.” – Cody Ware, driver of the No. 15 Jacob Construction Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“I’m really glad we had a chance to run up front and lead laps. We’ve had so much speed and haven’t really had the results to show it, so I’m glad we finally got to put it on display like that. I wish things had ended differently, there wasn’t much I could do in that situation and at the end of the day we were able to keep making laps and finish it out. I’m proud of the No. 51 team and everyone at RWR for sticking with it.” – Justin Haley, driver of the No. 51 Parts Plus/Grady Health Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Würth 400 on Sunday, April 28 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. The race begins at 2 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Stewart-Haas Racing: GEICO 500 from Talladega

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Official Release
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STEWART-HAAS RACING
GEICO 500

Date: April 21, 2024
Event: GEICO 500 (Round 10 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
Format: 188 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/60 laps/68 laps)
Race Winner: Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Austin Cindric of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)

SHR Finish:

● Noah Gragson (Started 36th, Finished 3rd / Running, completed 188 of 188 laps)
● Chase Briscoe (Started 26th, Finished 12th / Running, completed 188 of 188 laps)
● Ryan Preece (Started 11th, Finished 14th / Running, completed 188 of 188 laps)
● Josh Berry (Started 29th, Finished 16th / Running, completed 188 of 188 laps)

SHR Points:

● Chase Briscoe (12th with 256 points, 103 out of first)
● Ryan Preece (23rd with 162 points, 197 out of first)
● Noah Gragson (27th with 154 points, 205 out of first)
● Josh Berry (28th with 151 points, 208 out of first)

Gragson Notes:

● Gragson’s third-place finish was his career-best NASCAR Cup Series result. His prior best was fifth in August 2022 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
● This was Gragson’s best finish so far this year. His previous best was sixth, earned March 3 at his hometown Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
● This was Gragson’s first top-five and his third top-10 of the season. It was also his first top-10 in four career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega.
● Gragson’s third-place result bettered his previous best finish at Talladega – 19th, earned in October 2022.
● This was Gragson’s fourth straight top-20. He finished 12th March 31 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, 20th April 7 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and 18th last Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.
● Gragson led five times for five laps to bring his laps-led total at Talladega to six.

Briscoe Notes:

● Briscoe earned his seventh top-15 of the season and his sixth top-15 in seven career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega.
● This was Briscoe’s third straight top-12. He finished 10th April 7 at Martinsville and sixth last Sunday at Texas.
● This was Briscoe’s fourth consecutive top-15 at Talladega. He finished 10th in October 2022, fourth last April and 13th in the series’ prior visit to the track in October.
● Briscoe led twice for three laps to increase his laps-led total at Talladega to five.

Preece Notes:

● Preece earned his fourth top-15 of the season and his sixth top-15 in nine career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega.
● This was Preece’s third straight top-15. He finished ninth April 7 at Martinsville and 12th last Sunday at Texas.
● This was Preece’s second consecutive top-15 at Talladega. He finished eighth in the series’ prior visit to the track in October.
● Preece finished ninth in Stage 2 to earn two bonus points.

Berry Notes:

● Berry earned his fourth top-20 of the season.
● Berry led once for three laps, and they came in his first NASCAR Cup Series start at Talladega.
● Berry was the highest finishing rookie.

Race Notes:

● Tyler Reddick won the GEICO 500 to score his sixth career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his first at Talladega. His margin of victory over second-place Brad Keselowski was .208 of a second.

● There were four caution periods for a total of 21 laps.
● Thirty of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.
● Kyle Larson remains the championship leader after Talladega with a 15-point advantage over second-place Martin Truex Jr.

Sound Bites:

“We were definitely working together as Fords on the bottom – (Michael) McDowell, Brad Keselowski and myself. All the Fords worked great all race. It’s coming to the end and the 6 (Keselowski) and the 34 (McDowell) were blocking coming to the checkers and, unfortunately, the 45 (Tyler Reddick) squeaked by. I really wanted to see a Ford in victory lane, but the Overstock team at Stewart-Haas did a great job all day. We had clean pit stops, fast pit stops, a lot of horsepower under the hood. The Mustang Dark Horses and racing with these other Ford guys has been a lot of fun. I haven’t been up here very much in the Cup Series on these superspeedways, but I’m extremely grateful. It’s a privilege to race with guys like Keselowski and McDowell. I mean, they’ve won really big races on speedways so, overall, I’m really thankful for everyone at Stewart-Haas and this Overstock team and we’ll keep the momentum going.” – Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 10 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“I’m definitely not surprised. The whole last lap, you just know it’s coming if we got that far, so overall it just was not a very good day for us. We went a lap down early because of flat-spotting the tires. It seemed like we honestly just rode around 30th all day. I don’t know where we ended up. Someone said 12th, somehow, so I guess that’s better than where we should’ve finished with how the day went. We’ll just go on to Dover next week and try to continue running good.” – Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“Ultimately, we put ourselves in that position. I was trying to help Ryan (Blaney) and work with my other Ford teammates, but it’s tough when everybody isn’t on the same page. When you lose track position like that, it is what it is, but moving forward I’d like to talk to Blaney and figure out what I can do better to help him. That way, we can just not worry about anybody else.” – Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 41 United Rentals Ford Mustang Dark Horse

“I thought Rodney (Childers, crew chief) made some good changes there. We kind of took a swing at it just to get me feeling a bit better. But honestly, more than anything, really, just the strategy kind of worked in our favor. We kind of ended up on an opposite strategy, which sometimes you have to do to make something happen. That’s when we got up front and the car got driving a lot better. We had an opportunity there, but we just didn’t make it across the finish line. We’ll live to fight another day.” – Josh Berry, driver of the No. 4 Overstock.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Würth 400 on Sunday, April 28 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. The race begins at 2 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Alfredo Scores Career-Best Sixth-Place Finish at Talladega

By
Official Release
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DUDE Wipes Chevrolet Driver Avoids Last-Lap Accident to Score Top-10 Finish in GEICO 500
Date: April 21, 2024
Event: GEICO 500
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (2.66-mile oval)
Format: 188 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/60 laps/68 laps)
Start/Finish: 24th / 6th (Running, completed 188 of 188 laps)
Race Winner: Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Austin Cindric of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)

Overview:

Anthony Alfredo, driver of the No. 62 DUDE Wipes Chevrolet Camaro for Beard Motorsports, finished an impressive sixth in Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway after avoiding chaos on the final lap of the 188-lap race. The field raced three-wide during the initial stage of the race as Alfredo worked to learn the draft. The No. 62 Chevrolet got up to 15th by Lap 36 before making a trip to pit road for fuel only during the only round of green-flag pit stops in the first stage. The team elected to make another stop for fuel prior to the end of the first stage placing Alfredo in 30th place to finish that segment. During the second stage, Alfredo led on lap 70, his first laps led at Talladega as the field once again raced three-wide. He stayed up front even as the bottom line became unorganized. In an effort to save fuel, the DUDE Wipes driver positioned himself in the middle lane behind the leaders. Unfortunately, he ran out of fuel coming to the stage end and finished 36th. During the final stage, Alfredo restarted 10th but was forced to restart at the tail end of the longest line for pitting early during the stage break. He raced into the top-10 before falling back in the final stage. Using the draft, he was able to maintain a spot among the top-25 cars racing in a tight pack. Coming to the checkered flag, the leaders started wrecking collecting multiple cars. Alfredo was able to not only avoid the spinning cars but also launch himself from 18th to sixth, scoring his best career finish in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Anthony Alfredo, driver of the No. 62 DUDE Wipes Chevrolet Camaro for Beard Motorsports:

“Beard Motorsports has worked really hard to come to a couple races a year, but when they do it, they do it right, and they know they have a shot to win. So, I take a lot of pride in being the one behind the wheel for them. I hope I can do a lot more with them. You know, we had an awesome car today drove to the front, let some laps stayed skid-mark free thanks to DUDE Wipes. And at the end there we were just kind of boxed in. I couldn’t really do a whole lot especially when that third lane formed. I wanted to join that party earlier, but I was just trapped on the bottom so I pushed as hard as I could. In typical Talladega Superspeedway racing fashion things got a little crazy coming to the line and I just yanked it hard left, flew through the grass and somehow I crossed the line in sixth.”

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Würth400 on Sunday, April 28 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. The race begins at 2 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The next race for Beard Motorsports and the No. 62 Chevrolet is Saturday, Aug. 24 in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

Keselowski Finishes 2nd Again in Late-Race Chaos at Talladega

By
Official Release
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Second-Straight Runner-Up Result for No. 6; Buescher Finishes 25th

LINCOLN, Ala. (April 21, 2024) – Talladega Superspeedway delivered yet another chaotic ending Sunday afternoon as Brad Keselowski finished a close second in the Castrol Edge Ford, while Chris Buescher finished 25th in the Fastenal Ford.

The P2 finish marks Keselowski’s second consecutive runner-up result (P2 in Texas a week ago). He’s the first RFK driver since Carl Edwards in 2011 to finish runner-up in consecutive races.

6 Recap
Keselowski – a 6-time winner at Talladega – was in prime position as the laps wound down Sunday afternoon. He had help from fellow Ford teammates and had the position on the bottom lane on the final lap. But, a pair of blocks by the No. 34 – the latter ultimately causing a multi-car crash at the line – allowed the No. 45 to gain the advantage and the victory in the high line.

“The Fords were really working well together,” Keselowski said after the race. “We cleared the Toyotas on the bottom lane and it was pretty clear it was going to come down to the three of us. I backed up, Noah gave me a great push and I went to make a move on Michael and he covered it, and I went back the other way and got another push from Noah and there was nowhere to go when Michael came back down. I hate that for him, he’s a good guy, I hope he’s alright. That’s just kind of the way this stuff goes, but, all in all it was a really solid day for us, for Ford and Castrol. It’s another second. It’s a solid day, but not the win we wanted.”

Surprisingly, the final 26 laps ran uninterrupted as the finish was determined under green-flag conditions, despite double-digit cars crashing. Keselowski led two different times for a lap each.

He earned stage points with a P8 finish in the opening stage as fuel saving dominated the storyline of the 188-lap race. He went on to finish 23rd in stage two and was content with position at the tail of the field until around 30 to go when he jockeyed back into the top five.

The No. 6 was P3 in the race’s final yellow at lap 156 and pitted one final time for fuel in that caution, before restarting fifth with 26 laps remaining. From there, the field held it together until the tri-oval at Talladega before chaos ensued and Keselowski heartbreakingly finished second.

17 Recap
Buescher had a more uneventful afternoon in the Fastenal Ford, but also earned a top-10 stage finish in stage two. He put together a career-best qualifying effort on Saturday, lining up eighth on the grid for Sunday’s race.

Midway through stage two, Buescher drove to the point – one of four times on the day he led – and led the field with five laps remaining in the stage before crossing the stripe seventh.

From there, Buescher never regained the track position needed as the final laps remained calm until the final tri-oval, resulting in the 25th-place result.

Up Next
Dover Motor Speedway hosts race No. 11 for the Cup Series next weekend. Race coverage Sunday is set for 2 p.m. ET on FS1, with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

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.

RCR NCS Race Recap: Talladega Superspeedway

By
Official Release
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Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Club/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Team Lead Laps and Earn Stage Points at Talladega Superspeedway

Finish: 30th
Start: 5th
Points: 31st

“Great job by RCR and ECR for bringing a fast Chevy to a speedway race. We were able to qualify in the top-five in our Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet, lead laps and earn stage points. I wish our finish could show just how good our car was. We raced within the top-15 most of the day, but man was it frustrating to be out there running half throttle to try and conserve fuel. We tried to avoid the “Big One” by hanging back at the end of the race, but it didn’t work out in our favor. Speedway racing is unpredictable. We’ll regroup and head to the Monster Mile next weekend.” -Austin Dillon

Kyle Busch and the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet Team Lead Laps and Run Up Front at Talladega Superspeedway before Last Lap Incident

Finish: 27th
Start: 4th
Points: 17th

“We had a fast Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Camaro all weekend. We qualified well on Saturday and that’s a credit to everyone at ECR and RCR. Crew chief Randall Burnett and the guys made good calls to keep us in contention throughout the race on Sunday, and we were able to lead laps and earn stage points. I made a move to try to get to the front at the end because I saw the outside line had momentum. It didn’t work out and then we got caught up in a big pileup on the last lap. It’s really frustrating because if you ride in line you finish where you were, but if you try to race for the win you end up finishing in the back.” -Kyle Busch

The Role of Seat Belts and Airbags in Minimizing Injuries in Car Accidents

By
SM
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In the realm of automotive safety, few inventions have had as profound an impact as seat belts and airbags. These two stalwarts of vehicle and driving safety have saved countless lives and prevented numerous injuries since their introduction. In the case you are in a serious car accident, your selt belt and air bag can reduce the risk of any injuries, but you should still see a doctor and contact a Seattle car accident attorney.

The Importance of Seat Belts

Seat belts are the most basic and fundamental safety feature in any vehicle. Despite their simplicity, their effectiveness in preventing injuries cannot be overstated. When worn correctly, seat belts significantly reduce the risk of serious injury or death in the event of a crash. Here’s how they work:

  1. Restraint and Distribution of Force: Seat belts restrain occupants during sudden deceleration, distributing the force of impact across stronger parts of the body, such as the chest and pelvis. This helps to prevent occupants from striking hard surfaces within the vehicle or being ejected from the vehicle altogether.
  2. Secondary Collision Prevention: In many accidents, occupants are not only at risk from the initial impact but also from secondary collisions within the vehicle. Seat belts keep occupants firmly in place, reducing the likelihood of injuries caused by subsequent impacts.
  3. Occupant Kinematics: Seat belts are designed to work with the body’s natural movement during a crash, allowing controlled deceleration and minimizing the risk of whiplash or other soft tissue injuries.

Evolution of Seat Belt Technology

Over the years, seat belt technology has evolved significantly to enhance safety and comfort:

  1. Three-Point Seat Belts: Introduced by Volvo in 1959, the three-point seat belt secures both the lap and shoulder, providing superior protection compared to earlier lap belts.
  2. Pretensioners: Modern seat belts often include pretensioners, which automatically tighten the belt upon detecting a crash, reducing slack and ensuring occupants are firmly secured before the impact occurs.
  3. Load Limiters: Some seat belts incorporate load limiters, which allow controlled stretching of the belt to reduce the force applied to the occupant’s body during a crash.

The Crucial Role of Airbags

While seat belts form the first line of defense, airbags serve as a crucial secondary safety measure. Airbags are designed to deploy rapidly upon detecting a crash, providing an additional cushioning effect to occupants. Here’s why airbags are essential:

  1. Supplemental Restraint System (SRS): Airbags are part of a vehicle’s Supplemental Restraint System, working in conjunction with seat belts to provide comprehensive protection. They deploy rapidly to cushion occupants against hard surfaces, reducing the risk of head and chest injuries.
  2. Occupant Positioning: Airbags help to maintain proper occupant positioning during a crash, especially in frontal collisions. They prevent occupants from striking the steering wheel, dashboard, or windshield with significant force.
  3. Reduction of Head and Chest Injuries: By distributing the forces of impact over a larger area, airbags help to reduce the risk of head and chest injuries, including traumatic brain injuries and internal organ damage.

Advancements in Airbag Technology

Airbag technology continues to evolve to enhance safety and adapt to various crash scenarios:

  1. Multi-Stage Deployment: Advanced airbag systems feature multi-stage deployment, which allows the airbags to deploy with varying force depending on the severity of the crash and the position of the occupants.
  2. Side-Impact Airbags: In addition to frontal airbags, many vehicles now feature side-impact airbags to protect occupants from lateral collisions.
  3. Curtain Airbags: Curtain airbags deploy from the ceiling to provide protection for occupants in rollover accidents or side-impact collisions, reducing the risk of head injuries.

Conclusion

In conclusion, seat belts and airbags are indispensable components of modern automotive safety systems. Together, they form a formidable defense against the forces of inertia and impact that accompany car accidents. While seat belts serve as the primary means of restraint, airbags provide vital supplementary protection, especially in frontal and side-impact collisions.

As automotive technology continues to advance, we can expect further refinements in seat belt and airbag systems, leading to even greater levels of occupant protection. However, amidst these technological advancements, one thing remains clear: the simple act of buckling up can make all the difference between life and death in a car crash. Seat belts and airbags may be passive safety features, but their role in saving lives is anything but passive. It’s a testament to the power of innovation and human ingenuity in the pursuit of safer roads for all.

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